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"Word family: Nouns: affection

Adjectives: affectionate

ADJECTIVE

showing that you like or love someone

an affectionate child He's very affectionate.

Learner example:

She is attentive and affectionate, but most of all she is a sweet mother.

"Word family:

Adjectives: absolute Adverbs: absolutely

ADVERB

Absolutely not.

used to strongly disagree with someone or to agree with something negative

Dictionary example:

""Are you suggesting that we should just ignore the problem?"" ""No, absolutely not.""

Learner example:

Does it mean the parents will allow them to eat anything they please? Absolutely not. You have to give the children some options, instead of imposing things on them.

Word family:

Nouns: abuse Adjectives: abusive

NOUN

LANGUAGE

! [U] rude and offensive words said to another person

Dictionary example:

Rival fans shouted abuse at each other.

Learner example:

I went all the way back cycling on the wrong side of the road, and anyone who said something about it could expect a stream of abuse.

"Word family:

Nouns: account, accountant

NOUN

on no account; not on any account

not for any reason or in any situation

Dictionary example:

On no account must these records be changed.

Learner example:

Mary did not want Martin to leave on any account, let alone move to a foreign country.

VERB

account for sth PHRASAL VERB

to be the reason for something, or to explain the reason for something

Dictionary examples:

Can you account for your absence last Friday?

He'd had an argument with Caroline, which accounts for his bad mood this morning.

She was asked to account for the missing money.

Learner example:

I was at a loss for words when I tried to account for her behaviour, but I never ceased to consider her a very valuable friend.

Word family:

Verbs: account

Adjectives: accountable

ADJECTIVE [NEVER BEFORE NOUN]

responsible for what you do and having to be able to explain your actions

Dictionary examples:

Hospitals must be held accountable for their mistakes. Politicians should be accountable to the public that elects them.

Learner example:

Finally, there should be a person who should be held accountable and [is] accessible to our

complaints.

"Word family: Nouns: alarm Verbs: alarm

Adjectives: alarming

NOUN

WORRY

[U] a sudden feeling of fear or worry that something bad might happen

Dictionary example:

There's no need for alarm - it is completely safe.

Learner example:

Fortunately, her soothing voice damped down any sense of alarm.

raise the alarm

to warn someone of a dangerous situation

Dictionary examples:

Her parents raised the alarm when she failed to return home.

A local doctor was the first to raise the alarm about this latest virus.

Learner example:

For them, raising the alarm because of five percent unemployment is an example of so-called 'loony-left thinking'.

"Word family: Nouns: allegation Verbs: allege Adjectives: alleged

Adverbs: allegedly

ADVERB

in a way that is believed to be true, but is not proved

Dictionary example:

That's where he allegedly killed his wife.

Learner example:

[When] he was at his peak, he allegedly [got] involved in drugs and heroin.

"Word family: Nouns: addition Verbs: add

Adjectives: additional

Adverbs: additionally

VERB

add insult to injury

to make someone's bad situation worse by doing something else to upset them

Dictionary example:

To add insult to injury, we had to pay for the damage!

Learner example:

To add insult to injury, such an approach often turns out to be counterproductive.

"Word family:

Nouns: age, ages Adjectives: aged

NOUN

OLD

[U] the state of being old or becoming old

Dictionary examples:

He is starting to show his age. Some wines improve with age.

Learner example:

Usually, as the saying goes, we grow wiser with age.

at the tender age of 8/17/25, etc. LITERARY

at the young age of 8/17/25, etc

Dictionary example:

She first appeared on stage at the tender age of 14.

Learner example:

She met my father at the tender age of 14, and she soon knew that this was the man she wanted to stay with for the rest of her life.

"Word family: Nouns: allowance

Verbs: allow

NOUN [C]

make allowances for sb/sth

to remember that someone has a disadvantage which is not their fault when you

are judging their behaviour or work

Dictionary example:

They made allowances for the fact that he was ill.

Learner example:

I would say Mr Stevens is a victim of his sense of duty, which makes him think of marriage as a traitor's act, but I don't know to what extent we should make allowances for his strong

convictions.

"NOUN [C]

BOAT

a heavy, metal object that is dropped into water to stop a boat from moving

Dictionary example:

We dropped anchor in a quiet bay and swam.

Learner example:

Meanwhile, the captain had set the anchor.

SUPPORT

someone or something that gives support when needed

Dictionary example:

She was my anchor when things were difficult for me.

Learner example:

Yet she had still been fond of his picture, he was her anchor.

VERB

BOAT

to stop a boat from moving by dropping a heavy metal object into the water

Every night we used to anchor [i]n different bays to spend the night.

FASTEN

to make something or someone stay in one position by fastening them firmly

Dictionary example:

We anchored ourselves to the rocks with a rope.

Learner example:

It was stronger, much more intense than text or video footage could ever be, for this unmoving image, having been anchored in space and time, solidified its content so as to have an almost

physical impact on the viewer.

"Word family: Nouns: arrival

Verbs: arrive

NOUN

BECOME AVAILABLE

[U] when something new is discovered or created or becomes available

Dictionary example:

The town grew rapidly with the arrival of the railway.

Learner example:

With the arrival of capitalism, the mass-production of garments inherent to this system has raised the issue of whether what people wear reflects their personality.

"Word family: Nouns: anticipation

Verbs: anticipate

NOUN [U]

WAITING

when you are waiting for something to happen, usually with excitement

Dictionary example:

The children were breathless with anticipation.

Learner example:

Yet, what I remember and think is going to stay with me for the rest of my life is that wonderful atmosphere of [a] fairy tale which has come true, that feeling of excitement and anticipation of

something marvel[l]ous [about] to happen.

in anticipation (of)

expecting something to happen or in preparation for something happening

Dictionary example:

She's even decorated the spare room in anticipation of your visit.

Learner example:

This has sometimes resulted in the comic phenomenon of people travelling to a distant country,

in anticipation of encountering strange and original lifestyles, only to come across situations not very different [from] the one they have left in their own countries.

"Word family:

Adjectives: automatic Adverbs: automatically

ADJECTIVE

PERSON

done as a natural reaction, without thinking

Dictionary example:

My automatic response was to pull my hand away.

Learner example:

Her gesture was almost automatic.

CERTAIN

certain to happen as part of the normal process or system

Dictionary example:

You get an automatic promotion after two years.

"NOUN

BOTTOM

[C] the ground at the bottom of the sea, a river, etc.

Dictionary example:

the sea bed

Learner example:

They landed upside down on a river bed and almost everyone was killed during the fall.

GROUND

[C] a piece of ground that is used for growing plants, especially flowers

Dictionary example:

a flower bed

Learner example:

Having lived in a small town in a cosy detached house with [a] flower bed in front and [an]

enormous garden at the back, I was [as] happy as [I'd] ever [been].

"NOUN [C]

LAYER

a thick layer of something

Dictionary example:

a blanket of cloud/snow

Learner example:

I do remember it rained heavily and the sky was covered with a blanket of grey.

"NOUN [C]

EXPLANATION

a short explanation of the details of something

Dictionary example:

I need a breakdown of the costs involved.

Learner example:

The pie charts showing the breakdown of annual spending of the school take into account money spent on insurance, teachers' salaries, furniture and equipment, resources (such as books), and

other workers' salaries.

"NOUN [C]

be on the cards

to be likely to happen

Dictionary example:

Do you think marriage is on the cards?

"NOUN [C]

COMMUNICATION

a way of communicating with people or getting something done

Dictionary examples:

a channel of communication

Please make your request through the proper channels.

VERB

to use money or energy for a particular purpose

Dictionary example:

We've channelled all our resources into this project.

Learner example:

In the same way that it shouldn't take the place of more important matters, there shouldn't be so much money channelled into it, especially when we want to see it as sport rather than business,

and when there are so many other much fairer ends for that money.

"VERB

FIGHT

[I] to fight or argue

Dictionary examples:

Government troops clashed with rebel soldiers.

Many young people clash with their parents over what time they must be home at night.

Learner example:

From the very beginning their two characters clashed and the relationship had only been deteriorating.

COLOUR

[I] If colours or styles clash, they do not look good together.

Dictionary example:

You can't wear pink lipstick - it clashes with your dress.

Learner example:

She wore lemon green trousers and a pink top and she didn't seem to mind that those colours clashed.

EVENT

[I] If two events clash, they happen at the same time so that you cannot go to them both.

Dictionary example:

Emma's party clashes with my brother's wedding.

NOUN [C]

FIGHT

a fight or argument

Dictionary example:

There were violent clashes between the police and demonstrators.

Learner example:

Firstly, it has to be considered that Things fall apart is set in [the] 1890s and it portrays the clash between white colonialists and the indigenous Igbo people.

DIFFERENCE

when ideas or qualities are very different, and this causes problems

Dictionary example:

a clash of personalities

Learner example:

Since people's material interests are similar, having competitiveness as the only measurement for

personal virtue only creates an endless competition that eventually will lead to a clash of interests.

"VERB [I] (came, come)

come to think of it

used to say that you have just thought of something

Dictionary example:

Come to think of it, I've got two batteries that you can have upstairs.

