Learning English while laughing

reluctant 

reluctant

If you are reluctant to do something, you are unwilling to do it and hesitate before doing it, or do it slowly and without enthusiasm.

 Mr Spero was reluctant to ask for help.

 The police are very reluctant to get involved in this sort of thing.

ADJ-GRADED: usu v-link ADJ to-inf

* eager, keen, willing

· reluctantly

 We have reluctantly agreed to let him go.

ADV-GRADED: ADV with v

· reluctance

 Ministers have shown extreme reluctance to explain their position to the media.

N-UNCOUNT: oft N to-inf

(c) HarperCollins Publishers.

shocking 

1 shocking

You can say that something is shocking if you think that it is very bad. (INFORMAL)

 The media coverage was shocking.

 I must have been in a shocking state last night.

ADJ-GRADED

= appalling

· shockingly

 His memory was becoming shockingly bad.

ADV: ADV adj/adv

2 shocking

You can say that something is shocking if you think that it is morally wrong.

 It is shocking that nothing was said.

 This was a shocking invasion of privacy.

ADJ-GRADED: oft it v-link ADJ that/to-inf

· shockingly

 Shockingly, this useless and dangerous surgery did not end until the 1930s.

ADV

(c) HarperCollins Publishers.