Oxford 5000 except 3000

album (noun)

a book in which you keep photographs, stamps, etc.;; a collection of pieces of music released as a single item, usually on a CD or on the Internet

abundance (noun)

a large quantity that is more than enough;; in large quantities

agenda (noun)

a list of items to be discussed at a meeting;; a plan of things to be done, or problems to be addressed;; the intention behind what somebody says or does, that is often secret

ancestor (noun)

a person in your family who lived a long time ago;; an animal that lived in the past which a modern animal has developed from;; an early form of a machine which later became more developed

aide (noun)

a person who helps another person, especially a politician, in their job

analyst (noun)

a person whose job involves examining facts or materials in order to give an opinion on them

app (noun)

a piece of software that you can download to a device such as a smartphone or tablet (4), for example to look up information or to play a game

academy (noun)

a school or college for special training;; a type of official organization which aims to encourage and develop art, literature, science, etc.;; a secondary school in Scotland;; a private school in the US;; a secondary school in England which has a great deal of independence from local authority control

adjustment (noun)

a small change made to something in order to correct or improve it;; a change in the way a person behaves or thinks

amendment (noun)

a small change or improvement that is made to a law or a document; the process of changing a law or a document;; a statement of a change to the Constitution of the US;; In the US the first ten amendments to the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. Each amendment to the US Constitution needs a two-thirds majority in each House and must be approved by 75% of the states.

angel (noun)

a spirit who is believed to be a servant of God, and is sent by God to deliver a message or perform a task. Angels are often shown dressed in white, with wings.;; a person who is very good and kind; a child who behaves well;; used when you are talking to somebody and you are grateful to them;; a person who supports a business by investing money in it, especially somebody who supports a new small business with their own money;; people with little experience try to do the difficult or dangerous things which more experienced people would not consider doing

accusation (noun)

a statement saying that you think a person is guilty of doing something wrong, especially of committing a crime; the fact of accusing somebody

acre (noun)

a unit for measuring an area of land; 4 840 square yards or about 4 050 square metres

ambassador (noun)

an official who lives in a foreign country as the senior representative there of his or her own country

accordingly (adverb)

in a way that is appropriate to what has been done or said in a particular situation;; for that reason

additionally (adverb)

in a way that is more than was first mentioned or is usual

amid (preposition)

in the middle of or during something, especially something that causes excitement or fear;; surrounded by something

alien (adjective)

strange and frightening; different from what you are used to;; from another country or society; foreign;; not usual or acceptable;; connected with creatures from another world

adoption (noun)

the act of adopting a child;; the decision to start using something such as an idea, a plan or a name;; the act of choosing somebody as a candidate for an election

acquisition (noun)

the act of getting something, especially knowledge, a skill, etc.;; something that somebody buys to add to what they already own, usually something valuable;; a company, piece of land, etc. bought by somebody, especially another company; the act of buying it

activation (noun)

the act of making something such as a device or chemical process start working

administration (noun)

the activities that are done in order to plan, organize and run a business, school or other institution;; the process or act of organizing the way that something is done;; the people who plan, organize and run a business, an institution, etc.;; the government of a country, especially the US;; the act of giving a drug to somebody;; a situation in which the financial affairs of a business that cannot pay its debts are managed by an independent administrator

abortion (noun)

the deliberate ending of a pregnancy at an early stage;; Abortion is the subject of strong public debate, especially in the US. Some people are in favour of abortion; called pro-choice supporters, they support a woman's right to choose whether to have a baby or not. On the opposite side are the pro-life campaigners, who believe in the right to life of the unborn child and think that abortion is wrong. In 1973 abortion during the first stages of pregnancy became legal all over the US through the Supreme Court decision Roe v Wade. The US government has tried to change the laws about abortion, but the changes have been disputed by federal courts and the courts have supported a woman's right to abortion. In Britain the Abortion Act of 1967 made abortion legal. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) was founded to campaign against the Act.;; a medical operation to end a pregnancy at an early stage

accounting (noun)

the process or work of keeping financial accounts

aftermath (noun)

the situation that exists as a result of an important (and usually unpleasant) event, especially a war, an accident, etc.

accuracy (noun)

the state of being exact or correct; the ability to do something skilfully without making mistakes

apparatus (noun)

the tools or other pieces of equipment that are needed for a particular activity or task;; the structure of a system or an organization, particularly that of a political party or a government;; a system of organs in the body

amend (verb)

to change a law, document, statement, etc. slightly in order to correct a mistake or to improve it

allocate (verb)

to give something officially to somebody/something for a particular purpose

activate (verb)

to make something such as a device or chemical process start working

administer (verb)

to manage and organize the affairs of a company, an organization, a country, etc.;; to make sure that something is done fairly and in the correct way;; to give or to provide something, especially in a formal way;; to give drugs, medicine, etc. to somebody;; to kick or to hit somebody/something

accommodate (verb)

to provide somebody with a room or place to sleep, live or sit;; to provide enough space for somebody/something;; to consider something, such as somebody's opinion or a fact, and be influenced by it when you are deciding what to do or explaining something;; to help somebody by doing what they want;; to change your behaviour so that you can deal with a new situation better

adhere (verb)

to stick firmly to something

accomplish (verb)

to succeed in doing or completing something

advocate (verb)

to support something publicly

atrocity (noun)

a cruel and violent act, especially in a war

firearm (noun)

a gun that can be carried

fluid (noun)

a liquid; a substance that can flow

drought (noun)

a long period of time when there is little or no rain

day (noun)

a period of 24 hours;; the time between when it becomes light in the morning and when it becomes dark in the evening;; the hours of the day when you are awake, working, etc.;; a particular period of time or history;; part of your normal working life and not unusual;; very soon;; used to introduce the most important fact after everything has been considered;; in the past;; at a particular time in the past;; the moment in the early hours of the morning when it begins to get light;; to decide or agree to stop doing something;; to be successful against somebody/something;; easy to see or understand;; each day repeatedly (used especially when something is boring or annoying);; all the time; a little at a time and gradually;; every day for a long period of time;; the time when somebody will have to deal with the result of something that they have done wrong, or be punished for something bad that they have done;; to spend the last part of your life in a particular state or place;; everyone has good luck or success at some point in their life;; the time when you have to do something difficult or unpleasant;; the amount of fruit or vegetables that some organizations say you should eat in order to be healthy;; from the beginning;; with no thoughts or plans for the future;; if a situation changes from day to day, it changes often;; if a situation changes from one day to the next, it is uncertain and not likely to stay the same each day;; beginning on that day; from that time;; used to say that you prefer a particular thing or person to the one that has just been mentioned;; an earlier period of time in your life or in history that is seen as better/worse than the present;; a helpful, kind thing that you do;; to no longer be successful, powerful, etc.;; a friendly way of saying goodbye, especially to customers;; to be in poor condition;; (used when talking about somebody's age) at least;; used when you are very surprised at something you have never heard or seen before;; when you have had time to think calmly about something; in the morning when things are clearer;; during the part of somebody's life when they were most successful, famous, etc.;; when somebody was young;; now, in the modern world;; used to say that it is too soon to be sure how a situation will develop;; used when several unfortunate or unpleasant things happen on the same day;; after the time when an action could be successful;; the whole length of the day;; used to say that although you have failed or had a bad experience, you will continue;; to make somebody feel very happy on a particular day;; to make a particular enjoyable activity last for a whole day instead of only part of it;; all the time; continuously;; a person or thing that makes people excited for a short time but does not last very long;; to refuse to speak to somebody because you do not like or respect them;; to not have much time;; during a particular period of time when somebody lived;; that is served on a particular day in a restaurant;; used to emphasize what you are saying when you are surprised, shocked or annoyed;; at some time in the future, or on a particular day in the past;; before a long time has passed;; a day when there are a lot of mistakes and a lot of things go wrong;; common, popular or suitable at a particular time or for a particular occasion;; recently;; to say hello to somebody and have a short conversation with them;; very obvious;; used to say that a complicated task will take a long time and needs patience;; the time when you are young and do not have much experience of life;; to prevent failure or defeat, when this seems certain to happen;; to save something, especially money, for a time when you will really need it;; at an unknown time in the future;; a person or thing will not continue to live, exist or be successful for much longer;; to not think about what will happen in the future;; used when you are saying that something is very unlikely to happen;; used to talk about the present, especially when you are comparing it with the past;; used to suggest that a time in the past was happier or better than now;; exactly;; even now, when a lot of time has passed

nominee (noun)

a person who has been formally suggested for a job, a prize, etc.;; a person in whose name money is invested in a company, etc.

basement (noun)

a room or rooms in a building, partly or completely below the level of the ground

blog (noun)

a website where a person writes regularly about recent events or topics that interest them, usually with photos and links to other websites that they find interesting

consensus (noun)

an opinion that all members of a group agree with

fortunately (adverb)

by good luck

scrutiny (noun)

careful and thorough examination

divine (adjective)

coming from or connected with God or a god;; wonderful; beautiful

immense (adjective)

extremely large or great

relieved (adjective)

feeling happy because something unpleasant has stopped or has not happened; showing this

neighbouring (adjective)

located or living near or next to a place or person

adjacent (adjective)

next to or near something

coastal (adjective)

of or near a coast

lately (adverb)

recently; in the recent past

lesbian (adjective)

sexually attracted to other women; connected with lesbians

full-time (noun)

the end of a sports game

delete (verb)

to remove something that has been written or printed, or that has been stored on a computer

recount (verb)

to tell somebody about something, especially something that you have experienced

overly (adverb)

too; very

furious (adjective)

very angry;; with great energy, speed or anger

disastrous (adjective)

very bad, harmful or unsuccessful

councillor (noun)

a member of a council

jail (noun)

a prison

motive (noun)

a reason for doing something

fragment (noun)

a small part of something that has broken off or comes from something larger

premise (noun)

a statement or an idea that forms the basis for a reasonable line of argument

demon (noun)

an evil spirit;; a person who does something very well or with a lot of energy;; something that causes a person to worry and makes them unhappy;; alcoholic drink

romance (noun)

an exciting, usually short, relationship between two people who are in love with each other;; love or the feeling of being in love;; a feeling of excitement and adventure, especially connected to a particular place or activity;; a story about a love affair;; a story of excitement and adventure, often set in the past

breakthrough (noun)

an important development that may lead to an agreement or achievement

overnight (adverb)

during or for the night;; suddenly or quickly

being (noun)

existence;; a living creature;; your mind and all of your feelings

prospective (adjective)

expected to do something or to become something;; expected to happen soon

fortunate (adjective)

having or bringing an advantage, an opportunity, a piece of good luck, etc.

dependent (adjective)

needing somebody/something in order to survive or be successful;; addicted to something (= unable to stop taking or using it);; affected or decided by something

bare (adjective)

not covered by any clothes;; not covered with leaves; without plants or trees;; not covered with or protected by anything;; empty;; just enough; the most basic or simple;; the basic facts;; used to say that there is no money for something;; to show something that was covered or to make something known that was secret;; without weapons or tools

difficult (adjective)

not easy; needing effort or skill to do or to understand;; full of problems; causing a lot of trouble;; not easy to please; not helpful;; to have difficulty doing something;; to cause problems for somebody

inadequate (adjective)

not enough; not good enough;; not able, or not confident enough, to deal with a situation

epidemic (adjective)

occurring more and more frequently in a particular place;; with large numbers of cases occurring at the same time in a particular community

civic (adjective)

officially connected with a town or city;; connected with the people who live in a town or city

any more (adverb)

often used at the end of negative sentences and at the end of questions, to mean 'any longer'

parameter (noun)

something that decides or limits the way in which something can be done

entity (noun)

something that exists separately from other things and has its own identity

merger (noun)

the act of joining two or more organizations or businesses into one

lighting (noun)

the arrangement or type of light in a place;; the use of electric lights in a place

skull (noun)

the bone structure that forms the head and surrounds and protects the brain;; the head or the brain

electronics (noun)

the branch of science and technology that studies electric currents in electronic equipment;; the use of electronic technology, especially in developing new equipment;; the electronic circuits and components (= parts) used in electronic equipment

campus (noun)

the buildings of a university or college and the land around them

addiction (noun)

the condition of being addicted to something

emergence (noun)

the fact of somebody/something coming out from a dark, confined or hidden place;; the fact of starting to exist or becoming known for the first time

coincidence (noun)

the fact of two things happening at the same time by chance, in a surprising way;; the fact of things being present at the same time;; the fact of two or more opinions, etc. being the same

availability (noun)

the fact that something is possible to get, buy or find;; the fact that somebody is free to see or talk to people

grandmother (noun)

the mother of your father or mother;; to tell or show somebody how to do something that they can already do well, and probably better than you can

junction (noun)

the place where two or more roads or railway/railroad lines meet;; a place where two or more cables, rivers or other things meet or are joined

obesity (noun)

the quality or fact of being very fat, in a way that is not healthy

deteriorate (verb)

to become worse

devastate (verb)

to completely destroy a place or an area;; to make somebody feel very shocked and sad

neglect (verb)

to fail to take care of somebody/something;; to not give enough attention to something;; to fail or forget to do something that you ought to do

resemble (verb)

to look like or be similar to another person or thing

glance (verb)

to look quickly at something/somebody;; to read something quickly and not thoroughly

divert (verb)

to make somebody/something change direction;; to use money, materials, etc. for a different purpose from their original purpose;; to take somebody's thoughts or attention away from something;; to entertain people

abolish (verb)

to officially end a law, a system or an institution

simulate (verb)

to pretend that you have a particular feeling;; to create particular conditions that exist in real life using computers, models, etc., usually for study or training purposes;; to be made to look like something else

equip (verb)

to provide yourself/somebody/something with the things that are needed for a particular purpose or activity;; to prepare somebody for an activity or task, especially by teaching them what they need to know

describe (verb)

to say what somebody/something is like;; to make a movement which has a particular shape; to form a particular shape

collaborate (verb)

to work together with somebody in order to produce or achieve something;; to help the enemy who has taken control of your country during a war

downwards (adverb)

towards the ground or towards a lower level

dam (noun)

a barrier that is built across a river in order to stop the water from flowing, used especially to make a reservoir (= a lake for storing water) or to produce electricity;; the mother of some animals, especially horses

assumption (noun)

a belief or feeling that something is true or that something will happen, although there is no proof;; the act of taking or beginning to have power or responsibility

doctrine (noun)

a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, a political party, etc.;; a statement of government policy

auto (noun)

a car

correction (noun)

a change that makes something more accurate than it was before;; the act or process of correcting something;; punishment

aluminium (noun)

a chemical element. Aluminium is a light, silver-grey metal used for making pans, etc.

niche (noun)

a comfortable or suitable role, job, way of life, etc.;; an opportunity to sell a particular product to a particular group of people;; a small hollow place, especially in a wall to contain a statue, etc., or in the side of a hill;; a position or role taken by a kind of living thing within its community. Different living things may occupy the same niche in different places, for example antelopes in Africa and kangaroos in Australia.

laser (noun)

a device that gives out light in which all the waves oscillate (= change direction and strength) together, typically producing a powerful beam of light that can be used for cutting metal, in medical operations, etc.

adaptation (noun)

a film/movie, book or play that is based on a particular piece of work but that has been changed for a new situation;; the process of changing something, for example your behaviour, to suit a new situation

dust (noun)

a fine powder that consists of very small pieces of sand, earth, etc.;; the fine powder of dirt that forms in buildings, on furniture, floors, etc.;; a fine powder that consists of very small pieces of a particular substance;; to fail, or to be defeated or destroyed;; to die;; to leave somebody far behind;; to wait for a situation to become clear or certain

buddy (noun)

a friend;; used to speak to a man you do not know;; a partner who does an activity with you so that you can help each other

justification (noun)

a good reason why something exists or is done;; as an explanation of why something exists or why somebody has done something

coalition (noun)

a government formed by two or more political parties working together;; a group formed by people from several different groups, especially political ones, agreeing to work together for a particular purpose;; the act of two or more groups joining together

jury (noun)

a group of members of the public who listen to the facts of a case in a court and decide whether or not somebody is guilty of a crime;; a group of people who decide who is the winner of a competition;; used when you are saying that something is still not certain

embassy (noun)

a group of officials led by an ambassador who represent their government in a foreign country;; the building in which an embassy works

congregation (noun)

a group of people who are gathered together in a church to worship God, not including the priest and choir;; a group of people who regularly attend a particular place of worship

militia (noun)

a group of people who are not professional soldiers but who have had military training and can act as an army

legislature (noun)

a group of people who have the power to make and change laws

residence (noun)

a house, especially a large or impressive one;; the state of living in a particular place;; permission to live in a country that is not your own;; having an official position in a particular place such as a college or university

columnist (noun)

a journalist who writes regular articles for a newspaper or magazine

corporation (noun)

a large business company;; an organization or a group of organizations that is recognized by law as a single unit;; a group of people elected to govern a large town or city and provide public services

blanket (noun)

a large cover, often made of wool, used especially on beds to keep people warm;; a thick layer or covering of something

cave (noun)

a large hole in the side of a hill or under the ground

bench (noun)

a long seat for two or more people, usually made of wood;; a judge in court or the seat where he/she sits; the position of being a judge or magistrate;; (in the British parliament) a seat where a particular group of politicians sit;; the seats where players sit when they are not playing in the game

regime (noun)

a method or system of government, especially one that has not been elected in a fair way;; a method or system of organizing or managing something

pastor (noun)

a minister in charge of a Christian church or group, especially in some Nonconformist churches

gesture (noun)

a movement that you make with your hands, your head or your face to show a particular meaning;; something that you do or say to show a particular feeling or intention

perspective (noun)

a particular attitude towards something; a way of thinking about something;; the ability to think about problems and decisions in a reasonable way without exaggerating their importance;; the art of creating an effect of depth and distance in a picture by representing people and things that are far away as being smaller than those that are nearer the front;; a view, especially one in which you can see far into the distance

motorist (noun)

a person driving a car

settler (noun)

a person who goes to live in a new country or region

composer (noun)

a person who writes music, especially classical music

novelist (noun)

a person who writes novels

drawing (noun)

a picture made using a pencil or pen rather than paint;; the art or skill of making pictures, plans, etc. using a pen or pencil

allegation (noun)

a public statement that is made without giving proof, accusing somebody of doing something that is wrong or illegal

paragraph (noun)

a section of a piece of writing, usually consisting of several sentences dealing with a single subject. The first sentence of a paragraph starts on a new line.

ritual (noun)

a series of actions that are always performed in the same way, especially as part of a religious ceremony;; something that is done regularly and always in the same way

cabin (noun)

a small room on a ship in which you live or sleep;; one of the areas for passengers to sit in a plane;; a small house or shelter, usually made of wood

denial (noun)

a statement that says something is not true or does not exist;; a refusal to allow somebody to have something they have a right to expect;; a refusal to accept that something unpleasant or painful is true

earthquake (noun)

a sudden, violent shaking of the earth's surface

assignment (noun)

a task or piece of work that somebody is given to do, usually as part of their job or studies;; the act of giving something to somebody; the act of giving somebody a particular task

hazard (noun)

a thing that can be dangerous or cause damage

certainty (noun)

a thing that is certain;; the state of being certain

degree (noun)

a unit for measuring angles;; a unit for measuring temperature;; the amount or level of something;; the qualification obtained by students who successfully complete a university or college course;; a university or college course, normally lasting three years or more;; a level in a scale of how serious something is;; slowly and gradually;; extremely; to an extreme degree

bride (noun)

a woman on her wedding day, or just before or just after it

questionnaire (noun)

a written list of questions that are answered by a number of people so that information can be collected from the answers

flexible (adjective)

able to change to suit new conditions or situations;; able to bend easily without breaking

alert (adjective)

able to think quickly; quick to notice things;; aware of something, especially a problem or danger

passive (adjective)

accepting what happens or what people do without trying to change anything or oppose them;; connected with the form of a verb used when the subject is affected by the action of the verb, for example He was bitten by a dog. is a passive sentence

reportedly (adverb)

according to what some people say

albeit (conjunction)

although

consistently (adverb)

always the same;; in a way that does not change and continues for a period of time;; in a way that has different parts that all agree with each other

alliance (noun)

an agreement between countries, political parties, etc. to work together in order to achieve something that they all want;; a group of people, political parties, etc. who work together in order to achieve something that they all want

compromise (noun)

an agreement made between two people or groups in which each side gives up some of the things they want so that both sides are happy at the end;; a solution to a problem in which two or more things cannot exist together as they are, in which each thing is reduced or changed slightly so that they can exist together;; the act of reaching a compromise

patent (noun)

an official right to be the only person to make, use or sell a product or an invention; a document that proves this

faculty (noun)

any of the physical or mental abilities that a person is born with;; a particular ability for doing something;; a department or group of related departments in a college or university;; all the teachers in a faculty of a college or university;; all the teachers of a particular university or college

forth (adverb)

away from a place; out;; towards a place; forwards;; used at the end of a list to show that it continues in the same way;; from one place to another and back again repeatedly;; beginning on that day; from that time

empirical (adjective)

based on experiments or experience rather than ideas or theories

abstract (adjective)

based on general ideas and not on any particular real person, thing or situation;; existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical reality;; not representing people or things in a realistic way, but expressing the artist's ideas about them

mature (adjective)

behaving in a sensible way, like an adult;; fully grown and developed;; developed over a period of time to produce a strong, rich flavour;; used as a polite or humorous way of saying that somebody is no longer young;; created late in an artist's life and showing great understanding and skill;; ready to be paid;; after thinking about something carefully and for a long time

caution (noun)

care that you take in order to avoid danger or mistakes; not taking any risks;; a warning that is given by the police to somebody who has committed a crime that is not too serious;; a warning or a piece of advice about a possible danger or risk;; to stop caring about how dangerous something might be; to start taking risks

damaging (adjective)

causing damage; having a bad effect on somebody/something

lethal (adjective)

causing or able to cause death;; causing or able to cause a lot of harm or damage

sacred (adjective)

connected with God or a god; considered to be holy;; very important and treated with great respect

judicial (adjective)

connected with a court, a judge or legal judgement

marine (adjective)

connected with the sea and the creatures and plants that live there;; connected with ships or trade at sea

optical (adjective)

connected with the sense of sight or the relationship between light and sight;; used to help you see something more clearly;; using light for reading or storing information

editorial (adjective)

connected with the task of preparing something such as a newspaper, a book or a television or radio programme, to be published or broadcast

operational (adjective)

connected with the way in which a business, machine, system, etc. works;; ready to be used;; connected with a military operation

harsh (adjective)

cruel, severe and unkind;; very difficult and unpleasant to live in;; too strong and bright; ugly or unpleasant to look at;; unpleasant to listen to;; too strong and rough and likely to damage something

notable (adjective)

deserving to be noticed or to receive attention; important

nonetheless (adverb)

despite this fact

ambitious (adjective)

determined to be successful, rich, powerful, etc.;; needing a lot of effort, money or time to succeed

persistent (adjective)

determined to do something despite difficulties, especially when other people are against you and think that you are being annoying or unreasonable;; continuing for a long period of time without interruption, or repeated frequently, especially in a way that is annoying and cannot be stopped

contrary (adjective)

different from something; against something;; completely different in nature or direction

kidney (noun)

either of the two organs in the body that remove waste products from the blood and produce urine;; the kidneys of some animals that are cooked and eaten

combat (noun)

fighting or a fight, especially during a time of war

legitimate (adjective)

for which there is a fair and acceptable reason;; allowed and acceptable according to the law;; born when its parents are legally married to each other

exotic (adjective)

from or in another country, especially a tropical one; seeming exciting and unusual because it is connected with foreign countries

colourful (adjective)

full of bright colours or having a lot of different colours;; interesting or exciting; full of variety, sometimes in a way that is slightly shocking

broadly (adverb)

generally, without considering details;; if you smile broadly, you smile with your mouth stretched very wide because you are very pleased or amused

forthcoming (adjective)

going to happen, be published, etc. very soon;; ready or made available when needed;; willing to give information about something

misery (noun)

great suffering of the mind or body;; very poor living conditions;; something that causes great suffering of mind or body;; a person who is always unhappy and complaining;; to behave in a way that makes somebody else feel very unhappy;; to kill a creature because it has an illness or injury that cannot be treated;; to stop somebody worrying by telling them something that they are anxious to know

excessive (adjective)

greater than what seems reasonable or appropriate

preliminary (adjective)

happening before a more important action or event

instant (adjective)

happening immediately;; that can be made quickly and easily, usually by adding hot water

monthly (adjective)

happening once a month or every month;; paid, valid or calculated for one month

second (determiner)

happening or coming next after the first in a series of similar things or people; 2nd;; next in order of importance, size, quality, etc. to one other person or thing;; another; in addition to one that you already own or use

passionate (adjective)

having or showing strong feelings of sexual love or of anger, etc.;; having or showing strong feelings of enthusiasm for something or belief in something

instantly (adverb)

immediately

historic (adjective)

important in history; likely to be thought of as important at some time in the future;; of a period during which history was recorded

instrumental (adjective)

important in making something happen;; made by or for musical instruments

erect (adjective)

in a vertical position;; larger than usual, stiff and standing up because of sexual excitement

progressive (adjective)

in favour of new ideas, modern methods and change;; happening or developing steadily;; connected with the form of a verb (for example I am waiting or It is raining) that is made from a part of be and the present participle. Progressive forms are used to express an action that continues for a period of time.

elementary (adjective)

in or connected with the first stages of a course of study;; of the most basic kind;; very simple and easy

info (noun)

information;; connected with information

interim (adjective)

intended to last for only a short time until somebody/something more permanent is found;; calculated before the final results of something are known

engaging (adjective)

interesting or pleasant in a way that attracts your attention

intensive (adjective)

involving a lot of work or activity done in a short time;; extremely thorough; done with a lot of care;; aimed at producing as much food as possible using as little land or as little money as possible

risky (adjective)

involving the possibility of something bad happening

balanced (adjective)

keeping or showing a balance so that different things or different parts of something exist in equal or correct amounts

awareness (noun)

knowing something; knowing that something exists and is important; being interested in something

authentic (adjective)

known to be real and genuine and not a copy;; true and accurate;; made to be exactly the same as the original

imagery (noun)

language that produces pictures in the minds of people reading or listening;; pictures, photographs, etc.

marathon (adjective)

lasting a long time and requiring a lot of effort and patience

short-term (adjective)

lasting a short time; designed only for a short period of time in the future

chronic (adjective)

lasting for a long time; difficult to cure or get rid of;; having had a disease for a long time;; very bad

imminent (adjective)

likely to happen very soon

productive (adjective)

making goods or growing crops, especially in large quantities;; doing or achieving a lot;; resulting in something or causing something

favourable (adjective)

making people have a good opinion of somebody/something;; positive and showing your good opinion of somebody/something;; good for something and making it likely to be successful or have an advantage;; fairly good and not too expensive

disturbing (adjective)

making you feel anxious and upset or shocked

depressing (adjective)

making you feel very sad and without enthusiasm

multiple (adjective)

many in number; involving many different people or things

corresponding (adjective)

matching or connected with something that you have just mentioned

leading (adjective)

most important or most successful;; ahead of others in a race or contest

adverse (adjective)

negative and unpleasant; not likely to produce a good result

divorced (adjective)

no longer married;; appearing not to be affected by something; separate from something

incorrect (adjective)

not accurate or true;; speaking or behaving in a way that does not follow the accepted standards or rules

disappointing (adjective)

not as good, successful, etc. as you had hoped; making you feel disappointed

neutral (adjective)

not supporting or helping either side in a disagreement, competition, etc.;; not belonging to any of the countries that are involved in a war; not supporting any of the countries involved in a war;; deliberately not expressing any strong feeling;; not affected by something;; not very bright or strong, such as grey or light brown;; neither acid nor alkaline;; having neither a positive nor a negative electrical charge;; in a place that has no connection with either of the people or sides who are meeting and so does not give an advantage to either of them

decent (adjective)

of a good enough standard or quality;; honest and fair; treating people with respect;; acceptable to people in a particular situation;; wearing enough clothes to allow somebody to see you;; to do what people or society expect, especially in a difficult situation

linear (adjective)

of or in lines;; going from one thing to another in a single series of stages;; of length;; able to be represented by a straight line on a graph

exclusive (adjective)

only to be used by one particular person or group; only given to one particular person or group;; not very willing to allow new people to become members, especially if they are from a lower social class;; of a high quality and expensive and therefore not often bought or used by most people;; not able to exist or be a true statement at the same time as something else;; not including somebody/something

appetite (noun)

physical desire for food;; a strong desire for something

debris (noun)

pieces of wood, metal, brick, etc. that are left after something has been destroyed;; rubbish/garbage or pieces of material that are left somewhere and are not wanted

gaming (noun)

playing computer games

functional (adjective)

practical and useful; with little or no decoration;; having a special purpose; making it possible for somebody to do something or for something to happen;; working; able to work

capability ()

real name Lancelot Brown (1716-83) a British gardener and architect who designed the gardens of many great houses and parks, including Blenheim Palace and Chatsworth. He is famous for designing gardens to look natural rather than formal. He was known as 'Capability' Brown because he told people that their gardens had ‚great capabilities ', meaning that they were capable of being greatly improved in design.

genuine (adjective)

real; exactly what it appears to be; not artificial;; sincere and honest; that can be trusted

audio (noun)

recorded sound

mandatory (adjective)

required by law

prestigious (adjective)

respected and admired as very important or of very high quality

accountable (adjective)

responsible for your decisions or actions and expected to explain them when you are asked

disappointment (noun)

sadness because something has not happened or been as good, successful, etc. as you expected or hoped;; a person or thing that is disappointing

meaningful (adjective)

serious and important;; intended to communicate or express something to somebody, without any words being spoken;; having a meaning that is easy to understand

gay (adjective)

sexually attracted to people of the same sex;; connected with people who are gay;; (used especially by young people) boring and not fashionable or attractive;; happy and full of fun;; brightly coloured;; without thinking about the results or effects of a particular action

sexy (adjective)

sexually attractive;; sexually exciting;; sexually excited;; exciting and interesting

promising (adjective)

showing signs of being good or successful

broadband (noun)

signals that use a wide range of frequencies;; a way of connecting a computer to the Internet, which allows you to receive information, including pictures, etc., very quickly

identical (adjective)

similar in every detail;; the same

comparable (adjective)

similar to somebody/something else and able to be compared

crude (adjective)

simple and not very accurate but giving a general idea of something;; simply made, not showing much skill or attention to detail;; offensive or rude, especially about sex;; in its natural state, before it has been treated with chemicals

marginal (adjective)

small and not important;; relating to or resulting from small changes;; not part of a main or important group or situation;; won or lost by a very small number of votes and therefore very important or interesting as an indication of public opinion;; written in the margin of a page;; that cannot produce enough good crops to make a profit

memorable (adjective)

special, good or unusual and therefore worth remembering or easy to remember

robust (adjective)

strong and healthy;; strong; able to survive being used a lot and not likely to break;; strong and not likely to fail or become weak;; strong and full of determination; showing that you are sure about what you are doing or saying

definite (adjective)

sure or certain; unlikely to change;; easily or clearly seen or understood; obvious;; sure that something is true or that something is going to happen and stating it to other people

accessible (adjective)

that can be reached, entered, used, seen, etc.;; that can be reached, entered, used, etc. by somebody who has problems walking;; easy to understand;; easy to talk to and to get to know

applicable (adjective)

that can be said to be true in the case of somebody/something

reliable (adjective)

that can be trusted to do something well; that you can rely on;; that is likely to be correct or true;; able to work or operate for long periods without breaking down or needing attention

invasion (noun)

the act of an army entering another country by force in order to take control of it;; the fact of a large number of people or things arriving somewhere, especially people or things that are disturbing or unpleasant;; an act or a process that affects somebody/something in a way that is not welcome

harassment (noun)

the act of annoying or worrying somebody by putting pressure on them or saying or doing unpleasant things to them;; the act of making repeated attacks on an enemy

attendance (noun)

the act of being present at a place, for example at school;; the number of people present at an organized event;; to be present at a special event;; to be with or near somebody in order to help them if necessary;; to be with somebody and do things to help and please them;; to check who is present and who is not present at a place and to mark this information on a list of names

screening (noun)

the act of showing a film/movie or television programme;; the testing or examining of a large number of people or things for disease, faults, etc.

expenditure (noun)

the act of spending or using money; an amount of money spent;; the use of energy, time, materials, etc.

parking (noun)

the act of stopping a vehicle at a place and leaving it there for a period of time;; a space or an area for leaving vehicles

prevention (noun)

the act of stopping something bad from happening;; it is better to stop something bad from happening rather than try to deal with the problems after it has happened

nomination (noun)

the act of suggesting or choosing somebody as a candidate in an election, or for a job or an award; the fact of being suggested for this

participation (noun)

the act of taking part in an activity or event

reproduction (noun)

the act or process of producing babies, young animals or plants;; the act or process of producing copies of a document, book, picture, etc.;; the process of recording sounds onto tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc.;; a thing that has been reproduced, especially a copy of a work of art

classification (noun)

the act or process of putting people or things into a group or class (= of classifying them);; a group, class, division, etc. into which somebody or something is put;; the act of putting animals, plants, etc. into groups, classes or divisions according to their characteristics;; a system of arranging books, tapes, magazines, etc. in a library into groups according to their subject

deficit (noun)

the amount by which money spent or owed is greater than money earned in a particular period of time;; the amount by which something, especially an amount of money, is too small or smaller than something else

intake (noun)

the amount of food, drink, etc. that you take into your body;; the number of people who are allowed to enter a school, college, profession, etc. during a particular period;; a place where liquid, air, etc. enters a machine;; an act of taking something in, especially breath

ranking (noun)

the position of somebody/something on a scale that shows how good or important they are in relation to other similar people or things, especially in sport;; an official list showing the best players of a particular sport in order of how successful they are

poll (noun)

the process of questioning people who are representative of a larger group in order to get information about the general opinion;; the process of voting at an election; the process of counting the votes;; the number of votes given in an election

outcome (noun)

the result or effect of an action or event

likewise (adverb)

the same; in a similar way;; also;; used to show that you feel the same towards somebody or about something

agriculture (noun)

the science or practice of farming

cleaning (noun)

the work of making the inside of a house, etc. clean

goods (noun)

things that are produced to be sold;; possessions that can be moved;; things (not people) that are transported by rail or road;; to be very good or impressive;; to do what you have promised to do or what people expect or want you to do

enquire (verb)

to ask somebody for some information

retrieve (verb)

to bring or get something back, especially from a place where it should not be;; to find and get back data or information that has been stored in the memory of a computer;; to make a bad situation better; to get back something that was lost

rebuild (verb)

to build or put something together again;; to make something/somebody complete and strong again

compute (verb)

to calculate something

detect (verb)

to discover or notice something, especially something that is not easy to see, hear, etc.

conceal (verb)

to hide somebody/something

slap (verb)

to hit somebody/something with the flat part of your hand;; to put something on a surface in a quick, careless and often noisy way, especially because you are angry;; to hit against something with the noise of somebody being slapped

cling (verb)

to hold on tightly to somebody/something;; to stick to something;; to stay close to somebody, especially because you need them emotionally

flee (verb)

to leave a person or place very quickly, especially because you are afraid of possible danger

depart (verb)

to leave a place, especially to start a trip;; to leave your job;; to die. People say 'depart this life' to avoid saying 'die'.

govern (verb)

to legally control a country or its people and be responsible for introducing new laws, organizing public services, etc.;; to control or influence somebody/something or how something happens, functions, etc.;; if a word governs another word or phrase, it affects how that word or phrase is formed or used

build (verb)

to make something, especially a building, by putting parts together;; to create or develop something;; to become gradually stronger;; (to have) plans or dreams that are not likely to happen or come true;; used to say that a complicated task will take a long time and needs patience

enforce (verb)

to make sure that people obey a particular law or rule;; to make something happen or force somebody to do something

rotate (verb)

to move or turn around a central fixed point; to make something do this;; if a job rotates, or if people rotate a job, they regularly change the job or regularly change who does the job

dislike (verb)

to not like somebody/something

inhibit (verb)

to prevent something from happening or make it happen more slowly or less frequently than normal;; to make somebody nervous or embarrassed so that they are unable to do something

compile (verb)

to produce a book, list, report, etc. by bringing together different items, articles, songs, etc.;; to translate instructions from one computer language into another so that a particular computer can understand them

shrug (verb)

to raise your shoulders and then drop them to show that you do not know or care about something

die (verb)

to stop living;; to stop existing; to disappear;; to stop working;; to want something or want to do something very much;; used to emphasize that you are telling the truth or will do what you promise;; to fail completely;; to die or fall down in very large numbers;; to die because you are old or ill/sick;; to find something extremely funny;; do not stop hoping;; used to say that things change very slowly;; if you think something is to die for, you really want it, and would do anything to get it

exploit (verb)

to treat a person or situation as an opportunity to gain an advantage for yourself;; to treat somebody unfairly by making them work and not giving them much in return;; to use something well in order to gain as much from it as possible;; to develop or use something for business or industry

recycle (verb)

to treat things that have already been used so that they can be used again;; to use the same ideas, methods, jokes, etc. again

genuinely (adverb)

truly; in a way that is exactly what it appears to be and is not artificial;; in a sincere and honest way that can be trusted

duo (noun)

two people who perform together or are often seen or thought of together

dumb (adjective)

unable to speak;; temporarily not speaking or refusing to speak;; stupid

hopefully (adverb)

used to express what you hope will happen;; showing hope

namely (adverb)

used to introduce more exact and detailed information about something that you have just mentioned

horrible (adjective)

very bad or unpleasant; used to describe something that you do not like;; making you feel very shocked and frightened;; unfriendly, unpleasant or unkind

nasty (adjective)

very bad or unpleasant;; unkind; unpleasant;; dangerous or serious;; offensive; in bad taste;; to become threatening and violent;; to become bad or unpleasant;; to make you feel disgusted or ashamed afterwards;; a person who is unpleasant, unkind or dishonest

gorgeous (adjective)

very beautiful and attractive; giving pleasure and enjoyment;; with very deep colours; impressive

elaborate (adjective)

very complicated and detailed; carefully prepared and organized

diverse (adjective)

very different from each other and of various kinds

legendary (adjective)

very famous and talked about a lot by people, especially in a way that shows admiration;; mentioned in stories from ancient times

depressed (adjective)

very sad and without hope;; suffering from the medical condition of depression;; without enough economic activity or jobs for people;; having a lower amount or level than usual

admission (noun)

the act of accepting somebody into an institution, organization, etc.; the right to enter a place or to join an institution or organization;; a statement in which somebody admits that something is true, especially something wrong or bad that they have done;; the amount of money that you pay to go into a building or to an event

pirate (noun)

(especially in the past) a person on a ship who attacks other ships at sea in order to steal from them;; a person who makes illegal copies of DVDs, computer programs, books, etc., in order to sell them;; a person or an organization that broadcasts illegally

peasant (noun)

(especially in the past, or in poorer countries) a farmer who owns or rents a small piece of land;; a person who is rude, behaves badly, or has little education

noon (noun)

12 o'clock in the middle of the day;; at all times of the day and night (used to emphasize that something happens very often or that it happens continuously)

blessing (noun)

God's help and protection, or a prayer asking for this;; approval of or permission for something;; something that is good or helpful;; something that seems to be a problem at first, but that has good results in the end;; to be grateful for the good things in your life

buck (noun)

a US, Australian or New Zealand dollar; a South African rand; an Indian rupee;; a male deer, hare or rabbit (also called a buck rabbit);; a deer, whether male or female;; a young man;; used in some expressions to refer to the responsibility or blame for something;; if you get more, better, etc. bang for your buck, you get better value for the money you spend or the effort you put in to something;; to look/feel extremely good;; to earn money quickly and easily

bubble (noun)

a ball of air or gas in a liquid, or a ball of air inside a solid substance such as glass;; a round ball of liquid, containing air, produced by soap and water;; a small amount of a feeling that somebody wants to express;; a good or lucky situation that is unlikely to last long;; there is a sudden end to a good or lucky situation;; to bring an end to somebody's hopes, happiness, etc.

brother (noun)

a boy or man who has the same mother and father as another person;; used for talking to or talking about other male members of an organization or other men who have the same ideas, purpose, etc. as yourself;; a male member of a religious group, especially a monk;; used by black people as a form of address for a black man;; (in the US) a member of a fraternity (= a club for a group of male students at a college or university)

mosque (noun)

a building in which Muslims worship

enterprise (noun)

a company or business;; a large project, especially one that is difficult;; the development of businesses by the people of a country rather than by the government;; the ability to think of new projects and make them successful

lens (noun)

a curved piece of glass or plastic that makes things look larger, smaller or clearer when you look through it;; the transparent part of the eye, behind the pupil, that focuses light so that you can see clearly

scenario (noun)

a description of how things might happen in the future;; a written outline of what happens in a film/movie or play

filter (noun)

a device containing paper, sand, chemicals, etc. that a liquid or gas is passed through in order to remove any materials that are not wanted;; a device that allows only particular types of light or sound to pass through it;; a program that processes information to exclude the types which are not wanted or that stops certain types of electronic information, email, etc. being sent to a computer;; a light on a set of traffic lights showing that traffic can turn left or right while traffic that wants to go straight ahead must wait

recession (noun)

a difficult time for the economy of a country, when there is less trade and industrial activity than usual and more people are unemployed;; the movement backwards of something from a previous position

constituency (noun)

a district that elects its own representative to parliament;; the people who live in and vote in a particular district;; a particular group of people in society who are likely to support a person, an idea or a product

delight (noun)

a feeling of great pleasure;; something that gives you great pleasure

grief (noun)

a feeling of great sadness, especially when somebody dies;; something that causes great sadness;; problems and worry;; to end in total failure;; to be harmed in an accident;; to be annoyed with somebody and criticize their behaviour;; used to express surprise or shock

rugby (noun)

a game played by two teams of 13 or 15 players, using an oval ball which may be kicked or carried. Teams try to put the ball over the other team's line.

