English

There have also been problems in financing these expensive projects, and in buying large quantities of environmentally friendly building materials.

1. finance (v.) to pay for something such as a large project

    Example: The scheme is being financed by the Art Council.

    (n.) decisions on how money is spent or invested

    Example: He's now studying international banking and finance.

    (n.) money that is used to pay for something such as a large project

    Example: The college has had to close due to lack of finance.

    raise/ obtain finance

    Example: We are now trying to raise finance for more research projects.

    finances [ plural ] your finances are how much money you have and how well you spend it or save it

    Example: Students need to be taught how to handle their finances.

    Example: My finances are in a terrible mess at the moment.

    financial (adj.) involving money

    financially (adv.)

It is an old-fashioned stereotype that the husband is the master in the house.

2. stereotype (n.) a very firm and simple idea about what a particular type of person or thing is like  +of

    Example: He certainly doesn't fit the stereotype of the emotional Italian.

    (n.) someone who is exactly what many people expect a person of their particular class, nationality, profession etc to be like

    (v.) [ usually passive ] to believe that someone has a particular character only because this is what many people believe someone of their particular class, nationality etc must be like, and not because you know anything about their personality

    stereotype sb as sth

    Example: Feminists are sometimes stereotyped as aggressive and unattractive.

    stereotypical (adj.) exactly like the stereotype of a particular person or thing

It was a bitter pill to swallow for the principal whose irritation was exacerbated by the ruling.

3. ruling (n.) an official decision made by a court or by someone in a position of arthority

    Example: The Supereme Court will issue a clear ruling on the question.

    (adj.) [ only before noun ] in control of or having the most power in a country, group, or oragnization

    Example: Members of the ruling party and the opposition met last night.

But some of the sting was taken out of the victory when the boys appeared in school the next day with their hair clipped to a respectable length.

4. clip (v.) to cut off small parts of something in order to make it tidy

    Example: a device for clipping your nails

    (v.) to remove something by cutting

    Example: a story clipped from the newspaper

    (v.) to fasten one thing to another using a small object

    Example: He collected up the papers and clipped them together.

    (v.) to be pressed or to press something into position so that it makes a quick loud sound

    Example: Clip the cap over the camera lens.

    Example: The lid just clips back on.

    (v.) to hit something accidentally while passing it

    (v.) to reduce a score or quantity by a small amount

    (n.) a small object that holds something in position

    (n.) a short part of a film, television program, or news story that is shown separately

    Example: They showed a clip of Robbie Williams being interviewed.

5. respectable (adj.) obeying the moral or social standards that are accepted by most people

    Example: He makes his living in a perfectly respectable trade.

    (adj.) if an amount is respectable it is good enough

    Example: a highly respectable15 million

    respectableness (n.), respectably (adv.)