4000 Essential Words Flashcards
Book 1
Rough
NOT GENTLE ok
Don’t you think you were a little rough on her?
TOWN/AREA ETC a rough area is a place where there is a lot of violence or crime
a rough part of town
WEATHER/SEA with strong wind or storms OPP calm
The ship went down in rough seas
a rough period is one in which you have a lot of problems or difficulties
NOUNS
a rough day/week etc
He’s had a rough week at work.
a rough time
My children had a rough time because they were different from the rest.
Dozen
twelve
a dozen eggs
two/three/four etc dozen (=24,36,48 etc)
The number of deaths has risen to more than two dozen.
informal a lot of a dozen I’ve heard this story a dozen times before. dozens of something She’s had dozens of boyfriends.
Approach
a method of doing something or dealing with a problem
ADJECTIVES
a new/different/fresh/alternative approach
a new approach to pollution control
a positive approach (=showing that you believe something can be done)
A positive approach is essential in beating pain.
Igloo
a house made from blocks of hard snow or ice
Presence
when someone or something is present in a particular place OPP absence
Your presence is requested at the club meeting on Friday.
presence of
Tests revealed the presence of poison in the blood.
Treat
BEHAVE TOWARDS SOMEBODY/SOMETHING
[always + adverb/preposition] to behave towards someone or something in a particular way → treatment
treat somebody like/as something
She treats me like one of the family.
Penny doesn’t think her co-workers treat her as an equal.
Trick
Syn. Deceive
something you do in order to deceive someone
Pretending he doesn’t remember is an old trick of his.
He didn’t really lose his wallet – that’s just a trick.
2 JOKE something you do to surprise someone and to make other people laugh
I’m getting tired of your silly tricks.
The girls were playing tricks on their teacher.
Deceive
1 to make someone believe something that is not true → deception
He had been deceived by a young man claiming to be the son of a millionaire.
deceive somebody into doing something
He tried to deceive the public into thinking the war could still be won.
deceive somebody about something
I wouldn’t deceive you about anything as important as this.
Plenty
a large quantity that is enough or more than enough
plenty of
Make sure she gets plenty of fresh air.
No need to hurry – you’ve got plenty of time.
plenty to do/say/eat etc
There’s plenty to do and see in New York.
There are plenty more chairs in the next room.
Grammar
• You use plenty of before an uncountable noun:
There is plenty of evidence that he is guilty.
✗Don’t say: There is a plenty of evidence.
• You also use plenty of before a plural noun:
There are plenty of opportunities to improve your skills.
✗Don’t say: There is plenty of opportunities.
Ample
In formal used instead of plenty
more than enough SYN sufficient OPP insufficient
ample time/evidence/opportunity
You’ll have ample time for questions later.
There is ample evidence that climate patterns are changing.
ample room/space etc
She found ample room for her things in the wardrobe.
Content
Adj
To be content is to be happy and not want more
Are you content with your present salary?
We will have to content ourselves with bread and cheese.
- He ate to his heart’s content
Frequently
Frequent
Often
Instruct
formal to teach someone something, or show them how to do something
instruct somebody in something
Greater effort is needed to instruct children in road safety.
instruct somebody how to do something
Employees are instructed how to make a complaint.
British English formal to officially tell someone about something
be instructed that
I was instructed that £20,000 had been paid into my account.
Grammar
Instruct is usually passive in this meaning
complaint
a statement in which someone complains about something
If you wish to make a complaint, you should see the manager.
make a complaint (=complain formally to someone)
The manager of the team decided to make a complaint about the referee.
Wise
DECISION/IDEA ETC wise decisions and actions are sensible and based on good judgment SYN sensible
it is wise to do something
It’s wise to check whether the flight times have changed before you leave for the airport.
be wise to do something
I think you were wise to leave when you did
PERSON someone who is wise makes good decisions, gives good advice etc, especially because they have a lot of experience of life
a wise old man
At the time I thought he was wonderful, but I’m older and wiser now.
