B2-U3

fascinated

adj extremely interested by something or someone I was fascinated by her voice.

balanced diet

n a balanced diet is a healthy diet that contains the right foods in the right amounts The athletes ate a balanced diet and had help from a professional nutritionist.

adrenaline

n a chemical produced by your body when you are afraid, angry, or excited, which makes your heart beat faster There's nothing like a good horror film to get the adrenalin going (= make you feel nervously excited).

fake

n a copy of a valuable object, painting, etc., that is meant to deceive people The painting was definitely a fake.

version

n a copy of something that has been changed so that it is slightly different The company will soon release a new version of the software.

kingdom

n a country ruled by a king or queen Hasuko decided to study at university in the United Kingdom.

drawback

n a disadvantage of a situation, plan, product, etc. It's a great city - the only drawback is the weather.

dynasty

n a family of kings or other rulers whose parents, grandparents, etc., have ruled the country for many years The Habsburg dynasty ruled in Austria from 1278 to 1918.

sense

n a feeling about something Afterwards, I felt a great sense of relief.

jealousy

n a feeling of being jealous His actions were motivated by jealousy.

dissatisfaction

n a feeling of not being satisfied 30% of customers expressed dissatisfaction with the service.

attachment

n a feeling that you like or love someone or something and that you would be unhappy without them It's natural that you have a strong attachment to your mother.

excess

n a larger amount of something than is allowed or needed After you apply the oil, wait 20 minutes before wiping off any excess.

promotion

n a move to a more important job or position in a company or organization Your promotion to Senior Editor is now official.

household name

n a name of a product, company, etc., that is very well known Nintendo is now a household name.

bunk

n a narrow bed that is attached to the wall, for example on a train or ship As a child, I remember fighting with my sister over who slept on the top bunk.

brief spell

n a short period of time For a brief spell, he worked for the local council.

chip

n a small piece of silicon that has a set of complicated connections on it and is said to store and process information in computers Chip technology has progressed incredibly quickly over the last year or two.

conflict

n a state of disagreement or argument between people, groups, countries, etc. The conflict began a decade ago.

prediction

n a statement about what you think is going to happen, or the act of making this statement The prediction about the storm became a reality.

threat

n a statement in which you tell someone that you will cause them harm or trouble if they do not do what you want Your threats don't scare me.

ambition

n a strong desire to achieve something She had always had an ambition to be a pilot.

enthusiasm

n a strong feeling of interest and enjoyment about something and a keenness to be involved in it Gillian and Darren greeted the speakers with great enthusiasm.

hoverboard

n a two-wheeled scooter which, like a skateboard, requires balance I was disappointed with my hoverboard, it was nothing like the ones they used in the film "Back to the future".

calorie

n a unit for measuring the amount of energy that food will produce The average potato contains about 90 calories.

treehouse

n a wooden structure built in the branches of a tree for children to play in Bob built an amazing treehouse for the children.

counselling

n advice and support given by a counsellor to someone with problems, usually after talking to them It might be a good idea to consider contacting a debt counselling service.

generation

n all people of about the same age Like most of my generation, I had never known a war.

pressure

n an attempt to persuade someone by using influence, arguments, or threats They are putting pressure on people to vote yes.

kidney

n one of the two organs in your lower back that separate waste products from your blood and make urine.肾 Liam is recovering well after having a kidney transplant.

completion

n the state of being finished The house is nearing completion (= almost finished).

financing

n to provide money, especially a lot of money, to pay for something The financing for the deal has been approved in principle.

rocket science

n used to say that something is not difficult to do or understand Designing a website may be a lot of work but it's not rocket science.

fatigue

n very great tiredness Sam's face was grey with fatigue.

crystal

n very high quality clear glass We've bought them a set of six crystal glasses as wedding present.

madness

n very stupid behaviour that could be dangerous or have a very bad effect It would be madness to drive all that way on your own.

Yours faithfully

phrase the usual polite way of ending a formal letter, which you have begun with Dear Sir/Madam As she had started her letter "Dear Sir/Madam," she ended with "Yours faithfully,".

catch (sb's) eye

phrase to attract someone's attention and make them look at something Out on the freeway, a set of three billboards caught his eye.

stand on your own feet

phrase to be able to do what you need to do, earn your own money, etc., without help from others She's never learned to stand on her own feet.

get your head around(st)

phrase to be able to understand something I just can't get my head around what's been going on here.

have something in common

phrase to have the same interests or opinions as someone else What do you have in common with Jess?

fingers crossed

phrase to hope that something will happen the way you want We're keeping our fingers crossed that she's going to be OK.

mad about (sb/st)

phrase to like someone or something very much My nine-year-old is mad about computer games.

widen the appeal

phrase to make more attractive and popular More interactive displays were introduced to widen the appeal of the museum.

set eyes on (sb/st)

phrase to see something or meet someone, especially for the first time I loved that house from the moment I set eyes on it.

spread your wings

phrase to start to have an independent life and experience new things A year spent studying abroad should allow him to spread his wings a bit.

have none of it

phrase used to say that someone refused to allow someone to do something or to behave in a particular way We offered to pay our half of the bill but Charles would have none of it.

break down

phrv if a car or machine breaks down, it stops working The car broke down just north of Paris.

be cut off

phrv if a place is cut off, people cannot leave it or reach it In winter, the town is often cut off by snow.

work out

phrv if a problem or complicated situation works out, it gradually gets better or gets solved I hope it all works out for Gina and Andy.

come out

phrv if information comes out, people learn about it, especially after it has been kept secret No doubt the truth will come out one day.

keep up with

phrv if one process keeps up with another, it increases at the same speed and by the same amount Food production is not keeping up with population growth.

get on with

phrv if people get on with each other, they like each other and have a friendly relationship I've always got on well with Henry.

build up

phrv if something builds up somewhere, or if you build it up, it gradually becomes bigger or greater The rate at which the pension builds up is quite slow initially.

face up to

phrv to accept and deal with a difficult fact or problem They'll never offer you another job; you might as well face up to it.

get into (st)

phrv to begin to enjoy something or be interested in it I first got into jazz when I was at college.

get over (st)

phrv to begin to feel better after a very upsetting experience She never got over the death of her husband.

settle in

phrv to begin to feel happy and relaxed in a new situation, home, job, or school How's your new home? Are you settling in OK?

put up

phrv to build or erect something such as a wall, fence, building, etc. They're putting up several new office blocks in the centre of town.

come across

phrv to meet, find, or discover someone or something by chance I came across an old diary in the attic.

refer to

phrv to mention or speak about someone or something We agreed never to refer to the matter again.

dependent on (sb/st)

phrv to need the support, help or existence of someone or something in order to exist, be healthy, be successful, etc. The country depends heavily on its tourist trade.

give up

phrv to stop trying to do something You shouldn't give up so easily.

according to

prep as shown by something or stated by someone According to the police, the theft occurred late last night.

unfold

v if a story unfolds, or if someone unfolds it, it is told As the story unfolds, we learn more about Max's childhood.

strengthen

v to become stronger or make something stronger Our friendship has steadily strengthened over the years.

double

v to become twice as big or twice as much, or to make something twice as big or twice as much Within two years the company had doubled in size.

network

v to connect several computers together so that they can share information We need to network the new set of computers.

remain

v to continue to be in the same state or condition Please remain seated until all the lights are on.

submerge

v to cover something completely with water or another liquid The tunnel entrance was submerged by rising sea water.

force

v to make someone do something they do not want to Due to the high cost of borrowing, many companies have been forced to close.

consider

v to think of someone or something in a particular way or to have a particular opinion A further increase in interest rates is now considered unlikely.

bustling

adj a bustling place is very busy The flower market was bustling with shoppers.

mature student

adj a student at a university or college who is over 25 years old There were quite a few mature students on the course.

tragic

adj a tragic event or situation makes you feel very sad, especially because it involves death or suffering The parents were not to blame for the tragic accident.

counterproductive

adj achieving the opposite result to the one that you want Sending young offenders to prison can be counterproductive.

inhospitable

adj an inhospitable place is difficult to live or stay in because the weather conditions are unpleasant or there is no shelter Ranulph has trekked across some of the most inhospitable areas in the world.

interactive

adj an interactive computer program, television system, etc., allows you to communicate directly with it, and does things in reaction to your actions Sam loves playing interactive computer games with his friends.

irritating

adj an irritating habit, situation, etc., keeps annoying you He's the most irritating man I've ever met.

isolated

adj an isolated building, village, etc., is far away from any others In the jungle they came across a few small isolated communities.

out-of-the-way

adj an out-of-the-way place is in an area where there are few people Maria took me to an out-of-the-way spot for a picnic.

faux

adj artificial, but made to look real The faux pearl necklace she wore was beautiful.

hypothetical

adj based on a situation that is not real, but that might happen Brennan brought up a hypothetical case to make his point.

factual

adj based on facts or relating to facts Try to keep your account of events as factual as possible.

contemporary

adj belonging to the present time Last week we went to an exhibition of contemporary Japanese prints.

underwater

adj below the surface of an area of water, or able to be used there Nic always takes an underwater camera with him when he goes scuba-diving.

level-headed

adj calm and sensible in making judgements or decisions Alison was very level-headed and could always be relied upon in a crisis.

sympathetic

adj caring and feeling sorry about someone's problems Jo is not exactly what I'd call a sympathetic friend - she laughed when I told her I was sad.

controversial

adj causing a lot of disagreement, because many people have strong opinions about the subject being discussed Welfare reform is often considered to be a controversial issue.

destructive

adj causing damage to people or things Modern weapons have a more destructive power than those of the past.

inevitable

adj certain to happen and impossible to avoid A further increase in the price of fuel now seems inevitable.

chilly

adj chilly weather or places are cold enough to make you feel uncomfortable It was a chilly November morning.

insane

adj completely stupid or crazy, often in a way that is dangerous That's an insane risk.

consecutive

adj consecutive numbers or periods of time follow one after the other without any interruptions It has rained for four consecutive days.

overall

adj considering or including everything The overall cost of the exhibition was close to £400,000.

complex

adj consisting of many different parts and often difficult to understand The plan was complex and difficult to understand.

long-term

adj continuing for a long period of time, or relating to what will happen in the distant future The long-term future of the fishing industry is uncertain.

appropriate

adj correct or suitable for a particular time, situation, or purpose Always wear appropriate clothing when going for a job interview.

polluted

adj dangerously dirty and not suitable for people to use That is one of the most polluted areas in the world.

pragmatic

adj dealing with problems in a sensible practical way instead of strictly following a set of ideas Williams took a more pragmatic approach to management problems.

self-destructive

adj deliberately doing things that are likely to seriously harm or kill yourself He knew that he was a self-destructive alcoholic and needed help.

reliant on

adj dependent on someone or something Most companies are now reliant on computer technology.

functional

adj designed to be useful rather than beautiful or attractive Her house had no homely features and was purely functional.

functional

adj designed to be useful rather than beautiful or attractive The latest plans are for buildings that are sensitively designed, not purely functional.

competitive

adj determined or trying very hard to be more successful than other people or businesses Some US industries are not as competitive as they have been in the past.

unnatural

adj different from what you would normally expect It was very cold, which seemed unnatural for late spring.

relevant

adj directly relating or linked to the subject or problem being discussed or considered Relevant documents were presented in court.

opinionated

adj expressing very strong opinions about things I found him very arrogant and opinionated.

superb

adj extremely good The food was superb.

fabulous

adj extremely good or impressive You look fabulous!

far-fetched

adj extremely unlikely to be true or to happen All this may sound a bit far-fetched, but companies are already developing 'intelligent' homes.

supporting

adj facts or data showing that an idea or statement is correct My own research is backed with supporting information.

considerable

adj fairly large, especially large enough to have an effect or be important We've saved a considerable amount of money by shopping online.

remote

adj far from towns or other places where people live They live in a remote border town.

frustrated

adj feeling annoyed, upset, and impatient, because you cannot control or change a situation, or achieve something He gets frustrated when people don't understand what he's trying to say.

relieved

adj feeling happy because you are no longer worried about something She looked immensely relieved when she heard the news.

dizzy

adj feeling unable to stand steadily, for example because you are looking down from a high place or because you are ill The heat and the champagne made him feel dizzy.

embarrassed

adj feeling uncomfortable or nervous and worrying about what people think of you, for example because you have made a silly mistake, or because you have to talk or sing in public Lori gets embarrassed if we ask her to sing.

guilty

adj feeling very ashamed and sad because you know that you have done something wrong I feel really guilty at forgetting her birthday again.

fictional

adj fictional people, events, etc., are imaginary and from a book or story They discussed their favourite fictional character during class.

fixed

adj fixed times, amounts, meanings, etc., cannot be changed The classes begin and end at fixed times.

dramatic

adj great and sudden Computers have brought dramatic changes to the workplace.

initial

adj happening at the beginning The company asked for an initial investment of £5,000.

random

adj happening or chosen without any definite plan, aim, or pattern The company has introduced random drug testing of its employees.

commonplace

adj happening or existing in many places, and therefore not special or unusual Car thefts are commonplace in this part of town.

interwar

adj happening or relating to the period between the First and the Second World Wars There was a period of uncertainty during the interwar years.

seasonal

adj happening, expected, or needed during a particular season Be prepared for the heavy seasonal rains.

content

adj happy and satisfied Andy was a good husband, and Nicky was clearly very content.

rhythmic

adj having a strong rhythm The rhythmic thud of the bass drum made the wooden floor vibrate.

intense

adj having a very strong effect or felt very strongly Young people today are under intense pressure to succeed.

justified

adj having an acceptable explanation or reason In the Chief Constable's view, the use of force was fully justified.

better off

adj having more money than someone else or than you had before She'll be about £50 a week better off.

broke

adj having no money I'm tired of being broke all the time.

disadvantaged

adj having social problems, such as a lack of money or education, which make it difficult for you to succeed The aid workers worked in the most disadvantaged areas of the city.

capable (of)

adj having the qualities or ability needed to do something I don't think he's capable of reaching the summit.

insular

adj if a something or someone is insular, it is isolated or separate from its surroundings It has been difficult for researchers to intergrate with this insular community.

addictive

adj if a substance, especially a drug, is addictive, your body starts to need it regularly and you are unable to stop taking it Tobacco is known to be highly addictive.

mind-numbing

adj if an event or experience is mind-numbing, it is so bad, boring or great that you cannot think clearly about it To some people, football is a mind-numbingly boring sport.

responsible

adj if someone is responsible for an accident, mistake, crime, etc., it is their fault or they can be blamed Police believe that the same man is responsible for three other burglaries in the area.

divided

adj if something divides, or if you divide it, it separates into two or more parts The country was divided after the referendum.

attainable

adj if something is attainable, it can be achieved - usually after a lot of effort This target should be attainable.

legal

adj if something is legal, you are allowed to do it or have to do it by law What the company has done is perfectly legal.

outdated

adj if something is outdated, it is no longer considered useful or effective, because something more modern exists His teaching methods are so outdated.

positive

adj if you are positive about things, you are hopeful and confident, and think about what is good in a situation rather than what is bad Try to take a more positive approach to the situation.

racing

adj if your heart or mind is racing, it is working harder and faster than usual, for example because you are afraid or excited. My mind was racing, trying to remember where I'd left the car.

weighty

adj important and serious She didn't feel like discussing weighty matters.

supernatural

adj impossible to explain by natural causes, and therefore seeming to involve the powers of gods or magic She was said to possess supernatural powers.

superstitious

adj influenced by superstitions My grandmother was a superstitious woman and never walked under ladders.

fraudulent

adj intended to deceive people in an illegal way, in order to gain money, power, etc. The couple were charged with having made a fraudulent insurance claim.

