Vocabulary Flashcards
Adjective
Right or appropriate for a particular person, purpose, or situation
Suitable
- *They need to find a suitable replacement
- These toys are not suitable for children under five.
- The film is not suitable for children.
- A conference was planned, but finding a suitable venue proved difficult.
- Each room has books, toys, and games that are suitable to that particular age group.
- My mother doesn’t like me to wear short skirts to church - she doesn’t think they’re suitable.
Verb
To make metal or glass soft by heating and then cooling it slowly
Anneal
Verb
To improve the quality, amount, or strength of something
Enhance
* It’s things like this that enhance the quality of life.
* The latest revelation certainly won’t enhance her image.
* Smart personnel practices enhance the value of a company and its stock.
* A number of our clients want to look younger to enhance their career prospects.
* Pictures can then be enhanced on a pc.
Noun
A formal arrangement to meet or visit someone at a particular time and place
Appointment
- I’d like to make an appointment with Dr Evans, please.
- She had to cancel her dental appointment.
- I’ve got an appointment to see Ms Edwards at two o’clock.
- I’ve got a two o’clock appointment with Ms Edwards.
Noum
A typical quality or an important part of something
Features
- The town’s main features are its beautiful mosque and ancient marketplace.
- Our latest model of phone has several new features.
- A unique feature of these rock shelters was that they were dry.
How well a person, machine, etc. does a piece of work or an activity
Performance
* He was an experienced player who was always seeking to improve his performance.
* High-performance cars (= those that are fast, powerful, and easy to control) are the most expensive.
* This was a very impressive performance by the young player, who scored 14 points within the first ten minutes.
Verb
To do an action or piece of work
Perform
- Computers can perform a variety of tasks.
- The operation will be performed next week.
- Most of the students performed well in the exam.
Noum
A permanently fixed piece of furniture in a house, such as a bath, that would not be taken by someone when moving to a new home
Fixture
* All fixtures and fittings are included in the house price.
figurative
* They’ve been together so long he’s become a permanent fixture
Noun
Broken or torn pieces of something larger
Debris
* Debris from the aircraft was scattered over a large area.
* Debris from the plane crash
Verb
To employ someone
Speaking about work
Engage
* I have engaged a secretary to deal with all my paperwork.
* * We’ve recently engaged a cleaner.*
* She has been known to engage the services of a professional shopper.
Noun
A measurement of how good, strong, important, popular, etc. sb or sth is
Rating
- The government’s approval/popularity rating sank to an all-time low.
- The show’s ratings were up last season.
Adverb
Usually or to a large degree
Mainly
- I mainly go to bed around midnight.
- The group is made up of mainly young people.
- They argued that the tax will mainly benefit the rich.
Adjective
Without a cord; not connected to a power supply by wires:
Cordless (wireless)
* A cordless phone.
* A cordless iron.
* A cordless dril.
Noun
A sharp, wheel-shaped metal object that is attached to the heel of boots worn by people riding horses and is used to encourage the horse to go faster
Spur
Verb
To encourage an activity or development or make it happen faster. To encourage or push sb to do sth
Spurr
* Rising consumer sales have the effect of spurring the economy to faster growth.
* Spurred (on) by her early success, she went on to write four more novels in rapid succession.
Verb
To express a thought, feeling, or idea so that it is understood by other people. To communicate sth. To transport sth
Convey
* His poetry conveys a great sense of religious devotion.
* Please convey our condolences to the family.
* I tried to convey in my speech how grateful we all were for his help.
* You don’t want to convey the impression that we’re not interested.
* It’s difficult to convey the joy we felt.
* Could you convey a message to Mr Merrick for me, please?
* Systems for conveying goods
* The goods are usually conveyed by rail.
Noun
An agreement to marry someone. An arrangement to meet someone or do something at a particular time
Engagement
- They announced their engagement at the party on Saturday.
- A dinner engagement
- I’m afraid I have a previous/prior engagement (= another arrangement already made).
Verb
To interest someone in something and keep them thinking about it. To become involved, or have contact, with someone or something
Engaged
* The debate about food safety has engaged the whole nation.
