A / ei /noun

[ count, noncount ] ( pluralA's, a's / eiz / )

the first letter of the English alphabet "Apple" begins with an "A."

A the highest grade given for a test or piece of work I got an A on my chemistry exam.

а Ф / э ; ei / ( also an / эп ; жп / )article

one or any

Would you like a drink? A dog has four legs. He's a teacher.

each, or for each

She calls her mother three times a week. The salary is $45,000 a year. Which word?

( a.ban dons , a.ban . don . ing , a ban doned )
to leave someone or something completely He abandoned his car in the snow.
to stop doing something before it is finished When the rain started, we abandoned our game.
ab • bey / 'rebi /noun
[ count ] ( plural ab . beys )
( religion ) a building where religious men or women (called monks and nuns ) live or lived
ab • bre • vi • ate / э^ы^ / verb
( ab . bre . vi . ates , ab . bre . vi . at . ing , ab . bre . vi . at . ed )
to make a word shorter by not saying or writing some of the letters
The word "telephone" is often abbreviated to "phone."
ab • bre • vi • a • tion / э^т^ / noun
[ count ]
( english language arts ) a short form of a word TV is an abbreviation for "television."
ABCs ( also ABC's ) / ,ei bi 'siz /noun [ plural ]
the letters of the English alphabet We learned our ABC's in preschool.
ab • do • men / 'жbdэmэn / noun
[count] ( formal )
( biology ) the front middle part of your body, which contains your stomach
a . bil . i .ty Ф/ o'biloti /noun [count, noncount] ( plurala . bil . i . ties )
the power and knowledge to do something
She has the ability to pass the test, but she needs to work
harder.
a . Ые О / 'eibl /adjective
having the power, knowledge, time, etc. to do something Will you be able to come to the party? Is Sue able to swim?
^ANTONYM unable , ^Look atcan 1 . Suffix
-able
( in adjectives )
possible to accept able ador able cur able
unpredict able (= that you cannot predict )
having a particular quality comfort able
fashion able
ab • nor • mal aw / reb'norml /
different from what is normal or usual, in a way that
worries you or that is unpleasant
They thought the boy's behavior was abnormal.
abnormal behavior ^ANTONYM normal
ab • nor • mal • lyAWL / жb'nэrmэli / adverb abnormally high temperatures
a•board / эЪэй / adverb, preposition
on or onto a ship, train, bus, or airplane Are all the passengers aboard the ship? Welcome aboard Flight 603 to Miami.
a • bol • ish / э'ЬаЬТ / verb
( a . bol . ish . es , a bol . ish . ing , a . bol . ished )
to stop or end something by law
The senator has promised to abolish the tax if he is elected president.
ab • o • li • tion / ^ЬэЪ/п / noun [ noncount ]
the abolition of slavery
a•bout Ч ? / o'baot / adverb
1 ( also a . round ) a little more or less than; a little before or after
She's about 30 years old.
There were about 2,000 people at the concert.
got there at about two o'clock.
almost; nearly Dinner is just about ready.
be about to do something to be going to do something very soon The movie is about to start.
a•bout 2® / o'baot/ preposition
of; on the subject of a book about cats We talked about the problem. What are you thinking about?
a.bove О / эЪм? / adverb, preposition
1 in a higher place; higher than someone or something
I looked up at the sky above.
My bedroom is above the kitchen.
There is a picture on the wall above the fireplace.
^ANTONYM below2 more than a number or price
children aged ten and above ^ANTONYM below, under above all
more than any other thing; what is most important He's handsome and intelligent and, above all, he's kind!
a • bridged / s'br^d / adjective
(used about a book) shorter than the original an abridged version of a novel
a • broad / s'brod / adverb
in or to another country She lives abroad.
He plans to spend his junior year studying abroad. a • brupt / s'brApt / adjective
sudden and unexpected an abrupt change of plans
seeming rude and unfriendly
I'm sorry for being so abrupt with you. ► a • brupt • ly / s'brAptli / adverb The conversation ended abruptly.
ab • Sence / 'rebssns / noun [ count, noncount ] a time when a person or thing is not there frequent absences from school due to illness I am doing Julie's job in her absence .
ab • Sent / 'rebssnt / adjective
not there
Taylor was absent from school today.
ab • sent • mind • ed / ^bssnt'maindsd /
adjective
often forgetting or not noticing things, perhaps because you are thinking about something else
Grandma is getting more absentminded as she gets older. ^SYNONYM forgetful
ab • so • lute / 'rebsslut / adjective
complete
I've never played chess before. I'm an absolute beginner. The whole trip was an absolute disaster.
ab .so . lute . ly Ф / 'веЫэДиш_; ^iwiutii /
adverb
1 completely
was absolutely certain that it was her.
(used when you are strongly agreeing with someone) yes; certainly
"It's a good idea, isn't it?" "Oh, absolutely!" ab • SOrb / sb'sorb / verb ( ab . sorbs , ab . sorb . ing , ab . sorbed )
( general science ) to take in something like liquid or heat, and hold it
The dry ground absorbed all the rain.
ab • sorb • ent / sb'sorbsnt / adjective
( general science ) able to take in and hold something, especially liquid an absorbent cloth
ab • sorb • ing / sb'sorbig / adjective
very interesting an absorbing book
ab • stractawЦ / 'rebstrrekt /adjective
about an idea, not a real thing abstract thought
not like a real thing an abstract painting
ab • surd / sb'ssrd / adjective
so silly that it makes you laugh
The guards look absurd in that new uniform.
^SYNONYM ridiculous
a • bun • dant / s'brndsnt /adjective ( formal )
existing in large quantities; more than enough an abundant supply of food
a • bun • dance / s'bAndsns / noun
[ noncount , singular ]
There was an abundance offish near the reef. These flowers grow here in abundance .
a•buse 1 / s'byuz / verb ( a • bus es , a bus . ing,a bused )
to use something in a wrong or bad way The manager often abuses her power.
to treat someone in a cruel or violent way The child had been physically abused.
to say rude things to someone
He said he was verbally abused by the bus driver.
a•buse2 / s'byus /noun
[ noncount , singular ] using something in a wrong or bad way
the dangers of drug abuse an abuse of power
[ noncount ] being cruel or unkind to someone The child had suffered verbal and physical abuse.
[ noncount]rude words
The cab driver shouted abuse at the cyclist. racial abuse
a • bu • sive / s'byusiv / adjective
an abusive remark
AC / ,ei 'si /
short for air conditioning
ac •a • dem • ic Ф |awl / ^b'demik /
adjective
connected with education, especially in schools and colleges Our academic year begins in September.
a•cad • e • my AWL / ³'k®dsmi / noun [count] ( plural a . cad .e . mies )
a school that teaches people certain skills a military academy
an official group of people who are important in art, science, or literature
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
ac • cel • er • ate / sk'sebreit / verb ( ac . cel . er . ates , ac . cel . er . at ing , ac . cel . er . at . ed )
to go, or to make a vehicle go faster She accelerated up the steep hill.
ac • cel • er • a • tor / ak'selareitar / noun [ count ]
the part of a vehicle that you press with your foot when you want it to go faster
She hit the accelerator and passed the bus. -^SYNONYM gas pedal , Look at the picture at steering wheel .
ac • cent / 'reksent /noun [ count ]
( english language arts )
1 the way a person from a certain place or country speaks a language
She speaks English with a strong southern accent.
saying one word or part of a word more strongly than another
In the word "because," the accent is on the second part of the word.
(in writing) a mark, usually above a letter, that changes the sound of the letter
Fiance has an accent on the "e."
ac . cept Ф / эк'sept / verb ( ac . cepts , ac cept ing ,ac.cept.ed )
1 to say "yes" when someone asks you to have or do something
Please accept this gift.
accepted the invitation to his party.
to believe that something is true She can't accept that her son is dead.
to allow someone to join a group, a school, an organization, etc.
She was accepted at Yale and plans to start in the fall. —Look at reject .
ac .cept .a .ble О / sk'septsbl /
allowed by most people; good enough
It's not acceptable to make so many mistakes.
—ANTONYM unacceptable
ac • cep • tance / skseptsns / noun [noncount]
taking something that someone offers you or asks you to have
Her quick acceptance of the offer surprised me.
ac • cess 1AWL / '®kses /noun [ noncount ]
a way to go into a place or to use something
We don't have access to the yard from our apartment.
Do you have access to a computer at home?
ac • ceSS2AWL / 'rekses /verb ( ac . cess . es , ac cess. ing ,ac . cessed ) ( computers ) to find information on a computer Click on the icon to access a file.
ac • ces • si • ble aw / sk'sessbl /
possible to be reached or entered The island is only accessible by boat.
easy to get, use, or understand
This DVD makes history more accessible to kids.
—ANTONYM inaccessible
ac .ci .dent О / 'rekssdsnt /noun [ count ]
something bad that happens by chance I had an accident when I was driving to work — my car hit a tree.
I'm sorry I broke your watch — it was an accident. by accident
by chance; not because you planned it I took Jane's book by accident. I thought it was mine.
ac • ci • den • tal / ^kss'dentl /
If something is accidental , it happens by chance and is not planned
Police do not know if the plane crash was accidental or caused by a bomb.
► ac • ci • den • tal • ly / ^ksa'dentli / adverb He accidentally broke the window.
ac • com • mo • date Iaw / s'kamsdeit /
verb ( ac . com . mo . dates , ac . com . mo . dat . ing ,
ac . com . mo . dat . ed )
to have enough space for a particular number of people Each apartment can accommodate up to six people.
ac • com • mo • da • tions / 3|kams'deifnz /
noun [ plural ] Spelling
Remember! You spell accommodations with CC and MM .
a place to stay or live
It's difficult to find cheap accommodations in New York.
ac • com • pa • ny AWL / s'Lvmpsni / verb
( ac . com pa . nies , ac . com . pa . ny . ing , ac . com . pa . nied )
( formal ) to go with someone to a place
Four teachers accompanied the class on their school trip.
to happen at the same time as something else Thunder is usually accompanied by lightning.
( music ) to play music while someone sings or plays another instrument
You sing, and I'll accompany you on the guitar.
ac • com • plish / s'kamplij / verb
( ac . com plish . es , ac . com . plish . ing , ac . com . plished )
to succeed in doing something difficult that you planned to do
The first part of the plan has been safely accomplished. —SYNONYM achieve
ac • com • plish • ment / s'kamplijmsnt /
noun [ count ] something difficult that someone has
succeeded in doing or learning
He was proud of his academic accomplishments.
—SYNONYM achievement
ac • cord / s'kord / noun of your own accord
because you want to, not because someone has asked you She left the job of her own accord.
ac • cord • ing • ly / s'kordigli / adverb
in a way that is suitable
I realized that I was in danger and acted accordingly .
ac .cord .ing to Ф/o'kordnjto_;.vbrdu]tu/
preposition
as someone or something says
According to Daniel, this movie is really good.
The church was built in 1868, according to this book.
aC . COUnt 1 Ф / s'kaunt /noun [ count ] 1 an arrangement with a bank that lets you keep your money there
deposited the money into my account. to open an account
Word building There are two main types of bank account . If you have a checking account , you can take your money out at any time by using a check or an ATM card (= a card that you put into a machine, which gives you money ) .
A savings account lets you keep your money in the bank to use later. You receive extra money, called interest , for keeping your money there.
accounts [ plural ] lists of all the money that a person or business receives and pays
Who keeps (= writes ) the accounts for your business?
words that someone says or writes about something that happened
She gave the police a full account of the robbery.
on account of something
because of something
Our school was closed on account of bad weather.
take something into account ; take account of
something
to remember something when you are thinking about other things
John is always last, but you must take his age into account — he is much younger than the other children.
ac • count 2 / s'kaunt / verb ( ac counts,ac.count. ing ,ac count ed ) account for something
to explain or give a reason for something How can you account for the missing pieces?
to make the amount that is mentioned
Sales to Texas accounted for 60% of our total sales last year.
ac • count • ant / s'kauntnt / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to make lists of all the money that people or businesses receive and pay Nicky is an accountant.
ac • cu • mu • late AWL / s'kyumysleit / verb ( ac cu . mu lates , ac . cu mu lat . ing , ac cu . mu . lat . ed )
to increase over a period of time; to collect things over a period of time
Germs accumulate quickly in bathrooms.
We've accumulated a lot of junk over the years.
►ac • cu • mu • la • tion AWL / 3_lkyumys'leifn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
an accumulation of wealth
ac • cu • ra • cy AWL / 'rekysrssi / noun
[noncount]
the quality of being exactly right, with no mistakes
ac . CU . rate Ф / 'aekyorot /adjective
exactly right; with no mistakes
He gave an accurate description of the thief.
^■ANTONYM inaccurate
►ac • cu • rate • lyAWL / 'rekysrstli / adverb The map was accurately drawn. ^■ANTONYM inaccurately
ac .cuse Ф / э'куш/ verb ( ac cus es , ac cus. ing ,ac.cused )
to say that someone has done something wrong or broken the law
His classmates accused him of cheating on the test.
She was accused of murder.
►ac • cu • sa • tion / |®kys'zeijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
The accusations were not true.
ac • cus • tomed / s'Lvstsmd /
familiar with something and accepting it as normal or usual My eyes slowly grew accustomed to the dark. I was not accustomed to such hot weather.
^SYNONYM used to ace / eis /noun [ count ]
a playing card (= one of 52 cards used for playing games ) which has only one shape on it. An ace has either the lowest or the highest value in a game of cards the ace of hearts ache1 / eik /noun [ count ] ( health )
a pain that lasts for a long time I have an ache in my side. She has an earache.
ache 2 / eik / verb ( aches , ach . ing , ached )
( health ) to hurt; to give you pain She was aching all over. My legs ached after the long walk. Thesaurus
hurt is a general word meaning to feel pain, or to make someone or something else feel pain: My feet hurt. ♦ It hurts when I bend my knee. ♦ Ouch! That really hurts! ♦ Stop that - you're hurting me. ♦ Did you hurt yourself when you fell?
ache to feel a pain that is not strong, but that continues for a long time. This verb does not take an object, so you cannot put a noun directly after it: His legs ached after playing soccer for two hours. ♦ Her eyes ached from lack of sleep. ♦ I'm aching all over. burn to feel very hot and painful; to hurt someone with fire or heat: Your forehead's burning. You must have a fever. ♦ The water was so hot that I burned my hands. ♦ She was badly burned in the fire. sting to feel a sudden sharp pain; to make someone feel a pain like this: My eyes were stinging from the soap. ♦ Ow! That antiseptic cream stings!
a chieve О n / s'tjiv /
( a . chieves , a . chiev . ing , a . chieved )
to do or finish something well after trying hard
He worked hard and achieved his aim of becoming a
doctor.
a • chieve • ment Ф awl / a'tjivmsnt/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that someone has done after trying hard Climbing Mount Everest was his greatest achievement. She felt a great sense of achievement .
ac . id Ф / 'sesid / noun [ count ]
( chemistry ) a liquid substance that burns things or makes
holes in metal
the acid in your stomach
a • cid rain / |®sid 'rein /noun [ noncount ]
( geography ) rain that has chemicals in it from factories, for example. It causes damage to trees, rivers, and buildings.
ac • knowl • edge aw / sk'nalid3 /
( ac . knowl . edg . es , ac . knowl . edg . ing , ac.knowl .edged )
to agree or accept that something is true
He acknowledged that he had made a mistake.
to write to someone who has sent you a letter, etc. to say that you have received it
She never acknowledged my letter.
to show that you have noticed someone He acknowledged me with a wave.
► ac • knowl • edg • ment |AWL ( also ac . knowl . edge . ment ) / sk'nal^msnt / noun [ count, noncount ]
I didn't receive an acknowledgment of my application.
ac • ne / 'rekni /noun [ noncount ]
( health ) a skin problem, common among young people, that causes red spots, especially on the face
a • Corn / ' eikorn / noun [ count ] a small nut with a base like a cup. Acorns grow on large trees (called oak trees ).
a • cous • tic /э ' kustik/ adjective
( physics ) connected with sound or the way people hear sounds
( music ) (of a musical instrument) not electric
an acoustic guitar —Look at the picture at guitar .
ac • quain • tance / э 'kweintns / noun [count]
a person that you know a little but who is not a close friend
ac • quire AWL / э'kwarar / verb ( ac . quires , ac quir . ing , ac . quired ) ( formal )
to get or buy something
He acquired some English from watching American television shows.
a • cre / ' e^r /noun [ count ] a unit for measuring an area of land; 4,840 square yards a farm of 40 acres
ac • ro • bat / ' rekrebret /noun [ count ]
a person who performs difficult acts such as walking on high ropes, especially in a circus (= a show that travels to different towns )
a .CrOSS О / э кгоз /adverb, preposition
from one side to the other side of something We walked across the field.
A smile spread across her face. The river was about fifty feet across.
on the other side of something There is a bank just across the road. across from
on the opposite side of someone or something
He sat across from me at lunch.
The house across the street from us is for sale.
act 1 О / sekt / verb ( acts , act ing , act ed )
to do something, or to behave in a certain way Doctors acted quickly to save the boy's life after the accident.
Stop acting like a child!
to pretend to be someone else in a play, movie, or television program
-SYNONYM perform
act as something to do the job of another person, usually for a short time
He acted as manager while his boss was away.
act 2O / sekt /noun [ count ]
1 a thing that you do
an act of kindness
Which word?
Act, action, or activity?
Act and action can have the same meaning: It was a brave act. ♦ It was a brave action.
Act , but not action , can be followed by of : It was an act of bravery.
We say activity for something that is done regularly: I like outdoor activities such as walking and skiing.
one of the main parts of a play or an opera (= a musical play )
This play has five acts.
a law that a government makes an act of Congress
the Civil Rights Act
behavior that hides your true feelings
She seems very happy, but she's just putting on an act. in the act (of doing something)
while doing something wrong I caught him in the act of stealing the money.
act • ing / ' rektig / noun [ noncount ]
being in plays or movies Have you ever done any acting?
ac .tion Ф / 'sekjn/ noun
[ noncount ] doing things, especially for a particular purpose
Now is the time for action!
If we don't take action quickly, it'll be too late!
[ count ] something that you do
The little girl copied her mother's actions.
[ noncount ] exciting things that happen I like movies with a lot of action in them. an action-packed movie
in action
doing something; working We watched the machine in action.
ac • ti • vate / ' ®teveit / verb
( ac . ti . vates , ac . ti . vat . ing , ac ti . vat . ed )
to make something start working
Any small movement can activate the alarm.
ac .tive Ф / 'aektiv /adjective
If you are active , you are always busy and able to do a lot of things
My grandmother is 75 but she's still very active.
( english language arts ) (used about a verb or sentence) when the person or thing doing the action is the subject of the verb
In the sentence "The dog bit him," the verb is active. —ANTONYM passive
ac .tiv . i .ty Ф / aek'tivoti / noun ( plural ac . tiv . i . ties )
[ noncount ] a lot of things happening and people doing things
On the day of the festival there was a lot of activity in the streets.
[ count ] something that you do, usually regularly and because you enjoy it
The hotel offers a range of sports activities.
aC .tOr Ф / 'aektor/noun [count ]
a man or woman who acts in plays, movies, or television
programs
ac .tress О / 'aektros/noun [ count ] ( pluralac . tress.es )
a woman who acts in plays, movies, or television programs
ac.tu.al2 'aektfuol /adjective that really happened; real
The actual damage to the car was not as bad as we thought.
They seemed to be good friends but in actual fact they hated each other.
ac tu al , ly Ф 'sektjusli; 'aektjali /adverb
1 really; in fact
You don't actually believe her, do you?
can't believe I'm actually going to Australia!
a word that you use to disagree politely or when you say something new
I don't agree. I thought the movie was very good, actually. "Let's go out tonight." "Actually, I'd like to stay in and watch a movie." Which word? Be careful! Actually does not mean "now." We can say currently or right now instead: He's currently working in China. ♦ I'm studying for my exams right now.
ac • u • punc • ture / 'rekys^Agkybr / noun
[noncount]
( health ) a way of treating an illness or stopping pain by putting thin needles into parts of the body
a • cute / s'kyut / adjective
very serious; very great an acute shortage of food
a • cute an • gle / s'kyut ,®ggl /noun [ count ]
( math ) an angle of less than 90° — Look at the picture atangle .
A.D. / ,ei 'di / abbreviation
( history , religion ) A.D. in a date shows that it was after Christ was born
1066A.D. —Look at B.C. .
ad / red / noun [ count ] ( informal ) short for advertisement
a TV ad
a • daptaw / s'drept / b
( a.dapts,a dapt. ing , a dapt.ed )
to change the way that you do things because you are in a new situation
He has adapted very well to being in a new school.
to change something so that you can use it in a different way: The car was adapted for use as a taxi.
a • dapt • a • ble aw / s'dreptsbl /
able to change in a new situation
He'll get used to his new school soon. Children are very adaptable.
ad • ap • ta • tion |awl| / ,®d₃p'teijn ;
,redrep'teijn /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a movie, play, or TV show that is based on a book
The movie is a new adaptation of a novel by Jane Austen.
add О / red / verb ( adds , add . ing , idd . ed )
to put something with something else
Mix the flour with the milk and then add the eggs. Add your name to the list.
( math ) to put numbers together so that you get a total If you add 2 and 5 together, you get 7.
Add $4 to the total, to cover postage.
—ANTONYM subtract
to say something more
"Go away — and don't come back again,"she added. add up to find the total of several numbers The waiter hadn't added up the check correctly. add up to something to have as a total The numbers add up to exactly 100.
ad • dict / 'redikt /noun [ count ]
( health ) a person who cannot stop wanting something that is bad for them a drug addict
ad • dict • ed adjective
to be addicted to drugs
ad • dic • tion / s'dikjn /noun [count, noncount]
( health ) the condition of being unable to stop taking drugs or doing something that is bad for you She has a drug addiction .
ad • di • tion / oviiin / noun
[ noncount ] ( math ) putting numbers together
We learned addition and subtraction in elementary school.
[ count ] a thing or person that is added to something They have a new addition to their family (= a new baby ) . in addition ; in addition to something
as well as
He speaks five languages in addition to English.
ad • di • tion • al / s'dijsnl / adjective
added; extra
There is a small additional charge for the use of the swimming pool.
ad • dress 4? / s'dres ; 'sedres /noun [ count ]
( plural ad . dress . es )
Spelling
Remember! You spell address with DD and SS .
the number of the building and the name of the street and town where someone lives or works
Her address is 408 Broadway, Fargo, North Dakota. Are you still living at that address?
( computers ) a group of words and symbols that tells you where you can find someone or something using a computer
What is your e-mail address ?
ad • dress / s'dres /
( ad dress.es,ad . dress. ing ,ad dressed )
to write on a letter or package the name and address of the person you are sending it to
The letter was addressed to Jim Watson.
to make a formal speech to a group of people The president will address the assembly.
ad • e • quate aw / 'redikwst /
enough for what you need
They are very poor and do not have adequate food or clothing. ^ANTONYM inadequate
ad • e • quate • lyAWL / 'redikwstli /adverb ad • ja • centAWB / ³'d3eisnt /adjective
next to something
She works in the office adjacent to mine. There was a fire in the adjacent building.
ad • jec • tive / 'red3iktiv /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a word you use with a noun that tells you more about it
In the phrase "this soup is hot," "hot" is an adjective.
ad • just AWL| / s'd3Ast / verb ( ad justs , ad just . ing , ad just . ed )
to make a small change to something, to make it better You can adjust the height of this chair.
ad • just • ment AWL / sdAstmsnt / noun [ count, noncount ]
After a few minor adjustments , the room looked perfect.
ad • just • a • ble / 3'd3Ast3bl / adjective
that can be changed or put in the right position an adjustable mirror
ad • min • is • tra • tion awl
/ sdimins'streijn /noun
[ count ] ( politics ) the government of a country, especially the U.S.
the Obama Administration
[ noncount ] ( business ) controlling or managing something, for example a business, an office, or a school
ad • min • i • stra • tive awl
/ 3d'min3|streitiv /adjective
( business ) connected with organizing and managing a business, country, etc. an administrative assistant
ad • min • is • tra • tor Iaw / 3d'mm3|streitpr/
noun [ count ]
( business ) a person whose job is to organize or manage a system, a department, or an organization school administrators
ad • mi • ra • ble / 'redmsrsbl /
that you admire; excellent
Her positive attitude to life is admirable.
ad • mi • ral / 'redmsrsl /noun [ count ]
a very important officer in the navy
ad .mire Ф /odWior/ verb
( ad . mires , ad . mir . ing , ad . mired )
to think or say that someone or something is very good I really admire you for doing such a difficult job. They were admiring the view from the top of the tower. ►ad • mi • ra • tion / |®dms'reijn / noun [ noncount ] I have great admiration for her work.
ad • mis • sion / od'mijn / noun
[ count, noncount ] allowing someone to go into a school, club, public place, etc.
All those who were not wearing a tie were refused admission to the club.
Maria is hoping to gain admission to Princeton University
(= she would like to study there ) .
College admissions have increased again this year.
[ noncount ] the amount of money that you have to pay to go into a place
Admission to the zoo is $10.
[ count ] when you agree that you did something wrong or bad
an admission of guilt
ad . mit Ф / ad mit / verb ( ad mits , ad mit . ting , ad mit . ted )
1 to say that you have done something wrong or that something bad is true He admitted stealing the money.
admit that I made a mistake. —ANTONYM deny
to allow someone or something to go into a place This ticket admits one person to the museum.
ad • o • les • cence / ^ds'lssns / noun
[ noncount ] the period of a person's life between being a child and becoming an adult
ad • o • les • cent / |®ds'lesnt / noun [ count ]
a young person who is developing from a child into an adult —SYNONYM teenager
a • dopt / э ' dapt / verb ( a . dopts , a . dopt . ing , a . dopt . ed )
to take the child of another person into your family and
treat them as your own child by law
They adopted Mikey after his parents died.
a • dor • a • ble / э ' dorebl /
very attractive and easy to love Your puppy is so adorable!
—SYNONYM cute
a • dore / э ' dor/ verb ( a . dores , a . dor . ing , a . dored )
to love someone or something very much She adores her grandchildren. Thesaurus
a person or an animal that has grown to the full size; not a child
Adults as well as children will enjoy this movie. ► a • dultadjective
an adult ticket adult education
a • dult • hood aw / э ' dAlthud /
[noncount]
the time when you are an adult
His asthma attacks stopped when he reached adulthood .
ad • Vance / эd ' v®ns /noun [ count, noncount ]
progress or a new development in something major advances in computer technology
in advance
before something happens
You should buy tickets for the concert well in advance.
ad .vanced О / эd ' vrenst /
of or for someone who is already good at something; difficult
an advanced English class
ad .van .tage Ф /adv^/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that helps you or that is useful
One advantage of camping is that it's cheap.
He has the advantage of being able to speak two
languages fluently.
—ANTONYM disadvantage
take advantage of something
to make good use of something to help yourself Buy now and take advantage of these special prices!
ad .ven .ture О /od'vmtjor/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
something exciting that you do or that happens to you She wrote a book about her adventures in South America. He left home to travel, hoping for excitement and adventure.
ad • ven • tur • ous / sd'ventjbrss / adjective
An adventurous person likes to do exciting, dangerous things.
ad • verb / 'redvsrb /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a word that tells you how, when, or where something happens
In the phrase "please speak slowly," "slowly" is an adverb.
ad • ver • tise / '®dvsr|taiz / verb
( ad . ver . tis . es , ad . ver . tis . ing , ad . ver . tised )
to put information in a newspaper, on television, on the Internet, on a wall, etc. in order to make people want to buy something or do something I saw those sneakers advertised in a magazine. It's very expensive to advertise on television.
ad • ver • tis • ing / '®dvsr|taizig /noun [ noncount ] the activity or business of telling people about things to buy He works in advertising.
The magazine gets a lot of money from advertising.
ad .ver .tise .ment Ф / ачк^гta./mont/
( also informalad )noun [ count ]
information in a newspaper, on television, on the Internet, on a wall, etc. that tries to make people buy something or do something
an advertisement for a new kind of candy bar
ad .vice О / odvais/ noun [ noncount ]
words that you say to help someone decide what to do The book gives some good advice on traveling overseas. I took the doctor's advice (= I did what the doctor told me to do ) and stayed in bed. Grammar Be careful! You cannot say "an advice." You can say some advice or a piece of advice : I need some advice. ♦ Let me give you a piece of advice.
ad .vise О / saw/ verb
( ad . vis . es , ad . vis . ing , ad . vised )
to tell someone what you think they should do The doctor advised him to lose weight.
ad • vis • er ( also ad . vis . or ) / sd'vaizsr /noun [count]
a person who gives advice, for example to a company or the government
aer • o • bics / e'roubiks/ noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) physical exercises that people often do in classes, with music
aer • o • sol / 'erssol/ noun [ count ]
a container with liquid in it. You press a button to make the liquid come out in a lot of very small drops.
af • fair / s'fer / noun
[ count ] something that happens; an event The wedding was a very quiet affair.
affairs [ plural ] important events and situations
the Department of Military Affairs (= connected with the army, navy, etc. )
We talked about current affairs (= the political and social events that are happening at the present time ) .
[ singular ] something private that you do not want other people to know about
What happened between us is my affair. I don't want to talk about it.
[ count ] a sexual relationship between two people, usually one that is secret
Her husband was having an affair .
to make something or someone change in a particular way,
especially a bad way
Smoking can affect your health.
His parents' divorce affected the child deeply.
af • fec • tion / s'fekjn /noun [count, noncount]
a feeling of loving or liking someone She has great affection for her aunt.
af • fec • tion • ate / s'fekjsnst / adjective
showing that you love or like someone very much a very affectionate child
af • fec • tion • ate • ly / s ' fekjsnstli / adverb He smiled affectionately at his son.
af .ford Ф/ o'ford / verb
( af . fords, af . ford . ing, af . ford . ed )
to have enough money to buy or do something I can't afford a vacation this year. We couldn't afford a car in those days.
af • ford • a • ble / s ' fordsbl / adjective
good food at affordable prices
a fraid О / s freid / adjective
If you are afraid of something, it makes you feel fear Some people are afraid of snakes. I was afraid to open the door. I'm afraid ...
a polite way of saying that you are sorry I'm afraid I broke your calculator. I'm afraid that I can't come to your party. Thesaurus
afraid feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen. This word cannot come before a noun, so you can say "the man is afraid" but NOT "an afraid man": Are you afraid of spiders? ♦ Alex is afraid of going out after dark. ♦ We were afraid to go into the cave. ♦ He's afraid that he'll fall.
scared a more informal word than afraid , which is
used more in spoken than written English: I'm really
scared of heights. ♦ Everyone was too scared to move.
♦ The thieves got scared and ran away. ♦ Are you
scared about the exam tomorrow?
frightened a more formal word than afraid , which is
used more in written than spoken English: a frightened
child ♦ She is not frightened of anything. ♦ He was
frightened that the glass would break.
terrified very afraid: to be terrified of spiders ♦ He
was terrified that he would fall. ♦ You look terrified!
Af • ri • can A • mer • i • can
/ |®friksn s 'meriksn /noun [ count ] an American whose family came from Africa ►Af • ri • can-A • mer • i • canadjective
an African-American actor af .ter 1Ф / 'aeftor / preposition
later than someone or something Jenny arrived after dinner.
After doing my homework, I went out.
behind or following someone or something Ten comes after nine.
Russell finished after Evans in the race.
(used when telling the time) later than We left at a quarter after seven (= 7:15 ) .
trying to get or catch someone or something The police officer ran after her.
after all
1 used when you thought something different would happen
was worried about the test, but it wasn't difficult after all.
used to mean "do not forget"
She doesn't understand. After all, she's only two. be after something
to be trying to get or find something What kind of work are you after?
af • ter 2 w / aeftor / conjunction, adverb
at a time later than someone or something
We arrived after the movie had started.
Ava left at ten o'clock and I left soon after.
Call me tomorrow or the day after (= the day after
tomorrow ) .
af .ter .ПООП Ф /^fbr'nun/ломя [ count]
the part of a day between 12 o'clock in the middle of the day and the evening
We had lunch and in the afternoon we went for a walk.
I saw Sue this afternoon.
Yesterday afternoon I went shopping.
Grammar
We usually say in the afternoon : We went to the beach in the afternoon. If we include a day or date then we usually use on : I'll see you on Monday afternoon. good afternoon ( formal )
words that you say when you see someone for the first time in the afternoon
af • ter • shave / ' fr/ov / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a liquid with a nice smell that men sometimes put on their faces after they shave (= cut the hair off their face )
af .ter .ward Ф
( also af . ter . wards / ' refl^rw^rdz / )adverb
later; after another thing has happened
We had dinner and went to see a movie afterward.
a .gain Ф /э'деп/ adverb
1 one more time; once more Could you say that again, please?
will never see him again.
in the way that someone or something was before You'll feel better again soon.
again and again
many times
I've told you again and again not to do that!
.gainst О / s'genst/ preposition
on the other side, for example in a game, fight, etc. They played baseball against a team from another town.
not agreeing with or supporting someone or something
Many people are against the plan. - ANTONYM for
touching someone or something for support I put the ladder against the wall.
in order to stop something
Have you had a shot against the disease?
age Ф / е^з/ noun
1 [ count, noncount ] the amount of time that someone or something has been in the world She is seven years of age .
started work at the age of 16. Children of all ages will enjoy this movie. He needs some friends his own age. Style
When we want to ask someone's age, we say How old are you?
To say your age, you say I am 14 or I'm 14 years old (but NOT "I am 14 years").
[ noncount ] being old Her hair was gray with age.
[ count ] a certain time in history the computer age
the history of art through the ages
the Stone Age (= when people used stone tools )
ages [ plural ] ( informal ) a very long time
We waited ages for a bus. She's lived here for ages .
ag .ed Ф / eid3d/adjective of the age mentioned
They have two children, aged three and five.
a • gen • cy / ' e^nsi /noun [ count ] ( plurala . gen . cies )
( business ) the work or office of someone who does business for others
A travel agency plans trips for people.
a • gen • da / э ' dзendэ /noun [ count ]
a list of all the things to be talked about in a meeting The next item on the agenda is the class field trip.
a • gent / ' e^nt /noun [ count ]
( business ) a person who does business for another person or for a company a real-estate agent a travel agent
ag • gra • vate / ' ®greveit / verb
( ag gra vates , ag . gra . vat . ing , ag . gra . vat . ed )
to make something worse
The people were poor, and the war only aggravated the situation.
to make someone angry
His constant humming really aggravates me.
—SYNONYM irritate
ag • gres • sion / э' grejn / noun [ noncount ]
angry behavior or feelings that make you want to attack other people
Do violent video games lead to aggression?
ag • gres • sive / э' gresiv / adjective
If you are aggressive , you are ready to argue or fight He often gets aggressive after drinking alcohol.
ag • ile / ' ®d3l ; ' ®d3ail /adjective
able to move quickly and easily an agile athlete
► a • gil • i • ty / э 'd3ibti / noun [ noncount ]
a test of speed and agility
ag • i • tat • ed / 'red33,teit_3d / adjective
worried or upset about something
When it started to get dark, she became more and more agitated.
a . go © / э'дои /adverb
before now; in the past His wife died five years ago. I learned to drive a long time ago. long ago
a very long time in the past
Long ago there were no cars or airplanes.
a • gon • iz • ing / 'reg3,naizig / adjective
very painful an agonizing pain
ag • o • ny / 'regsni/noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralag . o . nies )
very great pain He screamed in agony .
a .gree Ф /_э'_дп/ verb
(a . grees,a gree ing ,a . greed )
1 to have the same opinion as another person about something
Martin thinks we should go by train, but I don't agree.
agree with you. —ANTONYM disagree
to say "yes" when someone asks you to do something Amy agreed to give me the money. —ANTONYM refuse
to decide something with another person We agreed to meet on March 3rd.
Liz and I agreed on a price.
a • gree • a • ble / s'grisbl /
( formal )
pleasant or nice
a .gree .merit Ф /s'grimsnt/ noun
[ noncount ] having the same opinion as someone or something
She nodded her head in agreement . —ANTONYM disagreement
[ count ] a plan or decision that two or more people have made together
The leaders reached an agreement after five days of talks.
ag • ri • cul • ture / 'гед^ыуэт / noun
[ noncount ]
keeping animals and growing plants for food —SYNONYM farming
►ag • ri • cul • tur • al / regrs'kAltJbrsl / adjective
agricultural workers
a.head О / s'hed /
in front of someone or something We could see a light ahead of us.
before or more advanced than someone or something Inga and Nils arrived a few minutes ahead of us. New York is three hours ahead of Los Angeles.
into the future
We have a lot of work ahead of us. We must think ahead so we're not surprised.
winning in a game, competition, etc. The Lions were ahead 14-0 at halftime. go ahead
used to give someone permission to do something "Can I borrow your bike?" "Sure, go ahead."
aidawИ / eid /noun [ noncount ]
help, or something that gives help He walks with the aid of a cane.
She wears a hearing aid (= a small thing that you put in your ear so you can hear better ) .
money, food, etc. that is sent to a country or to people in order to help them
We sent aid to the earthquake victims. ► aidverb ( aids , aid . ing , aid . ed ) ( formal )
to help someone or something
Sleep aids recovery from any illness. —Look at first aid . AIDS / eidz / noun [ noncount ]
( health ) a very serious illness which destroys the body's ability to fight other illnesses the AIDS virus
aim 1 Ф / eim /noun
[ count ] something that you want and plan to do Kate's aim is to find a good job.
Thesaurus
purpose the reason for doing something; what something is used for or is supposed to achieve: What is the purpose of your visit? ♦ The building is used for religious purposes.
aim what someone is trying to achieve: Our main aim is to increase sales. ♦ He was willing to do almost anything to achieve his aim of winning first prize. plan what you have decided or arranged to do: Do you have any plans for the weekend? ♦ There are no plans to build new offices.
intention what you want or intend to do: Our intention was to leave early in the morning. ♦ I have no intention of going to the wedding. goal (often used about your life or career plans) something that you hope to achieve: What are your long-term goals? ♦ I've finally achieved my goal of getting a college degree.
[ noncount ] the act of pointing something at a person or thing before trying to hit them with it
She picked up the gun, took aim, and fired.
aim 2© / eim / verb ( iim: , iim . ing , aimed )
to try or plan to do something He's aiming to leave at nine o'clock.
to plan something for a certain person or group This book is aimed at teenagers.
to point something, for example a gun, at someone or something that you want to hit
He aimed his gun at the target and fired.
air 1 ©/ er/noun [ noncount ]
the mixture of gases that surrounds the earth and that you take in through your nose and mouth when you breathe Can we open a window? I need some fresh air .
the space around and above things He threw the ball up into the air .
travel in a vehicle that can fly, such as an airplane It's more expensive to travel by air than by train. on air ; on the air
on the radio or on television
This radio station is on the air 24 hours a day.
air 2 / er / verb ( airs , air ing , aired )
to tell people what you think about something
The discussion gave people a chance to air their views .
to send out sound or pictures by radio or television All the major networks aired the president's speech.
—SYNONYM broadcast
air con • di • tion • er / ' er kэn|dIJnэr / noun
[ count ]
a machine that keeps the air cool and dry
air con • di • tion • ing / |er kэn'dIJnI_Ч / noun
[ noncount ] ( abbreviation AC )
a system that keeps the air in a room, building, car, etc. cool and dry
air-con • di • tioned / |er kэn ' dijnd / adjective
air-conditioned offices
air • craft / ' erkrreft /noun [ count ] ( pluralair . craft )
any vehicle that can fly, for example an airplane
air • fare / ' erfer /noun [ count ]
the money that you pay to travel by plane
How much is the airfare from New York to Chicago?
air force / ' er fors /noun [ count ]
the airplanes and other vehicles that can fly, which a country uses for fighting, and the people who fly them
air • line / ' erlain /noun [ count ]
a company that takes people or things to different places by airplane
Which airline are you flying with?
air • mail / ' ermeil /noun [ noncount ]
the system of sending things like letters and packages by airplane
I sent the package by airmail. I sent it airmail.
air .plane О / ' erplein /noun [ count ]
a vehicle with wings that can fly through the air —SYNONYM plane
air . port Ф / 'erport /noun [ count ] a place where people get on and off airplanes, with buildings where passengers can wait I'll meet you at the airport.
air • y / ' eri / adjective ( air .i .er , air .i .est )
having a lot of fresh air inside a light and airy room
aisle / ail /noun [ count ]
a way between lines of seats in something such as a church or an airplane
a • jar / э ' d3ar / adjective
(used about a door) open a little, but not much I left the door ajar.
а .larm iO /эъ™/ noun
[ count ] something that tells you about danger, for example by making a loud noise
Does your car have an alarm? a burglar alarm a fire alarm
[ count ] = alarm clock
[ noncount ] a sudden feeling of fear
He heard a noise, and jumped out of bed in alarm .
a • larm 2 / э larm / verb ( a . larms , a . larm . ing , a . larmed )
to make someone or something feel suddenly afraid or worried
The noise alarmed the bird and it flew away.
a • larmed / э ' larmd / adjective
She was alarmed to hear that Peter was sick.
a • larm clock
/ э larm klak / ( also a . larm )noun
[ count ]
a clock that makes a noise to wake you up She set the alarm clock for 6 a.m.
al • bum / ' /noun [ count ]
( music ) a collection of songs on one CD, tape, etc. The band is about to release their third album.
— Look at single 2 .
a book in which you can keep stamps, photographs, etc. that you have collected
a photo album
al.co. hol О ж 1 ко hoi; 'aelkohul /noun [noncount]
the clear liquid in drinks such as beer and wine that can make people act in an unusual way
drinks like wine, beer, etc. that contain alcohol
a I .со . hol . ic 1Ф / ^ыь'ььк_; ^ыьъаьк /
adjective
containing alcohol an alcoholic drink
al • co • hol • ic2 / ^lks'holik ; ^э'halik /noun [count]
a person who cannot stop drinking large amounts of alcohol
a • lert / э 'brt / adjective
watching, listening, etc. for something with all your attention
A good driver is always alert.
al • gae / '®ld3i /noun [ plural ]
( biology ) very simple plants that grow in water
al • ge • bra / ' жызэы-э /noun [ noncount ]
( math ) a type of mathematics in which letters and symbols are used to represent numbers
al • i • bi / ' ®bbai /noun [count] ( pluralal . i . bis ) something that proves you were in a different place when a crime happened and so could not have done it Do you have an alibi for the night of the robbery?
a • li • en / ' ei^n /noun [ count ]
( formal ) a person who is not a citizen of the country where they are living or working
an illegal alien
a person or an animal that comes from another planet aliens from outer space
a • li • en • ate / ' ei^neit / verb ( a . li en . ates , a . li . en . at . ing , a . li en . at ed )
to make someone feel that he or she does not belong in a group
She felt alienated from the other students in her class.
a • lign / э lain / verb ( a . ligns , a . lign . ing , a ligned )
to arrange things in a straight line to align the tires of a car
a • like / s 'laik / adjective, adverb
very similar
The two sisters are very alike.
in the same way
The book is popular with adults and children alike.
al • i • mo • ny / ' relsmouni /noun [ noncount ]
money that you have to pay by law to the person you were married to after you have divorced
a . live О / o'laiv/ adjective
living; not dead
Are your grandparents alive?
all 1 / ol / adjective, pronoun
every part of something; the whole of something She ate all the bread.
It rained all day.
every one of a group
All cats are animals but not all animals are cats. I invited thirty people to the party, but not all of them came.
Are you all listening?
everything that; the only thing that All I ate yesterday was one banana. (not) at all
in any way
I didn't enjoy it at all.
all 2О /э1/ adverb
completely
She lives all alone.
He was dressed all in black.
all along
from the beginning I knew all along that she was lying. all over everywhere
We looked all over for that ring.
al • lege / s ' ы₃ / verb
( al . leg es , al . leg ing , al . leged )
to say that someone has done something wrong when you do not have proof that this is true
She alleged that he had stolen money from her hotel room.
al • ler • gic / s 'lsrd₃ik / adjective
( health ) having an allergy
He's allergic to peanuts.
al • ler • gy / ' relsrd₃i /noun [count]
( plural al . ler .gies )
( health ) a medical condition that makes you sick when you eat, touch, or breathe something that does not normally make other people sick She has an allergy to cats.
al • ley / ' reli / ( also al . ley / ' reliwei / ) [count]
a narrow path between buildings
al • li • ance / s 'laisns /noun [ count ]
( politics ) an agreement between countries or groups of people to work together and help each other
al • li • ga • tor / ' relsgeitsr / noun [ count ]
a big animal with a long body, a big mouth, and sharp teeth that lives in the lakes and rivers of the southern U.S.
—Look at the picture at crocodile .
al • lo • cate AWL / ' relskeit / verb
(al . lo . cates, al . lo . cat . ing , al . lo . cat . ed )
to decide to use something for a particular purpose
The government allocated more of its resources to
education.
► al • lo • ca • tion AWL| / |®b 'keijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the allocation of funds for research
a I .low О / э'1аи / verb ( al lows , al . low . ing , al . lowed )
to say that someone can have or do something My parents allow me to stay out late on weekends. Smoking is not allowed in theaters. You're not allowed to park your car here. Which word? Allow or let?
Allow is used in both formal and informal English. Let is very common in spoken English. You allow someone to do something, but you let someone do something (without "to"): Jenny was allowed to stay up late last night. ♦ Her parents let her stay up late.
You cannot use let in the passive. You must use allow and to : They let him take the test again. ♦ He was allowed to take the test again.
al • low • ance / s ' lausns /noun [ count ]
an amount of money that you receive regularly to help you pay for something that you need
Her parents give her an allowance of ten dollars a week. all right Ф / ol 'l-ait / adjective, adverb, exclamation
good, or good enough Is everything all right?
well; not hurt
I was sick, but I'm all right now.
used to say "yes, I agree" when someone asks you to do something
"Can you get me a glass of water?" "All right." al • ly / ' relai /noun [ count ] ( pluralal . lies ) ( politics ) a person or country that agrees to help another person or country, for example in a war
al • mond / ' amsnd /noun [ count ]
a flat, pale nut that you can eat —Look at the picture atnut .
al .most О / olmoust / adverb
nearly; not exactly or completely It's almost three o'clock. I almost fell into the river!
a .lone О / s loun / adjective, adverb
1 without any other person
don't like being alone in the house. My grandmother lives alone.
—SYNONYM on your own , by yourself
only
You alone can help me. Which word? Alone or lonely?
Alone means that you are not with other people: She lived alone in an apartment downtown.
Lonely means that you are unhappy because you are not with other people: He felt lonely at the new school without his old friends.
a .lone Ф / э 'loun / adjective, adverb
1 without any other person
don't like being alone in the house. My grandmother lives alone.
—SYNONYM on your own , by yourself
only
You alone can help me. Which word? Alone or lonely?
Alone means that you are not with other people: She lived alone in an apartment downtown.
Lonely means that you are unhappy because you are not with other people: He felt lonely at the new school without his old friends.
a . long 2 Ф / эЪд / adverb
forward
He drove along very slowly.
with someone
We're going for a walk. Why don't you come along too?
a • long • side / эДэц' said / preposition, adverb
next to something
Put your bike alongside mine.
Nick caught up with me and rode alongside.
a • loud / э ' laud /adverb
in a normal speaking voice that other people can hear
I read the story aloud to my sister.
a I. pha . bet Ф / 'acifoh-t / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) all the letters of a language The English alphabet starts with A and ends with Z.
al • pha • bet • i • cal / ,®Цэ ' betikl / adjective
in the order of the alphabet
Put these words in alphabetical order (= with words beginning with A first, then B, then C, etc. ) ► al • pha • bet • i • cal • ly / ^lfa'betikli /adverb The books are listed alphabetically.
a I . read .у О / ol'redi/ adverb
before now or before then
"Would you like some lunch?" "No, thank you — I've already eaten."
We ran to the station but the train had already left. Which word? Already or yet?
Yet means the same as already , but you only use yet in negative sentences and questions.
Look at these examples: I have read this book already. ♦ I haven't read this book yet. ♦ Have you read the book yet?
a I. soФ / 'olsou /adverb
a word you use to say that one more thing is true He plays several instruments and also writes music. The food is wonderful, and also very cheap.
—SYNONYM too Which word? Also or too?
You use also in writing, but you usually use too in spoken English.
Also usually goes before a main verb or after "is," "are," "were," etc.: He also enjoys reading. ♦ He has also been to Australia.
Too usually goes at the end of a phrase or sentence: We're going to the movies tomorrow. Would you like to come too?
al • tar / ' э^эг /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a high table used in a religious ceremony
al • ter AWL / ' э^г / verb ( al . ters , al . ter . ing , al . tered )
to make something different in some way; to change We altered our plans and will now stay for a week instead of ten days.
He had altered so much I hardly recognized him.
al • ter • a • tion awl| / ,эКэ'reijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a small change
We want to make a few alterations to the house before we move in.
al • ter • nate 1 aw / ' эltэrnэt /
one out of every two
He works alternate weeks (= he works the first week, he doesn't work the second week, he works again the third week, etc. ) .
with first one thing, then the other, then the first thing again, etc.
The cake had alternate layers of chocolate and vanilla.
that you can use, do, etc. instead of something else We took an alternate route to avoid the traffic.
al • ter • nate 2 aw
( al ter . nates , al . ter . nat . ing , al . ter . nat . ed )
If two things alternate , first one thing happens and then the other, and then the first thing happens again, etc. She seemed to alternate between loving him and hating him.
al • ter • na • tive 1 AWB / э1 ' tarnstw /
adjective
that you can use, do, etc. instead of something else We need to develop alternative sources of energy.
different from the usual style, customs, beliefs, etc. alternative medicine
al • ter • na • tive 2 AWB / э1 ' tэrnэtIv / noun
[ count ]
a thing that you can choose instead of another thing We could go by train — the alternative is to take the car.
al • ter • na • tive • ly AWB / э1 ' ternstvi /
adverb
used to talk about a second possible thing you can do We can go by bus. Alternatively, I could take the car.
al .though Ф
/ э1 ' 6ou / conjunction
Pronunciation
The word although ends with the same sound as go .
despite something
Although she was sick, she went to work.
but
I love dogs, although I wouldn't have one as a pet. -SYNONYM though
al • ti • tude
/ ' ®^tud /noun [ count, noncount ] ( geography ) the height of something above the level of the ocean
The plane climbed to an altitude of 30,000 feet.
al • to • geth
• er / ,экэ ' geбэr /adverb
completely
At the age of 65, he stopped working altogether.
counting everything or everyone There were ten of us altogether.
a • lu • mi • num / a'lumanam / noun [noncount] ( symbol Al )
( chemistry ) a light metal that has a silver color aluminum foil (= for example, for wrapping food )
a I .ways Ф / 'olweiz / adverb
at all times; every time I've always lived in Texas. The train is always late.
all through the past until now I've always wanted a dog.
forever
I will always remember that day.
again and again
My sister is always borrowing my clothes! Grammar
Always usually goes before the main verb or after "is," "are," "were," etc.: He always wears those shoes. ♦ Jill is always late.
Always can go at the beginning of a sentence when you are telling someone to do something: Always stop and look before you cross the road.
am / am ; rem / form ofbe
a.m. / ,ei em / abbreviation
You use a.m. after a time to show that it is between midnight and 12 o'clock in the day
I always start work at 9 a.m. (= 9 o'clock in the morning ) —Look atp.m. .
am • a • teur / rematjar /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a person who does a sport or an activity because
they enjoy it, but not for money as a job
Only amateurs can take part in the tournament.
—ANTONYM professional
am • a • teur adjective
an amateur photographer
a • maze / a'meiz / verb ( a . maz . es, a maz . ing, a . mazed )
to surprise someone very much, or to be difficult for someone to believe
It amazes me that anyone could be so stupid!
a • mazed / a'meizd / adjective
very surprised
She was amazed to discover the truth about her father. I was amazed at her knowledge of baseball.
a • maze • ment / a'meizmant / [noncount] great surprise
She looked at me in amazement .
a • maz • ing / a'meizig / adjective
If something is amazing , it surprises you very much and
is difficult to believe
I have an amazing story to tell you.
The concert was amazing — I didn't want it to end.
—SYNONYM incredible
a • maz • ing • ly / a'meizigli / adverb Maria plays the violin amazingly well.
am • bas • sa • dor / rem'bresadar / [count]
( politics ) an important person who represents his or her country in a foreign country the U.S. ambassador to Italy
am • big • u • ous AWB / ,rem'bigyu3s /
adjective
having more than one possible meaning
His answer was ambiguous, so I'm not sure if he wants the
job or not.
am • bi • tion / rem'bijn / noun
[ noncount ] a very strong wish to be successful, to have power, etc.
Louise is intelligent, but she has no ambition.
[ count ] something that you really want to do My ambition is to become a doctor.
am • bi • tious / rem'bi/as /
A person who is ambitious wants to be successful, to have power, etc.
am • bu • lance / 'rembyalans /noun [ count ]
a vehicle that takes people who are sick or hurt to the hospital
am • bush / 'rembuf /noun [ count ]
a sudden surprise attack
The soldier was killed in an ambush.
a • me • ba / a'miba / noun [ count ] ( plural a . me . bas or a . me . bae / a'mibi / ) = amoeba
a • mend aw Д / a mend / verb ( a mends , a . mend . ing , a . mend . ed )
to change a law, document, statement, etc. in order to correct a mistake or improve it The law needs to be amended.
a • mend • ment aw / a'mendmant / [count]
( politics ) a change that is made to a law or document The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote.
A • mer • i • can / a'merikan / adjective
from or connected with the U.S. I'm Mexican, but my wife is American. American history ►A • mer • i • cannoun [ count ]
We are all Americans.
am • mo • nia / a'mounia /noun [ noncount ]
( chemistry ) a clear gas with a strong smell, or a liquid made with this gas and used for cleaning
am • mu • ni • tion / _lremya'nifn /
[ noncount ]
things that you throw or shoot from a gun to hurt people or damage things
They only stopped shooting when they had no more ammunition.
am • nes • ty / 'remnasti / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( pluralam . nes . ties )
Щ
I nucleus
( politics ) a time when a government forgives political crimes and allows some prisoners to go free
amoeba
a • moe • ba / a'miba /
noun [ count ] ( plurala . moe . bas or a . moe . bae / a'mibi / ) ( biology ) a very small animal that consists of only one cellа . mong Ф/ э'тлц / ( also а . mongst / s'mAgst / ) preposition
1 in the middle of a group of people or things
often feel nervous when I'm among strangers.
for or by more than two things or people He divided the money among his six children.
in a particular group of people or things
There is a lot of anger among students about the new law. Which word? Among or between?
We use among when we are talking about more than two people or things: You're among friends here.
If there are only two people or things, we use between : Sarah and I divided the cake between us. ♦ I was standing between Alice and Cathy.
a .mount iO /s'maunt/nounicount]
how much there is of something He spent a large amount of money.
a • mount 2 / э ' maunt / verb ( a . mounts , a . mount . ing , a . mount . ed )
amount to something to make a certain amount when
you add everything together
The cost of the repairs amounted to $500.
amp / amp /noun [ count ]
( physics ) a measure of electricity
am • phib • i • an / am ' fibbn / noun [ count ]
( biology ) an animal that can live both on land and in water
frogs, toads, and other amphibians
am • ple / ' ampl /adjective
enough or more than enough
We have ample time to make a decision.
am • pli • fi • er / ' ampbfarar /noun [ count ]
( music ) an electrical machine that makes sounds louder —Look at the picture atguitar .
am • pu • tate / ' ampyэteIt / verb
( am . pu . tates , am . pu . tat . ing , am . pu . tat . ed )
( health ) to cut off a person's arm, leg, finger, or toe for medical reasons
His leg was so badly injured that it had to be amputated.
a .muse Ф /э'туш/ verb
( a . mus . es , a . mus ing , a . mused )
to make someone smile or laugh Rick's joke did not amuse his mother.
to keep someone happy and busy
We played games to amuse ourselves on the long bus ride.
a • mused / э myuzd / adjective
thinking that something is funny and wanting to laugh or smile
He was amused to see how seriously she took the game.
a • muse • ment / э ' myuzmэnt /
[noncount]
the feeling that you have when something makes you laugh or smile
We watched in amusement as the dog chased its tail.
a • muse • ment park / э ' myuzmэnt park /
noun [ count ]
a large park which has a lot of things that you can ride and play on and many different activities to enjoy
a • mus • ing / э ' myuzig / adjective
Something or someone that is amusing makes you smile or laugh
an amusing story —SYNONYM funny
an Ф / эп ; an / article
1 one or any
ate an apple.
each, or for each
It costs $4 an hour to park your car here. Which word? A or an?
You use an in front of words that start with a vowel sound. Be careful! It is the sound that is important, not the spelling.
Words like university and euro take a instead of an , and words that begin with a silent "h," like hour , take an instead of a .
Look at these examples: a box ♦ a singer ♦ a university ♦ an apple ♦ an hour ♦ an SUV ♦ an umbrella .
a • nal • o • gy AWL / э 'nabd3i / noun [count]
( plural a . nal . o . gies )
a comparison between two things that shows how they are similar
to make an analogy between the human brain and a computer
a • nal • y • sis Ф AWL / э 'nabsis / noun
[count, noncount] ( plurala . nal . y . ses / э 'nabsiz / )
the process of carefully examining the different parts of something
Some samples of the water were sent to a laboratory for analysis .
an • a • lystAWL / ' amlist /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to analyze things carefully a political analyst
an • a • lyt • ic • al AWB / ^ ' ^ /
( also an . a . lyt . ic / ,жпэ ' litik / ) adjective
looking carefully at different parts of something in order to understand or explain it analytical methods for research
an • a • lyze Ф AWL / ' a^laiz / verb
( an a . lyz . es , an a . lyz . ing , an . a . lyzed )
to look at or think about the different parts of something carefully so that you can understand it They will analyze the statistics.
a • nat • o • my / э ' natpmi /noun ( plurala . nat .o . mies ) ( biology )
[ noncount ] the scientific study of the structure of human or animal bodies
[ count ] the structure of a living thing the anatomy of a frog
► a • nat • o • m • i • cal / ana tamikl / adjective
an • ces • tor / ' ansestэr / noun
[ count ]
( history ) Your ancestors are the people in your family who lived a long time before you My ancestors came from Ireland.
an • chor / ' regksr /
noun [ count ]
a heavy metal thing that you drop into the water from a boat to stop the boat from moving away
a person whose job is to read news reports on TV and introduce news reports from other people a local news anchor
an .cient Ф / 'emjont / adjective
( history ) very old; from a time long ago ancient buildings
and Ф / snd ; sn / conjunction
a word that joins words or parts of sentences together ham and eggs
The cat was black and white. They sang and danced all evening.
( math ) a word you use when you are adding two numbers together
Twelve and six is eighteen.
—SYNONYM plus
an • ec • dote / renikdout / noun
[ count ]
a short, interesting, or funny story about a real person or event
a • ne • mi • a / s ' nimis / noun
[ noncount ]
( health ) a medical condition in which there are not enough red cells in the blood ► a • ne • mic / s ' nimik /adjective
an • es • thet • ic / |renss' eetik / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( health ) a drug that a doctor gives you so that you will not feel any pain during an operation
The patient will be under anesthetic for around an hour.
an • gel / ' eind₃l /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a spirit who carries messages from God. In pictures, angels are usually dressed in white and they have wings.
an .ger 1© /'гещэг / noun
[ noncount ]
the strong feeling that you have when something has happened or someone has done something that you do not like
She was shaking with anger.
an • ger2 / ' reggsr /verb
( an . gers, an . ger . ing , an . gered )
to make someone feel angry
an .gle © /'aeqgl/ломя [ count]
( math )
Spelling
Remember! You spell angle with L before E . You spell angel with E before L .
the space between two lines that meet. Angles are measured in degrees an angle of 40°
acute angle
obtuse angle
er
an .gry © / 'seggri/ adjective (an gri an . gri est )
If you are angry , you feel or show anger My dad was angry at me when I got home late. There's no need to get angry . ► an • gri • ly / ' reggrsli / adverb "Someone took my book!" she shouted angrily. Thesaurus
angry feeling or showing anger: My parents will be really angry if I get home late. ♦ She's angry about the way she was treated. ♦ Please don't be angry with me.
Please don't be angry at me. ♦ His behavior made me angry . ♦ I was angry with him for breaking my phone.
mad
( informal )
very angry. This word cannot come before a noun with this meaning: He got mad and walked out. ♦ She's mad at me for being late.
furious extremely angry: She was furious with me when she found out. ♦ He was furious at her behavior.
I had a furious argument with my mother last night. annoyed a little angry: She's annoyed at/with herself for making such a stupid mistake. ♦ I was annoyed to see that they had left the door open. ♦ Why are you getting annoyed ?
an • guish / ' reqgwij /noun [ noncount ] ( formal )
a feeling of great unhappiness or mental pain her anguish at the death of her son
an .i .mal Ф / 'semml/ noun
[ count ]
1 any living thing that can move and feel but is not a
person, a bird, a fish, or an insect
Cats, horses, and rats are animals.
Collocations
The Natural World
animals
angles
right angle
animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something) birds fly/sing/nest/migrate insects crawl/fly/bite/sting hunt/capture/kill prey lay/fertilize eggs
plants and fungi
trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower a seed sprouts
leaves/buds/shoots appear/develop/form a fungus grows/spreads pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant produce/spread pollen/seeds
2 any living thing that can move and feel, including people, birds, etc.
Humans are social animals.
an • i • mat • ed / ' remmeitpd / adjective
full of interest and energy an animated discussion
-SYNONYM lively
If a movie is animated , drawings or models of people and animals are made to look as if they can really move and talk
animated cartoons
an • i • ma • tion / ,жпэ ' meijn / noun
[ noncount ] the process of making movies, videos, and computer games in which drawings or models of people and animals seem to move
computer animation
[ count ] a movie which is made in this way The website includes several animations.
an • kle / ' жцк1 /noun [ count ]
the part of your leg where it joins your foot — Look at the picture atleg .
an • ni • ver • sa • ry / ,жпэ ' vэrsэri / noun
[ count ] ( plural an . ni . ver . sa . ries )
a day that is exactly a year or a number of years after a
special or important event
Today is their 25th wedding anniversary.
It happened on the anniversary of her husband's death.
an .nounce © /з'паш/ verb
( an.nounc es,an . nounc . ing ,an.nounced)
to tell a lot of people something important
The teacher announced the winner of the competition.
She announced that she was going to have a baby.
an • nounce • ment / э ' naunsmэnt /
[count]
important information that someone tells a lot of people Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to make an announcement.
an • nounc • er / э ' naunsэr / noun
[ count ]
a person whose job is to tell us about programs on radio or television
an • noy / э ' пэ1 / verb
( an.noys,an . noy . ing ,an . noyed )
to make someone a little angry
It really annoys me when my brother leaves his clothes all over the floor.
an • noy • ance / э' m^ns / noun
[ noncount ]
the feeling of being a little angry
She could not hide her annoyance when I arrived late.
an • noyed / э ' mid / adjective
a little angry
I was annoyed when he didn't call me. My dad is annoyed with me.
Thesaurus
angry feeling or showing anger: My parents will be really angry if I get home late. ♦ She's angry about the way she was treated. ♦ Please don't be angry with me.
Please don't be angry at me. ♦ His behavior made me angry . ♦ I was angry with him for breaking my phone.
mad ( informal )
very angry. This word cannot come before a noun with this meaning: He got mad and walked out. ♦ She's mad at me for being late.
furious extremely angry: She was furious with me when she found out. ♦ He was furious at her behavior.
I had a furious argument with my mother last night. annoyed a little angry: She's annoyed at/with herself for making such a stupid mistake. ♦ I was annoyed to see that they had left the door open. ♦ Why are you getting annoyed ?
an • noy • ing / э ' пэщ / adjective
If a person or thing is annoying , they make you a little angry
It's annoying when people don't listen to you.
an • nu • al aw
happening or done once a year or every year There is an annual meeting in June.
for a period of one year
Their annual income (= the money they earn in a year ) is less than $20,000.
an • nu • al • lyAWL| / ' renyroli / adverb Payments will be made annually.
a • non • y • mous / э ' nanэmэs / adjective
If a person is anonymous , other people do not know their name
An anonymous caller told the police about the bomb.
If something is anonymous , you do not know who did, gave, or made it
She received an anonymous letter.
a • no • rex • i • a / ,жпэ 'reksiэ / noun [noncoun]
( health ) an illness that makes someone afraid of being fat. People with anorexia eat very little and so become very thin and sick.
a • no • rex • ic / ,жпэ ' reksik / adjective
She was anorexic as a teenager.
an .Oth .еГ Ф' / э'плбэг/adjective, pronoun
1 one more thing or person of the same kind Would you like another drink?
like these cookies — can I have another one?
a different thing or person
I can't see you tomorrow — can we meet another day? If that pen doesn't work, I can give you another.
an .swer l© / 'msm-/ verb
( an swers , an . swer ing , an . swered )
Pronunciation
The word answer sounds like dancer , because we don't say the letter w in this word.
1 to say or write something back when someone has asked you something or written to you I asked him if he was hungry but he didn't answer.
couldn't answer all the test questions.
to write a letter or message to someone who has written to you
She didn't answer my e-mail. —SYNONYM reply
answer the door
to open the door when someone knocks or rings the bell Can you answer the door, please?
answer the phone
to pick up the telephone when it rings, and speak an . swer 2 © / 'aensor /noun [ count ] 1 something that you say or write when you reply to someone or something
Thanks for the offer, but the answer is still no.
never received an answer to my e-mail.
a way of stopping a problem
I didn't have any money, so the only answer was to borrow some.
the correct reply to a question in a test or an exam What was the answer to question 4?
All the answers are at the back of the book.
when someone opens the door or picks up the telephone because someone has knocked or called
I knocked on the door and waited but there was no answer .
an • swer • ing ma • chine
/ 'rensarig ma Jin /noun [ count ]
a machine that answers the telephone for you and keeps
messages so that you can listen to them later
He wasn't at home, so I left a message on his answering
machine.—Look atvoice mail . ant / rent /noun [ count ]
a very small insect that lives in big groups in the ground and works very hard —Look at the picture atinsect .
the Ant •arc •tic / 6i rent'arktik /noun [
singular ]
( geography ) the very cold lands in the most southern part of the world
an expedition to the Antarctic
—Look at the Arctic . , —Look at the picture at earth .
an .te .lope
/ 'rentaloup / noun [ count ] ( plural an . te . lope or an . te lopes )
a wild animal with long horns and long thin legs, which can run fast
an • ten • na / ren'tena /noun [ count ]
( pluralan . ten . nas ) a long metal stick on a building, car, etc. that receives radio or television signals
( pluralan . ten . nae / ren'teni / ) one of the two long thin parts on the heads of some insects, and of some animals that live in shells, which they use to feel and touch
things —Look at the picture at insect . Prefix
anti-
( in nouns and adjectives ) against an anti smoking campaign an anti war demonstration anti terrorist legislation anti social behavior
an • ti • bi • ot • ic / |rentibaiatik / noun
[count]
( health ) a medicine which fights illness in a person's body
The doctor gave me some antibiotics for a chest infection.
an • tic • i • pate AWL / ren'tisapeit / verb (an . tic . i pates , an . tic i . pat . ing , an . tic . i . pat . ed )
to think that something will happen and be ready for it We didn't anticipate so many problems.
an • tic • i • pa • tion |awl| / rentisa'peijn /
noun [ noncount ]
excited feelings about something that is going to happen They lined up outside the stadium in excited anticipation .
an • ti • per • spi • rant / |renti'parsparent /
noun [ count, noncount ]
a substance that you put on your body to reduce sweat, especially under your arms
an • tique / ren'tik /noun [ count ]
an old thing that is worth a lot of money These chairs are antiques.
an • tique adjective
an antique vase
an • ti • sep • tic / ^nta'septik / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( health ) a liquid or cream that you put on a cut, etc. to stop infection
Put some antiseptic on that scratch.
an • ti • sep • tic adjective
antiseptic cream
ant • ler / 'rentlar /noun [ count ]
( biology ) a horn that looks like a tree branch on the head of a male deer (= a wild animal that eats grass ) a pair of antlers
—Look at the picture at deer .
an • to • nym / 'rentanim / noun
[ count ]
( english language arts ) a word that means the opposite of another word
"Old" is the antonym of "young." —Look at synonym .
anX • i • e • ty / reg'zaiati / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural anx . i . e . ties )
the feeling of being worried or afraid
anx • ious / 'regkfas/ adjective
worried and afraid
She seemed anxious about the meeting.
If you are anxious to do something, you want to do it very much
My family is anxious to meet you.
anx • ious • ly / жцк/asli / adverb We waited anxiously.
an .y 1© / eni / adjective, pronoun
1 a word that you use instead of "some" in questions and
after "not" and "if"
Do you have any money?
I don't speak any Spanish.
She asked if I had any milk.
I want some chocolate but there isn't any.
Which word? Some or any?
We use some in statements, and in questions where we expect the answer to be "Yes": He gave me some good advice. ♦ Would you like some coffee? We use any in questions, and after "not" and "if": Did you buy any apples? ♦ I didn't buy any meat. ♦ If you have any questions, please ask me at the end of the class.
2 used for saying that it does not matter which thing or person you choose Come any day next week. Take any book you want.
ЭЙ .y 2® / eni/ adverb
used in negative sentences or questions to make an adjective or an adverb stronger I can't walk any faster. Is your dad feeling any better?
an .y .bod .уф / 'eni,bAdi; 'eni.bcidi / another word foranyone an • y • how / ' enihau / ( informal )
another word for anyway
an .y .more Ф / ^niw/
( also an . y more ) adverb
used at the end of negative sentences and questions to mean "now"
She doesn't live here anymore. Why doesn't he talk to me anymore?
an . У . one Ф / 'eniwAn / ( also an у bod . у ) pronoun
used in questions and negative sentences to mean "any person"
There wasn't anyone there. Did you see anyone you know? Would anyone like more to eat?
any person; it does not matter who Anyone can learn to swim.
an • y • place / ' enipleis /
( informal )
another word for anywhere
an .y .thing Ф / 'ешЭщ/ pronoun
1 used in questions and negative sentences to mean "a
thing of any kind"
Is there anything in that box?
can't see anything.
"Would you like anything else ?" asked the waitress.
any thing or things; it does not matter what I'm so hungry, I could eat anything!
I'll do anything you say.
not anything like someone or something
not the same as someone or something in any way She isn't anything like her sister.
an • y • time / ' enitaim / adverb
at any time; it does not matter when Feel free to call me anytime.
an .y .way Ф / 'eniwei/
( also informal an . y . how ) adverb
1 a word that you use when you give a second, more important reason for something
I don't want to go out tonight, and anyway I don't have any money.
despite something
It was very expensive, but she bought it anyway.
I'm afraid I'm busy tonight, but thanks for the invitation
anyway.
a word that you use when you start to talk about something different or when you go back to something you talked about earlier
That's what John told me. Anyway, how are you?
an .y .where Ф / eniwer /
( also informal an .y . place ) adverb
1 used in negative sentences and in questions instead of "somewhere"
can't find my pen anywhere.
Are you going anywhere this summer?
in, at, or to any place, when it does not matter where Just put the box down anywhere.
a . part Ф / э'рш-t/ adverb
away from the others, or from each other The two houses are 500 feet apart.
My mother and father live apart now.
into parts
He took my radio apart to repair it. apart from someone or something
except for
There's no one here, apart from me. I like all vegetables apart from carrots.
a . part . ment Ф / s'partmsnt /noun [ count ]
a group of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a house or big building My apartment is on the third floor.
an apartment building (= a building with a lot of apartments in it )
ap • a • thy / ' apэ9i/noun [ noncount ]
a feeling of not being interested in or enthusiastic about anything
ape / eip /noun [ count ]
an animal like a big monkey (= an animal that lives in hot countries and can climb trees ) , with no tail and with long arms. There are different types of ape Gorillas and chimpanzees are apes.
a • piece / э ' pis /adverb
each
She gave the kids $5 apiece.
a • pol • o • get • ic / э^оЬ ' d3etik / adjective
feeling or showing that you are sorry about something The waiter was very apologetic when he spilled my food.
a • pol • o • gize / э ' pabd3aiz / verb
(a . pol . o . giz . es, a . pol . o . giz . ing, a pol. o gized)
to say that you are sorry about something that you have done
I apologized to John for losing his book.
a • pol • o • gy / э 'pabd3i / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plurala . pol . o . gies ) words that you say or write to show that you are sorry about something you have done Please accept my apology.
a • pos • tro • phe / э ' pastrefi / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) the sign ( ' ) that you use in
writing
Grammar
You use an apostrophe to show that you have left a letter out of a word or that a number is missing, for example in I'm (= I am ) and '09 (= 2009 ) .
You also use it to show that something belongs to someone or something: the boy's room .
If the apostrophe comes after the letter "s," it shows that there is more than one person: the boys' room (= a room which is shared by two or more boys ) .
ap • palled / s ' pold / adjective
feeling shocked at something bad
She was appalled by his violent behavior.
ap • pa • rat • us / |reps ' rretss / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural ap . pa . rat . us . es )
( general science ) the set of tools or equipment used for doing a job or an activity a piece of laboratory apparatus a diver's breathing apparatus
ap • par • ent AWL / s 'prersnt / adjective
that seems to be real or true but may not be
His apparent interest in the proposal surprised everyone.
easy to see or understand; clear
It was apparent that she didn't like him.
—SYNONYM obvious
ap •par • ent • ly Ф |awl / s ' prersntli /
adverb
You use apparently to talk about what people say, or how something appears, when you do not know if it is true or not
Apparently, he's already been married twice. He was apparently undisturbed by the news.
ap • peal 1 / s 'pil / verb ( ap peals, ap peal. ing, ap pealed )
to ask in a serious way for something that you want very much
Aid workers in the disaster area appealed for food and clothing.
to be attractive or interesting to someone Living in a big city doesn't appeal to me.
to officially ask someone in authority to change a decision
He decided to appeal his conviction.
ap • peal2 / s ' pil /noun
[ count ] asking a lot of people for money, help, or information
The police made an appeal for witnesses to come forward.
[ noncount ] a quality that makes someone or something attractive or interesting
I can't understand the appeal of stamp collecting.
[ count ] a formal request to someone in authority to change a decision
an appeal to the Supreme Court
ap • peal • ing / s ' pilig / adjective
attractive or interesting
A vacation in Hawaii sounds very appealing!
ap . pear Ф / .vpn-/ verb
( ap . pears , ap . pear ing , ap . peared )
to suddenly be seen; to come into sight
The sun suddenly appeared from behind a cloud. We waited for an hour but he didn't appear.
—ANTONYM disappear
to seem
She appears to be very happy at her new school. It appears that I was wrong.
to perform in a movie, play, etc.
She is currently appearing in a Broadway musical.
ap .pear .ance © /s'pmms/ noun
[ count, noncount ] the way that someone or something looks or seems
A new hairstyle can completely change your appearance. Collocations
Clothes and appearance clothes
be wearing a new outfit/a uniform/jeans
wear jewelry/a watch/glasses/contact lenses/perfume put on/take off your clothes/coat/shoes change into a pair of jeans/your pajamas be fashionably/well dressed be/get dressed for work/school/dinner appearance brush/comb your hair wash/shampoo/blow-dry your hair have/get a haircut/your hair cut/a new hairstyle have/get a makeover/your nails done use/wear/put on makeup/cosmetics/lipstick
[ count ] when someone or something arrives in a place; when someone or something is seen
Jane's appearance at the party surprised everyone.
Is this your first appearance on television?
Collocations
Physical Appearance
face
blue/green/brown eyes pale/flushed/rosy cheeks white/perfect/crooked teeth a long/short/neat beard hair and skin pale/fair/dark skin smooth/wrinkled skin straight/curly/wavy hair a bald/shaved head
ap • pen • di • ci • tis / spends' saitss / noun
[noncount]
( health ) an illness in which your appendix becomes very painful and usually has to be removed
ap • pen • dix aw / s ' pendiks /
[count]
( pluralap . pen . dix . es ) ( biology ) a small tube inside your body near your stomach, which can become painful
She had to have her appendix removed.
( plural ap . pen . dix . es or ap . pen . di ces
/ s 'pendssiz / ) ( english language arts ) a section at the end of a book that gives extra information Further statistics can be found in the appendix.
ap • pe • tite / ' repstait / noun
[count, noncount]
the feeling that you want to eat
When he was sick he completely lost his appetite .
ap • pe • tiz • er / repstaizsr / noun [ count ]
a small amount of food that you eat as the first part of a meal
ap • plaud / s plod / verb
( ap plauds , ap . plaud ing , ap . plaud . ed )
to make a noise by hitting your hands together to show that you like something
We all applauded loudly at the end of the song. —SYNONYM clap
ap • plause / a'pbz / noun
[noncount]
when a lot of people hit their hands together to show that they like something
There was loud applause from the audience.
ЭР .pie © / 'sepl/noun
[ count ]
a hard round fruit with green or red skin an apple tree
—Look at the picture at fruit .
ap • ple ci • der / repl'saidar / noun
[ count, noncount ] a drink made from apples
ap • pli • ance / a'plaians / noun
[ count ]
a useful machine for doing something in the house Washing machines and irons are electrical appliances.
ap • pli • cant / ' replikant /noun [ count ]
a person who applies (= officially asks ) for a job or a place
at a college, for example
There were six applicants for the job.
ap • pli • ca • tion / repla'keijn / noun
[ count, noncount ] writing to ask for something, for example a job
Please turn in your application by December 2.
You will need to fill out an application form (= a special
piece of paper that you use to apply for something ) .
[ count ] ( computers ) a computer program that is designed to do a particular job
ap . ply ©/ o'plai / verb ( ap plies , ap ply ing , ap plied )
to write to ask for something Why don't you apply for the job? Steve has applied to medical school.
to be about someone or something; to be important to someone or something
This law applies to all young people over the age of sixteen.
to put or spread something onto a surface Apply the cream to the infected area twice a day.
ap • point / a ' point / verb ( ap . points , ap . point . ing , ap point . ed )
to choose someone for a job or position The bank has appointed a new manager.
ap . point . ment © / s'pointmsnt/ noun
[count]
an arrangement to see someone at a particular time I have an appointment with the doctor at ten o'clock. You need to call them to make an appointment .
ap • pre • ci • ate © awl / a 'prijieit / verb
( ap . pre . ci . ates , ap . pre . ci . at . ing , ap pre ci . at . ed )
to be grateful for something that someone has done for you
Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.
to enjoy something or understand how good someone or something is
Van Gogh's paintings were only appreciated after his death.
My boss doesn't appreciate me.
to understand that something is true
I don't think you appreciate how expensive it will be.
ap • pre • ci •a • tion |awL / apriji' eijn /
noun [ noncount]
understanding and enjoyment of how good someone or something is
She shows little appreciation of good music.
the feeling of being grateful for something that someone has done for you
We gave her some flowers to show our appreciation for her hard work.
ap • pren • tice / a 'prentas / noun [ count ]
a person, especially a young person, who is learning to do a job
an apprentice electrician
ap • proach 1 AWL / a ' proutj / verb ( ap proach .es,ap . proach . ing ,ap . proached )
to come near to someone or something in distance or time As you approach the town, you'll see a church on your right.
Their final exams were approaching.
ap • proach 2 AWL / a' proutj / noun ( plural ap . proach . es )
[ count ] a way of doing something
This is a new approach to learning languages.
[ noncount ] coming near or nearer to someone or something
the approach of winter
ap •pro • pri • ate © |awl / a 'proupriat /
adjective
suitable or right for a particular situation, person, etc. Jeans and T-shirts are not appropriate for a job interview.
—ANTONYM inappropriate
► ap • pro • pri • ate • lyAWL / a ' proupriatli / adverb Please come appropriately dressed.
ap • prov • al / a pruvl / noun [noncount]
feeling, showing, or saying that something or someone is good or right
Tania's parents gave the marriage their approval . —ANTONYM disapproval
official permission to do something
We finally got approval for our building plans.
ЭР .prOVe © /э'ршу/ verb ( ap proves , ap . prov ing , ap . proved )
to think or say that something or someone is good or right
My parents don't approve of my friends. She doesn't approve of smoking.
—ANTONYM disapprove
to officially agree to something or say that something is correct
Has your boss approved your vacation days?
ap • prox • i • mate Iaw / a'praksamat /
adjective
almost correct but not exact
The approximate time of arrival is three o'clock.
ap • prox • i • mate • ly AWl| /a 'praksamatli /
adverb
about; more or less
I live approximately two miles from the station. —SYNONYM roughly
a • pri • cot / ' reprikat ; ' eiprikat /noun [ count ] a small soft yellow or orange fruit with a large seed inside
A . pril Ф / ' eiprel /noun [ count, noncount ]
( abbreviationApr. ) the fourth month of the year
a • pron / ' eipren /noun [ count ] a thing that you wear over the front of your clothes to keep them clean, especially when you are cooking
ap • ti • tude / ' a-pt.^tud /noun
[ count, noncount ]
a natural ability or skill at doing something He has an aptitude for learning languages.
a • quar • i • um / э ' kwo^m / noun [ count ]
a large glass container filled with water, in which fish are kept
a building where people can go to see fish and other water animals
a • quat • ic / э ' kwretik / adjective
( biology ) living or happening in or on water aquatic plants
sailing and other aquatic sports
arc / ark /noun [ count ] ( math ) a curved line; part of a circle — Look at the picture atcircle .
ar • cade / ar keid /noun [ count ]
a large room with machines and games that you put coins in to play
a video game arcade
arch / artj/ noun
[count]
( plural arch . es )
a part of a bridge, building, or wall that is in the shape of a half circle
ar • chae • ol • o • gist
(also ar . che .ol .o .gist ) / ,arki 'abd3ist /noun [count] a person who studies or knows a lot about archaeology
ar • chae • ol • o • gy ( also ar . che ol o . gy )
/ ,arki 'abd3i /noun [ noncount ]
the study of the past by looking at objects or parts of old buildings that are found in the ground ► ar • chae • o • log • i • cal ( also ar . che o. log . i . cal )
/ ^гЫэ ' ladзэkl / adjective archaeological remains
ar • chi • tect / ' a^tekt / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to design and plan buildings
ar • chi • tec • ture / ' a^tekt^r / noun
[ noncount ]
the study of designing and making buildings He has a degree in architecture.
( art ) the design or style of a building or buildings Do you like modern architecture?
the Arc • tic / 6i ' arktik /noun [ singular ]
( geography ) the very cold land and countries in the most northern part of the world
—Look at the Antarctic . ,
—Look at the picture at earth .
are / эг ; ar /
form of be
а г .e .a Ф / еиэ / noun
[ count ] a part of a city, country, or the world Do you live in this area?
the desert areas of South America
[ count, noncount ] ( math ) the size of a flat place. If a room is twelve feet wide and ten feet long, it has an area of 120 square feet.
[ count ] a space that you use for a particular activity The restaurant has a nonsmoking area (= a part where you must not smoke ) .
ar • e • a code / ' ейэ ^ud / noun [ count ]
the numbers for a particular area, which you use when you are making a telephone call from outside the area One of the area codes for Chicago is 312.
a • re • na / э ' rim /noun [ count ]
( plural a . re . nas )
a place with seats around it where you can watch sports or concerts
aren't / arnt /
short for are not ar .gue <3 / 'argyu/ verb ( ar gues,ar.gu . ing ,ar.gued )
1 to talk with someone in an angry way because you do not agree
My parents argue a lot about money.
often argue with my brother.
to say why you think something is right or wrong Billy argued that war is not the answer.
ar .gu .ment Ф / ' аrgyэmэnt /
[count]
1 an angry discussion between people who do not agree with each other
They had an argument about where to go on vacation.
had an argument with my father.
the reason or reasons that you give to support your opinion about something
What are the arguments for and against higher taxes?
ar • gu • men • ta • tive / ^уэ ' mentэtIv /
adjective
often involved in or enjoying arguments Stop being so argumentative!
ar • id / ' ®rid / adjective
( geography ) with little or no rain and so very dry This region has an arid climate.
a • rise / э 'raiz /verb ( a . ris .es , a . ris . ing , a . rose / э 'rouz / has a . ris . en / э 'rizn / ) ( formal ) If a problem or difficult situation arises , it happens or starts to exist.
a • rith • me • tic / э ' г^эл / noun
[noncount]
( math ) working with numbers, for example by adding or multiplying, to find the answer to a math problem I'm not very good at mental arithmetic .
arm 1 © / arm /noun [ count ]
the part of your body from your shoulder to your hand
Put your arms in the air.
He was carrying a book under his arm.
—Look at the picture at body .
arm in arm
with your arm holding another person's arm The two friends walked arm in arm.
arm 2 / arm / verb ( arms , arm . ing , armed )
to provide weapons for someone or yourself The rebel group armed themselves with guns. armed / armd /adjective carrying a gun or other weapon The robbers are armed and dangerous.
— Look at the armed forces .
ar • ma • dil • lo / _larma'dilou / noun
[count]
( plural ar . ma . dil . los )
a small American animal that eats insects. Its body is covered in a shell of hard plates.
arm • chai r / ' armtfer /noun [ count ]
a soft, comfortable chair with side parts where you can put your arms
She was asleep in an armchair. —Look at the picture at chair .
the armed forc • es / 6i |armd ' forsiz / noun
[ plural ]
a country's soldiers who fight on land, on water, or in the air
—SYNONYM the military
ar • mor / ' armэr /noun [ noncount ]
metal clothes that men wore long ago to cover their bodies when they were fighting a suit of armor
► ar • mored / ' аrmэrd / adjective
an armored car
arm • pit / ' armpit /noun [ count ]
the part of your body under your arm, where your arm joins your body
arms / armz /noun [ plural ]
guns, bombs, and other weapons for fighting to develop nuclear arms
ar .my Ф / 'armi/noun [count] ( pluralar . mies )
( politics ) a large group of soldiers who fight on land in a war
He joined the army when he was 18. the U.S. Army
— Look at navy .
a • ro • ma / э 'roumэ /noun [ count ]
a pleasant smell
armadillo
the aroma of freshly baked bread a • rose
form of arise
a .round Ф / э 'raund / preposition, adverb
in or to different places or in different directions Her clothes were lying around the room.
We walked around for an hour looking for a restaurant. The children were running around the house.
in the opposite direction or in another direction Turn around and go back the way you came.
on or to all sides of something, often in a circle We sat around the table.
He ran around the track. There is a wall around the yard.
in a place; near here
Is there a bank around here?
Is Helen around? I want to speak to her.
( also a . bout ) a little more or less than; a little before or after
I'll see you around seven (= at about 7 o'clock ) .
ar . range Ф / o'reindi / verb
( ar . rang es , ar rang ing , ar . ranged )
to put things in a certain order or place Arrange the chairs in a circle.
to make a plan for the future
I arranged to meet Tim at six o'clock.
ar .range .ment Ф / э ' remdзmэnt /
[count]
a plan or preparation that you make so that something can happen in the future
They are making the arrangements for their wedding.
a group of things put together so that they look nice a flower arrangement
a r . rest 1 Ф / a'rest / verb
( ar rests ,ar.rest. ing , ar rest.ed )
When the police arrest someone, they take that person away to ask them questions about a crime The man was arrested for selling drugs.
ar • rest 2 / э ' rest / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the act of arresting someone
The police made five arrests .
The wanted man is now under arrest (= has been
arrested ) .
ar • ri • val / э ' raivl / noun
[ count, noncount ] coming to a place
My brother met me at the airport on my arrival .
—ANTONYM departure
[ count ] a person or thing that has arrived We brought in extra chairs for the late arrivals.
ar . rive Ф / aW/ verb
( ar rives , ar . riv . ing , ar . rived )
to come to a place
What time did you arrive last night? What time does the train arrive in Chicago? They arrived at the station ten minutes late.
—ANTONYM leave , depart
to come or happen Summer has arrived! Grammar
Be careful! We use arrive in with the name of a city or country and arrive at with a building such as a station, an airport, or a school.
ar • ro • gant / ' rersgsnt / adjective
A person who is arrogant thinks that they are better and more important than other people. ► ar • ro • gance / ' rersgsns /noun [ noncount ] He had the arrogance to think that he should decide for us.
ar .row Ф / rerou /noun [ count ]
a long thin piece of wood or metal with a point at one end —Look at the picture atbow 3 .
the sign ( — ) that shows where something is or where you should go
The arrow is pointing left.
ar • son / ' arsn/noun [ noncount ]
the crime of setting fire to a building on purpose
art Ф / art /noun
[ noncount ] ( art ) making things such as paintings and drawings for people to look at
He's studying art at college.
[ noncount ] ( art ) things like paintings and drawings that someone has made
modern art an art gallery
the arts [ plural ] things like films, plays, and literature How much money does the government spend on the arts?
[ count , usually singular ] a skill, or something that needs skill
the art of letter writing
arts [ plural ] the subjects you can study in school or college which are not science subjects, for example history or languages
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. ar • ter • y / ' artsri / noun [ count ] ( plural ar . ter . ies )
( biology ) one of the tubes in your body that carry blood away from your heart to other parts of your body
—Look at vein . ,
—Look at the picture at body .
ar • thri • tis / ar' eraitss / noun [noncount]
( health ) a disease that causes pain when you bend your arms, fingers, knees, etc.
ar • ti • choke / ' art3|tjouk /
[count]
a green vegetable with a lot of thick pointed leaves that looks like a flower. You eat the bottom part of the leaves and its center when it is cooked.
ar .ti .cle Ф / 'ш-ш/ noun
[ count ]
a piece of writing in a newspaper or magazine
Did you read the article about young fashion designers?
a thing
Many of the articles in the store are half price. articles of clothing (= things like skirts, coats, and pants )
( english language arts ) the words "a" and "an" (called the indefinite article ), or "the" (called the definite article )
ar.ti.fi .cial Ф / .arte'fijl/ adjective
not natural or real, but made by people artificial flowers
These drinks contain no artificial colors or flavors. ►ar • ti • fi • cial • ly / |arts ' fifsli / adverb ar • ti • fi • cial in • tel • li • gence
/ |arts 'fijl in' telsd₃sns /noun [ noncount ] ( abbreviationAI )
( computers ) the study of the way in which computers can copy the way humans think
art . ist Ф / 'artist / noun [ count ]
( art ) a person who makes art, especially paintings or
drawings
Andy Warhol was a famous American artist. ar .tis .tic Ф / ar'tistik/ adjective(art)
good at painting, drawing, or making other things connected with art
He's very artistic — his drawings are excellent.
connected with art
the artistic director of the theater
aS Ф / sz; sez / conjunction, preposition
while something else is happening
Just as I was leaving the house, the phone rang.
as ... as words that you use to compare people or things; the same amount
Paul is as tall as his father. I don't have as many clothes as you do. I'd like it done as soon as possible .
used to say that someone or something has a particular job or purpose
She works as a secretary for a big company. I used my shoe as a hammer.
in the same way Please do as I tell you!
( formal ) because
As she was sick, she didn't go to school.
ASAP ( also asap ) / |ei es ei pi ; eisrep /
abbreviation ( informal )
as soon as possible
I'd like the report on my desk ASAP.
as • cend / s send / verb ( as . cend, as. cend . ing, as cend ed ) ( formal )
to go up
The results are arranged in ascending order (= from the lowest to the highest ) . —ANTONYM descend ► as • cent / s 'sent / noun [ count ] the first ascent of Mount Everest —ANTONYM descent
ash / re/ /noun [ noncount ]
the gray powder that is left after something has completely
burned
cigarette ash
a .shamed Ф / s feimd / adjective
feeling sorry and unhappy because you have done something wrong, or because you are not as good as other people
I felt ashamed about lying to my parents. She was ashamed of her old clothes.
a • shore / s for / adverb
onto the land from the ocean or a river We left the boat and went ashore.
ash • tray / ' rejtrei /noun [ count ]
a small dish for cigarette ash and the ends of cigarettes
a • side / s said / adverb
on or to one side; away
He set the letter aside while he did his homework.
ask О / resk / verb ( asks , isk . ing , asked )
1 to try to get an answer by using a question
asked him what time it was. "What's your name?" she asked. Liz asked the teacher a question.
to say that you would like someone to do something for you
I asked Sara to drive me to the station.
to try to get permission to do something I asked my teacher if I could go home.
I asked if I could go home early.
to invite someone to go somewhere with you Mark asked me to dinner on Saturday.
ask for someone to say that you want to speak to someone
Call this number and ask for Mrs. Green.
ask for something to say that you want someone to
give you something
He asked for a new bike for his birthday.
a .sleep О / a slip / adjective
sleeping
The baby is asleep in the bedroom.
He fell asleep (= started sleeping ) in front of the fire.
—ANTONYM awake Which word? Asleep or sleeping?
You use sleeping , not asleep , before a noun: She put the sleeping child in his crib.
We use fall asleep or go to sleep to talk about starting to sleep: Laura fell asleep as soon as she got into bed. ♦ Tom read for half an hour before he went to sleep.
as • par • a • gus / a 'spreragas /noun [noncount]
thin green plants with pointed ends that are eaten as a vegetable
as • pectAWL / ' respekt/noun [ count ]
one of the qualities or parts of a situation, idea, problem, etc.
Spelling is one of the most difficult aspects of learning English.
as • phalt / ' resfolt /noun [ noncount ]
a thick black substance that is used for making the surface of roads
as • pi • rin / ' respran /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralas . pi . rin or as . pi . rins ) ( health ) a medicine that stops pain I took an aspirin for my headache.
as • sas • sin / a ' sresn /noun [ count ]
a person who kills a famous or important person
Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was a professional
actor.
as • sas • si • nate / a sresaneit / verb ( as . sas . si . nates , as . sas . si . nat . ing , as . sas . si . nat ed )
to kill an important or famous person John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. ► as • sas • si • na • tion / a^resa ' neijn /noun [ count, noncount ] an assassination attempt as • sault / a solt /verb ( as . saults , as . sault . ing , as . sault . ed ) to attack or hurt someone He assaulted a policeman.
as • saultnoun [ count, noncount ]
an assault on an old lady
as • sem • ble aw / a ' sembl /
( as . sem . bles , as . sem . bling , as . sem . bled )
to come together, or bring people or things together in a group
The leaders assembled in Washington for the meeting.
to fit the parts of something together instructions for assembling a bookcase
as • sem • bly aw / a ' sembli /
[ count, noncount ] ( plural as . sem . blies )
a meeting of a big group of people for a special reason Our school assembly is at 9:30 in the morning.
as • ser • tive / a ' sartiv / adjective
acting and talking in a confident way so that people listen to you or do what you want
If you want them to listen to you, you need to be more assertive.
as • sess AWL / a 'ses / verb ( as . sess . es , as . sess . ing , as . sessed )
to judge how good, bad, or important something is It's difficult to assess the effects of the price increases.
as • sess • ment AWL| / a ' sesmant / noun [ count, noncount ]
I made a careful assessment of the risks involved.
as • set / ' reset /noun [ count ]
a person or thing that is useful to someone or something She's a great asset to the organization.
as • sign AWL| / a 'sain / verb ( as . signs , as . sign ing , as signed )
to give someone a particular job to do
The teacher assigned us four pages of math homework.
as • sign • mentaw / a ' sainmant / [ count, noncount ]
a job or piece of work that someone is given to do
You have to complete three writing assignments each
semester.
a reporter on assignment in Mexico (= working there )
as • sist AWL / a ' sist / verb ( as . sists , as . sist . ing , as . sist . ed ) ( formal )
to help someone
The driver assisted her with her suitcases.
as • sis • tance awl / a' sistans / noun
[ noncount ] ( formal ) help
I cannot move this piano without your assistance.
as • sis • tantAWL / a ' sistant /noun [ count ]
a person who helps someone in a more important position Ms. Dixon is not here today. Would you like to speak to her assistant?
as • so • ci • ate 1 / a ' sou/i^t / verb
( as . so . ci ates, as . so . ci . at ing, as . so . ci at ed )
to make a connection between things or people in your mind
Most people associate Colorado with snow and skiing. These illnesses are associated with smoking.
to spend time with someone
as • so • ci • ate 2 / a ' soujiat / noun [ count ]
( business ) a person that you know through your work a business associate
as • so • ci • ate's de • gree
/ э 'soujbts di,gri / ( also as . so . ci . ate de . gree ) noun [count]
a degree that you get after studying for two years at a college or university in the U.S.
— Look at bachelor's degree .
as • so • ci • a • tion / .^sousi' eijn / noun
[ count ]
a group of people who join or work together for a special reason
the American Medical Association
as • sort • ed / э ' sэrtэd / adjective
of different types; mixed a box of assorted chocolates
as • sume AWL / э 'sum / verb ( as . sumes , as sum . ing , as . sumed )
to think that something is true although you are not really sure
Kate isn't here today, so I assume that she's sick.
as • sump • tion awl / э' sAmpjn / noun
[ count ]
something that you think is true, although you are not really sure
It's unfair to make assumptions about a person before you get to know them.
as • sure awl / э 'jur / verb
(as.sures,as . sur. ing ,as.sured)
to tell someone what is true or certain so that they feel less worried
I assure you that the dog isn't dangerous.
as • ter • isk / ' жstэrIsk /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) the symbol (*) that you use to
make people notice something in a piece of writing
as • ter • oid / ' жstэrэId /noun [ count ]
any of the many small planets that go around the sun asth • ma / ' жzmэ /noun [noncount]
( health ) an illness that makes breathing difficult He had an asthma attack. ► asth • mat • ic / ®z' mretik /adjective
My daughter is asthmatic.
a • ston • ish / э ' stanif /
( a . ston . ish . es , a . ston ish . ing , a . ston . ished )
to surprise someone very much The news astonished everyone.
a • ston • ished / э ' stanift /
very surprised
I was astonished to hear that he was getting married.
a • ston • ish • ing / э ' stanijig / adjective
If something is astonishing , it surprises you very much an astonishing story
a • ston • ish • ment / э ' stanij^nt /
[noncount]
a feeling of great surprise
He looked at me in astonishment when I told him the news.
as • trol • o • gy / э ' strabd3i / noun [ noncount ]
the study of the positions and movements of the stars and planets and the way that some people believe they affect people and events
as • trol • o • ger / э 'stralэdзэr /noun [ count ] a person who studies or knows a lot about astrology —Look athoroscope , the zodiac .
as • tro • naut / ' ®stremt ; ' ®strenat /noun [ count ]
a person who works and travels in space
as • tron • o • my / э ' strammi / noun [ noncount ]
the study of the sun, moon, planets, and stars
as • tron • o • mer / э 'strаnэmэr / noun [ count ]
a person who studies or knows a lot about astronomy
as • tute / э ' stut /adjective
good at judging people or situations an astute observer
at О / эt ; ®t / preposition
a word that shows where They are at school.
Jen is at home.
The answer is at the bottom of the page.
a word that shows when I go to bed at eleven o'clock. At night you can see the stars.
toward someone or something Look at the picture.
I smiled at her.
Someone threw paint at the mayor.
a word that shows what someone is doing or what is happening
The two countries are at war . We were hard at work .
a word that shows how much, how fast, how old, etc. We were traveling at about 50 miles per hour.
She got married at nineteen (= when she was nineteen years old ) .
a word that shows how well someone or something does something
I'm not very good at math.
because of something We laughed at his jokes.
the symbol @ , used in e-mail addresses after a person's name
Style
We use dot when we say a person's e-mail address. For the address ann@smith.com we say "Ann at smith dot com."
ate
form of eat
a • the • ist / ' eiSiist /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a person who does not believe that there is a God
ath • lete / ' ®eiit /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a person who is good at sports like running or jumping, especially one who takes part in sports competitions
Athletes from all over the world go to the Olympic Games.
ath • let • ic / же ' letik / adjective
( sports ) connected with sports athletic ability
( health ) having a fit, strong, and healthy body
ath • let • ics / же 'letiks /noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) sports of any kind college athletics
at • las / ' atbs /noun [count] ( pluralat . las . es ) ( geography ) a book of maps an atlas of the world
ATM / |ei ti ' em /noun [ count ]
a machine that you can get money from by using a special plastic card Word building There are two main types of bank account . If you have a checking account , you can take your money out at any time by using a check or an ATM card (= a card that you put into a machine, which gives you money ) .
A savings account lets you keep your money in the bank to use later. You receive extra money, called interest , for keeping your money there.
at .mos . phere © / ' atmэsfIr /
the atmosphere [ singular ] ( general science ) the
mixture of gases around the earth pollution of the atmosphere
[ count ] the air in a place a smoky atmosphere
[ count, noncount ] the feeling that places or people give you
The atmosphere in the office was very friendly.
at . от © / 'setem / noun [ count ]
( physics , chemistry ) one of the very small things that everything is made of
Water is made of atoms of hydrogen and oxygen. — Look at molecule .
atom
a • tom • ic / э ' tamik / adjective
( chemistry , physics )
of or about atoms atomic physics
using the great power that is made by breaking atoms an atomic bomb
atomic energy
at • tach Ф AWL / э ' tatf/ verb ( at . tach . es , at tach . ing , at . tached )
to join or fix one thing to another thing I attached the photo to the letter.
Please attach a copy of the document (= send it with the e-mail ) .
at • tached aw / э ' tatf: /
liking someone or something very much We've grown very attached to this house.
at • tach • ment aw / э ' ta^^n /
[ count, noncount ] a strong feeling of love or liking for someone or something
a child's strong attachment to its parents
[ count ] ( computers ) a document that you send to someone using e-mail
at .tack 1© / s'tsek/ noun
[ count, noncount ] a violent act which is done in order to hurt someone or damage something
There was a terrorist attack on the city.
[ count ] ( health ) a time when you are sick an attack of the flu
at .tack 2 © / s'tsek/ verb ( at tacks , at . tack . ing , at tacked )
to start fighting or hurting someone or something The army attacked the city.
The old man was attacked and his money was stolen.
at • tain AWL / э 'tein / verb ( at tains , at . tain . ing , at . tained )
to succeed in getting or achieving something, especially after a lot of effort
He attained his goal of becoming a pilot.
at • tempt / э ' tempt / verb ( at tempts , at tempt ing , at . tempt . ed )
to try to do something that is difficult He attempted to sail around the world.
—SYNONYM try
at • tempt noun [ count ]
She made no attempt to help me. a brave attempt at breaking the world record
at • tend / э tend / verb ( at tends , at . tend . ing , at . tend . ed )
to go to or be present at a place Did you attend the meeting? The children attend a public school.
at • ten • dance / э 'tendэns /
[ noncount ] being present at a place, for example at school
Attendance at these lectures is mandatory.
[ count, noncount ] the number of people who go to an organized event
Movie attendance rose again last year.
at • ten • dant / э 'tendэnt /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to serve or help people in a public place
a parking lot attendant — Look at flight attendant .
at .ten .tion © /s'tenjn/ noun
[ noncount ]
1 looking or listening carefully and with interest
shouted in order to attract her attention (= make her notice me ) .
Can I have your attention , please? (= please listen to me )
special care or action
to require medical attention
pay attention
to look or listen carefully
Please pay attention to what I'm saying.
at • ten • tive / s ' tentiv / adjective
watching, listening to, or thinking about someone or something carefully an attentive audience
at • tic / ' retik/noun [ count ]
the room or space under the roof of a house My old clothes are in a box in the attic.
at .ti .tude Ф E / ' rets|tud / t
the way you think or feel about something What's your attitude toward marriage?
at • tor • ney / s 'tsrni /noun [ count ] ( pluralat . tor . neys )
a lawyer, especially one who helps people or talks for them in a court of law
—SYNONYM lawyer
at .tract Ф / o'traekt/ verb
( at . tracts , at tract . ing , at . tract ed )
1 to make someone like someone or something He was attracted to her.
had always been attracted by the idea of working overseas.
to make someone or something come somewhere Moths are attracted to light.
The new book has attracted a lot of publicity.
at • trac • tion / s ' trrekjn /noun 1 [ count, noncount ] a feeling of liking someone or something very much
can't understand his attraction to her.
[ count ] something that is interesting or enjoyable The Washington Monument is a major tourist attraction .
at .trac .tive Ф / o'traektiv/ adjective
A person who is attractive is nice to look at He's very attractive.
Something that is attractive pleases you or interests you That's an attractive offer.
—ANTONYM unattractive
Thesaurus
attractive can be used about any person who is nice to look at: He's polite and attractive. ♦ a group of attractive young women
beautiful (usually used to describe a woman or girl) very attractive: a beautiful, intelligent woman ♦ She looked beautiful that night.
good-looking (used more about men than women) attractive: The band's lead singer is very good-looking. ♦ a good-looking young actor
pretty (usually used about a girl or young woman) attractive: She has a very pretty face. ♦ a pretty little girl in a pink dress
handsome (usually used about a man or boy) attractive: You look so handsome in that suit! ♦ a polite, handsome man
a • typ • i • cal / ei 'tipikl / adjective ( formal )
not typical or usual
atypical behavior —ANTONYM typical auc • tion / ' okfn /noun [ count ]
a sale where each thing is sold to the person who will give the most money for it
► auc • tion verb ( auc . tions , auc . tion . ing , auc . tioned )
to sell something at an auction
au • di • ence / ' odisns / noun
[ count ]
the people who are watching or listening to a movie, play, concert, television program, etc.
Several audience members left before the end of the show. au • di • o / odiou / adjective ( music ) connected with the recording of sound audio equipment
au • di • o • vis • u • al / |Odiou ' v^usl /
using both sound and pictures audiovisual aids for the classroom
au • di • tion 1 / o' dijn / noun [ count ]
a short performance by an actor, a singer, etc. to find out if he or she is good enough to be in a play, show, etc.
au • di • tion 2 / o ' dijn / verb
( au di . tion , au . di tion . ing , au . di . tioned )
to take part in an audition He auditioned for the part of Othello.
au • di • to • ri • um / _rxis' torism / noun
[ count ] ( plural au . di . to . ri . ums or au . di . to ri .a
/|ods ' toris / )
a large room like a theater where people sit and watch a
performance, listen to a speaker, etc.
School assemblies are held in the auditorium.
All .gUSt Ф / 'ogast/noun [ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationAug. )
the eighth month of the year
aunt Ф / sent; ant / noun [ count ]
the sister of your mother or father, or the wife of your uncle
Aunt Mary
au • then • tic / o eentik / adjective
real and true
That's not an authentic Picasso painting — it's just a copy.
au • thorAWL / ' oesr /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a person who writes books or stories
Who is your favorite author?
au • thor • i • tar • i •an / seorsterisn /
adjective
not allowing people the freedom to decide things for themselves
an authoritarian government authoritarian parents
au • thor • i • ta • tive AWB / s ' eorsteitiv /
adjective
having authority; demanding or expecting that people obey you
an authoritative tone of voice
that you can trust as true and correct the most authoritative book on the subject
au • thor • i • ty Ф AWL / s ' eorsti / noun
( plural au . thor i ties )
[ noncount ] the power to tell people what they must do The police have the authority to stop cars.
[ count ] ( politics ) a group of people that tell other people what they must do
the city authorities
[ count ] a person with special knowledge She's an authority on criminal law.
—SYNONYM expert
au • thor • ize / ' oearaiz / verb ( au . thor . i . zes , au . thor . i . zing , au . thor . ized )
to give official permission for something, or for someone to do something
He authorized his assistant to sign letters for him. ►au • thor • i • za • tion / |Oeara ' zeijn / noun
[noncount]
No one is allowed in this area without authorization. au • to / ' otou / noun [ count ] ( plural au . tos ) ( formal )
a car
auto insurance
au • to • bi • og • ra • phy / otabai ' agrafi /
noun [ count ] ( pluralau . to . bi og ra . phies ) ( english language arts ) a book that a person has written about their life
au • to • graph / ' otagrref /noun [ count ]
a famous person's name, which they themselves have written
He asked Madonna for her autograph.
au • to • mat • ed AWB / ' otameitad / adjective
operated by machine, without needing people The factory has a fully automated system.
au • to • mat • ic AWB / pt3'mretik / adjective
If a machine is automatic , it can work by itself, without people controlling it
automatic doors
that you do without thinking Breathing is automatic.
►au • to • mat • i • cal • lyAWB / ota'mretikli / adverb This light comes on automatically at Jive o'clock. I automatically turned right, because that's the way I usually go.
au • to • mo • bile / |otama 'bil / noun [ count ]
a car
the automobile industry
au • top • sy / ' o|tapsi /noun [ count ] ( pluralau . top . sies )
( health ) an examination of a dead body to find out the cause of death to perform an autopsy
au • tumn / ' otam/noun [ count, noncount ] ( formal )
the part of the year between summer and winter In autumn, the leaves begin to fall from the trees.
—SYNONYM fall
a • vail • a • ble Ф AWL / a ' veilabl / adjective
ready for you to use, have, or see
I called the hotel to ask if there were any rooms available. I'm sorry — the manager is not available this afternoon.
av • a • lanche / ' revalrentj / [ count ]
( geography ) a very large amount of snow that falls quickly down the side of a mountain
av • e • nue / ' revanu / noun
[count ]
a street in a town or city I live on McClean Avenue.
The short way of writing "Avenue" in addresses is Ave. 109 Fifth Ave.
Thesaurus
road a hard surface made for vehicles to travel on. The short way of writing "Road" in addresses is Rd. : My address is 32 Danfield Rd., St Louis. ♦ country/mountain roads ♦ Where does this road go? ♦ I live on a very busy road. ♦ Take the first road on the left.
street a road in a city or town that has buildings on one or both sides. The short way of writing "Street" in addresses is St. : 1281 Tobin St. ♦ a street map of San Francisco ♦ You can't drive down there. It's a one-way street. ♦ They live across the street from us. highway a big road that connects cities and towns: Highway 101 between Ventura and Los Angeles ♦ Take the highway to Flagstaff. ♦ There was a traffic jam on the highway.
lane one part of a larger road, marked with painted lines to keep lines of traffic separate: a four-lane highway ♦ You're in the wrong lane for turning right. avenue a wide street in a city or town. This word is often used in the names of city streets, and can be written as Ave. : 109 Fifth Ave. ♦ We stayed at a hotel on Lexington Avenue.
av .er .age iO / 'aevnd_ъ/ noun
[ count ] ( math ) the result you get when you add two or more amounts together and then divide the total by the number of amounts you added
The average of 2, 3, and 7 is 4 (2 + 3 + 7 = 12, and 12 ^ 3 = 4) .
[ noncount ] the normal amount, quality, etc. On average , I buy a newspaper about twice a week.
av .er .age 2O / seviid_ъ/ adjective
( math ) (used about a number) found by calculating the average 1 (1)
The average age of the students is 19.
normal or usual
The average student gets around 5 hours of homework a week.
av • er • age з / ' revrid3 / verb
(av . er ag .es,av . er.ag. ing ,av . er.aged )
to do or get something as an average
If we average 55 miles an hour, we should get there by 4 o'clock.
a • vi • a • tion / |eivi' eijn / noun
[ noncount ]
the process or activity of designing, building, or flying
airplanes, etc.
the aviation industry
av • id / revid / adjective
very enthusiastic about something, usually something you do in your free time an avid golfer
av • o • ca • do
/ |ava ' kadou ;reva ' kadou / noun [ count ] ( pluralav . o . ca . dos ) a fruit that is wider at one end than the other, with tough dark green skin and a large hard part (called a pit ) inside
According to this recipe, I need four ripe avocados.
a .void Ф/ о¹ void / verb ( a . voids , a . void . ing , a . void . ed )
to stop something from happening; to try not to do something
He always tried to avoid arguments if possible. She has to avoid eating too much chocolate.
to stay away from someone or something We crossed the road to avoid our teacher.
a • void • a • ble / э ' vэIdэbl /
If something is avoidable , it is not necessary and can be prevented.
—ANTONYM unavoidable
a • wait / э weit / verb ( a . waits , a . wait . ing , a . wait . ed )
( formal )
to wait for something
Please await further instructions.
a .wake Ф / э weik / adjective
not sleeping
The children are still awake.
It was 2 a.m. and I was still wide (= completely ) awake . —ANTONYM asleep
a • ward1 / э ' wэrd /noun [count]
a prize or money that you give to someone who has done
something very well
She won the award for best actress.
a • ward 2 / э ' wэrd / verb ( a . wards , a ward ing , a ward ed )
to officially give a prize to someone
He was awarded first prize in the writing competition.
a .ware Ф / swer / adjective
If you are aware of something, you know about it He's not aware of the problem. I was aware that someone was watching me.
—ANTONYM unaware
a • ware • ness awl / э' wern / noun
[ noncount , singular ]
knowing something; knowing that something exists and is important
an awareness of the importance of healthy eating to raise awareness of the risks of smoking
a .Way Ф / o'vvei/ adverb
to or in another place She ran away from him. He put his books away.
from a place
The ocean is two miles away.
not here
Sorry, but Mr. Russell is away from his desk at the moment.
—SYNONYM absent
in the future
Our vacation is only three weeks away.
awe / э / noun
[noncount]
a feeling of great respect because you admire something very much
As a young boy he was in awe of his uncle.
awe • some / ' эsэm / adjective
1 ( informal ) very good; excellent
just bought this awesome new computer! Wow! That's totally awesome!
—SYNONYM great
making you feel impressed and perhaps a little afraid an awesome sight
aw • ful / ' эй / adjective
very bad
The pain was awful. What awful weather! Word building
If something is very bad, you can say awful , dreadful , or terrible : I've had a terrible day.
Something that is not nice or someone who is unkind is horrible : He's always saying horrible things to me.
aw • ful • ly / ' эШ / adverb
very
It was awfully hot. I'm awfully sorry!
—SYNONYM terribly
a • while / э wail /adverb for a short amount of time Why don't you stay awhile?
awk • ward / ' эkwэrd / adjective
difficult or causing problems
This big box will be awkward to carry. an awkward question
not comfortable; making you feel embarrassed
I felt awkward at the party because I didn't know anyone.
not able to move your body in an easy way He's very awkward when he dances.
awn • ing / ' эшц /noun [ count ]
a piece of material above a door or window to keep off the sun or rain
ax ( also axe ) / жks /noun [ count ] ( pluralax . es )
a tool for cutting wood
He chopped down the tree with an ax.
ЭХ . is / 'seksss / _
ал1э
noun [ count ] (pluralax . es / ' жksiz /)
( physics ) a line we imagine through the middle of an object, around which the object turns
The earth rotates on its axis.
—Look at the picture at earth .
( math ) a fixed line used for marking measurements on a
picture showing numbers and amounts (a graph ) the horizontal axis the vertical axis
horizontal axis
vertical axis graph axes
ax • le / ' жksl /noun [ count ] a bar that connects a pair of wheels on a vehicle
Bb
B, b / bi /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralB's, b's / biz / )
the second letter of the English alphabet "Ball" begins with a "B."
B the second highest grade given for a test or piece of work, lower than an A
I got a B on my math exam.
B.A. / |bi ' ei /noun [ count ]
the degree that you receive when you complete a program of study at a college or university in an arts subject (= a subject that is not a science subject ) . B.A. is short for "Bachelor of Arts."
— Look at B.S. , M.A. , bachelor's degree .
ba . byО / ' beibi /noun [count] ( pluralba . bies )
a very young child She's going to have a baby . a baby boy a baby girl
ba • by car • riage / ' beibi |karid3 /
( also ba . by bug .gy / ' beibi |bAgi / )noun [ count ] a thing that a baby lies in to go out. It has wheels so that you can push it.
ba • by • sit / ' beibisit /verb ( ba . by . sits , ba by . sit . ting , ba by . sat / ' beibisat / ) to take care of a child for a short time while the parents are not at home
ba • by • sit • ter / 'beibisitar / noun [ count ]
a person who takes care of a child for a short time while the parents are not at home
bach • e • lor / ' batjbbr /noun [ count ]
a man who has never married
bach • e • lor's de / 'batjbbrz di|gri /
noun [ count ]
a degree that you get after studying for four years at a college or university
She has a bachelor's degree in English literature from Stanford University.
—Look at associate's degree , master's degree .
back 1 Ф / bsek/noun [ count ]
the part of a person or an animal that is between the neck and the part of your body that you sit on (the buttocks ) He lay on his back and looked up at the sky.
She was standing with her back to me so I couldn't see her face.
the part of something that is behind or farthest from the front
The answers are at the back of the book. Write your address on the back of the check. We sat in the back of the car. behind someone's back
when someone is not there, so that they do not know about it
Don't talk about Kate behind her back.
back 2 Ф / bsek /adjective
farthest from the front the back door back teeth
back 3 Ф / bsek /adverb
in or to the place where someone or something was before
I'll be back (= I will return ) at six o'clock.
Go back to sleep.
We walked to the store and back.
away from the front
I looked back to see if she was coming. Could everyone move back a little, please?
—ANTONYM forward
as a way of returning or answering something He paid me back the money.
I wrote her a letter, but she didn't write back. I was out when she called, so I called her back. back and forth
from one place to another and back again, many times She travels back and forth between Boston and New York.
back 4 / bak / verb ( backs , back . ing , backed )
to move backward or to make something move backward She backed the car out of the garage.
to give help or support to someone or something The governor is backing the proposal.
back away to move away backward
Sally backed away from the big dog.
back down to stop demanding something or saying that
you are right
You deserve that raise. Don't back down now.
back out to not do something that you promised or
agreed to do
You promised you would come with me. You can't back out of it now!
back up to move backward, especially in a vehicle
Back up a little, then the other cars can go by.
back someone up to support someone
I'm going to say what I really think at the meeting. Will
you back me up?
back something up
to say or show that something is true
All the evidence backed up what the woman had said.
( computers ) to make a copy of information in your computer that you do not want to lose
back • ache / bakeik / noun
[count, noncount]
( health ) a continuous pain in your back I have a terrible backache.
back • bone / ' bakboun /noun [ count ]
( biology ) the line of bones down the back of your body —SYNONYM spine
back • ground / ' bakgraund /noun
[ count ] the type of family that a person comes from and the education and experience that they have
She comes from a poor background .
[ singular ] ( art ) the things at the back in a picture This is a photo of my house with the mountains in the background .
—ANTONYM foreground
[ noncount ] the facts or events that are connected with a situation
I need to get some background information .
back • log / 'breklog ; 'breklag /noun [count]
work, etc. that has not yet been done and needs to be done I have a huge backlog of e-mails to answer.
back • pack1 / 'brekprek /noun
[count]
a large bag that you carry on your back when you are traveling
—Look at the picture at bag .
back • pack 2 / ' brekprek / verb ( back.packs,back.pack. ing ,back packed )
to go walking or traveling with your clothes, etc. in a backpack
► back • pack • ing / ' brekprekig / noun
[noncount]
We went backpacking around Europe last summer.
back • side / ' breksaid /noun [ count ] ( informal )
the part of your body that you sit on
back • stage / |brek ' steid₃ /adverb
in the part of a theater where the performers get dressed, wait, etc.
We got to go backstage and meet the band after the concert.
back • stroke / ' brekstrouk / [noncount]
( sports ) a way of swimming on your back
back • up / ' brekAp /noun
[ noncount ] extra help or support that you can get if
necessary
The police had backup from the army.
[ count ] ( computers ) a copy of information that you have put in your computer and which you do not want to lose
Always make a backup of your computer files.
back .ward iO / brekwsrd / ( also back . wards / ' brekwsrdz / )adverb
toward a place or a position that is behind Could everyone take a step backward?
—ANTONYM forward
with the back or the end first
If you say the alphabet backward, you start with "Z." backward and forward
first in one direction and then in the other, many times The dog ran backward and forward, fetching sticks.
back • ward2 / ' brekwsrd /adjective
in the direction behind you a backward step
slow to learn or change
Our teaching methods are backward compared to some countries.
back • yard / |brek'yard /noun
[count]
the area behind and around a house
Everyone was in our backyard, sitting or lying on the grass.
ba • con / beiksn /noun
[noncount]
long thin pieces of meat from a pig We had bacon and eggs for breakfast.
bac • te • ri • a / brek ' tiris /noun [ plural ]
( biology ) very small things that live in air, water, earth, plants, and animals. Some bacteria can make us sick.
bad © / bred /adjective ( wors< , vorst )
not good or nice
The weather was very bad.
He had some bad news — his uncle died.
a bad smell
serious
She had a bad accident.
not done or made well bad driving
not able to work or do something well My eyesight is bad.
Do you think he's a bad teacher?
too old to eat; not fresh bad eggs
not good; morally wrong
In cowboy movies, the bad guys always wear black hats. Word building
If something is very bad, you can say awful , dreadful , or terrible : I've had a terrible day.
Something that is not nice or someone who is unkind is horrible : He's always saying horrible things to me. bad at something
If you are bad at something , you cannot do it well I'm very bad at sports. bad for you
If something is bad for you , it can make you sick Smoking is bad for you. go bad
to become too old to eat This fish has gone bad. not bad ( informal ) pretty good
"What was the movie like?" "Not bad." too bad ( informal )
words that you use when you are sorry or feel bad about something
It's too bad he lost his job.
badge / bred₃ /noun
[count]
a small piece of metal, cloth, or plastic with a design or words on it that you wear on your clothes a police officer's badge
badg • er / ' bred₃sr /noun
[ count ]
an animal with black and white lines on its head that lives in holes in the ground and comes out at night
bad . ly Ф / baedli /adverb( worse , worst)
in a way that is not good enough; not well She played badly.
These clothes are badly made.
very much
I badly need a vacation.
He was badly hurt in the accident.
bad • min • ton / ' bredmintn /noun [noncount]
( sports ) a game for two or four players who try to hit a kind of light ball with feathers on it over a high net, using a racket (= a piece of equipment that you hold in your hand )
Do you want to play badminton?
bag Ф / bseg /noun [ count ]
a thing made of cloth, paper, leather, etc., for holding and carrying things
Would you like me to put this in a bag for you? He put the apples in a paper bag .
Can you help me carry the grocery bags into the house? — Look at handbag .
briefcase fanny pack
suitcase grocery bag
ba • gel / 'beigl /noun
[ count ]
a type of bread in the shape of a ring
backpack
bags
strap
purse
bag • gage / ' bagid3 /noun [ noncount ]
the bags that you take with you when you travel We put all our baggage in the car.
—SYNONYM luggage
bag • gy / bagi / adjective ( bag . gi . er , bag . gi est )
If clothes are baggy , they are big and loose He was wearing baggy jeans.
bag • pipes / bagpaips / noun
[ plural ]
( music ) a musical instrument that is often played in Scotland
bail / beil /noun [noncount]
money that is paid so that someone does not have to stay in prison until the day he or she has to appear in a court of law The judge set bail at $50,000. He was released on bail until his trial.
bait / beit /noun [noncount]
food that is used to catch animals or fish with
bake Ф / beik / verb ( bakes , jak . ing , baked )
to cook food, for example bread, in an oven My brother baked a cake for my birthday. a baked potato (= a whole potato cooked in its skin in an oven )
Thesaurus
cook to make food ready to eat by heating it: My mother taught me how to cook. ♦ Who is going to cook dinner tonight? ♦ What's the best way to cook salmon? ♦ He cooked us a wonderful meal. boil to cook vegetables, rice, eggs, etc. in boiling water (= water heated to 212°F ) : Boil the rice for 15 minutes. ♦ Put the potatoes on to boil. ♦ Do you like boiled cabbage?
fry to cook food in a shallow pan of hot oil: Fry the onion and garlic for five minutes. ♦ There was a smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. ♦ fried chicken/fish/rice bake to cook food in an oven without any extra fat or liquid: to bake bread/cookies ♦ We baked him a cake for his birthday. ♦ baked potatoes roast to cook large pieces of meat in an oven or over a fire; to cook vegetables in oil or fat in an oven: The turkey is roasting in the oven. ♦ You should boil the potatoes for a little while before you roast them. grill to cook meat or fish on metal bars over a fire: to grill steak/chicken/burgers/fish on the barbecue ♦ grilled salmon
broil to cook food under or over direct heat: to broil salmon/a steak ♦ We ate broiled chicken with vegetables.
bak • er / ' be^r /noun
[ count ]
a person who makes and sells bread and cakes
bak • er • y / ' beiksri /noun [ count ]
( plural bak . er . ies )
a place where bread and cakes are made or sold
bal а псе 1Ф /'baebns /noun
1 [ noncount ] the ability to keep steady with an equal amount of weight on each side of the body
struggled to keep my balance on my new skates. She lost her balance and fell off her bike.
[ singular ] when two things are the same, so that one is not bigger or more important, for example
You need to find a balance between work and play.
[ count ] the amount of money in someone's bank account
You can check your bank balance online.
bal • ance 2 / ' babns / verb ( bal . anc . es , bal . anc . ing , bal . anced )
to put your body or something else into a position where it is steady and does not fall
He balanced the bag on his head. She balanced on one leg.
to have or to give different things equal value, importance, etc.
to balance work and home life
bal •anced / ' babnst /adjective
consisting of good or equal amounts of different parts or things
Eating a balanced diet will help you stay healthy.
bal • co • ny / ' ba^ni /noun [ count ]
( plural bal . co . nies )
a small area on the outside wall of a building, above the ground, where you can stand or sit
an area of seats upstairs in a theater We have balcony seats.
bald / ЬэЫ / adjective
with no hair or not much hair on your head My dad is going bald (= losing his hair ) .
—Look at the picture at hair .
bald ea gle loi.i _Mi
noun [ count ]
a large bird with brown feathers on its body and white feathers on its head and neck. It is the official symbol of the U.S.
ball © / bol /noun[ count]
( sports ) a round thing that you use in games and sports Throw the ball to me.
a basketball a tennis ball
any round thing a ball of string
a snowball
a big formal party where people dance be on the ball
( informal )
to know what is happening and to think or act quickly This job involves a lot of deadlines, so you really have to be on the ball.
bal • le • ri • na / ,ьжь ' rim / noun [ count ]
a woman who dances in ballets
bal • let / Ьж ' lei /noun
[ noncount ] a style of dance that tells a story with music but no words
Do you like ballet? a ballet dancer
[ count ] a performance of a story, told with dancing and music but no words
I went to see a ballet.
bal • loon / Ьэ ' lun /noun [ count ]
a small rubber bag that you blow air into and use as a toy or to decorate a room
We are going to hang red, white, and blue balloons around the room for the party.
= hot-air balloon
bal • lot / ' ЬжЫ /noun ( politics )
[ count ] a piece of paper that you use when you vote Put an "X" next to the candidate's name on the ballot. Voters will cast their ballots (= vote ) on election day.
[ count, noncount ] when people vote for someone or something by writing secretly on a piece of paper
We held a ballot to choose a new president.
ballpark / ' ьэ^л / noun
[count]
( sports ) a field or sports center where baseball is played Thesaurus
field an area of land used for playing team sports such as baseball, football, and soccer: a baseball/football field ♦ The team ran out on the field. ♦ The school has its own playing field .
court an area where certain ball games are played: a basketball/tennis/squash court ♦ He won after only 52 minutes on the court.
stadium a large place with seats around the sides where you can watch sports: a football/sports stadium ballpark an area where baseball is played: The batter hit one right out of the ballpark.
track an area with a special surface for people or cars to have races on: a running/racing track ♦ track and field events (= which involve running, jumping, and throwing ) a ballpark figure
a number that is not exact, but is more or less correct
Can you give me a ballpark figure as to what this will
cost?
ball • point pen / ^lpoint ' pen / noun [count]
a pen that has a very small ball at the end that rolls a special liquid (called ink ) onto the paper —Look at the picture atstationery .
ba • lo • ney / Ьэ 'louni /noun [ noncount ]
( informal ) words or ideas that have no meaning or that are not true
What a bunch of baloney! —SYNONYM nonsense
= bologna
bam • boo / ,Ьжш'bu /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralbam . boos )
a tall plant that grows in hot countries and is often used for making furniture
Bamboos are fast-growing, woody plants. a bamboo chair
bamboo shoots (= young bamboo plants that can be eaten )
ban / Ьжп / verb ( bans , ban .ning , banned )
to say that something must not happen; to not allow something
The movie was banned. ► bannoun [ count ]
There is a ban on smoking in public places.
ba • nan • a / Ьэ 'пжпэ /noun [ count ] a long curved yellow fruit —Look at the picture atfruit .
band © / Ьж^ /noun [ count ] 1 a thin flat piece of material that you put around something, for example to hold it together
put a rubber band around the letters. The hat had a red band around it.
( music ) a group of people who play music together a rock band
a jazz band
a line of color or material on something that is different from the rest of it
She wore a red sweater with a green band across the middle.
band • age1 / ' ьж^^3 /noun [ count ]
( health ) a long piece of cloth that you tie around a part of the body that is hurt
band • age 2 / ' ьж^^3 / verb
( band . ag es,band . ag . ing ,band aged )
( health ) to put a bandage around a part of the body The nurse bandaged my foot.
Band-Aid™
ban • dan • na / bren drena /noun [ count ]
a square piece of cloth that you wear around your neck or head
ban • dit / ' brendat /noun [ count ]
a person who attacks and robs people who are traveling They were killed by bandits in the mountains.
bang 1 / bag / verb ( bangs, bang ing, banged )
to make a loud noise by hitting something hard or by
closing something
He banged his head on the ceiling.
Don't bang the door!
bang2 / bag /noun [ count ]
a sudden, very loud noise He shut the door with a bang.
a short, strong knock or hit, especially one that causes pain and injury
He fell and got a bang on the head.
bangs / bagz /noun [ plural ]
the short hair that hangs down above your eyes She decided to cut her bangs.
— Look at the picture at hair .
ban • is • ter / ' brenastar /noun [ count ]
a long piece of wood or metal that you hold on to when you go up or down stairs
ban • jo / ' brend3ou /
noun [ count ] ( pluralban .jos ) ( music ) a musical instrument with a long thin neck, a round body, and four or more strings
bank 1 © / bag к /noun [ count ]
1 a place that keeps money safe for people
have $500 in the bank.
( geography ) the land along the side of a river People were fishing along the banks of the river.
bank 2 / bagk / verb ( banks, bank . ing, banked )
to keep your money in a particular bank Who do you bank with ?
Band-Aid™ / brend eid /noun [ count ]
( health ) a small piece of sticky material that you put over a cut on your body to keep it clean
bandage
bank on someone or something to expect and trust someone to do something, or something to happen The boss might give you the day off but I wouldn't bank on it.
bank ac • count / 'bagk a|kaunt /noun [count]
an arrangement that you have with a bank that lets you
keep your money there
I'd like to open a bank account.
Word building
If you have a bank account , you can deposit money (= pay it in ) or withdraw it (= take it out ): I'd like to withdraw $50, please.
If you don't want to spend your money, you can save it (= keep it in the bank).
bank • er / bagkar /noun [ count ]
( business ) a person who owns a bank or who has an important job in a bank
bank • ing / ' bagkig /noun [ noncount ]
the type of business done by banks She chose a career in banking.
bank • rupt / ' bagkrvpt /adjective
not able to continue in business because you cannot pay the money that you owe
His business went bankrupt after a year.
ban • ner / brenar /noun [ count ]
a long piece of cloth with words on it. People carry banners to show what they think The banner said "Stop the war."
ban • quet / ' bagkwat /noun [ count ]
a formal dinner for a large number of people, usually as a special event
bap • tism / ' breptizam /noun
[count, noncount]
( religion ) a religious ceremony when someone is baptized
bap • tize / ' breptaiz / verb ( bap tiz . es , bap . tiz ing , bap . tized )
( religion ) to put water on someone and give them a name, to show that they belong to the Christian Church
ЬаГ 1 Ф / bar /noun [ count ]
a place where people can go and buy drinks, especially alcoholic drinks
There's a bar in the hotel.
a place where you can get a particular kind of food or drink
a snack bar
a long, high table where you buy drinks in a bar We stood at the bar .
a long thin piece of metal or wood There were iron bars on the windows.
a small block of something hard a candy bar
a bar ofsoap
— Look at the picture at soap . behind bars
( informal )
in prison
His killer is now safely behind bars.
bar 2 / bar / verb ( bars , bar . ring , barred )
to put something across a place so that people cannot pass
A line of police barred the road.
to say officially that someone must not do something or go somewhere
Journalists were barred from taking photographs of the event.
bar • be • cue / ' barbikyu/noun [ count ] ( abbreviationBBQ )
a meal or a party where you cook food on a fire outside We had a barbecue on the beach. bar • be • cueverb
( bar . be . cues , bar . be cu . ing , bar be cued )
barbecued steak
barbed wire
9780194399647
/ ,barbd 'wa^r / noun [noncount] wire with a lot of sharp points on it. Some fences are made of barbed wire .
bar•ber / ' ba^r /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to cut men's hair ► bar • ber • shop / ' ba^rfap /noun [ count ]
a place where a barber works
bar code . .
/ 'bar koud / noun ^{03 Г}^CO° ^e
[count]
a pattern of black lines that is printed on things you buy It contains information that a computer
reads to find the 9 .__._. ____.. price.
bare / ber / adjective
(used about a part of the body) with no clothes covering it
He had bare feet (= he wasn't wearing shoes or socks ) .
without anything covering it or in it
They had taken the paintings down, so the walls were all bare.
bare • foot / berfut / adjective, adverb
with no shoes or socks on your feet
The children ran barefoot along the beach.
bare • ly / ' berli /adverb almost not; only just She barely ate anything.
—SYNONYM hardly
bar • gain1 / ' ba^n /noun [ count ]
something that is cheaper than usual At just $10, the dress was a real bargain!
bar • gain 2 / ' ba^n / verb ( bar gains , bar . gain ing , bar gained )
to try to agree on a good price for something
She may sell the car for less if you bargain with her.
barge / bard3 /noun [ count ]
a long boat with a flat bottom for carrying things or people on rivers or canals (= artificial rivers )
bark1 / bark /noun
[ noncount ] the hard surface of a tree Look at the picture attree .
[ count ] the short loud sound that a dog makes
bark 2 / bark / verb ( barks , bark . ing , barked )
If a dog barks , it makes short loud sounds The dog always barks at people it doesn't know.
bar • ley / ' barli /noun [ noncount ] a plant that we use for food and for making beer and some other drinks
barn / barn /noun [ count ]
a large building on a farm for storing grain or keeping animals in
bar • racks / ' bжrэks /noun [ plural ]
a building or group of buildings where soldiers live an army barracks
bar • rel / 'Ьжгэ1 / noun
[count]
a big container for liquids, with round sides and flat ends a beer barrel
a barrel of oil
the long metal part of a gun that a bullet goes through bar • ren / ' Ьжгэп /adjective
( geography ) (used about land) not good enough for plants to grow on
bar • ri • cade / ' bжrэkeId /
[count]
a line of things arranged across a road, etc. to stop people from getting past ► bar • ri • cadeverb
( bar . ri cades , bar . ri cad ing , bar ri . cad . ed )
He barricaded the door to keep the police out.
bar • ri • er / 'Ьжйэг / noun
[ count ]
a wall or fence that stops you from going somewhere The police put up barriers to hold back the crowd.
something that causes problems or makes it impossible for something to happen
I would love to live in Japan, but I'm worried about the language barrier .
bar • tend • er / ' bartendэr /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to make and serve drinks in a bar
base 1 Ф / beis /noun
[count]
the bottom part of something; the part that something stands on
The lamp has a heavy base. the base of a column
a person's or a company's main home or office
She travels all over the world, but Philadelphia is her base.
a place where soldiers in the army, navy, etc. live and work
an army base
( sports ) one of the four points that a player must touch before scoring in baseball
The batter hit the ball and ran to first base.
base 2 чР / beis / verb ( ba . ses, bas . ing, based ) be based somewhere
If a person or a company is based in a place, that is where they have their main home or office The company is based in Seattle.
base something on something to make or develop something, using another thing as a starting point The movie is based on a true story.
base .ball О / beisbol /noun ( sports ) 1 [ noncount ] a game in which two teams hit a ball with a wooden stick (called a bat ) and then score points by running around four fixed points (called bases ) on a large field
We played baseball in the park. 2[C0unt]a ball for playing this game
pitcher
base • ment / ' beismsnt /noun [ count ]
part of a building that is under the level of the ground a basement apartment
ba • ses
/ ' beissz / plural ofbase 1
/ ' beisiz / plural ofbasis
bash / brej / verb ( bash . es , bash . ing , bashed )
( informal )
to hit someone or something very hard I fell and bashed my knee.
ba .sic Ф / 'beisik/ adjective
most important and necessary
A person's basic needs are food, clothes, and a place to live.
simple; including only what is necessary This class teaches basic computer skills.
ba • si • cal • ly / ' beisikli / adverb
in the most important ways
She's a little strange but basically a very nice person.
used when you are saying what is important about a situation
Basically, all I want is to be left alone.
ba • sics / 'beisiks /noun [ plural ]
the things that you need most or are the most important
You can get all the basics at the local store.
This course will teach you the basics of digital
photography.
ba • sin / ' beisn/noun [ count ]
( geography ) a place where the earth's surface is lower
than the area around it
the Great Basin in the western U.S.
ba .sis Ф / beisss/noun (pluralba . ses / ' beisiz /)
[ singular ] the way something is done or organized We meet on a regular basis (= often ) .
[ singular ] the reason why something is done We made our decision on the basis of your report.
[ count ] a starting point, from which something develops
Her notes formed the basis of a book.
bas•ket
/ breskst /noun [count]
a container made of thin sticks or thin pieces of plastic or metal, which you use for holding or carrying things
a bread basket a shopping basket Look at wastebasket .
( sports ) a net that hangs from a metal ring high up at each end of a basketball court
bas • ket • ball / ' breskstbol / noun ( sports )
[ noncount ] a game for two teams of five players who try to throw a ball into a high net
[ count ] a ball for playing this game
bass / beis / adjective
( music ) with a deep sound She plays the bass guitar. a bass drum
—Look at the picture at guitar . bat1/ bret /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a piece of wood for hitting the ball in baseball — Look at the picture atbaseball .
Which word? The thing that you use to hit the ball has different names in different sports. You use a bat in baseball. You use a racket to play squash. To play golf, you use a club In hockey, you use a stick
an animal like a mouse with wings. Bats come out and fly at night.
bat 2 / bret / ( bats , bat . ting , bat . ted ) verb
( sports ) to try to hit a ball in baseball Who's batting first for the Orioles?
batch / bret//noun [ count ] ( pluralbatch .es )
a group of things
She made a batch of cookies.
bathО / Ьжэ / noun [ count ]
( pluralbaths / brees ; bredz / )
washing your body in a large container (called a bathtub ) that you fill with water I took a bath this morning.
bathe / beid / verb ( bathes , bath . ing , bathed )
to wash yourself or someone else in a large container (called a bathtub ) filled with water I bathe every morning. Have you bathed the baby yet?
bath • ing suit / 'beidig _rsut / noun
[count]
a piece of clothing that you wear to go swimming The hotel has a pool, so pack your bathing suit.
—SYNONYM swimsuit
bath • robe / 'ba9roub / noun [ count ]
a piece of clothing, like a loose soft coat, that you put on after taking a bath or shower
bath . room О / ъжешт / noun
[count]
a room where there is a toilet, and usually also a bathtub or shower
Can I go to the bathroom (= use the toilet ) ? Culture
People usually say the bathroom in their homes. In public places, people say the restroom , ladies' room or men's room .
bath • tub / ' ba6t\b / ( also informaltub / Ub / ) noun [ count ]
a large container that you fill with water and sit in to wash your body
bat • ter / ' bater /noun
[ noncount ] a mixture of flour, eggs, milk, etc. used for making food such as cakes
pancake batter
[ count ] ( sports ) a person who hits the ball in baseball —Look at the picture atbaseball .
bat • ter • y / ' batpri /noun [count]
( plural bat . ter . ies )
( physics ) a thing that gives electricity. You put batteries inside things like toys, radios, and cars to make them work.
bat • tle1 / 'batl /noun
[ count, noncount ] ( history ) a fight between armies in a war
the Battle of Bunker Hill He was killed in battle .
[ count ] trying very hard to do something difficult After three years, she lost her battle against cancer.
bat • tle 2 / 'batl / verb ( bat . tles , bat . tling , bat tled )
to try very hard to do something difficult The doctors battled to save her life.
bay / bei /noun [ count ] ( pluralbays )
( geography ) a part of the coast where the land goes in to form a curve
There was a ship in the bay. San Francisco Bay
BBQ
abbreviation of barbecue B.C. / |bi ' si / abbreviation
( history , religion ) B.C. in a date shows it was before
Christ was born
Julius Caesar died in 44 B.C.
— Look atA.D. . Ье О / bi /verb
1there is/there are to exist or be present in a place There are a lot of trees in our yard.
tried calling them but there was no answer. Is there a post office near here?
a word that you use when you are giving the name of people or things, describing them or giving more information about them
I'm (= I am ) Ben. The movie was excellent. John is a doctor. Roberta's Italian.
"What color is your car?" "It's red." Today is Friday.
a word that you use to give the position of someone or something or the place where they are
Jen's (= Jen is ) in her office. Where are the scissors?
a word that you use to talk about the age of someone or something or to talk about time
"How old is she?" "She's twelve." Her birthday was in May. It's six o'clock.
( english language arts ) a word that you use with another verb
"What are you doing?" "I'm (= I am ) reading."
( english language arts ) a word that you use with part of another verb to show that something happens to someone or something
This cheese is made in France. The house was built in 1910.
a word that shows that something must or will happen They are to be married in June.
beach ©/ bitjYnoun [ count ] ( pluralbeach es )
( geography ) a piece of land next to an ocean or a lake that is covered with sand or stones a sandy beach
We lay on the beach in the sun.
bea • con / ' bikэn /noun [ count ]
a strong light or other signal that is used as a warning or guide for boats, airplanes, etc.
bead / bid /noun [ count ]
a small ball of wood, glass, or plastic with a hole in the middle. Beads are put on a string to make jewelry.
beak / bik /noun [ count ]
the hard pointed part of a bird's mouth —Look at the picture atbird .
beak • er / ' bikэr /noun [ count ]
( general science ) a glass container with a flat bottom, used by scientists for pouring liquids
beam1 / bim /noun [ count ]
( physics ) a line of light a laser beam
a long heavy piece of wood that holds up a roof or ceiling
beam 2 / bim / verb ( beams , beam . ing , beamed )
to send out light and warmth The sun beamed down on them.
to have a big happy smile on your face
bean / bin /noun [ count ]
a seed, or a seed container, that we use as food green beans coffee beans
bear 1 / ber / noun [ count ] a big wild animal with thick fur
bear 2 Ф / ber / verb
( bears , bear . ing , bore / bor / has borne / born / )
to be able to accept something unpleasant without complaining
The pain was difficult to bear.
to hold someone or something up so that they do not fall The ice is too thin to bear your weight.
bear left ; bear right
to turn toward the left or right
When the road splits, bear left.
bear in mind that... ; bear something in mind
to remember or consider something
When you're packing, bear in mind that the weather will
be much colder in Maine.
Thanks, I'll bear that in mind.
can't bear someone or something
to hate someone or something
I can't bear this music.
He can't bear having nothing to do.
beard Ф / bird /noun [ count ]
the hair on a man's chin He has a beard.
beast / bist /noun [ count ]
( formal ) a wild animal
an unkind or cruel person
beat 1 Ф / bit / verb
( beats , beat ing , beat , has beat . en / ' bitn / )
( sports ) to win a fight or game against a person or group of people
Daniel always beats me at tennis. Our team was beaten 2-1.
to hit someone or something very hard many times She beat the dust out of the rug.
The rain was beating on the roof.
to make the same sound or movement many times His heart was beating fast.
to mix food quickly with a fork, for example Beat the eggs and sugar together.
beat someone up to hit or kick someone hard, many times
He was badly beaten up by a gang of teenagers.
beat2 / bit /noun [ count ]
a single sound that comes again and again the beat of the drum—Look atheartbeat .
( music ) the strong pattern of sounds that a piece of music has
We danced to the beat.
beau • ti • cian / byu ' ti/n /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to give special treatments to your face and body to make you look good
beau .ti .ful Ф / ' byutafl /
very pretty or attractive a beautiful woman Thesaurus
attractive can be used about any person who is nice to look at: He's polite and attractive. ♦ a group of attractive young women
beautiful (usually used to describe a woman or girl) very attractive: a beautiful, intelligent woman ♦ She looked beautiful that night.
good-looking (used more about men than women) attractive: The band's lead singer is very good-looking. ♦ a good-looking young actor
pretty (usually used about a girl or young woman) attractive: She has a very pretty face. ♦ a pretty little girl in a pink dress
handsome (usually used about a man or boy) attractive: You look so handsome in that suit! ♦ a polite, handsome man
very nice to see, hear, or smell Those flowers are beautiful. What a beautiful song!
► beau • ti • ful • ly / 'byutafli / adverb Louis sang beautifully.
beau .ty Ф / ' byuti /noun [ noncount ]
the quality of being beautiful She was a woman of great beauty. the beauty of the mountains
bea ver
/ bivar /noun [ count ] an animal with brown fur, a wide flat tail, and sharp teeth. It builds walls across rivers to hold back the water (called dams ).
be .cause Ф /bibz;bikAz/conjunction
for the reason that
He was angry because I was late.
because of something
as a result of something or someone We stayed at home because of the rain.
beck • on / ' bekan / verb ( beck . ons , beck.on . ing ,beck.oned )
to move your finger to show that you want someone to come nearer
be .come Ф / Ы'клт/ verb ( be comes , be . com ing , be . came / bi ' keim / has be . come )
to begin to be something She became a doctor in 2002. The weather is becoming colder.
Style
In conversation, we usually say get instead of become with adjectives. It is less formal: The weather is getting colder. ♦ She got nervous as the exam date came closer. what became of...?
used to ask what has happened to someone or something What became of that student who used to live with you?
bed Ф / bed /noun [ COU nt ]
a thing that you sleep on It was time to go to bed . The children are in bed .
to make the bed(=to make it ready for someone to sleep in )
( geography ) the bottom of a river or the ocean
bed and break • fast / ,bed эп ' brekfэst /
( abbreviationB and B , B & B )noun [ count ] a small hotel where you pay for a room to sleep in and a meal the next morning I stayed in a bed and breakfast.
bed • clothes / ' bedkloudz/noun [ plural ]
the sheets and covers that you use on a bed
bed . ГООт Ф / 'bedmm / noun [ count ]
a room where you sleep
bed • side / ' bedsaid / noun [ singular ] the area that is next to a bed She sat at his bedside all night long. A book lay open on the bedside table .
bed • spread / ' bedspred /noun [ count ]
a large cover for a bed that you put on top of the sheets and other covers
bed • time / bedtaim /noun [ count, noncount ] the time when someone usually goes to bed Come on, it's past your bedtime.
bee / bi /noun [ count ]
a black and yellow insect that flies and makes a sweet food that we eat (called honey ) —Look at the picture atinsect .
beef / bif /noun [ noncount ] meat from a cow roast beef Word building The male cow is called a bull , and a young cow is a calf .
Meat from a cow is called beef and meat from a calf is called veal .
bee • hive / ' bihaiv /noun [ count ]
a thing that bees live in
been / bin ; bin /
form of be
form of go 1 have been to
to have gone to a place and come back again Have you ever been to Canada? Which word? Been or gone? If someone has been to a place, they have traveled there and returned: I've been to Mexico three times. ♦ You were away a long time. Where have you been? If someone has gone to a place, they have traveled there and they are still there now: Judy isn't here. She has gone to New York. ♦ Mom has gone out, but she'll be back soon.
beep / bip / verb ( beeps , beep . ing , beeped )
to make a short high noise Why is the computer beeping? ► beepnoun [ count ]
Please leave a message after the beep.
beer Ф / bir /noun
[ noncount ] an alcoholic drink made from grain a bottle of beer
[ count ] a glass, bottle, or can of beer Three beers, please.
beet / bit /noun [ count ]
a round dark red vegetable that you cook before you eat
bee • tle / ' biti /noun [ count ]
an insect with hard wings and a shiny body — Look at the picture atinsect .
be • fore 1 ® / bi'for / preposition, conjunction
1 earlier than someone or something; earlier than the time that
He arrived before me.
said goodbye before I left.
Ellen worked in a hospital before getting this job. They should be here before long (= soon ) .
in front of someone or something B comes before C in the alphabet.
—ANTONYM after
be .fore 2Ф / bi'for / adverb
at an earlier time; in the past I've never met them before. I've seen this movie before.
be • fore • hand / bi ' fэrhжnd /
at an earlier time than something
Tell me beforehand if you are going to be late.
beg / beg / verb ( begs , beg . ging , begged )
to ask for money or food because you are very poor There are a lot of people begging in the streets.
to ask someone for something strongly, or with a lot of feeling
She begged me to stay with her. He begged for help. I beg your pardon ( formal )
polite words that you say to mean "I am sorry" or "could you repeat that, please?"
I beg your pardon, I didn't mean to step on your foot. I beg your pardon, could you say that again?
beg • gar / ' begэr /noun [ count ]
a person who asks other people for money or food
be .gin Ф/bigm/ verb ( be gins , be . gin . ning , be . gan / bi gжn /
has be . gun / bi ' gAn / )
to start to do something or start to happen I'm beginning to feel cold.
The movie begins at 7:30.
—SYNONYM start
to start in a particular way The name John begins with a "J."
—ANTONYM end
to begin with
at first; at the beginning
To begin with, they were very happy.
be • gin • ner / bi ' gimr / noun [ count ]
a person who is starting to do or learn something
be .gin . ningФ / bi'gmir) /noun [ count ]
the time or place where something starts; the first part of something
I didn't see the beginning of the show. —ANTONYM end
be • gun
form of begin
be • halfAWL / bi 'haf /noun
on behalf of someone ; on someone's behalf
for someone; in the place of someone
Mr. Smith is away, so I am writing to you on his behalf.
be. have Ф / bi heiv / verb ( be.haves,be . hav . ing ,be . haved )
to do and say things in a particular way
They behaved very kindly toward me.
The children behaved badly all day.
behave yourself to be good; to do and say the right
things
Did the children behave themselves?
be • hav . iorФ / bi'heivysr /noun [ noncount ]
the way you are; the way that you do and say things He was sent out of the class for bad behavior.
be .hind Ф / bi haind / preposition, adverb
1 at or to the back of someone or something I hid behind the wall.
drove off, and Jim followed behind.
slower or less good than someone or something; slower or less good than you should be
She is behind with her work because she's often sick.
in the place where someone or something was before
I got off the train and left my bag behind (= on the train ) .
responsible for causing or starting something
What was the reason behind his sudden change of opinion?
beige / bei3 / adjective
having a light brown color beige pants
beigenoun [ count, noncount ]
be • ing1 / ' bi₄ /
form of be
be • ing2 / ' biig /noun [ count ]
a person or living thing a being from another planet
be . lief Ф /ьда/ noun [ count ]
a sure feeling that something is true or real his belief in God
Divorce is against their religious beliefs.
be • liev • a • ble / bi ' 1гуэЬ1 / adjective
that you can believe —ANTONYM unbelievable
be .lieve Ф / bi 'liv / verb ( be . lieves , be liev . ing , be . lieved )
to feel sure that something is true; to feel sure that what someone says is true
Long ago, people believed that the earth was flat. She says she didn't take the money. Do you believe her?
to think that something is true or possible, although you are not sure
"Does Paul still work here?" "I believe so ."
believe in someone or something
to feel sure that someone or something exists Do you believe in ghosts?
bellФ / bel/noun [count ]
a metal thing that makes a sound when something hits or touches it
The church bells were ringing. I rang the bell and he answered the door.
bel • ly / ' beli /noun [ count ] ( pluralbel .lies ) ( informal )
the part of your body between your chest and your legs —SYNONYM stomach
bel • ly but • ton / 'beli |bAtn /noun [ count ] ( informal )
the small hole in the middle of your stomach —SYNONYM navel
be . longФ / bi'log /verb
( be longs , be . long . ing , be longed )
to be someone's
"Who does this pen belong to ?" "It belongs to me."
to be a member of a group or an organization Which political party do you belong to ?
to have its right or usual place That chair belongs in my room.
be • long • ings / bi 'logigz/ noun [ plural ]
the things that you own
They lost all their belongings in the fire.
—Look at the note at thing .
be • lov • ed / bi ' lAvd ; bi ' lлvэd /adjective
( formal )
loved very much their beloved daughter
be . low Ф / bi lou / preposition, adverb
in or to a lower place than someone or something From the plane we could see the mountains below. He dove below the surface of the water.
Do not write below this line.
—ANTONYM above
less than a number or price The temperature was below zero.
belt Ф / belt /noun [ count ]
a long piece of cloth or leather that you wear around the middle of your body
—Look at safety belt , seat belt . ,
—Look at the picture at clothes .
bench / bentf /noun [count]
( plural bench . es )
a long seat for two or more people, usually made of wood
bend 1 Ф / bend /
verb
( bends , bend ing , bent / bent / has bent )
1 to make something that was straight into a curved shape Bend your legs!
a park bench
2 to be or become curved The road bends to the left.
bend down ; bend over to move your body forward and down
She bent down to put on her shoes.
bend2 / bend /noun [ count ]
a part of a road or river that is not straight Drive slowly — there's a bend in the road.
be•neath / bi nie / preposition, adverb
in or to a lower place than someone or something From the tower, they looked down on the city beneath. The boat sank beneath the waves.
—SYNONYM below , underneath —ANTONYM above
ben • e • fi • cial aw / |bens ' fifl /
having a good or useful effect
Regular exercise is beneficial to your health.
ben • e • fit 1 Ф awl / ' bensfit / noun
1 [ count ] something that is good or helpful What are the benefits of having a computer?
did it for your benefit (= to help you ) .
[ count, noncount ] ( politics , business ) money or other advantages that you get from your job, the government, or a company you belong to unemployment benefits
All our employees receive medical benefits in addition to their salary.
ben • e • fit 2 AWL / ' bensfit / verb ( ben . e fits , ben . e . fit ing , ben . e . fit . ed or ben . e . fit . ting , ben . e . fit ted )
to be good or helpful for someone
The new law will benefit families with children.
benefit from something to get something good or
useful from something
She will benefit f^om a vacation.
bent 1
form of bend 1
bent 2 / bent / adjective
not straight; curved
Do this exercise with your knees bent.
This knife is bent.
—ANTONYM straight
be • ret / bs 'rei /noun [ count ]
a soft flat round hat —Look at the picture athat .
ber • ry / ' beri /noun [ count ] ( pluralber .ries )
a small soft fruit with seeds in it Those berries are poisonous.
raspberries
blueberries raspberries strawberries
berries
be .side Ф /bi'said/ preposition
at the side of someone or something Come and sit beside me.
—SYNONYM next to
beside the point
not important or closely connected with the main thing you are talking about
I know it was an accident, but that's beside the point. Go and apologize.
be • sides / bi ' saidz / preposition, adverb
as well as someone or something; also
We have lots of things in common besides music.
I don't really want to go. Besides, it's too late now.
best Ф /best/ adjective ( |ood , jettei , est)
better than all others
This is the best pizza I've ever eaten!
Tom is my best friend.
Joe's the best player on the team.
—ANTONYM worst
best 2 Ф / best / adverb
1 in the most excellent way
work best in the morning.
more than all others Which picture do you like best?
—SYNONYM most —ANTONYM least
best зФ / best/noun [ singular ]
the person or thing that is better than all others Mike and Ian are good at tennis but Paul is the best.
at best
if everything goes as well as possible At best, it will be ready by the end of March. do your best
to do all that you can
I don't know if I can finish the work today, but I'll do my best.
best man / |best ' mren/noun [ singular ] a man at a wedding who helps the man who is getting married (the groom )
best sell • er / |best ' selsr / noun [ count ]
a book or other product that is bought by large numbers of people
bet / bet / verb ( bets , bet . ting , bet , has bet )
to risk money on a race or a game by saying what the result will be. If you are right, you win money I bet you $5 that our team will win. I bet
( informal )
I am sure
I bet it will rain tomorrow. I bet you can't climb that tree. you bet ( informal )
words you use to mean "Yes, of course!" "Are you coming too?" "You bet!" ► betnoun [ count ] I lost the bet.
be • tray / bi ' trei / verb ( be . trays, be . tray . ing, be . trayed )
1 to harm your country or your friends by giving information to an enemy
She betrayed the whole group to the secret police.
2 to hurt someone who trusts you by doing something dishonest or harmful
When parents get divorced, children often feel betrayed. bet .ter 1© / Ъфг/ adjective ( good , bet . ter , best )
of a higher standard or quality; not as bad as something else
This book is better than that one.
( health ) less sick
I was sick yesterday, but I feel better now. —ANTONYM worse
bet .ter 2 О / Ъфг / adverb
in a more excellent or pleasant way; not as badly You speak Spanish better than I do. be better off
to be happier, richer, etc. I'm better off now that I have a new job. You look sick — you'd be better off in bed. had better
should; ought to
You'd better go now if you want to catch the train.
be .tween Ф / bi twin / preposition, adverb
1 in the space in the middle of two things or people The letter B comes between A and C. I sat between Suzy and Brian.
see her most weekends but not very often in between . Which word?
Among or between?
We use among when we are talking about more than two people or things: You're among friends here.
If there are only two people or things, we use between : Sarah and I divided the cake between us. ♦ I was standing between Alice and Cathy.
to and from two places
The boat sails between Manhattan and Staten Island.
for or by two or more people or things
We shared the cake between us (= each of us had some cake ) .
more than one thing but less than another thing The meal will cost between $20 and $25.
after one time and before the next time I'll meet you between 4 and 4:30.
a word that you use when you compare two people or things
What is the difference between "some" and "any"?
bev • er • age / ' bevarid3 /noun [ count ]
( formal ) a drink
We have a selection of beverages.
be • ware / bi ' wer / verb beware of someone or something
to be careful because someone or something is dangerous Beware of the dog! (= words written on a sign )
be • wil • dered / bi wildard / adjective
If you are bewildered , you do not understand something or you do not know what to do
I was completely bewildered by his sudden change of mood.
—SYNONYM confused
be .yond Ф / bi yand / preposition, adverb
1 on the other side of something; farther than something The road continues beyond the town up into the hills. We could see the lake and the mountains beyond.
2 later than a particular time
Most people don't work beyond the age of 65.
The party went on beyond midnight.
bi • asAWL / 'baias /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralbi . as . es )
a strong positive or negative feeling towards a person, a group, or an opinion that is not fair or not based on facts a bias against women drivers
bi • asedAWL / ' baiast / adjective a biased piece of writing —ANTONYM unbiased
bib / bib /noun [ count ]
a piece of cloth or plastic that a baby wears under its chin when he or she is eating
the Bi • ble / ea 'baibl /noun [ count ]
( religion ) the book of great religious importance to Christian and Jewish people
bib • li • cal / ' biblikl / adjective
connected to the Bible biblical stories
bib • li • og • ra • phy / |bibli ' agrafi / noun
[ count ] ( pluralbib .li .og .ra . phies ) ( english language arts ) a list of books, articles, etc. on a particular subject, or the ones a writer has used to write a book or paper
Remember to include all of your sources in your bibliography.
bi .cy .cle Ф / 'baisikl /
( also informalbike / baik / )noun [ count ] a vehicle with two wheels. You sit on a bicycle and move your legs to make the wheels turn
Jlebars
saddle
hanc
Can you ride a bicycle ?
bicycle
spoke
pedal
bid 1 / bid / verb ( bids , bid . ding , bid , has bid )
to offer some money because you want to buy something He bid $10,000 for the painting.
to offer to do work or provide a service for a particular price
A Canadian company is bidding for the contract. bid2 / bid / noun [ cou nt ]
an offer of money for something that you want to buy She made a bid of $250 for the vase.
a formal offer to do work or provide a service for a particular price
We got bids from three moving companies and chose the cheapest one.
an attempt to do or get something a bid for power
big Ф / big / adjective ( big . ger , big . gest )
not small; large Chicago is a big city.
This shirt is too big for me.
How big is your apartment? —ANTONYM small
great or important a big problem
older
Amy is my big sister. —ANTONYM little
the big bang / бэ ,big ъжц /noun [ singular ]
( physics ) the large explosion that some scientists believe created the universe
bike / baik /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a bicycle or a motorcycle I go to school by bike .
bi • ki • ni / bi 'kini /noun [ count ]
a piece of clothing in two pieces that women wear for swimming
bi • lin • gual / ,bai 'liggw^l / adjective
( english language arts ) able to speak two languages very well
Their children are bilingual.
having or using two languages a bilingual dictionary
bill 1Ф/Ы/noun[ count]
a piece of paper that shows how much money you must pay for something
We didn't have enough money to pay the phone bill.
a piece of paper money He gave me a $20 bill.
a ten-dollar bill
—Look at the picture at money .
( politics ) a plan for a possible new law The bill was discussed in Congress.
the hard pointed or curved part of a bird's mouth a duck's bill
—SYNONYM beak
bill 2 / bil / verb ( bills , bill ing , billed )
to send someone a bill for something
The company billed me for several items I didn't order.
bill • board / ' bi^rd / noun [ count ]
a large board on the outside of a building or near a road, where advertisements are put
bil . lion Ф / bilyon / number
1,000,000,000
five billion dollars
The company is worth billions of dollars. Grammar
Be careful! When you use billion with a number, don't add an "s": six billion dollars . If there is no number mentioned, then add an "s": billions of dollars .
bin / bin /noun [ count ]
a large container that is used for storing or holding things Put those empty cans in the recycling bin.
bind / baind / verb ( binds , bind . ing , bound
/ baund / has bound )
to tie string or rope around something to hold it firmly They bound the prisoner's arms and legs together.
binge / bind3 / verb ( bin . ges , bing . ing or binge ing , binged )
( informal )
to eat or drink too much, especially when you cannot control yourself to binge on junk food
bin • go / biggou / noun
[noncount]
a game where each player has a card with numbers on it, and the person who controls the game calls numbers out. If that person calls out the right numbers on your card, you win the game.
bin • oc • u • lars
/ bi ' nakyэlэrz /noun [ plural ]
special glasses that you use to see things that are far away
wing
—Look at telescope .
bi • o • de • grad • a • ble / ,baioudi ' gre^bi /
adjective
( biology ) Biodegradable substances can go back into the earth and so do not damage the environment There is growing demand for biodegradable products.
bi • og • ra • phy / bai ' agrefi / noun
[count]
( plural bi . og . ra . phies )
( english language arts ) the story of a person's life that another person writes a biography of George Washington
— Look at autobiography .
bi • o • log • i • cal/ ,bara ' lad3ikl /adjective ( biology ) connected with the scientific study of plants, animals, and other living things biological research
bi • ol • o • gy / bai ' abd3i / noun
[noncount]
the study of the life of animals and plants Biology is my favorite subject. ► bi • ol • o • gist / bai ' abd3ist /noun [ count ]
a person who studies biology
bird Ф bird
/ bard / noun [ count ] an animal with feathers and wings Crows and robins are birds.
nestbird of prey / ^rd эv ' prei /noun [ count ] a bird that catches and eats other birds and small animals Eagles are birds of prey.
birth © / Ьэг6 /noun [ count, noncount ]
Pronunciation
The word birth sounds like earth .
the time when a baby comes out of its mother; being born the birth of a baby
What's your date of birth (=the date when you were born )? give birth
to have a baby
Last week my sister gave birth to her second child.
birth cer • tif • i • cate / 'ьэгн sэr|tIfэkэt /
noun [ count ]
an official document that shows when and where you were born, and who your parents are
You need to bring a copy of your birth certificate and a photo ID.
birth con • trol / 'Ьэг6 kэn|troul / noun [ noncount ]
ways of controlling the number of children you have methods of birth control—Look atcontraceptive .
birth .day © / ' bэr9deI/noun [ count ] ( pluralbirth • days )
the day each year that is the same as the date when you were born
My birthday is on May 2. Happy Birthday! a birthday present
a birthday cake with sixteen candles on it
birth • place / ъэ^кк / noun [ count ]
( history ) the house or area where a person was born, or
the place where something began
Greece is the birthplace of the Olympic Games.
bis • cuit / ' b^t /noun [ count ]
a type of soft, round bread. People often eat biscuits warm with butter.
bish • op / 'bijbp/noun [ count ] ( religion ) an important priest in the Christian church, who takes care of all the churches in a large area
bi • son / ' baisn /noun [ count ] ( pluralbi . son ) a large wild animal that looks like a cow with a large head, curved horns, and thick fur on its head and neck
a herd of bison —SYNONYM buffalo
bit / bit /noun [ count ] 1 a small piece or amount of something There were bits of broken glass on the floor.
think these strawberries need a little bit more sugar.
( computers ) the smallest unit of information that is stored in a computer's memory
a bit ; a little bit
a little; slightly You look a bit tired.
This one's a little bit cheaper than that one.
a short time or distance Let's wait a bit.
bit by bit
slowly, or a little at a time Bit by bit, I started to feel better. quite a bit ( informal ) a lot
It must have rained quite a bit during the night.
bite 1 © / bait /verb
( bites , bit ing , bit / bit / has bit • ten / bitn / )
to cut something with your teeth That dog bit my leg!
If an insect or snake bites you, it hurts you by pushing a small sharp part into your skin
I was bitten by mosquitoes.
bite2 / bait /noun
[ count ] a piece of food that you can put in your mouth He took a bite of his sandwich.
[ count ] ( health ) a painful place on your skin made by an insect or an animal
a snake bite
[ singular ] ( informal )
a small meal
Would you like a bite to eat before you go? bit .ter © / bitor/ adjective
angry and sad about something that has happened He felt very bitter about losing his job.
Bitter food has a sharp, unpleasant taste The coffee was bitter.
very cold
a bitter wind
bit • ter • ness / ' bItэrnэs / noun [ noncount ]
The strike caused great bitterness.
bi • Zarre / bi ' zar /adjective
very strange
He has a bizarre sense of humor. —SYNONYM weird
bi • zarre • ly / bi ' zarli / adverb bizarrely dressed teenagers
black © / blsek / adjective ( black ei , black • est )
with the color of the sky at night a black dog
belonging to a race of people with dark skin Martin Luther King Jr. was a famous black leader.
—SYNONYM African-American
(used about coffee) without milk Two black coffees, please.
black 2 / blak /noun
[ noncount ] the color of the sky at night She was dressed in black.
blacks [ plural ] people who belong to a race of people with dark skin
—SYNONYM African American black and white
with the colors black, white, and gray only black-and-white photographs
black • ber • ry / ' blak|beri /noun [ count ] ( pluralblack • ber • ries )
a small, soft, black fruit that grows on a bush
black • bird / ' bla^rd /noun [ count ]
a bird with black feathers
black • board / ' blakbrd /
( also chalk • board / ' tfokbord / )noun [ count ] a dark board that a teacher writes on with a white substance (called chalk )
The teacher wrote her name on the blackboard. —Look at whiteboard .
black eye / blrek ' ai /
a dark area of skin around a person's eye where someone or something has hit them He got a black eye in a fight.
black • mail / ' blrekmeil /noun [ noncount ]
saying that you will tell something bad about someone if they do not give you money or do something for you
black • mail verb
( black . mails , black mail . ing , black mailed )
She blackmailed him into giving her thousands of dollars.
black • out / ' blrekaut /noun [ count ]
a time when there is no light because the electricity is not working
We had a blackout for six hours after the storm.
( health ) a period when you are unconscious for a short time
to have a blackout
black • smith / blreksmie /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to make and repair things made of iron
blad • der / ' blredsr /noun [ count ]
( biology ) the part of your body where waste liquid (called urine ) collects before leaving your body
blade / bleid /noun [ count ]
the flat sharp part of something such as a knife or a tool — Look at the picture atshears .
a single flat leaf of grass a few blades of grass
blame О / bleim / verb ( blames , blam . ing , blamed )
to say that a certain person or thing made something bad happen
The other driver blamed me for the accident.
blamenoun [ noncount ]
Eve took the blame for the mistake.
bland / blrend / adjective ( bland . er , bland . est )
1 ordinary and not very interesting
find her songs kind of bland.
Bland food does not have a strong taste a bland diet of rice and fish
blank 1 / Ыжцк / adjective
with no writing, pictures, or anything else on it a blank piece of paper
without feelings, understanding, or interest She had a blank expression on her face.
I tried to remember the answer, but my mind went blank (= I couldn't remember anything ) .
blank • ly / 'ЫжцкИ / adverb to stare at someone blankly
blank2 / Ыжцк /noun [ count ]
an empty space on a document, where you can write an
answer or some information
Fill in the blanks in the following exercise.
blan • ket / ' bi®gkst /noun [ count ]
a thick cover that you put on a bed
blare / bler / verb ( blares , blar . ing , blared )
to make a loud, unpleasant noise A car drove by with the radio blaring.
blast1 / blrest /noun [ count ]
when a bomb explodes
Two people were killed in the blast.
a sudden movement of air a blast of cold air
a sudden loud noise
The driver gave a few blasts on his horn.
blast 2 / blrest / verb ( blasts , blast . ing , blast . ed )
to make a hole in something with an explosion They blasted through the mountain to make a tunnel.
blast • off / 'blrestof/noun [ noncount ]
the time when a spacecraft (= a vehicle that travels into space ) leaves the ground
bla • tant / bleitnt /adjective
very clear or obvious It was a blatant lie.
blaze1 / bleiz /noun
[ count ] a large and often dangerous fire
It took firefighters four hours to put out the blaze.
[ singular ] a very bright show of light or color The garden was a blaze of color.
blaze 2 / bleiz / verb ( blaz . es , blaz . ing , blazed )
to burn in a strong and bright way a blazing fire
blaz • er / ' bleizsr /noun [ count ] a jacket that looks like part of a suit but does not have matching pants
bleach1 / blitf/noun [ noncount ]
a strong chemical substance used for making clothes whiter
or for cleaning things
Use some bleach on it to kill the germs.
bleach2 / blitj /verb
( bleach . es , bleach . ing , bleached )
to become or to make something white or lighter in color by using a chemical or by leaving it in the sun She bleaches her hair blonde.
bleach • ers / 'blitjsrz /noun [ plural ]
( sports ) lines of long seats where people sit to watch sports games, etc. We sat in the bleachers .
bleak / blik / adjective ( bleak . er , bleak . est )
A bleak situation is not hopeful or encouraging The country's future looks bleak.
cold and gray
It was a bleak winter's day.
bleed / blid /verb
( bleeds , bleed ing , bled / bled / has bled )
( health ) to lose blood I cut my hand and it's bleeding.
blem • ish / ' blemif /noun [ count ] ( pluralblem .ish .es )
a mark that spoils the way something looks makeup to cover pimples and other blemishes
blend / blend / verb ( blends , blend . ing , blend . ed )
to mix
Blend the sugar and the butter together.
to look or sound good together These colors blend very well.
blend noun [ count ]
This is a blend of two different kinds of coffee.
blend • er / 'blendsr /noun [ count ]
an electric machine that is used for mixing soft food or liquid
bless / bles / verb ( bless . es , bless ing , blessed )
( religion ) to ask for God's help for someone or something The priest blessed the young couple. Bless you!
words that you say to someone when they sneeze (= make a loud noise through their nose )
bless • ing / ' blesig / noun
[count]
something that is good or that helps you
Having such a supportive family has been a real blessing.
If you have someone's blessing , they agree with what you are doing and will support you
They got married without their parents' blessing.
( religion ) God's help and protection, or a prayer asking for this
The rabbi said a blessing.
blew
form of blow l
blimp / blimp /noun [count]
a big thing that is filled with gas so it can float. It is made of soft material and looks like a long round balloon
the Goodyear Blimp
blind 1 / blaind / adjective ( blind . er , blind . est )
not able to see My grandad is going blind .
He trains guide dogs for the blind (= people who are not able to see ) .
blind • ness / ' blaindnss /noun [ noncount ]
The disease can cause blindness.
blind 2 / blaind / verb ( blinds , blind . ing , blind ed )
to make someone unable to see
I was blinded for a couple of seconds by the glare of the sun.
blind3 / blaind /noun [count]
blind • fold / blaindfould /noun [count]
a piece of cloth that you put over someone's eyes so that they cannot see
a piece of cloth or other material that you pull down to cover a window
blind • fold verb
( blind . folds , blind . fold ing , blind . fold ed )
The prisoners were blindfolded and pushed into vans.
blink / blnjk / verb ( blinks , blink ing , blinked )
to shut and open your eyes very quickly —Look atwink .
(used about a light) to come on and go off again quickly I don't know why that light is blinking on my computer.
blink noun [ count ]
bliss / blis /noun [ noncount ]
perfect happiness married bliss
bliss • ful / ' blisfl / adjective
a blissful smile
blis • ter / 'blistsr /noun [ count ]
( health ) a small painful place on your skin that is full of liquid. Rubbing or burning can cause blisters My new shoes gave me blisters.
bliz • zard / 'blizsrd /noun [ count ]
a very bad storm with snow and strong winds —SYNONYM snowstorm
bloat • ed / ' bloutsd /adjective
If you feel bloated , your stomach feels uncomfortable because it is too full
I felt really bloated after that huge lunch.
blob / blab /noun [ count ]
a small amount of a thick liquid There are blobs of paint on the floor.
block 1 © / blak /noun [ count ]
a big heavy piece of something, with flat sides a block of wood
The bridge is made of concrete blocks.
a group of buildings with streets all around it We drove around the block looking for the hotel. My house is two blocks from here.
a thing that stops someone or something from moving forward
The police put road blocks around the town.
a number of similar things that form a group We booked a block of seats for the baseball game.
block 2 / blak / verb (blocks, block . ing, blocked)
to stop someone or something from moving forward A fallen tree blocked the road.
to stop someone from seeing something Can you sit down? You're blocking my view .
block • age / шыз / noun [ count ]
a thing that is preventing something from passing There must be a blockage in the pipe somewhere.
blog / blag /noun [ count ]
a personal record that someone puts on their website saying what they do every day and what they think about things
blog • ger / ' blagsr /noun [ count ]
a person who writes a blog
blond / bland / ( also blonde )adjective
with hair that has a light color He has blond hair. She is tall and blonde.
blonde noun [ count ]
a woman who has blond hair She's a natural blonde.
blood Ф / blAd /noun [ noncount ] the red liquid inside your body He lost a lot of blood in the accident. The verb is bleed .
blood pres • sure / ' biAd p_rejbr / noun
[noncount]
( health , biology ) the force with which blood moves
around the body
He has high blood pressure .
blood • shed / blAdfed / noun
[noncount]
the killing of people, especially during a war
They hoped the peace talks would prevent more bloodshed.
blood • stream / blAdstrim /noun [ singular ]
( biology ) the blood as it flows through the body
It takes a few minutes for the drug to enter your
bloodstream.
blood • thirst • y / ' blAd^rsti / adjective
wanting to hurt and kill people a bloodthirsty dictator
blood ves • sel / ' blAd ,vesl /noun [ count ]
( biology ) one of the tubes in your body that blood flows through
blood • y / blAdi / adjective ( blood . i er , blood i . est )
with a lot of killing It was a bloody war.
covered with blood a bloody nose
bloom 1 / blum / verb ( blooms , bloom . ing , bloomed )
to produce flowers Roses bloom in the summer.
bloom2 / blum /noun in bloom
with its flowers open
The dogwood trees are in bloom.
blos • som / ' ЬЫэш /noun [ count, noncount ] the flowers on a tree, especially a fruit tree The apple tree is covered in blossom. ► blos • somverb
( blos . soms , blos . som . ing , blos . somed )
The cherry trees are blossoming.
blouse / blaus /noun [ count ]
a piece of clothing like a shirt that a woman or girl wears on the top part of her body
— Look at the picture at clothes . blOW1 Ф / blou / verb
( blows, blow . ing , blew / blu / has blown / bloun / ) Pronunciation
The word blow sounds like go .
When air or wind blows , it moves The wind was blowing from the ocean.
to move something through the air The wind blew my hat off .
to send air out from your mouth Please blow into this tube.
( music ) to send air out from your mouth into a musical instrument, for example, to make a noise
The referee blew his whistle.
blow up ; blow something up
to explode or make something explode, for example with a bomb
The plane blew up. They blew up the station.
to fill something with air
We blew up some balloons for the party. blow your nose
to clear your nose by blowing strongly through it onto a piece of cloth or paper (called a handkerchief or tissue )
blow 2 Ф / blou /noun [ count ]
a hard hit from someone's hand or a weapon He felt a blow on the back of his head.
something that happens suddenly and that makes you very unhappy
Her father's death was a terrible blow. blow-dry / 'blou drai / verb ( blow-dries , blow-dry . ing , blow-dried )
to dry someone's hair using a small machine that blows out hot air (a hair dryer )
I didn't have time to blow-dry my hair.
blue 1Ф / blu/ adjective (blu ei , >lu est )
having the color of a clear sky when the sun shines He wore a blue shirt.
dark blue curtains Her eyes are bright blue.
( informal ) sad
I'm feeling a little blue today.
blue 2Ф / blu/noun [ count, noncount] the color of a clear sky when the sun shines She was dressed in blue .
—Look at blues .
blue • ber • ry / 'blu,beri /noun [ count ] ( plural blue . ber . ries )
a small, round, dark blue fruit that grows on a bush blueberry muffins
—Look at the picture at berry . blue-col • lar / ,blu ' kabr / adjective
( business ) connected with people who do physical work with their hands rather than office work blue-collar workers
— Look at white-collar .
blues / bluz /noun [ plural ]
( music ) a type of slow, sad music with a strong rhythm, developed by African-American musicians in the Southern U.S.
to sing the blues a blues band
bluff / blAf / verb ( bluffs , bluff . ing , bluffed )
to try to make people believe something is true when it is not
She won't really tell Mom and Dad. She's just bluffing.
blunt / blAnt / adjective ( blunt . er , blunt est )
with an edge or point that is not sharp He only had a blunt knife to cut the rope.
—ANTONYM sharp
If you are blunt , you say what you think in a way that is not polite.
► blunt • ly / ' blAntli / adverb "Go away," she said bluntly.
blur / Ь1эг / noun [ count , usually singular ] something that you cannot see clearly or remember well Without my glasses, everything's a blur. The events of the day were just a blur.
blur • ry / ' bbri / adjective ( blurr • i • er , blurr • i • est )
not clear
I can't read the words — they're all blurry.
blurt / bbrt / verb ( blurts , blurt • ing , blurt ed )
blurt something out to say something suddenly or without thinking
The teacher told us to wait, but James just blurted out the answer.
blush / Ыл/ / verb ( blush • es , blush • ing , blushed )
If you blush , your face suddenly becomes red, for example
because you are embarrassed
She blushed when he looked at her.
Blvd.
abbreviation of boulevard
boar / bar / ( also wild boar )noun [ count ]
a wild pig
board 1 Ф / bord / noun
1 [ count ] a long, thin, flat piece of wood
nailed a board across the broken window. floorboards
[ count ] a flat piece of wood, for example, that you use for a special purpose
There is a list of names on the bulletin board. an ironing board a chessboard Look at blackboard .
[ count ] ( business ) a group of people who have a special job, for example controlling a company
the board of directors
[ noncount ] the meals that are provided when you live at a college or stay at a hotel, etc.
The tuition fees do not include room and board .
on board
on a ship or an airplane
How many passengers are on board?
board 2 / bord / verb ( boards , board • ing , board • ed )
to get on a ship, bus, train, or airplane
We said goodbye and boarded the train.
Flight 193 to Denver is now boarding (= is ready for
passengers to get on ) .
board • ing pass / 'bordig pas / noun [count]
a card that you must show when you get on an airplane or a ship
board • ing school / ' bordig skul / [count]
a school where the students live
boast / boust / verb ( boasts , boast • ing , boast • ed )
to talk in a way that shows you are too proud of something
that you have or something that you can do
He's always boasting about what a good football player he
is.
► boast • ful / ' boustfl / adjective
I know you won, but you don't need to be so boastful about it.
boat © / bout /noun [ count ]
a vehicle for traveling on water a fishing boat We traveled by boat .
—Look at ship .
bob / bab / verb ( bobs , bob • bing , bobbed )
to move quickly up and down
The boats in the harbor were bobbing up and down in the water.
bod . у © / 'badi /noun ( pluralbod . ies )
[ count ] the whole physical form of a person or an animal
the human body
[ count ] all of a person or animal except the legs, arms, and head
The baby mice have thin bodies and big heads.
body
internal organs the body
(T) brain (4) vein (7) liver (io] head ©arm © stomach
® Ihroat © heart © aomjeh © reel ® dbm © hip ® ane.-j' © lung @ intestines © shoultter © chest
[ count ] a dead person
The police found a body in the river.
[ singular ] the main part of something
the body of a plane (= the part where the seats are )
bod • y • build • ing / ' badibiidig / noun
[noncount]
( sports ) making the muscles of your body bigger and stronger by doing exercise
► bod • y • build • er / ' badi|bIldэr / noun [ count ]
a person who does bodybuilding
bod • y • guard / ' badigard /noun [ count ]
a person or group of people whose job is to keep an
important person safe
The president's bodyguards all carry guns.
bo • gus / ' bougэs / adjective
pretending to be real or true a bogus contract
boil О / boil / verb ( boils , boil • ing , boiled )
( general science ) When a liquid boils , it becomes very hot and makes steam and bubbles
Water boils at 212°F.
to heat a liquid until it boils
I boiled some water for the pasta.
to cook something in extremely hot water Boil the rice in a pan.
a boiled egg
Thesaurus
cook to make food ready to eat by heating it: My mother taught me how to cook. ♦ Who is going to cook dinner tonight? ♦ What's the best way to cook salmon? ♦ He cooked us a wonderful meal. boil to cook vegetables, rice, eggs, etc. in boiling water (= water heated to 212°F ) : Boil the rice for 15 minutes. ♦ Put the potatoes on to boil. ♦ Do you like boiled cabbage?
fry to cook food in a shallow pan of hot oil: Fry the onion and garlic for five minutes. ♦ There was a smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. ♦ fried chicken/fish/rice bake to cook food in an oven without any extra fat or liquid: to bake bread/cookies ♦ We baked him a cake for his birthday. ♦ baked potatoes roast to cook large pieces of meat in an oven or over a fire; to cook vegetables in oil or fat in an oven: The turkey is roasting in the oven. ♦ You should boil the potatoes for a little while before you roast them. grill to cook meat or fish on metal bars over a fire: to grill steak/chicken/burgers/fish on the barbecue ♦ grilled salmon
broil to cook food under or over direct heat: to broil salmon/a steak ♦ We ate broiled chicken with vegetables.
boil over to boil and flow over the sides of a pan Don't let the milk boil over.
boil • er / ' boilar /noun [ count ]
a big metal container that heats water for a building
boil • ing / ' boilig / ( also boil . ing hot )adjective
( informal )
very hot
I'm boiling.
It's boiling hot in here.
Thesaurus
hot having a high temperature; (used about a person) feeling heat in an uncomfortable way: Do you like this hot weather? ♦ Be careful - the plates are hot. ♦ If you're hot, take off your sweater. warm with a temperature that is high but not very high, so that it feels pleasant; not hot and not cold: Wash the blouse in warm soapy water. ♦ It's cold outside but it's nice and warm in here. ♦ Are you warm enough? ♦ I jumped up and down to keep warm. —ANTONYM cold , cool
lukewarm slightly warm, often in an unpleasant way: The food was only lukewarm. ♦ Add half a cup of lukewarm water to the mixture. boiling ( informal )
very hot in an unpleasant way: You must be boiling in that heavy coat. ♦ Can you turn the heat down? It's boiling hot in here. —ANTONYM freezing
boil • ing point / ' boilig |point /noun [ count ]
( general science ) the temperature at which a liquid starts to boil
bois • ter • ous / boistaras / adjective
noisy and full of energy
The kids were a little too boisterous on the school bus.
bold / bould / adjective ( bold . er , bold . est )
1 brave and not afraid
It was very bold of you to ask for more money.
2 that you can see clearly bold colors
bold • ly / ' bouldli / adverb He boldly said that he disagreed.
bo • lo • gna ( also ba . lo . ney ) / ba ' louni /noun [noncount]
a meat that people often eat for lunch, made from different types of cooked meats: a bologna sandwich
bolt / boult /noun [ count ]
a thick metal pin that you use with another piece of metal (called a nut ) to fasten things together
a piece of metal that you move across a door to lock it
a sudden bright light in the sky during a storm a bolt of lightning
bolt verb ( bolts , bolt . ing , bolt . ed )
to lock a door by putting a bolt across it
bolts
bomb 1 w / bam /noun [ count ] a thing that explodes and hurts or damages people or things Aircraft dropped bombs on the city. A bomb went off (= exploded ) at the station.
bomb 2 4?/ bam / verb ( bombs , bomb . ing , bombed )
to attack people or a place with bombs The city was bombed in the war.
bomb • er / ' bamar /noun [ count ]
a type of airplane that drops bombs
a person who makes a bomb explode somewhere
bondawД / band /noun [ count ]
something that joins people or groups of people together a strong bond offriendship
bone О / boun /noun [ count ]
one of the hard white parts inside the body of a person or an animal
She broke a bone in her foot. This fish has a lot of bones in it.
bon • fire / ban|faiar /noun [ count ] a big fire that you make outside
bon • net / banat /noun [ count ]
a soft hat that you tie under your chin bo • nus / bounas /noun [ count ] ( pluralbon . us . es )
( business ) an extra payment that is added to what you usually get
to receive an annual bonus
something good that you get in addition to what you expected
My cell phone service includes free texts as an added bonus .
bon • y / ' bouni /adjective ( bon i • er, bon i • est )
very thin, so that you can see the shape of the bones long bony fingers
boo / bu / exclamation, noun [ count ] ( plural boos )
a word people use to show that they do not like someone or something
The speech was met with boos from the audience.
a sound that you make to frighten or surprise someone He jumped out from behind the door and shouted "Boo!" ► booverb ( boos , boo • ing , booed )
to shout "boo" The audience booed.
book1Ф / buk/noun [ count ]
a thing that you read or write in, which has a lot of pieces of paper joined together inside a cover I'm reading a book by Mark Twain.
an address book (= a book that you write people's addresses in )
book 2 / buk / verb ( books , book • ing , booked )
to arrange to do or have something later, for example a seat
on an airplane or a room at a hotel
He booked a flight to Los Angeles.
The hotel is fully booked (= all the rooms are full ) .
book • case / ' buk|keis / noun [ count ]
a piece of furniture that you put books in
book • let / ' buklst / noun [ count ]
a small thin book that gives information about something
book • store / ' bukstor / noun [ count ]
a store that sells books
boom 1 /bum / noun[count]
a loud deep sound
There was a huge boom, and then silence.
( business ) a period in which something increases or develops very quickly
a boom in car sales
boom 2 / bum / verb ( booms , boom . ing , boomed )
to make a loud deep sound
We heard the guns booming in the distance.
boost / bust / verb ( boosts , boost • ing , boost • ed )
to make something increase in number, value, or strength Lower prices have boosted sales.
What can we do to boost her confidence (= make her feel more confident ) ?
boot Ф / but / noun [ count ]
a shoe that covers your foot and usually part of your leg —Look at the picture atshoe .
booth / bue /noun [ count ] ( pluralbooths
/ bues ; budz/ )
a small room or space that is separated from the rest of the area
a voting booth a phone booth
bor .der Ф / 'bordor /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a line between two countries or states You need a passport to cross the border.
—Look at boundary .
a line along the edge of something a white tablecloth with a blue border
bore 1
form of bear 1
bore 2 / bor / verb ( bores , bor • ing , bored )
to make someone feel bored, especially by talking too much
He bores everyone with his long stories.
to make a thin round hole in something These insects bore holes in wood.
bore3 / bor /noun [ count ]
a person who talks a lot in a way that is not interesting
bored Ф / bord / adjective
not interested; unhappy because you have nothing
interesting to do
I'm bored with this book.
The children were bored stiff (= extremely bored ) . ► bore • dom / ' bordsm /noun [ noncount ] I started to eat too much out of boredom. Which word? Bored or boring? If you have nothing to do, or if what you are doing does not interest you, then you are bored : Grace was so bored that she went home.
The person or thing that makes you feel like this is boring : The movie was very boring.
ЬОГ . ing Ф / boni] / adjective
not interesting
That class was so boring!
born Ф / born / adjective be born
to start your life He was born in 1996. Where were you born?
borne
form of bear 2
bor • ough / ' bsrou /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a town or an part of a city that has its own local government
Brooklyn is a borough of New York City.
bor . row Фу 'barou ; Ъэгои / verb ( bor rows , bor • row • ing , bor • rowed )
to take and use something that you will give back after a short time
I borrowed some books from the library. Can I borrow your pen? Which word? Borrow or lend?
If you borrow something, you have it for a short time and you must give it back: I borrowed a DVD from Alex for the weekend.
If you lend something, you give it to someone for a short time: Alex lent me a DVD for the weekend.
boss 1 Ф / bos / noun
[ count ] ( plural boss • es )
a person who is in charge of other people at work and tells them what to do I asked my boss for a vacation.
boss 2 / bos/ verb ( boss•es,boss ing, bossed ) boss someone around
to tell someone what to do, in a way that bothers them I wish you'd stop bossing me around.
boss • y / ' bэsi / adjective ( boss .i . er , boss . i est)
A bossy person likes to tell other people what to do My sister is very bossy.
bot • a • ny / ' batnn /noun [ noncount ]
( biology ) the scientific study of plants ► bot • a • nist / ' batn^ist /noun [ count ]
a person who studies plants
both Ф / bou6 / adjective, pronoun
the two; not only one but also the other Hold it in both hands. Both her brothers are doctors. Both of us like dancing. We both like dancing. both . and not only ... but also She is both rich and intelligent.
bOth .еГ Ф / Ъабэг / verb ( both . ers , both . er ing , both . ered )
to disturb someone or make them angry, worried, or upset
Don't bother me now — I'm busy! Is this music bothering you?
I'm sorry to bother you , but there's someone on the phone for you.
My ankle is still bothering (= hurting ) me.
to spend extra time or energy doing something Don't bother with the dishes — I'll do them later. He didn't even bother to say goodbye.
bOt .tie Ф / 'batl/noun [ count ] a glass or plastic container for liquids, with a thin part at the top a beer bottle
They drank two bottles of water. —Look at the picture at container .
bOt . tOITI 1 Ф / 'butom /noun
[ count , usually singular ] the lowest part of something
They live at the bottom of the hill. The book was at the bottom of my bag. Look at the picture at the bottom of the page.
—ANTONYM top
[ count ] the flat surface on the outside of an object, on which it stands
There's a label on the bottom of the box. —ANTONYM top
[ singular ] the lowest position compared to other people or groups
I was always at the bottom of the class in math. —ANTONYM top 4[count] ( informal )
the part of your body that you sit on
bOt . tOITI 2 Ф / 'Ixitom /adjective
lowest
Put the book on the bottom shelf. —ANTONYM top
bought
form of buy
boul • der / ^Мэг / noun [ count ]
a very big rock
boul • e • vard / ' bubvard /noun [ count ]
a wide street in a town or city The short way of writing "Boulevard" in street names is Blvd. Sunset Blvd
bounce / bauns / verb (bounc es,bounc . ing ,bounced)
(used about a ball) to move away quickly after hitting something hard; to make a ball do this
The ball bounced off the wall. The boy was bouncing a basketball.
to jump up and down many times
The children were bouncing on their beds.
bounc • er / ' baunsэr /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to control who goes in to a bar or club, and to make people leave if they are causing trouble The bouncer checked our IDs.
bounc • y / ' baunsi /adjective
( bounc i .er , bounc . i est )
that bounces well or that can make things bounce
a bouncy ball
a bouncy surface
bound 1
form of bind
bound 2 / baund / adjective
sure to do something
She works very hard, so she's bound to do well in her exams.
having a legal or moral duty to do something She is not legally bound to pay for the damage.
going to a place
This ship is bound for Miami.
bound 3 / baund / verb ( bounds,bound ing,bound . ed )
to run with long steps
The dog bounded up the steps.
bound • a • ry / ' baundэri/noun [ count ] ( pluralbound . a . ries )
a real or imagined line that marks the edges of something This fence is the boundary between the two yards. scientists who push back the boundaries of knowledge
—Look at border .
bou • quet / bou ' kei ; bu' kei /noun [count]
a group of flowers that is arranged in an attractive way He gave her a bouquet of roses.
bou • tique / bu ' tik /noun [ count ]
( business ) a small store that sells expensive clothes, gifts, etc.
a designer boutique
bow 1 / bau / verb ( bows , bow . ing , bowed ) Pronunciation
The verb and noun bow 1 and bow 2 sound like now .
to bend your head or body forward to show respect The actors bowed at the end of the play.
bow2 / bau /noun [ count ]
an act of bowing
He made a bow and left the stage.
the front end of a ship or boat —Look atstern 2 .
bow 3/bou/ noun [count]
Pronunciation
With these meanings, the word bow sounds like go .
a knot with two loose round parts and two loose ends that you use when you are tying shoes, etc.
a curved piece of wood with a tight string between the two ends. You use a bow to send arrows through the air.
( music ) a long thin piece of wood with hair stretched across it that you use for playing some musical instruments a violin bow
violin
arrow
bows
bow • el / 'baual /noun [ count ]
( biology ) one of the tubes that takes waste food away from your stomach to the place where it leaves your body
bowl 1 Ф / boul /noun [ count ] a deep round dish that is used for holding food or liquids a sugar bowl a bowl of soup
— Look at the picture at cereal .
bowl 2 / boul / verb ( bowls , bowl ing , bowled )
( sports ) to roll the ball in a game of bowling
bowl .ing
/ boulig /noun [noncount]
( sports ) a game in which you roll a heavy ball down a special track toward a group of wooden objects shaped like bottles ( called pins ) and try to knock them all down We go bowling every Friday night.
bow tie / ' bou tai / noun [ count ]
a tie in the shape of a bow 3 ( 1 ) that some men wear on formal occasions
box / baks /noun [ count ] ( pluralbox es )
a container with straight sides. A box often has a lid Put the books in a cardboard box.
a box of chocolates a matchbox
— Look at the picture at container .
a square or similar shape on a piece of paper for people to write information in
Write your name in the box below.
box2 / baks /verb ( box .es , box . ing , boxed ) ( sports ) to fight with your hands, wearing thick gloves, as a sport
box • er / ' baksar /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a person who boxes as a sport Muhammad Ali, the famous boxer
box • er shorts / baksar | /orts /
( also box . ers / baksarz / )noun [ plural ] men's underwear that looks like a pair of short pants
box • ing / ' baksig /noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) the sport of fighting with your hands, while wearing thick gloves
box of • fice / ' baks |ofas /noun [ count ]
a place where you buy tickets in a theater, etc.
boyФ / boi / noun [ count ] ( plural boys ) a male child; a young man They have three children, two boys and a girl. The older boys at school used to tease him.
boy • cott / ' boikat / verb ( boy cotts , boy . cott . ing , boy cott . ed )
( business , politics ) to refuse to buy, use, or take part in
something as a way of making a protest
Several athletes boycotted the Olympics (= they did not
take part ) in protest.
► boy • cott noun [ count ]
a boycott of American goods
boy .friendО / ' boifrend /noun [ count ]
a boy or man who someone has a romantic relationship with
She has had a lot of boyfriends.
the Boy Scouts / 6a 'boi skauts /noun
[ singular ]
a special club for boys, which does a lot of activities with them and teaches them useful skills ►Boy Scoutnoun [ count ]
a boy who is a member of the Boy Scouts
bra / bra /noun [ count ] ( pluralbras ) a thing that a woman wears under her other clothes to cover and support the soft round parts at the front of her body (her breasts )
brace • let / breislat /noun [ count ]
a pretty piece of metal, wood, or plastic that you wear around your arm —Look at the picture atjewelry .
brac • es / breisaz /noun [ plural ]
( health ) wires that children wear on their teeth to make
them grow straight
My dentist told me I need braces.
brack • et / brrekat /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) one of the two marks, [ ], that you put around extra information in a text
—Look at parentheses .
a particular range of ages, prices, pay, etc.
the 18-24 age bracket (= people aged between 18 and 24 ) to be in a high income bracket
brag / brreg / verb ( brags , brag . ging , bragged )
to talk in a way that shows you are too proud of something that you have or something that you can do She's always bragging about how smart she is.
—SYNONYM boast
braid / breid /noun [count]
a long piece of hair that someone has divided into three parts and put over and under each other She wears her hair in braids .
—Look at the picture at hair .
► braid verb ( braids , braid • ing , braid ed )
She braided her hair.
Braille / breil /noun [noncount]
a system of printing using little round marks that you can read by touching them. It is used by people who are not able to see ( blind people).
brain Ф / brein /noun
[ count ] the part inside the head of a person or an animal that thinks and feels
The brain controls the rest of the body.
—Look at the picture at body .
[ count, noncount ] the ability to think clearly; being intelligent
He doesn't have the brains to be a doctor.
brain • storm / breinstorm / verb ( brain • storms , brain • storm • ing , brain • stormed )
to try to think of as many ideas as possible in a short time Let's brainstorm some new ways to raise money.
brain • wash / ' breinwaj ; ' breinwoj / verb ( brain • wash • es, brain • wash ing , brain • washed )
to make someone believe something by using strong mental pressure
They were brainwashed into giving away all their money.
brain • y / breini / adjective ( brain • i • er , brain i est )
( informal ) intelligent
Laura's even brainier than her sister. —SYNONYM smart
brake1 / breik /noun [ count ]
the part of a vehicle that you use to make it go slower or stop
I put my foot on the brake. — Look at the picture at steering wheel .
brake 2 / breik / verb ( brakes , brak • ing , braked ) to use a brake
A dog ran into the road and the driver braked suddenly.
bran / bran /noun [ noncount]
the brown covering of grain that is left when the grain is made into flour bran muffins
branch 1 Ф / braentj/noun [ count ] ( pluralbranch • es )
( biology ) one of the parts of a tree that grow out from the thick main part (called the trunk )
—Look at the picture at tree .
( business ) an office or a store that is part of a big company
This bank has branches all over the country.
one part of an academic subject or area of study Psychiatry is a branch of medicine.
branch 2 / brant/ / verb ( branch • es , branch • ing , branched )
branch out to start doing something new and different He started as a clothing designer, then branched out into furniture.
brand / brand /noun [ count ]
( business ) the name of a product that a particular company makes
Which brand of coffee do you buy?
bran • dish / ' brandij / ( bran • dish • es , bran • dish • ing , bran dished )
to wave something in the air in a violent or excited way He came out of the building brandishing a gun.
brand new / |brand ' nu /adjective
completely new a brand new car
bran • dy / ' brandi /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralbran • dies )
a strong alcoholic drink made from wine a glass of brandy Two brandies, please.
brash / bra/ / adjective ( brash • er , brash est )
too confident and direct
He has a brash manner, which some people don't like.
brass / bras /noun [ noncount ]
a hard yellow metal brass buttons
the group of musical instruments that are made of brass music for piano, strings, and brass
Word building An orchestra is made up of four sections. The strings section includes violins and cellos. The woodwind section includes clarinets and flutes. The brass section includes trumpets and trombones. The percussion section includes drums and cymbals.
brat / brat /noun [ count ] a child who behaves badly Stop acting like a spoiled brat !
brave Ф / breiv / adjective ( brav er , brav • est )
ready to do dangerous or difficult things without fear brave soldiers Try to be brave.
brave • ly / ' breivli / adverb He fought bravely in the war.
brav • er • y / ' Ьгсгуэй / noun [ noncount ]
He won a medal for bravery.
bread Ф / bred / bread
noun [ noncount ]
a slice of bread and butter _r ^ ■
a loaf of bread
breadth / bred9 /noun [ count, noncount ]
how far it is from one side of something to the other We measured the length and breadth of the yard.
—SYNONYM width —The adjective is broad .
break 1 Ф / breik / verb
( breaks , break • ing , broke / brouk / has bro • ken
/ brouksn / )
to make something go into smaller pieces, for example by dropping it or hitting it
Did you break the window? She broke her arm.
to go into smaller pieces, for example by falling or hitting I dropped the cup and it broke.
to stop working; to damage a machine so that it stops working
You broke my phone!
to do something that is against the law or against what has been agreed or promised
People who break the law must be punished. I never break my promises .
to stop doing something for a short time
Let's break for lunch now and meet back here at 2 p.m. break down
If a machine or car breaks down , it stops working We were late because our car broke down.
If a person breaks down , they start to cry He broke down when he heard the news.
break in ; break into something to go into a place by breaking a door or window so that you can steal something
Thieves broke into the house. They broke in through a window.
break off to take away a piece of something by breaking it
He broke off another piece of chocolate for me.
break out
to start suddenly
A fire broke out last night.
to get free from a place like a prison Four prisoners broke out of jail last night. break up to end a relationship with someone Mia and Carl just broke up.
Susy broke up with her boyfriend last week. Thesaurus
break to go, or to make something go into smaller pieces: She dropped the cup and it broke into pieces . ♦ I'm sorry, I broke one of your dinner plates. ♦ He broke the chocolate in two and gave me half. ♦ She fell and broke her arm.
crack (used about something hard) to break so that a line appears, but without dividing into smaller pieces; to break something in this way: The ice cracked as I stepped on it. ♦ This mirror is cracked. ♦ He cracked a tooth playing football.
smash to break into many pieces in a violent and noisy way; to break something in this way: The glass bowl smashed into a thousand pieces . ♦ Several windows had been smashed. ♦ He smashed the box open and took the jewelry from inside.
snap to break suddenly into two pieces with a sharp noise; to break something in this way: Suddenly, the cable snapped. ♦ The weight of the snow snapped the branch in two.
burst to break open suddenly; to make something break in this way: That balloon will burst if you blow it up any more. ♦ Don't burst that balloon! ♦ The dam burst under the weight of the water.
break2/ breik /noun [ count ]
1 a place where something opens or has broken The sun shone through a break in the clouds.
a short time when you stop doing something We worked all day without a break.
an opportunity to do something; a chance to be successful
He got his big break when he appeared on "American Idol."
give someone a break
to stop bothering someone or being unfair to them Give me a break! I've been working all day!
break • down / breikdaun / noun [ count ]
a time when a machine, car, etc. stops working We had a breakdown on the highway.
the failure or end of something
The breakdown of the talks could lead to more violence.
another word for nervous breakdown
break .fast Ф / brekfsst / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the first meal of the day I had breakfast at seven o'clock. to eat a big breakfast
break -in / ' breik |in/ noun [ count ]
the act of entering a building by force, especially to steal something
The police reported several break-ins in the area.
break • through / breikeru / noun [ count ]
something important that you discover or develop to made a breakthrough in cancer research
break • up / ' breikvp / noun [ count ]
the end of a relationship between two people the breakup of a marriage
breast / brest / noun [ count ]
Pronunciation
The word breast sounds like test .
one of the two soft round parts of a woman's body that can give milk
the front part of a bird's body
breast • stroke / breststrouk ; brestrouk / noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) a way of swimming on your front in which you push both arms forward and then pull them back to your sides in a circle Can you do the breaststroke ?
—Look at crawl 2 .
breath Ф / bree /noun [ count, noncount ]
the air that you take in and let out through your nose and mouth
Take a deep breath .
He has bad breath (= breath that smells bad ) .
hold your breath
to stop breathing for a short time
We all held our breath as the winner was announced.
out of breath
breathing very quickly
She was out of breath after climbing the stairs. under your breath
If you say something under your breath , you say it quietly because you do not want people to hear "Idiot!" he muttered under his breath.
breathe Ф / brid /
( breathes, breath • ing, breathed )
to take in and let out air through your nose and mouth The doctor told me to breathe in and then breathe out again slowly.
breath • less / ' bre6bs /
( health ) breathing quickly or with difficulty Running made them hot and breathless.
breath • tak • ing / ' bree,teikig / adjective
very beautiful, surprising, or exciting
We had a breathtaking view of the mountains.
breed1 / brid /verb
( breeds , breed ing , bred / bred / has bred )
( biology ) When animals breed , they produce young animals
Birds breed in the spring.
to keep animals so that they will produce baby animals They breed horses on their farm.
breed2 / brid /noun [ count ] a kind of animal
There are many different breeds of dog.
breeze / briz /noun [ count ]
a light wind
Thesaurus
wind air that moves quickly outside: The wind was blowing hard. ♦ The trees were swaying in the wind . ♦ Several trees were blown over in the strong winds . ♦ A gust of wind blew my hat off.
hurricane a violent storm with very strong winds, which starts over the ocean: Many of the buildings here were destroyed in the hurricane. ♦ Hurricane Rita is now approaching the coast of Florida. tornado a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle. There is often also a tall cloud which is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top: A tornado tore through the town yesterday. ♦ The hotel was completely destroyed by a tornado. ♦ a tornado warning breeze a light wind: A light breeze was blowing. ♦ The flowers were gently moving in the breeze. ♦ a cool/warm breeze
gale a very strong wind: The roof of the school was torn off by the gale. ♦ The gale blew down several trees.
brew • er • y / ' brrnri /noun [ count ] ( pluralbrew . er . ies )
a place where beer is made
bribe / braib /noun [ count ]
money or a gift that you give to someone to make them do something for you, especially something dishonest ► bribeverb ( bribes , brib ing , bribed )
The prisoner bribed the guard to let him go free.
brib • er • y / ' ЬгаЛэй /noun [ noncount ]
the act of giving or taking bribes the bribery of public officials
brick Ф / brik /noun [ count, noncount ] a small block of clay (= a type of earth ) that has been baked until it is hard. Bricks are used for building a brick wall
brick • lay • er / ' brik,lerar /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to build things with bricks
brid • al / braidl / adjective
connected with a bride or a wedding
a bridal shower (= a party before a wedding where people give presents to the bride )
bride / braid /noun [ count ]
a woman on the day of her wedding the bride and groom
bride • groom / 'braidgrum /noun [ count ] ( formal )
a man on the day of his wedding —SYNONYM groom
brides • maid / braidzmeid / noun
[count]
a girl or woman who helps a bride at her wedding —Look atmaid of honor .
bridge Ф / brid3 /noun [count ]
a thing that is built over a road, railroad, or river so that people, trains, or cars can cross it We walked over the bridge.
brief Ф E Ц / brif / adjective ( brief . er , brief est )
short or quick a brief telephone call Please be brief. in brief
in a few words
Here is the news in brief (= words said on a radio or television program ) .
brief • lyAWL / ' brifli / adverb He had spoken to Emma only briefly.
brief • case / ' brifkeis /noun [ count ] a flat case that you use for carrying papers, especially when you go to work
Look at the picture at bag .
brief • ingAWL / ' brifig /noun [ count, noncount ]
instructions or information that someone is given before something happens
a press briefing(=where information is given to journalists)
bright О / brait / adjective ( bright er , bright . est )
with a lot of light
It was a bright sunny day. That lamp is very bright.
with a strong color a bright yellow shirt
intelligent; able to learn things quickly She is the brightest child in the class. Thesaurus
intelligent good at learning, understanding, and thinking quickly and clearly: He's a very intelligent man. ♦ She asked a lot of intelligent questions. smart quick at learning and understanding things; able to make good decisions: She's smarter than her brother. ♦ Accepting that job was a smart career move . ♦ OK, I admit it wasn't the smartest thing I ever did (= it was a stupid thing to do ) .
brilliant extremely intelligent: a brilliant young scientist/musician ♦ He has one of the most brilliant minds in the country.
bright (used especially about young people) intelligent; quick to learn: She's probably the brightest student in the class. ♦ a bright boy/girl/kid
bright • ly / ' braitli / adverb brightly colored clothes
bright • ness / ' braitms /noun [ noncount ]
the brightness of the sun
bright • en / braitn / verb ( bright . ens , bright . en . ing , bright . ened ) ( also bright . en up )
to become brighter or happier; to make something brighter Her face brightened when she saw him. These flowers will brighten the room up.
bril • liant / brilyant / adjective
with a lot of light; very bright brilliant sunshine
extremely intelligent a brilliant student
Thesaurus
intelligent good at learning, understanding, and thinking quickly and clearly: He's a very intelligent man. ♦ She asked a lot of intelligent questions. smart quick at learning and understanding things; able to make good decisions: She's smarter than her brother. ♦ Accepting that job was a smart career move . ♦ OK, I admit it wasn't the smartest thing I ever did (= it was a stupid thing to do ) .
brilliant extremely intelligent: a brilliant young scientist/musician ♦ He has one of the most brilliant minds in the country.
bright (used especially about young people) intelligent; quick to learn: She's probably the brightest student in the class. ♦ a bright boy/girl/kid
bril • liance / 'brilyans / noun [ noncount ] the brilliance of the light
bril • liant • ly / 'brilyantli / adverb
brim / brim /noun [ count ]
the edge around the top of something like a cup, bowl, or glass
The bowl was full to the brim .
the wide part around the bottom of a hat
bring Ф / brig /verb
( brings , bring . ing , brought / brot / has brought )
to take something or someone with you to a place Could you bring me a glass of water?
Can I bring a friend to the party?
to make something happen Money doesn't always bring happiness.
bring something about to cause something to happen to bring about changes in people's lives bring something back 1 to return something
brought back the book you lent me.
to make you remember something
These old photographs bring back a lot of happy memories.
bring something on to cause something Her headaches are brought on by stress. bring someone up to take care of a child until they are grown up
He was brought up by his aunt after his parents died. The noun is upbringing .
bring something up to start to talk about something Can you bring up this problem at the next meeting? Which word? Bring or take?
You bring something with you to the place where you are going: Bring your vacation pictures to show me. ♦ He always brings me flowers. ♦ Can I bring a friend to the party?
You take something to a different place: Don't forget to take your passport. ♦ Take an umbrella when you go out today.
brisk / brisk / adjective ( brisk .er , brisk .est )
quick and using a lot of energy We went for a brisk walk. ► brisk • ly / ' briskli /adverb to walk briskly
bris • tle / 'brisl /noun [ count ]
a short thick hair like the hair on a brush
brit • tle / britl / adjective
Something that is brittle is hard but breaks easily This glass is very brittle.
broad / brod / adjective ( broad . er , broad . est )
1 large from one side to the other a broad river
—SYNONYM wide
2 including many different people or things We offer a broad range of products.
—ANTONYM narrow The noun is breadth .
broad • band / ' brodbrend /noun [ noncount ]
( computers ) a way of connecting a computer to the Internet, which lets you send and receive a lot of information quickly Do you have broadband?
broad • cast / brodkrest / verb ( broad . casts , broad cast . ing , broad cast , has broad . cast )
to send out sound or pictures by radio or television The Olympics are broadcast live around the world.
broad • cast noun [ count ]
a news broadcast
broad • cast • er / ' brodkrestar /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to talk on radio or television
broad • ly / ' brodli /adverb
with a big, wide smile
He smiled broadly as he shook my hand.
generally
Broadly speaking, the plan will work like this...
broc • co • li / 'brakali /noun [ noncount ]
a vegetable with green or purple flowers that you eat —Look at the picture atvegetables .
bro•chure / brou 'Jur /noun [ count ] a thin book with pictures of things you can buy or places you can go on vacation a travel brochure
broil / broil / verb ( broils , broil . ing , broiled )
to cook something under or over direct heat
broiled salmon
Thesaurus
cook to make food ready to eat by heating it: My mother taught me how to cook. ♦ Who is going to cook dinner tonight? ♦ What's the best way to cook salmon? ♦ He cooked us a wonderful meal. boil to cook vegetables, rice, eggs, etc. in boiling water (= water heated to 212°F ) : Boil the rice for 15 minutes. ♦ Put the potatoes on to boil. ♦ Do you like boiled cabbage?
fry to cook food in a shallow pan of hot oil: Fry the onion and garlic for five minutes. ♦ There was a smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. ♦ fried chicken/fish/rice bake to cook food in an oven without any extra fat or liquid: to bake bread/cookies ♦ We baked him a cake for his birthday. ♦ baked potatoes roast to cook large pieces of meat in an oven or over a fire; to cook vegetables in oil or fat in an oven: The turkey is roasting in the oven. ♦ You should boil the potatoes for a little while before you roast them. grill to cook meat or fish on metal bars over a fire: to grill steak/chicken/burgers/fish on the barbecue ♦ grilled salmon
broil to cook food under or over direct heat: to broil salmon/a steak ♦ We ate broiled chicken with vegetables.
broil • er / ' broibr / noun [ count ]
a part of an oven that cooks food with heat from above Roast the peppers under the broiler.
broke 1
form of break 1
broke 2 / brouk / adjective
( informal )
having no money
I can't go out tonight. I'm totally broke.
bro•ken 1
form of break 1
bro .ken 2Ф / Ъгоикэп/ adjective
in pieces or not working a broken window
"What's the time?" "I don't know — my watch is broken." The TV is broken. The verb is break .
bronze / branz / noun [ noncount ]
a dark red-brown metal a bronze medal
brook / bruk / noun [ count ]
( geography ) a very small river
broom / brum / noun [count]
a brush with a long handle that you use for cleaning the floor
broth / bro9 /noun [ noncount ] a thin soup chicken broth
broth .er Ф / Ъглбэг/ noun [ count ]
a man or boy who has the same parents as you My younger brother is named Mark. Gavin and Nick are brothers. Do you have any brothers and sisters ?
broth • er-in-law / ' Ьгл6эг in lo /
[ count ] ( plural broth • ers-in-law )
1 the brother of your wife or husband 2 the husband of your sister —Look atsister-in-law . broth • er • ly / ' Ьгл6эгН /adjective
showing feelings of kindness and love, like a brother would show
brotherly love
brought
form of bring
brow / brau /noun [ count ] ( formal )
the part of your face above your eyes —SYNONYM forehead
brown О / braun / adjective brown er , brown • est )
having the color of soil or wood She has dark hair and brown eyes.
brownnoun [ count, noncount ] You look good in brown.
browse / brauz / verb ( brows • es , brows • ing , browsed )
1 to spend time looking through a store or book without a clear idea of what you are looking for
browsed through the catalog but didn't see anything I wanted to buy.
( computers ) to look for and read information on a computer
to browse the Internet
brows • er / ' Ьгошэг / noun [ count ]
( computers ) a program that lets you look at pages on the Internet a Web browser
bruise / bruz /noun [ count ]
a dark mark on your skin that comes after something hits it
bruise verb ( bruis • es , bruis • ing , bruised )
He fell and bruised his leg.
brunch / bmntj/noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralbrunch • es )
a late morning meal that you eat instead of breakfast and lunch
to go out for brunch
bru • nette / |bru ' net /noun [ count ]
a woman with dark brown hair
brunt / bmnt /noun
bear, take, etc. the brunt of something
to suffer the main force or the worst part of something The West Coast bore the brunt of the storm.
brush 1 Ф / ЬглГ/noun [ count ] ( pluralbrush .es )
a thing that you use for cleaning, painting, or making your hair neat a clothes brush
brushes
/
hairbrush toothbrush paintbrushes
brUSh 2 Ф / ЬглГ/ verb ( brush •es, brush ing ,brushed )
to clean or make something neat with a brush I brush my teeth twice a day. Brush your hair !
Brus • sels sprout / ' b^sl |spraut /
( also brus • sels sprout ) noun
[count]
a very small round green vegetable consisting of a tight ball of leaves
bru • tal / ' brutl /adjective
very cruel a brutal murder
► bru • tal • ly / brutln / adverb She was brutally attacked.
bru • tal • i • ty / bru ' trelsti /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralbru .tal • i • ties )
very cruel and violent behavior complaints of police brutality
B.S. / |bi es /noun [ count ]
the degree that you receive when you complete a program of study at a college or university in a science subject. B.S. is short for "Bachelor of Science."
— Look at B.A. , M.S. , bachelor's degree .
bub.ble l Ф / ЪлЫ /noun [ count ]
a small ball of air or gas inside a liquid The children blew bubbles under the water.
bub • ble 2 / ' bAbl / verb ( bub • bles, bub • bling, bub • bled )
to make a lot of bubbles When water boils, it bubbles.
buck / b\k /noun [ count ] 1 ( informal ) a dollar
spent ten bucks on lunch.
a male deer (= a wild animal that eats grass )
buck .et / ълы/ noun bucket
[count]
a round metal or plastic container with a handle. You use a bucket for carrying water, for example.
buck • le / ' b\kl /noun [ count ]
a metal or plastic thing on the end of a belt or on a shoe that you use for fastening it
bud / bAd /noun [ count ]
a leaf or flower before it opens The trees are covered in buds.
Bud • dhism / budizsm ; budizsm /noun [noncount]
( religion ) the religion that is based on the teaching of Buddha
Bud • dhist / budist ; budist /noun [ count ] ( religion ) a person who follows the religion of Buddhism ► Bud • dhistadjective
a Buddhist temple
bud • dy / ' bAdi /noun [count] ( pluralbud . dies )
a male friend
I spent the weekend with some college buddies.
budge / bAd₃ /verb
(budg • es,budg • ing ,budged)
to move a little or to make something move a little I tried to move the rock but it wouldn't budge.
budg • et / 'bAd₃st / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a plan of how much money you will have and how you will spend it
We have a weekly budget for food. ► budg • etverb
( budg • ets , budg • et • ing , budg • et • ed )
I am budgeting very carefully because I want to buy a new car.
buf • fa • lo
/ bAfslou / noun [ count ] ( plural buf • fa • lo or buf fa • loes )
a large wild animal that looks like a cow with a large head, curved horns, and thick fur on its head and neck
—Look at bison .
buf . fet / bs'fei; bu'fei /noun[count]
a meal when all the food is on a big table and you take what you want a buffet lunch
bug1 / bAg /noun [ count ]
a small insect
( health ) an illness that is not serious I caught a bug.
( computers ) a fault in a machine, especially a computer system or program
bug 2 / bAg / verb ( bugs , bugg • ing , bugged )
( informal )
to bother or worry someone
The kids have been bugging me all day.
build Ф / bild / verb ( builds , build • ing , built / bilt / has built )
to make something by putting parts together He built a wall in front of the house. The bridge is built of stone.
build • er / bildsr /noun [ count ]
a person or company that builds things, especially houses and buildings
build .ing Ф / ь.и.п/ noun
[ count ] a structure with a roof and walls. Houses, schools, churches, and stores are all buildings
There are a lot of old buildings in this town.
[ noncount ] the process or business of making buildings
the building industry —SYNONYM construction
built
form of build
bulb / bAlb /noun [ count ]
( also light bulb ) the glass part of an electric lamp that gives light
Look at the picture at lamp .
( biology ) a round thing that some plants grow from a tulip bulb
Look at the picture at plant .
bulge / bAid3 /verb
( bulg . es , bulg . ing , bulged )
to go out in a round shape from something that is usually flat
My stomach is bulging — I have to get some exercise. ► bulgenoun [ count ] a bulge in the wall
bulkAWl| / bAlk /noun
[ singular ] the main part of something; most of something
It was supposed to be a group project, but I did the bulk of the work.
[ noncount ] the large size, weight, or amount of something
The sheer bulk of the stone table made it impossible for us to move.
in bulk
in large quantities
It's cheaper to buy in bulk.
bulk • y AWL / ' bAlki / adjective ( bulk . i .er , bulk .i .est)
big, heavy, and difficult to carry a bulky package
bull / bul /noun [ count ]
the male of the cow and of some other animals
—Look at the picture at cow .
bull .doz .er
/ ' buldouzэr /noun [count ]
a big heavy machine that moves earth and makes land flat
bul . let Ф / 'bubt/ noun
[count]
a small piece of metal that comes out of a gun The bullet hit him in the leg.
bul • le • tin / ' bubtn / noun
[ count ]
a short newspaper that a club or an organization publishes the monthly church bulletin
bul • le • tin board / ' bubtn bord / [count]
a board on a wall for information
The teacher put the exam results on the bulletin board.
bul • let • proof / ' bubtpruf / adjective
made of a strong material that stops bullets from passing through it a bulletproof vest
bull's-eye / ' bulz ai /noun [ count ]
( sports ) the center of a round object (called a target ) that you try to hit when you are shooting or throwing things in certain sports to hit the bull's-eye
bul • ly / 'buli /noun [ count ] ( pluralbul . lies ) a person who hurts or frightens a weaker person ► bul • lyverb ( bul . lies , bul ly . ing , bul . lied )
She was bullied by the older girls at school.
bum / bAm /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a person who is very lazy or who does no work
bump 1 / bAmp / verb ( bumps , bump . ing , bumped )
to hit someone or something when you are moving She bumped into a chair.
to hit a part of your body against something hard I bumped my knee on the table.
bump into someone to meet someone by chance I bumped into David today.
bump2 / bAmp /noun [ count ]
the action or sound of something hitting a hard surface He fell and hit the ground with a bump .
a round raised area on your body where you have hit it I have a bump on my head.
a small part on something flat that is higher than the rest The car hit a bump in the road.
bump • er / ' bAmpэr /noun [ count ]
a bar on the front and back of a car which helps to protect the car if it hits something Look at the picture atcar .
bump • y / bAmpi / adjective ( bump . i . er , bump . i . est )
not flat or smooth We had a bumpy flight. The road was very bumpy.
—ANTONYM smooth
bun / bAn /noun [ count ]
a small round piece of bread a hamburger bun
bunch / bAntf /noun [ count ] ( pluralbunch .es )
a group of things that grow together or that you tie or hold together
a bunch of grapes
two bunches of flowers
a bunch of ... ; a whole bunch of ...
( informal )
a large group of people or things; a lot of something I have a bunch of stuff to do today. A whole bunch of us went out for pizza after work.
bun • dle / 'bAndl /noun [ count ]
a group of things that you tie or wrap together a bundle of old newspapers
bunk / bAgk /noun [ count ]
a narrow bed that is attached to a wall, for example on a ship or train
( also bunk bed ) one of a pair of beds built one on top of the other
bun • ny / ' bAni /noun [ count ] ( pluralbun . nies )
a child's word for rabbit (= a small animal with long ears )buoy / 'bui ; boi /noun [ count ] ( pluralbuoys ) a thing that floats in water to show boats where there are dangerous places
bur • den / ' Ьэ^п /noun [ count ]
something that you have to do that worries you, or that causes difficulty or hard work
I don't want to be a burden to my children when I'm old.
bu • reau / ' byurou /noun [ count ]
( politics ) a government department the Federal Bureau of Investigation
( business ) an organization or a company that provides information
a visitor's bureau
bu • reauc • ra • cy / byu ' rakresi / noun
[noncount]
the system of official rules and processes that a government or an organization has, which people often think is too complicated
You have to deal with so much bureaucracy to get your passport.
► bu • reau • crat • ic / |byure ' kratik / adjective
bureaucratic procedures
burg • er / ' Ьэ^эг /noun [ count ]
meat that is cut into very small pieces and made into a flat round shape, which you eat between two pieces of bread a burger and fries
—SYNONYM hamburger
bur • glar / ' Ьэ^ьг /noun [ count ]
a person who goes into a building to steal things
bur • glar • ize / ъэ^ьгак / verb
( bur • glar • iz • es, bur • glar • iz • ing, bur • glar • ized )
to go into a building illegally, usually using force, and steal from it
Our house was burglarized.
bur • gla • ry / ' ьэ^ьн / noun
[count, noncount] ( pluralbur • gla • ries )
the crime of going into a house to steal things
He was arrested for burglary.
There was a burglary at the house next door.
bur • i • al / ' beriэl /noun [ count, noncount ]
the time when a dead body is put in the ground The verb is bury .
bur • ied, bur • ies
forms of bury
burn 1 W / barn / verb ( burns , burn ing , burned or burnt / ЬэгП / has burned or has burnt )
to make flames and heat; to be on fire Paper burns easily.
She escaped from the burning building.
to harm or destroy someone or something with fire or heat
I burned my fingers on a match. We burned the wood on the fire. Her hand was badly burned.
to feel very hot and painful
Your forehead's burning. You must have a fever. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Thesaurus
hurt is a general word meaning to feel pain, or to make someone or something else feel pain: My feet hurt. ♦It hurts when I bend my knee. ♦ Ouch! That
really hurts! ♦ Stop that - you're hurting me. ♦ Did you hurt yourself when you fell?
ache to feel a pain that is not strong, but that continues for a long time. This verb does not take an object, so you cannot put a noun directly after it: His legs ached after playing soccer for two hours. ♦ Her eyes ached from lack of sleep. ♦ I'm aching all over. burn to feel very hot and painful; to hurt someone with fire or heat: Your forehead's burning. You must have a fever. ♦ The water was so hot that I burned my hands. ♦ She was badly burned in the fire. sting to feel a sudden sharp pain; to make someone feel a pain like this: My eyes were stinging from the soap. ♦ Ow! That antiseptic cream stings! burn down ; burn something down to burn, or to make a building burn, until there is nothing left Their house burned down.
burn2 / Ьэгп/noun [ count ]
( health ) a place on your body where fire or heat has hurt it
I have a burn on my arm.
burp / Ьэф / verb ( burps,burp• ing ,burped)
to make a noise from your mouth when air suddenly comes up from your stomach He burped loudly.
burpnoun [ count ] I heard a loud burp.
bur • row / ' Ьэгсю /noun [ count ]
a hole or tunnel in the ground made by some animals for them to live in. Rabbits (= small animals with long ears ) live in burrows .
bur • row verb ( bur • rows , bur • row • ing , bur • rowed )
to dig a hole in the ground These animals burrow for food.
burst 1 Ф / borst / verb ( bursts , burst ing , burst , has burst )
1 to break open suddenly or to make something do this The bag was so full that it burst. He burst the balloon. Thesaurus
break to go, or to make something go into smaller pieces: She dropped the cup and it broke into pieces . ♦ I'm sorry, I broke one of your dinner plates. ♦ He broke the chocolate in two and gave me half. ♦ She fell and broke her arm.
crack (used about something hard) to break so that a line appears, but without dividing into smaller pieces; to break something in this way: The ice cracked as I stepped on it. ♦ This mirror is cracked. ♦ He cracked a tooth playing football.
smash to break into many pieces in a violent and noisy way; to break something in this way: The glass bowl smashed into a thousand pieces . ♦ Several windows had been smashed. ♦ He smashed the box open and took the jewelry from inside.
snap to break suddenly into two pieces with a sharp noise; to break something in this way: Suddenly, the cable snapped. ♦ The weight of the snow snapped the branch in two.
burst to break open suddenly; to make something break in this way: That balloon will burst if you blow it up any more. ♦ Don't burst that balloon! ♦ The dam burst under the weight of the water.
2 to go or come suddenly Steve burst into the room.
burst into something
to start doing something suddenly
She read the letter and burst into tears (= started to cry ) . The car burst into flames (= started to burn ) .
burst out laughing
to suddenly start to laugh
When she saw my hat, she burst out laughing.
burst2 / barst /noun [count]
something that happens suddenly and quickly a sudden burst of activity
ЬиГ .уФ/ Ъеп/ verb
( bur . ies , bur . y ing , bur ied , has bur . ied )
Pronunciation
The word bury sounds like very .
to put a dead body in the ground
She wants to be buried next to her mother. The noun is burial .
to put something in the ground or under something The dog buried the bone in the yard.
bus Ф / Ьлэ/ noun [ count ] ( plural bus . es or bus . ses )
a large vehicle that carries a lot of people along the road and stops often so they can get on and off We went to the city by bus . Where do you get off the bus ? Word building You can get on or off a bus at a bus stop , and the place where most bus routes start is the bus station . The bus driver will take the money (your fare ) and give you your ticket . If you need to change to a different bus on the same trip, the driver will give you a ticket called a transfer that you can use on the other bus without paying again. You can buy a one-way ticket , or a round-trip ticket if you want to come back again: Round-trip to St. Paul, please.
Note that we travel on the bus or by bus : "How do you get to school?" "By bus."
bush Ф / buj /noun [ count ] ( pluralbush . es )
a plant like a small tree with a lot of branches a rose bush
bush • el / ' bujl/noun [ count ]
a unit for measuring grain and fruit, equal to 64 pints or 35.2 liters a bushel of apples
busi. ness Ф / biznos / noun
( plural busi . ness .es )
1 [ noncount ] buying and selling things
want to go into business when I leave school. Business is not very good this year.
[ noncount ] the work that you do as your job The manager will be away on business next week. a business trip
[ count ] a place where people sell or make things, for example a store or factory
it's none of your business ; mind your own business
words that you use to tell someone rudely that you do not
want to tell them about something private
"Where are you going?" "Mind your own business!" busi • ness • man / ' biznasmren ; ' biznas^an / noun [ count ]
( pluralbusi . ness . men / ' biznas^an / ) a man who works in business, especially in a top position
busi • ness • wom • an / 'biznas|wuman /
noun [ count ]
( pluralbusi . ness . wom . en / 'biznas|wiman / ) a woman who works in business, especially in a top position
bus sta • tion / b\s |stei/n /noun [ count ]
a building where buses start and end their trips
bus stop / ' bAs stap /noun [ count ]
a place where buses stop and people get on and off —SYNONYM stop
bust 1 / bAst / adjective go bust
( informal )
If a company or business goes bust , it has to close because it has lost too much money.
bust2 / bAst /noun [ count ]
( art ) a model of a person's head, shoulders, and chest a bust of John F. Kennedy
a woman's chest or the measurement around her chest Her bust size is 34B.
bus •У Ф/ bizi/ adjective ( us i e , ius i est)
with a lot of things that you must do; working or not free Mr. Jones can't see you now — he's busy.
with a lot of things happening I had a busy morning.
The stores are always busy at Christmas.
(used about a telephone) being used The line is busy — I'll try again later.
bus • i • ly / ' bizali / adverb He was busily writing a letter.
but 1 Ф / bAt; bat / conjunction
a word that you use to show something different My sister speaks Spanish but I don't. He studied hard, but he didn't pass the exam. The weather was sunny but cold.
but 2 / bAt ; bat / preposition
except
She eats nothing but chocolate. butch • er / 'but/ar / noun [count]
a person or store that sells meat
She went to the butcher for some lamb chops.
butt / bAt /noun [ count ]
( informal ) the part of your body that you sit on —SYNONYM buttocks
a short piece of a cigarette that is left after it has been smoked
but .ter Ф / 'bAter/ noun
[noncount]
a soft yellow food that is made from milk. You put it on
bread or use it in cooking
She spread butter on the bread.
but • ter verb ( but . ters, but . ter . ing, but . tered )
to put butter on bread I buttered the toast.
but • ter • fly / ' bAtsrflai /noun [ count ] ( pluralbut ter • flies )
an insect with big wings that usually have bright colors
butterfly
chrysalis
but .ter .scotch /'bAterskatr/ noun
[ noncount ]
a type of brown candy made by boiling butter and brown sugar together
but • tock / ' bAt.sk / noun
[count]
one of the two parts of your body that you sit on
but .ton Ф / ЪлШ/noun [ count ]
a small round thing on clothes that holds them together. You push it through a small hole (called a buttonhole ).
a small thing on a machine that you push Press this button to ring the bell.
a small piece of plastic or metal with a picture or words on the front and a pin on the back, which you wear on your clothes
Everyone was wearing a campaign button. buy Ф / bai / verb
( buys, buy • ing, bought / bot / has bought ) Pronunciation
The word buy sounds like my .
to give money to get something I bought a new watch. He bought the car from a friend.
—ANTONYM sell
buy • er / ' baisr /noun [ count ]
We've found a buyer for our house! —ANTONYM seller
buzz / bAz / verb ( buzz•es,buzz ing ,buzzed )
to make the sound that an insect such as a bee (= a black and yellow insect ) makes when it flies A fly was buzzing against the window.
buzznoun [ count ] ( plural buzz • es ) the buzz of insects
buz • zard / ' bAzsrd /noun [ count ]
a large bird that eats dead animals
buzz • er / ' bAzsr /noun [ count ]
a piece of equipment that makes a buzzing sound Press the buzzer in the lobby and I'll let you in.
Ьу 1 Ф / bai / preposition
very near
The telephone is by the door. They live by the ocean.
—SYNONYM beside
from one side of someone or something to the other He walked by me without speaking.
—SYNONYM past
not later than
I must finish this work by six o'clock. —SYNONYM before
using or doing something I go to work by train .
He paid by check .
You turn the computer on by pressing this button.
a word that shows who or what did something a painting by Picasso
She was caught by the police.
as a result of something
I got on the wrong bus by mistake . We met by chance .
used for showing the measurements of an area
The table is six feet by three feet (= six feet long and three feet wide ) .
by 2 / bai / adverb
past
She drove by without stopping.
Ьуе Ф / bai / ( also bye-bye / 'baibai ; ,bai'bai / )
exclamation
goodbye
Bye! See you tomorrow.
by • stand • er / bai|strendsr / noun
[count]
a person who is near something when it happens but is not involved
Several innocent bystanders were hurt when the gangs started to fight.
byte / bait /noun [count]
( computers ) a unit of information in a computer — Look atgigabyte , kilobyte , megabyte .
Cc
C, c / si /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralC's, c's / siz / )
the third letter of the English alphabet "Car" begins with a "C."
C ( general science ) abbreviation of Celsius, centigrade
Water freezes at 0°C.
C a grade that is given to a student for average work. A C is lower than a B
I only got a C on my math test.
cab / kreb /noun [ count ]
another word for taxi
the part of a truck, train, or bus where the driver sits
cab • bage / ' krebid3 /noun
[ count, noncount ]
a large round vegetable with thick green or white leaves —Look at the picture atvegetable .
cab • in / ' 1жЬэп / noun
[count]
a small simple house made of wood a log cabin at the edge of the lake
the part of an airplane where people sit the passengers in the first-class cabin
a small bedroom on a ship
cab . i.net Ф / 'k-acbnot/ noun
[count]
a piece of furniture that you can keep things in a medicine cabinet
a file cabinet (= one that you use in an office to keep documents in )
( also Cab . i . net ) ( politics ) a group of the most important people in the government
Word building The U.S. Government The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
ca • ble / ' keibl /noun
[ count, noncount ] a set of wires that carry electricity
or messages a printer cable
( also ca . ble tel . e . vi . sion / ,keibl ' tebvrjn /
► ca . ble TV / ,keibl ,ti' vi / ) [ noncount ] a way of sending television programs along wires in the ground Do your hotel rooms have cable? a cable TV channel
[ count ] a strong, thick, metal rope
cac .tus
ca • fe ( also ca . fe ) / kref ei /noun [ count ] a place where you can buy a drink and something to eat
/ ' kretes /noun [count] ( pluralcac . ti / ' krektai / or cac . tus . es ) a plant with a lot of sharp points, which grows in hot dry places
caf • e • te • ri • a / ,k®fa ' ьлэ / noun
[ count ]
a restaurant where you choose and pay for your meal and then carry it to a table. Places like factories, schools, and hospitals often have cafeterias .
caf • feine / kre ' fin /
[noncount]
the substance in coffee and tea that makes you feel more active and awake
— Look at decaffeinated .
cage / keid3 /noun
[count]
a place with bars around it where animals or birds are kept so that they cannot escape
cake Ф / keik /noun
[ count, noncount ]
a sweet food that you make from flour, eggs, sugar, and
butter and bake in the oven
a chocolate cake
Would you like a piece of cake ?
a piece of cake
( informal )
something that is very easy to do
cal • ci • um / ' kre^m /noun [ noncount ]
( symbol Ca )
( chemistry ) a chemical substance that is found in foods such as milk and cheese. It helps to make bones and teeth strong.
cal .cu .late Ф /'k-^ikyoicit/ verb
( cal . cu lates , cal . cu . lat . ing , cal . cu . lat . ed )
( math ) to find an amount or a number by using mathematics
Can you calculate how much the vacation will cost?
cal • cu • la • tion / ^геШуэ ' leijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( math ) finding an answer by using mathematics
I need to do a few calculations before I can give you an
answer.
cal .cu .la .tor
/ ' ^^уэ^^от /noun [count]
( math ) a small electronic instrument that you use for calculating numbers
cal • en • dar / ' мэ^эг / noun [ count ]
a list of the days, weeks, and months of one year
calf / kref /noun [ count ] ( pluralcalves / krevz / )
a young cow
the back of your leg, below your knee
Call 1 Ф / kol/ verb ( calls , call ing , called )
1 to speak loudly and clearly so that someone who is far
away can hear you
"Breakfast is ready," she called.
She called out the names of the winners.
to contact someone by telephone I'll call you later.
Who's calling, please?
to give a name to someone or something They called the baby Sophie.
to ask someone to come
He was so sick that we had to call the doctor.
be called
to have as a name
What was that town called?
call someone back to contact someone by telephone again
I can't talk now — I'll call you back later. call collect
to make a telephone call that the person who receives the call will pay for
call something off to say that a planned activity or event will not happen
The baseball game was called off because of bad weather. —SYNONYM cancel
СЭМ 2Ф /Ы/ noun
[ count ]
a loud sound or shout a call for help
an act of using the telephone or a conversation on the telephone
I got a call from James.
I don't have time to talk now — I'll give you a call later.
a short visit to someone
The doctor has several calls to make this morning.
a request or demand for something
There have been calls for the senator's resignation.
call • er / ' kobr / noun
[count]
a person who is making a telephone call to someone The caller suddenly hung up (= ended the telephone call ) .
calm 1 / kam / adjective ( :alm er , calm es )
quiet, and not excited or afraid Try to stay calm — there's no danger.
without big waves calm waters
without much wind calm weather
► calm • ly / ' kamli / adverb He spoke calmly about the accident.
calm 2 / kam / verb ( calms , calm • ing , calmed )
calm down to become less afraid or excited; to make
someone less afraid or excited
Calm down and tell me what happened.
cal • o • rie / ' kabri /noun [count]
a unit for measuring the energy value of food. Food that has a lot of calories in it can make you fat a low-calorie drink
calves
plural of calf
cam • cord • er / ' kamko^r /noun [ count ]
a camera that you can carry around and use for recording moving pictures and sound
came
form of come
cam • el / ' kami
/noun [ count ]
a large animal with one or two round parts ( called humps ) on its back. Camels carry people and things in hot dry places.
cam .er.а Ф / 'kaemre/ noun [ count ]
a thing that you use for taking photographs or moving pictures
I need some new film for my camera.
cam • er • a • man / ' kamreman / noun
[ count ] ( pluralcam • er . a . men / ' kamremen / ) a person who operates a video camera for a movie or television company
cam • ou • flage / 'kamэflaз / noun [noncount]
materials or colors that soldiers use to make themselves and their equipment less easy to see
army troops in camouflage
the way an animal's color or shape makes it difficult to
see
The polar bear's white coat provides camouflage in the snow.
cam • ou • flage verb ( cam ou • flag es , cam ou • flag ing , cam • ou • flaged )
The soldiers camouflaged themselves with leaves.
Camp 1Ф / kaemp/noun [ count, noncount]
a place where people live in a kind of small house made of cloth (called a tent ) for a short time
They returned to camp tired and hungry.
a place where children go during school vacations to do special activities
a summer camp
I'm going to tennis camp this year.
camp 2Ф/kaemp/ verb ( camps , camp • ing , camped )
to live in a kind of small house made of cloth (called a tent ) for a short time
The children camped in the backyard overnight.
camp • ing / ' kampig /noun [ noncount ] sleeping or spending a vacation in a tent
We went camping last summer.
cam • paign1 / kam' pein /noun [ count ]
a plan to do a number of things in order to get a special result
a campaign to stop people from smoking
cam • paign2 / kam' pein /verb ( cam paigns ,
cam paign ing , cam • paigned )
to take part in planned activities in order to get a special result
The school is campaigning for new computer equipment.
camp • ing / ' kampig /noun [ noncount ]
sleeping or spending a vacation in a kind of small house made of heavy cloth (called a tent ) Camping is no fun in the rain.
camp • site / ' krempsait /noun [count]
a place where you can camp
cam • pus / ' krempas /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralcam . pus .es )
the area where the buildings of a college are a college campus Do you live on campus ?
СЭ П 1 Ф / кэп; kaen /modal verb Grammar
The negative form of can is cannot or can't : She can't swim.
The past tense of can is could : We could walk to the beach from our hotel.
The future tense of can is will be able to : You will be able to see it if you stand on this chair.
to be able to do something; to be strong enough, intelligent enough, etc. to do something
She can speak three languages. Can you cook?
to be possible or likely to happen
It can be very cold in the mountains in the winter.
a word that you use with verbs like "see," "hear," "smell," and "taste"
I can smell something burning. "What's that noise?" "I can't hear anything."
to be allowed to do something You can go now.
He asked if he could have some more soup. The doctor says she can't go back to school yet.
a word that you use when you ask someone to do something
Can you hand me that screwdriver? Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to
go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
СЭЛ 2 Ф / kaen /noun
[ count ]
a metal container for food or a drink that keeps it fresh a can of soup a can of beans an empty soda can
—Look at the picture at container .
Ca • na • di • an / ka ' neidian /adjective ( geography ) from or connected with Canada a Canadian novelist ►Ca • na • di • announ [ count ]
She married a Canadian.
ca • nal / ka 'nrel /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a path that is made through the land and filled with water so that boats can travel on it the Panama Canal
ca • nar • y / ka 'neri /noun [ count ] ( pluralca . nar . ies )
a small yellow bird that people often keep as a pet can .cel Ф / 'ksensl/verb ( can . cels , can . cel ing , can . celed )
to decide that a planned activity or event will not happen Soccer practice was canceled because the field was too wet.
can • cel • la • tion / |krensa' lei/n / noun [ count, noncount ]
a decision that a planned activity or event will not happen the cancellation of the president's visit
can • cer / ' krensar /noun [ count, noncount ]
( health ) a very dangerous disease that makes some very small parts in the body (called cells ) grow too fast She has lung cancer. He died of cancer.
can • di • date / krendadeit /noun [ count ]
a person who wants to be chosen for something There were a lot of candidates for the job.
can .die / kamdi/ candle
noun [ count ] a round stick of wax (= solid oil or fat ) with a piece of string in the middle (called a wick ), which burns to give light
can • dle • stick / krendl|stik /noun [ count ] a thing that holds a candle
Can .dy Ф / 'ksendi/noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralcan . dies )
sweet food made of sugar or chocolate, or a piece of this food
Can I have a piece of candy?
She gave him a candy bar for a treat.
a bowl of pink and yellow candies
cane / kein /noun
[ count ] a long stick that you lean on if you have trouble walking
My grandfather walks with a cane.
[ count, noncount ] the long central parts of some plants, for example bamboo (= a tall plant that grows in hot countries ) , which can be used for making furniture sugar cane
a cane chair
canned / krend / adjective
in a can canned drinks
can • ni • bal / ' krenabl /noun [ count ]
a person who eats other people
can • non / ' krenan /noun [ count ] ( pluralcan . non or can . nons )
an old type of big gun that fires big stone or metal balls
can • not / ' krenat ; ks ' nat / form ofcan 1
ca .noe
/ ks nu /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a light, narrow boat that you move through the water using a flat piece of wood (called a paddle ) ► ca • noe • ing / ks ' nuig /noun [noncount] We went canoeing on the river.
can o • pen • er / ' kren |oupsnsr /noun
[ count ]
a tool for opening cans of food —Look at the picture atkitchen .
can't / krent / short forcannot
can • ta • loupe / ' krentboup / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a big round fruit (called a melon ). It has a thick hard skin and is orange inside.
can • vas / ' krenvss /noun [ noncount ]
a strong heavy cloth, used for making bags, tents (= that you sleep in when you are camping ) and sails (= the cloth on boats that catches the wind ) , or for painting pictures on
can • yon / ' krenysn/noun [ count ]
( geography ) a deep valley with sides of rock that go up very quickly (that are steep ) the Grand Canyon
cap / krep /noun [ count ]
a soft hat with a hard curved part at the front to keep the sun off your face
a baseball cap
— Look at the picture athat .
a thing that covers the top of a bottle or tube Put the cap back on the bottle.
ca • pa • bil • i • ty aw / |keips ' bilsti / [ count, noncount ] ( plural ca • pa . bil • i • ties )
the ability to do something
The computer virus has the capability of destroying your hard drive.
ca . pa . Ые О / keipobl / adjective
able to do something
You are capable of passing the exam if you work harder.
able to do things well a capable student
—ANTONYM incapable
ca • pac • i • ty AWB / ks 'pressti / noun ( plural ca • pac • i . ties )
[ usually singular , noncount ] how much a container or space can hold
The gas tank has a capacity of 16 gallons. The stadium was filled to capacity .
