How much do you know about the real names of famous people?
Read an article written by a journalist about other people with the same name as him.
Study words and phrases associated with naming. Study words like notice, realise, be aware of, etc.
Study verbs that follow the pattern "they named him Andrew". Study the use of ellipsis (leaving out words from sentences).
Listen to people talking about meeting someone with the same name as them.
Test your progress so far.
Post messages about popular names in your country.
Write about things and places in your country named after people.
Practise the language of formal and informal introductions.
Practise sentence stress and linking words in spoken English.
Search for information about your name.
Write about your name and what people call you in your family.
Talk to your tutor about the unit.
Review the work in the unit.
Send us your feedback on this unit.
short
short for (adj)
abbreviated or shortened form (of a name)
beware
beware (v)
a warning that means to look out for danger, be careful (only used in the imperative, infinitive)
bigwig
bigwig (n)
an informal word for an important person
correspondent
correspondent (n)
a person who works for a newspaper or news service and reports news from a specific area or field, such as a diplomatic correspondent or a foreign correspondent
eagle
eagle-eyed (adj)
with very sharp vision, like an eagle
feature
feature (n)
a special, long, detailed article in a newspaper or magazine
journalist
journalist (n)
a writer who works for a newspaper, magazine or news programme
name
name after (v)
to give someone or something the name of another person or thing
naughty
naughty (adj)
behaving badly or disobediently, in a childish way
notice
notice (v)
to see or become aware of something
pseudonym
pseudonym (n)
a name that someone uses (usually professionally) instead of her or his real name
realise
realise (v)
to become aware of a fact or come to understand something
Reuters
Reuters (n)
a large news agency based in London
so
so-called (adj)
used to indicate that something is generally referred to by the name you are about to use
borough
borough (n)
a division of a large town with its own local government
chase
chase (v)
to follow something quickly in order to catch it
clerk
clerk (n)
a person who works in an office
clue
clue (n)
a piece of evidence to help solve a crime or a mystery
courier
courier (n)
a person who delivers messages or small parcels
draught
draught (n)
a current of cold air entering a room
drought
drought (n)
a long period of time without rain when there is not enough water
expenses
expenses (n)
costs involved in doing your job
fauna
fauna (n)
indigenous animals
firm
firm (n)
a private office offering a professional service, like a legal or medical service
flora
flora (n)
indigenous plants
gendergap
gender gap (n)
the difference in the amount of money women make vs. men doing the same job
intuition
intuition (n)
understanding or feeling about something without reasoning or physical proof
market
market research (n)
information companies collect from customers or possible customers about their products or services
nought
nought (n)
zero (in British English)
part
part-time (adj)
shorter than normal hours worked in a job
publicworks
public works (n)
work done by government agencies
quote
quote (n)
a written calculation or prediction of what a service will cost
sink
sink (v)
[past simple=sank] to not float (stay on the surface) and to go under the water
soundtrack
soundtrack (n)
music for a movie
temp
temp agency (n)
an agency that finds temporary work for people
thrill
thrill (n)
excitement
thoroughness
thoroughness (n)
quality of being detailed and careful
resourceful
resourceful (adj)
good at solving problems in an inventive way
weekday
weekday (n)
from Monday to Friday, not the weekend
allowed
allow (v)
to give permission
battling
battle (v)
to fight
beak
beak (n)
usually, the mouth of a bird, but also used for dolphins
bluish
bluish (adj)
blue in colour, but not exactly
blunt
blunt (adj)
the opposite of sharp
cheered_up
cheer up (v)
to become happier
coached
coach (v)
to train someone, such as sportspeople
conical
conical (adj)
adjective of cone: a cone has a round base and a point at the top
flippers
flippers (n)
a dolphin's "arms"
forked
forked (adj)
having one end divided into two or more points
freshwater
freshwater (n)
water in lakes and rivers – not sea water
frustrated
frustrated (adj)
how you feel if you can't do something you want to do
fully
fully (adv)
completely
got_over
get over (v)
to recover from something
halting
halting (adj)
slow, hesitating
healing
heal (v)
to make a person healthy
influence
influence (v)
to have an effect on someone or something
lay
lay (v)
to produce (an egg) from out of a body
length
length (n)
how long something is
mute
mute (adj)
unable to speak
overjoyed
overjoyed (adj)
extremely happy
partially_sighted
partially-sighted (adj)
able to see but not perfectly
persistence
persistence (n)
continuing to do something that is difficult
picking_up
pick up (v)
to learn
pointed
point (v)
to use your finger to make someone look at something
raised
raise (v)
in this context, to collect money for a special purpose
resistance
resistance (n)
refusal to accept something
rounded
rounded (adj)
with sides that are round, not square
scarlet_fever
scarlet fever (n)
an infectious disease
scenario
scenario (n)
the outline of the story of a film
seek
seek (v)
to look for
shock
shock (n)
complete surprise
speech_therapist
speech therapist (n)
a person trained to help people with speech problems
starved
starved (participle)
not having enough of something, usually food
tank
tank (n)
a big pool for fish, dolphins, etc.