Learner example:

Come to think of it, it really is quite difficult to say.

come to do sth

to start to do something or to reach a state after a period of time

Dictionary examples:

I have come to rely on acupuncture.

This place has come to be known as 'Pheasant Corner'.

Learner example:

All the things she had been believing in until then had come to mean [no]thing, as gold turns into coal.

come apart/off, etc.

to become separated or removed from something

Dictionary examples:

The book came apart in my hands. The handle came off.

My shoelaces have come undone.

The door came open.

come into being

to start to exist

Dictionary example:

The new law comes into being next month.

Learner example:

Only with knowledge of the written word were villages able to organise themselves in larger forms of government, leading from local to regional to national levels, [and] finally leading to

transnational structures as they came into being mostly during the last 100 years.

come to light

If information about something bad comes to light, it is discovered.

Dictionary example:

She knew that the fraud would eventually come to light.

Learner example:

Eventually, their ""lia[is]on"" comes to light and Leo blames himself for the disastrous outcome of the events throughout his life.

come under fire to be criticized

Dictionary example:

The government has come under fire for closing the hospital.

come to the/sb's rescue

to help someone who is in a difficult situation

Dictionary example:

I forgot my purse but Anna came to the rescue and lent me some money.

take sth as it comes

to deal with something as it happens, without planning for it

Dictionary example:

With an illness like this you just have to take every day as it comes.

Learner example:

We should, for once, put our [jea]lousy aside, start to appr[e]ciate what we have and take life as it comes.

come to terms with sth

to accept a sad situation

Dictionary example:

He still hasn't come to terms with his brother's death.

Learner example:

She had, at last, come to terms with her loss and although she still, deep in her heart, grieved for

Michael she now knew that she could move on.

"Word family:

Nouns: concept, conception

Verbs: conceive

Adjectives: inconceivable

VERB

IDEA

[T] to think of an idea or plan

Dictionary example:

The original idea for the novel was conceived in Rome.

Learner example:

I wonder what kind of person conceived this terrible and ignorant idea.

IMAGINE

[I or T] to be able to imagine something

Dictionary example:

I cannot conceive of anything more horrible.

Learner example:

You cannot conceive of any other way of existence than the one you know.

BABY

[I or T] to become pregnant

Dictionary example:

She had been trying for years, but never managed to conceive.

Learner example:

By then she had everything she could ask for but for some reason she did not conceive for 2

years. [T]hen she conceived but had two miscarr[i]ages.

"Word family:

Nouns: consideration Verbs: consider, reconsider

Adjectives: considerate, inconsiderate

NOUN

KINDNESS

[U] when you are kind to people or think about their feelings

Dictionary example:

They always treated me with consideration.

Learner example:

He is very friendly and sympathetic towards those who, like Ralph and the twins, treat him with

consideration, accepting him as he is, in spite of his deficiencies as to his manual or hunting abilities.

"Word family:

Nouns: cool, coolness

Verbs: cool

Adjectives: cool

ADJECTIVE

UNFRIENDLY

unfriendly

Dictionary example:

She was very cool towards us.

Learner example:

I encouraged him to tell me what was going on and I could hardly believe [it] when he explained

the reason why he had been treating me in a cool manner.

keep a cool head

to remain calm in a difficult situation

Dictionary example:

To be successful in business, you need to keep a cool head in negotiations.

Learner example:

Kevin managed to keep a cool head and took over the navigation.

NOUN

lose your cool

to suddenly become very angry

Dictionary example:

She lost her cool and started shouting.

Word family:

Nouns: cool, coolness Verbs: cool Adjectives: cool

NOUN [U]

CALM

the quality of being calm

Dictionary example:

He was admired for his coolness under pressure.

Learner example:

Finally, a successful person should have [their] own style and opinion to distinguish from other people, enough patience to wait for important opportunities, a certain coolness to ""survive"" critical situations, and last but not least, a good deal of luck, which often decides whether you are successful or not.

UNFRIENDLY

the quality of being unfriendly

Dictionary example:

He was a little insulted by her coolness towards him.

Learner example:

James eyed her with a mixture of contempt and admiration for her coolness.

"ADJECTIVE

MATERIAL

Crisp cloth or paper money is clean and looks new, with no folds.

Dictionary example:

a crisp linen shirt

Learner example:

The first impression is that of quiet elegance with white table cloths, crisp napkins, lovely pastel

flowers on the tables and thick carpeting on the floors.

WEATHER

Crisp weather is pleasantly cold and dry.

Dictionary example:

a crisp autumn day

It was one of these beautiful crisp September days when the woods are adorned in autumnal browns and golds.

"ADJECTIVE

dear to sb/sb's heart

If something is dear to someone or dear to their heart, it is very important to

them.

Dictionary example:

The charity was very dear to his heart.

Learner example:

Among all the places I enjoyed visiting, the city of Singapore is especially dear to my heart.

"Word family: Nouns: ambiguity

Adjectives: ambiguous

ADJECTIVE

having more than one possible meaning

Dictionary example:

an ambiguous statement

Learner example:

It is hard to choose the right option as the advice given [often] seems ambiguous.

"NOUN [C or U]

an appetite for something

when you want something very much

Dictionary example:

He has a real appetite for adventure.

Learner example:

It does not occur to him that Jack has degenerated into blood-lust and is driven by hatred and an

appetite for power.

"NOUN [C or U]

! an attack

Dictionary examples:

an assault on a police officer sexual assault

Learner example:

Rapes, assaults, murders, burglaries, [and] robberies have been so frequent that a lot of

technological progress has been made in order to prevent these from happening.

VERB [T]

! to attack someone violently

Dictionary example:

He was assaulted by a youth who cannot be named.

Learner example:

I remember that once my parents prevented three hooligans from assaulting a girl.

"Word family:

Nouns: balance Verbs: balance

Adjectives: balanced, unbalanced

NOUN

be/hang in the balance

If something is or hangs in the balance, nobody knows if it will continue to exist in

the future or what will happen to it.

Dictionary example:

After a bad year, Judd's career hung in the balance.

Learner example:

And because of him it was really very much in the balance if she would accept this job or not.

"Word family: Nouns: benefit Verbs: benefit

Adjectives: beneficial

NOUN [C or U]

give sb the benefit of the doubt

to choose to believe what someone tells you even though it may be wrong or a lie

Dictionary example:

She says her train was late, so I suppose we'd better give her the benefit of the doubt.

Learner example:

Every time our parents tell us "".. have you thought about it, are you sure you are not making a mistake?"" we just answer ""sure I have, no problem."" Next time they do, let's give them the benefit

of the doubt and let's think twice about the subject.

for sb's benefit

in order to help someone

Dictionary example:

We bought the piano for the children's benefit.

Learner example:

Needless to say, I hope you take [all this] into consideration not only for Gustavo's benefit, but also for the benefit of the astronaut training programme and the world.

"ADJECTIVE

NOT SHARP

not sharp

Dictionary example:

a blunt knife

Learner example:

Standing in front of me was a huge man whose skin was roughened by blunt razor blades.

RUDE

saying exactly what you think without caring about people's feelings

Dictionary example:

a blunt letter

Learner example:

She knows what kind of questions the viewers want answered and asks them without being rude

or blunt.

"Word family:

Verbs: burn Adjectives: burning

VERB (burnt or burned, burnt or burned)

burn the midnight oil

to work late into the night

Dictionary example:

I had to burn the midnight oil to get the essay finished.

Learner example:

My examinations were nearing and I was always burning the midnight oil.

"Word family:

Nouns: appointment

Verbs: appoint

NOUN

JOB

[C or U] when you officially choose someone for an important job, or the job itself

Dictionary examples:

the appointment of three new teachers

a temporary appointment

"NOUN

FOOD

[C or U] a mixture of meat or beans with liquid and vegetables cooked for a long time in the oven

Dictionary example:

a beef casserole

Learner example:

The ""Quaint and Cosy"", which faces our town's main square, is a classy place with a hint of irony: the atmosphere, quiet and relaxing, is what you need to taste a very special salmon [e]n croute,

and a pork and orange casserole that eventually became the restaurant's second name.

CONTAINER

[C] (ALSO casserole dish) a large, heavy container with a lid, that is used for cooking casseroles

Dictionary example:

Bake the mixture in a casserole.

Learner example:

I remember going around the kitchen, looking for old used pans, casseroles and all kind of utensils which could call the attention of the people passing by.

"Word family:

Nouns: cheerfulness Verbs: cheer Adjectives: cheerful

Adverbs: cheerfully

VERB [I]

cheer sb on or cheer on sb PHRASAL VERB

to shout loudly in order to encourage someone in a competition

Dictionary example:

The race was tough, but I could hear all my friends cheering me on.

Learner example:

People rush to the stadiums and gyms to cheer on their favourites or spend long hours in front of the TV with their fingers crossed hoping for a win.

NOUN

a shout of approval or encouragement

Dictionary example:

His speech was drowned out by cheers.

Learner example:

They were welcomed onto the stage in their home town by deafening cheers from their fans.

"Word family: Nouns: assignment

Verbs: assign

VERB [T]

assign sb to sth PHRASAL VERB

to give someone a particular job or place to work

Dictionary example:

Which police officer has been assigned to this case?

Learner example:

She was assigned to Sanming Police Station.

