〈?〉 Contents Page Pronunciation table inside front cover What your dictionary tells you 4 A guide to using the dictionary 6 The dictionary A-Z Colour illustrations clothes 65 describing people 66 the family 99 the human body 100 the living room 165 prepositions 166 shops and jobs 199 space 200 sports 265 transport 266 verbs of movement 299 wild animals 300 Irregular verbs 372 English names 378 〈4〉 spelling different meanings of the word definition example idioms phrasal verbs part of speech difficult past tenses difficult comparatives and superlatives difficult plurals nouns with no plural prepositions join¹ /dʒɔɪn/ verb 1 to put or bring two or more things together: Tie a knot to join those two pieces of rope. This road joins the two villages. 2 to come together; meet: Where do the two roads join? 3 to go and be with someone usually so that you can do something together: Will you join me for a drink? (= will you have a drink with me?) I am joining my family for Christmas. 4 to become a member of something: He joined the army. 5 join hands to hold each other's hands: We all joined hands and danced round in a circle. 6 join in to take part in an activity, a game, etc.: We all joined in the singing. We're going to play football; do you want to join in? join² noun a place where two things have been joined together: There's a join in this piece of material. know /nəʊ/ verb (past tense knew /njuː/, past participle known /nəʊn/) 1 to have something in your mind which you are sure is true: Do you know where they went? They don't know your address. little² (less /les/, least /liːst/) 1 a very small amount which is sometimes not enough: You eat very little - that's why you're so thin. I have too little time to finish this work. I go there very little (= not often). man /mæn/ noun 1 (plural men /men/) a fully grown human male ► COMPARE: woman 2 (plural men) a person; a human being: Men have lived here for thousands of years. meat /miːt/ noun (no plural) the parts of an animal's body used as food: There's not much meat on that bone. mix-ture /'mɪkstʃər/ noun a number of different things or people put together: This tea is a mixture of two different types. The meaning of the word is explained using simple words. Any difficult words are written in SMALL CAPITAL LETTERS and you will always find them in the dictionary. The examples show you how to use the word join¹ and join² are separate even though they have the same spelling because one is a verb and the other is a noun. Look at Which word? on page 7 This is shown when a verb does not add -ed to form the past tense This is shown when the comparative and superlative is not formed with -er and -est This is shown when a noun does not add -s to form the plural The dictionary tells you when a noun does not have a plural. They are not used with a or an. You can find information about which prepositions to use with a word 〈5〉 information about other words pronunciation notes pictures quar-rel¹ /'kwɒrəl/ noun an angry argument: We had a quarrel about money. ► SAME MEANING: row slap¹ /slæp/ verb (present participle slapping, past slapped) to hit someone or something with the flat inside part of the hand ► COMPARE: punch slow¹ /sləʊ/ adjective 1 taking a long time, not fast: a slow journey; a slow speed 2 (used about clocks and watches) showing a time that is earlier than the real time: My watch is a minute slow. ► OPPOSITE (1 and 2): fast soon /suːn/ adverb 1 in a short time: Dinner will be ready soon. Come and see me soon. 2 soon after a short time after: He arrived soon after 8 o'clock. NOTE: Compare these sentences. I must go to bed soon (= in a short time from now). I must go to bed early (= before the usual time). Compare also soon and quickly. Do it soon (= do it in a short time from now). Do it quickly (= do it fast). vegetables garlic onions carrots potatoes peppers mushrooms beans peas cucumbers lettuce vegetable /'vedʒtəbl/ noun a plant that is eaten in the main part of the meal rather than with sweet things: They sell fruit and vegetables. Now look at the next page for more information on how to use your dictionary. Sometimes it is useful or interesting to know about another word which is like the word you are looking at, or to know what the opposite of a word is. You can find this information in your dictionary. There are notes to help you to use a word without making mistakes There are pictures to help you understand the meanings of words. Remember, there are also 12 colour pictures in your dictionary which help you understand lots of words. 〈6〉 How to find the word you need in your dictionary This is the English alphabet abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTU VWXYZ A is the first letter in the alphabet and Z is the last. Look at the letters below and put them in the correct order. ODJBQRZTNA A Now look at the alphabet above to see if you have the right answers. In a dictionary the words are in the same order as the letters of the alphabet (this is called alphabetical order), so that words which start with a are at the beginning of the dictionary and words which start with z are at the end. Look at these words and then put them in alphabetical order. alphabet aunt computer dog music orange school teacher yellow Now look in the main part of the dictionary to see if you have the right answers. The word afternoon comes before the word alphabet in the dictionary. These words both begin with the letter a, so you must look at the second letters (f and l) to see which one comes first. The following words all begin with the same letters. Put them in alphabetical order and then look to see if your answers are correct. fire fire brigade fire engine fireman fireplace firework 〈7〉 In this dictionary fire engine and fire brigade are in alphabetical order in the same way as if they were one word instead of two, so that fire brigade comes before fire engine because b comes before e in the alphabet. You can find phrasal verbs such as pick up and sit down by looking at the main verb (pick up is at pick, sit down is at sit). If you want to find an idiom or an expression in this dictionary, look at the most important word of the idiom (= a word which is NOT a, the, to etc.). For example, to find the idiom give someone a hand, look at hand. Where would you look to find these expressions? just a minute behind someone's back give the game away Look in the dictionary to find the answers. Which word? Sometimes you will find that there are two or more words with the same spelling (look at love for example). love¹ /lʌv/ verb (present participle loving, past loved) 1 to have a very strong warm feeling for someone: Mothers and fathers love their children. 2 to like something very much: Maria loves reading. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): hate love² noun (no plural) 1 a strong warm feeling of liking someone or something very much: Her love for her husband, the love of money OPPOSITE: hatred 2 Love a word used at the end of a letter to someone you love or someone in your close family 3 fall in love to begin to love someone of the opposite sex: He fell in love with a dancer. Love¹ and love² are separate because they are different types of words. Love¹ is a verb and love² is a noun. If you are using the dictionary to find information about a new word you need to know what type of word it is. 〈8〉 The sentences below have a space where a word is missing. Look at the list of words and decide which words you can put in the first sentence, e.g. you can say "Their house is beautiful", so BEAUTIFUL is one of the words which can go in the first sentence. Then look at the second and third sentences and choose suitable words. Remember that there is more than one word for each sentence. 1. Their house is ............................ 2. We ................ every day. 3. I've got a new ................ computer hat beautiful big work eat old sleep bicycle The words which can be used in the first sentence are all adjectives. An adjective is a word which describes someone or something. The words which can be used in the second sentence are all verbs. A verb is a word which tells you what someone or something does. The words which can be used in the third sentence are all nouns. A noun is a word which is the name of a person, place, animal or thing. Now look at these words and say whether each one is a noun, a verb or an adjective (write N, V, or A after the word). blue A mother loud dictionary see information understand boy Find the words in the dictionary and see if your answers are correct. Write a sentence using each word. Finding the right part of the word A word often has more than one meaning. Look at as below. as /æz; strong æz/ 1 when; while: We sang as we worked. 2 because: I can't come as I'm too busy. 3 being a particular thing for a time: She's working as a teacher for a few months. We can use this box as a table. 4 as ... as (used when comparing things): I'm not as old as you. It's just as good as the other one. 5 as well also: Can I have some as well? 〈9〉 Which of the meanings of as is being used in each of these sentences? Write the number of the meaning after each sentence. She isn't as clever as her sister. 4 I spent 6 months as a student at that college. We watched as the train disappeared. He lived there as a young man. Shall I come as well? They used a piece of cloth as a curtain. How to say the word Look at the phonetic symbols on the inside front cover. Now look at the words below and put the right word with the right sound. cat law narrow shop father often door got hand more car got /æ/ cat /a:/ /ɔ:/ /D/ Notice that different spellings may have the same sound. Now look at these words beginning with th- and see if you can find the pronunciation for each word. this /ðıs/ though /ðǝʊ/ these /ði:z/ theatre /'θıətə/ thought /θɔ:t/ their /ðɛə/ If you look again at the pronunciation for theatre (/'θıətə/) you can see that there is a small mark like this ' in front of it. This is to tell you that you must say the first part of theatre a little bit louder and with a little more force than the rest of the word (THEatre). Making one part of a word more important when you say it is called stress. Stress isn't always at the beginning of a word. 〈10〉 Do you know where the stress should be for these words? Put a ✓next to the one which is right and a x next to the one which is wrong. Say the words out loud to help you decide. 'address address academic a'cademic 'accept ac'cept Where should the stress be in these words? Put a ' in front of the part of the word where the stress should be. ex plain ex plan a tion dic tion ary village fire en gine Look in the dictionary to see if you have the right answers. Sometimes nouns and verbs which look the same have different stress, for example record (noun) is pronounced 'record, but the verb record is pronounced re'cord. Look at these examples and say whether the stress is the same or different. There has been an increase in the number of students at the school. The number of students at the school will increase next year. Our country exports oil. What are Britain's main exports? Other ways your dictionary can help you Look at pages 4 and 5 to find more information about how this dictionary can help you. Then see if you can name the different parts of the dictionary entry below. The first one has been done already to help you. class /klars/ noun (plural classes) 1 a group of people who learn together: She was in a class of thirty students. 2 a group of people or things of the same kind: Cats belong to one class of animals, fish to another. 〈11〉 a /eɪ/ [strong eɪ] 1 one; any: I gave him a pencil. A bird has two legs. 2 for each; in each: The sweets cost 10 cents a bag. three times a year NOTE: An is used instead of a before a word that starts with the sound of a, e, i, o, or u LOOK AT: an a-ban-don /əˈbændən/ verb to leave someone or something: The baby was abandoned by its mother. We abandoned our holiday because we had no money. ab-bre-vi-a-tion /əˌbriːviˈeɪʃn/ noun a short way of writing a word or name: Mr is the abbreviation for Mister. ABC /ˌeɪ biː ˈsiː/ noun the English alphabet: She's learning her ABC. ab-do-men /ˈæbdəmən/ noun the front part of your body below your waist a-bil-i-ty /əˈbɪləti/ noun (no plural) the power or knowledge to do something: Doctors now have the ability to keep people alive for much longer. a-ble /ˈeɪbl/ adjective having the power or the knowledge to do something: Is he able to swim? I'm afraid I won't be able to come. OPPOSITE: unable a-board /əˈbɔːd/ preposition, adverb on or onto a ship or plane: Are all the passengers aboard? a-bol-ish /əˈbɒlɪʃ/ verb to end something or get rid of it by law: The new government abolished the tax on wine. a-bol-i-tion /ˌæbəˈlɪʃn/ noun (no plural) ending or getting rid of something by law: the abolition of taxes a-bout /əˈbaʊt/ preposition, adverb 1 concerning: What are you talking about? a book about birds 2 a little more or less than: Come at about six o'clock. 3 here and there: The children were kicking a ball about. They walked about the town. 4 be about to do something to be just going to do something: I was about to come and see you. 5 how about/what about used when you are suggesting something: What about some lunch? How about going to the cinema? a-bove /əˈbʌv/ adverb, preposition 1 at a higher place; higher than; over: The picture is on the wall above my desk. the blue sky above OPPOSITE: below — see picture on page 166 2 more than a certain number or amount: children above the age of five 3 above all more than anything else; most important of all: I want you to remember this above all. a-broad /əˈbrɔːd/ adverb in or to a foreign country: My brother is studying abroad. He wants to go abroad. a-brupt /əˈbrʌpt/ adjective 1 sudden: an abrupt knock at the door 2 not polite: an abrupt answer to his question abruptly /əˈbrʌptli/adverb ab-sence /ˈæbsəns/ noun (no plural) not being there: Her absence was noticed by her friends. OPPOSITE: presence ab-sent /ˈæbsənt/ adjective not there; not present: He was absent from work last Tuesday. ab-sent-mind-ed /ˌæbsənt ˈmaɪndɪd/ adjective not noticing things that are happening around you, and often forgetting things ab-so-lute /ˈæbsəluːt/ adjective complete: Are you telling me the absolute truth? ab-so-lute-ly /ˌæbsəˈluːtli/ adverb 1 very; completely: It's absolutely beautiful. You must keep it absolutely secret. 2 used to show that you agree with someone: "Do you think I'm right?" "Absolutely!" ab-sorb /əbˈsɔːb/ verb 1 to take in liquid slowly 〈12〉 absorbent 2 to learn and understand something thoroughly: I haven't really absorbed all the information yet... absorbent /ab'sɔ:bənt/ adjective able to take in liquid: This material is quite absorbent.c absorb-ing /ǝb'sɔ:bın/ adjective very interesting: an absorbing book ab-surd /ǝb's3:d/ adjective very silly: The story was so absurd that no one believed it. absurdly /ǝb's3:dlı/ adverb a-buse¹ /ǝ'bju:z/ verb (present participle abusing, past abused). to call someone rude names or speak rudely to them a-buse² /ǝ'bju:s/ noun (no plural) 1 rude things said to someone: He shouted abuse at men 2 bad treatment or wrong use: the problem of drug abuse ac-a-dem-ic /ækǝ'demık/ adjective concerning the work done in schools, colleges, or universities: academic subjects accent /'æksǝnt/ noun a way of speaking, that shows that a person comes from a particular place: Maria speaks English with an Italian accent. accept /ək'sept/ verb 1 to receive or take something that is offered to you: Will you accept my offer? I accepted another piece of cake. 2 to agree to do something: David asked three friends to his party, and they all accepted. acceptable /ək'septǝbl/ adjective of good enough quality: Your work is not acceptable. acceptance /ǝk'septǝns/ noun (no plural) agreement to receive or take something that is offered to you: her acceptance of the offer access /'ækses/ noun (no plural) aj way to get to a place, a person, or a thing: There is no access to the street through that door. Students need access to books. accident /'æksıdənt/ noun 1 something, often bad, that happens by chance: John's had an accident, he's been hit by a car. I'm sorry I broke the cup, it was an accident. 2 by accident by chance; not on purpose: I did it by accident. ac.ci-den-tal /æksı'dentl/ adjective by chance; not on purpose: an accidental meeting ac-ci-den-tally /¡æksı 'dentlif adverb not on purpose: I accidentally broke a glass ac.com-mo-date /ǝ'komǝdeit/ verb (present participle accommodating, past accommodated) 1 to give someone a place to live or stay in 2 to have space for something: You could accommodate another four children in your class. ac-com-mo-da-tion /ǝ, komǝ'deıfn/ noun (no plural) somewhere to live or stay: I must find some accommodation. ac-com-pa-ny /ə'kʌmpəni/ verb (present participle accompanying, past accompanied) 1 to go with someone: He accompanied me to the doctor's. 2 to play music while someone else is singing or playing another instrument: Maria sang and I accompanied her on the piano. accomplish /ǝ'kʌmplıf verb to do or finish something: We accomplished a lot during the day. ac-com-plished /ǝ'kʌmplıft/ adjective very good at doing something: an accomplished musician ac-cord /ǝ'kɔ:d/ noun (no plural) of your own accord without being asked: She went of her own accord. 〈13〉 according to /ǝlkə:dıŋ tu:/ preposition from what is said or written: According to the map we're very close to the sea. account /ə'kaunt/ noun 1 a story or description: an exciting account of the match 2 a list of payments owed to someone 3 an amount of money kept in a bank: He paid the money into his bank account. 4 on account of because of: We stayed at home on account of the bad weather. 5 take something into account to consider something before making a decision: You must take the price into account when choosing which one to buy. 6 accounts (plural noun): lists of money that a person or company spends and earns account² verb account for to give the reason for something: I can't account for her strange behaviour. ac-count-ant /ə'kauntənt/ noun a person whose job is to keep lists of money spent and money earned for people or companies accurate /'ækjurət/ adjective right; correct: Is this watch accurate? accurately /'ækjurətli/ adverb OPPOSITE: inaccurate ac-cu-sa-tion /ækju'zeıЛ/ noun an act of saying that someone has done something wrong: accusations of cheating ac-cuse /ə'kju:z/ verb (present participle accusing, past accused) to say that someone has done something wrong: The teacher accused Paul of cheating. ac-cus-tomed to /ə'kastəmd tu:/ adjective used to something: I'm not accustomed to this sort of behaviour. ache¹ /eık/ verb (present participle aching, past ached) to be painful; to hurt: Her head ached. ache² noun a continuing pain: a stomach ache a-chieve /ə'tfi:v/ verb (present participle achieving, past achieved) to succeed in doing something by working: He achieved top marks in the examination. a-chieve-ment /ə'tfi:vmənt/ noun something that you have worked hard for and done well ac-id /'æsid/ noun a powerful liquid that can burn things acid rain /'æsid 'rein/ noun (no plural) rain which causes damage to trees and plants because it contains acid put into the air by factories ac-knowledge /ək'nolidz/ verb (present participle acknowledging, past acknowledged) 1 to agree that something is true: Do you acknowledge that you've been wrong? 2 to write to someone to say that you have received something: Please acknowledge my letter. a-corn /'eikɔ:n/ noun a small nut which grows on OAK trees ac-quaint-ance /ə'kweintəns/ noun a person you know slightly because you have met him/her a few times COMPARE: friend ac-quaint-ed /ə'kweintid/ be acquainted with to know someone: Are you acquainted with Mr Smith? ac-quire /ə'kwaıə/ verb (present participle acquiring, past acquired) to get or buy something: How did you acquire this money? a-cre /'eıkǝ/ noun a measure of land; 4,047 square metres ac-ro-bat /'ækrǝbæt/ noun a person who performs in a circus and does difficult tricks with their body a-cross /ə'kros/ adverb, preposition from one side of a place to the other; on the other side of something: They swam across the river, the house across the street see picture on page 166 act¹ /ækt/ verb 1 to do something or behave in a certain way: You're acting like a fool. 2 to pretend to be someone else, in a play or film 3 act as to be in place of someone or something: This room acts as her office. act² noun 1 an action: an act of bravery 〈14〉 acting /'æktıŋ/ noun the work done by an ACTOR OF ACTRESS action /'ækfn/ noun 1 something that you do: His quick action saved her life. The government must take action to help the poor. 2 in action doing something: photographs of the players in action during the match 3 out of action not working: My car is out of action. active /'æktiv/ adjective 1 always doing things: He is an active member of the club. an active old lady 2 doing the action: In the sentence "John kicked the ball", "kicked" is an active verb. OPPOSITE: passive activity /æk'tivǝti/ noun 1 (plural activities) something you do, especially to enjoy yourself: Dancing is her favourite activity. 2 (no plural) being active: The classroom was full of activity, every child was busy. actor /'æktər/ noun a man who acts in plays or films actress /'æktrıs/ noun (plural actresses) a woman who acts in plays or films ac-tu-al /'æktſuǝl/ adjective real and clear: We think he stole the money, but we have no actual proof. ac-tu-al-ly /'æktfuəlt/ adverb 1 really; in fact: Do you actually believe that? I've spoken to him on the telephone but I've never actually met him. 2 used to say in a polite way that someone has a wrong idea: Actually, the film starts at 3 o'clock, not 4. A.D. /ei 'di:/ after the birth of Christ, used in dates: the year A.D. 700 ad /æd/ noun an advertisement adapt /ə'dæpt/ verb 1 to change something to make it more suitable: a kitchen adapted for blind people 2 to become used to something: The children have adapted to their new school. a-dap-ta-ble /ə'dæptəbl/ adjective (of a person) able to become used to new things easily add /æd/ verb 1 to put something together with something else: If you add 2 and 7 you get 9. To make the cake, mix butter and sugar and then add flour. 2 add up to put numbers or amounts together to find a total: Add up these numbers. I can't add up (= I am not good at putting numbers together and finding the correct total). OPPOSITE: subtract 3 to say something more adder /'ædər/ noun a snake with a dangerous bite ad-di-tion /ə'dıfn/ noun 1 (no plural) adding numbers or amounts together 2 someone or something added: an addition to the family (= a new baby) 3 in addition to as well as: In addition to English, the children also learn German and Spanish. ad-dress¹ /ə'dres/ noun (plural addresses) the name of the place where you live: Please write your name and address. address² verb 1 to write an address on something: She addressed the letter to Mrs Wilson. 2 to speak to someone: The captain addressed his team. ad-e-quate /'ædıkwət/ adjective enough: an adequate amount of food OPPOSITE: inadequate ad-jec-tive /'ædzıktıv/ noun a word that describes someone or something: In the phrase "a beautiful song", "beautiful" is an adjective. ad-just /ə'dzast/ verb to make a small change in something to make it better ad-min-is-tra-tion /əd,ministreıfn/ noun (no plural) looking after or controlling a business or organization ad-mi-ral /'ædmərəl/ noun the most important officer in the navy ad-mi-ra-tion /,ædmə'reıfn/ noun (no plural) 2 something pretended: She seems happy but it's just an act. 3 a part of a play 〈15〉 ad-ven-ture /əd'ventfər/ noun an exciting thing that happens to someone ad-ven-tur-ous /əd'ventfərəs/ adjective liking a life full of adventures ad-verb /'ædvз:b/ noun a word which tells us how, when, or where something is done: In the sentence "She spoke loudly.", "loudly" is an adverb. ad-vert /'ædvз:t/ noun an advertisement ad-ver-tise /'ædvǝtaız/ verb (present participle advertising, past advertised) to put notices in a public place to give people information about something The company has spent a lot of money advertising its new shampoo. ad-ver-tise-ment /ǝd'vз:tismǝnt/ noun a notice or a short film offering something for sale: a newspaper advertisement, an advertisement for a new soap advice /əd'vais/ noun (no plural) a suggestion about what someone should do: If you take my advice you'll go home. That's good advice. ad-vise /əd'vaiz/ verb (present participle advising, past advised) to tell someone what you think they should do: She advised me to go home. admire /əd'maıǝr/ verb (present participle admiring, past admired) 1 to respect and approve of someone or something 2 to think a person or thing is very nice to look at: I was just admiring your new car. ad-mission /əd'mı∫n/ noun 1 saying that you have done something wrong or bad: an admission of guilt. 2 (no plural) permission to go in to a place: Admission was free for children. ad-mit /əd'mıt/ verb (present participle admitting, past admitted) 1 to agree that something unpleasant about yourself is true: She admitted she was lazy. OPPOSITE: deny 2 to let someone in to a place: This ticket admits two people to the football match. ad-o-les-cent /ædə'lesǝnt/ noun a boy or girl between about 13 and 18 years old SAME MEANING: teenager a-dopt /ə'dopt/ verb to take a child into your family and treat him or her as your own a-dore /ə'do:/ verb (present participle adoring, past adored) to love someone or something very much: She adored her son. I adore chocolate. ad-ult /'ædalt, ə'dalt/ noun a grown-up person: a group of 3 adults and 4 children advance¹ /əd'va:ns/ verb (present participle advancing, past tense advanced) to move forward: The army advanced towards the town. ► COMPARE: retreat advance² noun in advance before something happens or before you do something: You must pay in advance. advanced /əd'va:nst/ adjective of a high or difficult level: advanced English classes ad-van-tage /əd'va:ntıdz/ noun something that helps a person: It is an advantage to speak several languages. OPPOSITE: disadvantage aerial /'eəriəl/ noun a wire on top of a building or piece of apparatus which sends out or receives radio or television signals aer-o-bics /eə'rǝubiks/ noun (no plural) a form of very active exercise done to music aer-o-plane /'eǝrǝplein/ noun a large flying machine with wings, in which people can travel - see picture on page 266 aer-o-sol /'eǝrǝsol/ noun a container from which a liquid can be SPRAYED - see picture at spray 〈16〉 affair /ǝ'feə¹/ noun 1 a sexual relationship between two people, especially one which is secret because they are married to other people: Her husband was having an affair. 2 an event: The party was a noisy affair. 3 affairs (plural noun) things connected with a particular subject: government affairs af-fect /ǝ'fekt/ verb to make a difference to someone or something: The hot weather affected his health (= made him ill). af-fec-tion /ǝ'fekЛn/ noun (no plural) the feeling of liking and caring for another person af-fec-tion-ate /ǝ'fekЛnat/ adjective feeling or showing love affectionately /ǝ'fekЛnatlı/ adverb af-ford /ǝ'fo:d/ verb to have enough money to pay for something: We can't afford a holiday. a-fraid /ǝ'freid/ adjective feeling fear: Are you afraid of the dark? SAME MEANING: scared after /'a:fta¹/ preposition 1 later than; following: Tomorrow is the day after today. OPPOSITE: before 2 behind; trying to catch: The child ran after her dog. 3 after all in spite of what you did or thought before: I thought it was a mistake but it was right after all. 4 after that next; then: What did she do after that? 5 be after something to be trying to get something: I think he's after more money. after-noon /a:fta'nu:n/ noun the time between the middle of the day and evening: Good afternoon, Mrs Brown (= said as a greeting). after-wards /'a:ftawǝdz/ adverb later; after something has happened: We saw the film and afterwards walked home together. a-gain /ǝ'gen/ adverb 1 one more time; once more: Come and see us again soon. 2 again and again many times 3 now and again sometimes but not very often: My aunt visits us now and again. a-gainst /ǝ'genst, ǝ'geinst/ preposition 1 not agreeing with someone or something: I'm against killing animals for their fur. OPPOSITE: in favour of... 2 on the other side in a game or match: We're playing against the village team. 3 close to; touching: Put the ladder against the wall. — see picture on page 166 4 in order to stop something happening: government action against the job losses 5 against the law not allowed by the law: It's against the law to drive too fast. age /eidz/ noun 1 the number of years someone has lived or something has been: What age is he? He is ten years of age. 2 (no plural) one of the periods of a person's life: old age, at a young age 3 (no plural) being old: The wine improves with age. 4 a period of time in history 5 ages a long time: We talked for ages. aged /eidzdzd/ adjective being of a particular age: children aged six and under COMPARE: old a-gent /'eidzǝnt/ noun a person who looks after business for someone else: our company's agent in New York a-go /ǝ'gǝʊ/ adverb in the past: We came to live here six years ago. a few minutes ago NOTE: Ago is used with the past tense of verbs, but you cannot use it with past tenses which are formed with have. Compare these sentences: He arrived a month ago. He has been here since last month. LOOK AT: before and since ag-o-ny /'ægani/ noun (no plural) very bad pain a-gree /ǝ'gri:/ verb (present participle agreeing, past tense agreed) 1 to have the same opinion as someone else: I agree with you. We all agreed. 2 agree to something to say yes to something: He agreed to the plan. 3 agree with something to believe that something is right; to approve of something OPPOSITE: disagree 〈17〉 a-gree-ment /ə'grizmənt/ noun 1 an arrangement or promise between people or countries: Britain has trade agreements with many other countries. 2 (no plural) having the same opinion as someone else: They finally reached agreement on the price. 3 in agreement having the same opinion: We are all in agreement. ag-ri-cul-tu-ral /ægrı'kaltfərəl/ adjective used in farming or to do with farming ag-ri-culture /'ægrikaltfər/ noun (по plural) the science of growing crops and raising animals SAME MEANING: farming a-head /ə'hed/ adverb 1 forward: Walk straight ahead until you reach the river. 2 at a distance in front of someone or something: I saw her ahead of me. aid¹ /eid/ noun (no plural) help: aid for poor countries aid² verb to help someone SAME MEANING: assist AIDS /eidz/ noun (no plural) a very serious disease which destroys the body's ability to fight illnesses aim¹ /eim/ verb 1 to point something and get ready to throw it or fire it towards a person or thing: to aim a gun at someone. 2 to want to do something: We aim to win. ► COMPARE:(2) intend aim² noun 1 an act of pointing something and getting ready to throw it or fire it towards a person or thing 2 something you want to do alr¹ /ea/ noun (no plural) 1 the gas surrounding the earth which people breathe. 2 an appearance: an air of excitement 3 by air in an aircraft: We travelled by air. 4 the air the space above you: He threw his hat into the air. air² verb to make a room or clothes fresh by letting air into them air-con-di-tion-ing /lea kən'dıfnın/ noun (no plural) air-craft /'eǝkra:ft/ noun (plural aircraft) a flying machine air-field /'calfi:ld/ noun a place where aircraft land air-force /'eǝfa:s/ noun soldiers who use aircraft for fighting ► COMPARE: army, navy air hostess /'ea haustis/ noun a woman whose job is to look after the passengers on a plane air-less /'eǝlis/ adjective without any fresh air: an airless room OPPOSITE: airy air-line /'calain/ noun a company which carries people or goods by plane air mail /'eǝmeil/ noun (no plural) letters and parcels sent by aircraft airport /'eǝpa:t/ noun a place where aircraft are kept and where they arrive and leave see picture on page 266 air rald /'eə reid/ noun an attack by soldiers in aircraft air-y /'eəri/ adjective (airier, airiest) having fresh air inside: an airy room OPPOSITE: airless aisle /ail/ noun a narrow passage between rows of seats a-jar /ə'dza:/ adjective (of a door or window) not quite closed alarm¹ /ə'la:m/ noun 1 (no plural) a feeling of fear or danger 2 something such as a bell that warns people of danger: a fire alarm alarm² verb to worry someone or make them afraid alarm clock /ə'la:m klok/ noun a clock that rings a bell at the time you want to wake up album /'ælbəm/ noun 1 a book with empty pages where you can put photographs, stamps, etc. 2 a record with several songs on each side: a Michael Jackson album 〈18〉 al-co-hol /'ælkahol/ noun (no plural) a strong liquid, in beer and other drinks, which makes you feel drunk al-co-hol-ic /ælkə'holık/ adjective containing alcohol: an alcoholic drink a-lert /ə'ls:t/ adjective awake and quick to notice things al-ge-bra /'ældzıbrǝ/ noun (no plural) a kind of MATHEMATICS in which you use letters to represent numbers a-ll-en /'eılıǝn/ noun a creature from another world: a spaceship full of aliens a-light /ə'laıt/ adjective burning; on fire: The house was alight. a-like /ə'laık/ adjective, adverb the same in some way: They were all dressed alike in white dresses. COMPARE: similar a-live /ə'laıv/ adjective living; not dead: Is his grandfather still alive? all /ɔ:l/ adjective, adverb 1 the whole amount of; Don't eat all that bread! 2 every one of: all the children 3 completely: He was dressed all in black. 4 all over everywhere: I've been looking all over for you. 5 not at all not in any way: I'm not at all hungry. She didn't understand it at all. al-ler-gic /ə'ls:dzık/ adjective 1 caused by an allergy: an allergic rash 2 becoming ill when you eat, drink, or touch a particular thing: I'm allergic to cats. al-ler-gy /'ælǝdzı/ noun (plural allergies) an illness that causes you to become ill every time you eat, drink, or touch a particular thing alley /'ælı/ noun a very narrow road in a town al-ll-ance /ə'latǝns/ noun an agreement between countries or groups to work together for a purpose al-li-ga-tor /'ælıgeıtǝ/ noun a large animal with a long body and short legs which lives on land and in rivers in some countries allow /ə'lau/ verb to let someone do something: You're not allowed to go in there. OPPOSITE: forbid all right /ɔ:l 'raıt/ (also alright) adjective, adverb 1 well; not hurt: Do you feel all right? 2 good enough; quite good: The film was all right but I've seen better ones. 3 yes; I agree: "Shall we go to town?" "All right, let's go now." al-ly /'ælaı/ noun (plural allies) someone who helps you work or fight against someone else almost /'ɔ:lmǝust/ adverb nearly: It's almost 9 o'clock. alone /ə'lǝun/ adjective, adverb 1 not with other people: He lives alone. COMPARE: lonely 2 only: She alone knows the truth. 3 leave someone or something alone to stop touching or disturbing someone or something: Leave the dog alone! a-long /ə'loŋ/ preposition, adverb 1 following the length of; from end to end of something long and thin: We walked along the road. the houses along the street see picture on page 166 2 forward: Move along please! 3 with you: Can I bring my friend along? a-long-side /ə,loŋ'said/ preposition, adverb by the side of something a-loud /ə'laud/ adverb in a voice that is easy to hear: She read the story aloud. al-pha-bet /'ælfəbet/ noun the letters of a language in a special order: The English alphabet begins with A and ends with Z. al-pha-bet-i-cal /ælfə'betıkl/ adjective in the same order as the letters of the alphabet: The words in this dictionary are in alphabetical order. al-read-y /ɔ:l'redi/ adverb 1 before now: He has seen that film twice already. 2 by this or that time: It was already raining when we started our journey. LOOK AT: just and yet 〈19〉 al-right /ǝıl'rast adjective, adverb another word for all right also {'ərlə adverb as well; too NOTE: When there is only one verb put also before the verb, unless it is the verb be which must have also after it: He enjoys football and cricket, and he also likes tennis. She likes music and she is also interested in sport. When there are two verbs, put also after the first one: I would also like to come. It is an expensive sport which can also be dangerous. al-tar j'alta noun a raised table in a religious place where things are offered to a god al-ter ['ɔxlta verb to change: She altered her plans. alteration /əltə'reın noun a change alternate /o:l'ts:nat adjective first one, then another: He works on alternate Saturdays (= he works one Saturday, does not work the next, and so on). al-ter-na-tive¹ /o:l'ta:nativ) noun something you can do or use instead of something else: You must go there is no alternative. alternative² adjective different from something else: an alternative plan. al-though /ǝil'dau/ even if; in spite of something: Although they are poor they are happy. al-to-gether /o:ltə gedər/ adverb counting everyone or everything; completely: Altogether there were 12 people in the bus. He's not altogether sure what to do. always alweiz adverb 1 at all times: He always arrives late. ►OPPOSITE: never 2 for ever: I shall always remember you. NOTE: When there is only one verb put always before the verb, unless it is the verb be which must have always after it: We always enjoy our holidays. It is always nice to see you. When there are two verbs, put always after the first one: You must always be careful when you cross the road. She is always complaining. am /əm; strong æm/ verb the part of the verb be that we use with I: I am very sorry. Am I late for dinner? I'm (= I am) very late, aren't I? a.m. /er lem/ in the morning: I got up at 8 a.m. a-maze /ə'meiz) verb (present participle amazing, past amazed) to surprise someone very much a-maze ment /ə'meızmənt/ noun (no plural) very great surprise: His mouth opened in amazement. a-mazing /ə'meızın adjective very surprising and exciting: What amazing news! SAME MEANING: Incredible am-bas-sa-dor /æm'bæsədə noun an important person who represents his or her government in another country am-bl-tion /æm bifn/ noun 1 (no plural) a strong wish to be successful 2 something you very much want to do: Her ambition was to be a famous singer. am-bi-tious /æm'bijəs/ adjective wanting very much to be successful am-bu-lance {'æmbjuləns/ noun a special vehicle for carrying people who are ill or wounded am-mu-ni-tion {æmju'nin noun (no plural) something that you can shoot from a weapon a-mong /ə'mAŋ/ (also amongst/a'maŋst/) preposition 1 in the middle of a lot of people or things: houses among the trees 2 between three or more people The money was shared among the children LOOK AT: between 3 in a particular group of people: a common problem among young people 〈20〉 a-mount /ə'maunt/ noun a sum of money or a quantity of something: a large amount of gold amp /æmp/ noun a measure of electricity ample /'æmpl/ adjective as much as you need and more COMPARE: enough a-muse /ə'mjuzz/ verb (present participle amusing, past amused) to make someone laugh or smile a-muse-ment /ə'mjurzmənt/ noun 1 (no plural) enjoyment 2 an enjoyable thing to do a-mus-ing /ə'mjuzzıŋ/ adjective making you laugh or smile: an amusing story SAME MEANING: funny an /ən; strong æn/ used instead of a before a word that starts with the sound of a, e, i, o, or u: an apple, an orange NOTE: You use an instead of a before words beginning with a vowel sound, e.g. a dog, a girl, a house, but an umbrella, an elephant, an object. Remember that there is sometimes a difference in the way a word is spelt and the way it sounds. Use an before words which begin with a vowel sound but are not spelt with a, e, i, o, or u at the beginning, e.g. An MG (/em'dzi:/) is a type of car. In the same way use a, not an, with words which are spelt with a vowel at the beginning but do not begin with a vowel sound, e.g. a European (/juərə'piən/) country. an-aes-thet-ic /ˌænəsˈθetik/ noun something which is given to people by doctors to stop them feeling pain, especially by making them sleep. an-a-lyse /'ænəlaız/ verb (present participle analysing, past analysed) to look at something very carefully to find out what it is made of or to understand it: We need to analyse this problem carefully before deciding what to do. a-nal-y-sis /ə'næləsɪs/ noun (plural analyses /ə'næləsiːz/) a careful examination of something an-ces-tor /'ænsestə/ noun a person in your family who lived a long time before you were born an-chor /'æŋkə/ noun a heavy weight dropped down from a ship to the bottom of the sea to stop the ship from moving an-cient /'eınʃənt/ adjective very old: ancient history, an ancient building and /ænd; strong ənd/ a word used to join two words, expressions, or parts of a sentence: I went to the station and bought my ticket. I had a drink and a piece of cake. an-gel /'eındʒəl/ noun a messenger from God, usually shown in pictures as a person with wings an-ger /'æŋɡə/ noun (no plural) the feeling of being very annoyed angle /'æŋɡl/ noun the shape made when two straight lines meet each other an-gler /'æŋɡlə/ noun a person who goes fishing using a rod an-gri-ly /'æŋɡrılı/ adverb in a way that shows anger: "Go away!" she said angrily. an-gry /'æŋɡri/ adjective (angrier, angriest) feeling very annoyed: I'm very angry with them. SAME MEANING: cross an-guish /'æŋɡwɪʃ/ noun (no plural) great suffering or pain an-i-mal /'ænɪml/ noun something alive that is not a person or a plant: Dogs, goats, and lions are animals. an-kle /'æŋkl/ noun the bottom part of your leg just above your foot, which can bend see picture on page 100 an-ni-ver-sa-ry /ˌænɪˈvɜːsəri/ noun (plural anniversaries) the same date each year that something important happened in the past: We were 〈21〉 an-nounce /ə'nauns/ verb (present participle announcing, past announced) to say something in public: The captain announced that the plane was going to land. an-nouncement /ə'naunsmənt/ noun something written or spoken to tell people important news: a wedding announcement in the newspaper. an-nouncer /ə'naunsə/ noun a person whose job is to broadcast information to people, on radio or television or at a station, airport, etc. an-noy /ə'noi/ verb to make someone angry: I was annoyed because I missed the bus and was late for work. an-nu-al /'ænjuəl/ adjective happening every year; an annual event an-o-rak /'ænǝræk/ noun a short, warm coat with a cover for your head another /ə'nıðǝ/ 1 one more: Would you like another cup of tea? 2 a different one: This plate is broken, can you get me another one? answer¹ /'ansǝ/ verb 1 to say or write something after you have been asked a question: “Did you do it?” “No, I didn't,” she answered. SAME MEANING: reply 2 answer the door to open the door when someone knocks on it. 3 answer the telephone to pick up the telephone when it rings answer² noun 1 something that you say or write after you have been asked a question: My answer is “no”. 2 the correct result of a sum or the correct name or fact for a question: Do you know the answer? That's the wrong answer. an-swering machine /'ansərin mə, Si:n/ noun a machine which answers your telephone and records messages when you are out ant /ænt/ noun a small insect that lives in large groups an-te-lope /'æntilaup/ noun (plural antelope or antelopes) a wild animal that runs very fast and has horns on its head - see picture on page 300 an-ti-bi-ot-ic /æntibar'otik/ noun a type of drug used to fight illness in a person's body: The doctor gave me an antibiotic for my sore throat. an-tic-i-pate /æn'tisipert/ verb (present participle anticipating, past anticipated) to expect something to happen: We anticipate a few problems. an-ti-clock-wise /ænti'klokwaız/ adjective, adverb in the opposite direction to the way the hands of a clock move round OPPOSITE: clockwise an-tique /æn'ti:k/ noun an object which is old and worth a lot of money: an antique table anx-i-e-ty /æn'zarǝti/ noun (no plural) a feeling of worry anxious /æŋkfas/ adjective worried any¹ /eni/ adjective 1 it does not matter which one: You can buy them in any big shop. On any day of the week. 2 used in questions and sentences with "not" to mean "some": Have you any bread? There isn't (= is not) any in the cupboard. NOTE: Use any, not some, in questions and in NEGATIVE sentences: I must buy some coffee. Is there any coffee? There isn't any coffee. 〈22〉 any when you are asking for something or offering something you use some: Would you like some coffee? Can I have some coffee please? any² adverb used in questions and sentences with "not" to mean "at all": Don't (= do not) drive any faster. Are you feeling any better? an·y·body /'enibodi/ any person: Has anybody seen my pen? She liked John, but she wouldn't talk to anybody else (= any other people). NOTE: Use anybody or anyone, not somebody or someone in questions and in NEGATIVE sentences: There was somebody waiting outside. Is there anybody there? There wasn't anybody at home. an·y·how /'enihau/ adverb another word for anyway an·y·one /'eniwʌn/ another word for anybody ➔ LOOK AT: anybody an·y·thing /'eniθıy/ 1 used in questions and sentences with "not" to mean "something": Do you want anything? She didn't want anything else (= any other things) to eat. NOTE: Use anything, not something, in questions and in NEGATIVE sentences. I must get something to drink. Have you got anything to drink? I don't want anything to drink. 2 it does not matter what thing: Please tell me if there's anything I can do to help. an·y·way /'eniwer/ adverb 1 in spite of something else: The dress cost a lot of money, but I bought it anyway. 2 used when you are saying something which supports what you have just said: I don't want to go anyway I haven't been invited. 3 in any way: You can do the job anyway you like. an·y·where /'eniweǝr/ adverb in, at, or to any place: I can't find my key anywhere. Have you been anywhere else (= to any other places)? a-part /ə'pa:t/ adverb 1 separately; away from another, or others: The two villages are 6 miles apart. 2 apart from except: All the children like music apart from Joseph. a-part-ment /ə'pa:tmənt/ noun a part of a building, on one floor, where someone lives ➔ SAME MEANING: flat. ape /eıp/ noun a large animal like a monkey, but with a very short tail or no tail a-pol-o-gize /ə'polədzaız/ verb (present participle apologizing, past apologized) to say that you are sorry about something you have done: He apologized for his bad behaviour. a·pol·o·gy /ə'polədzı/ noun (plural apologies) something that you say or write to show that you are sorry about something you have done a-pos-tro-phe /ə'postrəfı/ noun the sign (') used in writing to show that letters have been left out, e.g. don't instead of do not, or with s to show that someone owns something, as in Sarah's book or ladies' hats ap-pal-ling /ə'pɔ:lın/ adjective very bad: an appalling accident, an appalling film ➔ SAME MEANING: dreadful ap-pa-ra-tus /æpə'reıtəs/ noun (no plural) tools or other things needed for a special purpose: There is sports apparatus in the gym. ap-par-ent /ə'pærənt/ adjective clearly able to be seen or understood: It was apparent that he knew nothing about how to repair cars. ➔ SAME MEANING: obvious ap-par-ent-ly /ə'pærəntlı/ adverb used when you are saying that something seems to be true: They've been married for 20 years, and apparently they're very happy. appeal¹ /ə'pi:l/ verb 1 to ask for something strongly; beg for: She appealed to me for help. 2 appeal to someone to please or interest someone: That type of holiday doesn't appeal to me. appeal² noun an act of asking for something: an appeal for money 〈23〉 ap-pear /ə'piə/ verb 1 to seem: She appears to be unhappy. 2 to come into sight suddenly: Her head appeared round the door. OPPOSITE: disappear ap-pear-ance /ə'piərəns/ noun 1 the sudden arrival or coming into sight of a person or thing 2 the way a person looks to other people: his neat appearance ap-pe-tite /'æpitait/ noun the wish for food: I lost my appetite when I was ill. ap-plaud /ə'plɔ:d/ verb to hit your hands together many times to show that you liked or enjoyed something: Everyone applauded when the music ended. SAME MEANING: clap ap-plause /ə'plɔ:z/ noun (no plural) hitting your hands together many times to show that you liked or enjoyed something: the sound of applause ap-ple /'æpl/ noun a round, hard, juicy fruit which is usually red or green - see picture at fruit apple pie /'æpl 'pai/ noun a type of sweet cake with cooked apples in the middle ap-pli-ance /ə'plaiəns/ noun an instrument or piece of equipment for doing something useful: kitchen appliances such as washing machines ap-pli-ca-tion /,æpli'keiʃn/ noun a written paper asking for something: an application for a job ap-ply /ə'plai/ verb (present participle applying, past applied) 1 to ask for something: I want to apply for the job. 2 to be important or useful to a particular person: The rules apply to everyone. 3 to put something on a surface: to apply make-up to your face ap-point /ə'pɔint/ verb to give someone a job: I appointed her as my secretary. ap-point-ment /ə'pɔintmənt/ noun 1 a time arranged for seeing someone: I made an appointment to see the doctor. 2 a job ap-pre-ci-ate /ə'pri:ʃieit/ verb (present participle appreciating, past appreciated) to be grateful for something: I appreciate your help. ap-pren-tice /ə'prentis/ noun someone who is learning a job, especially a job you do with your hands ap-proach /ə'prəutʃ/ verb to come near ap-pro-pri-ate /ə'prəupriət/ adjective right; suitable appropriately /ə'prəupriətli/ adverb OPPOSITE: inappropriate ap-prov-al /ə'pru:vl/ noun (no plural) the judgement or opinion that someone or something is good OPPOSITE: disapproval ap-prove /ə'pru:v/ verb (present participle approving, past approved) to think that something is good: I don't approve of smoking. OPPOSITE: disapprove ap-prox-i-mate /ə'prɔksimət/ adjective not exact: Our approximate time of arrival is two o'clock (= it might be just before or just after two). approximately /ə'prɔks-imətli/ adverb a-pri-cot /'eiprikɔt/ noun a round, soft, yellow fruit April /'eiprəl/ noun the fourth month of the year a-pron /'eiprən/ noun a large piece of cloth that you put on top of your other clothes, to keep your clothes clean when you are cooking a-quar-i-um /ə'kwɛəriəm/ noun a large glass box in which live fish are kept arch /a:tʃ/ noun (plural arches) a curved shape like the curved part of a bridge. ar-chae-ol-o-gist /,a:kı'ɔlədzıst/ noun 〈24〉 ar-chae-ol-o-gy /a:kı'olǝdzi/ noun (no plural) the study of very old things made by people who lived a long time ago arch-bishop /a:tf'bifǝp/ noun an important Christian leader; a chief BISHOP ar-chi-tect /'a:kitekt/ noun a person whose job is planning and drawing buildings COMPARE: builder ar-chi-tec-ture /'a:kitektfər/ noun (no plural) 1 the shape and style of buildings; modern architecture 2 the job of planning and drawing buildings: He studies architecture. are /a:r/ strong a:/ verb the part of the verb be that is used with we, you and they: Who are you? We're (= we are) Jane's friends. They aren't very tall are they? area /'eriǝ/ noun 1 a part of a country, region, or city: He lives in the Glasgow area (= near Glasgow). 2 the measure of a surface: The square has an area of nine square centimetres. aren't /a:nt/ 1 are not: Bob and Sue aren't coming to the party. Aren't you a clever girl? 2 used in questions instead of am not: I'm your best friend, aren't I? ar-gue /'argju:/ verb (present participle arguing, past argued) to fight or disagree in words: They often argued about money. ar-gu-ment /'a:gjumənt/ noun a disagreement; a quarrel: They had an argument. a-rise /ǝ'raiz/ verb (present participle arising, past tense arose /ǝ'rǝuz/, past participle arisen /ǝ'rizn/) to happen or appear: A problem has arisen. ar-is-to-crat /'ærıstǝkræt/ noun a person from an important old family arithmetic /ǝ'rıθmətık/ noun (no plural) sums done with numbers, including addition, division, etc. arm /a:m/ noun the part of your body between your shoulder and your hand — see picture on page 100 arm-chair /'a:mtfer/ noun a comfortable chair with places to rest your arms on — see picture at chair and picture on page 165 armed /a:md/ adjective carrying a weapon, especially a gun: an armed robber armed forces / a:md 'fo:sız/ plural noun all the soldiers of a country who fight on land, at sea, or in planes ar-mour /'a:mǝr/ noun (no plural) a covering of metal worn as protection by soldiers in the past arm-pit /'a:mpit/ noun the place under your arm where your arm joins your body arms /a:mz/ plural noun weapons such as guns and bombs army /'a:mi/ noun (plural armies) a large number of soldiers fighting together COMPARE: airforce, navy a-rose /ǝ'rǝuz/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb arise a-round /ǝ'raund/ preposition, adverb 1 with a movement or shape like a circle: We sat around the fire. 2 on all sides of something: a wall around the garden 3 in or to different places: They walked around the town. 4 not exactly; about: at around 10 o'clock 5 to face another way: She walked away and then turned around and came back. ar-range /ǝ'reind3/ verb (present participle arranging, past arranged) 1 to put things in a way which makes them look neat or attractive: She arranged the flowers in a vase. 2 to make plans for something: I have arranged a meeting for tomorrow. ar-range-ment /ǝ'reindzmǝnt/ noun a plan or agreement that something will happen 〈25〉 ar-rest¹ /ə'rest/ verb to make someone a prisoner because they are believed to have done something wrong. arrest² noun an act of arresting someone: The police made three arrests yesterday. ar-riv-al /ə'raivl/ noun (no plural) getting to a place: We are sorry for the late arrival of your train. OPPOSITE: departure ar-rive /ə'raiv/ verb (present participle arriving, past arrived) to get to a place: She arrived home very late. We arrived in London on Tuesday. ►OPPOSITE: depart ar-ro-gant /'ærəgənt/ adjective too proud arrow/'ærau/noun 1 a sharp stick that is used as a weapon and shot from a bow 2 a sign which points to where something is art /a:t/ noun 1 (no plural) the skill of drawing and painting: He's very good at art. 2 something which you need skill to do: the art of cooking 3 the arts music, writing, painting, films, etc. ar-te-ry /'a:təri/ noun (plural arteries) one of the tubes in your body that carry blood from your heart around your body ar-thri-tis /a:'Oraitis/ noun (no plural) a disease that makes your hands, arms, legs, etc. painful and difficult to move ar-ti-choke /'a:tifuuk/ noun a green vegetable that looks like a flower ar-ti-cle/'a:tıkl/ noun 1 a thing: articles of clothing 2 a piece of writing in a newspaper: an article about ships 3 the words a or an (= indefinite article) or the (= definite article) ar-ti-fi-cial /,a:tı'fıfəl/ adjective not real: artificial flowers art-ist/'a:tist/ noun a person whose job is painting pictures ar-tis-tic /a:'tıstık/ adjective able to make attractive, interesting things, for example by drawing or painting as /æz; strong æz/ 1 when; while: We sang as we worked. 2 because: I can't come as I'm too busy. 3 being a particular thing for a time: She's working as a teacher for a few months. We can use this box as a table. 4 as ... as (used when comparing things): I'm not as old as you. It's just as good as the other one. 5 as well also: Can I have some as well? ash /æf/ noun (plural ashes) the grey powder that is left after something has burnt a-shamed /ə'Jeimd/ adjective feeling bad about something you have done wrong: She was very ashamed that she had stolen the money. ► LOOK AT: embarrassed. a-shore /ə'Jo:/ adverb onto the land: Pull the boat ashore! ash-tray /'æſtrei/ noun a small dish in which you put the ash from cigarettes a-side /ə'said/ adverb to or towards one side; away ask /a:sk/ verb 1 to say something that is a question: "Who are you?" she asked. 2 to try to get something from someone: They asked me the time. She asked me for some money. 3 ask someone to something to invite someone to a place or event a-sleep /ə'sli:p/ adjective 1 sleeping 2 fast asleep sleeping deeply ►OPPOSITE: awake as-par-a-gus /ə'spærəgəs/ noun (no plural) a long, thin green plant which is eaten as a vegetable as-pect /'æspekt/ noun a particular part of a situation: One of the aspects of the problem is the lack of money. as-pirin /'æsprin/ noun a medicine taken to make a pain in your body go away 〈26〉 ass /æs/ noun (plural asses) an animal like a small horse with long ears as-sas-sin /ə'sæsin/ noun someone who kills an important person for political reasons as-sas-sin-ate /ə'sæsineit/ verb (present participle assassinating, past assassinated) to kill an important person for political reasons ▷ COMPARE: murder as-sas-sin-a-tion /ə,sæsı'neiſn/ noun the killing of an important person for political reasons: the assassination of President Kennedy assault¹ /ə'sɔ:lt/ verb to attack or hit someone assault² noun an attack as-sem-ble /ə'sembl/ verb (present participle assembling, past assembled) to gather together in a group as-sem-bly /ə'sembli/ noun (plural assemblies) a group of people gathered together for a special purpose or meeting as-sist /ə'sıst/ verb to help someone as-sist-ance /ə'sistəns/ noun (no plural) help as-sis-tant /ə'sistənt/ noun a person who helps someone in their job as-so-ci-ate /ə'səufieit/ verb (present participle associating, past associated) 1 to connect two things or ideas in your mind 2 to spend time with someone or be connected with them: I don't wish to associate with him. as-so-ci-a-tion /ə,səusi'eiſn/ noun a group of people joined together for one purpose as-sume /ə'sju:m/ verb (present participle assuming, past assumed) to think that something is true even though no one has said so: I assumed she was his mother, but in fact she's his aunt. as-sure /ə'ſɔ:(r)/ verb (present participle assuring, past assured) to tell someone that something is true as-te-risk /'æstərisk/ noun the sign * as-ton-ish /ə'stoniſ/ verb to surprise someone very much as-ton-ish-ment /ə'stoniſmənt/ noun (no plural) great surprise as-tound /ə'staund/ verb to shock and surprise someone very much as-tride /ə'straid/ adverb, preposition with one leg on either side of something: He was sitting astride his horse. as-trol-o-ger /ə'strolədzər/ noun a person who studies the PLANETS and stars, believing that they can influence people's characters and change what happens in their lives as-trol-o-gy /ə'strolədʒi/ noun (no plural) the study of the PLANETS and stars in the belief that they can influence people's characters and change what happens in their lives as-tro-naut /'æstrənɔ:t/ noun a person who travels in space - see picture on page 200 as-tro-no-mer /ə'strɒnəmər/ noun a person who studies the sun, moon, and stars as-tron-o-my /ə'strɒnəmi/ noun (no plural) the study of the sun, moon, and stars at /æt; strong æt/ preposition 1 in a particular place: He left his bag at the station. She is at work. - see picture on page 166 2 at a particular time: It gets cold at night. at one o'clock 3 towards someone or something: Look at me! 4 used to show how much, how old, or how fast: He got married at twenty-one. driving at ninety miles an hour, at a cost of £9.50 ate /et, eit/ the PAST TENSE of the verb eat ath-lete /'æθli:t/ noun someone who is good at sports in which they have to run, jump, or throw things ath-let-ics /æθ'letiks/ noun (no plural) a general name for sports in which people 〈27〉 at-las /'ætləs/ noun (plural atlases) a book of maps at-mo-sphere /'ætməsfıǝr/ noun (no plural) 1 the air surrounding the Earth 2 a feeling that a place or group of people give you: the exciting atmosphere of a football match at-om /'ætəm/ noun the smallest part of a chemical atomic energy /atomik 'enǝdzi/ noun (no plural) power from the forces in an atom, used to make electricity attach /ətæts/ verb 1 to fix something to something else 2 be attached to someone to like someone very much: Mary was very attached to her brother. attack¹ /ə'tæk/ verb to fight against someone or harm them: The newspaper attacked (= wrote things against) the new tax. attack² noun a violent act to try to harm someone: an attack on the soldiers attempt¹ /ə'tempt/ verb to try to do something attempt² noun a try: She made an attempt to speak their language. at-tend /ə'tend/ verb to be present at an event: to attend a meeting at-tend-ance /ə'tendəns/ noun (no plural) being present: His attendance at school is bad (= he does not go often enough). attendant /ə'tendənt/ noun a person whose job is to look after a place or person attention /ə'tenſn/ noun (no plural) 1 looking at and listening to someone or something: May I have your attention?(= will you listen to me please?) 2 attract someone's attention to make someone notice you 3 pay attention to someone to listen to someone very carefully attic /'ætık/ noun a room at the top of a house inside the roof, often used for storing things at-ti-tude /'ætitju:d/ noun the way you think or feel about something: her attitude towards her job at-tract /ə'trækt/ verb 1 to make someone or something come near: Many people visited the sea, attracted by the fine weather. 2 to cause interest and admiration: It was his sense of humour that first attracted me to him. at-trac-tive /ə'træktıv/ adjective pleasing, especially to look at ➔ OPPOSITE: ugly aubergine /'aubəziin/ noun a large vegetable with a dark purple skin auction /'ɔ:kſn/ noun a meeting where things are sold to the person who offers the most money au-di-ence /'ɔ:dıəns/ noun all the people watching a play, listening to music, etc. August /ɔ:'gʌst/ noun the eighth month of the year aunt /a:nt/ noun the sister of one of your parents, or the wife of your uncle - see picture on page 99 author /':0ǝr/ noun a person who has written a book author-l-ty /ɔ:'0ɔrəti/ noun 1 (no plural) the power to make people do what you want: The teacher has authority to punish any pupil. 2 (plural authorities) a person or group who controls or governs something au-to-bi-og-ra-phy /ɔ:təbai'ɔgrəfi/ noun (plural autobiographies) a book that someone has written telling the story of their own life ➔ COMPARE: biography au-to-graph /':ɔtəgra:f/ noun a famous person's name, written by them ➔ COMPARE: signature au-to-mat-lc /ɔ:tə'mætık/ adjective working by itself: automatic doors (= doors which open and close without being touched) 〈28〉 autumn /ɔ:təm/ noun, adjective the season before winter in cool countries, when the leaves fall off the trees a-vai-la-ble /ə'veıləbl/ adjective able to be seen, used, etc.: Is the doctor available? av-a-lanche /'ævəlants/ noun a large amount of snow or a lot of rocks falling down a mountain avenue /'ævanju:/ noun a road in a town, especially one with trees on both sides COMPARE: street average /'ævrıdz/ adjective 1 usual; ordinary: The average child enjoys listening to stories. 2 learnt by adding several amounts together, and then dividing the total by the number of amounts you have added: The average of 3, 5 and 7 is 5 (= 3+5+7 = 15, 15 ÷ 3 = 5). The average age of the children is 12. What is the average rainfall in this area? av-o-ca-do /ævəl'ka:daʊ/ noun a green fruit like a PEAR with a large stone in the middle and a skin which you cannot eat a-void /ə'void/ verb to keep away from a person, place, or thing: Are you trying to avoid me? a-wait /ə'wert/ verb to wait for someone or something awake /ə'werk/ adjective not sleeping: The baby is awake. OPPOSITE: asleep a-ward¹ /ə'wɔ:d/ noun a prize, given for a special reason: an award for bravery award² verb to give someone a prize or an amount of money for a special reason a-ware /ə'weəʳ/ adjective knowing about something: I was not aware of the problem. a-way /ə'weɪ/ adverb 1 to another place: Go away! He turned round and walked away. 2 distant from a place: Do you live far away? The nearest town is 3 miles away. 3 not at home or at work: I'll be away for a few days. 4 put something away to put something in a safe place. awful /:/ adjective 1 very bad or frightening: an awful accident 2 not pleasing; not liked: That's an awful book. SAME MEANING: dreadful awfully /ɔ:fli/ adverb very: She's awfully clever. SAME MEANING: terribly awkward /'ɔ:kwəd/ adjective 1 not skilful in handling things: not moving in an easy way: He's very awkward; he keeps dropping things. 2 not easy to handle: The cup is an awkward shape. 3 making you feel uncomfortable: There was an awkward silence, when no one knew what to say. axe /æks/ noun a tool with a metal blade fixed onto a handle, used for cutting down trees 〈29〉 ba-by /'berbt/ noun (plural babies) a very young child ba-by-ish /'berb1-1f/ adjective like a baby: Don't be so babyish! ba-by-sit/'berıbısıt/ verb (present participle babysitting, past babysat) to care for a child while his or her parents are away ba-by-sitter /'beibisita noun a person who is paid to care for a child when the child's parents are away bach-e-lor/'bætsələr noun a man who is not married and has never been married COMPARE: spinster back¹ /bæk noun 1 the part of your body that is behind you and goes from your neck to your legs: lay on my back. Her back aches. see picture on page 100 2 the part that is furthest from the front: Write this exercise at the back of your book. There's a hut at the back of (= behind) the house. OPPOSITE: front 3 back to front with the back where the front should be: You're wearing your hat back to front. 4 behind someone's back without someone knowing: You shouldn't talk about people behind their backs. 5 turn your back on someone to refuse to help or be friendly with someone: Now that he's famous he's turned his back on his friends. back² adverb 1 in the direction that is behind you; away from the front: Stand back from the fire; it's very hot. 2 to a place where something or someone was before: Put the book back on the shelf when you've finished it. When do you come back from your holiday? 3 in reply: I wrote to her, and she wrote back to me the next day. back³ adjective at the back: the back seat of a car OPPOSITE: frontal back⁴ verb 1 to make a vehicle move in the direction that is behind you: She backed the car into the street. 2 back away from someone or something to move away from somepne or something because you are afraid of them 3 back someone up to support someone by agreeing that what they are saying is true back-bone /'bækbaun noun the line of bones going from your neck to your bottom SAME MEANING: spine back-ground /'bækgraund noun the area that is behind the main objects or people in a picture: This is a photo of Mary, with our house in the background. back-pack/'bækpæk/ noun a bag that you carry on your back back-stroke /'bækstrǝuk/ noun (по plural) a way of swimming which you do lying on your back in the water: Can you do backstroke? back-ward /'bækwad adjective 1 in the direction that is behind you: a backward movement 2 slow to learn things OPPOSITE: (1 and 2) forward backwards /'bækwadz/ adverb 1 in the direction that is behind you The train is going backwards. 2 starting at the end; in the opposite way to the usual way. For example, if you count backwards from 5, you say 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 OPPOSITE: (1 and 2) forward 3 backwards and forwards moving many times, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction: He travels backwards and forwards between London and New York. back-yard / bæk'ja:d/ noun a small area of land behind a house and belonging to it bacon /'berkən noun (no plural) meat from the back or sides of a pig, that is prepared in salt, cooked, and eaten hot COMPARE: ham bac-te-ri-a /bæk'tıǝrǝl plural noun living substances which are so small that 〈30〉 bad /bæd/ adjective (worse/w3:s/, worst /wa:st/) 1 not good or nice: bad news, bad behaviour, a bad smell 2 not able to do something well: I'm bad at maths and singing. a bad doctor 3 serious or severe: He's got a very bad cold. 4 very old and no longer good to eat: That cheese is bad, so don't eat it. 5 go bad to become old and not good to eat: This meat has gone bad. 6 be bad for someone to cause harm to someone: Smoking is bad for you. 7 not bad quite good badge /bædz/ noun something that you wear on your clothes to show your name, your job, the name of your school, etc. COMPARE: brooch bad-ger/bædza/ noun a wild animal with black and white fur that lives in a hole and comes out at night bad-ly /'bædlı adverb 1 not well; not nicely: She sang very badly. 2 very much: to want something badly 3 severely: badly hurt bad-min-ton/'bædmintan/ noun (no plural) a game like tennis in which you hit a special type of very light ball with feathers on it bad-tem-pered/bæd tempǝd/ adjective becoming angry very easily: You're very bad-tempered today. a bad-tempered man bag bæg noun a container made of cloth, paper, plastic, or leather which opens at the top and which you use for carrying things: a bag of shopping baggage /'bægidz/ noun (no plural) all the bags that you take with you when you travel SAME MEANING: luggage bag-gy /'bægt adjective (baggier, baggiest) (used about clothes) very loose: baggy trousers bait /best/ noun (no plural) food that you use to attract fish or animals so that you can catch them bake /betk/ verb (present participle baking, past baked) to cook something using dry heat in a closed box called an oven: I'm baking a cake. COMPARE: roast baked beans / berkt bi:nz/ plural noun round, white beans cooked with TOMATOES and sold in tins baker /'berkar noun 1 a person whose job is making bread and cakes see picture on page 199 2 baker's a shop that sells bread and cakes: I'm going to the baker's to get some bread. bakery/'berkǝrı) noun (plural bakeries) a building where bread and cakes are baked for selling - see picture on page 199 balance /'bælans/ verb (present participle balancing, past balanced) to keep yourself or something else steady, especially in a difficult position: to balance a book on your head balance noun (no plural) 1 the ability to stay steady without falling to one side or the other: My balance isn't very good so I can't ride a bicycle. 2 keep your balance to stay steady without falling to one side or the other 3 lose your balance to fall when you are trying to remain steady in a difficult position: I lost my balance and fell when I was walking on the ice. bal-co-ny /'belkant noun (plural balconies) 1 a place above the ground on the outside of a building where people can sit: Our flat has a large balcony. 〈31〉 bald /bo:ld/ adjective with no hair on the head: a bald old man see picture on page 66 bale /beil/ noun a large quantity of goods or material tied tightly together: a bale of hay ball /boil/ noun 1 a round object that you use in some games for throwing or kicking 2 a thing with a round shape: a ball of wool 3 a large important party at which people dance: The queen attended a ball. ballet/'bælei/ noun a kind of dance in which the dancers sometimes stand on the ends of their toes and move to music in a way that tells a story balloon /bə'lun/ noun a rubber bag that can be filled with air or gas so that it floats in the air ball-point /'bo:lpoint/ noun a pen full of ink with a very small metal ball at the end you write with ▶ SAME MEANING: biro bam-boo /bæm'bu:/ noun (no plural) a tall, hard grass that is like wood and is sometimes used for making furniture ban¹ /bæn/ verb (present participle banning, past banned) to make a rule or law saying that something is not allowed: Smoking is banned in school. ▶ COMPARE: forbid ban² noun an order which says you must not do a particular thing: There is a ban on smoking. ba-na-na /bə'na:nə/ noun a long fruit with a yellow skin - see picture at fruit band /bænd/ noun 1 a narrow piece of material used for holding things together: Put a rubber band around these books. 2 a group of people who are together for some purpose: a band of thieves 3 a group of people who play music together ban-dage¹ /'bændidz/ noun a long piece of cloth that is tied on to your body to cover a wound ▶ COMPARE: plaster bandage² verb (present participle bandaging, past bandaged) to tie a bandage on a part of someone's body bandit /'bændit/ noun a robber with a gun who is part of a group and attacks travellers in quiet country places bang¹ /bæŋ/ noun 1 a loud noise like the noise made by a gun 2 a blow: a bang on the head bang² verb 1 to hit something: He fell and banged his head. to bang a drum 2 to shut something with a loud noise: Don't bang the door! ban-gle /'bæŋgl/ noun a piece of jewellery worn around a woman's arm or ankle ban-ish /'bænif/ verb to send someone away from their own country as a punishment ban-is-ter /'bænistə/ noun a type of fence along the outer edge of stairs to prevent people falling bank¹ /bæŋk/ noun 1 an organization which looks after people's money for them by keeping it safe, and which sometimes lends people money 2 the raised land along the side of a lake or river bank² verb 1 to put or keep money in a bank: to bank your wages 〈32〉 bank account 2 bank on someone or something to depend on someone or something: You can never bank on her to help you. bank account /'bænk akaunt/ noun an arrangement you make to leave your money in a bank until you need it: How much money do you have in your bank account? to open a bank account bank-er /'bænkar/ noun a person who owns or controls a bank bank hol-i-day / bænk 'holıder, -di/ noun a special day which is not a Saturday or Sunday, when everyone has a holiday and all the banks and most of the shops are shut banking /'bænkın/ noun (no plural) the business done by a bank bank note /'bænk nout/ noun a piece of paper money bank-rupt /'bænkrapt/ adjective not able to pay the money that you owe people ban-quet /'bænkwit/ noun a special important meal where there are a lot of people bap-tis-m /'bæptizam/ noun the ceremony in which someone, usually a baby, becomes a member of the Christian church bap-tize /bæp'taiz/ verb (present participle baptizing, past baptized) to make someone a member of the Christian church by performing a special ceremony bar¹ /ba:/ noun 1 a place where people go to buy and drink alcohol 2 a solid piece of something, longer than it is wide: a bar of soap, a bar of chocolate 3 a long piece of wood or metal for keeping a door, etc. shut or for preventing people from entering or leaving a room: a window with bars across it 4 behind bars in PRISON bar² verb (present participle barring, past barred) 1 to close something firmly with a long piece of wood or metal: She barred the door. 2 to block something: The soldiers barred the road to the city. bar-be-cue /'ba:brkju:/ noun 1 a meal that is cooked outside on a type of fire and usually eaten outside COMPARE: picnic 2 a type of fire for cooking food outside barbed wire /'ba:bd 'waıǝ/ noun (no plural) wire with short sharp points in it: a barbed wire fence bar-ber /'ba:bar/ noun 1 a person whose job is to cut men's hair COMPARE: hairdresser 2 barber's a shop where men can go to have their hair cut: to go to the barber's bare /bea/ adjective 1 not covered by anything: bare feet (= without shoes and socks) 2 empty: a bare room (= with no furniture) bare-foot /bea'fut/ adjective, adverb not wearing any shoes or socks: to walk barefoot bare-ly /'bearlı/ adverb just; almost not: He had barely enough money to buy food. SAME MEANING: hardly bargain¹ /'ba:gın/ verb to talk or argue about the price of something that you are buying or selling bargain² noun 1 something which you can buy for a little money but is worth more: These shoes are a bargain at only £10. 〈33〉 2 an agreement in which two people or groups each promise to do something: to make a bargain with someone barge /ba:d3/ noun a large boat with a flat bottom used for carrying things such as coal on rivers bark¹ /ba:k/ verb to make the sound made by a dog bark² noun 1 (no plural) the strong hard skin that covers the outside of a tree 2 the sound a dog makes barley /'ba:lı/ noun (no plural) a type of grass that is grown on farms and is used for making beer bar-maid /'ba:meid/ noun a woman whose job is to serve drinks in a BAR or PUB bar-man /'ba:mən/ noun (plural barmen /-mən/) a man whose job is to serve drinks in a BAR or PUB barn /ba:n/ noun a large building on a farm, used as a place for keeping animals and crops ba-rom-e-ter /bə'romitə/ noun an instrument that tells you if the weather is going to change bar-racks /'bærəks/ plural noun a building that soldiers live in bar-rel /'bærəl/ noun 1 a large round container with flat ends, used for keeping liquids such as oil and beer 2 the part of a gun that is like a tube bar-ri-er /'bæriǝ/ noun a fence or wall: The police put a barrier across the road. barrow /'bærou/ noun a small cart that you pull or push by hand and use for carrying things base¹ /beis/ noun 1 the bottom of something; the part something stands on: a bottle has a flat base 2 the place where something is controlled: The company has offices all over the world, but their base is in London. base² verb (present participle basing, past based) 1 be based somewhere to have your main home, office, etc. in a place: We're based in the city but we spend a lot of time in the country. 2 base something on something to develop something from something that exists or from something that has already happened: a book based on her experiences during the war baseball /'beisbo:l/ noun (no plural) a ball game in which two teams in turn try to hit a ball with a round stick and then run round a specially shaped field basement /'beismənt/ noun a part of a house, shop, or building which is below the level of the street: They live in the basement. COMPARE: cellar bases /'beisi:z/ noun the plural of the word BASIS basic /'beisik/ adjective simple and more important than anything else: basic skills such as reading and writing ba-sin /'beisın/ noun 1 a round dish 2 a large bowl fixed to the wall for washing your hands COMPARE: sink basis /'beisis/ noun (plural bases /'beisi:z/) the part of something from which something else develops: These ideas formed the basis of the plan. basket /'ba:skit/ noun a container made of thin pieces of shaped wood which you use for carrying things basketball /'ba:skitbo:l/ noun a game in which two teams try to throw a ball through a round net which is high above the ground see picture on page 265 bat¹ /bæt/ noun 1 a piece of wood used for hitting the ball in some games: a baseball bat 2 a small animal with wings that flies at night and hangs upside-down when it sleeps bat² verb (present participle batting, past batted) to hit a ball with a special piece of wood batch /bæt∫/ noun (plural batches) a number of people or things arriving or being dealt with together: to cook a batch of cakes, a batch of new students 〈34〉 bath¹ /bo:0/ noun (plural baths fborðz, ba:es/) 1 a large container that you fill with water and then sit in to wash your body d 2 baths a swimming pool: Shall we go to the baths? 3 have a bath to wash yourself in a bath: I have a bath every day. bath² verb 1 to wash someone in a bath: to bath a baby 2 to wash yourself in a bath: She baths every morning. NOTE: Do not confuse the verb bath (= to wash in a bath) with the verb bathe (= to swim), e.g. to bathe in the sea. The verb bath is not used often, people usually use the expression "have a bath" instead: He had a bath and washed his hair. Do not use "have a bath" instead of bathe... bathe /berd/ verb (present participle) bathing /'berdıŋ), past bathed /berdd/ to swim for pleasure in a river or the sea bath-er/'berdar noun a person who is swimming for pleasure in la river or the sea. bathing suit /'berdin su:t/ noun a piece of clothing that you wear when you swim bathrobe /'ba:@rǝub/noun a type of loose coat that you put on after you have had a bath bath room /'ba:erum/ noun a room in a house where people wash their bodies or have baths bat-ter/'bæta verb to hit someone or something hard, again and again battery/'bætarı/ noun (plural batteries) a box that produces or stores electricity, like them ones used in radios, etc. or the one in a car. battle /'bætl/ noun ra fight between soldiers, ships, or aircraft: one of the most important battles of the war COMPARE: war: bay/bet/ noun a part of the sea that curves inwards so that it is enclosed by land B.C. /,bi: 'siz/ a short way of writing the words "Before Christ, used in dates: It was built in the year 2000 B.С. be /bi; strong bi:/ verb 1 used to describe or give information about people or things: His name is Peter. My mother is a teacher. The milk is on the table. I'm (= I am) very happy. "How old are you?" "I'm 16." "What's (= what is) your name?" "It's (= it is) Emma." It was my birthday yesterday. 2 used with other verbs to show that something is happening now: "What are you doing?" "I am painting a picture." 3 used with other verbs to show that something happens to a person or thing: She is paid to clean their house (= they pay her to clean their house). He was attacked by a dog. The house was built 50 years ago. 4 there is plural there are used to say that someone or something is in a place: Look, there's (= there is) Sue! There are too many people at the party. How many children are there in your class? There was a loud noise. 〈35〉 beach /bi:t/ noun (plural beaches) a shore covered in sand or stones where people go to swim bead /bi:d/ noun a small ball of glass with a small hole for string or wire to pass through: She wore a string of beads round her neck. beak /bi:k/ noun the hard pointed mouth of a bird see picture at bird beam¹ /bi:m/ noun 1 a large long heavy piece of wood used to support the roof of a building 2 a line of light shining from a bright object: the sun's beams, a beam of light beam² verb to smile in a very happy way: She beamed with pleasure. bean /bi:n/ noun 1 a seed or seed container of a plant which is eaten as a vegetable: green beans see picture at vegetable 2 a seed of a plant which is used for making food or drink: coffee beans bear¹ /beǝr/ noun a large and sometimes fierce wild animal with a thick coat see picture on page 300 bear² /beǝr/ verb (past tense bore /bo:/, past participle borne /bo:n/) 1 to carry or support the weight of something: That chair won't bear your weight. 2 to accept something bad without complaining: The pain was too much for me to bear. 3 can't bear (used to show that you dislike someone or something very much): I can't bear loud music. beard /biǝd/ noun hair on a man's face below his mouth COMPARE: moustache see picture on page 66 beast /bi:st/ noun 1 a wild and dangerous animal 2 an unkind or cruel person: You beast I hate you! beat¹ /bi:t/ verb (past tense beat, past participle beaten /'bi:tn/) 1 to defeat someone; to have a better result than someone: We beat the other team at football. 2 to hit someone or something many times: to beat a drum 3 to move regularly: Her heart was beating fast. 4 to beat someone up to hit someone until they are hurt beat² noun a single stroke or movement as part of a regular group: a beat of your heart beau·ti·cian /bju:'tıfn/ noun a person who gives beauty treatment to your face and body beau·ti·ful /'bju:tıfl/ adjective 1 very attractive and nice to look at a beautiful woman, a beautiful view 2 very pleasing or nice: What a beautiful day! beautiful music NOTE: The adjectives beautiful and pretty can be used to describe women, children and things, but they are never used to describe men. A man who is nice to look at can be described as handsome. beau·ti·fully /'bju:tIfli/ adverb very well; in a way which looks or sounds good: She speaks French beautifully. beau·ty /'bju:ti/ noun 1 (no plural) being beautiful: a place of great beauty 2 (plural beauties) something or someone beautiful: His mother was a great beauty. be·came /bi'keim/ the PAST TENSE of the verb become be·cause /bi'koz/ 1 (used when you are giving a reason for something): I missed the train because I was late. 2 because of for this reason: We stayed at home because of the bad weather. beck·on /'bekən/ verb to make a sign with your finger asking someone to come to you be·come /bi'kʌm/ verb (present participle becoming /bi'kʌmɪŋ/, past tense became /bi'keim/, past participle become) 1 to begin to be something: The prince became king when his father died. The actor became famous. 〈36〉 bed /bed/ noun 1 a piece of furniture you sleep on: What time did you go to bed last night (= go to your bed to sleep)? 2 the base or bottom of something; the bed of a river. 3 make a bed to tidy a bed and make it ready for sleeping in 4 go to bed with someone to have sex with someone bed and break-fast / bed and 'brekfast/ noun a family house where you can pay to be a guest for the night. You can have breakfast there, but no other meals: We stayed in a bed and breakfast. bed-clothes /'bedklaudz/ plural.noun all the covers put on a bed to keep you warm bed room /'bedru:m/ noun a room for sleeping in bed-sit /bed'sit/ noun a room used for both living and sleeping in: Many students live in bedsits. bed-spread /'bedspred/ noun a cloth cover for a bed, used to keep you warm or to make the bed look attractive COMPARE: duvet bee /bi:/ noun a stinging, flying insect that makes HONEY beef /bi:f/ noun (no plural) the meat from cattle bee-hive /'bi:haiv/ noun (also hive) a wooden box made for bees to live in been /bi:n, bin/ 1 the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb be: It has been very cold this week. 2 have been somewhere to have gone and come back from a place: She's been away on holiday (= but now she's back). Have you ever been to Scotland? LOOK AT: gone beer /biǝr/ noun 1 (no plural) an alcoholic drink made from grain 2 a glass or bottle of this drink: Can I have two beers please? bee-tle /'bi:tl/ noun an insect whose outside wings make a hard cover for its body beet-root /'bi:tru:t/ noun a round red vegetable that grows under the ground be-fore¹ /bı'fo:r/ adverb at some earlier time; I have never seen you before (= this is the first time I have seen you). before² preposition 1 earlier than: You must leave before 8 o'clock. Finish your work before you go. the day before yesterday OPPOSITE: after 2 before that (used when you want to show that something happens or happened earlier than something else): She was a teacher, and before that she worked in an office. NOTE: Before means "earlier than something else", e.g. She left before I arrived, Clean your teeth before you go to bed. Ago means "in the past". Look at these sentences: We went to Scotland 3 years ago. Our second visit to America was in 1993, and our first visit was 3 years before 〈37〉 be-fore-hand /bı'fɔːrhænd/ adverb before something else happens: She knew I was coming because I telephoned her beforehand. beg /beg/ verb (present participle begging, past begged) 1 to ask people in the street for money or food 2 to ask someone very strongly to do something: I begged her not to go. 3 I beg your pardon a phrase used when you are sorry because you have done something wrong, or when you did not hear what someone said and you want them to say it again: I beg your pardon, could you repeat that? be-gan /bɪ'gæn/ the PAST TENSE of the verb begin beg-gar /'begər/ noun a person who asks people in the street for money or food be-gin /bɪ'gɪn/ verb (present participle beginning, past tense began, /bɪ'gæn/, past participle begun /bɪ'gʌn/) 1 to start: The film begins at 2 o'clock. 2 to start something: When do you begin your new job? It's beginning to rain. 3 to begin with at first: To begin with I didn't like school, but now I enjoy it. NOTE: Remember that the past tense is began, and the past PARTICIPLE İS begun. be-gin-ner /bɪ'gɪnǝ'/ noun a person who is starting to do or learn something: a swimming class for beginners be-gin-ning /bɪ'gɪnɪŋ/ noun the start: the beginning of the year be-gun /bɪ'gʌn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb begin be-half /bɪ'hɑːf/ noun on behalf of someone instead of someone; for someone: I have come on behalf of my brother, he's ill. I paid the money on your behalf (= for you). be-have /bɪ'heɪv/ noun 1 to act in a particular way: The children behaved very badly. 2 behave yourself to act in a way which will not annoy or offend other people be-hav-iour /bɪ'heɪvjǝ'/ noun (no plural) the way a person acts: What bad behaviour! be-hind /bɪ'haɪnd/ preposition, adverb at the back (of): He hung his coat on the nail behind the door. My brother went in front and I walked behind. She hid behind a tree. beige /beɪʒ/ noun, adjective a very light brown colour: a beige dress being¹ /'bi:ɪŋ/ the PRESENT PARTICIPLE of the verb be being² noun a person: Men, women, and children are human beings, a being from another world be-lief /bɪ'li:f/ noun 1 (no plural) the feeling that something is true or exists: a belief in God 2 an opinion or idea which you think is true: religious beliefs be-lieve /bɪ'li:v/ verb (present participle believing, past believed) 1 to think that something is true: I don't believe the things you say. 2 to think that someone is telling the truth: Don't you believe me? 3 to have an opinion: I believe we will be successful. 4 believe in something to be sure that something exists: Do you believe in God? 5 believe in someone to trust someone and be sure they will succeed: The soldiers all believe in their leader. bell /bel/ noun a round hollow metal object that makes a musical sound when it is hit: church bells bellow /'beləʊ/ verb to shout something in a loud deep voice: "Go away!" he bellowed angrily. be-long /bɪ'lɒŋ/ verb 1 belong to someone to be owned by someone: Who does this coat belong to (= who is the owner)? 〈38〉 belongings 2 belong to something to be a member of a group or club be-long-ings /bɪˈlɒŋɪŋz/ plural noun your own property: Please take all your belongings with you when you leave the plane. be-low /bɪˈləʊ/ adverb, preposition 1 at a lower place; lower than; under: The children threw sticks from the bridge into the river below. My brother is in the class below mine. — see picture on page 166 2 less than a particular amount: children below the age of five ► OPPOSITE (1 and 2); above belt /belt/ noun a piece of cloth or leather that you wear around the middle of your body bench /bentʃ/ noun (plural benches) a long wooden seat: a bench in the park bend¹ /bend/ verb (past bent /bent/) 1 (also bend down, bend over) to move the top part of your body down towards the ground: She bent down to pick up a book from the floor. — see picture on page 299 2 to move something into a curved position: to bend your knees. bend² noun a curve: a bend in the road. be-neath /bɪˈniːθ/ preposition below; under: Shall we sit beneath these trees? beneath a sunny sky ben-e-fit¹ /ˈbenɪfɪt/ verb to be useful or helpful to someone: The plants benefited from (= were helped by) the rain. benefit² noun 1 an advantage: the benefits of a good education. 2 for someone's benefit to help someone: I did it for your benefit. bent /bent/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb bend be-ret /ˈbereɪ/ noun a flat, round hat made of woollen cloth ber-ry /ˈberɪ/ noun (plural berries) a small soft fruit that grows on a bush or tree be-side /bɪˈsaɪd/ preposition next to someone or something: Come and sit beside me. — see picture on page 166 be-sides /bɪˈsaɪdz/ adverb a word used when you are giving another reason or fact to support what you are saying: I can't go out tonight because I'm too tired - besides, I haven't got any money. ► SAME MEANING: anyway best¹ /best/ adjective 1 the superlative of good: It was the best film I've ever seen. ► OPPOSITE: worst 2 best wishes a phrase used at the end of a letter when the person you are writing to is not a close friend: Have a happy Christmas, with best wishes from Mrs Jones and family. best² adverb 1 the superlative of well: the best dressed person in the room ► OPPOSITE: worse 2 most: The blue dress suits you best. Which one do you like best? best³ noun (no plural) 1 the best the most good person or thing: You're the best! She wants her children to have the best of everything (= the best things possible). 2 do your best to try as hard as you can to succeed in something: It doesn't matter if you didn't win - you did your best. best man /ˌbest ˈmæn/ noun (plural best men) a male friend who is chosen to help and support a man who is getting married; Will you be best man at my wedding? ► COMPARE: bridesmaid bet¹ /bet/ verb (present participle betting, past bet or betted) to risk money on the result of a future event: He bet me £1 that the team would win. to bet money on a horse (= in a race) bet² noun an agreement to risk money on the result of a future event: a bet of £1 be-tray /bɪˈtreɪ/ verb to harm someone who trusts you by breaking a promise made to them: I asked you not to tell anyone, but you betrayed me. 〈39〉 bet-ter¹ /'betǝ"/ adjective 1 the comparative of good: This book is better than the other one. 2 not as ill as before: I hope you are feeling better. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): worse better² adverb 1 the comparative of well: He can sing better than me. OPPOSITE: worse 2 more: I like him better than his brother. 3 better off having more money, or in an improved position or job; Some people will be better off as a result of the new tax. OPPOSITE: worse off 4 had better should; ought to: You'd (= you had) better go home. I'd (= I had) better not miss my train. be-tween /br'twi:n/ adverb, preposition 1 (also in between) in the space in the middle of two people or things: There is a fence between his garden and our garden. April comes between March and May. see picture on page 166 2 in the period before one time and after another: The shop is open between 9 o'clock and 5 o'clock. 3 more than one number or amount but less than another number or amount: children aged between five and ten 4 joining two places: the train between Cambridge and London, flights between Paris and Geneva. 5 used when saying how things are shared or divided: You and I can share the cost between us. NOTE: Use between when you are talking about something which is done or shared by two people or things. Use among when you are talking about something which is done or shared by more than two people or things: She divided the cake between the two children. The money was divided among his brothers and sisters. be-ware /bi'wear/ verb used to tell someone to be careful of something because it is dangerous: Beware of the dog! be-yond /br'jond/ adverb, preposition past; on the other side of something: beyond the mountains bib /bib/ noun a piece of material that is tied under a child's chin to keep its clothes clean when it is eating Bi-ble /'barbl/ noun the religious book of the Christian church bib-li-cal /'bıblıkl/ adjective from or in the Bible bi-cy-cle /'barsıkl/ noun a machine with two wheels. You sit on it and move your legs to make it go forward: to travel by bicycle SAME MEANING: bike, cycle see picture on page 266 bid¹ /bıd/ verb (present participle bidding, past bid) to make an offer of money in order to buy something: He bid ten pounds for the bicycle. bid² noun an offer of an amount of money to buy something big /big/ adjective (bigger, biggest) large in size: They live in a big house. OPPOSITE: little; small bike /bark/ noun a machine with two wheels. You sit on it and move your legs to make it go forward to travel by bike SAME MEANING: bicycle, cycle - see picture on page 266 bi-ki-ni /bi'ki:ni/ noun a garment with two pieces, one covering the breasts and one covering the bottom, which women and girls wear when they swim bi-lin-gual /bar 'lingwal/ adjective 1 able to speak two languages equally well: He's bilingual in French and German. 2 spoken or written in two languages | a bilingual dictionary bill /bil/ noun 1 a piece of paper showing the amount you must pay for something: How much was the bill for the electricity? 2 a plan for a new law: The government is considering the new education bill. bil-liards /'biljədz/ noun (no plural) a game in which you hit balls across a table with long sticks bil-lion /'bıljən/ noun, adjective the number 1,000,000,000,000 (= a 〈40〉 bin /bin/ noun a large container used for holding things that are to be or have been thrown away COMPARE: dustbin bind /baind/ verb (past bound /baund/) to tie something with rope or string bin-go /'bingau/ noun (no plural) a game played with numbers in order to win prizes bi-noc-u-lars /bi'nokjulaz) plural noun a pair of special glasses which make things in the distance look bigger COMPARE: telescope bi-og-ra-phy /bar 'ografi/ noun (plural biographies) the story of a person's life written by someone else COMPARE: autobiography bi-ol-o-gist/bar 'bladzıst/ noun a person who studies biology bi-ol-o-gy/bat bladzı/ noun (no plural) the scientific study of living things bird /b3:d/ noun an animal with wings and feathers: Most birds can fly. bi-ro /'batraul noun a pen which has a very small metal ball at the end you write with SAME MEANING: ballpoint birth /b3:0/ noun 1 the act of a baby being born: the birth of a baby, the number of births and deaths this year 2 give birth to have a baby: She gave birth to a baby boy last night. birth control/b3:0 kən, traul noun (no plural) ways of limiting the number of children you have birth-day /'b3:0det/ noun the day of the year on which a person was born: My birthday is on January 6th. LOOK AT: anniversary bis-cuit /'biskit/ noun a dry thin cake, usually sweet; a packet of biscuits bishop /'bifap) noun a Christian priest who looks after the churches and the people in a large area COMPARE: vicar bit¹/bit/ the PAST TENSE of the verb bite bit² noun 1 a small piece or amount: I must do a bit of work. He ate every bit of food (= all the food). Would you like another bit of cake? 2 a bit slightly: I'm sorry I'm a bit late. It's a bit too cold to go outside. 3 for a bit for a short time: Why don't you go and lie down for a bit? 4 bit by bit slowly, a little at a time: Bit by bit they discovered the truth. bite¹ {batt/ verb (present participle biting 'bartın, past tense bit (bit), past participle bitten /'bitn/) 1 to cut or wound something with the teeth: That dog bil me. Does your dog bite? 2 (used about an insect) to hurt you by pricking your skin bite? noun 1 an act of biting: Do you want a bite of my apple? 2 a wound made by biting: She was covered in insect bites bit-ten/bitn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb bite bit-ter /'bitǝr adjective 1 having a sharp sour taste: bitter fruit 2 angry: a bitter quarrel 3 very cold: a bitter wind black¹ /blæk/ adjective 1 of the colour of the sky at night: black shoes 2 with dark-coloured skin: a black family 3 (used about tea and coffee) without milk: I'd like my coffee black 4 black and blue having dark marks on your skin as a result of being hurt: Her arm was black and blue after the accident. 5 black and white containing only the colours black, white, and grey: an old black and white film 6 a black eye an eye surrounded by dark marks as a result of being hit: He gave the other boy a black eye (= hit him near his eye and caused the skin to go dark). 7 black magic a type of magic used for doing bad things 〈41〉 black2 /blæk/ noun 1 (no plural) the colour of the sky at night: He was dressed in black. 2 a person with dark-coloured skin black-berry /'blækbəri/ noun (plural blackberries) a small dark fruit that grows on bushes black-bird /'blækba:d/ noun a bird which is very common in Europe. The male is black and has a yellow beak. black-board /'blækboid/ noun a dark board on the wall at the front of a class that the teacher writes on. black-cur-rant /'blæk-kʌrant/ noun a small, round, dark fruit that grows on bushes black-smith /'blæk, sm10/ noun a man who works with iron and makes shoes for horses blade /blend/ noun 1 the flat sharp part of anything that is used for cutting: the blade of a knife 2 a long flat leaf of grass blame¹ /bleım/ verb (present participle blaming, past blamed) 1 blame someone for something to say that someone is the cause of something bad: The policeman blamed the car driver for causing the accident. COMPARE: accuse 2 be to blame for something to be responsible for something bad: He is to blame for the accident. blame2 noun (no plural) take the blame for something to accept that you are responsible for something bad blank /blænk/ adjective 1 without anything on; a blank piece of paper (= one without writing on it), a blank cassette (= one without any sounds on it) 2 not showing any expression: She looked at him with a blank face. blank-et /'blænkit/ noun a thick woollen cloth, used as a cover on a bed to keep you warm blare /blea/ verb (present participle blaring, past blared) to make a loud and unpleasant noise: The radio was blaring. blast¹ /blo:st/ noun 1 a sudden strong movement of wind or air: There was a blast of wind as she opened the door. 2 a loud sound like the sound made by some instruments which you blow: The driver gave a blast on his horn. 3 an explosion: Many people were killed in the blast. 4 at full blast as loud as possible: The television was at full blast. blast² verb 1 to break something by using an explosion: They blasted away the rock. 2 blast off to leave the ground at the beginning of a space flight: The spaceship blasted off. blast-off /'blast off/ noun the moment when a spaceship, etc. leaves the ground blaze¹ /blerz/ noun 1 a very large strong fire: The fire burned slowly at first, but soon became a blaze. 2 brightly shining light or colour: The flowers were a blaze of colour. blaze² verb (present participle blazing, past participle blazed) to burn strongly: The fire was blazing. blaz·er /'bleızər/ noun a short coat that people often wear as part of a uniform: She was wearing her school blazer. bleach¹ /bli:tf/ verb 1 to make something white: Did you bleach this tablecloth? 2 to make something lighter: Her hair was bleached by the sun. bleach² noun (no plural) a liquid or powder used to make things clean or lighter in colour bleak /bli:k/ adjective unpleasantly cold: a bleak winter's day bleat¹ /bli:t/ verb to make the sound made by a sheep or goat bleat² noun the sound made by a sheep or goat bleed /bli:d/ verb (past bled /bled/) to lose blood: His nose was bleeding. 〈42〉 blend /blend/ verb 1 to mix things together: Blend the sugar and eggs together. 2 to go well together: The colours in the room blend nicely. blend noun a mixture produced by blending things together: my favourite blend of coffee bless /bles/ verb (past blessed or blest /blest/) 1 to ask God's favour and protection for something: The priest blessed the new ship. 2 Bless you! something you say to someone when they SNEEZE blew /blu:/ the PAST TENSE of the verb blow blind¹ /blaind/ adjective not able to see because you have something wrong with your eyes: She was born blind. blind² noun a piece of material that you can pull down to cover a window COMPARE: curtain blind fold¹/'blaindfǝuld/ verb to cover someone's eyes with material so that they cannot see blindfold² noun a piece of material used to cover someone's eyes so that they cannot see blink /blink/ verb to shut and open your eyes quickly COMPARE: wink blister /'blista/ noun a swelling under your skin, filled with liquid, usually caused by rubbing or burning: My new shoes have given me blisters. blizzard/'blızad/ noun a very bad storm with snow and strong winds COMPARE: hurricane blob/blob/ noun a drop of thick liquid: a blob of paint block¹ /blok/ noun 1 a solid mass or piece of wood, stone, etc. 2 a large building divided into separate parts: a block of flats, an office block 3 a large building or group of buildings between two streets: She lives two blocks away. block² verb to stop someone or something from moving beyond a certain point: A row of police cars was blocking the road. blond /blond/ adjective (used of hair) light yellow in colour -see picture on page 66. blonde¹/blond/ adjective (used of a woman) having light-coloured hair... blonde noun a woman with light-coloured hair: a beautiful blonde blood /blad/ noun (no plural) the red liquid that flows through your body bloom¹/blu:m/ noun 1 a flower 2 in full bloom having a lot of open flowers: The trees are in full bloom. bloom2 verb to open out into flowers: These roses bloom in the summer. blossom /'blosam) noun (no plural) the flowers of a fruit tree: apple blossom blot¹ /blot/ noun a dirty mark made by a drop of liquid: an ink blot blot² verb (present participle blotting, past blotted) to dry wet ink with special paper blot-ting pa-per/'blotin perpa noun (no plural) a special soft paper used to dry wet ink blouse /blauz/ noun a shirt for women or girls - see picture on page 65 blow¹ /blauf verb (past tense blew /blu:/, past participle blown /blaun/) 1 to send out air through your mouth: Don't blow too hard or you will break the whistle. 2 to move something with a current of air: The wind blew his hat off. 3 (used of wind) to move and make a noise: The wind was blowing all night. 4 to send air into something so that it 〈43〉 blow² /bləʊ/ noun 1 a hard stroke with your hand or a weapon: a blow on the head. 2 a shock and disappointment: The news of her death was a terrible blow to us all. blown /bləʊn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb blow blue /blu:/ adjective, noun the colour of the sky when there are no clouds: a blue dress, the blue of her eyes bluff¹ /blʌf/ verb to pretend that you know something or can do something, especially when you want someone to believe you blunt /blʌnt/ adjective 1 (used of a knife) not able to cut very well 2 (used of a pencil) with a rounded end which needs to be sharpened OPPOSITE (1 and 2): sharp blush /blʌʃ/ verb to become red in the face, usually from shame or EMBARRASSMENT board¹ /bɔ:d/ noun 1 a long thin flat piece of wood 2 a flat surface used for a special purpose: Put this notice up on the board. The teacher wrote the answers on the board. 3 a group of people who run a company 4 on board on a ship or a public vehicle: Is everyone on board yet? board² verb 1 to get on a ship, plane, train, bus, etc.: Passengers should board the train now. 2 to sleep and eat in someone else's home and pay them money board-er /'bɔ:də/ noun a pupil who lives at school and goes home in the holidays board-ing school /'bɔ:dɪŋ sku:l/ noun a school, usually private, at which pupils live boast /bəʊst/ verb to talk too proudly about yourself: He boasted that he could run very fast. boastful /'bəʊstfl/ adjective speaking too proudly about yourself: He's very boastful about the money he earns. boat /bəʊt/ noun a small open ship: a fishing boat, We're going by boat. bob /bɒb/ verb (present participle bobbing, past bobbed) to move quickly up and down: The small boat bobbed up and down on the lake. body /'bɒdi/ noun (plural bodies) 1 the whole of a person or animal 2 the central part of a person or animal, not the head, arms, or legs: He had a cut on his leg and two more on his body. 3 a dead person or animal: Her body was found in the woods. boil /bɔɪl/ verb 1 to make water or another liquid so hot that it starts to steam: Boil some water to make a cup of coffee. 2 to become very hot and start to steam: The water began to boil. 3 to cook food in boiling water: Boil the eggs for five minutes. bold /bəʊld/ adjective not afraid to do dangerous things: He was very bold and tried to stop the thief. bolt¹ /bəʊlt/ noun 1 a piece of metal or wood used for keeping a door closed 2 a screw with no point which fastens into a NUT and holds two things together bolt² verb 1 to fasten something with a bolt: Bolt the door, please. 2 to run away suddenly: The horse bolted and threw its rider to the ground. bomb¹ /bɒm/ noun makes a sound: The guard blew his whistle to call for help. blow something out to stop something like a candle burning by using a movement of air: Blow out the candles on your birthday cake! blow something up (a) to fill something with air: Can you help me blow up the balloons? (b) to destroy something by making it explode: The bridge was blown up in the war. blow your nose to push air out through your nose to clear it 〈44〉 bomb /bDm/ noun a container full of a substance that will explode, used as a weapon. bomb² verb to drop bombs on a place: The airforce bombed two towns. bone /bǝun/ noun one of the hard white parts in a person's or an animal's body: He fell and broke a bone in his leg. bon-fire /'bonfaıǝ*/ noun a big fire in the open air bon-fire night /'bonfaıə nait/ noun November 5th, when people in Britain light fires in the open air and have FIREWORKS bon-net /'bonit/ noun 1 a soft hat that you tie under your chin 2 the part of a car's body that covers the engine bon-y /'bauni/ adjective (bonier, boniest) (used of a person's body) so thin that you can see the bones: bony fingers boo¹ /bu:/ verb to shout "boo" at someone, especially in a theatre, to show that you did not like their performance boo² something you say loudly when you want to surprise someone who does not know you are there book¹ /buk/ noun 1 a set of sheets of paper fastened together and with writing on them, for reading: What book are you reading? 