realistic

adj judging and dealing with situations in a practical way according to what is actually possible rather than what you would like to happen It's just not realistic to expect a pay rise so soon.

strong-willed

adj knowing exactly what you want to do and being determined to achieve it, even if other people advise you against it Jackie has always been very strong-willed.

unimaginative

adj lacking the ability to think of new or unusual ideas The city was a disappointment and full of unimaginative architecture.

potential

adj likely to develop into a particular type of person or thing in the future At tomorrow's meeting we need to discuss new ways of attracting potential customers.

threatening

adj likely to harm or destroy something or someone He knew he was putting himself into a threatening situation.

extended

adj made longer or bigger We had an extended holiday because our flight home was delayed for a week.

enforced

adj made to happen, especially by things you cannot control After bad behaviour, the prisoner spent a period of time in enforced isolation.

virtual

adj made, done or seen, etc., on the Internet or on a computer, rather than in the real world The website allows you to take a virtual tour of the art gallery.

therapeutic

adj making you feel calm and relaxed I find swimming very therapeutic.

uplifting

adj making you feel happier and more hopeful I always find meeting people from other cultures an uplifting experience.

satisfying

adj making you feel pleased and happy, especially because you have got what you wanted Completing the race gave me a deeply satisfying feeling.

moving

adj making you feel strong emotions, especially sadness or sympathy The story is a moving account of the author's childhood.

alarming

adj making you feel worried or frightened There has been an alarming increase in violent crime.

misty

adj misty weather is weather with a lot of mist It was such a cold and misty morning that we decided to stay on land.

additional

adj more than what was agreed or expected Additional information can be obtained from the centre.

superhuman

adj much greater than ordinary human powers or abilities It will require a superhuman effort to get the job done on time.

excessive

adj much more than is reasonable or necessary $15 for two beers seems a little excessive.

mysterious

adj mysterious events or situations are difficult to explain or understand The police are investigating the mysterious deaths of children at the hospital.

untranslatable

adj not able to be put into another form, language or style The message I received was completely untranslatable.

incapable

adj not able to do something He seemed incapable of understanding how she felt.

adventurous

adj not afraid of taking risks or trying new things Andy isn't a very adventurous cook.

uninspiring

adj not at all interesting or exciting No one deserved to win this uninspiring game.

irrational

adj not based on clear thought or reason Lorna had an irrational fear of flying.

reckless

adj not caring or worrying about the possible bad or dangerous results of your actions He was accused of causing death by reckless driving.

unsociable

adj not wanting to be with people or at a time which doesn't fit with people's usual routines When I have to work unsociable hours I really miss seeing my friends and family.

risk-averse

adj not willing to take risks Financial institutions might be so risk-averse that they will not lend money.

first-rate

adj of the very best quality He's a first-rate surgeon.

inner

adj on the inside or close to the centre of something He was invited to the inner office.

timetabled

adj planned to happen at a particular time in the future Each player was given a list of the timetabled matches.

organic

adj relating to farming or gardening methods of growing food without using artificial chemicals, or produced or grown by these methods Organic farming is much better for the environment.

genetic

adj relating to genes (= part of a cell in a living thing that controls what it looks like, how it grows, and how it develops. Researchers are currently comparing the genetic makeup of twins.

medical

adj relating to medicine and the treatment of disease or injury June has been a medical student for three years now.

practical

adj relating to real situations and events rather than ideas, emotions, etc. Candidates should have training and practical experience in basic electronics.

arctic

adj relating to the most northern part of the world Novaya Zemlya is located in the arctic and is composed of two islands.

psychological

adj relating to the way that your mind works and the way that this affects your behaviour Sleep disorders are a serious psychological problem.

spiritual

adj relating to your spirit rather than to your body or mind Painting helps fill a spiritual need for beauty.

laid-back

adj relaxed and seeming not to be worried about anything I don't know how you can be so laid-back about your exams.

trembling

adj shaking slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are upset or frightened Carl was on his feet now, his body trembling with rage.

restricted

adj small or limited in size, area, or amount受限制地 It's difficult trying to work in such a restricted space.

astonishing

adj so surprising that it is difficult to believe The news that Jacqui was going to leave work and go travelling for a year was astonishing.

hedonistic

adj someone who believes that pleasure is the most important thing in life Mark's always had a hedonistic streak in him.

argumentative

adj someone who is argumentative often argues or likes arguing He quickly becomes argumentative after a few drinks.

dedicated

adj someone who is dedicated works very hard at what they do because they care a lot about it Mr Joyce was a dedicated and thoughtful teacher.

prospective

adj someone who is likely to do a particular thing or achieve a particular position The prospective costs of providing pensions is beyond what the government can currently afford.

modest

adj someone who is modest does not want to talk about their abilities or achievements He was always modest about his role in the Everest expedition.

passive

adj someone who is passive tends to accept things that happen to them or things that people say to them, without taking any action Kathy seems to take a very passive role in the relationship.

customary

adj something that is customary is normal because it is the way something is usually done In some cultures it is customary for the bride to wear white.

damaged

adj something that is damaged has been harmed or injured The doctor examined her damaged leg.

desirable

adj something that is desirable is worth having or doing The ability to speak a foreign language is highly desirable in today's job market.

exotic

adj something that is exotic seems unusual and interesting because it is related to a foreign country - use this to show approval The explorers came across a number of new species of exotic birds.

impressive

adj something that is impressive makes you admire it because it is very good, large, important, etc. The figures certainly look impressive.

regrettable

adj something that is regrettable is unpleasant, and you wish things could be different That was a very regrettable mistake.

spontaneous

adj something that is spontaneous has not been planned or organized, but happens by itself, or because you suddenly feel you want to do it The crowd gave a spontaneous cheer when the comedian came onto the stage.

tedious

adj something that is tedious continues for a long time and is not interesting The work was tiring and tedious.

tempting

adj something that is tempting seems very good and you would like to have it or do it It was a very tempting job offer but he still wasn't sure if he should take it.

unintended

adj something which is not planned or done on purpose or deliberately I felt certain his hurtful comment was unintended.

jammed

adj stuck and impossible to move Ben had got his finger jammed in the door.

time-consuming

adj taking a long time to do Documenting the school's spending is a complex and time-consuming process.

obsessive

adj thinking or worrying about something all the time, so that you do not think about other things enough - used to show disapproval Glenn has an obsessive concern with cleanliness and order.

declining

adj to decrease in quantity or importance Declining attendance at baseball games is a worry for the league.

anticipatory

adj to expect that something will happen and be ready for it Nothing beats the anticipatory atmosphere of a big college football game.

exceptional

adj unusually good Liz was an exceptional student and always had very original ideas.

unique

adj unusually good and special Sheila realized it was a unique opportunity to study such rare creatures.

domestic

adj used in people's homes This shop sells domestic appliances such as washing machines.

witty

adj using words in a clever and amusing way His witty remarks had us in fits of laughter.

valuable

adj valuable help, advice or information, etc., is very useful because it helps you to do something It was a job that gave him valuable experience of the hospitality industry.

mega

adj very big and impressive or enjoyable Their first record was a mega hit.

brutal

adj very cruel and violent The police said it was a brutal attack.

unconventional

adj very different from the way people usually behave, think, dress, etc. She had unconventional views.

alien

adj very different from what you are used to, especially in a way that is difficult to understand or accept The alien environment of the city came as a shock to many villagers seeking work there.

thrilled

adj very excited, happy, and pleased We were so thrilled to hear about the wedding.

mind-blowing

adj very exciting, shocking, or strange Visiting the space station was a mind-blowing experience.

luxurious

adj very expensive, beautiful, and comfortable This luxurious 30-room villa is owned by a famous billionaire.

legendary

adj very famous and admired Jimi Hendrix is a legendary American guitarist.

magnificent

adj very good or beautiful, and very impressive It was a magnificent performance.

miraculous

adj very good, completely unexpected, and often very lucky She made a miraculous recovery from her injuries.

cute

adj very pretty or attractive All the children ran to see the cute little puppy.

weird

adj very strange and unusual, and difficult to understand or explain A really weird thing happened last night.

towering

adj very tall It was wonderful to see the towering white cliffs of Dover.

rough

adj when connected to the weather or sea, with strong winds or storms The ship went down in rough seas.

freelance

adj working independently for different companies rather than being employed by one particular company She works freelance from home.

fluently

adv able to speak a language very well He spoke French fluently.

eventually

adv after a long time, or after a lot of things have happened He eventually escaped and made his way back home.

consistently

adv always behaving in the same way or having the same attitudes, standards, etc., - usually used to show approval He's consistently shown us he's capable of achieving high scores.

initially

adv at the beginning Stan initially wanted to go to medical school.

instinctively

adv based on instinct and not involving thought She instinctively knew that he was lying.

deliberately

adv done in a way that is intended or planned He deliberately upset her.

authentically

adv done or made in the traditional or original way It was an authentically made product.

adequately

adv fairly good but not excellent, same meaning as satisfactory Her performance was adequate but lacked any passion.

ultimately

adv finally, after everything else has been done or considered Ultimately, the decision rests with the child's parents.

diagonally

adv following a sloping angle The path goes diagonally across the field.

forever

adv for all future time I wanted that moment to last forever.

prematurely

adv happening before the natural or proper time过早的（如早产） The baby was born prematurely.

widely

adv in a lot of different places or by a lot of people Organic food is now widely available.

openly

adv in a way that does not hide your feelings, opinions, or the facts Sally talked openly about her problems.

remarkably

adv in an amount or to a degree that is unusual or surprising异常的 She plays the violin remarkably well.

in that respect

adv in this respect refers back to an idea or point previously expressed in a statement The cost of living is increasing; in this respect, life is becoming more difficult for many people.

messily

adv making someone or something dirty or untidy The children ate messily and had food all over their faces.

increasingly

adv more and more all the time Marketing calls are becoming increasingly irritating.

uncharacteristically

adv not typical of someone or something and therefore surprising He was uncharacteristically quiet.

productively

adv producing or achieving a lot Always try to use your time productively.

holographic

adv relating to a hologram (= a kind of photograph made with a laser that looks 3D when looked at from an angle) All bank cards now have a holographic design feature on them.

potentially

adv something that is potentially dangerous, useful, etc., is not dangerous, etc., now, but may become so in the future They faced a potentially dangerous situation if the snowstorm continued.

implicitly

adv suggesting or understood without being stated directly I trusted her implicitly.

neatly

adv tidy and carefully arranged He wrote his name neatly at the bottom of the page.

equally

adv to the same degree or amount You must have a good education, but practical experience is equally important.

whatsoever

adv used to emphasize a negative statement He's had no luck whatsoever.

thankfully

adv used to say that you are glad that something has happened, especially because a difficult situation has ended or been avoided Thankfully, I managed to pay off all my debts before we got married.

theoretically

adv used to say what is supposed to be true in a particular situation, especially when the opposite is true Theoretically, Damian's the boss, but I coordinate the team on a day-to-day basis.

allegedly

adv used when reporting something that people say is true, although it has not been proved The police have a sports car, allegedly stolen in Manchester.

rapidly

adv very quickly and in a very short time The disease was spreading more rapidly than expected.

make redundant

collocation if you are made redundant, your employer no longer has a job for you Another 50 employees are going to be made redundant this month.

take risks

collocation to continue with an action which might be dangerous George always takes risks and never thinks about the dangers involved.

lose weight

collocation to reduce your weight through exercise, diet, etc. You're looking slim. Have you lost weight?

tell tales

collocation to tell someone in authority about something wrong that someone else has done Don't go telling tales to the teacher!

emptier

comparative more unhappy because nothing in your life seems interesting or important As the days cold lonely days passed, he felt emptier and without hope.

lonelier

comparative the comparative form of lonely (= unhappy because you are alone or because you have no friends) James had never felt lonelier.

provided that

conjunction used to say that something will only be possible if something else happens or is done He can come with us, provided that he pays for own meals.

on offer

idiom available to be bought, chosen, or used Activities on offer include sailing, rowing, and canoeing

by far

idiom by a great deal, very much This is the most expensive car by far.

in progress

idiom happening now, and not yet finished When we arrived, a lecture was in progress in the main hall.

go viral

idiom if something, e.g. a video, image or story, goes viral, it spreads quickly and widely on the Internet through social media, etc. Their video has gone viral and been seen by millions of teenagers around the world.

by choice

idiom if you do something by choice, you do it because you want to do it and not because you are forced to do it She lives alone by choice.

in public

idiom if you do something in public, you do it where anyone can see Her husband was always nice to her in public.

by chance

idiom the way some things happen without being planned or caused by people I bumped into Claudio quite by chance in Oxford Street.

let go

idiom to accept that you cannot change something and stop thinking or worrying about it Sometimes you just have to learn to let go.

on duty

idiom to be working at a particular time, especially when you're doing a job which people take turns to do, so that someone is always doing it Sally goes on duty at half past seven.

throw yourself in at the deep end

idiom to choose to do or be made to do a very difficult job without having prepared for it She decided to jump in at the deep end, buy a farm, and teach herself.

in common

idiom to share or have the same characteristics or experiences as someone else Kay and Claire have a lot in common.

in reality

idiom used to say that something is different from what people think In reality, violent crimes are still extremely rare.

on demand

idiom whenever someone asks Should you feed your baby on demand, or keep to a strict timetable?

in triumph

idiom with a feeling of success of victory at completing or achieving something He raised his fist in triumph as he passed the finish line first.

wireless networking

n (also known as Wi-Fi) a way of connecting computers or other electronic machines to a network by using radio signals rather than wires Wireless networking is the most common way of connecting computers to the Internet these days.

myostatin

n A protein which regulates the size of muscles.抑制肌肉生长蛋白 William has been researching the function of myostatin for over a decade now.

suspect

n Someone who is thought to be guilty of a crime Two suspects were arrested today in connection with the robbery.

birth order

n The order in which siblings are born I was surprised to learn the actual birth order as Rachel always acted as though she was the oldest of the three children.

sumo

n a Japanese form of wrestling, done by men who are very large Sumo wrestlers have to follow a very strict diet.

work ethic

n a belief in the moral value and importance of work They instilled a positive work ethic into their children.

blockbuster

n a book or film that is very good or successful Are you interested in seeing the latest Hollywood blockbuster?

sibling

n a brother or sister Most young smokers are influenced by their friends' and older siblings' smoking habits.

transaction

n a business deal or action, such as buying or selling something The bank charges a fixed rate for each transaction.

wholesale business

n a business involved in the sale or goods to retailers, industrial commercial businesses, etc., - generally involved in the sale of goods to anyone other than standard consumers Their wholesale business is expanding rapidly.

firm

n a business or company, especially a small one She works for an electronics firm.

project

n a carefully planned piece of work to get information about something, to build something, to improve something, etc. The project aims to study children's emotions.

graduation ceremony

n a ceremony at which you receive a university degree or a diploma from an American high school After the graduation ceremony we all went out to celebrate.

opportunity

n a chance to do something or an occasion when it is easy for you to do something It was a rare opportunity to see inside the palace.

mutation

n a change in the genetic structure of an animal or plant that makes it different from others of the same kind变种 His mutation made him different from his twin.

nutrient

n a chemical or food that provides what is needed for plants or animals to live and grow The plant absorbs nutrients from the soil.

vitamin

n a chemical substance in food that is necessary for good health Try to eat foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals.

scam

n a clever but dishonest way to get money He got involved in a credit card scam.

capsaicin

n a colourless and bitter compound present in capsicum (= a type of chilli pepper)辣椒素 Scientists now believe capsaicin is good for our digestion.