therapy
therapy (n)
the treatment of illnesses
triangular
triangular (adj)
adjective from triangle: a triangle is a shape with three sides
underwater
underwater (adv)
adverb meaning under the water
utter
utter (v)
to speak words
vocal_cords
vocal cords (n)
a part of your throat that makes sound for speaking
whitish
whitish (adj)
white in colour, but not exactly
within
within (prep)
before the end of a period of time; "within days" means "before a few days had passed"
youngsters
youngsters (n)
children
brick
brick (n)
a rectangular baked clay block for building
canvas
canvas (n)
a strong cloth, usually made of cotton
cellar
cellar (n)
a room under a house used for storing things
chimney
chimney (n)
a hole built into the roof of a house to let smoke out from the fireplace
cottage
cottage (n)
a small house, usually in the country
cotton
cotton (n)
cloth made from fibres of a particular plant
flat
flat (n)
part of a building used to live in; in American English: apartment
fold
fold (v), folding (adj)
v: to bend or close something so one part covers another part; adj: able to be folded
foundations
foundations (n)
the base of a building, the part in the ground that the building is built on
framework
framework (n)
the supporting structure
high
high-rise (adj, n)
tall modern buildings with a lot of storeys
hut
hut (n)
a small shelter or house with one or two rooms
lime
lime (n)
white powder containing calcium
mud
mud (n)
a mixture of earth and water
porch
porch (n)
the entrance or side of a building with a roof but no walls; in British English: veranda
rendered
rendered (adj)
covered with cement or plaster
sawdust
sawdust (n)
the dust produced from cutting wood
shingled
shingled (adj)
covered with thin wooden tiles
steep
steep (adj)
rises or is inclined at a sharp angle
stilts
stilts (n)
long vertical pieces of wood used to support a building
tent
tent (n)
a shelter used for camping, normally consisting of poles, ropes and nylon or canvas material
thatched
thatched (adj)
made of straw, or cut plants like reeds
tin
tin (n)
a thin sheet metal
veranda
veranda (n)
the side of a a building with a roof and floor but no walls; in American English: porch
village
village (n)
a small group of houses with other public buildings, like a church or a school
abbey
abbey (n)
an old word for a building where Christian men or women lived and worked; for example, Westminster Abbey, in London
border
border (v)
to share a border, or frontier, with another place; for example, Spain is bordered by Portugal and France
fall
fall on deaf ears (idm)
to have no attention paid to something that was said
guide
guide (v)
to show someone how to get from one place to another
narrow
narrow (v)
to become narrow, that is, to become less and less wide
regatta
regatta (n)
a sports event where boats have races
resort
resort (n)
a holiday place
social
social services (n)
the service provided by a local authority to help people with problems
track
track (n)
a rough path or road, usually for walking, not driving
tunnel
tunnel (n)
an underground passage for cars, trains etc.; for example, the Channel Tunnel goes under the English Channel
wander
wander (v)
to walk about without any clear purpose or direction
banned
banned (adj)
illegal, prohibited
blog
blog (n)
abbreviation for Weblog - a personal Web site or section at a Web site where a person writes about something, and readers can post (=leave, add) their comments
claim
claim (v)
to say something with emphasis because you think other people may not believe you
coaching
coaching (n)
help and advice from a coach (=trainer)
complain
complain (v)
to say that you are not happy with a situation
court
court (n)
the place where sports such as tennis, squash, volleyball, basketball or badminton are played
crusade
crusade (n)
an organised campaign that doesn't stop until it achieves its objective
database
database (n)
a collection of data (=information) that is organised and stored on a computer
disgraced
disgraced (adj)
having lost people's approval and respect after doing something wrong
dna
DNA (n)
abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid - the acid that determines the physical characteristics that make one person different from all other people
doping
doping (n)
the use of illegal substances by athletes to improve their performance
dueto
due to (prep)
because of
fan
fan (n)
a person who is very interested in a particular sport
final
(final) whistle (n)
a small metal object which the referee blows to signal the end of a sports match
goal
goal (n)
the place or space where players of a sport try to get the ball, in order to score points for their team
hide
hide (v)
to keep something so that it cannot be seen, so that it is a secret
ignore
ignore (v)
to deliberately not pay attention
lifeexpectancy
life expectancy (n)
the number of years a person or animal is expected to live
long-term
long-term (adj)
in the distant future
manipulated
manipulated (adj)
forced or persuaded to do something you don't want to do
match
match (n)
a sports game
object
object (v)
to express dislike or disapproval of something
pill
pill (n)
a small solid round piece of medicine which you eat
pitch
pitch (n)
an area of ground which is specially marked for playing sports
point
point (n)
one of the single marks which are added together in a game to give the total score
racket
racket (n)
an oval-shaped bat with strings across it
referee
referee (n)
the official person who controls a sports match
score
score (v)
to make a point for your team
shot
shot putter (n)
in athletics, the sport shot put is a competition in which a heavy metal ball is thrown as far as possible; a shot putter is the person who throws the shot put
side
side effect (n)
a negative health consequence that you can suffer when taking a drug, in addition to the benefits the drug has
since
since (conj)