2 a set of sheets of paper fastened together for writing on: Write a poem in your exercise book (= a book to do your schoolwork in). book² verb to arrange to have something that you want to use later: I've booked tickets for tomorrow night's show. book-case /'buk-keis/ noun a piece of furniture with shelves for books - see picture on page 165 book-shop /'bukfop/ noun a shop that sells books book to-ken /'buk taukan/ noun a card that is given to you as a gift so that you can buy books with it: My uncle gave me a £10 book token for my birthday. boom /bu:m/ noun a loud, deep sound boot /bu:t/ noun 1 a shoe that covers your foot and ankle 2 the part of a car's body where bags, boxes, etc. can be carried bord-er /'bɔ:də*/ noun 1 an edge: white plates with a blue border 2 the dividing line between two countries bore¹ /bɔ:* verb (present participle boring, past tense bored) 1 to make someone feel uninterested: He bored me with his stamp collection. 2 to make a deep, round hole in something, especially rock or stone: This machine can bore through solid rock. bore² noun an uninteresting or dull person or thing bore³ the PAST TENSE of the verb bear bored /bo:d/ adjective feeling tired and uninterested: She was bored with her job. COMPARE: fed up ► LOOK AT: boring bor-ing /'bo:rin/ adjective not interesting; dull: a boring film NOTE: Do not confuse the adjectives boring and bored. If something is boring it is not interesting, e.g. a boring lesson. Bored is used to describe the way you feel when something is boring: The children were bored with the game and did not want to play any more. born /bɔ:n/ adjective (never before a noun) be born to come into the world; to be given life: The baby was born yesterday. borne /bɔ:n/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb bear 〈45〉 bor-row /'borau/ verb to use something which belongs to someone else. You usually ask permission and say when you will return the thing: Can I borrow your bicycle until Saturday? NOTE: Compare the verbs borrow and lend. If you lend something to a person you let them use it for a while. If you borrow something from someone you take it from them, knowing that you will give it back to them later. The verb lend often has two objects (to lend sth to sb) but borrow just has one (to borrow sth): Will you lend me some money? Can I borrow some money? boss¹ /bos/ noun (plural bosses) a person who is in charge and tells other people what work to do boss² verb boss someone about to tell someone what to do, usually by giving them too many orders: My brother's always bossing me about. boss-y /'bosi/ adjective (bossier, bossiest) liking to give orders to other people: a bossy older sister bot-a-ny /'botani/ noun (no plural) the scientific study of plants both /baue/ this one and that one; the two: Hold the dish with both hands. We both like dancing. bother¹ /'bpdat verb 1 to interrupt someone and annoy them: I'm sorry to bother you but I need some help. Don't bother your father now - he's very busy. 2 to worry someone: I always know when something is bothering him. 3 can't be bothered to not want to do something because it is too much effort: I can't be bothered to go out tonight. 4 not bother not to make the effort to do something: Don't bother to dry the plates. He didn't even bother to say goodbye. bother² noun (no plural) something that causes difficulty: We had a little bother when the policeman stopped us. bot-tle¹ /'botl/ noun a tall round glass or plastic container, with a narrow neck COMPARE: jar - see picture at container bottle² verb to put something into bottles: This is where they bottle the milk. bot-tle bank /'botl bænk/ noun a place where old glass bottles are taken so that the glass can be used again bot-tom /'botam/ noun 1 the lowest part of something: at the bottom of the page 2 the base of something: The price is on the bottom of the box. 3 the lowest position in something, e.g. a class: He's not very good at maths - he's always at the bottom of the class. OPPOSITE: (1, 2, and 3): top 4 the part of the body that you sit on: He fell on his bottom. -see picture on page 100 bought /bo:t/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb buy bould-er /'baulda/ noun a large rock bounce /bauns/ verb (present participle bouncing, past bounced) 1 to spring back after hitting something or falling on something: The baby was bouncing on the bed. 2 to throw something, e.g. a ball, against something, so that it springs back: He bounced the ball against the wall. bound¹ /baund/ verb to jump around: The young animals were bounding about the field. bound² noun a big jump bound³ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb bind bound-a-ry /'baundari/ noun (plural boundaries) the dividing line between two places: the boundary between the two gardens COMPARE: border 〈46〉 bound to /'baund.tuz/ verb be bound to to be certain to do something or be certain to happen: You are bound to pass the exams - you've worked very hard. bow¹ /baul verb to bend the top part of your body forward to show respect: Everyone bowed to the President. bow² /baul noun an act of bending your body or your head forward to show respect. bow³ /baul noun 1 a piece of wood held in a curve by a string, used for shooting arrows. 2 a long thin piece of wood with tight strings fastened along it, used for playing musical instruments like the VIOLIN - see picture at violin 3 a knot used for tying shoes: She tied the ribbon in a bow. bowl /baul noun a deep round dish or container: Fill the bowl with water. box¹ /boks/ noun (plural boxes) a container with straight sides usually made of cardboard or wood: a box of matches - see picture at container box² verb to fight with tightly closed hands, usually for sport box-er /'boksa/ noun a man who fights with tightly closed hands, for sport box-ing /'boksin/ noun (no plural) the sport of fighting with tightly closed hands -see picture on page 265 Boxing Day /'boksin der/ noun the day after Christmas box office /'boks pfis/ noun (plural box offices) a place in a theatre or cinema where you can buy tickets. boy /bo/ noun a male child: They have five children: three boys and two girls. boy-friend /'bo:frend/ noun a boy or man who is the special friend of a girl or woman: Can my boyfriend come to the party? bra /bra:/ noun a piece of clothing that women wear under other clothes to support their breasts brace /breis/ noun a wire which some children wear inside their mouths to make their teeth straight brace-let /'bretslit/ noun a band or chain that you wear as an ornament round your wrist brac-es /'breisız/ plural noun cloth bands that you wear over your shoulders to hold up your trousers - see picture on page 65 bracket /'brækit/ noun one of the signs (). In the sentence: "Do you want any (more) fruit?", (more) is in brackets. brag /bræg/ verb (present participle bragging, past bragged) to talk too proudly about things you have done or about your possessions: He bragged that he had passed the exam easily. He was bragging about his new expensive car. SAME MEANING: boast brain /brein/ noun the part inside your head with which you think brain-y /'breini/ adjective (brainier, brainiest) clever and quick at doing school work SAME MEANING: bright brake¹ /breik/ noun the part of a bicycle, car, train, etc. that you use to stop it brake² verb (present participle braking, past braked) to make a bicycle, car, train, etc. stop or go more slowly by using the brake: 〈47〉 branch /bra:nt/ noun 1 a part of a tree that grows from a trunk ►COMPARE: twig — see picture at tree 2 one part or one office of a business: The bank has branches in all the big towns. brand /brænd/ noun the name of a particular kind of goods made by one company: What brand of soap do you like? brand-new / brænd 'nju:/ adjective completely new; never used before: a brand-new car bran-dy /'brændı/ noun (no plural) a strong alcoholic drink brass /bro:s/ noun (no plural) a very hard yellow metal which shines brightly, made by mixing COPPER and ZINC: ornaments made of brass brave /breiv/ adjective not afraid or not showing fear: a brave fireman bravely /'brervli/ adverb: She spoke bravely of her sister's death. brav-e-ry /'breıvarı/ noun (no plural) willingness to do dangerous things without feeling afraid: The fireman was praised for his bravery. ► SAME MEANING: courage bread /bred/ noun (no plural) a food made by mixing flour and water and then baking it: a loaf of bread breadth /bredB/ noun (no plural) the distance from one side of something to the other: What's the breadth of this river? break¹ /breık/ verb (past tense broke /brauk/, past participle broken /'braukan/) 1 to make something separate into pieces: He broke the window with his football. 2 to separate into pieces: The plate fell on the floor and broke. 3 to make something not work: Don't play with the radio - you'll break it! 4 break down (used about cars) to stop working: My car broke down on the way to work. 5 break in to get inside a place using force: Someone broke in through the window (= broke the window to get inside the building). 6 break into something to get inside a place, e.g. a building or something that is locked, by using force: The thief broke into my drawer and stole my money. 7 break the law to do something that the law says you must not do 8 break out (used especially about fighting or fire) to start suddenly: The fire broke out at two o'clock in the morning. 9 break a promise not to do something that you promised you would do 10 break up (a) to finish a relationship with a boy or girl friend: John and Sarah broke up last week. (b) to stop going to school because the holidays are starting: We break up next week. break² noun 1 an opening in something made by breaking it: a break in the clouds 2 a short rest: Let's have a break. break-a-ble /'breıkǝbl/ adjective likely to break break-down /'breıkdaun/ noun a complete stop in a car because it no longer works break-fast /'brekfast/ noun the first meal of the day breast /brest/ noun 1 one of the two parts on the front of a woman's body that can give milk 2 the top part of the front of a person's body ► SAME MEANING: chest 〈48〉 breast-stroke /'breststrauk/ noun (no plural) a way of swimming by pulling the water back with your arms breath /bree/ noun 1 the air that you take in and let out through your nose and mouth: He took a deep breath and jumped into the water. 2 a breath of fresh air a bit of clean air outside: Let's go to the park for a breath of fresh air. 3 hold your breath to stop breathing for a little while, especially when you want to swim under water: How long can you hold your breath? 4 be out of breath not to be able to breathe easily for a little while, e.g. after running breathe /bri:d/ verb (present participle breathing, past breathed) to take air into your body and let it out through your nose and mouth breathless /'breßlis/ adjective having difficulty breathing, especially after exercise bred /bred/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb breed breed¹ /bri:d/ verb (past bred (bred/) 1 (used about animals) to produce young: Some animals will not breed in cages. COMPARE: mate 2 to keep animals so that they will produce young ones: He breeds cattle. breed² noun a type of animal: a breed of cattle breeze /bri:z/ noun a light wind: a cool breeze brew /bru:/ verb 1 to make tea, leaving it in the pot until the taste develops: Let the tea brew for a few minutes... 2 to make beer 3 be brewing to be going to happen: I think a storm is brewing. bribe¹ /braıb/ verb (present participle bribing, past bribed) to offer to give someone money or a present, so that they will do something to help you: He tried to bribe the policeman to let him go. bribe² noun money or a present which you give to someone so that they will help you: A policeman should never take bribes. brick /brık/ noun a block of baked clay, used for building bride /braid/ noun a woman who is going to get married, or who has just got married bridegroom /'braıdgru:m/ noun a man who is going to get married, or who has just got married SAME MEANING: groom bridesmaid /'braidz,meid/ noun a girl or woman who helps a bride at her wedding COMPARE: best man bridge /brıdz/ noun a road or railway line built over something: a bridge across the river see picture on page 266 bridle /'braidl/ noun leather bands put on a horse's head to control its movement — see picture at reins brief /bri:f/ adjective lasting a short time: a brief meeting briefly /'bri:fli/ adverb: to explain briefly brief-case /'brizfkeis/ noun a thin flat case for carrying papers or books COMPARE: suitcase — see picture at bag bright /braıt/ adjective 1 sending out a strong, shining light: bright sunlight 2 having a strong, clear colour: a bright yellow dress 3 quick at learning things; clever: a bright child bright-en /'braıtn/ verb brighten up (used about the weather) to become more sunny or lighter and better: It should brighten up later. brilliant /'brıljənt/ adjective 1 very clever: a brilliant idea, a brilliant student 2 Brilliant! something you say when you think something is very good: "I got the job." "Brilliant!". 〈49〉 brim /brım/ noun 1 the edge of a cup, glass, or bowl 2 the part of a hat that stands out around the sides bring /brin/ verb (past brought /bro:t/) 1 to carry something to someone or towards a place: Bring me the ball. You can take that book home, but bring it back (= return it): tomorrow, please. COMPARE: take LOOK AT: fetch 2 to take someone with you to a place: Bring your brother to the party. 3 bring someone up to care for and educate a child brisk /brisk/ adjective quick and active: a brisk walk OPPOSITE: slow brit-tle /'britl/ adjective hard, but easily broken: brittle glass broad /bro:d/ adjective wide: broad shoulders OPPOSITE: narrow broad-cast¹ /'bro:dkast/ verb (past broadcast) to send out PROGRAMMES by radio or tele-vision to the public: The new programme will be broadcast at seven o'clock. broadcast² noun A PROGRAMME that is sent out on the radio or television: a news broadcast broke /brauk/ the PAST TENSE of the verb break bro-ken¹ /'braukǝn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb break broken² adjective 1 in pieces: a broken window 2 not working: a broken clock bronze /bronz/ noun (no plural) a hard metal, made by mixing copper and tin brooch /braut/ noun (plural brooches) an ornament that women sometimes pin on their clothes COMPARE: badge broom /bru:m/ noun a brush with a long handle see picture at brush brother /'bradǝ/ noun a boy or man with the same parents as another person: Peter is my brother. COMPARE: sister brother-in-law /'bradar in lo:/ noun (plural brothers-in-law) 1 the brother of your wife or husband 2 the husband of your sister see picture on page 99 brought /bro:t/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb bring brow /brau/ noun the part of your face between your eyes and your hair brown¹ /braun/ adjective, noun a dark colour like coffee or earth: a brown chair, the brown of her eyes bruise¹ /bru:z/ noun a mark left on your skin after a blow or when you have fallen down bruise² verb (present participle bruising, past bruised) to mark someone's skin with a bruise: She fell and bruised her knee brush¹ /braj/ noun (plural brushes) a group of strong hairs on the end of a handle that can be used for cleaning, painting, tidying your hair, etc. brush² verb to clean or tidy something with a brush: Have you brushed your hair? bubble¹ /'babl/ noun a hollow ball of liquid containing air or gas: soap bubbles bubble² verb (present participle bubbling, past bubbled) to make balls of air or gas: The water was bubbling gently in the pan. buck /bak/ noun a male deer or rabbit 〈50〉 buck-et /'bakit/ noun a container made of metal or plastic, with a handle, for holding or carrying water buck-le /'bakl/ noun a fastener used for joining the ends of a belt see picture at fastener bud /bad/ noun a young flower or leaf before it opens see picture at rose Bud-dhis-m /'budızəm/ noun (no plural) the religion based on the teachings of Buddha Bud-dhist /'budist/ noun a person who follows the teachings of Buddha budge /badz/ verb (present participle budging, past budged) to make something heavy move a little: I can't budge this rock bud-get¹ /'badzit/ noun a plan of how to spend money: a government's budget budget² verb to plan how much money you have to spend on certain things bud-gie /'badzı/ noun a small, brightly coloured bird, usually kept in a cage as a pet bug /bag/ noun 1 a small insect 2 a very small living thing that can get into your body and make you feel unwell: I can't go to school this week because I've got a bug bu-gle /'bju:gl/ noun a musical instrument that is played by blowing and is used especially by the army build /bild/ verb (past built /bilt/) to make something by putting pieces together: The house is built of brick build-er /'bıldə/ noun a person whose job it is to make houses and other buildings build-ing /'bildin/ noun something with a roof and walls, e.g. a house or an office built /bilt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb build bulb /balb/ noun (also light bulb) the glass part of an electric light that shines when it is turned on bulge¹ /baldz/ verb (present participle bulging, past bulged) to swell out: His pocket was bulging with sweets bulge² noun a swelling shape bulk-y /'balkı/ adjective (bulkier, bulkiest) having a large, difficult shape: / can't carry that box, it's too bulky bull /bull noun the male of the cow family bull-dog /'baldog/ noun a short, strong dog with a thick neck and short legs bull-doz-er /'buldəuzə/ noun a powerful machine that moves earth to make land flat bul-let /'bulit/ noun a piece of metal that is fired from a gun bul-lock /'bulak/ noun a young male cow which cannot be the father of young ones bul-ly¹ /'buli/ noun (plural bullies) a person who likes to hurt weaker people or make them afraid bully² verb (present participle bullying, past bullied) to hurt people who are not as strong as you, or make them afraid bump¹ /bamp/ verb 1 to knock something by accident: / bumped my knee on the chair. He bumped into a tree and hit his head. 2 bump into someone to meet someone by chance: I bumped into John in town. bump² noun a round swelling on your body where you have knocked it: He had a bump on his head bump-er /'bampǝ/ noun a bar at the front and back of the car to protect it from knocks bump-y /'bampı/ adjective rough; not smooth: a bumpy road bun /ban/ noun a small round sweet cake 〈51〉 bunch /bantf/ noun several things of the same kind fastened together: a bunch of flowers bun-dle /'bandll noun a number of things held together so that you can carry them or put them somewhere: a bundle of clothes bun-ga-low /'bangalau/ noun a house that is all on the same level as the ground bunk /bank/ noun a narrow bed which is fixed to the wall on a ship or train bunk bed /'bank bed/ noun (plural bunk beds) one of two beds that are put one on top of another and used especially for children to sleep in - see picture at bed buoy /boi/ noun a floating object used to show ships where there are rocks bur-den /'b3:dn/ noun something heavy that you have to carry: The donkey carried its burden up the mountain. burg-er /'b3:ga/ noun meat that has been cut into very small pieces and then made into a round flat shape before being cooked bur-glar /'b3:glə'/ noun a person who enters buildings, usually by force, to steal things COMPARE: robber, thief bur-glar-y /'b3:glərı/ noun (plural burglaries) the crime of entering a building by force and stealing things bur-i-al /'beriol noun the ceremony at which a dead person is put into the ground burn¹ /b3:n/ verb (past burned /b3:nd/ or burnt /b3:nt/) 1 to be on fire: The house is burning - help! 2 to damage or destroy something with fire: We burnt the old furniture. 3 to hurt yourself or a part of your body with something very hot: I've burnt my fingers. 4 burn down (used about a building) to be destroyed completely by fire: The cinema burnt down last year. burn² noun a wound or mark on your body caused by fire or by touching something very hot: a burn on his arm burnt /b3:nt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb burn bur-row /'b^raul noun a hole in the ground made as a home by some small animals, e.g. rabbits burst /b3:st/ verb (past burst) 1 to break apart because of too much pressure inside: The bag will burst if you put any more things in it. 2 to make something break apart by putting too much pressure inside it: Don't put any more air in the tyre or you'll burst it (= make it explode). 3 burst into tears to start crying suddenly 4 burst out laughing to start laughing loudly and suddenly bur-y /'beri/ verb (present participle burying, past buried) 1 to put a dead body into the ground 2 to put or hide something in the ground: The dog buried the bone. bus /bas/ noun (plural buses) a large vehicle that takes people from one place to another: Let's go into town by bus. see picture on page 266 bus driver /'bas draivǝ'/ noun a person whose job is driving buses bush /bus/ noun a small tree bus-i-ly /'bizılı/ adverb done with great activity and interest: busily planning the wedding business /'biznis/ noun 1 (plural businesses) a company that provides a service or sells things to earn money: He has a furniture business in town. 2 (no plural) making, buying, and selling things: Business is good this year (= we are earning a lot of money). 3 mind your own business a rude way of telling someone that you are not going to answer their questions about a particular matter: "Who are you going to the party with?" "Mind your own business." 〈52〉 business-man /'bıznısman/ noun (plural businessmen /-mən/) a man who works in business, especially one who owns a company or helps to run it business-woman /'bıznışwUmən/ noun (plural businesswomen /-wımın/) a woman who works in business, especially one who owns a company or helps to run it businessman none of your business a rude way of telling someone that something is not their concern: It's none of your business how she spends her money. bus stop /'bas stop/ noun a place where buses stop for people to get off and on see picture on page 266 busy /'bızı/ adjective (busier, busiest) 1 working; not free; having a lot to do: He is busy now. He's busy writing letters. 2 full of activity: a busy day, a busy street but /bat: strong bʌt/ a word you use when you are saying that although one thing is true, another thing which is opposite to it is also true: They are poor, but happy. I'd like to come but I can't. butcher /'butfar/ noun 1 a person who sells meat 2 butcher's a shop that sells meat - see picture on page 199 butter /'bʌtǝ/ noun (no plural) yellow fat made from milk: bread and butter butterfly /'bʌtəflaı/ noun (plural butterflies) an insect that has delicate wings with bright colours on them COMPARE: moth button /'bʌtn/ noun 1 a small round object that you push through a hole to fasten clothes: Do your buttons up; it's cold. — see picture at fastener 2 a round object that you push to start or stop a machine buttonhole /'bʌtnhǝul/ noun the hole that a button goes through buy /baı/ verb (past bought /bɔt/) to get something by paying money for it: I bought a new radio. COMPARE: sell buzz /bʌz/ verb 1 to make a low steady noise like the sound a bee makes 2 buzz off a rude way of telling someone to go away: Buzz off and leave me alone! by¹ /baı/ preposition 1 near; beside: He was standing by the window. 2 past: He walked by me without saying hello. 3 used to show who or what does something: The house was damaged by fire. a story by a famous writer 4 used to show how something is done: I earned some money by delivering newspapers. 5 no later than: Please do it by tomorrow. 6 used to show what vehicle, etc. you travel on: Are you going by car or by train? by² adverb past: I sat and watched people go by. Many cars drove by. bye /baı/ a word you say when you leave someone or when they leave you bye-bye /baı 'baı/ another word for bye 〈53〉 cab /kæb/ noun 1 the part of a lorry where the driver sits 2 a car with a driver who will take you somewhere if you pay SAME MEANING: taxi cab-bage /'kæbidz/ noun a large round vegetable with thick green leaves cab-in /'kæbin/ noun 1 a room on a ship or plane 2 a small wooden house cab-i-net /'kæbinat/ noun 1 a piece of furniture with shelves or drawers: a medicine cabinet 2 the small group of people in a government who have the most power ca-ble /'kerbl/ noun 1 a thick rope, usually made of metal 2 wires that carry electricity or telephone calls cac-tus /'kæktas/ noun (plural cacti /'kækta1/ or cactuses) a plant with sharp prickles and a thick stem that grows in hot dry places cafe /'kæfeI/ noun a place where you can buy drinks and simple meals COMPARE: restaurant cage /keidz/ noun a box with metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept cake /keık/ noun a sweet cooked food made of flour, fat, and eggs: to bake a cake cal-cu-late /'kælkjuleit/ verb (present participle calculating, past calculated) to use numbers to find the answer to a sum: Have you calculated the cost of the journey? cal-cu-la-tion /,kælkju'leifn/ noun the result of using numbers to find the answer to a sum calculator /'kælkjulettǝr/ noun a small machine that you can use to add, subtract, etc. cal-en-dar /'kælandər/ noun a list of the days, weeks, and months of the year calf /ka:f/ noun (plural calves /ka:vz/) 1 a young cow 2 the part of your leg between your knee and your ankle — see picture on page 100 call¹ /kɔ:l/ verb 1 to give someone a name: They called their baby John. 2 to shout: to call for help 3 call on to visit someone: He called on me last Tuesday. 4 to telephone someone: I called my sister today. 5 to ask someone to come to you: Mother called the doctor. call² noun 1 a shout: a call for help 2 a visit: a call from the doctor 3 an act of talking to someone on the telephone: There's a call for you, Mr Brown. call box/'kɔ:lboks/ noun (plural call boxes) a public telephone box calm /ka:m/ adjective quiet; peaceful: The sea was calm after the storm. He was calm when I told him the bad news. calmly /'ka:mli/ adverb: He sat down calmly. calves /ka:vz/ the plural of calf cam-cor-der /'kæmkɔ:də/ noun a machine that you use to take VIDEO films came /keim/ the PAST TENSE of the verb come cam-el/'kæml/ noun a large animal with one or two HUMPS on its back, used to carry things and people in deserts — see picture on page 300 camel 〈54〉 cam-e-ra /'kæmrǝ/ noun a machine for taking photographs camp¹ /kæmp/ noun a place with tents or huts where people live for a short time. camp² verb to live in a tent for a short time cam-paign /kæm'pein/ noun 1 a planned set of battles and movements of soldiers in a war. 2 a set of planned activities done to get a result: a campaign to stop people smoking. camp-ing /'kæmpin/ noun (no plural) living in a tent for a short time, especially when you are on holiday: The children liked camping. camp-site /'kæmpsait/ noun a large field where people can stay in tents to have a holiday cam-pus /'kæmpǝs/ noun (plural campuses) the land belonging to a university, college, or school can¹ /kən; strong kæn/ verb to know how to; be able to: "Can she swim?" "No she can't (= cannot)." She cannot (= can not) swim. can² /kæn/ noun a container made of metal: Have we got any cans of soup? canned food ▶ COMPARE: box see picture at container ca-nal /kə'næl/ noun a man-made river used for taking goods from one town to another ca-nar-y /kə'neəri/ noun (plural canaries) a small yellow bird with a sweet song can-cel /'kænsl/ verb (present participle cancelling, past cancelled) to stop some planned event: We had to cancel the match, because so many people were ill. can-cer /'kænsǝ/ noun a serious illness in which a growth spreads in the body can-di-date /'kændidət/ noun 1 a person who hopes to be picked for a job or position 2 a person who takes an examination can-dle /'kændl/ noun a long piece of wax with a string in the middle which burns to give light cane¹ /kein/ noun a hollow stick from some plants like sugar cane² verb (present participle caning, past caned) to hit someone with a stick can-non /'kænǝn/ noun a large gun can-not /'kænət, kænot/ can not: I cannot understand why she is so angry. ca-noe /kə'nu:/ noun a narrow, light boat for one or two people can't /ka:nt/ can not: I'm sorry I can't come to your house tomorrow. can-teen /kæn'ti:n/ noun a place where people in a factory, school, or office can eat meals can-vas /'kænvəs/ noun (no plural) strong cloth used to make tents, bags, etc. cap /kæp/ noun 1 a soft hat 2 a covering for the end of a bottle or tube ca-pa-ble /'keipəbl/ adjective 1 good at something: She's a very capable student. 2 capable of able to do something: I knew he wasn't capable of murder. ▶ OPPOSITE: incapable ca-pac-i-ty /kə'pæsəti/ noun 1 the amount that something can contain: That bowl has a capacity of two pints. 2 an ability to do something: Paul has a great capacity for working hard. cape /keip/ noun a loose piece of clothing that you wrap around your shoulders and arms ▶COMPARE: cloak cap-i-tal /'kæpitl/ noun 1 the chief city of a country, where the government is 〈55〉 cap-tain /'kæptin/ noun 1 the person who controls a ship or aircraft 2 an officer in the army or the navy 3 the leader of a team or group cap-tive /'kæpliv/ noun a prisoner cap-tiv-i-ty /kæp'tivatı/ noun (no plural) being a prisoner: They were in captivity for a week. cap-ture /'kæptfǝr/ verb (present participle capturing, past captured) to take someone as a prisoner: They captured four enemy soldiers. car /ka:/ noun a vehicle on wheels that is driven by an engine and that people can travel in — see picture on page 266 car-a-van /'kæravæn/ noun a little house on wheels that can be pulled by a car card /ka:d/ noun 1 a piece of stiff thick paper with a picture on the front and a message inside: a birthday card, a Christmas card 2 a small piece of stiff paper with pictures and numbers used for various games: It's my turn to deal the cards. card-board /'ka:dbo:d/ noun (no plural) stiff thick paper used for making boxes, book covers, etc. car-di-gan /'ka:dıgan/ noun a piece of clothing like a JUMPER which opens with buttons down the front care¹ /kea/ verb (present participle caring, past cared) 1 to feel interest or worry: Does she care about her work? I don't care what you do! 2 care for someone to look after someone: Her son cared for him when he was ill. 3 care for something to like or want something: Would you care for a cup of tea, Mrs Brown? care² noun 1 (no plural) the act of looking after a person or thing: a high standard of medical care, Take care of your brother while I am away. 2 take care to be careful: When you are crossing the road, take care! 3 something that makes you sad: He was worried by all the cares of the family. career /kalriǝr/ noun a number of jobs one after another, in which you move on to a more important job as you get older and learn more: a career in banking care-ful /'keafl/ adjective thinking seriously as you do something, so that you do not make a mistake: Be careful with that hot pan! carefully /'keaflı/ adverb She carried the bowl of water carefully. care-less /'keǝlıs/ adjective not thinking seriously about what you do: Careless driving causes accidents. carelessly /'keǝlıslı/ adverb car-go /'ka:gau/ noun (plural cargoes) something carried on a ship or in a plane: a cargo of oil car-ol /'kærǝl/ noun a Christmas song car park /'ka: pa:k/ noun a building or a piece of land where cars can be parked — see picture on page 266 car-pen-ter /'ka:pǝntǝr/ noun a person who makes things out of wood as a job car-pen-try /'ka:pǝntrı/ noun (no plural) the art of making things out of wood car-pet /'ka:pit/ noun a covering for floors and stairs, usually made of wool — see picture on page 165 carriage /'kæridz/ noun 1 one of the parts of a train, in which people sit 2 a vehicle pulled by horses instead of a motor car-ri-er bag /'kæriǝ bæg/ noun a bag made of plastic or paper, used for carrying things that you have bought in a shop — see picture at bag car-rot /'kærǝt/ noun a long orange root that is eaten as a vegetable — see picture at vegetable car-ry /'kæri/ verb (present participle carrying, past carried) 〈55〉 cart /ko:t/ noun 1 to take something somewhere: He carried the food to the table. see picture on page 299 2 carry on to continue: Carry on with your homework. They carried on talking... 3 carry something out to do or finish something: The soldiers carried out their orders.. a wooden vehicle pulled by horses and used for carrying things car-ton /'kaitn/ noun a cardboard box for holding food or drink: a carton of apple juice - see picture at container carve /karv/ verb (present participle carving, past carved) 1 to cut wood or stone into shapes: He carved the figure of a woman from a piece of wood. 2 to cut cooked meat into pieces: She carved the chicken. case /keis/ noun 1 one example of something: This is a typical case of lack of proper planning. 2 a question that is decided in a court of law: a case of murder 3 a large bag for carrying clothes in, for example on holiday: I'll just take my case up to my room. 4 in case because something might happen: I'll take some biscuits in case we get hungry. 5 in that case as this is true: "It's raining." "In that case we'll need coats." cash¹ /kæf/ noun (no plural) coins and paper money: Have you any cash? cash² verb to get cash in return for a cheque: I cashed a cheque at the bank this morning. cash desk /'kæf desk/ noun the place in a shop where you pay cashier /kæ fiǝ/ noun a person who takes and gives out money in a bank or shop cash-point /'kæfpoint/ noun a machine in the wall outside a bank where the customers of the bank can get money cas-sette /ka'set/ noun a small plastic container holding a TAPE that plays music when fitted into a special machine cas-sette re-corder /ka'set ri,kɔdə/ noun a machine which plays and records sounds on CASSETTES cas-tle /'ka:sl/ noun a large strong building made so that no one can attack the people inside cas-u-al /'kæzual/ adjective 1 not planned or arranged: a casual meeting 2 casual clothes clothes that you wear at home, not at work or school cat /kæt/ noun a small animal that people often keep as a pet cat-a-logue /'kætǝlog/ noun 1 a list of things in a special order; a catalogue of all the books in the library 2 a book containing details of things you can buy from a shop or business catch /kæt/ verb (past caught /ko:t/) 1 to stop something that is moving in the air and hold it: The dog caught the ball in its mouth. see picture on page 299 2 to run after something and take hold of it: We ran after the dog and caught it. 3 to get something: I caught the train. She caught a cold. 4 catch up to get to the same place as someone else: I tried, but I couldn't catch up with you. cat-e-gor-y /'kætigǝri/ noun (plural categories) a group of people or things that are like one another: different categories of books cat-er-pil-lar /'kætǝ,pılǝ/ noun the young form of some insects, that looks like a worm with many legs ca-the-dral /kə' bizdrəl/ noun an important large church 〈57〉 Cath-o-lic /'kæǝlık/ noun a Christian belonging to the church whose leader is the Pope cat-tle /'kætl/ plural noun large animals kept for their meat, milk, and skins caught /kɔ:t/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb catch cau-li-flower /'kali, flauǝr/ noun a vegetable with green leaves around the outside and a hard white centre cause¹ /kɔ:z/ verb (present participle causing, past caused) to make something happen; be the reason for something: The heavy rain caused the flood. cause² noun 1 a person or thing that makes something happen; a reason for something: The heavy rain was the cause of the flood. 2 an idea you believe in or care about very strongly: They were all fighting for the same cause. cau-tion /'kɔ:fn/ noun (no plural) great care: Drive with caution. cau-tious /'ko:fas/ adjective taking care to avoid danger cautiously /'kɔ:fəsli/ adverb OPPOSITE: reckless cave /kerv/ noun a hollow place under the ground or in the side of a mountain or rock CD /si: 'di:/ noun a type of record with very high quality sound played on a special machine - see picture on page 165 CD play-er / si: 'di: ,pleiǝr/ noun a special machine for playing CDs — see picture on page 165. cease /si:s/ verb (present participle ceasing, past ceased) to stop: Her mother never ceases telling you about her troubles. cease-less /'si:slıs/ adjective never stopping ceil-ing /'si:lıŋ/ noun the roof of a room cel-e-brate /'selibreit/ verb (present participle celebrating, past celebrated) to show that you are happy about something by having a special meal or party cel-e-bra-tion / selǝ'breifn/ noun a special meal or party that you have because something good has happened: There was great celebration when the baby was born. cell /sel/ noun 1 a small room in which a prisoner is kept 2 a very small part of living substance cel-lar /'selǝr/ noun a room under the ground in a house used especially for storing things in ▶COMPARE: basement cel-lo /'tfelaʊ/ noun a musical instrument like a large VIOLIN which you hold between your knees ce-ment /si'ment/ noun (no plural) a powder that becomes hard like stone when mixed with water, used in building cem-e-tery /'semitri/ noun (plural cemeteries) an area of land where dead bodies are put into the ground cent /sent/ noun a small coin used in some countries cen-ti-grade /'sentigreid/ noun (no plural) a way of measuring how hot something is cen-ti-me-tre /'sentı,mi:tǝ/ noun a measure of length: There are 100 centimetres in a metre. 3 centimetres (3cm) cen-tral /'sentral/ adjective in the middle of something cen-tre /'sentǝr/ noun 1 the middle of something 2 a place where a lot of people come with a special purpose: The doctors worked at the Health Centre. Have you seen the new shopping centre? cen-tu-ry /'sentfəri/ noun (plural centuries) a period of 100 years: This house was built in the 19th century. ce-re-al /'siǝriǝl/ noun a crop such as wheat, rice, or maize, used as food cer-e-mo-ny /'seriməni/ noun (plural ceremonies) a number of special actions done and 〈?〉 certain special words spoken in a particular order to mark an important public, social, or religious event: the wedding ceremony cer-tain /'s3:tn/ adjective 1 sure: l'am certain he told me to come at two o'clock. 2 some: You cannot smoke in certain restaurants. cer-tain-ly /'s3:tnlı/ adverb 1 without doubt: You've certainly got a lot of books. 2 of course: "Will you help me, please?" "Certainly." cer-tif-i-cate /sə'tifikat/ noun an important written paper: Your birth certificate tells people when you were born. chain¹ /tfein/ noun a number of metal rings joined together: She wore a gold chain around her neck. chain² verb to tie something with a chain: Who chained the poor dog to the fence? chair /tfeər/ noun a piece of furniture you sit on, with four legs and a back COMPARE: sofa, stool chair-man /'tfæəmən/ (plural chairman /-mən/) noun a person who controls a meeting. chalk /tfɔ:k/ noun 1 (no plural) a soft white substance found in the ground 2 a piece of this substance used for writing or drawing challenge¹ /'tfælindz/ verb (present participle challenging, past challenged) 1 to offer to fight or play a game against someone: Their school challenged ours to a football match. 2 to test or question someone: I did not think he was right, so I challenged him. challenge² noun 1 an offer to fight or play against someone 2 a test of ability: To build a bridge in a month was a real challenge. champagne /fæm' pein/ noun (no plural) an alcoholic drink with a lot of BUBBLES in it cham-pi-on /'tfæmpiən/ noun a person who is the best at something, especially a sport or game. cham-pi-on-ship /'tfæmpiənfp/ noun a competition to find who is the best at something: Our team won the swimming championships, chance /tfains/ noun 1 (no plural) something unexpected: I met him by chance. 2 something that may happen: There is a chance that I will be chosen for the team. 3 a time when something may be done: I haven't had a chance to read my letter. 4 a risk: He is taking a chance by driving his car so fast. change¹ /tfeind3/ verb (present participle changing, past changed) 1 to make something different or become different: This town has changed since I was a child. You said you were going to the supermarket; won't you change your mind and stay here? 2 to take or put something in the place of something else: She took the dress back to the shop and changed it (for another). 3 to put on different clothes: He changed when he arrived home from school. 4 change your mind to make a new decision which is opposite to the one before: I was going out this evening but I've changed my mind (= I'm going to stay at home instead). change² noun 1 something that has become different: You will see many changes in the village since last year. 2 (no plural) money that you get back when you give too much for something: 〈59〉 chan-nel /'tfænl/ noun a narrow piece of flowing water: The English Channel is between France and England. cha-os /'keɪɒs/ noun (no plural) absence of order or control: After the bomb explosion the town was in chaos. chap-el /'tfæpl/ noun a small church, or part of a church chap-ter /'t∫æptər/ noun a part of a book: Open your books at Chapter 3. char-ac-ter /'kærəktər/ noun 1 what a person or thing is like: He has a strong but gentle character. The new buildings have changed the character of the village. 2 a person in a book, film, or play charge¹ /t∫a:dʒ/ verb (present participle charging, past charged) 1 to ask money for something: He only charged me £2 for the book. 2 to say that a person has done something wrong: He was charged with stealing a car. 3 to run or hurry: The little boy charged into the room. charge² noun 1 a price asked for something: a charge for the use of the telephone 2 a statement that a person has done wrong: a charge of stealing 3 a hurried attack 4 be in charge, take charge to be in a position of control and responsibility: I don't know. Ask Mr. Davis. He's in charge. char-i-ty /'t∫ærəti/ noun 1 (no plural) goodness and kindness: She helped him out of charity. 2 (plural charities) a group of people who collect money from people and then give money, food, etc. to those who need it charm¹ /t∫a:m/ verb to please you very much charm² noun 1 (no plural) pleasing behaviour: He had great charm: everyone liked him. 2 a thing that is said to bring good luck charm-ing /'t∫a:mɪŋ/ adjective beautiful; pleasing chart /t∫a:t/ noun 1 a map, especially of an area of sea 2 a large piece of paper with information on it in pictures and writing chase¹ /t∫eis/ verb (present participle chasing, past chased) to follow someone quickly: The boy chased the dog. chase² noun following someone or something quickly: He caught it after a long chase. chat¹ /t∫æt/ verb (present participle chatting, past chatted) to talk in a friendly way chat² noun a friendly talk: to have a chat chat-ter /'t∫ætər/ verb to talk quickly, especially about unimportant things: They just sat and chatted. cheap /t∫i:p/ adjective costing only a little money: A bicycle is much cheaper than a car. ➔ OPPOSITE: expensive cheat¹ /t∫i:t/ adjective to deceive; do something which is not honest: He didn't play the game fairly — he cheated. cheat² noun a person who is not fair or honest check¹ /t∫ek/ verb 1 to make sure that something has been done well or is in good order: You should check your bicycle before you ride it. 2 check in to report your arrival somewhere: You must check in at the airport an hour before the plane leaves. check² noun 1 a careful look to make sure that something is correct or as you want it to be: a police check on cars and lorries 1.2 a pattern of squares: The material had checks on it. It was checked material. ➡see picture at pattern check-out /'t∫ekaʊt/ noun a desk in a shop where you pay for goods I gave him a pound and he gave me 20 pence change. 3 for a change as something different from usual: Let's go out to a restaurant tonight for a change. 〈?〉 cheek /tfi:k/ noun one of the two parts on each side of your face under your eyes cheeky /'tfi:kı/ adjective (cheekier, cheekiest) hot polite or respectful: Don't be so cheeky. cheer¹ /tfiǝ*/ verb 1 to make someone happy: The children's laughter cheered (up) the old woman. 2 to shout because you are pleased: The crowd cheered when the film stars arrived. cheer² noun a shout of happiness or support: Let's give three cheers for the winning team. cheerful /'tfıǝfl/ adjective smiling and happy cheerfully /'tfiǝfli/ adverb cheese /tfi:z/ noun a solid food made from milk chem-i-cal¹ /'kemıkəl/ noun a substance, especially one made by or used in chemistry chemical² adjective made by chemistry chem-ist /'kemist/ noun 1 a person who makes and sells medicines 2 chemist's a shop where medicines and some goods for the house can be bought see picture on page 199 3 a person who studies chemistry chem-is-try /'kemistri/ noun (no plural) the science which studies substances like gas, metals, liquids, etc., what they are made of, and how they behave cheque /tfek/ noun a printed piece of paper which you write on to pay for things, and which can be exchanged for money at the bank cherry /'tferi/ noun (plural cherries) a small round fruit with red or black skin which grows on trees chess /tfes/ noun (no plural) a game that you play by moving different shaped pieces on a board of black and white squares chest /tfest/ noun 1 the front of your body between your shoulders and your stomach → see picture on page 100 2 a large box for storing things in chest of drawers /tfest av 'dro:z/ noun (plural chests of drawers) a large piece of furniture with several drawers chew /tfu:/ verb to break up food in your mouth with your teeth chew-ing gum /'tfu:in gam/ noun (no plural) a type of sweet that you chew but do not swallow chick /tfık/ noun a young bird, especially a young chicken chick-en /'tfıkın/ noun a bird that people keep for its eggs and meat chief¹ /tfi:f/ adjective most important chief² noun a leader; the head of a group or tribe: the chief of police chief-ly /'tfi:fli/ adverb mostly: He kept animals - chiefly cattle, with some pigs. child /tfaild/ noun (plural children /'tfildrǝn/) 1 a young person older than a baby but not yet fully grown 2 a son or daughter: They have three children. LOOK AT: son child-hood /'tfaildhud/ noun the time when you are a child child-ish /'tfaildıf/ adjective silly and suitable only for a child: a childish game childishly /'tfaildılıf/ adverb: Stop behaving so childishly! children /'tfildrǝn/ the plural of child chime /tfaim/ verb (present participle chiming, past chimed) to make a sound like a bell: The clock chimed three o'clock. SAME MEANING: ring 〈61〉 chim-ney /'tfimni/ noun a pipe that allows smoke to go up and out of a building chim-pan-zee /,tfimpæn'zi:/ noun an African animal like a monkey but without a tail — see picture on page 300 chin /tfin/ noun the part of your face below your mouth — see picture at head chi-na /'tfaina/ noun (no plural) 1 cups, plates, etc. that are made from fine baked earth 2 the special kind of white earth from which cups, plates, etc. are made chip¹ /tfip/ noun 1 a small piece broken off something: a cup with a chip out of it 2 a long thin piece of potato cooked in oil 3 a very small piece of metal or plastic used in computers to store information and make the computer work chip² verb (present participle chipping, past chipped) to break a small piece off something hard: He chipped the cup when he dropped it. chirp /tf3:p/ noun a short high sound made by some birds and insects cho-co-late /'tfoklǝt/ noun 1 (no plural) a sweet, hard, brown food made from cocoa 2 a small sweet covered in chocolate: a box of chocolates choice /tfɔis/ noun 1 a decision about what you want: I've got to make a choice between the two jobs. 2 the result of deciding what you want: Her choice of dress surprised me. choir /'kwaiǝr/ noun a number of people who sing together: the school choir choke /tfǝuk/ verb (present participle choking, past choked) to be unable to breathe because of something in your throat: to choke on a piece of meat choose /tfu:z/ verb (present participle choosing, past tense chose /tfǝuz/, past participle chosen /'tfǝuzn/) to decide from a number of things or people the one you want: She chose to study chemistry. chop¹ /tfpp/ verb (present participle chopping, past chopped) to cut something with an axe or sharp knife chop² noun a piece of meat with a bone cut from the side of an animal's body cho-rus /'kɔ:rǝs/ noun (plural choruses) 1 a group of singers 2 a part of a song that is repeated chose /tfǝuz/ the PAST TENSE of the verb choose cho-sen /'tfǝuzn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb choose chris-ten /'krisn/ verb to put holy water on someone to make them a member of the Christian church, and to give them a name: They christened the baby John. chris-ten-ing /'krisnin/ noun the Christian ceremony at which a baby is given its name Christian /'kristfǝn, -tfæn/ noun a person who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ Chris-ti-an-i-ty /,krist'iæniti/ noun (no plural) the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ Christian name /'kristfǝn,neim/ noun a person's first name, not their family name Christmas /'krismǝs/ noun December 25th, the day of the year when Christians thank God for the birth of his son Jesus Christ. People get together with their 3 a variety of things from which you can choose: There's a wide choice of colours. 〈?〉 chuck-le family and friends and eat and drink special nice things. Xmas is another way to write Christmas. chuck-le /tfakl/ verb (present participle chuckling, past chuckled) to laugh quietly: He chuckled at the funny story. church /tf3:tf/ noun (plural churches) a building in which Christians meet and pray cigar /st'gar) noun. a thick brown stick of tobacco leaves rolled together for smoking cigarette / sigaret noun a thin stick made of tobacco cut into small pieces and rolled in white paper for smoking cin-e-ma /sinəmal noun a building in which you can see films cir-cle /'sa:klj noun 1 a round shape; a ring: They sat in a circle round the fire. - see picture at shape 2 a group of people who like the same things: a large circle of friends cir-cu-lar/153ıkjulər adjective round; moving in a direction that takes you back to where you started: It's a circular path so we don't have to come back the same way. cir-cu-late /'s3:kjuleit/ verb (present participle circulating, past circulated) to go round and round: Blood circulates round your body. cir-cu-la-tion /sskjulerfn/noun (no plural) the movement of blood round your body cir-cum-fer-ence /sə'kamfrəns/ noun the length around the outside edge of a round object - see picture at diameter cir-cum-stan-ces /'s3:kəmstənsiz) plural noun 1 in/under the circumstances after what has happened: In the circumstances I think I should stay at home. 2 in/under no circumstances never: Under no circumstances will I vote for him. circus /s3:kas noun a show given by people and trained animals, often in a large tent cit-i-zen /sitizn/ noun a person who lives in a country or town and has special rights there city /'sıtı) noun (plural cities) a very large town civil-ian /'sıvıljən noun a person who is not in the armed forces civ-i-li-za-tion / sıvılai zeın/ noun a way of life in which people have laws, government, and education civ-i-lize /'sıvılaiz) verb (present participle civilizing, past civilized) to change the way that people live together, by making laws and having government and education civil service / sivi 'ss:vis/ noun all the people who work for a government except the army, navy, and air force civil war /sivl 'wa: noun a war between two groups of people who live in the same country claim¹ /kleim/ verb 1 to ask for something that you say is yours: I claimed the coat that the teacher found. 2 to say something is true: He claimed that he hadn't done it, but I didn't believe him. claim² noun 1 something that you ask for: They made a claim for higher pay. 2 something that you say is true: I don't believe his claim about how rich he is. clang /klæn noun the sound of one piece of metal hitting another: There was a clang as he dropped the tools. clap /klæp/ verb (present participle clapping, past clapped) to make a sound by hitting your hands together usually to show that you like something: When the singer finished, we clapped. COMPARE: applaud clash¹ {klæ∫/ verb 1 to fight: The police clashed with the angry crowd. 2 (used about colours) to look wrong together: His shirt clashed with his coat. 3 to happen at the same time: I couldn't go to the wedding as it clashed with my holiday. clash² noun (plural clashes) 1 a fight or disagreement: a clash with the police 〈63〉 clean-er /'kli:nər/ noun a person who cleans houses or other buildings as their job. clear¹ /klıǝ/ adjective 1 easy to understand: It was clear that he wanted to be alone. 2 easy to see or hear: a clear voice 3 easy to see through: clear water 4 free from anything that blocks or covers: The road's clear. clear² verb 1 to take away something that is not wanted: to clear plates from a table 2 clear up (a) to tidy or put things in order: Can you clear up before he arrives please? (b) (of a problem) to get better: I hope the weather clears up before Sunday. clear-ly /'kliǝlı/ adverb 1 in a clear way: Please speak more clearly, we can't hear you. 2 without any doubt: Clearly, he's very clever! clerk /kla:k/ noun a person who works in an office and writes letters clev-er /'klevǝ/ adjective quick at learning and understanding things cleverly /'klevǝlı/ adverb click¹ /klik/ noun short, sharp sound: There was a loud click as she took the photograph. click² verb to make a short sharp sound: The door clicked shut. cli-ent /'klaiǝnt/ noun a person who pays a professional person for help or advice cliff /klif/ noun an area of high, steep rock, often close to the sea cli-mate /'klaımət/ noun (no plural) the weather that a place regularly has climb¹ /klaim/ verb to go up: The two boys climbed the tree. The road climbed steeply up the hill. — see picture on page 299 climb² noun an upward journey: a long climb up the hill cling /klıŋ/ verb (past clung /klaŋ/) a loud noise of metal on metal: the clash of weapons clasp¹ /klɔ:sp/ verb to hold something tightly: He clasped my arm with fear. SAME MEANING: grip clasp² noun something that fastens two things together: He has a gold clasp on his belt. class /kla:s/ noun (plural classes) 1 a group of people who learn together: She was in a class of thirty students. 2 a group of people or things of the same kind: Cats belong to one class of animals, fish to another. clas-sic /'klæsık/ noun a book or film which is very good and of lasting importance: That film's a classic. clas-si-cal /'klæsık/ adjective (used about music) serious and of lasting importance: I prefer classical music to modern music. class-room /'kla:srum/ noun a room in which a class meets for a lesson: Which classroom are we in? clat-ter /'klætər/ noun the loud noise of hard things knocking together: The pans fell with a clatter. clause /klɔ:z/ noun a group of words that contains a verb: The sentence "As I was walking home, I met my friend" contains two clauses. "As I was walking home" is one clause, and "I met my friend" is another. COMPARE: sentence claw¹ /klɔ:/ noun 1 one of the sharp, hard points on the foot of a bird or animal. 2 the hand of a CRAB OF LOBSTER claw² verb to tear something with the claws: The cat clawed the chair. clay /kleı/ noun (no plural) soft, sticky earth from which people make pots and bricks clean¹ /kli:n/ adjective 1 not dirty: Haven't you got a clean shirt? 2 not yet used: a clean piece of paper clean² verb to make something clean: Have you cleaned the kitchen? 〈?〉 clinic to hold on tightly: The baby monkey clung to its mother. clin-ic /'klınık/ noun a place where people go to see a doctor clip¹ /klip/ noun a small metal object used for fastening things: The letters were held together with a paper clip. clip² verb (present participle clipping, past clipped) 1 to hold things with a clip: Could you clip those letters together, please? 2 to cut something with a sharp instrument: He clipped his finger nails. cloak /kləuk/ noun a loose piece of clothing that you wrap around your body, on top of other clothes, to keep you warm COMPARE: cape. cloak-room /'klaukru:m/ noun 1 a room where you leave hats, coats, etc. 2 a TOILET clock /klok/ noun a machine that tells you what the time is COMPARE: watch clock-wise /'klokwaız/ adverb in the same direction as the hands of a clock COMPARE: anticlockwise. close¹ /kləus/ adjective 1 near: I live close to the shops. They were standing close together (= very near each other). 2 liking or loving someone: Peter and John are close friends. 3 careful: We kept a close watch on the children. close² /kləuz/ verb (present participle closing, past closed) 1 to shut something: Please close the door. 2 (used about a shop, a bank etc.) to stop being available for business: What time does the bank close? OPPOSITE: (1 and 2): open close³ /kləuz/ noun the end of something: at the close of the day closed /kləuzd/ adjective 1 shut: Keep your eyes closed. The window was closed because it was raining. 2 not ready for business: The shops are closed on Sundays. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): open cloth /kloθ/ noun 1 (no plural) a soft substance made of wool, cotton, etc.: She bought some cloth to make some new dresses. SAME MEANING: material 2 a piece of cloth used for a particular purpose: A red tablecloth covered the table. He dried the dishes with a dishcloth. LOOK AT: clothes clothes /kləuðz/ plural noun things that you wear on your body: I need some new clothes. NOTE: Cloth is NOT the singular of clothes (look at the entry for cloth above). The word clothes is always plural and does not have a singular form. People usually use the name of the thing they are talking about when there is only one, e.g. a shirt, a dress, etc. cloth-ing /'kləuðiŋ/ noun (no plural) things that are used as clothes: warm winter clothing cloud /klaud/ noun a mass of very small drops of water floating in the sky cloud-y /'klaudi/ adjective (cloudier, cloudiest) having lots of clouds: a cloudy day clown /klaun/ noun a person who wears funny clothes and tries to make people laugh club¹ /klʌb/ noun 1 a group of people who have joined together 〈65〉 jumper vest socks pants dress blouse glasses tracksuit T-shirt jeans trousers shoes trainers skirt clothes shorts knickers braces 〈66〉 describing people tall beard dark fair/blond ponytail curly shor short plait sunglasses fair thin Straight dark plump slim bald small long fringe glasses moustache 〈67〉 clue /klu:/ noun something that helps you find the answer to a difficult question: The police have found a clue which will help them to catch the robber. clum-si-ly /'klʌmzılı/ adverb in a clumsy way: She climbed down clumsily. clumsy /'klʌmzı/ adjective (clumsier, clumsiest) likely to move in an awkward way or drop things: You are clumsy! You've knocked over my cup of coffee! clung /klʌŋ/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb cling clutch /klʌt∫/ verb to take hold of something tightly: She clutched her baby in her arms. cm a short way of writing CENTIMETRE: 10 cm coach¹ /kəʊtʃ/ noun (plural coaches) 1 a bus, or part of a train, that can carry many people 2 a covered vehicle with four wheels pulled by horses 3 a person who gives special lessons: football coach coach² verb to give someone special lessons: He coached her for the English examination. coal /kəʊl/ noun (no plural) a hard black material dug out of the ground and burnt to give heat coarse /kɔ:s/ adjective rough; not smooth or fine coast /kəʊst/ noun the land next to the sea: a town on the coast coast-line /'kəʊstlaın/ noun the edge of the land: From the ship, they saw the rocky coastline. coat /kəʊt/ noun 1 a piece of clothing that you wear over your other clothes to keep you warm when you go outside 2 an animal's fur, wool, or hair 3 a covering of something spread over a surface: a coat of paint coat hang-er /'kəʊt ˌhæŋə/ noun a specially shaped piece of wood or plastic with a hook on top, used for hanging up clothes coax /kəʊks/ verb to persuade someone by kindness or care: She coaxed him to take the medicine. cob-web /'kɒbweb/ noun the thin net which a SPIDER spins to catch flies and insects cock /kɒk/ noun a male bird, especially a male chicken co-co-a /'kəʊkəʊ/ noun (no plural) 1 a brown powder made from the seeds of a tree, from which chocolate is made 2 a hot drink made from this powder co-co-nut /'kəʊkənʌt/ noun a large nut with hard white flesh and a hollow centre filled with milky juice cod /kɒd/ noun (plural cod) a sea fish used for food code /kəʊd/ noun a way of using words, letters, numbers, etc. to keep messages secret: The letter was written in code and I could not understand it. coffee /'kɒfi/ noun 1 (no plural) (a drink made from) a brown powder from the seeds of the coffee tree 2 a cup of this drink: Two coffees, please! cof-fin /'kɒfɪn/ noun a box in which a dead body is put coil¹ /kɔɪl/ verb 1 to twist a rope, wire, or pipe round and round 2 to go round in a circle: The snake coiled round the tree. coil² noun a set of rings joined to each other; a continuous circular shape: a coil of rope coin /kɔɪn/ noun a piece of money made of metal ▶COMPARE: bank note 〈68〉 co-in-ci-dence /kau'insidəns/ noun a number of events happening together by chance, which are often surprising: What a coincidence that I was in London at the same time as you! cold¹ /kauld/ adjective having little heat: a cold drink ➔ OPPOSITE: hot cold² noun 1 an illness of the nose and throat: I've got a cold. 2 (no plural) cold weather: I don't like the cold. ➔ OPPOSITE: heat col·lapse /kə'læps/ verb (present participle collapsing, past collapsed) to break into pieces; to fall down: The roof of the old house collapsed. The old man collapsed in the street. collar /'kpələr/ noun 1 the part of a shirt or coat that goes round your neck: The collar of his shirt was dirty. 2 a leather or metal band put round the neck of an animal collect /kə'lekt/ verb 1 to come together or bring things together in the same place: A crowd had collected to watch the ceremony. I collect stamps from all over the world. 2 to come to take someone or something away: He collected the children from school. 3 to get money from people: I'm collecting for the blind. collection /kə'lek[n/ noun a group of things which have been brought together: a large collection of stamps college /'kolidz/ noun a place where people study after they have left school col-lide /kə'laid/ verb (present participle colliding, past collided) to bang together with great force: The two trains collided. col-li-sion /kə'lızn/ noun a violent crash: a collision between two trains co-lon /'kaulən/ noun the sign (:) which in this book comes before an example colo-nel /'k3:nl/ noun an officer in the army col-o-ny /'kpləni/ noun (plural colonies) a country that is under the control of another country colour¹ /'kalǝ/ noun the quality that makes things look green, red, yellow, etc.: "What colour is her hair?" "It's black." NOTE: The word colour is not usually used in sentences describing the colour of something, e.g. Her dress is red. He has brown hair. colour² verb to put colour on to something: Sarah is colouring the picture in her book. col-our-ful /'kaləfl/ adjective bright; having lots of colours: colourful clothes column /'kpləm/ noun 1 a large post used to support a part of a building 2 something long and narrow: Can you add up this column of figures? comb¹ /kaum/ noun a thin piece of plastic, metal, etc. with teeth, that you use to make your hair tidy comb² verb to tidy your hair with a comb: Have you combed your hair? com-bi-na-tion /kombi'neisn/ noun a mixture of separate people or things joined together: His character is a combination of strength and kindness. com-bine /kəm'bain/ verb (present participle combining, past combined) to join or mix together: The two small shops combined to make one large one. 〈69〉 come /kam/ verb (present participle coming, past tense came /keim/, past participle come) 1 to move towards the person speaking: Come here Mary, I want to speak to you! I'm going out. Are you coming with me? 2 come about to happen: This situation should never have come about. 3 come across someone or something find someone or something by chance: / came across an old friend I hadn't seen for years. 4 come from to have been born or have lived a long time in a place: I come from Glasgow. 5 Come on! Hurry up! 6 come off to become unfastened: My shoe has come off. com-e-dy /'komadi/ noun (plural comedies) a funny play, film etc.; something that makes you laugh COMPARE: tragedy com-fort¹ /'kamfat/ noun a state in which you are free from pain, trouble, etc.: He lived in comfort (= he had enough money to live well). comfort verb to give help to someone or show them kindness when they are in pain or trouble: She comforted the unhappy child. com-for-ta-ble /'kamftabl/ adjective 1 pleasant to wear, sit in, or be in: This is a very comfortable chair. OPPOSITE: uncomfortable. 2 with no pain or worries: We're not rich but we are quite comfortable. comfortably adverb com-ic¹ /'komik/ adjective making people laugh; funny comic² noun a small book for children, with pictures that tell the story com-ma /'koma/ noun the sign (,) used in writing to divide up a sentence com-mand¹ /ka'maind/ verb 1 to order someone to do something: I command you to go! 2 to be in charge of people: A general is a man who commands a large number of soldiers. command² noun 1 an order. 2 (no plural) power: The officer is in command of his men. com-mence /ka'mens/ verb to begin: The evening performance will commence at eight o'clock. SAME MEANING: start comment¹ /'koment/ verb to make a remark about something or give an opinion about something: He commented on the bad road. comment² noun an opinion or remark about something: He's always making rude comments about his boss. com-men-ta-ry /'komantri/ noun (plural commentaries) a spoken description of something that is happening com-men-ta-tor /'komenteita/ noun someone who describes an event while it is happening: a radio commentator com-merce /'kom3:s/ noun (no plural) business; buying and selling goods com-mer-cial /ka'm3:fl/ adjective related to the buying and selling of goods com-mit /ka'mit/ verb (present participle committing, past committed) to do something wrong: He said he hadn't committed the murder. committee /ka'miti/ noun a group of people chosen to study something, plan, and make decisions: The football club committee arranges all the matches. common /'komən/ adjective 1 found everywhere; usual: Red buses are quite common in London. OPPOSITE: rare 2 shared by several people; belonging to or used by several people: The park is common property: everyone can use it. 3 common sense the ability to think about things and make good decisions: It's just common sense to take warm clothes on holiday in winter. Com-mon-wealth /'komənwelθ/ noun a group of independent countries which 〈70〉 communicate used to be part of the British empire (= under the control of Britain) com·mu·ni·cate /kə'mju:nikeit/ verb (past participle communicating, past communicated) to speak or write to someone: If you know English you can communicate with a lot of people. We communicated by letter. com·mu·ni·ca·tion /kə, mju:ni'kei∫n/ noun 1 (no plural) the act of speaking or writing to someone and being understood by them: Communication between people who speak different languages is difficult. 2 communications (plural noun) road, railways, radio, telephones, and all other ways of moving or sending information between places com·mu·ni·ty /kə'mjuznəti/ noun (plural communities) all the people living in one place: All children in our community go to the same school. com·mut·er /kə'mju:tər/ noun a person who travels a long way to work each day com·pact disc / kompækt 'disk/ (also CD) noun a type of record with very good sound played on a special machine com·pact disc play·er / kompækt disk pletar (also co player) noun a special machine for playing COMPACT DISCS com·pan·ion /kəm'pænjən/ noun a person you are with, often a friend: He was my travelling companion for many months. com·pa·ny /'kampəni/ noun 1 (no plural) a person or people you are with: I had no company on the journey. 2 (plural companies) a group of people doing business; a firm: I work for a mining company. com·par·a·tive /kəm'pærətiv/ noun, adjective a word or a form of a word that shows that something is bigger, smaller, better, worse, etc. than something else; for example, "bigger" is the comparative form of "big". ➤ COMPARE: superlative compare /kəm peər/ verb (present participle comparing, past compared) to decide in what way things are alike or different: People are always comparing me to my sister. We compared the prices in the shop with the prices in the market. com·pa·ri·son /kəm'pærisn/ noun an act of judging two things and saying whether they are alike or different: My shoes are small in comparison with my sister's. com·part·ment /kəm'partmənt/ noun 1 a room in a train 2 a separate part of a container: a special compartment for meat com·pass /'kampəs/ noun (plural compasses) an instrument with a metal needle that always points north com·pel /kəm'pel/ verb (present participle compelling, past compelled) to force someone to do something: The floods compelled us to turn back. com·pete /kəm'pi:t/ verb (present participle competing, past competed) to try to win a race, prize, etc.: Five children competed in the race. com·pe·ti·tion / kompə'tı∫n/ noun a test of who is best at something: She came first in a drawing competition. com·pet·i·tor /kəm'petitə/ noun a person who tries to win something com·plain /kəm'plein/ verb to say that something is not very good, or that you are unhappy or angry with something: We complained about the bad food. com·plaint /kəm'pleint/ noun something said which expresses annoyance or unhappiness about something: We made a complaint about the food. com·plete¹ /kəm'pli:t/ adjective 1 whole; with nothing left out: a complete set of stamps ➤ OPPOSITE: incomplete 2 total: a complete waste of time complete² verb (present participle completing, past completed) to finish something: to complete a piece of work 〈71〉 complete-ly /kəm'pli:tlı/ adverb totally: Have you completely finished your work? com-pli-cat-ed /'komplikertid adjective difficult to understand; not simple: A car engine is a complicated machine. com-pli-ment¹ /'kompliment/ noun something nice said about someone OPPOSITE: insult com-pli-ment² /'kompliment/ verb to say something nice to someone because they have done something you think is clever or good: She complimented Mary on passing all her exams. com-pose /kəm'pǝuz/ verb (present participle composing, past composed) 1 to write or make up a song, poem, or a piece of music 2 be composed of to be formed from different parts: The course will be composed of three parts..... com-pos-er /kam'pauzǝr/ noun a person who writes music com-po-si-tion / kompə'zıfn/ noun a story, poem, piece of music, etc. that you have written com-pound /'kompaund/ noun a group of buildings and the land around them com-pre-hen-sive school/ kompri-'hensiv ,sku:l/ noun a SECONDARY School which teaches pupils of all abilities com-pul-so-ry /kəm'palsərı/ adjective that must be done because of a rule or law: Learning science is compulsory at our school - we have no choice. com-put-er /kəm'pju:tər/ noun a machine that stores information and can work out answers to sums very quickly: a personal computer com-put-er game /kəm'pju:tǝ geım/ noun a game played on a computer com-put-er pro-gram-mer /kəm-'pju:tə 'prǝugræmə"/ noun a person who prepares lists of rules that are put into a computer to make the computer give the right information or do the right job con-cen-trate /'konsǝntreıl/ verb (present participle concentrating, past concentrated) to keep your thoughts or attention on one thing: Are you concentrating on your work? con-cern¹ /kən's3:n/ noun worry: He shows no concern for his children. concern² verb 1 to be about something: The story concerns a man who lived in Russia a long time ago. 2 to be of importance or interest to someone: This letter concerns you. 3 to worry someone: Her refusal to eat concerns us. con-cerned /kən's3:nd/ adjective 1 anxious or worried: I'm very concerned about my mother's illness. She was concerned for their safety. 2 as far as I'm concerned in my opinion con-cern-ing /kən's3:nıŋ/ preposition about: concerning your letter I am pleased to inform you that .... con-cert /'konsət/ noun a piece of music played in public for a lot of people con-clude /kən'klu:d/ verb (present participle concluding, past concluded) 1 to finish something: She concluded her speech with a joke. 2 to decide that something is true from what you have learnt: When I had heard the story, I concluded that he had told me the truth. con-clu-sion /kən'klu:zn/ noun a judgement or decision that you reach after some thought: My conclusion was that the boy had told me the truth. con-crete /'konkri:t/ noun (no plural) a grey powder mixed with sand and water, which becomes very hard and is used for building. con-demn /kən'dem/ verb to send someone to prison for a crime con-di-tion /kən'dın/ noun 1 the state of someone or something: The car is in very good condition. Weather conditions are bad today. 2 something that must happen before 〈72〉 con-duct¹ /kən'dakt/ verb to lead or guide someone: He conducted us on a tour of the castle. con-duct² /'kondakt) noun (no plural) the way you behave ➔ SAME MEANING: behaviour.. : con-duc-tor /kən'daktər/ noun 1 a person who controls a group of people playing music: 2 a person who sells tickets on a bus or train cone /kaun/ noun a round shape that is pointed at one end, like the end of a sharp pencil — see picture at shape con-fe-rence /'konfərəns/ noun a meeting of people to find out what they think about a subject: a doctors' conference confess /kan'fes/ verb to tell someone about things you have done wrong: When the police questioned the man, he confessed. con-fes-sion /kan'ſen/ noun a speech or piece of writing saying what you have done wrong: He made a confession. con-fi-dence /'konfidəns/ noun (no plural) a calm unworried feeling that you are sure that you can do something: She plays the piano well but doesn't have the confidence to play to others. con-fi-dent /'konfidant/ adjective feeling sure or safe: / was confident that I had passed the examination. con-firm /kən'fa:m/ verb 10 say for certain that something is true or will happen: Please confirm your telephone message by writing to me. con-fir-ma-tion / konfə'meiſn/ noun (no plural) something that shows other things to be true con-flict¹ /'konflikt/ noun a fight or argument: a conflict between two countries con-flict² /kən'flikt/ verb something else happens: One of the conditions of having the job was that I had to learn English. I was given the job on condition that I learnt English. to disagree: The two stories conflicted, so I did not know what to believe. con-fuse /kən'fju:z/ verb (present participle confusing, past confused) to mix ideas in your mind so that you feel unsure about something: / confused the two boys, because they look so alike. con-fu-sion /kən'fju:zn/ noun (no plural) a state of mind in which you are uncertain what to think or do: The room was in complete confusion. con-grat-u-late /kən'grætſuleit/ verb to say you are pleased about a happy event: I congratulated them on the birth of their baby. con-grat-u-la-tions /kən,grætſu'leiſnz/ plural noun an expression of happiness or admiration for something someone has done: Congratulations on the birth of your baby! con-junction /kən'dzaŋkſn/ noun a word such as "and" or "but" that joins two parts of a sentence con-jure /'kandza/ verb to make something appear as if by magic: The magician conjured the rabbit out of the hat. con-nect /kə'nekt/ verb to join two or more places or things: Will you connect this wire to the television? con-nec-tion /kə'nekſn/ noun the joining of two or more things; something that joins two or more things: The television is not working; is there a loose connection? con-quer /'koŋka/ verb to defeat someone in war; to conquer the enemy con-quest /'koŋkwest/ noun the defeat or control of a group of people: the conquest of the British army con-science /'konſəns/ noun the feeling inside you that tells you whether something is right or wrong: His conscience troubled him after he took the money. con-scious /'konſəs/ adjective awake and knowing what is happening around you: He is badly hurt but still conscious. ➔ OPPOSITE: unconscious con-sent¹ /kən'sent/ verb 〈73〉 to agree to something: With great sadness her father consented to her marriage. consent² /kən'sent/ noun (no plural) agreement: We need your parent's consent. con-se-quence /'konsıkwans/ noun something that happens as a result of something else: As a consequence of being in hospital, Jane decided that she wanted to become a nurse. con-se-quent-ly /'konsıkwǝntlı/ adverb happening as a result of something else con-ser-va-tion /,konsǝ'veifn/ noun (no plural) the saving and protecting of animals or plants: There is a need for the conservation of trees, or there will soon not be forests. con-sid-er /kǝn'sıdə'/ verb to think about something: I'm considering changing my job. con-sid-er-a-tion /kən,sıdə'reıfn/ noun (no plural) 1 thought and attention: They gave the plan careful consideration. 2 thought for other people's feelings: You show no consideration for anyone but yourself! con-sist /kən'sıst/ verb consist of to be made up of: The course consists of some classwork and some practice in the factory. con-so-nant /'konsənənt/ noun a written letter, or the sound of a letter, which is not a, e, i, o, or u. COMPARE: vowel constant /'konstant/ adjective happening all the time: constant rain constantly /'konstantli/ adverb: It rained constantly all week. con-sti-tu-en-cy /kən'stıtjuǝnsı/ noun (plural constituencies) an area of the country that chooses one member of parliament. con-sti-tu-tion /,konsti'tju:fn/ noun a set of laws governing a country, club, etc. con-sti-tu-tion-al /,konsti'tju:fnǝl/ adjective written in or concerning the set of laws governing a country, club, etc. con-struct /kən'strakt/ verb to build or make something: to construct a bridge con-struc-tion /kən'strak∫n/ noun 1 (no plural) building: a construction company 2 something that is built con-sul /'konsl/ noun a person who lives in a foreign city and whose job is to help people from his or her own country con-sult /kən'sʌlt/ verb to talk to someone or look at a book in order to get information: I consulted George about buying a car. con-sume /kən'sju:m/ verb (present participle consuming, past consumed) to eat or use something: The country consumes much more than it produces. con-sump-tion /kən'sʌmpfn/ noun (no plural) the eating or using of something: The petrol consumption of the big car was very high. con-tact¹ /'kontækt/ verb to talk or write to someone: She contacted me as soon as she arrived. contact² noun (no plural) the touching or coming together of two things or people: The fire started when two wires came into contact. They have little contact with other people. con-tact lens /'kontækt ,lenz/ noun (plural contact lenses) a very small plastic LENS that you put in your eye instead of wearing glasses con-tain /kən'tein/ verb to have something inside: I found a book containing all the information I needed. 〈74〉 con-tain-er /kan'teinǝr/ noun something you can put things into, for example a box, bottle, etc. con-tent /kan'tent/ adjective satisfied and happy: She's not very content at work. con-tent-ed /kən'tentid/ adjective satisfied and happy: My father seems more contented in his new job. con-tents /'kontents/ plural noun the things that are inside something: The contents of the box fell onto the floor. con-test /'kontest/ noun a fight or competition con-ti-nent /'kontinant/ noun one of the large areas of land on Earth, such as Africa, Europe, Australia, etc. con-ti-nen-tal /,konti'nentl/ adjective of or from all of Europe except Britain: Continental breakfasts are very different to British breakfasts. con-tin-u-al /kən'tınjuǝl/ adjective happening often or all the time: continual arguments con-tin-ue /kən'tınjur/ verb (present participle continuing, past continued) 1 to go on: She continued to look at them in silence. 2 to start again after stopping: The play will continue in 15 minutes 3 to go further in the same direction: The road continues on down the valley. con-tin-u-ous /kən'tınjuəs/ adjective never stopping: a continuous noise. con-tract /'kontrækt/ noun a written agreement to do work or sell goods at an agreed price con-tra-ry¹ /'kontrǝrı/ noun (no plural) the opposite: "You must be tired." "On the contrary, I feel wide awake." contrary² adjective not agreeing with something: He passed the examination, contrary to what I expected. contrast¹ /kən'tra:st/ verb to compare two things and find the differences between them: In the book the writer contrasts two different ways of planning a garden. con-trast² /'kontra:st/ noun (no plural) a difference: I've never seen such a contrast between two brothers. con-tribute /kən'tribju:t/ verb (present participle contributing, past contributed) to give money or help: We all contributed money to buy Richard's present. con-tri-bu-tion /,kontrı'bju:[n/ noun money or help that is offered or given: Peter collected all the contributions to the school magazine. con-trol¹ /kən'trǝul/ verb (present participle controlling, past controlled) to have power over someone or something; to decide or guide the way someone or someone works te wasn't a bad teacher but he could. t control the class. control² noun 1 the state of having the power to decide or guide the way something or someone works:! te wasn't in control of the car. The horse got out of control and the rider fell to the ground. 2 lose control of something to stop being able to make something do what you want: He lost control of the car and it crashed. con-ve-ni-ence /kən'vi:nıəns/ noun usefulness; helpfulness; easiness: My mother likes the convenience of living close to the shops. con-ve-ni-ent /kən'vi:nıənt/ adjective suited to your needs; local to where you are: The school is in a convenient place, near my home. OPPOSITE: inconvenient con-vent /'konvant/ noun a place where women who lead a religious life (NUNS) live; a school or college run by these women COMPARE: monastery con-ver-sa-tion /,konvǝ'serfn/ noun a talk between two or more people: I had an interesting conversation with your teacher. con-ver-sion /kən'v31[n/ noun a change from one use to another or from one religion to another con-vert /kən'va:t/ verb to change something into something else: That building has been converted into a school. 〈75〉 con-vict¹ /kən'vikt/ verb to decide in a law court that someone is guilty of something: He was convicted of murder. con-vict² /'konvikt/ noun a person who has been sent to prison for doing something wrong. con-vince /kan vins/ verb (present participle convincing, past convinced) 1 to make a person believe something: He convinced me that I should study law. 2 convinced that to be completely certain about something: I was convinced that he was telling the truth. cook¹ /kuk/ verb to make food ready to eat by heating it: He's cooking dinner for me tonight... cook² noun a person who prepares food for eating: Sarah is a very good cook. cook-er /'kukar/ noun a machine for cooking food: a gas cooker cook-e-ry /'kukari/ noun (no plural) the study or activity of preparing food for eating: cookery lessons cool¹ /ku:l/ adjective 1 a little cold: The room was cool after the sun had gone down. 2 calm: Don't get excited about the examination; keep cool. cool² verb 1 to make or become a little colder: Leave the cake to cool. 2 cool down (a) to become a little colder (b) to become calmer: I'll discuss it with her again when she's cooled down a bit. co-op-e-rate /kauppareit/ verb (present participle cooperating, past cooperated) to work together with someone else to get something done: If we all cooperate we'll finish this by five o'clock. co-op-e-ra-tion /kau, ppareisn/ noun (no plural) willingness to work together: Thank you for your cooperation. co-op-e-ra-tive /kau'pprǝtiv/ adjective willing to help other people ➔ OPPOSITE: uncooperative cop-per /'kppa/ noun (no plural) a red-gold metal cop-y¹ /'kppi/ verb (present participle copying, past copied) 1 to make or do something exactly the same as something else: Could you copy this down in your books please? 2 to cheat by writing exactly the same thing as someone else: The teacher saw him copying in the history test. copy² noun (plural copies) 1 something that is made to look the same as something else: Please send a copy of this letter to Mr Brown. 2 one magazine, book, or newspaper from the many that have been produced: Have you got another copy of this book? cord /kɔ:d/ noun a thin rope core /kɔ:/ noun the hard central part of certain fruits, which contain the seeds: an apple core cork /kɔ:k/ noun 1 (no plural) a light substance that comes from the outside part of the stem of a tree 2 a piece of this, used to fill the holes in the tops of bottles corn /kɔ:n/ noun (no plural) the seed of grain plants, including wheat and maize corner /'kɔina/ noun the place where two lines, walls, streets, etc. meet each other: The table stood in the corner of the room. His house is on the corner of School Road and Green Street. corn flakes /'kɔ:nflcıks/ plural noun a breakfast food made from crushed corn and usually eaten with milk and sugar cor-po-ra-tion /kɔipa'reisn/ noun a group of people who run a town, business, etc. corpse /kɔ:ps/ noun the dead body of a person correct¹ /ka'rekt/ adjective right; with no mistakes: a correct answer correctly /ka'rektli/ adverb She answered the question correctly. ➔ OPPOSITE: incorrect correct² verb 1 to make something right: Please correct this mistake. 2 to show the mistakes in something: I've corrected your homework. 〈76〉 cor-rec-tion /kə'rek/n/ noun a change that makes something right or better: He made several corrections to the letter. cor-re-spond / ,kort 'spond/ verb to write to someone and receive letters from them: to correspond with a friend cor-re-spon-dence /korı'spondəns/ noun (no plural) letters cor-re-spon-dent /kori'spondant/ noun 1 someone who writes and receives letters 2 someone who works for a newspaper or television company and reports news from another country cor-ri-dor /'korido:r/ noun a long narrow part of a building with doors into rooms on each side of it: Go down the corridor, to the third room on the left. cos-met-ics /koz'metik/ plural noun substances that you put on the skin of your face to make you look prettier cost¹ /kost/ noun 1 the money that you have to pay when you buy something: We gave her some money to cover the cost of the books she had to buy. 2 something needed, given, or lost in order to get something else: War is never worth the terrible cost in human life. 3 at all costs no matter what has to be given or lost: We must avoid war at all costs. cost² verb (past cost) 1 to have a particular amount as a price: "How much did that bag cost?" "It cost five pounds!" 2 cost an arm and a leg to be very expensive 3 cost a bomb to be very expensive costly /'kostlı/ adjective (costlier, costliest) costing a lot of money: The ring was very costly. SAME MEANING: expensive cos-tume /'kostju:m/ noun clothes worn for a special reason, or to represent a country or time in history: They all wore national costume. co-sy /'kauzı/ adjective (cosier, cosiest) warm and comfortable: a cosy little house cot /kot/ noun a bed with high sides, for a baby - see picture at bed cot-tage /'kotidz/ noun a small attractive house in the country cot-ton /'kotn/ noun (no plural) 1 a plant grown in hot countries for the fine white threads that cover its seeds 2 thread or cloth made from the cotton plant: a cotton dress cot-ton-wool / kotn 'wul/ noun (no plural) soft feathery white material made from cotton and used for cleaning wounds, etc. couch /kautf/ noun (plural couches) a long seat on which you can sit or lie SAME MEANING: sofa cough¹ /kof/ noun a sharp noise made when you send air out of your throat and mouth suddenly: The child had a bad cough, so his mother took him to the doctor. cough² verb to push air out from your throat and mouth with a sudden, rough sound: The child was coughing all night. could /kad; strong kud/ verb 1 the word for can in the past: Before I had a bicycle, I couldn't (= could not) visit my friend. 2 used in sentences like these: She would help us if she could, but she can't. 3 used as a polite way of asking someone something: Could you help me, please? couldn't /'kudnt/ could not: I couldn't see because it was dark. could've /'kudǝv/ could have: I could've killed him! coun-cil /'kauns/ noun a group of people who are chosen to make laws or decisions in a town or city: The town council will decide where to plant the trees. coun-cil-lor /'kaunsələ noun someone chosen to advise people and make decisions and laws in a town or city count¹ /kaunt/ verb 1 to say numbers in the right order: to count from 1 to 100 2 to find out how many there are: She counted the books there were fourteen of them. 〈77〉 3 to have value or importance: He said that I had no experience so my opinion doesn't count. 4 count against someone to help someone lose or fail in something: My lack of experience may count against me. count² /kaunt/ noun (no plural) 1 the total reached by adding everything together: At the last count, I'd visited 15 countries. 2 lose count to stop remembering how many: I've lost count of how many times he's said he's leaving her. coun-ter /'kauntə/ noun 1 a long table where you go and buy things in a shop 2 a small round piece of plastic or wood used in playing games count-less /'kauntlıs/ adjective very many: She's had countless boyfriends. coun-try /'kantri/ noun 1 (plural countries) an area ruled by one government: France and Germany are European coutries. 2 (no plural) the land that is not a town: He lives in the country. coun-try-side /'kantrisaıd/ noun (no plural) land outside towns and cities coun-ty /'kaunti/ noun (plural counties) a part of a country: Devon is a county in the South West of England. cou-ple /'kapl/ noun 1 (no plural) two things usually thought of together: I waited for a couple of hours. 2 two people, usually a man and a woman, who are married, live together, or have a close relationship: We've invited three other couples to dinner. coupon /'ku:pon/ noun a piece of paper that can be exchanged for goods or money: Collect three coupons for a free pen. courage /'karidz/ noun (no plural) willingness to do dangerous things without feeling afraid: The soldier showed great courage in the battle. SAME MEANING: bravery cou-ra-geous /kə'reıdzəs/ adjective brave; a courageous person course /kɔ:s/ noun 1 (no plural) the way that something happens or the time when something is happening: During the course of the journey, we saw a lot of new places. 2 (no plural) the path or direction that something takes: The course of the river was marked on the map. The plane had to change course and go another way. 3 one part of a meal: We have three courses: soup, meat and vegetables, and fruit. 4 a set of lessons: What course are you taking at college? 5 of course certainly: Of course I'll still love you when you're old. court /kɔ:t/ noun 1 a place where a person is questioned about a crime, and where other people decide whether the person is guilty or not 2 an open space where games are played: a tennis-court 3 a king or queen and all the people who live with them cour-te-ous /'ka:tıəs/ adjective polite courteously /'k3:tıəsli/ adverb cour-te-sy /'k3:təsi/ noun (no plural) polite behaviour court-yard /'kɔ:tjard/ noun an open space inside or in front of a large building cous-in /'kazn/ noun the child of your aunt or uncle see picture on page 99 cover¹ /'kavə/ verb 1 to put something over something else: She covered the table with a cloth. 2 to be over a particular area or surface: The town covers five square miles. 3 to include or deal with something: His talk covered British history between the wars. 4 cover something up (a) to place something over something else to protect or hide it: Cover the furniture up before you start painting. (b) to hide something: She tried to cover up her fear. cover² noun 1 something that you put over something else 〈78〉 cow /kauj noun a large female animal that farmers keep for its milk cow-ard /'kavad noun someone who avoids pain or danger because they are not brave cow-ard-ly /'kavadlı adjective showing too much fear, unwilling to do dangerous things: cowardly behaviour OPPOSITE: brave cow-boy /'kauboi/ noun a man who rides a horse and looks after cattle in America crab /kræb/ noun a sea-animal with ten legs and a hard shell crack¹ /kræk/ verb 1 to break so that lines appear on the surface: One of these cups is cracked. 2 to make a sharp noise, like thunder or a gun crack² noun 1 a thin line on the surface of something: There's a crack in this cup! 2 a sharp noise: a crack of thunder 3 a sudden hard hit: a crack on the head cradle /'kreidl/ noun a bed for a baby which can be moved from side to side COMPARE: Cot craft /kra:ft/ noun 1 a job or trade needing skill, especially skill with your hands: He knew the craft of making furniture. 2 a boat or plane crafts-man /'kra:ftsman/ noun (plural craftsmen /-man/) someone whose job needs a lot of skill, especially skill with their hands craft-y /'kra:ftı/ adjective (craftier, craftiest) clever at making other people believe things that are not true cram /kræm/ verb (present participle cramming, past crammed) to force people or things into a small space: Lots of people were crammed into the bus. crane /krein noun a tall machine for lifting heavy things crash¹ /kræf noun (plural crashes) 1 a loud noise, like something large falling over: The car hit the tree with a crash. 2 an accident in which vehicles hit each other: a car crash crash² verb 1 to move noisily 2 to make a sudden loud noise 3 (of a car) to have an accident: The car crashed into the tree. crash hel-met /'kræs helmit/ noun a hard hat that you wear to protect your head when you ride a MOTORBIKE crate /krest/ noun a big wooden box: a crate of fruit crawl /krail verb to move along the floor on your hands and knees: The baby crawled towards his father. see picture on page 299 crayon /'kretanj noun a soft coloured pencil crazy /'kreızı/ adjective (crazier, craziest) 1 mad; foolish: He's crazy to drive his car so fast. 2 be crazy about to like someone or something very much: He's crazy about her. creak /kri:k/ verb to make the sound that a door makes when it has not been oiled: The door creaked as she opened it. cream¹ /krizm/ noun (no plural) 1 the fatty part of milk that you can eat with other foods. 2 a thick liquid that you put on your skin: face cream cream² adjective, noun a yellowish-white colour create /krı'eit/ verb (present participle creating, past created) to make something new: Work on the new road will create a lot of difficulties for traffic. cre-a-tion /kri'eifn/ noun something that is made creature /'kristfǝr/ noun an animal or insect credit /'kredit) noun (no plural) 1 attention and approval for something good that has been done: We both made the machine, but James was given the credit for it. 〈79〉 cred-it card /'kredit ,kard/ noun a small plastic card that allows you to buy things without using coins and notes. You pay for the goods later. creep /krizp/ verb (past crept /krept/) to move slowly and quietly crept /krept/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb creep crest /krest/ noun 1 a group of feathers that stick up on the top of a bird's head 2 the top of something: the crest of a hill crew /kru:/ noun the people who work on a ship or plane cricket /'krikit/ noun 1 a ball game played by two teams of eleven players each — see picture on page 265 2 a small brown insect that jumps and makes a loud noise cried /kraid/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb cry cries /kraız/ the plural of cry crime /kraım/ noun 1 an action that is wrong and can be punished by the law: Killing people is a crime. COMPARE: sin 2 commit a crime to do something wrong that can be punished by the law crim-i-nal /'krımınl/ noun someone who has done something very wrong and against the law: The prison contains 325 criminals. crim-son /'krımzn/ adjective, noun a deep red colour, like the colour of blood crip-ple /'kripl/ verb (present participle crippling, past crippled) to hurt someone so that they cannot use their arms or legs: She was crippled in the car accident. crisis /'kraısıs/ noun (plural crises /'kraısız/) a time when something serious, very worrying, or dangerous happens crisp¹ /krisp/ adjective 1 (used about food) firm and dry; easily broken: Keep the biscuits in a tin so that they stay crisp. 2 firm and fresh: crisp apples crisp² noun a very thin, round piece of potato which you buy in a packet and eat cold: a packet of crisps COMPARE: chip crit-ic /'krıtık/ noun a person whose job is to write about art, music, films, etc. and say whether they are good or bad crit-i-cal /'krıtıkl/ adjective looking for faults: She was very critical of my work. crit-i-cism /'krıtısızəm/ noun a reason for not liking something or not feeling happy about something: I listened to all her criticisms in silence. crit-i-cize /'krıtısaız/ verb (present participle criticizing, past criticized) to say what is wrong with something; to find faults in something: She's always criticizing me. crock-e-ry /'krokari/ noun (no plural) plates, cups, and dishes that we eat and drink from croc-o-dile /'krokədail/ noun a large animal with a long body, a hard skin, and sharp teeth, which lives in or near rivers in hot countries crook /kruk/ noun a dishonest person crook-ed /'krokid/ adjective 1 bent or curved: a crooked road 2 dishonest crop /krop/ noun 1 a plant such as wheat, fruit, or vegetables that a farmer grows 2 an amount of vegetables, wheat, etc. that is cut or gathered at one time: a crop of apples cross¹ /kros/ noun (plural crosses) a shape (X) with four arms that meet in the centre 〈80〉 cross cross² /krɔs/ verb to go over from one side of something to the other: They crossed the road. cross³ /krɔs/ adjective angry: Why are you cross with me? cross-ing /'krɔsıŋ/ noun a special place where you may cross the road cross-roads /'krɔsrəʊdz/ plural noun a place where several roads meet each other cross-word /'krɔswɜːd/ noun a game in which you have to guess words, the letters of which fit into a pattern of squares down and across the page crouch /kraʊtʃ/ verb to make your body come close to the ground by bending your knees: She crouched by the fire to get warm. — see picture on page 299 crow /krəʊ/ noun a large black bird with a low, hard cry crowd¹ /kraud/ noun a large number of people: There was a crowd of people waiting at the station. crowd² verb to come together in a large group: They all crowded round the teacher. crowd-ed /'kraudɪd/ adjective full of people: I don't like the market; it is too crowded. crown /kraʊn/ noun a special hat made of gold, beautiful stones, etc., worn by a king or queen cru-ci-fix /'kruːsɪfɪks/ noun (plural crucifixes) a cross with a figure of Jesus on it crude /kruːd/ adjective 1 raw; in the state in which something is ordinarily found or exists: Crude oil has to be made pure before it can be used by man. 2 rude: a crude joke cru-el /'kruːəl/ adjective liking to hurt other people or animals: He is cruel to animals. cruelly /'kruːəlı/ adverb ▶ OPPOSITE: kind cru-el-ty /'kruːəltɪ/ noun (no plural) actions that cause pain to a person or animal: cruelty to animals cruise¹ /kruːz/ noun a sea journey for pleasure cruise² verb (of a boat or vehicle) to move in an unhurried way crumb /krʌm/ noun a little piece of something such as bread or cake crum-ble /'krʌmbl/ verb (present participle crumbling, past crumbled) to break up into little pieces: The walls of that old house are crumbling. crum-ple /'krʌmpl/ verb to make paper or clothing full of irregular folds by pressing or crushing it: Don't sit on that shirt. You'll crumple it. crunch /krʌntʃ/ verb 1 to crush food noisily with your teeth 2 to make a noise that sounds like something being crushed: The stones crunched under the car tyres. crush /krʌʃ/ verb to hurt or damage something by pressing it heavily crust /krʌst/ noun the hard part on the outside of bread crutch /krʌtʃ/ noun (plural crutches) a piece of wood or metal that supports a person who cannot walk well: to walk on crutches cry¹ /kraɪ/ verb (past cried) 1 to shout: The boy cried for help. 2 to produce tears from your eyes usually because you are sad: She began to cry when she heard of her friend's death. cry² noun (plural cries) a loud shout; a call: They heard a cry for help. cub /kʌb/ noun a young bear, lion, tiger, or fox cube /kjuːb/ noun a solid shape with six equal square sides — see picture at shape cuck-oo /'kʊkuː/ noun a bird that has a call which sounds like its name cu-cum-ber /'kjuːkʌmbə/ noun a long thin green vegetable which is usually eaten without cooking — see picture at vegetable 〈81〉 cud-dle /'kadl/ verb (present participle cuddling, past cuddled) to put your arms around someone: She cuddled her little boy. cuff /kaf/ noun the end of an arm of a shirt, dress, etc. cul-ti-vate /'kaltı-vert/ verb (present participle cultivating, past cultivated) to grow plants on land that has been specially prepared cul-ti-va-tion / kalti versn/ noun (no plural) the growing of plants or crops culture /kaltsar/ noun 1 the beliefs, customs, and way of life of a particular society 2 (no plural) art, music, and the theatre: Paris is full of culture. cun-ning /'kanın/ adjective clever at making people believe things that are not true cup /kap/ noun 1 a container, usually with a handle, that you can drink from 2 the drink inside the cup: a cup of tea 3 a prize, shaped like a bowl, usually made of silver or gold cup-board /'kabad/ noun a piece of furniture with shelves and a door in which you keep clothes, plates, or food cure¹ /kjuǝr/ verb (present participle curing, past cured) to make someone better when they have been ill: I hope the doctor can cure the pain in my shoulder. cure² noun a way of making someone better when they have been ill: a cure for an illness cu-ri-os-i-ty /kjuǝrı psǝtı/ noun (no plural) the desire to know something or learn about something: He is full of curiosity. curious /'kjuəriəs/ adjective 1 wanting to know about things or people: I'm very curious about our new neighbours. 2 odd or strange: We heard a curious noise upstairs. curious-ly /'kjuərıəslı/ adverb in a way that seems odd or strange curl¹ /ksil/ verb 1 to roll or bend in a round or curved shape: The snake curled round the brarich. She curled her hair. 2 curl up to rest comfortably with your arms and legs closed about your body: She curled up in front of the fire. curl² noun a piece of hair that curves around curl-y /'kaılı/ adjective (curlier, curliest) (used about hair) bending round and round see picture on page 66 cur-rant /'karant/ noun 1 a small dried fruit 2 a small black, red, or white fruit that grows on bushes cur-ren-cy /'karansi/ noun (plural currencies) the money used in a country: Can I pay in British currency on the boat? current /'karant/ noun a flow of water, electricity, etc.: Don't swim in the river, the current is very fast. cur-ried /'karıd/ adjective (used about food) cooked in a hot-tasting liquid curry /'karı) noun (plural curries) an Indian food of meat, vegetables, or fish, cooked in a thick hot-tasting liquid and usually eaten with rice: I'll have a chicken curry, please. curse¹ /kars/ verb (present participle cursing, past cursed) 1 to wish that something unpleasant will happen to someone: He cursed the person who had stolen his money. 2 to speak angry words: He cursed when he hit his head on the shelf. curse² noun 1 something that you say which expresses anger or hate or which uses swear words 2 put a curse on someone to make a 〈82〉 curtain /'k3:tn/ noun a piece of hanging cloth that can be pulled across to cover a window or door. COMPARE: blind - see picture on page 165 curve¹ /k3:v/ noun a line of which no part is straight; a bend: a curve in the road curve² verb (present participle curving, past curved) to make a line which is not straight: The river curved round the hill cush-ion /'ku∫n/ noun a bag filled with soft material to sit on or rest against. COMPARE: pillow - see picture on page 165 cus-tard /'kʌstǝd/ noun (no plural) a thick sweet yellow liquid that you pour over some fruit and sweet foods cus-tom /'kʌstəm/ noun a special way of doing something that a person or group of people has cus-tom-er /'kʌstəmǝ/ noun a person who buys things from a shop cus-toms /'kʌstəmz/ plural noun a place where your cases can be searched when you leave or enter a country, and where you have to pay tax on certain goods cut¹ /kʌt/ verb (present participle cutting, past cut) 1 to break or damage something with a knife or something sharp: He cut the apple in half. He has cut his leg, and it is bleeding. 2 to make something shorter: Could you cut my hair for me? 3 to remove one part from something bigger: She cut a piece of cake. 4 cut down to make something fall to the ground by cutting it: We'll have to cut down that tree. 5 cut something off (a) to stop or disconnect something: They've cut the gas off! (b) cut off to separate a person or place from the other people or places near them: Snow has cut off many villages. 6 cut something up to cut something into pieces: Could you cut up the chicken? 7 cut something out to remove something by cutting it: She cut a picture out of the newspaper. cut² noun an opening or wound made by something sharp: a cut on the leg cut-le-ry /'kʌtlǝri/ noun (no plural) knives, forks, and spoons used for eating cy-cle¹ /'saikl/ noun a bicycle SAME MEANING: bike cycle² verb (present participle cycling, past cycled) to ride a bicycle: He cycles to school every day cy-cling /'saikliŋ/ noun (no plural) the sport of riding a bicycle cy-clist /'saiklist/ noun a person who rides a bicycle cyl-in-der /'sılındə/ noun a long round shape like a tube or a pencil -see picture at shape 〈83〉 'd /d/ 1 had: He'd (= he had) eaten all the cake. 2 would: I'd (= I would) buy a new car if I had enough money. dad /dæd/ noun father dad-dy /'dædı/ (plural daddies) noun (used by and to small children) father daf-fo-dil /'dæfǝdil/ noun a yellow flower which appears in the spring daft /da:ft/ noun foolish or silly: a daft idea dag-ger /'dægǝr/ noun a short knife used as a weapon COMPARE: sword dai-ly /'deılı/ adjective, adverb happening every day: Take the medicine twice daily. COMPARE: weekly dairy /'dearı/ noun (plural dairies) a place where milk is kept and foods are made from milk dai-sy /'deızı/ noun (plural daisies) a small wild flower that is white with a yellow centre dal-ma-tion /dæl'meıs∫n/ noun a white dog with black spots dam¹ /dæm/ noun a wall built to hold back water dam² verb (present participle damming, past dammed) to put a dam across something: to dam a river dam-age¹ /'dæmid3/ noun (no plural) harm done to something damage² verb (present participle damaging, past damaged) to harm something: The cars were badly damaged in the accident. damp /dæmp/ adjective rather wet: damp clothes dance¹ /da:ns/ verb (present participle dancing, past danced) to move to music dance² noun 1 a set of movements you do to music: to learn a new dance. 