[ singular ] the ability to do or understand something a capacity for hard work
cape / keip /noun [count]
a piece of clothing that covers your body and your arms, but does not have separate sleeves
( geography ) a piece of land that goes out into the ocean Cape Canaveral
cap .i .tal Ф / kaepotl / noun
[ count ] ( politics ) the most important city in a country or state, where the government is
Austin is the capital of Texas.
[ noncount ] ( business ) a large amount of money that you use to start a business, etc.
When she had enough capital, she opened a restaurant.
( also cap • i • tal let ter ) [ count ] ( English language arts ) a big letter of the alphabet, used at the beginning of sentences
Please fill out the form in capitals .
Names of people and places begin with a capital letter.
cap • i • tal • ism / ' krepstslizsm / noun
[noncount]
( business , politics ) a system in which businesses are owned by individual people or groups, and not by the government
Look at communism , socialism .
► cap • i • tal • ist adjective, noun [ count ]
a capitalist society
cap • i • tal pun • ish • ment
/ |krepstl ' pAniJmsnt /noun [ noncount ] punishment by death for serious crimes —Look atthe death penalty .
cap • puc • ci • no / |kreps ' tjinou / noun
[count] ( plural cap • puc • ci • nos )
a cup of coffee that has hot milk with bubbles in it on top Two cappuccinos, please.
Look at espresso , latte .
cap • size / ' krepsaiz / verb ( cap • siz es , cap • siz ing , cap sized )
If a boat capsizes , it turns over in the water During the storm, the boat capsized.
cap • sule / ' krepsl /noun
a type of pill shaped like a tube that is filled with medicine
cap • tain / ' kreptsn /noun [ count ]
the person who is in charge of a ship or an airplane The captain sent a message by radio for help.
an important officer in the army, navy, police force, etc. an army captain
( sports ) the leader of a group of people He's the captain of the school basketball team.
cap • tion / ' krepjn /noun
[count]
the words above or below a picture in a book or newspaper, which tell you about it
cap • tive / ' kreptiv /noun [ count ]
a person who is not free —SYNONYM prisoner
cap • tiv • i • ty / krep ' tivsti/ noun [noncount]
being kept in a place that you cannot leave Wild animals are often unhappy in captivity .
cap • ture / ' kreptjbr /verb
(cap . tures,cap tur. ing ,cap . tured )
to catch someone and keep them somewhere so that they cannot leave
The police captured the criminals.
to take control of a place
The town was captured by rebels. ► cap • turenoun [ noncount ]
the capture of the escaped prisoners
Car © / kar /noun [ count ]
1 ( also au . to . mo . bile / ^эшэ 'bil / ) a vehicle with four wheels, usually with enough space for four or five people
What kind of car do you drive?
car
2 one of the parts of a train that carries people or goods I got a cup of coffee in the dining car.
car • a • mel / ' krereml /noun [count, noncount]
a type of brown candy that is made from sugar, butter, and milk
car • bo • hy • drate / ,karbou ' haidreit /noun [ count, noncount ]
( biology ) one of the substances in food, for example sugar, which gives your body energy Bread and rice contain carbohydrates.
car • bon / ' ka^n /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolC )
( chemistry ) a chemical that is in all living things, and that diamonds (= clear, very hard, expensive stones ) are made of
Coal is made up of carbon and hydrogen.
car • bon di • ox • ide / .korbn dai ' aksaid /
noun [ noncount ] ( symbolCO 2 )
( chemistry ) a gas that has no color or smell that people and animals breathe out
car • bon foot • print / .korbn ' futprmt /
noun [ count ]
the amount of carbon dioxide that a person, business, or country produces
Here are some ways to reduce your carbon footprint...
car • bon mon • ox • ide
/ ^гЬэп шэ 'naksaid /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolCO ) ( chemistry ) a poisonous gas that is produced when car engines burn gasoline
Card Ф / kard /noun [ count ] 1 a piece of thick paper with writing or pictures on it I sent a birthday card to my friend.
John gave Kate his business card and asked her to call him at the office.
—Look at credit card , phone card , postcard .
2 ( also play . ing card ) one of a set of 52 cards (called a deck of cards ) that you use to play games Let's play cards tonight.
Look at the picture at playing card . Word building
A deck of cards has four groups of thirteen cards, called suits .
Two suits are red ( hearts and diamonds ) and two are black ( clubs and spades ).
card • board / ' kardbord /noun [ noncount ] very thick paper that is used for making boxes, etc.
car • di • gan / ' kard^n /noun [ count ]
a piece of clothing which fastens at the front like a jacket and is often made of wool
car • di • nal / ' kardml /noun [ count ]
( religion ) an important priest in the Roman Catholic church
( math ) ( also car . di . nal num ber
/ ,kardml ' плшЬэг / ) a whole number, for example 1, 2, 3
Look at ordinal number .
care 1Ф/ker/noun [ noncount ]
thinking about what you are doing so that you do not make
a mistake or break something
Wash these glasses with care !
take care
to be careful
Take care when you cross the road.
( informal ) used when you are saying "goodbye" to someone
Bye! Take care!
take care of someone or something
to keep someone or something safe, well, or in good condition
She is taking care of her sister's baby today. Take care of your violin by keeping it in its case.
take care of something
to organize or deal with something
Don't worry about cooking dinner — I'll take care of it.
Care 2 Ф / ker / verb ( cares , car ing , cared )
to think that someone or something is important The only thing he cares about is money. I don't care who wins — I'm not interested in football. care for someone
to do the things for someone that they need
After the accident, her parents cared for her until she was
better.
who cares?
( informal )
words that you use to show you do not think something is important or interesting
"Who do you think is going to win the game?" "Who cares?"
ca .reer Ф / ь'ш/ noun [count ]
a job that you learn to do and then do for many years
He is considering a career in teaching.
His career was always more important to him than his
family.
Thesaurus
job the work that you do to earn money: My dad told me to go out and get a job . ♦ She's trying to find a full-time job . ♦ I'm only doing my job (= I'm doing what I am paid to do ) . ♦ He's looking for a job in teaching.
work the job that you do to earn money. Work is a noncount noun, so you cannot say "a work" or "works": It's very difficult to find work in this city. ♦ I've been out of work (= without a job ) for almost a year. ♦ She goes jogging every morning before work . employment the state of having a job that you are paid to do. This is a noncount noun, and is a more formal word than work and job : The company provides employment for 150 staff. ♦ I'm only looking for part-time employment right now. career the jobs that someone has in a particular area of work over a period of time. Your career often involves several jobs, which usually involve more responsibility as time passes: a teaching career ♦a career in politics ♦ Why did you decide on a career as a vet?
profession a job that needs special training and higher education: the legal profession ♦ She hopes to enter the medical profession . ♦ He's a teacher by profession .
Care .fill Ф / 'kerfl/ adjective
thinking about what you are doing so that you do not make
a mistake or have an accident
Careful! The plate is very hot.
Be careful! There's a car coming.
He was careful not to hurt her feelings.
►care • ful • ly / ' kerfli / adverb
Please listen carefully.
care . less Ф / kerbs / adjective
not thinking enough about what you are doing so that you make mistakes: Careless drivers can cause accidents.
care • less • ly / ' kerbsli / adverb She threw her coat carelessly on the floor.
►care • less • ness / ' kerbsms / noun [ noncount ]
care • tak • er / ' kerte^r /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to take care of a house or other building when the owner is away
car • go / ' kargou /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralcar • goes or car • gos )
the things that a ship or an airplane carries a cargo of wheat
car • na • tion / kar'neijn /noun [ count ]
a pink, white, or red flower with a nice smell
car • ni •val / ' karmvl /noun [ count ]
an event with rides and games for children, or a public festival that takes place in the streets I got cotton candy at our school carnival. the New Orleans carnival season
car • ni • vore / ' kar^^r /noun [ count ]
( biology ) an animal that eats meat —Look atherbivore , omnivore .
car • niv • o • rous / |kar' n^res / adjective
Lions are carnivorous animals.
car • ol / ' karel /noun [ count ]
( music , religion ) a Christian song that people sing at Christmas
car • ou • sel / |kare 'sel /noun [ count ]
a big round machine with models of animals or cars on it. Children can ride on it as it turns.
—SYNONYM merry-go-round
car • pen • ter / ' karpэntэr /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to make things from wood ► car • pen • try / ' ka^^ri /noun [ noncount ] making things from wood
car • pet / ' ka^t /noun [ count ]
a soft covering for a floor that is often made of wool and is usually the same size as the floor
— Look at rug .
car • riage / ' karid3 /noun [ count ]
a road vehicle, usually with four wheels, that is pulled by horses and was used in the past to carry people
car • ried
form of carry
car • rot / ' karat /noun
[ count, noncount ] a long, thin, orange vegetable a pound of carrots grated carrot
—Look at the picture at vegetable .
Car .ГУ Ф / kaeri / verb ( car • ries , car • ry • ing , car • ried , has car • ried )
1 to hold something and take it to another place or keep it with you
He carried the suitcase to my room.
can't carry this box — it's too heavy.
Do the police carry guns in your country? Style
You use wear , not carry , to talk about having clothes on your body: She is wearing a red dress and carrying a black bag.
to move people or things
Special fast trains carry people downtown. be or get carried away
to be so excited that you forget what you are doing I got carried away and started shouting at the television. carry out something to do or finish what you have planned
The bridge was closed while they carried out the repairs.
cart / kart /noun [ count ]
a thing on wheels that you use for carrying things He filled his shopping cart with food for the party.
a wooden vehicle with wheels that a horse usually pulls
carts
luggage cart shopping cart
car • ton / kartn /noun [ count ]
a container made of very thick paper (called cardboard ) or plastic a carton of milk
—Look at the picture at container .
car • toon / kar ' tun /noun
[ count ]
( art ) a funny drawing, for example in a newspaper
a television program or movie that tells a story by using moving drawings, computer images, etc. instead of real people and places
The kids like to watch cartoons on Saturday mornings.
car • tridge / ' kartrid₃ /noun
[count]
a small case containing something that is used inside a machine or a gun
I need to replace the ink cartridge in my printer.
carve / karv / verb ( carves , carv .ing , carved )
( art ) to cut wood or stone to make a picture or shape Her father carved a little horse for her out of wood.
to cut meat into thin pieces after you have cooked it My mom always carves the turkey on Thanksgiving. Thesaurus
cut to divide something into two or more pieces with a knife, etc.: Cut the sandwich in half (= into two equal pieces ) . ♦ She cut the bread into thick slices. ♦ He cut up the meat on his plate.
chop to cut something into pieces with something sharp, such as a knife: Chop the carrots up into small pieces. ♦ Add the finely chopped onions. ♦ Roughly chop the herbs.
slice to cut something into thin pieces (called slices ): Slice the cucumber thinly. ♦ a loaf of sliced bread ♦ Should I slice the cake now?
carve to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces for eating: Dinner is ready. Who's going to carve the turkey?
case Ф / keis / noun
[count]
a situation or an example of something
In some cases , students had to wait six weeks for their exam results.
There were four cases of this disease in the school last month.
a crime that the police must find an answer to a murder case
a question that people in a court of law must decide about
a divorce case
a container or cover for keeping something in Put the camera back in its case.
a pencil case
—Look at briefcase , suitcase . in any case
words that you use when you give a second reason for something
I don't want to see the movie, and in any case I'm too busy. —SYNONYM anyway in case
because something might happen Take an umbrella in case it rains.
You probably won't need to call, but take my number just in case .
in that case
if that is the situation
"There's no coffee." "Well, in that case we'll have tea."
cash 1 Ф / kaej/noun [ noncount ]
money in coins and bills
Are you paying in cash or by credit card?
Word building
Money consists of coins (=small, round, metal things) and bills (= pieces of paper ) . This is called cash : I don't have much cash - can I pay by check? The coins that you have in your bag or pocket are called change : Do you have any change for the bus? The money someone gives you in a store if you pay too much is also called change : Here's your change.
cash 2 / krej / verb ( cash . es,cash ing, cashed )
to give someone a check and get money for it I'd like to cash this check, please.
cash • ier / kre 'Jiar / noun
[count]
the person whose job is to take money from customers in a store, restaurant, etc.
cash ma • chine / ' kre/ ma Jin /noun [ count ] another word forATM
cash reg • is • ter / ' krej |red₃astar / ( also reg .is .ter )noun [ count ]
a machine in a store that is used to add the cost of things and store money
ca • si • no / ka 'sinou /noun [ count ] ( pluralca . si . nos )
a place where people play games in which they can win and lose money
cas • se • role / kresaroul / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a type of food that you make by cooking meat and vegetables in liquid for a long time in the oven I made a casserole for dinner. chicken casserole
cas • sette / ka 'set /noun [ count ]
( music ) a plastic box with special tape inside for recording and playing sound or pictures a cassette tape an old cassette player
cast1 / krest /noun [ count ]
all the actors in a movie, play, or television show The whole cast was excellent.
cast 2 / krest / verb ( casts , cast . ing , cast , has cast )
to choose an actor for a particular part in a movie, play, or television show
She always seems to be cast in the same sort of role.
cast a spell
to use magic words that have the power to change someone or something
The witch cast a spell on the handsome prince.
cas • tle / ' kresl/noun [ count ]
a large old building that was built in the past to keep people safe from attack a medieval castle
ca • su • al / ' kre₃ual /adjective
1 (used about clothes) not formal
wear casual clothes like jeans and T-shirts when I'm not at work.
showing that you are not worried about something; relaxed
She gave us a casual wave as she passed. ► ca • su • al • ly / ' kre₃ali / adverb They dressed casually for the beach party.
ca • su • al • ty / ' kre₃uslti / noun [ count ] ( plural ca • su • al • ties )
a person who is hurt or killed in an accident or a war Both sides suffered heavy casualties (= a lot of people were hurt or killed ) .
cat Ф / kaet /noun [ count ]
1 a small animal with soft fur that people keep as a pet Word building A young cat is called a kitten A cat purrs when it is happy. When a cat makes a loud noise, it meows : My cat meows when he's hungry.
whiskers
cat
cats
claw |
kitten
2 a wild animal of the cat family the big cats, such as tigers and lions
cat • a • log ( also cat . a • logue ) / ' kretlag /noun [ count ]
a list of all the things that you can buy from a company or see somewhere a mail order catalog
ca • tas • tro • phe / ks ' trestrsfi /noun [ count ]
a sudden disaster that causes great suffering or damage major catastrophes such as floods and earthquakes ► cat • a • stroph • ic / |krets ' strafik /adjective
The flood had a catastrophic effect.
catch 1 Ф / ksetj/ verb ( :atch e: , :atch ing , caught / kot / has caught )
( sports ) to take and hold something that is moving He threw the ball to me and I caught it.
to find and hold someone or something They caught a fish in the river.
The man ran so fast that the police couldn't catch him.
to see someone when they are doing something wrong They caught the thief stealing the painting.
to be early enough for a bus, train, etc. that is going to leave
You should run if you want to catch the bus. —ANTONYM miss
( health ) to get an illness She caught a cold .
to get stuck in or on something by mistake I caught my coat in the car door.
catch fire
to start to burn The house caught fire. catch on
to become popular or fashionable
The idea never really caught on in this country.
to understand or realize something It took me a while to catch on.
catch up to do something quickly so that you are not behind others
If you miss a class, you can do some work at home to catch ^up.
Quick! Run and catch up with the others!
catch2 / kretj /noun [ count ] ( pluralcatch • es )
( sports ) the act of catching something, for example a ball
That was a great catch! —Look at miss 2 .
a device for fastening something and keeping it closed I can't wear this necklace — the catch is broken.
a hidden problem in something that seems to be very good
That sounds too easy. What's the catch?
catch • y / ' kretji / adjective (catch • i •er, catch • i est)
(used about a tune or a song) easy to remember
cat • e • go • rize AWB / ' kretsgs^aiz / verb ( cat • e • go • riz • es , cat • e • go • riz • ing , cat • e • go rized )
to put people or things into groups according to what type they are
Do we categorize a tomato as a fruit or a vegetable?
cat • e • go • ry AWB / ' krets|gori / noun [count]
( plural cat • e • go • ries )
a group of people or things that are similar to each other The results can be divided into three main categories.
ca • ter • ing / ' keitsrig /noun [ noncount ]
the activity or business of providing food and drinks at events
Who is doing the catering for your wedding?
cat • er • pil • lar / ' kretspilsr / noun [ count ]
a small animal with a long body and a lot of legs. A caterpillar later becomes an insect that has large wings with bright colors (called a butterfly ). — Look at the picture atbutterfly .
ca • the • dral / ks ' eidrsl /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a big important church
Cath • o • lic / ' kreelik /
( also Ro • man Cath • o • lic )noun [ count ] ( religion ) a member of the Christian church that has the Pope as its head
Cath • o • lic ( also Ro • man Cath o • lic ) adjective
a Catholic priest
cat • tle / ' kretl /noun [ plural ]
cows that are kept for their milk or meat a herd (= a group ) of cattle
caught
form of catch
cau • li • flow • er / koli|flausr ; kali|flausr / noun [ count, noncount ]
a large vegetable with green leaves outside and a round white part in the middle
—At the picture at vegetable . cause l©/bz/noun [count ]
a thing or person that makes something happen Bad driving is the cause of most road accidents.
something that people care about and want to help They gave the money to a good cause — it was used to build a new hospital.
cause 2 Ф / koz / verb
(causes,caus . ing ,caused )
to be the reason why something happens
What caused the accident?
The fire was caused by a cigarette.
cau • tion / ' kojn /noun [ noncount ]
great care, because of possible danger Caution! Wet floor.
cau • tious / ' kojbs/ adjective
careful because there may be danger
He is always cautious about driving at night.
► cau • tious • ly / ' kojbsli / adverb
He cautiously pushed open the door and looked into the
room.
cave / keiv/noun [ count ]
( geography ) a large hole in the side of a mountain or under the ground
Thousands of years ago, people lived in caves.
cav • i • ty / ' krevэti /noun [ count ] ( pluralcav . i . ties )
an empty space inside something solid the chest cavity
( health ) a hole in a tooth
You'll get cavities if you eat too much candy.
cc / ,si ' si / abbreviation
letters that are used on e-mails or business letters to show that you are sending a copy to another person. The letters cc stand for "carbon copy."
short for cubic centimeter a l,200cc engine
CD Ф / si ' di /noun [ count ]
( music ) compact disc; a small, round piece of hard plastic on which you can record sound or store information
CD play • er / ,si ' di ,plerar /noun [ count ]
( music ) a machine that you use to play music from CDs
CD-ROM / si di ' ram /noun [ count ]
( computers ) a CD on which you can store large amounts of information, sound, and pictures, to use on a computer
ceaseawl / sis /verb
(ceas.es,ceas. ing ,ceased )
( formal )
to stop
Fighting in the area has now ceased.
cease • fire / ' sisfarar /noun [ count ]
an agreement between two groups to stop fighting each other
ceil . ing Ф / 'siinj / noun [count ]
the top part of the inside of a room
Spelling
IE or EI ?
When the sound is / i / (which rhymes with "be"), the rule is I before E, except after C , so ceiling is spelled with EI .
eel .e . brate Ф / ' sebbreit /
( cel . e . brates , cel . e . brat . ing , cel e . brat . ed )
to do something to show that you are happy, for a special reason or because it is a special day
If you do well on your exams, we'll have a party to celebrate.
Grandma celebrated her 90th birthday last week.
cel • e • bra • tion / ,seb ' breijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a time when you enjoy yourself because you have a special reason to be happy birthday celebrations I think this is a cause for celebration!
ce • leb • ri • ty / sэ ' lebreti / noun ( plural ce . leb . ri . ties )
a famous person
a TV celebrity —Look at star 1 ( 3 ).
cel • er • y / ' sebri/noun [ noncount ]
a vegetable with long green and white sticks that can be eaten without being cooked a stalk of celery
— Look at the picture at vegetable . cellФ / sel/ noun [ count ]
( biology ) the smallest part of any living thing. All plants and animals are made up of cells
red blood cells
a small room for one or more prisoners in a prison or police station
( informal ) another word for cell phone
Call me on my cell.
cel • lar / ' sebr /noun [ count ]
a room in the part of a building that is under the ground a wine cellar
—Look at basement .
cel • lo / ' tfelou /noun [ count ] ( pluralcel . los ) ( music ) a large wooden musical instrument with strings. You sit down to play it and hold it between your knees. Look at the picture atinstrument .
cell phoneФ / ' sel foun / ( also cell . phone )
( also informalcell / sel / )noun [ count ]
a telephone that you can carry around with you I won't be in the office today, but you can reach me on my cell phone.
What's your cell phone number? Word building Cell phones Cell phones can be used anywhere there is a signal . If you call someone but cannot get through , you can leave a message on their voice mail or you can text them (= send them a text message ) .
When the battery in your phone runs out , you have to recharge it.
—Look at the note at phone 1 .
Cel • si • us / ' selsbs / ( also cen . ti . grade )noun
[ noncount ] ( abbreviation C )
( general science ) a way of measuring temperature. Water freezes at o° Celsius and boils at 100° Celsius .
—Look at Fahrenheit .
ce • ment / sэ 'ment /noun [ noncou nt ]
a gray powder that becomes hard like stone when you mix it with water and leave it to dry. Cement is used in building for sticking bricks or stones together, or for making very hard surfaces.
cem • e • ter • y / ' semэ_lteri /noun [ count ]
( plural cem . e . ter . ies )
( religion ) an area of ground where dead people are put under the earth
cen • sor / ' sensar / verb ( cen sors,cen . sor ing ,cen sored )
to remove the parts of a book, movie, etc. that might upset people or that contain secret information ►cen • sor • ship / ' sensarjip /noun [ noncount ] government censorship of radio and television programs
cen • sus / ' sensas /noun [ count ] ( pluralcen . sus .es )
the act of officially counting all the people who live in a country, and finding information about them The last census took place in 2010.
Cent Ф / sent /noun [ count ]
a small coin or unit of money. There are 100 cents in a dollar.
Look at penny .
cen .ter Ф / 'sentar/ noun
[count]
1 the part in the middle of something
The flower has a yellow center with white petals.
don't like having the center seat on an airplane.
Look at the picture at circle .
a place where people come to do a particular activity a shopping center
The hotel has a new fitness center.
( sports ) a player whose position is in the middle in sports like basketball
cen • ti • grade / 'sentagreid /noun [noncount] ( general science ) another word forCelsius cen • ti • li • ter / ' sentalitar /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationcl )
( general science ) a measure of liquid. There are 100 centiliters in a liter .
cen .ti .me .ter Ф / 'sentalitar / noun
[ count ] ( abbreviation cm )
a measure of length. There are 100 centimeters in a meter .
cen • ti • pede / ' sentapid /noun [ count ]
a small animal like an insect, with a long thin body and very many legs
cen .tral Ф / s ntrol / adjective
in the middle part of something
The hotel is in a central location, close to downtown and the airport.
cen .tu . ry Ф / 'sentPari / noun [ count ] ( plural cen . tu . ries )
a period of 100 years
People have been making wine in this area for centuries. We are living at the beginning of the twenty-first century.
ce .re .al /'зп-ы/
noun
[ count, noncount ]
1 a food made from grain, which you can eat for breakfast with milk
had a bowl of cereal for breakfast.
a plant that farmers grow so that we can eat the grain
cereal
a bowl of cereal
Wheat and oats are cereals.
cer .e .mo .ny Ф/ 'seremouni/ noun
[ count ]
( plural cer . e . mo . nies )
a formal public or religious event
the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games
a wedding ceremony
► cer • e • mo • ni • al / |sera ' mounial / adjective
a ceremonial occasion
cer .tain Ф / 'ssrtn/ adjective
sure about something; without any doubt I'm certain that I've seen her before.
Are you certain about that?
—ANTONYM uncertain
used for talking about a particular thing or person without saying what or who they are
Do you want the work to be finished by a certain date? It's cheaper to call at certain times of the day.
for certain
without any doubt
I don't know for certain where she is. make certain
to check something so that you are sure about it
Please make certain that the window is closed before you
leave.
cer .tain .ly Ф / 'ssrtnli/ adverb
without any doubt
She is certainly the best swimmer on the team. —SYNONYM definitely
( formal ) used when answering questions to mean "of course"
"Will you open the door for me, please?" "Certainly." "Are you going to tell him the bad news?" "Certainly not!"
cer • tif • i • cate / sar' tifakat / noun [ count ]
an important piece of paper that shows that something is true
Your birth certificate shows when and where you were born.
ce • sar • e • an / si ' zerian /
( also ce . sar . e . an sec . tion / si|zerian ' sek/n / ) noun [ count ]
( health ) an operation in which a mother's body is cut open so her baby can be taken out She had a cesarean.
chain 1 Ф / tjein / noun
[ count, noncount ] a line of metal rings that are joined together
She wore a gold chain around her neck. My bicycle chain is broken. a length of chain
— Look at the picture at bicycle , jewelry .
[ count ] ( business ) a group of stores, restaurants, hotels, etc. that are owned by one person or company
The mall has most of the major chain stores (= stores that are part of a chain ) .
chain 2© / tjein/ verb ( chains , chain ing , chained )
to attach someone or something to a place with a chain The dog was chained to a tree.
chair О / tjer /
1 [ count ] a piece of furniture for one person to sit on, with four legs, a seat, and a back a table and four chairs
chair
armchair
chairs

stool sofa/couch
2 [ singular ] = chairperson
the chair of the history department
chair • per • son / ' / noun [ count ]
( also chair ) ( also chair • man / ' Уятоэп / chair • wom • an / ' t/er|Wumэn / )
( business ) a person who controls a meeting, group, or university department
chalk / tjok /noun [ count, noncount ]
( art ) small sticks made of a soft white rock that you use for writing or drawing
The teacher wrote the answer on the board with a piece of chalk.
a box of colored chalks
chalk • board / ' tjokbord/noun [ count ] another word forblackboard
chal.lenge / ' t/abnd3 /
[count ]
a new or difficult thing that makes you try hard Climbing the mountain will be a real challenge.
an invitation to fight or play a game against someone
chal • lenge2aw / ' t/abnd3 /
( chal leng • es , chal leng • ing , chal • lenged )
to ask someone to play a game with you or fight with you to see who wins
The boxer challenged the world champion to a fight.
to refuse to accept a set of rules; to say that you think someone or something is wrong
She does not like anyone challenging her authority.
chal • leng • er AW / ' t^abndзэr / noun
[ count ]
a person who takes part in a competition or an election to win a position that someone else already has the senator's challenger in the election
chal • leng • ing AWL / ' tjabnd3ig / adjective
difficult in an interesting way that tests your ability a challenging piece of work
cham • pagne / Jam' pein /noun
[noncount]
a French white wine with a lot of bubbles
cham • pi • on / ' tfampbn/noun [ count ]
( sports ) a person who is the best at a sport or game a chess champion the world champion
cham • pi • on • ship / ' tfampbnjip / noun [ count ]
( sports ) a competition to find the best player or team in a sport or game
Our team won the championship this year.
chance О / t/ans /
[ count ] a possibility that something may happen There's no chance that she'll come now.
She has a good chance of becoming the next president. He doesn't stand (= have ) a chance of passing the exam.
[ count ] a time when you can do something It was their last chance to escape.
Be quiet and give her a chance to explain.
—SYNONYM opportunity
[ noncount ] when something happens that you cannot control or that you have not planned
We must plan this carefully. I don't want to leave anything to chance .
We met by chance at the train station. —SYNONYM luck take a chance
to do something when it is possible that something bad may happen because of it
We may lose money, but we'll just have to take that chance.
chan • cel • lor
[count]
( politics ) the head of the government in some countries the German chancellor
the head of some universities
the chancellor of Washington University
chan • de • lier
/ _lГandэ 'lir /noun [ count ] a large frame that hangs from the ceiling and holds many small lights a crystal chandelier
change
1W / t feind3 / verb (chang es,chang • ing ,changed )
to become different
She has changed a lot since the last time I saw her — she looks much older.
Water changes into ice when it gets very cold.
to make something different
At this restaurant they change the menu every week.
to put or take something in place of another thing to change a lightbulb
He changed the day of the meeting from Monday to Tuesday.
I need to change some money (= exchange money into the money of another country ) at the airport.
( also get changed ) to put on different clothes I need to change before I go out.
You need to get changed for soccer practice. He changed out of his suit and into his running shorts.
5 to get off a train, bus, or airplane and get on another one To get to San Francisco, I have to change planes in Chicago.
change 2 Ч? / tjeind3 / noun
[ count ] when something becomes different The new administration has made a lot of changes . There has been a change in the weather.
[ noncount ] the money that you get back if you pay more than the amount something costs
If a newspaper costs $1.50 and you pay with two dollar bills, you will get 50 cents change.
[ noncount ] small pieces of money; coins I don't have any change on me.
for a change
because you want something different
Today we had lunch in a restaurant for a change.
chan • nelaw п / ' tfrenl /noun [ count ]
a TV station
Which channel is the game on?
( geography ) a long narrow place where water can go the English Channel (= the area of water between England and France )
chant / t/rent / verb (chants,chant ing ,chant ed )
to say or sing a word or phrase many times The protesters chanted antiwar slogans. ►chantnoun [ count ] a religious chant
cha • os / ' keias /noun [ noncount ]
when everything is confused and nothing is organized
The house was in chaos after the party.
The accident caused total chaos on the highway.
chap • el / ' t/repl /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a room or a small church where Christians go to speak to God (to pray )
chap • er • one / '/reps|roun/noun [ count ]
an older person who goes to social events for younger people to make sure they behave correctly ► chap • er • oneverb
(chap • er•ones,chap er•on • ing ,chap er•oned )
We need more volunteers to chaperone the school dance.
chap • terawl / 'tjreptsr /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) one of the parts of a book Turn to Chapter 4.
char .ac .ter Ф / 'kaeroktor/ noun
[ count , usually singular ] the qualities that make someone or something different from other people or things
He has a strong character.
The new factory will change the character of the town.
[ count ] a person in a book, play, television show, or movie
Homer Simpson is a cartoon character.
char . ac . ter . is . tic © / .ьегекь'гиьк /
noun [ count ]
a quality that someone or something has
personal characteristics such as age, height, and weight
char • coal / ' tjarkoul /noun [ noncount ]
a black substance that is made from burning wood. It is used as a fuel or for drawing a charcoal grill a charcoal drawing
charge 1© /tjord₃/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
the money that you must pay for something
There is a charge of $200 for the use of the party room.
We deliver free of charge .
Thesaurus
price the money that you have to pay to buy something: What's the price of gas now?♦We can't afford the car at that price . ♦ house prices cost the money that you need to buy, make, or do something: The cost of electricity is going up. ♦ A new computer system was installed at a cost of$80,000. ♦ the cost of living (= the amount of money you need to pay for food, clothes, and a place to live ) charge the money that you pay for goods or services: Is there a charge for parking here? ♦ Delivery is free of charge (= costs nothing ) .
fee the money you pay to go into a place, or for professional advice or services from doctors, lawyers, colleges, etc.: Some lawyers charge extremely high fees for their services. ♦ an annual membership fee ♦ tuition fees
expense the money you spend on something, or something that makes you spend money: The house was decorated at great expense. ♦Owning a car is a big expense.
when the police say that someone has done something wrong
a murder charge
be in charge of someone or something
to take care of or be responsible for someone or something Tom is in charge of his baby brother while his mom is out.
charge 2Ф /tjard₃/ verb
( charg es , charg • ing , charged )
to ask someone to pay a particular price for something The mechanic charged me $500 for the repairs.
to buy something with a small card made of plastic (called a credit card ) instead of cash
I charged the tickets on my credit card.
to say that someone has done something wrong The police have charged him with murder.
to run quickly and with a lot of force The bull charged.
The children charged into the room.
to put electricity into something I need to charge my phone.
cha • ris • ma / ks 'rizms /noun [ noncount ]
a special quality that some people have, which makes other people like them
► cha • ris • mat • ic / |krersz' mretik / adjective
a charismatic leader
Char .i .ty Ф / 'tjaerotj /noun ( pluralchar • i • ties )
[ count, noncount ] an organization that collects money to help people who need it
The United Way is a charity. They give a lot of money to charity.
[ noncount ] being kind and helping other people
charm1 / tjarm /noun
[ noncount ] the quality of being pleasant or attractive The historic houses add to the charm of the town.
[ count ] a small thing that you wear because you think it will bring good luck
She wears a chain with a lucky charm on it.
charm 2 / tfarm / verb ( charms , charm ing , charmed )
to make someone like you
The baby charmed everyone with her smile.
charm • ing / ' tfarmig / adjective
very pleasant or attractive
Have you met the new principal? He's really charming.
chartaw / tfart /un
[count ]
a drawing that gives information about something a temperature chart
( geography ) a map of the ocean or the sky
the charts ( music ) an official list of the songs, CDs, etc. that have sold the most in a particular week
What's number l in the charts this week?
chase Ф / tfeis /
( chas.es,chas . ing ,chased )
to run behind someone or something and try to catch them
The dog chased the cat around the yard.
The police chased after the thief but he escaped.
► chase noun [ count ]
The movie includes an exciting car chase.
chat 1 / tfret / verb ( chats , chat ting , chat ted )
to talk in a friendly, informal way with someone We chatted on the phone for a few minutes.
chat2 / tfret /noun [count ]
a friendly talk
Let's have a chat about it later. Thesaurus
discussion [ count, noncount ] talking in detail about something important: a discussion with your classmates about the test ♦ We had a long discussion about what we should do. ♦ The plans are still under discussion (= being talked about ) . conversation [ count, noncount ] an informal talk between two people or a small group: a phone conversation ♦ I had a long conversation with her yesterday. ♦ The main topic of conversation was the recent election.
talk [ count ] a conversation between two or more people, often about a problem or something that is important to you: My parents want to have a talk with me about going to college. ♦ The two countries are holding talks to try to end the violence. debate [ count ] a formal discussion at a public meeting about something important, where people give their different opinions. At the end of the discussion there may be a vote: a debate on health care reform ♦ After a long debate, Congress approved the plan.
chat [ count ] a friendly, informal conversation with someone, especially about personal things: I had a nice chat with Sandy this afternoon. ♦ I just dropped by for a chat - are you free?
chat room / ' tfret rum /noun [ count ]
( computers ) an area on the Internet where you can join in a discussion with other people
chat • ter / ' tjretpr / verb
( chat . ters , chat . ter . ing , chat . tered )
to talk quickly about things that are not very important Stop chattering and finish your work.
cheap Ф / tfip / adjective
(cheap er,cheap . est)
costing little money
That restaurant is very good, and relatively cheap. Computers are getting cheaper all the time.
—ANTONYM expensive
low in price and quality
I don't like that dress — it looks cheap.
not wanting to spend money
He's too cheap to take her out to a nice restaurant.
cheat Ф / tfit /
( cheats , cheat ing , cheat . ed )
to do something that is not honest or fair She cheated on the exam. ► cheatnoun [ count ] a person who cheats That man's a liar and a cheat.
check 1 Ф / tfek / verb (checks,check . ing,checked )
to look at something to see that it is right, good, or safe Do these math problems, and then use a calculator to check your answers.
Before my long drive to Miami, I checked the oil. Check that all the windows are closed before you leave.
to make a mark like this ✓ by something Check the box next to the right answer.
check in to tell the person at the desk in a hotel or an airport that you have arrived I have to check in an hour before my flight. The noun is check-in .
check out to pay your bill and leave a hotel The noun is checkout.
check someone or something out
to find out if something is correct
We need to check out those rumors that the business is closing.
( informal ) to look at a person or thing that seems interesting
Hey, check out Mike's new sports car!
check 2 Ф / tfek / noun [count]
a look to see that everything is right, good, or safe They do regular safety checks on all their products. a security check
a piece of paper from a bank that you can write on and use to pay for things
I gave him a check for $50. Can I pay by check ?
a piece of paper that shows how much money you must pay for food in a restaurant
"Would you like anything else?" "No, just the check please."
( also check mark / ' tfek mark / ) a small mark like this /
Put a check next to the names of the people who have paid.
check • book / ' tfekbuk /
[count]
a book of checks 2 (2 )
checked / tfekt / adjective
( also check . ered / ' ^1эг1 / ) with a pattern of squares a checked shirt
— Look at the picture at pattern .
check • ers/ ' t/ekarz/noun [ noncount ] a game that two people play with round flat pieces on a board that has 64 squares in two different colors Do you want to play checkers?
check- in / t/ek in / noun
[ count, noncount ] the place where you go first when you arrive at an airport, to show your ticket, etc.
There was a long line at check-in.
[ noncount ] the act of telling someone you have arrived at a hotel, an airport, etc.
Do you know your check-in time?
check mark/ ' t/ekmark /noun [ count ] another word forcheck 2 ( 4 )
check • out / ' tjekaut / noun
( also check . out coun . ter / ' tjekaut |kauntar / )
[ count ] the place in a large store where you pay for things
[ noncount ] the time when you leave a hotel at the end of your stay
What time is checkout?
check • up / ' t/ekAp / noun [ count ]
( health ) a general examination by a doctor to make sure that you are healthy
You should visit your dentist for a checkup twice a year.
ched • dar / t/edar / noun [ noncount ]
a type of hard yellow or orange cheese
cheek О/ t/ik /noun [ count ]
one of the two soft parts of your face below your eyes —Look at the picture atface .
cheer 1 / tjir / verb
(cheers,cheer ing ,cheered )
to shout to show that you like something or to encourage someone
The crowd cheered loudly when the players ran onto the field.
cheer up ; cheer someone up to become or to make
someone happier
Cheer up! You'll feel better soon.
We gave Julie some flowers to cheer her up.
cheer2/ tjir /noun [ count ]
a loud shout that shows that you are pleased
The crowd gave a loud cheer as the singer came onto the
stage.
cheer • ful / t/irfl / adjective
happy
a cheerful smile
You don't look very cheerful today. What's the matter? ► cheer • ful • ly/ ' tjirfali /adverb
cheer • lead • er / ' t/irlidar / noun [ count ]
( sports ) a person who wears special clothes, and dances and shouts at a sports game to encourage the crowd to make a noise
She was a cheerleader in high school.
cheese О/ tjiz /noun [ count, noncount ]
a yellow or white food made from milk bread and cheese
cheese • burg • er / ' t|iz|bargar / noun
[count]
a hamburger (= a flat, round piece of meat in between two round pieces of bread ) , with a slice of cheese on top of the meat cheese • cake
/ t/izkeik /noun [ count, noncount ]
a type of cake that is made from soft white cheese, sugar, and eggs on a base made of crushed cookies
chef / /ef /noun [ count ]
a professional cook, especially the chief cook in a hotel or restaurant
chem i .cal i©0 / ' kemikl /
( chemistry ) connected with chemistry or chemicals a chemical experiment
chem .i .cal2ОШ / ' kemikl / [count]
( chemistry ) a solid or liquid substance that is used or produced in a chemical process
chem • ist / kemist /noun [ count ]
( chemistry ) a scientist who does research and experiments with chemicals
chem • is • try Ф/ krmostri /noun [ noncount ]
the science that studies gases, liquids, and solids to find out what they are and how they behave
che • mo • ther • a / |kimou ' 9erapi / ( also informalche . mo / ' kimou / )noun [ noncount ] ( health ) the treatment of a disease using chemicals Cancer patients are usually treated using chemotherapy.
cher • ish / ' tjerif /
( cher . ish . es , cher ish . ing , cher . ished )
to love and take care of someone or something Her ring is her most cherished possession.
cher • ry / ' t/eri /noun [count] (pluralcher . ries )
a small round red or black fruit that has a large seed inside it (called a pit )
—Look at the picture at fruit .
chess / tjes /
noun [ noncount ]
a game that two people play on a board with black and white squares on it (called a
chessboard ). Each player has sixteen pieces that can be moved around the board in different ways.
chestО / t/est /noun [ count ]
the top part of the front of your body — Look at the picture atbody .
a large, strong box with a lid that you use for storing or carrying things
chest • nut / ' tfesnAt /noun [ count ]
a smooth, brown nut with a sharp point, or the tree that this nut grows on roasted chestnuts
chest of draw • ers / |tfest эv ' drorz / noun
[ count ] ( plural chests of draw .ers )
a large piece of furniture with parts that you can pull out (called drawers ). A chest of drawers is usually used for keeping clothes in.
chew / tju / verb ( chews , chew ing , chewed )
to use your teeth to break up food in your mouth when you are eating
You should chew your food thoroughly.
chew • ing gum / ' tjuig gAm / noun
[ noncount ]
= gum ( 2 )
chic / Jik / adjective ( chic • er , chic • est )
fashionable and attractive a chic new restaurant
chick / tjik /noun [ count ]
a baby bird, especially a baby chicken a hen with her chicks
chick . en Ф / 'tjibn /
noun
[ count ] a bird that people often keep for its eggs and its meat
Word building
A female chicken is called a hen , and a male chicken is called a rooster . A young chicken is a chick.
[ noncount ] the meat from this bird roast chicken
chick • en pox / ' tjibn paks /
( also chick • en pox ) noun
[noncount]
( health ) a disease, especially of children. When you have the chicken pox you feel very hot and get red spots on your skin that make you want to scratch.
chief 1 © / tjif/noun [ count ]
the leader of a group of people the chief of a Native American tribe police chiefs
Chief 2© / tjif/adjective most important
Bad driving is one of the chief causes of road accidents.
chief • ly / ' tjifli /adverb
not completely, but mostly
His success was due chiefly to hard work.
—SYNONYM mainly
child © / tjaild/noun [ count ] ( pluralchil • dren / ' tjildren / )
a young boy or girl
There are 30 children in the class.
a daughter or son
Do you have any children?
One of her children got married last year.
child • care / ' tjaildker / noun [ noncount ]
taking care of children, especially while the parents are at work
childcare facilities for working parents
child .hood © / ' tjaildhud /
[ count, noncount ]
the time when you are a child She had a happy childhood.
child • ish / ' tjaildij / adjective
like a child
Don't be so childish! It's only a game. —SYNONYM immature
chil .i / 'tjili/ noun ( plural chil . ies )
[count]
( also chil • i pep • per ) a
small green or red vegetable that has a very strong hot taste chili powder
[ noncount ] a dish made with chilis .
chill / Mil / verb ( chills , chill • ing
to make someone or something colder Chill the white wine before you serve it.
( also chill out ) ( informal )
to relax and not worry about things
When I get home from work, I like to chill out in front of the TV.
► chillnoun [ singular ] a feeling of being cold There's a chill in the air this morning.
chill • y / ' tjili/ adjective (chill • i • er, chill • i • est)
cold
a chilly morning Thesaurus
cold with a temperature that is lower than usual or lower than the human body; (used about food or drink) not heated: I'm not going into the lake - the water's too cold. ♦ Should I turn the heat on? I'm cold. ♦ to look/feel cold ♦ Would you like a cold drink? ♦ We're having cold chicken for lunch. cool (used especially about the weather) a little cold, often in a pleasant way: It's hot outside but it's nice and cool in here. ♦ a cool breeze (= a light wind ) ♦ Let's sit in the shade and keep cool. freezing ( informal )
(used about the temperature or people) extremely cold: It's freezing outside. ♦ freezing temperatures ♦ I'm freezing! Close the window! ♦ freezing cold weather —ANTONYM boiling
chilly (used especially about the weather) too cold to be comfortable: a chilly morning in November ♦ Bring a coat. It might get chilly later. ♦ She was beginning to feel chilly.
chime / tjaim / verb
( chimes , chim • ing , chimed )
to make the sound that a bell makes The clock chimed midnight.
chim • ney / ' tjimni / noun [ count ] ( plural chim . neys )
and usually meat chilled )
a large pipe over a fire that lets smoke go outside into the air
chim • pan • zee
/ |tjimpren ' zi /noun [ count ] an African animal like a large monkey with no tail
Chill Ф / 'tjin /noun [ count ] the part of your face below your mouth — Look at the picture atface .
chi • na / ' tjains /noun
[noncount]
a hard white material made from earth, or things like plates and cups that are made from this a china cup
chip1 / tjip /noun [ count ]
a small piece of something, such as wood, chocolate, or glass
a chocolate chip cookie
the place where a small piece of wood, stone, or other material has broken off a larger piece
This plate has a chip in it.
( also po • ta to chip ) a very thin piece of potato cooked in hot oil and eaten cold
I put out chips and dip for the party.
( computers ) a very small thing inside a computer that makes it work
—SYNONYM microchip
chip 2 / tjip / verb ( chips , chip • ping , chipped )
to break or lose a small piece off something hard My son fell off his bike and chipped his tooth.
chip .munk / ^ртлцк/ chipmunk
noun [ count ]
a small animal with a long, thick tail and brown fur with lines of black and white on its back
chirp / t/srp / verb ( chirps , chirp • ing , chirped )
to make the short high sound that small birds make
chis • el / ' уы / noun
[ count ]
a tool with a sharp end that is used for cutting or shaping wood, stone, etc.
chlo • ride / ' kloraid /noun [ count, noncount ]
( chemistry ) a substance that is a mixture of chlorine and another chemical sodium chloride chlo • rine / ' klorin /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolCl )
( chemistry ) a yellow-green gas with a strong smell, which is used for making water safe to drink or to swim in
choc .o .late Ф / ' tjaklst /
1 [ noncount ] a dark brown sweet food that is made from seeds (called cocoa beans ) that grow on trees in hot countries
Do you like chocolate?
would love a piece of chocolate right now. a chocolate cake
[ count ] a piece of candy made of chocolate a box of chocolates
choc • o • late chip / |tjaklst ' tjip / noun
[count]
a small piece of chocolate used in baking chocolate chip cookies
choice Ф / tjois /
[ count ] the act of choosing between two or more people or things
You made the right choice .
[ noncount ] the right or chance to choose We have no choice . We have to leave.
[ count ] the things that you can choose from The menu has a choice of six different soups.
[ count ] the person or thing that someone has chosen She was my choice for student council president.
choir / ' kwaisr /noun [ count ] ( music ) a group of people who sing together a school choir
choke / tjouk / verb (chokes, chok • ing, choked )
to be or to make someone not able to breathe because something is stopping air from getting in He was choking on a fish bone. Loosen the dog's collar — it's choking him.
cho • les • ter • ol / ks 'lestsrol / noun
[noncount]
( health , biology ) a substance in your body that can cause heart disease if there is too much of it a new medication to help lower your cholesterol
chooseО / tjuz /verb ( choos • es , choos • ing , chose / tjouz / has cho • sen / ' tjouzn / ) to decide which thing or person you want She chose the chocolate cake.
Mike had to choose between getting a job or going to college.
The noun is choice .
chop 1 / tjap /verb (chops, chop • ping, chopped )
to cut something into pieces with a knife, etc. Chop up an onion into small pieces. We chopped some wood for the fire. Thesaurus
cut to divide something into two or more pieces with a knife, etc.: Cut the sandwich in half (= into two equal pieces ) . ♦ She cut the bread into thick slices. ♦ He cut up the meat on his plate.
chop to cut something into pieces with something sharp, such as a knife: Chop the carrots up into small pieces. ♦ Add the finely chopped onions. ♦ Roughly chop the herbs.
slice to cut something into thin pieces (called slices ): Slice the cucumber thinly. ♦ a loaf of sliced bread ♦ Should I slice the cake now?
carve to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces for eating: Dinner is ready. Who's going to carve the turkey?
chop something down to cut a tree, etc. at the bottom so that it falls down
chop something off to remove something from something else by cutting it to chop a branch off a tree
chop2 / tfap/noun [ count ] a thick slice of meat with a piece of bone in it a Iamb chop
chop • sticks
/ ' tfapstiks /noun [ plural ]
a pair of thin sticks that are used for eating with, especially in some Asian countries
chord / kord /noun [ count ]
( music ) two or more musical notes that are played at the same time
chore / tfor /noun [ count ] a job that is not interesting but that you must do doing the household chores
cho • re • og • ra • phy / |kori' agrefi / noun
[noncount]
the arrangement of movements for a dance
cho • rus / ' kores /noun [ count ] ( pluralcho . rus . es ) ( music )
a part of a song that you repeat
a large group of people who sing together —SYNONYM choir
chose, cho•sen
forms of choose
chow • der / ' tJаudэr /
[count]
a thick soup, usually made with fish clam chowder
Christ / kraist / =Jesus
chris • ten / ' krisn /verb ( chris tens , chris . ten . ing , chris tened ) ( religion ) to give a name to a baby and make him or her a member of the Christian church in a special ceremony ►chris • ten • ing / ' krisnig /noun [ count ] the ceremony when a baby is christened
Chris • tian / ' kristjbn /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a person who believes in Jesus Christ and what he taught
► Chris • tian adjective
the Christian church
Chris • ti • an • i • ty / ,knstji ' remti / noun
[ noncount ]
( religion ) the religion that follows what Jesus Christ taught
Christ • mas / ' krIsmэs / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( religion ) the period of time around and including December 25, when Christians remember the birth of Christ
Merry Christmas!
Where are you spending Christmas this year? Culture
Christmas is an important festival in the U.S. The day before Christmas Day is called Christmas Eve .
Many children believe that Santa Claus visits them at Christmas to bring presents, and they hang Christmas stockings for him to fill with presents.
People send Christmas cards and give presents to their friends and family. Many people go to church at Christmas and sing Christmas carols .
People put special trees (called Christmas trees ) in their homes, and decorate them with small lights and other pretty things. Christmas is sometimes written informally as Xmas .
chrome / kroum / noun [ noncount ]
a hard, shiny metal that is used to cover other metals a chrome bumper on a car
chro • mo • some / ' kroumэsoum / noun
[ count ]
( biology ) the part of a cell that decides the sex, character, size, etc. that a person, plant, or animal will have
chron • ic / kranik / adjective
( health ) (used about a disease or problem) that continues for a long time and is hard to get rid of a chronic backache chronic unemployment
chron • o • log • i • cal / ikram ' lad3ikl /
adjective
arranged in the order in which events happened a list of Civil War battles in chronological order
chrys • a • lis / ' kr^lis / noun [ count ]
( pluralchrys a lis es ) ( biology ) the form of an insect while it is changing into an adult inside a hard case
—Look at the picture at butterfly .
chub • by / ' tfAbi / adjective ( chub . bi . er , chub . bi est )
slightly fat
a baby with chubby cheeks
chunk / tJAgk /noun [ count ] a large piece or part of something A large chunk of my income goes to paying rent. Thesaurus
piece an amount of something that has been cut or separated from the rest of it. This is a very general word and can be used with most noncount nouns: She wrote her address on a piece of paper. ♦ He cut the pizza into small pieces. ♦ a piece of fruit ♦ a piece of advice
slice a thin, flat piece of food that has been cut off a larger piece: Would you like another slice of cake? ♦ Cut the meat into thin slices. ♦ a slice of lemon/tomato ♦ cheese slices
chunk a thick, solid piece that has been cut or broken off something: There were chunks of ice floating in the lake. ♦ a great big chunk of meat ♦ a chunk of cheese/bread
lump a piece of something hard or solid, especially one without any particular shape: This sauce has lumps in it. ♦ a few lumps of coal ♦ a big lump of dough slab a thick, flat piece of stone, ice, or food: a huge slab of concrete ♦ paving slabs
church © / tjartj/noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralchurch . es )
( religion ) a building where Christians go to speak to God (to pray )
They go to church every Sunday. Grammar
When we talk about going to a ceremony (a service ) in a church we say in church , to church or at church without "a" or "the": Was Mr. Poole at church today?
We use a or the to talk about the building: the church where we got married ♦ a historic church .
chute / Jut /noun [ count ]
a narrow space that you drop or slide things down a laundry chute
ci • der / ' saidar / ( also ap . ple ci . der )noun
[ count, noncount ] a drink made from apples
ci • gar / si ' gar /noun [ count ]
a thick roll of dried leaves (called tobacco ) that some people smoke. Cigars are larger than cigarettes.
cig .a .rette © / 'sigaret/ noun [count ]
a thin tube of white paper filled with dried leaves (called tobacco ), which some people smoke He smoked two packs of cigarettes a day.
cin • e • ma / ' sinama / noun [noncount] (format)
movies in general
French cinema during the twentieth century
cin • na • mon / ' sinaman /noun [ noncount ]
a brown powder that is used to give flavor to sweet foods cinnamon toast (= toast with butter, cinnamon, and sugar )
cir .cle lO/'ssrkl/noun [count]
1 a round shape; a ring There are 360 degrees in a circle.
—Look at the picture at shape .
circle
2 a group of people who are friends, or who have the same interest or job
He has a large circle of friends.
cir • cle 2 / ' sarkl / verb ( cir . cles , cir . cling , cir cled )
to move in a circle, or to draw a circle around something
Vultures circled overhead.
Circle the correct answer in your book.
cir • cuit / ' sarkat /noun [ count ]
( physics ) the complete path of electricity through a wire, etc.
an electrical circuit
cir • cu • lar / ' sarkyalar / adjective
with the shape of a circle a circular table
—SYNONYM round
cir • cu • late / ' sarkyaleit / verb ( cir . cu lates , cir . cu lat . ing , cir cu . lat . ed )
to move around
Blood circulates around the body.
cir • cu • la • tion / |sarkya ' leijn / noun
[ noncount ]
( biology ) the movement of blood around the body
cir • cum • fer • ence / sar kAmfrans / noun
[ count ]
( math ) the distance around a circle —Look at the picture atcircle .
cir • cum • stanc • esAWL / ' sarkamstrensiz / noun [ plural ]
the facts that are true in a particular situation
under no circumstances
never; not for any reason
Under no circumstances should you go out alone at night. under the circumstances
as the result of a particular situation
It's not an ideal solution, but it's the best we can do under the circumstances.
cir • cus / ' sarkas /noun [ count ] ( pluralcir . cus . es )
a performance by a company of people and often trained animals which travels to different places The kids enjoyed seeing the acrobats, clowns, and elephants at the circus.
cite AWL / sait / verb ( cites , cit . ing , cit ed )
to mention something as an example, to support what you are saying
She cited rising crime figures as an example of the city's problems.
cit . i . Zen © / 'sitozn /noun [ count ]
a person who belongs to a country or a city She became an American citizen in 1995.
cit • i • Zen • ship / ' sitazanjip / noun
[ noncount ]
the legal right to belong to a particular country to apply for citizenship
cit • rus fruit / ' sitras frut /noun [ count, noncount ] a fruit such as an orange or a lemon
Cit .y©/ 'siti / noun [ count ] ( plural cit ies ) a big and important town the city of New York city streets
cit • y hall ( also Cit . y Hall ) / ,siti ' h ol /noun
[ count ]
( politics ) the government of a city and the offices it uses We're going to fight city hall to get our roads repaired. We got married at City Hall.
civ • ic / sivik / adjective
( politics ) connected with a city or town, or the people
who live there
a civic leader
our civic responsibilities
civ • il aw Щ / ' sivl / adjective
connected with the public, not with the army or a church a civil wedding (= not a religious one )
connected with the legal rights of people, but not criminal issues
civil law
polite, but not very friendly
You may not like him, but try at least to be civil.
ci • vil • ian / sэ 'v^n /noun [ count ]
a person who does not belong to the army, navy, etc. or to the police
civ • i • li • za • tion / ^гуэ1э ' zeijn /
[ count, noncount ]
the way people live together in a society with laws,
education, and a government
the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome
Western civilization
civ • i • lized / ' s^laEd / adjective
(used about a society) well organized and having a highly developed culture
polite and reasonable a civilized conversation
civ • il rights / |sivl ' raits /noun [ plural ]
a person's legal rights to freedom and to equal treatment in society
Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leader during the 1960s.
civ • il serv • ant / |sivi ' sэrvэnt /noun [ count ]
( politics ) a person who works in the civil service
the civ • il serv • ice / бэ |sivi ' sэrvэs / noun [
singular ]
( politics ) the government departments in a country, and the people who work for them
civ • il war / |sivl ' war /noun [ count, noncount ]
( history , politics ) a war between groups of people who live in the same country The Civil War began in 1861.
cl abbreviation of centiliter
claim 1 / kleim / verb ( claims , claim • ing , claimed )
to say that something is true
He claims that he did the work without help.
to ask for something because it is yours
If no one claims the camera you found, you can have it.
claim2 / kleim/noun [ count ]
saying that something is true
No one believed his claim that he had found the money on the street.
something that you ask for because you think you have a right to it
After the car accident, he made a claim to his insurance company to pay for repairs.
clam / klam/noun [ count ]
a type of fish with a round shell in two parts that can open and close fried clams clamp1 / klamp /verb ( clamps , clamp • ing , clamped )
to hold something firmly in a particular position
Her lips were clamped shut.
clamp down on someone or something
( informal )
to take strong action in order to stop or control something The police are clamping down on street crime.
clamp2 / klamp /noun [ count ]
a tool that holds two things together very firmly
clang / kl;uij / verb ( clangs, clang • ing, clanged )
to make a loud sound, like metal when you hit it with something
The iron gates clanged shut .
clap / klap / verb ( claps , clap • ping , clapped )
to hit your hands together to make a noise, usually to show that you like something
At the end of the concert the audience clapped loudly.
clar • i • fy AWL / ' klarefai / verb ( clar i fies , clar i fy • ing , clar • i • fied )
to make something clear and easy to understand I hope that what I say will clarify the situtation. ► clar • i • fi • ca • tion AWL / ^laf 'keijn /noun [noncount]
That report needs some clarification.
clar • i • net / |klare ' net /noun [ count ]
( music ) a musical instrument made of wood with holes in it. You play it by blowing into it.
— Look at the picture at instrument .
clar • i • tyaw щ / ' klareti /noun [ noncount ]
the quality of being clear and easy to understand
clarity of expression
Your written arguments lack clarity.
The adjective is clear .
clash 1 / klaj / verb ( clash es , clash • ing , clashed )
to fight or argue about something Police clashed with demonstrators.
If colors or patterns clash , they do not look good together
That red tie clashes with your shirt.
clash2 / klaj /noun [ count ] ( pluralclash • es )
a fight or a serious argument
a clash between police and demonstrators
a big difference a clash of cultures
clasp 1 / klasp / verb ( clasps , clasp ing , clasped )
to hold someone or something firmly
He clasped the dog's leash tightly. —SYNONYM grip
clasp2 / klasp /noun [ count ]
a metal object that fastens or holds something together the clasp on a necklace—Look at the picture atjewelry
class Ф / klas /noun ( pluralclass • es )
1 [ count ] a group of children or students who learn
together
There is a new girl in my class.
The whole class passed the exam. the class of '09 (= the group of students who finished their studies in 2009 )
[ count, noncount ] the time when you learn something with a teacher
Classes begin at nine o'clock. No cell phones are allowed in class .
[ count ] a group of people or things that are the same in some way
There are many different classes of insects.
the middle class (= people who are neither rich nor poor )
[ count ] how good, comfortable, etc. something is It costs more to travel first class .
clas • sic1AWL / ' klresik /adjective
( english language arts ) important and having a value that will last
the classic novel "Pride and Prejudice"
clas • sic2AWL / ' klresik /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a book, movie, or piece of music that is so good that it is still popular many years after it was written or made
"Charlotte's Web," written by E. B. White, is a children's classic.
clas • si • cal aw / ' klresikl /
in a style that people have used for a long time because they think it is good
classical dance
—SYNONYM traditional —ANTONYM modern
( music ) Classical music is written for instruments that are not electronic, and is considered to be serious and important
I prefer rock to classical music.
connected with ancient Greece or Rome classical Greek architecture
clas • si • fied ad / |klressfaid ' red /noun
[ count ]
a small advertisement that you put in a newspaper, on the Internet, etc. if you want to buy or sell something, rent an apartment, etc.
clas • si • fy / ' klressfai / verb ( clas • si • fies , clas • si fy • ing , clas • si • fied )
to put someone or something into a group with others that are similar
Would you classify the movie as a drama or a thriller?
clas • si • fi • ca • tion / |klressfs ' keijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the classification of different species of butterflies
class • mate / klresmeit /noun [ count ]
a person who is in the same class as you at school or college
class • room / klresrum /noun [ count ]
a room where you learn in a school or college
class • y / klresi / adjective ( class • i • er , class i • est )
( informal )
having high quality or style; expensive He took me to a classy restaurant.
clat • ter / ' klretsr / verb ( clat • ters , clat • ter • ing , clat • tered )
to make the loud noise of hard things hitting each other The dishes clattered in the cupboard when he slammed the door.
clat • ternoun [ count , usually singular ]
the clatter of horses' hoofs
clauseawЦ / kloz/noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a part of a sentence that has a verb in it
The sentence "After we had finished eating, we went out." contains two clauses.
a part of a legal document that says that something must or must not be done
There is a clause in the rental agreement forbidding pets.
claus • tro • pho • bi •a / |klostrs foubis /
noun [ noncount ]
( health ) a very strong fear of being in a small or closed space
claw / klo /noun [ count ]
one of the hard pointed parts on the feet of some animals and birds
Cats have sharp claws. —Look at the picture at cat .
clay / klei /noun [ noncount ]
a kind of heavy earth that becomes hard when it is dry clay pots
clean 1® / klin / adjective ( clean e , lean es )
not dirty clean clothes
Are your hands clean?
—ANTONYM dirty
having no record of crimes or offenses Do you have a clean driving record?
clean 2 w / klin /verb
( cleans , clean • ing , cleaned )
to remove the dirt or marks from something; to make
something clean
Sam cleaned the kitchen floor.
clean something out to clean the inside of something I found my old jacket when I cleaned out my closet. clean up ; clean something up to make a place clean and neat
You need to clean up your room before you go out. She helped me clean up after the party. Word building
When you clean or clean up your home, you do housework .
You wash something with water and often soap. You wipe a surface with a wet cloth and you dust a surface with a dry cloth. You sweep the floor with a broom .
clean • er / klinsr /noun [count]
a person whose job is to clean people's houses or other buildings
an office cleaner
a substance or special machine used for cleaning something
a carpet cleaner
the cleaners = dry cleaners
Could you pick up my suit from the cleaners on your way home?
clear 1® / klir / adjective ( clear ei , clear est )
1 easy to see, hear, or understand She spoke in a loud, clear voice. These instructions aren't very clear. It's clear that he's not happy.
I made it clear to him that he was no longer welcome here. —ANTONYM unclear
easy to see through clear glass
free from marks
a clear sky (= without clouds ) clear skin (= without spots )
with nothing blocking the way Most roads are now clear of snow.
clea Г 2 ©/ klir /verb( d , , )
to remove things from a place because you do not want or need them there
They cleared the snow from the path.
When you're finished eating, clear the table (= take away
the dirty plates ) .
to become clear
It rained in the morning, but in the afternoon the sky cleared.
clear something out to make something neat and clean by getting rid of things that you do not want
clear • ance / ' klirens /noun [ noncount ]
official permission to do something
You need special security clearance to enter the building.
getting rid of something that is old and not wanted a clearance sale
clear .ly О / klirli / adverb
in a way that is easy to see, hear, or understand
When you make your speech, try to speak slowly and clearly.
The notes explain very clearly what you have to do.
without any doubt
She is clearly very intelligent.
—SYNONYM obviously
cler • gy / ' kbrd3i /noun [ plural ]
( religion ) the people who perform religious services a member of the clergy
cler • gy • man / ' ыэ^шэп /
( also cler . gy . wom . an / ' klэrdзiwumэn / )noun [ count ] (pluralcler .gy . men/ ' kbrd3imen / cler . gy . wom . en / ' klэrdзiwimэn / ) ( religion ) a member of the clergy
clerk / kbrk /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to do written work or keep records or accounts in an office, a bank, etc.
a person who works in a store —SYNONYM salesclerk
a person whose job is to help people arriving at or leaving a hotel
Leave your keys with the clerk at the front desk.
clev • er / ' 1Ьуэг / adjective ( clev . er . er , clev er . est )
intelligent and showing skill; quick at learning and understanding things a clever strategy
► clev • er • ly / ' 1ЬуэгН / adverb
cli • che / kli'Jei/noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a phrase or an idea that has been used too many times before, so it does not mean much The saying "life begins at 40" is such a cliche.
click 1 / klik / verb ( clicks , click ing , clicked )
1 to make a short, sharp sound The door clicked shut.
2 ( computers ) to press one of the buttons on a computer mouse
To open a file, click on the menu. Click the OK button to start.
—Look at double-click .
click2 / klik /noun [ count ]
a short, sharp sound the click of a switch
( computers ) the act of pressing a button on a computer mouse
You can do this with a click of the mouse.
cli • ent / ' klarant/noun [ count ]
( business ) a person who pays a professional or business person for help or advice
The lawyer claimed that her client was innocent.
cliff / khf / _C|iff
noun [ count ]
( geography ) a
high area of rock by the ocean, with one side that goes up very quickly (that is steep )
Cli .mate Ф/ 'klaimot/noun
[ count, noncount ]
( geography ) the normal weather conditions of a place Coffee will not grow in a cold climate.
cli • mate change / ' klaImэt ,tjemd3 / noun
[noncount]
( geography ) changes in the earth's weather, espcially the fact that the earth's atmosphere is getting hotter Scientists are very worried about the effects of global climate change.
—Look at global warming .
cli • max / ' klaimreks /noun [ count ] ( pluralcli . max . es )
the most important part of something or of a period of time Winning an Oscar was the climax of his career.
climb О / klaim / verb ( climbs , climb . ing , climbed ) Pronunciation
The word climb sounds like time .
to go up toward the top of something They climbed the mountain.
The cat climbed to the top of the tree.
to move to or from a place when it is not easy to do it The boys climbed through a hole in the fence.
to move to a higher level The road climbs steeply. ► climbnoun [ count ]
It was a long climb to the top of the mountain.
climb • er / ' klaImэr /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a person who climbs mountains or rocks as a sport
lighthouse I cliff
a rock climber
climb • ing / ' klaimig /noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) the sport of climbing mountains or rocks He was injured in a climbing accident.
cling / klii / verb
( clings , cling ing , clung / Ылц / has clung )
to hold tight or stick to someone or something The girl was crying and clinging to her mother. His wet clothes clung to his body.
clin • ic / ' klinik/noun [ count ]
( health ) a place where you can go to get help or advice from a doctor about a particular medical problem
clip1 / klip /noun [ count ]
a small piece of metal or plastic for holding things together or in place a hair clip
—Look at paper clip .
clip 2 / klip / verb ( clips , clip • ping , clipped )
to join something to another thing with a clip Clip the photo to the top of the letter. Do your earrings clip on?
clip • board / ' kiipbrd /
noun [ count ]
a small board with a part that holds papers at the top
( computers ) a place where information from a computer file is kept for a short time, before it is added to another file
clock © / klak /noun [ count ]
a thing that shows you what time it is an alarm clock Word building
A small clock that you wear on your wrist is called a watch .
You say that a clock or watch is fast if it shows a time that is later than the real time. You say that it is slow if it shows a time that is earlier than the real time.
clock • wise / klakwaiz / adjective, adverb
in the direction that the hands of a clock move Turn the handle clockwise .
—ANTONYM counterclockwise
clog / klag /noun [ count ]
a type of shoe with no back and a thick base made of wood a pair of clogs
clone / kloun/noun [ count ]
( biology ) an exact copy of a plant or an animal, created from one of its cells
clone verb ( clones , clon • ing , cloned )
Scientists first cloned a sheep in 1996.
close 1 Ф / klouz / verb ( :los es , clos ing ,
closed )
Pronunciation
When the word close is a verb, it has a / z / sound as in grows or nose .
When the word close is an adjective, it has a / s / sound as in dose .
to shut
Please close the window.
Close your eyes!
The door closed quietly.
to stop being open, so that people cannot go there What time does the bank close?
—ANTONYM open
close down ; close something down to stop all
business at a store, factory, etc.
The store closed down when the owner died.
Health inspectors closed the restaurant down.
close 2 Ф / klous / adjective, adverb ( clos • er , clos est )
near
We live close to the train station.
The photographer asked us to stand closer together (= with less space between us ) .
If people are close , they know each other well and like each other very much
I'm very close to my sister. John and I are close friends .
(used about a competition or race) only won by a small amount
a close game
careful
Take a close look at this picture. a close call
a bad thing that almost happened I wasn't hurt, but it was a pretty close call.
close • ly / ' klousli / adverb Paul entered, followed closely by Mike. We watched her closely (= carefully ) .
closed Ф / klouzd / adjective
not open
The store is closed on Sundays. Keep your eyes closed.
—SYNONYM shut —ANTONYM open
closed-cir • cuit tel • e • vi • sion
/ |klouzd ^эЛэ: ' tebvi3n /noun [ noncount ] ( abbreviationCCTV )
a type of television system with cameras in public places, used to prevent crime
clos • et / ' k^t /noun [ count ]
a space in a wall with a door that reaches the ground, used for storing clothes, shoes, etc. a walk-in closet
clo • sure / ' klouзэr /noun [ count, noncount ]
the act of closing a business the closure of factories in Detroit
clot / klat /noun [ count ]
( health ) a lump that forms when blood dries or gets thick a blood clot
clot verb ( clots , clot • ting , clot • ted )
This medication stops blood from clotting.
clothО / klo6 /
[ noncount ] material made of wool, cotton, etc. that you use for making clothes and other things
—SYNONYM fabric
[ count ] a piece of cloth that you use for a special job Do you have a cloth I can use to wipe the floor with?
— Look at tablecloth , washcloth .
clothes ©/ klooclz / noun [ plural ]
things like pants, shirts, and dresses that you wear to cover your body
She was wearing new clothes . Take off those wet clothes. Collocations
Clothes and appearance clothes
be wearing a new outfit/a uniform/jeans
wear jewelry/a watch/glasses/contact lenses/perfume put on/take off your clothes/coat/shoes change into a pair of jeans/your pajamas be fashionably/well dressed be/get dressed for work/school/dinner appearance brush/comb your hair wash/shampoo/blow-dry your hair have/get a haircut/your hair cut/a new hairstyle have/get a makeover/your nails done use/wear/put on makeup/cosmetics/lipstick
clothes
tf $ # w 4-
overcoat jacket sweater T-shirt shorts
cloth . ing Ф / 'kioocinj / noun
[noncount]
clothes, especially a particular type of clothes You will need waterproof clothing.
He checked the pockets of each piece of clothing before putting it in the washing machine. Which word? Clothes or clothing?
Clothes is a plural noun: I need to buy some new clothes. ♦ Look at all these clothes!
Clothing is a more formal word for clothes, and can be used to talk about single items: a piece of clothing ♦an item of clothing .
cloud Ф / klaud /noun
[ count, noncount ] ( geography ) a white or gray shape in the sky that is made of small drops of water
Look at those dark clouds. It's going to rain.
[ count ] a large collection of dust or smoke that looks like a cloud
clouds of smoke
cloud • y / klaudi / adjective ( cloud . i . er , cloud . i . est )
If the weather is cloudy , the sky is full of clouds a cloudy day
clove / klouv /noun
[ count ]
1 the small dried flower of a tree that grows in hot countries, used as a spice in cooking. Cloves look like small nails.
2 one of the small separate sections of garlic (= a vegetable of the onion family with a strong taste and smell, used in cooking ) Crush two cloves of garlic.
—Look at the picture at garlic . clo • ver / ' klouvar / noun [ count ]
a small plant with leaves that usually have three parts to them
Have you ever found a four-leaf clover?
clown / klaun /noun [ count ]
a person who wears funny clothes and a big red nose and does silly things to make people laugh
club Ф / kL\b/noun
[ count ] a group of people who do something together, or the place where they meet
to be a member of a club the school's chess club
Do you belong to a country club? (= where people play sports and go to social events )
[ count ] ( also night . club / ' naitklAb / ) a place where people go to listen to music, dance, etc.
[ count ] a heavy stick with one thick end, used as a weapon
[ count ] ( sports ) a long thin stick that is used for hitting a ball when playing golf (= a game played on grass in which you hit a small ball into a number of holes )
Which word? The thing that you use to hit the ball has different names in different sports. You use a bat in baseball.
You use a racket to play tennis, badminton, and squash. To play golf, you use a club . In hockey, you use a stick .
cl ubs [ plural ] the group of playing cards ( called a suit ) that have the shape * on them
the three of clubs
—Look at the picture at playing card .
club • bing / ' ki bin /noun
[noncount]
the activity of going out to places called clubs or nightclubs , where you can listen to music and dance at night
They go clubbing every Saturday night.
club so • da / |klAb ' souda /noun [ noncount ]
water with bubbles in it —SYNONYM soda water
clue / klu /noun [ count ]
something that helps to find the answer to a problem, or to know the truth
The police are looking for clues to help them find the missing man.
—Look at the picture at crossword puzzle .
have no clue
( informal )
to know nothing about something "What's his name?" "I have no clue."
clum • sy / klAmzi / adjective ( clum . si . er , clum . si . est )
If you are clumsy , you often drop things or do things badly because you do not move in an easy or careful way I just broke another glass. I'm so clumsy!
►clum • si • ly / ' klAmzsli / adverb He clumsily knocked the cup off the table.
clung
form of cling
clus • ter / ' klAstsr /noun [ count ]
a group of people or things that are close together a cluster of grapes
clutch 1 / klAtJ / verb ( clutch • es , clutch • ing , clutched )
to hold something tight
The boy clutched his mother's hand.
—SYNONYM grip
clutch 2 / klAtf / noun [count] ( plural clutch . es )
(in some vehicles) the part that your foot presses while your hand moves the stick that changes the engine speed
clut • ter / ' klAtsr /noun [ noncount ]
things that are where they are not wanted or needed, and which make a place messy I can't stand all this clutter! ► clut • tered / ' klAtsrd /adjective
a cluttered desk
cm
abbreviation of centimeter
Co. / kou /
abbreviation ofcompany ( 1 ) c/o / |si ' ou /abbreviation
You use c/o (short for care of ) when you are writing to someone who is staying at another person's house Ms. S. Garcia, c/o Mr. Michael Nolan
coach1 / koutj /noun ( pluralcoach • es )
[ count ] ( sports ) a person who trains a person or team in a sport
a baseball coach
[ noncount ] the cheapest type of seats on an airplane I used to fly business class for work, but now I fly coach .
coach 2 / koutj / verb (coach •es,coach • ing ,coached )
to teach someone to play a sport or do something better She is coaching the Olympic volleyball team.
coal / koul /noun [ noncount ]
a hard black substance that comes from under the ground and gives out heat when you burn it a coal mine
coarse / kors / adjective ( coars • er , coars • est )
made of thick pieces so that it is not smooth coarse salt coarse material
—ANTONYM fine
COaSt Ф / koust/noun [count]
( geography ) the part of the land that is next to the ocean
We drove along the coast.
They reported seeing sharks just off the coast.
Culture
The area of the United States next to the Pacific Ocean is called the West Coast . The area next to the Atlantic Ocean is called the East Coast : They live on the West Coast. ♦ Boston and other East Coast cities .
coast • al / koustl / adjective
( geography ) at or near a coast coastal areas
the Coast Guard / 6s ' koust gard / [count]
an organization that watches people's activities on the ocean and helps people or ships who are in danger
coast • line / ' koustlain /noun [ count ]
( geography ) the edge of the land next to the ocean a rocky coastline
coat 1 Ф / kout /noun [ count ]
a piece of clothing that you wear over your other clothes when you are outside
Put your coat on — it's cold today.
the hair or fur that covers an animal a dog with a smooth coat
a layer of something that covers a surface a coat of paint
coat 2 / kout / verb ( coats , coat • ing , coat • ed )
to put a thin covering of something over another thing Their shoes were coated with mud.
coat hang • er / ' kout |h®gsr /noun [ count ]
another word for hanger
cob • web / ' kabweb /noun [ count ]
a net, especially one that is old and full of dust, that a spider made to catch insects
cock • pit / ' kakpit /noun [ count ]
the part of an airplane where the pilot sits
cock • roach / ' kakroutj/noun [ count ] ( pluralcock • roach • es ) ( also informalroach )
a large brown insect that you find in houses, especially dirty ones
cock • tail / kakteil /noun [ count ]
a drink usually made of alcohol mixed with fruit juices or other types of drinks a cocktail party
co • coa / koukou /noun
[ noncount ] a dark brown powder made from the seeds (called cocoa bean s ) of a tree that grows in hot countries. Cocoa is used in making chocolate.
[ count, noncount ] a drink of hot milk mixed with this powder
a cup of cocoa
co • co •nut / ' kouksnAt / noun [ count ]
cod / kad /noun [ count ] ( pluralcod ) a large fish that lives in the ocean and that you can eat
a large fruit that grows on trees in hot countries. Coconuts are brown and hard on the outside, and they have sweet white food and liquid inside.
codeaw п / koud /noun
[ count, noncount ] a way of writing secret messages, using letters, numbers, or special signs
The list of names was written in code .
[ count ] a group of numbers or letters that helps you find something
a bar code (= a pattern of lines printed on things that you buy, that a computer can read )
— Look at area code , zip code .
[ count ] a set of rules for a group of people
Does your school have a dress code (= a set of rules about what you are allowed to wear ) ?
cof .fee Ф/ 'kofi/ noun
[ noncount ] a brown powder made from the seeds (called coffee beans ) of a tree that grows in hot countries. You use it for making a drink.
[ noncount ] a drink made by adding hot water to this powder
Would you like coffee or tea? a cup of coffee
[ count ] a cup of this drink Two large coffees, please. Word building
Black coffee has no milk in it.
Decaffeinated coffee, also called decaf , has had the caffeine taken out.
cof • fee shop / ' kofi Jap /noun [ count ]
a small, informal restaurant that serves cheap meals, coffee, and other drinks
cof • fee ta • ble / ' kofi ,teibi /noun [ count ]
a small, low table that you put magazines, cups, or other similar things on
cof • fin / ' Ыэп /noun [ count ]
a box that a dead person's body is put in
co • her • ent aw / kou ' hirent / Я
clear, organized, and easy to understand a coherent argument —ANTONYM incoherent ►co • her • ent • lyAWL / kou 'hirentli /adverb
coil 1 / koil / verb ( coils , coil . ing , coiled )
to make something into a lot of circles that are joined together
The snake coiled itself around a branch.
coil2 / koil/noun [ count ]
a long piece of rope or wire that goes around in circles a coil of rope
COin Ф / bin /noun [ count ]
a piece of money made of metal
The soda machine takes both bills and coins.
—Look at the picture at money .
co • in • cideaw / ,kouin ' said /
( co . in . cides , co . in . cid . ing , co . in . cid . ed )
to happen at the same time as something else
My trip to Cape Cod coincided with the president's visit.
to be the same or very similar Our views coincide completely.
co • in • ci • dence aw / kou ' /
[count]
two or more similar things happening at the same time or in the same place by chance, in a surprising way What a coincidence! I was just thinking about you when you called!
co •in • ci • den • tal aw / koU|Insэ ' dentl /
adjective
happening by chance; not planned co • la / ' koub /noun
[ count, noncount ]
a sweet brown drink with bubbles in it
cold 1 W/ kould / adjective ( cold er , cold est)
not hot or warm; with a low temperature Put your coat on — it's cold outside.
I'm cold. Will you turn up the heat? hot and cold water
—ANTONYM hot
not friendly or kind
She gave him a cold, hard look.
cold • ly / ' kouldli / adverb She looked at me coldly. Thesaurus
cold with a temperature that is lower than usual or lower than the human body; (used about food or drink) not heated: I'm not going into the lake - the water's too cold. ♦ Should I turn the heat on? I'm cold. ♦ to look/feel cold ♦ Would you like a cold drink? ♦ We're having cold chicken for lunch. cool (used especially about the weather) a little cold, often in a pleasant way: It's hot outside but it's nice and cool in here. ♦ a cool breeze (= a light wind ) ♦ Let's sit in the shade and keep cool. freezing ( informal )
(used about the temperature or people) extremely cold: It's freezing outside. ♦ freezing temperatures ♦ I'm freezing! Close the window! ♦ freezing cold weather —ANTONYM boiling
chilly (used especially about the weather) too cold to be comfortable: a chilly morning in November ♦ Bring a coat. It might get chilly later. ♦ She was beginning to feel chilly.
COld 2 Ф / kould /noun
[ noncount ] cold weather Don't go out in the cold .
[ count ] ( health ) a common illness of the nose and throat. When you have a cold , you often cannot breathe through your nose and your throat hurts
I think I'm getting a cold.
Come in out of the rain, or you'll catch a cold .
cold-blood • ed / ,kould ' Ь1л1э1 / adjective
( biology ) having a body temperature that changes with the temperature of the air Reptiles are cold-blooded.
— Look at warm-blooded .
col • lapse AWL / 1э 'lreps / verb ( col . laps . es , col . laps . ing , col . lapsed )
to fall down suddenly
The building collapsed in the earthquake.
She collapsed in the street and was rushed to hospital.
to fail suddenly and completely
The economy collapsed, leaving thousands of people out of work.
col • lapse noun
[ count, noncount ]
the collapse of the bridge the economic collapse col • lar / ' kabr / noun [ count ]
the part of your clothes that goes around your neck —Look at the picture atclothes .
a band that you put around the neck of a dog or cat —Look atblue-collar , white-collar .
col • league aw / ' kalig /
[count ]
a person who works with you
col .lect 1© / ko'lrkt/ verb
( col lect , col • lect • ing , col • lect • ed )
to take things from different people or places and put them together
The teacher will collect the test booklets at the end of the exam.
to bring together things that are the same in some way, in order to study or enjoy them
My son collects stamps.
col • lect 2 / kэ ' lekt / adjective, adverb
(used about a telephone call) to be paid for by the person who receives the call a collect call
I called my parents collect from Toronto. COl .leC .tion Ф / ks'lekjh/noun
[ count ] a group of similar things that someone has brought together
The Art Institute of Chicago has a large collection of modern paintings. a music collection
[ count, noncount ] taking something from a place or from people
garbage collection
col • lec • tor / kэ'leter / noun [ count ]
a person who collects things a stamp collector a tax collector
col. lege © / 'каы₃/ noun
1 [ count, noncount ] a place where you can go to study after you have finished high school She's going to college next year. My brother is in college . an art college Collocations Higher education applying apply for college
apply to a college/a university/Harvard get into/go to college/Princeton studying major in/minor in biology/philosophy work toward a B.A./a law degree/a master's degree finishing finish/graduate from college
earn/receive/get a degree/a bachelor's degree/a master's degree Which word? University or college?
Universities and colleges both offer courses for students who are studying for their first degree (a bachelor's degree ).
Universities also offer courses for people who are studying for more advanced degrees, for example a master's degree or a Ph.D.
College is often the word we use in general conversation when we are talking about a place of higher education, even when the place we are talking about is a university: a college student ♦ "Where did you go to college?" "Ohio State University." 2 [ count ] a main division of a university The history department is part of the College of Arts and Sciences.
col • lide / kэ ' laid / verb ( col • lides, col • lid ing, col • lid • ed )
to move fast toward someone or something, and hit them hard
The two trucks collided.
He ran along the corridor and collided with his teacher. —SYNONYM crash
col • li • sion / kэ'li3n / noun [ count ]
when things or people collide
The driver of the car was killed in the collision.
—SYNONYM crash
col • lo • ca • tion / |kab 'keijn / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a combination of words that people use very often
"Burst into tears" and "take a walk" are English collocations.
co • logne / kэ'loun /noun [ count, noncount ]
a liquid that you put on your body to make yourself smell nice
Do you ever wear cologne? a selection of men's colognes
co • lon / ' koubn/noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) the mark ( : ) that you use in
writing, for example before a list
( biology ) the large tube inside your body below your stomach, which carries waste out of your body
colo • nel / ' kэrnl /noun [ count ]
an officer of a high level in the army
co • lo • ni • al / kэ ' lounbl / adjective
( history )
connected with or being part of a colony Spain used to be a major colonial power.
connected with the U.S. at the time when it was still a British colony
people who lived in colonial times
col • o • nize / ' kabnaiz / verb ( col • o • niz • es , col • o • niz • ing , col o • nized )
( politics ) to take control of another country or place and make it a colony
► col • o • ni • za • tion / ^Ьпэ ' zeijn / noun
[ noncount ]
the colonization of Latin America by Spain and Portugal
col • o • ny / ' kabni /noun [ count ] ( pluralcol • o • nies )
( politics ) a country or an area that is ruled by another country
the 13 original colonies (= that used to be ruled by Britain, and are now part of the United States )
COl .ОГ 1 Ф / 'клЬг / noun
[ count, noncount ]
Red, blue, yellow, and green are all colors "What color are your new shoes?" "Black." The leaves change color in the fall.
„.of color
A person, man, or woman of color does not have white
skin.
Style
Some words that we use to talk about color are light , pale , dark , deep , and bright .
col • or 2 / kAlsr / verb ( col ors , col • or • ing , col ored )
to put color on something using pens, pencils, etc. The kids colored their pictures with crayons.
col • or-blind / kAlsr | blaind / ( also col • or • blind )adjective
( biology ) not able to see the difference between some colors, especially red and green
col • ored / kAlsrd / adjective
having a particular color or different colors She was wearing a brightly colored sweater. colored paper
col • or • ful / ' kAlsrfl / adjective
with a lot of bright colors a colorful dress
col • or • ing / ' kAlsrig / noun
[ noncount ] the colors of an animal or of a person's hair, skin, etc.
You can tell that it's a male bird by its bright red coloring.
[ count, noncount ] a substance that is used to give a color to food
We used green food coloring for the frosting.
col • or • less / kAlsrlss / adjective
without color a colorless liquid
col .limn Ф / 'kabm/noun [count ]
a tall solid piece of stone that supports part of a building
a long thin section of writing on one side or part of a page Each page of this dictionary has two columns.
a piece of writing by a particular writer, which is published regularly in a newspaper, magazine, etc.
She writes a weekly column for the local paper.
co • ma / ' koums /noun [ count ] (pluralco • mas )
( health ) a state like a very deep sleep, which often lasts for a long time and is caused by a serious illness or injury She was in a coma for several days after the accident.
comb l/koumI noun comb
[count]
teeth. You use it to make ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ your hair neat.
comb 2 / koum / verb ( combs , comb • ing , combed )
to make your hair neat with a comb Have you combed your hair?
com • bat / ' kambret /noun [ noncount ]
fighting, especially in a war
Two soldiers were killed in combat yesterday.
com .bi .па .tion ® / ^ambs'neijn/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
two or more things joined together
The building is a combination of new and old styles.
—SYNONYM mixture
com . bine О / ЬтЪаш/ verb ( com • bined , com • bin • ing , com bined )
to join; to mix two or more things together
The two schools combined and moved to a larger building.
come Ф / клт /verb
( comes , com • ing , came / keim / has come )
to move toward the person who is speaking or the place that you are talking about
Come here , please. The dog came when I called him. Here comes Matt (= Matt is coming ) . I'm sorry, but I can't come to your party.
to arrive at or reach a place
If you follow that path, you will come to the river. A letter came for you this morning.
to go somewhere with the person who is speaking
I'm going to a party tonight. Do you want to come with me?
to be in a particular position June comes after May.
to be available
Does this shirt come in a size large?
come about to happen
How did this situation come about?
come across something to find something when you
are not looking for it
I came across these old photos yesterday.
come along to go somewhere with someone
I'm going to the mall. Do you want to come along?
come apart to break into pieces
This old coat is coming apart.
come back to return
What time will you be coming back?
come down to fall or become lower
The price of oil is coming down.
come down with something to get an illness
I think I'm coming down with a cold.
come from somewhere or something
1 The place that you come from is where you were born
or where you live
come from Texas. Where do you come from?
to be made from something or produced somewhere Wool comes from sheep.
come in to enter a place Come in and sit down.
come off something to become removed from something
The handle has come off this cup.
come on! words that you use for telling someone to hurry
or to try harder
Come on! We'll be late!
come out to appear
The rain stopped and the sun came out.
His first novel came out in 2004.
come over to visit a person in their house not very far away
Can you come over for dinner tomorrow night?
come up
to happen
I'm going to be late tonight — something's come up at work.
to be mentioned or discussed The subject of religion came up.
come up with something to find an answer or a solution to something
I'm trying to come up with new ways of saving money.
how come ...? ( informal )
why...?
How come you're here so early?
to come
in the future
You'll regret it in years to come.
come • back / ' kAmbrek /noun [ count ]
a return to a strong or important position that you had before
The former world champion is hoping to make a comeback .
co • me • di • an / ka midian / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to make people laugh
com • e • dy / ' kamadi /noun [ count ] ( pluralcom • e • dies )
a funny play or movie a romantic comedy
com • et / ' kamat /noun [ count ]
a thing in the sky that moves around the sun. A comet looks like a bright star with a tail.
com • fort1 / ' kAmfart /noun
[ noncount ] having everything your body needs; being without pain or problems
They have enough money to live in comfort .
[ count ] a person or thing that helps you or makes life better
Her children were a comfort to her when she was sick. com • fort2 / ' kAmfart / verb ( com • forts , com • fort ing , com fort • ed )
to make someone feel less unhappy or worried A mother was comforting her crying son.
com .fort .a . Ые © / 'kunftorbl / adjective
nice to sit in, to be in, or to wear This is a very comfortable bed. comfortable shoes
physically relaxed; without pain or fear that something bad will happen
Sit down and make yourself comfortable .
Are you comfortable with letting him stay in your house
while you're away? —ANTONYM uncomfortable ► com • fort • a • bly / ' kAmftarbli / adverb If you're all sitting comfortably, then I'll begin.
com • ic 1 / kamik / ( also com • i • cal / kamikl / )
adjective
funny
a comic scene in a play
com • ic 2 / kamik /noun ( also com . ic book / ' kamik buk / ) [ count ] a magazine for children, with pictures that tell a story
com • ma / ' kama /noun [ count ] ( pluralcom • mas )
( english language arts ) a mark ( , ) that you use in
writing to separate parts of a sentence or things in a list
com • mand Ф / ko'maend / noun
1 [ count ] words that tell you that you must do something The soldiers must obey their general's commands.
—SYNONYM order
[ count ] ( computers ) an instruction to a computer to do something
Use the Find command to look for a word in the file.
[ noncount ] the power to tell people what to do Who is in command of this ship?
—SYNONYM control
com • mand 2 / ka mrend / verb ( com • mands , com • mand ing , com • mand ed )
to tell someone that they must do something He commanded us to leave immediately.
—SYNONYM order
com • mem • o • rate / ka ' memareit / verb ( com • mem o • rates , com • mem • o • rat • ing , com • mem • o rat • ed )
to make people remember a special event a concert to commemorate the anniversary of his death
com .ment 1 Ф / 'kament/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that you say that shows what you think about something
She made some interesting comments about the book.
no comment
words that people say when they do not want to answer a question or say anything at all
"Senator, how do you respond to these accusations?" "No comment."
com .ment гФ^Щ / 'kament/ verb ( com • ments , com • ment • ing , com ment • ed )
to say what you think about something A lot of people at school commented on my new watch.
com • men • tar • y |AWL / ' kaman|teri / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural com . men . tar • ies )
when someone describes an event while it is happening, especially on the radio or television a sports commentary
com •men • ta •tor AWB / ' kamanteitar /
noun [ count ]
a person who gives a commentary on the radio or television
com • merce / ' kamars /noun [ noncount ]
( business ) the business of buying and selling things
com • mer • cial / ka ' marjl /
connected with buying and selling things commercial law
( business ) making a profit
His last movie was not a commercial success (= it did not make any money ) .
com • mer • cial 2 / ka 'marjl/ noun [ count ]
an advertisement on the television or radio
com • mis • sion AWL / ka 'mijn / noun
[ count ] an official group of people who are in charge of something
the Federal Trade Commission
[ count, noncount ] ( business ) money that you get for selling something
He earns a 10% commission for every insurance product he sells.
com • mit AWL / ka 'mit / verb ( com • mits , com • mit • ting , com • mit • ted )
to do something bad
This man has committed a very serious crime .
com • mit • ment AWL / 1э 'mItmэnt / noun
[ count ] a promise to do something
When I make a commitment , I always stick to it.
[ noncount ] being prepared to give a lot of your time and attention to something
I admire his commitment to his work.
com • mit • ted aw / 1э ' mited /
prepared to give a lot of your time and attention to something
We are committed to raising standards in schools.
com • mit • tee / 1э ' miti / noun [ count ]
Spelling
Remember! You spell committee with MM , TT , and EE .
a group of people that other people choose to discuss or
decide something
She's on the planning committee .
com .mon lO / 'катэп/ adjective ( com . mon . er , com . mon . est )
happening often or found in many places Back pain is a common medical problem.
—ANTONYM rare
shared by two or more people, or by everyone in a group They share a common interest in photography.
com • mon 2 / ' kаmэn / noun have something in common
to be like someone in a certain way, or to have the same interests as someone
Paul and I are good friends. We have a lot in common.
com • mon sense / ^шэп ' sens / noun
[noncount]
the ability to think about things and do the right thing based on your experience
If you aren't sure how to handle the situation, just use your common sense.
com • mu • ni • cate Ф awl / 1э 'myumkeit /
verb ( com mu . ni cates , com . mu . ni cat . ing , com . mu . ni . cat . ed )
to share and exchange information, ideas, or feelings with someone
Parents often find it difficult to communicate with their
children.
Thesaurus
talk to say words to another person or other people. You talk to someone in order to give information, show feelings, or share ideas: They talked on the phone for over an hour. ♦ Can I talk to you for a minute? ♦ When they get together, all they talk about is basketball. ♦ We need to talk (= about something serious or important ) .
speak to talk to someone about something; to have a conversation with someone. You speak to someone in order to try to achieve something or to tell them to do something. Speak is a little more formal than talk : Can I speak with you for a minute? ♦ I've spoken to his parents about his behavior. ♦ The boss would like to speak to you.
discuss to talk and share ideas with other people about a subject or problem, especially in order to decide something. The word discuss is more formal than speak : I need to discuss the matter with my manager before I make a decision. ♦ I am not prepared to discuss this on the phone.
communicate to share and exchange information or ideas with someone. Communicate is a little formal, and is often used when the method of communication is important: She's very good at communicating her ideas to the team. ♦ We only communicate by e-mail these days.
com • mu • ni • ca • tion © awl
/ kэ|myunэ ' keifn /noun
[ noncount ] sharing or exchanging information, feelings, or ideas with someone
Communication is difficult when two people don't speak the same language.
communications [ plural ] ways of sending or receiving information, especially telephones, radio, computers, etc.
a communications satellite
com • mu • nism / ' kаmyэnIZэm / noun
[noncount]
( politics ) the political system in which the government owns and controls all factories, farms, etc. and everyone is
equal —Look at capitalism , socialism .
com • mu • nist / ' kаmyэnIst / adjective, noun
[ count ]
a communist country
com . mu . ni .ty О / ko'myunoti / noun ( plural com . mu . ni . ties )
the community [ singular ] all the people who live in a place; the place where they live
The mayor discussed how to reduce crime in the community.
[ count ] a group of people who join together, for example because they have the same interests or religion the Jewish community in New York
com • mu • ni • ty col • lege / 1э ' myumti
,kalid3 /noun [ count ]
a college near where you live, where you can learn a skill or prepare for another college or university
—Look at junior college .
com • mute / 1э ' myut / verb ( com . mutes , com . mut . ing , com . mut . ed )
to travel a long way from home to work every day She lives in New Jersey and commutes to New York.
com • mut • er / 1э 'myutpr /noun [ count ] a person who commutes
com • pact / ' kamprekt ; 1эш' prekt /adjective small, or smaller than usual a compact car
com • pact disc / ,kamprekt ' disk /noun [ count ]
= CD
com • pan • ion / 1эш' prenyэn /noun [ count ]
a person or animal that travels with you or spends time with you
com . pa . ny Ф/ 'клтрэш/ noun ( plural com . pa . nies )
1 [ count ] ( business ) a group of people who work together to make or sell things an advertising company the Student Loans Company
The short way of writing "Company" in names is Co. Milton and Co.
2 [ noncount ] being with a person or people I always enjoy Mark's company. keep someone company
to be or go with someone
Please stay and keep me company for a while.
com • pa • ra • ble / ' kampэrэbl /
similar in size or quality to something else
Salaries here are comparable to salaries paid by other
companies.
com • par • a • tive / kэm ' paretjv /
[count]
( english language arts ) the form of an adjective or adverb that shows more of something The comparative of "bad" is "worse." ► com • par • a • tiveadjective
"Longer" is the comparative form of "long."
— Look at superlative .
com .pare Ф /кэт'рег/ verb
( com • pares , com par • ing , com • pared )
to think about or look at people or things together so that you can see how they are different
Compared to the place where I grew up, this place is exciting.
Write an essay that compares and contrasts the teachings of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Compare your answers with your neighbor's.
com .par .i .son Ф / ksm'paeresn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
looking at or understanding how things are different or the same
It's hard to make comparisons between athletes from different sports. by or in comparison
when you compare two or more people or things In comparison with many other people, they're rich.
com • part • ment / kэm ' pаrtmэnt / noun
[ count ]
a separate part inside a box, bag, or other container The suitcase had a secret compartment at the back.
com • pass / ' kлmpэs /noun [ count ] ( pluralcom • pass • es )
1 ( geography ) a thing for finding direction, with a needle that always points north
You need a map and a compass.
compass
Jfw southeast
northeast
east
south
north
northwest
west
southwest
2 ( math ) an instrument with two long thin parts joined
together at the top that is used for drawing circles
Use a compass to draw a circle with a radius of two
inches.
com • pas • sion / kэm' pajn / noun
[noncount]
the strong feeling that you have when you understand and feel sorry for someone who is suffering to have compassion for the victims of a crime
com • pat • i • ble A^fl / kэm'patэbl /
adjective
able to exist or be used together
Is this software compatible with my computer?
com • pat • i • bil • i • ty А^Д / kэm|patэ ' bibti / noun [ noncount ]
com • pen • sate aw / ' kampэnseIt /
( com • pen sates , com pen • sat ing , com • pen • sat ed )
to take away the bad effect of something, or make it smaller
She compensated for her lack of experience by working hard.
to pay someone money because you have injured them or lost or damaged their property
The airline compensated passengers for their lost luggage.
com • pen • sa • tion aw / |kаmpэn ' seijn /
noun [ noncount ]
money that you pay someone, especially because you have injured them or damaged their property I got $10,000 in compensation for my injuries.
com • pete / kэm' pit /verb
( com • petes , com • pet • ing , com pet • ed )
to try to win a race or a competition
The world's best athletes compete in the Olympic Games.
com • pe • tent / ' kampэtэnt / adjective
having the ability or skill for something She's a very competent teacher.
com • pe • tent • ly / ' kampэtэntli / adverb
com .pe .ti .tion Ф / ^amps'tijn/ noun
1 [ count ] a game or test that people try to win
entered the painting competition and won first prize.
[ noncount ] trying to win or be better than someone else
We were in competition with a team from another school.
com • pet • i • tive / kэm ' petstiv / adjective
in which people or organizations compete against each other
competitive sports
wanting to win or be better than other people She's very competitive.
com • pet • i • tor / kэm' petatar / noun [ count ]
a person, company, product, etc. that is competing against others
com .plain Ф / kom'plem / verb ( com • plains , com plain ing , com • plained )
to say that you do not like something or that you are
unhappy about something
She is always complaining about the weather.
He complained to the waiter that his soup was cold.
com .plaint Ф / ksm pleint /noun [ count ]
when you say that you do not like something
We made a complaint to the hotel manager about the dirty
rooms.
com • plete V / kom'plit / adjective
1 with none of its parts missing
own a complete set of Shakespeare's plays.
—SYNONYM whole —ANTONYM incomplete
in every way
Their visit was a complete surprise. —SYNONYM total
finished
The work is complete. —ANTONYM incomplete
com • plete 2 / ksm plit / verb ( com • pletes, com • plet ing , com • plet ed )
to finish doing or making something
She went to college for three years but never completed her bachelor's degree.
to write all the necessary information on something, for example a form
Complete the following exercise using the table above.
com . plete . ly Ф / bm'plitii/ adverb
in every way
The money has completely disappeared. I completely forgot that it was your birthday!
—SYNONYM totally
com • plex1aw / ksm' pleks / Я
difficult to understand because it has a lot of different parts a complex problem
—SYNONYM complicated —ANTONYM simple
com • plex2aw д / ' kampleks /noun [ count ] ( pluralcom • plex • es )
a group of buildings a sports complex
com • plex • ion / ksm ' plekjn /noun [ count ]
the natural color and quality or the skin on your face a healthy complexion
com . pli . cat . ed Ф / kampb ке.ы /
adjective
difficult to understand because it has a lot of different parts I can't explain how to play the game. It's too complicated.
—ANTONYM simple
com • pli • ca • tion / |kampls ' keijn / noun
[ count ]
something that makes a situation more difficult
com • pli • ment / ' kamplsmsnt /noun [ count ]
something nice that you say about someone She gets lots of compliments on her piano playing. ► com • pli • ment / ' kamplsment / verb ( com • pli • ments , com • pli • ment • ing , com • pli ment • ed ) They complimented me on my cooking.
com • po • nentaw / ksm' pounsnt / [count]
one of the parts that form something computer components
com • pose / ksm' pouz / verb ( com • pos • es , com • pos ing , com • posed )
( music ) to write something, especially music Verdi composed many operas. be composed of something
to be made or formed from different parts or people Water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen.
com • pos • er / ksm' pouzsr /noun [ count ]
( music ) a person who writes music My favorite composer is Mozart.
com • po • si • tion / |kamps'zijn /noun [count]
a piece of writing or music
com • post / ' kampoust /noun [ noncount ]
a mixture of dead plants, old food, etc. that is added to soil to help plants grow a compost heap
com • poundaw п / ' kampaund /noun [count]
( chemistry ) something that is made of two or more parts
Salt is a chemical compound.
( english language arts ) a word that is made from two or more other words
"Roommate" and "good-looking" are compounds.
a closed area with a group of buildings inside it a prison compound
com • pre • hen • sion / |kampri ' henjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
understanding something that you hear or read a test in reading comprehension
com • pre • hen • sive AWL / |kampri'hensiv
/ adjective
including everything or almost everything a comprehensive list of all the schools in the area
com • prise AWL / ksm' praiz / verb ( com • pris • es , com pris ing , com • prised )
to be made from two or more things; to have things as parts an association comprising local politicians and employers
—SYNONYM consist of something
com • pro • mise 1 / ' kamprsmaiz / noun
[ count, noncount ]
an agreement between people when each person gets part, but not all, of what they wanted
After long talks, the workers and management reached a compromise .
com • pro • mise 2 / ' kamprsmaiz / verb ( com • pro mis • es , com • pro • mis • ing , com • pro • mised )
to accept less than you want, in order to reach an agreement
There will be no peace agreement unless both sides are prepared to compromise.
com • pul • so • ry / ksm' pAlssri / adjective
If something is compulsory , you must do it
School is compulsory for all children between the ages of
five and sixteen.
—ANTONYM optional
[ count ]
a machine that can store and find information, calculate amounts, and control other machines All the work is done by computer .
He spends a lot of time on the computer , sending e-mails. a computer program (= information that tells a computer what to do )
They played computer games after school.
con 1 / kan /noun [ count ]
a problem that makes something difficult or less good What are the pros and cons (= advantages and disadvantages ) of buying a used car?
—SYNONYM disadvantage
( informal ) a trick to get money from someone
The e-mail about the investment opportunity is a total con.
con 2 / kan / verb ( cons , conn • ing , conned )
( informal )
to trick or cheat someone, especially in order to get money He conned her into investing in a company that didn't really exist.
con • ceal / kan sil /verb
( con ceals , con • ceal ing , con cealed ) ( formal )
to hide something
They concealed the bomb in a suitcase.
con • ceit • ed / kan' sitad / adjective
too proud of yourself and what you can do
con • ceive AWL / kan ' siv / verb ( con ceives , con ceiv • ing , con • ceived )
( formal ) to think of or imagine something
He conceived the idea during his trip to Antarctica.
( biology ) to get pregnant
con • cen • trate Ф AWL / ' kansntreit / verb ( con cen trates , con cen • trat ing , con • cen • trat ed )
to give all your attention to something
Stop looking out of the window and concentrate on your work!
com . put . er Ф / kom'pyutor / noun
computer
Be quiet and let him concentrate.
con • cen • tra • tion |awL / |kansn' treijn /
noun [ noncount ]
the ability to give all your attention to something You need total concentration for this type of work.
con • ceptAWL / ' kansept /noun [ count ]
an idea, or a basic truth about something
This course teaches the basic concepts of mathematics.
It's hard to understand the concept of infinity.
con • cern 1 / kan' sarn / verb (con • cerns,con cern • ing ,con • cerned )
to be important or interesting to someone
Please pay attention because this information concerns all ofyou.
—SYNONYM affect
to be about something
The story concerns a young boy and his parents.
to worry someone
It concerns me that she is always late.
con • cern2 / kan' sarn /noun
[ noncount ] a feeling of being worried There is a lot of concern about this problem.
[ count ] something that is important or interesting to someone
Her problems are not my concern.
con • cerned / kan sarnd / adjective
worried about something
They are very concerned about their son's health. as far as I am concerned
in my personal opinion
As far as I'm concerned, he can stay here as long as he wants.
con • cern • ing / kan ' sarniq / preposition
( formal ) about something
He asked several questions concerning the future of the company.
соп . cert Ф / 'kanssrt /noun [ count ]
( music ) a public performance of music a rock concert
con • cise / kan ' sais /adjective
( english language arts ) giving a lot of information in a few words
His summary was clear and concise.
con • cludeaw / kan ' klud /
( con • cludes , con • clud • ing , con • clud • ed )
to decide something, after you have studied or thought about it
The report concluded that the working conditions were unsafe.
( formal ) to end or make something end
The ambassador concluded his tour with a visit to a local hospital.
I would like to conclude by thanking our guest speaker.
con • clu • sion Ф AWL / kan' klu₃n / noun [count]
what you believe or decide after thinking carefully about something
We came to the conclusion that you were right all along.
the end of something, for example a movie or a piece of writing
Your essay should include a clear conclusion.
con • crete / ' kagkrit /noun [ noncount ]
a hard gray material used for building things a concrete floor
con • cus • sion / 1эп' kAjn / noun [ count ]
( health ) an injury to the brain, caused by hitting your head
She was taken to the hospital with a concussion.
con • demn / 1эп ' dem /
( con demns , con . demn . ing , con . demned )
to say strongly that someone or something is very bad or wrong
Many people condemned the government's decision.
to say that someone must be punished in a certain way The murderer was condemned to death.
—SYNONYM sentence
con • den • sa • tion / ^о^эп ' seifn /
[noncount]
( general science ) small drops of liquid that form when warm air touches a cold surface condensation on the windows
con • dense / 1эп ' dens /
( con dens.es,con . dens . ing ,con densed )
( chemistry ) to change or make something change from a gas to a liquid
to make something smaller or shorter so that it fills less space
We'll have to condense these three chapters into one.
СОП .di .tiOn © / ко и¹ d 11 и / noun
[ noncount , singular ] the state that someone or something is in
The car was cheap and in good condition , so I bought it.
conditions [ plural ] the situation in which people live, work, or do things
The prisoners lived in terrible conditions .
[ count ] something that must happen before another thing can happen
One of the conditions of the job is that you agree to work on Saturdays.
[ count ] ( health ) a medical problem that you have for a long time
He has a heart condition. on the condition that...
only if
You can go to the party on the condition that you come home before midnight.
con • di • tion • er / 1эп' dijbmr / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a substance that keeps something in good condition Use conditioner for dry hair.
con • do • min • i • um / ^аМэ ' ш1шэш / noun
[ count ] ( also informalcon . do / ' kandou / pluralcon . dos )
an apartment or apartment building that is owned by the people who live in it
con • duct1AW / 1эп ' dAkt /
( con ducts , con . duct . ing , con . duct ed )
to organize or do an activity
They are going to conduct an experiment.
( music ) to stand in front of a group of musicians and control what they do
The orchestra was conducted by Peter Jones.
3 ( physics , chemistry ) to allow heat or electricity to pass
through something
Rubber doesn't conduct electricity.
con • duct2AWL / ' kandAkt /noun [ noncount ] ( formal )
the way someone behaves —SYNONYM behavior
con • duc • tor / 1эп' dAter / noun
[ count ]
( music ) a person who stands in front of a group of musicians (called an orchestra ) and controls what they do
a person who sells or checks people's tickets on a train
cone / koun /noun
[ count ]
( math ) a shape with one flat round end and one pointed end
an orange traffic cone an ice cream cone
— Look at the picture at solid .
the hard fruit of some trees (called pine and fir ) a pine cone
con • fer • enceAWB / ' kanfrens /noun [ count ]
a large meeting, where many people with the same job or interests come together to discuss their views an international conference on climate change
con • fess / 1эп ' fes /
( con . fess . es , con . fess . ing , con . fessed )
to say that you have done something wrong She confessed that she had stolen the money. He confessed to the crime.
—SYNONYM admit —ANTONYM deny
con • fes • sion / 1эп' fejn / noun [ count ]
when you say that you have done something wrong She made a full confession to the police.
con • fide / 1эп' fad / verb
( con . fides , con . fid . ing , con . fid ed )
confide in someone to talk to someone about something secret or private, because you trust them He confided in his brother.
con .fi .dence ©
[noncount]
the feeling that you can do something well
She answered the questions with confidence .
I'm sure you'll pass the test. I have great confidence in you.
in confidence
If someone tells you something in confidence , it is a secret.
con .fi .dent ©
sure that you can do something well, or that something will happen
I'm confident that our team will win. ► con • fi • dent • ly / ' kаnfэdэntli / adverb She walked confidently to the front of the class.
con • fi • den • tial
/ ^а^э' denjl /
If someone tells you something that is confidential , you should keep it a secret and not tell other people confidential information
con • firmaw / kan ' farm /
( con firms , con • firm ing , con • firmed )
to say that something is true or that something will happen Please write and confirm the date of your arrival.
con •fir • ma • tion |aWL / |kanfar' meijn /
noun [ noncount ]
saying that something is true or will definitely happen
con • fis • cate / kanfaskeit / verb ( con fis • cates , con • fis • cat • ing , con fis • cat • ed )
to officially take something away from someone as a punishment
We will confiscate any cell phones used inside the school building.
con • flict1AW / ' kanflikt / [ count, noncount ] a fight or an argument
con • flict2AWL / kan' flikt /verb
to disagree or be different
These results conflict with earlier research results.
con • formaw / kan ' form /
( con forms , con • form • ing , con • formed )
to behave in a way that other people and society expect you to behave
New students in the school feel a lot of pressure to conform.
con • front / kan frAnt / verb ( con fronts , con front • ing , con front • ed )
to think about something that is difficult or unpleasant to confront a problem
to stand in front of someone, for example because you want to fight him or her
The protesters were confronted by riot police.
con • fron • ta • tion / |kanfran ' teijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a fight or an argument
I want to avoid any confrontation.
соп .fuse ф / ksn'fyuz/ verb (con fus•es,con • fus • ing ,con • fused )
to mix someone's ideas, so that they cannot think clearly or understand
They confused me by asking so many questions.
to think that one thing or person is another thing or person
I often confuse Lee with his brother. They look so similar.
► con • fus • ing / kan ' fyuzin / adjective
difficult to understand This map is very confusing.
con .fused Ф / kan fyuzd /adjective
not able to think clearly
The waiter got confused and brought everyone the wrong drink.
con • fu • sion / kan' fyujn / noun
[noncount]
not being able to think clearly or understand something He looked at me in confusion when I asked him a question.
con • ges • tion / kan ' d3estjan / noun
[ noncount ]
( health ) the state of being very full of something
severe traffic congestion
medicine to relieve nasal congestion
► con • gest • ed / kan ' d₃estad / adjective
The highway is always congested during rush hour. I have a bad cold and am completely congested.
con • grat • u • late / kan ' grretjaleit / verb ( con • grat • u • lates , con grat • u • lat • ing , con •grat u • lat ed )
to tell someone that you are pleased about something that they have done
I congratulated Sue on passing her exam.
con • grat • u • la • tions / kan^rretja ' leijnz /
noun [ plural ]
something you say to someone when you are pleased about something they have done Congratulations on your new job!
con • gre • ga • tion / |kangra ' geijn /
[count]
( religion ) a group of people who attend a particular church
He has been a member of the congregation for 20 years. Con • gress / ' kaqgras /noun [ singular ] ( politics ) a group of people who make the laws in the U.S. and some other countries
He ran for Congress (= tried to win the election ) in 2008. Word building The U.S. Government The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
con • gress • man / 'kangrasman / ( also con • gress • wom . an / ' kaqgras|wuman / )noun [ count ] ( pluralcon .gress • men / ' kangrasman / con • gress . wom • en / ' kaqgraswiman / ) ( politics ) a member of the U.S. Congress, especially the House of Representatives
— Look at senator .
con • ju • gate / ' kand₃ageit / verb ( con • ju • gates , con • ju • gat ing , con • ju • gat • ed )
( english language arts ) to give the different forms of a verb
Can you conjugate the verb "to be"?
con • junc • tion / kan' d3AqkJn /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a word that joins other words or parts of a sentence
"And," "or", and "but" are conjunctions. in conjunction with someone or something
together with someone or something
СОП .nect Ф / ks'nekt / verb ( con • nects , con • nect ing , con nect • ed )
to join one thing to another thing
This cord connects the computer to the printer.
The suburb is connected to the city by a new subway line.
to have a connection with another person or thing There is no evidence to connect her to the crime.
con .пес .tion Ф /ь'пекрп/ noun
[ count ]
the way that one thing is joined or related to another
We had a bad connection on the phone, so I couldn't hear him very well.
Is there a connection between violence on TV and crime?
a train, an airplane, or a bus that leaves a place soon after another arrives, so that people can change from one to the other
The train was late, so I missed my connection . in connection with something
( formal )
about something
A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of the teenager.
con • quer / ' kagksr / verb ( con quers,con quer• ing ,con •quered)
( politics ) to take control of a country or city and its people by force
The Spanish conquered the Incas in South America.
con • quer • or / ' kagksrsr / noun [ count ]
con • quest / ' kagkwest /noun
[ count, noncount ]
an act of taking control of land or people the conquest of South America
con • science / ' kanjsns / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the feeling inside you about what is right and wrong He has a guilty conscience (= he feels that he has done something wrong ) .
con • sci • en • tious / |kanji'enjss / adjective
careful to do things correctly and well She's a very conscientious student.
СОП .scious Ф / kanjos / adjective
1 If you are conscious of something, you know about it
was conscious that someone was watching me.
—SYNONYM aware
awake and able to see, hear, feel, and think The patient was conscious during the operation.
—ANTONYM unconscious
con • scious • ly / ' kanfssli / adverb
con • scious • ness / ' kanjssnss / noun
[noncount]
the state of being able to see, hear, feel, and think As she fell, she hit her head and lost consciousness .
con • sec • u • tive / ksn' sekystiv / adjective
coming or happening one after the other This is the team's fourth consecutive win.
con • sen • sus AWL / ksn ' sensss / noun
[ singular , noncount ]
an agreement among all members of a group to reach a consensus
There is no consensus among experts about the causes of global warming.
con • sent1AWL / ksn ' sent /noun
[noncount]
agreeing to let someone do something
The girl's parents gave their consent to the operation.
—SYNONYM permission
con • sent 2 AWL / ksn' sent / verb ( con • sent,con sent• ing ,con • sent•ed )
( formal )
to agree to something
He finally consented to his daughter's marriage.
con • se • quence |awL / ' kansskwens / noun
[ count ]
a result of something that has happened
Their actions had terrible consequences.
My rent just went up, and as a consequence, I hardly have
any money.
con • se • quent • ly |awl| / 'kansskwentli /
adverb
because of that
He didn't study enough, and consequently failed the test. —SYNONYM therefore
con • ser • va • tion / |kanssr'veijn /
[noncount]
taking good care of the natural world the conservation of the rain forests
not allowing something to be wasted, damaged, or destroyed
energy conservation
con • ser • va • tion • ist / |kanssr' vei/snist / noun
[ count ]
a person who believes in protecting the natural world
con • ser • va • tive / ksn ' ssrvstiv /
not liking change or new ideas
the conservative opinions of his parents
—SYNONYM traditional
( politics ) supporting a free market, low taxes, and old ideas about family, etc.
conservative politicians
—ANTONYM liberal
con • serve / ksn' ssrv / verb ( con • serves , con serv ing , con • served )
to avoid wasting something to conserve water
СОП .si .der Ф/ bn'sidor/ verb ( con • si • ders , con sid • er • ing , con si • dered )
to think carefully about something I'm considering applying for another job. We must consider what to do next.
to think that something is true
I consider her to be a good teacher.
to think about the feelings of other people when you do something
I can't just quit my job! I have to consider my family.
con • sid • er • a • ble |awl| / ksn' sidsrsbl /
adjective
( formal )
great or large
The car cost a considerable amount of money.
con • sid • er • a • blyAWL / ksn'sidsrsbli / adverb My apartment is considerably smaller than yours.
con • sid • er • ate / ksn ' sidsrst / adjective
A person who is considerate is kind, and thinks and cares about other people
Please be more considerate and don't play loud music late at night. —ANTONYM inconsiderate
con • sid • er • a • tion / kэn|SIdэ ' reijn /
[noncount]
( formal ) thinking carefully about something
After a lot of consideration, I decided not to accept the job.
—SYNONYM thought
being kind, and caring about other people's feelings He shows no consideration for anyone else.
take something into consideration
to think carefully about something when you are deciding We must take the cost into consideration when planning our vacation.
con • sid • er • ing / kэn ' s^rig / preposition, conjunction
a word you use to show that a particular fact is important when you make a statement about something Considering you've only been studying for a year, you speak English very well.
con • sist Ф AWL / kэn'sist / verb ( con sists , con sist . ing , con . sist . ed )
consist of something to be made from two or more things; to have things as parts Pasta consists of flour and water.
con • sist • en • cy AWL / kэn' s^nsi / noun
( plural con . sist .en .cies )
[ noncount ] always having the same standard, opinions, behavior, etc.
There doesn't seem to be any consistency in his work.
[ count, noncount ] how thick or smooth a liquid substance is
The mixture should have a thick, sticky consistency.
con • sis • tent AWL| / kэn ' s^nt / adjective
always the same
His work isn't very consistent.
—ANTONYM inconsistent
►con • sis • tent • ly|AWL| / kэn ' s^ntH / adverb We must try to keep a consistently high standard.
con • so • la • tion / |kans3 ' leijn /
[ count, noncount ]
a thing or person that makes you feel better when you are sad
If it's any consolation , you weren't the only person who failed the test.
con • sole 1 / kэn ' soul / verb ( con soles , con . sol . ing , con . soled )
to make someone happier when they are sad about something
—SYNONYM comfort
con • sole 2 / kansoul / noun
[count]
( computers ) a piece of equipment with buttons and switches on it which you connect to a computer to play games
con • sol • i • date / kэn ' sabdeit /
( con sol . i . dates , con sol . i . dat ing , con . sol . i . dat . ed )
to join things together into one to consolidate your debts into one payment ► con • sol • i • da • tion / kэn|Salэ ' deijn /noun
[ noncount ]
debt consolidation
con • so • nant / ' kаnsэnэnt / noun
[ count ]
( english language arts ) any letter of the alphabet except a, e, i, o, and u
The letters "t," "m," "s," and "b" are all consonants.
Look at vowel .
con • spic • u • ous / kэn ' spikyros / adjective
easily seen or noticed
She felt very conspicuous in her bright orange shirt.
con • spic • u • ous • ly / kэn' spik^^^H / adverb
con • spir • a • cy / kэn ' spiresi / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural con . spir . a . cies )
a secret plan by a group of people to do something bad
СОП .Stant Ф / kunstont / adjective
happening all the time the constant noise of traffic
not changing at all
You use less gas if you drive at a constant speed.
con • stant • ly / ' kаnstэntli / adverb The situation is constantly changing.
con • stel • la • tion / |kаnstэ ' leijn / noun
[ count ]
a group of stars that forms a pattern and has a name
con • sti • tute AWL / ' kanstэtut / verb
( con . sti . tutes, con . sti . tut . ing, con sti tut . ed )
( formal )
to be one of the parts that form something
Women constitute a high proportion of part-time workers.
con • sti • tu • tion AWl| / |kanstэ 'tujn /
( also Con sti tu . tion ) noun
[count ]
( politics ) the laws of a country, a state, or an organization rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution
con • sti • tu • tion • al / |kаnstэ ' tujbnl / adjective
constitutional amendments (= changes to the laws in a constitution )
Look at unconstitutional .
con • struct AWL| / kэn' strAkt / verb ( con . structs , con . struct . ing , con . struct . ed )
to build something
The bridge was constructed out of stone.
con • struc • tion |aWl| / kэn ' strAkJn / noun
[ noncount ] building something the construction of a new airport
This web site is under construction (= in the process of being created ) .
[ count ] ( formal )
something that people have built
con • sul / kansl /noun [ count ]
( politics ) a person who works in a foreign city and helps people from his or her country who are living or visiting there
con • sult AWL / kэn'sa1: / verb ( con . sults , con sult . ing , con . sult ed )
to ask someone or to look in a book when you want to know something
If the pain doesn't go away, you should consult a doctor.
/ 1эп ' sAltnt /noun
con • sult
[count ]
( business ) a person who knows a lot about a subject and gives advice to other people about it a management consultant
con • sul • ta • tion AWB / ,kansl' teijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a meeting to discuss something, or to get advice or information
/ 1эп ' sum / verb sum ing , con . sumed )
The company president was in consultation with the workers' unions. a consultation with a doctor
AWL
con • sume
( con sumes , con
( formal )
to eat, drink, or use something This car consumes a lot of fuel.
con • sum • er AWL / 1эп' sumэr / noun [count]
( business ) a person who buys or uses something Consumers want more information about the food they buy.
con • sump • tion Iaw / 1эп ' sAmpJn /
[noncount]
eating, drinking, or using something
This car has a high fuel consumption (= it uses a lot of
fuel). ^^
СОП .taCt 1 Ф^Щ / kantsekt /noun
[ noncount ] meeting, talking to, or writing to someone Until Lauren went to school, she had little contact with other children.
Are you still in contact with the people you met on vacation?
Doctors come into contact with (= meet ) a lot of people.
[ noncount ] the state of touching someone or something
Don't let the cleaning products come into contact with your food.
[ count ] a person you know who may be able to help you business contacts
con • tact 2 Ф AWL / ' kantrekt / verb ( con tacts , con tact ing , con tact ed )
to call or write to someone, or go to see them If you see this man, please contact the police.
con • tact lens / ' kantrekt lenz /noun [ count ]
( plural con . tact lens . es )
a small, round piece of thin plastic that you wear in your eye so that you can see better
—Look at glasses .
con • ta • gious / 1эп ' te^s / adjective
( health ) A contagious disease passes from one person to another person if they are close to each other.
—Look at infectious .
СОП .tain Ф / kon'tem / verb ( con tains , con . tain . ing , con . tained )
to have something inside
This box contains 12 bottles of wine.
ant
AWL
Chocolate contains a lot of sugar.

cartons packages tubes jars
con • tam • i • nate / 1эп ' ^шэмй /
( con . tam . i . nates , con tam . i . nat . ing , con . tam i nat . ed )
to make something dirty or harmful by adding something dangerous
The town's drinking water was contaminated with poisonous chemicals.
► con • tam • i • na • tion / kэn|tremэ 'nei/n / noun
[noncount]
contamination from the accident at the nuclear power plant
con • tem • plate / ' kantэmpleIt / verb
( con . tem . plates , con . tem . plat . ing , con . tem plat . ed )
to think about something, or the possibility of doing something
After losing her job, she contemplated going back to school.
con • tem • po • rar • y 1 awl
/ 1эп' tempЭ|reri /adjective
belonging to the present time contemporary art —SYNONYM modern
belonging to the same time as someone or something else
con • tem • po • rar • y 2 awl
/ 1эп ' tempЭ|reri / noun [ count ] ( plural con . tem . po . rar . ies )
a person who lives or does something at the same time as someone else
con • tempt / 1эп' tempt /noun [ noncount ]
the feeling that someone or something is without value and does not deserve any respect at all She looked at him with contempt .
con • tent 1 / 1эп ' tent / adjective
happy or satisfied with what you have
She is not content with the money she has — she wants more.
con • tent2 / ' kantent /noun 1contents [ plural ] what is inside something
poured the contents of the bottle into a bowl. The contents page of a book tells you what is in it.
[ singular ] the main ideas or facts in a book, an essay, a speech, etc.
The content of the essay is good, but there are too many spelling mistakes.
con • tent•ed / 1эп' tentэd / adjective
соп.tain .erФ /kan'temar/noun [count ]
a thing that you can put other things in. Boxes and bottles
are containers
happy or satisfied, especially because your life is good a contented smilecon • test / ' kantest /noun [ count ]
a game or competition that people try to win a beauty contest
con • tes • tant / kan ' testant /noun [ count ]
a person who tries to win a contest There are six contestants in the race.
con • textAWL / ' kantekst /noun [ count ]
the situation in which something happens or that caused something to happen
Let me put the event into context . the historical context of the Civil War
( english language arts ) the words that come before and after another word or sentence
You can often understand the meaning of a word by looking at its context.
соп .ti . nent Ф / 'kantsnsnt/ noun [ count ]
( geography ) one of the seven main areas of land in the world, for example Africa, Asia, or Europe
con • ti • nen • tal / |kanta ' nentl / adjective
a continental climate
con • tin • u • al / kan tinyual / adjective
happening often
We have had continual problems with this machine.
con • tin • u • al • ly / kan ' tinyuali / adverb He is continually late for work.
СОП .tin .ue O/bn'tmyu/ verb ( con tin • ues , con • tin u • ing , con • tin ued )
to not stop happening or doing something If the pain continues, see your doctor.
The rain continued all afternoon.
to start again after stopping
Let's have lunch now and continue the meeting this afternoon.
to go farther in the same direction
We continued along the path until we came to the river.
con • tin • u • ing ed • u • ca • tion
/ kan ' tinyuiq |ed3a 'keijn /noun [ noncount ]
classes for adults that are not part of the formal education
system
continuing education courses in photography and graphic design
—Look at higher education .
con • ti • nu • i • ty / |kanta ' nuati / noun [noncount ]
continuing without stopping, or staying the same
Staying with the same doctor provides continuity in your
treatment.
con • tin • U . OUS Ф / kon'tmyuos / adjective
not stopping a continuous line a continuous noise
con • tin • u • ous • ly / kan ' tinyuasli / adverb It rained continuously for five hours.
con • tour / ' kantur /noun [ count ]
the shape of the outside of something I could just make out the contours of the house in the dark.
con • tra • cep • tive / |kantra ' septiv /
[count ]
( health ) a drug or an object that stops a woman from becoming pregnant
con • tra • cep • tion / |kantra ' sepjn / noun
[ noncount ] ( health )
the ways of stopping a woman from becoming pregnant — Look atbirth control .
СОП .tract 1 Ф / 'kantrsekt /noun
[ count ]
an official piece of paper that says that someone agrees to do something
The museum renewed the director's contract for another five years.
con • tract 2 AWL / kan ' trrekt / verb ( con • tracts , con • tract • ing , con • tract • ed )
to become or make something smaller
Metals contract as they cool. —ANTONYM expand con • trac • tion / kan'trrekjn / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a short form of a word or words "Isn't" is a contraction of "is not."
con • tra • dictaw / |kantra ' dikt /
(con • tra • dicts, con tra • dict • ing, con • tra • dict • ed)
to say that something is wrong or not true I didn't want to contradict him, but I think he was wrong.
con • tra • dic • tion AWL / |kantra ' dikjn / noun [count]
There is a contradiction between the two descriptions of what happened.
con • tra • dic • to • ry AWL / |kantra 'diktari /
adjective
opposite to or not matching something else Contradictory reports appeared in the newspapers.
con • trar • y 1 AWL / ' kantreri / adjective contrary to something
very different from something; opposite to something Contrary to the doctor's orders, he didn't stay in bed.
con • trar • y 2 AWL / ' kan|treri / noun on the contrary
( formal )
the opposite is true; certainly not
"Is business slow?" "On the contrary, sales are higher than ever."
a difference between things that you can see clearly
There is a big contrast between the climate in the valley and the climate in the hills.
con • trast 2 AWL / kan ' trrest / verb ( con • trasts , con • trast ing , con trast ed )
to look at or think about two or more things together and
see the differences between them
The book contrasts life today with life 100 years ago.
con • trib • ute Ф AWL / kan ' tribyut / verb ( con • trib utes, con • trib ut • ing, con • trib • ut • ed )
to give or be a part of something with other people We contributed $100 to the disaster fund. He didn't contribute anything to the conversation. ► con • trib • u • torAWB / kan ' tribyatar / noun [count ]
a person who contributes to something
СОП . tri . bu .tion © / lumtrobvufn /
noun [ count ]
something that you give when other people are giving too Would you like to make a contribution to the charity?
СОП .trol 1© / kon'trool /noun
[ noncount ] the power to make people or things do what you want
Who has control of the Senate?
You don't have any control over the weather.
The driver lost control and the bus went into the river.
controls [ plural ] the parts of a machine that you press or move to make it work
airplane controls
be in control
to have the power or ability to deal with something
The police are now in control of the area after last night's
violence.
be or get out of control
to be or become impossible to deal with The situation got out of control and people started fighting.
be under control
If things are under control , you are able to deal with them successfully
Don't worry, everything's under control.
СОП .trol 2© / kon'trool / verb ( con trols , con . trol . ling , con . trolled )
to make people or things do what you want
He can't control his dog.
This switch controls the heating.
con • trol • ler / ksn ' troulsr /noun [ count ] a person who controls something
an air traffic controller
con • tro • ver • sial |awl / kantrsvsrji /
adjective
Something that is controversial makes people argue and disagree with each other a controversial new law
con • tro • ver • sy AWL / ' kantrsvsrsi / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural con . tro . ver . sies )
public discussion and disagreement about something The new power plant caused a lot of controversy.
con • ven • ience / ksn' vinysns / noun
[noncount]
being easy to use or making things easy for someone For convenience, I usually do all my grocery shopping in
the same place. —ANTONYM inconvenience
con • ven • ience store / ksn vinysns |stor /
noun [ count ]
a store that stays open late and sells food and other small items
con .ven . ient © / konVinyont / adjective
useful, easy, or quick to do; not causing problems
Let's meet on Friday. What's the most convenient time for you?
near to a place or easy to get to
I like to buy food at the farmer's market, but it's not very convenient.
—ANTONYM inconvenient
con • ven • ient • ly / ksn 'vinysntli / adverb Our office is conveniently located near a subway stop.
con • vent / ' kanvent /noun
[count ]
( religion ) a place where religious women (called nuns ) live and work
— Look at monastery .
con • ven • tion AWL / ksn'venjn / noun
[ count ]
( business ) a large meeting of people who do the same job, belong to the same organization, etc. the Democratic Party Convention
a convention center (= a large building where conventions are held )
—SYNONYM conference
con • ven • tion • al |awl| / ksn 'venjsnl /
adjective
following what is normal or the way things have been done for a long time
a conventional laptop computer conventional attitudes
—ANTONYM unconventional
СОП .ver .sa .tion © / ^anvsr'seijn/ noun
[ count, noncount ] a talk between two or more people
She had a long conversation with her friend on the phone.
a topic of conversation
Thesaurus
discussion [ count, noncount ] talking in detail about something important: a discussion with your classmates about the test ♦ We had a long discussion about what we should do. ♦ The plans are still under discussion (= being talked about ) . conversation [ count, noncount ] an informal talk between two people or a small group: a phone conversation ♦ I had a long conversation with her yesterday. ♦ The main topic of conversation was the recent election.
talk [ count ] a conversation between two or more people, often about a problem or something that is important to you: My parents want to have a talk with me about going to college. ♦ The two countries are holding talks to try to end the violence. debate [ count ] a formal discussion at a public meeting about something important, where people give their different opinions. At the end of the discussion there may be a vote: a debate on health care reform ♦ After a long debate, Congress approved the plan.
chat [ count ] a friendly, informal conversation with someone, especially about personal things: I had a nice chat with Sandy this afternoon. ♦ I just dropped by for a chat - are you free?
con • verse 1 AWL / ksn ' vsrs / verb ( con . vers . es , con vers . ing , con . versed )
( formal )
to have a conversation with someone
con • verse2AWL / ' kanvsrs /noun [ singular ] the converse
( formal )
the opposite of a situation or statement Building new roads increases traffic, and the converse is equally true: reducing the number and size of roads means less traffic.
con • ver • sion AWL / kэn' vэrзn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
changing from one form, system, or use to another a conversion table for miles and kilometers
( religion ) becoming a member of a different religion
con • vertAWL| / kэn ' vэrt /verb
( con verts , con . vert . ing , con . vert ed )
to change something into another thing They converted the house into offices. How do you convert pounds into kilos?
( religion ) to change to a different religion She converted to Islam.
con • vert • i • ble aw / kэn' vэrtэbl /
[count ]
a car with a roof that can be folded down or taken off
con • vey / kэn' vei /verb
( con veys ,con . vey ing , con . veyed )
to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to someone The color red conveys a sense of energy and strength.
con • vict1 / kэn 'vikt /verb
( con victs , con vict ing , con vict ed )
to decide in a court of law that someone has done something wrong
She was convicted of murder and sent to prison.
con • vict2 / ' kanvikt /noun [ count ]
a person who is guilty of a crime and is in prison
con • vic • tion / kэn 'vikjn / noun
[ count, noncount ] the action of finding someone guilty in a court of law
He has several previous convictions for burglary.
[ count ] a very strong opinion or belief religious convictions
con • vince Ф AWL / kэn 'vins / verb ( con vinc . es , con . vinc ing , con . vinced )
1 to make someone believe something
couldn't convince him that I was right.
to persuade someone to do something She tried to convince me to go with her.
con • vinced / kэn ' vinst /adjective completely sure about something
I'm convinced that I've seen her somewhere before.
—ANTONYM unconvinced
cook 1 Ф/ kuk / verb ( cooks, cook ing, cooked )
to make food ready to eat by heating it My father cooked us dinner. I am learning how to cook.
cooked / kukt / adjective cooked chicken Thesaurus
cook to make food ready to eat by heating it: My mother taught me how to cook. ♦ Who is going to cook dinner tonight? ♦ What's the best way to cook salmon? ♦ He cooked us a wonderful meal. boil to cook vegetables, rice, eggs, etc. in boiling water (= water heated to 212°F ) : Boil the rice for 15 minutes. ♦ Put the potatoes on to boil. ♦ Do you like boiled cabbage?
fry to cook food in a shallow pan of hot oil: Fry the onion and garlic for five minutes. ♦ There was a smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. ♦ fried chicken/fish/rice
bake to cook food in an oven without any extra fat or liquid: to bake bread/cookies ♦ We baked him a cake for his birthday. ♦ baked potatoes roast to cook large pieces of meat in an oven or over a fire; to cook vegetables in oil or fat in an oven: The turkey is roasting in the oven. ♦ You should boil the potatoes for a little while before you roast them. grill to cook meat or fish on metal bars over a fire: to grill steak/chicken/burgers/fish on the barbecue ♦ grilled salmon
broil to cook food under or over direct heat: to broil salmon/a steak ♦ We ate broiled chicken with vegetables.
cook 2 / kuk /noun
[count]
a person who cooks
She works as a cook in a big hotel.
He is a good cook.
cook • book / ' kukbuk /noun [ count ]
a book that has instructions for preparing different types of food
cook .ie Ф /'kuki/ noun[ count]
a kind of cake that is small, thin, and sweet Let's bake cookies. a chocolate chip cookie
cook . ing Ф / 'кикщ / noun
[noncount]
making food ready to eat
Who does the cooking in your family? cooking lessons
the food that you cook
He missed his mom's cooking when he went to college. Collocations Cooking preparing chop/slice the onions peel the potatoes/an orange grate the cheese/a carrot mix (together) all the ingredients cooking
heat the oven/the broiler/some oil in a frying pan
melt the butter/chocolate/cheese
cook food/fish/meat/rice
bake bread/a cake/cookies/muffins
boil potatoes/an egg/water
fry/stir-fry the chicken/vegetables
grill/broil/barbecue fish/meat/steak
roast chicken/turkey/potatoes
steam rice/vegetables
microwave food/popcorn/your dinner
cool Ф / kul / adjective ( cool er , :ool est )
1 a little cold; not hot or warm cool weather
It was a cool evening, so I put on a sweater. Thesaurus
cold with a temperature that is lower than usual or lower than the human body; (used about food or drink) not heated: I'm not going into the lake - the water's too cold. ♦ Should I turn the heat on? I'm cold. ♦ to look/feel cold ♦ Would you like a cold drink? ♦ We're having cold chicken for lunch. cool (used especially about the weather) a little cold, often in a pleasant way: It's hot outside but it's nice and cool in here. ♦ a cool breeze (= a light wind ) ♦ Let's sit in the shade and keep cool.
freezing ( informal )
(used about the temperature or people) extremely cold: It's freezing outside. ♦ freezing temperatures ♦ I'm freezing! Close the window! ♦ freezing cold weather —ANTONYM boiling
chilly (used especially about the weather) too cold to be comfortable: a chilly morning in November ♦ Bring a coat. It might get chilly later. ♦ She was beginning to feel chilly.
( informal ) very good or fashionable Those shoes are so cool!
—ANTONYM uncool
not excited or angry —SYNONYM calm
( informal ) People say Cool! to show that they think something is a good idea
"We're going to Dave's party tomorrow night." "Cool!"
cool 2 / kul / verb ( cools , cool . ing , cooled )
to make something less hot; to become less hot Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool. cool down ; cool off
to become less hot
We swam in the river to cool off after our long walk.
to become less excited or angry
cool • er / ' kubr / noun [ count ]
a small box that you fill with ice to keep food and drinks cold
. ed)
Do we have a cooler to bring to the beach? — Look at water cooler .
co • op • er • ate aw / kou ' apэreIt /
(co . op . er . ates, co. op . er . at . ing, co . op. er . at
to work together with someone else in a helpful way
She agreed to cooperate with the police in their
investigation.
If everyone cooperates, we'll be finished soon.
co •op • er •a • tion aw / koU|аpэ ' reifn /
noun [ noncount ]
help that you give by doing what someone asks you to do Thank you for your cooperation.
co • op • er •a • tive AwB / kou' apretiv/
adjective
helpful by doing what you are asked to do
co • or • di • nate 1 aw / kou ' o^neit /
( co . or . di . nates , co . or . di nat . ing , co . or . di . nat . ed )
to organize different things or people so that they work well together
She coordinated all of the hospital volunteers.
►co • or • di • na • tor AWB / kou ' o^neitar / noun
[count]
a project coordinator
co • or • di • nate 2 aw / kou ' o^rat /
[count]
( geography ) one of the two numbers or letters that are used to find a position on a map
co • or • di •na • tion |awL / ko^o^ 'neijn /
noun [ noncount ]
1 the organization of different people or things so that they work well together
There wasn't enough coordination between the committees.
2 the ability to control the movements of your body well You need good hand-eye coordination to play golf.
cop / kap /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a police officer a traffic cop
cope / koup / verb ( copes , cop . ing , coped )
to deal with something, although it is difficult
He finds it difficult to cope with all the pressure at work.
cop • ies, cop • ied
forms of copy 2
cop • per / ' kapэr /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolCu )
( chemistry ) a common metal with a color between brown and red copper wire
COP -У 1Ф/ 'kapi/noun [count] (pluralcop . ies )
a thing that is made to look exactly like another thing This isn't a real Van Gogh painting. It's only a copy. The secretary made two copies of the letter.
one example of a book or newspaper
Two million copies of this newspaper are sold every day.
cop .y 2 Ф/ 'kapi / verb ( cop ies , cop . y . ing , cop . ied , has cop ied )
to write, draw, or make something exactly the same as something else
The teacher asked us to copy the list of words into our books.
Copy the table and paste it into a new document.
to do or try to do the same as someone else He copies everything his brother does.
—SYNONYM imitate
to cheat by looking at someone else's work and writing down what they have written
If I catch you copying off anyone you will get a zero on your test.
cop • y • right / ' kapi,rait / noun [ count, noncount ]
the legal right to be the only person who can print, copy, etc. a piece of writing, music, or other work Who owns the copyright on this song?
cor•al / ' korel / noun
[noncount]
( biology ) a hard red, pink, or white substance that forms in the ocean from the bones of very small animals a coral reef (= a line of rock in the ocean formed by coral )
cord / kord /noun
[count]
a piece of wire covered with plastic, which carries electricity to electrical equipment a power cord
strong, thick string
cor • du • roy / ' kordaroi /noun [ noncount ] a thick, soft, cotton cloth with lines on it, used for making clothes
corduroy pants
coreAWL| / kor /noun [ count ]
the middle part of some kinds of fruit, where the seeds are
an apple core
the central or most important part of something Environmental protection is at the core of our policies.
the central part of an object the earth's core
►coreadjective the most important
core subjects (= subjects that all students have to study ) such as English and mathematics
cork / kork /noun
[ noncount ] a light, soft material that comes from the outside of a particular tree
[ count ] a round piece of cork that you put in a bottle
to close it
cork • screw / ' kork|skru /noun [ count ]
a thing that you use for pulling corks out of bottles —Look at the picture atkitchen .
/ |korpa ' reijn /noun
corn / korn / noun [ noncount ] a tall plant with big yellow seeds that you can eat a can of corn We had fried chicken and corn for dinner.
сог . пег ф / 'kornar /noun [ count ]
a place where two lines, walls, or roads meet
Put the lamp in the corner of the room.
The restaurant is on the corner of East Avenue and Union
Street.
He drove around the corner to look for a parking space.
corn • flakes / kornfleiks /noun [ plural ]
small pieces of dried food that you eat with milk for breakfast
corn • y / ' korni / adjective ( corn • i • er , corn • i • est )
( informal )
used, seen, heard, etc. too often to be interesting a corny joke
cor • po • rate AWL / ' korparat / adjective
( business ) connected with a big company or group of
companies
corporate planning
cor • po • ra • tion |аД
[ count ]
( business ) a big company —Look atincorporated .
corpse / korps /noun [ count ]
the body of a dead person
сог . rect 1 © / ko'rrkt / adjective
right or true; with no mistakes
Let me make sure I have your correct address.
All your answers were correct.
—ANTONYM incorrect
cor • rect • ly / ka ' rektli / adverb Have I spelled your name correctly? —ANTONYM incorrectly
СОГ . rect 2 Ф/ b'rekt / verb ( cor • rects , cor • rect • ing , cor • rect • ed )
to show where the mistakes are in something and make it right
The class did the exercises and the teacher corrected them. Please correct me if I make a mistake.
cor • rec • tion / ka ' rekjn / noun
[count]
a change that makes something right or better The teacher made a few corrections to my essay.
cor • re • spond aw / |kora ' spand /
( cor • re•sponds , cor • re spond • ing , cor • re•spond • ed )
to be the same, or almost the same, as something
Does the name on the envelope correspond with the name inside the letter?
to write letters to and receive them from someone
She corresponded with him for two years while he was overseas.
cor • re • spon • dence awl
/ |kora 'spandans /noun [ noncount ] the letters a person sends and receives Her secretary reads all her correspondence.
cor • re • spond • ent / |kora ' spandant / noun [ count ]
a person who reports news or writes articles for a newspaper, etc.
our Middle East correspondent, Andrew Rosen
cor • ri • dor / koradar / noun
[count]
a long, narrow part inside a building with rooms on each side of it
cor • rupt / ka ' rApt /adjective
doing or involving illegal or dishonest things in order to get
money or some other advantage
corrupt officials
The whole system is corrupt.
cor • rupt verb ( cor • rupts , cor • rupt • ing , cor•rupt•ed )
These politicians have been corrupted by power.
cor • rup • tion / ka' rApJn / noun
[noncount]
behavior that is illegal or dishonest, especially by people in official positions
accusations of corruption in the police department
cos • met • ic / kaz ' metik / adjective
used or done in order to make your face or body more
attractive
cosmetic surgery
cos • met • ics / kaz' metiks /noun [ plural ]
special powders or creams that you use on your face to make yourself more attractive
cost 1 Ф / kost / noun
[ count ] the money that you have to pay for something The cost of the repairs was very high.
the cost of living (= the amount of money you need to pay
for food, clothes, and somewhere to live )
Thesaurus
price the money that you have to pay to buy something: What's the price of gas now? ♦ We can't afford the car at that price. ♦ house prices cost the money that you need to buy, make, or do something: The cost of electricity is going up. ♦ A new computer system was installed at a cost of$80,000. ♦ the cost of living (= the amount of money you need to pay for food, clothes, and a place to live ) charge the money that you pay for goods or services: Is there a charge for parking here? ♦ Delivery is free of charge (= costs nothing ) .
fee the money you pay to go into a place, or for professional advice or services from doctors, lawyers, colleges, etc.: Some lawyers charge extremely high fees for their services. ♦ an annual membership fee ♦ tuition fees
expense the money you spend on something, or something that makes you spend money: The house was decorated at great expense. ♦ Owning a car is a big expense.
[ singular , noncount ] what you lose or give to have another thing
He saved the child at the cost of his own life. at all costs ; at any cost
no matter what you must do to make it happen We must win at all costs.
cost 2 Ф / kost / verb ( costs , cost . ing , cost , has cost )
to have the price of This plant cost $4.
How much did the book cost?
to make you lose something One mistake cost him his job.
cost • ly / ' kostli / adjective ( cost . li . er , cost . li est )
costing a lot of money
The repairs will be very costly.
—SYNONYM expensive
cos • tume / ' kastum /noun [ count, noncount ]
the special clothes that people wear to look like a different person, animal, or thing The dancers wore beautiful costumes. a Halloween costume a costume party
cot • tage / ' katid3 /noun [ count ]
a small house in the country
COt .ton Ф / 'katn/ noun
[ noncount ]
a natural cloth that is made from the soft white hairs around the seeds of a plant that grows in hot countries
a cotton shirt
100% cotton (= made of cotton only )
soft, light material made from cotton that you often use for cleaning your skin
Use a cotton ball to apply the lotion.
cot • ton can • dy / |katn ' krendi /noun [noncount]
a type of soft, sticky candy made from melted sugar and served on a stick
We bought cotton candy at the town fair.
couch / kautj /noun [ count ] ( pluralcouch . es )
a long, comfortable seat for two or more people to sit on
—SYNONYM sofa ,
—Look at the picture at chair .
cou • gar / ' kugsr /noun [ count ]
a large wild cat that lives in western North America —SYNONYM mountain lion
cough l©/kof/ verb
(coughs,cough . ing ,coughed) Pronunciation
The word cough sounds like off .
to send air out of your throat with a sudden loud noise The smoke made me cough.
cough2 / kof /noun [ count ]
when you send air out of your throat with a sudden loud noise
He gave a little cough before he started to speak.
( health ) an illness that makes you cough a lot I have a bad cough.
could Ф / ksd ; kud / modal verb Pronunciation
The word could sounds like good , because we don't say the letter l in this word.
1 the word for "can" in the past
He could run very fast when he was young.
could hear the birds singing.
a word that shows what is or may be possible
I don't know where Mom is. She could be in the kitchen. It could rain tomorrow.
a word that you use to ask something in a polite way Could you open the door?
Could I have another drink, please?
a word that you use to make a suggestion We could go out to dinner tonight if you're free. Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
could • n't / ' kudnt /
short for could not
It was dark and I couldn't see anything.
could've / ' kudsv /
( informal ) short for could have
He could've gone to college but he didn't want to.
coun • cil / ' kaunsl /noun [ count ]
a group of people who are chosen to work together and to
make rules and decide things
The city council is planning to widen the road.
coun • sel / ' kaunsl / verb ( coun . sels , coun . sel ing , coun seled )
to give professional advice and help to someone with a problem
She counsels teenagers suffering from depression. ►coun • se • lor / ' kaunsэlэr / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to give professional advice a college counselor
coun • sel • ing / ' kaunsэlщ /noun [ noncount ]
professional advice about a problem Many students come to us for counseling. marriage counseling
COUIlt 1 © / kaunt / verb (counts,count ing ,count.ed )
to say numbers one after the other in the correct order Can you count to ten in Spanish?
to look at people or things to see how many there are I counted the chairs — there are 32.
to include someone or something when you are finding a total
There were twenty people on the bus, not counting the driver.
to be important or accepted Every point in this game counts.
Your throw won't count if you go over the line. count on someone or something to feel sure that someone or something will do what you want Can I count on you to help me?
count2 / kaunt /noun [ count ]
a time when you count things
After an election there is a count of all the votes.
keep count of something
to know how many there are of something
Try to keep count of the number of tickets you sell.
lose count
to not know how many there are of something I've lost count of how many times he's told that joke!
count • a • ble noun / ' kauntэbl |naun / noun
[ count ]
another word for count noun
count • down / kauntdaun /noun [ count ]
the act of saying numbers backward to zero just before something important happens the countdown to takeoff
coun • ter / ' kauntэr /noun [ count ]
a long, high table in a kitchen where you prepare food or eat
She wiped off the counter with a sponge.
The kids sat at the kitchen counter doing their homework.
a long, high table in a store, bar, hotel, etc. that is between the people who work there and the customers
The man behind the counter showed me some earrings.
coun • ter • clock • wise / |kauntэr ' klakwaiz
/ adjective, adverb
in the opposite direction to the hands of a clock Turn the handle counterclockwise.
—ANTONYM clockwise
coun • ter • feit / ' kauntэrfIt /
not real, but copied so that it looks like the real thing counterfeit money
count • less / ' kauntbs / adjective
very many
I have tried to call him countless times.
count noun / ' kaunt naun /
( also count . a . ble noun ) noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) Count nouns are ones that
you can use in the plural or with "a" or "an"
The words "chair" and "idea" are count nouns.
—Look at noncount noun .
COUn .try Ф/ 'Lmtri / noun ( plural coun tries )
[ count ] ( geography , politics ) an area of land with its own people and government
Argentina, Brazil, and other South American countries
the country [ noncount ] land that is away from towns and cities
They bought a house in the country .
coun • try mu • sic / 'Lmtri myuzik /
( also coun . try and west . ern / |kAntri э^ ' westэrn / ) noun [ noncount ]
( music ) a type of popular music based on music from the southern and western U.S.
coun • try • side / ' bmtrisaid / noun [noncount]
land with fields, woods, farms, etc. that is away from towns and cities
The hotel has magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.
COUn .ty © / 'kaunti/noun [ count ] ( pluralcoun . ties )
( politics ) one part of a state that has its own local government a county courthouse Orange County, California
coup / ku /noun [ count ] ( pluralcoups / kuz / )
( politics ) a situation where a group of people suddenly
take control of a government by force
He seized power in a military coup in the late 1990s.
cou • ple © AWL / ' kApl / noun
1a couple [ singular ] two or a small number of people or things
invited a couple of friends over for lunch. I'll be back in a couple of minutes.
[ count ] two people who are married or in a romantic relationship
A young couple lives next door.
cou • pon / ' kupan ; ' kyupan /noun [ count ] a small piece of paper that you can use to buy things at a lower price, or that you can collect and use instead of money to buy things
cour • age / ' kэrIdз /noun [ noncount ]
not being afraid, or not showing that you are afraid when
you do something dangerous or difficult
She showed great courage in the face of danger.
—SYNONYM bravery
► cou • ra • geous / kэ ' reIdзэs / adjective
a courageous young man —SYNONYM brave
cour • i • er / Ъэг1эг ; ' ^йэг/ noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to deliver important papers,
packages, etc. somewhere
He had a summer job as a bike courier.
course Ф / kors / noun
[ count ] a set of classes on a certain subject He's taking a course in computer programming.
[ count ] one separate part of a meal a three-course meal
I had chicken for my main course .
[ count ] ( sports ) a piece of ground for some sports a golf course
a racecourse
[ noncount ] the direction that something moves in We followed the course of the river.
The plane had to change course because of the storm.
[ noncount ] the time when something is happening His cell phone rang six times during the course of dinner.
of course
certainly
Of course I'll help you.
"Can I use your phone?" "Of course."
"Are you angry with me?" "Of course not!"
COUrt Ф /kort/ noun
[ count, noncount ] the place where a judge or a group of people (called a jury ) decide if a person has done something wrong, and what the punishment will be
a court of law
The man will appear in court tomorrow.
[ count ] ( sports ) a piece of ground where you can play certain sports
a tennis court a basketball court Thesaurus
field an area of land used for playing team sports such as baseball, football, and soccer: a baseball/football field ♦ The team ran out on the field. ♦ The school has its own playing field .
court an area where certain ball games are played: a basketball/tennis/squash court ♦ He won after only 52 minutes on the court.
stadium a large place with seats around the sides where you can watch sports: a football/sports stadium ballpark an area where baseball is played: The batter hit one right out of the ballpark.
track an area with a special surface for people or cars to have races on: a running/racing track ♦ track and field events (= which involve running, jumping, and throwing )
cour • te • ous / ' 1эг^ / adjective
polite and showing respect for other people
cour • te • sy / ' ka-tsssi / noun
[ noncount ]
polite behavior that shows respect for other people
court • house / korthaus /noun [ count ] a building where courts of law and other government offices are
court • room / ' kortrum /noun [ count ]
a room where trials or other court cases are held Everyone stood when the judge entered the courtroom.
court • yard / ' kortyard /noun [ count ]
an open space without a roof, inside a building or between buildings
COUS. in Ф / 'kvzn/ noun [ count ] the child of your aunt or uncle Do your cousins live here in the States?
COV .er 1©/ 'клуэг/ verb ( cov ers, cov . er . ing, cov ered )
to put one thing over another thing to hide it or to keep it safe or warm
Cover the floor with old newspapers before you start painting.
She covered her eyes during the scary part of the movie.
to be all over something or someone Snow covered the ground.
The children were covered in mud.
to include or to deal with something
The exam will cover all of the major Civil War battles.
COV . er 2 Ф / 'клуэг /noun [ count ]
a thing that you put over another thing, for example to keep it safe
a plastic cover for a computer
the outside part of a book or magazine
The book had a picture of the author on the cover .
cov • er • alls / ' kлvэrolz /noun [ plural ]
a piece of clothing that covers your legs, body, and arms. You wear it over your other clothes to keep them clean when you are working.
cov .er .ing © / i-wom]/ noun [count ]
something that covers another thing window coverings
cov • er let • ter / ' kv^r ,letar /noun [ count ]
a letter that you send with a package or document that gives
more information about it
Please submit a cover letter with your resume.
COW Ф / kau /noun [ count ] a big, female farm animal that is kept for its milk or meat Word building The male cow is called a bull , and a young cow is a calf .
Meat from a cow is called beef and meat from a calf is called veal .
¹ horn
* -i^u
cow bull
cow • ard / ' ka^rd /noun [ count ]
a person who is afraid when there is danger or a problem cow • ard • ly / ' ka^^li /adjective
cow • boy / ' kauboi /noun [ count ]
a man who rides a horse and whose job is to take care of cows
cowboy boots
cow • girl / ' kaugэrl /noun [ count ]
a woman who rides a horse and whose job is to take care of cows
co • work • er / ' kouwэrkэr /noun [ count ]
someone who works with you, doing the same kind of job as you
I got a ride home from one of my coworkers. —SYNONYM colleague
coy • o • te
/ kai ' outi /noun [count]
a wild dog that lives mainly in western North America
co • Zy / ' kouzi / adjective ( co • zi er , co zi • est )
warm and comfortable a cozy room
crab / krreb/noun [ count ]
an animal that lives in and near the ocean. It has a hard shell and ten legs.
— Look at the picture at crustacean .
crack © / kraek / verb
( cracks , crack ing , cracked )
to break, but not into separate pieces
The glass will crack if you pour boiling water into it.
This cup is cracked.
Thesaurus
break to go, or to make something go into smaller pieces: She dropped the cup and it broke into pieces . ♦ I'm sorry, I broke one of your dinner plates. ♦ He broke the chocolate in two and gave me half. ♦ She fell and broke her arm.
crack (used about something hard) to break so that a line appears, but without dividing into smaller pieces; to break something in this way: The ice cracked as I stepped on it. ♦ This mirror is cracked. ♦ He cracked a tooth playing football.
smash to break into many pieces in a violent and noisy way; to break something in this way: The glass bowl smashed into a thousand pieces . ♦ Several windows had been smashed. ♦ He smashed the box open and took the jewelry from inside.
snap to break suddenly into two pieces with a sharp noise; to break something in this way: Suddenly, the cable snapped. ♦ The weight of the snow snapped the branch in two.
burst to break open suddenly; to make something break in this way: That balloon will burst if you blow it up any more. ♦ Don't burst that balloon! ♦ The dam burst under the weight of the water.
to make a sudden loud noise
crack down on someone or something to become stricter when dealing with bad or illegal behavior The police are cracking down on drug dealers.
crack2/ krrek/noun [ count ]
a thin line on something where it has broken, but not into separate pieces
There's a crack in this glass.
a narrow space between two things or two parts of something
a crack in the curtains
a sudden loud noise a crack of thunder
crack • down / ' krrekdaun / noun [ count ]
action to stop bad or illegal behavior a police crackdown on street crime
crack • er / ' krrekar /noun [ count ]
a thin, dry type of bread that you can eat with cheese
crack • le / krrekl / verb ( crack • les, crack • ling, crack • led )
to make a lot of short sharp sounds Dry wood crackles when you burn it.
cra • dle / ' kreidl /noun [ count ]
a small bed for a baby, which can be moved from side to side
—Look at crib .
craft / krreft /noun [ count ]
a job or activity for which you need skill with your hands Pottery is a traditional craft.
crafts • man / ' krreftsman/noun [ count ] ( pluralcrafts • men / ' krreftsman / ) a person who is good at making things with their hands furniture made by local craftsmen
craft • y / krrefti / adjective ( craft • i • er , craft • i • est )
good at getting what you want in a way that is not completely honest
cram / krrem / verb ( crams , cram • ming , crammed )
to push too many people or things into a small space She crammed her clothes into a bag.
to study and try to learn a lot a short time before a test or exam
He stayed up all night cramming for his biology exam.
cramp / krremp/noun [ count ]
( health ) a sudden pain that you get in a muscle, for example in your leg, or in your stomach
cramped / krrempt /adjective
not having enough space
There were five of us living in a cramped apartment.
cran • ber • ry / krren|beri /noun [ count ] ( pluralcran • ber • ries )
a small red fruit with a sharp taste that grows on a bush turkey with cranberry sauce
crane / krein /noun [ count ]
a big machine with a long metal arm for lifting heavy things
crash 14?/ krsej/ verb ( crash es , crash ing , crashed )
1 to have an accident in a car or other vehicle and hit something
The bus crashed into a tree.
crashed my father's car.
to fall or hit something with a loud noise The tree crashed to the ground.
( computers ) If a computer crashes , it suddenly stops working.
( business ) (used about money or business) to suddenly lose value or fail
A lot of banks have closed since the market crashed.
crash2 © / krae|7noun [ count ] ( pluralcrash • es )
an accident when something that is moving hits another thing
He was killed in a car crash . a plane crash
a loud noise when something falls or hits another thing I heard a crash as the tree fell.
3 ( business ) (used about money or business) a sudden fall in the value or price of something a stock market crash
crate / kreit /noun [ count ]
a big box for carrying bottles or other things
cra • ter / ' kreitsr /noun [ count ]
the hole in the top of a volcano —Look at the picture atvolcano .
a large hole in the ground, caused by something large hitting it
craters on the moon
crawl 1 / krol / verb ( crawls , crawl . ing , crawled )
to move slowly on your hands and knees, or with your body
close to the ground
Babies crawl before they can walk.
A spider crawled across the floor.
crawl2 / krol / the crawlnoun [ noncount ] ( sports ) a way of swimming on your front — Look atbreaststroke .
cray • on / ' kreian /noun [ count ]
( art ) a soft, thick pencil that comes in many colors The kids were drawing pictures with crayons.
craze / kreiz /noun [ count ]
something that a lot of people are very interested in the latest craze in video games
СГа . Zy © / kreizi / adjective ( cra . zi er , cra . zi . est )
( informal )
stupid; not sensible
You must be crazy to ride a bike at night with no lights.
very angry
My mom will go crazy if I get home late.
If you are crazy about something or someone, you like it or them very much
She's crazy about basketball. He's crazy about her.
( health ) sick in your mind He's acting like he's totally crazy.
like crazy
( informal )
very much, fast, hard, etc. I had to pedal like crazy to make it up the hill.
creak / krik / verb ( creaks, creak ing, creaked )
to make a noise like a door that needs oil, or like an old wooden floor when you walk on it ►creaknoun [ count ]
The door opened with a creak.
cream i Ф / ыт/ noun
[ noncount ] the thick liquid on the top of milk
[ count, noncount ] a thick liquid that you put on your skin, for example to keep it soft
hand cream
[ noncount ] a color between white and yellow
cream 2© /krim/adjective
with a color between white and yellow She was wearing a cream dress.
cream cheese / |krim ' tjiz /
[noncount]
a type of soft, white cheese a bagel with cream cheese
cream • y / ' krimi / adjective ( cream . i . er , cream . i . est )
with cream in it, or thick and smooth like cream a creamy sauce
having a color like cream creamy skin
crease / kris /noun [ count ]
a line or fold in a piece of clothing, paper, etc., especially one that should not be there You need to iron this shirt — it's full of creases. ► creaseverb ( creas . es , creas . ing , creased )
to get or make something get creases Don't sit on my jacket —you'll crease it.
cre • ate © AWL / kri ' eit / verb ( cre . ates , cre . at . ing , cre . at . ed )
to make something happen or exist Do you believe that God created the world? We plan to create more jobs in the area.
cre • a • tion AWL / kri ' eijn / noun
[ noncount ] making something new the creation of the world
[ count ] a new thing that someone has made
This is our chefs latest creation — a white chocolate mousse.
cre • a • tive AWL / kri ' eitiv / adjective
A person who is creative has a lot of new ideas or is good at making new things
She's a fantastic designer — she's so creative.
cre • a • tiv • i • ty AWL / |kriei'tivsti / noun
[noncount]
the ability to produce new things or ideas using skill or imagination
teaching that encourages creativity
cre • a • torAWL / kri ' eitsr /noun
[ count ]
a person who makes something new the creator of the new drama
crea • ture / ' kritjsr /noun [ count ]
any living thing that is not a plant
birds, fish, and other creatures
This story is about creatures from another planet.
cred • it1AWL / ' kredst /noun 1 [ noncount ] a way of buying something where you pay for it later
bought my car on credit .
[ count ] money that is added to a bank or other account A credit of $65 will be added to your account.
—ANTONYM debit
[ noncount ] saying that someone has done something well
I did the work but John took all the credit for it!
[ count ] a unit of study at a school or college This history course is worth three credits.
the credits [ plural ] the list of the names of people who made a movie or television program, usually shown at the end
cred • it2AWL / ' kredst /
( cred its, cred . it ing, cred . it ed ) verb
to add money to someone's bank account $500 has been credited to your account.
—ANTONYM debit
cred . it card Ф 'кг,-dotкш-d/ noun [ count ]
a plastic card from a bank that you can use to buy something and pay for it later Can I pay by credit card ?
—Look at debit card .
creek / krik /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a small river —SYNONYM stream
creep / krip /verb
( creeps , creep . ing , crept / krept / has crept )
to move quietly and carefully so that no one hears or sees you
I crept into the room where the kids were sleeping. The cat crept toward the bird.
creep • y / ' kripi / adjective ( creep . i . er , creep . i . est )
( informal )
making you feel nervous or afraid a creepy ghost story
—SYNONYM spooky
cre • mate / ' krimeit ; kri ' meit / verb ( cre . mates , cre . mat . ing , cre . mat ed )
to burn the body of a dead person ► cre • ma • tion / kri 'meijn /noun [count, noncount]
the act of burning the body of a dead person, or the ceremony at which this happens
crept
form of creep
cres • cent / ' kresnt /noun [ count ]
the shape of the moon when it is less than half a circle
crest / krest /noun [ count ]
the top part of a hill or a wave surfers riding the crest of the wave
crev • ice / ' l^s /noun [ count ]
a narrow crack in a rock or wall
crew / kru /noun [ count ]
all the people who work on a ship or an airplane
a group of people who work together
a camera crew ( = people who film things for television, etc.)
crib / knb / noun Crib
[count]
crick . et / 'kniat
/ noun
[ count ] a small, brown insect that jumps and makes a loud high noise by rubbing its wings together
[ noncount ] ( sports ) a game in which two teams hit a ball and then score points by running between two sets of sticks
We watched a cricket match.
cried
form of cry 1
cries
form of cry 1
plural of cry 2
crime О / ьпп/ noun
[ count ] something that someone does that is against the law
Murder and robbery are serious crimes. They had committed a crime .
[ noncount ] illegal behavior or activities The new police chief promised to fight crime . an increase in the crime rate
crim • i • nal W / knmonl / adjective
connected with crime
Deliberate damage to public property is a criminal offense .
She is studying criminal law.
crim .i .nal 2© /'knmsnl/ломя [ count]
a person who does something that is against the law a high-security prison for dangerous criminals
crim • son / ' krimzn /adjective
having a dark red color, like blood crim • sonnoun [ noncount ]
cringe / кп^з / verb
( cringe , cring . ing , cringed )
to feel embarrassed
Those embarrassing home movies make me cringe .
to move away from someone or something because you are scared
The dog cringed in terror when the man raised his arm. Cri .SiS Ф / 'kraisss/ noun [count ] ( plural cri . ses / ' kraisiz / )
a time when something very dangerous or serious happens a political crisis
crisp / krisp / adjective ( crisp er , crisp .est )
hard and dry
Store the crackers in a tin to keep them crisp.
fresh and not soft crisp apples
(used about the air or weather) cold and dry a crisp fall day
crisp • y / ' krispi / adjective ( crisp i . er , crisp i . est )
(of food) hard and dry in a good way crispy potato chips
cri • te • ri • a AWL / krai '^пэ / noun [ plural ]
the standards that you use when you decide something or form an opinion
What are your criteria for deciding who gets the prize?
crit • ic / ' kritik /noun [ count ]
a person who says that someone or something is wrong or bad
critics of the current administration
a person who writes about a book, movie, or play and says if they like it or not
The critics loved his new movie.
crit • i • cal / ' kritikl / adjective
1 If you are critical of someone or something, you say that
they are wrong or bad
They were very critical of my work.
very important
We have reached a critical stage in our negotiations. —SYNONYM crucial
very serious or dangerous
The patient is in critical condition . ►crit • i • cal • ly / ' kritikli / adverb She's critically injured.
crit .i cism © / 'kntosizom /noun
1 [ count, noncount ] what you think is bad about someone or something
listened to all their criticisms of my plan.
[ noncount ] ( english language arts ) a description of the good and bad points of a play, movie, book, etc. literary criticism
crit .i .cize Ф/ 'kntpsaiz/ verb ( crit . i . ciz . es , crit . i . ciz . ing , crit i cized )
to say that someone or something is wrong or bad She was criticized for not following orders.
croak / krouk / verb ( croaks , croak . ing , croaked )
If a frog (= a small green animal that lives in or near water ) croaks , it makes a low rough sound.
to speak in a low, rough voice "My throat's really sore," he croaked. ► croaknoun [ count ]
croc • o • dile / ' krckdail /noun [count]
a big animal with a long tail and a big mouth with sharp teeth. Crocodiles live in rivers in hot countries A crocodile is a reptile.
crocodile
crook • ed / ' krukэd / adjective
not straight
That picture is crooked.
crop / krap /noun [count]
all the plants of one kind that a farmer grows at one time There was a good crop of potatoes last year. Rain is good for the crops.
cross l Ф/ kros / verb
(cross es, cross . ing , crossed )
to go from one side of something to the other Be careful when you cross the street.
to put one thing over another thing She sat down and crossed her legs .
cross your mind
(used about a thought or an idea) to come into your mind It never even crossed my mind that she was lying.
cross something off to remove something written down, by drawing a line through it
Sarah will be out of town, so you can cross her name off the guest list.
cross something out to draw a line through a word or words, for example because you have made a mistake I crossed out the misspelled word and wrote it again correctly.
cross2 / kros /noun [ count ] ( pluralcross .es )
something with the shape X or t
She wears a cross (= a symbol of the Christian religion ) around her neck.
something that is a mixture of two different things a fruit that is a cross between a peach and a plum
cross • ing / ' krosig /noun [ count ]
a place where you can cross something, for example a road or a river
cross-leg • ged / ' kros ^дэ! / adjective,
adverb
sitting on the floor with your legs pulled up in front of you and with one leg or foot over the other The kids sat cross-legged on the carpet.
cross ref • er • ence / ' kros ,ref_rens / noun
[ count ]
( english language arts ) a note in a book that tells you to look in another place in the book for more information
cross • roads / ' krosroudz /noun [ count ] ( pluralcross . roads )
a place where two roads meet and cross each other
cross sec • tion / ' kros ,sekjn / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( general science ) a picture of what the inside of something would look like if you cut through it
a cross section of the human brain
[ count ] a group of people that are typical of a larger group
The families in the study represent a cross section of society.
cross • walk / kroswok /noun [ count ]
a place where cars must stop so that people can cross the road
cross . word puz • zle
/ ' kroswэrd ,pvzl / ( also cross . word ) noun [ count ]
crouch / krautf / verb (crouch . es , crouch . ing , crouched )
to bend your legs and back so that your body is close to the ground
I crouched under the table to hide.
a game where you have to write words in square spaces across and down the page
crow / krou /noun [ count ]
a large black bird that makes a loud noise
crowd 14?/ kraud /noun [ count ]
a lot of people together
There was a huge crowd at the football game.
crowd 2 / kraud / verb ( crowds , crowd • ing , crowd • ed )
to come together in a big group
The journalists crowded around the movie star.
crowd • ed / kraudad / adjective
full of people
The streets were very crowded. a crowded bus
crown1 / kraun /noun [ count ]
a circle made of valuable metal and stones (called jewels ) that a king or queen wears on his or her head
crown 2 / kraun / verb ( crowns , crown • ing , crowned )
to put a crown on the head of a new king or queen in an official ceremony
The current queen was crowned in 1953. cru • cialAWL / ' krujl / adjective
very important a crucial moment
—SYNONYM critical
crude / krud / adjective ( crud • er , crud est )
simple and not showing much skill or care The method was crude but effective.
rude in a way that many people do not like crude jokes
crude oil / |krud ' oil /noun [ noncount ]
oil that is in its natural state, before it is treated with chemicals
CrU .el Ф / krusl/ adjective ( cru • el • er , cru • el est )
A person who is cruel is unkind and likes to hurt other people or animals
I think it's cruel to keep animals in cages.
► cru • el • ly / ' kruali / adverb
He was treated cruelly when he was young.
cru • el • ty / ' krualti /noun [noncount]
behavior that is unkind and hurts other people or animals
cruise1 / kruz /noun [ count ]
a vacation when you travel on a ship and visit different places
They went on a cruise to Alaska.
cruise 2 / kruz / verb ( cruis es , cruis • ing , cruised )
to travel on a ship as a vacation, visiting different places They cruised around the Caribbean.
to stay at the same speed in a car, plane, etc. cruising along at 60 miles an hour
crumb / krAm /noun [ count ]
a very small piece of bread, cake, or cookie
crum • ble / ' krAmbl / verb ( crum • bles , crum • bling , crum • bled )
to break into very small pieces The old church walls are crumbling.
crum • ple / ' krAmpl / verb ( crum • ples , crum • pling , crum • pled )
to be crushed or to crush something into a smaller shape She crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it away.
crunch / krAntJ /verb
(crunch •es , crunch • ing , crunched )
to make a loud noise when you eat something that is hard She crunched on her apple noisily.
to make a noise like the sound of something being crushed
The leaves crunched under our feet as we walked. ► crunchnoun [ singular ]
the crunch of their boots on the snow
crunch • y / ' krAntJi / adjective ( crunch • i er , crunch i est )
hard and dry, so that it makes a noise when you eat it or walk on it a crunchy salad
crush Ф / krAj /
(crush es , crush • ing , crushed )
to press something very hard so that you break or damage it Put the melons in another bag so they won't crush the eggs.
—Look at the picture at squeeze .
crust / krAst /noun
[count]
the hard part on the outside of bread
a hard layer or surface around something soft or liquid the earth's crust
crus • ta • cean / w steijn / noun
[ count ]
( biology ) any animal with a soft body in several sections and covered with a hard shell
crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans
crustaceans
crab lobster
crutch / krAtf /noun [ count ] ( pluralcrutch • es )
a long stick that you put under your arm to help you walk
when you have hurt your leg
He broke his leg and now he's on crutches .
СГу 1 Ф / krai / verb ( cries , cry • ing , cried , has cried )
to have drops of water falling from your eyes because you are unhappy or hurt
The baby cries a lot.
to shout or make a loud noise "Help!" he cried.
She cried out in pain.
cry2 / krai /noun [ count ] ( pluralcries )
a loud noise that you make to show strong feelings such as
pain, fear, or excitement
He gave a cry of pain.
We heard her cries and ran to help.
crys • tal / ' kristl /noun
[ count ] ( chemistry ) a shape that some substances make when they become solid
salt crystals
[ count, noncount ] a kind of rock that looks like glass
[ noncount ] very good quality glass crystal wine glasses
cub / kAb /noun [ cou nt ]
a young animal, such as a young lion or bear
cube1 / kyub /noun [ count ]
( math)
a shape like a box with six square sides all the same size Look at the picture atsolid .
the number that you get if you multiply a number by itself twice
The cube of 5 (= 5 3 ) is 125 (= 5 x 5 x 5 ) . ► cu • bic / ' kyubik /adjective
a cubic foot (= a space like a cube that is one foot long on each side ) 64 cubic centimeters
cube 2 / kyub / verb ( cubes , cub • ing , cubed )
( math ) to multiply a number by itself twice Four cubed is 64 (= 4 x 4 x 4 ) .
cu • bi • cle / ' kyubikl /noun [ count ]
a small room that is made by separating off part of a larger room
a shower cubicle
cu • cum • ber / ' kyu|L\mbsr /noun [ count ]
a long vegetable with a green skin, which we often eat in salads
—Look at the picture at vegetable .
cud • dle / ' kAdl /verb
( cud • dles , cud • dling , cud • dled )
to hold someone or something in your arms to show love He cuddled his favorite teddy bear.
—SYNONYM hug
cud • dly / ' kAdli / adjective ( cud • dli • er , cud • dli • est )
soft and pleasant to hold close to you a cuddly teddy bear
cue / kyu /noun [ count ]
a word or movement that is a signal for someone else to say or do something
When Julia starts to cry, that's your cue to come onto the stage.
cuff / kAf /noun [ count ]
the end part of a sleeve, near your hand
cul • prit / ' kAlprst /noun [ count ]
a person who has done something wrong Police still can't find the culprit.
cult / kAlt /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a type of religious group, especially one that is
considered unusual
Their daughter joined a cult.
cul • ti • vate / kAltsveit / verb ( cul • ti • vates , cul • ti • vat • ing , cul • ti • vat • ed )
to use land for growing plants
Only a small area of the island was cultivated.
to try to get someone's friendship or support
He cultivated links with colleagues in other colleges.
► cul • ti • va • tion / |kAlts 'veijn / noun [ noncount ]
cultivation of the land
cul • tur • al AWL| / ' kAltJsrsl / adjective
connected with the ideas, customs, and way of life of a group of people or a country
There are many cultural differences between our two countries.
—Look at multicultural .
connected with art, music, or literature a cultural event
cul • tureФ AWL / ' kAltfsr /noun
[ count ] the customs, ideas, and way of life of a group of people or a country
the language and culture of the Aztecs
[ noncount ] art, music, literature, and the theater The city is a center of culture.
cul • ture shock / ' kAlt/sr Jak /
[noncount]
a feeling of being surprised, confused, or uncomfortable when you go to a country that is very different from your own
cun • ning / ' kAnig / adjective
intelligent, especially in a bad or dishonest way a cunning trick
cup Ф / клр/noun
[ count ]
1 a small round container with a handle, which you can drink from
a cup and saucer
saucer
cups
handle
cup and saucer
mug
a unit of measurement used in cooking, equal to eight ounces
Add half a cup of sugar and two cups of flour.
( sports ) a large metal thing like a cup, which you get as a prize for winning a competition
cup • board / ' kAbsrd /
[count]
a piece of furniture with shelves and doors, where you keep things like food kitchen cupboards
cur • a • ble / kyursbl / adjective
( health ) (used about a disease) that can be made better —ANTONYM incurable
curb 1 / ksrb / noun [count]
the edge of a path next to a road
They stood on the curb waiting to cross the street.
curb 2 / ksrb / verb (curbs,curb• ing ,curbed)
to control or limit something, especially something bad Apparently, this pill curbs your appetite.
cure 1 / kyur / verb ( cures , cur ing , cured )
( health )
to make a sick person well again The doctors can't cure her.
to make an illness go away Can this disease be cured? The adjective is curable .
cure2 / kyur /noun [ count ]
( health ) something that makes an illness go away a cure for cancer
cur • few / ' kэrfyu /noun [ count ]
a time when children must arrive home in the evening My parents set my curfew at 10:00 (= I have to be home by 10 pm ) .
a time after which people are not allowed to go outside their homes
After the rebel attack, the government imposed a curfew on the city.
cu • ri • os • i • ty / |kyuri'asэti / noun [noncount]
wanting to know about things I was full of curiosity about the letter.
cu • ri • ous / ' kyuriэs / adjective
If you are curious , you want to know about something They were very curious about the people who lived upstairs.
cu • ri • ous • ly / ' Lym^H / adverb
"Where are you going?" she asked curiously.
curl 1 / кэй / verb ( curls , curl • ing , curled )
to form or make something form into a round or curved shape
to curl your hair
curl up to put your arms, legs, and head close to your body
The cat curled up by the fire.
curl2 / кэй /noun [ count ]
a piece of hair in a round shape CUrl .уФ/ korli /adjective ( curl i • er , curl • i • est )
with a lot of curls He has curly hair.
—ANTONYM straight , —Look at the picture at hair .
cur • ren • cy AWL| / ' кэгеш! / noun [ count ] ( plural cur . ren . cies )
the money that a country uses
The currency of the United States is the dollar.
cur • rent 1 / ' кэтат / adjective
happening or used now current fashions
cur • rent • ly / ' кэ^тИ /adverb now; at the moment
He is currently working in Seattle.
cur • rent2 / ' кэтат /noun [ count ]
air or water that is moving
It is dangerous to swim here because of the strong current.
( physics ) electricity that is going through a wire
cur • ric • u • lum / кэ 'rIkyэlэm / noun [ count ]
(plural cur • ric . u • la /кэ 'пкуэ1э / or cur • ric • u . lums )
all the subjects that you study in a school or college Latin is not part of the curriculum at our school.
—Look at syllabus .
cur • ry / ' кэй /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralcur • ries )
an Indian dish of meat or vegetables cooked with spices and often eaten with rice chicken curry
curse / кэге /noun [ count ]
a rude word that some people use when they are very angry
—SYNONYM swear word
a word or phrase that has a magic power to make something bad happen
The family seemed to be under a curse (= lots of bad things happened to them ) .
curse verb ( curse , curs • ing , cursed )
to use rude language because you are angry When he stood up, he hit his head and cursed loudly.
—SYNONYM swear
cur • sor / ' kэrsэr /noun [ count ]
( computers ) a small sign on a computer screen that shows where on the screen you are working
cur • tain / ' кэ^т/ noun [ count ]
a piece of cloth that you can move to cover a window Could you open the curtains, please?
curve 1 Ф / korv/noun [ count ]
a line that is not straight; a bend a curve on a graph
curve 2 / кэп? / verb ( curves, curv • ing, curved )
to make a round shape; to bend The road curves to the right.
curved / кэп^ / adjective
a table with curved legs a curved line
—Look at the picture at line . cush • ion / ' kujn / noun [ count ]
a cloth bag filled with something soft, which you put on a chair
—Look at the picture at chair .
cus • to • dy / ' L^di / noun [ noncount ]
the legal right to take care of someone or something She got full custody of the children after the divorce.
the state of being kept in prison for a short time He was taken into police custody.
CUS .torn Ф / 'kAstsm/ noun
[count]
something that a group of people usually do the custom of giving gifts at Christmas It's a local custom.
CUS .tOm .еГ Ф / 'kAstsmsr/ noun
[count]
a person who buys things from a store or other business
cus • tom • ize / ' L^ma^ / verb
( cus tom • iz es, cus tom • iz • ing, cus • tom • ized )
to change something to make it more suitable for you We can customize your car with leather seats.
cus • toms / ' kлstэmz/noun [ plural ]
the place at an airport or a port where you must show what you have brought with you from another country a customs officercut 1 О / k/Yt /verb( cuts, cut ting, cut, has cut)
1 to break or damage something with something sharp, for example a knife or scissors
cut the apple in half (= into two parts ) . She cut her finger on some broken glass.
to take one piece from something bigger using a knife or scissors
Can you cut me a piece of cake, please?
to make something shorter with a knife or scissors Did you get your hair cut ?
be cut off
to be kept alone, away from other people When I went away to college, I really felt cut off from my friends.
cut down on something to use, do, or buy less of something
You should cut down on sweets.
cut something down to cut something so that it falls down
We cut down the old tree. cut something off
to remove something from something larger by cutting Peel the cucumber and cut off the ends.
to stop the supply of something The workmen cut off the electricity. cut something out
1 to take something from the place where it was by using scissors, etc.
cut the picture out of the newspaper.
( informal ) to stop saying or doing something that you do not like
Cut it out! That hurts!
cut something up to cut something into pieces with a
knife, etc.
Thesaurus
cut to divide something into two or more pieces with a knife, etc.: Cut the sandwich in half (= into two equal pieces ) . ♦ She cut the bread into thick slices. ♦ He cut up the meat on his plate.
chop to cut something into pieces with something sharp, such as a knife: Chop the carrots up into small pieces. ♦ Add the finely chopped onions. ♦ Roughly chop the herbs.
slice to cut something into thin pieces (called slices ): Slice the cucumber thinly. ♦ a loaf of sliced bread ♦ Should I slice the cake now?
carve to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces for eating: Dinner is ready. Who's going to carve the turkey?
CUt 2Ф / k-vt/noun [count]
( health ) an injury on the skin, made by something sharp like a knife
He had a deep cut on his leg.
a hole or opening in something, made with something sharp
Make a small cut in the material.
making something smaller or less a cut in government spending
job cuts
cute / kyut / adjective ( cut • er , cut • est )
pretty and attractive a cute little baby
( informal ) sexually attractive
There were so many cute guys at the party.
cy • ber • space / ' saibar^peis / noun
[ noncount ]
( computers ) a place that is not real, where e-mails go when you send them from one computer to another
cy • cle / ' saikl /noun [ count ]
a series of events that happen again and again, always in
the same order
the life cycle of a frog
cy • cli • cal / ' saiklikl ; ' siklikl /
( also cy • clic / ' saiklik ; ' siklik / )adjective repeated many times in the same order the cyclical pattern of the economy
cy • cling / ' saiklig /noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) the sport or activity of riding a bicycle
cy • clist / 'saiklist /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a person who rides a bicycle as a sport Cyclists from all over the world competed in the race.
cy • clone / ' saikloun /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a very strong wind that moves in a circle and causes a storm
cyl • in • der / ' silandar /noun [ count ]
( math ) a long round shape, like a tube or a can of food —Look at the picture atsolid . ► cy • lin • dri • cal / sa ' lindrikl /adjective
a cylindrical shape
cym.bal cymbal
/ 'simbl /noun [ count ]
( music ) one of a pair of round metal plates used as a musical instrument
cyn • ic / ' sinik /noun [ count ]
a person who believes that people only do things for themselves, not to help others
You're such a cynic. Maybe he doesn't even care about the money.
► cyn • i • cal / ' sinikl / adjective
a cynical comment about modern politics
Dd
D, d / di /noun [ count ] ( pluralD's, d's / diz / )
the fourth letter of the English alphabet "Dog" begins with a "D."
D a low grade for a test or piece of work. A D is the lowest grade with which you can pass
I got a D on my chemistry test.
D.A.
short for district attorney
dab1 / dreb /noun [ count ]
a small quantity of something that is put on a surface a dab of paint
dab 2 / dreb / verb ( dabs , dab . bing , dabbed )
to touch something lightly and quickly
She dabbed the cut with a cotton ball.
dab something on something to put something on
something else lightly
to dab some antiseptic on a wound
dad Ф / dsed /noun [ cou nt ] ( informal )
father
Let's go, Dad! This is my dad.
dad • dy / ' dredi / noun [count] (plural dad . dies)
a word for "father" that children use
daf • fo • dil / ' dжfэdIl/ noun [ count ]
a yellow flower that grows in the spring
dag • ger
/ ' dregэr /noun [count]
a short pointed knife that people use as a weapon
—Look at sword .
dai • ly / ' deili / adjective, adverb
happening or coming every day or once a day There are daily flights between Miami and Dallas. a daily newspaper
The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. dai • ry / ' deri / noun ( plural dai . ries ) Spelling
Be careful! Don't confuse dairy and diary . You spell dairy with AI .
[ count ] a place where milk is kept, or where milk products like butter and cheese are made
[ noncount ] food made from milk, for example cheese or butter
Don't give her a yogurt — she doesn't eat dairy. dairy products
dai • sy / ' deizi /noun [ count ] ( pluraldai . sies ) a small flower with a yellow center, which usually grows wild in grass
dam / drem /noun [ count ] a wall that is built across a river to hold the water back
dam .age 1Ф /'daem^/nouninoncount] harm or injury that is caused when something is broken or spoiled
. age 2 Ф / 'daemid₃ / verb ( dam . ag es , dam . ag . ing , dam aged )
to break or harm something
The house was badly damaged by the fire.
dam
He had an accident, but he didn't do any damage to his
car.
dam • ag • ing / ' 1жшэ1зщ / adjective
Cars have a damaging effect on the environment.
damn / drem / exclamation
a rude word that people sometimes use when they are angry Damn! I'm late and I can't find my keys!
damp / dremp / adjective ( damp er , damp .est )
a little wet a cold, damp house
dance 1 Ф / daens / verb ( danc.es,danc . ing ,danced)
to move your body to music Bob really knows how to dance! I danced with her all night.
danc • ing / ' drensig / noun [ noncount ] Will there be dancing at the party?
dance2Ф / daens /noun
[ count, noncount ] movements that you do to music
[ count ] a party where people dance My parents met at a dance.
danc . еГ Ф / 'daensar /noun [ count ]
a person who dances
Baryshnikov is a famous ballet dancer.
I'm not a very good dancer.
dan • de • li • on / ' drendэlaIэn /noun [ count ]
a small yellow flower that grows wild in grass dan • druff / ' drendref /noun [ noncount ]
small pieces of dead skin in a person's hair
dan .деГ Ф / demdpr / noun
[ noncount ] the possibility that something bad may happen
If you don't stop smoking, your health may be in serious danger .
[ count ] a person or thing that may bring harm or trouble
These chemicals are a danger to the environment.
dan .ger .OUS Ф / 'demdpros / adjective
A person or thing that is dangerous may hurt you It's dangerous to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. a dangerous disease
dan • ger • ous • ly / ' deIndзэrэsli / adverb She drives dangerously.
dan • gle / ' d®ggl /verb
( dan gles , dan . gling , dan . gled )
to hang down and swing from side to side; to hold something so it hangs in this way
She sat on the dock with her legs dangling over the water.
dare / der / verb ( dares , dar . ing , dared ) dare do something
to be brave enough to do something I didn't dare ask for more money. dare someone to do something
to ask someone to do something dangerous or silly to see if they are brave enough I dare you to jump off that wall! don't you dare
words that you use for telling someone very strongly not to do something
Don't you dare read my letters! how dare you
words that show you are very angry about something that
someone has done
How dare you speak to me like that!
dar • ing / ' derig / adjective
not afraid to do dangerous things a daring attack
—SYNONYM brave
dark ^-'/dark / adjective ( lark ei , lark est)
with no light, or not much light
It was so dark that I couldn't see anything. It gets dark very early in the winter.
—ANTONYM light
A dark color is nearer to black than to white a dark green skirt
He has dark brown eyes.
—ANTONYM light , pale
A person who is dark has brown or black hair or skin a thin, dark woman
—ANTONYM fair
dark / dark/ noun [ singular ] where there is no light Cats can see in the dark. Are you afraid of the dark?
after dark
after the sun goes down in the evening
before dark
before the sun goes down in the evening Make sure you get home before dark.
dark • ness / ' darknss /noun [ noncount ]
when there is no light
The whole house was in darkness .
dar • ling / ' darlig /noun [ count ]
a name that you call someone that you love Are you all right, darling? ► dar • lingadjective
our darling daughter
dart / dart / verb ( darts , dart • ing , dart • ed )
to move quickly and suddenly He darted across the road.
darts / darts /noun [ plural ]
a game in which you throw a small metal arrow (called a dart ) at a round board with numbers on it (called a dartboard )
dash1 / d®/ /noun [ count ] ( pluraldash .es )
a sudden short run somewhere
He made a dash for the bus but just missed it.
Owen ran the 100-yard dash (= a race of 100 yards ) in less
than ten seconds.
a small amount of something that you add to something else
Add a dash of lemon juice.
( english language arts ) a mark (-) that you use in
writing
dash 2 / d®/ / verb (dash es, dash • ing, dashed )
to run quickly somewhere
I dashed into a coffee shop when it started to rain.
dash • board / ' d®Jbord /noun [ count ]
the part of a car in front of the driver where most of the switches and controls are
—Look at the picture atsteering wheel . da • taawЦ / ' deits ; ' d®ts /noun [ plural ]
facts or information
We are studying the data that we have collected.
da • ta • base / ' deitsbeis ; ' d®tsbeis /noun [count]
( computers ) information that is stored in a computer in an organized system that lets you look at it and use it in different ways
Information about every car is stored in the police database.
date 1 Ф / deit /noun [ count ]
the number of the day, the month, and sometimes the year
"What's the date today?" "It's February first." Today's date is December 12, 2010. What is your date of birth ?
a romantic meeting when two people go out somewhere He asked her out on a date.
a small sweet brown fruit that comes from a tree which grows in hot countries
out of date
not modern
The machinery they use is completely out of date. up to date
with all the newest information Is this list of names up to date?
date 2 / deit / verb ( dates , dat • ing , dat ed )
to write the day's date on something The letter is dated January 4, 2011.
to have a romantic relationship with someone Are you dating anyone right now?
dat • ed / ' deitsd /adjective
old-fashioned
It's a good movie, but it looks really dated now. a dated hairstyle
daugh .ter Ф / 'dotor/ noun [count ]
Pronunciation
The word daughter sounds like water , because we don't say the letters gh in this word.
a girl or woman who is someone's child They have two daughters and a son. My oldest daughter is a doctor.
daugh • ter-in-law / ' dotsr in lo /
[ count ] ( plural daugh . ters-in-law )
the wife of your son
Look at son-in-law .
daunt / dont / verb ( daunts , daunt • ing , daunt•ed )
to make someone feel nervous or worried by being too big or difficult
She said the job was really hard, but I wasn't daunted. ► daunt • ing / ' dontig / adjective
The thought of having to change schools was really daunting. a daunting task
dawn / don /noun [ count, noncount ] the time in the early morning when the sun comes up
Look atdusk .
day Ф/ dei /noun [ count ] ( pluralday: ) 1 a time of 24 hours from midnight to the next midnight There are seven days in a week.
was in Las Vegas for a few days. " What day is it today?" "Tuesday."
the time when it is light outside
Most people work during the day and sleep at night.
3 a time in the past
In my grandparents' day, people didn't have cell phones. one day
on a certain day in the past One day, a letter arrived.
( also some day ) at some time in the future I hope to become a doctor one day.
Some day I'll be rich and famous. the day after tomorrow not tomorrow, but the next day the day before yesterday not yesterday, but the day before
the other day
a few days ago
I went to see my cousin the other day. these days ( informal )
used to talk about the present, especially when you are
comparing it with the past
These days kids grow up so quickly.
—SYNONYM nowadays
day • break / ' deibreik /noun [ noncount ]
the time of day when light first appears He left at daybreak .
day • care / ' deiker / ( also day care )noun
[noncount]
care for small children while their parents are working; a place that offers this service a daycare center
My wife takes the kids to daycare every morning.
day • dream / ' deidrim /noun [ count ]
happy thoughts that make you forget about what you should be doing now
She stared out of the window, lost in a daydream . ► day • dreamverb
( day • dreams , day dream • ing , day dreamed )
He daydreamed about being so rich that he could buy anything he wanted.
day • light / ' deilait /noun [ noncount ]
the light from the sun during the day These colors look different in daylight .
day off / |dei ' of /noun [count] ( pluraldays off )
a day when you do not go to work or school She hasn't taken a day off in six months.
day • time / ' deitaim /noun [noncount]
the time when it is day and not night I prefer to study in the daytime and go out at night.
—ANTONYM nighttime
daze / deiz / noun in a daze
not able to think normally; confused
I was in a daze, and walked into the street without looking.
dazed / deizd / adjective
not able to think normally; confused He had a dazed look on his face.
daz • zle / ' drezl /verb
( daz • zles , daz • zling , daz • zled )
to impress someone very much He was dazzled by her beauty.
Prefix
de-
( in verbs, and related nouns, adjectives, and adverbs ) removing something de caffeinated coffee de frost the refrigerator
dead © / ded / adjective
not alive now
All my grandparents are dead. Throw away those dead flowers.
no longer working because it doesn't have any power The batteries in this flashlight are dead.
I picked up the phone, but the line was dead.
very quiet
This town is completely dead at night.
complete
There was dead silence when she finished speaking.
a dead end
a street that is only open at one end
dead 2 / ded / adverb
( informal )
completely or very I'm dead tired.
dead • line / ' dedlain /noun [ count ]
a day or time before which you must do something The deadline for finishing this essay is next Tuesday.
dead • ly 1 / ' dedli / adjective ( dead • li • er , dead li • est )
Something that is deadly may kill people or other living things
a deadly weapon
dead • ly2 / ' dedli /adverb ( informal )
extremely
I'm deadly serious.
deaf / def /adjective ( deaf • er , deaf est ) ( health ) not able to hear anything or not able to hear very well
My grandma's starting to go deaf.
television subtitles for the deaf (= people who cannot hear )
deaf • ness / ' defms / noun [ noncount ] In old age she was troubled by deafness.
deaf • en / ' defэn /verb
( deaf ens , deaf • en • ing , deaf • ened )
to make a very loud noise so that someone cannot hear well We were deafened by the loud music.
deaf • en • ing / ' defэniц / adjective
a deafening noise
deal l©/dil/ verb ( deals , deal • ing , dealt / delt / has dealt )
to give cards to players in a game of cards Start by dealing seven cards to each player.
( business ) to buy and sell something in business Our firm deals with customers all over the world. We deal in insurance.
deal something out to give something to a number of people
The profits will be dealt out among us. deal with something
1 to take action in a particular situation in order to solve a problem or do a particular job
am too busy to deal with this problem now.
to be about a particular subject
The first chapter of the book deals with letter writing.
deal2 / dil /noun [ count ]
( business ) an agreement, usually about buying, selling, or working
Let's make a deal — I'll help you today if you help me tomorrow.
a good deal ; a great deal
a lot
I've spent a great deal of time on this report.
deal • er / ' dilar /noun [ count ]
a person who buys and sells things a car dealer
the person who gives the cards to the players in a game of cards
dear 1 © / dir / adjective ( dear er , dear est)
Dear a word that you use before a person's name at the beginning of a letter
Dear Mr. Carter,... Dear Sir or Madam,...
that you love very much She was a dear friend.
dear 2 / dir / exclamation
something you say if you are surprised or upset Oh dear ! It's starting to rain again. Dear me ! What a mess!
dear3 / dir /noun [ count ] ( informal ) a word that you use when you are speaking to someone that you love Hello, dear.
death © / de6 /noun [ count, noncount ]
when a life finishes
He became manager of the company after his father's death.
There are thousands of deaths in car accidents every year. The police do not know the cause of death .
—Look at birth .
the death pen • al • ty / da ' dee
noun [ singular ]
the legal punishment of being killed for a crime —Look atcapital punishment .
de • bat • a • ble AWL / di 'beitabl / adjective
not certain; that you could argue about
It's debatable whether computers really make things
easier.
de • bate awl / dibeit / noun
1 [ count ] a public meeting where people with different
opinions discuss something important
Thesaurus
discussion [ count, noncount ] talking in detail about something important: a discussion with your classmates about the test ♦ We had a long discussion about what we should do. ♦ The plans are still under discussion (= being talked about ) . conversation [ count, noncount ] an informal talk between two people or a small group: a phone conversation ♦ I had a long conversation with her yesterday. ♦ The main topic of conversation was the recent election.
talk [ count ] a conversation between two or more people, often about a problem or something that is important to you: My parents want to have a talk with me about going to college. ♦ The two countries are holding talks to try to end the violence.
debate [ count ] a formal discussion at a public meeting about something important, where people give their different opinions. At the end of the discussion there may be a vote: a debate on health care reform ♦ After a long debate, Congress approved the plan.
chat [ count ] a friendly, informal conversation with someone, especially about personal things: I had a nice chat with Sandy this afternoon. ♦ I just dropped by for a chat - are you free?
2 [ noncount ] general discussion about something, when
people express different opinions
There's been a lot of debate about global warming.
de • bate verb
( de bates , de bat ing , de • bat • ed )
Politicians will be debating the new plans later this week.
deb • it1 / ' debit /noun [ count ]
an amount of money that is taken out of a bank account —ANTONYM credit
deb • it 2 / ' debit / verb ( deb its , deb • it • ing , deb • it • ed )
to take an amount of money out of a bank account The payment will be debited from your account.
—ANTONYM credit
deb • it card / ' debit kard /noun [ count ]
a plastic card that you can use to pay for things directly from your bank account Can I pay by debit card ?
—Look at credit card .
de • bris / da bri /noun [ noncount ]
pieces of something that has been destroyed debris from the plane crash
debt Ф/ det /noun [ count ]
money that you must pay back to someone
The company has borrowed a lot of money and it still has
debts.
in debt
If you are in debt , you must pay money to someone.
debt • or / ' detar /noun [ count ]
a person who owes money
de • but / dei byu /noun [ count ] the first appearance in public of an actor, etc. She made her movie debut in 2006.
Dec.
abbreviation of December
de • cadeaw п / ' dekeid /noun [ count ]
a period of ten years
The country has become richer in the past decade.
de • caf • fein • at • ed / d krefaneitad /
( also informalde • caf / ' dikref / )adjective
(used about coffee or tea) with all or most of the substance that makes you feel awake (called caffeine ) taken out I only drink decaffeinated coffee in the evening.
de • cay / di ' kei /verb
( de cays , de • cay • ing , de • cayed )
to become bad or be slowly destroyed If you don't clean your teeth, they will decay.
de • cay noun [ noncount ]
tooth decay
de • ceit / di sit /noun [ noncount ]
dishonest behavior; trying to make someone believe
something that is not true
She was tired of his lies and deceit.
► de • ceit • ful / di ' sitfl / adjective
deceitful behavior
—SYNONYM dishonest
de • ceive / di ' siv / verb
( de • ceives , de • ceiv • ing , de • ceived )
to deliberately make someone believe something that is not true
She deceived me into thinking she was a police officer. You're deceiving yourself if you think he'll change his mind.
De .cem . ber Ф / disembr/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationDec. ) the twelfth month of the year
de • cen • cy / ' dissnsi / noun [noncount]
moral or correct behavior
At least she had the decency to admit that it was her fault.
de • cent / dissnt / adjective
good enough; right
You can't wear jeans for a job interview — you should buy some decent clothes.
honest and good decent people
de • cep • tion / di sepjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
making someone believe something that is not true They had all been fooled by his deception.
de • cep • tive / di ' septiv / adjective
giving someone a false impression
The water is deceptive. It's much deeper than it looks.
de • ci • bel / ' dessbel / noun
[ count ]
a measurement of how loud a sound is
de .cide © / dismd/ verb
( de • cides , de cid • ing , de • cid ed )
to choose something after thinking about the possibilities I can't decide what color to paint my room. We've decided to go to Florida for our vacation. She decided that she didn't want to come.
dec • i • mal / ' dessml / noun
[count]
( math ) part of a number, written after the mark (.) Three quarters written as a decimal is 0.75. Style
We say "0.75" as "zero point seven five."
dec • i • mal point / ^essml ' point / noun
[count]
( math ) a small round mark, used to separate a whole number from a decimal
To multiply 1.55 by 10, move the decimal point one place to the right.
de .ci .sion © /disi₃n/ noun
[ count ]
choosing something after thinking; deciding I have to make a decision about what I'm going to do when I finish school.
de • ci • sive / di ' saisiv / adjective
able to make decisions quickly It's no good hesitating. Be decisive.
—ANTONYM indecisive
making something certain or final the decisive battle of the war
deck / dek /noun
[count ]
one of the floors of a ship, airplane, or bus
He stood on the lower deck of the ship and looked out to sea.
a set of 52 cards for playing games
— Look at the picture at playing card .
a wooden floor that is built outside the back of a house, where you can sit and relax
Let's go sit out on the deck.
de • clare / di kler / verb ( de clares , de • clar • ing , de • clared )
to say very clearly what you think or what you will do, often to a lot of people
He declared that he was not a thief. The country declared war on its enemy.
to give information about goods or money so that you can pay tax on them or it
You must declare all your income on this form.
dec • la • ra • tion / |dekls ' reijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a declaration of support
the Declaration of Independence
de • clineaw / di ' klain /
( de clines , de • clin • ing , de • clined )
to become weaker, smaller, or worse The standard of education has declined.
de • clinenoun [ count, noncount ] a decline in sales
de • com • pose / |diksm' pouz / verb ( de • com • pos • es , de • com • pos • ing , de • com • posed )
to be slowly destroyed by natural chemical processes a decomposing corpse
de • com • po • si • tion / |dikamps ' zijn / noun
[ noncount ]
dec .0 . rate Ф/ 'defereit/ verb
( dec • o • rates , dec • o • rat ing , dec • o • rat ed )
to make something look more attractive by adding things to it
We decorated the room with flowers. to decorate a Christmas tree
dec • o • ra • tion / |deks ' reijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that you add to a thing to make it look more attractive
Christmas decorations
dec • o • ra • tive / ' deksrstiv / adjective
added to make something look attractive a tablecloth with a decorative lace edge
de • crease / di kris / verb
( de creas • es , de creas • ing , de • creased )
to become or to make something smaller or less
The number of employees has decreased from 200 to 100.
—ANTONYM increase
►de • crease / dikris /noun [ count, noncount ]
There was a decrease in the number of people living in the area.
—ANTONYM increase
ded • i • cate / ' dedэ_lkeIt / verb
( ded . i • cates , ded i . cat . ing , ded . i cat ed )
to give all of your energy, time, effort, etc. to something He dedicated his life to helping the poor. ►ded • i • cat • ed / ' dedэkeItэd /adjective
a team of dedicated volunteers
ded • i • ca • tion / ^э ' keijn / noun
[ noncount ]
wanting to give your time and energy to something, because you feel it is important I admire her dedication to her career.
de • duct / di ' dAkt /verb
( de . ducts , de duct ing , de . duct . ed )
to take something such as money or points away from a total amount
Your pension will be automatically deducted from your salary.
I will deduct points for spelling mistakes.
deed / did /noun
[count]
( formal ) something that you do; an action Cleaning the house for her grandmother was a good deed.
a legal document which shows that you own a house or building
d66p 1 ©/ dip / adjective ( deep er , deep est)
Something that is deep goes down a long way Be careful — the water is very deep.
There were deep cuts in his face.
-ANTONYM shallow
You use deep to say or ask how far something is from the top to the bottom
The hole was about six feet deep and three feet wide. The noun is depth .
A deep sound is low and strong He has a deep voice.
-ANTONYM high
A deep color is strong and dark She has deep blue eyes.
-ANTONYM pale , light
If you are in a deep sleep, it is difficult for someone to wake you up
She was in such a deep sleep that she didn't hear me calling her.
Deep feelings are very strong deep sadness
deep 2 / dip /adverb
a long way down or inside something creatures that live deep in the ocean
deep-fried / |dip ' fraid /adjective
cooked in oil that covers the food completely deep-fried onion rings
deep . ly О / 'dipll/ adverb
strongly or completely
They were deeply disturbed by the accident.
deer / dn / noun deer
[ count ] ( pluraldeer )
a wild animal that eats grass | _r V 3.ntlerS
and can run fast. Male deer have horns that look like 1 branches (called antlers ).
de .feat Ф/ difit/ verb
( de feats, de . feat . ing, de feat ed )
to win a fight or game against a person or group of people The army defeated the rebels.
de • featnoun [ count, noncount ] It was another defeat for the team.
She refused to admit defeat and kept on trying.
—ANTONYM victory
de • fect / ' difekt /noun [ count ] something that is wrong with something a speech defect
defects in the education system
de • fec • tive / di ' fektiv / adjective
The accident was caused by defective brakes.
de • fend / di fend / verb ( de fends , de fend . ing , de fend . ed )
to fight to keep away people or things that attack They defended the city against the enemy.
to say that someone has not done something wrong My sister defended me when Dad said I was lazy. He had a lawyer to defend him in court.
( sports ) to try to stop another person or team from scoring in a game
de • fend • er / difendэr / noun [ count ]
a person who defends someone or something, especially in sports
de • fend • ant / di 'fendэnt /noun [ count ]
a person who is accused of a crime in a court of law
de • fense / di fens / noun
[ count, noncount ] fighting against people who attack, or keeping away dangerous people or things
They fought the war in defense of their country. the body's defenses against disease
[ noncount ] ( politics ) the military equipment, forces, etc. for protecting a country
the Defense Department to reduce defense spending
the defense [ singular ] the lawyers who are representing the person who is accused of something in a court of law
The defense presented their case. Look at prosecution ( 2 ).
/ ' difens / [ noncount ] ( sports ) the players on a sports team who try to stop the other team from scoring; the action of these players
He broke through the defense to score a touchdown.
de • fen • sive / di ' fensiv / adjective
that protects someone or something from attack The troops took up a defensive position.
—ANTONYM offensive
showing that you feel someone is criticizing you When she asked why he was late, he got very defensive.
de • fen • sive • ly / di ' fensivli / adverb "It wasn't my idea,"she said defensively.
de • fi • ant / di ' farant /adjective
refusing to do what someone tells you
From the age of fifteen she became more defiant.
de • fi • ance / di 'farans /noun [ noncount ]
As an act of defiance, they played their music too loud. The verb is defy .
def • i • cit / ' def3sit / noun
[count]
( politics ) the amount by which the money you receive is less than the money you have spent a country's budget deficit
de • fied, de • fies
forms of defy
de • fine AWL| / di 'fain / verb ( de • fines , de fin • ing , de • fined )
( english language arts ) to say what a word means How do you define "rich"? The noun is definition .
def • i • nite Ф AWL / ' defэnэt / adjective
Something that is definite is clear, fixed, and unlikely to change
I want a definite answer, "yes" or "no." There has been a definite change in her attitude.
def • i •nite ar • ti • cle / ^эпэ: ' artiki /
noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) in English grammar, the word "the"
—Look at indefinite article .
def • i • nite • ly ® AWL / ' defэnэtli / adverb
certainly
I'll definitely consider your advice. It's definitely the best restaurant in town.
def • i • ni • tion Ф awl / |df 'nijn / noun
[count]
( english language arts ) a group of words that tell you what another word means
de • fin • i • tive А^И / di ' fimtiv / adjective
in a form that is so good that it cannot be improved the definitive guide to New York restaurants
de • for • es • ta • tion / difore ' steijn / noun
[noncount]
( geography ) cutting down trees over a large area
de • formed / di formd / adjective
having a shape that is not normal or natural
de • frost / | di frost / verb ( de • frosts , de • frost • ing , de • frost • ed )
to make food warmer so that it is no longer frozen Defrost the chicken completely before cooking.
to remove the ice from something to defrost the refrigerator
de • fy / di ' fai /verb
( de fies , de • fy • ing , de • fied , has de fied )
If you defy someone or something, you do something that
they say you should not do
She defied her parents and stayed out all night.
de • grade / di' greid / verb ( de grades , de grad • ing , de grad ed )
to make people respect someone less That type of movie really degrades women.
de • grad • ing / di' greidig / adjective
Asking people for money is so degrading.
de .gree Ф /di_gn/ noun
[ count ] ( general science ) a measurement of temperature
Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (212°F).
[ count ] ( math ) a measurement of angles (= the space between two lines that meet )
There are 90 degrees (90°) in a right angle.
[ count ] Universities and colleges give degrees to students who have completed a program there
She has a degree in Mathematics.
[ count, noncount ] a certain amount or level There's always a degree of risk involved in rock climbing. I feel sorry for her to some degree .
de • hy • drat • ed / |di ' haIdreItэd / adjective
( health ) having lost too much water from your body Make sure to drink plenty of fluids so you don't get dehydrated.
de • hy • dra • tion / |dihai ' dreijn / noun
[noncount]
The survivors were suffering from dehydration.
de • lay 1 / di' lei / verb ( de lays , de • lay ing , de layed )
to make someone or something late
My train was delayed for two hours because of the bad weather.
to not do something until a later time Can we delay our meeting until next week?
de • lay 2 / di lei /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralde • lays )
a time when someone or something is late
There was a long delay at the airport.
You must pay the money without delay (= immediately ) .
del • e • gate 1 / ' debgpt / noun
[ count ]
a person who has been chosen to speak or make decisions for a group of people, especially at a meeting
del • e • gate 2 / ' debgeit / verb ( del • e • gates , del e gat ing , del • e • gat • ed )
to give someone with a lower job a particular task to do You should delegate more work to your assistant.
de • lete / di lit /verb
( de letes , de • let • ing , de let • ed )
to remove something that is written or that is stored on a computer
I deleted some important files on my computer by accident.
del • i / ' deli /noun [ count ] ( pluraldel . is ) ( informal ) = delicatessen
the deli counter at the grocery store
de • lib • er • ate / di ' libarat / adjective
If something is deliberate , then it is planned and not done by mistake
Was it an accident or was it deliberate?
de .lib .er .ate .ly Ф /d.ььг.мп/ adverb
If you do something deliberately , you wanted or planned to do it
The police think that someone started the fire deliberately.
del • i • ca • cy / ' delikasi /noun [ count ] ( pluraldel . i • ca • cies )
a type of food that is considered particularly good Try this dish — it's a local delicacy.
del • i • cate / delikat / adjective
1 If something is delicate , you can break or damage it very easily
have delicate skin, so I use special soap.
light and pleasant; not strong delicate colors like pale pink and pale blue The food had a delicate flavor.
del • i • ca • tes • sen / |delika ' tesn /
( also informaldel • i / deli / )noun [ count ] a store that sells foods such as meat, cheese, and salads that are ready to eat and do not need to be cooked
de • li • cious / di ' lijas / adjective
very good to eat This soup is delicious.
de • light1 / di ' lait /noun [ noncount ]
great happiness
The children shrieked with delight when they saw the puppy. —SYNONYM joy
de • light2 / di ' lait /verb
( de • lights , de • light ing , de • light • ed )
to make someone very pleased or happy
de • light • ed / di 'laitad / adjective
very pleased or happy I'm delighted to meet you.
de • light • ful / di ' laitfl / adjective
very pleasant or attractive We stayed in a delightful little hotel.
de .liv .er Ф / dihw verb
( de • liv ers , de • liv • er • ing , de • liv • ered )
to take something to the place where it must go The mailman delivered two letters this morning. We deliver free within the local area.
to help a mother to give birth to her baby to deliver a baby
de • liv • er • y / di ' livari / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural de • liv • er • ies )
the act of taking something to the place where it must go Please allow 28 days for delivery.
We are waiting for a delivery of bread.
the process of giving birth to a baby an easy delivery
del • ta / ' delta /noun [ count ] ( pluraldel • tas )
( geography ) an area of land where a river divides into smaller rivers flowing toward the ocean the Mississippi River delta
de • luxe / di lAks / adjective
of extremely high quality and more expensive than usual a deluxe hotel
de • mand W / dimaend /noun [ count ]
saying strongly that you must have something a demand for higher pay
in demand
wanted by a lot of people
Good teachers are always in demand.
de • mand 2© / dimaend/ verb ( de mands , de mand • ing , de • mand ed )
to say strongly that you must have something The workers are demanding more money. She demanded to see the manager.
de • mand • ing / di ' mrendig / adjective
requiring a lot of effort, care, skill, etc. a demanding job
(used about a person) always wanting attention or expecting things from other people
Young children can be very demanding. a demanding boss
dem • o / ' demou /noun [count] ( pluraldem .os ) ( informal )
short for demonstration ( 1 )
They gave us a demo of the new software.
de • moc • ra • cy / di ' makrasi / noun
( plural de • moc • ra • cies ) ( politics )
[ noncount ] a system of government where the people choose their leader by voting
[ count ] a country with a government that the people choose
We live in a democracy.
Dem • o • crat / demakrret /noun [ count ]
( politics ) a person in the Democratic Party in the U.S. — Look at Republican .
dem • o • crat • ic / |dema ' krretik / adjective
( politics )
If a country, etc. is democratic , the people in it can choose its leaders or decide about the way it is organized.
Democratic connected with the Democratic Party in
the U.S.
the Democratic senator
dem • o • crat • i • cal • ly / |dema ' krretikli / adverb a democratically elected government
the Dem • o • crat • ic Par • ty
/ da |dema'krretik parti /noun [ singular ] ( politics ) one of the two main political parties in the U.S. —Look atthe Republican Party .
de • mol • ish / di ' malij /verb ( de mol ish • es, de • mol • ish • ing , de • mol ished )
to break a building so that it falls down
The warehouse is due to be demolished next year.
dem • o • li • tion / |dema 'lijn / noun [ count, noncount ]
The demolition of the factory will make room for more houses.
de • mon / ' diman /noun [ count ]
an evil spirit
dem • on • strate aw / ' demanstreit /
( dem • on • strates , dem • on • strat • ing , dem on • strat • ed )
1 to show something clearly He demonstrated how to operate the machine.
2 ( politics ) to walk or stand in public with a group of people to show that you have strong feelings about something
Thousands of people demonstrated against the war. —SYNONYM protest
►dem • on • stra • tor AWL / ' demsnstreitsr / noun
[ count ] ( politics )
a person who takes part in a public protest antiwar demonstrators
dem • on • stra • tion AWL / |demsn ' streijn /
noun
[ count, noncount ] ( also informaldem • o ) showing how to do something, or how something works
He gave us a cooking demonstration.
[ count ] ( politics ) a group of people walking or standing together in public to show that they have strong feelings about something
antigovernment demonstrations
de • mote / di ' mout / verb ( de • motes , de • mot • ing , de • mot • ed )
to move someone to a lower position or level, often as a punishment
Isabel was demoted from manager to assistant. —ANTONYM promote
den / den /noun
[count]
the place where a wild animal lives
a room in a house where people go to relax, watch television, etc.
They were all watching TV in the den.
de • ni • al aw / di ' naisl /
[ count ] a statement that something is not true
The mayor issued a public denial about his involvement in the scandal.
[ noncount ] refusing to accept that something is true He's been in denial ever since she left.
The verb is deny .
de • nied, de • nies awl
forms of deny
den • im / densm / noun
[noncount]
strong cotton material that is used for making jeans and other clothes. Denim is often blue a denim jacket
de • nom • i • na • tor / di ' namsneitsr / noun [ count ]
( math ) the number below the line in a fraction , for example 4 in ³/4
— Look at numerator .
de • noteaw / di ' nout /
( formal )
( de • notes , de • not • ing , de not ed )
to mean something
The red triangle denotes danger.
—SYNONYM represent dense / dens /adjective
with a lot of things or people close together dense forests
thick and difficult to see through The accident happened in dense fog.
den • si • ty / ' denssti /noun(plural den . si • ties )
[ noncount ] how many people or things are in a place, compared to how big it is
the population density
[ count, noncount ] ( physics ) how heavy something is, compared to how big it is
Lead has a high density.
dent / dent /noun [ count ]
a place where a flat surface, especially metal, has been hit and pushed in but not broken There's a big dent in the side of my car. ► dentverb ( dents , dent • ing , dent ed )
I dropped the can and dented it.
den • tal / dentl / adjective
connected with teeth dental care
dental floss (= a kind of string for cleaning between teeth ) deil .tiStФ / 'dentist / noun [count ] ( health ) a person whose job is to take care of your teeth You should go to the dentist for a checkup. I have to leave early — I have a dentist appointment.
de • ny Ф AWL / dinai / verb ( de nies , de • ny • ing , de • nied , has de • nied )
to say that something is not true He denied that he had stolen the car. They denied breaking the window.
—ANTONYM admit The noun is denial .
de • o • dor • ant / di' oudsrsnt / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a substance that you put on your body to stop bad smells
de • part / di ' part / verb ( de parts , de • part • ing , de • part • ed )
( formal )
to leave a place
The next flight to Baltimore departs from gate 3. —ANTONYM arrive The noun is departure .
de • part • mentФ/ di part 1110lit /noun [count]
one of the parts of a college, school, government, store, big company, etc.
The book department is on the second floor. the sales department
de •part • ment store / di partmsnt | stor /
noun [ count ]
a big store that sells a lot of different things Macy's is a famous department store in New York.
de • par • ture / di ' part/sr / noun
[ count, noncount ]
leaving a place
Arrivals and departures are shown on the screen. Passengers should check in at least one hour before departure. ANTONYM arrival
de.pend Ф / di 'pend / verb ( le • pends , de • pend • ing ,de•pend ed ) depend on someone or something
1 to trust someone; to feel sure that someone or something will do what you want
I know I can depend on my friends to help me.
2 to need someone or something
She still depends on her parents for money because she doesn't have a job. it depends ; that depends
words that you use to show that something is not certain I don't know whether I'll see him. It depends what time he gets here.
"Can you lend me some money?" "That depends. How much do you want?"
de • pend • a • ble / di pendэbl / adjective
that can be trusted
The bus service is usually very dependable. -SYNONYM reliable
de • pend • ence / di ' pendэns / noun
[ noncount ]
the state of needing someone or something
The country is trying to reduce its dependence on imported
oil.
—ANTONYM independence
de • pend • ent1 / di ' pendэnt /noun [ count ]
a person, especially a child, who depends on another person for a home, food, money, etc.
de • pend • ent 2 / di ' pendэnt / adjective
If you are dependent on someone or something, you need them
A baby is completely dependent on its parents. —ANTONYM independent
de • port / di ' port / verb ( de . ports , de . port . ing , de . port . ed )
( politics ) to force someone to leave a country Many illegal immigrants were deported. de • por • ta • tion / |dipor' tei/n /noun [ count, noncount ]
After being arrested, she faced deportation.
de • pos • it1 / di 'pa23t /noun [ count ]
money that you pay to show that you want something and that you will pay the rest later
We paid a deposit on the car.
extra money that you pay when you rent something. You get it back if you do not damage or lose what you have rented
If you damage the apartment, they'll keep your deposit.
money that you pay into a bank I'd like to make a deposit, please.
de • pos • it 2 / di ' pa^t / verb
( de . pos its , de . pos . it . ing , de . pos . it . ed )
to put something somewhere to keep it safe The money was deposited in the bank.
de • pot / ' dipou /noun [ count ]
a place where a lot of goods or vehicles are stored a bus depot
de • press AWL / di 'pres / verb ( de . press . es , de . press . ing , de . pressed )
to make someone feel sad
This wet weather really depresses me.
►de • press • ing AWL / di 'presig / adjective
That movie about the war was very depressing.
de • pressed aw / di ' prest /
very unhappy for a long period of time He's been very depressed since he lost his job.
de . pres . sion © [ J / diprejh / noun
[ noncount ] ( health ) a feeling of being unhappy, which lasts for a long time
She often suffers from depression.
[ count, noncount ] ( business ) a time when a country's economy is bad and many people do not have a job
the Great Depression of the 1930s
Look at recession .
de • prive / di praiv /verb
( de prives , de . priv ing , de . prived )
to stop someone or something from having something The prisoners were deprived of food. ► dep • ri • va • tion / |depre ' vei/n /noun [noncount]
people suffering from sleep deprivation
de • prived / di praivd /adjective
not having enough of the basic things in life such as food, money, etc.
She came from a deprived background. depth / dep9 / noun
[ count, noncount ] how deep something is; how far it is from the top of something to the bottom
What is the depth of the swimming pool? The hole was 6 feet in depth.
Look at the picture at dimension .
[ noncount ] the amount of emotion, knowledge, etc. a person has
the depth of his feelings for her The adjective is deep .
dep • u • ty / ' depyэti /noun [ count ] ( pluraldep . u . ties )
the person in a company, school, etc., who does the work of the leader when they are not there the deputy chief of police
de • riv • a • tive AWB / 1э ' пуэьу / noun
[count]
( english language arts ) a word that is made from another word
"Happiness" is a derivative of "happy."
de • riveAWB / di ' raiv /verb
( de rives , de . riv ing , de . rived )
be derived from something to come or develop from
something
The name "Los Angeles" is derived from the Spanish word for angels.
de • scend / di send / verb ( de scends, de scend . ing ,de . scend ed )
( formal )
to go down
The plane started to descend. —ANTONYM ascend
be descended from someone
to have someone as a relative in the past He claims he is descended from royalty.
de • scen•dant / di ' sendэnt /
[count]
Your descendants are your children, your children's children (called grandchildren ) and everyone in your family who lives after you
She claims to be a descendant of George Washington.
de • scent / di sent /noun [ count ]
going down
The plane began its descent into Newark Airport.
de .scribe Ф / di skraib / verb
( de • scribes , de • scrib • ing , de • scribed )
to say what someone or something is like or what happened Can you describe the man you saw? She described the accident to the police.
de .scrip .tion Ф /disknpjn/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
words that tell what someone or something is like or what happened
I gave the police a description of the thief.
des . ert 1 Ф / 'dezsrt / noun
[ count, noncount ]
Spelling
Remember! You spell desert with one S . ( geography ) a large, dry area of land with very few plants the Sahara Desert
de • sert2 / di ' zэrt /verb
( de • serts , de • sert ing , de • sert ed )
to leave a person or place when it is wrong to go He deserted his wife and children.
de • sert • ed / di ' zэrtэd / adjective
empty, because all the people have left At night the streets are deserted.
de .serve Ф /dizw verb
( de • serves , de • serv • ing , de • served )
to be good or bad enough to have something
You have worked very hard and you deserve a rest.
They stole money from the elderly, so they deserve to go to
prison.
de .sign 1 Ф/ dizain/ noun Pronunciation
The word design sounds like fine , because we don't say the letter g in this word.
[ noncount ] the way that something is planned, made, or arranged
The basic design of the car is similar to our earlier model.
[ count ] a drawing that shows how to make something Have you seen the designs for the new shopping center?
[ count ] a pattern of lines, shapes, and colors on something
The wallpaper has a design of blue and green squares on it.
—SYNONYM pattern
de .sign 2Ф^Щ/dizain/ verb ( de • signs , de • sign • ing , de • signed )
to draw a plan that shows how to make something The building was designed by a German architect.
de .sign .er Ф / dizainor/ noun
[count]
a person whose job is to make drawings that show how something will be made a fashion designer
de • sir • a • ble / di ' zairebl /
wanted by many people
The apartment is in a very desirable location.
de • sire / di 'zarar /noun [ count, noncount ]
a feeling of wanting something very much a desire for peace
desk Ф / desk /noun [ count ]
a type of table, often with drawers, that you sit at to write or work
The students took their books out of their desks.
a table or place in a building where someone gives information, etc.
Ask at the information desk.
desk • top / ' desktap /
( also desk • top com • put . er / |desktap kэm' pyutar / ) noun [ count ]
( computers ) a computer that is designed to sit on top of a desk
—Look at laptop .
des • o • late / ' desэlэt / adjective
(used about a place) empty in a way that seems sad a desolate border town
des • o • la • tion / ^э'leijn / noun [ noncount ]
All the factories closed, leaving the town in a state of desolation.
de • spair / di 'sper /noun [ noncount ]
a feeling of not having hope
He was in despair because he had no money and nowhere to live.
de • spair verb ( de • spairs , de • spair • ing , de • spaired )
We began to despair of ever finding somewhere to live.
des • per • ate / ' despэrэt / adjective
If you are desperate , you have no hope and you are ready to do anything to get what you want
She is so desperate for a job that she will work anywhere.
very serious
There is a desperate need for food in some parts of the world.
des • per • ate • ly / ' despэrэtli / adverb He is desperately unhappy.
des • per • a • tion / |despэ ' reijn / noun
[noncount]
the feeling of having no hope, which makes you do anything to get what you want
In desperation , she sold her ring to get money for food.
de • spise / di spaiz / verb ( de spis • es , de • spis ing , de • spised )
to hate someone or something I despise people who tell lies. Thesaurus
hate to have a strong feeling of not liking someone or something. This word is often used in informal English to talk about people or things that you really do not like: I've always hated broccoli. ♦ He hates getting up early in the morning. ♦ I hate the way she always criticizes me.
can't stand an expression used to mean that you really do not like someone or something. It is often used in informal spoken English: I can't stand this music. Can we listen to something else? ♦ He can't stand waiting in line for things. ♦ I can't stand her brother, can you?
dislike a slightly formal way of saying that you do not like someone or something, but not in a strong way. It is more usual to say "don't like": I have always disliked flying. ♦ Why do you dislike him so much?
despise to dislike someone or something very much and have no respect for them or it: She despised any kind of gossip. ♦ He despised himself for being such a coward.
loathe to hate someone or something very much: They loathe each other. ♦ He loathed hypocrisy.
de .spite Ф / dispait/ preposition
although something happened or is true; not noticing or
not caring about something
We decided to go out despite the bad weather.
—SYNONYM in spite of
des • sert / di 'zsrt /noun [ count, noncount ] Spelling
Remember! You spell dessert with SS .
something sweet that you eat at the end of a meal
a chocolate dessert
We had ice cream for dessert .
des • ti • na • tion / |dests 'neijn / noun [ count ]
the place where someone or something is going
They were very tired when they finally reached their
destination.
des • tined / destsnd / adjective
sure to be or do something in the future He was destined for success.
des • ti • ny / ' destsni / noun(plural des • ti • nies)
[ count ] the things that happen to you in your life, especially the things that you cannot control
She felt that it was her destiny to become famous.
[ noncount ] a power that some people believe controls their lives
Destiny brought them together. —SYNONYM fate
de . StrOy Ф / distroi / verb ( de • stroys , de • stroy • ing , de • stroyed )
to break something completely so that you cannot use it
again or so that it is gone
The house was destroyed by fire.
de • struc • tion / di 'strAkJn / noun [noncount]
breaking something completely so that you cannot use it
again or so that it is gone
the destruction of the city by bombs
de • struc • tive / di ' strAktiv /
causing a lot of harm or damage
earthquakes and other destructive forces of nature
de • tach / di ' t®tj /verb
( de • tach • es , de • tach • ing , de • tached )
to separate something from another thing that it is joined to
Please complete and detach the form below. —ANTONYM attach
de .tail Ф/ diteil ; di teil /noun [count, noncount]
one fact or piece of information about something
Tell me quickly what happened — I don't need to know all
the details.
For more details, please call this number. This work involves close attention to detail. in detail
with all the small parts
Tell me about your plan in detail.
de • tailed / diteild ; di teild /adjective
giving a lot of information a detailed description
de • tain / di ' tein / verb ( de tains, de • tain • ing , de • tained )
to stop someone from leaving a place
He was detained by immigration officials at the airport.
de • tect AWL / di 'tekt / verb ( de tects , de • tect • ing , de • tect • ed )
to discover or notice something that is difficult to see The tests detected a small amount of blood on his clothes.
de • tec • tive awl / di 'tektiv / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to find out who did a crime.
Detectives are usually police officers
Sherlock Holmes is a famous detective in stories.
de • tec • torAWL| / di 'tektsr /noun [ count ]
a machine that is used for finding or noticing something a metal detector a smoke detector
de • ten • tion / di tenjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the punishment of being kept at school after the other
children have gone home
They can't give me a detention for this!
de • ter / di ' tsr /verb
( de ters , de • ter • ring , de terred )
to make someone decide not to do something
Even the high prices didn't deter people from buying
tickets.
de • ter • gent / di ' tsrd₃snt / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a liquid or powder that you use for washing clothes and dishes
What brand of laundry detergent do you use?
de • te • ri • o • rate / di ' tiris^ / verb
( de • te • ri • o • rates , de • te • ri • o • rat • ing , de • te • ri • o • rat • ed )
to get worse
Her health deteriorated as she got older. ► de • te • ri • o • ra • tion / di|tiris ' reijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
de . ter . mi . na . tion Ф/ d. ьтю nam /
noun [ noncount ]
being sure that you want to do something She has shown great determination to succeed.
de • ter • mine / di ' tsrmsn / verb
( de ter mines , de • ter • min ing , de • ter • mined )
( formal ) to discover the facts about something We need to determine the cause of the accident.
to decide or have an influence on something
The results of the test will determine what treatment you need.
de .ter .mined Ф / di tsrmsnd / adjective
very sure that you want do something She is determined to win the match.
de • test / di test / verb ( de tests , de • test • ing , de test • ed )
to hate someone or something very much They have always detested each other.
det•o•nate / ' detn^eit /
( det • o • nates , det • o • nat ing , det • o • nat • ed )
to explode or to make something explode The mine detonated, killing five soldiers. Terrorists detonated a bomb in the capital.
de • tour / ditur /noun [ count ]
a longer way to a place when you cannot go by the usual way
The bridge was closed so we had to take a detour .
dev • as • tate / deva| steit / verb ( dev • as tates , dev • as • tat • ing , dev as • tat • ed )
to destroy something or damage it very badly War devastated the country.
to make someone extremely upset
This tragedy has devastated the community. ► dev • as • tat • ing / ' deva|steitig / adjective The storm had a devastating effect on the island.
dev • as • tat • ed / ' deva|steitad /
extremely upset
He was devasted when his wife left him.
de . vel .op Ф / divebp/ verb ( de • vel • ops , de vel op ing , de • vel • oped )
to grow slowly, increase, or change into something else; to make someone or something do this
Children develop into adults.
to begin to have something
She developed the disease at the age of 27.
When a photograph is developed , special chemicals are used on the film so that you can see the picture.
de • vel • op • ing / di ' velapig / adjective
(used about a poor country) that is trying to develop or improve its economy a developing country the developing nations
de • vel .op .ment Ф/ di'vrlopmont/ noun
[ noncount ] becoming bigger or more complete; growing
We studied the development of babies in their first year of life.
[ count ] something new that happens
There are new developments in science almost every day.
[ count, noncount ] a piece of land with new buildings on it; the process of building on a piece of land
a new housing development
de • vi • ate AWL / ' divieit / verb ( de • vi • ates , de vi at • ing , de vi at • ed )
to change or become different from what is normal or expected
He never deviated from his original plan.
de • vice © AWL / divais / noun
[count ]
a tool or piece of equipment that you use for doing a special job
a device for opening cans
dev • il / ' devl / noun the Devil
[ singular ]
( religion ) the most powerful evil spirit, according to some religions
de • vi • ous / divias / adjective
intelligent in a way that is not honest a devious plan
de • vote aw / divout/
( de • votes , de • vot • ing , de vot • ed )
to give a lot of time or energy to something
She devoted her life to helping the poor.
Schools should devote more time to science subjects.
de • vot • ed AWB / di 'voutad / adjective
If you are devoted to someone or something, you love them very much
John is devoted to his wife and children.
de • vo • tion AWB / di 'voujn / noun [noncount]
great love for someone or something a mother's devotion to her children
the act of giving a lot of time and energy to someone or something
devotion to duty
de • vour / di ' vauar / verb ( de vours , de • vour • ing , de voured )
to eat something quickly because you are very hungry He devoured everything on his plate and asked for more.
de • vout / di ' vaut / adjective
( religion ) very religious a devout Catholic family
dew / du /noun [ noncount ]
small drops of water that form on plants and grass in the night
In the morning, the grass was wet with dew.
di • a •be • tes / |daia'bitiz /noun [ noncount ]
( health ) a disease that makes it difficult for your body to control the level of sugar in your blood
di • a • bet • ic / |daia 'betik /noun [ count ] a person who has diabetes
di • ag • nose / |daiag' nous / verb ( di • ag • nos • es , di • ag • nos • ing , di • ag • nosed )
( health ) to find out and say what illness a person has She was diagnosed with diabetes.
di • ag • no • sis / |daiag 'nousas / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( pluraldi • ag • no • ses / |daiag' nousiz / ) ( health ) the act of finding out or saying what illness a person has to make a diagnosis
di • ag • o • nal / dai reganl / adjective
( math ) going from one corner of a square to another Draw a diagonal line.
—Look at the picture at line .
di • ag • o • nal • ly / dai reganali / adverb
Walk diagonally across the field to the far corner, and then turn left.
di • a .gram Ф / 'daisgraem/ noun [ count ]
a picture that explains something
This diagram shows all the parts of an engine.
di • al1 / ' daial /noun [ count ]
a round part of a clock or other piece of equipment with numbers or letters on it, which shows the time, speed, temperature, etc.
Check the tire pressure on the dial.
di • al 2 / daial / verb ( di • als, di al ing, di • aled )
to use a telephone by pushing buttons or turning the dial to call a number
You must have dialed the wrong number.
di•a • lect / ' daialekt /noun [ count, noncount ]
( english language arts ) the form of a language that people speak in one part of a country a local dialectdi • a • logue ( also di . a . log ) / ' daralog ; ' daralag / noun [ count, noncount ]
words that people say to each other in a book, play, or movie
di • am • e • ter / dai ' жшэгэг / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( math ) a straight line across a circle, through the center —Look at the picture atcircle .
di • a • mond / ' daImэnd /
[ count, noncount ] a hard stone that looks like clear glass and is very expensive
The ring has a large diamond in it. a diamond necklace
[ count]the shape♦
[ count ] ( sports ) a field where baseball is played
diamonds [ plural ] the group of playing cards (called a suit ) that have red ♦ shapes on them
the eight of diamonds
— Look at the picture at playing card .
di • a • per / ' daIpэr /noun [ count ]
a piece of cloth or strong paper that a baby wears around its
bottom and between its legs
It's time to change the baby's diaper .
di • ar • rhe • a / ^э ' йэ / noun [ noncount ]
( health ) an illness that makes you pass waste material from your body very often and in liquid form an attack of diarrhea
di • a • ry / ' darari /noun [ count ]
( plural di . a . ries )
Spelling
Be careful! Don't confuse diary and dairy . You spell diary with IA .
a book where you write what you have done each day Do you keep a diary (= write in a diary every day ) ?
—SYNONYM journal
dice i/ dais/
( also die / dai / )noun [ count ] ( pluraldice )
a small piece of wood or plastic with spots on the sides for playing games Throw the dice.
dice 2 / dais / verb ( dices , dic ing , diced )
to cut something into small square pieces Dice the carrots and add them to the soup.
dic • tate / ' dikteit / verb ( dic . tates , dic . tat . ing , dic tat . ed )
to say words so that another person can write them She dictated a letter to her secretary.
to tell someone what to do in a way that seems unfair Parents can't dictate to their children how they should run their lives.
dic • ta • tion / dik'teijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
words that you say or read so that another person can write them down dic • ta • tor / ' dikteitar /noun [ count ]
( politics ) a person who has complete control of a country ► dic • ta • tor • ship / dik' teitarjip /noun
[count]
a country that is ruled by a dictator a military dictatorship
dic .tion .ar .y © / dikjb ineri /
[ count ] ( plural dic . tion . ar . ies )
( english language arts ) a book that gives words from A to Z and explains what each word means Look up the words in your dictionary.
did
form of do
did • n't / ' didnt /
short for did not
die 1 ©/ dai / verb ( dies, dy ing, died, has died )
to stop living
People, animals, and plants die if they don't have water. She died of cancer. be dying for something ( informal )
to want to have something very much It's so hot! I'm dying for a drink. be dying to do something
to want to do something very much
My brother is dying to meet you.
die down to slowly become less strong
The storm died down.
die out to disappear or stop happening
This species died out in the 19th century.
die2 / dai / noun [ cou nt ] ( plural dice / dais / ) another word for dice
die • sel / ' dizi / noun
[ noncount ] a type of heavy oil that is used in some engines as fuel
a diesel engine a taxi that runs on diesel
[ count ] a vehicle that uses diesel My new car's a diesel.
di • et1 / ' darat /noun
[ count, noncount ] the food that you usually eat It is important to have a healthy diet.
[ count ] ( health ) special foods that you eat when you are sick or when you want to get thinner
You'll need to go on a diet if you want to lose some weight. No cake for me, thanks. I'm on a diet. Collocations Diet and Exercise healthy eating eat a healthy/balanced diet be on/go on a diet
avoid/cut down on alcohol/caffeine/fatty foods staying healthy
be/get/stay healthy/in shape put on/gain/lose weight/a few pounds watch/control your weight exercise
get regular/plenty of exercise do yoga/aerobics play football/hockey/tennis go cycling/jogging/swimming
di • et 2 / ' darat / verb ( di ets , di . et . ing , di . et ed )
( health ) to try to lose weight by eating less food or only eating certain kinds of food
She's always dieting but never seems to lose any weight. dif • fer / ' fr / verb ( dif fers , dif . fer . ing , dif . fered )
to be different
How does this printer differ from the more expensive one?
dif .fer .ence Ф / (i.irons/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
the way that one thing is not the same as another thing What's the difference between this computer and that cheaper one?
What's the difference in price between these two bikes? Sarah looks exactly like her sister — I can't tell the difference between them.
make a difference
to change or have an effect on someone or something
Marriage made a big difference in her life.
make no difference ; not make any difference
to not change anything; to not be important
It makes no difference to us if the baby is a girl or a boy.
dif .fer .ent Ф / 'drfrent/ adjective
not the same
These two shoes are different sizes! Football is very different from soccer.
many and not the same
They sell 30 different flavors of ice cream.
► dif • fer • ent • ly / ' difrentli / adverb
He's very quiet at home but he behaves differently at
school.
dif • fer •en • ti • ate |awl| / f renjieit /
verb ( dif fer . en . ti . ates , dif . fer . en . ti . at . ing , dif . fer . en . ti . at . ed )
to see or show how things are different
It's hard to differentiate between the male and the female
of the species.
dif .fi .CUlt Ф / difikolt/ adjective
not easy to do or understand a difficult problem
The exam was very difficult.
It's difficult to learn a new language.
—SYNONYM hard —ANTONYM easy
A person who is difficult is not easy to please or will not do what you want
She's a very difficult child.
dif .fi .CUl .ty Ф / 'difiblti/ noun ( plural dif . fi . cul ties )
1 [ count, noncount ] a problem; something that is not easy to do or understand
have difficulty understanding German. My grandfather walks with difficulty now. to get into financial difficulties
[ noncount ] how hard something is
The questions start easy and increase in difficulty.
dig Ф / dig / verb ( digs , dig . ging , dug / dAg / has dug )
to move earth and make a hole in the ground You need to dig the garden before you plant the seeds. They dug a tunnel through the mountain for the new railroad.
dig something up to take something from the ground by digging
They dug up some old coins in their field.
di • gest / di ' d₃est / verb ( di . gests, di . gest ing, di . gest ed )
( biology ) When your stomach digests food, it changes it so that your body can use it.
di • ges • tion / dai 'd3estjbn / noun [ noncount ]
Vegetables are usually cooked to help digestion.
di • ges • tive sys • tem / dai ' d₃estiv ^m /
noun [ count ]
( biology ) the many parts inside the body that digest food
dig • it / ' did^t /noun [ count ]
( math ) any of the numbers from 0 to 9 What is your ten digit telephone number?
dig • i • tal / ' d^tl / adjective
( computers ) using an electronic system that changes sounds or pictures into numbers before it stores or sends them
a digital camera
A digital clock or watch shows the time in numbers. dig • ni • fied / ' digrafaid /adjective
behaving in a calm, serious way that makes other people respect you
dig • ni • ty / ' dig^ti / noun [ noncount ]
calm and serious behavior that makes other people respect you
to behave with dignity
di • lem • ma / dэ'^э / noun [ count ]
a situation when you have to make a difficult choice between two things to be in a dilemma
dil • i • gent / ' dil^n / adjective
( formal )
showing care and effort in your work a diligent student
di • lute / dai ' lut / verb ( di . lutes , di . lut ing , di . lut ed )
to add water to another liquid
You need to dilute this paint before you use it.
dim / dim / adjective ( dim mer , dim . mest )
not bright or clear
The light was so dim that we couldn't see anything.
dim • ly / ' dimli / adverb
The room was dimly lit and full of smoke.
dime / daim /noun [ count ] a coin that is worth ten cents —Look at the picture atmoney .
di • men • sion AWL / dэ 'menjn / noun
[count]
a measurement of how long, wide, or high something is What are the dimensions of the room?
di • men • sion • alAWL| / ^э 'menjbnl /adjective (used to make adjectives) having the number of dimensions mentioned
a three-dimensional object (= one that has length, height, and width )
©
height
©
length
©
width
©
depth
di • min • ish
( di min • ish • es , di
( formal )
to become or make something smaller or less important Her determination to succeed never diminished.
—SYNONYM decrease
din / din /noun [ singular ]
a very loud, unpleasant noise
We had to shout over the din of the helicopters.
din • er / dainsr /noun [ count ]
a restaurant that serves cheap, simple food in an informal atmosphere
Let's go to the diner for breakfast.
a person who is eating in a restaurant
din • ing room / ' dainig rum /noun [ count ]
a room where people eat din .ner © / 'dinar /noun [ count, noncount ]
the largest meal of the day. You have dinner in the
evening, or sometimes in the middle of the day
What time do you usually have dinner ?
What's for dinner ?
Culture
Breakfast , lunch , and dinner are the usual meals of the day.
We do not usually use "a" with the names of meals: Let's have lunch together tomorrow.
di • no • saur / ' dainssor /noun [ count ] a big wild animal that lived a very long time ago dinosaur fossils
dip 1 / dip / verb ( dips , dip • ping , dipped )
to put something into a liquid for a short time and then take it out again
Dip your hand in the water to see how hot it is.
dip2 / dip /noun [ count, noncount ]
a thick sauce that you dip pieces of food into before eating
them
chips and dip an onion dip
di • plo • ma / ds 'ploums /noun [ count ]
a piece of paper that shows you have passed an exam or finished special studies a high school diploma
di • plo • ma • cy / ds ploumssi / noun
[noncount]
( politics ) the activity of managing relations between countries
There is a danger of war if diplomacy fails.
dimensions
AWL
/ ds ' mini/ / verb min • ish ing , di • min • ished )
being able to deal well with people in difficult situations He handled the meeting with great diplomacy.
dip • lo • mat / ' diplsm®t / noun
[count]
( politics ) a person whose job is to speak and do things for their country in another country
dip • lo • mat • ic / |dipls ' mretik / adjective
( politics ) connected with managing relations between countries
diplomatic talks
careful not to say or do things that may make people unhappy or angry
a diplomatic answer
—SYNONYM tactful
► dip • lo • mat • i • cal • ly / |dipls ' mretikli / adverb
di •rect Ф / do'rrkt / adjective, adverb
as straight as possible, without turning or stopping Which is the most direct route to the stadium from here? We got a direct flight (= a flight that does not stop ) to San Francisco.