basketball (noun)

a game played by two teams of five players, using a large ball which players try to throw into a high net hanging from a ring;; the ball used in this game

baseball (noun)

a game played especially in the US by two teams of nine players, using a bat (1) and ball. Each player tries to hit the ball and then run around four bases before the other team can return the ball.;; the ball used in this game;; expert knowledge about baseball;; technical information about any subject

delegation (noun)

a group of people who represent the views of an organization, a country, etc.;; the process of giving somebody work or responsibilities that would usually be yours

choir (noun)

a group of people who sing together, for example in church services or public performances;; the part of a church where the choir sits during services

array (noun)

a group or collection of things or people, often one that is large or impressive;; a way of organizing and storing related data in a computer memory;; a set of numbers, signs or values arranged in rows and columns

anchor (noun)

a heavy metal object that is attached to a rope or chain and dropped over the side of a ship or boat to keep it in one place;; a person or thing that gives somebody a feeling of safety

contradiction (noun)

a lack of agreement between facts, opinions, actions, etc.;; the act of saying that something that somebody else has said is wrong or not true; an example of this;; a statement containing two words that contradict each other's meaning

desert (noun)

a large area of land that has very little water and very few plants growing on it. Many deserts are covered by sand.

legislation (noun)

a law or a set of laws passed by a parliament;; the process of making and passing laws

mortgage (noun)

a legal agreement by which a bank or similar organization lends you money to buy a house, etc., and you pay the money back over a particular number of years; the sum of money that you borrow

journal (noun)

a newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject or profession;; used in the title of some newspapers;; a written record of the things you do, see, etc. every day

group (noun)

a number of people or things that are together in the same place or that are connected in some way;; a number of companies that are owned by the same person or organization;; a number of musicians who perform together, especially to play pop music

row (noun)

a number of people standing or sitting next to each other in a line; a number of objects arranged in a line;; a line of seats in a cinema/movie theater, etc.;; a complete line of stitches in knitting or crochet;; used in the name of some roads;; an act of rowing a boat; the period of time spent doing this;; to have made all the preparations needed to do something; to be well organized;; if something happens several times in a row, it happens in exactly the same way each time, and nothing different happens in the time between;; if something happens for several days, etc. in a row, it happens on each of those days

bunch (noun)

a number of things of the same type which are growing or fastened together;; a large amount of something; a large number of things or people;; a group of people;; long hair that is divided in two and tied at each side of the head;; a person or thing that is a little better than the rest of a group, although none are very good;; the best out of a group of people or things

backdrop (noun)

a painted piece of cloth that is hung behind the stage in a theatre as part of the scenery;; everything that can be seen around an event that is taking place, but which is not part of that event;; the general conditions in which an event takes place, which sometimes help to explain that event

portrait (noun)

a painting, drawing or photograph of a person, especially of the head and shoulders;; a detailed description of somebody/something

segment (noun)

a part of something that is separate from the other parts or can be considered separately;; one of the sections of an orange, a lemon, etc.;; a part of a circle separated from the rest by a single line;; the smallest speech sound that a word can be divided into

date (noun)

a particular day of the month, sometimes in a particular year, given in numbers and words;; a time in the past or future that is not a particular day;; an arrangement to meet somebody at a particular time;; a meeting that you have arranged with a boyfriend or girlfriend or with somebody who might become a boyfriend or girlfriend;; a boyfriend or girlfriend with whom you have arranged a date;; a sweet sticky brown fruit that grows on a tree called a date palm, common in N Africa and W Asia;; until now

mode (noun)

a particular way of doing something; a particular type of something;; the way in which a piece of equipment is set to perform a particular task;; a particular way of feeling or behaving;; a particular style or fashion in clothes, art, etc.;; a set of notes in music which form a scale;; the value that appears most frequently in a series of numbers

gig (noun)

a performance by musicians playing popular music or jazz in front of an audience; a similar performance by a comedian;; a job, especially a temporary one;; a small light carriage with two wheels, pulled by one horse

decade (noun)

a period of ten years, especially a continuous period, such as 1910-1919 or 2000-2009

companion (noun)

a person or an animal that travels with you or spends a lot of time with you;; a person who has similar tastes, interests, etc. to your own and whose company you enjoy;; a person who shares in your work, pleasures, sadness, etc.;; a person, usually a woman, employed to live with and help somebody, especially somebody old or ill/sick;; one of a pair of things that go together or can be used together;; used in book titles to describe a book giving useful facts and information on a particular subject

competitor (noun)

a person or an organization that competes against others, especially in business;; a person who takes part in a competition

investor (noun)

a person or an organization that invests money in something

donor (noun)

a person or an organization that makes a gift of money, clothes, food, etc. to a charity, etc.;; a person who gives blood or a part of his or her body to be used by doctors in medical treatment

regulator (noun)

a person or an organization that officially controls an area of business or industry and makes sure that it is operating fairly;; a device that automatically controls something such as speed, temperature or pressure

landlord (noun)

a person or company from whom you rent a room, a house, an office, etc.;; a man who owns or manages a pub or a guest house

contractor (noun)

a person or company that has a contract to do work or provide goods or services for another company

counterpart (noun)

a person or thing that has the same position or function as somebody/something else in a different place or situation

asset (noun)

a person or thing that is valuable or useful to somebody/something;; a thing of value, especially property, that a person or company owns, which can be used or sold to pay debts

reporter (noun)

a person who collects and reports news for newspapers, radio or television

governor (noun)

a person who is the official head of a country or region that is governed by another country;; a person who is chosen to be in charge of the government of a state in the US;; a member of a group of people who are responsible for controlling an institution such as a school, a college or a hospital;; a person who is in charge of an institution

peer (noun)

a person who is the same age or who has the same social status as you;; (in Britain) a member of the nobility

seeker (noun)

a person who is trying to find or get the thing mentioned

enthusiast (noun)

a person who is very interested in something and spends a lot of time doing it;; a person who approves of something and shows enthusiasm for it

insider (noun)

a person who knows a lot about a group or an organization, because they are part of it

consultant (noun)

a person who knows a lot about a particular subject and is employed to give advice about it to other people;; a hospital doctor of the highest rank who is a specialist in a particular area of medicine

scholar (noun)

a person who knows a lot about a particular subject because they have studied it in detail;; a student who has been given a scholarship to study at a school, college or university;; a clever person who works hard at school

listener (noun)

a person who listens;; a person listening to a radio programme

applicant (noun)

a person who makes a formal request for something (= applies for it), especially for a job, a place at a college or university, etc.

historian (noun)

a person who studies or writes about history; an expert in history

philosopher (noun)

a person who studies or writes about philosophy;; a person who thinks deeply about things

researcher (noun)

a person who studies something carefully and tries to discover new facts about it

capitalist (noun)

a person who supports capitalism;; a person who owns or controls a lot of wealth and uses it to produce more wealth

contender (noun)

a person who takes part in a competition or tries to win something

amateur (noun)

a person who takes part in a sport or other activity for enjoyment, not as a job;; a person who is not skilled

militant (noun)

a person who uses, or is willing to use, force or strong pressure to achieve their aims, especially to achieve social or political change

observer (noun)

a person who watches somebody/something;; a person who attends a meeting, lesson, etc. to listen and watch but not to take part;; a person who watches and studies particular events, situations, etc. and is therefore considered to be an expert on them

miner (noun)

a person who works in a mine taking out coal, gold, diamonds, etc.

practitioner (noun)

a person who works in a profession, especially medicine or law;; a person who regularly does a particular activity, especially one that requires skill

activist (noun)

a person who works to achieve political or social change, especially as a member of an organization with particular aims

mechanic (noun)

a person whose job is repairing machines, especially the engines of vehicles;; the science of movement and force;; the practical study of machinery;; the way something works or is done

designer (noun)

a person whose job is to decide how things such as clothes, furniture, tools, etc. will look or work by making drawings, plans or patterns

accountant (noun)

a person whose job is to keep or check financial accounts

administrator (noun)

a person whose job is to manage and organize the public or business affairs of a company or an institution, or a person who works in an office dealing with records, accounts, etc.

firefighter (noun)

a person whose job is to put out fires

diplomat (noun)

a person whose job is to represent his or her country in a foreign country, for example, in an embassy;; a person who is skilled at dealing with other people

dentist (noun)

a person whose job is to take care of people's teeth;; a place where a dentist sees patients

educator (noun)

a person whose job is to teach or educate people;; a person who is an expert in the theories and methods of education

instructor (noun)

a person whose job is to teach somebody a practical skill or sport;; a teacher below the rank of assistant professor at a college or university

inspector (noun)

a person whose job is to visit schools, factories, etc. to check that rules are being obeyed and that standards are acceptable;; an officer of middle rank in the police force;; (in Britain) a person whose job is to check tickets on a bus or train to make sure that they are valid

daughter (noun)

a person's female child;; a woman who belongs to a particular place or country, etc.

detective (noun)

a person, especially a police officer, whose job is to examine crimes and catch criminals;; a person employed by somebody to find out information about somebody/something

disability (noun)

a physical or mental condition that means you cannot use a part of your body completely or easily, or that you cannot learn easily;; the state of not being able to use a part of your body completely or easily; the state of not being able to learn easily

ladder (noun)

a piece of equipment for climbing up and down a wall, the side of a building, etc., consisting of two lengths of wood or metal that are joined together by steps or rungs;; a series of stages by which you can make progress in your life or career;; a long thin hole in tights or stockings where some threads have broken;; a competition in a particular sport or game in which teams or players are arranged in a list and they can move up the list by defeating one of the teams or players above

desk (noun)

a piece of furniture like a table, usually with drawers in it, that you sit at to read, write, work, etc.;; a place where you can get information or be served at an airport, a hotel, etc.;; an office at a newspaper, television company, etc. that deals with a particular subject

critique (noun)

a piece of written criticism of a set of ideas, a work of art, etc.

headquarters (noun)

a place from which an organization or a military operation is controlled; the people who work there

grave (noun)

a place in the ground where a dead person is buried;; death; a person's death;; to do something that will have very harmful results for you;; a way of referring to the whole of a person's life, from birth until death;; to be so old or ill/sick that you are not likely to live much longer;; likely to be very shocked or angry

dairy (noun)

a place on a farm where milk is kept and where butter and cheese are made;; a company that sells milk, eggs, cheese and other milk products;; a small local shop;; milk, eggs, cheese and other milk products

deadline (noun)

a point in time by which something must be done

prosecutor (noun)

a public official who charges somebody officially with a crime and prosecutes them in court;; a lawyer who leads the case against a defendant in court

psychologist (noun)

a scientist who studies and is trained in psychology

firework (noun)

a small device containing powder that burns or explodes and produces bright coloured lights and loud noises, used especially at celebrations;; a display of fireworks;; strong or angry words; exciting actions

faction (noun)

a small group of people within a larger one whose members have some different aims and beliefs to those of the larger group;; opposition, disagreement, etc. that exists between small groups of people within an organization or political party;; films/movies, books, etc. that combine fact with fiction (= imaginary events)

bullet (noun)

a small metal object that is fired from a gun;; to start to deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation which cannot be avoided;; to only just avoid getting hurt in a dangerous situation

announcement (noun)

a spoken or written statement that informs people about something;; the act of publicly informing people about something

missile (noun)

a weapon that is sent through the air and that explodes when it hits the thing that it is aimed at;; an object that is thrown at somebody to hurt them

during (preposition)

all through a period of time;; at some point in a period of time

consistent (adjective)

always behaving in the same way, or having the same opinions, standards, etc.;; happening in the same way and continuing for a period of time;; in agreement with something; not contradicting something;; having different parts that all agree with each other

comic (adjective)

amusing and making you laugh;; connected with comedy (= entertainment that is funny and that makes people laugh)

memoir (noun)

an account written by somebody, especially somebody famous, about their life and experiences;; a written account of somebody's life, a place, or an event, written by somebody who knows it well

edit (noun)

an act of making changes to text or data

capitalism (noun)

an economic system in which a country's businesses and industry are controlled and run for profit by private owners rather than by the government

satellite (noun)

an electronic device that is sent into space and moves around the earth or another planet. It is used for communicating by radio, television, etc. and for providing information.;; a natural object that moves around a larger natural object in space;; a town, a country or an organization that is controlled by and depends on another larger or more powerful one

episode (noun)

an event, a situation, or a period of time in somebody's life, a novel, etc. that is important or interesting in some way;; one part of a story that is broadcast on television or radio in several parts

hypothesis (noun)

an idea or explanation of something that is based on a few known facts but that has not yet been proved to be true or correct;; guesses and ideas that are not based on certain knowledge

notion (noun)

an idea, a belief or an understanding of something

globe (noun)

an object shaped like a ball with a map of the world on its surface, usually on a stand so that it can be turned;; the world (used especially to emphasize its size);; a thing shaped like a ball

clue (noun)

an object, a piece of evidence or some information that helps the police solve a crime;; a fact or a piece of evidence that helps you discover the answer to a problem;; some words or a piece of information that helps you find the answers to a crossword, a game or a question;; to know nothing about something or about how to do something;; to be very stupid

bombing (noun)

an occasion when a bomb is dropped or left somewhere; the act of doing this

database (noun)

an organized set of data that is stored in a computer and can be looked at and used in various ways

shareholder (noun)

an owner of shares in a company or business

disaster (noun)

an unexpected event, such as a very bad accident, a flood or a fire, that kills a lot of people or causes a lot of damage;; a very bad situation that causes problems;; a complete failure;; a thing or person that is very likely to cause danger or a problem in the future because of the condition it is in or the way they behave

alignment (noun)

arrangement in a straight line;; political support given to one country or group by another

consequently (adverb)

as a result; therefore

halfway (adjective)

at an equal distance between two points; in the middle of a period of time;; part of the way towards doing or achieving something

cynical (adjective)

believing that people only do things to help themselves rather than for good or honest reasons;; not believing that something good will happen or that something is important;; not caring that something might hurt other people, if there is some advantage for you

hopeful (adjective)

believing that something you want will happen;; showing hope;; making you believe that something you want will happen; bringing hope

respective (adjective)

belonging or relating separately to each of the people or things already mentioned

indigenous (adjective)

belonging to a particular place rather than coming to it from somewhere else

mainland (adjective)

belonging to the main area of land of a country, not including any islands near to it

bold (adjective)

brave and confident; not afraid to say what you feel or to take risks;; that can be easily seen; having a strong clear appearance;; in a thick, dark type;; used especially when politely asking a question or making a suggestion which you hope will not offend anyone (although it may criticize them slightly);; without showing any respect, shame or fear

retail (adverb)

by or to the public, usually through shops/stores

destructive (adjective)

causing destruction or damage

fatal (adjective)

causing or ending in death;; causing disaster or failure

deadly (adjective)

causing or likely to cause death;; extreme; complete;; extremely effective, so that no defence is possible;; very boring

frustrating (adjective)

causing you to feel annoyed and impatient because you cannot do or achieve what you want

affordable (adjective)

cheap enough that people can afford to buy it or pay it

explicit (adjective)

clear and easy to understand;; saying something clearly, exactly and openly;; said, done or shown in an open or direct way, so that you have no doubt about what is happening

genetic (adjective)

connected with genes (= the units in the cells of a living thing that control its physical characteristics) or genetics (= the study of genes )

constitutional (adjective)

connected with the constitution of a country or an organization;; allowed or limited by the constitution of a country or an organization;; related to the body's ability to stay healthy, be strong and fight illness

naval (adjective)

connected with the navy of a country

native (adjective)

connected with the place where you were born and lived for the first years of your life;; connected with the place where you have always lived or have lived for a long time;; connected with the people who originally lived in a country before other people, especially white people, came there;; existing naturally in a place;; that you have naturally without having to learn it;; to try to live and behave like the local people

presidential (adjective)

connected with the position or activities of a president

ecological (adjective)

connected with the relation of plants and living creatures to each other and to their environment;; interested in and concerned about the ecology of a place

biological (adjective)

connected with the science of biology;; connected with the processes that take place within living things;; using enzymes (= chemical substances that are found in plants and animals) to get clothes, etc. clean

agricultural (adjective)

connected with the science or practice of farming

magical (adjective)

containing magic; used in magic;; wonderful; very enjoyable

global (adjective)

covering or affecting the whole world;; considering or including all parts of something

cattle (noun)

cows and bulls that are kept as farm animals for their milk or meat

challenging (adjective)

difficult in an interesting way that tests your ability;; done in a way that invites people to disagree or argue with you, or shows that you disagree with them

problematic (adjective)

difficult to deal with or to understand; full of problems; not certain to be successful

explosive (adjective)

easily able or likely to explode;; likely to cause violence or strong feelings of anger or hatred;; often having sudden violent or angry feelings;; increasing suddenly and rapidly;; sudden and loud

handy (adjective)

easy to use or to do;; located near to somebody/something; located or stored in a convenient place;; skilful in using your hands or tools to make or repair things;; to be useful

breast (noun)

either of the two round soft parts at the front of a woman's body that produce milk when she has had a baby;; the similar, smaller part on a man's body, which does not produce milk;; the top part of the front of your body, below your neck;; the part of a piece of clothing that covers your chest;; the front part of a bird's body;; meat from the front part of the body of a bird or an animal;; having the type of chest or breasts mentioned;; the part of the body where the feelings and emotions are thought to be;; to show that you feel sorry about something that you have done, especially in public and in an exaggerated way;; to tell the truth about something so that you no longer feel guilty

animation (noun)

energy and enthusiasm in the way you look, behave or speak;; the process of making films/movies, videos and computer games in which drawings or models of people and animals seem to move;; a film/movie in which drawings of people and animals seem to move

numerous (adjective)

existing in large numbers

post-war (adjective)

existing, happening or made in the period after a war, especially the Second World War

optimistic (adjective)

expecting good things to happen or something to be successful; showing this feeling

expertise (noun)

expert knowledge or skill in a particular subject, activity or job

lyric (adjective)

expressing a person's personal feelings and thoughts;; connected with, or written for, singing

backup (noun)

extra help or support that you can get if necessary;; a copy of a file, etc. that can be used if the original is lost or damaged

magnificent (adjective)

extremely attractive and impressive; deserving praise

brilliant (adjective)

extremely clever or impressive;; very successful;; very intelligent or skilful;; very bright;; very good; excellent

hilarious (adjective)

extremely funny

fantastic (adjective)

extremely good; excellent;; very large; larger than you expected;; strange and showing a lot of imagination;; impossible to put into practice

fabulous (adjective)

extremely good;; very great;; appearing in fables

fascinating (adjective)

extremely interesting and attractive

incredibly (adverb)

extremely;; in a way that is very difficult to believe

data (noun)

facts or information, especially when examined and used to find out things or to make decisions;; information that is stored by a computer

glory (noun)

fame, praise or honour that is given to somebody because they have achieved something important;; praise and worship of God;; great beauty;; a special cause for pride, respect or pleasure

distant (adjective)

far away in space or time;; not like something else;; related to you but not closely;; not friendly; not wanting a close relationship with somebody;; not paying attention to something but thinking about something completely different;; a long time ago;; not a long time in the future but fairly soon

fond (adjective)

feeling affection for somebody, especially somebody you have known for a long time;; finding something pleasant or enjoyable, especially something you have liked or enjoyed for a long time;; liking to do something which other people find annoying or unpleasant, and doing it often;; kind and loving;; a hope about something that is not likely to happen

frustrated (adjective)

feeling annoyed and impatient because you cannot do or achieve what you want;; having no effect; not being satisfied;; unable to be successful in a particular career;; not satisfied sexually

consecutive (adjective)

following one after another in a series, without interruption

detailed (adjective)

giving many details and a lot of information; paying great attention to details

misleading (adjective)

giving the wrong idea or impression and making you believe something that is not true

last (determiner)

happening or coming after all other similar things or people;; most recent;; only remaining;; used to emphasize that somebody/something is the least likely or suitable;; after a long time;; the person or thing you rely on when everything else has failed;; to be going to die or stop functioning very soon; to be very weak or in bad condition;; the day, week, etc. just before the most recent one; two days, weeks, etc. ago;; every person or thing in a group;; people sometimes say Famous last words!when they think somebody is being too confident about something that is going to happen;; early in the morning/late in the evening;; to be successful when you were not expected to be, making your opponents look stupid;; the last moment of a person's life;; used to say what is most important after everything has been discussed, or considered;; when there are no other possible courses of action;; the last in a series of bad events, etc. that makes it impossible for you to accept a situation any longer;; the last comment or decision about something;; the latest possible time before an important event;; the most recent, fashionable, advanced, etc. thing;; used to emphasize that something is true of all the people being described;; seven days before the day that you mention;; the point at which you/something can no longer continue living, fighting, existing, etc.

homeless (adjective)

having no home;; people who have no home

feminist (adjective)

having or based on the belief that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men

brown (adjective)

having the colour of earth or coffee;; having skin that is naturally brown or has been made brown by the sun;; thinking deeply so that you do not notice what is happening around you

grey (adjective)

having the colour of smoke or ashes;; having grey hair;; dull; full of clouds;; pale and dull, because they are ill/sick, tired or sad;; without interest or variety; making you feel sad;; not interesting or attractive;; connected with old people

regulatory (adjective)

having the power to control an area of business or industry and make sure that it is operating fairly

dual (adjective)

having two parts or aspects

guidance (noun)

help or advice that is given to somebody, especially by somebody older or with more experience;; the process of controlling the direction of a rocket, etc., using electronic equipment

backing (noun)

help;; material attached to the back of something in order to protect it or make it stronger;; (especially in pop music) music that accompanies the main singer or tune

reluctant (adjective)

hesitating before doing something because you do not want to do it or because you are not sure that it is the right thing to do

predictable (adjective)

if something is predictable, you know in advance that it will happen or what it will be like;; behaving or happening in a way that you would expect and therefore boring

overturn (verb)

if something overturns, or if somebody overturns it, it turns upside down or on its side;; to officially decide that a legal decision, etc. is not correct, and to make it no longer valid

haunt (verb)

if the ghost of a dead person haunts a place, people say that they have seen it there;; if something unpleasant haunts you, it keeps coming to your mind so that you cannot forget it;; to continue to cause problems for somebody for a long time

soar (verb)

if the value, amount or level of something soars, it rises very quickly;; to rise quickly and smoothly up into the air;; to fly very high in the air or remain high in the air;; to be very high or tall;; when music soars, it becomes higher or louder

prominent (adjective)

important or well known;; easily seen;; sticking out from something

incredible (adjective)

impossible or very difficult to believe;; extremely good or extremely large

grand (adjective)

impressive and large or important;; used in the names of impressive or very large buildings, etc.;; needing a lot of effort, money or time to succeed but intended to achieve impressive results;; behaving in a proud way because they are rich or from a high social class;; very good or enjoyable; excellent;; used in the titles of people of very high social rank;; a great age;; a man who is respected in a particular profession that he has been involved in for a long time

beneficial (adjective)

improving a situation; having a helpful or useful effect

differently (adverb)

in a different way from somebody/something

directly (adverb)

in a direct line or manner;; exactly in a particular position;; immediately;; soon

situated (adjective)

in a particular place or position;; in a particular situation or in particular circumstances

integrated (adjective)

in which many different parts are closely connected and work successfully together

downtown (adjective)

in, towards or typical of the centre of a city, especially its main business area

finding (noun)

information that is discovered as the result of research into something;; a decision made by the judge or jury in a court case

innovative (adjective)

introducing or using new ideas, ways of doing something, etc.

creative (adjective)

involving the use of skill and the imagination to produce something new or a work of art;; having the skill and ability to produce something new, especially a work of art; showing this ability

brief (adjective)

lasting only a short time; short;; using few words;; short and not covering much of the body;; in a few words, without details

lifelong (adjective)

lasting or existing all through your life

liable (adjective)

legally responsible for paying the cost of something;; likely to do something;; likely to be affected by something;; likely to be punished by law for something;; having to do something by law

lower (adjective)

located below something else, especially something of the same type, or the other of a pair;; at or near the bottom of something;; located towards the coast, on low ground or towards the south of an area

intermediate (adjective)

located between two places, things, states, etc.;; having more than a basic knowledge of something but not yet advanced; suitable for somebody who is at this level

dear (adjective)

loved by or important to somebody;; used at the beginning of a letter before the name or title of the person that you are writing to;; expensive; costing a lot of money;; having a lot of importance and interest for somebody;; used to describe somebody in a way that shows affection;; as hard or as fast as possible;; to care very much for somebody/something; to value somebody/something highly;; your close family and friends

beloved (adjective)

loved very much by somebody; very popular with somebody;; loved very much

golden (adjective)

made of gold;; bright yellow in colour like gold;; special; wonderful;; to be in a situation where you are successful or do not have any problems;; a course of action that is not extreme;; to destroy something that would make you rich, successful, etc.;; it is often best not to say anything

prime (adjective)

main; most important; basic;; of the best quality; excellent;; a prime example of something is one that is typical of it;; most likely to be chosen for something; most suitable

funding (noun)

money for a particular purpose; the act of providing money for such a purpose

dominant (adjective)

more important, powerful or noticeable than other things;; a dominant gene causes a person to have a particular physical characteristic, for example brown eyes, even if only one of their parents has passed on this gene

excess (noun)

more than is necessary, reasonable or acceptable;; an amount by which something is larger than something else;; the part of an insurance claim that a person has to pay while the insurance company pays the rest;; extreme behaviour that is unacceptable, illegal or immoral

premier (adjective)

most important, famous or successful

principal (adjective)

most important; main

predominantly (adverb)

mostly; mainly

by (preposition)

near somebody/something; at the side of somebody/something; beside somebody/something;; used, usually after a passive verb, to show who or what does, creates or causes something;; used for showing how or in what way something is done;; used before particular nouns without the, to say that something happens as a result of something;; not later than the time mentioned; before;; past somebody/something;; during something; in a particular situation;; used to show the degree or amount of something;; from what something shows or says; according to something;; used to show the part of somebody/something that somebody touches, holds, etc.;; used with the to show the period or quantity used for buying, selling or measuring something;; used to state the rate at which something happens;; used to show the measurements of something;; used when multiplying or dividing;; used for giving more information about where somebody comes from, what somebody does, etc.;; used when swearing to mean 'in the name of'

dirty (adjective)

not clean;; connected with sex in an offensive way;; unpleasant or dishonest;; dull;; using illegal drugs;; to be a subject or an idea that people think is bad or immoral;; (to do) the unpleasant or dishonest jobs that somebody else does not want to do;; to cheat somebody who trusts you; to treat somebody badly or unfairly;; behaving in an unfair or aggressive way, especially because you want to win;; rude and shocking;; to do physical work;; to look at somebody in a way that shows you are annoyed with them;; to discuss your personal affairs in public, especially something embarrassing

partial (adjective)

not complete or whole;; liking somebody/something very much;; showing or feeling too much support for one person, team, idea, etc., in a way that is unfair

secular (adjective)

not connected with spiritual or religious matters;; living among ordinary people rather than in a religious community

dishonest (adjective)

not honest; intending to trick people

irrelevant (adjective)

not important to or connected with a situation

dull (adjective)

not interesting or exciting;; not bright or shiny;; not bright, with a lot of clouds;; not clear or loud;; not very severe, but continuous;; slow in understanding;; not busy; slow;; it is not healthy to spend all your time working; you need to relax too;; extremely boring

insufficient (adjective)

not large, strong or important enough for a particular purpose

domestic (adjective)

of or inside a particular country; not foreign or international;; used in the home; connected with the home or family;; liking home life; enjoying or good at cooking, cleaning the house, etc.;; kept on farms or as pets; not wild

director (noun)

one of a group of senior managers who run a company;; a person who is in charge of a particular activity or department in a company, a college, etc.;; a person in charge of a film/movie or play who tells the actors and staff what to do

province (noun)

one of the areas that some countries are divided into with its own local government;; all the parts of a country except the capital city;; a person's particular area of knowledge, interest or responsibility

inmate (noun)

one of the people living in an institution such as a prison or a psychiatric hospital

glad (adjective)

pleased; happy;; grateful for something;; very willing to do something;; bringing joy; full of joy;; used when you are commenting on a situation and saying that you are happy about it

courtesy (noun)

polite behaviour that shows respect for other people;; a polite thing that you say or do when you meet people in formal situations;; with the official permission of somebody/something and as a favour;; given as a prize or provided free by a person or an organization;; as the result of a particular thing or situation;; to be polite by doing the thing that is mentioned;; to know when you should do something in order to be polite

radiation (noun)

powerful and very dangerous rays that are sent out from radioactive substances;; heat, energy, etc. that is sent out in the form of rays;; the treatment of cancer and other diseases using radiation

morality (noun)

principles concerning right and wrong or good and bad behaviour;; the degree to which something is right or wrong, good or bad, etc. according to moral principles;; a system of moral principles followed by a particular group of people

organic (adjective)

produced or practised without using artificial chemicals;; produced by or from living things;; connected with the organs of the body;; consisting of different parts that are all connected to each other;; happening in a slow and natural way, rather than suddenly

psychiatric (adjective)

relating to psychiatry or to mental illness

elite (adjective)

small in number but powerful and with a lot of influence, because they are rich, intelligent, etc.

occurrence (noun)

something that happens or exists;; the fact of something happening or existing

donation (noun)

something that is given to a person or an organization such as a charity, in order to help them; the act of giving something in this way

offering (noun)

something that is produced for other people to use, watch, enjoy, etc.;; something that is given to a god as part of religious worship

revenge (noun)

something that you do in order to make somebody suffer because they have made you suffer;; the defeat of a person or team that defeated you in a previous game

dramatic (adjective)

sudden, very great and often surprising;; exciting and impressive;; connected with the theatre or plays;; exaggerated in order to create a special effect and attract people's attention

residential (adjective)

suitable for living in; consisting of houses rather than factories or offices;; requiring a person to live at a particular place; offering living accommodation

invisible (adjective)

that cannot be seen;; connected with a service that a country provides, such as banks or tourism, rather than goods

immune (adjective)

that cannot catch or be affected by a particular disease or illness;; not affected by something;; protected from something and therefore able to avoid it

long-standing (adjective)

that has existed or lasted for a long time

insight (noun)

the ability to see and understand the truth about people or situations;; an understanding of what something is like

acceptance (noun)

the act of accepting a gift, an invitation, an offer, etc.;; the act of agreeing with something and approving of it;; the process of allowing somebody to join something or be a member of a group;; willingness to accept an unpleasant or difficult situation

imprisonment (noun)

the act of putting somebody in a prison or another place from which they cannot escape; the state of being there

insertion (noun)

the act of putting something inside something else; a thing that is put inside something else;; a thing that is added to a book, piece of writing, etc.; the act of adding something

burial (noun)

the act or ceremony of burying a dead body

formation (noun)

the action of forming something; the process of being formed;; a thing that has been formed, especially in a particular place or in a particular way;; a particular arrangement or pattern

breathing (noun)

the action of taking air into the lungs and sending it out again

handful (noun)

the amount of something that can be held in one hand;; a small number of people or things;; a person or an animal that is difficult to control

outlook (noun)

the attitude to life and the world of a particular person, group or culture;; the probable future for somebody/something; what is likely to happen;; a view from a particular place

jurisdiction (noun)

the authority that an official organization has to make legal decisions about somebody/something;; an area or a country in which a particular system of laws has authority

mandate (noun)

the authority to do something, given to a government or other organization by the people who vote for it in an election;; the period of time for which a government is given power;; an official order given to somebody to perform a particular task;; the power given to a country to govern another country or region, especially in the past

infrastructure (noun)

the basic systems and services that are necessary for a country or an organization to run smoothly, for example buildings, transport and water and power supplies

likelihood (noun)

the chance of something happening; how likely something is to happen

costume (noun)

the clothes worn by people from a particular place or during a particular historical period;; the clothes worn by actors in a play or film/movie, or worn by somebody to make them look like somebody/something else

homeland (noun)

the country where a person was born;; (in the Republic of South Africa under the apartheid system in the past) one of the areas with some self-government that were intended for a group of black African people to live in

odds (noun)

the degree to which something is likely to happen;; something that makes it seem impossible to do or achieve something;; the connection between two numbers that shows how much money somebody will receive if they win a bet;; to be different from something, when the two things should be the same;; to disagree with somebody about something;; you are unlikely to succeed because the conditions are not good for you;; you are likely to succeed because the conditions are good and you have an advantage;; used to say that something is not important;; more money than you would normally expect

documentation (noun)

the documents that are required for something, or that give evidence or proof of something;; the act of recording something in a document; the state of being recorded in a document

incidence (noun)

the extent to which something happens or has an effect;; the way in which light meets a surface

injustice (noun)

the fact of a situation being unfair and of people not being treated equally; an unfair act or an example of unfair treatment;; to judge yourself/somebody unfairly

equality (noun)

the fact of being equal in rights, status, advantages, etc.

gender (noun)

the fact of being male or female, especially when considered with reference to social and cultural differences, not differences in biology;; each of the classes (masculine, feminine and sometimes neuter ) into which nouns, pronouns and adjectives are divided; the division of nouns, pronouns and adjectives into these different genders. Different genders may have different endings, etc.

dominance (noun)

the fact of being more important, powerful or noticeable than somebody/something else;; the fact of being dominant (2)

accountability (noun)

the fact of being responsible for your decisions or actions and expected to explain them when you are asked

ownership (noun)

the fact of owning something

grandfather (noun)

the father of your father or mother

grandparent (noun)

the father or mother of your father or mother

frustration (noun)

the feeling of being frustrated;; something that causes you to feel frustrated;; the fact that something is preventing something/somebody from succeeding

contempt (noun)

the feeling that somebody/something is without value and deserves no respect at all;; a lack of worry or fear about rules, danger, etc.;; knowing somebody/something very well may cause you to lose admiration and respect for them/it

breakfast (noun)

the first meal of the day;; a thing that has been done badly

government (noun)

the group of people who are responsible for controlling a country or a state;; a particular system or method of controlling a country;; the activity or the manner of controlling a country

bass (noun)

the lowest tone or part in music, for instruments or voices;; a man's singing voice with a low range; a man with a bass voice;; a musical part that is written for a bass voice;; an electric guitar that plays very low notes

hardware (noun)

the machinery and electronic parts of a computer system;; tools and equipment that are used in the house and garden/yard;; the equipment, machinery and vehicles used to do something

dinner (noun)

the main meal of the day, eaten either in the middle of the day or in the evening;; a large formal social gathering at which dinner is eaten;; a thing that has been done badly;; completely defeated

bulk (noun)

the main part of something; most of something;; the (large) size or quantity of something;; the weight or shape of somebody/something large

midst (noun)

the middle part of something;; while something is happening or being done; while you are doing something;; among or with them/us/it/you

revenue (noun)

the money that a government receives from taxes or that an organization, etc. receives from its business

budget (noun)

the money that is available to a person or an organization and a plan of how it will be spent over a period of time;; an official statement by the government of a country's income from taxes, etc. and how it will be spent

essence (noun)

the most important quality or feature of something, that makes it what it is;; a liquid taken from a plant, etc. that contains its smell and taste in a very strong form;; necessary and very important

referee (noun)

the official who controls the game in some sports;; a person who gives information about your character and ability, usually in a letter, for example when you are applying for a job;; a person who is asked to settle a disagreement;; a person who reads and checks the quality of a technical article before it is published

scope (noun)

the opportunity or ability to do or achieve something;; the range of things that a subject, an organization, an activity, etc. deals with;; an instrument for looking through or watching something with

profile (noun)

the outline of a person's face when you look from the side, not the front;; a description of somebody/something that gives useful information;; the general impression that somebody/something gives to the public and the amount of attention they receive;; the edge or outline of something that you see against a background;; the amount of attention somebody/something has from the public

fibre (noun)

the part of food that helps to keep a person healthy by keeping the bowels working and moving other food quickly through the body;; a material such as cloth or rope that is made from a mass of natural or artificial threads;; one of the many thin threads that form body tissue, such as muscle, and natural materials, such as wood and cotton

detection (noun)

the process of detecting something; the fact of being detected

accumulation (noun)

the process of gradually increasing or getting more and more of something over a period of time;; an amount of something that has gradually increased over a period of time

growth (noun)

the process of growing physically, mentally or emotionally;; an increase in the size, amount or degree of something;; an increase in economic activity;; a lump caused by a disease that forms on or inside a person, an animal or a plant;; something that has grown

rehabilitation (noun)

the process of helping somebody to have a normal, useful life again after they have been very ill/sick or in prison for a long time;; the act of starting to consider that somebody is good or acceptable after a long period during which they were considered bad or unacceptable;; the process of returning a building, place or area of activity to its previous good condition

learning (noun)

the process of learning something;; knowledge that you get from reading and studying

reasoning (noun)

the process of thinking about things in a logical way; opinions and ideas that are based on logical thinking

prosecution (noun)

the process of trying to prove in court that somebody is guilty of a crime (= of prosecuting them); the process of being officially charged with a crime in court;; a person or an organization that prosecutes somebody in court, together with the lawyers, etc.;; the act of making something happen or continue

inspiration (noun)

the process that takes place when somebody sees or hears something that causes them to have exciting new ideas or makes them want to create something, especially in art, music or literature;; a person or thing that is the reason why somebody creates or does something;; a person or thing that makes you want to be better, more successful, etc.;; a sudden good idea

emission (noun)

the production or sending out of light, heat, gas, etc.;; gas, etc. that is sent out into the air

conservation (noun)

the protection of the natural environment;; the official protection of buildings that have historical or artistic importance;; the act of preventing something from being lost, wasted, damaged or destroyed

grade (noun)

the quality of a particular product or material;; a level of ability or rank that somebody has in an organization;; a mark given in an exam or for a piece of school work;; (in the US school system) one of the levels in a school with children of similar age;; how serious an illness is;; a level of exam in musical skill;; to reach the necessary standard; to succeed

consistency (noun)

the quality of always behaving in the same way or of having the same opinions, standard, etc.; the quality of being consistent;; the consistency of a mixture or a liquid substance is how thick, smooth, etc. it is

reliability (noun)

the quality of being able to be trusted to do what somebody wants or needs;; the quality of being likely to be correct or true;; the quality of being able to work or operate for long periods without breaking down or needing attention

density (noun)

the quality of being dense; the degree to which something is dense;; the thickness of a solid, liquid or gas measured by its mass per unit of volume;; the amount of space available on a disk for recording data

precision (noun)

the quality of being exact, accurate and careful

efficiency (noun)

the quality of doing something well with no waste of time or money;; ways of wasting less time and money or of saving time or money;; the relationship between the amount of energy that goes into a machine or an engine, and the amount that it produces

fairness (noun)

the quality of treating people equally or in a way that is reasonable;; a pale colour of skin or hair;; used to introduce a statement that defends somebody who has just been criticized, or that explains another statement that may seem unreasonable

determination (noun)

the quality that makes you continue trying to do something even when this is difficult;; the process of deciding something officially;; the act of finding out or calculating something

credibility (noun)

the quality that somebody/something has that makes people believe or trust them

productivity (noun)

the rate at which a worker, a company or a country produces goods, and the amount produced, compared with how much time, work and money is needed to produce them

frequency (noun)

the rate at which something happens or is repeated;; the fact of something happening often;; the rate at which a sound or electromagnetic wave vibrates (= moves up and down);; the number of radio waves for every second of a radio signal

navigation (noun)

the skill or the process of planning a route for a ship or other vehicle and taking it there;; the movement of ships or aircraft;; the way that you move around a website or the Internet when you are looking for information

obsession (noun)

the state in which a person's mind is completely filled with thoughts of one particular thing or person in a way that is not normal;; a person or thing that somebody thinks about too much

ballot (noun)

the system of voting in writing and usually in secret; an occasion on which a vote is held;; the piece of paper on which somebody marks who they are voting for;; the total number of votes in an election

content (noun)

the things that are contained in something;; the different sections that are contained in a book;; the subject matter of a book, speech, programme, etc.;; the amount of a substance that is contained in something else;; the information or other material contained on a website or other digital media

fate (noun)

the things, especially bad things, that will happen or have happened to somebody/something;; the power that is believed to control everything that happens and that cannot be stopped or changed;; a terrible thing that could happen;; to do something too confidently in a way that might mean that your good luck will come to an end

dawn (noun)

the time of day when light first appears;; the beginning or first signs of something;; very early in the morning;; the moment in the early hours of the morning when it begins to get light

leak (verb)

to allow liquid or gas to get in or out through a small hole or crack;; to get in or out through a small hole or crack in something;; to give secret information to the public, for example by telling a newspaper

indulge (verb)

to allow yourself to have or do something that you like, especially something that is considered bad for you;; to satisfy a particular desire, interest, etc.;; to be too generous in allowing somebody to have or do whatever they like;; to take part in an activity, especially one that is illegal

loom (verb)

to appear as a large shape that is not clear, especially in a frightening or threatening way;; to appear important or threatening and likely to happen soon;; to be worrying or frightening and seem hard to avoid

postpone (verb)

to arrange for an event, etc. to take place at a later time or date

enrol (verb)

to arrange for yourself or for somebody else to officially join a course, school, etc.

