First hand  adj): direct personal contact with

firsthand look, knowledge, experience, account

a firsthand look at how economics and government work 


Widespread ( adj)

prevalent, far-reaching, everywhere


Due to  recent headlines, fears of a coming recession are widespread.


Upside/downside (n)

positive/negative aspect of  ( adv/disadv)

One potential upside is that..


Overestimate/underestimate (v)

to gauge the value of something or someone too highly/loo low


Commonplace/everyday (adj): common, ordinary, unremarkable


Backbone ( n) foundation, stabilizing force, courage, 


be the backbone of ....

Have the backbone to do...


Tailspin (n) in serious, very strong decline ( situaton

-go into a tailspin, be in a tailspin 

( sharp drop)


sales suddenly went into a tailspin starting in 2005


Forsight/hindsight

( seeing ahead/ looking back at something with today's understanding

have the foresight to

in hindsight

-he had the foresight to invest in online shopping 


Household (n, adj)

: the group of people who live together, common

As lending rates increase, the number of households sinking into unmanageable debt rises as well. 


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