The 6:45 train goes direct to Boston.
from one person or thing to another person or thing, with no one or nothing between them
You should keep this plant out of direct sunlight. They are in direct contact with the hijackers.
saying what you mean in a clear way
She has a very direct manner, which some people do not like.
— Look at indirect .
di . rect 2 © / do'rrkt / verb ( di • rects , di • rect • ing , di • rect ed )
to tell someone how to get to a place
Can you direct me to the train station, please?
to manage or control someone or something
A police officer was in the middle of the road, directing traffic.
to be in charge of actors in a play or a movie The movie was directed by Martin Scorsese.
di.rec .tion Ф / do'rrkjh/ noun
[ count, noncount ] where a person or thing is going or looking
They got lost because they went in the wrong direction .
directions [ plural ] words that tell you how to get to a place or how to do something
Let's stop and ask for directions .
Simple directions for building the model are printed on the box.
di . reCt . ly © / ds'rektli /adverb in a direct line or way
He refused to answer my question directly. The supermarket is directly opposite the bank. Lung cancer is directly related to smoking.
di • rect ob • ject / ds|rekt ' abd₃ekt / noun
[ count ]
( english language arts ) the person or thing that is
directly affected by the action of a verb
In "I met him in town," the word "him" is the direct object.
di • rec • tor / ds ' rektsr /noun [ count ]
( business ) a person who controls a business or a group of people
a person in charge of a movie or play who tells the actors what to dodi • rec • to • ry / 1э 'referi /noun [ count ] ( pluraldi . rec . to . ries )
a book or list of people's addresses and telephone numbers
a telephone directory
( computers ) a file containing a group of other files or programs in a computer
dirt Ф / 1эп: /noun [ noncount ]
a substance that is not clean, for example mud or dust The children came in from the yard covered in dirt.
dirt .уф / 'dorti / adjective ( dirt . i . er , dirt . i . est )
not clean
Your hands are dirty — go and wash them!
—ANTONYM clean
Prefix
dis-
( in nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs ) not; the opposite of a dis ability a dis agreement to dis appear to dis like to be dis honest to be dis loyal
dis • a • bil • i • ty / ^ ' bibti / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural dis .a . bil . i . ties )
( health ) a physical or mental condition that means you cannot use a part of your body completely or easily, or that you cannot learn easily people with severe learning disabilities
dis • a • bled / dis ' e^ld / adjective
( health ) not able to use a part of your body well
Peter is disabled — he lost a leg in an accident.
The hotel has improved facilities for the disabled (= people
who are disabled ) .
dis .ad .van .tage Ф/ (i.sw\R-nt.w/ noun
[ count ]
a problem that makes something difficult or less good One disadvantage of living in the country is the lack of
public transportation. —ANTONYM advantage
dis .a .gree Ф/ .«wgii/ verb
( dis . a grees , dis a gree . ing , dis . a . greed )
to have a different opinion from someone else I said it was a good movie, but Jason disagreed with me. My sister and I disagree about everything!
—ANTONYM agree
dis .a .gree .ment Ф / |dres ' grimэnt /
[ count, noncount ]
a situation where people have different opinions about something and often argue
We sometimes have disagreements about money. There was some disagreement about what to do next.
dis .ap . pear Ф/ ,<w_Pir/ verb
( dis . ap . pears, dis ap . pear . ing , dis . ap peared )
If a person or thing disappears , they go away so people cannot see them
The sun disappeared behind the clouds.
The police are looking for a woman who disappeared on
Sunday.
—ANTONYM appear
dis • ap • pear • ance / ^юэ ' pirens / noun
[ count, noncount ]
Everyone was worried about the child's disappearance.
dis • ap • point / ^э ' point / verb
(dis . ap . points, dis ap point . ing, dis. ap . point. ed)
to make you sad because what you wanted did not happen I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I can't come to your party.
dis • ap • point • ing / ^юэ ' pointig / adjective
Peter received some disappointing news.
dis • ap • point • ed / ^юэ 'pon^d / adjective Spelling
Remember! You spell disappointed with one S and PP .
If you are disappointed , you feel sad because what you wanted did not happen
Sue was disappointed when she didn't win the prize.
dis • ap • point • ment / ^юэ 'poIntmэnt /
noun
[ noncount ] a feeling of sadness because what you wanted did not happen
She couldn't hide her disappointment when she lost the match.
[ count ] something that makes you sad because it is not what you had hoped
Sarah's party was a disappointment — only four people came.
dis • ap • prov • al / ^кэ ' pruvl /
[noncount]
a feeling that something is bad or that someone is behaving badly
She shook her head in disapproval . —ANTONYM approval
dis • ap • prove / ^э ' pruv / verb
(dis . ap . proves, dis . ap . prov . ing, dis . ap . proved )
to think that someone or something is bad Joe's parents disapproved of his new girlfriend.
—ANTONYM approve
dis .as .ter Ф /di'ztestar/ noun
[ count ] something very bad that happens and that may hurt a lot of people
Floods and earthquakes are natural disasters.
[ count, noncount ] a very bad situation or event Our vacation was a disaster! It rained all week!
dis • as • trous / di ' zrestres / adjective
very bad; that causes great trouble
The heavy rain brought disastrous floods.
dis • be • lief / idisbi ' if / noun
[noncount]
the feeling of not believing someone or something "It can't be true!" he shouted in disbelief.
disc / disk /noun [ count ] = disk
dis • ci • ple / disaipl /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a person who follows a teacher, especially a religious one
dis • ci • pline / ' d^pim / noun [ noncount ]
teaching you to control yourself and follow rules Children learn discipline at school.
dis • ci • pline verb
( dis ci . plines, dis . ci plin . ing , dis . ci . plined )
You must discipline yourself to work harder.
disc jock • ey / ' disk |d₃aki /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationDJ )
( music ) a person whose job is to play records and talk about music on the radio or in a club
dis • co / ' diskou /noun [ count ] ( pluraldis . cos )
( music ) a place where people dance and listen to popular music
dis • com • fort / dis'kAmfart /noun noncount] a slight feeling of pain
You may feel some discomfort after the surgery. —ANTONYM comfort
dis • con • nect / |diska ' nekt / verb
(dis con • nects, dis-con • nect • ing, dis- con nect • ed)
to stop a supply of water, gas, or electricity from going to a piece of equipment or a building
Your phone will be disconnected if you don't pay the bill. —ANTONYM connect
dis • count / ' diskaunt /noun [count, noncount]
money that someone takes away from the price of
something to make it cheaper
Seniors often get a discount on rail travel.
dis • cour • age / dis ' kand₃ / verb
( dis•cour•ag • es , dis • cour•ag • ing , dis•cour•aged )
to make someone not want to do something
Kate's parents tried to discourage her from leaving school.
—ANTONYM encourage
►dis • cour • ag • ing / dis ' karid₃ig / adjective
making you feel less confident about something The results were discouraging.
—ANTONYM encouraging
dis .COV .er O/dis'Lvvsr/ verb ( dis • cov ers , dis • cov er • ing , dis • cov ered )
to find or learn something for the first time Who discovered Australia?
I was in the store when I discovered that I didn't have any money.
dis • cov • er • y / di ' sLwari / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural dis • cov • er • ies )
finding or learning something for the first time Scientists have made an important new discovery .
dis•creet / di skrit /adjective
careful in what you say, so that you do not cause problems for someone
When you work in counseling, you have to be discreet. ► dis • creet • ly / di ' skritli / adverb She handled the matter discreetly.
dis • cre • tion / di 'skrejn / noun [ noncount ]
the freedom and power to make decisions by yourself You decide what is best. Use your discretion.
care in what you say, so that you do not cause problems for someone
You can rely on my discretion.
dis • crim • i • nate aw / di ' skrimaneit /
verb ( dis • crim • i - nates , dis • crim • i - nat • ing , dis • crim • i - nat • ed )
to treat one person or group in a worse way than others This company discriminates against women — it pays them less than men for doing the same work.
► dis • crim • i • na • tion AWL| / d^skrima 'neijn / noun
[noncount]
religious discrimination (= treating someone in an unfair way because their religion is not the same as yours )
dis .CUSS Ф /diskAs/ verb ( dis cuss - es , dis - cuss - ing , dis - cussed )
to talk or write about something in a serious way I discussed the problem with my parents. Thesaurus
talk to say words to another person or other people. You talk to someone in order to give information, show feelings, or share ideas: They talked on the phone for over an hour. ♦ Can I talk to you for a minute? ♦ When they get together, all they talk about is basketball. ♦ We need to talk (= about something serious or important ) .
speak to talk to someone about something; to have a conversation with someone. You speak to someone in order to try to achieve something or to tell them to do something. Speak is a little more formal than talk : Can I speak with you for a minute? ♦ I've spoken to his parents about his behavior. ♦ The boss would like to speak to you.
discuss to talk and share ideas with other people about a subject or problem, especially in order to decide something. The word discuss is more formal than speak : I need to discuss the matter with my manager before I make a decision. ♦ I am not prepared to discuss this on the phone.
communicate to share and exchange information or ideas with someone. Communicate is a little formal, and is often used when the method of communication is important: She's very good at communicating her ideas to the team. ♦ We only communicate by e-mail these days.
dis .cus .sion О /diskAjn/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
talking about something in a serious way
We had an interesting discussion about politics.
Thesaurus
discussion [ count, noncount ] talking in detail about something important: a discussion with your classmates about the test ♦ We had a long discussion about what we should do. ♦ The plans are still under discussion (= being talked about ) . conversation [ count, noncount ] an informal talk between two people or a small group: a phone conversation ♦ I had a long conversation with her yesterday. ♦ The main topic of conversation was the recent election.
talk [ count ] a conversation between two or more people, often about a problem or something that is important to you: My parents want to have a talk with me about going to college. ♦ The two countries are holding talks to try to end the violence. debate [ count ] a formal discussion at a public meeting about something important, where people give their different opinions. At the end of the discussion there may be a vote: a debate on health care reform ♦ After a long debate, Congress approved the plan.
chat [ count ] a friendly, informal conversation with someone, especially about personal things: I had a nice chat with Sandy this afternoon. ♦ I just dropped by for a chat - are you free?
dis .ease © /diziz/noun[ count, noncount]
( health ) an illness, especially one that you can catch from another person
Malaria and measles are diseases.
dis • grace / dis greis / noun
[ noncount ] when other people stop thinking well of you, because you have done something bad
He's in disgrace because he stole money from his brother.
[ singular ] a person or thing that gives a very bad impression, making people feel ashamed
The sidewalks are covered with trash. It's a disgrace !
dis • grace • ful / dis ' greisfl / adjective
very bad, making other people feel sorry and embarrassed The way the hockey players behaved was disgraceful.
dis • guise 1 / dis ' gaiz / verb ( dis . guis . es , dis guis ing , dis guised )
to change the appearance of someone or something, so that
people will not know who or what they are
They disguised themselves as guards and escaped from the
prison.
dis • guise2 / dis 'gaiz /noun [count, noncount]
things that you wear so that people do not know who you are
She is so famous that she has to go shopping in disguise .
dis • gust1 / dis 'gAst /noun [ noncount ]
a strong feeling of not liking something
They left the restaurant in disgust because the food was so
bad.
dis • gust 2 / dis ' gAst / verb ( dis . gusts , dis gust . ing , dis . gust . ed )
to make someone have a strong feeling of not liking something
The violence in the movie really disgusted me. ►dis • gust • ed / dis ' gAstэd / adjective
I was disgusted to find a fly in my soup.
dis .gust .ing © / dis'gAstig /adjective
very unpleasant or bad What a disgusting smell!
dish © / dijvnoun ( pluraldish es )
[ count ] a container for food. You can use a dish to cook food in an oven, or to put food on the table.
[ count ] a type of food prepared in a particular way We had a fish dish and a vegetarian dish.
the dishes [ plural ] all the plates, cups, etc. that you use during a meal
I'll wash the dishes.
dish • cloth / ' dijLlo9 /noun [ count ]
a cloth used for washing dirty dishes
dis . hon .est © / dis'unost/ adjective
A person who is dishonest says things that are not true, or steals or cheats.
—ANTONYM honest
►dis • hon • es • ty / dis 'a^sti /noun [ noncount ] dish tow • el / ' dif ^l /noun [ count ]
a small towel that is used for drying plates, cups, etc.
dish • wash • er / ' dijwajbr / noun
[ count ]
a machine that washes things like plates, glasses, knives, and forks
dis • il • lu • sioned / ^кэ ' l^nd /
disappointed because someone or something is not as good as you first thought
I soon became disillusioned with the job.
dis • in • fect / ^кэп ' fekt / verb
( dis in . fects , dis . in . fect . ing , dis . in . fect . ed )
( health ) to clean something with a liquid that kills bacteria (= the small living things that sometimes carry disease )
to disinfect a wound
dis • in • fec • tant / ^кэп ' fe^nt /
[ count, noncount ]
a substance that you use for cleaning something very well
dis • in • te • grate / dis ' IntэgreIt / verb
( dis in . te . grates , dis . in . te . grat . ing , dis . in te.grat.ed )
to break into many small pieces
The spacecraft exploded and disintegrated.
disk © / disk /noun[ count]
( computers ) a flat piece of plastic that stores information for use by a computer
Please insert a disk into Drive D.
—Look at floppy disk , hard disk .
a round flat object
He wears a plastic disk around his neck.
= CD Put the disk in the CD player.
disk drive / ' disk draiv /noun [ count ]
( computers ) a piece of electrical equipment that passes information to or from a computer disk
dis • like / dis ' laik / verb ( dis likes, dis . lik . ing, dis liked )
to not like someone or something I dislike getting up early. Thesaurus
hate to have a strong feeling of not liking someone or something. This word is often used in informal English to talk about people or things that you really do not like: I've always hated broccoli. ♦ He hates getting up early in the morning. ♦ I hate the way she always criticizes me.
can't stand an expression used to mean that you really do not like someone or something. It is often used in informal spoken English: I can't stand this music. Can we listen to something else? ♦ He can't stand waiting in line for things. ♦ I can't stand her brother, can you?
dislike a slightly formal way of saying that you do not like someone or something, but not in a strong way. It is more usual to say "don't like": I have always disliked flying. ♦ Why do you dislike him so much? despise to dislike someone or something very much and have no respect for them or it: She despised any kind of gossip. ♦ He despised himself for being such a coward.
loathe to hate someone or something very much: They loathe each other. ♦ He loathed hypocrisy. ► dis • likenoun [ count, noncount ]
I have a strong dislike of hospitals.
dis • lo • cate / dis ' loukeit ; ' disloukeit / verb ( dis lo . cates , dis . lo . cat ing , dis . lo cat . ed )
( health ) to put a bone out of its correct position He dislocated his shoulder.
dis • loy • al / dis ' loisl / adjective
not supporting your friends, family, country, etc. He was accused of being disloyal to the government.
—ANTONYM loyal
dis • mal / dizmsl / adjective
very bad and making you feel sad It was a wet, dismal day.
dis • may / dis ' mei /noun [ noncount ]
a strong feeling of being surprised and worried
John looked at me in dismay when I told him about the
accident.
dis • mayed / dis ' meid / adjective
I was dismayed to find that someone had stolen my bike.
dis • miss / dis mis / verb ( dis • miss es , dis • miss • ing , dis • missed )
( formal ) to make someone leave their job
He was dismissed for stealing money from the company.
—SYNONYM fire
to decide not to think about something or someone She dismissed the idea as ridiculous.
to allow someone to leave a place
The lesson finished and the teacher dismissed the class.
dis • miss • al / dis misl / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the act of making someone leave their job a case of unfair dismissal
dis • o • be • di • ent / |diss ' bidisnt / adjective
not doing what someone tells you to do a disobedient child
—ANTONYM obedient
dis • o • be • di • ence / |diss bidisns / noun [noncount]
—ANTONYM obedience
dis • o • bey / |diss ' bei / verb ( dis • o • beys , dis • o bey ing , dis • o • beyed )
to not do what someone tells you to do
She disobeyed her parents and went to the party.
—ANTONYM obey
dis • or • der / dis ' ordsr / noun
[ noncount ] a messy or confused state His finances are in complete disorder .
—ANTONYM order
[ count, noncount ] ( health ) an illness eating disorders such as anorexia
dis • or • gan • ized / dis ' orgsnaizd /
badly planned; not able to plan well The meeting was very disorganized. He's a very disorganized person.
—ANTONYM organized
dis • o • ri • ent • ed / dis ' orisntsd / adjective
confused about where you are
When I came out of the subway I felt disoriented.
dis • patch / di spretj /verb
( dis • patch • es , dis patch • ing , dis • patched )
( formal )
to send something somewhere Troops have been dispatched to the area.
dis • pen • ser / di 'spenssr /noun [ count ]
a machine or container that you can get things like money, drinks, etc. from a soap dispenser
dis • place AWL / dis ' pleis / verb (dis • plac • es , dis plac ing , dis placed )
to remove and take the place of someone or something Federer was finally displaced as the world's top tennis player.
dis • place • ment AWL / dis ' pleismsnt / noun [noncount]
the displacement of civilians during the war
dis • play 1 AWL / di 'splei / verb ( dis plays , dis • play • ing , dis • played )
to show something so that people can see it
All kinds of toys were displayed in the store window.
dis • play2AWL / di 'splei /noun [ count ] ( pluraldis . plays ) something that people look at a fireworks display
on display
in a place where people can see it and where it will attract attention
The paintings are on display in the museum.
dis • pos • a • ble Iaw / di'spouzsbl /
adjective
intended to be thrown away after being used once or for a short time
a disposable camera disposable razor blades
dis • pose AWL / di 'spouz / verb ( dis pos • es , dis pos • ing , dis • posed )
dispose of something to throw or give something away because you do not want it Where can I dispose of this garbage?
dis • pos • alAWL| / dispouzl / noun [ noncount ] the disposal of nuclear waste
dis • prove / |dis ' pruv / verb ( dis proves, dis•prov• ing , dis•proved )
to show that something is not true
We're trying to disprove the theory that chocolate is bad for you.
dis • pute / di ' spyut /noun [ count, noncount ]
an argument or disagreement between people with different ideas
There was a dispute about which driver caused the accident.
dis • qual • i • fy / dis ' kwalsfai / verb ( dis qual • i • fies , dis qual • i • fy • ing , dis • qual • i fied )
to officially stop someone from doing something or taking part in something
He was found cheating, and was disqualified from the competition.
dis • qual • i • fi • ca • tion / dis|kwalsfs ' keijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
dis • re • spect • ful / |disri ' spektfl / adjective
showing a lack of respect Stop being so disrespectful!
dis • re • spect • ful • ly / |disri spektfli / adverb
dis • rupt / dis ' r\pt / verb ( dis . rupts , dis . rupt . ing , dis . rupt ed )
to stop something from happening as or when it should The storm disrupted all flights from Chicago.
dis • rup • tion / dis ' rApjn / noun [count, noncount] disruptions to the bus service
►dis • rup • tive / dis ' mptiv / adjective disruptive behavior
dis • sat • is • fied / di 'satas|faid / adjective
not pleased with something I am very dissatisfied with your work.
—ANTONYM satisfied
dis • solve / di ' zalv /
( dis . solves , dis . solv . ing , dis . solved )
If a solid dissolves , it becomes part of a liquid Sugar dissolves in water.
dis .tance Ф / ' dretans /
[ count, noncount ] how far it is from one place to another place
It's a short distance from my house to the station. In America we usually measure distance in miles.
[ singular ] a place that is far from someone or something
From a distance , he looks pretty young. I could see a light in the distance .
dis .tant © / ' detent / adjective
far away in space or time distant countries
not very friendly
He can sometimes seem cold and distant. dis • till / di ' stil / verb ( dis . tills , dis . till . ing , dis . tilled )
( chemistry ) to make a liquid pure by heating it until it becomes a gas and then collecting the liquid that forms when the gas is cool distilled water
►dis • til • la • tion / ^^э ' leijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
dis • tinctAW Ц / di ' stigkt /adjective
easy to hear, see, or smell; clear
There is a distinct smell of burning in this room.
clearly different
Spanish and Portuguese are two distinct languages.
dis • tinct • ly AWL / di 'stigktli / adverb
very clearly
I distinctly heard him say his name was Robert.
dis • tinc • tion AWL| / distigkfn / noun [ count, noncount ]
a clear or important difference between things or people We need to make a distinction between legal and illegal drugs.
the quality of being excellent or famous for what you have achieved
a pianist of distinction
dis • tinc • tive AWL / di 'stigktiv / adjective
clearly different and therefore easy to recognize a distinctive flavor
dis • tin • guish / di stiggwif / verb ( dis . tin . guish es , dis . tin . guish . ing , dis . tin . guished )
to see, hear, etc. the difference between two things or people
Some people can't distinguish between me and my twin sister.
dis • tin • guished / di stiggwift / adjective
famous or important a distinguished actor
dis • tort AWL / di 'stort / verb ( dis torts , dis . tort . ing , dis . tort . ed )
to change the shape or sound of something so that it seems strange
Her face was distorted with grief.
dis • tor • tion AWL / distorfn / noun [ count, noncount ]
sound distortion
dis • tract / di ' strakt / verb ( dis tracts , dis . tract . ing , dis . tract ed )
If a person or thing distracts you, they stop you from
thinking about what you are doing
The noise distracted me from my homework.
dis • trac • tion / di strakfn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that takes your attention away from what you were doing or thinking about
It's hard to work at home because there are so many distractions.
dis • tress / di stres /noun [ noncount ]
a strong feeling of pain or sadness
being in danger and needing help a ship in distress
dis • tress verb
( dis tress . es , dis . tress . ing , dis . tressed )
It distressed her to see her mother crying.
dis • tress • ing / di ' stresig / adjective
making you feel sad or upset
The news of her death was extremely distressing.
dis • trib • ute AWL / di 'stribyut / verb ( dis trib utes , dis trib ut . ing , dis . trib . ut . ed )
to give or send things to a number of people New books are distributed on the first day of school.
dis • tri • bu • tion AWL / |distre 'byufn / noun [ noncount ]
the distribution of newspapers
dis • trict / distrikt /noun [ count ] a part of a country or city the city's financial district
dis • trict at • tor • ney / distrikt э' :эгш /
( abbreviation D.A. ) noun [ count ] ( plural dis trict at . tor . neys )
( politics ) a lawyer working for the government, whose job is to prove in a court of law that someone is guilty of a crime
diS .tUrb Ф /distarb/ verb ( dis turbs , dis . turb . ing , dis . turbed )
to stop someone from doing something, for example thinking, working, or sleeping
I'm sorry to disturb you, but there's a phone call for you. Do not disturb (= a sign that you put on a door to tell people not to come in ) .
to worry someone
We were disturbed by the news that John was in the hospital.
►dis • turb • ing / di ' starbig / adjective
making you worried or upset
The new crime statistics are very disturbing.
dis • tur • bance / di starbans / noun
[ count, noncount ] a thing that stops you from doing something, for example thinking, working, or sleeping
[ count ] when a group of people fight or make a lot of noise and trouble
The police threatened to arrest anyone who caused a disturbance .
ditch / ditj /noun [ count ] ( pluralditch - es )
a long narrow hole at the side of a road or field, which holds or carries away water
dit • to / ' ditou / adverb
( informal )
swim wearing
/
a word that you use to mean "me too" "I'm starving." "Ditto (= I'm starving too ) !"
dive / daiv verb ( dives , div - ing , dived or dove / douv / has dived )
to jump into water with your arms and head first
Sam dived into the pool.
to underwater breathing equipment collecting or looking at things
The main purpose of his vacation to Bermuda was to go diving .
The birds were diving for fish.
to move down quickly and suddenly She had to dive to catch the ball. ►div • ingnoun [ noncount ]
The resort has facilities for sailing, waterskiing, and diving.
div • er / ' daivar /noun [ count ]
a person who goes underwater using special equipment Police divers found a body in the lake.
di • verse AWL / da 'vars / adjective
very different from each other people with diverse backgrounds
di • ver • sion / da 'var3n / noun [ count ]
a way that you must go when the usual way is closed
There was a diversion around the town because of a car
accident.
di • ver • si • ty AWL / da 'varsati / noun [noncount]
a range of many people or things that are different from each other
the cultural diversity of a big city —SYNONYM variety
di • vert / da vart / verb ( di verts , di - vert - ing , di - vert - ed )
to make something go a different way
Our flight was diverted to another airport because of the bad weather.
di .vide Ф / do'vaid / verb ( di - vides , di - vid - ing , di - vid - ed )
to share or cut something into smaller parts The teacher divided the class into groups of three. The book is divided into ten chapters.
to separate into parts When the road divides, go left.
( math ) to find out how many times one number goes into a bigger number
36 divided by 4 is 9 (= 36 ^ 4 = 9 ) .
di • vine / da vain / adjective
( religion ) of, like, or from God or a god a divine message
div • ing board / ' daivig bord /noun [ count ]
a board at the side of a swimming pool that you use to jump into the water
— Look at the picture at dive .
di .vi .sion Ф /do'v^n/ noun
[ noncount ] sharing or cutting something into parts the division of the class into two teams
[ noncount ] ( math ) finding out how many times one number goes into a bigger number
—Look at multiplication .
[ count ] ( business ) one of the parts of a big company He works in the sales division.
di . vorce Ф / do'vors/ noun
[ count, noncount ] the end of a marriage by law They are getting a divorce . ► di • vorceverb
( di -vorc es , di vorc- ing , di -vorced )
He divorced his wife.
di •vorced / da vorst /adjective
no longer married
I'm not married — I'm divorced.
They got divorced last year.
diz • Zy / ' dizi / adjective ( diz - zi - er, diz - zi est )
If you feel dizzy , you feel that everything is turning around
and around and that you are going to fall
The room was very hot and I started to feel dizzy.
DJ / ' di d3ei /
short for disc jockey
DNA / |di en ' ei /noun [ noncount ]
( biology ) the chemical in cells that controls what characteristics animals and plants will have a DNA test
dO 1 © / du/ verb ( does / dsz; cL\z / do ing ,
did / did / has done / dAn / )
a word that you use with another verb to make a question Do you want an apple?
a word that you use with another verb when you are saying "not"
I like baseball but I don't (= do not ) like tennis.
a word that you use in place of saying something again She doesn't speak English, but I do (= I speak English ) . "I like football." " So do I."
"I don't speak Chinese." "Neither do I."
a word that you use before another verb to make it stronger
"Why didn't you buy any milk?" "I did buy some — it's in the fridge."do 2 Ф / du / verb( does / ckz / do ing , did
/ did / has done / dAn / )
to carry out an action What are you doing? He did the cooking.
What did you do with my key? (= where did you put it? )
to make progress or develop
"How's your son doing at school?" "He's doing well." How are you doing (= how are you ) ?
to have a job
"What do you do?" "I'm a doctor."
to finish something; to find the answer I did my homework.
I can't do this math problem — it's too difficult.
to be good enough; to be enough Will this soup do for dinner? Which word?
Do or make? We use the verb do for many of the jobs we do at home. We do the dishes, the laundry and the ironing.
We always use make for beds: Make your bed after breakfast.
could do with something
to want or need something I could do with a cup of coffee.
do something over to do something again, usually because you did not do it well enough the first time If you don't do a good job on your homework, you'll have to do it over.
do without ; do without something to manage without having something
If the store is closed, we'll just have to do without coffee. have to do with someone or something
to be connected with someone or something
I'm not sure what his job is — I think it has something to do
with computers.
Don't read that letter. It has nothing to do with you!
dock / dak / noun
[count ]
a place by an ocean, lake, or river where ships go, so that people can move things on and off them or repair them dockverb ( docks , dock . ing , docked )
(used about a ship) to sail into a port and stop at the dock The ship had docked at Long Beach.
dOC .tOr Ф / 'daktor /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationDr. )
( health ) a person whose job is to make sick people well again
Doctor Toby sees patients every morning. If you're feeling sick you should go to the doctor .
a person who has the highest degree from a university
doc • tor • ate / ' date^t / noun
[count ]
the highest university degree
doc . U • m6nt Ф / 'dakyomont / noun
[count ]
an official paper with important information on it a legal document
( computers ) a computer file that contains writing
doc • u • men • ta • ry / ^акуэ ' mentri / noun
[ count ] ( plural doc . u . men . ta . ries )
a movie, or a television or radio program about true things I watched an interesting documentary about Japan on TV last night.
doc • u • men • ta • tion awl
/ dаkyэmэn ' teifn /noun [ noncount ]
the documents that are needed for something, or that show
something is true
What documentation do I need to get a new passport?
dodge / dad₃ / verb
( dodg . es , dodg . ing , dodged )
to move quickly to avoid something or someone He ran across the busy road, dodging the cars.
to avoid doing something that you should do
He was accused of dodging (= not paying ) his taxes.
does
form of do
does • n't / ' dAznt /
short for does not
dog Ф / dog /noun [ count ]
an animal that many people keep as a pet or to guard buildings
dogs
dog Р^иРРУ
doll / dal / noun [ count ]
a toy like a very small person —Look at the picture attoy .
dol . lar Ф / 'dabr /noun [ count ] ( symbol $ )
a unit of money that people use in the U.S., Canada, and some other countries. There are 100 cents in a dollar This table cost four hundred dollars. a five-dollar bill
dol • phin / ' dafbn /noun [ count ]
an intelligent animal that lives in the ocean
dolphin
area of knowledge or activity
The information is now in the public domain (= the public knows about it ) .
( computers ) a set of Internet addresses that end with the same group of letters, for example ".com" or ".org"
dome / doum /noun [ count ]
the round roof of a building the dome of the cathedral
do • mes • tic aw / ds ' mestik / e
connected with the home or family Cooking and cleaning are domestic jobs.
Many cats and dogs are domestic animals (= animals that live in your home with you ) .
not international; only inside one country
a domestic flight (= to a place in the same country )
dom • i • nant aw / ' damsnsnt / e
more powerful or important than others
His mother was the dominant influence in his life.
( biology ) A dominant physical characteristic, for example brown eyes, appears in a child even if he or she has only one gene (= a thing that controls what a living thing will be like ) for this characteristic.
dom • i • nate aw / ' damsneit /
( dom • i • nates , dom • i • nat • ing , dom • i • nat ed )
to control someone or something because you are stronger or more important
She always dominates the conversation at dinner parties. ►dom • i • na • tionQWL / |dams 'neijn / noun [noncount]
dom • i • no
/ damsnou /noun [count ]
( plural dom • i • noes or dom • i • nos )
one of a set of small flat pieces of wood or plastic, used to play a game (called
dominoes )
do • nate / douneit / verb ( do • nates , do • nat • ing , do • nat ed )
to give something, especially money, to people who need it They donated $10,000 to the hospital. ► do • na • tion / dou 'neijn /noun [ count ] He made a donation to the charity.
done 1
form of do
done 2 / dAn / adjective
finished
Are you almost done? We need to leave soon.
cooked enough
The meat is ready, but the vegetables are still not done.
don . key
/ ' dagki ; 'dogki / noun [ count ]
do • nor / ' dounsr /noun [ count ]
1 ( health ) someone who gives blood or a part of his or her body to help a sick person a blood donor
an animal like a small horse with long ears
2 someone who gives something, for example money, to help an organization
don't / dount / short for do not
donut / ' dounAt /noun [ count ] = doughnut
doo • dle / ' dudl / verb ( doo • dles , doo dling , doo • dled )
to make small drawings, especially when you are bored or thinking about something else I often doodle when I'm on the phone.
doom / dum /noun [ noncount ]
death or a terrible event in the future that you cannot avoid a terrible sense of doom (= a feeling that something bad is going to happen )
door Ф / dor /noun [ count ]
the way into a building or room; a piece of wood, glass, or
metal that you use to open and close the way into a
building, room, car, etc.
Can you close the door, please?
I knocked on the door.
There is someone at the door .
Will you answer the door (= go to open the door when someone knocks or rings the bell ) ? next door
in the next house, room, or building Mary lives next door to us.
door • bell / ' dorbel /noun [ count ]
a bell outside a house, which you ring to tell people inside that you want to go in
door•knob / dornab /noun [ count ]
a round object on a door, which you use to open and close it
door • mat / ' dormret /noun [ count ]
a piece of material on the floor in front of a door for cleaning your shoes on
door • step / ' dorstep /noun [ count ]
a step in front of a door outside a building
door • Way / ' dorwei /noun [ count ]
an opening for going into a building or room Mike was waiting in the doorway when they arrived.
dor • mi • to • ry / ' dorms|tori / noun [ count ] ( plural dor • mi • to • ries )
( also informaldorm / dorm / ) a building at a college or university where students live
dos • age / ' dousid₃ /noun
[ count , usually singular ]
( health ) the amount of medicine you should take and how often you should take it the recommended daily dosage
dose / dous /noun [ count , usually singular ]
( health ) an amount of medicine that you take at one time Take a dose of cough medicine before you go to bed.
dOt Ф / dat / noun [ count ] a small round mark A lowercase letter "i" has a dot over it. Style
We use dot when we say a person's e-mail address. For the address ann@smith.com we say "Ann at smith dot com." on the dot
( informal )
at exactly the right time
Please be here at nine o'clock on the dot.
dot • ted line / ^э! ' lain / noun [ count ]
a line of dots that sometimes shows where you have to write something
Please sign (= write your name ) on the dotted line.
Look at the picture at line .
dOU . Ые 1 Ф / 'сЫЫ / adjective
Pronunciation
The word double sounds like bubble .
two times as much or as many a double portion of fries
with two parts that are the same double doors
You spell "necessary" with a double "s."
made for two people or things a double bed
a double room
—Look atsingle 1 ( 4 ).
dou • ble 2 / ' dAbl / verb
( dou . bles, dou . bling , dou . bled )
to become, or make something become, twice as much or as many
The price of gas has almost doubled in two years.
dou • ble bass / |dAbl ' beis /noun [ count ]
( music ) the largest musical instrument with strings, which you usually play standing up
Look at the picture at instrument .
dou • ble-check / |dAbi ' tfek / verb
( dou . ble-checks , dou . ble-check . ing , dou ble-checked )
to check something again, or very carefully
Have you double-checked to make sure you have your
passport?
dou • ble-click / |dAbi ' kiik / verb
( dou . ble-clicks , dou . ble-click . ing , dou . ble-clicked )
( computers ) to quickly press a button twice on a
computer control (called a mouse )
To start the program, just double-click on the icon.
dOLlbt 1 Ф / daut/noun [ count, noncount ]
Pronunciation
The word doubt sounds like out , because we do not say the letter b in this word. a feeling that you are not sure about something She says the story is true but I have my doubts about it.
in doubt
not sure
If you are in doubt, ask your teacher.
no doubt
I am sure
Paul isn't here yet, but no doubt he will come later. without a doubt ; without doubt
definitely
It was without doubt the coldest winter for many years.
dou bt 2 Ф / daut / verb ( doubts , doubt . ing , doubt ed )
to not feel sure about something; to think that something is probably not true or probably will not happen I doubt if he will come. It might rain tomorrow, but I doubt it.
doubt • ful / ' dautfl / adjective
not certain or not likely
It is doubtful whether he will walk again.
doubt • less / ' dautbs /
( formal )
almost certainly Doubtless she'll be late!
dough / dou /noun [ noncount ]
flour, water, and other things mixed together. It is used to make bread, cookies, etc.
dough • nut ( also do . nut ) / ' dounAt /noun
[count]
a small round cake, often in the shape of a ring, which is cooked in oil
dove1 / dAv /noun [ count ] a bird that is often used as a sign of peace
dove2 / douv / form ofdive
down 1 © / daun / adverb, preposition
in or to a lower place; not up The sun goes down in the evening. We ran down the hill.
Put that box down on the floor.
from standing to sitting or lying Sit down.
Lie down on the bed.
at or to a lower level Prices are going down.
Turn that music down! (= so that it is not so loud )
along
He lives just down the street.
Go down the road until you reach the traffic lights.
on paper; on a list Write these words down.
Have you got me down for the trip?
down 2 / daun / adjective
sad
You seem a little down today.
lower than before
Unemployment is down again this month.
( computers ) (used about computers) not working
I can't get that information right now because the system is down.
down • fall / ' daunfol/noun [ singular ]
when someone loses their power or stops being successful The scandal led to the senator's downfall.
down • hill / |daun hil /adverb
down, toward the bottom of a hill My bicycle can go fast downhill.
down • load / daunloud / verb ( down loads , down . load . ing , down . load . ed )
( computers ) If you download a computer program or information from the Internet, you make a copy of it on your own computer
I downloaded some music files from their website. Look at upload .
down • size / ' daunsaiz / verb ( down siz . es , down siz . ing , down . sized )
( business ) to reduce the number of people who work at a company in order to save money
down . Sta i TS Ф / ^aun'sterz / adverb
to or on a lower floor of a building I went downstairs to make breakfast.
—ANTONYM upstairs
►down • stairs / ' daunsterz / adjective
She lives in the downstairs apartment.
down • town / |daun ' taun / adverb, adjective
in or toward the center of a city, especially its main
business area
She works downtown.
downtown Denver
— Look at uptown .
down .ward Ф / ' daunward / ( also down - wards / ' daunwardz / )adverb toward the ground or toward a lower level She was lying face downward on the grass.
—ANTONYM upward
doze / douz / verb ( doz - es , doz - ing , dozed )
to sleep lightly for a short time My grandfather was dozing in his armchair. doze off to go to sleep, especially during the day I dozed off in front of the television.
doz • en / ' dAzn /noun [ count ] ( pluraldoz - en )
twelve
a dozen red roses two dozen boxes half a dozen eggs
dozens of
( informal )
a lot of
They invited dozens of people to the party.
Dr.
abbreviation of Doctor
draft1aw / draft / n
[ count ] ( english language arts ) a piece of writing or a drawing that you will probably change and improve; not the final copy
the first draft of an essay
[ count ] cold air that comes into a room Can you shut the window? I can feel a draft.
the draft [ singular ] the system of making someone join the armed forces
He moved to Canada to avoid the draft during the Vietnam War.
draft2aw / draft / 5
( drafts , draft - ing , draft - ed )
to make a first or early copy of a piece of writing I'll draft a letter and show it to you before I send it.
to force someone to join the armed forces He was drafted into the army.
draft • y / ' drafti / adjective ( draft - i - er , draft - i - est )
a drafty room or building has cold air blowing through it a drafty old house
drag / drag / verb ( drags , drag - ging , dragged )
to pull something along the ground slowly, often because it is heavy
He couldn't lift the bag, so he dragged it out of the store.
If something drags , it seems to go slowly because it is not interesting
Time drags when you're waiting for a bus. drag • on / ' dragan / noun [count ]
a big, dangerous animal with fire in its mouth, which you only find in stories
drag • on • fly
/ dragan|flai /noun [ count ] ( plural
drag - on - flies )
an insect that often flies near water and that has four wings and a long, thin body
drain1 / drein /noun [ count ] a pipe that carries away dirty water from a building The drain is blocked.
go down the drain
( informal )
to be wasted
All our hard work has gone down the drain.
drain 2 / drein / verb ( drains , drain - ing , drained )
to flow away
The water drained away slowly.
to let liquid flow away from something, so that it
becomes dry
Drain and rinse the pasta.
to become dry because liquid is flowing away Leave the dishes to drain.
drain • pipe / ' dreinpaip/noun [ count ] a pipe that takes water from the roof of a building to a drain 1 when it rains
dra • ma AVW! / ' drama / noun
[ count ] a story that you watch in the theater or on television, or listen to on the radio
a TV drama
[ noncount ] the study of plays and acting She went to drama school.
[ count, noncount ] an exciting thing that happens There was a big drama at school when one of the teachers fell in the swimming pool!
dra • mat • ic AwL / dra 'matik / adjective
sudden, great, or exciting
The finish of the race was very dramatic.
connected with plays or the theater a dramatic society
dra • mat • i • cal • lyAWB / dra 'matikli / adverb Prices went up dramatically.
dram • a • tist aw / ' dramatist / [count]
a person who writes plays
drank
form of drink 1
drapes / dreips /noun [ plural ]
long pieces of heavy material that you can move to cover a
window
velvet drapes
dras • tic / ' drastik /adjective
having a sudden, very strong effect We have made some drastic changes.
dras • tic • al • ly / ' drastikli / adverb
draw 1 Ф / dro / verb ( draws , draw ing , drew / dru / has drawn / dron / )
( art ) to make a picture with a pen or a pencil She drew a picture of a horse.
He has drawn a car. My sister draws well.
to pull or take something from a place I drew my chair up closer to the fire. He drew a knife from his pocket.
to pull something to make it move The carriage was drawn by two horses.
It's too bright in here, we'll have to draw the curtains (= close them ) .
( formal ) to move or come The train drew into the station.
to attract or interest someone The concert drew a large crowd.
draw back to move away from someone or something
He came close but she drew back.
draw up to come to a place and stop
A taxi drew up outside the house.
draw something up to write something
They drew up a list of people who they wanted to invite.
draw2 / dro /noun [ count ]
a person, thing, or event that attracts a lot of people The festival is always a big draw for young people.
draw • back / ' drobrek /noun [ count ]
a disadvantage or problem
His lack of experience is a major drawback.
draw .erФ / dror/noun [ count ]
a thing like a box that you can pull out from a desk, for example
There's some paper in the top drawer of my desk.
draw . ing Ф / 'droi₄ / noun
( art )
[ count ] a picture made with a pen or a pencil, but not paint
He did a drawing of the old farmhouse.
[ noncount ] the art of drawing pictures with a pen or a pencil
Katherine is very good at drawing.
[ count ] the act of choosing something, for example the winner of a prize, often by taking a piece of paper out of a container
The raffle drawing will take place today at 5p.m.
drawn form of draw 1
dread 1 / dred / verb (dreads,dread ing ,dread.ed )
to be very afraid of something that is going to happen I'm dreading the exam.
dread2 / dred /noun [ noncount , singular ]
great fear that something bad might happen She lived in dread of the cancer returning.
dread • ful / dredfl /adjective ( formal )
very bad
There's been a dreadful accident. ► dread • ful • ly / ' dredfli / adverb
dream1 Ф / drim /noun [ count ]
1 pictures or events that happen in your mind when you are asleep
I had a dream about school last night. —Look at nightmare .
2 something nice that you hope for
His dream was to give up his job and live in the country.
dream 2 4?/ drim / verb ( dreams , dream . ing , dreamed or dreamt / dremt / has dreamed or has dreamt )
1 to have a picture or idea in your mind when you are asleep
I dreamed about you last night.
dreamt that I was flying.
to hope for something nice in the future She dreams of becoming a famous actress.
dream • er / ' dr^r /noun [ count ]
a person who thinks a lot about ideas or plans that will probably never happen
drea • ry / driri / adjective ( drear.i . er,drear . i .est)
not at all interesting or attractive, in a way that makes you feel sad
a dreary winter day
drench / drentf / verb ( drench . es, drench . ing , drenched )
to make someone or something completely wet I forgot my umbrella and got totally drenched .
dress w / dres / noun ( plural dress es )
[ count ] a piece of clothing with a top part and a skirt, which a woman or girl wears
—Look at the picture at clothes .
[ noncount ] clothes
Many companies are allowing employees to come to work in casual dress .
dress 2 Ф / dres / verb ( dress.es,dress. ing , dressed )
1 to put clothes on yourself or another person
got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. She dressed quickly and went out.
He washed and dressed the baby.
—ANTONYM undress
to wear a particular style, type, or color of clothes She dresses like a movie star.
He was dressed in black.
dress up
to put on special clothes for fun, so that you look like another person or a thing
The children dressed up as ghosts.
to put on your best clothes
They dressed up to go to the theater.
dress • er / ' dresэr /noun [ count ]
a piece of furniture with drawers, used for storing clothes
dress • ing / ' dresig / noun
[ count, noncount ] a sauce for food, especially for salads
[ noncount ] another word for stuffing turkey with dressing
[ count ] ( health ) a thing for covering a part of your body that is hurt
You should put a dressing on that cut.
drew form of draw 1
drib • ble / ' dribl / verb ( drib bles , drib . bling , drib . bled )
1 (used about a liquid) to fall in small drops; to pour a
liquid in this way
Paint dribbled down the can.
2 ( sports ) to make a ball move forward by using many short hits or kicks to dribble a basketball
dried
form of dry 2
dri • er
form of dry 1
= dryer
dries
form of dry 2
dri • est
form of dry 1
drift / drift / verb ( drifts , drift ing , drift ed )
to move slowly in the air or on water The empty boat drifted out to sea. The balloon drifted away.
^r^ d_rin
endings.
practice for what you should do in an emergency a fire drill
drill 2 / dril / verb ( drills , drill . ing , drilled )
to make a hole in something using a drill Drill two holes in the wall.
to teach someone by making them repeat something many times
Mrs. Chang drilled her third graders in the times tables.
drink © / dnrjk / verb ( drinks , drink ing ,
drank / drregk / has drunk / drAgk / )
to take in liquid, for example water, milk, or coffee, through your mouth
What do you want to drink? She was drinking a cup of coffee.
to drink alcohol
"Would you like some wine?" "No, thank you. I don't drink."
drink 2 Ф / dnrjk /noun
[ count, noncount ]
liquid, for example water, milk, or coffee, that you take in through your mouth
Would you like a drink? Can I have a drink of water?
drink with alcohol in it, for example beer or wine There was lots of food and drink at the party.
drip / drip / verb ( drips , drip . ping , dripped )
to fall slowly in small drops Water was dripping through the roof.
If something drips , liquid falls from it in small drops The faucet is dripping.
►dripnoun [ count ]
a small drop of liquid that falls from something Use a bucket to catch the drips.
driV6 1 © / draiv/ verb ( drives , driv ing ,
drove / drouv / has driv . en / ' drivn / )
to control a car, bus, etc. and make it go where you want to go
Can you drive?
She usually drives to work.
to take someone to a place in a car My parents drove me to the airport.
drive 2 © / draiv /noun
[ count ] a trip in a car
It's a long drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco. We went for a drive in my sister's car.
[ singular ] used in the name of some streets We live at 1120 Lakeside Drive.
[ noncount ] the energy and determination you need to succeed
He has the drive to win the election.
[ count ] ( computers ) the part of a computer that reads and stores information
I saved my work on the C: drive
drive -in / ' draiv in /noun [ count ]
a place where you can go to eat or to watch a movie while you are sitting in your car
driv • en
form of drive 1
driv .er © / 'draivor/noun [ count ] a person who controls a car, bus, train, etc. John is a good driver. a taxi driver
driv • er's li • cense / draivsrs |laisns / noun
[ count ]
an official document that shows that you are allowed to drive a car, etc.
Can I see your driver's license, please?
drive-through ( also informal drive-thru )
/ ' draiv 6ru /noun [ count ]
a part of a restaurant, bank, etc. where you can be served without getting out of your car
drive • Way / ' draivwei /noun [ count ] ( pluraldrive . ways )
a wide hard path or private road that goes from the street to one house
She parked her car in the driveway. driv • ing / ' draivig / noun
[noncount] controlling a car, bus, etc. He failed his driving test . dangerous driving
drool / drul / verb ( drools , drool . ing , drooled )
to let liquid (called saliva ) come out from your mouth The baby just drooled on my shirt.
droop / drup / verb ( droops , droop . ing , drooped )
to bend or hang down
Flowers droop if you don't put them in water.
dГОР 1 © / drap / verb ( drops , drop . ping , dropped )
1 to let something fall
dropped my watch and it broke.
to fall
The glass dropped from her hands.
to become lower or less The temperature has dropped.
( also drop someone off ) to stop your car and let
someone get out
Could you drop me at the station? He dropped me off at the bus stop.
to stop doing something
I'm going to drop geography (= stop studying it ) at school next year.
drop by ; drop in to visit someone who does not know that you are coming
We were in the area, so we thought we'd drop in and see you.
drop off to fall asleep
She dropped off in front of the TV.
drop out to leave or stop doing something before you have finished
His parents are worried that he'll drop out of school.
drop 2 Ф / dmp /noun [ count ]
a very small amount of liquid drops of rain
a drop of blood
a fall in the amount or level of something a drop in temperature
a drop in prices
drop • out / ' drapaut /noun [ count ]
a person who leaves school, college, etc. before finishing
their studies
high school dropouts
drought / draut /noun [ count, noncount ]
( geography ) a long time when there is not enough rain Hundreds of people died in the drought.
drove
form of drive 1
drown / draun / verb ( drowns , drown . ing , drowned )
to die under water because you cannot breathe; to make
someone die in this way
The boy fell in the river and drowned.
Twenty people were drowned in the floods.
drow • sy / drauzi / adjective ( drow . si . er , drow . si . est )
feeling tired and wanting to sleep The heat made him very drowsy. ► drow • si • ness / ' drauzims /noun [ noncount ]
This medicine can cause drowsiness.
drug О / di-лд /noun [ count ]
( health )
an illegal chemical substance that people take because it makes them feel happy or excited
He doesn't smoke or take drugs .
She's worried that her daughter is on drugs (= regularly using illegal drugs ) . Heroin is a dangerous drug.
a chemical substance used as a medicine, which you take when you are sick to make you better
drug companies
Some drugs can only be obtained with a prescription from a doctor.
drug ad • dict / ' drAg adikt / noun
[count]
( health ) a person who cannot stop using drugs
drug • store / ' drAgstor /noun [ count ]
( health ) a store where you can buy medicines and other things such as soap, newspapers, and candy
drum / drAm /noun [count]
( music ) a musical instrument that you hit with special sticks (called dru m sticks ) or with your hands
He plays the drums in a band.
a big round container for oil an oil drum
drum • mer / ' drAmer /noun [ count ]
( music ) a person who plays a drum
drunk 1
form of drink 1
drunk 2 / drAgk / adjective
If a person is drunk , they have drunk too much alcohol He gets drunk every Friday night.
dry 1 Ф / drai /adjective (in er ,in est )
with no water or liquid in it or on it The laundry isn't dry yet.
—ANTONYM wet
with no rain dry weather
—ANTONYM wet
not sweet dry white wine
dry 2 Ф / drai/ verb ( dries , dry ing , dried , has dried )
to become or make something dry
Our clothes were drying in the sun.
Dry your hands on this towel.
If you wash the dishes, I'll dry them.
dry out to become completely dry
Leave your shoes by the fire to dry out.
dry up (used about rivers, lakes, etc.) to become
completely dry
There was no rain for several months and all the rivers dried up.
dry-clean / drai klin /verb
( dry-cleans , dry-clean . ing , dry-cleaned )
to make clothes clean by using chemicals, not water I had my suit dry-cleaned.
dry clean • ers / ' drai |Ытэге / noun [ count ]
a store where you take clothes and other things to be dry- cleaned
dry • er ( also dri .er ) / ' drarar /noun [ count ] a machine for drying something
Take the clothes out of the washing machine and put them in the dryer. a hair dryer
du • al / ' 1ш1 / adjective
having two parts; double
the dual role of mother and working woman
dual citizenship
du • bi • ous / ' dubiэs / adjective
not sure or certain
I'm very dubious about whether we're doing the right thing.
—SYNONYM doubtful
that may not be honest or safe dubious financial dealings
ducki/dAk/ duck
noun
[ count ] a bird that lives on and near water. You often see ducks on farms or in parks.
— Look at
duckling .
[ noncount ]
meat from a duck roast duck with orange sauce
duck 2 / dAk / verb ( ducks , duck - ing , ducked )
to move your head down quickly, so that something does not hit you or so that someone does not see you He saw the ball coming toward him and ducked.
duck • ling / ' dAklig / noun [ count ]
a young duck
duct / dAkt /noun [ count ] a tube that carries liquid, gas, etc. We got into the building through the air duct. tear ducts (= in the eye )
dude / dud /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a boy or man
Hey dude, what's up?
due / du / adjective
If something is due at a certain time, you expect it to happen or come then
When's the baby due?
The new road is due to open in April.
If an amount of money is due , you must pay it My rent is due at the beginning of the month.
ready for something
My car is due for an inspection.
due to something
because of something; caused by something
The accident was due to bad driving.
du • el / ' dual / noun [ count ]
( history ) a formal type of fight with guns or other weapons that was used in the past to decide an argument between two men
du • et / du 'et / noun [ count ]
( music ) music for two people to sing or play on musical instruments
Jim and Christy sang a duet. —Look at solo 2 .
dug
form of dig
dull / dAl / adjective ( dull er , dull - est )
not interesting or exciting Life is never dull in a big city.
—SYNONYM boring
not strong or loud a dull pain
not bright
It was a dull, cloudy day.
not sharp a dull knife
—SYNONYM blunt
dumb / dAm / adjective ( informal ) Pronunciation
The word dumb sounds like gum , because we don't say the letter b in this word.
not intelligent; stupid
That was a dumb thing to do! —ANTONYM smart
dum • my / ' dAmi / noun [ count ] ( plural dum . mies )
a model of the human body, used for showing clothes in a store window or while you are making clothes
a tailor's dummy
( informal ) a stupid person I felt like such a dummy.
dump 1 / dAmp / verb ( dumps , dump - ing , dumped )
to take something to a place and leave it there because you do not want it
They dumped their garbage by the side of the road.
to put something down without being careful Don't dump your clothes on the floor!
( informal ) to end a romantic relationship with
someone
I can't believe he dumped me for another girl!
dump2 / dAmp /noun [ count ]
a place where people take things they do not want a garbage dump
( informal ) a dirty, messy, or unpleasant place This place is a real dump!
dune / dun /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a small hill of sand near the ocean or in a desert a sand dune
dun • geon / ' dAnd3an /noun [ count ]
a dark, underground room used as a prison the castle dungeons
dunk / dAgk / verb ( dunks , dunk - ing , dunked )
to put something into a liquid for a short time to dunk a cookie into milk
( sports ) (in basketball ) to jump very high and throw the ball hard down into the basket (= the round net )
du • pleX / ' dupleks /noun [ count ] ( pluraldu - plex . es )
a house that is divided into two separate homes, with a separate door for each one
du • pli • cate / ' duplakeit / verb ( du - pli cates , du - pli - cat ing , du - pli - cat - ed )
to make an exact copy of something
to do something that has already been done
We don't want to duplicate the work of the other departments.
du • ra • ble / ' durabl / adjective
likely to last for a long time without getting weaker a durable fabric
► du • ra • bil • i • ty / |dura'bilati / noun [ noncount ]
dur . inC) Ф" / dung / preposition
all the time that something is happening The sun gives us light during the day.
at some time while something else is happening She died during the night.
I fell asleep during the movie.
dusk / dAsk /noun [ noncount ]
the time in the evening when it is almost dark —Look atdawn .
dust l Ф / cLvst/noun [ noncount ]
dry dirt that is like powder The old table was covered in dust.
dust 2 / dAst / verb ( dusts , dust ing , dust • ed )
to take dust off something with a cloth I dusted the furniture.
dust • pan / ' dAstpren / noun [ count ]
a flat container with a handle that you use for getting dust
or garbage off the floor
dustpan
dust • y / dAsti / adjective ( dust • i er , dust • i est )
covered with dust
The furniture was very dusty.
du • ti • ful / ' dutifl / adjective
doing everything that you are expected to do a dutiful son
► du • ti • ful • ly / ' dutifli / adverb
He told me to follow him, and I dutifully obeyed.
dil .ty Ф / 'duti/noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluraldu • ties )
something that you must do because it is part of your job or because you think it is right
It is your duty to take care of your parents when they get older.
One of the duties of a secretary is to type letters.
money (called tax ) that you pay to the government when you bring things into a country from another country
off duty
not working
The police officer was off duty. on duty
working
Some nurses at the hospital are on duty all night.
du • ty-free / ,duti ' fri / adjective, adverb
Duty-free goods are things that you can bring into a country without paying money to the government. You can buy goods duty-free on airplanes or ships and at airports.
DVD Фу ,di vi 'di /noun [ cou nt ]
( computers ) a small plastic disk that you record movies and music on. You can play a DVD on a computer or a special machine (called a DVD player ) Is the movie available on DVD ?
dwarf / dworf /noun [ count ]
(in children's stories) a very small person Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
( biology ) a person, animal, or plant that is much smaller than the usual size
dye / dai / verb ( dyes , dye ing , dyed )
to change the color of something by using a special liquid or substance
She dyed her hair blond.
dyenoun [ count, noncount ]
a substance that you use to change the color of something, for example cloth or hair purple hair dye
dy • ing
form of die 1
dy • nam • ic AWL / dai 'nremik / adjective
full of energy and ideas a dynamic teacher
dy • na • mite / ' daimmait / noun [noncount]
a powerful substance that can explode a stick of dynamite
Ee
E, e / i /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralE's, e's / iz / ) the fifth letter of the English alphabet "Egg" begins with an "E."
each Ф / it/ / adjective, pronoun
every person or thing in a group Each student buys a book and a tape. He gave a present to each of the children. These T-shirts are $5 each.
each oth • еГ Ф / it|'' \(1or / pronoun
used for saying that someone does the same thing as another person
Gary and Susy looked at each other (= Gary looked at Susy and Susy looked at Gary ) .
ea • ger / ' igэr / adjective
If you are eager to do something, you want to do it very much
She's eager to help with the party.
ea • ger • ly / ' igэrli / adverb
The children were waiting eagerly for the movie to begin.
ea • ger • ness / ' igэrnэs / noun [ noncount ]
I couldn't hide my eagerness to get home.
ea • gle / ' igi / noun
[count]
a very large bird that can see very well. It catches and eats small birds and animals.
—Look at bald eagle .
ear Ф / и- / noun
[ count ]
one of the two parts of your body that you use to hear with Elephants have big ears.
—Look at the picture at face . ear • ache / ireik / noun [ count ]
( health ) pain inside your ear I have an earache.
ear . IУ ©/ эгИ/ adjective, adverb ( ear . li er , ear . li est )
1 near the beginning of a period of time Come in the early afternoon.
She was in her early twenties (= aged between 20 and about 23 or 24 ) .
have to get up early tomorrow.
before the usual or right time The train arrived ten minutes early. You're early! It's only six-thirty.
I was early for class.
—ANTONYM late an early night
an evening when you go to bed earlier than usual I'm really tired, I think I'll make it an early night.
earn / srn / verb ( earns , earn ing , earned )
to get money by working
How much do teachers earn in your country? She earns about $50,000 a year.
to get something because you have worked well or done something good
You've earned a vacation!
earn • ings / ' srnigz /noun [ plural ]
money that you earn by working
ear • phones / ' irfounz /noun [ plural ]
( music ) things that you put in or over your ears so that you can listen to music without other people hearing it
—Look at headphones .
ear • ring / ' mg / noun
[count]
a piece of jewelry that you wear on your ear a pair of silver earrings
—Look at the picture at jewelry . earth © / sr6 /
1 usually the earth , the Earth [ singular ] this world;
the planet that we live on
The moon travels around the earth.
They live in one of the hottest places on earth .
the Arctic
the North Pole
equator
the South Pole
line of latitude
line of longitude
the earth
[ singular ] the surface of the world; land The satellite fell toward earth.
The earth shook.
[ noncount ] the substance that plants grow in Cover the seeds with earth.
—SYNONYM soil
how, who, what, where, etc. on earth...?
( informal )
used in questions when you are very surprised or want to
say something very strongly
What on earth are you doing?
Where on earth is Paul? He's two hours late!
earth • quake / ' srekweik /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a sudden strong shaking of the ground
earth • worm / ' srewsrm /noun [ count ]
a small, long, thin animal with no legs or eyes that lives in the soil
ease 1 / iz / noun with ease
with no difficulty
She answered the questions with ease. —SYNONYM easily
be or feel at ease
to be or feel comfortable and relaxed
Everyone was so friendly that I felt completely at ease.
ease 2 / iz / verb ( eas . es , eas . ing , eased )
to become or to make something less painful or serious They waited for the rain to ease. This should ease the pain .
ea • sel / ' izl / noun
[count]
( art ) a frame that an artist uses to hold a picture while it is being painted
eas . i . ly Ф / 'izoli / adverb
with no difficulty
I can easily call and check the time of the movie. He passed the test easily. The adjective is easy .
east Ф / ist /noun [ singular ] ( abbreviation E.) (geography)
1 the direction you look in to see the sun come up in the morning
Which way is east?
There was a cold wind from the east.
— Look at the picture at compass .
the east or the East the part of any country, city, etc. that is further to the east than the other parts
He grew up in the East, but moved to California after college.
the East the countries of Asia, for example China and Japan
►east adjective, adverb
an east wind (= that comes from the east ) They live on the East Coast. We traveled east.
Eas • ter / ' istэr / noun
[noncount]
( religion ) a Sunday in March or April, and the days around it, when Christians think about Christ coming back to life Culture
Easter is a popular festival, with many traditions in the U.S.
People think about new life and the coming of spring. They celebrate this by decorating and coloring eggs and eating chocolate.
Eas • ter egg / ' istэr eg / noun
[ count ]
an egg that you decorate for Easter
east .ern Ф / 'istorn /adjective
( geography ) in or of the east of a place eastern Pennsylvania
eas.y Ф/ ' izi / adjective ( eas • i ei , as • i es )
not difficult to do or understand The homework was very easy. English isn't an easy language to learn.
without problems or pain He has had an easy life.
—ANTONYM difficult , hard , Look at easily .
take it easy ; take things easy
to relax and not worry or work too much
After my exams I'm going to take it easy for a few days.
eas • y • go • ing / ,izi' gouig / adjective
calm, relaxed, and not easily worried or upset
Her parents are pretty easygoing, so she has a lot of
freedom to do what she wants.
eat Ф/ it / verb ( eats , ;at in< , it< / eit / has eat • en / ' itn / )
to put food in your mouth and swallow it Who ate all the chocolates?
Would you like something to eat?
to have a meal
What time should we eat?
eat out to have a meal in a restaurant
We don't eat out very often.
eaves • drop / ' ivzdrap / verb
( eaves • drops, eaves • drop • ping , eaves dropped )
to listen secretly to other people talking
They caught him eavesdropping on their conversation.
ec • cen • tric / Ik' sentrik / adjective
(used about people or their behavior) strange or unusual He's a little eccentric, but he's a great teacher.
ech • o / ekou /noun [ count ] ( pluralech • oes )
a sound that a surface such as a wall sends back so that you hear it again
► ech • o verb ( ech oes , ech • o • ing , ech • oed )
His footsteps echoed in the empty hall.
e • clipse
/ i klips /noun [ count ]
a time when the moon passes between the earth and the sun so that we cannot see the sun's light, or when the earth's shadow falls on the moon so that we cannot see the moon's light a total eclipse of the
solar eclipse
e • col • o • gist / I 'kabd3ist / noun [ count ]
( biology ) a person who studies or knows a lot about ecology
e • col • o • gy / I 'kabd3i / noun [ noncount ]
( biology ) the relationship between living things and everything around them; the study of this subject
ec • o • log • i • cal / ^э ' lad3ikl / adjective
an ecological disaster
ec • o • nom • ic ф |awl / ^ 'namik /
adjective
( business , politics ) connected with the way that people and countries spend money and make, buy, and sell things The country has serious economic problems.
ec • o • nom • i • cal Iaw / ^э ' namikl /
adjective
costing or using less time, money, etc. than usual
This car is very economical to run (= it does not use a lot of
gas ) .
ec • o • nom • i • cal • lyAWL / ekэ 'namikli / adverb The service could be run more economically.
ec • o • nom • ics AWL / ^э 'namiks / noun
[ noncount ]
( business , politics ) the study of the way that people and countries spend money and make, buy, and sell things
e • con • o • mist AWL / I 'ka^m^ / noun
[ count ]
( business , politics ) a person who studies or knows a lot about economics
e • con • o • mize / I ' kammaiz / verb ( e • con • o • miz es , e con o • miz • ing , e • con • o • mized )
to save money, time, etc.; to use less of something
We're trying to economize by eating in restaurants less
often.
e .СОП .О .my Ф /ikansmi/ noun ( plural e • con • o • mies )
( business , politics ) [ count ] the way that a country spends its money and makes, buys, and sells things
the economies of Japan and Germany
[ count, noncount ] using money or things well and carefully
We need to make some economies .
e • co • sys • tem / ' i^s^m / noun [ count ]
eclipse
О
( geography , biology ) all the plants and animals in a particular area, and the environment that they live in
edge Ф / ed₃ / noun [ count ]
the part along the end or side of something She stood at the water's edge.
the edge of the table
the sharp part of a knife or tool be on edge
to be nervous or worried
ed • i • ble / edabl / adjective
good or safe to eat
The food was barely edible (= almost too bad to eat ) —ANTONYM inedible
ed • it AWL / ' edat / verb ( ed - its , ed - it - ing , ed it ed )
( english language arts ) to prepare a piece of writing, film, etc. to be published or released Paul edited the report.
The violent scene was edited out of the movie.
e • di • tion awl| / i 'dijn / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) one of a number of books, magazines, or newspapers that appear at the same time the evening edition of the newspaper
ed • i • tor AwL / ' edatar / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a person whose job is to prepare or control a book or a newspaper before it is printed
ed • i • to • ri • al 1 AWL / |eda 'torial / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) an article in a newspaper that gives the writer's opinion on an important issue
ed • i • to • ri • al 2 aw / |eda ' torial /
( english language arts ) connected with the work of preparing newspapers, books, etc. to be published or released
the magazine's editorial department
ed . u . cate Ф/ 'ed^keit / verb
( ed - u - cates , ed - u - cat - ing , ed u cat ed )
to teach or train someone, especially in school Where was she educated?
We must educate young people about the dangers of smoking.
ed • u • cat • ed / ' ed3akeitad / adjective
having studied and learned a lot to a high level He's smart and well educated.
—ANTONYM uneducated
ed .u .ca .tion Ф / ^dpi-eifn/ noun
[ noncount , singular ]
teaching people at a school or college Education is extremely important. He had a good education.
► ed • u • ca • tion • al / |ed3a ' kei/anl / adjective
educational programs
eel / ii / noun
[ count ]
a long fish that looks like a snake
ef .feet Ф / ifekt /noun [ count, noncount ]
a change that happens because of something
We are studying the effects of heat on different metals.
Her shouting had little effect on him.
take effect
to begin to work
It takes about 20 minutes for the medicine to take effect.
ef • fec • tive / i ' fektiv / adjective
Something that is effective works well Jogging is an effective way to stay in shape.
—ANTONYM ineffective
ef • fec • tive • ly / i ' fektivli / adverb She dealt with the situation effectively.
ef • fi • cient / i ' fijnt / adjective
working well, without making mistakes or wasting energy Our secretary is very efficient. an efficient way of working
—ANTONYM inefficient
ef • fi • cien • cy / i 'fijnsi / noun [ noncount ] ways of increasing efficiency at the factory
ef • fi • cient • ly / i ' fijntli / adverb Try to use your time more efficiently.
ef .fort Ф / ' efart /noun [ count, noncount ]
the physical or mental energy that you need to do something
Thank you for all your efforts. He made an effort to arrive on time.
ef • fort • less / ' efartlas / adjective
needing little or no effort, so that it seems easy She makes ice skating look effortless.
ef • fort • less • ly / ' efartlasli / adverb
EFL / |i ef ' el / abbreviation
( english language arts ) EFL is short for "English as a foreign language" (= the teaching of English to people who speak other languages )
—Look at ESL .
e.g. Ф /,i'd₃i/
short for for example
popular sports, e.g. football, baseball, and swimming
shell
egg Ф / _eg /
^e99
eg
noun
( biology ) [count] a round or oval
(= almost round ) object that has a baby bird, fish, insect, or snake inside it The hen has laid an egg .
[count, noncount] an egg that we eat, especially from a chicken
a boiled egg
egg • plant / egplant /noun [count, noncount]
a large purple vegetable that is white inside
e • go / igou /noun [ count ] ( plurale - gos )
the opinion that you have of yourself
He has a big ego (= he has a high opinion of himself ) .
eight Ф / eit/ number 8
eight .een Ф /eitin/ number 18
eight • eenth / |eitine / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
18th
He met Emma just before his eighteenth birthday.
eighth / eite / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun
[ count ] 1 8th
was eighth in line for tickets.
one of eight equal parts of something; Vs
eight .уф / 'eiti/ number
80
the eighties [ plural ] the numbers, years, or temperatures between 80 and 89
in your eighties
between the ages of 80 and 89
eight • i • eth / ' eitise / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
80th
My grandpa just celebrated his eightieth birthday. ei ther 1 Ф / iclor /adjective, pronoun
one of two things or people
There is cake and ice cream. You can have either. Either one of us could help you.
each
There are trees along either side of the street.
ei .ther 2® / Чдэт/ adverb
(used in sentences with "not") also Lydia can't swim, and I can't either. either...or
words that show two different things or people that you can choose
You can have either tea or coffee. I will either write or call.
e • lab • o • rate / i ' lrebsrst / adjective
not simple; with a lot of different parts The carpet has a very elaborate pattern.
—SYNONYM complicated
e • lab • o • rate • ly / i lrebsrstli / adverb The rooms were elaborately decorated.
e • las • tic / i 'lrestik /noun [ noncount ]
material that becomes longer when you pull it and then
goes back to its usual size
This skirt needs some new elastic in the waist.
e • las • ticadjective elastic material
el • bow / ' elbou /noun [ count ]
the part in the middle of your arm where it bends She fell and broke her elbow.
— Look at the picture at body .
eld • er / eldsr /adjective ( formal )
older, especially of two members of the same family My elder brother lives abroad.
eld • er • ly / ' eldsrli / adjective
(used about people) a polite way of saying "old" an elderly lady
health care for the elderly (= people who are elderly ) eld • ers / ' eldsrz/noun [ plural ]
people who are older than you My parents taught me to respect my elders.
eld • est / ' eldsst / adjective
( formal )
oldest of three or more people, especially members of the same family
Their eldest son is at college.
e • lect / i ' lekt / verb ( e . lects , e . lect . ing , e . lect . ed )
( politics ) to choose someone to be a leader by voting for him or her
The new president was elected last year.
e .lec .tion Ф/ ilekjn/noun [count, noncount]
( politics ) a time when people choose someone to be a
leader by voting for him or her
The election will be held on Tuesday.
e . lec .trie Ф / ilektnk/ adjective
using or providing electricity an electric stove an electric outlet
e .lec .tri .cal Ф /ilektnkl/ adjective
of or using electricity
an electrical appliance (= a machine that uses electricity )
e • lec • tri • cian / i|lek'tnjn / noun
[ count ]
a person whose job is to make and repair electrical systems and equipment
John's an electrician. He'll be able to fix the light for you.
e .lec .trie .i .ty Ф /^lektnssti/ noun
[noncount]
( physics ) power that comes through wires. Electricity can make heat and light, and makes machines work.
e • lec • tric shock / i|lektrik 'Jak /
[count]
a sudden painful feeling that you get if electricity goes through your body
e • lec • trode / i lektroud /noun [ count ]
( physics ) a point at which electricity enters or leaves an electrical device
e • lec • tron / i lektran /noun [ count ]
( chemistry , physics ) a very small piece of matter with a negative electric charge, found in all atoms
—Look at neutron , proton . ,
—Look at the picture at atom .
e . lec .tron . ic Ф / i.lrk'trunik / adjective
( general science ) Electronic equipment includes things like computers and televisions. They use electricity and very small electrical parts (called microchips and transistors ) to make them work
an electronic calculator
( computers ) done using a computer electronic bill paying
► e • lec • tron • i • cal • ly / i|lek ' tranikli / adverb
e • lec • tron • ics / i|lek 'traniks / noun
[noncount]
( general science ) the technology that is used to make things like computers and televisions the electronics industry
el • e • gant / ' elэgэnt / adjective
with a beautiful style or shape
She looked very elegant in her new black dress.
elegant furniture
► el • e • gance / ' elэgэns /noun [ noncount ] el • e • mentaw п / ' elэmэnt /noun [ count ]
an important part of something
Cost was an important element in our decision.
( chemistry ) a simple chemical, for example iron or gold Water is made of the elements hydrogen and oxygen.
el • e • men • ta • ry / ,eb ' mentэri / adjective
connected with the early stages of learning; not difficult an elementary dictionary elementary physics
el • e • men • ta • ry school / ,eb ' mentэri
skul /noun [ count, noncount ] ( also grade school )
a school for children who are around five to eleven years old
Word building
In the U.S., children start elementary school when they are 5. The first year of this is called kindergarten
When children are around 11 years old, they move to middle school (or junior high school ), and when they reach the age of around 14, they start high school .
Each year of school is called a grade . When a child is around 6 years old they are in first grade , and the last year of high school is the twelfth grade .
el .e. phant
/ ' elэfэnt /noun [count]
a very big, wild animal from Africa or Asia, with a long nose (called a trunk ) that hangs down
el • e • va • tion / ,eb ' veijn / noun [ count ]
( geography ) the height of a place, especially its height
above the level of the ocean
Denver is at an elevation of 5,280 feet.
el • e • va • tor / ' ebveitj?r / noun [ count ]
a machine that takes people and things up and down in a high building
Should we use the stairs or take the elevator ?
e .lev .en © / ilevsn/number
11
► e • lev • enth / i 'ЬуэпЭ / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ] 11th
elf / elf /noun [ count ] ( pluralelves / elvz / ) a very small person in stories who has pointed ears and magic powers
el • i • gi • ble / ' di^bl / adjective
allowed to do something, because you have the right skills, you are the right age, etc.
You need a degree in biology to be eligible for the program.
elephant
tusk
When are you eligible to vote in your country?
el • i • gi • bil • i • ty / ^Ызэ'Ыэй / noun [ noncount ]
e • lim • i • nate aw / I ' ^э^й /
( e • lim • i nates, e • lim i nat • ing, e lim • i • nat • ed )
to remove something that is not needed or wanted We must try to eliminate waste.
to stop someone from going further in a competition, etc. We lost both games, so our team was eliminated from the competition.
e • lite / I 'lit ; ei 'lit /noun [ count ] a group of people who are thought to be the best or most important because they are rich, intelligent, etc. the ruling elite (= the people that control the area, the country, etc. )
an elite group of business leaders
e • lope / I ' loup / verb ( e • lopes , e • lop • ing , e • loped )
to run away secretly to get married
el • o • quent / ' elэkwэnt / adjective
( formal )
able to use language and express your opinions well an eloquent speech
el • o • quent • ly / ' elэkwэntli / adverb He spoke eloquently about his work.
else Ф / els /adverb
more; extra
What else would you like? Is anyone else coming to the party?
different
This cafe's full; let's go somewhere else . It's not mine — it must be someone else's . There was nothing else to eat, so we had eggs again. or else
if not, then
Go now, or else you'll be late. —SYNONYM otherwise
else • where / elswer / adverb
( formal )
in or to another place
He can't find a job near home, so he's looking elsewhere.
elves
plural of elf
e-mailО ( also e • mail ) / ' imeil /noun
( computers )
[ noncount ] a system for sending messages from one computer to another
to send a message by e-mail What's your e-mail address ?
[ count ] a message that is written on one computer and sent to another
I'll send you an e-mail.
e-mail ( also e • mail ) verb
( e-mails , e-mail ing , e-mailed ) E-mail me when you arrive. I'll e-mail the documents to her. Collocations E-mail
have/set up an e-mail account check/read your e-mail receive/get/open an e-mail send/forward/delete an e-mail write/answer/reply to an e-mail attach a file/a picture/a document contain/open/send an attachment
e • man • ci • pate / I ' mжnsэpeIt / adjective
( e • man • ci • pates , e • man ci • pat ing , e • man • ci • pat • ed )
( formal )
( history ) to give someone the same legal, social, and political rights as other people Lincoln emancipated the slaves after the Civil War. ►e • man • ci • pa • tion / ^шжшэ ' pei/n /noun [noncount]
the emancipation of women
em . bar . rass ® / mibaeres/ verb
( em • bar rass • es , em • bar • rass • ing , em • bar • rassed )
to make someone feel shy or worried about what other people think of them
Please don't embarrass me in front of my friends.
em • bar • rass • ing / im ' breresig / adjective
I couldn't remember her name — it was so embarrassing!
em .bar .rassed О / im 'brerest /
Spelling
Remember! You spell embarrassed with RR and SS .
If you are embarrassed , you feel shy or worried about what other people think of you
He felt embarrassed at being the center of attention.
em • bar • rass • ment / im' bжrэsmэnt /
noun [ noncount ]
the feeling that you have when you are embarrassed His face was red with embarrassment.
em • bas • sy / ' embэsi/ noun [ count ] ( plural em • bas • sies )
( politics ) a group of people whose job is to speak and act for their government in another country, or the building where they work
To get a visa, you should apply to the American embassy.
em • blem / ' embbm /noun [ count ]
an object or a symbol that represents something America's national emblem, the bald eagle
em • brace / im breis / verb ( em • brac • es , em • brac • ing , em • braced )
( formal )
to put your arms around someone to show that you love them
She embraced each member of her family. —SYNONYM hug
em • broi • der / im ' bro^r /
( em • broi • ders , em • broi • der • ing , em • broi • dered )
to decorate cloth by sewing patterns on it
em • broi • dered / im ' braird / adjective
an embroidered blouse
em • broi • der • y / im ' Ьго^эй / noun
[ noncount ]
patterns that are sewn onto cloth to decorate it em • bry • o / ' embriou /noun [ count ] ( pluralem • bry • os )
( biology ) a human or animal when it is starting to grow before it is born
em • er • ald / ' emэrэld / noun [ count ]
a green jewel (= valuable stone ) an emerald ring
em • er • ald
( also em • er ald green / ^шэгэЫ ' grin / ) adjective
bright green: an emerald green dress
e • merge awl| / i 'шэ^з / verb
( e • merg es , e merg ing , e merged )
to come out from a place
The moon emerged from behind the clouds.
e .mer .gen .су Ф / imordpnsi/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural e • mer • gen • cies )
a sudden dangerous situation, when people need help quickly
Come quickly, doctor! It's an emergency! In an emergency, call 911 for help.
an emergency exit (= a way out of a building that can be used in an emergency )
e • mer • gen • cy room / i ' mэrdзэnsi |rum /
noun [ count ] ( abbreviation ER )
( health ) the place in a hospital where you go if you have been hurt in an accident, or if you have suddenly become very sick
em • i • grate / ' emэgreIt / verb
( em • i • grates , em • i • grat • ing , em i • grat ed )
to leave your country and go to live in another country They emigrated to Australia in the 1990s.
—Look at immigrate .
em • i • gra • tion / _|ешэ' grei/n / noun [ noncount ] emigration by poor people in search of work
Look at immigration .
e • mis • sions / i ' mijnz / noun [ plural ]
( general science ) gas, heat, etc. that is sent out into the air
carbon emissions
I need to get an emissions test for my car (= to check that emissions are not too high ) .
e • mit / I ' mit / verb ( e • mit , e • mit • ting , e mit ted ) ( formal )
to send out something such as gas, heat, light, a sound, etc. The factory is emitting toxic chemicals.
e .mo .tion Ф /imoujn/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
a strong feeling, for example love or anger They expressed mixed emotions at the news. His voice was filled with emotion.
e • mo • tion • al / i ' moujbnl /
connected with feelings emotional problems
showing strong feelings, sometimes by crying He got very emotional when we said goodbye.
em • pa • thize / ' empэ8aIZ /
( em • pa • thiz • es, em • pa • thiz • ing, em • pa • thized )
to understand how another person feels, especially because
you have been in a similar situation
She empathized with his feelings of betrayal.
em • pa • thy / ' empэ8i / noun [ noncount ]
the ability to understand how other people feel
em • per • or / ' empэrэr / noun [ count ]
( history , politics ) a man who rules a group of countries (called an empire ) the Emperor Napoleon
Look at empress .
em • pha • sis AWL / ' emfasas/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( pluralem - pha - ses / ' emfasiz / )
special importance that is given to something Our school places a lot of emphasis on science.
( english language arts ) the force that you give to a word or phrase when you are speaking; a way of writing a word to show that it is important
In the word "photographer" the emphasis is on the second syllable.
I underlined the word "urgent" for emphasis . —SYNONYM stress
em •pha • size AWL / ' emfasaiz / verb ( em - pha - siz es , em pha siz - ing , em - pha - sized )
to say something strongly to show that it is important She emphasized the importance of hard work.
—SYNONYM stress
em • pire / ' empaiar /noun [ count ]
( politics , history ) a group of countries that is controlled by one country the Roman Empire
em . ploy Ф / em'ploi / verb ( em - ploys , em - ploy - ing , em - ployed )
to pay someone to do work for you The factory employs 800 workers.
—Look at unemployed .
em • ploy • ee / em' ploii ; |emploi 'i /noun [count]
a person who works for someone
This company treats its employees very well.
em • ploy • er / em ' ploiar / noun [ count ]
a person or company that pays other people to do work
em .ploy .ment Ф / em ploimant / noun [noncount]
having a job that you are paid to do
It can be hard for young people to find employment .
—Look at unemployment .
Thesaurus
job the work that you do to earn money: My dad told me to go out and get a job . ♦ She's trying to find a full-time job . ♦ I'm only doing my job (= I'm doing what I am paid to do ) . ♦ He's looking for a job in teaching.
work the job that you do to earn money. Work is a noncount noun, so you cannot say "a work" or "works": It's very difficult to find work in this city. ♦ I've been out of work (= without a job ) for almost a year. ♦ She goes jogging every morning before work. employment the state of having a job that you are paid to do. This is a noncount noun, and is a more formal word than work and job : The company provides employment for 150 staff. ♦ I'm only looking for part-time employment right now. career the jobs that someone has in a particular area of work over a period of time. Your career often involves several jobs, which usually involve more responsibility as time passes: a teaching career ♦a career in politics ♦ Why did you decide on a career as a vet?
profession a job that needs special training and higher education: the legal profession ♦ She hopes to enter the medical profession . ♦ He's a teacher by profession .
em • pow • er / im' pauar / verb ( em - pow - ers , em pow - er ing , em - pow - ered )
to give someone more control over their own life or the situation they are in
The feminist movement empowered women and gave them more confidence.
em • press / ' empras /noun [ count ] ( pluralem . press . es )
( politics , history ) a woman who rules a group of countries (called an empire ), or the wife of an emperor (= a man who rules a group of countries )
emp .ty 1 Ф/ 'empti / adjective ( emp - ti - er , emp - ti - est )
with nothing or no one inside or on it The auditorium was almost empty. an empty box
—Look at the picture at full .
emp • ty 2 / ' empti / verb ( emp - ties , emp ty - ing , emp tied , has emp - tied )
to take everything out of something The waiter emptied the ashtrays.
We emptied our bags out onto the floor.
to become empty
The movie finished and the theater started to empty. Suffix
-en
( in verbs ) to make or become
hard en
less en
short en
weak en
en • a • ble aw / e ' neibl /
( en - a - bles , en - a - bling , en - a - bled ) ( formal )
to make it possible for someone to do something Your help enabled me to finish the work on time.
en • close / in klouz / verb ( en - clos - es , en clos ing , en - closed )
1 to put something inside a letter or package
enclose a check for $100.
to put something, for example a wall or fence, around a place on all sides
The prison is enclosed by a high wall.
en • clo • sure / in ' klou3ar / noun [ count ]
a piece of land inside a wall, fence, etc. that is used for a particular purpose a wildlife enclosure
en • coun • ter 1 AWL / in ' kauntar / verb ( en - coun - ters, en coun ter ing, en coun tered )
to experience something (a danger, difficulty, etc.) I've never encountered any discrimination at work.
en • coun • ter 2 AWL / in ' kauntar / noun [ count ]
a meeting or event, especially an unpleasant one that you were not expecting an encounter with the police
en .cour .age Ф / mы-.^/ verb
( en -cour-ag - es,en cour-ag - ing, en -cour- aged )
to give someone hope or help so that they do something or continue doing something
We encouraged him to write a book about his adventures. —ANTONYM discourage
►en • cour • ag • ing / in ' ksrid3ig / adjective
Ann's grades in school are very encouraging.
en • cour • age • ment / in ' ksr^msnt / noun
[ noncount ]
the act of encouraging someone; something you say that gives someone hope and confidence My parents have always given me a lot of encouragement . a few words of encouragement
en • cy • clo • pe • di • a / en|saikls pidis / noun [ count ] ( plural en . cy . clo . pe .di . as )
a book or CD that gives information about a lot of different things
an encyclopedia of world history
end 1 © / end /noun [ count ]
the farthest or last part of something
Turn right at the end of the street.
They were sitting at the other end of the room.
I'm going on vacation at the end of June.
We were sad because the vacation was coming to an end .
end to end
in a line with the ends touching They put the tables end to end. for...on end for a very long time He watches TV for hours on end. in the end
finally; at last
In the end it was midnight when we got home.
make ends meet
to have enough money for your needs
After her husband died it was difficult to make ends meet.
put an end to something
to stop something from happening We must put an end to this terrible war.
end 2 © / end / verb ( ends , end ing , end ed )
to stop or to finish something
What time does the movie end?
The road ends here.
Most adverbs in English end in "-ly."
We ended our vacation with a few days on the beach.
end up to finally be in a place or doing something when
you did not plan it
If she continues to steal, she'll end up in prison. I ended up doing all the work myself.
en • dan • ger / in ' deind3sr / verb
( en . dan . gers , en . dan . ger . ing , en . dan . gered )
to cause danger to someone or something Smoking endangers your health.
en • dan • gered / in ' deind3srd / adjective
(used about animals, plants, etc.) in danger of disappearing from the world (becoming extinct ) The panda is an endangered species.
end • ing / ' endig /noun [ count ]
the last part of something, for example a word, story, or movie
Nouns with the ending "—ch" form the plural with "—es." The movie has a happy ending .
end • less / endlss / adjective
never stopping or finishing; very long The journey seemed endless. ► end • less • ly / ' endlssli / adverb He talks endlessly about nothing.
en • dorse / in' dors /
( en . dors . es , en . dors . ing , en . dorsed )
to give official support to a person, plan, product, etc.
The union endorsed the Democratic candidate for
president.
en • dur • ance / in ' dursns /noun [ noncount ] the ability to continue doing something painful or uncomfortable without complaining Running a marathon is a test of endurance.
en • dure / in dur / verb ( en.dures,en . dur. ing ,en.dured )
( formal )
to suffer something that is painful or uncomfortable,
usually without complaining
The pain was almost too great to endure.
—SYNONYM bear
en .e .my Ф/ ' ensmi / noun(plural en . e . mies)
a person who hates you
He has made a lot of enemies .
the enemy [ singular ] the army or country that your country is fighting against in a war
The enemy is attacking from the north.
en • er • get • ic ЦЩН / |ensr' d3etik / adjective
full of energy so that you can do a lot of things ► en • er • get • i • cal • lyЦЩЦ / |ensr' d3etikli /adverb
en • er • gize / ' ensrd3aiz / verb ( en . er . giz . es , en . er . giz . ing , en . er . gized )
to give someone more energy
The audience was energized by his speech.
en .er .gy Ф / 'ensi^i/ noun [noncount]
the ability to be active without getting tired Children are usually full of energy .
( physics ) the power from electricity, gas, oil, etc. that is used to make machines work and to make heat and light
It is important to try to save energy . atomic energy
en • force aw ц / in ' fors / verb ( en forc . es , en forc . ing , en forced )
to make sure that people follow laws or rules How will they enforce the new law?
en • gaged / in ' geid3d / adjective
If two people are engaged , they have agreed to get married
Louise is engaged to Michael. They got engaged last year.
en • gage • ment / in 'geid3msnt / noun [count]
an agreement to marry someone
en .gine Ф / 'як^эп/ noun [count ]
a machine that makes things move a car engine
the front part of a train, which pulls the rest
en • gi • neer / |end3s ' nir / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to plan, make, or repair things like machines, roads, or bridges My brother is an electrical engineer.
en • gi • neer • ing / |end3s' nirig / noun
[noncount]
planning and making things like machines, roads, or bridges
She's studying chemical engineering at college.
En • glish / i^giij / noun
[ noncount ]
( english language arts ) the language that is spoken in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Australia, etc. Do you speak English?
en • hanceaw / in' hrens /
(en • hanc • es, en • hanc • ing , en • hanced )
to improve someone or something, or to make someone or something more attractive
an opportunity to enhance the reputation of the company makeup that enhances your best features
en .joy Ф/ in'd₃oi/ verb (en • joys,en • joy ing ,en • joyed )
to like something very much I enjoy playing soccer. Did you enjoy your dinner? enjoy yourself
to be happy; to have a good time I really enjoyed myself at the party.
en .joy .a .ble Ф / m'dpiobl / adjective
Something that is enjoyable makes you happy Thank you for a very enjoyable evening.
en .joy .ment Ф / in ' dзoImэnt /
[ count, noncount ]
a feeling of enjoying something I get a lot of enjoyment from traveling.
—SYNONYM pleasure
en • large / in ' lard3 / verb
( en • larg es , en • larg • ing , en • larged )
to make something bigger Reading will enlarge your vocabulary. ► en • large • ment / in' lardзmэnt /noun [ count, noncount ]
an enlargement of a photograph
e • nor • mous AWL / I 'normэs / adjective
very big
an enormous dog —SYNONYM huge
►e • nor • mous • lyAWL / i 'normэsli /adverb very, or very much
The movie was enormously successful.
e . nough Ф/ i nAf / adjective, pronoun, adverb
Pronunciation
The word enough sounds like stuff , because sometimes the letters -gh sound like f , in words like enough , rough and tough .
as much or as many as you need There isn't enough food for ten people. You're too thin — you don't eat enough. Is she old enough to drive? Grammar
If you have enough of something, you have the right amount: There's enough cake for everyone. In negative sentences enough means "less than": The coffee isn't hot enough. For "more than" we use too : The coffee is too hot.
en • roll / in roul / verb ( en • rolls , en • rol • ling , en • rolled )
to join a group, for example a school, college, or class. You usually pay money (called a fee ) when you enroll I've enrolled in an English course.
en • sure AWL / m'Jur / verb ( en • sures , en sur • ing , en • sured ) ( also in • sure )
( formal )
to make sure that something happens
Please ensure that all the lights are switched off before you leave.
—SYNONYM make sure
еП .ter Ф/ 'enter / verb ( en • ters , en • ter • ing , en • tered )
( formal ) to come or go into a place
They stopped talking when she entered the room. Do not enter without knocking.
to give your name to someone because you want to do something like run in a race or take an exam
I entered a competition last month and won a prize.
to put information on paper or in a computer
Please enter your name and address at the top of the form. I've entered the data into the computer.
en • ter • prise / ' entэrpraIZ / noun [ count ]
a new plan, project, or business a business enterprise
en .ter .tain Ф / гпЬгкчп/ verb
( en • ter • tains , en • ter • tain • ing , en • ter tained )
to say or do things that other people find interesting or funny
She entertained us all with her funny stories.
to give food and drink to visitors in your house We're entertaining friends this evening.
en • ter • tain • er / ^эг' tei^r / noun [count]
a person whose job is to help people have a good time, for example by singing, dancing, or telling jokes
en • ter • tain • ing / ^nter ' teinig / adjective
funny and interesting
The talk was informative and entertaining.
en . ter .tain . ment Ф / entertemmsnt /
noun [ count, noncount ]
anything that entertains people, for example movies, concerts, or television
There isn't much entertainment for young people in this town.
en .thu .si .asm Ф / en'Suziaezsm/ noun
[noncount]
a strong feeling of wanting to do something or liking something
The students showed great enthusiasm for the new project.
en • thu • si • ast / en'euzirest / noun [ count ]
a person who is very interested in an activity or a subject car enthusiasts
en . thu .si . as . tic Ф / m ou/ia-stik /
adjective
full of enthusiasm
The kids are very enthusiastic about sports. ► en • thu • si • as • ti • cal • ly / in_l6uzi ' restikli / adverb
en • tire / in ' tarar /adjective
whole or complete
We spent the entire day at the beach.
en • tire • ly / in ' ta^rM / adverb
completely
That is an entirely different question. I entirely agree with you.
en • ti • tle / in ' taitl / verb ( en • ti • tles , en • ti • tling , en • ti • tled )
to give someone the right to have or do something I've worked hard, so I think I'm entitled to a vacation.
to give a title to a book, a play, etc. His latest book is entitled "Aquarium."
en .trance © / 'nitrons/ noun
[ count ] the door, gate, or opening where you go into a place
I'll meet you at the entrance to the museum. —ANTONYM exit
[ count ] coming or going into a place He made his entrance onto the stage.
—ANTONYM exit
[ noncount ] the right to go into a place
They were refused entrance to the club because they were wearing jeans.
en • tree ( also en • tree ) / ' antrei /noun [ count ]
the main course of a meal, especially in a restaurant
The fixed price menu includes an appetizer, an entree, and
a dessert.
en • tre • pre • neur / |antrepre' пэг / noun
[ count ]
( business ) a person who makes money by starting or running businesses
en • try / ' entri /noun ( pluralen . tries )
[ noncount ] the act of going into a place
The thieves gained entry (= got in ) through a window.
—SYNONYM entrance
[ noncount ] the right to go into a place There's a sign that says "No Entry." They were refused entry into the country.
[ count ] ( also en • try . way / ' entriwei / ) a door, gate, or passage where you enter a building
We stood in the entry of the building until the rain stopped.
—SYNONYM entrance
[ count ] a person or thing that is entered in a competition
The standard of the entries was very high.
[ count ] one item that is written down in a list, dictionary, diary, etc.
an entry in a dictionary
en • Ve • lope / ' ern^loup ; ' arn^loup /noun [ count ]
a paper cover for a letter
Did you write his address on the envelope?
en • vied, en • vies
forms of envy 2
en • Vi • ous / ' en^s / adjective
wanting what someone else has She's envious of her sister's success.
—SYNONYM jealous
The noun and verb are both envy .
en • vi • ron • ment © AWL / en 'vaIэrnmэnt /
noun Spelling
Be careful! Remember to put N before M in environment .
the environment [ singular ] the air, water, land, animals, and plants around us
We must do more to protect the environment.
[ count, noncount ] the conditions in which you live, work, etc.
Children need a happy home environment. Collocations The environment environmental damage
cause climate change/global warming produce pollution/carbon dioxide/CO 2 destroy/harm the environment/wildlife pollute the environment/the air/rivers and lakes/the oceans
protecting the environment
reduce/limit pollution/emissions protect/save the planet/the rain forests/an endangered species energy and resources save/consume/waste energy dump/throw away garbage/trash/waste recycle bottles/packaging/paper/waste get/generate/produce electricity from wind/solar power
en • vi • ron • men • tal awl
/ en^a^m' mentl /adjective
connected with the natural conditions in which people, animals, and plants live; connected with the environment We talked about pollution and other environmental problems.
connected with the conditions in which you live, work, etc.
Ice on the street created an environmental hazard.
en • vi • ron • men • tal • ly AWL| / en^a^m ' men^i / adverb
environmentally friendly packaging (= that does not harm the environment )
en • vi • ron • men • tal • ist awl
/ en^a^m ' medalist /noun [ count ] a person who tries to protect the environment
en • vi • ron • men • tal • ism / en^a^m' mentэlIZэm / noun [ noncount ]
en • vy 1 / envi /noun [ noncount ]
a sad or angry feeling of wanting what another person has I couldn't hide my envy of her success. They looked with envy at her new clothes.
—SYNONYM jealousy en • vy 2 / envi /verb
( en • vies , en vy • ing , en vied , has en • vied )
to want something that someone else has; to feel envy I envy you! You always seem so happy!
en • zyme / ' enzaim /noun [ count ]
( biology ) a substance, produced by all living things, which helps a chemical change to happen more quickly, without being changed itself
ep • ic / ' epik /noun [ count ] a long movie or book that contains a lot of action His latest movie is a historical epic.
ep • i • dem • ic / ^э 'demik / noun [ count ]
( health ) a disease that many people in a place have at the same time a flu epidemic
ep • i • lep • sy / ' epslepsi / noun
[noncount]
( health ) a disease of the brain that can cause a person to become unconscious suddenly, sometimes with violent movements that they cannot control
ep • i • sode / ' epssoud / noun [ count ]
a program on television or radio that is part of a longer story
You can see the final episode of the series on Monday.
e .qual 1 ® / 'ikwol /adjective
the same in size, amount, value, or level as something or someone else
Women want equal pay for equal work. Divide the pie into six equal pieces.
—ANTONYM unequal
e • qual 2 / ' ikwsl / verb ( e . quals , e . qual . ing , e . qualed )
to be exactly the same amount as something Two plus two equals four (2 + 2 = 4).
to be as good as someone or something
This achievement is unlikely ever to be equaled.
e • qualз / ' ikwsl /noun [ count ]
a person who has the same ability or rights as someone else She treats everyone as her equal.
e • qual • i • ty / i ' kwalsti / noun
[ noncount ]
being the same or having the same rights People are still fighting for racial equality.
—ANTONYM inequality
e • qual • ly / ' ikwsli / adverb
in the same way
Diet and exercise are equally important.
in equal parts or amounts
The money was divided equally among her four children.
e • qual sign / ' ikwsl sain / )
noun [ count ]
( math ) the symbol ( = ), used in mathematics
e • qua • tion awl /1'kwei3n / noun [ count ]
( math ) a statement that two quantities are equal In the equation 2x + 5 = 11, what is the value of x?
e • qua • tor / i 'kweitsr / noun the equator
[ singular ]
( geography ) the line on maps around the middle of the world. Countries near the equator are very hot.
— Look at the picture at earth .
►e • qua • to • ri • al / |ikws ' torisl / adjective
equatorial rainforests
e • qui • lat • er • al tri • an • gle
/ |ikwil®tsrsl ' traireggl / noun [ count ] ( math ) a shape with three straight sides that are all the same length
e • qui • nox / ' ikw^naks /noun [ count ]
one of the two times in the year when the sun is above the equator , and day and night are of equal length the spring equinox the fall equinox
e • quip awl /1'kwip / verb
( e . quips ,e . quip . ping , e . quipped )
to get or have all the things that are needed for doing something
Before setting out, they equipped themselves with a map. The kitchen is well equipped .
e .quip .ment Ф /ikwipmsnt/ noun
[ noncount ]
special things that you need for doing something sports equipment a piece of equipment
e • quiv • a • lent AWL / i'kwivslsnt / adjective
equal in value, amount, meaning, importance, etc. One mile is roughly equivalent to 1.6 kilometers.
e • quiv • a • lent noun [ count ]
Send $20, or the equivalent in your own currency.
ER / |i ' ar / short for emergency room
e • ra / ' irs ; ' ers /noun [ count ] ( history ) a period of time in history the Prohibition era
e • rase / i ' reis / verb (e . ras es,e ras . ing,e . rased )
to remove something completely (for example a pencil mark, a computer file, etc.)
I like to use a pencil so that I can erase my mistakes.
e • ras • er / i 'reissr /noun [ count ]
( art ) a small piece of rubber that you use for removing marks that you have made with a pencil, pen, etc.
— Look at the picture at stationery .
e • rect1 / i ' rekt /adjective ( formal )
standing or pointing straight up He stood with his head erect.
e • rect 2 / i ' rekt / verb ( e . rects , e . rect ing , e . rect . ed )
( formal )
to build something or to make something stand up straight Police erected barriers to keep the crowds back.
e • rodeaw /i ' roud /
(e . rodes,e . rod . ing ,e rod . ed )
( geography ) to destroy something slowly, especially
caused by the weather, the ocean, etc.
The cliffs have been eroded by ocean waves.
e • ro • sionAWL / i 'rou3n / noun [ noncount ] the erosion of the coastline
e • rot • ic / i ' ratik / adjective
causing sexual excitement an erotic picture
er • rand / ersnd /noun [ count ]
a short trip to do something, for example to buy something at a store
I have to run a few errands for my mom.
er • rat • ic / i ' r®tik / adjective
changing without reason; that you can never be sure of erratic behavior
►er • rat • i • cal • ly / i ' ratikli / adverb She was driving erratically.
er . ГОГ Ф / 'егэг / noun [ count ]
something that is done wrong
The letter was sent to the wrong address because of a computer error.
I think you have made an error in calculating the total. —SYNONYM mistake
e • rupt / i ' rApt / verb ( e - rupts , e - rupt - ing , e rupt - ed )
( geography ) When a volcano (= a mountain with a hole
in the top ) erupts , smoke, hot rocks, or liquid rock (called
lava ) suddenly come out
The volcano could erupt at any time.
► e • rup • tion / i 'rApjn / noun [ count, noncount ]
a volcanic eruption
es • ca • la • tor / ' eskaleitar / noun [ count ]
moving stairs that carry people up and down
es .cape 1Ф/ iskeip/ verb
(es- capes,es - cap ing ,es caped )
to get free from someone or something The bird escaped from its cage.
Two prisoners escaped, but were later caught.
to manage to avoid something dangerous or unpleasant The pilot escaped death by seconds.
es • cape2 / i 'skeip /noun [ count, noncount ]
escaping from a place, or from a dangerous or unpleasant situation
As soon as he turned away, she would make her escape . She had a lucky escape (= something bad almost happened to her ) when a truck crashed into her car.
es • cort 1 / es ' kort / verb ( es - corts , es - cort ing , es - cort - ed )
to go with someone, for example to protect them or to make
sure that they arrive somewhere
The police escorted her out of the building.
es • cort2 / ' eskort /noun [ count ]
one or more people or vehicles that go with someone to protect them
He always travels with an armed escort . ESL / |i es ' el / abbreviation
ESL is short for "English as a second language" (= the teaching of English to speakers of other languages who are living in a country where people speak English ) .
— Look at EFL .
es .pe cial .ly Ф /ispejbli/ adverb
1 more than usual, or more than others
hate getting up early, especially in winter. She loves animals, especially horses.
for a particular person or thing
I bought these flowers especially for you.
es • pres • so / e 'spresou /noun [ count ] ( plurales - pres . sos )
a cup of strong black coffee
—Look at cappuccino , latte .
es • say / ' esei /noun [ count ]
a short piece of writing about a particular subject
Our teacher asked us to write an essay on our favorite
author.
es • sence / ' esns /noun [ noncount ]
the basic or most important quality of something
The essence of the problem is that there is not enough
money available.
es • sen • tial / i ' senjl /
If something is essential , it is completely necessary and you must have or do it
It is essential that you study hard for this exam. —SYNONYM vital
es • tab • lish awl / i 'st^blij / verb
( es - tab - lish es, es - tab - lish - ing, es - tab - lished )
to start something new
The school was established in 1932.
es • tab •lish • ment |awL / i'steblijmant /
noun
[ count ] ( formal )
an organization, business, or store a commercial establishment
[ noncount ] the act of creating or starting something the establishment of a new tax system
es • tateawl / i 'steit /noun [ count ]
a large piece of land in the country, which one person or family owns
all the money and property that someone leaves when they die
His estate was left to his daughter when he died. —Look at real estate .
es • ti • mate 1 AWL / ' estamat / noun [ count ]
a judgment about the size or cost of something before you have all the facts and figures
Can you give me a rough estimate of how many people will be there?
a statement that says how much a piece of work will cost The builders gave me an estimate for the roof repairs.
es • ti • mate 2 AWL / ' estameit / verb ( es - ti - mates , es - ti - mat ing , es - ti mat ed )
to say how much you think something will cost, how big something is, or how long it will take to do something The builders estimated that it would take a week to repair the roof.
etc. Ф / et srtoro /abbreviation
You use etc. at the end of a list to show that there are other things, but you are not going to name them all Remember to take some paper, a pen, etc. Etc. is short for "et cetera."
e • ter • nal / i ' tarnl / adjective
existing or continuing forever
They believe in eternal life (= life after death ) .
e • ter • ni • ty / i 'tarnati / noun [ noncount ]
time that has no end; the state or time after death eth • icAWU / ' eSik /noun
ethics [ plural ] moral beliefs that control or influence a person's behavior
a code of ethics for the medical profession
[ singular ] a system of moral beliefs or rules of behavior a strong work ethic
eth • i • cal aw / ' e6ikl / e
1 connected with beliefs about what is right or wrong an ethical question 2 morally correct
She didn't break the law, but her behavior certainly wasn't ethical.
eth • nic AWL / ' e9nik / adjective
connected with or belonging to a group of people that share a particular culture
New York City is home to many different ethnic minorities .
et • y • mol • o • gy / Дэ ' mabd3i / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( pluralet • y • mol • o • gies ) ( english language arts ) the study of the history of words and their meanings, or the history of one particular word What is the etymology of this word? She's an expert in etymology.
eu • ro / ' yurou /noun [ count ] ( pluraleu • ros ) ( symbol )
a unit of money that people use in many European countries: All prices are in euros.
e • vac • u • ate / I ' vrekyueit / verb ( e • vac • u ates , e • vac • u • at • ing , e • vac • u • at • ed )
to take people away from a dangerous place to a safer place The area near the factory was evacuated after the explosion.
►e • vac • u • a • tion / i|v®kyu' ei/n / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the evacuation of cities during the war
e • val • u • ate awl| / i 'v®iyueit / verb
( e • val • u • ates , e • val • u • at • ing , e • val • u • at • ed )
to form an opinion about how good something is, after thinking about it carefully
We need to evaluate the program to see if it is still effective.
►e • val • u • a • tion AWB / i|v®lyu'ei/n / noun
[ count, noncount ]
an evaluation of our training procedures
e • vap • o • rate / i ' vжpэreIt /
(e-vap • o • rates, e- vap • o rat • ing, e. vap o rat • ed )
( physics ) If a liquid evaporates , it changes into a gas Water evaporates if you heat it.
eve / iv /noun [ count ]
the day before a special day December 24 is Christmas Eve .
I went to a party on New Year's Eve (= December 31 ) . e . ven 1Ф/ ivon /adverb
a word that you use to say that something is surprising The game is so easy that even a child can play it.
He didn't laugh — he didn't even smile.
a word that you use to make another word stronger Their house is even smaller than ours.
even if
it does not change anything if
Even if you run, you won't catch the bus.
even so
although that is true
I didn't have any lunch, but even so I'm not hungry. even though
although
I went to the party, even though I was tired. e • ven2 / ' ^эп / adjective
1 flat and smooth
The game must be played on an even surface. —ANTONYM uneven
not changing
The wine should be stored at an even temperature.
the same; equal
Sara won the first game and I won the second, so we're even.
( math ) Even numbers can be divided exactly by two 4, 6, 8, and 10 are even numbers.
—ANTONYM odd
get even with someone
( informal )
to hurt someone who has hurt you
eve . Iling Ф/ 'mug /noun [ count, noncount ] the part of the day between the end of the afternoon and the night
What are you doing this evening ? Most people watch television in the evening . John came on Monday evening. good evening ( formal )
words that you say when you see someone for the first time in the evening
e • ven • ly / ' ivmli / adverb
in a smooth, regular, or equal way The teams were evenly balanced. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan.
e .vent Ф / i'vent / noun [ count ]
something important that happens
My sister's wedding was a big event for our family.
a race or competition
The next event will be the high jump.
e • vent • ful / i ventfl / adjective
full of important or exciting things happening It's been a pretty eventful week!
e • ven • tu • al aw / i ' vent/Ml /
happening as a result at the end of a period of time or of a process
We still don't know what the eventual cost will be.
e • ven • tu • al • ly AWL / I 'ven^li / adverb
after a long time
The bus eventually arrived two hours late.
eV .er Ф / rvor/ adverb
at any time
"Have you ever been to Africa?" "No, I haven't." I hardly ever (= almost never ) see Peter. ever since
in all the time since
I've known Lucy ever since we were children. — Look at forever .
ev • er • green / ' evэrgrin / noun [ count ]
a tree or bush that has green leaves all through the year
eve . ry Ф / evri / adjective
all of the people or things in a group She knows every student in the school.
used for saying how often something happens He calls every evening .
I see Robert every now and then (= sometimes, but not often ) .
She comes every other day (= for example on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday but not on Tuesday or Thursday ) .
eve . ry . bod . У Ф / 'evri^adi ; 'evri^Adi /
pronoun
another word for everyone eve • ry • day / ' evridei / adjective
normal; not special
Computers are now part of everyday life .
eve . ry . oneФ/ 'evriwAn / (also eve. ry bod.y)
pronoun
each person; all people Everyone knows Tom. Everyone has a chance to win. Which word? Everyone or someone?
You use someone for one person: Someone is singing outside my window. You use everyone for all people: Everyone was singing "Happy Birthday."
eve .ry .thing Ф / гупОп,/ pronoun
each thing; all things
Sam lost everything in the fire. Everything in that store is very expensive.
the most important thing Money isn't everything, you know.
eve .ry .where Ф / evriwer / adverb
in all places or to all places
I've looked everywhere for my pen, but I can't find it. e • vict / i ' vikt / verb ( e • victs , e • vict • ing , e • vict • ed )
to officially force someone to leave the house they are living in
They were evicted for not paying the rent.
ev . i .dence Ф E / ' evэdэns /
[noncount]
the facts, signs, or objects that make you believe that something is true
The police searched the room, looking for evidence. There is evidence of a link between smoking and cancer. give evidence
to say what you know about someone or something in a court of law
The man who saw the accident will give evidence in court.
ev • i • dent aw / ' evэdэnt / ye
easy to see or understand
It was evident that the damage was very serious. —SYNONYM obvious
ev • i • dent • ly aw / ' evэdэntli /
clearly; that can be easily seen or understood She was evidently very upset.
—SYNONYM obviously
в . Vi I 1Ф / ivl / adjective
morally bad and cruel an evil person
e • vil2 / ' ivl / noun [ count, noncount ] something that causes bad or harmful things to happen the struggle between good and evil illegal drugs and other evils of modern society
ev • o • lu • tion AW / ^э 'lujn / noun [noncount]
( biology ) the development of plants and animals from simple early forms, which happens over a long period of time
Darwin's theory of evolution
►ev • o • lu • tion • ar • y AWL / ^э 'lujneri / adjective
evolutionary theories
e • volve aw / i ' valv /
( e • volves , e volv • ing , e • volved )
to develop slowly over time
His style of painting has evolved over the past 20 years.
( biology ) If plants or animals evolve , they change slowly over a long period of time from simple forms to more advanced ones
The three species evolved from a single ancestor.
ex .act Ф / ig'zsekt/adjective
completely correct
We need to know the exact time the incident occurred. eX .aCt . ly Ф / ig'zsektli / adverb
You use exactly when you are asking for or giving information that is completely correct
Can you tell me exactly what happened? It cost exactly $10.
—SYNONYM precisely
in every way or detail
This shirt is exactly what I wanted.
—SYNONYM just
You use exactly to agree with someone
"So you mean someone in this room must be the thief?" "Exactly."
ex .ag .ger .ate Ф / ig'zaedpreit/ verb
( ex • ag ger ates , ex • ag ger at • ing ,
ex • ag • ger • at • ed )
Spelling
Remember! You spell exaggerate with GG .
to say that something is bigger, better, worse, etc. than it really is
Don't exaggerate! I was only two minutes late, not twenty. ► ex • ag • ger • a • tion / Ig|Zredзэ ' reijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
It's a bit of an exaggeration to say she can't speak English!
ex . am Ф / ig'zaem /noun [ count ]
a test of what you know or can do
We have an English exam next week.
"Did you pass all your exams?" "No, I failed history."
Collocations
Work and exams
doing
do your homework/an assignment/a paper/an essay write a paper/an essay/a report turn in/hand in your homework/an assignment/a paper
take a test/an exam/a quiz passing/failing
grade homework/a test
pass/do well on a test/an exam/a quiz
fail a test/an exam/a class
get a good grade/an A/a B/a diploma
ex • am • i • na • tion w/ ig^sems'neijn / noun
[ count, noncount ] the act of looking carefully at someone or something
a medical examination
[ count ] ( formal ) another word for exam
ex .am . ine Ф/ ig'zaemsn/ verb ( ex • am • ines , ex • am • in • ing , ex • am ined )
1 to look carefully at something or someone
The doctor examined her, but could find nothing wrong.
Have the car examined by an expert before you buy it.
2 ( formal ) to ask questions to find out what someone knows or what they can do
You will be examined on everything you have learned this year.
ex .am .pie Ф / ig' zrempl /noun [ count ]
something that shows what other things of the same kind are like
This dictionary gives many examples of how words are used in sentences.
for example
used for giving an example
Do you speak any other languages, for example Spanish or French?
The short way of writing "for example" is e.g.
ex • as • per • at • ed / ig' z®sps|reitid /
adjective
feeling angry with something or someone
"Oh, come on!" she said, clearly exasperated with me.
ex • ceedaw / ik ' sid /
( ex . ceeds , ex . ceed ing , ex . ceed ed )
to be more than a particular number or amount The weight must not exceed 20 pounds. The noun is excess .
ex • cel / ik ' sel / verb ( ex . cels , ex . cel . ling , ex celled )
( formal )
to be very good at doing something Anne excels in sports.
ex • cel • lence / eksslsns /noun
[ noncount ]
being very good
This school is known for academic excellence.
ex .cel . lent Ф / 'ekssbnt/ adjective
very good
She speaks excellent Spanish.
eX .Cept Ф / ik'sept / preposition
not including someone or something
The restaurant is open every day except Sunday.
Everyone went to the party except for me.
except that
used before you say something that makes a statement not completely true
I don't know what he looks like, except that he's very tall.
ex • cep • tion / ik sepjn /noun [ count ]
a person or thing that is not the same as the others Most of his books are good, but this one is an exception. with the exception of someone or something
except
I like all vegetables with the exception of cabbage. —SYNONYM apart from
ex • cep • tion • al / ik' sep/snl /
very good, especially if this is unusual She is an exceptional pianist.
ex • cep • tion • al • ly / ik' sep/snli / adverb He was an exceptionally good student.
ex • cess / ik' ses /noun [ singular ] more than is necessary or usual An excess of stress can make you sick.
ex • cess / ekses / adjective
Cut any excess fat off the meat. The verb is exceed .
ex • ces • sive / ik ' sesiv / adjective
too much or too great
I think $40 for a steak is excessive.
The police officer was accused of using excessive force .
► ex • ces • sive • ly / ik ' sesivli / adverb
ex .change 1 ©/iks'tpem^/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
giving or receiving something in return for something else a useful exchange of information
We can offer free accommodations in exchange for some help in the house.
— Look at stock exchange .
ex .change 2Ф / iks'ticmd^/ verb
(ex . chang.es,ex . chang . ing ,ex.changed)
to give one thing and get another thing for it I would like to exchange this skirt for a bigger size. We exchanged phone numbers.
ex • change rate / iks ' tjeind3 |reit / noun
[ count ]
( business ) how much money from one country you can
buy with money from another country
The exchange rate is 0.7 euros to the dollar.
ex • cite / ik' sait / verb ( ex . cites , ex . cit ing , ex . cit ed )
to make a person feel very happy or enthusiastic so that they are not calm
Please don't excite the children too much or they won't sleep tonight.
ex .cit .ed Ф / ik'saitod /adjective
not calm, for example because you are happy about
something that is going to happen
He's getting very excited about his vacation.
ex .cite .ment Ф /.ksa.tmont/ noun
[noncount]
a feeling of being excited
There was great excitement in the stadium before the game began.
ex .cit .ing Ф / ik'saitir) /adjective
Something that is exciting makes you have strong feelings of happiness and enthusiasm an exciting story
Her new job sounds very exciting.
ex • claim / ik skleim / verb ( ex . claims , ex claim . ing , ex claimed )
to say something suddenly and loudly because you are
surprised or angry
"I don't believe it!" she exclaimed.
ex • cla • ma • tion / |ekskls ' meijn / noun
[count]
( english language arts ) a short word or phrase that you use to show surprise, pain, happiness, etc. "Oh," "Hey," and "Wow" are exclamations. He gave an exclamation of surprise.
—SYNONYM interjection
ex • cla • ma • tion point
/ |ekskls 'meijn |point /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a mark ( ! ) that you use in
writing to show loud or strong words, or surprise
ex • cludeaw / ik ' sklud /
( ex - cludes , ex clud ing , ex - clud ed )
to deliberately not include something The price excludes tax.
—ANTONYM include
to not allow a person to enter a place or do an activity Students were excluded from the meeting.
ex • clud • ing AWL| / ik ' skludig / preposition
without
The meal cost $45, excluding drinks. —ANTONYM including
ex • cur • sion / ik' skar3n /noun [ count ]
a short trip to see something interesting or to enjoy yourself We're going on an excursion to the island on Sunday.
ex . cuse 1 © / ik'skyus / noun [ count ] Pronunciation
When the word excuse is a noun, it ends with a sound like juice or loose .
When the word excuse is a verb, it ends with a sound like shoes or choose .
words you say or write to explain why you have done something wrong
You're late! What's your excuse this time? There's no excuse for rudeness.
ex .cuse 2Ф/ ikskyuz/ verb ( ex -cus-es,ex cus - ing ,ex - cused )
used when you want to say that you are sorry for something that is not very bad
Please excuse us for being late — we missed the bus.
excuse me
words you use when you want to start talking to someone you do not know
Excuse me, could you tell me the time?
words you use to say that you are sorry Did I step on your foot? Excuse me.
Excuse me? words you use to ask someone to repeat what they just said
"Is this your bag?" "Excuse me?" "I asked if this was your bag."
ex • e • cute / ' eksakyut / verb (ex - e - cutes,ex e cut - ing ,ex -e - cut ed )
to kill a person as a legal punishment He was executed for murder. ► ex • e • cu • tion / |eksa ' kyujn /noun
[ count, noncount ]
the execution of prisoners
ex • ec • u • tive 1 / ig 'zekyativ / noun [ count ]
( business ) a person who has an important position in a business or organization
ex • ec • u • tive 2 / ig ' zekyativ / adjective
( business ) connected with managing and making decisions in a business or organization
an executive director of a company executive decisions
( politics ) connected with the part of the government that makes decisions about running the country
the executive branch of the federal government Word building The U.S. Government The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch .
The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
ex • empt / ig' zempt / adjective
If you are exempt from something, you do not have to do it Are full-time students exempt from jury duty?
ex .er .cise 1Ф / '.-ksorsaiz/ noun
[ noncount ] ( health ) moving your body to keep it strong and well
Swimming is very good exercise. Collocations Diet and Exercise healthy eating
eat a healthy/balanced diet be on/go on a diet
avoid/cut down on alcohol/caffeine/fatty foods staying healthy
be/get/stay healthy/in shape put on/gain/lose weight/a few pounds watch/control your weight exercise
get regular/plenty of exercise do yoga/aerobics play football/hockey/tennis go cycling/jogging/swimming
[ count ] ( health ) a special movement that you do to keep your body strong and well
This exercise is good for your back.
[ count ] a piece of work that you do to learn something Please do exercises 1 and 2 for homework.
ex • er • cise2 / ' eksarsaiz /verb ( ex - er- cis - es , ex - er - cis - ing , ex - er - cised ) ( health ) to move your body to keep it strong and well They exercise in the park every morning.
ex • er • tion / ig' zarjn / noun [ noncount ]
using your body in a way that takes a lot of effort
You should avoid any physical exertion for the next four
weeks.
ex • hale / eks ' heil / verb (ex - hales, ex - hal - ing, ex - haled )
( biology ) to let air, smoke, etc. out of your body by breathing
He sat back and exhaled deeply. —ANTONYM inhale ex • haust1 / ig' zost / noun
[ noncount ] the waste gas that comes out of a vehicle, an engine, or a machine
car exhaust
( also ex . haust pipe / ig 'zost paip / ) a pipe through which waste gases come out, for example on a car —SYNONYM tailpipe
ex • haust 2 / ig zost / verb ( ex - hausts , ex haust - ing , ex - haust - ed )
to make you feel very tired
The long trip exhausted us.
► ex • haust • ing / ig ' zostig / adjective
Teaching young children can be exhausting.
ex • haust • ed / ig' zostэd /
very tired
I'm exhausted — I think I'll go to bed.
ex • haus • tion / ig 'zostjbn / noun [ noncount ]
being extremely tired suffering from exhaustion
ex • hib • it 1 AWL / ig ' z^t / (also ex • hi . bi . tion
/ ^э 'bijn / )noun [ count, noncount ]
( art ) an object or a group of objects that are arranged in a
museum, etc. so that people can look at them
a special exhibit of works by local artists
Her paintings will be on exhibit through the end of August.
ex • hib • it 2 aw щ / ig' z^t / verb ( ex . hib . its , ex hib it • ing , ex • hib • it • ed )
( art ) to show something in a public place for people to look at
Her photographs have been exhibited all over the world.
ex • hi • bi • tion AWB / ^э 'bin / noun
[ count, noncount ] another word forexhibit 1
ex • ile / egzail ; eksail /noun ( politics )
[ noncount ] having to live away from your own country, especially for political reasons or as a punishment Napoleon spent the last years of his life in exile .
[ count ] a person who has to live away from their own country
ex .ist ® / ig'zist / verb ( ex . ists , ex • ist • ing , ex ist ed )
to be real; to live
Does life exist on other planets?
That word does not exist.
ex • is • tence / ig' z^ns / noun [ noncount ]
being real; living
It is the oldest language in existence .
ex • ist • ing / ig' zistig / adjective
that is already there or being used now
Under the existing law, you are not allowed to work in this
country.
ex . it © / 'egzst; 'eksst /noun [ count ]
a way out of a building Where is the exit?
an emergency exit
—ANTONYM entrance
a place where cars can leave a highway We need to get off at the next exit.
ex • ot • ic / ig' zatik / adjective
strange or interesting because it comes from another
country
exotic fruits
ex • pandaw / ik ' sprend /
( ex.pands,ex•pand ing ,ex•pand • ed )
to become bigger or to make something bigger Metals expand when they are heated. We hope to expand the business this year.
—Look at contract 2 .
►ex • pan • sion AWL| / ik' spren/n / noun
[noncount]
The city's rapid expansion has caused a lot of problems.
ex . pect ©/ ik'spekt / verb ( ex . pects , ex pect ing , ex • pect • ed )
to think that someone or something will come, or that something will happen
I'm expecting a letter.
We expected it to be hot in Hawaii, and it was .
She's expecting a baby (= she is going to have a baby ) in
June.
If you are expected to do something, you must do it I am expected to work every Saturday.
ex • pec • ta • tion / lekspek' teijn /noun [ count, noncount ] a belief that something will happen Against all expectations , we enjoyed ourselves.
ex • pe • di • tion / |ekspэ'dijn / noun [ count ]
a long trip to find or do something special an expedition to the South Pole Thesaurus
trip an act of traveling from one place to another, and usually back again. A trip can be short or long, and can be for business or pleasure: a business trip ♦ a round-the-world trip ♦ a trip to the grocery store ♦ They took a trip down the river. ♦ We just got back from our trip to Japan. We had a great time. travel the general activity of moving from place to place. With this meaning, travel is a noncount noun. A person's travels are the time he or she spends traveling, especially in foreign countries and for pleasure: air/rail/space travel ♦ Foreign travel is very popular these days. ♦ The book is about her travels around Europe.
journey a long and often difficult trip from one place to another: It was a dangerous journey across the mountains. ♦ They continued their journey on foot. expedition a long, organized trip to find out about a place or to do something special: He led the first expedition to the North Pole. ♦ She made two expeditions to Brazil to study the wild plants. voyage a long trip by water or in space: The Titantic sank on its first voyage. ♦ The spacecraft began its voyage to Jupiter.
ex • pel / ik ' spel / verb ( ex . pels , ex • pel • ling , ex • pelled )
to send someone away from a school, an organization, or a country: The boys were expelled from school for smoking.
ex • pense / ik spens / noun
1 [ count, noncount ] the cost of something Having a car is a big expense. Thesaurus
price the money that you have to pay to buy something: What's the price of gas now? ♦ We can't afford the car at that price. ♦ house prices cost the money that you need to buy, make, or do something: The cost of electricity is going up. ♦ A new computer system was installed at a cost of$80,000. ♦ the cost of living (= the amount of money you need to pay for food, clothes, and a place to live ) charge the money that you pay for goods or services: Is there a charge for parking here? ♦ Delivery is free of charge (= costs nothing ) .
fee the money you pay to go into a place, or for professional advice or services from doctors, lawyers, colleges, etc.: Some lawyers charge extremely high fees for their services. ♦ an annual membership fee ♦ tuition fees
expense the money you spend on something, or something that makes you spend money: The house was decorated at great expense. ♦ Owning a car is a big expense.
2expenses [ plural ] money that you spend on a certain thing
The company pays our travel expenses .
ex .pen .sive Ф /ik'spensiv/ adjective
Something that is expensive costs a lot of money
expensive clothes
The meal was very expensive.
—ANTONYM cheap
ex .pe .ri .ence 10/ikspirbns/noun
[ noncount ] knowing about something because you have seen it or done it
She has four years' teaching experience.
Do you have much experience of working with children?
[ count ] something that has happened to you
He wrote a book about his experiences in South America.
ex . pe . ri. ence 2© / ikspirbns / verb
( ex . pe . ri enc . es , ex . pe . ri . enc ing , ex pe . ri . enced )
If you experience something, it happens to you Everyone experiences failure at some time in their lives.
ex • pe • ri • enced / ik' spirbnst /
If you are experienced , you know about something because you have done it many times before She's an experienced driver.
—ANTONYM inexperienced
ex • per • i • ment / ik' sperэmэnt / verb
( ex . per . i ments , ex . per . i . ment . ing , ex per . i . ment ed )
to do an experiment or to test something I don't think it's right to experiment on animals. young people who experiment with (= try ) illegal drugs
ex .per .i .ment © / ik ' sperэmэnt /
[count]
( general science ) a scientific test that you do to find out what will happen or to see if something is true They have to do experiments to find out if the drug is safe for humans.
eX . pert © / 'ekspsrt /noun [ count ]
a person who knows a lot about something He's an expert on American literature. a computer expert
ex • per • tise AWL / |ekspэr' tiz / noun
[noncount]
knowing a lot about a particular subject, activity, or job scientific expertise
ex • pire / ik ' sparar / verb (ex . pires, ex pir ing , ex . pired )
to come to the end of the time when you can use an official document
I need to renew my driver's license before it expires next month.
ex .plain Ф/iksplem/ verb ( ex . plains , ex . plain . ing , ex plained )
1 to tell someone about something so that they understand it
The teacher usually explains the new words to us. He explained how to use the machine.
Style
We say "Explain it to me ." It is wrong to say "Explain me it."
2 to give a reason for something I explained why we needed the money.
ex .pla .na .tion ©/^kspbneijn/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that helps someone understand something, or a reason for something
Did they give any explanation for their behavior?
ex • plic • it aw / ik ' spl^t / v
clear; making something easy to understand
She gave me explicit instructions not to touch anything.
ex • plic • it • ly AWL / ik' spl^tH / adverb
He was explicitly forbidden to stay out past midnight.
ex • plode Ф/ ik'sploud / verb ( ex . plodes , ex plod . ing , ex . plod . ed )
to burst suddenly with a very loud noise A bomb exploded in the city center, killing two people. The noun is explosion .
ex • ploit AWL / ik ' sploit / verb ( ex . ploits , ex . ploit . ing , ex . ploit . ed )
to treat someone badly to get what you want
Some employers exploit workers, making them work long
hours for low pay.
ex . plore Ф / ik'splor / verb
( ex . plores , ex plor ing , ex . plored )
to travel around a new place to learn about it They explored the area on foot.
ex • plo • ra • tion / |ekspb ' reijn / noun
[ count, noncount ] the exploration of space ex • plor • er / ik ' splorer / noun [ count ]
a person who travels around a new place to learn about it The first European explorers arrived in America in the 15th century.
ex • plo . Sion Ф / iksplou3n / noun [ count ]
the sudden bursting and loud noise of something such as a bomb exploding
There was an explosion, and pieces of glass flew
everywhere.
The verb is explode .
ex • plo • sive / ik ' splousiv /adjective ( chemistry ) Something that is explosive can cause an explosion an explosive gas
ex • plo • sive noun [ count ] ( chemistry )
a substance that can make things explode
ex • port 1 AWL / ek ' sport / verb ( ex . ports , ex . port . ing , ex . port . ed )
( business ) to sell things to another country Japan exports cars to the United States.
—ANTONYM import
ex • port • erА^Д / ek ' sportar /noun [ count ]
the world's biggest exporter of oil —ANTONYM importer
ex • port2AWL / ' eksport /noun ( business )
[ noncount ] selling things to another country These cars are made for export .
[ count ] something that you sell to another country The country's main exports are tea and cotton.
^ANTONYM import
ex • pose AWL / ik' spouz / verb (ex.pos es,ex.pos . ing ,ex posed )
to show something that is usually covered or hidden He undid his top button, exposing his neck.
The newspaper exposed her terrible secret.
to put someone in a difficult or dangerous situation
A baby's skin should not be exposed to the sun for too long.
ex • po • sure AWL / ik ' spou3sr / noun
[noncount]
being put in a difficult or dangerous situation Exposure to radiation is harmful.
ex • press 1 / ik' spres / verb ( ex.press.es,ex . press. ing ,ex . pressed )
to say or show how you think or feel She expressed her ideas well.
ex • press2 / ik' spres /adjective
that goes or is sent very quickly an express bus express mail ► ex • pressadverb
I sent the package express.
ex . pres . sion Ф / ik'sprejn / noun [ count ]
the look on your face that shows how you feel an expression of surprise
( english language arts ) a word or group of words; a way of saying something
The expression "to drop off" means "to fall asleep."
ex • pres • sive / ik ' spresiv / adjective
showing feelings or thoughts an expressive piece of music Hannah has a very expressive face.
ex • press • way / ik' spreswei / ( also free . way
/ friwei / )noun [ count ] a wide road where vehicles can travel fast Turn right and get on the expressway.
ex • pul • sion / ik' spAlJn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the official act of making someone leave a school, an organization, or a country
There have been three expulsions from school this year. The verb is expel .
ex • qui • site / ik ' skwizst / adjective
extremely beautiful She has an exquisite face.
ex • tend / ik stend / verb ( ex . tends , ex tend . ing , ex tend . ed )
to make something longer or bigger
I'm extending my vacation for another week.
to reach or stretch over an area The park extends as far as the river.
ex • tend • ed fam • i • ly /ik|stendsd ' femsli /
noun [ count ] ( plural ex tend . ed fam . i . lies )
a large family group that includes uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, etc.
Are you planning to invite your whole extended family to the wedding?
ex • ten • sion / ik stenjn / noun
1 [ count, noncount ] the act of making something bigger or longer
the extension of the president's powers
[ count ] a new part that you add to a building to make it bigger
They built an extension on the back of the house.
[ count ] extra time that you are allowed to do something
I need to ask my tutor for an extension on my English paper.
[ count ] one of the telephones in a building that is connected to the main telephone
Can I have extension 4110, please?
ex • ten • sive / ik' stensiv / adjective
large in area or amount
The house has extensive grounds.
Many buildings suffered extensive damage .
ex • tent / ik ' stent /noun [ noncount ]
how big something is
I had no idea of the full extent of the problem (= how big it was ) .
to a certain extent ; to some extent
used to show that you do not think something is completely true
I agree with you to a certain extent.
ex • te • ri • or / ik stirisr / noun
[ count , usually singular ]
the outside part of something, especially a building We painted the exterior of the house white.
—ANTONYM interior
ex • te • ri • or adjective
an exterior door —ANTONYM interior
ex • ter • nalaw / ik ' stsrnl / •
on, of, or from the outside external walls —ANTONYM internal
ex • tinct / ik ' stigkt /adjective ( biology ) If a type of animal or plant is extinct , it does not exist now
Dinosaurs became extinct millions of years ago.
ex • tinc • tion / ik'stigkjn / noun [ noncount ] The panda is in danger of extinction.
ex • tin • guish / ik' stiggwij / verb ( ex . tin . guish . es , ex tin . guish . ing , ex . tin guished )
( formal )
to make something stop burning
It took several hours to extinguish the fire.
—SYNONYM put out
ex . tra 1 Ф / 'ekstrs /adjective, adverb
more than what is usual
I've put an extra blanket on your bed because it's cold tonight.
The room costs $100, and you have to pay extra for breakfast.
ex • tra2 / ' ekstrs /noun [ count ]
a person in a movie, etc. who has a small, not important part, for example in a crowd
something that costs more, or that is not usually included All the little extras added $300 to the cost of the computer.
ex • tract 1 AWL / ik' strrekt / verb ( ex . tracts , ex tract . ing , ex tract . ed ) ( formal )
to take something out, especially with difficulty
We'll have to extract two teeth to make room for the new
ones.
ex • tract2AWL / ' ekstrakt /noun [ count ]
( english language arts , music ) a part of a book, piece of
music, etc. that shows what the rest is like
We're reading extracts of Thoreau and Emerson this
semester.
ex • tra • cur • ric • u • lar / |ekstraka ' rikyalar /
adjective
not part of the usual studies at a school or college
His extracurricular activities include sports and music
lessons.
ex • traor • di •nar • y / ik ' strainer! /
adjective
very unusual or strange
What an extraordinary thing to say!
ex • trav • a • gant / ik ' stravagant / adjective
If you are extravagant , you spend too much money He's pretty extravagant — he goes everywhere by taxi. ► ex • trav • a • gance / ik ' stravagans /noun [ count, noncount ]
the act or habit of spending too much money There are no limits to his extravagance.
ex .treme Ф / ikstrim/ adjective
very great or strong
the extreme cold of the Arctic
If you say that a person is extreme , you mean that their ideas are too strong.
as far away as possible
They came from the extreme north of Alaska.
ex .treme . ly Ф / ikstrimli/ adverb
very
He's extremely good-looking.
ex • treme sports / i^strim ' sports / noun
[ plural ]
( sports ) sports that are very exciting and often dangerous to do
ex • tro • vert / ' ekstravart /noun [ count ]
a person who is confident and prefers being with other people to being alone
—ANTONYM introvert eye Ф / ai /noun [ count ]
one of the two parts in your head that you see with She has blue eyes. Open your eyes!
eye
catch someone's eye
to make someone look at you
Try to catch the waiter's eye the next time he comes this way.
If something catches your eye , you see it suddenly Her bright yellow hat caught my eye.
in someone's eyes
in the opinion of someone
Richard is 42, but in his mother's eyes, he's still a little boy! keep an eye on someone or something
to watch someone or something to make sure it is safe Will you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?
see eye to eye with someone
to agree with someone
Mr. Harper doesn't always see eye to eye with his neighbors.
eye • ball / ' aibol /noun [ count ]
( biology ) the whole eye, including the part that is inside the head
eye • brow / aibrau / noun
[count]
one of the two lines of hair above your eyes
eye • glass • es / ' aiglasaz / noun [ plural ] = glasses
eye • lash / ' ad®/ /noun [ count ]
( plural eye - lash - es ) ( also lash / 1ж/ / )
one of the hairs that grow in a line on your eyelid She has beautiful long eyelashes.
eye • lid / ' ailid /noun [ count ]
the piece of skin that can move to close your eye
eye • shad • ow / ' aijtedou /noun [ noncount ]
color that is put on the skin over the eyes to make them look more attractive
eye • sight / ' aisait /noun [ noncount ]
the ability to see
Your eyesight is very good.
Ff
F, f / ef /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralF's, f's / efs / ) the sixth letter of the English alphabet
"Father" begins with an "F."
F ( general science ) abbreviation of Fahrenheit
Water freezes at 32°F.
F the lowest grade that is given for a test or piece of work. An F means that the person has failed
I got an F on my essay and had to write it again.
fa • ble / ' feibl /noun [count]
( english language arts ) a short story, usually about animals, that teaches people a lesson (called a moral )
fab • ric / ' frebrik /noun
[ count, noncount ]
cloth that is used for making things such as clothes cotton fabrics
fab • u • lous / ' fжbyэlэs / adjective
very good
The food smells fabulous! —SYNONYM wonderful
face 1 Ф / feis /noun [ count ]
the front part of your head Have you washed your face? She had a smile on her face. Collocations Physical Appearance face
blue/green/brown eyes pale/flushed/rosy cheeks white/perfect/crooked teeth a long/short/neat beard hair and skin pale/fair/dark skin smooth/wrinkled skin straight/curly/wavy hair a bald/shaved head
the front or one side of something a clock face
He put the cards face down on the table.
face to face
If two people are face to face , they are looking straight at each other
They stood face to face. keep a straight face
to not smile or laugh when something is funny I couldn't keep a straight face when he dropped his watch in the soup!
make a face
to move your mouth and eyes to show that you do not like something
She made a face when she saw what was for dinner. to someone's face
If you say something to someone's face , you say it when that person is with you
I wanted to say that I was sorry to her face, not on the phone.
jaw
face
face 2 © / feis / verb ( fac es , fac ing , faced )
to have your face or front toward something Can you all face the front of the class, please? My bedroom faces the backyard.
to deal with an unfriendly person or a difficult situation I can't face going to work today — I'm too sick.
let's face it ( informal ) we must agree that it is true Let's face it — you're not very good at math.
face-lift ( also face .lift ) / ' feislift /noun [ count ]
a medical operation to make your face look younger
fa • cial / ' feijl/ adjective
connected with the face a facial expression facial hair
fa • cil • i • tate awl / 1э' sibteit / verb
( fa . cil . i tates , fa • cil • i • tat • ing , fa • cil • i tat • ed )
( formal ) to make something possible or easier teaching techniques that facilitate learning
fa • cil • i • ties AWB / f³ ' sifetiz / noun [ plural ]
services, rooms, equipment, etc. that make it possible to do something
Our school has very good sports facilities .
fact Ф / fsekt /noun [ count ]
something that you know has happened or is true It's a fact that the earth travels around the sun. in fact ; in actual fact
used to show that something is true; really
I thought she was 21 years old, but in actual fact she's only
19.
I think I saw him — in fact, I'm sure I did.
fac • torAWL| / ' freter /noun [ count ]
one of the things that influence a situation, a decision, etc.
Cost was a major factor in deciding where I went to college.
( math ) a whole number by which a larger number can be divided
2, 3, 4, and 6 are factors of 12.
faC .tO . ГУ Ф / 'faektori / noun [ count ] ( plural fac . to . ries )
a place where people make things, usually with machines He works at the automobile factory.
fac • tu • al / ' fre^f^l / adjective
based on or containing facts a factual account of events
fac • ul • ty / freklti /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralfac . ul . ties )
the people who teach at a school, college, or university She is on the faculty at Columbia Business School. a faculty meeting
fade / feid / verb ( fades , fad ing , fad . ed )
to become lighter in color or less strong Will this shirt fade when I wash it? The cheers of the crowd faded away .
Fahr • en • heit / ' ferenhait /noun [ noncount ]
( abbreviation F )
( general science ) a way of measuring temperature. Water freezes at 32° Fahrenheit and boils at 212° Fahrenheit
110°F
— Look at Celsius .
fail 1 ©/feil/ verb (fails ,fail ing ,failed )
to not pass an exam or test She failed her driving test again. How many students failed last year?
—ANTONYM pass
to try to do something but not be able to do it He played well but failed to win the match.
—ANTONYM succeed
to not do something that you should do The driver failed to stop at a red light.
fail 2 / feil / noun without fail
certainly
Be there at twelve o'clock without fail! fail . ureО / 'feilyor / noun
[ noncount ] lack of success
The search for the missing children ended in failure.
[ count ] a person or thing that does not do well
I felt that I was a failure because I didn't have a job.
—ANTONYM success
faint 1 / feint / adjective ( faint .er , faint .est )
not clear or strong
We could hear the faint sound of music in the distance.
If you feel faint , you feel that you are going to fall, for example because you are sick or tired.
faint 2 / feint / verb ( faints, faint . ing , faint . ed )
to suddenly become unconscious for a short time, for example because you are weak or sick She fainted as soon as she saw the blood.
fai Г 1 ® / fer / adjective ( fair er , fair est)
treating people in an equal way or in the right way
It's not fair ! Why do I have to go to bed before my sister? They didn't get a fair trial.
—ANTONYM unfair
good or big enough, but not very good or big They've invited a fair number of people to their party. I would describe the service in this restaurant as fair.
(used about a person's skin or hair) light in color He has fair hair.
—ANTONYM dark
(used about the weather) bright and not raining
fai r 2 / fer /noun
[ count ]
a place outside where you can ride on big machines and play games to win prizes
( business ) a large event where people and businesses show and sell the things they make
a book fair a world trade fair
fair • ly / ' ferli /adverb
more than a little, but not very She speaks French fairly well. I'm fairly certain it was him.
in a way that is right and honest This company treats its workers fairly.
—ANTONYM unfairly
fai r • y / feri /noun [ count ] ( pluralfair . ies )
a very small person in stories. Fairies have wings and can do magic.
fair • y tale / ' fen teil / noun [ cou nt ]
( english language arts ) a story for children that is about magic
faith / fei6 /noun
1 [ noncount ] feeling sure that someone or something is good, right, or honest
have great faith in your ability to do the job (= I'm sure that you can do it ) .
[ count ] ( religion ) a religion the Jewish faith
faith • ful / ' feiefl / adjective
always ready to support your friends; not changing a faithful friend
fake / feik /noun [ count ]
a copy of something that seems real but is not This painting is not really by Van Gogh — it's a fake. ►fakeadjective
a fake passport
fall l©/fol/verb
(falls, Fall ing , ell /fel/ las fall en / fobn/)
to go down quickly toward the ground The book fell off the table.
She fell down the stairs and broke her arm.
to suddenly stop standing He slipped on the ice and fell. I fell over and hurt my leg.
to become lower or less
In the desert the temperature falls quickly at night. Prices have fallen again.
—ANTONYM rise
fall apart to break into pieces The chair fell apart when I sat on it.
fall asleep
to start sleeping
She fell asleep in the armchair.
fall behind to become slower than others, or not do
something when you should do it
She's falling behind on her homework.
fall for someone to begin to love someone
He has fallen for someone he met on vacation.
fall for something
( informal )
to believe something that someone tells you is true, although it is not true I can't believe you fell for that old excuse! fall in love with someone
to begin to love someone
He fell in love with Anna the first time they met.
fall out with someone to argue with someone so that
you stop being friends
Jane has fallen out with her best friend.
fall through If a plan falls through , it does not
happen.
fall 2 Ф / fol /noun
[ count ] a sudden drop from a higher place to a lower place
He had a bad fall from his horse.
[ count ] becoming lower or less a fall in the price of oil
—ANTONYM rise
[ count , usually singular ] the part of the year between summer and winter
In the fall , the leaves begin to fall from the trees.
4falls [ plural ] ( geography ) a place where water falls from a high place to a low place
Niagara Falls —SYNONYM waterfall fall • en form of fall 1 false Ф / fols / adjective
not true; wrong
She gave a false name to the police. A spider has eight legs — true or false ?
—ANTONYM true
Thesaurus
wrong not right or correct; (used about a person) not right about someone or something: I'm afraid that's the wrong answer. ♦ He was driving on the wrong side of the road. ♦ That picture is the wrong way around . ♦ We were wrong about her - she's actually very kind. —ANTONYM right
false (used about facts) not true or correct: A whale is a fish. True or false ? ♦ She gave false information to the insurance company. —ANTONYM true
incorrect wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes. This word is a little formal: an incorrect spelling ♦ Incorrect answers should be marked with a cross.
—ANTONYM correct
mistaken (used about a person) wrong in your opinion or judgment: I thought I saw Jackie sitting over there, but I must have been mistaken. ♦ It was a case of mistaken identity (= people thought that a particular person was someone else ) .
—ANTONYM right , correct
inaccurate (used about something such as a newspaper report, a map, etc.) wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes: an inaccurate statement ♦ All the maps we had were completely inaccurate. ♦ The report was badly researched and inaccurate. —ANTONYM accurate
not real or not natural
He has false teeth (= teeth that are made of plastic ) . a false alarm
a warning about something bad that does not happen Everyone thought there was a fire, but it was a false alarm.
fame / feim /noun [ noncount ]
being known by many people
The movie tells the story of her rise to fame .
The adjective is famous .
fa .mil . iar Ф / LVmihor/ adjective
that you know well
I heard a familiar voice in the next room. I'm not familiar with this computer.
—ANTONYM unfamiliar
fam . i. ly О / ' famli / noun ( plural fam - i - lies )
1 [ count, noncount ] a group of people who are connected to each other, especially parents and their children
How many people are there in your family? Everyone in my family has red hair. His family lives on a farm.
—Look at extended family .
2 [ count ] ( biology ) a group of plants or animals Lions belong to the cat family.
fam • i • ly name / ' famli |neim / noun
[count]
the name that is shared by members of a family —SYNONYM last name Word building Your first name or given name is the name that your parents give you when you are born. Many people also have a middle name . Your last name or family name is the name that everyone in your family has. When a woman gets married, she usually takes her husband's last name. Her old last name is then called her maiden name , and her new one is her married name .
A nickname is a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name: His real name is Robert, but his nickname is Shorty.
fam • i • ly tree / famii ' tri /noun [ count ]
a plan that shows all the people in a family
fam • ine / ' faman /noun [ count, noncount ]
A famine happens when there is not enough food in a country
How many people died in the famine?
fa .mous Ф / feimos / adjective
known by many people
New York is famous for its museums.
She's a famous actress.
The noun is fame .
fan1 / fan /noun [ cou nt ]
a person who likes someone or something, for example a singer or a sport, very much
She is a big fan of modern art. football fans
a thing that moves the air to make you cooler an electric fan
fans
fan 2 / fan / verb ( fans , fan - ning , fanned )
to make someone or something cooler by moving the air I fanned my face with the newspaper.
fa • nat • ic / fa 'natik / noun [ count ]
a person who is very enthusiastic about something and may have extreme or dangerous opinions He's a baseball fanatic. a religious fanatic
fan • cy / ' fansi / adjective ( fan - ci - er , fan - ci - est )
not simple or ordinary
She wore a very fancy hat to the wedding.
a fancy restaurant fang / / noun [ count ]
( biology ) a long, sharp tooth of a dog, a poisonous snake, etc.
fan • ny pack / ' freni prek /noun [ count ]
a small bag that you wear around the middle of your body to keep money, etc. in
— Look at the picture at bag .
fan • tas • tic / fren' trestik /adjective ( informal )
very good; wonderful We had a fantastic vacation.
—SYNONYM great
fan • ta • sy / ' frentэsi /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralfan . ta . sies )
something nice that you think about and that you hope will
happen, although it is very unlikely
It was just a fantasy.
She was living in a fantasy world .
—SYNONYM dream
FAQ / | ef ei kyu / abbreviation
( computers ) FAQ is used in writing to mean "frequently asked questions."
far w / far / adverb ( ar . ther / furdor / or fur . ther / ' fэrбэr / far . thest / ' fa^st / or fur . thest
/ ' fэrбэst / )
a long way from somewhere
My house isn't far from the station. It's much too far to drive in one day. Which word? Farther or further?
In formal English, you should use farther to talk about distance in space: I walked much farther than you did.
Use further to talk about distance in time: I can't remember further back than 1990.
You use far to ask about the distance from one place to another place
How far is it to the coast from here? Grammar
We usually use far only in questions and negative sentences, and after too and so : Is it far to walk? ♦ It's too far to walk.
In other sentences we use a long way : It's a long way to walk - let's take the bus.
very much
He's far taller than his brother. That's far too expensive. as far as...
to a place
We walked as far as the town and then came back. I read as far as the second chapter. as far as I know
used when you think something is true, but you are not sure As far as I know, she's coming, but I may be wrong. by far
You use by far to show that a person or thing is much better, bigger, etc. than anyone or anything else She's by far the best player on the team.
far from something
almost the opposite of something; not at all
I'm far from certain.
far from it ( informal )
certainly not; just the opposite
"Are you upset?" "Far from it — I'm delighted."
so far
until now
So far the work has been easy.
far2 / far /adjective( Far ther / fardor / or
fur ther / ' fэrбэr / far thest / ' fa^st / or fur . thest
/ ' fэrбэst / )
a long way away Let's walk — it's not far.
—ANTONYM near
Grammar
We usually use far only in questions and negative sentences, and after too and so : Is it far to walk? ♦ It's too far to walk.
In other sentences we use a long way : It's a long way to walk - let's take the bus. Which word? Farther or further?
In formal English, you should use farther to talk about distance in space: I walked much farther than you did.
Use further to talk about distance in time: I can't remember further back than 1990.
a long way from the center in the direction mentioned Who's that on the far left of the photo?
fare / fer /noun [ count ]
the money that you pay to travel by bus, train, airplane, etc. My bus fare went up.
the Far East / бэ |far ' ist /noun [ singular ]
( geography ) China, Japan, and other countries in eastern Asia
— Look at the Middle East .
fare • well / |fer' wel /noun [ count ] ( formal )
goodbye
We're having a farewell party for Megan. farm Ф / farm / noun [ count ]
land and buildings where people keep animals and grow plants for food They work on a farm . farm animals
farm .еГ Ф / 'farmor /noun [ count ]
a person who owns or works on a farm
farm • house / farmhaus /noun [ count ]
the main house on a farm
farm • ing / ' farmig /noun [ noncount ]
managing a farm or working on it farming methods
farm • land / farmlrend /noun
[ noncount , plural ]
( geography ) land that is used for keeping animals or growing plants for food
farm • yard / ' farmyard /noun [ count ]
the area beside the main house on a farm, with buildings or walls around it
far • sight • ed / ' far|saitad / adjective
( health ) If you are farsighted , you can see things clearly when they are far away but not when they are close to you.
—ANTONYM nearsighted
far • ther, far • thest / ' fa^r ; ' fa^st /
adjective, adverb forms of far Which word? Farther or further?
In formal English, you should use farther to talk about distance in space: I walked much farther than you did.
Use further to talk about distance in time: I can't remember further back than 1990.
fas • ci • nate / ' fresэneIt / verb ( fas ci . nates , fas • ci • nat • ing , fas • ci • nat • ed )
to attract or interest someone very much China has always fascinated me. I've always been fascinated by his ideas.
fas • ci • nat • ing / ' fresэneItщ / adjective
very interesting
She told us fascinating stories about her life.
fas • ci • na • tion / ^ ' neijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
when you find something or someone very interesting The girls listened in fascination .
fash . ion Ф / 'fsejn /noun [ count, noncount ]
a way of dressing or doing something that people like and
try to copy for a time
Bright colors are back in fashion .
Some styles never go out of fashion .
a fashion show
fash .ion .а .Ые Ф / 'faqfonobl / adjective
popular, or in a popular style at the time She was wearing a fashionable black hat.
—ANTONYM old-fashioned , unfashionable
►fash • ion • a • bly / ' fejbmbli / adverb He was always fashionably dressed.
fash • ion de • sign • er / ' fejn ^шпэг /
noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to design clothes
fast Ф / faest / adjective ( ast er , fast est )
moving, happening, or doing something very quickly the fastest rate of increase for many years
a fast learner Which word? Fast or quick? We say fast for a person or thing that moves at great speed: a fast car ♦ a fast train ♦ a fast worker
We say quick for something that is done in a short time: a quick answer ♦ a quick visit ♦ a quick meal
If a clock or watch is fast , it shows a time that is later than the real time
My watch is five minutes fast.
—ANTONYM slow
fast 2 Ф / faest / adverb ( fast er , Fast est)
1 quickly
Don't drive so fast!
can't go any faster.
—ANTONYM slowly
completely or deeply The baby was fast asleep .
The car was stuck fast in the mud.
fast3 / frest /verb ( fasts , fast . ing , fast .ed ) ( religion ) to not eat food for a certain time Muslims fast during Ramadan.
faS .ten Ф / 'faesn/ verb ( fas . tens , fas • ten • ing , fas tened )
to join or close something so that it will not come open Please fasten your seat belts.
Can you fasten this suitcase for me?
to attach or tie one thing to another thing Fasten this badge to your jacket.
fas • ten • er / ' fresэnэr /noun [ count ]
a thing that joins together two parts of something The fastener on my skirt just broke.
fast food / |frest ' fud /noun [ noncount ]
hot food that is made and served very quickly in special
restaurants, and often taken out
fat 1 Ф / fact / adjective (fat ter , fat test)
with a large round body: You'll get fat if you eat too much. Thesaurus
fat is a general word to describe a person who has a large round body, but it is not polite to say to someone that they are fat: Do I look fat in this dress? ♦ I'm getting fat!
overweight is a little more polite, and is also a word used by doctors or health professionals: She's a little overweight. ♦ He's only a few pounds overweight. heavy is often used when you want to be polite: Donna's gotten a little heavier since the last time I saw her.
obese means very fat, in a way that is not healthy. This word is often used by doctors and health professionals, but is also used in a general way to mean "very fat": Obese patients are given advice on healthy eating.
fat 2 Ф / faet /noun
[ noncount ] ( biology ) the soft white substance under the skins of animals and people
Cut the fat off the meat.
[ count, noncount ] the substance containing oil that we get from animals, plants, or seeds and use for cooking foods that are low in fat
Vegetable fats are healthier than animal fats.
—Look at fatty .
fa • tal / ' feitl / adjective
Something that is fatal causes death a fatal car accident
Something that is fatal has very bad results
I made the fatal mistake of signing a document without
reading it carefully.
►fa • tal • ly / ' feitli / adverb
She was fatally injured in the crash.
fate / feit /noun
[ noncount ] the power that some people believe controls everything that happens
It was fate that brought them together again after twenty years.
[ count ] the things, especially bad things, that will happen or have happened to someone or something
What will be the fate of the prisoners?
fa .ther Ф / 'fuclor/ noun [ count ]
a man who has a child
Where do your mother and father live?
—Look at dad , daddy .
Father ( religion ) the title of certain priests Father O'Reillyfa • ther•hood / ' fadsrhud /noun [ noncount ]
being a father
fa • ther-in-law / ' fadsr in lo / noun [ count ]
( plural fa thers-in-law )
the father of your husband or wife
fat • ty / ' freti / adjective ( fat • ti • er , fat • ti • est )
(used about food) having a lot of fat in it or on it Fatty foods are bad for you.
fau • cet / ' fosst /noun [ count ]
a thing that you turn to make something like water or gas
come out of a pipe
Turn off the faucet — it's dripping.
—Look at the picture at sink . fault Ф / folt / noun
[ noncount ] If something bad is your fault , you made it happen
It's her fault that we're late. It's my fault for being careless.
[ count ] something that is wrong or bad in a person or thing
There is a serious fault in the machine.
( geography ) a place where there is a long break (a crack ) in the rock of the earth's surface
the San Andreas fault in California
be at fault
to be wrong, or responsible for a mistake
The other driver was at fault — he went through a red
light.
fault • less / foltlss / adjective
without any mistakes a faultless performance
—SYNONYM perfect fault • y / ' folti /adjective
not working well
This light doesn't work — the switch is faulty.
fa . VOr Ф / 'fervor / noun [ count ]
something that you do to help someone
Would you do me a favor and open the door?
Can I ask you a favor — could you drive me to the airport
this evening?
be in favor of something
to like or agree with something
Are you in favor of higher taxes on cigarettes?
fa • vor • a • ble / ' feivsrsbl / adjective
good or acceptable
She made a favorable impression on his parents.
fa .vor .ite 1®/ 'feivrot/ adjective
Your favorite person or thing is the one that you like more
than any other
What's your favorite food?
fa . vor . ite2Ф / 'feivrot / noun [ count ]
a person or thing that you like more than any other I like all chocolates but these are my favorites.
fax / freks /noun [count, noncount] (pluralfax .es)
a copy of a document that you send by telephone lines using a special machine (called a fax machine ) They need an answer today, so I'll send a fax. Can I send it by fax ?
►fax verb ( fax • es , fax • ing , faxed )
to send someone a fax
Can you fax the drawings to me?
fear 1 Ф / fir / noun [ count, noncount]
the feeling that you have when you think that something
bad might happen
I have a terrible fear of dogs.
He was shaking with fear .
My fears for his safety were unnecessary.
fear 2 4? / fir / verb (fears , fear . ing , feared )
to be afraid of someone or something We all fear illness and death.
( formal ) to feel that something bad might happen I fear we will be late.
fear • ful / ' firfl /adjective ( formal )
afraid or worried about something
They were fearful that they would miss their plane.
►fear • ful • ly / ' firfsli / adverb
We watched fearfully.
fear • less / firlss / adjective
not afraid of anything
►fear • less • ly / ' firlssli / adverb
feast / fist /noun [ count ]
a large special meal for a lot of people a wedding feast
feat / fit /noun [ count ]
something you do that is difficult or dangerous Climbing Mount Everest was an amazing feat.
feath .er Ф
/ ' fedsr /noun [count]
one of the light, soft things that grow in a bird's skin and cover its body
fea • ture1 Ф awl / ' fitjsr /noun [ count ]
1 an important part of something
Pictures are a feature of this dictionary.
one of the parts of your face, for example your eyes, nose, or mouth
Her eyes are her best feature.
a newspaper or magazine article, or TV program about something
The magazine has a special feature on education.
fea • ture 2 AWL / ' fitjsr / verb ( fea tures , fea • tur ing ,fea • tured )
to include someone or something as an important part Tonight's program features an interview with the actor Brad Pitt.
Feb • TU • аГ .уФ / ТеЬуцеи; ТеЬгцеи/ noun [ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationFeb. ) the second month of the year
fed
form of feed
fed • er • al aw / ' fedsrsl / je
( politics ) used for describing a political system in which a group of states or countries are joined together under a central government, but also have their own governments a federal system of rule the U.S. federal government
fed • er • a • tion AWL / feda 'reifn / noun
[ count ]
( politics ) a group of states or organizations that have joined together
the American Federation of Teachers
fed up / |fed ' Ap /adjective ( informal )
bored or unhappy, especially with a situation that has
continued for too long
What's the matter? You look really fed up.
I'm fed up with waiting — let's go.
feeawl| / fi /noun [ count ]
the money you pay for professional advice, or service from doctors, lawyers, schools, colleges, etc.
We can't afford this lawyer's fees.
Most ticket agencies will charge a small fee .
Thesaurus
price the money that you have to pay to buy something: What's the price of gas now?♦We can't afford the car at that price . ♦ house prices cost the money that you need to buy, make, or do something: The cost of electricity is going up. ♦ A new computer system was installed at a cost of$80,000. ♦ the cost of living (= the amount of money you need to pay for food, clothes, and a place to live ) charge the money that you pay for goods or services: Is there a charge for parking here?♦Delivery is free of charge (= costs nothing ) .
fee the money you pay to go into a place, or for professional advice or services from doctors, lawyers, colleges, etc.: Some lawyers charge extremely high fees for their services. ♦ an annual membership fee ♦ tuition fees
expense the money you spend on something, or something that makes you spend money: The house was decorated at great expense. ♦Owning a car is a big expense.
the money that you pay to do something, for example to join a club or visit a museum
There is no entrance fee to the gallery.
fee • ble / ' fibl / adjective ( fee - bler , fee - blest )
not strong a feeble old man
—SYNONYM weak
feed ©/ fid / verb ( feeds , feed ing , fed / fed / has fed )
to give food to a person or an animal The baby's crying — I'll go and feed her.
feed • back / ' fidbak /noun [ noncount ]
advice or information about how well or badly you have done something
The teacher will give you feedback on the test.
feel 1 © / fil / verb ( feels , feel ing , felt / felt / has felt)
1 to know something because your body tells you How do you feel?
don't feel well. I'm feeling tired.
He felt someone touch his arm.
used for saying how something seems when you touch it or experience it
The water felt cold.
This towel feels wet — can I have a dry one? My coat feels like leather, but it's not.
to touch something in order to find out what it is like Feel this wool — it's really soft.
to have an opinion about something I feel that we should talk about this.
—SYNONYM believe
to try to find something with your hands instead of your
eyes
She felt in her pocket for some matches. feel like something
to want something or want to do something I don't feel like going out tonight.
feel2 / fil /noun [ singular ]
the impression you get when you touch something or when you are in a place I love the feel of silk. The town has a friendly feel.
feel.ing Ф / 'Шщ / noun
[ count ] something that you feel inside yourself, like happiness or anger
a feeling of sadness
[ noncount ] the ability to feel in your body I was so cold that I had no feeling in my feet.
[ singular ] an idea that you are not certain about I have a feeling that she isn't telling the truth. hurt someone's feelings
to do or say something that makes someone sad
Don't tell him you don't like his shirt — you'll hurt his
feelings.
feet
plural of foot
fe • line / filain / adjective
connected with an animal of the cat family; like a cat
fell
form of fall 1
fel • low 1 / felou /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a man
He seems like a nice fellow.
fel • low 2 / ' felou / adjective
used for saying that someone is the same as you in some way
your fellow students
fel • o • ny / ' felani /noun [ count ] ( pluralfel - o - nies )
a serious crime such as murder to be charged with a felony
felt 1
form of feel
felt2 / felt /noun [ noncount ]
a type of soft thick cloth
felt-tip pen / felt tip ' pen /noun [ count ] a pen with a soft point
fe .male Ф / fimeil / adjective
( biology ) belonging to the sex that can have babies female students ►fe • malenoun [ count ]
My cat is a female.
—Look at male .
fem • i • nine / femanan / adjective
1 typical of a woman or right for a woman feminine clothes
2 ( english language arts ) (in some languages) belonging to a certain class of nouns, adjectives, or pronouns
The German word for a flower is feminine. — Look at masculine .
fem • i • nism / ' femэnIZэm /noun [ noncount ]
the belief that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men
►fem • i • nist / ' femэnIst /noun [ count ] ,adjective
fence Ф / fens /noun [ count ]
a thing like a wall that is made of pieces of wood or metal. Fences are put around yards and fields.
fenc • ing / ' fensig /noun [ noncount ]
the sport of fighting with long, thin, pointed weapons (called swords )
fern / fэrn /noun [ cou nt ]
a plant with long thin leaves and no flowers, which grows in wet areas
fe • ro • cious / fэ ' roujbs / adjective
violent or cruel a ferocious wild animal
—SYNONYM fierce
fer • ry / ' feri /noun [ count ] ( pluralfer . ries ) a boat that takes people or things on short trips across a river or ocean We went by ferry .
fer • tile / ' fortl / adjective
If soil is fertile , plants grow well in it.
( biology ) Someone who is fertile is able to have babies.
►fer • til • i • ty / fэr 'tibti / noun [ noncount ]
Nowadays women can take drugs to increase their fertility (= their chances of having a child ) .
fer • til • ize / ' fertNaiz / verb ( fer til . iz es , fer . til . iz . ing , fer . til . ized )
( biology ) to put a male seed into an egg, a plant, or a female animal so that a baby, fruit, or young animal starts to develop
to put a substance on soil to make plants grow better
fer • til • iz • er / ' fortNairar / noun [ count, noncount ]
food for plants
fes .ti.val О / 'fi-stovi/ noun [count ]
a series of public events, for example concerts and shows, in one place
Do you like jazz festivals?
( religion ) a time when people celebrate something, especially a religious event
Christmas is an important Christian festival.
fetch / fetf / verb ( fetch . es, fetch . ing , fetched )
to go and bring back something or someone She taught the dog to fetch the ball.
fe • tus / ' ftes / ( pluralfe . tus . es )noun [ count ] ( biology ) a young human or animal that is still growing inside its mother's body
feud / fyud /noun [ count ]
a serious argument between people or groups that continues for a long time a family feud
fe • ver / ' fror /noun
[ count, noncount ]
( health ) If you have a fever , your body is too hot because you are sick to have a fever
—SYNONYM temperature
►fe • ver • ish / ' flvэrI/ / adjective
She felt feverish.
few ® / fyu / adjective, pronoun ( few . er , few . est )
not many
Few people live to the age of 100. There are fewer buses in the evening. Few of the players played well.
a few
some, but not many Only a few people came to the meeting. I have read a few of her books. quite a few
a lot, but not an extremely large amount or number of something
It's been quite a few years since I saw him last.
fi • an • ce / fian ' sei ; fi 'ansei /noun [ count ] A woman's fiance is the man she has promised to marry.
fi • an • cee / |fian ' sei ; fi ' ansei /noun [ count ] A man's fiancee is the woman he has promised to marry.
fi • as • co / fi ' reskou / noun [ count ] ( plural fi . as . cos or fi . as . coes )
an event that does not succeed at all Our last party was a complete fiasco.
fib / fib /noun [ count ] ( informal )
something you say that you know is not true; a small lie Don't tell fibs!
fib verb ( fibs , fib . bing , fibbed )
( informal ) to tell a small lie
I was fibbing when I said I liked her hat.
fi • ber / ' fa^r /noun
[ noncount ] ( biology , health ) the part of your food that helps to move other food through your body and keep you healthy
Dried fruits are high in fiber .
[ count ] one of the many thin threads that form a material
cotton fibers
fic • tion / ' fikjn/noun [ noncount ]
( english language arts ) stories that someone writes and that are not true I enjoy reading fiction.
—ANTONYM nonfiction
fid • dle / ' fidi / verb
( fid dles , fid . dl . ing , fid dled )
to touch something a lot with your fingers, because you are bored or nervous
Stop fiddling with your pen and do some work!
fidg • et / ' ы₃э: / verb
( fidg . ets , fidg . et . ing , fidg . et . ed )
to keep moving your body, hands, or feet because you are nervous, excited, or bored Sit still and stop fidgeting!
field © / ни/noun [count ]
a piece of land used for animals or for growing plants for food, usually surrounded by a fence, trees, etc.
an area of study or knowledge Dr. Ramani is an expert in her field.
a piece of land used for something special a soccer field
an oilfield
an airfield (= a place where airplanes land and take off ) Thesaurus
field an area of land used for playing team sports such as baseball, football, and soccer: a baseball/football field ♦ The team ran out on the field. ♦ The school has its own playing field .
court an area where certain ball games are played: a basketball/tennis/squash court ♦ He won after only 52 minutes on the court.
stadium a large place with seats around the sides where you can watch sports: a football/sports stadium ballpark an area where baseball is played: The batter hit one right out of the ballpark.
track an area with a special surface for people or cars to have races on: a running/racing track ♦ track and field events (= which involve running, jumping, and throwing )
field hock • ey / ' fild |haki / noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) a game for two teams of eleven players who hit a small hard ball with long curved sticks on a field
field trip / ' fild trip / noun [ count ]
a trip that a school group takes in order to learn about
something
Our class went on a field trip to the art museum.
fierce / firs / adjective ( fierc • er , fierc • est )
angry and wild a fierce dog
very strong
the fierce heat of the sun
fier • y / ' fa^ri / adjective ( fier • i • er , fier • i • est )
looking like fire fiery red hair
quick to become angry a fiery temper
fif .teen © / ,fiftin/ number
15
►fif • teenth / fif tin6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb,
noun [ count ]
15th: her fifteenth birrthday
fifth / fif6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun
[count]
5th
He came fifth in the race.
one of five equal parts of something; Vs
fif .ty © / fifti/ number
50
the fifties [ plural ] the numbers, years, or temperature between 50 and 59
He was born in the fifties (= in the 1950s ) . in your fifties
between the ages of 50 and 59 Her husband died when she was in her fifties. ►fif • ti • eth/ ' бШэб /pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ] 50th
fig / fig /noun [ count ]
a soft, sweet fruit that is full of small seeds
fig. / fig /
abbreviation of figure 1 ( 7 )
See fig. 2.
fight 1© / fait / verb ( fights , fight ing , fought / fot / has fought )
When people fight , they try to hurt or kill each other Our grandfather fought in the war.
My brothers are always fighting.
to argue
It's not worth fighting about money.
to try very hard to stop something
He fought against the illness for two years.
to try very hard to do or get something The workers are fighting for better pay.
fight 2 © / fait /noun [ count ]
when people try to hurt or kill each other Don't get into a fight.
A fight broke out between the two gangs.
an angry argument about something I had a fight with my parents.
fight • er / ' fa^r /noun [ count ]
a person who fights
( also fight • er plane / ' faiter plein / ) a fast airplane that shoots at other airplanes during a war
fig • u • ra • tive / ' f^ret^ / adjective
( english language arts ) A figurative word or phrase is used in a different way from its usual meaning to create a particular effect
"He exploded with rage" is a figurative use of the verb "to explode."
—Look at literal .
►fig • u • ra • tive • ly / ' fIgyэrэtIvli / adverb I was using the expression figuratively.
fig .ure 1 © / 'figysr / noun [ count ]
( math ) one of the symbols (0 - 9) that we use to show numbers
Should I write the numbers in words or figures?
an amount or price
What are our sales figures for this year?
the shape of a person's body She has a good figure.
a famous or important person He's an important historical figure.
a shape of a person that you cannot see clearly I saw a tall figure outside the window.
figures [ plural ] ( math ) working with numbers to find an answer
I'm not very good at figures.
—SYNONYM arithmetic
( abbreviationfig. ) a diagram or picture used in a book to explain something
Figure 3 on page 2 shows the largest cities in the U.S.
fig • ure 2 / ' ^уэг / verb
( fig ures , fig • ur ing , fig • ured ) ( informal )
to think or guess something I saw his car, so I figured he was here. it figures ; that figures ( informal )
that is what I expected
"John called in sick." "That figures. He wasn't feeling well yesterday."
fig • ure of speech / figyar av 'spitj / noun
[ count ] ( pluralfig - ures of speech ) ( english language arts ) a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meaning to create a particular effect
I didn't really mean that he was insane — it was just a figure of speech.
fig • ure skat • ing / ' figyar |skeitig / noun
[ noncount ]
( sports ) a type of ice skating in which you cut patterns in the ice using special moves —Look atice skate .
file1 Ф AWL / fail /noun [ count ]
a box or cover for keeping papers in
( computers ) a collection of information that is stored in a computer and that has a particular name
Did you save your file? You can delete that file now.
a collection of papers or information about someone or something, which is kept inside a file
The police are keeping a file on all suspected terrorists.
a tool with rough sides that you use for making things smooth
a nail file in single file
in a line with each person following the one in front The children walked into the auditorium in single file.
file 2 AWL / fail / verb ( files , fil - ing , filed )
to put papers in their correct place, for example in a cover or drawer
Can you file these documents, please?
to walk in a line, one behind the other The students filed into the classroom.
to make something smooth using a tool with rough sides She filed her nails.
file cab • i • net / ' fail |kabanat /noun [ count ]
a piece of office furniture with large drawers, in which you keep documents
fill О / fil / verb ( fill: , ill ing , fillec )
to make something full
Can you fill this glass with water, please?
to become full
His eyes filled with tears.
fill something in to write facts or answers in the spaces
that have been left for them
Please fill in your name and address here.
fill something out to complete an official document by
writing facts or answers on it
She filled out the application form for the job.
fill up ; fill something up to become full or to make
something completely full
The room soon filled up.
He filled up the tank with gas.
fil • let ( also fi - let ) / fi ' lei /noun
[ count, noncount ]
a piece of meat or fish with the bones taken out a fillet of sole
fill • ing 1 / ' filig / noun
1 [ count ] the substance that a dentist uses to fill a hole in your tooth
have three fillings in my teeth.
[ count, noncount ] the food that is put inside a cake, between two pieces of bread (to make a sandwich ), etc.
a choice of sandwich fillings fill • ing2 / ' filig / adjective
(used about food) that makes you feel full Pasta is very filling.
film 1 Ф/ film/noun
1 [ count, noncount ] the thin plastic that you use in a camera for taking photographs
bought a roll of black and white film.
[ count ] a movie It's a French film.
film 2 / film / verb ( films , film - ing , filmed )
to use a camera to make a movie or video We filmed the monkeys at the zoo. A TV station is filming outside my house.
fil • ter1 / 'filtar /noun [ count ] ( general science ) a thing used for holding back the solid parts in a liquid or gas a coffee filter
fil • ter 2 / ' filtar / verb ( fil - ters , fil - ter - ing , fil - tered )
( general science ) to pass a liquid or gas through a filter
You need to filter the water before you drink it.
to move slowly or in small amounts Sunlight filtered through the curtains.
People were filtering out of the theater after the show.
filth • y / ' fil9i / adjective ( filth - i - er, filth - i - est)
very dirty
Go and wash your hands. They're filthy! fin / fin / noun [ count ]
( biology ) one of the thin, flat parts on a fish that help it to swim
— Look at the picture at shark .
fi • nal 1 Ф AWL / ' fainl / adjective
not followed by any others
This will be our final class. —SYNONYM last
not to be changed
The judge's decision is final.
fi • nal2aw щ / ' fainl /noun [ count ]
the last game or race in a competition, for the winners of the earlier games or races
Her team made it to the finals.
an important exam that you take at the end of a course in school
I'm studying hard for my finals. She failed her chemistry final.
fi • nal • ist / ' fainbist/ noun [ count ]
a person who is in the final game or stage of a competition an Olympic finalist
fi • nal • ly Ф AWL / ' fainbi/ adverb
after a long time
After a long wait the bus finally arrived. —SYNONYM in the end
used before saying the last thing in a list
And finally, I would like to thank my parents for all their help.
fi • nance1AWL / ' fainans ; fa ' n®ns /noun ( business )
1 [ noncount ] money, or the activity of managing money
an expert in finance
the Senate Finance Committee 2finances [ plural ] the money that you have and that you can spend
You need to organize your finances.
fi • nance2AWL / ' fainrens ; fs ' nrens /verb
( fi • nanc • es , fi • nanc • ing , fi • nanced )
( business ) to give the money that is needed to pay for something
The building was financed by the government.
fi • nan • cial © AWL / fs ' nrenjl / adjective
connected with money financial problems
►fi • nan • cial • lyAWL / fs ' nren/sli / adverb financially independent
find© / faind / verb ( finds , ind • ing , found
/ faund / has found )
1 to see or get something after looking or trying
can't find my glasses. She hasn't found a job yet.
Did anyone find the answer to this question?
to see or get something that you did not expect I found some money in the street.
I woke up and found myself in the hospital.
used for talking about your opinion or experience I didn't find that book very interesting.
He finds it difficult to sleep at night.
find something out to get information about
something
Can you find out what time the train leaves? Did she ever find out that you broke the window?
f ine 1 © / fain / adjective (fin er , fin est)
well or happy
"How are you?" "Fine, thanks. And you?"
used for saying that something is good or acceptable "Let's meet on Monday." "Fine."
"Do you want some more milk in your coffee?" "No, that's fine."
—SYNONYM OK
very thin
I have very fine hair.
—ANTONYM thick
made of very small pieces
Salt is finer than sugar. —ANTONYM coarse
beautiful or of good quality There's a fine view from the church. This is one of his finest paintings.
(used about the weather) bright; not raining We had fine weather for our picnic.
—SYNONYM sunny
fine2 / fain /noun [ count ]
money that you must pay because you have done something wrong
You'll get a fine if you park your car there. ►fineverb ( fines , fin ing , fined )
to make someone pay a fine
I was fined $50 for speeding (= driving too fast ) .
fin .ger © / fri.]t|or/ noun [count ]
one of the five parts at the end of your hand — Look at the picture athand .
keep your fingers crossed
to hope that someone or something will be successful Good luck on the final exam — I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
fin • ger • nail / ' figgsrneil / noun [ count ]
the thin, hard part at the end of your finger
fin • ger • print / ' figgsrprint / noun [ count ]
the mark that a finger makes when it touches something The police found his fingerprints on the gun.
fin • ger • tip / ' figgsrtip/ noun [ count ]
the end of your finger
fin .ish 1 ©/ 'fmijv verb ( fin ish • es , fin ish • ing , fin • ished )
1 to stop doing something
finish work at 5:30.
Hurry up and finish your dinner! Have you finished cleaning your room?
to stop happening
School finishes at three o'clock.
—ANTONYM begin , start
finish something off to do or eat the last part of something
He finished off the bread.
fin • ish2 / ' finif/noun [ count ]
( plural fin • ish • es )
the last part or the end of something There was a dramatic finish to the race.
—ANTONYM start
fin • ished / ' finift / adjective
having reached the end of an activity or job
When you're finished with your homework, you can watch TV.
made; completed
Is this the finished product?
—ANTONYM unfinished
fi • nite aw Д / ' fainait / adjective
having a limit or a fixed size
Our world's natural resources are finite.
—ANTONYM infinite
fir / fsr / ( also fir tree / ' fsr tri / )noun [ count ] a tall tree with thin, sharp leaves (called needles ), which do not fall off in winter
fire 1 ©/ 'faior/noun
[ count, noncount ] the heat and bright light that comes from burning things
Many animals are afraid of fire.
There was a big fire at the factory last night.
[ count ] burning wood or another fuel (called coal ) that you use for keeping a place warm or for cooking
They lit a fire to keep warm.
[ noncount ] shooting from guns The soldiers were under fire .
catch fire
to start to burn
She dropped her cigarette and the chair caught fire. on fire
burning
My house is on fire!
put out a fire
to stop something from burning
We put out the fire with buckets of water.
set fire to something ; set something on fire
to make something start to burn Someone set the house on fire.
fire 2Ф/ 'faior / verb ( fires , fir ing , fired )
to shoot with a gun
The soldiers fired at the enemy.
to tell someone to leave their job
He was fired because he was always late for work.
fire a • larm / ' faIэr Э|larm /noun [ count ]
a bell that rings to tell people that there is a fire
fire • crack • er / ' faIэr|krrekэr /noun [ count ]
a small thing that explodes with a loud noise
We lit firecrackers in the backyard on the Fourth of July.
—Look at fireworks .
fire de •part • ment / ' farar dI|partmэnt /
noun [ count ]
a group of people whose job is to stop fires Call the fire department!
fire drill / ' farar dril /noun [ count ]
a practice of what people must do if there is a fire in a building
fire en • gine / 'farar ^nd^n /
( also fire truck / ' farar |trAk / )noun [ count ] a vehicle that carries people and equipment to stop fires
fire es • cape / ' fa^r i|skeip /noun [ count ]
stairs on the outside of a building that people can go down if there is a fire
fire ex • tin • guish / ' farar Ik|StIggwIJэr /
noun [ count ]
a metal container with water or chemicals inside for stopping small fires
fire • fight • er / ' fa^rfa^r /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to stop fires
fire • house / ' fararhaus /noun [ count ]
a building in a small town where fire engines are kept -►SYNONYM fire station
fire hy . drant
/ ' farar |haidrent /noun [count]
fire • man / ' faIэrmэn / noun [ count ] ( pluralfire . men / ' faIэrmэn / ) a man whose job is to stop fires
a piece of metal equipment on the street that is connected to a water pipe for stopping fires
fire • place / ' fa^rpleis / noun [count]
the place in a room where you light a fire
fire • proof / ' fararpruf /adjective
able to take a lot of heat without burning or being damaged a fireproof door
fire sta • tion / ' fa^r |steijn / noun
[ count ]
a building where fire engines are kept
fire truck
another word for fire engine
fire • works / ' faIэrwэrks /noun [ plural ]
things that explode with bright lights and loud noises, used for entertainment
We watched a fireworks display in the park.
firm 1 ©/ farm/ adjective (firm er ,firm est)
Something that is firm does not move easily when you press it
Wait until the glue is firm.
The shelf isn't very firm, so don't put too many books on it.
strong and steady, and not likely to change
She's very firm with her children (= she makes them do what she wants ) . a firm promise
► firm • ly / ' fэrmli / adverb Nail the pieces of wood together firmly. "No," she said firmly.
firm2 Ф / farm /noun [ count ]
( business ) a group of people working together in a
business
a law firm (= that lawyers work for ) —SYNONYM company
f i rSt 1 Ф / forst / adjective
before all the others
January is the first month of the year.
You wonfirstprize!
first thing
early in the morning
I'll call her first thing tomorrow morning.
f i rSt2Ф / forst /adverb 1 before all the others
arrived at the house first.
Mike finished first (= he won ) in the competition.
for the first time
I first met Paul in 2006.
before doing anything else
First fry the onions, then add the potatoes. at first
in the beginning
At first she was afraid of the water, but she soon learned to swim. first of all
before anything else
I'm going to cook dinner, but first of all I need to buy some food.
first / forst / noun, pronoun 1 the first [ count ] ( plural the first )
a person or thing that comes earliest or before all others
was the first to arrive at the party.
a first [ singular ] an important event that is happening for the first time
This operation is a first in medical history.
first aid / ^st ' eid /noun
[noncount]
( health ) medical help that you give to someone who is hurt, before a doctor comes a first-aid kit
first class / |fэrst ' klres /noun
[noncount]
1 the part of a train, airplane, etc. that it is more expensive to travel in
got a seat in first class.
a way of sending mail that you use if you want it to get special treatment
►first class adverb
How much does it cost to fly first class?
first-class / ' fэrst |klres /adjective
1 excellent a first-class player
know a place where the food is first-class.
connected with the best and most expensive way of traveling on a train, airplane, or ship
a first-class cabin
first floor / frst ' for /
( also ground floor / igraund ' flor / )noun [count]
the floor of a building that is level with the street I live in an apartment on the first floor .
first la • dy / ^ret ' leidi /noun [usually singular]
( politics ) the wife of the U.S. president, or of the leader of a state
first • ly / ' 1эгеШ / adverb
used when you are giving the first thing in a list
We were angry, firstly because he didn't come, and
secondly because he didn't call.
first name / |fэrst ' neim / ( also giv • en name ) noun [ count ]
the first of your names, which your parents give you when you are born
"What is Mr. Carter's first name?" "Paul." Word building Your first name or given name is the name that your parents give you when you are born. Many people also have a middle name . Your last name or family name is the name that everyone in your family has. When a woman gets married, she usually takes her husband's last name. Her old last name is then called her maiden name , and her new one is her married name .
A nickname is a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name: His real name is Robert, but his nickname is Shorty.
the first per • son / бэ |fэrst ' pэrsn / noun
[ singular ] ( English language arts )
the set of pronouns and verb forms that you use to talk about yourself
"I am" is the first person singular of the verb "to be." "I," "me," and "we" are first-person pronouns.
the style of telling a story as if it happened to you The author writes in the first person.
first-rate / ^st ' reit /adjective
excellent
a first-rate musician
an animal that lives and breathes in water, and has thin flat parts (called fins ) that help it to swim I caught a big fish. We had fish for dinner.
fish 2 / fij / verb ( fish es , fish • ing , fished )
to try to catch fish
►fish • ing / ' fijig / noun [ noncount ] I usually go fishing (= as a sport ) on weekends. Fishing is a major industry in Maine.
fish • er • man / ' йхэгшэп / noun [ count ]
( pluralfish • er . men / ' й/эгшэп / ) a person who catches fish as a job or sport
fish • ing rod / ' fijig rad /noun [ count ]
a long thin stick with a thin thread (called a line ) and a hook, used for catching fish
fish stick / ' fij stik /noun [ count ]
a long piece of fish that is covered in very small pieces of dried bread
a box of frozen fish sticks
fish • y / fiji / adjective ( fish • i • er , fish • i est )
tasting or smelling like fish a fishy smell
( informal ) seeming bad or dishonest
I'm sure there's something fishy going on around here.
fist / fist /noun [ count ] a hand with the fingers closed together tight She banged on the door with her fist.
fit 1 Ф / fit / verb (fit: , it tinc , fit te< or it)
1 to be the right size or shape for someone or something
tried the dress on, but it didn't fit. This key doesn't fit the lock.
to put or attach something somewhere They fit a smoke alarm to the ceiling.
Can you fit these pieces of the puzzle together?
fit in (with someone or something) to be able to
live in an easy and natural way with other people
She found it hard to fit in at her new school.
fit someone or something in
to find time to do something or see someone The doctor can fit you in at 10:30.
fish l Ф / fif/noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralfish or fish es)
fish
to find or have enough space for someone or something We can't fit in any more chairs.
fit 2© / fit / adjective ( it tei , it test ) 1 ( health ) healthy and strong
keep fit by jogging every day.
good enough
This food isn't fit to eat.
Do you think she's fit for the job?
—SYNONYM suitable —ANTONYM unfit fit3 / fit /noun
[ count ] when you cannot stop laughing, coughing, or feeling angry
fits of laughter a coughing fit. a fit of anger
[ singular ] the way something fits you This coat is a really good fit.
fit • ness / ' fitms /noun [ noncount ]
( health ) being healthy and strong It's important to improve your fitness.
five © / faiv /number 5
fix© / fiks / verb ( ix . e« , ix . ing , fixed )
to repair something
The light isn't working — can you fix it?
to decide a date or an amount for something They fixed a date for the wedding.
—SYNONYM set
to put something in a place so that it will not move We fixed the shelf to the wall.
— SYNONYM attach
fixed ©/ fikst / adjective
already decided a fixed price
not changing
He has such fixed ideas that you can't discuss anything with him.
fizz / fiz / verb ( fizz . es , fizz . ing , fizzed )
When a liquid fizzes , it produces a lot of small bubbles and makes a long sound like an "s." ► fizznoun [ noncount ] This soda has lost its fizz.
fizz • y / ' fizi / adjective ( fiz zi . er , fiz . zi . est )
(used about a drink) containing many small bubbles of gas fizzy mineral water
flab • by / ' flrebi / adjective ( flab . bi . er , flab . bi . est )
having too much soft fat instead of muscle a flabby stomach
flag © / flaeg /noun [ count ]
a piece of cloth with a pattern on it, which is joined to a stick (called a flagpole ). Every country has its own flag All the kids were waving flags.
flair / fler /noun [ singular ]
a natural ability to do something well She has a flair for languages.
—SYNONYM talent
flake / fleik/noun [ count ] a small thin piece of something huge flakes of snow
flame © / fleim /noun [ count, noncount ]
a hot, bright, pointed piece of fire
The house was in flames (= burning ) .
The paper burst into flames (= began to burn ) .
fla • min • go / fb 'miggou / noun [ count ] ( plural fla . min . gos or fla . min goes )
a large pink and red bird that has long legs and stands in water
flam • ma • ble / ' flremэbl /
( chemistry ) A flammable substance burns easily highly flammable liquids
—SYNONYM inflammable
flan • nel / ' flrenl /noun [ noncount ]
a type of soft wool or cotton cloth a flannel shirt
flap1 / flrep /noun [ count ]
a piece of material, paper, etc. that is attached to something at one side only, often covering an opening the flap of an envelope
flap 2 / flrep / verb ( flaps , flap ping , flapped )
to move or to make something move up and down or from side to side
The sails of the boat flapped in the wind. The bird flapped its wings .
flare 1 / fler / verb ( flares , flar ing , flared ) flare up
to suddenly burn more strongly
to suddenly start or get worse The pain flared up again.
flare2 / fler /noun [ count ]
a thing that produces a bright light or flame, used especially as a signal
flash 1 ©/ flaej/ verb ( flash . es , flash . ing , flashed )
to send out a bright light that comes and goes quickly; to make something do this
The light kept flashing on and off.
She flashed her headlights at the other driver.
to appear and disappear very quickly, or to make something do this
I saw something flash past the window. They flashed the answer up on the TV screen.
flash2 / fire/ /noun ( pluralflash . es )
[ count ] a bright light that comes and goes quickly a flash of lightning
[ count, noncount ] a bright light that you use with a camera for taking photographs
in a flash
very quickly
The weekend was over in a flash.
flash card / ' fire/|kard /noun [ count ]
a card with words, numbers, or a picture on it, which you use to help you learn or remember something
flash drive / ' fire/ |draiv / ( also USB flash drive )noun [ count ] ( computers ) a small thing that stores information from a computer so that you can move it from one computer to another
— Look at the picture at USB flash drive .
flash • light / ' fajiait /
noun [ count ]
a small electric light that you can carry
He shined the flashlight into the boys'faces.
flask / flask /noun [ count ]
a container for keeping a liquid hot or cold a flask of coffee
flat 1 Ф / flset / adjective ( lat ter , flat test)
smooth, with no parts that are higher or lower than the rest
The landscape in Kansas is very flat. a flat surface
A tire that is flat does not have enough air inside it.
( symbolb ) ( music ) half a note lower than a particular musical note
B flat
E flat—Look atsharp 1 ( 6 ). flat2 / flat /adverb
with no parts that are higher or lower than the rest He lay flat on his back on the floor.
flat • ten / ' flatn / verb
(flat - tens, flat - ten - ing , flat - tened )
to make something flat I sat on the box and flattened it.
flat • ter / ' flffitar / verb ( flat ters , flat - ter - ing , flat - tered )
to say nice things about someone, because you want them to do something
If you are flattered by something, you like it because it makes you feel important
I'mflattered that she wants my advice. ►flat • ter • ing / ' flatarig / adjective
flattering remarks
flat • ter • y / ' fffitpri / noun
[noncount]
nice things that someone says when they want you to do something
fla . vor Ф / 'fleivor/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
the taste of food
They sell 20 different flavors of ice cream.
►fla • vor verb ( fla - vors , fla - vor - ing , fla - vored )
chocolate-flavored coffee
fla • Vor • ful / ' fleivarfl / adjective
having a lot of flavor a flavorful sauce
fla • Vor • ing / ' fleivarig / noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that you add to food or a drink to give it a particular taste
This product conatins no artificial flavorings.
flaw / fb /noun [ count ]
flashlight
1 a mistake in something that means it is not correct or does not work correctly a flaw in his plan
2 a mark or bad part in something that means it is not perfect
There's a small flaw in the vase, so I got it cheaper. ►flawed / flod / adjective I think your plan is flawed.
flea / fli/noun [ count ]
a very small insect without wings, which can jump. It lives on and bites animals and people
Our cat hasfleas. —Look at the picture at insect .
flea mar • ket / ' fii markat /noun [ count ]
a market, usually outside, where you can buy old and used objects
flee / fli /verb
( flees , flee - ing , fled / fled / has fled )
to run away from something bad or dangerous During the war, thousands of people fled the country.
fleece / flis /noun
[ count ] the wool coat of a sheep
[ noncount ] a type of soft, warm cloth used for making jackets and other clothes
fleet / flit /noun [ count ]
a big group of ships
flesh / fief /noun [ noncount ]
the soft part of a human or animal body under your skin
the soft part of a fruit or vegetable that we eat the sweet flesh of a peach
in the flesh
If you see someone in the flesh , you are in the same place as them and actually see them rather than just seeing a picture of them.
flew
form of fly 1
flex • i • ble AWL / ' fleksabl / adjective
able to change easily
We can start earlier if you like — I can be flexible. flexible working hours
able to bend easily without breaking ^ANTONYM inflexible
flex • i • bil • i • ty AWL / |fleksa'bilati / noun [noncount]
flick / flik / verb ( flicks , flick - ing , flicked )
to move or make something move with a quick, light movement
She flicked the dust off her coat. flicknoun [ count ]
flies
form of fly 1
plural of fly 2
flightО / flait /noun
[ count ] a trip in an airplane Our flight leaves at 10 a.m.
a direct flight from New York to Chicago.
[ noncount ] flying
Have you ever seen an eagle in flight ?
[ count ] a group of steps
We carried the couch up a flight of stairs .
flight at • tend • ant / ' fiait a^ndant / noun
[count]
a person whose job is to serve and take care of passengers on an airplane
flim • sy / flimzi / adjective ( flim si • er , flim • si • est )
not strong; easy to break or tear a flimsy bookcase
weak; not making you believe that it is true He gave a flimsy excuse for being late.
fling / fig /verb
( flings , fling ing , flung / fkg / has flung )
to throw something carelessly or with great force She flung her coat on the chair.
flip-flop / ' flip flap /noun [ count ] a simple open shoe with a narrow piece of material that goes between your big toe and the toe next to it
flip • pant / ' flipsnt / adjective
not serious about important things a flippant answer
flip • per / flipsr /noun [ count ]
a flat part of the body of some animals, which they use for swimming in the ocean
Seals and turtles have flippers
a flat, rubber shoe that you wear to help you swim fast underwater
—Look at the picture at snorkel .
flirt / flsrt/ verb ( flirts , flirt • ing , flirt • ed )
to behave as if you like someone in a romantic way Jan was flirting with him at the party. ►flirtnoun [ count ]
a person who flirts a lot with different people
float ©/ flout / verb (floats, float ing, float ed )
to stay on top of a liquid Wood floats on water.
—ANTONYM sink
to move slowly in the air Clouds were floating across the sky.
flock / flak /noun [ count ]
a group of sheep or birds a flock of geese
— Look atherd 1 .
flood 1 Ф / fl\d/noun [ count ]
When there is a flood , a lot of water covers the land Many homes were destroyed in the flood.
a lot of something
She received a flood of letters after the accident.
flood 2 / fkd / verb ( floods , flood • ing , flood • ed )
to fill a place with water; to be filled or covered with water A pipe burst and flooded the kitchen.
flood • light / ' fkdlait / noun [ count ]
a powerful light that is used outside, for example near a building or for sports
floor Ф / flor /noun [ count ]
[ usually singular ] the part of a room that you walk on There weren't any chairs so we sat on the floor.
all the rooms at the same height in a building I live on the top floor .
Our hotel room was on the sixth floor.
—Look at first floor , ground floor .
floor • board / ' florbord /noun [ count ]
a long flat piece of wood in a wooden floor flop • py / flapi /adjective ( flop pi • er , flop • pi • est )
soft, loose, and hanging downward a floppy hat a dog with floppy ears
flop • py disk / ' flapi disk /noun [ count ] ( also flop • pypluralflop • pies )
( computers ) a small flat piece of plastic that stores information for a computer
flo • ral / ' florsl / adjective
decorated with a pattern of flowers, or made with flowers a floral design
flo • rist / ' florist /noun [ count ]
a person who owns or works in a store that sells flowers
floss / flas / verb ( floss • es , floss • ing , flossed )
to use a special kind of string (called dental floss ) to clean between your teeth You should floss daily.
flourО / ' flausr /noun [ noncount ] Pronunciation
The word flour sounds just like flower .
soft, white or brown powder that we use to make bread, cakes, etc.
flour • ish / ' flsrif /
( flour • ish es , flour • ish • ing , flour • ished )
to develop or grow successfully
Their business is flourishing.
These plants flourish in a sunny position.
flow 1 Ф / flou / verb ( flows , flow ing , flowed )
to move in a steady, continuous way in one direction This river flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
flow2 / flou /noun [ singular ]
a steady, continuous movement of something in one direction
I used a handkerchief to stop the flow of blood. the steady flow of traffic through the city
flow chart / ' flou tfart /noun [ count ]
( business , general science ) a diagram that shows the connections between the different stages of a process or parts of a system
— Look at pie chart .
flow .еГ 1 Ф/ 'flausr/noun [count ]
the part of a plant that has a bright color, where the seeds
or fruit come from
She gave me a bunch of flowers.
—Look at the picture at plant .
tulip sunflower rose
flowers
flow • er2 / ' faror /verb
(flow- ers, flow • er • ing, flow ered )
( biology ) to produce flowers This plant flowers in late spring.
flow • er bed / ' fla^r bed /noun [ count ]
a piece of ground used for growing flowers
flow • er • pot / ' flac^rpat /noun [ count ]
a container in which you grow plants
flow • er • y / ' flacOTi / (also flow, ered / ' fla^rd /) adjective
covered or decorated with flowers She was wearing a flowery dress.
flown
form of fly 1
fl. oz.
abbreviation of fluid ounce flu / flu / noun [ noncou nt ]
( health ) an illness like a very bad cold that makes your body sore and hot I have the flu .
fluc • tu • ate AWl| / ' fkktjueit / verb
( fluc • tu ates , fluc • tu at • ing , fluc • tu • at • ed )
to change often from one thing to another
The number of students at the school fluctuates between
100 and 150.
flu • en • cy / ' flmnsi /noun [ noncount ]
( english language arts ) the ability to speak or write a language well
speaking activities to improve your fluency flu • ent / ' fl^nt / adjective
able to speak easily and correctly Susan is fluent in English and Spanish.
spoken easily and correctly She speaks fluent Japanese.
►flu • ent • ly / ' йшпШ / adverb She speaks five languages fluently.
fluff / fkf /noun [ noncount ]
very light and soft pieces of wool, cotton, or fur, or very light and soft new feathers
fluff • y / ' ff / adjective (fluff • i • er, fluff i est)
feeling or looking very light and soft a fluffy kitten fluffy clouds
flu • id / ' flTOd /noun [ count, noncount ]
a substance that can flow; a liquid
The doctor told her to drink plenty of fluids.
flu • id ounce / |йш1 ' auns / ( also ounce )noun
[ count ] ( abbreviation fl. oz. )
a measure of liquid (= 0.0296 liters). There are 16 fluid ounces in a pint , and 32 fluid ounces in a quart .
flung
form of fling
flush / йл/ / verb ( flush • es, flush ing , flushed )
to clean a toilet by pressing or pulling a handle that sends water through it
Remember to flush the toilet.
If you flush , your face becomes red because you are embarrassed or angry
He flushed with anger.
flushed / fkjt / adjective
with a red face
You look flushed. Are you feeling alright?
flust • ered / ' / adjective
feeling nervous and confused because you have too much to
do or not enough time
She arrived late, looking hot and flustered.
flute / flut/noun [ count ]
( music ) a musical instrument that you hold out to the side and play by blowing
—Look at the picture at instrument .
flut • ter / ' Ал:эг / verb ( flut • ters , flut • ter • ing , flut • tered )
to make a quick, light movement through the air Flags fluttered in the breeze.
fly 1 О / flai / verb
( flies , fly • ing , flew / flu / has flown / floun / )
to move through the air
In the fall, some birds fly to warmer countries.
to travel in an airplane
I'm flying to Boston tomorrow.
to make an airplane move through the air A pilot is a person who flies a plane.
to move quickly
The door suddenly flew open, and John came in. A stone came flying through the window.
to move around in the air
Three flags were flying in front of the building.
fly2 / flai /noun ( pluralflies )
[ count ] a small insect with two wings — Look at the picture atinsect .
[ singular ] the part where you fasten a pair of pants at the front
Your fly is unzipped!
fly • ing / ' flaiig / adjective
able to fly
flying insects
with flying colors
with great success; very well
They all passed the exam with flying colors.
fly • ing sau • cer / iflaiig ' sosэr / noun [count]
an object in the sky that some people think they have seen, and that they think has come from another planet
foal / foul /noun [ count ] a young horse Word building A male horse is a stallion and a female horse is a mare . A young horse is a foal .
foam / foum /noun [ noncount ]
a soft light material, full of small holes, which is used inside seats, etc.
a foam mattress
a lot of very small white bubbles that you see when you move liquid quickly
fo • cus 1 AVWL / ' foukэs / verb ( fo .cus • es or fo • cus • ses , fo • cus • ing or fo • cus • sing , fo • cused or fo cussed )
1 to give all your attention to something to focus on a problem 2 to move part of a camera, etc. so that you can see things through it clearly
fo • cus2 AWB / ' foukss /noun [ singular ]
the center of attention or interest; special attention that is
given to someone or something
It was the main focus of attention at the meeting.
in focus ; out of focus
If a photograph is in focus , it is clear. If it is out of focus , it is not.
fog / fog ; fag /noun [ count, noncount ]
thick cloud that forms close to the ground, and that is
difficult to see through
The fog will clear by late morning.
► fog • gy / ' fogi ; ' fagi /adjective
( fog • gi • er , fog • gi • est )
a foggy day
It was very foggy this morning.
foil / foil /noun [ noncount ]
thin metal paper that is used for covering food
Wrap the meat in foil and put it in the oven.
fold 1 Ф / fould / verb (folds , fold ing ,fold ed) ( also fold up )
1 to bend something so that one part is on top of another part
folded the letter and put it in the envelope. Fold up your clothes. —ANTONYM unfold
to be able to be made smaller in order to be carried or stored more easily
a folding chair This table folds up flat.
fold your arms
to cross one arm over the other one in front of your chest She folded her arms and waited.
fold2 / fould /noun [ count ] a line that is made when you bend cloth or paper
fold • er / ' fouldsr /noun [ count ]
a cover made of very thick paper or plastic, for keeping papers in
— Look at the picture at stationery .
( computers ) a collection of information or files that is stored together in a computer or on a disk
fo • li • age / ' fouliid3 /noun [ noncount ]
( formal )
( biology ) all the leaves of a tree or plant folk / fouk /adjective
typical of the ordinary people of a particular country or
community
folk music
a traditional folk dance
folks / fouks /noun [ plural ]
people in general
There are a lot of old folks living in this town.
( informal ) your parents How are your folks?
fol . low Ф / 'falou / verb ( fol lows , fol • low • ing , fol • lowed )
1 to come or go after someone or something Follow me and I'll show you the way.
think that car is following us!
The movie will be followed by the news.
to go along a road, path, etc.
Follow this road for about a mile and then turn right.
to do what someone says you should do
I'd like you all to follow my instructions carefully.
to understand something
Has everyone followed the discussion so far? as follows
as you will now hear or read
The dates of the meetings will be as follows: March 21,
April 3, April 19.
►fol • low • er noun [ count ]
someone who follows or supports a person or a belief
fol • low • ing / ' falouig / adjective
next
I saw him the following day.
fond / fand / adjective ( fond • er , fond • est ) be fond of someone or something
to like someone or something a lot They are very fond of their uncle. Thesaurus
like to feel that someone or something is good, nice, or attractive; to enjoy something: He's nice. I like him a lot. ♦ Which shirt do you like the best? ♦ I don't like to see her cry. ♦ He didn't like it when I shouted at him. love to like or enjoy someone or something very much: I love this place. ♦ My dad loves going to baseball games. ♦ I love it when you bring me presents! be fond of to like or enjoy someone or something, especially if this has continued for a long time: We were fond of the house and didn't want to leave. ♦ We're all very fond of Mrs. Simpson. ♦ I grew very fond of Turkish food while I was living in Istanbul. adore to love someone or something very much: He simply adores his older brother. ♦ She adores working with children.
► fond • ly / fandli / adverb I remember the place fondly.
food О / fud /noun [ noncount ]
things that people or animals eat Let's go and get some food — I'm hungry. They gave the horses food and water. My favorite food is pasta. Collocations Cooking preparing chop/slice the onions peel the potatoes/an orange grate the cheese/a carrot mix (together) all the ingredients cooking
heat the oven/the broiler/some oil in a frying pan
melt the butter/chocolate/cheese
cook food/fish/meat/rice
bake bread/a cake/cookies/muffins
boil potatoes/an egg/water
fry/stir-fry the chicken/vegetables
grill/broil/barbecue fish/meat/steak
roast chicken/turkey/potatoes
steam rice/vegetables
microwave food/popcorn/your dinner
fool1 / ful /noun [ count ]
a person who is silly or who does something silly You fool! You forgot to lock the door! make a fool of yourself
to do something that makes you look silly in front of other people
He always makes a fool of himself at parties.
fool 2 / ful / verb ( fools , fool • ing , fooled )
to make someone believe something that is not true You can't fool me! I know you're lying!
—SYNONYM trick
fool around to do silly things Stop fooling around with those scissors.
fool • ish / ' fulij / adjective
stupid or silly a foolish mistake
►fool • ish • ly / ' fulijli / adverb I foolishly forgot to bring a coat.
fOOt Ф / fut /noun [ count ]
( pluralfeet / fit / ) the part of your leg that you stand on
I've been walking all day, and my feet hurt. — Look at the picture at leg .
( pluralfoot or feet ) ( abbreviationft. ) a measure of length (= twelve inches or 30.48 centimeters). There are three feet in a yard
"How tall are you?" "Five foot six (= five feet and six inches ) ."
She is five feet tall.
the lowest part of something
She was standing at the foot of the stairs.
—SYNONYM bottom
on foot
walking
Should we go by car or on foot? put your foot down ( informal )
to say strongly that something must or must not happen My mom put her foot down when I asked if I could stay out after midnight.
put your foot in your mouth ( informal )
to say or do something by accident that makes someone embarrassed or upset
foot . ball О
/ ' futbol /noun ( sports )
[ noncount ] a game that is played by two teams of eleven players who throw, carry, or kick the ball to the end of the field. The players wear special clothing to protect their heads and bodies
He played football in high school and college.
a football game
[ count ] a ball for playing this game
foot • print / ' futprint /noun [ count ] a mark that your foot or shoe makes on the ground
foot • step / ' futstep /noun [ count ]
the sound of a person walking I heard footsteps, and then a knock on the door.
foot • wear / ' futwer /noun [ noncount ]
shoes or boots
The store has a large footwear department.
for 1 © / far; for /preposition
a word that shows who will get or have something These flowers are for you.
a word that shows how something is used or why something is done
We had fish for dinner.
Take this medicine for your cold.
He was sent to prison for murder.
a word that shows where a person or thing is going Is this the train for New York?
a word that shows how much something is I bought this book for $19.
a word that shows that you like an idea
Some people were for the strike and others were against it.
—ANTONYM against
with the meaning of
What is the word for "small" in Spanish?
on the side of someone or something He plays football for Cornell.
a word that shows how long something has been happening
She has lived here for 20 years. Which word? For or since?
We use for to say how long something has continued, for example in hours , days , or years : She's been sick for three days. ♦ I've lived in this house for ten months. ♦ We have been married for ten years. We use since with points of time in the past, for example a time on the clock, a date , or an event : I've been here since six o'clock. ♦ She has been alone since her husband died. ♦ We've been married since 1996.
a word that shows how far someone or something goes We walked for miles (= a very long way ) .
a word that shows the person or thing you are talking about
It's time for us to go.
for2 / fэr ; for /conjunction ( formal )
because
She was crying, for she knew they could never meet again. —SYNONYM as
for • bid / fэr'bId /verb ( for • bids, for • bid ding, for • bade / fэr' beid / has for • bid • den / fэr' bidn / ) to say that someone must not do something My parents have forbidden me to see him again. Smoking is forbidden (= not allowed ) inside the building.
-^ANTONYM allow
force Ф / fors / noun
1 [ noncount ] power or strength He was killed by the force of the explosion.
lost the key so I had to open the door by force .
[ count ] a group of people, for example police or soldiers, who do a special job
the police force military forces
[ count, noncount ] ( physics ) a power that can cause change or movement
the force of gravity
force 2 Ф / fors / verb (forc es,forc ing , forced )
1 to make someone do something that they do not want to do
They forced him to give them the money.
2 to do something by using a lot of strength The thief forced the window open.
fore • cast1 / ' forkrest /noun [ count ]
what someone thinks will happen, based on the information that is available
The weather forecast said that it would rain today.
fore • cast 2 / ' forkrest / verb ( fore - casts , fore - cast - ing , fore cast , has fore - cast )
to say what you think will happen, based on the
information that is available
They're forecasting rain for tomorrow.
—SYNONYM predict
fore • cast • er / ' forkrestar /noun [ count ]
She's a weather forecaster on TV.
fore • fa • ther / ' forfadar /noun [ count ] ( formal )
( history ) a person (especially a man) in your family who lived a long time ago
—SYNONYM ancestor
fore • ground / ' forgraund /noun [ singular ]
( art ) the part of a picture that seems nearest to you The man in the foreground is my father.
—ANTONYM background
fore • head / forhed /noun [ count ]
the part of your face above your eyes
for .eign Ф / 'foron ; 'furon /adjective
belonging to or connected with a country that is not your own
We have some foreign students staying at our house. a foreign language
for • eign • er / foranar ; faranar /noun [ count ] a person from another country
fore • see / for si /verb ( fore - sees ,
fore - see - ing , fore saw / for' so / has fore seen
/ for sin / ) ( formal )
to know or guess what will happen in the future No one could have foreseen what would happen.
—SYNONYM predict
for .est © / 'forest/noun [count, noncount ]
( geography ) a large area of land covered with trees We went for a walk in the forest.
for .ev .er О /fo'г,"vor/ adverb
1 for all time
will love you forever.
—SYNONYM always
( informal ) very often
I can't read because he's forever asking me questions!
fore • word / ' forward /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a piece of writing at the beginning of a book, which introduces it a collection of short stories, with a foreword by John Updike
for • gave
form of forgive
forge / ford₃ / verb ( forg - es , forg - ing , forged )
to make an illegal copy of something in order to cheat people
The passport had been forged.
forge someone's signature
to sign another person's name, pretending to be that person
for • ger • y / ' ford₃ari / noun
( plural for - ger - ies )
[ noncount ] the crime of making an illegal copy of something in order to cheat people
[ count ] something that has been copied in order to cheat people
This painting is not really by Van Gogh — it's a forgery.
for .get Ф / for'get / verb ( for gets ,
for - get - ting , for - got / far' gat / has for - got - ten /
far gatn / )
1 to not remember something
forgot her name.
Don't forget to do your homework!
to not bring something with you I had forgotten my glasses.
to stop thinking about something Forget about your exams and enjoy yourself!
"I'm sorry I shouted at you." "Oh, forget it (= don't worry about it ) ."
for • get • ful / far ' getfl / adjective
often forgetting things
My grandmother had become very forgetful. —SYNONYM absentminded
for .give Ф/ for'giv/ verb ( For .gives , for - giv - ing , for gave / far' geiv / has for giv en
/ far' givn / )
to stop being angry with someone for a bad thing that they did
I can't forgive him for behaving like that.
for • give • ness / far'givnas / noun [noncount]
the fact that you stop being angry with someone for a bad thing that they did He begged for forgiveness.
for • got, for • got • ten
forms of forget
fork Ф / fork /noun [ count ]
a thing with long points at one end, which you use for putting food in your mouth
—Look at the picture at knife .
a large tool with points at one end, which you use for digging in the ground
a place where a road or river divides into two parts When you get to the fork in the road, go left.
form 1 Ф / form /noun
[ count ] a type of something
Cars, trains, and buses are all forms of transportation.
[ count ] a piece of paper with spaces for you to answer questions
You need to fill out this form to get a new passport.
[ count, noncount ] the shape of a person or thing a cake in the form of a car
[ count ] ( english language arts ) one of the ways you write or say a word
"Forgot" is a form of "forget."
form 2 Ф / form / verb ( forms , form - ing , formed )
1 to make something or to give a shape to something We formed a line outside the theater.
In English we usually form the past tense by adding "-ed."
to grow or take shape
Ice forms when water freezes.
to start a group or an organization The club was formed last year.
for .mal © / 'forml/adjective 1 You use formal language or behave in a formal way at important or serious times and with people you do not know very well
"Yours sincerely" is a formal way of ending a letter.
wore a suit and tie because it was a formal dinner.
official
I'll be making a formal complaint to the hospital about my care.
—ANTONYM informal
►for • mal • ly / ' ЬгшэН / adverb
"How do you do?" she said formally.
for • mataw / ' formret /
[count]
the shape of something, or the way it is arranged or produced
It's the same book, but in a different format.
for • mer / ' Ьгшэг / adjective
of a time before now
our former president
►for • mer • ly / ' ЬгшэгН / adverb
The hotel was formerly a private house.
the for • mer / бэ ' Ьгшэг / noun [ singular ]
the first of two things or people
He had to choose between losing his job and losing his family. He chose the former.
—ANTONYM the latter
for • mu • la aw Щ / ' ЬгшуэЬ / noun [ count ] ( plural for • mu . las or for • mu • lae / ' ЬгшуэН / )
( math , general science ) a group of letters, numbers, or symbols that show a rule in mathematics or science This formula is used to calculate the area of a circle.
a list of the substances that you need to make something The formula for the new drug will not be made public.
fort / fort /noun [ count ]
a strong building that was made to protect a place against its enemies
forth / for6 / adverb back and forth
— Look at back 3 .
for • ti • eth number
form of forty
for • tress / ' fortres /noun [ count ] ( pluralfor • tress • es )
a large strong building that was made to protect a place against its enemies
for • tu • nate / ' fortjomt / adjective
lucky
I was very fortunate to get the job.
—ANTONYM unfortunate
►for • tu • nate • ly / ' ЬгУЪпэШ / adverb
Fortunately, no one was hurt in the accident.
—SYNONYM luckily
—ANTONYM unfortunately
for • tune / ' fortjon / noun
[ count ] a lot of money
He made a fortune selling old cars.
[ noncount ] things that happen that you cannot control I had the good fortune to get the job.
—SYNONYM luck
tell someone's fortune
to say what will happen to someone in the future
She said she could tell my fortune by looking at my hand.
for .ty © / forti/ number Spelling
Remember! There is a U in four , but no U in forty .
40
the forties [ plural ] the numbers, years, or temperatures between 40 and 49
in your forties
between the ages of 40 and 49 I think my teacher must be in his forties. ►for • ti • eth / ' Ьгйэб /pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ] 40th
for • ward Ф / 'forward / adverb
( also for • wards / ' Ьтоэ^ / ) in the direction that is in front of you
Move forward to the front of the train.
in the direction of progress; ahead This new drug is a big step forward.
—ANTONYM backward
look forward to something
to wait for something with pleasure We're looking forward to seeing you again.
for • ward 2 / ' forward / verb
( for • wards , for • ward • ing , for • ward • ed )
to send a letter or e-mail that you receive at one address to another address
Could you forward all my mail to me while I'm abroad?
fos • sil / ' fasl /noun [ count ]
a part of a dead plant or an animal that has been in the ground for a very long time and has turned into rock
fos • sil fuel / ' fasl if^l / noun
[ count, noncount ]
fuel such as gas or oil that was formed over millions of years from dead animals or plants in the ground
fos • ter 1 / ' fa^r / verb
(fos • ters,fos • ter• ing ,fos tered )
( formal )
to let a good feeling or situation develop
The aim is to foster good relations between the two
countries.
fos • ter 2 / ' fa^r / adjective
connected with taking a child who needs a home into your family, but without becoming their legal parent my foster parents a foster home
fought
form of fight
foul 1 / faul / adjective
dirty, or with a bad smell or taste What afoul smell!
very bad
We had foul weather all week.
foul 2 / faul / ( fouls , foul • ing , fouled ) verb
( sports ) to do something to another player that is not allowed
Johnson was fouled twice. ►foulnoun [ count ]
He was sent off for a foul on the goalkeeper.
found 1 AWL
form of find
found 2 AW / faund / ( founds, found • ing, found ed )
to start a new organization
This school was founded in 1865.
►foun • derAWL / ' faundsr /noun [ count ]
a person who starts a new organization the founder and president of the company
foun • da • tion aw / faun ' deifn /
foundations [ plural ] the bricks or stones that form the solid base of a building, under the ground
[ count, noncount ] the idea or fact on which something is based
Those skills are a good foundation for learning other subjects.
That theory has no foundation.
[ noncount ] the act of starting a new organization
foun • tain / fauntn /noun [ count ]
water that shoots up into the air and then falls down again. You often see fountains in parks and gardens.
fOUr © / for /number
on all fours
with your hands and knees on the ground We went through the tunnel on all fours. ►fourth / for6 /pronoun, adjective, adverb 4th
He finished fourth in the race.
four .teen © / for'tin / number
14
►four • teenth / for'tine / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ] 14th
the Fourth of Ju • ly / 6s fore av d₃u ' lai /
noun [ singular ]
July 4; a national holiday in the U.S., when Americans celebrate the day in 1776 that America became an independent country
—SYNONYM Independence Day
fox / faks /noun
foy • er / foisr / noun [ count ]
an open area inside the entrance of a house or a large public
building, for example a hotel or theater
I'll meet you in the hotel foyer at seven thirty.
[count] ( pluralfox • es) a wild animal like a small dog with a long thick tail and red fur
frac • tion / ' frrekfn /noun [ count ] ( math)
an exact part of a number
Ш (= a quarter ) and У (= a third ) are fractions.
— Look at integer .
a very small part of something
For a fraction of a second I thought the car was going to crash.
frac • ture / ' frrektjsr/noun [ count ]
( health ) a break in one of your bones She had a fracture of the arm. ►frac • tureverb
( frac tures,frac tur• ing , frac • tured )
She fell and fractured her ankle.
frag • ile / ' frred3l /adjective
A thing that is fragile breaks easily
Be careful with those glasses. They're very fragile.
frag • ment / ' frregmsnt /noun [ count ]
a very small piece that has broken off something There were fragments of glass everywhere.
fra • grance / ' freigrsns / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a pleasant smell
The flowers are chosen for their delicate fragrance.
fra • grant / ' freigrsnt / adjective
having a pleasant smell The air was fragrant.
frail / freil / adjective ( frail • er , frail est )
not strong or healthy a frail old woman
—SYNONYM weak
frame 1 / freim/noun [ count ]
a thin piece of wood or metal around the edge of a picture, window, mirror, etc.
strong pieces of wood or metal that give something its shape
the frame of the bicycle
the metal or plastic around the edge of a pair of glasses —Look at the picture atglasses .
frame of mind
the way that you feel at a particular time I'm not in the right frame of mind for a party.
—SYNONYM mood
frame 2 / freim / verb ( frames , fram • ing , framed )
to put a picture in a frame
Let's have this photograph framed.
frame • workIaw / ' freimwsrk / [count]
the strong part of something that gives it shape The bridge has a steel framework.
a set of rules or ideas which help you to decide what to do Your plan will provide a good framework.
frank / fi-жцк / adjective ( frank • er , frank • est )
saying exactly what you think To be frank, I don't like your shirt.
—SYNONYM honest , truthful
► frank • ly / ' fragkli / adverb
Tell me frankly what you think of my work.
fran • tic / ' frrentik /adjective
very busy or in a hurry
a frantic search for the keys
extremely worried or frightened
Nancy was frantic when she couldn't find her son. frantic cries for help ►fran • ti • cal • ly / ' frrentikli / adverb Tom searched frantically for his wallet.
fraud / frod /noun
[ count, noncount ] doing things that are not honest to get money: His father was sent to prison for fraud.
[ count ] a person or thing that is not what they seem to be
He said he was a police officer, but I knew he was a fraud.
fray / frei / verb ( frays , fray • ing , frayed )
If cloth frays , the threads become loose at the edges a frayed towel
freak1 / frik /noun [ count ]
( informal ) a person with a very strong interest in something
a health freak a computer freak
a person who looks strange or behaves in a very strange way
freak 2 / frik / adjective
(used about an event or the weather) strange or unusual a freak accident a freak storm
freck • les / ' freklz/noun [ plural ]
small light brown spots on a person's skin A lot of people with red hair have freckles.
free О / fri / adjective, adverb ( fre er , fre • est )
able to go where you want and do what you want After five years in prison she was finally free.
We set the bird free (= let it go ) and it flew away.
If something is free , you do not have to pay for it We have some free tickets for the concert. Children under twelve can stay here free.
not busy
Are you free this afternoon? I don't have much free time.
not being used
Excuse me, is this seat free?
free from something ; free of something
without something bad
She was finally free from pain.
free 2 w / fri / verb (frees , free . ing , freed )
to make someone or something free He was freed after ten years in prison. Suffix
-free
( in adjectives ) not containing the bad thing mentioned sugar -free cola fat -free yogurt a smoke -free environment a tax -free savings account
free .dom О / 'tndom / noun
[ noncount ] being free
They gave their children too much freedom.
[ count, noncount ] the right to do or say what you want
freedom of speech free • way / ' friwei / noun [ count ]
a wide road where vehicles can travel fast the freeways of southern California
freeze Ф / friz / verb ( freez es , freez • ing , froze / frouz / has fro • zen / ' frouzn / )
to become hard because it is so cold. When water freezes , it becomes ice.
to make food very cold so that it stays fresh for a long time
frozen vegetables
to stop suddenly and stay very still The cat froze when it saw the bird. freeze to death
to be so cold that you die
freez • er / ' frizэr /noun [ count ]
an electric container that keeps food very cold ( frozen ) so that it stays fresh for a long time
—Look at refrigerator .
freez • ing / ' frizig / adjective
( informal )
very cold
Can you close the window? I'm freezing! Thesaurus
cold with a temperature that is lower than usual or lower than the human body; (used about food or drink) not heated: I'm not going into the lake - the water's too cold. ♦ Should I turn the heat on? I'm cold. ♦ to look/feel cold ♦ Would you like a cold drink? ♦ We're having cold chicken for lunch. cool (used especially about the weather) a little cold, often in a pleasant way: It's hot outside but it's nice and cool in here. ♦ a cool breeze (= a light wind ) ♦ Let's sit in the shade and keep cool. freezing ( informal )
(used about the temperature or people) extremely cold: It's freezing outside. ♦ freezing temperatures ♦ I'm freezing! Close the window! ♦ freezing cold weather —ANTONYM boiling
chilly (used especially about the weather) too cold to be comfortable: a chilly morning in November ♦ Bring a coat. It might get chilly later. ♦ She was beginning to feel chilly.
freez • ing point / ' frizig point /
( also freez .ing ) noun [ count, noncount ] ( physics ) the temperature at which a liquid freezes Water has a freezing point of 32° Fahrenheit, or 0° Celsius. Last night the temperature fell to six degrees below freezing .
freight / freit /noun [ noncount ]
things that trucks, ships, trains, and airplanes carry from one place to another a freight train
French fries / ' frentf fraiz / ( also fries )noun [ plural ]
thin pieces of potato cooked in hot oil a hamburger with French fries
French toast / |frentf ' toust /noun [noncount]
bread that has been covered with a mixture of eggs and milk and then fried a piece of French toast
fren • Zy / ' frenzi /noun
[ singular , noncount ]
a state of great emotion or activity that is not under control She was in a complete frenzy before the wedding.
fre • quen • cy / ' frikwansi / noun ( plural fre - quen - cies )
[ noncount ] the number of times something happens The frequency of fatal accidents has gone down.
The frequency of cancer-related deaths near the factory is being investigated.
[ count, noncount ] ( physics ) the rate at which a sound wave or radio wave moves up and down high-frequency sounds
What frequency does the radio station broadcast on?
fre • quent / ' frikwant /adjective
happening often
His visits became less frequent.
—ANTONYM infrequent
►fre • quent • ly / ' frikwantli / adverb Steven is frequently late for school. —SYNONYM often
fresh Ф / fre/ / adjective ( fresh - er , ^:resh - est )
(used especially about food) made or picked not long ago; not frozen or in a can
I'll make some fresh coffee.
Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
new or different fresh ideas
clean and cool
Open the window and let some fresh air in.
(used about water) not containing salt; not from the ocean
fresh water
►fresh • ly / ' frejli / adverb freshly baked bread
fresh • man / ' frejman / noun
[count]
( pluralfresh . men / ' frejman / )
a student who is in ninth grade in high school or the first year of college
— Look at junior 2 , senior 2 ( 1 ) , sophomore .
fret / fret / verb ( fret , fret - ting , fret - ted )
to be worried and unhappy about something I've been fretting about the exam all week.
fric • tion / ' frikjn / noun
[noncount]
( physics ) the action of one surface rubbing against another
You have to put oil in the engine to reduce friction between the moving parts.
disagreement between people or groups
There was a lot of friction between the two families.
Fri .day Ф / 'fraidei; 'fraidi/noun [ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationFri. ) the day of the week after Thursday and before Saturday
fridge / frid₃ /noun [ count ]
( informal ) = refrigerator
fried
form of fry friend Ф / frend / noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word friend sounds like send , because we don't
say the letter i in this word.
a person that you like and know very well
David is my best friend.
We are very good friends.
make friends with someone
to become a friend of someone
Have you made friends with any of the students in your class?
friend • ly Ф/ 'frendli / adjective ( friend li - er , friend - li est )
kind and helpful My neighbors are very friendly.
—ANTONYM unfriendly
be friendly with someone
to be someone's friend Jane is friendly with their daughter. ►friend • li • ness / ' frendlinas /noun [noncount]
friend .ship Ф / ' frendjip /
[ count, noncount ]
the state of being friends with someone a close friendship
Your friendship is very important to me.
fries1 / fraiz /noun [ plural ] = French fries
a burger and fries
fries 2
form of fry
fright / frait /noun [ count, noncount ]
a sudden feeling of fear
I hope I didn't give you a fright when I shouted. She cried out in fright.
fright .en Ф / 'fraitn/ verb ( fright - ens , fright - en - ing , fright - ened )
to make someone feel afraid Sorry, did I frighten you?
—SYNONYM scare
►fright • en • ing / ' fraitn^ig / adjective
That was the most frightening movie I have ever seen. —SYNONYM scary
fright • ened / ' fraitnd / adjective
afraid
He's frightened of spiders. —SYNONYM scared Thesaurus
afraid feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen. This word cannot come before a noun, so you can say "the man is afraid" but NOT "an afraid man": Are you afraid of spiders? ♦ Alex is afraid of going out after dark. ♦ We were afraid to go into the cave. ♦ He's afraid that he'll fall.
scared a more informal word than afraid , which is used more in spoken than written English: I'm really scared of heights. ♦ Everyone was too scared to move. ♦ The thieves got scared and ran away. ♦ Are you scared about the exam tomorrow?
frightened a more formal word than afraid , which is used more in written than spoken English: a frightened child ♦ She is not frightened of anything. ♦ He was frightened that the glass would break. terrified very afraid: to be terrified of spiders ♦ He was terrified that he would fall. ♦ You look terrified!
frill / fril /noun
[ count ] a narrow piece of cloth with a lot of folds, which decorates the edge of a shirt, dress, etc.
a white blouse with frills at the cuffs
frills [ plural ] nice things that are added to something, but that you feel are not necessary
We want a simple meal — no frills .
►frill • y / ' frili / adjective ( frill • i • er , frill • i • est )
a frilly skirt
fringe / frind3 /noun
[ count ]
a line of loose strings ( threads ) that decorate the edge of a piece of cloth
friz • zy / frizi / adjective ( friz • zi • er , friz • zi • est ) adjective
(used about hair) with a lot of small curls (= curved pieces of hair )
fro / frou / adverb to and fro
first one way and then the other way, many times She rocked the baby to and fro.
frog / frog ; frag /noun [count]
a small green animal that lives in and near water. Frogs have long back legs and they can jump.
from Ф / frem ; &лш / preposition
a word that shows where someone or something starts We traveled from New York to Boston.
She began to walk away from him. The tickets cost from $15 to $35.
a word that shows when something starts The store is open from 9:30 until 5:30.
a word that shows who gave or sent something I got a letter from Lynn.
I borrowed a dress from my sister.
a word that shows where someone lives or was born My family comes from Cuba.
a word that shows what is used to make something Paper is made from wood.
a word that shows how far away something is The house is two miles from here.
a word that shows how something changes The sky changed from blue to gray.
a word that shows why Children are dying from this disease.
a word that shows difference My book is different from yours.
front © / frmt /noun [ count , usually singular ]
the side or part of something that faces forward and that you usually see first
The book has a picture of a lion on the front .
John and I sat in the front of the car and the children sat in
the back.
in front of someone or something
farther forward than another person or thing Alice was sitting in front of her mother on the bus.
when other people are there
Please don't talk about it in front of my parents.
►front adjective
the front door
the front seat of a car
fron • tier / frrn' tir / noun
[ usually singular ] ( history ) land that people are just beginning to live on, especially in the western U.S. in the 1800s
frontier towns of the Wild West —SYNONYM border
the frontiers [ plural ] the limit between what we know and what we do not know
the frontiers of modern medicine
frost / frost /noun [ count, noncount ]
ice, like white powder, that covers the ground when the
weather is very cold
There was a frost last night.
► frost • y / frosti / adjective
( frost • i • er, frost • i • est )
a frosty morning
frost • ing / ' frostig / noun [noncount]
a sweet substance that you use for covering cakes chocolate frosting
frown / fraun / verb ( frowns , frown • ing , frowned )
to show that you are angry or worried by making lines appear above your nose
John frowned at me when I came in. "You're late," he said. ►frownnoun [ count ]
She looked at me with a frown.
froze
form of freeze
fro • zen 1
form of freeze
frO .Zen 2Ф/ frouzn/ adjective ( informal )
(used about food) kept at a very cold temperature so that it stays fresh for a long time
frozen peas
(used about water) turned to ice, or with a layer of ice on the top
a frozen lake
fruit Ф / frut /noun [ count, noncount ]
Pronunciation
The word fruit sounds like boot .
the part of a plant or tree that holds the seeds. Oranges and
apples are types of fruit
Would you like a a piece of fruit ?
"Would you like some fruit ?" "Yes please — I'll have a pear."
fruit sal • ad / |frut ' srebd / [ count, noncount ]
a sweet dish made of small pieces of different kinds of fruit
frus • trat • ed / ' frAstreitad / adjective
feeling angry because you cannot do what you want to do She felt frustrated by her lack of progress.
frus • trat • ing / ' frAstreitig / adjective
making you angry because you cannot do what you want to do
It's very frustrating when you can't say what you mean in a foreign language.
frus • tra • tion / frA 'streifn/ noun [ noncount ]
a feeling of anger because you cannot get or do something you want
He got stuck in traffic and hit the steering wheel in frustration.
fry ©/ frai / verb ( fries, fry ing, fried , has fried )
to cook something in hot fat or oil Fry the onions in butter. fried eggs Thesaurus
cook to make food ready to eat by heating it: My mother taught me how to cook. ♦ Who is going to cook dinner tonight? ♦ What's the best way to cook salmon? ♦ He cooked us a wonderful meal. boil to cook vegetables, rice, eggs, etc. in boiling water (= water heated to 212°F ) : Boil the rice for 15 minutes. ♦ Put the potatoes on to boil. ♦ Do you like boiled cabbage?
fry to cook food in a shallow pan of hot oil: Fry the onion and garlic for five minutes. ♦ There was a smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. ♦ fried chicken/fish/rice bake to cook food in an oven without any extra fat or liquid: to bake bread/cookies ♦ We baked him a cake for his birthday. ♦ baked potatoes roast to cook large pieces of meat in an oven or over a fire; to cook vegetables in oil or fat in an oven: The turkey is roasting in the oven. ♦ You should boil the potatoes for a little while before you roast them. grill to cook meat or fish on metal bars over a fire: to grill steak/chicken/burgers/fish on the barbecue ♦ grilled salmon
broil to cook food under or over direct heat: to broil salmon/a steak ♦ We ate broiled chicken with vegetables.
fry • ing pan / ' fraiig pren / ( also skil . let / ' skilat/ )noun [ count ] a flat, metal container with a long handle that you use for frying food
ft.
abbreviation offoot ( 2 ) fudge / fAd₃ /noun [ noncount ]
a type of soft, brown candy made from sugar, butter, milk, and usually chocolate
fuel® / ' fyual/noun [ noncount ]
anything that you burn to make heat or power. Wood, gas,
and oil are kinds of fuel .
fu • gi • tive / ' fyud3ativ /noun [ count ]
a person who is running away or escaping, especially from the police
a fugitive from the law Suffix
-ful
( in adjectives ) full of something
beautiful
helpful
powerful
truthful
useful
ful • fill / ful ' fil / verb ( ful fills , ful fill • ing , ful • filled )
to do what you have planned or promised to do Jane fulfilled her dream of traveling around the world. ►ful • fill • ment / ful' filmant / noun [ noncount ] the fulfillment of a promise
full Ф / ful /
adjective
( full • er , full • est )
with a lot of people or things in it, so that there is no more space My glass is full. The bus was full so we waited for the next one. These socks are full of holes.
-►ANTONYM empty
having had enough to eat
"Would you like anything else to eat?" "No thanks, I'm full."
complete; with nothing missing Please tell me the full story.
as much, big, etc. as possible
The train was traveling at full speed. in full
completely; with nothing missing Please write your name in full.
full moon / |ful ' mun /noun [ singular ]
the time when you can see all of the moon
full-time / |ful ' taim / adjective, adverb
for all the normal working hours of the day or week My mother has a full-time job. Do you work full-time?
—Look at part-time .
ful .ly Ф / 'fuli/ adverb
completely; totally
I fully understand what you are saying. fumes / fyumz / noun [ plural ]
smoke or gases that smell bad and that can be dangerous to breathe in toxic fumes
fun lV/Јm/noun [ noncount ]
pleasure and enjoyment; something that you enjoy
Sailing is great fun .
I'm just learning Spanishfor fun .
Have fun (= enjoy yourself ) !
make fun of someone to laugh about someone in an unkind way
The other children make fun of him because he wears glasses.
fun 2 / Јrn / adjective
enjoyable
That party was really fun. to have a fun time
func • tion1AWL / ' fivgkjn/noun [ count ]
the special work that a person or thing does
The function of the heart is to send blood around the body.
an important social event
The hall is often used for weddings and other functions.
func • tion 2 AWL / ' f^AgkJn / verb
( func - tions , func - tion - ing , func - tioned )
to work: Car engines do not function without oil.
fund1AW Щ / Јrnd /noun [ count ]
money that will be used for something special
a fund to help homeless people
The school wants to raise funds for new computers.
fund2AW / Јrnd / !
( funds , fund - ing , fund - ed )
( business ) to provide money for something official The government is funding a new study on nutrition.
fun •da • men • tal |aWL / f_Anda ' mental /
adjective
most important; from which everything else develops There is a fundamental difference between the two points of view.
—SYNONYM basic
fund -rais • ing / ' Јrnd |reizig / noun
[ noncount ]
the activity of collecting money for a particular use fund-raising activities at the school
fu • ner • al / ' fyunaral/noun [ count ]
the time when a dead person is buried or burned
fun • gus / ' Ј\ggas /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralfun - gi / ' fAgd₃ai ; ' fivggai / ) ( biology ) a living thing that is like a plant without leaves or flowers. Fungi grow on plants and wet surfaces Mushrooms are fungi.
fun • nel / ' fiml /noun [ count ]
a tube that is wide at the top to help you pour things into
bottles
fun .пуф/ f \иi / adjective ( fun - ni - er , fun - ni - est )
making you laugh or smile: a funny story He's so funny!
—SYNONYM amusing
strange or surprising
There's a funny smell in this room.
fur Ф / far /noun [ noncount ]
the soft, thick hair that covers the bodies of some animals ►fur • ry / ' fari /adjective ( fur - ri - er , fur - ri - est )
a furry animal
fu • ri • ous / fyurias / adjective
very angry: My parents were furious with me. Thesaurus
angry feeling or showing anger: My parents will be really angry if I get home late. ♦ She's angry about the way she was treated. ♦ Please don't be angry with me.
Please don't be angry at me. ♦ His behavior made me angry . ♦ I was angry with him for breaking my phone.
mad
( informal )
very angry. This word cannot come before a noun with this meaning: He got mad and walked out. ♦ She's mad at me for being late.
furious extremely angry: She was furious with me when she found out. ♦ He was furious at her behavior.
I had a furious argument with my mother last night. annoyed a little angry: She's annoyed at/with herself for making such a stupid mistake. ♦ I was annoyed to see that they had left the door open. ♦ Why are you getting annoyed ?
fur • nace / ' farnas /noun [ count ]
a closed container with a fire inside it, used for heating buildings or for heating metals, making glass, etc.
fur • nish / ' farnif / verb ( fur - nish - es , fur - nish ing , fur nished )
to put furniture in a room, house, etc. The room was beautifully furnished. ►fur • nished / ' farnift /adjective
with furniture already in it
I'm renting a furnished apartment.
fur • nish • ings / ' farnifigz / noun [ plural ]
the furniture, lamps, etc. in a room or house curtains, cushions, and other soft furnishings
fur . ni . ture Ф / 'farmer / noun [ noncount ]
tables, chairs, beds, etc.
They bought some furniture for their new house. All the furniture is very old.
The only piece of furniture in the room was a large bed.
fur .ther © / ' fsrdsr / adjective, adverb
1 more; extra
Do you have any further questions?
have nothing further to say
at or to a greater distance in time
You need to plan a little further into the future.
( informal ) at or to a greater distance in space The hospital is further down the road.
We couldn't go any further because the road was closed.
—SYNONYM farther Which word? Farther or further?
In formal English, you should use farther to talk about distance in space: I walked much farther than you did.
Use further to talk about distance in time: I can't remember further back than 1990.
fur • ther • more AWB / ' fsrdsrmor / adverb
( formal )
also; on top of what has already been written or said We will donate money to the disaster fund. Furthermore, we will send medical supplies immediately.
—SYNONYM moreover fur • thest form of far
fu • ry / ' fyuri/noun [ noncount ] ( formal)
very strong anger She was filled with fury.
fuse / fyuz /noun [ count ]
a small wire inside a piece of electrical equipment that stops it from working if too much electricity goes through it
a piece of string that is lit to make a bomb explode to light the fuse
fu • sion / ' fyu₃n / noun
[ noncount , singular ] joining different things together to form one
the fusion of two political systems
[ noncount ] ( physics ) the process of combining atoms so that they release energy
nuclear fusion
fuss1 / Ј\s /noun [ singular , noncount ]
a lot of excitement or worrying about small things that are not important
He makes a fuss when I'm five minutes late. make a fuss over someone
to pay a lot of attention to someone Grandpa always makes a fuss over me.
fuss 2 / Ј\s / verb ( fuss es , fuss ing , fussed )
to worry and get excited about small things that are not important
Stop fussing!
to pay too much attention to someone or something They were fussing over all the details of the party.
fuss • y / ' fi\si / adjective (fuss • i • er, fuss • i est)
caring a lot about small things that are not important, and difficult to please
Rob is fussy about his food (= there are many things that he will not eat ) .
fu • tile / ' fyutl / adjective
A futile action has no chance of success
They made a futile attempt to make him change his mind.
►fu • til • i • ty / fyu' tilsti /noun [ noncount ]
the futility of war
fU .tUre1 Ф / 'fyutjor /noun
[ singular , count ] the time that will come No one knows what will happen in the future . The company's future is uncertain.
he future (also the fu ture tense / 6s ifyut/sr ' tens /)
[ singular ] ( English language arts ) the form of a verb that shows what will happen after now
— Look at the past tense , present 2 ( 3 ).
fU .tUre 2 Ф / 'fyutjor/ adjective
happening or existing in the time that will come Have you met John's future wife?
fuzz • y / ' fAzi / adjective (fuzz • i • er, fuzz • i • est)
not clear
The photo was a little fuzzy, but I could still make out my mother in it.
Gg
G, g / d₃i /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralG's, g's / d₃iz / ) the seventh letter of the English alphabet
"Girl" begins with a "G."
g abbreviation of gram It weighs 100 g.
gadg • et / ' g®d₃st /noun [ count ]
a small machine or useful tool
Their kitchen is full of electrical gadgets.
gain Ф / gem / verb ( gains , gain ing , gained )
1 to get something that you want or need
gained useful experience from that job.
to get more of something I've gained weight recently.
gal • ax • y / ' grelsksi /noun [ count ] ( pluralgal • ax • ies )
a very large group of stars and planets
gale / geil /noun [ count ]
a very strong wind
The trees were blown down in the gale. Thesaurus
wind air that moves quickly outside: The wind was blowing hard. ♦ The trees were swaying in the wind . ♦ Several trees were blown over in the strong winds . ♦ A gust of wind blew my hat off.
hurricane a violent storm with very strong winds, which starts over the ocean: Many of the buildings here were destroyed in the hurricane. ♦ Hurricane Rita is now approaching the coast of Florida. tornado a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle. There is often also a tall cloud which is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top: A tornado tore through the town yesterday. ♦ The hotel was completely destroyed by a tornado. ♦ a tornado warning breeze a light wind: A light breeze was blowing. ♦ The flowers were gently moving in the breeze. ♦ a cool/warm breeze
gale a very strong wind: The roof of the school was torn off by the gale. ♦ The gale blew down several trees.
gal • ler • y / ' grebri / noun [ count ] ( plural gal . ler . ies )
( art ) a place where people can look at or buy art an art gallery
gal . Ion Ф / 'gsebn/ noun [ count ]
a unit for measuring liquid (= 8 pints, or around 3.8 liters). There are four quarts in a gallon .
gal • lop / ' grebp / verb ( gal • lops , gal • lop • ing , gal • loped )
When a horse gallops , it runs very fast The horses galloped around the field.
gam • ble / ' grembl / verb ( gam • bles , gam bling , gam • bled )
to try to win money by playing games that need luck He gambled a lot of money on the last race.
to take a risk, hoping that something will happen We gambled on the weather staying fine.
gam • ble noun [ count ]
something that you do without knowing if you will win or lose: We took a gamble, and it paid off (= was successful ) .
gam • bler / ' grembbr / noun [ count ] He was a gambler all his life.
gam • bling / ' gremblig / noun [ noncount ]
the activity of trying to win money by playing games that need luck: He had heavy gambling debts.
game Ф / geim/ noun
[ count ] something you play that has rules How about a game of tennis?
Let's play a game ! computer games
[ noncount ] wild animals or birds that people kill for sport or food
game show / ' geimJou /noun [ count ]
a television program in which people play games or answer questions to win prizes
gang1 / greg /noun [ count ]
an organized group of criminals a gang of criminals
a group of young people who spend a lot of time together and often cause trouble or fight against other groups street gangs
( informal ) a group of friends The whole gang is coming tonight.
gang 2 / greg / verb
( gangs,gang ing ,ganged )
gang up on or against someone to join together in a group to hurt or frighten someone: At school the older boys ganged up on him and called him names.
gang • ster / ' gжgstэr /noun [ count ]
a member of a group of criminals ga p / grep /noun [ cou nt ]
a space in something or between two things; a space where something should be
The goats got out through a gap in the fence. Leave a gap between your car and the next one.
gape / geip / verb ( gapes , gap ing , gaped )
to look at someone or something with your mouth open
because you are surprised
She gaped at me in astonishment.
gap • ing / ' geipig / adjective
wide open: There was a gaping hole in the fence.
ga • rage / gэ ' газ / noun
[count]
a building where you keep your car
a place where vehicles are repaired
ga • rage sale / gэ'газ |seil / noun [ count ]
a sale in someone's yard or garage of used things that people do not want anymore I bought this old bike at a garage sale.
— Look at yard sale .
gar .bage Ф /'дш-ыаз/noun
[noncount]
things that you do not want anymore; waste material Our garbage is picked up every Monday.
the place where you put waste material Please throw your wrappers in the garbage .
( informal ) something that you think is bad, stupid, or wrong: I don't know why you watch that garbage on TV. You're talking garbage!
—SYNONYM trash
gar .bage can
/ ' garbid3 |kren /noun [count]
a large container for garbage that you keep outside your house
—SYNONYM trash can
gar • bage man / 'garbid3 mren / noun
[ count ] ( pluralgar • bage men / ' garbid3 men / ) a man whose job is to take away the garbage from people's garbage cans
gar • bage truck / 'garbid3 tmk /
[count]
a large vehicle for collecting garbage from people's garbage cans
gar .den О / gardn /noun [ count ]
a piece of land by your house where you can grow flowers,
fruit, and vegetables
I'm growing tomatoes in my garden.
a flower garden
gar • den verb
( gar • dens , gar • den • ing , gar • dened )
to work in a garden
My mother was gardening all weekend.
gar • den • ing / ' gardnig / noun [ noncount ]
the work that you do in a garden to keep it looking attractive
gar • den • er / ' gardrnr / noun
[ count ]
a person who works in a garden
gar • lic
/ ' garlik /noun [noncount] a plant like a small onion with a strong taste and smell, which you use in cooking
gar • ment / ' garmant / noun [ count ] ( formal )
a piece of clothing
gas Ф / gses / noun ( plural gas e: )
[ count, noncount ] ( general science ) a substance like air that is not a solid or a liquid
Hydrogen and oxygen are gases.
[ noncount ] a gas with a strong smell, which you burn to make heat
Does your clothes dryer run on gas or electricity? a gas stove
[ noncount ] a liquid that you put in a car to make it go I hope the car doesn't run out of gas.
—SYNONYM gasoline
the gas [ singular ] ( informal )
= gas pedal
Step on the gas, we're late!
gas • e • ous / ' gresias ; ' gre/as / adjective
( chemistry ) like gas, or containing a gas a gaseous mixture
gas • o • line / |gresa 'lin / noun [ noncount ]
a liquid that you put in a car to make it go —SYNONYM gas
gasp / gresp / verb ( gasps , gasp • ing , gasped )
to breathe in quickly and noisily through your mouth She gasped in surprise when she heard the news. He was gasping for air when they pulled him out of the water.