mixture

n a combination of two or more different things, feelings, or types of people The town is a mixture of the old and the new.

stand-up comedian

n a comic performer who usually speaks directly to the live audience they perform in front of Isamar should become a stand-up comedian. She's very funny and tells great stories.

browser

n a computer program that finds information on the Internet and shows it on your computer screen Which Web browser do you use?

nation

n a country, considered especially in relation to its people and its social or economic structure Most people listened to the President's radio broadcast to the nation.

arc

n a curved shape or line The arc of a rainbow could clearly be seen above the buildings.

deadline

n a date or time by which you have to do or complete something He missed the deadline for university applications.

working day

n a day of the week when most people work. In Britain and the US this is usually Monday to Friday It will be returned within three working days (=three days, not including weekends or public holidays).

decline

n a decrease in the quality, quantity, or importance of something There has been a decline in the size of families in this country over the last 50 years.

crevasse

n a deep open crack in the thick ice on a mountain The climbers were lucky not to fall into the crevasse.

clapboard house

n a design of house which is covered in horizontal wooden boards When my uncle died I inherited the clapboard house he'd built.

contrast

n a difference between people, ideas, situations, things, etc., that are being compared While there are similarities between the two cultures, there are also great contrasts.

mental block

n a difficulty in remembering something or in understanding something I got a complete mental block as soon as the interviewer asked me a question.

extended family

n a family group that consists not only of parents and children but also of grandparents, aunts, etc. We spent a month in India visiting our extended family.

well-being

n a feeling of being comfortable, healthy, and happy We are responsible for the care and well-being of all our patients.

doubt

n a feeling of being not sure whether something is true or right The incident raises doubts about the safety of nuclear power.

comfort

n a feeling of being physically relaxed and satisfied, so that nothing is hurting you, making you feel too hot or cold, etc. All our sports shoes are designed for comfort and performance.

admiration

n a feeling of great respect and liking for something or someone Daniel looked at Sarai in admiration.

adaptation

n a film or television programme that is based on a book or play Have you seen the BBC adaptation of the book?

raft

n a flat floating structure, usually made of pieces of wood tied together, used as a boat木筏 Ray realised his only hope of survival was to construct a raft and sail down river.

almond

n a flat pale nut with brown skin that tastes sweet, or the tree that produces these nuts Stir in the ground almonds and egg.

generosity

n a generous attitude, or generous behaviour (= willing to give money, spend time to help someone, etc.) As an act of generosity, they donated a million dollars to the foundation.

jury

n a group of often 12 ordinary people who listen to the details of a case in court and decide whether someone is guilty or not The members of the jury took two days to reach a final verdict (= make a final decision re the case).

treasure

n a group of valuable things such as gold, silver, jewels, etc. The Book of Kells is Trinity College's greatest treasure.

airgun

n a gun that uses air pressure to fire small round bullets The law allows anyone over the age of 17 to own an airgun.

sand dune

n a hill formed of sand in a desert or near the sea The children loved sliding down the sand dunes.

package tour

n a holiday organised by a company at a fixed price that includes the cost of travel, hotel, etc. Last month Roz and Tim bought a cheap package tour to Tenerife.

job vacancy

n a job that is still available for someone to start doing For information on job vacancies please go to the company's website.

failure

n a lack of success in achieving or doing something Successful people are often bad at dealing with failure.

mass

n a large amount of a substance which does not have a definite or regular shape The food had congealed into a sticky mass.

wealth

n a large amount of money, property, etc., that a person or country owns The country's wealth comes from its oil.

plateau

n a large area of flat land that is higher than the land around it上颚 The two explorers eventually succeeded in reaching the plateau.

orphanage

n a large house where children who are orphans live and are taken care of He was raised in an orphanage.

glacier

n a large mass of ice which moves slowly down a mountain valley Fiennes led the expedition to the largest glacier in Europe.

avalanche

n a large mass of snow, ice, and rocks that falls down the side of a mountain Two skiers were seriously injured in the avalanche.

feast

n a large meal where a lot of people celebrate a special occasion盛宴 There were over 150 people at the wedding feast.

institution

n a large organization that has a particular kind of work or purpose Oliver works for a financial institution in the city.

function

n a large party or official event This may be hired for weddings and other functions.

abundance

n a large quantity of something There is an abundance of seals on the island.

seal

n a large sea animal that eats fish and lives around coasts海豹 Many tourists visit Blakeney Point to see the seals.

trial

n a legal process in which a judge and often a jury in a court of law examine information to decide whether someone is guilty of a crime The trial is due to start next week.

hoody

n a loose jacket or top made of soft material, which has a hood Some people connect the wearing of a hoody with criminal or antisocial behaviour.

device

n a machine or tool that does a special job Modern labour-saving devices have revolutionised our lives.

designer brand

n a make of clothing or a product which is popular and fashionable, relating to a particular designer/company Katie won't wear buy anything but designer brands.

mathematical formula

n a mathematical rule or principle, usually expressed in symbols In today's lesson we are going to focus on the mathematical formula used to calculate the volume of a cube.

osteoporosis

n a medical condition in which your bones become weak and break easily骨质酥松症 Women have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis as they grow older.

samurai

n a member of a powerful military class in Japan in the past武士 I bought a samurai sword at auction.

approach

n a method of doing something or dealing with a problem He decided to take a more creative approach to the problem.

tarmac

n a mixture of tar and very small stones, used for making the surface of roads Journalists waited on the tarmac to question him.

obligation

n a moral or legal duty to do something He had an obligation to complete the mission.

volcano

n a mountain with a large hole at the top, through which lava (=very hot liquid rock) is sometimes forced out Pompeii was destroyed when the volcano erupted in 79 AD.

gift

n a natural ability or talent Robert has a gift for languages.

natural talent

n a natural ability to do something We always felt Simon had a natural talent for acting.

troll

n a person who posts deliberately offensive or provocative (intended to make people upset or angry) posts online Our company is currently tracking trolls for a well-known social media site.

selfie

n a photograph, usually posted on social media, taken with a smartphone or digital camera where the person taking it is in the photograph These days it's common for celebrities to share selfies on social media sites.

symbol

n a picture or shape that has a particular meaning or represents a particular organization or idea The symbol on the packet is a guarantee that the food has been produced organically.

study

n a piece of work that is done to find out more about a particular subject or problem, and usually includes a written report Recent studies show that women still get paid a lot less than men.

hotspot

n a place in a public building where there is a computer system with an access point, which allows people in the building with a wireless computer a blue-tooth mobile phone to connect to a service such as the Internet This site shows where all the wifi hotspots are in the area.

dairy

n a place on a farm where milk is kept and butter and cheese are made Janice was told to cut out all dairy produce from her diet for a month.

paradise

n a place or situation that is extremely pleasant, beautiful, or enjoyable The Maldives is a beautiful tropical paradise.

shelter

n a place to live, considered as one of the basic needs of life They constructed a shelter using branches and leaves.

surgery

n a place where a doctor or dentist gives treatment The nearest doctor's surgery is five minutes away.

parade-ground

n a place where soldiers practise marching or standing together in rows. The soldiers ran from their barracks onto the parade ground.

schedule

n a plan of what someone is going to do and when they are going to do it The majority of holiday flights depart and arrive on schedule.

intention

n a plan or desire to do something I have no intention of retiring just yet.

strategy

n a planned series of actions for achieving something The government's long-term economic strategy has yet to be make public.

seaweed

n a plant that grows in the sea In the past, many islands made their living from harvesting seaweed.

drama

n a play for the theatre, television, radio, etc., usually a serious one, or plays in general Did you see that new drama on Channel 3 last night?

implication

n a possible future effect or result of an action, event, decision, etc. What are the implications of these proposals?

misunderstanding

n a problem caused by someone not understanding a question, situation, or instruction correctly There must have been some misunderstanding. I didn't order all these books.

volunteer programme

n a program where most, if not all, of the work is done by volunteers (= people who do a job willingly without being paid) A lot of teenagers who take a year out of their studies choose to work on volunteer programs abroad.

commitment

n a promise to do something or to behave in a particular way Are you ready to make a long-term commitment?

suspended sentence

n a punishment given by a court, in which a criminal is told they will be sent to prison if they do anything else illegal within the time mentioned He was lucky to be given a two-year suspended sentence.

attribute

n a quality of feature, especially one that is considered to be good or useful What attributes should a good manager possess?

link

n a relationship or connection between two or more people, countries, etc. A close link developed between the PhD student and their tutor.

courtroom

n a room in a law court where cases are judged The courtroom went silent the moment the judge sat down.

globe

n a round object with a map of the Earth drawn on it We export our goods all over the globe.

process

n a series of actions that are done in order to achieve a particular result There are hopes on both sides that the peace process will last.

audition

n a short performance by an actor, singer, etc., that someone watches to judge if they are good enough to act in a play, sing in a concert, etc. I've got an audition for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Friday.

status update

n a short, text-based entry on a social media site which tells your friends what you're doing or shares information, pictures or links By sending a status update I can tell everyone what I'm doing each day or how things are going.

shorthand

n a shorter but less clear way of saying something He's been "relocated", which is shorthand for "given a worse job a long way away".

moral dilemma

n a situation in which it is very difficult to decide what to do based on your moral principles, because all the choices seem equally good or equally bad She was faced with a moral dilemma of choosing between work and family commitments.

shed

n a small building, often made of wood, used especially for storing things棚子 Alex has fond memories of spending time in his dad's tool shed.

locker

n a small cupboard with a lock in a school, sports building, office, etc., where you can leave clothes or possessions while you do something Each member of the team had their own locker in the changing rooms.

slight chance

n a small possibility of something happening There's a slight chance that we may be away for the weekend.

cell

n a small room in a prison or police station where prisoners are kept He spent a night in the cells at the local police station.

contact lens

n a small round piece of plastic that you put on your eye to help you see clearly The other day I lost a contact lens and had to wear my glasses.

lentil

n a small round seed like a bean, dried and used for food扁豆 I love eating Kate's spicy lentil soup - it's delicious!

gadget

n a small, useful, and cleverly-designed machine or tool Have you seen that new gadget for sharpening knives?

civilization

n a society that is well organized and developed, used especially about a particular society in a particular place or at a particular time It was fascinating to study the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome.

charm

n a special quality someone or something has that makes people like them, feel attracted to them, or be easily influenced by them - used to show approval Joe's boyish charm often got him out of trouble.

desire

n a strong hope or wish The team had a strong desire to win and pushed themselves to the finish line.

issue

n a subject or problem that is often discussed or argued about, especially a social or political matter that affects the interests of a lot of people Abortion is a highly controversial issue.

caffeine

n a substance in tea, coffee, and some other drinks that makes you feel more active Avoid caffeine (= drinks with caffeine) before bedtime.

extract

n a substance obtained from something by using a special process Add one teaspoon of vanilla extract to the mix.

insight

n a sudden clear understanding of something or part of something, especially a complicated situation or idea The article gives us a real insight into the causes of the present economic crisis.

debt

n a sum of money that a person or organization owes She had debts of over £70,000 after she left university.

assembly line

n a system for making things in a factory in which the products move past a line of workers who each make or check one part This assembly line runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

surround sound

n a system of four or more speakers (=pieces of equipment that sound comes out of) used so that sounds from a film or television programme come from all directions We are saving up to buy some surround sound speakers for the living area.

speech

n a talk, especially a formal one about a particular subject, given to a group of people Each student had to give a short speech to the rest of the class.

smoothie

n a thick drink made of fruit and fruit juices mixed together, sometimes with ice, milk, or yoghurt Lewis ordered a strawberry-banana smoothie.

wetsuit

n a tight piece of clothing, usually made of rubber, worn by people who are swimming, surfing, etc., in the sea They put on their wetsuits, grabbed their surfboards and ran into the sea.

rehearsal

n a time when all the people in a play, concert, etc., practise before a public performance I can't come tonight - I have a rehearsal for 'Romeo and Juliet'.

heavy metal

n a type of rock music with a strong beat, played very loudly on electric guitars When I was a teenager I used to love listening to heavy metal.

antivirus software

n a type of software that looks for and removes viruses in programs and documents on your computer What's the best antivirus software to get these days?

spectacle

n a very impressive show or scene Last night's performance was a multimedia dance and opera spectacle.

iceberg

n a very large mass of ice floating in the sea, most of which is under the surface of the water The ship changed direction to avoid hitting the iceberg.

policy

n a way of doing something that has been officially agreed and chosen by a political party, a business, or another organization I'm sorry but that's the hotel's policy.

perspective

n a way of thinking about something, especially one which is influenced by the type of person you are or by your experiences His father's death gave him a whole new perspective on life.

missile

n a weapon that can fly over long distances and that explodes when it hits the thing it has been aimed at There were fears that nuclear missiles might be used against our nation.

situational comedy

n abbreviated to sitcom, is a type of comedy focusing on a fixed set of characters and what happens to them The first situational comedies were made for radio.

self-reliance

n able to do or decide things by yourself, without depending on the help or advice of other people Self-reliance is necessary when you live in a remote and isolated place.

bravery

n actions, behaviour, or an attitude that shows courage and confidence By returning to the house to save a child he showed great bravery.

cast

n all the people who perform in a play, film, etc. Films like "Ben Hur" had a cast of thousands.

lactic acid

n an acid produced by muscles after exercising and found in sour milk乳酸 Physical exercise leads to the production of lactic acid.

serving

n an amount of food that is enough for one person This should make enough for four servings.

fund

n an amount of money that is collected and kept for a particular purpose The fund was set up to try to save the museum.

loan

n an amount of money that you borrow from a bank, etc. He took out a loan of £60,000 to start the business.

financial commitment

n an amount of money that you have to pay regularly They had a lot of financial commitments.

hybrid

n an animal or plant produced from parents of different breeds or types混血的 The new hybrid car, which uses a mix of power sources, is a success.

field

n an area of land in the country, especially one where crops are grown or animals feed on grass There were more than a hundred sheep in the field.

blind date

n an arranged meeting between a man and woman who have not met each other before Would you ever go on a blind date?

review

n an article in a newspaper or magazine that gives an opinion about a new book, play, film, etc. The owners were happy about the review the critic had written about their restaurant.

try

n an attempt to do something She didn't manage to break the record, but it was a good try.

letdown

n an event, performance, etc., that is not as good as you expected it to be The end of the book was a real letdown.

fantasy

n an exciting and unusual experience or situation you imagine happening to you, but which will probably never happen I used to have fantasies about living in Paris as an artist.

obsession

n an extreme unhealthy interest in something or worry about something, which stops you from thinking about anything else Gambling became an obsession, and he eventually lost everything.

concept

n an idea of how something is, or how something should be done The concept of total patient care was explained to the press.

theory

n an idea or set of ideas that is intended to explain something about life or the world, especially an idea that has not yet been proved to be true There are various theories about how the brain works.

myth

n an idea or story that many people believe, but which is not true I've always loved reading Greek myths.

myth

n an idea or story that many people believe, but which is not true In our first year, we studied Greek and Roman myths.

charity

n an organization that gives money, goods, or help to people who are poor, sick, etc. Several charities sent aid to the flood victims.

match

n an organized sports event between two teams or people It's our last match of the season.

harm

n damage, injury, or trouble caused by someone's actions or by an event The scandal did his career a lot of harm.

disloyalty

n doing or saying things that do not support your friends, your country, or the group you belong to He felt he had been disloyal to his friends.

heatstroke

n fever and weakness caused by being outside in the heat of the sun for too long A number of tourists got heatstroke after staying on the beach all day.

junk food

n food that is not healthy, for example because it contains a lot of fat, sugar, etc. Unfortunately, my son is only interested in eating junk food.