classify (verb)

to arrange something in groups according to features that they have in common;; to decide which type or group somebody/something belongs to

align (verb)

to arrange something in the correct position, or to be in the correct position, in relation to something else, especially in a straight line;; to change something slightly so that it is in the correct relationship to something else

dare (verb)

to be brave enough to do something;; to persuade somebody to do something dangerous, difficult or embarrassing so that they can show that they are not afraid;; used to tell somebody strongly not to do something;; used to show that you are angry about something that somebody has done;; used when you are saying that something is probable

differ (verb)

to be different from somebody/something;; to disagree with somebody;; if two people agree to differ, they accept that they have different opinions about something, but they decide not to discuss it any longer;; used to say politely that you do not agree with something that has just been said

exceed (verb)

to be greater than a particular number or amount;; to do more than the law or an order, etc. allows you to do

expire (verb)

to be no longer valid because the period of time for which it could be used has ended;; to end;; to die

decrease (verb)

to become or make something become smaller in size, number, etc.

escalate (verb)

to become or make something greater, worse, more serious, etc.

burst (verb)

to break open or apart, especially because of pressure from inside; to make something break in this way;; to go or move somewhere suddenly with great force; to come from somewhere suddenly;; to be very full of something; to be very full and almost breaking open;; to be very full, especially of people;; to want to do something so much that you can hardly stop yourself;; there is a sudden end to a good or lucky situation;; to bring an end to somebody's hopes, happiness, etc.;; to open suddenly or violently; to make something open in this way

interact (verb)

to communicate with somebody, especially while you work, play or spend time with them;; if one thing interacts with another, or if two things interact, the two things have an effect on each other

obsess (verb)

to completely fill your mind so that you cannot think of anything else, in a way that is not normal;; to be always talking or worrying about a particular thing, especially when this annoys other people

persist (verb)

to continue to do something despite difficulties or opposition, in a way that can seem unreasonable;; to continue to exist

foster (verb)

to encourage something to develop;; to take another person's child into your home for a period of time, without becoming his or her legal parents

invade (verb)

to enter a country, town, etc. using military force in order to take control of it;; to enter a place in large numbers, especially in a way that causes damage or confusion;; to affect something in an unpleasant or annoying way

prevail (verb)

to exist or be very common at a particular time or in a particular place;; to be accepted, especially after a struggle or an argument;; to defeat an opponent, especially after a long struggle

notify (verb)

to formally or officially tell somebody about something

discharge (verb)

to give somebody official permission to leave a place or job; to make somebody leave a job;; to allow somebody to leave prison or court;; when a gas or a liquid discharges or is discharged, or somebody discharges it, it flows somewhere;; to release force or power;; to do everything that is necessary to perform and complete a particular duty;; to fire a gun, etc.

assign (verb)

to give somebody something that they can use, or some work or responsibility;; to provide a person for a particular task or position;; to send a person to work under the authority of somebody or in a particular group;; to say that something has a particular value or function, or happens at a particular time or place;; to say that your property or rights now belong to somebody else

ensue (verb)

to happen after or as a result of another event

precede (verb)

to happen before something or come before something/somebody in order;; to go in front of somebody

originate (verb)

to happen or appear for the first time in a particular place or situation;; to create something new

accelerate (verb)

to happen or to make something happen faster or earlier than expected;; to start to go faster

deem (verb)

to have a particular opinion about something

aspire (verb)

to have a strong desire to achieve or to become something

disturb (verb)

to interrupt somebody when they are trying to work, sleep, etc.;; to move something or change its position;; to make somebody worry

leap (verb)

to jump high or a long way;; to move or do something suddenly and quickly;; to increase suddenly and by a large amount;; used to say that somebody has a sudden feeling of happiness or excitement;; to make a decision about somebody/something too quickly, before you know or have thought about all the facts;; used to advise somebody to think about the possible results or dangers of something before doing it

dive (verb)

to jump into water with your head and arms going in first;; to swim underwater wearing breathing equipment, collecting or looking at things;; to go to a deeper level underwater;; to go steeply down through the air;; to fall suddenly;; to move or jump quickly in a particular direction, especially to avoid something, to try to catch a ball, etc.;; to fall deliberately when somebody tackles you, so that the referee awards a foul

detain (verb)

to keep somebody in an official place, such as a police station, a prison or a hospital, and prevent them from leaving;; to delay somebody or prevent them from going somewhere

execute (verb)

to kill somebody, especially as a legal punishment;; to do a piece of work, perform a duty, put a plan into action, etc.;; to successfully perform a skilful action or movement;; to make or produce a work of art;; to follow the instructions in a legal document; to make a document legally valid

gaze (verb)

to look steadily at somebody/something for a long time, either because you are very interested or surprised, or because you are thinking of something else

cater (verb)

to provide food and drinks for a social event

compensate (verb)

to provide something good to balance or reduce the bad effects of damage, loss, etc.;; to pay somebody money because they have suffered some damage, loss, injury, etc.

drag (verb)

to pull somebody/something along with effort and difficulty;; to move yourself slowly and with effort;; to persuade somebody to come or go somewhere they do not really want to come or go to;; to pass very slowly;; to move, or make something move, partly touching the ground;; to search the bottom of a river, lake, etc. with nets or hooks;; to move some text, an icon, etc. across the screen of a computer using the mouse;; to be deliberately slow in doing something or in making a decision;; to improve your situation yourself, without help from other people

forge (verb)

to put a lot of effort into making something successful or strong so that it will last;; to make an illegal copy of something in order to cheat people;; to shape metal by heating it in a fire and hitting it with a hammer; to make an object in this way;; to move forward in a steady but powerful way

differentiate (verb)

to recognize or show that two things are not the same;; to be the particular thing that shows that things or people are not the same;; to treat people or things in a different way, especially in an unfair way

eliminate (verb)

to remove or get rid of something/somebody;; to defeat a person or a team so that they no longer take part in a competition, etc.;; to kill somebody, especially an enemy or opponent

divide (verb)

to separate or make something separate into parts;; to separate something into parts and give a share to each of a number of different people, etc.;; to use different parts of your time, energy, etc. for different activities, etc.;; to separate two people or things;; to be the real or imaginary line or barrier that separates two people or things;; to separate into two parts that lead in different directions;; to make two or more people disagree;; to find out how many times one number is contained in another;; to be able to be multiplied to give another number;; to keep control over people by making them disagree with and fight each other, therefore not giving them the chance to unite and oppose you together;; to divide something into two equal parts

isolate (verb)

to separate somebody/something physically or socially from other people or things;; to separate a part of a situation, problem, idea, etc. so that you can see what it is and deal with it separately;; to separate a single substance, cell, etc. from others so that you can study it

manifest (verb)

to show something clearly, especially a feeling, an attitude or a quality;; to appear or become noticeable

presume (verb)

to suppose that something is true, although you do not have actual proof;; to accept that something is true until it is shown not to be true, especially in court;; to accept something as true or existing and to act on that basis;; to behave in a way that shows a lack of respect by doing something that you have no right to do

grasp (verb)

to take a firm hold of somebody/something;; to understand something completely;; to take an opportunity without hesitating and use it;; to try all possible means to find a solution or some hope in a difficult or unpleasant situation, even though this seems very unlikely;; to deal with a difficult situation firmly and without hesitating

breathe (verb)

to take air into your lungs and send it out again through your nose or mouth;; to send air, smoke or a particular smell out of your mouth;; to say something quietly;; if you allow wine to breathe, you open the bottle and let air get in before you drink it;; if cloth, leather, skin, etc. can breathe, air can move around or through it;; to be full of a particular feeling or quality;; to feel calm again after something unpleasant or frightening has ended;; to watch closely what somebody is doing in a way that makes them feel anxious and/or annoyed;; to die;; to improve something by introducing new ideas and making people more interested in it;; to relax and stop worrying;; to be very enthusiastic about something

conquer (verb)

to take control of a country or city and its people by force;; to defeat somebody, especially in a competition, race, etc.;; to succeed in dealing with or controlling something;; to become very popular or successful in a place

prescribe (verb)

to tell somebody to take a particular medicine or have a particular treatment; to write a prescription for a particular medicine, etc.;; to say what should be done or how something should be done

commerce (noun)

trade, especially between countries; the buying and selling of goods and services

arguably (adverb)

used (often before a comparative or superlative adjective) when you are stating an opinion that you believe you could give reasons to support

notably (adverb)

used for giving a good or the most important example of something;; to a great degree

everyday (adjective)

used or happening every day or regularly; ordinary

hey (exclamation)

used to attract somebody's attention or to express interest, surprise or anger;; used to show that you do not really care about something or that you think it is not important;; used at the end of a statement, to show that you have finished speaking, or to form a question or invite somebody to reply;; used to say that something does not matter or that you do not care about it

mutual (adjective)

used to describe feelings that two or more people have for each other equally, or actions that affect two or more people equally;; shared by two or more people

digital (adjective)

using a system of receiving and sending information as a series of the numbers one and zero, showing that an electronic signal is there or is not there;; showing information by using figures, rather than with hands that point to numbers

intense (adjective)

very great; very strong;; serious and often involving a lot of action in a short period of time;; having or showing very strong feelings, opinions or thoughts about somebody/something

decisive (adjective)

very important for the final result of a particular situation;; able to decide something quickly and with confidence

eager (adjective)

very interested and excited by something that is going to happen or about something that you want to do

intriguing (adjective)

very interesting because of being unusual or not having an obvious answer

endless (adjective)

very large in size or amount and seeming to have no end;; continuing for a long time and seeming to have no end;; having the ends joined together so it forms one piece

lengthy (adjective)

very long, and often too long, in time or size

countless (adjective)

very many; too many to be counted or mentioned

classical (adjective)

widely accepted and used for a long time; traditional in style or idea;; connected with or influenced by the culture of ancient Greece and Rome;; written in a Western musical tradition, usually using an established form (for example a symphony ) and not played on electronic instruments. Classical music is generally considered to be serious and to have a lasting value.;; ancient in its form and no longer used in a spoken form;; simple and attractive

liberal (adjective)

willing to understand and respect other people's behaviour, opinions, etc., especially when they are different from your own; believing people should be able to choose how they behave;; wanting or allowing a lot of political and economic freedom and supporting gradual social, political or religious change;; connected with the British Liberal Party in the past, or of a Liberal Party in another country;; generous; given in large amounts;; concerned with increasing somebody's general knowledge and experience rather than particular skills;; not completely accurate or exact

corrupt (adjective)

willing to use their power to do dishonest or illegal things in return for money or to get an advantage;; dishonest or immoral;; containing changes or faults, and no longer in the original state

anonymous (adjective)

with a name that is not known or that is not made public;; written, given, made, etc. by somebody who does not want their name to be known or made public;; without any unusual or interesting features

eternal (adjective)

without an end; existing or continuing forever;; happening often and seeming never to stop

dedicated (adjective)

working hard at something because it is very important to you;; designed to do only one particular type of work; used for one particular purpose only

ego (noun)

your sense of your own value and importance;; the part of the mind that is responsible for your sense of who you are (= your identity)

gene ()

(1907-98) a US actor and singer in western films in the 1930s and 1940s. He was known as the 'singing cowboy' and made more than 90 films. His horse was called Champion. Autry also had a popular radio programme. His best-known songs included Tumblin' Tumbleweeds (1935) and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1950).

guy ()

(1911-63) a British spy (= person employed to find out secret information) who sold government secrets to the former Soviet Union. He was one of the famous Cambridge spies and escaped to Moscow with Donald Maclean in 1951.

ray ()

(1920-2012) a US science fiction writer who first became known for his novel The Martian Chronicles 1950. His best-known books include Fahrenheit 451, The October Country (1955), Dandelion Wine (1957) and Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962).

giant (noun)

(in stories) a very large strong person who is often cruel and stupid;; an unusually large person, animal or plant;; a very large and powerful organization;; a person who is very good at something

revelation (noun)

a fact that people are made aware of, especially one that has been secret and is surprising;; the act of making people aware of something that has been secret;; something that is considered to be a sign or message from God;; to be a completely new or surprising experience; to be different from what was expected

participant (noun)

a person who is taking part in an activity or event

drama (noun)

a play for the theatre, television or radio;; plays considered as a form of literature;; an exciting event;; the fact of being exciting;; to make a small problem or event seem more important or serious than it really is

sculpture (noun)

a work of art that is a solid figure or object made by carving or shaping wood, stone, clay, metal, etc.;; the art of making sculptures

battlefield (noun)

a place where a battle is being fought or has been fought;; a subject that people feel strongly about and argue about

forum (noun)

a place where people can exchange opinions and ideas on a particular issue; a meeting organized for this purpose;; a website or web page where users can exchange comments about a particular subject;; (in ancient Rome) a public place where meetings were held

privilege (noun)

a special right or advantage that a particular person or group of people has;; the rights and advantages that rich and powerful people in a society have;; something that you are proud and lucky to have the opportunity to do;; a special right to do or say things without being punished

commentary (noun)

a spoken description of an event that is given while it is happening, especially on the radio or television;; a written explanation or discussion of something such as a book or a play;; a criticism or discussion of something

chaos (noun)

a state of complete confusion and lack of order

petition (noun)

a written document signed by a large number of people that asks somebody in a position of authority to do or change something;; an official document asking a court to take a particular course of action;; a formal prayer to God or request to somebody in authority

destroy (verb)

to damage something so badly that it no longer exists, works, etc.;; to kill an animal deliberately, usually because it is sick or not wanted

convict (verb)

to decide and state officially in court that somebody is guilty of a crime

hail (verb)

to describe somebody/something as being very good or special, especially in newspapers, etc.;; to signal to a taxi or a bus, in order to get the driver to stop;; to call to somebody in order to say hello to them or attract their attention;; when it hails, small balls of ice fall like rain from the sky

peculiar (adjective)

strange or unusual, especially in a way that is unpleasant or worrying;; belonging or relating to one particular place, situation, person, etc., and not to others;; slightly ill/sick;; used to show that 'funny' is being used with the meaning of 'strange'

credible (adjective)

that can be believed or trusted;; that can be accepted, because it seems possible that it could be successful

encouraging (adjective)

that gives somebody support, courage or hope

broken (adjective)

that has been damaged or injured; no longer whole or working correctly;; ended or destroyed;; not kept;; not continuous; disturbed or interrupted;; made weak and tired by illness or difficulties;; spoken slowly and with a lot of mistakes; not fluent;; having a rough surface;; in a way that keeps repeating a statement or opinion in an annoying way

mobility (noun)

the ability to move easily from one place, social class, or job to another;; the ability to move or travel around easily

literacy (noun)

the ability to read and write

creativity (noun)

the ability to use skill and imagination to produce something new or to produce art; the act of doing this

determine (verb)

to discover the facts about something; to calculate something exactly;; to make something happen in a particular way or be of a particular type;; to officially decide and/or arrange something;; to decide definitely to do something

confer (verb)

to discuss something with somebody, in order to exchange opinions or get advice;; to give somebody an award, a university degree or a particular honour or right

fulfil (verb)

to do or achieve what was hoped for or expected;; to do or have what is required or necessary;; to have a particular role or purpose;; to make somebody feel happy and satisfied with what they are doing or have done;; to pack and send something that a customer has ordered

dismissal (noun)

the act of dismissing somebody from their job; an example of this;; the failure to consider something as important;; the act of not allowing a trial or legal case to continue, usually because there is not enough evidence;; the act of sending somebody away or allowing them to leave;; the end of the innings of a player or team

placement (noun)

the act of finding somebody a suitable job or place to live;; a job, often as part of a course of study, where you get some experience of a particular kind of work;; the act of placing something somewhere

evaluation (noun)

the act of forming an opinion of the amount, value or quality of something after thinking about it carefully

limitation (noun)

the act or process of limiting or controlling somebody/something;; a rule, fact or condition that limits something;; a limit on what somebody/something can do or how good they or it can be

making (noun)

the act or process of making or producing something;; to make somebody become a better or more successful person;; to have the qualities that are necessary to become something;; in the process of becoming something or of being made;; created by you rather than by somebody/something else

creation (noun)

the act or process of making something that is new, or of causing something to exist that did not exist before;; a thing that somebody has made, especially something that shows ability or imagination;; the making of the world, especially by God as described in the Bible;; the world and all the living things in it

laughter (noun)

the act or sound of laughing;; to laugh a lot at somebody/something

rotation (noun)

the action of an object moving in a circle around a central fixed point;; one complete movement in a circle around a fixed point;; the act of regularly changing the thing that is being used in a particular situation, or of changing the person who does a particular job

fundraising (noun)

the activity of collecting money for a charity or organization, often by organizing social events or entertainments

marketplace (noun)

the activity of competing with other companies to buy and sell goods, services, etc.;; an open area in a town where a market is held

governance (noun)

the activity of governing a country or controlling a company or an organization; the way in which a country is governed or a company or institution is controlled

architecture (noun)

the art and study of designing buildings;; the design or style of a building or buildings;; the design and structure of a computer system

correspondence (noun)

the letters a person sends and receives;; the activity of writing letters;; a connection between two things; the fact of two things being similar

dependence (noun)

the state of needing the help and support of somebody/something in order to survive or be successful;; the state of being addicted to something (= unable to stop taking or using it);; the fact of one thing being affected by another

currency (noun)

the system of money that a country uses;; the fact that something is used or accepted by a lot of people

desktop (noun)

the top of a desk;; a screen on a computer which shows the icons of the programs that can be used

deck (noun)

the top outside floor of a ship or boat;; one of the floors of a ship or a bus;; a complete set of 52 playing cards;; a wooden floor that is built outside the back of a house where you can sit and relax;; a part of a sound system that records and/or plays sounds on a disc or tape;; everyone helps or must help, especially in a difficult situation;; to prepare for an activity, event, etc. by removing anything that is not essential to it;; to fall to the ground

lap (noun)

the top part of your legs that forms a flat surface when you are sitting down;; one journey from the beginning to the end of a track used for running, etc.;; a section of a journey, or of a piece of work, etc.;; to make something the responsibility of another person;; somebody has the opportunity to do something pleasant without having made any effort;; if the result of something is in the lap of the gods, you do not know what will happen because it depends on luck or things you cannot control;; in easy, comfortable conditions, and enjoying the advantages of being rich

premium (noun)

an amount of money that you pay once or regularly for an insurance policy;; an extra payment added to the basic rate;; if something is at a premium, there is little of it available and it is difficult to get;; at a higher than normal price;; to think that somebody/something is particularly important or valuable

allocation (noun)

an amount of money, space, etc. that is given to somebody for a particular purpose;; the act of giving something to somebody for a particular purpose

cartoon (noun)

an amusing drawing in a newspaper or magazine, especially one about politics or events in the news;; a film/movie made by photographing a series of gradually changing drawings or models, so that they look as if they are moving;; a drawing made by an artist as a preparation for a painting

predator (noun)

an animal that kills and eats other animals;; a person or an organization that uses weaker people for their own advantage

monkey (noun)

an animal with a long tail, that climbs trees and lives in hot countries. There are several types of monkey and they are related to apes and humans.;; a child who is active and likes playing tricks on people;; £500;; if you say that it is brass monkeys or brass monkey weather, you mean that it is very cold weather;; to free yourself of something that causes you worry or difficulty;; used to say, in a way that is not very polite, that you do not care about something, or are not at all interested in it;; to make somebody seem stupid

prey (noun)

an animal, a bird, etc. that is hunted, killed and eaten by another;; a person who is harmed or tricked by somebody, especially for dishonest purposes;; to be killed and eaten by another animal or bird;; to be harmed or affected by something bad

realm (noun)

an area of activity, interest, or knowledge;; a country ruled by a king or queen;; not possible/possible

lawn (noun)

an area of ground covered in short grass in a garden/yard or park, or used for playing a game on;; a type of fine cotton or linen cloth used for making clothes

domain (noun)

an area of knowledge or activity; especially one that somebody is responsible for;; lands owned or ruled by a particular person, government, etc., especially in the past;; a set of websites on the Internet which end with the same group of letters, for example '.com', '.org';; the range of possible values of a particular variable

cemetery (noun)

an area of land used for burying dead people, especially one that is not beside a church

harbour (noun)

an area of water on the coast, protected from the open sea by strong walls, where ships can shelter

parish (noun)

an area that has its own church and that a priest is responsible for;; (in England) a small country area that has its own elected local government;; the people living in a particular area, especially those who go to church;; a county

dispute (noun)

an argument or a disagreement between two people, groups or countries; discussion about a subject where there is disagreement

limb (noun)

an arm or a leg; a similar part of an animal, such as a wing;; having the type of limbs mentioned;; a large branch of a tree;; not supported by other people;; to risk being killed or injured in order to do something;; to attack somebody very violently

configuration (noun)

an arrangement of the parts of something or a group of things; the form or shape that this arrangement produces;; the equipment and programs that form a computer system and the way that these are set up to run

booking (noun)

an arrangement that you make in advance to buy a ticket to travel somewhere, go to the theatre, etc.;; an arrangement for somebody to perform at a theatre, in a concert, etc.;; an act of the referee writing a player's name in a book, as a punishment because an offence has been committed

endeavour (noun)

an attempt to do something, especially something new or difficult

dialogue (noun)

conversations in a book, play, or film/movie;; a formal discussion between two groups or countries, especially when they are trying to solve a problem, end a disagreement, etc.

costly (adjective)

costing a lot of money, especially more than you want to pay;; causing problems or the loss of something

besides (preposition)

in addition to somebody/something; apart from somebody/something

fundamentally (adverb)

in every way that is important; completely;; used when you are introducing a topic and stating something important about it;; used when you are saying what is the most important thing about somebody/something

different (adjective)

not the same as somebody/something; not like somebody/something else;; separate and individual;; unusual; not like other people or things;; to be very different;; a completely different situation or person from the one previously mentioned;; to have information or evidence that the opposite is true;; to behave in a different way from other people; to have different attitudes or ideas;; to have different aims that cannot be achieved together without causing problems;; to change the way that a situation appears;; to change your opinion about somebody/something or your attitude towards somebody/something;; to give some information that is different from what you expect or have been told

protective (adjective)

providing or intended to provide protection;; having or showing a wish to protect somebody/something;; intended to give an advantage to your own country's industry

casual (adjective)

not showing much care or thought; seeming not to be worried; not wanting to show that something is important to you;; without paying attention to detail;; not formal;; not permanent; not done, or doing something regularly;; without deep affection;; happening by chance; doing something by chance

failed (adjective)

not successful

inappropriate (adjective)

not suitable or appropriate in a particular situation

benchmark (noun)

something that can be measured and used as a standard that other things can be compared with

duty (noun)

something that you feel you have to do because it is your moral or legal responsibility;; the work that is your job;; tasks that are part of your job;; a tax that you pay on things that you buy, especially those that you bring into a country;; something that you feel you must do; a responsibility which cannot be ignored;; while doing a job;; working/not working at a particular time

condemn (verb)

to express very strong disapproval of somebody/something, usually for moral reasons;; to say what somebody's punishment will be;; to force somebody to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation;; to say officially that something is not safe enough to be used;; to show or suggest that somebody is guilty of something

donate (verb)

to give money, food, clothes, etc. to somebody/something, especially a charity;; to allow doctors to remove blood or a body organ in order to help somebody who needs it

patrol (verb)

to go around an area or a building at regular times to check that it is safe and that there is no trouble;; to drive or walk around a particular area, especially in a threatening way

accumulate (verb)

to gradually get more and more of something over a period of time;; to gradually increase in number or quantity over a period of time

initiate (verb)

to make something begin;; to explain something to somebody and/or make them experience it for the first time;; to make somebody a member of a particular group, especially as part of a secret ceremony

clarify (verb)

to make something clearer or easier to understand;; to make something, especially butter, pure by heating it

bow (verb)

to move your head or the top half of your body forwards and downwards as a sign of respect or to say hello or goodbye;; to move your head forwards and downwards;; to bend or make something bend;; to be too polite to an important person in order to gain their approval

perceive (verb)

to notice or become aware of something;; to understand or think of somebody/something in a particular way

comply (verb)

to obey a rule, an order, etc.

grab (verb)

to take or hold somebody/something with your hand suddenly, firmly or roughly;; to try to take hold of something;; to take advantage of an opportunity to do or have something;; to have or take something quickly, especially because you are in a hurry;; to take something for yourself, especially in a selfish or greedy way;; to get somebody's attention;; used to ask somebody whether they are interested in something or in doing something

proclaim (verb)

to publicly and officially tell people about something important;; to show something clearly; to be a sign of something

coincide (verb)

to take place at the same time;; to be the same or very similar;; to meet; to share the same space

kidnap (verb)

to take somebody away illegally and keep them as a prisoner, especially in order to get money or something else for returning them

distract (verb)

to take somebody's attention away from what they are trying to do

displace (verb)

to take the place of somebody/something;; to force people to move away from their home to another place;; to move something from its usual position;; to remove somebody from a job or position

goodbye (exclamation)

used when you are leaving somebody or when somebody else is leaving;; to accept that you will lose something or be unable to do something

define (verb)

to say or explain what the meaning of a word or phrase is;; to describe or show something accurately;; to show clearly a line, shape or edge

contend (verb)

to say that something is true, especially in an argument;; to compete against somebody in order to gain something

applaud (verb)

to show your approval of somebody/something by clapping your hands;; to express praise for somebody/something because you approve of them or it

slam (verb)

to shut, or to make something shut, with a lot of force, making a loud noise;; to put, push or throw something into a particular place or position with a lot of force;; to criticize somebody/something very strongly;; to shut a door hard when somebody is trying to come in;; to refuse to talk to somebody or meet them, in a rude way

allege (verb)

to state something as a fact but without giving proof

habitat (noun)

the place where a particular type of animal or plant is normally found

charm (noun)

the power of pleasing or attracting people;; a feature or quality that is pleasing or attractive;; a small object worn on a chain or bracelet, that is believed to bring good luck;; an act or words believed to have magic power;; used when you have failed to do something twice and hope that you will succeed the third time;; to be immediately and completely successful

compliance (noun)

the practice of obeying rules or requests made by people in authority

meditation (noun)

the practice of thinking deeply in silence, especially for religious reasons or in order to make your mind calm;; serious thoughts on a particular subject that somebody writes down or speaks

lifetime (noun)

the length of time that somebody lives or that something lasts;; a wonderful opportunity, etc. that you are not likely to get again;; used to describe something special that is not likely to happen to you again

duration (noun)

the length of time that something lasts or continues;; until the end of a particular situation

quota (noun)

the limited number or amount of people or things that is officially allowed;; an amount of something that somebody expects or needs to have or achieve;; a fixed number of votes that a candidate needs in order to be elected

appropriately (adverb)

in a way that is suitable, acceptable or correct for the particular circumstances

counselling (noun)

professional advice about a problem

hurricane ()

Alex Higgins (1949-2010) a British snooker player born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was the youngest ever winner of the world snooker championship in 1972 and went on to win again in 1982. He played his last tournament in 1997. He was given the name 'Hurricane' (= a violent storm) because of the speed at which he played. He was often in trouble with the authorities because of his violent behaviour.

dignity (noun)

a calm and serious manner that deserves respect;; the fact of being given honour and respect by people;; a sense of your own importance and value;; below what you see as your own importance or worth;; to demand to be treated with the respect that you think that you deserve

innovation (noun)

the introduction of new things, ideas or ways of doing something;; a new idea, way of doing something, etc. that has been introduced or discovered

carbon (noun)

a chemical element. Carbon is found in all living things, existing in a pure state as diamond and graphite.;; used when referring to the gas carbon dioxide in terms of the effect it has on the earth's climate in causing global warming;; a piece of carbon paper

copper (noun)

a chemical element. Copper is a soft reddish-brown metal used for making electric wires, pipes and coins;; brown coins that do not have much value;; a police officer

guideline (noun)

a set of rules or instructions that are given by an official organization telling you how to do something, especially something difficult;; something that can be used to help you make a decision or form an opinion

gold (noun)

a chemical element. Gold is a yellow precious metal used for making coins, jewellery, decorative objects, etc.;; money, jewellery, etc. that is made of gold;; the colour of gold;; not everything that seems good, attractive, etc. is actually good, etc.;; a large prize or reward that somebody hopes for but is unlikely to get;; behaving in a way that other people approve of;; to be a very kind person;; used to say that it seems easy to make money in a place;; to find or do something that brings you a lot of success or money;; very useful or valuable

hydrogen (noun)

a chemical element. Hydrogen is a gas that is the lightest of all the elements. It combines with oxygen to form water.

oxygen (noun)

a chemical element. Oxygen is a gas that is present in air and water and is necessary for people, animals and plants to live.

offspring (noun)

a child of a particular person or couple;; the young of an animal or plant

decision (noun)

a choice or judgement that you make after thinking and talking about what is the best thing to do;; the ability to decide something clearly and quickly;; the process of deciding something

lawsuit (noun)

a claim or complaint against somebody that a person or an organization can make in court

seminar (noun)

a class at a university or college when a small group of students and a teacher discuss or study a particular topic;; a meeting for discussion or training

pension (noun)

an amount of money paid regularly by a government or company to somebody who is considered to be too old or too ill/sick to work

diamond (noun)

a clear precious stone of pure carbon, the hardest substance known. Diamonds are used in jewellery and also in industry, especially for cutting glass.;; a shape with four straight sides of equal length and with angles that are not right angles;; one of the four suits (= sets) in a pack / deck of cards. The cards are marked with red diamond shapes.;; a card of this suit;; the space inside the lines that connect the four bases; also used to mean the whole baseball field

relevance (noun)

a close connection with the subject you are discussing or the situation you are thinking about;; the fact of being valuable and useful to people in their lives and work

guide (noun)

a book, magazine, etc. that gives you information, help or instructions about something;; a book that gives information about a place for travellers or tourists;; a person who shows other people the way to a place, especially somebody employed to show tourists around interesting places;; a person who advises you on how to live and behave;; something that gives you enough information to be able to make a decision about something or form an opinion;; a member of an organization (called the Guides or the Girl Scouts) which is similar to the Scouts and which trains girls in practical skills and does a lot of activities with them, for example camping;; The organization for girls called the Guides (and formerly called the Girl Guides Association) was started in 1910 as an equivalent to the Scouts (formerly called the Boy Scouts). It encourages practical skills and a helpful attitude to other people. In Britain, Guides are divided into four groups: Rainbows (aged 5 to 7), Brownies (aged 7 to 10), Guides (aged 10 to 14), and the Senior Section, consisting of Ranger Guides and Young Leaders (aged 14 to 25). Adult helpers in the Guides Association are called Guiders.

presidency (noun)

the job of being president of a country or an organization; the period of time somebody holds this job

lad (noun)

a boy or young man;; a group of friends that a man works with or spends free time with;; a lively young man, especially one who is very interested in women and having sex, drinks a lot of alcohol and enjoys sport;; a person who works in a stable

sibling (noun)

a brother or sister

mill (noun)

a building fitted with machinery for grinding grain into flour;; a factory that produces a particular type of material;; a small machine for crushing or grinding a solid substance into powder;; to have or make somebody have a difficult time;; something that is useful to somebody for a particular purpose

archive (noun)

a collection of historical documents or records of a government, a family, a place or an organization; the place where these records are stored

nursing (noun)

the job or skill of caring for people who are sick or injured

clinic (noun)

a building or part of a hospital where people can go for special medical treatment or advice;; a period of time during which doctors give special medical treatment or advice;; a private hospital or one that treats health problems of a particular kind;; a building shared by a group of doctors who work together;; an occasion in a hospital when medical students learn by watching a specialist examine and treat patients;; an occasion at which a professional person, especially a sportsman or sportswoman gives advice and training

greenhouse (noun)

a building with glass sides and a glass roof for growing plants in

infant (noun)

a baby or very young child;; a child at school between the ages of four and seven

bee (noun)

a black and yellow flying insect that can sting. Bees live in large groups and make honey (= a sweet sticky substance that is good to eat).;; a meeting in a group where people combine work, competition and pleasure;; very busy;; an excellent person or thing;; the basic facts about sex, especially as told to children;; to think or talk about something all the time and to think that it is very important

directory (noun)

a book containing lists of information, usually in alphabetical order, for example people's telephone numbers or the names and addresses of businesses in a particular area;; a file containing a group of other files or programs in a computer

monument (noun)

a building, column, statue, etc. built to remind people of a famous person or event;; a building that has special historical importance;; a thing that remains as a good example of somebody's qualities or of what they did

championship (noun)

a competition to find the best player or team in a particular sport;; the position of being a champion;; the football (soccer ) league in England and Wales that has the second best teams in it, after the Premier League

correlation (noun)

a connection between two things in which one thing changes as the other does

celebrity (noun)

a famous person;; the state of being famous

rifle (noun)

a gun with a long barrel which you hold to your shoulder to fire

mob (noun)

a large crowd of people, especially one that may become violent or cause trouble;; a group of people who are similar in some way;; the people involved in organized crime; the Mafia;; a group of animals;; a group of strong, often violent people employed to do something such as protect somebody

delay (noun)

a period of time when somebody/something has to wait because of a problem that makes something slow or late;; a situation in which something does not happen when it should; the act of delaying

inhabitant (noun)

a person or an animal that lives in a particular place

dealer (noun)

a person whose business is buying and selling a particular product;; a person who sells illegal drugs;; the person who gives out the cards in a card game

dictator (noun)

a ruler who has complete power over a country, especially one who has gained it using military force;; a person who behaves as if they have complete power over other people, and tells them what to do

cheer (noun)

a shout of joy, support or praise;; a special song or poem used by cheerleaders;; an atmosphere of happiness

drift (noun)

a slow steady movement from one place to another; a gradual change or development from one situation to another, especially to something bad;; the movement of a ship or plane away from its direction because of currents or wind;; the movement of the sea or air;; a large pile of something, especially snow, made by the wind;; a large mass of something, especially flowers;; the general meaning of what somebody says or writes

residue (noun)

a small amount of something that remains at the end of a process;; the part of the money, property, etc. of a person who has died that remains after all the debts, gifts, etc. have been paid

helmet (noun)

a type of hard hat that protects the head, worn, for example, by a police officer, a soldier or a person playing some sports

allowance (noun)

an amount of money that is given to somebody regularly or for a particular purpose;; the amount of something that is allowed in a particular situation;; an amount of money that can be earned or received before you start paying tax;; to consider something, for example when you are making a decision or planning something;; to allow somebody to behave in a way that you would not usually accept, because of a problem or because there is a special reason

accordance (noun)

according to a rule or the way that somebody says that something should be done

collision (noun)

an accident in which two vehicles or people crash into each other;; a strong disagreement between two people or between opposing ideas, opinions, etc.; the meeting of two things that are very different;; to be in a situation which is almost certain to cause a disagreement or argument;; to be moving in a direction in which it is likely that you will crash into somebody/something

grip (noun)

an act of holding somebody/something tightly; a particular way of doing this;; control or power over somebody/something;; an understanding of something;; the ability of something to move over a surface without slipping;; a part of something that has a special surface so that it can be held without the hands slipping;; a person who prepares and moves the cameras, and sometimes the lighting equipment, when a film/movie is being made;; a large soft bag, used when travelling;; to begin to understand and deal with something difficult;; to improve your behaviour or control your emotions after being afraid, upset or angry;; experiencing something unpleasant that cannot be stopped;; to become unable to understand or control a situation

expansion (noun)

an act of increasing or making something increase in size, amount or importance

injection (noun)

an act of injecting somebody with a drug or other substance;; a large sum of money that is spent to help improve a situation, business, etc.;; an act of forcing liquid into something

miracle (noun)

an act or event that does not follow the laws of nature and is believed to be caused by God;; a lucky thing that happens that you did not expect or think was possible;; a very good example or product of something;; to achieve very good results

dose (noun)

an amount of a medicine or a drug that is taken once, or regularly over a period of time;; an amount of something;; very fast and easily;; the same bad treatment that you have given to others

scholarship (noun)

an amount of money given to somebody by an organization to help pay for their education;; the serious study of an academic subject and the knowledge and methods involved

mentor (noun)

an experienced person who advises and helps somebody with less experience over a period of time

referendum (noun)

an occasion when all the people of a country can vote on an important issue

prejudice (noun)

an unreasonable dislike of or preference for a person, group, custom, etc., especially when it is based on their race, religion, sex, etc.;; without affecting any other legal matter

ratio (noun)

the relationship between two groups of people or things that is represented by two numbers showing how much larger one group is than the other

brick (noun)

baked clay used for building walls, houses and other buildings; an individual block of this;; a plastic or wooden block, used as a toy for young children to build things with;; a friend that you can rely on when you need help;; to keep trying to do something that will never be successful;; to be unable to make any progress because there is a difficulty that stops you;; to say something that offends or embarrasses somebody, although you did not intend to;; very nervous;; very heavily; very severely;; to try to work without the necessary material, money, information, etc.

experimental (adjective)

based on new ideas, forms or methods that are used to find out what effect they have;; connected with scientific experiments

ideological (adjective)

based on or connected with an ideology

rational (adjective)

based on reason rather than emotions;; able to think clearly and make decisions based on reason rather than emotions

magnetic (adjective)

behaving like a magnet (1);; connected with or produced by magnetism;; that people find very powerful and attractive

scandal (noun)

behaviour or an event that people think is morally or legally wrong and causes public feelings of shock or anger;; talk or reports about the shocking or immoral things that people have done or are thought to have done;; an action, attitude, etc. that you think is shocking and not at all acceptable

manipulation (noun)

behaviour that controls or influences somebody/something, often in a dishonest way so that they do not realize it;; the skilful control or use of something;; the skill or act of moving a person's bones or joints into the correct position

integral (adjective)

being an essential part of something;; included as part of something, rather than supplied separately;; having all the parts that are necessary for something to be complete

cautious (adjective)

being careful about what you say or do, especially to avoid danger or mistakes; not taking any risks

external (adjective)

connected with or located on the outside of something/somebody;; happening or coming from outside a place, an organization, your particular situation, etc.;; coming from or arranged by somebody from outside a school, a university or an organization;; connected with foreign countries

due (adjective)

caused by somebody/something; because of somebody/something;; arranged or expected;; when a sum of money is due, it must be paid immediately;; owed to somebody as a debt, because it is their right or because they have done something to deserve it;; owed something; deserving something;; that is suitable or right in the circumstances;; at the right time and not before;; used when you are going to disagree, usually quite strongly, with somebody

controversial (adjective)

causing a lot of angry public discussion and disagreement

evident (adjective)

clear; easily seen

explicitly (adverb)

clearly or directly, so that the meaning is easy to understand;; openly or obviously, so that there is no doubt about what is happening

intact (adjective)

complete and not damaged

absurd (adjective)

completely ridiculous; not logical and sensible;; things that are or that seem to be absurd

convinced (adjective)

completely sure about something;; believing strongly in a particular religion or set of political ideas

aesthetic (adjective)

concerned with beauty and art and the understanding of beautiful things;; made in an artistic way and beautiful to look at

parental (adjective)

connected with a parent or parents

narrative (adjective)

describing events or telling a story

glorious (adjective)

deserving or bringing great fame and success;; very beautiful and impressive;; extremely enjoyable;; hot, with the sun shining

default (noun)

failure to do something that must be done by law, especially paying a debt;; what happens or appears if you do not make any other choice or change;; a game or competition can be won by default if there are no other people, teams, etc. taking part;; if something happens by default, it happens because you have not made any other decision or choices which would make things happen in a different way;; because of a lack of something

renowned (adjective)

famous and respected

isolated (adjective)

far away from any others;; without much contact with other people or other countries;; single; happening once

guilty (adjective)

feeling ashamed because you have done something that you know is wrong or have not done something that you should have done;; having done something illegal; being responsible for something bad that has happened;; a secret that somebody feels ashamed about

grateful (adjective)

feeling or showing thanks because somebody has done something kind for you or has done as you asked;; used to make a request, especially in a letter or in a formal situation

bye (exclamation)

goodbye

occasional (adjective)

happening or done sometimes but not often

deep (adjective)

having a large distance from the top or surface to the bottom;; having a large distance from the front edge to the furthest point inside;; used to describe or ask about the depth of something;; as far up or down as the point mentioned;; in the number of rows mentioned, one behind the other;; taking in or giving out a lot of air;; low;; strong and dark;; a person in a deep sleep is difficult to wake;; extreme or serious;; strongly felt;; showing great knowledge or understanding;; difficult to understand;; fully involved in an activity or a state;; if a person is deep, they hide their real feelings and opinions;; to or from a position far down or across the field;; in a difficult situation where there are two equally unpleasant or unacceptable choices;; to suddenly become very angry or emotional;; in trouble or difficulty;; in trouble;; to start or be made to start a new and difficult activity that you are not prepared for

busy (adjective)

having a lot to do; perhaps not free to do something else because you are working on something;; spending a lot of time on something;; full of people, activity, vehicles, etc.;; full of work and activity;; being used;; too full of small details;; very busy;; to find enough things to do

heighten (verb)

if a feeling or an effect heightens, or something heightens it, it becomes stronger or increases

ski (noun)

one of a pair of long narrow pieces of wood, metal or plastic that you attach to boots so that you can move smoothly over snow

correlate (noun)

one of two or more facts, figures, etc. that are closely connected and affect or depend on each other

portion (noun)

one part of something larger;; an amount of food that is large enough for one person;; a part of something that is shared with other people

footage (noun)

part of a film showing a particular event

partially (adverb)

partly; not completely

precious (adjective)

rare and worth a lot of money;; valuable or important and not to be wasted;; loved or valued very much;; used to show you are angry that another person thinks something is very important;; very formal, exaggerated and not natural in what you say and do

coordination (noun)

the act of making parts of something, groups of people, etc. work together in an efficient and organized way;; the ability to control your movements well

monopoly (noun)

the complete control of trade in particular goods or the supply of a particular service; a type of goods or a service that is controlled in this way;; the complete control, possession or use of something; a thing that belongs only to one person or group and that other people cannot share;; a board game in which players have to pretend to buy and sell land and houses, using pieces of paper that look like money;; Monopoly is one of the most popular and successful board games ever produced.The game was invented by Charles Darrow in the US in 1933 and the original version used the names of streets in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The British version uses London streets, and there are other versions of the game in other countries.The expression Monopoly money is sometimes used to refer in a humorous way to a sum of money that is considered much too high

decision-making (noun)

the process of deciding about something important, especially in a group of people or in an organization

coverage (noun)

the reporting of news and sport in newspapers and on the radio and television;; the range or quality of information that is included in a book or course of study, on television, etc.;; the amount of something that something provides; the extent to which something covers an area or a group of people;; protection that an insurance company provides by promising to pay you money if a particular event happens

lesser (adverb)

to a smaller degree than other people or things of the same kind

commence (verb)

to begin to happen; to begin something

evoke (verb)

to bring a feeling, a memory or an image into your mind

hostility (noun)

unfriendly or aggressive feelings or behaviour;; strong and angry opposition towards an idea, a plan or a situation;; acts of fighting in a war

greatly (adverb)

very much

pronounced (adjective)

very noticeable, obvious or strongly expressed

charming (adjective)

very pleasant or attractive;; used to show that you have a low opinion of somebody's behaviour

adolescent (adjective)

in the process of developing from a child into an adult

airline (noun)

a company that provides regular flights to take passengers and goods to different places

analogy (noun)

a comparison of one thing with another thing that has similar features; a feature that is similar;; the process of comparing one thing with another thing that has similar features in order to explain it

congressional (adjective)

related to or belonging to a congress or the Congress in the US

monster (noun)