* She’s an intelligent child but in class she doesn’t really engage.
Noun
The process of improving the quality, amount, or strength of something. A change, or a process of change, that improves something or increases its value
Enhancement
- We have made many enhancements to the software that will strengthen system security.
- They plan to release a series of new products and product enhancements.
- Performance/productivity enhancement The measures are intended to be incentives for performance enhancement.
- earnings/pension/revenue enhancement
Iddle
About a car; the condition of a car, when the engine is started but it keeps without gear engagement, or movement.
Idling
Verb
To make something slightly wet. To make feelings, especially of excitement or enjoyment, less strong
Dampen
* Rain had dampened the tent so we left it to dry in the afternoon sun.
* Nothing you can say will dampen her enthusiasm.
* I didn’t want to dampen his spirits.
Noun
A pipe or passage for water or electrical wire to go through
Conduit
* They make pipes ad tubes that are used in construction and as electrical conduit
* Cracks in the rocks can act as conduit, transporting polluted water upward
Noun
The money earned by an employee, esp. when paid for the hours worked
Wages
* He was notorious for being anti-union and for paying low wages.
A person that you have met but do not know well
Acquitance
To say that something is true or is a fact, although you cannot prove it and other people might not believe it:
Claims
* The company claims (that) it is not responsible for the pollution in the river.
(Of a person) friendly and energetic and finding it easy and enjoyable to be with others:
Outgoing
* Sales reps need to be outgoing, because they are constantly meeting customers.
Noun
A heavy load that you carry
Burden
* The little donkey struggled under its heavy burden
Very informal language that is usually spoken rather than written, used especially by particular groups of people
Slang
* “Chicken” is slang for someone who isn’t very brave.
Adjective
Showing agreement and giving encouragement:
Supportive
* Children with supportive parents often do better at school than those without.
Verb
To go past something by being a greater amount or degree:
Overtake
* Our US sales have now overtaken our sales in Europe
Noun
A long, angry look:
Glare
* She gave me a fierce glare
When an adult behave is badly in a way that would be expected of a child
Childish
* He wasn’t enjoying the occasion so he thought he’d spoil it for everyone else - it was very childish of him.
Adjective
Someone, especially a child, who is spoiled is allowed to do or have anything that they want, usually with the result that they behave badly and do not show respect to other people:
Spoiled
* He is behaving like a spoiled child!
* As a child she was a bit precocious and spoilt.
Verb
To use a needle and syringe (= small tube) to put a liquid such as a drug into a person’s body / To push or hit something forcelly and quickly, often with a thin or sharp object
Jab
* The doctor jabbed the needle into the dog’s leg.
* Watch out! You nearly jabbed me in the eye with your umbrella!
* By the end of May, we will have jabbed more than 10,000 people.
Noun
A small, electronic device that is put near a person’s heart, usually under the skin, in order to control the rate at which the heart beats
Pacemaker
Preposition, adverb
Next to, or together with
Alongside
* The new pill will be used alongside existing medicines.
Verb
To try to find or get something, especially something that is not a physical object:
Seek - Sought - Sought
* “Are you actively seeking jobs?” she asked.
Adverb
Completely
Quiet
* The two situations are quite different.
* The colours almost match but not quite.
Noun
The act of thinking about or considering something, an idea or opinion, or a set of ideas about a particular subject
Thought
* Give it thought Ask me again tomorrow. I’ll have to give it some thought.
* Give thought to She doesn’t give any thought to her appearance.
* Spare a thought for Spare a thought for (= think about) all those without shelter on a cold night like this.
Adverb
In fact or really
Actually
* I didn’t actually see her - I just heard her voice.
* So what actually happened?
Verb
To experience difficulty and make a very great effort in order to do something
Struggle
* [ + to infinitive ] The dog had been struggling to get free of the wire noose.
* I’ve been struggling to understand this article all afternoon.
* Fish struggle for survival when the water level drops in the lake.
Verb
To fasten or support something at the top leaving the other parts free to move, or to be held in this way.
