Power Words Flashcards
The most common words in the English language (not including the super easy words you already know)
________ is a hard pill to swallow.
Defeat
DEFINITION: to lose
_______! I just missed the bus!
Goddamnit
Short for: God damn it
Also: Damn it (less vulgar)
Also: Darn it (not vulgar)
_______ arms
linking
DEFINITION: connecting
“_______ a drink sometime?”
(not “want”)
Fancy
DEFINITION: do you want / would you like
NOTE: mostly British
______-body exercises
upper
opposite: lower
______, the police need to invest in faster motorcycles.
Obviously
Definition: clearly
______ _____ time at the hotel was noon. Which was perfect for Bob because that’s when he wakes up.
Check out
DEFINITION: the process of leaving a hotel – you pay your bill and return your key
OPPOSITE: check in to a hotel
NOTE: you also check in with your airline when you arrive at the airport, but you don’t check out when you land….
A _____ moment caught on camera
humiliating
DEFINITION: very embarrassing
NOUN: humiliation
______ your hand if you came to work drunk this morning.
Raise
DEFINITION: put in a higher position
EXPRESSION: if your boss raises the bar at work that means he’s going to expect better work from you
______ text in a book
highlighting
DEFINITION: mark with color
ALSO: “The concert was the highlight of the trip” translation: it was the best part
______ testing of Pfizer’s 27th booster shot is going well.
Clinical
DEFINITION: the test (often called a “trial”) happens in a medical clinic, which means it’s tested on real people and not just in a laboratory
“______ I’ve made a mistake.”
Perhaps
DEFINITION: maybe
______ how many hours a week do you exercise?
Roughly
DEFINITION: approximately
ALSO: if someone asks you for a rough estimate that means very broad, not exact
______ his injuries, Bob insisted he was ready to return to work.
Despite
Definition: even with; in spite of
______ from Manhattan, it took some time for Bob to adjust to his new life in Miami.
Originally
DEFINITION: at first
______ for the family Christmas picture
posing
DEFINITION: to position yourself to look good in front of people / a camera
______ Bob watches the news he gets a little upset.
Whenever
DEFINITION: when
______ Bob and Jennifer, everyone hated working there.
Besides
DEFINITION: except for
_____ solar panels
installing
DEFINITION: to connect, to set up so it can be used
NOUN: installation
_______ how many hours do you sleep at night?
Approximately
DEFINITION: roughly, the estimate
_____ real estate
commercial
DEFINITION: related to commerce, i.e. business
_____ on a potato
choking
_____ me. I think this is my stop. Hello… I need to get out please….
Excuse
DEFINITION: pardon me
ALSO: You can say “excuse me” when you sneeze or when you need to answer your phone or when you want to ask a question…
______, Jennifer did not find Bob attractive. Then she discovered he drove a Honda.
Initially
DEFINITION: at first
_____ energy
____money
_____ time
less
DEFINITION: not as many as before or compared to someone/something else
EXPRESSION: do more with less; less is more
_____ arriving at Disney Land, it will be necessary to spend the first two weeks of your vacation in quarantine.
Upon
DEFINITION: soon after
ALSO: “Once a upon a time” is a classic introduction for childrens’ stories
_____ an old building
restoring
DEFINITION: to bring back to a previous level of quality
NOUN: restoration
________David McCullough, author of “1776,” “Truman” and many other books, died in 2022 at the age of 89.
Historian
DEFINITION: someone who researches and writes about history
_____ a church
attend
DEFINITION: go to (usually regularly and not just once)
_____ 1 of the U.S. Constitution say what the congress can and can not do.
article
DEFINITION: a section of a contract or document
____-view mirror
rear
DEFINITION: when you want to say that something is located in the back of something else
____, let me thank you for awarding me the Nobel Peace Prize. _____, I asked for a glass of water ten minutes ago. Do you see a glass of water here? I don’t.
Firstly / Secondly
DEFINITION: If you’re going to make several points, you begin with “firstly” then “secondly” then “finally…”
____ ____! Ducks!
Look out!
DEFINITION: watch out! be careful
____ to becoming a cop, Bob spent a lot of time at the gym.
Prior
DEFINITION: before
Also: If you say you can’t attend someone’s party because you’re already going to a party, you can say, “I have a prior engagement” (very formal)
____ dong!
Who is it?
____! Dinner’s ready.
ding dong!
Ding!
DEFINITION: a sound made by doorbells, timers, etc.
___it!
Darn it!
Also: Damnit!
Your fearless teacher’s favorite summer hobby: ______ down the river.
floating
DEFINITION: to stay on the surface of the water
You’ve got to be pretty ______ to work at the circus.
daring
DEFINITION: he’s brave and takes risks
You just lost a bet with a friend.
Your friend says you have to wear one of these _____ to work.
Which one do you choose?
caps
DEFINITION: a type of hat
ALSO: a baseball cap
You have _______ nine seconds to escape or deactivate the bomb.
precisely
DEFINITION: exactly
ALSO: Do you need to be precise in your job? Are you a surgeon? Or a pilot? Or an engineer?
You don’t have to wear facemasks ______, but Bob’s not taking any chances.
anymore
DEFINITION: any longer, no longer
You don’t have to be a college _______ to get a job working in the sewars, but it helps.
graduate
DEFINITION: someone who completed their studies at a high school or university
NOTE: this is the noun and it’s pronounced just a little differently than the verb
You can take your dog for a walk or _____ your cat.
drag
DEFINITION: to pull something that’s on the ground
ALSO: if you have a hard time waking up in the morning you can say you had to drag yourself out of bed
ALSO: if you ask your kid how school was and he says “It was a drag” that means it was very boring
You can get a good price if you shop for ______ fruit and vegetables.
decaying
DEFINITION: it’s old and it’s rotting
Also: tooth decay; societal decay; a decaying body
“You better have a good ______ for this.”
reason
DEFINITION: explanation, excuse
Yoga classes are a good way to _____ your flexibility and to pick up babes.
maintain
DEFINITION: to keep, to continue
ALSO: maintain your health, maintain your perfect record
Yes or no? A real man can remove a bottle _____ with his teeth.
cap
DEFINITION: the top of a bottle
Years later, at his murder trial, Mrs. Jones would say Bob was always such a ______, little boy.
sweet
DEFINITION: nice, kind
Years before covid, Bob’s plastic barrier allowed customers to ________ without smelling his bad breath.
checkout
DEFINITION: when you checkout at a store you bring your stuff to the front and pay for it
ALSO: a checkout counter, a checkout clerk
Would you ______ for any of these jobs?
qualify
DEFINITION: to meet the necessary requirements
ALSO: to qualify for the Olympics; to qualify for a loan
Would you rather _____ or clean the bathroom?
iron
DEFINITION: to take the wrinkles out of clothes using an iron and an ironing board
ALSO: a metal and a mineral, ex. the Iron Age, Iron Man, liver is a good source of iron
Would you rather study grammar rules or spend time in _______?
prison
DEFINITION: where you put criminals; similar to a jail except you can spend years in prison and maybe only hours in jail
VERB: to imprison a criminal
A PERSON: a prisoner
Would you rather own your own apartment or own some _______?
land
DEFINITION: earth, ground
Would you rather live in this ______ or speak perfect English?
castle
BEWARE: the silent “t”!
IDIOM: a man’s home is his castle
Would you rather discover this treasure _____ or five bitcoins?
chest
DEFINITION: a large box with a lid
Would you rather be able to write beautiful poetry or ______ beautiful music?
compose
DEFINITION: create by combining different pieces; ex. compose a speech, the neighborhood is composed of immigrants from many countries
PERSON: a composer
Would you like to _____ ____ public office?
run for
DEFINITION: to try to be elected
Would you like to spend the night inside this _____ potato?
massive
DEFINITION: very large
Would you like to own an _____ car?
electric
DEFINITION: something that uses / runs on electricity; ex. an electric stove, an electric toothbrush
Would you like to live _____? Where?
abroad
DEFINITION: in a foreign country
Would you like to have lived in another _______?
century
DEFINITION: a period of 100 years
EXPRESSION: centuries ago….
“Would you like a little ____ more?”
“No thanks, I’m stuffed. Plus, your cooking is terrible.”
bit
DEFINITION: a small amount or piece of something, ex. You’ll need a bit of luck; Can I have a bit of your time?
Would you ever ______ _______ to buy a new product?
line up
DEFINITION: to join a line with other people
Would you ever ____ to tell your boss the truth?
dare
DEFINITION: to do something that requires courage
VERB: if you dare someone to do something you challenge them to do it, ex. I dare you to go talk to that girl.
EXPRESSION: If your wife tells you, “Don’t you dare forget our anniversary” that means it would really be a bad idea to forget.
EXPRESSION: If you want to show that you’re shocked you can say, “How dare you say that to me!”
Would you drive to work in a _____ or take the day off?
flood
DEFINITION: a lot of water
Would you date someone who has a _____ between their teeth?
gap
Definition: a space
Also: if a young person takes a gap year that means he/she takes a year off between high school and college to travel or work
Would you consider this a ____ or a major problem?
minor
DEFINITION: small, not serious
Woops. He ____ the ball.
dropped
DEFINITION: he couldn’t hold it and it fell
Woops. He drove too fast around the ______.
curve
DEFINITION: a bend
IDIOM: If you stay ahead of the curve that means you work or study extra to stay ahead of the competition
Women with small children are usually _____ ______ while boarding.
given priority
DEFINITION: they are allowed to go first because they are more important than the others
Women always say they prefer a ______ man.
confident
DEFINITION: if you’re confident you know you will succeed
With his new photo-editing software, Bob can _____ out all the unimportant people from his photos, like his wife.
crop
DEFINITION: to cut, usually the top of something, ex. crop a dog’s ears
With his new degree from Harvard and his job on Wall Street starting Monday, Bob’s _____ looked good.
prospects
DEFINITION: outlook for the future
Winning all the swimming medals in both the summer and winter Olympics is quite an _______
accomplishment
DEFINITION: a success, he accomplished a lot
Will there ever be a ______ to the Rocky series?
conclusion
DEFINITION: the ending, the final result
Will the new facial _______ technology turn out to be a good thing or a bad thing?
recognition
DEFINITION: when you recognize someone you realize you’ve seen him before
ALSO: you can recognize an employee for a job well done by mentioning him during a meeting or giving him a bonus
Will Rowan Atkinson be the next actor to be _______ as James Bond?
cast
DEFINITION: to choose an actor for a role
Why ______ life when there’s a simple solution?
complicate
DEFINITION: to make something more difficult and less simple
ADJECTIVE: complicated
ALSO: if someone overcomplicates a problem that means he makes it more complicated
Why don’t more books have interesting _______ like this?
illustrations
DEFINITION: a picture, drawing, usually in a book
VERB: to illustrate
PERSON: an illustrator
ALSO: an illustration can be an example which makes your point clearer; ex. Jesus illustrated his moral teachings through stories called “parables”
Who’s a ______ celebrity you’d like to meet?
charming
DEFINITION: when someone has an attractive personality and everyone likes them they have charm; think of a movie star or con artist
ALSO: you can say a movie or a house is charming and that means you like it and it makes you feel good
Who’s the youngest _______ you know?
retiree
DEFINITION: someone who stopped working
UK: a pensioner
Who’s the most ____person you know?
moral
DEFINITION: a moral person is someone who is concerned with doing the right thing; often, but not always, a religious person
NOUN: morality
OPPOSITE: immoral, ex. an immoral movie
Who ______ your laundry?
folds
ALSO: if you’re playing poker and someone says “I fold” that means they quit because their cards are bad; and if a business folds it goes out of business
Who ______ the temperature in your house?
regulates
DEFINITION: to control, adjust
NOUN: regulation; ex. government regulation is driving up costs
Who ____ ____ ____ _____ at your office? In your family?
gets on your nerves
DEFINITION: annoys you, you find the person bothersome
Who would you like to see in ______? Living or dead.
concert
DEFINITION: a musical performance
ALSO: if your company is going to sell a new product in concert with another company that means they’re collaborating and working together
Who won the last ______ in your country?
election
DEFINITION: when people vote for a leader or political party
VERB: to elect
Who were your ______ when you were a kid? Did they have a positive or a negative influence on you?
peers
DEFINITION: your peers are people who are the same age or who have the same income level or are at the same status level as you
ALSO: peer pressure
Who was your ______ when you were a kid?
hero
DEFINITION: any person you admire greatly, usually someone who is brave and courageous
ALSO: the main character in a story, usually an action / adventure story
ADJECTIVE: heroic, ex. an heroic action
Who was your favorite _______ in Friends?
character
DEFINITION: the person an actor plays; the role an actor plays
EXPRESSION: If someone says “He’s quite a character” that means he has a unique personality.
Who was Trump’s _______ in the 2016 election?
opponent
DEFINITION: the person on the opposite side in a contest or game or fight
Who was the _____ student in your school?
brightest
DEFINITION: smart, clever
ALSO: if you’re optimistic about the future you can say, The future looks bright
ALSO: a star can shine brightly; a fire can burn brightly; an actor has a bright smile
EXPRESSION: But if someone is not very clever, you can say: He’s not the brightest bulb.
Who was the last employee at your company to be _________?
(not fired)
dismissed
DEFINITION: fire (formal)
ALSO: you can receive a dismissal notice (very formal)
Who was the best _______ you ever had?
flatmate
DEFINITION: someone whom you share or do something with; ex. roommate, teammate, officemate, classmate
Who took a _____ out of my donut?
bite
Noun: a bite, ex. I got a bug bite on my arm.
Verb: bite/bit/bitten, ex. I’ve been bitten many times by mosquitoes.
Who knows what kind of treasure lies ______ the surface of the sea?
beneath
DEFINITION: under, below
ALSO: If you ask someone to clean the bathroom and they say, It’s beneath me to do that, that means they think they have a high status and the job is too dirty for them
Who is your country’s most famous ________?
poet
DEFINITION: someone who writes poetry
ALSO: if someone is good with words / uses words beautifully, but doesn’t acually write poetry, you can still compliment him by calling him a poet
Who has more _____: movie stars from the past or from today?
class
DEFINITION: style, grace, elegance
ADJECTIVE: a classy person
Who does your country share its _______ with? Is it a friendly ____?
border/border
DEFINITION: the line separating two countries or two properties
VERB: If your boss says your performance is bordering on criminal that means it’s so bad it’s almost a crime. And you should probably try harder.
