ANSWERS and further information:
1. to mess sth up
= to say that you fail at an activity or that you do it really badly. It's often used to describe activities like interviews, tests and exams, speeches, performances or even trying to flirt with someone you like.
I really messed up the last 5 questions in the exam so I had to guess the answers.
2. to single sb out
= when you choose one specific person in a group for special attention, i.e. you might be giving them criticism or praise, making them embarrassed, or blaming someone.
The witness managed to single out the alleged suspect from the line-up to the police.
3. to take sth away (from sth)
= used in mathematics to describe when one number is subtracted from another (i.e. remove one number from another)
Synonm: to minus sth (from sth)
One hundred take away seventy is thirty.
4. to walk out (on sb/sth)
= when used with 'somebody', we say that a person suddenly leaves a relationship with another person, or a family (i.e. a partner and children). When used with 'something', we say that a person suddenly abandons what they are doing (i.e. in the middle of a job or task) before it is completed.
Alex couldn't take any more of his wife's abuse and decided to walk out on their 5 year marriage.
Julie couldn't take anymore abuse from her colleagues so she walked out on her 15-year job at the firm.
5. to buy sth up
= to buy all or as much as possible of something
I hear there's a savvy investor who is going to buy up all the properties around here soon.
6. to come (a)round (to sth)
= to say that a person changes their opinion of something, usually after consideration or persuasion.
Give him some time to think about the offer. He will come around very soon.
7. to crack down (on sth)
= to describe when a person or organisation (often in positions of power and authority) tries to prevent or stop bad (often illegal) activity by focusing more on it, and also punish those who are caught more severely than usual.
The police are planning to crack down on people who litter on our beautiful streets.
8. to let on
= an informal way of saying that you know (or tell someone) something that is meant to be a secret.
I am absolutely certain that she knows more than she actually lets on.
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