To kill someone, especially as punishment for a serious crime, by dropping them with a rope tied around their neck, or to die in this way
Hang
* Hang around (A heavy gold necklace hagn arround her neck).
* Hang (down) from (Party decorations hung (down) from the ceiling).
* hang in (The curtains hung in thick folds).
- He was found guilty and hanged later that year.
Adjective
Received from someone who has died
Inherited
* The inherited economy was recovering strongly, having been very sensibly managed for four years.
Adjective
Based on or acting on good judgment and practical ideas or understanding
Sensible
* A sensible answer/approach/compromise/option
* It could be cold and wet so pack some sensible clothes.
Noun
Knowledge that something exists, or understanding of a situation or subject at the present time based on information or experience
Awareness
* Public awareness of the problem will make politicians take it seriously.
* Environmental awareness has increased dramatically over the past decade.
Noun
An ability to understand, recognize, value, or react to something, especially any of the five physical abilities to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel
Sense
* With her excellent sense of smell, she could tell if you were a smoker from the other side of the room.
* My cold is so bad I’ve lost my sense of smell/taste (= I can’t smell/taste anything).
Prhasal Verb
To bring about or produce (a result) by labour or effort; to attain or accomplish (a plan or purpose), esp. with difficulty
Works out
* It works out cheaper in the end
If something is likely, it will probably happen or is expected
Likely
* Do remind me because I’m likely to forget.
* What’s the likely outcome of this whole business?
Verb
To express or represent something such as an idea, thought, or fact.
To have a particular result.
To intend.
To have an important emotional effect on someone:
Mean
* What does this word mean?
* Lower costs mean lower prices.
* The books with large print are meant for partially sighted readers.
* I’ve been meaning to call you all week.
Adjective
Not willing to give or share things, especially money.
Unkind or unpleasant.
Very good.
Mean
* My landlord’s very mean with the heating.
* Stop being so mean to me!
* She’s a mean piano player.
Adjective
Unhappy because of being away from home for a long period
Homesick
* As I read my mother’s letter, I began to feel more and more homesick.
* She was homesick during her first semester at college.
Noun
Land not in towns, cities, or industrial areas, that is either used for farming or left in its natural condition:
Countryside
* The countryside around there is beautiful.
* The mansion is set in 90 acres of beautiful, unspoiled countryside.
* Every summer thousands of people flock to the countryside.
Noun
A group of sheep, goats, or birds.
A large group of people, usually people of a particular type.
Flock
* The shepherd is bringing his flock down from the hills.
* A noisy flock of tourists came into the building.
Verb
To move, gather or come together in large numbers:
Flock to
* Hundreds of people flocked to the football match.
* Crowds of people flocked to see the Picasso exhibition.
Adjective
(About an area) has a lot of green, healthy plants, grass, and trees.
Very attractive to look at, taste, smell, etc.
Lush
* Lush green valleys
* The lush sound of the orchestra
* The lush taste of fudge ice cream
Noun
A person whose job it is to organize a particular event, or to provide services to particular people, or to take care of a particular place
Steward
* Stewards will be inspecting the race track at 9.00.
* If you need help at any time during the conference, one of the stewards will be pleased to help you.
The hability to see
Sight
* If your sight is poor, you should not drive a car.
* The old woman has
Verb
To arrive at a place, especially after spending a long time or a lot of effort travelling
Reach
* We won’t reach Miami until five or six o’clock.
* They finally reached the coast after five weeks sailing.
* News of his accident had only just reached us.
Noun
a large amount of something good:
Wealth
* During a successful business career, she accumulated a great amount of wealth.
Verb
To fall or to allow something to fall.
To take someone to a particular place, usually in a car, and leave them there:
Drop
* She dropped her keys.
* The book dropped from/off the shelf.
* Don’t drop it!/Don’t let it drop!
* They dropped me off at the main entrance.
* I dropped him at the library and went shopping.
Noun
A feeling of cold in your body that makes you shake slightly.
Chill
* The sun was bright, but there was a chill in the air.
