Phrases
1. shake up
sth: to cause large changes in sth such as an organization, usually in order to make improvements
New European payments regulation has the potential to shake up the banks.
Technology changes have shaken up many industries.
The first thing the new chairman of the company did was to shake up the management.
sb: If an unpleasant experience shakes sb up, it makes them feel shocked and upset
I think she was quite shaken up by the accident.
2. make complaints about
In Britain alone millions of people make formal complaints each year about their banks.
file/ lodge a complaint; deal with/ handle/ investigate a complaint; cause/ grounds for complaint
Do you have any grounds for complaint (= reason to formally complain)?
3. to date
(formal) up to the present time
To date, despite dire warnings, European retail banking has been remarkably unscathed by technology-driven disruption.
This novel is his best work to date.
4. tighten up
to make a rule, system, or law stronger and more difficult to avoid or ignore
Security for payments above $32 will be tightened up, with customers having to provide two pieces of secret information (" strong authentication") to wave through a transaction.
Are there any plans to tighten up on advertising controls?
5. insure against
to do sth in order to prevent sth unpleasant from happening or from affecting you
As they are also required to be insured against losses from fraud.
We thought we'd insure against rain by putting a tent up where people could take shelter.
6. be subject to 遭受着；面临着
to have or experience a particular thing, esp. sth unpleasant
They will not be subject to the same capital and stress-testing requirements banks face.
Cars are subject to a high domestic tax.
In recent years, she has been subject to attacks of depression.
(adj) subject to 取决于...; 视...而定
only able to happen if sth else happens
We plan to go on Wednesday, subject to your approval.
Moving all the books should not take long, subject to there being (= if there are) enough helpers.
(v) subject sb/sth to sth 使服从
(often passive): to make someone or sth experience an unpleasant or worry thing
The inquiry found that they had been subjected to unfair treatment.
At the very least, the court should make itself subject to the code of conduct that applies to the rest of the federal judiciary.
7. water down
to deliberately make an idea or opinion less extreme, usually so that other people will accept it
As implementation approaches, the rules will be watered down.
The party has watered down its ideals in order to appeal to the centre ground.
8. bare one's teeth
But regulators have already bared their teeth.
Now it has had to cut back on the internal focus groups and bare its teeth.
He became nervous when the dog growled and bared its teeth at him (= showed its teeth to him).
bare your heat/soul to
to tell sb your secret thoughts and feelings
We don't know each other that well. I certainly wouldn't bare my soul to her.
Words
1. overdrawn (adj)
having taken more money out of your bank account than the account contained
Apps could warn account-holders if they spend more than a predetermined amount or are about to become overdrawn.
They were overdrawn by $150, so they couldn't write any cheques.
The account was overdrawn.
overdraw (v) 透支
withdraw (v) 取钱
This credit card allows you to withdraw up to $200 a day from cash dispensers.(自动取款机）
2. nudge (v)
push sth or sb gently
Apps could even nudge them to save more.
The children were giggling and nudging each other.
to move slowly and almost reach a higher point or level
Walmart already has revenues nudging 500bn and is beefing up online.
Oil prices continue to nudge higher.
Peter must be nudging 40 now.
3. dire
very serious or exteme
To date, despite dire warnings, European retail banking has been remarkably unscathed by technology-driven disruption.
These people are in dire need of help.
He gave a dire warning that an earthquake was imminent. (coming or likely to happen very soon)
This decision will have dire consequences for local people.
be in dire straits 处于岌岌可危的境地
Everyone agrees that the sport is in dire straits.
4. unscathed (adj)
(after verb) without injuries or damage being caused
To date, despite dire warnings, European retail banking has been remarkably unscathed by technology-driven disruption.
Her husband died in the accident but she, amazingly, escaped unscathed.
5. mount (v)
to organize and begin an an activity or event
mount an attack/ campaign/ challenge/ protest
mount a display/ exhibition
Financial-technology companies are beginning to mount a challenge, most conspicuously in the online-payments industry in northern Europe.
to gradually increase, rise, or get bigger
The children's excitement is mounting as Christmas gets nearer.