"Word family: Nouns: clinic

Adjectives: clinical

ADJECTIVE

NO EMOTION

only considering facts and not influenced by feelings or emotions

Dictionary example:

a clinical approach/attitude

Learner example:

Nowadays in Sweden nurser[ie]s (""dagis"") are common, but in the 1950s they were a new invention.""Kindergarten"" was the somewhat clinical name. And clinical they were.

close

Word family: Nouns: closure Verbs: close

Adjectives: closed

"Word family:

Nouns: commerce, commercial

Adjectives: commercial

ADJECTIVE

FOR PROFIT

making money from advertising

Dictionary example:

commercial television

Learner example:

These days, in all commercial television, they show advertisement[s] in every hour of the day.

"NOUN [C]

PREVENTING SUCCESS

something that prevents you doing something or having something

Dictionary example:

Lack of money should not be a bar to a good education.

Learner example:

Nevertheless, fashion could be felt as a bar to our own liberty since the maga[z]ines impose their views on the customers.

"Word family: Nouns: condition Verbs: condition

Adjectives: unconditional

VERB

to make a person or animal behave in a particular way by influencing the way they think

Dictionary example:

The boys were conditioned to be aggressive.

Learner example:

We are then conditioned, somehow, to choose among a restricted range of offers and products, the ones they place before our very eyes on the telly.

"NOUN

EYE

[C] (ALSO contact lens) a small piece of plastic that you put on your eye to make you see more clearly

Dictionary example:

I wear contacts.

Learner example:

""Thank you,"" Jason said with delight, ""You must know I am almost blind without my contacts.""

eye contact

when people look at each other, for instance when they are talking to each other

Dictionary example:

There was very little eye contact between them.

Learner example:

I tried to avoid having eye contact with people just because of this humility.

"NOUN [C]

! when a group of people suddenly takes control of a country using force

Dictionary example:

a military coup

Learner example:

The government of the country was formed three years ago after a military coup and is

constituted primarily by the nephews of General Tomba, who headed the rebellious troops during the coup.

"PREPOSITION

beyond belief

too bad, good, difficult, etc. to be real

Dictionary example:

The evil of this man is beyond belief.

Learner example:

It was a piece of luck beyond belief that we could swap our apartments for the six months to

come.

beyond dispute

certain or certainly

Dictionary examples:

Her skill is beyond dispute.

He is beyond dispute the finest actor in Hollywood today.

Learner example:

It is beyond dispute that we owe a lot to the wise scientists who discovered 'electro-magnetism'.

beyond your wildest dreams

bigger or better than anything you could imagine or hope for

Dictionary example:

The house was beyond my wildest dreams.

Learner example:

[It] was beyond my wildest dreams.

beyond (sb's) reach

not possible for someone to have

Dictionary example:

With all this money we can buy things previously beyond our reach.

Learner example:

She was always yearning for things beyond her reach.

ADVERB

TIME

continuing after a particular time or date

Dictionary example:

The strike looks set to continue into March and beyond.

The fact of living longer allow[s] people to share part of their lives with their children, their grandchildren and sometimes even one generation beyond.

"NOUN [U]

CHILD

the legal right to look after a child, especially when parents separate

Dictionary example:

When they divorced, it was Nicola who won custody of their two children.

Learner example:

My parents were fighting a long and tiring battle in court, over the custody of us children.

PRISON

when someone is kept in prison, usually while they are waiting for a trial in court

Dictionary examples:

He is being held in custody in Los Angeles charged with assault. He was taken into custody by Mexican authorities.

Learner example:

Not only was he badly injured during the following years, but he was [also] kept in custody by the

Russians for about two years.

"Word family: Nouns: deduction

Verbs: deduce

VERB [T]

to decide that something is true using the available information

Dictionary example:

From the contents of his shopping basket, I deduced that he was single.

Learner example:

Two important results are deduced from these figures: living standards in the U.K. have improved

dramatically over the last century, and women can be expected to live longer than men.

"Word family: Nouns: descendant

Verbs: descend

VERB [I or T] FORMAL

be descended from sb/sth PHRASAL VERB

to be related to a person or creature that lived a long time ago

Dictionary example:

Her father is descended from Greek royalty.

"Word family:

Nouns: bomb, bomber, bombing Verbs: bomb

NOUN [C]

AIRCRAFT

! an aircraft that drops bombs

Dictionary example:

He flew bombers in the war.

Learner example:

During the war... the terror of the German bombers, the sound of destruction all around, bombs

exploding, people crying and dying.

"Word family:

Nouns: diplomat, diplomacy

Adjectives: diplomatic

Adverbs: diplomatically

ADJECTIVE

PEOPLE

good at dealing with people without upsetting them

Dictionary example:

That's a very diplomatic answer.

Learner example:

We may have to be diplomatic and tactful, but we also must be honest and firm.

Word family:

Nouns: diplomat, diplomacy Adjectives: diplomatic Adverbs: diplomatically

ADVERB

in a way that deals well with people without upsetting them

Dictionary example:

He phrased his question very diplomatically.

Learner example:

Even though this issue is usually settled diplomatically, there still remains [a] considerable amount

of criticism to be faced.

"Word family:

Nouns: distinction

Adjectives: distinct, distinctive

NOUN

QUALITY

[U] a quality or fact that makes someone or something special or different

Dictionary examples:

wines of distinction

He has the distinction of being the youngest player in the World Cup finals.

Learner example:

In the car park of one of those fiercely emerging companies, cars are not only a way of moving [around], but a sign of distinction.

"VERB

butt in PHRASAL VERB

to interrupt or join in a conversation or activity when the other people do not want

you to

Dictionary example:

The interviewer kept butting in and wouldn't let me answer the question.

Learner example:

""Was it a big one, Granny?"", the little girl butt[ed] in.

"VERB [I]

drift across/down/towards, etc.

to be moved slowly somewhere by currents of wind or water

Dictionary example:

Smoke drifted across the rooftops.

Learner example:

As the clouds drifted past it, the light slowly returned.

SITUATION

to get into a situation or job without having any particular plan

Dictionary example:

He drifted into acting after university.

Learner example:

But once Stevens had noticed their working relationship was slowly drifting into a kind of love

affair, he proposed to stop these evening meetings on account of their being not useful in a professional sense any more.

"ADJECTIVE

difficult to describe, find, achieve, or remember

Dictionary example:

The answers to these questions remain as elusive as ever.

Learner example:

Nowadays, the picture of a clean environment seems to be an elusive goal moving ever further

from us.

Word family:

Nouns: embarrassment Verbs: embarrass

Adjectives: embarrassed, embarrassing

VERB [T]

to make someone feel ashamed or shy

Dictionary example:

My dad's always embarrassing me in front of my friends.

Learner example:

He didn't deliberately l[i]e to them and he comes to the conclusion that revealing the truth would

have embarrassed them.

"VERB (caught, caught)

be/get caught

to be unable to avoid something unpleasant

Dictionary example:

I got caught in the rain.

Learner example:

I must apologise for my lateness as I was caught in the bad weather.

STICK

[I or T] to stick somewhere, or to make something stick somewhere

Dictionary example:

My dress caught on the door handle as I was leaving.

No sooner did I start bicycling before my slacks got caught in the chain and with a curse coming from my lips I fell right into the neighbour's well trimmed shrubbery.

catch sight of sth

to see something suddenly, often only for a short time

Dictionary example:

He caught sight of himself in the mirror.

Learner example:

All we could see were people bursting into tears when they caught sight of his coffin.

catch sb's eye

to get someone's attention by looking at them

Dictionary example:

I tried to catch her eye, but she had already turned away.

Learner example:

All of a sudden she caught my eye and smiled in a sad way.

catch sb's eye

to be attractive or different enough to be noticed by people

Dictionary example:

It was the colour of his jacket that caught my eye.

Learner example:

Dear Sir, I am writing regarding your newly published article about nutrition, which immediately caught my eye as I was reading your magazine.

catch sb off guard

to surprise someone by doing something when they are not ready to deal with it

Dictionary example:

The journalist caught him off guard and he admitted to lying.

Learner example:

It caught me off guard. This grotesque image shattered the comfort of a languid Sunday afternoon

and for a few seconds hurled me into a world of pain.

"Word family:

Nouns: extension, extent Verbs: extend

Adjectives: extensive

NOUN [NO PLURAL]

the extent to which

the degree to which something happens or is likely to happen

Dictionary example:

The research should show the extent to which these changes are being implemented.

Learner example:

Several factors determine the extent to which a person's character may influence our own

opinions and even our way of life, such as the time spent with that particular person, or the importance that figure has in our li[v]es.

"Word family:

Nouns: fear Verbs: fear

Adjectives: fearful, fearless

ADJECTIVE

not frightened of anything

Dictionary example:

a fearless fighter

Learner example:

It is something which associates [i]n my mind with extreme, fearless guys who tend to live on the

edge of life, always searching for new strong feelings and a 'dose of adrenaline'.

"Word family:

Nouns: fitness Adjectives: fit

ADJECTIVE (fitter, fittest)

do sth as you see/think fit

to do something that you feel is the right thing to do, although other people might

disapprove

Dictionary example:

You must spend the money as you see fit.

Learner example:

Do as you think fit!

