distinguish Flashcards
spot catch glimpse
These words all mean to become aware of somebody/something by using your eyes, especially suddenly or when it is not easy to see them/it.
see to become aware of somebody/something by using your eyes:
She looked for him but couldn’t see him in the crowd.
He could see (that) she had been crying.
spot to see or notice somebody/something, especially suddenly or when they are not easy to see or notice:
I’ve just spotted a mistake on the front cover.
catch to see or notice something for a moment, but not clearly or completely:
She caught sight of a car in the distance.
He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
glimpse (literary) to see somebody/something for a moment, but not clearly or completely:
He’d glimpsed her through the window as he passed.
Patterns
to see/spot that/how/what/where/who…
to suddenly see/spot/glimpse somebody/something
glimpse
1.a sight of somebody/something for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely
glimpse (of somebody/something) He caught a glimpse of her in the crowd.
I came up on deck to get my first glimpse of the island.
Fans crowded the street outside waiting for a glimpse of their hero.
glimpse at somebody/something I just got a glimpse at the baby, but she was very cute.
2.a short experience of something that helps you to understand it
glimpse (of something) The programme gives us a rare glimpse of a great artist at work.
glimpse into something Take a glimpse into the future of rail travel.
glimpse at something The exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse at life beneath the waves.
glance gaze stare glimpse glare
These are all words for an act of looking, when you turn your eyes in a particular direction.
look an act of looking at somebody/something:
Here, have a look at this.
glance a quick look:
She stole a glance at her watch.
gaze a long, steady look at somebody/something:
She felt embarrassed under his steady gaze.
stare a long look at somebody/something, especially in a way that is unfriendly or that shows surprise:
She gave the officer a blank stare and shrugged her shoulders.
glimpse a look at somebody/something for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely:
He caught a glimpse of her in the crowd.
glare a long, angry look at somebody/something:
She fixed her questioner with a hostile glare.
Patterns
a look/glance at somebody/something
a penetrating/piercing look/glance/gaze/stare
a long look/glance/stare
a brief look/glance/glimpse
to have/get/take a look/glance/glimpse
to avoid somebody’s glance/gaze/stare
dot mark spot
These are all words for a small part on a surface that is a different colour from the rest.
patch an area of something, especially one which is different from the area around it:
a white dog with a black patch on its head
patches of dense fog
dot a small round mark on something, especially one that is printed:
The letters ‘i’ and ‘j’ have dots over them.
The island is a small green dot on the map.
mark an area of colour that is easy to notice on the body of a person or animal:
The horse had a white mark on its head.
spot a small round area that is a different colour or feels different from the surface it is on:
Which has spots, a leopard or a tiger?
Patterns
a patch/dot/mark/spot on something
with patches/dots/marks/spots
a blue/black/red, etc. patch/dot/mark/spot
stain fingerprint streak /striːk/ speck blot smear spot
These are all words for a small area of dirt or another substance on a surface.
mark a small area of dirt, a spot or a cut on a surface that makes it look less good:
The kids left dirty marks all over the kitchen floor.
stain a dirty mark on something that is difficult to remove, especially one made by a liquid:
blood stains
fingerprint a mark on a surface made by the pattern of lines on the end of a person’s finger, often used by the police to identify criminals:
Her fingerprints were all over the gun.
streak a long, thin mark or line that is a different colour from the surface it is on:
She had streaks of grey in her hair.
speck a very small mark, spot or piece of a substance on something:
There isn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the house.
blot a spot or dirty mark left on something by a substance such as ink or paint being dropped on a surface
smear a mark made by something such as oil or paint being spread or rubbed on a surface
spot a small dirty mark on something:
There were grease spots all over the walls.
Patterns
a streak/speck/blot/smear/spot of something
a greasy mark/stain/smear
an ink mark/stain/blot/spot
a grease mark/stain/spot
to leave a mark/stain/fingerprint/streak/speck/blot/smear
1.stain(v,n)
* to leave a mark that is difficult to remove on something; to be marked in this way
stain (something) (with something) I hope it doesn’t stain the carpet.
This carpet stains easily.
stain something + adj. The juice from the berries stained their fingers red.
*to change the colour of something using a coloured liquid
stain something to stain wood
Stain the specimen before looking at it under the microscope.
stain something + adj. They stained the floors dark brown.
The floors had been stained dark brown.
*stain something (formal) to damage the opinion that people have of something
The events had stained the city’s reputation unfairly.
2.fingerprint(n,v)
*a mark made by the pattern of lines on the tip of a person’s finger, often used by the police to identify criminals
His fingerprints were all over the gun.
to take a suspect’s fingerprints
The car was examined for fingerprints.