ALSO: borderline criminal activity
Who does the ________ chores in your home?
household
DEFINITION: related to the house and everything inside your house; ex. your household income is the income of everyone inside the house
Who do you know who likes to _______ a lot of attention?
attract
DEFINITION: he / she draws attention to himself/herself, it can be either on purpose or not on purpose
Who do you know who is _______?
cheap
DEFINITION: a cheap person is someone who inconveniences himself or even embarresses himself to save money
ALSO: a cheapskate
Who do you know who is accident _______?
prone
DEFINITION: likely to happen to; susceptible
Who do you know who has a ______ handshake?
firm
DEFINITION: hard, solid
ADVERB: he gripped his hand firmly
ALSO: If you make an offer to sell something and you’re firm that means you aren’t willing to negotiate.
Who do you know who can play the _______?
guitar
Who did you _____ when you were a kid?
admire
DEFINITION: respect, look up to
NOUN: admiration
Who can you _____ __ at work to do a good job?
count on
DEFINITION: depend on, rely on
Whiskey: the breakfast of ______
champions
DEFINITION: a victor, the winner, one of the best
ALSO: if you read that someone is a champion of the poor, that means they fight to help the poor
NOTE: “Breakfast of Champions” is a famous advertising slogan for an American breakfast cereal that features famous athletes on its boxes
While vacationing in the Hamptons, Bob enjoyed many summertime activities, ___ _______, mud diving.
(not “for example”)
for instance
DEFINITION: for example, such as
While on the golf course, Dr. Bob got a call from his lawyer informing him he was being sued for medical ______.
negligence
DEFINITION: when something bad happens because you don’t do your job or you’re not responsible
While most businesses suffered during the lockdowns, business was _______ for e-commerce sites like Amazon.
booming
DEFINITION: a sudden increase; ex. a baby boom is a sudden increase in births; if the market is booming sales are climbing
While his friends played video games, Bob worked on his evil _______ to take over the world.
scheme
DEFINITION: a clever plan
Which ______ you more? Beauty? Intelligence? Or success?
impresses
DEFINITION: it causes you to respect, admire them
Which ______ has the best music?
decade
DEFINITION: a period of ten years
Which ______ did Harry Potter need to find to get to Hogwarts?
platform
DEFINITION: the raised area beside the railroad tracks
ALSO: a raised area for public speeches; that’s why some websites like Twitter and Facebook are called platforms
Which ____ do you prefer when you go to the movies?
row
DEFINITION: when people or things are in a straight line
IDIOM: if your boss tells you to get your ducks in a row before starting the new project he wants you to get organized and prepare
Which would you rather have: More time for your hobbies and your family? Or a higher _____?
salary
DEFINITION: how much an employer pays you; ex. your monthly salary, your annual salary
Which word has been _____ ____?
crossed out
DEFINITION: to draw one or more lines through a word to show that it should be deleted
ALSO: to strike through a word
Which vocabulary method gives you _____ results?
rapid
DEFINITION: very fast, quick
ALSO: In a river, when water moves very fast over rocks these are called “rapids.”
ALSO: you can get a rapid test result, ex. for Covid
ALSO: a good investment has a rapid rate of return
ALSO: a machine gun is a rapid-fire gun, and if someone asks you a lot of questions quickly they ask rapid-fire question
Which shooter was the most ______?
accurate
DEFINITION: exact, correct
ALSO: an accurate prediction; an accurate test
Which one doesn’t _____?
belong
DEFINITION: to be a member of, to be a part of
ALSO: belong to a family, belong to a political organization
ALSO: things that you own are your belongings,ex. (sign in a cafe: “Beware of thieves. Watch your belongings.”
Which of these famous ______ was not involved in a sex scandal?
politicians
DEFINITION: someone who runs for and is elected to a public office
Which is _____ leather and which is fake?
genuine
DEFINITION: real, authentic
Also: if a person is genuine it means he’s not lying, not acting, he’s real and honest
Which is your favorite ______ of shoes?
pair
DEFINITION: two things that go together; ex. a pair of pants, a pair of glasses, a pair of legs
VERB: to match two things /put them together; ex. this cheese pairs well with red wine
Which is your favorite season? Winter? Spring? Summer? Or ______?
autumn
ALSO: a nice way to say that a person is old is to say “He’s in the autumn of his life.”
NOTE: “fall” is more common with Americans and “autumn” is more common with Brits
Which is your favorite natural _____?
disaster
DEFINITION: a very damaging and usually dangerou event, a catastrophe
ALSO: if you have an interview for a new job and you get lost, forget your name and throw up on the boss you can say it was a disaster
ADJECTIVE: disastrous, ex. a disastrous decision
Which is the ____ circle and which is the outer circle?
inner
DEFINITION: on the inside
ALSO: live in the inner city; seek inner peace; inner beauty; inner strength
Which is the proper and which is the _______ way to lift something heavy?
improper
DEFINITION: incorrect
Which is the best seating _______ for a wedding?
arrangement
DEFINITION: how the seats and tables are arranged/placed
Which is more _______: a cobra in your sleeping bag or an alligator in your toilet?
frightening
DEFINITION: very scary
Which is a better investment? Stocks or ______?
bonds
DEFINITION: a type of investment, usually issued by a government which needs to raise money for something, ex. war bonds
Which has a higher population _______? This city or this village?
density
Definition: the number of something in a certain space, ex. a densely wooded forest is a forest with a lot of trees crowded together; a densely populated area is a city with a lot of people crowded together
Adjective: dense
Also: if you want to insult a person who doesn’t understand what you’re trying to explain you can call him “dense”
Which hand is clean and which hand is ______?
dirty
DEFINITION: it has dirt on it, not clean
ALSO: if your mom says she found a dirty magazine in your room she means a magazine with naked people (tip: just blame your older brother)
Which family _______ more stuff?
possesses
DEFINITION: if you possess something you own it or have it; ex. Superman possess amazing strength
Which dog is _____ on going for a walk?
keen
DEFINITION: eager, enthusiastic
ALSO: if someone has keen eyes or keen hearing that means he/she has sharp eyes/shart hearing and notices things others don’t
Which do you prefer? ____ snakes or ____ spiders?
giant
DEFINITION: huge, very large
ALSO: a giant in his industry (a leader, well respected)
A PERSON: a giant
Which do you prefer? Photography ______ or going to the dentist?
exhibits
DEFINITION: a public showing
NOTE: you can also say “exhibition”
VERB: to exhibit
Which do you prefer? A ______ amount of electricity or a _____ injection?
lethal
DEFINITION: deadly
Which do you prefer: bar ___ or pie _____?
charts
DEFINITION: data that is shown visually
ALSO: sailors don’t use maps, they use charts. So you may hear in a movie, “Let’s chart a course for the island.” Or “We’re sailing in uncharted waters.”
Which do you like best? Snakes? _____? Or giant spiders?
rats
DEFINITION: a type of rodent, a large mouse
ALSO: If you rat on someone it means you report them. ex. the drug dealer ratted on his partner to the police
ALSO: If something bad and unexpected happens, you can say, “Rats!”
Which conversation topics _____ you?
bore
DEFINITION: the opposite of “excite” or “interest”
ADJECTIVE: boring
NOUN: boredom
PERSON: a bore
Which American chain restaurants are _____ their presence in your country?
expanding
DEFINITION: growing
Whether or not we have the wedding outside is ________ on the rain.
dependent
DEFINITION: it depends on ____, it’s conditional, contingent
Wherever you find a McDonald’s restaurant, you will find a ______ level of service and cleanliness.
consistent
DEFINITION: the same, with no variation, standard
Where’s the nearest _______ to where you live?
port
DEFINITION: where ships go to load and unload their cargo
Where is the _____ government located in your country?
federal
DEFINITION: the central government, not the local / town / state government
ALSO: federal courthouse, a federal crime, a federal officer
Where do your out-of-town ______ sleep when they come to visit?
relatives
DEFINITION: the people who are related to you; your extended family, ex. aunts and uncles, cousins, etc.
Where do you _______ the economy will be this time next year?
anticipate
DEFINITION: expect
______ of data theft are on the rise.
incidents
DEFINITION: a single event
NOTE: a formal word you’ll most likely just read or hear in the news
Where do you ____ ___ ___ your best ideas?
come up with
DEFINITION: if you come up with an idea or solution you find it / discover it after thinking about it for some time
Where can you see the greatest ______ between rich and poor in your country?
contrast
DEFINITION: a comparison that shows a great difference
_______ into the sunset
sailing
PERSON: a sailor
Where can I put my hat?
Just _____ it over there.
fling
DEFINITION: throw a short distance
PAST: flung
Where are Bob and Jennifer?
I think they’re hiding behind the _______.
curtain
DEFINITION: cloth that covers a window or stage
EXPRESSION: if your boss tells you “It’s curtains for you”, that means you should start looking for a new job
Whenever Bob ______ __ the past, he needed to call his therapist.
reflected on
DEFINITION: to think about, usually a memory
Whenever Bob didn’t start a fire at school, he got a special ______.
treat
DEFINITION: something special, often candy or dessert
When _____ your car for a long trip, don’t forget the kids.
loading
DEFINITION: if you load a vehicle you put luggage inside it
ALSO: load the dishwasher, load the washing machine, load the gun
When you’re a kid, summer seems to last for an _______
eternity
DEFINITION: forever
ALSO: eternal
_____, Bob. _____, Randy.
Howdy
DEFINITION: Hi (informal)
When you’re ready to check out, place your items on the _____.
counter
DEFINITION: the area where you pay in a shop or cafe; the surface where you prepare food in a kitchen
When you’re reading, do you ever write notes in the ______?
margins
DEFINITION: in a text, the space between the words and the end of page; the border, the edge
ALSO: if a political candidate wins by a small margin that means he got just a few more votes than his opponent; a very small margin is a razor-thin margin
EXPRESSION: If your boss tells you you should allow for a margin of error that means you should plan on things not going exactly as planned, ex. If you think it will cost $1,000,000 you would budget for $1.2 million
When you’re a dinner guest, is it polite to offer to ____ ____ and help clear the table?
pitch in
DEFINITION: when you voluntarily help to do work
When you _____ _____ on your youth, what’s something you wish you had done differently?
look back
DEFINITION: reflect on, think about something in the past
When you ___ ____ to work after lunch do you feel sleepy?
go back
DEFINITION: return
When you wrote essays in school, did you spend more time on writing or on the ______?
revisions
DEFINITION: the re-writes, edits
When you were in school, did your parents provide you with financial _____?
aid
DEFINITION: help, assistance (formal)
VERB: to aid the poor
When you were in high school were you fond of your ______?
principal
DEFINITION: the director of a high school, the headmaster
NOTE: for a college or university this person is called a president
ALSO: the most important, the first in rank, ex. The principal reason he was fired from his job was poor performance.
When you were a teenager, what did you do to be _______?
cool
DEFINITION: popular, accepted by the crowd
When you were a kid, what were your ________ of how life would be as an adult?
expectations
DEFINITION: what you expected, what you thought would be true or happen
When you were a kid, what were you _____ about?
curious
DEFINITION: you wanted to know more about it
NOUN: curiosity
ALSO: if something strange happens that you can’t explain, you can say “That’s curious.”
When you were a kid, did your parents _____ you to play with matches?
permit
DEFINITION: allow (formal)
VERB: to give permission
NOUN: a government may only allow certain things if you have a document called “a permit”, i.e. a permit to carry a gun, a permit to sell alcohol
When you were a kid, did your parents ____ you to culture?
expose
DEFINITION: to put in front of, to present
ALSO: if you open the back of a camera you expose the film; if you go to the hospital you expose yourself to disease
When you were a kid, did your parents send you to summer ______?
camp
DEFINITION: a place for kids to go without their parents when school is out
ALSO: to go camping means to sleep outside, i.e. in a tent
When you were a child, how did your parents _______ you when you misbehaved?
discipline
DEFINITION: to punish
When you want to sell your home, a real estate ______ can help you by showing potential buyers where they can find the windows.
agent
DEFINITION: someone who has permission to work for and represent another person
ALSO: a travel agent, a secret agent (i.e. a spy), an author may have a literary agent
When you read the news, do you read the _____ or just the headlines?
articles
DEFINITION: the complete text of a news story
When you read the news do you read the entire article or do you just ______ the headlines?
scan
DEFINITION: to look at quickly
When you live in a big city, seeing strange people is an _______ event.
everyday
DEFINITION: common, nothing special, usual
When you have a conversation, how much of a ______ do you need?
distance
DEFINITION: the space between two objects, people, places
ALSO: We saw a light in the distance = far away
When you go to the store, do you usually buy a ______ eggs or half a _____?
dozen
Definition: 12
Note: You can say “dozens and dozens” and “hundreds and hundreds” but not “tens and tens”
When you go on vacation, who _______ you at work?
replaces
DEFINITION: who takes over your job? who is your substitute?
NOUN: replacement; ex. My grandfather had hip replacement surgery.
ALSO: replace a lightbulb
When you get sick, how long does it take you to _______?
recover
DEFINITION: get back to normal
ALSO: if you lose money you want to recover your losses
When you fly to a foreign country you will be asked to fill in a passenger __________ form.
declaration
DEFINITION: to state something publicly, often in writing, ex. The Declaration of Independence
When you don’t want to forget an appointment, how do you _____ yourself?
remind
DEFINITION: do something that causes you to remember
NOUN: a reminder, ex. “This is a friendly reminder that you have your dentist appointment tomorrow at 1 pm.”
When you chose your career, were you given an __________?
alternative
DEFINITION: another option, something else you can choose
When we returned home we ______ that the dog might have been the one who damaged the walls.
suspected
DEFINITION:to think that someone is guilty/responsible but you’re not 100% certain
When was the last time your country (or one of your countrymen/women) won a ________?
championship
DEFINITION: the final of many competitions to determine the winning team
PERSON: a champion
When was the last time your car _____ _____?
broke down
DEFINITION: stop working
ALSO: if you have an emotional breakdown that means you’re going to need a lot of tissues
When was the last time your boss ______ your work?
praised
DEFINITION: to say good things about someone or something
ALSO: When something good happens a Christian might say, Praise the Lord!
