Vocabulary

• due to: Because of; owing to
• in the game: Still involved or active in a competition or situation.
• contend with: To struggle or deal with something difficult.
• at times: Sometimes; occasionally.
• used to: Did regularly before, but don't do now
• of all time: The best or most significant in history.
• toe the line: To conform to a rule or standard; to obey orders without question.
• through the roof: Rising to a very high level; skyrocketing.
• ratchet up: To increase something by a series of small steps.
• ease up: To reduce effort, pressure, or intensity.
• back in the day: In the past; in former times.
• come around: To eventually change your opinion or be persuaded to agree with someone else's.
• old school: Traditional or old-fashioned in style, behavior, or attitude.
• of old: From a long time ago; in the past.
• at least: As a minimum
• in the way: Obstructing someone or something; hindering progress.
• curl up: To lie or sit with your legs bent close to your body.
• in general: Typically; usually; on the whole.
• phenomenal job: An exceptionally good or outstanding piece of work.
• have your work cut out: Face a difficult task or challenge ahead.
• cut out: To leave out of something, e.g. a social event
• talking about: To discuss a particular topic.
• out there: In or to a place that is far away
• out of the way: Remote; isolated.
• in addition to: Besides; as well as
• to the moon: Increasing quickly and significantly, often in value or excitement.
• switch on: To put something electrical on or off
• conjure up: To make something appear as if by magic.
• have to: Must do
• check out
• subscribe: To regularly pay to receive a service
• sort: To organize things by putting them into groups
• perception: Way in which one sees or understands something
• obvious: Easily understood and clear; plain to see
• tough: (Of food) difficult to chew or bite through
• experience: Thing a person has done or that happened to them
• tricky: Difficult, so needing skill to do or deal with
• general: Widespread, normal or usual
• consider: To think carefully about something
• unique: Unlike other things; being the only one like it
• track: To use marks to follow a wild animal
• strict: Tending to enforce rules; severe
• lack: To not have, or not have enough, of something
• brutal: Extremely violent or mean
• escape: Act to briefly ignoring boring or bad things
• rare: (Of meat) cooked, but still red and juicy
• blast: To attack someone with words
• downright: Absolute; absolutely
• series: Set of stories or articles on a particular subject
• challenge: An activity you wish to try that may be hard to do
• due: When something is required or expected
• hone: To improve or perfect (abilities or skills)
• fall: Season after summer and before winter; Autumn
• slam: To criticize sharply
• heck: Expressing surprise, or frustration
• tropical: Hot and humid; near to the equator
• myriad: Very large quantity of something
• vary: To change something and make it different
• master: To gain control over something
• puzzle: To be a challenge to understand; confuse
• obtain: To be given or to earn something through efforts
• order: Religious or social group, as of nuns
• manage: To survive hardships and difficulties; to cope
• learn: To get knowledge or skills by study or experience
• glory: State of having respect, honor or pride
• creative: Having the ability to make something new
• crash: To damage an object by causing it to hit something
• fur: Hairy coat of an animal
• piece: A counter in a board game
• wrong: Action that is harmful, unjust or illegal
• armor: Defensive (e.g. metal) covering for bodies, things
• whimsical: Quaintly humorous; funny in an odd way
• great: Very good; better than before
• demise: Concerning a death
• goofy: Silly or stupid; crazy
• adjacent: Being close or near to a border, wall, or point
• contend: To struggle or compete for
• relentlessly: Continuing without slowing or losing strength
• arcade: Covered passageway with shops on either side
• mince: To grind meat, etc. into very small pieces
• scoff: To laugh at with contempt and derision
• psychic: Concerning the mind and its workings
• stagger: To greatly surprise someone
• notify: To inform; to communicate specific information
• ghost: To write a book on behalf of another person
• snake: An animal with a long body, no arms or legs
• memorization: Conscious learning of something e.g. words
• pixel: Small element forming image on TV/computer screen
• donkey: Animal like a small horse used to transport things
• fanfare: Music played to announce a special person or event
• golly: Interjection showing surprise; gosh; goodness me
• slinky: Smooth or slow, often in a sexy kind of way
• banjo: Guitar-like instrument with long neck, round body
• gameplay: The plot of a computer or video game