dedication

n hard work or effort that someone puts into a particular activity because they care about it a lot To reach a high level of skill requires talent, dedication, and a lot of hard work.

overwhelming

n having such a great effect on you that you feel confused and do not know how to react She found the city quite overwhelming when she first arrived.

lava

n hot liquid rock that flows from a volcano, or this rock when it has become solid The villagers were lucky as the lava came to a halt just outside the village.

job security

n how permanent your job is likely to be It seems that many people these days lack job security.

performance

n how well or badly a person, company, etc., does a particular job or activity Sean's performance at school has greatly improved.

guided tour

n if someone takes you on a guided tour, they show you around a place of interest and tell you all about it Let's go on a guided tour of the palace.

close relationship

n if you have a close relationship with someone you like or love each other very much Laura had a very close relationship with her mother.

qualification

n if you have a qualification, you have passed an examination or course to show you have a particular level of skill or knowledge in a subject He left school without any qualifications.

mixed feelings

n if you have mixed feelings about something, you are not sure whether you like, agree with, or feel happy about it I had mixed feeling about meeting Laura again.

deterioration

n in a worsening condition The deterioration of their physical health impacted the speed they travelled at.

the wild

n in nature There are many challenges to face when living in the wild.

sake

n in order to help, improve, or please someone or something He moved to the seaside for the sake of his health.

humanity

n people in general We want a clean healthy environment for all humanity.

the press

n people who write reports for newspapers, radio, or television The press have been very nasty about him.

consent

n permission to do something He took the car without the owner's consent.

criticism

n remarks that say what you think is bad about someone or something My main criticism of the scheme is that it does nothing to help families on low incomes.

altitude sickness

n sickness that affects people at altitude (= at a great height above sea level) Fortunately, the climbers were not affected by altitude sickness.

pessimist

n someone who always expects that bad things will happen Don't be such a pessimist!

founding father

n someone who begins something such as a new way of thinking, or a new organization Freud is one of the founding fathers of psychology.

boxer

n someone who boxes, especially as a job Anthony Joshua is a British heavyweight boxer.

investigator

n someone who investigates things, especially crimes She hired a private investigator to find out where the money was disappearing.

diner

n someone who is eating in a restaurant None of the diners knew that a famous celebrity was about to arrive.

token

n someone who is included in a group to make everyone think that the group has all types of people in it, when this is not really true. It didn't take long to work out she was the token female in the group.

perfectionist

n someone who is not satisfied with anything unless it is completely perfect Many top athletes are perfectionists.

descendant

n someone who is related to a person who lived a long time ago, or to a family, group of people, etc., that existed in the past He was a direct descendant of Napoleon Bonaparte.

psychologist

n someone who is trained in psychology Teresa's is currently training to become a clinical psychologist.

social worker

n someone who is trained to help people who are poor, have family problems, etc. We found the help of the social worker invaluable when we needed to find help looking after dad.

addict

n someone who is unable to stop taking drugs The paper claimed Simmons was a recovering heroin addict.

promenader

n someone who likes a leisurely walk, taken in a public place so as to meet or be seen by others You'll often find promenaders in the park.

creator

n someone who made or invented a particular thing Walt Disney was the creator of Mickey Mouse.

entrepreneur

n someone who starts a new business or arranges business deals in order to make money, often in a way that involves financial risks Branson is a highly successful entrepreneur.

optician

n someone who tests people's eyes and sells glasses in a shop The optician explained that I needed a new pair of glasses.

commuter

n someone who travels a long distance to work every day Janice was a commuter for many years until she moved to the city.

astronaut

n someone who travels and works in a spacecraft A high level of fitness is required if you want to become an astronaut.

explorer

n someone who travels through an unknown area to find out about it Few explorers have reached both North and South Poles without the help of dogs or horses.

professional

n someone who works in a job that needs special education and training, such as a doctor, lawyer, or architect A team of health professionals oversee the department.

market trader

n someone who works on a market stall selling items The market traders in our town are known for their humour.

miner

n someone who works under the ground in a mine to remove coal, gold, etc.矿工 All the miners lost their jobs when the government decided to close the mines.

opponent

n someone who you try to defeat in a competition, game, fight, or argument Adam's opponent in the final will be Ourahmoune of France.

role model

n someone whose behaviour, attitudes, etc., people try to copy because they admire them I want to be a positive role model for my sister.

counsellor

n someone whose job is to help and support people with problems It might be a good idea to see a counsellor.

critic

n someone whose job is to make judgments about the good and bad qualities of art, music, films, etc. Have you read the latest by the theatre critic of the 'Sunday Times'?

raw talent

n someone with raw talent is naturally good at something, but has not developed their ability yet He has the raw talent to become a star.

soulmate

n someone you have a very close relationship with because you share or understand the same emotions and interests Ashley and Richard are soulmates.

personality

n someone's character, especially the way they behave towards other people Despite their different personalities, they became the best of friends.

consequence

n something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions Research has shown that crime can be a consequence of poverty.

phenomenon

n something that happens or exists in society, science, or nature, especially something that is studied because it is difficult to understand The growing phenomenon of telecommuting is of great interest to our company.

feat

n something that is an impressive achievement, because it needs a lot of skill, strength, etc., to do They climbed the mountain in 28 days, a remarkable feat.

treatment

n something that is done to cure someone who is injured or ill There has been a lot of progress made in the treatment of cancer.

distraction

n something that stops you paying attention to what you are doing I tend to study in the library as there are too many distractions at home.

challenge

n something that tests strength, skill, or ability, especially in a way that is interesting The company is ready to meet the challenges of the next few years.

bond

n something that unites two or more people or groups, such as love, or a shared interest or idea Markus formed a close bond with his father-in-law.

objective

n something that you are trying hard to achieve, especially in business or politics He vowed to achieve certain objectives before the end of his presidency.

target

n something that you are trying to achieve, such as a total, an amount, or a time The financial targets were considered to be unrealistic.

reaction

n something that you feel or do because of something that has happened or been said What was Jeff's reaction when you told him about the job?

possession

n something that you own or have with you at a particular time He had sold all his possessions and left the country.

intellectual property

n something which someone has invented or has the right to make or sell, especially something that cannot legally be copied by other people He wealth comes from intellectual property in the computer industry.

symptom

n something wrong with your body or mind which shows that you have a particular illness Common symptoms of diabetes are weight loss and extreme tiredness.

right

n something you are morally, legally, or officially allowed to do or have Everyone should have the right to freedom of speech.

bargain

n something you buy cheaply or for less than its usual price There are no bargains in the clothes shops at the moment.

precaution

n something you do in order to prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from happening The investigation concluded that fire precautions were neglected.

concoction

n something, especially a drink or food, made by mixing different things, especially things that are not usually combined He sipped the concoction cautiously.

endurance

n the ability to continue doing something difficult or painful over a long period of time A marathon is a race of endurance.

intelligence

n the ability to learn, understand, and think about things To be good at the game, you need a reasonable level of intelligence.

intervention

n the act of becoming involved in an argument, fight, or other difficult situation in order to change what happens A government intervention to regulate prices was expected.

limitation

n the act or process of controlling or reducing something Any limitation to the king's power could be permanent.

marketing

n the activity of deciding how to advertise a product, what price to charge for it, etc., or the type of job in which you do this It was a clever bit of marketing and product sales increased dramatically.

consumption

n the amount of energy, oil, electricity, etc., that is used There have been dramatic rises in fuel consumption.

intake

n the amount of food, drink, etc., that you take into your body摄入量 Try to reduce your intake of fat.

ground rules

n the basic rules or principles on which future actions or behaviour should be based The first class focused on the ground rules of the college.

pacifism

n the belief that war and violence are always wrong They explained that pacifism was not a sign of weakness.

snake bite

n the bite of a poisonous snake The snake bite was incredibly painful.

brother-in-law

n the brother of your husband or wife She had yet to meet her brother-in-law.

likelihood

n the degree to which something can reasonably be expected to happen Using a seatbelt will reduce the likelihood of serious injury in a car accident.

age gap

n the difference in age between two people There is a five-year age gap between me and my sister.

impact

n the effect or influence that an event, situation, etc., has on someone or something We need to assess the impact of pollution on climate change.

impact

n the effect or influence that an event, situation, etc., has on someone or something We need to assess the impact that air pollution has on climate change.

self-esteem

n the feeling of being satisfied with your own abilities, and that you deserve to be liked or respected Playing a sport can boost a girl's self-esteem.

blood pressure

n the force with which blood travels through your body My mum has high blood pressure and takes medication for it everyday.

enormity

n the great size, seriousness, or difficulty of a situation, problem, event, etc. Even now, the full enormity of his crimes has not been exposed.

limit

n the greatest or least amount, number, speed, etc., that is allowed There's no age limit for applicants.

absence

n the lack of something or the fact that it does not exist He was disappointed at the complete absence of any kind of planning for the project.

absence

n the lack of something or the fact that it does not exist In the absence of any evidence, the police had to let Myers go.

generation gap

n the lack of understanding or the differences between older people and younger people The lecture focused on ways to reduce the generation gap.

copyright

n the legal right to be the only producer or seller of a book, play, film, or record for a specific length of time Who owns the copyright of this book?

means

n the money or income that you have I don't have the means to support a family.

highlight

n the most important, interesting or enjoyable part of something such a holiday, performance, or sports competition That weekend in Venice was definitely the highlight of the trip.

update

n the most recent news or information about something The report provides a brief update on the process of the project.

South Pole

n the most southern point on the surface of the Earth Scott reached the South Pole but never returned home.

title

n the name given to a particular book, painting, play, etc. The title of this play is 'Othello'.

reflexes

n the natural ability to react quickly and well to sudden situations应激反应 A tennis player needs to have very quick reflexes

capability

n the natural ability, skill, or power that makes a machine, person, or organization able to do something, especially something difficult The company's manufacturing capability needs to be reassessed.

demand

n the need or desire that people have for particular goods and services Production is increasing faster than demand.

downside

n the negative part or disadvantage of something Smart phones offer more security, but the downside is that they are expensive to buy.

population

n the number of people living in a particular area, country, etc. India has a population of more than one billion.

judge

n the official in control of a court, who decides how criminals should be punished The trial judge specifies the number of years to be spent in prison.

reputation

n the opinion that people have about someone or something because of what has happened in the past Judge Kelso has a reputation for being strict but fair.

seafront

n the part of a town where the shops, houses, etc., are next to the beach Tina and James have bought a property on the seafront.

community

n the people who live in the same area, town, etc. The new arts centre will serve the whole community.

defendant

n the person in a court of law who has been accused of doing something illegal We find the defendant not guilty.

culprit

n the person who is guilty of a crime or doing something wrong Police finally managed to catch the culprit.

state

n the physical or mental condition that someone or something is in There are fears for the state of the country's economy.

strength

n the physical power and energy that makes someone strong She didn't even have the strength to stand up.

setting

n the place where something is or where something happens, and the general environment Their farmhouse was in a beautiful setting.

international relations

n the political relationships between countries, or the study of this Ash studied a master's in development and international relations.

risk

n the possibility that something bad, unpleasant, or dangerous may happen Skiers always face the risk of serious injury.

influence

n the power to affect the way someone or something develops, behaves, or thinks, without using direct force or orders As a scientist, his influence was enormous.

meditation

n the practice of emptying your mind of thoughts and feelings, in order to relax completely or for religious reasons Yoga involves breathing exercises, stretching and meditation.

construction

n the process of building things such as houses, bridges, roads, etc. The government has agreed to the construction of a new airport.

comparison

n the process of comparing two or more people or things Comparison with his previous movies shows how Lee has developed as a director.

care

n the process of looking after someone, especially because they are ill, old, or very young My mother received excellent care while she was in hospital.

accounting

n the profession or work of keeping or checking financial accounts, same as accountancy After she left school, Joanne studied accounting at university.

conservation

n the protection of natural things such as animals, plants, forests, etc., to prevent them from being spoiled or destroyed A new wildlife conservation area has just been created outside of our city.

function

n the purpose that something has, or the job that someone or something does The nervous system maintains all our bodily functions.

courage

n the quality of being brave when you are facing a difficult or dangerous situation, or when you are very ill Sue showed great courage throughout her illness.

caution

n the quality of being very careful to avoid danger or risks We must continue with caution.

efficiency

n the quality of doing something well and effectively, without wasting time, money, or energy Something needs to be done to improve the efficiency of the train service - it's terrible at the moment.

loyalty

n the quality of remaining faithful to your friends, principles, country, etc. Elizabeth understood her husband's loyalty to his sister.

boundary

n the real or imaginary line that marks the edge of a state, country, etc., or the edge of an area of land that belongs to someone The Mississippi River forms a natural boundary between Iowa and Illinois.

the outside world

n the rest of the world The city is largely cut off from the outside world.

freedom

n the right to do what you want without being controlled or restricted by anyone People here like their freedom and privacy.

captain

n the sailor in charge of a ship, or the pilot in charge of an aircraft The captain and crew welcome you aboard.

cinematography

n the skill or study of making films I would love to study cinematography.

cell

n the smallest part of a living thing that can exist independently The test checked on the number of red blood cells present.

footstep

n the sound each step makes when someone is walking He heard someone's footsteps in the hall.

applause

n the sound of many people hitting their hands together and shouting, to show that they have enjoyed something She got a round of applause (= a short period of applause) when she finished her solo.

pace

n the speed at which something happens or is done The pace of change in our lives is becoming faster and faster.

scuba-dive

n the sport of swimming under water while breathing through a tube that is connected to a container of air on your back Last Saturday I went on my first scuba-dive.

status quo

n the state of a situation as it is Will the West use its influence to maintain the status quo and not disrupt the flow of oil?

privacy

n the state of being able to be alone, and not seen or heard by other people With seven people squeezed into one house, you don't get much privacy.

fame

n the state of being known about by a lot of people because of your achievements He claims he is not really interested in fame.

self-help

n the use of your own efforts to deal with your problems, instead of depending on other people Our local library has a shelf full of self-help books.

norm

n the usual or normal situation, way of doing something, etc. Short term contracts are now the norm with some big companies.

lifestyle

n the way a person or group of people live, including the place they live in, the things they own, the kind of job they do, and the activities they enjoy Regular exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle.

décor

n the way that the inside of a building is decorated The décor is a mix of antique and modern.

victory blow

n the winning or last, and potentially fatal blow (= a hard hit with someone's hand, or a tool or a weapon) The boxer's victory blow came in the final round when he knocked his opponent out.

security

n things that are done to keep a person, building, or country safe from danger or crime The trial was held under tight security.

valuables

n things that you own that are worth a lot of money, such as jewellery, cameras, etc. Guests should leave their valuables in the hotel safe.

overtime

n time that you spend working in your job in addition to your normal working hours Last week, George did six hours' overtime.

practice

n to be the usual and accepted way of doing something It's common practice in many countries for pupils to repeat a year if their grades are low.

annihilation

n to destroy something or someone completely The hurricane led to complete annihilation of the downtown area.

helping hand

n to give physical assistance to someone She lent a helping hand when I moved house.

fixed personality

n to have a personality that does not change Scientists do not believe there is such a thing as a fixed personality.

shared memory

n to have the same memory of an event as someone else As twins brothers, they had a lot of shared memories.

combination

n two or more different things that exist together or are used or put together A combination of factors may be responsible for the increase in cancer.

extent

n used to say how true something is or how great an effect or change is We all, to some extent, remember the good times and forget the bad.

road rage

n violence and angry behaviour by car drivers towards other car drivers Road rage seems to be on the increase.

approval

n when a plan, decision, or person is officially accepted The president has already given his approval to the plan.