"VERB [T] (-pp-)

chop sth down or chop down sth PHRASAL VERB

to cut through something to make it fall down

Dictionary example:

We chopped down the old apple tree.

Learner example:

We send people to chop down trees and to ext[rac]t materials such as metals so that we can demonstrate our expensive possessions.

"PREPOSITION

for all

despite

Dictionary example:

For all her qualifications, she's useless at the job.

Learner example:

For all of his desire to be strong, Okonkwo is haunted [by] fear.

for sb's benefit

in order to help someone

We bought the piano for the children's benefit. Learner example:

Needless to say, I hope you take [all this] into consideration not only for Gustavo's benefit, but also for the benefit of the astronaut training programme and the world.

for the best

If something is for the best, it seems unpleasant now, but will improve a situation in the future.

Dictionary example:

Divorce is always painful, but it really was for the best.

Learner example:

It's a kind of sad thing to think about but maybe it's for the best.

for fear of sth/doing sth

because you are worried about something/doing something

Dictionary example:

I didn't want to move for fear of waking her up.

Learner example:

No one dared to turn around for fear of being bitterly disappointed.

for one thing

used to give a reason for something

Dictionary example:

You can't give Amy that shirt - for one thing it's too small for her.

Learner example:

Well, for one thing, you cannot spy on your subjects 24 hours a day - they would not allow it, and it would be prohibitively expensive.

"ADJECTIVE

SKIN

Fresh skin looks healthy.

Dictionary example:

a fresh complexion

Learner example:

Her eyes were blue and she had a beautiful fresh complexion.

fresh water

water from lakes, rivers, etc. that has no salt in it

Dictionary example:

These fish live in fresh water.

Learner example:

You find stunning white beaches, clear, fresh water lakes, isolated tropic islands, reef, rainforests,

buzzing cities, challenging mountain range, bush, outback - and the desert.

a breath of fresh air

someone or something that is new, different, and exciting

Dictionary example:

Having Eve around has been a breath of fresh air.

Learner example:

The final suggestion is focused on building a leisure centre. Should this be everything the Town Council has promised, it will bring a breath of fresh air.

NOUN [C]

HAIR

hair that is cut short and straight at the top of someone's face

Dictionary example:

Her fringe was nearly in her eyes.

Learner example:

She had [a] long fringe over her forehead that almost covered her pale blue eyes.

EDGE

the outside edge of an area, group, or subject and not the main part

Dictionary examples:

the southern fringe of the city the radical fringe of the party

Learner example:

He is on the fringe of society.

ADJECTIVE [ALWAYS BEFORE NOUN]

not belonging to the main part of a group, activity, or subject

Dictionary example:

fringe politics/theatre

Learner example:

Unfortunately it seems to have won ""new"" currency in view of the latest events directed against

foreigners, minorities and fringe groups.

"Word family: Nouns: coherence

Adjectives: coherent

NOUN [U]

CLEAR

the state of being clear and easy to understand

Dictionary example:

Her argument lacks any coherence.

SHARED BELIEFS/PURPOSE

the feeling that you share the beliefs or purpose of others in a group

Dictionary example:

There is no sense of coherence within the group.

Learner example:

Family gatherings can offer the individual a sense of warmth, of belonging and of coherence.

"Word family: Nouns: grace Verbs: grace

Adjectives: graceful

the quality of being pleasantly polite

Dictionary example:

He had the grace to apologize for his mistake the next day.

VERB [T]

When a person or object graces a place or thing, they make it more attractive.

Dictionary example:

Her face has graced the covers of magazines across the world.

Learner example:

The cover is graced with the flower after which it is named, an enormous, virgin white magnolia.

"Word family: Nouns: complexity

Adjectives: complex

NOUN

MENTAL

a mental problem which makes someone anxious or frightened about something

Dictionary example:

an inferiority complex

Learner example:

He began to feel like that character in ""Psycho"", afraid that the hotel manager would turn out to be some kind of maniac with an Oedipus complex.

"ADJECTIVE

do/learn sth the hard way

to do or learn something by experiencing a lot of problems or difficulty

Dictionary example:

I learned the hard way that training every single day is not the best way to get fit.

Learner example:

If you don't know the past, you're liable to live through it again as instead of deriving the lessons

from someone else's experiences, you'll have to learn them the hard way, by trial and error.

be hard on sb

to make someone unhappy by causing them problems

Dictionary example:

Our divorce has been particularly hard on the children.

Learner example:

Also it was hard on our family only seeing my father late at night being tired or for a weekend, if he was not on a business-trip.

give sb a hard time

to criticize someone and make them feel guilty about something they have done

Dictionary example:

Ever since I missed the goal, the other players have been giving me a hard time.

Learner example:

I'm not saying that I wasn't normal or anything, I just gave my family a hard time sometimes.

"Word family:

Nouns: confrontation

Verbs: confront

VERB [T]

ACCUSE

to tell someone something, or show them something to try to make them admit they have done something wrong

Dictionary example:

Confronted with the evidence, she broke down and confessed.

Learner example:

We had bills coming in our door, old ones which w[ere]n't paid and whenever I confronted him, he told me he would take care of it.

be confronted by/with sth

to be in a difficult situation, or to be shown something which may cause

difficulties

Dictionary example:

We are confronted by the possibility of war.

Learner example:

Youngsters are confronted with a lot of difficulties and dangers and are often bound to collapse

psychologically from the hard pressure on them.

DEAL WITH

to see that a problem exists and try to deal with it

Dictionary example:

First, they must confront their feelings of anger.

Learner example:

His inability to confront Ethan's death, as well as his being too methodical, cause[s] his wife Sarah

to reconsider their marriage.

"Word family:

Nouns: home, homeless, homelessness

Adjectives: homeless

Adverbs: home

NOUN

a broken home

a family in which the parents do not now live together

Dictionary example:

Many of these children come from broken homes.

Learner example:

The development of the modern society has brought with it a growing number of broken homes, divorces and economic problems which have directly affected the parent-child relationship.

"Word family:

Nouns: continuity

Verbs: continue

Adjectives: continuous, continual

Adverbs: continuously, continually

NOUN [U]

the state of continuing for a long period of time without being changed or stopped

Dictionary example:

We are trying to provide continuity of care for these children.

It is the young who demonstrate that there is a sense of continuity in a family, and that was what I was looking for.

"Word family: Nouns: hypocrisy

Adjectives: hypocritical

NOUN [U]

when someone pretends to believe something that they do not really believe or

that is the opposite of what they do or say at another time

Dictionary example:

I can't stand their hypocrisy - they say they care about the poor but then they go home and drink

champagne.

Learner example:

I would recommend Hartley's novel to people who would like to see the world once more from the point of view of a child: a world too strange, too full of hypocrisy and egotism to be understood

by a boy.

"VERB [I or T]

crack down PHRASAL VERB

to start dealing with bad or illegal behaviour in a more severe way

Dictionary example:

Police are cracking down on crime in the area.

Learner example:

Introducing a totally new policy, dismissing the members of the parliament and cracking down on the leftist underworld, he proved to be a person really dedicated [to] the country.

crack up PHRASAL VERB

INFORMAL to become mentally ill

Dictionary example:

We're worried he'll crack up completely if he doesn't get help.

Learner example:

Nevertheless, one must also bear in mind the fact that, since Douglas was overworked, Olivia had a tedious, boring life and was about to crack up, when the Nawab came to res[c]ue her.

crack (sb) up PHRASAL VERB

INFORMAL to laugh a lot or to make someone laugh a lot

Dictionary example:

His impressions of my Dad really crack me up.

Learner example:

One film that I found hilariously funny was ""Meet the Parents"". Directed by Frank Oz, this film has all the qualifications to make someone crack up.

NOUN

LINE

[C] a line on the surface of something that is damaged

Dictionary example:

Several cups had cracks in them.

Learner example:

Behind the glass doors you could see a Chinese tea-set totally unsuitable for tea drinking as all the cups had cracks but I wasn't allowed to throw [it] away because it had been presented by some relative and that was enough to turn it into an everlasting treasure.

the crack of dawn

very early in the morning

Dictionary example:

He gets up at the crack of dawn.

Learner example:

From the crack of dawn until bed time citizens have to breathe all kinds of gas coming out of cars,

bikes or [factor]ies.

"Word family:

Nouns: possibility, impossibility

Adjectives: impossible, possible

Adverbs: possibly

ADJECTIVE

DIFFICULT

very difficult to deal with

Dictionary examples:

You just can't reason with her, she's absolutely impossible. We found ourselves in an impossible situation.

Learner example:

I couldn't help laughing at the impossible situation that had resulted from the combination of my personal musings by the side of this wishing-well, and the boy's very straightforward and

impulsive character.

"Word family:

Nouns: dark, darkness Adjectives: dark

NOUN

in the dark

not knowing about something because other people are not telling you

Dictionary example:

They kept us in the dark about their plans.

Learner example:

Peter had always kept her in the dark about the reason for their fight.

"Word family:

Nouns: infancy, infant

NOUN [C] FORMAL

a baby or very young child

Dictionary example:

Mothers and infants were allowed to board the plane first.

The cells are extremely active while we are infants, but as we grow older, their efficiency weakens.