2 a party where there is dancing: Are you going to the dance? dancer /'da:nsa/ noun a person who is dancing, or someone who dances as their job danc-ing /'da:nsın/ noun (no plural) moving to music dan-de-li-on /'dændılarən/ noun a yellow flower which grows wild dan-druff /'dændraf/ noun (no plural) very small, white pieces of loose skin in a person's hair dan-ger /'deınd3ǝ/ noun 1 (no plural) the possibility of harm: Danger! Do not enter (= written on a door). You are not in any danger here (= there is no danger here). 2 something that can cause harm: the dangers of smoking. dan-ger-ous /'deındzǝrǝs/ adjective likely to harm people: a dangerous driver, dangerous drugs dare /dea/ verb (present participle daring, past dared) 1 to be brave enough to do something: I daren't refuse. 2 dare someone to do something to try to make someone do something to prove they are not afraid 3 don't you dare a phrase used when you are angry with someone and are telling them not to do something: Don't you dare touch that! 4 how dare you a phrase used when you are angry with someone because they have done something: How dare you speak to me like that! daren't /deant/ dare not: I daren't talk to him. dark¹ /da:k/ adjective 1 like night; not light or bright: It was getting dark, so we hurried home. OPPOSITE: light 2 of a deep colour, nearer black than white: She has dark hair. He wore a dark suit. OPPOSITE: fair, pale - see picture on page 66 〈84〉 dark noun (no plural) the lack of light: We could not see in the dark. Make sure you are home before dark (= before it is night). dark-ness /'da:knis/ noun (no plural) lack of light: The room was in darkness (= was dark). dar-ling /'da:lin/ noun, adjective a name you call someone you love: Come on darling, or we'll be late. dart /da:t/ verb to move suddenly and quickly: A mouse darted across the floor. darts /da:ts/ noun (no plural) a game in which you throw small objects with sharp points at a board with numbers on it dash¹ /dæ∫/ verb to move quickly: She dashed out of the room. dash² noun (plural dashes) the sign (-) used in writing to show a short space, or to separate two parts of a sentence data /'deita, 'da:tǝ/ noun (no plural) facts and information date¹ /deit/ noun 1 the day of the month, or the year: "What date is your birthday?" "It's April 2nd," The date was 1857. Please write today's date. 2 an arrangement to meet a boy or girl friend: I've got a date tonight. 3 a small sweet brown fruit 4 out of date not fashionable any more 5 up to date modern daughter /'dɔ:tǝr/ noun your female child: They have three daughters and one son. - see picture on page 99 daughter-in-law /'də:tər ın lɔ:/ noun (plural daughters-in-law) the wife of your son — see picture on page 99 dawn /do:n/ noun the start of the day when the sun rises SAME MEANING: daybreak day /der/ noun 1 (no plural) the time when it is light OPPOSITE: night 2 24 hours: It hasn't stopped raining for days. "What day is it today?" "It's Tuesday." 3 one day, someday at some time in the future: Some day I'll be rich. 4 the other day a few days ago: I went there the other day. 5 these days at the present time: Everyone seems so busy these days. day-break /'derbreık/ noun (no plural) the start of the day when the light first appears SAME MEANING: dawn day-dream /'deidri:m/ verb to imagine nice things, especially things you would like to happen in the future day-light /'derlait/ noun (no plural) the light of the day: We want to travel in daylight (= before it goes dark). day off /der 'ɔf/ noun a day when you do not have to go to work or school: She's having a day off. day-time /'dertarm/ noun (no plural) the time when it is light OPPOSITE: night-time dead¹ /ded/ adjective not living: My grandfather has been dead for ten years. OPPOSITE: alive, living dead² noun the dead dead people: After the battle, they counted the dead. OPPOSITE: the living dead-ly /'dedli/ adjective (deadlier, deadliest) likely to cause death: a deadly poison COMPARE: fatal deaf /def/ adjective not able to hear because you have something wrong with your ears deal¹ /di:l/ noun 1 a business arrangement: Let's make a deal. a deal between the two governments 2 a good deal, a great deal a lot: There's a good deal of work to do. deal² verb (past dealt /delt/) 1 deal with someone to do business with someone 2 deal with something to do what is necessary for something: I will deal with your questions now (= answer them). 〈85〉 deal-er /'dizlar/ noun a person whose job is to buy and sell a certain thing: a dealer in old cars dealt /delt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb deal dear¹ /dıǝ/ adjective 1 loved: a dear friend 2 used at the start of a letter to someone: Dear Sue, Dear Sir 3 costing a lot of money ➔ SAME MEANING: expensive dear² a word you use when you are surprised, annoyed or disappointed: Oh dear! I've forgotten something. death /de/ noun the state of being dead, or the act of dying: the death of his father de-bate¹ /dı'beit/ noun a public talk at which people give opinions about a subject debate² verb (present participle debating, past debated) to talk about something important: The government is debating the education laws. debt /det/ noun 1 money owed: a debt of £500 2 be in debt to owe money to someone de-cade /'dekeid/ noun a period of ten years de-cay¹ /dı!kei/ verb to be destroyed slowly; to go bad ➔ SAME MEANING: rot decay² noun (no plural) the state of being bad: tooth decay de-ceit /dr'sist/ noun (no plural) making someone believe something that is not true de-ceive /di'si:v/ verb (present participle deceiving, past deceived) to make someone believe something that is not true: He had managed to deceive us all De-cem-ber /dı'semba/ noun the 12th month of the year de-cent /!di:snt/ adjective good: Make sure you eat a decent breakfast. a decent job de-cide /dr'satd/ verb (present participle deciding, past decided) to think that you will do something to choose what to do: I decided to go home. She could not decide which dress to buy. de-ci-sion /dr'sızn/ noun a choice: They couldn't make a decision about where to go on holiday. deck /dek/ noun a part of a ship, bus, etc, where passengers sit or stand: the top deck of a bus deck chair /'dek tsea/ noun a type of chair that you can fold until it is flat, and that people sit on outside, especially by the sea dec-la-ra-tion / dekla'reifn/ noun an official statement: a declaration of war de-clare /dı 'kleǝ/ verb (present participle declaring, past declared) to say in public what you think or decide: to declare war on a country (= to say that your country will fight another country) dec-o-rate /'dekǝreit/ verb (present participle decorating, past decorated) 1 to put paint or paper on the walls of a house: We're decorating the bathroom. 2 to make something look more attractive by adding things to it: to decorate a cake dec-o-ra-tion / dekǝ'reifn/ noun an attractive thing that is added to something to improve its appearance dec-o-ra-tor /'dekǝreitǝr/ noun a person whose job is to put paint or paper on the walls of houses de-crease¹ /dt'kri:s/ verb (present participle decreasing, past decreased) to get less or fewer: The number of children in the school has decreased this year. ➔ OPPOSITE: increase de-crease² /'di:krits/ noun (no plural) getting less or fewer: a decrease in the number of pupils ➔ OPPOSITE: increase deed /di:d/ noun an action: to do a good deed (= to do something to help someone) 〈86〉 deep /di:p/ adjective going down a long way: a deep river, How deep is the river? OPPOSITE: shallow 2 having a low sound: a deep voice 3 strong or dark in colour: deep brown eyes: 4 felt strongly: a deep love deep freeze / di:p frizz/ noun a large container in which you can freeze food and keep it for a long time deep-ly /'di:plı/ adverb very strongly: I care deeply about this problem. deeply in love deer /diǝ/ noun (plural deer) an animal that can run fast. The male usually has horns. de-feat¹ /dı fixt/ verb to beat an opponent in a war, game, etc. defeat² noun an experience or event in which you are beaten by an opponent: The football team suffered a defeat. OPPOSITE: victory de-fence /dı'fens/ noun (no plural) protecting someone or something from an attack; the defence of your country. de-fend /dı 'fend/ verb to fight in order to protect someone or something COMPARE: attack de-fi-ant /dı'faiǝnt/ adjective bold and not obedient: defiant behaviour def-i-nite /'definat/ verb clear; sure: Let's fix a definite date for the next meeting. def-i-nite ar-ti-cle / definat 'a:tıklj noun the word the def-i-nite-ly /'definatlı adverb certainly; without any doubt: I'm definitely going to come. def-i-ni-tion / defi'nıfn/ noun an explanation of what a word means, which you find in a dictionary. de-fy /dı'far/ verb (present participle defying, past defied) to refuse to obey someone and show no respect for them: to defy your parents de-gree /di'gri:/ noun 1 a measurement used for temperatures or angles: an angle of 45 degrees (45°), a temperature of 80 degrees (80°). 2 a QUALIFICATION that a person gets after studying and taking examinations usually at university or college: a degree in history, a history degree de-lay¹ /dı'leı/ noun a time of waiting before something can happen: We are sorry about the delay. delay² verb to make something late: The train has been delayed. de-lib-e-rate /dı'lıbrat/ adjective planned or done on purpose de-lib-e-rate-ly /dı'lıbrǝtlı/ adverb on purpose: I didn't do it deliberately - it was an accident. del-i-cate /'delıkət/ adjective easily harmed, damaged, or broken: a delicate glass, a delicate child who is often ill del-i-ca-tes-sen /,delıkǝ'tesn/ noun a shop that sells special or unusual food, especially food from foreign countries de-li-cious /dı'lıfǝs/ adjective good to eat: a delicious meal de-light¹ /dı 'lart/ noun (no plural) great happiness: to laugh with delight de-light² verb to give great happiness to someone de-light-ed /dı'lartıd/ adjective very pleased: We are delighted with the news. de-light-ful /dı'lartfl/ adjective very nice or attractive: What a delightful ideal a delightful child de-liv-er /dr'livǝt/ verb 1 to take something to the place where it should go: to deliver a letter 2 to help a baby come out of its mother's body: to deliver a baby de-liv-er-y /dı'lıvəri/ noun (plural deliveries) the taking of something to the place where it should go de-mand¹ /dı'maind/ verb to say in a very strong and firm way that you want something: "Give me my book at once!" she demanded. 〈87〉 demand² noun 1 a very strong request: a demand for more money. 2 in demand wanted by a lot of people. de-moc-ra-cy /dı'mokrǝsı/ noun (plural democracies) a government or country where everyone has an equal right to choose their leaders, by voting. de-mol-ish /dı'molis/ verb to destroy a building on purpose, in a controlled way. dem-o-li-tion /,demǝ'lıſn/ noun (no plural) the destroying of a building on purpose, in a controlled way. dem-on-strate /'demonstreit/ verb (present participle demonstrating, past demonstrated) 1 to show something clearly: He demonstrated how to use the new machine. 2 to walk through the streets in a group to show that you are angry about something or do not agree with something. dem-on-stra-tion /,demǝn'streiſn/ noun 1 showing how to do something: a cookery demonstration. 2 a group of people walking together to show that they are angry about something or do not agree with something. den /den/ noun a place in which a wild animal lives. den-im /'denım/ noun (no plural) a strong cloth, usually blue in colour, which is used to make JEANS. dense /dens/ adjective thick: a dense forest. den-tist /'dentist/ noun a doctor who looks after people's teeth. den-tures /'dentſǝz/ plural noun false teeth worn by people who have lost their real teeth. de-ny /dı'nai/ verb (present participle denying, past denied) to say that something someone has said about you is not true OPPOSITE: admit. de-o-do-rant /di:'ǝudǝrǝnt/ noun (no plural) a liquid that people put under their arms, to stop their body smelling bad. de-part /dı'pa:t/ verb to leave; to go away: When does the next train depart? OPPOSITE: arrive de-part-ment /dı'pa:tmənt/ noun a part of a business, company, government, etc. de-part-ment store /dı'pa:tmənt sto:/ noun a type of shop that is divided into several parts, each of which sells a different kind of goods. de-par-ture /dı'pa:tfǝ/ noun an act of leaving a place: the day of his departure OPPOSITE: arrival. de-pend /dı'pend/ verb 1 it depends a phrase used when you are not sure about something: "How long will the journey take?" "I don't know, it depends." 2 depend on someone to need someone very much. de-pen-dant /dı'pendǝnt/ noun a person who depends on someone for money, e.g. children who depend on their parents. de-pen-dent /dı'pendǝnt/ adjective needing someone or something to support you OPPOSITE: independent de-pos-it¹ /dı'pozıt/ verb 1 to put something down and leave it 2 to put money, etc. into a bank. deposit² noun 1 part of the cost of something that you pay at once so that the thing will not be sold to anyone else before you pay the rest of the money. 2 money that you pay when you rent something and which is returned to you if you do not cause any damage. dep-ot /'depǝu/ noun a place where goods or vehicles are stored. de-press /dı'pres/ verb to make someone feel sad. de-pressed /dı'prest/ adjective very sad: She's depressed. de-press-ing /dı'presın/ adjective causing you to feel sad: depressing news. de-pres-sion /dı'preſn/ noun (no plural) a feeling of great sadness. 〈00〉 depth /depθ/ noun the distance to the bottom of something: the depth of the river dep-u-ty /'depjuti/ noun (plural deputies) a person who is second in importance to the head of a business, a school, etc. de-scend /dı'send/ verb to go down: to descend the stairs de-scen-dant /dı'sendant/ noun a person in your family who is born a long time after you are dead COMPARE: ancestor de-scribe /dı'skraıb/ verb (present participle describing, past described) to say what someone or something is like de-scrip-tion /dı'skrıpfn/ noun an account of what someone or something is like des-ert /'dezət/ noun a large, empty, usually very dry, place where almost nothing grows de-sert-ed /dı'za:tid/ adjective empty of people: a deserted street des-ert is-land / dezət 'aılənd/ noun an island with no people living on it de-serve /dı'z3:v/ verb (present participle deserving, past deserved) to be worthy of something: You deserve a holiday after all your hard work. de-sign¹ /dı'zaın/ noun 1 a pattern: a design of blue flowers 2 a drawing of how to make something: designs for a new house design² verb to make a drawing as a plan for something: to design a building de-sign-er /dı'zaınə/ noun a person whose job is to think of ideas for making things and then draw them de-sire¹ /dı'zaıə/ noun a strong wish: a desire for power desire² verb (present participle desiring, past desired) to want something very much desk /desk/ noun a table for writing on, often with space inside it for keeping books, pens, etc. de-spair¹ /dı'speə/ noun a feeling of great sadness and of not being able to hope despair² verb to have no hope des-per-ate /'desprət/ adjective wanting or needing something very much: to be desperate for money de-spise /dı'spaız/ verb (present participle despising, past despised) to hate a person or thing because you think they are not worth anything de-spite /dı'spaıt/ preposition although something is true: Despite the bad weather, we enjoyed our holiday. des-sert /dı'z3:t/ noun a sweet dish that you eat at the end of a meal SAME MEANING: pudding des-ti-na-tion /,destı'neıfn/ noun the place you are travelling to: What is your destination? de-stroy /dı'stroı/ verb to break or ruin something completely: The building was destroyed by fire. de-struc-tion /dı'strakſn/ noun (no plural) the breaking of something completely de-tail /'di:teıl/ noun 1 one of the small points that makes up the whole of something: Give me all the details of the plan. 2 in detail thoroughly; paying attention to all the facts: We must talk about it in detail. de-tect /dı'tekt/ verb to discover or notice something de-tec-tive /dı'tektıv/ noun a special policeman who tries to discover who has done a crime de-ter-gent /dı't3:dzənt/ noun soap in the form of powder or liquid for washing clothes, dishes, etc. de-te-ri-o-rate /dı'tıəriəreıt/ verb (present participle deteriorating, past deteriorated) to get worse: Her health has deteriorated. de-ter-mi-na-tion /dı,t3:mı'neıfn/ noun (no plural) 〈89〉 a strong wish to succeed in doing something: her determination to win de-ter-mined /di't3:mind/ adjective wanting to do something very much so that nothing can stop you: I'm determined to win. de-test /dı'test/ verb to hate someone or something de-vel-op /dı'veləp/ verb 1 to grow: The fighting could develop into a war. an insect which develops wings 2 to make something grow or improve: plans to develop industry in the area 3 to treat the film from a camera with special chemicals so that you can see the picture: to develop a photograph de-vel-op-ing coun-try /dı, veləpın 'kantri/ noun (plural developing countries) a country which is just starting to have modern industries de-vel-op-ment /dı'veləpmənt/ noun 1 the latest in a number of real or imaginary events 2 (no plural) growth: a child's develop- ment, the development of industry in the area de-vice /dı'vais/ noun a thing that you use for a particular purpose: a device for opening bottles dev-il /'devl/ noun the very bad being who some people believe causes all the bad things in the world de vote /di'vaut/ verb (present participle devoting, past devoted) devote yourself to something to give all your time or thoughts to something: She devoted herself to her work. dew /dju:/ noun (no plural) small drops of water that form on the ground or on plants during the night di-ag-o-nal /daı'ægənl/ noun a straight line that goes between the opposite corners of a square or other shape, dividing it into two parts di-a-gram /'daıəgræm/ noun a plan or picture drawn to explain an idea, or to show how something works dial' /'daıəl/ noun a round part of a machine or instrument often with numbers on it: a telephone dial, the dial of a clock dial? verb (present participle dialling, past dialled) to make a telephone call by moving the DIAL to get the right numbers: to dial a number di-a-lect /'daıəlekt/ noun a form of a particular language that has different words and different sounds and is spoken in only a small area COMPARE: accent di-am-e-ter /daı'æmıtər/ noun a straight line that divides a circle in half di-a-mond /'daıəmənd/ noun a very hard, bright, clear stone that is worth a lot of money and is worn in jewellery diarrhoea / ,daıə'ri:ə/ noun (no plural) an illness that causes a person to go to the TOILET very often di-a-ry /'daıəri/ noun (plural diaries) a book in which you write about the things that happen or will happen to you each day dice /daıs/ noun (plural dice) a small square block with a different number of spots on each side (from 1 to 6) which is used in games dic-tate /dık'teıt/ verb (present participle dictating, past dictated) to say something for someone else to write down: I dictated a letter to my secretary. dic-ta-tion /dık'teıfn/ noun a language test in which you must write the word someone says without making mistakes 〈90〉 dic-ta-tor /dık'teita/ noun a very strong ruler, especially one who is not fair and who uses soldiers to control people dic-tion-a-ry /'dıkfanrı noun (plural dictionaries) a book that tells you what words mean and how to spell them did {did/ verb the PAST TENSE of the verb do: "Did you go there?" "Yes, I did." didn't didnt/ did not: I didn't enjoy the film, did you? die /daı/ verb (present participle dying, past died) 1 to stop living: She died last year. to die of an illness 2 be dying for something to want something very much: I'm dying for a cup of tea. diet /datat noun 1 the food that you eat: She has a healthy diet (= she usually eats healthy food). 2 the things you eat when you are controlling the type of food you have e.g. because you are too fat or because you are ill: You are not allowed to eat sugar on this diet. 3 go on a diet to eat less food than usual, or different types of food, because you are too fat and want to become thinner dif-fe-rence ['dıfrans/ noun 1 a way in which things are not the same: a difference in size, a difference in price, There isn't much difference between them. OPPOSITE: similarity 2 make no difference to have no importance or effect: It makes no difference to me what you say, I've already decided. different/'difrənt/ adjective not the same: I don't like that dress, I want a different one. My ideas are different from/to yours. OPPOSITE: same. difficult/dıfıkǝlt/ adjective hard to do or understand: a difficult question, a difficult test OPPOSITE: easy diffi-culty /'difikaltı noun (plural difficulties) a problem dig /dtg/ verb (present participle digging, past dug /dag/) to make a hole in the ground by moving earth: He is digging the garden, to dig a hole digest /daı 'dzest/ verb to beak down food in your stomach so that your body can use it dig-ni-fied/dignifaid/ adjective proud and calm dig-ni-ty /'digniti) noun (no plural) a person's feeling that they are worth as much as other people: Although she is very poor she has not lost her dignity. dim (dım/ adjective not very bright: a dim light dimly/dimli/ adverb: a dimly lit room din /dın) noun (no plural) loud noise: What a din the children are making. di-ning room /'daının ruzm/noun a room with a table where you can eat meals din-ner/'dina noun the largest meal of the day, eaten in the evening or in the middle of the day COMPARE: lunch, tea dip /dip/ verb (present participle dipping, past dipped) to put something into a liquid and then take it out again: She dipped her hand in the water. di-plo-ma /dı'plauma noun a piece of paper given to someone to prove that they have passed an examination direct¹/dau'rekt di-/ adjective going straight towards a person, place, etc.: Which is the most direct way to the station? A direct flight to Paris. direct² verb to tell someone the way to go or what to do: I directed the traveller to the hotel. di-rec-tion /dı rekſn, daı-/ noun the way that someone or something is going or pointing: Which direction are you going, north or south? di-rect-ly/dı'rektlı, daı-f adverb 1 straight towards a person, place, etc. 2 very soon; at once: I'll be there directly. <91> di-rec-tor /dı'rektǝr, daı-/ noun a person who controls a business: He is one of the directors of the company. di-rec-to-ry /dı'rektǝrı, daı-/ noun (plural directories) a book that tells you where people live or what their telephone numbers are: a telephone directory dirt /da:t/ noun (no plural) anything that stops something being clean: He had dirt all over his face. dirt-y /'da:tı/ adjective (dirtier, dirtiest) having dirt on: My shoes were dirty. OPPOSITE: clean dis-a-bled /dıs'erbəld/ adjective not being able to move or use a part of your body properly because of some illness or wound dis-ad-van-tage /dısaɖ'væntıdz/ noun something that makes things more difficult for you: the disadvantages of not having a car OPPOSITE: advantage dis-a-gree /dısa'gri:/ verb (past disagreed) not to agree with someone; to have different opinions: I'm afraid I disagree with you. We always disagree about politics. OPPOSITE: agree dis-a-gree-ment /dısa'grizmənt/ noun an argument or lack of agreement: a disagreement over money, a disagreement about what to do. dis-ap-pear /dısə'pıǝ'/ verb to go away or go out of sight suddenly: The boy disappeared round the corner. OPPOSITE: appear dis-ap-point /dısə'point/ verb to be less interesting or less nice than you expected, and so make you sad dis-ap-point-ed /dısə'pointıd/ adjective sad because something is not as good or as nice as you expected: We were disappointed by the result. dis-ap-point-ing /dısə'pointıŋ/ adjective not as good or as nice as you expected: a disappointing film dis-ap-point-ment /dısə'pointmənt/ noun the sad feeling of being disappointed dis-ap-proval /dısə'pru:vl/ noun (no plural) the judgement or opinion that someone or something is bad or wrong OPPOSITE: approval dis-ap-prove /dısə'pru:v/ verb (present participle disapproving, past disapproved) not to like someone or something because you think they are bad or wrong: My mother disapproves of my friends. OPPOSITE: approve di-sas-ter /dı'za:stə'/ noun something very bad, especially something that happens to a lot of people and causes a lot of damage or harm disc /dısk/ noun 1 any round flat thing 2 a record (for playing music) dis-ci-pline /'dısıplın/ noun (no plural) the training of people so that they will obey orders and control their own feelings and behaviour: Soldiers have to learn discipline in the army. disc jock-ey /'disk d3pkı/ noun (also DJ) a person whose job is to play records on the radio, or at parties, etc. dis-co /'dıskǝʊ/ noun a place where people, especially young people, go to dance in the evenings dis-co-theque /'dıskǝtek/ noun another word for disco dis-count /'dıskaʊnt/ noun an amount of money taken away from the price of something: a discount of £5 for students dis-courage /dıs'kʌrıdz/ verb (present participle discouraging, past discouraged) to try to stop someone doing something: We discourage smoking in our offices. OPPOSITE: encourage dis-cov-er /dıs'kʌvǝ'/ verb to find something, or to learn about something for the first time: Columbus discovered America, to discover the truth about something dis-cov-e-ry /dıs'kʌvǝrı/ noun (plural discoveries) something discovered: a new discovery in medical science 〈92〉 discuss /dı'skas/ verb to talk about something: I want to discuss your work with you. di-scussion /dr'skafn/ noun a talk about something: a discussion about work disease/dı'zizz) noun an illness, especially a serious one that lasts a long time dis-grace /dis greis/ noun (no plural) the loss of other people's good opinion of you dis-grace-ful /dis greisfall adjective Very bad and wrong: disgraceful behaviour dis-guise¹ (dis'gaiz/ verb (present participle disguising, past disguised) to make yourself look like someone else so that people do not know who you are disguise² noun something that you wear to make you look Ike someone else so that people do not know who you are: wearing glasses as a disguise dis gust¹ /dis gast/ verb to make you feel that something is very bad or unpleasant: Your behaviour disgusts me. I'm disgusted by your behaviour. disgust² noun (no plural) a strong feeling of not liking something or finding it unpleasant dis-gust-ing /dis gastin) adjective very bad and unpleasant: a disgusting smell dish {dis noun (plural dishes) 1 a container like a large bowl used for cooking or serving food 2 do the dishes to wash the dirty plates, etc. after a meal dish-cloth /'diſkloof noun a cloth that you use for washing dirty plates, etc. dis-hon-est /dis'onist/ adjective not honest dish-wash-er /'dıf, wpsat/ noun a machine that washes dirty plates, etc. dis-in-fectant / dısın'fektant/ noun (no plural) a chemical used to clean things thoroughly disk /disk/ noun a small, round, flat piece of plastic used in a computer for keeping information dis-like¹/dıs'latk) verb (present participle disliking, past disliked) not to like someone or something NOTE: The verb dislike is not often used in ordinary conversation because it is rather formal. People usually say that they don't like something, rather than they dislike it, e.g. I don't like her. He doesn't like swimming. dislike² noun a feeling of not liking someone or something dis-loy-al /dıs' laial adjective not faithful or true to someone loyal dis-mal/'dızmal adjective dull or sad; not bright or happy: dismal weather dis-may/dıs'mer/ noun (no plural) a feeling of surprise and disappointment dis-miss /dıs'mis verb 1 lo send someone away 2 to tell someone they must leave their job because they have done something wrong dis-o-be-di-ence /disə birıdıəns/ noun (no plural)-সে the act of refusing to obey someone OPPOSITE: obedience dis-o-be-di-ent/disə birdənt/ adjective not willing to obey: a disobedient child OPPOSITE: obedient dis-o-bey/disə bel verb not to do what someone tells you to do: to disobey your parents OPPOSITE: obey dis-or-gan-ized /dıs'ǝzgənarzdį adjective 1 not tidy 2 not able to plan or arrange things well OPPOSITE: organized dis-play¹ /d1'splet/ verb to show something so that many people can see it: The children's pictures were displayed on the wall. display² noun 1 a show of something: a display of the children's work, a dancing display OPPOSITE: 〈93〉 dis-pos-al /dı'spauzl/ noun (no plural) the getting rid of something dis-pose /dı'spauz/ verb dispose of something to get rid of something di-spute /dı'spju:t/ noun a quarrel: a pay dispute (= a quarrel about pay) dis-sat-is-fied /dı'sætısfard/ adjective not content or pleased enough with something: We were very dissatisfied with the food at the restaurant. dis-solve /dı'zolv/ verb (present participle dissolving, past dissolved) to mix completely with a liquid: Sugar dissolves in water. Dissolve the powder in water. dis-tance /'distans/ noun 1 the amount of space between two places: What's the distance between London and Paris? a long distance: 2 in the distance far away dis-tant /'distant/ adjective far away: a distant country, the distant past dis-tinct /dı'stıŋkt/ adjective 1 clear; easily seen or heard: the distinct sound of fighting 2 separate; different: There are several distinct languages in every African country. dis-tinct-ly /dı'stıŋktlı/ adverb very clearly: I distinctly remember telling you. dis-tin-guish /dı'stıngwıf/ verb 1 to see the difference between things: to distinguish good from bad, to distinguish between good and bad 2 to be able to see, hear or taste something dis-tin-guished /dı'stıngwift/ adjective famous and respected by many people: a distinguished scientist dis-tress¹ /dı'stres/ noun (no plural) a feeling of sadness, pain, or trouble distress² verb to make someone sad or upset dis-tress-ing /dı'stresın/ adjective making you feel sad or upset: distressing news dis-trib-ute /dı'stribju:t/ verb (present participle distributing, past distributed) to give or send something to different people or places: The teacher distributed the books to the children. dis-trict /'dıstrıkt/ noun a part of a country, city, etc. dis-turb /dı'st3:b/ verb 1 to interrupt someone and stop them working, thinking, sleeping, etc.: Please don't disturb me while I'm working. 2 to make someone feel worried or upset: We were very disturbed by these events. 3 to change or move something: Someone had disturbed the papers on his desk dis-turb-ance /dı'st3:bǝns/ noun a noisy event in which people fight or cause trouble: There has been a disturbance in the street. dis-used /dis'ju:zd/ adjective (used about a place) not used any more: a disused factory ditch /ditf/ noun (plural ditches) a deep narrow place for water to go along, especially by the side of a road or field dive /darv/ verb to jump into water with your head first: He dived into the lake. She dived to the bottom of the river. div-er /'daıvǝr/ noun a person who works under water and wears special instruments to help them breathe 〈94〉 di-vide /dı'vaid/ verb (present participle dividing, past divided) 1 to split into pieces or parts: The road divided into three. 2 to share something: We divided the money between us. 3 to find how many times a number will go into a bigger number: If you divide 39 by 3 the answer is 13. di-vine /dı'vain/ adjective from a god or like a god div-ing board /'daivin, bord/ noun a special board, often high above the ground, that you stand on before jumping or diving (DIVE) into water - see picture at dive di-vi-sion /dı'vizn/ noun 1 (no plural) sums in which you find how many times a number will go into a bigger number 2 a part of something: Which division of the company do you work in? di-vorce¹ /dı'vo:s/ verb (present participle divorcing, past divorced) to arrange by law for a marriage to end: They're getting divorced, to divorce your husband or wife divorce² noun the ending of a marriage according to the law DIY /di: ar 'war/ noun (no plural) (also do-it-yourself) painting or building things in your house yourself instead of paying a painter, builder, etc. to do it for you diz-zy /'dızı/ adjective (dizzier, dizziest) feeling as if you are going to fall and as if things are moving when they are not: I feel dizzy when I look out of a high window. DJ /di: 'dzeı/ noun (also disc jockey) a person whose job it is to play records on the radio or at parties, etc. do¹ /du:/ verb present tense singular plural I do We do You do You do He/She/It does They do past tense singular plural I did We did You did You did He/She/It did They did present participle doing past participle done negative short forms don't, doesn't, didn't (you can find each of these words in its own place in the dictionary) 1 to carry out an action: I must do some work. What are you doing? We're doing (= learning) French at school. 2 do as you are told to do what someone e.g. a parent tells you to do 3 do someone good to make someone feel better or more healthy: A holiday will do you good. 4 do something up to fasten something: Do up your coat. 5 do well to be a success 6 could do with to want or need something: I could do with some sleep. 7 to do with about or concerning someone or something: Her job's to do with looking after old people. 8 do without something to live or continue without a particular thing: I couldn't do without your help. 9 How do you do? something you say as a polite greeting when you meet someone for the first time. The reply is also "How do you do?": "Mother, this is Doctor Jones." "How do you do, Doctor Jones?" "How do you do?" 10 What do you do? What is your job? 11 What have you done with ... where is?/where have you put ...: What have you done with my book? 〈95〉 do² verb 1 used with not before another verb, to say that something is not so: I don't (= do not) agree. He doesn't(= does not) have a car. 2 used with another verb, to ask a question: Do you like dancing? Did you find the answer? 3 used with not, to tell someone not to do something: Do not lean out of the window. Don't (= do not) do that! 4 used to make the meaning of another verb stronger: You do talk a lot! You do believe me, don't you? dock¹ /dok/ noun a place where goods are taken on and off ships dock² verb (used about a ship) to come into a dock doctor/'dpktər/ noun a person who looks after people's health document/'dokjumənt/ noun a piece of paper with something official written on it. doc-u-men-ta-ry /dokju'mentri/ noun (plural documentaries) a film giving information and facts about something dodge /dodz/ verb (present participle dodging, past dodged) 1 to move quickly to one side to avoid something 2 to avoid something you should not avoid: to dodge payment of tax does /daz; strong daz/ verb the part of the verb do that is used with he, she and it: Does she have a job? doesn't/'daznt/ does not: She doesn't like school. dog /dog/ noun an animal with four legs and a tail, that eats meat and is sometimes used to protect buildings. Many people keep dogs as pets. do-it-your-self /du: it jǝ:'self/ noun (no plural) (also DIY) painting or building things in your house yourself instead of paying a painter, builder, etc. to do it for you doll /dol/ noun a toy made to look like a person, especially a baby, woman, or girl dollar/'dələ/ noun the money used in America and some other countries dolphin/'dolfint/ noun a large sea animal that swims about in groups dome /dǝum/ noun a high round roof do-mes-tic/də'mestik/ adjective 1 in the home or about the home: domestic jobs like cleaning and cooking 2 not wild: Cattle are domestic animals. dominate ['dominert/ verb (present participle dominating, past dominated) to have power and control over someone or something dom-i-noes/'dominǝuz/ plural noun a game played with small flat pieces of wood with spots on: to play dominoes donate/dau'neit verb (present participle donating, past donated): to give something to an organization that helps people, such as a hospital: to donate money do-na-tion /dau'neıfn/ noun a gift made to an organization that helps people: a donation of money to the hospital done¹ /dan/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb do done² adjective finished: The work is nearly done. 〈96〉 donkey /'doŋki/ noun an animal like a small horse with long ears do-nor /'dauna/ noun someone who gives something: She is a blood donor (= she gives her blood to be used in the hospital). don't /daunt/ do not: I don't want to go. Don't touch that! door /dɔ:/ noun 1 the flat piece of wood, metal, etc. that shuts the entrance to a building or room: Please open the door for me. 2 the entrance to a building or room: Will you wait at the door? 3 answer the door to open the door when someone knocks 4 door to door going from one house or building to another: to sell things door to door 5 next door to in the building or room next to a place: He lives next door to my parents (= in the house next to theirs) 6 out of doors outside: to work out of doors door-bell /'da:bel/ noun a bell that you ring when you want someone to open a door, especially at the entrance to a house or building: to ring a doorbell door-knob /'da:nob/ noun a round handle on a door that you use when you open and close it door mat /do:mæt/ noun a small mat at the door of a house which you walk on to clean your shoes after you have been outside door-step /'daxstep/ noun 1 a step in front of the door of a house 2 on your doorstep very close to where you live door-way /darwer/ noun an opening where there is a door: He stood in the doorway. dormitory /'do:mitri/ noun (plural dormitories) a large room with beds for people to sleep in: the school dormitory dor-mouse /'do:maus/ noun (plural dormice /'dɔ:mats/) a small mouse that lives in fields and sleeps in the winter dose /daus/ noun the amount of a medicine that you should take at one time: The dose is two spoonfuls every four hours. dot /dot/ noun a small round mark: On the map, towns were marked by a red dot. A small "i" has a dot on it. double¹ /'dabl/ adjective, adverb, noun 1 twice as much: I'll pay you double if you finish the work quickly. 2 (used before a number or letter) happening twice: My telephone number is 65588 (six, double five, double eight) 3 with two parts: a double door 4 made for two people: a double bed - see picture at bed ► COMPARE: single double² verb (present participle doubling, past doubled) 1 to become twice as big or twice as much as before: Sales of our new car have doubled. 2 to make something twice as big or twice as much as before: We have doubled sales of our new car. doubt¹ /daot/ verb to be not sure whether something is true or will happen: I doubt if he will pass the examinations. I doubt that they will come. doubt² noun 1 a reason for not being sure about something: I have doubts about whether he is the best man for the job. There is no doubt he is guilty (= he certainly is guilty). 2 no doubt almost certainly: No doubt we'll see you again soon. doubt-ful /'dautfal/ adjective not likely: It's doubtful whether she'll succeed. doubt-less /'dautlıs/ adverb certainly; without a doubt: He will doubtless arrive on the next train. dough /dau/ noun (no plural) a soft mixture of flour and water that is cooked to make bread dough-nut /'daunat/ noun a small round, sweet cake that is cooked in oil. 〈97〉 dove /dav/ noun a white bird that people think of as a sign of peace dow-dy /'daudi/ adjective (used about people or clothes) dull and not interesting down¹ /daun/ adverb, preposition, adjective 1 in or to a lower place: Sit down, please. The children ran down the hill. I must put these bags down. OPPOSITE: up - see picture on page 166 2 showing a decrease: Our sales are down this year. OPPOSITE: up 3 written on paper: to put something down in writing, to write something down 4 down the road, down the street along the road, along the street down-hill / daun'hıl/ adjective, adverb to or towards the bottom of a hill: to walk downhill OPPOSITE: uphill down-stairs / daun'steaz/ adjective, adverb in or towards the part of a house which is on the same level as the ground: The bathroom is downstairs. a downstairs bathroom, to walk downstairs OPPOSITE: upstairs down-wards /'daunwadz/ adverb from a higher to a lower place; towards the ground or floor OPPOSITE: upwards doze¹ /dəuz/ verb (present participle dozing, past dozed) 1 to sleep lightly for some time 2 doze off to go to sleep without meaning to: I dozed off watching television. doze² noun a short sleep: to have a doze SAME MEANING: nap dozen / dazn/ noun 1 twelve: a dozen eggs 2 dozens very many: There were dozens of people there. Dr /'dokta!/ the short way of writing the word "doctor" when you are writing someone's name: Dr Brown drag /dræg/ verb (present participle dragging, past dragged) to pull something heavy along behind you - see picture on page 299 drag-on /!drægǝn/ noun a fierce animal in stories that has fire coming out of its mouth drain¹ /drein/ noun a pipe that takes dirty water away drain² verb to flow away; to make water flow away: Some farmers have to drain their fields. The water drained away slowly. drain-ing board /'dreinig bɔ:d/ noun the place next to the SINK in a kitchen where plates, etc. are left to dry after they have been washed drain-pipe /dreinpaip/ noun a pipe on the outside of a building that takes away dirty waler or water from the roof dra-ma /'dro:ma/ noun (no plural) 1 acting and plays: She's studying drama. 2 excitement: I like the drama of a big storm. dra-mat-ic /drǝ'mætık/ adjective exciting: a dramatic event drank /drænk/ The PAST TENSE of the verb drink draught /dro:fi/ noun air blowing into a room: a cold draught under the door draughts /dra:fts/ plural noun a game played by two people using 24 round pieces on a board of black and white squares draw¹ /drǝ:/ verb (past tense drew /dru:/, past participle drawn /drǝzn/) 1 to make a picture, especially with a pencil or pen: I like drawing. to draw a picture 2 to take something out of a place: He drew a gun from his pocket. to draw money out of a bank 3 to end a game or match with an equal result so that nobody wins: We drew with the London team. to draw a match 4 draw back to move away from someone or something 5 draw near to move towards someone or something 〈98〉 draw noun a game or a result where nobody wins because both sides are equal: The match was a draw. The game ended in a draw. drawer /dra:ʳ/ noun a part of a piece of furniture, used for keeping things in, which has handles so that it can be pulled out and pushed in see picture at chest of drawers draw-ing /'drɔ:ɪŋ/ noun 1 (no plural) the making of pictures with pencils or pens: Drawing is my favourite lesson. 2 a picture done by pen or pencil: She had done a drawing of her mother. draw-ing pin /'drɔ:ɪŋ pɪn/ noun a small pin with a round, flat top which is used for fixing things to a wall drawn /drɔ:n/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb draw dreadful /'dredfʊl/ adjective very bad or unpleasant: There's been a dreadful accident. I've had a dreadful day everything seems to have gone wrong. → SAME MEANING: awful dread-fully /'dredfʊlı/ adverb 1 very badly: The children behaved dreadfully. 2 very: She was dreadfully upset. dream¹ /dri:m/ verb (present participle dreaming, past dreamt /dremt/ or dreamed /dri:md/) 1 to imagine things while you are asleep: dreamt about you last night. 2 to imagine something nice: He dreamed of becoming famous. dream² noun 1 something that you imagine while you are asleep. 2 something nice that you imagine or that you want to do: It is their dream to visit Australia. dreamt /dremt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb dream drear-y /'drɪərɪ/ adjective (drearier, dreariest) very dull, and making you feel sad: a dreary afternoon drench /drentʃ/ verb to make someone or something completely wet: I was drenched in the storm. dress¹ /dres/ verb 1 to put on and wear clothes: She washed and dressed and ate her breakfast. He dresses well (= he wears nice clothes). 2 to put clothes on someone: to dress oneself 3 be dressed to be wearing clothes: They arrived before I was dressed. She was dressed in red (= wearing red clothes). 4 get dressed to put on clothes: It will only take a minute to get dressed. 5 dress up (a) to put on special clothes for an important occasion (b) (used about children) to wear someone else's clothes or to wear a DISGUISE as a game dress² noun 1 (plural dresses) a piece of clothing covering the body and legs that is worn by women and girls see picture on page 65 2 (no plural) clothes of a certain type or for a particular purpose: evening dress dresser /'dresǝ/ noun a piece of furniture with shelves for showing plates dress-ing /'dresɪŋ/ noun (no plural) a cold liquid made with oil and put on SALADS dress-ing gown /'dresɪŋ gaʊn/ noun a piece of clothing like a coat that you wear only in the house, often on top of the clothes you wear to sleep in dress-ing ta-ble /'dresɪŋ ,teɪbl/ noun a table with a mirror on top, used for sitting at while you brush your hair, etc. dress-mak-er /'dres,meɪkǝ/ noun a woman whose job is to sew clothes for other women ➢ COMPARE: tailor drew /dru:/ the PAST TENSE of the verb draw dried /draɪd/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb dry drift /drɪft/ verb to float along or be moved by water or wind: leaves drifting in the wind 〈99〉 grandfather grandmother the family grandparents Henry Helen The people shown here are all related to Clare uncle aunt father mother father-in-law mother-in-law parents John Mary Ted Liz Jack Pat brother-in-law brother-in-law sister-in-law cousin cousin sister husband Phil Sarah Paul Jenny Clare Ben Jim Cathy nephew niece son-in-law daughter daughter-in-law son children Dan Lucy Chris Emma Tim Sue grandchildren grandson granddaughter Tom Anna 〈?〉 the human body head hair back bottom face neck shoulder chest elbow stomach hand arm hip wrist thigh calf knee ankle foot leg fingers See also pictures at head, foot and hand 〈101〉 drill¹ /drıl/ verb to make a hole in something with a special machine: to drill a hole in the wall drill² noun a machine for making holes drink¹ /drink/ verb (present participle drinking, past tense drank /dræŋk/, past participle drunk /draŋk/) to take liquid into your mouth and swallow it: Would you like something to drink? He drank some coffee. drink² noun a liquid which you can swallow: Can I have a drink? a drink of water drip /drip/ verb (present participle dripping, past dripped) 1 (used about a liquid) to fall in drops 2 to have a liquid dripping from it: The tap was dripping. drive¹ /draiv/ verb (present participle driving, past tense drove /drauv/, past participle driven /'drıvn/) to make a vehicle move in the direction you want: Can you drive? I drove to town yesterday. to drive a car drive² noun 1 a journey in a road vehicle: It is a short drive to the village. 2 a short road that goes to one house only: He left his car in the drive. driv-en /'drıvn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb drive driver /'draivǝ/ noun a person whose job is to drive a bus, train, etc.: a train driver driving licence /'draıvıŋ, laısəns/ noun an official piece of paper that shows you are allowed to drive a car driv-ing test /'draıvıŋ test/ noun an examination that you must pass before you are allowed to drive a car droop /dru:p/ verb to hang down: The flowers drooped because of lack of water. drop¹ /drop/ verb (present participle dropping, past dropped) 1 to fall or let something fall: The plate dropped from her hands. She dropped the plate. see picture on page 299 2 drop in on someone to visit someone when they are not expecting you drop² noun a small amount of liquid: drops of rain drought /draut/ noun a time when no rain falls and the land becomes very dry drove /drouv/ the PAST TENSE of the verb drive drown /draun/ verb to die under water because you cannot breathe drow-sy /'drauzı/ adjective (drowsier, drowsiest) wanting to sleep: to feel drowsy drug /drʌg/ noun 1 a medicine 2 something that people take to change the way they feel or behave. Many drugs are not allowed by law. drum¹ /drʌm/ noun 1 a musical instrument made of a round hollow box with skin stretched tightly over it, which you hit to make a sound. 2 a metal container for oil, water, etc. drum² verb (present participle drumming, past drummed) to make music on a drum by hitting it drunk¹ /drʌŋk/ adjective having had too much alcohol and so not able to behave properly: You're drunk! drunk² the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb drink drunk-en /'drʌŋkən/ adjective caused by too much alcohol: drunken behaviour dry¹ /draı/ adjective (drier, driest) 1 not containing water or not covered in water: This coat will keep you dry in the rain. 2 without any rain: a dry day ➔ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): wet 〈102〉 dry dry /dra verb (past dried) 1 to become dry: The clothes dried quickly outside. 2 to make something dry: to dry your hair OPPOSITE (1 and 2): wet dry-clean-er's /draı 'kli:nǝz/ noun a shop that cleans clothes in a special way without using water dual car-riage-way /'djual 'kæridz-weil noun a wide road on which cars travelling in opposite directions are kept apart by a narrow piece of land duch-ess/'datfis/ noun (plural duchesses) the title of a woman from a very important family in Britain: the Duchess of York COMPARE: duke duck¹ /dak/ noun a bird that swims on water and can be kept by people for its eggs and meat duck² verb to suddenly move your head or body down because you want to avoid being hit by something or seen by someone duck-ling /'daklin/ noun a young duck due /dju:/ adjective 1 expected: The train is due at 5 o'clock. When is the baby due (= expected to be born)? 2 needing to be paid: The rent is due at the end of the month. 3 owing to someone: Our thanks are due to you for all your help. 4 due to because of: This shop is closed due to illness. 5 be due for something to be expecting to have something soon: I'm due for a holiday. 6 be due to do something to be going to do something: We're due to leave on the 17th. du-et /dju:'et/ noun a song or piece of music for two people dug /dag/ the PAST TENSE and the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb dig duke /djurk/ noun the title of a man from a very important family in Britain: the Duke of York COMPARE: duchesse dull /dal/ adjective 1 not bright or light: a dull, cloudy day; a dull brown colour 2 not interesting or clever: a dull speech, a dull man dumb /dam/ adjective not able to speak because you have a problem with your voice dum-my /'dami/ noun (plural dummies) a small, rubber object that you put in a baby's mouth to stop it crying dump¹ /damp/ verb 1 to drop something and leave it: We dumped our bags on the floor. 2 to throw something away or get rid of it dump² noun a place where things can be left when people do not want them any more dune /djum/ noun a hill of sand dun-ga-rees / danga' rizz/ plural noun trousers with a piece of material at the top which covers your chest dun-geon /'dandzan/ noun a dark PRISON underneath a castle dur-ing /'djuǝrıŋ/ preposition 1 all the time that something is going on: They swim every day during the holidays. 2 at some time while something else is happening: He fell asleep during the lesson. dusk /dask/ noun (no plural) the time in the evening when the sun has just gone down dust¹ /dast/ noun (no plural) fine powder or dirt carried in the air dust² verb to clean dust from something: to do the dusting, She dusted the table. dust-bin /'dastbin/ noun a large metal or plastic container that people keep outside their houses and in which they put things they want to get rid of COMPARE: bin 〈103〉 dust-er /'dastǝr/ noun a cloth you use to clean DUST from furniture dust jack-et /'dast ,dzækit/ noun the loose cover of a book dust-man /'dastman/ noun (plural dustmen /-mən/) a person whose job is to take away the things inside DUSTBINS dust-pan /'dastpæn/ noun a flat container that you use to carry away dust after you have swept the floor dust-y /'dasti/ adjective (dustier, dustiest) covered in dust du-ty /'djurti/ noun (plural duties) 1 something you must do because it is right: You have a duty to look after your family. Everyone has a duty to pay taxes. 2 off duty (used about people with certain jobs such as doctors, policemen or soldiers) not at work or working: She's off duty. 3 on duty (used about people with certain jobs such as doctors, policemen or soldiers) at work or working du-vet /djurveı/ noun a thick, warm cover with feathers inside it that you put on a bed dwarf /dwa:f/ noun a person, plant, or animal that is much smaller than usual dye¹ /daı/ verb (present participle dyeing, past dyed) to give a different colour to something: She dyed her hair black. dye² noun a liquid or powder that is used to change the colour of things dy-na-mite /'daınəmaıt/ noun (no plural) a substance used to make explosions each /i:tf/ 1 every one separately: Each child has an exercise book for their work. 2 each other used to show that two people do the same thing one to the other: The two brothers help each other (= each brother helps the other). ea-ger /'i:gǝ'/ adjective very keen to do something: The girl was eager to show me her photographs. eagerly adverb ea-gle /'i:gl/ noun a large bird that lives in mountain areas and kills small animals for food ear /ıǝ/ noun 1 one of the parts of your body with which you hear — see picture at head 2 the part of a plant where the seed is: an ear of corn ear-ache /'ıǝreık/ noun a pain inside your ear early /'3:li/ adjective, adverb (earlier, earliest) 1 before the usual or agreed time: We agreed to meet at seven o'clock but I was early; I arrived at half past six. The bus arrived early. 2 near the beginning of the day or a period of time: It often rains in the early morning. Do you get up early? ► OPPOSITE: late LOOK AT: Soon earn /3:n/ verb 1 to get money for work you do: She earns a lot of money. 2 to get something that you deserve because you have worked hard: You've earned a good rest. ear-ring /'ıǝrıŋ/ noun a piece of jewellery you wear on your ear earth /3:0/ noun (no plural) 1 (also Earth) the world in which we live 〈104〉 earthquake The Earth goes round the sun once a year. the longest river on earth - see picture on page 200. 2 the substance on the ground in which plants can grow: She planted the seeds in the wet earth. earthquake /'3:0 kwerk/ noun a strong and sudden shaking of the ground ease¹ /i:z/ noun (no plural) 1 lack of difficulty: He passed the examination with ease. 2 at ease feeling comfortable and sure of yourself: She felt at ease in her new school. ease² verb (present participle easing, past eased) to make something better: The medicine eased the pain. ea-sel /'i:zl/ noun a wooden frame to hold a BLACKBOARD OF a picture that is being painted east /i:st/ noun, adjective, adverb the direction from which the sun comes up in the morning: Our house faces east. There is a strong east wind (= from the east). Easter /'i:star/ noun a special Sunday in March or April when Christians remember Christ's death and his return to life. Easter egg /'i:star eg/ noun a chocolate egg eaten at Easter eastern /'i:sten/ adjective in or of the east east-wards /'i:stwǝdz/ adverb towards the east: to travel eastwards easy /'i:zı/ adjective (easier, easiest) not difficult; done with no trouble: It was an easy job and we did it quickly. easily /'izzalı/ adverb: I can easily finish it today. OPPOSITE: difficult, hard eat /i:t/ verb (past tense ate /et, eit/, past participle eaten /'i:tn/) 1 to put food into your mouth and swallow it: Have you eaten your breakfast yet? 2 to have a meal: What time did you eat? eat-en /'i:tn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb eat echo¹ /'ekauj/ verb (used about a sound) to come back again: Our voices echoed in the empty room. echo² noun (plural echoes) a sound that comes back to you and that you can hear again: the echo of our voices in the cave e-clipse /ı'klips/ noun a time when the light from the sun or moon is blocked by the moon or Earth - see picture on page 200 ec-o-nom-ic /izkə'nomık, ekǝ-/ adjective connected with industry and trade: the country's economic problems ec-o-nom-i-cal /izkə'nomikl, ekǝ-/ adjective cheap: Going by train is more economical than going by plane. e-con-o-my /ı'konami/ noun (plural economies) the system by which a country's industry and trade is controlled: The country's economy depends on the amount of goods it sells abroad. edge /edz/ noun 1. the outside end of something; the part which is furthest from the middle: the edge of a plate, the water's edge 2 the sharp cutting part of a knife or tool 3 on edge nervous and worried e-di-tion /ı'dıfn/ noun a book or newspaper brought out at a particular time ed-i-tor /'editǝr/ noun a person who prepares books or newspapers before they are printed ed-u-cate /'edjukeit/ verb (present participle educating, past educated) to teach someone, especially in a school or a college: He's well educated. Children should be educated about the dangers of smoking. ed-u-ca-tion /edju'kerfn/ noun (no plural) teaching and learning: The government believe in the importance of education. ed-u-ca-tion-al /edju'kerfnǝl/ adjective helping you to learn: an educational toy eel /i:l/ noun a long fish shaped like a snake ef-fect /ı'fekt/ noun a result: Eating too many sweets can have a bad effect on your teeth. ef-fec-tive /ı'fektiv/ adjective getting the result you want: These pills are 〈105〉 ef-fi-cient /'ft∫nt/ adjective working well, quickly, and without waste: an efficient secretary, an efficient machine efficiently /1'fıntı/ adverb ef-fort /'efǝt/ noun the use of strength or determination in trying to do something: With a great effort he pushed open the door. Please put more effort into your school work. e.g. /i: 'dzi:/ a short way of writing or saying 'for example': You can try many different sports on this holiday, e.g. sailing, tennis and swimming. egg /eg/ noun a round object with a hard shell from which baby birds, snakes, fish, or insects come; eggs are often eaten as food: We had eggs for breakfast. eight /ext/ noun, adjective the number 8 eighteen /er'tim/ noun, adjective the number 18 eighth /ette/ adjective 8th eighty /'erti-Ət/ noun, adjective the number 80 either /'aıdə/, /'i:ðə/ 1 one or the other of two people or things: Either the father or his sons drive the truck. 2 used in sentences with not, when you add another idea: I haven't been to America, or to England either. e-lab-o-rate /1'læbrət/ adjective full of detail, with a large number of parts e-las-tic¹ /1'læstik/ adjective able to go back into shape after being stretched or pulled: Rubber is an elastic substance, elastic² noun a material which is elastic: a belt made of elastic e-las-tic band /1,læstık 'bænd/ noun a thin piece of elastic that is used to hold things together el-bow /'elbaʊ/ noun the part of your arm which bends it in the middle el-der /'eldə/ adjective older of two people: Which brother did you see, the elder or the younger? el-der-ly /'eldəli/ adjective old: My aunt is rather elderly and needs a lot of care. el-dest /'eldist/ adjective oldest of three or more people: his eldest sister e-lect /1'lekt/ verb to choose someone for an official position, usually by voting: She was elected as Chairman of the committee. e-lec-tion /1'lek∫n/ noun a time when people are chosen for official positions by voting: His party won the last election. (no plural) She's standing for election. e-lec-tric /1'lektrik/ adjective working by electricity: an electric cooker e-lec-tri-cal /1'lektrıkl/ adjective concerning or using electricity: The cooker isn't working because of an electrical fault. e-lec-tri-cian /ı,lektrı∫n, elık-/ noun a person whose job is to fit and repair electrical machinery. e-lec-tri-ci-ty /ı,lektrısəti, elık-/ noun (no plural) power that is sent through wires and is used for lighting, heating, and making machines work e-lec-tron-ics /ı,lek'tronıks, elık-/ plural noun the study of making machinery, such as radios, televisions, and computers el-e-gant /'eligənt/ adjective pleasing and graceful: elegant clothes elegantly /'eligəntli/ adverb el-e-ment /'elimənt/ noun 1 one of the very simple substances from which everything is made: Gold and iron are elements. 2 a part of a whole: an important element of the job 〈106〉 el-e-men-ta-ry / el mentrı adjective simple and easy: elementary exercises for the piano el-e-phant /Pelifǝnt/ noun a very large grey animal with a long nose which lives in hot countries -- see picture on page 300 elev-en/levn/ noun, adjective the number 11 e-leventh /levənt/ noun, adjective 11th elf jelf) noun (plural elves (elvz/) a small fairy with pointed ears else (cls/ adverb 1 other; different; instead: If you don't like eggs I can cook something else. 2 more; as well: Would you like something else to eat? 3 used in some questions and phrases: It's hot here; where else can we look? If the train has gone, how else can we get home? Hold the bottle in both hands or else (= if not) you may drop it. else where els' wear/ adverb in or to some other place: They left the village and went elsewhere. elves jelvz/ noun the plural of the word elf em-bar-rass /ım'bæras verb to make someone feel uncomfortable, nervous, or silly in front of other people em-bar-rassed /ım'bærast/ adjective nervous or uncomfortable in front of other people: I feel so embarrassed when I think of how I behaved. NOTE: 1 People feel embarrassed about small things that they have done which make them appear silly to other people, such as forgetting" someone's name or going to a party in the wrong type of clothes. If someone is sorry because they have done something very bad and important, they feel ashamed, not embarrassed. 2. Do not confuse embarrassed (= feeling uncomfortable and nervous) and embarrassing (= making someone feel like this): It was an embarrassing mistake. We all felt very embarrassed. em-bar-rass-ing /ım'bærasın adjective making you feel nervous or uncomfortable: an embarrassing moment em-bar-rass-ment/ım'bærəşmənt/ noun (no plural) the feeling of being nervous or uncomfortable in front of other people em-bas-syl'embası/ noun (plural embassies) a place where people work for their government to represent their own country in another country. embrace /im breis/ verb (present participle embracing, past embraced) to hold someone in your arms to show that you love thern: The child embraced his parents. The couple embraced. embrace noun the holding of someone in your arms as a sign of love em-brol-der /ım'brətdə verb to sew beautiful patterns with a needle on cloth: to embroider a dress em-broi-der-y /ım'brəidərı noun (no plural) beautiful patterns sewn with a needle on cloth: a dress covered with embroidery emerald¹ /'emǝrǝld/ adjective, noun a bright green colour emerald² noun a bright green stone which is very valuable e-merge /ma:d3/ verb (present participle femerging, past emerged) to come or appear from somewhere hidden: The baby birds emerged from their eggs. e-mer-gen-cy/1'ma:dzansı/ noun (plural emergencies) a sudden dangerous event that needs to be dealt with very quickly: The hospital has to treat emergencies such as car accidents. In an emergency, phone the police. em-i-grant/'emigrant/ noun a person who leaves their own country in order to live in another country COMPARE: immigrant 〈107〉 em-i-grate /'emigreit/ verb. (present participle emigrating, past emigrated) to leave your own country to go and live in another country: Her family emigrated to Australia. em-i-gra-tion /emi'greifn/ noun (no plural) the act of leaving your own country to go and live in another country COMPARE: immigration e-mir /i'mia/ noun a Muslim ruler, especially in Asia and parts of Africa e-mo-tion /i'maufn/ noun a strong feeling: Anger and love are emotions. e-mo-tion-al /i'maufnal/ adjective having strong feelings that you show, sometimes by crying em-pe-ror /'emprǝr/ noun a ruler of a big country or several countries em-pha-size /'emfasaiz/ verb (present participle emphasizing, past emphasized) to show that something is important: He emphasized the need for hard work. SAME MEANING: stress em-pire /'empaiǝr/ noun a group of countries ruled by one government: the British Empire em-ploy /im'ploi/ verb to give someone a job; She is employed as a teacher. The hospital employs hundreds of people. em-ploy-ee /im'ploi-i:/ noun a person who works for someone else: There are ten employees in his firm. em-ploy-er /im'ploiǝr/ noun a person or group that pays people to work for them em-ploy-ment /im'plɔimǝnt/ noun (no plural) the state of having paid work: She's looking for employment. OPPOSITE: unemploy-ment em-press /'empris/ noun a female ruler of a country or several countries; the wife of an EMPEROR emp-ty¹ /'empti/ adjective (emptier, emptiest) having nothing inside: The house is empty, no one is living there. OPPOSITE: full empty verb (past emptied) to take everything out of something: He emptied the bottle. OPPOSITE: fill en-a-ble /i'neibl/ verb (present participle enabling, past enabled) to make someone able to do something: The new machines enable us to cut and tie up our wheat quickly. en-close /in'klǝuz/ verb (present participle enclosing, past enclosed) 1 to surround something completely: The football field is enclosed by a wall. 2 to put something in an envelope with a letter: When I wrote to my parents, I enclosed a photograph of the baby. en-cour-age /in'karidz/ verb (present participle encouraging, past encouraged) to give praise and support to someone so that they will do something: I encouraged her to start playing tennis. OPPOSITE: discourage en-cour-age-ment /in'karidzmǝnt/ noun (no plural) praise and support given to someone so that they will do something: Her parents gave her lots of encouragement. en-cour-ag-ing /in'karidzin/ adjective making you feel hopeful and sure of yourself: encouraging news en-cy-clo-pae-di-a /in,sarklə'pi:diə/ noun a book that gives you knowledge about a lot of things and is usually arranged in alphabetical order. end¹ /end/ noun 1 the point where something finishes: When you get to the end of this road, turn right. At the end of the lesson, we went home. at the end of August OPPOSITE: beginning 2 in the end at last: We walked for hours, but in the end we found the house. end² verb 1 to finish: The party ended at midnight. OPPOSITE: begin 2 end up to finish in a particular way or place although you did not want to: We ended up going by bus. 〈108〉 end-ing /'endin/ noun the point where a story, film, or play finishes: a happy ending end-less /'endlis/ adjective not pleasant and seeming never to end: There is endless work to do when you have children in the house. en-e-my /'enǝmı/ noun (plural enemies) a person or country that is not friendly to you or wants to harm you: He's made a lot of enemies at school. en-er-get-ic /enǝ'dzetik/ adjective very active: an energetic tennis player en-er-gy /'enǝdzı/ noun (no plural) 1 the ability to be active and do a lot without feeling tired: I have no energy left after playing football. 2 the power that makes machines work or gives heat: Coal provides energy for lighting the factory. en-gaged /in'geidzd/ adjective 1 busy or being used: The telephone number you want is engaged; try again in a few minutes. 2 having promised to marry someone: My brother is engaged to Anne and they will be married next year. en-gage-ment /in'geidzmǝnt/ noun 1 an agreement to marry someone: My brother has just told me about his engagement to Anne. 2 an arrangement to meet someone: I'm unable to come because I have another engagement. en-gine /'endzin/ noun a machine that uses petrol, oil, gas, electricity, or steam and makes things work or move: a car engine en-gine driv-er /'endzin draivǝ/ noun a person who drives a train en-gi-neer /endzı'nıǝ/ noun a person who is trained to plan and build machines, roads, bridges, etc. en-gi-neer-ing /endzı'nıǝrın/ noun (no plural) the science or job of an engineer: He is studying engineering at college. en-joy /in'dzɔ/ verb 1 to get pleasure and happiness from something: She enjoys listening to music. 2 enjoy yourself to have a good time: Did you enjoy yourself at the wedding? en-joy-a-ble /in'dzɔiǝbl/ adjective giving pleasure or happiness: an enjoyable weekend en-joy-ment /in'dzɔimǝnt/ noun (no plural) pleasure: I get a lot of enjoyment from my job. en-large /in'la:d3/ verb (present participle enlarging, past enlarged) to make something bigger: to enlarge a photograph e-nor-mous /I'no:mǝs/ adjective very large: an enormous plate of food e-nor-mous-ly /I'no:mǝsli/ adverb very much: I like Jane enormously. e-nough /ı'nʌf/ adjective, adverb, noun as much as is needed: There is enough paper here. I've cooked six eggs, but are you sure that's enough? The water isn't warm enough to swim. en-quire /in'kwaıǝ/ (present participle enquiring, past enquired) see inquire en-qul-ry /in'kwaıǝrı/ noun (plural enquiries) see inquiry en-ter /'enta/ verb 1 to go or come in to a particular place: He entered the room quietly. 2 to become part of a profession or organization: He decided to enter college. 3 to say that you want to take part in something: She entered the race and won. 4 to write down information or include it on a computer: Please enter your name on this list. en-ter-tain /entǝ'tein/ verb 1 to do something to amuse or interest people: He entertained us with stories about life abroad. 2 to give food and drink to guests en-ter-tain-er /entǝ'teinǝ/ noun a person whose job is to amuse others, for example by telling jokes en-ter-tain-ing /entǝ'teinın/ adjective amusing and interesting en-ter-tain-ment /entǝ'teinmǝnt/ noun (no plural) 〈109〉 en-thu-si-as-m/in,θjuːziˈæzəm/ noun (no plural) a strong feeling of being interested in something or wanting to do something: He is full of enthusiasm for his job. en-thu-si-as-tic/in,θjuːziˈæstɪk/ adjective very keen on something or interested in it en-tire /ɪnˈtaɪər/ adjective whole; complete: The entire class will be there. entirely /ɪnˈtaɪərli/adverb: I agree with you entirely. en-trance /'entrəns/ noun 1 a place where you go in to a building: Where's the entrance to the hospital? 2 the arrival or coming in of a person: The music played for the entrance of the dancers. en-trance ex-am-i-na-tion /ɪnˈtræns ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃn/ noun an examination you have to write and pass before you can go to a particular school or college en-try /'entri/ noun (plural entries) 1 (no plural) the right to enter a building or country: The sign says "No Entry". 2 a person or thing entered for a race or competition: The winning entry was a beautiful photo. en-vel-ope /'envələʊp, 'ɒnvələʊp/ noun a folded paper cover for a letter. en-vi-ous /'envɪəs/ adjective wishing you had something that belongs to someone else: He was envious of my new car. SAME MEANING: jealous en-vi-ron-ment /ɪnˈvaɪərənмənt/ noun 1 the conditions of the Earth and of the society surrounding you: Children need a happy home environment. 2 the world of land, sea, and air that you live in: Cutting down too many trees destroys the environment. en-vy¹ /'envi/ noun (no plural) a feeling of anger or bitterness because you want something that someone else has got: He was filled with envy because Richard passed the examination and he did not. SAME MEANING: jealousy envy² verb (past envied) to wish that you had what someone else has got: I envied his success. ep-i-dem-ic /ˌepɪˈdemɪk/ noun an illness that spreads quickly to a lot of people e-qual¹ /ˈiːkwəl/ adjective the same in size, number, or value: Divide the cake into four equal parts. Women want equal pay to men. equally /ˈiːkwəli/ adverb: They are equally good at sports. equal² noun a person who has the same ability and rights as someone else: All people should be treated as equals by the law. equal³ verb (present participle equalling, past equalled) 1 to be the same as something else in number or amount: Three and five equals eight (3 + 5 = 8). 2 to be as good as someone or something else: None of us can equal Sarah — she's always top of the class. e-qual-i-ty /iˈkwɒləti/ noun (no plural) having the same ability and rights: Women want equality with men. e-qua-tor /iˈkweɪtər/ noun an imaginary line that runs round the middle of the Earth from east to west — see picture on page 200 e-quip /ɪˈkwɪp/ verb (present participle equipping, past equipped) to give someone things that are useful for doing something: Our school is equipped with a radio. e-quip-ment /ɪˈkwɪpmənt/ noun (no plural) the things which are used for a particular activity: office equipment e-rect¹ /ɪˈrekt/ adjective standing straight: to stand erect erect² verb to fit something together and make it stand up: They erected the tent. er-rand /'erənd/ noun a short journey made to do something useful or to buy something er-ror /ˈerər/ noun a mistake: The doctor's error was very serious. 〈110〉 erupt /1'rapt/ verb (used about a VOLCANO) to explode and throw out fire, ash, and smoke es-ca-la-tor /'eskalertǝr/ noun a set of moving stairs that can take you up or down without you having to walk es-cape¹ /1'skerpy verb (present participle escaping, past escaped) 1 to get free from a place where you are kept by force: He escaped from prison. 2 to get out of a hole or crack in a container: Gas escaped from the pipes. escape² noun the act of escaping: The prisoner made his escape at night. es-cort¹ /'sko:t/ verb to go with someone in order to protect them: A group of soldiers escorted the President. es-cort² /'esko:t/ noun people, cars, planes, etc that travel with someone to protect them: an escort of soldiers es-pe-cial-ly /1'spefəlı/ adverb 1 very; more than usual: She is especially good at science. 2 most of all: I would like a bicycle, especially a blue one. essay /'eser/ noun a piece of writing on a subject: She wrote an essay on "My Family". es-sen-tial /1'senfəl/ adjective necessary; very important: If you travel abroad, it is essential that you have the right papers. estate /1'steit/ noun a large piece of land, usually with a house or group of buildings on it estate agent /1'steit eidzənt/ noun a person whose job is to arrange the buying and selling of houses and land es-ti-mate¹ /l'estimert/ verb (present participle estimating, past estimated) to make a reasonable guess about the size or amount of something: They estimated that the house cost $2 million. es-ti-mate² /'estimat/ noun a guess about the size or amount of something etc. /et'setra/ and so on: There are lots of things to buy - tea, sugar, bread, etc. Eu-ro-pe-an¹ /ˌjuərə'pi:ən/ adjective from or connected with a country in Europe European² noun a person from a country in Europe e-vac-u-ate /1'vækjurent/ verb (present participle evacuating, past evacuated) to move people from a dangerous place to a safer place eve /i:v/ noun the night or day before a religious holiday: Christmas Eve e-ven¹ /'izvn/ adjective 1 flat and smooth: an even surface ►OPPOSITE: uneven 2 equal: He won the first game and I won the second, so we're even. 3 even number a number that can be divided exactly by two, for example 2, 4, and 6 even² adverb 1 used to show when something is surprising or unusual: Even Paul helped us and he's usually very lazy. 2 used when you are comparing two things to make the second seem stronger: Yesterday it rained hard and today it's raining even harder. eve-ning /'i:vnın/ noun the end of the afternoon and the early part of night e-ven-ly /'i:vənlı/ adverb equally: Divide the sweets evenly among the three boys (= give the same number to each boy). e-vent /ı'vent/ noun a happening, often an important or unusual one: What events do you remember from your schooldays? 〈111〉 e-ven-tu-al-ly /ɪˈventʃʊəli/ adverb at last; in the end: I looked everywhere for my glasses and eventually found them under my chair. ever /ˈevər/ adverb 1 at any time: Have you ever been abroad? She used to sing well, but now she sings better than ever. 2 ever since since a particular time long ago: I have lived here ever since I was a child. ev-er-y /ˈevri/ each one; not missing out one: I have read every book on the shelf. ev-er-y-bod-y /ˈevribɒdi/ or everyone /ˈevriwʌn/ every person: Everybody wants to watch the match. She likes everyone in her class. NOTE: Remember that everybody and everyone are singular words, like he or she, so you must use them with a singular verb ending: Everyone knows that sugar is bad for your teeth. ev-er-y-day /ˌevriˈdeɪ/ adjective usual or ordinary: This is an everyday dress which I can't really wear to the party. ev-er-y-thing /ˈevriθɪŋ/ all things: I got everything I needed in the market. ev-er-y-where /ˈevriweər/ adverb in or to every place: I looked everywhere for my watch, but I couldn't find it. ev-i-dence /ˈevɪdəns/ noun (no plural) words or things that prove something: You say that John took your book, but have you any evidence of that? ev-i-dent /ˈevɪdənt/ adjective plain or clear: Her love of animals is evident. evidently /ˈevɪdəntli/ adverb SAME MEANING: obvious e-vil /ˈiːvl/ adjective wicked and causing harm: In the film the good queen saves her from an evil enemy. ex-act /ɪɡˈzækt/ adjective completely correct: Can you tell me the exact time? ex-act-ly /ɪɡˈzæktli/ adverb 1 with complete correctness: Where exactly do you live? 2 used to agree with someone: "So you think the school will have to close?" "Exactly." ex-ag-ger-ate /ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪt/ verb (present participle: exaggerating, past exaggerated) to make something seem bigger, better, worse, etc. than it really is: He exaggerated when he said the dog was the size of a horse. ex-am /ɪɡˈzæm/ noun an examination: Well done for passing your science exam. ex-am-i-na-tion /ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/ noun 1 an official test of knowledge in a subject: Please arrive on time for all examinations. 2 a careful look at someone or something: a doctor's examination ex-am-ine /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/ verb (present participle examining, past examined) 1 to look at someone or something closely and carefully: The doctor examined my ears. 2 to ask someone questions to be sure that they know something: The teacher will examine the students on everything in their books. ex-am-ple /ɪɡˈzæmpl/ noun 1 one thing taken from a number of things of the same kind to show what the other things are like: I showed my new employer some examples of my work. 2 for example used to give an example of something which makes your meaning clearer: Heavy rains cause many problems, for example flooding the roads. ex-as-pe-rate /ɪɡˈzæspəreɪt/ verb (present participle: exasperating, past exasperated) to annoy someone or make them angry ex-ceed /ɪkˈsiːd/ verb to be more than a particular amount: If your lorry exceeds this weight, you cannot cross the bridge. 〈112〉 ex-cel·lent /'eksələnt/ adjective very good: This is excellent work, Peter. excellently /'eksələntlı/ adverb ex-cept /ık'sept/ apart from; not including: I have washed all the clothes except your shirt. ex-cep-tion /ık'sep[n/ noun 1 something that is different from what is usually expected: Most children like sweets, but she is the exception - she will not eat them! 2 with the exception of apart from: They'd all been there before with the exception of Jim. ex-cep-tion-al /ık'sepſnǝl/ adjective of unusually high ability: an exceptional pupil ex-cep-tion-al.ly /ık'sepſnlı/ adverb unusually or especially: an exceptionally cold winter ex-cess /'ekses/ noun (plural excesses), adjective more than is usual or allowed: You have to pay for excess luggage on a plane. ex-change¹ /ıks'tſeındʒ/ verb (present participle exchanging, past exchanged) to give something to someone in return for something else: This skirt is too small. Maybe the shop will exchange it. exchange² noun 1 the giving of something in return for something else: an exchange of prisoners between two countries 2 in exchange for in the place of something that you give to someone: I gave him the book in exchange for a record. exchange rate /ıks'tſeındʒ reıt/ noun the value of the money of one country compared to that of another country ex-cite /ık'saıt/ verb (present participle exciting, past excited) to make someone feel strong feelings of enjoyment or pleasure: The games excited the children and they all started to shout. ex-cit-ed /ık'saıtıd/ adjective having strong feelings of enjoyment or pleasure; not calm ex-cite-ment /ık'saıtmənt/ noun (no plural) the condition of being excited: The crowd's excitement grew near the end of the match. ex-cit-ing /ık'saıtın/ adjective able to make someone excited: exciting news ex-claim /ık'skleım/ verb to speak loudly and suddenly in surprise: "Look - there's James on the television!" exclaimed Peter. ex-cla-ma-tion / eksklə'meı∫n/ noun words showing a sudden, strong feeling exclamation mark / eksklə'meı∫n ma:k/ noun the sign "!" used in writing to show a strong feeling like surprise, or when calling someone: Come here! I don't believe it! ex-clude /ık'sklu:d/ verb (present participle excluding, past excluded) to stop someone or something from doing something or joining something: We had to exclude John from the team because he hurt his leg. OPPOSITE: include ex-clud-ing /ık'sklu:dıŋ/ not including: The shop is open every day, excluding Sundays. OPPOSITE: including ex-cur-sion /ık'skз:∫n/ noun a short journey made for pleasure: We went on an excursion to the sea. ex-cuse¹ /ık'skju:z/ verb (present participle excusing, past excused) 1 to forgive: Please excuse this untidy room. She excused him for being late. 2 to give someone permission not to do something or to leave: The teacher excused her from going to the school's sports day. 3 excuse me used to get someone's attention, leave a group of people, or say sorry for doing something slightly rude: Excuse me, but have you got the time, please? Excuse me, I didn't mean to step on your foot! ex-cuse² /ık'skju:s/ noun a reason given when you ask someone to forgive you for a mistake or bad behaviour: Have you any excuse for not finishing the work on time? ex-e-cute /'eksıkju:t/ verb (present participle executing, past executed) to kill someone as a punishment decided by law 〈113〉 ex-e-cu-tion /eksi 'kju:n/ noun a killing which is a punishment decided by law ex-er-cise¹ /'eksasaız/ noun 1 (no plural) the use of your body to make it stronger or more healthy: Running is good exercise. 2 a movement of your body which you do again and again in order to get fit or practise a skill: Have you done your exercises yet?. 3 a set of questions given in school to help students practise something: Please do Exercise 3 on page 4. exercise² verb (present participle exercising, past exercised) to use part of your body in order to be healthy: The doctor told him to exercise more. exercise book 'eksasaiz,buk/ noun a book with empty pages in which pupils do their work for school ex-haust¹ /1g'zɔ:st/ verb to make someone very tired: The long journey exhausted her. exhaust² noun (no plural) 1 burnt gas that comes out from the back of a car 2 a pipe that lets burnt gas out of the back of a car exhausted /1g'zɔ:stid/ adjective very tired: I'm exhausted after that walk. ex-haust-ing (ig'zɔistin) adjective making you very tired: Looking after babies is exhausting. ex-hib-it /ıgızıbit/ verb to show things in public: She exhibited her paintings at our school. exhibition /eksi bisn/ noun a public show of objects, e.g. paintings: an art exhibition exile /'eksarl/ noun a person who is not allowed to live in his or her own country as a punishment, often for political reasons exile² verb (present participle exiling, past exiled) to send a person away from their own country as a punishment ex-ist /1g'zıst/ verb to be: The house where I was born no longer exists. ex-ist-ence /ıgızistans/ noun (no plural) state of being: The elephant is the largest land animal in existence. ex-it /eksit/ noun the way out of a place: Where is the exit? ex-pand /ık'spænd/ verb to become larger or make something larger: The business has expanded from having one office to having twelve. ex-pan-sion /ik'spænsn/ noun an increase in size ex-pect/ık'spekt/ verb 1 to think that something will happen: "Do you expect to win the race?" "Yes, I expect I will win." 2 be expecting someone or something to feel sure that someone or something will arrive, often because you have arranged it: We're expecting them for lunch. 3 be expecting (a baby) to be going to have a baby 4 to ask strongly for certain behaviour: Visitors to the hospital are expected not to smoke. ex-pe-di-tion / ekspǝdın/ noun a long, difficult journey, usually to find out something: an expedition to find the beginning of the River Nile ex-pel /ık'spel/ verb (present participle expelling, past expelled) to force someone to leave a place, especially a school: The pupils were expelled for stealing. ex-pense /ık'spens/ noun money spent on something: travelling expenses, Having a car is a big expense. ex-pen-sive /ık'spenstv/ adjective costing a lot of money: It is expensive to travel by plane. OPPOSITE: cheap ex-pe-ri-ence¹ /ık'spiǝrians/ noun 1 something that happens to you: The accident was an experience she will never forget. 2 (no plural) work you have done before of the same sort: a teacher with 5 years' experience 〈114〉 experience experience² /verb (present participle experiencing, past experienced) to have something happen to you: to experience fear experienced /ık'spıəriənst/ adjective good at something because you have done it before: an experienced doctor ex-per-i-ment¹ /ık'speriment/ noun a careful test done to see whether something is true: a scientific experiment ex-per-i-ment² /ık'speriment/ verb to do a careful test to see if something is true: We experimented by putting oil and water together, and we saw that they did not mix. expert¹ /'eksp3:t/ noun a person who has special skill in something or knowledge of something: an expert in cookery, a cookery expert expert² /adjective having special skill in something or knowledge of something: She's very expert at cooking. ex-plain /ık'spleın/ verb to make something clear or give the reason for something: Can you explain what this word means? I explained to him that I'd missed the bus. ex-pla-na-tion / eksplə'neıfn/ noun something that makes something clear or gives the reason for it: What is your explanation for being late? ex-plode /ık'spləud/ verb (present participle exploding, past exploded) to burst with a loud noise and force: A bomb exploded there last night. ex-plo-ra-tion / eksplə'reıfn/ noun a journey through a place to learn about it ex-plore /ık'splɔ:/ verb (present participle exploring, past explored) to find out about a place by travelling through it: Have you really explored your nearest town? ex-plor-er /ık'splɔ:rǝr/ noun a person who travels into an unknown area to find out about it ex-plo-sion /ık'splǝuzn/ noun a sudden loud noise caused, for example, by a bomb: The explosion was caused by a burst gas pipe. ex-port¹ /1k'spɔ:t/ verb to send things out of the country to be sold abroad: India exports cloth. COMPARE: import ex-port² /'ekspɔ:t/ noun something that is sold and sent to another country: Fruit is one of South Africa's exports. COMPARE: import ex-port-er /ık'spɔ:tǝr/ noun a person or company that sells things to other countries COMPARE: importer ex-pose /ık'spǝuz/ verb (present participle exposing, past exposed) to uncover something: You shouldn't expose your skin to the sun. ex-press¹ /ık'spres/ verb to show a feeling or thought by saying or doing something: He wanted to express his thanks but he could not think of the best words. express² /noun a fast train that makes only a few stops on its journey express³ /adjective going or sent quickly: express mail ex-pres-sion /ık'sprefn/ noun 1 a word or group of words with a particular meaning: You should not use that expression - it's not polite. 2 the look on someone's face: a sad expression ex-qui-site /ık'skwızıt/ adjective very beautiful or delicate: an exquisite piece of jewellery ex-tend /ık'stend/ verb 1 to make something larger or longer: The headmaster extended our holiday by four days, 2 to reach or stretch over an area: The garden extends all the way to the river. ex-ten-sion /ık'sten[n/ noun a part added to make something longer or bigger: We built an extension onto the school, so now we have two more classrooms. ex-ten-sive /ık'stensiv/ adjective spreading over a large area: The school has extensive playing fields. ex-tent /ık'stent/ noun the size or limit of something: The extent of the North Pole is not fully known. 〈115〉 ex-te-ri-or¹ /ık'stıǝrıǝt/ adjective on the outside of something: the exterior walls of the house ➔ OPPOSITE: interior exterior² noun the outside part of something: the exterior of a building ➔ OPPOSITE: interior ex-ter-nal /ık'stз:nl/ adjective 1 outside a place, person, or thing: external walls ➔ OPPOSITE: internal 2 for external use only not to be eaten or drunk ex-tin-guish /ık'stingwis/ verb to put out a light or fire ex-tin-guish-er /ık'stingwifǝ*/ noun a container of chemicals that will put out a fire quickly ex-tra /'ekstrǝ/ adjective, adverb, noun more than usual, necessary, or expected: Can I have extra time to finish my work? This hotel charges extra for a room with a bath. ex-tra-or-di-na-ry /ık'strɔ:dinri/ adjective very unusual or strange: I heard an extraordinary story the other day. ex-trav-a-gance /ık'strævagans/ noun the spending of too much money ex-trav-a-gant /ık'strævəgənt/ adjective spending too much money: She's very extravagant - she spends all her money on clothes. extravagantly /ık'strævəgəntli/ adverb ex-treme /ık'stri:m/ adjective 1 at the furthest end or edge of something: the extreme south 2 very great: extreme danger extremely /ık'stri:mli/ adverb very: I am extremely hot. eye /ar/ noun 1 the part of your head with which you see - see picture at head 2 a small hole at one end of a needle 3 in someone's eyes in someone's opinion: In her eyes, he's perfect. 4 keep an eye on to watch people or things to make sure that they are safe: Please keep an eye on my house while I'm away. 5 see eye to eye to agree with someone completely: My father and I have never seen eye to eye. eye-brow /'aibrau/ noun the hairy line above your eye - see picture at head eye-lash /'ailæf/ noun one of the hairs growing on the part of your eye which shuts - see picture at head eye-lid /'ailid/ noun either of the pieces of skin which shut over your eye - see picture at head eye-sight /'aisart/ noun (no plural) your ability to see: Her eyesight is so good that she can see a ship far out in the sea. 〈116〉 fa-ble /ferbl/ noun a story that teaches people a lesson about how to behave fabric /'fæbrık/ noun material made by weaving; cloth: a metre of fabric, a woollen fabric fab-u-lous /'fæbjuləs/ adjective very good or nice: a fabulous holiday, a fabulous meal wonderful face¹ /fers/ noun 1 the front part of your head, with your eyes, nose, and mouth — see picture at head and picture on page 100 2 the part of a clock or watch that has numbers on it face² verb (present participle facing, past faced) 1 to have the front towards something; to look towards something: Our house faces the park. 2 to deal with someone or something you are afraid of or do not like: I knew he was angry and could not face him. You must face the fact that you are ill. face-cloth /'feıskloθ/ noun a cloth that you use to wash yourself with fa·cil·i·ties /fə'sılətız/ plural noun things for you to use, especially in a public place: sports facilities (= places and equipment for playing sport) fact /fækt/ noun 1 something that you know is true; something that you know has happened: It is a fact that plants need water. historical facts 2 in fact something you say when you are telling someone that something is true even if it does not seem likely: I don't know him very well — in fact I've only met him once. fac-to-ry /'fæktrı/ noun (plural factories) a place where things are made by machines: a car factory (= a place where cars are made) fade /ferd/ verb (present participle fading, past faded) (used about a colour) to become less bright: If you leave that dress in the sun, it will fade. Fah-ren-heit /'færənhart/ noun (no plural) a way of measuring temperature (= how hot something is): Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (32°F). fail /feil/ verb 1 not to succeed: Their attempt to win had failed. The crops have failed because of lack of rain. 2 not to pass an examination: He failed his English test. 3 fail to do something not to do something that people expect: Our train failed to arrive (= did not arrive). OPPOSITE (1 and 3): succeed failure /'feiljǝr/ noun someone or something that does not succeed: The plan was a failure. OPPOSITE: success faint /feint/ adjective not strong or clear: a faint sound, a faint light, a faint hope fair¹ /feǝr/ adjective 1 equally good to everyone: I try to be fair to all my children. It's not fair — I want one too! OPPOSITE: unfair 2 quite good, but not very good: His writing is good, but his reading is only fair. 3 pale: English people usually have fair skin and fair hair. picture on page 66 OPPOSITE: dark — see fair² noun a place where people, especially children, go and pay money to ride on special machines and play games in order to win prizes fair-ly /'feǝlı/ adverb a little bit, but not very: I'm fairly happy with the result. SAME MEANING: quite fairy /'feǝrı/ noun (plural fairies) (in stories) a very small person with wings who can do magic things fairy tale /'feǝrı teil noun a story for children about magic people or events 〈117〉 faith /feit/ noun 1 (no plural) belief in something or someone: I have faith in you; I am sure you will do well. 2 a religion faith-ful /'ferefǝl/ adjective able to be trusted: a faithful friend faith-ful-ly /'ferfǝlı/ adverb yours faithfully something you put at the end of a business letter, or a letter to someone you do not know, before you write your name: Dear Sir....... Yours faithfully, B. Wilson fall¹ /fo:l/ verb (past tense fell /fel/, past participle fallen /'fo:lən/) 1 to drop to a lower place: The leaves are falling off the trees. Rain was falling. She fell down the stairs. I fell off my bicycle. Be careful or you'll fall! - see picture on page 299 2 to become less in amount; to decrease: House prices are falling. 3 fall apart to break into pieces: These old shoes are falling apart. 4 fall asleep to start to sleep: I fell asleep in front of the fire. 5 fall for someone to start to feel love for someone: She's fallen for a boy in her class. 6 fall in love with someone to start to feel love for someone. 7 fall out with someone to quarrel with someone: They're always falling out with each other. 8 fall over to fall to the ground: I fell over on the ice. 9 fall to pieces to break into pieces: When I sat on the old chair it fell to pieces. fall² noun 1 an act of falling to the ground: He had a bad fall and hurt himself. 2 a decrease: a fall in prices fall-en /'fə:lən/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb fall false /foils/ adjective 1 not true: Is this statement true or false? 2 not real: false teeth fame /ferm/ noun (no plural) the state of being known and admired by a lot of people fa-mil-i-ar /fə'mılıǝ/ adjective 1 well known to you: This song sounds familiar. 2 be familiar with something to know something: Are you familiar with that story? fam-i-ly /'fæmlı/ noun (plural families) a group of relatives including parents and their children, and sometimes also aunts, uncles, grandmothers, grandfathers and cousins: a family of four (= with four people in it) fam-i-ly tree /,fæmlı 'tri:/ noun a drawing that shows how all the people in a family are related to each other fam-ine /'fæmin/ noun a time when there is not enough food for people to eat famous /'feiməs/ adjective well-known and admired: This town is famous for its beautiful buildings, a famous singer fan¹ /fæn/ noun 1 an instrument for moving the air around you to make you cooler 2 someone who likes a particular person or thing very much: I'm a fan of his music. a football fan fan² verb (present participle fanning, past fanned) to make the air around you move: She fanned herself with the newspaper (= to cool her face). fan-cy¹ /'fænsi/ adjective (fancier, fanciest) not ordinary or plain: fancy clothes fancy² verb (present participle fancying, past fancied) 1 to want something: Do you fancy fish for dinner? I fancy a walk. 2 to be attracted to someone in a sexual way 〈118〉 fan-cy dress / fænsı 'dres/ noun (no plural) strange clothes that you wear for fun at a party: a fancy dress party (= a party where people wear fancy dress) fan-tas-tic /fæn'tæstik/ adjective very good: You look fantastic in that dress. a fantastic idea ► SAME MEANING: great far¹ /fo:/ adverb (farther /'fa:ðǝr/, farthest or further /'f3:ðər/, furthest) 1 distant from a place: How far is it to London? It isn't very far. It's too far to walk. ► OPPOSITE: near NOTE: Use far in questions, in NEGATIVE sentences and after too, as and so: How far is it to your house? It isn't far. It's too far to walk. We drove as far as the next town. We didn't mean to walk so far. In other types of sentences use a long way: We walked a long way. It's a long way from the school to my house. 2 very much: I'm far too tired to go out. a far better idea 3 as far as to a place: He only drove as far as the end of the road. 4 far away distant from a place 5 so far until now far² adjective not near; distant: the far side of town ► OPPOSITE: near fare /feǝr/ noun the amount of money that you have to pay to travel on a bus, train, plane, etc.; a taxi fare farm /fa:m/ noun land on which people grow food or keep animals farm-er /'fa:mə/ noun a person who owns or works on a farm farmhouse /'fa:mhaus/ noun the house on a farm where the farmer lives farm-ing /'fa:mın/ noun (no plural) the job of growing food or keeping animals farm-yard /'fa:mja:d/ noun the piece of ground next to a farmhouse farther /'fa:ðǝr/ the comparative of far farthest /'fa:dist/ the superlative of far fas-ci-nate /'fæsnert/ verb (present participle fascinating, past fascinated) to interest someone very much fas-ci-na-tion / fæst'nerfn/ noun (no plural) very strong interest in something fashion /'fæfn/ noun 1 the way of dressing or doing something that is liked by many people at a particular time: the fashion for short skirts 2 in fashion liked by many people now: These ideas are in fashion. 3 out of fashion no longer liked by many people fashion-a-ble /'fæfnəbl/ adjective liked by many people at a particular time: fashionable clothes ► OPPOSITE: unfashionable fast¹ /fa:st/ adjective 1 quick; not slow: He is a fast runner. 2 (used about a clock or watch) showing a time that is later than the real time ► OPPOSITE (1 and 2): slow 3 firmly fixed fast² adverb 1 quickly: to run fast ► OPPOSITE: slowly 2 firmly; tightly: The boat stuck fast in the mud. 3 fast asleep sleeping very well fast³ verb to eat no food, usually for religious reasons ► COMPARE: starve fas-ten /'fa:sn/ verb to fix something firmly; to join or tie together: She fastened her coat. 〈119〉 fas-ten-er /'fo:snǝ/ noun something used to join or tie things together fast food /'fa:st fu:d/ noun (no plural) cooked food, e.g. HAMBURGERS and CHIPS, that you buy from special shops to eat there or to take away with you fat¹ /fæt/ adjective (fatter, fattest) having a wide, round body: I think he's too fat. OPPOSITE: thin fat² noun an oily substance, especially the oil that comes from meat when it is cooked fa-tal /'feitl/ adjective causing someone to die: a fatal car accident fatally /'feitl-1/ adverb: fatally wounded COMPARE: deadly fate /feit/ noun (no plural) a power which some people believe causes things to happen to you during your life fa-ther /'fa:ðər/ noun your male parent: my mother and father — see picture on page 99 Fa-ther Christ-mas /fa:ðə 'krisməs/ noun an old man who children think brings them presents at Christmas. He wears red clothes and has a long white beard. fa-ther-in-law /'fa:ðər ın lɔ:/ noun (plural fathers-in-law) the father of your wife or husband — see picture on page 99 fault /fo:lt/ noun 1 something that is wrong; a mistake or problem: a fault in the engine 2 the fact of being responsible for something bad: I'm sorry - it's all my fault. fault-less /'fo:ltlis/ adjective having no faults; perfect: faultless work fault-y /'fo:lti/ adjective having a mistake or something wrong: a faulty machine fa-vour /'feivar/ noun 1 something kind done for someone: May I ask you a favour? Will you do me a favour (= do something for me) and lend me some money? 2 be in favour of something to think something is a good idea; to support something: I'm not in favour of the plan; Are you in favour of changing the law? fa-vour-a-ble /'feivrǝbl/ adjective good and suitable: favourable weather for working outside fa-vour-ite /'feivrit/ adjective liked best of all: Orange is my favourite colour. fax /fæks/ noun a machine, joined to a telephone, which you use for sending copies of letters or pictures to another place fear¹ /fiǝr/ verb 1 to be afraid of someone or something 2 to worry because you think that something bad has happened or is going to happen: We feared an accident. fear² noun 1 the feeling of being afraid: a fear of dogs, He was shaking with fear. 2 a feeling of being worried in case something bad has happened or is going to happen: fears of an accident fear-ful /'fiəfl/ adjective causing fear; very bad: a fearful sound fear-less /'fiəlis/ adjective never showing fear; never afraid: a fearless soldier COMPARE: brave feast¹ /fi:st/ noun a large meal of good food for a special reason feast² verb to eat a large meal of good food fea-ther /'feðər/ noun one of the things that covers a bird, like a thin stick with soft hairs fea-ture /'fi:tfər/ noun 1 a part of your face, especially your eyes, nose, or mouth 2 one part of something that you notice especially or that is typical of it Feb-ru-a-ry /'februǝri/ noun the second month of the year fed /fed/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb feed fed-e-ral /'fedǝrǝl/ adjective having several states or countries that are joined under one government, but also decide certain things on their own: a federal country 〈120〉 fed up / fed 'ʌp/ adjective not happy because you have had too much of something or because you are annoyed with someone: I'm fed up with staying at home all day. fee /fi:/ noun money that you pay to a doctor, lawyer, school, etc. fee-ble /'fi:bl/ adjective very weak feed /fi:d/ verb (present participle feeding, past fed /fed/) to give food to a person or an animal: Have you fed the cat? feel /fi:l/ verb (present participle feeling, past felt /felt/) 1 to be: to feel happy, to feel ill 2 to touch something with your fingers to see what it is like 3 to experience something touching you: to feel the wind in your hair 4 to think or believe something: I feel sure she will agree. 5 feel like something to want something: I feel like something to eat. I feel like eating something. feeling /'fi:lɪŋ/ noun 1 something that you experience in your body or your mind: feelings of love, a feeling of pain 2 hurt someone's feelings to upset someone feet /fi:t/ 1 the plural of foot 2 on your feet standing up: I've been on my feet all day. 3 put your feet up to rest fell /fel/ the PAST TENSE of the verb fall fel-low¹ /'feləʊ/ noun a man fellow² adjective very like you or from the same place as you: your fellow students felt /felt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb feel felt tip /'felt tɪp/ noun a type of thick coloured pen, used especially by children female¹ /'fi:meɪl/ adjective belonging to the sex that gives birth to young ones ▷OPPOSITE: male female² noun a girl or woman; an animal of the sex that gives birth to young ones ▷OPPOSITE: male fem-i-nine /'femənɪn/ adjective like a woman or typical of a woman ▷OPPOSITE: masculine fence¹ /fens/ noun a wooden or wire wall round something fence² verb (present participle fencing, past fenced) fence something off to put a wooden or wire wall around something: to fence off some land fern /fɜːn/ noun a green plant that has no flowers and grows in places that are wet and without sun fe-ro-cious /fə'rəʊʃəs/ adjective very fierce: a ferocious animal fer-ry /'feri/ noun (plural ferries) a boat that takes people or things across a stretch of water: A ferry crosses the river every hour. fer-tile /'fɜːtaɪl/ adjective (used about land, earth, etc.) able to grow plants and seeds very well: His farm is on fertile land. fer-ti-li-zer /'fɜːtɪlaɪzə/ noun something that you put on the land to make your crops grow better fes-ti-val /'festɪvl/ noun 1 a period of time when there are many special events of a particular type: a film festival, a festival of music 2 a time when everyone has a holiday from work to enjoy something such as a religious event fetch /fetʃ/ verb to go somewhere and bring someone or something back with you: Will you fetch some water? NOTE: Compare the verbs fetch and bring. If you bring something to a place you have it with you when you go there. If you fetch something you go and get it from somewhere else and then have it with you when you 〈121〉 fete /feit/ noun a type of special market with games, competitions, and things for sale, arranged by people who want to get money to help a church, school, or other organization fever /'fizvǝr/ noun an increase of heat in your body, caused by illness: to have a fever few /fju:/ 1 not many: He has few friends. Few people would agree with you. OPPOSITE: many 2 a few a small number of: Can I ask you a few questions? a few days 3 quite a few quite a lot: There were quite a few people at the party. fi-an-cé /fi:'onsei/ noun a man who has promised to marry a particular woman: Her fiancé is called George. fi-an-cée /fi:'onsei/ noun a woman who has promised to marry a particular man: His fiancée is called Susan. fib /fib/ noun a lie; not the truth: to tell a fib fibre /'faibǝ/ noun a thin thread of a plant or animal substance field /fi:ld/ noun a piece of ground, usually with a fence or wall round it, used for growing crops or keeping animals: a field of wheat fierce /fias/ adjective violent and angry: a fierce dog, a fierce storm fif-teen /fif'ti:n/ adjective, noun the number 15 fifteenth /fif'ti:ne/ adjective 15th fifth /fife/ adjective, noun 1 5th 2 one of five equal parts fif-ti-eth /'fifti-i0/ adjective 50th fif-ty /'fifti/ adjective, noun the number 50 fig /fig/ noun a sweet fruit which is full of small seeds fight¹ /fait/ (present participle fighting, past fought /fo:t/) 1 to use your body or weapons to try and hurt or kill someone: He fought in the war. to fight an enemy, to fight a battle 2 to quarrel with someone fight² noun an act of fighting: The two boys had a fight. fig-ure /'figǝ/ noun 1 a written number such as 3 or 8 2 a shape, especially the shape of a human body: I could see a tall figure near the door. She has a good figure (= her body is an attractive shape). file¹ /fail/ noun 1 a cardboard cover or container for papers 2 a tool with a rough edge that you use for making things smooth: a nail file 3 in single file walking one behind the other in a line: Please walk in single file. file² verb (present participle filing, past filed) 1 to put papers into a file: to file letters 2 to make something smooth using a file: to file your nails 3 to walk in a line one behind the other: The children filed into the classroom. fil-ing cab-i-net /'failin kæbinǝt/ noun a tall, narrow piece of furniture with drawers where important papers are kept fill /fil/ verb 1 to put things into something until no more will fit in: to fill a glass with water 2 to become full: The streets filled with people. ► OPPOSITE (1 and 2): empty 3 fill something in to give the written information you are asked for on an official piece of paper: Fill in the answers to these questions. 4 fill something up to fill something completely: to fill up a car with petrol fill-ing /'filin/ noun a substance that a DENTIST puts in a hole in your tooth come back: Please bring a bottle of wine to the party (= come to the party with a bottle of wine). Can you fetch me some milk when you go to the shop (= go and get it and come back with it)? 