* His words sent a chill down her spine (= made her suddenly very fearful).
Verb
To make or become cold but not freeze
Chill
* Allow the pudding to chill.
* Chill the pudding before serving.
Adjective
Brave and determined
Gutsy
* A gutsy performance
Adjective
Causing strong feelings of sadness or sympathy:
Moving
* A very moving story
*I find some of Brahms’s music deeply moving.
Adjective
Proudly refusing to obey authority.
Refusing to be beaten
Defiant
* A defiant attitude/gesture
* The protesters blocking the entrance to the offices remained defiant this morning.
Adjective
Something that is gripping is so interesting or exciting that it holds your attention completely:
Gripping
* I found the book so gripping that I couldn’t put it down.
Adjective
Strange or unnatural and making you feel frightened:
Creepy
* A creepy film
* A creepy smile
Noun
The metal cover over the part of a car where the engine is
Bone
* I looked under the bonnet and clouds of smoke poured out.
Verb
To (cause animals to) eat grass
Graze
* The cows were grazing.
* The farmer grazes cattle on this land in the summer months.
Noum
A story, especially one that might be invented or difficult to believe
Tale
* He told some fascinating tales about his life in India
* She told me a tale about missing the bus to explain her lateness
Noum
Clothes that are old and torn
Rags
* In rags Their clothes were in rags (= torn).
* An old man dressed in rags
* Shoeless and dressed in rags, they roam the streets searching for scraps of food.
Noun
An imaginary creature with magic powers, usually represented as a very small person with wings
Fairy
* Do you believe in fairies?
* She used to think there were fairies at the bottom of her garden.
Noun
A traditional story written for children that usually involves imaginary creatures and magic
Fairy tale
* A book of fairy tales that would fascinate millions in faraway lands.
Noun
Having a special and attractive or beautiful quality, like something in a fairy tale:
Fairy-tale
* Fairy-tale wedding They had a fairy-tale wedding.
* Sadly, there was no fairy-tale happy ending to the story.
Verb
To cause something that is thin to break suddenly and quickly with a cracking sound
Snap
* You’ll snap that ruler if you bend it too far.
* Snap something off Some vandal’s snapped off my car aerial again.
Verb
To cause something to become fixed, for example with glue or another similar substance:
Stick
* I tried to stick the pieces together with some glue/tape.
* Stick something up with something He * Stuck up an announcement on the board with pins.
* This glue won’t stick.
* Be stuck in My car’s stuck in the mud.
* Stick to Stir the sauce so that it doesn’t stick to the pan.
* Stick together My book got wet and all the pages have stuck together.
Verb
To break open or apart suddenly, or to make something do this.
To feel a strong emotion, or strong wish to do something:
Burst
* Burst open Suddenly the door burst open (= opened suddenly and forcefully) and police officers rushed in.
* I hate it when balloons burst.
* Burst with I knew they were bursting with curiosity but I said nothing.
* Burst to Tom was bursting to tell everyone the news.
Noun
The fact of not pronouncing a particular sound in a word
Elision
* Listening input is characterised by features such as elision and the placement of stress and intonation.
Verb
To speak quietly and in a way that is not clear so that the words are difficult to understand
Mumble
* She mumbled something about being too busy.
* [ + speech ] “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
Verb
Speaking quietly and in a low, slightly angry voice because the person is unhappy with the situation
Muttering
* The mutterings of discontent started among the senior players.
* The company has responded to muttering about lack of direction with a plan to invest in Europe and China.
Verb
To make a large jump or sudden movement, usually from one place to another:
Leap
* He leaped out of his car and ran towards the house.
* I leaped up to answer the phone.
* The dog leaped over the gate into the field.
To lose your balance after knocking your foot against something when you are walking or running, or to cause someone to do this:
Trip
* He tripped and fell down, grazing his knee.
* trip over / That cable is dangerous. Someone might trip over it.
* He was sent off for deliberately tripping Robson when he was about to score.
Adjective
A rude word for something that is very annoying or not convenient:
Bummer
* “I’ve left my wallet at home.” “What a bummer!”