►gaspnoun [ count ]
a gasp of surprise
gas ped • al / ' gres |pedl /noun [ count ] ( also informalthe gas )
the part of a vehicle that you press with your foot when you want it to go faster
Take your foot off the gas pedal and step on the brake. —SYNONYM accelerator
gas sta • tion / ' gres |steifn / noun [ count ]
a place where you can buy fuel and other things for your car
gate Ф / geit /noun [ count ]
a thing like a door in a fence or wall, which opens so that you can go through
Please close the gate.
a door in an airport that you go through to reach the airplane
Please go to gate 15.
gath • er / ' gredar / verb
( gath ers , gath er • ing , gath • ered )
1 to come together in a group
We all gathered around to listen to the teacher.
to bring together things that are in different places Can you gather up all the books and papers?
to believe or understand something I gather that you know my sister.
gath • er • ing / ' gredarig / noun [ count ]
a time when people come together; a meeting a family gathering
There was a large gathering outside the stadium.
gauge1 / geid3 /noun [ count ]
an instrument that measures how much of something there is
Where is the gas gauge in this car?
gauge2 / geid3 /verb
(gaug • es,gaug • ing ,gauged)
to judge, calculate, or guess something
It was hard to gauge the mood of the audience.
gave
form of give
gay / gei / adjective
attracted to people of the same sex —SYNONYM homosexual
an old-fashioned word meaning happy and full of fun
gaze / geiz / verb ( gaz • es , gaz ing , gazed )
to look at someone or something for a long time She sat and gazed out of the window. He was gazing at her. ► gazenoun [ singular ]
GDP / d₃i di ' pi /abbreviation
( business ) the total value of all the goods and services produced by a country in one year. GDP is short for "gross domestic product."
Look at GNP . gear / gir / noun
[ count ] the parts in a car engine or a bicycle that control how fast the wheels turn around
You'll need to change gears to get up the hill in this car.
[ noncount ] special clothes or equipment that you need for a job or sport
camping gear
gear • shift / ' girfift / noun [ count ]
a stick that you use for changing gears ( 1 ) in a car or other vehicle
Look at the picture at steering wheel .
GED / |d3i i ' di /noun [ count ]
an official certificate that people who did not finish high school can get, after taking a special test. GED is short for "General Equivalency Diploma."
She dropped out of school when she was 16 but got her GED a few years later.
gee / d3i / exclamation
a word that you say to show surprise, pleasure, etc. Gee, what a great idea!
geek / gik /noun [ count ]
( informal )
a person who spends a lot of time on a particular interest and who is not popular or fashionable a computer geek
—SYNONYM nerd
geese
plural of goose
gel / d₃el /noun [ count, noncount ]
a thick substance that is between a liquid and a solid hair gel shower gel
gem / d₃em /noun [ count ]
a stone that is very valuable and can be made into jewelry —SYNONYM jewel
gen • deraw / ' d₃endar / n [ count, noncount ]
the fact of being male or female
( english language arts ) (in some languages) the division of nouns and some other words into masculine and feminine ; one of these types
gene / d3in /noun [ count ]
( biology ) one of the parts inside a cell that control what a living thing will be like. Genes are passed from parents to children
The color of your eyes is decided by your genes. — Look at genetic .
gen .er .al 1© / d3enaral / adjective
of, by, or for most people or things Is this parking lot for general use ?
not in detail
Can you give me a general idea of what the book is about?
in general
usually
I don't eat much meat in general.
gen • er • al2 / ' d3enaral /noun [ count ]
a very important officer in the army
gen • er • al • iZe / d3enralaiz / verb ( gen er - al - iz - es , gen - er al - iz - ing , gen - er - al - ized )
to form an opinion or make a statement using only a small amount of information
You can't generalize about American culture based on one trip to New York.
► gen • er • al • i • za • tion / ^enrala ' zeifn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
You shouldn't make generalizations until you know more about the subject.
gen • er • al knowl • edge
/ |d3enaral ' nalid3 /noun [ noncount ] what you know about a lot of different things
gen .er .al .ly Ф /'а^мки/adverb
usually; mostly
I generally get up at about eight o'clock.
gen • er • ate AWL / ' d3enareit / verb ( gen er - ates , gen - er - at ing , gen - er at ed )
to make something such as heat or electricity Power plants generate electricity.
gen • er • a • tion aw / |d3ena ' reifn /
[count ]
all the people in a family, group, or country who were born at around the same time
This photo shows three generations of my family.
The younger generation doesn't seem to be interested in
politics.
gen • er • a • tor / ' d3ena|reitar / noun [ count ]
( physics ) a machine that produces electricity
gen • er • os • i • ty / ^ena ' rasati / noun [ noncount ]
liking to give things to other people
gen .er .OUS © / 'djrnoros/ adjective
always ready to give people things or to spend money a generous gift
It was generous of your parents to pay for the meal. —ANTONYM stingy
gen • er • ous • ly / ' d3enarasli / adverb Please give generously.
ge • net • ic / d3a ' netik / adjective
( biology ) connected with the parts in the cells of living things (called genes ) that control what a person, animal, or plant will be like The disease has a genetic origin.
ge • net • i • cal • ly mod • i • fied
/ d3a|netikli ' madafaid /adjective ( abbreviationGM ) ( biology ) (used about food and plants) grown from cells whose genes (= the parts containing information ) have been changed genetically modified crops
ge • net • ic en • gi • neer • ing
/ d3a|netik |end3a 'nirig /noun [ noncount ] ( biology ) the science of changing the way a person, an animal, or a plant develops, by changing the information in its genes (= the parts containing information )
ge • net • ics / d3a 'netiks /noun [ noncount ]
( biology ) the scientific study of the way that the development of living things is controlled by qualities that have been passed on from parents to children
—Look at gene .
ge • nie / ' d3ini /noun [ count ]
a spirit with magic powers, especially one that lives in a bottle or a lamp
gen • ius / ' d3inyas /noun [ count ] ( pluralgen - ius - es )
a very intelligent person: Einstein was a genius. gen • re / ' 3anra /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a particular type of writing, art, movie, or music
The crime thriller is a very popular literary genre.
gen .tie © / 'd₃entl/ adjective ( gen - tler , gen - tlest )
quiet and kind
Be gentle with the baby. a gentle voice
not strong or unpleasant
It was a hot day, but there was a gentle breeze (= a soft wind ) .
gen • tly / ' d3entli / adverb She stroked the kitten very gently.
gen .tie .man ®7 'd₃ent3im3n/ noun[count]
( plural gen - tle - men / ' d3entalman / )
a man who is polite and kind to other people He's a real gentleman.
( formal ) a polite way of saying "man" There is a gentleman here to see you.
Ladies and gentlemen ... (= at the beginning of a speech )
—Look at lady .
gen • u • ine / ' d3enyusn / adjective
real and true
The painting was found to be genuine. —ANTONYM fake
►gen • u • ine • ly / ' d₃enyusnli / adverb really
Do you think he's genuinely sorry?
ge • og • ra • phy / d₃i agrsfi / noun [noncount]
( geography ) the study of the earth and everything on it, such as mountains, rivers, land, and people
ge • o • graph • i • cal / |d3is ' grrefikl / adjective
There is a list of geographical names (= names of countries, oceans, etc. ) at the back of this dictionary.
ge • ol • o • gy / d3i alsd3i / noun [ noncount ]
( general science ) the study of rocks and soil and how they were made
ge • o • log • i • cal / d3is ' lad3ikl / adjective
a geological survey
ge • ol • o • gist / d3i'alsd3ist / noun [ count ]
a person who studies or knows a lot about geology
ge • om • e • try / d3i 'amstri / noun [ noncount ]
( math ) the study in mathematics of things like lines, shapes, and angles
ge • o • met • ric / d3is ' metrik / adjective
connected with geometry ; consisting of regular shapes and lines
a geometric design
ge • ra • ni • um / d3s 'reinism / noun [ count ]
a plant with red, white, or pink flowers germ / d3srm /noun [ count ]
( biology , health ) a very small living thing that can make you sick flu germs
ger • mi • nate / ' d3srmsneit / verb ( ger • mi • nates , ger • mi nat ing , ger mi nat ed )
( biology ) (used about a seed of a plant) to start growing; to cause a seed to do this
ger • mi • na • tion / |d3srms 'neijn /noun [noncount] ger • und / d3ersnd /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a noun, ending in -ing, which has been made from a verb
In the sentence "His hobby is fishing," "fishing" is a gerund.
ges • ture1 / ' d3estfsr /noun [ count ]
a movement of your head or hand to show how you feel or what you want
The boy made a rude gesture before running off.
ges • ture 2 / ' d3estjsr / verb
to point at something or make a sign to someone She asked me to sit down and gestured toward a chair.
get © / get / verb ( gets , get . ting , got / gat / has got • ten / ' gatn / )
to become He is getting fat. Mom got angry. It's getting cold.
to receive something
I got a lot of presents for my birthday.
to go and bring back someone or something Jenny will get the children from school.
to buy or take something
Will you get some bread when you go shopping?
a word that you use with part of another verb to show that something happens to someone or something
She got caught by the police.
to start to have an illness I think I'm getting a cold.
to arrive somewhere
We got to Chicago at ten o'clock.
to travel on something, such as a train or a bus I didn't walk — I got the bus.
to make someone do something I got Peter to help me.
to understand or hear something I don't get the joke .
Sorry, I didn't get that. Can you repeat what you just said?
to have the opportunity to do something
She was at the party, but I never got to speak to her.
get ahead to become more successful in something,
especially your work
She wants to get ahead in her career.
He soon got ahead of the others in his class.
get along words that you use to say or ask how well
someone does something
Josh is getting along well at school.
get along with someone to live or work in a friendly
way with someone
We get along well with our neighbors.
get around to something ; get around to doing
something to find the time to do something
I haven't gotten around to e-mailing him yet.
get away to manage to leave or escape from someone or
a place
The thieves got away in a stolen car.
get away with something to do something bad and
not be punished for it
He lied but he got away with it.
get back to return
When did you get back from your vacation?
get behind to fail to do something, pay something, etc.
on time
We got behind on our rent. get in to reach a place My train got in at 7:15. SYNONYM arrive
get in ; get into something to climb into a car Tom got into the car.
get off ; get off something to leave something such as a train, bus, or bicycle Where did you get off the bus? get on to become old
My grandfather is getting on — he's almost 80. get on ; get onto something to climb onto a bus, train, or bicycle I got on the train.
get out ; get out of something to leave a car I opened the door and got out.
get out of something ; get out of doing something to not do something that you do not like I'll go swimming with you if I can get out of cleaning my room.
get something out to take something from the place where it was
She opened her bag and got out a pen.
get over something to become well or happy again
after you have been sick or sad
He still hasn't gotten over his wife's death.
get through to be able to speak to someone on the telephone
I tried to call Kate, but I couldn't get through.
get through something to use or finish a certain
amount of something
I got through a lot of work today.
get together to meet; to come together in a group
The whole family got together for Christmas.
get up
to stand up
He got up to let an elderly lady sit down.
to get out of bed
What time did you get up this morning?
get up to something to reach a particular place, for
example in a book
We've gotten up to page 180.
Style
Got is sometimes used in the phrase have got . This is used in spoken English and means "to have": She's got brown hair. ♦ I've got a toothache. Look at the entry for have for more examples.
ghet • to / ' getou / noun [ count ] ( plural ghet • tos or ghet • toes )
a part of a city where many poor people live
ghost / goust /noun [ count ]
the form of a dead person that a living person thinks they
see
Do you believe in ghosts? ► ghost • ly / ' goustli / adjective ( ghost • li • er , ghost • li • est )
ghostly noises
gi • ant1 / ' d3aiant /noun [ count ]
(in stories) a very big, tall person
gi • ant 2 / ' d3aiant / adjective
very big a giant insect
gift Ф / gift /noun [ count ]
something that you give to or get from someone This week's magazine comes with a special free gift.
—SYNONYM present
the natural ability to do something well She has a gift for languages.
—SYNONYM talent
gift • ed / ' giftad / adjective
very intelligent, or having a strong natural ability Our school has a gifted and talented program. a gifted musician
gig • a • byte / ' gigabait / ( abbreviationGB ) noun [ count ]
( computers ) a unit of computer memory, equal to about a billion bytes (= small units of information ) —Look atkilobyte , megabyte .
gi • gan • tic / d3ai grentik / adjective
very big gigantic trees
gig • gle / 'gigl / verb ( gig • gles , gig • gling , gig • gled )
to laugh in a silly way
The children couldn't stop giggling.
►gig • gle noun [ count ]
There was a giggle from the back of the class.
gill / gil/noun [ count ]
( biology ) the part on each side of a fish that it breathes through
—Look at the picture at fish .
gin • ger / ' d3ind3ar / noun
[noncount]
a plant with a hot strong taste, which is used in cooking ground ginger
gin • ger ale / ' d3ind3ar |eil /noun [ count, noncount ]
a drink with bubbles in it that does not contain alcohol and is made with ginger ; a bottle or glass of this drink
gin • ger • bread / ' d3ind3arbred /
[noncount]
a type of cookie or cake made with ginger a gingerbread man (= in the shape of a person )
gi • raffe / d3a 'rref /noun [ count ]
a big animal from Africa with a very long neck and long legs
girl Ф / gsrl / noun [ COU nt ] a female child; a young woman They have three children, two girls and a boy. I lived in this house as a girl.
girl .friend Ф / ' garlfrend/ noun [ count ]
a girl or woman who someone has a romantic relationship with
Do you have a girlfriend?
a girl or woman's female friend I had lunch with a girlfriend.
the Girl Scouts / da ' garl |skauts / noun
[ singular ]
a special club for girls, which does a lot of activities with them and teaches them useful skills ► Girl Scoutnoun [ count ] a girl who is a member of the Girl Scouts
give ©/ giv/ verb ( gives , giv ing , gave / geiv/
has giv • en / ' givn / ) 1 to let someone have something She gave me a watch for my birthday.
gave my ticket to the man at the door.
Give the letter to your mother after you read it.
to make a sound or movement Jo gave me an angry look.
He gave a shout. She gave him a kiss.
to make someone have or feel something That noise is giving me a headache. Whatever gave you that idea?
to perform something in public
The visiting professor gave a very interesting lecture. give something away to give something to someone without getting money for it I gave all my old clothes away.
give someone back something ; give something back to someone to return something to someone
Can you give me back that book I lent you?
give in to accept or agree to something that you did not
want to accept or agree to
My parents finally gave in and said I could go to the party. give something out to give something to a lot of people
Could you give out these books to the class, please?
give up to stop trying to do something I give up. What's the answer?
give something up to stop doing or having something He's trying to give up smoking.
giv • en name / ' g^n neim /
another word for first name Word building
Your first name or given name is the name that your parents give you when you are born. Many people also have a middle name . Your last name or family name is the name that everyone in your family has. When a woman gets married, she usually takes her husband's last name. Her old last name is then called her maiden name , and her new one is her married name .
A nickname is a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name: His real name is Robert, but his nickname is Shorty.
gla • cier / ' gie^r / noun
[ count ]
( geography ) a large area of ice that moves slowly down a mountain
glad / glred / adjective
happy about something He was glad to see us.
—SYNONYM pleased
► glad • ly / ' glredli / adverb
If you do something gladly , you are happy to do it
I'll gladly help you.
Word building
You are usually glad or pleased about a particular event or situation: I'm glad he's feeling better. ♦ I'm pleased to say that you passed your exam. You use happy to describe a state of mind: I always feel happy when the sun is shining. You also use happy before a noun: a happy child .
glam • or • ous / ' glremэrэs / adjective
attractive in an exciting way a glamorous model
Making movies is less glamorous than people think. glam • our ( also glam • or ) / ' glremэr / noun [noncount]
the quality of seeming to be more exciting and attractive than ordinary things and people
Young people are attracted by the glamour of city life.
glance 1 / glrens / verb ( glanc es , glanc • ing , glanced )
to look quickly at someone or something Sue glanced at her watch.
glance2 / glrens /noun [ count ]
a quick look
a glance at the newspaper
at a glance
immediately; with only a quick look I could see at a glance that he was sick.
gland / glrend /noun [ count ]
( biology ) a small part inside your body that produces a chemical substance for your body to use sweat glands
I have a sore throat and swollen glands .
glare 1 / gler / verb ( glares , glar ing , glared )
1 to shine with a bright light that hurts your eyes The sun glared down.
2 to look at someone in an angry way He glared at the children.
glare2 / gler /noun
[ noncount ] strong light that hurts your eyes the glare of the car's headlights
[ count ] a long, angry look
I tried to say something, but he gave me a glare.
glar • ing / ' glerig / adjective
A glaring light is very bright and hurts your eyes a glaring white light
very bad and easy to notice
The article was full of glaring mistakes.
glass О / glres /noun ( pluralglass • es ) 1 [ noncount ] hard material that you can see through. Bottles and windows are made of glass
cut myself on some broken glass. a glass jar
[ count ] a thing made of glass that you drink from Could I have a glass of milk, please?
a wine glass
glass.es О
/
/ ' glresэz [plural]
two pieces of glass or plastic (called lenses ) in a frame, which people wear over their eyes to help them see better Does she wear glasses ?
—Look at sunglasses . Grammar
Be careful! Glasses is a plural noun so you cannot say "a glasses."
Instead, you can say: I need a new pair of glasses or: I need some new glasses.
gleam / glim / verb ( gleams , gleam • ing , gleamed )
to shine with a soft light
The moonlight gleamed on the lake.
gleamnoun [ count , usually singular ] I could see a gleam of light through the trees.
glee / gli /noun [ noncount ]
a feeling of happiness, especially when something bad happens to someone else
She couldn't hide her glee when her rival came last.
glide / glaid / verb ( glides , glid • ing , glid • ed )
to move smoothly and quietly The dancers glided across the floor.
to fly in a glider
I always wanted to go gliding .
glid • er / ' gla^r /noun [ count ]
an airplane without an engine
glim • mer / ' glImэr / noun [ count ]
a small, weak light
a small sign of something There's still a glimmer of hope .
glim • mer verb
( glim • mers , glim • mer • ing , glim • mered )
A light glimmered in the distance.
glim pse / giimps /noun [ count ]
noun
a view of someone or something that is quick and not clear I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.
►glimpse verb
( glimps • es , glimps • ing , glimpsed )
I just glimpsed him in the crowd.
glis • ten / ' glisn / verb ( glis • tens, glis ten • ing, glis • tened )
(used about wet surfaces) to shine His eyes glistened with tears.
glitch / glitf /noun [ count ] ( pluralglitch • es ) ( informal )
a small problem or fault that stops something from working correctly
A software glitch caused my computer to crash.
glit • ter / ' glitsr / verb ( glit • ters , glit • ter • ing ,
glit tered )
to shine with a lot of small flashes of bright light The broken glass glittered in the sun. ► glit • ternoun [ noncount ]
the glitter of jewels
glit • ter • ing / ' glitsrig / adjective
shining with a lot of small flashes of bright light
very successful and exciting a glittering career
gloat / glout / verb ( gloats, gloat • ing, gloat ed )
to show that you are happy about your own success or
someone else's failure
She is still gloating over her victory.
glob • al © AWL / ' gloubl/ adjective
of or about the whole world
Pollution is a global problem.
►glob • al • ly AWL / ' gloubsli / adverb
We need to start thinking globally.
glob • al • i • za • tion IawlI / igloubsls 'zeijn /
noun [ noncount ]
( business ) the fact that different cultures and economic systems are becoming similar because of the influence of large international companies and of improved communications the globalization of world trade
glob • al warm • ing / igloubl 'wormig / noun
[noncount]
the fact that the earth's atmosphere is getting hotter because of increases in certain gases
— Look at the greenhouse effect .
globeaw / gloub /u
[ count ] a round object with a map of the world on it
the globe [ singular ] the world He's traveled all over the globe.
gloom / glum /noun [ noncount ]
a state when it is almost completely dark It was hard to see anything in the gloom.
a feeling of being sad and without hope
The news brought deep gloom to the community.
gloom • y / ' glumi / adjective
( gloom i • er , gloom • i • est )
dark and sad What a gloomy day!
sad and without hope
He's feeling very gloomy because he can't get a job.
► gloom • i • ly / ' glumsli / adverb
She looked gloomily out of the window at the rain.
glo • ri • ous / ' gloriss / adjective
( formal ) famous and full of glory a glorious history
wonderful or beautiful The weather was glorious.
glo • ry / ' glori /noun [ noncount ]
fame (= being known by many people ) and respect that you get when you do great things
The winning team came home covered in glory.
great beauty
Fall is the best time to see the forest in all its glory .
glos • sa • ry / ' glassri / noun [ count ] ( plural glos . sa • ries )
( english language arts ) a list of difficult words and their meanings, especially at the end of a book
gloss • y / ' glasi / adjective ( gloss • i •er, gloss • i est)
smooth and shiny glossy hair
glove © / gkv /
noun [ count ]
a thing that you wear to keep your hand warm or safe
I need a new pair of gloves . rubber gloves
glow / glou / verb ( glows , glow • ing , glowed )
to send out soft light or heat without flames or smoke His cigarette glowed in the dark.
glownoun [ singular ] the glow of the sky at sunset
glow • ing / ' glouig / adjective
saying that someone or something is very good His teacher wrote a glowing report about his work.
glue1 / glu /noun
[noncount]
a thick liquid that you use for sticking things together — Look at the picture atstationery .
glue 2 / glu / verb ( glues , glu • ing , glued )
to stick one thing to another thing with glue Glue the two pieces of wood together .
glued to something
( informal )
giving all your attention to something and not wanting to leave it
On election night we were all glued to the TV.
glum / gl.\m / adjective ( glum • mer, glum mest )
sad and quiet
Why are you looking so glum?
glum • ly / gl.mli / adverb
GM / |d3i ' em /
short for genetically modified
GM cropsgnaw / no / verb ( gnaws , gnaw - ing , gnawed )
to bite something for a long time The dog was gnawing on a bone.
GNP / | d3i en pi / abbreviation
( business ) the total value of everything that is produced by a country in one year, including the money earned from foreign countries. GNP is short for "gross national
product." —Look atGDP .
go lO / gou / verb ( goes , go ing , л/ent / went /
has gone / gon ; gan / )
1 to move from one place to another
I went to Boston by train.
It's time to go home .
Her new car goes very fast.
Which word?
Been or gone?
If someone has been to a place, they have traveled there and returned: I've been to Mexico three times. ♦ You were away a long time. Where have you been?
If someone has gone to a place, they have traveled there and they are still there now: Judy isn't here. She has gone to New York. ♦ Mom has gone out, but she'll be back soon.
to travel to a place to do something Do you want to go shopping?
Are you going to Dave's party? I'll go make some coffee. They went on vacation.
to leave a place
I have to go now — it's four o'clock.
to lead to a place
Does this road go to the airport?
to have as its place
"Where do these plates go?" "In that cabinet."
to happen in a certain way How is your new job going ? The week went very quickly.
to become He's going bald.
to make a certain sound Cows go "moo."
to disappear
My headache has gone.
to be or look good with something else Does this sweater go with my skirt?
I don't think those two colors go well together .
—SYNONYM match be going to
words that show what you plan to do in the future Joe's going to cook dinner tonight.
words that you use when you are sure that something will happen in the future
It's going to rain.
go ahead to begin or continue to do something "Can I borrow your pen?" "Sure, go ahead." go around to be enough for everyone Is there enough wine to go around?
go away to leave a person or place; to leave the place
where you live for at least one night
Go away! I'm doing my homework.
They went away for the weekend.
go back to return to a place where you were before
We're going back to school tomorrow.
go by to pass
The holidays went by very quickly.
go down well to be something that people like The movie went down very well with the critics. Go for it! ( informal )
words you say to encourage someone to try hard to get or achieve something
Go for it Jonathan! You know you can beat him.
go off
to explode
A bomb went off in the train station today.
to make a sudden loud noise
I woke up when the alarm went off. go on
to happen What's going on?
to continue
She went on writing.
to start working
I saw the lights go on in the house across the street. go out
1 to leave the place where you live or work for a short time, returning on the same day
went out for a walk. We're going out tonight.
to stop shining or burning The fire's gone out.
to have a romantic relationship with someone Evan and Amy just started going out.
She's going out with a boy from school.
go ovei to go to someone's home
We're going over to Jo's this evening.
go over something to look at or explain something
carefully from the beginning to the end
Go over your work before you hand it in to the teacher.
—SYNONYM go through something
go through something
1 to look in or at something carefully because you want to find something
went through all my pockets, but I couldn't find my wallet.
to look at or explain something carefully from the beginning to the end
Let's go through the plan one more time.
—SYNONYM go over something
to have a bad experience
She went through a difficult time when her mother was sick.
go up to become higher or more The price of gas has gone up again.
—SYNONYM rise
how's it going?
( informal )
how are you?
"Hey, how's it going?" "I'm good. How about you?" to go
remaining until something ends
There were five minutes to go before the end of class.
go 2 / gou / noun [ count ] ( plural goes ) ( informal )
a time when you try to do something I'm not sure if I can fix it, but I'll have a go . I can't get this bottle open. Can you give it a go ? be on the go
to be very active or busy
I'm really tired. I've been on the go all day.
goal Ф / goul/ noun
[ count ]
something that you want to do very much
She has finally achieved her goal of taking part in the
Olympics.
Thesaurus
purpose the reason for doing something; what something is used for or is supposed to achieve: What is the purpose of your visit? ♦ The building is used for religious purposes.
aim what someone is trying to achieve: Our main aim is to increase sales. ♦ He was willing to do almost anything to achieve his aim of winning first prize. plan what you have decided or arranged to do: Do you have any plans for the weekend? ♦ There are no plans to build new offices.
intention what you want or intend to do: Our intention was to leave early in the morning. ♦ I have no intention of going to the wedding. goal (often used about your life or career plans) something that you hope to achieve: What are your long-term goals? ♦ I've finally achieved my goal of getting a college degree.
( sports ) the place where the ball, etc. must go to win a point in sports such as soccer or hockey
He kicked the ball into the goal.
—Look at the picture at soccer .
( sports ) a point that a team wins when the ball, etc. goes into the goal
The Bruins won by three goals to two.
goal • keep • er / ' goui|kipar /
( also informalgoal • ie / ' gouli / )noun [ count ] ( sports ) a player who tries to stop the ball from going into the goal in a game of soccer —Look at the picture atsoccer .
goal • tend • er / ' goul|tendar / ( also informalgoal • ie / ' gouli / )noun [ count ] ( sports ) a player who tries to stop the ball from going into the goal in a game of hockey —Look at the picture atice hockey .
noun
goat / gout / noun [ count ] an animal with horns. People keep goats for their milk.
god
ф / gad/ ( religion )
God [ singular ] the one great spirit that Christians, Jews, and Muslims believe made the world
Do you believe in God?
[ count ] a spirit or force that people believe has power over them and nature
Mars was the Roman god of war.
god • child / ' gadtfaild /noun [ count ] ( pluralgod • chil • dren / ' gad|tfildran / ) ( also god • son / ' gadsAn / god daugh ter / ' gad|dotar / ) ( religion ) a child that a godparent promises to help and teach about the Christian religion
god • dess / ' gadas /noun [ count ]
( plural god • dess . es )
( religion ) a female god
Venus was the Roman goddess of love.
god • par • ent / ' gad|perant /
( also god • fa • ther / ' gadfadar / god • moth • er / ' gad|mAdar / ) noun [count]
( religion ) a person that parents choose to help their child and teach them about the Christian religion
goes
form of go l
gog • gles / ' gagiz /
noun [ plural ]
big glasses that you wear so that water, dust, or wind cannot get in your
eyes
I always wear goggles when I swim.
go .ing
form of go l
gold Ф / gould /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolAu )
a yellow metal that is very valuable
Is your ring made of gold?
a gold watch
►gold adjective
made of gold; with the color of gold
gold jewelry
gold paint
gold • en / ' gouldan / adjective
made of gold a golden crown
with the color of gold golden hair
gold • fish / ' gouldfif /noun [ count ] ( pluralgold .fish )
a small orange fish that people keep as a pet golf / galf /noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) a game that you play by hitting a small ball into holes with a long stick (called a golf club ) My mother plays golf on Sundays. ► golf • er / ' galfar /noun [ count ] He's a professional golfer.
golf course / ' galf kors / noun
[count]
( sports ) a large piece of land, covered in grass, where people play golf
gone
form of go 1
good 1 Ф / gud / adjective ( bet ter , best)
1 done or made very well
It's a good knife — it cuts very well.
The movie was really good .
pleasant or enjoyable Did you have a good time? The weather was very good.
—SYNONYM nice
able to do something well She's a good driver. James is very good at tennis.
kind, or doing the right thing It's good of you to help.
The children were very good while you were out.
having a useful or helpful effect
Fresh fruit and vegetables are good for you.
right or suitable
This is a good place for a picnic.
a word that you use when you are pleased Is everyone here? Good. Now, let's begin. The adverb is well .
Style
We often say excellent , fantastic , great or terrific
instead of "very good."
good 2 Ф / gud / noun
[noncount]
something that is right or helpful
They know the difference between good and bad.
be no good ; not be any good
to not be useful
This sweater isn't any good. It's too small.
It's no good asking Mom for money — she doesn't have
any.
do someone good
to make someone well or happy
It will do you good to go to bed early tonight.
for good
forever
She has left home for good.
good . bye © / |gud' bai / exclamation
a word that you say when someone goes away, or when you go away
Goodbye! See you tomorrow. — Look at bye .
good-look • ing / |gud ' lukig / adjective
(used about people) nice to look at He's a good-looking boy. Thesaurus
attractive can be used about any person who is nice to look at: He's polite and attractive. ♦ a group of attractive young women
beautiful (usually used to describe a woman or girl) very attractive: a beautiful, intelligent woman ♦ She looked beautiful that night.
good-looking (used more about men than women) attractive: The band's lead singer is very good-looking. ♦ a good-looking young actor
pretty (usually used about a girl or young woman) attractive: She has a very pretty face. ♦ a pretty little girl in a pink dress
handsome (usually used about a man or boy) attractive: You look so handsome in that suit! ♦ a polite, handsome man
good • ness / ' gudrns / noun
[noncount]
being good or kind
something in food that is good for your health Fresh vegetables have a lot of goodness in them.
for goodness' sake
words that show anger For goodness' sake, hurry up! goodness ; my goodness words that show surprise Goodness! What a big cake!
thank goodness
words that show you are happy because a problem or
danger has gone away
Thank goodness it stopped raining.
good night / igud ' nait / exclamation
words that you say when you leave someone in the evening
or when someone is going to bed
Style
We sometimes just say Night : 'Good night, Tom. Sleep well." "Night."
goods Ф / gudz/noun [ plural ]
things that you buy or sell That store sells electrical goods.
goof / guf / verb ( goofs , goof • ing , goofed )
( informal )
goof around to spend your time doing silly things We spent the summer just goofing around at the beach. goof off to spend your time doing nothing, especially when you should be working Stop goofing off and get back to work!
goose / gus /noun
[count]
(pluralgeese / gis / ) a big bird with a long neck. People keep geese on farms for their eggs and meat
goose • bumps / ' gusbvmps / noun [ plural ]
small points or lumps that appear on your skin because you are cold or scared
I got goosebumps when she told me about the attack.
go • pher / ' goufэr / noun nnnhor
[count] ^Э^r
a small animal with brown fur that digs holes in the ground
gorge / gord3 / noun [ count ]
( geography ) a narrow valley with sides that go up very quickly (that are steep )
gor • geous / ' gordзэs / adjective
very good or attractive
The weather was gorgeous!
She looked gorgeous in that dress.
go • ril • la / gs ' rils /
noun [ count ]
an African animal like a very big black monkey
go • ry / ' gori / adjective ( go • ri er , go ri • est )
full of violence and blood
It's the goriest movie I've ever seen.
gosh / gaj / exclamation ( informal )
a word that shows surprise Gosh! What a big house!
gos • pel / ' gaspl / noun
Gospel [ count ] ( religion ) one of the four books in the Bible that describe the life and ideas of Jesus Christ
the Gospel of St. Matthew
( also gos . pel mu . sic ) [ noncount ] ( music ) a style of religious music that was developed by African-American Christians
a gospel choir
gos • sip / ' gassp /noun [ noncount ]
talk about other people that is often unkind or not true Have you heard the latest gossip about her cousin? ► gos • sipverb
( gos • sips, gos sip • ing, gos • siped )
They were gossiping about Karen's new boyfriend.
got, got • ten
forms of get
gov .ern Ф / 'длуэгп/ verb ( gov • erns , gov • ern • ing , gov • erned )
( politics ) to officially rule or control a country, or part of a country
Voters have the right to decide who will govern them.
gov .ern .ment Ф/ 'gAVsrmsnt/noun [count]
( politics ) the group of people who officially rule or control a country
The federal government will need to approve the project. The government has failed to act. Word building The U.S. Government The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
gov • er • nor / ' g.vsnsr / noun [ count ]
( politics ) a person who rules a state in the U.S. the governor of California
gown / gaun /noun [ count ]
a long dress that a woman wears at a special time an evening gown
a long, loose piece of clothing that people wear to do a special job. Judges and doctors sometimes wear gowns .
GPA / |d3i pi ' ei / short for grade point average
gra b / grab / verb (grabs,grab bing ,grabbed )
to take something in a rough and sudden way The thief grabbed her bag and ran away.
grace / greis /noun [ noncount ]
a beautiful way of moving She dances with grace.
( religion ) thanks to God that people say before or after they eat
Let's say grace.
grace • ful / greisfl / adjective
A person or thing that is graceful moves in a smooth and beautiful way a graceful dancer
grace • ful • ly / ' greisfsli / adverb He moves very gracefully.
gra • cious / ' greifss / adjective
(used about people's behavior) kind and polite a gracious smile
gra • cious • ly / ' grei/ssli / adverb She accepted the invitation graciously.
grade i®E
Ц / greid /noun [ count ]
a number or letter that a teacher gives for your work to show how good it is
She got very good grades on all her exams.
one of the levels in a school, where all the children are the same age
My sister is in the fifth grade . Word building
In the U.S., children start elementary school when they are 5. The first year of this is called kindergarten
When children are around 11 years old, they move to middle school (or junior high school ), and when they reach the age of around 14, they start high school .
Each year of school is called a grade . When a child is around 6 years old they are in first grade , and the last year of high school is the twelfth grade .
the level or quality of something We use only high-grade materials. make the grade ( informal )
to reach the expected standard; to succeed Around 10% of trainees fail to make the grade.
grade 2OQ / greid / (grades,grad • ing ,grad ed )
to look at the work that a student has done and give it a number or letter to show how good it is
He stayed up late grading tests.
to sort things or people into sizes or kinds The eggs are graded by size.
grade point av • er • age
/ ' greid point |®vrid3 /noun [ count , usually singular ] ( abbreviationGPA )
a number that is calculated from the average of all the grades that a student receives in his or her courses Dylan graduated with a GPA of 3.7.
grade school / 'greid skul / noun
[ count, noncount ]
another word for elementary school
gra • di • ent / ' greidiant / noun [ count ]
how much and how quickly a road goes up and down This road has a steep gradient.
grad • u • al / ' grred3ual / adjective
happening slowly
There has been a gradual increase in prices. —ANTONYM sudden
grad • u • al • ly / ' grred3uali / adverb
slowly, over a long period of time Life gradually returned to normal.
grad • u • ate 1 / ' grred3uat / noun [ count ]
a person who has finished their studies at a university, college, or school a college graduate a high school graduate He's a graduate of Harvard.
grad • u • ate 2 / ' grred3ueit / verb ( grad u - ates , grad u - at ing , grad - u - at - ed )
to finish your studies at a school, college, or university and receive an official piece of paper (called a diploma ) I graduated from Rutgers University last year.
grad • u • ate school / ' grred3uat skul /
[count]
a part of a university where you can study for a second or higher degree
I applied to several graduate schools to study for a master's degree in biology.
grad • u • a • tion / |grred3u' eifn / noun
[ noncount ] the act of successfully completing a high school, college, or university degree
Are you planning to look for a job after graduation?
[ singular ] a ceremony for people who have successfully completed a high school, college, or university degree
My grandparents came to my high school graduation.
graf • fi • ti / gra ' fiti / noun [ noncount ]
words or pictures that people write or draw on walls The walls were covered with graffiti.
grain Ф /grem/ noun
[ noncount ] the seeds of a plant that we eat, for example rice or wheat
The animals are fed on grain.
[ count ] a very small, hard piece of something a grain of sand
a few grains of rice
gramФ/ grrem / ( abbreviation g ) noun [count]
a measure of weight. There are 1,000 grams in a
kilogram
30 g of butter
gram .mar Ф /'дгжтэг/ noun
[noncount]
Spelling
Remember! You spell grammar with AR at the end, not ER .
( english language arts ) the rules that tell you how to put
words together when you speak or write
gram • mat • i • cal / gra ' mretikl /
( english language arts )
connected with grammar
What is the grammatical rule for making plurals in English?
correct because it follows the rules of grammar The phrase "they is happy" is not grammatical.
► gram • mat • i • cal • ly / gra ' mretikli / adverb The sentence is grammatically correct.
grand / grrend / adjective (grand er, grand est )
very big, important, or rich
They live in a very grand house in the suburbs.
grand .child © / ' grrentjaild /noun [ count ] ( pluralgrand - chil - dren / ' grren|tfildran / ) the child of your son or daughter
grand • daugh • ter / 'grren|dotar / noun
[ count ]
the daughter of your son or daughter
grand .fa .ther О / ' grrenfadar /
( also informalgrand - pa / ' grrenpa ; ' grrempa / )noun [count ]
the father of your mother or father
grand .moth .er © / ' grre^mAdar /
( also informalgrand - ma / ' grrenma ; ' grrema / )noun [count]
the mother of your mother or father
grand .par .ent © / grren|perant / noun
[ count ]
the mother or father of your mother or father
grand • son / ' grrensAn /noun [ count ]
the son of your son or daughter
grand • stand / ' grrendstrend /noun [ count ]
( sports ) lines of seats, with a roof over them, where you sit to watch a sport
gra • no • la / gra ' noula / noun
[ noncount ]
food made with grains, nuts, etc. that you eat with milk for breakfast
grant 1 AWL / grrent / verb (grants,grant ing ,grant ed )
( formal )
to give someone what they have asked for They granted him a visa to leave the country. take someone or something for granted
to be so used to someone or something that you forget you are lucky to have them
We tend to take our comfortable lives for granted.
grant2AWL / grrent /noun [ count ]
money that you are given for a special reason
She receives a research grant (= to help pay for research ) .
grape / greip /noun [ count ]
a small green or purple fruit that we eat or make into wine a bunch of grapes
—Look at the picture at fruit .
grape • fruit / greipfrut / noun [ count ] ( plural grape - fruit or grape fruits )
a fruit that looks like a big orange, but is yellow
—Look at the picture at fruit .
the grape • vine / da ' greipvain / noun
[ singular ]
the way that news is passed from one person to another I heard through the grapevine that you're getting married.
graph / grref /noun [ count ]
( math ) a picture that shows how numbers or amounts are different from each other
graph • ic / grrefik / adjective
( art ) connected with drawings, diagrams, etc. She's studying graphic design .
clear and giving a lot of detail, especially about something unpleasant
He gave us a graphic description of the accident. graph • ics / ' grrefiks / noun [ plural ]
( art , computers ) drawings, pictures, and diagrams computer graphics
grasp / grresp / verb ( grasps , grasp • ing , grasped )
to hold something firmly
Claire grasped my arm to stop herself from falling.
to understand something
He couldn't grasp what I was saying.
graspnoun [ singular , noncount ] The ball fell from my grasp.
grass © / grses /noun [ noncount ]
a plant with thin green leaves that covers fields and yards. Cows and sheep eat grass Don't walk on the grass.
grass • y / ' grresi / adjective ( grass • i •er,grass • i •est) covered with grass
grass • hop • per
/ ' grres|hapar /noun [count]
an insect that can jump high in the air and makes a sound with its back legs
grate / greit / verb ( grates , grat • ing , grat • ed )
If you grate food, you rub it over a metal tool (called a grater ) so that it is in very small pieces Can you grate some cheese? grated carrots
grate .ful © / 'greitfl/ adjective
If you are grateful , you feel or show thanks to someone We are grateful to you for the help you have given us.
The noun is gratitude . —ANTONYM ungrateful
grate • ful • ly / ' greitfali / adverb She nodded gratefully.
grat • er / ' greitar /noun [count]
a kitchen tool with holes in it, which is used to cut food into very small pieces by rubbing it across its surface
grat • i • tude / ' grretatud/ noun [ noncount ]
the feeling of wanting to thank someone for something We gave David a present to show our gratitude for all his help.
gra • tu • i • ty / gra 'tuati /noun [ count ] ( pluralgra . tu • i . ties ) ( formal )
a small amount of extra money that you give to someone who serves you, for example in a restaurant
—SYNONYM tip
grave1 / greiv /noun [ count ]
a hole in the ground where a dead person's body is buried We put flowers on the grave.—Look attomb .
grave 2 / greiv / adjective ( grav • er , grav • est )
( formal )
very bad or serious
The children were in grave danger .
grav • el / ' grrevl /noun [ noncount ]
very small stones that are used for making paths and roads
grave • stone / ' greivstoun /noun [ count ]
a piece of stone on a grave 1 that shows the name of the dead person
grave • yard / ' greivyard /noun [ count ]
a piece of land, usually near a church, where dead people are buried
grav • i • ty / ' grrevati /noun [ noncount ]
( physics ) the force that pulls everything toward the earth
gra • vy / ' greivi/noun [ noncount ]
a hot, brown sauce that you eat with meat
gray Ф / grei / adjective ( |ray • ei , iray • est )
with a color like black and white mixed together
a gray skirt
The sky was gray.
He's starting to get gray (= to have gray hair ) .
graynoun [ count, noncount ]
He was dressed in gray.
graze / greiz / verb ( graz • es, graz • ing, grazed )
to eat grass
The sheep were grazing in the fields.
to hurt your skin by rubbing it against something rough He fell and grazed his arm.
graze noun [ count ]
She has a graze on her knee.
grease / gris /noun
[noncount]
fat from animals, or any thick substance that is like oil You will need very hot water to get the grease off these plates.
greas • y / ' grisi / adjective (greas • i •er,greas • i •est)
covered with or containing a lot of grease Greasy food is not good for you. greasy hair
great ©/ greit / adjective ( great er , great est) Pronunciation
The word great sounds like late .
1 very large
It's a great pleasure to meet you.
important or special Einstein was a great scientist.
very; very good
He knows a great many people. There's a great big dog in the yard! They are great friends.
very nice or enjoyable I had a great weekend. It's great to see you!
—SYNONYM wonderful
great- / greit /
a word that you put before other words to show some members of a family. For example, your great- grandmother is the mother of your grandmother or grandfather, and your great-grandchildren are the grandchildren of your son or daughter.
great • ly / ' greitli / adverb
very much
I wasn't greatly surprised to see her there.
greed / grid /noun [ noncount ]
the feeling that you want more of something than you need
greed • y / gridi / adjective ( greed • i • er , greed • i • est )
A greedy person wants or takes more of something than they need
She's so greedy — she ate all the chocolates! ► greed • i • ly / ' gridэli / adverb
green 1 Ф / grin / adjective ( green er , green est)
with the color of leaves and grass My brother has green eyes.
a dark green shirt
covered with grass or other plants green fields
connected with protecting the environment or the natural world
green products (= that do not damage the environment )
green 2 Ф / grin / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the color of leaves and grass She was dressed in green.
green card / ' grin kard /noun [ count ]
an official card that shows that someone from another country is allowed to live and work in the U.S. to apply for a green card
green • house / ' grinhaus /noun [ count ] a building made of glass, where plants grow
the green • house ef • fect
/ бэ ' grinhaus ifekt /noun [ singular ] ( geography ) the problem of the earth's atmosphere getting warmer all the time because of the harmful gases that go into the air
— Look at global warming .
green • house gas / |grinhaus gres /noun [ count ] ( pluralgreen • house gas . es ) ( geography ) one of the harmful gases that are making the earth's atmosphere get warmer
greet / grit / verb (greets , greet • ing , greet • ed )
to welcome someone or say hello when you meet them He greeted me with a smile.
greet • ing / ' gritig / noun
[ count ] friendly words that you say when you meet someone
"Hello" and "Good morning" are greetings.
greetings [ plural ] friendly words that you write to someone at a special time
Greetings from sunny Arizona!
gre•nade / gre ' neid / [count]
a small bomb that can be thrown by hand or fired from a gun
a hand grenade
grew
form of grow
grid / grid /noun [ count ]
lines that cross each other to make squares, for example on a map
grief / grif /noun [noncount]
great sadness, especially because someone has died
grieve / griv / verb ( grieves , griev • ing , grieved )
to feel great sadness, especially because someone has died She is grieving for her dead child.
grill1 / gril /noun [ count ]
a metal frame that you put food on to cook over a fire Dad's cooking burgers on the grill outside.
grill 2 / gril / verb ( grills , grill ing , grilled )
to cook food, such as meat and fish, on metal bars over a fire
grilled steak Thesaurus
cook to make food ready to eat by heating it: My mother taught me how to cook. ♦ Who is going to cook dinner tonight? ♦ What's the best way to cook salmon? ♦ He cooked us a wonderful meal. boil to cook vegetables, rice, eggs, etc. in boiling water (= water heated to 212°F ) : Boil the rice for 15 minutes. ♦ Put the potatoes on to boil. ♦ Do you like boiled cabbage?
fry to cook food in a shallow pan of hot oil: Fry the onion and garlic for five minutes. ♦ There was a smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. ♦ fried chicken/fish/rice bake to cook food in an oven without any extra fat or liquid: to bake bread/cookies ♦ We baked him a cake for his birthday. ♦ baked potatoes roast to cook large pieces of meat in an oven or over a fire; to cook vegetables in oil or fat in an oven: The turkey is roasting in the oven. ♦ You should boil the potatoes for a little while before you roast them. grill to cook meat or fish on metal bars over a fire: to grill steak/chicken/burgers/fish on the barbecue ♦ grilled salmon
broil to cook food under or over direct heat: to broil salmon/a steak ♦ We ate broiled chicken with vegetables.
grim / grim / adjective ( grim • mer , grim mest )
(used about a person) very serious and not smiling a grim expression
(used about a situation) very bad and making you feel worried
The news is grim.
grim • ace / ' grimas / verb ( grim - ac - es , grim ac - ing , grim aced )
to show on your face that you are angry or that something is
hurting you
She grimaced in pain.
grim • ace noun [ count ]
grin / grin / verb ( grins , grin - ning , grinned )
to have a big smile on your face She grinned at me and waved.
grin noun [ count ]
He had a big grin on his face.
grind / graind /verb
( grinds , grind - ing , ground / graund / has ground )
to make something into very small pieces or powder by crushing it
They ground the wheat into flour.
Look at ground 3 .
grip / grip / verb ( grips , grip - ping , gripped )
to hold something tight
Marie gripped my hand as we crossed the road. ►gripnoun [ singular ] He kept a tight grip on the rope.
grip • ping / ' gripig / adjective
very exciting, in a way that holds your attention a gripping adventure movie
grit / grit /noun [ noncount ] very small pieces of stone or dirt
griz • Zly bear / 'grizli ber /noun [ count ] ( also griz - zlypluralgriz - zlies )
a large, brown, North American bear
groan / groun / verb ( groans , groan - ing , groaned )
to make a deep sad sound, for example because you are
unhappy or in pain
"I have a headache," he groaned.
groan noun [ count ]
She gave a groan, then lay still.
gro .cer .ies © / 'groussnz/ noun[ piurai ]
food and other things for the home that you buy regularly Can you help me unload the groceries from the car, please?
gro • cer • y store / grousari |stor / noun
[ count ]
a store where food and other small things for the home are sold
We need milk, bread, and detergent. Can you go to the grocery store and get some?
groom / grum /noun [ count ]
a man on the day of his wedding —SYNONYM bridegroom ,
Look atbride .
a person whose job is to take care of horses
groove / gruv /noun [count]
a long, thin cut in the surface of something hard
grope / group / verb (gropes,grop - ing ,groped )
to try to find something by using your hands, when you cannot see
He groped around for the light switch.
gross / grous / adjective ( gross - er , gross est )
( informal )
very bad or disgusting Yuck! That food smells gross!
grouch • y / ' grautji / adjective ( grouch - i -er,grouch - i est)
feeling angry and behaving in an angry way He's been grouchy all morning.
ground © / graund / noun
the ground [ singular ] the surface of the earth We sat on the ground to eat our picnic.
The ground was too dry for the plants to grow.
[ count ] a piece of land that is used for something special
a burial ground
a playground (= a place where children play )
grounds [ plural ] the land around a large building the grounds of the hospital
ground 2
form of grind
ground 3 / graund / adjective
cut or crushed into very small pieces or powder ground beef ground coffee
ground floor / |graund ' flor/noun [ count ]
the part of a building that is at the same level as the street My office is on the ground floor .
—SYNONYM first floor
group 1 © / grup /noun [ count ]
a number of people or things together
A group of people were standing outside the store. Our drama group meets every Tuesday. Divide the class into groups of three.
( music ) a number of people who play music together —SYNONYM band
group 2 / grup / verb (groups, group - ing ,grouped )
to put things or people into groups, or to form a group Group these words according to their meaning.
g rOW © / grou / verb
(grows, grow - ing, grew / gru / has grown / groun / )
to become bigger Children grow very quickly.
When a plant grows somewhere, it lives there Oranges grow in warm countries.
to plant something in the ground and take care of it We grow vegetables in our garden.
to allow your hair or nails to grow Mark has grown a beard.
to become
It was growing dark.
—SYNONYM get
grow into something to get bigger and become something
Kittens grow into cats.
grow out of something to become too big to do or
wear something
She's grown out of her shoes.
grow up to become an adult; to change from a child to a man or woman
I want to be a doctor when I grow up.
growl / graul / verb ( growls , growl • ing , growled )
If a dog growls , it makes a low angry sound The dog growled at the stranger.
growl noun [ count ]
The dog gave a low growl.
grown / groun / adjective
physically an adult a full-grown elephant
grown-up / ' groun Ap /noun [ count ]
a man or woman, not a child Ask a grown-up to help you. —SYNONYM adult ►grown-upadjective
She has a grown-up son.
growth © / grou9 /noun [ noncount ]
the process of getting bigger A good diet is important for children's growth. population growth
grub / gr.b /noun
[ count ] ( biology ) a young insect when it comes out of the egg
[ noncount ] ( informal )
food
grub • by / ' gr.bi / adjective ( grub • bi • er , grub bi • est ) ( informal )
dirty
grubby hands
grudge / gr.d3 /noun [ count ]
a feeling of anger toward someone, because of something bad that they have done to you in the past I don't bear him a grudge about what happened.
grue • some / ' grussm / adjective
very bad in a way that shocks you a gruesome murder
grum • ble / grAmbl / verb ( grum bles , grum • bling , grum • bled )
to say many times that you do not like something She's always grumbling about her boss.
grump • y / ' gr.mpi / adjective ( grump • i • er , grump • i • est ) ( informal )
a little angry
She gets grumpy when she's tired.
grunt / gr.nt / verb ( grunts,grunt ing ,grunt•ed )
to make a short rough sound, like a pig makes
When I tried to ask her opinion, she just grunted at me.
grunt noun [ count ]
gua • ca • mo • le / |gwaks ' mouli /
[noncount]
a type of soft food that is made from a green fruit (an avocado ) that has been crushed
guar • an • tee 1 awl / g^rsn ' ti / noun
[ count, noncount ]
1 ( business ) a written promise by a company that it will repair or replace a thing you have bought, if it breaks or stops working a two-year guarantee
The watch comes with a money-back guarantee (= you can get your money back if it stops working ) .
—SYNONYM warranty 2 a promise that something will happen I want a guarantee that you will do the work today.
guar • an • tee 2 awl / ^rsn ' ti / verb
( guar • an tees , guar • an • tee • ing , guar an • teed )
( business ) to say that you will repair or replace a thing that someone has bought, if it breaks or stops working
The television is guaranteed for three years.
to promise that something will be done or will happen
I can't guarantee that I will be able to help you, but I'll try.
guard 1Ф / gard /
( guards , guard ing, guard • ed )
to keep someone or something safe from other people, or to
stop someone from escaping
The house was guarded by two large dogs.
guard 2O / gard / noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word guard sounds like yard .
a person who keeps someone or something safe from other people, or who stops someone from escaping There are security guards outside the bank.
be on guard
to be ready if something bad happens
The soldiers were on guard outside the palace (= guarding the palace ) .
guard • i • an / ' gardisn / noun [ count ]
a person who takes care of a child with no parents
guer • ril • la ( also gue ril • la ) / gs ' rils /noun [count ]
a person who is not in an army, but who fights secretly against the government or an army
guess О/ _ges/ verb
( guess•es,guess• ing ,guessed )
to give an answer when you do not know if it is right Can you guess how old he is? I guess ( informal )
words you say when you think something is probably true,
or you are not sure about something
Mark isn't here, so I guess he's still at work.
"Are you feeling okay?" "Yeah, I guess so."
► guess noun [ count ] ( plural guess . es )
If you don't know the answer, take a guess !
gUeSt © / gest /noun [ count ]
a person that you invite to your home or to a party or special event
There were 200 guests at the wedding.
a person who is staying in a hotel
guid • ance / ' gaidns /noun [ noncount ]
help and advice
I want some guidance on how to find a job.
guid • ance coun • se • lor
/ ' gaidns |kaunsslsr /noun [ count ]
a person who works in a school and whose job is to give students advice about college, personal problems, etc.
guide 1Ф / gaid /noun [ count ]
a person who shows other people where to go and tells them about a place
The guide took us around the castle.
a book that tells you about something, or how to do something
a guide to fishing
another word for guidebook a guide to San Francisco guide2 / gaid / verb ( guides , guid • ing , guid • ed )
to show someone where to go or what to do He guided us through the busy streets to our hotel.
guide • book / ' gaidbuk / ( also guide )noun
[ count ]
a book that tells you about a place you are visiting We looked in the guidebook to find a place to stay.
guide • linesaw и / ' gaidlainz /noun [ plural ]
official advice or rules on how to do something
The government has issued new guidelines on food safety.
guilt / gilt /noun [noncount]
the bad feeling you have when you know that you have done something wrong
She felt terrible guilt after stealing the money.
the fact of having broken the law The police could not prove his guilt.
—ANTONYM innocence
guilt .у О / 'gilti/ adjective ( guilt • i • er , guilt i • est )
1 If you feel guilty , you feel that you have done something wrong
feel guilty about lying to her.
If you are guilty , you have broken the law He is guilty of murder.
—ANTONYM innocent
guin • ea pig / ' gmi pig / noun [ count ]
a small animal with short ears and no tail, which people often keep as a pet
( general science ) a person who is used in an experiment
gui • tar / gi 'tar /noun [ count ]
( music ) a musical instrument with strings I play the guitar in a band. an electric guitar
► gui • tar • ist / gi 'tarist / noun [ count ] ( music )
a person who plays the guitar
acoustic bass electric
guitar guitar guitar
gulf / gAlf / noun [ count ]
( geography ) a large part of the ocean that has land almost all the way around it the Gulf of Mexico
gull / gAl / noun [ count ]
a large gray or white bird that lives by the ocean
—SYNONYM seagull
gulp / gAlp / verb ( gulps , gulp • ing , gulped )
to eat or drink something quickly
He gulped down a cup of coffee and left.
to swallow because you are scared, surprised, etc. She gulped when the teacher called her name.
► gulpnoun [ count ] She took a gulp of coffee.
gum / gAm / noun
[ count ] Your gums are the hard pink parts of your mouth that hold the teeth.
—Look at the picture at mouth .
[ noncount ] ( also chew • ing gum / ' t|uig gAm / ) a sweet, sticky candy that you keep in your mouth for a long time and bite many times but do not swallow
a pack of gum
gun & / длп/noun [ count ]
a weapon that shoots out pieces of metal (called bullets ) to kill or hurt people or animals He aimed the gun at the bird and fired.
gun • fire / ' gAnfarar / noun
[noncount]
the act of firing a gun or guns; the sound that this makes We heard gunfire and ran for safety.
gun • man / ' gAnmэn /noun [ count ] ( pluralgun • men / ' gAnmэn / ) a man who uses a gun to rob or kill people
gun • point / ' gAnpoint / noun at gunpoint
while threatening someone, or being threatened with a gun He was robbed at gunpoint.
gun • pow • der / ' gAn|paudэr /
[noncount]
powder that explodes. It is used in guns and bombs.
gun • shot / ' gAnJat /noun [ count ]
the firing of a gun or the sound that this makes We heard gunshots.
gu • ru / ' guru ; ' guru /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a leader or teacher in the Hindu religion
( informal ) a person who knows a lot about a subject and whose ideas are followed by many people
a fashion guru
gush / g.\|'/ verb ( gush es , gush • ing , gushed )
to flow out suddenly and strongly Blood was gushing from the cut on her leg.
gust / gAst /noun [ count ]
a sudden strong wind A gust of wind blew his hat off.
guts / gAts /noun [ plural ]
( biology ) the stomach, and other parts near it, inside the body of people and animals
( informal ) the courage to do something difficult or unpleasant
It takes guts to admit you're wrong.
gut • ter / ' gAter / noun
[count]
a pipe under the edge of a roof to carry away water when it rains
the lower part at the edge of a road where water is carried away when it rains
guy / gai / noun
( informal )
[ count ] a man He's a nice guy.
guys [ plural ] used when speaking to a group of men and women or boys and girls
Come on guys, let's go.
gym / d3im /noun
( also formalgym • na • si • um / d3im ' neiziam / )
[ count ] a room or building with equipment for doing physical exercise
[ noncount ] ( sports ) a class in school in which you do physical exercises and play sports
a gym class
gym • nas • tics
/ d3im nrestiks /noun [noncount]
( sports ) exercises for your body
a gymnastics competition ► gym • nast / ' d3imnrest / noun [ count ] ( sports ) a person who does gymnastics
gy • ne • col • o • gy / |gaina 'kalad3i / noun
[noncount]
( health ) the study and treatment of medical problems that only women have
►gy • ne • col • o • gist / |gaina 'kalad3ist /noun [count] a doctor who is trained in gynecology
gyp • sy / ' d3ipsi /noun [ count ] ( pluralgyp • sies )
Gypsies are people who travel around instead of living in one place.
Hh
H, h / eitf/noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralH's, h's / ' eitfaz / ) the eighth letter of the English alphabet "Hat" begins with an "H."
hab . it Ф / 'hsebst /noun [count]
something that you do very often Smoking is a bad habit.
She has a habit of calling me when I'm in bed. hab • i • tat / ' hrebatret / noun [count]
( biology ) the natural place where a plant or an animal lives
hack / hrek / verb ( hacks , hack • ing , hacked )
1 to cut something or someone in a rough and violent way
hacked the dead branches off the tree.
( computers ) to use a computer to get into someone else's computer in order to damage it or get secret information: He hacked into the bank's computer system.
hack • er / ' hrekar /noun [ count ]
( computers ) a person who uses a computer to get into someone else's computer in order to damage it or get secret information
had / hred / form ofhave
had • n't / ' hredant /
short for had not
hag • gle / ' hregl /verb
( hag gles , hag • gling , hag • gled )
to argue with someone until you agree about the price of something
Tourists were haggling over the price of a carpet.
hail / heil /noun [ noncount ] frozen rain that falls in small hard balls ( called hailstones )
► hail verb ( hails , hail ing , hailed ): It's hailing. hair Ф / her / noun
1 [ count ] one of the long thin things that grow on the skin of people and animals: There's a hair in my soup.
She has a ponytail.
I *
She has braids.
He has short, spiky hair.
She has long, wavy hair.
hair
bangs
She has curly hair

musiache
2 [ noncount ] all the hairs on a person's head
She has long black hair.
let your hair down ( informal )
to relax and enjoy yourself
She finds it hard to let her hair down.
hair • brush / ' herbrAj /noun [ count ] ( pluralhair • brush es )
a brush that you use to make your hair neat
—Look at the picture at brush . hair • cut / ' herkAt / noun [ count ]
1 when someone cuts your hair
need a haircut.
the way that your hair is cut I like your new haircut.
hair • dress • er / ' herdresar / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to wash, cut, and arrange people's hair
—Look at barber .
hair dry • er
( also hair dri - er )
/ ' her |draiar /noun [ count ] a machine that dries your hair by blowing hot air on it
hair • style / ' herstail /noun [ count ]
the way that your hair is cut and arranged
hai r • y / ' heri / adjective ( hair - i - er, hair - i - est )
covered with a lot of hair He has very hairy legs.
ha • lal / ha lal / adjective
( religion ) (used about meat) from an animal that has been killed according to Muslim law a halal butcher (= a butcher who sells halal meat )
half w / hsef / adjective, pronoun, noun [ count ] ( plural halves / hrevz / ) Pronunciation
The word half sounds like staff , because we don't say the letter l in this word.
one of two equal parts of something; V2 Half of six is three.
I lived in that apartment for two and a half years.
The trip takes an hour and a half.
I've been waiting more than half an hour.
She gave me half of her apple.
Half this money is yours.
in half
so that there are two equal parts Cut the cake in half. The verb is halve .
half 2© /hsef / adverb 50%; not completely The bottle is half empty .
He's half Italian (= one of his parents is Italian ) . half past ( formal )
30 minutes after an hour on the clock It's half past nine (= 9:30 ) . Style
We usually say nine thirty , two thirty , etc. half-broth • er ( also half broth er )
/ ' href |brAdar /noun [ count ]
Your half-brother shares one parent with you.
half-heart • ed / |href ' hartad / adjective
without interest or enthusiasm a half-hearted smile
half -price / |href ' prais / adjective, adverb
for half the usual price
You can get half-price tickets one hour before the show.
half-sis • ter ( also half sis - ter ) / ' href ^ister /
noun [ count ]
Your half-sister shares one parent with you. half • time / ' hreftaim /noun [ noncount ] ( sports ) a short time in the middle of a game like football, when play stops
half • way / |href wei /adverb
in the middle
They live halfway between New York and Boston. She left halfway through the class.
hall © / hoi/noun[ count]
( also hall . way ) a room or passage that leads to other rooms in a house or public building
You can leave your coat in the hall.
a big room or building where a lot of people meet a concert hall
a dining hall (= where people eat )
Hal • low • een / |hrela'win /noun [ singular ]
the night of October 31
Culture
In the past, people believed that dead people appeared from their graves on Halloween .
Nowadays, children dress up as witches, ghosts, etc. and go to people's houses saying " trick or treat ," and the people give them candy.
People also make jack-o'-lanterns , where they cut shapes into a pumpkin (= a large orange vegetable ) so that it looks like a face, and put a light inside.
hall • way / ' holwei /noun [ count ] another word forhall ( 1 )
halt / holt / noun come to a halt
to stop
The car came to a halt in front of the school. ► haltverb ( halts , halt ing , halt - ed )
( formal )
She halted just outside the gate.
halve / hrev / verb ( halves , halv ing , halved )
to divide something into two parts that are the same There were two of us, so I halved the orange. The noun is half .
halves
plural of half
ham / hrem /noun [ count, noncount ] meat from a pig's leg that you can keep for a long time because salt or smoke was used to prepare it a ham sandwich a delicious ham Word building A young pig is called a piglet . Meat from a pig is called pork , bacon , or ham .
ham • burg • er / 'hrem|bargar /
( also burg - er / ' bargar / )noun [ count ]
meat cut into very small pieces and made into a flat round
shape. You often eat it in a round piece of bread (called a
bun )
A hamburger and fries, please.
ham .mer 1 ©
/ hremar /noun [ count ]
a tool with a handle and a heavy metal part, which you use for hitting nails into things
ham • mer 2 / ' hremar / verb ( ham . mers , ham . mer . ing , ham . mered )
1 to hit something with a hammer
hammered the nail into the wood.
to hit something hard
He hammered on the door until someone opened it.
ham • mock / ' hremak /noun [ count ]
a bed made of cloth or rope that you hang up at the two ends
ham • ster / ' hremstar /noun [ count ]
a small animal that people keep as a pet. A hamster can keep food in the sides of its mouth.
hand Ф / haend /noun
1 [ count ] the part at the end of your arm that has four fingers and a thumb
She held the letter in her hand.
hand
thumb
a hand [ singular ] ( informal )
some help
Could you give me a hand with my homework? Do you need a hand ?
[ count ] one of the parts of a clock or watch that move to show the time
Look at the picture at watch . by hand
without using a machine
The curtains were made by hand.
get out of hand
to become difficult to control The party got out of hand.
hand in hand
with your hand in another person's hand They were walking hand in hand.
hands up
words that mean "put one hand in the air if you can answer the question"
words that mean "put your hands in the air" because someone has a gun
hold hands
to have another person's hand in your hand
in good hands
well taken care of
Don't worry — your son is in good hands. on hand
near and ready to help
There is a doctor on hand 24 hours a day.
on the one hand ... on the other hand
words that show the good and bad things about something On the one hand, cars are very useful; on the other hand, they cause a lot of pollution.
hand 2 / hrend / verb ( hands,hand . ing ,hand.ed )
to put something into someone's hand Can you hand me the scissors, please? I handed the money to the cashier.
hand something down to pass something from an older person to a younger one
He never had any new clothes — they were all handed down from his older brothers.
hand something in to give something to someone The teacher asked us to hand in our homework. hand something out to give something to many people
Please hand out these books.
hand something over to give something to someone "Hand over your weapons!"
hand • bag / ' hrendbreg /noun [ count ] a small bag that a woman uses for carrying things like money and keys
—SYNONYM purse
hand • book / ' hrendbuk/noun [ count ]
a book that gives useful information or advice about something
For information about school policies, see the parent handbook.
hand • cuffs / hrendkAfs /noun [ plural ]
two metal rings with a chain that the police put on a prisoner's arms so that they cannot use their hands
hand • ful / hrendful /noun [ count ]
as much as you can hold in one hand a handful of stones
a small number
Only a handful of people came to the meeting.
hand • gun / ' hrendgAn /noun [ count ] a gun that is small enough to hold in one hand The court issued a ban on handguns.
hand • i • cap / ' hrendikrep /noun [ count ]
a physical or mental condition that means you cannot use a part of your body completely or easily, or that you cannot learn easily
—SYNONYM disability
something that makes it more difficult for you to do something
Not being able to drive is a real handicap. hand • i • capped / ' hrendikrept /adjective not able to use a part of your body well —SYNONYM disabled Style
Some people do not like the words handicap and handicapped , and prefer to use the words disability and disabled .
hand • ker • chief / ' hregksrtjif /
a square piece of cloth or paper that you use for clearing ( blowing ) your nose
han .die 1 © / ъаяки / «owi [count]
the part of a thing that you hold in your hand I turned the handle and opened the door. Hold that knife by the handle.
—Look at the picture at cup .
han .die 2© / 'haendl/ verb ( han • dles , han • dling , han • dled )
to touch something with your hands Always wash your hands before you handle food.
to control or deal with someone or something He's not very good at handling pressure.
han • dle • bars / ' hrendlbarz /noun [ plural ]
the part at the front of a bicycle or motorcycle that you hold when you are riding it — Look at the picture atbicycle .
hand • made / |hrend ' meid /adjective
made by a person, not by a machine handmade chocolates
hand • out / ' hrendaut /noun [ count ]
food, money, etc. that is given to people who need it Although she couldn't pay her rent, she was too proud to accept handouts.
a printed sheet of paper that is given to people, for example to explain something in class
Put all of your handouts in your notebook.
hand • shake / ' hrendjeik /noun [ count ]
the action of shaking someone's right hand with your right hand
a firm handshake
hand • some / ' hrenssm / adjective
(usually used about a man) attractive
a handsome man
Thesaurus
attractive can be used about any person who is nice to look at: He's polite and attractive. ♦ a group of attractive young women
beautiful (usually used to describe a woman or girl) very attractive: a beautiful, intelligent woman ♦ She looked beautiful that night.
good-looking (used more about men than women) attractive: The band's lead singer is very good-looking. ♦ a good-looking young actor
pretty (usually used about a girl or young woman) attractive: She has a very pretty face. ♦ a pretty little girl in a pink dress
handsome (usually used about a man or boy) attractive: You look so handsome in that suit! ♦ a polite, handsome man
hands -on / |hrendz ' an /adjective
doing something yourself, instead of watching someone else do it
She needs some hands-on experience .
hand • writ • ing / ' hrendraitig / noun [noncount]
the way you write
Her handwriting is difficult to read.
hand • writ • ten / hrendritn / adjective
written by hand, not typed or printed a handwritten note hand • y / hrendi /adjective ( hand • i • er , hand • i • est )
useful
This bag will be handy for carrying my books.
near and easy to find or reach Always keep a first-aid kit handy.
come in handy
to be useful
Don't throw that box away — it might come in handy. hand • y • man / ' hrendimren / noun [ count ]
( pluralhand .y • men / ' hrendimen / ) a person whose job is to make or repair things, especially in a house or other building
hang © / haeg /verb
1 ( hangs , hang ing , hung / h.g / has hung ) to put
something on a hook or fasten something to a wall Hang your coat up in the hall.
hung the picture over the fireplace.
( hangs , hang • ing , hanged , has hanged ) to kill yourself or another person by putting a rope around the neck and allowing the body to drop downward
She was hanged for murder.
hang around ( informal )
to stay somewhere with nothing special to do
My plane was late so I had to hang around in the airport
all morning.
hang on ( informal ) to wait for a short time Hang on — I'm not ready.
hang on to someone or something to hold someone or something firmly Hang on to your purse.
hang out
( informal )
to spend a lot of time in a place, often not doing much On Saturdays I hang out with my friends at the mall. hang up to end a telephone call
hang • er / ' h^gsr /
( also coat hang • er / ' kout |h®gsr / )noun [count]
a piece of metal, wood, or plastic with a hook. You use it for hanging clothes on.
hang glid .er hang glider
/ 'hseg glaidsr / noun ^^^^^^^^^^^^
and fly through the air 2 a person who does hang gliding ► hang glid • ing / ' h®g glaidig /noun [ noncount ] I'd love to try hang gliding.
hang • o • ver / ' hregouvsr /noun [ count ]
pain in your head and a sick feeling, which you get if you have drunk too much alcohol the night before
Ha • nuk•kah / ' hansks /noun [ noncount ]
( religion ) a Jewish holiday that lasts for eight days in December
hap . pen Ф / haepon / verb ( hap . pens , hap pen . ing , hap . pened )
to take place, usually without being planned first
How did the accident happen?
Did you hear what happened to me yesterday?
happen to do something
to do something by chance I happened to run into Tim yesterday.
hap .pi .ness Ф / ъжртээ/ noun
[noncount]
the feeling of being happy —ANTONYM unhappiness
hap . РУ © / haepi /adjective ( hap . pi . er , hap pi est )
feeling pleased or showing that you are pleased She looks very happy .
That was one of the happiest days of my life.
—ANTONYM unhappy , sad Word building
You are usually glad or pleased about a particular event or situation: I'm glad he's feeling better. ♦ I'm pleased to say that you passed your exam. You use happy to describe a state of mind: I always feel happy when the sun is shining. You also use happy before a noun: a happy child .
a word that you use to say that you hope someone will enjoy a special time
Happy New Year! Happy Birthday! Happy Holidays!
hap • pi • ly / ' hжpэli / adverb Everyone was smiling happily.
ha • rass / hэ ' rres ; ' hreres / verb ( ha . rass . es , ha . rass . ing , ha . rassed )
to bother or do unpleasant things to someone, especially over a period of time
His ex-wife wouldn't stop harassing him.
ha • rass • ment / hэ ' rжsmэnt ; ' hжrэsmэnt /noun [noncount]
She accused her boss of harassment.
har•bor / ' ha^r /noun [ count ]
a place where ships can stay safely in the water
hard 1 ©/ hard / adjective ( hard er , hard est)
1 not soft
These apples are very hard.
couldn't sleep because the bed was too hard.
—ANTONYM soft
difficult to do or understand The exam was very hard. hard work
—ANTONYM easy
full of problems He's had a hard life .
—ANTONYM easy
not kind or gentle
She is very hard on her children.
—ANTONYM soft
hard 2 © / hard / adverb ( hard er , hard es )
1 a lot
She works very hard. You need to try harder!
2 strongly It's raining hard. She hit him hard.
hard • back / ' hardbrek / [ count, noncount ] a book with a hard cover
I don't buy hardbacks — they're too expensive. Is this book available in hardback ?
— Look at paperback .
hard disk / ' hard disk /noun [ count ]
( computers ) a piece of hard plastic inside a computer that stores information and programs
hard • en / ' hardn / verb ( hard . ens , hard . en . ing , hard . ened )
to become hard
Wait for the cement to harden.
hard .ly © / hardli /adverb almost not; only just
She spoke so quietly that I could hardly hear her. There's hardly any (= almost no ) coffee left. We hardly ever go out anymore.
hard • ware / ' hardwer /noun [ noncount ]
( computers ) the machines that are part of a computer system, not the programs that work on it
—Look at software .
tools and equipment that are used to build or repair things in the house
a hardware store
hard-work • ing / |hard ' wэrkIg / adjective
working with effort and energy a hard-working student
hare / her /noun [ count ]
an animal like a rabbit (= a small animal with long ears ) . Hares are bigger, have longer ears, and can run very fast.
harm О / harm /noun [ noncount ] damage or injury
Eating a little red meat won't do you any harm .
there is no harm in doing something
nothing bad will happen if you do something
I don't know if she'll help you, but there's no harm in
asking.
harm 2 Ф' / harm / verb ( harms , harm . ing , harmed )
to hurt or damage someone or something These chemicals harm the environment.
harm .ful О / harmfl / adjective
Something that is harmful can hurt or damage people or things
Fruit juice can be harmful to children's teeth.
harm • less / ' harmbs / adjective
not dangerous
Don't worry — these insects are harmless.
har • mo • ny / ' harmэni / noun ( plural har . mo . nies )
[ noncount ] a state of agreement or of living together in peace
The different species live together in harmony .
[ count, noncount ] ( music ) musical notes that sound nice together
They sang in harmony . beautiful harmonies
harp / harp /noun [ count ]
( music ) a large musical instrument that has many strings stretching from the top to the bottom of a frame. You play the harp with your fingers.
—Look at the picture at instrument .
harsh / harf / adjective ( harsh . er , harsh . est )
not kind; cruel
a harsh punishment
rough and unpleasant to see or hear a harsh voice
harsh • ly / ' harjli / adverb Alec laughed harshly.
har•vest / ' harvast /noun
[ count, noncount ] the time when grain, fruit, or vegetables are ready to cut or pick
The apple harvest is in September.
[ count ] all the grain, fruit, or vegetables that are cut or picked
We had a good harvest this year.
har • vest verb ( har . vests , har vest . ing , har . vest . ed )
When do they harvest the wheat?
has / hrez / form ofhave
hash browns / ' hrejbraunz /noun [ plural ]
a type of food made from potatoes that have been cut into small pieces and cooked in oil eggs, bacon, and hash browns
has • n't / ' hrezant / short forhas not
has • sle / ' hresl /noun [ count, noncount ] ( informal )
a thing or situation that takes a lot of effort to do Traveling with all this luggage is a real hassle.
haste / heist /noun [ noncount ] ( formal )
doing things too quickly, especially because you do not have enough time
The letter was written in haste (= quickly ) .
hast • y / heisti / adjective ( hast . i . er , hast . i est )
said or done quickly a hasty departure
If you are hasty , you do something too quickly Don't be too hasty. This is a very important decision.
hast • i • ly / ' heistali / adverb He hastily changed the subject.
beret
cowboy hat
hat © / hset /noun [ count ] a thing that you wear on your head She's wearing a hat.
hats
baseball cap
hatch / hretj / verb ( hatch . es , hatch . ing , hatched )
( biology ) When baby birds, insects, or fish hatch , they come out of an egg.
hate 1 © / heit / verb ( hates , hat ing , hat ed )
to have a very strong feeling of not liking someone or something
Most cats hate water. I hate waking up early.
—ANTONYM love
Thesaurus
hate to have a strong feeling of not liking someone or something. This word is often used in informal English to talk about people or things that you really do not like: I've always hated broccoli. ♦ He hates getting up early in the morning. ♦ I hate the way she always criticizes me.
can't stand an expression used to mean that you really do not like someone or something. It is often used in informal spoken English: I can't stand this music. Can we listen to something else? ♦ He can't stand waiting in line for things. ♦ I can't stand her brother, can you?
dislike a slightly formal way of saying that you do not like someone or something, but not in a strong way. It is more usual to say "don't like": I have always disliked flying. ♦ Why do you dislike him so much? despise to dislike someone or something very much and have no respect for them or it: She despised any kind of gossip. ♦ He despised himself for being such a coward.
loathe to hate someone or something very much: They loathe each other. ♦ He loathed hypocrisy.
hate 2 © / heit /noun [ noncount ]
a very strong feeling of not liking someone or something Her love for him turned to hate.
—SYNONYM hatred —ANTONYM love
ha • tred / ' heitrad /noun [ noncount ]
a very strong feeling of not liking someone or something He had a deep hatred of injustice.
—SYNONYM hate
haul / hol / verb ( hauls , haul . ing , hauled )
to pull something heavy
They hauled the boat out of the river.
haunt / hont/ verb ( haunts,haunt. ing , haunt. ed )
If a place is haunted , people think that there are ghosts (= spirits of dead people ) there
A ghost haunts the castle.
If something sad or unpleasant haunts you, you often think of it
Her unhappy face still haunts me. ► haunt • ed / hontad / adjective
a haunted house
have © / lwv; haev /verb
a word that you use with parts of other verbs to show that
something happened or started in the past
I haven't seen that movie.
Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon?
We've been in New York for six months.
When we arrived, Paul had already left.
have 2© / hsev /verb
( also have got ) to own or keep something She has blue eyes.
Do you have any brothers and sisters? He's got (= has got ) short black hair.
a word that you use with many nouns to talk about doing something
What time do you have breakfast? Let's have a coffee. I had a meeting this morning. Jill and I had a fight.
a word that you use with many nouns to talk about experiencing something
Have fun!
He had an accident.
Did you have a good weekend?
I have an idea.
Do you have time to help me?
( also have got ) to be sick with something I have the flu.
She's got (= has got ) a headache. have something done
to let someone do something for you
I had my hair cut yesterday.
Have you had your car repaired?
have something on to be wearing something
She had a green sweater on.
What did the boy have on when you last saw him?
haven't / hrevant / short forhave not
have to © / Ъаейэ ; 'haeftu/modal verb ( also have got to )
used for saying that someone must do something or that
something must happen
I have to go to the dentist today.
We don't have to get up early tomorrow.
Do we have to pay for this now?
We had to do lots of boring exercises.
Grammar
You use must not or the short form mustn't / 'mAsnt / to tell people not to do something: You mustn't be late.
When you want to say that someone can do something if they want, but that it is not necessary, you use don't have to : You don't have to do your homework today (= you can do it today if you want, but it is not necessary ) .
hawk / hok /noun [ count ]
a large bird that catches and eats other birds and small animals
hay / hei /noun [ noncount ]
dry grass that is used as food for farm animals
hay fe • ver / ' hei fivar /noun [ noncount ]
( health ) an illness like a cold. Grass and other plants can cause hay fever .
haz • ard / ' hrezard /noun [ count ]
a danger
Ice is a hazard for drivers. a fire hazard
► haz • ard • ous / ' hrezardas / adjective
hazardous chemicals
haze / heiz/noun [ noncount ]
air that is difficult to see through because of heat, dust, or smoke ha • zel • nut / ' heizlnAt /noun [ count ]
a small nut that you can eat
haz • y / ' heizi / adjective ( haz i - er , haz - i est )
not clear, especially because of heat Yesterday it was hot and hazy.
difficult to remember or understand clearly
I only have a hazy memory of our vacation in Seattle.
he © / hi /pronoun ( pluralthey ) the man or boy that the sentence is about I saw Mike when he was in town. "Where's John?" "He's (= he is ) at home."
head i©/hed/noun
[ count ] the part of your body above your neck She turned her head to look at me.
He nodded his head (= moved it up and down ) in agreement.
"I disagree," she said, shaking her head. — Look at the picture at body .
[ count ] your mind or brain
A strange thought came into his head. Use your head (= think ) !
[ singular ] the top, front, or most important part She sat at the head of the table.
[ count, noncount ] the person in charge of a group of people or organization
The Pope is the head of the Catholic church.
heads [ noncount ] the side of a coin that has the head of a person on it
Heads or tails? (= said when you are throwing a coin in the air to decide something )
—ANTONYM tails
a head ; per head
for one person Dinner costs $50 a head. go to your head
to make you too pleased with yourself
Stop telling him how good-looking he is. It will go to his head!
head first
with your head before the rest of your body
keep your head
to stay calm
She needs to learn to keep her head when things get difficult.
lose your head
to become too excited, angry, etc.
head 2 / hed / verb ( heads, head - ing , head - ed )
to move in the direction mentioned Let's head for home.
Where are you heading?
to be the leader or most important person in a group Michael is heading the finance committee.
head • ache / ' hedeik /noun [ count ]
( health ) a pain in your head to have a headache
head • ing / ' hedig /noun [ count ]
the words at the top of a piece of writing to show what it is about
head • light / ' hediait /
( also head - lamp / ' hedlremp / )noun [ count ] one of the two big bright lights on the front of a car Look at the picture atcar .
head • line / hedlain / noun
[ count ] the words in big letters at the top of a newspaper story
the headlines [ plural ] the most important news on radio or television
Here are the latest news headlines.
head • phones / ' hedfounz /noun [ plural ]
things that you put over your head and ears so that you can listen to music without other people hearing it
— Look at earphones .
head • quar • ters / ' hed|kwortsrz / noun
[ plural ] ( abbreviation HQ )
the main offices where the leaders of an organization work The company's headquarters are in Detroit.
head • set / ' hedset /noun [ count ]
a piece of equipment that you wear on your head that includes a part for listening (called headphones ) and a part for speaking into (called a microphone ) The pilot was talking into his headset.
head • way / hedwei / noun
make headway
to go forward or make progress
We haven't made much headway in our discussions.
heal / hil /verb ( heals , heal • ing , healed ) ( health ) to become well again; to make something well again
The cut on his leg healed slowly.
health © / heie/ noun [ noncount ]
the condition of your body Smoking is bad for your health. health insurance
health •care / ' heleker / ( also health care ) noun [ noncount ]
( health ) the service of providing medical care reforms to the healthcare system
health food / hele fud /noun [ count, noncount ]
natural food that many people think is good for your health a health food store
health .у © / ЪеЮ1/ adjective ( health i er , health i est ) ( health )
well; not often sick healthy children
helping to make or keep you well healthy food
—ANTONYM unhealthy heap1 / hip /noun [ count ]
a lot of things on top of one another in a messy way She left her clothes in a heap on the floor.
—Look at the note at pile 1 .
heap 2 / hip / verb ( heaps , heap • ing , heaped )
to put a lot of things on top of one another She heaped food onto my plate.
hear © / hir / verb ( hears , hear • inc , leard / hsrd / has heard )
1 to notice sounds with your ears
Can you hear that noise?
I heard someone laughing in the next room.
Which word? Hear or listen?
When you hear something, sounds come to your ears: I heard the door close.
When you listen to something, you are trying to hear it: I listen to the radio every morning. 2 to be told about something Have you heard the news?
hear from someone
to get a letter or a phone call from someone Have you heard from your sister? hear of someone or something to know about someone or something Who is he? I've never heard of him. will not hear of something
will not agree to something
I wanted to get a motorcycle, but my parents wouldn't hear of it.
hear • ing / ' hirig /noun [ noncount ]
the ability to hear
Speak louder — her hearing isn't very good.
hear • ing aid / ' hirig eid /noun [ count ]
a small machine that fits inside the ear and helps people to hear better
heart © / hart / noun Pronunciation
The word heart sounds like start .
[ count ] the part of the body that makes the blood go around inside
Your heart beats faster when you run. —Look at the picture at body .
[ count ] your feelings
She has a big heart (= she is kind and generous ) .
[ singular ] the center; the middle part They live in the heart of the city.
[ count]the shape V
hearts [ plural ] the group of playing cards (called a suit ) that have red shapes like hearts on them
the six of hearts
—Look at the picture at playing card .
break someone's heart
to make someone very sad
It broke his heart when his wife died.
by heart
so that you know every word I know that poem by heart. lose heart
to stop hoping
Don't lose heart — you can still win if you try. your heart sinks
you suddenly feel unhappy
My heart sank when I saw the first question on the test.
heart • ache / ' harteik /noun [count, noncount]
a strong feeling of sadness
heart at • tack / ' hart s|trek /noun [ count ]
( health ) a sudden dangerous illness, when your heart
stops working normally
She had a heart attack and died.
heart • beat / ' hartbit /noun [ count ]
( health ) the movement or sound of your heart as it pushes blood around your body
heart • break / ' hartbreik /noun [ noncount ]
a strong feeling of sadness or disappointment
► heart • break • ing / ' hart|breikig / adjective
making you feel very sad
a heartbreaking story about a homeless family
heart • bro • ken / ' hart|broukэn /
extremely sad because of something that has happened Maggie was heartbroken when her grandfather died.
heart • less / ' hartbs / adjective
not kind; cruel
heat i © / hit / noun
[ noncount ] the feeling of something hot the heat of the sun
[ noncount ] hot weather
I love the heat. —ANTONYM cold
[ noncount ] a system for making a building warm Can you turn up the heat? I'm freezing!
[ count ] ( sports ) one of the first parts of a race or competition
heat 2 © / hit / (also heat up ) verb ( heats , heat . ing , heat . ed )
to make something hot; to become hot
I heated the milk in the microwave.
Wait for the oven to heat up before you put the cake in.
heat • er / ' h^r /noun [ count ]
a thing that makes a place warm or that heats water a water heater
The room was cold, so he bought a space heater (= a small heater for one room ) .
heave / hiv / verb ( heaves , heav ing , heaved )
to lift or pull something heavy We heaved the suitcase up the stairs.
heav • en / ' hevn/noun [ noncount ]
( religion ) the place where many people believe God lives and where good people go to when they die
— Look athell .
heav .уф / 'hevi/ adjective ( heav . i .er,heav . i .est)
1 weighing a lot; difficult to lift or move
can't carry this bag — it's too heavy.
—ANTONYM light
a word used to describe a person when you do not want to say that they are fat
Ted's gotten a little heavier since the last time I saw him. Thesaurus
fat is a general word to describe a person who has a large round body, but it is not polite to say to someone that they are fat: Do I look fat in this dress? ♦ I'm getting fat!
overweight is a little more polite, and is also a word used by doctors or health professionals: She's a little overweight. ♦ He's only a few pounds overweight. heavy is often used when you want to be polite: Donna's gotten a little heavier since the last time I saw her.
obese means very fat, in a way that is not healthy. This word is often used by doctors and health professionals, but is also used in a general way to mean "very fat": Obese patients are given advice on healthy eating.
larger, stronger, or more than usual heavy rain
The traffic was very heavy this morning. —ANTONYM light
heav • i • ly / ' hevэli / adverb It was raining heavily.
heav • y met • al / |hevi ' metl /
[noncount]
( music ) a kind of loud rock music
hec • tic / ' hektik / adjective
very busy
I had a hectic day at work.
he'd / hid /
short for he had , he would
hedge / hed3 /noun [ count ]
a line of small trees planted close together
heel / hii /noun [ count ]
the back part of your foot —Look at the picture atleg .
the back part of a shoe under the heel of your foot —Look at the picture atshoe .
the part of a sock that covers the heel of your foot height © / hait /noun
Pronunciation
The word height sounds like white .
[ count, noncount ] how far it is from the bottom to the top of someone or something
What is the normal height of a basketball hoop?
The wall is 12 feet in height.
She asked me my height, weight, and age.
Look at the picture at dimension .
The adjective is high .
[ count ] a high place I'm afraid of heights.
[ noncount ] the strongest or most important part of something
the height of summer heir / er / noun [ count ]
a person who gets money or property when another person dies
He's the heir to a large fortune.
heir • ess / er 'es / noun [ count ] ( plural heir . ess . es )
an heir who is a woman
held
form of hold l
hel .i .cop .ter helicopter
/ hrlokuptor /noun [count]
a vehicle that can go straight up in the air, with long metal parts on top that turn to help it fly
he • li • um / ' ЫНэш / noun [ noncount ] ( symbol He )
( chemistry ) a very light gas that is often used to fill balloons (= things that float in the air )
hell / hel /noun [ noncount ]
the place where some people believe that bad people go when they die
—Look at heaven .
he'll / hil ; hil /
short for he will
hel .Ic © / ha ' lou / exclamation
a word that you say when you meet someone or when you
answer the telephone
Style
We usually use hi , not hello , in less formal situations: "Rob, this is my friend, Laura." "Hi, nice to meet you." However, we always use hello when we answer the telephone.
hel • met / ' helmat /noun [ count ]
a hard hat that keeps your head safe a bike helmet
helmets
help 1 ©/ help / verb ( helps , help ing , helped )
to do something useful for someone; to make someone's work easier
Will you help me with the laundry? She helped me carry the box.
a word that you shout when you are in danger Help! I can't swim!
can't help
If you can't help doing something, you cannot stop yourself from doing it
It was so J^nny that I couldn't help laughing. help yourself
to take something that you want Help yourself to a drink.
"Can I have a sandwich?" "Of course. Help yourself!"
help 2© / help /noun
[ noncount ] the act of helping someone Thank you for all your help.
Do you need any help?
[ singular ] a person or thing that helps
He was a great help to me after I broke my leg.
help • er/ ' helpar /noun [ count ] a person who helps
help .ful ©/ 'helpfl/ adjective
wanting to help; useful
The saleswoman was very helpful.
helpful advice
—ANTONYM unhelpful
help • ful • ly / ' helpfali / adverb
help • ing / ' helpig / noun [count]
the amount of food on your plate I had a big helping of mashed potatoes.
help • less / ' helplas / adjective
not able to do things without help Babies are totally helpless.
help • less • ly / ' helplasli / adverb
hem / hem / noun
[count]
the bottom edge of something, like a skirt or pants, which is folded and sewn
hem • i • sphere / ' hemasfir / noun [ count ]
( geography ) one half of the earth the northern hemisphere
—Look at the picture at earth . hen / hen / noun [ count ]
a female bird, especially a chicken, that people keep on farms for its eggs Word building A female chicken is called a hen , and a male chicken is called a rooster . A young chicken is a chick .
hep • a • ti • tis / |hepa 'taitas / noun [ noncount ]
( health ) a serious disease of the liver (= the part inside your body that cleans the blood )
her © / har /pronoun ( pluralthem / 6am ; 6em / )
a word that shows the woman or girl that you have just talked about
Tell Jane that I'll see her tonight. I wrote to her yesterday.
her 2 Ф / hor / adjective
of or belonging to the woman or girl that you have just talked about That's her book. Jill hurt her leg.
herb / arb /noun [ count ]
a plant whose leaves, seeds, etc. are used in cooking or in medicine
—Look at spice .
her • biv • ore / ' harbivor / noun [ count ]
( biology ) an animal that eats only grass and plants giraffes, elephants, and other herbivores
— Look at carnivore , omnivore .
► her • biv • o • rous / |har ' bivaras / adjective
herbivorous dinosaurs
herd1 / hard /noun [ count ]
a big group of animals of the same kind a herd of cattle
—Look at flock .
herd 2 / hard / verb ( herds , herd . ing , herd . ed )
to move people or animals somewhere in a group The prisoners were herded into the van.
here © / hir / adverb
in, at, or to this place Your glasses are here. Come here, please. Here's my car. Here comes the bus.
—Look at there ( 2 ).
here and there
in different places
There were groups of people here and there along the beach.
here goes ( informal )
words that you say before you do something exciting or dangerous
"Here goes," said Sue, and she jumped into the river. here you are ; here you go
( informal )
words that you say when you give something to someone "Can I borrow a pen, please?" "Sure, here you go."
her • i • tage / ' herat^ / noun
[ count , usually singular ]
( history ) the important traditions, qualities, and culture of a country
The building is part of our national heritage.
he • ro / ' hirou /noun [ count ] ( pluralhe - roes )
a person, especially a man, who has done something brave or good
Everyone said that Mark was a hero after he rescued his sister from the fire.
( english language arts ) the most important man or boy in a book, play, or movie
—Look at heroine .
he • ro • ic / ha ' rouik / adjective
very brave
her • o • in / ' herouan / noun
[noncount]
( health ) a very strong illegal drug her • o • ine / ' herouan /noun [ count ]
a woman who has done something brave or good
( english language arts ) the most important woman or girl in a book, play, or movie
The heroine is played by Angelina Jolie.
— Look at hero .
her • o • ism / ' herouizam /noun [ noncount ]
when someone does something very brave or good the heroism of New York's firefighters
hers Ф / harz / pronoun something that belongs to her Gina says this book is hers. Are these keys hers?
her .self Ф / br'srifvpronoun
( pluralthem . selves / 6am' selvz / )
a word that shows the same woman or girl that you have just talked about
She fell and hurt herself.
a word that makes "she" stronger
"Who told you that Laura was married?" "She told me
herself."
by herself
without other people She lives by herself.
—SYNONYM alone
without help
She can carry the box by herself.
he's / hiz /
short for he is , he has
hes • i • tate / ' hezateit / verb ( hes - i tates , hes - i - tat - ing , hes - i tat - ed )
to stop for a moment before you do or say something, because you are not sure about it He hesitated before answering the question. ► hes • i • ta • tion / |heza 'teijn /noun [ noncount ] They agreed without hesitation.
het • er • o • sex • u • al / |hetara 'sekjual /
adjective
attracted to people of the opposite sex —ANTONYM homosexual hex•a•gon
/ heksagan /noun [ count ]
( math ) a shape with six sides
► hex • ag • o • nal
/ hek sreganl /adjective with six sides a hexagonal box
hey / hei / exclamation
( informal )
a word that you say to make someone listen to you, or when
you are surprised
Hey! Where are you going?
hi / hai /exclamation ( informal ) a word that you say when you meet someone Hi, Tony! How are you?
—SYNONYM hello
hi•ber•nate / haibarneit / verb ( hi - ber - nates , hi - ber - nat ing , hi - ber - nat ed )
( biology ) When an animal hibernates , it goes to sleep for the winter.
► hi • ber • na • tion / |haibar ' neijn / noun [ noncount ]
hic • cup / ' hikAp /noun [ count ]
a sudden noise that you make in your throat. You sometimes get the hiccups when you have eaten or drunk too quickly.
hide Ф / haid /verb
( hides , hid ing , hid / hid / has hid - den / ' hidn / ) 1 to put something where people cannot find it
hid the money under the bed.
to be or get in a place where people cannot see or find you
Someone was hiding behind the door.
to not tell or show something to someone She tried to hide her feelings.
hide-and-seek / |haid n sik /noun
[noncount]
a children's game in which one player covers his or her eyes while the other players hide, and then tries to find them
hid • e • ous / hidias / adjective
very ugly
That shirt is hideous!
hid • ing / ' haidig / noun [ noncount ] be in hiding ; go into hiding
to be in, or go into a place where people will not find you The escaped prisoners are believed to be in hiding.
hi •er•ar•chy aw / ' haiararki / [ count ] ( plural hi - er - ar .chies )
a system or organization that has many levels from the
lowest to the highest
the hierarchy of the Catholic Church
hi • er • o • glyph • ics / |haiara' glifiks / noun [ plural ]
( english language arts ) the system of writing that was used in ancient Egypt, in which a small picture represents a word or sound
high 1 © / hai / adjective ( high er , high est) Pronunciation
The word high sounds like my , because we don't say the letters -gh in this word.
Something that is high has a long distance between the top and the bottom
a high wall
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. The noun is height .
—ANTONYM low
You use high to say or ask how far something is from the bottom to the top
The table is 30 inches high. Style
We use tall , not high , to talk about people: How tall are you? ♦ He's six feet tall.
far from the ground a high shelf
—ANTONYM low
more than the usual level or amount The car was traveling at high speed . high temperatures
—ANTONYM low
A high sound is not deep
I heard the high voice of a little girl. —ANTONYM low
high 2© / hai/ adverb ( high er , high es )
a long way above the ground
The plane flew high above the clouds.
—ANTONYM low
high • er ed • u • ca • tion / haisr ed3s ' keijn
/noun [ noncount ]
education at a college or university after the age of 18 —Look atcontinuing education . Collocations Higher education applying apply for college
apply to a college/a university/Harvard get into/go to college/Princeton studying major in/minor in biology/philosophy work toward a B.A./a law degree/a master's degree finishing finish/graduate from college
earn/receive/get a degree/a bachelor's degree/a master's degree
high jump
/ hai d3Amp /noun [ singular ]
high • lands / 'hailsnds / noun [ plural ]
( geography ) the part of a country with hills and mountains
the Scottish Highlands
( sports ) a sport where people jump over a high bar
high • light1awl / ' hailait /noun [ count ]
the best or most exciting part of something
The highlight of our vacation was seeing the Grand
Canyon.
high • light 2 AWL / ' hailait / verb ( high . lights , high . light . ing , high . light . ed )
to give special importance to something so that people notice it
The report highlighted the need for better inner-city schools.
to mark important parts of a text in a bright color
high • light • er / ' hailaitsr / noun [ count ]
a special pen for marking important parts of a text in a bright color a yellow highlighter
—Look at the picture at stationery .
high .ly © / 'haili/ adverb
very or very much
Their children are highly intelligent. She has a highly paid job.
very well
I think very highly of your work (= I think it is very good ) .
High • ness / ' hainss /noun [ count ]
( plural High . ness . es )
a word that you use when speaking to or about a royal person
Yes, Your Highness.
high school ® / hai skul /noun [ count, noncount ]
a school for young people between the ages of 14 and 18 Beth and I went to the same high school. He's a senior in high school. Word building
In the U.S., children start elementary school when they are 5. The first year of this is called kindergarten
When children are around 11 years old, they move to middle school (or junior high school ), and when they reach the age of around 14, they start high school .
Each year of school is called a grade . When a child is around 6 years old they are in first grade , and the last year of high school is the twelfth grade .
high-tech ( also hi-tech ) / |hai ' tek /adjective
( informal )
using the most modern methods and machines, especially electronic ones
He's got a lot of high-tech video equipment.
high .way & / 'haiwei/ noun [ count ]
a big road between towns or cities There was a lot of traffic on the highway. Take the highway and get off at exit 18. Thesaurus
road a hard surface made for vehicles to travel on. The short way of writing "Road" in addresses is Rd. : My address is 32 Danfield Rd., St Louis. ♦ country/mountain roads ♦ Where does this road go? ♦ I live on a very busy road. ♦ Take the first road on the left.
street a road in a city or town that has buildings on one or both sides. The short way of writing "Street" in addresses is St. : 1281 Tobin St. ♦ a street map of San Francisco ♦ You can't drive down there. It's a one-way street. ♦ They live across the street from us.
highway a big road that connects cities and towns: Highway 101 between Ventura and Los Angeles ♦ Take the highway to Flagstaff. ♦ There was a traffic jam on the highway.
lane one part of a larger road, marked with painted lines to keep lines of traffic separate: a four-lane highway ♦ You're in the wrong lane for turning right. avenue a wide street in a city or town. This word is often used in the names of city streets, and can be written as Ave. : 109 Fifth Ave. ♦ We stayed at a hotel on Lexington Avenue.
hi • jack / ' haid₃®k / verb ( hi jacks , hi jack . ing , hi . jacked )
to take control of an airplane or a car, and make the pilot or driver take you somewhere
hi • jack • er / ' haIdзжkэr / noun [ count ] The hijackers threatened to blow up the plane.
hi • jack • ing / ' haid3®kig / noun [count, noncount] the hijacking of a U.S. airplane
hike / haik /noun [ cou nt ]
a long walk in the country
We went on a ten-mile hike over the weekend.
hike verb ( hikes , hik ing , hiked )
They went hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
hi • lar • i • ous / hi ' leriэs / adjective
very funny
That new TV show is hilarious. hill О/Ы/noun [ count]
( geography ) a high piece of land that is not as high as a mountain
I pushed my bike up the hill. Their house is at the top of the hill .
— Look at uphill , downhill .
hill • y / ' hili / adjective ( hill . i .er , hill i est )
Our neighborhood is very hilly.
him © / him / pronoun (plural them / 6эш ; 6em / ) a word that shows a man or boy Where's Andy? I can't see him. I spoke to him yesterday.
him .self © / him ' self / pronoun
( plural them . selves / 6эш' selvz / )
a word that shows the same man or boy that you have just talked about
Paul looked at himself in the mirror.
a word that makes "he" stronger Did he make this cake himself?
by himself
without other people
Dad went running by himself. —SYNONYM alone
without help
He did it by himself.
hin • der / ' ь^эг / verb
( hin . ders , hin . der . ing , hin . dered )
to make it more difficult to do something Teachers are hindered by a lack of resources.
Hin • du / hindu /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a person who follows the religion of Hinduism
Hin • du adjective
Hindu beliefs
Hin • du • ism / ' hindu^m / noun [ noncount ]
( religion ) the main religion of India
hinge / hind3 /noun [ count ]
a piece of metal that joins a lid to a box or a door to a frame so that you can open and close it
hint1 / hint /noun [ count ]
something that you say, but not in a direct way
Sam keeps dropping hints (= making hints ) about wanting a bike for his birthday.
a piece of advice or useful information helpful hints about how to lose weight
a small amount of something There's a hint of garlic in the soup.
hint 2 / hint / verb ( hints , hint . ing , hint . ed )
to say something, but not in a direct way Sarah hinted that she might be leaving.
hip / hip /noun [ count ]
the place where your leg joins the side of your body
— Look at the picture at body .
hip-hop / ' hip hap /noun [ noncount ]
( music ) a type of dance music with spoken words and a strong beat, played on electronic instruments
—Look at rap .
hip • pie ( also hippy ) / ' hipi/noun [ count ] ( pluralhip . pies )
a person from the 1960s or 1970s who was against war and often had long hair and wore clothes with bright colors
hip • po • pot • a • mus / ihiiv'pabims / noun [count] ( plural
hip . po . pot . a mus . es or hip . po . pot . a . mi
/ ^фэ ' patamai / ) ( also informalhip . po
/ hipou / )
a large African animal that has thick skin and lives near water
hire О / ' harar / verb ( lires , hir . in? , lired )
to give someone a job
We hired a new salesperson for the northeast region. They hired an architect to design their new house.
his 1 Ф / hiz/ adjective
of or belonging to the man or boy that you have just talked about
John came with his sister. He hurt his arm.
his 2 / hiz / pronoun
something that belongs to him Are these books yours or his?
His • pan • ic / hi sprenik / adjective
connected with or coming from a place where Spanish is spoken, especially Latin America Miami has a large Hispanic population.
His • pan • ic noun [ count ]
the first Hispanic on the U.S. Supreme Court
hiss / his / verb ( hiss es , hiss ing , hissed )
to make a noise like a very long "s" The cat hissed at me.
hiss noun [ count ] ( plural hiss .es )
the hiss of steam
his • to • ri • an / hi'storian / noun [ count ]
( history ) a person who knows a lot about history his • tor • ic / hi ' storik /adjective
( history ) important in history
It was a historic moment when man first walked on the moon.
his • tor • i • cal / hi ' storikl / adjective
( history ) connected with real people or events in the past She writes historical novels.
his .to . ry Ф / histori /noun [ noncount ]
all the things that happened in the past It was an important moment in history.
the study of things that happened in the past History is my favorite subject.
hit 1 © / hit / verb ( hits , hit ting , hit, has hit)
to touch someone or something hard He hit my ankle with his shopping cart. The car hit a wall. I hit my knee on the door. I would never hit my children.
hit 2 О / hit /noun [ count ]
touching someone or something hard
That was a great hit! (= in a game of baseball )
a person or a thing that a lot of people like That song was a hit in the 1990s.
( computers ) a result of a search on a computer, especially on the Internet
hitch • hike / ' hitjhaik / verb ( hitch . hikes , hitch . hik . ing , hitch . hiked ) ( also hitch / hit/ / ) ( hitch . es , hitch ing , hitched )
to travel by asking for free rides in cars and trucks We hitchhiked across the country.
hitch • hik • er / ' hitjhaikar / noun [ count ] We picked up a hitchhiker.
hi-tech / | hai tek / adjective another word for high-tech HIV / |eitf ai vi / abbreviation
( health ) the virus (= a very small thing that can make you sick ) that causes AIDS (= a serious illness that destroys the body's ability to fight infection ) be HIV-positive to have HIV
hive / haiv / ( also bee . hive / ' bihaiv / )noun [count]
a thing that bees (= black and yellow insects ) live in
hoard / hord / verb ( hoards , hoard . ing , hoard . ed )
to save and keep things secretly
The old man hoarded the money in a box under his bed.
► hoard noun [ count ]
a secret store of something, for example food or money a hoard of cash
hoarse / hors / adjective
If your voice is hoarse , it is rough and quiet, for example because you have a cold He spoke in a hoarse whisper.
hoax / houks /noun [ count ] ( pluralhoax .es ) a trick that makes someone believe something that is not true
There wasn't really a bomb in the subway station — it was a hoax.
hob • by / ' habi /noun [count] ( pluralhob .bies ) something that you like doing in your free time My hobbies are reading and swimming.
hock • ey / ' haki /noun [ noncount ] ( also ice hock . ey )
( sports ) a game that is played on ice by two teams who try to hit a small flat rubber thing (called a puck ) into a goal with long wooden sticks
— Look at field hockey .
hold 1 Ф / hould / verb ( holds , hold ing , held / held / has held )
to have something in your hand or arms She was holding a gun.
He held the baby in his arms.
to keep something in a certain way Hold your head up straight.
Try to hold the camera still .
to support the weight of someone or something Are you sure that branch will hold both of you?
to have space for a certain number or amount The car holds five people.
to make something happen
The meeting was held in the conference room.
It's impossible to hold a conversation with him.
hold someone or something back to stop someone
or something from moving forward
The police held back the crowd.
Hold it!
( informal )
words that you use to tell someone to wait or not to move
hold on
( informal ) to wait Hold on, I'm coming.
—SYNONYM hang on
to keep holding something
The little girl held on to her mother's hand. hold someone or something up
to make someone or something late The plane was held up for 40 minutes.
to try to steal from a place, using a gun Two men held up a bank in Springfield today.
hold 2 Ф / hould /noun
[ count, noncount ] taking or having something in your hands
She had a firm hold on the rope. He got hold of the dog by its collar.
[ count ] the part of a ship or an airplane where goods are kept
get hold of someone ; get a hold of someone
to find someone so that you can speak to them I'm trying to get a hold of Peter, but he's not home.
get hold of something ; get a hold of something
to find something I can't get hold of the book I need. on hold
waiting to speak to someone or continue a conversation on the telephone
May I put you on hold while I find out that information? hold • up / ' houldAp / noun [count]
something that makes you wait There was a long holdup on the highway.
—SYNONYM delay
when someone tries to rob someone using a gun There was a holdup at the local supermarket yesterday.
hole © /houl/noun [ count ]
an empty space or opening in something I'm going to dig a hole in the sand. My socks are full of holes.
hol . i .day ©/ 'hulodei / noun
[ count ] a day when most schools and offices are closed to celebrate a religious or national occasion
Next Monday is a holiday. Memorial Day is a national holiday .
the holidays [ plural ] the time in late December and early January that includes Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's Day, etc.
Are you doing anything special for the holidays? Happy holidays!
hol • low / halou / adjective
with an empty space inside A drum is hollow.
hol • ly / ' hali /noun [noncount]
a plant that has leaves with a lot of sharp points, and red berries (= small round fruit ) . People often use it to decorate their houses for Christmas.
ho • ly / ' houli / adjective ( ho - li .er , ho - li - est ) ( religion )
very special because it is about God or a god The Bible is the holy book of Christians.
A holy person lives a good and religious life.
home © / houm /noun
[ count, noncount ] the place where you live
Sam left home (= stopped living in his parents' house ) at the age of 18.
[ count ] a place to live for people who need special care My grandmother lives in a home for the elderly.
—Look at nursing home .
at home
in your house or apartment
My son is 28 and still lives at home.
comfortable, as if you were in your own home Please make yourself at home .
( sports ) If a sports team plays a game at home , they play on their own field.
home 2 © / houm /adverb
to the place where you live Grammar
Be careful! We do not use to before home : / / Let's go home . ♦ / / What time did you get home last night?
home 3 / houm / adjective
connected with your home or your country What is your home address?
home cooking
( sports ) connected with your own sports team or field The home team has a lot of support.
home • land / ' houmlrend /noun [ count ]
the country where you were born
home • less / houmlas / adjective
If you are homeless , you have nowhere to live The floods made many people homeless. helping the homeless (= people who have no home )
home • made / |houm' meid /adjective
made in your house, not bought in a store homemade bread
home page ( also home - page ) / ' houm peid₃ / noun [ count ]
( computers ) the first of a number of pages of information on the Internet that belongs to a person or an organization. A home page contains connections to other pages of information.
home • room / ' houmrum /noun [ count, noncount ]
a room in a school where students go at the beginning of each school day
home run / |houm ' гап / (also informalho - mer ) / ' houmar /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a hit in baseball, which goes so far that the player can run around all four bases to score a point
home • sick / houmsik / adjective
sad because you are away from home
home • work / ' houmwark /noun [ noncount ]
work that a teacher gives to you to do at home
Have you done your math homework ?
Collocations
Work and exams
doing
do your homework/an assignment/a paper/an essay write a paper/an essay/a report turn in/hand in your homework/an assignment/a paper
take a test/an exam/a quiz passing/failing
grade homework/a test
pass/do well on a test/an exam/a quiz
fail a test/an exam/a class
get a good grade/an A/a B/a diploma
hom • i • cide / ' hamasaid / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the crime of killing someone deliberately He was charged with homicide.
—SYNONYM murder
ho • mo • sex • u • al / |houma 'sekjual / adjective
attracted to people of the same sex —SYNONYM gay —ANTONYM heterosexual
ho • mo • sex • u • al • i • ty / |houmasekju ' relati / noun [noncount]
attitudes toward homosexuality hOll .est © / 'anost/ adjective
A person who is honest says what is true and does not
steal, lie, or cheat
She's a very honest person.
Be honest — do you really like this dress?
—ANTONYM dishonest
hon • est • ly / ' ansstli / adverb Try to answer the questions honestly. Honestly, I don't know where your money is.
hon • es • ty / ' anssti / noun [ noncount ]
I have serious doubts about his honesty.
hon • ey / ' hAni /noun [ noncount ]
the sweet food that is made by some insects (called bees )
hon • ey • moon / ' hAnimun /noun [ count ]
a vacation for two people who have just gotten married
honk / hagk / verb ( honks , honk . ing , honked )
to make a loud noise with a car horn People honked their horns as they drove past.
hon • or / ' ansr / noun
[ singular ] something that makes you proud and pleased
It was a great honor to be invited to the White House.
[ noncount ] respect from other people for something good that you have done
They fought for the honor of their country.
honors [ plural ] a class in school or at college that is at a higher level than other classes
honors English
How many honors courses are you taking this year? in honor of someone or something
to show that you respect someone or something There is a party tonight in honor of our visitors.
hon • or roll / ' ansr roul / [ usually singular ]
a list of the students in a school who have received good grades for their work I made the honor roll this semester.
hood / hud /noun [ count ]
the part of a coat or jacket that covers your head and neck
the front part of a car, which covers the engine
She checked under the hood to see what was making a noise.
—Look at the picture at car .
hoof / huf /noun [ count ]
( pluralhoofs or hooves / huvz / )
the hard part of the foot of horses and some other animals
hook Ф / huk /noun [ count ]
a curved piece of metal or plastic for hanging things on, or for catching fish with Hang your coat on that hook. a fish hook
off the hook
If a telephone is off the hook , the part that you speak into (called the receiver ) is not in place so that the telephone will not ring.
hoop / hup /noun [ count ]
( sports ) the ring that you throw the ball through in a game of basketball
Let's shoot some hoops (= practice playing basketball ) . —Look at the picture atbasket .
hoo • ray ( also hur . ray ) / hu ' rei / ( also hur rah / hu ' ra / )exclamation
a word that you shout when you are very pleased about
something
Hooray! She's won!
hoot / hut /noun [ count ]
the sound that an owl (= a type of bird ) makes
hoot verb ( hoots , hoot . ing , hoot . ed )
An owl hooted in the dark forest.
hooves
plural of hoof
hop / hap / verb ( hops , hop . ping , hopped )
(used about a person) to jump on one foot
(used about an animal or bird) to jump with two or all feet together
The frog hopped onto the stone.
( informal ) to get into or out of a car, bus, etc. Hop in ! I'll give you a ride downtown.
I hopped on the next bus.
hopnoun [ count ] a short jump
hope w/houp/ verb{ hope , юр iiv , hopec )
to want something to happen or be true
I hope that you feel better soon.
I hope to see you tomorrow.
She's hoping for a bike for her birthday.
"Do you think it will rain?" "I hope not."
"Will you be at the party?" "I'm not sure — I hope so ."
hope 2 © / houp /noun
[ count, noncount ] a feeling of wanting something to happen and thinking that it will
There's little hope of finding survivors. Don't give up hope — you may still pass.
[ count , usually singular ] a person or thing that gives you hope
Can you help me? You're my only hope .
hope • ful / ' houpfl / adjective
If you are hopeful , you think that something that you
want will happen
I'm hopeful about getting a job.
hope • ful • ly / ' houpfln / adverb
( informal ) I hope; we hope Hopefully he won't be late.
hoping that what you want will happen The cat looked hopefully at our plates.
hope • less / ' houplss / adjective
with no hope of success a hopeless situation
hope • less • ly / ' houplssli / adverb We got hopelessly lost in the forest.
ho • ri • Zon / hs ' raizn / noun
[ count , usually singular ]
the line between the earth or ocean and the sky We could see a ship on the horizon .
hor • i • zon • tal / |hors zantl / adjective
going from side to side, not up and down a horizontal line
—Look at vertical . , —Look at the picture at line .
hor • i • zon • tal • ly / |hors ' zantsli / adverbhor • mone / ' hormoun / noun [ count ]
( biology ) a substance in your body that influences the way you grow and develop
horn © / horn /noun [ count ]
one of the hard pointed things that some animals have on their heads
—Look at the picture at antelope .
a thing in a car or other vehicle that makes a loud sound to warn people
Don't honk your horn late at night. —Look at the picture at steering wheel .
a musical instrument with a metal tube that you blow into
hor • o • scope / ' horeskoup /noun [ count ] something that tells you what will happen, using the planets and your date of birth
Have you read your horoscope today? (= in a newspaper, for example )
— Look at astrology .
hor • ri • ble / ' horebl / adjective
( informal )
very bad or unpleasant
What horrible weather!
I had a horrible dream.
► hor • ri • bly / ' horebli / adverb
horribly painful
hor • rif • ic / hэ ' rifik / adjective
causing fear or shock a horrific accident
hor • ri • fy / ' horefai / verb ( hor ri . fies , hor ri . fy . ing , hor . ri . fied , has hor . ri fied )
to shock and frighten someone Everyone was horrified by the murders.
hor • ror / ' horer /noun [ noncount ]
a feeling of fear or shock
They watched in horror as he ran in front of the bus. horror movie
a movie that tries to frighten or shock you for entertainment
horse ©/ brs /
noun [ count ] a big animal that can carry people and pull heavy things Do you know how to ride a horse ? Word building A male horse is a stallion and a female horse is a mare . A young horse is a foal .
horse • back / ' horsbrek / on horse • back
sitting on a horse
We saw a lot of policemen on horseback.
horse • back rid / ' horsbrek |raidig /
( also rid . ing )noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) the sport or activity of riding a horse She goes horseback riding every weekend.
horse • shoe / ' horjju/ noun [ count ]
a piece of metal shaped like a U that a horse wears on its foot
hose / houz /noun
[ count, noncount ]
a long soft tube that you use to bring water, for example in the yard or when there is a fire
hos • pi • ta • ble /
ha' spitabl / adjective
friendly and helpful to visitors
hos . pi .tal © / 'haspitl/noun [ count ]
a place where doctors and nurses take care of people who are sick or hurt
My brother is in the hospital with a broken leg. The ambulance took her to the hospital . Word building
If you are very sick or you have an accident , you go to the hospital . A doctor gives you treatment and you are called a patient . You might need to have surgery .
hos • pi • tal • i • ty / |haspэ ' trebti / noun [ noncount ]
being friendly and helpful to people who are visiting you We thanked them for their hospitality.
host / houst /noun [ count ]
a person who invites people to their house, for example to a party
Mark, our host, introduced us to the other guests. —Look at hostess .
hos • tage / ' hostid3 /noun [ count ]
a prisoner that a person or group keeps until people give
them what they want
Several passengers were taken hostage .
The group held his daughter hostage until he paid them the
money.
hos • tel / ' hastl /noun [ count ]
a place like a cheap hotel where people can stay a youth hostel
host • ess / ' houstэs /noun [ count ] ( pluralhost . ess . es )
a woman who invites people to her house, for example to a party —Look athost .
hos • tile / hastl / adjective
very unfriendly a hostile crowd
► hos • til • i • ty / ha'stibti / noun [ noncount ]
I could sense her hostility.
hot © / hat / adjective ( lot ter , hot tes )
having a high temperature
I'm hot. Can you open the window? It's hot today, isn't it? hot water
—ANTONYM cold
Hot food has a strong, burning taste a hot sauce
—SYNONYM spicy
Thesaurus
hot having a high temperature; (used about a person) feeling heat in an uncomfortable way: Do you like this hot weather? ♦ Be careful - the plates are hot. ♦ If you're hot, take off your sweater. warm with a temperature that is high but not very high, so that it feels pleasant; not hot and not cold: Wash the blouse in warm soapy water. ♦ It's cold outside but it's nice and warm in here. ♦ Are you warm enough? ♦ I jumped up and down to keep warm. —ANTONYM cold , cool
lukewarm slightly warm, often in an unpleasant way: The food was only lukewarm. ♦ Add half a cup of lukewarm water to the mixture. boiling ( informal )
very hot in an unpleasant way: You must be boiling in that heavy coat. ♦ Can you turn the heat down? It's boiling hot in here. -►ANTONYM freezing
hot-air bal . loon hot-air balloon
/ |hat ' er ba|lun /noun [count]
a big round thing that is filled with hot air so that it floats in the sky, carrying people in a container (called a basket ) under it
hot dog / ' hat dog /noun [ count ]
a sausage (= meat made into a long, thin shape ) that you eat in a long roll
hO .tel Ф / hou'tel/noun [ count ]
a place where you pay to sleep when you are traveling I stayed at a hotel near the airport.
hot • line / ' hatlain / ( also hot line )noun
[count]
a special telephone line that people can call to get advice or information
hour О / ' auar / noun
[ count ] ( abbreviationhr. ) a measure of time. There are 60 minutes in an hour
The trip took two hours. I've been waiting for an hour. half an hour
hours [ plural ] the time when someone is working, or when a store or office is open
Our office hours are 9 a.m. to 5p.m.
the hour [ singular ] the time when a new hour starts (= 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, etc. )
Buses leave on the hour .
for hours
( informal )
for a long time
I've been waiting for hours.
hour • ly / ' auarli / adjective, adverb
happening or coming once an hour There is an hourly bus to the airport. Trains run hourly.
house © / haus /noun [ count ] ( pluralhous . es / ' hauzaz / )
a building where a person or a family lives How many rooms are there in your house? We're having dinner at Kate's house tonight.
a building that has a special use an opera house
house • hold / ' haushould / [count]
all the people who live in one house and the work, money, etc. that is needed to take care of them household expenses
house • keep • er / ' haus|kipar / noun
[ count ]
a person whose job is to do the cleaning, cooking, etc. in someone else's house
the House of Rep- re- sen- ta • tives
/ бэ |haus av|repri 'zentativz /noun [ singular ] ( politics ) one of the two parts of the government that makes the laws in the U.S. and some other countries
— Look at senate .
Word building
The U.S. Government
The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
house • wife / hauswaif / noun
[ count ]
( pluralhouse . wives / ' hauswaivz / ) a woman who stays at home and takes care of her house and family
house • work / ' hauswark / [noncount]
work that you do in your house, for example the cleaning and the laundry
hous • ing / ' hauzig / noun
[noncount]
apartments and houses for people to live in
low-income housing (= for people who do not earn much
money )
hov • er / ' hwar / verb ( hov ers , hov er . ing , hov . ered )
to stay in the air in one place A helicopter hovered above the building.
hOW О / hau / adverb
in what way
How does this machine work?
She told me how to get to the train station.
Do you know how to spell "essential"?
a word that you use to ask if someone is well or happy "How are you?" "Fine, thanks."
"How is your sister?" "She's much better, thank you."
Which word?
You use how only when you are asking about someone's health or happiness.
When you are asking someone to describe another person or a thing you use what ... like? : 'What is your sister like?" "Oh, she's very intelligent, and she's taller than me."
a word that you use to ask if something is good How was the movie?
a word that you use to ask questions about things like age, amount, or time
How old are you?
How many brothers and sisters do you have? How much does this cost? How long have you lived here?
a word that shows surprise or strong feeling How nice of you to help!
how about ...?
words that you use when you suggest something
How about a drink?
How about going for a walk?
how do you do?
( formal )
polite words that you say when you meet someone for the
first time
Style
When someone says How do you do ?, you also answer How do you do ? and you shake hands. Some people say Nice to meet you when they meet. This is less formal than How do you do .
how .ev .er Ф / hau'evar/ adverb
but
She's very intelligent. However, she's somewhat lazy.
it does not matter how
I never win, however hard I try.
howl / haul / verb ( howls , howl - ing , howled )
to make a long, loud sound, like a dog makes
The dogs howled all night.
The wind howled around the house.
howlnoun [ count ] He let out a howl of anger.
HQ / .eitj ' kyu / short forheadquarters
hr.
abbreviation of hour
hud • dle / ' hAdi / verb
( hud dles , hud - dling , hud dled )
to get close to other people because you are cold or scared We huddled together for warmth.
hug / hAg / verb ( hugs , hug - ging , hugged )
to put your arms around someone to show that you love them
She hugged her parents and said goodbye. ►hugnoun [ count ]
Come and give me a hug .
huge Ф / hyud₃ / adjective
very big
They live in a huge house. —SYNONYM enormous
huge • ly / ' hyud₃li /adverb very or very much
She is hugely popular.
hum / hAm / verb ( hums , hum - ming , hummed )
to sing with your lips closed
You can hum the tune if you don't know the words.
to make a low continuous sound
The overhead wires hummed with power.
humnoun [ singular ]
The computer was making a low hum.
hu .mail 1 Ф / Ъуитэп/adjective connected with people, not animals or machines the human body
hu .man 2Ф/ъуитэп/
( also hu - man be - in? / |hyuman ' biig / )noun [count] a person
Dogs can hear much better than humans.
hu • mane / hyu ' mein /adjective
showing kindness, especially to a person or animal that is suffering
humane treatment of livestock —ANTONYM inhumane
hu • mane • ly / hyu' meinli / adverb The prisoners were treated humanely.
hu • man • i • tar • i • an / hy^mrena' terian /
adjective
concerned with trying to make people's lives better and helping them to suffer less
Many countries have sent humanitarian aid to the earthquake victims.
hu • man • i • ty / hyu ' mrenati / noun
[ noncount ] all of the people in the world crimes against humanity
[ noncount ] the quality of being kind and fair The prisoners were treated with humanity.
humanities [ plural ] the subjects that are connected with the way people think and behave, for example history, literature, and languages
the hu • man race / 6a |hyuman ' reis /noun [ singular ]
all the people in the world
hu • man rights / |hyuman raits /noun
[ plural ]
( politics ) the basic freedoms that all people should have, for example the right to say what you think, to go to school, etc.
an organization that campaigns for human rights
hum • ble / hAmbl / adjective ( hum - bler , hum - blest )
A humble person does not think they are better or more important than other people
Despite her success she is still very humble.
poor or having a low social position He came from a humble background.
hu • mid / hyumad / adjective
(used about the weather or climate) warm and wet The island is hot and humid.
—SYNONYM damp
hu • mid • i • ty / hyu ' midati / noun [noncount]
high levels of humidity
hu • mil • i • ate / hyu' milieit / verb
(hu . mil . i . ates, hu . mil . i . at . ing, hu . mil . i . at . ed)
to make someone feel very embarrassed or ashamed I felt humiliated when he laughed at my work.
hu • mil • i • at • ing / hyu ' milieitig / adjective
a humiliating defeat
hu • mil • i • a • tion / h^mili ' eijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
hu . mor © / 'hyumar / noun
[noncount]
the quality of being funny a story full of humor
the ability to laugh and know that something is funny Dave has a good sense of humor .
hu • mor • ous / ' hyumsrss / adjective
making you smile or laugh a humorous story
—SYNONYM funny
hump / hAmp / noun [ count ]
a large round lump, for example on the back of a camel (= an animal that lives in the desert )
hun .dred © / ' hAndrsd /
100
We invited a hundred people to the party. two hundred dollars four hundred and twenty
hundreds ( informal ) a lot
I have hundreds of e-mails in my inbox.
hun • dredth / ' hAndrsde / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
100th
hung
form of hang ( 1 )
hun • ger / ' hAggsr / noun [ noncount ]
the feeling that you want or need to eat People were dying of hunger.
—Look at thirst .
hun .gry ©/ h\i]c|ri / adjective ( hun gri . er , hun . gri . est )
wanting to eat
Let's eat soon — I'm hungry!
— Look at thirsty .
hunt О / hAnt / verb ( hunt: , hunt . in , iunt . ed )
to chase animals to kill them as a sport or for food Owls hunt at night.
to try to find something
I hunted everywhere for my watch, but I couldn't find it.
huntnoun [ count , usually singular ] a fox hunt
a hunt for the missing child
hunt • ing / ' hAntig / noun [ noncount ]
the activity of chasing and killing animals as a sport or for food
to go hunting
hunt • er / ' hAntsr / noun [ count ]
a person who hunts wild animals hur • dle / ' hsrdl/noun ( sports )
[ count ] a type of light fence that a person or a horse jumps over in a race
hurdles [ plural ] a race in which people or horses have to jump over hurdles
the 200-meter hurdles
hurl / hsrl / verb ( hurls , hurl . ing , hurled )
to throw something very strongly She hurled the book across the room.
hurrah, hurray = hooray
hur • ri • cane / ' hsrsksn / noun [ count ]
( geography ) a storm with very strong winds Another hurricane hit the coast of Florida. Thesaurus
wind air that moves quickly outside: The wind was blowing hard. ♦ The trees were swaying in the wind . ♦ Several trees were blown over in the strong winds . ♦ A gust of wind blew my hat off.
hurricane a violent storm with very strong winds, which starts over the ocean: Many of the buildings here were destroyed in the hurricane. ♦ Hurricane Rita is now approaching the coast of Florida. tornado a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle. There is often also a tall cloud which is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top: A tornado tore through the town yesterday. ♦ The hotel was completely destroyed by a tornado. ♦ a tornado warning breeze a light wind: A light breeze was blowing. ♦ The flowers were gently moving in the breeze. ♦ a cool/warm breeze
gale a very strong wind: The roof of the school was torn off by the gale. ♦ The gale blew down several trees.
hur .ГУ 1© / Ъэи/ verb ( hur . ries, hur . ry . ing , hur . ried , has hur ried )
to move or do something quickly We hurried home after school.
hurry up to move or do something more quickly because there is not much time Hurry up or we'll be late!
hur .ry 2©/ Ъэи/noun [ noncount ]
the need or wish to do something quickly Take your time. There's no hurry .
in a hurry
quickly
She got up late and left in a hurry.
not having enough time to do something I can't talk to you now — I'm in a hurry.
hurt 1 ©/ hart / verb ( hurts , hurt ing , hurt , has hurt )
1 to make someone or something feel pain
fell and hurt my leg. Did you hurt yourself ?
These shoes hurt — they're too small.
to feel pain My leg hurts.
to make someone unhappy
I never meant to hurt your feelings . Thesaurus
hurt is a general word meaning to feel pain, or to make someone or something else feel pain: My feet hurt. ♦ It hurts when I bend my knee. ♦ Ouch! That really hurts! ♦ Stop that - you're hurting me. ♦ Did you hurt yourself when you fell?
ache to feel a pain that is not strong, but that continues for a long time. This verb does not take an object, so you cannot put a noun directly after it: His legs ached after playing soccer for two hours. ♦ Her eyes ached from lack of sleep. ♦ I'm aching all over. burn to feel very hot and painful; to hurt someone with fire or heat: Your forehead's burning. You must have a fever. ♦ The water was so hot that I burned my hands. ♦ She was badly burned in the fire. sting to feel a sudden sharp pain; to make someone feel a pain like this: My eyes were stinging from the soap. ♦ Ow! That antiseptic cream stings!
hurt 2 / hэrt / adjective
physically harmed
Was anyone hurt in the accident?
—SYNONYM injured
upset
I was very hurt by what you said.
hurt • ful / ' ЬэгШ / adjective
making someone feel upset What she said was really hurtful.
hus.band Ф / ' hлzbэnd/noun [ count ] the man that someone is married to —Look atwife .
hush / hi/ / verb ( hush • es , hush • ing , hushed )
a word that you use to tell someone to be quiet Hush now, and go to sleep. hushnoun [ singular ] a situation in which it is completely quiet A hush fell over the room.
—SYNONYM silence
hut / ht /noun [ count ]
a small, simple building with one room
hy • drau • lic / hai ' drolik / adjective
Hydraulic equipment is worked by liquid moving under pressure
hydraulic brakes
hy • dro • e • lec • tric / ihaidrouilektrik /
adjective
( physics ) using the power of water to produce electricity hydroelectric power
hy • dro • gen / ' haIdrэdзэn /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolH )
( chemistry ) a light gas that you cannot see or smell Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen.
hy • giene / ' ha^in / noun
[noncount]
( health ) keeping yourself and things around you clean Good hygiene is very important when you are preparing food.
► hy • gi • en • ic / hai ' d3enik ; hai ' d3inik /adjective hygienic conditions
hymn / him /noun [ count ]
( religion , music ) a song that Christians sing in church
hype / haip /noun [ noncount] ( informal )
advertisements that make you think something is better than it really is
Don't believe the hype — the movie's terrible!
hy • per • ac • tive / ^фэг' rektiv / adjective
too active and only able to keep quiet and still for a short time
a hyperactive child
hy • phen / ' had^n /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a mark ( - ) that you use in writing. It joins words together (for example "left-handed") or shows that a word continues on the next line.
hyp • no • sis / hip ' nousэs /noun [ noncount ]
when someone's mind and actions can be controlled by another person because they are in a kind of deep sleep She spoke about the attack under hypnosis .
hyp • no • tize / ' hipmtaiz / verb ( hyp • no • tiz • es , hyp • no • tiz ing , hyp • no • tized )
to put someone into a kind of deep sleep in which their mind and actions can be controlled by another person
hyp • no • tist / ' hip^^st /noun [ count ] a person who hypnotizes other people
hy • poc • ri • sy / hi 'pakresi / noun [ noncount ]
behavior in which someone pretends to have moral beliefs that they do not really have
hyp • o • crite / ' hIpэkrIt / noun [ count ]
a person who pretends to have moral beliefs that they do not really have
hy • po • crit • i • cal / |Ьфэ ' kritikl / adjective
She's so hypocritical! She says she cares about the environment but she doesn't even recycle.
hy • poth • e • sis AWL / hai 'pa8эsэs / noun
[ count ] ( pluralhy • poth .e • ses / hai 'pа8эsiz / ) ( general science ) an idea that is suggested as a way to explain something, but which has not yet been found to be true or correct
to test a scientific hypothesis (= to find out if it is true )
hy • po • thet • i •cal AWB / ' haIpэ 'елы/
adjective
based on situations that have not yet happened, not on facts a hypothetical situation
hys • ter • i • cal / hi ' sterikl / adjective
so excited or upset that you cannot control yourself hysterical laughter
Ii
I, i / ai /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralI's, i's / aiz / ) the ninth letter of the English alphabet "Island" begins with an "I."
Ф / ai / pronoun( plural w< / wi / ) the person who is speaking I said I would call her later. I'll (= I will ) see you tomorrow. I'm not going to fall, am I?
ice © / ais / noun [ noncount ] water that has become hard because it is frozen Do you want ice in your drink? I slipped on a patch of ice.
ice • berg / ' aisbarg /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a very big piece of ice in the ocean
ice cream / ' ais krim /noun [ noncount ]
very cold, sweet food made from milk
Do you like chocolate ice cream?
an ice-cream cone (= a cone with ice cream in it )
ice cube / ' ais kyub /noun [ count ]
a small piece of ice that you put in a drink to make it cold
iced / aist / adjective
(used about drinks) served very cold, with ice iced tea
ice hock • ey / ' ais haki / ( also hock • ey )noun
[noncount]
( sports ) a game that is played on ice by two teams, who try to hit a small flat rubber thing (called a puck ) into a goal with long wooden sticks
ice hockey
ice rink / ' ais rigk / ( also skat • ing rink
/ ' skeitig rigk / rink )noun [ count ] a special place where you can ice skate
ice skate / ais skeit /verb
( ice skates, ice skat • ing , ice skat • ed ) ( also skate ) to move on ice in special boots (called ice skates ), which have long sharp pieces of metal on the bottom
—Look at the picture at skate .
► ice skat • ing / ' ais skeitig / ( also skat ing )noun
[noncount]
We go ice skating every weekend in the winter. — Look at figure skating .
i • ci • cle / aisikl /noun [ count ]
a long piece of ice that hangs down from something
ic • ing / ' aisig /noun [ noncount ]
a sweet substance that you use for covering cakes a cake with pink icing
—Look at frosting .
i • con / aikan /noun [ count ]
1 a small picture on a computer screen that you can use to start a program or open a file Double-click on the icon.
2 a famous person or thing that people admire Madonna and other pop icons
ic • y / ' aisi / adjective ( ic • i er , ic • i • est )
very cold an icy wind
covered with ice icy roads
ID / |ai di / abbreviation
( informal )
a document that shows who you are Do you have any ID? an ID card
ID is short for "identity" or "identification."
I'd / aid /
short for I had , I would
i .de .аФ / ai'dis/noun [ count ]
1 a plan or new thought
It would be a good idea to get there early.
have an idea. Let's have a party!
a picture in your mind
The movie gives you a good idea of what New Orleans is like.
I have no idea (= I do not know ) where she is.
an opinion or a belief
She has her own ideas about how to bring up children.
i • de • al / ai ' dial / adjective
the best or exactly right
This is an ideal place for a picnic.
—SYNONYM perfect
i • de • al • ly / ai ' diali / adverb She's ideally suited to the job.
i • de • al • ism / ai 'dializam/ noun [ noncount ]
the belief that a perfect life or situation is possible, even
when this is not likely
college students full of idealism
i • de • al • ist / ai 'dialist / noun [ count ] He's an idealist.
i • den • ti • cal AWL / ai 'dentikl / adjective
exactly the same
These two cameras are identical. identical twins
i • den • ti • fi • ca • tion awl
/ ai|dentafa ' keijn /noun
[ count, noncount ] the process of showing or finding out who someone or something is
The identification of bodies after the accident was difficult.
( abbreviationID ) [ noncount ] a document that shows who you are
Do you have any identification?
i • den • ti • fy Ф AWL / ai 'dentafai / verb ( i • den • ti • fies , i • den • ti fy • ing , i • den • ti fied , has i den ti fied )
to say or know who someone is or what something is The police have not identified the dead man yet. identify with someone to feel that you understand and share what someone else is feeling I found it hard to identify with the woman in the movie.
i • den • ti • ty AWL / ai'dentati / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural i .den .ti • ties )
who or what a person or thing is The identity of the killer is not known.
id • i • om / idiam /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a group of words with a special meaning
The idiom "break someone's heart" means "to make someone very unhappy."
id • i • o • mat • ic / |idia ' mretik /adjective ( english language arts ) using language that contains natural expressions
She speaks fluent and idiomatic English. id • i • ot / ' idiat / noun [count]
a person who is stupid or does something silly I was an idiot to believe what he said. ► id • i • ot • ic / |idi ' atik /adjective
an idiotic mistake
i • dol / ' aidl/noun [ count ]
a famous person that people love
Noah was a Giants fan, and Eli Manning was his idol.
( religion ) an object that people treat as a god
i • dol • ize / ' aidbaiz / verb ( i - dol - iz - es , i - dol - iz - ing , i - dol ized )
to love or admire someone very much or too much He has always idolized his uncle.
i.e. / |ai ' i / abbreviation
used in writing to mean "that is" or "in other words"
the basic necessities of life, i.e. food, water, and
somewhere to live
О / if / conjunction
1 a word that you use to say what is possible or true when
another thing happens or is true
If you press this button, the machine starts.
If you see him, give him this letter.
If your feet were smaller, you could wear my shoes.
If I had a million dollars, I would buy a big house.
may see you tomorrow. If not, I'll see you next week.
a word that shows a question Do you know if Paul is home?
She asked me if I wanted to go to a party.
—SYNONYM whether
every time
If I forget to bring my lunch, I can buy it at the cafeteria. —SYNONYM whenever as if
in a way that makes you think something
She looks as if she didn't get enough sleep last night.
if I were you
words that you use when you are giving someone advice If I were you, I would leave now.
if only
words that show that you want something very much If only I could drive!
ig • loo / ' iglu/noun [ count ] ( pluralig - loos ) a small house that is made out of blocks of snow
ig • nite / ig ' nait / verb ( ig nites , ig - nit - ing , ig nit - ed )
( formal )
to start burning or to make something start burning The gas ignited and caused an explosion.
ig • ni • tion / ig' nijn / noun [ count ]
the part of a car where you put the key to start the engine I left my key in the ignition.
ig • no • rance awl / ' ignarans / noun
[noncount]
not knowing about something Her ignorance surprised me.
ig • no • rant AWL / ' ignarant / adjective
not knowing about something I'm very ignorant about computers.
ig . nore О / igw / verb
( ig - nores , ig - nor - ing , ig nored )
to know about someone or something, but to not do anything about it
He completely ignored his doctor's advice. I said "hello" to her, but she ignored me. Prefix
il-
( used with words beginning with "l" ) not; the opposite of il legal il legally il literate il literacy
ill / il /adjective ( health ) not well; not in good health He is seriously ill.
a mentally ill patient —SYNONYM sick The noun is illness .
I'll / ail /
short for I will ^^^
il • le • gal Ф AWL / i 'ligl / adjective
not allowed by law
It's illegal to drive through a red light. —ANTONYM legal
il • le • gal • lyAWL / i ' ligali / adverb She entered the country illegally.
il • leg • i • ble / i ' led₃abl / adjective
difficult or impossible to read
Your handwriting is completely illegible.
—ANTONYM legible
il • lit • er • ate / i ' litarat / adjective
not able to read or write —ANTONYM literate
il • lit • er • a • cy / i 'litarasi / noun [ noncount ] the problem of adult illiteracy —ANTONYM literacy
ill . n6SS Ф / 'ilnss / noun ( plural ill ness . es ) ( health )
1 [ noncount ] being sick
missed a lot of school because of illness last year.
[ count ] a type or period of illness She died after a long illness. Collocations
Illness getting sick catch a cold/the flu/a virus/a bug get sick/a cold/a headache have a cold/an infection/a fever/a toothache feel sick/hot/dizzy treatment examine a patient be on medication/antibiotics get/have a shot/an injection/an X-ray need/receive/get treatment — Look at the note atinjury .
il • log • i • cal aw / i ' lad3ikl /
not sensible or reasonable
I know you feel strongly about this, but your argument is illogical.
—ANTONYM logical
il • lu • sion / i lu3n /noun 1 [ count, noncount ] a false idea or belief
have no illusions about the situation — I know it's serious.
[ count ] something that your eyes tell you is there or is true but in fact is not
That line looks longer, but in fact they're the same length. It's an optical illusion .
il • lus • trate AWL / ' Ibstreit / verb ( il • lus • trates , il • lus • trat ing , il • lus • trat ed )
to explain or make something clear by giving examples She gave some statistics to illustrate her point.
( art ) to add pictures to show something more clearly The book is illustrated with color photographs.
il • lus • tra • tion AWL / |ibstreijn / noun
[count ]
( art ) a picture in a book
This dictionary has a lot of illustrations.
I'm / aim / short for I am Prefix
im-
( used with words beginning with "m" and "p" ) not; the
opposite of
im patient
im patience
im polite
im purity
im mature
im moral
im .age Ф / 'mudj/ noun
[count ]
the impression that a person or an organization gives to the public
He's very different from his public image.
a picture in people's minds of someone or something
A lot of people have an image of Seattle as cold and rainy.
a picture on paper or in a mirror images of flowers
im • age • ry awl / ' imid3ri / noun
[noncount]
( english language arts ) language that makes pictures in the minds of the people reading or listening poetic imagery
i • mag • i • nar • y / I ' mredзЭ|neri / adjective
not real; only in your mind
The book is about an imaginary country.
i .mag .i .na .tion Ф / I|mredзэ ' neifn /
[ count, noncount ]
the ability to think of new ideas or make pictures in your mind
He has a big imagination.
You didn't really see a ghost — it was just your imagination.
i • mag • i • na • tive / i ' mredзэnэtIV /
having or showing imagination imaginative ideas i .mag .ine Ф/ imacdpn /verb ( i • mag ines , i • mag • in • ing , i • mag • ined )
1 to make a picture of something in your mind Can you imagine life without electricity?
closed my eyes and imagined I was lying on a beach.
to see, hear, or think something that is not true I never said that — you're imagining things.
to think that something is probably true I imagine he'll be coming by car.
im • i • tate / ' ImэteIt / verb
( im • i • tates , im i • tat ing , im • i • tat • ed )
to copy someone or something Children learn by imitating adults.
im • i • ta • tion / |1шэ ' teijn / noun
[ count ]
something that you make to look like another thing It's not a real diamond — it's only an imitation. imitation leather
—SYNONYM copy
im • ma • ture Iaw / |1шэ 'tfur ; |1шэ'tur /
adjective
behaving in a way that is not sensible and is typical of younger people
He's very immature for his age. —ANTONYM mature
im .me .di .ate О / i ' midbt /
happening now or very soon I can't wait — I need an immediate answer.
im .me .di .ate .ly Ф /imidbtii/adverb
Spelling
Remember! You spell immediately with MM .
now
Come to my office immediately! —SYNONYM at once
im • mense / I ' mens / adjective
very big
immense problems
► im • mense • ly / i ' mensli / adverb
very or very much
We enjoyed the party immensely.
im • merse / i ' шэ^ / verb
( im • mers • es , im mers ing , im • mersed )
to put something into a liquid so that it is covered Completely immerse the potatoes in boiling water.
to give all your attention to something
I was immersed in a book and didn't hear the phone.
im • mi • grant awl| / ' 1шэ9гэп: / noun [count]
a person who comes to another country to live there Many immigrants to the U.S. come from Mexico.
im • mi • grate awl / ' тэдге^ / verb
( im • mi • grates, im • mi • grat ing, im • mi • grat • ed )
to come to live in a country, after leaving your own country His family immigrated to Israel.
—Look at emigrate .
im • mi • gra • tion aw / |1шэ ' greifn /
[noncount]
the process of coming to live in a country that is not your own
The government is trying to control illegal immigration.
im • mor • al / i morsl / adjective
(used about people and their behavior) not honest or good It's immoral to steal.
—Look at moral .
im • mor • tal / i ' mortl /
living or lasting forever
im • mune / i ' myun / adjective
( health ) If you are immune to a disease, you cannot get it
You're immune to the chicken pox if you've had it before.
im • mu • ni • ty / i 'myunsti / noun [ noncount ] You can build up your natural immunity to viruses.
im • mune sys • tem / i myun |sistsm / noun
[ count ]
( biology , health ) the system in your body that fights
against infection and disease
The virus attacks your immune system.
im • mu • nize / ' imysnaiz / verb ( im . mu . niz es , im . mu . niz . ing , im . mu . nized )
( health ) to protect someone from a disease by putting a substance that protects the body (called a vaccine ) into their blood
im • mu • ni • za • tion / |imysns' zeijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
an immunization program
im • pactAWL| / ' imprekt /noun [ count ]
the effect that something has
I hope this campaign will have an impact on young people.
im .pa .tient © / im'peijht/ adjective
not wanting to wait for something
Don't be so impatient! The bus will be here soon.
—ANTONYM patient
im • pa • tience / im' peijns / noun [ noncount ] He couldn't hide his impatience.
im • pa • tient • ly / im' peijntli / adverb "Hurry up!" she said impatiently.
im • peach / im ' pitj / verb
( im .peach . es , im .peach ing , im .peached )
( politics ) to officially accuse a public official of a crime or of doing something bad in their job
im • peach • ment / im ' pitjmsnt / noun [ count, noncount ]
im • per • a • tive 1 / im'perstiv / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) the form of a verb that you use
for telling someone to do something
"Listen!" and "Go away!" are in the imperative .
im • per • a • tive 2 / im ' perstiv / adjective
very important
It is imperative that you see a doctor immediately. —SYNONYM vital
im • per • fect / im ' psrfikt / adjective
with mistakes or faults It's an imperfect system.
—ANTONYM perfect
im • per • fec • tion / impsr ' fekjn / noun
[ count, noncount ] a few slight imperfections
—ANTONYM perfection
im • per • son • ate / im ' psrssneit / verb ( im .per.son . ates , im per.son . at . ing , im per.son . at.ed )
to copy the way another person speaks or behaves, usually
in order to make people laugh
Have you heard him impersonate the president?
im • per • ti • nent / im ' psrtn^snt / adjective ( formal )
rude and not showing respect Don't be impertinent!
im • ple • ment 1 aw / ' implsment / [ count ]
a tool that you use, especially for working outside farm implements
im • ple • ment 2 aw / ' implsmsnt /
(im. ple . ments, im. ple . ment . ing, im. ple . ment . ed)
to start using a plan, system, etc.
The bank has just implemented a new security system. im • pli • ca • tionAW / |impls 'keijn / noun
[ count ] the effect that an action will have on something else in the future
We need to discuss the implications of the new law.
[ count, noncount ] something that is suggested, without actually being said
He didn't actually say it, but the implication was that I am lazy.
im • plic • it aw / im ' plisst / J
not expressed in a direct way but understood by everyone an implicit agreement
— Look at explicit .
im • ply aw L / im ' plai / verb ( im . plies , im ply . ing , im plied , has im . plied )
to suggest something without actually saying it
He asked if I had any work to do. He was implying that I
was lazy.
im • po • lite / |imps ' lait / adjective
not polite
It was impolite of him to ask you to leave.
im • port / im ' port / verb ( im . ports , im . port . ing , im . port . ed )
to buy things from another country and bring them into your country
The U.S. imports bananas from Ecuador. —ANTONYM export
im • port / ' import / noun [ count ] What are your country's main imports?
im • port • er / im ' portsr / noun [ count ]
an importer of electrical goods
im .por tance v / im portns / noun [noncount]
the quality of being important
My doctor reminded me of the importance of exercise and a healthy diet.
im .por .tant$ / im'portnt/adjective 1 If something is important , you must do, have, or think about it
It is important to sleep well the night before an exam.
think that happiness is more important than money.
powerful or special
The president is a very important person.
im • pose AWL| / im ' pouz / verb ( im •pos • es , im pos • ing , im •posed )
to make a law, a rule, an opinion, etc. be accepted by using your power or authority A new tax was imposed on fuel.
im .pos .si .ble © / im ' pasabl /
If something is impossible , you cannot do it, or it cannot happen
It's impossible for me to finish this work by five o'clock. The house was impossible to find.
—ANTONYM possible
im • prac • ti • cal / im' prrektikl /
not sensible or realistic
It would be impractical to take our bikes on the train. —ANTONYM practical
im • pre • cise AWL / |impri'sais / adjective
not clear or exact imprecise instructions
—ANTONYM precise
im . press © / im'pres / verb ( im •press • es , im •press • ing , im pressed )
to make someone admire and respect you We were very impressed by your work.
im . pres . sion © / im'prejn /noun [ count ]
feelings or thoughts you have about someone or something What was your first impression of the city? I get the impression that she's not very happy. He made a good impression on his first day at work.
im • pres • sive / im ' presiv / adjective
If someone or something is impressive , you admire them
an impressive building
Your work is very impressive.
im • pris • on / im'prizn / verb ( im • pris • ons , im pris • on • ing , im • pris • oned )
to put someone in prison
He was imprisoned for killing his wife.
im • pris • on • ment / im'priznmant / noun [noncount]
two years' imprisonment
im • prob • a • ble / im ' prababl / adjective
not likely to be true or to happen an improbable explanation
—ANTONYM probable
im . prove © / im'pmv/ verb ( im • proves , im • prov ing , im • proved )
to become better or to make something better Your English has improved a lot this year. You need to improve your spelling.
im .prove .ment © / im ' pruvmant / [ count, noncount ]
a change that makes something better than it was before There has been a big improvement in Sam's work.
im • pro • vise / ' impravaiz / verb ( im • pro vis • es , im pro • vis • ing , im • pro vised )
to make or do something without any preparation I haven't prepared a speech, so I'll just have to improvise.
im • prov • i • sa • tion / im|prava ' zeijn / noun [ count, noncount ]
im • pulse / ' impAis /noun [ count ]
a sudden strong wish to do something She felt an impulse to run away.
im • pul • sive / im ' pAlsiv / adjective
doing things suddenly and without thinking carefully It was an impulsive decision.
in 1 © / m / preposition
a word that shows where someone or something is a small town in Texas
He put his hand in the water. She was lying in bed .
making all or part of something There are 12 inches in a foot.
a word that shows when something happens My birthday is in May.
He graduated from high school in 2003.
a word that shows how long something takes I'll be ready in ten minutes.
a word that shows what clothes someone is wearing She was dressed in black for the funeral.
a word that shows how someone or something is Jenny was in tears (= she was crying ) .
Sit in a circle.
a word that shows someone's job He's in the army.
a word that shows in what way or in what language Write your name in capital letters.
They were speaking in French .
in 2© / in /adverb
1 to a place, from outside
opened the door and went in.
at home or at work
I stopped by your house, but you weren't in.
in 3 / in / adjective
( informal )
fashionable now
This restaurant is the in place to go. The color gray is very in this season.
in.
abbreviation of inch Prefix
in-
not; the opposite of in accurate in complete in correctly in dependence in visible
in • a • bil • i • ty / |ina ' bilati / noun [ noncount , singular ]
not being able to do something
He has an inability to talk about his problems.
The adjective is unable .
in • ac • ces • si • ble AWL / i^m®^k'sesabi /
adjective
very difficult or impossible to reach or contact That beach is inaccessible by car.
—ANTONYM accessible
in • ac • cu • rate AWL / in ' ®kyarat / adjective
not correct; with mistakes in it
The report in the newspaper was inaccurate.
—ANTONYM accurate
Thesaurus
wrong not right or correct; (used about a person) not right about someone or something: I'm afraid that's the wrong answer. ♦ He was driving on the wrong side of the road. ♦ That picture is the wrong way around . ♦ We were wrong about her - she's actually very kind. —ANTONYM right
false (used about facts) not true or correct: A whale is a fish. True or false ? ♦ She gave false information to the insurance company. —ANTONYM true
incorrect wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes. This word is a little formal: an incorrect spelling ♦ Incorrect answers should be marked with a cross.
—ANTONYM correct
mistaken (used about a person) wrong in your opinion or judgment: I thought I saw Jackie sitting over there, but I must have been mistaken. ♦ It was a case of mistaken identity (= people thought that a particular person was someone else ) .
—ANTONYM right , correct
inaccurate (used about something such as a newspaper report, a map, etc.) wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes: an inaccurate statement ♦ All the maps we had were completely inaccurate. ♦ The report was badly researched and inaccurate. —ANTONYM accurate
in • ac • cu • rate • ly / in ' rekyaratli / adverb The message had been copied inaccurately.
in • ac • tive / in ' rektiv / adjective
doing nothing; not active an inactive volcano
—ANTONYM active
in •ad • e • quate Iaw / in ' redikwat /
adjective
not enough, or not good enough
These shoes are inadequate for cold weather.
—ANTONYM adequate
in • ad • e • quate • ly AWL / in' redikwatli / adverb
in • ap • pro • pri • ate |awl| / _ma ' proupriat /
adjective
not suitable
Her dress was totally inappropriate for a funeral. —ANTONYM appropriate
in • ap • pro • pri • ate • ly |AWL / |ina 'proupriatli /
adverb
in • au • gu • rate / i ' nogyareit /
( in au - gu - rates , in - au - gu - rat - ing , in - au - gu rat - ed )
( politics ) to introduce a new public official or leader at a special ceremony
President Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009.
in • au • gu • ral / i ' nogyaral / adjective the president's inaugural speech
in • au • gu • ra • tion / i|nogya ' reijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the president's inauguration
in • box / inbaks /noun [ count ] ( pluralin - box - es )
( computers ) the place on a computer where new e-mail messages are shown I have hundreds of e-mails in my inbox.
Inc. ( business ) abbreviation of incorporated
in • ca • pa • ble aw / in ' keipabl /
not able to do something
He's incapable of lying. —ANTONYM capable
in • cen • tive awl| / in ' sentiv / noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that makes you want to do something People need incentives to save money.
inch Ф / intj / noun [ count ] ( plural inch - es ) ( abbreviation in. )
a measure of length (= 2.54 centimeters). There are twelve inches in a foot I am five feet six inches tall. a twelve-inch ruler
in • ci • dent aw п / ' insadant / noun [ count ]
something that happens, especially something bad or unusual
One particular incident sticks in my mind.
in • ci • den • tal • ly |AWL / |insa 'dentali /
adverb
a word that you say when you are going to talk about something different
Incidentally, have you been to that new Mexican restaurant yet? —SYNONYM by the way
in • cin • er • a • tor / in ' sinareitar / noun
[ count ]
a container or machine for burning garbage or other things
in • clined aw Ц / in ' klaind / adjective
1 wanting to do something
know Andrew well, so I'm inclined to believe what he says.
likely to do something
She's inclined to change her mind very easily.
in .elude © / in klud / verb ( in - cludes , in - clud - ing , in - clud - ed )
to have someone or something as one part of the whole The price of the room includes breakfast.
to make someone or something part of a group Did you include the new girl on the list?
—ANTONYM exclude
in .clud .ing Ф" /m'kluАщ I preposition
with; if you count someone or something
There were five people in the car, including the driver.
—ANTONYM excluding
in • clu • sive / in klusiv / adjective
including everything or the thing mentioned The price is inclusive of meals.
in • co • her • ent |awL / |inkou ' hirant /
adjective
not clear or easy to understand; not saying something clearly
I tried to understand what he was saying, but he was completely incoherent. —ANTONYM coherent
in • co • her • ent • ly AWL / inkou 'hirsntli / adverb
in • come AWL / ' inkAm / noun
[ count, noncount ]
all the money that you receive for your work, for example It's difficult for a family to live on one income.
in • come tax / ' inkAm treks / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the money that you pay to the government from the money that you earn
in • com • pat • i • ble aw / |inksm' pretsbl /
adjective
very different, and so not able to exist or be used together The new software is incompatible with my computer.
—ANTONYM compatible
in • com • pat • i • bil • i • ty AWB / |inksm|prets 'bilsti / noun [ count, noncount ]
( plural in . com . pat . i bil . i . ties )
in • com • pe • tent / in ' kampstsnt / adjective
not having the necessary skill to do something well That woman at the bank was completely incompetent.
—ANTONYM competent
in • com • pe • tent • ly / in ' kampstsntli / adverb in • com • plete / |inksm ' plit / adjective
not finished; with parts missing This list is incomplete.
—ANTONYM complete
in • com • pre • hen • si • ble
/ in| kampri henssbl /adjective impossible to understand an incomprehensible explanation
in • con • sid • er • ate / |inksn sidsrst /
adjective
(used about a person) not thinking or caring about other people and their feelings
It's inconsiderate of you to make so much noise. —ANTONYM considerate
in • con • sis • tent Iaw / |inksn ' sistsnt /
adjective
not always the same
Her effort is inconsistent — sometimes she tries hard and sometimes she just gives up.
These new facts are inconsistent with the earlier information.
—ANTONYM consistent
in • con • spic • u • ous / | inksn spikyuss /
adjective
not easily seen or noticed
He stood at the back and tried to look inconspicuous. —ANTONYM conspicuous
in • con • ven • ient / |inksn vinysnt / adjective
causing you problems or difficulty
Is this an inconvenient time? If so, I can call back later.
—ANTONYM convenient
in • con • ven • ience / |inksn ' vinysns / noun
[ count, noncount ]
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay.
in • cor • po • rate Iaw / in ' korpsreit /
( in . cor . po . rates , in . cor po . rat . ing , in cor po rat.ed )
to make something a part of something else
Can you incorporate this information into your report?
—SYNONYM include
in • cor • po • rat • ed aw / in ' korpsreitsd /
adjective ( abbreviation Inc. )
( business ) a word that is sometimes used after the name of a big company (a corporation ) Apple, Inc.
in • cor • rect / |inks ' rekt / adjective
not right or true
There were several incorrect answers. —ANTONYM correct Thesaurus
wrong not right or correct; (used about a person) not right about someone or something: I'm afraid that's the wrong answer. ♦ He was driving on the wrong side of the road. ♦ That picture is the wrong way around . ♦ We were wrong about her - she's actually very kind. —ANTONYM right
false (used about facts) not true or correct: A whale is a fish. True or false ? ♦ She gave false information to
the insurance company. —ANTONYM true incorrect wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes. This word is a little formal: an incorrect spelling ♦ Incorrect answers should be marked with a
cross. —ANTONYM correct
mistaken (used about a person) wrong in your opinion or judgment: I thought I saw Jackie sitting over there, but I must have been mistaken. ♦ It was a case of mistaken identity (= people thought that a particular person was someone else ) . —ANTONYM right , correct
inaccurate (used about something such as a newspaper report, a map, etc.) wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes: an inaccurate statement ♦ All the maps we had were completely inaccurate. ♦ The report was badly researched and inaccurate. —ANTONYM accurate ► in • cor • rect • ly / |inks ' rektli / adverb Her name was spelled incorrectly.
in .crease 1© / mi-Hs/ verb
(in . creas.es , in . creas . ing , in . creased ) Pronunciation
When increase is a verb, you say the second part of the word louder: inCREASE . When increase is a noun, you say the first part of the word louder: INcrease .
to become bigger or more; to make something bigger or more
The number of working women has increased. I'm going to increase your allowance to $10 a week.
—ANTONYM decrease
in .crease 2© / 'mkns/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
when the amount, number, or level of something goes up There has been an increase in road accidents. recent price increases
—SYNONYM rise —ANTONYM decrease
in • creas • ing • ly / in ' krisigli / adverb
more and more
This city is becoming increasingly dangerous.
in • cred • i • ble / in ' Ь^эЫ /
( informal ) very large or very good She earns an incredible amount of money. The hotel was incredible.
impossible or very difficult to believe I found his story completely incredible.
—SYNONYM unbelievable
► in • cred • i • bly / in ' Ь^эЬИ / adverb ( informal )
extremely
He's incredibly smart.
in • cu • ba • tor / ' щkyэbeItэr / noun [ count ]
( health ) a special machine that hospitals use to keep small or weak babies alive
in • cur • a • ble / in ' kyurebl /
( health ) that cannot be made better an incurable disease
—ANTONYM curable
in • de • ci • sive / |indi ' saisiv / adjective
not able to make decisions easily —ANTONYM decisive
in .deed © / in did / adverb
a word that you use to say strongly that something is true; in fact
Exercise is important for your health. Indeed, it can lower the risk of heart disease.
in • def • i • nite AWL / in ' defэnэt / adjective
not clear or certain
Our plans are still pretty indefinite.
—ANTONYM definite
in • def • i • nite ar • ti • cle
/ In|defэnэt ' artikl /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) the name for the words "a" and "an"
—Look at definite article .
in • def • i •nite • ly |awl| / in ' defэnэtli /
adverb
for a long time, perhaps forever I can't wait indefinitely.
in • dent / in' dent / verb ( in • dents, in • dent • ing, in • dent • ed )
to start a line of writing farther from the edge of the page than the other lines
Indent the first line of your paragraph.
in • de • pend • ence / |indi 'pendэns / noun [
noncount]
being free from another person, thing, or country
Moving into her own apartment gave her a real sense of
independence.
Cuba gained independence from Spain in 1898.
In • de • pend • ence Day
/ |indi 'pendэns dei /noun [ noncount ] July 4; a national holiday in the U.S. On this day, Americans celebrate the day in 1776 when their country became independent from Britain.
—SYNONYM the Fourth of July
in . de . pend . ent Ф/ md. _Рпкьш /
adjective Spelling
Remember! You spell independent with three E's .
not controlled by another person, thing, or country Many former colonies became independent nations.
not needing or wanting help
She lives alone now and she is very independent.
in • de • pend • ent • ly / |indi ' pendэntli / adverb Hannah is able to work independently.
in-depth / ' indepQ / adjective
full of detail
We conducted an in-depth study.
in • dexaw д / ' indeks /noun [ count ]
( plural in • dex • es )
a list of words from A to Z at the end of a book. It tells you what things are in the book and where you can find them.
in • dex fin • ger / ' indeks 1щдэг / noun
[ count ]
the finger next to your thumb
in • di • cate aw / ' IndэkeIt /
( in • di • cates , in di cat ing , in • di • cat ed )
to show that something is true, exists, or will happen Our records indicate that you are due for a checkup.
to make someone notice something, especially by pointing to it
The receptionist indicated the place where I should sign.
in • di • ca • tor AWB / ' IndэkeItэr / noun [ count ]
something that gives information or shows something; a sign
Economic indicators suggest that housing prices are going to fall.
in • di • ca • tion awl| / ^э' keijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that shows something
He gave no indication that he was angry.
—SYNONYM sign
in • dif • fer • ent / in ' difrent / adjective
not interested in or caring about someone or something He seemed completely indifferent to my feelings.
in • di • ges • tion / ^^э ' d3estjbn / noun
[noncount]
( health ) pain in your stomach caused by something that you ate
Onions give me indigestion .
in • dig • nant / in ' digmnt / adjective
angry because someone has done or said something that
you do not like or agree with
She was indignant when I said she was lazy.
in • dig • nant • ly / in ' dig^n^ / adverb "I'm not late," he said indignantly.
in • dig • na • tion / |indig'nei/n /noun [ noncount ] a feeling of anger and surprise
in • di • rect / | indi rekt / adjective
not straight or direct
We came by an indirect route.
These problems are an indirect result of the war.
—ANTONYM direct
in • di • rect • ly / |indi ' rektli / adverb These events affect us all, directly or indirectly.
in • di • rect ob • ject / ,mdi ' rekt ' abd₃ekt / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a person or thing that an action is done to or for
In the sentence "I sent him a letter," "him" is the indirect object.
— Look at direct object .
in • di • vid •u • al 1 © |AWL / |inda'vid₃ual /
adjective
considered separately and not as part of a group
The program evaluates the needs of each individual student.
for only one person or thing individual servings of pasta
► in • di • vid • u • al • lyAWL / |inda ' vid₃uali / adverb The teacher spoke to each student individually.
in • di • vid • u • al 2 aw / |inda ' vid3ual /
[ count ]
one person
Teachers must treat each child as an individual.
in • door / indor / adjective
done or used inside a building an indoor swimming pool indoor sports
—ANTONYM outdoor
in • doors / |in ' dorz / adverb
in or into a building Let's go indoors . I'm cold.
—SYNONYM inside —ANTONYM outdoors
in • dulge / in ' dAid3 /
( in dulg • es , in • dulg • ing , in • dulged )
1 to do something special that you enjoy
indulged myself and spent a day at the spa.
to give someone something that they really want
After she retired, she had time to indulge her passion for traveling.
in • dus • tri • al / in' dAstrial /
( business )
connected with making things in factories industrial machines
with a lot of factories an industrial city
ill .dUS .try ©/ mdostri /noun ( pluralin • dus . tries ) ( business )
[ noncount ] the work of making things in factories Is there much industry in your country?
[ count ] all the companies that make or do the same thing
He'd like to find a job in the entertainment industry.
in • ed • i • ble / in ' edabl /
not suitable to be eaten an inedible plant
—ANTONYM edible
in • ef • fec • tive / | ini fektiv / adjective
not producing the effect or result that you want Efforts to reduce crime have been ineffective.
—ANTONYM effective
in • ef • fi • cient / |ini ' fijnt /
A person or thing that is inefficient does not work well or in the best way
This washing machine is very old and inefficient. —ANTONYM efficient
in • e • qual • i • ty / |ini ' kwalati / noun [ count, noncount ] ( plural in • e • qual • i . ties )
not being the same or not having the same rights inequality between the sexes
—ANTONYM equality
in • er • tia / i'narja / noun [ noncount ]
( physics ) the physical force that stops things from moving, or keeps them moving in the same direction
in • ev • i • ta • ble Iaw / in ' evatabl /
If something is inevitable , it will certainly happen The accident was inevitable — he was driving too fast.
► in • ev • i • ta • bly AWL / in'evatabli / adverb
Building the new hospital inevitably cost a lot of money.
in • ex • pen • sive / |inik ' spensiv / adjective
low in price
an inexpensive restaurant —SYNONYM cheap —ANTONYM expensive
in •ex • pe • ri • enced / |inik' spirianst /
adjective
If you are inexperienced , you do not know about something because you have not done it many times before a young and inexperienced driver
—ANTONYM experienced
in • ex • pli • ca • ble / |inik' splikabl /
Something that is inexplicable cannot be explained or understood
I found his behavior inexplicable.
in • fa • mous / ' infamas / adjective
famous for being bad
The neighborhood is infamous for violent crime. —SYNONYM notorious
in • fant / ' infant /noun [ count ] ( formal )
a baby
in • fect / in ' fekt / verb ( in • fects , in • fect ing , in • fect • ed )
( health ) to give a disease to someone
Thousands of people have been infected with the virus.
in • fect • ed / in fektid / adjective
( health ) full of small living things (called germs ) that can make you sick
Clean that cut, or it could become infected.
in .fee .tion © /m'fekjh/ noun
( health )
[ noncount ] the act of becoming or making someone sick
A dirty water supply will spread infection.
[ count ] an illness that affects one part of the body Mike has an ear infection.
in • fec • tious / in ' fekjas / adjective
( health ) An infectious disease goes easily from one person to another.
in • fer aw / in ' far / b
( in fers, in - fer ring, in - ferred )
to decide that something is true from the information you have
I inferred from our conversation that he was unhappy with his job.
in • fe • ri • or / in firiar / adjective
not as good or important as another person or thing There are so many smart women in my class that I always feel inferior .
—ANTONYM superior
in • fest • ed / in festad / adjective
If a place is infested , there are a lot of unpleasant animals or insects in it
The basement was infested with mice. in • field / ' infild / noun [ singular ]
( sports ) the central part of a baseball field — Look atoutfield .
in • fi • nite aw / ' infanat / В
with no end; too much or too many to count or measure There are an infinite number of stars in the sky.
—ANTONYM finite
in • fi • nite • ly AWl| / ' infanatli / adverb
very much
My new computer is infinitely better than my old one.
in • fin • i • tive / in ' fmativ / noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) the simple form of a verb "Eat," "go," and "play" are all infinitives. Grammar
We sometimes use the infinitive with to , and sometimes without, depending on what comes before it: He can sing. ♦ He wants to sing.
in • fin • i • ty / in ' finati/noun [ noncount ] space or time without end
in • flam • ma • ble / in flremabl / adjective
( chemistry ) An inflammable substance burns easily Gasoline is highly inflammable .
—SYNONYM flammable
in • flate / in ' fleit / verb ( in flates , in - flat ing , in - flat - ed )
to fill something with air or gas He inflated the tire.
—SYNONYM blow something up
► in • flat • a • ble / in' fleitabl / adjective
that can or must be filled with air an inflatable mattress
in • fla • tion / in' fleijn/ noun [ noncount ]
a general rise in prices in a country
The government is trying to control inflation.
in • flex • i • ble aw / in ' fleksabl /
not able to change easily an inflexible attitude
not able to bend easily —ANTONYM flexible
in .flu .ence 1© / 'шйшпз/ noun
1 [ count, noncount ] the power to change what someone believes or does
Television has a strong influence on people.
She was caught driving under the influence of alcohol.
2 [ count ] a person or thing that can change someone or something
Paul's new girlfriend is a good influence on him.
in • flu • ence 2 / ' influans / verb ( in - flu - enc - es , in flu - enc - ing , in flu - enced )
to change the way that someone thinks or the way that
something happens
She is easily influenced by her friends.
in • flu • en • tial / |influ' enjl / adjective
having power or influence Her father's very influential.
in .form © / in form / verb ( in - forms , in - form - ing , in - formed )
to tell someone something
You should inform the police of the accident.
in .for .mal © / m'forml / adjective
relaxed and friendly; appropriate for a relaxed occasion We had an informal discussion and came up with some great ideas.
an informal dinner party Style
Some words and expressions in this dictionary are marked informal . You use informal language when speaking and writing to people you know well, but not in serious writing or official letters.
in • for • mal • ly / in ' formali / adverb
I was dressed informally, but everyone else had a suit on.
in .for .ma .tion © / ^nfer'meijh/ noun
[noncount]
facts about people or things
Can you give me some information about tours of the city? Grammar
Be careful! Information is a noncount noun, so you cannot say "an information" or "informations." You say some information or a piece of information
: She gave me an interesting piece of information.
in • form • a • tive / in ' formativ / adjective
giving useful information The talk was very informative.
in • fre • quent / in ' frikwant / adjective
not happening often infrequent visits
—SYNONYM rare —ANTONYM frequent
in • fre • quent • ly / in ' frikwantli / adverb
in • fu • ri • ate / in ' fyurieit / verb ( in - fu - ri - ates , in - fu - ri - at - ing , in - fu - ri - at - ed )
to make someone very angry
That sort of behavior really infuriates me!
in • fu • ri • at • ing / in ' fyurieitig / adjective an infuriating habit
Suffix
-ing
( in adjectives ) producing a particular state or effect
amaz ing
disgust ing
interest ing
shock ing
in • gen • ious / in ' d₃inyas / adjective
1 made or planned in an intelligent way an ingenious plan
2 An ingenious person is good at finding answers to problems or thinking of new things.
in • gre • di • ent / in 'gridiэnt / noun [ count ]
one of the things that you put in when you make something to eat
One of the main ingredients of this cereal is sugar.
in • hab • it / in ' hrebэt /
( in hab • its , in • hab • it • ing , in • hab it • ed )
to live in a place
Is the island inhabited (= does anyone live there ) ? The South Pole is inhabited by penguins.
in • hab • i • tant / in ' hrebэtэnt / noun [ count ]
a person or an animal that lives in a place The town has 30,000 inhabitants.
in • hale / in heil / verb ( in hales , in hal • ing , in haled )
( biology ) to take air, smoke, etc. into your body by breathing
Be careful not to inhale the fumes from the paint. —ANTONYM exhale
in • her • it / in ' heret / ( in her • its , in • her • it • ing , in her • it • ed )
to get money or things from someone who has died Katie inherited some money from her grandmother.
( biology ) to receive a quality, a physical characteristic, etc. from your parents or family
She inherited her father's gift for languages.
in • her • i • tance / in ' herэtэns / noun [ count, noncount ]
money or things that you get from someone who has died She spent her inheritance in just one year.
in • hu • mane / linhyu' mein / adjective
very cruel; not caring if people or animals suffer the inhumane conditions of some zoo animals
—ANTONYM humane in • i • tial1aw / I ' nijl /
first
My initial reaction was to say "no."
in • i • tial • lyAWL / i 'nijln / adverb Initially, the system worked well. —SYNONYM at first
in • i • tial 2 AWL / I'nijl / noun [ count ]
the first letter of a person's name John Walton's initials are J. W.
in • i • ti • ate AWL / I 'nijieit / verb ( formal ) ( in i ti ates , in i • ti • at ing , in • i ti • at • ed )
to start something to initiate peace talks
in • i • ti • a • tion AwB / ^щл eijn / noun
[noncount]
an act of making someone part of a group, often with a special ceremony an initiation ceremony
in • i • tia • tive АШИ /1 ' niRiv / noun
[ count ] a new plan that is introduced to solve a problem
a government initiative to help small business owners
[ noncount ] the ability to see and do what is necessary without waiting for someone to tell you
Don't keep asking me what to do — use your initiative .
in • ject / in ' d3ekt / verb (in • jects,in • ject• ing ,in • ject•ed )
( health ) to put a drug into a person's body using a special needle (called a syringe )
in • jec • tion / in ' d3ek/n / noun [ count, noncount ]
a steroid injection —SYNONYM shot
in • jure Ф AWL / ' ш13эг / verb (in • jures , in • jur • ing , in • jured )
( health ) to hurt yourself or someone else, especially in an accident
She injured her arm during a tennis match. Joe was injured in a car accident.
in • jured AWL / ' ш13эг1 / adjective
The injured woman was taken to the hospital.
in • ju • ry Ф AWL / ' ш13эг1 / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( pluralin • ju • ries ) ( health ) damage to the body of a person or an animal He had serious head injuries . Collocations Injuries being injured hurt/injure yourself/your ankle/your arm break a bone/your leg/three ribs bruise/cut/graze your arm/your knee/your shoulder sprain/twist your ankle/your wrist treatment
examine/clean/disinfect a wound put on a Band-Aid™/a bandage be on/take painkillers/antibiotics
—Look at the note at illness .
in • jus • tice / in' dзлstэs / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the fact of a situation not being fair or right the struggle against injustice
ink / igk / noun [ count, noncount ] liquid for writing and printing Please write in black or blue ink . My printer has run out of ink.
in • land / |in ' lrend /adverb in or toward the middle of a country The town is a few miles inland.
in • land / ' inbnd / adjective
in the middle of a country, not near the ocean an inland lake
in-laws / in loz /noun [ plural ] ( informal )
the parents of your husband or wife My in-laws are coming to visit this weekend.
in • let / ' inlet /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a narrow area of water that goes into the land from the ocean or a lake
in-line skate / |inlain ' skeit /noun [ count ] a boot with a line of small wheels on the bottom a pair of in-line skates
—SYNONYM Rollerblade™ ,
—Look at the picture at skate .
in-line skat • ing / |inlain ' skeitig / noun [noncount]inn / in / noun
[count]
a small hotel, usually in the country a romantic inn in Vermont
in • ner / ' insr / adjective
inside; toward or close to the center the inner ear
—ANTONYM outer
in • ner cit • y / |insr ' siti/ noun [ count ]
( plural in . ner cit . ies )
the poor areas near the center of a big city
the problems of the inner cities
in • ner-cit • yadjective an inner-city school
in • ning / ' inig / noun [count]
( sports ) one of the nine periods of a baseball game, in which each team has a turn to hit the ball At the end of the eighth inning, the Orioles were winning 4-2.
in • no • cent / ' inssnt / adjective
If you are innocent , you have not done anything wrong He claims he's innocent of the crime.
—ANTONYM guilty
not knowing the bad things in life; believing everything you are told
an innocent child
—SYNONYM naive
in • no • cence / ' inssns / noun [ noncount ]
The prisoner's family is convinced of her innocence. the innocence of childhood
in • no • va • tion AWL / ins 'veijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the introduction of new things, ideas, etc., or something new that has been introduced a company with a reputation for innovation technological innovations in the music industry
in • of • fen • sive / |ins ' fensiv / adjective
not likely to make anyone feel upset or angry The joke was stupid but inoffensive.
—ANTONYM offensive
in • putAWLI / ' input /noun [noncount]
time, ideas, or work that you put into something to make it successful
We'd like input from everyone on the committee.
in • quire / in ' kwaisr / verb ( in quires , in . quir . ing , in . quired )
( formal )
to ask for information about something
I'm calling to inquire about my checking account.
—SYNONYM ask
in • quir • y / ' inkwsri ; in ' kwaisri /noun [ count ] ( pluralin . quir . ies ) ( formal )
a question that you ask to get information about something I'll make some inquiries about language programs.
in • quis • i • tive / in ' kwizstiv / adjective
wanting to find out as much as possible about things He's very inquisitive and loves to read.
in • sane / in ' sein /adjective
( health ) very sick in your mind
The prisoners were slowly going insane .
—SYNONYM crazy
( informal ) very stupid or dangerous His plan was insane!
► in • san • i • ty / in ' srensti / noun
[noncount]
the state of being insane
in . sect © / 'insekt /noun [ count ]
( biology ) a very small animal that has six legs Ants, flies, butterflies, and beetles are all insects.
inserts
bee
%
beetle
wasp
fly ladybug mosquito
in • sec • ti • cide / in sektssaid / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a chemical substance that is used for killing insects —Look atpesticide .
in • se • cure AWL / inss ' kyur / adjective
worried and not sure about yourself
Many teenagers feel insecure about their appearance.
not safe or firm
This ladder looks a little insecure.
—ANTONYM secure
► in • se • cu • ri • ty AWB / inss 'kyursti / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural in . se .cu .ri . ties )
She had feelings of insecurity.
in • sen • si • tive / in ' sensstiv / adjective
not knowing or caring how another person feels That was a very insensitive remark. She's completely insensitive to my feelings.
—ANTONYM sensitive
in • sert / in ' ssrt / verb ( in . serts , in . sert . ing , in sert . ed )
( formal )
to put something into something or between two things Insert the CD into the computer.
in . side 1 О / in ' said ; ' insaid / preposition, adverb, adjective
in, on, or to the inside of something What's inside the box?
It's raining — let's go inside (= into the building ) . the inside pocket of a jacket
— Look at outside .
in .side 2© / in'said/ИОМИ [ count ]
the part near the middle of something
Do I need to clean the inside of my computer?
The door was locked from the inside .
—Look at outside .
inside out
flea
with the wrong side on the outside You have your sweater on inside out.
in • sig • nif • i • cant aw / |insig' nifikant /
adjective
of little value or importance an insignificant detail
—ANTONYM significant
in • sin • cere / |insin ' sir / adjective
not being honest, and not meaning what you say or do His apology sounded insincere.
—ANTONYM sincere
in • sist / in ' sist / verb ( in sists , in sist • ing , in sist • ed )
to say very strongly that something must happen or be done
Paul insisted on driving me to the airport.
to say very strongly that something is true, when someone does not believe you
He insists that he didn't take the money.
in • so • lent / ' insalant / adjective
( formal )
not showing respect He gave her an insolent stare.
—SYNONYM rude
in • som • ni • a / in ' samnia / noun [ noncount ]
( health ) a condition in which you are not able to sleep Do you ever suffer from insomnia?
in • spect AWL / in ' spekt/ verb ( in spects , in • spect • ing , in • spect ed )
to look at something carefully The teachers inspected our lockers.
in • spec • tion AWL / in ' spekjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
The police made an inspection of the house.
in • spec • tor AWL / in ' spektar / noun
[ count ]
a person whose job is to see that things are done correctly health and safety inspectors
a police officer
in • spi • ra • tion / |inspa ' reijn /
[ count, noncount ]
a person or thing that makes you want to do something or gives you good ideas
The beauty of the mountains is a great inspiration to many artists.
in • spi • ra • tion • al / |inspa ' rei/anl / adjective
inspirational music
in • spire / in' spaiar / verb ( in spires , in • spir • ing , in • spired )
to make someone want to do something His wife inspired him to write this poem.
to make someone feel or think something Her words inspired us all with hope.
in • spir • ing / in ' spaiarig / adjective an inspiring teacher
in • stall / in ' stol / verb ( in stalls , in stall ing , in • stalled )
to put a new thing in its place so it is ready to use to install software on the computer
in • stal • la • tion / |insta ' leijn / noun [ count, noncount ] in • stall • ment / in ' stolmant / noun [ count ]
a regular payment that you make for something She's paying for her new car in monthly installments .
one part of a story on radio or television, or in a magazine
Don't miss next week's exciting installment.
in • stanceawl / ' instans /noun [ count ]
an example or a case of something
In most instances, the drug has no side effects.
for instance
as an example
There are several interesting places to visit. Georgetown, for instance, has a lot of historic buildings.
in • stant 1 / ' instant / adjective
happening very quickly
The movie was an instant success.
(used about food) quick and easy to prepare instant oatmeal
in • stant • ly / ' instantli /adverb immediately; at once
The driver was killed instantly.
in • stant2 / ' instant /noun [ singular ]
a very short time
She thought for an instant before she answered. —SYNONYM moment
in .stead О / in sted / adverb, preposition
in the place of someone or something We don't have any coffee. Would you like tea instead? He's been watching TV all afternoon instead of studying. Can you go to the meeting instead of me?
in • stinct / ' instigkt/noun [ count, noncount ]
( biology ) something that makes people and animals do certain things without thinking or learning about them Birds build their nests by instinct .
in • stinc • tive / in ' stigktiv / adjective
Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.
in • sti • tute AWL / ' instatut / noun [ count ]
a group of people who meet to study or talk about a special thing; the building where they meet the Institute of Science
in • sti • tu • tion AWL / insta 'tujn / noun [ count ]
a big organization like a bank, hospital, prison, or school Many financial institutions are based in New York.
in • struct AWL / in ' strAkt / verb ( in • structs , in • struct • ing , in struct • ed )
to tell someone what they must do He instructed the driver to wait.
( formal ) to teach someone something Children must be instructed in road safety.
in .struc .tion © I 1/ in ' strAkJn /
instructions [ plural ] words that tell you what you must do or how to do something
Read the instructions carefully.
You should always follow the instructions .
[ noncount ] teaching or being taught something driving instruction
in • struc • tor AWL / in ' strAktar / noun [count]
a person who teaches you how to do something a driving instructor
harp
2 a thing that you use for doing a special job surgical instruments (= used by doctors )
in • stru • men • tal / |instra ' mentl / adjective
helping to make something happen
She was instrumental in getting him the job.
( music ) for musical instruments without voices the instrumental version of a song
in • suf • fi • cient / |insa ' fijnt / adjective
not enough
We were given insufficient time to complete the report. —ANTONYM sufficient
in • su • late / ' insaleit / verb ( in su - lates , in - su - lat ing , in - su - lat ed )
to protect something with a material that stops electricity,
heat, or sound from passing through
You can save energy by insulating your home.
in • su • la • tion / |insa 'leijn / noun [ noncount ]
in • su • lin / ' insalan/noun [ noncount ] ( health , biology ) a substance that controls the amount of sugar in the blood She has diabetes and has to take insulin.
in .SUlt О /m'sAlt/ verb ( in sults, in - sult ing, in - sult - ed )
to be deliberately rude to someone
She insulted my brother by saying he was fat.
in • sult / ' insAlt / noun [ count ] The boys shouted insults at each other.
in • sult • ing / ' insAltig / adjective insulting behavior
in • sur • ance / in'Jurans / noun
[ noncount ]
an agreement where you pay money to a company so that it will give you money if something bad happens My car was badly damaged in the accident, but insurance paid for the repairs.
Does your salary include health insurance?
in • sure / in 'Jur / verb (in sures,in - sur ing , in - sured )
to pay money to a company, so that it will give you money if something bad happens
Have you insured your house against fire?
in .Stru .ment Ф/ 'instremsnt/ noun [count ] 1 ( music ) a thing that you use for playing music Violins and trumpets are musical instruments . What instrument do you play?
instruments
trumpet
clarinet oboe
recorder
another word for ensure
in • tact / in ' trekt /adjective
complete; not damaged
Very few of the buildings remained intact after the earthquake.
in • te • ger / ' intad₃ar / noun [ count ]
( math ) a whole number, such as 3 or 4 but not 3.5 —Look atfraction ( 1 ).
integrate AWL / ' intagreit / verb ( in - te - grates , in - te - grat ing , in - te - grat ed )
to join things so that they become one thing, or so that they work together
The updates can be integrated into your existing software.
to become, or to make someone become accepted as part of a group
They have not made any effort to integrate with the local community.
—Look at segregate .
in • te • grat • ed AWL / ' intagreitad / adjective
an integrated transportation system (= including buses, trains, taxis, etc. )
in • te • gra • tion AWL / inta ' greijn / noun
[noncount]
racial integration
in • tel • lec • tu • al 1 / |inta' lektjual / adjective
connected with a person's ability to think and understand things
a child's intellectual development
in • tel • lec • tu • al 2 / |inta' lektjual / noun [ count ]
a person who enjoys thinking deeply about things
The cafe was a meeting place for artists and intellectuals.
in • tel • li • gence AWL / in' telad₃ans / noun
[ noncount ]
being able to think, learn, and understand quickly and well
He is a man of great intelligence. an intelligence test
( politics ) important information about a foreign country, especially one that is an enemy
intelligence reports
in •tel • li • gent © |awl / in ' teiad₃ant /
adjective
able to think, learn, and understand quickly and well Their daughter is very intelligent. an intelligent question
in • tel • li • gent • lyAWL / in ' telad₃antli / adverb They solved the problem very intelligently. Thesaurus
intelligent good at learning, understanding, and thinking quickly and clearly: He's a very intelligent man. ♦ She asked a lot of intelligent questions. smart quick at learning and understanding things; able to make good decisions: She's smarter than her brother. ♦ Accepting that job was a smart career move . ♦ OK, I admit it wasn't the smartest thing I ever did (= it was a stupid thing to do ) .
brilliant extremely intelligent: a brilliant young scientist/musician ♦ He has one of the most brilliant minds in the country.
bright (used especially about young people) intelligent; quick to learn: She's probably the brightest student in the class. ♦ a bright boy/girl/kid
in .tend © / in tend / verb ( in tends , in . tend ing , in . tend . ed )
to plan to do something
When do you intend to go to Portland?
The noun is intention .
be intended for someone or something
to be planned or made for a particular person or reason This dictionary is intended for learners of English.
in • tenseAWL| / in ' tens /adjective
very great or strong intense pain
The heat from the fire was intense.
in • tense • lyAWL / in ' tensli / adverb I found the movie intensely boring.
in • ten • siveAWL / in ' tensiv /adjective involving a lot of work in a short time an intensive English course
in • ten • sive • ly AWL| / in ' tensivli / adverb
in .ten .tion © / in ' ten/n /
[ count, noncount ]
what you plan to do
Our intention was to leave early in the morning. They have no intention of getting married. The verb is intend . Thesaurus
purpose the reason for doing something; what something is used for or is supposed to achieve: What is the purpose of your visit? ♦ The building is used for religious purposes.
aim what someone is trying to achieve: Our main aim is to increase sales. ♦ He was willing to do almost anything to achieve his aim of winning first prize. plan what you have decided or arranged to do: Do you have any plans for the weekend? ♦ There are no plans to build new offices.
intention what you want or intend to do: Our intention was to leave early in the morning. ♦ I have no intention of going to the wedding. goal (often used about your life or career plans) something that you hope to achieve: What are your long-term goals? ♦ I've finally achieved my goal of getting a college degree.
in • ten • tion • al / in ' ten^nl / adjective
done on purpose, not by mistake
I'm sorry I upset you — it wasn't intentional!
—SYNONYM deliberate
in • ten • tion • al • ly / in ' tenjbmli / adverb They broke the window intentionally. —SYNONYM deliberately
Prefix
inter-
between; from one to another inter active inter nationally inter mission
in • ter • act AWL / ^эг ' ®kt / verb (in ter.acts,in . ter.act. ing , in . ter act.ed )
to communicate or mix with someone
She is studying the way children interact with each other.
in • ter • ac • tion AWL / ^эг ' rekjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
social interaction
in • ter • ac • tive |awl| / ^эг ' ®ktiv /
adjective
( computers ) involving direct communication both ways, between a computer or other form of technology and the person using it
interactive software for schools
in .ter .est iO /mtrost/ noun
[ noncount , singular ] wanting to know or learn about someone or something
He read the story with interest . He shows no interest in politics.
[ count ] something that you like doing or learning about His interests are computers and rock music.
[ noncount ] ( business ) the extra money that you pay back if you borrow money or that you receive if you put money in a bank
Word building There are two main types of bank account . If you have a checking account , you can take your money out at any time by using a check or an ATM card (= a card that you put into a machine, which gives you money ) .
A savings account lets you keep your money in the bank to use later. You receive extra money, called interest , for keeping your money there.
in .ter .est 2® / 'mtrest/ verb (in . ter.ests,in . ter.est. ing ,in . ter est.ed )
to make someone want to know more Religion doesn't interest her.
in .ter .est .ed © / mtrostod / adjective
wanting to know more about someone or something Are you interested in cars?
in .ter .est . ing © / mtrostnj / adjective
A person or thing that is interesting makes you want to know more about them This book is very interesting. That's an interesting idea!
—ANTONYM boring
in • ter • fere / ^r fir / verb
( in . ter . feres ,in ter . fer . ing , in . ter . fered )
to try to do something with or for someone, when they do not want your help
Don't interfere! Let John decide what he wants to do.
to stop something from being done well His social life often interferes with his studies.
in • ter • fer • ence / ^эг' firens / noun [ noncount ]
in • te • ri • or / in ' ьйэг / noun
[ count , usually singular ]
the inside part
We painted the interior of the house white.
in • te • ri • or adjective
interior walls
—ANTONYM exterior
in • ter • jec • tion / ^Щэг' d3ek|n / noun
[count]
( english language arts ) a short word or phrase that you say suddenly to show surprise, pain, happiness, or other feeling
"Oh," "Hey," and "Wow" are interjections. —SYNONYM exclamation
in • ter • me • di • ate |awL / |intsr'midist /
adjective
coming between two things or levels She's in an intermediate class.
in • ter • mis • sion / |intsr' mijn / noun
[count]
a short period of time separating the parts of a play, concert, etc.
in • tern / ' intsrn /noun [ count ]
( health ) a doctor who has finished medical school and is working at a hospital to get practical training
a person, especially a student, who is working somewhere for a short time to learn about a particular job or career
a summer intern at a law firm —Look at internship .
in • ter•nal aw / in ' tsrnl / e
of or on the inside
He has internal injuries (= inside his body ) . —ANTONYM external
in • ter • nal • lyAWL / in ' tsrnbi / adverb We dealt with the matter internally.
in . ter . na . tion . al О / ты-тфы /
adjective
between different countries international relations an international flight
— Look at national .
in • ter • na • tion • al • ly / |intsr' nre/snsli / adverb an internationally famous musician
In .ter .net Ф / 'mtornrt/ noun the Internet
( also informalthe Net ) [ singular ]
( computers ) the international system of computers that makes it possible for you to see information from all around the world on your computer and to send information to other computers
You can find out almost anything on the Internet . Do you have Internet access ? Collocations The Internet connecting connect to/log on to/access the Internet/the Web go/be online/on the Internet using
browse/surf/search the Internet/the Web check out/visit a website/someone's blog click/click on/follow a link start/have/write/read a blog chatting and sharing chat with someone/your friends online meet someone in/enter a chat room download/upload music/a song/a video/a photo post a comment/a message share information/files
in • tern • ship / ' intsrnTip / noun [ count ]
( business ) a period of time when someone, especially a student, works somewhere to learn about a particular job or career
I'm doing a summer internship with a law firm. —Look at intern .
in • ter • pret AWL / in ' tsrprst / verb (in . ter. prets,in . ter.pret. ing ,in . ter.pret ed )
1 to say in one language what someone has said in another language
can't speak Italian — can you interpret for me?
to explain the meaning of something How would you interpret this poem?
in • ter • pre • ta • tion awl / m|tsrprs' teijn /
noun [ count, noncount ]
an explanation of something
What's your interpretation of these statistics?
in • ter • pret • er / in ' tsrprstsr / noun
[ count ]
a person whose job is to translate what someone is saying into another language
in • ter • ro • gate / in ' tersgeit / verb ( in . ter . ro . gates , in . ter . ro gat ing , in ter. ro .gat.ed )
to ask someone a lot of questions over a long period of time The prisoner was interrogated for six hours.
in • ter • ro • ga • tion / infers ' geijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
They took him away for interrogation.
in .ter . rupt Ф / mto F\pt / verb ( in . ter . rupts , in . ter rupt . ing , in ter . rupt ed )
to say or do something to stop someone from speaking or doing something
Please don't interrupt me when I'm speaking.
to stop something for a time The game was interrupted by rain.
in • ter • rup • tion / |ints ' rApJn / noun [ count, noncount ]
I can't do my homework here. There are too many interruptions.
in • ter • sec • tion / |intsr'sekjn / noun [count]
the place where two or more roads, lines, etc. meet and cross each other
Turn right at the next intersection.
in • ter • state / ' intsrsteit / noun [ count ]
a wide road for fast traffic that goes between states in the U.S.
Head south on Interstate 95 until you see the sign for Providence.
in • ter • val awl / ' intsrvl / noun [ count ]
a period of time between two events
There was an interval of several weeks between the attacks.
in .ter .view l^/'intsrvyu/noun[ count]
1 a meeting when someone asks you questions to decide if you will get a job
have a job interview tomorrow.
a meeting when someone answers questions for a newspaper or for a television or radio program
There was an interview with the candidate on TV last night.
in • ter • view 2 / ' intsrvyu / verb ( in . ter . views , in . ter . view ing , in . ter . viewed )
to ask someone questions in an interview They interviewed six people for the job.
in • ter • view • er / ' intsrvyusr / noun [ count ] The interviewer asked me why I wanted the job.
in • tes • tine / in ' testan / noun [ count ]
( biology ) the tube in your body that carries food away from your stomach to the place where it leaves your body
—Look at the picture at body .
in • ti • mate / ' intamat / adjective
(used about people) having a close relationship They're intimate friends.
—SYNONYM close
in • tim • i • date / in' timadeit /
( in tim i dates , in . tim . i . dat . ing , in • tim i • dat . ed )
to frighten someone so that they do what you want them to Don't let her threats intimidate you.
in • tim • i • dat • ing / in ' timadeitig / adjective The new coach is really intimidating.
in • tim • i • da • tion / in|tima ' deijn / noun [noncount]
the intimidation of a witness
in .to © / into; intu/preposition
1 to the middle or the inside of something Come into the kitchen.
went into town. He fell into the river.
in the direction of something Please speak into the microphone.
against something
The car crashed into a tree.
a word that shows how someone or something changes When it is very cold, water changes into ice.
They made the room into a bedroom.
a word that you use when you divide a number 4 into 12 is 3.
be into something ( informal )
to like something; to be interested in something What kind of music are you into?
in • tol • er • a • ble / in ' talarabl /
so bad or difficult that you cannot accept it The situation was intolerable.
—SYNONYM unbearable
in • tra • net / ' intranet / noun [count]
( computers ) a system of computers inside an organization that makes it possible for people to share information
Look at Internet .
in • tran • si • tive / in ' trrensativ / adjective
( english language arts ) An intransitive verb does not have an object.
Look at transitive .
in • tri • cate / ' intrikat / adjective
having a lot of small parts or complicated details an intricate design
in • trigue / in ' trig / verb ( in . trigues , in . trigu • ing , in . trigued )
to make someone very interested His story intrigued me.
in • trigu • ing / in ' trigig / adjective
I find his novels intriguing.
in .tro duce © / | intra ' dus / ( in . tro . duc es , in . tro . duc . ing , in . tro duced )
to bring people together for the first time and tell each of them the name of the other
She introduced me to her brother.
He introduced himself to me (= told me his name ) .
Style
When we introduce people we say this is not "he is" or "she is" and not "here is": Jan, this is Bob. ♦ Bob, this is Jan.
When you meet someone for the first time, you can say Hello , how are you? or Nice to meet you .
to bring in something new This law was introduced in 2002.
in .tro .due .tion © / mtr^hkm/ noun
[ noncount ] bringing in something new the introduction of computers into schools
[ count ] bringing people together to meet each other
[ count ] a piece of writing at the beginning of a book that tells you about the book
in • tro • vert / ' intravart / noun [ count ]
a quiet, shy person who finds it easier to be alone than with others —ANTONYM extrovert
in • trud • er / in ' trudar /noun [ count ]
a person who enters a place without permission Police say the intruder was not armed.
in • tu • i • tion / |intu ' ijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the feeling that you know something is true without being able to explain why
He seemed like a nice guy, but my intuition told me not to trust him.
In • u • it / ' inuat ; ' inyuat /noun [ plural ] a race of people from northern Canada and parts of Greenland and Alaska
in • vade / in veid / verb ( in . vades, in . vad . ing, in . vad . ed )
to go into another country to attack it Military forces invaded in March that year. The noun is invasion . ► in • vad • er / in ' veidar / noun [ count ] They prepared to fight the invaders.
in • va • lid 1 / in 'vrelad / adjective
not legally or officially acceptable
Your passport is invalid. —ANTONYM valid
in • va • lid 2 / ' invalad / noun [ count ]
( health ) a person who has been very sick for a long time and needs another person to take care of them
in • val • u • a • ble / in ' vrelyabl /
very useful: Your help was invaluable. Which word?
Be careful! Invaluable is not the opposite of valuable . The opposite of valuable is worthless .
in • var • i • a • bly aw / in ' veriabli /
always or almost always He invariably arrives late.
in • va • sion / in'vei3n /noun [count, noncount] a time when an army from one country goes into another country to attack it The verb is invade .
in .Vent О / in'vent/ verb ( in vents , in - vent - ing , in - vent ed )
to make or think of something for the first time Who invented the bicycle?
to say something that is not true
I realized that he had invented the whole story.
in • ven • tor / in 'ventar / noun [ count ] Marconi was the inventor of the radio.
in • ven • tion / in 'venjn / noun
[ count ] a thing that someone has made for the first time
[ noncount ] inventing something
The invention of the telephone changed the world.
in • ver • te • brate / in 'vartabrat / [count]
( biology ) any animal without a solid line of bones (a backbone ) going along its body
worms and other invertebrates —ANTONYM vertebrate
i n • vest AWL| / in ' vest / verb ( in vests ,in - vest - ing , in - vest - ed )
( business ) to give money to a business or bank so that you
will get more money back
He invested all his money in the company.
in • vest • ment AWL| / in 'vestmant / noun [ count, noncount ]
an investment of $10,000
in • ves • tor AWL / in ' vestar / noun [ count ]
She was looking for investors for her new company.
in • ves • ti • gate © Awl / in ' vestageit / verb
( in ves - ti - gates , in - ves ti - gat - ing , in - ves - ti - gat ed )
to try to find out about something The police are investigating the murder.
in • ves • ti • ga • tion AWL / investa ' geijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
The company is under investigation for fraud.
in • vis • i • ble aw / in ' vizabl /
If something is invisible , you cannot see it Wind is invisible. —ANTONYM visible
in .vi .ta .tion © / ^nva'teijn/noun[ count]
If you have an invitation to go somewhere, someone has spoken or written to you and asked you to go Joe sent me an invitation to his birthday party.
in .vite Ф / in'vait / verb ( in vites , in - vit ing , in - vit - ed )
to ask someone to come to a party, to your house, etc. Anna invited me to her party. Let's invite them over for dinner.
in • voice / ' invois /noun [ count ]
( business ) a list that shows how much you must pay for things that someone has sold you, or for work that someone has done for you
in • vol • un • tar • y / in 'valanteri /
done without wanting or meaning to an involuntary gasp of pain
in .volve О E / in ' valv /
( in volves , in - volv - ing , in - volved )
1 to have something as a part The job involves using a computer.
2 If you involve someone in something, you make them take part in it
I want to involve more people in the concert.
in • volved aw / in ' valvd / Я
taking part in something; being part of something or
connected with something
I'm very involved in local politics.
We need to interview the people involved.
in • ward / inward / ( also in - wards / inwardz / ) adverb
toward the inside or center The doors open inward.
—ANTONYM outward
i•o •dine / aiadain /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolI )
( chemistry ) a dark substance that is found in the water in oceans. A liquid containing iodine is sometimes used to clean cuts on your skin.
IOU / |ai ou yu /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a piece of paper that shows you promise to pay someone the money you owe them IOU is a way of writing "I owe you."
IPA / |ai pi ' ei / abbreviation
( english language arts ) a system of symbols to show how words sound IPA is short for "International Phonetic Alphabet."
IQ / |ai ' kyu /noun [ cou nt ]
a way of measuring how intelligent someone is
She has an IQ of 128.
IQ is short for "intelligence quotient."
Prefix
ir-
( used with words beginning with "r" ) not; the opposite of ir regular ir relevant ir responsible ir resistible
i . гоп 1 ©7 aiorn /noun
[ noncount ] ( symbolFe ) ( chemistry ) a strong hard metal
The gates are made of iron. an iron bar
[ count ] a piece of electrical equipment that gets hot and that you use for making clothes smooth
Don't forget to unplug the iron.
i • ron 2 / ' aiarn / verb
( i - rons , i - ron ing , i roned )
to make clothes smooth using an iron 1 ( 2 ) Can you iron this shirt for me? ► i • ron • ing / aiarnig /noun [noncount] clothes that need to be
ironed
I usually do the ironing on Sunday night.
i • ron • ic / ai ranik / adjective
meaning the opposite of what you say
When I said it was a beautiful day, I was being ironic.
i • ron • ing board / ' aiarnig bord / [count ]
a special long table where you iron clothes — Look at the picture atiron .
i • ro • ny / ' airani /noun [ count, noncount ] ( plurali . ro . nies )
a strange or unusual part of a situation that is different from what you expect
The irony is that when she finally got the job, she discovered she didn't like it.
ir • ra • tion • al aw / i ' гж/эп1 /
not based on facts; not sensible an irrational fear of worms
—ANTONYM rational
ir • ra • tion • al • ly AWL| / i'rrejbnali / adverb to behave irrationally
ir • reg • u • lar / i ' regyalar /
happening at different times Their visits were irregular.
( english language arts ) A word that is irregular
does not have the usual verb forms or plural "Catch" is an irregular verb.
—ANTONYM regular
ir • rel • e • vant aw / i ' relavant /
not connected with something and not important Your point is completely irrelevant to the discussion.
—ANTONYM relevant
ir • re • sis • ti • ble / |iri ' zistabl /
so powerful or attractive that you cannot stop yourself from
wanting or doing it
Those chocolates look irresistible.
ir •re • spon • si • ble / |iri ' spansabi /
adjective
not thinking about the effect your actions will have; not sensible
It was irresponsible of him to leave his little sister alone in the house.
—ANTONYM responsible
ir • ri • gate / ' irageit / verb ( ir . ri . gates , ir . ri gat . ing , ir . ri . gat ed )
to supply water to land for growing food, using pipes or other equipment
ir • ri • ga • tion / |ira ' geijn / noun [ noncount ]
ir • ri • ta • ble / ' iratabl /
becoming angry easily
He's very irritable in the morning.
ir • ri • tate / ' irateit / verb ( ir . ri . tates , ir . ri . tat . ing , ir . ri . tat . ed )
to make someone angry
He irritates me when he asks so many questions.
( health ) to make a part of your body hurt a little Cigarette smoke irritates my eyes.
ir • ri • ta • tion / |ira'teijn / noun [ count, noncount ] This plant can cause irritation to your skin.
ir • ri • tat • ing / ' irateitig / adjective is / iz / form of be Suffix
-ish
(in adjectives and nouns ) describing nationality or language
Engl ish Pol ish
( in adjectives ) similar to baby ish
child ish
( in adjectives ) fairly; kind of long ish
brown ish
Is • lam / is ' lam ; ' izlam /noun [ noncount ] ( religion ) the religion of Muslim people. Islam teaches that there is only one God and that Muhammad is his Prophet (= the person that God has chosen to give his message to people ) .
Is • lam • ic / is ' lremik ; iz ' lremik /adjective the Islamic faith
iS . land Ф / 'aibnd/noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word island sounds like highland , because we don't say the letter s in this word. ( geography ) a piece of land with water all around it the Caribbean islands
is • n t / ' iznt / short for is not
i • so • late AWL| / ' aisaleit / verb ( i so . lates , i so . lat . ing , i so . lat . ed )
to keep someone or something separate from other people or things
If we isolate the animals that have the disease, the others won't catch it.
i • so • la • tion AWL| / |aisa 'leijn / noun [ noncount ]
The prisoner was kept in isolation for 24 hours.
i • so • lat • ed
/ ' aisaleitad / adjective
far from other people or things an isolated house in the mountains
iS .SUe 1© / 'iju/ noun [count ]
an important problem that people talk about Pollution is a serious issue.
a magazine or newspaper of a particular day, week, or month
Have you read this week's issue?
is • sue 2 / ' iju / verb
( is . sues , is . su . ing , is sued )
to give or say something officially
The soldiers were issued with uniforms.
The police department has issued a statement .
Suffix
-ist
( in nouns)
a person who has studied something or who does something as a job
art ist econom ist scient ist
a person who believes in something or belongs to a particular group
capital ist commun ist femin ist
IT / |ai ' ti /noun [ noncount ]
( computers ) the study or use of computers and other electronic equipment to store and send information IT is short for "Information Technology."
©/ it /pronoun ( pluralthey / 6ei / their / бет / ) 1 a word that shows a thing or animal
like your shirt. Is it new? Where's the coffee? I can't find it.
a word that points to an idea that follows It's hard to learn a new language.
a word that shows who someone is "Who's at the door?" "It's Joe."
a word at the beginning of a sentence about time, the weather, or distance
It's six o'clock. It's hot today.
It's 100 miles from here to Philadelphia.
i • tal • ics / i 'treliks /noun [ plural ]
a type of writing or printing in which the letters do not
stand straight up
This sentence is in italics .
i • tal • ic / i ' trelik / adjective italic writing
itch / itj /noun [ count ] ( pluralitch .es )
the feeling on your skin that makes you want to rub or scratch it
I have an itch on my back.
itch verb ( itch . es , itch . ing , itched )
My nose itches. Mosquito bites really itch.
itch • y / itji / adjective ( itch i . er , itch . i . est )
having or producing an itch an itchy sweater I feel itchy all over.
it'd / ' itad /
short for it had , it would
i .tem © / 'aitom /noun [ count ]
one thing in a list or group of things What is the first item on the agenda? an item of clothing
a piece of news
There was an interesting news item about the Olympics.
i • tin • er • ar • y / ai 'tiered / noun [ count ] ( plural i . tin . er . ar . ies )
a plan of a trip, including which way you will go, the places you will visit, etc.
I'll e-mail you my itinerary for my trip to San Francisco. it'll / ' iti / short for it will itS © / its / adjective
of the thing or animal that you have just talked about The dog hurt its leg.
The company has its annual meeting in June. Which word? Its or it's?
Be careful! It's is a short way of saying "it is" or "it has": It's (= it is ) cold today. ♦It's (= it has ) been raining.
Its means "belonging to it": The bird had broken its wing.
it's / its /
short for it is , it has
it .self© / it self /pronoun ( pluralthem . selves / 6эш' selvz / )
a word that shows the same thing or animal that you have just talked about
The cat was washing itself.
a word that makes "it" stronger
The hotel itself was nice, but I didn't like the area. by itself
without being controlled by a person The machine will start by itself.
alone
The house stands by itself at the end of a dirt road.
I've / aiv / short for I have
i • vo • ry / ' an^ri /noun [ noncount ]
the hard, white substance that the long teeth (called tusks ) of an elephant (= a very large gray animal with big ears ) are made of
i • vy / ' aivi/noun [ noncount ] a plant with dark green leaves that climbs up walls or trees
the I • vy League / di iaivi ' lig /
[ singular ]
a group of eight private colleges and universities in the north of the U.S. that are old and respected an Ivy League education
Jj
J, j / d3ei /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralJ's, j's / d3eiz / ) the tenth letter of the English alphabet "June" begins with a "J."
jab / d3®b / verb ( jabs , jab bing , jabbed )
to push at someone with a sudden rough movement She jabbed me in the stomach with her elbow. ►jabnoun [ count ] I felt a jab in my ribs.
jack / d3rek /noun
[ count ]
the playing card that has a picture of a young man on it the jack of hearts
jack .et © / 'd₃8ebt/ noun
[ count ]
a short coat with sleeves —Look at the picture atclothes .
jack • knife / ' d3®knaif /noun [ count ] ( pluraljack . knives / ' d3®knaivz / ) a small knife with one or more sharp parts (called blades ) that fold down into the handle
—SYNONYM pocketknife
jack-o'-lan • tern / ' d3®k э |1жп:эгп /
[count]
a large, round, orange vegetable (called a pumpkin ) with a face cut into it, usually with a light inside. People make jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween (= October 31 ) .
Culture
In the past, people believed that dead people appeared from their graves on Halloween .
Nowadays, children dress up as witches, ghosts, etc. and go to people's houses saying " trick or treat ," and the people give them candy.
People also make jack-o'-lanterns , where they cut shapes into a pumpkin (= a large orange vegetable ) so that it looks like a face, and put a light inside.
jack • pot / ' d3®kpat /noun [count]
the largest money prize you can win in a game The lottery jackpot is $5 million.
jade / d₃eid /noun
[ noncount ]
a hard, green stone that is used for making jewelry a jade necklace
jag • ged / ' d3®gsd / adjective
rough, with a lot of sharp points jagged rocks
jag • uar / ' d3®gwar / noun
[ count ]
a large wild cat with black spots that lives in Central and South America
jail / d₃eil /noun
[ count, noncount ]
a prison
He was sent to jail for two years. ►jailverb ( jails , jail . ing , jailed )
She was jailed for fraud.
jam1 / d3®m /noun
[ noncount ] sweet food made from fruit and sugar. You eat jam on bread
a jar of strawberry jam
—Look at jelly .
[ count ] a situation in which you cannot move because there are too many people or vehicles
jam 2 / d3®m / verb ( jams , jam . ming , jammed )
to push something into a place where there is not much space
She jammed all her clothes into a suitcase.
to fix something or to become fixed so that you cannot move it
I can't open the window. It's jammed.
jan • i • tor / ' d3®nstsr / noun [count]
a person whose job is to clean a large building
Jan • U .ЯГ .У Ф / 'd38enyueri/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationJan. ) the first month of the year
jar / d3ar /noun [ count ]
a glass container for food a jar of honey
—Look at the picture at container .
jar • gon / d3argsn / noun
[noncount]
( english language arts ) special or technical words that are used by a particular group of people, and that other people do not understand
I tried to read the contract, but there was too much legal jargon for me.
jave • lin / ' d3®vslsn /
noun ( sports )
[ count ] a long, pointed stick that people throw as a sport
the javelin [ singular ]
the event or sport of throwing the javelin
jaw / d3o /noun
[count]
one of the two bones in the head of a person or animal that hold the teeth
—Look at the picture at face .
jaZZ / d3®z /noun
[noncount]
( music ) a kind of music with a strong beat a jazz band
jeal • ous / d3elss / adjective
angry or sad because you want what another person has Ben was jealous of his brother's new car.
—SYNONYM envious
angry or sad because you are afraid of losing someone's love
Sarah's boyfriend gets jealous if she talks to other guys.
►jeal • ous • y / ' d3elssi / noun
[noncount]
He felt sick with jealousy.
jeanS © / d3inz/ noun [ plural ]
pants made of strong cotton material (called denim ). Jeans are usually blue a pair of jeans He wore jeans and a T-shirt.
— Look at the picture at clothes .
Jeep™ / d3ip /noun [ count ]
a strong car that can go well over rough land
jeer / d3ir / verb ( jeers , jeer . ing , jeered )
to laugh or shout at someone in an unkind way that shows you do not respect them The crowd jeered at him.
jell • o ( also Jell-O™ ) / ' d3elou /noun
[noncount]
a soft food with a fruit flavor, which shakes when you move it
jel • ly / ' d3eli /noun [noncount]
a sweet, smooth food made from fruit, which you eat on bread
a peanut butter and jelly sandwich grape jelly
jel • ly • fish / 'd₃eiifij /
noun [ count ] ( plural jel - ly - fish or jel - ly - fish - es )
an animal with a soft, pale body that lives in the ocean. Jellyfish have long thin parts that hang down and can hurt (or sting ) you.
jerk 1 / d₃ark / verb (jerks , jerk - ing , jerked )
to move quickly or suddenly; to pull or make something
move like this
The car jerked forward.
She jerked the door open.
jerk2 / d3ark /noun [ count ]
( informal ) a person who behaves in an unkind or stupid way
I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I feel like such a jerk.
a sudden sharp movement The bus started with a jerk.
jer • sey / ' d3arzi /noun [ count ] ( pluraljer-seys )
a shirt that is part of a sports uniform a football jersey
Je • sus / ' d3izas /
( also Je . sus Christ / |d3izas ' kraist / )noun
( religion ) the man who Christians believe is the Son of
God
jet / d3et /noun
[ count ]
a type of fast, modern airplane
liquid or gas that comes very fast out of a small hole a jet of gas
jets of water
jet lag / ' d3et lreg /noun [ noncount ]
the feeling of being very tired after a long airplane trip to a place where the local time is different
Jew / d3u /noun
[ count ]
( religion ) a person who follows the religion of Judaism
►Jew • ish / ' d3uij / adjective
She is Jewish. the Jewish holidays
jew • el / d3ual /noun [count]
a beautiful stone that is very valuable diamonds, rubies, and other jewels
—SYNONYM gem
jew • el • er / ' d3ualar / noun [count]
a person who sells, makes, or repairs jewelry and watches jew • el • ry / ' d₃ualri /noun [ noncount ]
objects that people wear to decorate their fingers, ears, arms, etc.
a piece of gold jewelry a jewelry store
bracelet
earrings
jewelry
necklace
ring chain pin
jig .saw puz .zle _{jigsaw puzz}|_e
/ 'd₃igso ,pAzl / ( also puz - zle )noun
[count]
a picture in many pieces that you put together
jin • gle / ' d3iggl / verb ( jin - gles , jin - gling , jin gled )
to make a pleasant sound like small bells; to cause something to make this sound She jingled the coins in her pocket.
jinx / d3igks /noun [ singular ]
bad luck, or a person or thing that brings bad luck jinxverb ( jinx es , jinx - ing , jinxed )
to make someone have bad luck ►jinxed / d3igkst /adjective
having a lot of bad luck
After my third accident in a month, I began to think I was jinxed.
jobО / d3ab / noun [ count ] 1 the work that you do for money She got a job as a waitress. Peter just lost his job . Word building
When you apply for a job, you fill out an application form or you send a letter and your resume (= a list of your experience and education ) . You have an interview , and the employer asks for references (= letters from other people saying what you can do ) . Some jobs are full-time and some are part-time .
If you get fired , you lose your job. When you reach a certain age, you retire (= stop working ) . To find out what someone's job is, we say: What do you do ?
2 something that you must do
I have a lot of jobs to do around the house.
do a good job
to do something well
You did a good job on your homework.
out of a job
without paid work
—SYNONYM unemployed Thesaurus
job the work that you do to earn money: My dad told me to go out and get a job . ♦ She's trying to find a full-time job . ♦ I'm only doing my job (= I'm doing what I am paid to do ) . ♦ He's looking for a job in teaching.
work the job that you do to earn money. Work is a noncount noun, so you cannot say "a work" or "works": It's very difficult to find work in this city. ♦ I've been out of work (= without a job ) for almost a year. ♦ She goes jogging every morning before work. employment the state of having a job that you are paid to do. This is a noncount noun, and is a more formal word than work and job : The company provides employment for 150 staff. ♦ I'm only looking for part-time employment right now. career the jobs that someone has in a particular area of work over a period of time. Your career often involves several jobs, which usually involve more responsibility as time passes: a teaching career ♦a career in politics ♦ Why did you decide on a career as a vet?
profession a job that needs special training and higher education: the legal profession ♦ She hopes to enter the medical profession . ♦ He's a teacher by profession .
jock•ey/ ' d3aki /noun [count] (pluraljock .eys) ( sports ) a person who rides horses in races
jog / d3ag / verb ( jogs , jog . ging , jogged )
to run slowly for exercise
I jogged around the park.
I go jogging every morning.
►jognoun [ singular ]
She goes for a jog before breakfast.
►jog • ger / ' d3agsr / noun [ count ]
a person who goes jogging for exercise
join © /d3oin/ verb (joins Join ing Joined )
to become a member of a group He joined the army.
Would you like to join our book club?
to come together with someone or something Will you join us for dinner?
This road joins the main highway soon.
to bring or fasten one thing to another thing The tunnel joins New York to New Jersey. Join the two pieces of wood together .
join in to do something with other people Everyone started singing, but he refused to join in.
joint 1 / d3oint / adjective
involving two or more people together
The report was a joint effort (= we worked on it together ) .
My wife and I have a joint bank account.
joint2 / d3oint /noun [ count ]
a part of your body where two bones fit together and you are able to bend
a place where two parts of something join together the joints of the pipe
joke 1 © / d₃ouk/noun
[count ]
something that you say or do to make people laugh, for example a funny story that you tell She told us a joke .
I didn't get the joke (= understand it ) .
joke 2© / d3ouk / verb ( jokes , jok . ing , joked )
to tell funny stories; to say things that are funny but not true
They were laughing and joking together. I didn't mean what I said — I was only joking .
jok • er / d3ouksr /noun
[count]
a person who likes to tell jokes or play tricks
an extra card which can be used instead of any card in some games
Did you take the jokers out of the deck?
jol • ly / ' d3ali / adjective ( jol . li .er , jol .li est )
happy and full of fun
jolt / d3oult / verb ( jolts , jolt . ing , jolt . ed )
to move or to make someone or something move in a sudden rough way The bus jolted to a stop. The crash jolted us forward.
—SYNONYM jerk
►joltnoun [ count , usually singular ]
The train stopped with a jolt.
jot / d3at / verb ( jots , jot . ting , jot . ted )
jot something down to write something quickly I jotted down his phone number.
jour•nalaw / ' d3srnl /
[count]
a magazine about one particular thing a medical journal
a book where you write what you have done each day Do you keep a journal ?
—SYNONYM diary
jour • nal • ism / ' d3srnsbizsm / noun
[noncount]
the work of collecting and reporting news for newspapers, television, etc.
jour • nal • ist / ' d3srnsbist / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to collect and report news for newspapers, television, etc.
jour • ney / ' d3srni /noun [ count ] ( pluraljour . neys )
a long trip from one place to another
The book is about her journey through South America.
Thesaurus
trip an act of traveling from one place to another, and usually back again. A trip can be short or long, and can be for business or pleasure: a business trip ♦ a round-the-world trip ♦ a trip to the grocery store ♦ They took a trip down the river. ♦ We just got back from our trip to Japan. We had a great time.
travel the general activity of moving from place to place. With this meaning, travel is a noncount noun. A person's travels are the time he or she spends traveling, especially in foreign countries and for pleasure: air/rail/space travel ♦ Foreign travel is very popular these days. ♦ The book is about her travels around Europe.
journey a long and often difficult trip from one place to another: It was a dangerous journey across the mountains. ♦ They continued their journey on foot. expedition a long, organized trip to find out about a place or to do something special: He led the first expedition to the North Pole. ♦ She made two expeditions to Brazil to study the wild plants. voyage a long trip by water or in space: The Titantic sank on its first voyage. ♦ The spacecraft began its voyage to Jupiter.
joy / d3oi /noun [ noncount ] a very happy feeling Their children give them so much joy. ►joy • ful / ' d3oifl /adjective
very happy a joyful occasion
joy • stick / ' d3oistik /noun [ count ]
a handle that you move to control something, for example a computer game
Jr.
abbreviation of Junior Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ju • da • ism / ' d3udi|izam / noun
[noncount]
( religion ) the religion of the Jewish people
judge © / d₃Ad₃ /noun [ count ]
the person in a court of law who decides how to punish someone
The judge sent him to prison for 20 years.
a person who chooses the winner of a competition
judge 2 © / d₃Ad₃/ verb
(judg . es , judg . ing , judged )
to have or to form an opinion about someone or something
It's difficult to judge how long the project will take.
to decide who or what wins a competition The principal judged the poster competition.
judg • ment ( also judge . ment ) / ' d3Ad3mant / noun
[ noncount ] your ability to form opinions or make sensible decisions
Use your judgment (= you decide ) .
In my judgment, she will do the job very well.
[ count, noncount ] the decision of a judge in a court of law
ju • di • cial / d3u' dijl / adjective
connected with a court of law, a judge, or a judgment the court's judicial powers the judicial branch of the federal government Word building The U.S. Government The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch and the judicial branch
The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
ju • do / ' d3udou / noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) a sport where two people fight and try to throw each other onto the floor
jug / d3Ag / noun [ count ]
a container with a handle and a small hole at the top, which you use for holding liquids a jug of wine
jug •gle / ' d3Agi /
verb ( jug gles , jug . gling , jug gled )
to keep two or more things in the air by throwing and catching them quickly
to try to do two or more important jobs or activities at the same time
She's trying to juggle her career with raising a family.
►jug • gler / ' d3Aglar / noun [ count ]
juice © / d₃us /noun [ count, noncount ] Pronunciation
The word juice sounds like loose .
the liquid from fruit and vegetables a glass of orange juice
juic • y / ' d3usi / adjective ( juic .i .er, juic i .est )
full of juice juicy tomatoes
juke • box / ' d3ukbaks /noun [ count ] ( pluraljuke . box . es )
( music ) a machine in a bar or restaurant that plays music when you put money in it
Ju .ly © / d3U 'lai /noun [ count, noncount ]
( abbreviation Jul. )
the seventh month of the year
jum • ble / ' d3Ambl /noun [ singular ]
a lot of things that are mixed together in a messy way a jumble of old clothes and books►jum • bled / ' 1злшЬЫ /adjective
a jumbled heap of old toys
jum • bo / ' dзлmbou /adjective ( informal )
very large
jumbo shrimp with garlic sauce
jump © / (1злтр/ verb ( jumps , jump . ing , jumped )
to move quickly off the ground, using your legs to push you up
The cat jumped onto the table. The horse jumped over the wall.
to move quickly
He jumped into the car and drove away.
to move suddenly because you are surprised or scared A loud noise made me jump .
to increase suddenly by a large amount
His salary jumped by $20,000 when he got promoted. jump at something to accept an opportunity or an offer with enthusiasm
Of course, I jumped at the chance to work in New York for a year.
jump rope
to jump many times over a rope that is turning, as a game
or as a form of exercise
The children are outside jumping rope.
jumpnoun [ count ]
With a huge jump the horse cleared the fence.
jump rope / ' 1злш! roup /noun [ count ] a rope that you use for jumping over again and again as a game or as a form of exercise
jump • y / ' dзлmpi / adjective ( jump . i . er , jump . i . est ) ( informal )
nervous or worried
Why are you so jumpy today?
junc • tion / ' d^kjn /noun [ count ]
a place where roads or railroad lines meet
There was an accident at the junction of Mill Road and
Route 7.
June © / d3un /noun [ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationJun. ) the sixth month of the year
jun • gle / ' d3^gl /noun [ count, noncount ] ( geography ) a thick forest in a hot part of the world the jungles of South America
jun • ior 1 / ' dзunyэr / adjective
1 connected with the third year of high school or college
spent my junior year abroad in Paris.
Junior ( abbreviationJr. ) a word that is used after the name of a son who has the same name as his father Martin Luther King, Jr.
having a lower position or less experience in an organization
a junior senator
of or for children below a particular age the junior tennis championships
— Look at senior .
jun • ior2 / ' dзunyэr /noun [ count ] a student in eleventh grade in high school or the third year of college
a high school junior
—Look at freshman , senior 2 ( 1 ) , sophomore .
jun • ior col • lege / |dзunyэr ' kaiid3 / noun
[ count ]
a college where you can study for two years to get a degree (called an associate's degree ) or prepare for another college or university
—Look at community college .
jun • ior high school / |dзunyэr hai skui /
( also jun . ior high )noun [ count, noncount ] a school for children between the ages of about 11 and 14 Word building
In the U.S., children start elementary school when they are 5.The first year of this is called kindergarten .
When children are around 11 years old, they move to middle school (or junior high school ), and when they reach the age of around 14, they start high school .
Each year of school is called a grade . When a child is around 6 years old they are in first grade , and the last year of high school is the twelfth grade .
junk / d3^k / noun
[ noncount ]
things that are old or have no use The garage is full of junk.
junk food / ' d3^k fud /noun [ noncount ] ( informal )
food that is quick and easy to prepare and eat, but that is bad for your health
junk mail / ' d3^k meil / noun [ noncount ]
advertisements that companies send to people who have not asked for them
—Look at spam .
ju • ry / ' d3uri / noun [ count ] ( plural ju . ries )
a group of people in a court of law who decide if someone has done something wrong or not
The jury decided that the woman was guilty of killing her husband.
jUSt1Ф/ d₃Ast /adverb
exactly
This jacket is just my size.
You're just in time .
She looks just like her mother.
a very short time before I just heard the news.
Jim isn't here — he just went out.
at this or that moment; now or very soon I'm just going to make some coffee.
She called just as I was going to bed.
a word that makes what you say stronger Just look at that funny little dog!
only
It's just a small gift. just about
( informal )
almost; very nearly
I've met just about everyone.
just a minute ; just a moment
used for asking someone to wait for a short time Just a moment — there's someone at the door.
just 2 / 1злб: / adjective
fair and right a just punishment
—ANTONYM unjust
jus • tice / ' d3Astas / noun
[ noncount ] treatment of people in a fair way the struggle for justice
—ANTONYM injustice
[ noncount ] the law the criminal justice system
[ count ] a judge in an important court of law a Supreme Court justice
jus • ti • fi • ca • tion |aWl| / ^Astafa ' keijn /
noun [ count, noncount ]
a good reason for doing something There's no justification for firing him.
jus • ti • fy AW Щ / ' d3Astafai / verb (jus . ti jus - ti - fy - ing , jus - ti - fied , has jus - ti - fied )
to give or be a good reason for something Can you justify what you did?
ju • ve • nile / d3uvanail ; d3uvanl /adjective ( formal )
connected with young people who are not yet adults juvenile crime
►ju • ve • nile noun [ count ]
Kk
K, k / kei /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralK's, k's / keiz / )
the eleventh letter of the English alphabet
"King" begins with a "K"
kan • ga • roo / |k®gga ' ru /
noun [ count ] ( plural kan - ga - roos )
an Australian animal that jumps on its strong back legs and carries its babies in a pocket on its front
ka • ra • te / ka ' rati /noun [noncount]
( sports ) a Japanese sport where people fight with their
hands and feet
kay • ak
/ ' kairek /noun [count]
- fies
a light narrow boat for one person, which you move through the water using a piece of wood with a flat part at each end (called a paddle )
keen / kin / adjective ( keen er,keen - est)
very good or strong keen eyesight
wanting to do something
Mike was keen to go out, but I wanted to stay at home.
keep © / kip / verb ( keeps , keep ing , kept / kept / has kept )
to continue to have something
You can keep that book — I don't need it.
to stay in a particular state or condition We tried to keep warm .
to make someone or something stay in a particular state or condition
Keep this door closed.
I'm sorry to keep you waiting .
to put or store something in a particular place Where do you keep the coffee?
to continue doing something; to do something many times
Keep driving until you see the gas station, then turn left. She keeps forgetting my name.
to do what you promised or arranged I always keep my promises.
Can you keep a secret?
to stay fresh
Will this fish keep until tomorrow?
keep away from someone or something to not go
near someone or something
Keep away from the river, children.
keep someone from doing something to stop
someone from doing something
You can't keep me from going out!
keep going to continue
I was very tired, but I kept going to the end of the race. keep off something to not go on something Keep off the grass!
keep on doing something to continue doing
something; to do something many times
That man keeps on looking at me.
keep out to stay outside
The sign on the door said "Danger. Keep out!"
keep someone or something out to stop someone
or something from going in
We put a fence around the yard to keep the deer out. keep up with someone or something to go as fast as another person or thing so that you are together Don't walk so quickly — I can't keep up with you.
ken • nel / ' kenl /noun [count]
a place where dogs can stay while their owners are away
kept
form of keep
ker • o • sene / ' kerasin / noun
[noncount]
a type of oil that people burn to produce heat or light ketch • up / ' ket/ap /noun [noncount]
a cold sauce made from tomatoes
ket • tle / ' ketl / ( also tea - ket - tle / ' ti|ketl / )noun [count]
a container with a handle, for boiling waterkey l Ф / ki /noun [ count ]
a piece of metal that opens or closes a lock Have you seen my car keys?
something that helps you achieve or understand something
A good education is the key to success .
one of the parts of a computer, a piano, or other musical instrument that you press with your fingers
Press the escape key to exit the program. Pianos have black and white keys.
— Look at the picture at computer .
( music ) a set of musical notes that is based on one particular note
This piece is in the key of A minor.
answers to questions
Check your answers with the key at the back of the book.
keys
piano keys key
key
2 / ki / verb ( keys , key . ing , keyed )
key something in to put words or numbers into a computer by pressing the keys Key in your password.
key•board
/ ' kibord /noun [ count ]
all the keys on a computer or piano Look at the picture atcomputer .
( music ) a musical instrument like a small electrical piano
key • hole / ' kihoul / noun [ count ]
a hole in a lock where you put a key
key ring / ' ki rig / noun [ count ]
a metal ring that you keep keys on —Look at the picture atkey .
kg
abbreviation of kilogram
khak•i
/ ' kreki / adjective
having the pale brown-green or brown-yellow color of a soldier's uniform khaki pants
khak • inoun [ noncount ]
khak
• is / ' krekiz /noun [ plural ]
a pair of pants that are a brown-green or light brown color a pair of khakis and a casual shirt
kick l Ф/ kik / verb ( kicks , kick ing , kicked )
1 to hit someone or something with your foot
kicked the ball to Chris.
to move your foot or feet up and down quickly The little boy was kicking and screaming. kick off
( informal ) to begin an event
He kicked off his latest tour in Chicago last week.
kick someone out ( informal )
to make someone leave a place
He was kicked out of school for fighting.
kick 2© / kik / noun
[count]
a movement with your foot or your leg, usually to hit something with your foot
If the door won't open, give it a kick .
( informal ) a feeling of excitement He gets a kick out of driving fast cars.
kick • off / ' kikof / noun [count]
( sports ) the start of a game of football Kickoff is at 4 p.m.
kid lSVkid/ noun[ count]
( informal ) a child How old are your kids? He's a smart kid.
a young goat (= an animal with horns that lives in mountain areas )
kid 2Ф / kid/ verb ( kids , kid ding , kid ded )
( informal )
to say something that it not true, as a joke I didn't mean it. I was just kidding.
kid • nap / ' kidnap / verb
( kid . naps , kid . nap . ping , kid napped )
to take someone away and hide them, so that their family or friends will pay money to free them
kid • nap • per / ' kidnrepsr / noun [ count ]
The kidnappers are demanding a ransom of $1 million.
kid • nap • ping / ' kidnrepig / noun [count, noncount]
the kidnapping of 12 U.S. citizens
kid • ney / ' kidni /noun [ count ] ( pluralkid . neys )
( biology ) one of the two parts inside your body that take waste liquid from your blood
kill Ф/ kil/ verb ( kills , kill ing , cilled )
to make someone or something die Three people were killed in the accident. If you water this plant too much, you'll kill it.
kill • er / ' kilsr /noun [ count ] a person, animal, or thing that kills
ki • lo / ' kilou / noun [ count ] ( plural ki . los ) short for kilogram
kil • o • byte / ' kilsbait /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationKB )
( computers ) a unit of computer memory, equal to just over a thousand bytes (= small units of information ) — Look atgigabyte , megabyte .
ki I .O . g ram Ф/ 'kibgrsem / ( also ki lo ) noun
[ count ] ( abbreviation kg )
a measure of weight. There are 1,000 grams , or around 2.2 pounds , in a kilogram
I bought two kilos of potatoes.
kil .O .me .terФ/ kiiamotor ; ki lom i tor /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationkm )
a measure of length. There are 1,000 meters , or around 0.62 miles , in a kilometer.
kin / kin /noun [ plural ] ( formal )
the people in your family
Who is your next of kin (= your closest family member ) ?
kind 1 Ф / kamd /noun
[ count ]
a group of things or people that are the same in some way
What kind of music do you like?
The bakery sells ten different kinds of bread.
—SYNONYM type
kind of
( informal ) a little; slightly He looks kind of tired.
kind 2©/ kaind /adjective ( kind . er , kind est )
friendly and good to other people
"Can I carry your bag?" "Thanks. That's very kind of you." Be kind to animals.
—ANTONYM unkind
kind • ly / ' kaindli / adverb
She kindly drove me to the train station.
kin • der • gar • ten / ' kindar|gartn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the first year of school for children, which they start when they are around 5 years old
Hannah's in kindergarten this year. Next year she'll start first grade. Word building
In the U.S., children start elementary school when they are 5. The first year of this is called kindergarten
When children are around 11 years old, they move to middle school (or junior high school ), and when they reach the age of around 14, they start high school .
Each year of school is called a grade . When a child is around 6 years old they are in first grade , and the last year of high school is the twelfth grade .
kind .ness Ф/ 'kamdms/noun
[ noncount ]
the quality of being kind: Thank you for your kindness.
king ©/кщ/ noun
[ count ]
a man from a royal family who rules a country the king of Jordan—Look atqueen .
king • dom / ' kigdam / noun [count]
a country where a king or queen rules the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
kiSS Ф/ kis / verb ( kiss . es , kiss . ing , kissed )
to touch someone with your lips to show love or to say hello or goodbye: She kissed me on the cheek. They kissed, and then he left.
kissnoun [count] ( plural kiss .es ) Give me a kiss!
kit / kit / noun
[count]
a set of equipment or tools that you need for a particular purpose: a first-aid kit
a set of small pieces that you put together to make something: a model airplane kit
kitch • en / ' kitfan / noun [ count ]
a room where you cook food
sieve
ladle whisk
kite / kait /noun [ count ] a toy that you fly in the wind on a long piece of string
kit .ten Ф / 'kitn/noun [count ]
a young cat
—Look at the picture at cat .
ki • Wi / ' kiwi /noun [ count ] ( pluralki . wis ) ( also ki . wi fruit / ' kiwi frut / pluralki . wi fruit ) a small, green fruit with black seeds and rough, brown skin —Look at the picture atfruit .
Kleen • ex™ / ' klineks /noun [count, noncount] ( pluralKleen . ex . es )
a thin piece of soft paper that you use to clean your nose —SYNONYM tissue
km
abbreviation of kilometer
knead / nid / verb ( kneads,knead ing ,knead ed )
to press and stretch a mixture of flour and water (called
dough ) to make bread
Pronunciation
kitchen utensils
.X
can opener
corkscrew
\
ice-cream scoop
If a word starts with the letters KN , the K is always silent. So the word knead sounds like need , know sounds like no , and knight sounds like night .
knee © / ni /noun [ count ]
the part in the middle of your leg where it bends I fell down and cut my knee.
—Look at the picture at leg.
knee • cap / ' nikrep /noun [ count ] the bone that covers the front of your knee
kneel / nil / verb ( kneels , kneel . ing , knelt / nelt / or kneeled , has knelt or has kneeled )
to bend your legs and rest on one or both of your knees
He knelt down to pray.
She was kneeling on the floor.
knew
form of know
knife ©/ naif
/ noun[ count] ( plural knives
/ naivz / )
a sharp, metal thing with a handle that you use to cut things or to fight
a knife and fork knight / nait / noun [ count ]
a soldier of a high level who rode a horse and fought for his king a long time ago
knit / nit / verb ( knits , knit . ting , knit ted or knit / nit / has knit . ted or has knit )
to make clothes from thick cotton or wool thread (called yarn ) using knitting needles
My grandmother is knitting a sweater for me. ► knit • ting / ' nitig / noun [ noncount ] I brought some knitting to do while I was waiting.
knit • ting nee • dle / mini nidi / noun
[count]
one of two metal, plastic, or wooden sticks that you use to knit with
knives
plural of knife
knob / nab /noun [ count ]
a round handle on a door or drawer
a round thing that you turn to control part of a machine the volume control knob
кПОСк 1 ©/ nak / verb (knocks,knock ing, knocked )
1 to hit something and make a noise
knocked on the door, but no one answered.
to hit something hard, usually by accident I knocked my head on the door.
She knocked a glass off the table.
knock someone down ; knock someone over to
hit someone so that they fall onto the ground The boy was knocked down by a car. knock something down to break a building so that it falls down
They're knocking down the old houses. —SYNONYM demolish
knock someone out to make someone fall asleep or become unconscious
That cold medicine really knocked me out.
knock something over to hit something so that it falls
over
I knocked over a vase of flowers.
knock2 © / nak /noun
[count]
the action of hitting something, or the sound that this makes
I heard a knock at the door.
knOt 1 © / nat /
noun [ count ]
a place where you have tied two pieces of rope, string, etc. together I tied a knot in the rope.
Can you undo this knot (= make it loose ) ?
knot 2 / nat / verb ( knots, knot . ting , knot . ted )
to tie a knot in something
He knotted the ends of the rope together.
know © / nou /verb
(knows, know . ing, knew / nu / has known / noun / ) 1 to have information in your head
don't know her name. He knows a lot about cars.
Do you know how to use this machine?
Did you know that he's moving to Los Angeles?
to be familiar with a person or place I have known Mario for six years.
I know Boston pretty well.
I liked him when I got to know him (=started to know him). I know ( informal )
used to agree with something someone has just said "What a ridiculous situation!" "I know." let someone know
to tell someone about something Let me know if you need any help.
you know
words that you use when you are thinking about what to say next, or to remind someone of something Well, you know, it's hard to explain. I just saw Maggie. You know — Jim's wife.
know-how / ' nou hau / [noncount] ( informal )
practical knowledge, or the ability to do something I don't think we have the technical know-how for this job.
knowl .edge © / nalid3 / noun
[ noncount , singular ]
what you know and understand about something
He has a good knowledge of U.S. history.
He did it without my knowledge (= I did not know ) .
knowl • edge • a • ble / ' nalIdзэbl /
knowing a lot
She's very knowledgeable about history.
known
form of know
knuck • le / ' rnvkl /
[count]
one of the parts where your fingers bend or where they join your hand
ko • a • la / kou ' ala / ( also ko - a - la bear
/ kou|ala ' ber / )noun [ count ] an Australian animal with large ears and thick gray fur, which lives in trees
the Ко .ran ( also the Qu r'an , the Qu - ran )
/ 6a ka 'rren ; 6a ka 'ran /noun [ singular ] ( religion ) the most important book in the Islamic religion
ko • sher / ' kou/ar / adjective
(used about food) prepared according to the rules of Jewish law
kung fu / |kAg ' fu /noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) a Chinese style of fighting in which people use their hands and feet as weapons
Ll
L, l / el /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralL's, l's / elz / ) the twelfth letter of the English alphabet
"Lake" begins with an "L."
l abbreviation of liter
lab / lreb /noun [ count ]
( informal )
short for laboratory
la • bel1AWL / ' leibl/noun [ count ]
a piece of paper or material on something that tells you about it
The label lists the nutritional information. The washing instructions are on the label.
la • bel 2 AWL / ' leibl / verb ( la - bels , la - bel ing , la - beled ) to put a label on something
I labeled all the boxes with my name and address.
la • boraw щ / ' leibar /noun [ noncount ]
hard work that you do with your hands and body manual labor (= work using your hands )
lab • o • ra • to • ry / ' lrebratori /noun [ count ] ( plurallab - o - ra - to - ries ) ( also informallab )
a special room where scientists work a research laboratory
La • bor Day / ' leibar dei / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a holiday on the first Monday in September, when banks, schools, and many businesses are closed
la • bor • er / leibarar /noun [ count ]
a person who does hard work with their hands and body a farm laborer
la • bor un • ion / ' leibar |yunyan / noun [count]
an organization for people who do the same type of work. Labor unions try to get better pay and working conditions for their members.
—SYNONYM union lace / leis /noun
[ noncount ] very thin cloth with holes that form a pretty pattern
lace curtains
[ count ] a string that you use for tying your shoe Tie your laces or you'll trip over them.
—SYNONYM shoelace
lack l Ф / lsek /noun [ noncount, singular ] the state of not having something or of not having enough of something
There is a lack of good teachers.
lack 2 / lrek / verb ( lacks , lack ing , lacked )
to have none or not enough of something He lacked confidence.
lad .der / 'laedar/ noun
[count]
a thing that you climb up when you want to reach a high place. A ladder is made of two tall pieces of metal or wood with shorter pieces between them (called rungs ).
ladies' room / ' leidizrum /noun [ count ]
a room in a public building that has toilets for women to use
Where is the ladies' room, please? —Look at men's room , restroom .
la • dle / ' leidl/noun [ count ]
a spoon in the shape of a cup with a long handle, used for serving soup
—Look at the picture at kitchen .
la .dyФ / ' leidi /noun [ count ] ( pluralla - dies )
a polite way of saying "woman" an elderly lady
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen . —Look at gentleman .
( informal ) a rude way of talking to a woman who you do not know
Hey lady, hurry up!
la • dy • bug / ' leidibAg / noun [ count ]
a small red or orange insect with black spots —Look at the picture atinsect .
laid
form of lay 1
laid-back / | leid brek /adjective ( informal )
calm and relaxed; not worried
lain
form of lie 1
lake / ьк-/ noun [ count ]
( geography ) a big area of water with land all around it Lake Erie
We went swimming in the lake. lamb / lrem / noun
Pronunciation
The word lamb sounds like ham , because we don't say the letter b in this word.
[ count ] a young sheep
[ noncount ] meat from a lamb We had roast lamb for dinner.
lame / leim / adjective
( health ) not able to walk well My horse is lame.
( informal ) not very good, interesting, or exciting This party is so lame. Let's go home.
lamp
light bulb
l_ lampshade
lamp Ф/ lsemp / noun [ count ] a thing that gives light It was dark, so I switched on the lamp.
lamp • shade / ' lrempjeid /noun [ count ]
a cover for a lamp
—Look at the picture at lamp .
land 1 Ф / lsend /noun (geography)
[ noncount ] the part of the earth that is not the ocean After two weeks in a boat, we were happy to be back on land .
[ noncount ] a piece of ground
They bought some land and built a house on it. land for farming
[count] ( formal ) a country
She returned to the land where she was born.
land 2© / lsend / verb ( lands , land . ing , land . ed )
to come down from the air or to bring something down to the ground
The plane landed at La Guardia airport.
The pilot landed the plane safely.
He fell off the ladder and landed on his back.
to go onto land or to put something onto land from a ship The Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts in 1620.
land • fill / ' lrendfil /noun [ count, noncount ]
a place where large amounts of garbage and other waste material are put into the ground and covered with earth
land • ing / ' lrendig /noun [count]
coming down onto the ground in an airplane The plane made an emergency landing in a field.
—ANTONYM takeoff
the area at the top of stairs in a building There's a telephone on the landing.
land • la • dy / ' lrend|leidi /noun [ count ] ( pluralland . la . dies )
a woman who rents a house or room to people for money land • lord / ' lrendlord /noun [count]
a man who rents a house or room to people for money
land • mark / ' lrendmark /noun [ count ]
a big building or another thing that you can see easily from far away
The Statue of Liberty is one of New York's most famous landmarks.
an important stage in the development of something The Fourth of July celebrates an important landmark in American history.
land • scape / lrenskeip /noun
[count]
everything you can see in an area of land The desert landscape is very beautiful.
land • slide / ' lrendslaid /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a sudden fall of earth, rocks, etc. down the side of a mountain
lane / lein /noun [ count ]
one part of a wide road
We were driving in the middle lane of the highway. Thesaurus
road a hard surface made for vehicles to travel on. The short way of writing "Road" in addresses is Rd. : My address is 32 Danfield Rd., St Louis. ♦ country/mountain roads ♦ Where does this road go? ♦ I live on a very busy road. ♦ Take the first road on the left.
street a road in a city or town that has buildings on one or both sides. The short way of writing "Street" in addresses is St. : 1281 Tobin St. ♦ a street map of San Francisco ♦ You can't drive down there. It's a one-way street. ♦ They live across the street from us. highway a big road that connects cities and towns: Highway 101 between Ventura and Los Angeles ♦ Take the highway to Flagstaff. ♦ There was a traffic jam on the highway.
lane one part of a larger road, marked with painted lines to keep lines of traffic separate: a four-lane highway ♦ You're in the wrong lane for turning right. avenue a wide street in a city or town. This word is often used in the names of city streets, and can be written as Ave. : 109 Fifth Ave. ♦ We stayed at a hotel on Lexington Avenue.