3.streak (n,v) streaky
*a long, thin mark or line that is a different colour from the surface it is on
There was a streak of blood on his face.
She had a few streaks of grey in her black hair.
The sooty rain left dirty streaks on the window.
streaks of sunlight
*a part of a person’s character, especially an unpleasant part
a ruthless/vicious/mean streak
a streak of cruelty
4.speck
*a very small spot; a small piece of dirt, etc.
The ship was now just a speck in the distance.
There isn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the house.
speckle
*a small coloured mark or spot on a background of a different colour
5.blot V
*blot something (up) to remove liquid from a surface by pressing soft paper or cloth on it
*blot something to make a spot or spots of ink (= coloured liquid in a pen) fall on paper
N
*blot (on something) something that damages the opinion that other people have of you, or your happiness
Her involvement in the fraud has left a serious blot on her character.
There was just a tiny blot on his happiness.
6.smear
*to spread an oily or soft substance over a surface in a rough or careless way
SYNONYM daub /dɔːb/
smear something on/over something The children had smeared mud on the walls.
smear something with something The children had smeared the walls with mud.
His face was smeared with blood.
*] to make something dirty or greasy
(be) smeared His glasses were smeared.
smeared windows
* smear somebody/something to damage somebody’s reputation by saying unpleasant things about them that are not true
SYNONYM slander
The story was an attempt to smear the party leader.
#daub
to spread a substance such as paint, mud, etc. thickly and/or carelessly onto something
daub A with B The walls of the building were daubed with red paint.
All the windows are smashed and the walls are daubed with graffiti.
daub B on A They used spray paint to daub slogans on the walls.
daub something + adv./prep. The letters ‘USA’ were daubed across their faces.
site area position point location scene spot venue /ˈvenjuː/
These are all words for a particular area or part of an area, especially one used for a particular purpose or where somebody/something is situated or happens.
place a particular point, area, city, town, building, etc., especially one used for a particular purpose or where a particular thing happens:
This would be a good place for a picnic.
site the place where something, especially a building, is or will be located; a place where something happened or that is used for a particular purpose:
They’ve chosen a site for the new school.
area a part of a room, building or particular space that is used for a special purpose; a particular place on an object:
the hotel reception area
Move the cursor to a blank area on the screen.
position the place where a person or thing is located; the place where somebody/something is meant to be:
From his position at the top of the hill, he could see the harbour.
The position of somebody/something is often temporary: the place where somebody/something is at a particular time.
point a particular place within an area, where something happens or is supposed to happen:
the point at which the river divides
location a place where something happens or exists, especially a place that is not named or not known:
The company is moving to a new location.
scene a place where something happens, especially something unpleasant:
the scene of the accident
spot a particular point or area, especially one that has a particular character or where something particular happens:
The lake is one of the local beauty spots.
venue the place where people meet for an organized event such as a performance or sports event.
Patterns
at a place/site/position/point/location/scene/spot/venue
in a(n) place/area/position/location/venue
the place/site/point/location/spot/venue where…
the right place/site/position/location/spot/venue
a central site/position/location/venue
the/somebody’s/something’s exact/precise place/site/position/point/location/spot
1.site
*V:to build or place something in a particular position
be sited + adv./prep. The castle is magnificently sited high up on a cliff.
The fence is strategically sited to prevent anyone getting onto the beach.
The hotel is beautifully sited by a lake in a steep valley.
There was a meeting to discuss the siting of the new school.
*N:a place where a building, town, etc. was, is or will be located
the site of a sixteenth-century abbey
The government has announced the proposed site for the airport.
A site has been chosen for the new school.
on a site Nothing can be built on this site.
on site All the materials are on site so that work can start immediately.
at a site The factory will be built at a site to the north of the city.
The inspector may need to make a site visit.
*a place where something has happened
the site of the battle
an archaeological site
The president is to visit the crash site later today.
an extremely sensitive site of national importance
at the site of something People laid flowers at the site of the accident.
*a place connected to the internet, where a company or an organization, or an individual person, puts information
online dating sites
Here are some links to other useful sites.
For more information, visit the festival’s official site.
You have to register to gain access to the site.
on a site She regularly posts music reviews on an online music site.
2.area
* part of a place, town, etc., or a region of a country or the world
to improve access to services in rural areas
urban/metropolitan/residential areas
The farm and surrounding area were flooded.
She knows the local area very well.
area around… the area around San Francisco
Large areas of the city were destroyed in the earthquake.
over a… area Wreckage from the plane was scattered over a wide area.
Thousands of tourists visit the area every year.
in the area There are lots of things to do in the area.