* US I locked my keys in the car - bummer!
Adjective
(About ground, sea, or wherever), extremely dangerous, especially because of bad weather conditions:
Treacherous
* Snow and ice have left many roads treacherous, and drivers are warned to use caution.
Noun
A long, narrow raised part of a surface, especially a high edge along a mountain:
Ridge
- We walked along the narrow mountain ridge.
- Figurative A ridge (= a narrow area) of high pressure will bring good weather this afternoon.
The highest point of a mountain
Summit
* On this day in 1784, Dr Michel Paccard and Jacques Balmat reached the summit of Mont Blanc.
Noun
A piece of metal, wood, rubber, etc. with a pointed edge at one end and a wide edge at the other, either pushed between two objects to keep them still or forced into something to break pieces off it
Wedge
* Push a wedge under the door to keep it open while we’re carrying the boxes in.
* Pieces of stone can be split off by forcing wedges between the layers.
Noun
An important discovery or event that helps to improve a situation or provide an answer to a problem
Breakthrough
* Scientists are hoping for a breakthrough in the search for a cure for cancer.
* A major breakthrough in negotiations has been achieved.
Verb
To to cause someone to become very weak or die because there is not food to eat
Starve
* Whole communities starved to death during the long drought
* From talking to former prisioners in the camps and obvious conclusion is that teh have been starved.
Noun
A situation in which there is not enough food for a great number of people, causing illness and death, or a particular period when this happens
Famine
* Another crop failure could result in widespread famine.
* There were reports of refugees dying of famine.
* Thousands of people emigrated during the Irish potato famine of 1845–46.
Adjective
Existing or happening in many places and/or among many people
Widespread
* There are reports of widespread flooding in northern France.
* Malnutrition in the region is widespread - affecting up to 78 percent of children under five years old.
* The campaign has received widespread support.
Adjective
Needing a particular thing or person in order to continue, to work correctly, or to succeed
Reliant
* He’s completely reliant on his weelchari to get about
* The project is heavily reliant on volunteers.
Adjective
Tidy, with everything in its place
Neat
* Your house is always so neat - how do you manage it?
* She likes everything neat and tidy.
* You have such neat handwriting.
* They did a very neat job stitching up your knee - there’s hardly a scar there.
Adjective
Useful or convenient
Handy
* A handy container/tool
* First-time visitors to France will find this guide particularly handy.
* It’s a nice house and it’s handy for (= near) the train station.
Noun
A machine that is used for joining together pieces of cloth, with a needle that is operated either by turning a handle or by electricity
Sewing machine
* The home sewing machine is now a luxury in the consumer goods line.
Noun
The hard outer covering of something, especially nuts, eggs, and some animals
Shell
* Brazil nuts have very hard shells.
* A piece of shell fell into the cake mixture.
* The shell of a snail/crab/tortoise
Noun
A small knife that folds into a case and is usually carried in a pocket
Penknife
* It will not affect the pocket of a single rich man, because he does not buy these cheap penknives.
Verb
To bend something, especially paper or cloth, so that one part of it lies on the other part, or to be able to be bent in this way
Fold
* I folded the letter (in half) and put it in an envelope.
* He had a neatly folded handkerchief in his jacket pocket.
* Will you help me to fold (up) the sheets?
* The table folds up when not in use.
Verb
To continue to exist.
To continue being good or suitable
Last
* The meeting lasted two hours.
* The drought lasted for several months.
* They say the snow will last until the end of next week.
* It last up to six hours.
* There’s no point buying something that isn’t going to last.
* The cheaper washing machines should last about five years.
Noun
An open, round container shaped like a bowl with sloping sides, used for holding food or liquid. (also in a toilet)
Basin
* Run some water into the basin and wash your hands and face properly.
* When you have broken the eggs into a basin, whisk them together lightly with a fork.
* The basin in the upstairs bathroom has gold taps!
Verb
To deal with a difficult situation alone
Fend
* I was left to fend for myself in the woods.
* Fighting for survival includes fending off attackers, and other beasts than man may be hiding in the wastes.