(in stories) an imaginary creature that is very large, ugly and frightening;; an animal or a thing that is very large or ugly;; a person who is very cruel and evil;; a child who behaves badly

gradually (adverb)

slowly, over a long period of time

embrace (noun)

an act of putting your arms around somebody as a sign of love or friendship;; the act of accepting an idea, a proposal, a set of beliefs, etc, especially when it is done with enthusiasm

privatization (noun)

the act of selling a business or an industry so that it is no longer owned by the government

discovery (noun)

an act or the process of finding somebody/something, or learning about something that was not known about before;; a thing, fact or person that is found or learned about for the first time

illustration (noun)

a drawing or picture in a book, magazine, etc. especially one that explains something;; the process of illustrating something;; a story, an event or an example that clearly shows the truth about something

nightmare (noun)

a dream that is very frightening or unpleasant;; an experience that is very frightening and unpleasant, or very difficult to deal with

isolation (noun)

the act of separating somebody/something; the state of being separate;; the state of being alone or lonely;; separately; alone

citizenship (noun)

the legal right to belong to a particular country;; the state of being a citizen and accepting the responsibilities of it

obstacle (noun)

a situation, an event, etc. that makes it difficult for you to do or achieve something;; an object that is in your way and that makes it difficult for you to move forward;; a fence, etc. for a horse to jump over

canvas (noun)

a strong heavy rough material used for making tents, sails, etc. and by artists for painting on;; a piece of canvas used for painting on; a painting done on a piece of canvas, using oil paints;; in a tent

desire (noun)

a strong wish to have or do something;; a strong wish to have sex with somebody;; a person or thing that is wished for

building (noun)

a structure such as a house or school that has a roof and walls;; the process and work of building

disc (noun)

a thin flat round object;; a disk for a computer;; a structure made of cartilage between the bones of the back

cocktail (noun)

a drink usually made from a mixture of one or more spirits (= strong alcoholic drinks) and fruit juice. It can also be made without alcohol;; a dish of small pieces of food, usually served cold;; a mixture of different substances, usually ones that do not mix together well

medication (noun)

a drug or another form of medicine that you take to prevent or to treat an illness

burden (noun)

a duty, responsibility, etc. that causes worry, difficulty or hard work;; a heavy load that is difficult to carry

phenomenon (noun)

a fact or an event in nature or society, especially one that is not fully understood;; a person or thing that is very successful or impressive

definitely (adverb)

a way of emphasizing that something is true and that there is no doubt about it;; in a way that is certain or that shows that you are certain

descent (noun)

an action of coming or going down;; a slope going downwards;; a person's family origins

hockey (noun)

a game played on a field by two teams of 11 players, with curved sticks and a small hard ball. Teams try to hit the ball into the other team's goal.;; a game played on ice, in which players use long sticks to hit a hard rubber disc (called a puck) into the other team's goal

feat (noun)

an action or a piece of work that needs skill, strength or courage

golf (noun)

a game played over a large area of ground using specially shaped sticks to hit a small hard ball (a golf ball) into a series of 9 or 18 holes, using as few strokes as possible

puzzle (noun)

a game, etc. that you have to think about carefully in order to answer it or do it;; something that is difficult to understand or explain

inflation (noun)

a general rise in the prices of services and goods in a particular country, resulting in a fall in the value of money; the rate at which this happens;; the act or process of filling something with air or gas

girlfriend (noun)

a girl or a woman that somebody is having a romantic relationship with;; a woman's female friend

fleet (noun)

a group of military ships commanded by the same person;; a group of ships fishing together;; all the military ships of a particular country;; a group of planes, buses, taxis, etc. travelling together or owned by the same organization

dimension (noun)

a measurement in space, for example the height, width or length of something;; the size and extent of a situation;; an aspect, or way of looking at or thinking about something

merchant (noun)

a person who buys and sells goods in large quantities, especially one who imports and exports goods;; a person who likes a particular activity;; a person who predicts that things will go very badly

collector (noun)

a person who collects things, either as a hobby or as a job;; the chief officer of a district in some S Asian countries

foreigner (noun)

a person who comes from a different country;; a person who does not belong in a particular place

offender (noun)

a person who commits a crime;; a person or thing that does something wrong

athlete (noun)

a person who competes in sports;; a person who competes in sports such as running and jumping;; a person who is good at sports and physical exercise

predecessor (noun)

a person who did a job before somebody else;; a thing, such as a machine, that has been followed or replaced by something else

coordinator (noun)

a person who organizes the different parts of an activity and the people involved in it so that it works well

recipient (noun)

a person who receives something

clinical (adjective)

relating to the examination and treatment of patients and their illnesses;; cold and calm and without feeling or sympathy;; very plain; without decoration

correspondent (noun)

a person who reports news from a particular country or on a particular subject for a newspaper or a television or radio station;; a person who writes letters to another person

founder (noun)

a person who starts an organization, institution, etc. or causes something to be built

economist (noun)

a person who studies or writes about economics

contributor (noun)

a person who writes articles for a magazine or a book, or who talks on a radio or television programme or at a meeting;; a person or thing that provides money to help pay for something, or support something;; something that helps to cause something

poet (noun)

a person who writes poems

cafe (noun)

a place where you can buy drinks and simple meals. Alcohol is not usually served in British or American cafes.;; a small shop/store that sells sweets, newspapers, food, etc. and usually stays open later than other shops/stores

nursery (noun)

a room in a house where a baby sleeps;; a room in a house where young children can play;; a place where young plants and trees are grown for sale or for planting somewhere else

outfit (noun)

a set of clothes that you wear together, especially for a particular occasion or purpose;; a group of people working together as an organization, business, team, etc.;; a set of equipment that you need for a particular purpose

dictionary (noun)

a book that gives a list of the words of a language in alphabetical order and explains what they mean, or gives a word for them in a foreign language;; a book that explains the words that are used in a particular subject;; a list of words in electronic form, for example stored in a computer's spellchecker

diary (noun)

a book with spaces for each day of the year in which you can write down things you have to do in the future;; a book in which you can write down the experiences you have each day, your private thoughts, etc.

distinction (noun)

a clear difference or contrast especially between people or things that are similar or related;; the quality of being excellent or important;; the quality of being something that is special;; the separation of people or things into different groups;; a special mark/grade or award that is given to somebody, especially a student, for excellent work

grass (noun)

a common wild plant with narrow green leaves and stems that are eaten by cows, horses, sheep, etc.;; any type of grass;; an area of ground covered with grass;; marijuana;; a person, usually a criminal, who tells the police about somebody's criminal activities and plans;; said about people who never seem happy with what they have and always think that other people have a better situation than they have;; to reject, remove or stop dealing with a problem;; to not delay in getting things done;; to force somebody to stop doing their job, especially because they are old;; a person who pretends to be your friend but who cannot be trusted

catalogue (noun)

a complete list of items, for example of things that people can look at or buy;; a long series of things that happen (usually bad things)

basket (noun)

a container for holding or carrying things. Baskets are made of thin strips of material that bends and twists easily, for example plastic, wire or wicker.;; the amount contained in a basket;; a facility on a website that records the items that you select to buy;; the net and the metal ring it hangs from, high up at each end of a basketball court; a point that is scored by throwing the ball through this net;; a number of different goods or currencies;; to rely on one particular course of action for success rather than giving yourself several different possibilities

pan (noun)

a container, usually made of metal, with a handle or handles, used for cooking food in;; the amount contained in a pan;; a metal container used for cooking food in;; either of the dishes on a pair of scales that you put things into in order to weigh them;; the bowl of a toilet;; a sudden success that lasts only a short time and is not likely to be repeated;; to be wasted or spoiled

decline (noun)

a continuous decrease in the number, value, quality, etc. of something

manuscript (noun)

a copy of a book, piece of music, etc. before it has been printed;; a very old book or document that was written by hand before printing was invented

colony (noun)

a country or an area that is governed by people from another, more powerful, country;; a group of people who go to live permanently in a colony;; a group of people from the same place or with the same work or interests who live in a particular city or country or who live together;; a small town set up by an employer or an organization for its workers;; a group of plants or animals that live together or grow in the same place

kingdom (noun)

a country ruled by a king or queen;; an area controlled by a particular person or where a particular thing or idea is important;; one of the three traditional divisions of the natural world;; one of the five major groups into which all living things are organized;; to completely destroy somebody/something with an explosion;; for ever

republic (noun)

a country that is governed by a president and politicians elected by the people and where there is no king or queen

mask (noun)

a covering for part or all of the face, worn to hide or protect it;; something that covers your face and has another face painted on it;; a thick cream made of various substances that you put on your face and neck in order to improve the quality of your skin;; a manner or an expression that hides your true character or feelings

glove (noun)

a covering for the hand, made of wool, leather, etc. with separate parts for each finger and the thumb;; to be the perfect size or shape for somebody;; used to say that somebody is ready for a fight or an argument;; working closely with somebody, especially in a secret and/or illegal way;; to deal with somebody in a very careful way so that you do not offend or upset them;; if you use the words an iron fist/hand when describing the way that somebody behaves, you mean that they treat people severely. This treatment may be hidden behind a kind appearance (the velvet glove).

physician (noun)

a doctor, especially one who is a specialist in general medicine and not surgery

entrance (noun)

a door, gate, passage, etc. used for entering a room, building or place;; the act of entering a room, building or place, especially in a way that attracts the attention of other people;; the right or opportunity to enter a building or place;; the act of becoming involved in something;; permission to become a member of a club, society, university, etc.

opera (noun)

a dramatic work in which all or most of the words are sung to music; works of this type as an art form or entertainment;; a company that performs opera; a building in which operas are performed

breach (noun)

a failure to do something that must be done by law;; an action that breaks an agreement to behave in a particular way;; a break in a relationship between people or countries;; an opening that is created during a military attack or by strong winds or seas;; to do somebody's job or work when they are suddenly or unexpectedly unable to do it

illusion (noun)

a false idea or belief, especially about somebody or about a situation;; something that seems to exist but in fact does not, or seems to be something that it is not

defect (noun)

a fault in something or in the way it has been made which means that it is not perfect

doubt (noun)

a feeling of being uncertain about something or not believing something;; to be uncertain;; in a way that shows that something is completely certain;; to accept that somebody has told the truth or has not done something wrong because you cannot prove that they have not told the truth/have done something wrong;; to have reasons why you are not certain about whether something is good or whether something good will happen;; used to give advice to somebody who cannot decide what to do;; used when you are saying that something is probable;; used when you are saying that something is certainly true;; used when you are giving your opinion and emphasizing the point that you are making

distress (noun)

a feeling of great worry or unhappiness; great suffering;; suffering and problems caused by not having enough money, food, etc.;; a situation in which a ship, plane, etc. is in danger or difficulty and needs help;; a woman who needs help

rage (noun)

a feeling of violent anger that is difficult to control;; anger and violent behaviour caused by a particular situation;; to be very popular and fashionable

sentiment (noun)

a feeling or an opinion, especially one based on emotions;; feelings of pity, romantic love, sadness, etc. which may be too strong or not appropriate

optimism (noun)

a feeling that good things will happen and that something will be successful; the tendency to have this feeling

sensation (noun)

a feeling that you get when something affects your body;; the ability to feel through your sense of touch;; a general feeling or impression that is difficult to explain; an experience or a memory;; very great surprise, excitement, or interest among a lot of people; the person or the thing that causes this surprise

girl (noun)

a female child;; a daughter;; a young woman;; a female worker;; a man's girlfriend;; a woman's female friends;; an old woman, especially somebody's wife or mother;; a weak man, who is not brave or confident

documentary (noun)

a film or a radio or television programme giving facts about something

guarantee (noun)

a firm promise that you will do something or that something will happen;; a written promise given by a company that something you buy will be replaced or repaired without payment if it goes wrong within a particular period;; something that makes something else certain to happen;; money or something valuable that you give or promise to a bank, for example, to make sure that you will do what you have promised;; a written promise to pay back money that somebody else owes, or do something that somebody else promised to do, if they cannot do it themselves

medal (noun)

a flat piece of metal, usually shaped like a coin, that is given to the winner of a competition or to somebody who has been brave, for example in war;; used to say that you admire somebody because they have done something difficult or unpleasant

dish (noun)

a flat shallow container for cooking food in or serving it from;; the plates, bowls, cups, etc. that have been used for a meal and need to be washed;; food prepared in a particular way as part of a meal;; any object that is shaped like a dish or bowl;; a sexually attractive person

rose (noun)

a flower with a sweet smell that grows on a bush with thorns (= sharp points) on its stems;; a pink colour;; a piece of metal or plastic with small holes in it that is attached to the end of a pipe or watering can so that the water comes out in a fine spray when you are watering plants;; to be developing in a successful way;; (not) an easy or a pleasant situation;; to still have a good reputation, even though you have been involved in something that might have given people a bad opinion of you;; to make somebody look healthy;; what is important is what people or things are, not what they are called

debate (noun)

a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. In a debate two or more speakers express opposing views and then there is often a vote on the issue.;; an argument or a discussion expressing different opinions

resolution (noun)

a formal statement of an opinion agreed on by a committee or a council, especially by means of a vote;; the act of solving or settling a problem, disagreement, etc.;; the quality of being resolute or determined;; a firm decision to do or not to do something;; the power of a computer screen, printer, etc. to give a clear image, depending on the size of the dots that make up the image

goal (noun)

a frame with a net into which players must kick or hit the ball in order to score a point;; the act of kicking or hitting the ball into the goal; a point that is scored for this;; something that you hope to achieve

soccer (noun)

a game played by two teams of 11 players, using a round ball which players kick up and down the playing field. Teams try to kick the ball into the other team's goal.

dilemma (noun)

a situation which makes problems, often one in which you have to make a very difficult choice between things of equal importance;; in a situation in which you have to make a choice between things that are equally unpleasant

assembly (noun)

a group of people who have been elected to meet together regularly and make decisions or laws for a particular region or country;; the meeting together of a group of people for a particular purpose; a group of people who meet together for a particular purpose;; a meeting of the teachers and students in a school, usually at the start of the day, to give information, discuss school events or say prayers together;; the process of putting together the parts of something such as a vehicle or piece of furniture

cluster (noun)

a group of things of the same type that grow or appear close together;; a group of people, animals or things close together;; a group of consonants which come together in a word or phrase, for example /str/ at the beginning of string

dozen (noun)

a group of twelve of the same thing;; a group of approximately twelve people or things;; a lot of people or things;; used to say that there is not much real difference between two possible choices;; to talk, etc. without stopping;; very common and therefore not valuable

quotation (noun)

a group of words or a short piece of writing taken from a book, play, speech, etc. and repeated because it is interesting or useful;; the act of repeating something interesting or useful that another person has written or said;; a statement of how much money a particular piece of work will cost;; a statement of the current value of goods or shares

clause (noun)

a group of words that includes a subject and a verb, and forms a sentence or part of a sentence;; an item in a legal document that says that a particular thing must or must not be done

glass (noun)

a hard, usually transparent, substance used, for example, for making windows and bottles;; a container made of glass, used for drinking out of;; the contents of a glass;; objects made of glass;; a protecting cover made of glass on a watch, picture or photograph frame, fire alarm, etc.;; two lenses in a frame that rests on the nose and ears. People wear glasses in order to be able to see better or to protect their eyes from bright light;; a mirror;; a barometer;; you should not criticize other people, because they will easily find ways of criticizing you;; to hold up your glass and wish somebody happiness, good luck, etc. before you drink

cliff (noun)

a high area of rock with a very steep side, often at the edge of the sea or ocean;; to decrease quickly and suddenly in quantity or quality

occupation (noun)

a job or profession;; the way in which you spend your time, especially when you are not working;; the act of moving into a country, town, etc. and taking control of it using military force; the period of time during which a country, town, etc. is controlled in this way;; the act of living in or using a building, room, piece of land, etc.

cruise (noun)

a journey by sea, visiting different places, especially as a holiday/vacation

mercy (noun)

a kind or forgiving attitude towards somebody that you have the power to harm or right to punish;; an event or a situation to be grateful for, usually because it stops something unpleasant;; not able to stop somebody/something harming you because they have power or control over you;; to be happy that a situation that is bad is not as bad as it could have been;; to leave somebody/something in a situation that may cause them to suffer or to be treated badly;; to put yourself in a situation where you must rely on somebody to be kind to you and not harm or punish you

ignorance (noun)

a lack of knowledge or information about something;; if you do not know about something, you cannot worry about it

lobby (noun)

a large area inside the entrance of a public building where people can meet and wait;; (in the British Parliament) a large hall that is open to the public and used for people to meet and talk to Members of Parliament;; a group of people who try to influence politicians on a particular issue;; an organized attempt by a group of people to influence politicians on a particular issue

pit (noun)

a large deep hole in the ground;; a deep hole in the ground from which minerals are dug out;; a small shallow hole in the surface of something, especially a mark left on the surface of the skin by some disease, such as chickenpox;; a place near the track where cars can stop for fuel, new tyres, etc. during a race;; the area of a stock exchange where a particular product is traded;; to be very bad or the worst example of something;; a thing or situation which seems to have no limits or seems never to end;; the bottom of the stomach where people say they feel strong feelings, especially fear

orchestra (noun)

a large group of people who play various musical instruments together, led by a conductor;; the seats that are nearest to the stage in a theatre

poster (noun)

a large notice, often with a picture on it, that is put in a public place to advertise something;; a large picture that is printed on paper and put on a wall as decoration;; a person who posts a message on a message board (= a place on a website where people can read or write messages)

liver (noun)

a large organ in the body that cleans the blood and produces bile;; the liver of some animals that is cooked and eaten

lion (noun)

a large powerful animal of the cat family, that hunts in groups and lives in parts of Africa and southern Asia. Lions have yellowish-brown fur and the male has a mane (= long thick hair round its neck).;; a difficult situation in which you have to face a person or people who are unfriendly or aggressive towards you;; the largest or best part of something when it is divided;; to go to see an important or powerful person to tell them that you disagree with them, that you want something, etc.

rally (noun)

a large public meeting, especially one held to support a particular idea or political party;; a race for cars, motorcycles, etc. over public roads;; a series of hits of the ball before a point is scored;; an act of returning to a strong position after a period of difficulty or weakness

horizon (noun)

the furthest that you can see, where the sky seems to meet the land or the sea;; the limit of your desires, knowledge or interests;; likely to happen soon

bus (noun)

a large road vehicle that carries passengers, especially one that travels along a fixed route and stops regularly to let people get on and off;; a set of wires that carries information from one part of a computer system to another;; to make somebody else suffer in order to save yourself or gain an advantage for yourself

barrel (noun)

a large round container, usually made of wood or metal, with flat ends and, usually, curved sides;; the contents of or the amount contained in a barrel; a unit of measurement in the oil industry equal to between 120 and 159 litres;; the part of a gun like a tube through which the bullets are fired;; very amusing; a lot of fun;; used to emphasize how easy it is to do something;; including everything;; (to put/have somebody) in a situation in which they must accept or do what you want;; to have to use whatever things or people you can get, because there is not much choice available

beam (noun)

a line of light, electric waves or particles;; a long piece of wood, metal, etc. used to support weight, especially as part of the roof in a building;; a wooden bar that is used in the sport of gymnastics for people to move and balance on;; a wide and happy smile;; not correct; wrong

queue (noun)

a line of people, cars, etc. waiting for something or to do something;; a list of items of data stored in a particular order;; to go to the front of a line of people without waiting for your turn

circuit (noun)

a line, route or journey around a place;; the complete path of wires and equipment along which an electric current flows;; a series of games or matches in which the same players regularly take part;; a track for cars or motorcycles to race around;; a series of places or events of a particular kind at which the same people appear or take part;; a regular journey made by a judge to hear court cases in each of the courts of law in a particular area

drink (noun)

a liquid for drinking; an amount of a liquid that you drink;; alcohol or an alcoholic drink; something that you drink on a social occasion;; a social occasion where you have alcoholic drinks;; alcoholic drink;; something that somebody enjoys very much

listing (noun)

a list, especially an official or published list of people or things, often arranged in alphabetical order;; information in a newspaper or magazine about what films/movies, plays, etc. are being shown in a particular town or city;; a position or an item on a list

discourse (noun)

a long and serious treatment or discussion of a subject in speech or writing;; the use of language in speech and writing in order to produce meaning; language that is studied, usually in order to see how the different parts of a text are connected

banana (noun)

a long curved fruit with a thick yellow skin and soft flesh, that grows on trees in hot countries;; to become angry, crazy or silly

slot (noun)

a long narrow opening, into which you put or fit something;; a position, a time or an opportunity for somebody/something, for example in a list, a programme of events or a series of broadcasts

corridor (noun)

a long narrow passage in a building, with doors that open into rooms on either side;; a passage on a train;; a long narrow strip of land belonging to one country that passes through the land of another country; a part of the sky over a country that planes, for example from another country, can fly through;; a long narrow strip of land that follows the course of an important road or river;; the higher levels of government, where important decisions are made

banner (noun)

a long piece of cloth with a message on it that is carried between two poles or hung in a public place to show support for something;; claiming to support a particular set of ideas;; as part of a particular group or organization

quest (noun)

a long search for something, especially for some quality such as happiness

canal (noun)

a long straight passage dug in the ground and filled with water for boats and ships to travel along; a smaller passage used for carrying water to fields, crops, etc.;; a tube inside the body through which liquid, food or air can pass

rod (noun)

a long straight piece of wood, metal or glass;; a stick that is used for hitting people as a punishment;; a small gun;; to do something that will cause problems for you in the future;; a fact, an argument, etc. that is used in order to blame or punish somebody;; to control a person or a group of people very severely

glimpse (noun)

a look at somebody/something for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely;; a short experience of something that helps you to understand it

processor (noun)

a machine or person that processes things;; a part of a computer that controls all the other parts of the system

robot (noun)

a machine that can perform a complicated series of tasks automatically;; (especially in stories) a machine that is made to look like a human and that can do some things that a human can do;; a traffic light

pump (noun)

a machine that is used to force liquid, gas or air into or out of something;; a woman's formal shoe that is plain and does not cover the top part of the foot;; a woman's light soft flat shoe worn for dancing or exercise; a similar style of shoe worn as a fashion item;; everyone helps or must help, especially in a difficult situation;; to encourage the growth of a new or weak business or industry by putting money into it

policeman (noun)

a male police officer

businessman (noun)

a man who works in business, especially at a high level;; a man who is skilful in business and financial matters

rating (noun)

a measurement of how good, popular, important, etc. somebody/something is, especially in relation to other people or things;; a set of figures that show how many people watch or listen to a particular television or radio programme, used to show how popular a programme is;; a number or letter that shows which groups of people a particular film/movie is suitable for;; a sailor in the navy who is not an officer

depression (noun)

a medical condition in which a person feels very sad and anxious and often has physical symptoms such as being unable to sleep, etc.;; the state of feeling very sad and without hope;; a period when there is little economic activity and many people are poor or without jobs;; a part of a surface that is lower than the parts around it;; a weather condition in which the pressure of the air becomes lower, often causing rain

gathering (noun)

a meeting of people for a particular purpose;; the process of collecting something

commissioner (noun)

a member of a commission (= an official group of people who are responsible for controlling something or finding out about something);; the head of a particular police force in some countries;; the head of a government department in some countries;; (in the US) an official chosen by a sports association to control it

monk (noun)

a member of a religious group of men who often live apart from other people in a monastery and who do not marry or have personal possessions

guerrilla (noun)

a member of a small group of soldiers who are not part of an official army and who fight against official soldiers, usually to try to change the government

flaw (noun)

a mistake in something that means that it is not correct or does not work correctly;; a crack or fault in something that makes it less attractive or valuable;; a weakness in somebody's character

drum (noun)

a musical instrument made of a hollow round frame with plastic or skin stretched tightly across one or both ends. You play it by hitting it with sticks or with your hands.;; a large container for oil or chemicals, shaped like a cylinder;; a thing shaped like a drum, especially part of a machine;; to speak with enthusiasm in support of somebody/something;; to behave in a different way from other people; to have different attitudes or ideas

guitar (noun)

a musical instrument that usually has six strings, that you play with your fingers or with a plectrum

instinct (noun)

a natural tendency for people and animals to behave in a particular way using the knowledge and abilities that they were born with rather than thought or training;; a feeling that makes you do something or believe that something is true, even though it is not based on facts or reason

genre (noun)

a particular type or style of literature, art, film or music that you can recognize because of its special features

grid (noun)

a pattern of straight lines, usually crossing each other to form squares;; a frame of metal or wooden bars that are parallel or cross each other;; a pattern of squares on a map that are marked with letters or numbers to help you find the exact position of a place;; a system of electric wires or pipes carrying gas, for sending power over a large area;; a pattern of lines marking the starting positions for the racing cars;; a number of computers that are linked together using the Internet so that they can share power, data, etc. in order to work on difficult problems;; not using the public supplies of electricity, gas, water, etc.

era (noun)

a period of time, usually in history, that is different from other periods because of particular characteristics or events;; a length of time which is a division of an aeon

saint (noun)

a person that the Christian Church recognizes as being very holy, because of the way they have lived or died;; a very good, kind or patient person

guest (noun)

a person that you have invited to your house or to a particular event that you are paying for;; a person who is staying at a hotel, etc.;; a famous person or performer who takes part in a television show or concert;; a person who is invited to a particular place or organization, or to speak at a meeting;; used to give somebody permission to do something that they have asked to do

racist (noun)

a person who behaves violently towards people who belong to a different race, or who treats them unfairly;; a person who believes that some races of people are better than others

driver (noun)

a person who drives a vehicle;; a club with a wooden head;; software that controls the sending of data between a computer and a piece of equipment that is attached to it, such as a printer;; one of the main things that influence something or cause it to make progress;; to be the person in control of a situation

investigator (noun)

a person who examines a situation such as an accident or a crime to find out the truth

critic (noun)

a person who expresses opinions about the good and bad qualities of books, music, etc.;; a person who expresses disapproval of somebody/something and talks about their bad qualities, especially publicly

rebel (noun)

a person who fights against the government of their country;; a person who opposes somebody in authority over them within an organization, a political party, etc.;; a person who does not like to obey rules or who does not accept normal standards of behaviour, dress, etc.

beneficiary (noun)

a person who gains as a result of something;; a person who receives money or property when somebody dies

patron (noun)

a person who gives money and support to artists and writers;; a famous person who supports an organization such as a charity and whose name is used in the advertisements, etc. for the organization;; a person who uses a particular shop/store, restaurant, etc.

graduate (noun)

a person who has a university degree;; a person who has completed their school studies

refugee (noun)

a person who has been forced to leave their country or home, because there is a war or for political, religious or social reasons

doctor (noun)

a person who has been trained in medical science, whose job is to treat people who are ill/sick or injured;; a place where a doctor sees patients;; a person who has received the highest university degree;; used as a title or form of address for a dentist;; exactly what somebody wants or needs

counsellor (noun)

a person who has been trained to advise people with problems, especially personal problems;; a lawyer;; a person who is in charge of young people at a summer camp

immigrant (noun)

a person who has come to live permanently in a country that is not their own

creator (noun)

a person who has made or invented a particular thing;; God

commentator (noun)

a person who is an expert on a particular subject and talks or writes about it on television or radio, or in a newspaper;; a person who describes an event while it is happening, especially on television or radio

hostage (noun)

a person who is captured and held prisoner by a person or group, and who may be injured or killed if people do not do what the person or group is asking;; something that you have, or have promised to do, that could cause trouble or worry in the future

delegate (noun)

a person who is chosen or elected to represent the views of a group of people and vote and make decisions for them;; a person who attends a conference

humanitarian (noun)

a person who is concerned with reducing suffering and improving the conditions that people live in

eligible (adjective)

a person who is eligible for something or to do something, is able to have or do it because they have the right qualifications, are the right age, etc.;; an eligible young man or woman is thought to be a good choice as a husband/wife, usually because they are rich or attractive

commander (noun)

a person who is in charge of something, especially an officer in charge of a particular group of soldiers or a military operation;; an officer of fairly high rank in the British or American navy;; (in Britain) a London police officer of high rank

casualty (noun)

a person who is killed or injured in war or in an accident;; a person that suffers or a thing that is destroyed when something else takes place;; the part of a hospital where people who need urgent treatment are taken

outsider (noun)

a person who is not accepted as a member of a society, group, etc.;; a person who is not part of a particular organization or profession;; a person or an animal taking part in a race or competition that is not expected to win

slave (noun)

a person who is owned by another person and is forced to work for them;; a person who is so strongly influenced by something that they cannot live without it, or cannot make their own decisions;; a device that is directly controlled by another one

pioneer (noun)

a person who is the first to study and develop a particular area of knowledge, culture, etc. that other people then continue to develop;; one of the first people to go to a particular area in order to live and work there

deputy (noun)

a person who is the next most important person below a business manager, a head of a school, a political leader, etc. and who does the person's job when he or she is away;; the name for a member of parliament in some countries;; (in the US) a police officer who helps the sheriff of an area

protester (noun)

a person who makes a public protest

film-maker (noun)

a person who makes films/movies

entrepreneur (noun)

a person who makes money by starting or running businesses, especially when this involves taking financial risks

organizer (noun)

a person who makes the arrangements for something

operator (noun)

a person who operates equipment or a machine;; a person who works on the telephone switchboard of a large company or organization, especially at a telephone exchange;; a person or company that runs a particular business;; a person who is skilful at getting what they want, especially when this involves behaving in a dishonest way;; a symbol or function which represents an operation in mathematics

fool (noun)

a person who you think behaves or speaks in a way that lacks intelligence or good judgement;; (in the past) a man employed by a king or queen to entertain people by telling jokes, singing songs, etc.;; a cold light dessert (= a sweet dish) made from fruit that is cooked and crushed and mixed with cream or custard;; to behave in a stupid way in order to make people laugh, especially in a way that may also annoy them;; used to say that something is very easy to do;; to be too intelligent or know too much about something to be tricked by other people;; a person who is not sensible usually spends money too quickly or carelessly, or is cheated by others;; people with little experience try to do the difficult or dangerous things which more experienced people would not consider doing;; to say or do something deliberately so that people will think that somebody is stupid;; to do something stupid which makes other people think that you are a fool;; used to say that you think that somebody was stupid to do something, especially when it causes them problems;; an older person who behaves in a stupid way is worse than a younger person who does the same thing, because experience should have taught him or her not to do it;; to have very little patience with people that you think are stupid

architect (noun)

a person whose job is designing buildings;; a person who is responsible for planning or creating an idea, an event or a situation;; a person who designs or puts together a program or computer system

broadcaster (noun)

a person whose job is presenting or talking on television or radio programmes;; a company that sends out television or radio programmes

guard (noun)

a person, such as a soldier, a police officer or a prison officer, who protects a place or people, or prevents prisoners from escaping;; a group of people, such as soldiers or police officers, who protect somebody/something;; the act or duty of protecting property, places or people from attack or danger; the act or duty of preventing prisoners from escaping;; (in Britain and some other countries) special regiments of soldiers whose original duty was to protect the king or queen;; something that covers a part of a person's body or a dangerous part of a machine to prevent injury;; a position you take to defend yourself, especially in a sport such as boxing or fencing;; one of the two players on a basketball team who are mainly responsible for staying close to opposing players to stop them from scoring;; one of the two players on an American football team who play either side of the centre forward;; to be very careful and prepared for something difficult or dangerous;; to watch or protect somebody/something;; not careful or prepared for something difficult or dangerous

champion (noun)

a person, team, etc. that has won a competition, especially in a sport;; a person who fights for, or speaks in support of, a group of people or a belief

ring (noun)

a piece of jewellery that you wear on your finger, consisting of a round band of gold, silver, etc., sometimes decorated with precious stones;; an object in the shape of a circle with a large hole in the middle;; a round mark or shape;; a confined area in which animals or people perform or compete, with seats around the outside for the audience;; a small flat place on a cooker/stove that is heated by gas or electricity and is used for cooking on;; a group of people who are working together, especially in secret or illegally;; to be much better at doing something than somebody else;; to announce officially that you are going to compete in an election, a competition, etc.

dress (noun)

a piece of women's clothing that is made in one piece and covers the body down to the legs, sometimes reaching to below the knees, or to the ankles;; clothes for either men or women

bat (noun)

a piece of wood with a handle, made in various shapes and sizes, and used for hitting the ball in games such as baseball, cricket and table tennis;; an animal like a mouse with wings, that flies and feeds at night (= it is nocturnal). There are many types of bat.;; trying to hit the ball with a bat;; not able to see well;; very fast;; if you do something off your own bat, it is your own idea and you do it without help or encouragement from anyone else;; immediately; without delay

door (noun)

a piece of wood, glass, etc. that is opened and closed so that people can get in and out of a room, building, car, etc.; a similar thing in a cupboard/closet;; the space when a door is open;; the area close to the entrance of a building;; a house, room, etc. that is a particular number of houses, rooms, etc. away from another;; the amount of money made by selling tickets for an event;; so ill/sick that you may die;; if a lot of people beat a path to somebody's door, they are all interested in something that person has to sell, or can do or tell them;; without the public being allowed to attend or know what is happening; in private;; to work at the entrance to a theatre, club, etc., for example collecting tickets from people as they enter;; in an unfair or indirect way;; to try to prevent or avoid loss or damage when it is already too late to do so;; to stop trading;; to try to prevent or avoid loss or damage when it is already too late to do so;; to make it unlikely that something will happen;; (to provide) the means of getting or reaching something; (to create) the opportunity for something;; from building to building;; at an early stage, especially in a game or competition;; to manage to enter an organization, a field of business, etc. that could bring you success;; to have enough money to avoid going hungry; to stop somebody feeling hungry;; to say that somebody is responsible for something that has gone wrong;; to make sure that there is still the possibility of doing something;; used to tell somebody never to come to your home again;; to provide opportunities for somebody to do something and be successful;; not inside a building;; to ask somebody to leave, because they are no longer welcome;; to shut a door hard when somebody is trying to come in;; to refuse to talk to somebody or meet them, in a rude way;; directly to somebody's house

description (noun)

a piece of writing or speech that says what somebody/something is like; the act of writing or saying in words what somebody/something is like;; of some, etc. type;; to be like a particular person or thing;; to be too extreme, shocking, etc. to believe/describe

destination (noun)

a place to which somebody/something is going or being sent

divorce (noun)

the legal ending of a marriage;; a separation; the ending of a relationship between two things

arena (noun)

a place with a flat open area in the middle and seats around it where people can watch sports and entertainment;; an area of activity that concerns the public, especially one where there is a lot of opposition between different groups or countries

jet (noun)

a plane driven by jet engines;; a strong narrow stream of gas, liquid, steam or flame that comes very quickly out of a small opening. The opening is also called a jet.;; a hard black mineral that can be polished and is used in jewellery

bush (noun)

a plant that grows thickly with several hard stems coming up from the root;; a thing that looks like a bush, especially an area of thick hair or fur;; an area of wild land that has not been cleared, especially in Africa and Australia; in New Zealand an area where the forest has not been cleared;; to talk about something for a long time without coming to the main point;; it is better to keep something that you already have than to risk losing it by trying to get much more

herb (noun)

a plant whose leaves, flowers or seeds are used to flavour food, in medicines or for their pleasant smell. Parsley, mint and oregano are all herbs.;; a plant with a soft stem that dies down after flowering

defender (noun)

a player who must stop the other team from scoring in games such as football (soccer ), hockey, etc.;; a person who defends and believes in protecting something

fantasy (noun)

a pleasant situation that you imagine but that is unlikely to happen;; a product of your imagination;; the act of imagining things; a person's imagination

cop (noun)

a police officer;; used by somebody who is caught doing something wrong, to say that they admit that they are wrong;; not very good

logo (noun)

a printed design or symbol that a company or an organization uses as its special sign

newsletter (noun)

a printed report containing news of the activities of a club or organization that is sent regularly to all its members

leaflet (noun)

a printed sheet of paper or a few printed pages that are given free to advertise or give information about something

difficulty (noun)

a problem; a thing or situation that causes problems;; the state or quality of being hard to do or to understand; the effort that something involves;; how hard something is

commodity (noun)

a product or a raw material that can be bought and sold;; a thing that is useful or has a useful quality

chef (noun)

a professional cook, especially the most senior cook in a restaurant, hotel, etc.

