Phrases

1. shake up

sth: to cause large changes in sth such as an organization, usually in order to make improvements

New European payments regulation has the potential to shake up the banks.

Technology changes have shaken up many industries.

The first thing the new chairman of the company did was to shake up the management.

sb: If an unpleasant experience shakes sb up, it makes them feel shocked and upset

I think she was quite shaken up by the accident.

2. make complaints about

In Britain alone millions of people make formal complaints each year about their banks.

file/ lodge a complaint; deal with/ handle/ investigate a complaint; cause/ grounds for complaint

Do you have any grounds for complaint (= reason to formally complain)?

3. to date

(formal) up to the present time

To date, despite dire warnings, European retail banking has been remarkably unscathed by technology-driven disruption.

This novel is his best work to date.

4. tighten up

to make a rule, system, or law stronger and more difficult to avoid or ignore

Security for payments above $32 will be tightened up, with customers having to provide two pieces of secret information (" strong authentication") to wave through a transaction.

Are there any plans to tighten up on advertising controls?

5. insure against

to do sth in order to prevent sth unpleasant from happening or from affecting you

As they are also required to be insured against losses from fraud.

We thought we'd insure against rain by putting a tent up where people could take shelter.

6. be subject to 遭受著吞瞪；面臨著

to have or experience a particular thing, esp. sth unpleasant

They will not be subject to the same capital and stress-testing requirements banks face.

Cars are subject to a high domestic tax.

In recent years, she has been subject to attacks of depression.

(adj) subject to 取決于...; 視...而定

only able to happen if sth else happens

We plan to go on Wednesday, subject to your approval.

Moving all the books should not take long, subject to there being (= if there are) enough helpers.

(v) subject sb/sth to sth 使服從

(often passive): to make someone or sth experience an unpleasant or worry thing

The inquiry found that they had been subjected to unfair treatment.

At the very least, the court should make itself subject to the code of conduct that applies to the rest of the federal judiciary.

7. water down

to deliberately make an idea or opinion less extreme, usually so that other people will accept it

As implementation approaches, the rules will be watered down.

The party has watered down its ideals in order to appeal to the centre ground.

8. bare one's teeth

But regulators have already bared their teeth.

Now it has had to cut back on the internal focus groups and bare its teeth.

He became nervous when the dog growled and bared its teeth at him (= showed its teeth to him).

bare your heat/soul to

to tell sb your secret thoughts and feelings

We don't know each other that well. I certainly wouldn't bare my soul to her.

Words

1. overdrawn (adj)

having taken more money out of your bank account than the account contained

Apps could warn account-holders if they spend more than a predetermined amount or are about to become overdrawn.

They were overdrawn by $150, so they couldn't write any cheques.

The account was overdrawn.

overdraw (v) 透支

withdraw (v) 取錢

This credit card allows you to withdraw up to $200 a day from cash dispensers.(自動取款機(jī)）

2. nudge (v)

push sth or sb gently

Apps could even nudge them to save more.

The children were giggling and nudging each other.

to move slowly and almost reach a higher point or level

Walmart already has revenues nudging 500bn and is beefing up online.

Oil prices continue to nudge higher.

Peter must be nudging 40 now.

3. dire

very serious or exteme

To date, despite dire warnings, European retail banking has been remarkably unscathed by technology-driven disruption.

These people are in dire need of help.

He gave a dire warning that an earthquake was imminent. (coming or likely to happen very soon)

This decision will have dire consequences for local people.

be in dire straits 處于岌岌可危的境地

Everyone agrees that the sport is in dire straits.

4. unscathed (adj)

(after verb) without injuries or damage being caused

To date, despite dire warnings, European retail banking has been remarkably unscathed by technology-driven disruption.

Her husband died in the accident but she, amazingly, escaped unscathed.

5. mount (v)

to organize and begin an an activity or event

mount an attack/ campaign/ challenge/ protest

mount a display/ exhibition

Financial-technology companies are beginning to mount a challenge, most conspicuously in the online-payments industry in northern Europe.

to gradually increase, rise, or get bigger

The children's excitement is mounting as Christmas gets nearer.