"Word family: Nouns: defect

Adjectives: defective

ADJECTIVE

not in good condition or not working correctly

Dictionary example:

defective goods

Learner example:

The electric instal[l]ations are defective, some locks are broken, and the ceil[ing] leaks. Under these conditions, it's no wonder the library has no visitors.

"Word family:

Nouns: security, insecurity

Adjectives: secure, insecure

NOUN [U]

the state of not being confident or not feeling safe

Dictionary example:

We have to live with the insecurity of not knowing if we'll still have a job next week.

Learner example:

Many of us have experienced moments of insecurity when everything seems so big and new that you wonder if you can deal with all the pressure or whether you will eventually manage to adapt to

the situation at hand.

"NOUN [C]

something that stops people doing something because they are afraid of what will

happen if they do

Dictionary example:

They've installed a security camera as a deterrent to thieves.

Learner example:

I also think that the assistance that the state provides acts as a deterrent in the sense that, in

Britain for example, the income support or family credit can actually be higher than what some people can earn in a week of hard work: so, what is the point of working?

ADJECTIVE

harmful or damaging

Dictionary example:

a detrimental effect

Learner example:

The truth is that the situation [in] which we now find ourselves due to the industrialisation of

countries has reached crisis point and will probably have a detrimental effect on the environment in the years to come.

"NOUN [C]

TIME

a period of time between two actions, activities, or events

Dictionary example:

After an interval of three days, the peace talks resumed.

Learner example:

When we adopt this perspective, we witness history becoming en[mesh]ed with our present and future, as all cyclical events repeat themselves at regular intervals.

"VERB [T] FORMAL

to give new or secret information to someone

Dictionary example:

He refused to disclose details of the report.

Had not the memory of my friend Sherlock Holmes been spoilt by so many people since his death, in 1917, I would never have disclosed the following events.

"Word family:

Nouns: disturbance

Verbs: disturb

Adjectives: disturbed, disturbing

ADJECTIVE

unpleasant in a way that makes people feel anxious or upset

Dictionary example:

disturbing images

Learner example:

Still, I find Edmund's character disturbing and I do not believe that his background alone could

have created such an evil human being.

"Word family:

Nouns: reversal, reverse

Verbs: reverse

Adjectives: irreversible, reversible

ADJECTIVE

Something that is irreversible cannot be changed back to how it was before.

Dictionary example:

Smoking has caused irreversible damage to his lungs.

Learner example:

It is important to remember that everything done excessively can have irreversible consequences!

"ADJECTIVE (drier, driest or dryer, dryest)

BORING

If a book, talk, or subject is dry, it is not interesting.

Dictionary example:

His writing is always so dry and dull.

Learner example:

Facts and dates are dry and empty if teachers are not able to bring them to life.

VERB [I or T]

dry up PHRASAL VERB

If a supply of something dries up, it ends.

Dictionary example:

The work dried up and he went out of business.

Learner example:

Nevertheless we must consider that a society with many [people] over sixty has its problems, such

as retirement funds which [have] dried up.

"NOUN [C]

FASTENING

a place where one or more pieces of string, rope, etc. have been tied

Dictionary example:

Tie a knot in the rope.

Learner example:

The man was always wearing a shabby coat and a big red scarf which was tied in a very complicated knot.

tie the knot

INFORMAL to get married

Dictionary example:

We're planning to tie the knot in April.

Learner example:

She was going to tie the knot in July.

"NOUN [U]

the ability to imagine what it must be like to be in someone's situation

Dictionary example:

He lacks empathy.

Learner example:

I developed my intercultural skills by joining forces with foreign vice presidents to solve common problems and thus acquired skills such as empathy with other cultures, commitment to a common

goal and tolerance.

"NOUN [C]

MONEY/PROPERTY

money or property that you receive from someone after they die

Dictionary example:

An elderly cousin had left her a small legacy.

Learner example:

So, soon after I agreed to receive the great legacy from my great aunt with joy, I realised that a

problem would occur accordingly.

SITUATION

a situation that was caused by something from an earlier time

Dictionary example:

The war has left a legacy of hatred.

Learner example:

Many of his novels deal with the social and political problems facing his country, including the

difficulty of the post-colonial legacy.

"Word family: Nouns: face Verbs: face

Adjectives: facial

NOUN

lose face

to become less respected by others because of something you did

Dictionary example:

The party has lost face with the public by abandoning their original policy on education.

Learner example:

However, many popular people like Pierce Brosnan managed to keep their lives out of the press

and yet be present to meet public demand without losing face.

keep a straight face

to manage to stop yourself from smiling or laughing

Dictionary example:

I can never play jokes on people because I can't keep a straight face.

on the face of it

used when you are describing how a situation seems on the surface

Dictionary example:

On the face of it, it seems like a bargain, but I bet there are hidden costs.

Learner example:

On the face of it, both sides have valid arguments, and it's a difficult balancing act to manage.

in the face of sth

while having to deal with a difficult situation or problem

Dictionary example:

She refused to leave him, in the face of increasing pressure from friends and family.

Learner example:

No doubt, it was rather difficult to like Enid X. She was hardly likely to arouse sympathy in anybody even in the face of death.

fly in the face of SLIGHTLY FORMAL

to be the opposite of what is usual or accepted

Dictionary example:

These recommendations fly in the face of previous advice on safe limits of consumption.

Learner example:

But when we have a look outside our wonderful world, we can easily see that this argument flies in the face of the facts.

a slap in the face

something someone does that insults or upsets you

Dictionary example:

After all that hard work, losing my job was a real slap in the face.

Learner example:

My father noticed that and decided it was high time to take me down a peg or two. He used to work as a volunteer in hospital for children dying for cancer. One day, he took me there. It was like a slap in the face - suddenly I saw a different world. It was a bleak world, without smiles and happy faces.

VERB

let's face it

something that you say before you say something that is unpleasant but true

Dictionary example:

Let's face it, none of us are getting any younger.

Learner example:

Let's face it, a life with [no] physical and mental exercise is something none of us relishes.

Word family:

Nouns: face Verbs: face Adjectives: facial

ADJECTIVE

of or on the face

Dictionary example:

facial expressions/hair

Learner example:

I can still recall the doctor's facial expression when he announced the exciting news [to me].

"ADVERB

little more/better

not much more or better

Dictionary examples:

We earned little more than pocket money. She's little better than a thief.

Learner example:

It was little better than a slum, completely unfurnished, except f[or] a desk with a diary on it.

live

Word family: Nouns: living Verbs: live

Adjectives: lively, living

"Word family: Nouns: feeling

Verbs: feel

VERB (felt, felt)

feel faint

to feel very weak and as if you might fall down

Dictionary example:

Seeing all the blood made me feel faint.

Learner example:

Starting to feel faint, Fred quickly roused himself and ran out of the hotel as quickly as he could.

VERB

fend for yourself PHRASAL VERB

to take care of yourself without help

Dictionary example:

When you go away to college, you have to learn to fend for yourself.

Learner example:

For such people to be able to provide for their families and fend for themselves, they have to work irrespective of how they do the job.

"Word family:

Nouns: maintenance

Verbs: maintain

VERB [T]

SAY SOMETHING IS TRUE

to say that you are certain something is true

Dictionary examples:

Throughout his prison sentence Dunn has always maintained his innocence. He maintains that he has never seen the woman before.

Learner example:

Moreover, sceptics maintain that the lack of facilities and jobs leads to the countryside being

""abandoned"".

"NOUN [C]

MEMORY

when you suddenly remember something that happened in the past, often something bad

Dictionary example:

She suffered from flashbacks for years after the accident.

Learner example:

Margaret started to remember, yes; a sudden flashback brought her to the twenties, when she was still her mamma's little girl, all innocence and curls.

STORY

part of a film or book that goes back in time to something that happened before the main story began

Dictionary example:

There are several flashbacks to the character's childhood.

Another way of increasing the reader's interest is the par[al]lelism of both stories and the flashbacks she is always giving us to explain Olivia's experiences.

"Word family: Verbs: forget

Adjectives: unforgettable

VERB

I forget

used instead of 'I have forgotten'

Dictionary example:

I forget when we last saw him.

Learner example:

At one of those family gatherings in our house - I forget what the precise occasion was, because it is quite some time ago - all of us were sitting round the big square table in our dining room and enjoying the delicious cakes that my mother had prepared the day before, while we exchanged the

latest news.

"Word family:

Nouns: meeting Verbs: meet

VERB (met, met)

ACHIEVE

[T] to be able to achieve something

Dictionary examples:

He met every goal he set for himself. I've got a deadline to meet.

Do you think we will be able to meet our target?

Learner example:

All the while under-resourcing of the school system has progressed in a way that social education has largely fallen by the wayside and schools are struggling to meet government targets that are

aimed at instilling more ""important"" knowledge into our children like maths and chemistry.

"Word family: Nouns: fulfilment Verbs: fulfil

Adjectives: fulfilling

NOUN [U]

PLEASURE

a feeling of pleasure because you are receiving or achieving what you want

Dictionary example:

I hope that you'll find happiness and fulfilment in your life together.

Learner example:

Personally, I firmly believe that a certain degree of compromise should be reached, and that work should combine both economical and emotional stability, and only in that way will we find true

fulfilment through work.