browser (noun)

a program that lets you look at or read documents on the World Wide Web;; a person who looks through books, magazines, etc. or at things for sale, but may not seriously intend to buy anything

casino (noun)

a public building or room where people play gambling games for money

parade (noun)

a public celebration of a special day or event, usually with bands in the streets and decorated vehicles;; a formal occasion when soldiers march or stand in lines so that they can be examined by their officers or other important people;; a series of things or people;; an obvious display of something, particularly in order to impress other people;; a street with a row of small shops;; to spoil something for somebody

auction (noun)

a public event at which things are sold to the person who offers the most money for them

demonstration (noun)

a public meeting or march at which people show that they are protesting against or supporting somebody/something;; an act of showing or explaining how something works or is done;; an act of giving proof or evidence for something;; an act of showing a feeling or an opinion

endorsement (noun)

a public statement or action showing that you support somebody/something;; a statement made in an advertisement, usually by somebody famous or important, saying that they use and like a particular product;; details of a driving offence recorded on somebody's driving licence

penalty (noun)

a punishment for breaking a law, rule or contract;; a disadvantage suffered as a result of something;; a disadvantage given to a player or a team when they break a rule;; a chance to score a goal or point without any defending players, except the goalkeeper, trying to stop it; the goal or point that is given if it is successful. This chance is given because the other team has broken the rules.;; to suffer because of bad luck, a mistake or something you have done

query (noun)

a question, especially one asking for information or expressing a doubt about something;; a question mark to show that something has not been finished or decided

diversity (noun)

a range of many people or things that are very different from each other;; the quality or fact of including a range of many people or things

boundary (noun)

a real or imagined line that marks the limits or edges of something and separates it from other things or places; a dividing line;; a hit of the ball that crosses the boundary of the playing area and scores extra points

objection (noun)

a reason why you do not like or are opposed to something; a statement about this

gallery (noun)

a room or building for showing works of art, especially to the public;; a small private shop/store where you can see and buy works of art;; an upstairs area at the back or sides of a large hall where people can sit;; the highest level in a theatre where the cheapest seats are;; a long narrow room, especially one used for a particular purpose;; a level passage under the ground in a mine or cave;; to behave in an exaggerated way to attract people's attention

gym (noun)

a room or hall with equipment for doing physical exercise, for example in a school;; physical exercises done in a gym, especially at school

draft (noun)

a rough written version of something that is not yet in its final form;; a written order to a bank to pay money to somebody;; In the US the draft is administered by US government's Selective Service System. Formerly young people were required by law to serve in the armed forces. This requirement was replaced in 1973 by a system in which people may join the forces only if they wish to. However, young men must still add their names to the draft list when they are 18, in case of a future military emergency. People who tried to avoid the draft, especially during the Vietnam War, were known as draft dodgers. note at national service;; a system in which professional teams in some sports choose players each year from among college students

candle (noun)

a round stick of wax with a piece of string (called a wick ) through the middle which is lit to give light as it burns;; to become very tired by trying to do too many things and going to bed late and getting up early;; is not as good as somebody or something else;; the advantages to be gained from doing something are not great enough, considering the effort or cost involved

restraint (noun)

a rule, a fact, an idea, etc. that limits or controls what people can do;; the act of controlling or limiting something because it is necessary or sensible to do so;; the quality of behaving calmly and with control;; the use of physical force to control somebody who is behaving in a violent way;; a type of seat belt or safety device

conspiracy (noun)

a secret plan by a group of people to do something harmful or illegal

password (noun)

a secret word or phrase that you need to know in order to be allowed into a place;; a series of letters or numbers that you must type into a computer or computer system in order to be able to use it

department (noun)

a section of a large organization such as a government, business, university, etc.;; to be something that somebody is responsible for or knows a lot about

bean (noun)

a seed, or pod containing seeds, of a climbing plant, eaten as a vegetable. There are several types of bean and the plants that they grow on are also called beans.;; a seed from a coffee plant, or some other plants;; having a lot of energy;; something that is not worth much;; to have no money;; to know nothing about a subject;; to tell somebody something that should be kept secret or private

bishop (noun)

a senior priest in charge of the work of the Church in a city or district;; There are bishops in the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Episcopal and Eastern Orthodox churches. They are in charge of the work of other priests in a diocese (= a city or district). On ceremonial occasions a bishop wears a tall pointed hat, called a mitre, and carries a long decorated stick, or staff. When talked about, a bishop has the title 'the Right Reverend' or, in the Roman Catholic Church, 'the Most Reverend'. A bishop is usually addressed as 'Your Grace'. In Britain some senior bishops are members of the House of Lords. In 1989, the first female bishop was appointed, in the Episcopal Church of the United States. In 2014, the Anglican church voted to allow women to become bishops.;; a piece used in the game of chess that is shaped like a bishop's hat and can move any number of squares in a diagonal line

carriage (noun)

a separate section of a train for carrying passengers;; a road vehicle, usually with four wheels, that is pulled by one or more horses and was used in the past to carry people;; the act or cost of transporting goods from one place to another;; a moving part of a machine that supports or moves another part, for example on a typewriter;; the way in which somebody holds and moves their head and body

dream (noun)

a series of images, events and feelings that happen in your mind while you are asleep;; a wish to have or be something, especially one that seems difficult to achieve;; a state of mind or a situation in which things do not seem real or part of normal life;; a beautiful or wonderful person or thing;; far more, better, etc. than you could ever have imagined or hoped for;; to work very well;; to happen without problems, in the way that you had planned;; used to tell somebody that something they are hoping for is not likely to happen;; so unpleasant that you cannot believe it is true;; to have a way of life that seems perfect

pipeline (noun)

a series of pipes that are usually underground and are used for carrying oil, gas, etc. over long distances;; something that is in the pipeline is being discussed, planned or prepared and will happen or exist soon

process (noun)

a series of things that are done in order to achieve a particular result;; a series of things that happen, especially ones that result in natural changes;; a method of doing or making something, especially one that is used in industry

pledge (noun)

a serious promise;; a sum of money or something valuable that you leave with somebody to prove that you will do something or pay back money that you owe;; to make a promise never to drink alcohol

sequence (noun)

a set of events, actions, numbers, etc. which have a particular order and which lead to a particular result;; the order that events, actions, etc. happen in or should happen in;; a part of a film/movie that deals with one subject or topic or consists of one scene

ideology (noun)

a set of ideas that an economic or political system is based on;; a set of beliefs, especially one held by a particular group, that influences the way people behave

recipe (noun)

a set of instructions that tells you how to cook something and the ingredients (= items of food) you need for it;; a method or an idea that seems likely to have a particular result

methodology (noun)

a set of methods and principles used to perform a particular activity

mechanism (noun)

a set of moving parts in a machine that performs a task;; a method or a system for achieving something;; a system of parts in a living thing that together perform a particular function

kit (noun)

a set of parts ready to be made into something;; a set of tools or equipment that you use for a particular purpose;; a set of clothes and equipment that you use for a particular activity;; to take your clothes off;; everything

setting (noun)

a set of surroundings; the place at which something happens;; the place and time at which the action of a play, novel, etc. takes place;; a position at which the controls on a machine can be set, to set the speed, height, temperature, etc.;; the place on a computer or other electronic device where you can choose the way that it works or looks; the particular choices that you make;; music written to go with a poem, etc.;; a piece of metal in which a precious stone is fixed to form a piece of jewellery;; a complete set of equipment for eating with (knife, fork, spoon, glass, etc.) for one person, arranged on a table

loop (noun)

a shape like a curve or circle made by a line curving right round and crossing itself;; a piece of rope, wire, etc. in the shape of a curve or circle;; a strip of film or tape on which the pictures and sound are repeated continuously;; a set of instructions that is repeated again and again until a particular condition is satisfied;; a complete circuit for electrical current;; a railway line or road that leaves the main track or road and then joins it again;; the business centre of the US city of Chicago;; part of a group of people that is dealing with something important; not part of this group;; to shock or surprise somebody

clash (noun)

a short fight between two groups of people;; an argument between two people or groups of people who have different beliefs and ideas;; the difference that exists between two things that are opposed to each other;; a situation in which two events happen at the same time so that you cannot go to or see them both;; the situation when two colours, designs, etc. look ugly when they are put together;; a loud noise made by two metal objects being hit together;; an occasion when two teams or players compete against each other

extract (noun)

a short passage from a book, piece of music, etc. that gives you an idea of what the whole thing is like;; a substance that has been obtained from something else using a particular process

raid (noun)

a short surprise attack on an enemy by soldiers, ships or aircraft;; a surprise visit by the police looking for criminals or for illegal goods or drugs;; an attack on a building, etc. in order to commit a crime

indictment (noun)

a sign that a system, society, etc. is very bad or very wrong;; a written statement accusing somebody of a crime;; the act of officially accusing somebody of a crime

indicator (noun)

a sign that shows you what something is like or how a situation is changing;; a device on a machine that shows speed, pressure, etc.;; a light on a vehicle that flashes to show that the vehicle is going to turn left or right

diagram (noun)

a simple drawing using lines to explain where something is, how something works, etc.

sketch (noun)

a simple picture that is drawn quickly and does not have many details;; a short funny scene on television, in the theatre, etc.;; a short report or story that gives only basic details about something

riot (noun)

a situation in which a group of people behave in a violent way in a public place, often as a protest;; a collection of a lot of different types of the same thing;; a person or an event that is very amusing and enjoyable;; to tell somebody with force that they must not do something;; to behave in a way that is violent and/or not under control;; if your imagination, a feeling, etc. runs riot, you allow it to develop and continue without trying to control it;; to grow and spread quickly

simulation (noun)

a situation in which a particular set of conditions is created artificially in order to study or experience something that could exist in reality;; the act of pretending that something is real when it is not

disruption (noun)

a situation in which it is difficult for something to continue in the normal way; the act of stopping something from continuing in the normal way

exploitation (noun)

a situation in which somebody treats somebody else in an unfair way, especially in order to make money from their work;; the use of land, oil, minerals, etc.;; the fact of using a situation in order to get an advantage for yourself

confrontation (noun)

a situation in which there is an angry disagreement between people or groups who have different opinions

norm (noun)

a situation or a pattern of behaviour that is usual or expected;; standards of behaviour that are typical of or accepted within a particular group or society;; a required or agreed standard, amount, etc.

shortage (noun)

a situation when there is not enough of the people or things that are needed

disagreement (noun)

a situation where people have different opinions about something and often argue;; a difference between two things that should be the same

rat (noun)

a small animal with a long tail, that looks like a large mouse, usually considered a pest (= an animal which is disliked because it destroys food or spreads disease);; an unpleasant person, especially one who is not loyal or who tricks somebody;; used to talk about people who leave an organization, a company, etc. that is having difficulties, without caring about the people who are left;; to suspect that something is wrong about a situation

frog (noun)

a small animal with smooth skin, that lives both on land and in water (= is an amphibian). Frogs have very long back legs for jumping, and no tail.;; an offensive word for a French person;; to lose your voice or be unable to speak clearly for a short time

patch (noun)

a small area of something, especially one which is different from the area around it;; a small piece of material that is used to cover a hole in something or to make a weak area stronger, or as decoration;; a piece of material that you wear over an eye, usually because the eye is damaged;; a piece of material that you sew onto clothes as part of a uniform;; a piece of material that people can wear on their skin to help them to stop smoking;; a small piece of land, especially one used for growing vegetables or fruit;; an area that somebody works in, knows well or comes from;; a period of time of the type mentioned, usually a difficult or unhappy one;; a small piece of code (= instructions that a computer can understand) which can be added to a computer program to improve it or to correct a fault;; to be much less good, attractive, etc. than somebody/something else

pond (noun)

a small area of still water, especially one that is artificial;; on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean from Britain/the US;; an important person (in a small community)

balloon (noun)

a small bag made of very thin rubber that becomes larger and rounder when you fill it with air or gas. Balloons are brightly coloured and used as decorations or toys.;; a large balloon made of strong material that is filled with hot air or gas to make it rise in the air, usually carrying a basket for passengers;; to be very unsuccessful; to not be accepted by people;; when the trouble that you are expecting begins

notebook (noun)

a small book of plain paper for writing notes in;; a small book for students to write their work in;; a small computer that can work with a battery and be easily carried

laptop (noun)

a small computer that can work with a battery and be easily carried

detail (noun)

a small individual fact or item; a less important fact or item;; the small facts or features of something, when you consider them all together;; information about something;; a small part of a picture or painting; the smaller or less important parts of a picture, pattern, etc. when you consider them all together;; a group of soldiers given special duties;; to explain something fully

clip (noun)

a small metal or plastic object used for holding things together or in place;; a piece of jewellery that fastens to your clothes;; the act of cutting something to make it shorter;; a short part of a film/movie that is shown separately;; a quick hit with your hand;; a set of bullets in a metal container that is placed in or attached to a gun for firing;; quickly

fraction (noun)

a small part or amount of something;; a division of a number, for example ⅝

crystal (noun)

a small piece of a substance with many even sides, that is formed naturally when the substance becomes solid;; a clear mineral, such as quartz, used in making jewellery and decorative objects;; glass of very high quality;; a small piece of a mineral that some people believe has the power to bring health or happiness;; a piece of glass or plastic that covers the face of a watch

badge (noun)

a small piece of metal or plastic, with a design or words on it, that a person wears to show that they belong to an organization, support something, have achieved something, have a particular rank, etc.;; a piece of material that you sew onto clothes as part of a uniform;; a small piece of metal that you carry or wear to prove who you are, used, for example, by police officers;; something that shows that a particular quality is present

dot (noun)

a small round mark, especially one that is printed;; a symbol like a full stop/period used to separate parts of a domain name, a URL or an email address;; exactly on time or at the exact time mentioned;; a very long time ago

button (noun)

a small round piece of metal, plastic, etc. that is sewn onto a piece of clothing and used for fastening two parts together;; a small part of a machine that you press to make it work;; a small area on a computer screen that you click on to make it do something;; a badge, especially one with a message printed on it;; intelligent and quick to understand;; at exactly the right time or at the exact time mentioned;; exactly right;; to do exactly the right things to please somebody;; to make somebody react in either a positive or a negative way

shed (noun)

a small simple building, usually built of wood or metal, used for keeping things in;; a large industrial building, used for working in or keeping equipment;; a building with open sides where the wool is cut off sheep (= they are sheared) or where cows are milked

icon (noun)

a small symbol on a computer or smartphone screen that represents a program or a file;; a famous person or thing that people admire and see as a symbol of a particular idea, way of life, etc.;; a painting or statue of a holy person that is also thought of as a holy object

butter (noun)

a soft yellow food made from cream, used in cooking and for spreading on bread;; used to say that somebody seems to be innocent, kind, etc. when they are not really;; easily; without meeting any difficulty

boast (verb)

to talk with too much pride about something that you have or can do;; to have something that is impressive and that you can be proud of

rocket (noun)

a spacecraft in the shape of a tube that is driven by a stream of gases let out behind it when fuel is burned inside;; a missile (= a weapon that travels through the air) that carries a bomb and is driven by a stream of burning gases;; a firework that goes high into the air and then explodes with coloured lights;; a plant with long green leaves that have a strong flavour and are eaten raw in salads;; to speak angrily to somebody because they have done something wrong; to be spoken to angrily for this reason

fixture (noun)

a sports event that has been arranged to take place on a particular date and at a particular place;; a thing such as a bath/ bathtub or a toilet that is fixed in a house and that you do not take with you when you move house

civilization (noun)

a state of human society that is very developed and organized;; a society, its culture and its way of life during a particular period of time or in a particular part of the world;; all the people in the world and the societies they live in, considered as a whole;; a place that offers you the comfortable way of life of a modern society

harmony (noun)

a state of peaceful existence and agreement;; the way in which different notes that are played or sung together combine to make a pleasing sound;; a pleasing combination of related things

assertion (noun)

a statement saying that you strongly believe something to be true;; the act of stating, using or claiming something strongly

equation (noun)

a statement showing that two amounts or values are equal, for example 2x + y = 54;; the act of making something equal or considering something as equal (= of equating them);; a problem or situation in which several things must be considered and dealt with

confession (noun)

a statement that a person makes, admitting that they are guilty of a crime; the act of making such a statement;; a statement admitting something that you are ashamed or embarrassed about; the act of making such a statement;; a private statement to a priest about the bad things that you have done;; a statement of your religious beliefs, principles, etc.

prediction (noun)

a statement that says what you think will happen; the act of making such a statement

assurance (noun)

a statement that something will certainly be true or will certainly happen, particularly when there has been doubt about it;; belief in your own abilities or strengths;; a type of insurance in which money is paid out when somebody dies or after an agreed period of time

confirmation (noun)

a statement, letter, etc. that shows that something is true, correct or definite;; a ceremony at which a person becomes a full member of the Christian Church;; a Jewish ceremony similar to a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah but usually for young people over the age of 16

memorial (noun)

a statue, stone, etc. that is built in order to remind people of an important past event or of a famous person who has died;; a thing that will continue to remind people of somebody/something

legend (noun)

a story from ancient times about people and events, that may or may not be true; this type of story;; a very famous person, especially in a particular field, who is admired by other people;; the explanation of a map or a diagram in a book;; a piece of writing on a sign, a label, a coin, etc.

myth (noun)

a story from ancient times, especially one that was told to explain natural events or to describe the early history of a people; this type of story;; something that many people believe but that does not exist or is false

serial (noun)

a story on television or the radio, or in a magazine, that is broadcast or published in several separate parts

aspiration (noun)

a strong desire to have or do something;; the action of pronouncing a word with a /h/ sound, as in house

curiosity (noun)

a strong desire to know about something;; an unusual and interesting thing;; used to tell somebody not to ask questions or try to find out about things that do not concern them

bias (noun)

a strong feeling in favour of or against one group of people, or one side in an argument, often not based on fair judgement;; an interest in one thing more than others; a special ability;; the fact that the results of research or an experiment are not accurate because a particular factor has not been considered when collecting the information;; the bias of a piece of cloth is an edge cut diagonally across the threads

attachment (noun)

a strong feeling of affection for somebody/something;; belief in and support for an idea or a set of values;; a tool that you can fix onto a machine, to make it do another job;; the act of joining one thing to another; a thing that joins two things together;; a short time spent working with an organization such as a hospital, school or part of the armed forces;; a document that you send to somebody using email

outrage (noun)

a strong feeling of shock and anger;; an act or event that is violent, cruel or very wrong and that shocks people or makes them very angry

compassion (noun)

a strong feeling of sympathy for people who are suffering and a desire to help them

bridge (noun)

a structure that is built over a road, railway/railroad, river, etc. so that people or vehicles can cross from one side to the other;; a thing that provides a connection or contact between two different things;; the part of a ship where the captain and other officers stand when they are controlling and steering the ship;; a card game for two pairs of players who have to predict how many cards they will win. They score points if they succeed in winning that number of cards and lose points if they fail.;; the hard part at the top of the nose, between the eyes;; the part of a pair of glasses that rests on your nose;; a small piece of wood on a guitar, violin, etc. over which the strings are stretched;; a false tooth or false teeth, held permanently in place by being fastened to natural teeth on either side;; to do something that makes it impossible to return to the previous situation later;; to worry about a problem when it actually happens and not before;; used to say that something happened in the past and is now forgotten or no longer important

ballet (noun)

a style of dancing that tells a dramatic story with music but no talking or singing;; a story or work of art performed by a group of ballet dancers;; a group of dancers who work and perform ballet together

protein (noun)

a substance, found within all living things, that forms the structure of muscles, organs, etc. There are many different proteins and they are an essential part of what humans and animals eat to help them grow and stay healthy.

coup (noun)

a sudden change of government that is illegal and often violent;; the fact of achieving something that was difficult to do

panic (noun)

a sudden feeling of great fear that cannot be controlled and prevents you from thinking clearly;; a situation in which people are made to feel very anxious, causing them to act quickly and without thinking carefully;; a situation in which people feel anxious and there is a lot of confused activity, especially because there is a lot to do in a short period of time

boom (noun)

a sudden increase in trade and economic activity; a period of wealth and success;; a period when something such as a sport or a type of music suddenly becomes very popular and successful;; a long pole that the bottom of a sail is attached to and that you move to change the position of the sail;; a loud deep sound;; a floating barrier that is placed across a river or the entrance to a harbour to prevent ships or other objects from coming in or going out;; a long pole that carries a microphone or other equipment;; a situation in which a period of rapid economic growth is followed by one of sudden decline

deposit (noun)

a sum of money that is given as the first part of a larger payment;; a sum of money that is paid by somebody when they rent something and that is returned to them if they do not lose or damage the thing they are renting;; a sum of money that is paid into a bank account;; (in the British political system) the amount of money that a candidate in an election to Parliament has to pay, and that is returned if he/she gets enough votes;; a layer of a substance that has formed naturally underground;; a layer of a substance that has been left somewhere, especially by a river, flood, etc., or is found at the bottom of a liquid

debt (noun)

a sum of money that somebody owes;; the situation of owing money, especially when you cannot pay;; the fact that you should feel grateful to somebody because they have helped you or been kind to you;; to feel grateful to somebody for their help, kindness, etc.

protocol (noun)

a system of fixed rules and formal behaviour used at official meetings, usually between governments;; the first or original version of an agreement, especially a treaty between countries, etc.; an extra part added to an agreement or treaty;; a set of rules that control the way data is sent between computers;; a plan for performing a scientific experiment or medical treatment

democracy (noun)

a system of government in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives;; a country which has this system of government;; fair and equal treatment of everyone in an organization, etc., and their right to take part in making decisions

radar (noun)

a system that uses radio waves to find the position and movement of objects, for example planes and ships, when they cannot be seen;; used to say that people are not aware of something;; used to say that people's attention is on or not on something

hierarchy (noun)

a system, especially in a society or an organization, in which people are organized into different levels of importance from highest to lowest;; the group of people in control of a large organization or institution;; a system that ideas or beliefs can be arranged into

pad (noun)

a thick piece of soft material that is used, for example, for absorbing liquid, cleaning or protecting something;; a number of pieces of paper for writing or drawing on, that are fastened together at one edge;; the soft part under the foot of a cat, dog, etc.;; a small piece of rough material used for cleaning pans, surfaces, etc.;; a flat surface where a spacecraft or a helicopter takes off and lands;; a piece of thick material that you wear in some sports, for example football and cricket, to protect your legs, elbows, etc.;; the large flat leaf of some water plants, especially the water lily;; the place where somebody lives, especially a flat/apartment

log (noun)

a thick piece of wood that is cut from or has fallen from a tree;; an official record of events during a particular period of time, especially a journey on a ship or plane;; very easy or very easily;; to sleep very well

chunk (noun)

a thick solid piece that has been cut or broken off something;; a fairly large amount of something;; a phrase or group of words which can be learnt as a unit by somebody who is learning a language. Examples of chunks are 'Can I have the bill, please?' and 'Pleased to meet you'.;; to vomit

portfolio (noun)

a thin flat case used for carrying documents, drawings, etc.;; a collection of photographs, drawings, etc. that you use as an example of your work, especially when applying for a job;; a set of shares owned by a particular person or organization;; the particular area of responsibility of a government minister;; the range of products or services offered by a particular company or organization

compound (noun)

a thing consisting of two or more separate things combined together;; a substance formed by a chemical reaction of two or more elements in fixed amounts relative to each other;; a noun, an adjective or a verb made of two or more words or parts of words, written as one or more words, or joined by a hyphen. Travel agent, dark-haired and bathroom are all compounds.;; an area surrounded by a fence or wall in which a factory or other group of buildings stands

buffer (noun)

a thing or person that reduces a shock or protects somebody/something against difficulties;; one of two round metal devices on the front or end of a train, or at the end of a railway/railroad track, that reduce the shock if the train hits something;; an area in a computer's memory where data can be stored for a short time;; a silly old man;; if a plan, somebody's career, etc. hits the buffers, it suddenly stops being successful

constraint (noun)

a thing that limits or restricts something, or your freedom to do something;; strict control over the way that you behave or are allowed to behave

complication (noun)

a thing that makes a situation more complicated or difficult;; a new problem or illness that makes treatment of a previous one more complicated or difficult

decoration (noun)

a thing that makes something look more attractive on special occasions;; a pattern, etc. that is added to something and that stops it from being plain;; the style in which something is decorated;; the act or process of decorating something such as the inside of a house by painting it, etc.;; a medal that is given to somebody as an honour

deed (noun)

a thing that somebody does that is usually very good or very bad;; a legal document that you sign, especially one that proves that you own a house or a building;; a helpful, kind thing that you do

gift (noun)

a thing that you give to somebody, especially on a special occasion or to say thank you;; a natural ability;; a thing that is very easy to do or cheap to buy;; if something such as an important job or a special right or advantage is in somebody's gift, that person can decide who to give it to;; the ability to speak easily and to persuade other people with your words;; a person who thinks that they are particularly good at something or who thinks that somebody will find them particularly attractive;; to refuse or criticize something that is given to you for nothing

outing (noun)

a trip that you go on for pleasure or education, usually with a group of people and lasting no more than one day;; an occasion when somebody takes part in a competition;; the practice of naming people as homosexuals in public, when they do not want anyone to know

melody (noun)

a tune, especially the main tune in a piece of music written for several instruments or voices;; a piece of music or a song with a clear or simple tune;; the arrangement of musical notes in a tune

fiction (noun)

a type of literature that describes imaginary people and events, not real ones;; a thing that is invented or imagined and is not true;; used to say that things that actually happen are often more surprising than stories that are invented

punk (noun)

a type of loud and aggressive rock music popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s;; The music which popular punk bands such as The Sex Pistols and the Clash played was usually loud, fast and violent, and expressed anger against society. Punk fashions, introduced by Vivienne Westwood and others, included torn clothes, safety pins and brightly coloured hair.;; a person who likes punk music and dresses like a punk musician, for example by wearing metal chains, leather clothes and having brightly coloured hair;; a young man or boy who behaves in a rude or violent way

jazz (noun)

a type of music with strong rhythms, in which the players often improvise (= make up the music as they are playing), originally created by African American musicians;; and things like that

demand (noun)

a very firm request for something; something that somebody needs;; things that somebody/something makes you do, especially things that are difficult, make you tired, worried, etc.;; the desire or need of customers for goods or services which they want to buy or use;; because a lot of people have asked for something;; wanted by a lot of people;; done or happening whenever somebody asks

elephant (noun)

a very large animal with thick grey skin, large ears, two curved outer teeth called tusks and a long nose called a trunk. There are two types of elephant, the African and the Asian.;; a problem or question that everyone knows about but does not mention because it is easier not to discuss it

passion (noun)

a very strong feeling of love, hatred, anger, enthusiasm, etc.;; a state of being very angry;; a very strong feeling of sexual love;; a very strong feeling of liking something; a hobby, an activity, etc. that you like very much;; the suffering and death of Jesus Christ

idiot (noun)

a very stupid person;; a person with very low intelligence who cannot think or behave normally

remedy (noun)

a way of dealing with or improving an unpleasant or difficult situation;; a treatment or medicine to cure a disease or reduce pain that is not very serious;; a way of dealing with a problem, using the processes of the law

outlet (noun)

a way of expressing or making good use of strong feelings, ideas or energy;; a shop/store or an organization that sells goods made by a particular company or of a particular type;; a shop/store that sells goods of a particular make at reduced prices;; a pipe or hole through which liquid or gas can flow out;; a device in a wall that you put a plug into in order to connect electrical equipment to the power supply of a building

cult (noun)

a way of life, an attitude, an idea, etc. that has become very popular;; a small group of people who have extreme religious beliefs and who are not part of any established religion;; a system of religious beliefs and practices

set-up (noun)

a way of organizing something; a system;; a situation in which somebody tricks you or makes it seem as if you have done something wrong

lottery (noun)

a way of raising money for a government, charity, etc. by selling tickets that have different numbers on them that people have chosen. Numbers are then chosen by chance and the people who have those numbers on their tickets win prizes.;; a situation whose success or result is based on luck rather than on effort or careful organization

gun (noun)

a weapon that is used for firing bullets or shells;; a tool that uses pressure to send out a substance or an object;; the signal to begin a race, that is made by firing a special gun, called a starting pistol, into the air;; a person who is paid to shoot somebody;; with a lot of energy and determination;; to be doing something quickly and successfully;; to force somebody to do something that they do not want to do, by making threats;; to do something too soon, before the right time;; to spoil the plans of an opponent;; to refuse to change your mind about something even when other people are trying to persuade you that you are wrong;; experiencing a lot of pressure

slogan (noun)

a word or phrase that is easy to remember, used for example by a political party or in advertising to attract people's attention or to suggest an idea quickly

metaphor (noun)

a word or phrase used to describe somebody/something else, in a way that is different from its normal use, in order to show that the two things have the same qualities and to make the description more powerful, for example She has a heart of stone; the use of such words and phrases

apology (noun)

a word or statement saying sorry for something that has been done wrong or that causes a problem;; information that you cannot go to a meeting or must leave early;; if you say that you make no apology/apologies for something, you mean that you do not feel that you have said or done anything wrong

charter (noun)

a written statement describing the rights that a particular group of people should have;; a written statement of the principles and aims of an organization;; an official document stating that a ruler or government allows a new organization, town or university to be established and gives it particular rights;; a law or policy that seems likely to help people do something bad;; the hiring of a plane, boat, etc.

script (noun)

a written text of a play, film/movie, broadcast, talk, etc.;; writing done by hand;; a set of letters in which a language is written;; a candidate's written answer or answers in an exam;; a series of instructions for a computer, carried out in a particular order, for example when a link in a website is clicked

radical (adjective)

concerning the most basic and important parts of something; thorough and complete;; new, different and likely to have a great effect;; in favour of thorough and complete political or social change;; very good

aggression (noun)

feelings of anger and hatred that may result in threatening or violent behaviour;; a violent attack or threats by one person against another person or by one country against another country

depend (verb)

according to;; used to say that you are not certain about something because other things have to be considered

intervention (noun)

action taken to improve or help a situation;; action by a country to become involved in the affairs of another country when they have not been asked to do so;; action taken to improve a medical condition or illness;; the act of interrupting somebody when they are speaking in order to say something;; an occasion when a group of people confront a friend or family member who has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, in order to help them recover

feedback (noun)

advice, criticism or information about how good or useful something or somebody's work is;; the unpleasant noise produced by electrical equipment such as an amplifier when some of the power returns to the system

selective (adjective)

affecting or concerned with only a small number of people or things from a larger group;; tending to be careful about what or who you choose

crew (noun)

all the people working on a ship, plane, etc.;; all the people working on a ship, plane etc. except the officers who are in charge;; a group of people with special skills working together;; a group of people;; a team of people who row1 boats in races;; the sport of rowing with other people in a boat

cue (noun)

an action or event that is a signal for somebody to do something;; a few words or an action in a play that is a signal for another actor to do something;; a long wooden stick with a leather tip, used for hitting the ball in the games of billiards, pool and snooker;; at exactly the moment you expect or that is appropriate;; to copy what somebody else does as an example of how to behave or what to do

engagement (noun)

an agreement to marry somebody; the period during which two people are engaged;; an arrangement to do something at a particular time, especially something official or something connected with your job;; fighting between two armies, etc.;; being involved with somebody/something in an attempt to understand them/it;; an arrangement to employ somebody; the process of employing somebody

helicopter (noun)

an aircraft without wings that has large blades on top that go round. It can fly straight up from the ground and can also stay in one position in the air

discount (noun)

an amount of money that is taken off the usual cost of something

dog (noun)

an animal with four legs and a tail, often kept as a pet or trained for work, for example hunting or guarding buildings. There are many types of dog, some of which are wild.;; a male dog, fox or wolf;; greyhound racing;; a thing of low quality; a failure;; an offensive way of describing a woman who is not considered attractive;; used, especially after an adjective, to describe a man who has done something bad;; to be raining heavily;; an event that is planned only in order to impress people so that they will support or buy something;; a situation in business, politics, etc. where there is a lot of competition and people are willing to harm each other in order to succeed;; a person who stops other people from enjoying what he or she cannot use or does not want;; a thing that has been done badly;; an unhappy life, full of problems or unfair treatment;; everyone has good luck or success at some point in their life;; when a person already has a bad reputation, it is difficult to change it because others will continue to blame or suspect him/her;; to get into a very bad state;; alcohol that you drink in order to make you feel better when you have drunk too much alcohol the night before;; to be involved in a situation so that you will gain or lose according to the result;; to avoid mentioning a subject or something that happened in the past, in order to avoid any problems or arguments;; extremely hard;; in a very bad or cruel way;; very determined and refusing to give up;; to have no chance at all;; feeling very ill/sick; vomiting a lot;; used to describe a situation in which the most important aspect is being influenced and controlled by somebody/something that is not as important;; (you cannot) successfully make people change their ideas, methods of work, etc., when they have had them for a long time;; to allow somebody to suffer or be punished in an unfair way, as if they have no value;; if somebody can do a task for you, there is no point in doing it yourself

beast (noun)

an animal, especially one that is large or dangerous, or one that is unusual;; a person who is cruel and whose behaviour is uncontrolled;; an unpleasant person or thing;; a thing of a particular kind

district (noun)

an area of a country or town, especially one that has particular features;; one of the areas which a country, town or state is divided into for purposes of organization, with official boundaries (= borders)

cutting (noun)

an article or a story that you cut from a newspaper or magazine and keep;; a piece cut off a plant that will be used to grow a new plant;; a narrow open passage that is dug through high ground for a road, railway/railroad or canal

rebellion (noun)

an attempt by some of the people in a country to change their government, using violence;; opposition to authority within an organization, a political party, etc.;; opposition to authority; being unwilling to obey rules or accept normal standards of behaviour, dress, etc.

grace (noun)

an attractive quality of movement that is smooth, elegant and controlled;; a quality of behaviour that is polite and pleasant and deserves respect;; ways of behaving that people think are polite and acceptable;; extra time that is given to somebody to enable them to pay a bill, finish a piece of work, etc.;; the kindness that God shows towards the human race;; a short prayer that is usually said before a meal to thank God for the food;; used as a title of respect when talking to or about an archbishop, a duke or a duchess;; a way of behaving that shows that somebody thinks that they are more important, etc. than they really are;; to have somebody's approval and be liked by them;; to lose the trust or respect that people have for you, especially by doing something wrong or immoral;; a situation in which somebody loses the trust or respect that people have for them, especially because of something wrong or immoral that they have done;; to be polite enough to do something, especially when you have done something wrong;; (in the Roman Catholic Church) having been forgiven by God for the wrong or evil things you have done;; used to say that you could easily have been in the same difficult or unpleasant situation that somebody else is in;; in an unwilling and/or rude way;; in a willing and pleasant way;; any particular year after the birth of Christ

precedent (noun)

an official action or decision that has happened in the past and that is seen as an example or a rule to be followed in a similar situation later;; a similar action or event that happened earlier;; the way that things have always been done

part-time (adjective)

for part of the day or week in which people work

projection (noun)

an estimate or a statement of what figures, amounts, or events will be in the future, or what they were in the past, based on what is happening now;; the act of putting an image of something onto a surface; an image that is shown in this way;; a solid shape or object as represented on a flat surface;; something that sticks out from a surface;; the act of making your voice, a sound, etc. audible (= able to be heard) at a distance;; the act of imagining that somebody else is thinking the same as you and is reacting in the same way;; the act of giving a form and structure to inner thoughts and feelings

definition (noun)

an explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase, especially in a dictionary; the act of stating the meanings of words and phrases;; what an idea, etc. means;; the quality of being clear and easy to see

blast (noun)

an explosion or a powerful movement of air caused by an explosion;; a sudden strong movement of air;; a sudden loud noise, especially one made by a musical instrument that you blow, or by a whistle or a car horn;; strong criticism;; a very enjoyable experience that is a lot of fun;; a piece of advertising or information that is sent to a large number of people at the same time by email;; a person or thing from your past that you see, hear, meet, etc. again in the present;; with the greatest possible volume or power

bonus (noun)

an extra amount of money that is added to a payment, especially to somebody's wages or salary as a reward;; anything pleasant that is extra and more or better than you were expecting

proposition (noun)

an idea or a plan of action that is suggested, especially in business;; a thing that you intend to do; a problem or task to be dealt with;; (in the US) a suggested change to the law that people can vote on;; a statement that expresses an opinion;; a statement of a theorem, and an explanation of how it can be proved

drug (noun)

an illegal substance that some people smoke, inject, etc. for the physical and mental effects it has;; a substance used as a medicine or used in a medicine

disease (noun)

an illness affecting humans, animals or plants, often caused by infection;; something that is very wrong with people's attitudes, way of life or with society

reflection (noun)

an image in a mirror, on a shiny surface, on water, etc.;; the action or process of sending back light, heat, sound, etc. from a surface;; a sign that shows the state or nature of something;; careful thought about something, sometimes over a long period of time;; your written or spoken thoughts about a particular subject or topic;; an account or a description of something;; after thinking about something carefully and for a long time

mission (noun)

an important official job that a person or group of people is given to do, especially when they are sent to another country;; a group of people doing such a job; the place where they work;; the work of teaching people about Christianity, especially in a foreign country; a group of people doing such work;; a building or group of buildings used by a Christian mission;; particular work that you feel it is your duty to do;; an important job that is done by a soldier, group of soldiers, etc.;; a flight into space;; a task or journey that is very difficult and takes a long time to complete;; used when you have successfully completed what you have had to do

accomplishment (noun)

an impressive thing that is done or achieved after a lot of work;; a skill or special ability;; the successful completing of something

revival (noun)

an improvement in the condition or strength of something;; the process of something becoming or being made popular or fashionable again;; a new production of a play that has not been performed for some time

brush (noun)

an object made of short stiff hairs (called bristles ) or wires set in a block of wood or plastic, usually attached to a handle. Brushes are used for many different jobs, such as cleaning, painting and tidying your hair.;; an act of brushing;; a light touch made in passing something/somebody;; a short unfriendly meeting with somebody; an occasion when you nearly experience something unpleasant;; land covered by small trees or bushes;; the tail of a fox;; to be thought to have the same faults, etc. as somebody else;; very silly;; to describe something in a general way, ignoring the details

device (noun)

an object or a piece of equipment that has been designed to do a particular job;; a bomb or weapon that will explode;; a method of doing something that produces a particular result or effect;; a plan or trick that is used to get something that somebody wants;; to leave somebody alone to do as they wish, and not tell them what to do

marker (noun)

an object or a sign that shows the position of something;; a sign that something exists or that shows what it is like;; a pen with a thick felt tip;; a person who marks/grades students' work or exam papers;; a player who stays close to a player on the other team in order to stop them getting the ball

breakdown (noun)

an occasion when a vehicle or machine stops working;; a failure of a relationship, discussion or system;; detailed information that you get by studying a set of figures;; the breaking of a substance into the parts of which it is made

sin (noun)

an offence against God or against a religious or moral law;; the act of breaking a religious or moral law;; an action that people strongly disapprove of;; used to say that something that somebody does is like a punishment;; to hide the real situation or facts when these are not good or pleasant;; to live together and have a sexual relationship without being married;; used to emphasize that somebody is very unhappy or ugly

settlement (noun)

an official agreement that ends an argument between two people or groups;; the action of reaching an agreement;; the conditions, or a document stating the conditions, on which money or property is given to somebody;; the action of paying back money that you owe;; a place where people have come to live and make their homes, especially where few or no people lived before;; the process of people making their homes in a place

ruling (noun)

an official decision made by somebody in a position of authority, especially a judge

audit (noun)

an official examination of business and financial records to see that they are true and correct;; an official examination of the quality or standard of something

memo (noun)

an official note from one person to another in the same organization

declaration (noun)

an official or formal statement, especially about the plans of a government or an organization; the act of making such a statement;; a written or spoken statement, especially about what people feel or believe;; an official written statement giving information;; an official announcement of the number of votes each candidate has received in an election;; the act of ending an innings before all your players have batted

sanction (noun)

an official order that limits trade, contact, etc. with a particular country, in order to make it do something, such as obeying international law;; official permission or approval for an action or a change;; a course of action that can be used, if necessary, to make people obey a law or behave in a particular way

document (noun)

an official paper or book that gives information about something, or that can be used as evidence or proof of something;; a computer file that contains text that has a name that identifies it

prescription (noun)

an official piece of paper on which a doctor writes the type of medicine you should have, and which enables you to get it from a chemist's shop/drugstore;; medicine that your doctor has ordered for you;; the act of prescribing medicine;; a plan or a suggestion for making something happen or for improving it

recommendation (noun)

an official suggestion about the best thing to do;; the act of telling somebody that something is good or useful or that somebody would be suitable for a particular job, etc.;; a formal letter or statement that somebody would be suitable for a particular job, etc.

