to snub	to refuse with scornful contempt
to spurn	to refuse with contempt, esp. sb's offer
flabbergasted	greatly surprised
to nag	to ask a question over and over again
to whine	to complain in an annoying way
to pester	to nag
a scam	sth invented to deceive sb
snare	a trap
gimmick	a trick meant to encourage sb to do sth
to scatter	to make people go in different directions
to set	to become stiff (of flood)
to join off	to become a member of sth
to watch for	to remain alert in order to see/hear sth
to live off sb	to use sb's resources
freelance	not being employed on regular basis
to be all fingers and thumbs	to be clumsy, awkward
a storm in a teacup	a lot of fuss about sth that is not important
to give sb the cold shoulder	to ignore or to shun sb
to bring sth home to sb	to make sb understand how important sth is
to bite off more than one could chew	to try to do sth that is too difficult
to put one's heart and soul into sth	to be devoted to sth
in clover	living a luxurious and comfortable life
to have a sharp tongue	to tend to say unkind and harmful things
tooth and nail	fiercely
pain in the neck	an annoying thing or person
to look down one's nose at sb/sth	to feel or act superior to sb
to face the music	to be criticised or punished for sth that you have done
to internalise	to assimilate, to make sth a part of sb's nature
to expiate	to accept punishment, to do sth to show that you're sorry
seafaring	on the sea, ex. work
inexplicable	that cannot be explained
squalor	dirty, degrading conditions
resourceful	clever at doing things
to recede	to go back
to contrive	to plan sth carefully to achieve what you want, often deceitfully
to be a vehicle for sth	to be a means of expressing sth
arcane	mysterious
to proscribe	to forbid officially
inscrutable	difficult to understand, not fully known, mysterious
mundane	typical, dull, lacking inspiration