Whatever 2 Flashcards
completion
com‧ple‧tion /kəmˈpliːʃən/ ●○○ noun [uncountable]
1 the state of being finished
The house is nearing completion (=almost finished).
The project has a completion date of December 22nd.
2 the act of finishing something
completion of
The job is subject to your satisfactory completion of the training course.
on completion (of something)
On completion of the building, they make a final inspection.
compilation
com‧pi‧la‧tion /ˌkɒmpəˈleɪʃən $ ˌkɑːm-/ AWL noun
1 [countable] a book, list, record etc which consists of different pieces of information, songs etc
compilation of
a compilation of love songs
compilation CD/album/tape
2 [uncountable] the process of making a book, list, record etc from different pieces of information, songs etc
dictionary compilation
liaise
li‧aise /liˈeɪz/ verb [intransitive]
to exchange information with someone who works in another organization or department so that you can both be more effective
liaise with
Council officers are liaising closely with local groups.
liaise between
The education officer liaises between students, schools and colleges.
coincide
co‧in‧cide /ˌkəʊənˈsaɪd $ ˌkoʊ-/ ●●○ AWL verb [intransitive]
1 to happen at the same time as something else, especially by chance → coincidence
coincide with
His entry to the party coincided with his marriage.
When our vacations coincided, we often holidayed together.
planned/timed/arranged to coincide
The show is timed to coincide with the launch of a new book.
2 [not in progressive] if two people’s ideas, opinions etc coincide, they are the same → coincidence
The interests of the US and those of the islanders may not coincide.
coincide with
The cloth had a natural look which coincided perfectly with the image Laura sought.
3 to meet or be in the same place
The journey coincides in part with the Pennine Way.
comprise
com‧prise /kəmˈpraɪz/ ●●○ W3 AWL verb formal
1 [linking verb] to consist of particular parts, groups etc
The house comprises two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room.
be comprised of somebody/something
The committee is comprised of well-known mountaineers.
► see thesaurus at consist
2 [transitive] to form part of a larger group of people or things SYN constitute, make up
Women comprise a high proportion of part-time workers.
Grammar
* Comprise is not used in the progressive. You say:
The exam comprises four questions.
✗Don’t say: The exam is comprising four questions.
* The participle form comprising is often used:
Food exports are very important, comprising 74% of the total.
* Comprise is often used in the passive with of:
The organization is comprised of four parts.
✗Don’t say: The organization comprises of four parts.
crisis
cri‧sis /ˈkraɪsɪs/ ●●○ S3 W3 noun (plural crises /-siːz/) [countable, uncountable]
1 a situation in which there are a lot of problems that must be dealt with quickly so that the situation does not get worse or more dangerous → emergency
The country now faces an economic crisis.
The prime minister was criticized for the way in which he handled the crisis.
body double
ˈbody ˌdouble noun [countable]
someone whose body appears instead of an actor’s or actress’s in a film, especially in scenes where they are not wearing any clothes → double
doppelganger
dop‧pel‧gang‧er /ˈdɒpəlɡæŋə, -ɡeŋ- $ ˈdɑːpəlɡæŋər/ noun [countable]
1 → somebody’s doppelganger
2 an imaginary spirit that looks exactly like a living person
missile
mis‧sile /ˈmɪsaɪl $ ˈmɪsəl/ ●○○ noun [countable]
1 a weapon that can fly over long distances and that explodes when it hits the thing it has been aimed at
a nuclear missile
a missile attack
2 an object that is thrown at someone in order to hurt them
Demonstrators threw missiles at the police.
→ ballistic missile, cruise missile, guided missile
body dysmorphia
body dys‧morph‧ic dis‧or‧der /ˌbɒdi dɪsˈmɔːfɪk dɪsˌɔːdə $ ˌbɑːdi dɪsˈmɔːrfɪk dɪsˌɔːrdər/ (also body dysmorphia /-ˈmɔːfiə $ -ˈmɔːr-/) noun [uncountable]
(abbreviation BDD) a mental condition in which someone wrongly believes that part of their body is very ugly or not normal
anthropomorphism
an‧thro‧po‧mor‧phis‧m /ˌænθrəpəˈmɔːfɪzəm $ -ɔːr-/ noun [uncountable]
1 the belief that animals or objects have the same feelings and qualities as humans
2 technical the belief that God can appear in a human or animal form
—anthropomorphic adjective
persistent
per‧sis‧tent /pəˈsɪstənt $ pər-/ ●○○ AWL adjective
1 [usually before noun] continuing to exist or happen, especially for longer than is usual or desirable
persistent rumours
persistent headaches
a persistent problem
persistent rain
2 continuing to do something, although this is difficult, or other people warn you not to do it
If she hadn’t been so persistent she might not have gotten the job.
persistent efforts
Persistent offenders (=people who often break the law) face a prison sentence.
—persistently adverb
persistently low rainfall
tartar
tar‧tar /ˈtɑːtə $ ˈtɑːrtər/ noun
1 [uncountable] a hard substance that forms on your teeth
2 [countable] British English informal someone who has a violent temper
She’s a real tartar.
orthodontist
or‧tho‧don‧tist /ˌɔːrθəˈdɑːntɪst / noun [countable]
a dentist whose job is to help teeth to grow straight when they have not been growing correctly
molar
mo‧lar /ˈməʊlə $ ˈmoʊlər/ noun [countable]
one of the large teeth at the back of the mouth that are used for breaking up food → incisor
—molar adjective
chopping block
chopping board (BrE)
rolling pin
ˈrolling pin noun [countable]
a long tube-shaped piece of wood used for making pastry flat and thin before you cook it
widely
wide‧ly /ˈwaɪdli/ ●●● W2 adverb
1 in a lot of different places or by a lot of people
Organic food is now widely available.
an author who had travelled widely in the Far East
a widely used method
These laws were widely regarded as too strict.
This view was not widely held.
2 to a large degree – used when talking about differences
The quality of the applicants varies widely.
3 → widely read
curriculum
cur‧ric‧u‧lum /kəˈrɪkjələm/ ●○○ noun (plural curricula /-lə/ or curriculums) [countable]
the subjects that are taught by a school, college etc, or the things that are studied in a particular subject
Languages are an essential part of the school curriculum.
curriculum planning
on the curriculum British English
IT is now on the curriculum in most schools.
in the curriculum American English
Students are exempt from some classes in the curriculum for religious reasons.
curricular
cur‧ric‧u‧lar /kəˈrɪkjələr/ adjective [only before noun]
relating to the curriculum of a school
curricular changes
concise
con‧cise /kənˈsaɪs/ ●○○ adjective
1 short, with no unnecessary words SYN brief
Your summary should be as clear and concise as possible.