Ted has lived in this area all his life.
People who live in remote areas of the country may not have access to electricity.
A lot of new people have moved into the area recently.
John is the London area manager.
*a part of a room, building or particular space that is used for a special purpose
the hotel reception area
a play/parking/dining area
*a particular place on an object
The treatment targets the affected areas of the brain.
The tumour had not spread to other areas of the body.
Move the cursor to a blank area of the computer screen.
*a particular subject or activity, or an aspect of it
Finance is Mark’s area.
The course covers two main subject areas.
area of something The report focuses on three key areas of concern.
That’s outside my specific area of expertise.
area for something We have identified several areas for improvement.
in this area More research is needed in this area.
in the area of something to improve skills in the areas of critical thinking and problem-solving
*the amount of space covered by a flat surface or piece of land, described as a measurement
the area of a triangle
Measure the surface area.
The estate covers an area of 106 acres.
in area The room is 12 square metres in area.
1.position
*the place where somebody/something is located
Where would be the best position for the lights?
from a/your position From his position on the cliff top, he had a good view of the harbour.
She looked down over the scene from a raised position.
in a position These plants will grow well in a sheltered position.
The hotel stands in an elevated position looking out over the lake.
* the place where somebody/something is meant to be; the correct place
He took up his position by the door.
in position Is everybody in position?
The dancers all got into position.
She was learning to change her hand from first to third position (= on the strings of a violin).
*the way in which somebody is sitting or standing, or the way in which something is arranged
a sitting/standing/kneeling position
My arms were aching so I shifted (my) position slightly.
The soldiers had to stand for hours without changing position.
in a… position Keep the box in an upright position.
Make sure that you are working in a comfortable position.
She moved the seat into a reclining position.
*the situation that somebody is in, especially when it affects what they can and cannot do
The company’s financial position is not certain.
The company hopes to maintain its position as market leader.
in your position What would you do in my position?
in a… position This put him and his colleagues in a difficult position.
This recent sale puts us in a strong position.
to be in a position of power/strength/authority
in a position to do something I’m afraid I am not in a position to help you.
You are in no position to complain.
* an opinion on or an attitude towards a particular subject
She has made her position very clear.
to change/reconsider/shift your position
position on something the party’s position on education reforms
position that… My parents always took the position that early nights meant healthy children.
*a person or organization’s level of importance when compared with others
the position of women in society
the company’s dominant position in the world market
Atkins occupies a remarkable position in the history of photography.
Wealth and position (= high social status) were not important to her.
* (formal) a job
SYNONYM post
He held a senior position in a large company.
I should like to apply for the position of Sales Director.
They are advertising for a clinic coordinator and hope to fill the position by June.
We need more women in leadership positions.
2.location
*a place where something happens or exists; the position of something
a honeymoon in a secret location
Mobile phones can determine our exact location and relay it to the police in an emergency.
The harsh climate and remote location made mining even more difficult.
the country’s strategic geographical/geographic location
*a place outside a film studio where scenes of a film are made
location for something A mountain in the Rockies became the location for a film about Everest.
on location The movie was shot entirely on location in Italy.
the exotic locations they filmed in
He went to the restaurant to scout a location for his next film.
3.venue
*a place where people meet for an organized event, for example a concert, sporting event or conference
The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour.
music/entertainment venues
Please note the change of venue for this event.
dusty filthy muddy soiled grubby stained
These words all describe somebody/something that is not clean.
dirty not clean; covered with dust, soil, mud, oil, etc:
If your hands are dirty, go and wash them.
dusty full of dust; covered with dust:
There were shelves full of dusty books.
filthy very dirty and unpleasant:
It’s absolutely filthy in here.
muddy full of or covered in mud:
Don’t you come in here with those muddy boots on!
soiled (rather formal) dirty, especially with waste from the body:
soiled nappies/diapers
grubby (rather informal) rather dirty, usually because it has not been washed:
He hoped she wouldn’t notice his grubby shirt cuffs.
stained (often in compounds) covered with stains; marked with a stain (= a dirty mark that is difficult to remove):
a pair of paint-stained jeans
Patterns
dirty/dusty/filthy/muddy/soiled/grubby/stained clothes
dirty/dusty/filthy/grubby hands
a dirty/dusty/filthy room
to get dirty/dusty/filthy/muddy/stained
circumstances position conditions things the case state of affairs
These are all words for the conditions and facts that are connected with and affect the way things are.
situation all the things that are happening at a particular time and in a particular place:
the present economic situation
circumstances the facts that are connected with and affect a situation, an event or an action; the conditions of a person’s life, especially the money they have:
The ship sank in mysterious circumstances.
position the situation that somebody is in, especially when it affects what they can and cannot do:
She felt she was in a position of power.
conditions the circumstances in which people live, work or do things; the physical situation that affects how something happens:
We were forced to work outside in freezing conditions.
circumstances or conditions?