because
stadium
stadium (n)
a large sports ground with seats all around it
stamina
stamina (n)
the capacity for doing a hard physical activity for a long time
stand
stand (n)
a large structure with many seats where spectators watch a sports event
take
take the matter up with someone (v)
to bring someone's attention to a topic
umpire
umpire (n)
the offical person who controls a sports match such as tennis, hockey, badminton and baseball
unfair
unfair (adj)
wrong or dishonest because it goes against the idea that people should be equal and have the same opportunities in a particular situation
warn
warn (v)
to tell someone to be careful
widespread
widespread (adj)
very common
arrow
arrow (n)
a long, thin, sharp stick that is shot from a bow, sometimes used for hunting and as a weapon
bow
bow (n)
a long curved piece of wood with string or wire attached to both ends that is used to shoot arrows
cable
cable (n)
a strong thick rope made of wire
canyon
canyon (n)
a long, narrow valley with very steep sides
canyoneering
canyoneering (n)
(also called canyoning) a sport involving walking, climbing, jumping, abseiling or swimming in canyons
craze
craze (n)
an activity that is very popular, usually for a short time
first
first ever (exp)
the first in history
death-defying
death-defying (adj)
extremely dangerous, possibly resulting in death
equipment
equipment (n)
items used for a specific purpose, such as a sport or a hobby
exertion
exertion (n)
strong physical or mental effort
fearless
fearless (adj)
without fear, not scared of anything
feat
feat (n)
an accomplishment
get away with something
get away with something (phrasal verb)
to do something wrong without being discovered
give up
give up (phrasal verb)
to quit, stop, surrender
give yourself up
give yourself up (phrasal verb)
to let police or other authority know where you are after you have tried to hide or escape
handcuffed
handcuffed (adj)
with hands secured in a restraining device (called handcuffs) when under arrest by the police
harness
harness (n)
a system of belts worn on the body for security reasons
juggle
juggle (v)
to throw three or more items in the air and catch them while keeping them moving at all times
legal
legal (adj)
allowed by law
mayor
mayor (n)
a person who is elected each year to be the leader of a governing group in a town or city
pose
pose (v)
to pretend to be something that you are not
pull off
pull off (phrasal verb)
to accomplish something despite difficulties
stunt
stunt (n)
a skilful, difficult or dangerous act
vertigo
vertigo (n)
a feeling of dizziness or with a sense of falling when looking down from a high place
aircraft
aircraft (n)
a machine that flies, like an aeroplane or a helicopter
airline
airline (n)
a business that transports people or things by air
being
being (n)
a living thing or character that exists, or existed in the past
bill
bill (n)
beak or "mouth part" of a bird
criss
criss-cross (v)
to cross in intersecting lines
dot
dot (n)
a very small round mark or shape
duck
duck (n)
a common water bird with a flat beak and short neck
eucalyptus
eucalyptus (n)
a type of tree common in Australia
kidney
kidney (n)
an organ in your body that cleans the blood; you have two of them
living
living memory (n)
for as long as people can remember
motif
motif (n)
a design used as decoration
mourning
mourning (n)
an expression of sadness, especially when someone dies
preview
preview (v)
to privately show a new product, film, exhibition, etc.
vast
vast (adj)
extremely large, enormous
broadcast
broadcast (v)
to make available to the public on radio or television
counsellor
counsellor (n)
a person whose job is to give personal advice to others
genre
genre (n)
a type of TV show or film; for example, horror, drama, romance, science fiction
harmful
harmful (adj)
causes damage
grounds
on the grounds (phrase)
for the reason
ordinary
ordinary (adj)
average, normal
term
term (n)
a word or phrase with an exact meaning
unscripted
unscripted (adj)
without a script, real
appliance
appliance (n)
a machine (usually electrical) that helps you cook or do the housework
average
average (adj, n)
an approximate or a normal amount
biodegradable
biodegradable (adj)
decomposes naturally without causing pollution
bother
bother (v)
to annoy or worry
butt
butt (n)
the end of a cigarette that you put in your mouth
cashier
cashier (n)
the person you pay at the supermarket
coated
coated (adj)
covered by another substance or material
damage
damage (v)
to have a bad effect, to cause physical harm
disposable
disposable (adj)
designed to be used once and then thrown away
eco
eco-friendly (adj)
with no bad effect on the natural environment
flour
flour (n)
powder made from wheat, used for making bread
flush
flush (v)
to wash away with water; you flush the toilet after using it
fossil
fossil fuels (n)
fuels like oil and coal that originate from decayed plants and animals
garbage
garbage (n)
rubbish, especially waste from the kitchen
global
global warming (n)
the problem of the rise in Earth's temperature
goods
goods (n)
things made to be sold
greenhouse
greenhouse gas (n)
gas responsible for the greenhouse effect, which causes global warming; the main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide
hanky
hanky (n)
(short for handkerchief) a cloth or soft paper for cleaning your nose
heating
heating (n)
the system used to warm a room or building
horn
horn (n)
the part of the car that makes a sound to warn other drivers
oil
oil spill (n)
when oil is accidentally released into the sea, usually after a shipping accident
overheat
overheat (v)
to make too hot
overpriced
overpriced (adj)
with a price/cost higher than you think it should be
poo
poo (n)
excrement of animals or people (colloquial)
recycling
recycling bin (n)
the container where you put things to be recycled, such as newspapers, bottles, etc.