〈122〉 fill-ing station /'filin steifn/ noun a place where you go to buy petrol for your car film¹ /film/ noun 1 a story shown in a cinema or on television: a Charlie Chaplin film. 2 the thing you put into a camera on which photographs are made. film² to make a film of something: He filmed the football match. film star / film star/ noun a famous actor or actress who acts in films filth-y /'filei/ adjective (filthier, filthiest) very dirty: filthy clothes fin /fin/ noun a part on the side of a fish that helps it to swim — see picture at fish fi-nal¹ /'fainl/ adjective coming at the end; last: the final part of the story final² noun the last and most important game in a competition, to decide who will win fi-nal-ly /'fainl-1/ adverb 1 after a long delay: When she finally arrived it was too late. 2 a word you use when you come to the last thing you want to say about a subject you have been speaking or writing about: Finally, let me thank you all for your help in this matter. 3 a word you use when you are giving the last of a number of instructions: Finally, bake the cake for 30 minutes. fi-nance¹ /'fainæns/ noun (no plural) the controlling of large sums of money, e.g. by a bank, a company, or a government finance² verb (present participle financing, past financed) to give someone the money for something: The government will finance the building of the new roads. fi-nan-cial /far'nænfl/ adjective connected with money: financial advice find /faind/ verb (past found /faund/) 1 to see or get something after you have been looking for it: I can't find my keys, to find a job ➔ OPPOSITE: lose 2 to learn or discover something: to find the answer to a question 3 find someone guilty to say that someone is guilty of a crime: The court found him guilty of murder. 4 find something out to discover the facts about something: to find out the truth about something. fine¹ /fain/ adjective 1 very nice or good: a fine building 2 good enough: "How is your meal?" "Fine, thanks." 3 very well or happy: "How are you?" "Fine, thank-you." 4 sunny and without rain: a fine day, fine weather 5 very thin: fine lines fine² noun money that you pay as a punishment after doing something wrong fine³ verb (present participle fining, past fined) to make someone pay money as a punishment: The man was fined £100 by the court. fin-ger /'fingǝ/ noun one of the five long parts on your hand see picture at hand fin-ger-nail /'fingǝneil/ noun one of the hard, flat things that grow at the end of your fingers - see picture at hand fin-ger-print /'fingǝprint/ noun a mark made by the lines on the end of your fingers, used by the police to IDENTIFY people fin-ger-tip /'fingǝtip/ noun the end of one of your fingers fin-ish¹ /'finif/ noun The end of something ➔ OPPOSITE: start finish² verb 1 to end: the game finished at four o'clock 2 to complete something or to stop doing something: I finish work at 5 o'clock, I've finished reading the newspaper. ➔ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): start 3 finish something off to complete something: I'm just finishing off a letter. 4 finish with something to stop using something because you no longer need it: Have you finished with that pen? 〈123〉 fir /fзir/ noun a tree that grows especially in cold countries and keeps its leaves in winter fire¹ /faıəʳ/ noun 1 heat and flames which burn and destroy things: a forest fire (= a fire which destroys a forest), a building destroyed by fire 2 a mass of burning coal or wood, or a piece of apparatus heated by gas or electricity, used to make a room warm: to sit in front of the fire, a gas fire 3 catch fire to begin to burn 4 on fire burning: The house is on fire. 5 set fire to something to make something burn fire² verb to shoot with a gun fire a·larm /'farər ə,la:m/ noun a bell that rings to warn you when a building starts to burn fire bri·gade /'farə brı,geid/ noun a group of people whose job is to stop dangerous fires fire en·gine /'faıər ,endzın/ noun a vehicle used by the FIRE BRIGADE which has water and special apparatus for stopping fires fire es·cape /'faıər ı,skeip/ noun a set of stairs on the outside of a building that you use to escape when there is a fire fire ex·tin·guish·er /'faıər ık,stıngwıfər/ noun a metal container with water or chemicals inside for putting on a fire to stop it burning fire-man /'faıəmən/ noun (plural firemen /-men/) a man whose job is to stop dangerous fires fire-place /'farəpleıs/ noun the part of the wall of a room where you have a fire — see picture on page 165 fire sta·tion /'faıə ,steı∫n/ noun the building where firemen (FIREMAN) are and where the FIRE ENGINE is kept fire-wood /'farəwud/ noun (no plural) wood for burning on a fire fire-work /'faıəwз:k/ noun a cardboard tube filled with special chemicals, which burns with a loud noise and makes bright lights in the air firm¹ /fз:m/ adjective 1 not soft: firm ground 2 having strong control; not weak: The teacher was firm with the children. firm² noun a group of people who work together in a business; a company firm·ly /'fз:mli/ adverb in a way that shows strong control: She told him firmly that he must wait. first /fз:st/ 1 coming before all the others; earliest It's his first year at school. She came first in the competition. We can talk later, but first (= before that) we must finish our work. the first day of the month 2 for the first time; before all the other times: I first visited America 2 years ago. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): last 3 (a) first of all before doing anything else: First of all, can you tell me your name, sir? 3 (b) first of all used when you are talking about something which happened before a lot of other things: First of all we had dinner, then we went to the cinema and then we went home. 4 at first at the start of something: At first I didn't enjoy my job, but now I like it. LOOK AT: firstly first aid /fз:st 'eid/ noun (no plural) simple help that you give to an ill or wounded person before the doctor comes first aid box /fз:st 'eid boks/ noun (plural first aid boxes) a box containing medicines, etc. to give to someone who is ill or has an accident first-class /fз:st 'kla:s/ adjective of the best or most expensive type: a first-class train ticket first floor /fз:st 'flo:/ noun the floor of a building on top of the one which is level with the ground first·ly /'fз:stli/ adverb a word you use when you are making the first of several points: Firstly, let me thank everyone for coming here this evening. OPPOSITE: lastly 〈124〉 first name /f3:st neim/ noun the name or names that come before your family name: "What is your first name, Mrs Jones?" "It's Anne, I'm Mrs Anne Jones." ▷ COMPARE: surname fish¹ /fif/ noun (plural fish or fishes) a creature that lives in water and can swim, and which people eat as food fish² verb 1 to try to catch fish 2 go fishing to go to a place to try and catch fish fish·er·man /'fifəmən/ noun (plural fishermen /-men/) a person who catches fish for sport or as a job fish·ing rod /'fiſin,rod/ noun a long stick with string at the end used for catching fish fish·mon·ger /'fiſmanga/ noun 1 a person who owns or works in a shop that sells fish 2 fishmonger's a shop that sells fish fist /fist/ noun a hand with the fingers closed tightly together: He hit me with his fist. fit¹ /fit/ adjective 1 not ill; well and able to be active as a result of doing sport ▷ OPPOSITE: unfit 2 good enough: This food is not fit for your visitors. fit² verb (present participle fitting, past fitted) 1 to be the right size for someone or something: The trousers don't fit him, they are too small. 2 to find space to put someone or something: We can't fit any more people in here. 3 to fix something in place: He fitted a telephone in my office. five /farv/ adjective, noun the number 5. fix /fiks/ verb 1 to put something in place firmly: He fixed a picture to the wall. 2 to mend something: Can you fix my bicycle? 3 to arrange something: We have fixed a date for the meeting. to fix a price (= to agree what it should be) fiz·zy /'fızı/ adjective (fizzier, fizziest) (used about a drink) containing gas: fizzy water flag /flæg/ noun a piece of cloth with a special pattern on it, used as the sign of a country, club, etc. flag·pole /flæg-paul/ noun a tall pole at the top of which you hang a flag flake /flerk/ noun a small thin piece of something that has broken off a larger piece flame /flerm/ noun 1 a bright piece of burning gas that you see in a fire 2 in flames burning: The house was in flames. flap¹ /flæp/ verb (present participle flapping, past flapped) to move up and down: The bird flapped its wings. flap² noun a piece of something that hangs down over an opening: a flap on a pocket flash¹ /flæf/ noun 1 a sudden bright light: a flash of lightning 2 a light on a camera that you use when 〈125〉 flash² /flæf/ verb (used about a light) to shine for a moment. you take a photograph inside a building 3 in a flash very quickly: We'll get there in a flash. flask /flæsk/ noun a special type of bottle for keeping hot drinks hot, or cold drinks cold: a flask of coffee flat¹ /flæt/ adjective (flatter, flattest) 1 without hills; not sloping: flat land, a flat roof. 2 (used about tyres) having no air inside flat² noun a number of rooms on one floor of a building, used as a home flat-mate /'flætmeit/ noun a person who shares a flat with another person but is not a member of their family flat-ten /'flætn/ verb to make something flat: The rain flattened the corn. flat-ter /'flætə*/ verb to say that someone is better, nicer, etc. than they really are because you are trying to please them flat-ter-y /'flætəri/ noun (no plural) nice things that you say to someone because you are trying to please them fla-vour /'fleiva*/ noun a taste: coffee with a strong flavour flea /fli:/ noun a very small jumping insect that drinks blood from animals and people flee /fli:/ verb (present participle fleeing, past fled /fled/) to run away; to escape fleece /fli:s/ noun the wool of a sheep fleet /fli:t/ noun a lot of ships or boats together: a fleet of fishing boats flesh /fles/ noun (no plural) the soft part of your body that covers your bones COMPARE: skin flew /flu:/ the PAST TENSE of the verb fly flight /flait/ noun 1 a journey on a plane: a flight from New York to Paris 2 a flight of stairs a set of stairs fling /fliŋ/ verb to throw something with force flip-per /'flipǝ*/ noun 1 a broad flat part of the body which some sea animals have and which helps them to swim 2 a kind of broad, flat plastic shoe that you wear to help you swim fast under water flirt /fl3:t/ verb to behave in a way that is intended to attract sexual attention: He flirts with all the women. float /flout/ verb to stay on the surface of a liquid: A boat floats on water. OPPOSITE: sink flock /flok/ noun a group of sheep, goats, or birds COMPARE: herd flood¹ /flad/ noun a great quantity of water covering a place that is usually dry: The floods destroyed many homes. flood² verb to cover a place with water: The river flooded the fields. flood-light /'fladlait/ noun a very strong light used at night to show the outside of buildings, or at sports events floor /flo:*/ noun 1 the part of a room that you walk on: a wooden floor 2 all the rooms on the same level of a building: We live on the third floor (= 3 floors above the ground). floor-board /'flo:bo:d/ noun a long, narrow piece of wood used to make floors flop-py disk /'flopi 'disk/ noun a piece of plastic that you can put into a computer and on which information can be stored COMPARE: hard disk flor-ist /'florist/ noun 1 a person who sells flowers 2 florist's a shop that sells flowers flour /'flauǝ*/ noun (no plural) fine powder made from wheat, used for making bread, etc. flourish /'flari∫/ verb to grow well: The garden is flourishing. 〈126〉 flow¹ /flau/ verb (used about liquids) to move along: The river flows through the town. flow² noun (no plural) a smooth movement: a flow of air flower /'flauǝ/ noun the part of a plant which holds the seeds and which is usually pretty and brightly coloured: a vase of flowers flower-bed /'flauǝbed/ noun an area of earth with flowers planted in it flower-pot /'flauǝpot/ noun a container in which you grow plants. flown /flaun/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb fly fluent /'flu:ǝnt/ adjective speaking a language smoothly and easily: He speaks fluent English. fluently /'flu:ǝntli/ adverb: He speaks English fluently. fluff /flʌf/ noun (no plural) soft fine bits that come off animals, wool, etc. fluid¹ /'flu:id/ noun a liquid fluid² adjective liquid; not solid; able to flow flush /flʌʃ/ verb 1 to clean a TOILET by making water go down it: to flush a toilet 2 to become red in the face because you are ashamed, angry, etc.: He flushed with anger. flute /flu:t/ noun a musical instrument like a pipe that you hold to one side of your mouth and blow flutter /'flʌtǝ/ verb to move in the air quickly and in different directions: dead leaves fluttering to the ground, a flag fluttering in the wind fly¹ /flai/ verb (present participle flying, past tense flew /flu:/, past participle flown /flaun/) 1 to move through the air: Birds were flying above the houses. The plane flew from Paris to Rome. 2 to go quickly: She flew (= ran) out of the house. fly² noun (plural flies) a small flying insect flying saucer / flaı-ın 'sɔ:sǝ/ noun a spaceship which is round and flat and is shown in pictures and stories fly-over /'flaıǝuvǝ/ noun a part of a road that goes up and crosses over another road foal /fəʊl/ noun a baby horse foam /fəʊm/ noun (no plural) the white substance that you sometimes see on top of water fog /fɒg/ noun (no plural) thick cloud close to the ground that makes it difficult to see ► COMPARE: mist fog-gy /'fɒgi/ adjective (foggier, foggiest) having a lot of thick cloud close to the ground so that you cannot see very well: a foggy day ► COMPARE: misty fold¹ /fəʊld/ verb 1 to turn part of something over another part: She folded the letter so that it would fit into her bag. 2 fold your arms to cross your arms over your chest so that one hand rests on top of one arm and the other hand rests underneath the other arm 3 fold something up to fold something several times so that it becomes smaller: She folded up the sheets. fold² noun a part of something that has been folded over another part folder /'fəʊldǝ/ noun a cardboard cover, like the cover of a book, for holding papers, etc. folk¹ /fəʊk/ noun (no plural) people: The old folk sat and talked. folk² adjective typical of the ordinary people of a particular country or area: folk music, a folk song follow /'fɒləʊ/ verb 1 to come or go after someone or something: He left the room and I followed. Follow me. Their success follows years of work. 2 to go in the same direction as a road, river, etc.: Follow the road as far as the church. 〈127〉 fol-low-ing /'folǝuŋ/ adjective the following day, week, year, etc. the next day, week, year, etc.: We leave on Friday and return the following Monday. fond of /'fond ov/ adjective liking someone or something: I'm very fond of you (= I like you very much). food /fu:d/ noun (no plural) things that you eat: He had had no food for two days. fool¹ /fu:l/ noun 1 a silly or stupid person SAME MEANING: idiot 2 make a fool of yourself to behave in a way which makes other people think you are silly fool² verb 1 to trick or deceive someone: He fooled me into giving him money. 2 fool about to behave in a silly way: Stop fooling about! fool-ish /'fu:lı∫/ adjective not reasonable; silly: foolish behaviour foot /fut/ noun (plural feet /firt/) 1 the part of your body that you stand on 2 the bottom of something: the foot of a hill 3 a measure of length equal to 12 inches: The man was six feet tall. 4 on foot walking: They made the journey on foot. foot-ball /'futbo:l/ noun 1 (no plural) a game played by two teams who each try to kick a ball into a net see picture on page 265 2 a ball filled with air used for playing the game of football foot-ball-er /'futbo:lə*/ noun a man whose job is to play football foot-ball pitch /'futbo:l ,pit∫/ noun (plural football pitches) a piece of land where people play the game of football foot-path /'futpa:0/ noun (plural footpaths /'futpa:dz/) a narrow path for people to walk on, especially in the country foot-print /'futprint/ noun the mark left by a person's foot: footprints in the snow foot-step /'futstep/ noun the sound of someone walking: I heard footsteps behind me. for /fɔ:; strong fɔ:/ preposition 1 meant to be used in this way: a knife for cutting bread 2 meant to be given to or used by someone or something: Here's a letter for you. I'm making some curtains for the bedroom. a school for girls 3 showing how far or how long: She has lived in this town for many years. I waited for three hours. LOOK AT: since 4 towards a place: the train for London 5 at a price of: She bought the dress for £5. 6 with the meaning of: What is the word for "tree" in your language? 7 in favour of someone or something: The government is for the plan. 8 by or at a particular time: We'll be home for Christmas, 9 used to show the reason for something: He won a prize for singing. The government is working for peace. They were punished for their bad behaviour. 10 used to show who is helped by someone or something: She did some work for her father. 11 used to show who a feeling is about: I'm very pleased for you. 〈128〉 for-bid /fa'bid/ verb (present participle forbidding, past tense forbade/fə'bæd/, past participle forbidden /fə bidn/) to tell someone they must not do something: It is forbidden to smoke in school. OPPOSITE: allow force¹ /foxs/ verb (present participle forcing, past forced) 1 to make someone do something they do not want to do: He forced me to see a doctor. 2 to use your strength to make something move: to force a door open (= make it open by pushing or pulling) force² noun 1 (no plural) power or strength: to use force to make someone do something, the force of an explosion 2 a group of people like the army, etc. who are trained to fight together: enemy forces, the police force 3 by force using violence, power, or strength fore-cast/fo:ka:st/ noun something that says what you think will happen in future: a weather forecast fore head /'fozhed, forad/ noun the top part of your face, above your eyes but below your hair - see picture at head foreign/'forinį adjective of or from a country that is not your country: a foreign language foreign-er/'fprinǝ/ noun a person who comes from a country that is not your country fore-man/fo:man/ noun (plural foremen /man/) a man whose job is to tell a group of workers what to do forest/'forist/ noun an area where a lot of trees grow together forever/far evər/ adverb always; for all time in the future: I shall love you forever. for gave /fa geiv/ the PAST TENSE of the verb forgive forge /fǝrdz/ verb (present participle forging, past forged) to make a copy of something in order to deceive people: He was sent to prison for forging money. for-ge-ry /'faidzarı/ noun 1 (no plural) the crime of making a copy of something in order to deceive people: to go to prison for forgery 2 (plural forgeries) a copy which is intended to deceive people for-get /fa' get/ verb (present participle forgetting, past tense forgot/fa'got/, past participle forgotten /falgotn/) not to remember something: "Did you post the letter?" "No I forgot." She forgot to post the letter. OPPOSITE: remember NOTE: If you want to say where you have left something, always use leave, not forget e.g. Oh no - I've forgotten my bag! compared with I've left my bag on the bus. for-get-ful/fa'getfǝl/ adjective often forgetting things for give/fǝ'giv/ verb (present participle forgiving, past tense forgave /falgeiv/. past participle forgiven /fa'givn/) to stop being angry with someone: Please forgive me - I didn't mean to be rude. for-got/fǝ'gol/ the PAST TENSE of the verb forget for-got-ten/fǝlgotn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb forget fork¹ /fork/ noun 1 an instrument with a handle and two or more points at the end which you use to eat food - see picture at cutlery 2 a place where a road or a river divides into two: a fork in the road fork² verb (used about a road or river) to divide into two form¹ /form/ noun 1 a school class: Which form are you in? the sixth form 2 a shape: a birthday cake in the form of the number 18 3 a type of something: a new form of government 4 a piece of printed paper on which you have to write things or answer questions about yourself form² verb 1 to start to appear or exist: Snow formed on the tops of the mountains. 〈129〉 form-al /'fɔ:ml/ adjective suitable for an official or important occasion: a formal letter, formal clothes OPPOSITE: informal for-mer¹ /'fɔ:mə/ noun the former the first of two people or things that you are mentioning: Britain has agreements with both Germany and Italy, but its agreement with the former (= Germany) will soon change. OPPOSITE: the latter former² adjective at an earlier time but not any more: the former president of the United States, her former husband for-mer-ly /'fɔ:məli/ adverb in the past: The shop was formerly owned by his family. for-mu-la /'fɔ:mjulǝ/ noun (plural formulas or formulae /'fɔ:mjuli:/) a list of the substances used to make something: the secret formula of the new drug fort /fɔ:t/ noun a strong building where soldiers lived in the past and where people could go to be safe from attack for-ti-eth /'fɔ:ti-10/ adjective 40th fort-night /'fɔ:tnaıt/ noun two weeks: We're going on holiday for a fortnight (= two weeks). We're going on holiday in a fortnight (= we leave two weeks after today). LOOK AT: time fort-night-ly /'fɔ:tnaıtli/ adverb happening once every two weeks for-tu-nate /'fɔ:tfənət/ adjective lucky OPPOSITE: unfortunate for-tu-nate-ly /'fɔ:tfənətli/ adverb luckily: Fortunately, I am able to help you. OPPOSITE: unfortunately for-tune /'fɔ:tfu:n/ noun 1 (no plural) luck or chance: to have good fortune (= to be lucky) 2 a very large amount of money: He made a fortune by selling houses. 3 tell someone's fortune to tell someone what is going to happen to them in the future for-ty /'fɔ:ti/ adjective, noun the number 40 for-ward /'fɔ:wəd/ adjective 1 in the direction that is in front of you: a forward movement OPPOSITE: backward 2 look forward to something to think about something that is going to happen and feel pleased about it: I'm looking forward to meeting you. for-wards /'fɔ:wədz/ adverb in the direction that is in front of you: to move forwards OPPOSITE: backwards fought /fɔ:t/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb fight foul /faul/ adjective unpleasant and dirty: a foul smell found¹ /faund/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb find found² verb to start: He founded the school in 1954. foun-da-tions /faun'deı∫nz/ plural noun the parts of the walls of a building that are under the ground foun-tain /'fauntən/ noun water thrown high into the air from a pipe, e.g. in a garden or park fountain pen /'fauntən pen/ noun a pen that is filled with ink four /fɔ:/ adjective, noun the number 4 four-teen /fɔ:'ti:n/ adjective, noun the number 14 four-teenth /fɔ:'ti:nθ/ adjective 14th fourth /fɔ:θ/ adjective 4th 〈130〉 fowl /faul/ noun a bird, usually one that is kept for food fox /foks/ noun (plural foxes) a wild animal like a dog, with a thick tail fraction /'frækfn/ noun a division or part of a number, e.g. 1/4, 1/2 fracture¹ /'fræktfa/ verb (present participle fracturing, past fractured) to crack or break: to fracture your leg fracture² noun a crack or break fra-gile /'frædzaıl/ adjective able to be broken easily fragment /'frægmənt/ noun a small piece broken off something: a fragment of glass fragrance /'freigrans/ noun a sweet or pleasant smell: the fragrance of flowers SAME MEANING: perfume fragrant /'freigrant/ adjective having a nice, sweet smell COMPARE: smelly frail /freil/ adjective weak and not healthy frame¹ /freim/ noun 1 the bars around which a building, car, etc. is made: a building with a steel frame (= with steel supports inside it), a tent frame 2 a piece of wood or metal round the edges of a picture, window, mirror, etc. 3 the part of a pair of glasses which holds the glass frame² verb (present participle framing, past framed) to put a wood or metal frame around the edges of a picture franc /frægk/ noun a type of money used in France and some other countries frank /frægk/ adjective honest and not afraid to say what is true: a frank talk frank-ly /'fræŋkli/ adverb 1 used when you want to show that you are giving your true opinion about something, even if you know other people will think you are wrong: Frankly, I think you are wasting your time. 2 in an honest way: They talked very frankly. fraud /froid/ noun the crime of deceiving people, especially in order to get money frayed /freid/ adjective (used about clothes or material) having loose threads at the edges: a frayed dress freak /fri:k/ noun a person or animal that is very strange freck-le /'frekl/ noun a very small brown spot on a person's skin free¹ /fri:/ adjective 1 able to do what you like: You are free to leave at any time. 2 not in prison 3 not working or busy: Are you free this evening? 4 not costing any money: a free ticket 5 free of charge not costing any money: Our help is free of charge. 6 free time time when you are not busy or working and can do what you want 7 set someone free to allow someone to leave a prison free² verb (past freed) to let a person or an animal leave a place where they have been kept as a prisoner: They freed the birds from the cages. free-dom /'fri:dəm/ noun (no plural) being able to do what you want without being a prisoner and without being under another person's control freeze /fri:z/ verb (present participle freezing, past tense froze /frauz/, past participle frozen /'frauzn/) to become very cold and change from a liquid into a solid: When water freezes it becomes ice freez-er /'fri:za/ noun a machine that keeps food very cold, so that it keeps for a long time freez-ing /'fri:zın/ adjective very cold: I'm freezing! It's freezing outside. freezing point /'fri:zın point/ noun (no plural) 〈131〉 fre-quent /'fri:kwant/ adjective happening often: They make frequent trips abroad. frequently /'fri:kwantlı/ adverb: They go abroad frequently. fresh /fre/ adjective 1 (used about food) in good condition because of being picked, killed, etc. a short time ago: fresh fish, fresh vegetables 2 new and different: Write your answer on a fresh sheet of paper. 3 fresh air pleasant, cool air outside, not in a building: I'm going for a walk to get some fresh air. Fri-day /frardeı, -di/ noun the sixth day of the week fridge /fridz/ noun a machine like an electric cupboard that you keep in your kitchen and use for keeping food cool and fresh SAME MEANING: refrigerator fried¹ /frard/ the PAST TENSE of the verb fry fried² adjective cooked in hot oil: fried eggs friend /frend/ noun 1 a person who you know well and who you like and trust: He is my friend. He is a friend of mine. We are friends. 2 make friends with someone to start to know someone and be their friend friend-ly /'frendlı/ adjective (friendlier, friendliest) behaving in a nice, kind way like a friend OPPOSITE: unfriendly friend-ship /'frendfip/ noun the state of being friends: The boys have had a long friendship. fright /frait/ noun (no plural) 1 a feeling of fear. 2 give someone a fright to make someone feel afraid suddenly. fright-en /'fraitn/ verb to make someone afraid: The noise frightened me. fright-ened /'fraitnd/ adjective afraid: He's frightened of dogs. fright-en-ing /'fraitnıŋ/ adjective making you afraid: a frightening film fringe /frindz/ noun 1 hair that goes in a line across the top of your face, above your eyes — see picture on page 66 2 threads that hang in a straight line around the edge of something fro /frau/ adverb to and fro first in one direction and then in the opposite direction: He was walking to and fro in front of the house. frock /frok/ noun a dress for a girl or woman frog /frog/ noun a small brown or green jumping animal that lives in water and on land from /frɔm; strong from/ preposition 1 starting at or coming from a place: The train goes from Paris to Rome. He's from Spain. from Monday to Friday 2 given or sent by someone: This letter is from my uncle 3 used to show how far away something is: a town 10 miles from here 4 out of a place: books from the cupboard 5 away: Her children were taken from her. 6 using something: Bread is made from flour. 7 because of something: She was crying from the pain. front¹ /frant/ noun 1 the side opposite the back of something: sitting at the front of the class OPPOSITE: back, rear 2 in front of at the front of someone or something: I'll meet you in front of the cinema. — see picture on page 166 front² adjective at the front of something: the front seat of a car OPPOSITE: back front door / frant 'do:/ noun the door at the front of the house that you use when you enter the house fron-tier /'frʌntıǝr/ noun the dividing line between two countries SAME MEANING: border frost /frost/ noun (no plural) frozen water that stays on every outdoor 〈132〉 frown /fraun/ verb to look as if you are angry or thinking very hard by bringing your EYEBROWS together so that lines appear at the top of your face froze /frauz/ the PAST TENSE of the verb freeze frozen /'frǝuzn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb freeze frozen food / frauzn 'fu:d/ noun (no plural) food that you buy after it has been frozen and which you keep in a FREEZER fruit /fru:t/ noun (no plural) the part of a plant that carries the seeds; it is often sweet and good to eat: Would you like some fruit an apple or an orange? a bowl of fruit frult juice /'fru:t dzu:s/ noun (no plural) a drink made by pressing fruit and getting liquid from it fry /frai/ verb (past fried) to cook something in hot oil: to fry an egg frying pan /frai-in pæn/ noun a wide, flat pan used for cooking food in hot oil ft another way of writing the words foot or feet when they are used for measuring things: He's 6ft (=6 feet) tall. fuel /'fjural noun a substance that burns to give heat, light, of power: Gas and coal are fuels. ful-fil /ful'fil/ verb (present participle fulfilling, past fulfilled) to do what you have promised or are expected to do: to fulfil a promise, to fulfil an ambition full /ful/ adjective 1 containing as much as possible: My cup is full. OPPOSITE: empty 2 having had as much as you want to eat: I couldn't eat any more, I'm full. 3 complete or whole: What's your full address? 4 be full of something to contain a lot of something: The streets were full of people. 5 full up (used about a place or thing) containing as much as possible: The restaurant is full up. full stop /ful 'stop/ noun the sign (.) used in writing to show the end of a sentence, or after a short form of word such as Mr. or ft. fun /fʌn/ noun (no plural) 1 amusement, enjoyment, or pleasure 2 have fun to enjoy yourself 3 make fun of someone to laugh at someone in a cruel way or to make other people laugh at them function¹ /'fʌŋk∫n/ noun the purpose of someone or something, or the job that they do function² verb to work: This machine isn't functioning well. fund /fʌnd/ noun an amount of money collected for a particular reason: a fund to build a new church funeral /'fju:naral/ noun a ceremony in which the body of a dead person is burned or put into the ground fun-fair /'fʌnfeǝ/ noun a place where people go to enjoy themselves by paying to ride on special machines and by playing games for small prizes fun-gus /'fʌngəs/ noun (plural fungi) /'fʌngai, -dʒai/) a plant such as a MUSHROOM which has no leaves or flowers 〈133〉 fun-nel /'fʌnl/ noun 1 a tube which is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for pouring things into a narrow opening. 2 a pipe through which smoke leaves a ship or an engine fun-ny /'fʌni/ adjective (funnier, funniest) 1 making you laugh; amusing: a funny joke 2 strange; unusual: What's that funny smell? fur /fɜː/ noun (no plural) the soft hair on some animals such as cats and rabbits: a fur coat (= a coat made of animal fur) fu-ri-ous /'fjʊəriəs/ adjective very angry fur-nace /'fɜːnɪs/ noun a large covered fire for heating metals fur-nish /'fɜːnɪʃ/ verb to put furniture in a place: to furnish a house fur-nished /'fɜːnɪʃt/ adjective having furniture in: a furnished room fur-ni-ture /'fɜːnɪtʃə/ noun (no plural) things used in a house, like beds, tables, and chairs fur-ry /'fɜːri/ adjective (furrier, furriest) covered in soft hairs: a furry animal ▶ COMPARE: hairy further /'fɜːðə/ the comparative of far further ed-u-ca-tion /ˌfɜːðər edʒuˈkeɪʃn/ noun (no plural) study that you do after leaving school, but not at a university: a college of further education ▶ COMPARE: higher education fur-thest /'fɜːðɪst/ the superlative of far fu-ry /'fjʊəri/ noun (no plural) very great anger ▶ SAME MEANING: rage fuss¹ /fʌs/ noun (no plural) 1 worry or excitement about something which is not important 2 make a fuss to cause trouble, especially by complaining 3 make a fuss of someone to be very kind to someone and give them a lot of attention fuss² verb to worry too much about things that are not important, or to give too much attention to them fus-sy /'fʌsi/ adjective (fussier, fussiest) thinking too much about small things that are not important fu-ture /'fjuːtʃə/ noun (no plural) 1 the future time that will come; things that have not happened yet: We will go there at some time in the future. 2 in future after now: In future please be more careful (= in the past you were not careful enough). fu-ture tense /ˌfjuːtʃə ˈtens/ noun the form of a verb that you use when you are talking about the future, e.g. in English "I will go" is in a future tense 〈134〉 gab-ble /'gæbl/ verb (present participle gabbling, past gabbled) to speak so quickly that people cannot understand you gad-get /'gædzıt/ noun a machine or tool that is small but useful: a clever little gadget for cutting bread gain /gein/ verb 1 to increase: The baby's gaining weight. 2 to get something useful: What will you gain from doing the course? She's gaining good experience in the job. ga-la /'ga:lə/ noun a special public performance of sports, etc.: a swimming gala gale /geil/ noun a very strong wind gallery /'gælǝrı/ noun (plural galleries) a building or a large long room where paintings, photographs, etc. are shown to the public: an art gallery gal-lon /'gælən/ noun a measure of liquid equal to eight pints gal-lop¹ /'gælǝp/ verb (used about a horse) to run very fast gallop² noun the very fast run of a horse gam-ble¹ /'gæmbl/ noun something you do in which you take a risk because you hope to get something: The doctors say the operation is a bit of a gamble which may not succeed. gamble² verb (present participle gambling, past gambled) 1 to try to win money on card games, horse races, etc.: He lost a lot of money by gambling. COMPARE: bet 2 to take a risk because you hope to get something gam-bler /'gæmblər/ noun a person who tries to win money on card games, horse races, etc. game¹ /geim/ noun 1 an activity in which you follow certain rules in order to get points and defeat another person or team: Football is a team game. a game of cards 2 a secret plan that is usually not honest 3 give the game away to tell people something that should be a secret 4 games (plural noun) sports in which people compete: The winter games were very exciting. game² noun (no plural) wild animals or birds that people hunt for food or sport gang¹ /gæŋ/ noun 1 a group of people working together, e.g. building workers or criminals 2 a group of young people, usually young men, who cause trouble gang² verb gang up to get together in a group and behave badly to someone: The older children ganged up against the younger ones. gaol /dzeil/ noun (also jall) prison: The man was sent to gaol for stealing. gap /gæp/ noun an empty space between two things or between two parts of something: We went in through a gap in the fence. a gap between his front teeth garage /gæra:3/ noun 1 a place where cars, buses, etc. are kept 2 a place where you can buy petrol or have your car repaired - see picture on page 199 gar-den /ga:dn/ noun a piece of land where trees, flowers, or vegetables are grown, round a house or in a public place gar-den-er /'ga:dnǝ/ noun a person who works in a garden, for pleasure or as a job gar-den-Ing /'ga:dnıŋ/ noun (no plural) work in a garden: He enjoys gardening. gar-lic /'ga:lık/ noun (no plural) a plant used in cooking to give a strong taste - see picture at vegetable 〈135〉 gas /gæs/ noun 1 (plural gases) any substance like air that is not liquid or solid 2 (no plural) a substance like air that is used in the home to give heat and light: She cooks with gas. gasp¹ /ga:sp/ verb to take a quick, short breath: / gasped as I jumped into the cold river. gasp² noun the sound of a quick, short breath: a gasp of surprise gate /gert/ noun 1 a door which closes an opening in a wall or fence 2 an entrance or way out at an airport gather /'gæðə/ verb 1 to come together in a group: A crowd soon gathered to see what had happened. 2 to collect flowers or crops: In the summer the farmers gather the fruit. SAME MEANING: pick gather-ing /'gæðarın/ noun a meeting or coming together of a lot of people in one place gauge /geidz/ noun an instrument that measures the amount of something: A petrol gauge shows the amount of petrol left in a car. gave /geiv/ the PAST TENSE of the verb give gay /get/ adjective bright and attractive: gay colours gaze /geiz/ verb (present participle gazing, past gazed) to look steadily at something for a long time: The child gazed at the toys in the shop window. GCSE /dzi: si: es 'iz/ noun an examination in a choice of subjects taken in British schools by pupils of 15 or 16 years old gear /giǝ/ noun 1 a set of wheels with teeth in an engine which work together to make the wheels of a car go faster or more slowly: The lorry driver changed gear to go up the hill. 2 (no plural) the special clothes or things you need for a particular sport: tennis gear geese /gi:s/ the plural of goose gem /dzem/ noun any sort of stone which is worth a lot of money and is used as jewellery gen-e-ral¹ /dzenral/ adjective 1 concerning most people or places: Worry about crime is now very general. 2 concerning the whole of something, rather than its parts: The house's general condition is good although it needs painting. 3 in general in most cases: In general, I like the people I work with. general² noun a very important officer in the army gen-e-ral e-lec-tion /dzenral i'leksn/ noun a time when the people of a country vote to choose their government gen-er-al knowl-edge /'dzenral 'nolidz/ noun (no plural) knowledge about many different subjects gen-er-al-ly /'dzenrǝli/ adverb usually: Children in England generally start school when they are five. gen-er-ate /'dzenǝreit/ verb (present participle generating, past generated) to make heat or power: We use coal to generate electricity. gen-e-ra-tion /dzenǝ'retsn/ noun the people born at a certain time: My parents and I belong to different generations. gen-e-ra-tor /'dzenǝreita/ noun a machine that makes electricity gen-e-ros-i-ty /dzenǝ'rosati/ noun (no plural) the willingness to give money, help, or presents: a card thanking him for his generosity gen-er-ous /'dzenǝrǝs/ adjective willing to give money, help, or presents: How generous of you to lend us your car! OPPOSITE: mean ge-ni-us /'dzi:nias/ noun (plural geniuses) a person who is very very clever 〈136〉 gen-tle /'dzentl/ adjective kind and calm; not rough or violent: Be gentle with the baby, a gentle voice gen-tle-man /'dzentlmən/ noun (plural gentlemen /-mən/) 1 a kind man who behaves well towards other people 2 a polite word for a man: When he made a speech he began by saying "Ladies and gentlemen". gen-tly /'dzentli/ adverb in a kind, calm way, without being rough or violent: She gently lifted the child. Gents /dzents/ noun the Gents the men's TOILET: He's gone to the Gents. COMPARE: Ladies gen-u-ine /'dzenjuin/ adjective real and true: This ring is genuine gold. gen-u-ine-ly /'dzenjuinli/ adverb truly: She was genuinely frightened by the storm. ge-og-ra-phy /dzi'ografi/ noun (no plural) the study of the countries of the world and things like seas, mountains, and weather ge-ol-o-gy /dzi'bladzı/ noun (no plural) the study of rocks, and how they were made. ge-om-e-try /dzi'omatri/ noun (no plural) the study of measuring shapes, lines, etc. germ /dzз:m/ noun a very small living thing that grows in dirty places and makes people ill ges-ture¹ /'dzestſər/ noun a movement of your hands, head, etc. done to express something gesture² verb (present participle gesturing, past gestured) to move your head, hands, etc. in order to express something: He gestured angrily at me. get /get/ verb (present participle getting, past got /gpt/) 1 to obtain something: I must get a birthday present for my mother. Can I get you a drink? 2 to have or receive something: I got a real shock when I heard the news. The boy got a bicycle from his aunt. I don't get much time for reading. 3 to become: She got very cross with me. The weather is getting colder. 4 to bring something: Could you get me a glass of water, please? She went to get the children from school. 5 get away to escape from a place: Four prisoners got away. 6 get back to return, usually to your home: When did you get back from your holiday? 7 get off to climb down from something like a bus, train, or horse: The train stopped and he got off. She got off her bicycle. 8 get on to climb onto something like a bus, train, or horse: Quickly – get on! She got on her bike and rode home. 9 get on with someone to be friendly with someone: Do you get on well with your neighbours? 10 get up to rise from a lying or sitting position, especially from your bed after sleeping: What time do you usually get up on Sundays? ghast-ly /'ga:stli/ adjective very bad: ghastly news, ghastly food SAME MEANING: awful ghost /goust/ noun the form of a dead person that some people believe can be seen ghost-ly /'gaustli/ adjective making people afraid, as if there were ghosts: a ghostly light gi-ant¹ /'dzarant/ noun a very large strong man in children's stories giant² adjective very large gid-dy /'gıdı/ adjective (giddier, giddiest) having a sick feeling that everything is moving around you: She felt giddy when she looked down from the high bridge. gift /gift/ noun 1 a present: a gift shop 2 a special ability to do something: a gift for languages gi-gan-tic /dzai'gæntık/ adjective very big SAME MEANING: enormous 〈137〉 gig-gle /'gıgəl/ verb (present participle giggling, past giggled) to laugh in a silly way: The girls were giggling in class. gills /gilz/ plural noun the part of a fish, near its head, through which it breathes see picture at fish gin-ger /'dzindzǝ/ noun (no plural) 1 a plant with a root which can be used to give food a strong taste 2 an orange brown colour: ginger hair, a ginger cat gip-sy /'dzipsi/ noun (plural gipsies) one of a race of people who travel around in caravans, earning money by selling flowers, etc. gi-raffe /dzi'ra:f/ noun (plural giraffe or giraffes) a tall African animal with a very long neck and very long legs and large brown spots on its coat - see picture on page 300 girl /g3:l/ noun a female child: She has two children, a girl and a boy. There are four girls in our class. girl-friend /g3:lfrend/ noun a special female friend of a boy or man Girl Guide /g3:l 'gaid/ noun a member of a special club for girls give /giv/ verb (present participle giving, past tense gave /geiv/, past participle given /'givn/) 1 to hand or pass something to someone for them to use, or as a present: Please give that back to me when you've finished. His uncle gave him a toy train for his birthday. 2 to let or make someone have something: That child has given a lot of trouble. Can I give you some advice? 3 to perform an action: She gave a cry of anger when she heard the news. He gave us a talk about the history of the city. 4 give way to allow other cars, etc. to go before you when you are driving: You have to give way to traffic coming from the left. 5 (a) give something away to make known something that is secret: She begged him not to give away her secret to anyone. 5 (b) give something away to let someone keep something of yours, usually because you do not want it any more: I'm giving away all the clothes that are too small for the children. 6 give something back to return something to its owner: I'll give you back your records next week. 7 give something in to hand something to the person in charge: Give your exam papers in as you leave the room. 8 give something out to give something to each of several other people: The teacher gave out the books. 9 give something up to stop having or doing something: She's trying to give up smoking. gla-ci-er /'glæsiǝ/ noun a very large mass of ice in the mountains that moves very slowly along the ground glad /glæd/ adjective pleased and happy: I am glad to see you. glad-ly /'glædli/ adverb willingly: I'll do it for you gladly. glance¹ /gla:ns/ verb (present participle glancing, past glanced) to look quickly at someone or something: She glanced at her watch. glance² noun a quick short look glare /glea/ verb (present participle glaring, past glared) 1 to shine with an unpleasantly bright light: The sun glared down. 2 to look at someone angrily: She glared at me and then walked away. glare² noun 1 an angry look 2 unpleasant brightness: The glare of the sun made her eyes hurt. glass /gla:s/ noun 1 (no plural) a clear hard substance used for windows and bottles 2 (plural glasses) a cup made of glass, without a handle see picture at cup 3 glasses (plural noun) specially shaped pieces of glass or plastic that you wear in front of your eyes, to help you see better see picture on page 65 gleam /gli:m/ verb to shine: The river gleamed in the moonlight. 〈138〉 glide /glaid/ verb (present participle gliding, past glided) to move forward smoothly glider /'glaidar/ noun an aircraft without an engine glim-mer¹/glımǝr/ verb to give a faint light: lights glimmering in the distance glimmer² noun a faint light glimpse¹ /glimps/noun a very quick look: I only caught a glimpse of the thief's face so I can't describe it. glimpse² verb (present participle glimpsing, past glimpsed) to see something very quickly and usually by chance glisten /'glisnl verb to shine as if wet: eyes glistening with tears glitter¹ /'glitat verb to shine brightly with flashes of light: The sea glittered in the sun. glitter² noun a bright light that seems to flash globe /glǝub/ noun 1 a ball with a map of the world on it 2 the Earth: She's travelled all over the globe. gloomy /'gluzmı/ adjective (gloomier, gloomiest) 1 rather dark: a gloomy day 2 sad and having little hope: a gloomy expression on his face glorious /'glaırıəs/ adjective 1 having great honour: the country's glorious history 2 very pleasant: a glorious holiday glory /'glɔ:rı/ noun (no plural) fame and respect that is given to someone who has done something great glove /glʌv/ noun a piece of clothing that you wear on your hand, with separate parts for all your fingers glow¹ /glau/ verb to shine with a dull light: The fire glowed in the dark. glow² noun a soft warm light: the glow of a sunset glue¹ /glu:/ noun (no plural) a substance used for sticking things together: She stuck the handle onto the cup with glue. glue² verb (present participle glueing or gluing, past glued) to stick something with glue: She glued the pieces together. glum /glam/ adjective sad glumly /'glamlı/ adverb gnaw /nɔ:/ verb to bite on something for a long time: The rat gnawed a hole in the wooden box. go¹/gǝu/ verb (past tense went /went/, past participle gone /gon/) 1 to move towards a place: She went into the kitchen. Her hand went to her bag. This car is going too fast. 2 to leave a place: The train goes in five minutes. 3 to travel somewhere, usually in order to do something: They've gone shopping. 4 to become: His hair is going grey. 5 (used about a machine) to work properly: My watch won't go since it fell in the bath. 6 be going to used to say that something will happen in the future: I think it's going to snow. I'm going to buy that bicycle. 7 go well to be successful: The game went very well for my team. 8 go away to leave: She's gone away for a few months. 9 go out to leave a building: She took her bag and went out. 10 go up to increase: Prices have really gone up this year. go² noun (plural goes) a try: Can I have a go at mending the bicycle? goal /gǝul/ noun 1 the space between two posts, into which you try to hit or kick the ball in games like football 2 a point that you win when the ball goes into the goal: Our team won by three goals to one. 〈139〉 goalie /'gaulı/ noun a GOALKEEPER goal-keeper / gaulki:par/ noun the player in games like football who tries to stop the ball before it goes into the GOAL goat /gǝut/ noun an animal like a sheep that is kept for milk and for its hairy coat god /god/ noun 1 (no plural) the being who, especially in the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religions, is believed to be the maker and ruler of the world: to pray to God 2 any being to whom people pray, and who is believed to control the world god-dess / godes/ noun a female god gog-gles /goglz/ plural noun large round glasses that you wear to keep your eyes safe, e.g. when swimming gold /gauld/ noun (no plural) 1 a yellow metal that costs a lot of money: a gold ring 2 the colour of this metal gold-en /'gauldən/ adjective like gold or made of gold: a golden sky, a golden plate gold-fish /'gauldfif/ noun (plural goldfish) a small orange fish usually kept as a pet golf /golf/ noun (no plural) a game in which a small hard ball is hit into a number of holes in the ground using special sticks — see picture on page 265 gone /gon/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb go NOTE: Look at the difference between been and gone. If you have been to a place you have travelled there and returned. If you have gone to a place you have travelled there and have not yet returned: Liz has gone to Spain (= she is in Spain now). Liz has been to Spain (= she went there and now she has returned). gong /goŋ/ noun a flat piece of metal that is hung up and hit with a stick to make a noise good¹ /gud/ adjective (better /'betar/, best /best/) 1 of a high standard or quality: a good school, a very good memory 2 pleasant or favourable: Have a good time. a good party 3 skilful or successful at something: She's good at languages. He's good with babies. 4 right for a particular purpose: This music is good for dancing. OPPOSITE (1 to 7): bad 5 (used about children) well-behaved: She's got very good children. 6 kind: He's been very good to me. 7 healthy and strong: good teeth 8 Good for you! used to show you approve of what someone has done: "I've passed all my exams." "Good for you!" good² noun (no plural) 1 advantage: What's the good of having a car if you can't drive? 2 for good for ever: She's left her job for good. 3 do someone good to do something that will make someone feel well: A walk will do you good. good af-ter-noon /gud a:fta'nu:n/ an expression you use to greet someone in the afternoon good-bye /gud'bai/ a word you use when you leave someone or someone leaves you COMPARE: Hello good evening /gud 'i:vnin/ an expression you use to greet someone in the evening Good Fri-day /gud 'fraıdeı, -dı/ noun the Friday before EASTER, a Christian religious holiday good-look-ing /gud 'lukin/ adjective (used about a person) attractive: He's very good-looking. good morn-ing /gud 'mo:nıy/ an expression you use to greet someone in the morning good-ness /'gudnis/ noun 1 a word used in expressions which show you are surprised or annoyed: Goodness me! 2 (no plural) kindness 3 an aim: My goal is to go to college. 〈140〉 good-night /god'nait/ an expression you use when you are going home at night or before you go to bed goods /gudz/ plural noun things like food or clothes that are bought and sold goose /gu:s/ noun (plural geese /gi:s/) a large white bird that looks like a large duck gorgeous /goidzas/ adjective very nice or beautiful; a gorgeous dress SAME MEANING: lovely gorilla /gə'rılǝ/ noun a very large strong animal that looks like a very large monkey — see picture on page 300 gosh /gpf/ something you say when you are surprised: Gosh! What are you doing here? gossip¹ /'gosip/ noun 1 (no plural) unkind talk about people's private lives: You shouldn't listen to gossip. 2 a person who talks unkindly about other people's private lives gossip² verb to talk unkindly about other people's private lives got /gpt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb get ► LOOK AT: have govern /'gavn/ verb to control and rule a country and its people: a country governed by the army govern-ment /'gavamant/ noun the people who control what happens in a country governor /'gavənər/ noun a person who controls a state or prison gown /gaun/ noun a long dress for a woman: a beautiful evening gown. grab /græb/ verb (present participle grabbing, past grabbed) to take hold of something quickly and roughly: The thief grabbed my bag. grace /greis/ noun (no plural) 1 an attractive way of moving: She dances with such grace. 2 a short prayer before or after a meal: Who is going to say grace? grace-ful /'greisfall adjective attractive and smooth in movement gracefully /'greisfəli/ adverb gracious /'greifǝs/ adjective 1 kind, polite, and pleasant: a gracious smile 2 Gracious, Good Gracious a phrase used when you are surprised: Gracious! what are you doing here? grade¹ /greid/ noun 1 a level, size, or quality: We sell three grades of eggs. 2 a mark you get for an examination or piece of work at school grade² verb (present participle grading, past graded) to put things into groups according to size, quality, etc.: The farmers graded the apples into several sizes. grad-u-al /'grædzuǝl/ adjective happening slowly: a gradual improvement in his work gradually /'grædzuəli/ adverb: Things are changing gradually. grad-u-ate¹ /'grædzeit/ verb (present participle graduating, past graduated) to take and pass the last examination at a university: She graduated from a French university, She graduated in history. grad-u-ate² /'grædzuat/ noun a person who has passed the last examination at a university grain /grein/ noun 1 (no plural) a crop like wheat, maize, or rice that has seeds which we eat: Grain is used for making flour. 2 a seed or small hard piece of something: a few grains of salt grammar /'græmǝr/ noun (no plural) the rules of a language: English grammar gram-mar school /'græmə sku:l/ noun a school in Britain, especially in the past, for clever children between the ages of 11 and 18 ► COMPARE: comprehensive school 〈141〉 gram-mat-i-cal /grə'mætıkl/ adjective correct according to the rules of language: "I aren't" is not grammatical. gram-o-phone /'græməfəun/ noun a machine on which records can be played, so that you can hear the music or words. gram (also gramme) /græm/ noun a measure of weight. There are 1,000 grams in a kilogram: 500 grams (= 500g) grand /grænd/ adjective very large and fine: He lives in a rather grand house. grand-child /'græntfaild/ noun (plural grandchildren /'grænt/ildrən/) the child of your son and daughter — see picture on page 99. grand-daughter /'grændɔ:tə/ noun the daughter of your son or daughter — see picture on page 99. grand-father /'grænfa:ðər/ noun the father of one of your parents — see picture on page 99. grand-mo-ther /'grænmʌðər/ noun the mother of one of your parents — see picture on page 99. grand-par-ent /'grænpərənt/ noun the parent of your mother or father — see picture on page 99. grand-son /'grænsʌn/ noun the son of your son or daughter — see picture on page 99. gran-ny /'græni/ noun (plural grannies) (used by children) a grandmother. grant¹ /grɑ:nt/ verb to give or allow someone something, often officially: The children were granted a holiday from school. grant² noun an allowed sum of money: The government gave us a grant to build another classroom. grape /greip/ noun a small round juicy fruit that grows in bunches and is used to make wine — see picture at fruit. grape-fruit /'greipfru:t/ noun a large round yellow fruit that is like an orange but not as sweet — see picture at fruit. graph /grɑ:f/ noun a picture or line that shows information: They made a graph of how hot the weather was every day for a month. graph-paper /'græf peipər/ noun paper with squares on it for making GRAPHS. grasp /grɑ:sp/ verb 1 to take hold of something firmly: He grasped the rope and pulled himself up. 2 to understand something: I could not grasp what the teacher said. grass /grɑ:s/ noun (no plural) a common plant with thin leaves that covers fields and gardens: We sat on the grass to have our picnic. grass-hopper /'grɑ:s,hɔpər/ noun an insect with strong back legs for jumping. gras-sy /'grɑ:si/ adjective (grassier, grassiest) covered with grass. grate¹ /greit/ noun a metal frame put in front of a fire. grate² verb (present participle grating, past grated) to cut food into small thin pieces by rubbing it against an instrument with a rough surface: to grate cheese. grateful /'greitfəl/ adjective feeling that you want to thank someone: I am grateful to you for helping me. gratefully /'greitfəli/ adverb ► OPPOSITE: ungrateful grat-i-tude /'grætitju:d/ noun (no plural) the feeling of wanting to thank someone: He expressed his gratitude to everyone involved. grave¹ /greiv/ noun a hole in the ground where a dead body is buried. grave² adjective serious: a grave accident gravely /'greivli/ adverb: gravely ill. grav-el /'grævl/ noun (no plural) a mixture of small stones and sand used on the surfaces of roads. grave-stone /'greivstaun/ noun a stone put up over a grave with the name of the dead person on it. 〈142〉 grave-yard /'greivja:d/ noun a piece of ground where people are buried grav-i-ty /'grævati/ noun (no plural) the force that makes things fall to the ground when they are dropped gra-vy /'greivi/ noun (no plural) a liquid that is made with meat juices and poured over meat and other food graze¹ /greız/ verb (present participle grazing, past grazed) 1 to eat grass: Cattle were grazing in the field. 2 to cut the surface of your skin by rubbing it against something: He grazed his knee when he fell. graze² noun a small wound on the surface of your skin grease¹ /gris/ noun (no plural) oil or fat: You put grease on a wheel to make it turn more easily. grease² verb (present participle greasing, past greased) to put oil or fat on something greas-y /'gri:si/ adjective (greasier, greasiest) covered with oil or fat great /greit/ adjective 1 large in size or amount: She had great difficulty in doing her homework. a great big dog 2 important or famous: one of our greatest poets 3 very good: It was a great party. I feel great. great-grand-child /greit 'græntfaild/ noun (plural great-grandchildren /-tfildrən/) the son or daughter of your GRANDCHILD great-grand-daughter /greit 'grændɔ:tər/ noun the daughter of your GRANDCHILD great-grand-father /greit 'grænfɑiðǝ*/ noun the father of your grandmother or grandfather great-grand-mother /greit 'græn-mʌðǝ"/ noun the mother of your grandmother or grandfather great-grand-son /greit 'grænsan/ noun the son of your GRANDCHILD great-ly /'greıtlı/ adverb very much: She greatly admired his poems. greed /gri:d/ noun (no plural) the feeling that you want more than enough food, money, or power greed-y /'gri:dı/ adjective (greedier, greediest) wanting too much of something: He's so greedy he ate all our sweets. green¹ /gri:n/ adjective 1 the colour of growing leaves and grass: She wore a green dress. 2 covered with grass and trees: Cities need more green areas. green² noun (no plural) 1 the colour of leaves and grass: She was dressed in green. 2 an area of grass in the middle of an English village green-gro-cer /'gri:ngrəusǝ*/ noun 1 a person who has a shop selling fruit and vegetables 2 greengrocer's a shop selling fruit and vegetables - see picture on page 199 green house /'gri:nhaus/ noun a glass building in which you grow plants greet /gri:t/ verb to welcome someone with words or actions: He greeted her with a smile. greet-ing /'gri:tın/ noun words you say or write when you meet someone or send them good wishes: a friendly greeting, Christmas greetings grew /gru:/ the PAST TENSE of the verb grow grey /grei/ adjective, noun the colour of rain clouds; a mixture of black and white: She wore a grey dress. She was dressed in grey. grief /gri:f/ noun (no plural) great sadness: She did not show her grief when her son died. grieve /gri:v/ verb to feel very sad, because someone you love has died grill¹ /gril/ verb to cook meat, fish, etc. under direct heat 〈143〉 grill² noun ura metal frame under direct heat on which you can cook things grim /grim/ adjective grimmer, grimmest 1 serious and worrying: grim news 2 (used about a place) not pleasant or attractive grin¹ /grin/ verb (present participle grinning, past grinned) to smile widely, showing your teeth: He grinned with pleasure when we gave him the money. grin² noun a wide smile: She had a big grin on her face. grind /graind/ verb (past ground /graund/) to crush something so that it becomes powder: We grind grain to make flour. grip¹ /grip/ verb (past participle gripping, past gripped) to hold something very tightly: She gripped his hand in fear. SAME MEANING: clutch grip² noun a tight hold: She kept a firm grip on the bag. groan¹ /graun/ noun a low noise of pain: There was a groan from the class when the teacher gave them the test. groan² verb to make a low noise of pain: He groaned with pain. SAME MEANING: moan gro-cer /'grausər/ noun 1 a person who sells foods like sugar, tea, and rice 2 grocer's a shop selling foods like sugar, tea, and rice - see picture on page 199 gro-cer-ies /'grausəriz/ plural noun foods like sugar, tea, and rice which you can buy in a grocery gro-cer-y /'grausəri/ noun a shop where you can buy foods like sugar, tea, and rice groom /gru:m/ noun a man who is getting married: The groom wore a dark blue suit. SAME MEANING: bridegroom grope /grǝup/ verb (present participle groping, past groped) to use your hands to look for something that you cannot see: He groped for his matches in the dark. ground¹ /graund/ noun 1 (no plural) the surface of the earth: an apple fell to the ground. 2 (no plural) soil or land: The ground was too hard to plant. 3 a piece of land used for a particular purpose: a football ground 4 grounds (plural noun) the land around a large building ground² the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb grind ground floor /,graund 'flo:/ noun the floor of a building on the same level as the ground group /gru:p/ noun 1 a number of people or things together: A group of girls was waiting by the school. 2 a small number of people who sing and play popular music together grow /grau/ verb (past tense grew /gru:/, past participle grown /graun/) 1 to get bigger, taller, etc.: Some plants grow very quickly. 2 to care for plants and help them to grow: The farmer is growing potatoes. 3 to let your hair get longer: Jack is growing a beard. 4 to become: My uncle is growing old. 5 grow out of something to become too big or too old for something: My daughter's grown out of all her dresses. 6 grow up to change from being a child to a man or a woman: He grew up on a farm. growl¹ /graul/ verb (used about a dog) to make a low angry noise in the throat: The dog growled at the visitors. growl² noun the low angry noise made by a dog grown /graun/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb grow grown-up¹ /,graun 'ʌp/ adjective old enough to be a man or woman, not a child: Her children are all grown-up now. 〈144〉 grown-up² / noun a man or woman, not a child: "Be quiet, the grown-ups are coming," said the little girl. SAME MEANING: adult growth /grǝʊθ/ noun (no plural) the act of getting bigger or developing: the growth of the company, a tree's growth grudge /grʌdʒ/ noun an unfriendly or angry feeling that you have towards someone because of something they said or did in the past: He always had a grudge against me after I beat him in the face. grumble¹ /ˈgrʌmbl/ verb (present participle grumbling, past grumbled) to complain in a quiet, but cross way: She was grumbling about the cost of the food. grumble² noun a complaint: Oh, don't be so full of grumbles! grumpy /ˈgrʌmpi/ adjective (grumpier, grumpiest) bad-tempered; a tired and grumpy child grunt¹ /grʌnt/ verb to make a short low noise like a pig grunt² noun a short low noise like the noise made by a pig guarantee¹ /ˌgærənˈtiː/ noun 1 a promise: Can you give me a guarantee that you will repair the car today? 2 a written promise by the maker of an article to repair it or give you another one if it goes wrong within a particular time: a watch with a two-year guarantee guarantee² verb (past guaranteed) 1 to promise: He guaranteed that he would do it today. 2 to promise to repair an article if it goes wrong within a particular time: This radio is guaranteed for three years. guard¹ /gɑːd/ verb 1 to keep something safe from danger by watching it carefully: The dog guards the house when we go out. 2 to watch a prisoner so that they do not escape guard² noun 1 a person who watches over someone or something to prevent danger or escape: a prison guard 2 be on guard, stand guard to stand near a building ready to protect it: There was a policeman on guard outside. guardian /ˈgɑːdiən/ noun a person who looks after a child because the child's parents are dead or away guava /ˈgwɑːvə/ noun a pink round fruit with a yellow skin guerrilla /gəˈrɪlə/ noun a person who fights secretly against a government or an army, often by making surprise attacks guess¹ /ges/ verb to give an answer that you feel may be right although you are not sure: I didn't know where she lived but I could guess. Can you guess my age? guess² noun (plural guesses) an answer that you think is right, although you do not know for sure: If you don't know the answer, make a guess. guest /gest/ noun 1 a visitor to someone's house: We have three guests to dinner. 2 a person who is staying in a hotel guidance /ˈgaɪdns/ noun (no plural) help and advice: With my teacher's guidance, I finished the work. guide¹ /gaɪd/ verb (present participle guiding, past guided) to lead or show the way to someone: He guided the old woman across the busy street. guide² noun 1 a person who shows you round a place of interest or helps you to travel in a dangerous area: They had a guide to show them the city, a mountain guide 2 a book that teaches you about something: a guide for parents guide book /ˈgaɪd bʊk/ noun a book that gives tourists information about a place guilt /gɪlt/ noun (no plural) 1 the unhappy feeling you have when you know you have done something wrong: She doesn't seem to feel any guilt for her bad behaviour. 2 the fact of having broken the law: The 〈145〉 guilt-y /'gıltı/ adjective 1 showing or feeling unhappiness because you have done something wrong: a guilty look 2 having broken a law: He was guilty of stealing the money. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): innocence guin-ea pig /'gını pig/ noun a small furry animal that looks like a rat without a tail and is sometimes kept as a pet gui-tar /gı'ta:r/ noun a musical instrument with six strings, a long neck, and a wooden or plastic body gulf /galf/ noun a narrow piece of sea with land on three sides of it: The Persian Gulf. gulp¹ /galp/ verb to swallow food or drink quickly: He gulped down the water. gulp² noun a swallow: He drank it in one gulp. gum /gam/ noun 1 (no plural) a sticky substance used for joining things together 2 gums (plural noun) the pink part of your mouth in which your teeth grow 3 CHEWING GUM gun /gan/ noun a weapon that sends out bullets and is used for hurting or killing animals or people: Soldiers carry guns. gun-man /'ganmæn/ noun (plural gunmen /-men/) a person who shoots another person. gun-pow-der /'ganpaudə/ noun (no plural) a substance that explodes easily and is used in guns gush /gaf/ verb to flow quickly in large quantities: Blood gushed from the cut in his leg. gust /gast/ noun a sudden strong wind: A gust of wind blew the leaves along. gut-ter /'gatər/ noun an open pipe along the edge of a roof, or a narrow ditch on the side of the road which carries away rain water guy /gaı/ noun (used in informal speech) a man: What a nice guy! gym /dzım/ noun 1 a large room that is used for doing exercises or training 2 (no plural) (also gymnastics) exercises for your body that make you strong and able to move easily: a gym class gym-nast /'dzımnæst/ noun a person who is trained in gymnastics gym-nas-tics (also gym) /dzım'næstıks/ plural noun exercises for your body that make you strong and able to move easily 〈146〉 hab-it /'hæbit/ noun something that you always do, often without thinking about it: She has a habit of biting her fingernails. had /d, æd, hæd; strong hæd/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb have had-dock /'hædak/ noun (no plural) a sea fish used for food hadn't /'hædnt/ had not: I hadn't finished making dinner when everyone arrived. hall¹ /heil/ noun (no plural) drops of hard icy rain: We had a hail storm yesterday. hall² verb to rain with hard icy drops: It's hailing. hail-stone /'heilstəʊn/ noun a hard icy drop of rain hair /heǝr/ noun 1 one of the fine threads that grow on the head and skin of men and animals: There's a hair in my soup! - see picture at head and picture on page 100 2 (no plural) a lot of these threads together, for example on your head: I must get my hair cut. 3 make your hair stand on end to make you feel very afraid hair-brush /'heǝbra∫/ noun (plural hairbrushes) a brush for keeping your hair tidy - see picture at brush hair-cut /'heǝkʌt/ noun 1 the style in which your hair is cut: I like your new haircut. 2 have a haircut to have your hair cut: / must have a haircut. hair-dress-er /'heəˌdresər/ noun 1 a person whose job is to wash, cut, and shape your hair 2 hairdresser's a shop where you go to get your hair cut - see picture on page 199 hair-dry-er /'heəˌdraɪər/ noun a machine that you use to dry your hair after washing it. hair-style /'heəstaıl/ noun the style in which your hair is cut or arranged: I like your new hairstyle. hair-y /'heǝrı/ adjective (hairier, hairiest) (used about a part of your body) covered with a lot of hairs: a man with a hairy chest ▶COMPARE: furry half /ha:f/ noun (plural halves /ha:vz/) 1 one of the two parts of something: I had half the apple and my brother had the other half. We had half each. 2 in half into two equal pieces: I cut the apple in half. 3 half past 30 minutes after an hour: It's half past ten (= 30 minutes after 10 o'clock). half-price /ˌha:f 'prais/ adjective costing half the usual amount: half-price tickets half term /ˌha:f 'tз:m/ noun a short holiday in the middle of a school term half time /ˌha:f 'taım/ noun (no plural) the middle point in a game or match when the players stop to rest half-way /ˌha:f'weı/ adverb in the middle between two places or things: I live halfway between London and Guildford. hall /ho:l/ noun 1 a large room or building: The children were in the school hall. 2 the room just inside the front door of a house: Hang your coat in the hall. hal-lo /hæ'ləʊ/ (also hello, hullo) the usual word that you say when you meet someone or talk on the telephone: Hallo John. Hallo, my name's Sarah. Halloween /ˌhæləʊ'i:n/ noun the last night in October, when children dress in strange clothes, and visit people's houses to ask for sweets or to play tricks on them 〈147〉 halt¹ /ho:lt/ verb to stop: The policemen halted all the traffic. The car halted by the house. halt² noun (no plural) a stop: The car came to a halt. halve /ha:v/ verb (present participle halving, past halved) to divide something into two pieces: James and I halved the apple (= we each had half of it). ham /hæm/ noun (no plural) meat from a pig's leg that has had salt added to stop it going bad. ham-burg-er /'hæmbз:gər/ noun a flat round piece of cooked meat eaten between two pieces of bread. ham-mer¹ /'hæmər/ noun a tool with a metal head and a wooden handle, used for knocking nails into things or for breaking things. hammer² verb to hit something with a hammer. ham-ster /'hæmstər/ noun a small animal like a mouse which keeps its food in its cheeks and which children sometimes keep as a pet. hand¹ /hænd/ noun 1 the part of your body at the end of your arm, with which you hold things. 2 by hand not by machine: This toy was made by hand. 3 give someone a hand to help someone: Will you give me a hand with the cleaning? 4 hand in hand holding each other by the hand: They were walking hand in hand. 5 the part of a clock that moves to show the time: When the minute hand points to twelve and the hour hand points to three, it's three o'clock. hand² verb 1 to give something to someone using your hands: Hand me that plate, please. She handed the letter to John. 2 hand something in to give something to someone, usually a teacher: Please hand in your books at the end of the lesson. 3 hand things out to give one thing to each person: Hand out the pencils. hand-bag /'hændbæg/ noun a woman's bag for keeping money and small things, carried in her hand or over her shoulder - see picture at bag. hand-cuffs /'hændkʌfs/ plural noun two metal rings joined together and put round a prisoner's wrists. hand-ful /'hændful/ noun 1 a small number or amount: a handful of people. 2 the amount that you can hold in your hand: a handful of rice. hand-i-cap¹ /'hændikæp/ noun something that makes it difficult for you to do something: His sore leg will be a handicap in the race. hand-i-cap² verb (present participle handicapping, past handicapped) to make it difficult for someone to do something: She has been handicapped by her illness. hand-ker-chief /'hæŋkətsıf/ noun a square piece of cloth for cleaning your nose. han-dle¹ /'hændl/ noun the part of a tool or instrument that you hold in your hand — see picture at wheelbarrow. handle² verb (present participle handling, past handled) 1 hold or touch something: Please don't handle the fruit. 2 to control someone or something: I can't handle children. 〈148〉 han-dle-bars /'hændl, ba:z/ plural noun the parts of a bicycle that you hold when you ride it hand-some /'hænsǝm/ adjective (used about men) attractive to look at SAME MEANING: good looking LOOK AT: beautiful hand-writ-ing /'hænd, raitig/ noun (no plural) 1 writing done by hand with a pen or pencil 2 the style of someone's writing handy /'hændi/ adjective (handier, handiest) 1 near: This house is handy for the market. 2 useful: It's very handy having a car. hang /hæŋ/ verb 1 (past hung/haŋ/) to fix something at the top so that the lower part is free: I hung my coat up on a hook. 2 (past hanged) to kill someone, usually as a punishment, by holding them above the ground with a rope around their neck 3 hang about to stand and do nothing or to wait around without any reason: He was hanging about outside my house. 4 hang on to wait: Hang on I want to talk to you. 5 hang on to something to hold something tightly: Hang on to your hat, it's very windy. hang-er /'hæŋǝ/ noun a specially shaped piece of wire or wood for hanging clothes on hap-pen /'hæpǝn/ verb 1 to take place: The accident happened outside my house. NOTE: If an event occurs or happens, it is not planned: The explosion happened on Friday evening. If an event takes place it is the result of a plan or arrangement: The wedding will take place on June 6th. 2 happen to do something to do something by chance: If you happen to see her will you give her a message? hap-pen-ing /'hæpǝnıŋ/ noun an event: a strange happening hap-pi-ly /'hæpılı/ adverb in a pleased or cheerful way: They were laughing happily. OPPOSITE: unhappily hap-pi-ness /'hæpınıs/ noun (no plural) pleasure: They've had years of happiness together. happy /'hæpi/ adjective (happier, happiest) very pleased: I am happy to see you again, Happy Birthday, Happy New Year (said or written to someone to wish them happiness on those occasions) OPPOSITE: unhappy har-bour /'ha:bǝ/ noun a place on the shore where ships can shelter safely see picture on page 266 hard¹ /ha:d/ adjective 1 not moving or soft when touched; firm like rock or metal: This ground is too hard to dig. OPPOSITE: soft 2 difficult to do or understand: a hard exam OPPOSITE: easy hard² adverb a lot; very much: It's raining hard. Are you working hard? hard disk /ha:d 'disk/ noun a part of a computer on which you can store information COMPARE: floppy disk hard-en /'ha:dn/ verb to become firm hard-heart-ed /ha:d 'ha:tid/ adjective not kind to other people: She's a very hard-hearted woman, OPPOSITE: kind-hearted hard-ly /'ha:dlı/ adverb almost not at all; only just: It was so dark that I could hardly see. He hardly ever (= almost never) eats meat. hare /hea/ noun an animal like a large rabbit that has long ears and long back legs harm¹ /ha:m/ noun (no plural) 1 hurt 2 come to no harm to not be hurt or damaged: We left the dog outside last night but she came to no harm. 3 there's no harm in... there is nothing bad in...: There's no harm in asking him for a job. harm² verb to hurt someone or something: Our dog won't harm you. 〈149〉 harm-ful /'ho:mfall/ adjective dangerous: Smoking is harmful to your health. harm-less /'ha:mlıs/ adjective not dangerous: a harmless snake harsh /ha:f/ adjective very unpleasant; cruel: a harsh punishment harshly /'ha:fli/ adverb: He spoke to the child harshly. har-vest /'ha:vist/ noun 1 the time when the crops are gathered: It's harvest time. 2 the amount of food collected during the harvest: The harvest was good this year. harvest verb to gather a crop: Have you harvested your crops? has /z, əz, s, həz; strong hæz/ the part of the verb have that we use with he, she and it: She has dark hair and brown eyes. hasn't /'hæznt/ has not: Hasn't he finished yet? haste /heist/ noun quick movement or action often done without care: In my haste I forgot my coat. hast-i-ly /'heistili/ adverb quickly; in a hurry hasty /'heisti/ adjective (hastier, hastiest) done in a hurry: He ate a hasty lunch. hat /hæt/ noun a piece of clothing that you wear on your head hatch /hætʃ/ verb to come out of an egg: The chickens hatched this morning. hate /heit/ verb (present participle hating, past hated) not to like someone or something at all: I hate snakes. ◀OPPOSITE: love ha-tred /'heitrid/ noun (no plural) (also hate) a very strong feeling of not liking someone or something: She looked at me with an expression of hatred. ◀OPPOSITE: love haul /ho:l/ verb to lift or pull something with difficulty: They hauled the boat up onto the shore. SAME MEANING: heave haunt /ho:nt/ verb (used about the spirits of dead people) to visit or be in a place: People say that the old house is haunted. have /v, əv, hæv; strong hæv/ verb present tense singular plural I have (I've) We have (We've) You have (You've) You have (You've) He/She/It has They have (He's/She's/lt's) (They've) past tense singular plural I had (l'd) We had (We'd) You had (You'd) You had (You'd) He/She/It had They had (They'd) (He'd/She'd/It'd) present participle having past participle had negative short forms haven't, hasn't, hadn't For the pronunciation of all these words, find them at their place in the dictionary. 1 a word that helps another word to say that something happened in the past: We have been to the shops. When I arrived she had already gone away. 2 to own; to hold; to keep: Do you have a car? I haven't any money. He has two sisters. I have a good job. You can use have got instead of have with this meaning of the verb: Have you got a car? I haven't got any money. She's got blue eyes. He's got two sisters. I've got a good job. 3 to feel or experience something (especially a pain): She has a headache. You can use have got instead of have with this meaning of the verb: She's got a headache. 4 to do something: I have my breakfast at 8 o'clock on Tuesday. I think I'll have a swim. haven't /'hævnt/ have not: I haven't seen that film. have to /'hæv tu:/ verb (also have got to) must: We have to leave now, so that we can catch the bus. We've got to go straight away. 〈150〉 hawk /hɔ:k/ noun a large bird that kills small animals and birds for food hay /heɪ/ noun (no plural) dry grass fed to cattle haz-ard /'hæzəd/ noun a danger: There are many hazards in a journey across Africa. haz-ard-ous /'hæzədəs/ adjective dangerous: hazardous chemicals haze /heɪz/ noun (no plural) fine clouds which stop you seeing clearly haz-y /'heɪzi/ adjective (hazier, haziest) not clear: Since it was hazy, we couldn't see the mountains. he /hi, hiː; strong hi:/ (plural they /ðeɪ/) the male person or animal that the sentence is about: He is my brother. Be careful of that dog, he bites. head¹ /hed/ noun 1 the top part of your body, where your brain, eyes, ears, and mouth are — see picture on page 100 2 your brain: His head's full of ideas. 3 the most important position of something: She sat at the head of the table. 4 someone who is in charge of a group of people: the head of a large firm 5 the front: At the head of the line of cars was a bus. 6 the teacher in charge of a school 7 keep your head to stay calm 8 lose your head to do things without thinking because you are too afraid or angry head² verb 1 to be at the front or the top of something: The bus headed the line of cars. 2 to hit a ball with your head 3 head for something to go towards something: I'm heading for home. head-ache /'hedeɪk/ noun a pain in your head: I've got a headache. head-first /,hed'fɜ:st/ adverb with your head in front and the rest of your body following: He fell headfirst into the lake. head-ing /'hedɪŋ/ noun something written at the top of a piece of writing head-light /'hedlaɪt/ noun (also headlamp /'hedlæmp/) one of the big lights at the front of a car head-line /'hedlaɪn/ noun words printed in large letters at the top of a newspaper story head-mas-ter /hed'mɑ:stə/ noun the man who is in charge of a school head-mis-tress /hed'mɪstrɪs/ noun the woman who is in charge of a school head-phones /'hedfəʊnz/ plural noun things that fit over your head and ears and are used for listening to music head-quar-ters /hed'kwɔ:təz/ plural noun the main office of a business or other group head-teach-er /hed'ti:tʃə/ noun the teacher in charge of a school heal /hi:l/ verb to make something healthy again or become healthy again: The wound on my arm has healed. health /helθ/ noun (no plural) how well your body is: His health is not 〈151〉 good (=he is often ill). health-y /'hel01/ adjective (healthier, healthiest) 1 strong and well in your body: healthy children, a healthy plant ➔ OPPOSITE: unhappiness 2 good for your body: It is healthy to eat fruit. ➔ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): unhealthy heap¹ /hi:p/ noun a number of things put untidily on top of each other: A heap of old clothes was lying in the corner. ➔ SAME MEANING: pile heap² verb to put a lot of things on top of each other: He heaped his plate with food. ➔ SAME MEANING: pile hear /hiǝr/ verb (past heard /haid/) 1 to notice sounds through your ears: I heard the rain on the roof. 2 to be given information about something: I heard that he was ill. 3 hear from someone to get news of someone: Have you heard from John recently? 4 have heard of someone or something to know about someone or something: I've never heard of her. hear-ing /'hiǝrıŋ/ noun (no plural) your ability to hear: My hearing is getting worse. heart /ha:t/ noun 1 the part of your body in your chest that pumps the blood round your body 2 your feelings: He has a kind heart. 3 the middle: in the heart of the forest 4 a shape like the shape of a heart 5 break someone's heart to make someone very unhappy 6 by heart so that you can remember something perfectly 7 lose heart to have less courage and hope: We had hoped they were still alive but we're losing heart now. 8 take heart to be encouraged and more hopeful about something 9 with a heavy heart sadly 10 with all your heart with deep feeling: I love you with all my heart. heart-beat /'ha:tbi:t/ noun the movement or sound of someone's heart heart-brok-en /'ha:t, braukən/ adjective very unhappy heart-less /'ha:tlis/ adjective not kind; cruel heat¹ /hi:t/ noun 1 (no plural) the feeling of something hot: The heat of the sun made her feel ill. 2 a race run earlier than the main race, to decide who will run in the main race 3 (no plural) hot weather: I hate the heat. ➔ OPPOSITE: cold heat² verb to make something hot: It's expensive to heat big rooms. heat-er /'hi:tǝr/ noun a machine that makes things hot heat-ing /'hi:tıŋ/ noun (no plural) a system for keeping rooms warm heave /hi:v/ verb (present participle heaving, past heaved) to lift or pull something with difficulty: I heaved the heavy box up the steps. ➔ SAME MEANING: haul heaven /'hevn/ noun a place where people think God or the gods live, and good people will go after they die ➔ COMPARE: hell heavy /'hevi/ adjective (heavier, heaviest) 1 weighing a lot: This bag is too heavy to carry. 2 great in amount: heavy rain, heavy traffic ➔ OPPOSITE: (1 and 2): light 3 a heavy sleeper someone who sleeps deeply 4 a heavy smoker someone who smokes a lot heavy metal / hevi 'metl/ noun (no plural) a type of rock music played on electric instruments and drums hec-tare /'hekta:r, 'hekteǝr/ noun a measure of land, equal to 10,000 square metres he'd /hi:d/ 1 he had: He'd met her before. 2 he would: He said he'd tell me tomorrow. hedge /hedz/ noun a row of small trees planted between fields or along roads to make a wall 〈152〉 heel /hi:l/ noun 1 the back part of your foot below your ankle — see picture at foot 2 the part of a shoe or sock under your heel height /hatt/ noun how tall or far from the ground something is: He measured the height of the bridge. see picture at length heir /ea/ noun a person who gets money or goods when someone dies held /held/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb hold hel-i-cop-ter /'helikoptar/ noun a flying machine with blades which go round on its top — see picture on page 266 hell /hel/ noun a place where people think that the devil lives and where bad people will go after they die ➔ COMPARE: heaven he'll /hiil/ he will: He'll be here soon. hel-lo /ha'lau/ (also hallo, hullo) the usual word that you say when you meet someone or talk on the telephone: Hello, Jane! hel-met /helmit/ noun a hard hat that you wear to stop your head being hurt help¹ /help/ verb 1 to do something for someone: Could you help me move this box? 2 cannot help something cannot stop or control something: I couldn't help laughing when I saw his funny hat. 3 help yourself to take what you want: Help yourself to a drink. help² noun someone or something that makes things easier or better for someone else: If you want any help, just ask me. help-ful /'helpfǝl/ adjective doing something to help someone else: She's so kind and helpful. help-ing /'helpin/ noun the amount of food on a plate: Would you like another helping of soup? help-less /'helplis/ adjective not able to do things for yourself: a helpless child hem /hem/ noun the bottom edge of a skirt, shirt, etc. when turned under: I'll let down the hem of that dress for you. hen /hen/ noun a female chicken her /ǝ:, hз:/ 1 a woman or girl (used in sentences like this): Give her the book. I had a letter from her. 2 belonging to a woman or girl: Her baby is sleeping in her arms. herb /hз:b/ noun a plant used for medicine or for giving a special taste to food herd¹ /hз:d/ noun a group of animals of the same kind: a herd of cattle ➔ COMPARE: flock herd² verb to make a group of people or animals move in a certain direction here /hiǝ/ adverb 1 at or to this place: Come here and sit by me, ➔ COMPARE: there 2 here and there in different places: There were a few colourful boats here and there on the water. 3 here you are a phrase used when you are giving someone something that they want he-ro /'hiǝrǝu/ noun (plural heroes) 1 a man who does something great or brave 2 a person you admire very much: Boris Becker's my hero. hero-ic /hi'raʊık/ adjective very brave her-o-ine /'herauin/ noun a woman who does something great or brave hers /hз:z/ something belonging to a woman or girl: My hand touched hers. her-self /hǝ'self/, strong /hз:'self/ (plural themselves /dǝm'selvz/) 1 the same girl or woman as the subject of the sentence: The woman dressed herself in her best clothes. 〈153〉 he's /hi:z/ he is: He's a doctor. hes-i-tate /'heziteit/ verb (present participle hesitating, past hesitated) to stop what you are doing for a short time: He hesitated before he answered because he didn't know what to say. hes-i-ta-tion /,hezi'teijn/ noun a short stop or wait before you do something because you feel uncertain. hi /har/ a friendly word that you use when you meet other young people. hic-cups /'hikAps/ plural noun sudden loud sounds in your throat that you sometimes get after eating or drinking too quickly. hide¹ /hard/ verb (present participle hiding, past tense hid /hid/, past participle hidden /'hidn/) 1 to put something in a place where no one can see it or find it: Where did you hide the money? 2 to go to a place where no one can see or find you: I hid behind the door, so that no one would see me. 3 to not tell people about something: She hid her feelings. 4 Hide and seek a children's game in which one child hides and the others have to find him or her hide² noun the skin of an animal. hi-fi /,har 'far/ noun a machine that plays records and TAPES— see picture on page 165. high /har/ adjective 1 tall, or far from the ground: The highest mountain in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro. It is nearly 20,000 feet high. 2 costing a lot of money: high prices. 3 stronger, greater, or larger than usual: a high wind, travelling at high speed higher ed-u-ca-tion /,haıər,edzu'kerjn/ noun (no plural) study after you have left school, for example at university or college ► COMPARE: further education high-lands /'hailændz/ plural noun land which has a lot of hills, or is high up in the hills. High-ness /'hainis/ noun (plural Highnesses) a way of talking to or about certain royal people: His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. high school /'har sku:l/ noun a school for children between 11 and 18 years old. high street /'har stri:t/ noun the main road in a town where all the shops are. high-tech /,hai 'tek/ adjective using the most modern and advanced ways of doing things in business and industry: a new high-tech camera. high tide /,har 'taid/ noun the time when the sea is very high up the shore OPPOSITE: low tide. high-way /harwer/ noun a main road. hi-jack /'haidzæk/ verb to force the driver of a plane, train, etc. to take you somewhere. hi-jack-er /'haidzækər/ noun a person who forces a driver of a plane, train, etc. to take them somewhere. hill /hil/ noun a piece of ground higher than usual; a small mountain. him /im; strong him/ a man or boy, (used in sentences like this): Give him the book. I had a letter from him. him-self /im'self; strong him'self/ (plural themselves /dam'selvz/) 1 the same man or boy as the subject of the sentence: Peter bought himself some new clothes. 2 used to give the word "he" a stronger meaning: He told me so himself. 〈154〉 hin-der /'hindər/ verb to make it more difficult for someone to do something Hin-du /'hindu:/ noun a person who follows the main religion of India Hin-du-Is-m /'hinduızəm/ noun (no plural) the main religion of India hinge /hindz/ noun a piece of metal that joins two things together so that one of them can swing freely: We need a new hinge on that door. hint¹ /hint/ verb to say something in a way that is not direct: He hinted that he was looking for another job. hint² noun 1 something said in a way that is not direct: When she said she was tired, it was a hint that she wanted us to go. 2 a piece of useful advice: helpful hints for cleaning children's clothes hip /hip/ noun the part of your body where your legs join your bottom — see picture on page 100 hip-po-pot-a-mus / hipə'potəməs/ noun (plural hippopotamuses) a large African animal with short legs and thick hairless skin that lives near rivers — see picture on page 300 hire¹ /hara/ verb (present participle hiring, past hired) to pay for the use of something or for someone's help: He hired a car for two days. NOTE: Use hire only when you are talking about paying to use something for a short time: We hired a car for a few days. Compare rent, which is used when talking about longer periods of time, e.g. you rent a house to live in, you do not hire it. hire² noun (no plural) the use of something for a certain amount of money: Boats for hire. his /hız; strong hız/ 1 belonging to a man or boy: He sat drinking his coffee. 2 something belonging to a man or boy: My hand touched his. hiss¹ /his/ verb to make a sound like a continuous "s" by forcing air out through your teeth or mouth: The snake hissed angrily. hiss² noun (plural hisses) a sound like a continuous "s" his-tor-ic /hi'stprık/ adjective important in the past: a historic meeting between the two leaders his-tor-i-cal /hı'stprıkl/ adjective in or about the past: a historical book his-to-ry /'histri/ noun (no plural) 1 things that happened in the past 2 the study of things that happened in the past: a history lesson at school hit¹ /hit/ verb (present participle hitting, past hit) to touch something suddenly and with a lot of force: He hit me on the face. She hit her head on the low roof. hit² noun 1 an act of touching something suddenly and forcefully: I got a direct hit with my first shot. 2 a song or film that is popular and successful: That song was a hit last year. hitch-hike /'hitshaik/ verb (present participle hitchhiking, past hitchhiked) to stand beside a road and ask for free rides in other people's cars hitchhik-er /'hitshaıkər/ noun a person who stands beside a road and asks for free rides in other people's cars hive /harv/ noun (also beehive) a wooden box made for bees to live in hoard¹ /hɔ:d/ verb to collect and store things but not use them: She hoards her money — she never spends it. hoard² noun a large amount of something that has been stored: a hoard of money hoarse /hɔ:s/ adjective (used about a person's voice) rough, as 〈155〉 hobble /'hobl/ verb (present participle hobbling, past hobbled) to walk slowly and with difficulty: I had to hobble after I hurt my leg. hob-by /'hobi/ noun (plural hobbies) an activity that you enjoy doing in your free time: He works in a bank, but his hobby is building model boats. hock-ey /'hoki) noun (no plural) a game played by two teams who use curved sticks to hit a ball into a net - see picture on page 265 hoe /hau/ noun a tool used to loosen the ground in your garden hoist /hoıst/ verb to pull something up or raise it to a high place, often using ropes: Hoist the flag. hold¹ /hould/ verb (past held (held/) 1 to have something in your hand or arms: The little girl held the toy tightly in her arms. 2 to keep something in a particular position: Can you hold the picture up for a minute, please? 3 to have something inside: This bottle holds one litre. 4 to arrange and make something happen: We're holding a party next week. 5 to have something: He holds an important position at the bank. 6 hold someone back to stop someone from moving forwards: The police tried to hold the crowd back. 7 hold a conversation to talk to someone 8 hold your breath to stop breathing for a short time: You have to hold your breath under water. 9 hold the line to wait for a short time when you are talking on the telephone: Hold the line. I'll see if I can find the manager. 10 hold on to wait for a short time: Could you hold on, please? I'll see if he's in. hold² noun 1 the place on a ship where goods are stored 2 get hold of, take hold of to take something in your hand and keep it there: He took hold of the rope and pulled. hold-up /'hauld ipl noun 1 a delay: I'm sorry I'm late, there was a hold-up near the bridge. 2 an occasion when robbers use guns to persuade other people to give them money: a hold-up in a bank hole /hǝul noun an empty space or opening in something: I fell into a hole in the road. hol-i-day /'holider, -dı/ noun 1 a time when you do not work or go to school: Next Friday is a holiday. 2 on holiday not at school or work: I'm on holiday next week. 3 go on holiday to go to another place for a short time to have a rest from school or work hollow /'holaǝul adjective having an empty space inside: a hollow ball ►OPPOSITE: solid holly /'holt/ noun (no plural) a small tree with dark green prickly leaves and red berries ho-ly /'houlış adjective (holier, holiest) 1 concerning God or religion: the holy city of Mecca 2 very good and pure; religious: a holy man home¹ /hǝum noun 1 the place where someone lives: Her home is far away, so we don't often see her. 2 a place where a particular group of people or animals are cared for: a children's home. 3 at home in your own house: I stayed at home to read. home adjective 1 of or being the place where someone or something lives or is based: my home town 2 playing on your own sports field and not that of the other team: the home team home³ adverb to or at your own house: Let's go home. home-less /'hǝumlısı adjective having nowhere to live home-made / haum 'meid adjective made in someone's house, not in a factory or shop 〈156〉 home-sick /'haumsık/ adjective sad because you are away from home: / felt homesick living in Paris by myself. home-work /'haumwa:k/ noun (no plural) work that a teacher gives you to do at home hon-est /'onist/ adjective not likely to lie, steal, or cheat; truthful: an honest face OPPOSITE: dishonest hon-est-ly /'onistit/ adverb 1 without lying, stealing, or cheating: If I can't get the money honestly, I'll have to think of something else. 2 speaking truthfully: I honestly don't mind working late tonight. 3 Honestly! a word used to express annoyance: Honestly! What a stupid thing to do. hon-es-ty /'onisti/ noun (no plural) behaviour in which you tell the truth, and do not lie, steal, or cheat: He was praised for his honesty when he returned the money. hon-ey /'hani/ noun (no plural) sweet, sticky liquid that is made by bees and that people can eat hon-ey-moon /'hanimu:n/ noun a holiday taken by a man and a woman who have just got married hon-our /'pnǝ*/ noun (no plural) 1 great respect: The things that he has done have brought honour to our country. 2 in honour of someone, in someone's honour done to show respect for someone: I have cooked a special meal in honour of our visitors. hood /hud/ noun 1 a piece of cloth on a coat or other piece of clothing that you can pull up to cover your head and neck 2 the covering of an open car: It's raining. Put the hood up. hoof /hu:f/ noun (plural hooves /hu:vz/) the foot of a horse, cow, sheep, or goat hook /huk/ noun 1 a bent piece of metal or hard plastic for hanging something on or for catching something: He hung his coat on the hook behind the door. A fish hook. 2 off the hook having the telephone receiver lifted so that the telephone will not ring. hool-i-gan /'huliɡən/ noun a noisy, violent young person who causes trouble by fighting and breaking things hoop /hu:p/ noun a round band of wood, plastic, or metal hoo-ray /hu'rei/ (also hurray) a shout of joy or approval: Hooray! We've won! hoot¹ /hu:t/ verb to make a loud noise like the noise of a car's horn: The bus driver hooted at the man who stepped onto the road hoot² noun 1 the sound made by a car's horn 2 the sound made by an owl 3 a shout of laughter hooves /hu:vz/ the plural of the word hoof hop¹ /hop/ verb (present participle hopping, past hopped) 1 (used about people) to jump on one foot 2 (used about small birds and animals) to jump with both legs together hop² noun 1 a small jump 2 a short aircraft flight: We'll do the final hop from Cairo to Luxor the following day. hope¹ /hǝup/ verb (present participle hoping, past hoped) to want something to happen and to think it probably will happen: I hope to go to college. Is she coming? / hope so. I hope not. hope² noun 1 an idea that something will happen as you want it to: Hopes of reaching an agreement are fading. 2 someone or something that could make everything happen as you want it to: You're my last hope. 3 give up hope, lose hope to stop thinking that everything will happen as you want it to: Don't lose hope. 4 hope for the best to hope that everything will be all right in the end hope-ful /'houpfəl/ adjective feeling quite sure about something: / am hopeful that she will come tomorrow. 〈157〉 hope-ful-ly/haupfǝlı/ adverb 1 in a hopeful way: The dog waited hopefully beside the table for some food. 2 if everything goes well: Hopefully, we'll be there by dinner time. hope-less Phouplis adjective 1 with no sign of something getting better: It is hopeless to go on learning science I shall never understand it! 2 very bad or lacking in skill: I am hopeless at science. hopelessly /'houplisli/ adverb: hopelessly lost ho-ri-zon /ha! raiznj noun the line between the land or sea and the sky: I could see a ship on the horizon. hor-i-zon-tal / horizontl) adjective in a flat position, along or parallel to the ground: Stand the table on its legs so that the top is horizontal. COMPARE: vertical horn /hǝzn/ noun 1 one of the two hard pieces sticking out from the heads of some animals 2 an instrument on a car, bus, etc. that gives a short, loud sound as a warning: He sounded his horn. The taxi blew its horn. 3 a musical instrument that you blow into horrible /'horabl/ adjective very unpleasant: There was a horrible accident here yesterday. SAME MEANING: terrible, dreadful hor-rid /'horid/ adjective unpleasant: horrid food hor-ri-fic /ho'rıfık) adjective very shocking and unpleasant: That was a horrific accident hor-ri-fy/'hortfat) verb (present participle horrifying, past horrified) to shock someone or make them feel fear: I was horrified by the news.lang horror/hpro noun (no plural) great fear and shock: I watched in horror as the cars crashed into each other... horse (hors/ noun a large animal that people ride on and use for pulling heavy things horseback /'horsbæk noun on horseback riding on a horse horse-rid-ing/'hɔ:srardig noun (no plural) the sport of riding horses see picture on page 265sisch horse-shoe / hors-fur noun a piece of iron shaped like a half circle which is nailed to a horse's foot to protect it hose hauz/ noun a long piece of tube that bends easily, used for getting water from one place to anothe hospital /'hospitll noun a building where doctors and nurses care for people who are ill hos-pi-tal-i-ty / hospitalatı noun (no plural) kind attention given to visitors: The people of your village showed me great hospitality. host /haust noun a person who has invited other people to their house for a social event: Mr Brown was our host at the party. hos-tage/'hostidz/ noun a person taken and kept as a prisoner by someone to force other people to do something, e.g. pay money hos-tel/'hosti/ noun a building where students, or other people living away from home, can eat and sleep cheaply host-ess/'haustis noun a woman who has invited people to her house for a social event: They thanked their hostess, Mrs Brown.... hos-tile /'hostaıl adjective not friendly; a hostile crowd hot /hot/ adjective (hotter, hottest) 1. having a lot of heat: The sun is very hot. Here is some hot tea for you. OPPOSITE: cold 2 having a strong, burning taste: Pepper makes food taste hot. OPPOSITE: mild hot dog hot 'dog/ noun a special sort of long red SAUSAGE eaten between two pieces of bread hotel hautel noun a building where people can pay for a room to sleep in and for meals hound /haund/noun wardog used for hunting or racing hour lavǝt noun 1 a measure of time; 60 minutes: There are 24 hours in a day. 2 a particular time of day or night: Trains don't run at this hour of the night. 〈158〉 house /haus/ noun a building that people live in together house-hold /'haus, hauld/ noun all the people who live in a house together house-keep-er /'hauski:pǝ/ noun someone who is paid to clean, cook, and look after your house for you house-wife /'hauswaif/ noun (plural housewives /'hauswaivz/) a married woman who works in the house for her family hover /'hovǝ/ verb to stay in the air in one place: The great bird hovered above the field, looking for a mouse. hover-craft /'hovǝkra:ft/ noun a sort of boat that travels over land or water by floating on air that is pushed out by its engines see picture on page 266 how /hau/ adverb 1 in what way: How do you open this box? 2 used in questions about time, amount, or size: How much money did you pay? How many children are there in the school? How old are you? 3 how is, how are used to ask about someone's health: How is your mother? How are you? 4 How do you do? an expression used as a greeting when you first meet someone 5 used to make something you say stronger: How beautiful those flowers are! 3 a time when you usually do a particular thing: Our business hours are 9.30-5.30. my lunch hour 4 for hours for a long time: I've been waiting here for hours. 5 in an hour after one hour has passed: I'll meet you in an hour. 6 on the hour at one o'clock, two o'clock, etc.: The trains leave on the hour. how-ev-er /hau'evǝ'/ adverb 1 in whatever way; it does not matter how: She goes swimming every day, however cold it is. 2 but: I don't think we can do it however, we'll try. howl¹ /haul/ verb to make a long, loud crying sound: The dog howled when it was shut in the house. Wind howled round the house. howl² noun a long loud cry hud-dle /'hadl/ verb (present participle huddling, past huddled) to move close to the other people in a small group: We huddled round the fire to keep warm. hug¹ /hag/ verb (present participle hugging, past hugged) to put your arms round someone and hold them because you love them: He hugged his daughter. SAME MEANING: cuddle hug² noun an act of holding someone close to you in your arms: He gave her a hug. SAME MEANING: cuddle huge /hju:d3/ adjective very large: a huge amount of food SAME MEANING: enormous hul-lo /ha'lau/ (also hallo, hello) the usual word you say when you meet someone or talk on the telephone hum /ham/ verb (present participle humming, past hummed) 1 to make a low steady noise like a bee 2 to sing with your lips closed hum-an /'hju:mən/ adjective of or like a person: the human voice hum-an be-ing /,hju:mən 'bi:in/ noun a man, woman, or child, not an animal hum-ble /'hambl/ adjective 1 thinking that you are not better or more important than other people; not proud: The doctor was humble about his work, although he cured many people. 2 simple or poor: a humble home humor-ous /'hju:mǝrǝs/ adjective funny; making you laugh: a humorous book hu-mour /'hju:mǝ'/ noun (no plural) the ability to laugh at things or to make others laugh: He doesn't have a sense of humour. hump /hamp/ noun 1 a large lump, for example on a camel's back 2 a small hill or raised part in a road 〈159〉 hun-dred /'hʌndrəd/ noun 1 (plural hundred) the number 100: a hundred years ago, three hundred people 2 hundreds a very large number of people or things: We received hundreds of letters. hun-dredth /'hʌndrədθ/ adjective 100th hung /hʌŋ/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb hang hun-ger /'hʌŋgə/ noun (no plural) the feeling of wanting or needing to eat ►COMPARE: thirst hun-gry /'hʌŋgri/ adjective (hungrier, hungriest) wanting or needing food: Can I have an apple? I'm hungry. ►COMPARE: thirsty hunt /hʌnt/ verb 1 to chase and kill animals or birds for food or sport 2 hunt for something to try to find something: I hunted everywhere for that book. hunt-er /'hʌntə/ noun a person who chases and kills animals or birds, usually for food hurl /h3:l/ verb to throw something with force: He hurled the brick through the window. hur-ray /hʊ'reı/ (also hooray) a shout of joy or approval: We've won! Hurray! hur-ri-cane /'hʌrıkən/ noun a bad storm with a very strong wind hur-ry¹ /'hʌri/ verb (past hurried) 1 to move quickly or do something quickly: I'm late I must hurry! 