tight budget

n when money is limited and you have to be careful of how you spend it As you know, I run the magazine on a really tight budget.

obesity

n when someone is very肥胖症 fat in a way that is unhealthy Obesity among children is becoming a problem in this country.

protection

n when someone or something is protected The protection of the environment is of great importance to the survival of all humans.

companionship

n when you are with someone you enjoy being with, and are not alone After Stan died, I really missed his companionship.

sacrifice

n when you decide not to have something valuable, in order to get something that is more important The minister stressed the need for economic sacrifice.

encouragement

n when you encourage someone or something, or the things that encourage them With encouragement, Sally is starting to play with the other children.

replacement

n when you get something that is newer or better than the one you had before We need a replacement while our car is being repaired.

natural state

n without additions, in a pure form as from nature In its natural state, cow's milk is much richer in taste.

reaction

n your ability to move quickly when something dangerous happens suddenly His quick reaction stopped him driving into the wall.

comfort zone

n your comfort zone is the range of activities or situations that you feel happy and confident in Keyvan loved being pushed outside his comfort zone.

first-born

n your first child Our first-born was called Jacob after his grandfather.

outlook

n your general attitude to life and the world He's got a good outlook on life.

knelt

past simple/past participle the past tense and past participle of kneel After their meal he got up from the table, knelt down on one knee and proposed to her.

in the middle of nowhere

phrase a long way from the nearest big town They live miles away, in the middle of nowhere.

match made in heaven

phrase a marriage of two people who are exactly right for each other Claire and Jack were a match made in heaven.

under pressure

phrase a way of working or living that causes you a lot of anxiety, especially because you feel you have too many things to do I'm under constant pressure at work.

highs and lows

phrase feelings of great happiness or excitement and ones of great sadness and disappointment We went through all the emotional highs and lows of a new romance.

thin on the ground

phrase few in number, limited or scarce Secure and well-paid jobs are thin on the ground these days.

broaden the mind

phrase helps you to increase your knowledge or something Travel broadens the mind (= helps you to understand and accept other people's beliefs, customs, etc.).

pay its way

phrase if a shop or business makes as much profit as it costs to run, it pays its way The community pub was paying its way.

fly the nest

phrase if a young bird flies the nest, it has grown old enough to look after itself and is no longer dependent on its parents Now that the kids have flown the nest, I'm thinking about taking a job abroad.kidflythinktake

worth the money

phrase if something is worth the money, it has value and the money was well spent It was worth the money to see the look on his face.

live up to (sb's) expectations

phrase if something or someone lives up to your expectations, they live up the standards or did as well as they were expected to do The film has certainly lived up to my expectations.

see eye to eye

phrase if two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other We didn't exactly see eye to eye.

leap into action

phrase if you leap or spring into action, you suddenly start doing something Ambulance crews are ready to leap into action if anything goes wrong during the race.

live to regret (st)

phrase if you live to regret something, you wish that it had not happened or that you had not done it If you marry him, you'll live to regret it.

lose touch with (sb/st)

phrase if you lose touch with a situation or group, you are then no longer involved in it and so do not know about it or understand it It sometimes appears that the planners have lost touch with reality.

send (sb) spinning

phrase if you send someone spinning, you make them feel dizzy or faint because they are shocked or excited The news about Jenny sent me spinning.

for the sake of (sb/st)

phrase in order to help, improve, or please someone or something I only went for Kay's sake.

improve your chances

phrase increase the likelihood of something happening To improve my chances of completing the race, I joined a running club.

sick with nerves

phrase incredibly nervous or anxious, enough to make you feel physically sick or nauseous He didn't feel he could walk on stage to perform as he was sick with nerves.

out of fashion

phrase no longer fashionable You can't wear that - maxi skirts have been out of fashion for years.

heads and tails

phrase said when deciding something, by asking someone which side of a coin they guess will be showing when you throw it in the air and it lands "Heads or tails?" she asked.

synonymous with

phrase something that is synonymous with something else is considered to be very closely connected with it Nixon's name has become synonymous with political scandal.

bear any relation to

phrase to be similar to someone or something else The things she says bear little relation to what she actually does.

have the travel bug

phrase to become very interested in travelling She's got the travel bug and has decided to take a year off of work to travel the world.

correct yourself

phrase to change something you have said so it is true or correct A good teacher allows you to correct yourself before giving you the correct answer.

follow in (sb's) footsteps

phrase to do the same thing as someone else, e.g. one of your parents, has done Nic's father was pleased when he followed in his footsteps and became a doctor.

push yourself

phrase to encourage or force yourself to do something or work hard to achieve something He's been pushing himself too hard, working 12-hour days.

take (sb/st) for granted

phrase to expect that someone or something will always be there when you need them and never think how important or useful they are Bridget was careful not to take him for granted.

in tune with

phrase to feel in harmony with someone or something He felt in tune with his surroundings.

discover by accident

phrase to find something by chance I discovered by accident that my teacher had once dated my mum.

get your hands on

phrase to get something that you really want or that you have a lot of time looking for I read every book that I could get my hands on.

reach the end of the line

phrase to get to the end of a process, activity or state Our marriage had reached the end of the line.

make (perfect) sense

phrase to have a clear meaning and be easy to understand Her reactions to his comments made complete sense.

get the impression

phrase to have an idea, opinion or feeling about someone or something because of the way they seem When we looked around the school we got a very good impression.

keep an eye on (sb/st)

phrase to look after someone or something and make sure they are safe Mary will keep an eye on the kids this afternoon.

catch the public imagination

phrase to make people feel very interested and excited American football really captured the imagination of the British public.

cloud (sb's) judgement

phrase to make someone less able to think clearly or make sensible decisions Don't let your personal feelings cloud your judgement.

blow (sb's) mind

phrase to make you feel very surprised and excited by something Seeing her again really blew my mind.

come face to face

phrase to meet someone, especially in a way that surprises or frightens you At that moment, he came face to face with Sergeant Burke.

take a year out

phrase to not continue to university immediately after finishing school but instead to take a year to travel, work, etc., Jamie decided to take a year out and go travelling around Latin America.

keep a straight face

phrase to not laugh or smile, even though something is funny It was hard to keep a straight face after my colleague started laughing during the presentation.

put your foot in it

phrase to say something without thinking carefully, so that you embarrass or upset someone I've really put my foot in it this time. I didn't realize that was her boss.

put your foot down

phrase to say very firmly that someone must do something or must stop doing something You'll just have to put your foot down and tell him he can't stay out on school nights.

get cold feet about (st)

phrase to suddenly feel that you are not brave enough to do something you planned to do The plan failed after sponsors got cold feet.

hand in your notice

phrase to tell your employer that you will be leaving your job soon Jim handed in his notice on Friday.

toss a coin

phrase to throw a coin in the air, so that a decision will be made depending on which side faces upwards when it lands They tossed a coin to decide who would got first.

go to almost any lengths

phrase to try very hard or do whatever is necessary to achieve something that is important (to you) He would go to any lengths to fulfil his ambition.

put on probation

phrase when a criminal is given a set period of time (by a judge) during which they must behave well and not commit any more crimes, in order to not be sent to prison As it was his first offence, the judge put Tim on probation for 2 years.

all things considered

phrase when you consider all the parts or events of a situation All things considered, we had surprisingly few injuries

with any luck

phrase you say this if things happen in the way that you want With any luck, our plane will be delayed and we won't miss our flight after all.

build up

phrv if a feeling builds up, or if you build it up, it increases gradually over a period of time If you don't express your feelings, frustration and anger can build up.

occur to (sb)

phrv if an idea or a thought occurs to you, it suddenly comes into your mind I suppose it didn't occur to you to phone the police?

wear off

phrv if pain or the effect of something wears off, it gradually stops The effects of the anaesthetic were starting to wear off.

split up

phrv if people split up, or if someone splits them up, they end a marriage or relationship with each other结束关系 Steve's parents split up when he was four.

come across

phrv if someone comes across in a particular way, they seem to have particular qualities He came across as a very intelligent sensitive man.

let (sb) off (st)

phrv if something in authority lets you off something you should do, they give you permission not to do it You've worked hard all week, so I'll let you off today.

break out

phrv if something unpleasant such as a fire, fight, or war breaks out, it starts to happen I was still living in London when the war broke out.

cover for (sb)

phrv if you cover for or cover up for someone, you prevent them from getting into trouble by lying for them, especially about where they are or what they are doing The affair was covered up and never reached the papers.

take out

phrv make a financial or legal arrangement with a bank, company, law court, etc. Before taking a loan out, calculate your monthly outgoings.

cut off from

phrv to be a long way from other places and be difficult to get to Only reachable by boat, the island is cut off from the rest of the country.

be coming up

phrv to be going to happen soon With end of term coming up, the children are very excited.

set aside

phrv to be moved aside so not in the way He set all our luggage aside so we had space to move.

break into

phrv to become involved in a new job or business activity Many British companies have failed in their attempts to break into the American market.

cheer (sb) up

phrv to become less sad, or to make someone feel less sad They cheered up when they saw us coming along.

lead to

phrv to cause something to happen or cause someone to do something A degree in English could lead to a career in journalism.

switch to

phrv to change from doing or using one thing to doing or using another She worked as a librarian before switching to journalism.

come round to

phrv to change your opinion so that you now agree with someone or are no longer angry with them It took him a while to come round to the idea.

keep up

phrv to continue doing something I don't think I can keep this up any longer.

carry on

phrv to continue doing something Sorry, I interrupted you. Please carry on.

stick with/to

phrv to continue doing something the way you did or planned to do before Let's stick with the original plan.

come through

phrv to continue to live, be strong, or succeed after a difficult or dangerous time He came through the operation OK and is expected to be back at work in a few months.

call (st) off

phrv to decide that a planned event will not take place The trip to Italy might be called off.

put (sb/st) off

phrv to delay doing something or to arrange to do something at a later date, especially because there is a problem or you do not want to do it now The match has been put off until tomorrow because of bad weather.

sum (sb/st) up

phrv to describe someone/something using only a few words The city's problem can be summed up in three words.

get round to

phrv to do something that you have been intending to do for some time I haven't got round to unpacking from my holiday yet.

get away with

phrv to do something without experiencing any problems or difficulties, even though it is not the best thing to do At school he always got away with doing as little work as possible.

log on

phrv to do the necessary actions on a computer system that will allow you to begin using it You need to log on to your home page.

follow through

phrv to do what needs to be done to complete something or make it successful The project went wrong when the staff failed to follow through.

strap yourself into

phrv to fasten someone in place with one or more straps (= a narrow band of strong material used to tie, hang or hold onto something) All passengers on the flight were told to strap themselves into their seats before take-off.

stumble across

phrv to find or discover something by chance and unexpectedly Researcher have stumbled across a drug that may help patients with Parkinson's disease.

track (sb/st) down

phrv to find someone or something that is difficult to find by searching or looking for information in several different places I finally managed to track down the book you wanted in a shop near the station.

pull yourself together

phrv to force yourself to stop behaving in a nervous, frightened, or uncontrolled way With an effort Mary pulled herself together.

find out

phrv to get information, after trying to discover it or by chance Did you find out if there are any tickets left?

do away with

phrv to get rid of something or stop using it People thought that the use of robots would do away with boring low-paid factory jobs.

throw (st) out

phrv to get rid of something that you do not want or need We usually throw out all of our old magazines.

work off

phrv to get rid of something, especially a feeling such as anger, nervousness, etc., by doing something that uses a lot of your energy Walking is excellent for working off tension or stress.

nip into

phrv to go somewhere quickly or for a short time Have we got time to nip into town?

pop in

phrv to go somewhere quickly, suddenly or in a way that you did not expect I need to pop in and see Dave on the way to town.

see (sb) off

phrv to go to an airport, train station, etc., to say goodbye to someone They've gone to the airport to see their son off.

burst with (st)

phrv to have a lot of something or be filled with something, e.g. pride, energy, excitement Your mum's bursting with pride for you.

hit upon

phrv to have an idea or discover something suddenly or unexpectedly (also "hit on") Then we hit upon the idea of asking viewers to donate money over the Internet.

hit on (st)

phrv to have an idea or discover something suddenly or unexpectedly Then we hit on the idea of asking viewers to donate money over the Net.

get by

phrv to have enough money to buy the things you need, but no more I don't earn a huge salary, but we get by.

date back to

phrv to have existed since a particular time in the past The castle dates back to the 13th century.

date back

phrv to have existed since a particular time in the past This building dates back to the 13th century.

get away

phrv to leave a place, especially when this is not easy The meeting last for hours and I didn't get away until seven.

drop out

phrv to leave a school or university before your course has finished Bill dropped out of college after his first year.

move out

phrv to leave the house where you are living now in order to go and live somewhere else He moved out to live nearer the university.

break away

phrv to leave your home, family, or job and become independent I felt the need to break away from home.

put (sb) up

phrv to let someone stay in your house and give them meals I was hoping Kenny could put me up for a few days.

take after (sb)

phrv to look or behave like an older relative Jenni really takes after her mother.

make up for

phrv to make a bad situation better, or replace something that has been lost The good days more than make up for the bad ones.

get (sb) down

phrv to make someone feel unhappy and tired His lack of social life was beginning to get him down.

build into

phrv to make something a permanent part of a system, agreement, etc. Opportunities for reviewing data should be built into the project.

bring about

phrv to make something happen How can we bring about a change in attitudes?

put (sb) off

phrv to make you dislike something or not want to do something Don't let the restaurant's décor put you off - the food is really good.

let (sb) down

phrv to not do something that someone trusts or expects you to do The worst feeling is having let our fans down.

talk (sb) into (st)

phrv to persuade someone to do something My husband talked me into going skiing.

back (sb/st) up

phrv to provide support or help for someone or something The police officers are backed up by extra teams of people at the weekend.

get through to

phrv to reach a place or person that is difficult to reach Aid agencies haven't been able to get through to those living in more remote areas.

come into

phrv to receive money, land, or property from someone after they have died She'll come into quite a lot of money when her father dies.

cut down on

phrv to reduce the amount of something By getting the design right, you can cut down on the number of accidents.

blamed (st) on (sb)

phrv to say or think that someone or something is responsible for something bad I blame his mother - she's completely spoilt him.

set up

phrv to start a company, organization, committee, etc. They want to set up their own import-export business.

go ahead with (st)

phrv to start to do something, especially after planning it or asking permission to do it They've decided to go ahead with plans to build 50 new houses on the site.

give up on (sb/st)

phrv to stop hoping that someone or something will change or improve At that point, I hadn't completely given up on the promotion.

deal with

phrv to take the necessary action, especially in order to solve a problem Don't worry, I'll deal with this.

tell (sb) off

phrv to tell someone officially that something they have done is very wrong The military court reprimanded the soldier for failing to do his duty.

come up with

phrv to think of an idea, answer, etc. We've been asked to come up with some new ideas.

brush against

phrv to touch someone or something lightly when passing them I felt her hair brush against my arm.

rely on

phrv to trust or depend on someone or something to do what you need or expect them to do I knew I could rely on David.

squeeze in

phrv to try to make something fit into a space that is too small, or to try to get into such a space We could probably squeeze in a few more people.

dress up

phrv to wear special clothes for fun, or to put special clothes on someone He went to the party dressed up as a Chicago gangster.

ultra

prefix extremely He became ultra-cautious after the accident.

cyber

prefix relating to computers, especially to messages and information on the Internet Students are discovering the endless amount of information in cyberspace.

idealise

v a British spelling of idealize (= to imagine or represent something or someone as being perfect or better than they really are) Society continues to idealise the two-parent family.