When was the last time you ______ with someone through the post, instead of through the internet?
corresponded
DEFINITION: to communicate through writing
When was the last time you ______ out-of-town guests?
hosted
DEFINITION: if you host someone you let them stay at your place
When was the last time you were under a lot of ______ at work?
pressure
DEFINITION: when something pushes or presses against something else pressure is the force that is felt
ALSO: air pressure in your tires, blood pressure, pressure at work
When was the last time you missed work because of an ________?
illness
DEFINITION: sickness
When was the last time you made a ____ decision?
poor
DEFINITION: bad
ALSO: poor eating habits; poor eyesight
When was the last time you had ______ over to your house for dinner?
company
DEFINTION: guests, visitors
When was the last time you had food ______ ?
delivered
DEFINITION: when something you ordered is brought to your home or office
ADJECTIVE: delivery, ex. the pizza delivery man
ALSO: if a woman delivers a baby that means she gives birth, i.e. she doesn’t bring it to your home or office
When Veronica looks angry, ________ she’s just hungry.
apparently
DEFINITION: it appears that way
When this dynamite goes off it will make a loud _______.
boom
DEFINITION: a loud sound
ALSO: someone can have a booming voice
When they first started dating her favorite _____ for Bob was “darling.” Now she just calls him “shithead.”
term
DEFINITION: a word or expression, ex. the Latin term for “my fault” is “mea culpa”
When the Shackleton expedition got stuck in the ice and then ran out of ______, they had to eat their dogs.
provisions
DEFINITION: supplies, usually food
When the police found out Bob wasn’t wearing his face mask in the shower they ____ him.
arrested
DEFINITION: when the police catch you for committing a crime
When the police found one million dollars in gold in Bob’s office, he _____ the IT guy.
accused
DEFINITION: to say that someone is guilty of a crime
noun: accusation
When the paparazzi photographed Bob stealing cookies, it ruined his _____ for life.
reputation
DEFINITION: what other people think about you
When the negotiations became intense, Nigeria sent Bob to ______ their nation.
represent
DEFINITION: to act or speak in the place of someone else; ex. a lawyer represents his client in court,
When the government doesn’t have the _______ to help people after a disaster they call the Red Cross.
resources
Definition: money, material or people that can be used to solve problems, ex. HR/human resources
When the floor in his apartment ________, Bob decided it was time to go on a diet.
collapsed
DEFINITION: to fall, to cave in
WHAT ELSE CAN COLLAPSE? a bridge can collapse… the stock market can collapse… your argument against hiring someone can collapse… civilization can collapse…. the public transportation system can collapse…
ALSO: if you buy a collapsible chair that means you have a chair that can fold up
When the factory decreased wages, thousands of workers ______ in a strike.
participated
DEFINITION: they joined, they took part
NOUN: participation
A PERSON: a participant
When the diary of Anne Frank was discovered it gave a new ______ into the cost of war from a child’s perspective.
insight
DEFINITION: a deeper level of understanding
ADJECTIVE: if someone gives a very thoughtful or original comment you can say it’s insightful
When the cost of ______ becomes too high robots will replace people.
labor
DEFINITION: work
A PERSON: laborer
ALSO: labor strike, Labor Day, the Labor Party, manual labor
BRITISH ENGLISH: labour
When the company went bankrupt and everyone was unemployed, they ______ the IT guy.
blamed
DEFINITION: to say someone is responsible for something bad
When Star Wars was released in 1977, it was an immediate _______
hit
DEFINITION: a success
ALSO: a hit song
When Se-ri Pak won the U.S. Open, it _____ many Korean women to take up golf.
inspired
DEFINITION: to influence (usually in a positive way); ex. his kind words inspired me with confidence
NOUN: inspiration
When saying the word “balloon”, the _______ is on the second syllable.
emphasis
DEFINITION: to stress a sound, or to stress the importance of some information, ex. “I want to emphasize that it will not be possible to go over the budget this year.”
When Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider he suddenly had the _____ to climb walls like a spider. And ride a bicycle like a spider.
ability
DEFINITION: your power or skill to do something
VERB: to be able to do something, ex. I’m not able to think today
ALSO: if a person is in a wheelchair they’re called “disabled”
When it gets hot, how do you _____ _____?
cool down
DEFINITION: to lower your body temperature
ALSO: a cool day (not cold but not warm)
When it comes to presents, which is better: ______ or quality?
quantity
DEFINITION: the amount of something, ex. a large / small quantity or water
When is your rent or mortgage payment ______?
due
DEFINITION: if a payment is due that means the date has arrived when you must pay it
ALSO: if you didn’t make your payment on time it is now “past due.”
ALSO: you can ask a woman “When is the baby due?” (but make sure she’s really pregnant first)
When interviewed by the media, Bob reveal that the ____ to his success was his afternoon nap.
key
DEFINITION: very important; an important part
When in a new city you should explore hidden ________; you might discover a Starbucks that you’ve never been to.
passages
DEFINITION: a long, narrow space that connects two areas
When I told my doctor I smoke five packs of cigarettes and drink a bottle of whiskey for breakfast every day he looked ________
concerned
DEFINITION: worried
When I go to the movies I like to sit in the first ________
row
Definition: when people or things are in a straight line, ex. a row of seats, ducks in a row
When I first met my wife her beauty ________ to me.
appealed
DEFINITION: found it attractive
When his boss asked him if he’d like to come to work on time, Bob ______.
refused
DEFINITION: to not agree to do something
When hiking in the desert, be sure to pack an ______ amount of water.
adequate
DEFINITION: enough; not too much and not too little, just enough
ALSO: if your teacher tells you your test results were adequate that means you passed but you didn’t do great
When he wasn’t robbing graves, Indiana Jones was a ________.
scholar
DEFINITION: an educate person
ALSO: a student; a student who has won a scholarship (money to study at a university)
When he heard the bad news his head_______ exploded.
literally
DEFINITION: when you want to say that a metaphor is not a comparison but actually happened; ex. A common expression is “I couldn’t get out of bed this morning.” That simply means you were very tired. But if you add “literally” that means maybe someone chained you to your bed or your legs didn’t work.
NOTE: This is one of the most misused words in English. 99% of the times I hear it, the person was using a metaphor (was not speaking literally) and should have used the word “practically.”
When have you ______ the rules?
ignored
DEFINITION: to pretend like something or someone doesn’t exists, ex. ignore a ringing phone during dinner
When Google decided to buy Bob’s app, he was _________ quite well.
compensated
DEFINITION: paid
When everyone else is freaking out, are you able to _____ _____ ______?
keep your cool
DEFINITION: stay calm
When entering a roundabout, you must _____ to oncoming traffic.
yield
DEFINITION: if you yield power to someone you give your power to someone stronger than you; submit; give in
When elected, the mayor promised to ______ the police department.
reform
DEFINITION: to change, to improve something, ex. political reform, tax reform
ALSO: a person can be a reformer; Jan Huss and Martin Luther were part of the reformation to change the Catholic Church
When do you plan to ______? Or have you already?
retire
DEFINITION: when you quit working
NOUN: retirement
PERSON: retiree
When did you have your biggest _____ period?
growth
DEFINITION: an increase
VERB: to grow
ALSO: economic growth
When did you have a lot of ____ in your life?
tension
DEFINITION: in physics, tension is a type of force; in life, it’s similar to stress
ALSO: a tension headache is a headache caused by stress
When deciding where to go on vacation, you should _____ everyone in the family. Unless, you want to actually go some place you’ll enjoy.
involve
DEFINITION: include
ALSO: another way to say that someone is doing something bad (breaking the law, having a sexual relationship, etc.) is to say he’s involved with someone/ in something, ex. Bob was kicked out of school for getting involved in drugs.
When couples were forced to _______ be together during the lockdown, divorce rates soared.
constantly
DEFINITION: all the time
ADJECTIVE: constant, ex. a constant headache
When Bob’s glutten-free, vegan, organic salad didn’t have enough sugar in it, he _______ to talk to the manager.
demanded
DEFINITION: to insist
When Bob’s mother-in-law said she was going to visit for a month, he decided to build an ______ on to the house.
addition
DEFINITION: something new which is added
VERB: to add
When Bob ______ his dog to sit he realized he still had a lot of training to do.
commanded
DEFINITION: to give an order
ADJECTIVE: a commanding voice is a strong voice
PERSON: the President is The Commander-In-Chief of the army
ALSO: if you’re in command of a situation that means you’ve got it under control and there’s nothing to be worried about
When Bob wasn’t able to bill enough hours at the law firm, he knew he could always make a few extra bucks at the _____ club.
strip
DEFINITION: to remove your clothes
ALSO: strip mining is when they remove an entire mountain; if you strip the bed you remove all the sheets; if you strip the paint from the wall you scrape it all off
When Bob was unable to connect to the internet, he ____ _____ for help.
cried out
DEFINITION: to shout, to yell
ALSO: a cry for help, a cry for justice
When Bob was in love, he found it easy to ____ his lovers’ flaws.
overlook
DEFINITION: to ignore, to look past
When Bob was a child he______ to eat his vegetables. Now he’s rich and donates money to fight vegetarianism.
refused
Definition: if you refuse to do something you say “No way! Absolutely not!”
When Bob was a baby he was incredibly lazy and preferred to sleep most of the day. ________, his mother loved him.
Nevertheless
DEFINITION: in spite of the fact, regardless
When Bob wakes up late he finds it necessary to _____ the speed limit in order to arrive at his job on time.
exceed
DEFINITION: to go beyond/past what is allowed or expected; ex. the restaurant exceeded my expectations
When Bob took the job at Safari Pizza Delivery, he knew there would be _____ danger involved.
considerable
DEFINITION: big, great, large, a lot of
When Bob suggested trading wives, the negotiation turned _______.
aggressive
DEFINITION: threatening violence; ex. a dog showing its teeth is a sign of aggression
NOUN: aggression
ALSO: if someone is aggressive in business or sales, that doesn’t mean they’re violent, but rather that they are persistent, eager to win, determined to win
When Bob stepped on his bathroom ______ he realized it was time to start eating less.
scale
Definition: a device used for weighing people or things
When Bob said he’d crawl across broken glass to get a date with Jennifer, he wasn’t _______.
kidding
DEFINITION: joking
NOTE: “I would crawl across broken glass to _____” is a common expression to say you really want something.
When Bob said he didn’t want dessert Jennifer thought he was ______ and decided to end the relationship.
lying
DEFINITION: to give false information on purpose; to deceive with your words
NOTE THE SPELLING:
He lies often.
He is lying right now.
Yesterday he lied.
He has lied.
PERSON: a liar
When Bob refused to pull over, the police ______ him down the highway at slow speeds.
pursued
DEFINITION: to follow, to try to catch
ALSO: pursue a career, pursue your dreams
When Bob read that most car accidents _______ within 5 miles of home, he decided to move.
occur
DEFINITION: to happen
NOUN: occurence
When Bob moved out of the city his ______ to work became much more scenic.
route
Definition: the way/course/road that you take to get somewhere
When Bob mastered ____ the goats he was promoted to buffalo ______.
milking / milker
DEFINITION: to get / extract milk from a mamal
COMMON EXPRESSION: if you milk someone or milk a situation that means you get as much value out of it as you can; ex. Parris Hilton really milked her famous last name to become a celebrity.
IDIOM: If someone tells you “don’t cry over spilt milk” that means don’t be upset about the past
When Bob lost all his savings at the casino, he decided to _______ his house.
mortgage
DEFINITION: a bank loan that places your home as payment security
When Bob interviewed for the job, he forgot to ______ he couldn’t spell.
mention
DEFINITION: to tell someone something, usually a short piece of extra information
When Bob heard that a giant asteroid was about to ____ ____ ____ the earth, he decided he would wait one more week to pay the rent.
make contact with
DEFINITION: to touch
ALSO: football is a contact sport because you touch the other players
ALSO: if your credit card has a chip you can use contactless payment
When Bob got an email it was hard to contain his ________.
excitement
DEFINITION: enthusiasm, joy
VERB: to excite
ADJECTIVE: exciting
When Bob found out his Tik Tok account was blocked for containing bad grammar, he was depressed for months; no one was able to ______ him.
comfort
DEFINITION: to provide emotional support; to console
When Bob failed to return the book to the library after one month, the FBI launched an _________.
investigation
DEFINITION: when the government examines an event to see if a crime was committed
When Bob and Jennifer couldn’t ______ their differences in family therapy, they decided to try mud wrestling.
resolve
DEFINITION: fix, solve their problems
When battling vampires, remember to bring your _______.
cross
DEFINITION: a Christian religious symbol; anything that has the shape of a cross
When a ______ fish washed up on the shore, they called Bob to take a closer look.
rare
DEFINITION: not common, not usual
ALSO: rare coin, rare disease, a rare moment
What’s your spouse’s best physical _______?
attribute
DEFINITION: trait, characteristic, feature
What’s your country’s #1 ________?
export
DEFINITION: a product that’s sold to another country
What’s the worst ______ you’ve ever received?
advice
DEFINITION: recommendation, suggestion, usually about something important, ex. marriage advice
What’s the most amazing natural _____ you’ve witnessed?
phenomenon
DEFINITION: an impressive, amazing, extraordinary event or person
ADJECTIVE: phenomenal means the same as “amazing”; his test results were phenomenal
What’s the largest ______ you’ve ever made?
acquisition
What’s a restaurant in your town that’s not just good, but truly ______?
excellent
DEFINITION: fantastic, great
What’s _______ attire at your office?
appropriate
DEFINITION: suitable, acceptable
OPPOSITE: inappropriate
NOTE: attire is formal for “clothes” and it collocates / often goes with the word “appropriate”
What’s your ________?
address
DEFINITION: where you live, your mailing address
What’s your ________ for the economy?
prediction
DEFINITION: a guess about the future
What’s your _______?
profession
DEFINITION: your job (formal)
ADJECTIVE: if you hear “He’s a real pro” that means he’s very good
ADVERB: if your boss tells you to behave professionally that means formally, with business manners
What’s your _______?
faith
DEFINITION: belief, religion
What’s your work _____? Have you always done the same job?
background
DEFINITION: your past experience, education, personal history
What’s your preferred _____ of transportation for long trips?
mode
DEFINITION: method, way
ALSO: you can switch your phone to “airplane mode”; if you lose your kid in a crowd you’ll probably switch into panic mode
What’s your job ______?
title
DEFINITION: the official name of your job
What’s your favorite _______?
grain
IDIOM: if someone gives you advice and then tells you “take it with a grain of salt” that means you should consider if the advice is right for you before applying it
What’s your favorite ______?
airline
DEFINITION: a company that flies planes; ex. British Airways, Virgin, United
What’s your favorite ______ of the last ten years?
invention
DEFINITION: a new device, product
IDIOM: Necessity is the mother of invention
What’s your favorite ______ of Friends?
episode
DEFINITION: one 30 min / 60 min story is an episode; a series of episodes released in the same year is a season
What’s your favorite ______ movie?
funny
DEFINITION: it makes you laugh
What’s your favorite place to ____ ____ for a nap?
lie down
DEFINITION: to put yourself in a horizontal position
PAST: lay, lain
What’s your favorite news ______?
publication
DEFINITION: anything that is published, i.e. a magazine, a newspaper, a report
What’s your favorite film________?
adaptation
DEFINITION: a film that was made from / adapted from a book
What’s your favorite dog _____?
breed
DEFINITION: a category of dogs
What’s your _____?
race
DEFINITION: a way to classify people based on where their ancestors came from
ADJECTIVE: racial
What’s the ______ of your pants?
length
DEFINITION: the noun of “long”
COMMON EXPRESSION: if you go to great lengths to get a new job that means you do a lot to get it
What’s the ______ for murder in your country?
penalty
DEFINITION: a negative consequence, it could be a fine, a jail sentence, or death
What’s the _____ of your country?
capital
DEFINITION: the main city where the government is located
What’s the secret to a happy _______?
marriage
DEFINITION: when two people are married
What’s the most ________ pair of shoes you own?
comfortable
DEFINITION: they feel good on your feet
NOTE: pay attention to the pronunciation – you don’t say it the same as you spell it!