( sports ) a section of a swimming pool or sports track for one person to go along
He'll be running in lane 2.
a word used in the names of some streets in towns or cities
We live at 1015 Beech Lane.
The short way of writing "Lane" in street names is Ln. 100 Roberts Ln.
Ian .guage © / ъевд™а_ъ/ noun
( english language arts )
[ count ] words that people from a particular country say and write
"Do you speak any foreign languages?" "Yes, I speak French and Italian."
[ noncount ] words that people use to speak and write This word is not often used in spoken language.
lan • tern / ' lrentarn /noun [count]
a light in a container made of glass or paper, which usually has a handle so you can carry it
lap / lffip /noun [ count ]
the flat part at the top of your legs when you are sitting The boy was sitting on his mom's lap .
one trip around a track in a race
There are three more laps to go in the race.
lap • top / ' lreptap /noun [ count ]
( computers ) a small computer that is easy to carry
large © / lard3 / adjective ( larg er , larg est )
big
They live in a large house.
She has a large family.
Do you have this shirt in a large size?
—ANTONYM small
large • ly / ' lard3li / adverb
mostly
The room is largely used for meetings. —SYNONYM mainly
lar • va / ' larva /noun [ count ] ( plurallar • vae / ' larvi / )
( biology ) an insect at the stage when it has just come out of an egg, and has a short fat body and no legs
la • ser / ' leizar /noun [ count ]
( physics ) an instrument that makes a very strong line of light (called a laser beam ). Some lasers are used to cut metal and others are used by doctors in operations.
lash / 1®г /
= eyelash
las • so / ' lresou /noun [ count ] ( plurallas • sos or las • soes )
a long rope with a circle at one end, which is used for catching cows and horses
las • so verb
(las•sos or las•soes , las•so • ing , las•soed )
to catch an animal with a lasso
last 1 © / lsest /adjective
after all the others
December is the last month of the year.
—ANTONYM first
just before now; most recent
It's June now, so last month was May. I was at school last week, but this week I'm on vacation. Did you go out last (= yesterday ) night?
the last person or thing is the only one left Who wants the last cookie?
last • ly / ' lrestli /adverb finally, as the last thing
Lastly, I want to thank my parents for all their help.
last 2 © / lsest /adverb
after all the others
He finished last in the race.
at a time that is nearest to now I last saw Jim in 2009.
last 3 © / lsest / verb (lasts , last ing , last ed )
to continue for a time
The concert lasted for three hours. How long did the game last?
to be enough for a certain time
We have enough food to last us till next week.
last 4 © / lsest / noun [ count ] the last ( plural the last )
a person or thing that comes after all the others; what comes at the end
I was the last to arrive at the party. at last
in the end; after some time
She waited all week, and at last the letter arrived. —SYNONYM finally
last • ing / ' lrestig /adjective
continuing for a long time
Their trip to Niagara Falls made a lasting impression on them.
last-min • ute / |test ' minat / adjective
done or decided just before something happens or just before it is too late a last-minute change in plans a few last-minute adjustments
last name / ' i®st |neim /noun [ count ]
the part of your name that other members of your family also have
My first name's Emma, my last name's Russell. —SYNONYM family name Word building Your first name or given name is the name that your parents give you when you are born. Many people also have a middle name . Your last name or family name is the name that everyone in your family has. When a woman gets married, she usually takes her husband's last name. Her old last name is then called her maiden name , and her new one is her married name .
A nickname is a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name: His real name is Robert, but his nickname is Shorty.
late© / leit / adjective, adverb ( lat • er , lat • est )
1 after the usual or right time I went to bed late last night.
was late for school today (= I arrived late ) . My train was late.
—ANTONYM early
near the end of a time
They arrived in the late afternoon.
She's in her late twenties (=between the age of 25 and 29 ). —ANTONYM early
no longer alive; dead
Her late husband was a doctor. a late night
an evening when you go to bed later than usual
at the latest
no later than a time or a date
Please be here by twelve o'clock at the latest.
late • ly / ' leitli /adverb recently
Have you seen Mark lately?
The weather has been very bad lately.
lat .er 1 Ф / 'leiter/ adverb
at a time in the future; after the time you are talking about See you later.
His father died later that year. —ANTONYM earlier later on ( informal )
at a time in the future; after the time you are talking about I'm going out later on.
lat • er 2 / ' leitsr / adjective
coming after something else or at a time in the future The game has been postponed to a later date.
near the end of a period of time
the later part of the twentieth century
—ANTONYM earlier
lat • est / ' leitsst / adjective
the newest or most recent the latest fashions
Lat • in / ' lretn /noun [ noncount ]
( english language arts ) the language that people used a long time ago in ancient Rome Do you study Latin at school?
Lat • in adjective
Latin poetry
La • tin A • mer • i • ca / ,l®tn s ' meriks / noun
[noncount]
the parts of the American continent where Spanish or Portuguese is the main language
La • tin A • mer • i • can / ,lretn s ' meriksn / adjective
Latin American music
lat • i • tude / ' lretitud /noun [ noncount ]
( geography ) the distance of a place north or south of the line around the middle of the earth (called the equator ). Latitude is measured in degrees.
Look at longitude . , —Look at the picture at earth . lat • te / ' latei / noun [ count ]
a drink that is made by adding a small amount of strong coffee to a cup of hot milk
This cafe is too expensive. They're charging $5 for a latte!
Look at cappuccino , espresso .
the lat • ter / 6s ' lretsr /noun [ singular ]
the second of two things or people
I studied both French and German, but I preferred the latter. —Look at the former .
laugh 1Ф / lsef/ verb ( laughs , laugh . ing , laughed )
to make sounds to show that you are happy or that you
think something is funny
His jokes always make me laugh.
laugh at someone or something to laugh to show that you think someone or something is funny or silly The children laughed at the clown.
They all laughed at me when I said I was afraid of spiders.
laugh2 / lref /noun [ count ]
the sound you make when you are happy or when you think something is funny
My brother has a loud laugh.
She told us a joke and we all had a good laugh (= laughed a lot ) .
for a laugh
as a joke; for fun
The boys put a spider in her bed for a laugh.
laugh • ter / ' lreftsr /noun [ noncount ]
the sound of laughing I could hear laughter in the next room.
launch / lontf / verb ( launch . es , launch ing , launched )
to start something new
The magazine was launched last year.
to put a ship into the water or a spacecraft (= a vehicle that travels in space ) into the sky
This ship was launched in 2005.
Laun • dro • mat™ ( also laun . dro . mat )
/ ' londrsmret /noun [ count ]
a place where you pay to wash and dry your clothes in machines
laun .dry Ф / 'londri/noun [ noncount ]
clothes and sheets that you must wash or that you have washed
a pile of dirty laundry
la • va / ' lavs /noun [ noncount ]
( geography ) hot, liquid rock that comes out of a mountain with an opening at the top (called a volcano ) —Look at the picture atvolcano .
lav • a • to • ry / ' lrevstori /noun [ count ] ( plurallav . a . to . ries ) ( formal )
a room with a toilet in a public place like an airplane Where's the lavatory, please?
lav • en • der / ' lrevsndsr /noun [ noncount ]
a plant with purple flowers that have a nice smell law Ф / lo /noun( politics )
[ count ] a rule of a country that says what people may or may not do
There is a law against carrying guns.
the law [ noncou nt ] all the rules of a country Stealing is against the law (= illegal ) .
You're breaking the law (= doing something illegal ) .
[ noncount ] the rules of a country as a subject of study She is studying law.
lawn / lon /noun [ count, noncount ]
an area of short grass next to or around a building They were sitting on the lawn.
lawn .mow .er lawnmower
/ loll, 111000r /noun [count] a machine that you use to cut r"
grass \ &
law • suit / ' losut / ( also suit )noun
[ count ]
a legal argument that a person or group brings to a court of law so that it can be decided who is right and who is wrong
law .yer Ф / ¹ loysr / noun
[ count ]
a person who has studied law and who helps people or talks for them in a court of law
lay 1 Ф / lei / verb
( lays , lay - ing , laid / leid / has laid )
1 to put someone or something carefully on another thing
laid the papers on the desk. Which word?
Lay or lie?
Lay has an object: He is laying a carpet in our new house. The past tense is laid : / / She laid the baby down gently on the bed.
Lie does not have an object: He is lying on the beach. The past tense is lay : She was tired so she lay on the bed.
to make an egg
Birds and insects lay eggs.
lay someone off to stop giving work to someone, especially because there is not enough work to do The company had to lay off 500 auto workers.
lay 2
form of lie 1 ^^^
lay • er Ф AWL / ' leiar/ noun
[count ]
something flat that lies on another thing or that is between other things
The table was covered with a thin layer of dust. The cake has a layer of jam in the middle. You'll need several layers of clothing.
—Look at the ozone layer .
la . Zy Ф / leizi/ adjective ( a zi er, a zi es )
A person who is lazy does not want to work Don't be so lazy — come and help me!
My teacher said I was lazy.
making you feel that you do not want to do very much a lazy summer's day
► la • zi • ness / ' leizinas / noun [ noncount ] lb.
abbreviation of pound ( 1 )
lead 1Ф / iid / verb
( leads , lead - ing , led / led / has led ) Pronunciation
The word lead usually sounds like need .
However, when it means a soft gray metal or the part
inside a pencil, it sounds like red .
to take a person or an animal somewhere by going with them or in front of them
He led me to the classroom.
to go to a place
This path leads to the river.
to make something happen Smoking can lead to heart disease.
to have a particular type of life They lead a very busy life.
to be the first or the best, for example in a race or game Who's leading in the race?
to control a group of people Who will lead the discussion?
lead2 / iid /noun
the lead [ singular ] the first place or position in front of other people
An American runner has taken the lead. Who is in the lead (= winning ) ?
[ singular ] the amount by which someone is in front of another person
He has a lead of about ten minutes and is expected to win the race.
[ count ] a piece of information that may help give the answer to a problem
The police have a new lead on the murder case. lead3 / led / noun
[ noncount ] ( symbolPb ) ( chemistry ) a soft, gray metal that is very heavy. Lead is used to make things like water pipes and roofs.
[ count, noncount ] the gray part inside a pencil
lead .er Ф /iidor / noun[count ]
a person who controls a group of people They chose a new leader.
a person or thing that is the first or the best
The leader is ten yards in front of the other runners.
lead • er • ship / ' lidarjip / noun [ noncount ]
the state or position of being the person who controls a group of people
The country is under new leadership (= has new leaders ) .
lead • ing / ' lidig / adjective
best or most important
He's one of the leading experts in this field.
leaf Ф / lif /noun [ count ] ( pluralleaves / livz / ) ( biology ) one of the flat green parts that grow on a plant or tree
Leaves are starting to fall from the trees. —Look at the picture at plant .
leaf • let / ' lifiat /noun [ count ]
a piece of paper with writing on it that gives information about something
I picked up a leaflet on local museums and art galleries.
league / iig /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a group of teams that play against each other in a sport
the National Football League
a group of people or countries that work together to do something
the League of Nations
leak 1 / lik / verb ( leaks , leak - ing , leaked )
to have a hole that liquid or gas can go through The roof of our house leaks when it rains.
The boat is leaking.
(used about liquid or gas) to go out through a hole Water is leaking from the pipe.
leak2 / lik /noun [ count ]
a small hole that liquid or gas can get through There's a leak in the pipe.
► leak • y / ' liki / adjective ( leak - i - er , leak - i - est )
a leaky roof
lean 1 sP / lin/ verb (leans , lean ing , leaned )
to not be straight; to bend forward, backward, or to the side
She leaned out of the window and waved.
to put your body or a thing against another thing Lean your bike against the wall.
lean 2 / lin / adjective ( lean . er , lean . est )
thin and healthy He is tall and lean. Thesaurus
thin is a general word to describe a person who is not fat. It can be used with a positive, negative, or neutral meaning: He's tall and thin. ♦ She has long, thin legs. ♦ You need to eat more. You're too thin! ♦ She was looking pale and thin. —ANTONYM fat
slim is a positive word, meaning thin in an attractive way. It is often used to describe women: How do you manage to stay so slim? ♦ He put his arm around her slim waist.
skinny is a more informal word meaning very thin. It can be used with a negative meaning to describe someone who is too thin: a skinny movie star ♦ He was such a skinny kid. ♦ skinny legs/arms lean is a positive word, and means thin and healthy. It is often used to describe men: He had a lean, muscular body. ♦ He's tall, lean, and handsome. underweight describes a person who weighs less than the normal or expected amount. It is used by doctors or health professionals: She's dangerously underweight.
—ANTONYM overweight
Lean meat does not have very much fat.
leap / lip / verb ( leaps , leap ing , leaped or leapt / lept / has leaped or has leapt )
to jump high or a long way The cat leaped onto the table. leapnoun [ count ]
With one leap, he was over the top of the wall.
leap year / ' iip yir /noun [ count ]
a year when February has 29 days. Leap years happen every four years.
learn О / 1эгп / verb ( earn:, learn . ing, learnet )
Pronunciation
The word learn sounds like turn .
1 to find out something, or how to do something, by studying or by doing it often When did you learn to swim?
learned German at school.
Learn this list of words for homework (= so you can remember them ) .
to hear about something
I was sorry to learn of your father's death.
learn • ing / ' brnig /noun [ noncount ] the process of learning something
new methods of language learning
learn • er / ' 1эгпэг / noun [ count ]
a person who is learning
This dictionary is for learners of English.
lease / lis /noun [ count ]
an official written agreement between the owner of a building or land and the person who rents it I just signed the lease for my new apartment.
lease verb ( leas es , leas ing , leased )
They lease the land from a local farmer.
leash / lij /noun [ count ] ( pluralleash .es )
a long piece of leather or a chain that you attach to a dog's neck so that it walks with you All dogs must be kept on a leash .
least Ф / list / adjective, pronoun, adverb
the smallest amount of something
Sue has a lot of money, Jan has less, and Kate has the least.
—ANTONYM most
less than all others
I bought the least expensive tickets.
—ANTONYM most at least
not less than
It will cost at least $50.
although other things are bad We're not rich, but at least we're happy. not in the least
not at all
"Are you angry?" "Not in the least!"
leath .er © / 'ьъг/ noun [ noncount ]
the skin of an animal that is used to make things like shoes, jackets, or bags a leather jacket
leave 1© / liv / verb
( leaves , leav . ing , left / left / has left )
to go away from a place or a person The train leaves at 8:40.
He left home when he was 22.
We're leaving for Connecticut tomorrow.
to let someone or something stay in the same place or in the same way
Leave the door open, please.
to forget to bring something with you I left my books at home.
I can't find my glasses. Maybe I left them behind at work.
to make something stay; to not use something Leave some cake for me!
to give something to someone when you die She left all her money to her two sons.
to give the responsibility for something to another person I'll leave it to you to organize the food.
be left
to still be there after everything else has gone There is only one piece of cake left. leave someone or something alone
to not touch, bother, or speak to someone or something Leave me alone — I'm busy! Leave that bag alone — it's mine!
leave someone or something out to not put in or do
something; to not include someone or something The other children left him out of the game. I left out question 3 in the exam because it was too difficult.
leave2 / liv /noun
[noncount]
a period of time when you are away from work for a special reason
She's not working — she's on sick leave .
I'm taking a six-week leave of absence from work.
leaves
plural of leaf
lec • tureawЦ / ' lektjbr /noun [ count ]
a talk to a group of people to teach them about something She gave an interesting lecture on the history of science.
a serious talk to someone that explains what they have done wrong or how they should behave
My parents gave me a lecture about staying out too late.
► lec • ture verb
(lec • tures , lec • tur• ing , lec • tured )
Professor Sims lectures on modern art.
The police officer lectured the boys about running across
the street.
lec • tur • er AWL / ' lektjarar / noun [ count ]
a person who gives talks to teach people about a subject, especially as a job in a college My history professor is a great lecturer.
led
form of lead 1
ledge / Ы3 /noun [ count ]
a long, narrow, flat place, for example under a window or on the side of a mountain a window ledge
leek / lik /noun [ count ]
a vegetable like a long onion that is white at one end and green at the other leek and potato soup
left 1
form of leave 1
left 2 / left / adjective, adverb
on the side where your heart is in the body I broke my left arm. Turn left at the church.
—ANTONYM right
left зФ / left /noun [ singular ]
the left side or direction
To the left is the town library. The house is on your left .
—ANTONYM right
the left ( politics ) political groups who support changes in society to make people more equal
The left proposes higher taxes for the rich.
—ANTONYM the right
left-hand / ' left hrend /adjective
of or on the left
Your heart is on the left-hand side of your body. —ANTONYM right-hand
left-hand • ed / |left ' hrendad / adjective, adverb
using your left hand more easily than your right hand, for example when you write Are you left-handed? I can't write left-handed.
—ANTONYM right-handed
left • o • vers / ' left|ouvarz /noun [ plural ]
food that has not been eaten at the end of a meal and is kept to be eaten later
left -Wing / |left ' wig /adjective ( politics ) having political ideas that support changes in society to make people more equal left-wing politicians
—ANTONYM right-wing
leg Ф / leg /noun [ count ]
1 one of the long parts of the body of a person or an animal
that is used for walking and standing
A spider has eight legs.
She sat down and crossed her legs.
I heel
one of the parts of a pair of pants that covers your leg a pants leg
one of the long parts that a table or chair stands on a table leg
leg • a • cy / ' legasi /noun [ count ] ( pluralleg • a • cies )
a situation that exists because of something that happened in the past
Future generations will be left with a legacy of pollution.
le • gal © AWL / ' ligl / adjective
using or connected with the law legal advice
allowed by the law
In many parts of the U.S. it is legal to carry a gun. —ANTONYM illegal , against the law
le • gal • lyAWL / ' ligali / adverb They are not legally married.
le • gal • ize / ' ligalaiz / verb ( le • gal • iz • es , le • gal • iz ing , le • gal • ized )
to make something allowed by law
leg • end / ' led3and /noun [ count ]
an old story that is perhaps not true the legend of Robin Hood
a very famous person
He was a legend in the world of music.
leg • en • dar • y / ' led3anderi / adjective
the legendary tennis players Venus and Serena Williams
leg • i • ble / ' led3abl / adjective
clear enough to read legible writing
—ANTONYM illegible
leg • is • late AWL / ' led3asleit / verb ( leg • is • lates , leg • is • lat • ing , leg • is • lat ed )
( politics ) to make a law about something to legislate against discrimination
leg • is • la • tion AWB / ^as' leijn / noun
[ noncount ]
( politics ) a group of laws, or the process of making laws The government is planning to bring in new legislation to help small businesses.
leg • is • la • tive aw / ' led3asleitiv /
( formal )
( politics ) connected with the act of making laws
the legislative powers of Congress
leg
the legislative branch of the government
Word building
The U.S. Government
The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
leg • is • la • ture AWl| / ' led3ssleitjsr / noun
[ count ]
( politics ) a group of people who have the power to make
and change laws
the Kansas state legislature
le • git • i • mate / li ' d3itsmst / adjective
reasonable or acceptable
This program is not a legitimate use of taxpayers' money.
allowed by law
Are all of his business activities completely legitimate?
lei • sure / ' li3sr /noun [ noncount ]
the time when you are not working and can do what you
want
leisure activities
lei • sure • ly / ' li3srli / adjective
done in a slow and calm way to walk at a leisurely pace
lem .ОП © / lemsn /noun [ count, noncount]
a yellow fruit with sour (= sharp tasting ) juice that is used for giving flavor to food and drink
lemon juice —Look at the picture at fruit .
lem • on • ade / ,lems ' neid / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a drink that is made from fresh lemon juice, sugar, and water
lend Ф / lend / verb ( lends , lend . ing , lent / lent / has lent )
to give something to someone for a short time
I lent the book to Jo.
Rick lent me his car for an hour.
The bank will lend us up to $50,000.
Which word?
Borrow or lend?
If you borrow something, you have it for a short time and you must give it back: I borrowed a DVD from Alex for the weekend.
If you lend something, you give it to someone for a short time: Alex lent me a DVD for the weekend.
length © / lege /noun [ count, noncount ]
how long something is The table is two yards in length . We measured the length of the garden. The adjective is long .
— Look at the picture at dimension .
length • en / ' legesn / verb
( length . ens , length . en . ing , length ened )
to become or to make something longer I need to lengthen this skirt.
length • wise / ' legewaiz / adjective
in a direction along the length of something Fold the paper lengthwise.
length • y / legei / adjective ( length i er , length i . est )
very long a lengthy meeting
le • ni • ent / linisnt / adjective
If a punishment, or the person who gives the punishment,
is lenient , it is not as strict as you expected
The judge was too lenient. She should have gone to jail.
lens / lenz /noun [ count ] ( plurallens .es )
( physics ) a special piece of glass in things like cameras or glasses. It makes things look bigger, smaller, or clearer when you look through it.
— Look at the picture at glasses , microscope .
lent
form of lend
len • til / ' lentl/noun [ count ]
a small, round, dried seed. You cook lentils in water before you eat them lentil soup
leop • ard / ' lepsrd /
noun [ count ]
a wild animal like a big cat with yellow fur and dark spots. Leopards live in Africa and southern Asia.
le • o • tard / ' listard / noun [count]
a piece of clothing that fits the body tightly from the neck to the tops of the legs. Leotards are worn by dancers or by women in some sports.
les • bi • an / ' lezbisn /noun [ count ]
a woman who is attracted to other women ► les • bi • anadjective
a lesbian relationship
less / les / adjective, pronoun
a smaller amount of something A poor person has less money than a rich person. The doctor advised him to drink less coffee.
—ANTONYM more , —Look atleast .
leSS 2 © / les/adverb
not so much
It rains less in summer.
I'm too fat — I must try to eat less.
He's less intelligent than his sister.
—ANTONYM more , Look atleast .
Suffix
-less
( in adjectives ) not having something; without
hope less
pain less
thought less
use less
less • en / ' lesn / verb ( less - ens , less - en - ing , less - ened )
to become or to make something less This medicine will lessen the pain.
leS . SOn © / 'lesn /noun [ count ] a time when you learn something with a teacher She gives piano lessons. I'm taking driving lessons .
let© / let / verb ( lets , let - ting , let , has let )
to allow someone or something to do something Her parents won't let her stay out after 11 o'clock. Let me carry your bag.
Let the dog in (= let it come in ) . Which word? Allow or let?
Allow is used in both formal and informal English. Let is very common in spoken English. You allow someone to do something, but you let someone do something (without "to"): Jenny was allowed to stay up late last night. ♦ Her parents let her stay up late.
You cannot use let in the passive. You must use allow and to : They let him take the test again. ♦ He was allowed to take the test again.
let's used for making suggestions about what you and other people can do
Let's go to the movies tonight. Let's not go out this evening.
let someone down to not do something that you promised to do for someone
Claire let me down. We agreed to meet at eight o'clock but she didn't come.
let go of someone or something ; let someone or something go
to stop holding someone or something
Let go of my hand!
Let me go. You're hurting me!
let someone know
to tell someone something
If you need any help, let me know.
let someone off to not punish someone
He wasn't sent to prison — the judge let him off.
le • thal / ' liei / adjective
Something that is lethal can cause a lot of damage or death a lethal weapon —SYNONYM deadly
let .ter © / irtor / noun [ count ]
a piece of writing that one person sends to another person
He got a letter from his cousin this morning.
I'm writing a thank-you letter for the flowers she sent me.
( english language arts ) a sign in writing that represents a sound in a language
Z is the last letter in the English alphabet.
let•tuce / ' letas /noun [ count, noncount ]
a plant with big green leaves that you eat cold in salads — Look at the picture atvegetable .
leu • ke • mi • a / lu ' kimia / noun [ noncount ]
( health ) a very serious disease of the blood
lev • ee / ' levi /noun [ count ]
( geography ) a low wall built at the side of a river to prevent a flood
leV .el 1© / 'levl/noun [count ]
the amount, size, or number of something a low level of unemployment
how high something is
The town is 1500 feet above sea level. a beginning-level Spanish class
lev • el 2 / levl / adjective
with no part higher than another part We need level ground to play soccer on.
This shelf isn't level. —SYNONYM flat
at the same height, standard, or position The two teams are level with 40 points each. His head is level with his mother's shoulder.
lev • er / ' levar ; ' livar /noun [ count ]
a handle that you pull or push to make a machine work Pull this lever.
a bar for lifting something heavy or opening something. You put one end under the thing you want to lift or open, and push the other end.
li • a • ble / ' laiabl / adjective
responsible for paying the cost of something Is the company liable for the damage?
be liable to do something
to be likely to do something
We're all liable to have accidents when we're very tired. li • ar / ' laiar / noun [ count ]
a person who says or writes things that are not true (called lies )
I don't believe her — she's a liar. The verb is lie .
li • bel / ' laibl /noun [ count, noncount ]
the act of printing something about someone that is not true and would give people a bad opinion of him or her The actor is suing the newspaper for libel.
lib • er • al aw / ' libaral / Я
A person who is liberal lets other people do and think what they want
Kim's parents are very liberal, but mine are strict.
( politics ) supporting political and social changes to make people more equal
liberal democrats
—ANTONYM conservative
lib • er • al arts / |libaral 'arts / noun [ plural ]
subjects that develop your general knowledge and ability to think, for example history, languages, and literature
lib • er • ate awl] / ' libareit / verb ( lib - er- ates, lib - er at ing , lib - er - at - ed )
to make someone or something free
The city was liberated by the advancing army.
lib • er • ty / ' libarti /noun [ count, noncount ] ( plurallib - er - ties )
being free to go where you want and do what you want the fight for justice and liberty civil liberties
— Look at freedom .
li • brar • i • an / lai 'Ьгсйэп / noun [ count ]
a person who works in a library
И . brar .у ©/ 'laibreri /noun [ count ] ( pluralli . brar . ies )
a room or building where you go to borrow or read books
lice
form of louse
li • cense1 AWL / ' laisns /noun [ count ]
an official piece of paper that shows you are allowed to do
or have something
Do you have a license for this gun?
—Look at driver's license .
li • cense 2
( li . cens es , li
to give someone official permission to do or have something This shop is licensed to sell guns.
li .cense plate
/ laisns pleit /noun [count] the flat piece of metal on the front or back of a car that has numbers and letters on it
lick / lik / verb ( licks , lick . ing , licked )
to move your tongue over something The cat was licking its paws. ►licknoun [ count ] Can I have a lick of your ice cream?
lic • o • rice / 'l^nf/ noun [ noncount ]
a type of black candy with a strong flavor lid © / lid /noun[ count]
the top part of a box, pot, or other container, which covers it and which you can take off
—Look at the picture at tub .
lie ©/ lai / verb ( ies , ly ing , lay / lei / has lain
/ lein / )
to put your body flat on something so that you are not sitting or standing
He lay on the bed. Which word? Lay or lie?
Lay has an object: He is laying a carpet in our new house. The past tense is laid : / / She laid the baby down gently on the bed.
Lie does not have an object: He is lying on the beach. The past tense is lay : She was tired so she lay on the bed.
to have your body flat on something The baby was lying on its back.
to be or stay in a position or state The hills lie to the north of the town.
lie down to put or have your body flat so that you can rest She lay down on the bed.
lie 2 Ф / lai / verb ( lies , ly ing , liec , las liec )
AWL
/ laisns / verb . cens ing , li censed )
to say something that you know is not true He lied about his age. He said he was 16, but really he's 14. Don't ever lie to me again! A person who lies is a liar .
Me 3© / lai /noun [count ] something you say that you know is not true She told me a lie .
lieu • ten • ant / lu' te^nl / ( abbreviationLt. ) noun [ count ]
an officer at a middle level in the army or navy
life © laif /noun ( plurallives / laivz / )
[ noncount ] People, animals, and plants have life while they are alive, but things like stone, metal, and water do not Do you believe there is life after death?
Is there life on other planets?
[ count, noncount ] being alive
Many people lost their lives (= died ) in the fire. The doctor saved her life (= stopped her from dying ) .
[ count, noncount ] the time that someone is alive He has lived here all his life .
[ count, noncount ] the way that you live or the experiences that you have when you are alive
They were very happy throughout their married life . They lead a busy life .
[ noncount ] energy; being busy and interested Young children are full of life .
life • boat / laifbout /noun [ count ]
a boat that goes to help people who are in danger in the
ocean
life cycle / ' laif isaikl /noun [ count ]
( biology ) the stages of development that a plant or an animal goes through from the beginning of its life to the end
the life cycle of a frog
life • guard / ' laifgard /noun [ count ]
a person at a beach or a swimming pool whose job is to help people who are in danger in the water
life jack .et / 'lmf^sebt/
( also life vest / laif vest / )noun [ count ]
a special jacket with no sleeves that can be filled with air. You wear it to help you float if you fall in the water.
life • like / ' laiflaik /adjective
looking like the real person or thing That statue looks very lifelike.
life • style / ' laifstail /noun [ count, noncount ]
the way that you live They have a healthy lifestyle.
life • time / ' laiftaim/noun [ count ]
all the time that you are alive
There have been a lot of changes in my grandma's lifetime.
lift 1© / lift / verb (lifts , lift ing , lift ed )
1 to move someone or something to a higher position
can't lift this box. It's too heavy. Lift your arm up .
to end or remove a rule or law
The ban on public meetings has been lifted.
to go up and disappear into the air
The clouds lifted toward the end of the day.
lift2 / lift /noun
[ singular ] a feeling of happiness or excitement Her kind words gave us all a lift.
[ count ] a free trip in another person's car
Can you give me a lift downtown? —SYNONYM ride
lift • off / ' liftof /noun [ count ]
the moment when a spacecraft (= a vehicle that can travel into space ) leaves the ground
light 1 © / la it /noun
[ count, noncount ] the energy from the sun, a lamp, etc. that allows us to see things
The light was not very good so it was difficult to read. Strong sunlight is bad for the eyes.
[ count ] a thing that gives light, for example an electric lamp
Word building
A light can be on or off .
You can switch or turn a light on or off : Turn the lights off before you go to bed. ♦ It's getting dark. Should I switch the light on?
[ count ] something, for example a match, that you use to start a fire or start a cigarette burning
Do you have a light?
light 2© / lait / adjective (light er , light est)
full of natural light
In summer it's light until about nine o'clock. The room has a lot of windows so it's very light.
—ANTONYM dark
with a pale color a light blue shirt
—ANTONYM dark
easy to lift or move
Will you carry this bag for me? It's very light. —ANTONYM heavy
not very much or not very strong light rain
I had a light breakfast. ► light • ly / ' laitli / adverb She touched me lightly on the arm.
light 3© / lait / verb ( ights , light ing , lit / lit / or light ed , has lit or has ligh • ted )
to make something start to burn Will you light the fire?
She lit a candle.
to give light to something
The room is lit by two big lamps.
light bulb / ' lait Ьл1Ь /noun [ count ]
the glass part of an electric lamp that gives light
light • en / ' laitn / verb ( light • ens , light en • ing , light • ened )
to become lighter, or to make something lighter in color or weight
lighten up ( informal )
to become happier or less worried about something
light • er / ' laitar /noun [ count ]
a thing for lighting cigarettes
light • house / ' laithaus /noun [ count ]
a tall building by or in the ocean, with a strong light to show ships that there are rocks
—Look at the picture at cliff .
light • ing / ' laitig /noun [ noncount ]
the kind of lights that a place has electric lighting
light • ning / laitnig /
noun [ noncount ] a sudden bright light in the sky when there is a storm He was struck (= hit ) by lightning .
—Look at thunder .
light year / ' lait yir /noun [ count ]
( physics ) the distance that light travels in one year How many light years away from earth is the star?
lik • a • ble ( also like • a • ble ) / ' laikabl /adjective
If a person is likable , they are friendly and easy to like.
like 1© /1шк/ verb (likes , lik ing , liked )
1 to feel that someone or something is good, nice, or attractive; to enjoy something Do you like your new teacher? I don't like carrots.
like playing tennis.
—ANTONYM dislike
to want
Do what you like, I don't care. We can go whenever you like.
if you like
used to agree with someone or to suggest something "Should we go out tonight?" "Yes, if you like."
Would like
a polite way of saying "want" Would you like some coffee? I'd like to speak to the manager. Thesaurus
like to feel that someone or something is good, nice, or attractive; to enjoy something: He's nice. I like him a lot. ♦ Which shirt do you like the best? ♦ I don't like to see her cry. ♦ He didn't like it when I shouted at him. love to like or enjoy someone or something very much: I love this place. ♦ My dad loves going to baseball games. ♦ I love it when you bring me presents! be fond of to like or enjoy someone or something, especially if this has continued for a long time: We were fond of the house and didn't want to leave. ♦ We're all very fond of Mrs. Simpson. ♦ I grew very fond of Turkish food while I was living in Istanbul. adore to love someone or something very much: He simply adores his older brother. ♦ She adores working with children.
like 2 w / laik / preposition, conjunction
the same as someone or something She is wearing a dress like mine. John looks like his father.
— Look at unlike .
showing what is typical or usual for someone It's just like him to be late!
in the same way as someone or something She acted like a child.
4 for example
I bought a lot of things, like books and clothes. what is ... like?
words that you say when you want to know more about someone or something
"What's that book like?" "It's very interesting."
like • a • ble / ' laiksbl /
= likable
like • li • hood / ' laiklihud /noun [ noncount ]
the chance of something happening
There is very little likelihood of you passing this exam (= it is very unlikely that you will pass ) .
like .ly О / ¹ laikli/ adjective ( like . li . er , like . li est )
If something is likely , it will probably happen It's likely that she will agree. They are likely to be late.
—ANTONYM unlikely
like • ness / ' laiknss /noun [noncount, singular]
being or looking the same
There's a strong likeness between Dan and his brother.
like • wise AWL / ' laikwaiz / adverb
( formal )
the same
I sat down, and Molly did likewise.
lik • ing / ' laikig /noun [ singular ]
the feeling that you like someone or something She has a liking for spicy food.
lil • y / ' lili /noun [ count ] ( plurallil . ies ) a plant with large flowers in the shape of a bell
limb / lim /noun [ count ]
an arm or a leg
lime / laim /noun [ count ] a small green fruit like a lemon —Look at the picture atfruit .
Mm .it lO / 'limst /noun [ count ]
the most that is possible or allowed
There is a limit to the amount of pain we can bear. What is the speed limit (= how fast are you allowed to go ) ?
the end or edge of something They live within the city limits . off-limits
If a place is off-limits , it must not be entered The faculty room is off-limits to students.
Mm .it 2О/ 'limst/ verb ( lim . its , lim . it ing , lim it . ed )
to do or have no more than a certain amount or number There are only 100 seats, so we must limit the number of tickets we sell.
► lim • it • ed / ' limstsd / adjective
small in number or amount
We can't invite many people because space is limited.
limousine
lim • ou • sine
/ ' limszin ; ,lims ' zin / ( also informallim . o / limou / )noun [count]
a long, expensive, and comfortable car
limp 1 / limp / adjective
not firm or strong
Her whole body went limp and she fell to the ground.
limp 2 / limp / verb ( limps , limp . ing , limped )
to walk with difficulty because you have hurt your foot or leg
limpnoun [ singular ]
He walks with a limp.
line 1 © / lain/noun [ count ]
a long thin mark on the surface of something Draw a straight line.
The ball went over the line.
people or things beside each other or one after the other There was a long line of people waiting at the post office.
all the words that are beside each other on a page How many lines are there on this page?
I don't know the next line of the poem.
a long piece of string or rope Hang the clothes on the line to dry.
a very long wire for telephones or electricity The strong winds blew down many power lines. I tried to call him, but the line was busy.
a route that people or goods move along
the Philadephia to Baltimore line (= the railroad route ) Before you travel on the subway, check which line you need.
curved
dotted
vertical
diagonal
lines
straight
wavy
zigzag
parallel lines
horizontal
line 2 / lain / verb ( lines , lin . ing , lined )
to cover the inside of something with a different material The boots are lined with fur.
to stand or be in lines along something People lined the streets to watch the race. line up to stand in a line or make a line We lined up to buy tickets.
lin • en / ' linin /noun [ noncount ]
a kind of strong cloth a white linen jacket
the sheets, etc. that you put on a bed, or the cloth that you put on a table
bed linen
lin • er / lainsr /noun [ count ]
a big ship that carries people a long way an ocean liner
a bag that you put inside something to keep it clean a garbage can liner
lin • ger / liggar / verb ( lin - gers , lin - ger - ing , lin - gered )
to stay somewhere for a long time
The smell of her perfume lingered in the room.
lin • ge • rie / |lan₃a 'rei /noun [ noncount ]
women's underwear
lin • guis • tics / lig 'gwistiks /noun [ noncount ] ( english language arts ) the scientific study of language
lin • ing / ' lainig /noun [ count, noncount ] material that covers the inside of something My coat has a thick lining, so it's very warm.
— Look at the picture at sleeping bag . link1awЦ / ligk / noun [ count ]
something that joins things or people together There's a link between smoking and heart disease.
( computers ) a place where one electronic document on the Internet is connected to another one
To visit our other website, click on this link.
one of the round parts in a chain
link 2 aw Ц / ligk / verb ( links , link - ing , linked )
to join one person or thing to another
The computers are linked together in a network.
li • on / ' laian/noun [ count ]
a large animal of the cat family that lives in parts of Africa and Asia. Lions have yellow fur, and the males have a lot of hair around their head and neck (called a mane ). Word building A female lion is called a lioness , and a young lion is called a cub . When a lion makes a loud noise, it roars .
lion
mane
I i p Ф/ hp /noun [ cou nt ]
one of the two soft red parts above and below your mouth to kiss someone on the lips
-*Look at the picture at mouth .
lip • stick / ' lipstik /noun [ count, noncount ]
a substance that is used for giving color to your lips
She put on some lipstick.
liq . uid ©/ 'likwsd /noun [ count, noncount] ( physics ) anything that is not a solid or a gas. Water, oil, and milk are liquids .
liq • uid adjective
liquid soap
liq • uor / ' likar /noun [ count, noncount ]
strong alcoholic drinks
a liquor store (= where you can buy drinks like beer and wine )
list l © / list/noun [ count ]
a lot of names or other things that you write or say, one after another
a shopping list (= of things that you need to buy )
list 2© / list/ verb (lists , list ing , list ed )
to write or say things in a list
Please list the items in alphabetical order.
lis .ten Ф/ 'lisn/ verb ( lis - tens , lis - ten - ing , lis - tened )
to hear something when you are trying to hear it I was listening to the radio. Listen! I want to tell you something. Which word? Hear or listen? When you hear something, sounds come to your ears: I heard the door close.
When you listen to something, you are trying to hear it: I listen to the radio every morning. listen up
( informal )
words that you use when you want a group of people to give you their attention
Okay, listen up everyone! I have an important announcement to make.
lis • ten • er / ' lisn^ar / noun [ count ]
a person who listens He's a good listener .
lit
form o/4ight 3
li .terО / ' litar /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationl ) a measure of liquid three liters of water
lit • er • al / ' litaral / adjective
(used about the meaning of a word or phrase) original or basic
The literal meaning of "petrified" is "turned to stone." —Look at figurative .
lit • er • al • ly / ' litarali / adverb
You can't translate these expressions literally.
lit • er • ar • y / ' litareri / adjective
( english language arts ) connected with literature a literary journal
lit • er • ate / ' litarat /adjective ( english language arts ) able to read and write —ANTONYM illiterate
lit • er • a • cy / ' litarasi / noun [ noncount ] literacy programs
—ANTONYM illiteracy
lit .er .a .ture ©/ iitorotjor /noun [noncount]
( english language arts ) books, plays, and poetry He is studying 19th-century English literature.
lith • i • um / ' ЬШэш/ noun [ noncount ] ( symbol Li )
( chemistry ) a soft, very light, sliver-white metal that is used in batteries (= things that give electricity )
lit • ter 1 / ' liter / noun
[ noncount ] pieces of paper and other garbage that people leave in a public place
The park was full of litter after the concert.
[ count ] all the baby animals that are born to the same mother at the same time
Our dog had a litter of six puppies.
lit • ter 2 / ' liter / verb ( lit ters , lit . ter . ing , lit . tered )
to be or to make something messy with litter 1 ( 1 ) My desk was littered with papers.
lit .tie 1 Ф / litl/ adjective
not big
a little table
—SYNONYM small
(used about distance or time) short Do you mind waiting a little while ?
young
a little girl
my little (= younger ) brother
lit .tie 2© / litl/ pronoun, adjective
not much
I did very little today. We have very little money. a little
a small amount of something I have some ice cream. Would you like a little? I speak a little French. little by little
slowly
Little by little she started to feel better.
lit • tle3 / ' litl /adverb not much
I'm tired — I slept very little last night. a little
by a small amount; to a small degree This skirt is a little too short for me.
—SYNONYM a little bit
live 1® / liv/ verb (lives , liv ing , lived )
to have your home somewhere Where do you live?
He still lives with his parents.
to be or stay alive
You can't live without water. He lived to the age of 93.
to spend your life in a particular way They live a quiet life in the country. live on something
to eat something as your only food Cows live on grass.
to have enough money to buy what you need to live They live on $500 a week.
live up to something to be as good as you expected The restaurant didn't live up to our expectations.
live 2 / laiv / adjective
Pronunciation
When the word live is a verb, it sounds like give . When the word live is an adjective, it sounds like five .
not dead
Have you ever touched a real live snake?
If a radio or television program is live , you see or hear it at the same time as it happens
The game will be live on TV.
performed when people are watching, not recorded The club has live music every Saturday.
( physics ) with electricity passing through it Don't touch that wire — it's live!
live • ly / ' laivli / adjective ( live li er , live li . est )
full of life; always moving or doing things The children are very lively.
liv • er / ' 1гуэг / noun
( biology ) [ count ] the part inside your body that cleans the blood
—Look at the picture at body .
[ noncount ] the liver of an animal that you can cook and eat as food
lives plural of life
live • stock / laivstak /noun [ noncount ] animals that are kept on a farm, such as cows, pigs, sheep, etc.
liv • ing 1 / ' livig / adjective
alive; not dead
Some people say he is the greatest living writer.
liv • ing 2 / ' livig / noun
[ count , usually singular ] money to buy the things you need in life
How did he earn a living ?
[ noncount ] the way that you live
The cost of living has risen in recent years.
liv • ing room / ' livig rum / noun [ count ]
a room in a house where people sit together and watch television or talk, for example
liz .ard / 'brad /
noun [ count ]
a small animal that has four legs, a long tail, and rough skin
load 1Ф / loud / noun
[ count ] something that is carried The truck brought another load of wood.
loads [ plural ] ( informal )
a lot
We have loads of time.
load 2 ©/ loud / verb (loads, load ing, load ed )
to put things in or on something, for example a car or a ship
Two men loaded the furniture into the van. They're loading the plane now.
—ANTONYM unload
( computers ) to put a program into a computer Did you load the software correctly?
to put bullets in a gun or film in a cameraloaf / louf /noun [ count ] ( pluralloaves / louvz / ) bread that has been baked in one piece a loaf of bread
—Look at the picture at bread .
loan l ©/ loun/noun [ count ] money that someone lends you to take out a bank loan
loan 2 / loun / verb ( loans , loan • ing , loaned )
to give something to someone for a period of time A friend loaned me $1,000.
—SYNONYM lend
loathe / loud / verb ( loathes , loath • ing , loathed )
to hate someone or something very much I loathe modern art.
—ANTONYM love
Thesaurus
hate to have a strong feeling of not liking someone or something. This word is often used in informal English to talk about people or things that you really do not like: I've always hated broccoli. ♦ He hates getting up early in the morning. ♦ I hate the way she always criticizes me.
can't stand an expression used to mean that you really do not like someone or something. It is often used in informal spoken English: I can't stand this music. Can we listen to something else? ♦ He can't stand waiting in line for things. ♦ I can't stand her brother, can you?
dislike a slightly formal way of saying that you do not like someone or something, but not in a strong way. It is more usual to say "don't like": I have always disliked flying. ♦ Why do you dislike him so much? despise to dislike someone or something very much and have no respect for them or it: She despised any kind of gossip. ♦ He despised himself for being such a coward.
loathe to hate someone or something very much: They loathe each other. ♦ He loathed hypocrisy.
loaves
plural of loaf
lob • by1 / ' labi /noun [ count ] (plurallob • bies)
an area just inside a big building, where people can meet and wait
a hotel lobby
( politics ) a group of people who try to persuade the government to do something
the gun control lobby
lob • by 2 / ' labi / verb ( lob bies , lob • by • ing , lob • bied )
( politics ) to try to persuade the government to do or not do something
They lobbied Congress for more money for medical research.
► lob • by • ist / ' labiist / noun [ count ]
environmental lobbyists
lob • ster / ' labstar /noun [ count ]
a large animal with a hard shell and eight legs, which lives in the ocean. Its shell is black but it turns red when it is cooked.
— Look at the picture at crustacean .
lO Cal v 'loukl /adjective
of a place near you
Her children go to the local school.
a local newspaper
local government
lo • cal • ly / ' loukali / adverb Do you work locally?
lo • cateaw / ' loukeit /b
( lo • cates , lo cat • ing , lo • cat ed )
to find the exact position of someone or something Rescue helicopters are trying to locate the missing sailors.
lo • cat • edAWB / ' loukeitad /adjective in a place
The factory is located near the river.
lo • ca • tionAWL / lou 'keijn /noun [ count ]
a place
The house is in a quiet location at the top of a hill.
lock l © / lak / verb (locks , lock ing , locked )
to close something with a key
Don't forget to lock the door when you leave.
—ANTONYM unlock
lock something away to put something in a place that you close with a key
The paintings are locked away at night.
lock someone in to lock a door so that someone cannot
get out
The prisoners are locked in.
lock someone out to lock a door so that someone cannot get in
lock up to lock all the doors and windows of a building Make sure you lock up before you leave.
lOCk 2 / lak /noun [ count ]
a metal thing that keeps a door, gate, or box closed so that you need a key to open it again I heard the key turn in the lock.
lock • er / ' lakar /noun [ count ]
a small cabinet with a lock for keeping things in, for example in a school or a sports center
lock • er room / ' lakar rum /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a room with lockers in it where people can
change their clothes
My gym has a really nice locker room.
lodge1 / lad3/verb
( lodg • es , lodg • ing , lodged )
to become stuck somewhere, or to make something do this The bullet lodged in her shoulder.
lodge 2 / lad3 /noun
a small house in the country where people stay when they want to do outdoor activities a ski lodge
lodg • ing / ' lad3ig /noun [ count, noncount ]
a place where you can stay
The price includes food and lodging.
loft / loft /noun [ count ]
the room or space directly under the roof of a house My old books are in a box in the loft.
log1 / log ; lag /noun [ count ]
a thick, round piece of wood from a tree
Put another log on the fire. —Look at the picture at tree .
an official written record of something The museum keeps a log of visitors.
log 2 / log ; lag / verb ( logs , log . ging , logged )
to keep an official record of things that happen to log someone's phone calls
—SYNONYM record
log in ; log on to type your name, etc. so that you can
start using a computer
You need a password to log on.
log off ; log out to stop using a computer
Make sure you log out before you switch off the computer.
log • ging / ' logig ; ' lagig /noun [ noncount ] the work of cutting down trees for their wood the logging industry
log • icAWL / ' lad3ik /noun [ noncount ]
a sensible reason or way of thinking There is no logic to your argument.
log • i • cal aw / ' lad3ikl / v
seeming natural or sensible There is only one logical conclusion.
—ANTONYM illogical
log • i • cal • lyAWL| / lad3ikli / adverb to think about things logically
lo • go / ' lougou /noun [ count ] ( plurallo . gos )
( business ) a picture or a design that a company or an
organization uses as its special sign
You will find the company logo on all our products.
lol • li • pop / ' lalipap /noun [ count ]
a big piece of hard candy on a stick
lone . ly Ф / 'lounli / adjective ( lone . li . er , lone . li est )
unhappy because you are not with other people
She felt very lonely when she first went to live in the city.
— Look atalone .
far from other places
a lonely house in the hills
lone • li • ness / ' lounlinss / noun [ noncount ]
lone • some / ' lounssm / adjective
unhappy because you are alone
She felt lonesome after her daughter moved away.
long i© / log /adjective ( long . er / ' loggsr / long . est / ' loggsst / )
far from one end to the other Which is the longest river in the world? She has long black hair.
His house is a long way from mine.
—ANTONYM short Grammar
We usually use far only in questions and negative sentences, and after too and so : Is it far to walk? ♦ It's too far to walk.
In other sentences we use a long way : It's a long way to walk - let's take the bus.
You use long to ask or talk about how far something is from one end to the other
How long is the table? The wall is 10 feet long. The noun is length .
continuing for a lot of time a long concert
He's lived here for a long time . —ANTONYM short
4 You use long to ask or talk about the time from the beginning to the end of something How long is the class?
long 2 Ф / log / adverb
( long . er / ' loggsr / long . est / ' loggsst / ) for a lot of time I can't stay long.
How long have you been waiting?
She moved to the city long after her children were born.
My grandfather died long before I was born.
as long as ; so long as
only if
You can borrow the book as long as you promise not to lose it.
for long
for a lot of time
She went shopping but she was not out for long. long ago
many years in the past Long ago there were no cars. no longer ; not any longer
not now; not as before She doesn't live here any longer. so long ( informal )
goodbye
long 3 / log / verb ( longs , long . ing , longed )
to want something very much, especially if this does not seem likely
I long to see my family again.
She's longing for a phone call from her boyfriend.
long-dis • tance / ,log ' distsns / adjective
traveling or communicating between places that are far from each other a long-distance phone call
long-haul / ,log ' hol /adjective
connected with carrying people or things over long distances a long-haul flight
long • ing / ' logig /noun [ count, noncount ]
a strong feeling of wanting something a longing for peace
—SYNONYM desire
lon • gi • tude / land3stud /noun [ noncount ]
( geography ) the distance of a place east or west of a line from the North Pole to the South Pole that passes through Greenwich, England. Longitude is measured in degrees.
— Look at latitude . , Look at the picture at earth .
long jump / ' log d3Amp /noun [ singular ]
( sports ) a sport where you try to jump as far as you can
long-term / ,log ' tsrm /adjective
of or for a long period of time long-term planning
—ANTONYM short-term
look 1 Ф / luk / verb (looks , look ing , looked )
to turn your eyes toward someone or something and try to see them
Look at this picture.
You should look both ways before you cross the street.
to seem to be; to appear You look tired.
It looks as if it's going to rain.
3 You say look to make someone listen to you Look, I know you're busy, but I need your help. look after someone or something to take care of someone or something
Can you look after my cat when I'm on vacation? look around something to visit a place We looked around the museum.
look for someone or something to try to find
someone or something I'm looking for my keys.
look forward to something to wait for something with pleasure
I'm looking forward to seeing you again.
look into something to study or try to find out
something
We will look into the problem. look like someone or something
to seem to be something That looks like a good book.
words that you use to ask about someone's appearance " What does he look like ?" "He's tall with dark hair."
to have the same appearance as someone or something She looks like her mother.
look out! be careful
Look out! There's a car coming!
look out for someone or something to pay
attention and try to see or find someone or something Look out for thieves!
look something up to try to find information in a book
I looked the word up in my dictionary.
look up to someone to respect and admire someone
Thesaurus
look to turn your eyes toward someone or something, or in a particular direction: She looked at me and smiled. ♦ Look out the window! There's a rainbow! watch to look at someone or something for some time, paying attention to what happens: "Would you like to play?" "No thanks - I'll just watch." ♦ I only let my kids watch TV on weekends. ♦ He stood and watched as the taxi drove away.
see to watch a movie, a television program, a game, a performance, etc. With this meaning, see is not used with the -ing form, so you can say "I saw a movie" but NOT "I was seeing a movie": to see a movie/a TV program ♦ Did you see the game on TV yesterday?
lOOk2 Ф / Ink /noun
[ count ] turning your eyes toward someone or something; looking
Have a look at this article.
Do you want to take a look around?
[ count , usually singular ] trying to find someone or something
I had a look for your pen, but I couldn't find it.
[ count ] the expression on someone's face He had a worried look on his face.
ooks [ plural ] a person's appearance He has his father's good looks.
look • out / ' lukaut /noun
be on the lookout for someone or something
to pay attention in order to see, find, or avoid someone or something
loom / lum /noun
[count]
a machine that is used for making cloth by passing pieces of thread across and under other pieces loop / lup /noun [ count ] a round shape made by something like string or rope
loop • hole / ' luphoul/noun [ count ]
a way of avoiding something because the words of a rule or law are not clear or wrong a loophole in the tax law
loose О / ius / adjective ( loos - er , loos - est )
Spelling
Remember! Don't confuse loose with lose , which is a verb: We can't lose this game.
not tied or fixed
The dog broke its chain and got loose. One of his teeth is loose.
not fitting close against your body a loose white shirt
—ANTONYM tight
► loose • ly / ' lusli / adverb
The rope was tied loosely around a tree.
loos • en / ' lusn / verb (loos - ens , loos en ing , loos ened )
to become looser or to make something looser Can you loosen this knot? It's too tight.
—ANTONYM tighten lord / lord /noun
the Lord [ singular ] ( religion ) God or Jesus Christ
[ count ] (in some countries) a man who has a high position in society
Lord Fraser
lOSe Ф /1 uz/ verb ( los - es , los - ing , lost / lost / has lost )
1 to not be able to find something
can't open the door because I lost my key.
to not have someone or something that you had before I lost my job when the factory closed.
to have less of something She's lost weight.
to lose interest in something
( sports ) to not win Our team lost the game.
los • er / ' luzar /noun [ count ]
( sports ) a person who does not win a game, race, or competition
—ANTONYM winner
( informal ) a person who is never successful
loss О / los /noun ( pluralloss - es )
[ count, noncount ] losing something
Has she told the police about the loss of her car? job losses
[ count ] ( business ) how much money a business loses The company announced a loss of $5 million.
—ANTONYM profit
at a loss
If you are at a loss , you do not know what to do or say.
lost 1
form of lose
lOSt2 Ф / lost /adjective
1 If you are lost , you do not know where you are
took a wrong turn, and now I'm lost. Take this map so you don't get lost !
If something is lost , you cannot find it.
lost-and-found / |lost эп ' faund / [ singular ]
a special area where lost things are kept for the owners to collect
Look for your sweatshirt in the lost-and-found.
lot / lat /pronouna lot ( also informallots ) very much; a large amount or number of things or people We ate a lot. a lot of ; lots of
a large number or amount of things or people She has a lot of friends.
Lots of love from Jane (= words at the end of a letter ) .
lot2 © / lat /adverba lot
very much or often
Your apartment is a lot bigger than mine. I go to the movies a lot.
lot3 / lat /noun [ count ]
an area of land that is used for a particular purpose a parking lot
We're going to build a house on this lot. lo • tion / ' loufn / noun [ count, noncount ] liquid that you put on your skin hand lotion
lot • ter • y / ' latari /noun [ count ] ( plurallot . ter . ies )
a game where you buy a ticket with numbers on it. You win money if your numbers are chosen.
loud © / laud / adjective, adverb ( loud . er , loud . est )
making a lot of noise
I couldn't hear what he said because the music was too loud.
loud voices
Please speak a little louder — I can't hear you. —ANTONYM quiet out loud
so that other people can hear it I read the story out loud. ► loud • ly / ' laudli / adverb She laughed loudly.
loud • speak • er / ' laud|Spikэr /noun [ count ]
a piece of equipment that makes sounds or voices louder Music was coming from the loudspeakers.
lounge / laund3 /noun [ count ]
a comfortable room in an office, hotel, or other public place
where you can sit and relax
Let's go to the lounge to have coffee.
louse / laus /noun [ count ] ( plurallice / lais / ) a small insect that lives on the bodies of people and animals
lous • y / ' lauzi / adjective (lous . i .er,lous . i .est)
( informal )
very bad
The weather was lousy. —SYNONYM awful
lov • a • ble / ' lMdbl / adjective
easy to love a lovable little boy
love 1© /1лу/ noun
[ noncount ] the strong, warm feeling you have when you like someone or something very much
Their love for each other was very strong.
[ count ] a person, a thing, or an activity that you love Who was your first love?
[ noncount ] ( sports ) a word in the game of tennis that means zero
The score is 15-love.
be in love
to love someone
Have you ever been in love?
He says he is in love with her and they are going to get
married.
fall in love
to begin to love someone
He fell in love with Anna the first time they met. love ; love from ( informal )
a way of ending a letter to someone that you know well See you soon. Love, Peter.
love 2 © / Lvv/ verb (loves , lov ing , loved )
1 to have a very strong, warm feeling for someone
love him very much. She loves her parents.
—ANTONYM hate
to like something very much I love skiing.
I would love to go to Hawaii. —ANTONYM hate Thesaurus
like to feel that someone or something is good, nice, or attractive; to enjoy something: He's nice. I like him a lot. ♦ Which shirt do you like the best? ♦ I don't like to see her cry. ♦ He didn't like it when I shouted at him. love to like or enjoy someone or something very much: I love this place. ♦ My dad loves going to baseball games. ♦ I love it when you bring me presents! be fond of to like or enjoy someone or something, especially if this has continued for a long time: We were fond of the house and didn't want to leave. ♦ We're all very fond of Mrs. Simpson. ♦ I grew very fond of Turkish food while I was living in Istanbul. adore to love someone or something very much: He simply adores his older brother. ♦ She adores working with children.
love af • fair / ' ivv э^г / noun [ count ]
a romantic or sexual relationship between two people who love each other but who are not married
love • ly / ' lvvli / adjective ( love . li . er , love li . est )
beautiful or very nice That's a lovely dress. We had a lovely Thanksgiving. It's lovely to see you again.
lov • er / ' Lv^r /noun [ count ]
If two people are lovers , they have a sexual relationship but they are not married.
a person who likes something very much a music lover
lov • ing / ' lvvig / adjective
feeling or showing love loving parents lowФ / lou /adjective ( low . e , ow . es ) Pronunciation
The word low sounds like go .
near the ground
There was a low wall around the garden. a low bridge —ANTONYM high
less than usual low temperatures
low pay —ANTONYM high
deep or quiet a low sound
I heard low voices in the next room.
low adverb
The plane flew low over the fields.
low • er 1 / lousr / adjective
that is under something or at the bottom of something She bit her lower lip. —ANTONYM upper
low • er 2 / ' lousr / verb ( low ers , low . er . ing , low . ered )
to move someone or something down They lowered the boat into the water.
to make something less
Please lower your voice (= speak more quietly ) . —ANTONYM raise
low • er • case / lousr' keis / ( also low . er case ) noun [ noncount ]
( english language arts ) the small form of letters, for example a, b, c (not A, B, C) My e-mail address is all in lowercase.
—ANTONYM uppercase loy • al / ' loisl /adjective
A person who is loyal does not change their friends or beliefs
a loyal friend
He is loyal to the company he works for. —ANTONYM disloyal
loy • al • ty / ' loislti /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralloy . al . ties )
Loyalty to your friends is very important.
IUCk О / 1лк/noun [ noncount]
good things that happen to you that you cannot control We wish you luck in your new career.
things that happen to you that you cannot control; chance
to have good luck bad luck ; hard luck
words that you say to someone when you are sorry that they did not have good luck
be in luck
to have good things happen to you I was in luck — the store had the book I wanted. good luck
words that you say to someone when you hope that they will do well
Good luck! I'm sure you'll get the job. lUCk .уФ"/ i xki / adjective ( luck . i .er,luck . i .est)
1 having good luck
She is lucky to be alive after the accident. —ANTONYM unlucky
2 bringing success or good luck My lucky number is 3.
—ANTONYM unlucky
► luck • i • ly / ' kksli /adverb it is lucky that
I was late, but luckily they waited for me.
lug • gage / ' L\gid3 /noun [ noncount ]
bags that you take with you when you travel How much luggage do you have?
—SYNONYM baggage
Grammar
Luggage is a noncount noun, so you cannot say "a luggage" or "luggages."
If you are talking about one suitcase or bag, you say a piece of luggage : She brought five pieces of luggage with her and she was only staying for one week!
luke • warm / ,luk' worm /adjective
If a liquid is lukewarm , it is only slightly warm I had to have a lukewarm shower. Thesaurus
hot having a high temperature; (used about a person) feeling heat in an uncomfortable way: Do you like this hot weather? ♦ Be careful - the plates are hot. ♦ If you're hot, take off your sweater. warm with a temperature that is high but not very high, so that it feels pleasant; not hot and not cold: Wash the blouse in warm soapy water. ♦ It's cold outside but it's nice and warm in here. ♦ Are you warm enough? ♦ I jumped up and down to keep warm. —ANTONYM cold , cool
lukewarm slightly warm, often in an unpleasant way: The food was only lukewarm. ♦ Add half a cup of lukewarm water to the mixture. boiling ( informal )
very hot in an unpleasant way: You must be boiling in that heavy coat. ♦ Can you turn the heat down? It's boiling hot in here. —ANTONYM freezing
lull • a • by / ' Lvlsbai/ noun [ count ] ( plural lull . a . bies )
( music ) a gentle song that you sing to help a child go to sleep
lum • ber / ' kmbsr /noun [ noncount ]
wood that is used for building
lum • ber • jack / ' L\mbsrd3®k /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to cut down trees to use for wood
lump Ф / kmp /noun [ count ]
1 a hard piece of something a lump of coal Thesaurus
piece an amount of something that has been cut or separated from the rest of it. This is a very general word and can be used with most noncount nouns: She wrote her address on a piece of paper. ♦ He cut the pizza into small pieces. ♦ a piece of fruit ♦ a piece of advice
slice a thin, flat piece of food that has been cut off a larger piece: Would you like another slice of cake? ♦ Cut the meat into thin slices. ♦ a slice of lemon/tomato ♦ cheese slices
chunk a thick, solid piece that has been cut or broken off something: There were chunks of ice floating in the lake. ♦ a great big chunk of meat ♦ a chunk of cheese/bread
lump a piece of something hard or solid, especially one without any particular shape: This sauce has lumps in it. ♦ a few lumps of coal ♦ a big lump of dough slab a thick, flat piece of stone, ice, or food: a huge slab of concrete ♦ paving slabs
2 ( health ) a part in or on your body that has become hard and bigger
I have a lump on my head where I hit it.
lump • y / ' kmpi / adjective ( lump . i . er , lump i . est )
full of or covered with lumps
The sauce is lumpy. —ANTONYM smooth
lu • nar / ' lunar / adjective
connected with the moon a lunar eclipse
lu • na • tic / ' lunatik /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a person who does stupid and often dangerous things
lunch © / kntf /noun [ count, noncount ] ( plurallunch . es )
a meal that you eat in the middle of the day What would you like for lunch ? What time do you usually have lunch ?
lunch • time / ' kntftaim / [ count, noncount ] the time when you eat lunch I'll meet you at lunchtime.
lung / kg /noun [ count ]
( biology ) one of the two parts inside your body that you use for breathing
— Look at the picture at body .
lunge / bndj / verb (lung . es, lung ing, lunged )
to move forward suddenly, especially in order to attack
someone or take something
Taylor lunged for the ball.
► lungenoun [ count , usually singular ]
He made a lunge for the gun.
lurk / lark / verb ( lurks , lurk . ing , lurked )
to wait somewhere secretly, especially because you are going to do something bad
I thought I saw someone lurking behind the trees.
lux • u • ri • ous / kg ' 3urias / adjective
very comfortable and expensive a luxurious hotel
lux • u • ry / ' kkfari / noun ( plural lux . u . ries )
[ noncount ] a way of living when you have all the expensive and beautiful things you want
They live in luxury in a beautiful house in Malibu. a luxury hotel
[ count ] something very nice and expensive that you do not really need
Eating in a restaurant is a luxury for most people. Suffix
-ly
( in adverbs ) in a particular way quick ly happi ly beautiful ly
ly • ing
form of lie
lyr • ics / ' liriks /noun [ plural ]
( music ) the words of a song
One member of the band writes the music, and another writes the lyrics.
Mm
M, m / em /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralM's, m's / emz / ) the thirteenth letter of the English alphabet
"Milk" begins with an "M."
m abbreviation of meter
M.A. / |em ' ei /noun [ count ]
a second university degree that you receive when you complete a program of study at a university in an arts subject (= a subject that is not a science subject ) . M.A. is short for "Master of Arts" She has an M.A. in art history.
— Look at B.A. , M.S. , master's degree .
ma'am / mrem /noun [ singular ]
a polite way of speaking to a woman, instead of using her name
Excuse me ma'am, can you tell me what time it is? —Look at sir .
ma • ca • ro • ni / |Штекэ ' rouni /noun
[noncount]
a type of pasta (= Italian food made from flour and water )
in the shape of short tubes
macaroni and cheese (= with a cheese sauce )
ma .chine ® / ma 'Jin /noun [ count ]
a thing with moving parts that is made to do a job. Machines often use electricity a washing machine This machine does not work.
ma • chine gun / ma 'Jin gлn/ noun [ count ]
a gun that sends out a lot of bullets very quickly
ma • chin • er • y / ma 'Jinari / noun [noncount]
machines in general, especially large ones; the moving parts of a machine industrial machinery
ma • cho / matJou / adjective
( informal )
A man who is macho behaves in a strong and brave way, instead of showing that he is caring and sensitive.
mad / mred / adjective ( mad der , mad . dest )
1 ( informal ) very angry
He was mad at me for losing his watch.
Thesaurus
angry feeling or showing anger: My parents will be really angry if I get home late. ♦ She's angry about the way she was treated. ♦ Please don't be angry with me. ♦ Please don't be angry at me. ♦ His behavior made me angry . ♦ I was angry with him for breaking my phone.
mad
( informal )
very angry. This word cannot come before a noun with this meaning: He got mad and walked out. ♦ She's mad at me for being late.
furious extremely angry: She was furious with me when she found out. ♦ He was furious at her behavior. ♦ I had a furious argument with my mother last night. annoyed a little angry: She's annoyed at/with herself for making such a stupid mistake. ♦ I was annoyed to see that they had left the door open. ♦ Why are you getting annoyed ? 2 ( health ) sick in your mind a mad scientist
—SYNONYM crazy
be mad about someone or something
( informal )
to like someone or something very much Marsha is mad about computer games. He's mad about her. drive someone mad
to make someone very angry This noise is driving me mad !
like mad ( informal )
very hard, fast, much, etc. I had to run like mad to catch the bus.
mad • am / ' шж!эш /noun [ singular ]
( formal ) a polite way of speaking to a woman "Can I help you, madam?" asked the salesclerk.
—Look at ma'am .
Madam ( English language arts ) a word that you use at the beginning of a formal letter to a woman
Dear Madam...
—Look at sir .
made
form of make 1
mad • ly / ' mredli /adverb
in a wild way
They were rushing around madly.
( informal ) very much
Richard and Vanessa are madly in love .
mad • ness / ' mredms /noun [ noncount ]
being sick in your mind; mental illness
stupid behavior that could be dangerous
It would be madness to take a boat out in this terrible weather.
mag .a .zine Ф / ' mжgэzin ; |mжgэ ' zin /
[count]
a kind of thin book with a paper cover that you can buy every week or every month. It has a lot of different stories and pictures inside.
mag . ic Ф / 'тжс^к/ noun [ noncount ]
a special power that can make strange or impossible things happen
He suddenly appeared as if by magic .
tricks that someone can do to entertain people ► mag • icadjective
magic tricks
mag • i • cal / ' m®d3ikl / adjective
1 seeming to have special powers a herb with magical powers to cure disease
2 ( informal ) wonderful and exciting We spent a magical week in San Francisco.
ma • gi • cian / шэ ' d3ijn / noun [ count ]
a person who does tricks to entertain people
a man in stories who has strange, unusual powers
mag • is • trate / ' mжdзэstreIt /noun [ count ]
a judge in a court of law who decides how to punish people for small crimes
mag • ne • si • um / шжд ^!эш / noun
[ noncount ] ( symbolMg )
( chemistry ) a metal that is silver in color and burns with a bright white light
mag • net / ' mregmt /noun
[count]
( physics ) a piece of metal that can make other metal things move toward it
mag • net • ic / шжд' netik /
adjective
( physics ) having the ability to attract metal objects Is this metal magnetic?
mag • net • ism / ' mжgnэtIZэm / noun
[noncount]
( physics ) the power of some metals that makes other objects move toward or away from them
mag • nif • i • cent / m®g' nIfэsэnt /
very good or beautiful
The library is a magnificent building.
mag • ni • fy / ' mжgnэfaI / verb ( mag • ni • fies , mag ni fy • ing , mag • ni fied , has mag • ni • fied )
to make something look bigger than it really is We magnified the insect under a microscope.
mag • ni • fy • ing glass / wgmfang /
noun [ count 1 • I
(plural magnifying glass
mag ni fy ing glass • es )
a round piece of glass, usually with a handle, that makes things look bigger than they are when you look through it
maid / meid /noun [ count ]
a woman whose job is to clean in a hotel or a house
maid • en name / ' meidn neim / noun [count]
magnet
0
a woman's family name before she is married Word building Your first name or given name is the name that your parents give you when you are born. Many people also have a middle name . Your last name or family name is the name that everyone in your family has. When a woman gets married, she usually takes her husband's last name. Her old last name is then called her maiden name , and her new one is her married name .
A nickname is a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name: His real name is Robert, but his nickname is Shorty.
maid of hon • or / |meid av ' anar /noun [ count ] ( pluralmaids of hon - or )
(at a wedding) the most important bridesmaid (= someone who helps a woman on her wedding day ) My cousin Sarah was my maid of honor.
—Look at bridesmaid .
mail © / meil /noun [ noncount ]
the way of sending and receiving letters and packages Your check is in the mail.
to send a letter by airmail
letters and packages that you send or receive Is there any mail for me?
( computers ) computer messages sent by e-mail I need to check my mail.
mail 2 w/ meil / verb ( nails , mail ing , nailed )
to send a letter or package to someone to mail a package
I'll mail the money to you.
to send a message to someone by e-mail Mail me when you get to your hotel.
—SYNONYM e-mail
mail • box / meilbaks /noun [ count ] ( pluralmail - box - es )
a private box outside a house, or a hole in a door for putting letters into
a box in the street where you put letters that you want to send
( computers ) a computer program that receives and stores e-mail
mailboxes
mail car • ri • er / ' meil |kreriar /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to take ( deliver ) letters and packages to people's homes
mail • man / ' meilmren /noun [ count ] ( pluralmail - men / ' meilman / )
a man whose job is to take ( deliver ) letters and packages to people's homes
mail or • der / 'meil |Ordar / noun
[ noncount ]
a way of shopping, in which you choose the things you want to buy and you are sent them by mail a mail order catalog
main © / mein / adjective
most important
My main reason for learning new skills is to get a better job.
I had fish for the main course (= the most important part of the meal ) .
main • land / ' meinlrend ; ' meinland /noun [ singular ]
( geography ) the main part of a country, not including the islands around it
We took a ferry from the island to the mainland.
main . ly © / 'memli/adverb mostly
The students here are mainly from the East Coast. She eats mainly vegetables.
main • stream / meinstrim /noun the mainstream [ singular ]
the ideas and opinions that are considered normal because they are shared by most people
His extreme views put him outside the mainstream of American politics. ► main • streamadjective
mainstream education
main • tainaw / mein ' tein /
( main - tains , main tain - ing , main tained )
to make something continue at the same level If he can maintain this speed, he'll win the race.
to keep something working well The roads are well maintained.
main • te • nance AWL / ' meintn^ans / noun [ noncount ]
keeping something in good condition car maintenance
ma • jes • tic / ma ' d₃estik / adjective
making a strong impression because of its size or beauty a majestic mountain view
maj • es • ty / ' mred3asti / noun
[ noncount ] the quality of being very big or very beautiful
the majesty of the Grand Canyon
Majesty [ count ] ( plural Maj - es - ties ) ( formal )
a word that you use to talk to or about a king or queen Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
ma • jor 1 AWL / ' meid₃ar / adjective
very large, important, or serious There are airports in all the major cities. major problems
—ANTONYM minor
ma • jor2AWL / ' meid3ar /noun [ count ]
the main subject that you study in college Her major is chemistry.
Look atminor 2 ( 2 ).
an officer in the army
ma • jor 3 AWL / ' meid3ar / verb ( ma -jors , ma - jor - ing , ma - jored )
major in something to study something as your main
subject in college
She's majoring in chemistry.
Look at minor 3 .
ma • jor • i • ty AWL / ms 'd3orsti / noun [ singular ]
most things or people in a group
The majority of people agreed with the new law.
—ANTONYM minority
ma • jor league / me^sr ' lig /noun [ count ]
( sports ) the groups of baseball teams that play at the highest level
—Look at minor league .
make iQ / meik / verb ( makes , mak . ing , made / meid / has made )
to produce or create something They make cars in that factory.
He made a box out of some pieces of wood. This shirt is made of cotton.
to cause something to be or to happen; to perform an action
The plane made a loud noise when it landed. Chocolate makes you fat. That story made me cry. I made a mistake.
to force someone to do something My father made me stay at home.
a word that you use with money and numbers She makes (= earns ) a lot of money.
Five and seven make twelve.
to choose someone to do a job
They made him president of the company.
to have the right qualities to be something She'll make a great teacher.
to be able to go somewhere
I'm afraid I can't make the meeting on Friday.
make do with something to use something that is
not very good, because there is nothing better
We didn't have a table, but we made do with some boxes.
make something into something to change
something so that it becomes a different thing
They made the bedroom into an office.
make it
to manage to do something; to succeed She'll never make it as an actress.
make something or someone out to be able to see, hear, or understand something or someone It was dark and I couldn't make out the words on the sign. make up to become friends again after an argument Laura and Tom had an argument last week, but they've made up now.
Has she made up with him yet?
make something up to invent something that is not true
No one believes that story — he made it up!
make2 / meik /noun [ count ]
( business ) the name of the company that made something "What make is your car?" "It's a Ford."
make-be • lieve / ' meik bi,liv /
[noncount]
imagining something, or the things that are imagined Don't believe his stories — they're all make-believe.
make • o • Ver / ' meik,ouvsr / noun
[count ]
the process of improving the appearance of a person or a place
She won a complete makeover in a magazine competition.
mak • er / meiksr /noun [ count ]
a person, company, or machine that makes something a filmmaker
make • up / ' meikAp /noun [ noncount ]
special powders and creams that you put on your face to make yourself more beautiful. Actors also wear makeup when they are acting She put on her makeup .
ma • lar • i • a / ms 'leris / noun [ noncount ]
( health ) a serious disease that you get in hot countries from the bite of a small insect (called a mosquito )
male О / meil / adjective
( biology ) A male animal or person belongs to the sex that does not have babies A rooster is a male chicken.
male noun [ count ]
The males of this species are bigger than the females. — Look at female .
mal • ice / ' mrelss /noun
[noncount]
a feeling of wanting to hurt other people He sent the e-mail out of malice .
ma • li • cious / ms ' li/ss / adjective
It's not true. It's just a malicious rumor.
mall / mol / ( also shop . ping mall / 'Japig mol / ) noun [ count ]
a large building that has a lot of stores, restaurants, etc. inside it
mal • nu • tri • tion / ,m®lnu' trijn / noun [noncount]
( health ) bad health that is the result of not having
enough food or enough of the right kind of food
Some of the children were suffering from malnutrition.
mam • mal / ' mffiml /noun [ count ]
( biology ) any animal that drinks milk from its mother's body when it is young
Dogs, horses, whales, and people are all mammals.
man4P / msen /noun ( pluralmer / men / ) 1 [ count ] an adult male person
saw a tall man with dark hair.
[ noncount ] all humans; people
the damage man has caused to the environment
[ count ] any person All men are created equal.
man 2 / msn / exclamation
( informal )
a word that you say when you are a little angry, or you are
surprised, shocked, etc.
Oh man! I can't believe I forgot my keys!
Man, that's a great car!
man .age Ф / 'тжшаз/ verb
( man . ag es , man . ag . ing , man aged )
to be able to do something that is difficult
The box was heavy but she managed to carry it out to the car.
to be in charge of or control someone or something She manages a department of 30 people.
man • age • a • ble / ' m®nid3sbl /
not too big or too difficult to deal with I have a busy schedule, but it's manageable.
man • age • ment / ' m®nid3mant / noun
[ noncount ] the control of something, for example a business, and the people who work in it
Teachers must show good classroom management.
[ count, noncount ] ( business ) all the people who control a business
The hotel is now under new management .
man .ag .er © / maenidpr/noun [ count ]
( business ) a person who is in charge of a business, a store, an organization, or part of an organization He is the manager of a shoe store. a sales manager
man • da • to • ry / ' m®nda|tori / adjective
( formal )
If something is mandatory , you have to do it mandatory drug testing for athletes
—SYNONYM compulsory
mane / mein /noun [ count ]
the long hair on the neck of some animals, for example horses and lions , Look at the picture atlion .
ma • neu • ver / ma ' nuvar / verb ( ma . neu . vers , ma neu . ver . ing , ma . neu . vered )
to move to a different position using skill to maneuver into a parking space
ma • neu • ver noun [ count, noncount ]
It's a complicated maneuver that you need to practice.
man • go / ' mreggou /noun [ count ] ( pluralman . goes or man . gos )
a fruit that is yellow or red on the outside and yellow on the inside. Mangoes grow in hot countries.
ma • ni • ac / ' meinirek /noun [ count ]
a person who behaves in a wild or dangerous way to drive like a maniac
man • ic / ' mrenik /adjective ( informal )
full of activity and excitement
Things are manic in the office right now.
man • i • cure / 'mrenakyur / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a treatment to make your hands and your fingernails (= the hard parts at the end of your fingers ) look nice to have a manicure
ma • nip • u • late aw / ma ' nipyaleit /
( ma . nip u lates , ma nip . u lat . ing , ma . nip . u . lat . ed )
to influence someone so that they do or think what you want
Politicians know how to manipulate people's opinions.
ma • nip • u • la • tion AWL / ma|nipya ' leijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
man • kind / |Шжп' kaind /noun [ noncount ]
all the people in the world
man-made / |Шжп ' meid / adjective
made by people; not formed in a natural way man-made materials
—SYNONYM artificial
man • ner / ' шжпэг / noun
1 [ singular ] the way that you do something or the way that something happens
Don't get angry. Let's try to talk about this in a calm manner .
[ singular ] the way that someone behaves and speaks to other people
He has a very friendly manner.
manners [ plural ] the habits and customs of people in a particular country or culture
It's bad manners to talk with your mouth full.
man • ner • ism / ' шжпэ^кэш / noun
[ count ]
a particular way of speaking or behaving that someone has You don't look like your sister, but you have the same mannerisms.
man • sion / ' mrenjn /noun [ count ]
a very big house
man • tel / ' m®ntl /
( also man .tel . piece / ' mrentlpis / )noun [ count ] a narrow shelf above the place where a fire is in a room (called the fireplace )
She has photographs of her children on the mantel .
man • u • al1aw / ' mrenyual / e
using your hands
Do you prefer manual work or office work?
man • u • al • lyAWL| / ' mrenyuali / adverb This machine is operated manually.
man • u • al2aw щ / ' mrenyual /noun [ count ]
a book that tells you how to do something
Where is the instruction manual for the DVD recorder?
man • u • fac • ture / |m®nya ' frektfar /
( man . u . fac tures , man u . fac . tur . ing , man u . fac . tured )
to make things in a factory using machines The company manufactures radios.
man • u • fac • ture noun [ noncount ]
the manufacture of cars
man • u • fac • tur • er / m^nya ' fektfarar /
noun [ count ]
a person or company that makes something
If it doesn't work, send it back to the manufacturer.
ma • nure / ma 'nur /noun [ noncount ]
animal waste that is put on soil to make plants grow better
man • u • script / ' m®nyaskript /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a copy of a book, piece of music, etc. before it has been published an unpublished manuscript
man .y © / meni / adjective, pronoun
( more / mor / most / moust / )
a large number of people or things Many people in this country are poor. There aren't many students in my class. Many of these books are very old.
There are too many mistakes in your homework.
a word that you use to ask or talk about the number of people or things
How many brothers and sisters do you have? Take as many cookies as you want.
— Look at much .
map Ф / msep/ noun
[count ]
a drawing of a city, a country, or the world that shows things like mountains, rivers, and roads Can you find Iowa on the map ? a street map of Houston
ma • ple / ' meipl /noun [ count ] a tree that has leaves with five points, which turn bright red or yellow in the fall
pancakes with maple syrup (= the sweet liquid from this tree )
mar • a • thon / ' m®re|6an / noun [ count ]
( sports ) a very long race when people run about 26 miles
mar • ble / marbl / noun
[ noncount ] a hard, attractive stone that is used to make statues (= models of people ) and parts of buildings Marble is always cold when you touch it.
[ count ] a small, glass ball that children play with The children are playing marbles .
March О / mart/ /noun [ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationMar. ) the third month of the year
march 1 / mart/ / verb ( march • es , march • ing , marched )
to walk like a soldier
The soldiers marched along the road.
to walk through the streets in a large group to show that you do not agree with something
They marched through the center of town shouting "Stop the war!"
to walk somewhere quickly in a determined way
She marched up to the manager and asked for her money back.
march2 / mart/ /noun [ count ] ( pluralmarch • es )
an organized walk by a large group of people who want to show that they do not agree with something
a peace march—Look at demonstration ( 2 ).
a long trip made by soldiers walking together The soldiers were tired after the long march.
mare / ' mer /noun [ count ] a female horse Word building A male horse is a stallion and a female horse is a mare . A young horse is a foal .
mar • ga • rine / ' mardзэrэn / noun [ noncount ]
soft, yellow food that looks like butter, but is not made of milk. You put it on bread or use it in cooking.
mar • gin AWL / ' mаrdзэn /noun [ count ]
the space at the side of a page that has no writing or pictures in it
the amount of space, time, etc. by which you win something
He won the election by a wide margin.
ma • rine 1 / шэ ' rin / adjective
connected with the ocean the study of marine life
ma • rine2 / шэ ' rin /noun [ count ]
a soldier who has been trained to fight on land or on the ocean
mark 1© / mark /noun [ count ]
a spot or line that spoils the appearance of something There's a dirty mark on the front of your shirt.
a shape or special sign on something
This mark shows that the ring is made of silver. punctuation marks 3 a number or letter that a teacher gives for your work to show how good it is
She got a very low mark on her history test. He gets good marks in school.
—SYNONYM grade
mark 2 Ф' / mark / verb ( marks , mark • ing , marked )
to put a sign on something by writing or drawing on it The price is marked on the bottom of the box.
to show where something is
This cross marks the place where he died.
to spoil the appearance of something by making a mark on it
The white walls were dirty and marked.
to celebrate or remember an important event
The ceremony marked the tenth anniversary of the end of the war.
to look at school work to see how good it is The teacher marked all my answers wrong.
mar . ket 1Ф / 'marbt / noun
[ count ] a place where people go to buy and sell things, usually outside
There is a fruit and vegetable market here on Fridays.
[ count, noncount ] ( business ) the people who want to buy something
There is a big market for Spanish-language books in the U.S.
on the market
available to buy
This is one of the best cameras on the market.
mar • ket 2 / ' mаrkэt / verb
( mar • kets , mar • ket • ing , mar ket • ed )
( business ) to sell something using advertisements Companies spend millions marketing their products.
mar • ket • ing / ' mаrkэtд / noun
[noncount]
( business ) using advertisements to help a company sell its products
She works in the marketing department.
ma • roon / шэ ' run / adjective
having a color between brown and purple ► ma .roonnoun [ noncount ]
mar . riage Ф / 'maendj/ noun
[ count, noncount ] the time when two people are together as husband and wife
They had a long and happy marriage.
[ count ] the time when a man and woman become husband and wife
The marriage will take place at the church. —SYNONYM wedding
mar .ried © / ' mrerid / adjective
having a husband or a wife Gary is married to Helen.
—ANTONYM single , unmarried
get married
to take someone as your husband or wife Fran and Paul got married last year.
mar . ГУ Ф / macri /verb
( mar • ries , mar • ry • ing , mar • ried , has mar • ried )
to take someone as your husband or wife Will you marry me?
They married when they were very young.
marsh / mar//noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralmarsh - es ) ( geography ) soft, wet ground ► marsh • y / ' marji /adjective
marshy ground
mar • shal / ' marjl /noun [ count ]
an officer whose job is to do the things that are ordered by a court of law
He was brought into the courtroom by two federal marshals.
an important officer in some police and fire departments a fire marshal
marsh • mal • low / ' marjmelou /
[ count, noncount ]
a very soft, sweet, white food that comes in round pieces We toasted marshmallows over the fire.
mar • tial arts / |marjl 'arts /noun [ plural ]
( sports ) fighting sports, in which you use your hands and feet as weapons
judo, karate, and other martial arts
mar • vel • ous / ' marvbas / adjective
very good
I had a marvelous vacation. —SYNONYM wonderful
mas • car • a / mre' skrera /noun [ noncount ]
a substance that you put on the hairs around your eyes (your eyelashes ) to make them look darker and thicker
mas • cot / ' mreskat /noun [ count ]
a person, animal, or thing that people think brings them good luck
mas • cu • line / ' mreskyalan / adjective
typical of a man, or right for a man a masculine voice
( english language arts ) (in some languages) belonging to a certain class of nouns, adjectives, or pronouns
The French word for "sun" is masculine. — Look at feminine ( 2 ).
mash / mrej /verb
( mash - es , mash - ing , mashed )
to press and mix food to make it soft mashed potatoes
mask / mresk / noun [ count ] a thing that you wear over your face to hide or protect it a gas mask The doctors and nurses all wore masks.
a Halloween mask
mass / mres /noun ( pluralmass . es )
[ count ] a large amount or quantity of something without a clear shape
a mass of rock
[ noncount ] ( physics ) the amount of material that something contains
to calculate the earth's mass
3Mass [ count, noncount ] ( religion ) an important religious ceremony, especially in the Roman Catholic Church
She goes to Mass every Sunday.
mas • sa • cre / ' mresakar /noun [ count ]
the cruel killing of a lot of people ►mas • sa • creverb
( mas - sa - cres , mas - sa - cring , mas - sa - cred )
Hundreds of innocent people were massacred.
mas • sage / ma ' sa3 /noun [ count, noncount ]
the act of rubbing someone's body to get rid of pain or help them relax
Do you want me to give you a massage ? ► mas • sageverb
( mas - sag - es , mas - sag - ing , mas saged )
She massaged my back.
mas • sive / ' mresiv / adjective
very big
The house is massive — it has 16 bedrooms! —SYNONYM enormous , huge
mast / mrest /noun [ count ]
a tall piece of wood or metal that holds the sails on a boat
a tall pole that holds a flag
mas • ter1 / ' mrestar /noun [ count ]
a man who has people or animals in his control The dog ran to its master.
a man who is very good at something paintings by the American masters
mas • ter 2 / ' mrestar / verb ( mas - ters , mas - ter - ing , mas tered )
to learn how to do something well
It takes a long time to master a foreign language.
mas • ter • piece / ' mrestarpis /noun [ count ]
a great painting, book, movie, or play
"The Grapes of Wrath" was Steinbeck's masterpiece.
mas • ter's de • gree / ' mrestarz di|gri /
( also mas - ter's )noun [ count ]
a second or higher university degree. You usually get a master's degree by studying for one or two years after your first degree
Ted has a master's degree in education. —Look at M.A. , M.S. , bachelor's degree .
mat / mret /noun [ count ]
a small thing that covers a part of the floor Wipe your feet on the doormat before you go in. an exercise mat for gymnasts
—Look at rug .
a small thing that you put under something on a table a place mat (= that you put plates and dishes on )
match Ф / msetj/ noun ( plural match es )
[ count ] a short thin piece of wood that you use to light a fire or a cigarette
He struck a match and lit his cigarette. a box of matches
[ singular ] something that looks good with something else, for example because it has the same color, shape, or pattern
Your shoes and dress are a good match .
[ count ] ( sports ) a game between two people or teams a tennis match
a boxing matchmatch2 Ф / msetj/ verb
( match . es , match . ing , matched )
to have the same color, shape, or pattern as something else, or to look good with something else
That scarf doesn't match your blouse.
to find something that is like another thing or that you can put with it
Match the word with the right picture.
match • ing / ' mretjig / adjective
She was wearing a blue skirt and matching jacket.
mate 1 / meit /noun [ count ]
a person who lives, works, or studies with you Andrew is one of my classmates.
a roommate
( biology ) one of two animals that come together to make young animals
In spring the birds look for mates.
mate2 / meit /verb ( mates , mat ing , mat ed ) ( biology ) When animals mate , they come together to make young animals.
ma .te .ri .al Ф /шэ'ыы/noun
[ count, noncount ]
1 cloth that you use for making clothes and other things
don't have enough material to make a dress.
—SYNONYM fabric
what you use for making or doing something Wood and stone are building materials . writing materials (= pens, paper, etc. )
ma • ter • nal / ms tsrnl / adjective
behaving like a mother, or connected with being a mother
She's not very maternal. maternal love
A maternal relation is from your mother's side of the family
my maternal grandfather (= my mother's father ) —Look atpaternal .
ma • ter • ni • ty / ms ' tsrnsti / adjective
connected with women who are going to have or just had a baby
maternity clothes
I get eight weeks of paid maternity leave (= when I do not have to work ) .
math О / шж6 / noun [ noncount ] short for mathematics
He's really good at math. a math class
math • e • ma • ti • cian / _lms6ms'tijn / noun [ count ]
( math ) a person who studies or is an expert in mathematics
math .e .mat .ies Ф / nm-onm-tiks/
( formal )
( also math )noun [ noncount ]
( math ) the study of numbers, measurements, and shapes Mathematics is my favorite subject.
math • e • mat • i • cal / ,шш6 ' mretikl / adjective
a mathematical problem
mat • i • nee ( also mat . i . nee ) / ,m®tn^' ei / noun [ count ] ( plural mat . i . nees or mat .i nees )
an afternoon performance of a play or movie
mat .ter 1 Ф / maetor/ noun
[ count ] something that you must talk about or do There is a matter I would like to discuss with you.
the matter [ singular ] the reason someone or something has a problem or is not good
Julie's crying. What's the matter with her? There is something the matter with my eye.
[ noncount ] all physical substances, or a substance of a particular kind
waste matter
as a matter of fact
words that you use when you say something true, important, or interesting
I like Dave a lot. As a matter of fact, he's my best friend. no matter how, what, when, who, etc.
words that you use to say that something is always true No matter how (= however ) hard I try, I can't open the door .
I'll help you, no matter what (= whatever ) happens.
mat .ter 2 Ф / maetor/ verb ( mat . ters , mat . ter ing , mat . tered )
to be important
It doesn't matter if you're late — we'll wait for you.
mat • tress / ' m®trss /noun [ count ]
( plural mat . tress . es )
the thick, soft part of a bed
ma • tureAWL / ms ' t/ur ; ms ' tur /adjective
behaving in a sensible way like an adult
fully grown or fully developed —ANTONYM immature ►ma • tureverb
( ma . tures , ma tur ing , ma tured )
He has matured a lot since he went to college.
mauve / mouv / adjective, noun [ noncount ]
pale purple
max • i • mum AWL / ' mrekssmsm / noun
[ singular ]
the biggest possible size, amount, or number This plane can carry a maximum of 150 people. ► max • i • mumadjective
We drove at a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour. —ANTONYM minimum
May О / mei /noun [ count, noncount ]
the fifth month of the year
may © / mei / modal verb
1 a word that shows what will perhaps happen or what is possible
may go to Colorado next month. He may not be here.
( formal ) to be allowed to do something May I open the window?
You may go now. Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
may . be О / 'meibi/ adverb
a word that shows that something may happen or may be true
"Are you going out tonight?" "Maybe."
Maybe you should call him. —SYNONYM perhaps
Style
You can use maybe when you want to sound polite: Maybe you could help me with the cooking (= Please help me with the cooking ) .
may • on • naise / meia ' neiz ; ' meianeiz /noun [ noncount ]
a cold, thick sauce made with eggs and oil
may • or / ' meiar /noun [ count ]
( politics ) the leader of a group of people who control a city or town (called a council )
maze / meiz /noun [ count ]
a system of paths that is confusing, so that it is difficult to find your way out
me Ф / mi /pronoun ( pluralus /as / )
the person who is speaking He called me yesterday. Give it to me. Hello, it's me.
mead • oW / ' medou /noun [ count ]
a field of grass
meal Ф / mil /noun [ count ]
food that you eat at a certain time of the day What's your favorite meal of the day? We had a nice meal in that restaurant. Culture
Breakfast , lunch , and dinner are the usual meals of the day.
We do not usually use "a" with the names of meals: Let's have lunch together tomorrow.
meal • time / miltaim /noun [ count ]
the time at which a meal is usually eaten Our mealtimes are later on weekends.
mean 1Ф / min / verb
( means , mean . ing , meant / ment / has meant )
to have as a meaning What does "medicine" mean ?
The red light means that you have to stop here.
to plan or want to say something
She said "yes" but she really meant "no." I don't understand what you mean . We're going on Tuesday, I mean Thursday.
to make something happen
This snow means there will be no outdoor sports today.
to plan or want to do something I didn't mean to hurt you.
I meant to call you, but I forgot. It was meant as a joke.
—SYNONYM intend
to be important to someone My family means a lot to me. I mean
words you use to explain or correct what you have just said It was so boring — I mean, nothing happened for an hour! She's from Carolina — California, I mean.
mean 2 / min / adjective ( mean er , mean .est )
1 (used about people or their behavior) unkind It was mean of you to say that Peter was fat.
2 ( math ) average
Use these statistics to calculate the mean annual temperature in Los Angeles.
mean3/ min /noun [ count ]
( math ) the result you get when you add together all the numbers in a group and then divide the total by the number of amounts you added
—SYNONYM average
mean . ing Ф / 'гшпщ / noun
[ count ] what something means or shows This word has two different meanings.
[ noncount ] purpose or importance
After his daughter's death, he felt that his life had no meaning.
mean • ing • ful / minigfl / adjective
useful, important, or interesting a meaningful relationship
mean • ing • less / ' miniglas /
without meaning, reason, or sense
These figures are meaningless if we have nothing to compare them with.
means / minz /noun [ count ] ( pluralmeans )
a way of doing something; a way of going somewhere Do you have a means of transportation (= a car, a bicycle etc. ) ?
by all means
( formal )
of course; certainly
"May I make a suggestion?" "By all means." by means of something
( formal )
by using something
We crossed the river by means of a small bridge.
by no means
( formal ) not at all
I'm by no means sure that this is the right thing to do.
meant
form of mean 1
mean • time / ' mintaim / noun
in the meantime
in the time between two things happening
Our house isn't ready, so we're living with my parents in
the meantime.
mean • while / minwail / adverb
at the same time as another thing is happening, or in the time between two things happening
Peter was at home studying. Dan, meanwhile, was out with his friends.
I'm going to buy a bed next week, but meanwhile I'm sleeping on the floor.
mea • sles / ' mizalz / noun [ noncount ]
( health ) an illness that makes small red spots appear on your skin
Did you ever have the measles ?
meas . ure 1 Ф / 'mepr / verb ( meas . ures , meas ur . ing , meas . ured )
to find the size, weight, or amount of someone or something
Could you measure these windows for me?
to be a certain size or amount This room measures 15 feet across.
meas . ure 2© / 'тезэг /noun [ count ]
a way of showing the size or amount of something A yard is a measure of length.
an action that someone does in order to achieve something
The government has taken measures to resolve the crisis.
meas .ure .ment © / me3armant / noun
[count ]
the size of something that is found by measuring it What are the measurements of the kitchen (= how long and wide is it ) ?
meat © / mit /noun [ noncount ]
the parts of an animal or bird that you can eat I don't eat meat. meat-eating animals
meat • ball / ' mitbol /noun [ count ]
a small round ball of meat spaghetti and meatballs
meat • loaf / ' mitlouf /noun [ count, noncount ]
meat that has been cut into very small pieces and mixed with eggs, onions, etc. It is then formed into a long shape and baked a slice of meatloaf
me • chan • ic / ma 'krenik / noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to repair or work with machines a car mechanic
me • chan • i • cal / ma krenikl / adjective
moved, done, or made by a machine a mechanical toy
► me • chan • i • cal • ly / ma' krenikli / adverb The pump is operated mechanically.
me • chan • ics / ma 'kreniks / noun [ noncount ]
( general science ) the study of how machines work
mech • a • nism AWL / ' mekanizam / noun
[ count ]
a set of moving parts in a machine that does a particular job a car with an automatic locking mechanism
med • al / ' medl /noun [ count ]
a piece of metal with words and pictures on it that you get for doing something very good
She won a gold medal in the Olympic Games.
me • di • aAWL / ' midia /noun [ plural ]
television, radio, and newspapers
These events were widely reported in the media .
med i .cal © / medikl / adjective
( health ) connected with medicine, hospitals, or doctors a medical student medical treatment
med • i • ca • tion / medi ' keijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( health ) medicine that you take to treat an illness flu medications
Have you been remembering to take your medication ?
med .i .cine © / 'medisn/ noun
( health )
[ noncount ] the science of understanding illnesses and making sick people well again
He's studying medicine.
[ count, noncount ] a special chemical substance that helps you to get better when you are sick
Take this medicine every morning.
me • di • e • val / |mid' ivl /
( history ) connected with the years between about 1100 and 1500 in Europe a medieval castle
— Look at the Middle Ages .
me • di • o • cre / |midi' oukar / adjective
not very good
The restaurant looks great, but I thought the food was pretty mediocre.
me • di . Um © / midiom /adjective
not big and not small
Would you like a small, medium, or large Coke? He is of medium height.
meet © / mit / verb
( meets , meet - ing , met / met / has met )
1 to come together by chance or because you have planned it
met Kate in the library today.
Let's meet outside the restaurant at seven o'clock.
to see and speak to someone for the first time Have you met Anne?
to go to a place and wait for someone to arrive Can you meet me at the airport?
to join together with something The two rivers meet in St. Louis.
meet with someone to have a meeting with someone,
usually to talk about something
I'm meeting with my son's teacher today.
meet .ing © / mitin/ noun
[count]
a time when people come together for a special reason, usually to talk about something
We had a meeting to talk about the plans for a new pool.
a time when two or more people come together
Do you remember your first meeting with your husband?
meg • a • byte / ' megabait / ( abbreviationMB ) noun [ count ]
( computers ) a unit of computer memory, equal to about one million bytes (= small units of information ) —Look atgigabyte , kilobyte .
mel • o • dy / ' meladi / noun [count]
( plural mel - o . dies )
( music ) a group of musical notes that make a nice sound when you play or sing them together This song has a lovely melody.
—SYNONYM tune
mel • on
/ ' mebn /noun [count]
a big, round, yellow or green fruit with a lot of seeds inside
melt Ф / melt / verb ( melts , melt • ing , melt • ed )
to warm something so that it becomes liquid; to get warmer so that it becomes liquid Melt the butter in a saucepan. The snow melted in the sunshine.
melt • ing pot / ' meltig pat /noun [ count ]
a place where a lot of different cultures, ideas, etc. come together
New York is a real melting pot.
mem .ber © / ' membэr /noun [ count ]
a person who is in a group Is she a member of the family?
mem • ber • ship / ' membэr^Ip / noun
[ noncount ]
being in a group or an organization Membership in the club costs $100 a year.
mem • brane / ' membrein /noun [ count ]
( biology ) a thin layer that is found inside a plant, or inside a person's or an animal's body
mem • o / ' memou /noun [ count ] ( pluralmem • os )
( business ) a note that you write to a person who works with you
I sent you a memo about the meeting on Friday.
mem • o • ra • ble / ' memrebl /
easy to remember because it is special in some way Their wedding was a very memorable day.
me • mo • ri • al / шэ 'шог1э1 / noun [ count ]
something that people build or do to help us remember
someone, or something that happened
The statue is a memorial to all the soldiers who died in the
war.
mem • o • rize / ' memэraIZ / verb
( mem • o • riz es , mem • o • riz • ing , mem • o rized )
to learn something so that you can remember it exactly We have to memorize a poem for homework.
mem .O . ry Ф / 'тетэи/ noun ( plural mem • o • ries )
1 [ count ] the ability to remember things
Ruth has a very good memory — she never forgets people's
names.
[ count ] something that you remember
I have very happy memories of that vacation.
[ count, noncount ] ( computers ) the part of a computer that holds information
men
plural of man
mend / mend / verb ( mends , mend • ing , mend • ed )
to repair a hole in a piece of clothing Can you mend this sock?
men's room / ' menz rum /noun [ count ]
a room in a public building that has toilets for men to use Excuse me — where is the men's room?
—Look at ladies' room , restroom .
men • stru • ate / ' menstrueit / verb ( men • stru • ates , men stru • at • ing , men • stru at • ed )
( formal )
( biology ) (used about women) to lose blood from the body once a month
— Look atperiod ( 3 ).
Suffix
-ment
( in nouns ) the action or result of a verb
announce ment arrangement develop ment disappoint ment improve ment punish ment
men .tal © E / ' mentl /
of or in your mind mental illness
mental arithmetic (= done in your head )
men • tal • lyAWL / ' mentэli / adverb He is mentally ill.
men • tal • i • ty aw / men ' tekti /
[ count ] ( pluralmen • tal .i • ties ) a type of mind or way of thinking a criminal mentality
men .tion © / 'теп/п/ verb ( men • tions , men • tion • ing , men • tioned )
to speak or write about something without giving much information
Liz mentioned that she was going to buy a new car. He didn't mention Anna in his letter. not to mention
words you use to add something to what you have just said; and also
He has a big apartment in the city, not to mention a new house on the beach.
men • tionnoun [ count, noncount ]
There was no mention of the accident in the newspaper.
men • u / ' menyu/noun [ count ] ( pluralmen .us )
a list of the food that you can choose in a restaurant What's on the menu tonight?
Can I have the menu, please?
( computers ) a list on the screen of a computer that shows what you can do
Go to the menu and click "New."
me • oW / mi ' au /noun [ count ] a sound that a cat makes
► me • ow verb ( me .ows , me .ow . ing , me . owed )
Why is the cat meowing?
— Look atpurr .
mer • chan • dise / ' martfandaiz / [noncount] ( formal )
things that are for sale
We have a wide selection of merchandise.
mer • chant / ' mart/ant /noun [ count ]
( business ) a person who buys and sells things, especially from and to other countries She's a wine merchant.
mer • cu • ry / ' markyari /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolHg )
a silver, liquid metal
mer • cy / ' marsi /noun [ noncount ]
being kind and not hurting someone who has done wrong
The prisoners begged for mercy.
be at the mercy of someone or something
to have no power against someone or something that is strong
Farmers are at the mercy of the weather.
mere / mir / adjective
only; not more than
She was a mere child when her parents died.
mere • ly / ' mirli /adverb ( formal )
only
I don't want to buy the book — I am merely asking how much it costs.
—SYNONYM just
merge / mard3 /verb
( merg es , merg . ing , merged )
to join together with something else
Three small companies merged into one large one.
mer • it1 / ' merat /noun [ count ]
the thing or things that are good about someone or something
What are the merits of this plan? mer • it2 / ' merat / verb ( mer its , mer it . ing , mer it . ed )
( formal )
to be good enough for something
This suggestion merits further discussion.
—SYNONYM deserve
mer • maid / ' marmeid /noun [ count ]
a woman in stories who has a fish's tail and lives in the ocean
mer • ry / ' meri / adjective ( mer ri . er , mer . ri est )
happy
Merry Christmas!
mer • ry-go-round / meri gou raund /noun [ count ]
a big, round machine with models of animals or cars on it. Children can ride on it as it turns.
—SYNONYM carousel mess lC / mes / noun [ noncount ]
a lot of things that are not organized or neat, and that may be dirty
My bedroom is in a real mess . Don't make a mess in the kitchen.
a person or thing that is not neat and clean My hair is a mess!
a difficult situation
She's in a terrible mess — she has no money and nowhere to live.
mess 2 / mes / verb ( mess . es , mess . ing , messed )
mess around to behave in a silly way Stop messing around and finish your work!
mess something up
to make something dirty or not neat Don't mess my hair up!
to do something badly or to spoil something
The bad weather messed up our plans for the weekend.
mes . sage © / 'mes^/ noun [ count ]
words that one person sends to another
Could you give a message to Carl, please?
Mr. Willis is not here right now. Can I take a message ?
mes • sen • ger / ' mesand3ar / noun [ count ]
a person who brings a message
mess .уф / mesi/ adjective ( mess . i . er , mess i . est )
dirty or not neat a messy kitchen
making you or something dirty or not neat Painting is a messy job.
met
form of meet
met .al Ф / 'metl/ noun [ count ]
( chemistry ) a solid substance that is usually hard and shiny, such as iron, silver, or gold This chair is made of metal. a metal box
me • tal • lic / ma ' trelik / adjective
( chemistry ) looking like metal or making a noise like one piece of metal hitting another metallic paint
met • a • mor • pho • sis / meta ' morfasas /
noun [ count ]
( plural met . a . mor . pho . ses / meta 'morfasiz / ) ( formal )
( biology ) a complete change of form, as part of a body's natural development
the metamorphosis of a tadpole into a frog
met • a • phor / ' metafor /noun [ count, noncount ]
( english language arts ) a word or phrase that is used to describe something by comparing it to something else "She has a heart of stone" is a metaphor.
— Look at simile .
► met • a • phor • i • cal / meta ' forikl / adjective
metaphorical language
me • te • or / ' mitiar /noun [ count ]
a small piece of rock in space that makes a bright line in the sky when it travels near the earth
me • te • or • ol • o • gy / ,mitis ' ralsd3i / noun
[ noncount ]
( general science ) the study of weather and climate
me • ter / ' mitsr /noun [ count ]
( abbreviationm ) a measure of length. There are 100 centimeters , or around 39 inches, in a meter
The wall is eight meters long.
a machine that measures or counts something an electricity meter
meth .od О E Щ / ' me6sd/ noun [ count ]
a way of doing something
What is the best method of cooking beef?
me • thod • i • cal Iaw / ms ' 6adikl /
doing things in an organized and careful way Paul is a methodical worker.
meth • od • o • log • y Iaw / |me6s ' dalsd3i /
noun [ count, noncount ] ( plural meth od . o . log . ies )
a way of doing something that is based on particular ideas and methods
language teaching methodologies
met • ric / ' metrik / adjective
using the system of meters, grams, and liters (the metric system ) to measure things
met • ro • pol • i • tan / l metrs palstn /
adjective
connected with a large city
the Detroit metropolitan area (= the city and the area around it )
mg
abbreviation of milligram
mice
plural of mouse
mi • cro • chip / ' maikroutjip /noun [ count ]
( computers ) a very small thing inside a computer or a machine that makes it work
mi • cro • phone / ' maikrsfoun / ( also informal mike / maik / )noun [ count ]
a piece of electrical equipment that makes sounds louder or records them so you can listen to them later
mi .cro .scope
/ maikrsskoup /noun [ count ]
( general science ) a piece of equipment with special glass in it that makes very small things look much bigger We looked at the hair under a microscope .
mi • cro • scop • ic / imaikrs ' skapik / adjective
so small that you cannot see it without a microscope microscopic organisms
mi • cro • wave / ' maikrsweiv /
( also mi . cro . wave ov . en / |maikrs weiv ' Avsn / )noun [ count ]
a type of oven that cooks or heats food very quickly using electric waves
mi • cro • wave verb ( mi .cro waves , mi cro . wav . ing , mi . cro waved )
to cook or heat something in a microwave Prefix
mid-
( used with nouns ) in the middle of a mid afternoon snack It exploded in mid air.
the Mid west (= the northern central part of the U.S. ) the mid- eighteenth century
mid • day / mid ' dei /noun [ noncount ]
twelve o'clock in the day We met at midday .
—SYNONYM noon , Look at midnight .
mid .die Ф / 'midl/noun [ singular ]
the part that is the same distance from the sides, edges, or ends of something
A peach has a pit in the middle .
the time after the beginning and before the end The phone rang in the middle of the night.
be in the middle of doing something
to be busy doing something
I can't talk to you now — I'm in the middle of cooking dinner.
mid • dle adjective
There are three houses, and ours is the middle one.
mid • dle-aged / ,midl ' eid3d / adjective
not old and not young; between the ages of around 40 and 60
a middle-aged man
the Mid • dle Ag • es / 6s ,midl ' eid3iz / noun
[ plural ]
( history ) the years between about 1100 and 1500 in Europe
Look at medieval .
the mid • dle class / 6s ,midl ' klres /
[ singular ]
the group of people in a society who are neither very rich
nor very poor, and which includes business and
professional people
tax benefits for the middle class
mid • dle-class / ,midl ' kl®s / adjective
students from middle-class families
Look at the upper class , the working class .
the Mid • dle East / 6s midl ' ist / noun
[ singular ]
( geography ) the group of countries in S.W. Asia and N.E. Africa
Look at the Far East .
mid • dle name / ' midl neim /noun [ count ]
a name that comes between your first name and your family name
Word building
Your first name or given name is the name that your parents give you when you are born. Many people also have a middle name . Your last name or family name is the name that everyone in your family has. When a woman gets married, she usually takes her husband's last name. Her old last name is then called her maiden name , and her new one is her married name .
A nickname is a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name: His real name is Robert, but his nickname is Shorty.
mid • dle school / ' midlskul /noun [ count ]
a school for children between the ages of about 11 and 14 Word building
In the U.S., children start elementary school when they are 5. The first year of this is called kindergarten
When children are around 11 years old, they move to middle school (or junior high school ), and when they reach the age of around 14, they start high school .
Each year of school is called a grade . When a child is around 6 years old they are in first grade , and the last year of high school is the twelfth grade .
mid .night © / ' midnait /noun [ noncount ]
twelve o'clock at night We left the party at midnight .
—Look at midday .
mid • Way / |mid ' wei /adverb
in the middle
Our farm is midway between Lincoln and Omaha. —SYNONYM halfway
the Mid • West / бэ |mid' west /noun [singular]
( geography ) the northern central part of the U.S. I grew up in the Midwest.
mid • Wife / ' midwaif /noun [ count ] ( pluralmid • wives / ' midwaivz / )
( health ) a person whose job is to help women give birth to babies
might © / mait / modal verb
a word that shows what will perhaps happen or what is possible
Don't run, because you might fall.
"Where's Anne?" "I don't know — she might be in the kitchen."
used as the form of "may" when you repeat later what someone has said
He said he might be late (=his words were "I may be late" ).
( formal ) a word that you use to suggest something in a polite way
You might want to call him first. Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
might • y / ' maiti / adjective ( might • i • er , might • i • est )
( formal )
very great, strong, or powerful
He hit him with a mighty blow across his shoulder.
mi • graine / 'maigrein / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( health ) a very bad pain in your head that makes you feel sick
mi • grantAWL / ' maigrant /noun [ count ]
a person who goes to another area or another country to find work
migrant farm workers
mi • grateaw / ' maigreit /
( mi • grates , mi • grat • ing , mi • grat • ed )
( biology ) (used about animals and birds) to move from one part of the world to another every year
(used about large numbers of people) to go to live and work in another place
► mi • gra • tion AWLl / mai ' greijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the annual migration of the reindeer
mi • gra • to • ry AWB / ' maigra|tori / adjective
( biology ) (used about animals and birds) moving from one part of the world to another every year migratory birds
mike / maik /noun [ count ] ( informal ) = microphone
mild / maild / adjective ( mild er , mild • est )
not strong; not very bad a mild illness
a mild winter
(used about food) not having a strong flavor This cheese has a mild taste.
mile © / mail / noun
[ count ] a measure of length, equal to 1.6 kilometers. There are 1,760 yards, or 5,280 feet , in a mile
We live three miles from the ocean.
miles [ plural ] a long way We've already walked for miles .
mile • age / ' mailid3 /noun [ count, noncount ]
the distance that a vehicle has traveled, measured in miles The car is five years old, but it has very low mileage.
mile • stone / mailstoun /noun [ count ]
a very important event in the development of something Finally passing the exam was a real milestone for her.
mil • i • tar • y 1 AWL / ' mib|teri / adjective
connected with soldiers or the army, navy, etc. a military camp military action
mil • i • tar • y 2 AWL / ' mib|teri / noun [ singular ] the military
a country's soldiers who fight on land, on water, or in the air
Our son is in the military . to join the military
—SYNONYM the armed forces
milk © / milk /noun [ noncount ]
the white liquid that a mother makes in her body to give to
her baby. People drink the milk of cows and some other
animals
Do you want milk in your coffee?
milk 2 / milk / verb ( milks , milk - ing , milked )
to take milk from a cow or another animal
milk . shake / 'mdkjeik /
noun [ count, noncount ]
a drink made of milk with the flavor of chocolate or fruit added to it a strawberry milkshake
milk • y / ' milki / adjective ( milk - i - er , milk i est )
with a lot of milk in it milky coffee
the Milk • y Way / 6a miiki wei / noun
[ singular ]
the system of stars that contains our sun and its planets, seen as a band of light in the night sky
mill / mil /noun [ count ]
a building where a machine makes flour from grain —Look atwindmill .
( business ) a factory where one material is made, for example cloth or paper
a paper mill
mil • len • ni • um / ma 'leniam / noun [ count ] (plural mil - len ni - a / ma 'lenia / or mil len - ni - ums) Spelling
Remember! You spell millennium with LL and NN .
a period of a thousand years
mil • li • gram / ' milagrrem / ( abbreviationmg ) noun [ count ]
a measure of weight. There are 1,000 milligrams in a gram .
mil • li • li • ter / 'milalitar /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationml )
a measure of liquid. There are 1,000 milliliters in a liter . mil • li • me • ter / ' milamitar / ( abbreviationmm )noun [ count ]
a measure of length. There are 1,000 millimeters in a
meter
60 mm
mil .lion © / ' milyan / 1 1,000,000; one thousand thousand About 4 million people live in this city . Grammar
Be careful! When you use million with a number, don't add an "s": six million dollars If there is no number mentioned, then add an "s": millions of dollars
2 millions
( informal ) a lot
I have millions of things to do.
mil • lionth / ' milyan6 / pronoun, adjective, pronoun, noun [ count ]
1,000,000th
Our millionth customer will receive a prize. three millionths of a second
mil • lion • aire / miiya' ner / noun [ count ]
a person who has more than one million dollars; a very rich person
mime / maim /noun [ count, noncount ] a way of telling a story or telling someone something by moving your face, hands, and body without speaking The show is a combination of dance and mime.
mimeverb ( mimes , mim - ing , mimed ) He mimed that he was hungry.
mim • ic / ' mimik /
( mim - ics , mim ick - ing , mim icked ) verb
to copy the way someone moves and speaks in order to
entertain people
►mim • ic noun [ count ]
Sally's a great mimic.
min.
abbreviation of minute
mince / mins / verb ( minc - es , minc - ing , minced )
to cut food into very small pieces Mince the onions.
mind ч'-¹/ maind /noun [ count ] the part of you that thinks and remembers He has a very quick mind. be or go out of your mind
( informal )
to be or become crazy
Where were you? I was going out of my mind with worry. change your mind
to have an idea, then decide to do something different I planned a vacation in California and then changed my mind and went to Texas.
have something on your mind
to be worried about something I have a lot on my mind right now. make up your mind
to decide something
Should I buy the blue shirt or the red one? I can't make up my mind.
mind 2 Ф / maind / verb ( minds , mind - ing , mind - ed )
to feel unhappy or angry about something Do you mind if I sit here? I don't mind the heat at all. do you mind ...? ; would you mind ...? please could you...?
It's cold — would you mind closing the window?
never mind
don't worry; it doesn't matter
"I forgot your book." "Never mind, I don't need it today."
m i ne 1 © / main / pronoun something that belongs to me That bike is mine. Are those books mine or yours?
mine2 / main /noun [ count ]
a very big hole in the ground, where people work to get things like silver or gold
a coal mine
a bomb that is hidden under the ground or under water mineverb ( mines , min ing , mined )
Diamonds are mined in South Africa.
min • er / ' mai^r /noun [ count ]
a person who works in a mine
min • er • al / 'штэгэ1 /noun [ count ]
Minerals are things like gold, salt, or oil that come from the ground and that people use.
min • er • al wa • ter / ' штэгэ1 ^э1эг / noun
[ noncount ]
water with minerals in it, which comes from the ground a bottle of mineral water
min • gle / ' miggl / verb ( min • gles , min • gling , min • gled )
to mix with other things or people The colors mingled together to make brown. Police officers mingled with the crowd. Prefix
mini-
( in nouns ) very small a mini bus a mini skirt
min • i • a • ture / ' mimtjur / adjective
very small; much smaller than usual a miniature railroad
min • i • mal aw / ' штэшэ1 / ve
very small in amount
The project has minimal support.
min • i • mize AWL / ' mimmaiz / verb ( min • i • miz • es , min • i • miz • ing , min • i • mized )
to make something as small as possible We want to minimize the risk to the public.
min • i • mum awl| / ' штэшэш / noun
[ singular ]
the smallest size, amount, or number that is possible We need a minimum of six people to play this game. ► min • i • mumadjective
What is the minimum age for leaving school in your country? —ANTONYM maximum
min • i • mum wage / штэшэш 'weid3 /
noun [ singular ]
the lowest amount of money that you can legally be paid for an hour of work
He works in a gas station earning minimum wage.
min • i • skirt / ' mmiskэrt /noun [ count ]
a very short skirt
min • is • ter / ' mmэstэr /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a religious leader in some Christian churches
( politics ) one of the most important people in the government in some countries
the Minister of Education
min • is • tryAWL / ' mimstri /noun [ count ] ( pluralmin • is • tries )
( politics ) (in some countries) a part of the government that controls one special thing the Ministry of Finance
mi • nor 1 AWL / ' mamgr / adjective
not very big or important
Don't worry — it's only a minor problem.
a minor road —ANTONYM major
mi • nor2AWL / ' mai^r /noun [ count ]
a person who is not old enough to do something legally She was arrested for selling alcohol to minors.
a subject that you study in college, but not as your main subject
Matthew majored in history, with a minor in Italian. —Look at major 2 ( 1 ).
mi • nor 3 AWL / ' main8r / verb ( mi • nors , mi nor • ing , mi • nored )
minor in something to study something in college, but not as your main subject
Maggie majored in economics and minored in psychology. —Look at major 3 .
mi • nor • i • ty AWL| / шэ 'noreti / noun ( plural mi nor • i ties )
[ singular ] the smaller part of a group Only a minority of the students speak English.
—ANTONYM majority
[ count ] a small group of people who are of a different race or religion from most of the people where they live ethnic minorities
mi • nor league / ^тэг ' iig / noun [ count ]
( sports ) the groups of baseball teams that do not play at the highest level
He played in the minor league for three years. — Look at major league .
mint / mint /noun
[ noncount ] a small plant with a strong fresh taste and smell, which you put in food and drinks
mint tea
[ count ] a candy made from this plant Would you like a mint?
mi • nus 1 / ' main8s / preposition
( math ) less; when you take away Six minus two is four (6 - 2 = 4) .
—ANTONYM plus
below zero
The temperature will fall to minus ten degrees. mi • nus2 / ' main8s / adjective
( math ) lower than zero a minus number
(used after a letter grade on students' work) a little lower than
I got an A minus (= A- ) on the test. —ANTONYM plus
mi • nus3 / ' mai^s /noun [ count ] ( pluralmi .nus • es )
( also mi . nus sign / ' mai^s sain / ) ( math ) the symbol ( - ), which is used to show that a number is below zero or that you should take the second number away from the first
a disadvantage
Let's consider the pluses and minuses of moving out of the city.
^ANTONYM plus
mi .nute 1©/'minst/ломя [count]
( abbreviationmin. ) a measure of time. There are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour
It's nine minutes after six. The train leaves in ten minutes .
a short time
Just a minute — I'll get my coat.
Do you have a minute? I'd like to talk to you.
—SYNONYM moment
in a minute
very soon
I'll be ready in a minute. the minute
as soon as
Call me the minute you arrive.
mi • nute2 / mai ' nut /adjective
very small
I can't read his writing — it's minute. —SYNONYM tiny
mir • a • cle / ' mirskl/ noun [ count ]
a wonderful and surprising thing that happens and that you cannot explain
It's a miracle that he wasn't killed.
mi • rac • u • lous / ms ' rrekyslss /
wonderful and surprising a miraculous escape
► mi • rac • u • lous • ly / ms ' rrekyslssli / adverb Miraculously, no one was hurt.
mir . ГОГ Ф / ¹ mirsr / noun [ count ]
a piece of special glass where you can see yourself
Look in the mirror.
Prefix
mis-
( in verbs and nouns ) bad or wrong; in a bad way or in the wrong way to mis behave to mis understand a mis understanding
mis • be • have / , misbi heiv / verb ( mis . be . haves, mis . be . hav ing, mis . be . haved )
to behave badly
Children who misbehaved were punished. —ANTONYM behave
mis • cel • la • ne • ous / ,miss ' leiniss /
( abbreviation misc. ) adjective
consisting of many different types or things a box of miscellaneous items for sale
mis • chief / ' mistfsf /noun [ noncount ]
bad behavior that is not very serious Don't get into mischief while I'm out!
mis • chie • vous / ' mist/svss /adjective A mischievous child likes to behave badly, but not in a serious way
He gave a mischievous grin. —SYNONYM naughty mis • er • a • ble / mizsrsbl / adjective
1 feeling very sad
waited in the rain for an hour, feeling cold, wet, and miserable.
making you feel sad miserable weather mis • er • y / ' mizsri /noun [noncount]
a strong feeling of sadness, pain etc. the misery of war
mis • for • tune / ,mis 'fortjsn / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( formal )
something bad that happens; bad luck He has known great misfortune.
mis • lead / ,mis ' lid /verb
( mis . leads, mis . lead . ing, mis led , has mis . led )
to make someone believe something that is not true You misled me when you said you could give me a job. ► mis • lead • ing / ,mis ' lidig /adjective
a misleading advertisement
mis • print / ' misprint /noun [count]
a mistake in printing or typing —Look attypo .
Miss О / mis /noun
a word that you use before the name of a girl or woman who is not married Dear Miss Smith,... Grammar
Miss , Mrs. , Ms. and Mr. are all titles that we use in front of someone's family name. You do not use these titles in front of a person's first name, unless it is included with the family name: Is there a Miss (Susan) Hudson here? ♦ Hello, Miss Hudson, come this way (NOT Miss Susan ).
miss 1 Ф / mis / verb ( miss . es , miss . ing , missed )
1 to not hit or catch something
tried to hit the ball, but I missed.
to not see or hear something
You missed a good program on TV last night.
Our house is the one on the corner — you can't miss it.
to be too late for a train, bus, airplane, or boat I just missed my bus.
—ANTONYM catch
to feel sad about someone or something that has gone I'll miss you when you leave.
miss out to not have a chance to have or do something You'll miss out on all the fun if you stay home!
miss2 / mis /noun [ count ] ( pluralmiss .es )
( sports ) a failure to hit, catch, or reach something you are trying to hit, catch, or reach
After several misses, he finally managed to hit the target. —Look at catch 2 ( 1 ).
mis • sile / ' misl /noun [ count ]
a powerful weapon that can be sent long distances through the air and then explodes
nuclear missiles
a thing that you throw at someone to hurt them
mis .sing © / 'misir)/ adjective
lost, or not in the usual place
The police are looking for the missing child.
My bag is missing. Have you seen it?
mis • sion / ' mijn /noun [ count ]
a trip to do a special job
They were sent on a mission to the moon.
mis • sion • ar • y / ' mifa|neri / noun [ count ] ( plural mis - sion - ar - ies )
( religion ) a person who goes to another country to teach people about a religion
mis • spell / mis ' spei / verb
( mis - spells , mis - spell - ing , mis - spelled )
( english language arts ) to use one or more wrong letters
when you are writing a word
People often misspell the word "embarrassed."
mist / mist /noun [ count, noncount ] thin clouds near the ground that are difficult to see through Early in the morning, the fields were covered in mist. ► mist • yadjective ( mist - i - er , mist i - est )
a misty morning
mis .take 1©/ mi steik / noun
[ count ]
something that you think or do that is wrong You made a lot of spelling mistakes in this letter. It was a mistake to go by bus — the trip took two hours! Which word? Mistake or fault? When you make a mistake you do something wrong: Try not to make any mistakes on your exam. If you do something bad it is your fault : It's my fault we 're late. I lost the tickets. by mistake
when you did not plan to do it Sorry, I took your book by mistake.
mis • take 2 / mi steik / verb ( mis takes , mis - tak - ing , mis - took / mi ' stuk / has mis - tak - en / mi ' steikan / )
to think that someone or something is a different person or thing
I'm sorry — I mistook you for my cousin.
mis • tak • en / mi ' steikan / adjective
wrong
I said she was 25 but I was mistaken — she's 27. a case of mistaken identity (= when people think that a person is someone else ) Thesaurus
wrong not right or correct; (used about a person) not right about someone or something: I'm afraid that's the wrong answer. ♦ He was driving on the wrong side of the road. ♦ That picture is the wrong way around . ♦ We were wrong about her - she's actually very kind. —ANTONYM right
false (used about facts) not true or correct: A whale is a fish. True or false ? ♦ She gave false information to the insurance company. —ANTONYM true
incorrect wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes. This word is a little formal: an incorrect spelling ♦ Incorrect answers should be marked with a cross.
—ANTONYM correct
mistaken (used about a person) wrong in your opinion or judgment: I thought I saw Jackie sitting over there, but I must have been mistaken. ♦ It was a case of mistaken identity (= people thought that a particular person was someone else ) .
—ANTONYM right , correct
inaccurate (used about something such as a newspaper report, a map, etc.) wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes: an inaccurate statement ♦ All the maps we had were completely inaccurate. ♦ The report was badly researched and inaccurate. —ANTONYM accurate
mis • treat / mis ' trit /verb
( mis - treats , mis treat ing , mis - treat - ed )
to be cruel to a person or an animal
mis • un • der • stand / misAndar' strend /
verb (mis un - der - stands, mis - un - der - stand - ing,
mis - un der - stood / misAndar' stud / has mis - un der - stood )
to not understand something correctly I'm sorry, I misunderstood what you said.
mis • un • der • stand • ing
/ misAndar ' strendig /noun [ count ] a situation in which someone does not understand something correctly
I think there's been a misunderstanding . I ordered two tickets, not four.
mit • ten / ' mitn/noun [ count ]
a thing that you wear to keep your hand warm. It has one part for your thumb and another part for your other fingers.
—Look at the picture at glove .
mix © / miks/ verb ( mix es , mix ing , mixed )
to put different things together to make something new Mix yellow and blue paint together to make green.
to join together to make something new Oil and water don't mix.
to be with and talk to other people
In my job, I mix with a lot of different people.
mix someone or something up to think that one
person or thing is a different person or thing
People often mix Mark up with his brother.
mix something up to put something in the wrong order
or place; Don't mix up my papers!
mixed / mikst / adjective
containing different kinds of people or things a mixed salad
mix • er / ' miksar /noun [ count ]
a machine that mixes things together a cement mixer
mix .ture ©/ 'mikstjbr/noun [count, noncount]
something that you make by mixing different things together
Air is a mixture of gases. a cake mixture
mix-up / ' miks Ap /noun [ count ]
a confused situation, usually because someone has made a mistake
There was a mix-up with the airline, and we got booked on the wrong flight.
ml abbreviation of milliliter
mm abbreviation of millimeter
moan / moun / verb ( moans , moan - ing , moaned )
1 to make a long, sad sound when you are hurt or very unhappy
He was moaning with pain.
2 ( informal ) to talk a lot about what is wrong about something
He's always moaning about the weather. —SYNONYM complain
► moan noun [ count ]
I heard a loud moan.
mob / mab /noun [ count ]
a big, noisy group of people who are shouting or fighting
mo • bile / moubl / adjective
able to move easily from place to place A mobile library visits my neighborhood every week.
mo .bile home mobile home
/ ,тоиЫ Ъоит /noun [count]
a small building for people to live in. It is made in a factory and can be moved with a truck.
—SYNONYM trailer
mock / mak / verb ( mocks, mock • ing, mocked )
( formal )
to laugh at someone or something in an unkind way The other children mocked her old-fashioned clothes.
mod • al verb / ' moudl vэrb / ( also mod al ) noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a verb, for example "might," "can," or "must," which you use with another verb Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
modeaw / moud / ul
[count] ( formal )
a type of something or way of doing something modes of transportation
[ count, noncount ] one of the ways in which a machine can work
My laptop's in sleep mode (= to save power ) .
mod .el 1 Ф / 'madl/ noun [ count ]
a small copy of something
a model of the Empire State Building a model airplane
one of the cars, machines, etc. that a certain company makes
Have you seen their latest model ?
a person or thing that is a good example to copy He's a model student.
Look at role model .
a person who wears clothes at a special show or for photographs, so that people will see them and buy them
( art ) a person who sits or stands so that an artist can draw, paint, or photograph them
mod • el 2 / ' madl / verb ( mod • els, mod • el ing, mod eled )
to wear and show clothes as a model
Kate modeled swimsuits at the fashion show.
mo • dem / ' moudэm/noun [ count ]
( computers ) a piece of equipment that uses a telephone line to connect two computers
mod • er • ate / ' madэrэt / adjective
not too much and not too little
Cook the vegetables over a moderate heat.
mod .ern © / 'madam /adjective
of the present time; of the kind that is usual now modern art
The airport is very modern.
mod • ern • ize / ' mаdэrnaIZ / verb
(mod • ern • iz • es, mod • ern • iz • ing, mod • ern • ized )
to make something more modern and more suitable for use today
We need to modernize our factories.
mod • ern • i • za • tion / |madэrnэ ' zeijn / noun
[ noncount ]
mod • est / ' madэst / adjective
not talking much about good things that you have done or about things that you can do well
You didn't tell me you could sing so well — you're very modest!
not very big
a modest increase in price
mod • est • ly / ' madэstli / adverb
He spoke quietly and modestly about his success.
mod • es • ty / ' madэsti / noun [ noncount ] She accepted the prize with her usual modesty.
mod • i • fy aw Ц / ' madэfaI / verb ( mod • i • fies , mod • i • fy • ing , mod • i • fied , has mod • i • fied )
to change something a little We need to modify the original plan.
mod • i • fi • ca • tion AWL / |madэfэ ' keijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
New modifications make the software run even faster.
moist / moist / adjective
a little wet
Remember to keep the earth moist or the plant will die.
mois • ture / ' moistjbr /noun [ noncount ]
small drops of water on something or in the air
mois • tur • ize / ' шоюфгак / verb
( mois • tur • iz • es, mois tur • iz ing, mois • tur • ized)
to put special cream on your skin to make it less dry
mo • lar / ' moubr /noun [ count ]
( biology ) one of the large teeth in the back of your mouth mold1 / mould /noun
[ count ] a container that you pour liquid into. The liquid then becomes hard ( sets ) and takes the shape of the container
They poured the chocolate into a heart-shaped mold.
[ noncount ] a soft green, gray, or blue substance that grows on food that is too old
mold • y / ' mouldi / ( mold i er , mold i est )
adjective
moldy cheese
mold 2 / mould / verb ( molds , mold • ing , mold • ed )
to make something soft into a certain shape The children molded animals out of clay.
mole / moul /noun [ count ]
a small gray or brown animal that lives under the ground and makes tunnels
molecule
a small dark spot on a person's skin
mol • e • cule
[count] £ ^
( CHEMISTRY ) the
smallest part into w atom
which a substance can ^^^^^^^
► mo .lec .u .lar
adjective
molecular biology
mol • ten / moultn / adjective
( CHEMISTRY ) Molten metal or rock is liquid, because it is extremely hot molten lava
ШОПГ1 © / mam /noun [ count ] ( informal )
mother
This is my mom.
Can I have an apple, Mom?
mo .ment © / 'moumant/noun
[ count ] a very short time
He thought for a moment before he answered. Can you wait a moment?
[ singular ] a particular point in time At that moment, the phone rang.
at the moment
now
She's on vacation at the moment, but she'll be back next week.
in a moment
very soon
He'll be here in a moment. the moment
as soon as
Tell Jim to call me the moment he arrives.
mo • men • tum / mou ' mentam / noun
[noncount]
the force that makes something move faster and faster The ball gained momentum as it rolled downhill.
mom • my / ' mami /noun [ count ] ( pluralmom • mies ) ( informal )
a word for "mother" that children use
Mon.
abbreviation of Monday
mon • arch / ' manark ; ' manark /noun [count]
( POLITICS ) a king or queen mon • ar • chy / ' manarki /noun [ count ] ( pluralmon ar • chies ) ( POLITICS ) a country that has a king or queen
—Look at republic .
mon • as • ter • y / 'mana^eri / noun [ count ] ( plural mon . as • ter • ies )
( RELIGION ) a place where religious men (called monks ) live together
—Look at convent .
МОП .day © / Wndei; Wndi/noun [ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationMon. )
the day of the week after Sunday and before Tuesday, the first day of the working week
mon .ey © / 'тлш/noun
[noncount]
Pronunciation
The word money sounds like funny . what you use when you buy or sell something How much money did you spend? This jacket cost a lot of money . The book made a lot of money . Word building
Money consists of coins(=small, round, metal things) and bills (= pieces of paper ) . This is called cash : I don't have much cash - can I pay by check? The coins that you have in your bag or pocket are called change : Do you have any change for the bus? The money someone gives you in a store if you pay too much is also called change : Here's your change.
bill
nickel
penny
AWL
money

dime quarter
mon • i • tor 1
/ ' manatar /noun [ count ] ( COMPUTERS ) a machine that shows pictures or information on a screen like a television a PC with a 17-inch monitor
Look at the picture at computer .
mon • i • tor 2 AWL / ' manatar / verb ( mon • i • tors , mon • i tor • ing , mon i • tored )
to check or watch something to see if it changes Scientists are monitoring pollution levels in the lake.
monk / mAgk /noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a religious man who lives with other religious men in a special building (called a monastery )
Look atnun .
mon • key / ' mvgki /
noun [ count ] ( plural mon . keys )
an animal that has a long tail and can climb trees
mon • o • logue ( also mon . o . log )
/ ' manslog ; ' manslag /noun [ count ] ( english language arts ) a long speech by one person, for example in a play
mo • nop • o • ly / ms 'napsli / noun [ count ] ( plural mo . nop . o . lies )
( business ) the control of an industry or service by only one company
The government passed a law to prohibit monopolies in the telephone industry.
mo • not • o • nous / ms ' natn^ss / adjective
always the same and therefore very boring It's a very monotonous job.
mon • soon / ,man'sun /noun [ count ]
the season when very heavy rain falls in Southern Asia
mon • ster / ' manstsr /noun [ count ]
an animal in stories that is big, ugly, and scary
month Ф / шлп6 /noun [ count ]
one of the twelve parts of a year December is the last month of the year. We went to my brother's house last month . Word building
The months of the year are: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
We use "in" with months: My birthday is in September , or "this," "next," or "last": We're getting married next May. ♦ I graduated last June.
about four weeks
She was in the hospital for a month .
month • ly / ' шлпЭИ / adjective, adverb
happening or coming every month or once a month a monthly magazine I am paid monthly.
mon • u • ment / ' manysmsnt /noun [ count ]
a thing that is built to help people remember a person or
something that happened
This is a monument to Paul Revere.
moo / mu /noun [ count ]
the sound that a cow makes
► moo verb ( moos , moo . ing , mooed )
Cows were mooing in the barn.
mood © / mud /noun [ count, noncount ]
the way that you feel at a particular time
Dad is in a bad mood because he lost his glasses.
Our teacher was in a very good mood today. I'm not in the mood for a party.
mood • y / ' mudi / adjective ( mood . i . er , mood i . est )
If you are moody , you often change and become angry or unhappy without warning Teenagers can be very moody.
moon © / тип / noun
the moon [ singular ] the big object that shines in the sky at night
When was the first landing on the moon ?
[ count ] an object like the moon that moves around another planet
How many moons does that planet have?
moon • light / 'munlait / noun
[noncount]
the light from the moon
moor / mur / verb ( moors , moor . ing , moored )
to tie a boat or ship to something so that it will stay in one place
moose / mus /noun
[count] ( pluralmoose )
a type of large deer with large flat horns (called antlers )
mop / map /noun
[count]
a thing with a long handle that you use for washing floors
mop verb ( mops , mop ping , mopped )
I mopped the floor.
mo • ped / ' mouped /noun
[count]
a vehicle like a bicycle with a small engine
mor • al / 'moral /adjective
connected with what people think is right or wrong Some people do not eat meat for moral reasons. a moral problem
—Look at immoral .
mor • al • ly / ' morsli / adverb It's morally wrong to tell lies.
mor • al 2 / morsl / noun
morals [ plural ] ideas about what is right and wrong These people have no morals.
[ count ] a lesson about what is right and wrong, which you can learn from a story or from something that happens The moral of the story is that we should be kind to animals.
mo • rale / ms ' гж1 / noun
[noncount]
how happy, sad, etc. a group of people feel at a particular time
After losing another game, the team's morale was low.
more / mor / adjective, pronoun
a bigger amount or number of something You have more money than I have. Can I have some more sugar in my tea? We need two more chairs. There aren't any more chocolates. Tell me more about your job.
Look at most . —ANTONYM less , fewer more 2 © / mol- / adverb
a word that makes an adjective or adverb stronger Your book was more expensive than mine.
Please speak more slowly.
a bigger amount or number
I like Anna more than her brother.
Look at most . —ANTONYM less more or less
almost, but not exactly
We are more or less the same age.
—SYNONYM roughly
once more
( formal )
again
Spring will soon be here once more.
Look at anymore .
more • o • ver / mor ' ouvar / adverb
( formal )
(used in writing to add another fact) also
This group did the best work. Moreover, they completed
the work quickly.
—SYNONYM furthermore
morn . ing © / mornnj / noun [ count ]
the first part of the day, between the time when the sun
comes up and the middle of the day
I went swimming this morning .
I'm going to my aunt's house tomorrow morning .
The letter arrived on Tuesday morning .
I felt sick all morning .
I start work at nine o'clock in the morning .
good morning
( formal )
words that you say when you see someone for the first time in the morning
in the morning
tomorrow during the morning I'll see you in the morning.
mort • gage / ' morgid₃ /noun [ count ]
money that you borrow to buy a house
mo • sa • ic / mou'zeiik /noun [count, noncount ]
( art ) a picture or pattern that is made by placing together small stones, pieces of glass, etc.
Mos • lem / ' mazlam / = Muslim
mosque / mask /noun [ count ]
( religion ) a building where Muslims go to say their prayers
mos • qui • to / ma 'skitou / noun [ count ] ( plural mos - qui - toes or mos qui - tos )
a small insect that bites people and animals and drinks their blood
—Look at the picture at insect .
moss / mos /noun [ noncount ]
a soft green plant that grows in wet places on things like trees and stones
mOSt 1 © / moust / adjective, pronoun
the biggest amount or number of something Jo did a lot of work, but I did the most. He was away for most of last week.
— Look at more .
—ANTONYM least
at most ; at the most
not more than a certain number, and probably less We can stay two days at the most.
make the most of something
to use something in the best way
We only have one free day, so let's make the most of it.
mOSt 2 © / moust /adverb
more than all others
It's the most beautiful garden I've ever seen. Which part of the show did you enjoy most?
—ANTONYM least
mOSt . ly © / 'moustli /adverb almost all
The students in my class are mostly from this area.
mo • tel / mou 'tel /noun [ count ]
a hotel where you can park your car outside your room
moth / mo6 /noun
[count]
an insect with big wings that flies at night
moth .er © / 'тлбэг /noun [ count ] a woman who has a child My mother is a doctor.
—Look at mom , mommy .
moth • er • hood / ' mAdarhud /
[noncount]
the state of being a mother
moth • er-in-law / ' mAdar in lo / noun [count] ( plural moth - ers-in-law )
the mother of your husband or wife
moth • er tongue / ^dar 'tAg /noun [count]
( english language arts ) the first language you learn to speak as a child
mo • tion / ' moufn /noun [ noncount ]
movement
The motion of the boat made her feel sick. Please remain seated while the bus is in motion (= moving ) .
mo • tion • less / ' moujanlas /
not moving; still to stand motionless
mo • ti • vate AWL / ' moutaveit / verb ( mo - ti vates , mo ti - vat - ing , mo ti vat - ed )
to make someone want to do something
The best teachers know how to motivate children to learn.
/ |mouta ' veijn /noun
mo • ti • va • tion
[ count, noncount ]
a reason for doing something, or a feeling of wanting to do something
He's intelligent enough, but he seems to lack motivation.
mo • tiveАШИ / ' moutiv /noun [ count ]
a reason for doing something Was there a motive for the murder?
mo • tor / ' mouter /noun [ count ]
( physics ) the part inside a machine that makes it move or work
an electric motor
The washing machine doesn't work. It needs a new motor. Style
We usually use engine , not motor , when we are talking about cars and motorcycles.
mo • tor • boat / ' moutarbout / noun [ count ]
a small, fast boat that has a motor
mo .tor .cy .cle © / 'moutar.saikl/ noun
[count]
a vehicle with two wheels and an engine ► mo. tor- cy • clist
/ ' moutarisaiklist / noun [ count ] a person who rides a
AWL
motorcycle
( mounts , mount • ing , mount • ed )
( also mount up ) to increase Tension in the area is mounting.
My debts were beginning to mount up.
to get on a horse or a bicycle
moun .tain © /'mauntn/noun[ count] a very high hill
Granite Peak is the highest mountain in Montana. We climbed the mountain.
moun • tain bike / 'mauntn baik /noun [ count ]
a bicycle with a strong frame and wide tires that you can use to ride over rough ground
moun • tain • eer / mauntn ' ir / noun
[ count ]
a person who climbs mountains ► moun • tain • eer • ing / mauntn ' irig /noun [noncount]
He took up mountaineering as a boy.
moun • tain lion / ' mauntn ila^ /noun [ count ]
a large wild cat that lives in western North America -►SYNONYM cougar
mountain lion
mo • tor home
/ ' moutar houm /noun [count]
a large vehicle that you can live and sleep in when you are traveling or on vacation
mo • tor • ist / ' moutjrnst /noun [ count ]
a person who drives a car
mot • to / ' matou / noun [ count ] ( plural mot • toes or mot • tos )
a short phrase that states the main aims or beliefs of an
organization, a group, a person, etc.
Our company's motto is "The customer is always right."
mound / maund /noun [ count ]
a small hill; a large pile of earth
a pile of things
a mound of newspapers
Mount / maunt / ( abbreviationMt. )noun [count]
You use Mount before the name of a mountain Mount McKinley Mt. Rushmore
mount / maunt /verb
moun • tain • ous / ' mauntn^s / adjective
( geography ) having many mountains a mountainous region
mourn / morn / verb ( mourns , mourn • ing , mourned )
to feel very sad, usually because someone has died She is still mourning for her husband. ► mourn • ing / ' mornig / noun [ noncount ] They are in mourning for their son.
mouse © / maus /noun [ count ] ( pluralmice / mais / )
a small animal with a long tail Our cat caught a mouse.
( computers ) a thing that you move with your hand to tell a computer what to do
— Look at the picture atcomputer . mouse pad / ' maus p®d /noun [ count ]
( computers ) a smooth piece of plastic that is the best kind of surface on which to use a computer mouse
mousse / mus /noun [ count, noncount ]
a type of light food made by mixing together cream and eggs, and adding another food or flavor
chocolate mousse
a light, white substance that you use to make your hair stay in a particular style
mouth О
/ mau6 /noun [count] ( pluralmouths
/ mau6z / )
the part of your face below your nose, which you use for eating and speaking
Open your mouth, please!
( geography )
the place where a river goes into the ocean
the mouth of the Mississippi
mouth • ful / ' mau9ful/noun [ count ]
the amount of food or drink that you can put in your mouth at one time
She only had a mouthful of cake.
mouth • Wash / ' mau6waj /
[ count, noncount ]
a liquid that you use to make your mouth fresh and healthy
move 1Ф / muv / verb
( moves , mov • ing , moved )
to go from one place to another; to change the way you are standing or sitting
Don't get off the bus while it's moving. We moved to the front of the theater.
to put something in another place or another way Can you move your car, please?
to go to live in another place
They sold their house in Detroit and moved to Ann Arbor.
to cause someone to have strong feelings, especially of sadness
The news report moved me to tears .
move in to go to live in a house or apartment
I have a new apartment — I'm moving in next week.
move out to leave a house or apartment where you were
living
move over to change your position in order to make space for someone or something Would you move over so I can sit down?
mOVe 2 Ф / muv /noun [ count ]
a change of place or position
The police are watching every move she makes.
a change in the place where you live We need a big van for the move.
get a move on ( informal ) hurry
Get a move on or you'll be late for work!
move . ment & / 'muvmsnt/noun [ count ]
moving or being moved
The old man's movements were slow and painful.
a group of people who have the same ideas or beliefs a political movement
mov . ie © / 'muvi/noun
1 [ count ] a story shown in moving pictures that you see in theaters or on television Would you like to see a movie ?
2the movies [ plural ] the place where you go to watch a movie
We went to the movies last night. Collocations The movies Watching
go to a movie rent a movie/a DVD download a movie/a video watch a movie/a DVD/a video/a preview shoWing show/screen a movie
be released on/come out on/be out on DVD making
make/direct/produce/shoot a movie/a sequel/a video
play a character/the role of someone in a movie write the screenplay/soundtrack
movie star / ' muvi star /noun [ count ]
an actor or actress who is famous for being in movies
mov • ie the • a • ter / ' muvi eiatar /
( also the .a • ter ) noun [ count ]
a building where you go to see movies
mov • ing / ' muvig / adjective
making you feel something strongly, especially sadness It's a very moving story.
moW / mou /verb
( mows , mow ing , mowed , has mown / moun / ) to cut grass with a machine Sally is mowing the grass.
moW • er / ' mouar /noun [ count ] a machine that cuts grass —SYNONYM lawnmower
MP3 play • er / |em pi ' eri |pleiar /noun [ count ]
a small piece of equipment that stores and plays music from computer files (called MP3 files )
mph / |em pi ' eitf / abbreviation
a way of measuring how fast something is moving. Mph is
short for miles per hour
The train was traveling at 125 mph.
Mr. Q / ' mistar / abbreviation
a title that you use before the name of a man Mr. Richard Clay Mr. Holland
Mrs. О / ' misaz / abbreviation
a word that you use before the name of a woman who is married
Mrs. Carol Garcia Mrs. Nolan
M.S. / |em ' es / ( also M.Sc. / |em es ' si / )noun [count]
a second university degree that you receive when you complete a program of study at a university in a science subject. M.S. is short for Master of Science .
— Look at M.A. , B.S. , master's degree . Ms. © / miz / abbreviation
a word that you can use before the name of any woman, instead of Mrs. or Miss Ms. Karen Green
Grammar
Miss , Mrs. , Ms. and Mr. are all titles that we use in front of someone's family name. You do not use these titles in front of a person's first name, unless it is included with the family name: Is there a Miss (Susan) Hudson here? ♦ Hello, Miss Hudson, come this way (NOT Miss Susan ).
Mt.
abbreviation of Mount
much w / mAtjV adjective, pronoun
( more / mor / most / moust / ) a big amount of something; a lot of something I don't have much money.
There was so much food that we couldn't eat it all.
Eat as much as you can.
How much paper do you want?
How much is this shirt?
Look at many .
Grammar
We usually use much only in negative sentences, in questions, and after "too," "so," "as," and "how."
In other sentences we use a lot (of) : She has a lot of money.
much2 © / mAtjVadverb
a lot
I don't like him very much.
Your apartment is much bigger than mine.
"Do you like it?" "No, not much."
mud © / m\d /noun [ noncount ]
soft wet earth
Phil came home from the football game covered in mud.
mud • dle / ' m.di / verb
( mud . dles , mud dling , mud dled ) muddle through
( informal )
to manage to do something, even though you do not have the right equipment, skills, etc.
I don't speak Spanish very well, but somehow I muddled through while I was in Mexico.
mud • dlenoun [ count, noncount ]
a confused state
I was in such a muddle that I couldn't find anything.
mud • dy / ' m\di / adjective ( mud . di er , mud . di . est )
covered with mud
When it rains, the roads get very muddy.
muf • fin / ' mлfsn/noun [ count ]
a small sweet cake, sometimes with fruit in it We had blueberry muffins for breakfast.
mug1 / m\g /noun [ count ]
a big cup with straight sides and a handle a mug of tea
— Look at the picture at cup .
mug 2 / m.\g / verb ( mugs, mug . ging, mugged )
to attack someone in the street and take their money
mug • ger / ' m\gsr / noun [ count ] Watch out for muggers, especially at night.
mug • gy / ' m\gi / adjective ( mug . gi er , mug . gi . est )
(used about the weather) warm and a little wet, so that you
feel uncomfortable
It was a muggy day in August.
mule / myul /noun [ count ]
an animal that is used for carrying heavy loads and whose parents are a horse and a donkey (= an animal like a small horse with long ears )
mul • ti •cul •tur • al / ,m\iti ' ыуъы /
adjective
for or including people from many different countries and cultures
We live in a multicultural society .
mul • ti • me • di • a / ,m\lti ' midis / adjective
using sound, pictures, and film as well as words on a screen The company produces multimedia software for schools.
mul • ti • ple / ' m\itspi /noun [ count ]
( math ) a number that contains another number an exact
number of times
12,18, and 24 are multiples of 6.
mul • ti • ple-choice / ,m\ltspl ' tfois /
adjective
A multiple-choice exam or question gives you three or four different answers and you have to choose the right one.
mul .ti .ply © / 'mAltsplai / verb (mul ti plies, mul ti . ply . ing, mul ti . plied, has mul . ti . plied )
( math ) to make a number bigger by a certain number of times
Two multiplied by three is six (= 2 x 3 = 6 ) . Multiply three and seven together .
— Look atdivide ( 3 ).
► mul • ti • pli • ca • tion / ,m\ltspls ' keijn / noun
[noncount]
Today we did multiplication and division.
mul • ti • ra • cial / ,m\lti ' reijl / adjective
including or involving different races of people We live in a multiracial society.
mum • ble / ' m\mbl /
( mum bles , mum . bling , mum bled )
to speak quietly in a way that is not clear, so that people cannot hear you well
She mumbled something, but I didn't hear what she said.
mum • my / ' m\mi /noun [ count ] ( pluralmum . mies )
a dead body of a person or animal that has been kept by rubbing it with oils and wrapping it in cloth an Egyptian mummy
mumps / m\mps/noun [ noncount ]
( health ) an illness that children can get, which causes the neck to get bigger (to swell )
munch / m\ntj / verb ( munch . es , munch . ing , munched )
to eat something in a noisy way
The kids were munching on chips in front of the TV.
mu • nic • i • pal / myu ' nisspl / adjective
( politics ) connected with the government of a city or town
a municipal election
mu • ral / myursl /noun [ count ] ( art ) a large picture painted on a wall
mur .der /'тэг<1эг / noun [ count]
the crime of killing someone deliberately
He was sent to prison for the murder of a police officer.
mur .der 2О/ 'mordor/ verb ( mur ders , mur - der ing , mur - dered )
to kill someone deliberately She was murdered with a knife.
mur • der • er / ' mardarar / noun [ count ] The police have caught the murderer.
mur • mur / ' marmar / verb ( mur murs , mur - mur - ing , mur - mured )
to speak in a low quiet voice "I love you," she murmured.
mur • mur noun [ count ]
I heard the murmur of voices from the next room.
mus .cle Ф / 'nivsl / noun [ сount]
( biology ) one of the parts inside your body that are connected to the bones and that help you to move Riding a bicycle is good for developing the leg muscles.
mus • cu • lar / mAskyalar / adjective
( health , biology ) connected with the muscles muscular pain
having large, strong muscles a muscular body
mu . se . um © / myu'zism/noun [ count ]
a building where people can look at old or interesting things Have you ever been to the Museum of Modern Art?
mushrooms
mush • room
/ mAjrum /noun [ count ]
a type of plant with a flat top and no leaves, which you can eat as a vegetable
mu .sic О / 'myuzik/noun [ noncount ] ( music )
the sounds that you make by singing, or by playing instruments
What sort of music do you like?
signs on paper to show people what to sing or play Can you read music ?
Collocations Music listening
listen to/like/love/be into music/classical music/jazz/pop/hip-hop, etc. listen to the radio/your MP3 player/a CD put on/play a song/a CD/some music turn down/up the radio/the volume playing
play an instrument/the piano/a note/a tune/a duet sing a song/a solo/the blues/in a choir start/join/quit/leave a band writing
write/compose music/a song/a melody/a piece of music/an opera record/release an album/a single/a CD
mu • si • cal О / 'myuzikl / adjective
( music )
connected with music
musical instruments (= the piano, the guitar, the trumpet, etc. )
good at making music Sophie's very musical.
mu • si • cal 2 / myuzikl /noun [ count ]
( music ) a play or movie in which the actors sing and dance We went to see a Broadway musical.
mu .si .cian © / myu'zijn/noun [count]
( music ) a person who writes music or plays a musical instrument
Mus • lim / ' mAzlam; ' muzlam /noun [ count ] ( religion ) a person who follows the religion of Islam ► Mus • limadjective
the Muslim way of life
mus • sel / mAsl / noun
[ count ]
a small animal that lives in the ocean. It has a black shell and a soft body that you can eat.
—Look at the picture at shellfish .
mUSt Ф / mast; niAst /modal verb
( formal ) a word that you use to tell someone what to do or what is necessary
You must look before you cross the road. Grammar
You use must not or the short form mustn't / ' mAsnt / to tell people not to do something: You mustn't be late.
When you want to say that someone can do something if they want, but that it is not necessary, you use don't have to : You don't have to do your homework today (= you can do it today if you want, but it is not necessary ) .
a word that shows that you are sure something is true You must be tired after your long trip.
I can't find my keys. I must have left them at home.
a word that you use to give someone advice You really must read this book — it's wonderful. Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
mus • tache / mAstrej / noun
[count]
the hair above a man's mouth, below his nose He has a mustache.
—Look at the picture at hair .
mus • tard / ' mAstard / noun
[noncount]
a thick, yellow sauce with a very strong taste, which you eat with meat
must • n't / ' mAsnt /
short for must not
mut • ter / ' mAtar / verb
( mut - ters , mut ter - ing , mut tered )
to speak in a low, quiet voice that is difficult to hear
He muttered something about going home, and left the
room.
mu • tu • al aw Ц / ' myutjual / adjective
1 If a feeling or action is mutual , it is felt or done by both people involved
We have a mutual agreement to help each other when necessary.
don't like her, and I'm sure the feeling is mutual (= she doesn't like me either ) .
shared by two or more people
We were introduced by a mutual friend.
my Ф / mai /adjective
of or belonging to me Where is my watch? These are my books, not yours. I hurt my arm.
my .self Ф / mai self /pronoun ( pluralour • selves / auar ' selvz / )
1 a word that shows the same person as the one who is speaking I hurt myself.
bought myself a new shirt.
a word that makes "I" stronger
"Did you buy this cake?" "No, I made it myself." by myself 1 without other people
live by myself. —SYNONYM alone
without help
I made dinner by myself.
mys .te .ri .OUS Ф /mi'stiriss/ adjective
Something that is mysterious is strange and you do not know about it or understand it
Several people said they had seen mysterious lights in the sky.
mys • te • ri • ous • ly / mi ' stiriasli / adverb The plane disappeared mysteriously.
mys • ter • y / ' mistari /noun [ count ] ( pluralmys . ter . ies )
something strange that you cannot understand or explain The police say that the man's death is still a mystery.
myth / mie /noun [ count ]
( english language arts ) a very old story Greek myths
a story or belief that is not true
It's a myth that money makes you happy.
my • thol • o • gy / mi ' ealad3i / noun [noncount]
( english language arts ) the very old stories of a particular culture or society Greek and Roman mythology
my • tho • log • ical / ш^э ' lad3ikl / adjective
mythological creatures
Nn
N, n / en /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralN's, n's / enz / )
the fourteenth letter of the English alphabet "Nice" begins with an "N." nag / n;vg /verb ( nags , nag • ging , nagged )
to keep asking someone to do something My parents are always nagging me to work harder.
nail Ф/neii/noun nails
[count]
the hard part at the end of a finger or toe toenails fingernails
-*Look at the picture at hand .
a small, thin piece of metal with one sharp end, which you hit into wood (with a tool called a hammer ) to attach things together
nail verb ( nails , nail • ing , nailed )
I nailed the pieces of wood together.
nail clip • pers / 'neil |kliparz /noun [ plural ]
a metal tool you use for cutting the nails on your fingers and toes
a pair of nail clippers
nail file / ' neil fail /noun [ count ]
a small flat object with a rough surface that you use for shaping your nails
nail pol • ish / 'neil palij /noun [ count ]
a liquid that people put on their nails to give them color
na • ive ( also na • ive ) / na 'iv ; nai 'iv /adjective without enough experience of life and too ready to believe or trust other people
I was too naive to understand what was really going on. a naive question
na • ive • ly ( also na • ive ly ) / na'ivli ; nai 'ivli / adverb
She naively accepted the first price he offered.
na•ked / ' neikad / adjective
not wearing any clothes. —SYNONYM nude
name lO / neim/noun
[ count ] a word or words that you use to call or talk about a person or thing
My name is Chris Eaves. What's your name? Do you know the name of this flower? Word building Your first name or given name is the name that your parents give you when you are born. Many people also have a middle name . Your last name or family name is the name that everyone in your family has. When a woman gets married, she usually takes her husband's last name. Her old last name is then called her maiden name , and her new one is her married name .
A nickname is a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name: His real name is Robert, but his nickname is Shorty.
[ singular ] what people think or say about someone or something
That area of town has a really bad name. —SYNONYM reputation
[ count ] a famous person
Some of the biggest names in Hollywood will be at the party.
call someone names
to say bad, unkind words about someone
Joe cried because the other children were calling him
names.
name 2 © / neim / verb ( names , nam • ing , named )
to give a name to someone or something They named their baby Sophie.
They named him Michael after his grandfather (= gave him the same name as his grandfather ) .
to know and say the name of someone or something The professor could name every one of his 60 students.
name • ly / ' neimli /adverb
You use namely when you are going to name a person or
thing that you have just said something about
Only two students were late, namely Steven and Allan.
nan • ny / ' nsni/noun [ count ] ( pluralnan • nies )
a woman whose job is to take care of the children in a family
nap / nsp /noun [ count ]
a short sleep during the day I took a nap after lunch.
nap • kin / ' nжpkэn /noun [ count ]
a piece of cloth or paper that you use when you are eating to clean your mouth and hands and to keep your clothes clean
nar • cot • ic / nar ' katik/noun [ count ] a strong, illegal drug that affects your brain in a harmful
way
nar • rate / ' nsreit / verb ( nar • rates , nar rat ing , nar • rat • ed )
( formal )
( english language arts ) to tell a story Hoffman narrated the audio version of the book.
nar • ra • tion / ns' reijn / noun [ count, noncount ]
the narration of events
nar • ra • tor / ' nsreitar / noun [ count ]
the person who tells a story or explains what is happening in a play, movie, etc.
nar • ra • tive / ' nsretiv /noun [ count ]
( formal )
( english language arts ) the description of events in a story
a historical narrative
ПЭГ . rOW © / паеroo /adjective
( nar • row • er , nar • row • est )
not far from one side to the other The bridge was very narrow.
a narrow ribbon —ANTONYM broad , wide
by a small amount
We had a narrow escape — the car nearly hit a tree. a narrow defeat
nar • row • ly / ' nsrouli / adverb
only by a small amount
They narrowly escaped injury.
nar • row-mind • ed / |nsrou ' maIndэd /
adjective
not wanting to accept ideas or opinions that are different from your own
The people in this town can be somewhat narrow-minded. —ANTONYM open-minded na • sal / neizl / adjective
( biology ) connected with the nose the nasal passages
nas • ty / ' nssti / adjective ( nas • ti • er , nas ti • est )
bad; not nice
There's a nasty smell in this room. Don't be so nasty!
—SYNONYM horrible
na .tion © / 'neijn/noun [ count ]
( politics ) a country and all the people who live in it one of the richest nations in the world
na .tion .al © / 'naejbnl /adjective
( politics ) connected with all of a country; typical of a country
She wore the Greek national costume. national newspapers
— Look at international .
na • tion • al • ly / ' пж/эпэИ / adverb to advertise something nationally
na • tion • al an • them / дж/эы ' жпээш /
noun [ count ]
( music ) the official song of a country
na • tion • al • ism / ' пж/эпЬкэш / noun
[noncount]
( politics ) a feeling of love for your own country, or a feeling that your country is better than any other country
na • tion • al • is • tic / дж/эт ' listik / adjective
nationalistic beliefs (= believing that your country is better than others )
na • tion • al • i • ty / ^ж/э' nsbti /noun [count] ( plural na • tion • al • i • ties )
( politics ) the state of belonging to a certain country "What nationality are you?" "I'm American."
na • tion • al park / ^ж/эы ' park / noun
[ count ]
a large area of beautiful land that is protected by the government so that people can enjoy it
na • tive 1 / ' neitiv / adjective
connected with the place where you were born I returned to my native country. My native language is English.
na • tive 2 / ' neitiv / noun
[count]
a person who was born in a place He's a native of Omaha.
Na • tive A • mer • i • can / neitiv э ' me^n /
noun [ count ]
a member of the group of people who were living in America before people from Europe arrived there
na • tive speak • er / |neitiv ' spikэr / noun
[ count ]
( english language arts ) a person who speaks a language as their first language native speakers of English
nat .U. ral © / naetjbrol /adjective
1 made by nature, not by people
This part of the state is an area of great natural beauty. Earthquakes and floods are natural disasters .
normal or usual
It's natural for parents to feel sad when their children leave home.
—ANTONYM unnatural
that you had from the time you were born, or that was easy for you to learn
She has a natural talent for music.
nat • u • ral • ize / ' nretjrslaiz / verb ( nat . u . ral . iz . es , nat . u . ral . iz ing , nat . u . ral . ized )
( politics ) to make someone a citizen of a country where he or she was not born a naturalized American citizen ► nat • u • ral • i • za • tion / ,n®tjrsls' zeijn /noun [noncount]
nat • u • ral • ly / ' nretjrsli / adverb
in a way that you would expect Naturally, I get upset when things go wrong.
—SYNONYM of course
in a way that is not made or caused by people Is your hair naturally curly?
in a normal way
Try to stand naturally while I take a photo.
na .ture © / ncitjor/ noun
[ noncount ] all the plants, animals, etc. in the world and all the things that happen in it that are not made or caused by people
the beauty of nature
[ count, noncount ] the way a person or thing is Our cat has a very friendly nature.
It's human nature never to be completely satisfied.
Collocations
The Natural World
animals
animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something) birds fly/sing/nest/migrate insects crawl/fly/bite/sting hunt/capture/kill prey lay/fertilize eggs plants and fungi trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower a seed sprouts
leaves/buds/shoots appear/develop/form a fungus grows/spreads pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant produce/spread pollen/seeds
naugh • ty / ' noti / adjective ( naugh . ti er , naugh ti . est )
A naughty child does bad things or does not do what you ask them to do
She's the naughtiest child in the class.
nau • se • a / ' nozis / noun
[noncount]
( health ) the feeling that you are going to vomit (= bring up food from your stomach )
na•val / neivl / adjective
connected with a navy a naval officer
na • vel / ' neivl/noun [ count ]
( biology ) the small hole in the middle of your stomach —SYNONYM belly button nav • i • gate / ' nrevsgeit /verb ( nav . i . gates , nav i . gat . ing , nav . i . gat . ed )
to use a map or some other method to find which way a
ship, an airplane, or a car should go
Long ago, explorers used the stars to navigate.
nav • i • ga • tion / ,n®vs ' geijn /noun [ noncount ] deciding which way a ship or other vehicle should go by using a map, etc.
navigation skills
nav • i • ga • tor / ' nrevsgeitsr / noun [ count ]
a person who decides which way a vehicle should go
Dad's usually the navigator when we go somewhere in the
car.
Па • Vy ©/ 'neivi /noun [count] ( pluralna vie: ) the ships that a country uses when there is a war, and the people who work on them Mark is in the navy .
the U.S. Navy —Look at army .
na • vy blue / ,neivi ' blu / ( also na . vy ) adjective, noun [ noncount ]
dark blue
near © / nir / adjective, adverb, preposition (near.er,near.est )
not far away in distance or time
Where's the nearest hospital?
My parents live very near.
I don't want to sit near the window.
We're hoping to move to Arizona in the near future .
near . by © / 'mrbpai/adjective
not far away; close
We took her to a nearby hospital.
near • by / ,nir ' bai / adverb
Let's go and see Tim — he lives nearby.
near . ly © / 'mrli / adverb almost; not completely or exactly He's nearly go — it's his birthday next week. She was so sick that she nearly died.
not nearly
not at all
The book wasn't nearly as good as the movie.
near • sight • ed / ' nir,saitsd / adjective
( health ) If you are nearsighted , you can see things clearly when they are close to you but not when they are far
away. —ANTONYM farsighted
neat © / nit / adjective ( neat er , neat est)
with everything in the right place and done carefully Keep your room neat and clean .
She has very neat handwriting.
( informal ) good; nice That's a really neat car!
neat • ly / ' nitli / adverb Write your name neatly.
nec • es • sar • i • ly / ,ness ' sersli / adverb
not necessarily
not always
Big men aren't necessarily strong.
nec .es .sar .y © / 'nesa.seri/ adjective
Spelling
Remember! You spell necessary with one C and SS .
If something is necessary , you must have it or do it Warm clothes are necessary in winter.
ne • ces • si • ty / na 'sesati / noun [ count ] ( plural ne - ces - si . ties )
something that you must have Food and clothes are necessities of life.
neck © / nek /noun [ count ]
the part of your body between your shoulders and your head
Helen wore a thick scarf around her neck. —Look at the picture at body .
the part of a piece of clothing that goes around your neck The neck's too tight.
the thin part at the top of a bottle neck and neck
equal or level with someone or something in a race or competition
At the halfway point, the two cars were neck and neck.
neck • lace / ' neklas /noun [ count ]
a piece of jewelry that you wear around your neck a diamond necklace
— Look at the picture at jewelry . neck • tie / ' nektai / noun [ count ]
a long, thin piece of cloth that you wear around your neck with a shirt
—SYNONYM tie
nec • tar • ine / |nekta 'rin /noun [ count ]
a soft, round, red and yellow fruit with smooth skin and a large hard part (called a pit ) in the center
need i ©/ nid /verb
( needs,need - ing ,need - ed )
If you need something, you must have it All plants and animals need water.
You don't need your coat — it's not cold.
If you need to do something, you must do it James is very sick. He needs to go to the hospital.
"Do we need to pay now, or can we pay next week?" "You don't need to pay now."
need 2 © / nid /noun
[ noncount , singular ] a situation in which you must have something or do something
She's in need of a rest.
There is a growing need for new books and equipment. There's no need for you to come.
needs [ plural ] the things that you must have
He doesn't earn enough money to pay for his basic needs. a child's emotional and physical needs
[ noncount ] the state of not having enough food, money, or support
We are raising money to help families in need .
nee .die © /'nidi/nounicount]
a small, thin piece of metal that you use for sewing cloth Put the thread through the eye (= hole ) of the needle.
—Look at knitting needle . ,
—Look at the picture at thread .
a small, thin piece of metal that forms part of an instrument
The compass needle points north.
a hypodermic needle (= for taking blood or giving drugs ) —Look at the picture atsyringe .
a very thin, pointed leaf on a tree that stays green all year pine needles
need • less / nidlas / adjective
not necessary; able to be avoided needless suffering
The problem is the cost, needless to say (= it is not necessary to say this, because it is obvious ) .
need • less • ly / ' nidlasli / adverb Many people died needlessly.
ne .да .tive 1©Ј J/'negatrv/ adjective
bad or harmful
The whole experience was definitely more positive than negative.
only thinking about the bad qualities of someone or something
If you go into the game with a negative attitude, you'll never win.
using words like "no," "not," and "never" "I don't like fish" is a negative sentence.
( health ) (used about a medical test) showing that something has not happened or is not there
The result of the pregnancy test was negative.
( math ) (used about a number) less than zero —ANTONYM positive
ne • ga • tive 2 AWL / ' negativ / noun [ count ]
a word, phrase, or sentence that says or means "no" or "not"
"Never" and "no one" are negatives.
a piece of film that we use to make a photograph. On a negative , dark things are light and light things are dark.
ne • glect / ni ' glekt / verb ( ne - glects , ne - glect ing , ne - glect - ed )
to not take care of someone or something
The dog was dirty and thin because its owner had neglected it.
to not do something that you should do
He neglected to tell her about the phone call from her boss.
ne • glectnoun [ noncount ] The house was in a state of neglect.
ne • glect • ed / ni ' glektad / adjective neglected children
ne • go • ti • ate / na ' goujieit / ( ne - go . ti - ates , ne go ti at ing , ne - go - ti - at ed ) verb
to reach an agreement by talking with other people We have negotiated a deal.
The unions were negotiating with the management over pay.
ne • go • ti • a • tion / na|gouji ' eijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
My salary is still under negotiation .
neigh / nei / verb ( neighs, neigh ing , neighed )
When a horse neighs , it makes a long, high sound. neighnoun [ count ]
neigh .bor © / neibar /noun [ count ]
a person who lives near you
Don't make so much noise, or you'll wake the neighbors. our next-door neighbors
a person or thing that is next to or near another The United States is Canada's neighbor.
Try not to look at what your neighbor is writing.
neigh • bor • hood / neibarhud / noun
[count]
a part of a town or city; the people who live there They live in a friendly neighborhood.
neigh • bor • ing / ' neibarig / adjective
near or next to
people from neighboring areas
nei .ther 1 Ф" / 'шбэг/adjective, pronoun
not one and not the other of two things or people Neither book is very interesting. Neither of the boys was there.
nei .ther 2© / 'шбэг /adverb
also not
Lydia can't swim and neither can I. "I don't like rice." "Neither do I." neither ... nor not ... and not
Neither Paul nor I went to the party.
ne • on / ' nian /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolNe )
a type of gas that is used in bright lights and signs
neph • eW / ' nefyu/noun [ count ]
the son of your brother or sister —Look atniece .
nerd / nard /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a person who spends a lot of time on a particular interest and who is not popular or fashionable —SYNONYM geek
nerd • y / ' nardi / adjective
He looked kind of nerdy.
nerve © / поп / noun
[ count ] ( biology ) one of the long thin things inside your body that carry feelings and messages to and from your brain
nerves [ plural ] feelings of being worried or afraid John breathed deeply to calm his nerves .
[ noncount ] the state of being brave or calm when there is danger
You need a lot of nerve to be a race car driver. get on someone's nerves
to make someone feel a little angry
Stop making that noise — you're getting on my nerves!
nerve-rack • ing / ' narv |r®kig / adjective
making you very nervous or worried
It was a nerve-racking drive up the mountain.
nerv .OUS Ф / norms /adjective
worried or afraid
I'm nervous about starting my new job.
( biology ) connected with the nerves in your body the nervous system
nerv • ous • ly / ' narvasli / adverb
He laughed nervously, not knowing what to say.
nerv • ous • ness / ' narvasnas / noun [ noncount ]
He tried to hide his nervousness.
ner • vous break • doWn
/ |narvas ' breikdaun / ( also break • down )noun [count] ( health ) a time when someone is so unhappy that they cannot live and work normally to have a nervous breakdown Suffix
-ness
( in nouns ) a state or quality of something
dark ness
happi ness
kind ness
sick ness
nest1 / nest /noun [ count ] ( biology )
a place where a bird keeps its eggs and babies Look at the picture atbird .
the home of certain animals or insects a wasps' nest
nest2 / nest /verb ( nests , nest • ing , nest • ed ) ( biology ) to make and live in a nest The ducks are nesting by the river.
net Ф / net /noun
[ count ] material that has large spaces between the threads; a piece of this material that we use for a particular purpose
a fishing net a tennis net
He kicked the ball into the back of the net.
Look at the picture at tennis .
the Net [ singular ] ( computers ) = the Internet net • Workaw щ / ' netwark /noun [ count ]
a number of things or people that form a single system or that are connected
the rail network computer networks a network of friends
a group of connected TV or radio companies that shows the same programs in different parts of a country
a major television network
neu • tral 1 AWL / ' nutral / adjective
1 not supporting either side in an argument or war
don't take sides when my brothers argue — I stay neutral .
having or showing no strong qualities, emotions, or color a neutral tone of voice
neutral colors
neu • tral2AWL / ' nutral /noun [ noncount ]
the position in which no power is being sent from a vehicle's engine to its wheels Put the car in neutral .
neu • tron / ' nutran /noun [ count ]
( chemistry , physics ) a very small piece of matter with no electric charge, found in all atoms
Look at electron , proton . ,
Look at the picture at atom .
neV . er Ф" / '11,-voi'/ adverb not at any time; not ever She never works on Saturdays. I've never been to Oregon. I will never forget you.
nev • er • the • less |aWl| / ^eva^a'les /
adverb
( formal )
despite what has just been said
They played very well. Nevertheless, they didn't win. —SYNONYM nonetheless
new О / nu / adjective ( new • e , lew • est )
1 not existing before
Have you seen his new movie?
bought a new pair of shoes yesterday.
different from before
Our new apartment is much bigger than our old one. The teacher usually explains the new words to us.
3 doing something for the first time
New parents are often tired.
He's new to the job and still needs help.
new • com • er / ' nukлmэr /noun [ count ]
a person who has just come to a place
new • ly / ' nuli /adverb
not long ago
Our school is newly built. —SYNONYM recently
new • ly • wed / ' nuliwed /noun [ count ]
a person who has recently married
The newlyweds went to Italy for their honeymoon.
news Ф / nuz / noun
1 [ noncount ] information about things that have just happened
Have you heard the news? Stewart is getting married.
have some good news for you.
Julie told us an interesting piece of news .
the news [ singular ] a program on television or radio that tells people about important things that have just happened
We heard about the plane crash on the news. break the news
to be the first person to tell someone about something important
Have you broken the news to your wife?
news • cast / ' nuzksst /noun [ count ]
a news program on TV or radio ► news • cast • er / ' nuzkжstэr /noun [ count ]
a person who reads the news on TV or radio
news . pa . per ® / 'nuzpeipsr / noun
( also pa • per / ' peIpэr / ) [ count ] large pieces of paper with news, advertisements, and other things printed on them
a daily newspaper
[ noncount ] paper taken from old newspapers
We wrapped the plates in newspaper before packing them.
news • stand / ' nuz|stsnd /noun [ count ]
a type of small store that is open at the front and sells newspapers, magazines, etc.
new year ( also New Year ) / ' nu yir /noun
[ singular ]
the beginning of the year Happy New Year! We will get in touch in the new year. New Year's Eve (= December 31 ) New Year's Day (= January 1 )
next 1 © / nekst /adjective
coming after this one
I'm going on vacation next week. Take the next road on the right.
nearest to this one I live in the next town.
next to someone or something at the side of someone or something
The bank is next to the post office. —SYNONYM beside
next 2 © / nekst /adverb
straight after this
I finished this work. What should I do next?
next 3© / nekst/noun [ singular ] the person or thing that comes after this one Susy came first and Paul was the next to arrive.
next door / |nekst dor /adverb
in or to the nearest house Who lives next door? ►next-dooradjective
They're my next-door neighbors .
nib • ble / ' nibl / verb ( nib • bles , nib • bling , nib bled )
to eat something in very small bites The mouse nibbled the cheese.
nice © / nais / adjective ( iic er , iic • est )
pleasant, good, or kind Did you have a nice birthday? I met a nice boy at the party. It's nice to see you. Style
We often say great , fantastic , or wonderful instead of "very nice": The party was great. ♦ We had a fantastic weekend. ♦ It was a wonderful show. nice and ...
words that show that you like something It's nice and warm by the fire.
nice • ly / ' naisli / adverb
You can have a cookie if you ask nicely (= in a polite way ) .
nick • el / ' niki / noun
[ count ] a coin that is worth five cents — Look at the picture atmoney .
[ noncount ] ( symbolNi ) ( chemistry ) a hard silver- white metal that is often mixed with other metals
nick • name / ' nikneim /noun [ count ] a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name Word building Your first name or given name is the name that your parents give you when you are born. Many people also have a middle name . Your last name or family name is the name that everyone in your family has. When a woman gets married, she usually takes her husband's last name. Her old last name is then called her maiden name , and her new one is her married name .
A nickname is a name that your friends or family sometimes call you instead of your real name: His real name is Robert, but his nickname is Shorty.
nick • name verb
( nick • names , nick • nam • ing , nick named )
She was nicknamed "The Ice Queen."
nic • o • tine / ' шЬэйп / noun [ noncount ]
( HEALTH ) a poisonous chemical in cigarettes that makes it difficult to stop smoking
niece / nis /noun [ count ]
the daughter of your brother or sister —Look atnephew .
night © / nait /noun [ count, noncount ]
the part of the day when it is dark and most people sleep These animals come out at night .
The baby cried all night .
She stayed at my house last night .
the part of the day between the afternoon and when you go to bed
We went to a party on Saturday night . He doesn't get home until 8 o'clock at night.
—Look at tonight .
night • club / ' naitkl\b /noun [ count ]
a place where you can go late in the evening to listen to music, dance, etc.
—SYNONYM club
night • gown / ' naitgaun /noun [ count ]
a loose dress that a woman or girl wears in bed
night • life / ' naitlaif /noun [ noncount ]
things to do in the evenings in a particular area, such as
dancing or going to clubs
What's the nightlife like around here?
night • ly / ' naitli / adjective, adverb
happening or coming every night a nightly TV show
night • mare / ' naitmer / noun [ count ]
1 a dream that frightens you
had a nightmare last night.
something that is very bad or that frightens you Traveling through the snow was a nightmare.
night • time / ' nait,taim /noun [ noncount ]
the time when it is dark
She is afraid to go out at nighttime .
—ANTONYM daytime
nine © / nam /number
9
ninth / nain6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun
[ count ]
9th
nine .teen © / ^ain'tin/ number 19
nine • teenth / ,nain ' tin6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
19th
nine .ty Ф / 'nainti/number
90
the nineties [ plural ] the numbers, years, or temperatures between 90 and 99
in your nineties
between the ages of 90 and 99 My grandmother is in her nineties.
nine • ti • eth / ' naintis6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
90th
nip / nip / verb ( nips , nip . ping , nipped )
to give someone a quick, painful bite The dog nipped his leg.
nip • ple / ' nipl/noun [ count ]
one of the two small dark circles on either side of your chest. A baby can get milk from its mother through the nipples .
ni • trate / ' naitreit /noun [ count, noncount ]
(CHEMISTRY) a chemical substance that contains nitrogen . Nitrates are often used to improve the quality of soil.
ni • tro • gen / ' naitrsd3sn /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolN )
( CHEMISTRY ) the gas that forms about 80% of the earth's atmosphere
No. ( also no. ) abbreviation of number
ПО 1 © / nou / exclamation
used for giving a negative reply or statement "Do you want a drink?" "No, thank you." "Can I borrow the car?" "No, you can't."
—ANTONYM yes
something that you say when something bad happens or something surprises or shocks you
Oh no! I broke my watch!
ПО 2 © / nou / adjective, adverb
1 not one; not any
have no money — my purse is empty. No visitors may enter without a ticket. My house is no bigger than yours.
used for saying that something is not allowed The sign said "No Swimming."
no • ble / ' noubl / adjective ( no . bler , no blest )
good, honest, and caring about other people noble thoughts
belonging to the highest social class, in some countries a man of noble birth
no • bod • У 1 © / 'noubvdi; 'noubadi /pronoun
no person; not anyone
Nobody in our class speaks Greek.
There was nobody home.
—SYNONYM no one
no • bod • y2/ ' noub.di ; ' noubadi /noun [count] ( pluralno . bod . ies )
a person who is not important or famous
She rose from being a nobody to become a superstar.
nod / nad / verb ( nods , nod .ding , nod . ded )
to move your head down and up again quickly as a way of saying "yes" or "hello" to someone
"Do you understand?" asked the teacher, and everyone nodded.
nod off to go to sleep Grandma nodded off in her chair.
nodnoun [ count ]
Jim gave me a nod when I came in the room.
noise © / noiz /noun [ count, noncount ]
a sound, especially one that is loud or unpleasant I heard a noise upstairs. Don't make so much noise !
no is .y © / noizi/ adjective ( nois i . er , nois . i est )
making a lot of noise; full of noise The children are very noisy. The restaurant was too noisy.
—ANTONYM quiet
nois • i • ly/ ' noizsli /adverb He ate his dinner noisily.
no • mad / ' noumred / noun [ count ]
a member of a group of people that moves with its animals from place to place
no • mad • ic / nou ' mredik / adjective
nomadic tribes
nom • i • nate / ' namsneit / verb ( nom . i nates, nom . i . nat . ing , nom . i . nat . ed )
( POLITICS ) to suggest that someone or something should be given a job, a prize, etc.
I would like to nominate Bill Jones as chairman. She was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.
► nom • i • na • tion / |nama ' neijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
The closing date for nominations is September 8th. Prefix
non-
not
a non smoker (= a person who does not smoke ) non alcoholic drinks (= drinks containing no alcohol ) a non stop flight
non • al • co • hol / |nan®lka ' holik ;
|nan®lka ' halik /adjective
(used about drinks) not containing alcohol
nonalcoholic beer
—ANTONYM alcoholic
non • count noun / |nankaunt naun / ( also un - count a ble noun )noun [ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) Noncount nouns are ones that have no plural and cannot be used with "a" or "an" The words "advice" and "furniture" are noncount nouns.
Look at count noun .
ПОПеФ / плп/pronoun not any; not one
She's eaten all the chocolates — there are none in the box. I went to four stores, but none of them had the book I wanted.
none • the • less aw / |nAnda ' les /
( formal )
anyway; despite what has just been said
It won't be easy, but we're going to try nonetheless.
—SYNONYM nevertheless
non • ex • ist • ent / | nanig zistant / adjective
not existing or not available
In some areas, public transportation is completely nonexistent.
non • fic • tion / |nan ' fikjn /noun [ noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) writing that is about real people, events, and facts
You'll find biographies in the nonfiction section of the library.
—ANTONYM fiction
ПОП . sense © / 'nansens /noun [ noncount ]
words or ideas that have no meaning or that are not true It's nonsense to say that Jackie is lazy.
silly or bad behavior
Their new teacher doesn't allow any nonsense in class.
noo • dles / ' nudlz /noun [ plural ]
long thin pieces of food made from flour, egg, and water that are cooked in water or used in soups Would you prefer rice or noodles?
noon / nun /noun [ noncount ]
twelve o'clock in the middle of the day I met him at noon .
Look at midnight .
no one О / ' nou wAn / pronoun
no person; not anyone
There was no one in the classroom.
No one saw me go into the house.
^SYNONYM nobody nor Ф / nor /conjunction
used after "neither" and "not" to mean "also not" Neither Tom nor I eat meat. Allan won't go, and nor will Lucy. "I don't like eggs." "Nor do I."
normAWL / norm /noun [ count ]
a way of behaving that is normal or accepted
Is it the norm for children to have a TV in their bedroom?
nor .mal О E / ' norml /
usual and ordinary; not different or special I will be home at the normal time.
nor • mal • ly О AWL / ' normali / adverb
1 usually
normally go to bed at about eleven o'clock.
in the usual or ordinary way He isn't behaving normally.
north О / nor6 / noun [singular] (abbreviation N. )
( GEOGRAPHY ) the direction to your left when you watch the sun rise; a place in this direction the north of Alaska
Look at the picture at compass .
north adjective, adverb
They live in North Minneapolis. a north wind (= that comes from the north ) We traveled north from Raleigh to Philadelphia.
north • east ( also North - east ) / |nor6 'ist /
noun [ singular ] ( abbreviationN.E. ) ( GEOGRAPHY ) the direction between north and east; a place in this direction He lives in the Northeast.
—Look at the picture at compass .
north • east adjective, adverb
the northeast coast of Florida
north • east • ern / |nor6 ' istarn / adjective
northeastern regions
north .ern Ф / 'пэгбэт/ adjective
( GEOGRAPHY ) connected with, in, or from the north Hartford is in northern Connecticut.
north • ern • er ( also North - ern - er )
/ ' nordarnar /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a person who is from or who lives in the northern part of a country
—ANTONYM southerner
the North Pole / da |nor6 ' poul / [ singular ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) the point on the earth's surface which is farthest north
Look at the South Pole . ,
Look at the picture at earth .
north • west ( also North - west ) / |nor6 ' west / noun [ singular ] ( abbreviationN.W. ) ( GEOGRAPHY ) the direction between north and west; a place in this direction She's from the Northwest.
—Look at the picture at compass .
north • west adjective, adverb
If you look northwest, you can see the tower.
north • west • ern / |nor6 ' westarn / adjective
northwestern Pennsylvania
nose Ф / nouz /noun [ count ]
the part of your face above your mouth, which you use for breathing and smelling
Blow your nose! (= Clear your nose by blowing through it. ) — Look at the picture atface .
the front part of an airplane
nose • bleed / ' nouzblid /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a flow of blood that comes from your nose I used to get nosebleeds as a child.
nos • tal • gi • a / na' stжldзэ / noun [ noncount ]
a feeling of pleasure, mixed with sadness, when you remember happy times in the past ► nos • tal • gic / na' stsld3ik /adjective
The reunion made Anne feel nostalgic for her college days.
nos • tril / ' nastrel /noun [ count ]
one of the two holes in your nose
nos • y / ' nouzi / adjective ( nos • i er, nos • i est )
too interested in other people's lives and business "Where are you going?" "Don't be so nosy!"
not О / nat /adverb
used for forming negative sentences or phrases I'm not hungry. ♦ They did not arrive. I can come tomorrow, but not on Tuesday. "Are you angry with me?" "No, I'm not." Grammar
We often say and write n't : John isn't (= is not ) here. ♦ I hope she won't (= will not ) be late.
not at all
used as a way of saying "no" or "definitely not" "Are you tired?" "Not at all."
The instructions are not at all clear.
used as a reply when someone has thanked you for something
"Thanks for your help." "Oh, not at all." not only...but also
words you use to show that there is something important to add
Not only was he late, but also he was wearing jeans and a T-shirt!
note 1Ф / nout /noun [ count ]
1 words that you write quickly to help you remember
something
made a note of her address. The teacher told us to take notes .
a short letter
Dave sent me a note to thank me for the present.
a short piece of extra information about something in a book
Look at the note on page 39.
( MUSIC ) one sound in music; the written symbol for one sound
I can play a few notes. What's this note?
note 2 / nout / verb ( notes , not • ing , not • ed )
to notice and remember something Please note that all the stores are closed on Mondays. note something down to write something so that you can remember it
The police officer noted down my name and address. note • book / ' noutbuk/noun [ count ] 1 a small book that you can write in — Look at the picture atstationery .
2 ( COMPUTERS ) a very small computer that you can carry with you and use anywhere
note • pad / ' noutpsd /noun
[count]
pieces of paper that you can write on, joined together in a block
note • pa • per / ' nout|peIpэr / noun [noncount]
paper that you write letters on
noth . ing © / 'плбщ /pronoun
not anything; no thing
There's nothing in this bottle — it's empty.
I finished all my work and I have nothing to do.
Don't leave the baby there with nothing on (= not wearing
any clothes ) ; he'll get cold.
for nothing
for no money
You can have these books for nothing. I don't want them.
without a good result
I went to the station for nothing — she wasn't on the train. have nothing to do with someone or something
to have no connection with someone or something
That question has nothing to do with what we're
discussing.
Keep out of this — it has nothing to do with you. nothing but
only
He eats nothing but salad.
nothing like
not the same as someone or something in any way He's nothing like his brother.
no .tice 1Ф / 'noutss / verb ( no • tic es , no • tic • ing , no • ticed )
to see or pay attention to someone or something Did you notice what she was wearing? I noticed that he was driving a new pickup truck.
no • tice 2 / ' nou^s / noun
1 [ noncount ] the act of paying attention to someone or something
The protests are finally making the government take notice .
didn't take any notice of what she said.
[ count ] a piece of writing that tells people something The notice on the wall says "NO SMOKING."
[ noncount ] a warning that something will happen; the amount of time before it happens
We only had two weeks' notice for the exam.
We left for the station on very short notice , and I forgot
my coat.
He gave notice (= he said officially that he will leave his job ) .
no • tice • a • ble / ' noutэsэbl /
easy to see
I have a mark on my shirt. Is it noticeable?
no • tion AWL / ' noujn / noun
[count]
something that you have in your mind; an idea I had a notion that I had seen her before.
no • to • ri • ous / nou ' te^s / adjective
well known for being bad a notorious criminal
—SYNONYM infamous ► no • to • ri • ous • ly / nou ' toriэsli / adverb This road is notoriously dangerous.
not • With • stand • ing awl
/ |natwie ' strendig / preposition, adverb ( formal )
despite something; not being affected by something
The plane landed on time, notwithstanding the terrible
weather conditions.
noun / naun /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a word that is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea
"Anne," "Philadelphia," "cat," and "happiness" are all nouns.
—Look at count noun , noncount noun .
nour • ish / ' narif / verb ( nour • ish es , nour • ish • ing , nour • ished )
to give someone or something the right kind of food so that they can grow and be healthy
► nour • ish • ment / ' nanfmant / noun [ noncount ]
Nov.
abbreviation of November
nOV .el 1 Ф / 'navl/ noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a book that tells a story about
people and things that are not real
"To Kill a Mockingbird" is a novel by Harper Lee.
nov • el 2 / navl / adjective
new, different, and interesting a novel idea
nov • el • ist / ' navalist /noun [ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a person who writes novels
nov • el • ty / ' navlti / ( )
[ noncount ] the quality of being new and different The novelty of her new job soon faded.
[ count ] something new and unusual
It was a novelty for me not to have to get up early.
No .vem .ber Ф /nou'vembsr/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationNov. ) the eleventh month of the year
now 1 Ф / nao / adverb
1 at this time
can't see you now — can you come back later?
She was in Washington, but she's living in Maryland now. Don't wait — do it now!
From now on (= after this time ) your teacher will be Mr. Hancock.
used when you start to talk about something new, or to make people listen to you
I finished writing that letter. Now, what should we have for dinner? Be quiet, now!
noW and then ; noW and again
sometimes, but not often
We go to that restaurant now and then.
noW2 / nau / ( also now that )conjunction
because something has happened
Now that Mark has arrived we can start dinner.
noW • a • days / ' nauadeiz / adverb
at this time
Most people work with computers nowadays.
no .where Ф / nouwer / adverb
not anywhere; at, in, or to no place There's nowhere to stay in this town.
noWhere near
not at all
Ruth's Spanish is nowhere near as good as yours.
nu • cle .ЯГ Ф / nuklior/ adjective
( PHYSICS )
using the energy that is made when the central part of an atom is broken
nuclear energy nuclear weapons
connected with the center of atoms nuclear physics
nu • cle • us / ' nuklias/noun [ count ]
( pluralnu • cle • i / ' nukliai / ) ( PHYSICS ) the center of a cell or an atom — Look at the picture atatom .
nude / nud / adjective
not wearing any clothes —SYNONYM naked
nu • di • ty / ' nudati /noun [ noncount ]
The movie has scenes of nudity.
nudge / n\d3 /verb
(nudg • es,nudg ing,nudged )
to touch or push someone or something with your elbow (= the middle part of your arm where it bends ) Nudge me if I fall asleep in the theater.
nudgenoun [ count ] Liz gave me a nudge.
nug • get / ' nAgat / noun [ count ]
a small lump of a valuable metal, especially gold, that is found in the earth
nui • sance / ' nusns /noun [ count ]
a person or thing that causes you trouble I lost my keys. What a nuisance!
numb / плш / adjective
not able to feel anything My fingers were numb with cold.
num .ber i© / ' плшЬэг /
1 [ count ] ( abbreviationNo. or no. ) a word or symbol that represents a quantity, for example "two" or "130" Choose a number between ten and one hundred. What's your phone number ?
live at no. 47.
[ count, noncount ] a group of more than one person or thing
A large number of our students come from large families. There are a number of ways you can cook an egg.
num • ber 2 / ' плшЬэг / verb ( num • bers , num • ber • ing , num • bered )
to give a number to something Number the pages from one to ten.
a word you use to say how many people or things there are
The army numbers over 500,000 men.
nu • mer • al / ' numaral / noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a sign or symbol that represents a quantity Roman numerals (= I, II, III, IV, V, etc. )
nu • mer • a • tor / ' numareitar / noun [ count ]
( MATH ) the number above the line in a fraction , for example the 3 in %
—Look at denominator .
nu • mer • i • cal / nu merikl / adjective
connected with or shown by numbers to put items in numerical order
nu • mer • ous / ' numsrss / adjective ( formal )
many
nun / n\n /noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a woman who has given her life to God instead of getting married. Most nuns live together in a special building (called a convent ).
—Look at monk .
nurse 1 О / nsrs /noun [ count ] ( HEALTH ) a person whose job is to take care of people who are sick or hurt
My sister works as a nurse in a hospital.
nurse 2 / nsrs / verb ( nurs es , nurs . ing , nursed )
( HEALTH ) to take care of someone who is sick or hurt I nursed my father when he was sick.
nurs • e • ry / ' nsrssri / noun [ count ] ( plural nurs . e . ries )
a bedroom for a baby
a place where people grow and sell plants
nurs • er • y rhyme / ' nsrssri raim / noun [ count ]
a song or poem for young children
nurs • er • y school / nsrssri skul / noun [ count, noncount ]
a school for children between the ages of about two and five —SYNONYM preschool
nurs • ing / ' nsrsig / noun [ noncount ]
( HEALTH ) the job of being a nurse a career in nursing
nurs • ing home / ' nsrsig houm /noun [count]
( HEALTH ) a place where people who are too old or too sick to live on their own can live and be taken care of
nut Ф / n\t /noun [ count ]
a dry fruit that has a hard outside part with a seed inside. Many types of nuts can be eaten
walnuts, hazelnuts, and peanuts
a metal ring that you put on the end of a long piece of metal (called a bolt ) to fix things together
— Look at the picture at bolt .
nu • tri • ent / ' nutrisnt /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY , HEALTH ) a substance that someone or something needs to live and grow
Plants draw minerals and other nutrients from the soil. nu • tri • tion / nu' trijn /noun [ noncount ] ( HEALTH ) the food that you eat and the way that it affects your health
We can offer you advice on diet and nutrition. ► nu • tri • tion • al / nu' tri/snl / adjective
the nutritional value of green vegetables
nu • tri • tious / nu' trijss / adjective
(used about food) good for you tasty and nutritious meals
nuts / n\ts / adjective
( informal )
crazy
The kids are driving me nuts !
ny • lon / nailan /noun
[ noncount ] very strong material that is made by machines and is used for making clothes, rope, brushes, and other things
a nylon fishing line
nylons [ plural ] another word for pantyhose
Oo
O, o / ou /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralO's, o's / ouz / )
the fifteenth letter of the English alphabet "Orange" begins with an "O."
a way of saying the number "o"
My number is seven three one, O two nine three (= 7310293 ) .
oak / ouk /noun
[ count ] a kind of large tree
[ noncount ] the wood of an oak tree an oak table
oar / or /noun [ count ]
a long stick with a flat end that you use for moving a boat through water ( rowing ) — Look at the picture atrowboat .
o • a • sis / ou 'eisss /noun [ count ] ( pluralo . a . ses / ou 'eisiz / )
( GEOGRAPHY ) a place in a desert that has trees and water
oath / ou6 /noun [ count ] a formal promise He swore an oath of loyalty.
under oath
If you are under oath , you have made a formal promise to tell the truth in a court of law He was accused of lying under oath.
oat • meal / outmil /noun [noncount]
a soft, thick food that is made from oats cooked with water or milk and eaten hot for breakfast a bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar
oats / outs /noun [ plural ]
a plant with seeds that we use as food for people and animals
We make cereals from oats.
• be • di • ent / ou ' bidiant / adjective
doing what someone tells you to do He was an obedient child.
—ANTONYM disobedient
o • be • di • ence / ou bidians / noun [noncount]
Most teachers expect complete obedience from their students.
—ANTONYM disobedience
o • be • di • ent • ly / ou ' bidiantli / adverb
called the dog and it followed me obediently.
o•bese / ou bis / adjective
( HEALTH ) (used about people) very fat, in a way that is not
healthy
Thesaurus
fat is a general word to describe a person who has a large round body, but it is not polite to say to someone that they are fat: Do I look fat in this dress? ♦ I'm getting fat!
overweight is a little more polite, and is also a word used by doctors or health professionals: She's a little overweight. ♦ He's only a few pounds overweight. heavy is often used when you want to be polite: Donna's gotten a little heavier since the last time I saw her.
obese means very fat, in a way that is not healthy. This word is often used by doctors and health professionals, but is also used in a general way to mean "very fat": Obese patients are given advice on healthy eating.
►o • be • si • ty / ou 'bisati/ noun [ noncount ]
Obesity among children is increasing in this country.
• bey / ou ' bei /verb
( o beys , o bey - ing , o - beyed )
to do what someone tells you to do; to follow an order or rule
He always obeyed his parents. You must obey the law.
Ob . jeCt 1 © / 'abd₃ekt /noun [ count ] Pronunciation
When the word object is a noun, you say the first part of the word louder: OBject . When the word object is a verb, you say the second part of the word louder: obJECT .
a thing that you can see and touch There was a small round object on the table.
what you plan to do
His object in life is to become as rich as possible. —SYNONYM aim
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the person or thing that is affected by an action. In the sentence "Susan painted the door," the object of the sentence is "the door."
— Look at subject ( 3 ).
ob • ject 2 / ab ' d₃ekt / verb ( ob - jects , ob ject - ing , ob - ject - ed )
to not like something; to not agree with something I objected to their plan.
ob • jec • tion / ab'd₃ekjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a reason why you do not like something or do not agree with something
I have no objections to the plan.
ob • jec • tive 1Awl / ab'd₃ektiv /noun [count] something that you are trying to achieve —SYNONYM aim
ob • jec • tive 2 Awl / ab ' d3ektiv / adjective
based on the facts, not on your own feelings and opinions an objective report of what happened
—ANTONYM subjective
► ob • jec • tive • ly AWL| / ab ' d3ektivli / adverb
ob • li • gat • ed / ' ablageitad / adjective
If you are obligated to do something, you have to do it because of a rule or law, or because it is the right thing to do
She felt obligated to take care of her mother.
ob • li • ga • tion / |abla' geijn / noun
[ count, noncount ] something that you must do We have an obligation to help.
o • blig • a • to • ry / a ' bliga|tori / adjective
( formal )
If something is obligatory , you must do it because it is the law or a rule. —SYNONYM compulsory
o • blige / a ' blaid3 / verb ( o - blig - es, o blig - ing, o - bliged )
to force someone to do something
Parents are obliged by law to send their children to school.
o • bliv • i • ous / a ' blivias / adjective
not noticing or realizing something
She was completely oblivious to all the trouble she had caused.
ob • long / ' ablog /noun [ count ]
any shape that is longer than it is wide An egg is an oblong. ►ob • longadjective
an oblong shape
ob • nox • ious / ab ' nakjas / adjective
extremely unpleasant
He really is an obnoxious person.
• boe / oubou /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a musical instrument made of wood that you play by blowing into it
—Look at the picture at instrument . ob • scene / ab ' sin / adjective
connected with sex in a way that is rude or that shocks people
He made an obscene gesture.
ob • ser • vant / ab ' zarvant / adjective
good at noticing things That's very observant of you!
ob • ser • va • tion / |abzar veijn / noun
[ noncount ] when you watch someone or something carefully
The police kept the house under observation . His powers of observation are excellent.
2 [ count ] something that you say or write He made an observation about the weather.
—SYNONYM comment
ob • serve / эЬ ' zэrv / verb
( ob • serves , ob serv • ing , ob • served )
( formal )
to watch or see someone or something The police observed a man leaving the house.
ob • serv • er / эЬ ' zэrvэr / noun [ count ] a person who watches someone or something According to observers, the fire started around midnight.
ob • sess / эЬ ' ses / verb ( ob • sess • es , ob sess ing , ob • sessed )
to completely fill your mind Don is obsessed with football.
ob • ses • sion / эЬ ' sejn / noun [ count ]
a person or thing that you think about all the time Cars are his obsession.
ob • sta • cle / ' abstэkl / noun [ count ]
something that makes it difficult for you to do something or go somewhere
Not speaking a foreign language was a major obstacle to her career.
ob • sti • nate / ' аbstэnэt / adjective
not changing your ideas; not doing what other people want you to do
He's too obstinate to say he's sorry. —SYNONYM stubborn
ob • struct / эЬ ' stmkt / verb ( ob • structs , ob • struct • ing , ob • struct • ed )
to be in the way, so that someone or something cannot go past
Please move your car — you're obstructing traffic.
ob • struc • tion / эЬ ' st^k/n / noun [ count ]
a thing that stops someone or something from going past The train had to stop because there was an obstruction on the tracks.
ob .tain © / sb'tein / verb{ ib tains, ob • tain • ing , ob • tained )
( formal )
to get something to obtain permission
ob • tuse an • gle / ab' tus |®ggl / noun [count]
( MATH ) an angle of more than 90° but less than 180° —Look at the picture atangle .
Ob .Vi .OUS © / 'abviss/ adjective
easy to see or understand
It's obvious that she's not happy.
^SYNONYM clear
ob • vi • ous • lyAWL / ' ab^sH / adverb There has obviously been a mistake.
ОС .ca .sion © / э'ке^п/ noun [ count ]
a time when something happens
I've been to Chicago on three or four occasions .
a special time
A wedding is a big family occasion.
oc • ca • sion • al / э ' ke^nl /
happening sometimes, but not very often We get the occasional visitor.
oc • ca • sion • al • ly / э ' ke^^li / adverb
sometimes, but not often I go to Miami occasionally.
oc • cu • pantAWL / ' аkyэpэnt /noun [ count ] ( formal )
a person who lives or works in a particular room, house, or building
The fire destroyed the building, but all the occupants escaped safely.
oc • cu • pa • tion AWL / ^уэ' peijn / noun
[count] ( formal )
a job
What is your mother's occupation?
[ noncount ] when a country or army takes or has control of an area or building
oc • cu • py AWL / ' аkyэpaI / verb ( oc • cu • pies , oc • cu • py • ing , oc cu • pied , has oc • cu • pied )
to fill a space or period of time
The bed seemed to occupy most of the room.
—SYNONYM take up
( formal ) to live or work in a room or building
The house next door has not been occupied for months.
—Look at occupant .
to keep someone busy She occupied herself reading.
to take or have control of an area or building Protestors occupied the TV station.
► oc • cu • pied AWLl / ' akyэpaId / adjective
being used
Excuse me — is this seat occupied?
busy
This work will keep me occupied all week.
oc • cur © AWL / э ' Ьэп / verb ( oc • curs , oc cur • ring , oc • curred )
( formal )
to happen
The accident occurred this morning.
occur to someone
to come into someone's mind
It occurred to me that you might like to come.
oc • cur • rence AWL / э 'Ьэгэш / noun [count]
( formal )
something that happens
Identity theft is now a very common occurrence.
.cean © / 'oujn/noun ( GEOGRAPHY)
[ noncount ] the salt water that covers most of the surface of the earth
People were swimming in the ocean. Ocean levels are rising.
Ocean [ count ] one of the five large areas of salt water on Earth
the Pacific Ocean
o'clock / э klak /adverb
used after the numbers one to twelve for saying the time I left home at four o'clock and arrived in Los Angeles at five thirty. Grammar
Be careful! O'clock is only used with full hours. You cannot say "at five thirty o'clock."
oc • ta • gon
/ aktsgan /noun [count] ( MATH ) a shape with eight straight sides ►oc • tag • o • nal
/ ak' tregsnl / adjective an octagonal coin
Oc .to . ber © / ak'toubr/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationOct. ) the tenth month of the year
oc • to • pus / ' aktspss / noun [ count ] ( plural oc • to • pus • es )
squid
an ocean animal with a soft body and eight long arms (called tentacles )
octopus
odd © ИП L / ad / adjective ( odd • e , )dd est )
strange or unusual
It's odd that he left without telling anyone. —SYNONYM strange
( MATH ) not able to be divided by two
1,3,5, and 7 are all odd numbers . —ANTONYM even
the odd one out
one that is different from all the others
"Apple," "orange," "cabbage" — which is the odd one out?
odd • ly / ' adli / adverb
in a strange or unusual way
She behaved very oddly. —SYNONYM strangely
oddsaw п / adz /nounthe odds [ plural ]
used for saying how likely something is
The odds are that he'll win (= he'll probably win ) .
The odds are against us (= we will probably not succeed ) .
odds and ends ( informal )
different small things that are not important a box of odds and ends
• dor / ' oudsr /noun [ count ] ( formal )
a smell, especially a bad smell Of© / sv ; av /preposition
belonging to or connected with someone or something the back of the chair
What's the name of this mountain? the time of the American Civil War the arrival of the president
used for saying what something is or what something is made of
a piece of wood
a cup of coffee
Is this shirt made of cotton?
used for showing that someone or something is part of a group
one of the girls some of his friends
used after an amount, etc. a gallon of water
the fourth of July
used with some adjectives and verbs I'm proud of you.
This perfume smells of roses.
used for giving your opinion about someone's behavior That's very kind of you.
Off© / of ; af / preposition, adverb
down or away from something He fell off the roof.
We got off the bus. The thief ran off.
used for talking about removing something If you're hot, take your coat off.
Can you clean that paint off the carpet?
—ANTONYM on
away from a place; at a distance in space or time I must be off (= leave ) soon .
Summer is still a long way off.
joined to something and leading from it The bathroom is off the bedroom.
not connected; not working
Make sure the lights are off before you go.
—ANTONYM on
not at work or school
I had the day off yesterday.
(used about a plan or arrangement) not going to happen anymore; canceled
The meeting next Monday is off.
—ANTONYM on
of • fend / s ' fend / ( of • fends, of fend • ing , of • fend • ed )
to make someone feel angry or unhappy; to hurt someone's feelings
I hope they won't be offended if I don't come. of • fend • er / s 'fendsr / noun [ count ] ( formal )
a person who breaks a law a juvenile (= young ) offender
of .fense © / s fens / noun
[ count ] an illegal action He has committed an offense .
—SYNONYM crime
[ noncount ] when a person is angry or unhappy because of what someone has said or done
He took offense when I refused his help.
/ ' afens / [ noncount , singular ] ( SPORTS ) the players on a sports team who try to score points
of • fen • sive / s fensiv / adjective
rude in a way that makes someone feel upset, angry, or insulted
offensive language —ANTONYM inoffensive
used for or connected with attacking offensive weapons
—ANTONYM defensiveof .fer 1 © / of о г; 'afor / verb ( of fers , of • fer • ing , of • fered )
to say or show that you will do or give something if another person wants it
She offered me a piece of cake. I offered to help her.
of .fer2 © / of о г; 'afar /noun
[count]
when you offer to do or give something if another person wants it
Thanks for the offer, but I don't need any help. I've received a job offer, but I'm not sure if I should accept it.
an amount of money that you say you will give for something
They made an offer for the house.
of .f ice © / 'ofOS ; 'ufos /noun
1 [ count ] a place where people work, usually at desks
work in an office.
[ count ] a place where you can buy something or get information
—Look at box office , post office , ticket office .
[ noncount ] ( POLITICS ) an official position, often as part of a government or other organization
How long has the president been in office ?
of .fi .cer © / 'ofosor; 'ufosor /noun [count]
a person in the army, navy, or air force who gives orders to other people
a naval officer
a person who does important work, especially for the government
an intelligence officer
= police officer
Sorry, officer, I didn't realize I was driving too fast.
of .fi .cial 1 © / o'fijl / adjective
connected with government, or with a particular organization or person in authority an official government report an official announcement
of.fi .cial 2©/o'fiji/ noun
[ count ]
a person who does important work, especially for the
government
government officials
of .fi .cial .ly © / a'fijsli/ adverb
done by the government, or by someone in authority He has now heard officially that he's got the job.
of . ten © / 'ofn; 'afn /adverb
many times
I don't see him very often. We often play tennis on Sunday. Write as often as you can. How often do you visit her?
every so often
sometimes, but not often Every so often she calls me.
oh© / ou / exclamation
used for showing a strong feeling, like surprise or fear Oh no! I've lost my keys!
used before other words, for example when you are thinking of what to say
"What time is it?" "Oh, about two o'clock."
Oh Well
used when you are not happy about something, but you cannot change it
"I'm too busy to go out tonight." "Oh well, I'll see you tomorrow then."
Oil © / oil /noun [ noncount ]
( CHEMISTRY ) a thick liquid that comes from under the ground or the ocean. We use oil for energy and to make machines work smoothly.
( BIOLOGY ) a thick liquid that comes from plants or animals and that we use in cooking
Fry the onions in oil. olive oil
oil paint • ing / ' oil peintig /noun [ count ]
( ART ) a picture that has been done with paint made from oil
oil rig / ' oil rig /noun [ count ]
a large structure with special equipment for bringing oil out of the ground
oil Well / 'oil wel /noun [ count ] a hole that is made deep in the ground or under the ocean in order to get oil
oil • y / ' oili / adjective ( oil i • er , oil • i • est )
like oil, or covered with oil an oily liquid oily hands
oint • ment / ' ointmant /noun [count, noncount]
( HEALTH ) a smooth substance that you put on sore skin or on an injury to help it get better
OK 1» (also о . kay ) / oo'kei /exclamation ( informal )
yes
"Should we go to the party?" "OK." —SYNONYM all right
OK2 w (also о . kay ) / oo'kei /adjective, adverb ( informal )
safe and well; calm or happy "How's your mom?" "OK, thanks."
all right; acceptable Is it okay to sit here?
—SYNONYM all right
old© / ould / adjective ( old • er , old • est )
having lived for a long time My grandfather is very old. My sister is older than me.
—ANTONYM young
made or bought a long time ago an old house
—ANTONYM new
You use old to show the age of someone or something Dan is seven years old .
How old are you? a four-year-old girl
done or had before now
My old job was more interesting than this one.
—ANTONYM new
known for a long time
Jess is an old friend — we went to school together. the oldnoun [ plural ]
old people
old age / |ould eid3 /noun [ noncount ] the part of your life when you are old He's enjoying life in his old age .
—ANTONYM youth
old-fash .ioned © / |ould ' fre/and /
not modern
old-fashioned clothes
My parents are kind of old-fashioned.
ol • ive / ' aliv/noun [ count ]
a small green or black fruit that people eat or make into oil
The salad dressing needs a little more olive oil .
SUFFIX
-ology
( in nouns ) the subject of study astr ology (= the study of the stars ) bi ology techn ology
the O • lym • pic Games/di aiimpik ' geimz /
( also the O - lym - pics / di a 'limpiks / )noun [ plural ] ( SPORTS ) an international sports competition that is organized every four years in a different country
O • lym • pic / a ' limpik / adjective
Who holds the Olympic record for the 200 meters?
om • e • let ( also om . e - lette ) / ' amlat /noun [count]
a dish made of eggs mixed together and then fried a cheese omelet
• mit / ou ' mit /verb
( o mits , o - mit ting , o - mit - ted )
( formal )
to not include something
Omit question 2 and do question 3.
—SYNONYM leave out
om • ni • vore / ' amn^vor / noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) an animal that eats both plants and meat — Look atcarnivore , herbivore .
om • niv • o • rous / ^m¹ nivaras / adjective
an omnivorous diet
on®/ an ; on / preposition, adverb
used for showing where something is Your book is on the table.
The number is on the door.
have a cut on my hand.
There's a good movie on TV tonight.
used with ways of traveling and types of travel He got on the bus.
I came here on foot (= I walked ) .
used for showing when My birthday is on May 6. I'll see you on Monday.
working; being used
All the lights were on. —ANTONYM off
covering your body Put your coat on .
about something a book on cars
happening or planned What's on at the movie theater?
Is the meeting still on, or has it been canceled?
—ANTONYM off
using something
I bought it on the Internet. I was on the phone with Jania. He saw it on TV .
used for showing that someone or something continues The man shouted at us, but we just walked on.
soon after
She called me on her return from New York.
on and on
without stopping
He went (= talked ) on and on about his girlfriend.
ОПСе 1 Ф / wrns /adverb
one time
I've only been to Europe once.
He calls us once a week (= once every week ) .
at some time in the past This house was once a school.
all at once
all at the same time, or suddenly People began talking all at once. All at once she got up and left the room. at once
( formal ) immediately; now Come here at once!
at the same time
I can't do two things at once. for once
this time only
For once, I agree with you.
once again ; once more
again; one more time
Can you explain it to me once more?
once and for all
now and for the last time
You have to make a decision once and for all.
once in a while
sometimes, but not often
once or twice
a few times; not often
I've only met them once or twice.
once upon a time
(used at the beginning of a children's story) a long time ago Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess...
once 2 Ф" / wrns / conjunction
as soon as; when
Once you've finished your homework you can go out.
опе 1 ф' / waii / number, adjective
the number 1
One and one make two (1 +1 = 2). Only one person spoke.
a person or thing, especially when they are part of a group
One of my friends is sick. I lost one of my books.
only
You are the one person I can trust.
used for talking about a particular time, without saying exactly when
I'll come over one evening.
one by one
first one, then the next, etc.; separately Please come in one by one.
one or two
a few
There are one or two things I need to do this morning.
опе 2 ф / waii /pronoun 1 used instead of the name of a person or thing
bought some bananas. Do you want one? "Can I borrow a book?" "Yes. Which one?"
The questions are hard — leave the ones you can't do.
( formal ) people in general; I Exercise makes one physically Jit. STYLE
It is very formal to use one in this way and it sounds old-fashioned. We usually say "you" for "people in general" and "I" when you are talking about yourself.
one an • oth • er / ,wAn s ' nAdsr /pronoun each other
We looked at one another.
one • self / wAn ' self /pronoun
( formal )
used with "one" for saying that an action involves the person doing it
One has to ask oneself if such action is necessary.
by oneself
alone; without other people
without help
one-way / ,wAn wei /adjective
allowing travel in one direction only a one-way street a one-way ticket
Look at round-trip .
on • go • ing AWL| / ' angouig / adjective
continuing to exist now It's an ongoing problem.
ОП . ion © / Чпуэп/noun [ count, noncount ] a round vegetable with many layers and a strong smell. Cutting onions can make you cry.
Look at the picture at vegetable .
on • line / ,an ' lain / ( also on-line ) adjective, adverb
( COMPUTERS ) using a computer or the Internet Online shopping is both cheap and convenient. Reservations can be made online. Collocations The Internet connecting connect to/log on to/access the Internet/the Web go/be online/on the Internet using
browse/surf/search the Internet/the Web check out/visit a website/someone's blog click/click on/follow a link start/have/write/read a blog chatting and sharing chat with someone/your friends online meet someone in/enter a chat room download/upload music/a song/a video/a photo post a comment/a message share information/files
on . ly 1 © / 'ounli/ adjective, adverb
with no others
She's the only girl in her class.
and no one or nothing else; no more than
I invited twenty people to the party, but only five came. We can't have dinner now. It's only four o'clock! We only waited five minutes.
if only
words you use to say that you wish something would happen or be true If only he would call.
on • ly 2 / ounli / conjunction
( informal ) but
I like this bag, only it's too expensive.
on • ly child / ,ounli ' tjaild /noun [ count ] ( pluralon • ly chil • dren / ,ounli ' tjildrsn / ) a person who has no brothers or sisters I'm an only child.
ОП .tO © / 'anto ; 'antu /preposition
to a place on someone or something The bottle fell onto the floor. The cat jumped onto the table.
on • Ward/ ' anwsrd / (also on • wards / ' anwsrdz / ) adverb
and after
From September onward it usually gets a lot colder.
forward
The soldiers marched onwards until they came to a bridge. oops / ups / exclamation
a word you say when you have, or almost have, a small accident, or when you break something, etc. Oops! Are you ok?
ooze / uz / verb ( ooz • es , ooz • ing , oozed )
If a thick liquid oozes from something, it comes out slowly
Blood was oozing from the wound.
to show a lot of a particular quality
She walked into the party oozing confidence.
o • paque / ou 'peik / adjective
If something is opaque , you cannot see through it a special piece of opaque glass
—ANTONYM transparent
. pen 1 Ф / 'оирэп /adjective
not closed, so that people or things can go in or out Leave the windows open.
The book lay open on the table. an open box
able to be used or done; available The bank is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The competition is open to all children under the age of 14.
not hiding your thoughts and feelings She's a very open person.
away from towns and people; with not many buildings or trees
We were in open country.
not yet decided
"Where should we go on Friday?" "Let's leave it open." in the open air
outside
We had our lunch in the open air.
. pen 2 Ф/ 'оирэп /verb
( o • pens , o • pen • ing , o • pened )
to move, or to move something, so that something is not closed or covered
The door opened and a man came in. It was hot, so I opened a window. Open your eyes! Open your books to page 10.
to make it possible for people to enter a place Banks don't open on Sundays.
The president opened the new hospital.
to start something; to start I'd like to open a bank account.
How do you open a file in this program? The story opens with a murder.
—ANTONYM close , shut
open up to talk about what you feel and think It took him a long time to really open up to me.
o • pen3 / ' oupэn /noun
out in the open
outside
Children need to play out in the open. into the open
not hidden or secret
They intend to bring their complaints out into the open.
open-air / |Oupэn ' er / adjective
not inside a building an open-air concert
o • pen • er / ' oupэnэr /noun [ count ]
a small tool that you use for opening cans or bottles a can opener
• pen • ing / ' oupэnщ /noun [ count ]
a space in something where people or things can go in and out
The cattle got out through an opening in the fence. —SYNONYM hole
a ceremony to celebrate the start of a public event or the first time a new building, road, etc. is used
the opening of the Olympic Games
o • pen • ly / ' oupэnli / adverb
not secretly; without trying to hide anything She told me openly that she didn't agree.
open-minded / |Oupэn ' maindid /adjective
ready to consider new ideas and opinions —ANTONYM narrow-minded
• pe • ra / ' apre /noun [ count, noncount ]
( MUSIC ) a play where the actors sing most of the words to music
Do you like opera?
We went to see an opera by Verdi.
an opera house (= a buidling where you can see operas )
op .er .ate ф / 'aporeit/ verb ( op • er ates , op • er at • ing , op er • at ed )
to work; to make something work
don't know how this machine operates. These switches operate the heat.
( HEALTH ) to cut into someone's body to take out or repair a part inside
Doctors will operate on her leg tomorrow. Word building
A doctor who operates on people in a hospital is called a surgeon . A surgeon's work is called surgery .
op .er .a .tion Ф/ ^ps'reijn/ noun [count ]
( HEALTH ) cutting into someone's body to take out or repair a part inside
He had an operation on his eye.
an event that needs a lot of people or planning a military operation
op • er • a • tor / ' apэreItэr / noun [ count ]
a person who makes a machine work a machine operator
a person who works for a telephone company and helps to connect people making calls
What number do you dial for the operator?
a person or company that runs a particular business a tour operator
О .pin . ion Ф / э'ртуэп / noun [ count ]
what you think about something
In my opinion, she's wrong.
What's your opinion of his work?
He had strong opinions on everything.
-►SYNONYM view
o • pos • sum
/ э ' pi^m /noun [count]
a type of small animal with fur and a long tail that lives in trees
op • po • nent / э 'poumnt / noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) the person against you in a fight or competition Flynn beat his opponent easily.
OP - РОГ .tU .ni .ty ,арэг'Шпэй/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural op • por • tu • ni . ties )
a chance to do something; a time when you can do
something that you want to do
I didn't get the opportunity to visit them.
It was a golden (= perfect ) opportunity , and I decided to
take it.
op • pose / э ' pouz / verb ( op•pos•es,op pos • ing ,op • posed)
to try to stop or change something because you do not like it
A lot of people opposed the new law.
op • posed / э ' pouzd / adjective
disagreeing strongly with something and trying to stop it I am opposed to the plan. as opposed to ( formal )
words that you use to show that you are talking about one
thing, not something different
The flight cost $400, as opposed to $200 last year.
op . po .site 1 © / upozot / adjective, adverb,
preposition
Spelling
Remember! You spell opposite with PP .
1 as different as possible
can't walk with you, because I'm going in the opposite direction.
across from where someone or something is; on the other side
The church is on the opposite side of the road from my house.
The bank is opposite the supermarket.
op . po . site 2 © / 'apszst /noun [ count ] a word or thing that is as different as possible from another word or thing
"Hot" is the opposite of "cold."
op • po • si • tion / |apa 'zifn / noun [ noncount ]
disagreeing with something and trying to stop it There was a lot of opposition to the plan.
op • press / э ' pres / verb ( op • press • es , op • press • ing , op • pressed ) ( POLITICS ) to treat someone in an unfair and cruel way, and not give them the same freedom and rights as other people
op • pressed / э prest / adjective
an oppressed minority
op • pres • sion / э 'pre/n / noun [ noncount ]
a struggle against oppression
opt / apt / verb ( opts , opt • ing , opt • ed )
to choose to do something
She opted for a career in medicine.
op • ti • cal / ' aptikl / adjective
connected with the sense of sight optical effects
op • ti • cian / ap ' tifn / noun [ count ]
a person who makes and sell glasses —Look atoptometrist .
op • ti • mism / ' aptamizam / noun [ noncount ]
the feeling that good things will happen —ANTONYM pessimism
op • ti • mist / ' aptamist / noun [ count ]
a person who thinks that good things will happen —ANTONYM pessimist
op • ti • mis • tic / |apta ' mistik / adjective
If you are optimistic , you think that good things will happen
I'm optimistic about winning. —ANTONYM pessimistic
op • tionAWL| / ' apjn/noun [ count ] a thing that you can choose
You have the option of studying full-time or part-time. —SYNONYM choice
op • tion • al aw / ' ap/anl /
If something is optional , you can choose it or not choose it
All students must learn English, but Spanish is optional. —ANTONYM compulsory
op • tom • e • trist / ap'tamatrist /noun [count]
( HEALTH ) a person who tests your eyes and tells you which glasses, etc. you need —Look atoptician .
ог ©/ эг;ог/ conjunction
a word that joins possibilities Is it blue or green?
Are you coming or not?
You can have soup, salad, or sandwiches.
She hasn't called or written for weeks.
if not
Go now, or you'll be late. —SYNONYM otherwise
• ral / ' oral / adjective
spoken; not written an oral exam
connected with the mouth oral hygiene
or . ange 1 Ф / 'onndj ; 'annd3 /noun [ count, noncount ]
a round fruit with a color between red and yellow, and a thick skin
orange juice
—Look at the picture at fruit .
a color between red and yellow
or .ange 2ф / 'эш^з; 'annd3/adjective
with a color that is between red and yellow orange paint
or • bit / ' orbat /noun [ count, noncount ]
( PHYSICS ) the path of a planet or an object that is moving around another thing in space
► or • bit verb ( or • bits , or • bit ing , or • bit • ed )
to move around something in space The spacecraft is orbiting the moon.
or • chard / ' ortfard / [count]
a piece of land where fruit trees grow
or • ches • tra / ' orkastra / noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a big group of people who play different musical instruments together Word building An orchestra is made up of four sections. The strings section includes violins and cellos. The woodwind section includes clarinets and flutes. The brass section includes trumpets and trombones. The percussion section includes drums and cymbals.
or • deal / or' dil /noun [count , usually singular ]
a very bad experience
He was lost in the mountains for a week without food or water — it was a terrible ordeal.
or .der 1 Ф / 'ordor/ noun
[ noncount ] the way that you place people or things together
The names are in alphabetical order . List the jobs in order of importance.
[ noncount ] when everything is in the right place or everyone is doing the right thing
Our teacher likes order in the classroom. Are these papers in order ?
—ANTONYM disorder
[ count ] words that tell someone to do something He gave the order for work to begin.
Soldiers have to obey orders .
[ count ] when you ask a company to send or supply goods to you
I'd like to place an order for some books.
[ count ] when you ask for food or drink in a restaurant, bar, etc.
The waiter took our order .
in order to
so that you can do something
We arrived early in order to buy our tickets.
out of order
(used about a machine, etc.) not working I couldn't call you — the phone was out of order.
or .der 2О/ ordor/ verb
( or - ders, or - der ing, or - dered )
to tell someone that they must do something The student was ordered to leave the classroom.
to ask a company to send or supply goods to you The store didn't have your book, so I ordered it for you.
to ask for food or drink in a restaurant, bar, etc. I ordered some coffee.
or • di • nal num • ber / ' ordani ^mbar /
noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a number that shows the position of something in a series. "First," "second," "third," and "fourth" are ordinal numbers.
— Look at cardinal ( 2 ).
Or.di.nar.yO/ ordn.ri / adjective
not special or unusual
It's interesting to see how ordinary people live in other countries.
—SYNONYM normal
out of the ordinary
unusual
Did you see anything out of the ordinary? —SYNONYM strange
ore / or /noun [ count, noncount ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) rock or earth from which you get metal iron ore
or • gan / ' organ /noun [ count ]
a part of your body that has a special purpose, for example your heart
the body's internal organs
( MUSIC ) a musical instrument, usually in a church, that is played like a piano
or • gan • ic / or' grenik / adjective
grown in a natural way, without using chemicals organic vegetables
( BIOLOGY ) containing living things Improve the soil by adding organic matter . ► or • gan • i • cal • ly / or'grenikli / adverb organically grown vegetables
or • gan • ism / ' organizam / noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) a living thing, especially a very small one that you can only see with a special instrument (called a microscope )
or .gan .i za .tion Ф/ .огдэпэ'нягп/ noun
[ count ] a group of people who work together for a special purpose
He works for an organization that helps old people.
[ noncount ] the activity of planning or arranging something; the way that something is planned or arranged She's busy with the organization of her daughter's wedding.
or .gan .ize Ф / 'orgsnaiz/ verb ( or - gan iz es , or - gan - iz - ing , or gan - ized )
to plan or arrange something
Our teacher organized a visit to the museum.
to put or arrange things into a system or order You need to organize your work more carefully.
or .gan .ized © / organaizd / adjective
1 with everything planned or arranged a badly organized trip
2 (used about a person) able to plan your work, life, etc. well
Jenny's such an organized person. —ANTONYM disorganized
• ri • ent • ed AWL / ' orientad / adjective
for, or interested in, a particular type of person or thing She's very career-oriented. a male-oriented career
or • i • gin / 'orad3in /noun [ count, noncount ]
the time, way, or place that something first existed the origins of life on earth
the country, race, culture, etc. that a person comes from His family is of Italian origin .
rig i nal © / a rid3anl / adjective
first; earliest
have the car now, but my sister was the original owner.
new and different
His poems are very original.
real, not copied original paintings
o • rig • i • nal noun [ count ]
This is a copy of the painting — the original is in the Smithsonian.
• rig • i • nal • ly / a ' rid3anali / adverb
in the beginning
The school was originally very small. I'm from Texas originally.
or • na • ment / ' ornamant / noun [ count ]
a thing that we have because it is beautiful, not because it is useful
glass ornaments
or • na • men • tal / |orna ' mentl / adjective
There is an ornamental pond in the yard.
or • phan / orfan /noun [ count ]
a child whose parents are dead
or • phan • age / orfanid3 / noun [ count ]
a home for children whose parents are dead
os • trich / ' astritf /noun [ count ] ( pluralos . trich - es )
a very big bird from Africa that cannot fly but can run fast because it has long legs
Oth .er Ф / лбэг/ adjective, pronoun
as well as, or different from the one or ones I have said Carmen is Mexican, but the other students in my class are Korean.
can only find one shoe. Have you seen the other one? I saw her on the other side of the road.
John and Claire arrived at nine o'clock, but the others (= the other people ) were late. other than
except for someone or something I haven't told anyone other than you. the other day
not many days ago
I saw your brother the other day. —SYNONYM recently
Oth . er .wise Ф / 'ulorwaiz / adverb, conjunction
in all other ways
The house is small, but otherwise it's very nice.
in a different way
Most people agreed, but Rachel thought otherwise.
3 if not
Hurry up, otherwise you'll be late. —SYNONYM or
ot • ter / ' atar /noun [ count ]
a river animal with brown fur that eats fish
ouch / autj / exclamation
You say " ouch " when you suddenly feel pain Ouch! That hurts!
—SYNONYM ow
ought to Ф / ' ota ; ' ot tu / modal verb
words that you use to tell or ask someone what is the right thing to do
It's late — you ought to go home.
—SYNONYM should
words that you use to say what you think will happen or what you think is true
Tom has worked very hard, so he ought to pass the exam. That movie ought to be good.
—SYNONYM should
Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.)
After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
ounceО/ auns / noun [count] ( abbreviation oz. )
a measure of weight (= 28.35 grams). There are 16 ounces in a pound
eight ounces of flour
another word for fluid ounce a 12-ounce can of cola.
our Ф' / ar; аиэг/ adjective
belonging to us This is our house.
ours Ф / arz ; ' auarz /pronoun something that belongs to us Your car is the same as ours.
our .selves © / ar' selvz ; auar' selvz /pronoun [ plural ]
used when you and another person or other people do an action and are also affected by it
We made ourselves some coffee.
a word that makes "we" stronger We built the house ourselves.
by ourselves
without help
alone; without other people
We went on vacation by ourselves. Suffix
-ous
( in adjectives ) having a particular quality
danger ous
disastr ous
poison ous
mysteri ous
OUt © / aut / adjective, adverb
away from the inside of a place When you go out, please close the door. She opened the box and took out a picture.
—ANTONYM in
not at home or not in the place where you work I called Steve but he was out.
I went out to the movies last night.
—ANTONYM in
not hidden; that you can see Look! The sun is out!
All the flowers are out (= open ) .
not burning or shining The fire went out.
in a loud voice She cried out in pain.
(used about a player in a game or sport) not allowed to continue playing
If you get three answers wrong, you're out. —Look at out of .
out • age / ' autid3 / noun
[count]
a time when there is no electricity in a building or an area There was a power outage across the whole city.
out • break / autbreik / noun
[count]
the sudden start of something bad the outbreak of war
out • come AWL| / ' autkvm / noun
[count]
the result or effect of an action or event What was the outcome of the investigation?
out • door / autdor / adjective
happening, existing, or used outside a building an outdoor swimming pool Bring outdoor clothing.
—ANTONYM indoor
out • doors / |aut' dorz /adverb
not in a building
In summer we sometimes eat outdoors. —SYNONYM outside —ANTONYM indoors
out • er / ' autar / adjective
on the outside; far from the center Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage. the outer suburbs of the city
—ANTONYM inner
out • er space / |autar 'speis /noun [noncount] = space ( 3 )
out • field / autfild /noun [ singular ]
( SPORTS ) the part of a baseball field that is farthest away from where the ball is being hit
—Look at infield .
out • fit / ' autfit /noun [ count ]
a set of clothes that you wear together I bought a new outfit for the party.
out • go • ing / |aut ' gouig / adjective
friendly and interested in other people and new experiences
out • grow / ,aut ' grou / verb
( out • grows , out • grow • ing , out • grew / ,aut ' gru /
has out • grown / ,aut' groun / )
to become too big or too old for something
She's outgrown her school uniform again.
—SYNONYM grow out of
out • ing / ' autig /noun [ count ]
a short trip for pleasure
Mrs. Sharp's class is going on an outing to the zoo. —SYNONYM trip
out • law 1 / ' autlo / verb ( out • laws , out • law • ing , out lawed )
to make something illegal
The government has outlawed the use of cell phones while driving.
out • law2 / ' autlo /noun [ count ]
(especially in the past) a person who has done something illegal and is hiding from the police
out • let / ' autlet /noun [count ]
a place on a wall where you can connect electrical equipment to a power supply
Is there an outlet in here so I can plug in my phone?
out • line / ' autlain /noun [ count ]
a line that shows the shape or edge of something
It was dark, but we could see the dim outline of the castle.
a description of the most important facts or ideas about something
a brief outline of the events
out • look / ' autluk /noun [ count ]
1 the way you think or feel about life and the world
try to keep a positive outlook on life.
what will probably happen
The outlook for the economy is not good.
out of Ф / ' autsv / preposition
words that show where from She took a cake out of the box. She got out of bed.
—ANTONYM into
not in
Fish can't live out of water.
using something; from
He made a table out of some old pieces of wood.
from a number or set
Nine out of ten people think that the government is right.
without
We're out of coffee.
She's been out of work for six months.
because of a particular feeling I was just asking out of curiosity.
out of date / ,aut sv ' deit /adjective
old; not useful, wanted, or allowed now This map is out of date.
— Look at up to date .
out • put AWL / ' autput / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the amount of things that someone or something has made or done
What was the factory's output last year?
out • ra • geous / aut ' reid3ss / adjective
that shocks you or makes you feel very angry His behavior was outrageous.
out • set / autset / noun at or from the outset
at or from the beginning of something
People were unhappy with the new law from the outset.
OUt . Side 1 Ф / 'autsaid ; ,aut'said /noun
[ count , usually singular ]
the part of something that is away from the middle
the outside of the package
We've only seen the building from the outside.
—ANTONYM inside
out .side 2О / autsaid / adjective
away from the middle of something
the outside walls of the house
Could you turn on the outside lights, please?
—ANTONYM inside
out . side 3 Ф / 'autsaid ; ,aut'said /preposition, adverb
in or to a place that is not inside a building I left my bicycle outside the store. Come outside and see the garden!
—ANTONYM inside
out • skirts / autsksrts /noun [ plural ]
the edges of a town or city They live on the outskirts of town.
out • spo • ken / ,aut' spouksn / adjective
saying exactly what you think or feel Linda is very outspoken in her criticism.
out • stand • ing / ,aut ' strendig /adjective
very good; much better than others Her work is outstanding.
—SYNONYM excellent
out • ward1 / ' autwsrd /adjective
connected with the way things seem to be
Despite her cheerful outward appearance, she was in fact very unhappy.
traveling away from a place that you will return to later There were no delays on the outward flight.
out • ward2 / ' autwsrd / ( also out • wards /
' autwsrdz / )adverb
toward the outside
The windows open outward.
—ANTONYM inward o • val / ouvl /adjective
( MATH ) with a shape like an egg an oval mirror ► o • valnoun [ count ]
Draw an oval.
OV . en Ф / 'луэп / noun [ count ]
a piece of equipment with a door that you use to cook food
in
Take the bread out of the oven.
.Ver 1© / 'oovor/ adverb, preposition
above something; higher than something A plane flew over our heads.
There is a picture over the fireplace.
on someone or something so that it covers them She put a blanket over the sleeping child.
across; to the other side of something The dog jumped over the wall.
to or in a place
Come over and see us on Saturday. Come over here !
Go over there and see if you can help.
down or to the side I fell over in the street.
He leaned over to speak to her.
so that the other side is on top
You may turn your papers over and begin.
more than a number, price, etc. She lived in Spain for over 20 years.
This game is for children aged ten and over.
used for saying that someone repeats something
He said the same thing over and over (= many times ) . You'll have to start all over again (= from the beginning ) .
not used; remaining
There is a lot of cake left over from the party. all over
everywhere; in every part
Have you seen my glasses? I've looked all over. She travels all over the world.
• ver 2 / ' ouvar / adjective
finished
The exams are over now. PREFIX
over-
more than is good; too much overcook
over sleep over optimistic over weight
on the outside; extra over coat
over time
o • ver • all АИД / |ouvar' ol / adjective
including everything
The overall cost of the repairs will be about $350. —SYNONYM total ►o • ver • alladverb
How much will it cost overall?
o • ver • alls / ' ouvarolz /noun [ plural ]
pants with an extra part that covers your chest, held up by a piece of cloth over each shoulder
o•ver•board / ' ouvarbord /
over the side of a boat and into the water She fell overboard.
o • ver • cast / ' ouvarkrest / adjective
(used about the sky) covered with clouds
o • ver • charge / |ouvar ' tfard3 / verb
( o ver • charg • es , o • ver • charg ing , o • ver charged )
to ask someone to pay too much money for something The taxi driver overcharged me.
o•ver•coat / ' ouvarkout / [count] a long warm coat
Although it was a hot day, he was wearing an overcoat. — Look at the picture at clothes .
o • ver • come / |ouvar ' клш / verb
( o • ver comes , o • ver • com • ing , o • ver • came
/ |ouvar' keim / has o . ver . come )
to find an answer to a difficult thing in your life; to control something
He overcame his fear of flying.
o • ver • croWd • ed / |ouvar'kraudad /
adjective
too full of people
The trains are overcrowded on Friday evenings. o • ver • do / |ouvar ' du / verb ( o • ver • does
/ |ouvar' dAz / o . ver . did / |ouvar' did / o . ver . do • ing ,
has o • ver • done / |ouvar ' dAn / )
to use or do too much of something
You should get a little exercise, but don't overdo it.
o•ver•dose / ' ouvardous /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) an amount of a drug or medicine that is too large
and so is not safe
He died of a drug overdose .
o • ver • due / |ouvar' du / adjective
not done by the expected time
We had no money and the rent was overdue.
—SYNONYM late
o • ver • es • ti • mate |aw / |ouvar' estameit /
verb ( o • ver • es • ti • mates , o • ver • es ti • mat • ing ,
ver • es • ti • mat ed )
to think that someone or something is bigger, better, more important, etc. than they really are
overestimated how far we could get in a day.
—ANTONYM underestimate
o • ver • floW / |ouvar' flou /
( o • ver flows , o • ver flow • ing , o • ver • flowed )
to be so full that there is no space
Someone left the faucet on and the bathtub overflowed.
o • ver • groWn / ^uvar ' groun / adjective
covered with plants that have grown too big
The house was empty and the yard was overgrown.
o • ver•head / ' ouvarhed / adjective
above your head an overhead light
► o • ver • head / |ouvar' hed / adverb
A plane flew overhead.
• ver•hear / |ouvar' hir /
( o ver • hears , o • ver • hear • ing , o • ver • heard /
|ouvar ' hard / )
to hear what someone is saying when they are speaking to another person
overheard Louise saying that she was unhappy.
o • ver • lapaw / |ouvar' lrep /
( o • ver laps , o • ver lap ping , o • ver lapped )
When two things overlap , part of one thing covers part of
the other thing
The tiles on the roof overlap.
o • ver • look / |ouvar' luk /verb ( o • ver • looks ,
ver • look • ing , o • ver • looked )
to not see or notice something He overlooked one important fact.
to have a view over something My room overlooks the ocean.
o • ver • night / iouvar' nait / adjective, adverb
for or during the night an overnight trip
They stayed at our house overnight.
o • ver • pass / ' ouvarpres /noun [ count ] ( pluralo • ver • pass • es )
a bridge that carries a road over other roads
— Look at underpass .
o • ver • seas АШИ / ^uvar ' siz / adjective, adverb
in, to, or from another country across the ocean She travels overseas a lot.
Much of the company's business comes from overseas markets.
• ver • sleep / ^uvar' slip / verb
( o ver • sleeps , o • ver • sleep • ing , o • ver • slept
/ |ouvar' slept / )
to sleep too long and not wake up at the right time
overslept and was late for work.
o • ver • throw / |ouvar' 6rou /
( o ver • throws , o • ver • throw • ing , o ver • threw
/ |ouvar' 6ru / has o . ver • thrown / ^uvar' 6roun / ) ( POLITICS ) to remove a leader or government from power, by using force
The dictator was overthrown in a military coup.
• ver • time / ' ouvartaim / [noncount]
extra time that you spend at work
have done a lot of overtime this week.
( SPORTS ) extra time that is added to the end of a sports game if there is no winner at the end of the normal period The game went into overtime.
o • ver • weight / ^uvar' weit / adjective
too heavy or fat
The doctor said I was overweight and that I should eat less.
—ANTONYM underweight Thesaurus
fat is a general word to describe a person who has a large round body, but it is not polite to say to someone that they are fat: Do I look fat in this dress? ♦ I'm getting fat!
overweight is a little more polite, and is also a word used by doctors or health professionals: She's a little overweight. ♦ He's only a few pounds overweight. heavy is often used when you want to be polite: Donna's gotten a little heavier since the last time I saw her.
obese means very fat, in a way that is not healthy. This word is often used by doctors and health professionals, but is also used in a general way to mean "very fat": Obese patients are given advice on healthy eating.
o • ver • whelm / |ouvar' welmig /
adjective
very great or strong an overwhelming feeling of loneliness
ow / au / exclamation
You say " ow " when you suddenly feel pain Ow! You're standing on my foot.
—SYNONYM ouch owe О / ou /verb ( owes , ow • ing , owed )
PRONUNCIATION
The word owe sounds like go .
1 to have to pay money to someone
lent you $10 last week and $10 the week before, so you owe me $20.
to have something because of a particular person or thing He owes his life to the man who pulled him out of the river.
She owes her success to hard work.
OWl / aul/noun [ count ] OWl
a bird that flies at night and eats small
OWn 1С / oun / adjective, pronoun PRONUNCIATION
The word own sounds like bone .
a word that shows that something belongs to a particular person
Is that your own camera or did you borrow it? I have my own room now that my sister has left home. I want a home of my own. Grammar
Be careful! You cannot use own after "a" or "the." You cannot say: I would like an own room. You say: I would like my own room or: I would like a room of my own.
on your own
alone
She lives on her own.
without help
I can't move this box on my own — can you help me?
OWn 2 ©/ oun / verb ( owns , own ing , owned )
to have something that is yours
We don't own our apartment — we rent it.
I don't own a car.
own up to say that you have done something wrong No one owned up to breaking the window.
OWn .еГ Ф / 'оипэг/noun
[count]
a person who has something that belongs to them Who is the owner of that red car?
ox / aks /noun [ count ] ( pluralox • en / ' aksn / ) a large male cow that is used for pulling or carrying heavy things
ox • ide / aksaid / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( CHEMISTRY ) a combination of oxygen and another
substance
iron oxide
ox • y • gen / ' aksid3an /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolO )
( CHEMISTRY ) a gas in the air. Animals and plants need oxygen to live.
oys • ter / ' oistsr /noun [ count ]
a small animal with a shell, which lives in the ocean. You can eat some types of oyster , and others produce shiny white things used to make jewelry (called pearls ). —Look at the picture atshellfish .
oz. abbreviation of ounce
o • zone / ' ouzoun /noun [ noncount ]
( CHEMISTRY ) a poisonous gas that is a form of oxygen
o • zone-friend • ly / , ouzoun frendli /
adjective
(used about cleaning products, etc.) not containing chemicals that could harm the ozone layer Most aerosol sprays are now ozone-friendly.
the o • zone lay • er / 6i ' ouzoun ,ieisr / noun
[ singular ]
the layer of ozone high above the surface of the earth, which helps to protect the earth from the bad effects of the sun
P, p / pi /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralP's, p's / piz / ) the sixteenth letter of the English alphabet
"Pencil" begins with a "P."
p. abbreviation of page
pace 1 / peis /noun
[ singular ] how fast you do something or how fast something happens
We started at a steady pace .