face

v be opposite someone or something, or to be looking or pointing in a particular direction The two men stood facing each other, smiling.

be spared

v be saved from strain, discomfort, embarrassment or from a particular cause of it He was spared the embarrassment of having to give a speech by the powercut.

be prepared to

v be willing to do something He wasn't prepared to give up his dream of becoming famous.

suit

v clothes, colours, etc., that suit you; make you look attractive Red really suits you.

entitle

v if a book, play, etc., is entitled something, that is its name The documentary series, entitled "Surgeons", was a great success.

subsidise

v if a government or organization subsidises a company, activity, etc., it pays part of its costs Farming is heavily subsidised (=subsidised a lot) by the government.

dissolve

v if a solid dissolves, or if you dissolve it, it mixes with a liquid and becomes part of it溶解 Stir until the sugar dissolves.

skid

v if a vehicle or wheel on a vehicle skids, it suddenly slides sideways and you cannot control it打滑 The car skidded as she turned onto the highway.

infect

v if a virus infects your computer or memory device, it changes or destroys the information on it In an attempt to stop viruses infecting his computer, he updated his antivirus software.

flock

v if people flock to a place, they go there in large numbers because something interesting or exciting is happening there People have been flocking to the exhibition.

paralyze

v if something paralyses you, it makes you lose the ability to move part or all of your body, or to feel it Her legs were partly paralysed in the crash.

tend to do (st)

v if something tends to happen, it happens often and is likely to happen again People tend to need less sleep as they get older.

linked to

v if two things are linked, they are related in some way Police think the crimes are linked.

relate to

v if two things relate to each other, they are connected in some way I don't understand how the two ideas relate.

assemble

v if you assemble a large number of people or things, or if they assemble, they are gathered together in one place, often for a particular purpose A large crowd had assembled outside the American embassy.

benefit from

v if you benefit from something, it gives you an advantage, improves your life or helps you in some way Many thousands have benefited from the new treatment.

face

v if you face or are faced with a difficult situation, it is going to affect you and you must deal with it I can't face failing my driving test for the fourth time.

happen to do (st)

v if you happen to do something, you do it by chance I happened to see James in town.

increase

v if you increase something, or if it increases, it becomes bigger in amount, number, or degree The population increased dramatically in the first half of the century.

skydive

v the sport of jumping from a plane and falling through the sky before opening a parachute Mark wants to skydive because he's never tried it before.

count

v thought to be important or valuable First impressions really do count

overhear

v to accidentally hear what other people are saying, when they do not know that you have heard I overheard part of their conversation.

recommend

v to advise someone to do something, especially because you have special knowledge of a situation or subject I recommend that you get some professional advice.

free

v to allow someone to leave prison or somewhere they have been kept as a prisoner The bank robbers have agreed to free the hostages.

permit

v to allow something to happen, especially by an official decision, rule, or law Smoking is not permitted in public places.

emerge

v to appear or come out from somewhere These flowers emerge in the spring.

consult

v to ask for information or advice from someone because it is their job to know something If your symptoms persist, consult a doctor immediately.

plead

v to ask for something that you want very much, in a sincere and emotional way 'Don't go!' Robert pleaded.

engage

v to attract someone's attention and keep them interested The toy didn't engage her interest for long.

outweigh

v to be more important or valuable than something else The benefits of the scheme outweigh the drawbacks.

intervene

v to become involved in an argument, fight, or other difficult situation in order to change what happens The police don't usually like to intervene in disputes between husbands and wives.

expand

v to become larger in size, number, or amount, or to make something become larger Water expands as it freezes.

worsen

v to become worse or make something worse A lot of teachers expect the situation to worsen over the next few years.

misbehave

v to behave badly, and cause trouble or annoy people George has been misbehaving at school.

befriend

v to behave in a friendly way towards someone, especially someone who is younger or needs help They befriended me when I first arrived in London as a student.

react

v to behave in a particular way or show a particular emotion because of something that has happened or been said How did Wilson react to your idea?

treat

v to behave towards someone or something in a particular way She treats me like one of the family.

chew

v to bite food several times before swallowing it This meat' so tough I can hardly chew it.

digest

v to change food that you have just eaten into substances that your body can use吸收 Most babies can digest a wide range of food easily.

alter

v to change, or to make someone or something change Her face hadn't altered much over the years.

be classed as

v to consider people, things, etc., as belonging to a particular group, using an official system Some classes of vehicles are taxed at a lower level.

compare

v to consider two or more things or people, in order to show how they are similar or different The report compares the different types of home computer available.

cling to

v to continue to believe or do something, even though it may not be true or useful any longer He clung to the hope that she would recover from the illness.

cling to

v to continue to believe or do something, even though it may not be true or useful any longer We clung to the hope that the results of the test would be positive.

endure

v to continue to exist for along time Their friendship endures for decades.

survive

v to continue to live normally in spite of many problems I'm sure she will survive this crisis.

dominate

v to control someone or something or to have more importance than other people or things The industry is dominated by five multinational companies.

bury

v to cover or hide something She buried her face in the pillow and screamed.

sob

v to cry noisily while breathing in short sudden bursts He began sobbing uncontrollably.

unlock

v to discover important factors about something She unlocked the mysteries surrounding the sudden disappearance of the painting.

respond

v to do something as a reaction to something that has been said or done Responding to the news, Mr Watt appealed for calm.

affect

v to do something that produces an effect or change in something or in someone's situation It was clear to see which areas were most affected by the hurricane.

stress

v to emphasize a statement, fact, or idea The report stressed that student maths skills need to improve.

be limited to (st)

v to exist or happen only in a particular place, group, or area of activity The damage was limited to the roof

feel

v to experience a particular physical feeling or emotion Do you still feel hungry?

paraphrase

v to express in a shorter, clearer, or different way what someone has said or written To paraphrase Finkelstein, mathematics is a language, like English.

fear

v to feel afraid or worried that something bad may happen Fearing violence, the group asked for police protection.

regret

v to feel sorry about something you have done and wish you had not done it Don't do anything you might regret.

pity

v to feel sorry for someone because they are in a very bad situation I pity anyone who has to feed a family on such a low income.

criticise

v to find fault with or judge something/someone negatively Ron does nothing but criticise and complain all the time.

calculate

v to find out how much something will cost, how long something will take, etc., by using numbers These instruments calculate distances accurately.

diagnose

v to find out what illness someone has, or what the cause of a fault is, after doing tests, examinations, etc. Joe struggled in school before he was diagnosed as dyslexic.

stalk

v to follow and watch someone over a long period of time in a way that is very annoying or threatening, and that is considered a crime in some places She was stalked by an obsessed fan.

queue

v to form or join a line of people or vehicles waiting to do something or go somewhere Some of the people queuing for tickets had camped there overnight.

acquire

v to gain knowledge or learn a skill He spent years acquiring his skills as a surgeon.

obtain

v to get something that you want, especially through your own effort, skill, or work Further information can be obtained from head office.

acquit

v to give a decision in a court of law that someone is not guilty of a crime All the defendants were acquitted.

open doors

v to give an opportunity to someone to do something Winning the championship opened doors for Serena.

contribute

v to give money, help, ideas, etc., to something that a lot of other people are also involved in City employees cannot contribute to political campaigns.

empower

v to give someone more control over their own life or situation The Voting Rights Act empowered many minority groups.

encourage

v to give someone the courage or confidence to do something I want to thank everyone who has encouraged and supported me.

reward

v to give something to someone because they have done something good or helpful or have worked for it He gave the children some chocolate to reward them for behaving well.

donate

v to give something, especially money, to a person or an organization in order to help them Last year he donated $1,000 to cancer research.

reinforce

v to give support to an opinion, idea, or feeling, and make it stronger The film reinforces the idea that women should have the same opportunities as men.

adapt

v to gradually change your behaviour and attitudes in order to be successful in a new situation How do these insects adapt themselves to new environments?

adapt

v to gradually change your behaviour and attitudes in order to be successful in a new situation The children are finding it hard to adapt to the new school.

speculate

v to guess about the possible causes or effects of something, without knowing all the facts or details She refused to speculate on who the new owner was.

occur

v to happen A third of accidental deaths occur in the home.

pre-date

v to happen or exist earlier in history than something else The kingdom predates other African cultures by over 3,000 years.

predate

v to happen or exist earlier in history than something else The kingdom predates other African cultures by over 3,000 years.

possess

v to have a particular quality or ability Different workers possess different skills.

control

v to have the power to make the decisions about how a country, place, company, etc., is organized or what it does The Democrats continued to control the Senate until last year.

qualify

v to have the right to have or do something, or to give someone this right Free school lunches are given to children who qualify.

base

v to have your main place of work, business, etc., in a particular place The paper had intended to base itself in London.

rehabilitate

v to help someone to live a healthy, useful, or active life again after they have been seriously ill or in prison A new ward for rehabilitating patients is being opened.

twist

v to hurt your wrist etc by pulling or turning it too suddenly while you are moving Harriet slipped on the stairs and twisted her ankle.

injure

v to hurt yourself or someone else, for example in an accident or an attack Angus injured his leg playing rugby.

intensify

v to increase in degree or strength, or to make something do this In June the anti-war protests intensified.

rise

v to increase in number, amount, or value Temperatures here rarely rise above freezing.

confine to

v to keep someone or something within the limits of a particular activity or subject The police cadet's duties were confined to taking statements from the crowd.

tease

v to laugh at someone and make jokes in order to have fun by embarrassing them, either in a friendly way or in an unkind way Don't get upset. I was only teasing.

retrain

v to learn or to teach someone the skills that are needed to do a different job One solution is to retrain the long-term unemployed.

lend

v to let someone borrow money or something that belongs to you for a short time I lent my CD player to Dave and I haven't got it back yet.

specialise in

v to limit all or most of your study, etc., business, etc., to a particular subject or activity Simmons specialized in employment law.

regulates

v to make a machine or your body work at a particular speed, temperature, etc. People sweat to regulate their body heat.

summarise

v to make a short statement giving only the main information and not the details of a plan, event, report, etc. The authors summarize their views in the introduction.

brake

v to make a vehicle or bicycle go more slowly or stop by using its brake(s) He braked sharply to avoid the dog.

cure

v to make an illness or medical condition go away Many types of cancer can now be cured.

ensure

v to make certain that something will happen properly New cycles routes are planned to ensure the safety of cyclists.

enable

v to make it possible for someone to do something, or for something to happen The loan enabled Jan to buy the house.

modify

v to make small changes to something in order to improve it and make it more suitable or effective The feedback will be used to modify the course for next year.

offend

v to make someone angry or upset by doing or saying something that they think is rude, unkind, etc. His remarks deeply offended many Scottish people.

prompt

v to make someone decide to do something What prompted you to buy that suit?

impress

v to make someone feel admiration and respect My boss was impressed by the presentation I made.

convince

v to make someone feel certain that something is true Her arguments didn't convince everyone, but changes were made.

crush

v to make someone lose all hope, confidence, etc. Sarah was crushed by their insults.

doom

v to make someone or something certain to fail, die, be destroyed, etc. The plan was doomed from the start.

perfect

v to make something as good as you are able to Mock trials help students perfect their legal skills.

heat

v to make something become warm or hot Heat the milk until it boils.

signal

v to make something clear by what you say or do - used in news reports The shamed footballer signalled his desire to tell his side of the story.

maintain

v to make something continue in the same way or at the same standard as before Careers Officers maintain contact with young people when they have left school.

cause

v to make something happen, especially something bad Heavy traffic is causing delays on the freeway.

cause

v to make something happen, especially something bad The fired caused £15,000 worth of damage.

clear

v to make somewhere emptier or tidier by removing things from it Snowploughs have been out clearing the roads.

bother

v to make the effort to do something He didn't bother to answer the question.

flip

v to move something with a quick sudden movement so that it is in a different position He flipped the top off the bottle and poured himself a drink.

resist

v to not be changed or harmed by something He has an amazing ability to resist infection.

be lost without

v to not feel confident about what to do or how to behave She's a great friend and I'd be lost without her.

misinterpret

v to not understand the correct meaning of something that someone says or does, or of facts that you are considering Some parts of the report could be misinterpreted so we need those changing.

spot

v to notice someone or something, especially when they are difficult to see or recognize I spotted a police car behind us.

resign

v to officially announce that you have decided to leave your job or an organization She resigned from the government last week.

nominate

v to officially suggest someone or something for an important position, duty, or prize Ferraro was the first woman to be nominated for the job of vice president.

discourage

v to persuade someone not to do something, especially by making it seem difficult or bad My mother is a dentist and she discouraged me from entering the field.

enlist

v to persuade someone to help you to do something He has enlisted the help of a sports psychologist for the team.

cultivate

v to prepare and use land for growing crops and plants The land was too rocky to cultivate.

avoid

v to prevent something bad from happening Road safety classes help students avoid accidents.

inhibit

v to prevent something from growing or developing well An unhappy family life may inhibit children's learning.

safeguard

v to protect something from harm or damage The industry has a duty to safeguard consumers.

support (sb)

v to provide enough money for someone to pay for all the things they need I have a wife and to children to support.

compensate

v to replace or balance the effect of something bad Because my left eye is so weak, my right eye has to work harder to compensate.

admire

v to respect and like someone because they have done something that you think is good I really admire the way she brings up those kids all on her own.

preserve

v to save something or someone from being harmed or destroyed We must encourage the planting of new trees and preserve our natural woodlands.

insist

v to say firmly and often that something is true, especially when other people think it may not be true Mike insisted that he was right.

prohibit

v to say that an action is illegal or not allowed Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the factory.

deny

v to say that something is not true, or that you do not believe something The government has never denied that there is a housing problem.

accuse

v to say that you believe someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad He was accused of theft.

track

v to search for a person or animal by following the marks they leave behind them on the ground, their smell, etc. Police have been tracking the four criminals all over Central America.

observe

v to see and notice something Scientists have observed a drop in ozone levels over the Antarctic.

witness

v to see something happen, especially a crime or accident Several residents claim to have witnessed the attack.

fire

v to shoot bullets or bombs Soldiers fired shots into the air to scare the crowd.

bellow

v to shout loudly in a deep voice 'That's your problem!' bellowed Hurley.

yell

v to shout or say something very loudly, especially because you are frightened, angry, or excited 'Help me!' she yelled.

indicate

v to show that a particular situation exists, or that something is likely to be true Research indicates that less youngsters are deciding to obtain a university education.

confirm

v to show that something is definitely true, especially by providing more proof New evidence has confirmed the first witness's story.

socialise

v to spend time with other people in a friendly way People don't socialize with their neighbours as much as they used to.

replace

v to start doing something instead of another person, or start being used instead of another thing I'm replacing Sue on the team.

imply

v to suggest that something is true, without saying this directly Cleo blushed. She had not meant to imply that he was lying.

fingerprint

v to take someone's fingerprints (= the mark made by the pattern of lines at the end of a person's finger, which is used by the police to find out who has committed a crime) After he was arrested, he was fingerprinted.

value

v to think that someone or something is important Shelley valued her privacy.

disapprove

v to think that someone or their behaviour, ideas, etc., are bad or wrong I knew my parents would disapprove, but I went anyway.

suspect

v to think that something is probably true, especially something bad I suspected that there was something wrong with the engine.

blend

v to thoroughly mix together soft or liquid substances to form a single smooth substance Blend the sugar, eggs and flour.

struggle

v to try extremely hard to achieve something, even though it is very difficult She's struggling to bring up a family alone.

investigate

v to try to find out the truth about something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem The state police are investigating the incident.

estimate

v to try to judge the value, size, speed, cost, etc., of something, without calculating it exactly This tree is estimated to be at least 700 years old.