2 [only before noun] shorter than the original book on which something is based
the ‘Concise Dictionary of Spoken Chinese’
—concisely adverb
—conciseness noun [uncountable]
succinct
suc‧cinct /səkˈsɪŋkt/ adjective
clearly expressed in a few words – use this to show approval SYN concise
a succinct explanation
—succinctly adverb
Anderson put the same point more succinctly.
—succinctness noun [uncountable]
be on the cusp of something
be on the cusp /kʌsp/ of something
[singular] to be at the time when a situation or state is going to change
The country was on the cusp of economic expansion.
→ cusp
mix-up
mix-up noun [countable]
informal a mistake that causes confusion about details or arrangements
mix-up in
Geoffrey rushed in late pleading a mix-up in his diary.
mix-up between
A council official blamed a mix-up between departments.
mix-up over
There was a mix-up over the hotel booking.
mistake
generic
ge‧ner‧ic /dʒəˈnerɪk/ ●○○ adjective [usually before noun]
1 relating to a whole group of things rather than to one thing
generic term/name (for something)
Fine Arts is a generic term for subjects such as painting, music, and sculpture.
2 a generic product does not have a special name to show that it is made by a particular company
generic drugs
—generically /-kli/ adverb
misunderstanding synonyms
Strongest matches
confusion
error
misconception
misinterpretation
misjudgment
mistake
mix up
Strong matches
confounding
delusion
misapprehension
misconstruction
misreckoning
participle
par‧ti‧ci‧ple /ˈpɑːtəsɪpəl, pɑːˈtɪsəpəl $ ˈpɑːr-/ ●●○ noun [countable]
technical one of the forms of a verb that are used to make tenses. In English, present participles end in -ing and past participles usually end in -ed or -en.
magnum opus
ˌmagnum ˈopus /~ˈoʊpəs/
noun [singular]
the most important piece of work by a writer, composer or artist
ubiquitous
u‧biq‧ui‧tous /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/ ●○○ adjective formal
seeming to be everywhere – sometimes used humorously
Coffee shops are ubiquitous these days.
a French film, starring the ubiquitous Gérard Depardieu
► see thesaurus at common
—ubiquitously adverb
—ubiquity noun [uncountable]
om‧ni‧pres‧ent /ˌɒmnɪˈprezənt◂ $ ˌɑːm-/ adjective formal
present everywhere at all times
—omnipresence noun [uncountable]
the omnipresence of God
Catseye
Cats‧eye /ˈkætsaɪ/ noun [countable] trademark British English
one of a line of small flat objects fixed in the middle of the road that shine when lit by car lights and guide traffic in the dark
precarious
pre‧car‧i‧ous /prɪˈkeəriəs $ -ˈker-/ adjective
1 a precarious situation or state is one which may very easily or quickly become worse
Her health remained precarious, despite the treatment.
the company’s precarious financial position
2 likely to fall, or likely to cause someone to fall
a precarious mountain trail
—precariously adverb
a cup of tea balanced precariously on her knee
—precariousness noun [uncountable]
spectacular
spec‧tac‧u‧lar1 /spekˈtækjələ $ -ər/ ●●○ adjective
1 very impressive
a mountainous area with spectacular scenery
a spectacular success
2 very sudden, unexpected, or extreme
The news caused a spectacular fall in the stock market.
—spectacularly adverb
indistinct
in‧dis‧tinct /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt◂/ AWL adjective
an indistinct sound, image, or memory cannot be seen, heard, or remembered clearly OPP distinct
She muttered something indistinct.
My memory of what happened next is indistinct.
—indistinctly adverb
reminiscent
rem‧i‧nis‧cent /ˌreməˈnɪsənt/ ●○○ adjective
1 → reminiscent of something
2 literary thinking about the past
Her face wore a reminiscent smile.
clichéd
cli‧ché /ˈkliːʃeɪ $ kliːˈʃeɪ/ ●○○ noun [countable]
an idea or phrase that has been used so much that it is not effective or does not have any meaning any longer
There is plenty of truth in the cliché that a trouble shared is a trouble halved.
► see thesaurus at phrase, word
—clichéd adjective
slavish
slav‧ish /ˈsleɪvɪʃ/ adjective
obeying, supporting, or copying someone completely – used to show disapproval
a slavish adherence to the rules
—slavishly adverb
not a rule to be slavishly followed in every instance
—slavishness noun [uncountable]
mundane
mun‧dane /mʌnˈdeɪn/ ●○○ adjective
1 ordinary and not interesting or exciting SYN boring
Initially, the work was pretty mundane.
The mundane task of setting the table can be fun on holidays.
► see thesaurus at boring
2 literary concerned with ordinary daily life rather than religious matters SYN worldly
tranquil
tran‧quil /ˈtræŋkwəl/ adjective
pleasantly calm, quiet, and peaceful
a small tranquil village
► see thesaurus at quiet
—tranquilly adverb
—tranquillity British English, tranquility American English /træŋˈkwɪləti/ noun [uncountable]
the tranquillity of the Tuscan countryside
pester
pes‧ter /ˈpestə $ -ər/ verb [intransitive, transitive]
to annoy someone, especially by asking them many times to do something → harass
She’d been pestered by reporters for days.
pester somebody for something
I can’t even walk down the street without being continually pestered for money.
pester somebody to do something
The kids have been pestering me to buy them new trainers.
► see thesaurus at ask
→ See Verb table
whim
whim /wɪm/ noun [countable usually singular]
a sudden feeling that you would like to do or have something, especially when there is no important or good reason
on a whim
I didn’t leave just on a whim (=for no good reason).
at the whim of somebody
At work they are at the whim of the boss.
somebody’s every whim
Their father had always indulged her every whim.
at whim
He appeared and disappeared at whim.
mean
—meanly adverb
—meanness noun [uncountable]
obsoleteness (abstract noun)
ob‧so‧lete /ˈɒbsəliːtˌɑːbsəˈliːt/ adjective
if something is obsolete, it is old-fashioned and no longer useful, because something newer or better has been invented
Will handheld computers make books obsolete?
companies burdened with obsolete equipment
fossil
spelling
thoroughly
spelling
initiative
spelling
impoverishment
spelling
unforeseeable
spelling
hypothesis
hy‧poth‧e‧sis /haɪˈpɑːθəsɪs/ ●○○ AWL noun (plural hypotheses /-siːz/)
1 [countable] an idea that is suggested as an explanation for something, but that has not yet been proved to be true SYN theory
One hypothesis is that the victim fell asleep while driving.
prove/test/support etc a hypothesis
We hope that further research will confirm our hypothesis.
hypothesis about
The authors reject the hypothesis about unemployment contributing to crime.