inspection (noun)

an official visit to a school, factory, etc. in order to check that rules are being obeyed and that standards are acceptable;; the act of looking closely at something/somebody, especially to check that everything is as it should be

magistrate (noun)

an official who acts as a judge in the lowest courts of law

assessment (noun)

an opinion or a judgement about somebody/something that has been thought about very carefully;; the act of judging or forming an opinion about somebody/something;; an amount that has been calculated and that must be paid

establishment (noun)

an organization, a large institution or a hotel;; the people in a society or a profession who have influence and power and who usually do not support change;; the act of starting or creating something that is meant to last for a long time

gang (noun)

an organized group of criminals;; a group of young people who spend a lot of time together and often cause trouble or fight against other groups;; a group of friends who meet regularly;; an organized group of workers or prisoners doing work together

expedition (noun)

an organized journey with a particular purpose, especially to find out about a place that is not well known;; the people who go on an expedition;; a short trip that you make when you want or need something

disorder (noun)

an untidy state; a lack of order or organization;; violent behaviour of large groups of people;; an illness that causes a part of the body to stop functioning correctly

plea (noun)

an urgent emotional request;; a statement made by somebody or for somebody who is accused of a crime;; a reason given to a court for doing or not doing something

fierce (adjective)

angry and aggressive in a way that is frightening;; showing strong feelings or a lot of activity, often in a way that is violent;; very strong in a way that could cause damage;; very much; more than usual

contention (noun)

angry disagreement between people;; a belief or an opinion that you express, especially in an argument;; a subject which causes disagreement and arguments between people;; with a chance of winning something;; without a chance of winning something

negotiation (noun)

formal discussion between people who are trying to reach an agreement

bug (noun)

any small insect;; an infectious illness that is usually fairly mild;; an enthusiastic interest in something such as a sport or a hobby;; a small hidden device for listening to other people's conversations;; a fault in a machine, especially in a computer system or program

dirt (noun)

any substance that makes something dirty, for example dust, soil or mud;; loose earth or soil;; unpleasant or harmful information about somebody that could be used to damage their reputation, career, etc.;; to tell people unkind or unpleasant things about somebody, especially about their private life;; to be made to feel small, stupid, etc.;; to treat somebody with no respect at all

nowadays (adverb)

at the present time, in contrast with the past

simultaneously (adverb)

at the same time as something else

presently (adverb)

at the time you are speaking or writing; now;; used to show that something happened after a short time;; used to show that something will happen soon

appealing (adjective)

attractive or interesting;; showing that you want people to help you or to show you pity or sympathy

maths (noun)

mathematics, especially as a subject in school;; the process of calculating using numbers;; to think carefully about something before doing it so that you know all the relevant facts or figures

corporate (adjective)

connected with a corporation;; forming a corporation;; involving or shared by all the members of a group

parliamentary (adjective)

connected with a parliament; having a parliament

psychological (adjective)

connected with a person's mind and the way in which it works;; connected with the study of psychology;; the best time to do something in order for it to be successful

institutional (adjective)

connected with an institution

architectural (adjective)

connected with architecture

ethical (adjective)

connected with beliefs and principles about what is right and wrong;; morally correct or acceptable

communist (adjective)

connected with communism;; governed by or belonging to a Communist party

graphic (adjective)

connected with drawings and design, especially in the production of books, magazines, etc.;; very clear and full of details, especially about something unpleasant

educational (adjective)

connected with education; providing education

electoral (adjective)

connected with elections

evolutionary (adjective)

connected with evolution; connected with gradual development and change

martial (adjective)

connected with fighting or war

grocery (adjective)

connected with food and other goods sold by a grocer or at a supermarket

overseas (adjective)

connected with foreign countries, especially those separated from your country by the sea or ocean

literary (adjective)

connected with literature;; suitable for or typical of a work of literature;; liking literature very much; studying or writing literature

diplomatic (adjective)

connected with managing relations between countries (= diplomacy);; having or showing skill in dealing with people in difficult situations

cognitive (adjective)

connected with mental processes of understanding

provincial (adjective)

connected with one of the large areas that some countries are divided into, with its own local government;; connected with the parts of a country that do not include the capital city;; unwilling to consider new or different ideas or things

colonial (adjective)

connected with or belonging to a country that controls another country;; typical of or connected with the US at the time when it was still a British colony

ethnic (adjective)

connected with or belonging to a nation, race or people that shares a cultural tradition;; typical of a country or culture that is very different from modern Western culture and therefore interesting for people in Western countries

municipal (adjective)

connected with or belonging to a town, city or district that has its own local government

extremist (adjective)

connected with or belonging to extremists

mathematical (adjective)

connected with or involving mathematics

intellectual (adjective)

connected with or using a person's ability to think in a logical way and understand things;; well educated and enjoying activities in which you have to think seriously about things

administrative (adjective)

connected with organizing the work of a business or an institution

civilian (adjective)

connected with people who are not members of the armed forces or the police

philosophical (adjective)

connected with philosophy;; having a calm attitude towards a difficult or disappointing situation

revolutionary (adjective)

connected with political revolution;; involving a great or complete change

socialist (adjective)

connected with socialism;; governed by or belonging to a party that believes in socialism

comparative (adjective)

connected with studying things to find out how similar or different they are;; measured or judged by how similar or different it is to something else;; relating to adjectives or adverbs that express more in amount, degree or quality, for example better, worse, slower and more difficult

medieval (adjective)

connected with the Middle Ages (about AD 1000 to AD 1450)

legislative (adjective)

connected with the act of making and passing laws

organizational (adjective)

connected with the way in which the different parts of something are arranged; connected with an organization;; having or showing the ability to arrange or organize things well

mainstream (adjective)

considered normal because it reflects what is done or accepted by most people;; mainstream education is for children who do not have any special needs or difficulties

dense (adjective)

containing a lot of people, things, plants, etc. with little space between them;; difficult to see through;; stupid;; difficult to understand because it contains a lot of information;; heavy in relation to its size

ongoing (adjective)

continuing to exist or develop

democratic (adjective)

controlled by representatives who are elected by the people of a country; connected with this system;; based on the principle that all members have an equal right to be involved in running an organization, etc.;; based on the principle that all members of society are equal rather than divided by money or social class;; connected with the Democratic Party in the US

copyright (noun)

if a person or an organization holds the copyright on a piece of writing, music, etc., they are the only people who have the legal right to publish, broadcast, perform it, etc., and other people must ask their permission to use it or any part of it

desperate (adjective)

feeling or showing that you have little hope and are ready to do anything without worrying about danger to yourself or others;; giving little hope of success; tried when everything else has failed;; needing or wanting something very much;; extremely serious or dangerous

graphics (noun)

designs, drawings or pictures that are used especially in the production of books, magazines, etc.;; the activity of making these designs, drawings or pictures or the use of these images

corruption (noun)

dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority;; the act or effect of making somebody change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour;; the form of a word or phrase that has become changed from its original form in some way

deliberately (adverb)

done in a way that was planned, not by chance;; slowly and carefully

deliberate (adjective)

done on purpose rather than by accident;; done slowly and carefully

collective (adjective)

done or shared by all members of a group of people; involving a whole group or society;; used to refer to all members of a group

random (adjective)

done, chosen, etc. without somebody deciding in advance what is going to happen, or without any regular pattern;; not known or not identified;; a thing or person that is random is strange and does not make sense, often in a way that amuses or interests you

minute (noun)

each of the 60 parts of an hour, that are equal to 60 seconds;; a very short time;; an exact moment in time;; each of the 60 equal parts of a degree, used in measuring angles;; a summary or record of what is said or decided at a formal meeting;; a short note on a subject, especially one that recommends a course of action;; very soon;; used to ask somebody to wait for a short time;; the latest possible time before an important event;; as soon as...;; certainly not; not at all;; used to say that somebody is very stupid;; immediately; now;; exactly;; fashionable and modern;; having the latest information;; to wait for a short time;; used when you have just noticed or remembered something, or had a sudden idea

fragile (adjective)

easily broken or damaged;; weak and uncertain; easily destroyed or spoilt;; delicate and often beautiful;; not strong and likely to become ill/sick

delicate (adjective)

easily damaged or broken;; not strong and easily becoming ill/sick;; small and having a beautiful shape or appearance;; made or formed in a very careful and detailed way;; showing or needing skilful, careful or sensitive treatment;; light and pleasant; not strong

distinct (adjective)

easily or clearly heard, seen, felt, etc.;; clearly different or of a different kind;; used to emphasize that you think an idea or situation definitely exists and is important

allegedly (adverb)

expressed as though something is a fact but without giving any proof

meantime (noun)

for a short period of time but not permanently;; in the period of time between two times or two events

briefly (adverb)

for a short time;; in few words

exclusively (adverb)

for only one particular person, group or use;; completely; without including anybody or anything else

franchise (noun)

formal permission given by a company to somebody who wants to sell its goods or services in a particular area; formal permission given by a government to somebody who wants to operate a public service as a business;; a business or service run under franchise;; the right to vote in a country's elections;; a set of films in which the same characters appear in related stories

liberty (noun)

freedom to live as you choose without too many restrictions from government or authority;; the state of not being a prisoner or a slave;; the legal right and freedom to do something;; an act or a statement that may offend or annoy somebody, especially because it is done without permission or does not show respect;; no longer in prison or in a cage;; having the right or freedom to do something;; to make important and unreasonable changes to something, especially a book;; to be too friendly with somebody, especially in a sexual way

scary (adjective)

frightening

bright (adjective)

full of light; shining strongly;; strong and easy to see;; cheerful and lively;; intelligent; quick to learn;; giving reason to believe that good things will happen; likely to be successful;; a good or pleasant part of something that is unpleasant or bad in all other ways;; very early in the morning;; intelligent and quick to understand;; the excitement of city life;; a lively and intelligent person, especially somebody young;; to be cheerful or positive about a bad situation, for example by thinking only of the advantages and not the disadvantages

direct (adjective)

happening or done without involving other people, actions, etc. in between;; going in the straightest line between two places without stopping or changing direction;; with nothing between something and the source of the heat or light;; saying exactly what you mean in a way that nobody can pretend not to understand;; exact;; related through parents and children rather than brothers, sisters, aunts, etc.

racial (adjective)

happening or existing between people of different races;; connected with a person's race

intimate (adjective)

having a close and friendly relationship;; private and personal, often in a sexual way;; encouraging close, friendly relationships, sometimes of a sexual nature;; very detailed and thorough;; very close;; having a sexual relationship with somebody

flawed (adjective)

having a flaw; damaged or spoiled

influential (adjective)

having a lot of influence on somebody/something

distinctive (adjective)

having a quality or characteristic that makes something different and easily noticed

delicious (adjective)

having a very pleasant taste or smell;; extremely pleasant or enjoyable

long-time (adjective)

having been the particular thing mentioned for a long time

sceptical (adjective)

having doubts that a claim or statement is true or that something will happen

drunk (adjective)

having drunk so much alcohol that it is impossible to think or speak clearly;; in a great state of excitement because of a particular emotion or situation;; extremely drunk;; very drunk;; extremely drunk and noisy

competent (adjective)

having enough skill or knowledge to do something well or to the necessary standard;; of a good standard but not very good;; having the power to decide something

noble (adjective)

having fine personal qualities that people admire, such as courage, honesty and care for others;; very impressive in size or quality;; belonging to a family of high social rank (= belonging to the nobility)

green (adjective)

having the colour of grass or the leaves of most plants and trees;; covered with grass or other plants;; not yet ready to eat;; concerned with the protection of the environment; supporting the protection of the environment as a political principle;; young and lacking experience;; being a pale colour, as if the person is going to vomit;; said about people who never seem happy with what they have and always think that other people have a better situation than they have;; very jealous

probability (noun)

how likely something is to happen;; a thing that is likely to happen;; a ratio showing the chances that a particular thing will happen;; (considering) the evidence on both sides of an argument, to find the most likely reason for or result of something;; it is very likely that

propaganda (noun)

ideas or statements that may be false or exaggerated and that are used in order to gain support for a political leader, party, etc.

deserve (verb)

if somebody/something deserves something, it is right that they should have it, because of the way they have behaved or because of what they are;; used to say that you admire somebody because they have done something difficult or unpleasant;; used to say that you think somebody has earned the bad things that happen to them;; you should help somebody who has helped you

bounce (verb)

if something bounces or you bounce it, it moves quickly away from a surface it has just hit or you make it do this;; to jump up and down on something;; to move a child up and down while he or she is sitting on your knee in order to entertain him or her;; to move up and down; to move something up and down;; to move up and down in a particular direction;; to move somewhere in a lively and cheerful way;; if a cheque bounces, or a bank bounces it, the bank refuses to accept it because there is not enough money in the bank account to pay it;; to tell somebody your ideas in order to find out what they think about them;; if an email bounces or the system bounces it, it returns to the person who sent it because the system cannot deliver it;; to force somebody to leave a job, team, place, etc.;; to leave a place or group of people;; to be so full of energy or so excited that you cannot keep still

disagree (verb)

if two people disagree or one person disagrees with another about something, they have a different opinion about it;; if statements or reports disagree, they give different information

determined (adjective)

if you are determined to do something, you have made a firm decision to do it and you will not let anyone prevent you;; showing a person's determination to do something;; very determined to do something

incur (verb)

if you incur something unpleasant, you are in a situation in which you have to deal with it;; if you incur costs, you have to pay them

nod (verb)

if you nod, nod your head or your head nods, you move your head up and down to show agreement, understanding, etc.;; to move your head down and up once to say hello to somebody or to give them a sign to do something;; to move your head in the direction of somebody/something to show that you are talking about them/it;; to let your head fall forward when you are sleeping in a chair;; to only know somebody/something slightly

resume (verb)

if you resume an activity, or if it resumes, it begins again or continues after an interruption;; to go back to the seat or place that you had before

literally (adverb)

in a literal way;; used to emphasize the truth of something that may seem surprising;; used to emphasize a word or phrase, even if it is not actually true in a literal sense

seemingly (adverb)

in a way that appears to be true but may in fact not be;; according to what you have read or heard

extensively (adverb)

in a way that covers a large area;; in a way that includes or deals with a wide range of information;; to a large degree; a great amount

critically (adverb)

in a way that expresses disapproval of somebody/something and says what you think is bad about them;; in a way that is extremely important because a future situation will be affected by it;; in a way that is serious, uncertain and possibly dangerous;; in a way that involves making fair, careful judgements about the good and bad qualities of somebody/something;; in a way that is connected with the judgement of critics of art, music, literature, etc.

barely (adverb)

in a way that is just possible but only with difficulty;; in a way that almost does not happen or exist;; just; certainly not more than (a particular amount, age, time, etc.);; only a very short time before

continually (adverb)

in a way that is repeated many times so that it is annoying;; in a way that continues without interruption

ironically (adverb)

in a way that shows that you really mean the opposite of what you are saying; in a way that expresses irony (2);; in a way that is strange or amusing because it is very different from what you expect

desperately (adverb)

in a way that shows you have little hope and are ready to do anything without worrying about danger to yourself or others;; extremely, especially when talking about bad situations;; very much, especially when talking about difficult or bad situations

furthermore (adverb)

in addition to what has just been stated. Furthermore is used especially to add a point to an argument.

nationwide (adverb)

in all parts of a particular country

frankly (adverb)

in an honest and direct way that people might not like;; used to show that you are being honest about something, even though people might not like what you are saying

respectively (adverb)

in the same order as the people or things already mentioned

comprehensive (adjective)

including all, or almost all, the items, details, facts, information, etc., that may be concerned;; designed for students of all abilities in the same school

cooperative (adjective)

involving doing something together or working together with others towards a shared aim;; helpful by doing what you are asked to do;; owned and run by the people involved, with the profits shared by them

large-scale (adjective)

involving many people or things, especially over a wide area;; drawn or made to a scale that shows a small area of land or a building in great detail

fabric (noun)

material made by weaving wool, cotton, silk, etc., used for making clothes, curtains, etc. and for covering furniture;; the basic structure of a society, an organization, etc. that enables it to function successfully;; the basic structure of a building, such as the walls, floor and roof

legacy (noun)

money or property that is given to you by somebody when they die;; a situation that exists now because of events, actions, etc. that took place in the past

bail (noun)

money that somebody agrees to pay if a person accused of a crime does not appear at their trial. When bail has been arranged, the accused person is allowed to go free until the trial.;; either of the two small pieces of wood on top of each set of three wooden posts (called stumps )

ethic (noun)

moral principles that control or influence a person's behaviour;; a system of moral principles or rules of behaviour;; the branch of philosophy that deals with moral principles

dead (adjective)

no longer alive;; no longer believed in or aimed for;; belonging to the past; no longer practised or fashionable;; finished; not able to be used any more;; not working because of a lack of power;; very quiet, without activity or interest;; without activity; with nobody buying or selling anything;; extremely tired; not well;; unable to feel because of cold, etc.;; unable to feel or understand emotions;; showing no emotion;; complete or exact;; never having been alive;; outside the playing area;; to be dead;; to look very like somebody;; completely dead; no longer interesting or valid;; completely dead;; a plan, an event, etc. that has failed or is certain to fail and that is therefore not worth discussing;; an influence that controls or restricts something;; a person or plan that is dead in the water has failed and has little hope of succeeding in the future;; in serious trouble;; (of an accident victim or other patient) already dead when arriving at hospital;; very unlikely to be successful; not working when it is delivered;; fast asleep;; to waste your effort by trying to do something that is no longer possible;; to impress somebody very much;; used to show you are strongly opposed to something;; used to say that you would not like to wear particular clothes, or to be in a particular situation

fake (adjective)

not genuine; appearing to be something it is not;; made to look like something else

seldom (adverb)

not often

arbitrary (adjective)

not seeming to be based on a reason, system or plan and sometimes seeming unfair;; using power without restriction and without considering other people

modest (adjective)

not very large, expensive, important, etc.;; not talking much about your own abilities or possessions;; shy about showing much of the body; not intended to attract attention, especially in a sexual way

dry (adjective)

not wet, damp or sticky; without water or moisture;; with very little rain;; without the natural oils that makes it soft and healthy;; that does not produce any phlegm (= the thick liquid that forms in the nose and throat);; eaten on its own without any butter, jam, etc.;; not sweet;; very clever and expressed in a quiet way that is not obvious; often using irony;; not showing emotion;; not interesting;; without alcohol; where it is illegal to buy, sell or drink alcohol;; thirsty; that makes you thirsty;; to have done something successfully, especially when it was difficult;; to take away all somebody's money;; in a position out of the water;; in a difficult situation, without help or money;; to remain ready for a possible emergency;; to get from somebody/something all the money, help, information, etc. they have, usually giving nothing in return;; used to say that everyone was very emotional about something;; to stop supplying water; to be all used so that none is left;; to get as much money, information, etc. out of somebody as you can

good (adjective)

of high quality or an acceptable standard;; pleasant; that you enjoy or want;; sensible, logical or strongly supporting what is being discussed;; showing or getting approval or respect;; able to do something well;; able to use something or deal with people well;; morally right; behaving in a way that is morally right;; following strictly a set of rules or principles;; willing to help; showing kindness to other people;; behaving well or politely;; healthy or strong;; having a useful or helpful effect on somebody/something;; not having a useful or helpful effect;; suitable or appropriate;; used to show that you approve of or are pleased about something that has been said or done, or to show that you want to move on to a new topic of conversation;; used as a form of praise;; used in exclamations;; great in number, amount or degree;; not less than; rather more than;; thorough; complete;; amusing;; having enough energy, health, strength, etc. to last for a particular length of time or distance;; valid for something;; likely to provide something;; very nearly;; used when you are saying that a situation is not going to get any better;; (of a thing) to be prepared and ready for use; (of a person) to be prepared and ready to do something;; completely;; several;; used to praise somebody for doing something well

mechanical (adjective)

operated by power from an engine;; connected with machines and engines;; done without thinking, like a machine;; connected with the physical laws of movement and cause and effect (= with mechanics);; good at understanding how machines work

regardless (adverb)

paying no attention, even if the situation is bad or there are difficulties

folk (noun)

people in general;; a friendly way of addressing more than one person;; the members of your family, especially your parents;; people from a particular country or region, or who have a particular way of life;; music in the traditional style of a country or community

humanity (noun)

people in general;; the state of being a person rather than a god, an animal or a machine;; the quality of being kind to people and animals by making sure that they do not suffer more than is necessary; the quality of being humane;; the subjects of study that are concerned with the way people think and behave, for example literature, language, history and philosophy

consent (noun)

permission to do something, especially given by somebody in authority;; agreement about something;; an official document giving permission for something

artwork (noun)

photographs and pictures prepared for books, magazines, etc.;; a work of art, especially one in a museum

appreciation (noun)

pleasure that you have when you recognize and enjoy the good qualities of somebody/something;; a full or sympathetic understanding of something, such as a situation or a problem, and of what it involves;; the feeling of being grateful for something;; increase in value over a period of time;; a piece of writing or a speech in which the strengths and weaknesses of somebody/something, especially an artist or a work of art, are discussed and judged

cute (adjective)

pretty and attractive;; sexually attractive;; clever, sometimes in an annoying way because a person is trying to get an advantage for himself or herself

defensive (adjective)

protecting somebody/something against attack;; behaving in a way that shows that you feel that people are criticizing you;; connected with trying to prevent the other team or player from scoring points or goals

asylum (noun)

protection that a government gives to people who have left their own country, usually because they were in danger for political reasons;; a hospital where people who were mentally ill could be cared for, often for a long time

controversy (noun)

public discussion and argument about something that many people strongly disagree about, disapprove of, or are shocked by

readily (adverb)

quickly and without difficulty;; in a way that shows you do not object to something

high-profile (adjective)

receiving or involving a lot of attention and discussion on television, in newspapers, etc.

rejection (noun)

refusal to accept or consider something;; refusal to accept somebody for a job, position, etc.;; the decision not to use, sell, publish, etc. something because its quality is not good enough;; the failure of somebody's body to accept a new organ after a transplant (1) operation;; failure to give a person or an animal enough care or affection

generic (adjective)

shared by, including or typical of a whole group of things; not specific;; not using the name of the company that made it

refuge (noun)

shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc.;; a place, person or thing that provides shelter or protection for somebody/something;; a building that provides a temporary home for people in need of shelter or protection from somebody/something

shipping (noun)

ships in general or considered as a group;; the activity of carrying people or goods from one place to another by ship

intent (adjective)

showing strong interest and attention;; determined to do something, especially something that will harm other people;; giving all your attention to something

ironic (adjective)

showing that you really mean the opposite of what you are saying; expressing irony;; strange or amusing because it is very different from what you expect

genius (adjective)

showing unusually great intelligence, skill or artistic ability

humble (adjective)

showing you do not think that you are as important as other people;; used to suggest that you are not as important as other people, but in a way that is not sincere or not very serious;; having a low rank or social position;; not large or special in any way

litter (noun)

small pieces of rubbish/garbage such as paper, cans and bottles, that people have left lying in a public place;; a number of things that are lying in an untidy way;; a dry substance that is put in a shallow open box for pets, especially cats, to use as a toilet when they are indoors;; a number of baby animals that one mother gives birth to at the same time;; the substance, especially straw, that is used for farm animals to sleep on;; a kind of chair or bed that was used in the past for carrying important people

incentive (noun)

something that encourages you to do something;; a payment or concession (= a reduction in the amount of money that has to be paid) that encourages somebody to do something

bond (noun)

something that forms a connection between people or groups, such as a feeling of friendship or shared ideas and experiences;; an agreement by a government or a company to pay you interest on the money you have lent; a document containing this agreement;; a sum of money that is paid as bail;; a legal agreement by which a bank lends you money to buy a house, etc. which you pay back over many years; the sum of money that is lent;; the ropes or chains keeping somebody prisoner; anything that stops you from being free to do what you want;; a legal written agreement or promise;; the way in which two things are joined together;; the way in which atoms are held together in a chemical compound;; somebody's promise can be relied on completely

reminder (noun)

something that makes you think about or remember somebody/something, that you have forgotten or would like to forget;; a letter or note informing somebody that they have not done something

concession (noun)

something that you allow or do, or allow somebody to have, in order to end an argument or to make a situation less difficult;; the act of giving something or allowing something; the act of conceding;; a reduction in an amount of money that has to be paid; a ticket that is sold at a reduced price to a particular group of people;; a right or an advantage that is given to a group of people, an organization, etc., especially by a government or an employer;; the right to sell something in a particular place; the place where you sell it, sometimes an area which is part of a larger building or store

hint (noun)

something that you say or do in an indirect way in order to show somebody what you are thinking;; something that suggests what will happen in the future;; a small amount of something;; a small piece of practical information or advice;; to understand what somebody wants you to do even though they tell you in an indirect way

compensation (noun)

something, especially money, that somebody gives you because they have hurt you, or damaged something that you own; the act of giving this to somebody;; money that an employee receives for doing their job;; things that make a bad situation better

landmark (noun)

something, such as a large building, that you can see clearly from a distance and that will help you to know where you are;; an event, a discovery, an invention, etc. that marks an important stage in something;; a building or a place that is very important because of its history, and that should be preserved

rhetoric (noun)

speech or writing that is intended to influence people, but that is not completely honest or sincere;; the skill of using language in speech or writing in a special way that influences or entertains people

oral (adjective)

spoken rather than written;; connected with the mouth;; produced without the air in the nose vibrating

scattered (adjective)

spread far apart over a wide area or over a long period of time

interactive (adjective)

that involves people working together and having an influence on each other;; that allows information to be passed continuously and in both directions between a computer and the person who uses it

inherent (adjective)

that is a basic or permanent part of somebody/something and that cannot be removed

moderate (adjective)

that is neither very good, large, hot, etc. nor very bad, small, cold, etc.;; having or showing opinions, especially about politics, that are not extreme;; staying within limits that are considered to be reasonable by most people

downstairs (adjective)

that is on a floor of a house or building lower than the one you are on, especially the one at ground level

profitable (adjective)

that makes or is likely to make money;; that gives somebody an advantage or a useful result

convincing (adjective)

that makes somebody believe that something is true

compelling (adjective)

that makes you pay attention to it because it is so interesting and exciting;; so strong that you must do something about it;; that makes you think it is true

compulsory (adjective)

that must be done because of a law or a rule

long-term (adjective)

that will last or have an effect over a long period of time;; that is not likely to change or be solved quickly

desirable (adjective)

that you would like to have or do; worth having or doing;; causing other people to feel sexual desire

flexibility (noun)

the ability to change to suit new conditions or situations;; the ability to bend easily without breaking

competence (noun)

the ability to do something well;; the power that a court, an organization or a person has to deal with something;; a skill that you need in a particular job or for a particular task

momentum (noun)

the ability to keep increasing or developing;; a force that is gained by movement;; the quantity of movement of a moving object, measured as its mass multiplied by its speed

sensitivity (noun)

the ability to understand other people's feelings;; the ability to understand art, music and literature and to express yourself through them;; a tendency to be easily offended or upset by something;; the fact of needing to be treated very carefully because it may offend or upset people;; the quality of reacting quickly or more than usual to something;; the ability to measure very small changes

interaction (noun)

the act of communicating with somebody, especially while you work, play or spend time with them;; if one thing has an interaction with another, or if there is an interaction between two things, the two things have an effect on each other

destruction (noun)

the act of destroying something; the process of being destroyed

diagnosis (noun)

the act of discovering or identifying the exact cause of an illness or a problem

consultation (noun)

the act of discussing something with somebody or with a group of people before making a decision about it;; a formal meeting to discuss something;; a meeting with an expert, especially a doctor, to get advice or treatment;; the act of looking for information in a book, etc.

conviction (noun)

the act of finding somebody guilty of a crime in court; the fact of having been found guilty;; a strong opinion or belief;; the feeling or appearance of believing something strongly and of being sure about it;; to be/not be brave enough to do what you feel to be right

installation (noun)

the act of fixing equipment or furniture in position so that it can be used;; a piece of equipment or machinery that has been fixed in position so that it can be used;; a place where specialist equipment is kept and used;; the act of placing somebody in a new position of authority, often with a ceremony;; a piece of modern sculpture that is made using sound, light, etc. as well as objects

disposal (noun)

the act of getting rid of something;; the sale of part of a business, property, etc.;; available for use as you prefer/somebody prefers

feeding (noun)

the act of giving food to a person, an animal or a plant

resignation (noun)

the act of giving up your job or position; the occasion when you do this;; a letter, for example to your employers, to say that you are giving up your job or position;; patient willingness to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation that you cannot change

interference (noun)

the act of interfering;; interruption of a radio signal by another signal on a similar wavelength, causing extra noise that is not wanted;; to clear the way for the player with the ball by blocking players from the opposing team;; to help somebody by dealing with problems for them so that they do not need to deal with them

maintenance (noun)

the act of keeping something in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly;; the act of making a state or situation continue;; money that somebody must pay regularly to their former wife, husband or partner, especially when they have had children together

preservation (noun)

the act of keeping something in its original state or in good condition;; the act of making sure that something is kept;; the degree to which something has not been changed or damaged by age, weather, etc.

execution (noun)

the act of killing somebody, especially as a legal punishment;; the act of doing a piece of work, performing a duty, or putting a plan into action;; skill in performing or making something, such as a piece of music or work of art;; the act of following the instructions in a legal document, especially those in somebody's will;; a delay in following the order of a court

departure (noun)

the act of leaving a place; an example of this;; a plane, train, etc. leaving a place at a particular time;; an action that is different from what is usual or expected;; a place where a journey starts;; an idea, a theory or an event that is used to start a discussion, an activity, etc.

pursuit (noun)

the act of looking for or trying to find something;; the act of following or chasing somebody;; something that you give your time and energy to, that you do as a hobby

registration (noun)

the act of making an official record of something/somebody;; a document showing that an official record has been made of something;; the time when a teacher looks at the list of students on the class register and checks that the students are present

enforcement (noun)

the act of making people obey a particular law or rule

disclosure (noun)

the act of making something known or public that was previously secret or private;; information or a fact that is made known or public that was previously secret or private

implementation (noun)

the act of making something that has been officially decided start to happen or be used

deployment (noun)

the act of moving soldiers or weapons into a position where they are ready for military action;; the act of using something effectively

representation (noun)

the act of presenting somebody/something in a particular way; something that shows or describes something;; the fact of having representatives who will speak or vote for you or on your behalf;; formal statements made to somebody in authority, especially in order to make your opinions known or to protest

exclusion (noun)

the act of preventing somebody/something from entering a place or taking part in something;; a person or thing that is not included in something;; the act of deciding that something is not possible;; a situation in which a child is banned from attending school because of bad behaviour

defence (noun)

the act of protecting somebody/something from attack, criticism, etc.;; something that provides protection against attack from enemies, the weather, illness, etc.;; the organization of the people and systems that are used by a government to protect a country from attack;; something that is said or written in order to support something;; what is said in court to prove that a person did not commit a crime; the act of presenting this argument in court;; the lawyer or lawyers whose job is to prove in court that a person did not commit a crime;; the players who must prevent the other team from scoring; the position of these players on the sports field;; a contest, game, etc. in which the previous winner or winners compete in order to try to win again

replacement (noun)

the act of replacing one thing with another, especially something that is newer or better;; a thing that replaces something, especially because the first thing is old, broken, etc.;; a person who replaces another person in an organization, especially in their job

provision (noun)

the act of supplying somebody with something that they need or want; something that is supplied;; preparations that you make for something that might or will happen in the future;; supplies of food and drink, especially for a long journey;; a condition or an arrangement in a legal document

delivery (noun)

the act of taking goods, letters, etc. to the people they have been sent to;; the process of giving birth to a baby;; the way in which somebody speaks, sings a song, etc. in public;; a ball that is thrown, especially in cricket or baseball;; a system of paying for goods when they are delivered

exploration (noun)

the act of travelling through a place in order to find out about it or look for something in it;; an examination of something in order to find out about it

consumption (noun)

the act of using energy, food or materials; the amount used;; the act of buying and using products;; a serious infectious disease of the lungs

collaboration (noun)

the act of working with another person or group of people to create or produce something;; a piece of work produced by two or more people or groups of people working together;; the act of helping the enemy during a war when they have taken control of your country

conversion (noun)

the act or process of changing something from one form, use or system to another;; the process or experience of changing your religion or beliefs;; a way of scoring extra points after scoring a try or a touchdown;; a building or room that has been changed so that it can be used for a different purpose, especially for living in

modification (noun)

the act or process of changing something in order to improve it or make it more acceptable; a change that is made

integration (noun)

the act or process of combining two or more things so that they work together;; the act or process of mixing people who have previously been separated, usually because of colour, race, religion, etc.

recruitment (noun)

the act or process of finding new people to join a company, an organization, the armed forces, etc.

completion (noun)

the act or process of finishing something; the state of being finished and complete;; the formal act of completing the sale of property, for example the sale of a house

liberation (noun)

the act or process of freeing a country or a person from the control of somebody else;; the act or process of freeing somebody from something that restricts their control over or enjoyment of their own life

business (noun)

the activity of making, buying, selling or supplying goods or services for money;; work that is part of your job;; the amount of work done by a company, etc.; the rate or quality of this work;; a commercial organization such as a company, shop/store or factory;; something that concerns a particular person or organization;; important matters that need to be dealt with or discussed;; a matter, an event or a situation;; the fact of a person or people buying goods or services at a shop/store or business;; the things that are discussed at the end of an official meeting that do not appear on the agenda;; to be very good;; to have everything that you need in order to be able to start something immediately;; a way of saying that things will continue as normal despite a difficult situation;; a way of saying that financial and commercial matters are the important things to consider and you should not be influenced by friendship, etc.;; to start dealing with the matter that needs to be dealt with, or doing the work that needs to be done;; to do the things that you normally do;; to have no right to do something;; very much, very fast, very well, etc.;; to be serious in your intentions;; to think about your own affairs and not ask questions about or try to get involved in other people's lives;; not to be intending to do something (which it would be surprising for you to do);; having stopped operating as a business because there is no more money or work available;; to look for customers, passengers, etc. in order to do business

breath (noun)

the air that you take into your lungs and send out again;; an amount of air that enters the lungs at one time;; a small amount of something; slight evidence of something;; a slight movement of air;; clean air breathed in after being indoors or in a dirty atmosphere;; a person, thing or place that is new and different and therefore interesting and exciting;; an essential part of a person's existence;; to stop breathing for a moment because of fear, shock, etc.;; to breathe normally again after running or doing some tiring exercise;; to stop doing something and rest;; to live; to be alive;; to breathe normally again after running or doing some tiring exercise;; the last moment of a person's life;; to stop breathing for a short time;; to be anxious while you are waiting for something that you are worried about;; people say don't hold your breath! to emphasize that something will take a long time or may not happen;; immediately after saying something that suggests the opposite intention or meaning;; having difficulty breathing after exercise;; used to tell somebody that it is not worth wasting time and effort saying something because it will not change anything;; to say something quietly so that people cannot hear;; to be very surprising or beautiful;; to say something that nobody takes any notice of;; feeling very anxious or excited

rental (noun)

the amount of money that you pay to use something for a particular period of time;; the act of renting something or an arrangement to rent something;; a house, car, or piece of equipment that you can rent

custody (noun)

the legal right or duty to take care of or keep somebody/something; the act of taking care of something/somebody;; the state of being in prison, especially while waiting for trial

distance (noun)

the amount of space between two places or things;; being far away in space or in time;; a point that is a particular amount of space away from something else;; a difference or lack of a connection between two things;; a situation in which there is a lack of friendly feelings or of a close relationship between two people or groups of people;; from a place or time that is not near; from far away;; to continue playing in a competition or sports contest until the end;; far away but still able to be seen or heard;; to refuse to be friendly with somebody; to not let somebody be friendly towards you;; to make sure you are not too near somebody/something;; to avoid getting too friendly or involved with a person, group, etc.;; very close;; very close;; near enough to be reached or attacked easily; near enough to reach or attack something easily

irony (noun)

the amusing or strange aspect of a situation that is very different from what you expect; a situation like this;; the use of words that say the opposite of what you really mean, often as a joke and with a tone of voice that shows this

landing (noun)

the area at the top of a set of stairs where you arrive before you go into an upstairs room or move onto another set of stairs;; an act of bringing an aircraft or a spacecraft down to the ground after a journey;; an act of bringing soldiers to land in an area that is controlled by the enemy;; a flat wooden platform on the water where boats let people get on and off, and load and unload goods

god (noun)

the being or spirit that is worshipped and is believed to have created the universe;; (in some religions) a being or spirit who is believed to have power over a particular part of nature or who is believed to represent a particular quality;; a person who is loved or admired very much by other people;; something to which too much importance or attention is given;; the seats that are high up at the back of a theatre;; an event caused by natural forces beyond human control, such as a storm, a flood or an earthquake;; used to emphasize a feeling of determination or surprise;; used when you are expressing anger and the fact that you are impatient;; used to emphasize what you are saying when you are surprised, shocked or annoyed;; used when you are leaving somebody, to say that you hope they will be safe, etc.;; used to emphasize that you do not know something;; used to emphasize the truth of what you are saying;; used to say that you hope that something will not happen;; used to say that you are afraid somebody will be in danger or that something bad will happen to them;; used to show respect when you are talking about somebody who is dead;; a person who thinks that they are particularly good at something or who thinks that somebody will find them particularly attractive;; used to say that you hope that things will happen as you have planned and that there will be no problems;; used to emphasize that what you are saying is true;; used especially in questions to show that you are angry, surprised or shocked;; if the result of something is in the lap of the gods, you do not know what will happen because it depends on luck or things you cannot control;; a religious man, especially a priest or a clergyman;; to behave as if you control events or other people's lives;; used to say that you very much hope or wish that something will happen;; to make somebody very frightened, especially in order to make them do something;; used to swear that what you are saying is true, especially in a court of law;; used to say that you are pleased about something;; used to say that you could easily have been in the same difficult or unpleasant situation that somebody else is in;; used after a verb to emphasize a particular hope, wish, etc.;; used to show surprise, lack of belief, etc.

assault (noun)

the crime of attacking somebody physically;; the act of attacking a building, an area, etc. in order to take control of it;; the act of trying to achieve something that is difficult or dangerous;; an act of criticizing somebody/something severely

fraud (noun)

the crime of cheating somebody in order to get money or goods illegally;; a person who pretends to have qualities, abilities, etc. that they do not really have in order to cheat other people;; something that is not as good, useful, etc. as people claim it is

robbery (noun)

the crime of stealing money or goods from a bank, shop/store, person, etc., especially using violence or threats;; the fact of somebody charging too much money for something

composition (noun)

the different parts which something is made of; the way in which the different parts are organized;; a piece of music or art, or a poem;; the act of composing something;; the art of writing music;; a short text that is written as a school exercise; a short essay;; the arrangement of people or objects in a painting or photograph

depth (noun)

the distance from the top or surface to the bottom of something;; the distance from the front to the back of something;; the strength and power of feelings;; the quality of knowing or understanding a lot of details about something; the ability to provide and explain these details;; the deepest, most extreme or serious part of something;; the strength of a colour;; the quality in a work of art or a photograph which makes it appear not to be flat;; to be in water that is too deep to stand in with your head above water;; to be unable to understand something because it is too difficult; to be in a situation that you cannot control;; in a detailed and thorough way;; to be or to experience an extreme example of something unpleasant

margin (noun)

the empty space at the side of a written or printed page;; the amount of time, or number of votes, etc. by which somebody wins something;; an extra amount of something such as time, space, money, etc. that you include in order to make sure that something is successful;; the extreme edge or limit of a place;; the part that is not included in the main part of a group or situation;; an amount that is added to a basic wage, paid for special skill or responsibility

luxury (noun)

the enjoyment of special and expensive things, particularly food and drink, clothes and surroundings;; a thing that is expensive and enjoyable but not essential;; a pleasure or an advantage that you do not often have;; in easy, comfortable conditions, and enjoying the advantages of being rich

prevalence (noun)

the fact of existing or being very common at a particular time or in a particular place

sacrifice (noun)

the fact of giving up something important or valuable to you in order to get or do something that seems more important; something that you give up in this way;; the act of offering something to a god, especially an animal that has been killed in a special way; an animal, etc. that is offered in this way

inclusion (noun)

the fact of including somebody/something; the fact of being included;; a person or thing that is included

effectiveness (noun)

the fact of producing the result that is wanted or intended; the fact of producing a successful result

death (noun)

the fact of somebody dying or being killed;; the end of life; the state of being dead;; the permanent end or destruction of something;; the power that destroys life, imagined as human in form;; so ill/sick that you may die;; to worry or upset somebody very much;; to catch a very bad cold;; to survive in a situation where you could have died;; to risk your life by doing something that you know is dangerous;; to fail completely;; to do or perform something so often that people become tired of seeing or hearing it;; a terrible thing that could happen;; to fight until one of the two people or groups is dead, or until one person or group defeats the other;; to use an idea, a story, etc. so often that it is no longer interesting;; to frighten somebody very much;; to hold somebody/something very tightly because you are afraid;; an event that seems good, but is certain to make something else fail;; the possibility or belief that people continue to exist in some form after they die;; to look or feel very ill/sick or tired;; used to describe a situation that is very important or serious;; to kill somebody as a punishment;; extremely; very much;; until somebody is dead

globalization (noun)

the fact that different cultures and economic systems around the world are becoming connected and similar to each other because of the influence of large multinational companies and of improved communication

necessity (noun)

the fact that something must happen or be done; the need for something;; a thing that you must have and cannot manage without;; a situation that must happen and that cannot be avoided;; to manage to gain an advantage from something that you have to do and cannot avoid;; a difficult new problem forces people to think of a solution to it

sexuality (noun)

the feelings and activities connected with a person's sexual desires

debut (noun)

the first public appearance of a performer or sports player

diet (noun)

the food that you eat and drink regularly;; a limited variety or amount of food that you eat for medical reasons or because you want to lose weight; a time when you only eat this limited variety or amount;; a large amount of a restricted range of activities

gravity (noun)

the force that attracts objects in space towards each other, and that on the earth pulls them towards the centre of the planet, so that things fall to the ground when they are dropped;; extreme importance and a cause for worry;; serious behaviour, speech or appearance

autonomy (noun)

the freedom for a country, a region or an organization to govern itself independently;; the ability to act and make decisions without being controlled by anyone else

discretion (noun)

the freedom or power to decide what should be done in a particular situation;; care in what you say or do, in order to keep something secret or to avoid causing embarrassment to or difficulty for somebody; the quality of being discreet;; according to what somebody decides or wishes to do;; you should avoid danger and not take unnecessary risks

design (noun)

the general arrangement of the different parts of something that is made, such as a building, book, machine, etc.;; the art or process of deciding how something will look, work, etc. by drawing plans, making models, etc.;; a drawing or plan from which something may be made;; an arrangement of lines and shapes as a decoration;; a plan or an intention;; to want to start a sexual relationship with somebody;; to be planning to get something for yourself, often in a way that other people do not approve of

format (noun)

the general arrangement, plan, design, etc. of something;; the shape and size of a book, magazine, etc.;; the way in which data is stored or held to be worked on by a computer

direction (noun)

the general position a person or thing moves or points towards;; the general way in which a person or thing develops;; the general position a person or thing comes or develops from;; a purpose; an aim;; instructions about how to do something, where to go, etc.;; the art of managing or guiding somebody/something;; the instructions given by somebody directing a film/movie;; to have different aims that cannot be achieved together without causing problems

cargo (noun)

the goods carried in a ship or plane

evolution (noun)

the gradual development of plants, animals, etc. over many years as they adapt to changes in their environment;; the gradual development of something

development (noun)

the gradual growth of something so that it becomes more advanced, stronger, etc.;; the process of producing or creating something new or more advanced; a new or advanced product;; a new event or stage that is likely to affect what happens in a continuing situation;; a piece of land with new buildings on it;; the process of using an area of land, especially to make a profit by building on it, etc.