SOMETHING DONE

when someone does something necessary or something that they have wanted or promised to do

Dictionary example:

Being here is the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition.

Learner example:

Today's human[s] travel the earth for holidays, going from exotic to esoteric vacation spots to

soothe body and mind, or in fulfilment of a business need.

Word family:

Adjectives: full Adverbs: fully

ADJECTIVE

be full of yourself

to think that you are very important or clever

Dictionary example:

She's been very full of herself since she won that prize.

Learner example:

There is a thing which I consider very important for the upbringing of my own children - to ""teach"" them to be coherent and to think [of] the ""others"" because if you are full of yourself, you are blind and you can't see what is happening around you.

have your hands full to be very busy

Dictionary example:

Shelley has her hands full with three kids under 5.

Learner example:

This very fact made my father work as a slave, as he was the only breadwinner at home, my mother having her hands full with us four.

"NOUN [C]

JOB

an important job, usually travelling somewhere

Dictionary examples:

Our mission was to isolate the enemy by destroying all the bridges across the river. I'll be going on a fact-finding mission to Paris next week.

Learner example:

Apparently somebody had tried to sabotage the mission and given them both different code

words.

"ADJECTIVE

(be) green with envy

to wish very much that you had something that another person has

Dictionary example:

Sam's got a job in the south of France and we're all green with envy!

Learner example:

The more successful players' salary makes the others green with envy.

"MODAL VERB

have (got) to do/be sth

used to say that you feel certain that something is true or will happen

Dictionary examples:

Interest rates have to come down at some point.

There's (=there has) got to be a better way of doing this.

Learner example:

There has to be a solution to this.

VERB [T]

have sb do sth

to arrange for someone to do something

Dictionary examples:

If you wait, I'll have someone collect it for you. I'll have my secretary call her this afternoon.

Learner example:

I would like to request you, as a manager, to either have someone fix the problem with the microwave or simply replace it.

have it in for sb

to dislike someone and want to cause problems for them

Dictionary example:

She really has it in for me - I don't know what I've done to offend her.

Learner example:

Only then did she realise that somebody had it in for her.

not have the faintest idea

used to emphasize that you do not know something

Dictionary example:

I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about.

Learner example:

Some twenty years ago, when I left my parents' home to go and live on my own, I was [given] four mugs. By whom? I haven't the faintest idea.

"NOUN [C]

PART OF CLOTHING

the part of a piece of clothing that goes around your neck

Dictionary example:

a polo-neck/V-neck jumper

Learner example:

When she was walking down the street feeling elated by the success of the business meeting, a

gorgeous thirtyish man wearing [a] beige polo neck swiftly appro[a]ched and turned towards her and smiled, revealing strong white teeth.

neck and neck

If two people who are competing are neck and neck, they are very close and either

of them could win.

Dictionary example:

The two runners were neck and neck coming into the last lap.

Learner example:

It was [a] really neck and neck match that took my breath away every second.

"Word family:

Nouns: hope Verbs: hope

Adjectives: hopeful, hopeless

Adverbs: hopefully, hopelessly

ADJECTIVE

GOOD THING WILL HAPPEN

If something is hopeful, it gives you reason to believe that what you want to happen will happen.

Dictionary example:

There are hopeful signs that she will make a full recovery.

Learner example:

The hopeful atmosphere darkened somewhat.

Word family:

Nouns: hope Verbs: hope

Adjectives: hopeful, hopeless Adverbs: hopefully, hopelessly

ADVERB

extremely, or in a way that makes you lose hope

Dictionary examples:

hopelessly lost

They met at university and fell hopelessly in love.

Learner example:

It's never easy to be young and hopelessly in love.

"NOUN [C]

CHAIR

the part of a chair where your arm rests

Dictionary example:

The chair didn't have any arms.

Learner example:

It appears to me that the leather covering the left arm of the sofa has been pierced with some

sharp object.

arm in arm

with your arm gently supporting or being supported by someone else's arm

Dictionary example:

They walked through the park, arm in arm.

Learner example:

We often walked around the playground arm in arm.

(keep sb) at arm's length

to not allow someone to become too friendly with you

Dictionary example:

I always had the feeling she was keeping me at arm's length.

Learner example:

At first she keeps them at arm's length, but Mr Emerson is direct and advises Lucy to behave in a more natural way instead of doing what some old ladies say.

"Word family:

Nouns: number

Verbs: number, outnumber

Adjectives: innumerable, numerous

VERB [T]

BE AN AMOUNT

If people or things number a particular amount, there are that many of them.

Dictionary example:

Our company's sales force numbered over 5,000.

Learner example:

They marched against Barovia with armies that numbered hundreds of thousands.

"NOUN

the idea of sth

the principle of something

Dictionary example:

We all admire the idea of dignity.

Learner example:

Many of us sit there with watery eyes, as we're moved by the idea of unification, equality and brotherhood among the different nations of the world.

not have the faintest idea

used to emphasize that you do not know something

Dictionary example:

I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about.

Learner example:

Some twenty years ago, when I left my parents' home to go and live on my own, I was [given] four mugs. By whom? I haven't the faintest idea.

"Word family:

Nouns: demonstration

Verbs: demonstrate

VERB

EXPRESS

[T] to express or show that you have a feeling, quality, or ability

Dictionary example:

He has demonstrated a genuine interest in the project.

Learner example:

As a result, he does not allow himself to demonstrate any emotion apart from anger.

"NOUN [C or U]

something that encourages you to act in a particular way

Dictionary examples:

People had little incentive to save.

The government should provide incentives for young people to stay in school.

Learner example:

Not surprisingly, they value financial rewards over other kinds of incentives.

Word family:

Nouns: inclination

Adjectives: inclined

NOUN [C or U]

a feeling that you want to do something

Dictionary example:

She showed little inclination to leave.

Learner example:

By inclination, she tended to take [an] interest in the li[ves] of other people.

"Word family:

Nouns: opening, openness

Verbs: open

Adjectives: open, opening

Adverbs: openly

NOUN

HOLE

[C] a hole or space that something or someone can pass through

Dictionary example:

The children crawled through an opening in the fence.

Learner example:

The water in the reservoir is allowed to flow [through] an opening in the dam.

"Word family:

Nouns: inferior, inferiority

Adjectives: inferior

NOUN [U]

when someone feels they are not as good as other people or when something is

not as good as another thing

Dictionary example:

With these talented sisters, I always had a feeling of inferiority.

Critics suggest that these policies have not benefited poor black Americans, that they have

impeded the development of social problems and that they have inhibited black Americans and other discriminated groups through a deep sense of inferiority.

"Word family: Nouns: outrage Verbs: outrage

Adjectives: outrageous

FEELING

[U] a strong feeling of anger or shock

Dictionary example:

Many politicians and members of the public expressed outrage at the verdict.

THING CAUSING SHOCK

[C] something that causes great anger or shock

Dictionary examples:

The terrible living conditions of migrant workers, he said, were an outrage.

It's an outrage that so much public money should have been wasted in this way.

Learner example:

It shows one child's reaction to the outrage, to the fear and it as been held out as an example of

the unthinkable and cruel effects that a racist mentality may have.

"NOUN [C or U]

a form of a language that people speak in a particular part of a country

Dictionary example:

They're speaking a local dialect.

Learner example:

Mrs Haefele, the owner and cook of this inn, serves the meals personally and if you are lucky, you

[may] understand a bit of her Swabian dialect.

"NOUN

PROGRESS

[U NO PLURAL] the movement or progress from one stage or place to another

Dictionary example:

It's a difficult passage from boyhood to manhood.

Learner example:

Work has always been a fundamental question in the life of man since the iron-age, it marks the

passage from youth to adulthood and for most of us it can be a turning point.

"Word family:

Nouns: inspiration Verbs: inspire

NOUN

be an inspiration to sb

to be so good that someone else admires you and is encouraged by your

behaviour

Dictionary example:

The way she has dealt with her illness is an inspiration to us all.

Learner example:

She will always be an inspiration to me for her great strength, knowledge and courage.

GOOD IDEA

[C] a sudden good idea about what you should do

Dictionary example:

I've had an inspiration about Andy's birthday present.

"VERB [T]

to say exactly what or where something is

Dictionary example:

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact time of death.

Learner example:

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact factors that lead to success and even more difficult to arrange them in any order of priority.

"Word family:

Nouns: intolerance, tolerance

Verbs: tolerate

Adjectives: intolerable, intolerant, tolerant

ADJECTIVE

too bad or unpleasant to deal with or accept

Dictionary examples:

an intolerable situation

The constant fighting made life at home intolerable.

Learner example:

The situation has become absolutely intolerable.

"Word family: Nouns: loyalty

Adjectives: loyal, disloyal

ADJECTIVE

not loyal or not supporting someone who you should support

Dictionary example:

I don't want to be disloyal to my friend.

Learner example:

These stories always have a happy ending: those who are faithful and reliable are rewarded but

those who cause pain or are disloyal are punished.

"VERB

be itching to do sth INFORMAL

to want to do something very much

Dictionary example:

You could tell that they were itching to leave.