2 [uncountable] ideas or guesses, rather than facts SYN speculation
All this is mere hypothesis.
implication
im‧pli‧ca‧tion /ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃən/ ●●○ W2 AWL noun
1 [countable usually plural] a possible future effect or result of an action, event, decision etc
implication of
What are the implications of these proposals?
This election has profound implications for the future of U.S. democracy.
consider/discuss/examine the implications
His talk will examine the wider implications of the Internet revolution.
practical/financial/political etc implications
2 [uncountable] a situation in which it is shown or suggested that someone or something is involved in a crime or a dishonest act → implicate
the implication of somebody (in something)
the implication of the former Chief of Staff in a major scandal
3 [countable, uncountable] a suggestion that is not made directly but that people are expected to understand or accept → imply
They are called ‘Supertrams’, the implication being that (=which is meant to suggest that) they are more advanced than earlier models.
by implication
The law bans organized protests and, by implication, any form of opposition.
imply
im‧ply /ɪmˈplaɪ/ ●●○ W2 AWL verb (implied, implying, implies) [transitive]
1 to suggest that something is true, without saying this directly → infer, implication
imply (that)
Cleo blushed. She had not meant to imply that he was lying.
an implied threat
2 if a fact, event etc implies something, it shows that it is likely to be true SYN suggest
imply (that)
The high level of radiation in the rocks implies that they are volcanic in origin.
3 if one thing implies another, it proves that the second thing exists
Democracy implies a respect for individual liberties.
High profits do not necessarily imply efficiency.
impose
im‧pose /ɪmˈpəʊz $ -ˈpoʊz/ ●●○ W2 AWL verb
1 [transitive] if someone in authority imposes a rule, punishment, tax etc, they force people to accept it
The court can impose a fine.
impose something on something/somebody
The government imposed a ban on the sale of ivory.
2 [transitive] to force someone to have the same ideas, beliefs etc as you
impose something on somebody
parents who impose their own moral values on their children
3 [intransitive] formal to expect or ask someone to do something for you when this is not convenient for them
impose on/upon
We could ask to stay the night, but I don’t want to impose on them.
4 [transitive] to have a bad effect on something or someone and to cause problems for them
impose a burden/hardship etc (on somebody/something)
Military spending imposes a huge strain on the economy.
indicate
in‧di‧cate /ˈɪndɪkeɪt/ ●●● S3 W1 AWL verb
1 [transitive] to show that a particular situation exists, or that something is likely to be true
indicate (that)
in‧di‧ca‧tor /ˈɪndəkeɪtə $ -ər/ ●○○ AWL noun [countable]
infant
/ˈɪnfənt/ ●●○ W3
ingredient
in‧gre‧di‧ent /ɪnˈɡriːdiənt/ ●●○
initial
i‧ni‧tial1 /ɪˈnɪʃəl/
initiative
i‧ni‧tia‧tive /ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/
inside
insight
/in’said/
/ˈɪnsaɪt/ ●○○
install
in‧stall /ɪnˈstɒːl/ ●●○
internship
in‧tern‧ship /ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp $ -ɜːrn-/ noun [countable] American English
research
re‧search1 /rɪˈsɜːtʃ, ˈriːsɜːtʃ $ -ɜːr-/ ●●● S2 W1 AWL noun [uncountable] (also researches [plural] formal)
instance
in‧stance1 /ˈɪnstəns/ ●●○
inflation
in‧fla‧tion /ɪnˈfleɪʃən/ ●●○ W3 noun [uncountable]
individual
in‧di‧vid‧u‧al1 /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒuəl◂/ ●●○
industrial
in‧dus‧tri‧al /ɪnˈdʌstriəl/ ●●● S3 W1
in‧dus‧try /ˈɪndəstri/ ●●●
influence
in‧flu‧ence1 /ˈɪnfluəns/ ●●● S3 W1 noun
injury
in‧ju‧ry /ˈɪndʒəri/ ●●● S3 W2 AWL noun (plural injuries)
innocent
in‧no‧cent1 /ˈɪnəsənt/ ●●○ W3 adjective
inquiry
in‧quir‧y, enquiry /ɪnˈkwaɪəri $ ɪnˈkwaɪri, ˈɪŋkwəri/ ●●○ S3 W2 noun (plural inquiries)
prospect
pros‧pect1 /ˈprɒspekt $ ˈprɑː-/ ●●○ W3 AWL noun
1 [countable, uncountable] the possibility that something will happen
prospect of doing something
I see no prospect of things improving here.
There is every prospect (=a strong possibility) of the weather remaining dry this week.
prospect for
There are good prospects for growth in the retail sector.
prospect that
There’s a real prospect that England will not qualify for the World Cup.
► see thesaurus at future
2 [singular] a particular event which will probably or definitely happen in the future – used especially when you want to talk about how you feel about it
prospect of
The prospect of marriage terrified Alice.
Greeks face the prospect of new general elections next month.
He relishes the prospect of a fight.
daunting/exciting etc prospect
be excited/alarmed/concerned etc at the prospect (of something)
She wasn’t exactly overjoyed at the prospect of looking after her niece.
3 → prospects
4 [countable] a person, job, plan etc that has a good chance of success in the future
5 → in prospect
6 [countable usually singular] formal a view of a wide area of land, especially from a high place
acclimatize
ac‧cli‧ma‧tize (also acclimatise British English) /əˈklaɪmətaɪz/ (also acclimate /əˈklaɪmət $ ˈækləmeɪt, əˈklaɪmət/ American English) verb [intransitive, transitive]
to become used to a new place, situation, or type of weather, or to make someone become used to it
acclimatize to
Runners had to acclimatize to the humid tropical conditions.
acclimatize yourself (to something)
I found it hard to acclimatize myself to working at weekends.
—acclimatization /əˌklaɪmətaɪˈzeɪʃən $ -tə-/ noun [uncountable]
→ See Verb table
prowess
prow‧ess /ˈpraʊɪs/ noun [uncountable]
formal great skill at doing something
his physical prowess
military prowess
baccalaureate
bac‧ca‧lau‧re‧ate /ˌbækəˈlɔːriət/ noun [countable]
1 an examination in a range of subjects that students do in their final school year in France and some other countries, and in some international schools
2 American English formal a bachelor’s degree
crokery
crock‧e‧ry /ˈkrɒkəri $ ˈkrɑː-/ noun [uncountable] British English
cups, dishes, plates etc → cutlery
a stack of dirty crockery
symmetrical
sym‧met‧ri‧cal /sɪˈmetrɪkəl/ ●○○ (also symmetric /sɪˈmetrɪk/) adjective
an object or design that is symmetrical has two halves that are exactly the same shape and size OPP asymmetrical
The pattern was perfectly symmetrical.
