recuperate yank deuce pinch plait

recuperate

re·cu·pe·rate /rɪˈkjuːpəreɪt, -ˈkuː-/ verb

1. [intransitive] to get better again after an illness or injury SYN recover
   • recuperate from
     • Coles is recuperating from a sprained ankle.
2. [transitive] especially British English to get back money that you have spent or lost in business SYN recoup, recover:
   • We’ve recuperated our losses.
3. [intransitive] to return to a more normal condition after a difficult time SYN recover:
   • Winston proposed several ways for the industry to recuperate.

• recuperation /rɪˌkjuːpəˈreɪʃən, -ˌkuː-/ noun [uncountable]

yank

yank /jæŋk/ verb [intransitive and transitive]

informal to suddenly pull something quickly and with force

• yank something out/back/open etc
  • One of the men grabbed Tom’s hair and yanked his head back.
  • Nick yanked the door open.
• yank on/at
  • With both hands she yanked at the necklace.
• yank noun [countable]:
  • He gave the rope a yank.

deuce

deuce /djuːs $ duːs/ noun

1. [uncountable] the situation in tennis when both players have 40 points, after which one of the players must win two more points to win the game
2. [countable] American English a playing card with the number two on it
3. what/how etc the deuce …? old-fashioned spoken used to add force to a question:
   • What the deuce is going on?

pinch

pinch1 /pɪntʃ/ verb

1. [transitive] to press a part of someone’s skin very tightly between your finger and thumb, especially so that it hurts:
   • We have to stop her pinching her baby brother.
   • He pinched her cheek.
2. [transitive] British English informal to steal something, especially something small or not very valuable:
   • Someone’s pinched my coat!
3. [transitive] to press something between your finger and thumb:
   • Pinch the edges of the pastry together to seal it.
4. [intransitive and transitive] if something you are wearing pinches you, it presses painfully on part of your body, because it is too tight:
   • Her new shoes were pinching.
5. somebody has to pinch themselves used when a situation is so surprising that the person involved needs to make sure that they are not imagining it:
   • Sometimes she had to pinch herself to make sure it was not all a dream.
6. [transitive usually passive] British English old-fashioned to ARREST someone

• pinch something ↔ out phrasal verb
  • to remove a small part of a plant with your fingers:
    • Pinch out any side shoots to make the plant grow upwards.

plait

plait1 /plæt $ pleɪt, plæt/ verb [transitive]

British English to twist three long pieces of hair or rope over and under each other to make one long piece SYN braid American English:

• She plaited her hair hurriedly.
• a plaited leather belt