magnitude (noun)

the great size or importance of something; the degree to which something is large or important;; the degree to which a star is bright;; the size of an earthquake

ash (noun)

the grey or black powder that is left after something, especially tobacco, wood or coal, has burnt;; what is left after something has been destroyed by burning;; the powder that is left after a dead person's body has been cremated (= burned);; a forest tree with grey bark;; the hard pale wood of the ash tree;; the letter æ, used in Old English, and as a phonetic symbol to represent the vowel sound in cat;; to behave in a way that shows that you are sorry for something that you have done

dedication (noun)

the hard work and effort that somebody puts into an activity or a purpose because they think it is important;; a ceremony that is held to show that a building or an object has a special purpose or is special to the memory of a particular person;; the words that are used at the beginning of a book, piece of music, a performance, etc. to offer it to somebody as a sign of thanks or respect

heritage (noun)

the history, traditions and qualities that a country or society has had for many years and that are considered an important part of its character;; used to describe a traditional product, brand, breed of animal or plant variety, especially one that is old-fashioned, rare and of high quality

significance (noun)

the importance of something, especially when this has an effect on what happens in the future;; the meaning of something

palm (noun)

the inner surface of the hand between the wrist and the fingers;; a straight tree with a mass of long leaves at the top, growing in tropical countries. There are several types of palm tree, some of which produce fruit.;; to give somebody money so that they will do you a favour, especially tell your fortune;; to give somebody money in order to persuade them to do something dishonest;; to have complete control or influence over somebody

massacre (noun)

the killing of a large number of people especially in a cruel way;; a very big defeat in a game or competition

shore (noun)

the land along the edge of the sea or ocean, a lake or another large area of water;; a country, especially one with a coast

earnings (noun)

the money that you earn for the work that you do;; the profit that a company makes

fare (noun)

the money that you pay to travel by bus, plane, taxi, etc.;; a passenger in a taxi;; food that is offered as a meal

proceeds (noun)

the money that you receive when you sell something or organize a performance, etc.; profits

devil (noun)

the most powerful evil being;; an evil spirit;; a person who behaves badly, especially a child;; used to talk about somebody and to emphasize an opinion that you have of them;; people say Be a devil!to encourage somebody to do something that they are not sure about doing;; used to say that it is easier and wiser to stay in a bad situation that you know and can deal with rather than change to a new situation which may be much worse;; in a difficult situation where there are two equally unpleasant or unacceptable choices;; very difficult or unpleasant;; a lot of trouble;; bad people often seem to have good luck;; people who do not have enough to do often start to do wrong;; a very difficult or unpleasant job or time;; used, in an unfriendly way, to tell somebody to go away;; very hard, fast, etc.;; to do anything, even something bad or dishonest, in return for money, success or power;; people say speak/talk of the devil when somebody they have been talking about appears unexpectedly;; used in questions to show that you are annoyed or surprised

circulation (noun)

the movement of blood around the body;; the passing or spreading of something from one person or place to another;; the fact that somebody takes part in social activities at a particular time;; the usual number of copies of a newspaper or magazine that are sold each day, week, etc.;; the movement of something (for example air, water, gas, etc.) around an area or inside a system or machine

migration (noun)

the movement of large numbers of people, birds or animals from one place to another;; the act of moving programs, etc. from one computer system to another; the fact of changing from one computer system to another

genocide (noun)

the murder of a whole race or group of people

assassination (noun)

the murder of an important or famous person, especially for political reasons

percentage (noun)

the number, amount, rate of something, expressed as if it is part of a total which is 100; a part or share of a whole;; a share of the profits of something

receiver (noun)

the part of a telephone that you hold close to your mouth and ear;; a piece of radio or television equipment that changes broadcast signals into sound or pictures;; a person who is chosen by a court to be in charge of a company that is bankrupt;; a person who receives something;; a person who buys or accepts stolen goods, knowing that they have been stolen;; a player who plays in a position in which the ball can be caught when it is being passed forward

conscience (noun)

the part of your mind that tells you whether your actions are right or wrong;; a guilty feeling about something you have done or failed to do;; the fact of behaving in a way that you feel is right even though this may cause problems;; believing your actions to be fair;; making you feel guilty for doing or failing to do something;; to make you feel guilty about something; to feel guilty about something

framework (noun)

the parts of a building or an object that support its weight and give it shape;; a set of beliefs, ideas or rules that is used as the basis for making judgements, decisions, etc.;; the structure of a particular system

line-up (noun)

the people who are going to take part in a particular event;; a set of items, events etc. arranged to follow one another;; a row of people, including one person who is suspected of a crime, who are shown to a witness to see if he or she can recognize the criminal

personnel (noun)

the people who work for an organization or one of the armed forces;; the department in a company that deals with employing and training people

reign (noun)

the period during which a king, queen, emperor, etc. rules;; the period during which somebody is in charge of an organization, a team, etc.

childhood (noun)

the period of somebody's life when they are a child;; a time in the life of an adult person when they behave like a child again

discipline (noun)

the practice of training people to obey rules and orders and punishing them if they do not; the controlled behaviour or situation that results from this training;; a method of training your mind or body or of controlling your behaviour; an area of activity where this is necessary;; the ability to control your behaviour or the way you live, work, etc.;; an area of knowledge; a subject that people study or are taught, especially in a university

discrimination (noun)

the practice of treating somebody or a particular group in society less fairly than others;; the ability to judge what is good, true, etc.;; the ability to recognize a difference between one thing and another; a difference that is recognized

reporting (noun)

the presenting of and writing about news on television and radio, and in newspapers

nutrition (noun)

the process by which living things receive the food necessary for them to grow and be healthy

realization (noun)

the process of becoming aware of something;; the process of achieving a particular aim, etc.;; the act of selling something that you own, such as property, in order to get the money that you need for something;; the act of producing a sound, play, design, etc.; or the thing that is produced

recovery (noun)

the process of becoming well again after an illness or injury;; the process of improving or becoming stronger again;; the action or process of getting something back that has been lost or stolen;; the room in a hospital where patients are kept immediately after an operation

reconstruction (noun)

the process of changing or improving the condition of something or the way it works; the process of putting something back into the state it was in before;; the activity of building again something that has been damaged or destroyed;; a copy of something that no longer exists;; a short film showing events that are known to have happened, made in order to try and get more information or better understanding, especially about a crime;; (in the US) the period after the Civil War when the southern states returned to the US and laws were passed that gave rights to African Americans;; During Reconstruction US political and military forces controlled and punished the southern states. Laws were passed making slavery illegal and giving African Americans the right to vote and hold public office. White Southerners were upset by many Reconstruction practices, such as unusual elections that put former slaves in state governments. This was one cause of the growth of the Ku Klux Klan.

immigration (noun)

the process of coming to live permanently in a country that is not your own; the number of people who do this;; the place at a port, an airport, etc. where the passports and other documents of people coming into a country are checked

discussion (noun)

the process of discussing somebody/something; a conversation about somebody/something;; a speech or a piece of writing that discusses many different aspects of a subject

conception (noun)

the process of forming an idea or a plan;; an understanding or a belief of what something is or what something should be;; the process of an egg being fertilized inside a woman's body so that she becomes pregnant

mining (noun)

the process of getting coal and other minerals from under the ground; the industry involved in this

identification (noun)

the process of showing, proving or recognizing who or what somebody/something is;; the process of recognizing that something exists, or is important;; official papers or a document that can prove who you are;; a strong feeling of sympathy, understanding or support for somebody/something;; the process of making a close connection between one person or thing and another

proceeding (noun)

the process of using a court to settle a disagreement or to deal with a complaint;; an event or a series of actions;; the official written report of a meeting, etc.

programming (noun)

the process of writing and testing programs for computers;; the planning of which television or radio programmes to broadcast

division (noun)

the process or result of dividing into separate parts; the process or result of dividing something or sharing it out;; the process of dividing one number by another;; a disagreement or difference in opinion, way of life, etc., especially between members of a society or an organization;; a large and important unit or section of an organization;; (in Britain) one of the group of teams that a sport competition is divided into, especially in football (soccer );; a unit of an army, consisting of several brigades or regiments;; a line that divides something;; the separation of members of the British parliament into groups to vote for or against something

clarity (noun)

the quality of being expressed clearly;; the ability to think about or understand something clearly;; if a picture, substance or sound has clarity, you can see or hear it very clearly, or see through it easily

excellence (noun)

the quality of being extremely good

loyalty (noun)

the quality of being faithful in your support of somebody/something;; a strong feeling that you want to be loyal to somebody/something

dynamic (noun)

the way in which people or things behave and react to each other in a particular situation;; the science of the forces involved in movement;; a force that produces change, action or effects;; changes in volume in music

merit (noun)

the quality of being good and of deserving praise, reward or admiration;; a good feature that deserves praise, reward or admiration;; a mark/grade in an exam or for a piece of work at school or university which is excellent;; a mark/grade given as a reward for good behaviour at school

goodness (noun)

the quality of being good;; the part of something that has a useful effect on somebody/something, especially somebody's health;; used to emphasize that you do not know something;; used to emphasize the truth of what you are saying;; used to express surprise;; used to emphasize that what you are saying is true;; from feelings of kindness, without thinking about what advantage there will be for you;; used to say that you are pleased about something;; used after a verb to emphasize a particular hope, wish, etc.

integrity (noun)

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles;; the state of being whole and not divided

honesty (noun)

the quality of being honest;; used to state a fact or an opinion which, though true, may seem disappointing

convenience (noun)

the quality of being useful, easy or suitable for somebody;; something that is useful and can make things easier or quicker to do, or more comfortable;; at a time or a place which is suitable for somebody;; as soon as possible

motivation (noun)

the reason why somebody does something or behaves in a particular way;; the feeling of wanting to do something, especially something that involves hard work and effort;; a statement or piece of writing in which you give reasons for something

echo (noun)

the reflecting of sound off a wall or inside a confined space so that a noise appears to be repeated; a sound that is reflected back in this way;; the fact of an idea, event, etc. being like another and reminding you of it; something that reminds you of something else;; an opinion or attitude that agrees with or repeats one already expressed or thought

pulse (noun)

the regular beat of blood as it is sent around the body, that can be felt in different places, especially on the inside part of the wrist; the number of times the blood beats in a minute;; a strong regular beat in music;; a single short increase in the amount of light, sound or electricity produced by a machine, etc.;; the seeds of some plants that are eaten as food, such as peas and lentils;; to always be aware of the most recent developments in a particular situation

remainder (noun)

the remaining people, things or time;; the numbers left after one number has been subtracted from another, or one number has been divided into another;; a book that has been remaindered

fossil (noun)

the remains of an animal or a plant which have become hard and turned into rock;; an old person, especially one who is unable to accept new ideas or adapt to changes

geography (noun)

the scientific study of the earth's surface, physical features, divisions, products, population, etc.;; the way in which the physical features of a place are arranged;; the way in which a particular aspect of life or society is influenced by geography or varies according to geography;; a country, area or region

psychology (noun)

the scientific study of the mind and how it influences behaviour;; the kind of mind that somebody has that makes them think or behave in a particular way;; how the mind influences behaviour in a particular area of life

closure (noun)

the situation when a factory, school, hospital, etc. shuts permanently;; the temporary closing of a road or bridge;; the feeling that a difficult or an unpleasant experience has come to an end or been dealt with in an acceptable way

grain (noun)

the small hard seeds of food plants such as wheat, rice, etc.; a single seed of such a plant;; a small hard piece of particular substances;; a very small amount;; a small unit of weight, equal to 0.00143 of a pound or 0.0648 of a gram, used for example for weighing medicines;; the natural direction of lines in wood, cloth, etc. or of layers of rock; the pattern of lines that you can see;; how rough or smooth a surface feels;; to be or do something different from what is normal or natural

ground (noun)

the solid surface of the earth;; soil on the surface of the earth;; an area of open land;; an area of land that is used for a particular purpose, activity or sport;; a large area of land or sea that is used for a particular purpose;; the land or gardens around a large building;; an area of interest, knowledge or ideas;; a good or true reason for saying, doing or believing something;; the small pieces of solid matter in a liquid that have fallen to the bottom;; a wire that connects an electric circuit with the ground and makes it safe;; a background that a design is painted or printed on;; to be in a strong position in an argument, etc. because you know the facts;; to be so shocked or frightened that you cannot move;; to make a new discovery or do something that has not been done before;; to suddenly spoil somebody's idea or plan by doing something to stop them from continuing with it;; to fail to produce the result or the effect that you hope for; to have little success;; to become more powerful or successful;; to gradually get closer to somebody/something that is moving or making progress in an activity;; to start happening successfully; to make something start happening successfully;; to allow somebody/something to have an advantage; to lose an advantage for yourself;; to hide, especially to escape somebody who is chasing you;; to have a sensible and realistic attitude to life;; to start doing something and continue very quickly and successfully;; to continue with your opinions or intentions when somebody is opposing you and wants you to change;; to face a situation and refuse to run away;; to make sure that you always find out about the most recent developments in a particular situation;; in the place where something is happening and among the people who are in the situation, especially a war;; in a place that has no connection with either of the people or sides who are meeting and so does not give an advantage to either of them;; to make it possible or easier for something to be achieved;; to work so hard that you become extremely tired;; to make somebody work so hard that they are no longer able to work; to use something so much that it is broken;; to change your opinion about a subject, especially during a discussion;; to be very convenient or acceptable for somebody;; to claim that your side of an argument is morally better than your opponents' side; to argue in a way that makes your side seem morally better;; if people or things are thick/thin on the ground, there are a lot/not many of them in a place

ghost (noun)

the spirit of a dead person that a living person believes they can see or hear;; the memory of something, especially something bad;; a very slight amount of something that is left behind or that you are not sure really exists;; a second image on a television screen that is not as clear as the first, caused by a fault;; to not have the strength, influence, etc. that you used to have;; to die;; to stop working

skiing (noun)

the sport or activity of moving over snow on skis

slavery (noun)

the state of being a slave;; the practice of having slaves

consciousness (noun)

the state of being able to use your senses and mental powers to understand what is happening;; the state of being aware of something;; the ideas and opinions of a person or group

privacy (noun)

the state of being alone and not watched or disturbed by other people;; the state of being free from the attention of the public

darkness (noun)

the state of being dark, without any light;; the quality or state of being dark in colour;; evil

obligation (noun)

the state of being forced to do something because it is your duty, or because of a law, etc.;; something which you must do because you have promised, because of a law, etc.

complexity (noun)

the state of being formed of many parts; the state of being difficult to understand;; the features of a problem or situation that are difficult to understand

exposure (noun)

the state of being in a place or situation where there is no protection from something harmful or unpleasant;; the state of having the true facts about somebody/something told after they have been hidden because they are bad, immoral or illegal;; the fact of being discussed or mentioned on television, in newspapers, etc.;; a medical condition caused by being out in very cold weather for too long without protection;; a length of film in a camera that is used to take a photograph;; the length of time for which light is allowed to reach the film when taking a photograph;; the act of showing something that is usually hidden

detention (noun)

the state of being kept in a place, especially a prison, and prevented from leaving;; the punishment of being kept at school for a time after other students have gone home

similarity (noun)

the state of being like somebody/something but not exactly the same;; a feature that things or people have that makes them like each other

popularity (noun)

the state of being liked, enjoyed or supported by a large number of people

fitness (noun)

the state of being physically healthy and strong;; the state of being suitable or good enough for something

poverty (noun)

the state of being poor;; a lack of something; poor quality

pregnancy (noun)

the state of being pregnant

exile (noun)

the state of being sent to live in another country that is not your own, especially for political reasons or as a punishment;; a person who chooses, or is forced to live away from his or her own country

prosperity (noun)

the state of being successful, especially in making money

hunger (noun)

the state of not having enough food to eat, especially when this causes illness or death;; the feeling caused by a need to eat;; a strong desire for something

deficiency (noun)

the state of not having, or not having enough of, something that is essential;; a fault or a weakness in something/somebody that makes it or them less successful

leadership (noun)

the state or position of being a leader;; the ability to be a leader or the qualities a good leader should have;; a group of leaders of a particular organization, etc.

intensity (noun)

the state or quality of being intense;; the strength of something, for example light, that can be measured

biography (noun)

the story of a person's life written by somebody else; this type of writing

economics (noun)

the study of how a society organizes its money, trade and industry;; the way in which money influences, or is organized within, an area of business or society

curriculum (noun)

the subjects that are included in a course of study or taught in a school, college, etc.

outbreak (noun)

the sudden start of something unpleasant, especially violence or a disease

layout (noun)

the way in which the parts of something such as the page of a book, a garden or a building are arranged

difference (noun)

the way in which two people or things are not like each other; the way in which somebody/something has changed;; the amount that something is greater or smaller than something else;; a disagreement between people;; used to emphasize how much difference there is between two things;; to stop being unfriendly and become friends again;; to have an important effect on somebody/something; to make somebody feel better;; to have an effect/no effect on somebody/something;; used to say that you think the differences between two things are not important;; to agree to forget about your disagreements;; (when discussing a price, etc.) to agree on an amount that is at an equal distance between the two amounts that have been suggested;; used to show that something is interesting or unusual

constitution (noun)

the system of laws and basic principles that a state, a country or an organization is governed by;; The US Constitution was created after the American Revolution when leaders from each state held a meeting called the Constitutional Convention to agree on a document describing the new system of government and limiting its powers, which was signed in 1789. This established the three branches of government: the legislative branch which consists of Congress, the judicial branch which is the Supreme Court and lower courts created by Congress and the executive branch which consists of the president, vice-president and government departments. The Constitution contains details about the responsibilities of each branch and who can be elected to Congress. It says that the US government is responsible for protecting individual states. Since 1789 there have been 27 amendments (= changes) to the Constitution including the Bill of Rights (1791) which promised citizens a number of rights such as the right to free speech and freedom of religion. There is sometimes disagreement about how to interpret the Constitution, some people believing that it is better to follow exactly what the Constitution says and others that it is necessary to consider what the intention of each part was and how that relates to the situation today. The Supreme Court can decide that a law is unconstitutional so that it cannot be used any more.;; the condition of a person's body and how healthy it is;; the way something is formed or organized;; the act of forming something

bureaucracy (noun)

the system of official rules and ways of doing things that a government or an organization has, especially when these seem to be too complicated;; a system of government in which there are a large number of state officials who are not elected; a country with such a system

harvest (noun)

the time of year when the crops are gathered in on a farm, etc.; the act of cutting and gathering crops;; the crops, or the amount of crops, cut and gathered;; to benefit or suffer as a direct result of something that you have done

headline (noun)

the title of a newspaper article printed in large letters, especially at the top of the front page;; a short summary of the most important items of news, read at the beginning of a news programme on the radio or television;; to be an important item of news in newspapers or on the radio or television

processing (noun)

the treatment of raw material, food, etc. in order to change it, preserve it, etc.;; the process of dealing officially with a document, request, etc.

gut (noun)

the tube in the body through which food passes when it leaves the stomach;; the organs in and around the stomach, especially in an animal;; a person's stomach, especially when it is large;; the courage and determination that it takes to do something difficult or unpleasant;; the place where your natural feelings that make you react in a particular way are thought to be;; the most important part of something;; to make a great effort to do something;; used to refer to somebody who eats too much;; to dislike somebody very much;; to be very angry with somebody and punish them severely for something they have done;; to work very hard to achieve something;; to tell somebody everything you know or feel about something, because you are upset

orientation (noun)

the type of aims or interests that a person or an organization has; the act of directing your aims towards a particular thing;; a person's basic beliefs or feelings about a particular subject;; training or information that you are given before starting a new job, course, etc.;; the direction in which an object faces

inequality (noun)

the unfair difference between groups of people in society, when some have more wealth, status or opportunities than others

racism (noun)

the unfair treatment of people who belong to a different race; violent behaviour towards them;; the belief that some races of people are better than others

guilt (noun)

the unhappy feelings caused by knowing or thinking that you have done something wrong;; the fact that somebody has done something illegal;; blame or responsibility for doing something wrong or for something bad that has happened;; things you say to somebody in order to make them feel guilty about something

dollar (noun)

the unit of money in the US, Canada, Australia and several other countries;; a banknote or coin worth one dollar;; the value of the US dollar compared with the value of the money of other countries;; to look/feel extremely good;; used to say that you are certain that something will happen

interface (noun)

the way a computer program presents information to a user or receives information from a user, in particular the layout of the screen and the menus;; an electrical circuit, connection or program that joins one device or system to another;; the point where two subjects, systems, etc. meet and affect each other

lifestyle (noun)

the way in which a person or a group of people lives and works

handling (noun)

the way that somebody deals with or treats a situation, a person, an animal, etc.;; the action of organizing or controlling something;; the action of touching, feeling or holding something with your hands;; the cost of dealing with an order, delivering goods, booking tickets, etc.;; the way in which a vehicle can be controlled by the driver;; the act or cost of transporting goods from one place to another

driving (noun)

the way that somebody drives a vehicle; the act of driving;; to be the person in control of a situation

distribution (noun)

the way that something is shared or exists over a particular area or among a particular group of people;; the act of giving or delivering something to a number of people;; the system of transporting and delivering goods

perception (noun)

the way you notice things, especially with the senses;; the ability to understand the true nature of something;; an idea, a belief or an image you have as a result of how you see or understand something

journalism (noun)

the work of collecting and writing news stories for newspapers, magazines, radio or television

restoration (noun)

the work of repairing and cleaning an old building, a painting, etc. so that its condition is as good as it originally was;; the act of bringing back a system, a law, etc. that existed previously;; the act of returning something to its correct place, condition or owner;; the time in Britain after 1660 when, following a period with no king or queen, Charles II became king;; The Restoration period in Britain is known for its lively developments in the arts, particularly in the theatre. The Earl of Rochester (1648-80) was the period's most famous poet, and other artists included the painter Peter Lely (1618-80) and the playwright William Wycherley.

leisure (noun)

time that is spent doing what you enjoy when you are not working or studying;; with no particular activities; free;; without hurrying;; when you have the time to do something without hurrying;; a man/woman who does not have to work

input (noun)

time, knowledge, ideas, etc. that you put into work, a project, etc. in order to make it succeed; the act of putting something in;; the act of putting information into a computer; the information that you put in;; a place or means for electricity, data, etc. to enter a machine or system

complement (verb)

to add to something in a way that improves it or makes it more attractive

concede (verb)

to admit that something is true, logical, etc.;; to give something away, especially unwillingly; to allow somebody to have something;; to admit that you have lost a game, an election, etc.

confess (verb)

to admit, especially formally or to the police, that you have done something wrong or illegal;; to admit something that you feel ashamed or embarrassed about;; to tell God or a priest about the bad things you have done so that you can say that you are sorry and be forgiven;; to hear somebody confess their sins (= the bad things they have done)

grant (verb)

to agree to give somebody what they ask for, especially formal or legal permission to do something;; to admit that something is true, although you may not like or agree with it;; to be so used to somebody/something that you do not recognize their true value any more and do not show that you are grateful;; to believe something is true without first making sure that it is

dispose (verb)

to arrange things or people in a particular way or position;; to make somebody behave in a particular way

bless (verb)

to ask God to protect somebody/something;; to make something holy by saying a prayer over it;; to call God holy; to praise God;; used to express surprise;; to have something good such as ability, great happiness, etc.;; said to somebody after they have sneezed;; used to show that you are pleased with somebody, especially because of something they have done;; used when you are leaving somebody, to say that you hope they will be safe, etc.

probe (verb)

to ask questions in order to find out secret or hidden information about somebody/something;; to touch, examine or look for something, especially with a long thin instrument

beg (verb)

to ask somebody for something especially in an anxious way because you want or need it very much;; to ask somebody for money, food, etc., especially in the street;; if a dog begs, it sits on its back legs with its front legs in the air, waiting to be given something;; to ask somebody for permission to do something;; if something is going begging, it is available because nobody else wants it;; to ask somebody to forgive you for something you have said or done;; to make somebody want to ask a question that has not yet been answered;; to talk about something as if it were definitely true, even though it might not be;; used to tell somebody that you are sorry for something you have said or done;; used to ask somebody to repeat what they have just said because you did not hear;; used to tell somebody that you are offended by what they have just said or by the way that they have said it;; used to say politely that you do not agree with something that has just been said

plead (verb)

to ask somebody for something in a very strong and serious way;; to state in court that you are guilty or not guilty of a crime;; to present a case to a court;; to give something as an explanation or excuse for something;; to argue in support of somebody/something

constitute (verb)

to be considered to be something;; to be the parts that together form something;; to form a group legally or officially

break (verb)

to be damaged and separated into two or more parts , as a result of force; to damage something in this way;; to stop working as a result of being damaged; to damage something and stop it from working;; to cut the surface of the skin and make it bleed;; to do something that is against the law; to not keep a promise, etc.;; to stop doing something for a while, especially when it is time to eat or have a drink;; to interrupt something so that it ends suddenly;; to make something end by using force or strong action;; to end a connection with something or a relationship with somebody;; to get away from or out of a position in which they are stuck or trapped;; to destroy something or make somebody/something weaker; to become weak or be destroyed;; to make somebody feel so sad, lonely, etc. that they cannot live a normal life;; to change suddenly, usually after a period when it has been fine;; to show an opening;; when the day or dawn or a storm breaks, it begins;; if a piece of news breaks, it becomes known;; to be the first to tell somebody some bad news;; if somebody's voice breaks, it changes its tone because of emotion;; when a boy's voice breaks, it becomes permanently deeper at about the age of 13 or 14;; to do something better, faster, etc. than anyone has ever done it before;; when waves break, they fall and are dissolved into foam, usually near land;; to find the meaning of something secret;; to change a banknote for coins

lie (verb)

to be or put yourself in a flat or horizontal position so that you are not standing or sitting;; to be or remain in a flat position on a surface;; to be, remain or be kept in a particular state;; to be located in a particular place;; to be spread out in a particular place;; to exist or be found;; to be in a particular position during a competition;; to be the original cause of something, especially something unpleasant;; to be very noticeable in a particular place in a way that is unpleasant;; to cause somebody/something to feel uncomfortable or anxious;; to avoid mentioning a subject or something that happened in the past, in order to avoid any problems or arguments;; to be going to happen to somebody in the future;; to be placed on view in a public place before being buried;; to hide, waiting to surprise, attack or catch somebody;; to try not to attract attention to yourself;; to find out about a situation;; to accept an insult or offensive act without protesting or reacting;; you must accept the results of your actions

discover (verb)

to be the first person to become aware that a particular place or thing exists;; to find somebody/something that was hidden or that you did not expect to find;; to find out about something; to find some information about something;; to be the first person to realize that somebody is very good at singing, acting, etc. and help them to become successful and famous

motivate (verb)

to be the reason why somebody does something or behaves in a particular way;; to make somebody want to do something, especially something that involves hard work and effort;; to give reasons for something that you have stated

correspond (verb)

to be the same as or match something;; to be similar to or the same as something else;; to write letters to somebody and receive letters from them

characterize (verb)

to be typical of a person, place or thing;; to give somebody/something its typical or most noticeable qualities or features;; to describe or show the qualities of somebody/something in a particular way

disappear (verb)

to become impossible to see;; to stop existing;; to be lost or impossible to find;; if a person is disappeared, they are arrested or captured and kept in prison without trial or killed, usually for political reasons;; to remove something secretly or illegally so that it cannot be found

intervene (verb)

to become involved in a situation in order to improve or help it;; to interrupt somebody when they are speaking in order to say something;; to happen in a way that delays something or prevents it from happening;; to exist between two events or places

fade (verb)

to become or to make something become paler or less bright;; to disappear gradually;; if a sports player, team, actor, etc. fades, they stop playing or performing as well as they did before;; to behave in a way that does not attract any attention; to disappear or hide

diminish (verb)

to become or to make something become smaller, weaker, etc.;; to make somebody/something seem less important than they really are

shrink (verb)

to become smaller, especially when washed in water that is too hot; to make clothes, cloth, etc. smaller in this way;; to become or to make something smaller in size or amount;; to move back or away from something because you are frightened or shocked;; a way of describing a very shy person

revive (verb)

to become, or to make somebody/something become, conscious or healthy and strong again;; to make something start being used or done again;; to produce again a play, etc. that has not been performed for some time

renew (verb)

to begin something again after a pause or an interruption;; to make something valid for a further period of time;; to emphasize something by saying or stating it again;; to change something that is old or damaged and replace it with something new of the same kind

grind (verb)

to break or crush something into very small pieces between two hard surfaces or using a special machine;; to produce something such as flour by crushing;; to make something sharp or smooth by rubbing it against a hard surface;; to press or rub something into a surface;; to rub together, or to make hard objects rub together, often producing an unpleasant noise;; to turn the handle of a machine that grinds something;; to make something gradually go slower until it stops completely;; to go slower gradually and then stop completely;; to have private reasons for being involved in something or for arguing for a particular cause

snap (verb)

to break something suddenly with a sharp noise; to be broken in this way;; to move, or to move something, into a particular position quickly, especially with a sudden sharp noise;; to speak or say something in an impatient, usually angry, voice;; to try to bite somebody/something;; to take a photograph;; to suddenly be unable to control your feelings any longer because the situation has become too difficult;; to fasten a piece of clothing with a snap;; to shout at somebody in an angry way, especially without reason;; to make a sharp noise by moving your second or third finger quickly against your thumb, to attract somebody's attention, or to mark the beat of music, for example;; to make an effort to stop feeling unhappy or depressed; to help somebody to stop feeling unhappy;; used, especially in orders, to tell somebody to start working harder or more quickly

provoke (verb)

to cause a particular reaction or have a particular effect;; to say or do something that you know will annoy somebody so that they react in an angry way

disadvantage (verb)

to cause problems and tend to stop somebody/something from succeeding or making progress

render (verb)

to cause somebody/something to be in a particular state or condition;; to give somebody something, especially in return for something or because it is expected;; to present something, especially when it is done officially;; to express or perform something;; to express something in a different language;; to cover a wall with a layer of plaster or cement;; to make fat liquid by heating it; to melt something

modify (verb)

to change something slightly, especially in order to make it more suitable for a particular purpose;; to make something less extreme;; a word, such as an adjective or adverb, that modifies another word or group of words describes it or restricts its meaning in some way

distort (verb)

to change the shape, appearance or sound of something so that it is strange or not clear;; to twist or change facts, ideas, etc. so that they are no longer correct or true

opt (verb)

to choose to take or not to take a particular course of action

merge (verb)

to combine or make two or more things combine to form a single thing;; if two things merge, or if one thing merges into another, the differences between them gradually disappear so that it is impossible to separate them;; to behave quietly when you are with a group of people so that they do not notice you

compose (verb)

to combine together to form a whole;; to write music;; to write a letter, etc. usually with a lot of care and thought;; to manage to control your feelings or expression

integrate (verb)

to combine two or more things so that they work together; to combine with something else in this way;; to become or make somebody become accepted as a member of a social group, especially when they come from a different culture

descend (verb)

to come or go down from a higher to a lower level;; to slope downwards;; to arrive and begin to affect somebody/something

bring (verb)

to come to a place with somebody/something;; to provide somebody/something with something;; to cause something;; to cause somebody/something to be in a particular condition or place;; to make somebody/something move in a particular direction or way;; to officially accuse somebody of a crime;; to force yourself to do something;; to make a great effort and perform well;; used to express confidence about a challenge

assemble (verb)

to come together as a group; to bring people or things together as a group;; to fit together all the separate parts of something, for example a piece of furniture

linger (verb)

to continue to exist for longer than expected;; to stay somewhere for longer because you do not want to leave; to spend a long time doing something;; to continue to look at somebody/something or think about something for longer than usual;; to stay alive but become weaker

dominate (verb)

to control or have a lot of influence over somebody/something, especially in an unpleasant way;; to be the most important or noticeable feature of something;; to be the largest, highest or most obvious thing in a place;; to play much better than your opponent in a game

manipulate (verb)

to control or influence somebody/something, often in a dishonest way so that they do not realize it;; to control or use something in a skilful way;; to move a person's bones or joints into the correct position

regulate (verb)

to control something by means of rules;; to control the speed, pressure, temperature, etc. in a machine or system

formulate (verb)

to create or prepare something carefully, giving particular attention to the details;; to express your ideas in carefully chosen words

dismiss (verb)

to decide that somebody/something is not important and not worth thinking or talking about;; to put thoughts or feelings out of your mind;; to officially remove somebody from their job;; to send somebody away or allow them to leave;; to say that a trial or legal case should not continue, usually because there is not enough evidence;; to end the innings of a player or team

evolve (verb)

to develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complicated form; to develop something in this way;; to develop over time, often many generations, into forms that are better adapted to survive changes in their environment

flourish (verb)

to develop quickly and be successful or common;; to grow well; to be healthy and happy;; to wave something around in a way that makes people look at it

drown (verb)

to die because you have been underwater too long and you cannot breathe; to kill somebody in this way;; to make something very wet; to completely cover something in water or another liquid;; to be louder than other sounds so that you cannot hear them;; to get drunk in order to forget your problems

endure (verb)

to experience and deal with something that is painful or unpleasant, especially without complaining;; to continue to exist for a long time

articulate (verb)

to express or explain your thoughts or feelings clearly in words;; to speak, pronounce or play something in a clear way;; to be related to something so that together the two parts form a whole;; to be joined to something else by a joint, so that movement is possible; to join something in this way

embody (verb)

to express or represent an idea or a quality;; to include or contain something

overlook (verb)

to fail to see or notice something;; to see something wrong or bad but decide to ignore it;; if a building, etc. overlooks a place, you can see that place from the building;; to not consider somebody for a job or position, even though they might be suitable

drop (verb)

to fall or allow something to fall by accident;; to fall or make something fall deliberately;; to fall down or be no longer able to stand because you are extremely tired;; to become or make something weaker, lower or less;; to look down;; to slope steeply downwards;; to stop so that somebody can get out of a car, etc.; to deliver something on the way to somewhere else;; to send a short letter to somebody;; to leave somebody/something out by accident or deliberately;; to stop seeing somebody socially;; to stop doing or discussing something; to not continue with something;; to say or do something in order to show somebody, in an indirect way, what you are thinking;; to let a stitch go off the needle;; people stop buying or using the products of a particular industry;; to die or fall down in very large numbers;; to make a mistake and spoil something that you are responsible for;; to say something that offends or embarrasses somebody, although you did not intend to;; to suddenly not be able to think clearly; to act in a stupid way because you have lost control over yourself;; to die suddenly and unexpectedly;; used to tell somebody, rudely, to stop annoying you, interfering, etc.;; to make something the responsibility of another person;; to put somebody in an embarrassing situation, especially by telling a secret that you should not have told;; to mention famous people you know or have met in order to impress others;; somebody has the opportunity to do something pleasant without having made any effort;; used to say that somebody suddenly looked surprised, shocked or disappointed;; to do or say nothing more about somebody/something;; to mention somebody/something in a conversation, by accident or as if by accident;; used to say that somebody has finally understood or realized something that they had not understood or realized before;; it was extremely quiet

recruit (verb)

to find new people to join a company, an organization, the armed forces, etc.;; to persuade somebody to do something, especially to help you;; to form a new army, team, etc. by persuading new people to join it

embed (verb)

to fix something firmly into a substance or solid object;; to send a journalist, photographer, etc. to an area where there is fighting, so that he or she can travel with the army and report what is happening;; to place a sentence inside another sentence. In the sentence 'I'm aware that she knows', she knows is an embedded sentence.

oblige (verb)

to force somebody to do something, by law, because it is a duty, etc.;; to help somebody by doing what they ask or what you know they want

compel (verb)

to force somebody to do something; to make something necessary;; to cause a particular reaction

rape (verb)

to force somebody to have sex with you when they do not want to by threatening them or using violence

conceive (verb)

to form an idea, a plan, etc. in your mind; to imagine something;; when a woman conceives or conceives a child, she becomes pregnant

evaluate (verb)

to form an opinion of the amount, value or quality of something after thinking about it carefully

nominate (verb)

to formally suggest that somebody should be chosen for an important role, prize, position, etc.;; to choose somebody to do a particular job;; to choose a time, date or title for something

regain (verb)

to get back something you no longer have, especially an ability or a quality;; to get back to a place that you have left

download (verb)

to get data from another computer, usually using the Internet

interfere (verb)

to get involved in and try to influence a situation that does not concern you, in a way that annoys other people

embark (verb)

to get onto a ship; to put something onto a ship

discard (verb)

to get rid of something that you no longer want or need;; to get rid of a card that you do not want

dump (verb)

to get rid of something you do not want, especially in a place which is not suitable;; to get rid of somebody/something or leave them for somebody else to deal with;; to get rid of goods by selling them at a very low price, often in another country;; to put something down in a careless or untidy way;; to end a romantic relationship with somebody;; to copy information and move it somewhere to store it;; to make something the responsibility of another person

preach (verb)

to give a religious talk in a public place, especially in a church during a service;; to tell people about a particular religion, way of life, system, etc. in order to persuade them to accept it;; to give somebody advice on moral standards, behaviour, etc., especially in a way that they find annoying or boring;; to do the things yourself that you tell other people to do;; to speak to people in support of views that they already hold

deal (verb)

to give cards to each player in a game of cards;; to buy and sell illegal drugs;; to be very shocking or harmful to somebody/something;; to hit somebody/something;; used to tell somebody that they cannot change a situation so they must accept it;; to do a lot of complicated deals in business or politics, often in a dishonest way

betray (verb)

to give information about somebody/something to an enemy;; to hurt somebody who trusts you, especially by not being loyal or faithful to them;; to ignore your principles or beliefs in order to achieve something or gain an advantage for yourself;; to tell somebody or make them aware of a piece of information, a feeling, etc., usually without meaning to

authorize (verb)

to give official permission for something, or for somebody to do something

disclose (verb)

to give somebody information about something, especially something that was previously secret;; to allow something that was hidden to be seen

inspire (verb)

to give somebody the desire, confidence or enthusiasm to do something well;; to give somebody the idea for something, especially something artistic or that shows imagination;; to make somebody have a particular feeling or emotion

empower (verb)

to give somebody the power or authority to do something;; to give somebody more control over their own life or the situation they are in

elevate (verb)

to give somebody/something a higher position or rank, often more important than they deserve;; to lift something up or put something in a higher position;; to make the level of something increase;; to improve a person's mood, so that they feel happy

dub (verb)

to give somebody/something a particular name, often in a humorous or critical way;; to replace the original speech in a film/movie or television programme with words in another language;; to make a piece of music by mixing sounds from different recordings

distribute (verb)

to give things to a large number of people; to share something between a number of people;; to send goods to shops/stores and businesses so that they can be sold;; to spread something, or different parts of something, over an area

grow (verb)

to increase in size, number, strength or quality;; to become bigger or taller and develop into an adult;; to exist and develop in a particular place; to make plants grow;; to become longer; to allow something to become longer by not cutting it;; to begin to have a particular quality or feeling over a period of time;; to gradually begin to do something;; to develop and improve particular qualities or skills;; to increase the size, quality or number of something;; used to say that when you are away from somebody that you love, you love them even more;; used to tell somebody not to use something or spend money carelessly because you do not have a lot of it;; to not delay in getting things done

enhance (verb)

to increase or further improve the good quality, value or status of somebody/something

maximize (verb)

to increase something as much as possible;; to make the best use of something

devise (verb)

to invent something new or a new way of doing something

lead (verb)

to go with or in front of a person or an animal to show the way or to make them go in the right direction;; to connect one object or place to another;; to go in a particular direction or to a particular place;; to have something as a result;; to be the reason why somebody does or thinks something;; to have a particular type of life;; to be the best at something; to be in first place;; to be in control of something; to be the leader of something;; to play first; to play something as your first card;; a situation in which people with almost no experience or knowledge give advice to others who also have no experience or knowledge;; to make somebody do everything you want; to control somebody completely;; to cause somebody a lot of trouble or worry;; to take an active part in what you are telling or persuading others to do;; to live an enjoyable and comfortable life with no problems or responsibilities;; to have no successful result for somebody;; to make somebody believe something which is not true;; used to suggest that the way one event or action leads to others is so obvious that it does not need to be stated;; you can give somebody the opportunity to do something, but you cannot force them to do it if they do not want to

develop (verb)

to gradually grow or become bigger, more advanced, stronger, etc.; to make something do this;; to think of or produce a new idea, product, etc. and make it successful;; to begin to have something such as a disease or a problem; to start to affect somebody/something;; to start to happen or change, especially in a bad way;; to start to have a skill, ability, quality, etc. that becomes better and stronger; to become better and stronger;; to build new houses, factories, etc. on an area of land, especially land that was not being used effectively before;; to make an idea, a story, etc. clearer by explaining it further;; to treat film which has been used to take photographs with chemicals so that the pictures can be seen

give (verb)

to hand something to somebody so that they can look at it, use it or keep it for a time;; to hand something to somebody as a present; to allow somebody to have something as a present;; to provide somebody with something;; to pay money to a charity, etc., to help people;; to pay in order to have or do something;; to use time, energy, etc. for somebody/something;; to make somebody suffer a particular punishment;; to infect somebody with an illness;; if you give a party, you organize it and invite people;; to perform something in public;; used with a noun to describe a particular action, giving the same meaning as the related verb;; to produce a particular feeling in somebody;; to make a telephone call to somebody;; to judge somebody/something to be of a particular standard;; to predict that something will last a particular length of time;; to say that a player or the ball is in a particular position;; to bend or stretch under pressure;; to agree to change your mind or give up some of your demands;; used to tell somebody that you do not accept what they say;; to be willing, in a relationship, to accept what somebody else wants and to give up some of what you want;; to react with equal force when somebody attacks or criticizes you;; to show your approval of somebody by clapping your hands;; used to say that you prefer a particular thing or person to the one that has just been mentioned;; if something is correct give or take a particular amount, it is approximately correct;; to make somebody believe/understand something;; used to ask people to drink a toast to somebody;; used when you are admitting that something is true;; what is happening?; what is the news?