—symmetrically /-kli/ adverb
asymmetrical
a‧sym‧met‧ri‧cal /ˌeɪsəˈmetrɪkəl/ (also asymmetric /-ˈmetrɪk◂/) adjective
1 having two sides that are different in shape OPP symmetrical
asymmetrical patterns
2 formal not equal OPP symmetrical
—asymmetrically /-kli/ adverb
—asymmetry /eɪˈsɪmətri/ noun [uncountable]
instead
in‧stead /ɪnˈsted/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb
1 → instead of somebody/something
institution
in‧sti‧tu‧tion /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən $ -ˈtuː-/ ●●○ W3 AWL noun
instruction
in‧struc‧tion /ɪnˈstrʌkʃən/ ●●● S3 W2 AWL noun
1 → instructions
2 [countable usually plural] a statement telling someone what they must do → orders
instructions to do something
instrument
in‧stru‧ment /ˈɪnstrəmənt/ ●●● W2 noun [countable]
instrumental
in‧stru‧men‧tal1 /ˌɪnstrəˈmentl◂/ adjective
1 → be instrumental in (doing) something
2 instrumental music is for instruments, not for voices
—instrumentally adverb
intuition
in‧tu‧i‧tion /ˌɪntjuˈɪʃən $ -tu-, -tju-/ ●○○ noun
1 [uncountable] the ability to understand or know something because of a feeling rather than by considering the facts SYN instinct
feminine intuition
Intuition told her it was unwise to argue.
2 [countable] an idea about what is true in a particular situation based on a feeling rather than facts
intuition (that)
He had an intuition there was trouble brewing.
We should trust our intuitions.
feminine
masculine
tuition
tu‧i‧tion /tjuˈɪʃən $ tu-/ ●●○ noun [uncountable]
1 teaching, especially in small groups
I had to have extra tuition in maths.
2 American English, tuition fees British English the money you pay for being taught
When I started college, tuition was $350 a quarter
tutor
tu‧tor1 /ˈtjuːtə $ ˈtuːtər/ ●●○ noun [countable]
1 someone who gives private lessons to one student or a small group, and is paid directly by them
The children were educated at home by a succession of tutors.
► see thesaurus at teacher
2 a teacher in a British university or college → tutorial
She was my tutor at Durham.
tutotial
tu‧to‧ri‧al1 /tjuːˈtɔːriəl $ tuː-/ ●○○ noun [countable]
1 a period of teaching and discussion with a tutor, especially in a British university
the tutorial system
2 a computer program that is designed to teach you how to use another program
insurance
in‧sur‧ance /ɪnˈʃʊərəns $ -ˈʃʊr-/ ●●● S2 W2 noun
guarantee
guar‧an‧tee1 /ˌɡærənˈtiː/ ●●○ S3 W3 AWL verb [transitive]
1
guarantee2 ●●○ AWL noun [countable]
1 a formal written promise to repair or replace a product if it breaks within a specific period of time SYN warranty
warranty
war‧ran‧ty /ˈwɒrənti $ ˈwɔː-, ˈwɑː-/ ●○○ noun (plural warranties) [countable]
war‧ran‧tee /ˌwɒrənˈtiːˌwɔː-, ˌwɑː-/ noun [countable]
a person who is given a warranty
intellectual
in‧tel‧lec‧tu·al1 /ˌɪntəˈlektʃuəl◂/ ●●○ W3 adjective
1 relating to the ability to understand things and think intelligently → mental
intellectual development/ability/activity etc
a job that requires considerable intellectual effort
2 an intellectual person is well-educated and interested in serious ideas and subjects such as science, literature etc → academic
Mark’s very intellectual.
3 needing serious thought in order to be understood
an intellectual film
intelligence
in‧tel‧li‧gence /ɪnˈtelədʒəns/ ●●● S3 W3 AWL noun [uncountable]
1
a) the ability to learn, understand, and think about things
To be good at the game, you need a reasonable level of intelligence.
high/low intelligence
John showed high intelligence from an early age.
b) a high level of this ability
a woman who had both beauty and intelligence
→ artificial intelligence
2
a) information about the secret activities of foreign governments, the military plans of an enemy etc
According to our intelligence, further attacks were planned.
intelligence operations/sources/reports etc
Intelligence sources denied the reports.
b) a group of people or an organization that gathers this information for their government
intelligence agencies/services etc
In Britain there are three main intelligence organizations.
US Military Intelligence
intent
in‧tend /ɪnˈtend/ ●●● S2 W1 verb [transitive]
1 to have something in your mind as a plan or purpose → intention
intend to do something
I intend to spend the night there.
intend somebody/something to do something
I didn’t intend her to see the painting until it was finished.
I never intended things to turn out the way they did.
intend that
It is intended that these meetings will become a regular event.
intend doing something
We intend looking at the situation again.
I fully intend (=definitely intend) to return home next year.
Register
In everyday English, people usually say plan to do something or plan on doing something, rather than intend to do something or intend doing something:
I plan to spend the night there.
I didn’t plan on things taking so long. OR I didn’t plan for things to take so long.
2 → be intended for somebody/something
3 → intended target/victim/destination etc
intent
in‧tent1 /ɪnˈtent/ ●○○ adjective
1 → be intent on/upon (doing) something
2 giving careful attention to something so that you think about nothing else
his intent gaze
intent on/upon
Intent upon her work, she didn’t notice the cold.
—intently adverb
Jake listened intently.
have sth in mind (think about it)
have th on mind (worry about it)
Do you have anything in mind? = do you have a thought / suggestion?
on your/somebody’s mind
a) if something is on your mind, you keep thinking or worrying about it
He looked as though he had something on his mind.
Sorry I forgot. I’ve got a lot on my mind (=a lot of problems to worry about) at the moment.
b) if something is on your mind, that is what you are thinking about
She’s the type of person who just says what’s on her mind.
thought
/θɒːt/
intensity
in‧ten‧si‧ty /ɪnˈtensəti/ ●○○
intention
in‧ten‧tion /ɪnˈtenʃən/ ●●● S3 W2 noun [countable, uncountable]
interest
in‧terest1 /ˈɪntrɪst/ ●●● S2 W1 noun
1 [singular, uncountable] if you have an interest in something or someone, you want to know or learn more about them
interest in
interesting
in‧terest‧ed /ˈɪntrɪstɪd/ ●●● S1 W2 adjective
in‧terest‧ing /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ ●●● S1 W2 adjective
excited
exciting
ex‧cit‧ing /ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/ ●●● S2 W3 adjective
internal
in‧ter‧nal /ɪnˈtɜːnl $ -ɜːr-/ ●●○ W2 AWL adjective [usually before noun]
international
in‧ter‧na‧tion‧al /ˌɪntərˈnæʃənəl/ ●●● S2 W1 adjective
internet
In‧ter‧net, internet /ˈɪntərnet/ ●●● S2 W2 noun
GRAMMAR: Patterns with Internet
* You do something on the Internet:
We do most of our shopping on the Internet.
