ready to do something; to be on the verge of doing something. □ I think our old cat is about to die. □ The apple tree is about to bloom....[继续阅读]

    in addition to what is required; more than is required by the terms of ones employment. □ We didnt expect the police officer to drive us home. That was above and beyond the call of duty. □ The English teacher helped pupils after school every day, even t...[继续阅读]

    in the open; visible to the public; honest. □ Dont keep it a secret. Lets make certain that everything is aboveboard. □ The police inspector had to make certain that everything was above-board....[继续阅读]

    higher than ones social class or position in society. □ He has been educated above his station and is now ashamed of his parents poverty. □ She is getting above her station since she started working in the office. She ignores her old friends in the ware...[继续阅读]

    too difficult or clever for someone to understand. (Treated grammatically as a distance above ones head or understanding.) □ The children have no idea what the new teacher is talking about. Her ideas are away above their heads. □ She started a physics ...[继续阅读]

    in such a position of respect that one would not be suspected of wrongdoing. □ The general is a fine old man, completely above suspicion. He would not be involved in espionage. □ Members of the police force should be above suspicion, but sometimes a few...[继续阅读]

    absent from a military unit without permission; absent from anything without permission. (AWOL is an abbreviation. This is a serious offence in the armed services.) □ The soldier was taken away by the military police because he was absent without leave....[继续阅读]

    from all the reports; judging from what everyone is saying. □ According to all accounts, the police were on the scene immediately. □ According to all accounts, the meeting broke up over a very minor matter. □ By all accounts, it was a very poor perform...[继续阅读]

    according to the way one believes; according to the way ones conscience or inclinations lead one. □ People must act on this matter according to their own lights. □ John may have been wrong, but he did what he did according to his lights....[继续阅读]

    a weak point or fault in someone or something otherwise perfect or excellent. (From the Greek hero Achilles, who had only one vulnerable part of his body, his heel, by which his mother held him to dip him in the River Styx to make him invulnerable. See al...[继续阅读]