OPPOSITE: uncomfortable
What’s the most _______ natural site in your country?
remarkable
DEFINITION: extraordinary, unusual; something so interesting it should be seen
What’s the most ______ site a tourist can see in your country?
impressive
DEFINITION: awesome, amazing
ALSO: If you want to pay someone a big compliment, tell him, “Very impressive.”
What’s the last good ______ you found?
deal
DEFINITION: a bargain, an item with an unusually low price
ALSO: when you pay a good price for something; a bargain
What’s the largest _______ in your country?
industry
DEFINITION: a general word for “business” or a sector of business, ex. the automobile industry, the steel industry
What’s the first childhood memory you can _____?
recall
DEFINITION: remember
NOUN: recollection (formal); ex. It was my recollection that the victim was not home on the day of the crime.
What’s the biggest tourist ______ in your country?
attraction
DEFINITION: something that gets visitors
VERB: attract
What’s the best _______ for tourists to visit in your country?
region
DEFINITION: area
What’s on your _______?
mind
DEFINITION: What are you thinking about; your mind can either be your brain or your thoughts
What’s on your ______ for tomorrow?
agenda
DEFINITION: schedule
What’s in your _______ right now?
pockets
DEFINITION: the storage space in your pants, shirt or coat
ALSO: in an airplane you have a seat pocket in front of you
ALSO: if you make a business deal and pocket a thousand euros that means you made a thousand profit (you put it in your pocket)
ALSO: a pickpocket is a thief who takes things from your pockets
What’s an offensive ______ in your culture?
gesture
DEFINITION: a signal or a sign, usually made with your hand, fingers or body
What’s a source of _____ in your life?
pride
DEFINITION: if you’re proud of something you’re very satisfied with it; ex. a proud father
ADJECTIVE: proud
What _______ does the government impose on your industry?
regulations
DEFINITIONS: rules and restrictions
What _______ do you find attractive in the opposite sex?
characteristics
DEFINITION: personality traits, parts of a person’s character; ex. honesty, sense of humor, curiosity, bravery
What ______you?
frightens
DEFINITION: to scare
ADJECTIVE: frightening; ex. a frightening idea
What _____ is your oldest child?
gender
DEFINITION: sex; male or female
What would you do if you _____ a wallet full of cash on the ground?
found
DEFINITION: discovered
Verb: find/found/found
What website do you use to ____ flights?
book
DEFINITION: reserve
ALSO: book a room, book an appointment, book a call
AND: if someone tries to schedule an appointment with you and you’re too busy you can say “I’m booked solid.”
What was your ______ when you heard about the lockdowns? Shock? Surprise? Relief?
reaction
DEFINITION: your response
What was the punishment in your school if you skipped _______?
class
DEFINITION: a specific lesson in school
What was the last _______ you read?
novel
DEFINITION: a fiction book
What was the last _______ movie or TV show or song to come out in your country?
controversial
DEFINITION: it was the subject of debate because some people loved it and some people hated it
What was the last _____ you bought?
album
DEFINITION: a collection of songs
ALSO: a photo album is a collection of photographs, a wedding album
What was the last thing your spouse asked you to ___ ___ on your way home?
pick up
DEFINITION: get
ALSO: pick up a friend at the airport
What was the last nice thing you did for someone without asking for any ________?
compensation
DEFINITION: reward, payment
What subjects did you _____ to study in school?
elect
DEFINITION: to choose to do something (formal)
What store in your town has the ______ prices?
cheapest
DEFINITION: very low prices
ALSO: if a product is cheap that means the quality is low
What services are you _______ billed for each month?
automatically
DEFINITION: it happens without you doing anything
ADJECTIVE: automatic
What school did you _______ from?
graduate
DEFINITION: to finish school, usually high school or college
What percentage of your monthly _______ goes toward housing? (i.e. the rent or mortgage payment)
budget
DEFINITION: a plan for spending money
What methods does your company use to ______ the competition?
beat
DEFINITION: to win over, to defeat
NOTE: this is an irregular verb – beat / beat / beaten
What makes you ______? Taking a test? Going to the doctor? Having an interview?
anxious
DEFINITION: nervous
What kind of ________ do you need to do your job?
qualifications
DEFINITION: training, education, certificates
VERB: to qualify
What kind of jeans do you prefer? Loose or _____?
tight
ALSO: I’m on a tight schedule today; We have a tight budget at work.
What kind of jeans do you prefer? Loose or _____?
tight
Also: I’m on a tight schedule today
What kind of goods does your country ______ from abroad?
import
DEFINITION: to bring things into a country to sell them
What kind of energy does your country use? Gas? Nuclear? Or ______?
coal
DEFINITION: a type of rock that burns
What kind of detergent do you prefer? _____ or powder?
Liquid
DEFINITION: not a solid, not a gas
What kind of an _____ motivates you to work harder? Money? Recognition? An interesting project?
incentive
Definition: the reason why you do something
verb: to incentivize
What is your _______ for learning English?
objective
DEFINITION: goal (formal)
What is your _____ in life?
mission
DEFINITION: an important task
PERSON: a missionary; ex. a Christian missionary is someone who travels to a foreign country to convert the locals to Christianity
IDIOM: if you’re on a mission you’re in the process of doing something important; ex on a mission to Mars
ALSO: your company may have a mission statement: a text that states the purpose of the company (which usually no one knows or reads)
What is your ____ worth?
net
DEFINITION: if you sold everything this is how much money you would have
ALSO: when a company sells a product there is the gross profit (before taxes and overhead costs) and there’s the net profit (the profit after you subtract expenses)
What is your most valuable ______.
asset
Definition: more than just something you own, an asset is something which gives value or increases in value instead of costing you money; example, a property that you rent out is an asset while an apartment that you pay rent to live in is a liability
What is your main source of ______?
protein
DEFINITION: plant or animal tissue that your body needs to be healthy and build muscle
What is your favorite _______?
possession (formal)
DEFINITION: an object that you own
What is your country’s _______ policy? Is it tight or loose?
immigration
DEFINITION: when people move to another country;
NOTE: immigration can be legal or illegal
What is the ________ party in your country?
opposition
DEFINITION: the party not in power; the party that opposes the party in power
What is the ______ of water?
composition
DEFINITION: what something is composed of / made of
What is 44 ________ by 11?
divided
(the answer to the math question is: 4)
DEFINITION: ÷
What have you been _____ with?
blessed
DEFINITION: if God blesses you he gives you something very nice, ex. to be blessed with good health
ALSO: if you give someone your blessing that means you approve of what they’re doing, ex. a father gives his daughter his blessing to get married
ALSO: when someone sneezes you can say “Bless you!”
What does your ______ holiday look like?
ideal
DEFINITION: perfect
ADVERB: Ideally, we wouldn’t have to sell shares in the company to raise money.
What do you ______ to accomplish this year?
aim
DEFINITION: to focus on something, to target a goal
ALSO: aim a weapon, aim a gun, aim big (have a big goal)
What do you ____ will happen this year?
predict
DEFINITION: to say what you think will happen in the future
NOUN: to make a prediction
ALSO: predictable / unpredictable ex. His behaviour was unpredictable.
What do you have a _____ for? Cooking? Travel? English?
passion
DEFINITION: a feeling of extreme interest and desire
ADJECTIVE: passionate; ex. he’s passionate about classical music
ALSO: if you’re with a sexy man/woman, you may feel another type of passion
What do you do when you experience _________?
boredom
DEFINITION: feeling bored; when you have nothing to do and you’re not entertained and you’re not interested
What do you do to _______ a headache?
relieve
DEFINITION: to reduce or eliminate a bad feeling, ex. relieve stress
ALSO: if your boss relieves someone of their duties he fires them; but if you’re a shift worker (ex. a nurse or security guard) and you relieve your colleague that means you take over for him
What do you do to reduce your personal and household ______?
expenses
DEFINITION: costs
ALSO: a company might have an expense account for entertaining clients
IDIOM: if you achieved something at great expense that means you really had to sacrifice to make it happen
ADJECTIVE: expensive
What are your ________?
measurements
DEFINITIONS: the numbers that tell what size clothing you wear, ex. pant length, waist, collar; or anything that’s measured, ex. the measurements of the room are 12 x 15
What are your _____ at work?
duties
DEFINITION: your obligations, your tasks, what you must do
What are your family ______ ?
obligations
DEFINITION: something you must do, either because it is written in a contract or you feel it is your duty, i.e. a moral obligation
(“bringing home the bacon” means supporting your family financially)
ADJECTIVE: if something is obligatory it’s not optional, it’s mandatory
What are you _____ for?
grateful
DEFINITION: when you feel very thankful, appreciative
NOUN: gratitude
Fitness trainers say you shouldn’t _____ the gym every day.
hit
DEFINITION: go to (usually used for something that requires work, ex. hit the books = study for a test)
What are some ______ events you remember?
historic
DEFINITION: important, a part of history; ex. an historic site, an historic date, the price of gas reached an historic high
NOTE: historical simply means old, a part of history, ex. historical photographs
What a _____!
coincidence
DEFINITION: two unplanned events happening at the same time and place
ADVERB: coincidentally, we both wore red boots
What _________ of your budget goes toward housing?
percent
DEFINITION: out of 100 (cent)
ALSO: percentage
What _______ interests do you have with your spouse?
mutual
DEFINITION: shared, in common
ALSO: if you’re friends with Bob and I’m friends with Bob then Bob is our mutual friend
ALSO: the next time your husband/wife tells you “I love you”, you can reply, “The feeling is mutual.” (Warning: that’s not very romantic)
ALSO: a mutual fund is an investment where many people own the same stocks, i.e. they have the same investments in common
Were you ever _____ of your parents when you were a kid?
ashamed
DEFINITION: feeling shame; very embarrassed
We’re from the government and we’d like to _____ your tax returns.
examine
DEFINITION: look at closely
Well, this looks like a _____ place to live .
pleasant
DEFINITION: nice, agreeable; ex. pleasant news, a pleasant voice
“Weapons of mass destruction” was the ______ for the invasion of Iraq.
justification
DEFINITION: it was the reason why they invaded; if you justify unusual or bad behavior you give an excuse / a reason why
We were working all night to meet the deadline. ________, the boss was at home sleeping.
Meanwhile
Definition: happening at the same time
We tried logic. We tried fear. We even tried offering him money. But we could not _______ Bob to use the toilet instead of the bathtub.
convince
DEFINITION: to use logic or reasons or pressure to change someone’s mind
NOUN: conviction
ADJECTIVE: convincing, ex. a convincing argument is a good argument
We regret to ______ you that the flight has not been cancelled, but it will crash.
inform
DEFINITION: tell, give information (formal)
We now know that the ______ for invading Iraq was false, which was that Saddam Hussein was a threat because he had weapons of mass destruction.
premise
DEFINITION: this is a word from logic, it’s a statement that must be true for your conclusion to be true
Example: The judge allowed the divorce on the premise that the husband had not been faithful.
Water is ____ in the desert
scarce
DEFINITION: it’s hard to find
noun: scarcity
Was your _______ a fun place to grow up?
neighborhood
DEFINITION: the area where you live, either in a city, town or suburb
Was your education _______ or theoretical?
practical
DEFINITION: something that can be used/put into practice; ex. practical shoes are comfortable shoes you can wear inside or outside
ALSO: a practical solution is reasonable, doable and possible; the opposite is an impractical solution
Was this design ________ an improvement or not?
modification
DEFINITION: a small change
Was the _____ industry affected by lockdowns in your country?
retail
Definition: goods are bought wholesale from the manufacturer in large quantities and for a lower price, then they’re sold to the consumer at retail (at a higher price), in a retail outlet (a store), and by a retailer (the store owner)
Also: if someone says they work in retail it usually means they work in a clothing store
Was it a challenge to _____ to living with your partner?
adapt
DEFINITION: to adjust, to modify
ALSO: when you travel to a foreign country you may need to bring and adapter for your computer (so you can plug it into the wall and recharge it)
Want to look more _____? Wear glasses and read books in public.
intellectual
DEFINITION: smart
PERSON: an intellectual is someone who is highly educated and likes to discuss things like philosophy and literature
ALSO: intellectual property rights refers to books, movies, inventions, etc.
Wake up earlier so you won’t be in a _____ and you’ll have time for English.
rush
DEFINITION: in a hurry
VERB: rush to catch a plane
ALSO: rush hour is the time of the day the streets are most crowded; The California Gold Rush
using a ______ to cut his hair
bowl
Also: to go bowling; to watch the Super Bowl on TV; I was bowled over by the news
using a ____ to catch a fish
hook
DEFINITION: something that connects two thing, ex. a coat hook to hang your coat on the wall
ALSO: if you say you’re hooked on the new Netflix series that means you can’t stop watching it
Unnecessary _______ brought Bob and Jennifer closer together.