They met on the Internet.
✗Don’t say: We do most of our shopping by Internet. | They met by Internet.
* You usually say the Internet:
I often use the Internet to find out information.
✗Don’t say: I often use Internet to find out information.
interpret
in‧ter‧pret /ɪnˈtɜːrprɪt/ ●●○ W3 AWL verb
1 [intransitive, transitive] to translate spoken words from one language into another
They spoke good Spanish, and promised to interpret for me.
2 [transitive] to believe that something someone does or something that happens has a particular meaning
interpret something as something
His refusal to work late was interpreted as a lack of commitment to the company.
3 [transitive] to explain the meaning of something
Freud’s attempts to interpret the meaning of dreams
interview
in‧ter‧view1 /ˈɪntərvjuː/ ●●● S2 W1 noun
1 Image of interview[countable, uncountable]
into
in‧to /ˈɪntə; before vowels ˈɪntʊ; strong ˈɪntuː/ ●●● S1 W1 preposition
intro
int‧ro /ˈɪntrəʊ $ -troʊ/ noun (plural intros) [countable] informal
a short part at the beginning of a song, piece of writing etc → introduction
introduce
in‧tro‧duce /ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs $ -ˈduːs/ ●●● S2 W1 verb [transitive]
introduction
in‧tro‧duc‧tion /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/ ●●● S3 W2 noun
1 NEW SYSTEM/PRODUCT [uncountable] the act of bringing something into use for the first time
introduction of
invasion
/ɪnˈveɪʒən/ ●●○ noun
in‧vade /ɪnˈveɪd/ ●●○ verb
in‧va‧sive /ɪnˈveɪsɪv/ adjective
invest
in‧vest /ɪnˈvest/ ●●○ S3 W3 AWL verb
investigate
investigator
in‧ves‧ti‧gate /ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/ ●●● W2
in‧ves‧ti‧ga‧tor /ɪnˈvestəɡeɪtər/ ●●○ AWL noun [countable]
someone who investigates things, especially crimes
police investigators
detector
de‧tec‧tor /dɪˈtektə $ -ər/ ●○○ AWL noun
a machine that . . .
de‧tec‧tive /dɪˈtektɪv/ ●●○ AWL noun [countable]
1 a police officer whose job is to discover information about crimes and catch criminals → store detective
2 (also private detective) someone who is paid to discover information about someone or something
She hired a detective to find out if her husband was having an affair.
3 → detective work
4 → detective story/novel etc
Israeli
Is‧rae‧li1 /ɪzˈreɪli/ adjective
relating to Israel or its people
the Israeli government
expedition
ex‧pe‧di‧tion /ˌekspəˈdɪʃən/ ●●○ noun
1 [countable] a long and carefully organized journey, especially to a dangerous or unfamiliar place, or the people that make this journey
an expedition to the North Pole
be on par with
be on a par /pɑːr/ (with something)
to be at the same level or standard
The wages of clerks were on a par with those of manual workers.
We will have Christmas decorations on a par with anything on show at the Metro Centre.
immerse
im‧merse /ɪˈmɜːrs/ verb [transitive]
immersion
immersing
justify
justified
jus‧ti‧fy /ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ/ ●●○ S3 W3
/’dʒʌstɪfaɪd/
laboratory
la‧bor‧a‧tory /ˈlæbrətɔːri/ ●●● W3 noun (plural laboratories) [countable]
landscape
land‧scape1 /ˈlændskeɪp/ ●●● W3 noun
1 [countable]
legislation
le‧gis‧la‧tion /ˌledʒəˈsleɪʃən/ ●●○ W3 noun [uncountable]
a law or set of laws
legitimate
le‧git‧i‧mate1 /ləˈdʒɪtəmət/ ●●○ adjective
1 fair or reasonable
That’s a perfectly legitimate question.
Most scientists believe it is legitimate to use animals in medical research.
2 acceptable or allowed by law
Their business operations are perfectly legitimate.
3 a legitimate child is born to parents who are legally married to each other OPP illegitimate
—legitimately adverb
a legitimately elected government
He complained quite legitimately about his treatment.
—legitimacy noun [uncountable]
Opponents have questioned the legitimacy of the ruling.
magazine
mag‧a‧zine /ˌmæɡəˈziːn $ ˈmæɡəziːn/ ●●● S2 W2
manufacturer
man‧u‧fac‧tur‧er /ˌmænjəˈfæktʃərə $ -ər/ ●●○ W2 noun [countable]
material
ma‧te‧ri‧al1 /məˈtɪriəl/ ●●● S1 W1 noun
1 [countable, uncountable] cloth used for making clothes, curtains etc SYN fabric
mayor
mayor /ˈmeɪər/ ●●● W2 noun
measurement
mea‧sure‧ment /ˈmeʒəmənt $ -ʒər-/ ●●● W3 noun
medium
me‧di‧um1 /ˈmiːdiəm/ ●●● S3 AWL adjective
menu
men‧u /ˈmenjuː/ ●●● S3 noun [countable]
mere
mere1 /mɪə $ mɪr/ ●○○ adjective (superlative merest) [only before noun, no comparative]
1 used to emphasize how small or unimportant something or someone is
She lost the election by a mere 20 votes.
He’s a mere child.
It can’t be a mere coincidence that they left at the same time.
2 used to emphasize that something which is small or not extreme has a big effect or is important
The merest little noise makes him nervous.
The mere thought of food made her feel sick.
The mere fact that the talks are continuing is a positive sign
merely
mere‧ly /ˈmɪəli $ ˈmɪrli/ ●●○ W2 adverb
1 used to emphasize how small or unimportant something or someone is SYN only
He’s merely a boy – you can’t expect him to understand.
2 used to emphasize that nothing more than what you say is involved SYN just
We’re merely good friends.
He merely shrugged and walked away.
3 → not merely/rather than merely
museum
mu‧se‧um /mjʊˈziəm / ●●● S3 W2 noun [countable]
mutual
mu‧tu‧al /ˈmjuːtʃuəl/ ●○○ AWL adjective
1 mutual feelings such as respect, trust, or hatred are feelings that two or more people have for each other → reciprocal
mutual respect/trust/understanding etc
myth
myth /mɪθ/ ●●● S3 W3 noun [countable, uncountable]
narrative
nar‧ra‧tive /ˈnærətɪv/ ●○○ noun formal
1 [countable] a description of events in a story, especially in a novel
At several points in the narrative the two stories cross.
