askance crony errand sleeve trail

askance

a·skance /əˈskæns, əˈskɑːns $ əˈskæns/ adverb

look askance (at somebody/something)

if you look askance at someone or something, you do not approve of them or think they are good:

• A waiter looked askance at Ellis’s jeans.

crony

cro·ny /ˈkrəʊni $ ˈkroʊni/ noun (plural cronies) [countable usually plural]

one of a group of people who spend a lot of time with each other - used to show disapproval

sb’s cronies

• the senator’s political cronies.

errand

er·rand /ˈerənd/ noun [countable]

a short journey in order to do something for someone, for example delivering or collecting something for them:

• I seemed spend my life running errands for people.
• She was always sending me on errands.

on an errand

• I couldn’t stop because I was on an errand.
• He quickly set out on his errand of mercy (=journey to help someone in danger).

sleeve

sleeve /sliːv/ noun [countable]

1. the part of a piece of clothing that covers all or part of your arm:
   1. a dress with long sleeves
   2. long-sleeved/short-sleeved etc
      1. a short-sleeved shirt
2. have something up your sleeve
   1. to have a secret plan or idea that you are going to use later:
      1. Don’t worry. He still has a few tricks up his sleeve
3. a stiff paper cover that a record is stored in

trail

trail1 /treɪl/ verb

1. [intransitive and transitive] to pull something behind you, especially along the ground, or to be pulled in this way:
   • A plane trailing a banner was circling overhead.
   • trail in/on/over etc
     • She walked slowly along the path, her skirt trailing in the mud.
   • trail something in/across/through etc something
     • Rees was leaning out of the boat trailing his hand through the water.
2. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to walk slowly, especially behind other people because you are tired or bored
   • trail behind/around
     • Susie trailed along behind her parents.
     • We spent the afternoon trailing around the shops.
3. [intransitive, transitive usually in progressive] to be losing in a game, competition,or election:
   • The democratic candidate is still trailing in the opinion polls.
   • trail (somebody) by something
     • Manchester United were trailing by two goals to one.
   • trail in/home (=finish in a bad position)
     • Her trailed in last after a disastrous race.
4. [transitive] to follow someone by looking for signs that they have gone in a particular direction:
   • Police trailed the gang for several days.

trail away/off

if someone’s voice trails away or trails off, it becomes gradually quieter and then stops: - She trailed off, silenced by the look Kris gave her.

Reference

• Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English