appreciate

v to understand how serious or important a situation or problem is or what someone's feelings are He did not fully appreciate the opportunity he had been given.

appreciate

v to understand how serious or important a situation or problem is or what someone's feelings are He did not fully appreciate the significance of signing the contract.

get it

v to understand something I don't get it - it doesn't make sense.

wander

v to walk slowly across or around an area, usually without a clear direction or purpose I'll wander around the mall while you're at the dentist's.

brandish

v to wave something around in a dangerous or threatening way, especially a weapon A man leapt out, brandishing a kitchen knife.

make it

verb phrase to succeed in getting somewhere in time for something or when this is difficult If we run, we should make it to the train station in time.

geyser

n a natural spring that sends hot water and steam suddenly into the air from a hole in the ground There are some incredible geysers in Yellowstone Park.

streak

n a part of someone's character that is different from the rest of their character It was often said that Kevin had a mean streak.

decade

n a period of 10 years It was strange to return to my old school after so many decades.

strike

n a period of time when a group of workers deliberately stop working because of a disagreement about pay, working conditions, etc. There was a national strike against mine closures.

high-status

n a person who is greatly respected in society or their professional is high-standing They were pleased to recruit an expert of such high-standing in the legal profession.

still life

n a picture of an arrangement of objects, for example flowers or fruit I remember painting still life when I studied art at college.

beetroot

n a plant with a round dark red root that you cook and eat as a vegetable甜菜根 Adding cubed beetroots to a curry makes it turn a lovely rich colour.

characteristic

n a quality or feature of something or someone that is typical of them and easy to recognize He had the same characteristic nose as his grandfather.

property

n a quality or power that a substance, plant, etc., has This plant is known to have healing properties.

objection

n a reason that you have for opposing or disapproving of something, or something you say that expresses this Her objection was that he was too young.

costume

n a set of clothes worn by an actor or by someone to make them look like something such as an animal, famous person, etc. A huge amount of the film's budget was spent on costumes.

survival skills

n a set of skills that will help you to continue to live or exist after an accident, war, etc. These days you can go on courses to learn survival skills.

ballad

n a slow love song She wrote a beautiful ballad to sing to him.

patch

n a small area of something that is different from the area around it We finally found a patch of grass to sit down on.

pellet

n a small ball of a substance丸 Please buy some food pellets for the rabbits when you next get the chance.

chink

n a small hole in a wall, or between two things that join together, that lets light or air through The sun came through a chink in the curtains.

earphone

n a small piece of equipment connected by a wire to a radio, personal stereo, etc., which you put in or over your ears so that only you can listen to it Helen was bought a new pair of earphones for her birthday.

desert island

n a small tropical island that is far away from other places and has no people living on it In the latest series of the reality show, the contestants were dropped off at a desert island and left there for a month.

bungee jump

n a sport in which you jump off something very high with a long length of special rope that stretches tied to your legs, so that you go up again without touching the ground Soren has always wanted to do a bungee jump.

emotion

n a strong human feeling such as love, hate, or anger Her voice was full of emotion.

phobia

n a strong unreasonable fear of something Owen has a phobia about snakes.

hunk

n a thick piece of something, especially food, that has been taken from a bigger piece Pass me that a hunk of bread, would you?

source of income

n a thing, place, activity, etc., where you get your money/income from His only source of income was the farm.

algae

n a very simple plant without stems or leaves that grows in or near water海藻 There is a lot of algae growing in our pond.

lucky charm

n a very small object worn on a chain or bracelet and believed to bring good luck Mel wore the same lucky charm whenever she had an audition.

microchip

n a very small piece of silicon containing a set of electronic parts, which is used in computers and other machines Japan is the largest producer of microchips in the world.

passion

n a very strong liking for something Gardening was her great passion.

tablet

n a very thin, portable computer without a lid, usually powered by batteries and with a touchscreen instead of a keyboard All students now use tablets in their IT classes.

account

n a written or spoken description that says what happens in an event or process He was too shocked to give an account of what had happened.

condition

n an illness or health problem that affects you permanently or for a very long time People suffering from this condition should not smoke.

pay rise

n an increase in the amount of money you are paid for doing your job Some company directors give themselves huge pay rises.

compass

n an instrument that shows directions and has a needle that always points north Whenever we go on the moors we always take a map and compass.

chimpanzee

n an intelligent African animal that is like a large monkey without a tail长臂猿 I'd love to see chimpanzees in the wild.

ban

n an official order that prevents something from being used or done The government has introduced a total ban on cigarette advertising at sporting events.

bypass surgery

n an operation to direct blood through new veins (= blood tubes) outside the heart because the veins in the heart are blocked or diseased Dan is recovering from his triple heart bypass operation.

side effect

n an unexpected or unplanned result of a situation or event These policy changes could have beneficial side effects for the whole economy.

ice age

n any period of time during which glaciers covered a large area of the earth's surface Scientists are keen to discover more fossils from the Ice Age.

dishonesty

n behaviour in which you deceive or cheat people Dishonesty is not a positive characteristic.

antispyware

n computer software that is designed to detect and remove spyware (= software which gathers information about a person or organisation without their knowledge or consent) We are currently updating our antispyware.

cybercrime

n criminal activity that involves the use of computers or the Internet Cybercrime is on the increase.

motivation

n eagerness and willingness to do something without needing to be told or forced to do it The company organised an away-day to improve employees' motivation.

evidence

n facts or signs that show clearly that something exists or is true At present we have no evidence of life on other planets.

data

n information or facts The research involves collecting data from two random samples.

awareness

n knowledge or understanding of a particular subject or situation Health officials have tried to raise awareness (= improve people's knowledge) about AIDS.

cowardice

n lack of courage He shows no cowardice in the face of danger.

hunger

n lack of food, especially for a long period of time, that can cause illness or death Many thousands of people die from hunger every day.

indifference

n lack of interest or concern Sheila was surprised at Phil's apparent indifference to material luxuries.

funding

n money that is provided by an organization for a particular purpose College directors have called for more government funding.

majority

n most of the people or things in a group The majority of workers find it quite hard to live on the amount of money they now earn.

fall

n movement towards the ground or a lower position Alice had a fall and broke her leg.

stage fright

n nervousness felt by someone who is going to perform in front of a lot of people Den suffered terribly from stage fright.

protein

n one of several natural substances that exist in food such as meat, eggs, and beans, and which your body needs in order to grow and remain strong and healthy He ate a diet rich in protein.

state

n one of the areas with limited law-making powers that together make up a country controlled by a central government, such as the US and Australia Queensland is one of the states of Australia.

stage

n one of the parts which something such as a competition or process is divided into The team reached the semi-final stage of the competition.

muscle

n one of the pieces of flesh inside your body that you use in order to move, and that connect your bones together Regular exercise will help to strengthen your muscles.

affair

n public or political events and activities Are you interested in world affairs?

basis

n relating to a regular activity or event which takes place I chat to my parents on a daily basis.

social class

n relating to your position in society, according to your job, family, wealth, etc. Our students come from a variety of social classes.

reliability

n someone or something that has reliability can be trusted or depended on The reliability of his car led him to keeping it for over twenty years.

contender

n someone or something that is in competition with other people or things There are two possible contenders for the title.

threat

n someone or something that is regarded as a possible danger The fighting is a major threat to stability in the region.

thrill-seeker

n someone who does things that are dangerous because they like the feeling of excitement it gives them Alton Towers have many roller coasters that will please thrill-seekers

voyeur

n someone who enjoys watching other people's private behaviour or suffering The voyeur watched her neighbours through binoculars.

client

n someone who gets services or advice from a professional person, company, or organization Due to illness, I had to cancel a meeting with an important client.

investor

n someone who gives money to a company, business, or bank in order to get a profit The investor wanted to keep her identity a secret.

migrant worker

n someone who goes to live in another country for work Migrant workers form an important part of our workforce.

nutritionist

n someone who has a special knowledge of nutrition Jules has been working as a nutritionalist for over 20 years.

victim

n someone who has been attacked, robbed, or murdered The victim lost all her money in the robbery.

fraudster

n someone who has committed a fraud The police have given out a description of the fraudster.

applicant

n someone who has formally asked, usually in writing, for a job, university place, etc. He was one of 30 applicants for the manager's job.

medallist

n someone who has won a medal in a competition He is an Olympic medallist.

carer

n someone who looks after an old or ill person at home Teresa works as a carer in a nursing home.

holder

n someone who owns or controls something Who is the 800m world record holder?

vertical farmer

n someone who produces food and medicine using an indoor farming technique where the surfaces used for production are vertically stacked He became a vertical farmer after he discovered that the investment needed was less than for an ordinary farm.

witness

n someone who sees a crime or an accident and can describe what happened One witness to the accident said the driver appeared to be drunk.

economist

n someone who studies the way in which money and goods are produced and used and the systems of business and trade Tim worked as lead economist for Oxfam.

wrestler

n someone who takes part in wrestling We always used to watch the wrestling on Saturdays.

forces

n something or someone who is powerful and has a lot of influence on the way things happen Betty was the driving force behind the project.

resource

n something such as useful land, or minerals such as oil or coal, that exists in a country and can be used to increase its wealth Canada has vast mineral resources.

compelling

adj an argument, etc., that makes you feel certain that something is true or that you must do something about it Lucy had no compelling reason to go in to town.

enviable

adj an enviable quality, position, or possession is good and other people would like to have it Now he is in the enviable position of not having to work for a living.

eye-opening

adj an experience from which you learn something surprising or new The visit was really eye-opening.

independent

adj an independent organization is not owned or controlled by, or does not receive money from, another organization or the government There are plans to split the corporation into a number of smaller independent companies.

unexplored

adj an unexplored place has not been examined or put on a map There must be countless unexplored planets.

uninhabited

adj an uninhabited place does not have anyone living there We stayed on an uninhabited island for a night.

impatient

adj annoyed because of delays, someone else's mistakes, etc. We are growing impatient with the lack of results.

moody

adj annoyed or unhappy Keith had seemed moody all morning.

antisocial

adj antisocial behaviour is violent or harmful to other people, or shows that you do not care about other people She was finding it hard to cope with her son's increasingly antisocial behaviour.

abstract

adj based on general ideas or principles rather than specific examples or real events He has an amazing ability to translate abstract ideas into words.

crazed

adj behaving in a wild and uncontrolled way like someone who is mentally ill He was crazed with grief after the death of his mother.

aggressive

adj behaving in an angry threatening way, as if you want to fight or attack someone Jim's voice became aggressive.

primitive

adj belonging to a simple way of life that existed in the past and does not have modern industries and machines An exhibition of primitive tools will soon open at the museum of archeology.

tropical

adj coming from or existing in the hottest parts of the world It's always been her dream to visit somewhere tropical.

revolutionary

adj completely new and different, especially in a way that leads to great improvements The new cancer drug is a revolutionary breakthrough.

inaccessible

adj difficult or impossible to reach In winter, the villages are inaccessible by road.

irresponsible

adj doing careless things without thinking or worrying about the possible bad results When it comes to money, Dan is completely irresponsible.

formal

adj done in a very organised way The palace's formal gardens are worth a visit.

impromptu

adj done or said without any preparation or planning The band gave an impromptu concert.

fragile

adj easily broken or damaged Be careful with that vase - it's very fragile.

wide-reaching

adj enjoyed by many The impact of the policy change was wide-reaching.

adequate

adj enough in quantity or of a good enough quality for a particular purpose Some suncreams we tested failed to give adequate protection against UV light.

stimulating

adj exciting or full of new ideas We had a stimulating discussion on world politics.

short-lived

adj existing or happening for only a short time Our happiness was short-lived.

strict

adj expecting people to obey rules or to do what you say I remember that Mrs Wincott was a very strict teacher.

stunning

adj extremely attractive or beautiful You look absolutely stunning in that suit.

nutritious

adj food that is nutritious is full of the natural substances that your body needs to stay healthy or to grow properly Wholemeal bread is more nutritious than white bread.

mild-mannered

adj gentle and polite Mike has always been very mild-mannered and kind.

supportive

adj giving help or encouragement, especially to someone who is in a difficult situation - used to show approval My friends were very supportive when my father died.

inspiring

adj giving people a feeling of excitement and a desire to do something great I always listen to inspiring music when I'm at the gym.

devoted

adj giving someone or something a lot of love and attention Peter was always a devoted father and would do anything for his children.

solid

adj hard or firm, with a fixed shape, and not a liquid or gas The lake was frozen solid.

negative

adj harmful, unpleasant, or not wanted My lack of sleep was starting to have a negative effect on my work.

harsh

adj harsh conditions are difficult to live in and very uncomfortable The hostages are being held in harsh conditions.

wealthy

adj having a lot of money, possessions, etc. He left as a poor, working class boy and returned as a wealthy man.

determined

adj having a strong desire to do something, so that you will not let anyone stop you Gwen is a very determined woman.

capable of

adj having the qualities or ability needed to do something I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself, thank you!

equivalent

adj having the same value, purpose, job, etc., as a person or thing of a different kind The word has no equivalent in English.

uncontrollable

adj if an emotion, desire, or physical action is uncontrollable, you cannot control it or stop yourself from feeling it or doing it I felt an uncontrollable need to laugh.

shared

adj if something is shared, it is enjoyed or used with other people so everyone can benefit from it We all enjoyed the shared meal at the end of the course.

aware of

adj if you are aware that a situation exists, you realize or know that it exists Are you aware of the dangers involved in this job?

demanding

adj needing a lot of ability, effort, or skill Being a head teacher is a very demanding job.

unaffected

adj not changed or influenced by something The north remained largely unaffected by the drought.

untouched

adj not changed, damaged, or affected in any way The landscape was untouched.

inaccurate

adj not completely correct A lot of what has been written about Captain Scott is inaccurate.

timid

adj not having courage or confidence I was a timid child.

novel

adj not like anything known before, and unusual or interesting What a novel idea!

lazy

adj not liking work and physical activity, or not making any effort to do anything Chris felt too lazy to get out of bed.

unaware of

adj not noticing or realizing what is happening Mike seems unaware of the trouble he's causing.

unimaginable

adj not possible to imagine The legend suggests the king had unimaginable wealth.

detached

adj not reacting to or becoming involved in something in an emotional way Try to take a more detached view.

imaginary

adj not real, but produced from pictures or ideas in your mind As she listened, she played an imaginary piano on her knees.

shameless

adj not seeming to be ashamed of your bad behaviour although other people think you should be ashamed It was shameless the way he lied to us.

tranquil

adj pleasantly calm, quiet, and peaceful After a four-hour trek we came across a small tranquil village in the middle of nowhere.

hard-headed

adj practical and able to make difficult decisions without letting your emotions affect your judgment He was a hard-headed business tycoon.

inspirational

adj providing encouragement or new ideas for what you should do Jones proved an inspirational figure in Welsh rugby.

cognitive

adj related to the process of knowing, understanding, and learning something Kiri is currently completing her master's degree in cognitive psychology.

ripe

adj ripe fruit or crops are fully grown and ready to eat Those tomatoes aren't ripe yet.

destined

adj seeming certain to happen at some time in the future She seemed destined for a successful life in the movies.

logical

adj seeming reasonable and sensible It's a logical site for a new supermarket, with the housing development nearby.

severe

adj severe weather is very bad and very extreme, and very hot, dry, cold, etc. The weather was so severe that they were stuck in their tent for three days.

straightforward

adj simple and easy to understand Installing the program is relatively straightforward.

damp

adj slightly wet, often in an unpleasant way Wipe the leather with a damp cloth.

reluctant

adj slow and unwilling She gave a reluctant smile.