2 [uncountable] the process or skill of telling a story
—narrative adjective
a narrative poem
narrative structure
necessarily
ne‧ces‧sar‧i‧ly /ˈnesəsərəli, ˌnesəˈserəli $ ˌnesəˈserəli/ ●●● S2 W2 adverb
1 → not necessarily
2 formal in a way that cannot be different or be avoided SYN inevitably
The care of old people necessarily involves quite a lot of heavy lifting.
neighborhood
/ˈneɪbəhʊd $ -ər-/ ●●○ S3 W3
object
objective
/’~/
ob‧jec‧tive1 /əbˈdʒektɪv/ ●●○ S3 W3 AWL noun [countable]
observation
ob‧ser‧va‧tion /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃən $ ˌɑːbzər-/ ●●○ W3 noun
1 [countable, uncountable]
occupy
oc‧cu‧py /ˈɒkjəpaɪ $ ˈɑːk-/ ●●○ W2 AWL verb (occupied, occupying, occupies) [transitive]
occur
oc‧cur /əˈkɜː $ əˈkɜːr/ ●●● S3 W1 AWL verb (occurred, occurring) [intransitive] formal
1 to happen
A third of accidental deaths occur in the home.
The explosion occurred at 5.30 a.m.
► see thesaurus at happen
Register
In everyday English, people usually say happen rather than occur:
The accident happened while she was at school.
occurrence
oc‧cur‧rence /əˈkʌrəns $ əˈkɜː- / ●○○ AWL noun
1 [countable] something that happens → occur
frequent/rare/common occurrence
Laughter was a rare occurrence in his classroom.
Flooding in the area is a common occurrence.
► see thesaurus at event
2 [singular] the fact of something happening
occurrence of
The frequent occurrence of earthquakes in the area means that the buildings must be specifically designed to withstand the force.
also the spelling
offense
of‧fense1 /əˈfens/ noun [countable, uncountable]
the usual American spelling of offence
offensive
of‧fen‧sive1 /əˈfensɪv/ ●●○ adjective
1 very rude or insulting and likely to upset people OPP inoffensive
I found her remarks deeply offensive.
offensive to
crude jokes that are offensive to women
offensive behaviour
► see thesaurus at rude
2 formal very unpleasant
an offensive smell
official
of‧fi‧cial1 /əˈfɪʃəl/ ●●● S3 W1 noun [countable]
someone who is in a position of authority in an organization
a government official
senior administration officials
onto
on‧to, on to /ˈɒntə; before vowels ˈɒntʊ; strong ˈɒntuː $ ˈɑːn-, ˈɒːn-/ ●●● S1 W2 preposition
1 used to say that someone or something moves to a position on a surface, area, or object
She watched him walk onto the platform.
Don’t jump onto (=into) the bus while it’s moving.
Pour the syrup on to the egg mixture.
The car rolled over onto its side.
down/out/up etc onto something
Let’s get back onto the highway.
2 used to say that a room, door, or window faces towards something or allows movement into another place
The dining room looks out onto a pretty garden.
a gate leading on to a broad track
3 → be onto somebody
4 → be onto something
operator
op‧e‧ra‧tor /ˈɒpəreɪtə $ ˈɑːpəreɪtər/ ●●○ W3 noun [countable]
opinion
o‧pin‧ion /əˈpɪnjən/ ●●● S1 W2 noun
1 [countable, uncountable]
opponent
op‧po‧nent /əˈpəʊnənt $ əˈpoʊ-/ ●●● W3 noun [countable]
1 someone who you try to defeat in a competition, game, fight, or argument
Graf’s opponent in today’s final will be Sukova.
leading/main/chief opponent
During the primary elections, McCain was Bush’s leading opponent.
formidable/worthy opponent
In debate he was a formidable opponent.
He is admired even by his political opponents.
2 someone who disagrees with a plan, idea, or system and wants to try to stop or change it OPP proponent
opponent of
Rodgers was not an opponent of the new airport.
bitter/vocal/outspoken opponent
an outspoken opponent of gun control
opportunity
op‧por‧tu‧ni‧ty /ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti $ ˌɑːpərˈtuː-/ ●●● S1 W1 noun (plural opportunities)
1 [countable, uncountable]
oppose
op‧pose /əˈpəʊz $ əˈpoʊz/ ●●○ S3 W3 verb [transitive]
1 to disagree with something such as a plan or idea and try to prevent it from happening or succeeding
Congress is continuing to oppose the president’s health care budget.
2 to fight or compete against another person or group in a battle, competition, or election
He is opposed by two other candidates.
opposite
op‧po‧site1 /ˈɒpəzət $ ˈɑːp-/ ●●● S2 W2 preposition
1 especially British English if one thing or person is opposite another, they are facing each other
The people sitting opposite us looked very familiar.
on the wall opposite the door
► Do not say that one thing is ‘opposite to’ or ‘opposite of’ another. Say that one thing is opposite another: There’s a car park opposite the hotel.
2 → play/star/appear etc opposite somebody
adjective: at the opposite end of the scale/spectrum
two parties at opposite ends of the political spectrum
At the opposite extreme, Ashworth’s style is very simple and modern.
Bob was quicker than Ed? It’s usually the opposite way round.
opposite to
a political philosophy that was opposite to everything she believed in
ordinary
or‧di‧na‧ry /ˈɔːdənəri $ ˈɔːrdəneri/ ●●● S1 W2 adjective
organic
or‧gan‧ic /ɔːrˈɡænɪk / ●●○ W3 adjective
organize
or‧gan‧ize (also organise British English) /ˈɔːɡənaɪz $ ˈɔːr-/ ●●● S1 W2 verb
origin
or‧i‧gin /ˈɒrɪdʒɪn $ ˈɔː-, ˈɑː-/ ●●● W2 noun [countable, uncountable]
original
o‧rig‧i‧nal1 /əˈrɪdʒənəl, -/ ●●● S1 W1 adjectiv
righteous
right‧eous /ˈraɪtʃəs/ adjective
1 → righteous indignation/anger etc
2 formal morally good and fair
a righteous God
—righteously adverb
—righteousness noun [uncountable]
→ self-righteous
ought to
ought to /ˈɒːt tu:/ ●●● S1 W1 modal verb
1 used to say that someone should do something because it is the best or most sensible thing to do SYN should
overlook
o‧ver‧look /ˌəʊvəˈlʊk $ ˌoʊvər-/ ●●○ verb [transitive]
1 to not notice something, or not see how important it is SYN miss
It is easy to overlook a small detail like that.
Nobody could overlook the fact that box office sales were down.
2 to forgive someone’s mistake, bad behaviour etc and take no action
She found him entertaining enough to overlook his faults.