breed (verb)

to have sex and produce young;; to keep animals or plants in order to produce young ones in a controlled way;; to be the cause of something;; to educate somebody in a particular way as they are growing up;; born and having grown up in a particular place with a particular background and education;; knowing somebody/something very well may cause you to lose admiration and respect for them/it

comprise (verb)

to have somebody/something as parts or members;; to be the parts or members that form something

overwhelm (verb)

to have such a strong emotional effect on somebody that it is difficult for them to resist or know how to react;; to defeat somebody completely;; to be so bad or so great that a person cannot deal with it; to give too much of a thing to a person;; to cover somebody/something completely

live (verb)

to have your home in a particular place;; to remain alive;; to be alive, especially at a particular time;; to spend your life in a particular way;; to continue to exist or be remembered;; to have a full and exciting life;; to have enough money to be able to live a very comfortable life;; if two people are in each other's pockets, they are too close to each other or spend too much time with each other;; to still be alive after the time when you were expected to die;; to be doing something that other people are likely to soon stop you from doing;; the way of life of a different social group, especially one much richer than you;; to live an enjoyable and comfortable life with no problems or responsibilities;; to be very enthusiastic about something;; used to say that you should accept other people's opinions and behaviour even though they are different from your own;; to earn money by clever or sometimes dishonest means;; to have a way of life that seems perfect;; to spend all the money you earn on basic needs such as food without being able to save any money;; to behave as though society, etc. has not changed, when in fact it has;; to live together and have a sexual relationship without being married;; to enjoy yourself in an exciting way, usually spending a lot of money;; to keep something important about yourself a secret from other people, so that they do not know what you really think, what you are really like, etc.;; to have enough money to be able to afford expensive things, food, drink, etc.;; to eat whatever food you can grow, kill or find yourself;; to live or sleep outdoors, usually because you have no home and no money;; used to say that although you have failed or had a bad experience, you will continue;; used to say that you hope somebody/something will live or last for a long time;; you should not criticize other people, because they will easily find ways of criticizing you;; used to tell somebody that if they have not had a particular experience their life is not complete;; used to express surprise at something new or unexpected you have been told

enrich (verb)

to improve the quality of something, often by adding something to it;; to make somebody/something rich or richer

encompass (verb)

to include a large number or range of things;; to surround or cover something completely

incorporate (verb)

to include something so that it forms a part of something;; to create a legally recognized company

intensify (verb)

to increase in degree or strength; to make something increase in degree or strength

preside (verb)

to lead or be in charge of a meeting, ceremony, etc.

reside (verb)

to live in a particular place

scan (verb)

to look at every part of something carefully, especially because you are looking for a particular thing or person;; to look quickly but not very carefully at a document, etc.;; to get an image of an object, a part of somebody's body, etc. on a computer by passing X-rays, ultrasound waves or electromagnetic waves over it in a special machine;; to pass across an area;; to examine a computer program or document in order to look for a virus;; to pass light over a picture or document using a scanner in order to copy it and put it in the memory of a computer;; to have a regular rhythm according to fixed rules

inspect (verb)

to look closely at something/somebody, especially to check that everything is as it should be;; to officially visit a school, factory, etc. in order to check that rules are being obeyed and that standards are acceptable

bleed (verb)

to lose blood, especially from a wound or an injury;; (in the past) to take blood from somebody as a way of treating disease;; to force somebody to pay a lot of money over a period of time;; to remove air or liquid from something so that it works correctly;; to spread from one area of something to another area;; to take away all somebody's money;; used to say that you do not feel sympathy or pity for somebody

reinforce (verb)

to make a feeling, an idea, etc. stronger;; to make a structure or material stronger, especially by adding another material to it;; to send more people or equipment in order to make an army, etc. stronger

dig (verb)

to make a hole in the ground or to move soil from one place to another using your hands, a tool or a machine;; to remove something from the ground with a tool;; to search in something in order to find an object in something;; to approve of or like something very much;; to search thoroughly for information;; to try hard to provide the money, equipment, etc. that is needed;; to refuse to do something or to change your mind about something;; to spend a lot of your own money on something;; to push your finger or your elbow into somebody's side, especially to attract their attention;; to do something that will have very harmful results for you;; to get yourself into a bad situation that will be very difficult to get out of

assess (verb)

to make a judgement about the nature or quality of somebody/something;; to calculate the amount or value of something

slash (verb)

to make a long cut with a sharp object, especially in a violent way;; to reduce something by a large amount

consolidate (verb)

to make a position of power or success stronger so that it is more likely to continue;; to join things together into one; to be joined into one

facilitate (verb)

to make an action or a process possible or easier

convey (verb)

to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to somebody;; to take, carry or transport somebody/something from one place to another

disrupt (verb)

to make it difficult for something to continue in the normal way

carve (verb)

to make objects, patterns, etc. by cutting away material from wood or stone;; to write something on a surface by cutting into it;; to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces for eating;; to work hard in order to have a successful career, reputation, etc.;; unable to be changed

draw (verb)

to make pictures, or a picture of something, with a pencil, pen or chalk (but not paint);; to move something/somebody by pulling it or them gently;; to pull a vehicle such as a carriage;; to open or close curtains, etc.;; to move in the direction mentioned;; to take out a weapon, such as a gun or a sword, in order to attack somebody;; to attract or interest somebody;; to produce a reaction or response;; to make somebody say more about something;; to have a particular idea after you have studied something or thought about it;; to express a comparison or a contrast;; to decide something by picking cards, tickets or numbers by chance;; to finish a game without either team winning;; to take money or payments from a bank account or post office;; to take or pull liquid or gas from somewhere;; to breathe in smoke or air;; if two people are at daggers drawn, they are very angry with each other;; used to say that people or groups have shown which side they intend to support in an argument or contest that is going to begin;; to get no response or result;; to make somebody bleed;; to stop doing something and rest;; to live; to be alive;; to choose somebody/something by lot;; to make somebody direct their anger, criticism, etc. at you, so that others do not have to face it;; to aim carefully at somebody/something before shooting a gun;; to refuse to do something; to set a limit;; to distinguish between two closely related ideas;; to say that something is finished and not worth discussing any more;; to start being more careful in your behaviour, especially by spending less money than before;; to be the person in a group who is chosen or forced to perform an unpleasant duty or task;; to decide on somebody to do or have something, by choosing pieces of paper, etc.;; to stand straight and tall in order to show your determination or high status;; to speak to somebody in private, especially in order to warn or tell them about something

disappoint (verb)

to make somebody feel sad because something that they hope for or expect to happen does not happen or is not as good as they hoped;; to prevent something that somebody hopes for from becoming a reality

inflict (verb)

to make somebody/something suffer something unpleasant

drain (verb)

to make something empty or dry by removing all the liquid from it; to become empty or dry in this way;; to make liquid flow away from something; to flow away;; to empty a cup or glass by drinking everything in it;; to make somebody/something weaker, poorer, etc. by using up their/its strength, money, etc.

boost (verb)

to make something increase, or become better or more successful;; to steal something

decorate (verb)

to make something look more attractive by putting things on it;; to put paint, wallpaper, etc. on the walls and ceilings of a room or house;; to be placed on something in order to make it look more attractive;; to give somebody a medal as a sign of respect for something they have done

implement (verb)

to make something that has been officially decided start to happen or be used

invoke (verb)

to mention or use a law, rule, etc. as a reason for doing something;; to mention a person, a theory, an example, etc. to support your opinions or ideas, or as a reason for something;; to mention somebody's name to make people feel a particular thing or act in a particular way;; to make a request (for help) to somebody, especially a god;; to make somebody have a particular feeling or imagine a particular scene;; to begin to run a program, etc.;; to make evil appear by using magic

cite (verb)

to mention something as a reason or an example, or in order to support what you are saying;; to speak or write the exact words from a book, an author, etc.;; to order somebody to appear in court; to name somebody officially in a legal case;; to mention somebody officially or publicly because they deserve special praise

blend (verb)

to mix two or more substances together;; to form a mixture with something;; to combine with something in an attractive or effective way; to combine something in this way;; to produce something by mixing different types together;; to behave in a way that does not attract any attention; to disappear or hide

dissolve (verb)

to mix with a liquid and become part of it;; to make a solid become part of a liquid;; to officially end a marriage, business agreement or parliament;; to disappear; to make something disappear;; to suddenly start laughing, crying, etc.;; to remove or destroy something, especially by a chemical process; to be destroyed in this way

retreat (verb)

to move away from a place or an enemy because you are in danger or because you have been defeated;; to move away or back;; to change your mind about something because of criticism or because a situation has become too difficult;; to escape to a place that is quieter or safer;; to lose value

crawl (verb)

to move forward on your hands and knees, with your body close to the ground;; when an insect crawls, it moves forward on its legs;; to move forward very slowly;; to be too friendly or helpful to somebody in authority, in a way that is not sincere, especially in order to get an advantage from them;; if you say that somebody comes/crawls out of the woodwork, you mean that they have suddenly appeared in order to express an opinion or to take advantage of a situation;; to make you feel afraid or full of disgust

skip (verb)

to move forwards lightly and quickly making a little jump with each step;; to jump over a rope which is held at both ends by yourself or by two other people and is passed again and again over your head and under your feet;; to not do something that you usually do or should do;; to leave out something that would normally be the next thing that you would do, read, etc.;; to move from one place to another or from one subject to another very quickly;; to leave a place secretly or suddenly;; to make a flat stone jump across the surface of water;; used to tell somebody rudely that you do not want to talk about something or repeat what you have said

plunge (verb)

to move or make somebody/something move suddenly forwards and/or downwards;; to decrease suddenly and quickly;; to slope down steeply;; to move up and down suddenly and violently

go (verb)

to move or travel from one place to another;; to move or travel, especially with somebody else, to a particular place or in order to be present at an event;; to move or travel in a particular way or over a particular distance;; to move in a particular way or while doing something else;; to leave one place in order to reach another;; to leave a place and do something different;; to visit or attend a place for a particular purpose;; to look at a particular page or website;; to leave a place or travel to a place in order to take part in an activity or a sport;; to be sent or passed somewhere;; to lead or extend from one place to another;; to have as a usual or correct position; to be placed;; used to say that something does/did not fit into a particular place or space;; if a number will go into another number, it is contained in that number an exact number of times;; used to talk about how well or badly something makes progress or succeeds;; used in many expressions to show that somebody/something has reached a particular state/is no longer in a particular state;; to become different in a particular way, especially a bad way;; to live or move around in a particular state;; to not be noticed, reported, etc.;; used to talk about what tune or words a song or poem has or what happens in a story;; to make a particular sound or movement;; to be sounded as a signal or warning;; to say;; to start an activity;; if a machine goes, it works;; to stop existing; to be lost or stolen;; used to talk about wanting to get rid of somebody/something;; to get worse; to become damaged or stop working correctly;; to die. People say 'go' to avoid saying 'die'.;; when money goes, it is spent or used for something;; to be sold;; to be willing to pay a particular amount of money for something;; to help; to play a part in doing something;; to be available;; used to talk about how quickly or slowly time seems to pass;; to use a toilet;; anything that somebody says or does is accepted or allowed, however shocking or unusual it may be;; in comparison with the average person, thing, etc.;; to be nearly a particular age, time or number;; used to show what somebody intends to do in the future;; used to show that something is likely to happen very soon or in the future;; used to tell or warn somebody not to do something;; something that is enough for a short time;; to make a very great effort to get something or do something;; used to show that you are angry or annoyed that somebody has done something stupid;; to suddenly become very angry;; used to express the fact that you do not believe something, or that you disapprove of something;; (to have) many/not many advantages;; not possible or allowed;; used to say that you do not want to talk about something in any more detail because you do not even want to think about it;; remaining; still left;; if you buy cooked food to go in a restaurant or shop/store, you buy it to take away and eat somewhere else;; the way somebody behaves towards other people will affect the way those people behave towards them in the future;; something that is not fashionable now will become fashionable again in the future;; used to ask what action somebody should take, especially in order to improve the difficult situation that they are in;; used by a soldier who is guarding a place to order somebody to say who they are

evacuate (verb)

to move people from a place of danger to a safer place;; to move out of a place because of danger, and leave the place empty;; to empty your bowels

creep (verb)

to move slowly, quietly and carefully, because you do not want to be seen or heard;; to move with your body close to the ground; to move slowly on your hands and knees;; to move or develop very slowly;; to grow along the ground or up walls using long stems or roots;; to be too friendly or helpful to somebody in authority in a way that is not sincere, especially in order to get an advantage from them;; to make you feel afraid or full of disgust

deploy (verb)

to move soldiers or weapons into a position where they are ready for military action;; to use something effectively

put (verb)

to move something into a particular place or position;; to move something into a particular place or position using force;; to cause somebody/something to go to a particular place;; to attach or fix something to something else;; to write something or make a mark on something;; to bring somebody/something into the state or condition mentioned;; to make somebody/something feel something or be affected by something;; to give or attach a particular level of importance, trust, value, etc. to something;; to consider somebody/something to belong to the class or level mentioned;; to express or state something in a particular way;; to throw the shot;; used to say that you think somebody is capable of doing something wrong, illegal, etc.;; to have many sexual partners;; to suggest something to somebody to see if they can argue against it;; to persuade somebody to believe something that is not true;; to force somebody to experience something difficult or unpleasant;; used when comparing or contrasting somebody/something with a group of other people or things to mean 'combined' or 'in total';; used to tell somebody to stop just talking about something and actually do it, show it, etc.

buy (verb)

to obtain something by paying money for it;; to be enough to pay for something;; to persuade somebody to do something dishonest in return for money;; to obtain something by losing something else of great value;; to believe that something is true, especially something that is not very likely;; the very best;; to be killed, especially in an accident or a war;; to die;; to do something in order to delay an event, a decision, etc.;; if you buy a pig in a poke, you buy something without seeing it or knowing if it is good enough;; to sell somebody or be sold something that has no value or is worth much less than the price paid

bid (verb)

to offer to pay a particular price for something, especially at an auction;; to offer to do work or provide a service for a particular price, in competition with other companies, etc.;; to try to do, get or achieve something;; (in some card games) to say how many points you expect to win;; used by an auctioneer when he or she is selling something

prosecute (verb)

to officially charge somebody with a crime in court;; to be a lawyer in a court case for a person or an organization that is charging somebody with a crime;; to continue taking part in or doing something

resign (verb)

to officially tell somebody that you are leaving your job, an organization, etc.

drive (verb)

to operate a vehicle so that it goes in a particular direction;; to take somebody somewhere in a car, taxi, etc.;; to own or use a particular type of vehicle;; to provide the power that makes a machine work;; to force somebody to act in a particular way;; to make somebody very angry, crazy, etc. or to make them do something extreme;; to force somebody/something to move in a particular direction;; to influence something or cause it to make progress;; to force something to go in a particular direction or into a particular position by pushing it, hitting it, etc.;; to make an opening in or through something by using force;; to hit a ball with force, sending it forward;; to carry something along;; to fall or move rapidly and with great force;; extremely clean, pure, etc.;; to spoil something, for example a plan;; to make somebody understand or accept something by saying it often, loudly, angrily, etc.;; to argue in an aggressive way and force somebody to agree on the best possible price or arrangement;; to work so hard that you become extremely tired;; the thing somebody is trying to say

down (adverb)

to or at a lower place or position;; from a vertical or standing position to a horizontal or sitting one;; at a lower level or rate;; used to show that the amount or strength of something is lower, or that there is less activity;; reading from top to bottom, not from side to side;; to or in the south of a country;; on paper; on a list;; used to show the limits in a range or an order;; having lost the amount of money mentioned;; if you pay an amount of money down, you pay that to start with, and the rest later;; used to say how far you have got in a list of things you have to do;; to or at a local place such as a shop/store, pub, etc.;; to be the responsibility of somebody;; to be caused by a particular person or thing;; to have only a little money left;; to have or catch an illness;; behaving in an unfair or aggressive way, especially because you want to win;; rude and shocking;; during a long period of time;; including every small part or detail of something;; to or in Australia and/or New Zealand;; used to say that you are opposed to something, or to a person;; to be able to do something easily or well;; a person who is determined or wants something very much will succeed

forbid (verb)

to order somebody not to do something; to order that something must not be done;; to make it difficult or impossible to do something;; used to say that you hope that something will not happen

coordinate (verb)

to organize the different parts of an activity and the people involved in it so that it works well;; to make the different parts of your body work well together;; if you coordinate clothes, furniture, etc. or if they coordinate, they look nice together

enact (verb)

to pass a law;; to perform a play or act a part in a play;; to take place;; to put something into practice

induce (verb)

to persuade or influence somebody to do something;; to cause something;; to make a woman start giving birth to her baby by giving her special drugs

bury (verb)

to place a dead body in a grave;; to lose somebody by death;; to hide something in the ground;; to cover somebody/something with soil, rocks, leaves, etc.;; to cover something so that it cannot be seen;; to ignore or hide a feeling, a mistake, etc.;; to put something deeply into something else;; to stop being unfriendly and become friends again;; to refuse to admit that a problem exists or refuse to deal with it;; to give the most important point of a news story near the end instead of at the beginning

cultivate (verb)

to prepare and use land for growing plants or crops;; to grow plants or crops;; to try to get somebody's friendship or support;; to develop an attitude, a way of talking or behaving, etc.

burn (verb)

to produce flames and heat;; to be on fire;; to destroy, damage, injure or kill somebody/something by fire; to be destroyed, etc. by fire;; if you burn a fuel, or a fuel burns, it produces heat, light or energy;; if food burns, or if you burn it, it is spoiled because it gets too hot;; to be damaged or injured by the sun, heat, acid, etc.; to damage or injure somebody/something in this way;; if part of your body burns or is burning, it feels very hot and painful;; to produce light;; to feel a very strong emotion or desire;; to move very fast in a particular direction;; to make somebody very angry;; to put information onto a CD or DVD;; to spend money quickly; to spend more more than is expected or reasonable;; to do something that makes it impossible to return to the previous situation later;; to become very tired by trying to do too many things and going to bed late and getting up early;; to suffer as a result of doing something without realizing the possible bad results, especially in business;; if money burns a hole in your pocket, you want to spend it as soon as you have it;; to study or work until late at night;; to drive very fast;; to cook something for too long or with too much heat, so that it becomes badly burnt;; to go wrong or to fail badly and suddenly;; a person thinks that other people are talking about them, especially in an unkind way;; to think or imagine that other people are talking about you;; to have so much money that you do not have to be careful with it

defend (verb)

to protect somebody/something from attack;; to say or write something in support of somebody/something that has been criticized;; to protect your own goal to stop your opponents from scoring;; to take part in a competition that you won the last time and try to win it again;; to act as a lawyer for somebody who has been charged with a crime

inject (verb)

to put a drug or other substance into a person's or an animal's body using a syringe;; to put a liquid into something using a syringe or similar instrument;; to add a particular quality to something;; to give money to an organization, a project, etc. so that it can function

imprison (verb)

to put somebody in a prison or another place from which they cannot escape

display (verb)

to put something in a place where people can see it easily; to show something to people;; to show signs of something, especially a quality or feeling;; to show information;; to show a special pattern of behaviour that is intended to attract a female bird or animal

soak (verb)

to put something in liquid for a time so that it becomes completely wet; to become completely wet in this way;; to make somebody/something completely wet;; to obtain a lot of money from somebody by making them pay very high taxes or prices

close (verb)

to put something into a position so that it covers an opening; to get into this position;; to move the parts of something together so that it is no longer open;; to make the work of a shop/store, etc. stop for a period of time; to not be open for people to use;; if a company, shop/store, etc. closes, or if you close it, it stops operating as a business;; to end or make something end;; to arrange and settle a business deal;; to be worth a particular amount at the end of the day's business;; to make the distance or difference between two people or things smaller; to become smaller or narrower;; to hold something/somebody firmly;; to stop doing something because you no longer believe you will be successful or will find a solution;; to stop trading;; to refuse to think about something as a possibility;; if a group of people close ranks, they work closely together to defend themselves, especially when they are being criticized;; if soldiers close ranks, they move closer together in order to defend themselves;; to make it unlikely that something will happen;; to refuse to listen to something;; to pretend that you have not noticed something so that you do not have to deal with it;; having enough experience to be able to do something easily

dip (verb)

to put something quickly into a liquid and take it out again;; to go downwards or to a lower level; to make something do this;; if you dip your headlights when driving a car at night, you make the light from them point down so that other drivers do not have the light in their eyes;; when farmers dip animals, especially sheep, they put them in a bath of a liquid containing chemicals in order to kill insects, etc.;; to spend some of your own money on something;; to start doing something very carefully to see if it will be successful or not

infer (verb)

to reach an opinion or decide that something is true on the basis of information that is available;; to suggest indirectly that something is true

inherit (verb)

to receive money, property, etc. from somebody when they die;; to have qualities, physical features, etc. that are similar to those of your parents, grandparents, etc.;; if you inherit a particular situation from somebody, you are now responsible for dealing with it, especially because you have replaced that person in their job

get (verb)

to receive something;; to obtain something;; to obtain or receive an amount of money by selling something;; to go to a place and bring somebody/something back;; to receive something as a punishment;; to receive broadcasts from a particular television or radio station;; to buy something, for example a newspaper or magazine, regularly;; to achieve or be given a particular mark/grade in an exam;; to become infected with an illness; to suffer from a pain, etc.;; to be connected with somebody by telephone;; to reach a particular state or condition; to make somebody/something/yourself reach a particular state or condition;; to reach the point at which you feel, know, are, etc. something;; to make, persuade, etc. somebody/something to do something;; to cause something to happen or be done;; to start doing something;; to have the opportunity to do something;; to arrive at or reach a place or point;; to move to or from a particular place or in a particular direction, sometimes with difficulty; to make somebody/something do this;; to use a bus, taxi, plane, etc.;; to prepare a meal;; to answer the telephone or a door when somebody calls, knocks, etc.;; to catch or take hold of somebody, especially in order to harm or punish them;; to hit or wound somebody;; to understand somebody/something;; used to say that something happens or exists;; to make somebody feel confused because they do not understand something;; to annoy somebody;; to be becoming old;; to be becoming late;; to be nearly a particular time, age or number;; used to say that you are shocked, surprised, amused, etc. by something;; to have a short holiday/vacation in a place where you can relax;; to make somebody angry, worried or excited;; to be punished or spoken to angrily about something;; to have sex with somebody;; to have an erection;; to not help somebody make progress or succeed;; to make some progress/no progress;; to achieve your aim or complete a task;; used to say that you are going to tell somebody something that they will find surprising or interesting;; used to express surprise or disapproval that somebody has been so selfish, etc.;; you have to admit that something unpleasant is true;; used to ask, especially in an angry way, what somebody is/was suggesting;; used to say that somebody has suddenly started to behave in a strange or different way

distinguish (verb)

to recognize the difference between two people or things;; to be a characteristic that makes two people, animals or things different;; to be able to see or hear something;; to do something so well that people notice and admire you

minimize (verb)

to reduce something, especially something bad, to the lowest possible level;; to try to make something seem less important than it really is;; to make something small, especially on a computer screen

defy (verb)

to refuse to obey or show respect for somebody in authority, a law, a rule, etc.;; to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc.;; to successfully resist something to a very unusual degree;; used to say that somebody should try to do something, as a way of emphasizing that you think it is impossible to do it

relieve (verb)

to remove or reduce an unpleasant feeling or pain;; to make a problem less serious;; to make something less boring, especially by introducing something different;; to replace somebody who is on duty;; to free a town, etc. from an enemy army that has surrounded it;; a polite way of referring to going to the toilet

diagnose (verb)

to say exactly what an illness or the cause of a problem is

greet (verb)

to say hello to somebody or to welcome them;; to react to somebody/something in a particular way;; to be the first thing that you see, hear or smell at a particular time

designate (verb)

to say officially that somebody/something has a particular character or name; to describe somebody/something in a particular way;; to choose or name somebody for a particular job or position;; to show something using a particular mark or sign

attribute (verb)

to say or believe that something is the result of a particular thing;; to say or believe that somebody is responsible for doing something, especially for saying, writing or painting something

reassure (verb)

to say or do something that makes somebody less frightened or worried

endorse (verb)

to say publicly that you support a person, statement or course of action;; to say in an advertisement that you use and like a particular product so that other people will want to buy it;; to write your name on the back of a cheque so that it can be paid into a bank account;; to record details of a driving offence on somebody's driving licence

declare (verb)

to say something officially or publicly;; to state something firmly and clearly;; to tell the tax authorities how much money you have earned;; to tell customs officers (= at the border of a country) that you are carrying goods on which you should pay tax;; to decide to end your innings (= the period during which your team is batting) before all your players have batted

deny (verb)

to say that something is not true;; to refuse to admit or accept something;; to refuse to allow somebody to have something that they want or ask for;; to refuse to let yourself have something that you would like to have, especially for moral or religious reasons

refuse (verb)

to say that you will not do something that somebody has asked you to do;; to say that you do not want something that has been offered to you;; to say that you will not allow something; to say that you will not give or allow somebody something that they want or need

dictate (verb)

to say words for somebody else to write down;; to tell somebody what to do, especially in an annoying way;; to control or influence how something happens

broadcast (verb)

to send out programmes on television or radio;; to tell a lot of people about something

depict (verb)

to show an image of somebody/something in a picture;; to describe something in words, or give an impression of something in words or with a picture

portray (verb)

to show somebody/something in a picture; to describe somebody/something in a piece of writing;; to describe or show somebody/something in a particular way, especially when this does not give a complete or accurate impression of what they are like;; to act a particular role in a film/movie or play

demonstrate (verb)

to show something clearly by giving proof or evidence;; to show by your actions that you have a particular quality, feeling or opinion;; to show and explain how something works or how to do something;; to take part in a public meeting or march, usually as a protest or to show support for something

grin (verb)

to smile widely;; to accept pain, disappointment or a difficult situation without complaining;; to be smiling, etc. a lot because you are very pleased about something

assert (verb)

to state clearly and firmly that something is true;; to behave in a confident and determined way so that other people pay attention to your opinions;; to make other people recognize your right or authority to do something, by behaving firmly and confidently;; to start to have an effect

prohibit (verb)

to stop something from being done or used especially by law;; to make something impossible to do

halt (verb)

to stop; to make somebody/something stop;; to suddenly make somebody stop by frightening or surprising them; to suddenly stop because something has frightened or surprised you

denounce (verb)

to strongly criticize somebody/something that you think is wrong, illegal, etc.;; to tell the police, the authorities, etc. about somebody's illegal political activities

attain (verb)

to succeed in getting something, usually after a lot of effort;; to reach a particular age, level or condition

shatter (verb)

to suddenly break into small pieces; to make something suddenly break into small pieces;; to destroy something completely, especially somebody's feelings, hopes or beliefs; to be destroyed in this way;; to make somebody feel extremely shocked and upset

sigh (verb)

to take and then let out a long deep breath that can be heard, to show that you are disappointed, sad, tired, etc.;; to say something with a sigh;; to make a long sound like a sigh

deliver (verb)

to take goods, letters, etc. to the person or people they have been sent to; to take somebody somewhere;; to give a speech, talk, etc. or other official statement;; to do what you promised to do or what you are expected to do; to produce or provide what people expect you to;; to give somebody/something to somebody else so that they are under this person's control;; to help a woman to give birth to a baby;; to give birth to a baby;; to throw or aim something;; to rescue somebody from something bad;; to do what you have promised to do or what people expect or want you to do;; definite, because all the legal documents have been signed

participate (verb)

to take part in or become involved in an activity

seize (verb)

to take somebody/something in your hand suddenly and using force;; to take control of a place or situation, often suddenly and violently;; to arrest or capture somebody;; to take illegal or stolen goods away from somebody;; to be quick to make use of a chance, an opportunity, etc.;; to affect somebody suddenly and deeply

discuss (verb)

to talk about something with somebody, especially in order to decide something;; to write or talk about something in detail, showing the different ideas and opinions about it

rip (verb)

to tear something or to become torn, often suddenly or violently;; to remove something quickly or violently, often by pulling it;; to copy sound or video files from a website or CD on to a computer;; to speak or do something with great force, enthusiasm, etc. and without control;; to go or allow something such as a car to go as fast as possible;; to do something or to allow something to happen as fast as possible;; to destroy something; to criticize somebody very strongly;; to destroy the most important part or aspect of something;; to attack somebody very violently

instruct (verb)

to tell somebody to do something, especially in a formal or official way;; to teach somebody something, especially a practical skill;; to give somebody information about something;; to employ somebody to represent you in a legal situation, especially as a lawyer

contemplate (verb)

to think about whether you should do something, or how you should do something;; to think carefully about and accept the possibility of something happening;; to think deeply about something for a long time;; to look at somebody/something in a careful way for a long time

decide (verb)

to think carefully about the different possibilities that are available and choose one of them;; to make an official or legal judgement;; to affect the result of something;; to be the reason why somebody does something

bind (verb)

to tie somebody/something with rope, string, etc. so that they/it cannot move or are held together firmly;; to tie a long thin piece of cloth around something;; to unite people, organizations, etc. so that they live or work together more happily or effectively;; to force somebody to do something by making them promise to do it or by making it their duty to do it;; to stick together or to make things stick together in a solid mass;; to fasten the pages of a book together and put them inside a cover;; to sew a piece of material to the edge of something to decorate it or to make it stronger;; to tie somebody's hands and feet together so that they cannot move or escape;; to prevent somebody from doing what they want by creating rules, restrictions, etc.

guess (verb)

to try and give an answer or make a judgement about something without being sure of all the facts;; to find the right answer to a question or the truth without knowing all the facts;; to suppose that something is true or likely;; used to show that you are going to say something surprising or exciting;; to not tell somebody about your plans or what is going to happen next

discourage (verb)

to try to prevent something or to prevent somebody from doing something, especially by making it difficult to do or by showing that you do not approve of it;; to make somebody feel less confident or enthusiastic about doing something

negotiate (verb)

to try to reach an agreement by formal discussion;; to arrange or agree something by formal discussion;; to successfully get over or past a difficult part on a path or route

conserve (verb)

to use as little of something as possible so that it lasts a long time;; to protect something and prevent it from being changed or destroyed

exert (verb)

to use power or influence to affect somebody/something;; to make a big physical or mental effort

consume (verb)

to use something, especially fuel, energy or time;; to eat or drink something;; to fill somebody with a strong feeling;; to completely destroy something

push (verb)

to use your hands, arms or body in order to make somebody/something move forward or away from you; to move part of your body into a particular position;; to use force to move past somebody/something using your hands, arms, etc.;; to affect something so that it reaches a particular level or state;; to press a switch, button, etc., for example in order to make a machine start working;; to persuade or encourage somebody to do something that they may not want to do;; to make somebody work hard;; to put pressure on somebody and make them angry or upset;; to try hard to persuade people to accept or agree with a new idea, buy a new product, etc.;; to sell illegal drugs;; to move forward quickly through an area;; to be nearly 40, 50, etc. years old;; to be dead and in a grave;; to react in a sudden or extreme way to something unexpected that has frightened you;; to do exactly the right things to please somebody;; to spend a lot of money on enjoying yourself or celebrating something;; to go beyond the limits of what is allowed or thought to be possible;; to take a risk because you have successfully avoided problems in the past;; to try to forget about something unpleasant

await (verb)

to wait for somebody/something;; to be going to happen to somebody

pace (verb)

to walk up and down in a small area many times, especially because you are feeling nervous or angry;; to set the speed at which something happens or develops;; to find the right speed or rhythm for your work or an activity so that you have enough energy to do what you have to do

oversee (verb)

to watch somebody/something and make sure that a job or an activity is done correctly

defeat (verb)

to win against somebody in a war, competition, sports game, etc.;; to stop something from being successful;; if something defeats you, you cannot understand it

mobilize (verb)

to work together in order to achieve a particular aim; to organize a group of people to do this;; to find and start to use something that is needed for a particular purpose;; if a country mobilizes its army, or if a country or army mobilizes, it makes itself ready to fight in a war

cooperate (verb)

to work together with somebody else in order to achieve something;; to be helpful by doing what somebody asks you to do

double (adjective)

twice as much or as many as usual;; having or made of two things or parts that are equal or similar;; made for two people or things;; combining two things or qualities

sandwich (noun)

two slices of bread, often spread with butter, with a layer of meat, cheese, etc. between them;; a sponge cake consisting of two layers with jam and/or cream between them

disabled (adjective)

unable to use a part of your body completely or easily because of a physical condition, an illness, an injury, etc.; unable to learn easily;; people who are disabled

exceptional (adjective)

unusually good;; very unusual

disappointed (adjective)

upset because something you hoped for has not happened or been as good, successful, etc. as you expected

component (adjective)

used to describe one of several parts of which something is made

sake (noun)

used to emphasize that it is important to do something or when you are annoyed about something;; if you do something for old times' sake, you do it because it is connected with something good that happened to you in the past;; because of the interest or value something has, not because of the advantages it may bring;; in order to help somebody/something or because you like somebody/something;; in order to get or keep something

sheer (adjective)

used to emphasize the size, degree or amount of something;; complete and not mixed with anything else;; very steep;; thin, light and almost transparent

ah (exclamation)

used to express surprise, pleasure, admiration or sympathy, or when you disagree with somebody

but (conjunction)

used to introduce a word or phrase that contrasts with what was said before;; however; despite this;; used when you are saying sorry about something;; used to introduce a statement that shows that you are surprised or annoyed, or that you disagree;; except;; used before repeating a word in order to emphasize it;; used to emphasize that something is always true;; if it were not for;; except for;; however; on the other hand;; used before a statement that explains or gives a reason for what has just been said;; used to show that everything else is impossible except the thing that you are saying

firstly (adverb)

used to introduce the first of a list of points you want to make in a speech or piece of writing

secondly (adverb)

used to introduce the second of a list of points you want to make in a speech or piece of writing

do (verb)

used to refer to actions that you do not mention by name or do not know about;; to act or behave in the way mentioned;; used to ask or talk about the success or progress of somebody/something;; to work at or perform an activity or a task;; used with nouns to talk about tasks such as cleaning, washing, arranging, etc.;; to perform the activity or task mentioned;; to work at something as a job;; to learn or study something;; to find the answer to something; to solve something;; to produce or make something;; to perform or produce a play, an opera, etc.;; to copy somebody's behaviour or the way somebody speaks, sings, etc., especially in order to make people laugh;; to finish something;; to travel a particular distance;; to complete a journey/trip;; to travel at or reach a particular speed;; to visit a place as a tourist;; to spend a period of time doing something;; to deal with or attend to somebody/something;; to be suitable or be enough for somebody/something;; to cook something;; to cheat somebody;; to punish somebody;; to steal from a place;; to take an illegal drug;; to have sex;; to be about or connected with somebody/something;; used to talk about how much somebody/something is connected with somebody/something;; used to say that a situation is not acceptable and should be changed or improved;; used to say that something does not make somebody look attractive;; used to refuse a request;; used to show that you intend to stop somebody from doing something that they were going to do;; used to show that you will not accept something any longer;; used to say that an accident, a mistake, etc. has spoiled or ruined something;; used to order somebody to stop doing or saying something;; used to ask how somebody manages to obtain the thing mentioned;; used to ask why somebody/something is in the place mentioned

can (modal verb)

used to say that it is possible for somebody/something to do something, or for something to happen;; used to say that somebody knows how to do something;; used with the verbs 'feel', 'hear', 'see', 'smell', 'taste';; used to show that somebody is allowed to do something;; used to ask permission to do something;; used to ask somebody to help you;; used in the negative for saying that you are sure something is not true;; used to express doubt or surprise;; used to say what somebody/something is often like;; used to make suggestions;; used to say that somebody must do something, usually when you are angry;; as happy, etc. as possible;; used to say that you do not like something and are unwilling to accept it;; used to say that you are not able or willing to do something

despite (preposition)

used to show that something happened or is true although something else might have happened to prevent it;; used to show that somebody did not intend to do the thing mentioned

so-called (adjective)

used to show that you do not think that the word or phrase that is being used to describe somebody/something is appropriate;; used to introduce the word that people usually use to describe something

plus (preposition)

used when the two numbers or amounts mentioned are being added together;; as well as something/somebody; and also;; used when the number mentioned may actually be more or less by a particular amount

overwhelming (adjective)

very great or very strong; so powerful that you cannot resist it or decide how to react

profound (adjective)

very great; felt or experienced very strongly;; showing great knowledge or understanding;; needing a lot of study or thought;; very serious; complete

great (adjective)

very large; much bigger than average in size or quantity;; used to emphasize an adjective of size or quality;; much more than average in degree or quantity;; extremely good in ability or quality and therefore admired by many people;; very good or pleasant;; important and impressive;; having high status or a lot of influence;; in a very good state of physical or mental health;; able to do something well;; very suitable or useful for something;; used when you are emphasizing a particular description of somebody/something;; added to words for family members to show a further stage in relationship;; used in the names of animals or plants which are larger than similar kinds;; used with the name of a city to describe an area that includes the centre of the city and a large area all round it;; to be doing something quickly and successfully;; to be better or more effective as a group than you would think just by looking at the individual members of the group;; to do something a lot; to enjoy something;; to be not very good, efficient, suitable, etc.;; of all sizes or types;; used to refer to where a particular person is imagined to go when they die or a thing when it is no longer working, similar to the place they were connected with on earth;; used to say that you and another person must both be very clever because you have had the same idea or agree about something;; something large and successful often begins in a very small way;; to put a lot of effort into doing something;; to do something very carefully

delighted (adjective)

very pleased

acute (adjective)

very serious or severe;; an acute illness is one that has quickly become severe and dangerous;; very sensitive and well developed;; intelligent and quick to notice and understand things;; less than 90°

alike (adjective)

very similar

minimal (adjective)

very small in size or amount; as small as possible

bizarre (adjective)

very strange or unusual

dramatically (adverb)

very suddenly and to a very great and often surprising degree;; in a way that is exciting and impressive;; in a way that is exaggerated in order to create a special effect and attract people's attention;; in a way that is connected with the theatre or plays

astonishing (adjective)

very surprising; difficult to believe

hostile (adjective)

very unfriendly or aggressive and ready to argue or fight;; strongly rejecting something;; making it difficult for something to happen or to be achieved;; belonging to a military enemy;; not wanted by the company that is to be bought

miserable (adjective)

very unhappy or uncomfortable;; making you feel very unhappy or uncomfortable;; always unhappy, bad-tempered and unfriendly;; too small in quantity

deeply (adverb)

very; very much;; used with some verbs to show that something is done in a very complete way;; to a depth that is quite a long way from the surface of something

brutal (adjective)

violent and cruel;; direct and clear about something unpleasant; not thinking of people's feelings

inclined (adjective)

wanting to do something;; tending to do something; likely to do something;; used when you are expressing an opinion but do not want to express it very strongly;; having a natural ability for something; preferring to do something;; sloping; at an angle

dressed (adjective)

wearing clothes and not naked or wearing clothes for sleeping;; wearing clothes of a particular type;; wearing the kind of clothes that will make people notice and admire you;; wearing very elegant or formal clothes;; used to describe a woman who is trying to look younger than she really is, especially by wearing clothes that are designed for young people

notorious (adjective)

well known for being bad

infamous (adjective)

well known for being bad or evil

circulate (verb)

when a liquid, gas or air circulates or is circulated, it moves continuously around a place or system;; if a story, an idea, information, etc. circulates or if you circulate it, it spreads or it is passed from one person to another;; to send goods or information to all the people in a group;; to move around a group, especially at a party, talking to different people

erupt (verb)

when a volcano erupts or burning rocks, smoke, etc. erupt or are erupted, the burning rocks, etc. are thrown out from the volcano;; to start happening, suddenly and violently;; to suddenly express your feelings very strongly, especially by shouting loudly;; to suddenly appear on your skin

broad (adjective)

wide;; used after a measurement of distance to show how wide something is;; including a great variety of people or things;; general; not detailed;; covering a wide area;; if somebody has a broad accent, you can hear very easily which area they come from;; if somebody gives a broad hint, they make it very clear what they are thinking or what they want;; dealing with sex in an amusing way;; an organization that accepts a wide range of opinions;; (in) the clear light of day, when it is easy to see;; it makes no real difference which of two possible choices you make;; to describe something in a general way, ignoring the details

dark (adjective)

with no or very little light, especially because it is night;; not light; closer in shade to black than to white;; having a colour that is close to black;; brown or black in colour;; having dark hair, eyes, etc.;; mysterious; hidden and not known about;; evil or frightening;; unpleasant and without any hope that something good will happen;; produced with the back part of the tongue close to the back of the mouth. In many accents of English, dark /l/ is used after a vowel, as in ball.;; a person who does not tell other people much about their life, and who surprises other people by having interesting qualities;; a person taking part in a race, etc. who surprises everyone by winning;; to keep something secret and not tell people about it

non-profit (adjective)

without the aim of making a profit