(formal)
expenditures
DEFINITION: purchases (formal)
Unfortunately, everyone has died of covid; ______, tonight’s performance will be cancelled.
consequently
DEFINITION: as a result
Unemployment _____ reached a new high as a result of government lockdowns.
figures
DEFINITION: numbers
Under the constitution, everyone is ______ to a fair and just trial.
entitled
DEFINITION: it’s your right
turning the door ______
handle
Try to ________ for a high salary when you start a new job.
negotiate
DEFINITION: a discussion where you try to get a better deal for yourself
Trump ______ Biden by calling him “Sleepy, creepy Joe.”
insulted
DEFINITION: to say something rude about someone
ALSO: an insulting remark
True or false?
“Only a woman can ______ __ the problems of a mother.”
relate to
DEFINITION: if you can relate to someone’s problems you understand them because you’ve experienced them yourself
Toyota _____ their newest car last week at the car show. Surprisingly, it looked like all the other cars.
revealed
Definition: to show something that was hidden
Also: reveal the truth
too many computer _______
cables
DEFINITION: a bundle of wires
to ______ a balloon
pop
To vote in your country, do you have to first _______ or can you just show up?
register
DEFINITION: to enter your name onto a list
ALSO: register on a website
To see the Titanic you have to dive to a _____ of 12,500 feet. Or you can just watch the movie.
depth
Definition: the noun from “deep”
Adjective: deep
To reduce the spread of covid, the city will ______ a new personal bubble rule from next week.
implement
DEFINITION: enact, begin; ex. implement a plan
noun: implementation
To most people, a bear from China and an elephant from India seemed like an _____ friendship. But what people didn’t know was that both Lee and Raj were big World of Warcraft fans.
odd
DEFINITION: strange, different
COMMON EXPRESSION: That’s odd… (when you see something that’s unusual or doesn’t make sense)
To keep Bob out of jail, the lawyer argued that Bob only _____ murdered people.
occasionally
DEFINITION: from time to time, not often
To join the army requires a three-year ________.
commitment
DEFINITION: promise, dedication
To get an accurate picture, you need to put information in _______.
context
DEFINITION: the information that surrounds an event or situation
EXAMPLE: the media often give inaccurate information because they quote people out of context
To be successful in politics you need a lot of __________.
connections
DEFINITION: contacts, people you know / people you’re connected to
ADJECTIVE: He’s well-connected in Silicon Valley
To be a successful entrepreneur, it helps to have a high _______ __ risk tolerance.
degree of
DEFINITION: a high level of, a high amount of
Time to ____ _____ for winter
gear up
DEFINITION: prepare yourself; buy the gear / equipment / clothing that you’ll need
Thunder storms are expected ______ the state of Mississippi.
across
DEFINITION: from one side to the other
“Those are my 42 recommendations for increasing profits. _____, we need to invest in stronger coffee.”
moreover
DEFINITION: additionally
Thomas Edison _______ the light bulb.
invented
DEFINITION: was the first person to create one
NOUN: an invention
PERSON: an inventor
This was a close _____.
race
DEFINITION: a competition to see who is the fastest
VERB: to race someone
This photograph is ____ that Bigfoot is real.
proof
DEFINITION: information that says that something is true or real
VERB: to prove
This pencil has a sharp _____
point
DEFINITION: the end of an object or piece of land, usually narrower than the rest
ALSO: someone can have a pointy nose
This might be a good time to ____ ____ ___ ______.
pick up the pace
DEFINITION: the pace at which you do something is the speed at which you do something, ex. to walk at a slow/fast pace
COMMON EXPRESSION: pace yourself = don’t go too fast and use all your energy
This lucky fish is being ______ back into the water.
released
DEFINITION: let go, given his freedom
This kid likes ______ eggs ____ bacon.
neither ….nor
DEFINITION: not eggs and not bacon
“This is your captain speaking. I’m afraid I have some bad news. Now, there’s no reason to ____, but we are out of coffee.”
panic
DEFINITION: to become very afraid very quickly; to lose control of your thinking and emotions because of your fear
ALSO: to have a panic attack
This is what happens if you ______ your plants.
neglect
DEFINITION: ignore, don’t pay attention to, don’t care for; ex. neglect a child, neglect a relationship
This is the correct way to ____ a Guinness.
pour
Also: It’s pouring rain; shoppers poured into the store
This is how thieves _____ credit card information.
steal
DEFINITION: to take something that’s not yours
This is how much land the Roman ______ controlled at its peak.
empire
DEFINITION: a nation that controls many other nations
ALSO: as a metaphor it can be used to say that a company or person controls many other businesses; ex. the Disney entertainment empire now includes Marvel Comics
This graph shows the ______ of the computer.
evolution
DEFINITION: how something changes over time
This car comes in a _____ of colors.
range
DEFINITION: if there’s a range that means there are many people or things and there’s variety, ex. an age range, an income range
VERB: the test scores ranged from good to terrible
They’re ________to nuclear weapons.
opposed
DEFINITION: against
NOUN: opposition
“They say the neon lights are bright on _______way”
Broad
DEFINITION: wide
ALSO: someone can have broad shoulders, a broad smile
They say that lightning never ______ in the same place twice.
strikes
DEFINITION: hit
They had to work all night because the ______ of the project was bigger than they expected. Or was it because Bob was actually playing Minecraft instead of working?
scope
DEFINITION: size, extent; ex. the scope of the problem
These two make an interesting ______, don’t you think?
couple
DEFINITION: two people who are dating or married
These protestors in Hungary’s October Revolution believed Stalin didn’t ______ a statue.
deserve
DEFINITION: if you deserve something you’ve earned it, either a reward or punishment
These days, _____ data is a full-time job.
analyzing
DEFINITION: to examine closely
NOUN: analysis
ADJECTIVE: analytical, ex. an analytical mind
COMMON EXPRESSION: in the final analysis, i.e. in the end/we’ve decided
These days, more and more forms do not require you to _____ your gender.
specify
DEFINITION: to say exactly, to be specific
These days, it’s hard for a band to receive _____, but Pussy Riot succeeded in Russia. .
controversy
DEFINITION: a public debate, usually over a sensitive topic
ADJECTIVE: controversial
These days, everyone can be a _____ online.
critic
DEFINITION: someone who rates a product, restaurant or performance, ex. a film critic
There’s a clear _______ between a Ferrari and a Toyota.
distinction
DEFINITION: a difference
There’s only a _____ risk of fire
moderate
DEFINITION: not extreme, in the middle
ALSO: a moderate salary; you can be politically moderate;
There were many reasons Bob quit his job at the circus. The _______ reason was it kept him away from his family.
principal
DEFINITION: the most important, the first in rank
There was a ______ height difference between Bob and his new girlfriend.
substantial
Definition: big, great, large, significant
Adverb: substantially
There used to be a lot more _____ in Eastern Europe during communism.
pollution
DEFINITION: harmful gas or liquids
adjective: polluted
There is an outsider _____ us.
among
DEFINITION: included in a group
There have been many fast swimmers, but Michael Phelps’ achievements have been _______
exceptional
DEFINITION: amazing, at the highest level
There are 206 ______ in the human body.
bones
The ________ said it would cost approximately $10,000 to repair the damages. Bob promised he would drink less water before bed.
estimate
DEFINITION: a guess, an evaluation, ex. cost estimate, tax estimate, a building estimate
VERB: to estimate
The ________ of the US election was a surprise for most people.
outcome
DEFINITION: result
The ________ of the earth is mostly water.
surface
DEFINITION: the top or outside of something
The _______ for capturing or killing Butch Cassidy was $3,500.
reward
The reward for capturing or killing Butch Cassidy was $3,500.
DEFINITION: what you give someone for successfully doing something
ADJECTIVE: rewarding = satisfying, ex. having a child is a rewarding experience
The ______ wanted to know Bob’s favorite color.
press
DEFINITION: the news media, reporters
The ______ that Bob could catch covid from his car was low. But he wasn’t taking any chances.
probability
DEFINITION: odds, likelihood, possibility
ADJECTIVE: probably, ex. it’s not very probably that I’ll be able to pick you up at the airport
The ______ rockets separating from the Space Shuttle.
booster
DEFINITION: If you give something/someone a boost you give them extra help. ex. after you get a vaccination you may need a booster shot
ALSO: If you take a small child to a restaurant they may bring you a booster seat.
The ______ of teachers voted to get whiteboards for the classrooms.
majority
DEFINITION: more than 50%
The ______ of eating in your car is something a lot of Italians can’t imagine.
concept
Definition: an abstract idea
The ______ of directors meet twice a year to decide on the direction of the company.
board
DEFINITION: a group who makes high-level decisions
ALSO: a board meeting; the chairman of the board
the ______ of a clock
mechanisms
DEFINITION: machinery, moving parts of a machine
The ______ met at Yalta near the end of the Second World War.
allies
DEFINITION: an ally is someone who is on your side, who supports you
singular: an ally
noun: alliance
the ______ city of Rome
ancient
DEFINITION: very old
The ______ Canyon in Arizona. Also known as, the world’s biggest hole in the ground.
Grand
DEFINITION: great, large, the top position
ALSO: your grandfather is your father’s father; a grand piano is a large piano; a grand event is a big/important event, ex. like a 50th wedding anniversary
The _____ revolution gave us cheaper products, but it came at a human cost.
industrial
DEFINITION: related to industry, i.e. business; ex. industrial waste is pollution from a factory; an increase in industrial production
ALSO: If your boss says theft at your company is on an industrial scale that means it’s a lot.
The _____ of men to women was 50:50
ratio
DEFINITION: the proportion, the balance
The _____ met once a week to find a solution to the city’s crime problem. After one year, they decided that they should meet once a month.
commission
DEFINITION: a group of people who meet to discuss problems and make decisions; often they’re members of government; ex. The UN Commission on Human Rights
The _____ is tied, 31 to 31.
score
DEFINITION: the points in a game
The _____ goes at the end of a sentence
period
DEFINITION: the dot at the end of a sentence
ALSO: if you want to make your point stronger and say that the conversation is over and you’re not willing to discuss it further, you can say, “I will not go. Period!”
NOTE: the British say “full stop”
The _____ gave him a standing ovation.
audience
DEFINITION: the people who watch a performance or listen to a speech
the _____ city of Athens
ancient
DEFINITION: very old
The _____ broke.
chain
DEFINITION: connected pieces or connected events
ALSO: a chain smoker is someone who lights a new cigarette as soon as they finish the old one; a fastfood chain is a restaurant like McDonalds or KFC; a chain reaction is when one event causes another and another event and so on
IDIOM: The chain is only as strong as its weakest link
IDIOM: If you call your wife your “ball and chain” make sure she’s in the other room.
The ____ of The Challenger Space Shuttle (before they blew up).
crew
Definition: the people who work together on a ship or in a team, ex. a work crew repairing the road
However: in a restaurant or store the employees are called “the staff”
The wood is rotten, the neighbors are gang members and the house is built on top of a cemetery for murderers. ________, it’s a lovely property.
otherwise
DEFINITION: it’s true if you forget about the other stuff
The wolf is the _____ ancestor of all dogs.
common
DEFINITION: it’s shared
ALSO: if you and your friend both like football you can say “we have sports in common”
ALSO: the common room is a shared room in a school or hotel
The West sends a lot of_____ to the third world.
aid
DEFINITION: : help or assistance
VERB: to aid
The Washington Redskins are on _____ .
offense
DEFINITION: they have the ball and they’re trying to score, they’re on the attack
The U.S. Declaration of Independence says everyone is born with the right to “life, liberty and the _______ of happiness.”
pursuit
DEFINITION: if you pursue something you go after it, ex. the pursuit of a goal
The TV show “Suits” is about a New York city law _______ where all the lawyers try to sleep with the Duchess of Sussex.
firm
DEFINITION: a business that is owned by several partners
ALSO: a real estate firm, an investment firm
The town ______ voted against having pizza for lunch.
council
DEFINITION: a group of people who work together for a common goal, usually in government, similar to committee
The town was _______ after the storm
flooded
DEFINITION: there was too much water
ALSO: if your boss tells you the company was flooded with complaints after your last product release, that’s not good
the toilet is dripping _____ the floor
onto
The test results said Bob was dead. But because Bob’s an optimist, he decided to ______ the results.
contest
DEFINITION: to argue that an answer or result is false: dispute
NOTE: the pronunciation is a little different from the other contest; for the verb we say “cun-test”
The temperature today is 70 _____ fahrenheit.
degrees
The sofa has a very ugly ______.
pattern
DEFINITION: a visual design or behaviour that repeats
The sight of her womanly _____ under the dress made the Prince burn with desire. “Hopefully, she will not mind my wicked little secrets,” he thought.
(synonym: form)
shape
Definition: the form or outline of something, ex. a triangular shape
The shy movie star finally ____ ____ about his fabulous life.
opened up
DEFINITION: spoke freely, didn’t hide information
The runner in yellow is way ____ of the others.
ahead
DEFINITION: in front of
The robber _______ open the door.
forced
DEFINITION: to use power, strength
The red light ______ that Bob needs to change his oil.
indicates
DEFINITION: signals, communicates
NOUN: a headache can be an indication of stress
The Queen always makes her bed before the tour groups arrive at her bedroom _______.
chamber
DEFINITION: a room
Also: torture chamber; senate chambers; Chamber of Commerce; a chambermaid
The Prime Minister _______ Bob to head the Ministry of Getting Things Done.
appointed
DEFINITION: he was given the job
NOTE: this if formal and usually used for high-level corporate or government jobs
The priest ______ the troops before they invaded Vatican City.
blessed
DEFINITION: he approved
ALSO: a father can give his daughter his blessing to his child to get married
ALSO: after someone sneezes you can say “Bless you.”
The price of Apple’s stock stayed ____ for decades before shooting up in the mid 2000s.
stable
DEFINITION: without change
NOUN: stability
ALSO: a stable government; the foundation of a building can be stable; a hospital patient’s condition can be stable
The Power Words give your English a strong _________
foundation
DEFINITION: the first level of a building is the foundation, usually made of stone or cement
The police told Bob the meteor that destroyed his house was a ______ event; however, Bob insisted they investigate further.
random
DEFINITION: without reason, no pattern, unpredictable, ex. a throw of the dice will give you a random number
The police searched the ______ of Bob’s bag but only found a kilo of cocaine, a human head and three nuclear bombs.
contents
DEFINITION: the things that are inside something (usually plural), ex. the bottle’s contents
VERB: to contain
ALSO: a book has a table of contents, you can write content for the internet
The police finally ______ Bob after his escape car ran out of gas.
captured
DEFINITION: to catch a criminal or put a wild animal in a cage
ADJECTIVE: captive
ALSO: if you capture an image that means you take a photo that’s unique or difficult, ex. He captured the perfect sunset.