3 if a house, room etc overlooks something, it has a view of it, usually from above
Our room overlooks the ocean.
owe
owe /əʊ $ oʊ/ ●●● S2 W3 verb [transitive]
1 MONEY to need to pay someone for something that they have done for you or sold to you, or to need to give someone back money that they have lent you → borrow, lend
owe somebody money/£10 etc
own
own1 /əʊn $ oʊn/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective, pronoun [always after a possessive]
awe
awe1 /ɔː $ ɒː/ ●○○ noun
ode
ode /əʊd $ oʊd/ noun [countable]
a poem or song written in order to praise a person or thing
ode to
Keats’ ‘Ode to a Nightingale’
participant
par‧tic‧i‧pant /pɑːrˈtɪsəpənt / ●●○ AWL noun [countable]
someone who is taking part in an activity or event
participant in
an active participant in the negotiations
participle
/ˈpɑːrtɪsəpəl/
par‧ti‧ci‧ple /ˈpɑːtəsɪpəl, pɑːˈtɪsəpəl $ ˈpɑːr-/ ●●○ noun [countable]
technical one of the forms of a verb that are used to make tenses. In English, present participles end in -ing and past participles usually end in -ed or -en.
participate
par‧tic‧i‧pate /pɑːˈtɪsəpeɪt $ pɑːr-/ ●●○ W3 AWL verb [intransitive]
formal to take part in an activity or event
Some members refused to participate.
participate in
Everyone in the class is expected to participate actively in these discussions.
They welcomed the opportunity to participate fully in the life of the village.
► Participate is never followed immediately by a noun, or by ‘on’ or ‘to’. Say that you participate in something: More people should participate in elections (NOT More people should participate elections).
Register
In everyday English, people usually say take part rather than participate:
She refused to take part in any of the activities.
participation
par‧ti‧ci‧pa‧tion /pɑːˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃən $ pɑːr-/ ●●○ AWL noun [uncountable]
the act of taking part in an activity or event SYN involvement
Thank you for your participation.
participation in
We want more participation in the decision-making.
entertainment with plenty of audience participation
particular
par‧tic‧u‧lar1 /pərˈtɪkjələr/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective
1 [only before noun] a particular thing or person is the one that you are talking about, and not any other → certain, specific
particularly
par‧tic‧u‧lar‧ly /pərˈtɪkjələrli/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb
1 more than usual or more than others SYN especially
partnership
/’~/
grace
spelling
obedient
spelling
perceive
per‧ceive /pərˈsiːv/ ●●○ W3 AWL verb [transitive]
1 written to understand or think of something or someone in a particular way → perception
percentage
per‧cen‧tage /pərˈsentɪdʒ/ ●●○ W3 AWL noun
1 [countable, uncountable] an amount expressed as if it is part of a total which is 100
perform
per‧form /pərˈfɔːrm/ ●●● S3 W2 verb
1 [intransitive, transitive] to do something to entertain people, for example by acting a play or playing a piece of music
perfume
per‧fume1 /ˈpɜːrfjuːm / ●●○ noun [countable, uncountable]
performance
per‧form‧ance /pərˈfɔːrməns / ●●● S2 W1 noun
1 [countable]
when someone performs a play or a piece of music
performance of
perhaps
per‧haps /pəˈhæps, præps $ pər-, præps/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb
1 used to say that something may be true, but you are not sure SYN maybe
permanent
per‧ma‧nent1 /ˈpɜːrmənənt / ●●● S2 W2 adjective
continuing to exist for a long time or for all the time in the future OPP temporary
permission
per‧mis‧sion /pərˈmɪʃən/ ●●● S2 W3 noun [uncountable]
if you have permission to
permit
per‧mit1 /pərˈmɪt/ ●●○ W3 verb (permitted, permitting) formal
N per‧mit2 /ˈpɜːrmɪt $ ˈpɜːr-, pərˈmɪt/ ●●○ noun [countable]
an official written statement giving you the right to do something
permit for
ethos
e‧thos /ˈiːθɒs $ ˈiːθɑːs/ noun [singular]
the set of ideas and moral attitudes that are typical of a particular group
a community in which people lived according to an ethos of sharing and caring
solidarity
sol‧i‧dar‧i‧ty /ˌsɑːləˈdærəti / ●○○ noun [uncountable]
loyalty and general agreement between all the people in a group, or between different groups, because they all have a shared aim
a gesture of solidarity
an appeal for worker solidarity
show/express/demonstrate your solidarity (with somebody)
I come before you today to express my solidarity with the people of New York.
Boeing
Boe‧ing /ˈbəʊɪŋ/ trademark
oxymoron
ox‧y‧mo‧ron /ˌɒksiˈmɔːrɒn $ ˌɑːksiˈmɔːrɑːn/ noun [countable] technical
a deliberate combination of two words that seem to mean the opposite of each other, such as ‘cruel kindness’
Examples from the Corpus
oxymoron
* This verbal combo is an oxymoron, of course, given all we know about the innately hazardous properties of nicotine.
* Compassionate capitalism is not an oxymoron.
* New public art outside of the gallery is something of an oxymoron since ironically most art collections are public.
* Thursday evening, the work prompted an instant trip to the depths of oxymoron.
* Bear with me while I unravel this seeming oxymoron.
personnel
per‧son‧nel /ˌpɜːsəˈnel $ ˌpɜːr-/ ●●○ W3 noun
1 [plural] the people who work in a company, organization, or military force → staff
military/medical/technical etc personnel
senior military personnel
doctors and other medical personnel
All personnel are to receive security badges.
2 [uncountable] the department in a company that chooses people for jobs and deals with their complaints, problems etc SYN human resources
A copy should then be sent to Personnel for our files.
the personnel department
COLLOCATIONS
ADJECTIVES
military/service personnel
There have been attacks upon US military personnel.
security personnel
Security personnel have become more thorough in checking passengers’ bags.
medical personnel
There is an acute shortage of medical personnel.
technical personnel
800 technical personnel do the design and development of software.
trained/qualified personnel
The unit is staffed by trained personnel.
skilled personnel
Organizations need to be able to attract skilled personnel.
senior personnel
It is crucial that senior personnel be on site from at least 8 am to 8 pm.
key personnel
Many of the key personnel have left.
persuade
per‧suade /pəˈsweɪd $ pər-/ ●●● S3 W2 verb [transitive]
1 to make someone decide to do something, especially by giving them reasons why they should do it, or asking them many times to do it
persuade somebody to do something
I finally managed to persuade her to go out for a drink with me.
persuade somebody into doing something
Don’t let yourself be persuaded into buying things you don’t want.
try/manage/fail to persuade somebody
I’m trying to persuade your dad to buy some shares.
attempt/effort to persuade somebody
Leo wouldn’t agree, despite our efforts to persuade him.
little/a lot of/no persuading
He took a lot of persuading to come out of retirement (=it was hard to persuade him).
He was fairly easily persuaded.