[ count ] a step Take two paces forward.
keep pace with someone or something
to go as fast as someone or something
She couldn't keep pace with the other runners.
pace2 / peis /verb
to walk around in a nervous or angry way
She paced up and down the sidewalk.
рас .i .fi .er
/ ' pressfaisr /noun [count]
a small, rubber object that you put in a baby's mouth to stop it from crying
pack 1 Ф / раек / noun [ count ]
a package or group of things that are sold together a pack of cigarettes
a number of things that are wrapped or tied together The donkey had a heavy pack on its back.
an ice pack
a group of wild dogs or similar animals a pack of wolves
pack 2 ЧР/ раек / verb ( packs, pack . ing, packed)
to put things into a bag, box, etc. before you go somewhere
Have you packed your suitcase? Don't forget to pack your toothbrush.
to put things into a box, bag, etc. Pack all these books into boxes.
—ANTONYM unpack
pack up to stop doing something
At two o'clock we packed up and went home.
pack • ing / ' prekig /noun [ noncount ]
I haven't done my packing and we're leaving tonight.
pack.age О
/ ' p®kid3 /noun [count]
1 something in a box, a bag, or wrapped in paper that is sent by mail
went to the post office to mail a package.
a box, bag, etc. in which things are packed to be sold in a store a package of hamburger buns
—Look at the picture at container .
pack • age verb
(pack•ag•es, pack • ag • ing ,pack•aged )
packaged food
pack • ag • ing / ' p®kid3ig / noun [ noncount ]
material like paper, plastic, etc. that is used to wrap things that you buy or that you send
packed / prekt / adjective
full
The train was packed.
pack • et / ' prekst /noun [ count ]
a small flat bag that contains a small amount of something a packet of sunflower seeds
pact / prekt /noun [ count ]
an important agreement to do something They made a pact not to tell anyone.
pad / pred /noun
[count]
1 a thick flat piece of soft material
Football players wear pads on their shoulders to protect them.
used a cotton pad to clean the cut.
pieces of paper that are joined together at one end a writing pad
pad • ded / ' predsd / adjective
covered with or containing a layer of thick soft material a padded envelope
pad • dle / ' predi /noun
[ count ]
a piece of wood with a flat end, which you use for moving a small boat through water
—Look at the picture at canoe .
pad • dle verb ( pad • dles , pad • dling , pad • dled )
to move a small boat through water with a paddle We paddled up the river.
pad • lock / 'predlak /
noun [ count ]
a lock that you use on things like gates and bicycles
page © / _Peid₃ / (
abbreviation p. ) noun [ count ]
one or both sides of a piece of paper in a book, magazine, or newspaper
Please turn to page 120. What page is the story on? I'm reading a 600-page novel.
paid
form of pay 1
paill © / pern /noun
1 [ count, noncount ] the feeling that you have in your body when you are hurt or sick
have a pain in my leg. He's in terrible pain .
[ noncount ] unhappiness
I could see the pain in her eyes. be a pain or a pain in the neck ( informal )
a person, thing, or situation that bothers you or makes you angry
She can be a real pain when she's in a bad mood. pain .ful © / pemfl / adjective 1 giving pain
cut my leg — it's very painful. —ANTONYM painless
making you feel upset or embarrassed Their divorce was painful for the kids. ► pain • ful • ly/ ' peinfbi /adverb
pain • kill • er / ' peinkilar / noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a drug that makes pain less strong She's on painkillers .
pain • less / peinlas / adjective
not causing pain a painless injection
—ANTONYM painful
pains • tak • ing / ' peinzteikig / adjective
very careful and taking a long time a painstaking search of the area
paint 1© / peint/noun [ noncount ] ( ART ) a liquid that you put on things with a brush, to change the color or to make a picture red paint
Is the paint dry yet?
pa i nt 2 © / peint / verb ( paints , paint - ing , paint - ed )
1 to put paint on something to change the color We painted the walls gray.
2 ( ART ) to make a picture of someone or something using paint
I'm painting a picture of some flowers. My sister paints very well.
paint • brush / ' peintbrAf /noun [ count ] ( pluralpaint brush es )
( ART ) a brush that you use for painting
Look at the picture at brush .
paint .er © / 'pemtor/noun
[count]
a person whose job is to paint things like walls or houses
( ART ) a person who paints pictures Picasso was a famous painter.
—SYNONYM artist
paint .ing ©/ 'peintir)/ noun
[ count ]
( ART ) a picture that someone makes with paint a painting by Norman Rockwell He did a painting of the bridge.
pair © / per /noun [ count ]
two things of the same kind that you use together a pair of shoes
a new pair of earrings
a thing with two parts that are joined together a pair of glasses
a pair of scissors I bought two pairs of pants.
two people or animals together a pair of ducks
Look at couple . in pairs
with two things or people together
Shoes are only sold in pairs.
The students were working in pairs.
pa • ja • mas / pa 'd3remaz / noun [ plural ]
a loose jacket and pants that you wear in bed
pal / prel /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a friend
pal • ace / prelas /noun [ count ]
a very large house where a king or queen lives
pal • ate / ' prelat /noun [ count ]
the top part of the inside of your mouth
pale © / peil / adjective ( >al - e , >al - est )
with not much color in your face Are you sick? You look pale.
She has very pale skin.
—SYNONYM white
with a light color; not strong or dark a pale blue dress
—SYNONYM light —ANTONYM dark palm / pam /noun [ count ]
the flat part of the front of your hand
Look at the picture at hand .
( also palm tree / ' pam tri / ) a tree that grows in hot countries, with no branches and a lot of big leaves at the top a coconut palm
pam • phlet / ' premfiat /noun [ count ]
a very thin book with a paper cover that gives information about something
pan Ф / paen/noun [ count ]
a metal container that you use for cooking a frying pan a saucepan
pan • cake / ' prenkeik /noun [ count ]
a very thin round thing that you eat. You make pancakes with flour, eggs, and milk I had blueberry pancakes for breakfast.
— Look at the picture at waffle .
pan .da
/ ' prenda /noun [count]
a large black and white animal that lives in China
pane / pein /noun [ count ]
a piece of glass in a window a windowpane
pan • elaw щ / ' prenl /noun [ count ]
a group of people who give their opinions about something or discuss something
Do you have any questions for our panel? a panel of judges
a flat piece of wood, metal, or glass that is part of a door, wall, or ceiling
a flat part on a machine, where there are things to help you control it
the airplane's control panel
pang / preg /noun [ count ]
a sudden strong and painful feeling hunger pangs a pang of jealousy
pan • ic / ' prenik /noun [ count ]
a sudden feeling of fear that you cannot control and that makes you do things without thinking carefully There was panic in the store when the fire started. ► pan • icverb ( pan • ics , pan ick • ing , pan • icked )
Don't panic!
pan • i • cky / ' preniki / adjective
( informal )
very worried about something; feeling or showing panic
pan • ic-strick • en / ' prenik |strikan /
adjective
very afraid, in a way that stops you from thinking clearly Panic-stricken shoppers fled from the scene.
pant / prent / verb ( pants , pant • ing , pant • ed )
to take in and let out air quickly through your mouth, for example after running or because you are very hot The dog was panting.
pan • ther / ' prenear /
noun [ count ]
a wild animal like a big cat with black fur
pant • ies / ' prentiz /noun [ plural ]
a piece of underwear for women that covers the lower part of the body but not the legs a pair of panties
pan • try / ' prentri /noun [ count ] ( pluralpan • tries )
a small room where you can keep food
pants Ф / paents /noun [ plural ]
a piece of clothing for your legs and the lower part of your body
Your pants are on the chair. —Look at the picture at clothes . Grammar
Be careful! Pants is a plural noun so you cannot say "a pants."
You can say a pair of pants or some pants : I bought a new pair of pants. ♦ I bought some new pants .
pant • y • hose / prentihouz / ( also ny . lons / ' nailanz / )noun [ plural ] a piece of very thin clothing that a woman wears over her feet and legs a pair of pantyhose
pa .per Ф / 'peipsr/noun
[ noncount ] thin material for writing or drawing on, or for wrapping things in
a sheet of paper a paper bag
[ count ] a newspaper Have you seen today's paper?
papers [ plural ] important pieces of paper with writing on them
Her desk was piled high with papers.
[ count ] a piece of writing that you do for class on a particular subject
We have to write a ten-page history paper.
pa • per • back / ' peiparbrek /
[ count, noncount ]
a book with a paper cover
This novel is also available in paperback .
— Look at hardback .
pa • per clip / ' peipar klip /noun [ count ]
a small metal object that you use for holding pieces of paper together
—Look at the picture at stationery .
pa • per • Work / ' peiparwark / noun [noncount]
the written work that you have to do as part of your job or
to get something done
Teachers have far too much paperwork.
par•a •chute / ' prersjut /noun [ count ]
a thing that you have on your back when you jump out of an airplane and that opens, so that you fall to the ground slowly
pa • rade / ps ' reid /noun [ count ]
a line of people who are walking together for a special reason, while other people watch them our town's Fourth of July parade
par•a • dise / prersdais / noun
[ noncount ] ( RELIGION ) the place where some people think good people go after they die
—SYNONYM heaven
[ count ] a place that is very beautiful and seems perfect a tropical island paradise
par•a•dox / prersdaks /noun [ count ] ( pluralpar • a • dox • es )
something that has two or more parts that seem strange or
impossible together
"A deafening silence" is a paradox.
par • a • graphaw / ' prersgrref / 9
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a group of sentences. A paragraph always begins on a new line.
par • al • lel aw Щ / ' prerslel / adjective, adverb
( MATH ) Parallel lines are straight lines that are always
the same distance from each other
The train tracks run parallel to the road.
—Look at the picture at line .
par • al • lel • o • gram / ,prers 'lelsgrrem / noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a flat shape with four straight sides. The opposite sides are parallel and equal to each other. — Look at the picture atshape .
pa • ral • y • sis / ps 'rrelssss / noun [ noncount ]
( HEALTH ) not being able to move or feel your body, or a part of it
The disease can cause paralysis.
par • a • lyze / ' prerslaiz / verb ( par • a • lyz ing , par • a lyz es , par • a • lyzed )
( HEALTH ) to make a person unable to move all or part of their body
The injury paralyzed her legs.
par • a • lyzed / ' prerslaizd / adjective
After the accident, she was paralyzed from the waist down.
par • a • med • ic / ,prers 'medik / noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a person who is not a doctor or a nurse, but who takes care of people who are hurt or sick until they get to a hospital
pa • ram • e • ter AWB / ps ' rremstsr / noun
[ count ] ( formal )
a rule or limit that controls the way in which something can be done
We had to work within the parameters set by the committee.
par • a • noid / prersnoid / adjective
If you are paranoid , you believe that other people are trying to harm you or are saying bad things about you.
par • a • noi • a / ,prers 'nois / noun [ noncount ] a feeling of paranoia
par • a • phrase / ' prersfreiz /verb ( par a • phras-es, par a • phras- ing, par a • phrased ) ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) to say something again using different words so that it easier to understand Paraphrase the author's main arguments.
par • a • site / ' prerssait /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) a plant or animal that lives on another plant or animal and gets food from it Some parasites cause disease.
par • cel / ' parsl /noun [ count ]
something in a box, bag, or wrapped in paper that is sent by mail
—SYNONYM package
par • don1 / ' pardn /noun [ count, noncount ]
( POLITICS ) an official decision not to punish someone for something bad they have done I beg your pardon ( formal )
1 words that you say to mean "I am sorry"
beg your pardon, I didn't mean to step on your foot.
words that you use to ask someone to say something again because you did not hear
I beg your pardon, could you say that again?
par • don 2 / ' pardn / verb (par•dons,par don • ing ,par•doned )
( formal )
to officially decide not to punish someone for something bad that they have done
Two hundred prisoners were pardoned by the president. —SYNONYM forgive pardon me
( also pardon ) a polite way of asking someone to repeat what they just said
"You're very quiet." "Pardon me?" "I said, you're very quiet."
a polite way of saying you are sorry Pardon me, I didn't see you standing there.
par .ent С / 'persnt /noun [ count ]
a mother or father
Her parents live in Massachusetts.
► pa • ren • tal / ps ' rentl / adjective
parental support
pa • ren • the • ses / ps' renessiz /noun [plural]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a pair of marks, ( ) , that you put around extra information in a piece of writing Irregular plurals are given in parentheses .
par • ent • hood / ' persnthud /noun [noncount]
being a parent
par • ish / ' prerij /noun [ count ] ( pluralpar . ish • es )
an area that has its own church and priest
park 1 О / park /noun [ count ] a place with grass and trees, where anyone can go to walk, play games, or relax We had a picnic in the park .
Central Park—Look at national park .
park 2 ЧР/ park / verb ( parks, park ing, parked)
to stop and leave a vehicle somewhere for a time
You can't park on this street.
My car is parked across from the bank.
► park • ing / ' parkig /noun [ noncount ]
The sign says "No Parking." I can't find a parking space.
par•ka / ' parka /noun [count]
a warm jacket or coat with a part that you pull up to cover your head (called a hood ) a ski parka
park • ing lot / ' parkig lat /noun [ count ]
an area or a building where you can leave your car for a time
park • ing me • ter / ' parkig |mitar / noun [count]
a machine beside the road that you put money into when you park your car next to it
park • ing tick • et / ' park₄ itikat / noun
[ count ]
a piece of paper that orders you to pay money ( called a fine ) for parking your car where it is not allowed
park • way / parkwei /noun [ count ]
a wide street with trees and grass along the sides or middle Rock Creek Parkway
The short way of writing "Parkway" in street names is Pkwy.
par • lia • ment / ' parlamant / noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) the people that make the laws in some countries the Canadian parliament
par • lor / ' parlar /noun [count]
a store that sells a particular type of goods or services an ice cream parlor a beauty parlor
pa • ro • chi • al school / pa'roukial |skul /
noun [ count ]
a school that is connected with or run by a church par • o • dy / ' preradi /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralpar • o • dies )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a performance or a piece of writing, music, etc. that copies the style of someone or something in a funny way a parody of disaster movies
pa • role / pa ' roul /noun
[noncount]
permission that is given to a prisoner to leave prison early if he or she behaves well He is being released on parole .
par • rot / ' prerat /noun [count]
a bird with very bright feathers that can copy what people say
pars • ley / ' parsli /noun [ noncount ] a type of plant (called an herb ) with small green leaves, which you use in cooking or for decorating food
part 1 Ф / part /noun [ count ]
some, but not all of something; one of the pieces of something
We spent part of the day on the beach. Which part of New Jersey do you come from?
a piece of a machine
Is there a store near here that sells bicycle parts?
the person you are in a play or movie He played the part of Romeo.
a line in your hair that you make by brushing it in different directions using a plastic or metal thing (called a comb )
He has a side part. take part in something
to do something together with other people All the students took part in the concert.
part 2 / part / verb ( parts , part • ing , part • ed )
to go away from each other We parted at the airport.
to move apart, or to make things or people move apart She parted her lips but said nothing.
to make a line in your hair by brushing it in different directions using a plastic or metal thing (called a comb ) Do you part your hair on the left or right side?
part with something to give something to someone else, especially something that you would prefer to keep Read the contract very carefully before you part with any money.
part 3 / p art /adverb
not completely one thing and not completely another She's part French and part Chinese.
par • tial / ' parjl / adjective
not complete
The evening was only a partial success.
par • tial • ly / ' parjbli / adverb
The road was partially blocked by a fallen tree. —SYNONYM partly
par • tic • i • pant AWL / par'tisapant / noun [ count ]
a person who does something together with other people All participants in the event will receive a certificate.
par • tic • i • pate AWL| / par ' tisapeit / verb ( par • tic • i pates , par • tic • i • pat • ing , par • tic i • pat • ed )
( formal )
to do something together with other people Ten countries participated in the discussions.
—SYNONYM take part
par • tic • i • pa • tion AWL / par^sa' pei/n / noun
[noncount]
Your participation is greatly appreciated.
par • ti • ci • ple / ' partasipl/ noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a form of a verb
The present participle of "eat" is "eating" and the past
participle is "eaten."
par • ti • cle / ' partikl /noun [ count ]
a very small piece of something particles of dust
par .tic .u .lar © / par tikyalar / adjective
one only, and not any other
You need a particular kind of flour to make bread.
more than usual
The road is very icy, so take particular care when you are driving.
—SYNONYM special
If you are particular , you want something to be exactly right
He's very particular about the food he eats.
in particular
more than others
Is there anything in particular you want to do this weekend?
—SYNONYM especially
par .tic . U . lar . ly ©/ psr'tikysbrli/ adverb more than usual, or more than others I'm particularly interested in U.S. history. I don't particularly like fish.
—SYNONYM especially
par • ties
plural of party
par • ti • tion / par ' tijn / noun [ count ]
something that separates one part of a room from another a glass partition
part .ly © / 'partli/adverb
not completely, but in some way The window was partly open. The accident was partly my fault.
part . пег © / 'partnor/noun [ count ]
your husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend
( BUSINESS ) one of the people who owns a business Tom and I are business partners.
a person you are dancing with, or playing a game with
part • ner • ship AWL / ' partnarjip / noun
[ count, noncount ]
being partners
The two sisters went into partnership and opened a store.
part of speech / |part av ' spitj /noun [count] ( pluralparts of speech )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) one of the groups that words are divided into, for example "noun," "verb," "adjective," etc.
part-time / |part ' taim / adjective, adverb
for only a part of the day or week I have a a part-time job as a salesclerk. My mom works part-time .
—Look at full-time .
par .ty © / 'partj/noun [ count ] ( pluralpar - ties )
a time when friends meet, usually in someone's home, to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves
We're having a party this Saturday. Can you come? a birthday party
( POLITICS ) a group of people who have the same ideas about politics
He's a member of the Democratic Party. Culture
There are two main political parties in the United States.
These are the Republican Party and the Democratic Party .
3 a group of people who are traveling or working together a party of tourists
paSS 1 © / paes / verb ( pass - es , pass - ing , passed )
to go by someone or something She passed me in the street.
Do you pass any stores on your way to the station?
to go or move in a particular direction A plane passed overhead .
The train passes through our town on its way to Boston.
to give something to someone Could you pass me the salt, please?
( SPORTS ) to kick, hit, or throw the ball to someone on your team
If time passes , it goes by
A week passed before his letter arrived.
to spend time
How did you pass the time in the hospital?
to do well enough on an examination or test Did you pass your driving test?
—ANTONYM fail
to officially approve a law by voting Congress is expected to pass the law. pass away to die
The old man passed away in his sleep.
pass something on to give or tell something to another
person
Will you pass on a message to Michael for me? pass out to suddenly become unconscious —SYNONYM faint
pass2 / pres /noun [ count ] ( pluralpass - es )
( SPORTS ) kicking, throwing, or hitting a ball to someone in a game
a special piece of paper or card that says you can go somewhere or do something
You need a pass to get into the factory.
a road or way through mountains The pass was blocked by snow.
pas .sage © / '_P8esid₃/ noun
[count]
a narrow way, for example between two buildings
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a short part of a book, a speech, or a piece of music
We studied a passage from the story for homework.
pas .sen .ger © / 'ржээ^зэг/ noun [count ]
a person who is traveling in a car, bus, train, or airplane but
not driving or flying it
The plane was carrying 200 passengers.
pass • er • by / |presar ' bai /noun [ count ] ( pluralpas - sers . by / |presarz ' bai / ) a person who is walking past you in the street I asked a passerby where the Science Museum was.
pas • sion / ' prejn / noun
[ count, noncount ] a very strong feeling, usually of love, but sometimes of anger or hate
[ singular ] a strong feeling of liking something very much or being very interested in it
He has a passion for baseball.
pas • sion • ate / ' prejn^at / adjective
having or showing very strong feelings a passionate kiss
► pas • sion • ate • ly / ' prejn^atli / adverb
pas • sive 1 AWL / ' presiv / adjective
accepting what happens or what others do without trying to change things
He remained passive though all our group meetings.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) (used about a verb or a sentence) when the person or thing doing the action is the not the subject of the verb
In the sentence "He was bitten by the dog," the verb is passive.
—ANTONYM active
pas • sive2AWL / ' presiv /noun [ singular ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a verb used when the action is done by another person or thing, not by the subject of the verb
In the sentence "The car was stolen," the verb is in the passive .
—Look at active .
pass . port ©/ 'pa-sport / noun [ count ]
a small book with your name and photograph in it. You must take it with you when you travel to other countries.
pass • Word / ' presward /noun [ count ]
a secret word that allows you to go into a place or start using a computer or a computer system Never tell anyone your password.
past 1Ф / paest /noun
the past [ singular ] the time before now, and the things that happened then
We learn about the past in history classes. In the past , many people had large families.
—ANTONYM future
[ count ] a person's life before now
May I ask you a few questions about your past?
the past [ singular ] ( English language arts ) = the past tense
past 2C' / paest/ preposition, adverb
from one side to the other of someone or something; on the other side of someone or something
Go past the theater, then turn left. The bus went past without stopping.
a word that shows how many minutes after the hour It's two minutes past four.
It's half past seven.
past зФ / paest /adjective
connected with the time that has gone We will forget your past mistakes.
just before now
He's been sick for the past week.
—SYNONYM last
pas • ta / ' pasta /noun [ noncount ]
an Italian food that is made from flour and water, which comes in many different shapes pasta with tomato sauce
paste1 / peist /noun [ count, noncount ]
a soft wet substance, usually made from powder and liquid, and sometimes used for sticking paper to things Mix the flour with milk to make a paste. wallpaper paste
paste 2 / peist / verb ( pastes , past • ing , past • ed )
1 to stick something to another thing using paste Paste the picture into your books.
2 ( COMPUTERS ) to copy or move writing or pictures into a
computer document from somewhere else
You can cut and paste the tables into your essay.
pas • tel / pre stel / adjective
(used about colors) pale, not strong
My daughter wants to paint her room a pastel pink.
pas • time / ' prestaim / noun [ count ]
something that you like doing when you are not working Painting is her favorite pastime.
—SYNONYM hobby
past par • ti • ci • ple / |prest'partasipl / noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a verb that in English is used with "have" to make a tense (called the perfect tense )
"Broken" is the past participle of "break."
the past per • fect / бэ |prest ' parfikt / noun
[ singular ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a verb that describes an action that was finished before another thing happened The play had already started when we got there.
pas • try / ' peistri / noun ( plural pas • tries )
[ noncount ] a mixture of flour, butter, and water that is rolled flat and used for making a special type of food (called a pie )
[ count ] a small cake made with pastry
the past tense/ бэ prest ' tens / (also the past) noun [ singular ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a verb that you use to talk about the time before now The past tense of "sing" is "sang."
Look atfuture 1 ( 2 ) , present 2 ( 3 ).
pas • ture / ' prestfar / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a field or piece of land with grass where farm animals can eat
pat / pret / verb ( pats , pat • ting , pat • ted )
to touch someone or something lightly with your hand flat She patted the dog on the head. ► patnoun [ count ] He gave me a pat on the shoulder.
patch / pretf /noun [ count ] ( pluralpatch .es )
a small piece of something that is not the same as the other parts
a black cat with a white patch on its back
a piece of cloth that you use to cover a hole in things like clothes
I sewed a patch on my jeans.
pat • ent / ' pretnt / noun [ count ]
( BUSINESS ) the official right to be the only person or
company to make or sell a product
The company has the patent for the new software.
pa • ter • nal / pa ' tarnl / adjective
behaving like a father, or connected with being a father paternal love
A paternal relation is from your father's side of the family
my paternal grandmother (= my father's mother )
Look at maternal .
path © / рае8 /noun [ count ] ( pluralpaths / predz / )
a way across a piece of land, where people can walk a path through the woods
the line along which someone or something moves The fire destroyed everything in its path.
pa • thet • ic / ps ' Qetik / adjective ( informal )
very bad or weak
That was a pathetic performance — they deserved to lose!
pa • tience / ' peijns /noun [ noncount ]
staying calm and not getting angry when you are waiting for something, or when you have problems Learning to play the piano takes hard work and patience. She was walking so slowly that her sister finally lost patience with her (= became angry with her ) .
—ANTONYM impatience
pa .tient 1© / 'peijnt/ adjective
able to stay calm and not get angry when you are waiting
for something or when you have problems
Just sit there and be patient. Your mom will be here soon.
—ANTONYM impatient
pa • tient • ly / ' pei/sntli / adverb She waited patiently for the bus. —ANTONYM impatiently
pa .tient 2© / 'peijnt/noun [count ]
( HEALTH ) a sick person who is getting medical treatment from a doctor or nurse
pat • i • o / ' pretiou /noun [ count ] ( pluralpat • i • os )
a flat, hard area outside a house where people can sit and
eat
to have breakfast on the patio pa • tri • ot / ' peitrist / noun [ count ] ( POLITICS ) a person who loves his or her country the patriots who fought for American independence
pa • tri • ot • ism / ' peitristizsm /noun [ noncount ] love of your country
pa • tri • ot • ic / ,peitri ' atik / adjective
having or showing love for your country a patriotic song
pa • trol / ps ' troul /noun [ count ]
a group of people or vehicles that go around a place to see that everything is all right an army patrol
The police drive around the area in a patrol car .
on patrol
going around a place to see that everything is all right During the carnival there will be 30 police officers on patrol.
pa • trol verb ( pa • trols, pa trol ling, pa • trolled )
A guard patrols the gate at night.
pa • tron • ize / ' peitrsnaiz / verb ( pa • tron • iz • es , pa • tron • iz • ing , pa • tron • ized )
to treat someone in a way that shows you think you are better, more intelligent, etc. than them Don't patronize me.
pa • tron • iz • ing / ' peitrsnaizig / adjective
I don't like her patronizing attitude.
pat • ter / ' pretsr /noun [ singular ] quick, light sounds
I heard the patter of children's feet on the stairs. ► pat • terverb ( pat • ters, pat • ter • ing, pat • tered )
Rain pattered against the window.
pat .tem Ф / pa-torn /noun [ count ]
( ART ) an arrangement of shapes and colors on something
The curtains had a pattern of flowers and leaves.
the way in which something happens or develops Her days all seemed to follow the same pattern.
a thing that you copy when you make something
I bought some material and a pattern to make a new skirt.
patterns
stripes checks plaid
pat • terned / ' pretsrnd / adjective
decorated with shapes and colors a patterned shirt
pause О /_Poz/ verb
( paus es,paus ing ,paused )
to stop talking or doing something for a short time He paused for a moment before answering my question. ►pausenoun [ count ]
a period of time when you stop talking or stop what you are doing
There was a long pause before she spoke.
pave / peiv / verb ( paves , pav • ing , paved )
to cover an area of ground with a hard surface There is a paved road near the house.
pave • ment / ' peivmsnt / noun
[ noncount ]
the hard surface of a road or street
paw / po /noun [ cou nt ]
the foot of an animal, for example a dog or a cat —Look at the picture atcat .
pay 1 ©/ pei / verb ( pays , pay ing , paid / peid / has paid )
to give someone money for something, for example something they are selling you or work that they do How much did you pay for your car? I paid the company for fixing the roof. She has a very well-paid job.
pay someone back to hurt someone who has hurt you
One day I'll pay her back for lying to me!
pay someone or something back to give back the
money that someone has lent to you
Can you lend me $10? I'll pay you back next week.
РЭУ 2 © / pei /noun [ noncount ] the money that you get for working It's a tough job, but the pay is good.
pay .ment © / 'peimsnt/noun
[ noncount ] paying or being paid
This check is in payment for the work you have done.
[ count ] an amount of money that you pay I make monthly payments of $50.
pay phone / ' pei foun /noun [ count ]
a telephone that you can use by putting in money or using a special card
PC / |pi ' si / abbreviation
( COMPUTERS ) a computer that you can use at home or in an office. PC is short for "personal computer."
short for politically correct
pea / pi /noun [ count ]
a very small, round, green vegetable. Peas grow in long, thin cases (called pods ). — Look at the picture atvegetable .
peace © / pis / noun [ noncount ]
a time when there is no war or fighting between people or countries
The two countries eventually made peace (= agreed to stop fighting ) .
the state of being quiet and calm the peace and quiet of the countryside Go away and leave me in peace !
peace .ful Ф / 'pisfl/ adjective
with no fighting
a peaceful demonstration
quiet and calm It's so peaceful here.
► peace • ful • ly / ' pisfli / adverb She's sleeping peacefully.
peach / pitj /
noun [ count ] ( plural peach • es )
a soft round fruit with a yellow and red skin and a large hard part (called a pit ) in the center
pea • cock / pikak /noun [ count ]
a large bird with beautiful long blue and green feathers in its tail
peak / pik /noun [ count ]
the time when something is highest, biggest, etc. Traffic is at its peak between five and six in the evening.
( GEOGRAPHY ) the pointed top of a mountain snowy mountain peaks
pea • nut / ' pinAt / noun
[count]
a nut that you can eat salted peanuts
— Look at the picture at nut .
pea • nut but • ter / ipinAt 'bAtar / noun
[noncount]
a thick, soft substance made from peanuts , which you eat on bread
pear / per /noun [ count ]
PRONUNCIATION
The word pear sounds just like pair .
a fruit that is green or yellow on the outside and white on the inside
—Look at the picture at fruit .
pearl / pari/noun [ count ]
a small, round, white thing that grows inside the shell of a fish (called an oyster ). Pearls are valuable and are used to make jewelry a pearl necklace
peas • ant / ' peznt /noun [ count ]
a poor person who lives in the country and works on a small piece of land
peb • ble / ' pebi /noun [ count ]
a small, round stone
pe • can / pa'kan ; pa 'kren /noun [ count ]
a type of nut that we eat. It has a smooth, red-brown shell and grows on trees in the southern U.S.
pecan pie — Look at the picture at nut .
peck / pek / verb ( pecks , peck • ing , pecked )
When a bird pecks something, it eats or bites it quickly The hens were pecking at the corn.
pe • cu • liar / pi ' kyulyar / adjective
strange; not usual
What's that peculiar smell? —SYNONYM odd
ped • al / ' pedl/noun [ count ]
a part of a bicycle or other machine that you move with your feet
—Look at the picture at bicycle .
pe • des • tri • an / pa'destrian / noun [ count ]
a person who is walking in the street
pe • di • a • tri • cian / ipidia 'tnjn / noun
[ count ]
( HEALTH ) a doctor who treats children
peek / pik / verb ( peeks , peek • ing , peeked )
to look at something quickly and secretly because you should not be looking at it
No peeking at your presents before your birthday! ►peeknoun [ singular ]
You can take a quick peek.
peel 1/pil/
verb ( peels , peel • ing , peeled )
to take the outside part off a fruit or vegetable Can you peel the potatoes?
to come off in thin pieces The paint is peeling off the walls.
peel 2 / pil /noun [ noncount ]
the outside part of some fruit and vegetables orange peel potato peel
peep / pip / verb ( peeps , peep • ing , peeped )
to look at something quickly or secretly I peeped through the window and saw her.
peer1 / pir /noun [ count ]
a person who is the same age as you
peel
Teenagers worry about being accepted by their peers (= other teenagers ) .
peer 2 / pir / verb ( peers , peer ing , peered )
to look carefully at something because you cannot see well I peered outside, but I couldn't see anything because it was dark.
peg / peg / noun [ count ]
a small thing on a wall or door where you can hang things Your coat is hanging on the peg.
pel • vis/ ' pelvas /noun [count] (plural pel • vis • es)
( BIOLOGY ) the set of bones at the bottom of your back, which your leg bones are joined to
—Look at the picture at skeleton . pen © / pen/ noun [ count ]
a thing that you use for writing with a liquid (called ink )
a small piece of ground with a fence around it for keeping farm animals in
a pigpen
pe • nal • ize / ' pini-aiz / verb
( pe • nal • iz • es , pe • nal iz • ing , pe • nal • ized )
to punish someone for breaking a rule or law
He was penalized for touching the ball with his hands.
to cause someone to suffer a disadvantage The new tax unfairly penalizes single parents.
pen • al • ty / ' penlti / noun [ count ] ( plural pen • al • ties )
a punishment
The penalty for parking here is $200 (= you must pay $200 ) .
( SPORTS ) a punishment for one team and an advantage for the other team because a player has broken a rule
The referee called a penalty for an illegal pass.
реП .СИ Ф/ 'pensl/noun [count, noncount ] an object that you use for writing or drawing. Pencils are made of wood and have a point that writes in gray or another color colored pencils I wrote the note in pencil.
—Look at the picture at stationery .
pen • e • trate / ' penatreit / verb ( pen • e trates , pen • e • trat • ing , pen • e • trat • ed )
to go through or into something
The knife penetrated deep into his chest.
pen • guin / ' peggwan / noun
[ count ]
a black and white bird that lives in very cold places. Penguins can swim, but they cannot fly.
pen • i • cil • lin / |pena 'silan / noun [ noncount ]
( HEALTH ) a type of drug that is used to stop infections and to treat illnesses
pen • in • su • la / pa 'ninsala / noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) an area of land that has water on three sides the Florida peninsula
pe • nis / ' pinas /noun [ count ] ( pluralpe . nis • es )
the part of a man's or a male animal's body that is used for getting rid of waste liquid and for having sex
pen • knife / pen|naif /noun [ count ] ( pluralpen • knives / ' pe^narvz / ) a small knife that you can carry in your pocket
pen • ni • less / ' penilas /
having no money; poor
pen • ny / ' peni /noun [count] ( pluralpen .nies )
a small brown coin that is worth one cent —Look at the picture atmoney .
pen pal / ' pen prel/noun [ count ] a person that you make friends with by writing letters, but you have probably never met them
pen • sion / ' penfn /noun [ count ]
money that an old person (a person who is retired ) gets from the company where he or she used to work
pen .ta .gon pentagon
/ 'pentsgan /noun
[ count ] ( MATH ) a shape that has five straight and equal sides
the Pentagon [ singular ] ( POLITICS ) a large government building near Washington D.C. that contains the main offices of the U.S. military forces
peO . pie Ф / 'pipl /noun [ plural ]
more than one person
How many people came to the meeting? People often arrive late at parties.
men and women who work in a particular activity sports people
the people the ordinary citizens of a country He is a man of the people.
pep • per / ' pepar / noun
[ noncount ] powder with a hot taste that you put on food
salt and pepper
[ count ] a red, green, or yellow vegetable that is almost empty inside —Look at the picture atvegetables .
pep • per • mint / ' peparmint /
[ noncount ] a plant with a strong, fresh taste and smell. It is used to make things like candies and medicines.
[ count ] a candy with the flavor of peppermint
pep • per • o • ni / pepa 'rouni /noun [noncount] a type of hard, spicy sausage (= meat made into a long, thin shape ) pepperoni pizza
per / par / preposition
for each; in each
These apples cost $1.29 per pound. I was driving at 60 miles per hour.
per • ceive AWL / par' siv / verb ( per - ceives , per - ceiv - ing , per - ceived )
( formal )
to notice or realize something Scientists failed to perceive the danger.
to understand or think of something or someone in a particular way
My comments were perceived as criticism.
per • centAWL / par' sent /noun [ count ] ( pluralper - cent ) ( symbol% )
( MATH ) one part in every hundred
90 percent of the people who work here are men (= in 100 people, there are 90 men ) . You get 10% off if you pay cash.
per • cent • age awl / par' sentid3 / noun
[count ]
( MATH ) an amount of something, expressed as part of one hundred
"What percentage of students passed the exam?" "About eighty percent."
per • cep • tive / par' septiv / adjective
quick to notice or understand things She made some very perceptive comments.
perch 1 / part/ / verb ( perch - es , perch - ing , perched )
to sit on something narrow or uncomfortable The bird perched on a branch. We perched on high stools.
perch2 / part/ /noun [ count ] ( pluralperch - es )
a place where a bird sits
per • cus • sion / par' L\/n /noun [ noncount ]
( MUSIC ) drums and other instruments that you play by hitting them
the percussion section of an orchestra Word building An orchestra is made up of four sections. The strings section includes violins and cellos. The woodwind section includes clarinets and flutes. The brass section includes trumpets and trombones. The percussion section includes drums and cymbals.
per .feet © / 'psrfikt / adjective
so good that it cannot be better; with nothing wrong Her French is perfect.
It's perfect weather for a picnic.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) made from "has," "have," or "had" and the past participle of a verb
"I've finished" is in the perfect tense.
— Look at the past perfect , the present perfect .
per • fec • tion / par' fek/n / noun
[noncount]
the state of being perfect
The meat was cooked to perfection .
per • fect • ly / ' parfiktli / adverb
completely
I'm perfectly all right.
in a perfect way
She played the piece of music perfectly.
per .form © / par form / verb ( per - forms , per form - ing , per - formed )
to do something such as a piece of work or a task Doctors performed a complicated operation to save her life.
to be in something such as a play or a concert The band has never performed here before.
The play will be performed every night next week.
per • form .аПСе © / por'formons /noun
[ count ] a time when a play, etc. is shown, or music is played in front of a lot of people
We went to the evening performance of the play.
[ noncount ] how well you do something
My parents were pleased with my performance on the exam.
per • form • er / par formar /noun [ count ]
a person who is in something such as a play or a concert
per • fume / par fyum /noun [ count, noncount ]
a liquid with a nice smell that you put on your body a bottle of perfume
a nice smell
per.haps © / par hreps /adverb
( formal )
a word that you use when you are not sure about something I don't know where she is — perhaps she's still at work. There were three men, or perhaps four.
—SYNONYM maybe
pe • rim • e • ter / pa 'rimatar / noun [ count ]
the outside edge or limit of an area of land the perimeter fence of an army camp
( MATH ) a measurement of the distance around an area or shape
What is the perimeter of the triangle?
pe .ri .od © J Щ / ' piriad / noun [ count ]
an amount of time
This is a difficult period for him. What period of history are you studying?
one of the equal lengths of time that make a school day I have German during second period.
( HEALTH ) the time when a woman loses blood from her body each month
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a mark ( . ) that you use in
writing to show the end of a sentence, or after the short form of a word
the pe • ri • od • ic ta • ble / da piriadik
' teibl/noun [ singular ]
( CHEMISTRY ) a list of all the chemical substances (called elements )
perm / parm /noun [count ]
the treatment of hair with special chemicals to make it curly I think I'm going to get a perm .
perm verb ( perms , perm - ing , permed )
She had her hair permed .
per .ma .nent © / parmanant / adjective
continuing forever or for a very long time without changing I'm looking for a permanent job.
—Look at temporary .
per • ma • nent • ly / ' parmanantli / adverb Has he left permanently?
per .mis .sion ©/par'mijh/noun
[noncount]
allowing someone to do something
She gave me permission to leave early.
You may not leave the school without permission .
per • mit 1 / psr ' mit / verb ( per • mits , per mit • ting , per mit ted )
( formal )
to let someone do something
You are not permitted to smoke in the hospital.
—SYNONYM allow
per • mit2 / ' psrmit /noun [ count ]
a piece of paper that says you can do something or go somewhere
Do you have a work permit ?
per • pen • dic • u • lar / ,psrpsn dikyslsr /
adjective
( MATH ) If two lines are perpendicular , one of the lines
makes an angle of 90° with the other
Are these lines perpendicular to each other?
per • se • cute / ' psrsskyut / verb ( per•se•cutes,per se cut• ing , per • se • cut•ed )
to treat someone in a cruel and unfair way, especially because of their race or beliefs ► per • se • cu • tion / ,psrss ' kyujn /noun [ count, noncount ]
the persecution of minority groups
per • se • vere / ,psrss ' vir / verb
( per • se • veres , per • se • ver • ing , per • se • vered )
to continue trying to do something that is difficult If you persevere with your studies, you'll get a good job.
per • sist • ent AWL| / psr' sistsnt / adjective
determined to continue doing something, even though people tell you to stop
She's a very persistent child — she just never gives up.
lasting for a long time a persistent cough
per . SOn © / 'psrsn /noun [ count ] ( pluralpeo • ple / ' pipl / ) 1 a man or woman
think she's the best person for the job. We invited a few people to dinner.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) one of the three types of pronoun in grammar. "I" and "we" are the first person, "you" is the second person, and "he," "she," "it," and "they" are the third person.
in person
seeing someone, not just speaking on the telephone or writing a letter
I want to speak to her in person.
per .son .al ® / psrssnl / adjective
of or for one person
That letter is personal and you have no right to read it. Please keep all your personal belongings with you.
done by a particular person rather than someone who is acting for them
The president made a personal visit to the victim's family.
per • son • al com • pu • ter / psrssni
ksm ' pyutsr /noun [ count ] = PC
per .son .al .i .ty © / ,psrss ' nrelsti / [ count ] ( plural per • son • al .i • ties )
the qualities that a person has that make them different from other people
Mark has a great personality.
a famous person
a television personality
per • son • al • ly / ' psrssnsli / adverb
You say personally when you are saying what you think about something
Personally, I like her, but a lot of people don't.
done by you yourself, and not by someone else acting for you
I will deal with this matter personally.
per • son • al pro • noun / psrssni
prounaun /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) any of these pronouns: I, me, she, her, he, him, we, us, you, they, them
per • son • nel / ,psrss 'nel /noun [ plural ]
the people who work for a large business or organization military personnel
per • spec • tive aw / psr ' spektiv /
[ count, noncount ] the ability to think about problems in a sensible way, without making them seem worse than they are
You must try to keep things in perspective (= do not exaggerate them ) .
[ count ] your way of thinking about something Try to look at this from my perspective .
( ART ) [ noncount ] the way of drawing that makes some objects seem farther away than others
per .suade © / psr sweid / verb (per•suades, per•suad - ing ,per•suad ed )
to make someone think or do something by talking to them My friend persuaded me to buy the most expensive pair of jeans.
per • sua • sion / psr' swei3n / noun
[noncount]
the process of making someone think or do something After a lot of persuasion, she agreed to come.
pes • si • mism / ' pessmizsm / noun
[noncount]
thinking that bad things will happen —ANTONYM optimism
pes • si • mist / ' pessmist / noun [ count ] Lisa's such a pessimist.
—ANTONYM optimist
pes • si • mis • tic / ,pess ' mistik / adjective
Don't be so pessimistic — of course it's not going to rain! —ANTONYM optimistic
pest / pest /noun [ count ]
an insect or animal that damages plants or food
( informal ) a person or thing that makes you angry My little sister's a real pest!
pes • ter / ' pestsr / verb ( pes • ters , pes • ter ing , pes • tered )
to make someone a little angry by asking them for something many times
Journalists pestered the neighbors for information.
pes • ti • cide / ' pestasaid / [ count, noncount ]
a chemical substance that is used for killing insects and
other animals that eat plants
The crops are sprayed with pesticide.
—Look at insecticide .
pet Ф / pet /noun [ count ] 1 an animal that you keep in your home
have two pets — a cat and a goldfish.
a child that a teacher or a parent likes best She's the teacher's pet.
pet • al / ' petl /noun [ count ] ( BIOLOGY ) one of the parts of a flower that give it color — Look at the picture atplant .
pe • tite / pa ' tit / adjective
(used about a girl or woman) small and thin a petite blonde
pe • ti • tion / pa'tijn/ noun [ count ]
a special letter from a group of people that asks for something
Hundreds of people signed the petition for a new fence around the school.
pe • tri • fied / ' petrafaid / adjective
very afraid
I'm petrified of snakes. —SYNONYM terrified
pe • tro • le • um / pa ' trouliam / noun [ noncount ]
( CHEMISTRY ) oil that is found under the ground or ocean and is used for making fuel for cars and other types of chemical substances
pet • ty / ' peti / adjective ( pet ti • er, pet • ti • est )
small and not important
I'm not interested in the petty details.
phan • tom / ' frentam /noun [ count ] a spirit of a dead person that people think they see —SYNONYM ghost
phar•aoh / ferou /noun [ count ]
( HISTORY ) a person who ruled ancient Egypt
phar • ma • ceu • ti •cal / farma ' sutiki /
adjective
( HEALTH ) connected with making and selling medicines and drugs
pharmaceutical companies
phar • ma • cist / ' farmasist / noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a person who prepares and sells medicines
phar • ma • cy / ' farmasi /noun [ count ] ( pluralphar • ma cies )
( HEALTH ) a store, or part of a store, which sells medicines and drugs
phaseaw п / feiz/noun [ count ]
a time when something is changing or growing She's going through a difficult phase right now.
Ph.D. / |pi eitf' di /noun [ count ] a high level university degree that you get after doing research in a particular subject. Ph.D. is short for "Doctor of Philosophy"
She earned a Ph.D. in history.
phe • nom • e • nal Iaw / fa ' namanl /
adjective
very great
The product has been a phenomenal success.
phe • nom • e • nal • ly / fa ' namanali / adverb a phenomenally successful movie
phe • nom • e • non|AWL / fa'namanan ; fa'namanan /noun [ count ] ( pluralphe . nom • e • na / fa 'namana / ) something that happens or exists in nature or society, especially something that is difficult to understand Earthquakes and tsunamis are natural phenomena.
phi • los • o • pher AWL / fa 'lasafar / noun [ count ]
a person who studies philosophy
phi • los • o • phy AWL / fa'lasafi / noun
( plural phi • los • o • phies )
[ noncount ] the study of ideas about the meaning of life
[ count ] a set of beliefs that a person has about life Enjoy yourself and don't worry about tomorrow — that's my philosophy!
phil • o • soph • i • cal AWL / fila ' safikl / adjective
a philosophical debate
pho • bi • a / ' foubia /noun [ count ] ( pluralpho • bi • as )
a very strong fear that you cannot explain She has a phobia of spiders.
claustrophobia ( = the fear of being in a small, closed space )
phone / foun / [count]
an instrument that you use for talking to someone who is in another place
The phone's ringing — can you answer it? —SYNONYM telephone
be on the phone
to be using the phone
Anna was on the phone for an hour.
Collocations
Phones
making or receiving a call
the phone/telephone rings make/get/receive a call/a phone call dial someone's number/an area code/the wrong number
call someone/speak to someone on the phone answer/pick up/hang up the phone
cell phones
answer/use your cell phone send/get/receive a text (message) turn on/turn off your cell phone charge/recharge your cell phone/the battery
phone 2 / foun / verb (phones,phon • ing ,phoned )
to speak to someone by phone I phoned my sister last night.
—SYNONYM call
phone book / ' foun buk /
( also tel • e • phone book ) noun [ count ]
a book of people's names, addresses, and telephone numbers
phone booth / ' foun bue /
( also tel • e phone booth ) noun [ count ]
a public telephone in the street
phone call / ' foun kol / ( also tel • e • phone call ) noun [ count ]
when you use the phone to talk to someone I need to make a phone call.
phone card / ' foun kard /noun [ count ]
a small plastic card that you buy and use to make calls to people from any telephone
phone num • ber / ' foun |ПЛшЬэГ /
( also tel • e phone num • ber ) noun [ count ]
the number of a particular phone that you use when you want to make a call to it What's your phone number?
pho • net • ic / fa ' netik / adjective
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) using special signs to show how to say words
the phonetic alphabet used in a dictionary
pho • net • ics / fa ' netiks /noun [ noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the study of the sounds that people make when they speak
pho • to / ' foutou /noun [ count ] ( pluralpho • tos )
a photograph
Here's a photo of my sister.
pho • to • cop • i • er / ' foutakapiar / noun [ count ]
a machine that makes copies of documents by photographing them
pho • to • cop • y / ' foutakapi / noun [ count ] ( plural pho • to • cop • ies )
a copy of something on paper that you make with a photocopier
pho • to • cop • y verb ( pho • to • cop • ies , pho to • cop y ing , pho to • cop ied , has pho • to cop • ied )
Could you photocopy this letter for me?
pho .to .graph ® / ' foutagrref / )
noun [ count ]
a picture that you take with a camera I took a photograph of the library.
pho • to • graph ( pho • to graphs , pho to • graph ing , pho • to•graphed )
( formal )
The winner was photographed holding his prize.
pho • tog • ra • pher / fa ' tagrafar / noun [ count ]
a person who takes photographs, especially as a job
pho • tog • ra • phy / fa ' tagrafi /noun [ noncount ] taking photographs
pho • to • graph • ic / |fouta ' grrefik / adjective
connected with photographs or photography photographic equipment
pho • to • syn • the • sis / foutou ' sineasis /
noun [ noncount ]
( BIOLOGY ) the process by which green plants turn a gas in the air ( carbon dioxide ) and water into food, using light from the sun
phras • al verb / |freizl 'varb /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a verb that joins with another word or words to make a verb with a new meaning "Pick someone up" and "take off" are phrasal verbs.
phrase Ф / freiz /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a group of words that you use
together as part of a sentence
"First of all" and "a bar of chocolate" are phrases.
phys • i • cal 1 Ф AWL / ' fizikl / adjective
connected with things that you feel or do with your body physical exercise
phys • i • cal • lyAWL / ' fizikali / adverb I'm not physically fit.
phys • i • cal 2 AWL / ' fizikl / noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) an examination of your body by a doctor to see if you are healthy
I'm going in for my annual physical on Thursday.
phys • i • cist / ' fizasist / noun [ count ]
( PHYSICS ) a person who studies or knows a lot about physics
phys • ics / fiziks / noun
[noncount]
the scientific study of things like heat, light, and sound
phy • sique / fa ' zik /noun [ count ]
the size and shape of a person's body a strong, muscular physique
pi / pai /noun [ singular ]
( MATH ) the symbol n. It is used to show the relationship between the distance around a circle (its circumference ) and the distance across it (its diameter ), which is about 3-14159-
pi .an.ОФ / pi'senou /noun [ count ] ( pluralpi • an • os )
( MUSIC ) a big musical instrument that you play by pressing black and white bars (called keys ) Can you play the piano ?
—Look at the picture at instrument .
pi • an • ist / pi ' renist ; ' pianist /noun [ count ] a person who plays the piano
pick i Ф / pik / verb ( picks , jick ing , pickec )
to take the person or thing you like best They picked Simon as their captain.
—SYNONYM choose
to take a flower, fruit, or vegetable from the place where it grows
I picked some flowers for you. pick on someone ( informal )
to treat someone in an unfair or cruel way
Sally gets picked on by the other kids.
pick someone or something out to be able to see
someone or something among a lot of others
Can you pick out my father in this photo?
pick someone or something up
to take and lift someone or something She picked up the kitten and stroked it.
The phone stopped ringing just as I picked it up.
to go to get someone or something, especially in a car My dad picks me up from school.
Could you pick up something for dinner tonight?
pick something up to learn something without really studying it
I picked up some Spanish from the other kids in my neighborhood.
pick2 / pik /noun [ singular ]
the one that you choose; your choice
take your pick
to choose what you like
We have orange juice, lemonade, or milk. Take your pick.
pick • et / ' pikat /noun [ count ] a person or group of people who stand outside the place where they work when there is a strike (= an organized protest ) , and try to stop other people from going in ► pick • etverb ( pick - ets , pick - et - ing , pick - et - ed )
Workers were picketing the factory.
pick • le / ' pikl/noun [ count ]
pick • pock • et / ' pikpakat / noun [ count ]
a person who steals things from people's pockets
pick .up
/ ' pikAp /
( also pick - up truck ) noun
[count] a type of small truck that has an open part with low sides at the back
a small green vegetable that is kept in a liquid with a strong sharp taste (called vinegar ) before it is eaten a jar of pickles
pic • nic / ' piknik /noun [ count ] a meal that you eat outside, away from home We had a picnic by the river. ► pic • nicverb
( pic - nics , pic - nick - ing , pic - nicked )
We picnicked on the beach yesterday.
pic .ture l © / piktjbr /noun [ count ] 1 a drawing, painting, or photograph Julie drew a picture of her dog.
They showed us some pictures (= photographs ) of their wedding.
took a picture (= a photograph ) of the house.
an idea or memory of something in your mind
His novels give a good picture of what life was like back then.
pic • ture 2 / ' piktfar / verb ( pic - tures , pic - tur - ing , pic - tured )
to imagine something in your mind I can just picture them lying on the beach.
pie / pai /noun [ count ]
a type of food made of fruit covered with pastry (= a mixture of flour, butter, and water ) an apple pie
piece Ф / pis / noun
[count]
1 a part of something
Would you like another piece of cake?
a piece of broken glass
The plate fell on the floor and smashed to pieces .
one single thing
Do you have a piece of paper? That's an interesting piece of news.
a single work of art, music, etc. He played a piece by Chopin.
in pieces broken
The plate lay in pieces on the floor.
Thesaurus
piece an amount of something that has been cut or separated from the rest of it. This is a very general word and can be used with most noncount nouns: She wrote her address on a piece of paper. ♦ He cut the pizza into small pieces. ♦ a piece of fruit ♦ a piece of advice
slice a thin, flat piece of food that has been cut off a larger piece: Would you like another slice of cake? ♦ Cut the meat into thin slices. ♦ a slice of lemon/tomato ♦ cheese slices
chunk a thick, solid piece that has been cut or broken off something: There were chunks of ice floating in the lake. ♦ a great big chunk of meat ♦ a chunk of cheese/bread
lump a piece of something hard or solid, especially one without any particular shape: This sauce has lumps in it. ♦ a few lumps of coal ♦ a big lump of dough slab a thick, flat piece of stone, ice, or food: a huge slab of concrete ♦ paving slabs
pie chart / ' pai tjart /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a diagram that is a circle divided into pieces, showing the size of particular parts in relation to the whole
—Look at flow chart .
pier / pir /noun [ count ]
a long structure that is built from the land into the ocean, where people can walk or get on and off boats
pierce / pirs /verb
( pierc - es , pierc - ing , pierced )
to make a hole in something with a sharp point
The nail pierced her skin.
I'm going to have my ears pierced.
pierc • ing / ' pirsig / adjective
A piercing sound is very loud and unpleasant
a piercing cry
pig О / pig / noun
[count]
a fat animal that people keep on farms for its meat Word building
A young pig is called a piglet .
Meat from a pig is called pork , bacon , or ham .
( informal ) an unkind person, or a person who eats too much
You ate all the cookies, you pig!
pi • geon / ' pid3an /noun [count]
a gray bird that you often see in cities
pig • gy bank / ' pigi ЬжцЬ /
[count]
a small box, often shaped like a pig, that children save money in
pig • let / ' piglat /noun [count]
a young pig
pig • tail / ' pigteil /noun [ count ]
hair that you tie together at the sides of your head She wears her hair in pigtails .
pile 1 Ф / pail/ noun
[count]
a lot of things on top of one another; a large amount of something
Clothes lay in piles on the floor. a pile of earth
pile 2 / pail / verb ( piles , pil ing , piled )
to put a lot of things on top of one another She piled the boxes on the table.
pil • grim / ' pilgram /noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a person who travels a long way to a place because it has a special religious meaning
pil • grim • age / ' piigramid3 / noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a long trip that a pilgrim makes
pill / pil /noun [ count ] ( HEALTH ) a small, round, hard piece of medicine that you swallow Take one of these pills before every meal.
—SYNONYM tablet
pil • lar / ' pilar /noun [count]
a tall strong piece of stone, wood, or metal that holds up a building
pil • low / ' pilou /noun [count]
a soft thing that you put your head on when you are in bed
pil • low • case / ' piloukeis /noun [ count ] a cover for a pillow pi .lot О / 'paibt/noun [ count ]
a person who flies an airplane
pim • ple / ' pimpi /noun [ count ]
a small spot on your skin
PIN / pin / ( also PIN num • ber / ' pin ^лшЬэг / ) noun [ count ]
a number that you use with a plastic card to take out money from a cash machine. PIN is short for "personal identification number." pill 1 © / pin/noun [count]
a small, thin piece of metal with a round part at one end and a sharp point at the other. You use a pin for holding things together or fastening one thing to another.
—Look at safety pin .
a small piece of jewelry that you can wear on a shirt, jacket, etc. She wore a beautiful gold pin on her jacket.
—Look at the picture at jewelry .
( SPORTS ) a wooden object shaped like a bottle that you try to knock over in the sport of bowling
pin 2 / pin / verb ( pins , pin • ning , pinned )
to fasten things together with a pin or pins Could you pin this sign to the board?
to hold someone or something so that they cannot move He tried to get away, but they pinned him against the wall.
pinch 1 / pintj / verb ( pinch • es , pinch • ing , pinched )
to press someone's skin between your thumb and finger Don't pinch me — it hurts!
pinch2 / pint/ /noun [ count ] ( pluralpinch • es )
the act of pressing someone's skin between your thumb and finger
He gave me a pinch on the arm to wake me up.
an amount of something you can hold between your thumb and finger
Add a pinch of salt to the soup.
pine / pain /noun
[ count ] ( also pine tree / ' pain tri / ) a tall tree with thin sharp leaves (called needles ) that do not fall off in winter
the wood from this tree, which is often used for making furniture
pine • ap • ple / ' painrepl /noun [ count, noncount ]
a big fruit that is yellow inside and has a rough, brown skin —Look at the picture atfruit .
pine cone / ' pain koun /noun [ count ]
the hard, rough fruit of a pine tree that contains the seeds We collected pine cones to use as Christmas decorations.
Ping-Pong™ / ' p₄pa₄ /
( also ta • ble ten • nis / ' teibl |tenas / )noun [noncount]
( SPORTS ) a game where players hit a small, light ball over a net on a big table
pink Ф / pigk / adjective ( jink • er , jink • est )
with a light red color a pink blouse
►pinknoun [ count, noncount ]
She was dressed in pink .
pink • ie / ' piqki / ( also pink • y )noun [ count ] ( pluralpink • ies ) ( informal )
the smallest finger on your hand
pins and nee • dles / ,pinz sn nidlz /noun [ plural ]
an uncomfortable feeling that you sometimes get in a part of your body when you have not moved it for a long time
pint Ф / paint / ( abbreviationpt.)noun [count]
a measure of liquid (= 0.47 liters). There are eight pints in a gallon a pint of beer two pints of milk
pi • o • neer / ,pais ' nir / noun
[ count ]
a person who goes somewhere or does something before other people
the pioneers of the American West
pipe Ф / paip/ noun
[ count ]
a long tube that takes something such as water, oil, or gas from one place to another
A water pipe is leaking under the ground.
a tube with a small bowl at one end that is used for smoking tobacco (= the dried leaves used for making cigarettes )
My grandfather smoked a pipe.
pipe • line / paiplain /noun [count]
a line of pipes that carry oil or gas a long way
in the pipeline
If something is in the pipeline , it is being planned or prepared and will happen soon.
pi • rate1 / ' pairst /noun [count]
a person on a ship who robs other ships
pi • rate 2 / ' pairst / verb ( pi rates , pi • rat ing , pi • rat • ed )
to make an illegal copy of a book, a DVD, a CD, etc. in order to sell it
Are you sure this isn't pirated software? ► pi • ra • cy / ' pairssi /noun [ noncount ] the crime of making illegal copies of things to sell
pis • tol / pistl /noun [ count ] a small gun
pit / pit /noun
[count]
a deep hole in the ground We dug a deep pit in the yard.
the hard part in the middle of some types of fruit Peaches and plums have pits.
—Look at the picture at peach .
pitch 1 / pitf / verb ( pitch • es , pitch • ing , pitched )
( SPORTS ) (in baseball) to throw the ball to a person on the other team, who tries to hit it
to put up a tent (= a small house made of cloth ) We pitched our tent under a big tree.
pitch2 / pit/ /noun ( pluralpitch • es )
[ count ] ( SPORTS ) an act of throwing a baseball to a player who tries to hit it
He hit the first pitch of the game into center field.
[ noncount ] ( MUSIC ) how high or low a sound is
pitch • er / ' pitjsr / noun
[count]
a container with a handle that you use for holding or pouring liquids
a water pitcher a pitcher of milk
( SPORTS ) (in baseball) the person who throws ( pitches ) the ball to a player on the other team, who tries to hit it
—Look at the picture at baseball .
pit • y1 / ' piti /noun
1 [ noncount ] a feeling of sadness for a person or an animal who is in pain or who has problems
feel no pity for him — it's his own fault.
[ singular ] something that disappoints you or makes you feel a little sad
It's a pity you can't come to the party. —SYNONYM shame
take pity on someone
to help someone because you feel sad for them I took pity on her and gave her some money.
pit • y 2 / ' piti / verb ( pit ies , pit • y - ing , pit • ied , has pit • ied )
to feel sad for someone who is in pain or who has problems I really pity people who don't have anywhere to live.
piz • za / ' pitss /noun [ count, noncount ]
a flat, round piece of bread with tomatoes, cheese, and other things on top, which is cooked in an oven
piz • ze • ri • a / , pitss ' ris / noun
[ count ]
a restaurant that serves pizza
plac • ard / ' plreksrd /noun [ count ]
a large sign that hangs in a public place or is carried on a stick
The demonstrators' placards read "No more war."
place 1 Ф / pleis / noun
[count]
a particular area or position
Put the book back in the right place.
a particular building, city, town, country, etc. Boston is a very interesting place.
Do you know a good place to have lunch?
a seat or space for one person
An old man was sitting in my place .
[ singular ] a person's home
Do you want to come back to my place after lunch?
the position that you have in a race, competition, or test Alice finished in second place.
in place
where it should be; in the right place Use tape to hold the picture in place. in place of someone or something
instead of someone or something You can use milk in place of cream.
out of place
1 not suitable for a particular situation
My old furniture looks out of place in my new apartment.
2 not in the correct or usual place
Nothing is ever out of place in my father's office.
take place to happen
The wedding of John and Sara will take place on May 22.
place 2 Ф / pleis / verb ( plac • es , plac ing , placed )
( formal ) to put something somewhere The waiter placed the meal in front of me.
pla • gia • rism / ' pleid3arizam / noun [ noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the act of copying another person's ideas, words, or work and pretending they are your own
to be accused of plagiarism
► pla • gia • rize / ' pleid3araiz / verb
(pla gia • riz • es, pla • gia • riz • ing , pla gia • rized )
Most of his essay was plagiarized from the Internet.
plague / pleig /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a disease that spreads quickly and kills many people
plaid / plred /noun [noncount]
a pattern on material with squares and stripes that cross each other
a plaid shirt —Look at the picture at pattern .
plain 1 Ф/ plein /adjective ( plain • er, plain • est )
simple and ordinary plain food
with no pattern; all one color She wore a plain blue dress.
easy to see, hear, or understand It's plain that he's unhappy.
—SYNONYM clear
not pretty
She was a plain child.
plain2 / plein /noun [count]
a large piece of flat land
plain • ly / ' pleinli /adverb
in a way that is easy to see, hear, or understand
They were plainly very angry.
—SYNONYM clearly
plan 1 Ф / plsen /noun
[ count ]
1 something that you have decided to do and how you are going to do it
What are your vacation plans?
They have plans to build a new school.
Thesaurus
purpose the reason for doing something; what something is used for or is supposed to achieve: What is the purpose of your visit? ♦ The building is used for religious purposes.
aim what someone is trying to achieve: Our main aim is to increase sales. ♦ He was willing to do almost anything to achieve his aim of winning first prize. plan what you have decided or arranged to do: Do you have any plans for the weekend? ♦ There are no plans to build new offices.
intention what you want or intend to do: Our intention was to leave early in the morning. ♦ I have no intention of going to the wedding. goal (often used about your life or career plans) something that you hope to achieve: What are your long-term goals? ♦ I've finally achieved my goal of getting a college degree.
a map showing a building, a city, or a town a street plan of San Francisco
a drawing that shows how a new building, room, or machine will be made
Have you seen the plans for the new shopping center?
plan 2 Ф / plsen / verb ( plans , plan • ning , planned )
to decide what you are going to do and how you are going to do it
They're planning a long vacation next summer. I'm planning to go to college.
to intend or expect to do something I'm planning on taking a vacation in July.
plane Ф / plein /noun [count]
a vehicle with wings that can fly through the air I like traveling by plane . What time does your plane land? Our plane took off three hours late. I caught the next plane to Miami.
—SYNONYM airplane
plan .et О / 'plsenst/noun
[ count ] a large round object in space that moves around the sun or another star
Earth, Mars, and Venus are planets.
the planet [ singular ] the world we live in, especially when we are talking about the environment
the battle to save the planet
plank / plregk /noun [ count ]
a long, flat piece of wood
plank • ton / ' plregktan /noun [ noncount , plural ]
( BIOLOGY ) the very small plants and animals that live in water
fish that eat plankton
plant l Ф / plsent /noun
[ count ]
anything that grows from the ground
Don't forget to water the plants.
Collocations
The Natural World
animals
animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something) birds fly/sing/nest/migrate insects crawl/fly/bite/sting hunt/capture/kill prey lay/fertilize eggs plants and fungi trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower a seed sprouts
leaves/buds/shoots appear/develop/form a fungus grows/spreads pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant produce/spread pollen/seeds
plant 2 © / plaent / verb ( plants , plant ing , plant -ed )
to put plants or seeds in the ground We planted some roses in the garden.
plan • ta • tion / plren'teijn / noun [ count ]
a piece of land where things like tea, cotton, or rubber grow a sugar plantation
plaque / pirek / noun
[ count ] a flat piece of stone, metal, or wood with writing on it, which is attached to a wall or other surface The plaque on the wall commemorates the founder of the university.
[ noncount ] ( HEALTH ) a harmful substance that forms on your teeth
plas • ter 1 / ' plrestar / noun [ noncount ]
a substance that is used for covering walls inside buildings plas • ter2/ ' plrestar /verb ( plas - ters , plas - ter - ing , plas - tered )
to cover a wall with plaster to make it smooth
to cover a surface with a large amount of something She plastered herself with skin lotion.
plas .tic © / 'plsestik/noun [ noncount ]
an artificial material that is used for making many different things
These chairs are made of plastic. plastic cups
plas • tic sur • ger • y / ^lrest* ' sard3ari / noun [ noncount ]
plant
flower
( HEALTH ) medical operations that doctors can do to improve a person's appearance plate © / pleit /noun [ count ]
a round dish that you put food on —Look atlicense plate .
pla • teau / pire' ton / noun
[ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a large area of high, flat land plat • form / ' plretform /noun [ count ]
a surface that is higher than the floor, where people stand so that other people can see and hear them
The principal went up to the platform to make his speech.
the part of a train station where people get on and off trains
The train to Washington leaves from platform 5.
plat • i • num / ' plretn^am / noun [ noncount ] ( symbol Pt )
( CHEMISTRY ) an expensive gray-white metal that is often used for making jewelry a diamond ring with a platinum band
play 1 ©/ plei / verb ( plays , play ing , played )
to have fun; to do something to enjoy yourself The children were playing with their toys.
to take part in a game I like playing tennis.
Do you know how to play chess?
( MUSIC ) to make music with a musical instrument My sister plays the piano very well.
Grammar
We usually say "play the violin, the piano, etc.": I'm learning to play the clarinet.
When we talk about playing games or sports, we do not use "the": Do you play basketball at school? ♦ Let's play cards!
to put a CD, DVD, etc. in a machine and listen to it Should I play the CD again?
to act the part of someone in a play Who wants to play the police officer?
play 2 © / plei / noun ( plural plays )
[ count ] a story that you watch in the theater or on television, or listen to on the radio
We went to see a play by Arthur Miller.
[ noncount ] games; what children do for fun work and play
play .er © / plcior/ noun
[count]
a person who plays a game football players
( MUSIC ) a person who plays a musical instrument a trumpet player
play • ful / ' pleifl / adjective
full of fun; not serious a playful puppy a playful remark
play • ground / 'pleigrannd / noun
[ count ]
an area where children can play, for example at school
play •ing card / ' pleiig kard / ( also card ) noun [ count ]
one of a set of 52 cards with numbers and pictures on them, which you use for playing games
play • ing field / ' pieiig fiid /noun [ count ]
a large area of grass where people play sports like football
play • off / ' pleiof/noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) one or more games that are played by the best teams or players, in order to decide who the winner is
play • wright / ' pleirait /noun [count]
a person who writes plays
the American playwright Arthur Miller
pla • za / ' plazs /noun [ count ]
an open space in a city or town with offices or stores around it
a shopping plaza
plea / pii /noun
[count]
asking for something with strong feeling He made a plea for help.
plead / plid / verb ( pleads , plead ing ,
plead • ed or pled / pled / has plead • ed or has pled )
to ask for something in a very strong way
He pleaded with his parents to buy him a guitar.
to say in a court of law that you did or did not do a crime She pleaded not guilty to murder.
pleas .ant Ф / 'pleznt/ adjective
nice, enjoyable, or friendly
The weather here is very pleasant.
He's a very pleasant person.
—ANTONYM unpleasant ► pleas • ant • ly / ' plezsntli / adverb a pleasantly cool room
please 1Ф7 pliz / exclamation
a word that you use when you ask for something politely
What time is it, please?
Two cups of coffee, please.
"Would you like some cake?" " Yes, please ."
please 2 Ф_Ри₂ / verb
( pleas es , pleas • ing , pleased )
to make someone happy I wore my best clothes to please my mother.
pleased Ф / plizd / adjective
happy
He wasn't very pleased to see me. Are you pleased with your new watch? Word building
playing cards
spade
heart
You are usually glad or pleased about a particular event or situation: I'm glad he's feeling better. ♦ I'm pleased to say that you passed your exam. You use happy to describe a state of mind: I always feel happy when the sun is shining. You also use happy before a noun: a happy child .
pleas .ure Ф/ 'pi-pr/ noun
[ noncount ] the feeling of being happy or enjoying something
She gets a lot of pleasure from her music.
Are you in New York for business or for pleasure?
[ count ] something that makes you happy It was a pleasure to meet you.
it's a pleasure
You say "it's a pleasure" as a polite way of answering
someone who thanks you
"Thank you for your help." "It's a pleasure."
with pleasure
You say "with pleasure" to show in a polite way that you are happy to do something
"Can you help me move these boxes?" "Yes, with pleasure."
pleat / plit /noun [ count ] a fold that is part of a skirt, a pair of pants, etc. ► pleat • ed / ' plitsd /adjective
a short, pleated skirt
pled
form of plead
plen .ty Ф / 'plenti/pronoun
as much or as many as you need; a lot
"Do we need more chairs?" "No, there are plenty."
We have plenty of time to get there.
pli • ers / ' plaisrz/noun [ plural ]
a tool for holding small objects or for cutting wire Do you have a pair of pliers ?
plod / plad / verb ( plods , plod ding , plod • ded )
to walk slowly in a heavy, tired way We plodded up the hill in the rain.
plot1 / plat /noun [ count ]
1 ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) what happens in a story, play,
or movie
This book has a very exciting plot.
a secret plan to do something bad a plot to kill the president
a small piece of land that you use or you plan to use for a special purpose
She bought a small plot of land to build a house on. a vegetable plot
plot 2 / plat / verb ( plots , plot . ting , plot • ted )
to make a secret plan to do something bad They plotted to rob the bank.
plow / plau /noun [ count ]
a large farm tool that is pulled across a field to dig the soil —Look atsnowplow .
► plow verb ( plows , plow ing , plowed )
The farmer plowed his fields.
pluck / pl.\k / verb ( plucks, pluck • ing, plucked )
to remove something by pulling it quickly
He plucked the letter from her hands.
We needed to pluck the chicken (= remove its feathers ) .
plug1 / pL\g /noun [ count ]
a thing with metal pins that joins a lamp, machine, etc. to a place in the wall (called an outlet ) where there is electricity
a round thing that you put in the hole of a container to keep the water in
She pulled out the plug and let the water drain away. —Look at the picture at sink .
plug 2 / plAg / verb ( plugs, plug ging, plugged )
to fill a hole, so that nothing can get out
He plugged the hole in the pipe with an old rag.
plug something in to join a lamp, machine, etc. to the
electricity, using a plug 1 ( 1 )
Can you plug in the television, please?
—ANTONYM unplug
plum / plAm /noun [ count ]
a soft round fruit with a hard round part (called a pit ) in the middle
—Look at the picture at fruit .
plumb • er / ' pkmar /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to put in and repair things like water pipes and toilets
plumb • ing / ' pkmig / noun
[noncount]
the pipes that carry water into and around a building The builders are putting in the plumbing and central heating.
the work of a plumber
plump / plAmp / adjective ( plump er , plump • est )
a little fat, in a nice way a plump baby
plunge / pknd3 /verb
( plung es , plung • ing , plunged )
to jump or fall suddenly into something She plunged into the pool.
to push something suddenly and strongly into something else
I plunged my hand into the water. plu • ral / ' plural / noun [count]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a word that shows there is more than one The plural of "child" is "children." ► plu • raladjective
Most plural nouns in English end in "s."
—Look at singular .
plus 1 AW Ц / plAs / preposition
( MATH ) added to; and
Two plus three is five (2 + 3 = 5).
All of our class plus half of another class are going.
—ANTONYM minus
plus2AWЩ / plAs /noun [ count ] ( pluralplus • es )
( also plus sign / ' plAs sain / ) ( MATH ) the sign ( + )
an advantage
The job involves a lot of travel, which is a big plus . —ANTONYM minus
plus 3 AW Ц / plAs / adjective
(used after a number) or more He must earn $100,000 plus.
(used after a letter grade on students' work) a little more than
I got a B plus (= B+ ) on my essay. —ANTONYM minus
plu • to • ni • um / plu' touniam /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolPu )
( CHEMISTRY ) a dangerous chemical substance that is used as a fuel in places where they make nuclear energy (called power plants )
p.m. / |pi ' em / abbreviation
You use p.m. after a time to show that it is between 12
o'clock in the day and 12 o'clock at night
The plane leaves at 3 p.m. (= 3 o'clock in the afternoon )
Look ata.m. .
pneu • mo • nia / nu' mounya / noun [noncount]
( HEALTH ) a serious illness of the lungs (= the parts of your body that you breathe with )
poach / poutf / verb ( poach •es,poach • ing ,poached)
1 to cook food gently in liquid
had a poached egg for breakfast.
to kill and steal animals, birds, or fish from another person's land
P.O. Box / |pi ' ou baks /noun [ count ] ( pluralP.O. Box . es )
a box in a post office for keeping any mail sent to a person or an office
The address to write to is P.O. Box 71.
P0Ck .et О / 'pakot /noun [ count ]
the part of a piece of clothing that you can put things in
I put the key in my pocket.
Look at the picture at clothes .
pick someone's pocket
to steal money from someone's pocket or bag
pock • et • book / ' pakatbuk /
a small bag that a woman uses for carrying things like money and keys
—SYNONYM purse
pock • et • knife / ' pakatnaif /noun [ count ] ( pluralpock . et • knives / ' pakatnaivz / ) a small knife with one or more sharp parts (called blades ) that fold down into the handle
—SYNONYM jackknife pod / pad /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) a long, thin case that some plants have, which is filled with seeds Peas grow in pods.
—Look at the picture at vegetable .
pod • cast / ' padkrest /noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) something that has been recorded so that you can take it from the Internet and watch or listen to it on your computer or MP3 player (= a small device that stores and plays music and video )
I download podcasts of radio shows and listen to them in the car.
po • di • um / ' poudiam /noun [ count ] a tall, narrow desk that you stand behind when speaking to a large group of people
po .em © / 'роиэт/noun [ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) words arranged in lines in an artistic way, often with sounds repeated at the ends of lines He wrote poems about the beauty of the countryside.
po • et / ' pouat /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a person who writes poems po • et • ic / pou ' etik /adjective ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) like a poem poetic language
PO .et . Гу Ф/ 'poustri /noun [ noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) poems Whitman wrote beautiful poetry.
poi lit l Ф / point /noun
[count]
a fact, an idea, or an opinion
You made some interesting points (= said some interesting things ) in your essay.
— Look at point of view .
the purpose of, or the reason for, doing something The point of going to school is to learn.
What's the point of going to her house? She's not at home. There's no point in waiting for Julie — she isn't coming.
a particular moment in time
It started to rain, and at that point we decided to go home.
a particular place
No parking beyond this point.
( MATH ) a small round mark (.) that we use when writing part of a number (called a decimal )
2.5 (= two point five )
the sharp end of something the point of a needle
a unit that you win in a game or sport Our team scored six points.
be on the point of doing something
to be going to do something very soon I was on the point of leaving when he turned up.
point 2 ©/ point / verb ( points , point • ing , point • ed )
1 to show where something is using your finger, a stick, etc.
asked him where the bank was and he pointed across the road.
There was a sign pointing toward the museum.
to hold something toward someone or something She was pointing a gun at his head.
point something out to tell or show someone something
Eva pointed out that my bag was open.
point .ed ® / ' pointad / adjective
with a sharp end a long, pointed nose
point • less / ' pointlas / adjective
with no use or purpose
It's pointless telling Paul anything — he never listens.
point of view / |point av ' vyu /noun [ count ] ( pluralpoints of view )
an opinion or way of thinking about something The book was written from the father's point of view .
poi . son 1 Ф / 'poizn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that will kill you or make you very sick if you eat or drink it rat poison
poi . SOn 2 О / 'poizn / verb ( poi sons , poi son • ing , poi • soned )
to use poison to kill or hurt someone or something poi .SOn .OUS © / 'poizn^os/adjective
Something that is poisonous will kill you or make you very sick if you eat or drink it Some mushrooms are poisonous.
poke / pouk / verb ( pokes , pok • ing , poked )
to push someone or something hard with your finger or another long thin thing
She poked me in the eye with a pencil.
to push something quickly somewhere Jeff poked his head out of the window. ► pokenoun [ count ]
I gave her a poke to wake her up.
pok • er / ' poukar /noun
[ noncount ] a game that people play with cards, usually for money
[ count ] a metal stick that you use for moving the wood in a fire
po • lar / ' poular / adjective
( GEOGRAPHY ) connected with the areas around the top and bottom of the earth (called the North Pole and the South Pole )
the polar regions
po • lar bear / ' poular ber /noun [ count ]
a large white animal that lives near the North Pole
pole / poui /noun [ count ]
a long, thin piece of wood or metal. Poles are often used to hold something up
a flagpole a tent pole tent poles
( GEOGRAPHY ) one of two places at the top and bottom of the earth
the North Pole. ♦ the South Pole
the pole vault / бэ 'poul volt /noun singular]
( SPORTS ) the sport of jumping over a high bar using a long pole to push yourself off the ground
po .lice Ф / po'lis/ noun[ plural ]
the official organization whose job is to make sure that people do not break the laws of a country Have the police found the murderer? a police car
po • lice force / pa 'lis fors /noun [ count ] all the police officers in a country or part of a country po • lice • man / pa 'lisman /noun [ count ] ( pluralpo . lice • men / pa 'lisman / ) a man who is a police officer
po • lice of • fi • cer / pa ' lis oasar /
( also of • fi • cer ) noun [ count ]
a man or woman who works in the police
po • lice sta • tion / pa ' lis |steijn / noun
[ count ]
an office where police officers work
They took the men to the police station for questioning.
po • lice • wo • man / pa '^w^man / noun
[ count ] ( pluralpo • lice • wo • men / pa 'liswiman / ) a woman who is a police officer
pol • i • cy AWU / ' palasi /noun [ count ] ( pluralpol • i • cies )
( POLITICS ) the plans of a government or organization What is the government's policy on education?
pol • ish1 / ' palif /noun [noncount]
a cream or liquid that you put on something to make it shine
furniture polish
pol • ish 2 / ' palif / verb ( pol ish - es , pol - ish - ing , pol - ished )
to rub something so that it shines Have you polished your shoes?
PO . Mte О / poiait / adjective
speaking or behaving in a way that shows respect It is polite to say "please" when you ask for something.
—ANTONYM impolite , rude
po • lite • ly / pa ' laitli / adverb He asked politely for a glass of water.
po • lite • ness / pa'laitnas / noun [ noncount ]
He stood up out of politeness and offered her his seat.
po .lit . i .cal О / poiitikl / adjective
( POLITICS ) connected with politics or the government political parties his political beliefs
po • lit • i • cal • ly / pa ' litikli / adverb a politically powerful country
po • lit • i • cal • ly cor • rect
/ pa|litikli ka 'rekt /adjective ( abbreviationPC ) words that are used to describe language or behavior that tries not to upset particular groups of people
po • lit • i • cal sci • ence / pahnik ' saians /
noun [ noncount ]
( POLITICS ) the study of politics and systems of government
pol .i .ti .cian Ф /_|Раьъгп/ nounvcount]
( POLITICS ) a person who works in politics Politicians of all parties supported us.
pol . i .tics © / 'pabtiks /noun [ noncount ]
( POLITICS ) the work and ideas that are connected with government
Are you interested in politics?
My son wants to go into politics (= become a politician ) Culture
There are two main political parties in the United States.
These are the Republican Party and the Democratic Party .
poll / ponl /noun [ count ]
a way of discovering opinions by asking a group of people questions
A recent poll showed that 73% of voters were unhappy with the government.
( POLITICS ) an election; the number of votes in an election
The country will go to the polls (= vote ) in November.
pol • len / ' palan /noun [ noncount ]
( BIOLOGY ) the yellow powder in flowers that is taken to other flowers by insects or by the wind
pol • li • nate / ' palaneit / verb ( pol li - nates , pol - li - nat - ing , pol - li - nat - ed )
( BIOLOGY ) to put pollen into a flower or plant so that it
produces seeds
Flowers are pollinated by bees.
pol • li • na • tion / pala 'neifn/ noun [ noncount ] pol • lut • ant / pa 'lutnt / noun [ count ]
a substance that pollutes air, rivers, etc.
pol • lute / pa ' lut / verb ( pol - lutes, pol - lut - ing, pol - lut - ed )
to make the air, rivers, etc. dirty and dangerous
Many of our rivers are polluted with chemicals from
factories.
pol .lu .tion Ф / ps'lufn/ noun [ noncount ]
the action of making the air, rivers, etc. dirty and dangerous
We must stop the pollution of our beaches.
dirty and dangerous chemicals, gases, etc. that harm the environment
Our rivers are full of pollution. Collocations The environment environmental damage
cause climate change/global warming produce pollution/carbon dioxide/CO 2 destroy/harm the environment/wildlife pollute the environment/the air/rivers and lakes/the oceans
protecting the environment
reduce/limit pollution/emissions protect/save the planet/the rain forests/an endangered species energy and resources save/consume/waste energy dump/throw away garbage/trash/waste recycle bottles/packaging/paper/waste get/generate/produce electricity from wind/solar power
pol • y • es • ter / pali ' estar / noun [ noncount ]
an artificial material that is used for making clothes, etc. The sheets are a mixture of cotton and polyester.
pol • y • gon / ' paligan /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a flat shape with at least three straight sides and angles
pond / pand /noun [ count ]
a small area of water
We have a fish pond in our backyard.
po • ny / ' ponni /noun [ count ] ( pluralpo .nies )
a small horse
po • ny • tail / ponni|teil /noun [ count ]
long hair that you tie at the back of your head so that it hangs down
She wore her hair in a ponytail. —Look at the picture at hair .
pOOl 1 Ф / pul /noun
[ count ] ( also swim - ming pool ) a place that has been built for people to swim in
Karen dived into the pool.
[ count ] a small area of liquid or light on the ground She was lying in a pool of blood.
[ noncount ] a game in which two players try to hit balls into pockets on the edge of a table, using a long stick
a pool table
pool 2 / pul / verb ( pools , pool - ing , pooled )
to collect money or ideas together from different people First we'll work in pairs, then we'll pool our ideas.
poor Ф / pur / adjective ( poor ei , poor • est )
with very little money
She was too poor to buy clothes for her children. She gave her life to helping the poor (= poor people ) . The noun is poverty .
—ANTONYM rich
a word that you use when you feel sad because someone has problems
Poor Tina! She's not feeling well.
bad
My grandfather is in very poor health.
poor • ly / ' purli /adverb badly
The street is poorly lit.
pop 1 / pap /noun
( also pop mu • sic ) [ noncount ]
( MUSIC ) modern music that is most popular among young people
What's your favorite pop group ? a pop singer
[ count ] a short, sharp sound
The cork came out of the bottle with a loud pop.
pop 2 / pap / verb ( pops , pop • ping , popped )
to burst, or to make something burst, with a short sharp sound
The balloon will pop if you put a pin in it.
to put something somewhere quickly Katie popped a candy into her mouth. pop up
( informal ) to appear suddenly
The menu pops up when you double-click on the link. New restaurants were popping up everywhere.
pop • corn / ' papkorn / noun
[noncount]
yellow grains from a tall plant (called corn ) that are heated until they burst and become light white balls
pope / poup /noun [ count ] ( RELIGION ) the head of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Benedict
Pop • si • cle™ / ' papsikl / noun [count]
a piece of sweet ice on a stick
pop .u .lar Ф / papyslsr / adjective
liked by a lot of people
Baseball is a popular sport in the U.S.
—ANTONYM unpopular
pop • u • lar • i • ty / ,papys ' lrersti / noun [noncount]
being liked by many people
pop • u • late / ' papysleit / verb ( pop • u lates , pop • u - lat ing , pop • u - lat • ed )
( GEOGRAPHY ) to fill a particular area with people Most of New England is heavily populated.
pop • u • la • tion / ,papys' leijn /noun [ count ] ( GEOGRAPHY ) the number of people who live in a place What is the population of your country?
porch / port/ /noun [ count ] ( pluralporch .es )
a covered area with an open front, which is joined to a house on the ground floor
por • cu • pine
/ porkyspain /noun [ count ]
a small brown or black animal that is covered with long sharp parts (called spines )
pore / por /noun [ count ]
one of the small holes in your skin that sweat passes through
pork / pork /noun [ noncount ]
meat from a pig pork sausages Word building A young pig is called a piglet . Meat from a pig is called pork , bacon , or ham .
port Ф / port /noun [ count ] a city or town by the ocean, where ships arrive and leave Baltimore is an important port.
port • a • ble / ' portsbl / adjective
able to be moved or carried easily a portable television
—Look at the picture at stereo .
por • ter / ' portsr /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to carry people's bags in places like railroad stations and hotels
port • fo • li • o / port ' fouliou /noun [ count ] ( pluralport - fo - li - os )
a thin flat case for carrying documents, drawings, etc.
( ART ) a collection of photographs, drawings, etc. that you show to people as an example of your work
Please bring a portfolio of your work to the interview.
por • tionAWL / ' por/n /noun [ count ]
a part of something larger
He gave a portion of the money to each of his children.
an amount of food for one person a large portion of rice
por • trait / ' portrst /noun [ count ]
( ART ) a painting or picture of a person
por • tray / por' trei / verb ( por trays , por - tray ing , por - trayed )
to describe someone or something in a particular way The lawyer portrayed her client as an honest family man.
to act the part of someone in a play or movie In his latest movie, he portrays a baseball coach. ► por • tray • al / por' treisl /noun [ count ]
She won an award for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf.
pose 1 AWL / pouz / verb ( pos-es,pos ing ,posed )
to cause or create something that someone must deal with
This task poses several problems .
( ART ) to sit or stand in a particular position for a painting or photograph
After the wedding ceremony, we all posed for pictures.
pose2AWL / pouz /noun
[count]
( ART ) the position that someone stands or sits in, in order to be painted or photographed Just sit in a natural pose.
posh / paj / adjective ( posh•er,posh • est)
expensive and of good quality a posh restaurant
po .si .tion Ф / po'zij'n/ noun
[ count, noncount ] the place where someone or something is
Can you show me the position of your town on the map? Is everyone in position (= in the right place ) ?
[ count, noncount ] the way that someone or something is sitting, standing, facing, etc.
She was still sitting in the same position when I came back.
Keep the box in an upright position.
[ count, noncount ] how things are at a certain time He's in a difficult position — he doesn't have enough money to finish school.
4[count]ajob
There have been over a hundred applications for the position of Sales Manager.
pos .i .tive Ф / puzotiv/ adjective
thinking or talking about the good parts of a situation It's important to stay positive.
The teacher was very positive about my work.
—ANTONYM negative
completely sure
Are you positive that you closed the door? —SYNONYM sure
( HEALTH ) (used about a medical test) showing that something has happened or is there
The result of the pregnancy test was positive.
—ANTONYM negative
( MATH ) (used about a number) more than zero —ANTONYM negative
pos • i • tive • ly aw / ' pazativli /
( informal )
really; extremely
The idea is positively stupid.
pos • sess / pa ' zes / verb ( pos • sess • es , pos • sess • ing , pos • sessed )
( formal )
to have or own something
He lost everything that he possessed in the fire.
pos • ses • sion / pa ' zejn / noun Spelling
Remember! You spell possession with SS and SS .
[ noncount ] ( formal )
the fact of having or owning something The possession of drugs is a crime.
possessions [ plural ] the things that you have or own —SYNONYM belongings
pos • ses • sive / pa ' zesiv / adjective
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) used to describe words that show who or what a person or thing belongs to "Mine," "yours," and "his" are possessive pronouns.
pos .si .bil .i .ty Ф / jxiss'bibti/ noun
[ count ] ( pluralpos • si • bil .i • ties ) something that might happen
There's a possibility that it will rain, so take your umbrella.
pos .si .ble Ф / pasobl/ adjective
able to happen or to be done
Is it possible to get to your house by train?
I'll call you as soon as possible .
—ANTONYM impossible
pos .si .bly Ф / 'passbli/ adverb
perhaps
"Will you be free tomorrow?" "Possibly."
in a way that can be done
I'll come as soon as I possibly can.
pOSt 1 Ф / poust /noun [ count ]
a piece of wood or metal that stands in the ground to hold something or to show where something is
The sign had fallen off the post. a fence post a lamppost
— Look at signpost .
a job, especially an important one in a large organization a government post
post 2 / poust / verb ( posts , post • ing , post • ed )
to put a notice where everyone can see it, for example in a
public place or on the Internet
The results will be posted on the college website.
post • age / ' poustid3 /noun [ noncount ]
money that you pay to send a letter or package post • al / ' poustl /adjective
connected with sending and receiving letters, packages, etc. postal workers
post • card / ' poustkard /noun [ count ] a card with a picture on one side, which you write on and send by mail
She sent me a postcard from California.
post • er / ' poustar /noun [ count ]
a big piece of paper on a wall, with a picture or words on it
post • grad • u • ate / ipoust 'grred3uat / adjective ( formal )
connected with studies that someone does at a university after they have received their first degree postgraduate courses in biology
post of • fice / ' poust ofas /noun [ count ] a building where you go to send letters and packages and to buy stamps
post • pone / pous ' poun / verb ( post • pones , post • pon ing , post poned )
to say that something will happen later than you planned The game was postponed because of the weather.
pot Ф / pat /noun [ count ]
a deep, round container for cooking a big pot of soup
a container that you use for a special thing a pot of coffee
a plant pot
—Look at the picture at cactus .
po • tas • si • um / pa ' tresiam / noun
[ noncount ] ( symbolK )
( CHEMISTRY ) a soft, silver-white metal that is used especially in mixtures (called compounds )
PO .ta .tO ©/ ps'teitou/noun [count, noncount] ( pluralpo • ta • toes )
a white vegetable with a brown or red skin that grows underground a baked potato mashed potato
—Look at sweet potato . ,
—Look at the picture at vegetable .
po • ta • to chip / pa 'teitou tfip / noun [ count ]
a very thin piece of potato cooked in hot oil and eaten cold Do you want some potato chips with your sandwich?
po • ten • tial 1 AWL / pa ' tenjl / adjective
possible; likely to happen or exist potential students
► po • ten • tial • ly AWL / pa 'ten/ali / adverb
This is a potentially dangerous situation (= it could be
dangerous ) .
po • ten • tial 2 AWL / pa'tenjl / noun
[noncount]
qualities or possibilities that exist and can be developed She has great potential as a musician.
pot • ter • y / ' patari / noun [ noncount ]
cups, plates, and other things that are made from clay (= heavy earth that becomes hard when it is baked in an oven ) This shop sells beautiful pottery.
( ART ) the activity of making cups, plates, and other things from clay
Her hobby is pottery.
poul • try / ' poultri/noun [ plural ]
birds such as chickens that people keep on farms for their eggs or their meat
pounce / pauns / verb ( pounc•es,pounc • ing ,pounced )
to jump on someone or something suddenly The cat pounced on the bird.
pound © / paund /noun [ count ]
( symbollb. ) a measure of weight (= 0.454 kilograms). There are 16 ounces in a pound
You need half a pound of flour. He weighs 195 pounds.
lbs. sugar
2 ( symbol£ ) money that people use in Britain and some other countries
The computer cost three hundred pounds.
pour Ф / por / verb ( pours , pour • ing , poured )
to make liquid flow out of or into something She poured water into the teapot.
She poured me a cup of coffee. Pour the sauce over the meat.
to flow quickly
Oil poured out of the damaged ship. Tears were pouring down her cheeks.
to rain very hard
Look at the weather. It's pouring.
pov • er • ty / ' pavarti / noun [ noncount ]
the state of being poor
There are many people living in poverty in this city.
pow . der ©/ 'paudsr /noun [ count, noncount ]
a dry substance like flour that is made of a lot of very small pieces
Crush the spices to a powder.
Can you get me some more chili powder, please?
pow .er Ф / 'раиэг/ noun
1 [ noncount ] the ability to control people or things; the
ability to do things
The president has a lot of power.
did everything in my power (= everything I could do ) to help her.
[ noncount ] the energy or strength that someone or something has
The ship was helpless against the power of the storm.
[ noncount ] energy that can be collected and used for making machines work, making electricity, etc.
nuclear power
[ count ] the right to do something
Police officers have the power to arrest people.
[ count ] a strong person or country There is a meeting of world powers next week.
[ count , usually singular ] ( math ) the number of times that a number is to be multiplied by itself
4 to the power of 3 is 4 3 (= 4 x 4 x 4 = 64).
POW .er .ful Ф / paoorfl / adjective
having a lot of strength or power The car has a very powerful engine.
He is one of the most powerful people in the company.
having a strong effect a powerful drug
pow • er • less / ' pauarlas /
not able to do anything I was powerless to help.
pow • er plant / ' pauar plrent/noun [ count ]
a place where electricity is made
PR / |pi ' ar / short for public relations
prac .ti .cal © /'prsekШ/ adjective
connected with doing or making things, not just with ideas
Do you have any practical experience in working on a farm?
sensible or suitable; likely to be successful Your plan isn't practical.
—ANTONYM impractical
good at making and repairing things
She's a very practical person and has made a lot of improvements to the house.
prac • ti • cal joke / |prrektikl ' d₃ouk / noun
[ count ]
a trick that you play on someone that makes him or her look silly and makes other people laugh
prac • ti • cal • ly / ' prrektikli / adverb
almost; nearly
Don't go out — lunch is practically ready! It rained practically every day last week.
prac .tice 1Ф / 'pr^ktos / noun
[ noncount ] action rather than ideas or thoughts Your plan sounds fine, but would it work in practice ?
[ noncount ] doing something many times so that you will do it well
You need lots of practice when you're learning to play a musical instrument.
3 [ count ] the business of a doctor, dentist, or lawyer Sarah wants to start her own practice when she graduates from law school.
out of practice
not good at something, because you have not done it for a long time
prac .tice 2Ф /'pr^ktos/ verb
( prac - tic - es , prac - tic - ing , prac - ticed )
to do something many times so that you will do it well
If you want to play the piano well, you must practice every day.
to work as a doctor, dentist, or lawyer
After graduating, she practiced medicine in Atlanta.
prai • rie / ' preri /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a very large area of flat land that is covered in grass and few trees (especially in the middle of the U.S.)
praise / preiz / verb ( prais - es , prais - ing , praised )
to say that someone or something is good She was praised for her hard work. ► praisenoun [ noncount ]
The book has received a lot of praise.
pray / prei /verb ( prays , pray - ing , prayed ) ( RELIGION ) to speak to God or a god They prayed to God for help.
prayer © / prer/ noun
( RELIGION )
[ count ] words that you say when you speak to God or a god
They said a prayer for world peace.
[ noncount ] the act of praying the power of prayer
They knelt in prayer .
preach / pritj /verb
( preach - es , preach - ing , preached ) ( RELIGION ) to talk about God or a god to a group of people
preach • er / ' pritfsr /noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a person who gives religious talks in public Our preacher tonight is Reverend Jones.
pre • cau • tion / pri kojn / noun
[ count ]
something that you do so that bad things will not happen I took the precaution of locking all the windows when I went out.
pre • cedeaw / pri ' sid /
( pre - cedes , pre - ced - ing , pre - ced - ed )
( formal )
to happen or come before someone or something Look at the diagram on the preceding page.
pre • cinct / ' prisigkt /noun [ count ] ( GEOGRAPHY ) one of the parts that a town or city is divided into
pre • cious / ' prejss / adjective
very valuable or expensive Diamonds are precious stones.
that you consider to be very special My family is very precious to me.
pre • cip • i • ta • tion / pri, sips ' teijn /
[noncount] ( formal )
( GEOGRAPHY ) rain or snow that falls to the ground
pre • ciseAWL / pri ' sais /adjective
exactly right
I gave him precise instructions on how to get to my house.
pre • cise • lyAWL / pri 'saisli / adverb They arrived at two o'clock precisely.
pre • ci • sion AWL / pri 'si3n / noun [noncount]
the quality of being clear or exact
The plans were drawn with great precision.
pred • a • tor / ' predstsr /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) an animal that kills and eats other animals
pred • e • ces • sor / ' preds,sessr /noun [count]
the person who did a job before the person who does it now She was hired by my predecessor.
pre • dic • a • ment / pri diksmsnt / noun [ count ]
an unpleasant and difficult situation that is hard to get out of
pre • dictaw / pri ' dikt /
( pre - dicts , pre - dict - ing , pre - dict - ed )
to say what you think will happen
She predicted that it would rain, and she was right.
pre • dict • a • ble AWL| / pri 'diktsbl / adjective
that was or could be expected to happen predictable results
pre • dic • tion AWL| / pridikjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
saying what will happen; what someone thinks will happen The results confirmed our predictions.
pref • ace / prefss /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a piece of writing at the beginning of a book that explains what it is about or why it was written
pre .fer Ф / pn'for / verb
( pre - fers , pre - fer - ring , pre - ferred )
to like one thing or person better than another Would you prefer tea or coffee? I would prefer to stay at home. He prefers going out to studying.
pref • er • a • ble / prefsrsbl / adjective
better or more suitable
I think living in the country is preferable to living in the city.
pref • er • a • bly / ' prefsrsbli / adverb
Call me Sunday morning, but preferably not too early!
pref • er • ence / ' prefsrsns / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a feeling that you like one thing or person better than another
We have lemonade and orange juice — do you have a preference?
pre • fix / prifiks /noun [ count ] ( pluralpre . fix - es )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a group of letters that you add to
the beginning of a word to make another word
The prefix "im-" means "not," so "impossible" means "not
possible." —Look at suffix .
preg • nan • cy / ' pregnsnsi / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural preg - nan - cies )
( HEALTH ) the state of being pregnant Many women feel sick during pregnancy .
preg . nant О / 'pregnant / adjective
( HEALTH ) If a woman is pregnant , she has a baby
growing in her body
She's five months pregnant.
pre • his • tor • ic / |prihi ' storik / adjective
( HISTORY ) from the time in history before events were written down prehistoric animals
prej•u • dice / pred3adis / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a strong idea that you do not like someone or something, for a reason that is wrong or unfair She was a victim of racial prejudice. ► prej • u • diced/ ' pred3adist /adjective
He is prejudiced against me because I'm a woman.
pre • lim • i • nar • y / pri ' lima|neri / adjective
happening before something else that is more important After a few preliminary remarks, the discussions began.
pre • ma • ture / |prima ' tfnr / adjective
happening before the expected time
Her baby was premature ( = born before the expected time ) .
pre • mier / primir / noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) the leader of the government in some countries the Russian premier, Vladimir Putin
prep .a .ra .tion Ф / .prepa'reijh/ noun
1 [ noncount ] making something ready
packed my bags in preparation for the trip.
preparations [ plural ] what you do to get ready for something
They began to make preparations for the wedding last year.
pre . pare Ф / priper / verb
( pre - pares , pre - par - ing , pre - pared )
to make someone or something ready; to make yourself ready
Martin is in the kitchen preparing dinner. I prepared well for the exam.
pre • pared / pri ' perd / adjective
ready; able to deal with something I wasn't prepared for all these problems. prepared to do something
happy to do something
I'm not prepared to give you any money.
—SYNONYM willing
prep • o • si • tion / prepa 'zijn / noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a word that you use before a noun or pronoun to show where, when, how, etc. In the sentence "He traveled from Orlando to Miami," "from" and "to" are prepositions.
pre • school / priskul /noun [count, noncount]
a school for children between the ages of about two and five My daughter has another year of preschool before she starts kindergarten.
—SYNONYM nursery school
pre • scribe / pri skraib / verb ( pre - scribes , pre - scrib - ing , pre scribed )
( HEALTH ) to say that someone must take a medicine The doctor prescribed some pills.
pre • scrip • tion / pri skripjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( HEALTH ) a piece of paper that a doctor gives to you with the name of your medicine on it
pres • ence / ' prezns /noun [ noncount ]
the fact of being in a place
an experiment to test for the presence of oxygen My grandmother did not allow arguing in her presence (= when she was there ) .
preS .ent 1 Ф / 'preznt/ adjective Pronunciation
When the word present is a noun or an adjective, you say the first part of the word louder: PRESent . When the word present is a verb, you say the second part of the word louder: preSENT .
in a place
The whole class was present. —ANTONYM absent
being or happening now What is your present job?
—SYNONYM current
pres .ent 2 Ф / 'preznt / noun
[ count ] something that you give to someone or get from someone
What can I get him for a birthday present ? —SYNONYM gift
[ noncount ] the time now
I can't help you at present — I'm too busy.
the present ( also the pre - sent tense ) [ singular ] the form of a verb that you use to talk about what is happening or what exists now
—Look at future 1 ( 2 ) , the past tense .
pre . sent 3 Ф / prizent / verb
( pre -sents ,pre - sent - ing ,pre - sent ed )
to give something to someone, especially in a formal ceremony
The prizes were presented to the winners. They presented their teacher with some flowers.
pres • en • ta • tion / prezn ' teifn ; |prizn' teifn / noun
[ count, noncount ] the act of giving something to someone, especially in a formal ceremony
The presentation of prizes will take place at 7:30.
[ count ] a meeting where someone shows or explains something to the people listening
Each student has to give a short presentation on a subject of their choice.
pres • ent par • ti • ci • ple / preznt
' partasipl /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a verb that ends in "-
ing"
the pres • ent per • fect/da preznt ' parfikt /
noun [ singular ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a verb for things that began in the past and continue now. We make it with the present tense of "have" and a past participle of the verb "They have disappeared" is in the present perfect.
the pres • ent tense / da preznt ' tens /
( also the pres - ent )noun [ singular ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a verb that you use to talk about what is happening or what exists now
pres • er • va • tion / iprezar ' veifn /
[noncount]
the act of keeping something safe or in good condition the preservation of rare birds
pre • ser • va • tive / pri ' zarvativ / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a substance that is added to food so that it stays in good condition for longer
Our juice is 100% natural, with no artificial colors or preservatives.
pre • serve / pri ' zarv / verb
( pre • serves , pre • serv • ing , pre • served )
to keep something safe or in good condition They managed to preserve most of the paintings.
pres • i • den • cy / ' prezadansi /noun ( pluralpres • i den cies ) ( politics )
the presidency [ singular ] the position of being president
[ count ] the period of time that someone is president These events happened during the third year of his presidency.
pres .i .dent ® / ' prezadant /noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) the leader of the country in many countries of the world
the president of the United States
Word building
The U.S. Government
The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
( BUSINESS ) the person with the highest position in an organization or a company
► pres • i • den • tial / ipreza ' denjl / adjective the presidential elections
Pres • i • dents' Day / ' prezadants dei / noun
[count]
a holiday on the third Monday in February to celebrate the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln
preSS 1 © / pres /noun(pluralpress es )
the press [ noncount ] newspapers and magazines and the people who write them
She told her story to the press.
[ count ] a machine for printing things like books and newspapers
preSS 2 О / pres / verb ( press • es , press • ing , pressed )
to push something
If you press this button, the door will open. She pressed her face against the window.
—Look at the picture at squeeze .
to make clothes flat and smooth using a piece of electrical equipment that gets hot (called an iron )
This suit needs pressing.
press con • fer • ence / ' pres |kanfrans /
noun [ count ]
a meeting when a famous or important person answers questions from news reporters
pres .sure 1Ф/'pn-jor/ noun
[ noncount ] the force that presses on something The pressure of the water caused the dam to crack.
[ count, noncount ] ( physics ) the force that a gas or liquid has when it is contained inside something
He has high blood pressure (= the force with which blood travels around your body ) .
You should check your tire pressure (= the amount of air in your car tires ) regularly.
[ count, noncount ] a feeling of being worried because of the things you have to do
She's under a lot of pressure at work. financial pressures
pres • sure 2 / ' prejar / verb
( pres sures, pres • sur• ing , pres • sured )
to make someone do something that they do not really want to do
Her parents pressured her into going to a college near home.
pres • tige / pre ' sti3 /noun [ noncount ]
the respect that someone or something has because they have a high social position or they have been very successful
He dreamed of having a job with a lot of power and prestige.
► pres • ti • gious / pre ' stid3as / adjective
a prestigious university
pre • sum • a • bly aw / pri ' zumabli /
a word you use when you think that something is probably true
Presumably, this rain means the parade will be canceled.
pre • sume AWL / pri 'zum / verb ( pre • sumes , pre • sum • ing , pre • sumed )
to think that something is true, although you are not sure She's not home yet, so I presume she's still at work.
pre .tend О / pri tend / verb ( pre • tends , pre • tend • ing , pre • tend • ed )
to try to make someone believe something that is not true He didn't want to talk, so he pretended to be asleep. I pretended that I was enjoying myself.
pre • ten • tious / pri ' tenjas / adjective
trying to appear more serious or important than you really are in order to impress other people
pre • text / ' pritekst /noun [ count ] a reason that you give for doing something, which is not the real reason
She left work early on the pretext of having a doctor's appointment.
pret .ty 1 © / 'prrti/ adjective ( pret • ti er , pret • ti • est )
nice to look at a pretty little girl These flowers are very pretty. Thesaurus
attractive can be used about any person who is nice to look at: He's polite and attractive. ♦ a group of attractive young women
beautiful (usually used to describe a woman or girl) very attractive: a beautiful, intelligent woman ♦ She looked beautiful that night.
good-looking (used more about men than women) attractive: The band's lead singer is very good-looking. ♦ a good-looking young actor
pretty (usually used about a girl or young woman) attractive: She has a very pretty face. ♦ a pretty little girl in a pink dress
handsome (usually used about a man or boy) attractive: You look so handsome in that suit! ♦ a polite, handsome man
pret .ty 2© / 'pnti/ adverb ( informal )
very, but not completely
You should wear a heavier coat — it's pretty cold today. I'm pretty sure that Alex will agree.
—SYNONYM quite
pretty much ; pretty well
almost
I won't be long. I'm pretty much finished.
pret • Zel / ' pretsl/noun [ count ]
a type of bread that is rolled and twisted into a special shape and baked with salt. Pretzels are often thin and hard
a bag of pretzels
pre .vent © / pn'vent / verb ( pre•vents ,pre•vent• ing ,pre•vent•ed )
to stop someone from doing something; to stop something from happening
Her parents want to prevent her from getting married. It is easier to prevent disease than to cure it.
pre • ven • tion / pri ' ven/n /
[noncount]
stopping someone from doing something or stopping something from happening crime prevention
the prevention of cruelty to animals
pre • view / ' privyu /noun [ count ]
a chance to see a play, movie, etc. before it is shown to the general public
a chance to see what something will be like before it happens or is shown
Click on the print preview button.
pre .vi .OUS © / 'priviss/ adjective
coming or happening before or earlier Who was the previous owner of the car? ► pre • vi • ous • lyAWL / ' priviasli / adverb I work in a factory now, but previously I was a salesclerk.
prey / prei /noun
[noncount]
an animal or bird that another animal or bird kills for food Zebra are prey for lions.
price © / prais /noun
[count ]
how much money you pay to buy something
The price is $15.
Prices in this country are high.
Thesaurus
price the money that you have to pay to buy something: What's the price of gas now? ♦ We can't afford the car at that price . ♦ house prices
cost the money that you need to buy, make, or do something: The cost of electricity is going up. ♦ A new computer system was installed at a cost of$80,000. ♦ the cost of living (= the amount of money you need to pay for food, clothes, and a place to live ) charge the money that you pay for goods or services: Is there a charge for parking here? ♦ Delivery is free of charge (= costs nothing ) .
fee the money you pay to go into a place, or for professional advice or services from doctors, lawyers, colleges, etc.: Some lawyers charge extremely high fees for their services. ♦ an annual membership fee ♦ tuition fees
expense the money you spend on something, or something that makes you spend money: The house was decorated at great expense . ♦ Owning a car is a big expense.
price • less / ' praislas / adjective
extremely valuable priceless jewels
pric • ey ( also pric • y ) / ' praisi / adjective ( pric • i • er , pric • i • est )
( informal )
expensive
The restaurant is great, but it's a little pricey.
prick / prik / verb ( pricks , prick • ing , pricked )
to make a very small hole in something, or to hurt someone, with a sharp point I pricked my finger on a needle. ► pricknoun [ count ] She felt the prick of a needle.
prick • ly / ' prikli / adjective
covered with sharp points a prickly cactus
pride / praid /noun [ noncount ]
the feeling that you are proud of something that you or others have or have done
She showed us her painting with great pride.
the feeling that you are better than other people The adjective is proud .
priest © / prist /noun [ count ]
a person who leads people in their religion a Roman Catholic priest
pri • mar • i • lyAWL / prai ' merali /adverb more than anything else; mainly
The course is aimed primarily at people with no previous experience.
pri • mar • y АИИ / ' prai|meri / adjective
first; most important
The primary aim of this course is to improve your spoken French.
pri • mar • y col • or / |praimeri ' кл1эг / noun
[count]
( ART ) any of the colors red, yellow, or blue. You can make any other color by mixing primary colors in different ways.
prime AWL / praim / adjective
most important
My prime concern is to protect my property.
of very good quality prime cuts of beef
prime min • is • ter / |praim ' minastar / noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) the leader of the government in some countries, for example in Britain
prime num • ber / |praim ' nAmbar / [count]
( MATH ) a number that can only be divided by itself and 1. The numbers 7, 17, and 41 are prime numbers.
prim • i • tive / ' primativ / adjective
very simple; not developed
The cooking facilities were very primitive.
primitive beliefs
prince / prins /noun [count]
a man in a royal family, especially the son of a king or queen
the Prince of Egypt
( POLITICS ) a man from a royal family who is the leader of a small country
prin • cess / ' prinses / noun
[ count ] ( plural prin .cess - es )
a woman in a royal family, especially the daughter of a king or queen or the wife of a prince
prin .ci .pal iO I / ' prinsapl /
most important
My principal reason for going to the store was to buy shoes.
prin • ci • pal 2 aw / ' prinsapl / [count]
a person who is in charge of a school The high school has a new principal.
prin • ci • pal • ly aw / ' prinsapli /
mainly; mostly
She sometimes travels to Washington, but she works principally in Baltimore.
prin • ci • ple aw / ' prinsapl / [count]
1 a rule about how you should live He has very strong principles.
refuse to lie about it; it's against my principles .
a rule or fact about how something happens or works scientific principles
print 1 Ф / print / verb ( prints , print - ing ,print - ed )
to put words or pictures onto paper using a machine. Books, newspapers, and magazines are printed .
to write with letters that are not joined together Please print your name and address clearly.
print something out to print information from a
computer onto paper
I'll just print out this document.
The noun is printout .
print2 / print /noun
[ noncount ] letters that a machine makes on paper The print is too small to read without my glasses.
[ count ] a mark where something has pressed on something
footprints in the snow
The police are looking for prints (= fingerprints ) .
[ count ] ( ART ) a copy on paper of a painting or photograph
print • er / ' printar / noun [ count ]
a machine that prints words from a computer
a person or company that prints things like books or newspapers
print • out / ' printant /noun [ count ] ( COMPUTERS ) information from a computer that is printed onto paper
She gave me a printout of my reservation.
pri • or AWL / ' praiar / adjective
coming or happening before or earlier No prior experience is necessary to do the job.
—SYNONYM previous
pri • or • i • tize AWL / prai ' orataiz / verb ( pri - or - i tiz - es, pri - or i - tiz - ing, pri - or - i - tized )
to organize things so that you can do the most important first
You need to prioritize your work so you can meet your deadlines.
pri .ОГ .i .ty Ф / prai'orsti / noun
( plural pri - or - i - ties )
[ count ] something that you think is more important than other things and that you must do first
Education is a top priority .
[ noncount ] being more important than someone or something or coming before someone or something else We give priority to families with small children. Emergency cases take priority over other patients in the hospital.
prism / ' prizam /noun [ count ] ( PHYSICS ) a transparent glass or plastic object. It separates light that passes through it into the seven different colors.
priS .ОП Ф / 'prizn / noun [ count ] a place where criminals must stay as a punishment He was sent to prison for robbing a bank. She was in prison for 15 years.
—SYNONYM jail
priS .on .er Ф / prizn-or/ noun [ count ]
a person who is in prison as a punishment; a person who is not free
The number of prisoners serving life sentences has fallen. He was taken prisoner by rebel soldiers.
pri • va • cy / ' praivasi /noun [ noncount ]
being alone and not watched or disturbed by other people He locked the door so he could have some privacy.
pri . vate Ф / praivot/ adjective
for one person or a small group of people only, and not for anyone else
You shouldn't read his letters — they're private. This is private property .
alone; without other people there
I would like a private meeting with the manager.
not connected with your job
She never talks about her private life at work.
not controlled or paid for by the government a private hospital
private schools in private
alone; without other people there
Can I speak to you in private? —ANTONYM in public
pri • vate • ly / ' praivstli / adverb
Let's go into my office — we can talk more privately there.
priv • i • lege / ' privsiid3 / noun [ count ]
something special that only one person or a few people may do or have
Prisoners who behave well have special privileges.
priv • i • leged / ' privslid3d / adjective
I feel very privileged to be playing for the national team.
prize © / praiz /noun [ count ]
something that you give to the person who wins a game,
race, etc.
I won first prize in the painting competition. Did you win a prize?
prob • a • bil • i • ty / ,prabs ' bilsti / noun [ noncount , singular ]
how likely something is to happen There was little probability of success.
prob .a .ble © / prabsbl / adjective
likely to happen or to be true It is probable that he will be late.
—ANTONYM improbable
РГОЬ .a . Ыу © / 'prabbli/adverb almost certainly
I will probably see you on Thursday.
prob . lem © / 'prabbm/noun [ count ]
something that is difficult; something that makes you worry
She has a lot of problems. Her husband is sick and she may lose her job.
There is a problem with my phone — it doesn't work.
a question that you must answer by thinking about it I can't solve this problem .
no problem ( informal )
words you use to say that something is easy and you don't mind doing it
"Can you fix this?" "Sure, no problem."
prob • lem • at • ic / ,prabls ' mretik / adjective
causing a lot of problems, or full of problems
Finding someone to do this work for you could be
problematic.
pro • ce • dure aw / prs ' sid3sr /
[ count, noncount ]
the usual or correct way of doing something
What is the procedure for applying for a student visa?
pro • ceed aw L / prs ' sid ; prou ' sid / verb ( pro - ceeds , pro - ceed - ing , pro - ceed - ed )
( formal )
to continue doing something
We're not sure whether we want to proceed with the sale of the house.
to do something next, after having done something else first
Once he had calmed down, he proceeded to tell us what had happened.
proc . ess © / 'prases /noun [ count ] ( pluralproc- ess -es )
a number of actions, one after the other, for doing or making something
He explained the process of building a boat. Learning a language is usually a slow process.
a number of changes that happen in a natural way Trees go through the process of growing and losing leaves every year.
pro • ces • sion / prs ' sejn / noun
[ count ]
a line of people or cars that are moving slowly along We watched the funeral procession.
pro .duce i© / prs dus / verb ( pro duc es,pro -duc - ing ,pro -duced )
to make or grow something This factory produces cars. What does the farm produce?
to make something happen
His hard work produced good results.
to bring something out to show it She produced a ticket from her pocket.
to organize something like a play or movie She is producing a play at our local theater.
pro • duce 2 / proudus /noun
[noncount]
food that you grow on a farm or in a garden to sell fresh farm produce
pro • duc • er / prs dussr /noun [ count ]
a person who organizes something like a play or movie a television producer
a company or country that makes or grows something Brazil is an important producer of coffee.
prOd . UCt © / 'pradAkt /noun
[count]
something that people make or grow to sell The company has just launched a new product.
( MATH ) the amount you get if you multiply one number by another
The product of three and five is fifteen.
pro .due .tion © / pro(Kk111 / noun
[ noncount ] the action of making or growing something the production of oil
[ count ] a play, movie, etc.
pro • duc • tive / prs d. ktiv / adjective
doing, achieving, or producing a lot The meeting was very productive.
pro • fes • sion / prs ' fejn / noun
[ count ]
a job that needs a lot of studying and special training
She's a doctor by profession .
Thesaurus
job the work that you do to earn money: My dad told me to go out and get a job . ♦ She's trying to find a full-time job . ♦ I'm only doing my job (= I'm doing what I am paid to do ) . ♦ He's looking for a job in teaching.
work the job that you do to earn money. Work is a noncount noun, so you cannot say "a work" or "works": It's very difficult to find work in this city. ♦ I've been out of work (= without a job ) for almost a year. ♦ She goes jogging every morning before work.
employment the state of having a job that you are paid to do. This is a noncount noun, and is a more formal word than work and job : The company provides employment for 150 staff. ♦ I'm only looking for part-time employment right now. career the jobs that someone has in a particular area of work over a period of time. Your career often involves several jobs, which usually involve more responsibility as time passes: a teaching career ♦a career in politics ♦ Why did you decide on a career as a vet?
profession a job that needs special training and higher education: the legal profession ♦ She hopes to enter the medical profession . ♦ He's a teacher by profession .
pro • fes • sion • al 1 Ф |aWL / pra 'fejanl /
adjective
1 connected with a profession
got professional advice from a lawyer.
doing something for money as a job a professional tennis player
—ANTONYM amateur
pro • fes • sion • al • lyAWL / pra ' fejbnbi / adverb He plays the piano professionally.
pro • fes • sion • al 2 AWL / pra 'fejanl / noun
[ count ]
a person who works in a job that needs a lot of training or education
doctors and other medical professionals
pro • fes • sor / pra ' fesar / noun
[ count ]
a teacher at a college or university Professor Oliver
He's a psychology professor at Cornell University.
pro • fi • cient / pra ' fi/nt /
able to do a particular thing well
We are looking for someone who is proficient in Spanish.
pro • fi • cien • cy / pra ' f/nsi / noun
[noncount]
proficiency in English
pro • file / proufail /noun [ count ]
the shape of a person's face when you see it from the side
a short description of someone or something that gives useful information
We're building up a profile of our typical customer. prof . it Ф / prufot / noun [count]
money that you get when you sell something for more than it cost to buy or make They made a profit of $10.
prof • it • a • ble / ' prafatabl / adjective
If something is profitable , it brings you money a profitable business
pro • found / pra ' faund / adjective
that you feel very strongly
The experience had a profound influence on her.
pro .gram 1Ф/ prougrrem / noun
[ count ]
1 something on television or radio
Did you watch that program about cats on TV last night?
Collocations
Television
watching
watch television/TV/a show/a program/a documentary/a repeat see a commercial/the news change/switch the channel turn on/turn off the television/the TV showing
show a program/a documentary/a commercial/an episode
get low/high ratings appearing
be on/appear on television/TV/a show/a talk show
take part in a show/a game show
do/make a show/a commercial/a documentary
an official plan or system for doing something an intense training program
There are plans to expand the government programs for the elderly.
( COMPUTERS ) a set of instructions that you give to a computer
He sells software programs for businesses.
a piece of paper or a little book that tells people at a play or concert what they are going to see or hear
pro • gram 2 / proug rrem / verb ( pro grams , pro . gram . ming , pro grammed )
( COMPUTERS ) to give a set of instructions to a computer It's easy to program the computer to recognize those symbols.
► pro • gram • ming / 'prougrremig / noun [noncount]
a degree in computer programming
pro • gram • mer / ' prougrremar / noun
[count]
a person whose job is to write programs for a computer
pro .gress 1 Ф/ pruyros / noun [ noncount ]
improvement or development
Jo has made good progress in math this year.
movement forward
She watched her father's slow progress down the steps. in progress
happening now
Quiet please — examination in progress.
pro • gress 2 / pra ' gres / verb ( pro gress . es , pro . gress . ing , pro . gressed )
to improve or develop
Students can progress at their own speed.
to move forward; to continue
She became more tired as the evening progressed.
pro • hib • it aw / prou ' hibat /
( pro hib . its , pro hib . it . ing , pro . hib . it . ed )
( formal )
to say that people must not do something The sign says that parking is prohibited here.
—SYNONYM forbid
pro • hi • bi • tion AWL / proua 'bijn / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( formal )
a law or rule that says people must not do something a prohibition on carrying guns
Prohibition [ noncount ] ( history ) the time between 1920 and 1933, when it was illegal to produce and sell alcoholic drinks in the U.S.
pro . ject 1 © / 'prad₃ekt /noun [ count ]
a big plan to do something
a project to build a new airport
The research project will be funded by the government.
a piece of work that you do at school. You find out a lot about something and write about it
We did a project on the Civil War.
pro • ject 2 AWL / pra ' d₃ekt / verb ( pro • jects , pro ject • ing , pro • ject • ed )
to plan something that will happen in the future the president's projected tour of Europe
to make light, a moving picture, etc. appear on a flat surface or screen
Colored lights were projected onto the dance floor.
pro • jec • tion AWL / pra 'd₃ekjn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
pro • jec • tor / pra 'd₃ektar /noun [ count ]
a machine that shows movies or pictures on a wall or screen
pro • lif • ic / pra ' lifik / adjective
producing a lot of music, writing, art, etc. She is a prolific writer of short stories.
pro • long / pra 'log / verb
( pro • longs , pro long ing , pro longed )
to make something last longer
This treatment could prolong his life by around two years. prom / pram / noun [ count ]
a formal dance for high school students that happens near the end of the school year the senior prom
Are you going to the prom this year?
prom • i • nent / ' pramanant / adjective
easy to see, for example because it is bigger than usual prominent teeth
important and famous a prominent writer
prom . ise 1Ф / pramos / verb ( prom • is • es , prom is • ing , prom • ised )
1 to say that you will certainly do or not do something She promised to give me the money today.
promise that I'll come. Promise me you won't be late!
to show signs that something will be good or successful The picnic promises to be a lot of fun.
prom . ise 2 Ф / pramos /noun [ count ]
when you say that you will certainly do or not do something He kept his promise (= did what he said ) . You broke your promise — how can I trust you?
prom • is • ing / ' pramasig / adjective
showing signs of being very good or successful a promising young writer
pro • mote АИД / pra 'mout / verb (pro • motes, pro mot • ing , pro • mot • ed )
to give someone a more important job
She worked hard, and after a year she was promoted to manager.
—ANTONYM demote
to help a product sell more or be more popular The band is on tour to promote their new album.
pro • mo • tion AWL| / pra 'mou/n / noun
[ count, noncount ]
The new job is a promotion for me.
prompt / prampt / adjective
quick; She gave me a prompt answer.
prompt • ly / ' pramptli /adverb quickly; not late
We arrived promptly at two o'clock. prone / proun / adjective
likely to suffer from something or to do something bad Young people are especially prone to this disease. to be accident-prone (= to have a lot of accidents )
pro • noun / ' prounaun /noun [ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a word that you use in place of a noun; "He," "it," "me," and "them" are all pronouns.
pro • nounce / pra ' nauns / verb ( pro nounc•es,pro•nounc • ing ,pro•nounced )
to make the sound of a letter or word How do you pronounce your name? You don't pronounce the "b" at the end of "comb."
pro .nun .ci .a .tion Ф /pr^nAnsi'eiJh/
noun [ count, noncount ]
how you say a word or words
What's the correct pronunciation of this word?
Your pronunciation is very good.
proof Ф / pruf /noun [ noncount ]
information which shows that something is true
Do you have any proof that you are the owner of this car?
The verb is prove .
SUFFIX
-proof
( in adjectives ) able to protect against the thing mentioned bullet proof fire proof water proof
proof • read / ' prufrid / verb
( proof reads , proof • read • ing , proof • read
/ ' prufred / has proof read )
to read and correct a piece of writing Did you proofread this essay?
prop • a • gan • da / |prapa ' grenda / [noncount]
( POLITICS ) information and ideas that may not be completely true, which are used by governments or organizations to influence people political propaganda
pro • pel • ler / pra 'pelar / noun [ count ]
a part that is connected to the engine on a ship or an airplane. It turns around very fast to make the ship or airplane move.
РГОР .еГ Ф / 'ргарэг /adjective right or correct
I don't have the proper tools to fix the car.
prop • er • ly / ' praparli / adverb
well or correctly
Close the door properly.
I can't see properly without my glasses.
prop • er name / prapar ' neim /
( also prop • er noun / prapar ' naun / )noun [ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a word that is the name of a particular person or place
"Mary," "Dallas," and "Empire State Building" are all proper names.
prop .er .ty О / 'pruporti / noun
( plural prop - er - ties )
[ noncount ] something that you have or own This book is the property of James Waters.
—Look at the note at thing .
[ count ] a building and the land around it
[ count ] a special quality or characterisitc that a substance has
Some plants have healing properties.
proph • et / ' prafat /noun [ count ] a person that God chooses to give his message to people
pro • por • tion AW / pra ' porfn /
[ count ] a part of something
A large proportion of (= many ) people agree.
[ noncount ] the amount or size of one thing compared to another thing
What is the proportion of men to women in the factory?
pro • pos • al / pra ponzl / noun
[count]
a plan or idea about how to do something a proposal to build a new station
when you ask someone to marry you
pro • pose / pra ' ponz / verb (pro -pos es,pro -pos ing, pro posed )
1 ( formal ) to say what you think should happen or be done
propose that we meet again on Monday. —SYNONYM suggest
to ask someone to marry you He finally proposed to me!
prop • o • si • tion / |prapa ' zifn /
[count]
( BUSINESS ) a business idea, plan, or offer That sounds like an interesting proposition.
( also Proposition ) a suggested change to a law that people can vote on
California voters approved Proposition 8 in 2008. prose / pronz / noun [ noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) writing that is not poetry He wrote poetry and prose.
pros • e • cute / ' prasakyut / verb ( pros - e - cutes , pros - e - cut - ing , pros - e - cut ed )
to say officially in a court of law that someone has done
something illegal
He was prosecuted for theft.
pros • e • cu • tion / |prasa ' kyufn /
[ count, noncount ] the process of officially trying to show that someone has done something illegal, in a court of law
the prosecution [ singular ] the lawyers who are trying to show that someone is guilty in a court of law
The prosecution claimed that he was lying.
— Look at defense ( 3 ).
pros • pect AWL / ' praspekt / noun
[ singular ] a thought about what may or will happen in the future
The prospect of becoming a father terrified him.
prospects [ plural ] chances of being successful in the future
A college degree will improve your job prospects.
pros • per / ' praspar / verb ( pros pers , pros - per - ing , pros - pered )
to be successful, especially with money
pros • per • i • ty / pra'sperati / noun [ noncount ] Tourism brought great prosperity to the region.
pros • per • ous / ' prasparas / adjective
rich and successful
pros • ti • tute / ' prastatut /noun [ count ]
a person, especially a woman, who earns money by having sex with people
pro .tect Ф / pro'trkt / verb
( pro tects , pro - tect - ing , pro - tect - ed )
to keep someone or something safe
Parents try to protect their children from danger.
Wear a hat to protect your head against the sun.
РГО .teC .tion Ф/ pra'tekjn/noun [noncount] keeping someone or something safe He was put under police protection .
pro • tein / 'prontin /noun [ count, noncount ]
( BIOLOGY ) a substance in foods such as meat, fish, and eggs. Proteins helps you to grow and stay healthy.
pro .test 1 Ф / 'proutest/ noun
[ count ]
an action that shows publicly that you do not like or
approve of something
She took part in a protest against the war.
pro • test 2 / pra ' test / verb ( pro tests ,pro - test ing ,pro - test ed )
to say or show strongly that you do not like something They protested against the government's policy.
Prot • es • tant / ' pratastant /noun [ count ] ( RELIGION ) a person who believes in the Christian God and who is not a Roman Catholic
pro • ton / ' prontan /noun [ count ] ( CHEMISTRY , PHYSICS ) a very small piece of matter with a positive electric charge, found in all atoms
—Look at electron , neutron . ,
Look at the picture atatom . pro • trac • tor / pron ' trrektar /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a thing you use to measure and draw angles. It is usually a half circle of clear plastic with degrees (0° to 180°) marked on it.
proud Ф / prand / adjective (proud - er,proud - est)
pleased about something that you or others have done or about something that you have
They are very proud of their new house.
thinking that you are better than other people She was too proud to say she was sorry.
The noun is pride .
proud • ly / ' prandli / adverb
"I made this myself," he said proudly.
prove Ф / pruv /verb ( proves , prov ing , proved , has proved or has prov en / ' pruvan / ) to show that something is true
The blood on his shirt proves that he is the murderer. —ANTONYM disprove The noun is proof .
prov • erb / pravsrb /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a short sentence that people often say, which gives help or advice "Waste not, want not" is an English proverb.
pro .vide О / pro'vaid / verb ( pro - vides , pro - vid - ing , pro - vid - ed )
to give something to someone who needs it
I'll provide the food for the party.
The company provided me with a car.
provide for someone to give someone everything they
need to live
Robin has four children to provide for.
pro • vid • ed / prs ' vaidsd /
( also pro - vid - ing / prs ' vaidig / )conjunction
only if
I'll go provided that the children can come with me. Call me when you get home, providing it's not too late.
prov • ince / ' pravsns / noun
[count]
( POLITICS ) a main part of some countries, which has its own government Canada has ten provinces. ► pro • vin • cial / prs ' vinjl /adjective
connected with a province the provincial government
pro • vi • sion / prs ' vi3n / noun
[ noncount ] when something is given to someone who needs it
The government is responsible for the provision of education.
provisions [ plural ] ( formal )
supplies of food and drinks
We stopped to buy provisions for our long trip.
pro • voke / prs vouk / verb (pro -vokes,pro -vok - ing ,pro -voked )
to cause a particular feeling or reaction
Dairy products may provoke allergic reactions in some people.
to say or do something that you know will make a person angry or upset
Be careful what you say and don't provoke him.
prowl / praul / verb ( prowls , prowl - ing , prowled )
(used about an animal that is hunting or a person who is waiting for a chance to do something bad) to move around an area quietly so that no one sees or hears you I could hear someone prowling around outside.
prune / prun /noun [count]
a dried plum (= a soft round fruit that grows on trees )
pry / prai / verb ( pries , pry - ing , pried , has pried )
1 to try to find out about someone else's private life
don't mean to pry, but is everything okay between you and Sam?
to use force to open something, remove a lid, etc. He pried the door open with a steel bar.
P.S. / ,pi ' es / abbreviation
You write P.S. at the end of a letter, after your name, when
you want to add something
... Love from Paul. P.S. I'll bring the car.
pseu • do • nym / ' sudsnim / noun [ count ]
a name used by someone, especially a writer, that is not their real name
Samuel Clemens wrote under the pseudonym Mark Twain.
psy • chi • a • trist / sai 'kaistrist / noun [count]
a doctor who helps people who have a mental illness
psy • chi • a • try / saikaistri / noun [noncount]
( HEALTH ) the study and treatment of mental illness During medical school, she decided to specialize in psychiatry.
psy • chic / ' saikik / adjective
having unusual powers that cannot be explained, for example knowing what someone else is thinking
psy • cho • log • i • cal |awl| / ,saiks ' iad3iki /
adjective
( HEALTH ) connected with the mind or the way it works psychological problems
psy • chol • o • gy AWL / sai 'kalsd3i / noun [noncount]
the study of the mind and how it works
psy • chol • o • gist AWL / sai 'kalsd3ist / noun [count]
a person who studies psychology
psy • cho • path / ' saiksp®e / noun
[count]
a person who has a serious mental illness that makes them behave in a violent way toward other people
pt.
abbreviation of pint
pu • ber • ty / ' pyubsrti /noun [ noncount ]
( BIOLOGY ) the time when a child's body is changing and becoming like that of an adult
pub .lie 1 Ф / p\blik/ adjective
connected with everyone; for everyone Pollution is a danger to public health.
a public park
known by many people
We're going to make the news public soon.
pub • lic • ly / ' pAblikli /adverb to everyone; not secretly
She spoke publicly about her friendship with the actor.
pub .lie 2Ф / ' pAblik / noun the public [singular]
people in general; everyone
The museum is open to the public between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
in public
when other people are there I don't want to talk about it in public.
—ANTONYM in private
pub • li • ca • tion AWB / ^bls' keijn / noun
[ noncount ] when a book, magazine, etc. is made and sold
He became very rich after the publication of his first book.
[ count ] a book, magazine, etc.
pub • lic • i • ty / pAb' lissti / noun [noncount]
giving information about something so that people know about it
There was a lot of publicity for the new store.
pub • li • cize / ' pAblasaiz / verb
(pub li . ciz es, pub . li . ciz . ing , pub . li . cized )
to attract people's attention to something and give them information about it
We need to publicize the event if we want to sell more tickets.
pub • lic re •la • tions / ^ьы ri leijnz /
noun [ noncount ] ( abbreviation PR )
the business of providing information about someone or something, in order to give people a good impression of them
She works in public relations.
pub • lic school / ' pAblik skul /noun [ count ]
a free local school paid for by the government
pub • lic trans • por • ta • tion / pAbiik
itrrenspor ' tei/n /noun [ noncount ] buses and trains that everyone can use I usually travel by public transportation.
pub • lish © AWL / ' pAbliJ / verb ( pub . lish . es , pub . lish . ing , pub . lished )
to prepare and print a book, magazine, or newspaper for selling
This dictionary was published by Oxford University Press.
to make information available to the public
► pub • lish • er AWL / ' pAbliJar / noun [ count ]
The publisher is OUP.
puck / pAk /noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a round, flat, rubber object that players hit with sticks in the sport of ice hockey
— Look at the picture at ice hockey .
pud • ding / 'pudig / noun
[ noncount ]
a soft, thick, sweet food made with milk, eggs, and sugar chocolate pudding
pud • dle / ' pAdi /noun [ count ]
a small pool of rain or other liquid on the ground
puff 1 / pAf / verb ( puffs , puff . ing , puffed )
to smoke a cigarette, pipe, etc. He sat puffing his cigar.
(used about air, smoke, wind, etc.) to blow or come out in clouds
Smoke was puffing out of the chimney. Stop puffing cigarette smoke in my face.
( informal ) to breathe quickly or loudly, especially after you have been running
She was puffing as she ran up the hill.
puff2 / pAf /noun
[count ]
a small amount of air, wind, smoke, etc. that is blown from somewhere a puff of smoke
pull W / pul / verb ( pull: , lull ing , Dulled )
to move someone or something strongly toward you She pulled the drawer open.
to go forward, moving something behind you The cart was pulled by two horses.
to move something somewhere He pulled up his pants.
pull in to drive a car to the side of the road and stop I pulled in to look at the map.
pull someone's leg
( informal )
to try to make someone believe something that is not true, for fun
I didn't really see an elephant — I was only pulling your leg!
pull over to drive a car to the side of the road
I pulled over to let the ambulance pass.
pull out to drive a car away from the side of the road
He suddenly pulled out in front of me and almost caused
an accident.
pull through to survive a dangerous illness or difficult time
pull yourself together
to control your feelings after being upset Pull yourself together and stop crying. pull up to stop a car The driver pulled up at the traffic lights.
pull2 / pul /noun [ cou nt ]
an action of pulling something Give the rope a pull.
pul • ley / ' puii /noun [ count ] ( pluralpul . leys )
a piece of equipment consisting of a wheel and a rope, which is used for lifting heavy things
pull • o • ver / ' pulouvar /noun [ count ]
a warm piece of clothing with sleeves, which you wear on the top part of your body
pulse / pa1s /noun [ count , usually singular ]
( BIOLOGY ) the beating of your heart that you feel in different parts of your body, especially in your wrist The nurse felt (= measured ) his pulse .
pump1 / pAmp /noun [ count ] a machine that moves a liquid or gas into or out of something a bicycle pump a gasoline pump
pump 2 / pAmp / verb ( pumps , pump . ing , pumped )
to force a gas or a liquid to go in a particular direction Your heart pumps blood around your body. pump something up to fill something with air, using a pump
I pumped up my bicycle tires.
pump •kin / ' pAmpkin / noun [ count ]
a very large, round vegetable with a thick orange skin pumpkin pie with cream
pun / pAn / noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a funny use of a word that has two meanings, or that sounds the same as another word
punch / pAntf / verb ( punch.es,punch ing ,punched )
1 to hit someone or something hard with your closed hand (your fist )
He punched me in the nose.
2 to make a hole in something with a special tool The ticket collector punched my ticket.
punchnoun [ count ] ( plural punch es ) a punch in the chin
punc • tu • al / ' pлцktJuэl / adjective
arriving or doing something at the right time; not late Please try to be punctual for your classes.
punc • tu • al • ly / ' p^ktjuali / adverb They arrived punctually at seven o'clock.
punc • tu • ate / ' p^ktjueit / verb
( punc • tu • ates , punc • tu at • ing , punc • tu • at • ed )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) to put periods, question marks, etc. in your writing
punc • tu • a • tion / |p^ktju' eifn / noun
[noncount]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) using punctuation marks
when you are writing
punc • tu •a • tion mark / p^ktju' eijn
mark /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) one of the marks that you use in your writing, for example a period or question mark
punc • ture / ' pл_ЧktГэr / verb
( punc • tures , punc • tur • ing , punc • tured )
to make a small hole in something A piece of glass punctured the tire. ^-punc .turenoun [ count ]
pun .ish Ф / 'рлщГ/ verb ( pun ish • es , pun • ish • ing , pun • ished )
to make someone suffer because they have done something wrong
The children were punished for telling lies.
pun .ish .ment © / ' pлnIJmэnt /
[ count, noncount ]
an act or a way of punishing someone
What is the punishment for murder in your country?
The child was sent to bed as a punishment for being rude.
pu • pil / ' pyupl /noun [ count ]
( formal ) a child who is learning at school There are 30 pupils in the class.
( BIOLOGY ) the round, black part in the middle of your
eye
—Look at the picture at eye .
pup • pet / ' pлpэt /noun [ count ]
a small model of a person or animal that you move by pulling strings or by putting your hand inside
pup • py / ' pлpi /noun [count] ( pluralpup . pies )
a young dog
—Look at the picture at dog .
pur • chase1aw и / ' part/as /noun [ count ] ( formal )
the action of buying something; something that you have bought
She made several purchases and then left the store.
pur • chase 2 aw / ' part/as /
( pur•chas•es,pur • chas ing ,pur•chased )
( formal )
to buy something
advice for people who are planning to purchase a new home pure © / pyur / adjective ( pur er , pur • est )
not mixed with anything else This shirt is pure cotton.
clean and healthy pure mountain air
complete or total
What she said was pure nonsense.
pure • ly / ' pyurli /adverb only or completely
He doesn't like his job — he does it purely for the money. pu • ri • fy / ' pyurafai / verb ( pu • ri • fies , pu • ri • fy • ing , pu • ri • fied )
( CHEMISTRY ) to remove dirty or harmful substances from
something
purified water
The adjective is pure .
pur .pie © / ' parpl / adjective
with a color between red and blue ► pur • plenoun [ count, noncount ]
She often wears purple.
PUT . pOSe © / 'porpos /noun [ count ] the reason for doing something
The purpose of this meeting is to decide what we should do next.
on purpose
because you want to; not by accident
"You broke my pen!" "I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose."
—SYNONYM deliberately
Thesaurus
purpose the reason for doing something; what something is used for or is supposed to achieve: What is the purpose of your visit? ♦ The building is used for religious purposes.
aim what someone is trying to achieve: Our main aim is to increase sales. ♦ He was willing to do almost anything to achieve his aim of winning first prize. plan what you have decided or arranged to do: Do you have any plans for the weekend? ♦ There are no plans to build new offices.
intention what you want or intend to do: Our intention was to leave early in the morning. ♦ I have no intention of going to the wedding. goal (often used about your life or career plans) something that you hope to achieve: What are your long-term goals? ♦ I've finally achieved my goal of getting a college degree.
pur • pose • ly / ' parpasli / adverb
on purpose; deliberately
purr / par / verb ( purrs , purr • ing , purred )
When a cat purrs , it makes a low sound that shows that it is happy.
purse / pars /noun [ count ]
a bag that a woman uses for carrying things like money and keys
—Look at the picture at bag .
pur • sue AWL / par' su / verb ( pur•sues,pur•su• ing ,pur sued)
( formal )
to follow someone or something because you want to catch them
The police pursued the stolen car for several miles. —SYNONYM chase
pur • suitAWL / psr ' sut /noun
[ noncount ] the act of trying to achieve or get something
the pursuit of wealth
[ count ] an activity that you spend time doing leisure pursuits
pus / pas / noun
[noncount]
( HEALTH ) a thick, yellow liquid that sometimes forms in a part of your body that has been hurt
PUSH © / pu|7 verb ( push -es,push ing ,pushed )
to use force to move someone or something forward or away from you
The car broke down so we had to push it to a garage. He pushed me over!
to move forward by pushing someone or something He pushed his way through the crowd.
to push past someone
to press something with your finger Push the red button to stop the machine.
to try to make someone do something Kim will not work hard unless you push her.
push someone around to tell someone what to do in a rude and unpleasant way
You shouldn't let him push you around like that. pushnoun [ count ] ( plural push - es )
She gave him a push and he fell.
push • up / ' pujAp / noun
[count]
a type of exercise in which you lie on your front and push your body up with your arms I do twenty pushups every morning.
push • y / ' puji / adjective ( push - i -er,push - i- est)
trying hard to get what you want in a way that seems rude a pushy salesman
put Ф/ put / verb ( puts, put - ting, put, has put )
to move something to a place or position She put the book on the table.
He put his hand in his pocket.
to write something
Put your name at the top of the page.
to make someone feel something or be affected by something
This kind of weather always puts me in a bad mood. Don't put the blame on me!
to say something
I don't know how to put this, but I'm afraid we have a problem.
put something away to put something back in its usual place
She put the box away in the closet.
put something down to stop holding something and put it on another thing, for example on the floor or a table Let me put my bags down first.
put someone off to make someone not like someone or something
The accident put me off driving.
put something off to not do something until later
He put off his vacation because the children were sick.
—SYNONYM delay
put something on
to take clothes and wear them Put on your coat.
Put your shoes on.
—ANTONYM take something off
to make a piece of electrical equipment start to work I put on the TV.
Put the lights on.
Should we put some music on?
put something out to stop a fire or to stop a light from shining
She put out the fire with a bucket of water. Put the lights out before you go.
put someone up to let someone sleep in your home Can you put me up for the night?
put something up
to hold or lift something up
Put up your hand if you know the answer.
—SYNONYM raise
to build something to put up a fence
to attach something to a wall, etc. so everyone can see it to put up a sign
to increase something
Most airlines put up their prices during the summer. put up with someone or something to have pain or problems without complaining
We can't change the bad weather, so we have to put up with it.
puz • zle 1 / ' pAzl / noun
[ count ]
a game that is difficult and makes you think a lot
Look at crossword puzzle .
something that is difficult to understand or explain Janet's reason for leaving her job is a puzzle to me.
= jigsaw puzzle
puz • Zle 2 / ' pAzl / verb ( puz zles , puz - zling , puz - zled )
to make you feel that you cannot understand or explain something
Tim's illness puzzled his doctors.
puzzle over something to think hard about something in order to understand it He was puzzling over a math problem for half an hour. ► puz • zling / ' pAzlig /adjective
difficult to understand or explain
puz • zled / ' pAzld / adjective
not able to understand or explain something She had a puzzled look on her face.
py • lon / pailan /noun [ count ]
a tall metal tower that supports heavy electrical wires
pyr • a • mid / pirsmid / noun
[ count ]
( MATH ) a shape with a flat bottom and three or four sides that come to a point at the top the pyramids of Egypt
Look at the picture at solid .
py • thon / ' pai9an /noun [ count ]
a large snake that kills animals by squeezing them very hard
Qq
Q, q / kyu /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralQ's, q's / kyuz / ) the seventeenth letter of the English alphabet "Question" begins with a "Q."
qt.
abbreviation of quart
Q-tip™ / ' kyu tip /noun [ count ] a small, thin stick with cotton at each end I cleaned my ears with a Q-tip.
quack / kw®k /noun
[count]
the sound that a duck (= a bird that lives on or near water ) makes
► quack verb ( quacks , quack - ing , quacked )
quad • ru • ple / kwa' drupl / verb ( quad - ru ples , quad - ru - pling , quad - ru - pled )
( MATH ) to multiply or be multiplied by four House prices have quadrupled in the past 20 years.
quaint / kweint / adjective ( quaint er , quaint - est )
old-fashioned, usually in an attractive way a quaint little town
qual • i • fi • ca • tion / |kwalafa' keijn / noun
[ count ]
training, skill, or knowledge that you need to do something, such as a job
He has all the right qualifications for the manager's job.
qual • i • fied / ' kwalafaid / adjective
having the training, skill, or knowledge that you need to do something
I don't feel qualified to comment — I know nothing about the subject.
qual • i • fy / ' kwalafai / verb ( qual - i - fies , qual i - fy - ing , qual - i - fied , has qual - i fied )
to get the right knowledge, skill, and training so that you can do something
These courses will qualify you to teach music.
to have or give someone the right to have or do something
You have to be a Texas resident to qualify for the scholarship.
qual .i .ty Ф / 'kwabti/ noun
( plural qual - i . ties )
[ noncount ] how good or bad something is The quality of her work is excellent.
This furniture isn't very good quality .
[ count ] something that is part of a person's character Vicky has all the qualities of a good manager.
quan .ti .ty © /1-wan tot i / noun [ count ] ( pluralquan - ti . ties )
how much of something there is I only bought a small quantity of cheese.
—SYNONYM amount
quar • an • tine / ' kworantin / noun [noncount]
( HEALTH ) a period of time when a person or an animal is kept away from others so that they or it cannot pass on a disease
The dog was kept in quarantine for six months.
quar • rel1 / ' kworal /noun [ count ]
an argument or a disagreement with someone He had a quarrel with his wife about money.
—SYNONYM argument
quar • rel 2 / ' kworal / verb ( quar - rels , quar - rel ing , quar - reled )
to argue or disagree with someone He quarreled with his wife about money. The children are always quarreling.
—SYNONYM argue
quar • ry / ' kwori /noun [ count ] ( pluralquar - ries )
a place where people cut stone, sand, etc. out of the ground
quart / kwort /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationqt. )
a measure of liquid (= 0.94 liters). There are two pints in a quart and four quarts in a gallon a quart of milk
quar .ter © / 'kwortor/ noun [count ]
( MATH ) one of four equal parts of something; У4 a mile and a quarter
Cut the apple into quarters.
fifteen minutes before or after every hour It's quarter after two.
I'll meet you at a quarter past. It's quarter to nine.
I'll meet you outside the restaurant at a quarter of seven.
a coin that is worth 25 cents
The parking meter only takes quarters.
Look at the picture at money .
three months
You get a gas bill every quarter.
one of the four parts that the academic year is divided into at many schools and colleges
Report cards come out at the end of each quarter.
( SPORTS ) one of four equal time periods in a game of football or basketball
The Eagles were leading 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.
quar • ter • back / ' kwortarbrek /noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) the player on a football team who tells the other players what to do and throws the ball to them
quar • tet / kwor ' tet /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a group of four people who play music or sing together a string quartet
Look attrio .
queen © / kwin/noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a woman from a royal family who rules a country
Queen Elizabeth II (= the second )
the wife of a king
quench / kwentf / verb ( quench -es,quench - ing ,quenched ) quench your thirst
to drink as much as you need so that you stop feeling thirsty
que • ry1 / ' kwiri/noun [ count ] ( pluralque . ries )
a question
Contact our office with any queries. que • ry2 / ' kwiri / verb ( que . ries , que . ry . ing , que . ried )
to ask a question about something that you think is wrong I queried the invoice but the company said it was correct.
ques .tion 1 © / i-wrst/on/ noun [count ]
something that you ask
They asked me a lot of questions . She didn't answer my question . What is the answer to question 3?
something that you need to deal with; something that is being discussed
The question is , how can we raise the money?
It's a question of time — we need to finish the work today.
in question
( formal )
that we are talking about
On the day in question I was in Chicago.
out of the question
not possible
No, I won't give you any more money. It's out of the question!
ques .tion 2Фу 'kwestjbn/ verb
( ques . tions , ques . tion . ing , ques . tioned )
to ask someone questions about something The police questioned him about the stolen car.
to feel doubt about something
She said she just wanted to help, but I questioned her motives.
ques • tion mark / ' kwestjbn mark / [count]
the sign ( ? ) that you write at the end of a question
ques • tion • naire / ^west^ ' ner / noun
[ count ]
a list of questions for people to answer so that information can be collected from the answers
Please fill out (= write the answers on ) the questionnaire .
quick Ф / kwik / adjective, adverb ( quick er , quick . est )
taking little time
It's quicker to travel by plane than by train. Can I make a quick phone call?
—SYNONYM fast —ANTONYM slow
quick .ly Ф / kwikli / adverb
fast; in a short time Come as quickly as you can!
—ANTONYM slowly
qui . et 1 Ф / kvvaiot / adjective ( qui . et er , qui . et . est )
making very little noise Be quiet — the baby's asleep. a quiet voice
—ANTONYM loud , noisy
without many people or without many things happening It's very quiet downtown on Sundays.
►qui • et • ly / ' kwaiatli / adverb Please close the door quietly.
qui • et2 / ' kwaiat/noun [ noncount ]
when there is no noise
I need quiet when I'm working.
I go to the library for a little peace and quiet.
quilt / kwilt /noun [ count ]
a bed cover with thick, warm material inside a baby quilt
quit / kwit / verb ( quits , quit . ting , quit , has quit )
( informal )
to leave a job or place; to stop doing something She quit her job to go to graduate school. You're almost finished — you can't quit now!
quite Ф / kwait / adverb
very, but not extremely
It's quite warm today, but it's not too hot.
We waited quite a long time.
—SYNONYM fairly
not quite
not completely Dinner is not quite ready. "Are you finished?" "Not quite." quite a few
a lot, but not an extremely large amount or number There were quite a few people at the party.
quiv • er / ' kwivar / verb ( quiv ers, quiv . er ing, quiv ered )
to shake slightly
Her lip quivered and she started to cry. —SYNONYM tremble
quiz1 / kwiz /noun [ count ] ( pluralquiz .zes )
a short, informal test
We have a math quiz this Friday.
a set of questions that you try to answer in a game or competition
a quiz show on TV
quiz 2 / kwiz / verb ( quiz zes , quiz zing , quizzed )
to ask someone questions in order to get information After I got home late, my mom quizzed me about where I had been.
Can you quiz me on my math homework?
quo • ta / ' kwouta /noun
[count]
the limited number or amount of people or things that is officially allowed
We've already reached our quota — we can't take anyone else.
quo • ta • tion AWL| / kwou' teijn / noun [count]
( also informal quote ) ( English language arts )
words you say or write that another person said or wrote before
a quotation from a poem by Emily Dickinson
( also quote ) ( BUSINESS ) a statement that says how much a piece of work will probably cost
We got quotations from three different builders.
—SYNONYM estimate
quo • ta • tion marks / kwou ' tei/n marks / ( also quotes )noun [ plural ]
the signs ( " " ) that you use in writing before and after the exact words that someone has said quote1AWL/ kwout /verb ( quotes , quot - ing , quot - ed )
to repeat exactly something that another person said or wrote
She quoted from the Bible.
I think she offered to help, but don't quote me on that.
quote 2 / kwout / noun
1 [ count ] another word for quotation
need to get some quotes for the roof repairs.
quotes [ plural ] another word for quotation marks
quo • tient/ 'kwoujnt /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) the amount you get if you divide one number by another
The quotient of 48 divided by 12 is 4. —Look at IQ , product ( 2 ).
the Qu • r'an ( also the Qu - ran ) / 6s ks 'rsn ;
6s ks 'ran /noun [ singular ] ( religion ) = the Koran
Rr
R, r / ar /noun [ count ] ( pluralR's, r's / arz / ) the eighteenth letter of the English alphabet "Rose" begins with an "R."
R & B / ,ar sn ' bi / abbreviation ( music ) short for rhythm and blues
rab • bi / ' r®bai /noun [ count ] ( pluralrab - bis ) a leader or teacher of the Jewish religion
rab • bit / ' rrebst / noun [ count ]
a small animal with long ears. Rabbits live in holes under the ground.
ra • bies / reibiz / noun
[noncount]
a serious disease that people can get if a dog or another animal with the disease bites them The dog had rabies.
rac . coon
/ гж ' kun /noun [count]
a small animal with black fur around its eyes, and rings of black and white fur on its tail
race lO / l-eis/noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a competition to see who can run, drive, ride, etc. fastest
Who won the race ? a horse race
a group of people of the same kind, for example with the same color skin, language, or customs
People of many different races live in this neighborhood.
race 2©/ reis / verb ( ac es , 'ac - in; , aced )
( SPORTS ) to run, drive, ride, etc. in a competition to see who is the fastest
He'll be racing against some of the finest runners in the country.
I'll race you to the other end of the pool.
to move, or to move someone or something, very fast He raced up the stairs.
The ambulance raced the injured woman to hospital.
race • track / ' reistrrek /noun [ count ]
a place where you go to see horse races
ra • cial / ' reijl / adjective
connected with people's race; happening between people of different races racial differences
rac • ing / ' reisig /noun [ noncount ]
the sport of taking part in races motor racing
ra • cism / ' reisizsm /noun [ noncount ]
the belief that some groups ( races ) of people are better
than others
rac • ist / ' reisist / noun [ count ] He's a total racist.
rac • ist / ' reisist / adjective
a racist comment
rack / r®k /noun [ cou nt ]
a kind of shelf made of bars, which you put things on a towel rack
rack • et / ' r®kst / noun
[ singular ] ( informal ) a loud noise
Stop making that terrible racket!
( also rac - quet ) [ count ] ( SPORTS ) a thing that you use for hitting the ball in sports such as tennis
—Look at the picture at tennis .
ra • dar / reidar /noun [ noncount ]
a way of finding where a ship, airplane, or other vehicle is and how fast it is traveling by using radio waves
ra • di • a • tion / ,reidi' eijn /noun [ noncount ]
( PHYSICS ) dangerous energy that some substances send out High levels of radiation have been recorded near the nuclear power plant.
ra • di • a • tor / ' reidi,eitsr /noun [ count ]
a metal thing with hot water inside that makes a room warm
a part of a car that has water in it to keep the engine cold
rad • i•calaw / ' rredikl / В
(used about changes) very great; complete radical reforms in the welfare system
ra .di .0 © / ' reidiou /noun ( pluralra - di - os )
[ count ] a piece of equipment that brings voices or music from far away so that you can hear them
We heard the news on the radio . Can you turn on the radio ?
[ noncount ] ( PHYSICS ) sending or receiving sounds that travel a long way through the air by special waves
The captain of the ship sent a message by radio .
ra • di • o • ac • tive / ,reidiou ' ®ktiv /adjective ( PHYSICS ) sending out dangerous energy the disposal of radioactive waste
rad • ish / ' rredij /noun [ count ] ( pluralrad • ish • es )
a small, red vegetable that is white inside and has a strong taste. You eat radishes in salads.
Look at the picture at vegetable .
ra • di • um / ' reidiam /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolRa )
( CHEMISTRY ) a chemical substance that is used in the treatment of some serious diseases
ra • di • us / ' reidias /noun [ count ]
( pluralra • di • i / reidiai / )
( MATH ) the length of a straight line from the center of a circle to the outside
Look at the picture at circle . raf • fle / ' rrefl/ noun [ count ]
a way of making money for a charity by selling tickets with numbers on them. Later some numbers are chosen and the tickets with these numbers on them win prizes.
raft / rreft /noun [ count ] a flat boat with no sides and no engine
rag / rreg /noun
[ count ] a small piece of old cloth that you use for cleaning
rags [ plural ] clothes that are very old and torn She was dressed in rags .
rage / reid3 /noun [ count, noncount ]
very strong anger
He was trembling with rage.
raid / reid /noun [ count ]
a sudden attack on a place an air raid
► raid verb ( raids , raid • ing , raid • ed )
Police raided the house looking for drugs.
rail / reil /noun
[ count ] ( also rail • ing / ' reilig / ) a long piece of wood or metal that is fastened to the wall or to something else Hold onto the rail as you go up the stairs.
rails [ plural ] the long pieces of metal that trains go on
[ noncount ] trains as a way of traveling We decided to travel by rail .
rail • road / ' reilroud /noun [count]
the system of trains, metal lines that they go on, and companies that own them railroad tracks
rain lC¹/ rein/noun [ noncount ]
the water that falls from the sky
rain 2 Ф / rein/verb( rains , rain ing , rained ) When it rains , water falls from the sky It's raining. It rained all day.
rain • bow / ' reinbou /noun [ count ]
a half circle of colors in the sky when rain and sun come together
rain • coat / ' reinkout /noun [ count ]
a light coat that you wear when it rains
rain • drop / ' reindrap /noun [ count ]
one drop of rain
rain • fall / ' reinfol /noun [ noncount ]
the total amount of rain that falls in a place
The average annual rainfall here is less than two inches.
rain for • est / ' rein forest / ( also rain • for • est ) noun [ count ]
a forest in a hot part of the world where there is a lot of rain the Amazon rain forest
rain • y / reini /adjective (rain • i • er , rain • i • est)
with a lot of rain a rainy day
raiS6 1 ©/ reiz / verb ( rais es, rais ing, raised )
to move something or someone up
Raise your hand if you want to ask a question.
—ANTONYM lower
to make something bigger, higher, stronger, etc. They raised the price of gas.
She raised her voice (= spoke more loudly ) .
—ANTONYM lower
to get money from other people for a particular purpose We raised $5,000 for the hospital.
to start to talk about something He raised an interesting question.
to take care of a child or an animal until they are an adult It's hard to raise a family on such a low salary.
He was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee.
raise2 / reiz /noun [ count ]
an increase in the money you are paid for the work you do I'm going to ask my boss for a raise.
rai • sin / ' reizn/noun [ count ]
a dried grape ( = a small green or purple fruit)
rake / reik /noun [ count ] rake
a tool with a long handle that you use for collecting leaves or for making the soil flat ^-rakeverb( rakes , rak ing , raked )
I spent Sunday afternoon raking the leaves.
1
1
i
ral • ly / ' rreli /noun [ count ] ( pluralral • lies )
a meeting of people to show that they feel strongly about something a peace rally
RAM / rrem /noun [ noncount ]
( COMPUTERS ) the type of memory that allows a computer to work
2 gigabytes of RAM
ram / rrem /noun [ count ]
a male sheep
Ram • a • dan / ' ramadan / [ count, noncount ]
( RELIGION ) a month when Muslims do not eat or drink anything from early morning until the sun goes down in the evening
ramp / rsmp /noun [ count ] 1 a path that you use instead of steps to go up or down
pushed the wheelchair up the ramp.
a road that you use to join or leave a highway an entrance ramp
an exit ramp
ran form of run 1
ranch / rrentf /noun [ count ] ( pluralranch - es )
a very large farm where cows, horses, or sheep are kept
ranch • er / ' rrent/ar /noun [ count ]
a person who owns or manages a ranch a cattle rancher
ran • dom aw Ц / ' rrendam / adjective
done or chosen without any special plan or pattern We interviewed a random selection of students.
at random
without thinking or deciding before She chose a few books at random .
ran • dom • ly AWL| / ' rrendamli / adverb
The winning numbers are randomly selected by computer.
rang form of ring 2
range1AWL / reind3 /noun [ count ]
different things of the same kind
This website sells a range of sports equipment.
the amount between the highest and the lowest
The age range of the children is between eight and twelve. That car is outside my price range .
a line of mountains or hills
how far you can see, hear, shoot, travel, etc. The gun has a range of five miles.
range 2 AWL / reind3 / verb ( rang - es , rang - ing , ranged )
to be at different points between two things
The ages of the students in the class range from 18 to 50.
rank / гжцк /noun [ count ]
how important someone is in a group of people, for example in an army
General is one of the highest ranks in the army.
ran • som / ' rrensam /noun [ count ]
the money that you must pay so that a criminal will free a person that they have taken
The kidnappers have demanded a ransom of a million dollars.
rap / rrep /noun [ count, noncount ]
( MUSIC ) a type of modern music, in which singers speak the words of a song a rap song
Look at hip-hop .
rap verb ( raps , rap - ping , rapped )
to speak the words of a rap song
Look at rapper .
rape / reip / verb ( rapes , rap ing , raped )
to force someone to have sex when they do not want to
rapenoun [ count, noncount ] He was sent to prison for rape.
rap • id / ' rrepad / adjective
happening or moving very quickly
She made rapid progress and was soon the best in the class.
—ANTONYM slow ► rap • id • ly / ' rrepadli /adverb The snow rapidly disappeared.
rap • per / ' rrepar /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a person who speaks the words of a rap
rare О / rer / adjective ( rar - er , rar - es )
If something is rare , you do not find or see it often Pandas are rare animals.
It's rare to see snow in Florida.
—ANTONYM common
Meat that is rare is not cooked for very long, so that the inside is still red.
Look at well-done .
rare . ly Ф / 'rerli / adverb
not very often
We rarely agree with each other.
rash1 / raij /noun [ count ] ( pluralrash - es )
a lot of small red spots on your skin He had an itchy rash on his back.
rash 2 / гж/ / adjective ( rash - er , rash - est )
If you are rash , you do things too quickly and without thinking about the possible result
You were very rash to leave your job before you found a new one.
rasp•ber • ry / ' r®z|beri /noun [ count ] ( pluralrasp - ber - ries )
a small soft red fruit that grows on bushes raspberry jam
Look at the picture at berry . rat / r®t / noun [ count ]
an animal like a big mouse
rate Ф / l-eit /noun [ count ]
the speed of something or how often something happens The crime rate was lower in 2009 than in 2010.
The nurse will check your heart rate .
the amount that something costs or that someone is paid The basic rate of pay is $20 an hour.
at any rate ( informal ) anyway; whatever happens
I hope to be back before ten o'clock — I won't be late at any rate.
rath .er Ф / г^сЪг/ adverb
more than a little but not very
We were rather tired after our long trip.
—SYNONYM pretty
rather than
in the place of; instead of
Could I have tea rather than coffee?
would rather
would prefer to do something I'd rather go by train than by bus.
rat • ing / ' reitig /noun [ count ]
a measurement of how good, popular, difficult, etc. something is
a hotel with a five star rating
The new TV show got terrible ratings and was canceled.
ra • tioaw щ / ' reijion /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) the relation between two numbers, which shows how much bigger one amount is than the other The ratio of boys to girls in the class is three to one (= there are three boys to every one girl ) .
ra • tion1 / ' rrejn /noun [ count ]
a small amount of something that you are allowed to have when there is not enough for everyone to have what they want
food rations
ra • tion 2 / ' rrejn / verb ( ra . tions , ra . tion . ing , ra . tioned )
to control the amount of something that someone is allowed to have, for example because there is not enough for everyone to have as much as they want Eggs were rationed during the war.
ra • tion • al / ' rrejbnl / adjective
based on facts; sensible
There must be a rational explanation for why he's behaving like this.
—ANTONYM irrational
ra • tion • ale / ^ja ' nrei / noun [ count ]
( formal )
the reasons which explain a particular decision, belief, plan, etc.
What is the rationale behind the new policy?
rat • tle 1 / ' rretl / verb ( rat . tles , rat . tling , rat . tled )
to make a sound like hard things hitting each other, or to shake something so that it makes this sound The windows were rattling all night in the wind. She rattled the ice cubes in her glass.
rat • tle2 / ' rretl /noun [ count ]
the noise of hard things hitting each other the rattle of empty bottles
a toy that a baby can shake to make a noise
rat .tie .snake
/ ' rretlsneik /noun [ count ]
a poisonous snake that makes a noise like a rattle with its tail when it is angry or afraid
ra • vine / гэ 'vin /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a small, deep, narrow valley
raw / ro / adjective
not cooked raw meat
in its natural state; not yet made into anything raw sugar
ray / rei /noun [ count ] ( pluralrays ) ( PHYSICS ) a line of light or heat
the sun's rays
ra • zor blade / ' reizar bleid /noun [ count ] the thin metal part of a razor that cuts
ra • Zor / ' reizar / noun [ count ] a sharp thing that people use to cut hair off their bodies (to shave )
Rd.
abbreviation of road PREFIX
re-
( in verbs, and related nouns, adjectives, and adverbs ) again
re build something (= build it again ) re do something re pay someone a re payment
reach 1Ф / ritf /
(reach es , reach . ing,reached )
to arrive somewhere
It was dark when we reached the campsite. Have you reached the end of the book yet?
to put out your hand to do or get something I reached for my phone.
to be able to touch something
Can you get that book from the top shelf? I can't reach it.
to be able to contact someone by telephone You can reach me on my cell phone after 5p.m.
reach 2 / ritj / noun beyond reach ; out of reach
too far away to touch
Keep this medication out of the reach of children. within reach
near enough to touch or go to
Make sure you have your phone within reach.
re • act AWL| / ri ' rekt / verb ( re acts , re act ing , re . act . ed )
to say or do something because something has happened How did Paul react to the news?
re • ac • tion ФAWL / ri ' rekjn /noun [ count ]
what you say or do because of something that has happened What was her reaction when you told her about the accident?
What was his reaction to the news?
read Ф / rid / verb ( reads , read ing , read / red / has read )
to look at words and understand them Have you read this book? It's really interesting.
to say words that you can see I read a story to the class.
read something out to read something to other people The teacher read out the list of names. ► read • ing / ' ridig / noun [ noncount ] My interests are reading and baseball.
read • er / ' ridar /noun [ count ]
a person who reads something
a book for reading at school
read • i • ly / ' redl-i / adverb
quickly and easily
Most vegetables are readily available at this time of year.
read .уф / redi/ adjective
prepared and able to do something I'll be ready to leave in five minutes. It's time to get ready for school.
finished, so that you can use it Dinner will be ready soon.
happy to do something He's always ready to help.
—SYNONYM willing
read • y-made / | redi meid / adjective
already prepared and ready to use ready-made meals
real О / ril/adjective
existing, not just imagined
The movie is about events that happened in real life .
actually true, not only what people think is true The name he gave to the police wasn't his real name.
natural; not false or a copy This ring is real gold.
big or complete
I have a real problem.
real es • tate / ' ril I|steit /noun [ noncount ]
( BUSINESS ) land and buildings
Real estate prices fell again this month.
a valuable piece of real estate
real es • tate a • gent / ' rii i|steit ^ant /
( also Re .al • tor™ / ' riltar / )noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to sell buildings and land for other
people
re • al • is • tic / |ria ' listik / adjective
sensible and accepting what is possible in a particular situation
We have to be realistic about our chances of winning.
showing things as they really are a realistic painting
re .al . i . ty ф / ri'aeloti /noun [ noncount ]
the way that something really is, not how you would like it to be
I enjoyed my vacation, but now it's back to reality.
She looked very confident, but in reality she was extremely
nervous.
re .al . ize Ф / 'rblaiz/ verb
( re • al • iz • es , re • al • iz • ing , re • al ized )
to understand or know something
When I got home, I realized that I had lost my key.
I didn't realize you were John's brother.
► re • al • i • za • tion / |riala 'zei/n / noun [ noncount ]
the sudden realization of what he had done
re .al . ly О / rili/ adverb
in fact; actually
Do you really mean it?
very or very much I'm really hungry.
"Do you like this music?" "Not really."
a word that shows you are interested or surprised "I'm going to Hawaii next year." "Really?"
Re • al • tor™ / ' riltar / noun [ count ] another word for real estate agent
rear1 / rir /noun [ singular ]
the back part of something
The kitchen is at the rear of the house.
—ANTONYM front
rear 2 / rir / adjective
at the back of something the rear window of a car
rear 3 / rir / verb ( rears , rear • ing , reared )
to care for and educate young children She reared three children without any help.
—SYNONYM bring someone up , raise
re • ar • range / |ria ' reind3 / verb
(re ar • rang • es , re • ar • rang ing , re ar • ranged )
to change the position or order of things
We rearranged the furniture in our living room to make
more space.
I'll try to rearrange the meeting for next week.
rear • view mir • ror / |rirvyu 'mirar / noun
[ count ]
the mirror inside a car that the driver uses to see the vehicle or road behind
She looked in her rearview mirror and saw the police car behind her.
rea .son © / 'rizn/ noun [count ]
a cause or an explanation for why you do something or why something happens
The reason I'm calling is to ask you a favor. Is there any reason why you were late? She gave no reasons for her decision.
rea .son .a .ble О / 'rizn-obl / adjective
1 fair and ready to listen to what other people say
tried to be reasonable, even though I was very angry.
fair or right in a particular situation I think $100 is a reasonable price.
—ANTONYM unreasonable
rea • son • a • bly / ' rizn^bli / adverb
to a certain degree, but not very The food was reasonably good.
—SYNONYM fairly
in a reasonable way
Don't get angry — let's talk about this reasonably.
re • as • sure / |г1э 'jur / verb
(re as sures,re•as • sur ing ,re•as • sured )
to say or do something to make someone feel safer or happier
The doctor reassured her that she would be fine. ► re • as • sur • ance / |ria 'Jurans / noun
[ count, noncount ]
He needs some reassurance that he made the right decision.
re • bate / ' ribeit /noun [ count ]
( BUSINESS ) money that you get back because you have paid too much or because there is a special offer We got a $500 rebate on our new car.
re • bel1 / ' rebl/noun [ count ]
a person who fights against the people in control, for example the government
re • bel 2 / ri ' bel / verb ( re bels , re • bel • ling , re • belled )
to fight against the people in control, for example the government or your parents
She rebelled against her parents by refusing to go to college.
re • bel • lion / ri 'belyan /
[ count, noncount ]
( POLITICS ) a time when some of the people in a country fight against their government Hundreds of people died in the rebellion.
re • bel • lious / ri ' belyas /
not doing what society or people in authority want you to do
rebellious teenagers re • boot / , ri but / verb ( re - boots, re - boot - ing, re boot ed )
( COMPUTERS ) to switch a computer off and then on again immediately
If the software doesn't work, you'll need to reboot your computer.
re • call / ri ' ы / verb
( re - calls , re call ing , re - called )
( formal )
to remember something I don't recall the name of the hotel.
re • ceipt / ri ' sit /noun [ count ]
a piece of paper that shows you have paid for something "I would like to return this purse." "Do you have your receipt?"
re .ceive Ф / nw verb
( re - ceives , re - ceiv ing , re - ceived )
( formal ) SPELLING
When the sound is / i / (which is the vowel sound in the word "be"), there is a spelling rule: I before E, except after C , so you spell receive with EI (not IE ).
to get or accept something that someone has given or sent to you
Did you receive my letter? —SYNONYM get
re • ceiv • er / ri ' sivsr /noun [ count ]
the part of a telephone that you use for listening and speaking
re .cent Ф' / l'isont/ adjective
that happened or began only a short time ago Is this a recent photo of your son?
re .cent .ly © / 'risontli/ adverb
not long ago
She worked here until pretty recently.
re • cep • tion / ri ' sepjn / noun
[ count ] a big, important party
The wedding reception will be held at a hotel downtown.
[ noncount ] how good telephone, television, and radio signals are
We get much better reception with cable TV.
[ noncount ] the place where you go first when you arrive at a hotel or an office building
Please leave your key at the reception desk .
re • cep • tion • ist / risepjn^ist / noun [count]
a person in a hotel, an office, etc. whose job is to answer the telephone and to help people when they arrive
re • cess / ' rises /noun [ noncount ]
the time at school when you can go out and play We played soccer at recess .
re • ces • sion / ri 'sejn /noun [count, noncount]
( BUSINESS ) a time when the business and industry of a
country are not successful
The country is now in a recession .
— Look at depression ( 2 ).
re • charge / ,ri ' tjard3 /
(re -charg -es,re - charg- ing ,re - charged )
to fill something with electrical power He plugged in his phone to recharge it. I need to recharge my camera batteries.
rec • i • pe / ' resspi / noun [ count ]
a piece of writing that tells you how to cook something Collocations Cooking preparing chop/slice the onions peel the potatoes/an orange grate the cheese/a carrot mix (together) all the ingredients cooking
heat the oven/the broiler/some oil in a frying pan
melt the butter/chocolate/cheese
cook food/fish/meat/rice
bake bread/a cake/cookies/muffins
boil potatoes/an egg/water
fry/stir-fry the chicken/vegetables
grill/broil/barbecue fish/meat/steak
roast chicken/turkey/potatoes
steam rice/vegetables
microwave food/popcorn/your dinner
re • cite / ri ' sait / verb ( re cites , re - cit - ing , re - cit - ed )
to say something, for example a poem or a list, from
memory because you have learned it
Can you recite the names of all of the U.S. presidents?
reck • less / ' reklss / adjective
A person who is reckless does dangerous things without thinking about what could happen reckless driving
reck • on / ' reksn / verb (reck -ons , reck - on - ing,reck -oned )
( informal ) to believe something because you have thought about it
It's late. I reckon she isn't coming.
to use numbers to find an answer
We reckoned the trip would take about half an hour.
rec • og • ni • tion / ,reksg ' nijn / noun
[noncount]
1 knowing what something is or who someone is when you see it or them
said hello to her, but there was no sign of recognition on her face.
public respect for something good that someone has done
He received recognition for his work in the community.
rec .og . nize Ф / 'rebgnaiz/ verb ( rec - og - niz - es, rec og niz ing, rec og nized )
1 to know again someone or something that you have seen or heard before
didn't recognize you without your glasses.
to know that something is true They recognize that there is a problem.
rec .om .mend © / , reks mend / verb ( rec - om mends , rec - om - mend ing , rec - om - mend - ed ) SPELLING
Remember! You spell recommend with one C and MM .
to tell someone that a person or thing is good or useful Can you recommend a hotel near the airport?
to tell someone in a helpful way what you think they should do
I recommend that you see a doctor. —SYNONYM advise
rec • om • men • da • tion / |rekaman' deijn /
noun [ count, noncount ]
saying that something is good or useful
We followed their recommendation, and stayed at the new
hotel.
re • con • sid • er / |rikan ' sidar / verb ( re - con - sid ers , re - con - sid - er - ing , re con - sid - ered )
to think again about something because you may want to change your mind
I think you should reconsider your decision.
re . cord 1 © / rrkord /noun [ count ] Pronunciation
When the word record is a noun, you say the first part of the word louder: RECord .
When the word record is a verb, you say the second part of the word louder: reCORD .
notes about things that have happened Keep a record of all the money you spend.
( SPORTS ) the best, fastest, highest, lowest, etc. that has been done in a sport
She holds the world record for long jump. He did it in record time (= very fast ) .
She's hoping to break the record for the mile (= to do it faster than anyone has done before ) .
( MUSIC ) a thin, round piece of black plastic that makes music when you play it on a special machine (called a record player )
He still has his old record collection.
Ге . COrd 2 © / rikord / verb (re - cords,re - cord ing ,re - cord ed )
to write notes about or make pictures of things that happen, so you can remember them later
In his diary he recorded everything that he did.
to save music or a movie using an electronic device, so that you can listen to or watch it later
I recorded the show so I can watch it this weekend.
re • cord • er / ri 'kordar /noun [ count ]
a machine for recording sound and/or pictures an old tape recorder
( MUSIC ) a musical instrument that children often play. You blow through it and cover the holes in it with your fingers.
—Look at the picture at instrument .
re • cord • ing / ri 'kordig / noun [ count ]
music or speech that has been saved using an electronic device
a new recording of Mozart's "Don Giovanni"
rec • ord play • er / rekard |pleiar / noun
[count ]
( MUSIC ) a machine that you use for playing records
re • cov • er © AWL / ri 'kAvar / verb (re -cov-ers,re -cov - er- ing ,re -cov ered )
to become well or happy again after you have been sick or sad
She is recovering from the flu.
to get back something that was lost Police never recovered the stolen car.
re • cov • er • y AWL / ri 'kAvari / noun
[noncount]
when you feel well again after you have been sick He made a full recovery after his operation.
re • cre • ate awl / ^ы ' eit / verb
( re cre - ates , re - cre - at - ing , re - cre - at - ed )
to make something that existed in the past exist again The movie recreates the glamour of 1940s Hollywood.
rec • re • a • tion / ты eijn / noun
[noncount]
relaxing and enjoying yourself, when you are not working recreation activities such as swimming and yoga
re • cruit 1 / ri ' krut / verb ( re cruits , re - cruit - ing , re cruit - ed )
to find new people to join a company or an organization The army is recruiting new officers.
re • cruit2 / ri ' krut /noun [count]
a person who has just joined the army, the navy, or the police
the training of new recruits
rec • tan • gle / ' rektreggl /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a shape with two long sides, two short sides, and four angles of 90 degrees
—Look at the picture at shape .
rec • tan • gu • lar / rek'treggyalar / adjective
This page is rectangular.
re • cy • cle / ri ' saikl / verb ( re cy - cles , re - cy - cling , re - cy - cled )
to do something to materials like paper and glass so that
they can be used again
Glass containers can be recycled.
re • cy • cled / ri ' saikld / adjective
Something that is recycled has been used before recycled paper
re • cy • cling / ri ' saiklig / noun
[noncount]
the process of making objects and materials able to be used again
the recycling of glass
things that can be recycled
You need to separate your recycling into glass, plastic, and metal.
red © / red / adjective ( red - dei , red - dest )
having the color of blood She's wearing a bright red dress. red wine
Red hair has a color between red, orange, and brown.
rednoun [ count, noncount ] Lucy was dressed in red.
re • do / |ri ' du /verb ( re . does / |ri ' dAz / re - do - ing , re - did / |ri' did / re - done / |ri ' dAn / ) to do something again or in a different way My teacher asked me to redo the whole essay.
re.duce © / ri dus / verb ( re duc - es , re - duc - ing , re duced )
to make something smaller or less
This shirt was reduced from $50 to $30.
Reduce speed now (= words on a road sign ) .
—ANTONYM increase
re • duc • tion / ri 'dAkJn / noun [ count ]
making something smaller or less price reductions
a reduction in the number of students
red • wood /'redwud/ noun redwood
[count]
a veiy tall tree that grows near the west
coast of the U.S. ^i®?
щ.fir
MBL
*
reed / rid / noun
[ count ]
a tall plant, like grass, that grows in or near water reef / rif /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a long line of rocks, plants, etc. near the surface of the ocean a coral reef
reel / ril /noun
[ count ]
a thing with round sides that holds string for sewing or fishing, film for cameras or movies, etc. a fishing rod and reel
re .fer Ф/ n'for/ verb
( re . fers , re . fer . ring , re . ferred ) refer to someone or something
1 to talk about someone or something
When I said that some people aren't working hard enough,
wasn't referring to you.
to describe or be connected with someone or something The word "child" here refers to anyone under the age of 16.
to look in a book or ask someone for information
If you don't understand a word, you may refer to your dictionary.
—SYNONYM consult
ref • e • ree / irf ' ri / noun
[count]
( SPORTS ) a person who controls a game of football or some other sports, and makes sure the players follow the rules a basketball referee
— Look at umpire .
ref • er • ence / ' refrans / noun
[ count ] what someone says or writes about something The book is full of references to her childhood in India.
[ noncount ] looking at something for information Keep these instructions for future reference .
[ count ] If someone gives you a reference , they write or talk about you to someone who may give you a new job Did your boss give you a good reference?
ref • er • ence book / ' refrans buk /
[count]
a book where you look for information A dictionary is a reference book.
ref • er • en • dum / |refa ' rendam /
[ count ] ( plural ref .er en .dums or ref .er .en da
/ |refa ' renda / )
( POLITICS ) an occasion when all the people of a country or state can vote on a political question to hold a referendum
re • fill / |ri ' fil / verb ( re . fills , re . fill ing , re . filled )
to fill something again Can I refill your glass?
re • fill / ' rifil / noun [ count ] The diner has free refills on coffee.
re • fin • er • y / ri 'fainari / noun [ count ] ( plural re . fin . er . ies )
( BUSINESS ) a factory where a particular substance is treated to make it more pure a sugar refinery oil refineries
re • flect / ri ' flekt / verb ( re flects, re . flect . ing, re . flect . ed )
to show a picture of someone or something in a mirror, water, or glass
She could see herself reflected in the mirror.
( PHYSICS ) to send back light, heat, or sound
The windows reflected the bright morning sunshine.
to show something
His music reflects his interest in African culture.
re • flec • tion / ri ' flek/n / noun
[ count ] a picture that you see in a mirror or on a shiny surface
He admired his reflection in the mirror.
[ noncount ] ( physics ) sending back light, heat, or sound
[ count ] a thing that shows what someone or something is like
Your clothes are a reflection of your personality.
re • form 1 / ri ' form / verb ( re forms , re . form . ing , re formed )
to change something to make it better
The government wants to reform the education system.
re • form 2 / ri form /noun [ count, noncount ]
a change to something to make it better economic reform
re • fresh / ri ' frej /
( re fresh . es , re . fresh ing , re . freshed )
to make someone feel less tired, less hot, or full of energy again
A good night's sleep will refresh you after your long trip.
re • freshed / ri ' frejl: / adjective
He looked refreshed after a good night's sleep.
re • fresh • ing / ri 'frejig / adjective
making you feel less tired or less hot a cold, refreshing drink
new or different in a good way
It's refreshing to meet someone who is so enthusiastic.
re • fresh • ments / ri ' frejmants /
[ plural ]
food and drinks that are available at a theater or other public event
Light refreshments will be served during the break.
re • frig • er • ate / ri ' frid3sreit / verb
( re - frig - er ates , re - frig - er - at - ing , re frig er - at - ed )
to put food or a drink in a refrigerator in order to keep it cold and fresh
Refrigerate after opening (= on a food label ) .
re • frig • er • a • tor / ri ' frid3sreitsr /
( also informalfridge / frid3 / )noun [ count ] a metal container, usually electric, which keeps food cold but not frozen
Can you put the milk in the refrigerator? —Look at freezer .
ref • uge / refyud3 /noun [ count ]
a place where you are safe from someone or something We took refuge from the hot sun under a tree.
ref • u • gee / ,refyu' d3i /noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a person who must leave their country because of danger, for example a war
re • fund1 / ' rifAnd /noun [ count ]
money that is paid back to you, because you have paid too
much or because you are not happy with something you
bought
If you are not completely satisfied with the watch, you can return it for a full refund.
re • fund2 / ri ' fAnd /verb
( re - funds , re - fund ing , re - fund ed )
to give someone their money back, because they have paid too much or because they are not happy with something they bought
We will refund your money in full.
re • fus • al / ri 'fyuzl /noun [ count, noncount ]
saying "no" when someone asks you to do or have something a refusal to pay
re .fuse 1 О / rifyuz/ verb
(re - fus-es , re - fus ing,re fused ) Pronunciation
When refuse is a verb, you say the second part of the word louder: reFUSE . When refuse is a noun, you say the first part of the word louder: REfuse .
to say "no" when someone asks you to do or have something
I asked Matthew to help, but he refused.
The company refused to give me my money back.
ref • use2 / ' refyus /noun [ noncount ] ( formal )
things that you throw away because you do not want them anymore
—SYNONYM garbage , trash
re • gard 1 / ri ' gard / verb ( re - gards , re - gard ing , re - gard - ed )
to think about someone or something in a certain way I regard her as my bestfriend.
re • gard 2 / ri gard / noun
( formal )
[ noncount ] attention to or care for someone or something
She shows no regard for other people's feelings.
[ noncount ] what you feel when you admire or respect someone or something
I have great regard for his work (=I think it is very good ).
3regards [ plural ] a word you use to send good wishes to someone at the end of a letter or an e-mail, or when you ask someone to give your good wishes to another person who is not there Kind regards,...
Please give my regards to your parents.
in regard to someone or something ; with
regard to someone or something
( formal )
about someone or something
I am writing to you in regard to your advertisement for a computer programmer.
re • gard • ing / ri ' gardig / preposition (formal)
about someone or something
Please contact us if you require further information regarding this matter. —SYNONYM concerning
re • gard • less / ri ' gardlss / adverb
not paying attention or being affected by someone or something
Everyone will receive the same bonus, regardless of how long they have been working here.
reg • gae / ' regei /noun [ noncount ]
( MUSIC ) a type of Caribbean popular music re • gimeAWL / rei ' 3im /noun [ count ] ( POLITICS ) a method or system of government, especially one that has not been elected in a fair way a military regime
reg • i • ment / ' red3smsnt /noun [ count ]
a group of soldiers in an army
re .gion О / ridpn/ noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a part of a country or of the world tropical regions of the world
re • gion • al aw / ' rid3snl / •
( GEOGRAPHY ) belonging to a certain part of a country or of the world a regional dialect
reg • is • ter 1 AWL / ' red3sstsr / verb (reg - is - ters,reg - is ter- ing ,reg is - tered )
to put a name on an official list
I'm going to register for four classes this semester.
to show a number or amount The thermometer registered go°F.
reg • is • ter2AWL / ' red3sstsr /noun [ count ]
an official list of names
the National Register of Historic Places
= cash register
reg • is • trar / ' red3s,strar /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to keep information about students at a college or university
Contact the registrar for a copy of your certificate.
reg • is • tra • tion AWL / ,red3s 'streijn / noun
[ noncount ] putting a name on an official list Registration for the fall semester will begin in August.
[ count ] an official piece of paper with information about a vehicle and the name of its owner
Can I see your driver's license and registration?
re • gret 1 / ri ' gret / verb ( re grets , re gret - ting , re - gret - ted )
to feel sorry about something that you did or did not do He regrets selling his car. I don't regret what I said to her.
re • gret2 / ri ' gret /noun [ count, noncount ]
a sad feeling about something that you did or did not do Do you have any regrets about quitting your job?
reg .u .lar © / ' regyalar / adjective
happening again and again with the same amount of space or time in between
a regular heartbeat A light flashed at regular intervals .
—ANTONYM irregular
going somewhere or doing something often
I've never seen him before — he's not one of my regular customers.
usual
Who is your regular doctor?
standard, average, or normal Would you like regular coffee or decaf? He's just a regular guy.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) A word that is regular has
the usual verb forms or plural
"Work" is a regular verb. —ANTONYM irregular
reg . U . lar . ly © / 'regysbrli/ adverb
If something happens regularly , it happens again and again with the same amount of time in between We meet regularly every Friday.
reg • u • la • tion aw / |regya ' leijn /
[count ]
an official rule that controls what people do
You can't smoke here — it's against fire regulations .
re • hears • al / ri 'harsl / noun [ count ]
a time when you practice something, such as a play or a piece of music, before you do it in front of other people There's a play rehearsal tonight.
re • hearse / ri ' hars /
( re • hears • es , re • hears • ing , re • hearsed )
to practice something, such as a play or a piece of music, before you do it in front of other people We are rehearsing for the concert.
reign1 / rein /noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a time when a king or queen rules a country The reign of Queen Elizabeth II began in 1952.
reign2 / rein /verb ( reigns, reign • ing, reigned ) ( POLITICS ) to be king or queen of a country Queen Victoria reigned for over sixty years.
rein • deer / ' reindir /noun [ count ] ( pluralrein • deer )
a big animal that lives in very cold countries. Reindeer are brown and have long horns on their heads.
re • in • forceaw / |riin' fors /
(re • in • forc es,re • in • forc ing ,re • in forced )
to make something stronger
They used steel bars to reinforce the concrete.
reins / reinz /noun [ plural ]
long, thin pieces of leather that a horse wears on its head so that the person riding it can control it
re • ject AWL / ri 'd3ekt / verb ( re .jects , re ject ing , re • ject • ed )
to say that you do not want someone or something
He rejected my offer of help.
She got rejected from Princeton University.
—ANTONYM accept
re • jec • tion AWLl / ri ' d3ek/n / noun
[ count, noncount ]
She doesn't handle rejection very well. David got rejection letters from eight law firms.
re • late / ri ' leit / verb ( re lates , re lat • ing , re • lat • ed )
to show or to make a connection between two or more things
I found it difficult to relate the two ideas in my mind. —SYNONYM connect
relate to someone or something to be connected to someone or something
That's good advice, but it doesn't really relate to my situation.
re • lat • ed / ri ' leitad / adjective
in the same family; connected
"Are those two boys related?" "Yes, they're brothers."
re .la .tion © /n'leijh/noun
relations [ plural ] the way that people, groups, or countries behave with each other or how they feel about each other
diplomatic relations with other countries
[ noncount ] a connection between two things The movie has no relation to the book.
[ count ] a person in your family —SYNONYM relative
re .la .tion .ship © /п'ькгф/ noun
[ count ]
1 the way people or groups behave with each other or how they feel about each other
have a good relationship with my parents.
The book describes the relationship between the two communities.
a romantic connection between two people to have a relationship with someone
Are you in a relationship right now?
the way that two or more things are connected
Is there a relationship between stress and high blood pressure?
rel • a • tive 1 / ' rebtiv / noun [ count ]
a person in your family —SYNONYM relation
rel • a • tive 2 / ' rebtiv / adjective
when compared with someone or something else the position of the earth relative to the sun
They live in relative luxury.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) referring to an earlier noun, sentence, or part of a sentence
In the phrase "the woman who lives next door," "who" is a relative pronoun and "who lives next door" is a relative clause .
rel • a • tive • ly / ' rebtivli / adverb
to a certain degree, especially when compared with others This room is relatively small.
re • lax © AWL / ri 'lreks / verb ( re lax es , re • lax • ing , re laxed )
to rest and be calm; to become less worried or angry After a hard day at work, I just wanted to relax in front of the TV.
to become less tight or to make something become less tight
Let your body relax.
re • lax • ing AWL / ri ' lreksig / adjective
We had a quiet, relaxing weekend.
re • lax • a • tion AWL / ^^ seijn / noun
[noncount]
time spent resting and being calm You need more rest and relaxation.
re . laxed О E / ri ' lrekst /
calm and not worried
She felt relaxed after her vacation.
re • lay / ' rilei / ( also re - lay race / ' rilei reis / ) noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a race in which each member of the team runs, swims, etc. one part of the race
re .lease i©E / ri ' lis /
( re - leas - es , re - leas - ing , re - leased )
to let a person or an animal go free He was released from prison last month.
to allow something to be known by the public They have not released the victim's name.
to make a movie, a song, a book, etc. available so people can see, hear, or buy it
The movie is due to be released next month.
re • lease2aw / ri ' lis /
[ count, noncount ]
when a person or an animal is allowed to go free the release of the prisoners
a new movie, song, book, etc. that is available for people to see, hear, or buy
this month's new movie releases
rel .e vant © E / ' relavant /
connected with what you are talking or writing about; important
We need someone who can do the job well — your age is not relevant.
—ANTONYM irrelevant
rel • e • vance AWL / ' relavans / noun [ noncount ]
I'm sorry, I don't see the relevance of your question.
re • li • a • ble aw / ri ' laiabl /
that you can trust My car is very reliable. He's a reliable person.
—ANTONYM unreliable
The verb is rely .
re • li • ant aw я / ri ' laiant / adjective
not being able to live or work without someone or something
She is totally reliant on her parents for money. The verb is rely .
re • lied awl
form of rely
re .lief © /n'lif/ noun
[ noncount ]
the good feeling you have when you are no longer worried or in pain
It was a great relief to know she was safe.
( POLITICS ) food or money that is given to people who need it
Many countries sent relief to the victims of the disaster.
re • lies awl|
form of rely
re • lieve / ri liv / verb ( re lieves , re - liev - ing , re - lieved )
to make a bad feeling or a pain stop or get better These pills should relieve the pain.
re • lieved / ri livd / adjective
feeling happy because a problem or danger has gone away I was relieved to hear that you weren't hurt in the accident.
re .lig .ion © /п'Ызэп/noun
( RELIGION )
[ noncount ] believing in a god or gods and the activities connected with this
[ count ] one of the ways of believing in a god or gods Christianity, Islam, and other world religions
re . lig . ious © / n'hdps / adjective
( RELIGION )
connected with religion a religious leader
having a strong belief in a religion My parents are very religious.
re • luc • tance aw / ri ' lAktans / [noncount]
not wanting to do something He agreed, but with great reluctance.
re • luc • tant aw / ri ' lAktant /
If you are reluctant to do something, you do not want to do it
He was reluctant to give me the money.
( re lies , re - ly ing , re - lied , has re - lied ) rely on someone or something
1 to need someone or something
rely on my parents for money. —SYNONYM depend on The adjective is reliant .
to feel sure that someone or something will do what they say they will do
You can rely on him to help you. The adjective is reliable .
re .main © /n'mein/ verb
( re mains , re main - ing , re - mained ) ( formal )
1 to stay in the same way; to not change
asked her a question, but she remained silent.
to stay after other people or things have gone After the fire, very little remained of the house.
re • main • der / ri 'meindar /noun [ singular ] ( formal )
the people, things, etc. that are left after the others have gone or been used
The remainder of the week should be warm and sunny. —SYNONYM rest
re • main • ing / ri ' meinig / adjective
continuing to exist or stay after other people or things have gone or been used
They spent the remaining two days of their vacation at the beach.
re • mains / ri 'meinz /noun [ plural ]
what is left when most of something has gone the remains of an old church
re • mark Ф / rimark / noun [ count ]
something that you say
He made a remark about the food.
—SYNONYM comment
re • mark 2 / ri mark / verb ( re . marks , re mark . ing , re . marked )
to say something
"It's cold today," he remarked.
—SYNONYM comment
re • mark • a • ble / ri ' markabl /
unusual and surprising in a good way a remarkable discovery ► re • mark • a • bly / ri ' markabli / adverb She speaks French remarkably well.
re • mar • ry / ri ' mreri / verb ( re . mar . ries , re . mar ry . ing , re mar . ried )
to marry again
After her husband died, she didn't think she'd ever remarry.
re • me • di • al / ri ' midial /
for people who need extra help to learn something remedial English classes
rem • e • dy / ' remadi /noun [ count ] ( pluralrem . e . dies )
( HEALTH ) something that makes you better when you are sick or in pain
a remedy for asthma
a way of solving a problem
There is no easy remedy for unemployment.
re .mem .ber Ф / ri ' membar /
(re . mem . bers, re mem . ber . ing, re . mem . bered)
to keep something in your mind or bring something back into your mind
Can you remember his name? I remember mailing the letter. Did you remember to buy milk?
—ANTONYM forget
re .mind Ф / ri maind / verb ( re . minds , re . mind . ing , re . mind . ed )
to help someone remember something that they must do Please remind me to buy some bread on the way home.
to make someone remember someone or something She reminds me of her mother.
re • mind • er / ri ' maindar /noun [ count ]
something that makes you remember something Eddie kept the ring as a reminder of happier days.
re • morse / п ' mors / noun
[noncount]
the feeling you have when you are sorry for doing something wrong
She was filled with remorse for what she had done. —Look at guilt .
re • mote / ri ' mout / adjective ( re . mot . er , re . mot . est )
far away from where other people live a remote island in the Pacific Ocean
far away in time the remote past
re • mote con • trol / ri|mout kan' troul /
( also informalre . mote ) [ count ]
a piece of equipment that you use for controlling a television, a toy, or other machine from a distance Pass me the remote control — I want to see what else is on TV.
re • mote • ly / ri ' moutli /adverb at all; in any way
I'm not remotely interested in your opinions.
re • mov • alawl| / ri 'muvi /noun [ noncount ]
when you take something off or away
the removal of a car that was blocking the exit
re . move Ф / l-imuv/ verb
( re moves , re mov . ing , re . moved )
to take someone or something off or away from someone or something
The statue was removed from the museum. Please remove your shoes before entering the temple.
—SYNONYM take away , take off
re • new / ri ' nu / verb ( re news , re new . ing , re . newed )
to start something again
We renewed our friendship after many years.
to make something acceptable or able to be used for a further period of time
You can renew your library books over the Internet.
If you want to stay in the country you must renew your
visa.
re • new • a • ble / ri ' nuabl /
(used about sources of energy) that will always exist renewable energy sources, such as solar power and wind
that can be continued or replaced with a new one for another period of time
Your work permit is not renewable.
ren • o • vate / ' renaveit / verb ( ren . o . vates , ren . o . vat . ing , ren . o . vat ed )
to repair an old building so that it is in good condition again ► ren • o • va • tion / ^ena ' vei/n /noun
[ count, noncount ]
The museum is closed during renovation.
rent 1 Ф / rent /noun [ count ]
the money that you pay to live in a place or to use
something that belongs to another person
How much is your rent?
Megan couldn't afford to pay her rent this month. for rent
available to rent
Do you have any apartments for rent?
rent 2 Ф / rent / verb ( rents, rent ing, rent ed )
to pay to live in a place, or to use something for a short time
We're renting an apartment near campus. We rented a car in Denver.
( also rent something out ) to let someone live in a place or use something for a short time in return for money He rents out his house to students during the summer.
Do you rent bikes by the hour?
rent • al / rentl / noun
1 [ noncount ] the act of renting something or an
arrangement to rent something
You can arrange your car rental over the Internet.
[ count, noncount ] the amount of money that you pay when you rent something
Bike rental is $40 per day.
[ count ] a house, car, or piece of equipment that you can rent
"Is this your own car?" "No, it's a rental."
Rep.
abbreviation of Representative
re • paid form of repay
re . pa i r 1© / riper / verb ( re - pairs , re - pair - ing , re - paired )
to make something that is broken or damaged good again How much will it cost to repair the car?
—SYNONYM fix
re • pair2 / ri 'per /noun [ count, noncount ]
something you do to fix something that is broken or damaged
The hotel is closed for repairs. The bridge is under repair .
re • pay / ri ' pei / verb ( re - pays , re - pay - ing , re paid / ri' peid / has re - paid )
to pay back money to someone to repay a loan
to do something for someone to show your thanks How can I repay you for all your help?
re • pay • ment / ri ' peimsnt /noun [ count, noncount ]
paying someone back, or the money that you pay them monthly repayments
re . peat О / n'pit / verb
(re - peats,re peat - ing ,re peat -ed )
to say or do something again
He didn't hear my question, so I repeated it.
to say what another person has said Repeat this sentence after me.
re • peat noun [ count ]
I think I've seen this episode before — it must be a repeat.
re • peat • ed / ri ' pitsd / adjective
happening or done many times
There have been repeated accidents on this stretch of road.
re • peat • ed • ly / ri ' pitsdli / adverb
I've asked him repeatedly not to leave his bike here.
rep • e • ti • tion / ,reps 'tijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
saying or doing something again to learn by repetition
re • pet • i • tive / ri ' petstiv / adjective
not interesting because the same thing is repeated many times
The job paid well, but I found it a little repetitive.
re .place © /ripleis/verb
( re - plac - es , re - plac - ing , re - placed )
to take the place of someone or something
Teachers will never be replaced by computers in the classroom.
to put a new or different person or thing in the place of another
I need to replace my watch battery.
to put something back in the place where it was before Please replace the books on the shelf when you are finished with them.
re • place • ment / ri ' pieismsnt / noun
[count]
a new or different person or thing that takes the place of another
Sue is leaving the company next month so we need to find a replacement.
re • play / ' riplei /noun [count] ( pluralre - plays) ( SPORTS ) something on television, etc. that you watch or listen to again, especially a small part of a sports game I missed the touchdown but saw the replay.
rep • li • ca / ' repliks /noun [ count ]
an exact copy of something a replica of the Empire State Building
Ге . ply 1 ©/ riplai / verb ( re plies, re - ply - ing, re - plied , has re - plied )
to say or write something as an answer to someone or something
I wrote to Jane, but she hasn't replied.
re .ply 2Фnoun [ count, noncount] ( pluralre - plies )
an answer
Have you had a reply to your letter? What did you say in reply to his question?
Ге . port 1 © / riport / verb ( re ports , re port - ing , re - port - ed )
to give people information about something that has happened
We reported the accident to the police.
Ге . port 2© / riport /noun [ count ] something that someone says or writes about something that has happened
Did you read the newspaper reports about the earthquake?
re • port card / ri 'port kard /noun [ count ]
a written statement about a student's work with a grade for each subject
He had four A's and two B's on his report card.
re • port • ed speech / ri,portid ' spit/ / [noncount]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) saying what someone has said, rather than repeating their exact words. In reported speech , "I'll come later" becomes "He said he'd (= he would ) come later."
re . port .er © / riportor /noun [ count ]
a person who writes for a newspaper or speaks on the radio or television about things that have happened
— Look at journalist .
rep .re .sent © / ^eprizent/verb
(rep - re sents, rep - re - sent - ing, rep - re sent - ed )
to speak or do something in place of another person or other people
It is an honor for athletes to represent their country.
to be an example or a sign of something The yellow lines on the map represent roads.
rep • re • sen • ta • tion / ,reprizen'teijn /
noun
1 [noncount] ( formal )
having someone act or speak for you
Do you have any legal representation (= someone to speak for you in a court of law ) ?
2 [ count, noncount ] the way that someone or something is shown or described
The article complains about the representation of women in advertising.
rep • re • sen • ta • tive / |iepn'zentativ /
noun [ count ]
a person who speaks or does something for a group of people
There were representatives from every department at the meeting.
Representative ( abbreviationRep. ) ( politics ) a member of the House of Representatives in the U.S. Congress Word building
The U.S. Government The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
rep • ri • mand / ' repramrend /
(rep- ri mands, rep- ri • mand • ing, rep • ri mand • ed )
to tell someone officially that they have done something wrong
She was reprimanded for being late.
rep • ri • mand noun [ count ]
a severe reprimand
re•pro•duce / |ripra ' dus /
(re•pro•duc • es , re • pro • duc • ing , re pro•duced )
to make a copy of something
( BIOLOGY ) When people, animals, or plants reproduce , they have young ones.
re • pro • duc • tion / ^pra' dAkjn / noun
[ noncount ]
( BIOLOGY ) producing babies, or young animals or plants We are studying plant reproduction at school.
rep • tile / ' reptail /noun [ count ]
any animal with cold blood that lays eggs. Snakes are reptiles .
re • pub • lic / ri 'pAblik /noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a country where people choose the government
and the leader (the president )
the Republic of Ireland — Look at monarchy .
Re • pub • li • can / ri 'pAblikan / noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a person in the Republican Party in the U.S.
Re • pub • li • can adjective
Republican voters
Look at Democrat .
the Re • pub • li • can Par • ty / дэ
ripAblikan |parti/noun [ singular ] ( POLITICS ) one of the two main political parties in the U.S.
Look at the Democratic Party .
re • pul • sive / ri ' pAlsiv / adjective
disgusting or very unpleasant What a repulsive smell!
rep • u • ta • tion / |repya 'teijn/ noun [ count ]
what people think or say about someone or something This restaurant has a good reputation.
re .quest iФ/newest/ noun[count ]
asking for something in a polite or formal way They made a request for money.
re .quest 2 Ф / rikwest/ verb ( re quests , re • quest • ing , re • quest ed )
( formal )
to ask for something
I requested a private room at the hospital.
re • quire Ф AWL / ri 'kwaiar / verb ( re quires, re • quir - ing , re quired )
( formal )
to need something
Please contact us if you require further information.
to officially demand or order something Passengers are required by law to wear seat belts.
re • quire • ment Iaw / ri ' kwaiarmant / [count ]
something that you need or that you must do or have course requirements for graduation
re • sched • ule aw / |ri ' sked3al /
( re sched ules, re • sched • ul - ing, re • sched • uled )
to change the time of something so that it happens later I'm going to have to reschedule our meeting for next week.
res .cue 1 Ф / 'reskyu/ verb (res cues,res•cu • ing , res•cued )
to save someone or something from danger She rescued the boy when he fell in the river.
res • cue2 / ' reskyu /noun [ count, noncount ]
saving someone or something from danger When she was attacked, no one came to her rescue . The attempted rescue of the climbers failed when it started to snow.
re .search i®E / ' risartj / [ noncount ]
studying something carefully to find out more about it scientific research
re .search 2® E / ri ' sartf /
( re search • es , re • search ing , re • searched )
to study something carefully to find out more about it Scientists are researching the causes of the disease.
re • search • er AWL / ri ' sartjbr / noun [ count ]
a medical researcher
re • sem • blance / ri 'zemblans / noun [ count, noncount ]
looking like someone or something else There's no resemblance between my two brothers.
re • sem • ble / ri zembl / verb ( re sem • bles , re • sem bling , re • sem • bled )
to look like someone or something else Lisa resembles her mother.
re • sent / ri 'zent / verb ( re • sents, re sent • ing, re • sent•ed )
to feel angry about something because you think it is not fair
I resented her criticism of my work.
re • sent • ful / ri ' zentfl / adjective
He felt resentful at being criticized unfairly.
re • sent • ment / ri ' zentmant / [ noncount , singular ]
a feeling of anger about something that you think is not fair
res .er .va .tion ® / ,rez₃r'veijh/ noun
[ count ]
1 a room, seat, table, or another thing that you have asked someone to keep for you
called the restaurant and made a reservation for a table for two.
a feeling of doubt about something
I still have some reservations about taking the job.
an area of land in the U.S. that is kept separate for Native Americans to live in
re • serve 1 / ri ' zarv / verb
(re . serves,re . serv. ing ,re . served )
to ask for a seat, table, room, etc. to be kept for you at a future time
I'd like to reserve a room for tomorrow night. —SYNONYM book
to keep something for a special reason or to use later Those seats are reserved.
re • serve 2 / ri ' zarv / noun
[count]
something that you keep to use later reserves of food
an area of land where the animals and plants are protected by law
a nature reserve
in reserve
that you keep and do not use unless you need to Don't spend all the money — keep some in reserve.
re • served / ri ' zarvd / adjective
If you are reserved , you keep your feelings hidden from other people.
res • er • voir / ' rezarvwar /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a big lake where a city or town keeps water to use later
res • i • dence aw / ' rezadans /
[count] ( formal )
a large house, usually where an important or famous person lives
a diplomat's residence
[ noncount ] having your home in a particular place The family applied for permanent residence in the United States.
res • i • dent aw / ' rezadant /
[count]
a person who lives in a place
res • i • den • tial aw / |reza 'denjl /
A residential area is one where there are houses rather than offices or factories.
re • sign / ri ' zain / verb ( re . signs, re sign ing, re . signed )
to leave your job
The director resigned last week.
resign yourself to something
to accept something that you do not like but that you cannot change
There were a lot of people in line, so John resigned himself to a long wait.
res • ig • na • tion / |rezig' neifn /
[ count, noncount ]
saying that you want to leave your job
a letter of resignation
to hand in your resignation (= to give your company a letter saying that you want to leave your job )
re • signed / ri ' zaind / adjective
accepting something that is bad, but cannot be changed Ben was resigned to the fact that he would never be a professional athlete.
re • sist / ri ' zist / verb ( re sists , re . sist . ing , re sist . ed )
to try to stop something from happening or to fight against someone or something
The board of directors is resisting pressure to fire the company president.
to stop yourself from doing or having something that you want to do or have
I can't resist chocolate.
re • sis • tance / ri ' zistans /noun [ noncount ]
when people try to stop something from happening;
fighting against someone or something
There was a lot of resistance to the plan to build a new
airport.
res • o • lu • tion AWL / ireza ' lujn / noun
[ count ] something that you decide to do or not to do Julie made a resolution to study harder.
[ count ] ( POLITICS ) a formal decision that is made after a vote by a group of people
a United Nations resolution to send more troops to the region
[ noncount ] a solution to a problem or an argument
re • solveaw / ri ' zalv /
( re solves , re . solv . ing , re solved )
( formal )
to find a solution to a problem
All of the technical problems have been resolved.
to decide to do or not do something He resolved never to do it again.
re • sort / ri 'zort /noun [ count ] a place where a lot of people go on vacation a popular beach resort a last resort
the only person or thing left that can help As a last resort, I asked my parents for money.
re • sourceAWL / ' risors /noun [ count ] something that a person, an organization, or a country has and can use
Oil is one of our most important natural resources.
re . spect 1Ф / n'spekt /noun [ noncount ] 1 feeling that you have a good opinion of someone
have a lot of respect for your father.
being polite to someone or something
You should treat old people with more respect.
re .spect 2® / n'spekt/ verb ( re spects , re . spect ing , re . spect . ed )
1 to have a good opinion of someone or something
respect him for his honesty.
—SYNONYM admire
to pay attention to or be careful about something We should respect other people's cultures and values.
re • spect • a • ble / ri ' spektabl / adjective
If a person or thing is respectable , people think they are good or correct
She comes from a respectable family.
re • spect • ful / ri ' spektfl / adjective
If you are respectful , you are polite to other people and in different situations
The crowd listened in respectful silence.
res • pi • ra • to • ry / ' respra|tori / adjective
( BIOLOGY , HEALTH ) connected with breathing
He suffers from respiratory problems.
► res • pi • ra • tion / |respa'reijn / noun [ noncount ]
( formal )
breathing
re • spondaw / ri ' spand /
(re -sponds , re - spond - ing,re -spond - ed )
( formal )
to do or say something to answer someone or something I said "hello," but he didn't respond.
—SYNONYM reply
re • sponseAWL / ri 'spans /noun [ count ]
an answer to someone or something I wrote to them but I haven't had a response.
—SYNONYM reply
re .spon .si .bil .i .ty ©/n^panss'bibti /
noun [ count, noncount ] ( plural re - spon - si - bil - i - ties )
a duty to deal with or take care of someone or something
Who has responsibility for the new students?
The dog is my brother's responsibility.
You need to take responsibity for your own actions.
re .spon .si .ble © / ri spansabl / adjective
having the duty to take care of someone or something The driver is responsible for the lives of the people on the bus.
being the person who made something bad happen Who was responsible for the accident?
A responsible person is someone that you can trust We need a responsible person to take care of our son.
—ANTONYM irresponsible
rest 1 © / rest /noun
1the rest [ singular ] the part that is left or the ones that are left
If you don't want the rest, I'll eat it.
liked the beginning, but the rest of the movie wasn't very good.
Jason watched TV and the rest of us went for a walk.
[ count, noncount ] a time when you relax, sleep, or do nothing
After walking for an hour, we stopped for a rest. Try to get some rest now.
rest 2 Ф/ rest / verb ( rests , rest ing , rest ed )
to relax, sleep, or do nothing after an activity or an illness We worked all morning and then rested for an hour before starting work again.
to be on something; to put something on or against another thing
His arms were resting on the table.
res .tau .rant © / 'restsrant/noun [ count ]
a place where you buy a meal and eat it rest • ful / ' restfl /adjective
making you feel relaxed and calm a restful weekend
rest • less / ' restlas / adjective
not able to stay still or relax because you are bored or nervous
The kids always get restless on long drives.
re • store AWL / ri 'stor / verb ( re stores , re - stor ing , re - stored )
to make something as good as it was before The old hotel has been restored. ► res • to • ra • tionAWL / resta 'reijn /noun
[ count, noncount ]
an historic house in need of restoration
re • strain AWL / ri 'strein / verb ( re strains , re - strain ing , re - strained )
to stop someone or something from doing something; to control someone or something I couldn't restrain my anger.
re • strict AWL / ri 'strikt / verb ( re stricts , re - strict ing , re - strict ed )
to allow only a certain amount, size, sort, etc.
Our house is very small, so we had to restrict the number
of people we invited to the party.
—SYNONYM limit
re • stric • tion awl| / ri ' strikjn /
[count]
a rule to control someone or something
There are a lot of parking restrictions downtown.
rest • room / ' restrum /noun [ count ]
a room with a toilet in a public place, for example a restaurant or theater
re .suit l© / rizAlt/noun [count ]
1 something that happens because of something else The accident was a result of bad driving.
woke up late and was late for school as a result.
the score at the end of a game, competition, or exam election results
When will you know your exam results? Ге . SUlt 2 © / rizAlt / verb ( re sults , re sult - ing , re sult - ed ) result in something
to make something happen
The accident resulted in the death of two drivers. —SYNONYM cause
re • sume / ri ' zum / verb ( re sumes , re - sum - ing , re - sumed )
( formal )
to start something again after stopping for a period of time to resume negotiations
r r
re • su • me ( also re . su . me ) / ' rezamei /noun
[count ]
a written list of your education and work experience that you send when you are trying to get a new job To apply for the job, send your resume and cover letter to Judy Williams.
re • tail1 / ' riteil/noun [ noncount ]
( BUSINESS ) the business of selling goods to people in stores, etc.
the recommended retail price
re • tail 2 / ' riteil / verb ( re - tails , re - tail - ing , re - tailed )
( BUSINESS ) to be sold at a particular price This camera retails for $199.99.
re • tail • er / ' riteilsr /noun [ count ]
( BUSINESS ) a person or company that sells things to people a furniture retailer
Online retailers (= who sell on the Internet ) often have the best prices.
re • tain / ri ' tein / verb ( re - tains , re - tain - ing , re - tained )
( formal )
to keep or continue to have something
The Democrats retained control of the Senate after the
election.
re • tal • i • ate / ri ' t^iieit / verb
(re - tal i ates, re - tal - i - at - ing , re - tal - i - at - ed )
to do something bad to someone because they did something bad done to you to retaliate against an attack
ret • i • na / ' retn^s /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) the part of your eye that sends an image of what you see to your brain
re • tire / ri ' taisr / verb ( re - tires , re tir - ing , re - tired )
to stop working because you are a certain age My grandfather retired when he was 65. ► re • tired / ri ' taisrd /adjective
a retired teacher
re • tire • ment / ri 'taisrmsnt / noun [noncount]
the time in a person's life after they have reached a certain
age and have stopped working
We all wish you a long and happy retirement.
re • treat / ri ' trit /verb
( re - treats , re - treat - ing , re - treat - ed )
to move back or away from someone or something, for
example because you have lost a fight
The enemy is retreating.
►re • treatnoun [ count, noncount ]
The army is now in retreat .
re .turn 1 О / n'torn / verb (re - turns,re turn - ing,re - turned )
to come or go back to a place
They returned from California last week.
to give, put, send, or take something back Will you return this book to the library?
re .turn 2Ф/ ri tsrn / noun
[ singular ] coming or going back to a place the talk show host's return to daytime TV
[ noncount ] giving, putting, sending, or taking something back
the return of the stolen money
in return
as a way of thanking someone for something they have done for you or paying them for something they have given you
Can I buy you lunch in return for all your help?
re • un • ion / ri'yunysn /noun [ count ]
a meeting of people who have not seen each other for a long time
We had a family reunion on my aunt's birthday. a high school reunion
re • u • nite / ,riyu ' nait / verb ( re u - nites , re - u nit - ing , re u - nit - ed )
to come together or to bring people together again
The missing child was found and reunited with his
parents.
Rev.
abbreviation of Reverend
re • veal awl / ⁿ 'vi/ verb
( re veals , re - veal - ing , re vealed )
to tell something that was a secret or show something that was hidden
She refused to reveal any names to the police.
re • venge / ri ' vend3 / noun
[noncount]
something bad that you do to someone who has done something bad to you
He wants to take his revenge on the judge who sent him to prison.
rev • e • nueAWL / ' revsnu /noun [ noncount ]
( BUSINESS ) money that a government receives from taxes, or a company receives from its business Revenue from income tax rose last year.
Rev • er • end / ' revsrsnd /adjective ( abbreviationRev. ) ( RELIGION ) the title of a Christian priest
re • ver • sal aw / ri ' vsrsl /
[ count, noncount ]
the action of changing something to the opposite of what it was before
This is a complete reversal of your recent decision.
re • verse 1 awl / ri ' vsrs / verb
( re vers - es , re - vers ing , re - versed )
to change a decision or process to the opposite The court reversed the decision.
re • verse2awl / ri ' vsrs /noun [ noncount ]
the complete opposite of what someone just said, or of what you expect
It should have been a relaxing vacation, but it was just the reverse.
the control in a car or other vehicle that allows it to move backward
Put the car in reverse , and back into the parking space.
re • view1 / ri ' vyu /noun
[ count, noncount ] looking at something or thinking about something again to see if it needs changing
There will be a review of your contract after six months.
[ count ] a piece of writing in a newspaper or magazine that says what someone thinks about a book, movie, play, etc.
The movie got very good reviews.
re • view 2 / ri ' vyu / verb ( re views , re - view - ing , re - viewed )
to look at something or think about something again to see if it needs changing
Your salary will be reviewed after one year.
to study something to make sure you remember it or understand it
Let's review what we've studied so far. She reviewed her notes before the meeting.
to write about a new book, movie, etc., giving your opinion of it
The play was reviewed in yesterday's newspaper.
re • view • er / ri ' vyuar / noun
[ count ]
a person who writes about new books, movies, games, etc.
re • vise AWL / ri 'vaiz / verb ( re • vis • es , re • vis ing , re • vised )
to change something to make it better or more correct The book has been revised for this new edition.
re • vi • sion AWLl / ri ' vi3n / noun
[ count, noncount ]
The whole system is in need of revision. Several revisions have been made.
re • vive / ri ' vaiv / verb ( re • vives , re viv • ing , re • vived )
to become or make someone or something well or strong again
They tried to revive him, but he was already dead. re • volt / ri ' voult / verb ( re • volts , re volt • ing , re • volt • ed )
to fight against the people in control
The army is revolting against the government.
re • voltnoun [ count, noncount ] The army quickly stopped the revolt.
rev • o • lu • tion АИД / |reva ' lu/n / noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a fight by people against their government in order to put a new government in its place
The American Revolution was in the late 18th century.
a big change in the way of doing things the Industrial Revolution
rev • o • lu • tion • ar • y awl
/ |Teva ' lu/n^eri /adjective
( POLITICS ) connected with a political revolution ( 1 )
producing great changes; very new and different
a revolutionary new idea to reduce carbon emissions
rev • o • lu • tion • ize |awl / ^ 'lujn-aiz /
verb ( rev o lu tion • iz • es, rev • o lu tion • iz • ing, rev • o lu • tion • ized )
to change something completely, usually making it better a discovery that could revolutionize the treatment of cancer
re • volve / ri valv / verb ( re • volves , re • volv ing , re volved )
to move around in a circle
The earth revolves around the sun.
re • volv • er / ri 'valvar /noun [ count ]
a type of small gun
re • ward1 / ri ' word /noun
[ count, noncount ] something that someone gives you because you have done something good or worked hard My mom bought me a new cell phone as a reward for working hard in school.
[ count ] money that someone gives you for helping the police, finding something that was lost, etc.
She is offering a $100 reward to anyone who finds her dog.
re • ward 2 / ri word / verb ( re • wards , re • ward ing , re • ward • ed )
to give something to someone because they have done something well or worked hard
His company rewarded him with a bonus at the end of the year.
re • ward • ing / ri ' wordig / adjective
making you feel satisfied or happy because you think it is important or useful
Teaching doesn't pay well, but it's very rewarding.
re • wind / Ti 'waind /verb ( re . winds ,
re • wind • ing, re- wound / |ri' waund / has re • wound )
to make a video or music tape go backward
Rewind the video — I want to see that touchdown again!
re • write / |ri ' rait /verb ( re - writes ,
re - writ ing , re - wrote / |ri' rout / has re - writ - ten
/ | ri ritn / )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) to write something again in a different or better way to rewrite an essay
rhe • tor • i • cal ques • tion / ritoriki
' kwestfan /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a question that does not expect an answer
rhi • no / ' rainou /noun [ count ] ( pluralrhi .nos ) ( informal ) short forrhinoceros
rhi .noc .er .os rhinoceros
/ rai ' nasaras /noun [count]
( plural rhi noc - er - os or rhi -noc er-os - es )
rhom • bus
/ ' rambas /noun [ count ] ( pluralrhom - bus - es ) ( MATH ) a flat shape with four sides that are the same length and four angles that are not 90°
a big, wild animal from Africa or Asia, with thick skin and a horn on its nose
rhyme1/ raim /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS )
a word that has the same sound as another word, for example "bell" and "well"
a short piece of writing where the lines end with the same sounds
a children's rhyme
rhyme 2 / raim / verb ( rhymes , rhym - ing , rhymed )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS )
to have the same sound as another word "Chair"rhymes with "bear."
to have lines that end with the same sounds This poem doesn't rhyme.
rhythm / ' ridam/ noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a regular pattern of sounds that come again and again
This music has a good rhythm.
rhythm and blues / ridam an ' bluz /
[ noncount ] ( abbreviation R & B )
( MUSIC ) a type of popular music that has a strong beat. It is a mixture of two different styles of music (called blues and jazz ).
rib / rib /noun [ count ]
one of the bones around your chest —Look at the picture atskeleton .
a piece of meat with one or more bones from the ribs of a cow or a pig
barbecued ribs
rib • bon / ' riban/noun [ count ]
a long, thin piece of material for tying things or making something look pretty
She wore a pink ribbon in her hair.
a piece of ribbon that is given as a prize in a competition Carol's apple pie won a blue ribbon (= first prize ) at the county fair.
rib cage / ' rib keid3 /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) the structure of curved bones (called ribs ) around your chest
rice Ф / l-ais / noun [ noncount ]
short, thin, white or brown grain from a plant that grows on
wet land in hot countries. We cook and eat rice
Would you like rice or potatoes with your chicken?
rich Ф / ritj / adjective ( rich . er , "ich est )
having a lot of money a rich family
It's a favorite resort for the rich (= people who are rich ) and famous.
—ANTONYM poor
containing a lot of something Oranges are rich in vitamin C.
Food that is rich has a lot of fat or sugar in it and makes you feel full quickly
a rich chocolate cake
rid Ф / rid / adjective
get rid of someone or something
to make yourself free of someone or something that you do not want
This dog is following me — I can't get rid of it. I got rid of my old coat and bought a new one.
rid • den
form of ride 1
rid • dle / ' ridi/noun [ count ]
a difficult question that has a funny answer
Here's a riddle: What has four legs but can't walk? The
answer is a chair!
ride w / raid / verb ( -ides , rid ing , ode
/ roud / has rid . den / ' ridn / )
to sit on a horse or bicycle and control it as it moves I'm learning how to ride (= a horse ) .
Don't ride your bike on the grass!
to travel in a car, bus, or train
He's too young to ride in the front seat.
ride 2 Ф / raid /noun [ count ]
a trip on a horse or bicycle, or in a car, bus, or train We went for a bike ride.
Can I have a ride home after class tonight?
a large machine that people ride on for fun
I can't wait to go on the rides at the school fair.
rid • er / ' raidar /noun [ count ]
a person who rides a horse or bicycle
ridge / nd₃ /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a long, thin part of something that is higher than the rest, for example along the top of hills or mountains
We walked along the ridge looking down at the valley below.
ri • dic • u • lous / ri ' dikyalas /adjective so silly that it makes people laugh I look ridiculous in this hat. ► ri • dic • u • lous • ly / ri dikyabsli /adverb It's ridiculously expensive.
rid • ing / ' raidig /noun [ noncount ] the sport of riding a horse —SYNONYM horseback riding
ri • fle / ' raifl/noun [ count ]
a long gun that you hold against your shoulder to shoot with
right 1 Ф / rait /adjective
correct or true
That's not the right answer.
"Are you Mr. Johnson?" "Yes, that's right."
—ANTONYM wrong
best
Is she the right person for the job? —ANTONYMwrong
good; fair or what the law allows
It's not right to leave young children alone in the house.
—ANTONYM wrong
on or of the side of the body that faces east when a person faces north
Most people write with their right hand. —ANTONYM left
right 2 Ф / rait /adverb
exactly
He was sitting right next to me.
correctly
Have I spelled your name right? —ANTONYM wrong
all the way; completely
Go right to the end of the road.
to the right side
Turn right at the end of street.
—ANTONYM left
immediately
Wait here — I'll be right back. Call the doctor right away .
right now
at this moment; exactly now We can't discuss this right now.
around the present time
Many people are unemployed right now.
right 3 Ф / rait / noun
[ singular ] the right side or direction We live in the first house on the right .
—ANTONYM left
[ count ] what you are allowed to do, especially by law In the U.S., everyone has the right to a fair trial.
[ noncount ] what is good or fair
Young children have to learn the difference between right and wrong.
—ANTONYM wrong
the right [ singular ] ( politics ) political groups who do not support many or sudden changes in society
The right is opposed to the tax increase.
—ANTONYM the left
right an • gle / ' rait ®ggi /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) an angle of 90 degrees. A square has four right angles .
— Look at the picture at angle . right-hand / ,rait ' hand / adjective
of or on the right
The supermarket is on the right-hand side of the road.
right-hand • ed / ,rait ' handsd / adjective
If you are right-handed , you use your right hand more easily than your left hand, for example for writing.
right • ly / ' raitli / adverb
correctly
If I remember rightly, the party is on June 15th.
right -wing / ,rait ' wig /adjective ( POLITICS ) having political ideas that support low taxes and few changes in society right-wing politics
—ANTONYM left-wing
rig • id AWL / ' rid3id / adjective
not able or not wanting to be changed The school has very rigid rules.
hard and not easy to bend or move She was rigid with fear.
rig • or • ous / ' rigsrss / adjective
careful, with a lot of attention to detail
Rigorous tests have been done to make sure the drinking
water is safe.
► rig • or • ous • ly / ' rigsrssli / adverb The software has been rigorously checked.
rim / nm/ noun [ count ] П ГТ1
the edge of something round the rim of a cup
I rim
U
rind
/ raind /noun [ count ] the thick, hard skin of some fruits or cheeses lemon rind
ring 1 Ф / rig /noun [ count ] 1 a circle of metal that you wear on your finger a wedding ring
—Look at the picture at jewelry .
a circle
The coffee cup left a ring on the table.
a space with seats around it, used for a competition or a performance
a boxing ring
the sound that a bell makes There was a ring at the door.
ring2 Ф / ng /verb
( rings , ring - ing , rang / гжд / has rung / rAg / )
to make a sound like a bell My phone is ringing.
to press or move a bell so that it makes a sound We rang the doorbell again but no one answered. ring a bell
( informal ) to sound familiar
"Do you know Chris Oliver?" "The name rings a bell."
ring • tone / ' rigtoun /noun [ count ]
the sound a cell phone makes when someone is calling you You can download ringtones from the Internet.
rink / rigk/noun [ count ]
short for ice rink
short for skating rink
rinse / rins / verb ( rins es , rins ing , rinsed )
to wash something with water to take away dirt or soap Wash your hair and rinse it well.
ri • ot / ' raist /noun [ count ]
when a group of people fight and make a lot of noise and trouble
Riots have broken out downtown.
ri • ot verb ( ri - ots , ri ot - ing , ri - ot - ed )
The prisoners are rioting.
rip / rip / verb ( rips , rip - ping , ripped )
to pull or tear something quickly and suddenly I ripped my shirt on a nail. Joe ripped the letter open . rip someone off ( informal )
to cheat someone by making them pay too much for something
Tourists complained that they were being ripped off by local taxi drivers. The noun is rip-off .
rip something up to tear something into small pieces She ripped up the photo.
ripe / raip / adjective ( rip - er , rip est )
Fruit that is ripe is ready to eat
These bananas aren't ripe — they're still green.
rip-off / ' rip of /noun [ count ] ( informal )
something that costs a lot more than it should $70for a T-shirt! What a rip-off!
rip • ple / ' ripl /noun [ count ] a small wave or movement on the surface of water
rip • ple verb ( rip - ples , rip - pling , rip - pled )
to move in small waves
rise 1 Ф / raiz /noun [ count ]
when the amount, number, or level of something goes up There has been a sharp rise in the price of oil. a rise in unemployment
—SYNONYM increase —ANTONYM fall
rise 2 © / raiz /verb
( ris es , ris - ing , rose / rouz / has ris - en / ' rizn / )
to go up; to become higher or more Smoke was rising from the chimney. Prices have risen by 20%.
to get up from a sitting or lying position She rose to her feet.
If the sun or moon rises, it moves up in the sky
The sun rises in the east, and sets (= goes down ) in the west.
risk 1 © / risk /noun [ count ]
the possibility that something bad may happen; a dangerous situation
Smoking can increase the risk of heart disease. at risk in danger
Children are most at risk from this disease. take a risk or risks
to do something when you know that something bad may
happen because of it
Don't take risks when you're driving.
risk 2 © / risk / verb ( risks , risk ing , risked )
to put something or yourself in danger
He risked his life to save the child from the burning house.
to do something when you know that something bad may happen because of it
If you don't work harder, you risk failing the exam.
risk • y / ' riski / adjective ( risk i - er , risk - i est )
dangerous
rit • u • al / ' ritjual /noun [ count, noncount ]
( RELIGION ) an action, a ceremony, or a process which is usually done the same way religious rituals
ri • val / raivl /noun [ count ]
a person who wants to do better than you, or who is trying to take what you want
Today the New York Yankees are playing their main rivals, the Boston Red Sox.
ri • val • ry / ' raivbri/noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralri . val . ries )
a situation in which people are trying to do better than each other, or trying to be the first to do or get something There was a lot of rivalry between the sisters.
riV .er © / 'nvsr/noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a long, wide line of water that flows into the
ocean or a lake
the Shenandoah River
roach / routf /noun [ count ] ( pluralroach - es ) ( informal ) = cockroach
road © / roud /noun [ count ]
the way from one place to another, where cars can go Will this road to take me to the highway? Route 27 is the main road into the city. on the road
traveling for a long distance We were on the road for 14 hours. Thesaurus
road a hard surface made for vehicles to travel on. The short way of writing "Road" in addresses is Rd. : My address is 32 Danfield Rd., St Louis. ♦ country/mountain roads ♦ Where does this road go? ♦ I live on a very busy road. ♦ Take the first road on the left.
street a road in a city or town that has buildings on one or both sides. The short way of writing "Street" in addresses is St. : 1281 Tobin St. ♦ a street map of San Francisco ♦ You can't drive down there. It's a one-way street. ♦ They live across the street from us. highway a big road that connects cities and towns: Highway 101 between Ventura and Los Angeles ♦ Take the highway to Flagstaff. ♦ There was a traffic jam on the highway.
lane one part of a larger road, marked with painted lines to keep lines of traffic separate: a four-lane highway ♦ You're in the wrong lane for turning right. avenue a wide street in a city or town. This word is often used in the names of city streets, and can be written as Ave. : 109 Fifth Ave. ♦ We stayed at a hotel on Lexington Avenue.
road trip / ' roud trip /noun [ count ] ( informal ) a long trip made in a car
roam / roum / verb ( roams, roam - ing, roamed )
to walk or travel with no special plan
Dogs were roaming the streets looking for food.
roar 1 / ror / verb ( roars , roar - ing , roared )
to make a loud, deep sound The lion roared.
Everyone roared with laughter .
roar2 / ror /noun [ count ]
a loud, deep sound
the lion gave a huge roar
the roar of an airplane's engines
roast / rou st / verb ( roasts , roast - ing , roast - ed )
to cook or be cooked in an oven or over a fire Roast the chicken in a hot oven. Thesaurus
cook to make food ready to eat by heating it: My mother taught me how to cook. ♦ Who is going to cook dinner tonight? ♦ What's the best way to cook salmon? ♦ He cooked us a wonderful meal. boil to cook vegetables, rice, eggs, etc. in boiling water (= water heated to 212°F ) : Boil the rice for 15 minutes. ♦ Put the potatoes on to boil. ♦ Do you like boiled cabbage?
fry to cook food in a shallow pan of hot oil: Fry the onion and garlic for five minutes. ♦ There was a smell of bacon frying in the kitchen. ♦ fried chicken/fish/rice bake to cook food in an oven without any extra fat or liquid: to bake bread/cookies ♦ We baked him a cake for his birthday. ♦ baked potatoes roast to cook large pieces of meat in an oven or over a fire; to cook vegetables in oil or fat in an oven: The turkey is roasting in the oven. ♦ You should boil the potatoes for a little while before you roast them. grill to cook meat or fish on metal bars over a fire: to grill steak/chicken/burgers/fish on the barbecue ♦ grilled salmon
broil to cook food under or over direct heat: to broil salmon/a steak ♦ We ate broiled chicken with vegetables. ►roastadjective
roast beef
rob © / rab / verb ( ob« , ob bing , robbed )
to take something that is not yours from a person or place They robbed a bank.
Which word?
A person who steals is called a thief . A thief steals things: They stole my camera. A thief robs people and places: I've been robbed. ♦ They robbed a bank.
rob • ber / ' rabar/ [count]
a person who steals things from a person or a place a bank robber Word building
A thief is a general word for a person who steals things, usually secretly and without violence. The name of the crime is theft .
A robber steals from a bank, store, etc. and often uses violence or threats. A burglar takes things from your house when you are out or asleep: We had burglars while we were on vacation and all my jewelry was stolen.
rob • ber • y / ' rabari / noun [ count, noncount ] ( plural rob . ber . ies )
taking something that is not yours from a person or a place What time did the robbery take place?
robe / roub /noun [ count ]
a long, loose thing that you wear on your body, for example at a special ceremony
a judge's robe
a piece of clothing like a loose coat with a belt, which you wear before or after a bath, before you get dressed in the morning, etc.
I was still in my robe when the doorbell rang. -►SYNONYM bathrobe
rob • in / ' raban / noun [ count ] a small brown bird with a red front
ro • bot / ' roubat /noun [ count ] a machine that can work like a person This car was built by robots.
rock 1© /гак/ noun
[ noncount ] the very hard material that is in the ground and in mountains
[ count ] a big piece of rock The ship hit the rocks.
( also rock mu sic ) [ noncount ] ( music ) a type of popular music with a strong beat
a radio station that plays classic rock
rock 2 / rak / verb ( rocks , rock . ing , rocked )
to move slowly backward and forward or from side to side; to make someone or something do this The boat was rocking gently on the lake. I rocked the baby until she went to sleep.
rock and roll / irak and ' roul /
( also rock 'n' roll / |rakn' roul / )noun [ noncount ] ( MUSIC ) a type of music with a strong beat that was most popular in the 1950s rock • et / ' rakat /noun [ count ]
a vehicle that is used for traveling into space to launch a rocket
a space rocket
a weapon that travels through the air and carries a bomb —SYNONYM missile
an object that shoots high into the air and then explodes with bright lights in different colors (a type of firework )
rock mu • sic / ' rak myuzik /
= rock 1 ( 3 )
rock • y / raki / adjective ( rock . i . er , rock . i . est )
with a lot of rocks a rocky path
rod / rad /noun [ count ] a long, thin, straight piece of wood or metal a fishing rod
rode
form of ride 1
ro • dent / roudnt /noun [count]
a type of small animal that has strong, sharp front teeth, for example a mouse or a rat
ro • de • o / ' roudiou ; rou 'deiou /noun [ count ] ( pluralro . de . os )
a competition in which people ride wild horses, catch cows with a rope, etc.
J / roul /noun [ count ]
what a person does, for example in an organization or a relationship
Your role is to welcome guests as they arrive.
a person's part in a play or movie He played the role of the king.
role mod • el / 'roui madi /noun [ count ]
a person that you admire and try to copy
rol I 1 © / roul / noun
[count]
something made into a long, round shape by turning it around itself many times a roll of toilet paper
a small, round piece of bread made for one person a basket of warm rolls
roll 2 ЧК / roul / verb ( -oil , oil ing , ollec )
to move along by turning over and over; to make something move in this way
The pencil rolled off the table onto the floor. We rolled the rock down the path.
to turn your body over when you are lying down She rolled over onto her back.
to move on wheels
The car rolled down the hill.
to make something into a long, round shape or the shape of a ball
Can you help me roll up this rug?
to make something flat by moving something heavy on top of it
Roll the dough into a large circle.
Roll • er • blade™ / ' roularbleid / [count]
a boot with a line of small wheels on the bottom —SYNONYM in-line skate ,
Look at roller skate .
Roll • er • blad • ing / ' roularbleidig / noun [noncount]
to go Rollerblading
roll • er coast • er / ' roular koustar / noun
[ count ]
a small train on a metal track that goes up and down and around bends, which people ride on for fun
roll • er skate / ' roular skeit / ( also skate ) noun [ count ]
a boot with small wheels on the bottom
Look at the picture at skate .
roll • er-skat • ing / ' roular |skeitig / ( also skat - ing ) noun [ noncount ]
When we were kids, we used to go roller-skating every weekend.
Ro • man / ' rouman /adjective ( HISTORY ) connected with ancient Rome the remains of a Roman villa
Ro • man noun [ count ]
Ro • man Cath • o • lic / ^man ' kreeiik /
noun [ count ] , adjective ( religion ) = Catholic
ro • mance / rou ' mrens ; ' roumrens /noun
[ noncount ] a time when two people are in love
The article suggests ways to put the romance back into your marriage.
[ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a story about love She writes romances.
Ro • man nu • mer • al / |rouman ' numaral /
noun [ count ]
one of the letters that were used in Roman times as numbers
The number 16 is XVI in Roman numerals.
ro .man .tic Ф / rou mrentik / adjective
about love; full of feelings of love a romantic dinner
roof Ф / ruf /noun [ count ] ( pluralroofs )
the top of a building or car, which covers it
rook • ie / ruki /noun [ count ]
a person who has just started doing a job or playing a professional sport a rookie police officer
ГООт Ф / rum /noun
[ count ] one of the spaces in a building that has walls around it
How many rooms do you have in your house? a classroom
[ noncount ] space; enough space There's no room for you in the car.
room • mate / ' rummer / noun
[count]
a person that you share a room, an apartment, or a house with
Joey was my college roommate.
roost • er / ' rustar / noun [ count ]
an adult male chicken Word building A female chicken is called a hen , and a male chicken is called a rooster . A young chicken is a chick .
rOOt Ф / rut /noun [ count ] the part of a plant that is under the ground — Look at the picture atplant .
root beer / ' rut bir / noun [ count ]
a type of sweet, brown drink that has bubbles in it, but no alcohol
ГОре Ф / roup /noun
[count]
very thick, strong string
rose 1
form of rise 2
rose2/ rouz /noun [ count ]
a flower with a sweet smell. It grows on a bush that has sharp points (called thorns ) on it. —Look at the picture atflower .
ros • y / ' rouzi / adjective ( ros i - er , ros - i est )
pink and looking healthy rosy cheeks
rot / rat / verb ( rots , rot ting , rot ted )
to become bad and soft, as things do when they die the smell of rotting fruit
—SYNONYM decay
ro • tate / ' routeit / verb (ro - tates,ro - tat - ing ,ro - tat -ed )
to move in circles
The earth rotates around the sun.
► ro • ta • tion / rou 'teifn/ noun [ count, noncount ]
the rotation of the earth
rot • ten / ' ratn / adjective
old and not fresh; bad
These eggs are rotten — they smell awful!
( informal ) very bad; not nice That was a rotten thing to say!
rough О / rAf / adjective ( rough - e , rough - est )
PRONUNCIATION
The word rough sounds like stuff , because sometimes the letters -gh sound like f , in words like enough and tough .
not smooth or flat
It was difficult to walk on the rough ground.
not gentle or calm
a rough neighborhood (= where there is a lot of crime ) The ferry was canceled because the ocean was too rough.
not exactly correct; made or done quickly
Can you give me a rough idea how much it will cost? a rough drawing
rough • ly / ' rAfli / adverb
about; not exactly
The drive should take roughly two hours. —SYNONYM approximately —ANTONYM exactly
not gently
He pushed me away roughly.
round 1Ф / raund / adjective
having the shape of a circle or a ball a round table
round 2 / raund /noun [ count ]
a number or set of events another round of peace talks
a lot of visits, one after another, for example as part of yourjob
The mail carrier starts his round at seven o'clock.
one part of a game or competition the third round of the boxing match
round-trip / ' raund trip /adjective
for a trip to a place and back again
How much is a round-trip ticket to Portland?
—Look at one-way .
route ©ДуП / rut; raut /noun [count ]
a way from one place to another
What is the quickest route from Philadelphia to Boston? rou • tine1 / ru ' tin / noun [ count ]
your usual way of doing things
Make exercise a part of your daily routine .
rou • tine2 / ru ' tin /adjective
normal and regular a routine medical exam
row l Ф / rou /noun [ count ]
PRONUNCIATION
The word row sounds like no .
a line of people or things
We sat in the front row of the theater (= the front line of seats ) .
a row of books
in a row
one after another
It rained for four days in a row.
row 2 / rou / verb ( rows , row - ing , rowed )
to move a boat through water using long pieces of wood with flat ends (called oars ) We rowed across the lake. ► row • ing / ' rouwig /noun [ noncount ] a rowing machine
row • boat / roubout / noun
[count ]
a small boat that you move through water using long, thin pieces of wood with flat ends (called oars )
row • dy / ' raudi / adjective ( row di - er , row - di - est )
(used about people) noisy and likely to cause trouble The crowd was getting rowdy.
ГОУ .al О / го1э1/adjective ( POLITICS ) connected with a king or queen the royal family
roy • al • ty / ' roislti /noun [ noncount ]
kings, queens, and their families
RSVP / ,ar es vi ' pi / abbreviation
You write RSVP on an invitation to mean "please reply."
rub О / гаЬ / verb ( ubs , rub - bing , rubbed )
to move something backward and forward on another thing I rubbed my hands together to keep them warm. The cat rubbed its head against my leg.
rub.ber © / ' rAbsr /noun [ noncount ]
a strong material that we use to make things like car tires a pair of rubber gloves
rub•ber band / ,rAbsr ' band /noun [ count ]
a thin circle of rubber that you use for holding things together
ru • by / ' rubi /noun [ count ] ( pluralru - bies )
a dark red stone that is used in jewelry a ruby ring
rud • der / ' rAdsr /noun [ count ] a flat piece of wood or metal at the back of a boat or an airplane. It moves to make the boat or airplane go left or right.
rude О / rud / adjective ( ud - er , "ud - est )
not polite
It's rude to walk away when someone is talking to you. —SYNONYM impolite
rude • ly / ' rudli / adverb "Shut up!" she said rudely.
iifS&Ys
rude • ness / ' rudnss / noun [ noncount ] I would like to apologize for my rudeness.
rug
rug / rAg / noun [ count ]
a piece of thick material that you put on the floor
rowboat
—Look at carpet .
rug • by / ' rAgbi/ noun [ noncount ]
( SPORTS ) a game like football for two teams of 13 or 15 players. In rugby , you can kick and carry the ball.
rug • ged / ' rAgad / adjective
Rugged land is not smooth, and has a lot of rocks and not many plants on it.
TU .ill 1®/ 'rum / verb ( ru - ins , ru - in - ing , ru - ined )
to damage something badly so that it is no longer good; to destroy something completely I spilled coffee on my jacket and ruined it. The rain ruined our picnic.
ru • in2/ ' ruin /noun [ count ] a building that has been badly damaged The old castle is now a ruin.
in ruins
badly damaged or destroyed The city was in ruins after the war.
rule 1 © / rul /noun
[ count ] something that tells you what you must or must not do
It's against the rules to smoke.
to break a rule (= do something that you should not do )
[ noncount ] government
The country is under military rule .
rule 2 © / rul / verb ( rules , rul ing , ruled )
( POLITICS ) to control a country The queen ruled for many years.
rul • er / ' rular / noun [ count ]
a long piece of plastic, metal, or wood that you use for drawing straight lines or for measuring things
— Look at the picture at stationery .