2 hurry up to do something more quickly: I wish you'd hurry up! hurry² noun be in a hurry to try to do things quickly because you do not have much time: You always seem to be in a hurry. hurt¹ /h3:t/ verb (past hurt) 1 to damage part of a person's body or bring pain to them: I fell over and hurt myself. Sorry did I hurt you? 2 to cause you pain: My feet hurt. hurt² adjective 1 damaged or feeling pain: He was badly hurt. 2 unhappy: She's hurt because you haven't visited her. hus-band /'hʌzbənd/ noun the man to whom a woman is married ►COMPARE: wife - see picture on page 99 hush /hʌʃ/ noun (no plural) a peaceful silence hut /hʌt/ noun a small building often made of wood hy-dro-gen /'haıdrədzən/ noun (no plural) a very light colourless gas hy-e-na /haı'i:nə/ noun a wild animal like a large dog hymn /hım/ noun a religious song hy-phen /'harfn/ noun the sign (-) used to join two words or parts of words: half-price 〈160〉 I /aı/ (plural we /wiː; strong wiː/) the person who is speaking: I want to go home. My friend and I went to the cinema. I'm (= I am) very glad to see you. I've (= I have) been waiting a long time. I'll (= I will or I shall) wait a little longer. When I'd (= I had) written the story, I read it to my friend. I thought that I'd (= I had) missed the bus, but I hadn't. ice /aıs/ noun (no plural) water which is so cold that it has become hard: He put some ice in his drink. There was ice on the roads this morning. ice-berg /'aısbɜːg/ noun a very large piece of ice floating in the sea ice-cream /ˌaɪs ˈkriːm/ noun (no plural) a sweet food made from milk which has been frozen: a bowl of chocolate ice-cream ice cube /'aɪs kjuːb/ noun a small square piece of ice that you put in a drink to make it cold ice skate¹ /'aɪs skeɪt/ noun a special shoe that you wear for moving or dancing on ice ice skate² verb (present participle ice skating, past ice skated) to move across ice wearing special shoes: to go ice skating i·ci·cle /'aɪsɪkl/ noun a long thin piece of ice that hangs down from something: There were icicles hanging from the edge of the roof. ic·ing /'aɪsɪŋ/ noun (no plural) a mixture of sugar and water put on top of cakes ic·y /'aɪsi/ adjective (icier, iciest) 1 very cold: an icy wind 2 covered with ice: icy roads I'd /aɪd/ 1 I had: I'd already left by the time she arrived. 2 I would: I'd like a cup of coffee, please. i·dea /aɪˈdɪə/ noun 1 a thought or plan that you form in your mind: I've got an idea, why don't we have a party? What a good idea. 2 have no idea not to know something: "What time is it?" "I've no idea." I had no idea that you had a brother. i·deal /aɪˈdiːəl/ adjective the best possible: This book is an ideal Christmas present. i·den·ti·cal /aɪˈdentɪkl/ adjective exactly the same: identical twins (= looking the same) i·den·ti·fi·ca·tion /aɪˌdentɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ noun (no plural) something which shows who someone is or what something is: Have you any identification with you? i·den·ti·fy /aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/ verb (past identified) to say who someone is or what something is: Can you identify the man in the picture? i·den·ti·ty /aɪˈdentɪti/ noun (plural identities) who someone is or what something is: The police do not know the identity of the dead man (= do not know his name). id·i·om /ˈɪdiəm/ noun a group of words which have a special meaning when they are used together: To have cold feet about something is an English idiom which means to be worried or nervous about doing something. id·i·ot /ˈɪdiət/ noun a silly or stupid person SAME MEANING: fool i·dle /ˈaɪdl/ adjective 1 (used about a machine) doing no work: idle machines in a factory 2 (used about a person) lazy i·dol /ˈaɪdl/ noun 1 a famous person who is loved and admired by many people 2 something such as a STATUE which people worship as a god 〈161〉 i.e. /,ai'i:/ a phrase that you say or write when you want to give more information to show what you mean by something: The total cost of the holiday, i.e. including hotel, food, and travel, is £500. if /if/ 1 on condition that: You can catch the bus if you go now. 2 whether: I don't know if he will come or not. 3 whenever: I always visit them if I go to the city. 4 as if, like used when you are describing something: It looks as if it is going to rain. He talks to me as if I'm stupid. 5 if I were you... a phrase used when you are giving advice to someone: If I were you I'd buy a cheaper car 6 do you mind if...? a polite way of asking someone if you can do something: Do you mind if I smoke? ig-no-rance /'ignǝrǝns/ noun (no plural) the state of being without knowledge or education. ig-no-rant /'ignǝrǝnt/ adjective not knowing very much; not educated: She is very ignorant about her own country. ig-nore /ig'no:/ verb (present participle ignoring, past ignored) to take no notice of someone or something; to pretend that someone or something is not there: I tried to tell her but she ignored me. I'll /ail/ I will; I shall: I'll come with you. ill /il/ adjective 1 not feeling healthy; unwell: She can't go to work because she is ill. 2 be taken ill to become ill suddenly: He was taken ill last night. il-le-gal /I'li:gl/ adjective not allowed by law: It is illegal to steal things. illegally /i'li:gǝli/ adverb: to do something illegally ► OPPOSITE: legal il-le-gi-ble /I'ledzǝbl/ adjective not able to be read: illegible writing ►OPPOSITE: legible il-lit-e-rate /I'litǝrǝt/ adjective (used especially about men or women, not children) not able to read or write ill-ness /'ilnis/ noun 1 (plural illnesses) a disease: to have an illness. 2 (no plural) a time of being not healthy or well: She has suffered years of illness. il-lu-mi-nate /i'lu:mineit/ verb (present participle illuminating, past illuminated) to light something: The room was illuminated by a single lamp. il-lus-trate /'ilǝstreit/ verb (present participle illustrating, past illustrated) to add pictures to a book or magazine: The book was illustrated with colour photographs. il-lus-tra-tion /,ilǝ'strei∫n/ noun a picture in a book or magazine I'm /aim/ I am: I'm very pleased to meet you. im-age /'imidz/ noun 1 a picture of someone or something which you have in your mind 2 the way a person or organization appears to other people: You need to have a more modern image (= wear more modern clothes, etc.). 3 be the image of someone to look exactly like someone: He's the image of his father. i-ma-gi-na-ry /i'mædzinǝri/ adjective not real; existing only in your mind: a story about an imaginary King i-ma-gi-na-tion /i,mædzi'nei∫n/ noun (no plural) the ability that you have to form pictures or ideas in your mind: You didn't really see it, it was just your imagination. im-a-gine /i'mædzin/ verb (present participle imagining, past imagined) 1 to make a picture in your mind of someone or something: I tried to imagine what life was like a hundred years ago 2 to think or believe something: John imagines that we don't like him, but it isn't true. im-i-tate /'imiteit/ verb (present participle imitating, past imitated) to copy someone: She imitated the way her teacher talked. im-i-ta-tion /,imi'tei∫n/ noun a copy: This isn't a real gun, it's only an imitation. 〈162〉 Im-ma-ture /mə'tjua/ adjective (used about a man or woman) rather silly and behaving in a way which is only suitable for someone much younger OPPOSITE: mature Im-me-dl-ate /1'mizdrət/ adjective happening at once: I need an immediate answer. Immediately /ı'mizdıətlı/ adverb: She came immediately. Im-mense /1 'mens/ adjective very large: He made an immense amount of money in business. SAME MEANING: enormous Immensely /1'menslı/ adverb very much: I enjoyed the concert immensely. im-ml-grant /'imigrant/ noun a person from another country who comes to your country to live Im-mi-gra-tion / imigretsn/ noun (no plural) coming to live in a foreign country: The government wants to control immigration. ►COMPARE: emigration Im-moral/1/moral/ adjective: bad or wicked: immoral behaviour Im-mu-nize /imjunaiz/ verb (present participle immunizing, past immunized) to put an amount of a substance that causes an illness into a person's body, usually by using a special needle, so that the person will not catch that illness in the future im-pa-tlent /im'perfnt/ adjective not being able to wait calmly for something to happen because you want it to happen now: It is no use getting impatient, dinner won't be ready for another hour. impatiently/ım'peifatlı/ adverb: "Hurry!" he said impatiently. OPPOSITE: patient Im-per-a-tive /um'perativ/ noun, adjective the form of a verb that you use when you are telling someone to do something: In the sentence "Come here!", "come" is in the imperative. Im-per-ti-nent /ım'partinant/ adjective rude, especially to older people or people you should respect: She scolded her son for being impertinent. an impertinent remark Im-po-lite /impə'last/ adjective rather rude in the way you speak or behave towards other people OPPOSITE: polite import¹ /im'pɔ:t/ verb to bring goods into a country for use there: We import machinery that we cannot make in our country. COMPARE: export Import² /'import/ noun something that is imported: Machinery is one of our imports. COMPARE: export Im-por-tance /um'partans/ noun (no plural) great value or power: the importance of a good education im-por-tant /ım'pɔ:tənt/ adjective 1 very useful or valuable: an important meeting 2 having power: an important person im-por-ter /im'pɔ:tə/ noun a person or organization whose business is to bring goods into a country for use there: a wine importer COMPARE: exporter. im-pos-si-ble /ım'posǝbl/ adjective not possible; not able to happen: I can't come today; it's impossible. OPPOSITE: possible. im-press /m'pres/ verb to make someone feel admiration: He was trying to impress me. I was very impressed by your work. Im-pression /Im'prefn/ noun 1 the way something seems to you: My impression is that she is not telling the truth. 2 make an impression on someone to make someone remember you, usually with admiration Im-pressive /Im'presiv/ adjective very good and so causing admiration: His work was very impressive. im-prison /ım'prizn/ verb to put someone in prison: He was imprisoned for two years. Im-prison-ment /im'priznmənt/ noun (no plural) the state of being in prison: He was given two years! imprisonment. Im-prove /im'pru:v/ verb (present participle improving, past improved) 1 to become better: My tennis is improving. 〈163〉 in-ap-pro-pri-ate /ınə'prəupriət/ adjective not suitable or right: Those clothes are inappropriate for work. inappropriately /ınə'prəupriətli/ adverb: to be inappropriately dressed ► OPPOSITE: appropriate In-ca-pa-ble /ın'keıpəbl/ adjective not able to do something: Since her accident she has been incapable of working. ► OPPOSITE: capable Inch /intʃ/ noun (plural inches) a measure of length, equal to 2.5 CENTIMETRES: There are 12 inches (12 ins) in a foot. In-ci-dent /'insidənt/ noun an event or something that happens in-ci-den-tal-ly / insı'dentəli/ adverb a word which you use when you are adding more information to something you have just said, or when you have just remembered an interesting fact: I saw Peter the other day. Incidentally, he's invited us to lunch next week. in-cline /ın'klaın/ verb (present participle inclining, past inclined) to be inclined to do something to be likely to do something, or to tend to do something: I am inclined to be lazy sometimes. in-clude /ın'klu:d/ verb (present participle including, past included) 1 to have something as part of a whole: The price of the holiday includes food. The group included several women. ► OPPOSITE: exclude 2 to count someone or something as part of a whole: I included my uncle in my list of people to invite. In-clud-Ing /ın'klu:dın/ preposition a word used to show that some people or things are part of a larger group: All the family is going, including the children (= they are going too). ► OPPOSITE: excluding in-come /'ınkʌm, -kəm/ noun all the money you receive: What is your income from your job? in-come tax /'inkʌm tæks/ noun (no plural) money taken by the government from what people earn improve /ım'pru:v/ 2 to make something better: I want to improve my tennis. im-prove-ment /ım'pru:vmənt/ noun 1 a change which makes something better: to make improvements to your house 2 a change which shows that something is becoming better: There has been an improvement in trade. Her health is showing signs of improvement. impulse /'impʌls/ noun a sudden wish to do something: She had an impulse to buy a new dress. She bought the dress on impulse. im-pul-sive /im'pʌlsiv/ adjective doing things without thinking about them carefully first: Don't be so impulsive! in /in/ preposition, adverb 1 inside a place: They were sitting in the kitchen. He jumped in the river. - see picture on page 166 2 at a place: We live in the country. We stayed at a hotel in London. 3 surrounded by something: to walk in the rain 4 during a period of time: The house was built in 1950. It's his birthday in June. 5 after a period of time: I'll be ready in a few minutes. 6 at home or in the place where you work: I'm afraid Mrs Jones is not in at the moment. ► OPPOSITE: out 7 using: She spoke in a quiet voice. The words were written in pencil. They were talking in French. 8 wearing: Who's the woman in the black dress? 9 in all in total: It will cost you £50 in all. in-ac-cu-rate /in'ækjərət/ adjective not correct; having mistakes in it: an inaccurate news report ► OPPOSITE: accurate in-ad-e-quate /in'ædikwət/ adjective not enough or not good enough: The food was inadequate for ten people - there was only enough for five. ► OPPOSITE: adequate In-an-i-mate /in'ænimət/ adjective not living: an inanimate object such as a stone 〈164〉 in complete / inkam pliit/ adjective not finished: The work is incomplete. OPPOSITE: complete in con-ve-ni-ence / inkən'vi:niəns/ noun difficulty: I hope that the delay won't cause you any inconvenience. inconvenience verb (present participle inconveniencing, past inconvenienced) to make things difficult for someone: I hope I'm not inconveniencing you by staying here. in-con-ve-nient / inkən'vi:niənt/ adjective not suitable; causing difficulty: I hope this isn't an inconvenient time for me to visit you. OPPOSITE: convenient in correct / inka'rekt/ adjective not right; wrong: The answer to the sum is incorrect. incorrectly / inka'rektli/ adverb: to answer a question incorrectly (= give the wrong answer) OPPOSITE: correct increase /in'kri:s/ verb (present participle increasing, past increased) 1 to become more in amount or number: My wages have increased this year. The noise increased suddenly. OPPOSITE: decrease 2 to make something more in amount or number: My employer has increased my wages. in-crease /'inkri:s/ noun a rise in amount: an increase in your wages, an increase of 10% in the cost OPPOSITE: decrease in-creas-ing-ly /in'kri:sinli/ adverb more and more: It's becoming increasingly difficult to find work. in-cred-i-ble /in'kredəbl/ adjective 1 very good: what incredible luck! 2 very large in amount: an incredible sum of money 3 very strange or unusual: an incredible story SAME MEANING: (1, 2 and 3) amazing in-deed /in'di:d/ adverb 1 used in answers to questions when you want to say yes or no very strongly: "Did he really say that?" "He did indeed." 2 used when you want to make the meaning of very even stronger: He runs very fast indeed. in-def-i-nite /in'definat/ adjective not clear or fixed: I am staying for an indefinite time (= I'm not sure how long I will stay). indefinitely /in'definatli/ adverb: I am staying here indefinitely. in-de-pen-dence / indi'pendəns/ noun (no plural) 1 the quality of being able to look after yourself: Old people want to keep their independence. 2 the state of being free from the control of another country: the American War of Independence, India gained its independence in 1947. in-de-pen-dent / indi'pendənt/ adjective 1 able to look after yourself; not needing help and support from other people: Although she is young, she is very independent. OPPOSITE: dependent 2 free: not controlled, or governed by another country: India became independent from Britain in 1947. in-dex /'indeks/ noun (plural indexes or indices /'indisi:z/) a list in a book which tells you what can be found in the book, and on what page in-dex fin-ger /'indeks,fingə'/ noun the finger which is next to your thumb in-di-cate /'indikeit/ verb (present participle indicating, past indicated) to show someone something: Please indicate which one you have chosen. in-di-ca-tion /indi'keifn/ noun a sign that tells you that something may be true or may happen: Did he give you any indication of when the work will be finished? in-di-ca-tor /'indikeitǝ"/ noun one of the two lights on a car that are used to show that the car is going to turn left or right in-di-ces /'indisi:z/ the plural of index in-dig-nant /in'dignant/ adjective angry and surprised because of something that appears wrong indignantly /in-'dignantli/ adverb: "It isn't fair!" she said indignantly. in-di-vid-u-al /indi'vidzual/ noun a person, not a group: something which happens in the life of each individual 〈165〉 the living room picture lamp curtain clock bookcase hi-fi television TV fireplace carpet armchair videb videg recorder cushion CD sofa table NEWS PLUS 3 NILIV TV remote control rug newspaper window 〈166〉 prepositions 〈167〉 individual adjective single; for one person only: The children had individual desks. individually /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəli/ adverb: The children were taught individually, not in a group. in-door /ɪnˈdɔː/ adjective inside a building: If it rains, we play indoor games. ► OPPOSITE: outdoor in-doors /ɪnˈdɔːz/ adverb inside a building: Let's stay indoors today. ► OPPOSITE: outdoors in-dus-tri-al /ɪnˈdʌstriəl/ adjective having a lot of factories: an industrial town in-dus-try /ˈɪndəstri/ noun (plural industries) the making of things in factories: What are the important industries in the town? Our town has a lot of industry. in-fant /ˈɪnfənt/ noun a baby or young child in-fect /ɪnˈfekt/ verb to give an illness to someone: One of the women at work had a cold and infected everyone else. in-fec-tion /ɪnˈfekʃn/ noun an illness: a throat infection in-fectious /ɪnˈfekʃəs/ adjective (used about an illness) able to be given to other people: an infectious disease in-fi-nite /ˈɪnfɪnət/ adjective very large or great and seeming to have no limit: Infinite space surrounds the earth. in-fi-nite-ly /ˈɪnfɪnətli/ adverb very much: I feel infinitely better after my holiday. in-fin-i-tive /ɪnˈfɪnɪtɪv/ noun the part of a verb which is used with the word to: In the sentence “I want to go”, “to go” is an infinitive. in-flate /ɪnˈfleɪt/ verb (present participle inflating, past inflated) to fill something with air: to inflate a tyre in-fluence /ˈɪnfluəns/ noun 1 have an influence on someone to have the power to change what a person thinks or does: Her parents have a strong influence on her. 2 be a bad influence on someone to make someone behave badly because you yourself behave badly 3 be a good influence on someone to make someone behave in a better way 1 The fire alarm is above the poster. 2 The man is walking across the road towards the telephone box. 3 The girl is leaning against the wall. 4 The family is walking along the pavement past the library. 5 The woman is waiting at the bus stop. 6 The girl is standing behind her mother. 7 The poster is below the fire alarm. 8 The child is between her parents. 9 The lady is walking down the library steps. 10 The newspaper is in the bin. 11 The bus stop is in front of the library. 12 The man is dropping the bottle into the bin. 13 The bus is near the zebra crossing. 14 The library is next to/beside the cafe. 15 The boy is getting off the bus. 16 The woman is getting on the bus. 17 The man is sitting on the motorbike. 18 The telephone box is opposite the library. 19 The man is coming out of the library. 20 The boy selling newspapers is outside the library. 21 The boy is looking through the window. 22 The man is going to the library. 23 The girl is walking under the ladder. 24 The workman is climbing up the ladder. 〈168〉 influence than usual because you yourself behave well: influence² /verb (present participle influencing, past influenced) to change what happens: My teacher influenced my decision to study science (= made me decide to do it). in-flu-en-tial / Influ: 'enfl/ adjective important and having the power to change people or things: an influential politician, an influential decision in-flu-en-za / influr'enzə/ noun (no plural) (also flu) an illness like a very bad cold in-form /in'form/ verb to tell someone something: The teacher informed us that the school would be closed for one day next week. I will inform you of my decision. in-for-mal /in' formal/ adjective happening or done in an easy, friendly way and not according to rules: an informal meeting, an informal party OPPOSITE: formal in-for-ma-tion / infa'mer[n/ noun (no plural) facts; knowledge: Could you give me some information about the times of the buses? I need to find information on the car industry. a tourist information office (= a place where tourists go to ask about things they want to know) in-gre-di-ent /in'gri:diǝnt/ noun something that you add when you are making something, especially in cooking: Flour is an ingredient of this cake. in-hab-it /in'hæbit/ verb 1 to live in a place: a country inhabited by 20 million people 2 be inhabited to have people living there: The island is not inhabited. in-hab-i-tant /in'hæbitǝnt/ noun a person who lives in a place: the inhabitants of the village in-her-it /in'herit/ verb to get something from someone when they die: He inherited the farm from his parents. in-her-i-tance /in'heritəns/ noun money or other things that you receive from a person after they have died i-ni-tial¹ /I'nifl/ noun the first letter of a name, used to represent the name: His name is John Smith so his initials are J.S initial² /adjective first; at the beginning: The initial plan was to build a new hospital, but now the council has decided to repair the old hospital instead. i-ni-tial-ly /i'nifl-li/ adverb at first: It may seem strange initially but you'll soon get used to your new job. in-ject /in'dzekt/ verb to give someone medicine by using a special needle to go through their skin in-jec-tion /in'dzek[n] noun an act of giving someone medicine by using a special needle to go through their skin: to have an injection, to give someone an injection, an injection against a disease in-jure /ındzǝ/ verb (present participle injuring, past injured) to harm or wound a person or animal: Two people were injured in the accident. I injured myself playing football. MEANING: hurt in-ju-ry /ındzəri/ noun (plural injuries) a wound: The people in the accident had serious injuries. in-jus-tice /in'dzʌstıs/ noun 1 the fact of being unfair: the injustice of the situation OPPOSITE: justice 2 something unfair: a great injustice 3 do someone an injustice to judge someone in an unfair way by thinking something bad about them which is not true ink /ink/ noun (no plural) a coloured liquid used for writing or printing in-land¹ /inland/ adjective not near the sea: an inland town in-land² /in'lænd/ adverb away from the sea: We travelled twenty kilometres inland. inn /in/ noun 〈169〉 in-ner /'ınǝr/ adjective further in, or in the middle: the inner ear (=the part inside your head) OPPOSITE: outer in-no-cence /'ınəsəns/ noun (no plural) the fact of being without blame OPPOSITE: guilt in-no-cent /'ınəsnt/ adjective having done nothing bad or wrong: to be innocent of a crime OPPOSITE: guilty in-quire /ın'kwaıǝr/ verb (present participle inquiring, past inquired) to ask for information about something: He inquired about the times of trains to London. in-quir-y /ın'kwarǝri/ noun (plural inquiries) 1 a question asking for information about something: an inquiry about a job 2 make inquiries to ask for information: to make inquiries about someone in-quisitive /in'kwızıtıv/ adjective wanting to know too many things, especially about other people ins a short way of writing the words inch or inches: 6 ins. in-sane /in'seın/ adjective mad: He must be insane to drive his car so fast. OPPOSITE: sane in-sect /'ınsekt/ noun a very small creature that has six legs: Bees and ants are insects. in-sert /in's3:t/ verb to put something into something else: to insert a key in a lock in-side¹ /'ın'saıd/ noun the part that is in the middle of something or contained by something: The outside of an orange is bitter, but the inside is sweet. Have you seen the inside of the house? see picture on page 166 OPPOSITE: outside inside² preposition, adverb in or onto something: She put the money inside her bag. Don't stand outside there in the sun; come inside (= into the house). OPPOSITE: outside in-side³ /'ın'saıd/ adjective in the middle of something or contained by something: the inside walls of a house OPPOSITE: outside in-side out / insaid aut/ adverb with the parts that are usually inside on the outside: You're wearing your socks inside out. in-sist /in'sıst/ verb to say something that must happen or be done: I insist that you stop doing that. She insisted on seeing the manager. in-spect /in'spekt/ verb to look at something carefully, to see if there is anything wrong: He inspected the car before he bought it. in-spec-tion /in'spek∫n/ noun a careful look to see if there is anything wrong with something in-spec-tor /in'spektǝ/ noun 1 an official whose job is to visit places and see if there is anything wrong with them: a school inspector 2 a police officer in-spire /in'spaıǝr/ verb (present participle inspiring, past inspired) to make someone want to do something, especially by giving them new ideas: He inspired me to write a poem. in-stall /in'sto:l/ verb to put in new machinery, etc.: We have installed a telephone in the office. in-stal-ment /in'sto:lmǝnt/ noun 1 one of several payments that you make over a period of time in order to buy something: She paid for her car in instalments 2 one part of a long story which is told in several parts on television, in a magazine, etc. in-stance /'instǝns/ noun for instance for example: She has a lot of good ideas, for instance... in-stant¹ /'instǝnt/ adjective 1 happening or working at once: The new shop was an instant success. 2 very quick to prepare: instant coffee instant² noun a moment: He waited for an instant before answering the question. 〈170〉 in-stant-ly /'instantlı/ adverb at once. in-stead /in'sted/ adverb in place of someone or something else: I don't have a pen, so I used a pencil instead. in-stead of /in'sted Dv/ preposition In place of someone or something else: Can you come on Saturday instead of on Sunday? Instead of going shopping, why don't we go for a walk? in-stinct /'instıŋkt/ noun a force or ability that makes you do things without thinking about them or learning them: Cats kill birds by instinct. in-sti-tute /'Institju:t/ noun a group of people who want to study a special thing, or the building used by such a group in-sti-tu-tion / instı'tju:Sn/ noun a large organization such as a school, a hospital, or a bank in-struct /in'strakt/ verb 1 to teach someone something 2 instruct someone to do something to tell someone that they must do something: I've been instructed to wait here. in-struc-tion /in'strak[n/ noun a piece of information that tells you how to do something: Read the instructions before you use the machine. in-struc-tor /in'straktǝ/ noun a person who teaches a skill or an activity: a sports instructor in-stru-ment /'Instrəmənt/ noun 1 a tool used for doing a particular thing: A pen is an instrument for writing. 2 an object used for making music: A piano is a musical instrument. in-sult¹ /ın'sʌlt/ verb to be rude to someone and offend them in-sult² /'INSAlt/ noun something rude said to offend someone: He shouted insults at the boys. in-sur-ance /in'fuǝrǝns/ noun (no plural) money paid to a company which then agrees to pay an amount of money if something bad happens to you or your property in-sure /ın'fuǝr/ verb (present participle insuring, past insured) to pay money regularly to a company so that it will give you an amount of money if something bad happens to you or your property: to insure your house against fire in-tel-li-gence /in'telıdzəns/ noun (no plural) the ability to learn and understand things: a creature of low intelligence in-tel-li-gent /in'telıdzənt/ adjective quick to learn and understand things; clever in-tend /ın'tend/ verb to plan to do something: What do you intend to do today? in-ten-tion /ın'ten[n/ noun a plan: What are your intentions? I have no intention of going there. in-ter-est¹ /'Intrast/ noun 1 a wish to know more about something: to take an interest in something 2 something you do or study because you enjoy it; a HOBBY: Her interests are music and sport. in-ter-est² verb to make someone want to know more about something: Her story interested me. in-ter-est-ed /'intrastıd/ adjective wanting to do something or know more about something: He's very interested in history. Are you interested in coming with us? in-ter-est-ing /'Intrastıŋ/ adjective making you want to pay attention: an interesting story, an interesting idea ▶ OPPOSITE: boring in-ter-fere / Intǝ'fiǝ/ verb (present participle interfering, past interfered) 1 to annoy another person by giving your opinions about things which have nothing to do with you, or by trying to take part in things where you are not wanted: Just go away and stop interfering! 2 to prevent something on to make something different: The rain interfered with our plans to go out. in-te-ri-or¹ /ın'tıǝrıǝ/ noun (no plural) the inside: the interior of a house ▶ OPPOSITE: exterior 〈17〉 in-terior² /in'tiəriər/ adjective on the inside of something: the interior walls of a house OPPOSITE: exterior in-ter-me-di-ate /,intə'mi:diət/ adjective (used about a student or a class) of the middle level. in-ter-nal /in'tə:nl/ adjective of or on the inside: an 'internal' injury ➔ OPPOSITE: external in-ter-na-tion-al /,intə'næfnəl/ adjective for or by many countries: an international agreement; an international airport. in-ter-pret /in'tə:prit/ verb to put the words of one language into the words of another language by talking: to interpret from French into English ➔ COMPARE: translate in-ter-pret-er /in'tə:pritər/ noun a person whose job is to put the words of one language into the words of another language by talking in-ter-rupt /,intə'rıpt/ verb to say something when someone else is already speaking and cause them to stop: It is rude to interrupt. Don't interrupt me! in-ter-rup-tion /,intə'rıpfən/ noun something which stops you from continuing what you are doing for a while: I couldn't work because there were so many interruptions. in-ter-val /'intəvl/ noun 1 a time or space between things: an interval between the first part and the second part of a film 2 at intervals happening regularly with a period of time or space between them: There were trees at intervals along the road. in-ter-view¹ /'intəvju:/ noun 1 a meeting to decide if a person is suitable for a job: to go for an interview 2 a meeting at which a person, usually someone famous, is asked about their opinions or their life, e.g. for a newspaper in-ter-view² verb 1 to talk to someone to see if they are suitable for a job 2 to ask someone questions for a newspaper, etc. or on television or radio in-to /'intə; strong 'intu:/ preposition 1 so as to be inside or in something: They went into the house. - see picture on page 166 2 used to show how something changes: She made the material into a dress. He cut the cake into six pieces. 3 used when dividing one number by another number: Five into twenty goes four times. in-tran-si-tive /in'trænsətiv/ adjective (used about a verb) not taking an object; where the action is not done to a person or thing: In the sentence "When he had finished, he sat down.", "finish" and "sit" are intransitive verbs. ➔ COMPARE: transitive in-tro-duce /,intrə'dju:s/ verb (present participle introducing, past introduced) 1 to cause two people to meet each other for the first time, and tell each person the name of the other person: He introduced his friend to me. 2 to bring in a new thing: to introduce a new subject in a school in-tro-duc-tion /,intrə'dʌkfn/ noun 1 (no plural) the bringing in of something new for the first time: the introduction of a new law 2 a piece of writing at the beginning of a book which tells you what the rest of the book is about in-vade /in'veid/ verb (present participle invading, past invaded) to attack and enter a country or place with an army: The army invaded the town. in-val-id /'invəlid/ noun a person who is weak because they are ill: He helps to look after his grandfather who is an invalid. in-va-sion /in'veizən/ noun the act of an army attacking and entering a country or place in order to control it: an enemy invasion in-vent /in'vent/ verb to think of and plan something completely new that did not exist before: Who invented the telephone? in-ven-tion /in'venfn/ noun 1 (no plural) the thinking of a new idea and making of something that did not exist before: the invention of the telephone 〈172〉 in-ven-tor /in'ventǝ/ noun a person who thinks of and plans something completely new: the inventor of the telephone In-verted com-mas /in, v3:tıd 'komǝz/ plural noun the signs (' ') or (" "), used in writing to show what somebody says In-ves-ti-gate /in'vestigeit/ verb (present participle investigating, past investigated) to search for information about someone or something by looking, asking questions, etc.: The police are investigating the crime. in-ves-ti-ga-tion /in, vesti 'geifn/ noun a search for information about someone or something: a police investigation into the crime In-vis-i-ble /in'vizəbl/ adjective not able to be seen: Air is invisible. OPPOSITE: visible In-vit-a-tion /inviterfn/ noun an offer, in words or writing, of a chance to do something or to go somewhere: a party invitation, an invitation to a party In-vite /in'vart/ verb (present participle inviting, past invited) to ask someone to come to your house, to go out with you, etc.: She invited us to her party. NOTE: People do not use the verb invite when they are asking you if you want to go somewhere or do something. Instead they say things like "Would you like to come to dinner at my house?" or "Do you want to come to a party tonight?" (NOTE never say "I invite you...") In-volve /in'volv/ verb (present participle involving, past involved) 1 to make a person or thing be a part of something: Don't involve me in your argument. 2 to make something necessary: The job will involve a lot of hard work. inventor something completely new that has just been thought of and made: This machine is their latest invention. be involved in something, to be involved with something to take part in something: She's involved in politics. in-ward /'inwǝd/ adjective 1 towards the middle or the inside of something OPPOSITE: outward 2 (used about a thought or feeling) not shown to other people; an inward feeling of happiness In-wards /'inwǝdz/ adverb towards the middle or the inside of something: She turns her toes inwards when she walks. OPPOSITE: outwards iron /'aiǝn/ noun 1 (no plural) a hard, grey metal 2 an instrument that is heated and then used to make clothes smooth iron² verb to press clothes with a hot iron to make them smooth: to iron a shirt Iron³ adjective made of the metal iron: an iron gate I-ron-ing /'aiǝnın/ noun (no plural) do the ironing: to press clothes with a hot iron to make them smooth I-ron-ing board /'aiǝnın bɔ:d/ noun a narrow table on which you iron clothes ir-reg-u-lar /I'regjulǝ/ adjective (used about nouns, verbs etc.) not following the usual rules of grammar: "To go" is an irregular verb. OPPOSITE: regular ir-ri-gate /'irigeit/ verb (present participle irrigating, past irrigated) to make water flow onto dry land so that crops can grow ir-ri-ga-tion /ırrı'gerfn/ noun (no plural) the supplying of water to dry land so that crops can grow Ir-ri-tate /'iriteit/ verb (present participle irritating, past irritated) 1 to annoy someone: The noise of the children was irritating me. 2 to make a part of your body sore: The sun irritates my eyes. is /s, z, əz; strong iz/ verb 〈173〉 Is-lam /ız'la:m/ noun the religion of the Muslims is-land /'atlend/ noun a piece of land surrounded by water isn't /'ıznt/ is not: She isn't coming. It's a lovely day, isn't it? i-so-lat-ed /'aisə,lertid/ adjective far from other houses, towns etc.: an isolated house, an isolated village is-sue¹ /'ıfu:/ verb (present participle issuing, past issued) to supply someone with something: The teacher issued paper and pencils to all the children. issue² noun 1 a subject that many people think is important: new government policy on the issue of health 2 something that is printed in large numbers and sold at one time: today's issue of the newspaper It /it/ (plural they /ðeı/) 1 the thing or animal that the sentence is about: I've lost my book, and I can't find it anywhere. It's (= it is) not in my room. It was an interesting film. 2 used when you are talking about the weather, time, and dates: It is very hot today. It's nearly four o'clock. It is Thursday, September 2nd. 3 used when you are talking about a happening or a fact: It's a long way to the town. "What's that noise?" "It's a car." 4 used when you are asking or saying who is there: "Who is it?" "It's me, Peter." itch¹ /itf/ verb (used about your skin) to be sore and making you want to rub it: The insect bite itched all night. itch² noun a sore and annoying feeling on your skin that makes you want to rub it: I've got an itch on my back. itch-y /'ıtfi/ adjective Ivory /'aivəri/ noun (no plural) the hard, yellow substance taken from the TUSKS (= long teeth) of elephants it'd /'itad/ 1 it would: It'd be lovely to see you. 2 it had: It'd taken us two hours to get there. i-tem /'aitem/ noun a thing: There was an interesting item in the newspaper today. On the desk there were two books, a pen, and some other items it'll /itl/ it will: It'll soon be the holidays. its /its/ of it; belonging to it: She gave the cat its food. The dog hurt its foot. NOTE: Do not confuse its (= belonging to it) with it's (= it is or it has) which is spelt with a ('). it's /its/ 1 it is: It's very nice to meet you. 2 it has: It's stopped raining. LOOK AT its it-self /it'self/ (plural themselves /dəm'selvz/) the same thing or animal as the one that the sentence is about: The house stands by itself (= alone) outside the village. I've /aiv/ I have: I've got two sisters. the part of the verb be that you use with ...he, she and it: She is Peter's sister. He's (= he is) her brother. That boy's (=boy is) in my class. He's not (= he is not) very clever. She isn't (= she is not) my friend. (used about a part of your body) making you want to rub it: itchy skin 〈174〉 jab¹ /dzæb/ verb (present participle jabbing past jabbed) to push something long or sharp forward with a lot of force: I jabbed the needle into my finger. He kept jabbing his finger into my back until I turned round. jab² noun a quick sharp push: I felt a jab in my back. jack-al /'dzækǝil/ noun a wild animal like a small dog jacket /'dzækıt/ noun 1 a short coat 2 the loose cover of a book jagged /'dzægid/ adjective having a rough uneven edge with many sharp points: I cut myself on the jagged edge of the tin. jagged rocks jag-u-ar /'dzægjuǝ/ noun a large wild cat with spots jail /d3eil/ noun (also gaol) prison: The man was sent to jail. jam¹ /dzæm/ verb (present participle jamming, past jammed) 1 to press things or people tightly together into a place: I jammed all my clothes into a case. 2 to make something unable to move: I've jammed the lock and I can't open the door. 3 to become stuck and unable to move: I can't ride my bicycle because the brakes have jammed. jam² noun 1 a lot of people or things pressed so tightly together that movement is stopped: a traffic jam 2 (no plural) a sweet food made of fruit boiled with sugar, usually eaten with bread jan-gle /'dzængl/ verb (present participle jangling, past jangled) to make a sharp noise like metal hitting metal: She jangled her keys in her pocket. Jan-u-a-ry /'dzænjuǝrı/ noun the first month of the year jar /dza:/ noun a container like a bottle with a short neck and a wide opening: a jam jar - see picture at container jav-e-lin /'dzævlin/ noun a light spear which is thrown as a sport jaw /d30:/ noun either of the two bony parts of your face which hold your teeth jazz /d3æz/ noun (no plural) a kind of music with a strong beat: Do you like listening to jazz? jeal-ous /'dzelǝs/ adjective 1 unhappy because you want something that someone else has: I was very jealous of Sarah's new bicycle. 2 afraid that you will lose someone's love because they seem to love another person more: Her husband gets jealous if she talks to other men. jealously adverb: a dog jealously guarding its bone jeal-ous-y /'dzelǝsı/ noun (no plural) 1 the unhappiness that you feel when you want something that someone else has 2 the fear that you feel when you think you will lose someone's love because they seem to love another person more jeans /dzi:nz/ plural noun trousers made of a strong cotton cloth, usually blue: a pair of jeans - see picture on page 65 jeep /dzi:p/ noun a car that has a strong engine and can be used on rough roads jeer /dziǝ/ verb to laugh rudely at someone or shout unkind remarks: The crowd jeered at the politician. jeers /dziǝz/ plural noun rude laughter; unkind remarks jel-ly /'dzelı/ noun 1 (plural jellies) a sweet, soft DESSERT made with fruit and sugar 2 (no plural) any substance that is between liquid and solid jel-ly-fish /'dzelı, fif/ noun (plural jellyfish or jellyfishes) a soft sea creature that is nearly transparent and can sting jerk¹ /d33:k/ verb 1 to pull something suddenly and quickly: 〈175〉 jerk¹ verb 1 She jerked the rope but it wouldn't move. 2 to move with a sudden movement: Her hand jerked as she dropped her drink. jerk² noun a short hard pull or sudden movement: The old bus started with a jerk. jer-sey /'dz3:zi/ noun a piece of clothing, usually made of wool, that covers the top part of your body ▶ SAME MEANING: sweater, jumper jet /dzet/ noun 1 a narrow stream of gas, air, or liquid that comes out of a small hole: The fireman sent jets of water into the burning house. 2 a kind of aircraft that can go very fast: a jet engine jet-ty /'dzeti/ noun (plural jetties) a kind of wall built out into water, used for getting on and off boats Jew /dzu:/ noun a person who follows the religion of Judaism jew-el /'dzu:əl/ noun a stone that is worth a lot of money and worn as an ornament: She wore beautiful jewels round her neck. jew-el-lery /'dzu:əlrı/ noun (no plural) things such as rings etc. that people wear as ornaments jig-saw puzzle /'d3ıgsɔ: ,pʌzl/ noun a game in which you must fit together many small pieces to make one big picture jin-gle /'d3ıŋgl/ verb (present participle jingling, past jingled) to make a ringing noise, like little bells: The coins jingled in his pocket. job /d3ɒb/ noun 1 a piece of work that must be done: My mother does all the jobs about the house. 2 work that you are paid to do: "What is your job?" "I'm a teacher." ▶ LOOK AT: work 3 a good job a phrase used when you think it is lucky or a good thing that something has happened: It's a good job (=it's lucky) you were here to help me. jock-ey /'d3ɒki/ noun a person who rides in horse races jog¹ /d3ɒg/ verb (present participle jogging, past jogged) to run slowly, usually for exercise: She goes jogging every morning. jog² noun (no plural) a slow, steady run, which you do as exercise: Let's go for a jog. jog-ger /'d3ɒgə/ noun a person who goes running as a form of exercise join¹ /d3ɔɪn/ verb 1 to put or bring two or more things together: Tie a knot to join those two pieces of rope. This road joins the two villages. 2 to come together; meet: Where do the two roads join? 3 to go and be with someone usually so that you can do something together: Will you join me for a drink? (= will you have a drink with me?) I am joining my family for Christmas. 4 to become a member of something: He joined the army. 5 join hands to hold each other's hands: We all joined hands and danced round in a circle. 6 join in to take part in an activity, a game etc.: We all joined in the singing. We're going to play football; do you want to join in? join² noun a place where two things have been joined together: There's a join in this piece of material. joint¹ /dʒɔɪnt/ noun 1 a place where two bones in your body meet 2 a place where two things are joined together 3 a large piece of meat for cooking, usually with a bone in it joint² adjective (only before a noun) shared by two or more people: We wrote it together; it was a joint effort. His sons are joint owners of the business. We have a joint bank account. jointly /'dʒɔɪntlɪ/ adverb: We paid for the car jointly. 〈176〉 joke¹ /dzǝuk/ noun 1 something that you say or do to make people laugh: Our teacher told us a funny joke. Do you know any jokes? 2 play a joke on someone to do something funny to someone to make other people laugh: Let's play a joke on Michael. 3 practical joke a trick played on someone to make them look silly and to make other people laugh joke² verb (present participle joking, past joked) to say things to make people laugh: I didn't mean that seriously I was only joking. jol-ly¹ /'dzplı/ adjective (jollier, jolliest) happy; pleasant: a jolly person jolly² adverb very: You were jolly lucky! jolt¹ /dzǝult/ noun 1 a sudden shake or movement: The lorry started with a jolt. 2 a shock or surprise: The telephone rang in the middle of the night and gave me a bit of a jolt. jolt² verb to move with sudden rough shakes: The bus jolted along the mountain road. jot /dzot/ verb (present participle jotting, past jotted) jot something down to write something down quickly: I jotted down her address on my newspaper. journal /'d33:nl/ noun 1 a serious newspaper or magazine for a special subject: a medical journal 2 a record of the things you do each day jour-nal-is-m /'d33:nl-izam/ noun (no plural) the job of writing for a newspaper or magazine jour-nal-ist /'d33:nl-ist/ noun a person who writes for a newspaper or magazine journey /'d33:nı/ noun a trip, usually a long one: How long is the journey to the coast? joy /dzɔı/ noun 1 something that gives great happiness: Her child was a joy to her. 2 (no plural) great happiness: She was full of joy when her child was born. joyful /'dzoifll/ adjective full of great happiness: a joyful occasion joyfully adverb: Everyone was singing joyfully. Ju-da-is-m /'dzu:deı-izam/ noun (no plural) the religion of the Jews judge¹ /d3ad3/ noun 1 a person who can decide questions of law in a court: The judge decided to send the man to prison for two years. 2 a person who decides who is the winner of a competition judge² verb (present participle judging, past judged) 1 to form an opinion about something or someone, especially after you have thought carefully: How can you judge which dictionary to buy? 2 to decide who or what is the winner of a competition: Who is judging the poetry competition? COMPARE: decide judge-ment /'dzadzmənt/ noun 1 the decision made by a judge in a court of law 2 (no plural) what you decide after thinking about something carefully: I think John is lying, but you will have to make your own judgement. Ju-do /'dzu:dau/ noun (no plural) a fighting sport in which you try to throw the other person to the ground jug /dzag/ noun a container with a handle, for holding and pouring liquids: a jug of water jug-gle /'dz^gl/ verb (present participle juggling, past juggled) to throw several things into the air and keep them moving by throwing and catching them many times, as a trick jug-gler /'dzaglar/ noun a person who does juggling tricks for people to watch juice /dzu:s/ noun (no plural) the liquid that comes out of fruit or vegetables: a glass of orange juice juicy /'dzu:sı/ adjective (juicier, juiciest) having a lot of juice: a juicy orange 〈177〉 July /dzu:'lar/ noun the seventh month of the year jum-ble¹ /'dzambl/ noun (no plural) 1 a lot of things which are mixed together in an untidy way. 2 a lot of different, old things, usually which you do not want to keep any more jumble² verb (present participle jumbling, past jumbled) to mix things together in an untidy way: The clothes were all jurnbled up in the drawer. jum-ble sale /dzambl seil noun. an event where people sell a lot of different, old things usually to make money to help people jum-bo jet /dzambaudzet noun a large aircraft that can carry a lot of passengers jump /dzamp/ verb 1 to push yourself up in the air or over something: The children jumped up and down with excitement. The horse jumped over the fence. see picture on page 299 2 to move suddenly because of fear or surprise: That noise made me jump. 3 jump to your feet to get up quickly, especially to go and do something: She jumped to her feet when the post arrived. jump-er /'d3ampər/ noun a piece of clothing, usually made of wool, that covers the top part of your body SAME MEANING: sweater, jersey - see picture on page 65 junction /dzaŋksn/ noun a place where two or more things join or meet: Turn left at the junction of the two roads June /dzu:n/ noun the sixth month of the year jun-gle /'dzaŋgl/ noun a thick forest in hot countries ju-ni-or /'dzu:njə/ adjective 1 younger: a junior school (= a school for young children) 2 low in importance or position: a junior member of the company OPPOSITE (1 and 2): senior ju-ni-or school /'dzu:njə'sku:l/ noun a school for children who are between seven and eleven years old junk /dzaŋk/ noun (no plural) useless things that you do not want: That room is full of junk. COMPARE: rubbish jury /'dzuərı/ noun (plural juries) a group of people who decide if a person is guilty or not in a law court: The jury decided the man was guilty and he was sent to prison. just¹ /dzʌst/ adverb 1 a very short time ago: I've just got home. NOTE: British people usually use just (1), already and yet with the PRESENT PERFECT tense (= the tense formed with have + the PAST PARTICIPLE) and not with the simple past tense: He had just heard the news. I've already seen that film. Have you finished yet? 2 by a very short time: You just missed the bus. 3 at the moment; now: The telephone rang just as I was leaving. I'm just making some coffee, would you like some? 4 exactly at a particular time or place: I'm not hungry just yet (= right now). I live just here. 5 the exact amount; not more, not less: I've got just enough money to get home. 6 only: I rang just to say hello. 7 just a minute, just a moment a phrase used when you want to ask someone to wait a little bit until you can help them: "Can I speak to Mr. Jones?" "Just a minute, please. I'll find him for you." 8 just now at the moment: I'm busy just now but I can help you later. just² adjective fair and right: a just punishment justice /'dzastıs/ noun (no plural) 1 treatment of people which is fair and right: to fight for justice OPPOSITE: injustice 2 the system of law in a country 〈?〉 kan-ga-roo /kæŋgə'ru:/ noun an Australian animal that jumps along on its large back legs and keeps its young in a special pocket — see picture on page 300 keen /ki:n/ adjective eager to do something; having a strong interest and liking for something: He was keen to see the new film. Are you keen on swimming? keenly /ki:nlı/ adverb keep¹ /ki:p/ verb (past kept /kept/) 1 to continue to have something which you do not need to give to anyone: You can keep it as I don't need it any more. 2 to store something in a particular place so that you can find it easily: Where do you keep the tea? 3 to make someone or something stay in a place or state: Keep still while I take your photo! They made her stay in hospital for a week. 4 to stay fresh: Milk only keeps for a few days. 5 keep doing something to do something again and again: I kept making the same mistake. 6 keep a secret not to tell a secret 7 keep off to stay off or away from a place: Notices told us to keep off the grass. 8 keep someone up to make someone stay awake and out of bed: Your loud music is keeping me up. 9 keep up to move as fast as a person or thing so that you stay the same: I can't keep up with you when you walk so fast. keep² noun (no plural) the cost of someone's food, clothes, etc.: He earns his keep by working with his uncle. keep-er /'ki:pə/ noun the person who takes care of the animals in a zoo ken-nel /'kenl/ noun a small house for a dog to sleep in kept /kept/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb keep kerb /kə:b/ noun a line of raised stones separating the path at the side of a road from the road — see picture at pavement ketch-up /'ketʃʌp/ noun (no plural) a thick liquid made from TOMATOES, eaten with food to give a pleasant taste ket-tle /'ketl/ noun a metal pot with a lid and a handle and a long narrow mouth for pouring; it is used for boiling water: Let's put the kettle on and make tea. key /ki:/ noun 1 a shaped piece of metal used for locking and unlocking things: car keys, the keys for the cupboard 2 a button on a computer or TYPEWRITER that you press when you use it 3 one of the narrow black and white bars on some musical instruments that you press to make music: the keys of a piano 4 a set of answers to a test or exercise: See if your answers are right by looking in the key at the back of the book. key-hole /'ki:həʊl/ noun the part of a lock that a key fits into key ring /'ki: riŋ/ noun a ring on which you can keep keys kg a short way of writing the word kilogram kha-ki /'ka:kı/ adjective, noun (no plural) a yellow-brown colour; a strong cotton cloth of this colour kick¹ /kık/ verb 1 to hit someone or something with your foot: He kicked the ball over the fence. — see picture on page 299 2 to move your legs strongly: The baby kicked happily. 3 kick off to start a football match 4 kick someone out to force someone to leave a place 〈179〉 kick2 noun 1 a strong movement of your leg or foot: If the door won't open, give it a kick. 2 a feeling of pleasure or excitement: I get a kick out of driving fast. kid /kid/ noun 1 a child 2 a young goat kid-nap /'kidnæp/ verb (present participle kidnapping, past kidnapped) to take someone away and ask for money in return for bringing them back safely kid-nap-per /'kidnæpər/ noun a person who KIDNAPS someone kid-ney /'kidnı/ noun one of the two parts inside your body which remove waste liquid from your blood kill /kıl/ verb to make a plant, animal, or person die: Ten people were killed in the train crash. The cat killed the bird. COMPARE: murder killer /'kılər/ noun a person, animal, or thing that kills: The police are searching for the killer. ki-lo /'kizləʊ/ noun a short way of writing or saying kilogram: a kilo of sugar kil-o-gram, kil-o-gramme /'kıləgræm/ noun a measure of weight; 1,000 grams: 3 kilograms (3kg): kil-o-me-tre /'kıləmiːtər, kı'lɒmıtər/ noun a measure of length; 1,000 metres: 500 kilometres (500km) kin /kın/ noun (no plural) people in your family: The dead man's next of kin (= his closest relative) was told about his death. kind¹ /kaind/ noun a type or group which is different from other groups: She is the kind of woman who helps people. What kind of car has he got? SAME MEANING: type, sort NOTE: Remember that if you use the singular of kind¹ it must be followed by a singular noun, and the plural kinds must be followed by a plural noun, e.g. this kind of car, these kinds of cars kind² adjective helpful, caring and wanting to do things that make other people happy: She was kind to me when I was unhappy. It's very kind of you to help me. kindly /'kaindlı/ adverb: She spoke kindly to him. OPPOSITE: unkind, cruel kind-heart-ed / kaind 'ha:tid/ adjective caring and sympathetic: a kind-hearted person OPPOSITE: hard-hearted kind-ness /'kaindnıs/ noun (no plural) the quality of being kind: Thank you very much for your kindness. king /kın/ noun a male ruler of a country, especially one who comes from a family or rulers: the King of Spain COMPARE: queen king-dom /'kındəm/ noun a country ruled by a king or queen kip-per /'kıpər/ noun a dried fish kept in salt kiss¹ /kis/ verb to touch someone with your lips, as a sign of love or greeting: He kissed his wife goodbye. kiss² noun (plural kisses) a touch with your lips: He gave his daughter a kiss. kit /kıt/ noun 1 (no plural) all the things that you need for doing a particular sport: I've forgotten my football kit. 2 a set of small pieces from which to make something: We made a model plane out of a kit. kitchen /'kıt[in/ noun a room used for preparing and cooking food kite /kait/ noun a toy with a light frame covered with plastic or cloth which flies in the air on the end of a long string kit-ten /'kıtın/ noun a young cat kit-ty /'kıtı/ noun a child's word for a young cat km a short way of writing the word kilometre 〈180〉 knead /ni:d/ verb to make and press a mixture of flour and water with your hands so that it becomes ready to cook. knee /ni:/ noun 1 the joint in the middle of your leg where the leg bends - see picture on page 100 2 on your knee on the top part of your leg when you are sitting down: The baby sat on my knee. kneel /niil/ verb (past knelt /nelt/) to bend your legs and rest on your knees: She knelt down to pray. knew /nju:/ the PAST TENSE of the verb know. knickers /'nıkaz/ plural noun women's and girls' clothes for the lower part of the body, worn under skirts or trousers, not covering the legs. ▶COMPARE: pants - see picture on page 65 knife /naif/ noun (plural knives /naivz/) a blade with a handle, used for cutting things or as a weapon — see picture at cutlery knight /nait/ noun 1 a man who is given a title by the Queen of England, and whose name then has "Sir" in front of it 2 a noble soldier of the Middle Ages trained to fight on his horse knit /nit/ verb (present participle knitting, past knitted or knit) to make clothes by joining wool or another thread with long needles or on a special machine: She's knitting some clothes for her baby. ▶COMPARE: sew knit-ting /'nıtın/ noun (no plural) the activity of making things by knitting; a piece of knitted work knit-ting needle /'nıtın, ni:dl/ noun a long thin stick that you use for knitting knob /nob/ noun 1 a round handle on a door or a drawer 2 a round control button on a machine knock¹ /nok/ verb 1 to make a noise by hitting something several times: I knocked on the door. 2 to hit something hard so that it moves or falls: He knocked the glass off the table. 3 knock something down to destroy or remove a building: They knocked down the houses to build a shopping centre. 4 knock someone down to hit someone with a car, bus, etc, so that they fall to the ground: She was knocked down by a bus. 5 knock someone out to make someone go to sleep or become unconscious: Those sleeping pills really knocked me out. knock² noun the sound made by hitting something; a knock on the door knot¹ /not/ noun 1 a fastening made by tying two ends of string or rope together: She tied her belt with a knot. 2 a measure of the speed of a ship, about 1,853 metres per hour knot² verb (present participle knotting, past knotted) to tie something with a knot know /nau/ verb (past tense knew /nju:/, past participle known /naun/) 1 to have something in your mind which you are sure is true: Do you know where they went? They don't know your address. 2 to have learnt and be able to use a language or skill: Do you know French? She knows how to cook. 3 to have learnt about something from studying or experience: I don't know anything about history. NOTE: Compare know, learn and teach. If you know something you already have the facts or information about it: She knows a lot about computers. If you learn something you discover facts about something, or discover how to do something, either on your own or with a teacher. 〈181〉 knowledge /'nplidz/ noun (no plural) understanding or meaning that you have in your mind: His knowledge of languages is excellent. knowledge-a-ble /'nplıdzəbl/ adjective having a lot of information or understanding about something: She's very knowledgeable about that subject. known /naun/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb know knuckle /'nakl/ noun one of the joints in your fingers: Our fingers bend at the knuckles. ko-a-la /kau'ala/ noun an Australian animal like a small bear Koran /kɔ:'ra:n/ noun the holy book of the MUSLIMS lab /læb/ noun a LABORATORY label¹ /'leibl/ noun a piece of paper fixed to something which gives you information about it: Put a label on the box-then we'll know what's inside. label² verb (present participle labelling, past labelled) to put or fix a label on something: The parcel wasn't labelled so it got lost. la-bor-a-tory /lə'borətrı/ noun (plural laboratories) (also lab) a room or building in which scientific work is done labour¹ /'leibə/ noun (no plural) 1 hard work that you do with your hands: Her beautiful home was the result of many years of labour. 2 the workers in a country or factory: We don't have enough labour to finish the job. labour² verb to work hard: We laboured all day to finish the job. la-bour-er /'leibərə/ noun a person who does hard work with their hands: a farm labourer. COMPARE: worker lace¹ /leis/ noun 1 a piece of string for fastening a shoe: I need some new laces for my shoes. 2 (no plural) ornamental cloth with holes in it, made from fine thread: My dress has lots of pretty lace around the neck and sleeves. 〈182〉 lace lace² verb (present participle lacing, past laced) lace something up to tie something with a lace: Lace your shoes up. lack¹ /læk/ verb to have none or too little of something: He lacked the strength to lift the box. lack² noun (no plural) not having something or not having enough of it: The plants died through lack of water. lad /læd/ noun a boy: He moved here when he was a young lad. lad-der /'lædər/ noun two long pieces of wood or metal joined together by shorter pieces that form steps for climbing: I need a ladder to reach the roof. la·den /'lerdn/ adjective carrying something, especially a large amount: The lorry was laden with boxes of fruit. la-dies /'lerdız/ 1 the plural of lady. 2 the Ladies the women's TOILET: She's gone to the Ladies. COMPARE: Gents la-dle /'leıdı/ noun a big, deep spoon with a long handle, used for serving soup la-dy /'leıdı/ noun (plural ladies) 1 a polite word for a woman: the lady in the shop, a lady doctor 2 a title given to certain women who have done important things in British public life: Lady Thatcher 3 a noble woman or the wife of a lord 4 Ladies and Gentlemen a way to start a formal talk to a group of people la-ger /'lɑ:gǝr/ noun 1 (no plural) a kind of light beer 2 a glass or bottle of light beer: Two lagers, please. laid /leid/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb lay LOOK AT: lay lain /leın/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb lie LOOK AT: lay lake /leık/ noun a big pool of water with land all round it COMPARE: pond - see picture on page 200 lamb /læm/ noun a young sheep lame /leım/ adjective (lamer, lamest) not able to walk easily, usually because of a hurt leg or foot: My horse is lame - I can't ride her. lamp /læmp/ noun a small light which you have on a table, etc.: a bedside lamp see also picture on page 165 lamp-post /'læmp-pǝust/ noun a tall post in the street with a light at the top lamp-shade /'læmpferd/ noun a cover put over a lamp to soften its light or make it look nice land¹ /lænd/ noun 1 (no plural) ground that people own: The big farmers own most of the land. 2 (no plural) ground for farming: excellent land for wheat. 3 (no plural) the dry part of the Earth not covered by the sea: They reached land after six weeks at sea. - see picture on page 200 4 a country: foreign lands land² verb to arrive somewhere after a journey by plane: We landed at Rome at six in the evening. OPPosITE: take off land-ing /'lændin/ noun 1 the space at the top of a set of stairs in a building: The bedroom opens onto the landing. 2 the action of a plane coming down from the air onto the ground: The plane made a safe landing. land-lady /'lændleıdı/ noun (plural landladies) 〈183〉 land-lord /'lændlo:d/ noun a man who owns a building which he lets other people use or live in, in return for money land-scape /'lænd,skeip/ noun (no plural) the way an area of land looks: The trees and the mountains made the landscape very beautiful. lane /lein/ noun a narrow road: We walked down the lane past the farm. lan-guage /'længwidz/ noun the words that people use in speaking and writing: People in different countries speak different languages. the English language lan-tern /'læntan/ noun a lamp in a glass case, often with a handle for carrying it lap¹ /læp/ noun 1 the flat surface formed by the upper parts of your legs when you are sitting down: Her little girl sat on her lap. 2 the distance once around the track in a race; a six lap race lap² verb (present participle lapping, past lapped) to drink liquid with the tongue, like a dog: The cat lapped its milk. lar-der /'la:də'/ noun a cupboard or small room in which food is kept large /la:dz/ adjective (larger, largest) big: They need a large house because they have nine children. OPPOSITE: small laser /'leiza'/ noun an apparatus with a very strong, very narrow beam of light used in some machines or in medical operations: a laser printer lash /læ/ noun (plural lashes) one of the hairs that grow round your eye last¹ /la:st/ adjective 1 coming after all others: The last girl who came in was Mary. Who came in last? ▷ OPPOSITE: first 2 happening just before this time; the time before now: I saw my friend last week, but I haven't seen him this week. I haven't seen his sister since last July (= July of last year). When did you last read an exciting book? 3 at last in the end, when you are getting tired of waiting: The bus came at last. last² verb 1 to continue to happen for a period of time: Our holiday lasted ten days. 2 to stay in good condition or unchanged: Good shoes last longer. She was very angry yesterday, but it didn't last - she was happy again today. 3 to be enough for a certain time: Two loaves of bread will last us for two days. lastly /'la:stli/ adverb a word you use when you are making several points and you come to the last one: Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who has worked to make the new school such a success. ▷ OPPOSITE: firstly latch /læ/ noun (plural latches) a fastening for a door, gate, or window late /leit/ adjective, adverb (later, latest) 1 after the usual or agreed time: I was late for school because I got up late. 2 near the end (of a day, year, etc.): It's very late - I should be in bed. He began the work in late May. ▷ OPPOSITE(1 and 2): early late-ly /'leitli/ adverb in the recent past: Have you seen him lately? ▷ SAME MEANING: recently later /'leita'/ adverb 1 after some time: I can't do it now, but I'll do it later. 2 later on after some time: I can't do it now but I'll do it later on. latest /'leitist/ adjective most recent: Have you heard the latest news? Please arrive by 9 o'clock at the latest (= and no later). Lat-in /'lætin/ noun (no plural) the language of the ancient Romans: A few children still study Latin at school. lat-i-tude /'lætitju:d/ noun (no plural) a position on the earth shown on maps by 〈184〉 lat-ter lines (lines of latitude) that go from east to west COMPARE: longitude lat-ter /'lætə/ noun the latter the second of two people or things which have just been mentioned: Britain has agreements with both Germany and Italy, but its agreement with the latter (= Italy) has been more successful. OPPOSITE: the former laugh¹ /la:f/ verb 1 to make a sound that shows you are pleased, happy, or think something is funny: It was so funny we couldn't stop laughing. 2 laugh at someone or something to treat a person or thing as very foolish, or make jokes about them: They'll laugh at you if you wear that awful coat. laugh² noun the sound you make when you find something funny: We had a good laugh at his mistake. laugh-ter /'lo:ftə/ noun (no plural) the act or sound of laughing launch¹ /lo:nts/ noun (plural launches) a small boat driven by an engine launch² verb to put a ship into the water or to send a spaceship into space laun-der-ette /lə:nda'ret/ noun a shop where you pay to wash your clothes and sheets in a machine laun-dry /'lo:ndri/ noun 1 (plural laundries) a place where clothes and sheets are washed 2 (no plural) clothes and sheets that need washing or have just been washed la-va /la:və/ noun (no plural) very hot liquid rock that comes out of the top of a mountain lav-a-tory /'lævətri/ noun (plural lavatories) 1 a container joined to a waste pipe, used for taking away body waste 2 a room with this in it: Where is the ladies lavatory please? SAME MEANING (1 and 2): toilet, loo law /lo:/ noun 1 a rule made by the government that all people must obey: a law against driving too fast in towns 2 the law the whole system of laws in a country 3 against the law not allowed by the law: Driving without a seat belt is against the law. law-ful /lo:fl/ adjective allowed by the law SAME MEANING: legal lawn /lo:n/ noun an area of short grass outside a house or in a park lawn mow-er /'lo:n 'məʊə/ noun a machine for cutting the grass in a garden or park law-yer /'lo:jə/ noun a person who advises people about the law, and speaks for them in court lay¹ /leɪ/ verb (past laid /leɪd/) 1 to put something down: She laid her coat over a chair. 2 lay the table to arrange knives, forks, plates, and other things on a table ready for a meal 3 to make eggs and send them out of the body: The hen laid three eggs. NOTE: Do not confuse the verb lay (PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE laid) with the verb lie (past tense lay, PAST PARTICIPLE lain). Lay' means "to put something down" and is ALWAYS used with an object: She laid the clothes on the bed. Lie means "to have your body flat on something" and is NEVER used with an object: She lay on her bed. There is another verb lie (PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE lied) which means "to say something which is not true" and is also used without an object. lay² the PAST TENSE of the verb lie lay-er /'leɪə/ noun a covering that is spread on top of something or in between two things: This cake has got a layer of chocolate in the middle. la-zy /'leɪzɪ/ adjective (lazier, laziest) not wanting to work: He won't work; he's just too lazy. 〈185〉 Ib (plural lbs) a short way of writing the word pound or pounds (weight): 1lb flour, 3lbs potatoes lead¹ /lizd/ verb (past led /led/) 1 to show someone the way, usually by going in front: You lead and we'll follow. She led us to the town centre. 2 to go to a place: This path leads to the church. 3 to be the chief person doing a thing; to be first or at the front, especially in a race or competition: He's going to lead the climb up Mount Everest. The English team was leading at half time. 4 lead a ... life to experience a particular kind of life: She led a very lonely life. lead² fli:d/ noun 1 a position in front of the others: The Spanish runner how has a lead of 50m. 2 be in the lead to be winning in a game or competition 3 a piece of rope, leather, etc., for holding an animal: Please keep your dog on a lead. lead³ fled/ noun 1 (no plural) a heavy soft grey metal: as heavy as lead, old lead pipes, a lead roof 2 the part inside a pencil that you write with leader/'lizdər/ noun a person who leads other people: the team leader, leaders of the world's richest nations leadership /'li:dəfip/ noun (no plural) 1 the position of leader: the leadership of the Labour Party 2 the qualities necessary in a leader. lead-ing /'li:dım adjective most important: the world's leading sports people SAME MEANING: top leaf /li:f/ noun (plural leaves (li:vz/) one of the green flat parts of a plant or tree that grow out of branches or stems: Some plants have leaves that grow straight.out of the ground. see picture at rose leaf-let/lirflit/ noun a piece of paper with an advertisement or a notice printed on it league /lizg/ noun 1 a group of people or teams that play against each other in a competition: the Football League 2 a group of people or countries who have joined together to work for a special aim leak¹ /li:k/ noun a hole or crack through which gas or liquid may pass in or out: There's a leak in the roof - the rain's coming in. leak² verb (used about gas or liquid) to escape through a hole or crack: The roof leaks and the rain's coming in. leak-y /'lizki/adjective (leakier, leakiest) having a leak: The roof is leaky and the rain comes.in. lean' fli:n/ verb (past leaned or leant /lent/) 1 to bend forwards, sideways, or backwards: Don't lean out of the window because you might fall out. 2 to put something against another thing to support it: She leant her bicycle against the wall. 3 to rest your body against something to support it - see picture on page 299 lean² adjective not containing very much fat: lean meat, lean cattle leant flent/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb lean leap¹ /li:p/ verb (past leaped or leapt /lept/) 1 to jump very high or a long way: The dog leapt over the fence. 2 to increase suddenly: Prices have leapt up recently. leap² noun 1 a sudden jump which goes very high or a long way: With a great leap she crossed the stream. 2 a sudden large increase: a leap in oil prices. leap year / lisp jiǝr noun a year, once every four years, in which February has 29 days instead of 28 days: The years 1984 and 1988 were leap years. learn 13:n/ verb (past learned or learnt /ls:nt/) 1. to get knowledge of something or the ability to do something: Have you learnt to swim? I am learning English 2 to fix something in the memory: She 〈186〉 learn-er /'l3:nǝr/ noun a person who is learning: She's a slow learner. a learner driver learnt /l3:nt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb learn least /li:st/ 1 the smallest amount or number: Do it the way that takes the least time (= is the quickest). the least expensive one (= the cheapest one). They arrived when I least expected them (= when I did not expect them at all). Buy the one that costs the least. 2 less than all the others: Of all your friends, I like him the least. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): most 3 at least not less than and probably more than a certain amount: He's going away for at least a week (= a week or longer). 4 least of all especially not 5 not in the least not at all: I'm not in the least interested in what she says. leather /'leðǝ/ noun (no plural) the skin of dead animals used for making things such as shoes and bags: a leather belt leave¹ /li:v/ verb (present participle leaving, past left /left/) 1 to go away from a place or person: The train leaves in five minutes. She left Australia for Britain. He left his wife. 2 to let a thing stay in a place: When I went to school I left my books at home. LOOK AT: forget 3 to let things stay as they are: Leave the dishes, I'll wash them later. 4 to give something to someone after your death: My aunt left me her house. 5 leave someone or something alone not to touch, move, worry, or annoy a person or thing: Leave the dog alone. Leave those cakes alone or there won't be enough for tea. 6 leave off to stop: I wish the rain would leave off. 7 leave someone or something out to fail to include a person or thing: I left out a really important idea. They left me out of the team leave² noun (no plural) a period of time away from work: The soldiers had six weeks' leave. leaves /li:vz/ the plural of the word leaf lecture /'lektfǝr/ noun a talk given to teach a large number of people: The students have lectures every day. lec-tur-er /'lektfǝrǝ/ noun a person who teaches at a university or college or who gives talks to teach a large number of people: a chemistry lecturer led /led/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb lead ledge /ledz/ noun 1 a narrow shelf, such as the one at the bottom of a window 2 a narrow flat piece on the side of a rock or cliff leek /li:k/ noun a long green and white vegetable that tastes like onion left¹ /left/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb leave left² noun (no plural) the opposite side to the hand that most people write with: The school is on the left of the road and his house is on the right. OPPOSITE: right left³ adjective, adverb on or towards the left: Turn left at the corner. OPPOSITE: right left-hand-ed / left 'hændıd/ adjective using your left hand more than your right hand OPPOSITE: right-handed left luggage office / left 'lAgidz, 'ofis/ noun a place at a station or airport where you can leave your case for a period of time left-o-ver /'leftauvǝr/ adjective remaining after you have used what you need: leftover food leg /leg/ noun 1 one of the two parts of your body that you use for walking: Men have two legs and dogs have four legs. see picture on page 100 〈187〉 le-gal /'li:gl/ adjective allowed by the law: Drinking alcohol is legal in Britain. legally /'li:gl-li/ adverb: They are not legally married. OPPOSITE: illegal le-gend /'ledzənd/ noun 1 a story about people who lived in the past, which may not be true. 2 a very famous person: Elvis Presley was a legend in his lifetime. le-gi-ble /'ledzəbl/ adjective clear enough to read: legible writing OPPOSITE: illegible lei-sure /'lezǝ/ noun (no plural) the time when you are not at work and can do things that you enjoy: What do you do in your leisure time? lei-sure centre /'lezǝ sentǝr/ noun a place where people can go and do a large number of different sports lem-on /'lemən/ noun a yellow fruit with a sour taste which grows on trees in hot places - see picture at fruit lem-on-ade /,lemǝ'neid/ noun (no plural) a sweet drink made from lemons lem-on juice /'lemən ,dʒu:s/ noun (no plural) the liquid from lemons lend /lend/ verb (past lent/lent/) to let someone use or have something for a time, after which they must give it back: Can you lend me that book for a few days? LOOK AT: borrow length /leŋθ/ noun (no plural) the distance from one end of something to the other; how long something is: Mary's dress is not the right length - it's too short. length-en /'leŋθən/ verb to make something longer: to lengthen a dress OPPOSITE: shorten length-y /'leŋθi/ adjective (lengthier, lengthiest) too long: a lengthy speech lens /lenz/ noun (plural lenses) one of the shaped pieces of glass used to bend light in an instrument for seeing things clearly, like a pair of glasses, a camera, or a microscope lent /lent/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb lend len-til /'lentl/ noun an orange, green, or brown round seed that can be cooked and eaten leopard /'lepǝd/ noun a big cat with a spotted coat which lives in Africa and Asia less /les/ adverb 1 smaller; not so much: I don't want all that bread, can you give me less? Can we have less noise, please? There's a less expensive seat towards the back, This one is less expensive. 2 less and less continuing to become smaller in amount: He's very lazy, he does less and less work every day. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): more less-en /'lesn/ verb 1 to make something less: The medicine will lessen the pain. 2 to become less: The pain lessened. les-son /'lesn/ noun something you must learn; a time when you learn things in school: We have four history lessons a week. let /let/ verb (present participle letting, past let) 1 to allow: My mother wouldn't let me go to the film. They won't let people in without a ticket. 2 to allow someone to use a house or some land in return for money: They let their house to another family when they went away. 3 Let's a word used when you ask someone to do something with you Let's go down to the river and swim. 4 let go to stop holding something Hold the ladder for me and don't let go. 5 let someone know to tell someone about something: Let me know what time you'll be arriving. 〈188〉 let someone down to cause someone to be disappointed when you do not do what you should do: You've let us down by not working for your exam. let-ter /'letǝ/ noun 1 one of the signs we use to write words: A, B, C, and D are the first four letters in the alphabet. 2 a written message sent to someone by post: to post a letter LOOK AT: yours let-ter box /'letǝ boks/ noun (plural letter boxes) 1 a box in the street or post office in which letters are put to be sent SAME MEANING: postbox 2 a hole or box in the front of a building into which letters are delivered let-tuce /'letus/ noun a vegetable with large soft green leaves which are eaten without cooking see picture at vegetable level¹ /'levl/ adjective 1 flat; without higher or lower places: We need a level piece of ground to play football on. 2 equal: I was level with my friend in the examination - we got the same number of marks. level² noun a place or position of a particular height: The house was built on two levels. level³ verb (present participle levelling, past levelled) to make something flat: They levelled the piece of ground so that we could play football on it. level cross-ing /levl krosin/ noun a place where a railway crosses a road and traffic has to wait for trains to pass le-ver¹ /'livǝ/ noun 1 a long bar for lifting or moving heavy things 2 a handle on a machine which you push or pull to work the machine lever² verb to move something with a lever: I levered the lid off the box with a stick. li-a-ble /'larǝbl/ adjective likely: He's liable to get angry if people keep him waiting. li-ar /'laiǝ/ noun someone who tells lies lib-er-ty /'lıbǝtı/ noun (no plural) the state in which you are free and do not have to do what other people order: They fought for their liberty. li-brar-i-an /lai'breəriən/ noun a person who works in a library li-bra-ry /'laibrarı/ noun (plural libraries) a collection of books that people can borrow or a room or building in which they are kept: There's a very good library in the next town. lice /lais/ the plural of louse li-cence /'laisǝns/ noun a piece of paper showing that the law allows you to do something, like drive a car: The policeman asked to see my driving licence. li-cense /'laisǝns/ verb (past participle licensing, past licensed) to give someone a licence: a licensed restaurant, a hall licensed for music lick /lik/ verb to touch something with your tongue: She licked the stamps and stuck them on the letter. lid /lid/ noun a cover for a box, pan, or other container, which can be taken off SAME MEANING: top lie¹ /lai/ verb (present participle lying, past tense lay /lei/, past participle lain /lein/) to have your body flat on something or to get into this position: He was lying in the shade of the tree. She lay down on her bed. LOOK AT: lay lie² verb (present participle lying, past lied) to say things that are not true: She lied to him about her age. LOOK AT: lay lie³ noun (plural lies) something said which is not true: Why did he tell her a lie? lieu-ten-ant /lef'tenǝnt/ noun an officer of low rank in the army or the navy life /laif/ noun 1 (no plural) the ability that we have to grow 〈189〉 life-boat /'laifbəut/ noun a boat used for saving people who are in danger at sea life jack-et /'larf ,dzækit/ noun a special piece of clothing that you wear round your chest to make you float in water life-style /'laifstail/ noun the way in which you live, including the conditions you live in, the things you own, and the things you do: a healthy lifestyle, a fashionable lifestyle life-time /'laiftaim/ noun the time for which someone is alive: In my father's lifetime there have been many changes in the village. lift¹ /lift/ verb to pick something up: Can you lift the other end of the table? "Lift me up so I can see over the fence," said the little girl. - see picture on page 299 lift² noun 1 a machine that carries people or things between the floors of a tall building 2 a free ride in a vehicle: He drives to the station so he sometimes gives me a lift. lift-off /'lift ɔf/ noun the moment when a space vehicle rises up into the air at the beginning of its journey light¹ /lait/ noun 1 (no plural) the force from the sun that allows our eyes to see: There's more light near the window. 2 a thing that gives out light: Turn off the lights when you go to bed. light² adjective 1 not dark in colour; pale: a light blue sky OPPOSITE: dark 2 easy to lift; not heavy: The basket is very light - I can easily pick it up... 3 not great in amount: The traffic was very light this evening. OPPOSITE (2 and 3): heavy light³ verb (past lit /lit/ or lighted) to make a thing like a lamp, fire, or cigarette burn or give out light: Will you light the fire for me? light bulb /'lait bʌlb/ noun the glass part of an electric lamp that gives out light light-en /'laitn/ verb to make something light or lighter in weight or colour light-er /'laitər/ noun an instrument for lighting a cigarette light-house /'laitthaus/ noun (plural lighthouses /-hauziz/) a tall building with a powerful flashing light that guides ships or warns them of dangerous rocks light-ing /'laitin/ noun (no plural) the system that gives light to a place: We need more lighting in this office. light-ning /'laitniŋ/ noun (no plural) a bright flash of light in the sky, followed by thunder, that happens during a storm like¹ /laik/ verb (present participle liking, past liked) to find someone or something pleasant: I like bananas. Do you like dancing? I've never liked her brother. I didn't like the film very much. like² preposition 1 in the same way as: I wish I could sing like her. 2 with the same qualities as: Mary's dress is red, like mine. like-a-ble /'laikəbl/ adjective (used about a person) friendly and easy to like like-ly /'laikli/ adjective 1 expected: The train is likely to be late. 2 suitable: She is the most likely girl to win the prize. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): unlikely 〈190〉 like-ness /'larknts/ noun (plural like-nesses) a way in which two people look the same: There is a likeness between the two brothers. like-wise /'larkwaiz/ adverb in the same way; the same; also: We respect his wishes and we hope you will do likewise. lik-ing /'laıkın/ noun a fondness for something: a liking for fast cars. lil-y /'lili/ noun (plural lilies) a plant with beautiful flowers limb /lım/ noun an arm or leg lime /laım/ noun 1 (no plural) a white substance that farmers use to improve the soil 2 a green fruit with a sour taste from a tree of the orange family which grows in hot places lim-it /'lımıt/ noun the point or place which is as far as you can go or are allowed to go; the edge of an area of ground; a greatest amount or furthest distance: There is a limit to the amount of money I can afford. The fence shows the limit of the field. a 30-mile an hour speed limit in towns limit² verb to stop a thing from going past a point or level: The government limits the amount of money you can take out of the country. a limited knowledge of science (= not very great) limp¹ /lımp/ adjective not firm or stiff: When flowers are dying, their stems become limp. limp² verb to walk badly because one leg or foot has been hurt: He limped off the football field. limp³ noun a way of walking that you have when one leg is hurt: to walk with a limp line¹ /lain/ noun 1 a long very narrow mark: Write on the lines of the paper. 2 a group of people or things one after the other or beside each other; a row; a line of people outside the cinema 3 a long piece of string or rope: Can you fetch the clothes off the washing line? line² verb (present participle lining, past lined) 1 to stand in a line: People lined the streets to see the famous man go past. Line up please, children! 2 to cover the inside, sides, or edges of something: The box was lined with soft paper to protect the things inside. lin-en /'lının/ noun (no plural) 1 a kind of cloth 2 things like sheets and coverings for tables: the linen department of a big store lin-ing /'lainin/ noun the cloth covering the inside of a piece of clothing: The lining of my coat is torn. link¹ /link/ noun 1 something which connects two other things: There's a new rail link between the two towns. 2 one ring of a chain link² verb to join two things or places together: The two towns are linked by a railway. li-on /'latən/ noun a dangerous wild animal like a big cat, which lives in Africa - see picture on page 300 li-on-ess /'laranes/ noun (plural lionesses) a female lion lip /lıp/ noun one of the edges of your mouth: He kissed her on the lips. lip-stick /'lıpstık/ noun (no plural) red or pink colour that women sometimes put on their lips: a new lipstick, Does she use lipstick? liq-uid¹ /'lıkwıd/ noun a thing like water or milk that can be poured liquid² adjective in the form of a liquid: liquid oxygen list¹ /list/ noun a lot of names or things you must do written down one under another: I must make a list of things to pack. a shopping list. list² verb to write or say things as a list: I listed the things I wanted to buy 〈191〉 lis·ten /'lısn/ verb to try to hear something; to take notice of what someone is saying: Listen. What's that noise? Are you listening to what I'm saying? NOTE: Remember to use to after listen: Listen to me! We were listening to the radio. lit /lit/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb light lit·e·ra·ture /'lıtrətşə/ noun (no plural) good books and writing, including plays and poetry: She's studying French literature at University. We're doing Shakespeare in English Literature. li·tre /'li:tə/ noun a measure of liquid: The bottle holds a litre of beer. A litre is equal to about 134 pints. lit·ter /'lıtə/ noun (no plural) waste paper and other things lying on the ground: There was litter everywhere on the streets of the town. COMPARE: rubbish lit·ter bin /'lita bin/ noun a large container in a public place for people to put their waste paper in lit·tle¹ /'lıtl/ adjective small: It's only a little house. The mother was carrying her little girl. ►OPPOSITE: big little² (less /les/, least /li:st/) 1 a very small amount which is sometimes not enough: You eat very little that's why you're so thin. I have too little time to finish this work. I go there very little (= not often). 2 a little some, but not much: There isn't much milk, but we only need a little for one cup of tea. Put a little salt on the meat. I feel a little better. live¹ /liv/ verb (present participle living, past lived) 1 to have life; not to be dead 2 to have your home in a place: I live in a town. 3 live on something to keep alive by eating something or by earning some money: Cows live on grass. I can live on very little money. live² /laıv/ adjective 1 not dead: a live animal 2 (used about music) not recorded; performed by musicians who are present: live music tonight, a live performance live·ly /'laivli/ adjective (livelier, liveliest) full of life: a lively person, a lively conversation liv·er /'livə/ noun a large part inside your body which cleans your blood lives /laıvz/ the plural of life liv·ing¹ /'livin/ adjective alive: She has no living relatives. ►OPPOSITE: dead living² noun 1 (no plural) the way in which you earn money: "What does he do for a living?" "He's a builder." 2 the living people who are alive ►OPPOSITE: the dead liv·ing room /'livin ru:m/ noun the main room in a house in which people sit and do things together liz·ard /'lizəd/ noun an animal that has four short legs and a skin like a snake 'll /il/ verb 1 will: She'll do it tomorrow. 2 shall: We'll see you soon. load¹ /loud/ noun things that are carried, especially by a train, lorry, or ship: The lorry was carrying a load of bananas. load² verb 1 to put things onto a lorry, ship, or other vehicle: We loaded the lorry with bananas. 2 to put bullets in a gun so that they can be fired out of it ►OPPOSITE: unload loaf /louf/ noun (plural loaves /louvz/) a large piece of bread that can be cut into smaller pieces loan¹ /loun/ noun a thing, especially money, lent to another person: I asked the bank for a loan. loan² verb to lend someone something, especially money 〈192〉 loathe /lɔʊð/ verb (present participle loathing, past loathed) to hate: I loathe washing dishes. loaves /lauvz/ the plural of loaf lob-ster /'lɒbstər/ noun a sea animal that people eat, with a shell, a tail, and ten legs local /'ləʊkl/ adjective in the area near a place; near where you live: My children go to the local school. lock¹ /lɒk/ noun an instrument for fastening things like doors, gates, or drawers, that can only be opened or closed with the right key lock² verb 1 to close a lock with a key: Did you remember to lock the door? My father accidentally locked me out of the house (= he locked the door so that I could not get back into the house) 2 lock up to make a building safe by closing all the doors with keys: Don't forget to lock up when you go out. ▷ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): unlock lock-er /'lɒkər/ noun a small cupboard, often with a lock, for keeping things in: At the station there were lockers where people could leave suitcases. lo-cust /'ləʊkʌst/ noun an insect that travels in large groups in hot countries, eating all the plants lodge /lɒdʒ/ verb (present participle lodging, past lodged) to pay to live in a room in someone else's house lodg-er /'lɒdʒər/ noun someone who pays to live in a room in someone else's house lodg-ings /'lɒdʒɪŋz/ plural noun a room in someone else's house which you pay to live in loft /lɒft/ noun a room or space at the top of a house inside the roof, used for storing things ▷ COMPARE: attic log /lɒg/ noun a large piece of wood from a tree: Put another log on the fire. lone-ly /'ləʊnli/ adjective (lonelier, loneliest) unhappy because you are alone: He was lonely without his wife. long¹ /lɒŋ/ adjective measuring a great distance or time from one end to the other: Julie has got long hair. I take a long time to walk to school because it's a long way. How long does it take you to walk home? ▷ OPPOSITE: short - see picture on page 66 long² adverb 1 for a long time: He said he'd waited so long that he couldn't stay any longer. 2 at a distant time: He died long ago. Not long (= a short time) after that, he got married. 3 as long as, so long as on condition that: You can go out as long as you promise to be back before 9. long³ verb to want something very much: I longed for a bicycle. She longed to go home. long-dis-tance /ˌlɒŋ 'dɪstəns/ adjective between places that are a long way from each other: a long-distance telephone call long-ing /'lɒŋɪŋ/ noun a strong feeling of wanting something lon-gi-tude /'lɒndʒɪtjuːd/ noun (no plural) a position on the earth shown on maps by lines (lines of longitude) that go from north to south ▷ COMPARE: latitude look¹ /lʊk/ verb 1 turn your eyes towards something so that you can see it: She looked at me angrily. He was sitting looking out of the window. ▷ LOOK AT: watch 2 to seem to be: That dog looks dangerous. 3 Look! a word you use when you want someone to notice something: Look! I don't want to argue with you, but I think you've made a mistake. 4 look as if, look like to seem probable: It looks as if we're going to miss the plane. 5 What does ... look like? a question people use when they are asking someone to describe the appearance of someone or something: "What does your sister look like?" "She's tall and she's got dark hair." 6 look after someone or something to 〈193〉 look² /luk/ noun 1 an act of looking at something: Have a look at this book. 2 the way something appears: I don't like the look of the weather (= I think it is bad). 3 the expression on someone's face: an angry look 4 looks (plural noun) the way a person appears: Good looks (= beauty) are not as important as kindness. loom /lu:m/ noun a machine for weaving cloth loop /lu:p/ noun a ring made by something like rope or string crossing itself: She put a loop of rope around the cow's neck. loose /lu:s/ adjective (looser, loosest) 1 not fitting tightly: loose trousers 2 not firmly fixed: The screw's loose. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): tight 3 free from control: The dog's loose. loos-en /'lu:sn/ verb to make something looser: My belt is too tight — I shall have to loosen it. OPPOSITE: tighten lord /lɔ:d/ noun 1 a title for a noble man, used before his name 2 the Lord God or Jesus Christ lor-ry /'lɔri/ noun (plural lorries) a large vehicle for carrying heavy goods on the road SAME MEANING: truck — see picture on page 266 lose /lu:z/ verb (present participle losing, past lost /lost/) 1 not to have something any more and not know where it is: I can't find my watch — I must have lost it. OPPOSITE: find 2 not to do well; not to win: Our team lost the football match. OPPOSITE: win 3 lose your temper to become angry 4 lose your way to go in the wrong direction and not know where you are when you are making a journey. los-er /'lu:zər/ noun someone who loses loss /lɔs/ noun (plural losses) 1 the act of losing something, or something that you have lost: His death was a great loss to us. the loss of her sight 2 income which is less than what you have spent: The company made a big loss this year. lost¹ /lɔst/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb lose lost² adjective not knowing where you are: He went for a walk and got lost. lost prop-er-ty /lɔst 'prɔpəti/ noun (no plural) things that people have lost: We went to the lost property office at the station. lot /lɔt/ noun or lots plural noun a large amount or number: There was a lot of mud on the ground. I picked lots of flowers. LOOK AT: much lo-tion /'ləʊʃən/ noun a liquid for putting on your skin or on wounds: Put this lotion on your insect bites to stop them hurting. lot-te-ry /'lɔtəri/ noun (plural lotteries) a competition in which you can win a prize if you have a ticket with the right number lo-tus /'ləʊtəs/ noun (plural lotuses) a water plant of Asia with white or pink flowers and round leaves on tall stems loud /laʊd/ adjective making a lot of noise: The radio's rather loud - can you turn it down? loud music, a loud voice loudly /'laʊdli/ adverb: There's no need to talk so loudly! OPPOSITE: quiet loud-speak-er /laʊd'spi:kər/ noun something that makes your voice sound louder: The police called to him through a loudspeaker. take care of someone or something: She looked after my dog while I was on holiday. look for someone or something to try to find someone or something: I'm looking for my key. look forward to something to feel happy because you are going to do something that you will enjoy: We're looking forward to the party. I'm looking forward to meeting you. look something up to find a piece of information in a book: Did you look up that word in the dictionary? 〈194〉 lounge /laundz/ noun a room in a house or hotel with comfortable chairs. louse /laus/ noun (plural lice /lais/) a small insect that lives on the skin and in the hair of people and animals. lou-sy /'lauzı/ adjective (lousier, lousiest) bad: What a lousy day I've had! lov-a-ble /'lʌvəbl/ adjective so nice as to be loved very much: a lovable child. love¹ /lv/ verb (present participle loving, past loved) 1 to have a very strong warm feeling for someone: Mothers and fathers love their children. 2 to like something very much: Maria loves reading. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): hate love² noun (no plural) 1 a strong warm feeling of liking someone or something very much: her love for her husband, the love of money OPPOSITE: hatred 2 Love a word used at the end of a letter to someone you love or someone in your close family 3 fall in love to begin to love someone of the opposite sex: He fell in love with a dancer. love af-fair /'lʌv ə, feǝr/ noun an experience of love, and often sexual love, between two people who are not married to each other. love-ly /'lʌvli/ adjective (lovelier, loveliest) very much liked; very beautiful: a lovely cool drink. lov-er /'lʌvǝ/ noun 1 a person who you have sex with outside marriage 2 a person who enjoys something: an art lover lov-ing /'lʌvıŋ/ adjective showing that you love someone: He gave her a loving kiss. lovingly /'lʌvıŋli/ adverb: He kissed her lovingly. low /lau/ adjective 1 near the ground; not high: a low fence, low prices. 2 not loud; not high in sound: a low voice OPPOSITE (1 and 2): high low-er /'lauǝ/ verb to make a thing nearer the ground or less high or loud: They lowered the load to the ground. Can you lower your voice, please? OPPOSITE: raise low tide /lau taid/ noun the time when the sea is very low and far from the shore OPPOSITE: high tide loy-al /'lɔıəl/ adjective faithful: a loyal supporter of the local football club, loyal to your country OPPOSITE: disloyal loy-al-ty /'lɔıəltı/ noun (no plural) faithfulness: his loyalty to his friends LP /el 'pi:/ noun a record which plays for about 20 minutes on each side Ltd a short way of writing the word limited. Ltd written after a name tells you that it is a business company: F. Jones and Company Ltd luck /lʌk/ noun (no plural) the good and bad things that happen to you by chance: It was good luck that I met you here — I did not expect to see you. luck-y /'lʌkı/ adjective (luckier, luckiest) having or bringing good luck: It was lucky that I met you here. Some people think that black cats are lucky (= bring good luck). luckily /'lʌkılı/ adverb: Luckily, we had our camera with us. OPPOSITE: unlucky lug-gage /'lʌgıdz/ noun (no plural) the bags, containers, and other things you take with you when you travel luke-warm /lu:k'wɔ:m/ adjective not very warm but not cold: lukewarm water lump /lʌmp/ noun 1 a hard piece of something, without a special shape: a lump of rock 2 a swelling on a person's body: I've got a lump on my head where I hit it against the door. lump-y /'lʌmpı/ adjective (lumpier, lumpiest) full of lumps, usually when you do not want them: a lumpy bed lu-na-tic /'lu:nətık/ noun a mad person: She must be a lunatic to drive her car so fast. 〈195〉 lunch /lʌntʃ/ noun (plural lunches) the meal that you eat in the middle of the day lunch hour /'lʌntʃ,aʊə/ noun the break for lunch between the morning's and the afternoon's work: I do my shopping in my lunch hour. lunch-time /'lʌntʃtaɪm/ noun (no plural) the time at which you have lunch lung /lʌŋ/ noun one of the two parts inside your chest with which you breathe lurk /lɜːk/ verb to wait in hiding, especially for some bad purpose: There's someone lurking behind that bush. lux-u-ri-ous /lʌɡ'ʒʊəriəs/ adjective very comfortable and expensive lux-u-ry /'lʌkʃəri/ noun 1 (no plural) great comfort: They live in luxury in a very big house. a luxury hotel 2 (plural luxuries) something that you do not really need, but that is very pleasant: Foreign holidays are a real luxury. ly-ing /'laɪ-ɪŋ/ the PRESENT PARTICIPLE of the verb lie lyrics /'lɪrɪks/ plural noun the words of a popular song m a short way of writing the word metre or metres: 14m 'm /m/ verb I am: I'm hungry. mac /mæk/ noun A MACKINTOSH ma-chine /mə'ʃiːn/ noun an instrument made up of many parts, used to do certain work: a sewing machine ma-chine-gun /mə'ʃiːn ɡʌn/ noun a gun that fires bullets very quickly one after another ma-chin-e-ry /mə'ʃiːnəri/ noun (no plural) the parts of a machine or a number of machines together mack-in-tosh /'mækɪntɒʃ/ noun (plural mackintoshes) (also mac) a light coat which keeps out the rain mad /mæd/ adjective (madder, maddest) 1 ill in the mind: He behaves very strangely – I think he's mad. 2 very foolish: You're mad to drive your car so fast. 3 very angry: She was mad with him for being late. 4 mad about liking someone or something very much: He's mad about football. 5 drive someone mad to annoy someone very much: That noise is driving me mad 6 go mad to become ill in the mind: He's gone quite mad in his old age. 7 like mad very hard or fast: If you run like mad, you might catch the train. mad-am /'mædəm/ noun a polite way of speaking or writing to a woman whom you do not know: I began my letter "Dear Madam". made /meɪd/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb make mad-ly /'mædli/ adverb 1 in a wild way: She rushed madly from room to room. 〈196〉 mag-a-zine /mæga'zi:n/ noun a book with paper covers; containing stories, articles, and pictures, which you buy weekly or monthly COMPARE: comic magic¹ /'mædzık/ noun (no plural) 1 a special power that makes strange or wonderful things happen: He turned the thread into gold by magic. 2 clever or strange tricks done to amuse people magic² adjective using the special power that makes strange things happen: a magic trick. ma-gic-al /'mædzıkl/ adjective strange and exciting: It was a magical evening. magically /'mædzıklı/ adverb ma-gi-cian /mə'dzıfn/ noun a person who can do clever or strange tricks to amuse people mag-net /'mægnit/ noun a piece of iron that draws other pieces of iron towards it: The magnet picked up the pins. mag-net-ic /mæg-'netik/ adjective having the power of a magnet mag-nif-i-cent /mæg'nifisnt/ adjective very good or beautiful: What a magnificent building! magnificently /mæg'nifisntli/ adverb mag-ni-fy /'mægnifal/ verb (present participle magnifying, past magnified) to make things look larger than they really are mag-ni-fying glass /'mægnifai-in glæs/ noun a curved piece of glass with a handle, which makes things appear larger than they really are maid /meid/ noun a woman servant maid-en name /meidn, neim/ noun the family name of a woman before she marries and takes her husband's name mail /meil/ noun (no plural) the letters and parcels that you send by post ► SAME MEANING: post main /mein/ adjective most important: the main road into town main-ly /'meinli/ adverb mostly: That hospital is mainly for older people. main-tain /mein'tein/ verb 1 to give someone money to help them live: He has worked hard to maintain his family. 2 to keep something in good condition: The car has always been properly maintained. main-te-nance /'meintənəns/ noun (no plural) keeping something in good condition: He took a course to learn about car maintenance. maize /meiz/ noun (no plural) (also corn) a tall plant which produces SWEETCORN, a vegetable which can be eaten ma-jes-tic /mə'dzestık/ adjective very fine and important-looking: a majestic figure majestically /mə'dzestıklı/ adverb ma-jes-ty /'mædzesti/ noun (plural majesties) a word used when you are talking to or about a king or queen: Her majesty will arrive at 10 o'clock. ma-jor¹ /'meidzər/ adjective most important: a major city ► OPPOSITE: minor major² noun an officer in the army ma-jor-i-ty /mə'dzprətı/ noun (no plural) the largest part or most things or people in a group: The majority of children in our class have brown eyes; only two have blue eyes. ► OPPOSITE: minority 〈197〉 make /meɪk/ verb (present participle making, past made /meɪd/) 1 to do something: We need to make a decision. I'll make some coffee. 2 to produce or build something: He made a model plane out of wood. 3 to earn: I don't make enough money to have expensive holidays. 4 to force someone to do something, or cause something to happen: I don't like milk, but she made me drink it. That dress makes you look very pretty. 5 to have something as a result or total: Two and two make four. 6 make a bed to tidy a bed by straightening the sheet and covers 7 make it to arrive in time: Even if we hurry we won't make it. 8 What time do you make it? What time does your watch say? 9 make for someone or something to move towards someone or something: He made for the door. 10 make something out to see, hear, or understand something with difficulty: I could just make out the shape of the house in the darkness. 11 make sure to be certain: Make sure you lock the door. 12 make something up to think of and tell other people about a story that is not true: He made up that story about being a policeman. 13 make up your mind to decide something: I've made up my mind to go to Spain this summer. make-up /'meɪk ʌp/ noun (no plural) special coloured powder and creams that women sometimes put on their faces to make themselves look pretty ma·lar·i·a /mə'leəriə/ noun (no plural) an illness in which the person has very high fevers, caused by being bitten by a kind of mosquito male¹ /meɪl/ adjective belonging to the sex that does not give birth to young: The male bird is brightly-coloured. male² noun a person or animal that does not give birth to young, such as a man or boy mam·mal /'mæml/ noun an animal that is fed on its mother's milk when it is young, for example a cow, a lion or a human baby man /mæn/ noun 1 (plural men /men/) a fully grown human male 2 (plural men) a person; a human being: Men have lived here for thousands of years. 