replacement
replacement (n)
a replacement is something that takes the place of another thing that no longer works; for example, "This battery is dead: you need a replacement"
reuse
reuse (v)
to use again
resources
resources (n)
useful materials for making things or producing energy, such as oil and coal, for example
roll
roll (v)
to form into a tube shape by turning something inside itself
skyscraper
skyscraper (n)
a very tall building, such as the Empire State Building in New York
stitch
stitch (v)
to join two things with a thread; for example, pieces of material are stitched together to make a shirt
tyre
tyre (n)
the outside rubber part of a wheel, usually inflated with air
useful
useful (adj)
can be used to help you in some way
washbasin
washbasin (n)
in the bathroom, the thing you use for washing your face and hands in
waste
waste (n)
unwanted material that can't be used and is thrown away
water
water heater (n)
the machine that makes the water hot in your house
amass
amass (v)
to make a large collection
detached
detached (adj)
separated
discard
discard (v)
to throw away
grubby
grubby (adj)
dirty, not clean
junk
junk (n)
old, useless things
photobooth
photo booth (n)
a place for taking your photograph
turnup
turn up (phrasal verb)
to appear unexpectedly
weird
weird (adj)
strange, unusual
chant
chant (v)
to repeat some words in a rhythmical way
field
field (n)
a research area
findings
findings (n)
discoveries
gender
gender (n)
sex: male or female
infectious
infectious (adj)
affecting other people
one-liners
one-liners (n)
one-sentence funny comments
phenomenon
phenomenon (n)
an interesting thing or event
punchline
punch line (n)
the line in a joke, usually at the end, which makes the joke funny
severe
severe (adj)
serious
dash
dash (v, n)
v: to run quickly and suddenly; n: a hurry, a short time
herd
herd (n)
a group of animals, such as cows or elephants
on_hold
on hold (exp)
saved for later
queue
queue (v, n)
v: to wait in line for something; n: a line of people waiting for a service
trample
trample (v)
to step heavily with the feet on something, causing it damage
crops
crops (n)
plants that are grown for food
decapitate
decapitate (v)
to cut off someone's head
diameter
diameter (n)
the distance across a circle
placebets
place bets (v)
to gamble
Hispanic
pre-Hispanic (adj)
before the arrival of the Spanish in Central and South America
ritual
ritual (adj, n)
associated with a rite, that is, something done regularly and in the same way, usually for religious purposes
enactment
re-enactment (n)
a dramatization
sloping
sloping (adj)
inclining; at an angle
accursed
accursed (adj)
damned (old-fashioned word)
albatross
albatross (n)
a type of bird; in a famous English poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a sailor kills an albatross and then he and his companions are cursed and suffer terrible consequences
becalmed
becalmed (adj)
of a ship, not moving because of lack of wind
clatter
clatter (n)
a lot of noise, as when you drop something
clumsy
clumsy (adj)
rough, crude
comer
comer (n)
a person who comes, arrives (from the verb to come)
convulsed
convulse (v)
to move in a sudden, violent way
expiate
expiate (v)
to ask forgiveness, or pay the price, for something bad you have done
fissure
fissure (n)
a crack or hole
gloom
gloom (n)
shade, darkness
gums
gums (n)
the parts of the mouth where the teeth are fixed
haste
haste (n)
speed
loveth
loveth (v)
an old-fashioned way of saying loves
paltry
paltry (adj)
mean, small-minded
pettiness
pettiness (n)
mean-spirited behaviour, as opposed to generosity
pitcher
pitcher (n)
a container for carrying water in
prayeth
prayeth (v)
an old-fashioned way of saying prays
sip
sip (v)
to drink, a little at a time
slack
slack (adj), slackness (n)
not tense or tight, but loose and relaxed
snakeeasing
snake-ease (invented verb)
to cause something to move easily, but in the way a snake might
softbellied
soft-bellied (adj)
having a soft belly or stomach
strangescented
strange-scented (adj)
having an unusual smell
thriceadream
thrice adream (exp)
three times dreaming (poetic expression; old-fashioned)
trail
trail (v)
to drag
trough
trough (n)
a deep container for food or water, usually for animals
vulgar
vulgar (adj)
uneducated, tasteless
writhed
writhe (v)
to twist and turn violently
antithesis
antithesis (n)
the exact opposite