single-minded

adj someone who is single-minded has one clear aim and works very hard to achieve it My aunt is a tough, single-minded lady.

superficial

adj someone who is superficial does not think about things that are serious or important - used to show disapproval All the other girls seemed silly and superficial to Darlene.

attention seeker

adj someone who is trying to find or get attention from others Ignoring attention seekers is a good way to deal with them.

vulnerable

adj someone who is vulnerable can be easily harmed or hurt He took advantage of me when I was at my most vulnerable.

hyperactive

adj someone, especially a child, who is hyperactive is too active, and is not able to keep still or be quiet for very long The doctor suggested Lilly was hyperactive because she drank too many energy drinks.

genuine

adj something genuine really is what it seems to be We need laws that will protect genuine refugees.

chilling

adj something that is chilling makes you feel frightened, especially because it is cruel, violent, or dangerous The chilling sound of wolves howling made us feel afraid.

crucial

adj something that is crucial is extremely important, because everything else depends on it This aid money is crucial to the government's economic policies.

crucial

adj something that is crucial is extremely important, because everything else depends on it This donation is crucial to the charity's continued work.

ideal

adj the best or most suitable that something could possibly be My personal trainer gave me advice on how to reach my ideal weight.

potential

adj the possibility that something will develop in a particular way, or have a particular effect The company certainly has the potential for growth.

hydrated

adj to be supplied with water to keep healthy and in good condition To stay hydrated you need to drink at least 2 litres of water a day.

affordable

adj to have enough money to buy or pay for something We thought they were joking when they told us it was affordable housing - it was certainly not within our budget!

gripped

adj to hold someone's attention and interest. The story of how he ended becoming an explorer really gripped me.

soothing

adj to make someone feel calmer and less anxious, upset, or angry She listened to gentle, soothing music to relax.

contrasting

adj two or more things that are contrasting are different from each other, especially in a way that is interesting or attractive I think we should produce a blue shirt with a contrasting collar.

inconsistent

adj two statements that are inconsistent cannot both be true The accounts of the witnesses are inconsistent.

contradictory

adj two statements, beliefs, etc., that are contradictory are different and therefore cannot both be true or correct The public is being given contradictory information about the economy.

distrustful

adj unable or unwilling to trust something or someone We were distrustful of his intentions.

trapped

adj unable to escape from somewhere, especially a dangerous place Twenty miners were trapped underground.

indecisive

adj unable to make clear decisions or choices He isn't a very good manager as he's far too indecisive.

short-sighted

adj unable to see objects clearly unless they are very close The optician said I was short-sighted and would need to wear glasses.

addicted to

adj unable to stop taking a harmful substance, especially a drug 50 million Americans are said to be addicted to nicotine.

confused

adj unable to understand or think clearly about what someone is saying or what is happening I'm totally confused. Could you explain that again?

undercover

adj undercover work is usually done secretly by the police in order to catch criminals or find out information No-one must know that we're working on an undercover investigation.

anonymous

adj unknown by name The author of the collection of poems was kept anonymous.

unrealistic

adj unrealistic ideas or hopes are not reasonable or sensible It is unrealistic to expect these changes to happen overnight.

wonder

adj very good and effective Scientists have created a new wonderful drug to fight diabetes.

extreme

adj very great in degree Extreme poverty still exists in many rural areas.

boiling

adj very hot Can I open a window? It's boiling (hot) in here.

key

adj very important or necessary The President makes all the keys decisions on foreign policy.

breathtaking

adj very impressive, exciting, or surprising The view from my bedroom window was absolutely breathtaking.

secluded

adj very private and quiet We sunbathed on a small secluded beach.

meek

adj very quiet and gentle and unwilling to argue with people He was always so meek and mild.

narcissistic

adj when someone is too concerned about their appearance or abilities or spends too much time admiring them - used to show disapproval Andrea is incredibly narcissistic and is only interested in talking about herself.

desperate

adj willing to do anything to change a very bad situation, and not caring about danger I had no money left and was desperate.

vaguely

adv slightly I vaguely remember a woman in a red dress standing outside the door.

directly

adv with no other person, action, process, etc., between The new property tax law won't directly affect us.

regardless of

adv without being affected or influenced by something The law requires equal treatment for all, regardless of race, religion or sex.

hammer-throw

n a sport in athletics in which a hammer (attached to a metal wire) is thrown for distance from a specific starting point using two hands The size and weight of the ball used for the hammer throw varies between the men's and the women's competitions.

polar bears

n a large white bear that lives near the North Pole北极熊 The film showed that polar bears do not fight when food is plentiful.

deer

n a large wild animal that can run very fast, eats grass, and has horns A large herd of deer was seen nearby.

spotlight

n a light with a very bright beam which can be directed at someone or something. Spotlights are often used to light a stage when actors or singers are performing The stage was lit by three huge spotlights.

padlock

n a lock that you can put on a gate, door, bicycle, etc. He undid the padlock and removed it before opening the gate.

expedition

n a long and carefully organised journey, especially to a dangerous or unfamiliar place, or a group of people that make this journey Both Cook and Peary succeeded in reaching the North Pole.

stream

n a long and continuous series of events, people, objects, etc. A steady stream of visitors came to the house.

marathon

n a long race of about 26 miles or 42 kilometres马拉松 Garcia ran the marathon in just under three hours.

runway

n a long specially prepared hard surface like a road on which aircraft land and take off All flights were delayed until the runway was cleared of snow.

rod

n a long thin pole or bar竿 The walls are reinforced with steel rods.

standard of living

n the amount of wealth, comfort, and other things that a particular person, group, country, etc., has Scandinavian countries have a high standard of living.

publicity

n the attention that someone or something gets from newspapers, television, etc. Standards in education have received a lot of negative publicity over the last few years.

principle

n the basic idea that a plan or system is based on The general principle is that education should be available to all children up to the age of 16.

soya bean

n the bean of an Asian plant from which oil and food containing a lot of protein are produced Soya beans contain a lot of protein.

broadcasting

n the business of making television and radio programmes After visiting the local TV studio, Leslie was keen to have a career in broadcasting.

fraud

n the crime of deceiving people in order to gain something such as money or goods He's been charged with tax fraud.

shop-lifting

n the crime of stealing things from shops, for example by hiding them in a bag or under your clothes She was wrongly accused of shoplifting.

sympathy

n the feeling of being sorry for someone who is in a bad situation I have a lot of sympathy for her; she had to bring up the children on her own.

atmosphere

n the feeling that an event or place gives you The hotel had a lovely relaxed atmosphere.

belief

n the feeling that something is definitely true or definitely exists Johan has a strong belief in his own abilities.

boredom

n the feeling you have when you are bored, or the quality of being boring We played a game to relieve the boredom of a long journey.

perfection

n the state of being perfect My father expected perfection from all of us.

weakness

n the state of being physically weak After the long hike, he suffered from muscular weakness.

survival

n the state of continuing to live or exist Illegal hunting is threatening the survival of the species.

immunity

n the state or right of being protected from particular laws or from unpleasant things They were granted immunity from criminal charges.

robotics

n the study of how robots are made and used She studied robotics at university and now is a robotics engineer.

psychology

n the study of the mind and how it influences people's behaviour Jung learned a lot of what he understood about psychology from Freud.

meaning

n the thing or idea that a word, expression, or sign represents I don't know the meaning of the word 'gleaned'.

priority

n the thing that you think is most important and that needs attention before anything else The club's priority is to win the League.

fate

n the things that happen to someone or something, especially unpleasant things that end their existence or end a particular period I wouldn't wish such a fate on my worst enemy.

destiny

n the things that will happen to someone in the future, especially those that cannot be changed or controlled Nancy wondered whether it was her destiny to live in England and marry Melvyn.

advent

n the time when something first begins to be widely used How many of us remember the advent of the computer?

therapy

n the treatment of an illness or injury over a fairly long period of time Not all new drug therapies are as effective as they claim to be.

imagery

n the use of words or pictures to describe ideas or actions in poems, books, films, etc. The painting was said to show the imagery of love.

mood

n the way you feel at a particular time You're in a good mood this morning!

tone

n the way your voice sounds, which shows how you are feeling or what you mean 'You must be Annie,' he said in a friendly tone.

script

n the written form of a speech, play, film, etc. Our theatre company writes its own scripts.

rarity

n to not happen or exist very often Visitors were a rarity in the village.

overload

n too much of something These days many people experience information overload.

expectation

n what you think or hope will happen For some time he lived with the expectation that he was going to die.

car chase

n when a car is in quick pursuit of another After a thirty-minute car chase, the police managed to catch the thieves.

unity

n when a group of people or countries agree or are joined together Economic unity was under threat.

preoccupation

n when someone thinks or worries about something a lot, with the result that they do not pay attention to other things The paper's current preoccupation appears to be with scandal.

spurt

v if liquid or flames spurt from something, they come out of it quickly and suddenly Flames spurted through the roof.

fulfil

v if you fulfil a hope, wish, or aim, you achieve the thing that you hoped for, wished for, etc. Visiting Disneyland has fulfilled a boyhood dream.

waste of money

phrase if something is a waste of money, it is not worth spending money on it as it has little or no value in return It's a waste of money paying for your car to be repaired again.

none of your business

phrase if something is not your business or none of your business, you should not be involved in it or ask about it It's none of your business how much money I earn.

value for money

phrase if something is value for money, it is well worth the money spent on it (= a bargain) This new coat is really good value for money.

invest

v to buy shares, property, or goods because you hope that the value will increase and you can make a profit I've got a few thousand dollars I'm looking to invest.

project

v to calculate what something will be in the future, using the information you have now The company projected an annual growth rate of 3%.

eliminate

v to completely get rid of something that is unnecessary or unwanted The credit card eliminates the need for cash or cheques.

survive

v to continue to live after an accident, war, or illness 120 of the 140 passengers survived.

slice

v to cut something easily with one movement of a sharp knife or edge The blade's so sharp it could slice through your finger.

avoid

v to deliberately not do something, especially something wrong, dangerous or harmful Try to avoid driving in heavy snowstorms.

ignore

v to deliberately pay no attention to something that you have been told or that you know about You can't ignore the fact that not all criminals go to prison.

portray

v to describe or show someone or something in a particular way, according to your opinion of them Romantic artists portrayed nature as wild and powerful.

define

v to describe something correctly and thoroughly, and to say what standards, limits, qualities, etc., it has that make it different from other things The duties of my new post are difficult to define.

over-simplify

v to describe something in a way that is too simple and ignores many facts To describe all these people as refugees is to oversimplify the situation.

characterise

v to describe the qualities of someone or something in a particular way The group was characterised as being well-educated and liberal.

manage

v to direct or control a business or department and the people, equipment, and money involved in it He was asked to manage a new department.

excel

v to do something very well, or much better than most people Rick has always excelled at foreign languages.

commit

v to do something wrong or illegal Research shows that women commit fewer crimes than men.

obey

v to do what someone in authority tells you to do, or what a law or rule says you must do The boy refused to obey the rule because he felt it was ridiculous.

embrace

v to eagerly accept a new idea, opinion, religion, etc. We hope these regions will embrace democratic reforms.

consume

v to eat or drink something Alcohol must not be consumed in public places.

suffer

v to experience physical or mental pain At least he died suddenly and didn't suffer.

squeal

v to make a long loud high sound or cry The children squealed with delight.

go off

phrv to explore or fire The bomb went off at 6.30 this morning.

give up

phrv to stop trying to do something We spent half an hour looking for the keys, but eventually gave up and went home.

package

v to put food or other goods into a bag, box, etc., ready to be sold or sent The code informs us where and when a product was packaged.

endanger

v to put someone or something in danger of being hurt, damaged, or destroyed Smoking during pregnancy endangers your baby's life.

inherit

v to receive money, property, etc., from someone after they have died He inherited a fortune from his grandmother.

identify

v to recognize and correctly name someone or something He was too far away to be able to identify faces.

differentiate

v to recognize or express the difference between things or people It's important to differentiate between fact and opinion.

minimise

v to reduce something that is difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant to the smallest possible amount or degree Every effort is being made to minimize civilian casualties.

minimise

v to reduce something that is difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant to the smallest possible amount or degree Every effort is being made to minimize the damage caused by the storm.

economise

v to reduce the amount of money, time, goods, etc., that you use Higher taxes encourage people to economise on fuel.

recall

v to remember a particular fact, event, or situation from the past You don't happen to recall his name, do you?

launch

v to start something, usually something big or important The organization has launched a campaign to raise $150,000.

form

v to start to exist, or make something start to exist, especially as the result of a natural process The rocks were formed more than 4,000 millions years ago.

claim

v to state that something is true, even though it has not been proved The product claims that it can make you thin without dieting.

abandon

v to stop having a particular idea, belief or attitude They were accused of abandoning their socialist principles.

resist

v to stop yourself from having something that you like very much or doing something that you want to do I just can't resist chocolate.

urge

v to strongly suggest that someone does something I got a note from Moira urging me to get in touch.

research

v to study a subject in detail, especially in order to discover new facts or test new ideas The government is keen to fund research into mental health issues.

cope

v to succeed in dealing with a difficult problem or situation Sometimes I find it hard to cope with my responsibilities.

cope (with)

v to succeed in dealing with a difficult problem or situation Sometimes I find it hard to cope.

accomplish

v to succeed in doing something, especially after trying very hard We have accomplished all we wanted to achieve.

propose

v to suggest something as a plan or course of action The changes currently proposed by the local planning authorities make no sense.

grab

v to take hold of someone or something with a sudden or violent movement I grabbed my bag and ran off.

be involved in

v to take part in an activity or event, or be connected with it in some way More than 30 software firms were involved in the project.

draw

v to take something out of a container, pocket, etc. Ali reached into pocket and drew out a piece of paper.

confide

v to tell someone you trust about personal things that you do not want other people to know He confided to his friends that he didn't expect to graduate that year.

agonize

v to think about a difficult decision very carefully and with a lot of effort All the way home she agonized about what she should do.

regard

v to think about someone or something in a particular way Edith was widely regarded in her profession.

overestimate

v to think something is better, more important, etc., than it really is He tends to overestimate his own abilities.

suspect

v to think that something is probably true, especially something bad She strongly suspected he was lying to her.

bully

v to threaten to hurt someone or frighten them, especially someone smaller or weaker If someone starts bullying you, please let your teacher know immediately.

thoughtful

adj always thinking of the things you can do to make people happy or comfortable Paul is very thoughtful.

considerate

adj always thinking of what other people need or want and being careful not to upset them He was always kind and considerate.

overprice

adj Something that is overpriced is more expensive than it should be We felt their products were overpriced.

run-down

adj a building or area that is run-down is in very bad condition The old city looked really run-down.

violent

adj a physical feeling or reaction that is very painful or difficult to control His doctor said the violent shaking was a sure sign of an epileptic attack.

cosy

adj a place that is cosy is small, comfortable and warm The living room was warm and cosy.

accessible

adj a place, building, or object that is accessible is easy to reach or get into The island is only accessible by boat.

powerful

adj a powerful person, organization, group, etc., is able to control and influence events and other people's actions He was one of the most powerful men in Bohemia.

specific

adj a specific thing, person, or group is one particular thing, person, or group These games are suitable for specific age groups.

spoiled

adj a spoilt or spoiled person, especially a child, is rude and behaved badly because they have always been given what they want and allowed to do what they want Andy was a spoilt brat (= a spoiled and unpleasant child).

get your head around

phrase be able to understand something I just can't get my head around what's been going on here.

be in a temper

phrase be angry Chris is a man to avoid when he's in a temper.

last

determiner/adverb most recent or nearest to the present time I hadn't seen him since the last meeting.