3 (no plural) all humans: Man uses animals in many ways. man·age /'mænɪdʒ/ verb (present participle managing, past managed) 1 to succeed in doing something: He managed to avoid an accident. 2 to control or be in charge of a business or activity: The horse was difficult to manage. He managed the supermarket when the owner was away. man·age·ment /'mænɪdʒmənt/ noun 1 the people who control a business: We're meeting the management tomorrow. 2 the control of something such as a business or money man·ag·er /'mænɪdʒər/ noun a person who controls a business, shop, or restaurant or a group of workers man·ag·er·ess /,mænɪdʒə'res/ noun (plural manageresses) a woman who controls a shop or restaurant mane /meɪn/ noun the long hair on the necks of some animals man·go /'mæŋɡəʊ/ noun (plural mangoes) a sweet juicy yellow or green fruit with one large seed from a tree that grows in hot countries man·kind /mæn'kaɪnd/ noun (no plural) all human beings man-made /ˌmæn ˈmeɪd/ adjective made by people, not grown or produced by or in the earth: a man-made material man·ner /'mænər/ noun 1 the way in which something is done or happens: Why are you talking in such a strange manner? 〈198〉 man-sion /'mænsn/ noun a large house man-ners (plural noun) the way you behave and speak: It's bad manners to eat like that. man-tel-piece /'mæntlpi:s/ noun a shelf above a fireplace man-u-al /'mænjual/ adjective done with your hands, not by machine: manual work man-u-ally /'mænjuali/ adverb man-u-fac-ture¹ /,mænju'fæktfal/ verb (present participle manufacturing, past manufactured) to make things in large numbers in a factory, usually by machinery man-u-fac-ture² noun (no plural) the making of things in large numbers in a factory: the manufacture of cars man-y /'meni/ (more /mo:/, most /maust/) 1 a lot; a large number of: Not many of the children can read... 2 How many a phrase used in questions asking about the number of people or things there are: How many people were there? map /mæp/ noun a flat drawing of a town, a country, or an area: Have you got a map of Scotland? mar-ble /'ma:bl/ noun 1 (no plural) a hard stone that can be made smooth and shiny and is used in making buildings 2 a small glass or stone ball used in a game: to play marbles March /ma:tf/ noun the third month of the year march¹ verb 1 to walk with regular steps like a soldier 2 to make someone walk quickly: The policeman marched him into the police station. march² noun (plural marches) the distance of a walk: They had a long march ahead of them. mar-ga-rine /,ma:dzǝ'ri:n/ noun (no plural) a soft food like butter made from animal or vegetable fats mar-gin /'ma:dzin/ noun the space at each edge of a page without writing or printing mark¹ /ma:k/ noun 1 a spot or cut that spoils the appearance of something: You have a dirty mark on your face. 2 a spot on the surface of something: Our dog has a white mark on its ear. 3 a figure or letter given by a teacher to say how good someone's work is: The teacher gave me a good mark for my story. mark² verb 1 to put words or signs on something to give information about it: The door was marked "private". 2 to say whether a piece of work is right or wrong or to show how good it is: The teacher marked our examination papers. 3 to put a spot or line on something which spoils it: She marked her white dress when she sat on the grass. mar-ket /'ma:kit/ noun 1 a place, often outside, where many people come to buy and sell goods 2 be on the market to be for sale: Their house has been on the market for 6 months. mar-ma-lade /'ma:maleid/ noun (no plural) a kind of orange JAM that British people eat at breakfast mar-riage /'mæridz/ noun 1 the occasion when a man and woman become husband and wife in a lawful ceremony: The marriage took place in church. SAME MEANING: wedding 2 the relationship between a husband and wife: They have had a long and happy marriage. mar-ried /'mærid/ adjective 1 having a husband or wife: a married man 2 get married to become husband and wife in a lawful ceremony: They've just got married. mar-ry /'mæri/ verb (past married) 1 to take someone as a husband or wife: I am going to marry John. 2 to join two people as husband and wife: They were married by a priest. marsh /ma:f/ noun (plural marshes) an area of low, wet, soft ground 〈199〉 grocer newsagent butcher postman baker chemist mechanic greengrocer hairdresser shops and jobs HAIRDRESSER'S Nensagent's BUTCHERS Post Office newsagent Special Offers! BAKERY 〈?〉 space earth orbit moon sun eclipse earth stars ocean lake equator planet moon South Pole astronaut North Pole land sea satellite 〈201〉 mar-vel-lous /'ma:vələs/ adjective wonderful: a marvellous film SAME MEANING: great, fantastic mas-cu-line /'mæskjulin/ adjective like a man or typical of a man OPPOSITE: feminine mash /mæf/ verb to crush food to make it soft: Mash the potatoes with a fork. mask /ma:sk/ noun a covering over all or part of someone's face: We all wore masks at the party and no one knew who we were. mass /mæs/ noun (plural masses) a large quantity of something with no special shape: Before the rain, the sky was a mass of clouds. mas-sa-cre¹ /'mæsəkər/ verb (present participle massacring /'mæsəkrin/, past massacred) to kill a large number of people in a violent and cruel way massacre² noun the cruel killing of many people mas-sive /'mæsiv/ adjective very large: a massive rise in the cost of living SAME MEANING: huge, enormous mast /ma:st/ noun 1 a tall length of wood or metal that supports the sails on a ship 2 a metal post that sends out radio or television signals mas-ter¹ /'ma:sta'/ noun 1 a man in control of people or animals: The dog obeyed his master. 2 a male teacher 3 a man of great skill or ability: The painting is the work of a master. COMPARE: mistress 4 a word used in front of a boy's name: The letter was addressed to "Master Peter Jones". master² verb to learn how to do something well: It takes years to master a new language. mat /mæt/ noun a small piece of rough, strong material matter used as a floor covering COMPARE: carpet, rug match¹ /mæt/ verb 1 to be like something else in size, shape, colour, etc.: These shoes do not match my dress. match² noun (plural matches) 1 a small stick of wood that produces a flame when you rub the end against a rough surface: a box of matches 2 a game between two people or two teams: a football match mate¹ /mert/ noun 1 a friend or a person you work with: He's a mate of mine. 2 one of a male and female pair of animals or birds mate² verb (present participle mating, past mated) (used about animals) to join together to have young: Birds mate in the spring. ma-te-ri-al /mə'tıəriəl/ noun 1 anything from which something can be made: Building materials are expensive. 2 (no plural) cloth: blue cotton material SAME MEANING: fabric math-e-mat-i-cal /mæθə'mætikl/ adjective concerning the study of numbers, shapes, etc. math-e-mat-ics /mæθə'mætiks/ plural noun (used with a singular verb) (also maths) the study or science of numbers, shapes, etc. maths /mæts/ plural noun (used with a singular verb) mathematics mat-i-nee /'mætiner/ noun an afternoon showing of a play or film ma-tron /'mertrən/ noun 1 a woman who looks after the health of the children in a school: Go and see matron if you feel ill. 2 a chief nurse in a hospital mat-ter¹ /'mætə/ noun 1 (no plural) the substance of which things are made and which we can see and touch 2 an important event or fact that people must talk about or think about: I have an important matter to talk to you about.. 〈202〉 matter 3 as a matter of fact in fact: As a matter of fact I'm only thirty-five, so don't say I'm old. 4 no matter it is not important: We'll finish the job no matter how long it takes. 5 What's the matter? What is wrong?: What's the matter with the radio? What's the matter, are you ill? matter² /'mætis/ verb to be important: It doesn't matter if I miss this bus, I can walk. mat-tress /'mætris/ noun (plural mattresses) a large flat bag full of soft material or springs which fits onto a bed and which we sleep on mature¹ /mə'tjuǝ/ adjective sensible and behaving like a grown-up person: She's a very mature girl. OPPOSITE: immature mature² verb (present participle maturing, past matured) 1 to become fully grown 2 (used about certain foods and drinks) to become ready to drink or eat: After six years the wine will have matured. maximum¹ /'mæksımam/ noun the largest possible amount, number, or size: I can swim a maximum of 1 mile. OPPOSITE: minimum maximum² adjective biggest, largest: What's the maximum distance you can swim? OPPOSITE: minimum May /mei/ noun the fifth month of the year may verb 1 used to show that something is possible but is not sure to happen: He may come tonight, or he may wait until tomorrow. 2 to be allowed to do something: Please may we go home now? 3 used to show that you hope that something will happen: May the best team win! may be /'meibi/ adverb perhaps; possibly: "Are you coming to the party?" "Maybe, I don't know yet." me /mi:/ the person who is speaking: She handed the book to me. Can you see me? meal /mi:l/ noun the food we eat at one time, usually three times a day: I always enjoy my evening meal. mean¹ /mi:n/ adjective 1 wanting to keep everything for yourself, especially money: He's so mean he didn't even get his son a birthday present. OPPOSITE: generous 2 unkind: Don't be mean to your little sister. mean² verb (past meant /ment/) 1 to represent something: What does this mean in English? The red light means stop. 2 to plan or want to do something: I meant to give you this book today, but I forgot. 3 mean everything to someone, mean a lot to someone to be very important to someone: His work means a lot to him. meaning /'mi:nin/ noun 1 the information that is given or represented by someone or something: If you don't understand a word, look up its meaning in this book. 2 What is the meaning of this? Why have you done this? means /mi:nz/ plural noun 1 the money that someone has and can use: He wants to go to college, but his family haven't the means to help him. 2 by all means certainly: "May I borrow your paper?" "By all means.." 3 by means of by using something: He climbed the tree by means of a ladder. 4 by no means not at all: It is by no means certain that they will come. meant /ment/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb mean mean time /'mi:ntaim/ noun (no plural) in the meantime in the time between two things happening or while something is happening: I'll phone for a taxi and in the meantime you pack your case. mean while /'mi:nwail/ adverb in the time before something happens or while something else is happening: They'll arrive in a few minutes — meanwhile, we'll have a cup of tea. measure /'mezǝ¹/ noun an amount of, or way or measuring 〈203〉 measure² /mezə/ verb (present participle measuring, past measured) to find out the size, weight, or amount of something: He measured the width of the room. measurement /'mezəmənt/ noun a number showing how long, tall, wide, etc. something is meat /mi:t/ noun (no plural) the parts of an animal's body used as food: There's not much meat on that bone. me-chan-ic /mi'kænik/ noun a person who has trained to make or repair machines – see picture on page 199 me-chan-i-cal /mi'kænikl/ adjective of a machine; done or made by machine mechanically /mi'kæntkli/ adverb med-al /'medi/ noun a piece of metal, usually round or shaped like a cross, given to honour someone who has done something special med-i-cal /'medikl/ adjective concerning medicine and the job of treating people who are ill: He is a medical student. medi-cine /'medsin/ noun 1 (no plural) the study of treating and understanding illnesses: A person who wants to become a doctor has to study medicine. 2 something that you drink or eat when you are ill, to help you to get better medium /mixdiǝm/ adjective not big or small; of middle size or amount: She is of medium height. meet /mi:t/ verb (past met /met/) 1 to be in the same place at the same time as someone else: I met my teacher in the street today. Let us meet at your house tonight. 2 to get to know someone: I would like you to meet my father. meeting /'mi:tin/ noun a gathering of people to discuss something: Many people came to the meeting in the hall. mel-o-dy /'melǝdi/ noun (plural melodies) a song or tune mel-on /'melǝn/ noun a large juicy fruit with a thick green or yellow skin melt /melt/ verb to make or become a liquid by heating: The ice is melting in the sun. member /'membǝr/ noun a person who belongs to a group, club, or organization: a member of the football team Member of Parliament /'membǝr ǝv 'pa:ləmənt/ noun (plural Members of Parliament) a person who has been elected to speak in Parliament for a particular area of the country mem-ber-ship /'membǝsip/ noun (no plural) the fact of belonging to a group, or the people who belong to a group: Membership costs £20 a year. memory /'memri/ noun (plural memories) 1 the ability to remember things: She has a good memory for faces. 2 a thought about the past; something that you can remember from the past: I have happy memories of my school. men /men/ the plural of man men-ace /'menis/ noun a person or thing that causes danger to people: That man's a menace when he's driving. mend /mend/ verb to repair or fix something that is broken or damaged: Can you mend the hole in my shirt, Mum? men-tal /'mentl/ adjective 1 done with your mind: This will need a lot of mental effort. 2 concerning illness of the mind: a mental hospital mentally /'mentl-i/ adverb men-tion /'men[n/ verb to speak or write about something in a few words with no details: On the telephone he mentioned that he had been ill. men-u /'menju:/ noun 1 a list of food that you can choose to eat in a restaurant 〈204〉 merchant 2 a list of different choices shown on a computer mer-chant /'m3:tfant/ noun a person who buys and sells goods, often buying them in one country and selling them in another mer-ci-ful /'m3:s1fl/ adjective willing to be kind to someone instead of punishing them mer-ci-less /'m3:silis/ adjective cruel; without any kindness mercilessly /'m3:sılısli/ adverb mer-cy /'m3:s1/ noun (no plural) kindness shown to other people by a person with power: The soldier showed mercy to his prisoner and set him free. mere /mıǝ/ adjective only; not more than: She can't do that sort of work she's a mere child. mere-ly /'mıǝlı/ adverb only: Don't get angry with me, I was merely making a suggestion. mer-it¹ /'merit/ noun (no plural) greatness; goodness merit² verb to deserve something: His work merits a prize. mer-maid /'m3:meid/ noun a creature in children's stories with a girl's body and a fish's tail. mer-ri-ly /'merılı/ adverb in a happy, cheerful way: laughing merrily merry /'meri/ adjective (merrier, merriest) happy; full of laughter: Have a merry Christmas! mer-ry-go-round /'meri gau raund/ noun a big machine that children can ride on for pleasure while it turns round and round mess¹ /mes/ noun 1 many things mixed up together in a dirty, untidy way: Your room is in a mess. Please tidy it. 2 a set of conditions or events full of problems and trouble: My life's a mess. mess² verb 1 mess something up to make something dirty or untidy; to make something go wrong: I've just cleaned the floor, and you've messed it up again by dropping bits of paper everywhere! 2 mess about, mess around to play instead of working; to be silly: Stop messing about finish your work. mes-sage /'mesidz/ noun a piece of information that one person sends to another: There's a message for you. mes-sen-ger /'mesındzǝ/ noun a person who brings a message mess-y /'mest/ adjective (messier, messiest) 1 untidy or dirty: What a messy room! 2 unpleasant and causing you to get dirty: That's a messy job! met /met/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb meet met-al¹ /'metl/ noun a substance such as iron, tin, gold, etc. metal² adjective made of iron, tin, gold, etc.: a metal box me-tal-lic /mə'tælık/ adjective made of metal or like metal: metallic colours me-ter /'mi:tǝ/ noun a machine used for measuring the amount of something used: an electricity meter meth-od /'mebad/ noun a way of doing something: new methods of teaching languages me-tre /'mi:tǝ/ noun a measure of length equal to 100 CENTIMETRES: 3 metres (3m) met-ric /'metrik/ adjective concerning the system of measuring using metres, grams, and litres mi-aow /mi'aʊ/ verb to make the sound that a cat makes mice /mais/ the plural of the word mouse mi-cro-com-put-er /'maikrəukəm-pju:tǝ/ noun a small computer that you can use at home or at school mi-cro-phone /'maikrəfəʊn/ noun an instrument for making sounds louder or recording them 〈205〉 mi-cro-scope /'maıkraskaup/ noun an instrument that helps you to see very small things by making them look much bigger: She looked at the insect under a microscope. mid-day /mid'der/ noun (no plural) the middle of the day; 12 o'clock: She arrived just before midday. SAME MEANING: noon mid-dle¹ /'midl/ noun the centre of something: Please stand in the middle of the room. I woke in the middle of the night. middle² adjective in the centre: There are three shops there - the baker's is the middle one. middle-aged / midl 'eIdzd/ adjective (used about people) between about 40 and 60 years old mid-night /'midnait/ noun (no plural) 12 o'clock at night might¹ /matt/ verb 1 the PAST TENSE of the verb may: I asked if I might borrow the book. 2 used to show that something is possible, but not certain: I might come and see you tomorrow. 3 a very polite way of asking for something: Might I borrow your pen? might² noun (no plural) strength; power: He tried with all his might to open the door but it stayed shut. mighty /'matti/ adjective (mightier, mightiest) strong and powerful: He gave it a mighty push and it opened. mi-grate /mai'greIt/ verb (present participle migrating, past migrated) 1 to move in large numbers from one place to another: People migrate to find work. COMPARE: emigrate 2 (used about birds and fish) to travel at the same time every year from one part of the world to another mi-gra-tion /mai'greifn/ noun moving to another place: Many people study the migration of birds. mild /maild/ adjective 1 (used about people) gentle: He's got a very mild manner. 2 (used about the weather) not hot and not cold: It's mild today. 3 (used about food) not strong in taste: I find Indian food too hot. But you'll like this; it's very mild. OPPOSITE: hot mile /mail/ noun a measure of length equal to 1,760 yards or 1.6 kilometres mil-i-ta-ry /'militri/ adjective of soldiers: a military hospital milk¹ /milk/ noun (no plural) the white liquid that comes from female animals as food for their young: We drink cow's milk. milk² verb to get milk from an animal: The farmer's going to milk the cows. milk-man /'milkmæn/ noun (plural milkmen /-mæn/) (in Britain) a person who takes milk to people's houses mill /mil/ noun 1 a place where corn is made into flour 2 a place where things are made by machinery: Cotton is made in a cotton mill. mil-li-me-tre /'milimirtǝr/ noun a measure of length: 1/1000 of a metre; 60 millimetres (60 mm) million /'miljən/ noun 1 (plural million) the number 1,000,000 2 millions a very large number: "How many people were there?" "Millions". mil-lion-aire /miljə'nɛǝr/ noun a person who is very very rich mime¹ /maim/ verb (present participle miming, past mimed) to use actions instead of speech to show stories and feelings mime² noun (no plural) the using of actions instead of speech to show stories and feelings: He's really good at mime. mim-ic¹ /'mimik/ verb (present participle mimicking, past mimicked) 〈206〉 mimic to copy someone's speech or actions in order to make people laugh: He mimicked the teacher's voice. mimic² noun a person who is good at copying someone else's speech or actions, especially to make other people laugh mince¹ /mins/ verb (present participle mincing, past minced) to cut meat up into very small pieces mince² noun (no plural) meat that has been cut into very small pieces: We had mince for dinner. mind¹ /maind/ noun 1 your thoughts; your way of thinking or feeling: Her mind is full of dreams about becoming famous. 2 change your mind to decide to do something different: I was going to leave tomorrow but I've changed my mind. 3 make up your mind to decide: I can't make up my mind which film to go and see. 4 out of your mind mad 5 take your mind off something to make you stop thinking about something: I need a holiday to take my mind off all my problems. mind² verb 1 to look after a child: Will you mind the children while I go out? 2 to be annoyed about something: Do you mind if I smoke? 3 to take notice of something that is in your way or could cause you to fall: Mind the step! Don't fall over it. 4 do you mind ..., would you mind... a polite way of asking someone to do something: Would you mind moving your bag, please? 5 Mind out! Watch out! Be careful!: Mind out there's a car coming. 6 I don't mind I would be happy with either thing: "Would you like orange juice on apple juice?" "I don't mind." 7 never mind it doesn't matter: "I've just broken a glass. "Never mind they weren't expensive." mine¹ /main/ something that belongs to the person speaking: That bicycle is mine - I bought it yesterday. mine² noun 1 a deep hole in the ground from which people dig out coal, iron, gold, etc. 2 a kind of bomb that is put just under the ground or in the sea and explodes when it is touched mine³ verb (present participle mining, past mined) 1 to dig something out of the ground: They were mining for silver. 2 to put bombs in the ground or the sea miner /'maina/ noun a person who works under the ground digging out coal, iron, gold, etc. min-e-ral /'minrəl/ noun a substance like iron, coal, or oil that has formed under the ground min-e-ral wa-ter /'minrəl , 'wɔːtə/ noun (no plural) a type of water that comes from under the ground that is sometimes put in bottles and sold to people as a drink min-ia-ture /'mınıtſər/ adjective very small: a miniature railway min-i-mum¹ /'mınıməm/ noun the smallest possible amount, number, or size: You must get a minimum of 40 questions right to pass the examination. OPPOSITE: maximum minimum² adjective smallest in amount that is possible or needed: The minimum pass mark in the examination is 40 out of 100. OPPOSITE: maximum min-is-ter /'mınıstə/ noun 1 an important person in the government 2 a Christian priest min-is-try /'mınıstri/ noun (plural ministries) a part of the government: the Ministry of Education mi-nor /'mainǝ/ adjective smaller; not very important: a minor illness OPPOSITE: major mi-nor-i-ty /mə'nɒrəti/ noun (no plural) the smaller part or number of something: Only a minority of the children were noisy, the majority were quiet. OPPOSITE: majority 〈207〉 mint /mınt/ noun 1 a type of sweet 2 (no plural) a plant with a strong fresh smell and taste used in drinks and food mi-nus /'mainəs/ preposition less: 10 minus 2 is 8 (10 – 2 = 8). COMPARE: plus min-ute¹ /'mınıt/ noun 1 a measure of time, of which there are 60 in an hour: The train arrived at four minutes past eight. 2 in a minute very soon: I'll be ready in a minute. 3 Just a minute. Wait for a moment, please: Just a minute — I'll get some money. 4 this minute straight away; now: Come here this minute. mi-nute² /maı'nju:t/ adjective very small: minute writing SAME MEANING: tiny mir-a-cle /'mırəkl/ noun a wonderful happening that people believe is caused by God mir-a-cu-lous /mı'rækjuləs/ adjective surprising and wonderful: a miraculous cure for an illness miraculously /mı'rækjələsli/ adverb: Miraculously, no one was killed in the accident. mir-ror /'mırər/ noun a flat piece of glass with a shiny back in which you can see yourself: She looked at herself in the mirror. mis-be-have /ˌmısbı'heıv/ verb (present participle misbehaving, past misbehaved) to behave badly: The teacher was angry because the children were misbehaving. mis-chief /'mıst∫ıf/ noun (no plural) be up to mischief, get into mischief to do things which you enjoy but which other people think are bad or silly: Those boys have been up to mischief again; they've put water all over the floor. mis-chie-vous /'mıst∫ıvəs/ adjective enjoying doing things which other people think bad or silly: mischievous children mis-e-ra-ble /'mızərəbl/ adjective 1 very unhappy: I'm feeling miserable; I'm tired, cold, and very hungry. 2 making people unhappy: What miserable weather! mis-e-ry /'mızəri/ noun (no plural) great unhappiness: the misery of the people who had lost their homes in the fire mis-for-tune /mıs'fo:rt∫ən/ noun bad luck; something bad that happens to you: He had the misfortune to lose his job. Miss /mıs/ noun (plural Misses) the title of a girl or unmarried woman: Have you seen Miss Johnson? COMPARE: Mrs, Ms miss /mıs/ verb 1 not to hit or catch something: He threw the ball to me, but I missed it and it landed on the ground. He shot at me but missed. 2 to not go to something: I'll have to miss the meeting tomorrow. 3 to arrive too late to catch a bus, train, etc.: Hurry or we'll miss the train. 4 to feel sad when someone is not there: We shall all miss you when you go away. 5 miss something out to not include something: You've missed out your telephone number. mis-sile /'mısail/ noun something that is thrown or fired to harm or damage something else: Bottles and other missiles were thrown at the police. miss-ing /'mısıŋ/ adjective not in the correct place and not able to be found: A book is missing from my desk. mis-sion-a-ry /'mı∫ənəri/ noun (plural missionaries) a person who goes to another country to teach others about his or her religion mist /mıst/ noun thin cloud near the ground: We couldn't see through the mist. COMPARE: fog mis-take¹ /mı'steık/ noun 1 something which is not correct: You have made a mistake here; this 3 should be 5. 2 by mistake doing something wrong which you did not plan to do: I took your pen by mistake. mistake² verb (present participle mistaking, past tense mistook /mı'stʊk/, past participle mistaken /mı'steıkən/) 1 be mistaken to think that something is correct when it is not: I was mistaken when 〈208〉 mistress /'mistris/ noun (plural mistresses) 1 I told you she was a teacher. She's a doctor. 2 mistake someone for someone else to wrongly think that someone is someone else: I am sorry; I mistook you for someone I know. a woman teacher COMPARE: master mist-y /'mıstı/ adjective (mistier, mistiest) having a lot of thin cloud near the ground: a misty morning COMPARE: foggy mix /miks/ verb 1 to put different things together to make something new; join together: Mix the butter and flour together. Oil and water don't mix. 2 mix someone up with to think that a person is someone else: It's easy to mix him up with his brother. 3 mix things up to put things together so that there is no order: Someone has mixed up my papers. mix-ture /'mikstfǝr/ noun a number of different things or people put together: This tea is a mixture of two different types. mm noun the short way of writing the word MILLIMETRE OF MILLIMETRES: 60 mm moan¹ /maun/ verb to make a low sound of pain: The child lay moaning gently. moan² noun a low sound of pain mo-bile phone /'maubail 'fǝun/ noun a telephone that you can carry with you wherever you go. mock /mok/ verb to laugh unkindly at someone: You shouldn't mock the way he walks. mod-el¹ /'modl/ noun 1 a small copy of something: a model of an aeroplane 2 a person who wears new clothes at special shows so that people will see them and want to buy them model² verb (present participle modelling, past modelled) 1 to make a shape of something with a soft substance such as clay 2 to wear new clothes at special shows so that people will see them and want to buy them model³ adjective a very small copy of something: a model car mod-e-rate /'modrat/ adjective neither high nor low, fast or slow, large nor small: a moderate speed; a moderate amount moderately /'modrǝtı/ adverb: The car was going moderately fast. mod-ern /'modn/ adjective new; and in the style that is popular now: modern clothes/modern music OPPOSITE: old-fashioned mod-est /'modist/ adjective not talking too much about the things that you do well: She is very modest about the prizes she has won. mod-est-y /'mpdisti/ noun (no plural) the quality of not talking too much about the things that you do well moist /moist/ adjective a little wet; not dry: His eyes were moist with tears. mois-ture /'moistfǝr/ noun (no plural) small drops of water: The sun dries the moisture on the ground. mole /maul/ noun 1 a small animal that lives in holes under the ground 2 a small round dark spot on someone's skin mol-e-cule /'molıkju:l/ noun the smallest part into which a substance can be broken up without changing its form mole-hill /'maul hil/ noun a small heap of earth thrown up by a mole when it is digging mo-ment /'məʊmənt/ noun 1 a very short time 2 at any moment at any time now or very soon: He might come back at any moment. 〈209〉 mon-arch /'monək/ noun a king or queen. mon-ar-chy /'monaki/ noun (plural monarchies) a country that is ruled by a king or queen mon-as-ter-y /'monastri/ noun (plural monasteries) a place where religious men (MONKS) live Mon-day /'mandei, -di/ noun the second day of the week mon-ey /'manı/ noun (no plural) 1 coins and paper banknotes: I haven't got much money. 2 make money to get or earn money: He makes a lot of money selling clothes. monk /maŋk/ noun one of a group of men who live together and have given their lives to a religion ▶COMPARE: nun mon-key /'maŋki/ noun an animal that is like a small person in shape but has a long tail and lives in trees — see picture on page 300 mo-not-o-nous /mə'notənəs/ adjective always the same and never interesting: My job is rather monotonous. mon-soon /mon'su:n/ noun the heavy rain which falls at a particular time of year in parts of Asia mon-ster /'monsta/ noun a large animal with a strange or unusual shape, usually fierce mon-strous /'monstrəs/ adjective big and ugly month /manθ/ noun one of the 12 parts into which a year is divided ▶ LOOK AT: time month-ly /'manθli/ adjective, adverb happening every month or once a month: a monthly meeting mon-u-ment /'monjumənt/ noun something that is built to help people to remember an important person or event moo /mu:/ verb to make the noise that a cow makes mood /mu:d/ noun the way you feel at any one time: The beautiful sunny morning put me in a happy mood. moon /mu:n/ noun the large round thing that shines in the sky at night ▶ COMPARE: sun moon-light /'mu:nlait/ noun (no plural) the light from the moon moor¹ /muǝr/ noun an area of open land covered with rough grass or low bushes moor² verb to tie up a boat mo-ped /'mauped/ noun a large, strong bicycle with a small engine mor-al /'moral/ noun 1 a lesson about what is right and wrong that you learn from a story or an event: The moral of the story was that we should be kind to other people. 2 morals (plural noun) the set of ideas about what is right and wrong that you use when deciding how to live your life more /mǝ:/ adverb 1 a larger amount or number: We spend more of our money on food these days. 2 to a greater degree: This book is much more interesting than his last one. Could you speak more quietly? ▶ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): less 3 another thing or amount, in addition to what you have already: Would you like some more tea? 4 more and more continuing to become greater in amount: He got more and more angry. 5 not any more no longer: They don't live here any more. 6 more or less about: The holiday will cost £300, more or less. 7 once more again: Read that page once more please. morn-ing /'mo:nin/ noun the time from when the sun rises until midday or until you have your midday meal ▶COMPARE: afternoon Morse code /'mo:s 'koud/ noun (no plural) a way of sending messages using flashing lights or sounds 〈210〉 Mos-lem /'muzlım/ noun, adjective (also Muslim) a follower of the religion that believes in the teachings of Mohammed as written in the Koran mosque /mosk/ noun a building in which Muslims worship mos-qui-to /mo'skittau/ noun (plural mosquitoes) a fly that drinks blood from people or animals and can carry MALARIA from one person to another moss /mos/ noun (no plural) a bright green plant that grows in a thick mass on wet ground, trees, and stones most /maust/ adverb 1 the largest amount or number: Most people go on holiday in July and August. NOTE: Use most when you are talking about people or things in general: Most children like sweets. Most people have a television. Use most of when you are talking about a particular group of people or things: Most of the people he works with are friendly. I've read most of her books. 2 more than all the others: Of course the coat I liked best cost the most. 3 at most, at the most not more than: It will take an hour at the most. OPPOSITE (2 and 3): least 4 make the most of something to use something in the best way possible: We've only got two days here, let's make the most of them. most-ly /'mǝustli/ adverb 1 usually: When I go to London, it's mostly on business. 2 almost all: The people at the party were mostly students. moth /mol/ noun an insect like a BUTTERFLY which flies at night moth-er /'mɅðәr/ noun a female parent: Her mother is a teacher. — see picture on page 99 moth-er-in-law /'mɅðər ın lo:/ noun (plural mothers-in-law) the mother of your wife or husband — see picture on page 99 mo-tion /'mauſn/ noun (no plural) in motion moving: You must not get off the train when it is in motion. mo-tion-less /'mauſnlis/ adjective not moving: The cat sat motionless, waiting for the mouse to move. mo-tive /'mǝutiv/ noun a reason for doing something: Police are questioning everyone who had a motive for killing the man. mo-tor /'məutər/ noun an engine that makes things move or work mo-tor-bike /'məutəbaik/ noun a large heavy bicycle worked by an engine — see picture on page 266 mo-tor-boat /'məutəbəut/ noun a small boat with an engine mo-tor-car /'məutəka:/ noun a car mo-tor-cy-cle /'məutəsarkl/ noun a large heavy bicycle worked by an engine mo-tor-ist /'məutərist/ noun a person who drives a car mo-tor-way /'məutəwei/ noun a wide road built for vehicles to travel fast for long distances mould¹ /mauld/ verb to make something into a particular shape: We mould clay with our fingers. mould² noun 1 a hollow container that shapes whatever is poured into it 2 (no plural) a greenish-white substance that grows on old food and in cold, wet buildings mould-y /'mauldi/ adjective (mouldier, mouldiest) covered with MOULD: mouldy bread mound /maund/ noun a small hill: Your dog has dug up a mound of earth. mount¹ /maunt/ verb to get onto a horse or bicycle mount² noun a mountain: Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. moun-tain /'mauntin/ noun a very high hill: Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. 〈211〉 mourn /mo:n/ verb to be very sad for someone who has died: She mourned for her dead child. mourning /'mo:nıŋ/ noun (no plural) 1 a feeling of great sadness because someone has died. 2 in mourning dressed in black clothes or behaving in a way that shows how sad you are at someone's death: She's in mourning. mouse /maus/ noun (plural mice /mais/) a small animal with a long tail which lives in houses or in fields COMPARE: rat moustache /mə'sta:f/ noun the hair that grows above a man's mouth COMPARE: beard — see picture on page 66 mouth /mauθ/ noun 1 the opening in your face through which you speak and take in food — see picture at head 2 the place where a river meets the sea mouth-ful /'mauθful/ noun the amount of food or drink that fills your mouth at one time move /mu:v/ verb (present participle moving, past moved) 1 to go from one place to another: Sit still and don't move. 2 to change something's position or to take something from one place and put it in another: I can't move my legs. Could you move your car please? 3 to go to a new home: I moved house last week. 4 move in to go and live in a new home: We should be able to move in next week. 5 move out to leave the place where you have been living: Mr Smith moved out last week. move-ment /'mu:vmənt/ noun a change in position from one place to another: Suddenly I saw a movement behind the curtain. mow /məu/ verb (present participle mowing, past tense mowed, past participle mown /məun/) to cut grass with a machine MP /ˌem 'pi:/ noun a member of Parliament Mr /'mistə/ noun a word put before a man's name: This is Mr Brown. Mrs /'mısız/ noun a word put before a married woman's name: This is Mrs Brown. COMPARE: Miss, Ms Ms /miz, məz/ noun a word put before the name of a woman who does not wish to call herself "Miss" or "Mrs" much /matf/ (more /mɔ:/, most /məust/) 1 a lot; a large amount of: "Did you pay much for that old bicycle?" "No not much." NOTE: Much (1) is used in questions and in NEGATIVE sentences, e.g. How much does it cost? It doesn't cost much. For other types of sentences use a lot of instead: It cost a lot of money. He has a lot of work to do. 2 by a large amount: She's much cleverer than I am. 3 often: I don't see her much because she lives so far away. 4 as much as the same amount as: We haven't got as much money as the Browns. 5 how much what amount: How much money have you got? 6 too much more than you need or want: I've got far too much work to do. mud /mad/ noun (no plural) wet earth mud-dle /'madl/ noun having everything mixed up and in the wrong place: She was in such a muddle she couldn't even remember what day it was. muddle /'madl/ verb (present participle muddling, past muddled) 1 to put everything in the wrong place: My papers were all muddled. 2 to confuse someone so that they do not understand: All these difficult instructions just muddle me. mud-dy /'madı/ adjective (muddier, muddiest) covered with wet earth: Take those muddy boots off! 〈212〉 muesli /'mju:zlı/ noun (no plural) a breakfast food of nuts, grain and fruit which you eat with milk mug /mɅg/ noun a big cup with straight sides - see picture at cup mule /mju:l/ noun an animal which is half horse and half donkey mul-ti-ply /'maltıplaı/ verb (past multiplied) to increase by a number of times: 2 multiplied by 3 is 6 (2 x 3 = 6). ▶ COMPARE: divide mum /mam/ noun MOTHER mum-ble /'mambl/ verb (present participle mumbling, past mumbled) to speak in a way that is difficult to hear or understand: He mumbled something to me but I could not hear what he said. mum.my /'mamı/ noun (plural mummies) a word for mother used by children mumps /mamps/ plural noun an illness that causes fever and swelling in the neck mur-der¹ /'m3:də/ verb to kill a person on purpose when it is against the law ▶ COMPARE: kill murder² noun the crime of killing someone on purpose mur-der-er /'m3:dərə/ noun a person who kills someone on purpose when it is against the law ▶ COMPARE: killer mur-mur¹ /'m3:ma/ verb to make a soft sound; to speak quietly: The child murmured in her sleep. murmur² noun 1 a soft low sound: the murmur of voices. 2 without a murmur without complaint: The children went to bed without a murmur. muscle /'masl/ noun one of the parts of your body under your skin which make you strong and help you to move mu-se-um /mju:'zıəm/ noun a building in which you can see old, interesting, or beautiful things: the Museum of Modern Art mushroom /'mafrum/ noun a brown plant with a short stem and round top, which can be eaten → see picture at vegetable music /'mju:zık/ noun (no plural) 1 the pleasant sounds made by voices or by instruments: to listen to music 2 a written or printed set of musical notes: a sheet of music musical /'mju:zıkl/ adjective 1 concerning or connected with music: musical instruments 2 skilled in music: She is very musical. mu-si-cian /mju:'zıfn/ noun a person who plays an instrument or writes music Mus-lim /'muzlım/ noun (also Moslem) a follower of the religion that believes in the teachings of Mohammed as written in the Koran must /mast; strong mast/ verb 1 used with another verb to show what is necessary or what has to be done: I must go or I'll be late. 2 used to show that you think something is very likely or certain: It is very late; it must be nearly 12 o'clock. I can't open the door - somebody must have locked it. mustard /'mastad/ noun (no plural) a yellow powder made from the seeds of a plant, which is mixed with water to give a hot taste to food mustn't /'masnt/ verb must not: You mustn't be late for school. must've /'mastav/ must have: Jane doesn't seem to be here; she must've left. mutter /'mata/ verb to speak in a low voice which is difficult to hear: He's always muttering to himself. mutton /'matn/ noun (no plural) meat from a sheep eaten as food my /mai/ belonging to the person speaking: I hurt my knee when I fell off my bicycle. my.self /mai'self/ 1 the same person as the one who is speaking: I looked at myself in the mirror. 2 used to give the word "I" a stronger meaning: I made this shirt myself. 〈213〉 mys-te-ri-ous /mı'stıəriəs/ adjective very strange, and difficult to explain or understand: He died suddenly of a mysterious illness. mysteriously /mıstıəriəsli/ adverb: She left the country mysteriously. mys-te-ry /'mıstəri/ noun (plural mysteries) a strange thing that is difficult to explain or understand: "Who had taken the money?" "It was a mystery." nag /næg/ verb (present participle nagging, past nagged) keep complaining to someone because you want them to do something: Stop nagging me! I'll tidy the room later. nail¹ /neıl/ noun 1 a thin pointed piece of metal with one flat end that you use to join pieces of wood together COMPARE: screw. 2 one of the hard flat parts at the end of your fingers and toes nail² verb to fasten or fix something with a nail: Will you nail the sign on the door? na-ked /'neıkıd/ adjective not wearing any clothes: a naked body SAME MEANING: nude name¹ /neım/ noun 1 the word that you use when speaking to or about a person or thing: My name is Jane Smith. What is the name of this town? 2 make a name for yourself to become well-known: She's made a name for herself as an artist. name² verb (present participle naming, past named) to give a name to someone or something: They named the baby Ann. name-ly /'neimli/ adverb that is: There is only one problem, namely how to get more money. nan-ny /'næni/ noun (plural nannies) a woman who is paid to live with a family and look after the children nap /næp/ noun a short sleep during the day: He always has a nap in the afternoon. nap-kin /'næpkın/ noun a square of cloth or paper used at meals to keep your clothes, hands, and mouth clean. nap-py /'næpi/ noun (plural nappies) a piece of cloth or paper worn between a baby's legs and round its bottom: The baby has a wet nappy - will you change it? 〈214〉 nar-row /'næraul adjective small from one side to the other: The gate is too narrow for cars to go through. OPPOSITE: wide nas-ty /'na:sti/ adjective (nastier, nastiest) 1 not pleasant to see, taste, smell, etc.: nasty medicine 2 not kind in behaviour: Don't be nasty to your sister. SAME MEANING (1 and 2): horrible nation /'neıſn/ noun all the people belonging to a country and living under its government: The whole nation supported the government. the African nations na-tion-al /'næſnal/ adjective of or belonging to a country: a national holiday na-tion-al an-them / næſnal 'ændǝm/ noun the official song of a country, sung on special days and occasions na-tion-al-i-ty / næſə'nælǝti/ noun (plural nationalities) the fact of belonging to a particular country: Richard is American, John is British — they have different nationalities. na-tive¹ /'neıtiv/ noun a person born in a certain place: Mary is a native of Australia. native² adjective belonging to or being the place where you were born: Her native language is Spanish. nat-u-ral /'næt[ral/ adjective 1 not made by people or machines: Cotton is a natural fabric. 2 usual or expected: It's natural to feel nervous before an exam. SAME MEANING: normal nat-u-ral-ly /'nætſrǝli/ adverb 1 not made or caused by anyone: Her hair is naturally straight. 2 without looking or sounding different from usual: She talked quite naturally even though she was frightened. 3 of course: Naturally you must talk to your parents before you decide. na-ture /'neitfǝ/ noun 1 (no plural) the world and everything in it which people have not made, for example weather, plants, etc.: These mountains are one of nature's loveliest sights. 2 the character of a person or thing: Peter has a happy nature. naugh-ty /'no:tı/ adjective (naughtier, naughtiest) (used about children) not well-behaved: Don't do that, you naughty boy! naughtily /'no:tılı/ adverb: She's been behaving very naughtily. na-val /'nervl/ adjective related to the ships belonging to a country which are used in war: naval battles nav-i-gate /'nævigeit/ verb (present participle navigating, past navigated) to decide which direction a ship or car should go in, using a map or other instruments: He navigated the plane through the low cloud. nav-i-ga-tion / nævi'geıfn/ noun (no plural) the planning and directions about where ships and planes should go: Navigation is difficult on the river because of the rocks. nav-i-ga-tor /'nævigeitə/ noun the person on a ship or plane who plans and says where it should go na-vy /'nervi/ noun (plural navies) the ships of a country used to prevent or make war, with the officers and men of these ships: My son is in the navy. COMPARE: army, airforce na-vy blue / nervi 'blu:/ noun, adjective a dark blue colour near /nıǝ/ adjective, adverb, preposition not far; close; at a short distance: Our school is very near. My aunt lives quite near. He sat in a chair near the window. — see picture on page 166 near-by /nıǝ'bar/ adjective, adverb close to a place: We swim in a nearby river. Is the school nearby? near-ly /'nıəli/ adverb 1 almost: We have nearly finished. 2 not nearly not at all: I haven't got nearly enough money to buy that book. neat /ni:t/ adjective 1 clean and well arranged: She always kept her room neat and tidy. OPPOSITE: messy 2 careful and tidy: her neat writing 〈215〉 neat-ness /'ni:tnıs/ noun (no plural) the quality of being neat ne-ces-sa-ry /'nesəsrı, 'nesəseri/ adjective which you need or must have: Good food is necessary for good health. OPPOSITE: unnecessary ne-ces-si-ty /nə'sesəti/ noun (plural necessities) something that you need or must have, for example food neck /nek/ noun 1 the part of your body between your head and your shoulders — see picture at head and picture on page 100 2 the narrow part at the end of something: the neck of a bottle 3 up to your neck in something very concerned with something difficult: The politician is up to his neck in the country's troubles. neck-lace /'neklıs/ noun a string of jewels or BEADS or a chain of gold or silver that you wear around your neck need¹ /ni:d/ noun 1 something that you want or must have: The needs of a very small baby are simple. 2 in need without enough food or money: We're collecting money for children in need. 3 in need of something wanting or needing something: After working so hard I felt in need of a good holiday. need² verb 1 to want something that is necessary: I need a hammer and some nails to mend this chair. 2 need to do something to have to do something because it is necessary: You need to see a doctor as soon as you can. 3 need not do something, needn't do something used when saying that it is not necessary to do something: You needn't phone me until next week. nee-dle /'ni:dl/ noun 1 a thin piece of pointed metal with a hole at one end for thread, used in sewing — see pictures at embroider and thread 2 a long, thin, pointed piece of plastic or metal used to make clothes from wool: KNITTING needles need-less /'ni:dlıs/ adjective needless to say of course: Needless to say, it rained the day we wanted to go for a walk. needn't /'ni:dnt/ verb need not: You needn't do it if you don't want to. neg-a-tive¹ /'negativ/ adjective saying or meaning "no": a negative answer negative² noun the piece of film from which a photograph can be made neglect¹ /ni'glekt/ verb to give too little attention or care to someone or something: The animals were thin and ill because the farmer had neglected them. neglect² noun (no plural) failure to look after someone or something well: his neglect of his family ne-glect-ed /ni'glektıd/ adjective not well cared for or looked after: a neglected garden neigh¹ /neı/ verb to make the long, loud sound that a horse makes neigh² noun the long, loud sound that a horse makes neigh-bour /'neıbə/ noun someone who lives near you: a next-door neighbour neigh-bour-hood /'neıbəhʊd/ noun the small area around a place and the people living there: You will find several shops in the neighbourhood. neigh-bour-ing /'neıbərın/ adjective near to a place: a bus going to the town and the neighbouring villages nei-ther /'naıðə, 'ni:ðə/ adjective 1 not one and not the other of two people or things: Neither boy could swim, but they both wanted to learn. 2 used in negative expressions when you are saying that two or more things are not true: I was neither angry nor upset. 〈216〉 neph·ew /'nefju:/ noun the son of your brother or sister ▶COMPARE: niece nerve /n3:v/ noun 1 a very small part in your body like a thread which carries feelings and messages to and from your brain 2 nerves great excitement and worry: She's always full of nerves before a race. 3 get on someone's nerves to make someone annoyed: That loud music is really getting on my nerves. ner·vous /'n3:vəs/ adjective 1 worried or afraid: She's nervous about travelling alone. 2 related to the nerves in your body: the nervous system nest /nest/ noun the home built by a bird or by some animals and insects: The bird laid three eggs in her nest. net /net/ noun 1 (no plural) material with open spaces between knotted thread, string, or wire: net curtains 2 a piece of this material used for a particular purpose: a football net, a fishing net netball /'netbo:l/ noun (no plural) a game usually played by seven girls or women in which a ball is thrown into two high rings at opposite ends of a court net-tle /'netl/ noun a wild plant with leaves that can hurt you net-work /'netw3:k/ noun a large group of lines, wires, etc. which cross or meet each other: a railway network nev·er /'nevə/ adverb not at any time; not ever: I'll never forget her kindness. My brother never lets me ride his bicycle. ▶OPPOSITE: always nev·er-the-less /¡nevədə'les/ adverb but yet: It is safer to wear seat belts when driving. Nevertheless, many people do not wear them. new /nju:/ adjective 1 recently made, built, or bought: We've got a new car. new ideas ▶OPPOSITE: old 2 not seen, known, or experienced before: I'm learning a new language — Russian. 3 new to something not familiar with something: a young doctor new to the job new·com·er /'nju:kamǝ/ noun a person who has recently come to a place or has recently started an activity: a newcomer to the city new·ly /'njurli/ adverb recently: The house was newly built. news /nju:z/ plural noun (used with a singular verb) information about things that have just happened: We listen to the news on the radio. Have you any news of your family? news·a·gent /'nju:zeidzənt/ noun 1 a person who has a shop selling newspapers and magazines 2 newsagent's a shop selling newspapers, magazines, and sometimes sweets — see picture on page 199 news·pa·per /'nju:sperpǝr/ noun a set of sheets of paper containing news and advertisements, which is sold every day or week: an evening newspaper New Year's Day / nju: jıǝz 'deı/ noun January 1st New Year's Eve /nju: jıəz i:v/ noun December 31st next¹ /nekst/ adjective 1 nearest: There was music coming from the next room. 2 coming after the present one: I'll see you next week. next² adverb 1 just after something: What did he do next? 2 (used when you are talking about the following stage in a story or instructions): He packed his bag, next he put on his coat. 3 next to beside: Come and sit next to me. see picture on page 166 next-door /,nekst 'do:/ adjective in the next room or building: next-door neighbours 〈217〉 nib /nib/ noun the pointed part of a pen out of which the ink comes nibble /'nıbl/ verb (present participle nibbling, past nibbled) to take little bites of food: She was nibbling a piece of bread. nice /nais/ adjective (nicer, nicest) 1 pleasant, good: Have a nice time at the party. a nice summer day 2 kind and friendly: What a nice person! nicely /'narsli/ adverb He was nicely dressed. nick-name /'nıkneım/ noun a name given informally to someone which is not their real name: John's nickname is "Tiny" because he is very small. niece /ni:s/ noun the daughter of your brother or sister COMPARE: nephew night /nait/ noun 1 the time when it is dark and the sun cannot be seen: It rained during the night. Nurses have to work at night. ► OPPOSITE: day 2 the evening: We're going to a play on Saturday night. 3 by night during the night: In the desert they travelled by night. 4 the other night a few nights ago night-ie /'narti/ noun a type of loose dress which women and girls wear in bed nightingale /'naitingeil/ noun a bird known for its beautiful song which it sings at night nightmare /'naitmeǝr/ noun a dream which makes you very afraid night-time /'nait-taim/ noun the time each day when it is dark ►OPPOSITE: daytime night watch-man / nait 'wotſman/ noun a person who guards buildings at night nil /nil/ noun nothing; zero: Their team won the game four nil (4-0). nine /nain/ noun, adjective the number 9 nine-teen /nain'ti:n/ noun, adjective the number 19 nineteenth /nain'ti:n0/ adjective 19th ninet-ieth /'naintiǝ0/ adjective 90th nine-ty /'nainti/ noun, adjective the number 90 ninth /naine/ adjective 9th nip /nıp/ verb (present participle nipping, past nipped) to bite someone: That dog nipped my leg yesterday. no /nǝu/ adverb 1 used to refuse something, to show that something is not true, or that you do not agree with something: "Would you like some tea?" "No, thanks." 2 not any: There are no children in the classroom. no-ble /'nǝubl/ adjective (nobler, noblest) 1 belonging to one of the old important families 2 showing courage to help others: It was a noble act when he saved his friend from drowning. no-body /'nǝubadı/ (also no one) not anybody; no person: / knocked on the door but nobody answered. Nobody liked him. nod¹ /nod/ verb (present participle nodding, past nodded) to bend your head forward and then up again to greet someone or show that you agree with someone: She nodded when I asked if she liked the film. nod² noun a movement of your head which is forward and up: He greeted me with a nod. noise /nɔız/ noun a sound, often loud and unpleasant Planes make a lot of noise. My car's making strange noises. LOOK AT: Sound nois-i-ly /'nɔızılı/ adverb in a way that makes a lot of noise: He put his book down noisily. noisy /'nɔızı/ adjective (noisier, noisiest) making a lot of noise: "What a noisy class you are!!" said the teacher. OPPOSITE: quiet 〈218〉 no-mad /'nǝumæd/ noun a person who travels about with their tribe and who has no fixed home no-mad-ic /naǝu'mædık/ adjective not living in one place, but moving from one place to another none /nлn/ not one; not any: None of the pupils knew the answer. I've eaten all the bread and there is none left. non-sense /'nonsans noun (no plural) 1 something which has no sense or meaning: You're talking nonsense. 2 a word you use if you strongly believe in that something is silly or not true: "This book is too difficult for me" "Nonsense!" non-stop /non stop/ adjective, adverb without a pause: We caught a non-stop flight from London to Singapore. noon /nu:n/ noun (no plural) the middle of the day: 12 o'clock: At noon, the sun is high in the sky. SAME MEANING: midday no one /nau wan/ (also nobody) nobody nor /no:/ a word used between two choices after the words neither or not: Neither Anna nor Maria likes cooking. normal /'nɔ:ml/ adjective usual or expected: It's normal to feel tired after working so hard normally /'nɔ:məli/ adverb usually: Normally I get up at seven o'clock, but today I got up at nine o'clock. north /nɔ:0/ noun, adjective, adverb the direction that is on the left when you look towards the rising sun: Manchester is in the north of England. The north part of the house doesn't get a lot of sun. Birds fly north in summer. north-east /no: ist/ noun, adjective, adverb the direction which is in the middle between north and east north-eastern / no: 'istan/ adjective in or from the north-east part of something, especially a country. northern /'nɔ:dan/ adjective in or of the north North Pole / no: 'paul/ noun the most northern point of the earth - see picture on page 200 north-west /no: 'west/ noun, adjective, adverb the direction which is in the middle between north and west north-western / no: 'westan/ adjective in or from the north-west part of something. especially a country nose /nauz/ noun 1 the part of your face through which you breathe and with which you smell see picture at head 2 turn up your nose at something to think that something is not good or important enough for you 3 under someone's nose right in front of someone: I looked for my pen everywhere and it was under my nose all the time! nos-tril /'nostril/ noun one of the two holes in your nose through which you breathe see picture at head not /not/ adverb a word that gives the opposite meaning to another word or a sentence: I'm not going home now. It's red, not pink. note¹ /naut/ noun 1 a single sound in music 2 a short written message: I'll write a note to thank her for the party. 3 a few words written down to help you remember something: Please make a note of my new address. 4 a piece of paper money: a ten pound note note² verb (present participle noting, past noted) 1 to pay attention to something so that you remember it: Please note that the shop will close on Saturdays. 2 note something down to write something down so that you remember it: He noted down our new address. note-book /'nautbuk/ noun a book in which you write things that you need to remember note-paper /'naut,peipǝr/ noun paper for writing letters on 〈219〉 noth-ing /'nʌθɪŋ/ 1 not any thing: There is nothing in this box - it's empty. She said nothing about her holiday. 2 for nothing for no money: If you buy the table, you can have the chairs for nothing. no-tice¹ /'nəʊtɪs/ noun a written or printed paper that is put in a public place and gives information to people: The notice on the door said that the library was closed. notice² verb (present participle noticing, past noticed) to see, hear, or smell something: The prisoner noticed that the door was open and ran away. Did you notice the funny smell in the room? no-tice-a-ble /'nəʊtɪsəbl/ adjective easily recognized or seen: The hole in your trousers is not noticeable; no one will see it. no-tice board /'nəʊtɪs bɔːd/ noun a board fixed to a wall on which you put notices telling people about things. no-to-ri-ous /nəʊˈtɔːriəs/ adjective famous because of being so bad: a notorious criminal nought /nɔːt/ noun the number 0: When we write a thousand (1,000), we write three noughts after the one. LOOK AT: 0 noun /naʊn/ noun a word that is the name of a person, place, animal, or thing: In the sentence "The boy threw a stone at the dog" "boy", "stone", and "dog" are nouns. nov-el /'nɒv(ə)l/ noun a book that tells a story which someone has written nov-el-ist /'nɒvəlɪst/ noun a person who writes novels No-vem-ber /nəʊ'vembə(r)/ noun the 11th month of the year now /naʊ/ adverb 1 at the present time: We used to live in a village, but now we live in a city. I must go now - I can't wait any longer. 2 used to get someone's attention or start talking about something else: Now, children, open your books at page 6. no where /ˌnəʊˈweə(r)/ adverb not anywhere: We looked for the key everywhere but it was nowhere to be found (= we couldn't find it anywhere). nu-clear /'nju:klɪə(r)/ adjective concerned with or using the very great power made by splitting an atom or joining atoms: nuclear war, nuclear power nu-cle-us /'nju:kliəs/ noun (plural nuclei /'nju:kliaɪ/) the central part of something, round which other parts gather: A nucleus is the central part of an atom. nude /'nju:d/ adjective not wearing any clothes ➔ SAME MEANING: naked nudge¹ /nʌdʒ/ verb (present participle nudging, past nudged) to push someone lightly, usually with your elbow: She nudged me when it was time to go. nudge² noun a gentle push, usually given with your elbow: He gave her a nudge. nui-sance /'njuːsns/ noun (no plural) someone or something that makes you cross or worried: What a nuisance! I've missed my train. numb /nʌm/ adjective not able to feel anything: My feet were numb with cold. num-ber¹ /'nʌmbə(r)/ noun 1 a figure such as 1, 2, or 3 2 a group of numbers that you use to telephone someone: Can you give me her number? 3 more than one person or thing in a group: Birds gather in large numbers beside the river. 4 a number of several: A number of people asked me where I had bought my hat. number² verb to give a figure or number to something: Number the pages from 1 to 100. num-bered /'nʌmbəd/ adjective with a number: Seats in a cinema are usually numbered. number-plate /'nʌmbə pleɪt/ noun a sign at the front and back of a car, lorry, 〈220〉 nu-meral /'nju:mərəl/ noun a sign used to represent a number: 3 is a numeral. nu-me-rous /'nju:mərəs/ adjective many: Your work has numerous mistakes in it. nun /nʌn/ noun one of a group of women who live together and have given their lives to a religion ▶COMPARE: monk nurse¹ /nз:s/ noun 1 a person, often a woman, who is trained to help doctors and look after people who are ill or old: She works as a nurse in a hospital. 2 a woman who is trained to look after young children nurse² verb (present participle nursing, past nursed) to care for sick people: She nursed her mother when she was ill. nur-se-ry /'nз:sri/ noun (plural nurseries) 1 a place where young children are taken care of while their parents are at work or shopping 2 the room in a house in which young children play and sleep nur-se-ry rhyme /'nз:sri raım/ noun a short, well-known song for young children nur-se-ry school /'nз:sri sku:l/ noun a school for young children between three and five years old nut /nʌt/ noun 1 the dried fruit of a tree, with a hard shell 2 a shaped piece of metal with a hole in it which is used with a BOLT to fasten things together - see picture at bolt nylon /'nailɔn/ noun (no plural) a strong material, made by machines: Nylon is used to make stockings and clothes. o /ǝʊ/ used in speech when you are giving a telephone number: The number is 60275 (= six o two seven five). oak /ǝʊk/ noun 1 a big tree with hard wood 2 (no plural) the wood of this tree: an oak table oar /ɔ:/ noun a long wooden pole with a flat blade at the end, used to make a boat move through the water o·a·sis /ǝʊ'eisis/ noun (plural oases /ǝʊ'eısi:z/) a place in the desert where there is water and where trees can grow oath /əʊθ/ noun (plural oaths /əʊðz/) a very serious promise: She took an oath to tell the truth in court. oats /əʊts/ plural noun a grain that is used as food o·be·di·ence /ə'bi:diəns/ noun (no plural) behaviour in which you do what people tell you to do: Mrs Jones expects obedience from all her pupils. ▶ OPPOSITE: disobedience o·be·di·ent /ə'bi:diənt/ adjective willing to do what people tell you to do: an obedient child obediently /ə'bi:diəntli/ adverb: She went to bed obediently at 7 o'clock. ▶ OPPOSITE: disobedient obey /əʊ'beı/ verb to do what someone tells you to do: You should obey your teacher. ▶ OPPOSITE: disobey ob·ject¹ /'ɔbdzikt/ noun 1 a thing that you can touch: What is that big red object over there? 2 an aim or purpose: The object of this exercise is to find out how many people like cats more than dogs. <221> object² /ab'dzekt/ verb to say that you do not like or do not agree with something: She objected to our plan. objection /ab'dzekfn/ noun something that you say or feel about something you do not like or do not agree with: She had strong objections to working on Sundays. ob-li-ga-tion /,obli'geifn/ noun something that you must do because it is your duty ob-lige /ə'blaid3/ verb (present participle obliging, past obliged) to make it necessary for someone to do something: It was raining so hard that I was obliged to stay at home. I felt obliged to tell her the truth. SAME MEANING: force ob-long /'oblɔŋ/ noun a shape with four straight sides and four equal angles that is longer than it is wide SAME MEANING: rectangle ob-ser-va-tion /,ɔbzə'veiſn/ noun (no plural) 1 careful watching: His father is very ill and is going into hospital for observation. 2 under observation watched carefully, especially by the police or in a hospital: The police kept him under observation. ob-serve /əb'za:v/ verb (present participle observing, past observed) to watch someone or something carefully: Children can learn to do things by observing other people. ob-sta-cle /'obstəkl/ noun something that gets in the way or causes a problem: Cars were driving slowly because the storm had left many obstacles in the road. ob-sti-nate /'obstinǝt/ adjective having a strong will and not willing to change your ideas easily: She is an obstinate child — she won't eat unless she wants to. SAME MEANING: stubborn ob-struct /ǝb'strakt/ verb to get in the way of something or stop it completely: Do not obstruct this entrance. ob-struc-tion /ǝb'strakfn/ noun something that blocks the way: The accident caused an obstruction on the road. ob-tain /ǝb'tein/ verb to get something: I haven't been able to obtain this book. ob-vi-ous /'obviǝs/ adjective clear and easy to see or understand: It is obvious that she is very clever. obviously /'obviǝsli/ adverb: She's obviously upset. oc-ca-sion /ə'keızn/ noun 1 a time when something happens: I've spoken to him on several occasions. 2 a special event: I only wear a tie on special occasions. oc-ca-sion-al /ǝ'keıznǝl/ adjective happening from time to time: an occasional visit occasionally /ǝ'keıznǝlı/ adverb: We go to the cinema occasionally. oc-cu-pa-tion /,okju'peifn/ noun 1 a job: "What is your occupation?" "I am a doctor." 2 something that you do in your free time: Reading is one of her favourite occupations. oc-cu-py /'okjupaı/ verb (present participle occupying, past occupied) 1 to live in a place: Three families occupy that big house. 2 to fill a certain position or space: His records occupy a lot of space. 3 to keep someone busy: This game will keep the children occupied all afternoon. 4 occupy yourself to use time to do something: He occupied himself with his computer. oc-cur /ə'k3:r/ verb (present participle occurring, past occurred) 1 to happen: The accident occurred at five o'clock. LOOK AT: happen 2 occur to someone to come into someone's mind: That idea has never occurred to me before. It occurred to him that he should take his aunt to the station. o-cean /'əʊfn/ noun a very large sea: the Atlantic Ocean - see picture on page 200 o'clock /ə'klok/ adverb a word used to tell what time it is: "What time is it?" "It's four o'clock." 〈222〉 Oc-to-ber /Dk' taubǝr/ noun the 10th month of the year oc-to-pus /'pktəpəs/ noun (plural octopuses) a soft sea creature with eight long limbs odd /pd/ adjective 1 strange or unusual: It's odd that he hasn't telephoned me. 2 separated from the pair to which it belongs: You've got odd socks on - one's blue and the other is green! OPPOSITE: even number 3 odd number a number that cannot be divided exactly by two: 13 and 15 are odd numbers. odds and ends / pdz and 'endz/ plural noun various different little things which are not very important or useful: a box full of odds and ends. of /əv; strong Dv/ preposition 1 forming part of something; belonging to something: the wheels of a car, the streets of London. 2 a word which shows a relationship between people or things: a friend of mine, the colour of her hair. 3 containing: a cup of tea, a bag of sweets, a room full of people 4 a word used in expressions which show amounts: Have some of my sweets. a pound of butter, a piece of cake, a group of people 5 made from: a bar of steel 6 about: I often think of you. 7 used in dates: the 12th of June... off¹ /of/ adverb, preposition 1 away from something: Can you pull this lid off? One of my buttons has fallen off. He fell off the chair. 2 notion: All the lights were off. Switch the computer off. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): on 3 away to another place: He drove off. She went off without saying goodbye. 4 not working: He's off for three days. 5 off your food not hungry because you are ill off² adjective (used about food) old; and no longer good to eat. This milk is off of-fence /ə'fens/ noun 1 something that is wrong; a crime: It is an offence to ride a bicycle at night without lights. 2 take offence to feel unhappy or angry about something someone says to you: She took offence when I asked her how old she was. of-fend /a'fend/ verb to make someone feel unhappy or angry: I offended him by not answering his letter. SAME MEANING: upset offer¹ /'pfǝr/ verb 1 to show someone that you want to give them something: I offered James some of my chocolates. 2 to tell or show someone that you are willing to help them: She offered to help her mother with the shopping. offer² noun 1 an act of showing that you are happy to help with something: Thank you for your offer of help. 2 the amount of money that you say you will pay for something: They made us a good offer for the house. office /'ofis/ noun a place where people do written work and do business: She works in an office. of-fi-cer /'pfisər/ noun 1 a person in the army, navy, etc., who can give orders to other people 2 a person who has an important job in the government, etc.; a police officer, a prison officer of-fi-cial¹ /ǝ'fifl/ adjective approved by someone in power: an official letter official² noun a person who has an important job, especially in the government or an organization: an official in the department of health of-ten /'ofn/ adverb 1 many times: I often go to bed early. 2 how often? used to ask how many times something happens: How often does it rain here? How often do you go to the cinema? oh /ǝʊ/ something you say when you feel 〈223〉 oil¹ /ɔɪl/ noun (no plural) thick liquid that comes from under the ground or under the sea, used for cooking, burning, or for making machines work smoothly oil² verb to put oil on something to make it work more smoothly: You should oil that machine more often. oil paint /ɔɪl peɪnt/ noun a special paint with all in it, used by artists oil painting /ɔɪl ˈpeɪntɪŋ/ noun a picture painted with oil paints oil rig /ˈɔɪlrɪɡ/ noun a special large piece of machinery used as a base for getting oil from under the ground or under the sea oil-well /ˈɔɪl wel/ noun a big hole made in the ground to get oil out ointment /ˈɔɪntmənt/ noun oily cream that you rub on your skin for medical reasons OK /ˌəʊˈkeɪ/ adjective, adverb 1 a word used to say you agree; yes: "Shall we go for a walk?" "OK." 2 all right: "How is your mother?" "She's OK." okay /ˌəʊˈkeɪ/ another way of writing OK old /əʊld/ adjective 1 having lived a long time: My grandmother is very old. ➔ OPPOSITE: young 2 the word we use to show our age: How old are you? I am eleven years old. 3 having been used for a long time; having existed for a long time: old clothes, an old building ➔ OPPOSITE: new 4 having lasted for a long time: We are very old friends — we've known each other since we were children. old-fashioned /ˌəʊldˈfæʃənd/ adjective not common any more: old-fashioned clothes, old-fashioned ideas ➔ OPPOSITE: modern olive /ˈɒlɪv/ noun a small fruit which is green or black from the olive tree. olive oil /ˈɒlɪv ɔɪl/ noun (no plural) oil made from olives and used in cooking O-lym-pic Games /əˌlɪmpɪk ˈɡeɪmz/ plural noun (also Olympics) an international sports competition which takes place every four years ome-let (also omelette) /ˈɒmlɪt/ noun a mixture of eggs beaten together and cooked in hot fat in a flat pan o·mit /əˈmɪt/ verb (present participle omitting, past omitted) to leave something out; not to include something: You have omitted my name from the list. on /ɒn/ preposition, adverb 1 used to show where something is: I put the glass on the shelf. — see picture on page 166 2 in use; working: Is the kitchen light on? 3 covering a part of your body: He had a big coat on. She looks very nice with her hat on. ➔ OPPOSITE: off 4 used with days or dates, to show when something happens: The party is on March the 12th. I'll see you on Monday. 5 inside a bus, train, or plane, or travelling by bicycle: I saw Jane on the bus. We watched that film on a plane. 6 further; more: I stopped to look at a map and then drove on. 7 used to show that when something happened, something else happened: On arriving (= when she arrived), she telephoned her mother. 8 being shown: What's on television tonight? (= what programmes are being shown). 9 on foot walking: Let's go on foot. 10 on the left, on the right at the left or right side of something: There was a cinema on the left and a church on the right. once /wʌns/ adverb 1 one time: I have been to America once. We go shopping once a week. 2 some time ago: My grandmother was a teacher once. 〈224〉 one /wʌn/ 1 the number 1 2 a single thing or person: Have you any books on farming? — I'd like to borrow one (= a book on farming). That girl has only got one shoe on. 3 some; a: John telephoned me one day last week. Let's go for a drink one evening. 4 the same: They all ran in one direction. 5 any person: One should try to help other people. 6 one another used to show that two people do the same thing one to the other: The two boys hit one another. Mark and Sarah like one another (= Mark likes Sarah and Sarah likes Mark). one-self /wʌn'self/ 1 used in sentences with "one" to speak or write about the same person: One cannot blame oneself all the time. 2 by oneself alone: Sometimes it's nice to be by oneself. one-way /'wʌn weı/ adjective moving only in one direction; allowing movement only in one direction: one-way traffic, a one-way street on-i-on /'ʌnjən/ noun a round white vegetable with a strong smell, which is made up of one skin inside another and is often used in cooking — see picture at vegetable on-ly¹ /'əunli/ adjective, adverb 1 being the one person or thing of a particular kind: She is the only girl in her family; all the other children are boys. 2 and nothing more; and no one else: You can only have one piece of cake. This room is for teachers only. 3 just: We're only trying to help. 4 an only child a child with no brothers or sisters 5 only just hardly; nearly not: This box is very heavy, I can only just lift it. only² but; except for: I'd love to come with you, only I have to stay at home and help my mother. on-to /'ɒntə; strong ɒntʊ/ preposition to a place: He climbed onto a rock. on-wards /'ɒnwədz/ adverb forward in time or space: They hurried onwards. From Monday onwards I shall be in another class. ooze /u:z/ verb (present participle oozing, past oozed) to move or flow slowly: The blood oozed from his knee. o-pen¹ /'əupən/ adjective 1 not shut: She's not asleep; her eyes are open. 2 ready for business: Is the bank open yet? ► OPPOSITE (1 and 2): closed 3 not surrounded by other things: We drove through open country. 4 in the open air outside: We ate our lunch in the open air. open² verb 1 to make something open: Open your books at page three. 2 to become open: The door opened and a man came in. 3 to begin business: The shop doesn't open until 10 o'clock. ► OPPOSITE (1, 2 and 3): close o-pen-er /'əupənə/ noun an instrument for opening things: a tin opener, a bottle opener o-pen-ing /'əupənıŋ/ noun a hole or space in something; an opening in the fence op-e-ra /'ɒprə/ noun a type of play that has songs and music instead of spoken words op-e-rate /'ɒpəreit/ verb (present participle operating, past operated) 1 to make something work: Do you know 〈225〉 op-e-ra-tion / ˌɒpəˈreɪʃn/ noun the cutting open of a part of the body of someone who is ill to make them better: She needs an operation on her stomach. op-e-ra-tor / ˈɒpəreɪtə(r)/ noun 1 a person whom controls telephones and who you can ring for information 2 a person whose job is to control a machine o-pin-ion /əˈpɪnjən/ noun what someone thinks about something: He asked his father's opinion about his plans. In my opinion (= I think), you're wrong. ▶ SAME MEANING: view op-po-nent /əˈpəʊnənt/ noun someone who is on the opposite side in a game or competition: We beat our opponents at football. op-por-tu-ni-ty / ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti/ noun (plural opportunities) a chance or time to do something: I have been offered a job; it's a great opportunity. op-pose /əˈpəʊz/ verb (present participle opposing, past opposed) to be against something or not agree with something: She wanted to get married at 16 but her father opposed her wish. My mother is opposed to the new plan. op-po-site¹ /ˈɒpəzɪt/ noun a person or thing that is as different as possible from another: High is the opposite of low. opposite² adjective 1 as different as possible: The buses went in opposite directions – one went south and the other went north. 2 facing: The library is on the opposite side of the road from the school. opposite³ preposition facing: The library is opposite the school. – see picture on page 166 op-ti-cian /ɒpˈtɪʃn/ noun a person who tests your eyesight, and makes and sells glasses. op-ti-mist /ˈɒptɪmɪst/ noun a person who always believes that good things will happen ► OPPOSITE: pessimist op-ti-mis-tic /ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk/ adjective full of hope; believing good things will happen: I'm optimistic that we'll win the game. ► OPPOSITE: pessimistic op-tion /ˈɒpʃn/ noun a choice; the power to choose: Since the train didn't come, and there was no bus, I had no option but to wait (= there was nothing I could do except wait). op-tion-al /ˈɒpʃnəl/ adjective not needed according to a rule or law, but able to be chosen or done if you want: Games are optional (= you don't have to do them if you don't want to) at our school. or /ɔː(r); strong ɔː/ used when giving a choice: Do you want tea or coffee? o-ral /ˈɔːrəl/ adjective spoken, not written: an oral test or-ange¹ /ˈɒrɪndʒ/ noun 1 a round sweet juicy fruit with a thick skin – see picture at fruit 2 the colour of this fruit, between red and yellow orange² adjective of the colour of the skin of an orange when it is ripe; a mixture of yellow and red or-bit¹ /ˈɔːbɪt/ noun the path of one thing moving around another in space – see picture on page 200 or-bit² verb to move in a circle round something in space: The spaceship orbited the moon. or-chard /ˈɔːtʃəd/ noun a field in which fruit trees grow or-ches-tra /ˈɔːkɪstrə/ noun a large group of people who play musical instruments together or-der¹ /ˈɔːdə(r)/ noun 1 a command; something you must do because your parents, or people who control you, tell you to: Go upstairs and tidy your room – that's an order! Soldiers must obey orders. 2 (no plural) a special way in which things are arranged or placed: in alphabetical 〈226〉 order order (= words and letters arranged in a system which starts at A and finishes at Z), in order of importance (= starting with the most important and finishing with the least important) 3 in order to so that something else can happen: He stood on a chair in order to (= so that he could) reach the top shelf. 4 keep things in order to keep things neatly arranged: Try to keep these important papers in order. 5 out of order not working: The telephone is out of order. order² /'ɔ:də(r)/ verb 1 to give a command to someone: The officer ordered the soldiers to attack. 2 to ask a shop to get something for you: I've ordered a new table but it won't arrive until next week. 3 to ask a waiter to bring you something in a restaurant, etc.: I've ordered two coffees. or·di·na·ri·ly /'ɔ:dnərılı/ adverb usually: Ordinarily, I would drive but I have a headache today. or-di-na-ry /'ɔ:dnrı/ adjective 1 usual or common; not special: It was a very ordinary day today - nothing special happened. 2 out of the ordinary unusual or strange: Did you notice anything out of the ordinary at school today? ore /ɔ:(r)/ noun a type of rock or earth in which metal is found: iron ore organ /'ɔ:gǝn/ noun 1 a part of an animal or a plant that has a special purpose: The eyes are the organs of sight. 2 a large musical instrument which has long pipes and is often played in a church or-gan-i-za-tion /ɔ:gənai'zeı∫n/ noun 1 a group of people with a special purpose, like a club or a business 2 (no plural) the way in which you organize or plan something: Good organization makes your work easier... or-gan-ize /'ɔ:gənaız/ verb (present participle organizing, past organized) 1 to plan and make all the arrangements for an event: Did you organize the wedding by yourself or did your parents help you? 2 to put things in order: I must organize my records, I can never find the one I want. organized /'ɔ:gǝnaızd/ adjective 1 neat; arranged carefully: Her desk is always very organized. 2 good at planning and doing things: John is very organized - he always does his work well and quickly. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): disorganized origin /'ɔ:rIdzın/ noun 1 the place that someone comes from 2 the beginning or cause of something: What is the origin of this custom? o-rig-i-nal /ə'rıdzınəl/ adjective 1 first; earliest: Who was the original owner of this house? 2 new and different: an original idea for a game 3 not copied: This is the original painting, and these others are copies. o-rig-i-nal-ly /ə'rıdzınəlı/ adverb in the beginning: I live here now but I wonder who lived here originally? ornament /'ɔ:nəmənt/ noun something that people have because it is beautiful, not because it is useful: Their house is full of little ornaments. or·phan /'ɔ:fn/ noun a child whose mother and father are dead or-phan-age /'ɔ:fənıdʒ/ noun a home for children whose parents are dead os-trich /'ɔstrıtʃ/ noun (plural ostriches) a very large bird with long legs which runs fast but cannot fly other /'ʌðǝ(r)/ 1 not the same; a different one: I sleep in this room, and my brother sleeps in the other room. Alice didn't like that dress, so she asked to see some others 2 the remaining thing or person: These two pens are mine but you can have all the others. I can take Peter and Mary but all the others will have to go by bus... 3 other people people in general, not 〈227〉 oth-er-wise /'ʌðəwaɪz/ adverb 1 if not: You should go now, otherwise you'll miss the bus. 2 apart from that: I've just got to comb my hair, but otherwise I'm ready. 3 differently: We were going to play football, but it was so hot that we decided to do otherwise (= to do something different). ouch /aʊtʃ/ something you say when something hurts you a little. ought to /'ɔ:t tu:/ verb used to show what you think someone should do: She ought to look after her children a bit better. ounce /aʊns/ noun a measure of weight equal to 28.35 grams: There are 16 ounces (16 oz) in one pound. our /aʊər/ adjective belonging to us: We put our books in our bags. ours /aʊəz/ something that belongs to us: They left their books at school but we took ours home. our-selves /ˌaʊərˈselvz/ 1 the same people as we or us in a sentence: We could see ourselves in the mirror. We bought a lot of things for ourselves. 2 by ourselves without help from anyone: We painted the bedroom by ourselves. 3 by ourselves alone, without anyone else: Our mother never lets us go to the cinema by ourselves. out /aʊt/ adverb 1 not in a place; away from a place: Shut the gate or the dog will get out. 2 not at home or not at work: My father is out this morning, but he will be in this afternoon. 3 not shining: The lights were out and the house was dark. 4 (used with some verbs) loudly: He called out but his friend didn't hear him. She always sings out in church. 5 out of from; away from something: She took the keys out of her bag. He walked out of the room. see picture on page 166 out-door /'aʊtdɔːr/ adjective happening outside; used outside: an outdoor job out-doors /aʊtˈdɔːrz/ adverb (also out-of-doors) outside; in the open air: It's a nice day; let's play outdoors. out-er /'aʊtər/ adjective on the outside or edge of something; far away from the middle: The outer walls of the house are made of brick. out-fit /'aʊtfɪt/ noun a set of clothes, especially for a special purpose: I want to buy a new outfit because I've been invited to a wedding. out-grow /aʊtˈɡroʊ/ verb (past tense outgrew /aʊtˈɡruː/, past participle outgrown /aʊtˈɡroʊn/) to grow too big for your clothes: Jack has outgrown his coat so I need to buy him a bigger one. out-ing /'aʊtɪŋ/ noun a short trip to enjoy yourself, usually no longer than one day: We are going for an outing to the sea tomorrow. out-line /'aʊtlaɪn/ noun a line showing the shape of something: He drew the outline of a house. out-of-date /ˌaʊt əv ˈdeɪt/ adjective old; no longer useful: out-of-date information out-of-doors /ˌaʊt əv ˈdɔːrz/ adverb another way o. saying outdoors out-side¹ /'aʊtsaɪd/ noun the outer part or surface of something: The outside of the house was painted white. out-side² /aʊtˈsaɪd/ adverb out; out of a building: He opened the door and went outside. He left his bicycle outside. out-side³ /ˌaʊtˈsaɪd/ preposition at the outer part of something: I'll meet you outside the cinema. He was talking to his friends outside the house. --- 〈228〉 out-skirts /'autska:ts/ plural noun the parts of a town that are not in the centre: We live on the outskirts of the city. out stand-ing /aut'stændig/ adjective very good: an outstanding pupil ► SAME MEANING: excellent out ward /'autwad/ adjective towards the edge or the outside of something ► OPPOSITE: inward outwards /'autwadz/ adverb towards the outside; away from the middle: The top of this box opens outwards. ►OPPOSITE: inwards o-val /'ǝuvl/ noun a shape like an egg-see picture at shape ov-en /'ʌvn/ noun a box that can be made hot to cook food in. over¹ /'ǝuvǝ/ adverb 1 across to the other side: We can cross over when the traffic stops. 2 down to a lying position: He knocked the glass over and it broke. She fell over. 3 from the start to the finish: Think it over before you decide. Read this letter over and tell me if there are any mistakes. 4 finished: When we arrived the film was already over. 5 remaining; not used: Did you spend all the money I gave you or did you have any over? 6 over and over again many times; again and again: I've told you over and over again that you mustn't play near the road. 7 over there used when you are pointing to a place that is not near you: I'll sit here and you sit over there. over² preposition 1 above: The lamp is hanging over the table. 2 covering; on top of: My father went to sleep with a newspaper over his face. 3 across; from one side to the other: He jumped over the wall. 4 more than: Children over 12 don't come to this school. 5 all over in every part; everywhere: all over the world o-ver-all /'ǝuvǝrǝ:l/ noun 1 a garment that you put over other clothes to keep them clean 2 overalls (plural noun) loose trousers with a top part that you wear over other clothes to keep them clean o-ver-board /'ǝuvǝbo:d/ adverb over the side of a boat into the water: He fell overboard. o-ver-coat /'ǝuvǝkǝut/ noun a warm coat that you wear outside when it is cold o-ver-flow /'ǝuvǝ'flǝu/ verb to flow over the edge of something: The bath overflowed because I forgot to turn the water off. o-ver-head /'ǝuvǝ'hed/ adverb over your head; in the sky: The plane flew overhead. o-ver-hear /'ǝuvǝ'hiǝ'/ verb (past overheard /'ǝuvǝ'h3:d/) to hear something that other people are saying when they do not know you are listening: I overheard them talking about me. o-ver-look /'ǝuvǝ'luk/ verb 1 to have a view of something from above: Our house overlooks the sea. 2 not to see or notice something: You have overlooked several of the mistakes in this work. o-ver-night /'ǝuvǝ'nait/ adjective, adverb for the whole night: We stayed overnight with my sister. o-ver-seas /'ǝuvǝ'si:z/ adverb, adjective to, in, or of places across the sea from your own country: My brother lives overseas. overseas students o-ver-sleep /'ǝuvǝ'sli:p/ verb (past overslept /'ǝuvǝ'slept/) to sleep longer than you had wanted to: I was late for school this morning because I overslept. o-ver-take /'ǝuvǝ'teik/ verb (present participle overtaking, past tense overtook /'ǝuvǝ'tuk/, past participle overtaken /'ǝuvǝ'teikan/) to pass another person or vehicle going in the same direction: The car overtook the lorry. 〈229〉 o-ver-weight /ǝuvǝ'weit/ adjective too fat: The doctor told her she was overweight and should do more exercise. owe /ǝʊ/ verb (present participle owing, past owed) 1 to have to give money to someone later because they lent you some: I owe John £10 because he paid for my ticket. I can pay you £20 now but I'll have to owe you the other £10. 2 to feel grateful to someone for something: He owes his teachers a lot, because he got a very good job when he left school. ow-ing to /'ǝʊɪŋ tʊ/ preposition because of: They arrived late, owing to the traffic. owl /aul/ noun a large bird that flies at night and kills small animals for food own¹ /aʊn/ 1 belonging to oneself: I like writing with my own pen. That bicycle isn't his own; it belongs to his brother. 2 on your own alone, with no one else with you or helping you: I was on my own all afternoon. Did you write this story on your own? own² verb to have something that belongs to you: Who owns this house? own-er /'ǝʊnǝ'/ noun a person who owns something: Who is the owner of this car? ox /ɔks/ noun a BULL that cannot be the father of young ones and is used for work on farms ox-y-gen /'oksıdzǝn/ noun (no plural) a gas in the air that people must breathe in order to live oz a short way of writing the word ounce or ounces o-zone /'ǝʊzəʊn/ noun (no plural) a gas high above the surface of the earth o-zone-friend-ly /'ǝʊzəʊn ,frendli/ adjective not harmful to the OZONE LAYER: OZone-friendly products o-zone lay-er /'ǝʊzəʊn ,leiǝ'/ noun (no plural) a layer of OZONE which protects the earth from the bad effects of the sun 〈230〉 pace¹ /peis/ noun 1 (no plural) the speed at which you move forwards, especially when running or walking: They walk at a very fast pace. 2 a single step or the distance that you move with a single step: The house is about ten paces from the wall. pace verb (present participle pacing, past paced) to walk slowly backwards and forwards, especially when you are waiting or worried pack¹ /pæk/ verb 1 to put things together in a case or other container: She packed her bags and left. The eggs are packed and sent to the shops. 2 pack up to finish work: We were so tired that we just packed up and left. pack² noun 1 a group of things packed together for sale: a pack of chocolate bars 2 a large bag that you carry on your back 3 a set of cards for playing a game 4 a group of animals that hunt together package /'pækıdz/ noun a parcel: The postman brought a package for you. pack-age hol-i-day /'pækidz ,holıdeı/ noun a holiday which you buy at a fixed price and which includes the cost of travel, hotel, and meals packed /pækt/ adjective full of people pack-et /'pækıt/ noun a small container or parcel in which goods are packed: a packet of cigarettes - see picture at container pack-ing /'pækıŋ/ noun the action of putting things into cases or boxes: I'll do my packing the night before we leave. pact /pækt/ noun an important agreement between two countries pad¹ /pæd/ noun 1 a thick piece of soft material used to protect or clean a part of your body or a wound 2 a number of sheets of paper stuck together at one edge: a writing pad pad² verb (present participle padding, past padded) to fill something with soft material in order to protect it or make it more comfortable: a jacket with padded shoulders pad-dle¹ /'pædl/ noun a piece of wood with a broad flat end used for moving a boat through water — see picture at canoe paddle² verb (present participle paddling, past paddled) 1 to move a boat through water using a paddle 2 to walk about in water which is not very deep: The children paddled in the sea. pad-dock /'pædǝk/ noun a small field in which horses are kept pad-dy /'pædı/ noun (also paddy field) a field for growing rice pad-lock /'pædlok/ noun a movable lock that can be used on doors, boxes, etc. page /peıdz/ noun 1 one of the sheets of paper in a book or newspaper: The book has 120 pages. 2 the boy servant of a king or queen in the past paid /peıd/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb pay pail /peıl/ noun a bucket pain /peın/ noun 1 a feeling of hurting in your body or suffering in your mind: I've got a bad pain in my leg. 2 a pain, a pain in the neck a very annoying person or thing: He's a real pain when he's tired. 3 take (great) pains to make a big effort to do something 〈231〉 pain-ful /'peinfall adjective causing pain: a painful cut on the leg OPPOSITE: painless pain-kill-er /'pein, kila noun a medicine which helps to stop pain pain-less /'peinlis/ adjective causing no pain OPPOSITE: painful paint¹ /peint/ noun a sticky coloured substance that is used to cover walls, or to make pictures: She brought a box of paints to school. There's paint on your clothes. paint² verb 1 to put paint on a surface: They painted the house green. 2 to make a picture of someone or something using paint: She loves painting the sea. paint-brush /'peintbras/ noun (plural paintbrushes) a brush that you use for painting see picture at brush paint-er /'peintar noun 1 a person who paints buildings as a job 2 a person who paints pictures ►COMPARE: artist paint-ing /'peintin/ noun a painted picture: a painting of a boat pair /pea noun 1 two things of the same kind that are usually used together: a pair of socks. 2 something with two parts joined, and used together: a pair of trousers, a pair of scissors 3 two people who are closely connected: Jenny and her husband make a lovely pair. pal /pæl noun a friend palace /'pælis/ noun a large, beautiful building in which a king or other important person lives pale /peil/ adjective (paler, palest) 1 (used about your skin) having little colour: She was very pale after her illness. 2 not light or bright: pale green ➢ OPPOSITE: dark. palm¹ /po:m/ noun 1 a tall tropical tree with no branches and a group of large leaves at the top: a COCONUT palm 2 the flat part inside your hand: He put the insect on the palm of his hand. pam-phlet /'pæmflit/ noun a thin book with a paper cover which gives you information about something pan /pæn/ noun a round metal pot, usually with a long handle, for cooking things over heat pan-cake /'pænkerk/ noun a very thin flat cake in a round pan that is cooked pan-da /'pændə/ noun a large black and white bear which comes from China see picture on page 300 pane /pein/ noun a single piece of glass used in windows: Who broke this pane of glass? pan-el /'pænl/ noun 1 a flat piece of wood used in a door or on a wall 2 a group of speakers who answer questions on a radio or television show pan-ic¹ /'pænik/ noun a sudden feeling of great fear which makes you lose control of yourself: There was panic when the fire started. panic² verb (present participle panicking, past panicked) to feel a sudden fear which makes you lose control of yourself: The crowd panicked at the sound of guns. pan-ic-strick-en /'pænik , strikən/ adjective very afraid and not able to think clearly pant /pænt/ verb to breathe hard and quickly, especially because you are doing something that needs a lot of effort: He was panting when he reached the top of the hill. pan-to-mime /'pæntǝmaim/ noun a funny play produced at Christmas, usually telling an old story pan-try /'pæntri/ noun (plural pantries) a small room in which food is kept pants /pænts/ plural noun a piece of clothing that you wear under other clothes from the middle of your body to the top of your legs see picture on page 65 〈232〉 paper /'peipǝ/ noun 1 (no plural) thin material used for writing on or wrapping parcels: I haven't got any writing paper. a paper bag 2 a newspaper: Here's today's paper. 3 papers official pieces of paper which give information about who you are and what you are allowed to do: At the airport they asked for his papers. pa-per-back /'peipǝbæk/ noun a book with a thin cardboard cover pa-per clip /'peipǝ klip/ noun a small curved piece of wire used to hold sheets of paper together par-a-chute /'pærǝfu:t/ noun a large round piece of cloth that fills with air and lets someone or something fall slowly to earth from an aircraft pa-rade¹ /pǝ'reid/ noun a number of people walking or marching in a long line on an important occasion parade² verb (present participle parading, past paraded) to walk or march together, in a long line: The soldiers paraded through the town. par-a-dise /'pærǝdais/ noun 1 heaven 2 a place of complete happiness: Paradise for me is lying on the beach all day. par-af-fin /'pærəfin/ noun (no plural) a colourless oil that can be burnt and used for cooking and lighting par-a-graph /'pærǝgra:f/ noun one part of a piece of writing that begins on a new line and deals with one particular idea: Read from your book, starting at the second paragraph. par-al-lel /'pærǝlel/ adjective running side by side, but always the same distance away from each other: The railway runs parallel to the road. parallel lines - see picture at shape pa-ral-y-sis /pǝ'ræləsis/ noun (no plural) being unable to move par-a-lyze /'pærǝlaiz/ verb (present participle paralyzing, past paralyzed) to prevent someone from being able to move some or all of their body: The climber was paralyzed in a fall and couldn't walk. par-cel /'pa:sl/ noun something wrapped in paper and tied, for posting or carrying: She sent a parcel of books to her brother. par-don! /'pa:dn/ noun (no plural) a word used to ask someone to say something again, because you did not hear them the first time: Pardon. How much did you say it costs? pardon² verb pardon me excuse me: Pardon me, could you tell me the time? par-ent /'peǝrǝnt/ noun a father or mother: My parents live in London. par-ish /'pærı/ noun (plural parishes) an area looked after by one Christian priest or served by one church park¹ /pa:k/ noun a large piece of ground in a town, usually covered in grass and used by the public for pleasure park² verb to leave a car, bus, etc. somewhere for a time: She parked the car near the bank. park-ing /'pa:kıŋ/ noun (no plural) 1 the leaving of a car, bus, etc. in a particular place for a time 2 No parking a phrase used on a sign to show that you are not allowed to leave your car somewhere parking meter /'pa:kın,mi:tǝ/ noun a small machine at the side of the street into which you put money to pay for parking a car next to it par-lia-ment /'pa:ləmənt/ noun a group of people chosen by the people of a country to make laws parrot /'pærǝt/ noun a brightly coloured tropical bird with a short curved beak parsley /'pa:sli/ noun (no plural) a small plant with strong-tasting leaves, often used in cooking part¹ /part/ noun 1 some of a thing or things, but not all of 〈233〉 part² verb 1 to separate or leave one another: The friends parted. Jane went home and Mary went to the library. 2 part with something to give away something that you are fond of: She hates parting with her old toys. par-tic-i-pant /partisipant/ noun a person who takes part in an activity par-tic-i-pate /pa: 'tisipeit/ verb (present participle participating, past participated) to take part in an activity par-ti-ci-ple /'partisipl/ noun one of two forms of a verb: The past participle of "sing" is "sung" and the present participle is "singing". particular /pa'tıkjulər/ adjective 1 special: Did you have a particular reason for choosing this book? 2 this one and not others: On that particular day, I wasn't feeling well. 3 in particular especially: He likes sports, and football in particular particularly /pə'tıkjuləlı/ adverb especially: It is particularly hot today. part-ly /'partlı/ adverb not completely: The accident was partly my fault. part-ner /'partner/ noun 1 a person who you dance with or make a pair with in a game: a tennis partner 2 any of the owners of a business 3 a person to whom you are married part-time / part taim/ adjective working during only a part of the usual working time: / work part-time and look it or them: Which part of the town do you live in? 2 any of the pieces into which something is divided: You can see the second part of the film next week. 3 a character acted by an actor in a play or film: James played the part of the soldier. 4 a piece of a machine which you use in place of a broken one: The car needs some new parts. 5 take part in to do an activity with other people: He took part in lots of sports at school. par-ty /'po:tı/ noun (plural parties) 1 a meeting at which people enjoy themselves, eat, drink, etc.: a birthday party 2 a group of people who are doing something together: Our teacher is taking a party of children to the library. 3 a group of people with the same opinions in politics: Are you a member of a political party? pass¹ /pa:s/ verb 1 to go past a person or a thing: She waved at me as she passed my house. 2 to give something to someone: Pass the salt please. 3 (used about time) to go by: Time passes very slowly when you're waiting. 4 to kick, throw, or hit a ball to someone in your own team during a game such as football 5 to succeed in a test or examination: I'm having a party when I pass my driving test! 6 pass away to die: I was sorry to hear that your aunt had passed away. 7 pass out to faint: He always passes out at the sight of blood. pass² noun (plural passes) 1 a successful result in an examination: In this class there were seven passes. 2 a high mountain road 3 a paper allowing you to go somewhere or have something: I showed my pass to the man at the factory gate, and was allowed in. pas-sage /'pæsidz/ noun 1 a narrow way in a building which connects different rooms: The bathroom is at the end of the passage on the left. SAME MEANING: corridor 2 a short part of a piece of written work: He read a passage on rice farming from the geography book. pas-sen-ger /'pæsındzər/ noun a person who rides in a car, bus, train, etc., but does not drive it: There were ten passengers in the bus. pass-er-by /pa:sa'bar/ noun (plural passers-by) a person who walks past a place in the street: A passer-by told me the time. 〈294〉 passion /'pæʃn/ noun a very strong deep feeling, especially of love or anger: She spoke with passion about human rights. passionate /'pæʃənət/ adjective with very strong deep feelings: She is passionate about caring for animals. passive /'pæsɪv/ adjective having the action done by someone: In the sentence "The ball was kicked by John", '"was kicked" is a passive verb. OPPOSITE: active pass-port /'pɑːspɔːt/ noun a small book which has in it your photograph and facts about you and which you must have if you are going to a foreign country. past¹ /pɑːst/ noun (no plural) 1 all the time that has already gone: Farming is much easier now than it was in the past. 2 a person's life until now: I don't know anything about his past. 3 the past the past tense: What's the past of "to go"? COMPARE (1, 2 and 3): future past² adjective having happened or existed before the present time: I've been ill for the past two weeks. COMPARE: next past³ preposition, adverb 1 up to and beyond; Did he drive past the school? Yes, he drove past, but he didn't stop. see picture on page 166 2 beyond a particular time: It's just past four o'clock. pas-ta /'pæstə/ noun (no plural) an Italian food made from flour and water, and often eaten with a sauce paste¹ /peɪst/ noun (no plural) 1 a wet substance used for sticking things together 2 a soft wet mixture such as that made from flour and water. paste² verb (present participle pasting, past pasted) to stick something on to something else with paste past par-ti-ci-ple /ˌpɑːst pɑːˈtɪsɪpl/ noun the part of a verb which is used to show an action done or happening in the past: "Done" and "walked" are the past participles of the verbs "do" and "walk". pas-try /'peɪstri/ noun 1 (plural pastries) a small sweet cake 2 (no plural) a mixture of flour, fat, and water which you fill with some other food and bake past tense /ˌpɑːst ˈtens/ noun the form of a verb which shows past time: The past tense of the verb "go" is "went". pat¹ /pæt/ verb (present participle patting, past patted) to touch something gently several times with your open hand: She patted the dog on its head. pat² noun a light friendly touch with your open hand: a pat on the cheek. patch¹ /pætʃ/ noun (plural patches) 1 a piece of material used for covering a hole in something 2 a small area that looks different from the rest: wet patches on the wall patch² verb to put a piece of material over a hole or a worn place in order to mend it: You can patch a bicycle tyre with a piece of rubber. path /pɑːθ/ noun (plural paths /pɑːðz/) a track for walking on: There was a narrow path through the forest. patience /'peɪʃns/ noun (no plural) the ability to deal with difficulties or wait for something for a long time without getting cross or upset: You need a lot of patience to be a teacher. patient¹ /'peɪʃnt/ adjective able to deal with difficulties or wait for something calmly and without getting upset or cross: I know your leg hurts, just be patient until the doctor arrives. patiently adverb OPPOSITE: impatient patient² noun a sick person who is being treated by a doctor: There are 150 patients in this hospital. 〈235〉 pa-trol¹ /pǝ'traul/ noun 1 a small group of policemen or soldiers who move round an area or building in order to protect it 2 on patrol (used about soldiers or policemen) keeping watch: There are four police on patrol outside the prison. patrol² verb (present participle patrolling, past patrolled) to go round an area or building in order to protect it: Every hour a policeman patrolled our street. pat-ter /'pætǝ'/ verb to make a light knocking noise: The rain pattered on the roof. pattern /'pætn/ noun 1 an ornamental arrangement of shapes and colours: a pattern of flowers on dress material 2 a shape which you copy if you want to make something, especially a piece of clothing: a dress pattern pause¹ /pɔ:z/ noun a short time when you stop what you are doing: There was a pause in the conversation when Mary came in. pause² verb (present participle pausing, past paused) to stop for a short time: When he reached the top of the hill he paused for a minute to rest. pave-ment /'peivmǝnt/ noun a path made of flat stones at the side of a road for people to walk on paw /pɔ:/ noun the foot of an animal such as a dog or cat pawn /pɔ:n/ noun a piece in the game of CHESS paw-paw /'pɔ:pɔ:/ noun a large yellow fruit grown in hot places pay¹ /pei/ verb (past paid /peid/) 1 to give money to someone for something you have bought from them or work they have done for you: She paid for the coffee and stood up. He paid a lot of money for the suit. They paid him £5 to wash the car. 2 pay attention to listen or watch carefully: Pay attention to the story, children. 3 pay someone back to return the money you have borrowed from someone: I'll pay you back your £10 next week. pay² noun (no plural) the money that you receive for work that you have done: You'll get your pay on Friday. pay-ment /'peimǝnt/ noun 1 (no plural) the act of paying: This money is in payment for your work. 2 an amount of money that you pay: monthly payments for rent. pay phone /'pei faun/ noun a public telephone into which you put coins or a card when you use it pea /pi:/ noun a very small round green vegetable - see picture at vegetable peace /pi:s/ noun (no plural) 1 quietness and calm: I love the peace of this village. Go away and leave me in peace. 2 a time when there is no war or fighting: world peace peace-ful /'pi:sfǝl/ adjective 1 quiet and calm: I spent a peaceful day at the beach. 2 not violent: A peaceful crowd marched to the city centre. peacefully /'pi:sfǝli/ adverb peach /pi:tf/ noun (plural peaches) a juicy fruit with one large seed and a soft yellow or pink skin 〈?〉 