cometo
come to grips with (exp)
to consider a problem seriously, and start to deal with it
ensure
ensure (v)
to guarantee
geton
get on (v)
to relate
issue
issue (n)
matter, subject, question
memo
memo (n)
a short note sent to people in the same company or organisation
over
over the top (adj)
excessive
policy
policy (n)
a company's way of thinking about a particular issue
ruling
ruling (n)
an official decision
sack
sack (v)
to tell an employee that they have lost their job because their work or attitude is unsatisfactory
set
set (v),(n)
(v) to establish, (n) a group of similar or connected things
spellout
spell out (v)
to explain very clearly
staccato
staccato (adj)
consisting of short, rapid sounds
threaten
threaten (v)
to tell someone that there will be negative consequences if they don't do something you want them to
trying
trying (adj)
stressful
undertone
undertone (n)
a quiet way of speaking
upset
upset (adj)
annoyed
whisper
whisper (v)
to talk quietly so that other people can't hear what you're saying
workthough
work though (v)
to overcome
accordingly
accordingly (adv)
in a way that is consistent with something that happened before
burstintotears
burst into tears (exp)
to start crying suddenly
catchaglimpse
catch a glimpse (exp)
to see something briefly and incompletely
chore
chore (n)
a task or job that needs doing regularly
cope
cope (v)
to be able to deal with a problem or difficult situation
counselling
counselling (n)
help from a therapist or psychologist
cranky
cranky (adj)
bad-tempered
dropin
drop in (v)
to make a short visit
faceupto
face up to (v)
to accept the existence of a problem and do something to solve it
fallapart
fall apart (v)
to lose control of your emotions
founded
founded (adj)
justified, not invented or exaggerated
gothrough
go through (v)
to experience
lookafter
look after (v)
to care for
outing
outing (n)
an excursion
shift
shift (v)
to move
spot
spot (v)
to notice
tenaciously
tenaciously (adv)
in a determined or stubborn manner
carve
carve (v)
to cut and shape
collapse
collapse (n)
a rapid decline
crane
crane (n)
a machine for lifting things
crater
crater (n)
a hole at the top of a volcano
crop
crop (n)
a plant for eating
deforestation
deforestation (n)
the clearing of forests
draft
draft animal (n)
an animal that pulls heavy loads
drag
drag (v)
to pull
erect
erect (v)
to put in a standing position
erosion
erosion (n)
the eating away of hills and mountains
extra
extra-terrestrial (n)
a being from outer space
greed
greed (n)
a strong desire to have more of something than is necessary
harpoon
harpoon (n)
a long, sharp weapon with a rope attached to it that is used to catch big fish
hull
hull (n)
the body of a boat
lean
lean (adj)
thin
monolith
monolith (n)
a monumental stone structure
offshore
offshore (adv)
away from the coast
platform
platform (n)
a flat, raised structure
plausible
plausible (adj)
believable
puzzle
puzzle (v)
to confuse
remains
remains (n)
things that have survived
roofing
roofing material (n)
stuff for covering the tops of houses
single
single-handedly (adv)
without help
sledge
sledge (n)
a vehicle with no wheels
storey
storey (n)
a floor or level in a building
stranded
stranded (adj)
unable to leave a place
tool
tool (n)
an instrument or piece of equipment that you use to help you do a particular job
upright
upright (adj)
standing
wasteland
wasteland (n)
an area of land that cannot be used
acute
acute (n)
serious, severe
atyourfingertips
at your fingertips (exp)
within easy reach
bulky
bulky (adj)
inconveniently large
betterment
betterment (n)
improvement
certain
certain (adj)
definite, particular
cramped
cramped (adj)
small and uncomfortable
discussionboard
discussion board (n)
an area on a Web site for placing messages
dispensewith
dispense with (v)
to make unnecessary
ease
ease (n)
easy way
embark
embark (v)
to begin a journey
enrol
enrol (v)
to sign up and pay for a course of study
exploratory
exploratory (adj)
investigative
farflung
far-flung (adj)
distributed over great distances
givein
give in (v)
to surrender, stop trying
inthelongrun
in the long run (exp)
in the end
joy
joy (n)
pleasure, satisfaction or happiness that comes from doing an activity
leap
leap (v)
to jump, especially over a long distance
link
link (n)
electronic connection
meet
meet (v)
to satisfy or fulfil (a need, requirement, etc.)
