Vocabulary 4

 Vocabulary 4

❏ Complex

(i) a complex about sth = an emotional problem in which someone is unnecessarily anxious about something or thinks too much about something; মানসিক দুশ্চিন্তা/ অস্থিরতা

There’s no point having a complex about losing your hair.

I used to have a complex about my looks.

I've never had a complex about my weight/height.

(ii) (especially in compounds) a mental state that is not normal:

an inferiority complex = মানসিক রোগ, যখন নিজেকে সবার চেয়ে নীচ মনে হয়; হীনমন্যতাবোধ

a superiority complex = মানসিক রোগ, যখন নিজেকে অন্যের চেয়ে বড় মনে হয়; শ্রেষ্ঠম্মন্যতা

a guilt complex = an exaggerated sense of guilt; মানসিক রোগ, যখন অযথা নিজেকে অপরাধী মনে হয়; অতিরিক্ত অপরাধবোধ

a persecution complex = মানসিক রোগ, যখন মনে হয় সবাই আমার ক্ষতি করবে

He suffers from a/an inferiority/ superiority/ guilt/ persecution complex.

She has always had an inferiority complex about her looks.

❏ To take after = to resemble an older member of your family in your appearance, your behaviour, or your character

My daughter likes to be made a fuss of; she takes after me in that respect.

You take after your grandfather; he also used to go off people quickly.

 

❏ To bet = to be almost certain something will or will not happen [informal]

I bet you won't be able to do up the bathroom yourself.

The expression ‘I wouldn't/don't bet on it’ is used to say that you do not think that something is very likely:

‘He says that he'll be better off than all of us in a few years.' ‘I wouldn't bet on it!’

The literal meaning of the verb ‘bet’ is to risk money on a race or an event by trying to predict the result:

I bet Tk 500 on Argentina winning the cup this year. 

Also note the informal expression ‘Do you want a bet?’, which means that the speaker is challenging something someone else has just said:

‘I'll get my own back on you one day.’ ‘Do you want a bet?'

❏ What's the point? = What's the purpose/aim/use? 

What's the point of all this violence?

‘What's the point of/in studying today when there's no exam tomorrow? You may as well get some rest.'

‘Shall we employ another office clerk?’ ‘What's the point? We've already got quite a few.’

There's no point (in) doing sth = It's no use doing something 

‘There's no point (in) speaking to him; he takes after his father, in that ( = for the reason that) he never listens to anything anyone says.’ (তার সাথে কথা বলে লাভ নেই। সে তার বাবার মতো – যে যেটাই বলুক কানে নিবে না।)

There's no point in us reinventing the wheel. 

[To reinvent the wheel = যেটার সমাধান আগে থেকেই আছে সেটার সমাধান খুঁজতে গিয়ে সময় নষ্ট করা]

Also be careful not to confuse these expressions with the other meanings of ‘point’. Consult a dictionary to avoid confusion.