Circumstances refers to somebody’s financial situation; conditions are things such as the quality and amount of food or shelter they have. The circumstances that affect an event are the facts surrounding it; the conditions that affect it are usually physical ones, such as the weather.
things (rather informal) the general situation, as it affects somebody:
Hi, Jane! How are things?
Think things over before you decide.
the case the true situation:
If that is the case (= if the situation described is true), we need more staff.
state of affairs a situation:
How did this unhappy state of affairs come about?
situation or state of affairs?
State of affairs is mostly used with this. It is also used with adjectives describing how good or bad a situation is, such as happy, sorry, shocking, sad and unhappy, as well as those relating to time, such as present and current. Situation is much more frequent and is used in a wider variety of contexts.
Patterns
in (a) particular situation/circumstances/position/state of affairs
the/somebody’s economic/financial/social situation/circumstances/position/conditions
(a/an) happy/unhappy situation/circumstances/position/state of affairs
to look at/review the situation/the circumstances/the conditions/things
position post vacancy appointment
These are all words for a position doing work for which you receive regular payment.
job work for which you receive regular payment:
He’s trying to get a job in a bank.
position (rather formal) a job:
a senior position in a large corporation
job or position?
Position usually refers to a particular job within an organization, especially at a high level, and is not usually used about jobs generally. It is also often used in job applications, descriptions and advertisements.
post a job, especially an important one in a large organization:
a key post in the new government
vacancy a job that is available for somebody to do:
We have several vacancies for casual workers.
appointment (rather formal, especially British English) a job or position of responsibility:
This is a permanent appointment, requiring commitment and hard work.
Patterns
a permanent/temporary job/position/post/vacancy/appointment
a full-time/part-time job/position/post/vacancy/appointment
to have/have got a(n) job/position/post/vacancy/appointment
to apply for/fill a job/position/post/vacancy
to resign from/leave/quit a job/position/post
explanation grounds basis excuse motive justification pretext /ˈpriːtekst/
These are all words for a cause or an explanation for something that has happened or that somebody has done.
reason a cause or an explanation for something that has happened or that somebody has done; a fact that makes it right or fair to do something:
He said no but he didn’t give a reason.
explanation a statement, fact or situation that tells you why something has happened; a reason given for something:
The most likely explanation is that his plane was delayed.
She left the room abruptly without explanation.
grounds (rather formal) a good or true reason for saying, doing or believing something:
You have no grounds for complaint.
basis (rather formal) the reason why people take a particular action:
On what basis will this decision be made?
excuse a reason, either true or invented, that you give to explain or defend your behaviour; a good reason that you give for doing something that you want to do for other reasons:
Late again! What’s your excuse this time?
It gave me an excuse to take the car.
motive a reason that explains somebody’s behaviour:
There seemed to be no motive for the murder.
justification (rather formal) a good reason why something exists or is done:
I can see no possible justification for any further tax increases.
grounds or justification?
Justification is used to talk about finding or understanding reasons for actions, or trying to explain why it is a good idea to do something. It is often used with words like little, no, some, every, without, and not any. Grounds is used more for talking about reasons that already exist, or that have already been decided, for example by law: moral/economic grounds.
pretext (rather formal) a false reason that you give for doing something, usually something bad, in order to hide the real reason:
He left the party early on the pretext of having to work.
Patterns
(a/an) reason/explanation/grounds/basis/excuse/motive/justification/pretext for something
the reason/motive behind something
on the grounds/basis/pretext of/that…
(a) good/valid reason/explanation/grounds/excuse/motive/justification
1.explanation
* a statement, fact, or situation that tells you why something happened; a reason given for something
The most likely explanation is that his plane was delayed.
It’s the only explanation that makes any sense.
a plausible/an alternative explanation
to offer/provide an explanation
explanation for something I can’t think of any possible explanation for his absence.
I’m sure there’s a perfectly simple explanation for this.
explanation for doing something She didn’t give an adequate explanation for being late.
explanation of something The book opens with an explanation of why some drugs are banned.
explanation as to why… an explanation as to why he had left early
without explanation She left the room abruptly without explanation.
‘I had to see you,’ he said, by way of explanation.