Learner example:

The difference between these two kinds of people lies exactly there: the package-tourist is itching

to go back home [as soon as] he sets off whereas the traveller may never go back home.

J

"NOUN [C]

behind closed doors

privately and not in public

Dictionary example:

Most of the deals were done behind closed doors.

Learner example:

Decisions which affect the whole world are made behind closed doors and are top secret.

"VERB [I or T] LITERARY

to think carefully about something

Dictionary example:

He pondered what might have happened if he hadn't gone home.

Learner example:

However, I am still pondering and I am still not quite sure of what it means and so I asked myself,

would climbing a mountain be a challenge for me?

"NOUN

a labour of love

an activity that is hard work but which you do because you enjoy it

Dictionary example:

He prefers to paint the house himself - it's a real labour of love.

Learner example:

[Being a] musician is a labour of love.

BIRTH

[C or U] the stage of pregnancy when the woman has pain because the baby is coming out

Dictionary examples:

to be in labour labour pains

Learner example:

22 years ago, Alison Smith gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, in a very painful labour.

"VERB (echoing, echoed)

SOUND

[I] If a sound echoes, or a place echoes with a sound, you hear the sound again because you are in a large, empty space.

Dictionary example:

Their voices echoed around the room.

Learner example:

Our cheer of delight united with the neighing of the horses and the din of the hens still echoes in

my ears.

REPEAT

[T] to repeat something that someone else has said because you agree with it or to express similar ideas or feelings to someone else

Dictionary examples:

This report echoes some of the earlier research I've read.

Her feelings are echoed by other parents in the same situation.

Learner example:

I find myself echoing many of the points you have raised.

NOUN [C] (echoes)

SOUND

a sound that you hear more than once because you are in a big, empty space

Dictionary example:

I could hear the echo of the bell.

Learner example:

You can always hear the echo of a bell.

"ADJECTIVE

A lenient punishment is not severe.

Dictionary example:

He asked the judge to pass a lenient sentence.

The Court had been too lenient towards his detested father.

"VERB [I] FORMAL

to get control or influence

Dictionary example:

We can only hope that common sense will prevail.

Learner example:

This saying reflects an attitude that prevailed in the European countries of the 19th century when the people were no longer confined to only a basic education and the authority of the church.

"Word family:

Nouns: exhibition, exhibit

Verbs: exhibit

VERB

SHOW FEELINGS

to show a feeling, quality, or ability

Dictionary example:

The crew exhibited great courage when the plane crashed.

Learner example:

I consider my father a successful man because he exhibits all the qualities I've mentioned above.

"NOUN [C]

the space under the roof of a house or other building

Dictionary example:

Our loft is full of junk.

Learner example:

Everything was thoroughly searched, from the cellar to the loft.

"NOUN [C] FORMAL

the main character in a play, film, or story

Dictionary example:

The protagonist is a singer named 'Jed'.

Learner example:

The male protagonist, Anatolij Wonoseltsen, a divorcee with two children, abandoned by his wife,

is hoping to get a promotion to be able to provide for the family.

"ADVERB (farther, farthest or further, furthest)

so far so good INFORMAL

used to say that something has gone well until now

Dictionary example:

It's the first time I've done any decorating, but so far so good.

Learner example:

So far so good, only no one told us they held this point of view before the actual christening took place.

far from doing sth

certainly not doing something

Dictionary example:

Far from being pleased, he was embarrassed by the praise.

Learner example:

Far from asking you to close the airport, which would be quite an irrational request, I am suggesting that you should take some action to improve the situation.

go so far as to do sth

to take the extreme action of doing something

Dictionary example:

He even went so far as to stop her using the telephone.

Learner example:

Our present course of action may go so far as to cause irrevers[i]ble damage not only to our planet but also to the people living upon [it].

go too far

to behave in a way that upsets or annoys other people

Dictionary example:

He's said some stupid things in the past, but this time he's gone too far.

Learner example:

Lucia let her speak and calmly said: ""You really have gone too far this time.""

few and far between

not happening or existing very often

Dictionary example:

Opportunities like this are few and far between.

Learner example:

Jobs in those days were few and far between and for a number of years he was alternating between temporary jobs and unemployment benefit.

be far removed from sth

to be very different from something

Dictionary example:

The princess's world was far removed from reality.

Learner example:

It is the same problem with planned excursions to street markets in Asia, souks in Arabia or even tribes that are far removed from industrialized life in Papua New Guinea or the rainforest of Brazil.

ADJECTIVE [ALWAYS BEFORE NOUN]

the far left/right

used to describe political groups whose opinions are very extreme

Dictionary example:

He belongs to a far right group.

"Word family: Nouns: margin

Adjectives: marginal

ADJECTIVE

small and not important

Dictionary example:

a marginal effect/improvement

Learner example:

[Over-grazing had] the biggest impact in America, while deforestation caused only [a] marginal

effect.

"VERB [T] (found, found)

find fault with sb/sth

to criticize someone or something, especially without good reasons

Dictionary example:

She was always finding fault with our work.

Learner example:

Sometimes I take offence at their trying to find fault with me and I am not allowed to answer back.

find common ground

to find shared beliefs, interests or ideas

Dictionary example:

It's difficult for me to find any common ground with my dad.

Learner example:

The bottom line is we have to find some common ground and some balance between development

and nature...

"Word family:

Nouns: race, racism, racist

Adjectives: racial, racist

Adverbs: racially

NOUN [C]

! DISAPPROVING someone who believes that other races of people are not as good as

their own

Dictionary example:

Their boss was a racist.

Learner example:

That's something we should keep in mind, the next time you meet a racist.

ADJECTIVE

! DISAPPROVING believing that other races are not as good as your own and therefore treating them unfairly

Dictionary example:

a racist attack

Learner example:

It's even getting worse because of immigration and serious incidents like racist attacks in Germany against Turks or Asian people.

"Word family:

Nouns: mercy

Adjectives: merciful, merciless

KINDNESS

[U] kindness that makes you forgive someone, usually someone that you have authority over

Dictionary examples:

The judge showed no mercy.

The prisoners begged/pleaded for mercy.

Learner example:

The doctor showed no mercy and neither would Douglas.

be at the mercy of sb/sth

to not be able to protect yourself from something or someone that you cannot control

Dictionary example:

Farmers are often at the mercy of the weather.

Learner example:

I couldn't believe I'd been careless enough to let them be at the mercy of Joanna's careless,

boisterous friends, and I felt very lonely now, looking for them.

"VERB [I or T]

be flooded with sth PHRASAL VERB

to receive so many letters, telephone calls, etc. that you cannot deal with them

Dictionary example:

We were flooded with calls from worried parents.

Learner example:

Soon he was being hired again and once word spread that the musician had returned, he was flooded with bookings.

NOUN [C]

AMOUNT

a large number or amount of things or people that arrive at the same time

Dictionary example:

a flood of letters/calls

Learner example:

The sea of familiar faces brought a flood of memories rushing back.

ADJECTIVE

soft and loose or hanging down loosely

Dictionary example:

a floppy hat

Learner example:

That puppy was the cutest thing: [a] tiny body, with floppy ears, a curious wet nose that wanted to

sniff everything on its way, and huge cheerful eyes.

"Word family:

Nouns: assurance, reassurance, self-assurance

Verbs: assure, reassure

Adjectives: reassuring, self-assured

NOUN [C or U]

something that you say to make someone stop worrying

Dictionary example:

Despite my reassurances that she was welcome, she wouldn't come.

Learner example:

I very much like being around people and need the reassurance of being well liked.

"Word family: Adjectives: modest

Adverbs: modestly

ADVERB

NOT PROUDLY

in a modest way

Dictionary example:

She smiled modestly.

Learner example:

He had always been the star of their partnership, with her supporting him, reassuring him, serving him silently and modestly but in penetrating their shared curriculum he also felt his gratitude [re- emerging] towards this once loved person who had been his heart, his inspiration, the basis on

which he buil[t] his life.

"NOUN [C]

a very small number or amount

Dictionary example:

a fraction of a second

Learner example:

Both of them hit the wall almost at the same time but, against Hall's prediction, Popou was better

by a fraction of a second.

"NOUN

[U] protection from danger or unpleasant conditions

Dictionary example:

We took refuge from the storm in an old barn.

From the very moment when people from GDR started to take refuge in the BRD's embassy in Prague, my friend and I grew more and more excited.

"Word family: Nouns: negligence Verbs: neglect

Adjectives: negligent

NOUN [U]

when you are not careful enough in something you do, especially in a job where

your actions affect other people

Dictionary example:

Her parents plan to sue the surgeon for medical negligence.

Learner example:

Despite this situation of state negligence, bad laws and scarce funding, sports have managed to

survive the harsh years of transition and most importantly people have not lost their interest in sports.

"NOUN

QUALITY

[U] the quality of being extremely intelligent or extremely good at doing something

Dictionary example:

Einstein's genius

Learner example:

Nothing is more common than unrewarded genius and mis[used] talents.

"Word family:

Nouns: observation, observer

Verbs: observe

Adjectives: observant

VERB [T]

OBEY

to obey a law, rule, or religious custom

Dictionary example:

to observe the law

"Word family:

Nouns: repetition

Verbs: repeat

Adjectives: repeated, repetitive

Adverbs: repeatedly

NOUN [C or U]

when something is repeated

Dictionary example:

We don't want a repetition of last year's disaster.