Almost never
Seldom
* Now that we have a baby, we seldom get the chance to go to the cinema.
* Seldom do we receive any apology when mistakes are made.
The level or point at which you start to experience something, or at which something starts to happen
Threshold
* I have a low/high boredom threshold (= I do/don’t feel bored easily).
* His secretary earns £268 a month, well below the threshold for paying tax.
Noun
A particular amount of money that is paid, usually every week, to an employee, especially one who does work that needs physical skills or strength, rather than a job needing a college education
Wages
* A very low/high wage
* An hourly/daily/weekly/annual wage
* He gets/earns/is paid a good wage, because he works for a fair employer.
* The job pays very low wages.
Noun
The place where a public event or meeting happens
Venue
* The hotel is an ideal venue for conferences and business meetings.
* The stadium has been specifically designed as a venue for World Cup matches.
Adverb
Completely
Quite
* The two situations are quite different.
* The colours almost match but not quite.
* I enjoyed her new book though it’s not quite as good as her last one.
* Are you quite sure you want to go?
Conjunction
Compared with the fact that; but
Whereas
- He must be about 60, whereas his wife looks about 30.
- You eat a huge plate of food for lunch, whereas I have just a sandwich.
Adverb
Next to, together with
Alongside
* A car pulled up alongside (ours).
* Most of the staff refused to work alongside the new team.
Verb
To provide, and sometimes serve, food.
Cater
* I’m catering for twelve on Sunday
* Who catered your party?
Noun
A person or anlinal that lives in a particular place
Inhabitant
* A city of five millions inhabitants.
Verb
To make something seem less important or less bad than it really is
Downplay
* The government has been trying to downplay the crisis.
Verb
To make someone feel calm or less worried.
To make a part of the body less painful.
Soothe
* To soothe a crying baby.
* I had a long, hot bath to soothe my aching muscles.
Noun
(A building designed to give) protection from bad weather, danger, or attack
Shelter
* An air-raid shelter
* They opened a shelter to provide temporary housing for the city’s homeless.
Adjective
Making people feel excited and proud or ready to take action
Rousing
* We sang a last rousing chorus of the national anthem.
* She delivered a rousing speech full of anger and passion.
Adjective
The simple form of language mothers often use when talking to their babies
Motherese
* The special sing-song way in which parents vocalize to their infants, known as “baby talk” or motherese
Adjective
Very interested, eager, or wanting (to do) something very much
Keen
* They were very keen to start work as soon as possible.
* He’s rather keen on a girl in his school (= he is very attracted to her).
* She’s keen on (playing) tennis.
Verb
To have or continue to have something.
To hold or support something
Bear
* Their baby bears a strong resemblance to its grandfather.
* I don’t bear them any ill feeling (= I do not continue to be angry with or dislike them).
* The chair, too fragile to bear her weight, collapsed.
Noun
A small space like a box that a person can go into.
A partly closed area or small tent at a fair, exhibition, or similar event.
A place in a restaurant that is beside a wall and where there are two long seats, often with high backs, with a table between them
Booth
* A phone booth
* A polling booth
* There was a line of people waiting for the phone booth.
* If we get separated, let’s meet at the information booth.
Shocking and morally unacceptable
Outrageous
* The judge criticized the “outrageous greed” of some of the bankers.
* It is outrageous that these buildings remain empty while thousands of people have no homes.
Noum
The time when you are not working or doing other duties
Leisure
* Leisure activities
* Most people only have a limited amount of leisure time.
* The town lacks leisure facilities such as a swimming pool or squash courts.
Noun
An Arab ruler or head of a group of people
Sheikh
* They want to phase out food subsidies, but the question is whether our creditors and the sheikhs will be able to wait that long.
* Many of these sheikhs returned to their villages of origin to recruit a following.
A building or place that is easily recognized, especially one that you can use to judge where you are
Landmark
* The Rock of Gibraltar is one of Europe’s most famous landmarks.
Noun
Rich
Wealthy
* He’s a very wealthy man.
* With their natural resources they are potentially a very wealthy country.
