Verbs Flashcards
Familiarize yourself with something
to learn about something
He prepared for the interview by familiarizing himself with the company’s work.
Toss
to throw something carelessly
She tossed the keys into her bag and went out.
Cling
to stick onto or hold something or someone tightly, or to refuse to stop holding it, him, or her
We got so wet that our clothes clung to us.
They clung together in terror as the screams grew louder.
One little girl was clinging onto a cuddly toy.
She clung to the handrail as she walked down the slippery steps.
Advocate
to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something
[ + -ing verb ] She advocates taking a more long-term view.
We will continue to advocate for a regional, cooperative approach to the construction project.
Induce
to persuade someone to do something
induce someone to do something They induced her to take the job by promising editorial freedom.
nothing could induce
Nothing could induce me (= I definitely cannot be persuaded) to climb a mountain/ride a bike.
Compel
to force someone to do something
[ + to infinitive ] As a schoolboy he was compelled to wear shorts even in winter.
formal The new circumstances compelled a change in policy.
Pop (go)
informal to go to a particular place
I’ve just got to pop into the bank to get some money.
Paula popped out for a minute.
Would you pop upstairs and see if Grandad is okay?
Why don’t you pop in/over and see us this afternoon?
Pop (sound)
to (cause something to) make a short explosive sound, often by breaking something
The kids were popping all the birthday balloons.
The music played and champagne corks popped.
Pop (move)
to move quickly and suddenly, especially from a closed space
When you open the box, a clown pops out.
Pop (put)
to put or take something quickly
If you pop the pizza in the oven now, it’ll be ready in 15 minutes.
He popped his head into the room/around the door and said “Lunchtime!”
Pop your shoes on and let’s go.
Opt
to make a choice, especially of one thing or possibility instead of others
Synonym: choose
Mike opted for early retirement.
[ + to infinitive ] Most people opt to have the operation.
Coerce
Collocation:
Coerce into doing something
formal to persuade someone forcefully to do something that they are unwilling to do
be coerced into The court heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession.
Endure (experience)
to suffer something difficult, unpleasant, or painful
We had to endure a nine-hour delay at the airport.
She’s already had to endure three painful operations on her leg.
Endure (continue)
formal to continue to exist for a long time
The political system established in 1400 endured until about 1650.
Encompass
formal to include different types of things
Synonyms: cover, embrace
The festival is to encompass everything from music, theatre, and ballet to literature, cinema, and the visual arts.
Rub
Collocations:
Rub at
Rub sth. into sth.
Rub sth. in
Rub sth. clean
Rub itself against sth.
Rub against sth.
Rub off
to press or be pressed against something with a circular or up-and-down repeated movement
She yawned and** rubbed** her eyes sleepily.
He rubbed (at) the stain on his trousers and made it worse.
We rubbed some polish into the surface of the wood.
She gently rubbed the ointment in.
First rub the baking tray well with butter.
[ + obj + adj ] Alice rubbed the blackboard clean for the teacher.
Your cat keeps on rubbing itself (up) against my leg.
She was rubbing her hands (together) at the thought of winning.
The branches rubbed against each other in the wind.
My new shoes are rubbing (against/on my toe) and now I’ve got blisters.
These marks will never rub off (= be cleaned off).
Alice rubbed the sums off (= cleaned them off) the blackboard for the teacher.
Occupy (FILL) (2 meanings)
to fill, exist in, or use a place or period of time
The rest of the time was occupied with writing a report.
The house hasn’t been occupied (= lived in) by anyone for a few months.
to keep someone busy or interested
On long journeys I occupy myself with solving maths puzzles
Occupy (TAKE CONTROL)
(of an army or group of people) to move into and take control and/or possession of a place
Troops quickly occupied the city.
Protesting students occupied the university office for two weeks.
float (NOT SINK)
Collocations:
Float in sth.
Float on sth.
to stay on the surface of a liquid and not sink
float in You can float very easily in the Dead Sea because it’s so salty.
float on Lily pads float on the surface of the pond.
float (MOVE)
Collocations:
float down
Float along
Float out to
Float something on something
Float around/about
to (cause to) move easily through, or along the surface of a liquid, or to (cause to) move easily through air
float down We spent a lazy afternoon floating down the river.
float along It feeds by simply floating along the water and scooping up fish.
float out to He tossed the bottle into the waves and watched it float out to sea.
float something on something The children enjoy floating their boats on the pond in the park.
to move or act without purpose
float around/about Since he lost his job, he’s just floated around/about doing nothing.
float (SUGGEST)
Collocation:
Float the idea
to suggest a plan or an idea to be considered
float an idea Laura has floated the idea that we should think about expanding into Europe next year.
distort (CHANGE SHAPE)
to change the shape of something so that it looks strange or unnatural
synonym: deform
The map distorted Greenland to appear four times its actual size.
a distorting mirror
distort (CHANGE MEANING)
to change something so that it is false or wrong, or no longer means what it was intended to mean
She accused her opponent of distorting the truth.
The survey methods can distort reality.
bind (TIE/FASTEN)
Collocations:
bind with sth.
bind together
be bound hand and foot
to tie something or someone tightly or to fasten something
They bound the packages with brightly coloured ribbon.
Bind together the two broken ends.
The prisoner was bound hand and foot.
bind (UNITE)
Collocation:
bind together
to unite people or to make them feel that they share something
The things that bind them together are greater than their differences.
Whatever our faith, our common humanity should bind us all.
neigh
nyerít
The horse tossed its main and neighed
hooked
enjoying something so much that you are unable to stop having it, watching it, doing it, etc.
I was well and truly hooked on travel.
spark verb
Collocation:
spark off
to cause the start of something, especially an argument or fighting
The recent interest-rate rises have sparked new problems for small businesses.
The visit of the G20 leaders sparked off mass demonstrations.
outnumber
to be greater in number than someone or something
In our office the women outnumber the men three to one.
wield
to hold a weapon or tool and look as if you are going to use it
She was confronted by a man wielding a knife.
wield influence, power etc.
to have a lot of influence or power over other people
He still wields enormous influence in politics.