The police drew an _______ of the body on the sidewalk.
outline
DEFINITION: the shape of something
ALSO: if you outline a plan or a proposal you don’t give all the details, you just give the main idea / the big picture
The plane ________ some problems immediately after takeoff.
encountered
DEFINITION: met, ran into unexpectedly
The picnic will be ________ for an hour due to severe weather.
delayed
DEFINITION: if something is delayed it will start at a later time, ex. a delayed flight
NOTE: if something is cancelled that means it will not happen
The oldest cities in the Americas are built around natural ______, like Rio de Janeiro and New York.
harbors
DEFINITION: a place where boats can safely stay
ALSO: if a country harbors refugees that means they allow them to enter the country and they protect them
ALSO: if you harbor a thought that means you keep an idea in your head; ex. Although the court said Bob was innocent, many people continued to harbor the thought that he was actually guilty.
The news has been ______ long before the internet.
inaccurate
DEFINITION: not correct
The new ______ of Bob’s book sold even worse than the first one.
edition
DEFINITION: a new version, a new printing
ALSO: some newspapers have a daily edition, some have an evening edition
The new Tesla ______ driverless steering.
features
DEFINITION: (verb) when a company wants to highlight a special, unique part of their product they use “to feature”
The new Lamborghini Gallardo is _____ of reaching speeds of over 300 kilometers per hour.
capable
DEFINITION: possible, able to do something
OPPOSITE: incapable
The new app is designed to _____ children. And to destroy their attention spans.
engage
DEFINITION: to attract and keep someone’s interest
ADJECTIVE: engaging
The National ______ in London. Be sure to wash your hands before you touch.
Gallery
DEFINITION: where you can see and sometimes buy art
ALSO: online you can see photo galleries which are collections of photos
The nation was ______. Half preferred dogs, while the other half preferred goldfish.
divided
DEFINITION: split, not united
NOUN: division
The mountains are not close, they are ______
distant
DEFINITION: far away
ALSO: You can say the mountains are off in the distance
ALSO a distant relative is not a close relative; ex. not a parent or sibling or cousin, etc.
The most popular _________ for global warming is pollution.
explanation
Definition: the details or facts or reasons that make something clear
Verb: to explain
The Mona Lisa is famous for her ______. What do you think she’s feeling?
expression
DEFINITION: the look on your face
The Mississippi River _____ past New Orleans and into the Gulf of Mexico.
flows
DEFINITION: to move smoothly and easily
ALSO: work flow, cash flow, blood flow
The media _______ the events as a threat to the government, while others described the events as simply a protest.
characterized
DEFINITION: to say that something is a characteristic / a quality of something
The media called the _____ project a “catastrophic environmental disaster.” Bob called it a learning experience.
pilot
DEFINITION: the first one which serves as an experiment, a test
ALSO: the pilot episode of a TV series is the first episode
The main requirement for getting a job in customer support was a bad ________.
attitude
DEFINITION: the way you think or feel about something
The judge said Bob was _____ of murder and had to go to jail from today till Tuesday.
guilty
DEFINITION: a person who does something wrong, like a crime, is guilty
NOUN: if you feel bad for doing something wrong you feel guilt
The jail cell where the famous mobster Al Capone was _____ for many years.
confined
DEFINITION: to keep someone in a small space
noun: confinement
The human body _________more electricity than a 120-voIt battery.
generates
DEFINITION: creates
The Hardrock 100-Mile Endurance Run in the Colorado mountains is considered the most _____ foot race.
intense
DEFINITION: extreme, to a high degree, ex. intense anger, intense heat, an intense schedule
The greatest _____ murderers in history all lived during the last century.
mass
DEFINITION: a large number or amount of something; ex. a mass exodus
The government of Rome finally decided to ______ repairs on the Colloseum. Just in time for tourist season.
undertake
DEFINITION: to begin something that will be difficult
ALSO: undertake a journey, undertake training
The ghost told Bob to ____ ____, but he had already paid for three more nights so he decided to stay.
get out
DEFINITION: to leave
The French who fought against the Nazis in their homeland were called _______ fighters.
resistance
DEFINITION: they didn’t obey: they resisted
the fence is on the ______ of our property
boundary
DEFINITION: the edge of a space
ALSO: in sports the ball can go out of bounds
The feedback Bob got from his boss made it _______ that the quarterly results were not good enough.
apparent
DEFINITION: easy to see or understand, clear
ALSO: If your boss fires you for no apparent reason that means he doesn’t tell you why and you can’t figure it out, either.
ADVERB: apparently
The fall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia in 1989 was the end of an _____.
era
DEFINITION: a period of time, usually an historical period
The Enigma machine allowed the Germans to communicate in ______ .
code
DEFINITION: an alternative way to communicate if you want your message to be secret or to save time, ex. Morse code
ALSO: if you write code that means you’re a computer programmer
The day the internet broke Bob went ______.
mad
DEFINITION: crazy
EXPRESSION: mad as a hatter
The correct way to perform a shoulder _______.
press
DEFINITION: to push, usually against something stable/something that doesn’t move
ALSO: you can press a button, you can press a wrinkled shirt, you can send a book to the printing press
The Consumer Price _____ is a number which tells you if prices are rising or falling. In 2021 it rose 6%; the highest since 1981.
index
DEFINITION: an indicator, a guide, a measurement; and did you know you have an index finger? It’s the finger you use to point, i.e. to indicate
PLURAL: indexes
ALSO: you can find an index at the back of a non-fiction book
ALSO: if you invest in an index fund that means you own stocks in the top 100 or so companies in a certain segment
The Coca-Cola bottle has a _____ shape.
distinct
DEFINITION: unique, original
ADJECTIVE: distinctive, ex. Sean Connery had a distinctive voice.
The Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon are ______ the same SUV.
virtually
DEFINITION: almost completely
The chances of winning the lottery are extremely low. In fact, you’re more _____ to win an Oscar or be eaten by a shark than you are to win the lottery.
likely
DEFINITION: it might happen, it might be true, probable
Noun: likelihood
Opposite: unlikely, not likely
The CEO _______ awarded Bob the prize for most sales. Later that week, he ______ fired him for lying about making the most sales.
personally
DEFINITION: you do it yourself; in person
The car dealer gave me a choice between a Mitsubishi and a Toyota. I chose the ______.
latter
DEFINITION: the second of two
The British ______ family and their funny hats.
royal
DEFINITION: relating to a king or queen, ex. the royal palace
ALSO: if you say that a person is a royal pain in the butt that means you don’t like him
The British army ______ back to the U.S. after a long break.
marching
DEFINITION: to walk in unison with others
IDIOM: if you say that electric vehicles are on the march that means they’re making progress, advancing
The brave rabbit and dog _____ the entrance to their master’s home.
guard
The brain _______ didn’t find Bob’s brain tumor. But he couldn’t ask for a refund because he was already dead.
scanner
DEFINITION: to scan is to examine carefully; OR- to examine quickly, ex. I just scanned the headlines today.
ALSO: a check-out scanner at a grocery store
The Black Death killed 1/3 of European citizens, _____ ___ their age.
regardless of
DEFINITION: it doesn’t matter; without regard to
The best thing about being an _______ investor is that Bob is able to work at night.
institutional
DEFINITION: relating to an institution (ex. a bank, a university, a museum, an organization, a society, etc.); an institutional investor is someone who invests money for an institution
ALSO: a belief or practice that has become normal / usual / customary over time; ex. institutional sexism, institutional racism
The best part of Bob’s day? Checking the trash _____ .
bin
DEFINITION: a container; ex. storage bin, trash bin, recycling bin
The bathroom is _______
occupied
DEFINITION: busy, someone’s in there
The American jackalope is a creature _______ seen by tourists.
rarely
DEFINITION: almost never
The 18th ______ to the U.S. Constitution made it illegal to buy and sell alcohol..
amendment
DEFINITION: an addition to a document or a contract
That’s a pretty _____ laptop.
rugged
DEFINITION: tough, able to endure a lot
Also: a man can have rugged looks; you can travel through rugged country
“Thanks, Bob. You’re such a gentleman.”
“Don’t ______it, babe.”
mention
DEFINITION: another way of saying “You’re welcome.”
Thank you. We’ll take your idea into _________.
consideration
DEFINITION: they’ll consider it, think about it
“Thank you for saving my life.”
“It was my ________.”
privilege
DEFINITION: you’re welcome; it was my pleasure to help you
Tech companies follow us around online, ______ to show us better ads.
presumably
DEFINITION: that’s what they tell us but maybe it’s not true
Talking about girls always made Bob’s _____ turn red.
cheeks
DEFINITION: the side of your face or butt
ALSO: if you have a cheeky friend that means he likes to make jokes which are a bit rude
Take this quiz and find out if you know the ______ way to use a toilet.
proper
DEFINITION:correct, appropriate, suitable
ALSO: wear the proper clothing, speak properly, behave properly
OPPOSITE: improper
Take a close look at this photo. ______ anything unusual?
Notice
DEFINITION: see, usually something that’s not immediately obvious; ex. I never notice when my wife gets her hair done
Switzerland has not been a ______ in a Euorpean war since 1499.
participant
DEFINITION: to participate, to be a part of
ALSO: to be a participant at a meeting, at a protest
Stores boarded up their windows in ______ of the violence that would occur if Bob was re-elected President.
anticipation
DEFINITION: when you act now in preparation for the future
Still flipping hamburgers at age 89, Bob was passed over for ______ yet again last week.
promotion
DEFINITION: when your boss rewards you for good work by giving you a higher position
Steve Jobs said a calligraphy course he took in college was the ______ for the beautiful fonts the first Macintosh used.
inspiration
DEFINITION: something that influences you, usually in a positive way, ex. music, a speech
Staying awake during the meeting was Bob’s greatest _________ of the week.
achievement
DEFINITION: an accomplishment, something that you get after hard work
Verb: to achieve, ex. to achieve success
Starbucks now sells food, but their main _____ is still coffee.
focus
DEFINITION: their main target, aim
Sorry, you have ____ funds available.
(not enough money)
insufficient
Definition: not enough
Opposite: sufficient (enough, adequate)
Also: sufficient proof, a sufficient reason, self-sufficient (independent)
“Sorry, I can’t ________ your English program.”
Sent from my iPhone
afford
Definition: to have enough money to buy something
Adjective: affordable
Also: afford to spend time, afford to take the risk
Sorry to _____ you, but I would like some breakfast now.
disturb
DEFINITION: bother, annoy, interrupt
Some _____ I need to do today: pick up the dry cleaning, go grocery shopping, pick up my prescription from the drug store…
errands
DEFINITION: routine tasks, usually personal
Also: to run errands
Some people _____ the glass as half full, others as half empty.
perceive
DEFINITION: to interpret, to judge
Some people think that closing schools because of covid does more _____ than good. Do you agree or disagree?
harm
DEFINITION: hurt, damage, injure
Some people say the planet is getting _______ hot.
increasingly
DEFINITION: more and more; it’s increasing
Some people like big hats. Other people prefer _____ hats.
enormous
DEFINITION: very big
ALSO: Have you ever heard someone call something “ginormous”? (it’s a combination of two words: giant + enormous)
Some people have no ____ for others.
consideration
DEFINITION: they don’t show respect for others’ feelings
ADJECTIVE: to be considerate/inconsiderate
ALSO: If your boss tells you he will take your idea into consideration that means he’ll think about it (very formal)
Some people don’t like the ____ in bikram yoga.
heat
adjective: hot
Some people called the AMC Pacer ugly, while others thought it was ______
hideous
DEFINITION: very ugly
Some of the tree’s _____ are growing above ground.
roots
Also: you can talk about the roots of a problem or a person’s roots or the roots of your teeth
Some lawmakers in the U.S. want to make ____ in the office mandatory.
diversity
DEFINITION: if there’s diversity in a group of people that means they’re from different races, ages, countries or maybe different religions
Some Christians believe that when you die you either go to Heaven or ____.
Hell
DEFINITION: any place you don’t want to be, ex. you’re in line at the post office for two hours and you say, This is hell.
ADJECTIVE: Hellish, ex. It was a helliish day
ALSO: If a situation was really terrible, you can say, It was hell on earth.
ALSO: If you just heard something or saw something incredible or shocking, you could say, “What the hell!” or “What the hell just happened?!”
Social media is one of the main _____ behind the mental health crisis in America. (Hey! Are you following me yet on Facebook?)
drivers
DEFINITION: the cause
VERB: if the weather is driving sales of airconditioners that must mean it’s hot outside
EXPRESSION: That music is driving me crazy!
Smoking can be ________ to your health.
harmful
DEFINITION: it causes harm, damage; ex. a harmful drug, a decision that’s harmful to your career
Slow and _____ wins the race.
steady
DEFINITION: consistent, reliable
ALSO: steady progress, steady growth, a steady income
Skin cancer is a _________ you can get if you spend too much time in the sun.
disease
DEFINITION: a serious illness
Should not helping a victim _______ a crime?
constitute
DEFINITION: to be the same as
Should foreign countries ________ when there are human rights abuses?
intervene
DEFINITION: to come between two groups who are fighting, possibly to help them reach an agreement
NOUN: an intervention
ALSO: when you confront someone who is abusing drugs or alcohol it’s called an intervention
She’s getting the length of her dress _______.
altered
DEFINITION: to make a change (usually small and not major), ex. if you alter your opinion you change it slightly
She’s having a small problem with the car’s _______.
engine
Also: a search engine
She’s sitting on a _______.
fence
IDIOM: If your boss asks you if the client has made a decision yet and you say, “He’s on the fence,” that means he hasn’t decided yet.
She’s missing her _____ teeth.
front
Opposite: back
She ______ at Bob just for a moment. Either it was love or she noticed his zipper was down.
glanced
Definition: to look at briefly
She _____ lay the baby down in its crib.
gently
DEFINITION: if you’re gentle your movements are slow and careful
She got the _____ for blue eyes from her mother.
gene
DEFINITION: the part of you which determines which traits you inherit from your parents
ADJECTIVE: genetics
Scientists use satellites to measure the _____ of polar ice melt due to global warming.
extent
DEFINITION: how much something is affected
VERB: extend=to make larger (we extended the back of the house); to reach out (I extended my hand to grab the rope.)