pea-cock /'pi:kok/ noun a large bird with a long brightly coloured tail covered with blue-green spots peak /pi:k/ noun 1 the pointed top of a hill or mountain 2 the front part of a cap which sticks forward over your eyes peal /pi:l/ noun 1 the loud, ringing sound of bells 2 long, loud sounds which follow each other: a peal of laughter pea-nut /'pi:nat/ noun a small nut which grows under the ground and which you can eat pear /pear/ noun a juicy yellow or green fruit which is the size of an apple, but is narrow at one end and wide at the other — see picture at fruit pearl /pa:l/ noun a small round white thing, found in the shells of some sea animals and used to make expensive jewellery peasant /'peznt/ noun a person who lives in the country and works on their own small piece of land peb-ble /'pebl/ noun a small stone peck /pek/ verb (used about birds) to take a small, quick bite: The hens pecked at the corn. pe-cu-li-ar /pı'kju:tjǝ/ adjective strange or unusual, especially in a way that worries you: a peculiar smell SAME MEANING: odd ped-al¹ /'pedl/ noun a part of a machine that you move with your foot: a bicycle pedal pedal verb (present participle pedalling, past pedalled) to move a pedal with your foot, especially when riding a bicycle: We pedalled slowly up the hill. pe-des-tri-an /pa'destrian/ noun a person walking: This path is only for pedestrians and not cars. pedestrian cross-ing /pə,destriǝn 'krosiŋ/ noun a special place in the road where people who are walking can cross safely peel¹ /pi:l/ noun (no plural) the outside part of a fruit or vegetable: Apples have red or green peel. peel² verb to take off the outside part of a vegetable or fruit: Please peel this orange. peep¹ /pi:p/ verb to look at something quickly, and sometimes secretly: I peeped through the window to see if she was there. COMPARE: glance. peep² noun a quick, sometimes secret, look: He took a peep at the back of the book to check the answer. peer /piǝr/ verb to look very hard or carefully at something peg /peg/ noun 1 a wooden or metal hook fixed to a wall on which you can hang clothes, etc. 2 a small wooden or plastic object that you use to fasten clothes to a washing line pen /pen/ noun 1 a long narrow object which is filled with ink, and is used to write or draw with COMPARE: pencil 2 a small piece of land surrounded by a fence, in which cattle are kept pen-al-ty /'peniti/ noun (plural penalties) 1 a punishment for breaking a law or rule: What is the penalty for dangerous driving? 2 an advantage given in sports to one team after the other has broken one of the rules of the game pence /pens/ noun the plural of the word penny pen-cil /'pensil/ noun a long, narrow wooden object filled with a stick of a black or coloured substance with which you draw or write COMPARE: pen pen-e-trate /'penitreat/ verb (present participle penetrating, past penetrated) to go into or through something that is difficult to enter: The sun penetrated through the thick clouds. pen friend /'pen frend/ noun a person in a foreign country to whom you 〈237〉 pen-knife /pen, naif/ noun (plural penknives /-, naivz/) a small knife with a folding blade that you can carry in your pocket pen-ny /'peni/ noun (plural pence /pens/ or pennies) a British coin: There are 100 pence in a pound. pen-sion /'penfn/ noun money given to a person regularly by their employer or the government when they are too old to work pen-sion-er /'penfnǝ/ noun a person who has stopped work and is receiving a pension people /'pi:pl/ noun the plural of the word person: / saw many people at the dance. pepper /'pepǝ/ noun 1 (no plural) a powder made from the seeds of a particular plant and used to give food a hot taste 2 a hollow red or green vegetable, which can be eaten raw or used in cooking - see picture at vegetable pep-per-mint /'pepamint/ noun 1 (no plural) oil from a plant with a special strong taste used in sweets or TOOTHPASTE 2 a sweet that tastes of this per /pǝ:/; strong pa:/ preposition for each; during each: How much do you earn per week? The fruit costs 30 pence per kilo. per cent /pǝ'sent/ noun out of a hundred: "Sixty per cent (60%) of the pupils are boys" means that out of every hundred pupils, sixty are boys. perch /p3:tf/ verb to sit on something narrow: Birds perched on the branch. per-fect¹ /'p3:fikt/ adjective 1 without any faults or bad points: a perfect day 2 without any mistakes: She speaks perfect French. per-fect² /pǝ'fekt/ verb to make something very good or perfect: They worked hard to perfect their dance. perfect³ /'p3:fikt/ noun the PRESENT PERFECT form of an English verb per-fec-tion /pǝ'fekfn/ noun (no plural) the quality of being perfect per-fect-ly /'p3:fiktli/ adverb 1 completely: perfectly happy 2 very well, without any mistakes or bad points: The house suits us perfectly. perform /pǝ'fo:m/ verb 1 to do something to amuse people in a play, concert, etc.: They're performing a new play tonight. 2 to work well: This car performs well in bad weather. performance /pə'fɔ:məns/ noun 1 the act of doing something to amuse people in a play, concert, etc.: the excellent performance of the main actor 2 your ability to do something: her poor performance in the test per-form-er /pǝ'fo:mǝ/ noun a person who PERFORMS, for example an actor or singer perfume /'p3:fju:m/ noun (no plural) 1 a liquid which women put on their skin to make them smell nice 2 a sweet or pleasant smell per-haps /pǝ'hæps/ adverb possibly: Perhaps our team will win. pe-ri-od /'piəriǝd/ noun 1 a length of time: There were long periods when we didn't hear from him. 2 a particular time in history or in a person's life: After she left school was a difficult period for her. per-ish /'perif/ verb to die: The crops all perished because there was no rain. per-ma-nent /'p3:mənənt/ adjective lasting for a long time or for ever: a permanent job permanently /'p3:məntli/ adverb ► COMPARE: temporary per-mis-sion /pǝ'mıfn/ noun (no plural) the right to do something: Did you get permission to use her computer? per-mit¹ /pǝ'mit/ verb (present participle permitting, past permitted) to allow someone to do something: You are not permitted to bring food into the library. 〈238〉 per-mit² /'p3:mit/ noun a piece of paper saying that you are allowed to do something. per-son /'p3:sn/ noun (plural people /pi:pl/ or persons) a human being; a man, woman, or child; She's a lovely person. You're just the person I need. NOTE: 1 The usual plural of person is people. Persons is very formal and is used only in official notices and ANNOUNCEMENTS, e.g. Would all persons wishing to buy tickets please come to the tourist office. 2 DO NOT say "all people". Use everyone or everybody instead. per-son-al /'p3:snal/ adjective concerning or belonging to a particular person: We work together, but she's also a personal friend. a personal letter. personal com-pu-ter /'p3:snal kəm'pju:tə noun a small computer which you can use for business or at home. per-son-al-i-ty /p3:sə'næliti/ noun (plural personalities) 1 the character of a particular person: She has a loveable personality. 2 a well-known person: a television personality. per-son-al-ly /'p3:snəli/ adverb a word you use when you are giving your own opinion about something: Personally, I think he is dishonest, but many people trust him. per-suade /pə'sweid/ verb (present participle persuading, past persuaded) to talk with someone and give them reasons until they agree with what you say: He persuaded her to go to school, even though she did not want to. per-sua-sion /pə'sweizn/ noun (no plural) the act of persuading someone: After a lot of persuasion, she agreed to go. pes-si-mist /'pesimist/ noun a person who always thinks that something bad will happen ▷ OPPOSITE: optimist. pes-si-mis-tic /,pesı'mıstık/ adjective always believing that something bad will happen ▷ OPPOSITE: optimistic pest /pest/ noun 1 an animal that is harmful or annoying: Insects which eat crops are pests. 2 a person who annoys or worries you. pes-ter/'pestǝ/ verb to annoy someone by asking them all the time for something: Stop pestering me - I'll wash the car tomorrow! pet /pet/ noun 1 an animal that you look after and keep in your house for company: She has two monkeys as pets. 2 teacher's pet a pupil who the teacher of a class particularly likes. pet-al /'petl/ noun one of the brightly coloured parts of a flower - see picture at rose. pe-ti-tion /pə'tifn/ noun a letter signed by a lot of people and sent to a government or other official group in order to ask for something or complain about something: The villagers all signed a petition asking for a hospital to be built. pet-rol /'petral/ noun (no plural) a liquid used in cars to make the engine work. petrol station /'petrǝl steisn/ noun a place where you can buy petrol for cars, etc. pet shop /'pet fop/ noun a shop where you can buy animals to keep in your house as pets. pet-ti-coat /'petikǝut/ noun a piece of clothing that a girl or woman wears under a skirt or dress. phan-tom /'fæntəm/ noun A GHOST. phar-ma-cist /'fa:məsist/ noun a person who prepares and sells medicines ▷ COMPARE: chemist. phar-ma-cy /'fa:məsi/ noun (plural pharmacies) a shop which sells medicines. phi-los-o-pher /fil'losəfə/ noun a person who studies PHILOSOPHY. phi-los-o-phy /fil'losəfi noun (no plural) the study of life and what it means, how we should live, etc. 〈239〉 phone¹ /faun/ noun (also telephone) a machine you use to speak to someone who is in another place: Can I use your phone, please? a phone call phone² verb (present participle phoning, past phoned) (also telephone) to speak to someone by phone: I phoned my parents to tell them the news. phone box /'faun boks/ noun (plural phoneboxes) a small shelter in the street where there is a public telephone phone number /'faunnamba/ noun the number that you need to ring when you want to talk to someone on the telephone: What's your phone number? pho-net-ic /fa'netik/ adjective using special signs to show the sounds you make when speaking: This dictionary uses a phonetic alphabet to show you how to pronounce words. phonetics /fə'netiks/ plural noun the study of the sounds you make when speaking pho-to /'fǝutǝu/ noun a photograph: She took a photo of the garden. pho-to-copy¹ /'fautǝkopi/ noun (plural photocopies) a copy of a piece of writing made on a special machine: Here's a photocopy of the letter. photocopy² verb (present participle photocopying, past photocopied) to make a copy of a piece of writing on a special machine photograph¹ /'fautǝgra:f/ verb to take a photograph of someone or something: He has photographed many film stars. photograph² noun a picture made by a camera photographer /fə'togrəfər/ noun a person who takes photographs, especially as their job photography /fə'tografi/ noun (no plural) the art or business of producing photographs phrase /freiz/ noun a group of words that does not make a full sentence: "Later that day" and "on the way home" are phrases. physical /'fızıkl/ adjective 1 concerning the body rather than the mind: physical exercise COMPARE: mental 2 concerning things that you can see and touch physician /fi'zijn/ noun a doctor physicist /'fızısıst/ noun a person who studies physics physics /'fızıks/ plural noun (used with a singular verb) the study of natural forces, such as heat, light, and movement pianist /'piænist/ noun a person who plays a piano piano /pi'ænou/ noun a large musical instrument that you play by pressing small black and white bars pick¹ /pık/ verb 1 to choose someone or something: The child picked the biggest sweet. 2 to pull a flower or a fruit from a plant or tree: She picked an apple from the tree. 3 pick someone's pocket to steal something from someone's pocket 4 pick on someone to treat someone unfairly or unkindly: He's always picking on the smaller children. 5 pick something up to take hold of something and lift it up: Pick up your toys and put them in the cupboard. see picture on page 299 6 pick someone up to collect someone from somewhere: I'll pick you up at the hotel at eight o'clock. pick² noun (no plural) take your pick to choose something: You can take your pick of these cakes. pick-axe /'pikæks/ noun (also pick) a sharp metal tool with a long handle, for making holes in rock or hard ground 〈?〉 pick-et /'pıkıt/ noun a person who stands outside a shop or factory during an argument with an employer, to stop people going to work pick-pocket /'pik,pokit/ noun a person who steals things from people's pockets, especially in a crowd pic-nic¹ /'piknik/ noun a meal eaten outside, when you are away from home: We had a picnic by the sea. COMPARE: barbecue picnic² verb (present participle picknicking, past picknicked) to have a meal outside, but not at home pic-ture¹ /'pıktsər/ noun 1 something represented on paper as a drawing, painting, or a photograph: She drew a picture of me. see picture on page 165 2 take a picture to take a photograph of someone or something picture² verb (present participle picturing, past pictured) to imagine something: She pictured herself as a beautiful queen. pie /pai/ noun a cooked dish of meat, fish, or fruit covered with pastry: apple pie COMPARE: tart plece /pi:s/ noun a part of something which is separated from a larger thing, or which has broken off: He took a piece of the cake. The plate which I dropped lay in pieces on the floor. pierce /piǝs/ verb (present participle piercing, past pierced) to make a hole in something: The needle pierced the material. pierc-ing /'piəsiŋ/ adjective (used about sounds) loud and unpleasant: a piercing cry pig /pig/ noun 1 a fat, pink farm animal kept for its meat 2 a person who eats too much or behaves very badly to other people pl-geon /'pıdzən/ noun a common grey bird with short legs that is often seen in towns piglet /'piglet/ noun a young pig pig-sty /'prgstail/ noun a place on a farm where pigs are kept pile¹ /pail/ noun a number of things put on top of each other: a pile of books pile² verb (present participle piling, past piled) to put things in a pile: She piled the boxes on top of each other. pil-grim /'pilgrim/ noun a person who goes to pray at a holy place far away from their home pil-grim-age /'pilgrimidz/ noun a journey to a holy place far away from your home pill /pil/ noun a small, hard ball of medicine that you swallow when you are not well SAME MEANING: tablet pil-lar /'pilǝr/ noun a strong, round post, usually made of stone: The roof of the church was supported by stone pillars. pil-low /'pilǝʊ/ noun a cloth bag filled with soft material to put your head on when you are in bed COMPARE: cushion pil-low-case /'pilǝʊkeis/ noun a cover that you put on a pillow to keep it clean pilot /'pailət/ noun 1 a person who flies an aircraft 2 a person who guides ships into a harbour or along a river pim-ple /'pimpəl/ noun a small rough spot on your skin pin¹ /pin/ noun a small, pointed bit of metal used for 〈241〉 pin² /pɪn/ verb (present participle pinning, past pinned) 1 to fasten or join things with a pin 2 pin something up to put a notice on the wall with a pin so it can be read easily pinch¹ /pɪntʃ/ verb 1 to take something between your thumb and fingers and press it: She pinched my arm hard, and it still hurts. 2 to steal something: He pinched an apple. pinch² noun (plural pinches) 1 a very small amount: a pinch of salt 2 an act of pressing something tightly between your thumb and fingers pine /paɪn/ noun a tree that has thin leaves like needles pine-ap-ple /'paɪnæpl/ noun a large yellow tropical fruit with a hard skin and stiff leaves on top -- see picture at fruit ping-pong /'pɪŋ pɔŋ/ noun (no plural) a game in which two or four players hit a small ball across a net on a table SAME MEANING: table-tennis pink /pɪŋk/ noun, adjective the colour made by mixing red and white pint /paɪnt/ noun a measure of liquid, equal to 0.57 litres: There are eight pints in a gallon. pi-o-neer / paɪə'nɪə'/ noun a person who goes somewhere or does something before other people: His grandfather was one of the pioneers of flying. pip /pɪp/ noun the seed of some fruits pipe /paɪp/ noun 1 a tube for carrying water or gas: a metal pipe 2 a small tube with a round bowl at one end used for smoking pi-rate /'paɪərət/ noun a person who sails on the sea attacking and robbing other ships pis-tol /'pɪstl/ noun a small gun SAME MEANING: revolver pit /pɪt/ noun 1 a deep hole in the ground 2 a coal mine pitch¹ /pɪtʃ/ noun (plural pitches) 1 a part of a field on which games are played 2 how high or low a sound is: a high-pitched voice pitch² verb to set up a tent: We pitched our tent near the river. pit-y¹ /'pɪti/ noun (no plural) 1 the sadness that you feel when someone else is hurt, in trouble, etc.: I feel great pity for people with nowhere to live. 2 a pity a sad or unfortunate event or state of affairs: What a pity you can't come and see us! pity verb (present participle pitying, past pitied) to feel sadness for someone else because they are hurt, in trouble, etc.: I pity anyone who has to work in such bad conditions. pizza /'piːtsə/ noun a round, flat piece of DOUGH Covered with cheese and other foods and then baked place¹ /pleɪs/ noun 1 a particular area, building, town, or country: This is the place where I first saw her. He travelled to places all over the world. 2 the spot where you usually keep something: Please put the jug back in its place. 3 your house or home: He's got a lovely place. 4 a seat: Is this place taken? 5 in place of instead of 6 take place to happen: When will the ceremony take place? LOOK AT: happen place² verb (present participle placing, past placed) 1 to put something somewhere: She placed a book on the table. 2 place an order to ask a shop, factory, etc. for some goods plain¹ /pleɪn/ adjective 1 easy to see, hear, or understand: He made it plain that he did not like me SAME MEANING: clear 2 simple: plain food 3 without a pattern on; a plain dress plain² noun a large flat piece of country 〈?〉 plain-ly /'plcınlı/ adverb clearly: It was plainly too hot to be working in the sun. plait¹ /plæt/ verb to twist together three or more pieces of rope, hair, etc. plait² noun three or more lengths of hair that are twisted together into one piece: She wore her hair in plaits. — see picture on page 66 plan¹ /plæn/ noun 1 something you have arranged to do in the future: Have you made any plans for the weekend? 2 a drawing showing all the parts of a new building, garden, or machine plan² verb (present participle planning, past planned) to think about what you are going to do in the future and how to do it: The government plans to build a bridge over the river. plane /plein/ noun a vehicle that flies: What time does the plane land? plan-et /'plænıt/ noun one of the large masses in space like the earth that go round the sun or a star — see picture on page 200 plank /plæŋk/ noun a long, flat, thin piece of wood plant¹ /pla:nt/ noun something living that is not an animal: Trees and vegetables are plants. plant² verb to put plants or seeds in the ground to grow: Spring is the best time to plant flowers. Have you planted any vegetables yet? plan-ta-tion /pla:'nterfn/ noun a large piece of land on which tea, sugar, cotton, or rubber is grown plas-ter¹ /'pla:sta/ noun 1 (no plural) a soft white substance which becomes hard when dry and is spread on walls to make them smooth 2 a thin piece of sticky material that you put on your skin to protect a cut. plaster² verb to cover a wall with plaster plas-tic /'plæstık/ adjective, noun a strong man-made substance used to make containers, toys, etc.: I always give the baby a plastic bowl so she can't break it. plate /pleit/ noun a flat, usually round, dish, for food: a dinner plate COMPARE: bowl plat-form /'plætfo:m/ noun 1 the part of a station where you get on and off trains: The train at Platform 2 is the London train. — see picture on page 266 2 a raised part of a floor on which people may stand: The headmaster gave his speech from a platform at one end of the hall. play¹ /plei/ verb 1 to spend time with toys or taking part in games: The little girl was playing in the garden. 2 to take part in a game or sport: He plays football every Sunday. 3 to make sounds on a musical instrument: She plays the drum. play² noun 1 (no plural) activity done for amusement by children: Children learn a lot through play. 2 a story acted in a theatre, as a film, on the radio, etc.: She is in a new play about a famous singer. play-er /'pleiǝr/ noun a person who plays a game or a sport: a tennis player play-ful /'pleitfl/ adjective full of fun: a playful little dog play-ground /'pleigraund/ noun a special piece of ground for children to play on play-ing card /'plei-in kard/ noun one of a set of thin pieces of cardboard that are printed with numbers and pictures and used to play games play-ing field /'plei-in fi:ld/ noun a large area of grass where people play sports 〈243〉 plead /pli:d/ verb 1 to beg: He pleaded with her to listen to his advice. 2 to say officially in a court of law whether you are guilty or not of a crime: The woman pleaded not guilty. pleasant /'pleznt/ adjective nice or enjoyable: We spent a pleasant day in the country. pleasantly /'plezntlı/ adverb ▷ OPPOSITE: unpleasant please¹ /pli:z/ verb (present participle pleasing, past pleased) to give happiness or pleasure to someone: I'm tired of trying to please everyone. please² a word added to a question or an order, to make it polite: Please bring your book to me. Could I have a glass of water, please? ▷ COMPARE: thank you pleased /pli:zd/ adjective happy or satisfied: I'm so pleased to see you. plea-sure /'plezǝr/ noun (no plural) the feeling of happiness or satisfaction that you get from doing something you enjoy: She looked at the paintings with great pleasure. plen-ti-ful /'plentifl/ adjective existing in large amounts or numbers: Fruit is plentiful in summer. plen-ty /'plenti/ a lot: We have plenty of time to catch the train. She thought there wasn't enough bread, but there was plenty. pli-ers /'plaiǝz/ plural noun a tool that looks like a pair of strong scissors and is used for cutting wire or for removing nails plod /plod/ verb (present participle plodding, past plodded) to walk slowly and heavily plot¹ /plot/ noun 1 a small piece of ground 2 a secret plan by a group of people to do something wrong 3 the story of a book, film, etc.: The film had an exciting plot. plot² verb (present participle plotting, past plotted) to plan secretly to do something wrong: They were plotting to kill the king. plough¹ /plau/ noun a farming tool for cutting up and turning over the earth before seeds are planted plough² verb to break and cut up the earth with a special tool: A farmer must plough the land before planting crops. pluck /plak/ verb to pull off the feathers of a bird before you cook and eat it plug¹ /plag/ noun 1 a round piece of rubber, plastic, etc. which stops water running out of a basin 2 a plastic object joined to an electric wire, which you put into special holes in a wall to get electrical power plug² verb (present participle plugging, past plugged) 1 to block or close a hole with something 2 plug something in to connect an electrical machine to a supply of electricity: You need to plug in the lamp before it'll work. plum /plAm/ noun a sweet juicy red or yellow fruit with a smooth skin and one large seed. plumb-er /'plAmǝ/ noun a person whose job is to fit and repair water pipes plumb-ing /'plAmıŋ/ noun (no plural) all the water pipes put into a building so that there can be running water plump /plAmp/ adjective nicely fat: the baby's plump arms — see picture on page 66 plunge /plAnd3/ verb (present participle plunging, past plunged) to move or jump down suddenly: He plunged into the river. plu-ral /'pluərəl/ adjective, noun more than one: "Dogs" is the plural of "dog." ▷ OPPOSITE: singular plus /plAs/ preposition added to; and: Four plus two is six (4 + 2 = 6). 〈?〉 p.m. /piz'em/ in the afternoon or evening: It is 4.30 p.m. pock-et /'pokit/ noun a piece of material sewn onto clothes to make a little bag for keeping things in pocket money /'pokit,mant noun money given to a child every week to spend as he or she wants pod /pod/ noun a long narrow part of some plants in which seeds grow po-em /'pauim noun a piece of writing with regular lines and sounds, that expresses something in powerful or beautiful language: He wrote a poem about war. po-et /'pauit/ noun a person who writes poems po-et-ry /'paustri/ noun (no plural) poems in general: a book of poetry point¹ /point/ verb to show where something is with your finger stretched out: He pointed to the building on the corner and said, "That's where I work." point² noun 1 the sharp end of something: the point of a nail 2 (no plural) use or purpose: I don't see the point of repairing a car as old as this one. 3 a mark that you win in a game or sport: Our team won by 15 points to 10. 4 a certain moment in time: At the point when I left, the teacher was reading a story. 5 a sign (-) used to separate a whole number from the decimals which follow: 3.8 (three point eight) 6 the point the most important idea or argument: Stop talking so much and get to the point! 7 on the point of doing something just about to do something: I was on the point of phoning the police when she arrived home. 8 point of view way of thinking about something: Try to understand it from my point of view. point-ed /'pointid/ adjective having a sharp end point-less /'pointlis/ adjective without purpose, not useful: a pointless meeting poi-son¹ /'poizn/ noun (no plural) a substance that kills or harms you if it gets into your body poison² verb to kill a person or an animal with poison: The farmer poisoned the rats. poi-son-ous /'poiznəs/ adjective containing poison: a poisonous plant poke /pǝuk/ verb (present participle poking, past poked) to push a pointed object into someone or something: He poked the fire with a stick. pok-er /'paukə/ noun a card game that you usually play for money po-lar /'paulər/ adjective of the North or South Pole: a polar winter polar bear / paula 'bear/ noun a large white bear that lives near the North Pole - see picture on page 300 pole /paul/ noun 1 a long narrow piece of wood usually used to support something 2 one end of the Earth: the North Pole po-lice /pǝ'li:s/ noun (no plural) the group of men and women whose job is to protect people and property and to make sure that everyone obeys the law: The police are searching for the thief. a police car po-lice-man /pǝ'li:smən/ noun (plural policemen /-mən/) a male member of the police police station /pǝ'li:s, steifən/ noun an office or building used by the police po-lice-woman /pə'li:s, wumən/ noun (plural policewomen /-wimin/) a female member of the police pol-i-cy /'pplasi/ noun (plural policies) a general plan agreed by a political party, a government, or a company: Government policy is to improve education. polish¹ /'poliʃ/ verb to rub something so that it shines: I need to polish my dirty shoes. 〈245〉 polish² noun (no plural) an oily substance which helps to make things shine po-lite /pə'lart/ adjective (politer, politest) having a kind and respectful way of behaving; not rude: A polite child always says thank you. politely /pə'lartlı/ adverb OPPOSITE: impolite, rude po-lit-i-cal /pə'lıtıkl adjective of or about the power relationships and government of a country: a political party, political beliefs pol-i-ti-cian /,pola'tifn/ noun a person who takes part, or wants to take part, in the government of a country pol-i-tics /'pplatiks/ plural noun 1 activities or opinions concerned with the power relationships and government of a country: Are you interested in politics? I don't agree with his politics. 2 the study of the power relationships and government of a country: He has a degree in politics. pol-lute /pə'lu:t/ verb (present participle polluting, past polluted) to make the air, water, or soil dirty or dangerous by adding harmful substances: The lake was polluted by chemicals from factories. pol-lu-tion /pə'lu:fn/ noun (no plural) 1 the process of making the air, water, or soil dirty and dangerous: water pollution 2 a substance that makes the air, water, or soil dirty or dangerous: The air in big cities is full of pollution. pol-y-tech-nic / poli'teknik/ noun a college where, in the past, you could study TECHNICAL subjects; polytechnics have now become UNIVERSITIES pond /pond/ noun an area of water, smaller than a lake: There's a duck pond in the middle of the village. COMPARE: puddle po-ny /'pauni/ noun (plural ponies) a small horse po-ny-tail /'pauniteil/ noun hair tied together in a bunch at the back of your head: to have your hair in a ponytail - see picture on page 66 pool /pu:!/ noun 1 a small area of water, usually formed naturally: a rock pool on the beach COMPARE: puddle, pond 2 an area of water built for people to swim in: I hate swimming in an indoor pool. poor/puǝ/ adjective 1 not having very much money: She was too poor to buy clothes for the children. OPPOSITE: rich, wealthy 2 needing kindness or help: The poor animal hadn't been fed. 3 not of a good standard: Your writing is poor. poor-ly /'puǝlı adverb badly: The work was hard and poorly paid. pop! /pop/ noun 1 a sudden noise like the sound of the top being pulled out of a bottle 2 (no plural) music or songs with a strong beat that many younger people like and dance to pop² verb (present participle popping, past popped) 1 to burst with a short loud sound 2 to go somewhere or put something somewhere quickly: I'm just popping out to buy some milk. Can you pop the letter under her door? pope /paup/ noun the head of the Roman Catholic church pop group /'pop gru:p/ noun a group of people who play and sing pop music pop star/pop sta:/ noun a person who is famous for singing and playing pop music pop-u-lar/'popjulǝt/ adjective liked by many people: She is popular at school. This dance is popular with young people. OPPOSITE: unpopular pop-u-lar-i-ty/popju lærǝtı/ noun (no plural) the quality or state of being liked by a lot of people pop-u-la-tion /popju let[n/ noun the number of people living in a place: What is the population of this city? pork /pa:k/ noun (no plural) meat from pigs 〈246〉 porridge por-ridge /'poridz/ noun (no plural) a breakfast food made by boiling grain in water until it is very soft port /pɔ:t/ noun a harbour, or a town with a harbour porter /'pɔ:tər/ noun a person whose job is to carry things for people at stations, airports, and hotels port-hole /'pɔ:thaul/ noun a small round window in the side of a ship or an aircraft portion /'pɔ:fn/ noun a part or share of something: She only eats a small portion of food. portrait /'portrait/ noun a painting, drawing, or photograph of a person: He painted a portrait of his daughter. po-si-tion /pə'zıfn/ noun 1 a place where a person or thing is: Our seats were in a good position to hear the music. 2 a job: He has an important position in the company. 3 the state or condition that a person is in: I am in a difficult position as I have just lost my job. 4 the way in which someone sits, stands, or lies: That's an uncomfortable position to sleep in. pos-i-tive /'pɔzatıv/ adjective sure that something is true: I am positive that I gave you his address. SAME MEANING: certain possess /pə'zes/ verb to have or own something pos-ses-sion /pə'zen/ noun something that you own: He lost all his possessions in the fire. pos-si-bil-i-ty /posə'bılətı/ noun (plural possibilities) something that might happen or might be true: They say there's a possibility of rain on the weekend. pos-si-ble /'ppsǝbl/ adjective able to happen or exist: Is it possible to get to the city by train, or must I take a bus? It's possible that she'll still come. OPPOSITE: impossible pos-si-bly /'ppsəbli/ adverb perhaps: "Can you come tomorrow?" "Possibly." post¹ /paust/ noun 1 a thick bar of wood, metal, or stone fixed in the ground: The fence was held up by wooden posts. 2 the mail: I sent it by post. 3 a job: All new posts will be advertised. post² verb to send a letter or parcel post-age /'paustid3/ noun (no plural) the amount of money that you pay to post something: The postage for this parcel is very expensive. postage stamp /'paustid3 ,stæmp/ noun a small piece of paper that you stick on a letter or parcel to show how much you have paid to send it by post post-box /'paustboks/ noun (plural postboxes) an official box into which you put letters if you want to send them by post post-card /'paustka:d/ noun a small card, often with a picture on one side, which people send by post when they go on holiday poster /'pausta/ noun a large printed notice or picture advertising something, which is put up in a públic place post-grad-u-ate /'paust 'grædzual/ noun a person who has done a degree and is now doing advanced studies at a university post-man /'paustman/ noun (plural postmen /-mən/) a man or woman who collects and delivers letters and parcels — see picture on page 199 post office /'paust ,ofis/ noun a place where you can buy stamps, post parcels, etc. — see picture on page 199 post-pone /pəs'pəun/ verb (present participle postponing, past postponed) to change the time of some event to a later time: We postponed the match from March 5th to March 19th. COMPARE: delay pot /pot/ noun a round container, used especially for cooking: I've made a big pot of soup. 〈247〉 po-ta-to /pa'teitau/ noun (plural potatoes) a round white vegetable that grows under the ground and is cooked before eating – see picture at vegetable pot-ter-y /'potǝrı/ noun (no plural) 1 plates, cups, and other objects made from clay 2 the making of plates, cups, and other objects from clay poultry /'poultri/ noun (no plural) hens and other birds kept for eggs or meat pounce /pauns/ verb (present participle pouncing, past pounced) to jump on something suddenly in order to catch it: The cat pounced on the bird. pound¹ /paund/ noun 1 the money used in Britain and some other places: I bought a car for five hundred pounds (= £500). 2 a measure of weight equal to .454 kilograms: Can I have two pounds (2lb) of apples, please? pound² verb to crush something by hitting it hard and often: She pounded the corn. pour /pɔ:/ verb 1 to make a liquid or other substance flow into or out of a container: She poured some sugar into a bowl. He poured me a cup of tea. 2 to rain hard and steadily: It's pouring outside. poverty /'povǝtı/ noun (no plural) the state of being poor: She has lived in poverty all her life. pow-der /'paudǝ/ noun a substance in the form of fine grains, like dust: They washed the clothes with soap powder. power /'pauǝ/ noun 1 (no plural) control over people or a place: The British Queen has no real power. 2 the right or permission to do something: the power of the police to stop someone in the street. 3 (no plural) the force that is used to make a machine work: NUCLEAR power power-ful /'pauǝfl/ adjective very strong or having a lot of power: a powerful nation power-less /'pauǝlis/ adjective without power or strength: I felt powerless to help her. practical /'præktıkl/ adjective 1 good at doing things with your hands: He is very practical – he can mend almost anything. 2 sensible and effective in making decisions and dealing with problems: We've got to be practical and buy only what we can afford. prac-ti-cal-ly /'præktıkli/ adverb almost: I've practically finished – I'll come in a minute. practice /'præktis/ noun 1 (no plural) doing something regularly to improve your skill or ability in it: You need more practice before you can play for our team. 2 out of practice unable to do something well because you have not done it regularly enough practise /'præktis/ verb (present participle practising, past practised) to do something regularly so as to become better at it: You won't become a good singer if you don't practise more. praise¹ /preiz/ verb (present participle praising, past praised) to say that you admire someone or something: She praised her daughter's hard work. praise² noun (no plural) expression of admiration: Her new record has received a lot of praise. pram /præm/ noun a carriage with wheels for a baby, which is pushed by hand COMPARE: pushchair prawn /prɔ:n/ noun a small pink sea animal that you can eat pray /pre/ verb to talk to God or a god, giving thanks or asking for something 〈?〉 prayer /preǝr/ noun 1 (no plural) the act of praying 2 a set of words that you say when you are praying preach /pri:tf/ verb to give a religious talk to people about how they should live, usually as part of a church service preach-er /'pri:t]ǝr/ noun a person who gives a religious talk, usually as part of a church service pre-cau-tion /pri'ko:fn/ noun something that is done to prevent something bad or dangerous from happening: He took the precaution of locking his door when he went out. pre-cious /'prefǝs/ adjective 1 very valuable or expensive: Water is precious in the desert, a precious stone 2 very special to you: precious memories of our holiday pre-cl-pice /'presǝpıs/ noun a steep side of a high mountain pre-cise /prı'sais/ adjective exact and correct: Your instructions to the students need to be more precise. pre-cise-ly /prı'saislı/ adverb 1 exactly: I don't know precisely why she lost her job. 2 a word you use to show you agree with someone: "So you think he was wrong?" "Precisely." SAME MEANING (1 and 2): exactly pre-dict /pri'dıkt/ verb to say what is going to happen before it happens: The teacher predicted that we would all pass the examination and we did. pre-dic-tion /pri'dıkın/ noun a statement that something is going to happen before it happens: Your prediction about the weather was wrong instead of raining it was sunny. pre-fect /'pri:fekt/ noun an older boy or girl who helps to control the pupils in a school pre-fer /prı'f3:/ verb (present participle preferring, past preferred) to like one thing more than another: Which of these two dresses do you prefer? I prefer swimming to cycling. pref-er-a-ble /'prefrǝbl/ adjective more suitable, or better: We accept credit cards, but cash is preferable. pref-er-ence /'prefrǝns/ noun a liking for one thing rather than another: My preference is for the theatre rather than the cinema. pre-fix /'pri:fıks/ noun (plural prefixes) a group of letters that can be added to the beginning of another word to change the meaning: If we add the prefix "un" to the word "happy", we make the word "unhappy". pregnancy /'pregnǝnsi/ noun the condition of having a baby developing in your body: a difficult pregnancy pregnant /'pregnant/ adjective having a baby developing in your body: She is four months pregnant, She's pregnant with her third child. prej-u-dice /'predzudıs/ noun an unfair opinion that is not based on facts or reason: Why have you got a prejudice against women drivers? They can drive just as well as men. prej-u-diced /'predzudist/ adjective having an unfair opinion about something that is not based on facts or reason: Why are you so prejudiced against foreigners? prep-a-ra-tion /prepǝ'reifn/ noun 1 (no plural) the act of getting something ready: Teachers have to do a lot of preparation before each lesson. 2 preparations arrangements, for something that will happen in the future: She's very busy with preparations for the wedding. pre-pare /prı'pea/ verb (present participle preparing, past prepared) to make something ready: I prepared the food for the party. We're preparing to go on holiday. pre-pared /prı'pead/ adjective 1 made ready in advance: If you buy some prepared food, we don't need to cook. 2 prepared to do something willing to do something: Are you prepared to stay late tomorrow? prep-o-si-tion / prepǝ'zıfn/ noun a word like to, for, on, by, etc.; a word which is put in front of a noun to show 〈249〉 pre-scribe /pri'skraıb/ verb (present participle prescribing, past prescribed) to say what medicine someone would take when they are ill pre-scription /prı'skrip[n/ noun a special paper written by a doctor, ordering medicine for someone: The doctor wrote me a prescription for medicine for my cough. presence /'prezns/ noun 1 the state of being present at a particular time: His presence was not even noticed at work last week. OPPOSITE: absence 2 in the presence of someone seen or watched by someone: The results were read out in the presence of all the parents. present¹ /'preznt/ adjective 1 in a particular place at a particular time: There are twenty children present today. 2 existing now: What is your present job? present² noun 1 something that you give to someone as a gift: He gave her a birthday present. 2 at present at the moment of speaking: He's on holiday at present. pre-sent³ /prı'zent/ verb to give something to someone, often as part of an official ceremony: Who's going to present the gold cup to the winner? pre-sen-ta-tion /prezn'teı[n/ noun the act of giving something to someone, often as part of an official ceremony: The presentation of prizes starts at three o'clock. present con-tin-u-ous / preznt kən'tınjuəs/ noun the tense of a verb, formed with -ing, which tells you what is true now or at the moment of speaking: In the sentence "I am studying English at the moment." the verb study is in the present continuous tense. pres-ent-ly /'prezəntlı/ adverb soon: The taxi will arrive presently. present par-ti-ci-ple /preznt 'pa:tısipl/ noun the form of a verb which ends in -ing and is used in certain tenses: In the sentence "The child is sleeping", "sleeping" is a present participle. present per-fect / preznt pa:fıkt/ noun the form of an English verb formed with the verb "have" and the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb: In the sentence "I have eaten the cake", "have eaten" is in the present perfect. present tense / preznt tens/ noun the tense of a verb which expresses the time now or at the moment of speaking pres-er-va-tion /prezə'verſn/ noun (no plural) the action of keeping something unharmed or unchanged: We are fighting for the preservation of this forest. pre-serve /prı'z3:Iv/ verb (present participle preserving, past preserved) to keep something from being damaged, or from going bad: You can preserve meat or fish in salt. pres-i-dent /'prezidənt/ noun 1 the head of government in many countries that do not have a king or queen: the President of America, President Clinton 2 the head of a big company or important organization press¹ /pres/ verb to push steadily on something: He pressed the doorbell. press² noun (no plural) all newspapers and magazines, and the reporters working for them: the freedom of the press pres-sure /'prefǝr/ noun 1 the force caused by the weight of one thing pressing on another 2 the demands of your life which can cause you worry: the pressures of modern life pre-tend /pri'tend/ verb to do something to make people believe that something is true or real, when it is not: He pretended that he was ill so that he could stay at home. She pretended to be asleep. pretty¹ /'prıti/ adjective (prettier, prettiest) attractive and nice to look at: a pretty girl, a pretty little village LOOK AT: beautiful 〈?〉 pretty adverb fairly; quite: It was a pretty serious accident. pre-vent /pri'vent/ verb 1 to stop something from happening: He threw water on the fire to prevent it from spreading. 2 to stop someone from doing something: I tried to prevent her from leaving her job. pre-ven-tion /pri'venfn/ noun (no plural) the action of stopping something from happening: the prevention of crime pre-vi-ous /'prizvias/ adjective happening before the present time: In my previous job, I used to travel to the city every day. pre-vi-ous-ly /'prizviǝsli/ adverb before that: He was working in a shop. Previously, he worked in a restaurant. prey /prei/ noun (no plural) an animal that is hunted and caught by another animal price /prats/ noun the money that you must pay to buy something: The price of that house is too high. price-less /'pratslis/ adjective very valuable: a priceless painting prick /prik/ verb to make a small hole in something with a sharp object: He pricked his finger on the needle. pride /praid/ noun (no plural) the feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that you have because of something good that you have done or something nice that you own: She showed us her new home with great pride. priest /pri:st/ noun a religious person whose job is to lead ceremonies, say prayers, and look after the religious part of people's lives pri-ma-ry /'praıməri/ adjective main or most important primary school /'praıməri,sku:l/ noun a school for children between 5 and 11 years old prime minister /praım 'mınıstǝ/ noun the head of government in many countries prim·i·tive /'prımıtiv/ adjective early in human history: Primitive people lived in caves. prince /prins/ noun 1 the son of a king or queen 2 the ruler of a country prin-cess /prin'ses/ noun the daughter of a king or queen or the wife of a prince prin·ci·pal¹ /'prinsıpl/ adjective most important: What is your principal reason for staying here? principal² noun the head of a school and some colleges prin-ci-pal-ly /'prinsıpli/ noun mostly: The school spends money principally on books. prin·ci·ple /'prinsıpl/ noun a general rule or idea that you believe is right and that you try to follow in your life: It is a principle of mine to help people when I can. print¹ /print/ verb 1 to press words and pictures onto paper or cloth by machine: The books are printed in Hong Kong. 2 to write something without joining the letters together: Please print your name clearly. print² noun 1 (no plural) words printed on a page: The print is too small for me to read. 2 a mark made on a surface in the shape of the thing pressed into it prin-ter /'printə/ noun a person or company whose job is to print books, magazines, etc. pris-on /'prizn/ noun a place where criminals are kept locked up as a punishment: He was in prison for ten years. SAME MEANING: jail pris-on-er /'priznǝr/ noun a person who is kept in a prison pri-vate /'praivit/ adjective 1 belonging to one person or group; not public: This is private land; you can't walk across it. 2 not connected with your work or business: I don't talk about my private life at the office. 〈251〉 priv-i-lege /'privılıdz/ noun a special right allowed to one person or only a few people: These prisoners have the privilege of getting letters every day. prize /praiz/ noun something that you win in a game, race, or competition: I won first prize in the competition. prob-a-ble /'probǝbl/ adjective likely to happen or be true: She might just go tomorrow, but as she's not feeling well it's not very probable. probably /'probǝblı/ adverb prob-lem /'problǝm/ noun 1 a difficult question or state of affairs; a cause of worry: The problem was how to move the heavy machinery. 2 no problem a phrase you use to tell someone you can easily do something for them pro-ceed /prǝ'si:d/ verb to go forward in a particular direction: After stopping to rest, they proceeded up the hill. pro-cess /'prauses/ noun (plural processes) 1 a set of actions that you do in order to get a particular result: Building the boat is not a simple process. 2 a set of changes that happen naturally: a chemical process pro-ces-sion /prǝ'sefn/ noun a line of people or vehicles following one another as part of a ceremony: They watched the procession go past. pro-duce¹ /prǝ'dju:s/ verb (present participle producing, past produced) 1 to have something as a result: This drug has produced very bad effects. 2 to make something, especially in large quantities: The factory produces 500 cars a week. 3 to grow something: The farm produces wheat. 4 to control the organization of a play or film for the public to see produce²/prodju:s/ noun (no plural) something produced by growing or farming: a market full of fresh produce pro-duc-er /prǝ'dju:sǝ/ noun a person who produces a play or film prod-uct /'prodakt/ noun something that is produced in a factory: plastic products pro-duc-tion /prǝ'dakfn/ noun (no plural) 1 the act of producing something especially for sale 2 a play or film, or the act of producing it: I really enjoyed the play — what an excellent production pro-fes-sion /prǝ'fe/n/ noun a job which needs a high standard of education and special training: Teaching is a satisfying profession, even if it is badly paid. pro-fes-sion-al /prǝ'feſnǝl/ adjective 1 working in a job which needs a high standard of education and special training: You should get some professional advice from your doctor. 2 doing something for money, rather than for pleasure: a professional football player pro-fes-sor /prǝ'fesǝ/ noun a teacher of the highest rank in a university prof-it /'profit/ noun money that you gain when you sell something for more than you paid for it: The fruit seller made a penny profit on each orange. prof-i-ta-ble /'profitǝbl/ adjective making a lot of profit: This business is not very profitable. program /'prǝugræm/ noun a set of instructions that a computer follows program verb (present participle programming, past programmed) to give a computer the instructions it needs to do something pro-gramme /'prǝugræm/ noun 1 printed information about a play, concert, etc. that you are attending 2 a show broadcast by radio or television: We watched a programme about travelling through the desert. pro-gress¹ /'prǝugres/ noun (no plural) 1 movement in a particular direction 2 continuous improvement in something: You have made good progress with your English. 〈?〉 pro-gress² /pra'gres/ verb 1 to go on or continue: I became very tired as the trip progressed. 2 to improve or become more advanced in something: We progressed from being beginners to being very good. pro-hib-it /prǝ'hibit/ verb to not allow something by law: Smoking is prohibited in this building. COMPARE: ban project /'prodzekt/ noun 1 a plan to do something: a project to build a new road 2 an activity in which students collect and present information about something in order to learn about it prom-i-nent /'prominant/ adjective 1 large and easily noticeable: a prominent nose 2 important and well-known: a prominent doctor promise¹ /'promis/ verb (present participle promising, past promised) to say that you will certainly do something: She promised her brother that she would write to him. She promised to write to him. We promised her a doll for her birthday. promise² noun something you have said you will certainly do: She made a promise to her son to buy him a bike. He broke his promise and did not come to see me. promote /prǝ'maut/ verb (present participle promoting, past promoted) to give someone a higher position at work: Our teacher has been promoted to headmaster. pro-mo-tion /pra'maufn/ noun a move to a higher position at work prompt /prompt/ adjective quick; without delay: a prompt answer to a letter promptly /'promptli/ adverb: She arrived promptly at ten. pro-noun /'praunaun/ noun a word like he, she, it, they, etc., which is used instead of using a noun again: Instead of saying "Peter went to school" we can use a pronoun and say "He went to school". pro-nounce /prǝ'nauns/ verb (present participle pronouncing, past pronounced) to make the sounds of a word: How do you pronounce your name? pro-nun-ci-a-tion /prǝ,nansı'eıfn/ noun (no plural) the way in which a word or sound is spoken: American pronunciation proof /pru:f/ noun (no plural) facts which prove that something is true: Have you any proof that he took the money? pro-pel-ler /prǝ'pelǝ/ noun a wheel of curved blades which turn quickly to make a ship or aircraft move prop-er /'propǝ/ adjective correct or suitable: You aren't wearing proper clothes for this hot weather. SAME MEANING: right prop-er-ly /'propǝlı/ adverb in a correct or suitable way: You haven't done the job properly - you'll have to do it again. property /'propǝtı/ noun 1 (no plural) something which belongs to you: Their job is to protect the property of the company. 2 (plural properties) land or buildings: Properties in the town are expensive. proph-e-cy /'profǝsı/ noun (plural prophecies) the telling of what will happen in the future prophet /'profit/ noun 1 a person who tells people what is going to happen in the future 2 a person who believes that God has told them to teach or lead a special religion pro-por-tion /prǝ'po:fn/ noun the amount of something compared to something else: The proportion of girls to boys in the school is about equal. pro-pos-al /prǝ'pǝuzl/ noun 1 a formal plan or suggestion: a proposal to build a new school 2 an offer of marriage pro-pose /prǝ'pǝuz/ verb (present participle proposing, past proposed) 1 to suggest something: He proposed that the company should move to another factory. 〈253〉 pros-per /'prospa/ verb to do well and become rich: His company is prospering. pro-sper-i-ty /pro'sperati/ noun (no plural) success and wealth pros-per-ous /'prosparas/ adjective rich and successful: a prosperous family pro-tect /pra'tekt/ verb to prevent someone or something from being harmed or damaged: The fence is to protect the farmer's cattle. pro-tec-tion /pra'tek∫n/ noun (no plural) the act of keeping a person or thing safe from harm or damage: Her summer clothes gave her no protection against the cold. pro-test¹ /pra'test/ verb to say strongly that you do not agree with something: The children protested when they were punished unfairly. pro-test² /'prautest/ noun a strong public complaint about something: Many people joined the protest against government plans. Pro-tes-tant /'protistant/ noun, adjective (a person) belonging to a Christian church that is not Roman Catholic proud /praud/ adjective 1 feeling pleased or satisfied about something you or someone close to you has done: He is proud of his daughter's ability to speak four languages. 2 feeling that you are better than other people: She is too proud to walk to school with the other children. proudly /'praudli/ adverb prove /pru:v/ verb (present participle proving, past proved) to show that something is certainly true: / can prove that you were in town - James saw you there. pro-verb /'provз:b/ noun a short well-known saying pro-vide /pra'vaid/ verb (present participle providing, past provided) to give something to someone: We provided food for the hungry children. pro-vid-ed /pra'vaidid/ if and only if: /'ll go to see her, provided you come too. province /'provins/ noun an area of a country, often with its own government for education, hospitals, etc. pro-vin-cial /pra'vinfəl/ adjective from a part of a country not near to the main city pro-vision /pra'vi∫n/ noun 1 provisions food and drink: Have you got enough provisions for your journey? 2 (no plural) the act of giving something to people who need it pro-voke /pra'vauk/ verb (present participle provoking, past provoked) to annoy someone on purpose so that they get very angry prowl /praul/ verb to move round quietly, especially when hunting psalm /sa:m/ noun a religious song or poem pub /pʌb/ noun a building where people go to meet their friends and to buy and drink alcohol public¹ /'pʌblık/ adjective 1 for everyone to use and see: a public library, public phones 2 concerning people in general: Public opinion is now against the government. public² noun (no plural) 1 people in general: This pool is now open to the public. 2 in public with other people hearing and seeing public school / pʌblık sku:l/ noun a private school in Britain for children from 13 to 18 years old pub-lish /'pʌbli∫/ verb to print and sell a book, newspaper, or magazine: This company publishes children's books. pub-lish-er /'pʌblifa/ noun a person or company that publishes books, newspapers, or magazines pud-ding /'pudiŋ/ noun a sweet dish, served at the end of a meal: What's for pudding? SAME MEANING: dessert 〈?〉 puddle /'padl/ noun a small amount of rain water lying on the ground COMPARE: pool puff¹ /pAf/ verb to breathe quickly, usually after doing something tiring: I was puffing after swimming so far. puff² noun a short burst of air, smoke, etc.: A puff of wind blew the papers off the table. pull¹ /pul/ verb 1 to move something or someone towards yourself: He pulled his hand out of the hot water. 2 to move something along: carts pulled by horses 3 pull down a building to destroy a building: They pulled down a lot of houses to build the new road. pull² noun an act of pulling: He gave a pull on the rope. pull-o-ver /'pulauva*/ noun a woollen garment that covers the top part of your body, and is pulled over your head SAME MEANING: jumper pulse /pals/ noun the regular beating of your heart, especially as it can be felt on your wrist pump¹ /pAmp/ noun a machine for making liquid or gas go into or out of something: A bicycle pump puts air into the tyres pump² verb to use a pump to empty or fill some- thing with a liquid or gas: to pump up a tyre pump-kin /'pAmpkin/ noun a very large round yellow vegetable punch¹ /pAnt[/ verb 1 to hit a person with your closed hand: He punched him on the nose. COMPARE: slap - see picture on page 299 2 to make a hole in something: He punched two holes in the tin of oil, and then poured it out. punch² noun (plural punches) a strong blow made with your closed hand punc-tu-al /'pANktfuǝl/ adjective arriving at exactly the right time; not late: She is always punctual, but her friend is always late. punctually /'pANktfuǝlı/ adverb punc-tu-ate /'pANktfueit/ verb (present participle punctuating, past punctuated) to divide up a piece of writing into sentences, etc. by using special signs like :(,) (;) (.) and (?) punc-tu-a-tion / paNktfu'eifn/ noun (no plural) signs like,;. and ? used to divide up a piece of writing into sentences, etc. puncture¹ /'pANktfǝ*/ noun a hole in something such as a tyre through which air or liquid can get out puncture² verb (present participle puncturing, past punctured) to make a small hole in something so that air or liquid gets out of it pun-ish /'pAnIJ/ verb to make someone suffer because they have done something wrong: The teacher punished the noisy children by making them stay after school. pun-ish-ment /'pAnıfmənt/ noun the act of making someone suffer because they have done something wrong: They deserved their punishment. pu-pil /'pju:pl/ noun a person being taught, especially at a school pup-pet /'pApIt/ noun a small figure of a person or animal which you can move by pulling the strings connected to it, or by putting your hand inside it pup-py /'pApi/ noun (plural puppies) a young dog pur-chase¹ /'pз:tfis/ noun 1 (no plural) the act of buying something 2 something you have bought: Let me see all your purchases. 〈255〉 purchase² verb (present participle purchasing, past purchased) to buy something pure /pjuǝr/ adjective (purer, purest) not mixed with anything and so very clean: The water in mountain rivers is usually pure. pure-ly /'pjuǝlı/ adverb only: a decision taken for purely political reasons purple /'pз:рі/ noun, adjective the colour made by mixing red and blue together purpose /'pз:pəs/ noun 1 a reason for doing something; aim: He went to town with the purpose of buying a new television. 2 on purpose intentionally: She broke the cup on purpose. purpose-ly /'pз:pəslı/ adverb intentionally: It wasn't a mistake — you purposely opened my letter! purr /p3:¹/ verb to make the soft low noise that cats make when they are happy purse /p3:s/ noun a small bag for carrying 'money', used especially by women pur-sue /pǝ'sju:/ verb (present participle pursuing, past pursued) to go after someone hoping to catch them ▶ SAME MEANING: chase push¹ /puj/ verb to press or lean steadily so as to move someone or something: They pushed the door open and rushed in. He pushed me off the chair. — see picture at pull push² noun an act of pushing: She gave a hard push, and the door opened. push-chair /'puf-tfea/ noun a small folding chair on wheels in which you can push a small child ▶ COMPARE: pram put /put/ verb (present participle putting, past put) 1 to place or lay something in a particular position: Put the books on the shelf, please. Where did I put my keys? 2 put something off to delay something till a later date: The meeting's been put off till next week. 3 put something on to put clothes on your body: She put on her coat and went out. 4 put something on to make a light or machine work by pressing a button 5 put a fire out to stop a fire from burning 6 put a light out to stop a light from shining puzzle¹ /'pazl/ noun 1 a person or thing which you cannot understand or explain: It's a puzzle where all my money goes each week. 2 a game or toy which is difficult to do: Can you do this JIGSAW PUZZLE? puzzle² verb (present participle puzzling, past puzzled) to make you feel that you do not understand something: The new machine puzzled me until Sarah explained how it worked. py-ja-mas /pǝ'dza:məz/ plural noun a loose shirt and trousers that you wear in bed: a pair of pyjamas pyr-a-mid /'pirəmıd/ noun a solid shape which is square at the base and pointed at the top — see picture at shape 〈?〉 quack /kwæk/ verb to make the noise that a duck usually makes quake /kweik/ verb (present participle quaking, past quaked) to shake because you are afraid: She was quaking with fear. qual-i-fi-ca-tion /,kwplifi'keifn/ noun proof that you have passed an examination, done special training, or learnt a special skill: You need some qualifications to find a job. qual-i-fied /'kwolifaıd/ adjective having the right training or skills to do something: She is very well qualified for this job. qual-i-fy /'kwolifaı/ verb (present participle qualifying, past qualified) to finish the training to do a particular job: She qualified as a doctor last year. qual-i-ty /'kwplǝti/ noun (plural qualities) 1 how good something is: We only sell cloth of the finest quality. 2 a good part of someone's character: Her best qualities are courage and cheerfulness. quan-ti-ty /'kwontiti/ noun (plural quantities) an amount: He ate a small quantity of rice. quar-rel¹ /'kwprǝl/ noun an angry argument: We had a quarrel about money. SAME MEANING: row quarrel verb (present participle quarrelling, past quarrelled) to have an angry argument: Those children are always quarrelling over little things. quar-ry /'kwori/ noun (plural quarries) a large hole in the ground from which stone or sand is dug out quart /kwɔ:t/ noun a measure of liquid equal to 1.13 litres: There are two pints in a quart and four quarts in a gallon. quar-ter /'kwɔ:tǝ/ noun 1 one of four equal parts of something; 1/4: There were four of us, so we divided the orange into quarters and each ate a piece. 2 15 minutes before or after the hour: The meeting started at a quarter to two, not a quarter past two. 3 an area of a town, often where a particular kind of person lives: the student quarter quarter-ly /'kwɔ:tǝlı/ adjective, adverb every three months: a quarterly bank statement quay /ki:/ noun a place where boats tie up and unload: The quay looked like a long stone road going into the sea. queen /kwi:n/ noun 1 the female ruler of a country, especially one who is the daughter of the former ruler COMPARE: king 2 the wife of a king queer /kwiǝ/ adjective odd; strange: He has some queer opinions on education. quench /kwent/ verb quench your thirst to drink as much as you need to stop being thirsty que-ry¹ /'kwiǝrı/ noun (plural queries) a question: I have several queries about the work you gave me. query verb (present participle querying, past queried) to ask about something, usually because you are not sure that it is right: If you think the price is too high, you should query it. question¹ /'kwestfǝn/ noun 1 something you ask someone: You haven't answered my question. 2 a problem to be talked about and dealt with: I want to buy the house, but it's a question of money - I haven't got enough. question² verb 1 to ask about something: I questioned the teacher about the work she had given us. 2 to express doubts about something: I do not question his honesty. question mark /'kwestſən ,ma:k/ noun the sign "?", used in writing at the end of a sentence which asks a question: Where are you going? 〈257〉 queue¹ /kjuz/ noun a line of people or vehicles waiting for something: There was a long queue outside the theatre. queue² verb (present participle queuing, past queued) to stand in a line of other people or vehicles to wait for something: We queued for the bus. quick /kwık/ adjective doing something or happening in a short time: We had a quick meal and then ran to catch the train. This is the quickest way to get to school. a quick worker quickly /'kwıklı/ adverb: Run away quickly! ►LOOK AT: Soon quiet¹ /'kwarǝt/ adjective 1 having or making very little noise: The streets were quiet at night. He has a quiet voice, I cannot hear what he says. quietly /'kwarǝtlı/ adverb: She spoke very quietly OPPOSITE: loud, noisy 2 without much activity: I had a quiet day reading at home. quiet² noun (no plural) the state of being quiet: Your brother needs peace and quiet because he's working. quilt /kwilt/ noun a soft, thick covering for a bed quit /kwit/ verb (present participle quitting, past quit) to stop doing something: I quit drinking coffee at night because it kept me awake. quite /kwait/ adverb 1 completely: I quite agree with you. That fruit is not quite ripe. SAME MEANING: absolutely 2 a little bit, but not very much: I was quite busy last week. COMPARE: very quiv·er /'kwivǝr/ verb to shake a little: She quivered with excitement at the news. quiz /kwız/ noun (plural quizzes) a game or competition in which people try to answer questions correctly quo·ta·tion /kwǝu'tein/ noun words taken from speech or writing and repeated exactly by someone else quote /kwǝut/ verb (present participle quoting, past quoted) to say or write something that has been said or written before by someone else, especially a famous person 〈?〉 rab-bit /'ræbıt/ noun a small animal with long ears which lives in holes under the ground race¹ /reis/ noun 1 a competition to see who can run, swim, walk, etc., fastest: Who won the race? a boat race 2 a group of humans different from other groups in shape, colour, size, etc. race² verb (present participle racing, past raced) to compete in a race: Paul raced John to the house. She's racing against Mary in the 100 metres. ra-cial /'reıfl/ adjective 1 connected with a person's race 2 between different races of people ra-cis-m /'reısızəm/ noun (no plural) 1 the idea that some races of people are not as good as others 2 the bad treatment of people of other races ra-cist /'reisist/ noun 1 a person who believes that some races of people are not as good as others 2 a person who treats people of other races badly rack /ræk/ noun a frame on which things can be kept: The bottles were stored in a rack. rack-et /'rækit/ noun an instrument used to hit the ball in games like tennis ra-dar /'reida:/ noun (no plural) a way of finding the position and speed of ships and planes by using the radio waves ra-di-a-tor /'reıdieıtə'/ noun 1 a flat metal apparatus on a wall which hot water passes through, used to heat a room 2 an instrument for making the water in the engine of a car cool ra-di-o /'reıdıəu/ noun 1 (no plural) the sending out or receiving of sounds by electrical waves: Ships send messages to each other by radio. 2 (plural radios) a machine which receives messages or sounds sent by electrical waves, and plays them to you: He was listening to music on the radio. 3 programmes which are broadcast for people to listen to: I prefer television to radio. ra-di-us /'reıdıəs/ noun (plural radii /'reıdiaı/) the distance from the centre of a circle to the edge — see picture at diameter raft /ra:ft/ noun large pieces of wood joined together to make a rough, flat boat rag /ræg/ noun 1 an old cloth: He cleaned the machine with an oily rag. 2 rags torn old clothes rage /reidz/ noun very great anger: My father was in a rage last night. raid¹ /reid/ noun a sudden attack: a bank raid raid² verb to attack a place: They raided the village. rail /reıl/ noun 1 a fixed metal bar: Trains run on two rails. You can hang clothes from a rail. 2 by rail by train rail-ings /'reılıŋz/ plural noun a fence made of a number of metal bars: There were railings round the park. rail-way /'reılweı/ noun 1 a track for trains to run on: They're building a new railway to the south. 2 the tracks, stations, etc. used in carrying people and goods by train: a book about railways railway line /'reılweı laın/ noun a track for trains to run on: A tree has fallen across the railway line. railway sta-tion /'reılweı 'steı∫n/ noun a building near a railway where trains stop 〈259〉 rain¹ /rein/ verb (used about water) to fall from the sky: It rained last night. rain² noun (no plural) water falling from the sky: There was a lot of rain in the night. rain-bow /'reinbaʊ/ noun an arch of different colours in the sky that is often seen after rain rain-coat /'reinkəʊt/ noun a light coat that keeps out the rain rain forest /'rein ,fɔrist/ noun a wet tropical area where trees grow thickly together: They are working to save the Brazilian rain forest. rain-y /'reini/ adjective having a lot of rain: a rainy day raise /reız/ verb (present participle raising, past raised) to lift something up or make something higher: He raised his arms above his head. Her wages were raised last week. OPPOSITE: lower rai-sin /'reizn/ noun a small dried grape rake¹ /reık/ noun a tool that you pull along the ground in order to make the ground level and take leaves and small stones off the surface rake² verb (present participle raking, past raked) to pull a rake over a piece of ground ran /ræn/ the PAST TENSE of the verb run ranch /rɑnt∫/ noun a large cattle farm in the US or Canada rang /ræŋ/ the PAST TENSE of the verb ring range /reındʒ/ noun 1 a line of mountains or hills 2 a number of different things: You can choose from a wide range of goods. 3 the distance that something can reach or travel: What is the range of your gun (= how far can you fire it)? rank /ræŋk/ noun a group or class which is higher or lower than other groups, especially in the armed forces: A general is an army officer with a high rank. ran-som /'rænsəm/ noun money that is asked for by criminals who have taken a person away and are keeping them as a prisoner: The rich man was asked to pay a high ransom for his daughter. rare /reə/ adjective (rarer, rarest) not happening or seen very often: That bird is very rare in this country. OPPOSITE common rare-ly /'reəli/ adverb not very often: She is old and rarely goes out. ras-cal /'ræskl/ noun a badly-behaved person rash¹ /ræ∫/ adjective acting quickly without thinking enough what might happen: It was rash to say you'd buy it when you haven't got any money. rashly /'ræ∫li/ adverb rash² noun red spots on your skin: With some illnesses you get a rash. rat /ræt/ noun a small animal like a mouse but larger, which often eats food or grain that is stored rate /reit/ noun 1 the money paid for a fixed amount of work; the amount produced, bought, used, etc. in a period of time: He was paid at the rate of £3 an hour. 2 the speed of something: She learns at a quick rate. rate of ex-change /ˌreıt əv ıksˈt∫eındʒ/ noun (plural rates of exchange) the value of the money of one country compared to that of another country: "What's the rate of exchange?" "It's about $1.50 to the pound." rather /'rɑ:ðə/ 1 a little: It's rather cold today. 2 would rather would like to (= do something else) better: "Shall we go and see that film?" "I'd (= I would) rather stay in." ration¹ /'ræ∫n/ verb to limit the goods that someone can have: 〈?〉 ration The government had to ration petrol during the war. ration² noun a limited quantity of food, petrol, etc., allowed to each person for a period, especially during a war rat-tle¹ /'rætl/ verb (present participle rattling, past rattled) to shake something, making a noise: She rattled some coins in the box. rattle² noun a toy which a baby shakes to make a noise raw /ro:/ adjective not cooked; raw meat ray /rei/ noun a line of light: the rays of the sun ra-zor /'reizə noun an instrument for removing hair from a man's face razor blade /'reizə,bleid/ noun a thin, very sharp piece of metal that is put inside a razor Rd a short way of writing road in an address: 17 Nelson Rd, Oxford 're ǝr/ are: We're late. reach¹ /ri:tf/ verb 1 to get to a place or arrive at a place: They reached London on Thursday. She's reached the age when she can leave school. 2 to stretch out your hand: I reached up and took an apple from the tree. reach² noun (no plural) 1 within reach near enough to touch by stretching out your arm 2 out of reach not near enough to touch by stretching out your arm re-act /rı'ækt/ verb to behave in a particular way because of something that has happened: How did your mother react to the news? She reacted by getting very angry. re-ac-tion /rı'ækfn/ noun the feeling you have or the way you behave because of something that has happened: What was his reaction when you told him? read /ri:d/ verb (present participle reading, past read /red/) 1 to look at words and understand them: She read the newspaper. He read the story to his son. He read his son a story. I like reading. 2 read something out to read something aloud for other people to hear: Can you read out the list of names? read-er /'ri:də/ noun a person who reads read-i-ly /'redili/ adverb easily: I can readily believe that she's lazy at home — she's very lazy at school. read-y /'redi/ adjective 1 prepared: I'm not ready to go out yet — I haven't got my keys or my money. He got his tools ready to start the job. Is breakfast ready? Come on — aren't you ready yet? Is everything ready for the party? These apples are nearly ready to eat. 2 willing: I'm always ready to help. real /rıǝl/ adjective being in fact; not imagined: That's a real dog, not a toy. re-a-li-za-tion /'rıəlal'zeifn/ noun (no plural) the understanding or coming to know something that you did not know before: the realization that he was guilty re-a-lize /'rıəlaız/ verb (present participle realizing, past realized) to know or understand something as true, especially suddenly: When I heard the noise on the roof, I realized that it was raining. real-ly /'rıəlı/ adverb 1 in fact or very much: I am really worried about my work. He is really nice. 2 Really? used to show that you are interested in something or surprised by it: "Have you heard, Ann's going to have a baby?" "Really?" 〈261〉 reap /ri:p/ verb to cut a crop and gather it: They reaped the corn. rear¹ /ma/ adjective at the back: the rear wheels of a car OPPOSITE: front rear² noun the back part: We sat at the rear of the bus. OPPOSITE: front rear³ verb to care for animals or children while they grow up: to rear a family rea·son /'rirzn/ noun 1 why something is done or happens: The reason she was ill was that she had eaten bad meat. 2 (no plural) the power of thinking and deciding rea·so·na·ble /'rıznəbi adjective 1 having good sense: Don't be afraid to talk to the teacher she's very reasonable. OPPOSITE: unreasonable 2 fair: a reasonable price rea·son·a·bly /'rizznəblı/ adverb 1 fairly and sensibly: He behaved reasonably. 2 quite: It was reasonably cheap. re·as·sure /ri:ə' fuǝr/ verb (present participle reassuring, past reassured) to comfort someone and stop them feeling anxious: His mother reassured him that everything would be all right. re-bel¹ /ri'bel/ verb (present participle rebelling, past rebelled) to fight against a leader or government: The students rebelled against the government. reb·el² /'rebl/ noun a person who fights against a leader or government re·bel·lion /rı'beljən/ noun opposition to someone in a position of control re·ceipt /ri'sist/ noun a piece of paper which someone gives you to show that you have paid them money: Ask him to give you a receipt when you pay the bill. see picture at till re·ceive /ri 'sitv/ verb (present participle receiving, past received) to get something or be given something: Did you receive my letter? re·ceiv·er /rı'sizvǝr/ noun the part of a tele-phone that you hold to your ear: Lift the receiver. re·cent /'ri:snt/ adjective happening a short time ago: a recent visit to the city re·cent·ly /'rizsntli/ adverb not long ago: I have been abroad recently. re·cep·tion /rı'sep[n/ noun 1 (no plural) the office or department in a hotel or large organization which helps visitors and gives information: Leave your key at reception. 2 a large formal party: a wedding reception re·cipe /'resapı/ noun a piece of writing telling you how to cook something: In the recipe it tells you to use two eggs. a recipe for a chocolate cake reck·less /'reklis/ adjective careless and dangerous: His reckless driving caused a serious accident. recklessly /reklıslı/ adverb: He was driving recklessly. OPPOSITE: careful reck·on /'rekən/ verb 1 to guess because you have thought about something: I reckon he must have finished eating by now. 2 reckon something up to add up or count something: She reckoned up the money we owed her. rec·og·ni·tion /,rekǝg'nıfn/ noun (no plural) the act of being known by someone when they see you: She hoped to avoid recognition by wearing dark glasses. rec·og·nize /'rekəgnaız/ verb (past participle recognizing, past recognized) to know someone or something when you see them: I recognized Peter although I hadn't seen him for 10 years. I don't recognize this word what does it mean? 3 used when you tell someone that you are annoyed with them: Really, Jane, you are behaving badly. 〈?〉 re-com-mend /rekə'mend/ verb to tell someone that a person or thing is good for a particular purpose: If you're going to the city, I recommend the new hotel - it's very nice. He recommended the new hotel to me. rec-om-men-da-tion /,rekəmen'deı∫n/ noun the suggestion that someone or something is good for a particular purpose: I went to the new hotel on your recommendation. re-cord¹ /rı'kɔ:d/ verb 1 to write about something or put it on a computer so that you can know about it later 2 to copy television programmes on a special machine called a VIDEO so that you can watch them later 3 to store sounds electrically so that they can be listened to later: He recorded his most popular songs in 1991. re-cord² /'rekɔ:d/ noun 1 a round thin flat piece of plastic that stores sounds, and which you play on a special machine. 2 information that is written down and kept: medical records 3 something done better, quicker, etc. than anyone else has done it: He holds the world record for the high jump. 4 break a record to do something better, quicker, etc., than it has ever been done before: She broke the record for the 100m. re-cord-er /rı'kɔ:də/ noun a musical instrument like a pipe re-cord-ing /rı'kɔ:dıŋ/ noun a piece of music or speech that has been recorded so that you can listen to it: the group's latest recording record player /'rekɔ:d ,pleıǝ'/ noun a machine which is used to play records re-cov-er /rı'kavə/ verb to get well again after you have been ill: Have you recovered from your cold yet? re-cover-y /rı'kavərı/ noun (no plural) a return to good health after an illness: She made a quick recovery after her accident. rec-re-a-tion /,rekri'eı∫n/ noun rest or play after you have been working: Football and watching television are the boys' main recreations. You can't work all the time - you must have some recreation. re-cruit¹ /rı'kru:t/ noun a new member of an organization, especially of the armed forces. recruit² verb to get a new member of an organization: to recruit new police officers rec-tan-gle /'rektæŋgl/ noun a flat shape with four straight sides and four equal angles, that is longer than it is wide ▷ SEE PICTURE AT shape ▷ SAME MEANING: oblong rec-tan-gu-lar /rek'tæŋgjələ'/ adjective having a flat shape with four straight sides and four equal angles, that is longer than it is wide: a rectangular table re-cy-cle /ri:'saıkl/ verb (present participle recycling, past recycled) to use something again rather than throwing it away: These bottles can be recycled. red /red/ adjective, noun the colour of blood: a red dress, dressed in red re-duce /rı'dju:s/ verb (present participle reducing, past reduced) to make something smaller or less: They've reduced the prices in the shop, so it's a good time to buy. re-duc-tion /rı'dak∫n/ noun the act of making something smaller or less: price reductions reed /ri:d/ noun a tall plant like grass, which grows in or near water reel /ri:l/ noun a round thing on which thread, film, etc. can be wound: a reel of cotton re-fer /rı'fз:/ verb (present participle referring, past referred) 1 refer to something to go to a book to get a piece of knowledge: Refer to a dictionary if you don't know what the word means. 2 refer to someone or something to speak about someone or something: He didn't refer to Jack in his letter. 〈263〉 re-feree /refǝ'ri:/ noun a person who watches a game and decides if it is fair. re-ference /'refrǝns/ noun 1 (no plural) the act of looking at something for information: I keep the dictionary on my desk for reference. 2 a letter written by someone about your character and ability which is sent to someone who may give you a job. reference book /'refrǝns buk/ noun a book, for example a dictionary, which you look at to get particular information about a subject. re-flect /rı'flekt/ verb 1 to throw back light, heat, a picture, etc.: A mirror reflects a picture of you when you look in it. 2 to think: He reflected before answering my question. re-flection /rı'fleksn/ noun 1 (no plural) the throwing back of light, heat, etc. 2 what you see in a mirror or water: We looked at our reflections in the lake. 3 (no plural) thinking: After a minute's reflection, he answered. re-form¹ /rı'fo:m/ verb to improve an organization or system by making changes to it: The Government is planning to reform the law on drinking and driving. re-form² noun a change that improves an organization or system: the reform of the tax system. re-fresh /rı'fref/ verb to make someone less hot or tired. re-freshed /rı'freft/ adjective less hot or tired: I felt refreshed after my bath. re-fresh-ing /rı'frefin/ adjective making you feel less hot or tired: a refreshing drink. re-fresh-ments /rı'frefmǝnts/ plural noun food and drink which you have at an event or journey: They provided refreshments in the middle of the match. re-fri-ge-ra-tor /rı'fridzǝreitǝ(r)/ noun (also fridge) a type of electric cupboard for keeping food cold and fresh: Put the milk in the refrigerator. ref-uge /'refju:dz/ noun a safe place ref-u-gee /,refju:'dzi:/ noun a person who has to leave their own country because they are in danger re-fus-al /rı'fju:zǝl/ noun the act of not accepting an offer or saying that you will not do something: her refusal of my help, his refusal to help me. re-fuse /rı'fju:z/ verb (present participle refusing, past refused) to say firmly that you are not willing to accept or do something: She refused to let me help. re-gard¹ /rı'ga:d/ verb to think of someone in a particular way: We regard him as our cleverest student. re-gard² noun (no plural) care: He always says what he thinks, without regard for other people's feelings. re-gard-ing /rı'ga:dıŋ/ preposition about: I wrote you a letter regarding my daughter's school examinations. SAME MEANING: concerning re-gard-less /rı'ga:dləs/ adverb without caring: He says what he thinks regardless of other people's feelings. re-gards /rı'ga:dz/ plural noun best wishes: Give my regards to your parents. reg-gae /'regeı/ noun (no plural) a type of popular music from the West Indies with a strong regular beat re-gi-ment /'redzımənt/ noun a large group of soldiers who are part of an army re-gion /'ri:dzən/ noun an area: This is a farming region. re-gis-ter¹ /'redzıstǝ(r)/ noun a list, for example one that has the names of all the children in the class register² verb 1 to have a name or event put on a list: He registered the birth of his child. 2 to show something: The machine registered how fast we were going. re-gis-tra-tion /,redzı'streıfn/ noun (no plural) the act of having a name or event put on a list 〈?〉 re-gret¹ /ri'gret/ verb (past participle regretting, past regretted) to be sorry about something: I regret spending so much money on sweets. I regret to say that he failed. regret² noun a feeling of being sorry regular /'regjula/ adjective 1 happening or being at fixed times: He is a regular visitor - he comes every Sunday. 2 ordinary; usual: Is he your regular doctor? 3 (used about nouns, verbs, etc.) following the usual rules of grammar: The verb "walk" is regular. OPPOSITE: (2 and 3) irregular reg-u-lar-i-ty /,regju'lærəti/ noun (no plural) the state in which something happens again and again after the same period of time: The building is cleaned with great regularity. regular-ly /'regjulali/ adverb after the same period every time: Take the medicine regularly three times a day. reg-u-la-tion / regju'leijn/ noun an official rule re-hears-al /rı'ha:sl/ noun a practice of a performance before it is shown to the public: All the children in the play must come to the rehearsal. re-hearse /rı'hs:s/ verb (present participle rehearsing, past rehearsed) to do or say something again and again, to make it as good as possible: He rehearsed his speech last night. reign¹ /rein/ verb to be king or queen reign² noun the time when a king or queen reigns: It happened in the reign of George IV. rein /rein/ noun a long narrow piece of leather used to control a horse: The rider pulled on the reins, and the horse stopped. re-ject /rı'dzekt/ verb to decide that you do not want something or someone: We rejected his idea for a music club, and decided to have an art club instead. re-joice /rı'd3ɔ1s/ verb (present participle rejoicing, past rejoiced) to be very happy re-late /rı'leit/ verb (present participle relating, past related) 1 to have a connection with something: This film relates to what we were learning about metals last week. 2 to tell a story: I related my adventure to my family. re-lat-ed /rı'lertid/ adjective 1 of the same family: I'm related to him - he's my uncle. 2 connected: The book is about electricity and related subjects. re-la-tion /rı'lerfn/ noun a member of the same family: Some of my relations, my mother's aunt and uncle, live in America. re-la-tion-ship /rı'lerjnfip/ noun 1 being related: "Do you know her relationship to that girl?" "She's her sister." 2 the feelings between two people: The teacher has a very good relationship with her students. relative¹ /'relativ/ noun a member of the same family; a relation relative² adjective measured or judged when compared with something of the same kind: the relative costs of travelling by train and by coach relative-ly /'relativli/ adverb when compared with something of the same kind: Travelling by train is relatively expensive. re-lax /rı'læks/ verb to become less worried, angry, tight, etc.: Don't worry about it - just try to relax. re-lax-a-tion / ,rilæk'seifn/ noun rest and amusement after hard work or worry re-laxed /rı'lækst/ adjective calm and not worried OPPOSITE: tense re-lax-ing /rı'læksın/ adjective making you calm and less worried: a relaxing evening listening to music re-lease¹ /rı'li:s/ verb (present participle releasing, past released) 〈265〉 skiing boxing sports skating cricket football horseriding tennis golf rugby athletics basketball swimming hockey 〈?〉 transport helicopter hovercraft ship harbour aeroplane airport bus bus station railway station bridge road train bus stop platform lorry taxi car car park motorbike bicycle 〈267〉 re-lease /rı'li:s/ noun the letting go of someone or something: After their release, the prisoners came home. re-li-a-ble /rı'latəbl/ adjective able to be trusted: He is a very reliable person — if he says he will do a thing, he will do it. OPPOSITE: unreliable re-llef /rı'li:f/ noun (no plural) a feeling of happiness after an unpleasant feeling: I felt great relief when I heard I had passed the examination. relieve /rı 'li:v/ verb (present participle relieving, past relieved to make pain or trouble less: The medicine relieved his headache. re-lleved /rı 'li:vd/ adjective happy after a period of anxiety: Your mother will be very relieved to hear that you are safe. re-li-gion /rı'lidzən/ noun 1 (no plural) belief in one or more gods: Almost every country has some form of religion. 2 a special set of beliefs in one or more gods: Hinduism and Buddhism are Eastern religions. re-li-gious /rı 'lıdzəs/ adjective 1 connected with religion: religious belief 2 showing a strong belief in a religion and obeying its rules: a very religious man re-luc-tant /rı'laktənt/ adjective not willing: The child was reluctant to leave her mother. re-ly /rı'laı/ verb (present participle relying, past relied) to trust in someone or something: You can rely on me to help you. re-main /rı'mein/ verb to stay: I went to the city, but my brother remained at home. We remained friends for many years. re-main-der /rı'meində/ noun the rest; what is left: I'll go ahead with three of you, and the remainder of the group can wait here. re-mains /rı'meinz/ plural noun parts which are left: We found the remains of a meal on the table. re-mark¹ /rı'ma:k/ noun something said: He made a rude remark about the woman who passed us. remark² verb to say something because you have just thought about it or just noticed it: "That's where Jane lives," she remarked. re-mar-ka-ble /rı'ma:kəbl/ adjective unusual, usually in a good way: a remarkable escape re-mar-ka-bly /rı'ma:kəblı/ adverb surprisingly: He was remarkably quiet for such a young child. rem-e-dy /'remədı/ noun (plural remedies) 1 an answer to a problem 2 something that cures pain or illness: a remedy for a stiff neck re-mem-ber /rı'membə/ verb to keep something or someone in your mind: Did you remember to feed the animals? OPPOSITE: forget re-mind /rı'maind/ verb 1 to make someone remember: Remind me to write to my uncle. That smell reminds me of the seaside. Remind me about the flowers for Aunt Jane — I mustn't forget them. 2 remind you of someone to be like someone else: That man reminds me of Charlie Chaplin. re-mote /rı'məut/ adjective far from where people live: They have a remote farm in the hills. remote control /rı,məut kən'trəul/ noun a special thing you use to turn a machine on or off without getting out of your chair and going to it — see picture on page 165 re-mote-ly /rı'məutlı/ adverb not in any way: He is not remotely like me. re-mov-al /rı'mu:vl/ noun the act of taking something away from a place or moving it: the removal of the pictures from the walls removal van /rı'mu:vl væn/ noun a large vehicle used to move all the things 〈268〉 re-move from one house to another when people go to live in a new house. re-move /rı'mu:v/ verb (present participle removing, past removed) to take something away: Will you remove your books from my desk? re-new /rı'nju:/ verb 1 to put something new in the place of something of the same kind: He renewed his driving licence (= paper saying that he was allowed to drive a car). 2 to start something again: The soldiers renewed their attack on the town,. rent¹ /rent/ noun money paid regularly for the use of a house, office, etc.: He pays 100 dollars a week rent. rent² verb to have the use of a house or car or let someone use a house or car in return for money: My father rents an office in the city. LOOK AT: hire re-paid /rı'perd/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb repay re-pair¹ /rı'peǝг/ verb to make something that is broken or old good again: Have you repaired the chair yet? SAME MEANING: mend repair² noun something done to an old or broken object to make it good again: I haven't paid for the repairs to my bicycle. re-pay /rı'peı/ verb (past repaid /rı'ped/) to give money back to someone: I'll repay you tomorrow. re-peat /rı'pi:t/ verb to say something or do something again: Could you repeat the question? re-peat-ed /rı'pi:tıd/ adjective done again and again: She made repeated attempts to escape. repeatedly /rı'pi:tıdli/ adverb: He shouted at me repeatedly to stop. rep-e-ti-tion /,repı'tı∫n/ noun (no plural) the saying or doing of the same thing again re-place /rı'pleıs/ verb (present participle replacing, past replaced) 1 to put something back in its place. 2 to put a new or different thing in place of something: The man who sold me the radio said he'd replace it if it didn't work. re-place-ment /rı'pleısmənt/ noun something new or different in the place of something old or broken: This radio doesn't work — I'm going to get a replacement. re-play¹ /ri:pleı/ verb to play a match such as a football match again re-play² noun /'ri:pleı/ a match such as a football match played again because neither team or person won it last time: the replay between Liverpool and Arsenal re-ply¹ /rı'plaı/ verb (past replied) to give an answer: "Did you forget?" I asked. "Of course not," she replied. I replied that I would do it later. Have they replied to your letter? reply² noun (plural replies) an answer: Have you had a reply to your letter? re-port¹ /rı'pɔ:t/ verb 1 to tell people about something, often because it is your job or duty: The accident was reported on the radio. He reported that the company had made a profit. 2 to complain about someone or something: She was stealing money and they reported her to the police. report² noun facts told or written: We read a report of the accident. a newspaper report re-port-er /rı'pɔ:təг/ noun a person who writes reports in newspapers or tells news stories on television or radio rep-re-sent /,reprı'zent/ verb 1 to act officially for another person or group of people: He represented his company at the meeting. 2 to be a sign of: The sign "&" represents the word "and". rep-re-sen-ta-tive /,reprı'zentətıv/ noun a person who acts officially for another person or group of people: They sent a representative to the meeting. 〈269〉 re-proach /rı prǝutf/ verb to blame someone in a sad way, not an angry way. re-pro-duce / ri:prǝ'dju:s/ verb (present participle reproducing, past reproduced) 1 to produce young 2 to make a copy of something: The paintings were all reproduced in the book. re-pro-duc-tion / ri:prǝ'dakfn/ noun 1 (no plural) producing young ones: human reproduction. 2 a copy of something: a reproduction of a famous picture rep-tile /'reptail/ noun an animal such as a snake whose blood changes temperature according to the temperature around it re-pub-lic /ri'pablık/ noun a country whose head is a president, not a king rep-u-ta-tion / repju'teifn/ noun the opinion that people have about someone or something: This hotel has a good reputation. re-quest¹ /ri'kwest/ verb to ask politely for something: Visitors are requested to be quiet in the hospital. Please request help if you need it. request² noun something that you ask for politely: She made a request for help. re-quire /rı 'kwaiǝr/ verb (present participle requiring, past required) to need something: These plants require a lot of light. re-quire-ment /rı 'kwaiəmənt/ noun something that is needed: This shop can supply all your requirements. res-cue¹ /'reskju:/ verb (present participle rescuing, past rescued) to save someone from danger: They rescued the boy from the river. rescue² noun the saving of someone from danger: a big rescue operation after a ship sank in the North Sea re-search¹ /rı's3:tf/, /'ri:s3:tf/ noun (no plural) careful study, especially to find out something new: scientific research, medical research research² /ri's3:tf/ verb to study something to find out new things re-sem-blance /rı'zemblans/ noun a way in which two people or things look like each other: There is no resemblance between the two brothers. re-sem-ble /rı'zembl/ verb (present participle resembling, past resembled) to look like another person or thing: She resembles her mother in the way she moves her hands when she talks. re-sent /ri 'zent/ verb to feel angry about something because you think you have been treated unfairly: He resents being treated as a child. re-sent-ment /rı'zentmənt/ noun (no plural) the feeling of being angry because you think you have been treated unfairly res-er-va-tion / rezǝ'veifn/ noun an arrangement to make sure that something is kept for your use: Have you made a reservation at the hotel? re-serve¹ /rı'z3:v/ verb (present participle reserving, past reserved) to keep something for someone or arrange for something to be kept: I have reserved a table for us at the restaurant. reserve² noun 1 an amount of something which is kept for possible future use: We have large reserves of oil. 2 a place where wild animals live and are protected: Africa has many wildlife reserves. res-er-voir /'rezǝvwa:/ noun a place where a lot of water is stored res-i-dence /'rezidəns/ noun 1 the place where you live: the President's official residence 2 (no plural) the fact of having your home in a place: residence in the United Kingdom res-i-dent /'rezidənt/ noun a person who lives in a place: residents of Oxford 〈?〉 res-i-den-tial / rezi'denfl adjective related to where people live rather than where they work: a residential area re-sign /rı zain/ verb 1 to leave your job: He resigned from the Government. 2 resign yourself to something to accept something unpleasant calmly: / resigned myself to a long wait. res-ig-na-tion / rezignersn/noun 1 a letter saying you are leaving your job: I sent in my resignation last week. 2 (no plural) calm acceptance of some- thing unpleasant re-sist/rı'zıst/ verb 1 to fight back against attack: They tried to resist the enemy attack. 2 to fight against something: He resists any kind of change. 3 to stop yourself doing something you would like to do: I can't resist laughing at him. 4 to be strong against something: Will this new wall resist the force of the sea? re-sistance /rızıstəns/ noun (no plural) the act of fighting against someone or something res-o-lu-tion / reza'lu:fn/ noun a decision to do something that you ought to do: I made a resolution to work hard. re-solve /rt'zDlv/ verb (present participle resolving, past resolved) to decide: I resolved to work hard until the examination. re-sort /rı 'zǝzt/ noun a town where people go on holiday: a seaside resort, a tourist resort re-sources /rı'zısız plural noun the things or the money that a country or an organization has that make it possible for them to do things: natural resources such as oil respect¹ /ri'spekt/ noun 1 (no plural) a good opinion of someone: He has great respect for his parents. 2 a way: In some respects, he is like his father. respect² verb to feel admiration for someone's good qualities: All the children respected their teacher. re-spec-ta-ble frı¹spektəbl/ adjective with a good, honest character: a respect- able young man respond /rı'spond/ verb to answer: How did she respond to your question? She responded by laughing. re-sponse (ri'spons/ noun an answer: I've had no response to my letter. re-spon-si-bility /rı sponsə bılatı noun (plural responsibilities) something which it is your duty to do or look after: My children are my responsibility. re-spon-si-ble /rt'ponsabl/ adjective taking care of someone or something, and taking the blame if anything goes wrong: Simon is a responsible boy - we can leave him to look after the smaller children. She's responsible for organizing the whole show. rest¹ /rest/ noun 1 a time of quiet away from work or play: I had an hour's rest after work. 2 the rest the remaining part or parts of something: Have you seen the rest of the children? We'll eat the rest of the cake tomorrow. rest² verb 1 to have a quiet time away from work or play: I rested for an hour before I went out. 2 to put something down somewhere: / rested my elbows on the table. restaurant /restront/ noun a place where you can buy and eat food rest-ful/restfall adjective pleasantly peaceful: a restful evening rest-less /'restlis/ adjective not able to keep still: You were very restless in bed last night. re-store/rı 'sta: verb (present participle restoring, past restored) 1 to repair something so that it looks new: to restore an old building 2 to give back something that was lost or stolen re-strain /rı 'strein/ verb to stop or hold back: She couldn't restrain her tears. re-strict /rı'strikt/ verb to keep something within a limit: Swimming is restricted to this part of the river only the rest is dangerous. 〈271〉 re-striction /ri'strik/n/ noun a limit: parking restrictions in the city centre re-sult¹ /rizalt/ noun what happens because something else has happened: What was the result of your examination - did you pass or fail? result² verb to have something as a result: The accident resulted in three people being killed. re-sume /rı 'zjurm/ verb (present participle resuming, past resumed) to start again: We shall resume our work in a quarter of an hour. re-tire /rı'taiǝr/ verb (present participle retiring, past retired) to stop work because of old age or illness: He retired from the business when he was 65. re-tire-ment /rı'taiǝmənt/ noun the period of a person's life after they have stopped working because they are old: She plans to spend her retirement travelling. re-treat¹ /ri'trict/ verb to go back or away from something or someone: The soldiers had to retreat as the enemy advanced. retreat² noun a movement back, away from someone or something re-turn¹ /rı ta:n/ verb 1 to come or go back: He returned to his own country. 2 to give something back: Could you return the book I lent you? return² noun 1 the act of coming or going back: On my return from work, I saw that the door was open. 2 a ticket for a journey to a place and back again: Two returns to Edinburgh, please. a return ticket ► COMPARE: single re-veal /rı'vizl/ verb to say or show something that was covered up or secret before re-venge /ri vend3/ noun (no plural) something bad that you do to someone who has done something bad to you: He broke Mary's pen and in revenge she tore up his school work. Reverend /'revrand/ noun a title for a Christian priest: We say the Reverend Richard Jones, but we write Rev Richard Jones. re-verse /rı'va:s/ verb (present participle reversing, past reversed) 1 to move backwards: The driver reversed the lorry into the narrow road. 2 to change the order of things to the opposite review¹ /ri'vjur/ noun a piece of writing telling you what the writer thinks about something such as a new book or film review² verb to look at new books, films, etc. and say what you think about them re-vise /rı vaiz/ verb (present participle revising, past revised) 1 to prepare for an examination by studying things again: I've been revising all week. 2 to look through something again and change things where needed: He was revising what he had written. re-vision /rı'vızn/ noun (no plural) work in which you study things again to prepare for an examination re-vive /rı'varv verb (present participle reviving, past revived) to become conscious again or to make someone conscious again: She managed to revive the woman she had saved from the river. re-volt¹ /rı'vault/ verb to fight in a mass against leaders or a government: The soldiers revolted against their officers. revolt² noun an event in which a lot of people fight against their leaders or government: The army officers led a revolt against the king. re-volt-ing /rı'vaultin/ adjective making you ill through looking at or thinking about something: What a revolting smell! ► SAME MEANING: disgusting rev-o-lu-tion / reva'lu:fn/ noun a great change, especially in the government of a country: The army officers led a revolution against the king. 〈275〉 rev-o-lu-tion-a-ry /revə'lu:ʃənri/ adjective 1 connected with revolution 2 completely new and different: a revolutionary way of growing rice re-volve /rɪ'vɒlv/ verb (present participle revolving, past revolved) to go round and round: The wheels revolved quickly. The Earth revolves round the sun. re-volv-er /rɪ'vɒlvə/ noun a small gun ➔ SAME MEANING: pistol re-ward /rɪ'wɔːd/ noun something given in return for good work, kindness, bravery, etc.: The police are offering a reward for information about the robbery. reward² verb to give a reward to someone who has done something good: How can I reward you for all your help? rheu-ma-tis-m /'ru:mətızəm/ noun (no plural) a disease causing pain or stiffness in the joints or muscles rhi-no /'raɪnəʊ/ is a short way of saying and writing rhinoceros rhi-no-ce-ros /raɪ'nɒsərəs/ noun (plural rhinoceroses) a large wild animal with a hard skin and two horns on its nose, which lives in Africa and Asia ➔ see picture on page 300 rhyme¹ /raɪm/ noun 1 a word with the same sound as another word 2 a short thing you say or sing which has rhymes in it rhyme² verb (present participle rhyming, past rhymed) (used about words) to end with the same sound: Weigh rhymes with play. rhythm /'rɪðəm/ noun a regular sound like a drum in music: I can't dance to music without a good rhythm. rib /rɪb/ noun one of the narrow bones which go round your chest ➔ see picture at skeleton rib-bon /'rɪbən/ noun a long narrow piece of material used for tying things and making them look pretty: ribbons in her hair rice /raɪs/ noun (no plural) a food of white or brown grains grown in wet tropical places, especially in India and China: meat with rice rich /rɪtʃ/ adjective 1 having a lot of money ➔ OPPOSITE: poor 2 cooked with a lot of oil, sugar, etc.: I don't like rich food. rich-es /'rɪtʃɪz/ plural noun money and goods: She gave away all her riches. rid /rɪd/ verb get rid of something to remove something or someone you do not want: He got rid of his motorbike and bought a car. rid-den /'rɪdn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb ride rid-dle /'rɪdl/ noun a question which is a trick and which makes people laugh: Here's a riddle for you: "Why is 'smiles' the longest word in the world? Because it is made of two s's with a 'mile' between them." ride¹ /raɪd/ verb (present participle riding, past tense rode /rəʊd/, past participle ridden /'rɪdn/) to go along on or in a vehicle or on an animal: She was riding a bicycle. She rode the new horse. They rode in the back seat of the bus. ride² noun a journey on or in a vehicle or on a horse, especially for pleasure: Can I have a ride on your bike (= bicycle)? They've gone out for a ride in the car. rid-er /'raɪdə/ noun a person who rides, especially someone who rides a horse: The rider was thrown off his horse. ridge /rɪdʒ/ noun a long narrow raised part of something such as the top of a hill: The waves had pushed the sand into little ridges. ri-dic-u-lous /rɪ'dɪkjʊləs/ adjective very silly: Don't be ridiculous – you can't play outside in the storm. ridiculously /rɪ'dɪkjʊləsli/ adverb: The examination was ridiculously easy. 〈273〉 ri-fle /'ratfl/ noun a long gun that you hold up against your shoulder to fire right¹ /rait/ adjective 1 correct; good: Do you know the right time? I don't think it's right to let children eat too many sweets. She was right to tell the police. You were right about Mary, she's very nice. "Is this Piccadilly Circus?" "Yes, that's right." OPPOSITE: wrong 2 on the side of the hand that most people write with: Take the next right turn. He broke his right arm. OPPOSITE: left right² noun 1 (no plural) what is fair and good: You must learn the difference between right and wrong. OPPOSITE: wrong 2 what is or should be allowed by law: We must work for equal rights for everyone. 3 the side on the same side as the hand most people write with: The school is on the left of the road, and his house is on the right. OPPOSITE: left right³ adverb 1 correctly: I did all my sums right. OPPOSITE: wrong 2 towards the right side: Turn right at the corner. OPPOSITE: left 3 completely; all the way: I read right to the end of the book. 4 directly; straight: That's our house right in front of you. 5 right away without any delay 6 right now without any delay right an-gle /'rait ængl/ noun the shape made when two sides of a square meet at a corner: There are 90° in a right angle. right-hand-ed /rait 'hændid/ adjective using your right hand for things such as writing OPPOSITE: left-handed ri-gid /'rıdzıd/ adjective 1 stiff and not easy to bend: rigid cardboard 2 not easy to change: rigid laws, rigid ideas rim /rim/ noun the outside edge of something: a pattern round the rim of a plate rind /raind/ noun the hard outer skin of fruit, cheese, etc. ring¹ /rıŋ/ noun 1 a circle: The children sat in a ring. 2 a circular metal band that you wear on your finger; a wedding ring. 3 give someone a ring to telephone someone: I'll give you a ring some time tomorrow. ring² verb (past tense rang /ræŋ/, past participle rung /rʌŋ/) 1 to make a sound like a bell: He heard the telephone ringing. He rang the bell but no one came to the door. 2 ring off to end a telephone conversation: I'd better ring off now — there's someone at the door. 3 ring someone up to telephone someone: She rang me up to say she'd be home late. Has anyone rung up this evening? rinse /rins/ verb (present participle rinsing, past rinsed) to wash the soap out of something you have washed: I rinsed the woollen things three times. ri-ot¹ /'raıət/ noun a noisy fight by an angry crowd of people: There was a riot when the workers were told they had lost their jobs. riot² verb to fight in an angry crowd: They rioted in the streets. rip /rip/ verb (present participle ripping, past ripped) to tear: As he climbed over the fence, he ripped his trousers on a nail. ripe /raip/ adjective full-grown and ready to eat: This fruit isn't ripe yet - we can't eat it. rip·ple¹ /'rıpl/ noun a little wave ripple² verb (present participle rippling, past rippled) (used about water) to move in little waves rise¹ /raiz/ verb (present participle rising, past tense rose /rauz/, past participle risen /'rizn/) to come or get up: Smoke rose from the chimney. The sun rose at seven o'clock. 