2 to make someone believe something or feel sure about something SYN convince
I am not persuaded by these arguments.
persuade somebody (that)
She’ll only take me back if I can persuade her that I’ve changed.
pursuit
pur‧suit /pəˈsjuːt $ pərˈsuːt/ ●○○ AWL noun
1 [uncountable] when someone tries to get, achieve, or find something in a determined way → pursue
pursuit of
the pursuit of liberty and happiness
the pursuit of war criminals
in (the) pursuit of something
People are having to move to other areas in pursuit of work.
2 [uncountable] when someone chases or follows someone else → pursue
in pursuit
There were four police cars in pursuit.
The quarterback sprinted toward the end zone with Jansen in hot pursuit (=following closely behind).
3 [countable usually plural] formal an activity such as a sport or hobby, which you spend a lot of time doing
pursuits such as swimming and tennis
phenomenon
phe‧nom‧e‧non /fɪˈnɒmənən $ fɪˈnɑːmənɑːn, -nən/ ●●○ W3 AWL noun (plural phenomena /-nə/) [countable]
1 something that happens or exists in society, science, or nature, especially something that is studied because it is difficult to understand
phenomenon of
the growing phenomenon of telecommuting
Homelessness is not a new phenomenon.
natural/historical/social etc phenomenon
Language is a social and cultural phenomenon.
► see thesaurus at event
2 something or someone that is very unusual because of a rare quality or ability that they have
philosophy
phi‧los‧o‧phy /fəˈlɒsəfi $ -ˈlɑː-/ ●●● W3 AWL noun (plural philosophies)
1 [uncountable] the study of the nature and meaning of existence, truth, good and evil etc
Emma studies philosophy at university.
philosophy of
the philosophy of science
2 [countable] the views of a particular philosopher or group of philosophers
philosophy of
the philosophy of Aristotle
3 [countable] the attitude or set of ideas that guides the behaviour of a person or organization
The company explained their management philosophy.
The idea that you should treat others as you would like them to treat you is a fine philosophy of life.
phrase
phrase1 /freɪz/ ●●● S3 W3 noun [countable]
physical
physically
physicality
phys‧i‧cal1 /ˈfɪzɪkəl/ ●●● S2 W1 AWL adjective
phys‧i‧cally /ˈfɪzɪkli/ ●●○ S3 AWL adverb
—physicality /ˌfɪzɪˈkæləti/ noun [uncountable]
physician
phy‧si‧cian /fəˈzɪʃən/ ●●○ noun [countable]
especially American English formal a doctor► see thesaurus at doctor
piano
pi‧an‧o1 /piˈænəʊ $ -noʊ/ ●●● S3 noun (plural pianos) [countable]
pitch
pitch1 /pɪtʃ/ ●●○ S3 W3 noun
1 SPORTS FIELD [countable] British English a marked out area of ground on which a sport is played SYN field
2 STRONG FEELINGS/ACTIVITY [singular, uncountable] a strong level of feeling about something or a high level of an activity or a quality
The controversy reached such a pitch (=become so strong) that the paper devoted a whole page to it.
a pitch of excitement/excellence/perfection etc (=a high level of excitement etc)
He screamed at her in a pitch of fury.
deplatfrom
de‧plat‧form /ˌdiːˈplætfɔːm
political
po‧lit‧i‧cal /pəˈlɪtɪkəl/ ●●● S2 W1 adjective
politics
pol‧i‧tics /ˈpɒlətɪks $ ˈpɑː-/ ●●● S2 W2 noun
1 [uncountable]
politically
po‧lit‧ic‧ally /pəˈlɪtɪkli/ ●●○ adverb
in a political way
Women were becoming more politically active.
a politically sensitive issue
politician
pol‧i‧ti‧cian /ˌpɒləˈtɪʃən $ ˌpɑː-/ ●●● W2 noun [countable]
poll
poll1 /pəʊl $ poʊl/ ●●○ W3 noun
1 [countable] the process of finding out what people think about something by asking many people the same question, or the record of the result SYN opinion poll, survey
popular
pop‧u‧lar1 /ˈpɑːpjələr/
portrait
portray
por‧trait1 /ˈpɔːtrɪt $ ˈpɔːr-/ ●●○ noun [countable]
por‧tray /pɔːˈtreɪ $ pɔːr-/ ●●○ verb [transitive]
1 → portray somebody/something as something
2 to describe or represent something or someone SYN depict
His most famous painting portrayed the death of Nelson.
Religion was portrayed in a negative way.
portray
por‧tray /pɔːˈtreɪ $ pɔːr-/ ●●○ verb [transitive]
1 → portray somebody/something as something
2 to describe or represent something or someone SYN depict
position
po‧si‧tion1 /pəˈzɪʃən/ ●●● S1 W1 noun
1 WAY OF STANDING/SITTING ETC [countable]
possess
pos‧sess /pəˈzes/ ●●○ W3 verb [transitive]
1 formal to have a particular quality or ability
Different workers possess different skills.
He no longer possessed the power to frighten her.
possibility
pos‧si‧bil‧i‧ty /ˌpɒsəˈbɪləti $ ˌpɑː-/ ●●● S2 W2 noun (plural possibilities)
possibly
pos‧si‧bly /ˈpɒsəbli $ ˈpɑː-/ ●●● S1 W2 adverb
likely, perhaps, maybe
potato
po‧ta‧to /pəˈteɪtəʊ $ -toʊ/ ●●● S2 noun (plural potatoes)
tomato
to‧ma‧to /təˈmɑːtəʊ $ -ˈmeɪtoʊ/ ●●● S2 noun (plural tomatoes) [countable]
potential
po‧ten‧tial1 /pəˈtenʃəl/ ●●● S3 W2 AWL adjective [only before noun]
potentially
po‧ten‧tial‧ly /pəˈtenʃəli/ ●●○ AWL adverb [+adj/adverb]
pour
pour /pɔː $ pɔːr/ ●●● S2 W3 verb
LIQUID [transitive] to make a liquid or other substance flow out of or into a container by holding it at an angle
practical
practically
prac‧ti‧cal1 /ˈpræktɪkəl/ ●●● S3 W2 adjective
theoretical
precisely
pre‧cise‧ly /prɪˈsaɪsli/ ●●○ W3 AWL adverb
1 exactly and correctly SYN exactly - accurately
militia
mi‧li‧tia /məˈlɪʃə/ ●○○ noun [countable]
a group of people trained as soldiers, who are not part of the permanent army
He joined the local militia as soon as he was 16.
a militia leader
a left-wing militia group
predict
pre‧dict /prɪˈdɪkt/ ●●● W3 AWL verb
prefer
pre‧fer /prɪˈfɜː $ -ˈfɜːr/ ●●● S2 W2 verb (preferred, preferring) [transitive]
preference
pref‧e‧rence /ˈprefərəns/ ●●○ W3 noun
1 [countable, uncountable]