Scientists say global warming is ______ the result of human activity.
largely
DEFINITION: mostly
Scientists are busy ______ research to stop the effects of aging.
conducting
Also: conduct research, a survey, a test, a search
School _______ was very low in 2020.
attendance
DEFINITION: how many people show up
VERB: to attend school, church, a meeting, etc.
Scarlette: Rhett, if you go, what shall I do? Where shall I go?
Rhett: _______ my dear, I don’t give a damn.
Frankly
DEFINITION: honestly
Also: Can I be frank with you?
Sales of cigarettes have been ______ since Bob stopped smoking.
declining
DEFINITION: to decrease, when something becomes smaller or when the numbers of something become less
ALSO: prices can decline, your interest in something can decline, the birth rate can decline
Sadly, many scams target _______.
(not retirees)
pensioners
DEFINITION: someone who is retired and collects a pension
NOTE: a “scam” is a trick / a lie thieves use / tell to get your money
Running a business can be stressful! One reason is because of company ______
liabilities
DEFINITION: if your accountant gives you a financial report and you see you have some liabilities this is your debt / the money you owe
Rudy Giuliani was the famous ____ of New York City in the 1990s.
mayor
DEFINITION: the top government official in a city
Rome now _______ car access to the center to reduce pollution and traffic.
restricts
DEFINITION: to limit or prevent
Roman _______s
column
NOTE: a newspaper column is a weekly or daily opinion article written by the same writer (probably called a column because in the old days the articles were long and thin, like a column)
Robotic _____ are no longer science fiction.
arms
DEFINITION: an arm is a limb
IDIOM: if something costs an arm and a leg it’s very expensive
IDIOM: You don’t have to twist my arm - I would love more pie!
Research shows that _______ learning is much more effective than passively sitting in a classroom.
interactive
DEFINITION: if you interact with an object you touch it and handle it
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups _____ chocolate and peanut butter.
combine
DEFINITION: unite, merge
NOUN: combination
Receiving the Most Afraid of Covid Award was the biggest _____ of Bob’s life. Unfortunately, he immediately fell down some stairs and was crushed by a herd of elephants.
honor
DEFINITION: an honor is something very special that gives you respect from others
ADJECTIVE: honorable
NOTE: the UK spelling is “honour”
Ready. Aim. ______.
Fire
DEFINITION: shoot (formal)
ALSO: a firing squad is group of soldiers who execute someone by shooting him
Ralph: When do you _______ this whole corona virus thing will finally come to an end?
Bob: I don’t know. But I _____ I just gave it to you.
reckon
DEFINITION: think (informal)
Rabbits are famous for their ability to _______ frequently.
breed
DEFINITION: to make babies (just for animals)
ALSO: if a colleague breeds mistrust in the office that means he produces it
ALSO: if your friend tells you your phone is a breeding ground for bacteria then it might be time to clean your phone
Quick! Take a ______!
picture
DEFINITION: a painting, drawing or photograph
Queen Elizabeth II ______ longer than any other British monarch.
ruled
DEFINITION: to govern, to be in a position of power
putting a plant in a ____
a ____ on the stove
smoking ____
pot
ALSO: if your city has many potholes that means the roads need to be repaired
President Reagan _______ worked as an actor.
previously
DEFINITION: before now
President Obama was ______ with the Nobel Peace Prize eight months after entering office.
presented
DEFINITION: to give, usually in a formal situation like a ceremony
Politics is known as the art of _________
compromising
DEFINITION: to reach a settlement; an agreement that is not the first choice for either side
VERB: to compromise
COMMON EXPRESSION: if someone asks you to meet them half way they’re asking you to compromise
“Please ____ ____! I promise I will never leave the toilet seat up again.”
come back
DEFINITION: return
ALSO: if you’re in a meeting and want to change the subject politely you can say, I suggest we come back to this topic later.
“Please ____ ____! I promise I will never leave the toilet seat up again.”
come back
DEFINITION: return
ALSO: if you’re in a meeting and want to politely change the subject, you can say, “I suggest we come back to this topic later.”
Please clean up your doggie _____
doo
DEFINITION: poo, poop, shit
Also: doo doo
playing ______ with the dog
fetch
DEFINITION: if your assistant fetches your coffee he leaves and then returns with coffee
playing with _______
blocks
DEFINITION: something that usually has a rectangular shape
ALSO: a block of flats (an apartment building); if block out time you reserve time; the building blocks of life
Phones that recognize speech _____ the blind to order a pizza delivery, instead of having to drive to the restaurant.
enable
DEFINITION: make it possible
Phil Knight was a successful runner in college before he _____ Nike.
founded
DEFINITION: if you found a company or institution (like a college) that means you start it
Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running Broadway show and has been on Broadway ________ since 1988.
continuously
DEFINITION: without stopping, repeatedly
Perhaps ______ those mountains Bob would finally find freedom, and a Starbucks where he could use the bathroom.
beyond
DEFINITION: past
Also: It’s beyond me. (when you don’t understand the reasons why someone does something)
Beyond comprehension.
Perhaps I could ______ you to take a test drive in this beauty.
persuade
DEFINITION: convince
ADJECTIVE: persuasive
People with bipolar _______can quickly change from happy to depressed.
disorder
Definition: a disease, a mental problem also: eating disorder, personality disorder
People who have asthma sometimes find it hard to _____
breathe
DEFINITION: take in oxygen through your lungs
Pamella Anderson _____ Chris Rock on the beach in St. Tropez. Unfortunately, Bob’s invitation was lost in the mail.
wed
Definition: to marry someone
Noun: wedding
Our factory’s _____ more than doubled after we stopped allowing employees to take bathroom breaks.
output
Definition: the amount that is produced; ex. a worker’s daily output
Also: you can use output to talk about what is produced, ex. The output of coal was worth half of Prussia’s GDP.
One ______
Two ______
foot / feet
DEFINITION: the things at the end of your legs
IDIOM: If you foot the bill that means you pay the entire bill, but you don’t want to; ex. When my partner went bankrupt I had to foot the bill for the orders we placed
IDIOM: If you have two left feet you’re not coordinated and bad at sports and dancing
One of the _______ of smoking can be lung cancer.
consequences
DEFINITION: results (usually negative)
one of the Queen’s _________
guards
Definition: someone who’s job is to protect people, ex. a security guard
Verb: to guard
One of the best things about sci-fi is seeing all the strange ______.
creatures
DEFINITION: an animal, usually not human, often strange or frightening
IDIOM: if someone is a creature of habit that means he likes his routine and doesn’t like new things
One of a carpenter’s most important tools is his ______
level
DEFINITION: if something is level it’s flat, it’s parallel with the surface
ALSO: when a plane reaches its top altitutude it levels out
ALSO: if the government wants to level the playing field for new businesses they want want to remove advantages some businesses have over others
EXPRESSION: someone who is calm and rational is level-headed
On your last trip, did you ____ ____ any souvenirs?
bring back
DEFINITION: return with something
On which holidays do people in your country eat and drink to _______?
excess
DEFINITION: too much
ADJECTIVE: excessive
On which day is there a 60% ______ of rain?
chance
DEFINITION: probability, liklihood
On what day does the government ______ taxes in your country?
collect
DEFINITION: to ask or force someone to pay a bill; ex. a debt collector is someone who knocks on your door if you don’ pay back your loan
On weekends, ______ Bob performed weddings to earn some extra cash. But on Monday morning, he would be back at work in the slaughterhouse.
Minister
DEFINITION: a member of a church who can perform ceremonies
ALSO: a high-ranking government official, ex. the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister
On our last trip to the beach I guess we packed too much because Bob had to run _____ the car.
alongside
DEFINITION: next to, at the side of
ALSO: happening at the same time, ex. France is now asking its citizens to get the flu vaccine alongside the covid vaccine
On a scale of one to ten, most women would say a date with Bob is ______ painful: a 7 or 8:
fairly
DEFINITION: to a high degree but not extremely so; quite, rather
ALSO: fairly easy, fairly expensive
On a hot day, be sure to drink _____ of water.
plenty
DEFINITION: a lot, more than enough
IDIOM: If your boyfriend or girlfriend just broke up with you your friend might try to cheer you up by saying, “Don’t worry, there’s plenty of fish in the sea.”
Oil is known as a fossil ______.
fuel
DEFINITION: a source of energy; ex. wood, gasoline, natural gas, etc.
ALSO: if you say that covid fuels debate that means it’s a subject that creates strong arguments
Ohio State University was ______ in 1870. Are you impressed?
established
DEFINITION: founded, started
ALSO: establish a business
Officer Bob was not known for his ________.
accuracy
DEFINITION: if you’re an accurate shooter you hit the target; if your stock market prediction is accurate it comes true
Of course, the _____ reason to have kids is so that they’ll buy you a big house when you’re old
primary
DEFINITION: the #1 reason, the most important reason
Of course, the day I forgot my umbrella, it started to rain ______
heavily
DEFINITION: a lot
ALSO: She depended heavily on her mother; The president was criticized heavily; a heavily armed guard stood at the door
Now that your vocabulary is HUGE, do you have more ______ when you speak English?
confidence
DEFINITION: the feeling that tells you “I can do this”
No ____ person would wait till Dec. 24 to do his Christmas shopping.
sane
DEFINITION: not crazy
No matter how high he made his fence, somehow Bob’s pets always managed to get _____.
loose
DEFINITION: not confined, free
ALSO: You can wear tight pants or loose pants
IDIOM: If you tell someone you need to tie up loose ends that means you need to finish/complete something that was not been finished
New digital thermometers tell you _____ if someone has a temperature.
immediately
DEFINITION: right away, with no delay
Neo _____ing bullets.
dodge
DEFINITION: avoiding
ALSO: if you don’t want to answer a question you can dodge the question
My younger siblings always complained that they weren’t treated ______. I think they need to learn how to be more positive.
fairly
Definition: justly, in a fair way
My wife drives me crazy; _______, I love her.
nevertheless
DEFINITION: in spite of the fact, regardless
My plan to increase office productivity includes holding shorter meetings. _______, I would like to see fewer people watching porn on their phones during meetings. Bob…?
Furthermore
Definition: in addition, also
My favorite Einstein ______ is “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
quote / quotation
DEFINITION: the direct/exact words of another person
VERB: a reporter can quote the person he’s interviewing
Muhammad Ali is the _______ heavy-weight champion of the world.
former
DEFINITION: previous, not the current champ
Mr. Lee was ______ a hungry man.
indeed
Definition: when you want to stress that what you said is true
Also: Yes, indeed.
Mother Theresa said she was absolutely stuffed and couldn’t possibly finish her filet mignon. So Bob said he’d finish the _____
rest
DEFINITION: the remaining, what’s left over
ALSO: you can go to prison for the rest of your life; you can relax for the rest of the day
Mother Teresa _____ her life helping the poor.
devoted
Definition: to give time or energy or money toward something; if you devote your life to something that means it’s your main focus
Also: a devoted parent is a mother or father who cares a lot for and spends a lot of time with their kids
Most public schools these day ______ sex education in their curriculum.
incorporate
DEFINITION: to include
Most people ______ Apple with well-designed, high-quality products.
associate
DEFINITION: to make a mental connection
NOUN: association
Most of Bob’s friends agreed he was ______ evil; his mother, however, argued he was only 90% evil.
pure
DEFINITION: 100%, totally, without any other ingredients; ex. 99.9% gold vs. pure gold
ALSO: if a young woman is pure that means she’s innocent and doesn’t think about boys
IDIOM: pure of heart - someone who has good intentions
Most little boys are _______by bugs. What were you ______ by when you were a kid?
fascinated
DEFINITION: to be very interested in
ADJECTIVE: a fascinating person, book, documnetary…
Most English students think an accent is a ________, but many actors have turned their accents into assets.
liability
DEFINITION: a disadvantage
Most Americans _____ on their cars to get to work
depend
DEFINITION: rely on, they’re necessary to get to work
More people ______ from depression during the winter months.
suffer
DEFINITION: to suffer from an illness means to have an illness; ex. suffer from cancer, suffer from migraines
ALSO: to feel pain
More children suffered from ______ damage than from covid.
psychological
DEFINITION: anything related to the mind (not the body); ex. mood, motivation, fear, phobia, etc.
More and more schools are beginning to _______ technology in the classroom.
incorporate
Definition: to include, involve
More and more schools are beginning to _______ technology in the classroom.
incorporate
Definition: to include, involve
Mom, you’re _____ me in front of my friends!
embarrassing
DEFINITION: an uncomfortable feeling you have about yourself
VERB: to embarrass someone
“Mom, can I have more of that delicious spinach?”
“_______!”
Certainly!
DEFINITION: Yes! Of course! Absolutely!
NOTE: use “certainly” if you want to make your answer stronger
Modern car ______ are too complicated to fix yourself.
engines
ALSO: a search engine, a country can be an economic engine for a region
military _______
aircraft
DEFINITION: planes
Microsoft _______ Linkedin for 26 billion USD.
acquired
Definition: to buy, to get
Noun: acquisition
Michael Jordan’s performance in the game was _____________.
phenomenal
DEFINITION: amazing, fantastic
Michael Jordan holds the record for most _____ scored in a playoff game (63).
points
DEFINITION: in a game, the winner is the person or team with the most points
Michael Jackson was not an ______ singer.
ordinary
DEFINITION: common, usual, ex. It was an ordinary day.
Mass produced medicines are made in modern, clean ________ like this one.
facilities
DEFINITION: a general term for a type of building
ALSO: a training facility; a work facility; a storage facility
Martin Luther King was an ______ for equal rights.
advocate
DEFINITION: someone who speaks or writes for a cause or interest (usually to help people)
March was named National Kidney Month to raise _______ of kidney disease. Is it working?
awareness
DEFINITION: if you’re aware of something you know it exists
Many professional athletes use illegal drugs to ____ their performance.
enhance
DEFINITION: to increase, to intensify, improve something that appeals to your senses, ex. enhance the flavor, the sound
Many politicians promise to ease the _____ on the poor by spending more on welfare.
burden
DEFINITION: a burden is a heavy weight you carry or a big responsibility
ALSO: a donkey is called a “beast of burden” because it’s used for carrying heavy loads
Many people wrongly ______ money with happiness.
equate
DEFINITION: to say that two things are equal, the same
Many investors in the 1920s had the false ________ that the market would continue to rise.
assumption
DEFINITION: when you reach a conclusion without being 100% certain, without having all the facts or based on past evidence
Many governments tell people to stay at least one meter ______.
apart
DEFINITION: used when you want to talk about distance between two places or the time between two events, ex. Our towns are five miles apart. Or… Our birthdays are three days apart.
