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Lesson guide & glossary

Ethics — C1 Phrasal Verbs

This lesson covers 13 C2 phrasal verbs on Ethics. At Proficiency you must distinguish particles that change meaning subtly and match register across formal and informal contexts. Complete the runner, then use the glossary below to consolidate each verb. Detailed explanations appear in Review mode once you finish the set.

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Lesson glossary (13 phrasal verbs)

  • come out in favour of

    to state publicly that you support an issue

    The majority of the ethics committee eventually _____ the new gene-editing guidelines.

  • side with

    to support a person or group in an argument

    The majority of the ethics board ultimately decided to _____ the research team.

  • confide in

    to tell someone things that you keep secret from other people

    She decided to _____ her closest colleague about the ethical dilemma she was facing.

  • get out of your mind

    to stop thinking about something

    It's impossible to _____ the ethical implications of the experiment.

  • not hear of

    to not allow something, or not allow someone to do something

    The ethics committee would _____ any research that did not meet the highest standards.

  • win out

    if a particular emotion or type of behaviour wins out, it is stronger than other emotions or types of behaviour

    In the end scientific integrity managed to _____ over commercial pressure.

  • egg on

    to encourage someone to do something, often something that is wrong, stupid, or dangerous, or to be encouraged to do something

    A few reckless colleagues continued to _____ him to take the dangerous shortcut with the data.

  • reason with

    to try to persuade someone not to do something stupid by giving them good reasons not to

    The ethics committee tried to _____ the researcher about the potential risks.

  • talk out of

    to persuade someone not to do something

    The ethics advisor managed to _____ the researcher from proceeding with the risky experiment.

  • be caught up in

    to become involved in an activity or situation which prevents you from moving or making progress

    Many scientists became _____ the ethical debate surrounding gene-editing technology.

  • insist on

    to demand something and to make it clear that you will not accept anything else

    The ethics board continues to _____ full transparency in all clinical trials.

  • frown on

    to believe that something is wrong and that you should not do it

    The ethics committee tends to _____ any research that involves animal testing without proper justification.

  • grapple with

    to try to deal with or understand a difficult problem or subject

    The ethics committee continues to _____ the moral implications of the new gene-editing technique.