( POLITICS ) a person who rules a country
rum / rAm/noun [ count, noncount ]
a strong alcoholic drink that is made from the sugar plant
rum • ble / ' rAmbl / verb ( rum bles, rum - bling, rum bled )
to make a long, deep sound
I'm so hungry that my stomach is rumbling.
► rum • ble noun [ singular ]
a rumble of thunder
ru • mor / ' rumar /noun [ count, noncount ]
something that a lot of people are talking about that is perhaps not true
There's a rumor that our teacher is leaving.
ГиП 1 © / глп / verb ( runs , run ning , ran / raen / has run )
1 to move very quickly on your legs
was late, so I ran to the bus stop.
to control something and make it work Who runs the business?
to work or make something work
The car had stopped but the engine was still running. You can run this software on your home computer.
to go; to make a trip
The buses don't run on Sundays.
to move something somewhere He ran his fingers through his hair.
to pass or go somewhere The road runs across the fields.
to flow
The Mississippi River runs into the Gulf of Mexico.
8 to be one of the people who is trying to win an election He ran for senator in Ohio.
run after someone or something to try to catch a
person or an animal
The dog ran after a rabbit.
—SYNONYM chase
run away to go quickly away from a place She ran away from home when she was 14.
—SYNONYM escape
run into someone to meet someone by chance Guess who I ran into today?
run into someone or something to crash into someone or something
The bus went out of control and ran into a line of people. run out of something to have no more of something We've run out of coffee. Will you go and buy some? run over someone or something to hit a person or an animal with your car or other vehicle The dog was run over by a bus.
run 2© / глп/noun [count ] 1 an act of moving very quickly on your legs
go for a run every morning.
( SPORTS ) a point in the game of baseball Our team won by two runs.
run-down / | rAn daun /adjective
(used about a building or place) in bad condition a run-down apartment building
( HEALTH ) (used about a person) very tired and not healthy, especially because you have been working too hard
rung1 form of ring 2
rung2 / rAg /noun [ count ]
one of the steps of a ladder (= a piece of equipment that is used for climbing up something )
—Look at the picture at ladder . run • ner / ' rAnar / noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a person who runs
run • ner-up / |rAnar 4p /noun [ count ] ( pluralrun - ners-up )
( SPORTS ) a person or team that comes second in a race or competition
run • ning / ' rAnig /noun [ noncount ]
( SPORTS ) the sport of running Let's go running tomorrow morning.
run • ny / ' rAni / adjective ( run - ni - er , run - ni - est )
If you have a runny nose, a lot of liquid comes out of it, for example because you have a cold.
If a substance is runny , it has more liquid than is usual The cake batter is too runny.
run • Way / ' rAnwei /noun [ count ] ( pluralrun - ways )
a long piece of ground where airplanes take off and land
ru • ral / rural / adjective
connected with the country, not the city rural areas—Look aturban .
rUSh 1©/гл_Г/ verb (rush - es , rush ing,rushed )
1 to move or do something very quickly or too quickly The children rushed out of school. We rushed to finish the work on time.
2 to take someone or something quickly to a place She was rushed to the hospital.
rush into something to do something without
thinking about it enough first
We shouldn't have rushed into buying this house.
rush2 / га/ /noun [ singular ]
a sudden quick movement
At the end of the football game there was a rush for the exits.
a situation when you need to move or do something very quickly
I can't stop now — I'm in a rush. Don't eat so fast. There's no rush.
—SYNONYM hurry
rush hour / ' га/ |auar /
[count]
the time when the roads are busy because a lot of people are going to or coming from work
rust / rAst /noun [ noncount ]
( CHEMISTRY ) a red-brown substance that you sometimes see on metal that has been wet
rust verb ( rusts , rust ing , rust - ed )
My bike rusted because I left it out in the rain.
rus • tle / ' rAsl / verb
( rus - tles , rus - tling , rus - tled )
to make a sound like dry leaves moving together; to make something make this sound
Stop rustling your newspaper — I can't hear the radio!
rus • tle noun [ singular ]
the rustle of leaves
rust • y / ' rAsti / adjective ( rust i - er, rust - i - est)
(used about things made of metal) covered with a red- brown substance (called rust ) because it got wet a rusty nail
rut / rAt /noun
[count]
a deep track that a wheel makes in the ground
be in a rut
to have a boring life that is difficult to change I quit my job because I felt I was stuck in a rut.
ruth • less / ' rueias / adjective
hard and cruel; determined to get what you want without caring for others a ruthless dictator
ruth • less • ly / ' rueiasli / adverb
rye / rai /noun
[noncount]
a plant that is grown for its grain, which is used to make flour and a type of alcoholic drink (called whiskey ) rye bread
Ss
S, s / es /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralS's, s's / ' esaz / )
the nineteenth letter of the English alphabet "Sun" begins with an "S."
the Sab • bath / дэ ' srebae /noun [ singular ]
( RELIGION ) the day of the week for rest and prayer in some religions. This is usually Sunday for Christians and Saturday for Jews.
sack / srek /noun
[count]
a big, strong bag for carrying heavy things a sack of potatoes
sa •cred / ' seikrad / adjective
( RELIGION ) with a special religious meaning A church is a sacred building.
sac • ri • fice 1 / ' srekrafais / noun
[ count, noncount ]
when you stop doing or having something important so that you can get or do something else
They made a lot of sacrifices to pay for their son to go to college.
( RELIGION ) an animal or other thing that is given to a god
sac • ri • fice 2 / ' srekrafais / verb
(sac - ri fic es, sac ri fic - ing , sac - ri - ficed )
to stop doing or having something important so that you can help someone or to get something else
During the war, many people sacrificed their lives for their country.
( RELIGION ) to kill an animal as a gift to a god They sacrificed a lamb.
sad Ф / sred / adjective ( sad - der , sad - dest )
unhappy, or making you feel unhappy We are very sad to hear that you are leaving. a sad story
sad • ness / ' srednas /noun [ noncount , singular ]
Thoughts of him filled her with sadness.
sad • dle / ' sredl /noun [ count ]
a seat on a horse or bicycle —Look at the picture atbicycle .
sad • ly / ' sredli /adverb
in a sad way
She looked sadly at the empty house.
a word you use to show that you are not happy about a situation or fact
Sadly, there was nothing we could do to help. —SYNONYM unfortunately
sa • fa • ri / sa 'fari /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralsa . fa - ris )
a trip to look at or hunt wild animals, usually in Africa
safe О / serf/ adjective ( saf ei , saf est)
not in danger; not hurt
Don't go out alone at night — you won't be safe.
not dangerous
Is it safe to swim in this river? Always keep medication in a safe place .
safe and sound
not hurt or broken
The children were found safe and sound.
safe • ly / ' seifli / adverb
Call your parents to tell them you arrived safely.
safe 2 / seif /noun [ count ]
a strong, metal box with a lock where you keep money or things like jewelry
safe .ty © / 'seifti/noun [ noncount ]
being safe
He is worried about the safety of his children.
safe • ty belt / ' seifti belt /noun [ count ] a long, thin piece of material that you put around your body in a car or an airplane to keep you safe in an accident
-►SYNONYM seat belt
safe •ty pin / ' seifti pin /
noun [ count ]
a pin that you use for joining pieces of cloth together. It has a cover over the point so that it is not dangerous.
sag / sreg / verb ( sags , sag . ging , sagged )
to bend or hang down
The bed is very old and it sags in the middle.
said
form of say 1
Sail 1 ® / seil / verb ( sails , sail ing , sailed )
to travel on water
The ship sailed along the coast.
to control a boat with sails
We sailed the yacht down the river. ►sail • ing/ ' seilig /noun [ noncount ] the sport of controlling a boat with sails We often go sailing on weekends.
sail2/ seil /noun [ cou nt ]
a big piece of cloth on a boat, which catches the wind and moves the boat along
sail • boat / ' seilbout / noun [ count ]
a boat that uses one or more sails to catch the wind
sail • or / ' seilar / noun [ count ]
a person who sails ships or boats as their job or as a sport
saint / seint /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationSt. )
( RELIGION ) (in the Christian religion) a dead person who lived their life in a very good way Saint Nicholas St. Louis, Missouri
sake / seik / noun
for goodness' sake ; for Heaven's sake
( informal )
something that you say to show you are angry or surprised for the sake of someone or something ; for someone's or something's sake
to help someone or something; because of someone or something
The couple stayed together for the sake of their children.
sal .ad О / 'ssebd/ noun
[ count, noncount ]
a dish of cold vegetables that have not been cooked Do you want soup or salad with your chicken?
sal • ad dress • ing / ' srelad |dresig /
( also dress . ing ) noun
[ count, noncount ]
a sauce used to add flavor to salads
What type of dressing would you like on your salad?
sa • la • mi / sa 'lami /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralsa . la . mis )
a type of large sausage (= a mixture of meat and spices in a long shape ) with a strong flavor, usually eaten in thin slices
a salami sandwich
sal • a • ry / ' srelari /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralsal . a . ries )
money that you receive regularly for the work that you do How much is your annual salary?
sale Ф / seil / noun
[ count, noncount ] selling something The sale of alcohol to children is illegal.
sales [ plural ] the number of items sold The company reported excellent sales figures .
[ count ] a time when a store sells things for less money than usual
I'm not going to buy a coat now — I'll wait until there's a sale.
for sale
If something is for sale , its owner wants to sell it Is this house for sale?
on sale
1 offered at a lower price than usual
bought these shoes on sale for $75.
available for someone to buy in stores
Tickets for the concert go on sale tomorrow morning.
sales • clerk / ' seilzklark / ( also sales clerk ) noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to sell things to people in a store She worked as a saleslerk on the weekends.
sales • man / ' seilzman /noun [ count ] ( pluralsales . men / ' seilzman / ) a man whose job is to sell things
sales • per • son / ' seilzparsn/noun [ count ] ( pluralsales . peo . ple / ' seilzpipl / ) a man or a woman whose job is to sell things
sales rep • re • sen • ta • tive / seiiz
repri|zentativ / ( also informalsales rep / ' seiiz rep / ) noun [ count ]
someone who works for a company and travels around a particular area selling the company's products a sales rep for a computer software company
sales • wom • an / ' seilzwuman /noun [count] ( pluralsales . wom . en ) / ' seilzwiman / a woman whose job is to sell things
sa • li • va / sa ' laiva / noun
[ noncount ]
( BIOLOGY ) the liquid in your mouth that helps you to swallow food
salm • on / ' sreman /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralsalm . on )
a big fish with pink meat that lives in the ocean and in rivers
sa • lon / sa ' lan /noun
[count]
a place where you can have your hair cut or have other beauty treatments a hair salon
I got my nails done at the beauty salon.
sal • sa / solss / noun
[noncount]
a type of Mexican sauce made from tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables
chips and salsa
( MUSIC ) a type of Latin American dance music with a strong beat
salt © / solt /noun [ noncount ]
a white substance that comes from ocean water and from
the earth. We put it on food to give it flavor
Add a little salt and pepper.
►salt • y / ' solti / adjective
( salt i er , salt - i - est )
tasting of salt or containing salt
I don't like this sauce — it's too salty.
sa • lute / ss ' lut / verb ( sa - lutes , sa - lut ing , sa lut - ed )
to make the special sign that soldiers use to show respect,
by lifting their hand to their head
The soldiers saluted as the general walked past.
► sa • lute noun [ count ]
The soldier gave a salute.
same lO / seim/ adjective the same
not different; not another Emma and I like the same kind of music. I've lived in the same town all my life. He went to the same school as me.
Same 2©/ seim/ pronoun all or just the same
despite this
I understand why you're angry. All the same, I think you should say sorry.
same to you
( informal )
words that you use for saying to someone what they have said to you
"Have a good weekend." "Same to you." the same
not a different person or thing Do these two words mean the same? I'd like one the same as yours. sameadverbthe same
in the same way
We treat boys exactly the same as girls.
sam • ple / ' sampi /noun
[count]
a small amount of something that shows what the rest is like
a free sample of perfume a blood sample
sand © / sand /noun
[noncount]
( GEOGRAPHY ) powder made of very small pieces of rock, which you find on beaches and in deserts Concrete is a mixture of sand and cement.
san • dal / ' sandl /noun [count]
a light open shoe that you wear in warm weather —Look at the picture atshoe .
sand • wich
/ ' sanwitj /noun [count]
( plural sand . wich es )
two pieces of bread with other food between them a cheese sandwich
sand • y / ' sandi / adjective ( sand i-er,sand - i est)
with sand a sandy beach
sane / sein / adjective ( san - er , san - est )
with a normal, healthy mind; not crazy —ANTONYM insane
sang form of sing
san • i • ty / ' sansti /noun [ noncount ]
the state of having a normal, healthy mind —ANTONYM insanity
sank form of sink
San • ta Claus / sants kloz /noun [ count ]
an old man with a red coat and a long white beard. Children believe that he brings presents at Christmas.
sap / sap /noun [ noncount ]
( BIOLOGY ) the liquid in a plant or tree
sap • phire / ' safaisr /noun [ count, noncount ] a bright blue valuable stone that is often used in jewelry sapphire earrings
sar • casm / ' sarkazsm /noun [ noncount ]
saying the opposite of what you mean because you want to be rude to someone or to show them you are angry ► sar • cas • tic / sar ' kastik /adjective
There's no need to be sarcastic.
sar • dine / sar ' din /noun [ count ]
a very small ocean fish that you can eat. You often buy sardines in cans.
sa • ri / ' sari /noun [ count ] ( pluralsa - ris )
a long piece of material that women, especially Indian women, wear around their bodies as a dress
SAT™ / ,es ei ti / abbreviation
a test taken by high school students who want to go to college
to take the SAT ♦ SAT scores Sat. abbreviation of Saturday sat form of sit
sat • el • lite / ' satbait / noun [ count ]
a piece of electronic equipment that people send into space. Satellites travel around the earth and send back pictures or television and radio signals
satellite television
a natural object that moves around a bigger object in space
Our moon is one of the largest satellites in the solar system.
sat • el • lite dish / ' sret>ait |dij / noun [count]
a piece of equipment that people put on the outside of their houses so that they can receive television signals from a satellite
sat • in / ' sretn/noun [ noncount ]
very shiny smooth cloth sat • ire / ' sretaiar /noun
[ noncount ] using humor to attack someone or something that you think is bad or silly
political satire
[ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a piece of writing or a play, movie, etc. that uses satire
The play is a satire on political life.
sat .is .fac .tion © / .satas'fekjh/ noun
[noncount]
being pleased with what you or other people have done She finished painting the picture and looked at it with satisfaction .
sat • is • fac • to • ry / ^retas ' frektari / adjective
good enough, but not very good Her work is not satisfactory.
—ANTONYM unsatisfactory
sat . is .fied О / 'saetosfaid / adjective
pleased because you have had or done what you wanted The teacher was not satisfied with my work.
—ANTONYM dissatisfied
sat • is • fy / ' sretasfai / verb ( sat - is - fies , sat - is - fy - ing , sat - is - fied , has sat is fied )
to give someone what they want or need; to be good enough to make someone pleased Nothing he does satisfies his father. ► sat • is • fy • ing / ' sretasfaiig /adjective
a satisfying result
sat • u • rat • ed fat / |sretrareitad ' fret /noun [ count, noncount ]
( HEALTH ) a type of fat that is found in some foods, for example meat, butter, and fried food. Eating too many saturated fats is bad for your body.
Sat . ur .day © / 'saetordei; 'saetordi /noun
[ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationSat. )
the day of the week after Friday and before Sunday
sauce © / sos/noun[ count, noncount]
a thick liquid that you eat on or with other food pasta with tomato sauce
sauce • pan / ' sospren / ( also pan )noun [count]
a round metal container for cooking
sau • cer / ' sosar /noun [ count ]
a small round plate that you put under a cup cups and saucers
—Look at the picture at cup . sau • na / ' sona / noun [ count ]
a room that is hot and filled with steam, where people sit to relax and feel healthy a hotel with a swimming pool and sauna
sau • sage / ' sosid3 /noun [ count, noncount ]
a mixture of meat, spices, etc. that is pressed into a long, thin skin garlic sausage sausages and eggs sav • age / ' srevid3 /adjective
wild or violent
He was the victim of a savage attack by a large dog.
save © / seiv / verb ( saves , sav - ing , saved )
to take someone or something away from danger He saved me from the fire.
The doctor saved her life .
( also save up ) to keep or not spend money so that you can buy something later
I've saved enough money to buy a car. I'm saving up for a new bike.
to keep something to use in the future Save some of the meat for tomorrow.
to use less of something
She saves money by making her own clothes.
( COMPUTERS ) to store information in a computer by giving it a special instruction
Don't forget to save the file before you close it.
( SPORTS ) to stop someone from scoring a goal in sports such as hockey or soccer
sav • ings / ' seivigz /noun [ plural ]
money that you are keeping to use later I keep my savings in the bank. Word building There are two main types of bank account . If you have a checking account , you can take your money out at any time by using a check or an ATM card (= a card that you put into a machine, which gives you money ) .
A savings account lets you keep your money in the bank to use later. You receive extra money, called interest , for keeping your money there.
saw 1
form of see
saw 2 / so / noun [ count ]
a metal tool for cutting wood
►saw verb ( saws , saw ing , sawed , has sawed or has sawn / son / )
She sawed a branch off the tree.
saw • dust / ' sodAst /noun [ noncount ]
powder that falls when you cut wood with a saw
sax • o • phone / ' sreksafoun / ( also informalsax / sreks / )noun [ count ] ( MUSIC ) a musical instrument made of metal that you play by blowing into it —Look at the picture atinstrument .
Say 1 Ф / sei /verb
( says / sez / say ing , said / sed / has said )
1 to make words with your mouth
You say "please" when you ask for something.
"This is my room," he said.
She said that she was cold.
Which word?
Say or tell?
We use say with the actual words that are spoken, or before that in reported speech: 'I'm ready," Tom said. ♦ Tom said that he was ready.
Notice that you say something to someone: Tom said to Kate that he was ready, but you tell someone something (without to ): Tom told Kate that he was ready.
2 to give information in writing, numbers, or pictures The notice on the door said "Private." The clock says three-thirty.
that is to say what I mean is...
I'll see you in a week, that's to say next Monday.
say 2 / sei / noun have a say
to have the right to help decide something
I'd like to have a say in who we invite to the party.
say • ing / ' seiig / noun
[count]
a sentence that people often say, which gives advice about something
"Love is blind" is an old saying.
scab / skreb /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a hard covering that grows over your skin where it is cut or broken
scaf • fold • ing / ' skrefaldig / noun
[noncount]
metal bars and pieces of wood joined together, where people can stand when they are working on high parts of a building
scald / skold / verb ( scalds , scald - ing , scald ed )
( HEALTH ) to burn someone or something with very hot liquid
scale © / skeil /noun
[ count ] a set of levels or numbers used for measuring something
Their work is assessed on a scale from 1 to 10.
[ count, noncount ] the size or level of something
It was not until morning that the full scale of the damage could be seen.
[ count ] a machine for showing how heavy people or things are
a bathroom scale
[ count ] how distances are shown on a map This map has a scale of one inch to ten miles.
( MUSIC ) [ count ] a series of musical notes that go up or down in a fixed order
the scale of C major
[ count ] one of the flat hard things that cover the body of animals like fish and snakes
—Look at the picture at fish .
scal • lop / ' skrelap ; ' skalap /noun [count]
a small animal that lives in the ocean and that you can eat. It has two round shells that fit together.
scalp / skrelp /noun [ count ]
the skin on the top of your head, under your hair
scan 1 / skren / verb (scans,scan -ning ,scanned )
to look at or read every part of something quickly until you find what you are looking for
Vic scanned the list until he found his own name.
(used about a machine) to examine what is inside a person's body or inside an object
All luggage is scanned before it is loaded onto the plane.
( COMPUTERS ) to pass light over a picture or document using an electronic machine (called a scanner ) in order to copy it and put it in the memory of a computer
scan2 / skren /noun [ count ] ( HEALTH ) a medical test in which a machine produces a picture of the inside of a person's body on a computer screen to have a full body scan a brain scan
scan • dal / ' skrendl /noun
[ count ] something that shocks people and makes them talk about it because they think it is bad
a political scandal
[ noncount ] unkind talk about someone that gives you a bad idea of them
scan • ner / ' skrenar /noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a piece of equipment that copies words or pictures from paper into a computer
( HEALTH ) a machine that gives a picture of the inside of something. Doctors use one kind of scanner to look inside people's bodies.
scape • goat / ' skeipgout /noun [ count ]
a person who is blamed for something bad that is usually not their fault
She felt that she was a scapegoat for her manager's mistakes.
scar / skar /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a mark that is left on your skin by an old cut or wound
The operation didn't leave a very big scar. ► scarverb ( scars , scar - ring , scarred )
His face was badly scarred by the accident.
scarce / skers / adjective ( scarc - er , scarc - est )
difficult to find; not enough
Food for wild birds and animals is scarce in the winter.
scarce • ly / ' skersli / adverb
almost not; just
He was so afraid that he could scarcely speak.
SCare 1 ©/ sker / verb ( scares, scar ing, scared)
to make someone feel afraid That noise scared me!
—SYNONYM frighten scare2 / sker /noun [ count ]
a feeling of being afraid You gave me a scare !
a situation where many people are afraid or worried about something
a health scare
scare • crow / ' skerkrou /noun [ count ]
a thing that looks like a person, which farmers put in their fields to frighten birds
scared © / skerd / adjective
afraid
Claire is scared of the dark. Thesaurus
afraid feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen. This word cannot come before a noun, so you can say "the man is afraid" but NOT "an afraid man": Are you afraid of spiders? ♦ Alex is afraid of going out after dark. ♦ We were afraid to go into the cave. ♦ He's afraid that he'll fall.
scared a more informal word than afraid , which is used more in spoken than written English: I'm really scared of heights. ♦ Everyone was too scared to move. ♦ The thieves got scared and ran away. ♦ Are you scared about the exam tomorrow?
frightened a more formal word than afraid , which is used more in written than spoken English: a frightened child ♦ She is not frightened of anything. ♦ He was frightened that the glass would break. terrified very afraid: to be terrified of spiders ♦ He was terrified that he would fall. ♦ You look terrified!
scarf / skarf /noun
[count] ( plural scarves
/ skarvz / )
a piece of material that you wear around your neck to keep warm
scar • let / ' skarlat /adjective having a bright red color ► scar • letnoun [ noncount ]
SCar -У© / skeri/ adjective ( scar . i . er , scar . i . est )
making you feel afraid a scary ghost story
scat • ter / ' skretar / verb ( scat ters , scat . ter . ing , scat . tered )
to move quickly in different directions The crowd scattered when it started to rain.
to throw things so that they fall in a lot of different places Scatter the grass seed over the lawn.
sce • nar • i • o AWL / sa 'neriou / noun [ count ] ( plural sce . nar . i . os )
one way that things may happen in the future
A likely scenario is that we will have to close down the
factory.
scene / sin /noun
[count]
the place where something happened The police arrived at the scene of the crime.
part of a play or movie
Today we're going to look at Act 1, Scene 2 of the play.
what you see in a place
He painted scenes of life on a farm.
scen • er • y / ' sinari / noun [noncount]
the things like mountains, rivers, and trees that you see around you in the country
What beautiful scenery!
things on the stage of a theater that make it look like a real place
sce • nic / ' sinik / adjective
having beautiful views of things such as mountains, rivers, and trees
We took a scenic drive along the coast.
scent / sent /noun [ count, noncount ]
a pleasant smell
These flowers have no scent.
the smell that an animal leaves behind and that other animals can follow
scent • ed / ' sentad / adjective
having a nice smell scented candles
sched .ule Ф E / ' sked3al / Q
1 a plan or list of times when things will happen or be done
have a busy schedule next week.
We're behind schedule (= late ) with the project. Filming began on schedule (= at the planned time ) .
a list that shows when planes, buses, etc. arrive at and leave a particular place
Do you have a train schedule?
scheme1awЩ / skim /noun [ count ]
a plan to do something, especially something bad or illegal Police discovered a scheme to steal paintings worth nearly a million dollars.
scheme 2 aw Щ / skim / verb ( schemes , schem ing , schemed )
to make secret or dishonest plans to do something She felt that they were all scheming against her.
schiz • o • phre • ni • a / |skitsa' frinia / noun [noncount]
( HEALTH ) a serious mental illness in which a person confuses the real world and the world of the imagination
schiz • o • phre • nic / iskitsa' frenik / adjective
schol • ar / ' skalar /noun [ count ]
a person who has learned a lot about a particular subject a famous history scholar
a person who has been given a scholarship to help pay for their studies
schol • ar • ship / ' skabrjip /noun [ count ] an amount of money that is given to a student to help them pay for their education
Adrian got a scholarship to Rutgers University.
school Ф / skul /noun
[ count, noncount ] a place where children go to learn The kids are at school .
Which school do you go to?
[ noncount ] being at school I hate school!
He left school when he was 16. School starts at nine o'clock. Grammar
You usually talk about school without "the" or "a": I enjoyed being at school. ♦ Do you walk to school? You use "a" or "the" when more information about the school is given: Harry goes to the school that his father went to. ♦ She teaches at a school for deaf children.
[ count ] a place where you go to learn a special thing a language school
[ count, noncount ] a college or university, or the time that you spend there
Mike had to quit school and get a job. Collocations School learning go to/attend school/(a) class take a course/classes (in law, biology, etc.) school
be in (the) first/second, etc. grade study history/chemistry/German, etc. drop out of/quit school graduate (from)/finish high school
problems at school
skip class/school cheat on an exam/a test get detention (for doing something wrong) be suspended from/expelled from school —Look at the note atexam .
school • child / ' skultjaild /noun [ count ] ( pluralschool - chil . dren / ' skultjildrsn / ) a boy or girl who goes to school
SCi . 6ПС6 Ф / 'saisns /noun [ count, noncount ] the study of natural things I'm interested in science.
Biology, chemistry, and physics are all sciences.
sci • ence fic • tion / ,saisns ' fkjn /
( also informalsci-fi / ' sai fai / )noun [ noncount ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) stories about things like travel in space, life on other planets, or life in the future
sci • en • tif • iC © / ^saion'tifik / adjective
( GENERAL SCIENCE ) of or about science We need more grants for scientific research.
sci .en .tist © / 'saiontist/noun [count ]
( GENERAL SCIENCE ) a person who studies science or works with science
scis .sors ©
/ sizsrz /noun [ plural ]
a tool for cutting that has two sharp parts that are joined together
These scissors aren't very sharp.
I need some scissors. Do you have any? a pair of scissors
scold / skould / verb ( scolds , scold - ing , scold ed )
to tell a child in an angry way that they have done something wrong
His mother scolded him for not putting away his toys.
scoop1 / skup /noun [ count ]
a thing like a spoon that is used for picking up ice cream, flour, etc.
— Look at the picture at kitchen .
the amount that a scoop holds Two scoops of ice cream, please.
scoop 2 / skup / verb (scoops,scoop - ing ,scooped )
to use a spoon or your hands to take something up or out I scooped some ice cream out of the bowl.
scoot • er / ' skutsr /noun [ count ]
a light motorcycle with a small engine
a child's vehicle with two wheels that you stand on and move by pushing one foot against the ground
scopeAWL / skoup /noun
[ noncount ] the chance or opportunity to do something The job offers plenty of scope for creativity.
[ singular ] the different subjects that are being discussed
How wide is the scope of the government's investigation?
score l Ф / sbr /noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) the number of points, goals, etc. that you get in a
game or competition
The winner got a score of 320.
What's the score now?
SCOre 2 Ф / sbr /verb (scores,scor- ing ,scored )
( SPORTS ) to get points, goals, etc. in a game or competition
The Bulls scored 30 points in the fourth quarter.
to give a number that shows how well someone does on a test, a competition, etc.
The written driving test is scored by computer.
score • board / ' skorbord /noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a large board that shows the score during a game or competition
scorn / skorn /noun [ noncount ]
a strong feeling that someone or something is stupid or not good enough
He was full of scorn for my idea. ► scorn • ful / ' skornfl / adjective
She gave him a scornful look.
scor .pi .on
/ 'skorpion /noun [count]
a small animal that looks like an insect and can hurt
(sting ) you with its tail
Scotch tape™ / ' skatj teip /noun [noncount]
a type of clear tape that is sticky on one side, which you buy in a roll
scowl / skaul / verb ( scowls , scowl ing , scowled )
to look at someone in an angry way His teacher scowled at him for being late. ►scowlnoun [ count ] He looked up at me with a scowl.
scram • ble / ' skrambl / verb ( scram - bles , scram - bling , scram bled )
to move quickly up or over something, using your hands to help you
They scrambled over the wall.
scram • bled eggs / ,skrambsld ' egz / noun
[ plural ]
eggs that you mix together with milk and cook in a pan with butter
scrap / skrap /noun
[ count ] a small piece of something a scrap of paper
[ noncount ] something you do not want any more but that is made of material that can be used again
scrap metal
scrap • book / ' skrapbuk /noun [ count ]
scorpion
sting
a large book with empty pages that you can stick pictures or newspaper articles in
scrape / skreip / verb ( scrapes , scrap - ing , scraped )
1 to move a rough or sharp thing across something
scraped the mud off my shoes with a knife.
to hurt or damage something by moving it against a rough or sharp thing
I fell and scraped my knee on the wall.
scratch 1 Ф / skraetj /verb
( scratch - es , scratch - ing , scratched )
to move your nails across your skin She scratched her head.
to cut or make a mark on something with a sharp thing The cat scratched me!
scratch2 © / skraetj/noun [ count ] ( pluralscratch - es )
a cut or mark that a sharp thing makes
Her hands were covered in scratches from the cat.
from scratch from the beginning
I threw away the letter I was writing and started again from scratch.
scream 1 / skrim / verb ( screams, scream - ing, screamed )
to make a loud, high noise with your voice that shows you
are afraid or hurt
She saw the snake and screamed.
He screamed for help.
scream2 / skrim /noun [ count ]
a loud, high noise you make with your voice a scream of pain
screech / skritj /
( screech es , screech - ing , screeched )
to make an unpleasant, loud, high sound
The car's brakes screeched as it stopped suddenly.
screen Ф / skrin /noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) the flat, square part of a television or computer where you see pictures or words
— Look at the picture at computer .
the flat thing on the wall of a theater, where you see movies
a kind of thin wall that you can move around. Screens are used to keep away cold, light, etc. or to stop people from seeing something
The nurse put a screen around the bed.
screen sav • er / ' skrin |seivar /noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a picture that appears on your computer screen when you are not using it
screw1 / skru/noun [ count ]
screw 2 / skru / verb ( screws , screw - ing , screwed )
1 to attach something to another thing using a screw The cabinet is screwed to the wall.
a small metal thing with a sharp end, which you use for fastening things together. You push it into something by
2 to turn something to attach it to another thing Screw the lid on the jar.
screw • dri • ver / ' skrudraivar /noun [ count ] a tool for turning screws . —Look at the picture atscrew .
scrib • ble / skribl / verb ( scrib bles , scrib - bling , scrib - bled )
to write something or make marks on paper quickly and without care
The children scribbled in my book.
script / skript/noun [ count ]
the written words that actors speak in a play or movie
scrip • ture ( also Scrip - ture ) / ' skriptjar /noun
[noncount]
( RELIGION ) the book or books that a particular religion is based on
scroll / skroul / verb ( scrolls , scroll - ing , scrolled )
( COMPUTERS ) to move what you can see on a computer screen up or down so that you can look at different parts of it
Scroll down to the bottom of the document.
scrub / skrAb / verb ( scrubs , scrub - bing , scrubbed )
to rub something hard to clean it, usually with a brush and soap and water He scrubbed the floor.
scruff • y / skrAfi / adjective ( scruff - i - er , scruff -i - est )
messy and perhaps dirty She was wearing scruffy jeans.
scu • ba div • ing / ' skuba |daivig / noun
[noncount]
swimming underwater using special equipment for breathing
You should never go scuba diving alone.
sculp • tor / 'skAlptar /noun [ count ]
( ART ) a person who makes shapes from materials like stone or wood
sculp • ture / ' skAlptfar / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( ART ) the art of making shapes from stone, wood, or other material; a work of art that has been made in this way He's studying sculpture at college. a marble sculpture of the goddess Venus
sea / si /noun
(GEOGRAPHY)
Sea [ count ] a big area of salt water the Black Sea
—Look at ocean .
[ noncount ] the ocean
The pieces of wood floated out to sea .
at sea
traveling on the ocean We spent three weeks at sea.
sea • food / sifud /noun [ noncount ]
fish and small animals from the ocean that we eat, especially shellfish (= animals with shells that live in water )
sea • gull / ' sigAl / noun [ count ]
a big, gray or white bird that lives near the ocean and makes a loud sound
sea l1 / sii /noun [ count ]
an animal with short fur that lives in and near the ocean, and that eats fish
a piece of paper or plastic on a package or bottle, which you have to break before you can open it
seal 2 / sil / verb ( seals , seal ing , sealed )
to close something by sticking two parts together She sealed the envelope.
seam / sim /noun
[count]
a line where two pieces of cloth are joined together
search 1 Ф / _S3rtj/ verb
( search es , search - ing , searched )
to look carefully because you are trying to find someone or something
I searched everywhere for my pen. I searched the document to find the names.
search2Ф / sort//noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralsearch . es )
when you try to find someone or something I found my key after a long search.
We drove around the town in search of a cheap restaurant.
The search for the murder weapon goes on.
search en • gine / 'sartj ^nd3an / noun
[ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a computer program that searches the Internet for information
sea .shell/ sijd/ seashell
noun [ count ] the empty shell of a small animal that lives in the
sea • shore / ' sijor / noun the seashore
[ singular ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) the land next to the ocean We were looking for seashells on the seashore .
sea • sick / sisik / adjective
( HEALTH ) If you are seasick , you feel sick because the boat you are on is moving a lot.
sea .son О / '_Sizn/ noun
[count]
one of the four parts of the year
(called spring , summer , fall , and winter )
a special time of the year for something The football season starts in September.
sea • son • ing / 'sizn«ig / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a substance used to add flavor to food, for example salt,
pepper (= powder with a hot taste ) or spices
Add some seasoning to the chicken, then put it in the oven.
seat © / sit/noun[ count ]
something that you sit on
the back seat of a car
We had seats at the front of the theater.
Please take a seat (= sit down ) .
seat belt / ' sit belt / noun [ count ]
a long, thin piece of material that you put around your body in a car, bus, or airplane to keep you safe
sea • weed / siwid / noun [ noncount ]
a plant that grows in the ocean. There are many different types of seaweed .
sec. abbreviation of second
se • clud • ed / sa ' kludad / adjective
far away from other people, roads, etc. a secluded beach
sec • ond Ф / srkond / adjective, adverb, noun [ singular ]
next after first; 2nd
February is the second month of the year. She finished second in the race. Today is the second of April (= April 2nd ) . I was the first to arrive, and Jim was the second.
sec .ond 2 Ф / 'seksnd /noun [ count ]
( abbreviationsec. ) a measure of time. There are 60 seconds in a minute.
a very short time Wait a second!
I'll be ready in a second.
sec • ond • ar • y school / ' sekan|deri |skul /
noun [ count ]
a school for children between the ages of about 12 and 18
sec • ond-class / |sekand ' klres / adjective
less important than other people or things Older people should not be treated as second-class citizens.
sec • ond • hand / |sekand ' hrend /
( also sec - ond-hand ) adjective, adverb
not new; used by another person before secondhand books I bought this car secondhand.
sec • ond • ly / ' sekandli / adverb
a word that you use when you are giving the second thing in a list
Firstly, it's too expensive, and secondly, we don't really need it.
se • cre • cy / ' sikrasi / noun [ noncount ]
not telling other people They worked in secrecy .
se .cret 1 Ф / 'sikrst /noun [ count ]
something that you do not or must not tell other people I can't tell you where I'm going — it's a secret. Can you keep a secret (= not tell other people ) ? in secret
without other people knowing They met in secret.
se .cret 2 Ф/ 'sikrot/ adjective
If something is secret , other people do not or must not know about it
They kept their wedding secret (= they did not tell anyone about it ) . a secret meeting
sec • re • tar•i • al / |sekra ' terial /
connected with the work of a secretary a secretarial job
sec .re .tar .у Ф / 'sekra,teri / noun [ count ] ( plural sec . re . tar . ies )
a person who types letters, answers the telephone, and does other things in an office
a person who is in charge of a large department in the U.S. government
the Secretary of Defense the Agriculture Secretary
se • cre • tive / ' sikrativ / adjective
If you are secretive , you do not like to tell other people
about yourself or your plans
Mark is very secretive about his job.
se . cret . ly © / sikrotli / adverb
without other people knowing
We are secretly planning a big party for her.
sect / sekt /noun [ count ]
( POLITICS , RELIGION ) a group of people who have particular beliefs about religion or politics. A sect has often separated from a larger group a religious sect
sec • tion © AWL / ' sekfn / noun
[count ]
one of the parts of something This section of the road is closed.
sec • torAWL / ' sektar /noun [ count ]
( BUSINESS ) a part of the business activity of a country The manufacturing sector is growing.
( MATH ) a part of a circle that is between two straight lines drawn from the center to the edge
-^Look at the picture at circle .
se • cure AWL / sa 'kyur / adjective
If you are secure , you feel safe and you are not worried Do you feel secure about the future?
^ANTONYM insecure
safe
Don't climb that ladder — it's not very secure (= it may fall ) .
Her job is secure (= she will not lose it ) .
well locked or protected so that no one can go in or out This gate isn't very secure.
►se • cure • lyAWL| / sa 'kyurli / adverb Are all the windows securely closed?
se • cU • ri • ty AW / sa'kyurati / noun
[noncount]
the feeling of being safe Children need love and security.
^■ANTONYM insecurity
things that you do to keep a place safe We need better security at airports.
se•date / sa ' deit / verb ( se . dates, se . dat . ing, se . dat . ed )
( HEALTH ) to give someone medicine or a drug to make
them feel calm or want to sleep
The vet sedated the horse before examining it.
sed • a • tive / ' sedativ / noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a drug or medicine that makes you feel calm or want to sleep
see © / si / verb
( sees , see . ing , saw / so / has seen / sin / )
to know or notice something using your eyes It was so dark that I couldn't see anything. Can you see that plane?
to watch a movie, play, or television program I'm going to see a movie tonight. Thesaurus
look to turn your eyes toward someone or something, or in a particular direction: She looked at me and smiled. ♦ Look out the window! There's a rainbow! watch to look at someone or something for some time, paying attention to what happens: "Would you like to play?" "No thanks - I'll just watch." ♦ I only let my kids watch TV on weekends. ♦ He stood and watched as the taxi drove away.
see to watch a movie, a television program, a game, a performance, etc. With this meaning, see is not used with the -ing form, so you can say "I saw a movie" but NOT "I was seeing a movie": to see a movie/a TV program ♦ Did you see the game on TV yesterday?
to find out about something
Go and see what time the train leaves.
to visit or meet someone
We're going to see my grandma on the weekend. I'll see you outside the train station at ten o'clock.
to understand something
"You have to turn the key this way." "I see ."
to make certain about something Please see that you lock the door. I'll see ; we'll see
words that mean "I will think about what you have said and tell you what I have decided later" "Will you lend me the money?" "I'll see." let's see ; let me see
words that you use when you are thinking or trying to
remember something
Let's see, where did I put the keys?
see someone off to go to an airport or a station to say goodbye to someone who is leaving
see to something to do what you need to do for
someone or something
Sit down — I'll see to the dinner.
see you ; see you later ( informal )
goodbye
"Bye Dave!" "See you!"
seed © / sid /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) the small, hard part of a plant from which a new plant grows
seekaw / sik /b
( seeks , seek . ing , sought / sot / has sought )
( formal )
to try to find or get something You should seek help.
seem Ф / Sim / verb ( seems , seem ing , seemed )
to give the impression of being or doing something
She seems tired.
My mother seems to like you.
Helen seems like (= seems to be ) a nice girl.
seen form of see
seep / sip / verb ( seeps , seep ing , seeped )
(used about a liquid) to flow very slowly through small holes in something
Water started seeping in through the cracks.
see • saw / ' siso / ( also see-saw )noun [ count ]
a piece of equipment for children to play on. It is made of a piece of wood or metal, which moves up and down when a child sits on each end.
seg • ment / ' segmant /noun [ count ]
1 a part of something
divided the sheet of paper into three segments.
one of the sections of an orange, a lemon, etc.
( MATH ) a part of a circle that is separated from the rest with one line
—Look at the picture at circle .
seg • re • gate / ' segrageit / verb ( seg - re - gates , seg - re - gat ing , seg - re - gat - ed )
to separate one group of people from the rest, for example because of their race, religion, or sex
— Look at integrate ( 2 ).
► seg • re • ga • tion / |segra' geifn / noun [ noncount ]
racial segregation (= separating people of different races )
seize / siz / verb ( seiz - es , seiz - ing , seized )
to take something quickly and firmly The thief seized her bag and ran away.
—SYNONYM grab
to take control of something, or to take something away from someone
The police seized 50 pounds of illegal drugs.
sei • zure / ' si₃ar / noun
[ noncount ] the act of taking something away or taking control of something
[ count ] a sudden attack of an illness, when a person becomes unconscious and their body may make violent movements
sel • dom / ' seldam / adverb
not often
It seldom snows here in March. —SYNONYM rarely
se • lect AWL / sa 'lekt / verb
( se - lects , se - lect - ing , se - lect - ed )
( formal )
to take the person or thing that you like best We select only the finest fruits.
—SYNONYM choose
se • lec • tion AWL / sa 'lekfn / noun
[ noncount ] taking the person or thing you like best The manager is responsible for team selection.
[ count ] a group of people or things that someone has chosen, or a group of things that you can choose from
The store has a good selection of toys.
self / self /noun [ count ] ( pluralselves / selvz / ) a person's own nature or qualities
It's good to see you back to your old self again (= well or
happy again ) .
Prefix
self-
( in nouns and adjectives ) by yourself or itself; for yourself
or itself
self- control
self- service
self - employed
He is self- taught (= he taught himself ) .
self-con • fi • dent / | self kanfadant /
adjective
sure about yourself and what you can do
self-con • fi • dence / |self ' kanfadans / noun
[noncount]
Failing that exam made her lose a lot of self-confidence.
self-con • scious / |self ' kanjas / adjective
worried about what other people think of you
She walked into her new school feeling very self-conscious.
self-con • trol / |self kan' troul /noun [ noncount ]
the ability to control yourself and your emotions
self-de • fense / |self di 'fens / noun [noncount]
the use of force to protect yourself I only hit him in self-defense .
self -em • ployed / |self em' ploid / adjective
working for yourself, not for someone else He's a self-employed electrician.
self -es • teem / |self i 'stim /noun [ noncount ]
a good opinion of your own character and abilities to suffer low self-esteem
self • ish / ' selfif / adjective
thinking too much about what you want and not about what
other people want
I'm sick of your selfish behavior!
self • ish • ly / ' selfifli / adverb He behaved very selfishly.
self • ish • ness / ' selfifnas / noun [ noncount ]
Her selfishness made me very angry.
self-pit • y / |self ' piti /noun [ noncount ]
when you think too much about your own problems and feel sorry for yourself
self-serv • ice / |self ' sarvas / adjective
In a self-service store or restaurant you take what you want and then pay for it The cafe is self-service.
sell w/ sel / verb ( sells , sell int , ;olc / sould / has sold )
to give something to someone who pays you money for it I sold my guitar for $400. He sold me a ticket.
Drugstores usually sell cigarettes. —Look at buy .
sell out ; be sold out to be sold completely so that there are no more left
I went to the store to buy a newspaper, but they had all sold out.
The concert was sold out weeks ago.
sell out of something to sell all that you have of
something
I'm afraid we're sold out of milk.
sell • er / ' selar /noun [ count ] ( BUSINESS )
a person or company that sells something a flower seller
something that is sold in the amount or way mentioned This magazine is a big seller in the 25-40 age group.
— Look at best seller .
se • mes • ter / sa 'mestar /noun [ count ]
one of the two periods that the school or college year is divided into
I'm taking an art history course next semester.
PREFIX
semi-
( in adjectives and nouns ) half or part to be semi retired (= to only work some of the time ) a semi permanent arrangement a semi circle
sem • i • cir • cle / ' semi,ssrkl / noun [ count ]
half a circle
The children sat in a semicircle . — Look at the picture at circle .
sem • i • co • lon / semi,koulsn / noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a mark ( ; ) that you use in
writing to separate parts of a sentence
sem • i • fi • nal / ' semifainl ; ,semi ' fainl /noun [count]
( SPORTS ) one of the two games that are played in a competition to find out who will play in the last part of the competition (the final )
sem • i • nar / ' semsnar / noun [ count ]
a class at a college, etc. in which a small group of students discuss or study a subject with a teacher
sen • ate / ' senst /noun [ count ] the Senate
( POLITICS ) one of the two parts of the government that makes the laws in the U.S. and some other countries
—Look at the House of Representatives .
Word building
The U.S. Government
The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
sen • a • tor / ' senstsr / noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a member of the Senate
send О / send / verb ( sends , send - ing , sent / sent / has sent )
to make something go somewhere, especially a letter or a message; I sent a message to John.
Did you send your parents a postcard?
to make someone go somewhere
My company is sending me to New York.
He was sent to prison for ten years.
send for someone or something to ask for someone
or something to come to you
Send for an ambulance!
send something off to mail something
I'll send off that letter off today.
Sen .ЮГ 1 Ф" / 'sinyor /adjective
having a higher position in an organization a senior officer in the army
connected with the last year of high school or college
Senior ( abbreviationSr. ) a word that is used after the name of a father who has the same name as his son
His father is John Brown, Sr.
—Look at junior .
sen • ior2 / ' sinysr /noun [ count ]
a student in the final year of high school or college He's a senior at Yale.
Look at freshman , junior 2 , sophomore .
another word for senior citizen
Tickets are $10, but only $7 for seniors and students.
sen • ior cit • i • zen / ,sinysr ' sitszn /
( also sen - ior )noun [ count ]
a person who has reached the age when you can stop work
sen • ior • i • ty / ,sin 'yorsti /noun [ noncount ]
the position that you have in a company or organization because of how long you have worked there Promotion is not always based only on seniority.
sen • sa • tion / sen'seijn /noun [ count ]
1 a physical feeling
felt a burning sensation on my skin.
great excitement or interest The movie caused a sensation .
sen • sa • tion • al / sen ' seijn^l /
very exciting or interesting sensational news
very good or beautiful You look sensational tonight!
sense lO / sens/ noun
1 [ noncount , singular ] the ability to feel or understand something
The boy had no sense of right and wrong.
like him — he has a great sense of humor .
[ noncount , singular ] the ability to think carefully about something and to do the right thing
Did anyone have the sense to call the police?
[ count ] ( BIOLOGY ) the power to see, hear, smell, taste, or touch
Dogs have a very good sense of smell .
[ count ] a meaning This word has four senses. make sense
to be possible to understand
What does this sentence mean? It doesn't make sense to me.
sense 2 / sens / verb (sens -es,sens - ing ,sensed )
to understand or feel something I sensed that he was worried.
sen .si .ble О / 'senssbl / adjective
able to think carefully about something and to do the right thing
It wasn't very sensible of you to run away. a sensible answer
—ANTONYM silly ► sen • si • bly / ' senssbli / adverb I hope you'll behave sensibly.
sen .si .tive О / 'sensstiv/ adjective
understanding other people's feelings and being careful about them
He's a very sensitive man. —ANTONYM insensitive
easily becoming worried or unhappy about something, or about things in general
Don't say anything about her hair — she's very sensitive about it.
easily hurt or damaged She has very sensitive skin.
sent form of send
sen .tence 1 © / 'sentns / noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a group of words that tells you something or asks a question. When a sentence is written, it always begins with a capital letter and usually ends with a period
You don't need to write a long letter. A couple of sentences will be enough.
the punishment that a judge gives to someone in a court of law
Twenty years in prison was a very harsh sentence.
sen • tence 2 / ' sentns / verb ( sen - tenc-es,sen tenc- ing ,sen tenced )
to tell someone in a court of law what their punishment will be
The judge sentenced the man to two years in prison.
sen • ti • men • tal / |senta ' mentl /
producing or showing feelings, such as romantic love or happy memories, that are too strong or not appropriate a sentimental love story
I'm so sentimental — I always cry at weddings!
Sep . a . rate 1 © / 'sepret / adjective
away from something; not together or not joined The cup broke into three separate pieces.
In my school, the older children are separate from the younger ones.
different; not the same
We stayed in separate rooms in the same hotel.
sep • a • rate • ly / ' sepratli / adverb Should we pay separately or together?
Sep .a . rate 2 © / 'sepsreit / verb ( sep - a - rates , sep - a - rat - ing , sep a - rat ed )
to stop being together
My parents separated when I was a baby.
—SYNONYM split up
to divide people or things; to keep people or things away from each other
The teacher separated the class into two groups. —SYNONYM split
to be between two things
The river separates the two sides of the city.
sep • a • ra • tion / |sepa ' rei/n / noun [ count, noncount ]
The separation from my family and friends made me very unhappy.
Sep .tem . ber © / sep'tembsr/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationSept. ) the ninth month of the year
se • quel / ' sikwal /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a movie, book, etc. that continues the story of the one before Have you seen the Batman sequel?
se • quenceawl / ' sikwans /noun [ count ]
a number of things that happen or come one after another an extraordinary sequence of events Complete the following sequence: 2, 4, 8...
ser • geant / ' savant /noun [ count ]
an officer in the army or the police
se • ri • al / ' sirial /noun [ count ]
a story that is told in parts on television or in a magazine
se . ries © / 'siriz / noun [ count ] ( pluralse . ries )
1 a number of things of the same kind that come one after another
heard a series of shots, and then silence.
a number of television or radio programs, often on the same subject, that come one after another
The first episode of the new series is on Saturday. a TV series on dinosaurs
( SPORTS ) a number of games that are played one after another by the same two teams
The Yankees won the World Series.
Se .ri .OUS © / 'sirios/ adjective
very bad
That was a serious mistake. They had a serious accident.
important
a serious decision
not funny
a serious play
If you are serious , you are not joking or playing Are you serious about going to live in Vermont? You look very serious. Is something wrong?
► se • ri • ous • ness / ' siriasnas / noun [ noncount ] The boy didn't understand the seriousness of his crime.
se • ri • ous • ly / ' siriasli / adverb
in a serious way She's seriously injured.
You're not seriously expecting me to believe that? Smoking can seriously damage your health. take someone or something seriously
to show that you know someone or something is important Don't take what he says too seriously — he's always joking.
ser • mon / ' sarman /noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a talk that a priest gives in church
ser • vant / ' sarvant /noun
[count]
a person who works in a rich person's house, doing work like cooking and cleaning
serve ©/ sarv / verb ( serve , ;erv ing, served )
to give food or drink to someone Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
to do work for other people During the war he served in the army. it serves you right
words that you use to tell someone that it is right that a bad thing has happened to them
"I feel really sick." "It serves you right for eating so much!"
serv . ice © / 'son-os / noun
[ count ] a business that does useful work for all the people in a country or an area
The company is starting a new delivery service. financial services
[ noncount ] the work that someone does for customers in a store, restaurant, or hotel
The food was good but the service was very slow.
[ count, noncount ] help or work that you do for
someone
She left the company after ten years of service.
[ count ] the time when someone looks at a car or machine to see that it is working well
She takes her car to the garage for a service every six months.
the services [ plural ] the army, navy, and air force
6 [ count ] ( RELIGION ) a meeting in a church with prayers and singing
We went to the evening service.
serv • ice sta • tion / ' sarvas |steifn / noun
[ count ]
a place where you can buy fuel and other things for your car —SYNONYM gas station
ses • sion / ' sejn/ noun [ count ]
a period of time spent doing a particular activity The first computer training session is at nine o'clock.
set 1 © / set / verb ( sets, set ting, set, has set)
to put something somewhere Dad set the plate in front of me.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) to put the action of a play, book, or movie in a particular time and place
The movie is set in Chicago in the 1920s.
to make something happen
They set the school on fire (= made it start to burn ) .
to make something ready to use, or to make something start working
I set my alarm clock for seven o'clock. I set the machine to record my favorite TV program.
to decide what something will be; to fix something Let's set a date for the meeting.
to become hard or solid Wait for the cement to set.
When the sun sets , it goes down from the sky.
—ANTONYM rise
set off ; set out to start a trip We set off for the beach at two o'clock. set the table
to put knives, forks, plates, and other things on the table before you eat
set something up to start something The company was set up in 2001.
set 2 © / set /noun [ cou nt ]
a group of things of the same kind, or a group of things that you use together
a set of six glasses ♦ a tool set
a piece of equipment for receiving electronic signals a TV set
a place where actors perform a play or part of a movie or TV program
Everyone needs to be on the set in five minutes, please.
( SPORTS ) a group of games that form part of a match in tennis or volleyball
He won in straight sets (= without losing a set ) .
set•back / ' setbrek /noun [ count ]
a problem that stops you from making progress
The team suffered a major setback when their best player
was injured.
set • ting / ' setig /noun [ count ]
the place where something is or where something happens
The house is in a beautiful setting on top of a hill.
one of the positions of the controls of a machine What setting should the oven be on?
Set .tie © / 'setl/ verb ( set - tles , set - tling , set tled )
1 to decide something after talking with someone; to end a
discussion or an argument
That's settled then, we'll go on Monday.
Have you settled your argument with Ray?
to go to live in a new place and stay there
The family left Minnesota and finally settled in Iowa.
to come down and rest somewhere The bird settled on a branch.
to pay something
Have you settled your bill ?
settle down
1 to sit down or lie down so that you are comfortable
settled down in front of the television.
to become calm and quiet
The children settled down and went to sleep.
to begin to have a calm life in one place
When are you going to get married and settle down? settle in to start to feel happy in a new place We only moved to this apartment last week, and we haven't settled in yet.
set • tle • ment / ' setlmant / noun [ count ]
an agreement about something after talking or arguing After days of talks, the two sides reached a settlement .
( GEOGRAPHY ) a group of homes in a place where no people have lived before
a settlement in the forest
set • tler / ' setlar /noun [ count ]
( HISTORY ) a person who goes to live in a place where not
many people live
early settlers in Virginia
sev .en © / ¹ sevsn/number 7
sev .en .teen © / ,sev3n'tin/ number 17
sev • en • teenth / |sevan ' tin6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
17th
sev • enth / ' sevan6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ] 1 7th
2 one of seven equal parts of something; 1/7
sev .en .ty © / 'sevsnti/ number
70
the seventies [ plural ] the numbers, years, or temperature between 70 and 79
in your seventies
between the ages of 70 and 79
sev • en • ti • eth / ' sevantia6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
70th
sev .er .al © / sevral / adjective, pronoun
more than two but not many
I've read this book several times.
Several letters arrived this morning.
If you need a pen, there are several on the table.
se • vere / sa ' vir / adjective ( se-ver-er,se - ver est)
not kind or gentle a severe punishment
very bad
She suffers from severe headaches.
We're expecting a severe (= very cold ) winter.
se • vere • ly / sa ' virli / adverb They punished him severely.
She was severely injured in the accident.
sew Ф / sou / verb ( sews , sew ing , sewed ,
has sewed or has sewn / soun / )
PRONUNCIATION
The word sew sounds just like so .
to use a needle and cotton to join pieces of material together or to join something to material He sewed a button on his shirt. Can you sew?
sew • age / ' suid3 /noun [ noncount ]
the waste material from people's bodies that is carried away from their homes in underground pipes
sew • er / ' susr /noun [ count ]
an underground pipe that carries human waste to a place where it can be treated
sew • ing / ' sou₄ /
noun [ noncount ]
the activity of sewing; something that you sew a sewing machine
sewing machine
sewn
form of sew
sex ФWm / seks / ( )
[ count, noncount ] ( BIOLOGY ) the state of being a male or a female
What sex is your dog? the male sex
[ noncount ] when two people put their bodies together, sometimes to make a baby
to have sex
sex • ismAWL / ' seksizsm /noun [ noncount ]
the unfair treatment of people, especially women, because
of their sex; the attitude that causes this
sexism in the workplace
►sex • ist / ' seksist / adjective
a sexist attitude toward women
sex • u • al Ф AWL / ' sekjusl / adjective
connected with sex a campaign for sexual equality sexual organs
►sex • u • al • lyAWL / ' sekjusli / adverb to be sexually active
sex • y / seksi / adjective ( sex - i - er , sex - i - est )
attractive or exciting in a sexual way a sexy guy sexy clothes
sh! ( also shh! ) / J /exclamation
be quiet!
Sh! You'll wake the baby up!
shab • by / Jabi / adjective ( shab bi er , shab - bi est )
old and in bad condition because it has been used a lot This coat's getting a little shabby. ► shab • bi • ly / 'Jabsli /adverb She was shabbily dressed.
shack / Jak /noun [ count ]
a small building that has not been built well
shade 1Ф / je id /
noun
[ noncount ] a place where it is dark and cool because the sun does not shine there
We sat in the shade of a big tree.
[ count ] a thing that keeps strong light from your eyes
I bought a new shade for the lamp.
[ count ] how light or dark a color is
I'm looking for a shirt in a darker shade of green.
shade 2 / Jeid / verb (shades,shad - ing ,shad -ed )
to stop light from shining on something He shaded his eyes with his hand.
shad .OWФ- / 'Jaedoo /noun
[count]
a dark shape that you see near someone or something that
is in front of the light
The dog was chasing its own shadow.
—Look at the picture at shade .
shad • y / Jeidi / adjective ( shad i-er,shad - i est)
not in the sun
We sat in a shady part of the garden.
shake Ф / Jeik / verb ( hakes , shak - ing , shook
/ Juk / has shak . en / 'Jeiksn / )
to move quickly from side to side or up and down; to make something do this
The house shakes when trains go past. He was shaking with fear. Shake the bottle before opening it. An explosion shook the windows.
to disturb or upset someone or something The scandal shook the whole country.
to cause something to be less certain Nothing could shake her belief that she was right.
shake hands
to hold someone's hand and move it up and down when you meet them
shake your head
to move your head from side to side to say "no"
shak • y / Jeiki / adjective ( shak - i -er,shak i - est)
shaking because you are sick or afraid You have shaky hands.
not firm; not strong
That ladder looks a little shaky.
shall / Jal ; Jrel / modal verb
a word that you use in questions when you are asking, offering, or suggesting something
Shall we go now?
( formal ) a word that you use to say that something must happen, or will definitely happen
You shall not steal. Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
shal • low / 'Jrelou / adjective ( shal . low . er , shal . low . est )
not deep; with not much water
This part of the river is shallow — we can walk across.
not interested in serious thought a shallow person
^■ANTONYM deep
shame Ф / Jeim /
[ noncount ] the unhappy feeling that you have when you have done something wrong or stupid
She was filled with shame after she lied to her parents. The adjective is ashamed .
[ singular ] a fact or situation that disappoints you or makes you feel sad
It's a shame you can't come to the party. "Sally's not well." " What a shame! "
^■SYNONYM pity
shame • ful / 'Jeimfl / adjective
that someone should feel bad about a shameful waste of money
shame • less / 'Jeimlas /
doing bad things without caring what other people think It was a shameless attempt to copy someone else's work.
sham • poo / Jrem ' pu /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralsham . poos ) a special liquid for washing your hair a bottle of shampoo ►sham • pooverb
( sham . poos , sham . poo . ing , sham pooed )
How often do you shampoo your hair?
shape О / Jeip /noun
1 [ count, noncount ] what you see if you draw a line around something; the form of something What shape is the table — round or square?
bought a bowl in the shape of a fish.
Circles, squares, and triangles are all different shapes.
[ noncount ] the physical condition of someone or something
He was in bad shape after the accident. I like to keep in shape (= stay in good physical condition ) by exercising every day.
out of shape
(used about a person) not in good physical condition I didn't realize how out of shape I was!
take shape
to start to develop well
parallelogram
Plans for the new building are beginning to take shape.
shapes
rectangle
circle
square triangle
shape 2® / Jeip / verb (shapes,shap . ing ,shaped )
to give a particular shape to something She shaped the clay into a pot.
shaped © / Jeipt / adjective
having a certain shape
He gave me a birthday card shaped like a cat. a heart-shaped box of chocolates
share iO/jw verb
( shares , shar . ing , shared )
to divide something between two or more people Share this candy with your friends.
We shared a large pizza between three of us.
to have or use something with another person I share a bedroom with my sister.
share гФ/jer/ noun
1 [ singular ] a part of something bigger that each person has
Here is your share of the money.
did my share of the work.
[ count ] ( BUSINESS ) one of equal parts which the value of a company is divided into, and which are sold to people who want to own part of the company
She owns shares in the company.
share • hold • er / Jerhouldar / noun
[count]
( BUSINESS ) a person who owns shares in a company
shark / jark /
noun [ count ]
a big fish that lives in the ocean. Sharks have sharp teeth and are often dangerous.
Sharp 1 Ф / Jaip/ adjective (sharp.er,sharp . est)
1 with an edge or point that cuts or makes holes easily a sharp knife a sharp needle
^ANTONYM blunt
clear and easy to see
We could see the sharp outline of the mountains against the sky.
strong and sudden
a sharp bend in the road I felt a sharp pain in my leg.
able to see, hear, or learn well She has a very sharp mind. sharp eyes
sudden and angry sharp words
( symbol # ) ( MUSIC ) half a note higher than a particular musical note
Csharp
—Look atflat 1 ( 3 ).
►sharp • ly / 'Jarpli / adverb The road bends sharply to the left. "Go away!" he said sharply.
sharp 2 / Jarp / adverb
exactly
Be here at six o'clock sharp.
with a big change of direction Turn sharp right at the next corner.
sharp • en / Jarpan / verb (sharp - ens,sharp - en - ing ,sharp -ened )
to make something sharp or sharper They sharpened all the knives.
sharp • en • er / Jarpanar / noun
[ count ]
a thing that you use for making something sharp a pencil sharpener
— Look at the picture at stationery .
shat • ter / Jretar / verb ( shat - ters , shat - ter - ing , shat - tered )
to break into very small pieces; to break something into very small pieces
The glass hit the floor and shattered. The explosion shattered the windows.
to destroy something completely
Her hopes were shattered by the terrible news.
shave / Jeiv/ verb ( shaves , shav ing , shaved )
to cut hair off your face or body by cutting it very close with a special knife (called a razor ) He shaves every morning. ► shavenoun [ count ] I didn't have a shave this morning.
shav • er / Jeivar / noun
[count]
an electric tool that you use for shaving —Look at the picture atrazor .
shawl / Jol / noun
[count]
a big piece of cloth that a woman wears around her shoulders, or that you put around a baby
Sh6 © / fi/ pronoun ( plural they / dei / )
a woman or girl who the sentence is about "Where's your sister?" "She's (= she is ) at work."
shear / Jir / verb ( shears , shear - ing , sheared , has shorn / Jorn / or has sheared )
to cut the wool off a sheep
shears / jirz /
noun [ plural ]
a tool like a very large pair of scissors that you use for cutting plants, flowers, etc. a pair of shears
shed1 / Jed /noun [ count ] a small building where you keep things or animals We keep our tools in the shed.
shed 2 / Jed / verb ( sheds , shed ding , shed , has shed )
to lose something because it falls off The snake shed its skin.
she'd / jid /
short for she had , she would
sheep О / ji_p /
noun [ count ] ( pluralsheep )
an animal that people keep on farms for its meat and its wool
—Look at lamb .
sheer / jir / adjective
used to show the large size, amount, or level of something
sheer nonsense
The first thing you notice is the sheer size of the building.
going down quickly from a high place to a low place It was a sheer drop to the ocean.
sheet О / jit / noun
[count]
1 a big piece of thin material for a bed
put some clean sheets on the bed.
a thin, flat piece of something like paper, glass, or metal a sheet of writing paper
shelf О / jelf /noun [ count ] ( pluralshelves / Jelvz / )
a long, flat piece of wood on a wall or in a cabinet where
things can stand
Put the plates on the shelf .
bookshelves
shell О / jel /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) the hard outside part of birds' eggs, nuts, and some animals
Turtles have a hard shell.
Look at seashell . ,
Look at the picture at crustacean .
a metal container that explodes when it comes out of a large gunshe'll / jil / short forshe will
shell • fish / Jelfif/noun [ count ] ( pluralshell - fish )
a kind of animal that lives in water and that has a shell
shellfish
mussel oyster
shel • ter 1 / 'Jeltar / noun
[ noncount ] protection from bad weather or danger We took shelter from the rain under a tree.
People ran for shelter when the bombs started to fall.
[ count ] a place that protects people or animals from bad weather, danger, etc.
a bus shelter (= for people who are waiting at a bus stop ) shel • ter2 / 'Jeltar /verb ( shel - ters , shel - ter ing , shel - tered )
to make someone or something safe from bad weather or danger
The trees shelter the house from the wind.
to go to a place where you will be safe from bad weather or danger
Let's shelter from the rain under that tree.
shelves
plural of shelf
shep • herd / Jepard /noun [ count ]
a person who takes care of sheep
sher • iff / Jeraf /noun [ count ]
an officer of the law, who is in charge of the police force of a U.S. county
she's / jiz /
short for she is , she has
shield1 / jild /noun [ count ]
a big piece of metal, wood, or leather that soldiers carried in front of their bodies when they were fighting in wars long ago. Some police officers carry shields now.
shield 2 / jild / verb ( shields , shield - ing , shield ed )
to keep someone or something safe from danger or from being hurt
She shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand.
shift1aw / Jift /
( shifts , shift - ing , shift ed )
to move something from one place to another
Can you help me to shift the bed? I want to sweep the floor.
to change the way you think about something Attitudes toward marriage have shifted over the years.
to change the position of gears in a car (= the parts that control how fast the wheels turn )
He shifted into first gear and drove off.
shift2awЦ / Jift /noun [ count ]
1 a change in what people think about something
There has been a shift in public opinion away from the
war.
2 a group of workers who begin work when another group
finishes
the night shift
shin / Jin /noun [ count ]
the bone in the front part of your leg from your knee to your foot
shine © / Jain / verb ( shines , shin - in , ;hone / Joun / or shined , has shone or has shined )
to give out light The sun is shining.
to be bright
I polished the silver until it shone.
to direct a light at someone or something Don't shine your flashlight in my eyes!
Shin .у О / Jaini/ adjective ( shin - i -er, shin i - est)
causing a bright effect when in the sun or in light The new shampoo leaves your hair soft and shiny. He has a shiny new car.
ship 1©/Jip/noun[ count]
a big boat for carrying passengers and goods on the ocean We went to India by ship .
ship 2 / Jip / verb ( ships , ship ping , shipped )
to send or carry goods from one place to another The fruit is shipped from Hawaii by airplane.
ship • ment / Jipmant / noun
[ count ] a quantity of goods that is sent from one place to another
a shipment of grain
[ noncount ] the transportation of goods from one place to another
Is the cargo ready for shipment?
ship • ping / Jipig / noun [ noncount ]
the activity of carrying goods from one place to another Your books are all packed and ready for shipping.
ships in general or considered as a group The port is now open to shipping.
a shipping company
ship • wreck / Jiprek / noun [ count ]
an accident on the ocean when a ship is destroyed in bad weather or on rocks be shipwrecked
to be on a ship when it is in a shipwreck They were shipwrecked off the coast of Maine.
shirt © / jart / noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word shirt sounds like hurt .
a thin piece of clothing that you wear on the top part of your body
Look at the picture at clothes . shiv • er / Jivar / verb ( shiv - ers , shiv - er - ing , shiv - ered )
to shake because you are cold, afraid, or sick We were shivering with cold. ► shiv • ernoun [ count ]
shoal / Joul /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) a large group of fish that feed and swim together
ShOCk 1Ф / Jak/noun
1 [ count ] a very bad surprise
The news of his death came as a shock to all of us.
[ noncount ] ( HEALTH ) a medical condition that makes you very weak, caused by damage to the body
After the accident, two people were taken to the hospital suffering from shock.
[ count ] a sudden pain when electricity goes through your body
Don't touch that wire — you'll get an electric shock .
shock 2 Ф / Jak / verb ( shocks,shock - ing ,shocked )
to give someone a very bad surprise; to upset someone I was shocked by his behavior. ► shock • ing / Jakig /adjective
a shocking crime
shocked / Jakt / adjective
feeling surprised in a bad way, and upset or angry Don't look so shocked — I did warn you!
shoe О / Ju /noun [ count ]
a covering made of leather or plastic that you wear on your foot
a pair of shoes
What size shoes do you take?
a shoe store
sneakers
shoe
slippers
boot
shoes
sandal
shoes
shoe • lace / Juleis / ( also lace / leis / )noun [count]
a long, thin piece of material like string that you tie to close a shoe
Tie your shoelaces.
shone
form of shine
shook
form of shake
ShOOt l©/Jut/ verb ( shoots , shoot - ing , shot / Jat / has shot )
to fire a gun or another weapon; to hurt or kill a person or an animal with a gun
She shot a bird.
The police officer was shot in the arm.
to move quickly or suddenly
The car shot past us at 75 miles per hour.
to make a movie
They're shooting a movie about the war.
( SPORTS ) (in some sports) to throw, hit, or kick a ball toward or into the area where you score points
He shot the ball right past me. shoot up to increase very quickly Prices have shot up in the past year.
shoot2 / Jut /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) a new part of a plant The first shoots appear in spring.
—Look at the picture at plant . shoot • ing / Jutig / noun [ count ]
a situation in which someone is shot with a gun Two people were injured in the shooting.
Shop 1 Ф / Jap / verb (shops,shop - ping ,shopped )
to go to buy things from stores I'm shopping for some new clothes.
—Look at shopper , shopping .
shop around to look at the price and quality of an item in different stores before you decide where to buy it We shopped around for the best deal on a new car.
shop2 / Jap /noun [ count ]
a small store which usually sells only one type of product a gift shop
a place where things are made or repaired Our car will be in the shop until Friday.
shop • lift • ing / Japliftig / noun [ noncount ]
the crime of stealing things from stores He was accused of shoplifting. ► shop • lift • er / Japliftsr / noun [ count ] Shoplifters will be prosecuted.
shop • per / Japsr /noun [ count ]
The streets were full of shoppers.
shop . ping Ф / Japii] /noun [ noncount ]
1 buying things from stores She does her shopping after work.
usually go shopping on the weekend.
the things that you have bought in a store Will you carry my shopping for me? Collocations
Shopping shopping go/go out shopping/grocery shopping go to the grocery store/the drug store/the mall at the store try on clothes/shoes stand in/wait in the checkout line buying accept/take credit cards pay in cash/by check/by (credit) card ask for/get a receipt/a refund/a discount return/exchange an item/a product
shop • ping cen • ter / 'Japig |sentar / noun
[count]
a place where there are many stores, either outside or in a covered building
shop • ping mall / 'Japig mol / noun [ count ] = mall
shore / Jor /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) the land next to the ocean or a lake The swimmer kept close to the shore.
shorn
form of shear
short © / Jort / adjective ( short .er , short .est )
a small distance from one end to the other Her hair is very short.
We live a short distance from the beach.
-ANTONYM long
less tall than most people
I'm too short to reach the top shelf. a short, fat man
-ANTONYM tall
lasting for only a little time The play was very short.
a short vacation
-ANTONYM long
be short for something
to be a short way of saying or writing something "Tom" is short for "Thomas." be short of something
to not have enough of something I'm short of money this month. for short
as a short way of saying or writing something
My name's Jennifer, but everyone calls me "Jen" for short.
short • age / jortid3 /noun [ count ]
a situation where there is not enough of something a water shortage
There is a shortage of good teachers.
short cir • cuit / Jort ' sarkat / noun [ count ]
( PHYSICS ) a bad electrical connection that causes a machine to stop working
short • cut / 'JortkAt /noun [ count ]
a shorter way to get somewhere or to do something We took a shortcut to school across the field.
short • en / 'Jortn / verb ( short ens , short . en ing , short . ened )
to become shorter or to make something shorter The pants were too long, so I shortened them.
short • ly / 'Jortli /adverb soon
The doctor will see you shortly, Mr. Smith. We left shortly after six o'clock.
shorts / Jorts /noun [ plural ]
short pants that end above your knees a pair of shorts
-Look at the picture at clothes .
a piece of loose clothing that men wear under their pants
short sto • ry / Jort ' stori /noun [ count ] ( pluralshort sto . ries )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a piece of writing that is shorter than a novel
short-term / Jort ' tarm /adjective
of or for a short period of time What are your short-term plans?
-^ANTONYM long-term shot 1 form of shoot 1
ShOt 2©/Jat/noun [count ]
the action of firing a gun, or the noise that this makes He fired a shot.
( SPORTS ) the action of throwing, hitting, or kicking a ball in certain sports
He took a shot at the basket.
a photograph
This is a good shot of you.
( HEALTH ) the act of putting a drug into your body using a needle
a flu shot
shot • gun / 'JatgAn /noun [ count ]
a long gun that is used for shooting small animals and birds
should © / Jbd ; Jud / modal verb Pronunciation
The word should sounds like good , because we don't say the letter l in this word.
a word that you use to give or ask someone for advice You should try that new restaurant.
Should I invite him to the party?
a word that you use to tell or ask someone what is the right thing to do
If you feel sick, you should stay in bed.
You shouldn't eat so much chocolate.
I'm tired. I shouldn't have gone to bed so late.
-SYNONYM ought to
a word that you use to say what you think will happen or what you think is true
They should be here soon. Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
shoul .der © / 'Jouldar / noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word shoulder sounds like older .
the part of your body between your neck and your arm
- Look at the picture at body .
a narrow part along the side of a road where cars can stop
The car was making a strange noise, so we drove onto the shoulder.
shoul • der bag / 'Jouldar Ьжд /noun [ count ]
a type of bag that you carry over one shoulder with a long, narrow piece of cloth or leather
shoul • der blade / 'Jouldar bleid / count ]
( BIOLOGY ) one of the two large, flat bones on each side of your back
shoul • der-length / Jouldar le₄e / adjective
(used about hair) long enough to reach your shoulders
should • n't / judnt /
short for should not
should've / judav /
short for should have
shout О / jaut / verb ( shouts,shout - ing ,shout -ed )
to speak very loudly Don't shout at me! "Go back!" she shouted.
He shouted out instructions to everyone on the team. ►shoutnoun [ count ]
We heard a shout for help.
shove / Jav / verb ( shoves , shov ing , shoved )
to push someone or something in a rough way They shoved him through the door. ► shovenoun [ usually singular ] She gave the door a shove with her shoulder.
shov . el i / м / shovel
noun [ count ] a tool that you use for picking up and moving earth, sand, or snow
shov • el 2 verb
( shov els , shov - el ing , shov - eled )
to move something with a shovel We shoveled the snow off the path.
show 1 SB / Jou / verb ( shows , show ing , showed , has shown / Joun / or has showed )
to let someone see something She showed me her family photos.
You have to show your ticket on the train.
They're showing that movie at a theater near my house.
to make something clear; to explain something to someone
Can you show me how to use the computer? Research shows that most people get too little exercise.
to appear or be seen
The anger showed in his face.
to lead someone to a place Let me show you to your room.
show someone around to go with someone and show
them everything in a building
David showed me around the school.
show off to talk loudly or do something silly to make
people notice you
Joyce was showing off by driving too fast.
show something off to let people see something that is
new or beautiful
James wanted to show off his new jacket.
show up ( informal )
to arrive
What time did they show up?
show 2 Ф / Jou /noun [ count ]
something that you watch at the theater or on television a comedy show
Did you enjoy the show?
a group of things in one place that people go to see a flower show
The paintings are on show at the Museum of Art until May.
show busi • ness / Jou |biznas / noun
[noncount]
the business of entertaining people in the theater, in movies, on television, etc. He wants a career in show business .
show • er / Jauar / verb ( show - ers , show er - ing , show ered )
to wash yourself under a shower
After my run, I showered and went back to work.
to cover someone or something with a lot of small falling objects
Ash from the volcano showered down on the town.
show .er 1 Ф / Jaoor/ noun [ count ]
a place where you can wash by standing under water that falls from above you
There's a shower in the bathroom.
the act of washing yourself in a shower I took a shower after the tennis match.
rain that falls for a short time
The day will be cloudy, with occasional heavy showers.
a party where people give presents to a woman who is going to get married or have a baby
I'm going to my friend's baby shower next week.
shown form of show 1 shrank form of shrink shred / Jred/ noun [ count ]
a small, thin piece of material that has been cut or torn off shreds of paper
shrewd / jrud / adjective ( shrewd - er , shrewd est )
able to make good decisions because you understand
people or situations well
She's a very shrewd businesswoman.
shriek / jrik / verb ( shrieks , shriek - ing , shrieked )
to make a loud, high sound
She shrieked with fear (= because she was afraid ) . ► shrieknoun [ count ]
He gave a shriek of pain.
shrill / Jril /adjective ( shrill er , shrill - est ) A shrill sound is high and loud a shrill whistle
shrimp / Jrimp /noun
[count]
a small animal with a soft shell and a lot of legs that lives in the ocean. It turns pink when you cook it.
shrine / Jrain /noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a special place that is important to people for religious reasons
shrink / Jrigk / verb ( shrinks , shrink - ing , shrank / Jrregk / or shrunk / JrAgk / has shrunk )
to become smaller or to make something smaller My jeans shrank when I washed them.
shriv • el / jrivl / verb ( shriv els, shriv el - ing , shriv - eled )
to become smaller, especially because of dry conditions The plants shriveled up and died in the hot weather.
shrub / JrAb /noun [ count ]
a plant like a small low tree
shrug / JrAg / verb ( shrugs , shrug ging , shrugged )
to move your shoulders to show that you do not know or do not care about something
I asked her where Sam was, but she just shrugged.
shrug noun [ count ]
He answered my question with a shrug.
shrunk
form of shrink shud • der / 'JAdar /
( shud - ders , shud - der - ing , shud - dered )
to shake because you are cold or afraid, or because of a strong feeling
He shuddered when he saw the snake.
shud • der noun [ count ]
shuf • fle / 'J^Afi /
( shuf - fles , shuf - fling , shuf - fled )
to walk slowly, without taking your feet off the ground The old man shuffled along the road.
to mix playing cards before a game
She shuffled the cards carefully before dealing them.
Shut 1© / jAt/ verb ( shuts , shut ting , shut , has shut )
to move, or to move something, so that it is not open Could you shut the door, please? The door shut behind me.
—SYNONYM close
shut down to close and stop working; to make something close and stop working The factory shut down last year.
—SYNONYM close down
shut something off to stop a supply of electricity, water, or gas
They shut off the gas to our building while they repaired the leak.
shut up ( informal )
words you use to tell someone to be quiet in a rude way Shut up and listen!
shut 2 / jAt / adjective
not open
Is the door shut?
—SYNONYM closed
shut • ter / 'jAtar /noun [ count ]
a wooden or metal thing that covers the outside of a window
Close the shutters at night.
shut • tle / 'jAt_l /noun [ count ]
an airplane, a bus, or a train that travels regularly between two places
= space shuttle
shy © / Jai / adjective ( shy er , shy est )
not able to talk easily to people you do not know He was too shy to speak to her. a shy smile ► shy • ness / 'Jainas /noun [ noncount ]
As a child, she suffered from terrible shyness.
sib • ling / ' siblig /noun [ count ] ( formal )
a brother or a sister Do you have any siblings?
sick © / sik /adjective ( sick - er , sick est ) ( HEALTH ) not well She's taking care of her sick mother. Joe's been out sick (= away because of illness ) all week. Collocations Illness getting sick catch a cold/the flu/a virus/a bug get sick/a cold/a headache have a cold/an infection/a fever/a toothache feel sick/hot/dizzy treatment examine a patient be on medication/antibiotics get/have a shot/an injection/an X-ray need/receive/get treatment Look at the note atinjury . be sick
When you are sick , food comes up from your stomach and
out of your mouth
He was sick twice during the night.
—SYNONYM vomit
be sick of something
to have had or done too much of something, so that you do
not want it any longer
I'm sick of watching TV — let's go out.
feel sick
to feel that food is going to come up from your stomach sick • ness / ' siknas /noun [noncount]
( HEALTH ) being or feeling sick
He could not work for a long time because of sickness.
side © / said /noun [ count ]
one of the flat outside parts of something A box has six sides.
the part of something that is not the front, back, top, or bottom
There is a door at the side of the house. There's a scratch on the side of my car.
the part of something that is near the edge and away from the middle
I stood at the side of the road.
the right or left part of something He lay on his side .
You will see the restaurant on the left side of the street.
one of two groups of people who fight, argue, or play a game against each other
I thought you were on my side (= agreed with me ) .
Which side won the debate?
side by side
next to each other
They walked side by side.
take sides
to show that you agree with one person, and not the other, in a fight or an argument
side • burns / ' saidbarns /noun [ plural ]
hair that grows down the sides of a man's face, in front of his ears
side ef • fect / ' said i,fekt /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) an extra and usually bad effect that a drug has on
you, as well as its useful effects
Side effects of the drug may include headaches.
side • walk / ' saidwok /noun [ count ]
the part at the side of a road where people can walk The kids rode their bikes on the sidewalk.
side • ways / ' saidweiz / adjective, adverb
to or from the side
She looked sideways at the girl next to her.
with one of the sides first
We carried the table sideways through the door.
siege / sid3 /noun [ count ]
a situation when an army stays outside a town, or police stay outside a building for a long time so that no one can get in or out
si • es • ta / si 'ests /noun [ count ]
a short sleep or rest that people take in the afternoon, especially in hot countries to have a siesta
sieve / siv /noun [ count ]
a type of kitchen tool that you use to remove lumps from
food such as flour or soup
Look at the picture at kitchen .
sigh / sai / verb ( sighs , sigh - ing , sighed )
to let out a deep breath, for example because you are sad, tired, or pleased sighnoun [ count ]
"I wish I had more money," he said with a sigh.
sight Ф / salt / noun
[ noncount ] the ability to see
She has poor sight (= she cannot see well ) .
—SYNONYM eyesight
[ noncount ] seeing someone or something We had our first sight of the city from the plane.
[ count ] something that you see The mountains were a beautiful sight.
sights [ plural ] the interesting places, especially in a city or town, that are often visited by tourists
When you come to St. Louis, I'll show you the sights .
[ noncount ] a position where you can see someone or something
We watched until they were out of sight (= until we could not see them ) .
Eventually the town came into sight (= we could see it ) . at first sight
when you see someone or something for the first time
He fell in love with her at first sight.
catch sight of someone or something
to see someone or something suddenly
I caught sight of Faye in the crowd.
lose sight of someone or something
to no longer be able to see someone or something
After sailing for an hour we lost sight of land.
sight • see • ing / ' saitsiig / noun [ noncount ]
the activity of visiting interesting buildings and places as a tourist
to go sightseeing
Did you have a chance to do any sightseeing ? ► sight • se • er / ' saitsisr / noun [ count ] The city was full of sightseers. —SYNONYM tourist
Sign 1 Ф / sam /
noun [ count ]
a thing with writing or a picture on it that tells you something The sign said "No Smoking." a road sign
something that tells you that something exists, is happening, or may happen in the future Dark clouds are a sign of rain.
a mark, shape, or movement that has a special meaning In mathematics, a cross is a plus sign.
I put up my hand as a sign for him to stop.
Sign 2 Ф/ sain / verb ( signs , sign ing , signed )
to write your name in your own way on something Sign here, please. I signed the check. The noun is signature .
sig .nal © / ' signsl/noun [ count ]
a light, sound, or movement that tells you something without words
A red light is a signal for cars to stop.
an electrical wave that carries a sound, a picture, or a
message
I can't get a signal on my cell phone. ► sig • nalverb ( sig nals, sig - nal ing, sig - naled )
The police officer signaled to the children to cross the road.
sig • na • ture / ' signstjsr / noun [ count ]
your name as you usually write it, for example at the end of a letter The verb is sign .
sig • nif • i • cance AWB / sig' nifsksns / noun
[ noncount ]
the importance or meaning of something What is the significance of this discovery?
sig • nif • i • cant |awl| / sig 'nifsksnt /
adjective
important or large enough to be noticed
a significant increase in the number of accidents
having a particular meaning
It is significant that he changed his will just before he died.
sign lan • guage / ' sain ,l®ggwid3 / noun
[noncount]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a language that uses movements of the hands. It is used especially by people who cannot hear.
sign • post / ' sainpoust /noun [ count ]
a sign beside a road that shows the way to a place and how far it is
Sikh / sik /noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a person who follows one of the religions of India (called Sikhism ) Sikhadjective
si .IenceО / sailsns /noun 1 [ noncount ] a situation in which there is no sound
can only work in complete silence .
[ count, noncount ] a time when no one speaks or makes a noise
SAN DIEGO 235 miles
There was a long silence before she answered the question. We ate our dinner in silence .
si • lent / ' sailant / adjective
with no sound; completely quiet Everyone was asleep, and the house was silent.
If you are silent , you are not speaking
I asked him a question and he was silent for a moment before he answered. ► si • lent • ly / ' sailantli / adverb The cat moved silently toward the bird.
sil • hou • ette / isiiu' et / noun [ count ]
the dark shape of something that you can see against a light surface
the silhouette of buildings against the sky
sil • i • con / ' silikan ; ' silikan /noun [ noncount ]
( symbol Si )
( CHEMISTRY ) a chemical substance that is used for making computer parts and glass
silk / silk /noun [ noncount ]
a soft, smooth cloth made from a substance that an insect (called a silkworm ) makes This scarf is made of silk. a silk shirt
silk • y / ' silki / adjective ( silk i .er , silk . i .est )
soft, smooth, and shiny like silk silky hair
sill / sil /noun [ count ]
a narrow shelf at the bottom of a window
sill / sil /noun [ count ]
a narrow shelf at the bottom of a window
sil .ver l© / silvor/noun [ noncount ]
( symbolAg ) ( CHEMISTRY ) a shiny gray metal that is valuable
a silver necklace
things that are made of silver, for example knives, forks, and dishes
The thieves stole some valuable silver.
sil • ver 2 / ' silvar / adjective
with the color of silver; Our new car is silver.
sil • ver • ware / ' silvarwer / noun [ noncount ]
forks, knives, and spoons that are made of silver or some other metal
sim i .lar О Г / ' simalar /
the same in some ways but not completely the same Rats are similar to mice, but they are bigger. Jane and her sister look very similar.
sim • i • lar • i • ty aw fl ЯЯшПЯГэПлИкШга
[ count ] ( plural sim .i .lar . i . ties )
a way that people or things are the same
There are a lot of similarities between the two countries.
-ANTONYM difference
sim • il • e / ' simali /noun [ count, noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a word or phrase that compares one thing with something else, using the words "like" or "as"
"As white as snow" and "a face like a mask" are similes. —Look at metaphor .
sim • mer / ' simar / verb ( sim . mers , sim . mer . ing , sim . mered )
to cook gently in water that is almost boiling Simmer the vegetables for ten minutes.
sim .ple © / simpl / adjective ( sim . pler , sim . plest )
easy to do or understand
This dictionary is written in simple English. "How do you open this?" "I'll show you — it's simple."
—ANTONYM difficult
without a lot of different parts or extra things She wore a simple black dress.
a simple meal
-SYNONYM plain
sim • plic • i • ty / sim' plisati /noun [ noncount ] the quality of being simple I like the simplicity of these paintings.
sim • pli • fy / ' simplafai / verb ( sim . pli . fies , sim pli fy . ing , sim . pli . fied , has sim pli . fied )
to make something easier to do or understand
The story has been simplified so that the children can
understand it.
sim • ply / ' simpli /adverb
a word that you use when you want to show how easy or basic something is
Simply add water and stir. — SYNONYM just
in a simple way
Please explain it more simply.
really
The weather was simply terrible — it rained every day!
sim • u • late AWL / ' simyaleit / verb ( sim . u . lates , sim . u . lat . ing , sim . u . lat . ed )
to create the effect or appearance of something else
The astronauts trained in a machine that simulates
conditions in space.
sim • u • la • tion AWL / simya 'leijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a computer simulation of a nuclear attack
si • mul • ta • ne • ous / _rsaiml.'teinias /
adjective
happening at exactly the same time
The city was hit by three simultaneous explosions.
si • mul • ta • ne • ous • ly / isaimb teiniasli / adverb "I'm sorry!" they said simultaneously.
sin / sin /noun [ count, noncount ]
( RELIGION ) something that your religion says you should not do, because it is very bad Stealing is a sin.
sin verb ( sins , sin . ning , sinned )
He knew that he had sinned.
since О/ sins / adverb, preposition, conjunction
1 from a time in the past until a later time in the past or until now
He's been sick since Sunday. I haven't seen him since 2007. She's lived here since she was a child. George went to Alaska in 1994 and has lived there ever since (= in all the time from then until now ) . Andy left three years ago and we haven't seen him since. Which word? For or since? We use for to say how long something has continued, for example in hours , days , or years : She's been sick for three days. ♦ I've lived in this house for ten months. ♦ We have been married for ten years.
We use since with points of time in the past, for example a time on the clock, a date , or an event : I've been here since six o'clock. ♦ She has been alone since her husband died. ♦ We've been married since 1996.
because
Since it's your birthday, I'll buy you a coffee. —SYNONYM as
at a time after another time in the past
They got married five years ago and have since had three children.
sin • cere / sin ' sir / adjective
being honest and meaning what you say
Were you being sincere when you said that you loved me?
—ANTONYM insincere
sin • cere • ly / sin ' sirli / adverb
1 in a sincere way
am sincerely grateful to you.
Sincerely a word that you write at the end of a formal letter, before your name
sing © / sir) /verb
( sings , sing ing , sang / / has sung / sAg / )
( MUSIC ) to make music with your voice She sang a song. ♦ The birds were singing.
sing .er© /'эщэг/noun[count]
( MUSIC ) a person who sings, or whose job is singing, especially in public an opera singer
sin .gle 1© / 'sirjgl/ adjective
only one; He gave her a single red rose.
a word that makes "every" stronger
You answered every single question correctly.
not married; Are you married or single?
for one person; I would like a single room, please. a single bed —Look at double 1 ( 3 ).
sin • gle2 / ' siggl /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) one song, which you can buy on a CD, or from the Internet, etc.
Have you heard the band's new single? — Look at album ( 1 ).
a piece of paper money that is worth one dollar
sin • gle par • ent / |siggl ' perant /
[count]
a person who takes care of their child or children alone, without help from the other parent
sin • gu • lar / 'siggyalar /noun [ noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a word that you use
for one person or thing
The singular of "men" is "man."
►sin • gu • lar adjective
"Table" is a singular noun. —Look at plural .
sin • is • ter / ' sinastar / adjective
making you feel that something bad will happen a sinister atmosphere
sink 1 чР / sirjk/ verb ( sinks , sink ing , sank
/ sregk / has sunk / sAgk / )
1 to go down under water
If you throw a stone into water, it sinks.
The fishing boat sank to the bottom of the ocean.
—Look at float ( 1 ).
to make a ship go down under water The ship was sunk by a torpedo.
to go down
The sun sank slowly behind the hills.
sink 2 / sir)к /
noun [ count ]
a large container in a kitchen where you wash dishes, or in a bathroom where you wash your hands and face
sip / sip / verb ( sips , sip - ping , sipped )
to drink something slowly, taking only a little each time
She sipped her coffee.
►sipnoun [ count ]
Can I have a sip of your lemonade?
sir © / sar /noun [ singular ]
a polite way of speaking to a man, instead of using his name
"Can I help you, sir?" asked the salesclerk. —Look at ma'am .
Sir a word that you use at the beginning of a formal letter to a man
Dear Sir...—Look atmadam ( 2 ). si • ren / ' sairan /noun [ count ]
a machine that makes a long, loud sound to warn people about something. Police cars and fire engines have sirens .
sis .ter © / 'sistsr/noun [count ]
1 a girl or woman who has the same parents as you
have two sisters and one brother. Jane and Anne are sisters.
Sister ( RELIGION ) a female member of a religious group —SYNONYM nun
sis • ter-in-law / 'sistar in io /noun [ count ]
( plural sis - ters-in-law )
the sister of your wife or husband
the wife of your brother
Sit ©/ sit / verb (sits, sit ting, sat / saet/ has sat)
to rest your weight on your bottom, for example in a chair
We sat in the garden all afternoon.
Come and sit next to me. ♦ She was sitting on the sofa.
to be in a particular place or position The letter sat on the table for two days.
sit down to move your body downward so you are sitting She came into the room and sat down. sit up to sit when you have been lying He sat up in bed and looked at the clock.
sit • com / ' sitkam /noun [ count, noncount ] a funny program on television that shows the same people in a different situation each week. Sitcom is short for "situation comedy."
siteAWL| / sait /noun [ count ]
1 a place where a building is, was, or will be a building site
This house was built on the site of an old theater.
a place where something happened the site of a famous battle
( COMPUTERS ) a place on the Internet that you can look at to find out information about something
—SYNONYM website
sit • u • at • ed / ' sitfueitad / adjective
in a place
The hotel is situated close to the beach. sit .U .a .tion © / ^itju'eijh/ noun [ count ]
the things that are happening in a particular place or at a particular time
We are in a difficult situation at the moment. sit-up / ' sit Ap / noun [ count ]
an exercise for the stomach muscles in which you lie on your back, then lift the top half of your body from the floor To keep fit, she does twenty sit-ups every morning.
Six © / siks /number ( plural six e« ) 6
six .teen © / sikstin / number16
six • teenth / sik ' stin6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
16th
one of sixteen equal parts of something; 1/16
sixth / siks6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun
[count] 1 6th
2 one of six equal parts of something; Уб Six .ty © / siksti/number 1 60
2the sixties [ plural ] the numbers, years, or temperatures between 60 and 69
in your sixties
between the ages of 60 and 69 My mom's in her sixties.
six • ti • eth / ' sikstia6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
60th
size © / saiz / noun
[ noncount ] how big or small something is My bedroom is the same size as yours.
[ count ] an exact measurement
Do you have these shoes in a bigger size ?
siz • zle / ' sizl / verb ( siz - zles , siz - zling , siz zled )
to make the sound of food frying in hot fat The bacon was sizzling in the pan.
skate 1 / skeit / verb ( skates , skat - ing , skat - ed )
( SPORTS ) to move over ice or the ground wearing skates Can you skate?
They skated across the frozen lake. — Look at ice skate , roller skate .
skat • ing / ' skeitig /noun [ noncount ]
We go skating every weekend.
skate 2 / skeit /noun
[count]
a boot with a long sharp piece of metal under it, which you wear for moving on ice
a boot with wheels on the bottom, which you wear for moving quickly on smooth ground
ice skates in-line skates
skate .board
/ ' skeitbord /noun [count]
a long piece of wood or plastic on wheels. You stand on it as it
moves over the ground.
► skate • board • ing / ' skeitbordig / noun [noncount]
Dave goes skateboarding every weekend.
skat • ing rink / ' skeitig rigk / ( also rink )noun
[count]
a special place where you can skate on ice
a special place where you can roller skate (= move around in boots with small wheels on the bottom )
skel . e . ton / 'skebtn / noun [ count ] skeleton
„ skull
spine
the bones of a whole animal or person
skep • ti • cal / ' skeptikl / adjective
having doubts that something is true or that something will happen
skates
roller skates
I am skeptical about his chances of winning.
sketch / sketj / noun [ count ] (plural sketch - es)
( ART ) a picture that you draw quickly
The artist is making sketches for his next painting.
sketch verb ( sketch - es , sketch - ing , sketched )
He quickly sketched the view from the window.
ski / ski /noun
[count] ( pluralskis ) ( SPORTS ) one of a pair of long flat pieces of wood, metal, or plastic that you attach to boots so that you can move over snow a pair of skis
ski verb ( skis , ski - ing , skied , has skied ) Can you ski?
We went skiing in Colorado. ►ski • er / ' skisr / noun [ count ]
Marie's a good skier.
skid / skid / verb ( skids , skid - ding , skid - ded )
If a vehicle such as a car or truck skids , it moves suddenly and in a dangerous way to the side, for example because the road is wet
The truck skidded on the icy road.
skies
plural of sky
SkillФ /skil/noun
[ noncount ] the ability to do something well Flying a plane takes great skill.
[ count ] a thing that you can do well What skills do you need for this job?
skilled / skild / adjective
good at something because you have learned about or done it for a long time skilled workers
skil • let / ' skilst/noun [ count ] another word forfrying pan skill • ful / ' skilfl /adjective
very good at doing something a very skillful tennis player
skill • ful • ly / ' skilfsli / adverb
He chopped the vegetables quickly and skillfully.
skim / skim / verb ( skims , skim ming , skimmed )
to remove something from the surface of a liquid to skim the fat off the gravy
to read something quickly in order to get the main idea Skim the text and answer the questions below.
skim milk / ,skim milk /noun [noncount]
milk that contains less fat than normal because the cream has been removed from it
SkinФ /skm/noun
[ count ]
1 the substance that covers the outside of a person or an animal's body She has dark skin. animal skins
Collocations Physical Appearance face
blue/green/brown eyes pale/flushed/rosy cheeks white/perfect/crooked teeth a long/short/neat beard hair and skin pale/fair/dark skin smooth/wrinkled skin straight/curly/wavy hair a bald/shaved head 2 the outside part of some fruits and vegetables a banana skin
skin • ny / skini / adjective ( skin - ni er , skin - ni - est )
too thin
He's so skinny — he doesn't eat enough. Thesaurus
thin is a general word to describe a person who is not fat. It can be used with a positive, negative, or neutral meaning: He's tall and thin. ♦ She has long, thin legs. ♦ You need to eat more. You're too thin! ♦ She was looking pale and thin. —ANTONYM fat
slim is a positive word, meaning thin in an attractive way. It is often used to describe women: How do you manage to stay so slim? ♦ He put his arm around her slim waist.
skinny is a more informal word meaning very thin. It can be used with a negative meaning to describe someone who is too thin: a skinny movie star ♦ He was such a skinny kid. ♦ skinny legs/arms lean is a positive word, and means thin and healthy. It is often used to describe men: He had a lean, muscular body. ♦ He's tall, lean, and handsome. underweight describes a person who weighs less than the normal or expected amount. It is used by doctors or health professionals: She's dangerously underweight.
—ANTONYM overweight
skip / skip / verb ( skips , skip - ping , skipped )
to move along quickly with little jumps from one foot to the other
The children were skipping along the road.
to not do or have something that you should do or have I skipped my class today and went swimming.
► skip noun [ count ]
She gave a skip and a jump and was off down the street.
skirt Ф / sksrt /noun [count]
PRONUNCIATION
The word skirt sounds like hurt .
a piece of clothing for a woman or girl that hangs from the middle of the body (the waist ) and covers part of the legs
Look at the picture at clothes .
ski slope / ' ski sloup /noun
[count]
a part of a mountain where you can ski
skull / sk\l /noun [ count ]
the bones in the head of a person or an animal
Look at the picture at skeleton .
sky © / skai /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralskies )
the space above the earth where you can see the sun, moon, and stars
a beautiful blue sky
There are no clouds in the sky.
sky .div .ing skydiving
/ 'skai^laivii] /noun [noncount]
( SPORTS ) a sport in which you jump from an airplane and fall through the sky before you open your parachute (= a large piece of cloth that lets you fall to the ground slowly )
sky • line / ' skailain/noun [ count ]
the shape that is made by tall buildings, trees, hills, etc.
against the sky
the Manhattan skyline
sky .scrap .er skyscraper
/ ' skaiskreipar / noun [ count ] a very tall building He works on the 49th floor of a skyscraper.
slab / steb /noun [ count ]
a thick, flat piece of something stone slabs ♦ a big slab of cheese Thesaurus
piece an amount of something that has been cut or separated from the rest of it. This is a very general word and can be used with most noncount nouns: She wrote her address on a piece of paper. ♦ He cut the pizza into small pieces. ♦ a piece of fruit ♦ a piece of advice
slice a thin, flat piece of food that has been cut off a larger piece: Would you like another slice of cake? ♦ Cut the meat into thin slices. ♦ a slice of lemon/tomato ♦ cheese slices
chunk a thick, solid piece that has been cut or broken off something: There were chunks of ice floating in the lake. ♦ a great big chunk of meat ♦ a chunk of cheese/bread
lump a piece of something hard or solid, especially one without any particular shape: This sauce has lumps in it. ♦ a few lumps of coal ♦ a big lump of dough slab a thick, flat piece of stone, ice, or food: a huge slab of concrete ♦ paving slabs
slack / stek / adjective
loose
Suddenly the rope went slack. —ANTONYM tight
not busy
Business has been very slack.
slacks / steks /noun [ plural ]
pants, especially not very formal or informal ones He wore a pair of slacks and a sweater.
slam / slrem /verb
( slams , slam ming , slammed )
to close something or put something down with a loud noise
She slammed the door angrily.
He slammed the book on the table and went out.
slang / steg /noun [ noncount ]
very informal words that people use when they are talking. You do not use slang when you need to be polite, and you do not usually use it in writing.
slant / stent / verb ( slants, slant - ing, slant - ed )
Something that slants has one side higher than the other or does not stand straight up My handwriting slants to the left.
slantnoun [ singular ]
Cut the flower stems on the slant.
slap / step / verb ( slaps , slap - ping , slapped )
to hit someone with the flat, inside part of your hand He slapped me on the face.
slap noun [ count ]
She gave me a slap across the face.
slash / stej /noun [ count ] ( pluralslash - es )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a mark ( / ) that you use in writing. It shows different possibilities, for example "lunch and/or dinner," and also to write fractions , for example 3/4.
slaugh • ter / ' siotar / verb
( slaugh ters , slaugh - ter - ing , slaugh - tered )
to kill an animal for food
to kill a lot of people in a cruel way
slaugh • ter noun [ noncount ]
We must act to stop this slaughter.
slave1 / sleiv/noun [ count ]
a person who belongs to another person and must work for that person for no money
slave 2 / sleiv / verb ( slaves , slav - ing , slaved )
to work very hard
I've been slaving away all day.
slav • er • y / ' sleivari /noun [ noncount ] ( HISTORY ) the system of having slaves When did slavery end in America?
sled / sled /noun [ count ]
a small vehicle with pieces of metal or wood instead of wheels, which you sit in to move over snow
— Look at sleigh .
sleep 1© / slip / verb
( sleeps , sleep - ing , slept / slept / has slept )
to rest with your eyes closed, as you do at night I sleep for eight hours every night. Did you sleep well? Which word? Asleep or sleeping? You use sleeping , not asleep , before a noun: She put the sleeping child in his crib.
We use fall asleep or go to sleep to talk about starting to sleep: Laura fell asleep as soon as she got into bed. ♦ Tom read for half an hour before he went to sleep.
sleep ovei to sleep at someone else's house
sleep 2©/slip /noun
1 [ noncount ] the natural condition of rest when your eyes are closed and your mind and body are not active or conscious
didn't get any sleep last night.
[ singular ] a period of sleep
I sometimes have a short sleep in the afternoon. go to sleep
to start to sleep
I got into bed and soon went to sleep. —SYNONYM fall asleep Which word? Asleep or sleeping?
You use sleeping , not asleep , before a noun: She put the sleeping child in his crib.
We use fall asleep or go to sleep to talk about starting to sleep: Laura fell asleep as soon as she got into bed. ♦ Tom read for half an hour before he went to sleep.
sleep • ing bag
/ ' slipig Ьжд /noun [count]
a big, warm bag that you sleep in when you go camping
sleep • less / ' sliplas / adjective
without sleep I had a sleepless night.
sleep • y / slipi / adjective ( sleep . i er , sleep i est )
1 tired and ready to sleep
feel sleepy after that big meal.
quiet, with not many things happening a sleepy little town
sleet / slit /noun [ noncount ]
snow and rain together
sleeve О / sliv/noun [ count ]
the part of a coat, dress, shirt, etc. that covers your arm a shirt with short sleeves
— Look at the picture at clothes .
sleigh / sb /
noun [ count ]
a large vehicle with pieces of metal or wood instead of wheels that you sit in to move over snow. A sleigh is usually pulled by animals.
-*Look at sled .
slen • der / ' slendar / adjective
thin, in an attractive way She has long, slender legs.
slept
form of sleep
slice Ф / slais /noun
[ count ]
a thin piece that you cut off bread, meat, or other food Would you like a slice of cake? She cut the bread into slices.
—Look at the picture at bread .
Thesaurus
piece an amount of something that has been cut or separated from the rest of it. This is a very general word and can be used with most noncount nouns: She wrote her address on a piece of paper. ♦ He cut the pizza into small pieces. ♦ a piece of fruit ♦ a piece of advice
slice a thin, flat piece of food that has been cut off a larger piece: Would you like another slice of cake? ♦ Cut the meat into thin slices. ♦ a slice of lemon/tomato ♦ cheese slices
chunk a thick, solid piece that has been cut or broken off something: There were chunks of ice floating in the lake. ♦ a great big chunk of meat ♦ a chunk of cheese/bread
lump a piece of something hard or solid, especially
one without any particular shape: This sauce has lumps
in it. ♦ a few lumps of coal ♦ a big lump of dough
slab a thick, flat piece of stone, ice, or food: a huge
slab of concrete ♦ paving slabs
slice verb ( slic es , slic ing , sliced )
Slice the onions.
Thesaurus
cut to divide something into two or more pieces with a knife, etc.: Cut the sandwich in half (= into two equal pieces ) . ♦ She cut the bread into thick slices. ♦ He cut up the meat on his plate.
chop to cut something into pieces with something sharp, such as a knife: Chop the carrots up into small pieces. ♦ Add the finely chopped onions. ♦ Roughly chop the herbs.
slice to cut something into thin pieces (called slices ): Slice the cucumber thinly. ♦ a loaf of sliced bread ♦ Should I slice the cake now?
carve to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces for eating: Dinner is ready. Who's going to carve the turkey?
slide 1 Ф/ slaid / verb ( slides , slid . ing , slid / slid / has slid )
to move smoothly or to make something move smoothly
across something
She fell and slid along the ice.
slide2 / slaid / noun [ count ]
a long, metal thing that children play on. They climb up steps, sit down, and then slide down the other side.
a small photograph that you show on a screen, using a special machine (called a projector ) a slide show
slight / slait / adjective ( slight er , slight . est )
small; not important or serious I have a slight problem. a slight headache
slight .ly © / slaitli / adverb
a little
I'm feeling slightly better today.
slim / slim / adjective ( slim - mer , slim - mest )
thin, but not too thin a tall slim man Thesaurus
thin is a general word to describe a person who is not fat. It can be used with a positive, negative, or neutral meaning: He's tall and thin. ♦ She has long, thin legs. ♦ You need to eat more. You're too thin! ♦ She was looking pale and thin. —ANTONYM fat
slim is a positive word, meaning thin in an attractive way. It is often used to describe women: How do you manage to stay so slim? ♦ He put his arm around her slim waist.
skinny is a more informal word meaning very thin. It can be used with a negative meaning to describe someone who is too thin: a skinny movie star ♦ He was such a skinny kid. ♦ skinny legs/arms lean is a positive word, and means thin and healthy. It is often used to describe men: He had a lean, muscular body. ♦ He's tall, lean, and handsome. underweight describes a person who weighs less than the normal or expected amount. It is used by doctors or health professionals: She's dangerously underweight.
—ANTONYM overweight
slime / slaim/noun [ noncount ]
a thick liquid that looks or smells bad The pond was covered in green slime. ► slim • y / ' slaimi /adjective ( slim - i - er , slim - i - est )
a slimy surface
sling1 / slig /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a piece of cloth that you wear to hold up an arm
that is hurt
Her arm is in a sling.
sling2 / slig /verb
( slings , sling - ing , slung / sl.uj / has slung )
( informal )
to throw something without care He slung his bag over his shoulder.
Slip 1 © / slip/ verb ( slips , slip ping , slipped )
to move smoothly over something by accident and fall or almost fall
He slipped on the ice and broke his leg.
to move out of the correct position or out of your hand by accident
Sorry, the glass just slipped out of my hand.
to go quickly and quietly so that no one sees you Ann slipped out of the room.
We slipped away when no one was looking.
to put something in a place quickly and quietly He slipped the money into his pocket.
slip up ( informal ) to make a mistake
slip2 / slip /noun [ cou nt ]
a small mistake It was just a slip.
a small piece of paper
Write your address on this slip of paper.
slip • per / ' slipar /noun [ count ]
a light, soft shoe that you wear in the house a pair of slippers
—Look at the picture at shoe . slip • per • y / ' slipari / adjective
so smooth or wet that you cannot move on it or hold it easily
a slippery floor
The road was wet and slippery.
slit / slit /noun [ count ] a long, thin hole or cut
► slit verb ( slits , slit - ting , slit , has slit )
I slit the envelope open with a knife.
slith • er / ' slidar / verb ( slith - ers, slith - er ing, slith - ered )
to move by sliding from side to side along the ground like a snake
I saw a snake slithering down a rock.
slob / slab /noun [ cou nt ] ( informal )
a lazy, messy person
My brother's such a slob — he never cleans his room.
slo • gan / ' slougan /noun [ count ]
a short sentence or group of words that is easy to remember. Slogans are used to make people believe something or buy something antigovernment slogans an advertising slogan
slope1 / sloup /noun [ count ]
a piece of ground that has one end higher than the other,
like the side of a hill
We walked down the mountain slope.
—Look at ski slope .
slope 2 / sloup / verb ( slopes, slop - ing, sloped )
to have one end higher than the other The field slopes down to the river. a sloping roof
slop • py / slapi / adjective ( slop pi er , slop - pi est )
showing a lack of care or effort; careless or messy a sloppy piece of work
slot / slat /noun [count]
a long, thin hole that you push something through Put your money in the slot and take your ticket.
slot ma • chine / ' slat majin /noun [ count ]
a machine in which you put money and play a game to win money
SlOW 1Ф / slou / adjective ( slow er , slow est)
not moving or doing something quickly a slow train
She hasn't finished her work yet — she's very slow.
If a clock or watch is slow , it shows a time that is earlier than the real time
My watch is five minutes slow.
—ANTONYM fast slow2 / slou /adverb
slowly
Please drive slower. slow-moving traffic
slow 3 / slou / verb ( slows , slow ing , slowed ) slow down ; slow someone or something down
to start to go more slowly; to make someone or something start to go more slowly
The train slowed down as it came into the station. Don't talk to me when I'm working — it slows me down.
slow • ly / ' slouli /adverb
at a slow speed; not quickly
The old lady walked slowly up the hill.
slug / skg /noun [ count ]
a small, soft animal that moves slowly and eats plants —Look at the picture atsnail .
slum / skm /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a poor part of a city where people live in old, dirty buildings
slump / skmp / verb ( slumps , slump - ing , slumped )
( BUSINESS ) (used about prices, sales, and the economy) to fall suddenly and by a large amount
Shares slumped to their lowest ever level.
to fall or sit down suddenly because you are sick, weak, or tired
Suddenly the old man slumped to the floor.
slung
form of sling 2
slush / s1aJ/noun [ noncount ]
snow on the ground that has partly melted and is usually dirty
sly / slai / adjective
A person who is sly tricks people or does things secretly. —SYNONYM cunning
smack / smffik /verb
( smacks , smack - ing , smacked )
to hit someone with the inside part of your hand I would never smack my children. smacknoun [ count ]
She gave her son a smack .
small Ф / smol / adjective ( small - e!, small est )
not big; little
This dress is too small for me. My house is smaller than yours.
young
They have two small children.
smart / smart / adjective ( smart - er, smart - est )
1 able to learn and think quickly; intelligent
He's a very smart boy.
Thesaurus
intelligent good at learning, understanding, and thinking quickly and clearly: He's a very intelligent man. ♦ She asked a lot of intelligent questions. smart quick at learning and understanding things; able to make good decisions: She's smarter than her brother. ♦ Accepting that job was a smart career move . ♦ OK, I admit it wasn't the smartest thing I ever did (= it was a stupid thing to do ) .
brilliant extremely intelligent: a brilliant young scientist/musician ♦ He has one of the most brilliant minds in the country.
bright (used especially about young people) intelligent; quick to learn: She's probably the brightest student in the class. ♦ a bright boy/girl/kid
2 ( informal ) saying things or making jokes in a way that shows you do not have respect for someone Don't get smart with me!
smash / sm®/ / verb
( smash - es , smash - ing , smashed )
to break into many pieces, or to break something in this way
The plate fell on the floor and smashed.
The boys smashed the window with their ball.
Thesaurus
break to go, or to make something go into smaller pieces: She dropped the cup and it broke into pieces . ♦ I'm sorry, I broke one of your dinner plates. ♦ He broke the chocolate in two and gave me half. ♦ She fell and broke her arm.
crack (used about something hard) to break so that a line appears, but without dividing into smaller pieces; to break something in this way: The ice cracked as I stepped on it. ♦ This mirror is cracked. ♦ He cracked a tooth playing football.
smash to break into many pieces in a violent and noisy way; to break something in this way: The glass bowl smashed into a thousand pieces . ♦ Several windows had been smashed. ♦ He smashed the box open and took the jewelry from inside.
snap to break suddenly into two pieces with a sharp noise; to break something in this way: Suddenly, the cable snapped. ♦ The weight of the snow snapped the branch in two.
burst to break open suddenly; to make something break in this way: That balloon will burst if you blow it up any more. ♦ Don't burst that balloon! ♦ The dam burst under the weight of the water.
to move with great force in a particular direction He smashed his hand through the window.
smear / smir / verb ( smears , smear - ing , smeared )
to spread a soft substance on something, making it dirty The child had smeared chocolate all over his clothes. ►smearnoun [ count ] She had smears of paint on her dress.
smell © / smel /verb ( mell«, smell- in , mellec)
to have a particular smell Dinner smells good!
The perfume smells of roses.
to notice something with your nose Can you smell smoke?
to have a bad smell Your feet smell!
► smellnoun [ count, noncount ]
There's a smell of gas in this room.
smell • y / smeli / adjective ( smell - i - er , smell - i - est )
having a bad smell smelly socks
smile 1 w/ smail/verb (smiles, smil ing, smiled)
to move your mouth to show that you are happy or that you think something is funny He smiled at me.
smile 2Ф / smail /noun [ count ]
an expression on your face in which the corners of your mouth turn up, showing that you think something is good, funny, etc.
She had a big smile on her face.
"It's good to see you," he said with a smile.
smog / smag /noun [ noncount ]
dirty, poisonous air that can cover a whole city
smoke Ф / smouk /noun [ noncount ]
the gray, white, or black gas that you see in the air when
something is burning
The room was full of smoke.
cigarette smoke
smoke 2 © / smouk / verb ( smokes, smok - ing , smoked )
to breathe in smoke through a cigarette, etc. and let it out again; to use cigarettes, etc. in this way, as a habit
He was smoking a cigar. Do you smoke?
to send out smoke
The oil in the pan started to smoke.
smok • er / ' smoukar /noun [ count ] a person who smokes
Her parents used to be heavy smokers (= they used to smoke a lot ) .
smoked / smoukt / adjective
Smoked food is put over a wood fire to give it a special taste
smoked salmon
smok • ing / ' smoukig /noun [ noncount ]
the activity or habit of smoking cigarettes, etc. She's trying to quit smoking.
smok • y / ' smouki / ( smok - i - er , smok - i - est ) adjective
full of smoke a smoky room
smol • der / ' smouldar / verb ( smoul ders , smoul - der - ing , smoul - dered )
to burn slowly without a flame A cigarette was smoldering in the ashtray.
smooth Ф / smud / adjective ( smooth - er , smooth - est )
having a completely flat surface Babies have such smooth skin.
The surface should be completely smooth.
—ANTONYM rough
with no big pieces in it
Beat the sauce until it is smooth. —ANTONYM lumpy
A smooth movement or trip is even and comfortable The weather was good, so we had a very smooth flight.
—ANTONYM bumpy
without any problems
The move to the new house was fairly smooth.
smooth • ly / ' smudli / adverb The plane landed smoothly.
smoth • er / ' smAdar / verb
( smoth - ers , smoth - er ing , smoth - ered )
to kill someone by covering their face so that they cannot breathe
to cover a thing with too much of something He smothered his skin with cream.
smudge / smAd₃ /verb
( smudg es , smudg ing , smudged )
If something smudges or you smudge it, it becomes dirty or messy because you have touched it Leave the painting to dry or you'll smudge it. My lipstick has smudged.
smudge noun [ count ]
There's a smudge on your cheek.
smug / smAg / adjective (smug - ger, smug - gest)
too pleased with yourself, in a way that bothers other people
He gave her a smug look.
smug • gle / ' smAgl / verb ( smug - gles , smug gling , smug - gled )
to take things secretly into or out of a country when this is against the law
They were trying to smuggle drugs into the country.
smug • gler / ' smAglar / noun [ count ] drug smugglers
snack / snak /noun [ count ]
a small, quick meal We had a snack on the train.
snack bar / ' snak bar /noun [ count ]
a place where you can buy and eat snacks
snag / snreg /noun [ count ]
a small problem
It's a beautiful bike — the only snag is it's very expensive. snail / sneil / noun [ count ]
a small, soft animal with a hard shell on its back. Snails
move veiy slowly.
snail slug
snake Ф / sneik /noun [ count ]
an animal with a long, thin body and no legs Do these snakes bite?
snap 1 / snap / verb ( snaps , snap - ping , snapped )
1 to break something suddenly with a sharp noise; to be
broken in this way
He snapped the pencil in two.
Suddenly, the rope snapped.
Thesaurus
break to go, or to make something go into smaller pieces: She dropped the cup and it broke into pieces . ♦ I'm sorry, I broke one of your dinner plates. ♦ He broke the chocolate in two and gave me half. ♦ She fell and broke her arm.
crack (used about something hard) to break so that a line appears, but without dividing into smaller pieces; to break something in this way: The ice cracked as I stepped on it. ♦ This mirror is cracked. ♦ He cracked a tooth playing football.
smash to break into many pieces in a violent and noisy way; to break something in this way: The glass bowl smashed into a thousand pieces . ♦ Several windows had been smashed. ♦ He smashed the box open and took the jewelry from inside.
snap to break suddenly into two pieces with a sharp noise; to break something in this way: Suddenly, the cable snapped. ♦ The weight of the snow snapped the branch in two.
burst to break open suddenly; to make something break in this way: That balloon will burst if you blow it up any more. ♦ Don't burst that balloon! ♦ The dam burst under the weight of the water.
to say something in a quick, angry way "Go away — I'm busy!" she snapped.
to try to bite someone or something The dog snapped at my leg.
snap your fingers
to make a sharp noise by moving your middle finger quickly against your thumb
snap2 / snrep /noun
[count]
a sudden sound of something breaking
a small, round, metal object with two parts that you press together to fasten a piece of clothing
snap • shot / ' snrepjat / [count]
a photograph that you take quickly
snarl / snarl / verb ( snarls , snarl . ing , snarled )
When an animal snarls , it shows its teeth and makes a
low, angry sound
The dogs snarled at the stranger.
snatch / snretj / verb ( snatch . es , snatch . ing , snatched )
to take something with a quick, rough movement A thief snatched her bag and ran away.
—SYNONYM grab
sneak / snik / verb ( sneaks , sneak ing , sneaked or snuck/ sn.\k / has sneaked or has snuck)
to go somewhere very quietly so that no one sees or hears you
She sneaked out of the house without telling her parents.
sneak • er / ' snikar /noun [ count ]
a soft shoe that you wear for playing sports or with informal clothes
a pair of sneakers
—Look at the picture at shoe .
sneer / snir / verb ( sneers, sneer . ing, sneered )
to speak or smile in an unkind way to show that you do not like someone or something, or that you think they are not good enough
I told her about my idea, but she just sneered at it. ►sneernoun [ count ]
His lips curled in a sneer.
sneeze / sniz /verb
( sneez.es,sneez . ing ,sneezed )
( HEALTH ) to make air come out of your nose and mouth with a sudden loud noise, for example because you have a cold
Pepper makes you sneeze.
sneeze noun [ count ]
That was a loud sneeze!
sniff / snif / verb ( sniffs , sniff ing , sniffed )
1 to make a noise by suddenly taking in air through your nose. People sometimes sniff when they have a cold or when they are crying
wish you'd stop sniffing!
to smell something
The dog was sniffing the meat.
sniffnoun [ count ] I heard a loud sniff.
snip / snip / verb ( snips , snip . ping , snipped )
to cut something using scissors, with a short quick action I sewed on the button and snipped off the end of the thread.
snip • er / ' snaipar /noun [ count ]
a person who shoots at someone from a hidden place Three soldiers were killed by snipers.
snob / snab /noun [ count ]
a person who likes people with a high social position and
thinks they are better than other people
Jack's such a snob — he's always talking about his rich
relatives.
snooze / snuz / verb ( snooz.es,snooz ing ,snoozed )
( informal )
to sleep for a short time
snooze noun [ count ]
I had a snooze after lunch.
snore / snor / verb ( snores , snor . ing , snored )
to make a noise in your nose and throat when you are asleep
He was snoring loudly.
snore noun [ count ]
a loud snore
snor • kel / ' snorkl /noun [ count ]
a short tube that a person swimming just below the surface of the water can use to breathe through
snor • kel • ing / ' snorkalig /noun [ noncount ] (sports)
to go snorkeling
snorkeling
(D
snorkel
(D
mask
(D
swimsuit
0
flipper
snort / snort / verb ( snorts , snort . ing , snort . ed )
to make a noise by blowing air through the nose The horse snorted.
snout / snaut /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) the long nose of certain animals a pig's snout
snow Ф / snou /noun
[noncount]
soft, white pieces of frozen water that fall from the sky when it is very cold
► snow verb ( snows , snow . ing , snowed )
It often snows in January and February. It's snowing! be snowed in
to not be able to leave home or travel because there is too much snow
We've been snowed in since Monday.
snow • ball / ' snoubol / [count]
a ball of snow that children throw at each other
The kids were having a snowball fight (= throwing
snowballs at each other ) .
snow • fall / ' snoufol / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the snow that falls on one occasion, or the amount of snow that falls in a place heavy snowfalls
What is the average snowfall for this region?
snow • flake / snoufleik / noun
[ count ]
one piece of falling snow
snow • man / ' snoumffin/noun [ count ]
( pluralsnow - men ) / ' snoumen /
the figure of a person that children make out of snow
snow • plow / ' snouplau /noun [ count ]
a large vehicle that clears snow away from roads
snow • storm / ' snoustorm /noun [ count ]
a winter storm with a lot of snow and strong winds —SYNONYM blizzard
snow • y / ' snoui / adjective ( snow - i - er , snow - i - est )
with a lot of snow snowy weather
snuck
form of sneak
SO 1 Ф / sou / adverb
a word that makes an adjective or adverb stronger, especially when this produces a particular result
This bag is so heavy that I can't carry it. I'm so tired I can't keep my eyes open. Why are you so late? Grammar So or such?
You use so before an adjective that is used without a noun: It was so cold that we stayed home. ♦ This book is so exciting.
You use such before a noun that has an adjective in front of it: It was such a cold night that we stayed home. ♦ This is such an exciting book!
You use "so" instead of saying words again
"Is John coming?" " I think so (= I think that he is coming )
"I got it wrong, didn't I?" " I'm afraid so (= you did get it wrong ) ."
also
Julie is a teacher and so is her husband. "I like this music." " So do I."
snow • board
[noncount]
( SPORTS ) the sport of moving down mountains that are covered in snow using a large board (called a
snowboard ) that you fasten to both your feet
ing / ' snoubordig /noun
—Look at neither .
and so on
and other things like that
The store sells pens, paper, and so on.
or so
words that you use to show that a number is not exactly right
Forty or so people came to the party. so long ( informal )
goodbye
So long! See you soon.
SO 2 Ф' / sou / conjunction
because of this or that
The store is closed, so I can't buy any bread.
( also so that ) in order that
Speak louder so that everyone can hear you. I'll give you a map so you can find my house.
a word you use when you want to start talking about something
So, Susan, how's school this year? so what? ; so? ( informal )
why is that important or interesting?
"It's late." "So what? There's no school tomorrow."
soak / souk / verb ( soaks , soak - ing , soaked )
to make someone or something very wet Soak the plants thoroughly once a week.
to be in a liquid; to let something stay in a liquid Leave the dishes to soak in hot water.
soak something up to take in a liquid Soak up the water with a cloth.
soaked / soukt / adjective
very wet
You're soaked! Come in and get dry.
soak • ing / ' soukig / adjective
very wet
This towel is soaking.
soap Ф / soup / noun
[noncount]
a substance that you use with water for washing and cleaning a bar of soap
► soap • y / ' soupi / adjective ( soap - i - er , soap i - est)
soapy water
soap op • er • a / ' soup ,apra / noun [ count ]
a story about the lives of a group of people, which is on TV every day or several times each week Do you watch the soaps?
soar / sor / verb ( soars , soar - ing , soared )
to fly high in the sky
to go up very fast Prices are soaring.
sob / sab / verb ( sobs , sob - bing , sobbed )
to cry loudly, making short sounds sobnoun [ count ]
I could hear her sobs through the wall.
so • ber / ' soubar / adjective
not having drunk too much alcohol —ANTONYM drunk
so-calledaw L / ,sou ' kold /adjective
a word that you use to show that you do not think another word is correct
Her so-called friends did not help her (= they are not really her friends).
soc • cer
/ saksr /noun [noncount]
( SPORTS ) a game for two teams of eleven players who try to kick a round ball into the other team's goal
a soccer game
so • cia • ble / ' sou/sbl / adjective
friendly and enjoying being with other people SO .CialФ / 'soujl/adjective
connected with people together in society; connected with
being with other people
the social problems of big cities
Anne has a busy social life (= she goes out with friends a lot ) .
so • cial • ly / ' sou/sli / adverb
We work together, but I don't know him socially.
so • cial • ism / ' soujl^izsm/ noun [ noncount ]
( POLITICS ) the political idea that is based on the belief that all people are equal and that money and property should be equally divided
— Look at capitalism , communism .
so • cial • ist / ' soujl^ist / noun [ count ] , adjective
socialist beliefs
so • cial • ize / ' soujwiz / verb
( so - cial iz - es , so - cial - iz - ing , so - cial - ized )
to meet and spend time with people in a friendly way I enjoy socializing with friends.
so • cial net • work /,sou/sl ' netwsrkig/ noun [ noncount ]
the activity of meeting and communicating with people using a website or other service on the Internet
so • cial sci • ence / ,soujsi ' saisns / noun
[ noncount ] ( also so - cial stud - ies / ' sou/sl ,sUdiz / ) [ plural ]
the study of people in society
So • cial Se • cu • ri • ty / ,souji ss ' kyursti /
noun [ noncount ]
( POLITICS ) money that a government pays to people who
are elderly or cannot work
In a few years I will be on Social Security .
so • cial work • er / ' soujl ,wsrksr / noun
[ count ]
a person whose job is to help people who have problems, for example because they are poor or sick
SO .ci .e .ty Ф / so'saioti / noun ( plural so . ci - e - ties )
[ noncount ] a large group of people who live in the same country or area and have the same ideas about how to live
They carried out research into the roles of men and women in today's society.
[ count ] a group of people who are interested in the same thing
a music society
so • ci • ol • o • gy / ,sousi 'alsd3i / noun [noncount]
the study of human societies and the way people behave
sock © / sak /noun [ count ]
a thing that you wear on your foot, inside your shoe a pair of socks
sock • et / sakst /noun [ count ]
a place in a wall where you can connect electrical equipment to a power supply
—SYNONYM outlet
so • da / souds /noun
[noncount]
a sweet flavored drink with bubbles in it, which does not contain alcohol
( also so - da wa - ter ) water with bubbles in it that is used for mixing with other drinks
whiskey and soda
—SYNONYM club soda
so • di • um / ' soudism /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolNa )
( CHEMISTRY ) a soft silver-white metal that is found in salt and other chemical mixtures ( compounds )
so • fa / soufs /noun
[ count ]
a long, soft seat for more than one person Emily and Bob were sitting on the sofa.
—SYNONYM couch , —Look at the picture at chair .
soft О / soft / adjective ( soft - er , soft est )
not hard or firm; that moves when you press it Warm butter is soft.
a soft bed
smooth and nice to touch; not rough soft skin
My cat's fur is very soft.
not bright or strong the soft light of a candle
quiet or gentle; not loud soft music
He has a very soft voice.
kind and gentle; not strict
She's too soft with her class and they don't do any work. soft • ball / ' sofbol /noun [ noncount ] ( SPORTS ) a team game that is similar to baseball, but played with a larger ball on a smaller field
soft drink / ' soft drigk /noun [count]
a sweet flavored drink with bubbles, which does not have alcohol in it
—SYNONYM soda
soft
( soft
to become softer or more gentle, or to make something
softer or more gentle
This cream softens the skin.
soft • ly / ' sofli / adverb
gently or quietly She spoke very softly.
soft • ware / softwer / noun
[noncount]
( COMPUTERS ) programs for a computer
There's a lot of new educational software available now.
sog • gy / sagi / adjective ( sog - gi er,sog - gi - est)
very wet
soil © /soil /noun
[ noncount ]
what plants and trees grow in; earth
so • lar / ' soular / adjective
of or using the sun solar energy
the so •lar sys • tem / da ' soular |sistam /
noun [ singular ]
the sun and the planets that move around it
sold
form of sell
sol .dier © / 'эоиЫзэг/noun
[ count ]
a person in an army
sole 1 aw я / soul / adjective
only
His sole interest is football.
sole2aw / soul / n
[ count ] the bottom part of your foot or of a shoe These boots have leather soles.
[ count, noncount ] ( pluralsole ) a flat fish that is used for food
sole • lyAWl| / ' soulli/adverb only, and not involving anyone or anything else I agreed to come solely because of Frank.
sol • emn / ' salam/ adjective
serious
slow, solemn music
► sol • emn • ly / ' salamli / adverb
"I have some bad news for you," he said solemnly.
sol .id / ' salad / adjective
hard, not like a liquid or a gas Water becomes solid when it freezes.
with no empty space inside; made of the same material inside and outside
a solid rubber ball This ring is solid gold.
sol .id 2 © / 'sabd /noun
[count ]
something that is hard; not a liquid or gas Milk is a liquid and cheese is a solid.
( MATH ) an object that has length, height, and width , not a flat shape
• en / sofn / verb - ens , soft - en ing , soft ened )
A cube is a solid.
cube
pyramid
so • lid • i • fy / sa'lidafai / verb ( so lid - i - fies , so - lid - i - fy - ing , so - lid - i fied , has so - lid - i - fied )
to become hard or solid
sol • i • tar • y / ' sab|teri / adjective
without others; alone
She went for a long, solitary walk.
sol • i • tude / ' salatud / [noncount]
the state of being alone, especially because you want to be He lived in solitude.
so • lo 1 / soulou / adjective, adverb
alone; without other people She flew solo across the Atlantic.
so • lo2 / ' soulou /noun [ count ] ( pluralso - los )
( MUSIC ) a piece of music for one person to sing or play a guitar solo
—Look at duet .
sol • u • ble / ' salyabl / adjective
( CHEMISTRY ) If something is soluble , when you put it in a liquid it becomes part of the liquid These tablets are soluble in water.
so .lu .tion © / sa ' lu/n /
1 the answer to a question or problem
can't find a solution to this problem.
the correct answer to a game, a competition, etc.
The solution to the crossword will be published next week.
a liquid that has a solid substance mixed completely ( dissolved ) into it
He made a solution of sugar and water.
solve © / salv/ verb ( ;olve: , ;olv - ing , solved )
to find the answer to a question or a problem The police are still trying to solve the crime. Have you solved the puzzle yet?
some © / sam ; sAm / adjective, pronoun Pronunciation
The word some sounds just like sum .
solids
cylinder
cone
sphere
1 a number or an amount of something I bought some tomatoes and some butter. This cake is delicious. Do you want some?
Which word? Some or any?
We use some in statements, and in questions where we expect the answer to be "Yes": He gave me some good advice. ♦ Would you like some coffee?
We use any in questions, and after "not" and "if": Did you buy any apples? ♦ I didn't buy any meat. ♦ If you have any questions, please ask me at the end of the class.
part of a number or an amount of something Some of the children can swim, but the others can't.
I do not know which
There's some man at the door who wants to see you. some more
a little more or a few more Have some more coffee. Some more people arrived.
some time
a long time
We waited for some time but she did not come.
some . bod .у © / '«лтЬлсП ; 'sAmbadi / another word for someone some • day / ' s\mdei / adverb
at some time in the future I hope you'll come back and visit someday.
some . how © / 'злтЬаи / adverb
in some way that you do not know We must find her somehow.
some . one ©/ 'влтилп / ( also some . bod . у ) pronoun
a person; a person that you do not know
There's someone at the door.
Someone has broken the window.
Ask someone else (= another person ) to help you.
Somebody help me!
some • place / ' s\mpleis / adverb
another word for somewhere
som • er • sault / ' s\marsolt / noun [ count ]
a movement when you turn your body with your feet going over your head
The children were doing somersaults on the carpet.
some .thing © / ' s\m8ig /
a thing; a thing you cannot name
There's something under the table. What is it?
I want to tell you something.
Would you like something else (= another thing ) to eat?
or something ( informal )
words that you use to show you are not sure about what you have just said
I think he's a teacher or something. something like
the same as someone or something in some ways, but not in every way
A rat is something like a mouse, but bigger.
some • time / ' s\mtaim / adverb
at a time that you do not know exactly I'll call you sometime tomorrow. Will you come and see me sometime?
some .times © / 'sAmtaimz/ adverb
not very often
He sometimes writes to me.
Sometimes I drive to work and sometimes I go by bus.
some • what aw / ' s\mw\t /
a little
Somewhat to my surprise, he apologized. We were somewhat confused by her instructions.
some .where © / ' s\mwer /
( also some place )
at, in, or to a place that you do not know exactly They live somewhere near Detroit.
"Did she go to California last year?" "No, I think she went somewhere else (= to another place ) ."
a word that you use when you do not know the exact time, number, etc.
Your weight should be somewhere around 150 pounds.
SOn © / sab. / noun [ count ] PRONUNCIATION
The word son sounds just like sun .
a boy or man who is someone's child They have a son and two daughters.
song © / sol] /noun ( music )
[ count ] a piece of music with words that you sing a pop song
[ noncount ] singing; music that a person or bird makes The story is told through song and dance.
son-in-law / ' s\n in lo /noun [ count ] ( pluralsons-in-law )
the husband of your daughter
—Look at daughter-in-law .
son • net / ' sanat /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a poem that has 14 lines and a fixed pattern of which lines end with the same sound as others
Shakespeare's sonnets soon © / sun / adverb
not long after now, or not long after a particular time John will be home soon. She arrived soon after two o'clock. Goodbye! See you soon!
as soon as
at the same time that; when Call me as soon as you get home.
sooner or later
at some time in the future
Don't worry — I'm sure he'll write to you sooner or later.
soot / sut /noun
[noncount]
black powder that comes from smoke
soothe / sud /
( soothes , sooth ing , soothed )
to make someone feel calmer and less unhappy
The baby was crying, so I tried to soothe her by singing to her.
to make something less painful This cream will soothe your skin.
► sooth • ing / ' sudig / adjective
soothing music a soothing massage
so •phis • ti • cat • ed / sa ' fistakeitad /
adjective
1 having a lot of experience of the world and social situations; knowing about things like fashion and culture She's a very sophisticated young woman.
2 (used about machines, systems, etc.) advanced and complicated
highly sophisticated computer systems
soph • o • more / ' safmor / noun [ count ]
a student who is in the tenth grade in high school or the second year of college
Jamie is a sophomore at the University of Maryland. — Look at freshman , junior 2 , senior 2 ( 1 ).
so • pran • o / sa 'prffinou /noun [ count ] ( pluralso - pran . os )
( MUSIC ) the highest singing voice; a woman or child with this voice
SOre Ф / sor / adjective
If a part of your body is sore , it gives you pain My feet were sore after the long walk. I have a sore throat.
sor • row / ' sarou ; ' sorou /noun [ noncount ] ( formal )
sadness
sor . ry Ф / sari ; sori / adjective ( sor - ri - er , sor - ri est )
a word that you use when you feel bad about something you have done
I'm sorry I didn't call you. Sorry I'm late!
I'm sorry for losing your pen.
feeling sad
I'm sorry you can't come to the party.
a word that you use to say "no" politely I'm sorry — I can't help you.
a word that you use when you did not hear what someone said and you want them to say it again
"My name is Linda Willis." "Sorry? Linda who?" feel sorry for someone
to feel sad because someone has problems I felt sorry for her and gave her some money.
SOrt1 Ф / sort /noun [ count ]
a group of things or people that are the same in some way; a type or kind
What sort of music do you like best — pop or classical? We found all sorts of shells on the beach. sort of ( informal )
words that you use when you are not sure about something It's sort of long and thin, a little like a sausage.
SOrt 2 Ф / sort / verb ( sorts , sort ing , sort ed )
to put things into groups
The machine sorts the eggs into large ones and small ones. sort something out to find an answer to a problem They didn't know what to do, so I offered to help sort things out.
sort through something to look through a lot of things in order to organize them or to find something that you are looking for
I need to sort through this desk drawer.
SOS / ,es ou ' es /noun [ singular ] a call for help from a ship or an airplane that is in danger
so-so / ' sou ,sou / adjective, adverb
( informal )
OK, but not very good
"How are you_feeling?" "So-so."
sought AWL
form ofseek soul / soul /noun
[ count ] the part of a person that some people believe does not die when the body dies
Christians believe that your soul goes to heaven when you die.
( also soul mu - sic ) [ noncount ] a kind of music that was made popular by African-American musicians
a soul singer not a soul
not one person
I looked everywhere, but there wasn't a soul in the building.
sound 1© / saund /noun [ count ]
something that you hear I heard the sound of a baby crying. Light travels faster than sound.
sound 2Ф / saund / verb (sounds,sound - ing ,sound - ed )
to seem a particular way when you hear it
He sounded angry when I spoke to him on the phone. That sounds like a good idea.
She told me about the book — it sounds interesting.
to make a sound, or to cause something to make a sound He sounded the car horn.
sound 3 / saund / adjective
right and good
She gave me some sound advice.
healthy or strong sound teeth
sound 4 / saund / adverb sound asleep
sleeping very well
The children are sound asleep.
sound • ly / ' saundli /adverb completely and deeply I slept very soundly last night.
sound • proof / ' saundpruf / adjective
made so that no sound can get in or out a soundproof room
sound • track / ' saundtrffik /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) the music that has been recorded for a movie The movie soundtrack is available to buy now.
SOUP Ф / sup /noun [ noncount ]
liquid food that you make by cooking things like vegetables
or meat in water
tomato soup
sour / sauar / adjective
with a sharp taste like a lemon If it's too sour, put some sugar in it.
—SYNONYM tart
Sour milk tastes bad because it is not fresh This milk has gone sour .
source AWL / sors / noun
[count]
a place where something comes from Our information comes from many sources.
south Ф / sau9 /noun [ singular ] ( abbreviationS. )
( GEOGRAPHY ) the direction that is on your right when you watch the sun come up in the morning
—Look at the picture at compass .
►south adjective, adverb
Brazil is in South America. the south coast of the island Birds fly south in the winter.
south • east ( also South - east ) / |sau6 'ist /
noun [ singular ] ( abbreviation S.E. )
( GEOGRAPHY ) the direction between south and east; a place in this direction He lives in the Southeast.
Look at the picture at compass .
south • east adjective, adverb
the coast of southeast Florida
►south • east • ern / |sau6 ' istarn / adjective
the southeastern states of the U.S.
south .ern Ф / '«Adorn/ adjective
( GEOGRAPHY ) connected with, in, or from the south Los Angeles is in southern California.
south • ern • er ( also South - ern - er )
/ ' sAdarnar /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a person who is from or who lives in the southern part of a country
—ANTONYM northerner
the South Pole / da |sau6 ' poul / singular ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) the point on the earth's surface which is farthest south
—Look at the North Pole . ,
—Look at the picture at earth .
south • west ( also South - west ) / |sau6 ' west / noun [ singular ] ( abbreviationS.W. ) ( GEOGRAPHY ) the direction between south and west; a place in this direction He's from the Southwest.
Look at the picture at compass .
south • westadjective, adverb Our garden faces southwest.
south • west • ern / |sau6 ' westarn / adjective
sou • ve • nir / |suva ' nir /noun [ count ]
something that you keep to remember a place or a special event
I brought back this cowboy hat as a souvenir of Texas.
sow / sou / verb ( sows , sow - ing , sowed , has sown / soun / or has sowed )
to put seeds in the ground
The farmer sowed the field with corn.
soy • bean / ' soibin /noun [ count ]
a type of bean that can be cooked and eaten, or used to make different kinds of food, for example oil and a type of milk
spa / spa /noun [ count ]
a place where people go to relax, take exercise, and have health and beauty treatments
space Ф / speis /noun
[ noncount ] a place that is big enough for someone or something to go into or onto
Is there space for me in your car? —SYNONYM room
[ count ] an empty place between things a parking space
There is a space here for you to write your name.
3 ( also out - er space ) [ noncount ] the area outside the earth's atmosphere where all the other planets and stars are space travel
space • craft / ' speiskraft /noun [ count ] ( pluralspace - craft )
a vehicle that travels in space
space • ship / ' speisjip /noun [ count ]
a vehicle that travels in space
space shut • tle / ' speis JAtl / ( also shut . tle ) noun [ count ]
a vehicle that can travel into space and land like an airplane when it returns to Earth
spa • cious / ' speifas / adjective
with a lot of space inside a spacious kitchen
spade / speid /noun
[ count ] a tool that you use for digging
spades [ plural ] the playing cards that have the shape 4 on them
the queen of spades —Look at the picture at playing card .
spa • ghet • ti / spa ' geti / noun [ noncount ]
a kind of food made from flour and water (called pasta ) that looks like long pieces of string I'll cook some spaghetti.
spam / spam /noun [ noncount ] ( informal )
( COMPUTERS ) advertisements that companies send by email to people who have not asked for them
— Look at junk mail .
span1 / span /noun [ count ]
the length of something from one end to another The bird's wingspan is 30 inches.
the length of time that something continues We are looking at a time span of several months.
span 2 / span / verb (spans,span - ning ,spanned )
to continue for a particular length of time His career spanned more than 50 years.
to form a bridge over something
The river is spanned by a beautiful iron bridge.
spare 1 / sper / adjective
not needed now, but kept because it may be needed in the future
Do you have a spare tire in your car?
You can stay with us tonight. We have a spare room .
Spare time is time when you are not working What do you do in your spare time ?
spare 2 / sper / verb ( spares, spar - ing, spared )
to be able to give something to someone I can't spare the time to help you today. to spare
more than is needed
There's no time to spare. We have to leave right away.
spark / spark /noun [ count ]
a very small piece of something that is burning
spar • kle / ' sparkl / verb ( spar - kles , spar - kling , spar kled )
to shine with a lot of very small points of light The lake sparkled in the sunlight. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. ► spar • klenoun [ noncount ]
the sparkle of diamonds
spar • kling / ' sparklig / adjective
shining with a lot of very small points of light sparkling blue eyes
Sparkling wine or water has a lot of small bubbles in it.
spar • row / ' sp®rou /noun [ count ] a small, brown bird
sparse / spars / adjective
small in quantity or amount a sparse crowd
sparse • ly / ' sparsli / adverb a sparsely populated area
spat form of spit
speak ® / spik / verb ( speaks , speak - ing , spoke / spouk / has spo - ken / ' spouksn / )
to say things; to talk to someone Please speak more slowly.
Can I speak to John Smith, please? (= words that you say
on the telephone )
The mayor spoke for over an hour.
Thesaurus
talk to say words to another person or other people. You talk to someone in order to give information, show feelings, or share ideas: They talked on the phone for over an hour. ♦ Can I talk to you for a minute? ♦ When they get together, all they talk about is basketball. ♦ We need to talk (= about something serious or important ) .
speak to talk to someone about something; to have a conversation with someone. You speak to someone in order to try to achieve something or to tell them to do something. Speak is a little more formal than talk : Can I speak with you for a minute? ♦ I've spoken to his parents about his behavior. ♦ The boss would like to speak to you.
discuss to talk and share ideas with other people about a subject or problem, especially in order to decide something. The word discuss is more formal than speak : I need to discuss the matter with my manager before I make a decision. ♦ I am not prepared to discuss this on the phone.
communicate to share and exchange information or ideas with someone. Communicate is a little formal, and is often used when the method of communication is important: She's very good at communicating her ideas to the team. ♦ We only communicate by e-mail these days.
to know and use a language
I can speak French and Italian. speak up to talk louder Can you speak up? I can't hear you! The noun is speech .
speak .еГ © / 'spiksr /noun [ count ]
a person who is talking to a group of people
the part of something such as a radio or CD player where the sound comes out
— Look at the picture at stereo .
spear / spir /noun [ count ]
a long stick with a sharp point at one end, used for hunting or fighting
spe .cial 1® / 'spell / adjective
not usual or ordinary; important for a reason
It's my birthday today, so we're having a special dinner.
for a particular person or thing
He goes to a special school for deaf children.
spe • cial2 / ' spejl /noun [ count ]
something that is not usually available but that is offered for a short time
Tonight's special is roast beef (= in a restaurant, for example ) .
spe • cial • ist / 'spe>ist / noun
[ count ]
a person who knows a lot about something She's a specialist in American art.
spe • cial • ize / ' spe>aiz / verb
( spe - cial - iz - es , spe - cial - iz - ing , spe cial - ized )
specialize in something to study or know a lot about one subject, type of product, etc. He specialized in criminal law.
spe • cial • ly / ' spejln / adverb
for a particular purpose or reason
These dogs have been specially trained to find illegal drugs.
a specially designed chair
spe • cial • ty / ' spe>ti / noun [ count ]
( plural spe - cial - ties )
something that is made by a person or place that is very good and that they or it is known for
The chefs specialty is baked salmon in a cream sauce. local specialties
an area of study or a subject that you know a lot about
spe • cies / ' spijiz /noun [ count ]
( plural spe - cies )
( BIOLOGY ) a group of animals or plants that are the same and can breed (= make new animals or plants ) together a rare species of frog
The panda is an endangered species (= in danger of disappearing ) .
spe • cif • ic ^WJ / sps 'sifik / adjective
exact and clear
He gave us specific instructions on how to get there.
particular
Is there anything specific that you want to talk about?
( spec - i - fies , spec - i - fy - ing , spec - i - fied )
to say something clearly or in detail
He said he'd be arriving in the morning, but didn't specify the time.
spec • i • men / ' spessmsn /noun [ count ]
( GENERAL SCIENCE )
one example of a group of things specimens of different types of rock
a small amount or part of something that shows what the rest is like
The doctor took a specimen of blood for testing. —SYNONYM sample
speck / spek /noun [ count ]
a very small spot, mark, or piece of something specks of dust
spec • ta • cle / ' spektakl /noun [ count ]
something that is exciting and unusual to look at the thrilling spectacle of the New Year's Day parade
spec • tac • u • lar / spek ' trekyabr /
wonderful to see
There was a spectacular view from the top of the mountain.
spec • tac • u • lar • ly / spek' trekyabrli / adverb This is a spectacularly beautiful area.
spec • ta • tor / ' spekteitar /noun [ count ]
a person who is watching an event, especially a sports event There were 2,000 spectators at the football game.
spec • trum / ' spektram /noun [ count , usually singular ] (pluralspec . tra / ' spektra / or spec .trums)
( PHYSICS ) the set of seven colors into which white light can be separated
You can see the colors of the spectrum in a rainbow.
spec • u • late / ' spekyaleit / verb ( spec . u . lates , spec . u . lat . ing , spec u . lat . ed )
to make a guess about something without knowing all of the facts
I would rather not speculate about what may happen next year.
spec • u • la • tion / ,spekya ' leijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
There was speculation that she was going to resign.
sped
form of speed 2
speech © / spitf /noun ( pluralspeech . es )
[ count ] a talk that you give to a group of people The president made a speech .
[ noncount ] the power to speak, or the way that you speak
He has problems with his speech.
speed Ф / spid/noun [ count, noncount ] how fast something goes
The car was traveling at a speed of 50 miles an hour. a high-speed train (= that goes very fast )
speed 2 / spid / verb ( speeds , speed . ing , sped / sped / or speed . ed , has sped or has speed ed )
to go or move very quickly He sped past me on his bike.
to drive too fast
The police stopped me because I was speeding.
speed up ; speed something up to go faster; to
make something go faster
What can we do to speed up the process?
speed • boat / ' spidbout /noun [ count ]
a small fast boat with an engine
speed lim • it / ' spid limat /noun [ count ]
the fastest that you are allowed to travel on a road The speed limit on the highway is 60 miles an hour.
speed • om • e • ter / spi ' damatar / [count]
a piece of equipment in a vehicle that tells you how fast you are traveling
—Look at the picture at steering wheel .
spell 1© / spel/ verb ( ;pells, spell in , pelle )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS )
to use the right letters to make a word
"How do you spell your name?" "A-Z-I-Z." You've spelled this word wrong.
(used about a set of letters) to form a particular word B-A-L-L spells "ball."
spell2 / spel /noun [ count ]
a short period of time a spell of cold weather
magic words that make someone change or make them do what you want
The witch cast a spell on the prince.
spell • ing / ' spelig /noun ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ARTS )
[ count, noncount ] the right way of writing a word Look in your dictionary to find the right spelling.
[ noncount ] the ability to spell correctly You need to work on your spelling.
spend Ф / spend /verb
( spends , spend . ing , spent / spent / has spent )
to pay money for something
Louise spends a lot of money on clothes.
to pass time
I spent the summer in New Hampshire. He spent a lot of time sleeping.
sperm / sparm /noun [ count ] ( pluralsperm )
( BIOLOGY ) a cell that is produced by a male and that can join with a female egg to produce young
sphereaw п / sfir /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) any round object that is like a ball
The earth is a sphere.
Look at the picture at solid .
spher • i • calAWL| / ' sfirikl ; ' sferikl /adjective
a spherical object
spice Ф / spais /noun [ count ]
a powder of the seeds from a plant, which you can put in
food to give it a stronger taste
They use a lot of spices, such as chili and ginger.
spic • y / ' spaisi / adjective (spic . i . er, spic . i . est) spicy food
spi .der О
/ ' spaidar /noun [count]
a small animal with eight legs, which catches and eats insects
Spiders spin webs to catch flies.
spied
form of spy 2
spies
plural of spy 1
form of spy 2spike / spaik/ noun [ count ]
a piece of metal with a sharp point The fence has spikes along the top.
spik • y / spaiki / adjective (spik - i -er,spik - i - est)
having sharp points spiky leaves
Spiky hair sticks straight up in the air. —Look at the picture athair .
spill / spil / verb ( spills , spill - ing , spilled )
If you spill a liquid, it flows out of something by accident I spilled my coffee!
spin / spin /verb
( spins , spin ning , spun / spAn / has spun )
to turn around quickly; to turn something around quickly She spun around as he entered the room.
Spin the wheel.
to make thread from wool or cotton She spun and dyed the wool herself.
If a spider spins a web (= a thin net that it makes to catch flies ) , it produces thread from its own body to make it.
spin • ach / ' spinitj / [noncount]
a vegetable with big, green leaves
spine / spain /noun [ count ] ( BIOLOGY )
the line of bones in your back —Look at the picture atskeleton .
one of the sharp points on some plants and animals Porcupines use their spines to protect themselves.
spi • ral / spairal /noun
[ count ]
a long shape that goes around and around as it goes up A spring is a spiral. ► spi • raladjective
a spiral staircase
spire / ' spaiar /noun [ count ] a tall, pointed structure on top of a church
spir .it Ф / 'spirit / noun
[ count ] the part of a person that is not the body. Some people think that your spirit does not die when your body dies.
spirits [ plural ] the way that a person feels She's in high spirits (= happy ) today.
spirits [ plural ] strong alcoholic drinks such as whiskey
spir • i • tu • al / ' spiritjual / adjective
connected with deep thoughts and feelings rather than the physical body
Our society often neglects people's spiritual needs.
( RELIGION ) connected with religion a spiritual leader
spit / spit / verb ( spits , spit - ting , spit or spat / spffit / has spit or has spat )
to send liquid or food out from your mouth The baby spit her food out . He spat on the ground.
spite / spait /noun [ noncount ]
when someone deliberately says or does unkind things She broke my watch out of spite .
in spite of something
although something is true; not noticing or caring about something
I slept well in spite of the noise. In spite of the bad weather, we went out.
—SYNONYM despite
spite • ful / ' spaitfl / adjective
saying or doing unkind things
splash1 / spi®/ /verb
( splash - es , splash - ing , splashed )
to throw drops of liquid over someone or something; to make this happen
The car splashed us as it drove past.
The children were splashing around in the pool.
splash2 / splffij /noun [ count ] ( pluralsplash - es )
the sound that a person or thing makes when they fall into water
Tom jumped into the river with a big splash.
a small amount of liquid
There were splashes of paint on the floor.
splen • did / ' splendad / adjective
very beautiful or very good a splendid palace
a splendid example of early American art
splin • ter / ' splintar /noun [ count ]
a very small, thin, sharp piece of wood, metal, or glass that has broken off a bigger piece I have a splinter in my finger.
split 1 / split / verb ( splits , split - ting , split , has split )
1 to divide or separate; to make this happen
split the wood with an ax. We split the money between us.
The teacher told us to split into groups.
to tear or break apart; to make this happen His jeans split when he sat down.
How did you split your lip? split up to stop being together He has split up with his girlfriend.
split2 / split /noun [ count ]
a long cut or hole in something There's a big split in the tent.
a disagreement that divides a group of people
spoil ® / spoil / verb ( spoil , spoil - inc, spoilei )
to make something less good than before The mud spoiled my shoes.
Did the bad weather spoil your vacation?
to give a child too much so that they think they can always have what they want
She spoils her grandchildren. ► spoiled / spoild / adjective
(used about a child) rude and badly behaved because people give them everything they ask for a spoiled child
spoke 1
form of speak
spoke2 / spouk /noun [ count ]
one of the thin bars that join the middle part of a wheel to the outside part
—Look at the picture at bicycle . spo•ken form of speak
spokes • man / ' spouksman /
( also spokes - wom - an / ' spoukswuman / )noun
[ count ] ( pluralspokes - men / ' spouksman / ,
spokes ■ wom - en / ' spoukswiman / )
a person who tells someone what a group of people has
decided
spokes • per • son / ' spouksp3rsn / noun [count](spokes - per - sons or spokes -peo-ple
/ spoukspipl / )
a person who tells someone what a group of people has decided
sponge / spAnd3 /
noun [ count ] a soft thing with a lot of small holes in it that you use for washing yourself or cleaning things
spong • y / ' spAnd₃i / adjective ( spong - i -er,spong i - est)
soft, like a sponge The ground was spongy.
spon • sor 1 / ' spansar / noun [ count ]
a person or a company that gives money so that an event will take place
The race organizers are trying to attract sponsors.
a person who agrees to pay money to a charity if someone else completes a particular activity
I need sponsors for a 25-mile bike ride to raise money for cancer research.
spon • sor 2 / ' spansar / verb ( spon - sors,spon sor- ing , spon sored )
to give money so that an event will take place The local team was sponsored by a large company.
to agree to pay money to a charity if someone else completes a particular activity
a sponsored walk to raise money for children in need
spon • ta • ne • ous / span ' teinias / adjective
done or happening suddenly; not planned The audience burst into spontaneous applause. ► spon • ta • ne • ous • ly/ span' teiniasli /adverb to laugh spontaneously
spook • y / spuki / adjective ( spook - i - er , spook - i est ) ( informal )
making you feel nervous or afraid
It's spooky being alone in the house at night.
-►SYNONYM creepy
SpOOn Ф / spun /
noun [ count ]
a thing with a round end that you use for eating, serving, or mixing food a wooden spoon You need a knife, fork, and spoon.
spoon • ful / ' spunful /noun [ count ]
the amount that you can put in one spoon a spoonful of sugar
Sport Ф / sport /noun [ count, noncount ]
a physical game or activity that you do to keep your body strong or because you enjoy it Jane plays a lot of sports . Soccer is my favorite sport.
sports car
/ sports kar / noun [ count ]
a fast car, usually with a roof that you can open
sports • man / ' sportsman / (also sports- wom- an
/ ' sportswuman / )noun [ count ] ( pluralsports - men
/ ' sportsman / , sports - wom - en / ' sportswiman / ) a person who plays sports
sport • y / ' sporti / adjective ( sport i er , sport - i - est )
liking or good at sports
Spot 1Ф / spat /noun [ count ]
a small, round mark
a white dog with black spots
a place
This is a good spot for a picnic.
spot 2 / spat / verb ( spots, spot - ting , spot - ted )
to see someone or something suddenly She spotted her friend in the crowd.
spot • less / ' spatlas / adjective
completely clean
She keeps the house spotless.
spot • light / ' spatlait /noun [ count ]
a strong light that shines a bright light on a small area. Spotlights are often used in theaters.
spot • ty / ' spati / adjective ( spot - ti - er , spot - ti est )
good in some parts, but not in others I have a spotty knowledge of French.
spouse / spaus /noun [ count ] ( formal )
your husband or wife
spout / spaut /noun [ count ]
the narrow part of a container that you pour liquid out of
sprain / sprein / verb ( sprains , sprain - ing , sprained )
to hurt part of your body by turning it suddenly Scott fell and sprained his ankle.
sprang
form of spring 2
sprawl / sprol / verb ( sprawls , sprawl - ing , sprawled )
to sit or lie with your arms and legs spread out The kids were sprawled on the floor, watching TV.
spray 1 / sprei /noun
1 [ noncount ] liquid in very small drops that flies through the air spray from the ocean2 [ count, noncount ] liquid in a container that comes out in very small drops when you press a button a can of hair spray
spray 2 / sprei / verb ( sprays , spray ing , sprayed )
to make very small drops of liquid fall on something Someone sprayed paint on my car.
spread © / spred / verb ( spreads , spread - ing , spread , has spread )
to open something so that you can see all of it The bird spread its wings and flew away. Spread out the map on the table.
to put a soft substance all over something I spread butter on the bread.
to reach more people or places; to make something do this
Fire quickly spread to other parts of the building. Rats spread disease. ►spreadnoun [ noncount ]
Doctors are trying to stop the spread of the disease.
spread • sheet / ' spredjit /noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a computer program for working with rows of numbers, used especially for doing accounts
spree / spri /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a time when you go out and do a lot of something that you
enjoy, often doing too much of it
We went on a big shopping spree yesterday.
spring i© spring
/ sprig/noun
[count,noncount] the part of the year after winter, when plants start to grow flowers that bloom in spring
[ count ] a
long,thin piece of metal that is twisted around and around. A spring will go back to the same size and shape after you push or pull it.
[ count ] ( GEOGRAPHY ) a place where water comes out of the ground; a mountain spring
spring 2 / sprig / verb ( springs , spring ing , sprang / sprag / or sprung / sprng / has sprung )
to jump or move suddenly
He sprang to his feet .
Everyone has sprung into action .
spring up to appear or develop quickly or suddenly
New buildings are springing up all over the city.
sprin • kle / ' sprig ki / verb ( sprin - kles , sprin - kling , sprin kled )
to shake small pieces of something or drops of a liquid on another thing
Sprinkle some sugar on the fruit.
sprin • kler / sprigklsr /noun [ count ]
a thing that sends out water in small drops. Sprinklers are used on grass and for stopping fires in buildings.
sprint / sprint / verb ( sprints , sprint - ing , sprint ed )
to run a short distance very fast
sprout 1 / spraut / verb (sprouts,sprout - ing ,sprout -ed )
( BIOLOGY ) to start to grow
New leaves are sprouting on the trees.
sprout2 / spraut /noun [ count ]
a new part that has grown on a plant sprungform ofspring 2 spunform ofspin
spy 1 / spai /noun [ count ] ( pluralspies )
a person who tries to learn secrets about another country, person, or company
spy 2 / spai / verb ( spies , spy ing , spied , has spied )
to watch a country, person, or company and try to learn their secrets
He spied for his government for more than ten years. spy on someone or something to watch someone or something secretly Have you been spying on me?
squab • ble / ' skwabi / verb
( squab - bles , squab - bling , squab - bled )
to argue about something that is not important
The children were squabbling over the last piece of cake.
Stop squabbling with your brother!
► squab • ble noun [ count ]
It was a silly squabble about what game to play.
squad / skwad /noun
[count]
a small group of people who work together a women's soccer squad a squad of police officers
square 1 © / skwer /noun [ count ]
a shape with four straight sides that are the same length —Look at the picture atshape .
an open space in a town or city, with buildings around it Times Square is in New York City.
the town square
( MATH ) the number that you get when you multiply another number by itself
Four is the square of two (= 2 x 2 = 4 ) .
square 2 © / skwer /adjective ( MATH )
with four straight sides that are the same length a square table
( abbreviationsq. ) used for talking about the area of something
If a room is 5 yards long and 4 yards wide, its area is 20 square yards .
(used about something that is square in shape) having sides of a particular length
The picture is twenty inches square (= each side is 20 inches long ) .
squared / skwerd / adjective
( MATH ) (used about a number) multiplied by itself Four squared is sixteen.
square root / ,skwer ' rut /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a number that produces another particular number when it is multiplied by itself The square root of sixteen is four.
squash 1 / skwaj / verb (squash -es,squash ing ,squashed )
to press something hard and make it flat She sat on my hat and squashed it.
— Look at the picture at squeeze .
to push a lot of people or things into a small space We squashed five people into the back of the car.
squash2 / skwaj /noun
[ noncount ] ( SPORTS ) a game where two players hit a small ball against the wall in a special room
the squash courts
[ count, noncount ] ( pluralsquash ) a type of vegetable with a hard skin that grows on the ground pumpkins, zucchini, and other kinds of squash
squat / skwat / verb ( squats , squat ting , squat . ted )
to bend your knees and sit just above the ground I squatted down to light the fire.
squeak / skwik / verb ( squeaks,squeak . ing ,squeaked )
to make a short, high sound like a mouse The door was squeaking, so I put some oil on it.
►squeak noun [ count ]
the squeak of a mouse
squeak • y / ' skwiki / adjective ( squeak . i .er,squeak . i est )
She has a squeaky voice.
squeal / skwil /verb
( squeals , squeal . ing , squealed )
to make a loud, high sound
The children squealed with excitement.
squealnoun [ count ] squeals of delight
squeeze / skwiz /verb
(squeez.es,squeez . ing ,squeezed )
to press something hard
Squeeze the lemons and add the juice to the mixture. She squeezed his hand.
to go into a small space; to push too much into a small space
Fifty people squeezed into the small room. Can you squeeze another person into your car? ►squeezenoun [ count ]
She gave my arm a squeeze.
squash
squeeze
squeeze
press crush
squid / skwid /noun [ count ] ( pluralsquid or squids )
an animal that lives in the ocean. It has a soft body and ten long parts (called tentacles ). — Look at the picture atoctopus .
squint / skwint / verb ( squints , squint ing , squint . ed )
to look at something with your eyes almost closed to squint in bright sunlight
squir • rel / ' skwaral /
noun [ count ]
a small gray, brown, or black animal with a big, thick tail. Squirrels live in trees and eat nuts.
squirt / skwart/ verb ( squirts , squirt . ing , squirt . ed )
(used about a liquid) to suddenly come out and go onto something or toward something; to make this happen I bit into the orange and juice squirted out. He squirted me with water.
Sr.
abbreviation of Senior John Brown, Sr.
St.
abbreviation of saint
abbreviation of street
stab / streb / verb ( stabs , stab . bing , stabbed )
to push a knife or another sharp thing into someone or something
He was stabbed in the back.
sta • bil • i • ty АШИ / sta' bilati/ noun [ noncount ]
being steady and not changing
After so many changes, we need a period of stability.
sta • bi • lize AWL / ' steibbaiz / verb ( sta . bi liz . es , sta . bi . liz ing , sta bi . lized )
to become or to make something firm, steady, or not likely to change
The patient's condition has stabilized.
sta • ble 1 AWL / ' steibl / adjective
not likely to move, fall, or change
Don't stand on that chair — it's not very stable.
—ANTONYM unstable
sta • ble2AWL / ' steibl /noun [count]
a building where you keep horses
stack1 / strek /noun [ count ]
a lot of things on top of one another a stack of books
—SYNONYM pile
stack 2 / strek / verb ( stacks , stack . ing , stacked )
to put things on top of one another I stacked up the chairs after the concert.
sta • di • um / ' steidiam /noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a place with seats around it where you can watch sports
a football stadium Thesaurus
field an area of land used for playing team sports such as baseball, football, and soccer: a baseball/football field ♦ The team ran out on the field. ♦ The school has its own playing field .
court an area where certain ball games are played: a basketball/tennis/squash court ♦ He won after only 52 minutes on the court.
stadium a large place with seats around the sides where you can watch sports: a football/sports stadium ballpark an area where baseball is played: The batter hit one right out of the ballpark.
track an area with a special surface for people or cars to have races on: a running/racing track ♦ track and field events (= which involve running, jumping, and throwing )
staff / stffif /noun [ plural ]
the people who work in a place The hotel staff were very friendly.
stage О / steid₃ /noun [ count ]
a particular time in a longer set of things that happen The first stage of the project lasts for two weeks.
At this stage , I don't know what I'll do when I leave school.
the part of a theater where the actors, dancers, etc. perform
The audience threw flowers onto the stage.
There were more than 50 people on stage in one scene.
stag • ger / ' stffigar / verb ( stag - gers , stag - ger - ing , stag - gered )
to walk as if you are going to fall
He staggered across the room with the heavy box.
stag • nant / ' stffignant /adjective
If water is stagnant , it is not moving, so it is dirty and smells bad.
stain / stein / verb ( stains , stain ing , stained )
to leave a dirty mark on something, which is difficult to remove
The spilled wine stained the carpet red. ►stainnoun [ count ]
She had blood stains on her shirt.
stain • less steel / _lsteinlas ' stil / [noncount]
a metal that does not rust (= change color or get damaged by water )
stainless steel pots and pans Stair Ф / stei / noun
1stairs [ plural ] steps that lead up and down inside a building
ran up the stairs to the bedroom. —Look at downstairs , upstairs .
one of the steps in a set of stairs
How many stairs are there up to the top floor?
stai r • case / ' sterkeis / ( also stair . way )
/ ' sterwei /noun [ count ] a large set of stairs
stale / steil / adjective ( stal - er , stal - est )
not fresh; stale bread stale air
stalk / stok /noun [ count ]
one of the long, thin parts of a plant that the flowers, leaves, or fruit grow on
stall / stol/noun [ count ]
a big table with things on it that someone wants to sell, for example in a street or market
a fruit stall
a small area with walls around it and a shower or toilet in it
a shower stall
a small area with walls around it for one animal, especially a horse
stal • lion / ' stffilyan /noun [ count ] an adult male horse Word building A male horse is a stallion and a female horse is a mare . A young horse is a foal .
stam • i • na / ' stffimana /noun [ noncount ]
the ability to do something difficult for a long time You need a lot of stamina to run a marathon.
stam • mer / ' stffimar / verb ( stam mers , stam - mer - ing , stam - mered )
to say the same sound many times when you are trying to say a word
"B-b-b-but wait for me," she stammered. —SYNONYM stutter
stam • mer noun [ singular ]
to have a stammer
sta mp1Ф/stsemp /noun [ cou nt ]
a small piece of paper that you put on a letter to show that you have paid to send it
Could I have three postcard stamps, please? He has been collecting stamps since he was eight.
a small piece of wood or metal that you press on paper to make marks or words
a date stamp
stamp 2 / stffimp / verb ( stamps , stamp - ing , stamped )
to put your foot down very hard
She stamped on the spider and killed it.
to walk by putting your feet down hard and loudly Mike stamped angrily out of the room.
to press a small piece of wood or metal on paper to make marks or words
They stamped my passport at the airport.
stam • pede / st®m ' pid /noun
[count]
a situation when a lot of animals or people start running in the same direction because they are frightened or excited There was a stampede when the doors finally opened.
stam • pede verb
( stam pedes , stam - ped - ing , stam - ped - ed )
a herd of stampeding buffalo
Sta nd 1 Ф" / stsend / verb ( stands , stand - ing , stood / stud / has stood )
to be on your feet
She was standing by the door.
Stand still while I take your photograph.
( also stand up ) to get up on your feet The teacher asked us all to stand up.
to be in a place
The castle stands on a hill.
to put something somewhere
I stood the ladder against the wall.
to be able to survive difficult conditions
Camels can stand extremely hot and cold temperatures. can't stand someone or something to hate someone or something I can't stand this music. Thesaurus
hate to have a strong feeling of not liking someone or something. This word is often used in informal English to talk about people or things that you really do not like: I've always hated broccoli. ♦ He hates getting up early in the morning. ♦ I hate the way she always criticizes me.
can't stand an expression used to mean that you really do not like someone or something. It is often used in informal spoken English: I can't stand this music. Can we listen to something else? ♦ He can't stand waiting in line for things. ♦ I can't stand her brother, can you?
dislike a slightly formal way of saying that you do not like someone or something, but not in a strong way. It is more usual to say "don't like": I have always disliked flying. ♦ Why do you dislike him so much? despise to dislike someone or something very much and have no respect for them or it: She despised any kind of gossip. ♦ He despised himself for being such a coward.
loathe to hate someone or something very much: They loathe each other. ♦ He loathed hypocrisy. stand back to move back The police told the crowd to stand back.
stand by
to watch but not do anything
How can you stand by while those boys kick the cat?
to be ready to do something Stand by until I call you!
stand by someone to help someone when they need it
Julie's parents stood by her when she was in trouble.
stand for something to be a short way of saying or
writing something
U.S. stands for "United States."
stand out to be easy to see
Joe stands out in a crowd because of his red hair.
stand someone up ( informal )
to not keep an appointment with someone
Jan's date stood her up, so she went to the movie alone.
stand up for someone or something to say that
someone or something is right; to support someone or
something
Everyone else said I was wrong, but my sister stood up for me.
stand up to someone to argue or fight with a more powerful person who is attacking you
stand 2 Ф / staend /noun
[ count ] a table or small store where you can buy things or get information
a newsstand (= where you can buy newspapers and magazines )
[ count ] a piece of furniture that you can put things on an umbrella stand
stands [ pl ural ] ( SPORTS ) a large structure where people can watch sports from seats arranged in rows that are low near the front and high near the back
stan • dard / 'standard /noun
[ count ] how good someone or something is Her work is of a very high standard .
standards [ plural ] a level of behavior that people think is acceptable
Many people are worried about falling standards in modern society.
stan • dard 2 Ф' / 'standard /adjective
normal; not special
Clothes are sold in standard sizes.
stan • dard • iZe / ' standardaiz / verb ( stan - dard - iz - es , stan dard - iz - ing , stan - dard ized )
to make things of a certain type the same as each other
stand • ard of liv / | standard av ' livig /
noun [ count ] ( plural stand - ards of liv - ing )
how rich or poor you are
They have a low standard of living (= they are poor ) .
stand • by / ' standbai /noun [ count ] ( pluralstand - bys )
a person or thing that is ready to be used if needed
on standby
ready and waiting to do something immediately if needed We were put on standby for the flight to Miami.
stand • still / stanstil /noun [ singular ]
a situation when there is no activity or progress Traffic came to a complete standstill .
stank
form of stink
sta • ple / ' steipl /noun [ count ]
a small piece of metal that you use for fastening pieces of paper together. You press the staples through the paper, using a stapler ,
—Look at the picture at stationery . ► sta • ple verb ( sta - ples , sta - pling , sta - pled )
Staple the pieces of paper together .
sta • pler / ' steiplar /noun [ count ]
a tool that you use for fastening pieces of paper together with metal staples ,
Look at the picture at stationery .
Star 1 © / star /noun [ count ]
one of the small, bright lights that you see in the sky at night
a shape with points
a horse with a white star on its forehead
a famous person who performs something or plays sports, for example an actor
a basketball star
star 2 / star / verb ( stars , star ring , starred )
to be the main actor in a play or movie He has starred in many movies.
to have someone as a star
The movie stars George Clooney.
starch / startf/noun [ count, noncount ]
( BIOLOGY , CHEMISTRY ) a white substance that is found in foods such as potatoes, rice, and bread
Star6 © / ster / verb ( stares , star ing , stared )
to look at someone or something for a long time Everyone stared at her hat. He was staring out of the window.
star • fish
/ ' starfij /noun [ count ] ( plural star - fish )
a flat animal that lives in the ocean and is shaped like a star
the Stars and Stripes/6s ,starz sn ' straips/
noun [ singular ]
the national flag of the U.S.
Start 1 Ф/ start/verb (starts, start ing, start ed)
1 to begin to do something
start work at nine o'clock. It started raining.
She started to cry.
to begin to happen; to make something begin to happen The concert starts at 8:00.
The police do not know who started the fire.
to begin to work or move; to make something begin to work or move
The engine won't start. I can't start the car. start off to begin
The teacher started off by asking us our names. start over to begin again
I've made a lot of mistakes, so I'd better start over.
Start 2 Ф / start /noun [ count ]
the beginning or first part of something She arrived after the start of the meeting.
the act of starting something
There's lots of work to do, so let's make a start. for a start ( informal )
words that you use when you give your first reason for something
"Why can't we go on vacation?" "Well, for a start, we don't have enough money."
star • tle / ' startl / verb ( star tles , star - tling , star - tled )
to make someone suddenly surprised or afraid You startled me when you knocked on the window. ►star • tled / ' startld /adjective
He was so startled he dropped the glass.
starve / starv /verb ( starves , starv - ing , starved ) ( HEALTH ) to die because you do not have enough to eat Millions of people are starving in some parts of the world. be starving ( informal ) to be very hungry
When will dinner be ready? I'm starving! ► star • va • tion / star'veijn / noun [ noncount ]
The child died of starvation.
State 1 © / steit / noun
1 how someone or something is The house was in a terrible state . What state of mind is he in?
( POLITICS ) a part of a country, especially one of the 50 parts of the United States
Texas is a state in the U.S.
( POLITICS ) a country and its government Many social programs are run by the state.
the States [ plural ] (informal) the United States
State 2 О / steit / verb ( states , stat - ing , stat ed )
to say or write something, especially officially I stated in my letter that I was looking for a job.
state . ment & / 'steitmsnt/ noun[ count ]
something that you say or write, especially officially
The driver made a statement to the police about the
accident.
states • man / ' steitsmsn /noun [ count ]
( pluralstates - men / ' steitsmsn / )
( POLITICS ) a politician with a lot of experience who the public respects
stat • ic / ' stretik /noun [ noncount ] ( physics )
sudden noises on a radio or television, caused by electricity in the atmosphere
Change the station — there's too much static on this one.
( also stat - ic e - lec - tric - i - ty / _lst®tik ilek' trissti / ) electricity that collects on the surface of something
My hair gets full of static when I brush it.
Sta .tion © / 'steijn/noun [ count ]
a place where trains stop so that people can get on and off; the train station
a place where buses start and end their trips the bus station
a building for some special work
the police station ♦ the fire station ♦ a gas station
a television or radio company
sta • tion • ar • y / ' steijh^eri / adjective
not moving; a stationary vehicle
sta • tion • er • y / ' steirn^eri / noun [noncount]
paper, pens, and other things that you use for writing
folders
notebook
ballpoint pen
pencil
I
stationery
paper clips
I
highlighter
stapler staples pencil sharpener glue
sta • tion wag • on / ' steijn iwregsn / noun
[count] .
station wagon
a long car with a door at the back and space behind the back seat for carrying things
stat • is • ti • cian awl / ,stretistijn / noun
[ count ]
a person who studies or works with statistics
sta • tis • ticsAWL| / sta 'tistiks /noun [ plural ]
( MATH )
numbers that give information about something Statistics show that women live longer than men.
the science of studying and collecting these numbers I'm taking a statistics course in college.
►sta • tis • ti • cal AWL| / sta 'tistikl / adjective statistical analysis
stat • ue / ' stretju/noun [ count ]
a model of a person or an animal, made from stone or metal the Statue of Liberty in New York
sta • tusAWL / ' stretas ; ' steitas /noun
[ noncount ] the legal position of a person, group, or country
Please write your name, age, and marital status (= whether you are married or single ) .
[ singular ] your social or professional position compared to other people
Teachers have a very high status in many countries.
Stay 1 Ф / stei / verb ( stays , stay ing , stayed )
1 to be in the same place and not go away Stay here until I come back.
stayed in bed until ten o'clock.
to continue in the same way and not change I tried to stay awake.
to live somewhere for a short time I stayed with my friend in Atlanta. Which hotel are you staying at ?
stay behind to be somewhere after other people have gone
The teacher asked me to stay behind after class. stay in to be at home and not go out I'm staying in this evening because I'm tired. stay up to not go to bed We stayed up until after midnight.
stay2 / stei /noun [ count ] ( pluralstays ) a short time when you live somewhere Did you enjoy your stay in Las Vegas?
stead .v i® / ' stedi / adjective ( stead • i • er , stead • i • est )
not moving or shaking
Hold the ladder steady while I stand on it.
developing or changing at a regular speed a steady increase
not changing or stopping She now has a steady job . His breathing was steady. ►stead • i • ly / ' stedali / adverb Prices are falling steadily.
stead • y 2 / stedi / verb
(stead • ies, stead • y • ing, stead • ied, has stead ied )
to stop yourself, someone, or something from moving, shaking, or falling
She thought she was going to fall, so she put out a hand to steady herself.
steak / steik /noun [ count ]
a wide, flat piece of meat, especially meat from a cow (called beef )
I'd like steak and potatoes, please.
steal Ф / stil /verb ( steals , steal • ing , stole / stoul / has sto • len / ' stoulan / ) to secretly take something that is not yours Her money has been stolen. Which word?
A person who steals is called a thief . A thief steals things: They stole my camera. A thief robs people and places: I've been robbed. ♦ They robbed a bank.
steam i Ф / stim/ noun
[noncount]
the gas that water becomes when it gets very hot There was steam coming from my coffee.
steam 2 / stim / verb ( steams , steam • ing , steamed )
to send out steam
a steaming bowl of soup
to cook something in steam steamed vegetables
steel / stil /noun [noncount]
very strong metal that is used for making things like knives, tools, and machines
steep / stip /adjective ( steep • er , steep est ) A steep hill, mountain, or road goes up quickly from a low place to a high place
I can't ride my bike up the hill — it's too steep.
► steep • ly / ' stipli / adverb
The path climbed steeply up the side of the mountain.
stee • ple / ' stipi / noun
[count]
a tall, pointed structure on the top of a church
steer / stir / verb ( steers , steer • ing , steered )
to make a car, boat, bicycle, etc. go left or right by turning a wheel or handle
steer • ing wheel / stirig wil /noun [ count ]
the wheel that you turn to make a car go left or right
steering wheel
I dashboard
stem / stem /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) the long, thin part of a plant that the flowers and leaves grow on
—Look at the picture at plant . sten • cil / stensl /noun [ count ]
( ART ) a thin piece of metal, plastic, or heavy paper with a design cut out of it. You put it against a surface and paint over it so that the design is left on the surface; a design that is produced in this way
Step 1 Ф / step /noun
[count]
a movement when you move your foot up and put it down in another place to walk, run, or dance
She took a step forward and then stopped.
a place to put your foot when you go up or down These steps go down to the garden.
one thing in a list of things that you must do What's the first step in planning a vacation?
step by step
doing one thing after another; slowly
This book shows you how to play the guitar, step by step.
Step 2 Ф / step / verb ( steps , step ping , stepped )
to move your foot up and put it down in another place when
you walk, run, or dance
You stepped on my foot!
step out to leave a place for a short time
Mr. Anderson just stepped out. Can I help you?
step • father / ' stepfadar / noun [ count ]
a man who has married your mother but who is not your father
Word building
The child of your stepmother or stepfather is called your stepbrother or stepsister . The child from an earlier marriage of your husband or wife is called your stepson or stepdaughter .
step • lad • der / ' steplffidar / noun
[ count ]
a type of ladder (= a thing that helps you to climb up something ) with two parts, one with steps. The parts are joined together at the top so that it can stand on its own and be folded up when you are not using it.
step • mother / ' stepmAdar / noun [ count ]
a woman who has married your father but who is not your mother
Word building
The child of your stepmother or stepfather is called your stepbrother or stepsister . The child from an earlier marriage of your husband or wife is called your stepson or stepdaughter .
Ster . e . О / 'steriou / noun [ count ] ( pluralster - e - os ) a machine for playing CDs, tapes, or records, with two parts (called speakers ) where the sound comes from
a car stereo
► ster • e • o adjective
a stereo broadcast
ster • e • o • type / ' steriataip / noun [ count ]
an idea that a lot of people have about a particular type of person or thing, which is often not really true a cultural stereotype
ster • ile / ' steral / adjective
( BIOLOGY , HEALTH )
not able to produce young animals or babies
completely clean and free from things that can cause disease ( bacteria )
All medical instruments must be sterile.
stern 1 / starn / adjective ( stern - er , stern - est )
serious and strict with people; not smiling or friendly a stern expression ► stern • ly/ ' starnli /adverb "Go to your room," he said sternly.
stern2/ starn /noun [ count ]
the back end of a ship or boat —Look atbow 2 ( 2 ).
steth • o • scope
/ ' ste9askoup /noun [count]
( HEALTH ) the thing that a doctor uses to listen to your heart and breathing
stew / stu /noun
[ count, noncount ]
food that you make by cooking meat or vegetables in liquid for a long time beef stew
► stew verb ( stews , stew - ing , stewed )
stewedfruit
stew • ard / stuard /noun [ count ]
a man whose job is to serve and help people on a ship or an airplane
—Look at flight attendant .
stew • ard • ess / stuardas / noun [ count ] ( plural stew . ard - ess . es )
a woman whose job is to serve and help people on a ship or an airplane
—Look at flight attendant .
Stick 1 Ф/ stik / verb ( sticks , stick - ing , stuck / stAk / has stuck )
to push a pointed thing into something Stick a fork into the meat to see if it's cooked.
to join something to something else with a sticky substance; to become joined in this way
I stuck a stamp on the envelope.
to be fixed in one place; to not be able to move This door always sticks.
( informal ) to put something somewhere Stick that box on the floor.
stick out to come out of the side or top of something so that you can see it easily
The boy's head was sticking out of the window. stick something out to push something out Don't stick your tongue out!
stick to something to continue with something and not change it
We're sticking to Peter's plan.
stick together (used about a group of people) to stay friendly and support each other
stick up for someone or something to say that someone or something is right
Everyone else said I was wrong, but Kim stuck up for me.
stick 2 Ф / stik /noun [ count ]
a long, thin piece of wood
We found some sticks and made a fire.
a long, thin object that is used in some sports to hit or control the ball
a hockey stick
a long, thin piece of something a stick of celery
stick • er / ' stikar /noun [ count ]
a small piece of paper with a picture or words on it, which you can stick onto things
Stick .уФ/ stiki/ adjective ( stick - i - er , stick - i - est )
able to stick to things; covered with a substance that can stick to things
Glue is sticky. ♦ sticky fingers
stiff / stif / adjective ( stiff - er , stiff est )
not easy to bend or move stiff cardboard
Still lO/stil/ adverb
a word that you use to show that something has not changed
Do you still live in Denver? Is it still raining?
although that is true
She felt sick, but she still went to the party.
a word that you use to make another word stronger It was cold yesterday, but today it's colder still.
sti 11 2 Ф / stil /adjective
without moving
Please stand still while I take a photo.
The water was perfectly still.
►still • ness / ' stilnas /noun [ noncount ]
the stillness of the night
stim • u • late / ' stimyaleit /
(stim - u - lates, stim u - lat - ing , stim - u - lat - ed )
to make something active or more active to stimulate the economy
to make someone feel interested in or excited about something
History classes don't really stimulate her. ►stim • u • lat • ing / ' stimyaleitig / adjective
a stimulating discussion
sti ng1 / stig /verb
( stings , sting - ing , stung / stug / has stung )
( HEALTH ) If an insect or a plant stings you, it hurts you by pushing a small sharp part into your skin
I've been stung by a bee!
to feel a sudden sharp pain The smoke made my eyes sting.
Thesaurus
hurt is a general word meaning to feel pain, or to make someone or something else feel pain: My feet hurt. ♦ It hurts when I bend my knee. ♦ Ouch! That really hurts! ♦ Stop that - you're hurting me. ♦ Did you hurt yourself when you fell?
ache to feel a pain that is not strong, but that continues for a long time. This verb does not take an object, so you cannot put a noun directly after it: His legs ached after playing soccer for two hours. ♦ Her eyes ached from lack of sleep. ♦ I'm aching all over. burn to feel very hot and painful; to hurt someone with fire or heat: Your forehead's burning. You must have a fever. ♦ The water was so hot that I burned my hands. ♦ She was badly burned in the fire. sting to feel a sudden sharp pain; to make someone feel a pain like this: My eyes were stinging from the soap. ♦ Ow! That antiseptic cream stings!
sting2 / stig /noun [ count ]
( also sting - er / ' stigar / ) the sharp part of some insects, which can hurt you
A wasp's sting is in its tail.
— Look at the picture at scorpion .
( HEALTH ) a place on your skin where an insect or a plant has stung you
a bee sting
sti n • gy / ' stind3i / adjective ( stin gi - er , stin - gi est )
A stingy person does not like to give or spend money. —ANTONYM generous
stink 1 / stigk / verb ( stinks , stink - ing , stank
/ stagk / has stunk / stAgk / ) ( informal )
to have a very bad smell That fish stinks!
to seem to be very bad or unpleasant This job really stinks!
stink2 / stigk/noun [ count ] ( informal )
a very bad smell What a terrible stink!
stir / star / verb ( stirs , stir - ring , stirred )
to move a spoon or another thing around and around to mix something
He put sugar in his coffee and stirred it.
to move a little; to make something move a little The wind stirred the leaves.
stir-fry 1 / ' star frai / verb ( stir-fries , stir-fry ing , stir-fried , has stir-fried )
to cook thin pieces of vegetables, fish, or meat quickly by moving them around in very hot oil Stir-fry the chicken for two minutes, then add the sauce. stir-fried vegetables
stir-fry2 / ' star frai /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralstir-fries )
a hot dish of pieces of vegetables, fish, or meat that have been stir-fried
I'd like the shrimp stir-fry with rice, please.
stitch1 / stitf /noun [ count ] ( pluralstitch .es )
1 a small line or circle of thread that joins or decorates cloth
a circle of wool that you put around a needle when you are knitting (= making clothes from wool )
( HEALTH ) a short piece of special thread that doctors use to sew the edges of a cut together
The cut needed eight stitches.
stitch 2 / stitr / verb ( stitch - es , stitch - ing , stitched )
to sew something I stitched a button on my skirt.
stock1 / stak /noun [count, noncount] ( BUSINESS )
things that a store keeps ready to sell We have a large stock of tables and chairs. I'll see if we have your size in stock.
That book's out of stock at the moment.
a share in a company or business that someone has bought, or the value of those shares
to buy stocks in a company
— Look at stock exchange .
stock 2 / stak / verb ( stocks , stock ing , stocked )
to keep something ready to sell Sorry, we don't stock umbrellas.
stock up to collect a large amount of something that you can use in the future
We'd better stock up on food before the snowstorm.
stock • bro • ker / ' stakbrouksr /noun [ count ]
( BUSINESS ) a person whose job is to buy and sell shares in companies for other people
stock ex • change / ' stak iks|tjemd₃ /
( also stock mar - ket / ' stak markst / )noun [ count ] ( BUSINESS ) a place where people buy and sell shares in companies; the business of doing this the New York Stock Exchange to lose money in the stock market
stock • ing / ' stakig /noun [ count ]
a long, thin piece of clothing that a woman wears over her leg and foot a pair of stockings
stock • pile / ' stakpail/noun [ count ] a large amount of something that you keep to use in the future if needed ► stock • pileverb
( stock - piles , stock - pil ing , stock - piled )
to stockpile canned food and water
stole, sto • len
forms of steal
stom .ach Ф / ' sUmsk /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) the part inside your body where food goes after you eat it
—Look at the picture at body .
the front part of your body below your chest and above your legs
—Look at the picture at body .
stom • ach • ache / ' sUmskeik /
( HEALTH ) a pain in your stomach I have a stomachache.
Stone Ф / stoun/noun
1 [ noncount ] the very hard material that is in the ground. Stone is sometimes used for building a stone wall
[ count ] a small piece of stone
The children were throwing stones into the river.
[ count ] a small piece of beautiful rock that is very valuable
A diamond is a precious stone . ston • y / ' stouni / adjective ( ston - i - er , ston - i - est )
containing a lot of stones; covered with a lot of stones stony ground
stoodform ofstand stool / stul /noun [ count ]
a small seat with no back —Look at the picture atchair .
stoop / stup /verb ( stoops , stoop - ing , stooped ) If you stoop , you bend your body forward and down She stooped to pick up the baby.
Stop 1 © / stap / verb ( stops , stop - ping , stopped )
1 to finish moving or working; to become still The train stopped at every station. The clock has stopped.
stopped to mail a letter.
to not do something anymore; to finish Stop making that noise!
to make someone or something finish moving or doing something
Ring the bell to stop the bus.
stop by to make a short visit somewhere
I'll stop by this evening on my way home from work.
stop someone from doing something
to not let someone do something My dad stopped me from going out.
Stop 2 Ф / stap /noun [ count ]
the moment when someone or something finishes moving
The train came to a stop .
a place where buses or trains stop so that people can get on and off
I'm getting off at the next stop. put a stop to something
to make something finish A teacher put a stop to the fight.
stop • light / ' staplait/noun [ count ]
a light that changes from red to yellow to green, to tell cars and other vehicles when to stop and start
—SYNONYM traffic light
stor • age / ' storid3 /noun [ noncount ]
the process of keeping of things somewhere until they are needed
We're using this room for storage at the moment.
StOre 1 Ф / stor /noun [ count ]
a building or part of a building where things are bought and sold
He went to the store to buy bread and milk. a furniture store
— Look at grocery store , department store , convenience store .
things that you are keeping to use later a secret store of food
in store
going to happen in the future
There's a surprise in store for you when you get home!
store 2 w/ stor / verb ( stores, stor . ing, stored )
to keep something to use later
The information is stored on a computer.
The noun is storage .
store • keep • er / ' storkipar / noun [ count ]
a person who owns a small store
Storm 1 Ф / storm /noun [ count ] very bad weather with strong winds and rain a thunderstorm Word building
When there is a storm, you hear thunder and see lightning in the sky.
Cyclones , hurricanes , tornadoes , and typhoons are large, violent storms.
storm 2 / storm / verb ( storms , storm - ing , stormed )
to move in a way that shows you are angry He stormed out of the room.
storm • y / ' stormi / adjective ( storm - i - er , storm - i - est )
with strong wind and rain a stormy night
StO . ГуФ/ 'stori /noun [count] ( pluralsto . ries )
words that tell you about people and things that are not real
He has written many stories for children. a ghost story
words that tell you about things that really happened My grandmother told me stories about when she was a child.
one level in a building The building has four stories.
—SYNONYM floor
StOVe Ф / stouv /noun [count]
a piece of kitchen equipment for cooking with electricity or gas. It has places for heating pots on the top and an oven for cooking food inside it
You can cook the beans on top of the stove.
a closed metal box in which you burn wood or other fuel to heat a room
a wood-burning stove
Straight 1 Ф / streit / adjective ( straight er , straight - est )
with no curves; going in one direction only Use a ruler to draw a straight line .
His hair is curly, and mine is straight.
— Look at the picture at line .
with one side as high as the other This picture isn't straight.
honest and direct
a straight answer to a straight question
( informal ) attracted to people of the opposite sex —SYNONYM heterosexual
—ANTONYM gay
get something straight
to make sure that you understand something completely Let's get this straight. Are you sure you left your bike by the theater? get straight A's
to get the grade "A" (= the best grade ) in all of your classes
straight 2® / streit /adverb
in a straight line
Look straight in front of you.
Go straight until you come to the bank, then turn left.
without stopping or doing anything else; directly Come straight home.
She walked straight past me.
straight • en / streitn /verb ( straight - ens , straight - en - ing , straight - ened ) to become or to make something straight straighten something out to make a situation less difficult or confused
We can't make a decision until we straighten things out.
straight • for • ward aw / |streit ' forward /
adjective
easy to understand or do a straightforward question
strain1 / strein /noun [ count ]
physical force
The rope broke under the strain .
a feeling of being very worried, or the problems that cause you to feel this way
His illness put a great strain on their marriage.
an injury to part of your body, caused by making it work too hard
back strain
strain 2 / strein / verb ( strains , strain - ing , strained )
to try very hard
Her voice was so quiet that I had to strain to hear her.
to hurt a part of your body by making it work too hard Don't read in the dark. You'll strain your eyes.
to pour a liquid through something with small holes in it, to remove any solid pieces
strand / strffind /noun [ count ]
one piece of thread or hair
strand • ed / strffindad /adjective
left in a place that you cannot get away from
The car broke down and I was stranded on a lonely road.
strange Ф / Streind3/ adjective ( strang - er , strang est )
unusual or surprising
Did you hear that strange noise?
that you do not know
We were lost in a strange city.
strange • ly / ' streind3li /adverb
in a surprising or unusual way He was acting very strangely. She was strangely quiet.
strang • er / ' streind3ar /noun [ count ]
a person who you do not know
a person who is in a place that they do not know I'm a stranger to this city.—Look atforeigner .
stran • gle / ' straggi / verb
( stran - gles , stran gling , stran - gled )
to kill someone by pressing their neck so that they cannot breathe
strap1 / strffip /noun [ count ]
a long, flat piece of material that you use for carrying something or for keeping something in place
a leather watch strap —Look at the picture at bag .
strap 2 / strrep / verb ( straps , strap ping , strapped )
to hold something in place with a strap I strapped the bag onto the back of my bike.
stra • te • gic AWL / stra 'tid3ik / adjective
helping you to achieve a plan
They made a strategic decision to sell part of the company.
strat • e • gyAwL / ' strretad3i /noun [ count ]
( plural strat • e • gies ) a plan; planning What's your strategy for passing the exam?
straw / stro /noun
[ noncount ] dried plants that animals sleep on or that people use for making things like hats and floor coverings
a straw hat
[ count ] a thin paper or plastic tube that you can drink through
the last straw ; the final straw
the last of several bad things; the thing that finally makes a situation impossible for you
straw • ber • ry / ' stro,beri /noun [ count ] ( pluralstraw • ber • ries )
a soft, red fruit with seeds near the surface
—Look at the picture at berry . stray / strei / adjective
A stray animal is lost or does not have a home a stray dog
►straynoun [ count ] ( pluralstrays ) an animal that has no home
streak / strik /noun [ count ]
a long, thin line that is a different color from the surface it is on
She has streaks of gray in her hair. ♦ a streak of lightning
stream1 / strim /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a small river a mountain stream
moving liquid, or moving things or people
a stream of blood ♦ I've had a steady stream of visitors.
stream 2 / strim / verb ( streams , stream • ing , streamed )
to move like water
Tears were streaming down his face.
( COMPUTERS ) to play video or sound on a computer while you are receiving it from the Internet
I suggest you stream the song instead of downloading it.
stream • line / ' strimlain /
(stream • lines , stream lin ing , stream • lined )
to give something like a car or boat a long, smooth shape so that it can go fast through air or water
to make an organization or a way of doing things work better by making it simpler
Street Ф / strit/ noun [count] ( abbreviation St.) a road in a city or town with buildings along the sides I saw Anna walking down the street. I live on Main Street. ♦ 264 Chestnut St. Thesaurus
road a hard surface made for vehicles to travel on. The short way of writing "Road" in addresses is Rd. : My address is 32 Danfield Rd., St Louis. ♦ country/mountain roads ♦ Where does this road go? ♦ I live on a very busy road. ♦ Take the first road on the left.
street a road in a city or town that has buildings on one or both sides. The short way of writing "Street" in addresses is St. : 1281 Tobin St. ♦ a street map of San Francisco ♦ You can't drive down there. It's a one-way street. ♦ They live across the street from us. highway a big road that connects cities and towns: Highway 101 between Ventura and Los Angeles ♦ Take the highway to Flagstaff. ♦ There was a traffic jam on the highway.
lane one part of a larger road, marked with painted lines to keep lines of traffic separate: a four-lane highway ♦ You're in the wrong lane for turning right. avenue a wide street in a city or town. This word is often used in the names of city streets, and can be written as Ave. : 109 Fifth Ave. ♦ We stayed at a hotel on Lexington Avenue.
street • car / ' stritkar /noun [ count ]
an electric bus that runs along metal tracks (called rails ) in the road
—SYNONYM trolley
street • light / ' stritiait /noun [ count ]
a light on a tall post in the street
strength Ф / stregk6 /noun [ noncount ]
1 how strong or powerful you are
don't have the strength to lift this box — it's too heavy.
how strong a feeling or an opinion is
I was surprised at the strength of her feelings.
a good quality or ability that someone or something has His greatest strength is his honesty.
—ANTONYM weakness
streng • then / ' stregkQan /verb
(streng thens, streng • then ing , streng • thened )
to become or to make someone or something stronger The wind had strengthened overnight.
StreSS 1 Ф J И / ^stres I^noun (plural stress es)
[ count, noncount ] a feeling of being very worried because of problems in your life
Mom's been suffering from stress since Dad got sick.
[ noncount ] special attention that you give to something because you think it is important
There should be more stress on learning foreign languages in school.
[ count, noncount ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) saying one word or part of a word more strongly than another
In the word "dictionary," the stress is on the first part of the word.
stress 2 AWL / stres / verb ( stress • es , stress ing , stressed )
1 to say something strongly to show that it is important
must stress how important this meeting is.
—SYNONYM emphasize
to say one word or part of a word more strongly than another
You should stress the first part of the word "happy." stress out ; stress someone out ( informal )
to feel worried and unable to relax; to cause someone to feel this way
Sam's really stressing out over his biology exam.
stress • fulaw / ' stresfl / e
causing you to worry a lot a stressful job
Stretch 1 О / stretjv verb ( stretch - es , stretch - ing , stretched )
to pull something to make it longer or wider; to become longer or wider
The T-shirt stretched when I washed it.
to push your arms and legs out as far as you can Joe got out of bed and stretched.
The cat stretched out in front of the fire and went to sleep.
to cover a large area of land or a long period of time The beach stretches for miles.
stretch2 / stretf/noun [ count ] ( pluralstretch - es )
a piece of land or water
This is a beautiful stretch of countryside.
the act of pushing out your arms, legs, etc. as far as you can
Give your legs a good stretch before you start running.
stretch • er / ' stretfar /noun [ count ]
a kind of bed for carrying someone who is sick or hurt They carried him to the ambulance on a stretcher.
Strict Ф / stnkt / adjective ( strict er, strict est)
If you are strict , you make people do what you want and do not allow them to behave badly
Her parents are very strict — she always has to be home before ten o'clock. strict rules
strict • ly / ' strikli / adverb
definitely; in a strict way Smoking is strictly forbidden.
exactly
That is not strictly true.
stride / straid /verb
( strides , strid - ing , strode / stroud / )
to walk with long steps
The police officer strode across the road.
►stride noun [ count ]
He walked with long strides.
strike1 / straik /verb
( strikes , strik ing , struck / strAk / has struck )
( formal ) to hit someone or something A stone struck me on the back of the head.
to attack someone or something suddenly The earthquake struck just after midnight. The building was struck by lightning .
to come suddenly into your mind
It suddenly struck me that she looked like my sister.
( business ) to stop working because you want more money or are angry about something
The nurses are striking for better pay.
If a clock strikes , it rings a bell a certain number of times so that people know what time it is
The clock struck nine. strike a match
to make fire with a match
strike2 / straik /noun [ count ]
a time when people are not working because they want more money or are angry about something
The hospital workers are on strike .
a sudden military attack
strik • ing / ' straikig / adjective
If something is striking , you notice it because it is very unusual, interesting, or attractive That's a very striking hat.
String Ф / Stnij /noun 1 [ count ] very thin rope that you use for tying things
tied up the package with string.
The key was hanging on a string.
[ count ] ( music ) a piece of thin wire on a musical instrument guitar strings
:he strings [plural] ( music )
the group of musical instruments that have strings Word building An orchestra is made up of four sections. The strings section includes violins and cellos. The woodwind section includes clarinets and flutes. The brass section includes trumpets and trombones. The percussion section includes drums and cymbals.
[ count ] a line of things on a piece of thread a string of blue beads
strip 1 / strip / verb ( strips , strip - ping , stripped )
to take off your clothes; to take off another person's clothes
She stripped and ran into the ocean.
They were stripped and searched by the police officers.
to take off something that is covering something I stripped off the wallpaper.
strip2 / strip /noun [ count ] a long, thin piece of something a strip of paper
stripe / straip/noun [ count ]
a long, thin line of color
Zebras have black and white stripes.
— Look at the picture at pattern .
striped / straipt /adjective
He wore a blue and white striped shirt.
strive / straiv / verb ( strives , striv - ing , strove
/ strouv / or strived , striv - en / ' strivn / or strived ) ( formal )
to try very hard to do or get something Athletes often strive for perfection.
strodeform ofstride stroke1 / strouk /noun [ count ]
( art ) one of the movements you make when you are writing or painting
a brush stroke
( sports ) a movement that you make with your arms, for example when you are swimming or playing sports such as tennis
( health ) a sudden illness affecting the brain that can cause a person to be unable to move part of their body
He had a stroke .
a gentle movement of your hand over a surface He gave the cat a stroke .
[ singular ] a sudden successful action or event
It was a stroke of luck finding your ring again so quickly.
stroke 2 / strouk / verb ( strokes , strok - ing , stroked )
to move your hand gently over someone or something to show love to stroke a cat
stroll / stroul / verb ( strolls, stroll ing, strolled )
to walk somewhere in a slow, relaxed way We strolled along the beach. ► strollnoun [ count ]
We went for a stroll by the river.
stroll • er / ' stroulsr /noun [ count ]
a chair on wheels in which a young child is pushed along
Strong © / stroi] / adjective ( strong er , strong - est )
1 A strong person has a powerful body, and can carry heavy things
need someone strong to help me move this piano.
A strong object does not break easily Don't stand on that chair — it's not very strong.
A strong opinion or belief is not easy to change There was strong opposition to the plan.
powerful strong winds
The current was very strong.
having a big effect on the mind or the body
I like strong coffee (= with not much milk in it ) . a strong smell of oranges
strong • ly / ' strogli / adverb I strongly believe that he is wrong.
strove
form of strive
struck
form of strike l ^^^
struc • ture Ф AWL / ' strAktJsr / noun
[ noncount ] the way that something is made We are studying the structure of a bird's wing.
[ count ] a building or another thing that people have made with many parts
The new post office is a tall glass and brick structure.
strug .gle О / 'str^gi/ verb
( strug gles , strug gling , strug gled )
to try very hard to do something that is not easy We struggled to lift the heavy box.
to move your arms and legs a lot when you are fighting or trying to get free
She struggled with her attacker.
strug • gle noun [ count ]
In 1862 the American slaves won their struggle for freedom.
stub • born / ' sUbsrn / adjective
A stubborn person does not change their ideas easily or do what other people want them to do She's too stubborn to say sorry.
—SYNONYM obstinate
stub • born • ly / ' sUbsrnli / adverb He stubbornly refused to apologize.
stuck1form ofstick 1 stuck2 / sUk /adjective
1 not able to move
This drawer is stuck — I can't open it.
was stuck in Italy with no money.
not able to do something because it is difficult If you get stuck, ask your teacher for help.
stu .dent Ф / ' studnt /noun [ count ]
a person who is studying at a school, college, or university Tom is a history student.
stu • di • o / ' studiou /noun [ count ] ( pluralstu - di - os )
a room where an artist works
a room where people make movies, radio and television programs, or records
a television studio
( also stu - di - o a - part - ment / ^tudiou s ' partmsnt / ) an apartment with only one main room
Our first home was a tiny studio in New York.
Stud -У 1Ф/ 'sudi/ verb ( stud - ies , stud - y - ing , stud - ied , has stud - ied )
to spend time learning about something He studied French in college.
to look at something carefully
We should study the map before we leave.
stud . У 2 © / 'sUdi / noun ( plural stud . ies )
[ noncount ] the activity of learning about something Biology is the study of living things.
studies [ plural ] the subjects that you study He's taking a class in business studies .
[ count ] a room in a house where you go to study, read, or write
[ count ] a piece of research that is done to learn more about a question or subject
They are doing a study of the causes of heart disease.
Stuff 1С¹/ suf /noun [ noncount ] (informal)
any material, substance, or group of things What's this blue stuff on the carpet?
Put your stuff in this bag.
—Look at the note at thing .
a word you use to talk about things that people do, say, think, etc.
I have a whole bunch of stuff to do this weekend.
Thesaurus
stuff
( informal )
a substance or a group of things or activities: What's that green stuff at the bottom of the bottle? ♦ You can just put your stuff on the chair over there. ♦ I can't go out. I have lots of stuff to do at home. things objects, clothes, or tools that you own or that you use for something: Bring your swimming things. ♦ Where can I put my things? ♦ Put your things (= coat, etc. ) on and let's go.
belongings the things you own that can be moved: She packed her belongings in a bag, and left. ♦ Please make sure you have all your belongings with you when leaving the plane. property ( formal )
a thing or things that belong to someone: This building is government property. ♦ The bag contained stolen property.
stuff 2 / stAf / verb ( stuffs , stuff - ing , stuffed )
to fill something with something The pillow was stuffed with feathers.
( informal ) to push something quickly into another thing
He took the money quickly and stuffed it into his pocket. stuff • ing / ' stAfig / ( also dress - ing / ' dresig / ) noun [ noncount ]
a mixture of small pieces of food such as bread and onions, which you put inside a chicken, vegetable, etc. before cooking it
turkey with stuffing
stuff • y / stAfi / adjective
( stuff - i - er , stuff - i - est )
If a room is stuffy , it has no fresh air in it Open the window — it's very stuffy in here.
stum • ble / ' stAmbl / verb ( stum bles , stum bling , stum - bled )
to hit your foot against something when you are walking or running, and almost fall
The old lady stumbled as she was going upstairs.
stump / stAmp /noun [ count ]
the small part that is left when something is cut off or broken a tree stump
stun / st.ui / verb ( stuns , stun - ning , stunned )
to hit a person or an animal on the head so hard that they cannot see, think, or make a sound for a short time
to make someone very surprised
His sudden death stunned his family and friends.
stung form of sting 1
stunk form of stink
stun • ning / ' stAnig / adjective
very beautiful; wonderful a stunning dress ♦ She looked stunning.
stunt / stAnt /noun [ count ]
something dangerous or difficult that a person does,
especially as part of a movie
James Bond movies are full of exciting stunts.
StU . pid О / 'stupod / adjective
not intelligent; silly Don't be so stupid! What a stupid question!
►stu • pid • i • ty / stu'pidati / noun [ noncount ] There are no limits to his stupidity!
stu • pid • ly / ' stupadli / adverb I stupidly forgot to close the door.
stur • dy / ' stardi / adjective ( stur di -er, stur - di est )
strong and healthy; not easy to break sturdy legs sturdy shoes
stut • ter / ' stAtar / verb ( stut ters , stut ter ing , stut tered )
to say the same sound many times when you are trying to say a word
"I d-d-don't understand," he stuttered. —SYNONYM stammer
stut • ter noun [ singular ]
to have a stutter
styleФ AWL / stail /noun
1 [ count, noncount ] a way of doing, making, or saying something
don't like his style of writing.
[ count, noncount ] the shape or kind of something This store has all the latest styles.
I love your new hairstyle.
[ noncount ] an ability to do things in a way that other people admire
She does everything with style and elegance.
styl • ish aw П / ' stailif / adjective
fashionable and attractive Kate's very stylish.
styl • ist / ' stailist/noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to cut and shape people's hair
sty • lus / ' stailas/noun [ count ] ( pluralsty .lus - es or sty - li / ' stailai / ) ( COMPUTERS ) a special pen you use to write or draw on some computer screens
sty • ro • foam™ / stairafoum / noun
[ noncount ]
a very light, soft plastic that is usually white. It is used for packing things so they do not get broken.
sub .jectО/ 'sAbd₃ikt/noun [ count ]
the person or thing that you are talking or writing about What is the subject of the talk?
something you study at school, college, or university I'm studying three subjects: Math, Physics, and Chemistry.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the word in a sentence that does the action of the verb
In the sentence "Sue ate the cake," "Sue" is the subject. — Look at object 1 ( 3 ).
sub • jec • tive / sab' d₃ektiv / adjective
based on your own feelings and opinions, not on the facts a highly subjective point of view —ANTONYM objective ► sub • jec • tive • ly / sab ' d3ektivli /adverb sub • let / sAb ' let /verb
( sub lets, sub - let - ting, sub - let , has sub - let )
to rent to someone a room, an apartment, etc. that you are renting from someone else
submarine
sub • ma • rine
/ ' sAbma^in / noun [count]
a ship that can travel underwater
sub • mit AWL / sab ' mit / verb ( sub mits , sub - mit - ting , sub - mit - ted )
to give a plan, a document, etc. to an official organization so that it can be looked at or considered I submitted my college applications last month.
sub • scrip • tion / sab' skripjn /noun [ count ]
money that you pay, for example to get the same magazine each month or to join a club I have a subscription to "Vogue" magazine.
sub • se • quent Iaw / ' sAbsakwant /
adjective ( formal )
coming after something
the damage caused by the heavy rains and subsequent flooding
► sub • se • quent • lyAWL / ' sAbsakwantli / adverb The rumors were subsequently found to be untrue.
sub .stance Ф / ' sAbstans /noun [ count ]
any solid, liquid, or gas Stone is a hard substance. chemical substances
sub • stan • tial / sab ' strenjl /
large in amount or importance The storms caused substantial damage. ►sub • stan • tial • ly / sab ' strenjln / adverb House prices have fallen substantially.
sub • sti • tute aw / ' sAbstatut / Щ
a person or thing that you put in the place of another a substitute teacher ►sub • sti • tuteverb
( sub • sti • tutes , sub • sti • tut ing , sub • sti • tut • ed )
You can substitute margarine for butter.
sub • ti • tles / ' sAbtaitlz /noun [ plural ]
words at the bottom of a movie or TV program that tell you what people are saying
It was a French movie with English subtitles.
sub • tle / ' sAtl / adjective
not large, bright, or easy to notice subtle colors
There has been a subtle change in her behavior. sub • to • tal / ' sAbtoutl / noun [ count ]
( MATH ) the amount you have after adding some numbers, which is then added to other amounts to give a final total
sub • tract / sab ' trrekt / verb ( sub .tracts , sub tract • ing , sub tract • ed )
( MATH ) to take a number away from another number If you subtract 6 from 9, you get 3.
—SYNONYM take away —ANTONYM add
sub • trac • tion / sab ' trrek/n /noun [ noncount ]
The children are learning how to do subtraction. — Look at addition ( 1 ).
sub • urb / ' sAbarb /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) an area where people live that is outside the
central part of a city
We live in the suburbs .
►sub • ur • ban / sa ' barban / adjective
suburban areas
sub • way / ' sAbwei /noun [ count ] ( pluralsub • ways )
an underground train system in a city the New York City subway a subway station
sue .ceed О / sak' sid /
( suc • ceeds , suc • ceed • ing , suc • ceed • ed )
to do or get what you wanted to do or get
She finally succeeded in getting a job.
I tried to get a ticket for the concert but I didn't succeed.
—ANTONYM fail
SUC .cess О / ssk'ses / noun ( plural suc•cess•es )
1 [ noncount ] doing or getting what you wanted; doing well
wish you success with your studies.
[ count ] someone or something that does well or that people like a lot
The party was a great success.
—ANTONYM failure
SUC .CeSS -ful Ф / ssk'sejfl/ adjective Spelling
Remember! You spell successful with CC and SS .
If you are successful , you have or have done what you wanted, or you have become popular, rich, etc. a successful actor The play was very successful.
—ANTONYM unsuccessful
► suc • cess • ful • ly / sak ' sejbli / adverb
The lawyer successfully argued that his client was
innocent.
such © / sAtJ / adjective
a word that makes another word stronger He wears such strange clothes.
It was such a nice day that we decided to go to the beach.
Grammar
So or such?
You use so before an adjective that is used without a noun: It was so cold that we stayed home. ♦ This book is so exciting.
You use such before a noun that has an adjective in front of it: It was such a cold night that we stayed home. ♦ This is such an exciting book!
like this or that
There's no such thing as ghosts.
"Can I speak to Mrs. Graham?" "I'm sorry. There's no such person here." such as
words that you use to give an example
Sweet foods such as chocolate can make you fat.
—SYNONYM like
suck © / sAk / verb ( ucks , suck ing , suckec )
to pull something into your mouth, using your lips The baby sucked milk from its bottle.
to hold something in your mouth and touch it a lot with your tongue
She was sucking a lollipop.
sud .den О / Wn/ adjective
happening quickly when you do not expect it His death was very sudden. a sudden change in the weather
all of a sudden
suddenly
We were watching TV when all of a sudden the lights went out.
sud .den . ly Ф / 'sAdnIi/adverb quickly, and when you are not expecting it He left very suddenly. Suddenly there was a loud noise.
sue / su / verb ( sues , su • ing , sued )
to go to a court of law and ask for money from a person who
has done something bad to you
She sued the company for loss of earnings.
suede / sweid /noun [ noncount ]
a type of soft leather with a rough surface suede boots
suf .fer Ф/ 'sAfor/ verb
( suf - fers, suf-fer- ing, suf - fered )
to feel pain, sadness, or another unpleasant feeling She suffers from bad headaches. It's not right for children to suffer.
suf • fer • ing / ' sAfarig / noun [ noncount ] They have experienced so much suffering.
suf • fi • cient AWL / sa 'fifnt / adjective
( formal )
as much or as many as you need or want There was sufficient food to last two weeks.
—SYNONYM enough
—ANTONYM insufficient
►suf • fi • cient • ly AWL / sa 'fifantli / adverb
suf • fix / sAfiks /noun [ count ] ( pluralsuf . fix - es )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) letters that you add to the end of
a word to make another word
If you add the suffix "-ly" to the adjective "quick," you make the adverb "quickly."
— Look at prefix .
suf • fo • cate / ' sAfakeit / verb (suf - fo cates,suf - fo- cat ing ,suf - fo - cat -ed )
to die or to make someone die because there is no air to breathe
suf • fo • ca • tion / |sAfa 'keifn/ noun [ noncount ]
sug .ar Ф/ 'jocior/ noun
[ noncount ]
a sweet substance that comes from certain plants Do you take sugar in your coffee? Would you like cream and sugar in your coffee? ►sug • ar • y / Jugari / adjective I try to avoid sugary foods.
sug .gest © / sag' d₃est ; sa ' d₃est / verb ( sug - gests , sug - gest ing , sug - gest - ed )
to say what you think someone should do or what should happen
I suggest that you stay here tonight. Simon suggested going for a walk. What do you suggest?
sug .ges .tion w / sag' d3estfan ; sa ' d3estfan /
noun [ count ]
a plan or an idea that someone thinks of for someone else to discuss and consider
I don't know what to buy Ally for her birthday. Do you have any suggestions? May I make a suggestion ?
su • i • cide / ' suasaid /noun [ count, noncount ]
the act of killing yourself He committed suicide at the age of 23.
SUit 1 Ф / sut/ noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word suit sounds like boot .
1 a jacket and pants, or a jacket and skirt, that you wear together and that are made from the same material
—Look at the picture at clothes .
one of the 4 sets that playing cards (= cards with numbers and pictures on them that you use for playing games ) are divided into
The four suits are hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades.
another word for lawsuit a divorce suit
suit 2 / sut / verb ( suits , suit - ing , suit - ed )
If something suits you, it looks good on you Does this hat suit me?
to be right for you; to be what you want or need Would it suit you if I came at five o'clock?
suit .a .ble Ф / 'sutobl / adjective
right for someone or something This movie isn't suitable for children.
—ANTONYM unsuitable
suit • a • bly / ' sutabli / adverb Tony wasn't suitably dressed for a party.
suit • case / ' sutkeis /noun [ count ]
a large bag with flat sides that you carry your clothes in when you travel
—Look at the picture at bag . suite / swit / noun [ count ]
a set of connected rooms in a hotel We stayed in the honeymoon suite.
sul • fur / ' salfar /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolS ) ( CHEMISTRY ) a natural yellow substance that smells like bad eggs
sulk / salk / verb ( sulks , sulk - ing , sulked )
to not speak because you are angry about something She's been sulking all day because her mom wouldn't let her go to the party.
sulk • y / ' salki / adjective ( sulk i - er, sulk i - est )
I don't like sulky teenagers.
sul • len / ' salan / adjective
looking upset and not wanting to speak to people a sullen expression
sum 1 ФгШщ / satti /noun r count 1
an amount of money $100,000 is a large sum of money .
( MATH ) the answer that you have when you add numbers together
The sum of two and five is seven.
sum 2 AWL / sam / verb ( sums , sum - ming , summed )
sum up ; sum something up to describe in a few words the main ideas of what someone has said or written To sum up , there are three ways of dealing with the problem...
Can I just sum up what we've agreed so far?
sum • ma • rize AWL / ' samaraiz / verb ( sum - ma riz - es , sum ma - riz - ing , sum - ma - rized )
to describe the main ideas or points of something
You need to summarize your arguments in the final
paragraph of the essay.
sum • ma • ryAWL / ' samari /noun [ count ] ( pluralsum - ma . ries )
a short description of something that gives only the most
important information
Here is a summary of the news.
sum . mer ©/ 's\mor / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the part of the year between spring and fall I'm going to Spain in the summer . a summer vacation
sum • mit / ' sAmst /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) the top of a mountain
sum • mon / ' sAmsn / verb
( sum - mon , sum - mon ing , sum - moned )
( formal )
to order a person to come to a place
The boys were summoned to the head teacher's office.
sun © / элп/ noun
the sun [ singular ] the big round object in the sky that gives us light in the day, and heat
The sun is shining.
[ noncount , singular ] light and heat from the sun We sat in the sun all morning.
Sun.
abbreviation of Sunday
sun•bathe / ' sAnbeid /
( sun - bathes , sun bath - ing , sun - bathed )
to lie in the sun so that your skin becomes darker We sunbathed on the beach.
sun • bath • ing / ' sAnbeidig / noun [ noncount ] Sunbathing is bad for your skin.
sun • block / ' sAnblak /noun [ noncount ]
a cream that you put on your skin to protect it completely from the sun
sun • burn / ' sAnbsrn /noun [ noncount ]
( HEALTH ) red, painful skin that you get when you have been in the sun for too long
— Look at suntan .
sun • burned / ' sAnbsrnd /
( also sunburnt / ' sAnbsrnt / )adjective
sunburned shoulders
sun • dae / ' sAndei /noun [ count ]
a very cold, sweet food ( ice cream ) with pieces of fruit, nuts, sweet sauce, etc. on the top
Sun .day © / 'SAndei; 'sAndi/noun
[ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationSun. )
the day of the week after Saturday and before Monday,
thought of as either the first or the last day of the week
sun • flow • er / sAnflausr /noun [ count ]
a very tall plant with large yellow flowers, which farmers grow for their seeds and oil, which are used in cooking
—Look at the picture at flower .
sung
form of sing
sun • glass • es / ' sAnglresss /noun [ plural ]
dark glasses that you wear in strong light a pair of sunglasses
sunk
form of sink 1
sun • light / ' sAnlait/noun [ noncount ]
the light from the sun
The room was full of sunlight.
sun • ny / ' sAni / adjective ( sun - ni er , sun - ni - est )
bright and warm with light from the sun a sunny day
Tomorrow will be warm and sunny.
sun • rise / ' sAnraiz/noun [ count, noncount ] the time in the morning when the sun comes up They were up before sunrise.
—SYNONYM dawn
sun • screen / ' sAnskrin / noun [ noncount ]
a cream that you put on
your skin to protect it SUnSet
from the sun
sun .set / sMisn/ j
noun
[ count, noncount ]
the time in the evening I when the sun goes down | The park closes at sunset. I
sun • shine / ' sAnJain / [noncount]
the light and heat from the sun We sat outside in the sunshine .
sun • tan / ' sAntren / ( also tan )noun [count]
When you have a suntan , your skin is brown because you have been in the hot sun I'm trying to get a suntan .
—Look at sunburn .
sun • tanned / sAntrend / ( also tanned / trend / )
adjective
suntanned arms
su • per / ' supsr /adjective ( informal )
very good
That was a super meal. —SYNONYM wonderful
su • perb / su' psrb /adjective
very good or beautiful a superb vacation
The view from the window is superb.
su • per • fi • cial / isupsr' fijl / adjective
not knowing or thinking about something in a deep or complete way
She only had a superficial knowledge of the subject.
su •per •in • ten • dent / |supsrin' tendsnt /
noun [ count ]
a person who is in charge of all the schools in a particular area
a person who is in charge of a building, and makes small repairs to it
su • pe • ri • or / ss ' pirisr / adjective
better or more important than another person or thing I think ground coffee is superior to instant coffee.
—ANTONYM inferior su • per • la • tive / sa 'parlativ / noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of an adjective or
adverb that shows the most of something
"Most intelligent," "best," and "fastest" are all superlatives.
— Look at comparative .
su • per • la • tive adjective
"Youngest" is the superlative form of "young."
su • per • mar • ket / ' supa^markat /
[ count ] a big store where you can buy food and other things for your home —Look atgrocery store . Word building
In a supermarket, you put the things you want to buy in a shopping cart or a basket . You pay for your shopping at the checkout .
su • per • nat • u • ral / isupar' nffitfaral /
adjective that cannot be explained by the laws of science It's a story about a boy with supernatural powers.
su • per • son • ic / isupar' sanik / adjective
( PHYSICS ) faster than the speed of sound a supersonic jet
su • per • star / ' suparstar /noun [ count ]
a person, such as a singer or movie star, who is very famous and successful
su • per • sti • tion / isupar' stijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a belief in good and bad luck and other things that cannot be explained
People say that walking under a ladder brings bad luck, but it's just a superstition.
su • per • sti • tious / isupar' stifas / adjective
A lot of people are superstitious about the number 13.
su • per • vise / ' suparvaiz / verb ( su - per - vis - es , su per vis - ing , su per - vised )
to watch someone or something in order to see that people are working or behaving correctly It was his job to supervise the builders.
su • per • vi • sion / isupar'v^n / noun [ noncount ] Children must not use the pool without supervision.
su • per • vi • sor / ' suparvaizar / noun [ count ] a factory supervisor
sup • per / ' sApar /noun [ count ] the last meal of the day We had supper and then went to bed. Culture
Breakfast , lunch , and dinner are the usual meals of the day.
We do not usually use "a" with the names of meals: Let's have lunch together tomorrow.
sup • ply 1 / sa 'plai / verb ( sup - plies , sup ply ing , sup - plied , has sup - plied )
to give or sell something that someone needs
The school supplies us with books.
The lake supplies water to thousands of homes.
sup • pli • er / sa 'plaiar / noun [ count ]
We are the region's biggest supplier of computer equipment.
SUP . ply 2 О / so'plai /noun [ count ] ( pluralsup - plies )
a store or an amount of something that you need Food supplies were dropped by helicopter. The water supply was cut off.
sup . port 1 О / so'port / verb ( sup ports , sup port - ing , sup port - ed )
to hold someone or something up, so that they do not fall The bridge isn't strong enough to support heavy vehicles.
to say that someone or something is right or the best Everyone else said I was wrong, but Paul supported me. a political candidate who supports tougher drug laws
to help someone to live by giving things like money, a home, or food
She has three children to support. sup . port2 Ф / so'port / noun
[ noncount ] help
Thank you for all your support.
[ count ] something that holds up another thing a roof support
sup • port • er / sa 'portar / noun [ count ]
a person who supports a politician, a plan, etc. The political candidate thanked all of his supporters.
sup • por • tive / sa ' portiv / adjective
giving help or support to someone in a difficult situation My friends were very supportive when I lost my job.
sup .pose Ф / so'pouz/ verb
( sup pos-es,sup - pos- ing ,sup - posed )
to think that something is probably true or will probably happen
"Where's Jenny?" "I don't know — I suppose she's still at work."
a word that you use when you agree with something but are not happy about it
"Can I borrow your pen?" "Yes, I suppose so — but don't lose it."
be supposed to
If you are supposed to do something, you should do it They were supposed to meet us here.
You're not supposed to smoke in this room.
If something is supposed to be true, people say it is true
This is supposed to be a good restaurant.
sup • pos • ing / sa ' pouzig / conjunction
if something happens or is true
Supposing we miss the bus, how will we get to the airport?
su • preme / sa ' prim /adjective
highest or most important the supreme champion
Su • preme Court / sa^rim ' kort / noun
[ singular ]
the most important court of law in a country or state Word building The U.S. Government The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
su • preme • ly / sa 'primli /adverb ( formal )
extremely; He is supremely confident that he can win.
/ Jur / adjective ( sur • er , sur • est )
sure ©
adverb
1 knowing that something is true or right
I'm sure I've seen that man before.
If you're not sure how to do it, ask your teacher.
—SYNONYM certain
If you are sure to do something, you will certainly do it If you work hard, you're sure to pass the exam.
( informal ) a word you use to make what you say stronger
It sure is hot today.
for sure
without any doubt
I think he's coming to the party, but I don't know for sure. make sure
to check something so that you are certain about it I think the party starts at eight, but I'll call to make sure. Make sure you don't leave your bag on the bus. sure ( informal )
yes
"Can I borrow this book?" "Sure." sure enough
as I thought
I said they would be late, and sure enough they were. sure • ly / 'Jurli / adverb
a word that you use when you think that something must be
true, or when you are surprised
This will surely cause problems.
Surely you're not going to walk all the way home?
surf 1 / sarf / verb ( surfs , surf • ing , surfed )
( SPORTS ) to stand or lie on a long piece of wood or plastic (called a surfboard ) and ride on a wave surf the Net ; surf the Internet
to use the Internet
He spends hours every day surfing the Net. ► surf • er / ' sarfar / noun [ count ] The beach is popular with surfers. —Look at the picture at surfing .
surf2 / sarf /noun [ noncount ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) the white part on the top of waves in the ocean
sur .face О / wtos/ noun [count ]
the outside part of something the earth's surface
the top of water
She dove below the surface.
surf • board / ' sarfbord /noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a long piece of wood or plastic that you sit or lie on to ride on a wave
—Look at the picture at surfing .
surf • ing
/ ' sarfig /noun [noncount] ( sports ) the sport of riding on waves while standing on a surfboard His hobbies include surfing and
photography. We went surfing in Hawaii.
surge / sard3 /noun
[ count ]
a sudden strong movement in a particular direction by a lot of people or things
There has been a recent surge (= an increase ) in demand for electricity.
surge verb ( surg • es , surg ing , surged )
The crowd surged forward.
sur • geon / ' sardsan /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a doctor who cuts your body to take out or repair a part inside a brain surgeon
sur • ger • y / ' safari /noun [count, noncount] ( pluralsur • ger • ies )
( HEALTH ) cutting a person's body to take out or repair a part inside
He needed surgery after the accident.
sur • plus / ' sarplas /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralsurplus•es )
an amount that is more than you need Many rich countries have a food surplus.
sur . prise 1 Ф / ss'praiz / noun
[ noncount ] the feeling that you have when something happens suddenly that you did not expect
He looked up in surprise when I walked in. To my surprise , everyone agreed with me.
[ count ] something that happens when you do not expect it
Don't tell him about the party — it's a surprise. take someone by surprise
to happen when someone does not expect it The news took me completely by surprise.
sur . prise 2 Ф / ss'praiz / verb ( sur pris es , sur • pris • ing , sur • prised )
to do something that someone does not expect I arrived early to surprise her.
sur .prised ® / sa ' praizd /
If you are surprised , you feel or show surprise I was surprised to see Jack yesterday — I thought he was in Florida.
sur • pris • ing / sa ' praizig /adjective making you feel surprised The news was surprising.
sur • pris • ing • ly / sar' praizigli / adverb The exam was surprisingly easy.
sur • ren • der / sa ' rendar / verb
(sur • ren ders, sur ren der ing , sur • ren • dered )
to stop fighting because you cannot win
After six hours on the roof, the man surrendered to the
police.
sur • ren • der noun [ noncount ]
We will not even consider surrender.
sur .round О / sa ' raund /
( sur • rounds , sur • round • ing , sur • round • ed )
to be or go all around something The lake is surrounded by trees. The police have surrounded his house.
sur • round • ings / sa'raundigz/noun [plural]
everything around you, or the place where you live I don't like seeing animals in a zoo — I prefer to see them in their natural surroundings .
sur • veyAWL / ' ssrvei /noun [ count ] ( pluralsur-veys )
asking questions to find out what people think or do We did a survey of people's favorite TV shows.
sur • viv • alAWL| / ssr ' vaivl /noun [ noncount ]
the state of continuing to live or exist, especially when this is difficult; Food and water are necessary for survival.
sur • Vive © AWL / ssr ' vaiv/ verb ( sur - vives , sur - viv ing , sur - vived )
to continue to live in or after a difficult or dangerous time
Camels can survive for many days without water.
Only one person survived the plane crash.
► sur • vi • vorAWL / ssr' vaivsr /noun [ count ]
The government sent help to the survivors of the
earthquake.
sus • pect 1 / ss ' spekt / verb ( sus - pects , sus - pect - ing , sus - pect - ed )
to think that something is true, but not be sure She suspected that he was lying.
to think that someone has done something wrong but not be sure
They suspect Helen of stealing the money.
The noun is suspicion , and the adjective is suspicious .
sus • pect2 / ' sAspekt /noun [ count ]
a person who is thought to be guilty of a crime The police have arrested two suspects.
sus • pendaw / ss ' spend /
(sus-pends,sus pend ing,sus-pend - ed )
to hang something from something else Colored flags were suspended from the ceiling.
to stop something from happening for a time
The bus service was suspended because of bad weather conditions.
to send someone away from their school, job, etc. for a period of time, usually as a punishment
Gary was suspended from school for fighting.
sus • pense / ss 'spens /noun [ noncount ]
the feeling that you have when you are waiting for news or for something exciting or important to happen Don't keep me in suspense — did you pass?
sus • pen • sion AWL / ss 'spenfn / noun
[ count, noncount ] not being allowed to go to school or work for a period of time, usually as a punishment Smoking on school property will result in immediate suspension.
[ noncount , singular ] delaying something for a period of time; The judge announced a suspension of the trial.
sus • pi • cion / ss 'spifn / noun
[ count, noncount ] a feeling that someone has done something wrong
He was arrested on suspicion of murder.
[ count ] an idea that is not totally certain We have a suspicion that she is unhappy. The verb is suspect .
sus • pi • cious / ss ' spil'ss / adjective
If you are suspicious , you do not believe someone or something, or you feel that something is wrong
The police are suspicious of her story.
A person or thing that is suspicious makes you feel that something is wrong
Anyone who sees anything suspicious should contact the police.
► sus • pi • cious
"What are you suspiciously.
sus • tain
adjective
using natural products and energy in a way that does not harm the environment
sustainable farming methods
that can continue for a long time sustainable economic growth
SUV / |es yu 'vi / noun [ count ]
a type of large, strong car that can go well over rough ground but that many people drive in cities
swal • low / 'swalou / verb ( swal - lows , swal low ing , swal lowed )
to make food or drink move down your throat from your mouth
I can't swallow these pills without water.
swal • low 2 / swalou /noun [ count ]
a small bird with a long tail
swam
form of swim
swamp / swamp /noun [ count, noncount ]
( GEOGRAPHY) an area of soft, wet ground
swan / swan /nounswan
[count]
a big, white bird with a very long neck. Swans live on rivers and lakes.
swa p / swap / verb ( swaps , swap - ping , swapped )
to change one thing for another thing; to give one thing and get another thing for it
Do you want to swap chairs with me (= you have my chair and I'll have yours ) ?
I swapped my CD for Tom's ( = I took his and he took mine ) .
► swapnoun [ singular ]
swarm 1 / sworm /noun [ count ]
a big group of insects that fly a swarm of bees
swarm 2 / sworm / verb ( swarms , swarm - ing , swarmed )
to fly or move quickly in a big group The fans swarmed into the stadium.
sway / swei / verb ( sways , sway ing , swayed )
• ly / ss ' spi/ssli / adverb doing here?" the woman
asked
a • ble
AWL
/ ss steinsbl /
SUV
to move slowly from side to side The trees were swaying in the wind.
swear Ф / swer /verb ( swears , swear ing , swore / swor / has sworn / sworn / )
to say bad words
Don't swear at your mother!
to make a serious promise
He swears that he is telling the truth.
swear word / ' swer ward /noun [ count ]
a bad word
sweat Ф / swet / verb
( sweats , sweat - ing , sweat - ed )
to produce liquid through your skin because you are hot, sick, or afraid
The room was so hot that everyone was sweating. ► sweatnoun [ count, noncount ] He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
sweat • er / ' swetar /noun [ count ]
a warm piece of clothing with long sleeves, often made of wool, which you wear on the top part of your body
—Look at the picture at clothes .
sweat • pants / ' swetpants /noun [ plural ]
loose, warm pants made of thick cotton, which you wear on the bottom part of your body for playing sports or relaxing
sweat • shirt / ' swetfart / noun [ count ]
a warm piece of clothing with long sleeves made of thick cotton, which you wear on the top part of your body
sweat • suit / ' swetsut /noun [ count ]
a sweatshirt and sweatpants worn together, for playing sports or relaxing in
sweat • y / ' sweti / adjective ( sweat i - er , sweat i - est )
covered with sweat
sweaty socks ♦ I'm all hot and sweaty — I need a shower.
sweep / swip /verb
( sweeps , sweep - ing , swept / swept / has swept )
1 to clean something by moving dirt, dust, or garbage away with a brush
swept the floor.
to push something along or away quickly and strongly The bridge was swept away by the floods.
sweep up ; sweep something up to remove dirt, dust, or garbage using a brush I swept up the broken glass.
SWeet Фу swit / adjective ( sweet er , sweet - est )
containing or tasting of sugar Honey is sweet.
having or showing a kind character It was sweet of you to help me.
with a good smell the sweet smell of roses
sweet • en / switn / verb ( sweet ens , sweet en - ing , sweet - ened )
to make something sweet The tea is sweetened with sugar.
sweet • heart / ' swithart /noun [ singular ]
a word that you use when speaking to a person that you love; Do you want a drink, sweetheart?
sweet • ly / ' switli /adverb in a pretty, kind, or nice way She smiled sweetly.
sweet po • ta • to / ' swit pa|teitou /
[ count, noncount ] ( plural sweet po - ta - toes )
a vegetable that looks like a red potato, but that is orange inside and tastes sweet
—Look at the picture at vegetable . swell / swel / verb
( swells , swell - ing , swelled , has swol - len
/ ' swoulan / or has swelled )
swell up to become bigger or thicker than normal
After he hurt his ankle, it began to swell up.
—Look at the picture at swollen 2 .
swell • ing / ' swelig / noun
[count]
( HEALTH ) a place on the body that is bigger or fatter than it usually is
The fall caused a swelling on my knee.
swept
form of sweep
swerve / swarv /verb
( swerves , swerv - ing , swerved )
to change direction suddenly so that you do not hit someone or something
The driver swerved when he saw the child in the road.
swift / swift / adjective ( swift - er , swift - est )
quick or fast
We made a swift decision.
swift • ly / ' swiftli / adverb She ran swiftly up the stairs.
swim Ф / swim /verb ( swims , swim - ming , swam / swam / has swum / swAm / ) to move your body through water Can you swim? I swam across the lake.
swimnoun [ singular ] Let's go for a swim.
swim • mer / ' swimar / noun [count]
He's a good swimmer.
swim • ming / swimig / noun
[noncount]
the sport or activity of swimming Swimming is my favorite sport. I go swimming every day.
swim • ming pool / swimig pul / ( also pool ) noun [ count ]
a place that is built for people to swim in an indoor swimming pool
swim • suit / ' swimsut /noun [ count ]
a piece of clothing that you wear to go swimming —SYNONYM bathing suit , ^Look at the picture atsnorkel .
swim trunks / ' swim trAgks / ( also swim - ming trunks / ' swimig trAgks / )noun [ plural ]
short pants that a man or boy wears for swimming a pair of swim trunks
— Look at the picture at dive .
swi ng 1 / swig / verb
( swings , swing - ing , swung / swAg / has swung )
to move backward and forward or from side to side through the air; to make someone or something do this Monkeys were swinging from the trees.
He swung his arms as he walked.
to move in a curve The door swung open.
swing2/ swig /noun [ count]
swol • len 1
form of swell
swol • len 2
/ swoulan /adjective ( HEALTH ) (used about a part of the body) thicker or fatter than it usually is a swollen ankle The verb is swell .
a seat that hangs down and that children can sit on to move backward and forward through the air
swipe / swaip / verb ( swipes , swip - ing , swiped ) ( informal )
( informal ) to steal something
to hit or try to hit something by swinging your arm He swiped at the ball and missed.
to pass a plastic card that has information on it through a machine that can read it
Swipe your credit card here to pay.
switch i Ф / switjv
noun [ count ] ( plural switch - es )
a small thing that you press to turn electricity on or off Where is the light switch?
SWitCh 2 Ф / switjV verb ( switch - es , switch ing , switched )
to change to something different
I switched to another seat because I couldn't see the screen.
switch something off to make a light or a machine
stop working by pressing a switch
I switched the TV off.
Don't forget to switch off the lights!
—SYNONYM turn something off
switch something on to make a light or a machine work by pressing a switch Switch the radio on.
—SYNONYM turn something on
switch • board / ' switfbord / noun [ count ]
the place in a large company where someone answers telephone calls and sends them to the right people
swoop / swup / verb ( swoops , swoop - ing , swooped )
to fly down quickly
The plane swooped down low over the buildings.
sword / sord / noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word sword sounds like cord , because we don't say the w in this word.
a weapon that looks like a very long, sharp knife
swore, sworn
forms of swear
swum
form of swim
swung
form of swing 1
syl • la • ble / ' siiabi / noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a part of a word that has one vowel sound when you say it. "Swim" has one syllable and "system" has two syllables .
syl • la • bus / ' silabas /noun [ count ] ( pluralsyl - la - bus - es or syl .la - bi / ' silabai / ) a list of all the things that you must study in a class
sym . boi Ф / 'simbl / noun [ count ]
a mark, sign, or picture that has a special meaning O is the symbol for oxygen. A dove is the symbol of peace.
sym • bol • ize AWB / ' simbalaiz / verb ( sym - bol iz - es, sym - bol - iz - ing, sym bol - ized )
to be a symbol of something
The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. —SYNONYM represent
sym • met • rical / si metriki /
( also sym - met - ric / si ' metrik / )adjective
having two halves that are exactly the same symmetrical patterns
sym • me • try / ' simatri /noun [ noncount ]
the state of having two halves that are exactly the same We admired the perfect symmetry of the garden's design.
sym • pa • thet • ic / ,simpa ' eetik / adjective
showing that you understand other people's feelings when they have problems
Everyone was very sympathetic when I was sick. —ANTONYM unsympathetic
► sym • pa • thet • i • cal • ly / _lsimpa ' Getikli / adverb He smiled sympathetically.
sym • pa • thize / ' simpa6aiz /
( sym. pa. thiz. es, sym. pa . thiz . ing, sym. pa . thized )
to show that you understand someone's feelings when they have problems
I sympathize with you — I have a lot of work to do, too.
sym • pa • thy / ' simpaei /noun [ noncount ]
understanding of another person's feelings and problems Everyone feels a lot of sympathy for the victims.
sym • pho • ny / ' simfani /noun [ count ] ( pluralsym pho . nies )
( MUSIC ) a long piece of music for a lot of musicians playing together
Beethoven's fifth symphony
symp • tom / ' simptam/noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) something that shows that you have an illness A sore throat is often a symptom of a cold.
syn • a • gogue / ' sinagag / noun [ count ]
( RELIGION ) a building where Jewish people go to say prayers and learn about their religion
syn • o • nym / ' sinanim/noun [ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a word that means the same as another word
"Big" and "large" are synonyms. — Look at antonym .
syn • tax / ' sintreks /noun [ noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the system of rules for the structure of a sentence
syn • the • siz • er / ' sineasaizar / noun [count]
( MUSIC ) an electronic musical instrument that can produce a lot of different sounds
syn • thet • ic / sin ' eetik / adjective
made by people, not natural
Nylon is a synthetic material, but wool is natural. -SYNONYM artificial
sy • ringe / sa ' rmd₃ /
noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a plastic or glass tube with a needle that is used for taking blood out of the body or putting drugs into the body
syr • up / ' sirap/noun [ noncount ]
a thick, sweet liquid made by boiling sugar with water or fruit juice
pancakes with maple syrup
sys .tem Ф / 'sistsm/ noun [ count ]
a group of things or parts that work together the subway system
We have a new computer system at work.
a group of ideas or ways of doing something
What system of government do you have in your country?
sys • tem • at • ic / isista ' mretik / adjective
done in a careful and organized way
The police began a systematic search for the missing boy. ► sys • tem • at • i • cal • ly / isista mretikli / adverb
Tt
PauLb
T, t / ti /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralT's, t's / tiz / ) the twentieth letter of the English alphabet "Table" begins with a "T."
ta . Ые Ф / 'teibl /noun [ count ]
a piece of furniture with a flat top on legs a coffee table
a list of facts or numbers
There is a table of irregular verbs at the back of this dictionary.
ta • ble • cloth / ' teibikioe /noun [ count ]
a cloth that you put over a table when you have a meal
ta • ble • spoon / ' teiblspun /noun [ count ]
a large spoon that you use for serving or measuring food —Look at the picture atspoon .
( also ta . ble . spoon ful / ' teibl|spunful / ) the amount that a tablespoon holds
Add two tablespoons of sugar.
—Look at teaspoon .
tab • let / ' treblat /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a small, hard piece of medicine that you swallow Take two of these tablets before every meal.
—SYNONYM pill
ta • ble ten • nis / ' teibl |tenas / noun
[ noncount ] another word for Ping-Pong™
tab • loid / ' trebloid /noun [ count ]
a newspaper with small pages, a lot of pictures, and short, simple articles
tack / trek / noun [ count ] another word for thumbtack
tack • le1 / ' trekl /verb
( tack . les , tack . ling , tack led )
to try to deal with a difficult problem or situation How should we tackle this problem?
( SPORTS ) to stop another player by pulling him down in a game of football
tack • le2 / ' trekl /noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) the act of stopping another player by pulling him down in a game of football
tack • y / ' treki / adjective (tack i . er, tack . i . est)
( informal )
cheap and of bad quality a store selling tacky souvenirs
tact / trekt /noun [ noncount ]
knowing how and when to say things so that you do not hurt people
She handled the situation with great tact.
tact • ful / ' taktfl /adjective
careful not to say or do things that may make people unhappy or angry
That wasn't a very tactful thing to say! —ANTONYM tactless
► tact • ful • ly / ' taktfali / adverb He tactfully suggested I should lose some weight.
tac • tic / ' taktik /noun [ count ]
a method that you use to achieve something I don't think this tactic will work.
tact • less / ' taktlas / adjective
saying or doing things that may make people unhappy or angry
It was tactless of you to ask how old she was. —ANTONYM tactful ►tact • less • ly / ' taktlasli / adverb tad • pole / ' tadpoul / noun [ count ]
a small animal with a large black head and a long tail that lives in water. It is the young form of a frog .
tag / tag /noun
1 [ count ] a small piece of paper or material attached to something, which tells you about it
looked at the price tag to see how much the dress cost.