misleading
misleading (adj)
giving the wrong idea
onsite
onsite (adj)
at the place where something is done or performed
onyourown
on your own (exp)
unaccompanied
range
range (n)
a variety of different things of the same general type
schedule
schedule (n)
timetable
structured
structured (adj)
designed
tap
tap (v)
to exploit
wealthof
wealth of (exp)
a large variety of something good
banish
banish (v)
to eliminate
blend
blend (n)
a mixture
brisk
brisk (adj)
fast
detachable
detachable (adj)
that can be removed
emit
emit (v)
to send out
fade
fade away (v)
to slowly disappear
fragrance
fragrance (n)
a pleasant scent or smell
handicrafts
handicrafts (n)
things made with the hands
handy
handy (adj)
convenient
hazard
hazard (n)
a dangerous situation
knitting
knit (v)
to use special tools (knitting needles) to make jumpers, scarves, etc., using wool or a synthetic equivalent
locate
locate (v)
to find
messy
messy (adj)
dirty and/or untidy
mobility
mobility (n)
moving easily
nondrip
non-drip (adj)
doesn't release small amounts of water when not in use
nutrient
nutrient (n)
the good part of food that feeds your body to keep it healthy
outandabout
out and about (adv)
out of doors, doing things
pager
pager (n)
an electronic device that tells you when someone is trying to phone you
precision
precision (n)
accuracy
sewing
sew (v)
to join pieces of cloth with a thin thread, when making or repairing a shirt or blouse, for example
storage
storage (n)
keeping things for future use
sturdy
sturdy (adj)
strong
trim
trim (v)
to lose weight
unfold
unfold (v)
to release something from a position of being bent or doubled up
apron
apron (n)
a piece of clothing you wear over the front of other clothes when cooking
backbone
backbone (n)
the part of something that gives it strength and unity
breed
breed (n)
a particular type of person
cardigan
cardigan (n)
a jumper with buttons down the front
conventional
conventional wisdom (n)
the way that most people think
dare
dare (v)
to have the courage to do something dangerous or which involves taking a big risk
dockside
dockside (n)
the area next to a dock (=the place in a port where ships are loaded and unloaded)
double
double-breasted (adj)
with buttons on both sides at the front (of a jacket, for example), and with one side covering the other when you do up the buttons
do
do up (v)
to repair and decorate something (usually an old house or flat)
draw
draw the line (exp)
to impose a limit on what behaviour you consider to be acceptable
futon
futon (n)
a Japanese sofa-bed consisting of a low wooden structure with a hard mattress on it
garment
garment (n)
a piece of clothing
knit
knit (v)
to make things (usually clothes) from wool, using two long needles
label
label someone (v)
to categorise people into social groups
into
into (prep)
very interested in
overalls
overalls (n)
work clothes you wear over your normal clothes to protect yourself from dirt, etc.
overrun
overrun (v)
to have too many of something in one place; for example, "This park is overrun with stray cats"
sizeable
sizeable (adj)
quite large
slide
slide (v)
to gradually bring about a change in the way you look or behave
slippers
slippers (n)
soft shoes that you wear around the house
steadily
steadily (adv)
in a regular manner
trendy
trendy (adj)
very fashionable
up
up and about (adv)
out of bed and actively doing things
vegetable
vegetable patch (n)
a small piece of land used to grow vegetables on
buffet
buffet car (n)
the carriage on a train where you can buy and eat food and drink
bulb
bulb (n)
the part of an electric light that is made of glass and can be taken out and changed
drizzle
drizzle (n)
light rain
gite
gîte (n)
a rented holiday house in France (French word)
head
head (v)
to go or travel in a particular direction
hitch
hitch (v)
also hitchhike - to travel by getting drivers to give you a free ride in their cars
in
in store (adv)
about to happen soon, with the implication that the experience won't be enjoyable
lane
lane (n)
a part of a road that is marked on by lines on both sides and wide enough for one car to drive in
paddy
paddy field (n)
a field where rice is grown
pick
pick up (v)
to learn informally, without studying, as with a language, which is learnt by spending time where the language is spoken
pull
pull (v)
to change direction or speed in a car; to pull into a place is to leave the road and stop at that place
puncture
puncture (n)
a small hole in a tyre through which it loses air
scorching
scorching (adj)
very hot
spare
spare tyre (n)
also spare wheel - the complete extra wheel that a car carries in case one of the four wheels needs to be replaced
unwind
unwind (v)
to relax after you have been tense or under stress
windscreen
windscreen (n)
the window at the front of a car that the driver looks through
wreck
wreck-diving (n)
an activity where you go underwater (=dive) in order to see the remains of ships (=wrecks) on the sea floor
blind
blind (n)
an adjustable shade that pulls down to cover the inside of a window
crease
crease (n, v)
a line made in paper or material from folding it hard
dressing
dressing gown (n)
an item of clothing that you put on over your pyjamas
eiderdown
eiderdown (n)
a thick bed cover, usually filled with feathers
hiccup
hiccup (n, v)
a repeating, uncontrollable movement of the chest causing a sound in your throat
hunter
hunter-gatherer (n)
a society that hunts and collects its food rather than cultivating it
jack
jack (n)
a device used to raise a car to enable the changing of a wheel
lack
lack (v)
to not have enough of something
omen
omen (n)
a sign or indication that something is going to happen in the future
retrieve
retrieve (v)
to get something back
selfish
selfish (adj)
thinking only of yourself and not of other people
sewing_machine
sewing machine (n)
a machine for stitching, for making clothes
shade
shade (n)
the tone or intensity of a colour
shiver
shiver (v, n)
an involuntary shaking action of your body when the weather is cold
suite
suite (n)
a set of matching things; for example, armchairs and a sofa, or the fittings in a bathroom
sweat
sweat (v, n)
to emit fluid from your skin when you are hot
quilt
quilt (n)
the top cover of a bed
underlie
underlie (v)
to cause or be the basis of a situation or feeling
yawn
yawn (v, n)
to open your mouth wide and breathe deeply, usually when you are tired
apish
apish (adj)
like an ape
bushy
bushy (adj)
very thick
compact
compact (adj)
tight, dense
concertina
concertina (adj)
a musical instrument
dome
dome (n)
a round roof (used here metaphorically to describe his head)
flanneled
flanneled (adj)
covered in flannel (=a kind of light cloth often used for making trousers)
fleshy
fleshy (adj)
thick and soft
forehead
forehead (n)
the part of your head above the eyes and below the hairline
frail
frail (adj)
weak
hooked
hooked (adj)
having the shape of a hook
inexorably
inexorably (adv)
seeming to go on and on
infantile
infantile (adj)
like a child, usually with a negative meaning
jaw
jaw (n)
the part of your face below your mouth
marble
marble (n)
hard rock used for sculpture
queerly
queerly (adv)
unusually
ripe
ripe (adj)
usually of fruit: fully developed and ready to eat
ruddy
ruddy (adj)
having a healthy reddish colour
scar
scar (n)
a mark left on the skin after a cut has healed
sculpturally
sculpturally (adv)
like a sculpture, or statue
spindly
spindly (adj)
thin and weak-looking
tortoise
tortoise-shell (n)
material made from the hard shell of the tortoise or turtle
tweed
tweed (n)
a thick woollen cloth, often used for making suits
vacant
vacant (adj)
not occupied
wig
wig (n)
artificial hair
wrinkles
wrinkles (n)
the lines on your face that are evidence of ageing
cabin
cabin crew (n)
the people who look after the passengers on an aeroplane flight
filling
filling (n)
food that is used to fill a baked potato, sandwich, pie, etc.
