[LDOCE5]
come to light/be brought to light
if new information comes to light, it becomes known:
This evidence did not come to light until after the trial.
The mistake was only brought to light some years later.
ol·i·garch /ˈɒləɡɑːk, ˈɒlɪɡɑːk $ ˈɑːləɡɑːrk/ noun [countable]
a member of a small group of people who run a country or organization
cache1 /kæʃ/ noun [countable]
1 a number of things that have been hidden, especially weapons, or the place where they have been hidden
cache of
a cache of explosives
a large arms cache
2 [transitive] to deliberately avoid discussing something or doing something SYN evade
dodge an issue/question
Senator O'Brian skilfully dodged the crucial question.
con·sor·ti·um /kənˈsɔːtiəm $ -ɔːr-/ noun (plural consortia /-tiə/ or consortiums) [countable]
a group of companies or organizations who are working together to do something:
a consortium of oil companies
The aircraft will be built by a European consortium.
rev·e·la·tion AC /ˌrevəˈleɪʃən/ noun
1 [countable] a surprising fact about someone or something that was previously secret and is now made known
revelation about/concerning
He resigned after revelations about his affair.
startling revelations about his background
revelation that
revelations that two senior officers had lied in court
un·pre·ce·dent·ed AC /ʌnˈpresədentəd, ʌnˈpresɪdentəd/ adjective
never having happened before, or never having happened so much:
He took the unprecedented step of stating that the rumours were false.
Crime has increased on an unprecedented scale.
ˈballot box noun
1 [countable] a box that ballot papers are put in after voting
2 the ballot box the system or process of voting in an election
through the ballot box
The people have expressed their views through the ballot box.
9 at gut level if you know something at gut level, you feel sure about it, though you could not give a reason for it:
She knew at gut level that he was guilty.
2 formal to make something much clearer and easier to understand:
The report illuminated the difficult issues at the heart of science policy.
af·ter·math /ˈɑːftəmæθ $ ˈæftər-/ noun [singular]
the period of time after something such as a war, storm, or accident when people are still dealing with the results
aftermath of
the danger of disease in the aftermath of the earthquake
ma·noeu·vre1 British English, maneuver American English /məˈnuːvə $ -ər/ noun
1 [countable] a skilful or careful movement that you make, for example in order to avoid something or go through a narrow space:
A careful driver will often stop talking before carrying out a complex manoeuvre.
il·li·cit /ɪˈlɪsət, ɪˈlɪsɪt/ adjective
not allowed by laws or rules, or strongly disapproved of by society → illegal:
illicit drugs
the illicit trade in stolen cattle
3 [singular, uncountable] a strong need or desire for something SYN desire
hunger for
her hunger for knowledge
a hunger for success
in·dig·na·tion /ˌɪndɪɡˈneɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]
feelings of anger and surprise because you feel insulted or unfairly treated:
To his indignation, Charles found that his name was not on the list.
anger about a situation that you think is wrong or not fair
sus·pi·cion W3 /səˈspɪʃən/ noun
1 [uncountable and countable] a feeling you have that someone is probably guilty of doing something wrong or dishonest:
I can’t say for definite who did it, but I certainly have my suspicions.
Police suspicions were confirmed when the stolen property was found in his flat.
I wondered how I could leave early without arousing anyone’s suspicions.
whet /wet/ verb (past tense and past participle whetted, present participle whetting) [transitive]
1 whet sb’s appetite (for something) if an experience whets your appetite for something, it increases your desire for it:
The view from the Quai bridge had whetted my appetite for a trip on the lake.
2 literary to make the edge of a blade sharp