Learner example:

This could in fact lead to a repetition of the mistakes of the past, when the paralyzed United

Nations were, due to the small number and influence of neutral countries, a mere bystander to the risky arms-race fought out between the two nuclear superpowers.

"NOUN [C]

an educated guess

a guess that is probably correct because you have enough knowledge about

something

Dictionary example:

I know you don't have the exact figures with you, but make an educated guess.

Learner example:

If we make an educated guess, we will probably suppose that this tendency will continue [for] the next few years and that there will be a time when we won't be able to do anything without

medicines.

"CONJUNCTION

or else

used to compare two different things or situations

Dictionary example:

He talks to her all the time, or else he completely ignores her.

Learner example:

Naturally Olivia's leaving affects Douglas, though not as strongly as one could have expected or else he simply does not show it.

"Word family:

Nouns: respect, disrespect

Verbs: respect

Adjectives: respectable, respected, disrespectful, respectful

Adverbs: respectfully

ADVERB

in a respectful way

Dictionary example:

He always spoke to them very respectfully.

Learner example:

I respectfully request you, as a store manager, to personally look into this situation, assist in investigating the problem with the faulty equipment as [a] matter of urgency by sending round a

qualified engineer and, if found unfixable, arrange for a new unit to be supplied.

"NOUN [U]

the buildings, paintings, customs, etc. which are important in a culture or society

because they have existed for a long time

Dictionary example:

our architectural/cultural heritage

Learner example:

We have already created a list of possible destinations with rich cultural heritage.

"Word family: Nouns: flow

Verbs: flow, overflow

VERB

CONTENTS

[I or T] If a container overflows, the things inside it start to come out because it is too full, and if the contents of a container overflow, they come our because it is

too full.

Dictionary examples:

The bath overflowed, and there's water all over the floor! The bin was overflowing with rubbish.

The river overflowed its banks after the heavy rainfall.

Learner example:

As a result of relentless rain the river had broken its banks and overflowed violently.

TOO MANY PEOPLE

If a place is overflowing, there are too many people in it.

Dictionary example:

The square was overflowing with people trying to see the queen.

The prisons are overflowing, society is losing out in many ways.

overflow with confidence/happiness/love, etc. to have a lot of a quality or emotion

Dictionary example:

Her father was overflowing with pride as he watched her collect her award.

Learner example:

She felt overflowing with indignation as if he had been rude to her.

"Word family:

Adjectives: human, inhuman

be only human

to not be perfect

Dictionary example:

Of course Tom makes mistakes - he's only human.

Learner example:

In theory, it is easy to say ""We should learn from the mistakes of the past"" but is it easy to do so in practice? Many people would say ""No"" to this question, as we are only human.

"ADJECTIVE

not able to change or be changed easily

Dictionary example:

I found the rules a little too rigid.

Learner example:

They were all trying to do their best in the rigid framework of the existing system (one of them

even succeeded in making the difference).

"NOUN [C]

DIRECTION

the direction that a person or vehicle moves in

Dictionary example:

a flight path

Learner example:

As you obviously cannot change the flight path towards or away from the airfield then we have to take alternative action.

cross sb's path

to meet someone, especially by accident

Dictionary example:

Mike has moved away and I doubt he'll ever cross my path again.

Learner example:

We are all socialised by our peers, family and other people who cross our path at one time or

another.

"Word family:

Nouns: rule, ruler, ruling

Verbs: rule

NOUN

bend/stretch the rules

to allow someone to do something which is not usually allowed

Dictionary example:

We don't usually let students take books home, but I'll bend the rules on this occasion.

LEADER

[U] when someone is in control of a country

Dictionary examples:

military rule

There have been reports of immense human suffering under his rule.

Learner example:

A XXth century modernist, not only should he be paid honour for his artistry but also for his never cea[s]ing battle against Franco's rule.

VERB

rule out sb/sth or rule sb/sth out PHRASAL VERB

to decide or state that something is impossible or will not happen, or that

something or someone is not suitable

Dictionary examples:

The police haven't yet ruled out murder.

The police have not ruled him out as a suspect.

Learner example:

Owning a house no longer seems to be a practical future plan and has to be ruled out, which meant that people lost their ultimate goal for working.

"Word family:

Adjectives: mature, immature

ADJECTIVE

not behaving in a way which is as wise and calm as people expect from someone your age

Dictionary example:

Some of the boys are quite immature for their age.

Learner example:

You might regard me as an immature, seventeen-year-old girl for I like decorating my diary.

"Word family: Nouns: pity Verbs: pity

Adjectives: pitiful

VERB [T]

to feel sorry for someone

She doesn't want people to pity her. Learner example:

I pitied him for having such an empty life.

"ADJECTIVE

doubting that something is true or useful

Dictionary examples:

Scientists remain sceptical about astrology. She was sceptical of the new arrangement.

Learner example:

Such cases make us rather sceptical about authors of various theories concerning nutrition.

"Word family:

Nouns: direction, directions, director Verbs: direct

Adjectives: direct, indirect

Adverbs: directly, indirectly

ADJECTIVE

NOT OBVIOUS

done or caused in a way that is not obvious

Dictionary examples:

indirect taxes/costs an indirect criticism

Learner example:

According to some experts there are just two solutions: delaying the age of retirement or increasing indirect taxes such as VAT.

"Word family: Adjectives: positive

Adverbs: positively

ADJECTIVE

MEDICAL TEST

If a medical test is positive, it shows that the person being tested has a disease or condition.

Dictionary example:

She did a pregnancy test and it was positive.

Learner example:

After some medical tests proved positive, she agreed with me.

"Word family:

Nouns: initial, initiative Verbs: initiate Adjectives: initial

Adverbs: initially

VERB [T]

to make something begin

Dictionary example:

The reforms were initiated by Gorbachev.

Learner example:

He initiated a restoration of the sports centre in the town where he lives and he donates money [to] charity regularly.

"Word family:

Nouns: awareness, self-awareness

Adjectives: aware

NOUN [U]

good knowledge and judgment about yourself

Dictionary example:

She has a high level of self-awareness.

Learner example:

Montag's friendship with Clarisse, a young girl who is sensitive towards humans and nature, serves as a catalyst in the commencement of the antagonist's self-awareness.

"Word family:

Nouns: intellect, intellectual

Adjectives: intellectual

Adverbs: intellectually

ADVERB

in a way that relates to your ability to think and to understand things

Dictionary example:

She's hoping to find a job which is more demanding intellectually.

Learner example:

Some people complain that they do not have enough time to develop intellectually when they are in their 20s or 30s because they have to take care of their small children.

"NOUN

on principle

If you refuse to do something on principle, you refuse to do it because you think it

is morally wrong.

Dictionary example:

She doesn't wear fur on principle.

Learner example:

They granted themselves a little celebration: it was time to keep the promise made four years

before; so they bought some bottles of wine and got drunk (the[y] who, on principle, never drank alcohol).

in principle

If you agree with something in principle, you agree with the idea or plan although

you do not know the details or you do not know if it will be possible.

Dictionary example:

They have approved the changes in principle.

Learner example:

In principle, one can agree with both positions pointed out in this statement.

MORAL RULE

[C or U] a rule or belief which influences your behaviour and which is based on what you think is right

Dictionary example:

He must be punished - it's a matter of principle.

Learner example:

He cheated every time he had the slightest opportunity to, even when it wasn't necessary at all. It

was a matter of principle to him.

"ADJECTIVE

NOT SERIOUS

not showing any interest in serious ideas

Dictionary example:

He is a very shallow person.

Learner example:

She is shallow and superficial, and she finds it hard to relate to her husband.

"Word family:

Nouns: variation, variety, variable

Verbs: vary

Adjectives: varied, various, variable

Adverbs: invariably

ADVERB

always

Dictionary example:

The train is invariably packed.

Learner example:

Nevertheless, there is invariably an exception to the rule.

"VERB [I or T] (-ll-)

to make a movement which gives information or tells people what to do

Dictionary examples:

He signalled left, and turned the lorry slowly. He was signalling with a red flag.

She signalled for help.

She signalled to the cars behind that they were going the wrong way.

The children's mother signalled them to be quiet.

Learner example:

He signalled his trust[y] and mostly silent cameraman to follow him and decided to go underground.

"Word family: Nouns: province

Adjectives: provincial

ADJECTIVE

relating to or typical of the provinces

Dictionary examples:

a provincial town

provincial attitudes

Tolerance and affection were there to[o], but living in a provincial part of France, I remember quite a number of old-fashion[ed] thoughts that I disliked strongly.

"Word family: Verbs: soar

Adjectives: soaring

VERB [I]

INCREASE

to increase to a high level very quickly

Dictionary example:

House prices have soared.

Learner example:

Not only has the interest from the public soared, but the competitions have also become

commercially exploited and are today an integral part of our modern ""brand and lifestyle"" society.

IN THE SKY

to move quickly and smoothly in the sky, or to move quickly up into the sky

Dictionary example:

The birds were soaring high above.

Learner example:

Through the windows, a colourful bird could be seen, soaring, swooping, hovering, before disappearing.