fizzy
fizzy (adj)
containing small bubbles of carbon dioxide
fries
fries (n)
short for French fries, the type of thin chips served with hamburgers
go
go for (v)
to choose
helping
helping (n)
a single amount of the food served during a meal
loads
loads of (quantifier)
lots of
loan
loan (n)
a quantity of money that you borrow
pad
pad (v)
to put a soft material (in this case, fat) on the inside or outside surface of something, often to protect or insulate it
pie
pie (n)
a pastry filled with meat, vegetables or fruit and cooked in the oven
pita
ptta (n)
also called pita bread, it is a flat, oval-shaped type of bread that is often cut open and filled with food
pop
pop out (v)
to go out for a short time
right
right away (adv)
immediately
sesame
sesame seed bun (n)
the small loaf of bread that a hamburger is typically served in, with sesame seeds on the outside of it
skewer
skewer (v)
to put food on a pointed metal rod (called a skewer) in order to cook it in an oven or over a fire
slim
slim down (v)
to reduce the fat contained in something or to lose weight
soak
soak up (v)
to absorb
stage
stage (v)
to organise and participate in an event
teatime
teatime (n)
the time when people have their evening meal
topping
topping (n)
food that is put or poured on top of other food to make it taste better
veg
veg (n)
abbreviation for vegetables
waistline
waistline (n)
the waist is the middle part of the body where your jeans finish; your waistline refers to how wide or narrow your waist is
willpower
willpower (n)
the capacity to make yourself do things that you do not find easy to do
binge
binge (n)
a period when you do something to excess, such as drinking or shopping; for example, "We went on a shopping binge" (informal word)
boast
boast (v)
to speak proudly about something you have done or that you have got
exaggerate
exaggerate (v)
to make something seem more important or bigger than it really is
flourish
flourish (v)
to grow or develop rapidly and successfully, to be in a successful or dominant state
gambling
gambling (n)
the activity of betting money, such as on horse racing or on slot machines
house
house train (v)
to train a pet to go to the toilet outside
hype
hype (n)
intensive publicity for something, such as a new product, film, book, etc.
kick
kick off (v)
to begin
kleptomania
kleptomania (n)
an uncontrollable desire to steal things
log
log on (v)
to access the Internet by using a modem to connect your computer to a telephone line
nag
nag (v)
to criticise someone repeatedly, in order to make them do something
off
offline (adv)
whenever you are not connected to the Internet (online)
on
online (adv)
whenever you are connected to the Internet
readily
readily (adv)
with no difficulty
shrink
shrink (v)
[past simple=shrank, past participle=shrunk] to get smaller, for example, through washing: "My pullover shrank when I washed it"
trigger
trigger (v)
to start, usually something bad, and often a chain of events, to cause something to happen
unhook
unhook (v)
to disconnect
upgrade
upgrade (v)
to impove the usefulness of something, typically a computer, by installing more memory in it, for example
acknowledge
acknowledge (v)
to accept the truth of something
attempt
attempt (n)
a try at doing something
cash
cash in on (v)
to make a lot of money quickly by taking advantage of a situation
catchy
catchy (adj)
pleasant and easy to remember
comeback
comeback (n)
a return to popularity after not being popular for a long time
committed
committed (adj)
at one's best; a committed performance is one to which the performers give their best work
cover
cover version (n)
a recording of a song that has already been recorded by somebody else (also cover)
counterpoint
counterpoint (n)
a tune that is different from another one but complements it when the two are played together
craft
craft (v)
to make with skill
crowd
crowd-diving (n)
the act of diving (=jumping head first) off the stage, where the musicians are, into the crowd (=the audience) at a concert
enhance
enhance (v)
to make something better
fad
fad (n)
something that is very popular for a short period of time
fund
fund-raising (adj)
designed to raise (=collect) funds (=money) for a good cause
hard
hard-hitting (adj)
very critical of something
haunting
haunting (adj)
with a delicate, almost unreal quality, one which fixes the thing described in your memory
hint
hint (n)
a small quantity, an indirect suggestion
Julie
Julie Cruise
a rock singer with a fragile, emotional voice
Kakadu
Kakadu (n)
a place in Australia
line
line-up (n)
the people who play in a group, and the instruments they play
long
long-awaited (adj)
that people have been waiting a long time for
nod
nod (v)
to move your head up and down to say yes or show agreement
must
must (n)
an essential thing
rate
rate (v)
to give something a critical evaluation
release
release (v, n)
v: to make something available for the public to buy; n: the released product (such as a CD or DVD, a new release)