表示上升的動詞：jump; increase; go up; rise; soar; mount

6. conspicuous (adj)

very noticeable or attracting attention, often in a way that is not wanted

He tried not to look conspicuous and moved slowly along the back of the room.

conspicuously (adv)

Financial-technology companies are beginning to mount achallenge, most conspicuously in the online-payments industry in northern Europe.

The temple's grand white arches rose conspicuously over the dirty decaying city.

7. incumbent

(n) the person who has or had a particular official position

One reason incumbents have proved so resilient is that fintech firms lack the customer-transaction information they need to provide many financial services.

The present incumbent (of the post) is due to retire next month.

(adj) officially having the named position

The incumbent president faces problems which began many years before he took office.

be incumbent on/upon sb

(formal) to be necessary for sb

She felt it incumbent upon/on her to raise the subject at their meeting.

8. resilient (adj)

able to quickly return to a previous good condition

One reason incumbents have proved so resilient is that fintech firms lack the customer-transaction information they need to provide many financial services.

She's a resilient girl-- she won't be unhappy for long.

This rubber ball is very resilient and immediately springs back into shape.

9. cumbersome

awkward because of being large, heavy, or not effective

It is often either cumbersome or insecure for customers to share their own information.

cumbersome equipment/ bureaucracy

10. kick-start (v)

to make sth start to happen

The Payments Services Directive 2 aims to kick-start competition while making payments more secure.

Taxes were drastically cut in an attempt to kick-start the economy.

11. explicit (adj)

clear and exact

She was very explicit about what she thought was wrong with the plans.

I wasn't aware that I would be paying-- you certainly didn't make it explicit.

12 consent

(n) permission or agreement

Provided the customer has given explicit consent, banks will be forced to share customer-account information with licensed financial-services providers.

(v) to agree to do sth, or to allow sb to do sth

Very reluctantly, I've consented to lend her my car.

My aunt never married because her father wouldn't consent to her marriage.

13. browse (v)

to look through a book or magazine without reading everything

I was browsing through fashion magazines to find a new hairstyle.

They could become more integrated into the internet-browsing experience- enabling, for example, one-click bank transfers, at least for low-value payments.

* peruse (v)

to read through sth, esp. in order to find the part you are interested in

He opened a newspaper and began to peruse the personal ads.

14. rock bottom (n)

(informal) the lowest possible level

Profitability is already threatened by rock-bottom interest rates.

Prices have reached/hit rock bottom.

the most unhappy that sb has ever been in their life

Ian had just left me and I was at rock bottom.

15. handy (adj)

useful or convenient

Bank's lockhold on payments serves as a handy source of income.

It's a nice house and it's handy for (= near) the station.

(informal) Don't throw those bottles away-- they'll come in handy (= be useful) for the picnic next Sunday.

( after verb) able to use sth skillfully

John's good at wallpapering but he's not so handy with a paintbrush.

16. manifest (v)

( formal) to show sth clearly, through signs or actions

Perhaps predictably, resistance is manifested as a concern about data protection.

Lack of confidence in the company manifested itself in a fall in the share price

17. robust （adj)

( of an object or system) strong and unlikely to break or fail

Newcomers will have to convince the authorities that their data-protection systems are robust.

a robust economy

( of a person or animal) strong and healthy

He looks robust and healthy enough.

18. insurer 承包人湿颅，保險(xiǎn)公司

As they are also required to be insured against losses from fraud, they will need to convince insurers, too.

19. undertake

to do or begin to do sth, esp. sth that will take a long time or be difficult

They will not be subject to the same capital and stress-testing requirements banks face: but nor will they be licensed to undertake the riskier business of lending.

to promise

She undertook not to publish the names of the people involved.

20. invoice 發(fā)票

a Finnish startup that helps companies track cashflow and invoices.

21. attribute

(n) a quality or characteristic that sb or sth has

Huge customer bases and low funding costs are all attributes entrants want to gain by association.

Organizational ability is an essential attribute for a good manager.

（phrasal verbs) attribute sth to sb

to think that sb or sth has a particular quality or feature

I wouldn't dream of attributing such a lack of judgment to you.

attribute sth to sb/ sth

to say or think that sth is the result or work of sth or sb else

To what do you attribute this delay?

22. exploit (v)

to use sth for advantage

Banks want to exploit newcomers' technology.

We need to make sure that we exploit our resources as fully as possible.