表示上升的动词：jump; increase; go up; rise; soar; mount
6. conspicuous (adj)
very noticeable or attracting attention, often in a way that is not wanted
He tried not to look conspicuous and moved slowly along the back of the room.
conspicuously (adv)
Financial-technology companies are beginning to mount achallenge, most conspicuously in the online-payments industry in northern Europe.
The temple's grand white arches rose conspicuously over the dirty decaying city.
7. incumbent
(n) the person who has or had a particular official position
One reason incumbents have proved so resilient is that fintech firms lack the customer-transaction information they need to provide many financial services.
The present incumbent (of the post) is due to retire next month.
(adj) officially having the named position
The incumbent president faces problems which began many years before he took office.
be incumbent on/upon sb
(formal) to be necessary for sb
She felt it incumbent upon/on her to raise the subject at their meeting.
8. resilient (adj)
able to quickly return to a previous good condition
One reason incumbents have proved so resilient is that fintech firms lack the customer-transaction information they need to provide many financial services.
She's a resilient girl-- she won't be unhappy for long.
This rubber ball is very resilient and immediately springs back into shape.
9. cumbersome
awkward because of being large, heavy, or not effective
It is often either cumbersome or insecure for customers to share their own information.
cumbersome equipment/ bureaucracy
10. kick-start (v)
to make sth start to happen
The Payments Services Directive 2 aims to kick-start competition while making payments more secure.
Taxes were drastically cut in an attempt to kick-start the economy.
11. explicit (adj)
clear and exact
She was very explicit about what she thought was wrong with the plans.
I wasn't aware that I would be paying-- you certainly didn't make it explicit.
12 consent
(n) permission or agreement
Provided the customer has given explicit consent, banks will be forced to share customer-account information with licensed financial-services providers.
(v) to agree to do sth, or to allow sb to do sth
Very reluctantly, I've consented to lend her my car.
My aunt never married because her father wouldn't consent to her marriage.
13. browse (v)
to look through a book or magazine without reading everything
I was browsing through fashion magazines to find a new hairstyle.
They could become more integrated into the internet-browsing experience- enabling, for example, one-click bank transfers, at least for low-value payments.
* peruse (v)
to read through sth, esp. in order to find the part you are interested in
He opened a newspaper and began to peruse the personal ads.
14. rock bottom (n)
(informal) the lowest possible level
Profitability is already threatened by rock-bottom interest rates.
Prices have reached/hit rock bottom.
the most unhappy that sb has ever been in their life
Ian had just left me and I was at rock bottom.
15. handy (adj)
useful or convenient
Bank's lockhold on payments serves as a handy source of income.
It's a nice house and it's handy for (= near) the station.
(informal) Don't throw those bottles away-- they'll come in handy (= be useful) for the picnic next Sunday.
( after verb) able to use sth skillfully
John's good at wallpapering but he's not so handy with a paintbrush.
16. manifest (v)
( formal) to show sth clearly, through signs or actions
Perhaps predictably, resistance is manifested as a concern about data protection.
Lack of confidence in the company manifested itself in a fall in the share price
17. robust （adj)
( of an object or system) strong and unlikely to break or fail
Newcomers will have to convince the authorities that their data-protection systems are robust.
a robust economy
( of a person or animal) strong and healthy
He looks robust and healthy enough.
18. insurer 承包人，保险公司
As they are also required to be insured against losses from fraud, they will need to convince insurers, too.
19. undertake
to do or begin to do sth, esp. sth that will take a long time or be difficult
They will not be subject to the same capital and stress-testing requirements banks face: but nor will they be licensed to undertake the riskier business of lending.
to promise
She undertook not to publish the names of the people involved.
20. invoice 发票
a Finnish startup that helps companies track cashflow and invoices.
21. attribute
(n) a quality or characteristic that sb or sth has
Huge customer bases and low funding costs are all attributes entrants want to gain by association.
Organizational ability is an essential attribute for a good manager.
（phrasal verbs) attribute sth to sb
to think that sb or sth has a particular quality or feature
I wouldn't dream of attributing such a lack of judgment to you.
attribute sth to sb/ sth
to say or think that sth is the result or work of sth or sb else
To what do you attribute this delay?
22. exploit (v)
to use sth for advantage
Banks want to exploit newcomers' technology.
We need to make sure that we exploit our resources as fully as possible.