remainder
remainder (n)
what remains (=is still there) after some have been taken away
showcase
showcase (v)
to show something at its best
soppy
soppy (adj)
excessively emotional or romantic
swap
swap (v)
to exchange
studded
studded (adj)
made more impressive because it includes a lot of something
supply
supply (n)
a quantity of something that is kept in one place to be used later
survey
survey (n)
an investigation of people's opinions, an examination of something showing how that thing changes from one time to another
uncommitted
uncommitted (adj)
not giving a personal opinion
underrate
underrate (v)
to not see the true value of something
weave
weave (v)
to create something by moving one thing around another thing
alibi
alibi (n)
proof that a person was not at the scene of a crime
backpacker
backpackers' hostel (n)
a cheap place to stay for people who usually travel with backpacks (=a bag with straps that goes over your shoulders, and is used for carrying clothes and camping equipment)
call
call off (v)
to cancel; for example, "We decided to call off the party because I was ill"
estranged
estranged (adj)
separated; for example, an estranged wife no longer lives with her husband
impending
impending (adj)
about to happen soon
insurance
insurance assessor (n)
a person whose job it is to calculate damage, etc., to see how much insurance money should be paid
jog
jog one's memory (idm)
to remind you of something you may have forgotten
keyword
keyword (n)
a word in a text that occurs with a higher frequency than normal, and is therefore an indication as to what the text is about
mount
mount (v)
to grow, increase
overdue
overdue (adj)
later than expected
secluded
secluded (adj)
quiet and private
shoreline
shoreline (n)
where the sea or a lake meets the land
sighting
sighting (n)
if there is a sighting of something or someone it means that something unusual or someone missing has been seen
totrace
trace (v)
to look for traces
trace
trace (n)
a mark or sign that shows that something has happened or someone has passed
well
well-being (n)
a person's health
withdraw
withdraw (v)
to take out or away; for example, you can withdraw money out of your bank account
accommodating
accommodating (adj)
prepared to change your ideas, plans or wishes to suit other people
argumentative
argumentative (adj)
argues a lot
auction
auction (n)
a public sale where goods are sold to the person who offers the highest price
bawl
bawl out (v)
to talk to somebody angrily, for doing something wrong
beep
beep (v)
to make a short, loud, high-pitched noise; for example, "I don't know how to stop my watch beeping"
bet
bet (v)
to risk or gamble money on a future or possible event
curb
curb your temper (idm)
to control your anger
end
end up (v)
to be in a place or situation at the end (of a story, of a fight, of a journey, etc.)
fly
fly off the handle (idm)
to get suddenly angry
hothead
hothead (n)
a person who argues a lot or who gets angry quickly (informal)
menacingly
menacingly (adv)
in a menacing (=threatening) way
muttering
mutter (v)
to talk quietly and indistinctly to yourself
outcome
outcome (n)
the final result, what happened at the end
pressured
pressure (v)
to try to make someone do something they don't want to do
provoked
provoke (v)
to try to make someone angry
shrug
shrug (v)
to raise and lower your shoulders to indicate you don't know or don't care
stalemate
stalemate (n)
a situation in which neither person in an argument or fight can win
storm
storm off (v)
to leave a place, such as a room, very angrily
unruffled
unruffled (adj)
undisturbed, calm
vehemently
vehemently (adv)
in a way that expresses your feelings very strongly
approach
approach (v)
to come nearer to
carry
carry out (v)
to bring to a conclusion
deadline
deadline (n)
a time limit before which something must be done
dismiss
dismiss (v)
to decide that something does not need to be taken seriously
doom
doom-laden (adj)
predicting a disaster or tragedy
earthquake
earthquake (n)
a violent shaking of the ground, normally caused by movements in the earth's crust or by volcanic activity
findings
findings (n)
the results of an investigation or some research
funding
funding (n)
financial help from the government
lead
lead to (v)
to bring something as a consequence
lightning
lightning (n)
a flash of light which is produced by electricity moving between clouds and the ground
likely
likely (adj)
probable
locked
locked in conflict (exp)
arguing about something in a way which suggests that both sides are totally convinced they are right
mph
mph (abbreviation)
miles per hour
naked
naked eye (n)
what the human eye can see without help from a telescope or microscope
odds
odds (n)
the probability of something happening, often expressed as a ratio, such as 1:300 or 300-1
rubbish
rubbish (v)
to say that something has no value
rule
rule out (v)
to decide that a situation is not possible
strike
strike (v, n)
v: to hit, n: a hit
wipe
wipe out (v)
to completely destroy