ALSO: If you take something apart that means you separate the individual pieces, ex. The repairman took the watch apart.
Many countries in Europe are now ______ burkas, headscarves and hijabs.
banning
DEFINITION: to not allow, forbid
Many ancient buildings have a triangular _______.
(synonym: shape)
form
Definition: shape of something, ex. a triangular form; or how something appears, ex. the vampire changed into the form of a bat
Many actors have _____ ____ ___ ____ James Bond. But who was the best?
played the role of
DEFINITION: when an actor plays a role he plays a part / a character;
ALSO: if you play a new role at work that means you have a new job/ more responsibilities ex. In my new role as manager, I have to be in meetings all day.
Malaria destroys thousands of lives in the tropics every year. ________ in the world, it’s not a problem.
elsewhere
DEFINITION: somewhere else, in other locations
Lunch was served in a very unique ________.
manner
DEFINITION: the way that something is done; method, fashion, means
ALSO: in a quick manner, a professional manner, in a strange manner, the manner of death
Luigi was handsome, but unfortunately he ______ to his mother too many times.
referred
DEFINITION: to talk about (in speech or writing)
Los Angeles _____ is not the biggest in California, but it has the most people.
county
DEFINITION: an area of land smaller than a country and bigger than a city
ALSO: originally, a county was an area of land in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland that was governed by a count
Liberace was famous for his piano playing and his _____ clothes.
fancy
DEFINITION: elaborate, something that’s supposed to impress others; the opposite of plain and boring
Let’s see, you ladies ate 12 chocolate cakes and 5 blueberry pies… ______ your total is $273.
altogether
DEFINITION: in total
ALSO: you can add “altogether” to make your point stronger; ex. she stopped eating at restaurants altogether (in this case it means the same as “entirely” and doesn’t really change the meaning of the sentence)
Let me ____ into your eyes.
gaze
Definition: to stare (usually positive)
Also: if you go star gazing you go outside to stare at the stars
Leonardo DiCaprio won the Academy _____ for Best Actor in 2016.
Award
Definition: a prize
Later in the day, when Bob accidentally walked in front of a bus, he said it was because of a ____ of sleep.
lack
DEFINITION: not enough of something
ALSO: lack of money, lack of time
Later in the day, when Bob accidentally walked in front of a bus, he said it was because of a _____ __ sleep.
lack of
DEFINITION: not enough of something
ALSO: lack of money, lack of time
ADJECTIVE: lacking
kids ____ down a hill
rolling
Kids like to ____ ___ _____ when they eat.
make a mess
DEFINITION: the opposite of keep things tidy/clean
ADJECTIVE: a messy person
Keep your eye on the _____ ball.
bouncing
Also: stocks are not expected to bounce back soon
Keanu Reeves’ mom ______ him to the Oscars.
accompanied
Definition: to go with someone, to escort
Also: If you have friends who will visit you, you can say, “We have company coming over this weekend.”
Kasparov moved his pawn to _____ Bob’s brilliant attack.
counter
DEFINITION: to oppose
ADJECTIVE: something that’s opposite; ex. a counter argument, a counter claim, a counter offer
ALSO: “counter culture” means music, clothes, etc. that goes against mainstream culture
Justin Trudeau is the current leader of the ______ party in Canada.
liberal
DEFINITION: a political party / ideology
John Kerry’s private jet ______ two tons of CO2 every time he flies to a climate summit.
produces
DEFINITION: creates, makes
Jews in Medieval Europe were _________ by society.
marginalize
DEFINITION: pushed to the outside of society; excluded from the majority culture
NOTE: think of the margins of a document or text file: they’re near the edge
Jesus __________ his moral teachings through stories called “parables.”
illustrated
DEFINITION: to make a point or argument clearer by giving more information, by showing more, by telling more
Jesus keeps ______ but he can’t come in.
knocking
DEFINITION: to make a sound (usually with your knuckles) to get someone’s attention
ALSO: if you’re talking about the future and someone says “knock on wood” that means they don’t want what they said to not happen; ex. I’m starting the new job next week, knock on wood.
Jennifer’s favorite movie _______ and Bob’s favorite movie ______.
scene
DEFINITION: a section of a play or movie, usually lasting for just a few minutes
ALSO: if you have an argument in public with your partner and he / she causes a scene that means he/she is loud and draws attention to you
Jennifer: He says he loves me. Should I send him all my money so he can visit me?
Bob: Oh, don’t be so ______. He doesn’t love you; I do. And how much money do you have?
naive
DEFINITION: because of a lack of experience you make bad decisions
Jennifer’s ______ for sugar is the only thing stronger than her ______ for Bob.
desire
Definition: if you desire something you want it badly
Jennifer’s friends thought she was a _____ for marrying Bob. What they didn’t know was that Bob had his own car.
fool
DEFINITION: a person who makes bad decisions
IDIOM: If you think your friend is going to do something stupid you might warn him by saying, “Don’t be a fool!”
IDIOM: “A fool and his money are soon parted.” i.e. a fool will lose his money by making bad decisions
ADJECTIVE: foolish behaviour
ADVERB: to behave foolishly
VERB: if you fool someone that means you trick / deceive him
Jennifer was ______ ____ the men in her life, until she found Bob
bored with
Jennifer needed time to _____ the idea of getting married
reconsider
DEFINITION: think again about something because you might change your mind
Jennifer made it _______ clear to Bob that there would be no second date.
abundantly
DEFINITION: very, more than enough
Jennifer lost her slim ______ after her tenth child was born.
figure
DEFINITION: the shape of your body
Jennifer gave an _____ of the accident to the police officer. Later, when they found Bob, he said he had been in church all day.
account
DEFINITION: a story, a narrative (usually for official purposes like recording evidence)
Jennifer couldn’t _____ being married to Bob for one more second. So she moved to Japan, changed her name, and just to be safe, became a lesbian.
fancy
DEFINITION: imagine, believe, think
COMMON EXPRESSION: “Fancy that…” said when you see or hear something unusual, the same as “Imagine that…”
Jennifer and Mrs. Williams had a small ______ over who would get the parking spot.
dispute
DEFINITION: argument, disagreement (formal)
VERB: if you see a charge on your credit card you don’t recognize it you can dispute the charge
Jeff had a dangerous job. / Bob’s job was _______ dangerous.
particularly
DEFINITION: especially, very
It’s _______ difficult to get into Harvard these days.
pretty
DEFINITION: fairly, quite, rather
It’s typical for ________ males to want to be the boss.
dominant
DEFINITION: someone who likes to be in charge of others
It’s true that people judge you on your _______ .
appearance
DEFINITION: someone’s appearance is how they look, ex. an attractive appearance, a professional appearance
VERB: to appear, ex. he appears/looks drunk
It’s hard to _______ the pain suffered as a result of war.
compute
DEFINITION: to calculate
ALSO: if your boss reads your report and tells you “That just doesn’t compute” he means it doesn’t make sense
It’s easy to get ______ at work these days.
overwhelmed
DEFINITION: you’ve got too much work, more than you can handle
ADJECTIVE: overwhelming
It’s common to ____ weight after you have a baby.
gain
DEFINITION: put on weight, increase how much you weigh
It’s better to _____ money to the bank than to these guys.
owe
DEFINITION: First, you borrow money, then you owe it to the person you borrowed it from.
It _______ we put one too many sacks on the truck.
appears
DEFINITION: it seems
It was ______ to meet you.
delightful
Definition: full of delight (pleasure, joy)
Also: the movie was delightful; I found her smile delightful
It was the steel _____ that made it possible to build the first skyscrapers in New York.
framework
Definition: the skeleton of a building
Also: an outline or a plan , ex. if your boss gives you a framework for a new project he tells you what he wants but not the details how to do it (think of a picture frame)
It was a rare opportunity to learn about the mysteries of the universe. So Bob raised his hand and asked the ______ of Nobel Prize winners about their favorite ice cream flavor.
panel
Definition: a group of people who answer questions or give opinions
Also: a panel of judges, a congressional finance panel
It is against international law to target _______ during a war.
civilians
DEFINITION: a person who is not a member of the government or military
It doesn’t ______ ______ to get out of the pool because it starts to rain.
make sense
DEFINITION: it’s not logical
OPPOSITE: it’s nonsense
Is ______ like this a problem in your country?
poverty
DEFINITION: the noun of poor; if someone has no money he’s poor
Is _____ in your country blind? Or do some people get away with the crimes they commit?
justice
DEFINITION: the idea that wrong or illegal actions are appropriately punished
Is your home _____ against giant trees?
insured
DEFINITION: to protect with insurance
PERSON / COMPANY: Who is your insurer?
Is your education a cost or an ________?
investment
DEFINITION: time or money spent that will provide a return
Is your country’s _____ getting weaker or stronger these days?
currency
DEFINITION: money (formal)
Is this the most _______ solution of all time?
impractical
DEFINITION: not practical, not realistic, no able to be realized
Is there a part of your town where mostly _____ people live?
poor
DEFINITION: they don’t have much money
Is there a lot of ______ at your family gatherings?
laughter
DEFINITION: the noun of “to laugh”
Is there a lot of _____ diversity where you live?
ethnic
DEFINITION: your ethnicity is the group (cultural, religious, racial, etc.) your ancestors belonged to; ex. Barrack Obama is American but his ethnicity is Kenyan
ALSO: ethnic food is another way to say “foreign food”
Is there a good ______ section where you shop?
produce
DEFINITION: a more formal way to say “fruits and vegetables”
Is the population in your country increasing or _______?
decreasing
DEFINITION: lessening
Is the news in your country allowed to show _______ images?
disturbing
DEFINITION: upsetting, usually because they show violence
Is the media in your country ______ or are they neutral?
biased
DEFINITION: if you have a strong opinion about something and it affects your behavior you can say your actions or your opinions are biased
ALSO: to have a bias
Is it harder to ____ _____ your jeans after the holidays?
fit into
DEFINITION: get inside of
Is he _______ __ walking or just lazy?
incapable of
DEFINITION: it’s not possible, he can’t do it
Is good coffee a ______ or a necessity?
luxury
DEFINITION: something that’s expensive, high quality and not necessary; ex. a luxury hotel
ADJECTIVE: luxurious
Is Anki part of your morning or evening ______?
routine
DEFINITION: what you do every day
ADJECTIVE: routine, ex. It was a routine inspection (normal, usual, nothing special), but what we discovered was incredible.
Is a _______ job your idea of heaven or hell?
corporate
DEFINITION: a large company is a corporation
VERB: if you file the legal paperwork to start a corporation you “incorporate”
Iraq _______ was hiding weapons of mass destruction.
allegedly
DEFINITION: if you allege something you say it might be true, but you don’t have proof; ex. a newspaper will report that someone allegedly committed a crime, then after the trial they will say if the person actually committed the crime
Also: to allege, to make an allegation
Investigators decided that the _____ of the crash was a bird. A terrorist bird.
cause
Definition: something that produces a result, ex. A mistake was the cause of the war.
Verb: to cause, ex. to cause pain, to cause global warming
inside a massive Amazon _______ center
distribution
DEFINITION: if you distribute a product you send it to your customers or retail stores
ALSO: a fim distribution company; distribution channels (do you sell directly to the customer or to a third-party?)
NOTE: a distribution center can also be called a fullfillment center
Inflation _________ affects the poor.
disproportionately
DEFINITION: not even, not balanced
In your opinion, which is the most ______ sport to watch?
boring
DEFINITION: dull, not exciting
In your opinion, which country is the most ______ about football?
passionate
DEFINITION: enthusiastic, full of positive energy
In your opinion, which country has the most beautiful_________?
coast
DEFINITION: where the land meets the sea
ALSO: coastal; ex. coastal waters
In your opinion, what was the most ______ invention in your lifetime?
amazing
DEFINITION: incredible, fantastic
In your opinion, what was the most interesting _____ in history?
period
DEFINITION: a section of time
In your office, which would be considered appropriate and inappropriate ________?
conduct
DEFINITION: behavior
NOTE: this is formal
ALSO: a drunk person might be arrested for disorderly conduct; an organization like a university might have a code of conduct
In your country, how much should you tip a porter who ______ you with your bags?
assists
DEFINITION: to help (formal)
NOUN: assistance
PERSON: assistant, i.e. a personal assistant, a virtual assistant
In your country, how do you politely ______ for the waiter to bring the bill?
gesture
DEFINITION: to signal with your body or face
In your country, do men ask for _____ to marry?
permission
DEFINITION: if someone gives you permission they allow you to do something
VERB: to permit
In which country do you have permanent ______?
DEFINITION: where you reside is where you live (formal)
ALSO: your residence is your home
PERSON: a resident of Florida
In what kind of ______ was your house / apartment when you moved in?
condition
DEFINITION: shape, state
In tonight’s ______ we’ll be taking you live to the center of the tornado.
broadcast
DEFINITION: a communication that goes to a large / broad audience (i.e. not direct or 1-1)
In this rare photo we see the Icelandic army _______ to attack Luxembourg.
plotting
DEFINITION: to plan, usually something big or evil, ex. a criminal plots his next crime
In this photo the _______ is out of focus.
background
DEFINITION: what is seen behind the main image
In the winter you can see the _______ lights in Iceland.
Northern
DEFINITION: in the north
In the US, schools were first ______ in the 1950s.
integrated
DEFINITION: to bring together, to unite
ALSO: if you integrate software you use different programs together
NOUN: integration
In the US, offering a car wash in return for a donation is a popular way to _____ money.
raise
DEFINITION: to collect money for a charity
ALSO: an event to raise money is called “a fundraiser”
In the US, actors go on talk shows like The Tonight Show to ______ their latest movie.
promote
DEFINITION: to encourage people to buy a product, attend a concert, watch a movie, or change their opinion (promote an idea)
In the U.S., the House of Representatives votes to pass _________.
legislation
DEFINITION: law
VERB: to legislate
In the U.S., the 12th ____ is the final year in high school. And in your country?
grade
DEFINITION: your grade is your year, ex. He’s in the first grade = He’s in his first year