Слайд 1A hard nut to crack
a tough nut to crack
A
problem or a person (who is very difficult to understand)
Слайд 2A heavy cross to bear
a cross to bear
an unpleasant or painful situation or person that
you have to accept and deal with, although you find it very difficult
Слайд 3A bitter pill to swallow
a bitter pill
Sth that is very
unpleasant but must be accepted
Losing to a younger player was a bitter pill to swallow.
Слайд 4Albatross
Sth or sb that you want to be free
from
Her own supporters see her as an albatross who could lose them the election.
Слайд 5The bane of sth
A cause of continuous trouble or unhappiness
That cat is
the bane of my life!
curse
scourge
Слайд 6Plague
UK /pleɪɡ/ US /pleɪɡ/
C2 to cause worry, pain, or difficulty to someone or something over a period of time:
Financial problems have been
plaguing their new business partners.
Слайд 7Stumbling block
something that prevents action or agreement:
One potential stumbling block could be the difficulty of
accessing the data.
Слайд 8Snag
Informal
A problem, difficulty or disadvantage
We don't anticipate any snags in/with the negotiations.
Слайд 9Be dead meat
If someone is dead meat, they are
in a lot of trouble
He'll be dead meat if his girlfriend finds out.
Слайд 10chill
A sudden unpleasant feeling (C2)
I suddenly realized, with a chill of apprehension, the danger ahead.
Слайд 11equation
a difficult problem that can only be understood if all the different influences are considered:
Managing the economy is a complex equation of controlling inflation and reducing
unemployment.
Слайд 12Incubus
Sth that causes unpleasant problems for sb
They are powerless to throw off the
incubus of the past.
Слайд 13Labyrinth
Confusing situation (literary)
He was no stranger to the labyrinth of love.
Слайд 14Liability
Risk (C1)
Sth or sb that causes a lot of
trouble
After a certain age, a car's just a liability.
Sue always manages to upset somebody when
we go out - she's a real liability.
Слайд 15Life is a bitch (and then you die)
Saying
said when
you find a situation difficult or have had a bad experience
Слайд 16The sharp end
the part of an activity, such as a job, where the
most problems are likely to be found:
A job like hers would be much too demanding for me, but
she enjoys being at the sharp end.
Слайд 17Tie-up
a temporary problem that delays progress, such as too much traffic on the road:
I missed my flight because of
a tie-up on the interstate.
Слайд 18The hard way
a way of doing something that makes
it more difficult than it needs to be:
She always does things the hard way
C2 If you learn something the hard way, you learn from unpleasant experiences rather than by being taught:
If she won't listen , she'll have to learn/find out the hard way.
Слайд 19Thorn in your flesh
thorn in your side
a person or a thing that repeatedly annoys you
or causes you pain:
A relentless campaigner, he was a thorn in the government's side for a number of years.
Слайд 20Tip of the iceberg
C2 a small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is
really much greater:
These small local protests are just the tip of the iceberg.
Слайд 21To-do
a show of anger, worry, or excitement that is unnecessary or greater than the situation deserves:
Getting our passports renewed was such a
to-do.
Слайд 22twist
a complicated situation or a plan of action:
The twists and turns of fate
Слайд 23Cancer
a harmful activity that spreads quickly:
Drug abuse is a cancer that is destroying our society.
Слайд 24Bugger
Sth that is very difficult or annoying
This tin is a
bugger to open.
Слайд 25bugbear
A particular that annoys or upsets you
Smoking is a
particular bugbear of his.
Слайд 26brainteaser
A problem for which is hard to find an answer especially one
which people enjoy trying to solve as a game:
The tribe has the option to dig down
several feet and search to uncover an answer key to solve the brainteaser.
Слайд 27Body blow
something that causes serious problems and disappointment for a person trying to do something:
As a result,
essential services will be cut, and that will be a
severe body blow to all.
Слайд 28Be out of the wood
To be no longer in
danger or difficulty (informal)
The project has been given funding for another year, but it's not
out of the woods yet.
Слайд 29hydra
A difficult problem that keeps returning
As soon as one
false statement is knocked on the head then, like a hydra,
another one appears and has to be refuted.
Слайд 30Clear
Without problems or difficulties
This is the first time in his life that he's
been clear of (= without) debt.
Слайд 31Take some doing
To be difficult to do
Running a marathon
takes some doing
Слайд 32Conundrum
A problem that is difficult to deal with
Arranging childcare over
the school holidays can be a real conundrum for working parents.
Слайд 33Handicap
Difficulty
I found that not having a car was quite a handicap while on holiday.
Слайд 34hardship
C1 (something that causes) difficult or unpleasant conditions of life, or an example of this
economic hardship
Слайд 35Irritant
Sth that causes trouble
The report is bound to add a new irritant to international relations.
Слайд 36Hiccup
a problem that delays or interrupts something for a while, but does not usually cause serious difficulties:
We've had
one or two slight hiccups, but progress has generally been quite steady
Слайд 37Hindrance
UK /ˈhɪn.drəns/ US /ˈhɪn.drəns/
something that makes it more difficult for you to do something
or for something to develop:
I've never considered my disability a hindrance, but other people have.
Слайд 38Glitch
a small problem or fault that prevents something from being successful or working as well as it should:
We'd expected a
few glitches, but everything's gone remarkably smoothly.
Слайд 39impediment
something that makes progress, movement, or achieving something difficult or impossible
Formal
In a number of developing countries, war has been an additional impediment to progress.
Слайд 40Long shot
something you try although it is unlikely to be successful:
It's a long shot, but you could try phoning him
at home.
Слайд 41Loose cannon
someone who behaves in an uncontrolled or unexpected way and is likely to cause problems for other people:
He's seen as
something of a loose cannon by other team members.
Слайд 42Villain
informal
something or someone considered harmful or dangerous:
We've always been told that cholesterol was
a major cause of heart disease but, actually , saturated fat is the worst villain.
Слайд 43Pothole
UK /ˈpɒt.həʊl/ US /ˈpɑːt.hoʊl/
A problem
The road to economic recovery is full of potholes.
Слайд 44Obstacle course
a series of problems that you have to solve in order to achieve something
It is like going
over an obstacle course to get near the train.
Слайд 45Nemesis
Someone's nemesis is a person or thing that is very difficult for them
to defeat.
Seldom has nemesis triumphed as it did on that occasion.
Слайд 46riddle
something that is confusing, or a problem that is difficult to solve:
Scientists may have solved the
riddle of Saturn's rings.
Слайд 47Trial
a person or thing that is annoying and causes a lot of problems:
She was a real trial to her parents when she
was younger.
Слайд 48Wall
A wall of people or things is a mass of them formed in such a
way that you cannot get through or past them:
Слайд 49The chill wind of sth
Literary
The problems caused by
sth
Many more businesses are feeling the chill wind of the recession.
Слайд 50Teething troubles
problems that happen in the early stages of doing something new:
That there were teething troubles we
all know.