* a statement or piece of writing that tells you how something works or makes something easier to understand
Other parts of the book contain unnecessarily lengthy explanations.
explanation of how, what, etc…. For a full explanation of how the machine works, turn to page 5.
explanation of something The teacher gave the children a detailed explanation of the story.
explanation about something He entered into a technical explanation about software and programming.
2.justification
*a good reason why something exists or is done
justification for doing something I can see no possible justification for any further tax increases.
justification for something I could find no real justification for the proposed reorganization.
with (some) justification He was getting angry—and with some justification.
without justification She was arrested entirely without justification.
*idm:in justification (of somebody/something)
as an explanation of why something exists or why somebody has done something
All I can say in justification of her actions is that she was under a lot of pressure at work.
the argument which he put forward in justification
3.pretext
*a false reason that you give for doing something, usually something bad, in order to hide the real reason; an excuse
(as a) pretext for (doing) something The incident was used as a pretext for intervention in the area.
on the pretext of doing something He left the party early on the pretext of having work to do.
on a/the… pretext People were being arrested on the flimsiest of pretexts.
The case for war was made on a false pretext.
under the pretext of doing something Under the pretext of checking her identity, the man had copied down her credit card details.
pretext to do something Be careful not to give him a pretext to report you.
journey tour expedition /ˌekspəˈdɪʃn/ excursion outing day out
These are all words for an act of travelling to a place.
trip an act of travelling from one place to another, and usually back again:
a business trip
a five-minute trip by taxi
journey an act of travelling from one place to another, especially when they are a long way apart:
a long and difficult journey across the mountains
trip or journey?
A trip usually involves you going to a place and back again; a journey is usually one-way. A trip is often shorter than a journey, although it does not have to be: a trip to New York • a round-the-world trip. It is often short in time, even if it is long in distance. Journey is more often used when the travelling takes a long time and is difficult. In North American English journey is not used for short trips (British English) Don’t use the car for short journeys.
tour a journey made for pleasure during which several different places are visited:
a tour of Bavaria
expedition an organized journey with a particular purpose, especially to find out about a place that is not well known:
the first expedition to the South Pole
excursion a short trip made for pleasure, especially one that has been organized for a group of people:
We went on an all-day excursion to the island.
outing a short trip made for pleasure or education, usually with a group of people and lasting no more than a day:
The children were on a day’s outing from school.
day out a trip to somewhere for a day, especially for pleasure:
We had a day out at the beach.
Patterns
a(n) foreign/overseas trip/journey/tour/expedition
a bus/coach/train/rail trip/journey/tour
to go on a(n) trip/journey/tour/expedition/excursion/outing/day out
to set out/off on a(n) trip/journey/tour/expedition/excursion
to make a(n) trip/journey/tour/expedition/excursion
ground land earth
These are all words for the surface that you walk on.
floor the surface of a room that you walk on:
She was sitting on the floor watching TV.
ground (often the ground) the solid surface of the earth that you walk on:
I found her lying on the ground.
The rocket crashed a few seconds after it left the ground.
land the surface of the earth that is not sea:
It was good to be back on dry land again.
They fought both at sea and on land.
earth (often the earth) the solid surface of the world that is made of rock, soil, sand, etc:
You could feel the earth shake as the truck came closer.
ground, land or earth?
Ground is the normal word for the solid surface that you walk on when you are not in a building or vehicle. You can use earth if you want to draw attention to the rock, soil etc. that the ground is made of. Land is only used when you want to contrast it with the sea: the land beneath our feet • feel the land shake • sight ground/earth • travel by ground/earth
Patterns
on/under the floor/ground/earth
bare floor/ground/earth
to drop/fall to the floor/the ground/(the) earth
to reach the floor/the ground/land
lot ground space plot
These words all mean an area of land that is used for a particular purpose.
land an area of ground, especially one that is used for a particular purpose:
agricultural land
lot (North American English) a piece of land that is used or intended for a particular purpose:
building lots
a parking lot
ground an area of land that is used for a particular purpose :
The kids were playing on waste ground near the school.
the site of an ancient burial ground
land, lot or ground?
Land is used for large areas of open land in the country, especially when it is used for farming. A lot is often a smaller piece of land in a town or city, especially one intended for building or parking on. Ground is any area of open land; a ground is an area of land designed or used for a particular purpose or activity.
space a large area of land that has no buildings on it:
The city has plenty of open space.
the wide open spaces of the Canadian prairies
plot a small piece of land used or intended for a particular purpose:
She bought a small plot of land to build a house.
a vegetable plot
lot or plot?
Either a lot or a plot can be used for building on. Only a plot can also be used for growing vegetables or burying people.
Patterns
an open space
open/empty/vacant/waste/derelict land/ground
a/an empty/vacant lot/plot