[ noncount ] a children's game in which one child chases the others and tries to touch one of them
tail Ф / ted / noun
[ count ] the long, thin part at the end of an animal's body
The dog wagged its tail. —Look at the picture at lion .
[ count ] the part at the back of something the tail of an airplane
tails [ plural ] the side of a coin that does not have the head of a person on it
—ANTONYM heads
tai • lor / ' teilar/noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to make clothes for men
tail • pipe / ' teilpaip/noun [ count ] a pipe through which waste gases come out, for example on a car
take © / teik /verb
( takes , tak - ing , took / tuk / has tak - en / ' teikan / )
to move something or go with someone to another place Mark took me to the train station.
Take your coat with you — it's cold. Which word? Bring or take?
You bring something with you to the place where you are going: Bring your vacation pictures to show me. ♦ He always brings me flowers. ♦ Can I bring a friend to the party?
You take something to a different place: Don't forget to take your passport. ♦ Take an umbrella when you go out today.
to put your hand around something and hold it Take this money — it's yours.
She took my hand and led me outside.
to remove something from a place or a person, often without asking them
Someone has taken my bike.
to agree to have something; to accept something If you take my advice, you'll forget all about him. Do you take credit cards?
to need an amount of time The trip took four hours.
It takes a long time to learn a language.
to travel in a bus, train, etc. I took a taxi to the hospital.
to swallow or put a medicine or drug into your body Don't forget to take your medicine.
a word that you use with many nouns to talk about doing something
Let's take a walk. I need to take a shower. Take a look at this picture.
take after someone to be or look like an older member
of your family
She takes after her mother.
take something away to remove someone or something
I took the scissors away from the child.
take something back to return something to the place
you got it from
I took those pants back to the store — they were too small. take something down to write something that someone says He took down my address.
take off When an airplane takes off , it leaves the ground and starts to fly.
—ANTONYM land
take something off
to remove clothes from your body Take off your coat.
—ANTONYM put something on
to have time as a vacation, not working I am taking a week off in June.
take over ; take something over to get control of
something or responsibility for something
Robert took over the business when his father died.
take up something to use or fill time or space
The bed takes up half the room.
The new baby takes up all her time.
take • off / teikof ; teikaf /noun [ count, noncount ]
the time when an airplane leaves the ground and starts to fly —ANTONYM landing
take • out / ' teikaut / ( also take-out )noun
[noncount]
food that you buy already cooked from a restaurant to eat somewhere else
It's too late to start cooking now. Let's get some takeout. ►take • outadjective
a takeout dinner a takeout restaurant
tale / teil/noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a story, usually about things that are not true fairy tales
tal • ent / ' talant /noun [ count, noncount ]
a natural ability to do something very well She has a talent for drawing.
tal • ent • ed / ' talantad / adjective
having a natural ability to do something well a talented musician
talk 1Ф /tok/ verb (talks , talk ing , talked )
to speak to someone; to say words
She is talking to her friend on the telephone.
We talked about our vacation.
talk something over to discuss something with someone, especially to try to decide or agree on something I'm not sure what to do — I need to talk it over with my parents. Thesaurus
talk to say words to another person or other people. You talk to someone in order to give information, show feelings, or share ideas: They talked on the phone for over an hour. ♦ Can I talk to you for a minute? ♦ When they get together, all they talk about is basketball. ♦ We need to talk (= about something serious or important ) .
speak to talk to someone about something; to have a conversation with someone. You speak to someone in order to try to achieve something or to tell them to do something. Speak is a little more formal than talk : Can I speak with you for a minute? ♦ I've spoken to his parents about his behavior. ♦ The boss would like to speak to you.
discuss to talk and share ideas with other people about a subject or problem, especially in order to decide something. The word discuss is more formal than speak : I need to discuss the matter with my manager before I make a decision. ♦ I am not prepared to discuss this on the phone.
communicate to share and exchange information or ideas with someone. Communicate is a little formal, and is often used when the method of communication is important: She's very good at communicating her ideas to the team. ♦ We only communicate by e-mail these days.
talk 2Ф / tok/ noun
[ count ]
1 when two or more people talk about something
Dave and I had a long talk about the problem.
The two countries are holding talks to try and end the war.
Thesaurus
discussion [ count, noncount ] talking in detail about something important: a discussion with your classmates about the test ♦ We had a long discussion about what we should do. ♦ The plans are still under discussion (= being talked about ) . conversation [ count, noncount ] an informal talk between two people or a small group: a phone conversation ♦ I had a long conversation with her yesterday. ♦ The main topic of conversation was the recent election.
talk [ count ] a conversation between two or more people, often about a problem or something that is important to you: My parents want to have a talk with me about going to college. ♦ The two countries are holding talks to try to end the violence. debate [ count ] a formal discussion at a public meeting about something important, where people give their different opinions. At the end of the discussion there may be a vote: a debate on health care reform ♦ After a long debate, Congress approved the plan.
chat [ count ] a friendly, informal conversation with someone, especially about personal things: I had a nice chat with Sandy this afternoon. ♦ I just dropped by for a chat - are you free?
2 when a person speaks to a group of people Professor Wilson gave an interesting talk on Chinese art.
talk • a • tive / ' tokstiv / adjective
A person who is talkative likes to talk a lot.
talk show / ' tokJou /noun [ count ]
a television program on which famous people are asked questions and talk about their lives
tall Ф / tol / adjective ( tall - er , tall est )
higher than other people or things a tall tree
Richard is taller than his brother. ^ANTONYM short
You use tall to say or ask how far it is from the bottom to the top of someone or something
How tall are you? She's only 5 feet tall. Style
We use tall , not high , to talk about people: How tall are you? ♦ He's six feet tall.
tam . bou . rine
/ |t®mbs ' rin /noun [count]
( MUSIC ) a round musical instrument with metal disks around the edge. To play it, you hit it or shake it with your hand.
tame1 / teim /adjective ( tam - er , tam est ) A tame animal is not wild and is not afraid of people The birds are so tame they will eat from your hand.
tame 2 / teim / verb ( tames , tam - ing , tamed )
to make a wild animal easy to control; to make something tame
tam • pon / ' trempan /noun [ count ] a small roll of cotton material that a woman puts inside her body to take in and hold the blood that she loses once a month
tan1 / tren / ( also sun - tan )noun
[ count ] a darker color that your skin has when you have spent time in the sun
to get a tan
[ noncount ] a color between yellow and brown ► tanadjective
You're very tan — have you been on vacation? a tan coat
tan 2 / tren / verb ( tans , tan - ning , tanned )
If your skin tans , it becomes darker because you have spent time in the sun My skin tans really easily.
tan • ger • ine / |trend3s 'rin /noun [ count ]
a fruit like a small sweet orange, with a skin that is easy to take off
tan • gle / ' treggl /noun [ count ]
many things that have become twisted together so that you cannot easily separate the different parts My hair is full of tangles.
►tan • gle verb ( tan - gles , tan - gling , tan - gled )
Does your hair tangle easily? ►tan • gled / ' treggld / adjective
The string is all tangled.
tank / tregk /noun [ count ]
a large container for holding liquid or gas a fuel tank (= in a car )
a strong, heavy vehicle with big guns. Tanks are used by armies in wars.
tank • er / ' tregkar /noun [ count ]
a ship or truck that carries oil or gas in large amounts an oil tanker
tan • trum / ' trentram /noun [ count ]
If a child has a tantrum , they cry and shout because they are angry.
tap 1 / trep / verb ( taps , tap - ping , tapped )
to hit or touch someone or something quickly and lightly She tapped me on the shoulder. I tapped on the window.
tap2 / trep /noun [ count ]
a light hit with your hand or fingers They heard a tap at the door.
a thing that you turn to make something like water or gas come out of a pipe
Turn off the tap.
—SYNONYM faucet
tap dance / ' trep drens /noun [ noncount ]
a type of dance in which you wear special shoes with pieces of metal on them that make sounds as you dance tap-danceverb ( tap-danc - es , tap-danc ing , tap-danced )
ta pe 1 © / teip / noun
[ noncount ] a long, thin piece of material or paper, used for sticking things together
His glasses were held together by tape.
[ count, noncount ] a long, thin piece of plastic material that is used for recording sound, music, or moving pictures, so you can listen to or watch it later
I have the concert on tape . Rewind the tape when you're finished.
tape 2 AWL / teip / verb ( tapes, tap ing , taped )
to fasten something to something else using tape 1 ( 1 ) Tape the label to the package before you mail it.
to put sound, music, or moving pictures on tape 1 ( 2 ) so that you can listen to or watch it later
-►SYNONYM record
tape meas • ure
/ ' teip ime3ar /noun [count ]
a long, thin piece of plastic, cloth, or metal for measuring things
tape re • cord • er / ' teip riikordar / noun
[ count ]
a machine that you use for recording and playing sound or music on tape
tap • es • try / ' trepastri / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural tap - es . tries )
tape measure
( ART ) a piece of cloth with pictures on it made from thread in different colors
tar / tar /noun [ noncount ]
a black substance that is thick and sticky when it is hot, and hard when it is cold. Tar is used for making roads.
ta • ran • tu • la / ta 'rrentfala / noun [ count ]
a large spider covered with hair. Tarantulas live in hot countries and sometimes have a poisonous bite.
tar • getAWL / ' targat /noun [ count ]
a person, place, or thing that you try to hit when you are shooting or attacking
The bomb hit its target.
a result that you are trying to achieve Our target is to finish the job by Friday.
a round object with circles on it, which you try to hit in shooting practice
tart 1 / tart / adjective
with a sharp taste like a lemon This apple is really tart!
—SYNONYM sour
tart2 / tart /noun [ count ]
an open pie (= a type of baked food ) filled with sweet food such as fruit
Would you like a piece of apple tart?
task Ф / taesk/noun [count ]
a piece of work that you must do; a job I had the task of cleaning the floors.
taste 1 © / teist / noun
1 [ singular ] the feeling that a certain food or drink gives in your mouth
Sugar has a sweet taste, and lemons have a sour taste.
don't like the taste of this cheese.
[ noncount ] the power to know about food and drink with your mouth
When you have a cold, you often lose your sense of taste .
[ count , usually singular ] a small amount of food or drink
Have a taste of this fish to see if you like it.
[ noncount ] being able to choose nice things She has good taste in clothes.
taSte 2О / teist / verb ( tastes , tast - ing , tast - ed )
to have a particular flavor This tastes like oranges. Honey tastes sweet.
to feel or know a particular food or drink in your mouth Can you taste onions in this soup?
to eat or drink a small amount of something, to test its flavor
Taste some of this cheese to see if you like it.
taste • ful / teistfl / adjective
attractive and of good quality, and showing that you can choose nice things tasteful furniture
—ANTONYM tasteless ► taste • ful • ly / ' teistfali / adverb The room was tastefully decorated.
taste • less / teistlas / adjective
likely to make someone feel angry or upset That was a really tasteless joke.
having little or no flavor a bowl of tasteless soup
—ANTONYM tasty
3 of bad quality and not attractive, showing that you cannot choose nice things tasteless jewelry
—ANTONYM tasteful
tast • y / ' teisti / adjective ( tast i . er, tast . i . est )
good to eat
The soup was very tasty.
tat • too / tre ' tu /noun [ count ] (pluraltat . toos ) a picture on someone's skin, made with a needle and liquid She has a tattoo of a tiger on her shoulder. ►tat • tooverb ( tat . toos, tat . too . ing , tat . tooed )
He had a snake tattooed on his arm.
taught
form of teach
taut / tot / adjective
stretched very tight; not loose
The rope should be taut before you attach it.
tax1 Ф / taeks /noun [ count ] ( pluraltax es ) money that you have to pay to the government. You pay tax from the money you earn or when you buy things There is a tax on cigarettes in this country. The president announced plans to cut taxes .
tax 2 / treks / verb ( tax . es , tax ing , taxed )
to make someone pay tax
tax • a • tion / trek ' seijn /noun [ noncount ]
the government system that takes money from people to pay for public services, or the money that people have to pay as taxes
The government has promised to reduce taxation. tax • i / ' treksi / ( also tax . i . cab / ' treksi|kreb / cab ) noun [ count ]
a car that you can travel in if you pay the driver I took a taxi to the airport. I came by taxi.
tea Ф / ti / noun
[ count, noncount ] a brown drink that you make with hot water and the dry leaves of a special plant; a cup of this drink
Would you like a cup of tea? Two teas, please.
[ noncount ] the dry leaves of a special plant that you use to make tea to drink
tea bag / ' ti breg /noun [ count ]
a small paper bag with tea leaves inside. You use it to make tea.
teach © / titr/ verb
( teach . es , teach . ing , taught / tot / has taught )
to give lessons to students, for example in a school or college
He teaches English to international students.
to show someone how to do something My mother taught me how to drive. ►teach • ing / ' titjig /noun
[noncount]
modern teaching methods
teach .er ©/ titjbr/ noun[count ]
a person whose job is to teach He's my English teacher.
tea • ket • tle / ' ti|keti /noun [ count ]
another word for kettle
team © / tim/noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a group of people who play a sport or a game together against another group
Which team do you play for? a football team
a group of people who work together a team of doctors
team • mate / ' timmeit / noun
[count ]
a member of your team or group
tea • pot / ' tipat /noun [ count ]
a container for making and pouring tea
tear i© / tu- / noun [count ]
PRONUNCIATION
With this meaning, tear sounds like near or cheer .
a drop of water that comes from your eye when you cry I was in tears (= crying ) at the end of the movie. She read the letter and burst into tears (= suddenly started to cry ) .
tear 2© / ter / verb
( tears , tear ing , tore / tor / has torn / torn / ) PRONUNCIATION
The verb and noun tear 2 and tear 3 sound like hair or care .
1 to damage something by pulling it apart or making a hole in it
She tore her dress on a nail. I tore the piece of paper in half.
can't use this bag — it's torn.
to come apart; to break Paper tears easily.
to take something from someone or something in a quick and violent way
He tore the bag out of her hands.
to move somewhere very fast He tore down the street.
tear something down to destroy a building They tore down the old houses and built a shopping mall. tear something up to destroy something by pulling it into small pieces
I tore the letter up and threw it away.
tear3 / ter /noun
[count ]
a hole in something like paper or material that is caused by tearing
You have a tear in your jeans.
tease / tiz / verb ( teas . es , teas ing , teased )
to laugh at someone in a friendly way or in order to upset them
Don't pay any attention to him — he's only teasing you.
tea • spoon / ' tispun / noun
[ count ]
a small spoon that you use for putting sugar into tea or coffee
—Look at the picture at spoon .
( also tea . spoon . ful / ' tispunful / ) the amount that a teaspoon holds
—Look at tablespoon .
tech • ni • cal © AWL / ' teknikl / adjective
connected with the machines and materials used in science and in making things
The train was delayed due to a technical problem.
tech • ni • cian / tek ' nijn / noun [ count ]
a person who works with machines or instruments a laboratory technician
tech • nique awl / tek' nik / noun
[ count ]
a special way of doing something new techniques for learning languages
tech • nol • o • gy Ф AWL / tek' nabd₃i / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural tech - nol - o - gies )
knowing about science and about how things work, and using this to build and make things science and technology
recent developments in computer technology
ted .dy bear
/ tedi ber /noun [count] a toy for children that looks like a bear
te • di • ous / ' tidias / adjective
very long and not interesting a tedious speech
—SYNONYM boring
teen / tin /noun
[count]
a person who is between 13 and 19 years old ►teenadjective
He's been on the cover of several teen magazines.
teen • ag • er / ' tine^r / noun
[count]
a person who is between 13 and 19 years old
► teen • age / ' tineid3 / ( also teen . aged / ' tineid3d / )
adjective
comic books for teenage boys
teens / tinz /noun [ plural ]
the time when you are between the ages of 13 and 19 She is in her teens .
tee • pee / ' tipi /noun [ count ]
= tepee
teeth
plural of tooth
tel • e • phone Ф / 'tebfoun / noun
[count]
a piece of equipment that you use for talking to someone
who is in another place
What's your telephone number ?
Can I make a telephone call ?
The telephone's ringing — can you answer it?
—SYNONYM phone
on the telephone
using a telephone to speak to someone He's on the telephone with his wife.
tel • e • phone / ' telafoun /
( tel e - phones , tel - e - phon - ing , tel - e - phoned )
( formal )
to use a telephone to speak to someone I must telephone my parents.
—SYNONYM phone , call
tel • e • phone di • rec • to • ry
/ ' telafoun da_lrektari /noun [count]
( plural tel - e - phone di - rec to - ries )
( formal )
a book of people's names, addresses, and telephone numbers
-►SYNONYM phone book
tel • e • scope
/ ' telaskoup /noun [count]
a long, round piece of equipment with special glass inside it. You look through it to make things that are far away appear bigger.
tel • e • vise / ' telavaiz / verb ( tel e - vis - es , tel e - vis - ing , tel - e - vised )
to show something on television
All of the president's speeches are televised.
tel .e .vi .sion Ф / 'tebvi₃n/ noun
( abbreviation TV )
( also tel - e . vi - sion set / ' tebvrjn set / ) [count]
a piece of electrical equipment with a screen that shows
moving pictures with sound
Can you turn the television on , please?
[ noncount ] things that you watch on a television I watched television last night.
What's on TV ? a television program
[ noncount ] a way of sending pictures and sounds so that people can watch them on television
a television documentary cable TV Collocations Television watching
watch television/TV/a show/a program/a documentary/a repeat see a commercial/the news change/switch the channel turn on/turn off the television/the TV
showing
show a program/a documentary/a commercial/an episode
get low/high ratings appearing be on/appear on television/TV/a show/a talk show take part in a show/a game show do/make a show/a commercial/a documentary
tell Ф / tel/ verb ( tells , tell - ing , told / tould / has told )
1 to give information to someone by speaking or writing
told her my new address.
This book tells you how to make bread. He told me that he was tired.
to say what someone must do Our teacher told us to read this book.
to know, guess, or understand something
I can tell that she's been crying because her eyes are red. I can't tell the difference between James and his brother. They look exactly the same!
tell someone off to speak to someone in an angry way because they have done something wrong I told the children off for making so much noise. Which word? Say or tell?
We use say with the actual words that are spoken, or before that in reported speech: "I'm ready," Tom said. ♦ Tom said that he was ready.
Notice that you say something to someone: Tom said to Kate that he was ready, but you tell someone something (without to ): Tom told Kate that he was ready.
tel • ler / ' telsr /noun [ count ]
a person who works in a bank and whose job is to receive and pay out money
tem • per / ' tempsr / noun
[ count, noncount ]
If you have a temper , you get angry very easily She must learn to control her temper.
lose your temper
to suddenly become angry
She lost her temper with a customer and shouted at him.
tem • per • a • ment / temprsmsnt / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a person's character, especially how it affects the way they behave and feel
We're lucky that the baby has such a calm temperament.
tem .per .a .ture Ф/'temper/ noun
[ count ]
how hot or cold a thing or a place is
On a hot day, the temperature can reach 100° F.
a low temperature
have a temperature
to feel hotter than normal because you are sick take someone's temperature
to see how hot someone is, using a special instrument (called a thermometer )
tem • ple / ' tempi /noun [count]
a building where people go to say prayers to a god or gods tem • po / ' tempou /noun [ count ] ( pluraltem - pos ) ( MUSIC ) the speed of a piece of music music with a slow tempo
tem • po • rar • i • ly |AWL / temps 'rersli /
adverb
for a short time only
The road is temporarily closed for repairs. —Look at permanently .
tem • po •rar • y © |AWL / ' tempered /
adjective
Something that is temporary lasts for a short time I had a temporary job over the summer.
—Look at permanent .
tempt / tempt / verb ( tempts , tempt - ing , tempt ed )
to make someone want to do or have something, especially something that is wrong
He saw the money on the table, and he was tempted to take it.
►tempt • ing / ' temptig / adjective
That cake looks very tempting!
temp • ta • tion / temp ' teijn /noun 1 [ noncount ] a feeling that you want to do something that you know is wrong
couldn't resist the temptation to open the letter.
[ count ] a thing that makes you want to do something wrong
Don't leave the money on your desk — it's a temptation to thieves.
ten Ф / ten / number
10
ten • ant / ' tensnt /noun [ count ]
a person who pays money (called rent ) to live in or use a place
tend О / tend / verb ( tends, tend - in , end - ed )
to usually do or be something Men tend to be taller than women.
ten • den • cy / tendsnsi /noun [ count ] ( pluralten - den - cies )
something that a person or thing usually does He has a tendency to be late.
ten • der / ' tendsr / adjective
kind, gentle, and loving a tender look
Tender meat is soft and easy to cut or bite. —ANTONYM tough
If a part of your body is tender , it hurts when you touch it.
—SYNONYM sore
►ten • der • ly / ' tendsrli / adverb
in a kind and gentle way
He touched her arm tenderly.
►ten • der • ness / ' tendsrnss / noun
[noncount]
a feeling of tenderness
ten • nis / ' tenss / noun
[noncount]
( SPORTS ) a game for two or four players, who hit a ball to each other over a net using a piece of equipment (called a racket )
Let's play tennis.
a tennis court (= a place where you play tennis )
ten • or / tenar / noun
[ count ]
( MUSIC ) a singing voice for a man; a man with this voice Pavarotti was a famous tenor.
tense 1 AWL / tens / adjective
1 (used about a person) worried or nervous, and not able to relax
always feel very tense before exams. —ANTONYM relaxed
(used about a part of the body) tight; not relaxed tense muscles
(used about a situation, a time, etc.) in which people feel worried and not relaxed
The atmosphere in the meeting was very tense.
tense2AWL / tens /noun [ count, noncount ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the form of a verb that shows if something happens in the past, present, or future
ten • sionAWL| / ' tenjn /noun [ noncount ]
being worried or nervous, and not able to relax Tension can give you headaches.
tent / tent /noun [ count ]
a kind of small house made of cloth. You sleep in a tent when you go camping We put up our tent.
ten • ta • cle / ' tentiki /noun [ count ]
one of the long, thin parts like legs on the body of some ocean animals
tennis
An octopus has eight tentacles. —Look at the picture at octopus .
tenth / ten9 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun
[count]
10th
one of ten equal parts of something; 1/10
te • pee ( also tee - pee , ti - pi ) / tipi /noun [count]
a type of tent with a round bottom and a pointed top, used by Native Americans in the past
term / tarm /noun
[ count ] a word or group of words connected with a special subject
a computing term
[ count ] one of the periods of time which the academic year is divided into at some colleges and universities
The summer term is from April to July.
terms [ plural ] the things that people must agree to when they make an arrangement or an agreement
Under the terms of the contract, you must complete all the work by the end of the year.
ter • mi • nal AWL / ' tarmanl / noun [count]
a building where people begin and end their trips by bus, train, airplane, or ship
The flight to Phoenix departs from Terminal 3.
ter • mi • nate AWH / ' tarmaneit / verb ( ter - mi - nates , ter - mi - nat - ing , ter mi - nat - ed )
( formal )
to end, or to make something end
We had no other option but to terminate the contract.
ter • mi • nol • o • gy / itarma ' nalad3i / noun [ count, noncount ] ( plural ter - mi - nol . o - gies )
the special words that are used in a particular job, subject, or activity
That journal uses a lot of medical terminology.
term pa • per / ' tarm ipeipar / noun
[ count ]
a long piece of writing that a student does for a particular class
ter • race / ' teras / noun
[ count ]
a flat place outside a house or restaurant We had our lunch on the terrace.
ter • rain / ta 'rein /noun [ noncount ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a type of land That trail has a lot of rough terrain.
ter .ri .ble Ф / 'terebl/ adjective
very bad
She had a terrible accident.
The food in that restaurant is terrible!
ter • ri • bly / ' terabli / adverb
very
I'm terribly sorry!
very badly
He played terribly.
ter • ri • fic / ta ' rifik / adjective ( informal )
very good; excellent What a terrific idea!
ter • ri • fied / ' terafaid / adjective
very afraid
He is terrified of dogs.
Thesaurus
afraid feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen. This word cannot come before a noun, so you can say "the man is afraid" but NOT "an afraid man": Are you afraid of spiders? ♦ Alex is afraid of going out after dark. ♦ We were afraid to go into the cave. ♦ He's afraid that he'll fall.
scared a more informal word than afraid , which is
used more in spoken than written English: I'm really
scared of heights. ♦ Everyone was too scared to move.
♦ The thieves got scared and ran away. ♦ Are you
scared about the exam tomorrow?
frightened a more formal word than afraid , which is
used more in written than spoken English: a frightened
child ♦ She is not frightened of anything. ♦ He was
frightened that the glass would break.
terrified very afraid: to be terrified of spiders ♦ He
was terrified that he would fall. ♦ You look terrified!
ter • ri • fy / ' terafai / verb ( ter - ri - fies , ter ri - fying , ter - ri - fied , has ter - ri - fied )
to make someone feel very afraid Spiders terrify Joan.
►ter • ri • fy • ing / ' terafaiig / adjective
It was a terrifying experience.
ter • ri • to • ry / ' tera|tori / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural ter - ri . to - ries )
( POLITICS ) the land that belongs to one country This island was once French territory.
ter • ror / ' terar /noun [ noncount ]
very great fear
He screamed in terror as the rats came toward him.
ter • ror • ism / ' terarizam / noun
[ noncount ]
when a group of people hurt or kill other people, for example by putting a bomb in a public place, in order to try to make a government do what they want the fight against terrorism
ter • ror • ist / ' terarist / noun [count]
a person who hurts or kills people, for example by putting a bomb in a public place, in order to try to make the government do what they want a terrorist attack
test 1 Ф / test /noun [ count ]
an exam that you do in order to show what you know or what you can do
We have a spelling test every Friday.
( HEALTH ) a short medical examination of a part of your body
to have an eye test
The doctors took a blood test.
test 2 Ф / test / verb (tests , test ing , test ed )
to ask someone questions to find out what they know or what they can do
The teacher tested us on our spelling.
to use or look at something carefully to find out how good it is or if it works well
I don't think drugs should be tested on animals. The doctor tested my eyes.
test tube / ' test tub /noun [ count ]
( GENERAL SCIENCE ) a long, thin glass tube that you use in chemical experiments
text1 Ф AWL / tekst /noun
[ noncount ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the words in a book, newspaper, or magazine
This book has a lot of pictures but not much text.
[ count ] another word for text message
[ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a book or a short piece of writing that you study
Read the text and answer the questions.
text 2AW / tekst / b (texts,text - ing ,text -ed )
to send someone a written message on a cell phone He texted me to say he'd arrived in Dallas.
text • book / ' teksbuk /noun [ count ]
a book that teaches you about something a biology textbook
text mes • sage / ' tekst |mesid₃ / ( also text ) noun [ count ]
a message that you send in writing from one cell phone to another
tex • ture / ' tekst/эг /noun [ count, noncount ]
the way that something feels when you touch it Silk has a smooth texture.
than Ф / dan ; dan / conjunction, preposition
You use "than" when you compare people or things I'm older than him.
You speak Spanish much better than she does. We live less than a mile from the beach.
thank © / бжцк/
( thanks , thank - ing , thanked )
to tell someone that you are pleased because they gave you something or helped you I thanked her for my birthday present.
—Look at thanks , thank you . thank • ful / ' бжцкй / adjective
happy that something good has happened or that
something bad has not happened
I was thankful for a rest after the long walk.
►thank • ful • ly / ' 6®gkfali / adverb
There was an accident, but thankfully no one was hurt.
thanks © / 6®gks / exclamation, noun [ plural ]
a word that shows you are pleased because someone gave
you something or helped you
Please give my thanks to your sister for her help.
"Here's a cup of coffee for you." "Thanks a lot."
thanks to someone or something
because of someone or something
We're late, thanks to you!
— Look at thank , thank you .
Thanks • giv • ing / |6®gks 'givig / ( also
Thanks giv ing Day ) noun [ count, noncount ]
a public holiday in November in the U.S., and in October in Canada
Are you going home to your parents for Thanksgiving this
year?
Culture
Thanksgiving is an important holiday in the U.S. and Canada.
People celebrate Thanksgiving by getting together with their families and by thinking about the good things in their lives, especially their families, homes, and food.
Families eat Thanksgiving dinner together. This is a special meal of turkey with cranberry sauce , sweet potatoes , corn , and other vegetables. This is often followed by pumpkin pie .
thank you © / 'баецкуи/ exclamation, noun [ count ]
words that show you are pleased because someone gave you
something or helped you
Thank you for your letter.
"How are you?" "I'm fine, thank you."
—SYNONYM thanks
no, thank you ; no, thanks
You use these words to say that you do not want something "Would you like some more coffee?" "No, thank you."
that © / dat ; dret / adjective, pronoun, conjunction, adverb
( pluralthose / douz / ) a word that you use to talk about a person or thing that is there or then
"Who is that boy in the yard?" "That's my brother."
She got married two years ago. At that time, she was a
teacher.
the person or thing already mentioned A lion is an animal that lives in Africa. The people that I met were very nice. I'm reading the book that you gave me.
a word that you use to join two parts of a sentence Jo said that she was unhappy.
I'm sure that he will come. I was so hungry that I ate all the food.
as much as that
The next town is ten miles from here. I can't walk that far.
thaw / eo / verb ( thaws , thaw . ing , thawed )
to warm something that is frozen so that it becomes soft or liquid; to get warmer and so become soft or liquid
The ice is thawing. —ANTONYM freeze the © / da ; di /article
1 a word that you use before the name of someone or something when it is clear what person or thing you mean
bought a shirt and some pants. The shirt is blue. The sun is shining.
a word that you use before numbers and dates Friday the thirteenth
I grew up in the nineties.
a word that you use to talk about a group of people or things of the same kind
the French (= all French people ) Do you play the piano?
a word that you use before the names of rivers, oceans, etc. and some countries
the Mississippi the Atlantic
the United States of America the..., the...
words that you use to talk about two things happening
together because of each other
The more you eat, the fatter you get.
the .a .ter © / 'еыш-/ noun
[ count ] a building where you go to see plays I'm going to the theater this evening.
[ count ] a building where you go to see movies —SYNONYM movie theater
[ noncount , singular ] the work of acting in or creating plays
He's worked in theater for many years.
theft / eeft /noun [ count, noncount ]
the crime of stealing something from a person or a place She was sent to prison for theft. I told the police about the theft of my car.
—Look at thief .
their © / der / adjective
PRONUNCIATION
The word their sounds just like there and they're .
of or belonging to them What is their address?
theirs © / derz /pronoun something that belongs to them Our house is smaller than theirs.
them © / dam ; dem /pronoun [ plural ]
1 a word that shows more than one person, animal, or thing
e-mailed them and then I called them.
I'm looking for my keys. Have you seen them?
him or her
If anyone calls, tell them I'm busy.
themeawД / eim/noun [ count ]
something that you talk or write about
The theme of his speech was "the future of our planet."
theme park / ' eim park /noun [ count ]
a place with a lot of things to do, see, ride on, etc., which are all based on a single idea
The Disney theme parks are famous worldwide. them .selves © / dam' selvz / pronoun [plural]
a word that shows the same people, animals, or things that you have just talked about
They bought themselves a new car.
a word that makes "they" stronger Did they build the house themselves? by themselves
alone; without other people
The children went out by themselves.
without help
They cooked dinner by themselves.
then © / den / adverb
1 at that time
became a teacher in 1999. I lived in Chicago then, but now I live in Atlanta.
I'm going tomorrow. Can you wait until then ?
next; after that
We had dinner, and then watched a movie.
if that is true
If you miss that train then you'll have to get a bus.
the • ol • o • gy / ei' alad3i / noun [ noncount ]
( RELIGION ) the study of religion
the • o • ryAWL / ' eiri ; ' eiari/noun [ count ] ( pluralthe . o . ries )
an idea that tries to explain something
There are a lot of different theories about how life began.
ther • a • pist / ' eerapist / noun [ count ]
a person who treats a particular type of illness or problem, or who uses a particular type of treatment a speech therapist
ther • a • py / ' eerapi /noun [ noncount ]
a way of helping people who are sick in their body or mind, usually without drugs speech therapy
there © / der / adverb, pronoun
a word that you use with verbs like "be," "seem," and "appear" to show that something is true or that something is happening
There's (= there is ) a man at the door. Is there a movie on TV tonight? There aren't any stores in this town.
in, at, or to that place
Don't put the box there — put it here.
Have you been to Portland? I'm going there next week.
—Look at here .
a word that makes people look or listen Oh look, there's Kate.
there you are
words that you say when you give something to someone "There you are," she said, giving me a cookie.
there .fore © / ' derfor /
for that reason
Simon was busy, and therefore could not come to the meeting.
ther • mal / ' 6srml / adjective
( PHYSICS ) connected with heat thermal energy
ther • mom • e • ter / esr' mamstsr / noun
KL that thermometers
shows how hot or cold something is
Ther • mos™ / ' esrmss / noun
[ count ]
( plural Ther - mos . es )
a container like a bottle that keeps a liquid hot or cold
ther • mo • stat / ' esrmsstret / noun
[count ]
a thing that controls the heat in a house or a machine by switching it on or off
the • sau • rus / ei ' sorss / noun
[ count ]
( pluralthe . sau - ri / eisorai / or the . sau - rus . es ) a book that has lists of words and phrases with similar meanings
these © / diz / adjective, pronoun [ plural ]
a word that you use to talk about people or things that are here or now. These is the plural form of "this" These books are mine. Do you want these?
the • sisAWL / ' eisss /noun [ count ] ( pluralthe . ses / ' eisiz / )
a long piece of writing on a particular subject, which you do
as part of a college or university degree
She wrote her thesis on early American literature.
they © /dei/ pronoun [ plural ]
the people, animals, or things that the sentence is about Jo and David came at two o'clock and they left at six o'clock.
"Where are my keys?" "They're (= they are ) on the table."
people
They say it will be cold this winter.
a word that you use instead of "he" or "she"
Someone called for you — they said they would call again later.
they'd / deid /
short for they had , they would they'll / deil /
short for they will
they're / der /
short for they are
they've / deiv /
short for they have
thick© / eik / adjective ( thick er , hick - est )
far from one side to the other The walls are very thick.
It's cold outside, so wear a thick coat.
—ANTONYM thin
You use thick to say or ask how far something is from one side to the other
The ice is six inches thick.
with a lot of people or things close together thick, dark hair
If a liquid is thick , it does not flow easily This paint is too thick.
—ANTONYM thin
difficult to see through thick smoke
►thick • ness / ' eiknss /noun [ count, noncount ]
The wood is 3 inches in thickness.
thick • en / ' eiksn / verb
( thick - ens , thick - en - ing , thick - ened )
to become thick, or to make something thick Keep stirring the mixture until it thickens.
thick • ly / ' eikli / adverb
in a way that makes a wide piece or a thick layer of something
Spread the butter thickly. thickly sliced bread
—ANTONYM thinly
thief / eif /noun [ count ] ( pluralthieves / eivz / ) a person who steals something A thief stole my wallet. Word building
A thief is a general word for a person who steals things, usually secretly and without violence. The name of the crime is theft .
A robber steals from a bank, store, etc. and often uses violence or threats. A burglar takes things from your house when you are out or asleep: We had burglars while we were on vacation and all my jewelry was stolen.
thigh / eai /noun [ count ] the part of your leg above your knee — Look at the picture atleg .
thin О / 6in / adjective ( thin - ner , thin - nest )
1 not far from one side to the other The walls in this house are very thin.
cut the bread into thin slices. —ANTONYM thick
not fat
He's tall and thin.
not close together
My father's hair is getting thin. —ANTONYM thick
If a liquid is thin , it flows easily like water The soup was very thin. —ANTONYM thick Thesaurus
thin is a general word to describe a person who is not fat. It can be used with a positive, negative, or neutral meaning: He's tall and thin. ♦ She has long, thin legs. ♦ You need to eat more. You're too thin! ♦ She was looking pale and thin. —ANTONYM fat
slim is a positive word, meaning thin in an attractive way. It is often used to describe women: How do you manage to stay so slim? ♦ He put his arm around her slim waist.
skinny is a more informal word meaning very thin. It can be used with a negative meaning to describe someone who is too thin: a skinny movie star ♦ He was such a skinny kid. ♦ skinny legs/arms lean is a positive word, and means thin and healthy. It is often used to describe men: He had a lean, muscular body. ♦ He's tall, lean, and handsome. underweight describes a person who weighs less than the normal or expected amount. It is used by doctors or health professionals: She's dangerously underweight.
—ANTONYM overweight
thing Ф /ещ/ noun
[ count ] an object What's that red thing?
[ count ] what happens or what you do A strange thing happened to me yesterday. That was a difficult thing to do.
[ count ] an idea or a subject We talked about a lot of things.
things [ plural ] objects, clothes, or tools that belong to you or that you use for something
Have you packed your things for the trip?
Thesaurus
stuff
( informal )
a substance or a group of things or activities: What's that green stuff at the bottom of the bottle? ♦ You can just put your stuff on the chair over there. ♦ I can't go out. I have lots of stuff to do at home. things objects, clothes, or tools that you own or that you use for something: Bring your swimming things. ♦ Where can I put my things? ♦ Put your things (= coat, etc. ) on and let's go.
belongings the things you own that can be moved: She packed her belongings in a bag, and left. ♦ Please make sure you have all your belongings with you when leaving the plane. property ( formal )
a thing or things that belong to someone: This building is government property. ♦ The bag contained stolen property.
5things [ plural ] the situation or conditions of your life How are things with you?
think О / Qigk /
( thinks , think - ing , thought / 6ot / has thought )
1 to have an opinion about something; to believe something
I think it's going to rain.
"Do you think Sara will come tomorrow?" "Yes, I think so ." (= I think that she will come )
think they live in Boston, but I'm not sure. What do you think of this music?
to use your mind
Think before you answer the question. I often think about that day.
to intend or plan to do something He's thinking about leaving his job. We're thinking of moving to Canada.
think of something to have something in your mind I can't think of her name.
think something over to consider something carefully I'll think over your offer and let you know tomorrow. think something up to create something in your mind I need to think up a title for my book.
thin • ly / ' 9mli / adverb
in a way that makes a thin piece of something Slice the potatoes thinly.
—ANTONYM thickly
third © / 6ard / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
3rd
one of three equal parts of something; /
the Third World / 6a i6ard ' warld /
[ singular ]
a way of describing the poorer countries of the world
thirst / 9arst/noun [ noncount ]
the feeling you have when you want to drink something
thirSt .уФ/ Oorsti / adjective ( thirst i er , thirst - i - est )
If you are thirsty , you want to drink something I'm thirsty. Can I have a drink of water, please?
—Look at hungry .
thir .teen Ф / ^r'tin/ number 13 ►thir • teenth / i6ar' tin6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ] 13th thir .ty Ф / esrti/ number 1 30
2the thirties [ plural ] the numbers, years, or temperatures between 30 and 39 in your thirties
between the ages of 30 and 39
►thir • ti • eth / ' 6artia6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ]
30th
this / 61s / adjective, pronoun ( plural these / diz / )
1 a word that you use to talk about a person or thing that is close to you in time or space Come and look at this photo. This is my sister.
These boots are really comfortable. How much does this cost?
2 a word that you use with periods of time that are connected to the present time I am on vacation this week.
What are you doing this evening (= today in the evening ) ?
this 2 / dis / adverb
so
The road is not usually this busy ( = not as busy as it is now ) .
this • tle / ' eisi /noun [ count ]
a plant with sharp, pointed leaves and purple flowers
thong / eog /noun [ count ]
a simple, open shoe with a narrow part that goes between your big toe and the toe next to it
a type of underwear that has a very narrow piece of cloth, like a string, at the back
thorn / eorn /noun [ count ] a sharp point that grows on a plant Rose bushes have thorns.
— Look at the picture at plant . thor • ough / ' earou / adjective
careful and complete
The police made a thorough search of the house.
thor • ough • ly / ' earali ; ' earouli /adverb
carefully and completely
He cleaned the room thoroughly.
completely; very or very much I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
those Ф / douz / adjective, pronoun [ plural ]
a word that you use to talk about people or things that are there or then. Those is the plural form of "that" I don't know those boys.
She went to college in the 1980s. In those days, students didn't have their own computers. Can I have one of those?
though Ф / dou / conjunction, adverb
PRONUNCIATION
The word though sounds like go .
1 despite something
I was very cold, though I was wearing my coat. Though she was in a hurry, she stopped to talk.
went to the party, even though I was tired.
—SYNONYM although
but
I thought it was right, though I wasn't sure.
however
I like him very much. I don't like his wife, though. as though
in a way that makes you think something
The house looks as though no one lives there.
I'm so hungry — I feel as though I haven't eaten for days!
thought 1
form of think
thought 2 С / eot / noun
[ count ] an idea
Have you had any thoughts about what you want to do when you leave school?
[ noncount ] thinking
After a lot of thought, I decided not to take the job.
thought • ful / ' eotfl / adjective
1 thinking carefully
She listened with a thoughtful look on her face.
2 thinking about other people
It was very thoughtful of you to cook us dinner.
—SYNONYM kind , considerate thought • less / ' eotlas / adjective
not thinking about other people
It was very thoughtless of them to leave the room in such a mess.
—SYNONYM inconsiderate
thou .sand О / ' eauznd /
1,000
a thousand people two thousand and fifteen There were thousands of birds on the lake. ►thou • sandth/ ' eauzne /pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ] 1,000th
thread iO
/ ered /noun [ count, noncount ]
PRONUNCIATION
The word
thread sounds like red .
a long, thin piece of cotton, wool, etc.
I need a needle and thread .
thread 2 / ered / verb (threads , thread . ing , thread . ed )
to put thread through the hole in a needle to thread a needle
threat Ф / eret / noun [ count ]
a promise that you will hurt someone if they do not do what you want
He was accused of making threats against the police.
a person or thing that may damage or hurt someone or something
Pollution is a threat to the lives of animals and people.
threat .en О / 'eretn/ verb
(threat.ens , threat.en . ing , threat ened )
to say that you will hurt someone if they do not do what you want
They threatened to kill everyone on the plane. She threatened him with a knife.
to seem ready to do something bad The dark clouds threatened rain . ►threat • en • ing/ ' eretnig /adjective threatening behavior
three Ф / eri / number
threw
form of throw
thrift store / ' erift stor / noun
[ count ]
a store that sells clothes and other goods given by people, in order to make money for charity
thrill 1 / eril/ noun [ count ]
a sudden strong feeling of excitement
It gave me a big thrill to meet my favorite actor in person.
thrill 2 / Gril / verb ( thrills , thrill - ing , thrilled )
to make someone feel very excited or pleased This band has thrilled audiences all over the world. ►thrill • ing / ' Grilig / adjective a thrilling adventure
thrilled / Grild / adjective
very happy and excited
We are all thrilled that you won the prize.
thrill • er / ' Grilar /noun [ count ]
an exciting book, movie, or play about a crime
throat О / Grout /noun [ count ]
the front part of your neck
the part inside your neck that takes food and air down from your mouth into your body
I have a sore throat.
— Look at the picture at body .
throb / Grab / verb ( throbs , throb bing , throbbed )
to make strong, regular movements or noises; to beat strongly
His finger was throbbing with pain.
throne / Groun /noun [ count ]
a special chair where a king or queen sits
through © / Gru / preposition, adverb Pronunciation
The word through sounds like you .
from one side or end of something to the other side or end
We drove through the tunnel.
What can you see through the window?
She opened the gate, and we walked through.
from the beginning to the end of something We traveled through the night.
until, and including
We'll be in New York Tuesday through Friday.
because of someone or something She got the job through her father.
connected by telephone
Can you put me through to Jill Knight, please? I tried to call you but I couldn't get through. be through with someone or something to be finished with someone or something Are you through with that magazine?
through • out / Gru' aut / preposition, adverb
in every part of something
We painted the house throughout. She is famous throughout the world.
from the beginning to the end of something They talked throughout the movie.
throw © / Grou / verb ( throws , throw - ing , threw / Gru / has thrown / Groun / ) Pronunciation
The word throw sounds like go .
to send something through the air by pushing it out of your hand
Throw the ball to Alex.
The boys were throwing stones at people.
to do something quickly and without care
She threw on her coat (= put it on quickly ) and ran out of the house.
to move your body or part of it quickly He threw his arms up.
throw something away or out to get rid of garbage or something that you do not want Don't throw that box away.
throw someone out to force someone to leave a place They'll throw you out if you don't pay the rent! throw up to bring food up from the stomach and out of the mouth
I feel like I'm going to throw up. —SYNONYM vomit
thrownoun [ count ]
What a good throw!
thrust / GrAst / verb ( thrusts , thrust - ing , thrust , has thrust )
to push someone or something suddenly and strongly She thrust the money into my hand. ►thrustnoun [ count ] He killed her with a thrust of the knife.
thud / GAd /noun
[count]
the sound that a heavy thing makes when it hits something The book hit the floor with a thud.
thug / GAg /noun
[count] a violent person
thumb © / GAm / noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word thumb sounds like come , because we don't say the letter b in this word.
the short thick finger at the side of your hand
— Look at the picture at hand .
thumb .tack
/ GAmtak / ( also tack ) noun [ count ]
a short pin with a flat round top, which you use for fastening paper to a wall or board
I fastened the card to the board with a thumbtack.
thump / GAmp / verb ( thumps , thump - ing , thumped )
to hit someone or something hard with your hand or a heavy thing
He thumped on the door.
to make a loud sound by hitting or beating hard Her heart was thumping with fear.
thun • der 1 / ' GAndar / noun
[noncount]
a loud noise in the sky when there is a storm There was thunder and lightning . Word building
When there is a storm, you hear thunder and see lightning in the sky.
Cyclones , hurricanes , tornadoes , and typhoons are large, violent storms.
thun • der 2 / ' GAndar/ verb
( thun ders , thun - der - ing , thun - dered )
When it thunders , there is a loud noise in the sky during a storm
It thundered all night.
thumbtacks
#
A i- ,
щЕи
to make a very loud, deep noise The trucks thundered along the road.
thun • der • storm / ' eAndsr| storm / [count]
a storm with a lot of rain, thunder , and flashes of light (called lightning ) in the sky Word building
When there is a storm, you hear thunder and see lightning in the sky.
Cyclones , hurricanes , tornadoes , and typhoons are large, violent storms.
Thurs.day © / ' esrzdei ; ' esrzdi /noun [ count,
noncount ] ( abbreviation Thurs. )
the day of the week after Wednesday and before Friday
thus / dAs /adverb ( formal )
because of this
He was very busy and was thus unable to come to the meeting.
in this way
Hold the wheel in both hands, thus.
tick 1 / tik / verb ( ticks , tick - ing , ticked )
(used about a clock) to make short, repeated sounds I could hear a clock ticking.
tick2 / tik /noun [ count ]
one of the short, repeated sounds that a clock makes
a very small animal with eight legs, like an insect, which bites animals or people and sucks their blood
tick .etО / 'tikst/noun [ count ]
a piece of paper or card that you buy to travel, to go into a theater, to watch a sports event, etc.
Do you want a one-way or a round-trip ticket? a theater ticket
an official piece of paper that you get when you park in the wrong place, drive too fast, etc. The ticket tells you how much money you have to pay as a punishment
He got a ticket for speeding on the highway.
tick • et of • fice / ' tikst f / noun [ count ]
a place where you buy tickets
tick • le / ' tiki / verb
( tick les , tick - ling , tick - led )
to touch someone lightly with your fingers to make them laugh
She tickled the baby's feet.
to have the feeling that something is touching you lightly My nose tickles.
tick • lish / ' tiklij / adjective
If a person is ticklish , they laugh easily when someone tickles them.
tic-tac-toe / |tik trek ' tou /noun [ noncount ]
a game for two players in which each person tries to win by writing three O's or three X's in a line
tide / taid /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) the movement of the ocean toward the land and away from the land The tide is coming in . The tide is going out . Word building High tide is when the ocean is nearest the land Low tide is when the ocean is farthest from the land.
ti • dy / ' taidi / adjective ( ti - di - er , ti - di - est )
with everything in the right place Her room is very tidy.
—SYNONYM neat —ANTONYM messy
tie 1 © / tai/ verb (ties , ty ing , tied , has tied )
1 to attach or fasten something using rope, string, etc. I tied my hair back with a ribbon.
tied a scarf around my neck. The prisoner was tied to a chair.
( SPORTS ) to end a game or competition with the same number of points for both teams or players
Jenny tied with Sara for third place.
tie someone up to put a piece of rope around someone
so that they cannot move
The robbers tied up the owner of the store.
tie something up to put a piece of string or rope
around something to hold it in place
I tied up the package with string.
The dog was tied up in the yard.
—ANTONYM untie tie 2© / tai/noun
[ count ] a long, thin piece of cloth that you wear around your neck with a shirt
—SYNONYM necktie , Look at the picture at clothes .
[ count ] ( SPORTS ) when two teams or players have the same number of points at the end of a game or competition The game ended in a tie.
ties [ plural ] a connection between people or organizations
Police believe he had ties to the Mafia.
ti .ger
/ taigsr /noun [ count ]
a wild animal like a big cat, with yellow fur and black lines ( stripes ). Tigers
live in Asia.
tight ©/ tait / adjective (tight er , tight est)
1 fastened firmly, so that you cannot move it easily a tight knot
can't open this jar — the lid is too tight. —ANTONYM loose
Tight clothes fit very close in a way that is often uncomfortable
These shoes are too tight. tight pants
► tight ( also tight - ly / ' taitli / )adverb
Hold tight!
I tied the string tightly around the box.
tight • en / ' taitn / verb ( tight ens , tight en - ing , tight - ened )
to become tighter, or to make something tighter Can you tighten this screw?
—ANTONYM loosen
tight • rope / ' taitroup /noun [ count ]
a rope or wire high above the ground. People (called acrobats ) walk along tightropes as a form of entertainment.
tights / taits /noun [ plural ]
a thin piece of clothing that a woman or girl wears over her feet and legs a pair of tights
tile / tail /noun [ count ]
a flat, square object. We use tiles for covering roofs, walls, and floors.
►tile verb ( tiles , til . ing , tiled )
Dad is tiling the bathroom.
till / til / conjunction, preposition ( informal ) = until
They didn't arrive till six o'clock.
tilt / tilt / verb ( tilts , tilt . ing , tilt . ed )
to have one side higher than the other; to move something so that it has one side higher than the other She tilted the tray, and all the glasses fell off.
tim • ber / ' timbar /noun [ noncount ] wood that we use for building and making things
time 1 Ф / taim / noun
1 [ noncount , singular ] a period of seconds, minutes,
hours, days, weeks, months, or years
Time passes quickly when you're busy.
They have lived here for some time (= for a long time ) .
don't have time to help you now — I'm late for school. It takes a long time to learn a language.
[ count, noncount ] a certain point in the day or night, which you say in hours and minutes
" What time is it ?" "It's twenty after six." What's the time ?
Can you tell me the times of buses to Boston, please? It's time to go home.
By the time (= when ) we arrived they had eaten all the food.
[ count ] a certain moment or occasion I've seen this movie four times.
Come and visit us next time you're in Seattle.
[ count ] an experience; something that you do We had a great time on vacation.
[ count ] a period in the past; a part of history In Shakespeare's time, not many people could read. all the time
very often, or always
"Do you ever go to the movies?" "Oh, all the time." at a time
together; on one occasion
The elevator can carry six people at a time.
at one time
in the past, but not now
We were in the same class at one time.
at the time
then
My family moved to Brooklyn in 1996 — I was four at the time.
at times
sometimes
A teacher's job can be very difficult at times. for the time being
now, but not for long
You can stay here for the time being, until you find an apartment.
free time ; spare time
time when you do not have to work or study What do you do in your free time?
from time to time
sometimes; not often I see my cousin from time to time. have a good time
enjoy yourself
Have a good time at the party!
in time
not late
If you hurry, you'll arrive in time for the movie. in a week's, two months', a year's time
after a week, two months, a year I'll see you in two weeks' time. it's about time ( informal )
words that you use to say that something should be done now
It's about time you started studying if you want to pass the exam.
on time
not late or early My train was on time.
spend time
to use time to do something I spend a lot of time playing tennis. take your time
to do something slowly
tell time
to read the time from a clock or watch
Can your children tell time?
time after time ; time and time again
many times
time 2 / taim / verb ( times , tim . ing , timed )
to plan something so that it will happen when you want The bomb was timed to explode at six o'clock.
to measure how much time it takes to do something We timed the walk — it took two hours.
time lim • it / ' taim |limat /noun [ count ] an amount of time in which something must be done The time limit for the test is one hour.
ti me-out / |taim ' aut / ( also time . out )noun
[count]
( SPORTS ) a short period of rest during a sports game
tim • er / ' taimar / noun [ count ]
a machine, or part of a machine, that measures time
times 1 / taimz / preposition ( symbol x )
( MATH ) multiplied by
Three times four is twelve (3 x 4 = 12).
times2/ taimz/noun [ plural ] a word that you use to show how much bigger, smaller, more expensive, etc. one thing is than another Los Angeles is six times bigger than Memphis.
time zone / ' taim zoun / noun [ count ]
one of the 24 areas that the world is divided into, each with its own time
New York is in the Eastern time zone.
tim • id / ' timad / adjective
shy and easily afraid —SYNONYM shy
► tim • id • ly/ ' timadli /adverb She opened the door timidly and came in.
tin / tin /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolSn ) ( CHEMISTRY ) a soft, white metal a tin roof
tin • gle / ' tiggl / verb
( tin gle , tin . gling , tin . gled )
If a part of your body tingles , it feels like a lot of small
sharp points are pushing into your skin
His cheeks tingled as he came in from the cold.
ti • ny / ' taini / adjective ( ti ni - er , ti - ni - est )
very small
Ants are tiny insects.
tip1 / tip /noun [ count ]
the pointed or thin end of something the tips of your fingers
a small, extra amount of money that you give to someone who has done a job for you
I left a tip on the table.
a small piece of advice
She gave me some useful tips on how to pass the exam.
tip 2 / tip / verb ( tips , tip ping , tipped )
to move so that one side goes up or down; to move something so that one side goes up or down
Don't tip your chair back.
to turn something so that the things inside fall out She opened a can of beans and tipped them into a bowl.
to give someone an extra amount of money to thank them for something they have done for you as part of their job
Do you tip taxi drivers in your country?
tip over ; tip something over to turn over; to make
something turn over
The boat tipped over and we all fell in the water. Don't tip your drink over!
ti • pi / ' tipi /noun [ count ] ( pluralti . pis ) = tepee
ti p • toe / ' tiptou / verb ( tip - toes , tip - toe - ing , tip - toed )
to walk quietly on your toes He tiptoed into the bedroom.
on tiptoe
standing or walking on your toes with the rest of your feet off the ground
I can reach it if I stand on tiptoe.
tire Ф / taior /noun [ count ]
a circle of rubber around the outside of a wheel, for example on a car or bicycle
I think we have a flat tire (= a tire with not enough air inside ) .
—Look at the picture at car .
tired © / taiard / adjective
needing to rest or sleep
I've been working all day, and I'm tired.
He's feeling tired.
be tired of something
to have had or done too much of something, so that you do
not want it any longer
I'm tired of watching TV — let's go out.
tir • ing / ' taiarig / adjective
making you feel tired a tiring trip
tis • sue / ' tiju / noun
[ count ] a thin piece of soft paper that you use to clean your nose
a box of tissues
—SYNONYM Kleenex™
[ noncount ] ( BIOLOGY ) all the cells that form the bodies of humans, animals, and plants
tis • sue pa • per / ' tiju ^eipar / noun
[ noncount ]
thin paper that you use for wrapping things
ti • ta • ni • um / itai ' teiniam /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolTi )
( CHEMISTRY ) a hard, silver-gray metal that is often used with other metals to make strong, light materials
ti .tie Ф / 'taitl/noun [ count ]
the name of something, for example a book, movie, or picture
What is the title of this poem?
a word like "Mr.," "Mrs.," or "Doctor" that you put in front of a person's name
TM
abbreviation of trademark
to® / ta ; tu / preposition
a word that shows direction She went to Italy.
James has gone to school. This bus goes to the city center.
a word that shows the end or limit of something The museum is open from 9:30 to 5:30.
Jeans cost from $20 to $45.
a word that shows the person or thing that receives something
I gave the book to Paula. He sent a letter to his parents. Be kind to animals.
on or against something He put his hands to his ears. They were sitting back to back.
a word that shows how something changes The sky changed from blue to gray.
a word that you use for comparing things I prefer football to tennis.
a word that shows why I came to help.
a word that shows how many minutes it is before the hour
It's two minutes to six.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a word that you use before verbs to make the infinitive (= the simple form of a verb ) I want to go home.
Don't forget to write .
She asked me to go but I didn't want to (= to go ) .
toad / toud /noun [count]
a small animal with rough skin that lives in or near water
—Look at frog .
toast / toust /noun
1 [ noncount ] a thin piece of bread that you have cooked so that it is brown
had a slice of toast and butter for breakfast.
[ count ] the act of holding up a glass of wine and wishing someone happiness or success before you drink They drank a toast to the new president.
►toast verb ( toasts , toast - ing , toast - ed ) toasted sandwiches
We all toasted the bride and groom (= at a wedding ) .
toast • er
/ ' toustar /noun [count]
a machine for making toast ( 1 )
to • bac • co / ta'bakou /noun [ noncount ]
special dried leaves that people smoke in cigarettes and pipes
to • bog • gan / ta 'bagan / noun [ count ]
a type of flat board that people use for traveling down hills on snow for fun
tO .day © / ts'dei/adverb, noun [ noncount ]
this day; on this day What should we do today? Today is Friday.
the present time; at the present time Most families in the U.S. today have a car.
—SYNONYM nowadays
tod • dler / ' tadlar /noun [ count ] a young child who has just started to walk
tOe Ф/ tou /noun [ count ]
one of the five parts at the end of your foot — Look at the picture atleg .
the part of a shoe or sock that covers the end of your foot
toe • nail / ' touneil /noun [ count ]
the hard part at the end of your toe
to .geth .er Ф /ъ'дебэг/ я^егь
with each other or close to each other John and Lisa usually walk home together. Stand with your feet together.
They live together.
so that two or more things are joined to or mixed with each other
Tie the ends of the rope together. Add these numbers together. Mix the eggs and sugar together.
tOi . let Ф / 'toibt /noun [ count ] a large bowl with a seat, which you use when you need to get rid of waste from your body
toi • let pa • per / ' toilat |peipar / noun
[noncount]
paper that you use to clean your body after using the toilet
toi • let • ries / ' toilatriz / noun [ plural ]
things such as soap or a brush that you use when you wash yourself, do your hair, etc.
to • ken / ' toukan /noun [ count ]
1 a small thing that you use to show something else This gift is a token of our friendship.
2 a piece of paper, plastic, or metal that you use instead of money to pay for something a book token
told form of tell
tol • er • ant / ' talarant / adjective
letting people do things even though you do not like or understand them
We must be tolerant of other people's beliefs. ►tol • er • ance / ' talarans / noun [ noncount ] tolerance of other religions
tol • er • ate / ' talareit / verb (tol -er-ates,tol er- at - ing ,tol-er- at -ed )
to let people do something even though you do not like or understand it
He won't tolerate rudeness.
toll / toul /noun [ count ]
money that you pay to use a road or bridge The highway toll is $4.
[ usually singular ] the number of people who were killed or injured by something
The death toll has now reached 5,000.
to . ma . to & / ts'meitou /noun [ count ] ( pluralto - ma - toes )
a soft, red fruit that you eat cold in salads or cook as a vegetable
tomato soup —Look at the picture at vegetable . tomb / tum / noun [ count ]
a place where a dead person's body is buried, often one with a stone above it
tomb • stone / tumstoun /noun [ count ]
a large, flat stone on the place where a person is buried (their grave ) showing their name and the dates when they lived
to . тОГ . rOW Ф / to'maroo /adverb, noun [noncount]
the day after today; on the day after today
Let's go swimming tomorrow.
I'll see you tomorrow morning.
We are going home the day after tomorrow .
ton / tAn /noun
[ count ] a unit for measuring weight, equal to 2,000 pounds
tons [ plural ] ( informal ) a lot
He has tons of money. tone / toun / noun
1 [ count, noncount ] the way that someone's voice sounds
knew he was angry by the tone of his voice .
[ singular ] the general quality or style of something The tone of the meeting was optimistic.
[ count ] a sound that you hear on the telephone Please speak after the tone.
tongs / tagz /noun
[ plural ]
a tool with two parts that you use for holding things or picking things up
tongue Ф / Ur) /noun [ count ] Pronunciation
The word tongue sounds like young .
the soft part inside your mouth that moves when you talk or
eat —Look at the picture at mouth .
tongue-twist • er / ' |twistsr / noun
[ count ] words that are difficult to say together quickly "She sells seashells by the seashore" is a tongue-twister.
to .night Ф / ts 'nait / adverb, noun [ noncount ]
the evening or night of today; on the evening or night of today
I'm going to a party tonight. Tonight is the last night of our vacation.
tOO Ф / tu/ adverb
also
Green is my favorite color, but I like blue too.
more than you want or need These shoes are too big.
She put too much milk in my coffee.
tookform oftake tOOlФ / tul/noun [ count ]
a thing that you hold in your hand and use to do a special job
Hammers and saws are tools.
tooth Ф/ tu0 /noun [count] ( pluralteeth / ti0 / )
1 one of the hard, white things in your mouth that you use for eating
brush my teeth after every meal. — Look at the picture at mouth .
one of the long, narrow, pointed parts of an object such as a comb (= a thing that you use for making your hair neat )
tooth • ache / ' tueeik / noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a pain in your tooth I have a toothache.
tooth • brush / ' tuebrAj / noun [ count ] ( plural tooth - brush es )
a small brush for cleaning your teeth
—Look at the picture at brush .
tooth.paste
/ tuepeist /noun [noncount]
a substance that you put on your toothbrush and use for cleaning your teeth
tooth • pick / ' tuepik / noun [ count ]
a short, pointed piece of wood that you use to get pieces of food out from between your teeth
top 1 Ф / tap / noun
1 [ count ] the highest part of something There's a church at the top of the hill.
—ANTONYM bottom
[ singular ] the highest or most important position to be at the top of your profession
[ count ] a cover that you put on something to close it Where's the top of this jar?
[ count ] a piece of clothing that you wear on the top part of your body
I like your top — is it new? on top
on its highest part
The cake had cream on top.
on top of something
on or over something A tree fell on top of my car.
top 2 Ф / tap / adjective
highest or best
Put this book on the top shelf. She's one of the country's top athletes.
top . ic Ф / 'tapik / noun [ count ]
something that you talk, learn, or write about The topic of the discussion was climate change.
—SYNONYM subject
top • i • cal aw / ' tapikl / Я
connected with something that is happening now a topical joke
torch / tortj /noun [ count ] ( pluraltorch .es )
a long piece of wood with burning material at the end that you carry to give light the Olympic torch
tore, torn forms of tear 2
tor • na • do / tor ' neidou /noun [ count ] ( pluraltor . na - does )
a violent storm with a very strong wind that blows in a circle
Thesaurus
wind air that moves quickly outside: The wind was blowing hard. ♦ The trees were swaying in the wind . ♦ Several trees were blown over in the strong winds . ♦ A gust of wind blew my hat off.
hurricane a violent storm with very strong winds, which starts over the ocean: Many of the buildings here were destroyed in the hurricane. ♦ Hurricane Rita is now approaching the coast of Florida. tornado a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle. There is often also a tall cloud which is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top: A tornado tore through the town yesterday. ♦ The hotel was completely destroyed by a tornado. ♦ a tornado warning breeze a light wind: A light breeze was blowing. ♦ The flowers were gently moving in the breeze. ♦ a cool/warm breeze
gale a very strong wind: The roof of the school was torn off by the gale. ♦ The gale blew down several trees.
tor • pe • do / tor ' pidou /noun [ count ] ( pluraltor - pe - does )
a type of bomb in the shape of a long tube, which is fired from a ship that travels under the water (called a submarine )
tor • rent / ' torsnt /noun [ count ] a large amount of water moving very quickly The rain was coming down in torrents . ►tor • ren • tial / ts ' renjl /adjective
torrential rain
tor • so / ' torsou /noun [ count ] ( pluraltor . sos ) the main part of your body, not your head, arms, and legs
tor • til • la / tor' tiya /noun [ count ]
a type of very thin, round Mexican bread. It is usually eaten hot and filled with meat, cheese, etc.
tor • toise / ' tortas /noun [ count ]
an animal with a hard shell on its back, which lives on land and moves very slowly
— Look at turtle .
tor • ture / ' tortfar /noun [ noncount ]
the act of making someone feel great pain, often to make them give information
His confession was obtained under torture . ►tor • tureverb
(tor . tures,tor tur . ing , tor . tured )
Many of the prisoners had been tortured.
toss / tos / verb ( toss . es , toss . ing , tossed )
1 to throw something quickly and without care
tossed the paper into the trash.
to move quickly up and down or from side to side; to make something do this
The boat was being tossed by the huge waves.
tO .tal 1 Ф / 'toutl/adjective
complete; if you count everything or everyone
There was total silence in the classroom.
What was the total number of people at the meeting?
tO .tal 2Ф/ 'toutl /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) the number you have when you add everything
together
Enter the total at the bottom of the page.
tO .tal . lyО / 'tootl-i /adverb completely I totally agree.
tOUCll iQ/UtjV verb (touch es , touch . ing,touched ) PRONUNCIATION
The word touch sounds like much .
to put a part of your body, usually your hand or finger, onto someone or something
Don't touch the paint — it's still wet. He touched me on the arm.
to be so close to another thing or person that there is no space in between
The two wires were touching.
Her coat was so long that it touched the ground.
to make someone feel sad, sorry for someone, grateful, etc
She told us a sad story that touched our hearts.
touch2Ф / UtJ/noun ( pluraltouch e ) 1 [ count , usually singular ] the action of putting a hand or finger on someone or something
felt the touch of his hand on my arm.
[ noncount ] the feeling in your hands and skin that tells you about something
We had to feel our way by touch .
be or keep in touch with someone
to meet, call, or write to someone often
Are you still in touch with Kevin?
Let's keep in touch.
get in touch with someone
to write to, or call someone
I'm trying to get in touch with my cousin.
lose touch with someone
to stop meeting, calling, or writing to someone I've lost touch with all my old friends from school.
touch • down / ' t\tfdaun /
[ count ] ( SPORTS ) (in football) an act of scoring points by carrying the ball over the other team's line, or receiving the ball when you are in this position
[ count, noncount ] the moment when a plane lands —SYNONYM landing
tough / t\f / adjective ( tough er , tough est )
difficult
This is a tough job.
—SYNONYM hard
strict or firm
He's very tough on his children. —SYNONYM hard —ANTONYM soft
very strong
You need to be tough to go climbing in winter.
difficult to break or tear a tough pair of boots
Tough meat is difficult to cut and eat. —ANTONYM tender
tough • en / ' 1 / verb
(tough ens , tough . en . ing,tough ened )
to become or to make something stronger toughened glass
tou • pee / tu' pei /noun [ count ]
a piece of artificial hair that a man wears to cover a part of his head where he has no hair
to UГ Ф/ tur /noun [ cou nt ]
a short visit to see a building or city They gave us a tour of the house.
a trip to see a lot of different places We went on a tour of Europe.
►tourverb ( tours , tour . ing , toured ) We toured Europe for three weeks.
tour • ism / ' turizam/noun [ noncount ]
the business of arranging vacations for people The country earns a lot of money from tourism.
tour . istО / 'tunst /noun [ count ]
a person who visits a place on vacation
tour • na • ment / ' turnamant / noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a sports competition with a lot of players or teams
a tennis tournament
tow / tou / verb ( tows , tow . ing , towed )
to pull a vehicle using a rope or chain My car was towed to a garage.
toward Ф / tord ; ta ' word / ( also to . wards / tordz ; ta ' wordz / )preposition
1 in the direction of someone or something We walked toward the river.
couldn't see her face — she had her back toward me.
to someone or something
The people here are always very friendly toward tourists.
to help pay for something
Tom gave me $10 toward Sam's birthday present.
near a time or a date
Let's meet toward the end of the week. It gets cooler toward evening.
tow .el О / 'tausl/noun [ count ] a piece of cloth that you use for drying yourself I washed my hands and dried them on a towel.
tow • er / ' tauar /noun [ count ] a tall, narrow building or a tall part of a building Chicago's Sears Tower a church tower
town Q / taun /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a place where there are a lot of houses, stores, and other buildings I grew up in a small town in New Jersey. I'm going into town to do some shopping.
town hall / itaun ' hol /noun [ count ]
a large building that contains the local government offices of a town —Look atcity hall .
tox • ic / ' taksik / adjective
( HEALTH , CHEMISTRY ) containing poison Toxic waste had been dumped on the site.
—SYNONYM poisonous
tox • in / ' taksin /noun [ count ]
a poisonous substance
Pesticides can release toxins into the environment.
toy Ф / toi /noun [ count ] a thing for a child to play with a toy soldier
The children are in the yard playing with their toys.
doll
toys
model train
trace1AWL / treis /noun
[ count, noncount ] a mark or sign that shows that a person or thing has been in a place
The police could not find any trace of the missing child. to disappear without trace
[ count ] a very small amount of something Traces of blood were found at the crime scene.
trace 2 AWL / treis / verb ( trac es , trac - ing , traced )
to look for and find someone or something
The police traced the gang to a house in Rochester.
to put thin paper over a picture and draw over the lines to make a copy
track / trrek /
tracks [ plural ] a line of marks that an animal, a person, or a vehicle makes on the ground
We saw tracks in the snow.
[ count, noncount ] the metal lines that a train runs on The train had left the tracks.
( SPORTS ) [ count ] a special road for races a racing track
Thesaurus
field an area of land used for playing team sports such as baseball, football, and soccer: a baseball/football field ♦ The team ran out on the field. ♦ The school has its own playing field .
court an area where certain ball games are played: a basketball/tennis/squash court ♦ He won after only 52 minutes on the court.
stadium a large place with seats around the sides where you can watch sports: a football/sports stadium ballpark an area where baseball is played: The batter hit one right out of the ballpark.
track an area with a special surface for people or cars to have races on: a running/racing track ♦ track and field events (= which involve running, jumping, and throwing )
[ count ] ( MUSIC ) one song or piece of music on a CD, tape, or record
Which is your favorite track?
( sports ) = track and field
keep track of someone or something
to have information about what is happening or where
someone or something is
lose track of someone or something
to not have information about what is happening or where someone or something is
I lost all track of time (= forgot what time it was ) . on the right or wrong track
having the right or wrong idea about something That's not the answer, but you're on the right track.
track2 / trrek /verb ( tracks, track ing, tracked ) track someone or something down to find someone or something after looking in several different places
The police have so far failed to track down the attacker.
track and field / itr®k an ' fild / ( also track ) noun [ noncount ]
( SPORTS ) sports such as running, jumping, and throwing
track record / ' trrek irekard /noun [ singular ]
all the successes and failures a person or organization has had in the past
We are looking for someone with an excellent track record. traC .tOr / 'traektar / noun [ count ] a big, strong vehicle that people use on farms to pull heavy things
trade1 / treid /noun
[ noncount ] ( BUSINESS ) the buying and selling of things trade between the U.S. and Japan
[ count ] an act of exchanging something for something else; I made a trade of my apple for his cookie.
[ count, noncount ] a job for which you need special skills, especially with your hands
Dave is a plumber by trade . to learn a trade
[ count ] a particular type of business the building trade
trade 2 / treid / verb ( trades, trad - ing, trad - ed )
( BUSINESS ) to buy and sell things Japan trades with many different countries.
to exchange something for something else I'll trade my sandwich for yours.
trade • mark / ' treidmark /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationTM )
a special mark or name that a company puts on the things it makes and that other companies must not use
trad • er / ' treidar /noun [ count ]
( BUSINESS ) a person who buys and sells things
tra • di • tion © awl / tra 'dijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
something that people in a particular place have done or believed for a long time
In the U.S. it's a tradition to eat turkey on Thanksgiving. cultural traditions
tra • di • tion • al AWL / tra 'dijanal / adjective
connected with the things that a particular group of people
have done or believed for a long time
It is traditional to eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
traditional holiday decorations
►tra • di • tion • al • ly AWL / tra 'dijanali / adverb
Driving trains was traditionally a man's job.
traf .fiC 1 Ф / 'trsefik /noun [ noncount ]
all the cars and other vehicles that are on a road
There was a lot of traffic on the way to work this morning.
traf • fic 2 / ' trafik / verb ( traf - fics , traf fick - ing , traf - ficked )
to buy and sell something illegally He was arrested for trafficking drugs. ►traf • fick • er / ' trafikar / noun [ count ] a drugs trafficker
traf • fic jam / ' trafik d₃am /noun [ count ]
a long line of cars and other vehicles that cannot move or can only move slowly
traf • fic light / ' trafik lait /
( also traf - fic sig - nal / ' trafik signal / )noun [ count ] a light that changes from red to yellow to green, to tell cars and other vehicles when to stop and start
—SYNONYM stoplight
trag • e • dy / ' trad3adi /noun [ count ] ( pluraltrag . e - dies )
a very sad thing that happens Her early death was a tragedy.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a serious and sad play Shakespeare's "King Lear" is a tragedy.
— Look at comedy .
trag • ic / ' trad₃ik / adjective
very sad
a tragic accident
►trag • i • cal • ly / ' trad3ikli / adverb He died tragically at the age of 25.
trail1 / treil /noun [ count ]
a line of marks that show which way a person or thing has gone
There was a trail of blood across the floor.
a path in the country
We followed the trail through the forest.
trail 2 / treil / verb ( trails , trail ing , trailed )
to pull something along behind you; to be pulled along behind someone or something
Her skirt was too long, and it trailed along the ground.
trail • er / ' treilar /noun [ count ]
a container with wheels that a vehicle pulls along The car was towing a boat on a trailer.
a vehicle without an engine, which can be pulled by a car or truck or used as a home when it is parked
a small building for people to live in. It is made in a factory and can be moved with a truck.
—SYNONYM mobile home
trail • er park / ' treilar park /noun [ count ]
an area of land where there are many small buildlngs (called trailers ) that people live in
train lO / trein /noun [ cou nt ]
a number of vehicles that are pulled by an engine along a
special track (a railroad line)
I'm going to Boston by train .
We caught the 7:15 train to Philadelphia.
You need to change trains at Chicago.
train 2 О / trein / verb ( trains , train - ing , trained )
to teach a person or an animal to do something He was trained as a pilot.
to make yourself ready for something by studying or doing something a lot
Ann is training to be a doctor.
She's training for the Olympics.
►train • er / ' treinar /noun [ count ]
a person who teaches people or animals to do something
train • ee / trei 'ni /noun [ count ]
( BUSINESS ) a person who is learning how to do a job The company hired him as a management trainee.
train . ing Ф / ъ-етщ / noun [ noncount ]
the process of getting ready for a sport or job She is in training for the Olympic Games.
trai • tor / ' treitar /noun [ count ]
a person who harms their own country or group in order to help another country or group
tramp / tramp /noun [ count ] a person with no home or job, who goes from place to place
tram • ple / ' trampl / verb ( tram - ples , tram - pling , tram - pled )
to walk on something and damage it with your feet Don't trample on the flowers!
tram • po • line / |trampa 'lin /noun [ count ]
a piece of equipment for jumping up and down on
trance / trans /noun [ count ]
a mental state in which you do not notice what is happening around you
He was staring straight ahead, lost in a trance .
tran • qui • li • Zer / ' trregkwalaizar / noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a drug that is used to make you feel calm or help you to sleep
trans • fer 1 aw Ц / ' transfar ; trans ' far / verb ( trans fers , trans fer - ring , trans - ferred )
to move someone or something to a different place I want to transfer $500 to my savings account.
trans • fer2aw / ' trrensfsr /
[ count, noncount ] moving or being moved to a different place or situation
a transfer of funds
[ count ] a ticket that allows you to change from one bus or train to another without paying more money
trans • formaw / trrens ' form /
( trans - forms , trans - form - ing , trans - formed )
to change a person or thing completely
The Internet has transformed people's lives.
►trans • for • ma • tion AWL / trrensfsr ' meijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
The city's transformation has been amazing.
tran • sis • tor / trren zistsr /noun [ count ]
a small electronic part inside something such as a radio, a television, or a computer
tran • si • tion AWL| / trren' zifn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a change from one state or form to another the transition from childhood to adolescence
tran • si • tive / ' trrensstiv / adjective
In the sentence transitive verb.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) A transitive verb has an object
Keith opened the door," "opened" is a
—ANTONYM intransitive
trans .late © / trrenzleit ; trrens leit / verb ( trans - lates , trans - lat - ing , trans - lat - ed )
to change what someone has said or written in one
language to another language
Can you translate this letter into English for me?
►trans • la • tion / trrens ' lei/n ; trrenz' leijn /noun
[ count, noncount ]
a translation from English into French
I've only read his books in translation .
► trans • la • tor / ' trrensleitsr ; ' trrenzleitsr /noun
[count]
She works as a translator.
trans • mit aw П / trrens ' mit ; trrenz' mit / verb ( trans - mits , trans - mit ting , trans - mit ted )
to send out television or radio signals The concert was transmitted live all over the world. ►trans • mit • ter / trrens ' mitsr ; trrenz ' mitsr /noun [count]
a piece of equipment that sends out television or radio signals
trans .par .ent © / trrens prersnt /adjective
If something is transparent , you can see through it Glass is transparent.
—ANTONYM opaque
trans • plant / ' trrensplrent /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a medical operation where a body part is taken
from one person and put into another person
to have a kidney transplant
►trans • plant / trrens ' plrent /verb
( trans - plants , trans - plant - ing , trans - plant - ed )
to transplant a liver into another body
trans • port AWL| / trren ' sport / verb ( trans - ports , trans - port - ing , trans - port ed )
to carry people or things from one place to another The goods were transported by air.
AWL
trans • por • ta • tion ©
/ |trrenspor ' tei/n /noun [ noncount ]
carrying people or things from one place to another the transportation of passengers to and from the airport
vehicles that you travel in
I usually take public transportation to work.
There is free transportation to the stadium from
downtown.
trap1 / trrep/noun [ count ]
a thing that you use for catching animals The rabbit's leg was caught in a trap.
a plan to trick someone
I knew the question was a trap, so I didn't answer it.
trap 2 / trrep / verb ( traps , trap - ping , trapped )
to keep someone in a place that they cannot escape from They were trapped in the burning building.
to catch or trick someone or something
Police are hoping this new evidence could help trap the killer.
trap .e . zoid
/ trrepszoid /noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a flat shape with four straight sides. One pair of opposite sides are parallel (= always the same distance from each other ) , and the other pair are not.
trash © / trrej/noun [ noncount ]
things that you do not want anymore old boxes, bottles, and other trash
Don't forget to take out the trash (= carry it outside to be collected ) .
something that you think is bad, stupid, or wrong How can you watch that trash on TV?
—SYNONYM garbage
trash can / ' trrej |kren /noun [ count ]
a large container for garbage that you keep outside your house
—SYNONYM garbage can
trash • y / ' trrej! / adjective ( trash - i - er , trash - i - est )
of bad quality trashy novels
trau • ma / ' troms ; ' traums /noun [ count, noncount ]
a state of great shock or sadness, or an event that causes this feeling
the trauma of losing your parents ► trau • mat • ic / trs ' mretik ; tro' mretik / adjective a traumatic experience
traV .el 1Ф / 'trsevl/ verb ( trav - els , trav - el - ing , trav - eled )
to go from one place to another I would like to travel around the world. I travel to school by bus. She traveled 500 miles in one day.
trav • el 2 Ф / 'trsevi / noun
[ noncount ] the action of going from one place to another
My hobbies are music and travel.
travels [ plural ] a person's trips to different places, especially places that are far away
You must have seen a lot of interesting places on your
travels .
Thesaurus
trip an act of traveling from one place to another, and usually back again. A trip can be short or long, and can be for business or pleasure: a business trip ♦ a round-the-world trip ♦ a trip to the grocery store ♦ They took a trip down the river. ♦ We just got back from our trip to Japan. We had a great time. travel the general activity of moving from place to place. With this meaning, travel is a noncount noun. A person's travels are the time he or she spends traveling, especially in foreign countries and for pleasure: air/rail/space travel ♦ Foreign travel is very popular these days. ♦ The book is about her travels around Europe.
journey a long and often difficult trip from one place to another: It was a dangerous journey across the mountains. ♦ They continued their journey on foot. expedition a long, organized trip to find out about a place or to do something special: He led the first expedition to the North Pole. ♦ She made two expeditions to Brazil to study the wild plants. voyage a long trip by water or in space: The Titantic sank on its first voyage. ♦ The spacecraft began its voyage to Jupiter.
trav • el a • gen • cy / ' trrevl ^^ansi / noun [ count ] ( plural trav . el a . gen . cies )
a company that plans vacations and trips for people
trav • el a • gent / ' tr®vi ^^ant /noun
[count]
a person who works in a travel agency
trav • el • er / ' trrevbar /noun [ count ]
a person who is traveling
trav • el • er's check / ' trrevbarz |tjek / [ count ]
a special check that you can use when you go to other countries
tray / trei /noun [ count ]
a flat object that you use for carrying food or drinks
trea • son / ' trizn / noun
[ noncount ]
the crime of harming your country by helping its enemies
treas • ure 1 / ' t^r / noun
[ noncount ]
a collection of gold, silver, jewelry, or other things that are worth a lot of money
They were searching for buried treasure .
treas • ure 2 / ' tre₃ar / verb
( treas . ures , treas . ur . ing , treas ured )
to think that someone or something is very special and important
I will treasure those memories forever.
treas • ur • er / '1г£₃эгэг / noun
[count]
a person who is in charge of the money of a club or an organization
treat 1 Ф/ trit / verb (treats, treat ing, treat ed)
to behave in a certain way toward someone or something How does your boss treat you?
Treat these glasses with care.
to think about something in a certain way They treated my idea as a joke.
to try to make a sick person well again Several people are being treated for burns.
to give yourself or another person something special or enjoyable
I treated the children to ice cream.
treat2 / trit /noun
[count]
something special or enjoyable that makes someone happy My parents took me to the theater as a treat for my birthday.
treat .ment Ф /'tritmsnt/ noun
[ count, noncount ] ( HEALTH ) the things that a doctor does to try to make a sick person well again
a new treatment for cancer Collocations Illness getting sick catch a cold/the flu/a virus/a bug get sick/a cold/a headache have a cold/an infection/a fever/a toothache feel sick/hot/dizzy treatment examine a patient be on medication/antibiotics get/have a shot/an injection/an X-ray need/receive/get treatment
— Look at the note at injury .
Collocations
Injuries
being injured
hurt/injure yourself/your ankle/your arm break a bone/your leg/three ribs bruise/cut/graze your arm/your knee/your shoulder sprain/twist your ankle/your wrist treatment
examine/clean/disinfect a wound put on a Band-Aid™/a bandage be on/take painkillers/antibiotics —Look at the note atillness .
[ noncount ] the way that you behave toward someone or something
Their treatment of the animals was very cruel.
trea • ty / ' triti /noun [count] ( pluraltrea . ties )
a written agreement between countries The two countries signed a peace treaty.
tree Ф / tri / noun [count]
( BIOLOGY ) a big plant that can live for a long time. Trees have a central part (called a trunk ) and many smaller parts (called branches ) an oak tree Apples grow on trees.
trem • ble / trembl / verb ( trem - bles , trem bling , trem bled )
to shake, for example because you are cold, afraid, or sick She was trembling with fear.
tre • men • dous / tri ' mendas / adjective
very big or very great
The new trains travel at a tremendous speed.
very good
The game was tremendous.
►tre • men • dous • ly / tri ' mendasli / adverb
The movie was tremendously exciting.
trench / trentf /noun [count] ( pluraltrench - es )
a long, narrow hole that is dug in the ground, for example to put pipes or wires in
trendawД / trend /noun [ count ]
a change to something different new trends in science
trend • y / trendi / adjective ( trend - i - er , trend i - est )
( informal )
fashionable a trendy new bar
tres • pass / ' trespres / verb ( tres - pass - es , tres - pass ing , tres - passed )
to go on someone's land without asking them if you can ►tres • pass • er / ' trespresar /noun [ count ]
A sign on the gate said "No Trespassers."
tri .al © / 'traiol /noun
[ count, noncount ]
the process in a court of law when people (called the judge and the jury ) can decide if a person has done something wrong and what the punishment will be
He was on trial for murder.
the process of testing something to see if it is good or bad They are conducting trials of a new drug.
tri • an • gle / ' traireggl / noun [ count ]
( MATH ) a shape with three straight sides
— Look at the picture at shape .
► tri • an • gu • lar / trai ' reggyalar / adjective
tree
triangular shapes
tribe / traib / noun [count]
a small group of people who have the same language and
customs and who have a leader (called a chief )
the Zulu tribes of Africa
►trib • al / ' traibl / adjective
tribal dances
trib • ute / ' tribyut /noun [ count, noncount ] something that you do, say, or give to show that you respect or admire someone
The concert was a tribute to the musician on his 80th birthday.
trick ч-¹ / tnk /noun [ count ]
something that you do to make someone believe something that is not true
They used a trick to get past the guards.
something that you have learned to do, especially as a form of entertainment
Do you know any card tricks ?
play a trick on someone
to do something that makes someone look silly, in order to make other people laugh
The children played a trick on their teacher by hiding her books.
trick 2 / trik / verb ( tricks , trick - ing , tricked )
to do something that is not honest to get what you want from someone
He tricked the old lady into giving him all her money.
trick • le / trikl / verb ( trick - les , trick - ling , trick - led )
to move slowly like a thin line of water
Tears trickled down her cheeks.
►trick • lenoun [ count , usually singular ]
a trickle of blood
trick • y / triki / adjective ( trick - i - er , trick - i - est )
difficult; hard to do a tricky question
tri • cy • cle / ' traisikl/ noun [ count ]
a type of bicycle with three wheels
tried, tries
forms of try
( trig - gers , trig - ger - ing , trig - gered )
to make something happen suddenly
Her cigarette smoke triggered the fire alarm.
trig • o • nom • e • try / itriga ' namatri / noun [ noncount ]
( MATH ) the type of mathematics that deals with the relationship between the sides and angles of triangles (= shapes with three sides )
tril • lion / ' trilyan /number 1,000,000,000,000; one million million The country is trilllions of dollars in debt.
tril • o • gy / ' trilad3i / noun [ count ] ( plural tril - o . gies )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a group of three books, plays, or movies that form a settrim / trim /verb ( trims , trim - ming , trimmed )
to cut a small amount off something to make it neat He trimmed my hair. ►trimnoun [ count ]
My hair needs a trim.
tri • o / ' triou /noun [ count ] ( pluraltri - os ) a group of three people who play music or sing together — Look atquartet .
trip 1 © / trip/noun
[count]
a visit to a place; an act of traveling We went on a trip to the mountains. How was your trip?
—Look at round-trip .
Thesaurus
trip an act of traveling from one place to another, and usually back again. A trip can be short or long, and can be for business or pleasure: a business trip ♦ a round-the-world trip ♦ a trip to the grocery store ♦ They took a trip down the river. ♦ We just got back from our trip to Japan. We had a great time. travel the general activity of moving from place to place. With this meaning, travel is a noncount noun. A person's travels are the time he or she spends traveling, especially in foreign countries and for pleasure: air/rail/space travel ♦ Foreign travel is very popular these days. ♦ The book is about her travels around Europe.
journey a long and often difficult trip from one place to another: It was a dangerous journey across the mountains. ♦ They continued their journey on foot. expedition a long, organized trip to find out about a place or to do something special: He led the first expedition to the North Pole. ♦ She made two expeditions to Brazil to study the wild plants. voyage a long trip by water or in space: The Titantic sank on its first voyage. ♦ The spacecraft began its voyage to Jupiter.
trip 2 / trip / verb ( rip: , rippirw , ripped)
to hit your foot against something so that you fall or almost fall
She tripped over the step.
trip someone up to make someone fall or almost fall He put out his foot and tripped me up.
tri • ple / ' tripl / adjective
with three parts, happening three times, or containing three times as much as usual
a triple murder (= in which three people were killed ) ►tri • pleverb ( tri - ples , tri - pling , tri - pled )
to become or to make something three times bigger Sales have tripled this year.
tri • umph / ' traiAmf /noun [ count, noncount ]
great success
The race ended in triumph for his team.
tri • um • phant / trai ' Amfant / adjective
very happy because you have won or succeeded at something
► tri • um • phant • ly / trai ' Amfantli / adverb
The winning team ran triumphantly around the stadium.
triv • i • al / ' trivial / adjective
not important
She gets angry about trivial things.
trol • ley / ' trali /noun [ count ] ( pluraltrol . leys )
an electric bus that runs along metal tracks (called rails ) in the road —SYNONYM streetcar
trom • bone / tram ' boun /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a large musical instrument. You play it by blowing and moving a long tube up and down.
— Look at the picture at instrument .
troop / trup /noun
troops [ plural ] soldiers We sent packages to U.S. troops.
[ count ] a large group of people or animals a troop of elephants
trO . phy / 'troufi /noun
[count]
( plural tro . phies )
a thing, for example a silver cup, that you get when you win a competition a tennis trophy
trop • i • cal / ' trapikl / adjective
connected with, or coming from the parts of the world where it is very hot and wet tropical fruit a tropical island
the trop • ics / бэ ' trapiks /noun [ plural ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) the part of the world where it is very hot and wet
trot / trat / verb ( trots , trot - ting , trot - ted )
to run with short quick steps The horse trotted along the road. ►trotnoun [ singular ]
We rode at a steady trot.
trOU . Ые l © / 'ti-Abl /noun
[ count, noncount ] a difficulty or problem
We had a lot of trouble finding the book you wanted.
[ noncount ] extra work or effort
"Thanks for your help!" "Oh, it was no trouble ."
He took the trouble to thank everyone individually for
their help.
[ count, noncount ] a situation in which people are fighting or arguing
There was trouble after the football game last Saturday.
[ noncount ] ( HEALTH ) pain or illness He has heart trouble.
be in trouble
to have problems, for example because you have done something wrong
I'll be in trouble if I'm home late again. get into trouble
to get into a situation which is dangerous or in which you may be punished
He got into trouble with the police.
go to a lot of trouble
to do extra work
They went to a lot of trouble to help me.
trou • ble 2 / ' tr.bl / verb ( trou . bles , trou . bling , trou . bled )
1 to worry someone
was troubled by the news.
( formal ) a word that you use when you need to disturb someone by asking them something
I'm sorry to trouble you, but you're sitting in my seat.
—SYNONYM bother
trou • ble • mak • er / ' trAbimeikar / noun
[count]
a person who deliberately causes trouble
trou • ble • shoot / ' trAblJutar /
[count]
( BUSINESS ) a person who helps to solve problems in a company or an organization trou • ble • shoot • ing / ' trAbljutig /noun [noncount]
trough / trof /noun [ count ]
a long, open container that holds food or water for animals
trou • sers / ' trauzarz /noun [ plural ] ( formal )
a piece of clothing for your legs and the lower part of your body —SYNONYM pants
trout / traut /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluraltrout )
a fish that lives in rivers and that you can eat
tru • ant / ' truant /noun [ count ]
truce / trus /noun [ count ]
an agreement to stop fighting for a short time
truck Ф
/ trAk /noun [ count ] a big vehicle for carrying heavy things a truck driver
a child who stays away from school when they should be there
true Ф / tru / adjective
right or correct
Is it true that you are leaving? Seattle is in Oregon: true or false?
—ANTONYM untrue , false
real
A true friend will always help you. It's a true story (= it really happened ) . The noun is truth . come true
to happen in the way that you hoped or imagined Her dream came true.
tru • ly / ' truli /adverb really
I'm truly sorry.
Yours truly
( formal )
words that you can use at the end of a formal letter before you write your name
trum • pet / ' tr\mpat /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a musical instrument that is made of metal and that you blow
—Look at the picture at instrument . trunk / tr\gk / noun
the thick part of a tree, which grows up from the ground —Look at the picture attree .
the part at the back of a car where you can put bags and boxes
Look at the picture at car .
the long nose of an elephant ( = a very large gray animal )
Look at the picture at elephant .
a big, strong box for carrying things when you travel —Look atswim trunks .
trust l Ф / ti-Ast /noun [ noncount ]
the belief that someone is honest and good, and will not
hurt you in any way
He put his trust in God.
trUSt 2 C' /tmst/ verb ( trusts , trust . ing , trust . ed )
to believe that someone is honest and good, and will not
hurt you in any way
I just don't trust him.
You can trust Pat to do the job well.
trust • wor • thy / ' tr\stwar6i /adjective A trustworthy person is someone that you can trust.
truthФ / tru8 /noun [ noncount, singular ]
being true; what is true
There is no truth in these rumors.
We need to find out the truth about what happened.
Are you telling me the truth ?
truth • ful / ' tru9fl / adjective
true
a truthful answer
A person who is truthful tells the truth. ► truth • ful • ly / ' truSfali /adverb You must answer me truthfully.
try Ф/ trai / verb (tries, try ing, tried, has tried )
1 to make an effort to do something
tried to remember her name, but I couldn't. I'm not sure if I can help you, but I'll try.
to do, use, or test something in order to see how good or successful it is
Have you ever tried Japanese food?
If that doesn't work, try turning it off and then on again.
to ask someone questions in a court of law to decide if they have done something wrong
He was tried for murder.
try and do something
( informal )
to try to do something
I'll try and come early tomorrow.
try something on to put on a piece of clothing to see if you like it and if it is big enough I tried the jeans on but they were too small.
try something out to test something to find out if it is good enough
I think I'll try out a new recipe tonight. ►trynoun [ count ] ( plural tries ) I don't know if I can lift the box, but I'll give it a try .
T-shirt / ' tifsrt/noun [ count ] a kind of shirt with short sleeves and no collar (= the folded part that fits around the neck )
— Look at the picture at clothes .
tsu • na • mi / tsu ' nami /noun [ count ] ( pluraltsu - na . mis )
( GEOGRAPHY ) a very large wave in the ocean, usually caused by the sudden strong shaking of the ground (called an earthquake )
tub / tAb /noun
[count]
( informal ) another word for bathtub
a round container a tub of margarine
tu • ba / ' tubs /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a large musical instrument that makes a low sound when you blow through it Frank plays the tuba in the band.
— Look at the picture at instrument . tube О / tub / noun [ count ]
a long, thin pipe for liquid or gas
a long, thin, soft container with a hole and a covering (called a cap ) at one end
a tube of toothpaste
—Look at the picture at container .
tuck / tAk / verb ( tucks , tuck - ing , tucked )
to put or push the edges of something inside or under something else
He tucked his shirt into his pants.
to put something in a small place, especially to hide it or keep it safe
She tucked the letter behind the books.
tuck someone in to make someone feel comfortable in
bed by pulling the covers around them
I'll come up later and tuck you in.
Tues . day © / 'tuzdei; 'tuzdi /noun [ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationTues. )
the day of the week after Monday and before Wednesday
tuft / tAft /noun [ count ]
a small amount of something, such as hair or grass, growing together
tug 1 / tAg / verb ( tugs , tug - ging , tugged )
to pull something hard and quickly I tugged at the rope, and it broke.
tug2 / tAg /noun [ count ]
1 a sudden hard pull
The little girl gave my hand a tug.
2 ( also tug - boat / ' tAgbout / ) a small, strong boat that pulls big ships
tu • i • tion / tu'ijn /noun [ noncount ]
money that you pay in order to take classes at a college,
university, or private school
He works part-time to help pay his college tuition.
tu • lip / tulsp /noun [ count ]
a flower that comes in spring and is shaped like a cup —Look at the picture atflower .
tum • ble / ' tAmbl / verb ( tum - bles, tum - bling, tum - bled )
to fall suddenly He tumbled down the steps.
tum • bler / ' tAmblsr /noun [ count ] a tall glass with straight sides, a flat bottom, and no handle
tum • my / ' tAmi /noun [ count ] ( pluraltum - mies ) ( informal )
the part of your body between your chest and your legs
—SYNONYM stomach
tu • mor / ' tumsr /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a group of cells in the body that is not growing normally because of a disease a brain tumor
tu • na / ' tuns /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluraltu - na )
a large fish that lives in the ocean and that you can eat
tune l Ф / tun/noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a group of musical notes that make a nice sound when you play or sing them together I know the tune, but I don't know the words.
tune 2 / tun / verb ( tunes , tun - ing , tuned )
( MUSIC ) to make small changes to a musical instrument so that it makes the right sounds She tuned her guitar.
tune in to listen to a radio program or watch a television program
Tune in at the same time next week for the next episode.
tun .nelО / tAnl /noun [ count ]
a long hole under the ground or ocean for a road or railroad The train went through a tunnel. ►tun • nelverb
( tun - nels , tun - nel - ing , tun neled )
to dig a tunnel under or through the ground
tur•ban / tsrbsn /noun [ count ]
a covering that some men wear on their heads for religious reasons. You make a turban by folding a long piece of material around and around.
tur • key / ' tsrki / noun [ count ] ( pluraltur- keys ) a big bird that people keep on farms, or the meat of this bird. People eat turkey at Thanksgiving.
turn 1 ©/ tarn/ verb (turns , turn ing , turned )
to move around, or to move something around The wheels are turning. ♦ Turn the key.
She turned around and walked toward the door.
to move in a different direction Turn left at the traffic lights.
to become different
The weather has turned cold.
to make someone or something change The sun turned her hair blond.
to find a certain page in a book Please turn to page 97.
turn someone away to not allow someone to go into a place
The theater had to turn away some people because there were no tickets left. turn something down
to say "no" to what someone wants to do or to give you They offered me the job, but I turned it down.
to make something produce less sound or heat by moving a switch
I'm too hot — can you turn the heat down?
turn something in to give your work to a teacher
I have to turn in my essay by Wednesday.
turn into something to become different; to change
someone or something into something different
Water turns into ice when it gets very cold.
turn something off to move the handle or switch that
controls something, so that it stops
Turn the faucet off.
She turned off the television.
turn something on to move the handle or switch that
controls something, so that it starts
Could you turn the light on?
turn out to be something in the end
It turned out to be a fantastic day.
turn something out to switch off a light
Can you turn the lights out before you leave?
turn over ; turn something over to move so that the
other side is on top; to move something in this way
She turned over and went back to sleep.
If you turn over the page you'll find the answers on the
other side.
turn to someone or something to go to someone or something to get help or advice
turn up
(used about a person) to arrive Has David turned up yet?
to be found
I lost my glasses last week and they haven't turned up yet. turn something up to make something produce more sound or heat by moving a switch Turn up the TV — I can't hear it.
tUm 2© / tarn/noun [ count ]
the action of turning something around Give the screw a few turns.
a change of direction
Take a left turn at the end of this road.
the time when you can or should do something It's your turn to do the laundry!
in turn
one after the other
I spoke to each of the students in turn. take turns
to do something one after the other
You can't both use the computer at the same time. Why don't you take turns?
turn • ing point / ' tarnig point / noun [ count ]
a time when an important change happens
Getting that job was a turning point in her career as a
journalist.
tur • nip / ' tarnap /noun [ count ] a round, white vegetable that grows under the ground
turn • pike / ' tarnpaik/noun [ count ]
a wide, fast road that drivers have to pay money to use
turn sig • nal / tarn signal /noun [ count ]
the flashing light on a car that shows that it is going to turn right or left
tur • quoise / ' tarkwoiz / adjective
having a bright color between blue and green ►tur • quoisenoun [ noncount ]
tur • tle / ' tartl/noun [ count ]
an animal that lives mainly in the water, moves slowly, and has a hard shell on its back
tusk / Usk /noun [ count ]
a long, pointed tooth that grows beside the mouth of an elephant (= a very big gray animal that lives in Africa and Asia )
— Look at the picture at elephant .
tu • tor1 / ' tutar /noun [ count ]
a teacher who teaches one person or a small group in a particular subject
tu • tor 2 / ' tutar / verb (tu - tors,tu - tor ing , tu tored )
to give one student or a small group of students extra help
in a particular subject
He tutors students in mathematics.
tux • e • do / Uk ' sidou /noun [ count ] ( pluraltux - e - dos )
a black or white jacket and pants that a man can wear to a formal dinner, a wedding, or other occasion
© / ,ti'vi/ noun [ count, noncount ] television
All rooms have a large TV. What's on TV tonight?
cable TV
tweez • ers
/ twizarz /noun [ plural ]
a small tool made of two pieces of metal joined at one end. You use tweezers for holding or pulling out very small things She pulled the splinter out of her finger with a pair of tweezers.
twelfth / twelf6 / pronoun, adjective, adverb, noun [ count ] 12th
twelve © / twelv /number 12
twen .ty © / twenti /number 1 20
2the twenties [ plural ] the numbers, years, or temperatures between 20 and 29 in your twenties
between the ages of 20 and 29
►twen • ti • eth / ' twentia6 / adjective, adverb, pronoun, noun [ count ]
20th
twice © / twais / adverb
two times
I've been to Philadelphia twice. He ate twice as much as I did.
twig / twig /noun [ count ] a small, thin branch of a tree
twi • light / twailait /noun [ noncount ]
the time after the sun has gone down and before it gets
completely dark
—Look at dusk .
twin / twin /noun [ count ]
1 one of two people who have the same mother and were born at the same time David and John are twins.
have a twin sister.
one of two things that are the same a room with twin beds
twin • kle / ' twigkl/ verb ( twin - kles , twin - kling , twin - kled )
to shine with a small, bright light that comes and goes Stars twinkled in the night sky.
twirl / twarl / verb ( twirls , twirl - ing , twirled )
to turn around and around quickly; to make someone or something do this
She twirled around in front of the mirror.
twist 1© / twist / verb ( twists , twist ing , twist ed )
to change the shape of something by turning it in different directions; to turn in many directions
She twisted the metal into strange shapes. The path twists and turns through the forest.
to turn something with your hand Twist the lid off the jar.
to turn something around another object many times They twisted the sheets into a rope, and escaped through the window.
to hurt part of your body by suddenly turning it in a way that is not natural
She fell and twisted her ankle.
twist2noun [ count ]
the action of turning something with your hand, or of turning part of your body
She gave the handle a hard twist.
a change in a story or situation that you do not expect It's a story with a twist at the end, which surprised us all.
a place where a road or river bends
The car followed the twists and turns of the mountain road.
twitch / twitf / verb ( twitch - es , twitch - ing , twitched )
to make a sudden quick movement with a part of your body
Rabbits twitch their noses.
►twitch noun [ count ] ( plural twitch . es )
He has a nervous twitch.
tWO © / tu / number
2
in two
into two pieces
The cup fell on the floor and broke in two.
ty • ing
form of tie 1
type 1 © / taip /noun
[ count ] a group of things that are the same in some way An almond is a type of nut.
What type of music do you like?
—SYNONYM kind , sort
[ noncount ] the letters that a machine makes on paper The type was so small I couldn't read it.
type 2© / taip / verb (types , typ .ing , typed )
to write something using a machine that has keys, such as a
computer or a typewriter
Yesterday I typed another chapter of my book.
Can you type?
type • writ • er / ' taipraitar / noun [ count ]
a machine with keys that you use for writing an old electric typewriter
ty • phoon / tai 'fun /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a violent storm with strong winds in a hot country
Word building
When there is a storm, you hear thunder and see lightning in the sky.
Cyclones , hurricanes , tornadoes , and typhoons
are large, violent storms.
typ .i .Cal © / 'tipikl/adjective
Something that is typical is a good example of its kind
It is a typical small town.
►typ • i • cal • ly / ' tipikli / adverb
The workers here typically earn about $15 per hour.
ty • po / ' taipou / ( pluralty - pos ) a small mistake in something that has been typed Check for any typos in your resume before you send it.
—Look at misprint .
ty • rant / ' tairant /noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a person with a lot of power, who uses it in a cruel way
►ty • ran • ni • cal / ti ' ranikl / adjective
He was a tyrannical ruler.
Uu
U, u / yu /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralU's, u's / yuz / )
the twenty-first letter of the English alphabet "Ugly" begins with a "U."
UFO / |yu ef ' ou /abbreviation ( pluralUFOs )
a strange object that some people think they have seen in the sky and that may come from another planet. UFO is short for "unidentified flying object."
Ug . ly ©/ \c|li / adjective ( ug li er , ug li est)
not pleasant to look at an ugly face
The house was really ugly. —ANTONYM beautiful
ul • cer / '.lsar /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a painful area on your skin or inside your body a mouth ulcer
ul • ti • mate aw / ' .ltamat / j
happening at the end of a long process Our ultimate goal is independence.
ul • ti • ma • tum / ^lta 'meitam / noun [ count ]
a warning to someone that, if they do not do what you ask, you will punish them
The landlord gave them an ultimatum: pay the rent or get out of the apartment.
ul • tra • vi • o • let / |\ltra 'vaialat /
( abbreviation UV )
( PHYSICS ) Ultraviolet light cannot be seen, and makes your skin darker
You must protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays.
um • brel • la / лш' brela/noun [ count ] a thing that you hold over your head to keep you dry when it rains
It started to rain, so I put my umbrella up.
um • pire / ' Ampaiar /noun [ count ]
( SPORTS ) a person who watches a game such as baseball or tennis , to make sure the players follow the rules — Look atreferee .
► um • pire verb (um . pires, um . pir . ing, um pired)
The game was umpired by Jones. Prefix
un-
not; the opposite of un happy
un true (= not true ) un lock
un dress (= to take clothes off )
the UN / бэ |yu ' en / short for the United Nations
un .a .ble ® / An eibl / adjective
not able to do something
John is unable to come to the meeting because he is sick. —ANTONYM able The noun is inability .
un • ac • cept • a • ble / ^nak ' septabi /
adjective
If something is unacceptable , you cannot accept or allow it
This behavior is completely unacceptable. —ANTONYM acceptable
u • nan • i • mous / yu' nrenamas / adjective
with the agreement of every person The decision was unanimous.
un • armed / |\n ' armd /adjective
not carrying a gun or any weapon
an unarmed police officer —ANTONYM armed
un • at • trac • tive / ^na ' trrektiv / adjective
not nice to look at —ANTONYM attractive
un • a • void • a • ble / |\пэ ' voidabl /
If something is unavoidable , you cannot stop it or get away from it
This tragic accident was unavoidable. —ANTONYM avoidable
un • a • wa re A^H / ^na ' wer / adjective
not knowing about or not noticing someone or something I was unaware of the danger.
—ANTONYM aware
un • bear • a • ble / |\n'berabl /
If something is unbearable , you cannot accept it because it is so bad
Everyone left the room because the noise was unbearable.
un • bear • a • bly / |\n ' berabli / adverb It was unbearably hot.
un • be • liev • a • ble / |\nbi ' livabl /
very surprising or difficult to believe —SYNONYM incredible
un • bi • asedaw / |\n' baiast /
fair and not affected by your own or someone else's
opinions, needs, etc.
We need an unbiased selection process.
—ANTONYM biased
un • born / |\n 'born /adjective
not yet born her unborn child
un • cer • tain / An ' sartn / adjective
not sure; not decided
I'm uncertain about what to do.
an uncertain future
—SYNONYM unsure —ANTONYM certain
un • cer • tain • ty / \n ' sartnti / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural un .cer .tain .ties )
This decision should put an end to all the uncertainty.
ЦП .Cle Ф / 'лцк1 / noun [ count ]
the brother of your mother or father, or the husband of
your aunt
Uncle John
un • clear / |\n ' klir /adjective
not easy to see, hear, know, or understand It is unclear what the results will show.
not completely understanding something; not sure about something
I'm unclear about what you want me to do. —ANTONYM clear
un . com . fort. a . ble Ф / mi Ьты-ьы /
adjective
not pleasant to wear, sit on, lie on, etc. The chair was hard and uncomfortable.
—ANTONYM comfortable
feeling worried or embarrased, or making someone feel this way
I felt really uncomfortable when they started arguing in front of me.
There was an uncomfortable silence.
un • com • fort • a • bly / An ' kAmfartabli / adverb The room was uncomfortably hot.
un • com • mon / An ' kaman / adjective
not usual
This tree is uncommon in America. —SYNONYM rare —ANTONYM common
un .СОП .scious Ф/ AiVkanjos/ adjective
If you are unconscious , you are in a kind of sleep and you do not know what is happening
She hit her head, and was unconscious for three days.
If you are unconscious of something, you do not know about it
ly / An ' kan/ssli / adverb
ness / An ' kan/ssnss / noun
AWL
/ | Anksn vinst /
|An|kauntsbl
Mike seemed unconscious that I was watching him. —ANTONYM conscious
un • con • scious
un • con • scious
[noncount]
She slipped into unconsciousness.
un • con • sti • tu • tion • al
/ |Ankansts ' tu/nl /adjective
( POLITICS ) not allowed by the basic laws or rules (the constitution ) of a country or organization
un • con • trol • la • ble / |Anksn' troulsbl /
adjective
If a feeling is uncontrollable , you cannot control or stop it
I suddenly got an uncontrollable urge to sneeze.
un • con • trol • la • bly / |Anksn ' troulsbli / adverb He started laughing uncontrollably.
un • con • ven • tion • al awl
/ |Anksn' venfsnl /adjective
not following what is considered normal or acceptable by most people
She dresses in a very unconventional way. —ANTONYM conventional
un • con • vinced
adjective
not believing or not certain that something is true She seemed unconvinced by their promises.
—ANTONYM convinced un • cool / |An' kul /adjective ( informal )
not considered acceptable or fashionable I'm not wearing those shoes — they're so uncool.
—ANTONYM cool
un • count • a • ble noun
' naun /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) another word fornoncount noun
un • cov • er / An ' kAvsr / verb ( un -cov-ers ,un - cov er- ing ,un cov - ered )
to take something from on top of another thing Uncover the pan and cook the soup for 30 minutes.
—ANTONYM cover
to find out something that was secret Police uncovered a plot to steal the painting.
un • de • ni •a • ble Iaw / |Andi ' naisbl /
adjective
clear, true, or certain
It is undeniable that girls mature faster than boys. un .der © / ' Andsr / preposition, adverb
1 in or to a place that is lower than or below something
The cat is under the table.
We sailed under the bridge.
The boat filled with water, then went under.
less than something
If you are under 16, you are not allowed to drive a car.
covered by something I'm wearing a T-shirt under my sweater.
—SYNONYM underneath
controlled by someone or something The team is playing well under the new captain.
in a particular state or condition The building is still under construction (= being built ) . Prefix
under-
( in nouns and adjectives ) below under water
under wear (= clothes that you wear under your other clothes )
( in nouns ) lower in age, level, or position an under graduate
( in adjectives and verbs ) not enough under cooked under paid
un • der • age / |Andsr' eid3 / adjective
too young to be allowed by law to do something underage drinking
un • der • cov • er / |Andsr' kAvsr / adjective
working or happening secretly an undercover detective
un • der • dog / ' Andsrdog / noun [ count ]
a person, team, etc. that is weaker than the others, and is not expected to be successful
The underdogs scored at the last minute and won the game.
un • der • es • ti • mate awl
/ |Andsr'estsmeit / verb ( un der es ti mates , un der - es - ti mat - ing , un - der - es - ti - mat - ed )
to think that someone or something is smaller, weaker, less important, etc. than they really are Don't underestimate her — she's actually very smart. We underestimated how much food we would need.
—ANTONYM overestimate
un • der • go AWL / |Andsr 'gou / verb ( un - der - goes , un - der - go - ing , un - der - went
/ |Andsr'went / has un - der - gone / |Andsr'gon ; |Andsr' gan / )
to have a difficult or unpleasant experience She is in the hospital undergoing an operation.
un • der • grad • u • ate / |Andsr' grred3ust /
noun [ count ]
a student in college who is studying for their first degree (called a bachelor's degree ) —Look atgraduate 1 .
un . der . ground © / Andsrgraund /
adjective
under the ground an underground parking garage ► un • der • ground / |Andsr' graund / adverb Moles spend most of their time underground.
un • der • growth / 'Andsrgroue / noun
[ noncount ]
bushes and other plants that grow under trees There was a path through the undergrowth.
un • der • line / ' Andarlain / ( un - der - lines , un - der - lin - ing , un - der - lined )
to draw a line under a word or words. This sentence is underlined.
un • der • ly • ing |aWl| / Andarlaiyig /
adjective
important but hidden
the underlying cause of the disaster
un • der • neath / iAndar' ni6 / preposition, adverb
under or below something The dog sat underneath the table.
She wore a black jacket with a red sweater underneath.
un • der • pants / 'Andarprents /noun [ plural ]
a piece of clothing that men or women wear under pants, a skirt, etc.
un • der • pass / ' Andarpres / noun [ count ] ( plural un - der - pass .es )
a road or path that goes under another road
—Look at overpass .
un • der • shirt / ' Andarjbrt/ noun [ count ]
a piece of clothing that you wear under your other clothes on the top part of your body
un .der .stand © / iAndar strend / verb
( un - der - stands , un - der - stand ing ,
un - der - stood / iAndar' stud / has un - der - stoo< )
1 to know what something means or why something happens
I didn't understand what the teacher said. He doesn't understand Spanish.
don't understand why you're so angry.
( formal ) to know something because someone has told you about it
I understand that you would like to see the manager. —SYNONYM believe
make yourself understood
to make people understand you
My Italian isn't very good, but I can usually make myself understood.
un • der • stand • ing 1 / iAndar ' strendig /
noun [ noncount , singular ]
knowing about something
He has a good understanding of computers.
un • der • stand • ing 2 / iAndar ' strendig /
adjective
ready to listen to other people's problems and try to understand them
My parents are very understanding. —SYNONYM sympathetic
un • der • state • ment / Andarsteitmant /
noun [ count ]
something you say that makes something seem less important, large, etc. than it really is
It would be an understatement to say the Sahara Desert is hot.
un • der • stood
form of understand
un • der • tak • er / Andarteikar / noun [count]
a person whose job is to organize funerals (= the time when dead people are buried or burned )
un .der . wa .ter © / мны- w.^r /
adjective, adverb
below the surface of water Can you swim underwater? an underwater camera
un .der .wear © / wai-wer/ noun
[noncount]
clothes that you wear next to your body, under your other clothes
un • der • weight / iAndar' weit / adjective
weighing less than is normal or correct —ANTONYM overweight Thesaurus
thin is a general word to describe a person who is not fat. It can be used with a positive, negative, or neutral meaning: He's tall and thin. ♦ She has long, thin legs. ♦ You need to eat more. You're too thin! ♦ She was looking pale and thin. —ANTONYM fat slim is a positive word, meaning thin in an attractive way. It is often used to describe women: How do you manage to stay so slim? ♦ He put his arm around her slim waist.
skinny is a more informal word meaning very thin. It can be used with a negative meaning to describe someone who is too thin: a skinny movie star ♦ He was such a skinny kid. ♦ skinny legs/arms lean is a positive word, and means thin and healthy. It is often used to describe men: He had a lean, muscular body. ♦ He's tall, lean, and handsome. underweight describes a person who weighs less than the normal or expected amount. It is used by doctors or health professionals: She's dangerously
underweight. —ANTONYM overweight
un • der • went awl|
form of undergo
un • do / An ' du / verb ( un - does / An' dAz / un do ing , un - did / An' did / has un - done
/ An dAn / )
to open something that was tied or fastened I can't undo this knot. to undo a jacket
un • done / An dAn / adjective
not tied or fastened Your shoelaces are undone.
un • doubt • edly / An ' dautadli /
certainly; without doubt
She is undoubtedly very intelligent.
un • dress / i An dres / verb ( un - dress - es , un dress ing , un - dressed )
to take clothes off yourself or another person He undressed and got into bed.
She undressed her baby. —ANTONYM dress
un • dressed / ,An ' drest / adjective
I got undressed and took a shower.
un • eas • y / An ' izi / adjective
worried that something is wrong
I started to feel uneasy when the children were late coming home.
un • eas • i • ly / An ' izali / adverb She looked uneasily around the room.
un • ed • u • cat • ed / An ' ed3akeitad /
having had little or no formal education an uneducated, but very intelligent woman
—ANTONYM educated
un • em • ployed / |Anim ' ploid / adjective
If you are unemployed , you can work but you do not have a job
She has been unemployed for over a year. a new training program for the unemployed (= people who do not have a job )
un . em . ploy . ment Ф / .лшт'рЬпшт /
noun [ noncount ]
when there are not enough jobs for the people who want to work
If the factory closes, unemployment in the town will increase. —ANTONYM employment
money that the government pays to people after they lose their jobs
people living on unemployment
un • e • qual / |ЛП ' ikwal / adjective
different in size, amount, value, or level as something or someone else
an unequal distribution of power —ANTONYM equal un • e • ven / An ' ivan / adjective
not smooth or flat
We had to drive slowly because the road was so uneven. —ANTONYM even
un .ex . pect . ed Ф / .лшк'врекы /
adjective
surprising because you did not expect it an unexpected visit
un • ex • pect • ed • ly / |Anik ' spektadli / adverb She arrived unexpectedly.
Un .fair Ф / Aii'frr/ adjective
Something that is unfair does not treat people in the same way or in the right way
It was unfair to give chocolates to some of the children and not to the others. —ANTONYM fair
un • fair • ly / |An ' ferli / adverb
He left his job because the boss was treating him unfairly.
un • faith • ful / |An ' feiefl / adjective
having a sexual relationship with someone who is not your husband, wife, or partner —ANTONYM faithful
un • fa • mil • iar / |Anfa ' milyar / adjective
that you do not know; strange I woke up in an unfamiliar room. I'm unfamiliar with this author's work.
—ANTONYM familiar
un • fash • ion • a • ble / Anfajn^abi /
adjective
not popular at a particular time
unfashionable clothes —ANTONYM fashionable
un • fas • ten / ^n ' fasn / verb ( un - fas - tens , un - fas - ten ing , un - fas - tened )
to open something that was tied or attached to unfasten your seatbelt
—ANTONYM fasten
un • fin • ished / |An ' finift /
not complete; not finished
We have some unfinished business to discuss.
un • fit / | An fit / adjective
not good enough or not right for something This house is unfit for people to live in.
not healthy or strong
She doesn't get enough exercise — that's why she's so unfit. —ANTONYM fit
un • fold / An ' fould / verb ( un - folds , un fold - ing , un - fold - ed )
to open something to make it flat; to open out and become flat
Marie unfolded the newspaper, and started to read. The sofa unfolds to make a bed.
—ANTONYM fold
un • for • tu • nate / An ' fortfanat /
not lucky
It's unfortunate that you were sick on your birthday. —ANTONYM fortunate
un .for . tu . nate . ly Ф / лпЬгфпэш /
adverb
a word that you use to show that you are not happy about a situation or fact
I'd like to give you some money, but unfortunately I don't have any. —ANTONYM fortunately
un .friend .ly О / | An frendli / adjective
not friendly; not kind or helpful to other people —ANTONYM friendly
un • grate • ful / An ' greitfl / adjective
If you are ungrateful , you do not show thanks when
someone helps you or gives you something
Don't be so ungrateful! I tried hard to find the right
present for your birthday. —ANTONYM grateful
ЦП .hap .ру Ф' / ui'haepi / adjective ( un - hap - pi er , un hap pi - est )
not happy
He was very unhappy after his wife left him. —SYNONYM sad —ANTONYM happy
un • hap • pi • ly / An ' hapali / adverb "I failed the exam," she said unhappily.
un • hap • pi • ness / An ' hapinas / noun [ noncount ] John had a lot of unhappiness in his life.
un • health • y / An ' heiei / adjective ( un - health - i - er , un - health i est )
( HEALTH )
not well; often sick an unhealthy child
that can make you sick unhealthy food —ANTONYM healthy
un • help • ful / An ' helpfl / adjective
not wanting to help someone; not useful I spoke to a ticket agent about changing our flight, but she
was completely unhelpful. —ANTONYM helpful
u • ni • corn / ' yunakorn /noun [ count ] an animal that only exists in stories. It looks like a white horse with one horn on its head.
u .ni .form i©E / ' yunaform / [count]
the special clothes that some people in the same job, team, etc. wear
Police officers wear blue uniforms.
u • ni • form2aw / ' yunaform / e
not changing; always the same shape, size, level, etc.
We need to establish a uniform standard for testing new
products.
un • im • por • tant / |Anim ' portnt /adjective not important —ANTONYM important
un • in • hab • it • ed / |Anin ' hrebatad /
adjective
where no one lives an uninhabited island
ЦП . ion Ф/ 'уипуэп/noun
[ noncount , singular ] coming together the union of the groups into one organization
[ count ] ( POLITICS ) a group of people or countries that have joined together
the European Union
[ count ] an organization for people who do the same type of work. Unions try to get better pay and working conditions for their members
the National Writers' Union
—SYNONYM labor union
u • niqueAWL / yu' nik /adjective
not like anyone or anything else Everyone in the world is unique.
u • ni • sex / ' yunaseks / adjective
designed for and used by both men and women a unisex bathroom
U . nit Ф / 'yunit /noun [ count ]
one complete thing or group that may be part of something larger
The book has twelve units.
a measurement
A foot is a unit of length, and a pound is a unit of weight.
u • nite / yu' nait / verb ( u . nites , u . nit . ing , u nit . ed )
to join together to do something together; to put two things together
We must unite to defeat our enemies. u • nit • ed / yu' naitad / adjective
(used about countries) joined together the United States of America
(used about people or groups) working together to achieve the same things
We need to become a more united team.
the U •nit • ed Na • tions / бэ yunaitad
' nei/nz /noun [ singular ] ( abbreviationthe UN ) ( POLITICS ) the organization that tries to stop world problems and to give help to countries that need it
the U • nit • ed States / бэ yu|naited ' steits /
( also the U nit . ed States of A . mer . i ca / бэ
yu|naitad ^teits av э 'merika / )noun [ singular ] ( abbreviationthe U.S. or the U.S.A. )
a large country in North America made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia
u • ni • ver • sal / |yuna ' varsl / adjective
connected with, done by, or for everyone
The environment is a universal issue.
► u • ni • ver • sal • ly / |yuna' varsali / adverb
to be universally accepted (= accepted everywhere and by
everyone )
the U .ni .verse ф / <1o 'yunovors / noun
[ singular ]
the earth and all the stars, planets, and everything else in space
U .ni .ver .si .ty Ф / _|yuna'varsati / noun [ count ] ( plural u . ni .ver . si . ties )
a place where people go to study more difficult subjects after they have left high school or college the University of Michigan
My sister was accepted to one of the best universities in the country. Collocations Higher education applying apply for college
apply to a college/a university/Harvard get into/go to college/Princeton studying major in/minor in biology/philosophy work toward a B.A./a law degree/a master's degree finishing finish/graduate from college
earn/receive/get a degree/a bachelor's degree/a master's degree Which word? University or college?
Universities and colleges both offer courses for students who are studying for their first degree (a bachelor's degree ).
Universities also offer courses for people who are studying for more advanced degrees, for example a master's degree or a Ph.D.
College is often the word we use in general conversation when we are talking about a place of higher education, even when the place we are talking about is a university: a college student ♦ "Where did you go to college?" "Ohio State University."
un • just / |An 'd3Ast /adjective ( formal )
not fair or right
This tax is unjust, because poor people pay as much as rich people. —SYNONYM unfair
un • jus • ti • fied |awL / |An'd₃Astafaid /
adjective not fair or necessary Her criticism was totally unjustified.
un .kind О / | An kaind / adjective
unpleasant and not friendly
It was unkind of you to laugh at her. —ANTONYM kind
un .known ® / | An noun / adjective
that you do not know
She left the job for unknown reasons.
not famous
an unknown actor —ANTONYM famous , well-known
un • lead • ed / |An ' ledad / adjective
Unleaded fuel does not contain any lead (= a soft, heavy, gray metal ) .
un . less © / an'les/ conjunction
if not; except if
You will be late unless you leave now. Unless you work, harder you'll fail the exam.
un • like / An ' laik / preposition
different from
She is unlike anyone I've ever met.
not typical of someone or something
It's unlike him to be late. I wonder where he is.
—ANTONYM like
ЦП . like . ly ©/ An'laikli/ adjective ( un - like - li er , un - like li - est )
If something is unlikely , it will probably not happen It is unlikely that it will rain.
He is unlikely to pass the exam. —ANTONYM likely
un • load / |An ' loud / verb ( un - loads , un - load - ing , un - load - ed )
to take things that have been carried somewhere off or out of a car, truck, ship, or airplane I unloaded the suitcases from the car.
They unloaded the ship at the dock. —ANTONYM load
un • lock / |An ' lak / verb ( un - locks , un lock ing , un - locked )
to open something with a key
I unlocked the door, and went in. —ANTONYM lock
ЦП . luck -У© / л n¹1л к i / adjective ( un - luck - i er , un - luck - i - est )
having or bringing bad luck
They were unlucky that it rained on their wedding day. Some people think the number 13 is unlucky.
—ANTONYM lucky
un • mar • ried / | An mrerid / adjective
not married; without a husband or wife —SYNONYM single
un • mis • tak • a • ble / |Anmisteiksbi /
adjective
If something is unmistakable , it is easy to recognize and will not be confused with anything else Her southern accent was unmistakable.
un • nat • u • ral / An ' nret/srsl /
different from what is normal or expected
There was an unnatural silence. —ANTONYM natural
un • nec • es • sar • y / An ' ness^eri / adjective Spelling
Remember! You spell unnecessary with NN , one C , and SS .
not needed, or more than is needed All this fuss is totally unnecessary .
—ANTONYM necessary
un • nec • es • sar • i • ly / Alness ' sersli / adverb His explanation was unnecessarily complicated.
un • of • fi • cial / |Ans ' fijl / adjective
not accepted or approved by a person in authority Unofficial reports say that four people died in the explosion.
—ANTONYM official
un • of • fi • cial • ly / |Ans ' fifsli / adverb
un • pack / |An ' prek / verb ( un - packs,un - pack ing ,un - packed )
to take all the things out of a bag, box, etc. Have you unpacked your suitcase?
We arrived at the hotel, unpacked, and then went to the beach. —ANTONYM pack
un • paid / | An peid / adjective
not yet paid unpaid bills
un .pleas .ant © / An pleznt / adjective
not pleasant; not nice
There was an unpleasant smell of bad fish.
—ANTONYM pleasant
► un • pleas • ant • ly / An' plezntli / adverb It was unpleasantly hot in that room. —ANTONYM pleasantly
un • plug / |An ' plAg / verb ( un - plugs , un - plug ging , un plugged )
to take out a piece of electrical equipment (called a plug ) from the electricity supply Can you unplug the TV, please?
—ANTONYM plug something in
un • pop • u • lar / |An ' papyslsr / adjective
not liked by many people; not popular He's unpopular at work because he's lazy.
—ANTONYM popular
un • pre • dict • a • ble |awL / |Anpri 'diktsbi /
adjective
If something is unpredictable , you cannot say how it will change in the future
The weather is very unpredictable at this time of year. —ANTONYM predictable
un • pro • fes • sion • al / |Anprs 'fejsnl /
adjective
not behaving in way that is appropriate for a person in a particular job
Criticizing her client like that was really unprofessional. —ANTONYM professional
un • qual • i • fied / An' kwalsfaid / adjective
not having the knowledge or training to do something She is totally unqualified for this job.
—ANTONYM qualified
un • rea • son • a • ble / An'rizn-sbl /
adjective
expecting too much
an unreasonable request —ANTONYM reasonable
un •re • li •a • ble |awL / |Anri laisbl /
adjective
If something or someone is unreliable , you cannot trust it or them
Don't lend her any money — she's very unreliable. an unreliable car —ANTONYM reliable
un • rest / |An' rest /noun [ noncount ]
a situation in which people are angry or unhappy, and are likely to protest or fight
There has been a lot of political unrest since the last election.
un • ru • ly / An ' ruli / adjective
difficult to control an unruly crowd
un • safe / An seif / adjective
dangerous; not safe
Don't climb on that wall — it's unsafe.
—ANTONYM safe
un • sat • is • fac • to • ry / ,Ansretas ' frektari / adjective
not good enough; not acceptable
Your work is unsatisfactory. Please do it again.
—ANTONYM satisfactory
un • screw / ,лп ' skru / verb ( un - screws , un - screw ing , un - screwed )
to open or remove something by turning it Could you unscrew the top of this jar for me?
un • skilled / iAn skild / adjective
not having or needing special skills or training unskilled workers unskilled jobs
—ANTONYM skilled
un • sta • bleaw / ,лп' steibl / e
Something that is unstable may fall, move, or change This bridge is unstable. an unstable government
—ANTONYM stable
un • stead • y / An stedi / adjective
not completely in control of your movements, so that you may fall
She's still a little unsteady on her feet after the operation. —ANTONYM steady
un•suc • cess• ful / iAnsak sesfl / adjective
not having or resulting in success an unsuccessful attempt to climb the mountain
—ANTONYM successful
► un • suc • cess • ful • ly / iAnsak' sesfali / adverb He tried unsuccessfully to lift the box.
un • suit • a • ble / An ' sutabl /
not suitable; not right for someone or something This movie is unsuitable for children.
—ANTONYM suitable
un • sure / ,лп 'Jur / adjective
not sure about something We were unsure what to do.
—ANTONYM sure
un • sym • pa • thet • ic / ,Ansimpa ' eetik /
adjective
If you are unsympathetic , you are not kind to someone who is hurt or sad, and you show that you do not understand their feelings and problems.
—ANTONYM sympathetic
un • tan • gle / ,лп ' treggl / verb ( un - tan gles , un - tan - gling , un tan - gled )
to separate threads, hair, etc. that are twisted together in a messy way
The wires got mixed up, and it took me a long time to untangle them.
un • tie / An ' tai / verb
( un - ties , un - ty ing , un - tied , has un - tied )
to remove a knot; to take off the string or rope that is holding something Can you untie this knot?
I untied the boat and started rowing away from the dock. —ANTONYM tie something up
Ull .til О / sn'til / ( also informaltill / til / )
conjunction, preposition
SPELLING
Remember! You spell until with one L , but you spell till with LL .
up to a certain time or event The store is open until 7:00. Stay in bed until you feel better. I can't come until tomorrow.
un • true / ,лп ' tru / adjective
not true or correct
What you said was completely untrue. —ANTONYM true
un .U .SU .al £ /лп'уи₃ш1/ adjective
If something is unusual , it does not often happen or you
do not often see it
It's unusual for Joe to be late.
What an unusual name!
un • u • su • al • ly / лп ' yu3uali / adverb It was an unusually hot summer.
un • want • ed / iAn wantad / adjective
not wanted an unwanted gift
un • wel • come / An welkam / adjective
If someone or something is unwelcome , you are not happy to have or see them
an unwelcome visitor —ANTONYM welcome un • will • ing / лп ' wilig / adjective
If you are unwilling to do something, you are not ready or happy to do it
He was unwilling to lend me any money. —ANTONYM willing
un • wind / iAn waind / verb ( un - winds , un wind ing , un - wound / ,лп waund / has un - wound )
to open out something that has been wrapped into a ball or around something else
to unwind a ball of string
to start to relax, after working hard or worrying about something
Watching TV helps me unwind after a busy day.
un • wise / ,лп ' waiz / adjective
showing that you do not make good decisions It would be unwise to tell anyone about our plan yet.
—SYNONYM foolish —ANTONYM wise
un • wise • ly / ,лп waizli / adverb Unwisely, I agreed to help her.
un • wrap / ,лп ' rrep / verb ( un - wraps , un - wrap - ping , un - wrapped )
to take off the paper or cloth that is around something I unwrapped the present.
—ANTONYM wrap
un • zip / |An ' zip / verb ( un - zips , un - zip - ping , un - zip - ped )
to open a piece of clothing, a bag, etc. by pulling the long thing that fastens it (the zipper )
up ©/ Ap / preposition, adverb
in or to a higher place
We climbed up the mountain.
Put your hand up if you know the answer.
—ANTONYM down
from sitting or lying to standing Stand up , please.
What time do you get up (= out of bed ) ?
"Is Joe up (= out of bed ) ?" "No, he's still asleep."
to the place where someone or something is She came up to me and asked me the time.
a word we use to show an increase in something Prices are going up .
Please turn the radio up — I can't hear it.
—ANTONYM down
into pieces Cut the meat up .
so that it is finished
Eat up — it's time to go to school now.
in a certain direction
She lives up the street from us. —ANTONYM down be up to someone
to be the person who should do or decide something "What do you want to do tonight?" "I don't care. It's up to you." up to
as far as; until
Up to now, she has worked very hard.
as much or as many as
Up to 300 people came to the meeting.
doing something, especially something bad What is that man up to?
up • bring • ing / ' Apbrigig / noun [ singular ]
the way that you are treated and taught to behave by your parents
He had a very religious upbringing. The verb is bring someone up .
up • date / |Ap ' deit / verb ( up - dates , up dat - ing , up - dat ed )
to make something more modern or add new things to it The information on our website is updated every week.
up • date / ' Apdeit /noun [ count ]
an update on a news story (= the latest information )
up • grade / |Ap ' greid / verb ( up - grades , up grad - ing , up - grad ed )
to change something so that it is better I just upgraded my home computer.
up • grade / ' Apgreid / noun [ count ] to install an upgrade
up • hill / |Ap ' hil / adverb
going up, toward the top of a hill I have to ride my bike uphill to get to school.
—ANTONYM downhill
up • hol • ster • y / э ' poulstari / noun [ noncount ]
the thick, soft material that is used to cover chairs, car seats, etc.
up • load / ' Aploud / verb ( up - loads , up - load - ing , up load - ed )
( COMPUTERS ) to copy a computer file from a small computer system to a larger one
—Look at download .
up • on / э 'pan / preposition ( formal )
on
The decision was based upon the doctor's evidence.
Up .per © / Чрэг/ adjective
in a higher place than something else the upper lip —ANTONYM lower
up • per • case / |Apar' keis / ( also up - per case ) noun [ noncount ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the large form of letters, for example A, B, C (not a, b, c)
NATO is written in uppercase. —ANTONYM lowercase
the up • per class / 6i |Apar 'klas / noun
[ singular ]
the group of people in a society with the highest social position, who have more money and power than other people
up • per-class / |Apar ' klas / adjective
an upper-class accent
Look at the middle class , the working class .
up • right / ' Aprait / adjective, adverb
standing straight up, not lying down Put the ladder upright against the wall.
up • ris • ing / ' Apraizig / noun [ count ]
( POLITICS ) a situation in which a group of people start to fight against the government in their country
up . set 1 © / .Ap'set/ verb ( up - sets , up - set - ting , up set , has up set )
to make someone feel unhappy or worried You upset Tom when you said he was fat.
to make something change in a way that you do not like The bad weather upset our plans for the weekend.
up • set • ting / |Ap ' setig /adjective making you feel unhappy or worried
The experience was very upsetting for all of us.
up . set 2 Ф / Apset/adjective
unhappy or worried
The kids were really upset when the dog died.
( HEALTH ) a little sick an upset stomach
up • side down / |Apsaid daun / adverb
with the top part at the bottom The picture is upside down.
Up .StairS Ф / \pstrr//adverb to or on a higher floor of a building I went upstairs to bed.
up • stairs / ' Apsterz / adjective
An upstairs window was open. —ANTONYM downstairs up to date / |Ap ta ' deit / adjective
modern; using new information Is this information up to date? up-to-date equipment
Look at out of date .
up • town / |Ap' taun / adjective, adverb
in or to the parts of a city or town that are away from the center, where people live
She lives uptown, so she has to take the subway to work. —Look at downtown .
up .ward О / xpwoni/
( also up - wards / ' Apwsrdz / )adverb up; toward a higher place
We climbed upward, toward the top of the mountain. —ANTONYM downward
u • ra • ni • um / yu 'reinism /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolU )
( CHEMISTRY ) a metal that can be used to produce nuclear energy
Uranium is highly radioactive.
ur • ban / srbsn / adjective
( GEOGRAPHY ) connected with a city urban areas
—Look at rural .
urge 1 / srd'j / verb ( urg es , urg - ing , urged )
to try to make someone do something I urged him to stay for dinner.
urge2 / srd3 /noun [ count ]
a strong feeling that you want to do something I had a sudden urge to laugh.
ur • gen • cy / ' srd3snsi /noun [ noncount ]
the need to do something quickly because it is very important
ur .gent Ф / ordpnt/ adjective
so important that you must do it or answer it quickly Is your message urgent? ► ur • gent • ly / ' srd3sntli /adverb I must see you urgently.
u • ri • nate / ' yursneit / verb ( u - ri - nates , u - ri - nat - ing , u - ri - nat - ed )
( formal )
( BIOLOGY ) to pass urine from the body
u • rine / ' yurin /noun [ noncount ]
( BIOLOGY ) the waste liquid that passes from your body when you use the toilet
URL / |yu ar ' el / abbreviation
( COMPUTERS ) the address of a website What's the URL for that website?
U.S.A. / | yu es ei /
short for United States of America
U.S. / |yu ' es / short for United States
the smallest state in the U.S. the U.S. dollar
us • a • ble / yuzsbl / adjective
in good enough condition to be used
My old bike is a little rusty, but it's still usable.
us • age / 'yusid3 /noun
[ noncount ] the way that something is used; the amount that something is used
Internet usage
[ count, noncount ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) the way
that words are normally used in a language
USB / | yu es bi / abbreviation ( COMPUTERS ) the
system for connecting other pieces of equipment to a computer
You'll need a USB cable to connect your cell phone to the computer.
US © / ss ; as /pronoun [ plural ]
me and another person or other people; me and you She invited us to dinner. Come with us.
USB flash drive / | yu es bi flref draiv / ( also flash drive )noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a small thing that stores information from a computer so that you can move it from one computer to another
USe 1 © / yuz / verb ( us es , us ing , used ) PRONUNCIATION
When the word use is a verb, it sounds like shoes or choose.
When use is a noun, it sounds like juice or loose .
to do a job with something Could I use your phone?
Do you know how to use this machine? Wood is used to make paper.
to take something Don't use all the milk.
use something up to use something until you have no more
I used up all the coffee, so I had to buy some more.
USe 2 Ф / yus /noun
[ noncount ] using something or being used This pool is for the use of hotel guests only.
[ count ] what you can do with something This machine has many uses.
[ noncount ] the opportunity to use something, for example something that belongs to someone else
I have the use of Jim's car while he's away.
it's no use doing something
it will not help to do something
It's no use telling her anything — she never listens.
make use of something
to find a way of using something
If you don't want that box, I can make use of it.
used © / yuzd /adjective
that had another owner before; not new I bought a used car.
—SYNONYM secondhand —ANTONYM new
used 2 Ф' / yust / adjective be used to something
to know something well because you have seen, heard, tasted, done, etc. it a lot
I'm used to walking because I don't have a car. get used to something
to begin to know something well after a time I'm getting used to my new job.
used to © / ' yusts ; ' yustu /modal verb
words that tell us about something that happened often or
that was true in the past
She used to smoke when she was younger.
USB flash drive
I used to be afraid of dogs, but now I like them.
Grammar
To form questions, we use did with use to : Did she use to smoke when she was younger?
We form negatives with didn't use to : / / I didn't use to like fish, but I do now.
USe .ful Ф / 'yusfl/ adjective
good and helpful for doing something
This bag will be useful for carrying my books.
use • ful • ly / ' yusfali / adverb
use • less / yuslas / adjective
not good for anything
A car is useless without gas.
that does not do what you hoped
It's useless to complain — they won't give you your money back.
US .ef © / 'yuzar/ noun
[count]
a person who uses something computer users
us • er-friend • ly / iyuzar frendli / adjective
easy to understand and use
Computers are much more user-friendly than they used to be.
U .SU .al О / уи₃иэ l / adjective
that happens most often He arrived home later than usual.
—SYNONYM normal
as usual
in the way that happens most often Julie was late, as usual.
U .SU .al .ly Ф / 'уи₃шИ/ adverb
in the way that is usual; most often I'm usually home by six o'clock.
u • ten • sil / yu' tensl /noun [ count ]
a tool that is used in the home cooking utensils
—Look at the picture at kitchen .
u • ter • us / ' yutaras / noun
[ count ]
( plural u . ter - us - es ) ( formal )
( BIOLOGY ) the part of a woman or female animal where a baby develops before it is born
—SYNONYM womb
u • to • pi • a ( also U - to - pi - a ) / yu' toupia / noun [ count, noncount ]
a place where everything is perfect, but that does not exist
ut • ter 1 / ' Atar / adjective
complete
He felt an utter fool.
ut • ter • ly / ' Atarli / adverb That's utterly impossible!
ut • ter 2 / ' Atar / verb ( ut - ters , ut - ter - ing , ut - tered )
( formal )
to say something or make a sound with your mouth She did not utter a word .
U-turn / ' yu tarn /
a type of movement where a car, etc. turns around so that it goes back in the direction it came from
UV / ,yu 'vi /
( physics ) short for ultraviolet
Vv
V, v / vi /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralV's, v's / viz / ) the twenty-second letter of the English alphabet
"Voice" begins with a "V."
V abbreviation of volt
v. ( also vs. ) abbreviation of versus the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade
va • can • cy / ' veikansi / noun
[count]
( plural va - can - cies )
a room in a hotel that no one is using
The sign outside the hotel says "no vacancies" (= the hotel is full ) .
a job that no one is doing
We have a vacancy for a secretary in our office.
va • cant / ' veikant / adjective
empty or not being used a vacant room
If a job in a company is vacant , no one is doing it and it is available for someone to do.
va .ca .tion Ф / vei'keifn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a time when you do not go to work or school, and often go
and stay away from home
They're on vacation in Hawaii.
You've been working too hard. You need a vacation!
We're going to the beach for our summer vacation .
vac • ci • nate / 'vreksn^eit /verb
(vac - ci - nates, vac - ci - nat - ing , vac - ci nat ed )
( HEALTH ) to put a substance into a person's or an animal's blood using a needle, to stop them from getting a disease Have you been vaccinated against measles?
vac • ci • na • tion / ,vreksn^ ' eijn / noun
[ count, noncount ]
( HEALTH ) when a substance is put into a person's or an animal's blood with a needle, to stop them from getting a disease
a vaccination against measles
vac • cine / vrek ' sin /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a substance that is put into a person's or an animal's blood using a needle, to stop them from getting a disease
vac • u • um1 / ' vrekyum /noun [ count ]
( PHYSICS ) a space with no air, gas, or anything else in it
another word for vacuum cleaner
vac • u • um 2 / ' vrekyum / verb ( vac - u - ums , vac - u - um - ing , vac - u - umed )
to clean a floor using a vacuum cleanervac • u • um clean • er
/ ' vakyum |klinar / ( also vac u - um )noun
[count]
a machine that cleans floors by sucking up dirt
va • gi • na / va 'd3aina /noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) the part of a woman's or a female animal's body that leads to the place where a baby grows (called the uterus )
vague / veig / adjective ( vagu - er , vagu - est )
not clear or not exact
I couldn't find the house because he gave me very vague directions.
►vague • ly / 'veigli / adverb I vaguely remember what happened.
vain / vein / adjective ( vain - er , vain - est )
too proud of what you can do or how you look The noun is vanity .
not producing the result you want They made a vain attempt to save his life.
—SYNONYM useless
in vain
without success I tried in vain to sleep.
val • e • dic •to • ri •an / ^ьал ' torian /
noun [ count ]
the student who received the highest grades in their class in high school or college
Val • en • tine's Day / ' valantainz |dei / noun
[ singular ]
the day (February 14) when people send a card (called a valenti ne ) to the person that they love
val • id aw я / ' valad / adjective
able to be used; acceptable
Your bus ticket is valid for one week.
—ANTONYM invalid
Val . ley © / 'vseli / noun [ count ] ( pluralval - leys )
( GEOGRAPHY ) the low land between mountains; the land that a river flows through
val u a ble s 'vaelyobl / adjective
worth a lot of money Is this ring valuable?
very useful
The book contains some valuable information.
val • u • a • bles / ' valyablz / noun [ plural ]
the small things that you own that are worth a lot of money,
for example jewelry or a cell phone
You should put your valuables in the hotel safe.
Val . Ue 1 © / 'vselyu/ noun
[ count ] how much money you can sell something for The thieves stole goods with a total value of $100,000.
[ count, noncount ] how much something is worth compared with its price
The hotel is a good value, with rooms at $80 a night.
[ noncount ] how useful or important something is Their help was of great value .
values [ plural ] your beliefs about what is the right and
wrong way to behave
Do young people today have a different set of values?
val • ue 2 / ' valyu / verb ( val - ues , val - u - ing , val - ued )
1 to think that something is very important
value my freedom.
to say how much money something is worth The house was valued at $800,000.
valve / valv /noun [ count ]
( PHYSICS ) a part in a pipe or tube which lets air, liquid, or gas flow in one direction only
vam • pire / 'vampaiar /noun [ count ]
a person in stories who drinks people's blood
Vail / vsen/ noun Vclll
[count]
a kind of big car or small truck for carrying people or things
van • dal / ' vandl /noun [ count ]
a person who deliberately damages public property Vandals broke the benches in the park.
van • dal • ize / 'vandbaiz / verb ( van - dal iz es , van dal iz - ing , van - dal - ized )
to destroy or damage public property deliberately ►van • dal • ism / ' vandbizam /noun [ noncount ] Vandalism is a problem in this part of the city.
va • nil • la / va'nila / noun [ noncount ]
a substance from a plant that gives a taste to some sweet foods
vanilla ice cream
van • ish / ' vanif / verb
( van - ish - es ,van ish ing , van ished )
to go away; to stop being seen
The thief ran into the crowd and vanished.
—SYNONYM disappear
van • i • ty / ' vanati /noun [ noncount ]
being too proud of what you can do or how you look The adjective is vain .
va • por / ' veipar /noun [ count, noncount ]
( GENERAL SCIENCE ) very small drops of liquid that look like
a gas
water vapor
var • i • a • ble aw / ' veriabl /
not staying the same; often changing variable temperatures
/ |veri ' ei/n /noun
var • i • a • tion
[ count, noncount ]
a change or difference in the amount or level of something There was a lot of variation in the test scores.
var • ied1aw / ' verid / e
including a lot of different things I try to make my classes as varied as possible.
var • ied 2 aW form of vary var • ies awl" form of vary va .ri .e .ty Ф / va ' raiati /
( plural va . ri . e . ties )
[ singular ] a lot of different things There's a wide variety of dishes on the menu.
[ noncount ] the fact that you are not always doing the same things
There's a lot of variety in my new job.
[ count ] a type of something This variety of apple is very sweet.
var . i .ous © / vrrios / adjective
several different
We sell this shirt in various colors and sizes.
var • nish / ' varnif / [ noncount ]
a clear paint with no color, which you put on something to make it shine ►var • nishverb
( var . nish . es , var . nish . ing , var . nished )
The doors are then stained and varnished.
var • si • ty / ' varsati /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralvar . si . ties )
the main sports team that of a high school or college var • y ФAWL / ' veri /verb ( var . ies, var . y . ing, var ied , has var . ied )
to be different from each other, or to change according to the situation
Class sizes vary from 8 to 15.
The price varies according to the quality.
to make something different by changing it often in some way
We try to vary the class to suit students' needs.
vase / veis /noun [ count ] a pot that you put cut flowers in
vast / vrest / adjective
very big
Australia is a vast country. —SYNONYM enormous , huge
VCR / v si ' ar /noun [ count ]
a machine connected to a television, which you use for recording or showing programs. VCR is short for "video cassette recorder."
veal / vil /noun [ noncount ] meat from a young cow (a calf ) Word building The male cow is called a bull , and a young cow is a calf .
Meat from a cow is called beef and meat from a calf is called veal .
veg • an / ' vigan /noun [ count ]
AWL
a person who does not eat meat or any other foods that come from animals, such as eggs or milk
00 % V *
sweet potatoes
veg • e • tar • i • an / ^зэ ' terian / noun
[ count ]
a person who does not eat meat or fish ►veg • e • tar • i • anadjective
a vegetarian restaurant
veg • e • ta • tion / ^зэ ' teijn / noun
[ noncount ] ( formal )
all the plants that are found in a particular place the thick vegetation of the rain forest
ve • hi • cle ФAWL / ' viikl /noun [ count ] ( formal )
a car, bus, truck, bicycle, etc.; a thing that takes people or
things from place to place
Are you the owner of this vehicle?
veil / veil /noun [ count ]
a piece of material that a woman puts over her head and face
vein / vein /noun [ count ]
one of the small tubes in your body that carry blood to the heart
—Look at the picture at body .
Vel • cro™ / 'velkrou/noun [ noncount ]
two bands of special material that stick together to fasten clothes, shoes, etc.
ve • loc • i • ty / va'lasati / noun [ noncount ]
( PHYSICS ) the speed at which something moves in a particular direction wind velocity
vel • vet / ' velvat /noun [ noncount ] cloth that is soft and thick on one side red velvet curtains
vend • ing ma • chine / ' vendig |ШэДп /
noun [ count ]
a machine that you put money in to buy food or drinks Can I have a dollar to buy a snack from the vending machine?
ve • ne • tian blind / va|ni/n 'blaind /
[count]
a covering for a window that is made of flat pieces of plastic or metal, which can be turned to let more or less light into the room
vent / vent /noun [ count ]
veg .e .ta .bleО / ч.-^ьы/ noun [count ]
a plant or part of a plant that we eat
The students grow vegetables such as cabbages, beans, and carrots.
vegetables
celery
potatoes
a hole in the wall of a room or machine that lets air come in, and lets smoke, steam, or smells go out an air vent
ven • ti • late / ventsleit / verb ( ven - ti lates , ven ti - lat - ing , ven - ti - lat - ed )
to allow air to move through a room or building ►ven • ti • la • tion / |vents 'leijn /noun [ noncount ]
The only ventilation was one tiny window.
ven • ue / ' venyu/noun [ count ]
the place where an event happens, for example a concert or a sports game
Please note the change of venue for this event. verb / vsrb / noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a word that tells you what someone does or what happens. "Go," "sing," "do," and "be" are all verbs .
ver•bal / 'vsrbl /adjective ( formal )
connected with words, or using words He has good verbal skills.
spoken, not written
We made a verbal agreement. ►ver • bal • ly / ' vsrbsli / adverb
ver • dict / ' vsrdikt/noun [ count ]
a decision in a court of law about whether someone is guilty or not
The jury returned a verdict of "not guilty."
verge / vsrd3 /noun
on the verge of something ; on the verge of doing something
very near to doing something, or to something happening Scientists are on the verge of finding a cure.
ver • i • fy / ' versfai / verb ( ver - i - fies , ver i - fy - ing , ver - i - fied )
( formal )
to check or say that something is true
We are unable to verify this statement.
►ver • i • fi • ca • tion / |versfs 'kei/n / noun [noncount ]
verse / vsrs /noun
[ noncount ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) words arranged in lines with a definite beat, often with sounds repeated at the ends of lines
The play is written in verse .
—SYNONYM poetry
[ count ] ( MUSIC , ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a group of lines in a song or poem
This song has five verses.
ver • sionAWL| / ' vsr3n /noun [ count ]
a form of something that is different in some way the latest version of the software
what one person says or writes about something that happened
His version of the accident is different from mine. ver • sus / ' vsrsss / preposition
( abbreviationvs. or v. ) ( SPORTS ) on the other side in a sport
There's a good baseball game on TV tonight — the Dodgers versus the Giants.
—SYNONYM against
ver • te • bra / ' vsrtsbrs /noun [ count ]
( plural ver - te - brae / ' vsrtsbrei / )
( BIOLOGY ) any of the small bones that are connected together to form the line of bones down the middle of your back
ver • te • brate / ' vsrtsbrst / noun [ count ]
( BIOLOGY ) any animal, bird, or fish that has a line of bones down the middle of its back (called a backbone )
—ANTONYM invertebrate
ver • ti • cal / ' vsrtikl / adjective
going straight up or down at an angle of 90° from the ground a vertical line
— Look at horizontal . , —Look at the picture at line . ►ver • ti • cal • ly/ ' vsrtikli /adverb
ver .у 1 О / 'veri/ adverb
You use "very" before another word to make it stronger
Very few people know that.
She speaks very quietly.
I like chocolate very much .
I'm not very hungry.
ver • y 2 / ' veri / adjective
exact; same
You are the very person I wanted to see! We climbed to the very top of the mountain.
vest / vest /noun [ count ]
a piece of clothing like a jacket with no sleeves
a special piece of clothing that covers the top part of the body a bulletproof vest
vet / vet /noun [ count ] ( informal )
short for veteran a Vietnam vet
short for veterinarian
vet • er • an / ' vetsrsn /noun [ count ] ( also informalvet )
a person who has been in the army, navy, or air force during a war
a veteran of the Gulf War
vet • er • i • nar • i • an / |vetsrs ' nerisn /
( also informalvet )noun [ count ]
a doctor for animals
►vet • er • i • nar • y / ' vetsrs|neri / adjective
a veterinary surgeon
ve • to / vitou /verb(ve- toes, ve to - ing, ve- toed) ( POLITICS ) to refuse to give official permission for an action or plan, when other people have agreed to it The governor vetoed the proposal to reduce taxes.
vi • a AWL / ' vis ; ' vais / preposition
going through a place
We flew from New York to Los Angeles via Chicago.
using something
These pictures come to you via satellite.
vi • brate / vaibreit / verb ( vi brates , vi - brat - ing , vi - brat - ed )
to move very quickly from side to side or up and down The house vibrates every time a train goes past.
►vi • bra • tion / vaibreijn / noun [ count, noncount ]
You can feel the vibrations from the engine when you're in the car.
vice / vais /noun
[ noncount ] criminal activities involving sex or drugs detectives from the vice squad
[ count ] a moral weakness or bad habit His only vice was the occasional glass of wine.
vice pres • i • dent / ,vais ' prezadant / [count]
( POLITICS ) the person below the president of a country in importance, who can control the country if the president cannot
Word building
The U.S. Government
The government in the U.S. is divided into three parts: the legislative branch , the executive branch , and the judicial branch . The legislative branch is responsible for making laws. This is the U.S. Congress , which is made up of two groups of people: the Senate and the House of Representatives .
The executive branch is led by the president , and includes the vice president and the rest of the Cabinet (= other important politicians ) .
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court , which is the most important court in the country.
a person who controls a particular part of a large business organization
the vice president of sales
vice ver • sa / ,vais 'varsa /adverb
in the opposite way to what has just been said
You can translate any document from Spanish into
English and vice versa (= from English into Spanish ) .
vi • cin • i • ty / va ' sinati / noun in the vicinity
( formal )
in an area; near a place
There are three parks in the vicinity of the school.
vi • cious / ' vifas / adjective
violent and cruel a vicious attack
vic • tim / viktam /noun [ count ]
a person or thing that is hurt, damaged, or killed by
someone or something
the innocent victims of crime
vic • to • ri • ous / vik' torias / adjective
successful in a fight, game, or war the victorious team
vic • to • ry / viktari /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralvic - to - ries )
success in a fight, game, or war
the Yankees' 6-2 victory over the Red Sox
—ANTONYM defeat
vid .e.o®/ 'vidiou/ ( )
1 [ count, noncount ] a kind of tape that is used for recording moving pictures and sound; a box containing this tape
You can get this movie on video or on DVD. They made a video of the wedding.
—SYNONYM videotape
[ count ] a copy of a movie, program, etc. that is recorded on videotape
We stayed at home and watched a video .
[ noncount ] the system of recording and showing moving pictures and sound using a camera
video equipment
vid • e • o game / 'vidiou geim /noun [ count ]
a game that you play using a TV or computer screen
vid • e • o • tape / ' vidiouteip / noun
[ count, noncount ]
a kind of tape that is used for recording moving pictures and sound; a box containing this tape I replaced all of my old videotapes with DVDs. ►vid • e • o • tapeverb
( vid- e o - tapes, vid - e - o - tap - ing, vid - e - o - taped )
The interview was videotaped.
View l© /vyu/ noun
[ count ] what you believe or think about something He has strong views on marriage.
In my view , she has done nothing wrong.
—SYNONYM opinion
[ count ] what you can see from a place
There were beautiful views of the mountains all around.
[ noncount ] the ability to see something from a particular place
A large truck was blocking her view. in view of something ( formal )
because of something
In view of the bad weather we decided to cancel the game.
on view
in a place for people to see
Her paintings are on view at the museum.
view 2 / vyu / verb ( views , view - ing , viewed )
( formal )
to think about something in a particular way She viewed vacations as a waste of time.
to watch or look at something
Viewed from this side, the building looks much taller than it really is.
view • er / ' vyuar /noun [ count ]
a person who watches a television program
vig • i • lant / ' volant / adjective
( formal )
careful and looking out for danger
vig • or • ous / ' vigaras / adjective
strong and active vigorous exercise
► vig • or • ous • ly / ' vigarasli / adverb She shook my hand vigorously.
vile / vail / adjective ( vil - er , vil - est )
very unpleasant
What a vile smell! —SYNONYM horrible vil • la / ' vila /noun [ count ]
a pleasant house in the country, especially somewhere warm
vil • lage / ' viiid3 /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a very small town She lives in a village in the mountains.
vil • lain / 'vilan/noun [ count ]
a bad person, usually in a book, play, or movie
vine / vain /noun [ count ]
the plant that produces grapes (= small fruits that we eat or use to make wine )
vin • e • gar / ' vinigar / noun [ noncount ]
a liquid with a strong, sharp taste that is used in cooking I mixed some oil and vinegar to put on the salad.
vine • yard / ' vinyard /noun [ count ]
a piece of land where grapes (= small round green or purple fruits ) are grown to make wine
vi • o • la / vi ' oula /noun [ count ] ( MUSIC ) a musical instrument like a large violin
vi .o lence О / ' vaialans /noun [ noncount ]
violent behavior
There's too much violence on TV.
force or power
the violence of the storm
vi .O .lent © / vaiolont/adjective
strong and dangerous; causing physical harm Her husband was a violent man.
The protest march started peacefully but later turned violent.
► vi • o • lent • ly / ' vaialantli / adverb Did she behave violently toward you?
vi • o • let / ' vaialat / noun
[ count ] a small, purple flower
[ count, noncount ] a color that is between dark blue and purple
►vi • o • let adjective
violet eyes
vi • o • lin / |vaia 'lin /noun [ count ] ( MUSIC ) a musical instrument that you hold under your chin and play by moving a stick (called a bow ) across the strings
— Look at the picture at instrument .
VIP / |vi ai ' pi /noun [ count ]
a person who is famous or important. VIP is short for "very important person."
vir • gin / ' vard3an /noun [ count ]
a person who has never had sex
vir • tu • al aw Ц / ' vartfual / adjective
being almost or very nearly something He married a virtual stranger.
( COMPUTERS ) made to appear to exist by a computer ►vir • tu • al • lyAWL / ' vartjuali /adverb
The two boys look virtually (= almost ) the same.
vir • tu • al re • al •i • ty / ^artM ri ' abti /
noun [ noncount ]
( COMPUTERS ) computer images that seem to be all around you and seem almost real
vir • tue / ' vartfu/noun [ count ]
behavior that shows high moral standards; a good quality or habit a life of virtue He has many virtues.
vi • rus / ' vairas /noun [count] ( pluralvi - rus - es ) 1 ( HEALTH , BIOLOGY ) a living thing that is too small to see, but that can make you sick a flu virus 2 ( COMPUTERS ) a program that enters your computer and stops it from working correctly
vi • sa / ' viza /noun [ count ]
an official piece of paper or mark in your passport to show that you can go into a country
vis • i • ble aw / ' vizabl / ^
If something is visible , you can see it Stars are only visible at night.
—ANTONYM invisible
vi • sion AWL / vi3n / noun
[ noncount ] the power to see
He wears glasses because he has poor vision.
—SYNONYM sight
[ count ] a picture in your mind; a dream They have a vision of a world without war.
ViS .it О / vizot/ verb ( vis its , vis - it - ing , vis - it ed )
to go to see a person or place for a short time
When you go to Chicago you must visit the Field Museum.
She visited me in the hospital.
►vis • it noun [ count ]
This is my first visit to New York.
He promised to pay us a visit next year.
ViS . i .tOr Ф / vizotor/noun [ count ]
a person who goes to see another person or a place for a short time
The old lady never has any visitors. Millions of visitors come to Orlando every year.
vi • sor / ' vaizar /noun [ count ]
a part of a hard hat (a helmet ) that you can pull down to protect your eyes or face
a piece of plastic, cloth, etc. on a hat or in a car, which stops the sun from shining in your eyes
vi • su • al aw / ' vi3ual / a
connected with seeing
Painting and photography are visual arts.
vi • su • al • ize AWL / ' vi3ualaiz / verb ( vi su - al - iz - es, vi - su - al - iz ing, vi su al ized )
to have a picture in your mind of someone or something It's hard to visualize what this place looked like before the factory was built.
—SYNONYM imagine
vi • tal / ' vaitl / adjective
very important or necessary
It's vital that she sees a doctor — she's very sick.
—SYNONYM essential
vi • tal • ly / 'vaitali / vitally important
vi • ta • min / ' vaitaman /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) one of the things in food that you need to be healthy
Oranges are full of vitamin C.
viv • id / ' vivad / adjective
1 making a very clear picture in your mind
had a very vivid dream last night.
having a strong, bright color vivid yellow
viv • id • ly / ' vivadli / adverb
I remember my first day at school vividly.
vo • cab • u • lar • y / vou ' k®bya|leri / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural vo . cab . u . lar . ies )
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS )
all the words that someone knows or that are used in a particular book or subject
He has an amazing vocabulary for a Jive-year-old.
the words that people use when they are talking about a particular subject
technical vocabulary
vo • cal / voukl / adjective
connected with the voice
the vocal organs (= the tongue, lips, etc. )
vocal cords / voukl kordz /noun [ plural ]
( BIOLOGY ) the thin bands of muscle in the back of your throat that move to produce the voice
vo • ca • tion / vou ' keijn / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( formal )
a type of work or way of life that you do because you believe
it is especially right for you
Peter has found his vocation as a priest.
vo • ca • tion • al school / vou ' kei/n^l |skul /
noun [ count, noncount ]
a school that teaches students skills that are necessary for particular jobs
He went to a vocational school to study carpentry.
vogue / voug /noun [ count, noncount ]
a fashion for something
a vogue for large cars ♦ Black is always in vogue .
voice Ф / vois /noun [ count ]
the sounds that you make when you speak or sing
Steve has a very deep voice.
lose your voice
to not be able to speak, usually because of illness He had a bad cold and lost his voice. raise your voice to speak more loudly
voice mail / ' vois meil / ( also voice . mail )noun
[noncount]
an electronic system that lets you leave or listen to
telephone messages
Have you checked your voice mail?
vol .ca .no volcano
/ val'keinou / noun [ count ] ( plural
vol . ca . noes )
( GEOGRAPHY ) a
mountain with a hole in the top where fire, gas, and hot liquid rock (called lava ) sometimes come out
►vol • can • ic
/ val ' krenik / adjective
volcanic rocks
vol • ley • ball
(sports)
/ 'valibol /noun
1 [ noncount ] a game where two teams try to hit a ball over a high net with their hands We played volleyball on the beach.
2 [ count ] a ball for playing this game
volt / voult /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationV ) ( PHYSICS ) a measure of electricity
vol • Lime Ф / vulyom ; 'valyum / noun
1 [ noncount , singular ] ( music ) the amount of sound that something makes
can't hear the radio. Can you turn up the volume?
[ count, noncount ] ( MATH , physics ) the amount of space that something fills, or the amount of space inside something
What is the volume of this box?
[ count, noncount ] the large quantity or amount of something
a high volume of traffic on the roads
[ count ] a book, especially one of a set The encyclopedia is in two volumes.
vol • un • tar • y AWL / ' valanteri / adjective
If something is voluntary , you do it because you want to, not because you must
She made a voluntary decision to leave the job. —ANTONYM compulsory
► vol • un • tar • i • lyAWL| / ^alan ' terali / adverb She left the job voluntarily.
vol • un • teer 1 AWL / |valan ' tir / noun [count]
a person who says that they will do a job without being forced or without being paid
They're asking for volunteers to help at the Christmas party.
He does volunteer work at a children's hospital.
vol • un • teer 2 AWL / ^abn ' tir / verb
( vol un . teers , vol . un . teer . ing , vol . un teered )
to say that you will do a job without being forced or without being paid
I volunteered to do the dishes.
She volunteers at her daughter's school.
vom • it / ' vamat / verb ( vom . its , vom . it . ing , vom it . ed )
( HEALTH ) When you vomit , food comes up from your stomach and out of your mouth. ►vom • itnoun [ noncount ]
the food that comes up from your stomach when you
vomit
VOte 1Ф / vout /noun [ count ]
when you choose someone or something by writing on a
piece of paper or by putting up your hand
There were 96 votes for the plan, and 25 against.
We couldn't agree on a title for the project, so we decided
to take a vote .
VOte 2 © / vout / verb (votes , vot ing , vot ed )
to choose someone or something by writing on a piece of
paper or by putting up your hand
Who did you vote for in the election?
They voted to ban the use of cell phones inside the
building.
►vot • ei / ' voutar /noun [ count ]
a person who votes in a political election
vouch • er / ' vautjbr /noun [ count ]
a piece of paper that you can use instead of money to pay for something
vow / vau /noun [ count ]
a formal and serious promise to do something The monks made a vow of silence.
vow • el / vausl /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) one of the letters "a," "e," "i,"
"o," or "u"
—Look at consonant .
i.
voy • age / ' vond3 /noun [ count ]
a long trip by boat or in space
Columbus made his first voyage to the New World in 1492. Thesaurus
trip an act of traveling from one place to another, and usually back again. A trip can be short or long, and can be for business or pleasure: a business trip ♦ a round-the-world trip ♦ a trip to the grocery store ♦ They took a trip down the river. ♦ We just got back from our trip to Japan. We had a great time. travel the general activity of moving from place to place. With this meaning, travel is a noncount noun. A person's travels are the time he or she spends traveling, especially in foreign countries and for pleasure: air/rail/space travel ♦ Foreign travel is very popular these days. ♦ The book is about her travels around Europe.
journey a long and often difficult trip from one place to another: It was a dangerous journey across the mountains. ♦ They continued their journey on foot. expedition a long, organized trip to find out about a place or to do something special: He led the first expedition to the North Pole. ♦ She made two expeditions to Brazil to study the wild plants. voyage a long trip by water or in space: The Titantic sank on its first voyage. ♦ The spacecraft began its voyage to Jupiter.
vs. abbreviation of versus
vul • gar / ' vAlgsr / adjective
not showing good judgment about what is attractive or appropriate; not polite or well behaved a vulgar joke
vul • ner • a • ble / ' vAlnsrsbl / adjective
likely to be hurt or damaged
The soldiers' position meant that they were vulnerable to attack.
When she first moved to the city, she felt lonely and vulnerable.
vul • ture / ' vAltJsr /noun [ count ]
a type of bird that eats dead animals
Ww
W, w / ' dAblyu /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralW's, w's / ' dAblyuz / ) the twenty-third letter of the English alphabet
"Water" begins with a "W."
W short for watt
wack • y / ' wreki / adjective ( wack - i - er , wack i - est )
( informal )
funny in a slightly crazy way She has some pretty wacky ideas!
wad / wad /noun [ cou nt ]
a lot of pieces of paper folded or rolled together He pulled a wad of dollar bills out of his pocket.
wade / weid / verb ( wades , wad ing , wad ed )
to walk through water
Can we wade across the river, or is it too deep?
waf • fle / ' wafl /noun [ count ]
waffles
a flat cake with a pattern of squares on it that is often eaten with a sweet sauce (called syrup )
pancakes
wag / w®g / verb ( wags , wag - ging , wagged )
If a dog wags its tail, its tail moves from side to side several times.
wage / 'weid3 /noun [ singular ] ( also wag - es ) [ plural ]
the money that you receive for the work that you do the minimum wage (= the lowest amount that someone is allowed to be paid for each hour that they work ) to work for low wages
wag • on / ' wregsn /noun [ count ]
a vehicle with four wheels that a horse pulls
a child's toy like an open box on four wheels, with a long handle for pulling it
wail / weil / verb ( wails , wail - ing , wailed )
to make a long, sad noise
The little boy fell off his bike and started wailing.
waist / weist /noun [ count ]
the narrow part around the middle of your body
waist • line / 'weistlain /noun [ count , usually singular ]
the measurement of the body around the waist, used to talk about how fat or thin a person is an expanding waistline
Wait 1 © / weit / verb (waits, wait ing, wait ed )
to stay in one place until something happens or until someone or something comes If I'm late, please wait for me. Have you been waiting long?
The doctor kept me waiting (= made me wait ) for half an hour.
can't wait
used when someone is very excited about something that is going to happen; I can't wait to see you again! wait and see
to be patient and find out later
"What are we having for dinner?" "Wait and see!"
wait on someone to serve someone food or drinks,
usually in a restaurant
wait up to not go to bed until someone comes home I'll be home late tonight so don't wait up for me.
wait2 / weit /noun [ count , usually singular ]
a time when you wait
We had a long wait for the bus.
wait • er / ' weitar /noun [ count ]
a man who brings food and drinks to your table in a restaurant
wait • ing room / ' weitig rum /noun [ count ]
a room where people can sit and wait, for example to see a doctor
wait • ress / ' weitras /noun [ count ] ( pluralwait - ress - es )
a woman who brings food and drinks to your table in a restaurant
wake О / weik / ( also wake up )verb ( wakes , wak ing , woke / wouk / has wok - en / ' woukan / )
to stop sleeping
What time did you wake up this morning?
to make someone stop sleeping The noise woke me up .
Don't wake the baby.
walk iO / wok / verb ( walks , walk - ing , walked )
to move on your legs, but not run I usually walk to work. We walked 10 miles today.
walk out to leave suddenly because you are angry He walked out of the meeting.
walk 2O / wok /noun [ count ] a trip on foot
The beach is a short walk from our house. I took the dog for a walk.
It was a beautiful day, so we went for a walk in the park.
walk • er / ' wolkar /noun [ count ]
a person who is walking
walk • ie-talk • ie / ,woki ' toki /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a small radio that you can carry with you and use to send and receive messages
wallО / wol /noun [ count ]
a side of a building or room There's a picture on the wall.
a thing made of stones, bricks, etc. that is built around an area
an old stone wall
A high wall surrounded the prison.
wal • let / ' walat /noun [ count ] a small, flat case for money and bank cards A pickpocket stole my wallet.
wallets
%
wall • pa • per / 'wol,peipar /noun [ noncount ] special paper that you use for covering the walls of a room wall • pa • perverb ( wall - pa pers , wall - pa - per - ing , wall - pa - pered )
to put wallpaper onto the walls of a room We wallpapered the living room ourselves.
Wall Street / ' woi strit /noun [ noncount ]
( BUSINESS ) a street in New York City that has many important banks and companies, and the business that is done there
wal • nut / ' wolnAt /noun [ count ] a type of nut that we eat —Look at the picture atnut .
wal • rus / wolras ; walras /noun [ count ] ( pluralwal - rus - es )
an animal with short fur that lives in and near the ocean, and that eats fish. It has two very long teeth (called tusks ).
waltz / wolts /noun [ count ] ( pluralwaltz .es )
( MUSIC ) a dance for two people to music that has a pattern of three beats; the music for this dance
wand / wand /noun [ count ]
a thin stick that people hold when they are doing magic tricks
wan • der / wandar / verb ( wan ders , wan - der - ing , wan - dered )
to walk slowly with no special plan
We wandered around town until the stores opened.
want v / want ; wont / verb ( wants , want - ing , want - ed )
to wish to have or do something He wants a bike for his birthday. I want to go out tonight. She wanted me to give her some money. Which word? Want or would like? Would like is more polite than want . Look at these examples: '1 want a drink!" screamed the child. ♦ Would you like some more coffee?
War © / wor/noun [ count, noncount ] fighting between countries or between groups of people War broke out (= started ) .
The two countries have been at war (= fighting ) for five years.
to declare war on another country ward / word / noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a room in a hospital that has beds for the patients
He worked as a nurse on the children's ward. SUFFIX
-ward
( in adjectives and adverbs ) in the direction of
back ward
down ward
east ward
out ward
war • den / ' wordn /noun [ count ]
a person whose job is to manage a prison
ward • robe / ' wordroub /noun [ count ]
1 a person's collection of clothes
need a whole new winter wardrobe!
a piece of furniture where you can hang your clothes
ware • house / ' werhaus /noun [ count ]
a big building where people keep things before they sell them
a furniture warehouse
war • fare / ' worfer /noun [ noncount ]
the activity and ways of fighting a war naval warfare
Warm 1 © / worm /adjective ( warm er , warm - est ) Pronunciation
The word warm sounds like storm .
having a pleasant temperature that is high but not very high; between cool and hot
It's warm by the fire. Thesaurus
hot having a high temperature; (used about a person) feeling heat in an uncomfortable way: Do you like this hot weather? ♦ Be careful - the plates are hot. ♦ If you're hot, take off your sweater. warm with a temperature that is high but not very high, so that it feels pleasant; not hot and not cold: Wash the blouse in warm soapy water. ♦ It's cold outside but it's nice and warm in here. ♦ Are you warm enough? ♦ I jumped up and down to keep warm. —ANTONYM cold , cool
lukewarm slightly warm, often in an unpleasant way: The food was only lukewarm. ♦ Add half a cup of lukewarm water to the mixture. boiling ( informal )
very hot in an unpleasant way: You must be boiling in that heavy coat. ♦ Can you turn the heat down? It's boiling hot in here. —ANTONYM freezing
Warm clothes are clothes that stop you from feeling cold It's cold in the mountains, so take some warm clothes with you.
friendly and kind
Martha is a very warm person. —ANTONYM cold ►warm • ly / ' wormli / adverb The children were warmly dressed. He thanked me warmly.
warm 2 Ф / worm /verb
( warms , warm - ing , warmed )
warm up ; warm someone or something up to
become warmer, or to make someone or something warmer
I warmed up some soup for lunch.
It was cold this morning, but it's warming up now.
warm-blood • ed / worm ' blAdad /
( BIOLOGY ) having a body temperature that does not change if the temperature of the air changes Mammals are warm-blooded.
— Look at cold-blooded .
warmth / worm9 /noun [ noncount ]
a pleasant temperature that is not too hot the warmth of the sun
the quality of being kind and friendly the warmth of her smile
warm-up / ' worm Ap / ( also warm . up )noun
[count]
a set of exercises that you do to prepare yourself for an activity, such as a sports game
Warn Ф / worn / verb ( warns , warn ing , warned )
to tell someone about danger or about something bad that may happen
I warned him not to go too close to the fire.
warn • ing / ' wornig /noun [ count, noncount ]
something that tells you about danger or about something bad that may happen
There is a warning on every pack of cigarettes. The storm came without warning .
war • rant / ' worant /noun [ count ]
an official document giving someone permission to do something
Police have issued a warrant for his arrest.
war • ran • ty / ' woranti / noun
[ count, noncount ] ( plural war - ran - ties )
( BUSINESS ) a written promise by a company that it will repair or replace a thing you have bought, if it breaks or stops working
My new car comes with a 2-year warranty. Is this cell phone still under warranty ?
—SYNONYM guarantee
war • ri • or / 'woriar /noun [ count ] ( formal )
(especially in the past) a person who fights in a war; a soldier
wart / wort /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a small, hard, dry lump that sometimes grows on the face or body
was / waz ; waz / form ofbe
wash 1 Ф / Yvci| / verb ( wash es , wash ing , washed )
1 to clean someone, something, or yourself with water
Did you wash the car?
Wash your hands before you eat.
washed and dressed quickly.
(used about water) to flow somewhere The waves washed over my feet.
wash someone or something away (used about water) to move or carry someone or something to another place
The house was washed away by the river. wash up to wash your face and hands Go and wash up, and put on some clean clothes.
wash2 / waj /noun
[ noncount ] clothes that are being washed or that need to be washed
All my socks are in the wash!
[ usually singular ] cleaning something with water The car needs a good wash.
wash • a • ble / ' wa/abl /
Something that is washable can be washed without being damaged
This sweater is machine washable (= it can be washed in the washing machine ) .
wash • cloth / ' wajLlo9 /noun [ count ]
a small, square piece of cloth that you use to wash your face and body
wash • ing ma • chine / wjig majin /
( also wash - er / ' wa/эг / )noun [ count ] a machine that washes clothes
was • n't / wAznt ; waznt / short forwas not
wasp / wasp /noun [ count ]
a yellow and black insect that flies and can hurt ( sting ) you by pushing a sharp part into your skin
—Look at the picture at insect .
Waste 1Ф/ weist / verb ( wastes , wast ing , wast . ed )
to use too much of something or not use something in a good way
She wastes a lot of money on candy.
He wasted his time at college — he didn't do any work.
waste 2 Ф / weist / noun
[ singular ] not using something in a useful way It's a waste to throw away all this food!
This watch was a waste of money — it's broken already!
[ noncount ] material, food, etc. that people no longer use or need
A lot of waste from the factories goes into this river.
Waste 3 Ф / weist / adjective
not useful or needed
Plants produce oxygen as a waste product.
waste .bas .ket
/ ' weist|breskat /noun [count]
a container where you put things like paper that you do not want
waste • ful / ' weistfl /adjective
using more of something than you need; causing waste
WatCh 1 Ф / wat|7 verb ( watch . es, watch . ing, watched )
to look at someone or something for some time We watched television all evening.
Watch how I do this. Thesaurus
look to turn your eyes toward someone or something, or in a particular direction: She looked at me and smiled. ♦ Look out the window! There's a rainbow! watch to look at someone or something for some time, paying attention to what happens: "Would you like to play?" "No thanks - I'll just watch." ♦ I only let my kids watch TV on weekends. ♦ He stood and watched as the taxi drove away.
see to watch a movie, a television program, a game, a performance, etc. With this meaning, see is not used with the -ing form, so you can say "I saw a movie" but NOT "I was seeing a movie": to see a movie/a TV program ♦ Did you see the game on TV yesterday?
to take care of something or someone for a short time Could you watch my bags while I buy a ticket?
to be careful about someone or something You'd better watch what you say to her.
watch out to be careful because of someone or
something dangerous
Watch out! There's a car coming.
—SYNONYM look out
watch out for someone or something to look carefully and be ready for someone or something dangerous Watch out for ice on the roads.
WatCh 2 Ф / watj/ noun ( plural watch . es )
[ count ] a thing that you wear on your wrist so you know what time it is
She kept looking at her watch nervously. Word building
A small clock that you wear on your wrist is called a watch . You say that a clock or watch is fast if it shows a time that is later than the real time. You say that it is slow if it shows a time that is earlier than the real time.
[ noncount ] the action of watching something in case of danger or problems
The soldier was keeping watch at the gate.
Wa .ter 1 Ф / vvotoг/noun [ noncount ] the liquid that is in rivers, lakes, and oceans I'd like a glass of water.
After the heavy rain a lot of the fields were under water .
wa • ter 2 / ' wotar / verb ( wa . ters , wa . ter . ing , wa . tered )
to give water to plants Did you water the plants?
(used about the eyes or mouth) to fill with liquid The smoke made my eyes water.
The food smelled so good that it made my mouth water.
wa • ter • col • or / ' wotarkAlar / noun
( ART )
watercolors [ plural ] paints that you mix with water
[ count ] a picture that you paint with watercolors
wa • ter cool • er / 'wotar |kular / noun [count]
a machine that you can get cold drinking water from, for example in an office
wa • ter • fall
/ ' wotarfol /noun [count]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a place where water falls from a high place to a low place
wa • ter • front / ' wotarfrAnt / [ count , usually singular ]
a part of a town or an area that is next to an ocean, a river, or a lake
a waterfront apartment
wa • ter • ing can / ' wotang k®n / noun
[ count ]
a container that you use for watering plants
wa • ter • mel • on / ' wotsr|melsn / noun
[ count ]
a big, round fruit with a thick, green skin. It is pink inside with a lot of black seeds.
wa • ter • proof / ' wotsrpruf / adjective
If something is waterproof , it does not let water go through it
a waterproof jacket
wa • ter • ski • ing / ' wotsrskiig / noun [ noncount ]
( SPORTS ) the sport of moving fast over water on long boards (called waterski s ), pulled by a boat
watt / wat /noun [ count ] ( abbreviationW ) ( PHYSICS ) a unit of electrical power a 60-watt light bulb
wave 1 Ф / weiv/ noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) one of the high lines of water that moves across the top of the ocean
Waves crashed against the cliffs.
a sudden increase of a feeling or type of behavior There was a wave of sympathy for the victims.
a movement of your hand from side to side in the air to say hello or goodbye, or to make a sign to someone
With a wave of his hand, he said good night and left the room.
a gentle curve in hair — Look atwavy .
( PHYSICS ) the form that some types of energy such as heat, light, and sound take
radio waves
wave 2®/ weiv / verb ( waves , wav - ing , waved )
to move your hand from side to side in the air to say hello or goodbye, or to make a sign to someone
She waved to me as the train left the station. Who are you waving at ?
to move something quickly from side to side in the air The children waved flags as the mayor rode past.
to move up and down or from side to side The flags were waving in the wind.
wave • length / ' weivie₄e /noun [ count ]
( PHYSICS ) the size of a radio wave that a particular radio station uses to send out its programs be on the same wavelength ( informal )
to have the same way of thinking as another person
We get along OK, but we're not really on the same
wavelength.
wavelength
wav • y / ' weivi /adjective ( wav - i - er , wav - i - est )
having curves; not straight a wavy line
She has wavy black hair. — Look at the picture at hair , line .
wavelength
wax / wreks /noun [ noncount ]
the substance that is used for making candles (= tall sticks that you burn to give light ) or for making things shine I bought wax for the floor.
Way Ф / wei / noun ( plural ways )
[ count ] a method or style of doing something What is the best way to learn a language?
He smiled in a friendly way.
[ count , usually singular ] a road or path that you must follow to go to a place
Can you tell me the way to the station, please? I lost my way, and I had to look at the map. We stopped for a meal on the way to the show. Here's the museum. Where's the way in ? I can't find the way out.
[ singular ] a direction; where someone or something is going or looking
Come this way.
She was looking the other way .
Is this picture the right way up ?
Those two words should be the other way around .
[ singular ] distance
It's a long way from Houston to Amarillo. by the way
words that you say when you are going to talk about something different
By the way, I got an e-mail from Ann yesterday. give way
to break
The ladder gave way and Ben fell to the ground.
to agree with someone when you did not agree before My parents finally gave way and said I could go out with my friends.
in the way
in front of someone so that you stop them from seeing something or moving I can't see — you're in the way. no way ( informal )
a way of saying "no" more strongly "Can I borrow your bike?" "No way!" out of the way
no longer stopping someone from moving or doing something
Get out of the way! There's a car coming! way of life
how people live
Is the way of life in Europe different from America?
We Ф / wi /pronoun [ plural ]
I and another person or other people; you and I Mick and I went out last night — we went to the theater. Are we late?
weak О / wik / adjective ( i/eak - er , weak - est )
not powerful or strong
She felt very weak after her long illness. He is too weak to be a good leader.
—ANTONYM strong
Something that is weak can break easily The bridge is too weak to carry heavy traffic.
(used about a drink) containing a lot of water; not strong in taste
I'd like some weak tea. —ANTONYM strong ►weak • ly / ' wikli / adverb She smiled weakly at them.
weak • en / wikan / verb ( weak - ens , weak en - ing , weak - ened )
to become less strong, or to make someone or something less strong; He was weakened by the illness.
weak . ness Ф / 'wikrw noun
( plural weak - ness . es )
[ noncount ] the state of not being strong He thought that crying was a sign of weakness.
[ count ] something that is wrong or bad in a person or thing —ANTONYM strength
wealth / wel9 /noun
[ noncount ] a lot of money, land, or property He is a man of great wealth.
[ singular ] a large number or amount of something He has a wealth of teaching experience. ►wealth • y / ' wel6i /adjective
( wealth - i er , wealth i - est )
a wealthy family —SYNONYM rich
Weap .ОП Ф / 'wepsn /noun [ count ] something, such as a gun, that is used for fighting or killing people
nuclear weapons
The police still haven't found the murder weapon .
wear 1 Ф / vvrr / verb
( wears , wear - ing , wore / wor / has worn / worn / ) PRONUNCIATION
The word wear sounds just like where .
to have clothes, jewelry, etc. on your body She was wearing a red dress. I wear glasses.
wear off to become less strong The pain is wearing off.
wear out ; wear something out to become thin or damaged because you have used it a lot; to make something do this
Children's shoes usually wear out very quickly. wear someone out to make someone very tired She wore herself out by working too hard.
wear2 / wer /noun [ noncount ]
clothes sportswear
long use which damages something This carpet is showing signs of wear.
wea • ry / ' wiri / adjective
( wea - ri - er , wea . ri - est ) very tired a weary traveler ►wea • ri • ly / ' wirali / adverb She sank wearily into a chair.
wea • sel / wizl /noun [ count ]
a small wild animal with red-brown fur, a long thin body, and short legs. Weasels eat smaller animals.
weath .er Ф / vvrdor / noun [ noncount ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) how much sun, rain, or wind there is at a certain time, or how hot or cold it is What's the weather like where you are? We had bad weather last week. Collocations The weather good weather the sun shines
a gentle/cool/warm breeze blowsbad weather
snow falls/covers everything the rain falls/pours down the wind blows/howls
snow/wet weather/a storm/a hurricane is approaching/is forecast
forecast/expect/predict rain/snow/wet weather/a storm/a hurricane thunder rumbles lightning strikes
weath • er fore • cast / ' wedar forkrest /
noun [ count ]
words on television, radio, or in a newspaper that tell you what the weather will be like
The weather forecast says it will be sunny and dry tomorrow.
weath • er • vane / 'wedarvein / noun [ count ]
a thing on the roof of a building that turns to show which direction the wind is blowing from
weave / wiv / verb ( weaves , weav - ing , wove
/ wouv / has wo - ven / ' wouvan / )
to make cloth by putting threads over and under one another
These scarves are woven by hand. web / web / noun
[ count ] a thin net that a spider makes to catch insects —Look at the picture atspider .
the Web [ singular ] ( COMPUTERS ) the system that makes it possible for you to see information from all over the world on your computer
—SYNONYM the World Wide Web
Collocations
The Internet
connecting
connect to/log on to/access the Internet/the Web go/be online/on the Internet using
browse/surf/search the Internet/the Web check out/visit a website/someone's blog click/click on/follow a link start/have/write/read a blog chatting and sharing chat with someone/your friends online meet someone in/enter a chat room download/upload music/a song/a video/a photo post a comment/a message share information/files
web • cam / ' webkrem /noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a video camera that is connected to a computer so that you can watch what it records on a website as it is happening
web page / ' web peid3 /noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a part of a website that you can see on your computer screen
We learned how to create and register a new web page.
web .site Ф / 'websait/noun [ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a place on the Internet that you can look at to find out information about something I found this information on their website . Visit our website to learn more.
we'd / wid /
short for we had , we would
wed .ding © / wiir)/ noun[count ]
a time when a man and a woman get married Billy and Elena invited me to their wedding. She just bought a wedding dress. Word building At a wedding , two people get married . On their wedding day , the woman is called the bride and the man is the groom (or bridegroom ). The groom is helped by his best man . The bride is helped by her bridesmaids . The most important bridesmaid is the maid of honor . After the ceremony, there is usually a wedding reception (= a formal party ) . Many couples go on a honeymoon (= a vacation ) after getting married.
Marriage is the relationship between a husband and a wife : They had a long and happy marriage.
wedge / wed3 /noun [ count ]
a piece of wood or other material, with one thick and one thin, pointed end
Push a wedge under the door to keep it open.
Wednes .day © / wenzdei ; wenzdi /noun
[ count, noncount ] ( abbreviationWeds. )
the day of the week after Tuesday and before Thursday
weed1 / wid /noun [ count ]
a wild plant that grows where you do not want it The garden of the old house was full of weeds.
weed 2 / wid /verb ( weeds , weed - ing , weed - ed ) to pull weeds out of the ground
week © / wik /noun [ count ]
1 a time of seven days, usually from Sunday to the next Saturday
I'm going to Sue's house next week. I play tennis twice a week .
saw him two weeks ago.
the part of the week when people go to work, especially Monday to Friday
I work during the week but not on weekends.
week • day / ' wikdei /noun [ count ]
any day except Saturday or Sunday I only work on weekdays .
week .end © / ' wikend /noun [ count ]
Saturday and Sunday
What are you doing over the weekend ?
week • ly / ' wikli / adjective, adverb
happening or coming every week or once a week a weekly magazine I am paid weekly.
week • night / wiknait /noun [ count ]
any night of the week except Saturday, Sunday, and sometimes Friday night
My parents don't let me go out on weeknights.
weep / wip / verb ( weeps , weep - ing , wept
/ wept / has wept ) ( formal )
to cry, usually because you are sad
weigh © / wei / verb ( weighs , weigh ing , weighed ) Pronunciation
The word weigh sounds just like way .
1 to measure how heavy someone or something is using a
machine (called a scale )
The clerk weighed the package.
2 to have or show a certain weight
"How much do you weigh?" "I weigh 155pounds."
weight © / weit / noun
[ noncount ] how heavy someone or something is Do you know the weight of the letter?
I'm getting fat — I need to lose weight (= get thinner ) ! He put on weight (= got fatter ) .
[ count ] a piece of metal that weighs a particular amount and is used to measure the weight of something, or which people lift in order to improve their strength and as a sport
She lifts weights as part of her training.
weight • lift • ing / ' weit|liftig / noun [ noncount ]
( SPORTS ) a sport in which people lift heavy metal weights
weird / wird / adjective ( weird er , weird - est )
very strange I had a weird dream.
weird • o / ' wirdou /noun [ count ] ( pluralweird . os ) ( informal )
a person who looks strange or behaves in a strange way
wel . come 1 © / 'welbm / verb
( wel - come , wel - com - ing , wel comed )
to be friendly to someone when they arrive somewhere He came to the door to welcome us.
to be happy to receive or accept something
I really don't know what to do next, so I'd welcome any suggestions.
►wel • come noun [ count ]
They gave us a warm welcome.
wel • come 2 / ' welkam / adjective
If someone or something is welcome , you are happy to see them or it
The cool drinks were welcome on such a hot day. Welcome to America!
( informal ) used to say that you are happy for someone to do something if they want to
If you come to the States again, you're welcome to stay with us.
make someone welcome
to show a visitor that you are happy to see them you're welcome
polite words that you say when someone has said "thank you"
"Thank you." "You're welcome."
weld / weld / verb ( welds , weld - ing , weld - ed )
to join pieces of metal by heating them and pressing them together
All the parts of the sculpture have to be welded together.
wel • fareaw щ / 'welfer /noun [ noncount ]
the health and happiness of a person
The school is responsible for the welfare of its students.
money that the government pays to people who need it There are many familes on welfare .
we'll / wii /
short for we will
well 1© / wel / adverb ( bet - te , >est )
1 in a good or right way You speak English very well. These shoes are really well made.
—ANTONYM badly
2 completely or very much I don't know Cathy very well.
You'll need to shake the bottle well before you open it. as well
also
"I'm going out." "Can I come as well?" —SYNONYM too
as well as
and also
She has an apartment in Florida as well as a house in
Maine.
do well
to be successful
He did well on his exams.
may or might as well
words that you use to say that you will do something, often because there is nothing else to do If you've finished your work, you may as well go home. well done!
words that you say to someone who has done something good
"I got the job!" "Well done!"
well 2 Ф / wel / adjective ( bet ter , best)
healthy
"How are you?" "I'm very well, thanks." —ANTONYM sick
well зФ / wel/ exclamation
a word that you often say when you are starting to speak "Do you like it?" "Well, I'm not really sure."
a word that you use to show surprise Well, that's strange!
a word that you use when you are waiting for someone to say something
Well? Are you going to tell me what happened?
( also oh well ) a word that you use when you know there is nothing you can do to change a situation
Well, we made a mistake and there's nothing we can do about it now.
well4 / wel /noun [ count ]
a deep hole for getting water or oil from under the ground an oil well
well-be • haved / | wel bi heivd / adjective
behaving in a way that most people think is good Their children are very well-behaved.
well-be • ing / |wel ' biig /noun [ noncount ]
a feeling of being healthy and happy
well-done / | wel dAn / adjective
Meat that is well-done has been cooked for a long time. — Look atrare ( 2 ).
well-dressed / | wel drest / adjective
wearing attractive or expensive clothes a well-dressed young man
well-known / |wel ' noun /adjective
famous
She's very well known in this part of the country. a well-known writer
—ANTONYM unknown well off / |wel ' of /adjective
rich
They must be very well off — their house is huge. —SYNONYM rich , wealthy went
form of go 1
wept
form of weep
we're / wir /
short for we are
were / wsr /
form of be
weren't / wsrnt /
short for were not
were • wolf / werwulf /noun [ count ] ( pluralwere . wolves/ ' werwulvz / ) (in stories) a person who sometimes changes into a wild animal like a big dog (called a wolf ), especially at the time of the full moon
west Ф / west / noun [ singular ] ( abbreviation W. ) (GEOGRAPHY)
the direction you look in to see the sun go down Which way is west?
They live in the west of Montana.
— Look at the picture at compass .
the west or the West the part of any country, city, etc. that is further to the west than the other parts
the history of the American West
the West the countries of North America and western Europe
west adjective, adverb
A west wind is blowing.
The town is five miles west of here.
west .ern 1 © / 'westorn/ adjective
(GEOGRAPHY)
in or of the west of a place
Western parts of the country will be very cold.
Western from or connected with the western part of the world, especially Europe and North America
west • ern 2 / ' westsrn / noun [ count ]
a movie, TV program, or book about life in the past in the west of the U.S.
Wet 1 © / wet/ adjective ( wet ter , wet test)
covered in water or another liquid This towel is wet — can I have a dry one? There was a strong smell of wet paint.
with a lot of rain a wet day
—ANTONYM dry
wet 2 / wet / verb ( wets , wet - ting , wet or wet - ted , has wet or has wet - ted )
to make something wet
Wet your hair before you put shampoo on it.
wet • lands / wetlsndz / noun [ plural ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) an area of land that is always wet The wetlands are home to a large variety of wildlife.
wet • suit / ' wetsut / noun [ count ]
a rubber suit that covers the whole body, which you wear for swimming underwater or playing sports in the water
we've / wiv /
short for we have
whale / weil / noun [ count ]
a very big animal that lives in the ocean and looks like a very big fish
wharf / worf /noun [ count ] ( pluralwharves / worvz / )
a long structure that is built from the land into the ocean, where people can tie up their boats
what О / wAt ; wat / pronoun, adjective
a word that you use when you ask about someone or something
What's your name? What are you reading? What time is it?
What kind of music do you like?
the thing that
I don't know what this word means. Tell me what to do.
a word that you use to show surprise or other strong feelings
What a terrible day! What beautiful flowers! what? ( informal )
a word that you use when you did not hear something correctly
What? I can't hear you.
a word that you use when you want to know what someone wants
"Mom!" "What?" "Can I have a drink?" what about...?
words that you use when you suggest something What about going to a restaurant tonight?
—SYNONYM how about...?
what...for?
for what purpose or reason? What did you say that for? What's this machine for? what if.? what would happen if...? What if the car breaks down? what is...like?
words that you use when you want to know more about
someone or something
"What's her brother like?" "He's very nice."
what's on?
words that you use when you want to know what television programs are being shown What's on TV tonight? what's up? ( informal )
used to say "hello" to someone
"Hey Chris, what's up?" "Not much. How about you?"
what is wrong?
You look sad. What's up?
what • eV • еГ © / wotrvor ; vvutrvor /
adjective, pronoun, adverb
any or every; anything or everything
These animals eat whatever food they can find. I'll do whatever I can to help you.
it does not matter what Whatever you do, don't be late.
3 ( informal ) a word that you say to show that you do not
mind what you do or have
"What should we do tomorrow?" "Whatever."
what' s / wAts ; wats / short for what is , what has
wheat / wit /noun [ noncount ]
a type of grain that can be made into flour
wheel Ф / wil /noun [ count ]
a thing like a circle, which turns around to move something
such as a car or a bicycle
His favorite toy is a dog on wheels.
—Look at the picture at car .
wheel 2 / wil / verb ( wheels , wheel • ing , wheeled )
wheel bar • row
to push along something that has wheels I wheeled my bicycle up the hill.
wheelbarrow
/
'wil|brerou /noun [ count ]
a container with one wheel and two handles that you use outside for carrying things
wheel • chair
/ ' wilt/er /noun [count]
a chair with wheels for someone who cannot walk
wheeze / wiz /
( wheezes , wheez . ing , wheezed )
to breathe in a noisy way, for example because you have an illness in your chest
She's been wheezing and coughing all day.
when О / wen / adverb, conjunction
1 at what time When did she arrive?
don't know when his birthday is.
at the time that
It was raining when we left school. I saw her in May, when she was in Denver. He came when I called him.
since; considering that
Why do you want another dog when you have two already?
when .ev . er © / wrn'rvor / conjunction
at any time that
Come and see us whenever you want.
every time that
Whenever I see her, she talks about her boyfriend.
where Ф / wer / adverb, conjunction
1 in or to what place Where do you live?
asked her where she lived. Where's he going?
in which; at which
This is the street where I live.
where • as AWL / wer' rez / conjunction
a word that you use between two different ideas John likes traveling, whereas I don't.
where • byawП / wer ' bai /adverb ( formal )
by which; because of which
They are introducing a program whereby all staff can have regular training.
wher . ev . er © / wer evar / adverb, conjunction
at, in, or to any place Sit wherever you like.
wheth .еГ Ф / wedar / conjunction
1 a word that we use to talk about choosing between two things
don't know whether to go or not.
if
She asked me whether I was married.
which © / witf / pronoun, adjective
what person or thing
Which color do you like best — blue or green? Which apartment do you live in?
a word that shows exactly what thing or things you are talking about
Did you read the poem which Louise wrote?
a word that you use before you say more about something
Her new dress, which she bought for $200, is really beautiful.
which • ev • er / witf evar / adjective, pronoun
any person or thing
Here are two books — take whichever you want.
while i© / wail / conjunction
during the time that; when
The telephone rang while I was taking a shower.
at the same time as
I listen to the radio while I'm eating my breakfast.
while 2Ф / wail /noun [ singular ]
a period of time
Let's sit here for a while .
I'm going home in a while (= soon ) .
whim • per / ' wimpar / verb ( whim - pers , whim per - ing , whim - pered )
to make a soft crying noise, because you are hurt or afraid "Don't leave me alone," he whimpered. ►whim • pernoun [ count ]
The dog gave a whimper.
whine / wain / verb ( whines , whin - ing , whined )
1 to complain about things in an unpleasant, crying voice The children were whining all afternoon.
2 to make a long, high, sad sound The dog was whining outside the door.
whip1 / wip /noun [ count ]
a long piece of leather or rope with a handle, used for making animals move faster or for hitting people
whip 2 / wip / verb ( whips , whip ping , whipped )
to hit an animal or a person with a whip
The rider whipped the horse to make it go faster.
to mix food very quickly with a fork, for example, until it is light and thick
whipped cream
whirl / warl / verb ( whirls , whirl - ing , whirled )
to move around and around very quickly The dancers whirled around the room.
whirl • pool / ' warlpul /noun [ count ]
( GEOGRAPHY ) a place in a river or the ocean where the water moves around in a circle very quickly
whisk 1 / wisk / verb ( whisks , whisk - ing , whisked )
to mix eggs or cream very quickly with a fork or a whisk
to take someone or something somewhere very quickly The president was whisked away in a helicopter.
whisk2 / wisk /noun [ count ] a tool that you use for mixing eggs or cream very quickly —Look at the picture atkitchen .
whisk • er / ' wiskar /noun [ count ]
one of the long hairs that grow near the mouth of a cat, a mouse, and some other animals
—Look at the picture at cat .
whis • key / wiski /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralwhis . keys )
a strong alcoholic drink; a glass of this drink
whis • per / wispar / verb ( whis - pers , whis - per - ing , whis - pered )
to speak very quietly to someone, so that other people cannot hear what you are saying
He whispered so that he would not wake the baby up. ►whis • pernoun [ count ]
She spoke in a whisper .
whis • tle 1 / wisl /noun [ count ]
a small musical instrument that makes a long, high sound when you blow it
The referee blew his whistle to start the game.
the long, high sound that you make when you blow air out between your lips or when you blow a whistle
whis • tle 2 / 'wisl / verb ( whis - tles , whis - tling , whis tled )
to make a long, high sound by blowing air out between your lips or through a whistle He whistled a tune to himself.
white О / wait / adjective ( л/hit e , whit est)
with the color of snow or milk
He wore a white shirt and a blue tie.
with pale skin
White wine is wine with a light color.
white 2 Ф / wait /noun
[ noncount ] the color of snow or milk She was dressed in white .
[ count ] a person with pale skin 3 [ count, noncount ] the part inside an egg that is around the yellow middle part Add the whites of two eggs.
—Look at the picture at egg .
white • board / waitbord /noun [ count ]
a large, white board that people like teachers write on with special pens
—Look at blackboard .
white-col • lar / | wait kalsr / adjective
( BUSINESS ) connected with people who do office work rather than physical work white-collar jobs
—Look at blue-collar .
the White House / 6s wait haus / noun
[ singular ] ( politics )
the large building in Washington, D.C. where the U.S. president lives and works
the U.S. president and his or her officials The White House has issued a statement.
whiz ( also whizz ) / wiz / verb ( whiz - zes , whiz zing , whizzed )
( informal )
to move very quickly
The bullet whizzed past his head.
who О / hu / pronoun
1 a word we use in questions to ask about the name, position, etc. of one or more people Who is that girl?
don't know who did it.
a word that shows which person or people you are talking about
I like people who say what they think. The woman who I work for is very nice.
who'd / hud / short for who had , who would
who .eV .еГ © / hu'rvor / pronoun
the person who; any person who Whoever broke the glass must pay for it.
a way of saying "it does not matter who" I don't want to see anyone — whoever it is.
Whole 1® / houl /adjective PRONUNCIATION
The word whole sounds just like hole , because we don't say the w in this word.
complete; with no parts missing He ate the whole cake!
We are going to Australia for a whole month.
whole 2© / houl /noun [ singular ]
a thing that is complete Two halves make a whole.
all of something
I spent the whole of the weekend in bed. on the whole
generally, but not always completely true On the whole, I think it's a good idea.
whole • some / ' houlssm / adjective
good for your health
simple, wholesome food for the whole family
having good moral values
We prefer more wholesome entertainment for our kids.
who'll / hul /
short for who will whol • ly / ' houli / adverb ( formal )
completely
He is not wholly to blame for the situation. —SYNONYM totally
whom / hum / pronoun
( formal )
a word we use instead of "who" as the object of a verb or preposition
To whom did you give the money? She's the woman whom I met in Greece.
whoop / wup ; hup / verb (whoops , whoop ing , whooped )
to shout loudly because you are happy or excited ►whoopnoun [ count ]
He let out a whoop of laughter.
who's / huz /
short for who is , who has
whose © / huz / adjective, pronoun
used to ask who something belongs to Whose car is this?
used to say exactly which person or thing you mean, or to give extra information about a person or thing
That's the boy whose sister is a singer.
who've / huv /
short for who have
Why Ф / wai /adverb
for what reason Why are you late? I don't know why she's angry. why not?
words that you use to make or agree to a suggestion Why not ask Kate to go with you? "Let's go see a movie." "Sure, why not?"
wick • ed / ' wiksd / adjective
very bad
a story about a wicked witch —SYNONYM evil
wide Ч-¹ / waid / adjective (wid ei , i/id es )
far from one side to the other We drove down a wide road.
—ANTONYM narrow
You use wide to say or ask how far something is from one side to the other
The table was 6 feet wide. How wide is the river?
completely open
The children's eyes were wide with excitement. The noun is width .
wide 2 / waid /adverb completely; as far or as much as possible Open your mouth wide. I'm wide awake!
She stood with her feet wide apart .
wide • ly / ' waidli /adverb
by a lot of people; in or to a lot of places He has traveled widely in Asia.
wid • en / waidn / verb ( wid - ens , wid en - ing , wid ened )
to become wider; to make something wider They are widening the road.
wide • spread aw / ' waidspred /
If something is widespread , it is happening in many places
The disease is becoming more widespread.
wid • ow / ' widou /noun [ count ]
a woman whose husband is dead
wid • ow • er / ' widouar / noun
[count]
a man whose wife is dead width / wrd6 /noun [ count ]
how far it is from one side of something to the other; how
wide something is
The room is fifteen feet in width .
The adjective is wide .
Look at the picture atdimension .
wifeО / waif /noun [ count ]
( pluralwives / waivz / )
the woman that someone is married to
Look at husband .
wig / wig /noun [ count ]
a covering for your head made of hair that is not your own
wi • ki / ' wiki /noun [ count ] ( pluralwi . kis ) a website that allows any user to change or add to the information it contains
Wild 1 Ф / waild / adjective ( wild er , wild es )
Wild plants and animals live or grow in nature, not with people
We picked some wild flowers.
excited; not controlled She was wild with anger.
The crowd went wild with excitement.
( informal ) exciting and interesting, because it is unusual
a totally wild outfit
wild2 / 'waild /nounthe wild [ singular ]
a natural area that is not controlled by people In Africa we saw gorillas in the wild .
wil • der • ness / ' wildarnas / noun
[ count , usually singular ]
a large area of land that has never been used for building on
or for growing things
We love to go camping in the wilderness.
wild • life / ' waildlaif /noun [noncount]
animals and plants in nature
Collocations
The Natural World
animals
animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something) birds fly/sing/nest/migrate insects crawl/fly/bite/sting hunt/capture/kill prey lay/fertilize eggs plants and fungi trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower a seed sprouts
leaves/buds/shoots appear/develop/form a fungus grows/spreads pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant produce/spread pollen/seeds
will / wal ; wil /modal verb
Grammar
The negative form of will is will not or the short form won't / wount / : They won't be there.
The short form of will is 'll . We often use this: You'll (= you will ) be late. ♦ He'll (= he will ) drive you to the station.
a word that shows the future
Do you think she will come tomorrow?
a word that you use when you agree or promise to do something
I'll carry your bag for you.
a word that you use when you ask someone to do something
Will you open the window, please? Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
will 2 © / wil /noun
[ count, noncount ] the power of your mind that makes you choose, decide, and do things
She has a very strong will, and no one can stop her from doing what she wants.
[ singular ] what someone wants to happen The man made him get into the car against his will (= when he did not want to ) .
[ count ] a legal document that says who will have your money, house, etc. when you die
My grandmother left me $2,000 in her will.
will • ing / ' wilig / adjective
ready and happy to do something
I'm willing to work weekends. —ANTONYM unwilling
►will • ing • ly / ' wilig li / adverb
I'll willingly help you.
►will • ing • ness / ' wilignas / noun
[ noncount , singular ]
He showed no willingness to help.
wil • low / ' wilou /noun [ count ] a tree with long, thin branches that hang down. Willow trees grow near water.
will • pow • er / 'wil|pauar/noun [ noncount ]
the ability to keep trying to succeed, even when something is hard to do
It takes willpower to quit smoking.
wimp / wimp /noun [ count ] ( informal )
a person who is weak or afraid to do things
Will © / win / verb ( wins, win ning, won / шлп / has won )
to be the best or the first in a game, race, or competition Who won the race?
Tom won and I was second.
—ANTONYM lose
to receive something because you did well or tried hard I won a prize in the competition.
Who won the gold medal?
►winnoun [ count ]
Our team has had five wins this year.
—Look at winning , winner .
Wind l ©/ wind /noun [ count, noncount] ( GEOGRAPHY ) air that moves The wind blew his hat off.
Strong winds caused a lot of damage to buildings. Thesaurus
wind air that moves quickly outside: The wind was blowing hard. ♦ The trees were swaying in the wind . ♦ Several trees were blown over in the strong winds . ♦ A gust of wind blew my hat off.
hurricane a violent storm with very strong winds, which starts over the ocean: Many of the buildings here were destroyed in the hurricane. ♦ Hurricane Rita is now approaching the coast of Florida. tornado a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle. There is often also a tall cloud which is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top: A tornado tore through the town yesterday. ♦ The hotel was completely destroyed by a tornado. ♦ a tornado warning breeze a light wind: A light breeze was blowing. ♦ The flowers were gently moving in the breeze. ♦ a cool/warm breeze
gale a very strong wind: The roof of the school was torn off by the gale. ♦ The gale blew down several trees.
wind 2 / waind /verb
( winds , wind . ing , wound / waund / has wound ) Pronunciation
The verb wind sounds like find , and the past forms sound like found .
to make something long go around and around another thing; The nurse wound the bandage around my knee.
to turn a key or handle to make something work or move The clock will stop if you don't wind it up .
A road or river that winds has a lot of bends and turns The path winds through the forest.
wind • chill / 'windtjil /noun [ noncount ]
the effect of a cold temperature together with wind
The windchill factor makes it feel even colder outside
today.
wind in • stru • ment / ' wind |instremant /
noun [ count ] ( MUSIC ) a musical instrument that you play by blowing through it
wind • mill / ' windmil /noun [ count ] a tall building with long, flat parts that turn in the wind
win .dow © / 'windou /noun [ count ]
an opening in a building or in a car door, for example, with glass in it
It was cold, so I closed the window. She looked out of the window.
( COMPUTERS ) an area on a computer screen that shows a particular type of information or program
to open or close a window
win • dow • pane / ' windoupein / noun [count]
a piece of glass in a window
win • dow • sill / ' windousil/noun [ count ] a shelf under a window
wind • shield / 'wmdjiid /
the big window at the front of a car —Look at the picture atcar .
wind • shield wip • er / ' windjild waipar /
( also wip .er )noun [ count ]
a thing that cleans rain and dirt off the windshield while you are driving
wind • surf • ing / ' windsarfig / noun [noncount]
с sports ) the sport wi nd su rti ng
of moving over water on a special board with a sail
We like to go windsurfing on the weekend.
►wind • surf • er
/ 'windsarfar /noun [count]
This beach is popular with
windsurfers.
wind • y / ' windi / adjective ( wind . i er , wind i . est )
with a lot of wind It's very windy today!
wine © / wain /noun [ count, noncount] an alcoholic drink made from small green or purple fruit (called grapes )
Would you like red or white wine? She ordered a glass of wine.
wing © / wig /noun [ count ]
one of the two parts that a bird or an insect uses to fly The chicken ran around flapping its wings.
—Look at the picture at bird .
one of the two long parts at the sides of an airplane that support it in the air
a part of a building that was added to the main part He's in the new wing of the hospital.
wing • span / 'wigsp®n /noun [ count ]
the distance between the end of one wing and the end of the other
Eagles can have a wingspan of over seven feet.
wink / wigk / verb ( winks , wink . ing , winked )
to close and open one eye quickly as a friendly or secret sign
to someone
She winked at me.
winknoun [ count ]
He gave me a wink .
—Look at blink .
win . пег ф / 'wmsr/ noun [ count ]
a person or an animal that wins a game, race, or
competition
The winner was given a prize. —ANTONYM loser
win • ning / ' winig / adjective
The winning person or team is the one that wins a game, race, or competition the winning team
win .ter © / 'winter /noun
[ count, noncount ]
the coldest part of the year, which comes between fall and spring
It often snows in the winter .
wipe 1 / waip / verb ( wipes , wip - ing , wiped )
1 to make something clean or dry with a cloth
washed my hands and wiped them on a towel. The waitress wiped off the table.
to take away something by rubbing it She wiped the dirt off her shoes.
I wiped up the milk on the floor.
wipe something out to destroy a place completely
The bombs wiped out whole towns.
wipe2 / waip /noun [ count ]
the action of wiping something He gave the table a quick wipe .
a piece of paper or thin cloth with a special liquid on it that you use for cleaning things
a box of face wipes (= for cleaning your face )
wip • er / ' waipar / noun [ count ] = windshield wiper wire © / vvaior/ noun
[ count ]
a long piece of very thin metal
The box was fastened with a piece of wire.
The telephone wires had been cut.
— Look at the picture at cord .
wis • dom / wizdam / noun
[ noncount ]
knowing and understanding a lot about many things Some people think that old age brings wisdom. The adjective is wise .
wis • dom tooth / ' wizdam tu6 / [count] ( pluralwis - dom teeth / ' wizdam ti6 / ) ( BIOLOGY ) one of the four large teeth at the back of your mouth that appear when you are about 20 years old
wise / waiz / adjective ( wis - er , wis - est )
knowing and understanding a lot about many things a wise old man Do you think this is wise? ► wise • ly / waizli /adverb
Many people wisely stayed at home in the bad weather.
wish iO/wiJV verb ( wish - es , wish - ing , wished )
1 to want something that is not possible or that will probably not happen I wish I could fly! I wish I had passed the exam!
wish we were rich.
to say to yourself that you want something and hope that it will happen
You can't have everything you wish for .
( formal ) to want to do or have something I wish to see the manager.
to say that you hope someone will have something I wished her a happy birthday.
wish 2©/wiJ*/noun [count ] ( plural wish es ) 1 a feeling that you want to do or have something
have no wish to go.
an act of trying to make something happen by saying you want it to happen or by hoping that it will happen
Close your eyes and make a wish ! best wishes
words that you write at the end of a letter, before your name, to show that you hope someone is well and happy See you soon. Best wishes, Lucy.
wit / wit /noun
[ noncount ] speaking or writing in an intelligent and funny way
wits [ plural ] the ability to think quickly and in an intelligent way
He needed all his wits to find his way out.
witch / witf /noun [ count ] ( pluralwitch - es )
a woman in stories who uses magic to do bad things — Look atwizard .
with © / wid ; wi6 / preposition
1 a word that shows people or things are together I live with my parents. Mix the flour with milk.
agree with you.
having or carrying
He's an old man with gray hair. I want to live in a house with a garden. I passed a woman with an enormous suitcase.
using
I cut it with a knife. Fill the bottle with water.
against
I played tennis with my sister.
agreeing with or supporting someone or something Are you with us on this plan?
—ANTONYM against
because of
Her hands were blue with cold.
with • draw / wid ' dro ; wi6 ' dro /verb
(with - draws, with draw - ing, with drew / wid ' dru ;
wi6 ' dru / has with - drawn / wid ' dron ; wi6 ' dron / )
to move back or away
The army withdrew from the town.
to say that you will not take part in something Rob has withdrawn from the race.
to take something out or away
I withdrew $100 from my bank account.
with • er / widar / verb ( with - ers, with er - ing , with ered )
If a plant withers , it becomes dry and dies The plants withered in the hot sun.
with • ill © / wi'din; wi'8in / preposition
before the end of
I'll be back within an hour.
not farther than
We live within a mile of the train station.
( formal ) inside
There are 400 prisoners within the prison walls.
with . out © / wi' daut ; wi' 6aut /preposition,
adverb
1 not having, showing, or using something It's cold — don't go out without your coat.
drink coffee without sugar.
not being with someone or something He left without me.
do without
to manage when something is not there There isn't any milk, so we'll have to do without. without doing something
not doing something
They left without saying goodbye.
wit • ness / ' witnss /noun [ count ] ( pluralwit - ness - es )
a person who sees something happen and can tell other people about it later
There were two witnesses to the accident.
a person who goes to a court of law to tell people what he or she saw
a witness for the defense
►wit • ness verb ( wit - ness - es , wit - ness ing , wit - nessed )
She witnessed a murder.
wit • ty / ' witi / adjective ( wit - ti er , wit - ti - est )
intelligent and funny a witty answer
wives plural of wife
wiz • ard / wizsrd /noun [ count ]
a man in stories who has magic powers —Look atwitch .
wob • ble / wabl / verb (wob - bles , wob - bling , wob - bled )
to move a little from side to side That chair wobbles when you sit on it. ► wob • bly / ' wabli /adjective ( wob - bli er , wob - bli - est )
a wobbly table
wok / wak /noun [ cou nt ]
a large pan that is shaped like a bowl and used for cooking Chinese food
woke, wok • en
forms of wake
wolf / wulf / noun [ count ] ( pluralwolves
/ wulvz / ) a wild animal like a big dog
wom .ЭП Ф / 'wumsn/ noun [ count ]
( pluralwom - en / ' wimsn / )
an adult female person
men, women, and children
Would you prefer to see a woman doctor?
womb / wum /noun [ count ]
the part of a woman or a female animal where a baby develops before it is born
—SYNONYM uterus won form of win
WOn .der 1 © / ЧулпсЬг/ verb ( won - ders , won der ing , won - dered )
to ask yourself something; to want to know something I wonder what that noise is. I wonder why he didn't come. I wonder if...
words that you use to ask a question politely I wonder if I could use your phone.
won • der 2 / ' wAndsr / noun
[ noncount ] a feeling that you have when you see or hear something very strange, surprising, or beautiful
The children stared in wonder at the elephants.
[ count ] something that gives you this feeling the wonders of modern medicine
it's a wonder. it is surprising that...
It's a wonder you weren't killed in the accident.
no wonder
it is not surprising
She didn't sleep last night, so no wonder she's tired.
WOn .der .ful © / 'Yvuidorfl /adjective
very good
What a wonderful present! This food is wonderful.
—SYNONYM fantastic
won't / wount / short forwill not
wood © / wud /
[ count, noncount ] the hard substance that trees are made of
Put some more wood on the fire. The table is made of wood.
—Look at the picture at tree .
[ count ] a big group of trees, smaller than a forest a large wood
a walk in the woods
WOOd .en © / 'wudn/adjective
made of wood
The toys are kept in a large wooden box.
wood • land / wudlsnd / noun
[ count, noncount ]
an area of land that is covered with trees The house is surrounded by woodlands.
wood • peck • er / ' wud|peksr / noun
[ count ]
a bird that makes holes in trees when it is looking for insects to eat
wood • wind / wudwind /noun [ count ]
( MUSIC ) a type of musical instrument that is often made of wood and that you play by blowing into it Word building An orchestra is made up of four sections. The strings section includes violins and cellos. The woodwind section includes clarinets and flutes. The brass section includes trumpets and trombones. The percussion section includes drums and cymbals.
wool © / wul /
[noncount]
the soft, thick hair of sheep
thread or cloth that is made from the hair of sheep The cat was playing with a ball of wool.
This sweater is made of pure wool.
wool • en / wulsn / adjective
made of wool woolen socks
wool • ly ( also wool ) / ' wuli / ( wool li - er , wool - li est )
made of wool, or like wool a woolly hat
word Ф / ward /noun
[ count ] ( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a sound that you make, or a letter or group of letters that you write, which has a meaning
What's the Italian word for "dog"? Do you know the words of this song?
[ count ] something that you say Can I have a word with you?
Don't say a word about this to anyone.
[ singular ] a promise
She gave me her word that she wouldn't tell anyone. Claire said she would come, and she kept her word (= did what she had promised ) .
in other words
saying the same thing in a different way
Joe doesn't like hard work — in other words, he's lazy!
take someone's word for it
to believe what someone says
word for word
using exactly the same words
Mike repeated word for word what you told him.
word proc • es • sor / 'ward |prasesar / noun
[ count ]
( COMPUTERS ) a small computer that you can use for writing
► word proc • es • sing / ward |prasesig / noun
[ noncount ]
I mainly use the computer for word processing.
wore
form of wear 1
WOrk 1 © / work /verb ( works , work - ing , worked )
to be busy doing or making something
You will need to work hard if you want to pass the exam. I'm going to work on my essay this evening.
to do something as a job and get money for it Suzy works for the government.
I work at the car factory.
to go correctly or to do something correctly We can't watch TV — it isn't working.
How does this camera work?
to make something do something
Can you show me how to work the coffee machine?
to have the result you wanted
I don't think your plan will work. work out
1 to have the result you wanted
hope things work out for you.
to do exercises to keep your body strong and healthy She works out every day.
The noun is workout .
work something out to find the answer to something We worked out the cost of a new kitchen.
work 2 Ф / work /noun
1 [ noncount ] the job that you do to earn money
I'm looking for work.
What time do you start work ?
How long have you been out of work (= without a job ) ? Thesaurus
job the work that you do to earn money: My dad told me to go out and get a job . ♦ She's trying to find a full-time job . ♦ I'm only doing my job (= I'm doing what I am paid to do ) . ♦ He's looking for a job in teaching.
work the job that you do to earn money. Work is a noncount noun, so you cannot say "a work" or "works": It's very difficult to find work in this city. ♦ I've been out of work (= without a job ) for almost a year. ♦ She goes jogging every morning before work. employment the state of having a job that you are paid to do. This is a noncount noun, and is a more formal word than work and job : The company provides employment for 150 staff. ♦ I'm only looking for part-time employment right now. career the jobs that someone has in a particular area of work over a period of time. Your career often involves several jobs, which usually involve more responsibility as time passes: a teaching career ♦a career in politics ♦ Why did you decide on a career as a vet?
profession a job that needs special training and higher education: the legal profession ♦ She hopes to enter the medical profession . ♦ He's a teacher by profession .
[ noncount ] the place where you have a job I called him at work.
I'm not going to work today.
[ noncount ] doing or making something Digging the garden is hard work .
She's so lazy — she never does any work .
The group is at work on (= making ) a new show.
[ noncount ] something that you make or do The teacher corrected the student's work.
The artist only sells her work to friends.
[ count ] ( ART , ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS , MUSIC ) a book, painting, or piece of music
He's read the complete works of Hawthorne.
A number of priceless works of art were stolen from the
gallery.
works [ plural ] a place where people make things with machines
My grandfather worked at the steelworks. get to work
to start doing something Let's get to work on this project.
work • a • hol • ic / |warka ' halik / noun [count]
a person who works a lot and feels that they need to work all the time
work • book / ' warkbuk /noun [ count ]
a book where you write answers to questions, which you use when you are studying something
WOrk .еГ © / vvorkor /noun [ count ]
a person who works
The factory workers all went out on strike. an office worker
the work • ing class / бэ |warkig ' kl®s /
noun [ singular ]
the group of people in a society who do not have much money or power and who usually do physical work ►work • ing-class / |warkig ' klres /adjective
working-class families
—Look at the middle class , the upper class .
work • man / ' warkman /noun [ count ] ( pluralwork - men / ' warkman / )
a man who works with his hands to build or repair something work • out / ' warkaut /noun [ count ]
physical exercise that you do when you are training for a
sport or trying to stay healthy
She does a 20-minute workout every morning.
work • sheet / ' warkjit /noun [ count ]
a piece of paper where you write answers to questions, which you use when you are studying something
work • shop / 'warkfap/noun [ count ]
a place where people make or repair things
a time when people meet and work together to learn about something
We went to a drama workshop.
world Ф / warld /noun
the world [ singular ] ( GEOGRAPHY ) the earth with all its countries and people
There was a map of the world on the classroom wall. Which is the biggest city in the world ?
[ singular ] the life and activities of people; their experience
It's time you learned something about the real world! the modern world
[ count ] a particular area of activity or group of people, animals, or things
the world of politics the plant world
think the world of someone or something
to like someone or something very much She thinks the world of her grandchildren.
world-fa • mous / |warld ' feimas / adjective
known everywhere in the world a world-famous writer
the World Series / бэ |warld ' siriz /
[ singular ]
( SPORTS ) a number of baseball games played every year that decide which is the best team in the U.S. and Canada that year
world • wide / |warld' waid / adjective, adverb
existing or happening everywhere in the world Pollution is a worldwide problem. They sell their computers worldwide.
the World Wide Web/ бэ warid waid ' web/
( also the Web )noun [singular] ( abbreviationWWW ) ( COMPUTERS ) the system of computers that makes it possible to see information from all over the world on your
computer —Look atthe internet . worm / warm /noun [ count ]
a small animal that lives in the ground, with a long thin body, and no legs
worn form of wear 1
worn out / |worn ' aut /adjective
old and completely finished because you have used it a lot
These shoes are completely worn out. ♦ worn-out carpets
very tired
He's worn out after his long trip. —SYNONYM exhausted
wor . ried О / 'world/ adjective
unhappy because you think that something bad will happen or has happened
Jill is worried that she's going to fail the exam. I'm worried about my brother — he looks sick.
WOr . ГУ 1® / \vori / verb ( wor ries ,wor . ry . ing , wor . ried , has wor ried )
to feel that something bad will happen or has happened; to make someone feel this
I always worry when Mark doesn't come home at the usual time.
Don't worry if you don't know the answer. There's nothing to worry about. What worries me is how we are going to get home. ►wor • ry • ing / ' wariig / adjective
It's been a worrying time for all of us.
wor • ry 2 / 'wari /noun ( pluralwor . ries )
[ noncount ] a feeling that something bad will happen or has happened
Her face showed signs of worry.
[ count ] something that makes you feel worried I have a lot of worries.
worse Ф / wars / adjective, adverb ( bad , worse , worst )
not as good or as well as something else The weather today is worse than yesterday.
Her Spanish is bad, but her Italian is even worse .
sicker or more unhappy than before
If you get worse , you must go to the doctor.
—ANTONYM better
wors • en / ' warsn / verb ( wors ens , wors en . ing , wors ened )
to get worse, or to make something worse
Relations between the two countries worsened after the
election.
wor • ship / ' warjop /verb ( wor . ships ,
wor . ship . ing or wor . ship . ping , wor shiped or
wor . shipped )
( RELIGION ) to show that you believe in God or a god by saying prayers
Christians usually worship in churches.
to love someone very much or think that someone is wonderful
She worships her grandchildren. ►wor • shipnoun [ noncount ]
A mosque is a place of worship.
WOrSt 1 Ф' / worst / adjective, adverb ( bad , worse , worst )
the least pleasant or suitable; the least well He's the worst player on the team! That was the worst day of my life. Everyone played badly, but I played worst of all.
—ANTONYM best
WOrSt 2© / worst/noun [ singular ]
something or someone that is as bad as it or they can be I'm the worst in the class at grammar.
—ANTONYM best
if worst comes to worst
if something very bad happens
If worst comes to worst and I fail the exam, I'll take it again next year.
WOrtll 1 О / wore / adjective
having a particular value This house is worth $700,000.
good or useful enough to do or have Is this movie worth seeing?
It's not worth asking Lynn for money — she never has any.
worth2 / war9 /noun [ noncount ]
the value of someone or something The painting is of little worth .
how much or how many of something an amount of money will buy
I'd like ten dollars' worth of gas, please.
worth • less / ' war9las / adjective
having no value or use A check is worthless if you don't sign it.
worth • while / war9 ' wail / adjective
good or useful enough for the time that you spend or the work that you do
Passing the exam made all my hard work worthwhile .
wor • thy / ' wardi / adjective ( wor - thi er , wor - thi - est )
good enough for something or to have something He always felt he was not worthy of her.
would О / wad ; wud /modal verb Grammar
The negative form of would is would not , or the short form wouldn't / ' wudnt / : He wouldn't help me.
The short form of would is 'd . We often use this: I'd (= I would ) like to meet her. ♦ They'd (= they would ) help if they had the time.
a word that you use to talk about a situation that is not real
If I had a lot of money, I would buy a big house.
the past form of "will" He said he would come.
They wouldn't tell us where she was.
a word that you use with "like" or "love" to ask or say what someone wants
Would you like a cup of coffee? I'd love to go to Alaska.
a word that you use to ask something in a polite way Would you close the door, please?
a word that you use to talk about something that happened many times in the past
When I was young, my grandparents would visit us every
Sunday. —SYNONYM used to
Grammar
Can , could , may , might , should , must , will , shall , would , and ought to are modal verbs.
Modal verbs do not have an "s" in the "he/she" form: She can drive. (NOT She cans drive.) After modal verbs (except ought to ), you use the infinitive without "to": I must go now. (NOT I must to go.)
You make questions and negative sentences without "do" or "did": Will you come with me? (NOT Do you will come?); They might not know. (NOT They don't might know.)
would' ve / 'wudav / short forwould have wound1 / wund /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH ) a hurt place in your body made by something
like a gun or a knife
He had knife wounds in his chest.
wound 2 / wund / verb ( wounds , wound - ing , wound - ed )
( HEALTH ) to hurt someone with a weapon The bullet wounded him in the leg. ►wound • ed / ' wundad /adjective
She nursed the wounded soldier.
wound 3 form of wind 2 wove, wo • ven forms of weave
wow / wau / exclamation ( informal )
a word that shows surprise and pleasure Wow! What a great car!
Wrap Ф/raep/ verb ( wraps , wrap ping , wrapped )
to put paper or cloth around someone or something The baby was wrapped in a blanket. She wrapped the glasses up in paper.
—ANTONYM unwrap
wrap • per / ' rrepar /noun [ count ]
a piece of paper or plastic that covers and protects
something when you buy it
Don't throw your candy wrappers on the floor!
wrap • ping / ' rrepig /noun [ count, noncount ]
a piece of paper, plastic, etc. that is used for covering something to protect it I took the wrapping off the box.
wrap • ping pa • per / ' rrepig ,peipar / noun
[noncount]
special paper that you use to wrap presents
wreath / ri9 /noun [ count ] ( pluralwreaths / ridz ; ri9s / ) a circle of flowers or leaves She put a wreath on the grave.
wreck1 / rek /noun [ count ]
a ship, car, or airplane that has been very badly damaged in an accident
a shipwreck
The car was a wreck, but no one was hurt.
an accident that badly damages a car, ship, or airplane The highway wreck killed two people.
wreck 2 / rek / verb ( wrecks , wreck - ing , wrecked )
to break or destroy something completely The fire had completely wrecked the hotel. Our vacation was wrecked by the strike.
wreck • age / ' rekid3 /noun [ noncount ]
the broken parts of something that has been badly damaged A few survivors were pulled from the wreckage of the train.
wrench / rentj/ nounwrench
[count]
( plural wrench es ) ^ _i
a tool that you use for turning small Jr^
metal rings (called nuts ) and pins (called bolts ), used for holding Jj
things together J^
wres • tle / ' resl / verb ( wres - tles , wres - tling , wres - tled )
( SPORTS ) to fight by trying to throw someone to the
ground, especially as a sport
►wres • tler / ' reslar /noun [ count ]
He used to be a professional wrestler.
►wres • tling / ' reslig /noun [ noncount ]
a wrestling match
wrig • gle / ' _ngi / verb
( wrig - gles, wrig - gling , wrig - gled )
wring
to turn your body quickly from side to side The teacher told the children to stop wriggling.
wring / n₄ /
verb ( wrings , wring - ing , wrung / глц / has wrung)
to press and twist something with your hands to make water come out He wrung the towel out and hung it out to dry.
wrin • kle / ' rigkl/noun [ count ]
a small line in something, for example in the skin of your face or in clothes
My grandmother has a lot of wrinkles. Iron out the wrinkes in the fabric. ►wrin • kled / ' rigksld / adjective
His face is very wrinkled.
WristО / nst/noun [ count ]
the part of your body where your arm joins your hand —Look at the picture athand .
write Ф / rait /verb
(writes, writ ing, wrote / rout / has writ- ten / ' ritn / )
to make letters or words on paper using a pen or pencil Write your name at the top of the page.
He can't read or write.
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS , MUSIC ) to create a story, book, song, piece of music, etc.
Eugene O'Neill wrote many plays. I wrote a poem for you.
to write and send a letter to someone
My Auntie Maggie writes to me every Christmas. I wrote her a postcard.
write something down to write something on paper so that you can remember it I wrote down his telephone number.
writ .erО / ¹ raitsr /noun [ count ]
( ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS ) a person who writes books, stories, etc.; Mark Twain was a famous writer.
writ . ing © / raitii] /noun [ noncount ]
the activity or skill of putting words on paper Today we're going to practice our writing.
a sheet of writing paper (= for writing letters on )
words that someone puts on paper; the way a person writes
I can't read your writing — it's too small. in writing
written on paper
They offered me the job over the phone, but not in writing.
writ • ten form of write
Wrong 1 © / roij / adjective
1 not true or not correct
She gave me the wrong key, so I couldn't open the door. This clock is wrong.
—ANTONYM right
not the best or not suitable
We took the wrong road and got lost.
—ANTONYM right
not as it should be, or not working well
There's something wrong with my car — it won't start. " What's wrong with Judith?" "She has a cold."
bad, or not what the law allows Stealing is wrong.
I haven't done anything wrong .
—ANTONYM right Thesaurus
wrong not right or correct; (used about a person) not right about someone or something: I'm afraid that's the wrong answer. ♦ He was driving on the wrong side of the road. ♦ That picture is the wrong way around . ♦ We were wrong about her - she's actually very kind. —ANTONYM right
false (used about facts) not true or correct: A whale is a fish. True or false ? ♦ She gave false information to the insurance company. —ANTONYM true
incorrect wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes. This word is a little formal: an incorrect spelling ♦ Incorrect answers should be marked with a cross.
—ANTONYM correct
mistaken (used about a person) wrong in your opinion or judgment: I thought I saw Jackie sitting over there, but I must have been mistaken. ♦ It was a case of mistaken identity (= people thought that a particular person was someone else ) .
—ANTONYM right , correct
inaccurate (used about something such as a newspaper report, a map, etc.) wrong according to the facts; containing mistakes: an inaccurate statement ♦ All the maps we had were completely inaccurate. ♦ The report was badly researched and inaccurate. —ANTONYM accurate
Wrong 2 © / ror) /adverb
not correctly; not right
You spelled my name wrong.
—ANTONYM right
go wrong
to not happen as you hoped or wanted All our plans went wrong.
to stop working well
Don't worry — nothing will go wrong with this equipment.
wrong3 / rog /noun [ noncount ]
what is bad or not right
Babies don't know the difference between right and wrong. —ANTONYM right
wrong • ly / ' rogli /adverb not correctly
He was wrongly accused of stealing the money.
wrote
form of write
wrung
form of wring
WWW / ^blyu ^blyu ' 1лЬ1^ /
short for the World Wide Web
Xx
X, X / eks /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralX's, x's / ' eksaz / )
the twenty-fourth letter of the English alphabet "X-ray"begins with an "X."
Xe • non / ' zenan /noun [ noncount ]
( symbol Xe )
( CHEMISTRY ) a gas that exists in the air and that is sometimes used in electric lamps
X • mas
( informal )
abbreviation of Christmas
Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!
X-ray / ' eksrei /noun [ count ]
( HEALTH , PHYSICS ) a photograph of the inside of your body that is made by using a special light that you cannot see The doctor took an X-ray of my shoulder. ►X-rayverb ( X-rays , X-ray - ing , X-rayed )
She had her leg X-rayed.
xy • lo • phone
/ ' zailafoun /noun [count]
( MUSIC ) a musical instrument with metal or wooden bars that you hit with small hammers
Y, y / wai /noun [ count, noncount ]
( pluralY's, y's / waiz / )
the twenty-fifth letter of the English alphabet
"Yawn" begins with a "Y."
yacht / yat /noun
[count] Pronunciation The word yacht sounds like hot .
a boat with sails that people go on for pleasure a yacht race
a big boat with an engine that people go on for pleasure a millionaire's yacht
yam / ужш /noun [ count, noncount ]
a large root with a rough skin, that is cooked and eaten as a vegetable
yank / yregk / verb ( yanks , yank - ing , yanked )
( informal )
to pull something suddenly, quickly, and hard She yanked on the dog's leash.
yard © / yard /noun [ count ]
an area next to a building or house, sometimes with grass and trees on it and a wall around it
The children were playing in the school yard. a farmyard
( abbreviationyd. ) a measure of length (= 36 inches or 0.9144 meters). There are three feet in a yard .
yard sale / ' yard seil /noun [ count ]
a sale that you hold outside your house, where you sell used things that you do not want anymore
— Look at garage sale .
yarn / yarn /noun [ noncount ]
thick thread made of wool or cotton that you use for making cloth or clothes
She knitted a scarf using red, white, and blue yarn.
yawn / yon / verb ( yawns , yawn - ing , yawned )
to open your mouth wide and breathe in deeply because
you are tired
►yawnnoun [ count ]
"I'm going to bed now," she said with a yawn.
yd.
abbreviation of yard
yeah / yea / exclamation
( informal )
yes
yea Г © / yir /noun [ cou nt ]
1 a period of 365 or 366 days from January 1 to December 31. A year has twelve months and 52 weeks Where are you going on vacation this year ? "What year were you born?" "1993."
left school last year .
any period of twelve months I've known Chris for three years . My son is seven years old.
I have a seven-year-old son. a group of twelve-year-olds Style
Be careful! You can say She's ten or She's ten years old (but NOT "She's ten years"). all year round
for the whole year
The swimming pool is open all year round. —Look at leap year , new year .
year • book / ' yirbuk /
[count]
a book that is produced each year by the students at a school or college, with pictures of students, teachers, sports teams, and events that happened during the year
year • ly / ' yirli / adjective, adverb
happening or coming every year or once a year a yearly visit We meet twice yearly.
yeast / yist /noun [ noncount ]
a substance that you use for making bread riseyell / yel/verb ( yell , , )
to shout loudly Stop yelling at me! ►yellnoun [ count ]
Give a yell when you hear your name.
yel . low О / yelou / adjective
with the color of a lemon or of butter She was wearing a yellow shirt. ►yel • lownoun [ count, noncount ] Yellow is my favorite color.
yes Ф / yes / exclamation
a word that you use for answering a question. You use "yes"
to agree, to say that something is true, or to say that you
would like something
"Do you have the key?" "Yes, here it is."
"Would you like some coffee?" "Yes, please."
yes .ter .day Ф / ' yestardei ; ' yestardi /adverb, noun [ count, noncount ]
(on) the day before today Did you see Tom yesterday?
I called you yesterday afternoon, but you were out. I sent the letter the day before yesterday .
—Look at tomorrow .
yet Ф / yet / adverb, conjunction
1 a word that you use for talking about something that has not happened but that you expect to happen I haven't finished the book yet. Have you seen that show yet? Which word?
Already or yet?
Yet means the same as already , but you only use yet in negative sentences and questions.
Look at these examples: I have read this book already. ♦ I haven't read this book yet. ♦ Have you read the book yet?
now; as early as this
You don't need to go yet — it's only seven o'clock.
in the future They may win yet.
until now
This is her best performance yet .
but; despite that
We arrived home tired yet happy.
yet again
once more
John is late yet again!
yet another
words you use to show surprise that there is one more of something
They're opening yet another restaurant on this street.
yield / yild / verb ( yields , yield . ing , yield . ed )
to produce something, such as vegetables or results The survey yielded some interesting information.
to allow someone to have power or control The government eventually yielded to the rebels.
—SYNONYM give in
to allow other cars on a bigger road to go first You have to yield to traffic from the left here.
yo • ga / ' youga /noun
[noncount]
( SPORTS ) a system of exercises that helps you relax both your body and your mind yo • gurt / 'yougart /noun [ count, noncount ] a thick, liquid food made from milk strawberry yogurt Do you want a yogurt?
yolk / youk /noun [ count, noncount ]
the yellow part in an egg
—Look at the picture at egg .
yOU © / yu /pronoun
1 the person or people that I am speaking to You are late.
called you yesterday.
any person; a person
You can buy stamps at a post office.
you'd / yud /
short for you had , you would
you'll / yul /
short for you will
yOUng 1 © / ум] / adjective
( young . er / 'yAggar / young . est / 'yAggast / ) in the early part of life; not old They have two young children. You're younger than me.
—ANTONYM old
young2 / yAg /noun [ plural ]
baby animals
Birds build nests for their young.
the young children and young people a television program for the young
young • ster / ' yAgstar /noun [ count ]
a young person
There isn't much for youngsters to do here.
your © / уэг; yor /adjective
of or belonging to the person or people I am talking to Where's your car?
Do you all have your books? Show me your hands.
belonging to or connected with people in general You should have your teeth checked every six months.
you're / yor /
short for you are yours Ф / yorz /
something that belongs to you Is this pen yours or mine?
Yours a word that you write at the end of a letter before you write your name
your .self Ф / уэг' self /
( pluralyour . selves / уэг' selvz / )
a word that shows "you" when I have just talked about you
Did you hurt yourself? Make yourselves a drink.
a word that makes "you" stronger Did you make this cake yourself? "Who told you?" "You told me yourself!" by yourself ; by yourselves
alone; without other people Do you live by yourself?
without help
You can't carry all those bags by yourself. —SYNONYM on your ownyouth Ф / yu9 / noun ( plural youths / yudz / )
[ noncount ] the part of your life when you are young She regrets that she spent her youth traveling and not studying.
He was a fine musician in his youth . —ANTONYM old age
[ count ] a boy or young man
The fight was started by a gang of youths.
the youth [ noncount ] young people
We must do more for the youth of this country.
you've / yuv /
short for you have
yo-yo / ' you you /noun [ count ] ( pluralyo-yos )
a toy which is a round piece of wood or plastic with a string around the middle. You put the string on your finger and make the yo-yo go up and down.
yuck / yAk / exclamation
( informal )
a word that you say when you think something looks or tastes disgusting Yuck! I hate cabbage!
►yuck • y / ' yAki / adjective (yuck - i - er, yuck i - est)
This soup tastes yucky. That's a really yucky color.
—SYNONYM disgusting —ANTONYM yummy
yum • my / ' yAmi / adjective ( yumm - i - er , yumm - i - est )
( informal )
tasting very good This cake is yummy.
—SYNONYM delicious —ANTONYM yucky
Zz
Z, Z / zi /noun [ count, noncount ] ( pluralZ's, z's / ziz / )
the twenty-sixth and last letter of the English alphabet "Zoo" begins with a "Z."
ze . bra / 'zibra /
noun [ count ] ( plural ze - bras or ze bra )
an African wild animal like a horse, with black and white lines on its body
zig • zag / ' zigzreg /noun [ count ]
a line that goes up and down, like a lot of letter Ws, one after the other
—Look at the picture at line .
Zinc / zigk /noun [ noncount ] ( symbolZn ) ( CHEMISTRY ) a blue-white metal
Zip / zip / verb ( zips , zip - ping , zipped )
to fasten something together with a zipper She zipped up her dress.
zip code ( also ZIP code ) / ' zip koud /noun
[count]
a group of numbers that you write at the end of an address I want to send you a package — what's your ZIP code?
zip • per / ' zipar /noun [ count ] a long metal or plastic thing with a small part that you pull to close and open things like clothes and bags
the zo • di • ac / da 'zoudiffik /noun [ singular ]
a diagram of the positions of the planets and stars, which is divided into twelve equal parts. Each part has a special name and symbol the twelve signs of the zodiac
—Look at astrology .
zom • bie / ' zambi /noun [ count ]
(in stories) a dead body that has been made alive again by magic
a movie about zombies
zone / zoun /noun [ count ]
a special area that is different from other areas around it Do not enter the danger zone!
zoo / zu /noun [ count ] ( pluralzoos )
a place where wild animals are kept, and people can go to look at them
zo • ol • o • gy / zou ' alad3i /noun [ noncount ] ( BIOLOGY ) the scientific study of animals
zoom / zum / verb ( zooms, zoom - ing, zoomed )
to move very fast
The traffic zoomed past us.
zoom in ; zoom out to make something that you are looking at through a camera bigger or smaller by changing the picture controls
The camera zoomed in on a face in the crowd.
If you zoom out, you'll get more background to the picture.
zuc • chi • ni / zu' kini /
( plural zuc chi - ni or zuc - chi - nis ) noun [ count ]
a long vegetable that is green on the outside and white on the inside
—Look at the picture at vegetable .
ze • ro / zirou /number ( pluralze - ros )
the number 0
nothing at all; none
My chances of passing the test are almost zero.
( PHYSICS ) o° Fahrenheit or Celsius
The temperature is five degrees below zero .