〈274〉 rise The land rises steeply from the river. rising prices rise² noun an increase: a rise in prices ris·en /'rızn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb rise risk¹ /risk/ verb to take a chance of something bad happening or of losing something: He risked his life when he saved the child from the fire. You risk losing all your money. risk² noun the chance of being in danger: He took a risk when he crossed the old bridge (= there was a chance it might fall down). ri·val /'raivl/ noun a person who tries to do better than another: Ann's a good swimmer too - we're rivals for the swimming prize. ri·val·ry /'rarvalrı/ noun (plural rivalries) competition between people who want to do better than each other: There is great rivalry between the two sisters. riv·er /'rıvǝr/ noun a continuous flow of water along a course to the sea: The longest river in Africa is the Nile. road /raud/ noun 1 a hard, wide track that people and traffic can use to go from one place to another: Where's the best place to cross the road? Which road do you live in? the road to Cambridge - see picture on page 266 2 by road by car, bus, etc. and not on the train: We're going by road. roam /raum/ verb to wander: The visitors roamed around the town. roar¹ /ro:/ verb to make a deep angry noise, like a lion roar² noun a deep angry noise such as the noise made by a lion roast¹ /raust/ verb to cook food such as meat by baking it without water, or over a fire roast² adjective cooked by baking without water, or over a fire: It's roast chicken for dinner. rob /rob/ verb (present participle robbing, past robbed) to take something from a person, a bank, or a shop when it is not yours: They planned to rob a bank. They robbed her of everything she possessed. NOTE: Compare rob and steal. Someone robs a person or an organization, but steals things such as money: I've been robbed! He was sent to prison for robbing a bank. Someone has stolen my bag. She stole the money. rob·ber /'robar/ noun a person who steals something from a person, a bank, or a shop: a bank robber rob·ber·y /'robarı/ noun (plural robberies) the crime of stealing something from a person, a bank, or a shop: He was charged with robbery, a bank robbery robe /raub/ noun a long loose piece of clothing that covers much of your body ro·bot /'raubot/ noun a machine that does work instead of a person, for example making cars in a car factory rock¹ /rok/ noun 1 (no plural) stone that forms part of the earth 2 a large piece of stone that sticks up out of the ground or the sea: danger from falling rocks, ships driven on to the rocks by a storm 3 (no plural) popular modern dance music with a strong beat, which is played on electric instruments rock² verb to move regularly, first one way and then the opposite way: When I stepped onto the side of the boat it rocked, a mother rocking her baby rock·et /'rokit/ noun 1 a machine driven into the air by burning gas, used to lift a weapon or a spaceship from the ground 〈275〉 rock-y /'rokı/ adjective covered with rocks: a rocky path rod /rod/ noun a thin bar: a fishing rod rode /raud/ the PAST TENSE of the verb ride rogue /raug/ noun a person who is bad or not honest role /raul/ noun a character in a play or film: He played the role of the old king in our school play. roll¹ /roul/ verb 1 to move along by turning over and over or on wheels: The ball rolled under the table. She rolled the bed out from the wall. 2 to make a rounded shape by turning something over and over: Roll the carpet up so that it doesn't get damaged. Roll the paper don't fold it. roll² noun 1 something rolled up into a long round shape: a roll of cloth 2 a small round loaf of bread: a cheese roll (= with cheese inside) roller skate /'raula skert/ noun a frame with wheels for fitting under a shoe roller-skating/'raula,skettin noun (no plural) the sport or activity of riding on roller skates Roman Catholic /,raumən 'kæӨəlık/ adjective belonging to the church whose head is the Pope ro-mance /rau'mæns/ noun 1 a relationship between two people who are in love: a romance between a king and a poor girl 2 a story about love ro-man-tic /rau'mæntık/ adjective showing strong feelings of love roof /ru:f/ noun the top covering of a building, car, etc.: There's a cat on our roof. room /ru:m/ noun 1 one of the parts of a house separated by walls and doors: The house had six rooms. 2 (no plural) space: There isn't room for anyone else in the car. This desk takes up a lot of room. root /ru:t/ noun the part of a plant which grows down, and is usually below the ground rope /raup/ noun a strong thick cord COMPARE: string rose¹ /rǝuz/ the PAST TENSE of the verb rise rose² noun a beautiful and sweet-smelling flower rot /rot/ verb (present participle rotting, past rotted) to go bad and soft because of being old or wet: The ripe fruit began to rot when no one came to pick it. ro-tate /rau'teit/ verb (present participle rotating, past rotated) to go round like a wheel: The Earth rotates round the sun. ro-ta-tion /rau'teifn/ noun a movement round and round like the movement of a wheel: the rotation of the earth round the sun rot-ten /'rotn/ adjective 1 bad and soft because old or wet: rotten fish 2 bad: The way he treated her was really rotten. a rotten cold rough /raf/ adjective 1 not even or smooth: a rough surface, a rough mountain road, rough skin OPPOSITE: smooth 2 rather violent; not gentle: He's too rough with the baby. The sea was rough in the storm. 〈?〉 rough-ly /'rʌfli/ adverb 1 about: I had roughly four kilometres to go. SAME MEANING: approximately 2 not gently round¹ /raund/ adjective like a ring or circle: a large round plate round² adverb, preposition (also around) 1 with a movement like a circle: The Earth turns round once every day. 2 going in a circle, on all sides of something: She wore a belt round her dress. The children stood round the teacher. 3 to the other way: You're going the wrong way — you need to turn round and go back. 4 to different places: They walked round the town for an hour. 5 round and round going continuously in a circle: The dog ran round and round in a circle. round-a-bout /'raundəbaut/ noun 1 a place where roads cross each other and the traffic goes round in a circle to join each road 2 a round machine on which children can ride sitting on plastic or wooden animals route /ru:t/ noun a way which you plan or follow from one place to another: What's the shortest route from London to Edinburgh? routine /ru:'ti:n/ noun a set way of doing things: I arrive at nine o'clock, teach until twelve thirty and then have a meal. That's my morning routine. row¹ /rəʊ/ noun a line: a row of pots on a shelf row² /rəʊ/ noun a noisy, angry quarrel: The two men were having a row. row³ /rəʊ/ verb to move oars through water to make a boat move row-ing boat /'rəʊɪŋ bəʊt/ noun a small boat that is moved through the water using oars roy-al /'rɔɪəl/ adjective of, belonging to, or like, a king or queen: the royal family roy-al-ty /'rɔɪəlti/ noun (no plural) members of the family of a king or queen rub /rʌb/ verb (present participle rubbing, past rubbed) 1 to move something back and forward over something else: She rubbed her shoes with a cloth to make them shine. She rubbed cream into her hands. 2 rub something out to remove something written in pencil or chalk by rubbing it. rub-ber /'rʌbə/ noun 1 (no plural) a soft material that comes from a tree and can be stretched. Rubber is used for making things such as car tyres. 2 a small piece of this material used for getting rid of pencil marks rubber band /,rʌbə 'bænd/ noun a piece of rubber in a ring shape that is used to fasten things together rub-bish /'rʌbɪʃ/ noun (no plural) 1 things that you do not want and will throw away: The cupboard was full of old papers, broken toys, and other rubbish. 2 anything silly: I thought that story was rubbish. SAME MEANING: nonsense ru-by /'ru:bi/ noun (plural rubies) a dark red stone often used in rings, jewellery, etc. ruck-sack /'rʌk-sæk/ noun a large bag that you carry on your back SAME MEANING: backpack rude /ru:d/ adjective (ruder, rudest) saying or doing unpleasant things that are not polite or kind: It's rude to say you don't like the 〈277〉 rug /rʌg/ noun 1 a thick floor mat - see picture on page 165 2 a large thick cloth to wrap round you to keep you warm rug-by /'rʌgbı/ /'fʊtbɔ:l/ noun (no plural) a rough ball game played by two teams with an egg-shaped ball - see picture on page 265 rug-ged /'rʌgıd/ adjective rough and wild; full of rocks: rugged country ru-in¹ /'ru:ın/ verb to destroy something: She poured water all over my painting, and ruined it. a ruined castle ruin² noun 1 a building that has been almost destroyed: There was a ruin on the top of the hill. 2 ruins the remaining parts of a destroyed building: We saw the ruins of the church. rule¹ /ru:l/ verb (present participle ruling, past ruled) to have power in a country and control it: The new government rules, the country firmly. The country was ruled by a king. rule² noun 1 a law; something that tells you what you must or must not do: It's against the rules to pick up the ball. 2 (no plural) government or control; a country under military rule ruler /'ru:lə/ noun 1 a person who governs a country 2 a piece of wood, plastic, or metal with a straight edge used for measuring and for drawing straight lines rum /rʌm/ noun (no plural) a strong alcoholic drink made from sugar rum-ble /'rʌmbl/ verb (present participle rumbling, past rumbled) to make a long low noise, like thunder in the distance ru-mour /'ru:mə/ noun something that people tell each other but that may not be true: I heard a rumour that the headmaster is leaving. run¹ /rʌn/ verb (present participle running, past tense ran /ræn/, past participle run) 1 to move on your legs very quickly: He ran across the road. - see picture on page 299 2 to pass or go somewhere: The road runs along the river bank. 3 (used about a bus or train) to travel somewhere at an arranged time: Trains run every hour. 4 (used about machines) to work: Don't touch the engine while it's running. 5 to make something work: We don't have enough money to run the hospital properly. 6 run away to go away from a place because you are unhappy: He ran away from home when he was thirteen. 7 run someone down to knock someone down with a car and hurt them 8 run into someone or something to hit someone or something with a car or other vehicle that you are driving: I nearly ran into a lamp-post. 9 run off to run away: They took her handbag and ran off. 10 run out of something to no longer have enough of something: I've run out of petrol. run² noun 1 an act of running: I always go for a run before breakfast. 2 a journey by car or train: We had quite a good run - it only took us 50 minutes. 3 a point in the game of cricket rung¹ /rʌŋ/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb ring rung² noun one of the bars in a ladder - see picture at ladder runner /'rʌnǝ/ noun a person who runs, especially for sport or exercise run-ning /'rʌnıŋ/ adjective (used about water) flowing continuously whenever you need it in your home: a village house with hot and cold running water run-ny /'rʌnı/ adjective (runnier, runniest) more liquid than usual: This paint is too runny to use on the ceiling. ▷ OPPOSITE: thick 〈278〉 ru-ral /'ruərəl/ adjective of, or belonging to the country, not the town: Crops are grown in rural areas. rush¹ /rʌʃ/ verb to hurry: She rushed into the room to tell us the news. rush² noun (no plural) a hurry: I can't stop - I'm in a rush. rust¹ /rʌst/ noun (no plural) a red-brown substance that forms on iron when it has been wet: an old car with a lot of rust. rust² verb to become covered with rust: If you leave your metal tools outside in the rain they will rust. rus-tle¹ /'rʌs(ə)l/ verb (present participle rustling, past rustled) to make a light sound like the sound of paper being moved: The leaves rustled in the wind. rus-tle² noun (no plural) a light sound like the sound of paper being moved: the rustle of leaves rust-y /'rʌsti/ adjective (rustier, rustiest) covered with rust: a rusty old car rut /rʌt/ noun a deep narrow track made by a wheel in soft ground 's /z, s/ 1 is: What's your name? 2 has: She's gone. 3 used to show who is the owner of something: Those are Tom's books (= those books belong to Tom). sack¹ /sæk/ noun 1 a large bag made of thick, strong material: a sack of rice. 2 get the sack to be dismissed from your job sack² verb to dismiss someone from their job sa-cred /'seɪkrɪd/ adjective connected with God or religion: A church is a sacred building. sac-ri-fice¹ /'sækrɪfaɪs/ noun 1 an animal or person that is killed and offered to a god 2 something important to you that you give up for some good purpose: Her parents made many sacrifices so that she could study abroad. sacrifice² verb (present participle sacrificing, past sacrificed) 1 to offer something to a god: They sacrificed a goat. 2 to give up something important for a good purpose: She sacrificed her job to look after her children. sad /sæd/ adjective (sadder, saddest) unhappy: She felt very sad that the holiday was ending. sadly /'sædli/ adverb: She waved sadly. sad-dle /'sædl/ noun 1 a seat which you put on a horse's back 〈279〉 sa-fa-ri /sə'fo:rı/ noun a journey to look at or hunt wild animals, especially in Africa safe¹ /seif adjective (safer, safest) 1 not dangerous or harmful: This town is very safe at night. Are these toys safe for young children? 2 not in danger: Will you be safe travelling by yourself? safely /'serflı/ adverb: She telephoned her mother to say she had arrived safely. safe noun a strong box or cupboard with a lock, for keeping important things safely safety /'seifti/ noun (no plural) a safe place: They managed to escape the fire and run to safety. safety pin /'seifti pin/ noun a bent metal pin with a cover over the paint, used for fastening cloth — see picture at pin sag /sæg/ verb (present participle sagging, past sagged) to hang down heavily: The shelf sagged in the middle because the books on it were too heavy. said /sed/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb say sail¹ /seil/ noun a large cloth used to catch the wind and make a boat move sail² verb 1 to travel on water: His ship sails today. 2 to direct a boat with sails: She sailed the boat without any help. sail-or /'seilər/ noun a person who works on a ship, especially as a member of a navy saint /sernt/ noun a person who has lived a very good and religious life sake /seik/ noun 1 for someone's sake in order to help someone or make them happy: Please go and visit your grandmother, for my sake. 2 for goodness sake something you say when you are annoyed: Oh, for goodness sake, hurry up! salad /'sæləd/ noun a dish of cold, usually raw vegetables sal-ar-y /'sælərı/ noun (plural salaries) a fixed amount of money paid to someone every month for the job they do ➔ SAME MEANING: pay sale /seil/ noun 1 selling: He got four pounds from the sale of his drawing. 2 a time when shops sell things at lower prices: The shoe shop is having a sale this week. sales-man /'seilzmən/ noun (plural salesmen /-mən/) a man whose job is to sell things sales-wo-man /'seilzwʊmən/ noun (plural saleswomen /-wımın/) a woman whose job is to sell things salmon /'sæmən/ noun (plural salmon) a large river and sea fish that you can eat salt /so:lt/ noun (no plural) a white chemical found in sea-water, rocks, etc., which you can put on food to make it taste better salt-y /'so:ltı/ adjective (saltier, saltiest) tasting of salt or having salt in sa-lute¹ /sə'lu:t/ verb (present participle saluting past saluted) to hold your hand against the side of your head as a sign of respect: The soldier saluted his officer. salute² noun a sign made by holding your hand against the side of your head, done out of respect to someone, especially in the army, etc. same /seim/ adjective 1 the same alike in one or more ways: Your pen is the same as mine. They all look the same to me. ➔ OPPOSITE: different 2 exactly the thing or things spoken or written about; not any other: We go to the same school. sam-ple /'sa:mpl/ noun a small part of something which shows what the whole thing is like: a sample of his work, a blood sample 〈200〉 sand /sænd/ noun (no plural) fine white or yellow grains, made of rock, often found next to the sea and in deserts san-dal /'sændl/ noun an open shoe that you wear in hot weather sand-wich /'sænd-wilf/ noun (plural sandwiches) two pieces of bread put together with something else in between them: I made a chicken sandwich, sand-y /sændı/ adjective (sandier, sandiest) covered with sand: a sandy shore sane /sein/ adjective (saner, sanest) having a healthy mind and able to think clearly and make decisions OPPOSITE: insane sang /sæn/ the PAST TENSE of the verb sing sank /sænk/ the PAST TENSE of the verb sink sap /sæp/ noun (no plural) the liquid inside a plant which feeds it sap-phire /'sæfarar/ noun a blue stone used in making rings, jewellery, etc. sar-cas-tic /sa:'kæstık/ adjective unkind and hurtful: sarcastic remarks sar-dine /sa:'di:n/ noun a small fish that is often used for food sat /sæt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb sit satchel /'sætfǝl/ noun a small bag which you can hang over one shoulder. It is often used by schoolchildren. satellite /'sætalait/ noun 1 something which moves round the Earth or another PLANET: The moon is a satellite of the earth. 2 an object sent into space to receive signals from one part of the world and send them to another: The television broadcast came from America by satellite. - see picture on page 200 sat-is-fac-tion / sætis fækfn/ noun (no plural) a feeling of pleasure: I get great satisfaction from working with children. job satisfaction sat-is-fac-to-ry /sætis fæktrı/ adjective good enough: My room is satisfactory. OPPOSITE: unsatisfactory sat-is-fied /'sætisfaid/ adjective pleased; contented: My father is never satisfied with my exam results. a satisfied customer OPPOSITE: dissatisfied sat-is-fy /'sætisfai/ verb (present participle satisfying, past satisfied) to be enough for someone; to make someone contented: This work does not satisfy me. sat-su-ma /sæt'su:mə/ noun a sweet juicy fruit like a small orange Saturday /'sætader, -dil noun the seventh day of the week sauce /sɔ:s/ noun a liquid that you put on food to improve its taste: cheese sauce sauce-pan /'sɔ:span/ noun a pan with a handle for cooking things over heat sau-cer /'sɔ:sə/ noun a small plate that a cup stands on sausage /'sɔsidz/ noun a mixture of finely cut meat cooked inside a long thin skin savage /'sævid3/ adjective wild and fierce: a savage animal save /serv/ verb (present participle saving, past saved) 1 to help someone or something to be safe: I saved the animals from the flood. I was dropping but Peter saved my life. 2 to keep something, especially money, so that you can use it some other time: How much money have you saved this month? We're saving to buy a car. Don't drink all the orange juice today, save some for tomorrow.. 3 to use less of something; not to waste something: We'll save time if we go down this road. 〈281〉 sav-ings /'servinz/ plural noun money that you keep without spending: He used his savings to buy a bicycle. sa-viour /'seivja/ noun a person who saves others from danger or evil saw¹ /sɔ:/ the PAST TENSE of the verb see saw² noun a tool with a blade with metal teeth, used for cutting through wood or metal saw³ verb (past participle sawn /sɔ:n/) to cut something with a saw: He sawed the wood into three pieces. sax-o-phone /'sæksəfəun/ noun a metal musical instrument that you blow into say /sei/ verb (past said /sed/) to speak something: He said that he wanted to go to town. "I'm going to town," he said. Don't believe anything she says; she's a liar. NOTE: Compare say and tell in these sentences: She said something. She told me something. He said he was busy. He told me he was busy. Say never has a person as its object (to say sth to sb), but tell often has a person as its object (to tell sb sth). say-ing /'sei-in/ noun a wise statement that people use often: "Every dog has his day" is a saying meaning that everyone gets a chance to do well. scab /skæb/ noun a hard covering of skin which grows over a wound scaf-fold-ing /'skæfəldıŋ/ noun (no plural) a framework of metal bars fixed to a building for builders to stand on while they work scald /skɔ:ld/ verb to burn something with steam or boiling liquid: She scalded herself with the hot milk. scale /skeil/ noun 1 a set of marks on a measuring instrument: I need a ruler with a metric scale. 2 the way distances or sizes are shown on a map, a model, etc.: The scale of this map is one centimetre to the kilometre (= on this map, every centimetre represents one kilometre of country). 3 a set of musical notes going up or down in order 4 one of the round shiny pieces of skin that cover the body of a fish, snake, etc. -see picture at fish scales /skeilz/ plural noun a machine for weighing things or people scalp /skælp/ noun the skin and hair on the top of your head scam-per /'skæmpə/ verb to run lightly and quickly: The little dog scampered along the road. scan-dal /'skændl/ noun something which causes a lot of people to talk and show that they do not approve: There was a great scandal when we found out that the doctor had been sent to prison for stealing. scar¹ /ska:/ noun a mark left on your skin by an old wound or cut scar² verb (present participle scarring, past scarred) to leave a mark on your skin: His face was badly scarred after the car accident. scarce /skeǝs/ adjective not often seen or found; uncommon: That bird has become scarce in this country. Food becomes scarce during a war. scarce-ly /'skeəsli/ adverb hardly; not very much: She scarcely said a word all evening. scare¹ /skeǝ/ verb (present participle scaring, past scared) to make someone afraid: What was that noise? It scared me. SAME MEANING: frighten 〈289〉 scare2 noun something sudden or unexpected that makes you afraid: You gave me a scare; I didn't know you were in the house. scare-crow /'skeǝkraʊ/ noun a wooden figure dressed in old clothes and put in a field of crops to make birds go away scarf /sko:f/ noun (plural scarves /sko:vz/) a piece of cloth that you wear round your neck or head to keep warm or to make your clothes look more attractive scar-let /'sko:lǝt/ noun, adjective bright red: scarlet drops of blood scat-ter /'skætǝ/ verb 1 to make things or people go in different directions: The farmer scattered the corn in the yard for the hens. 2 to go quickly in different directions: The crowd scattered when it began to rain. scene /si:n/ noun 1 everything that you can see in a particular place: He painted a lovely country scene with trees and a river. 2 the place where something happens: a crowd at the scene of the accident 3 a short part of a play that shows what happens in one place: This play is divided into three acts, and each act has three scenes. scene-ry /'si:nǝri/ noun (no plural) 1 the things that you see around you in the country: The scenery in the mountains is very beautiful. 2 the painted pictures at the back of a stage scent /sent/ noun 1 a nice smell: the scent of flowers 2 (no plural) liquid with a nice smell which you put on your skin: What a lovely smell! Are you wearing scent? SAME MEANING: perfume sched-ule /'fedju:l, 'ske-/ noun 1 a list of times when buses or trains should come 2 a plan of when work is to be done: The schedule shows the book will take a year to finish. scheme¹ /ski:m/ noun a plan: He thought of a scheme to get some money. scheme² verb (present participle scheming, past schemed) to make plans, especially ones which are not honest: They schemed to steal money from the bank. schol-ar /'skplǝr/ noun 1 a person who knows a lot because they have studied a lot and read a lot of books 2 a clever student who has been given money so that he or she can continue to study schol-ar-ship /'skolǝfrp/ noun money given to a clever student so that he or she can continue to study: She won a scholarship to Cambridge. school /sku:l/ noun a place where children go to learn: I went to school in England. I'm learning to play the piano at school. sci-ence /'saiǝns/ noun the study of nature and the way things in the world are made or behave sci-en-tif-ic /,saiǝn'tıfık/ adjective of or about science: scientific studies sci-en-tist /'saiǝntist/ noun a person who studies or practises science scis-sors /'sızǝz/ plural noun an instrument for cutting with two blades joined together: a pair of scissors scold /skǝuld/ verb to tell a child in an angry way that they have done wrong: My mother scolded me when I dropped the plates. scoop /sku:p/ verb to take out something with your hands or with a spoon: She scooped flour out of the bag. scoot-er /'sku:tǝr/ noun 1 a light, small motorcycle 2 a board with two small wheels and a handle which children ride by having one foot on the board and pushing on the ground with the other one scorch /sko:tf/ verb to burn something lightly, usually so that 〈283〉 score¹ /sko:/ noun 1 the marks or points that you get in a game or test: The score in the football game was 4-1 (= four points for one team, one point for the other team). 2 keep the score to write down or remember how many points each person or team has score² verb (present participle scoring, past scored) 1 to win points in a game or test: How many points did you score? 2 to keep a note of the points which each person or team has: Will you score for us when we play? scorn¹ /skoin/ verb to think that someone or something is worthless; not to respect someone or something scorn² noun (no plural) lack of respect: I don't like James because he treats poor people with scorn. scorpion /'skɔ:piǝn/ noun a small creature which stings with its tail scout /skaut/ noun (also boy scout) a boy who belongs to an association which teaches boys to do good and useful things scowl¹ /skaul/ verb to look in an angry way at someone: The teacher scowled at me because I was late. scowl² noun an angry look on someone's face: a scowl on his face scramble /'skræmbl/ verb (present participle scrambling, past scrambled) to move over something quickly but with difficulty: The children scrambled up the hill. scrambled eggs / skræmbld 'egz/ plural noun eggs mixed together with milk and cooked scrap /skræp/ noun a small piece: a scrap of paper scrapbook /'skræpbuk/ noun a book of empty pages in which you can keep pictures and pieces of writing that you collect scrape /skreip/ verb (present participle scraping, past scraped) to remove something by rubbing it off with a hard instrument: Scrape the mud off your shoes with this knife. scratch¹ /skræt∫/ verb 1 to make marks with something sharp: The stick scratched the side of the car. 2 to rub your nails lightly over a part of your body: Don't scratch those mosquito bites; they'll feel worse. scratch² noun (plural scratches) a mark or small wound made by something sharp: a scratch on her hand scream¹ /skri:m/ verb to give a loud, high cry, usually because of fear or excitement: She screamed with fear. scream² noun a loud, high cry of fear or excitement screech¹ /skri:t∫/ verb to give a loud, high, unpleasant noise: The car screeched round the comer as it turned too fast. screech² noun (plural screeches) a loud, high, unpleasant noise screen /skri:n/ noun 1 a flat, square surface on which information or pictures can be shown: a television screen, a computer screen 2 a covered frame used to stop someone or something being seen: The doctor asked him to undress behind the screen. screw¹ /skru:/ noun a thing like a nail which you can push into something by turning it round and round screw² verb 1 to fasten or fix something to a place with screws: He screwed the mirror to the wall. 〈201〉 screw-driver /'skru:draiva/ noun a tool with a narrow blade with which you can push a screw into something scrib-ble /'skribl/ verb (present participle scribbling, past scribbled) to write quickly and carelessly: I'll scribble a note to say what time we'll come home. scripture /'skriptfǝr/ noun a piece of old religious writing scrub /skrab/ verb (present participle scrubbing, past scrubbed) to rub something hard to clean it, especially using a brush sculp-tor /'skalptǝr/ noun an artist who cuts shapes and figures from wood, stone, or metal sculpture /'skalptfǝr/ noun 1 a figure made from wood, stone, or metal 2 (no plural) the art of making figures from wood, stone, or metal sea /si:/ noun 1 the salt water that covers much of the earth's surface 2 a large area of salt water: The Mediterranean Sea — see picture on page 200 3 by sea on a ship: We're going to America by sea. sea-food /'si:fu:d/ noun (no plural) sea creatures that you eat: We eat a lot of seafood. sea-gull /'si:gal/ noun a bird that lives near the sea and eats fish and sea creatures seal¹ /si:l/ noun an animal with a thick coat and flat limbs that it uses for swimming. It lives on cold sea coasts. seal² verb to close something firmly so that it cannot open by mistake: She sealed the envelope and put a stamp on it. seam /si:m/ noun a line of sewing where two pieces of cloth are joined together search¹ /s3:tf/ verb to look carefully in a place because you want to find something: The police searched the house. I've searched everywhere for my keys. search² noun (plural searches) an act of searching: After a long search, they found the lost child. sea-shell /'si:fel/ noun the shell of a small sea creature which you often find empty on the shore sea-shore /'si:for/ noun the land along the edge of the sea sea-sick /'si:sik/ adjective feeling sick because of the movement of a boat on water: He felt seasick because the sea was very rough. sea-side /'si:said/ noun the seaside a place by the sea where people go on holiday COMPARE: coast season /'si:zn/ noun 1 one of the four parts of the year: Summer is the hottest season. 2 a special time of the year during which a sport or an activity takes place: the football season seat /si:t/ noun a place to sit, or a thing to sit on: I could not find a seat on the bus. Please take a seat (= sit down). seat belt /'si:tbelt/ noun a belt fixed to a seat in a car or an aircraft which helps to protect you in an accident second¹ /'sekand/ adjective 2nd: This is the second time I have met him. I came second in the race. second² noun a very short length of time; there are 60 seconds in one minute sec-ond-a-ry school /'sekǝndri, sku:l/ noun a school for children over 11 years old second-class / sekǝnd 'kla:s/ adjective not the most expensive or best quality: a second-class stamp, a second-class train ticket se-cret¹ /'si:krit/ noun something that has not been told to other people: Don't tell anyone about our plan, it's a secret. Can you keep a secret (= can you be sure you will not tell this to anyone else)? 〈285〉 secret adjective not known about by other people: a secret plan sec-re-ta-ry /'sekratrı/ noun (plural secretaries) 1 a person who does office work, writes letters, etc. for an employer 2 in some countries, a government officer sec-tion /'sek[n/ noun a part of something: One section of the bookcase had records on it. A section of the road was closed because of an accident. se-cure /sı 'kjuǝr/ adjective 1 safe; not likely to be stolen or taken away: Keep your money in a secure place. a secure job 2 fixed firmly; that will not move or fall easily: Is this shelf secure enough for these heavy books? se-cu-ri-ty /sı'kjuarıtı/ noun (no plural) being safe and protected: The government is responsible for the security of the country. see /si:/ verb (past tense saw /so: past participle seen /sim/) 1 to use your eyes to know something: It's too dark in here; I can't see anything. I've lost my watch. Have you seen it? 2 to watch something, especially on television or at the cinema: Did you see that programme about drugs last night? What film shall we go and see? LOOK AT (1 and 2): watch 3 to understand something: Do you see what I mean? I can't see why we have to pay so much. 4 to meet or visit someone: I'll see you outside the theatre. You should go and see a doctor. 5 to find out something: Go and see how many people have arrived. I'll see if Mr Jones wants a cup of coffee while he waits. 6 I'll see something you say when you want to think about something before deciding: "Can I borrow the car on Saturday?" "I'll see." 7 let's see something you say when you stop for a little while to think about something: Who are we going to invite to the party? Let's see ... Mark, Julia..... 8 See you a way of saying goodbye to a friend seed /sid/ noun a small grain from which a plant grows seek /si:k/ verb (past sought /sort/) to look for something: We sought an answer to the problem, but couldn't find one. seem /sixm/ verba 1 to appear to be: Your sister seems very nice. They seern to have forgotten that it's my birthday. 2 it seems that ... it appears to be true or likely that ...: It seems that we'll never know who the murderer is.... seen /sim/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb see seep /sixp/ verb (used about a liquid) to flow slowly from or through something: Rain seeped through the roof. see-saw /sixsor noun a long piece of wood balanced on something high in the middle, so that when ma person sits at each end, they can swing up and down... seize /sizz/ verb (present participle seizing, past seized) to take hold of something quickly and firmly: The policeman seized the robber's arm. sel-dom /!seldam/ adverb only a few times; not often: The children are seldom ill. SAME MEANING: rarely select /st 'lekt/ verband בשתל to choose something or someone: I was selected for the team. se-lec-tion /sileksn/ noun a group of things that have been chosen by someone: Here is a selection of our books. self /self/ noun (plural selves /selvz/) your whole being, especially your character: Caroline has been a bit unhappy lately, but today she was her usual friendly self. self-ish /'selfif/ adjective only thinking of yourself and not other people: Let your brother play with your toys. Don't be so selfish! selfishly 〈?〉 self-service /'selfish/ adverb: He always behaves very selfishly. OPPOSITE: unselfish self-service / self 's3:vis/ adjective set out so that you can serve yourself: a self-service restaurant, a self-service petrol station sell /sel/ verb (past sold /sǝuld/) 1 to give something in exchange for money: She sold her old bicycle to me. What does that shop sell? Do you sell milk? 2 sell out to sell all of a particular thing and so have none left: We've sold out of newspapers. sem-l-circle /'semi sa:ki/ noun Half a circle sem-i-co-lon /semi kaulən/ noun the sign ";" used in writing to separate parts of a sentence: It was a long walk; I'm very tired. semi-final /semi fainl/ nouri one of a pair of matches played in a competition to decide which players or teams will compete in the FINAL sen-ate /'senǝt/ noun one of the groups which make up the government in some countries sen-at-or /'senata noun a member of a senate send /send/ verb (past sent /sent/) 1 to cause a thing to go somewhere: She sent me a present. 2 to make someone go somewhere: Send him to me when he gets in. They sent their children to school in America. 3 send for someone to ask someone to come to you: Alice was very ill, so her mother sent for the doctor. sender /'sendar noun the person who sends a letter or a parcel senior /'siznjə/ adjective 1 older: She teaches a senior class. 2 higher in position or importance: She started as a secretary, but now she has a senior position in the company. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): junior sen-sa-tion /sen'serfn/ noun 1 a feeling in your body: She felt a burning sensation on the back of her neck. 2 (no plural) excited interest: The new show caused a sensation. sense¹ /sens/ noun 1 hearing, seeing, tasting, feeling, and smelling are the five senses: He has a good sense of smell. 2 (no plural) good understanding and the ability to think clearly and make good decisions: I think she's got enough sense to ring if she's in trouble. 3 make sense to have a meaning that you can understand: Does this sentence make sense to you? sense² verb (present participle sensing, past sensed) to know something that is not said or shown openly: The dog sensed that I was afraid. sen-si-ble /'sensibl/ adjective having or showing good sense: Tom's parents trust him because he is very sensible. a sensible decision sensibly /'sensiblil adverb: He spent his money sensibly. sen-si-tive /'sensitiv/ adjective able to understand how other people feel, and careful not to say or do anything that will make them unhappy sent /sent/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb send sen-tence /'sentans/ noun a group of words which makes a statement or a question. It begins with a capital letter and ends with A FULL STOP, or a question mark. COMPARE: clause sep-a-rate¹ /'seprat/ adjective different; apart: They have gone to separate places. We sleep in separate rooms. sep-a-rate² /'separeit/ verb (present participle separating, past separated) 1 to move people or things apart: The teacher separated the two boys who were fighting. 2 to keep two things apart: A fence separated the cows from the pigs. September /sep'tembar/ noun the ninth month of the year sergeant /'sa:dzant/ noun an officer in the army or police force se-ri-al /'sıəriəl/ noun a story which is told or written in parts 〈287〉 series /'sıǝrız/ noun (plural series) a number of things coming one after the other: He saw a series of white arrows painted on the road. a series of programmes on dance se-ri-ous /'stiǝriǝs/ adjective 1 thinking carefully about things rather than laughing or having fun: He is a serious boy. 2 very bad and worrying: a serious illness 3 important and worthy of attention: a serious article, a serious conversation se-ri-ous-ly /'stəriəslı/ adverb 1 in a worrying way: She is seriously thinking of leaving her husband. seriously ill 2 take something seriously to treat something as important: The police are taking the threats seriously. I was only joking - don't take everything so seriously. ser-mon /'s3:mən/ noun a talk given by a priest in a church ser-vant /'s3:vant/ noun a person who works for someone in their house serve /s3:v/ verb (present participle serving, past served) 1 to do work for a person or an organization: He served in the army for 15 years. 2 to provide a customer with help in a shop: Are you being served madam? 3 to put food on plates ready to eat: Shall I serve, or do you want to serve yourselves? 4 It serves you right something you say when you think someone deserves the bad thing that has happened to them: He's failed his exams - it serves him right for not studying. service /'s3:vis/ noun 1 (no plural) the work that people do in a public place, especially in a restaurant or a shop: The service in that new restaurant is very slow. 2 (no plural) the work that you do for someone else: He was praised for his service to the blind. 3 something useful that the public can use to help them: a regular bus service, a free information service 4 a church ceremony: the morning service 5 services (plural noun) the work that a professional person does for someone We need the services of a lawyer... ser-vi-ette /s3:vi'et/ noun a small square of cloth or paper that you use at meals to keep your clothes clean and to clean your mouth and fingers SAME MEANING: napkin session /'sefn/ noun a meeting of people for some purpose a dancing session set¹ /set/ noun 1 a group of things that belong together: a set of plates 2 a television: We can't watch television at the moment our set's broken. 3 the scenery for a play or television programme set² verb (present participle setting, past set) 1 to put something somewhere carefully: She set the flowers on the table. 2 to give work to someone: The teacher set us a test. 3 (used about the sun) to go down in the sky: The sun was setting. 4 set an example to behave well so that other people will also behave well: Parents should set a good example to their children. 5 set fire to something to make something burn 6 set someone free to let a prisoner go free 7 set the table to put plates, etc, on a table ready for a meal 8 set off to start a journey: What time shall we set off tomorrow? 9 set out to start a journey: He set out for the office at 8 this morning. set-tee /se'ti:/ noun a long soft chair for two or more people to sit on SAME MEANING: sofa set-tle /'setl/ verb (present participle settling, past settled) 1 to go and live in a place: My son has settled happily in America. 2 to decide something, especially after an argument or talk: We finally settled who should pay for the accident. 3 to rest on something: The insect settled on a leaf. 〈?〉 settlement settle a bill to pay a bill settle down to become calmer and more comfortable; He switched on the television and settled down for the evening. Settle down now, children - it's time to go to sleep. settle in to get used to a new place or job: How are you settling in? set-tle-ment /'setlmənt/ noun a formal decision or agreement at the end of an argument or talk: After hours of talks, they finally reached a settlement. seven /'sevn/ noun, adjective the number 7 sev-en-teen / sevn'ti:n/ noun, adjective the number 17 sev-en-teenth /sevn'ti:ne/ adjective 17th seventh /'sevne/ adjective 7th sev-en-ti-eth /'sevnti-10/ adjective 70th sev-en-ty /'sevnti/ noun, adjective the number 70 several /'sevrəl/ adjective more than two, but not many: She has several friends in the town. I've been to Pam's several times. se-vere /sə'vıə/ adjective (severe, severest) hard; not kind or gentle: a severe punishment very bad: a severe pain, a severe winter sew /sǝu/ verb (past participle sewn /saun/) to make or mend clothes by using a needle and thread: He sewed a button on his shirt. sew-ing /'sǝuin/ noun (no plural) the activity of making or mending things using a needle and thread: My sister is very good at sewing. something that you are making or mending with a needle and thread: Where did I put my sewing? sewing machine /'sǝuin mə, fi:n/ noun a machine for sewing pieces of material together sex /seks/ noun being male or female: What sex is your cat? the things done between a male and female to make babies shab-by /'æbi/ adjective (shabbier, shabbiest) rather old, cheap, and dirty: shabby clothes shade¹ /[eid/ noun (no plural) shelter from the sun or light: They sat in the shade because the sun was too hot. a particular type of one colour: I want a darker shade of blue. various shades of green shade² verb (present participle shading, past shaded) to shelter something from the sun or light: I shaded my eyes with my hand. shad-ow /'fædau/ noun a dark shape made by something when it blocks the light: The shadows of the trees grew longer as the afternoon went on. shad-y /'ferdi/ adjective (shadier, shadiest) sheltered from sunlight: It's cool and shady under this tree. shake /feık/ verb (present participle shaking, past tense shook /fuk/, past participle shaken /'feikan/) to move quickly from side to side, up and down, etc.: The house shook as the heavy lorry went past. She shook the box to see if there was any money in it. shake hands to take someone's right hand in yours and move it up and down when you meet them or say goodbye shake your head to move your head from side to side to say no shall /fæl; strong fel/ verb a word used instead of will with I and we to say that something is going to happen: I shall see you at school tomorrow. I shan't (= shall not) tell anyone that you're leaving. used with I and we in questions when asking or offering to do something: Shall we all go to the film tonight? Shall I help you with that? shal-low /'fælau/ adjective only a short distance from the bottom to the top: The sea is shallow here: the shallow end of a swimming pool (= where the water is not very deep) 〈289〉 shame /ʃeɪm/ noun 1 the feeling you have when you have done something wrong or silly: When his teacher told his parents about his behaviour, he felt great shame. 2 What a shame! something you say to show you think something is sad or disappointing: "Julie won't be able to come to the cinema." "What a shame!" sham-poo /ʃæm'pu:/ noun a special liquid for washing your hair. shan't /ʃɑːnt/ shall not: I shan't be home until 8. shape¹ /ʃeɪp/ noun the form of something: What is the shape of a door? It is a rectangle. shape² verb (present participle shaping, past shaped) to make something into a certain form: He shaped the clay into a pot. share¹ /ʃeər/ verb (present participle sharing, past shared) 1 to divide something so that two or more people can have some: We shared the sweets. 2 to have or use something together with someone else: I share a flat with two other girls. share² noun a part of something that has been divided: We gave each of the five children an equal share. shark /ʃɑːk/ noun a large fierce fish sharp /ʃɑːp/ adjective 1 having an edge that cuts easily: a sharp knife. 2 having a fine point: a sharp needle, a sharp pencil ➔ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): blunt 3 (used about changes) sudden and big: a sharp increase in petrol prices. 4 able to see or hear things that are far away: sharp eyes, sharp ears sharp-en /ʃɑːpən/ verb to make something sharp: to sharpen a knife, to sharpen a pencil sharp-en-er /ʃɑːpnə/ noun a thing that you use to sharpen knives, pencils, etc.: a pencil sharpener sharp-ly /ʃɑːpli/ adverb changing suddenly and a lot: Prices have risen sharply. shat-ter /ʃætə/ verb to break into many pieces: The glass shattered when I dropped it. shave¹ /ʃeɪv/ verb (present participle shaving, past shaved) to take hair from the face or body by cutting it very close: My father shaves every day. shave² noun an act of shaving: He had a shave before he went out. shav-er /ʃeɪvə/ noun an electric tool for removing hair from a man's face shawl /ʃɔːl/ noun a long piece of cloth which women wear round their shoulders and head she /ʃiː; strong ʃiː/ (plural they) the female person or animal that the 〈?〉 shear sentence is about: My sister's name is Mary - she's (= she is) nine and she's (= she has) got long brown hair. shear /fiǝ/ verb (past participle shorn /fo:n/) to cut wool from a sheep or goat. shears /fiǝz/ plural noun large scissors for cutting grass, plants, etc. she'd /fi:d; strong fi:d/ 1 she would: She'd like to meet you. 2 She had: She'd already left. shed¹ /fed/ noun a small wooden hut used for keeping things in shed² verb (present participle shedding, past shed) to let something fall off: Some trees shed their leaves in the autumn. sheep /fi:p/ noun (plural sheep) an animal that is kept for meat and for the wool from its thick coat sheer /fia/ adjective straight down; very steep: There was a sheer drop from where we stood to the sea below us. sheet /fi:t/ noun 1 a large flat piece of something: a sheet of paper, a sheet of glass 2 a large thin piece of cloth for putting on a bed shelf /felf/ noun (plural shelves /felvz/) a board fixed to a wall or in a cupboard for putting things on: He took the cup off the shelf. shell /fel/ noun the hard outside covering of some fish, fruit, or of eggs she'll /fil; strong fil/ she will: She'll ring you tomorrow. shelter¹ /'Jelta/ noun 1 a place where you can be pro- tected from bad weather or danger: a bus shelter (= a place where you can wait for a bus when it is raining) 2 (no plural) protection from bad weather or danger: We took shelter under some trees. shelter² verb 1 to protect someone or something from bad weather or danger: The big wall sheltered the garden from the wind. 2 to stay in a place which can protect you from bad weather or danger: People sheltered in shop doorways when it started raining. shepherd /'fepǝd/ noun a person who looks after sheep she's /fız; strong fiz/ 1 she is: She's very tall. 2 she has: She's got a new car. shield¹ /fi:ld/ noun a piece of wood or metal that, in the past, soldiers used to hold in front of them to protect their bodies in battle shield² verb to protect something by holding something over or in front of it: He shielded his eyes from the sun. shift¹ /fift/ verb to move: I can't shift the bed - it's too heavy. shift² noun 1 one of the periods of work in a place like a hospital or a factory: I'm on the night shift this week. 2 the group of people who work together in one of these periods shine /fain/ verb (present participle shining, past shone fon/) 1 to give out light: The sun was shining. 2 to look bright, especially when light falls on something: The water shone in the sunlight. shin-y /'faini/ adjective (shinier, shiniest) bright; throwing back the light: He rubbed his shoes until they were shiny, clean, shiny hair ship /fip/ noun a large boat that sails on the sea - see picture on page 266 shirt /f3:t/ noun a piece of clothing with buttons down the front that covers the upper part of your body and your arms - see picture on page 65 shiv-er /fivǝ/ verb to shake with cold or fear: They were all shivering in the cold. 〈291〉 shock¹ /fok/ noun 1 the feeling caused by an unpleasant surprise; something causing this feeling: It was a great shock for him when his wife died. You gave me a shock (= you frightened me). 2 a pain caused by electricity going through you: An electric shock can kill you. shock² verb to give someone an unpleasant surprise: I was shocked when I heard about your accident. shock-ing/fokin adjective very upsetting and wrong: a shocking crime shoe /fu: noun something you wear on your foot when you go outside: a pair of shoes COMPARE: sock - see picture on page 65 shoe-lace/fuzlets/ noun a string used to fasten a shoe shone /fon/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb shine shook /fuk/ the PAST TENSE of the verb shake shoot¹ /fuxt/ verb (past shot /fot/) 1 to fire at something or someone with a gun: He shot the bird with his gun. 2 to move quickly: He shot out of school when the bell rang. The ball shot past my head. shoot² noun a part of a plant that is just starting to grow or has just appeared above the ground shop¹ /fop/ noun a place where you can buy things shop2 verb (present participle shopping, past shopped) to go to the shops to buy things: We often shop in Oxford Street. I saw Jane and Alison - they were shopping for clothes. I have to go shopping today. shop as-sis-tant /fopa,sistant/ noun a person who works in a shop serving customers shop-ping/fopin noun (no plural) 1 the activity of going to the shops to buy things: I like shopping for clothes... 2 the things you have just bought from the shops: Put the shopping on the table. a bag of shopping shore /fa: noun the flat land at the edge of the sea or a large area of water: We walked along the shore. short /foxt/ adjective 1 not a very big distance from one end to another: It's a short distance from here to the bank. short hair - see picture on page 66 2 not lasting a very long time: a short holiday, a short song OPPOSITE (1 and 2): long 3 not as tall as expected: She's the shortest girl in the class. OPPOSITE: tall - see picture on page 66 4 be short of something not to have enough of something: I'm a bit short of money this week. shortage /'foitida noun. R a lack of something: a food shortage, a shortage of water short-en/'fortn/ verb to make something shorter: to shorten a dress OPPOSITE: lengthen shorts /[ǝxts/ plural noun trousers which stop above your knee: a pair of shorts - see picture on page 65 shot¹ /fDt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb shoot shot² noun 1 the act of a gun being fired: I heard two shots in the street. 2 the act of hitting or kicking a ball especially to win a point in a game: That was a good shot. should /fAd; strong fudi verb 1 used to say what you think would be a good idea: You should ring your parents to let them know you will be late. We should invite Robert and Ann to the party. 2 used to say what you think will happen or what you think is true: They should arrive soon. It should be a good film. 3 used with I and we in sentences when you want to say what would happen or what would be true: I should be very happy to accept your invitation. 〈?〉 shoulder /faulda/ noun the top part of your body between your neck and the top of your arm - see picture on page 100 shoulder bag /'faulda, bæg/ noun a small bag that a woman carries over her shoulder shouldn't /'Judnt/ should not: You shouldn't eat so much chocolate. should've /'Judav/ should have: You should've told me that you would be late. shout¹ /faut/ verb to speak in a loud voice: He is rather far away, but if you shout he may hear you. "Help!" he shouted. Don't shout at me. shout² noun a loud cry or call: to give a shout shov-el¹ /favl/ noun a tool made of a wide piece of metal on a handle, used for moving things like earth shovel² verb (present participle shovelling, past shovelled) to move something with a shovel show¹ /fau/ verb (past participle shown /faun/) 1 to let someone see something: He showed me his new radio. This photograph shows me with my family on holiday. He showed the picture to his friends. 2 to make something clear: This letter shows that she is unhappy. 3 to be noticeable: Don't worry about that hole in your sock - it doesn't show. 4 show someone how to do something to explain to someone how to do something: The teacher showed us how to use the computer. 5 show off to try and get people to notice you because you want them to see how clever, rich, etc. you are: No one likes him very much because he's always showing off. 6 show something off to make people notice something you have, especially because it is new and you are proud of it: He drove to school to show off his new car. show² noun 1 something that people like to go and watch, especially a play, singing, etc. 2 a lot of things gathered together for people to see: Many people went to see the flower show. show-er /'Jaua'/ noun 1 the act of washing yourself by standing under running water: He's having a shower. 2 the apparatus you use to wash yourself in this way 3 a short period of light rain: It's only a shower. Let's wait until it stops. shown /Jaun/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb show shrank /frænk/ the PAST TENSE of the verb shrink shred /fred/ noun a small piece torn off something: The cat tore the paper to shreds. shrewd /fru:d/ adjective clever, and able to act or make decisions in a way that is to your own advantage shriek¹ /fri:k/ verb to make a high, loud cry of fear or laughter: She shrieked in fear. shriek² noun a high, loud cry of fear or laughter shrill /fril/ adjective having an unpleasantly loud, high sound: a shrill voice shrine /frain/ noun a holy place shrink /frink/ verb (past tense shrank /frænk/, past participle shrunk /fränk/) to get smaller: The dress shrank when I washed it. shrub /frab/ noun a small low tree shrug /frag/ verb (present participle shrugging, past shrugged) to lift and drop your shoulders to show that you do not know something or do not care: l'asked her if she liked her new school but she just shrugged her shoulders. 4 used in sentences with if about things that may happen: If David should ring, please ask him to ring again tomorrow. 〈293〉 shrunk /fraŋk/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb shrink shud-der¹ /'fʌdə/ verb to shake with fear, unpleasant shock, etc.: He shuddered when he saw the dead animal. shudder² noun a sudden feeling of fear or unpleasantness which goes through your body: She gave a shudder when she saw the snake. shut /ʃʌt/ verb (present participle shutting, past shut) 1 to move something so that it is not open; to close: Please will you shut the door? He shut his eyes and went to sleep. 2 (used about a shop or business) to close: The shops shut at 5.30. ➔ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): open 3 Shut up! a rude way of telling someone to stop talking shy /ʃaɪ/ adjective (shier, shiest) nervous or afraid to be with other people: The child was shy and hid behind his mother. sick /sɪk/ adjective 1 ill: My father's sick - he's got to stay in bed. 2 be sick to bring food up from your stomach: She was sick on the bus. 3 be off sick not to be at work because you are ill: John's off sick this week. 4 feel sick to want to bring up food from your stomach: I felt sick when the ship started to move. 5 make someone sick to make someone feel very angry and annoyed: This company wastes a lot of money. It makes me sick! side /saɪd/ noun 1 one of the parts of something that is not the top, bottom, back, or front: He went round to the side of the house. I have a pain in my left side (= the left part of my body). The chair had arms at the sides. 2 either of the two surfaces of a flat thing: Write on both sides of the paper. 3 a team: Which side do you want to win? side-ways /'saɪdweɪz/ adverb 1 to one side: He stepped sideways to let me pass. sigh¹ /saɪ/ verb to breathe deeply once, because you are tired, sad, etc. sigh² noun an act or sound of sighing: "I wish I had finished this work," she said with a sigh. sight /saɪt/ noun 1 (no plural) the power to see: She lost her sight in an accident. 2 a thing that you see: The fire was a frightening sight. 3 catch sight of something to see something suddenly: I caught sight of the robber running out of the bank. 4 the sights the places that are interesting to visit in a city, country, etc. sight-see-ing /'saɪtˌsiːɪŋ/ noun (no plural) visiting interesting places when you are on holiday: Shall we go sightseeing today? sign¹ /saɪn/ noun a movement, mark, or set of words which carry a message: He made a sign for me to follow him. The sign by the road said "No Parking" (= you cannot leave your car here). sign² verb to write your name, for example at the end of a letter signal¹ /'sɪgnəl/ noun a movement or thing which tells you what to do: The railway signal showed that the train could pass. signal² verb (present participle signalling, past signalled) to give a signal: The teacher signalled to the boy to begin. sig-na-ture /'sɪgnətʃə/ noun a person's name written in their own particular way, especially on a letter, cheque, etc. sig-nif-i-cance /sɪg'nɪfɪkəns/ noun (no plural) meaning: What is the significance of this speech? sig-nif-i-cant /sɪg'nɪfɪkənt/ adjective 1 large and important: a significant increase in crime 2 turned so that the side is at the front: We turned the table sideways to get it into the room. 〈?〉 signpost 2 having a special meaning: Do you think it is significant that he didn't bring his wife to the party? sign-post /'sain-paust/ noun a road sign which shows people which way to go and tells them how far it is to a place silence /'saılǝns/ noun (no plural) complete quiet: They worked in silence. si-lent /'saılǝnt/ adjective without any noise; completely quiet silently /'saılǝntli/ adverb: The children studied silently. silk /silk/ noun (no plural) a fine cloth made from smooth threads silly /'sılı/ adjective (sillier, silliest) not reasonable or clever: Don't be silly, that insect can't hurt you. a silly little boy silver /'silvər/ noun (no plural) 1 a soft, shiny, grey-white metal used for rings, earrings, etc. 2 the colour of this metal similar /'sımılər/ adjective 1 alike: Our dresses are similar. 2 similar to like; the same as: My hair is similar to yours. sim-i-lar-i-ty /,sımı'lærəti/ noun (plural similarities) the quality of being like someone or something: Can you see any similarities between the two brothers? OPPOSITE: difference sim-ple /'simpl/ adjective (simpler, simplest) 1 easy to understand: a simple question ►OPPOSITE: difficult 2 not ornamented; plain: simple clothes, simple food sim-pli-fy /'sımplıfai/ verb (past simplified) to make something easier to understand or do: The story has been simplified so that children can read it. sim-ply /'sımpli/ adverb 1 in a simple way: Let me explain it simply. 2 just; only: I simply wanted to help. sin /sin/ noun something people think is very bad; something your religion teaches you is wrong: It's a sin to tell lies. since /sins/ adverb, preposition between a time in the past and now: He came to school last week, but I haven't seen him since. She has been ill since Christmas. He has lived in London since 1990. It has been a long time since I wrote to her. We have been friends ever since then (= from that particular time until now). LOOK AT: ago NOTE: Compare for and since. Use for when you are talking about a period of time such as a week, a month, a year, etc.: I've been studying English for 3 years. I lived there for 6 months (but I don't live there any more). Use since when you are talking about the exact moment in the past when something began: I've been studying English since 1992. Since always refers to something which began in the past but continues until now, so you must use it with the PRESENT PERFECT tense, not the past tense: I've lived here since October (= I came to live here in October and I am still living here). sin-cere /sin'siǝr/ adjective true and honest: He was sincere in his wish to help us. sin-cere-ly /sin'siǝli/ adverb 1 in a sincere way: She spoke sincerely. 2 Yours sincerely something you write at the end of a letter to someone you know LOOK AT: yours sing /sin/ verb (past tense sang /sæn/, past participle sung /sʌŋ/) to make music with your voice: She sang a song. I can hear the birds singing. sing-er /'sıŋər/ noun a person who sings sin-gle¹ /'singl/ adjective 1 only one: a single flower 2 not married: Are you single or married? 3 for a journey to a place but not back: a single ticket COMPARE: return 4 for one person only: a single bed COMPARE: double - see picture at bed 〈295〉 single² /sıŋgl/ noun a ticket for a journey to a place but not back: a single to Heathrow COMPARE: return sin-gu-lar /'sıŋgjələ/ noun only one: "Dog" is the singular of "dogs". OPPOSITE: plural sink¹ /sıŋk/ noun a large basin for washing clothes or dishes in sink² verb (past tense sank /sæŋk/ past participle sunk /saŋk/) 1 to go down behind or below something: The sun sank behind the mountain. 2 to go down under the water: The ship is sinking. OPPOSITE: float 3 to make something go down under the water: to sink a ship sip¹ /sip/ verb (present participle sipping, past sipped) to drink something by taking very small amounts in your mouth: She sipped the hot tea. sip² noun a very small amount of a drink: I had a sip of his beer. sir /s3:/ noun 1 a polite way of speaking or writing to a man, especially a man you do not know: I began my letter "Dear Sir". Can I help you, Sir? (= said by a person who works in a shop to one of their customers) COMPARE: madam 2 the title of a KNIGHT: Sir Edward Heath COMPARE: Lady si-ren /'saiǝrǝn/ noun something which makes a loud long sound to warn you about a danger: the siren on a police car sis-ter /'sıstǝ/ noun 1 a girl who has the same parents as you: She is my sister. We are sisters. Have you any brothers or sisters? - see picture on page 99 COMPARE: brother 2 an important nurse who looks after one part of a hospital 3 a NUN sister-in-law /'sistər in lo:/ noun (plural sisters-in-law) 1 the sister of your wife or husband - see picture on page 99 2 the wife of your brother - see picture on page 99 sit /sit/ verb (present participle sitting, past sat/sæt/) 1 to rest your bottom on something such as a chair: Come and sit here. He was sitting on a chair in front of the fire. - see picture on page 299 2 sit down to move your body down, after you have been standing up, so that your bottom rests on something: Would you like to sit down? 3 sit up to move your body up, after you have been lying down, so that your weight is on your bottom: I sat up in bed when I heard the noise. site /sait/ noun 1 a place where a building is, was, or will be: The site of the new hotel is by the sea 2 the place where something happened: the site of a battle sit-ting room /'sıtıŋ ru:m/ noun the room in a house where people sit to rest, watch television, etc. sit-u-at-ed /'sıtſueitıd/ adjective in or at a particular place: The hotel is situated by the sea. sit-u-a-tion /,sıtju'eıſn/ noun the things that are happening at a particular time and place: The political situation is very dangerous. six /sıks/ adjective, noun the number 6 six-teen /sık'sti:n/ adjective, noun the number 16 six-teenth /sık'sti:nθ/ adjective 16th sixth /sıksθ/ adjective, noun 1 6th 2 one of six equal parts sixth form /'sıksθ form/ noun the last class in a British school, for pupils between 16 and 18 years old: to be in the sixth form, a sixth form college six-ti-eth /'sıkstı-10/ adjective 60th 〈?〉 six-ty /'sıkstı/ adjective, noun the number 60 size /saiz/ noun how big something or someone is: What's the size of the room? The two books were the same size. These shoes are size 5. skate¹ /skeit/ verb (present participle skating, past skated) to move smoothly over ice or over ground wearing special shoes: She skated over the ice towards us. skate² noun a special shoe with wheels or a blade fixed under it: roller skates, ice skates skate-board /'skeitbord/ noun a short board with wheels under it which you stand on and ride along the ground for fun skat-ing /'skeitin/ noun (no plural) the sport of moving or dancing over ice or over the ground wearing special shoes — see picture on page 265 skel-e-ton /'skelitan/ noun the bones of a whole animal or person sketch¹ /sketf/ noun (plural sketches) a quick, rough drawing sketch² verb to draw quickly and roughly ski¹ /ski:/ noun one of a pair of long, narrow pieces of wood, plastic, or metal which you wear on your feet to travel on snow ski² verb to travel on snow wearing long, narrow pieces of wood, etc. on your feet, as a sport: to go skiing skid /skid/ verb (present participle skidding, past skidded) to slip sideways on a wet surface: The car skidded on a pool of oil and ran into the fence. ski-ing /'ski:ing/ noun (no plural) the sport of travelling on snow with skis on your feet: Do you like skiing? — see picture on page 265 skil-ful /'skilfal/ adjective doing something well: a skilful driver, a skilful performance skilfully /'skilfali/ adverb: He drives very skilfully. skill /skil/ noun 1 something you learn to do: skills such as reading and writing 2 (no plural) being able to do something well: to do something with skill (= to do something well) skilled /skild/ adjective 1 having the knowledge or training to do a particular thing well: skilled workers 2 needing special knowledge or training: a skilled job skin /skin/ noun the outside of a person, animal, vegetable, or fruit: You can make shoes from the skins of animals. a banana skin, She has pale skin. skin-ny /'skini/ adjective (skinnier, skinniest) (used about people and animals) too thin: a skinny child ➤ COMPARE: slim skip /skip/ verb (present participle skipping, past skipped) to jump up and down over a rope (= a skipping rope) which you swing over your head and under your feet — see picture on page 299 skirt /sk3:t/ noun a piece of woman's clothing that hangs from her waist and covers part of her legs — see picture on page 65 skull /skal/ noun the bone which forms your head — see picture at skeleton sky /skai/ noun (plural skies) the space above the Earth which you can see if you look up: The sky was blue. sky-scrap-er /'skai,skreipǝ'/ noun a very tall modern building, usually in a city 〈297〉 slab /slæb/ noun a large flat block of something: a slab of stone slack /slæk/ adjective 1. loose: The string around the parcel was slack. OPPOSITE: tight 2 not busy: Things are very slack at work. slam /slæm verb (present participle slamming, past slammed). to shut a door or window with a loud noise: He slammed the door angrily. slang /slæŋ noun (no plural) language you use when talking to friends, etc, which is not always suitable or correct: "Shut up" is slang; it sounds more polite to say "Please be quiet". slant /slo:nt/ verb to lean or slope to one side slap¹ /slæp/ verb (present participle slapping, past slapped) to hit someone or something with the flat inside part of the hand COMPARE: punch slap noun a hit with the flat inside part of the hand: a slap across the face slaughter¹/'slo:tər/ noun (no plural) 1 the killing of large numbers of people in a cruel way 2 the killing of animals for food slaughter2 verb 1 to kill large numbers of people 2 to kill animals for food slave¹ /slerv/ noun a person who is owned by another person and is not free slave² verb to work very hard: I spend all day slaving in the kitchen. sla-ve-ry /'slervərı/ noun (no plural) 1 the state of being a slave: to live in slavery 2 having slaves: a law against slavery sledge /sledz noun a specially shaped piece of wood or plastic which you sit on for sliding down slopes covered with snow and ice sleigh COMPARE: sleep¹ /sli:p/ verb (past slept /slept/) to rest with your eyes closed and your mind unconscious, the way people do in their beds at night sleep² noun 1 (no plural) the state of not being awake: I need to get some sleep. 2 a time when you are in this state: He had a long sleep. 3 go to sleep to begin to sleep: She went to sleep as soon as she closed her eyes. sleeping bag /'sli:pin bæg/ noun a large bag which you sleep in to keep warm, usually when you are sleeping outdoors sleep-less /'sli:plus/ adjective a sleepless night: a night when you cannot sleep, e.g. because you are worried sleep-y /'sli:pr/ adjective (sleepier, sleepiest) wanting to sleep: I felt sleepy all day. SAME MEANING: tired sleet /sli:t/ noun (no plural) a mixture of rain and snow sleeve /sli:v/ noun the part of a piece of clothing which covers your arm: a shirt with short sleeves sleigh /slet/ noun a vehicle for moving over snow and ice, which is pulled by animals: Father Christmas's sleigh COMPARE: sledge slen-der /'slendar/ adjective thin in an attractive way: a slender figure SAME MEANING: slim slept /slept/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb sleep slice¹ /slais/ noun a flat piece cut from something: a slice of meat, a slice of bread slice² verb (present participle slicing, past sliced) to cut something into thin flat pieces: I sliced the bread. slide¹ /slaid/ verb (present participle sliding, past slid /slid/) to move smoothly over a surface: She slid across the ice. slide² noun a tall piece of apparatus found in parks, etc. with a slope for children to slide down slight /slart/ adjective small; not important: I have a slight headache. 〈?〉 slightly slight-ly /'slaıtlı/ adverb a little bit: She's slightly older than me. I'm slightly worried about the cost. slim¹ /slım/ adjective (slimmer, slimmest) thin in an attractive way: He's tall and slim. SAME MEANING: slender - see picture on page 66 slim² verb (present participle slimming, past slimmed) to try to become thinner by eating less food sling¹ /slın/ noun a piece of cloth passed round something to support it: He had to keep his broken arm in a sling. sling² verb (past slung /slaŋ/) to throw something roughly or carelessly slip¹ verb /slip/ (present participle slipping, past slipped) 1 to slide on a smooth surface by accident: He slipped on the ice and fell. 2 to move quickly, smoothly, or quietly: She slipped out of the room when nobody was looking. 3 to put something somewhere quickly and without people noticing: He slipped the money into his pocket. slip² noun 1 a small mistake 2 a small piece of paper slip-per /'slıpǝ/ noun a soft shoe that you wear inside your home: a pair of slippers slip-per-y /'slıpǝrı/ adjective smooth; causing you to slide: a slippery floor slit¹ /slit/ noun a long narrow cut or opening slit² verb (present participle slitting, past slit) to make a long, narrow cut in something: I slit open the letter with a knife. slope¹ /slǝup/ noun a surface which is higher on one side than the other: He ran up the slope to the top of the hill. slope² verb (present participle sloping, past sloped) to have a slope: The hill slopes down to the town. slop-py /'slopı/ adjective (sloppier, sloppiest) 1 (used about clothes) very loose and not tidy: a sloppy T-shirt 2 not careful enough: sloppy work slot /slot/ noun a narrow opening: Put a coin in the slot of this machine. slot machine /'slot mǝ, fi:n/ noun a machine which you put money into in order to buy something that is inside it or to play a game on it slow¹ /slǝʊ/ adjective 1 taking a long time, not fast: a slow journey, a slow speed 2 (used about clocks and watches) showing a time that is earlier than the real time: My watch is a minute slow. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): fast slow² verb slow down to go less fast than before: Slow down — you're driving too fast. OPPOSITE: speed up slow-ly /'slǝulı/ adverb in a way that takes a long time: He speaks very slowly. OPPOSITE: fast slug /slag/ noun a soft creature without bones or legs that lives on land and eats plants slum /slam/ noun a poor part of the city, where all the houses are in very bad condition slung /slʌŋ/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb sling sly /slaı/ adjective (slier, sliest) clever at deceiving people smack¹ /smæk/ verb to hit someone with your open hand: He smacked the naughty child. SAME MEANING: slap smack² noun a hit: Don't do that or you'll get a smack. small /smɔ:l/ adjective little: He has a small farm. small children OPPOSITE: big, large - see picture on page 66 smart /sma:t/ adjective 1 dressed in good, clean clothes: My sister always looks smart. She always wears smart clothes. 2 clever: a smart politician 〈299〉 run lift imb bend stretch lean crawl verbs of movement throw catch fall walk skip punch carry pick up sit drop kick drag crouch jump 〈300〉 wild animals polar bear kangaroo hippopotamus rhinoceros zebra hump mane- antelope camel lion monkey chimpanzee giraffe tusk trunk gorilla elephant panda tiger brown bear --- 〈301〉 smash¹ /smæ∫/ verb 1 to break into pieces: She dropped the plate and it smashed. 2 to break something into pieces: to smash a window smash² noun (plural smashes) 1 the sound of something breaking into pieces 2 a car accident smash-ing /'smæ∫in/ adjective very good or nice: We had a smashing time. SAME MEANING: lovely smear¹ /smıǝ'/ verb to leave a sticky, dirty, or oily mark on something: The child's face was smeared with chocolate. smear² noun a dirty mark: a smear of grease smell¹ /smel/ verb (past smelt /smelt/) 1 to use your nose to notice or discover something: He smelt the flowers. I can smell gas. 2 to have a particular effect on your nose: The flowers smell sweet. This fish smells bad. It smells of cigarettes in here. smell² noun something that you can notice or discover only through your nose: There's a bad smell in here. the smell of cooking smell-y /'smeli/ adjective (smellier, smelliest) having a bad, strong smell smelt /smelt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb smell smile¹ /smaıl/ verb (present participle smiling, past smiled) to turn up the corners of your mouth to show that you are happy or pleased: to smile at someone smile² noun a smiling expression: a smile on his face smoke¹ /sməuk/ noun (no plural) dark-coloured gas caused by something burning smoke² verb (present participle smoking, past smoked) 1 to use cigarettes or a pipe: Do you smoke? to smoke a cigarette 2 (used about a fire) to make smoke smok-er /'sməukə'/ noun a person who uses cigarettes or a pipe: This part of the restaurant is for smokers. smok-ing /'sməukıŋ/ noun (no plural) the habit of using cigarettes or a pipe: Smoking is not allowed in school. No smoking (= a sign which means that you must not smoke) smok-y /'sməuki/ adjective (smokier, smokiest) full of smoke: a smoky room smooth /smu:ð/ adjective 1 having a flat even surface without any lumps: smooth skin OPPOSITE: rough 2 without problems or difficulties: a smooth journey smooth-ly /'smu:ðlı/ adverb well and without problems or difficulties: Everything went smoothly at work. smother /'smʌdə'/ verb 1 to stop air from reaching a person by putting something on their face 2 to cover something completely: She was smothered with jewellery. smoulder /'sməuldə'/ verb to burn slowly without a flame smuggle /'smʌgl/ verb (present participle smuggling, past smuggled) to bring people or things secretly into a country in a way which is against the law: to smuggle drugs into a country smuggler /'smʌglə'/ noun a person who breaks the law by bringing things secretly into a country: drugs smugglers snack /snæk/ noun a small, quick meal snack bar /'snæk ba:/ noun a place where you can buy drinks and small, quick meals snag /snæg/ noun a small difficulty or problem snail /sneıl/ noun a soft creature without bones or legs, but with a round shell on its back, which eats plants 〈302〉 snake /snerk/ noun a very long, thin animal without legs. Some snakes make you ill if they bite you. snap¹ /snæp/ verb (present participle snapping, past snapped) 1 to break with a sharp noise: The branch snapped under his foot. 2 to try to bite someone: Your dog snapped at me. 3 to speak quickly in an angry way: "Leave me alone!" she snapped. snap² noun 1 a sharp sound of something breaking 2 a photograph: holiday snaps snarl /sno:l/ verb (used about animals) to make an angry noise with the mouth open and teeth showing: The two dogs snarled at each other, and then started fighting. 2 to say something in a very fierce way snatch /snæt/ verb to take hold of something quickly and roughly: She snatched the book from my hands. SAME MEANING: grab sneak /sni:k/ verb to go quietly because you do not want people to see or hear you: The children sneaked out of school and went to the park. sneer /sniǝ/ verb to smile in a nasty way to show that you have a low opinion of someone or something: She sneered at the mention of his name. sneeze /sni:z/ verb (present participle sneezing, past sneezed) to suddenly push air out of your nose and mouth, making a noise, usually because you have a cold COMPARE: cough sniff /snif/ verb 1 to take air into your nose in short breaths, for example when you have a cold or when you are crying: Stop sniffing — use a handkerchief! 2 to smell something by taking air into your nose: The dog sniffed the bone. snob /snob/ noun a person who admires people who are from rich and important families, and has a low opinion of people who are not snooker /'snu:kǝ/ noun (no plural) a game played on a table with a green top in which people try to push balls into holes using long sticks snooze¹ /snu:z/ verb (present participle snoozing, past snoozed) to have a short, light sleep: She was snoozing in her armchair. SAME MEANING: doze snooze² noun (no plural) a short, light sleep: to have a snooze snore /sno:/ verb (present participle snoring, past snored) to make a noise in your nose or throat when you are asleep snorkel /'sno:kl/ noun a tube which lets you breathe when you are swimming under water snow¹ /snǝʊ/ noun (no plural) soft white pieces of frozen water which fall from the sky and cover the ground when it is cold snow² verb (used about snow) to come down from the sky: It's snowing! snow-ball /'snǝubo:l/ noun a small ball of snow which children make and throw at each other for fun snowflake /'snǝʊfleik/ noun a soft white piece of frozen water which falls from the sky snow-man /'snǝʊmæn/ noun (no plural) a figure like a man made with two large lumps of snow snowy /'snǝʊi/ adjective having a lot of snow or covered in snow: snowy weather, snowy hills so /səʊ/ adverb, adjective 1 in such a way; to such a point: I was so tired that I fell asleep on the bus. 2 also: Ann was there, and so was Mary. 3 very; very much: You have been so kind to me. 〈303〉 so-cial /'sǝull/ adjective 1 concerning people and the way they live together: social problems such as crime, social class 2 concerning activities in which you enjoy the company of other people when you are not working: He has a lot of friends and a good social life. social-ize /'sauſalaız/ verb (present participle socializing, past socialized) to spend time with other people in a friendly way social security /soul sı'kjuǝriti/ noun (no plural) money paid by the government to people without a job or without much money society /sə'saratıl noun 1 (no plural) people who live together with shared ideas about how to live: Society makes laws to protect people. 2 (plural societies) a club; a group of people with shared interests: a music society sock /sok/ noun a soft piece of clothing you wear on your foot and the bottom part of your leg COMPARE: shoe - see picture on page 65 socket /'sokit/ noun a hole or set of holes for something to fit into: an electric socket in a wall sofa /'saufaj/ noun a long soft chair for two or more people to sit on: sitting on the sofa in front of the television SAME MEANING: settee - see picture on page 165 soft /soft/ adjective 1 moving inwards when pressed: a soft bed OPPOSITE: hard 2 feeling smooth and pleasant: soft skin 3 quiet and pleasant: soft music 4. not bright: soft colours soft drink /'soft drink/ noun a drink with no alcohol in it soft-ly /'softl:/ adverb quietly: to speak softly software /'softwear/ noun (no plural) computer PROGRAMS: Which software can I use with this computer? 4 therefore: I promised to send him a letter, so I'll write it now.... 5 in order that: We got up early so that we could go for a swim. 6 the same; that same thing: "How do you know?" "Peter told me so." "Is dinner ready?" "I hope so." 7 used to show agreement: "Look, it's raining!" "So it is!" 8 so far up to this time: I've read 20 pages of the book so far. 9 or so used when you are not giving the exact number or amount: The journey takes an hour or so. soak /səuk/ verb 1 to leave something in a liquid: She soaked the dirty clothes in water. 2 to make something very wet: The rain soaked us. We got completely soaked. soak-ing /'səukiŋ/ adjective 1 very wet: My clothes are soaking. 2 soaking wet very wet soap /səup/ noun a substance that cleans things when it is put with water: She washed her hands with soap. soap opera /'səup,pprǝ/ noun a story which continues on television about the lives and problems of a group of imaginary people: the soap opera "Dallas" soap powder /'səup,paudǝ/ noun (no plural) a powder which you put in water for washing clothes soar /so:/ verb 1 to fly high in the air 2 to rise or become very high: Prices are soaring again. sob /sob/ verb (present participle sobbing, past sobbed) to cry noisily: She was sobbing, with tears running down her cheeks. so-ber /'səubǝ/ adjective not having had too much alcoholic drink OPPOSITE: drunk soccer /'sokǝ/ noun (no plural) football: a soccer team so-cia-ble /'səuſǝbl/ adjective enjoying the company of other people --- 〈304〉 sog-gy /'sogi/ adjective (soggier, soggiest) full of water and very wet soil /sɔıl/ noun (no plural) the earth in which plants grow so-lar /'sələ/ adjective of or using the sun: solar heat sold /sauld/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb sell sol-dier /'sauldzǝr/ noun a person in the army sole /saul/ noun the part of your foot or shoe which is on the ground when you stand solemn /'sələm/ adjective serious: a solemn face, a solemn promise solemnly /'sələmlı/ adverb He spoke very solemnly. so-lic-i-tor /sə'lısıtər/ noun a type of lawyer sol-id¹ /'sɔlıd/ adjective 1 hard; not liquid or gas: Gold is solid, but when you heat it, it becomes liquid. OPPOSITE: hollow 2 made of one material all the way through: This table is solid wood. solid² noun a substance that is hard, not a liquid or gas: Iron is a solid. so-lu-tion /sǝ'lu:fn/ noun the answer to a problem or question: to find the solution to a problem solve /sɔlv/ verb (present participle solving, past solved) to find the answer to something: to solve a crime (= to discover who did it) some /sɔm; strong sʌm/ 1 an amount of; a number of; not all: She had a big piece of cake and she gave me some. Would you like some sweets? We invited all our friends but only some of them came. Would you like some more coffee? LOOK AT: any 2 used when speaking about people or things without saying exactly which ones: Some girls are dancing, others are talking. some-body /'sʌmbadı/ (also someone) 1 any person: If you don't know the answer, ask somebody. 2 some unknown person, or a person the speaker does not name: There is somebody knocking at the door. I know somebody who lives near you. LOOK AT: anybody some-how /'sʌmhau/ adverb in some way that is not known: We haven't got enough money, but we'll get it somehow. some-one /'sʌmwʌn/ another word for somebody LOOK AT: anybody som-er-sault /'sʌməsɔ:lt/ noun an action in which you jump and turn upside down at the same time: to do a somersault some-thing /'sʌmθıŋ/ a thing that is not known or not described: I want to tell you something. She bought something to eat. She said something about it, but I can't remember what it was. LOOK AT: anything some-time /'sʌmtaim/ adverb at some time in the past or the future: I hope I'll see you again sometime. some-times /'sʌmtaimz/ adverb at times; now and then: Sometimes I help my mother in the house. We sometimes go to the cinema, but not very often. some-where /'sʌmweǝr/ adverb in, to, or at some place: At last he found somewhere to park the car. She's looking for somewhere to live. son /sʌn/ noun your male child: I have a son and a daughter. — see picture on page 99 NOTE: The word son is used when you are talking about a male child only. Compare the questions: Do you have any sons (= do you have any male children)? and Do you have any children (= do you have any sons or daughters)? song /sɔŋ/ noun a piece of music with words that are sung son-in-law /'sʌn ın lɔ:/ noun (plural sons-in-law) the husband of your daughter - see picture on page 99 〈305〉 soon /su:n/ adverb 1 in a short time: Dinner will be ready soon. Come and see me soon. 2 soon after a short time after: He arrived soon after 8 o'clock. NOTE: Compare these sentences. / must go to bed soon (= in a short time from now). I must go to bed early (= before the usual time). Compare also soon and quickly. Do it soon (= do it in a short time from now). Do it quickly (= do it fast). 3 as soon as when; at the earliest possible moment: I'll do it as soon as I can. She came as soon as she had finished work. 4 too soon too early: It's too soon to know the results of the test. soot /sut/ noun (no plural) the black powder left by smoke inside a chimney soothe /su:d/ verb (present participle soothing, past soothed) 1 to make someone calm when they are angry or afraid 2 to make something less painful: medicine to soothe a sore throat sore¹ /so:/ adjective painful: a sore throat sore² noun a painful place on your skin especially one caused by a disease sorry /'sori/ adjective (sorrier, sorriest) 1 sad: I was sorry to hear your bad news. I'm sorry but I can't come to your party. 2 sad about something you have done: I'm sorry about the trouble I've caused... 3 used when you want someone to repeat something they have said because you did not hear it: I'm sorry — what did you say your name was? Sorry, can you repeat that? sort¹ /sort/ noun kind; type: A hammer is a sort of tool. sort² verb 1 to put together things that are alike: The post office sorts letters according to which town they are going to. 2 sort something out to find an answer to a problem: We have a few problems to sort out. sought /so:t/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb seek soul /soul/ noun the part of you that many people think does not die when your body dies: the souls of dead people sound¹ /saund/ noun something you hear: the sound of birds singing NOTE: Sound is the general word for anything that you hear, e.g. the sound of music, the sound of a baby crying. A noise is usually something which is loud and not nice: Stop making that terrible noise! sound² verb 1 to seem: That sounds like a good idea. It sounds as if you like your new job. 2 to make a sound: When the bell sounds you must come in. sound³ adjective 1 healthy or strong: I've repaired the roof and it's quite sound now. 2 (used about sleep) deep: He's in a sound sleep. sound-ly /'saundli/ adverb sleep soundly to sleep deeply and well soup /su:p/ noun liquid food made from meat, fish, or vegetables: a bowl of chicken soup sour /sauǝr/ adjective 1 tasting sharp, like a LEMON 2 (used about milk) bad because it is too old source /so:s/ noun where something comes from: The river is the source of all our water. That book is a good source of information. south /sau/ noun, adjective, adverb the direction that is on the right when you look at the sun at the start of the morning: London is in the south of England. the south side of the city, to travel south, living south of Oxford south-east / sau'i:st/ noun, adjective, adverb the direction that is between south and east: in the southeast of a country, the 〈306〉 southern southeast part of a city, to travel southeast, living southeast of Oxford south-ern /'sAdan/ adjective in or of the south: a southern town, southern cooking south pole /sau0 'paul/ noun the place which is the furthest south in the world, where it is very cold - see picture on page 200 south-west /sau 'west/ noun, adjective, adverb the direction that is between south and west: in the southwest of a country, the southwest part of a city, to travel southwest, living southwest of Oxford sou-ve-nir/survǝ'nta/ noun something that you buy or keep to help you remember a place or an event: holiday souvenirs sovereign /'sovrin/ noun a king or queen sow /sau/ verb (past participle sown /saun/) to put seeds in the ground so that they will grow into plants space /spers/ noun 1 (no plural) the empty area that surrounds the sun, the earth, etc. 2 an empty space: Is there a space for me at your table? There isn't enough space for any more furniture. space-ship /spers/ noun a vehicle that can carry people through space: They travelled to the moon in a spaceship. space shut-tle /'spers Atl/ noun a type of spaceship that can leave the earth to travel in space and then return to the earth again spade /speid/ noun a tool that you use for making holes in the earth or turning the earth over before growing plants - see picture at dig spa-ghet-ti /spa'geti/ noun (no plural) a kind of Italian food made from flour and water, which looks like long thin pieces of string span-iel /'spænjəl/ noun a type of dog with long soft ears and big eyes span-ner /'spænǝ'/ noun a tool that you use for turning things that are tight spare¹ /spcǝ/ adjective 1 kept in addition to what you usually have or need: If you have a spare bed, may I stay tonight? 2 spare time time when you are not working or busy: He paints pictures in his spare time. spare² verb (present participle sparing, past spared) to be able to give or lend something: Can you spare me some money? spark /spa:k/ noun a very small piece of burning material that jumps from a fire sparkle /'spa:kl/ verb (present participle sparkling, past sparkled) to shine with bright points of light, like a diamond: sparkling eyes sparrow /'spærau/ noun a small brown bird that is very common in many parts of the world spat /spæt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb spit speak /spi:k/ verb (past tense spoke /spǝuk/, past participle spoken /'spəukən/) 1 to say words aloud: Children learn to speak when they are very small. Can I speak to you about something? 2 to be able to talk in a particular language: She speaks English and German. speaker /'spi:kǝ'/ noun 1 a person who is talking to a large group of people about something: Politicians were among the speakers at the meeting. 2 the part of a radio, record player, television, etc. where the sound comes out spear /spιǝ'/ noun a long thin weapon with a pointed end that is thrown at a person or an animal special /'speSǝl/ adjective 1 not usual or ordinary; important for a reason: This is a special day in the history of our country. 2 only for a particular person, group, or thing: a special school for deaf children 〈307〉 specialist /'speǝlist/ noun a person who knows a lot about a particular thing specialize /'spesalaız verb (present participle specializing, past specialized) to study or know about one particular thing: That doctor specializes in children's illnesses. specially /'spelt/ adverb 1 for one purpose: I came here specially to meet you. 2 more than usual: He is not specially clever, but he works hard. species /'spi∫i:z/ noun (plural species) a group of plants or animals of the same type: a rare species of bird specific /spa'sıfık adjective clear and exact: Can you be specific about the reasons for this decision? specifically /spə sıfıklı adverb clearly and exactly: I specifically told you not to do that. specimen /'spesimən/ noun a small amount of something which is used as an example of what the whole thing is like: The doctor took a specimen of blood from his arm. speck /spek/ noun a small piece of something: a speck of dust spec-ta-cles /'spektaklz/ plural noun glasses for your eyes, set in a frame which rests on your nose and ears: She wears spectacles. SAME MEANING: glasses spec-tac-u-lar/spek'tækjulər/ adjective very special; causing admiration: a spectacular view from the top of the mountain spec-ta-tor /spek'teita/ noun a person who goes to watch a sport being played sped /sped/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb speed speech /spi:tf{ noun 1 (no plural) the ability to speak: Speech is learnt in the first years of life. 2 (plural speeches) a long set of words spoken for people to listen to: The President made a speech. speed¹ /spi:d/ noun how fast something moves: a speed of 80 miles an hour, to increase the speed of something, to travel at high speed speed² verb (past speeded or sped /sped/) 1 to move quickly: The car sped off into the distance. The holidays sped by (= passed very quickly). 2 speed up to start to go faster: Your work is too slow, you must speed up. OPPOSITE: slow down speed limit /'spi:d 'limit/ noun a law which says how fast you can travel on certain roads: to break the speed limit spell¹ /spel/ verb (past spelled or spelt /spelt/) to say the letters that make up a word: You spell dog, D-O-G. spell² noun a set of magic words used to make something happen spell-ing /'spelin/ noun (no plural) the act of saying the letters that make up words: to be good at spelling spend /spend verb (past spent /spent/) 1 to pay out money to buy things: How much money do you spend each week? 2 to pass or use time: I spent an hour reading. sphere /sfiar noun a solid round shape, like a ball spice /spars/ noun a seed, root, or other part of a plant used to give a strong or hot taste to food: Pepper is a spice. spicy /'spaisi/ adjective (spicier, spiciest) having a strong, hot taste: spicy food spider /'spaidər/ noun a creature with eight legs, which uses threads from its body to catch insects see picture at cobweb spied /spaid/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb spy spike /spark/ noun a thin sharp piece of metal: There are spikes on the bottom of shoes used for running. spill /spıl/ verb (past spilled or spilt /spilt/) 1 to let a liquid fall and pour out: I spilt coffee on the table 〈308〉 spin /spın/ verb (present participle spinning, past spun /span/) 1 to go round and round fast: The wheels of the car were spinning round. 2 to make thread by twisting cotton, wool, etc. round 2 (used about a liquid) to pour out by mistake: The coffee spilt all over the table. spin-ach /'spinidz/ noun (no plural) a vegetable with big, dark green leaves spin dri-er /spin 'draiǝ*/ noun a machine which removes the water from wet clothes by moving them round and round very fast spine /spain/ noun the long row of bones in your back SAME MEANING: backbone. spin-ning wheel /'spının wi:l/ noun a wheel used in the past to make thread from wool spiral /'spaiǝrǝl/ noun, adjective a shape that goes round and round as it goes up spire /'spaiǝ*/ noun a tall tower with a point at the top which is part of a church spirit /'spirit/ noun 1 the part of you that many people think does not die when your body dies: the spirits of dead people 2 spirits strong alcoholic drink such as RUM OF BRANDY: He never drinks spirits. spit /spit/ verb (present participle spitting, past spat /spæt/) to throw liquid with your mouth; to throw something out of your mouth: He spat on the floor. The child spat out its food. spite /spart/ noun (no plural) 1 the feeling of wanting to hurt or annoy another person: to do something out of spite 2 in spite of even though something else happens or is true: I went out in spite of the rain. In spite of being the youngest, she was the cleverest child in the class. spite-ful /'spartfǝl/ adjective unkind and nasty: a spiteful remark spitefully /'spartfǝlı/ adverb splash¹ /splæf/ noun (plural splashes) the sound made by something falling into a liquid: She jumped into the river with a splash. splash² verb to move liquid in a noisy way and make someone or something wet: The children splashed about in the pool. splen-did /'splendid/ adjective very great or fine: You've done a splendid job. splinter /'splintǝ*/ noun a thin sharp piece of wood or metal: I have got a splinter in my finger. split¹ /split/ verb (present participle splitting, past split) 1 to break, especially from one end to the other: We split the wood into long thin pieces. My trousers split when I sat down. 2 to share something: We split the work between us. split² noun a break: a split in my trousers spoil /spǝıl/ verb (past spoilt /spoilt/) 1 to damage something good so that it becomes useless: The rain has spoilt my painting. 2 to be too kind to a child and give them too much attention so that they start to behave badly: You must not spoil your children. spoilt¹ /spoilt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb spoil spoilt² adjective bad and selfish as a result of being given too much money, attention, etc.: a spoilt child spoke¹ /spǝuk/ the PAST TENSE of the verb speak spoke² noun one of the bars joining the outer ring of a wheel to the centre spoken /'spǝukǝn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb speak 〈309〉 sponge /spandz/ noun a soft sea creature like a piece of rubber with many holes, or a substance like it, used for washing your body spool /spu:l/ noun a round thing for winding thread, wire, etc. round spoon /spurn/ noun an instrument with a round part used for eating liquids, mixing things in cooking, etc.: You eat soup with a spoon. - see picture at cutlery spoon-ful /'spurnful/ noun (plural spoonsful or spoonfuls) the amount a spoon holds: You must take three spoonfuls of medicine. sport /sport/ noun a game or competition where you use your body, such as tennis or football: to practise a sport, Do you like sport? He's good at sport. sports car /'sports ka:/ noun a fast car, usually for two people, with a roof that opens sports cen-tre /'sports sentar/ noun a building where you can go to do different sports for pleasure spot /spot/ noun 1 a small mark on your skin: She had spots on her face when she was ill. 2 a small circle of colour: a white dress with red spots on it 3 a place: It's a very pretty spot. spot-ted /'spotid/ adjective covered with small circles of colour: a spotted dress - see picture at pattern spot-ty /'spoti/ adjective (spottier, spottiest) with skin that is covered with small marks: a spotty face spout /spaut/ noun the long thin part of a container through which liquid is poured sprain /sprein/ verb to damage a part of your body by turning it suddenly: He sprained his ankle when he fell. sprang /spræn/ the PAST TENSE of the verb spring spray¹ /sprei/ verb to make something wet with small drops: He sprayed water over the flowers. He sprayed the flowers with water. spray² noun a container for liquid, used for making things wet with small drops of the liquid: a perfume spray spread /spred/ verb (present participle spreading, past spread) 1 to cover something thinly: She spread the bread with butter. She spread the butter on the bread. 2 to open wide: The bird spread its wings. 3 to move over an area: The illness spread through the village. The news spread quickly. spring¹ /sprin/ noun 1 the season after winter, in cool countries, when plants start to grow again: in the spring, spring flowers 2 a river coming up from the ground 3 a twisted round piece of metal wire which you can find inside a bed, etc. spring² verb (past tense sprang /spræn/, past participle sprung /sprʌn/) to jump: She sprang out of her chair. sprin-kle /'sprinkl/ verb (present participle sprinkling, past sprinkled) to let small drops or pieces fall on the surface of something: She sprinkled sugar on the cakes. sprout¹ /spraut/ verb to start to grow: These seeds have sprouted - you can see little green leaves above the earth. sprout² noun a small round, green vegetable made of leaves pressed tightly together sprung /sprʌn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb spring spun /spʌn/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb spin spy¹ /spai/ noun (plural spies) a person whose job is to discover secret information, usually about another country 〈310〉 spy spy verb (past spied) to watch people secretly in order to discover facts or information about them squabble¹ /'skwɒbl/ verb (present participle squabbling, past squabbled) to quarrel about small things: The children were squabbling about who had won the game. squabble² noun a small quarrel square¹ /skweə/ noun 1 a shape with four straight sides of equal length see picture at shape 2 an open place in a town with buildings all around it square² adjective having four straight sides of equal length: The window was square. squash¹ /skwɒʃ/ noun (no plural) 1 a fruit drink: a glass of orange squash 2 a game for two people played indoors with a ball and RACKETS: a game of squash squash² verb to hurt or damage something by pressing it: The fruit at the bottom of the box had been squashed. squeak¹ /skwiːk/ verb to make a high, thin sound: Mice squeak. squeak² noun a high, thin sound: the squeak of a mouse squeal¹ /skwiːl/ verb to make a loud, high cry or sound: Pigs squeal. squeal² noun a loud, high cry: a squeal of pain squeeze /skwiːz/ verb (present participle squeezing, past squeezed) to press something: He squeezed an orange to get the juice out. squid /skwɪd/ noun a sea creature with a long body and ten arms which is eaten as food squirrel /'skwɪrəl/ noun a small animal that has a brown or grey hairy coat and a thick tail and lives in trees st 1 a short way of writing the word saint 2 a short way of writing the word street stab /stæb/ verb (present participle stabbing, past stabbed) to wound someone with a pointed weapon: to stab someone with a knife stable¹ /'steɪbl/ noun a building in which a horse lives stable² adjective firmly in place, and not likely to move or change: Is that ladder stable? a stable government stack¹ /stæk/ noun a large tidy pile: a stack of books stack² verb to put things into a tidy pile: Will you stack the dirty plates? sta·di·um /'steɪdiəm/ noun a large outdoor sports field with seats all round it: a football stadium staff /stɑːf/ noun (no plural) a group of people working together for the same organization: the staff of a school (= all the teachers), the staff in our London office stage /steɪdʒ/ noun 1 a time or step in a long event: When a book has been written, the next stage is printing. 2 the part of a theatre where the actors stand and perform stagger /'stægə/ verb to walk in an unsteady way, as if you are soon going to fall: The wounded man staggered along. stain¹ /steɪn/ verb to make a dirty mark that cannot be taken away: The coffee stained his shirt brown. stain² noun a dirty mark: a coffee stain stair·case /'steəkeɪs/ noun a set of steps inside a building: at the top of the staircase stairs /steəz/ plural noun a set of steps leading up and down inside a building: to climb some stairs, at the top of the stairs 〈311〉 stale /steil/ adjective tasting old and dry; not fresh: stale bread stalk /sto:k/ noun the tall, main part of a plant stall /sto:l/ noun a small open shop, especially one in a market: a fruit stall stam-mer /'stæma'/ verb to speak with difficulty, repeating the same sounds: "Th-th-thank you," he stammered. ▶ SAME MEANING: stutter stamp¹ /stæmp/ noun 1 a small piece of special paper that you stick on letters and parcels to show how much you have paid to send them 2 an instrument that you press onto ink and then press onto paper to make a mark stamp² verb 1 to mark a word or sign on something using a special instrument 2 to walk with noisy, heavy steps; to bring your foot down hard on something: He stamped on the insect. stand¹ /stænd/ verb (past stood /stud/) 1 to support yourself upright on your legs and feet: I had to stand all the way home in the bus. 2 to be in a certain place: The house stands at the top of the hill. 3 to move in a particular direction when you are standing: She stood back to let me pass. 4 can't stand to dislike something strongly: I can't stand getting up early. 5 stand by to do nothing while something unpleasant is happening: How can you stand by while he's hitting her? 6 stand by to be ready to help if someone needs you: Doctors are standing by. 7 stand for to be a short form or the first letter of a word: What does PTO stand for? 8 stand up to be on your feet: I've been standing up all day. Stand up, children. 9 stand up for someone or something to say that someone or something is right: He always stands up for his wife. stand² noun a place where people can stand or sit to watch sports stan-dard¹ /'stændǝd/ noun 1 a level of quality which is considered acceptable: Your work is of a low standard. It is not up to the necessary standard. 2 an accepted level used to make comparisons: By European standards this is a low salary. standard² adjective usual: It's standard practice to check luggage at airports. stank /stænk/ the PAST TENSE of the verb stink star¹ /sta:/ noun 1 a small point of light that can be seen in the sky at night see picture on page 200 2 a five-pointed shape (star shape) 3 a famous actor, singer, sportsperson, etc.: a film star star² verb (present participle starring, past starred) to have a person as the most important actor: an old film starring Charlie Chaplin stare /stea'/ verb (present participle staring, past stared) to look steadily at something for a long time: He stared at the word trying to remember what it meant. start¹ /sto:t/ verb to begin: If you are ready, you may start your work. The children started singing. ▶ OPPOSITE: finish, stop start² noun 1 the beginning of an activity or state of affairs: We made an early start in the morning. 2 the first part of something: The start of the film was boring. ▶ OPPOSITE: end, finish start-le /'sta:tl/ verb (present participle startling, past startled) to surprise someone or give them a shock: You startled me when you shouted. starvation /sta:'vei[n/ noun (no plural) dying or feeling very weak because you do not have enough to eat starve /sta:v/ verb (present participle starving, past starved) to die of hunger 〈312〉 starv-ing /'sta:vin/ adjective 1 dying of hunger: starving children 2 very hungry: I'm starving — is dinner ready yet? state¹ /stert/ verb (present participle stating, past stated) to say something in a formal way or on a formal occasion: He stated that he had never seen the criminal before. state² noun 1 the condition of something; how good, bad, etc., it is: This book is in a very bad state. He's in a state of shock. 2 (a part of) a country, which governs itself: Mississippi is one of the 50 states in the United States of America. 3 the government of a country: In Britain the health service is run by the state. state-ment /'stertmǝnt/ noun something that is said in a formal way or on a formal occasion: The man made a statement to the police. states-man /'stertsman/ noun (plural statesmen /-man/) an important person in a government sta-tion /'sterfn/ noun 1 a place where buses or trains stop: a railway station, a bus station — see picture on page 266 2 a building for some special work: Policemen work at a police station. station-a-ry /'steifǝnri/ adjective not moving; still: The car was stationary when the accident happened. station-er-y /'sterfǝnri/ noun (no plural) paper, pens, pencils, notebooks, and other things used for writing statue /'stætfu:/ noun a figure of a person or animal made of stone, metal, or wood stay /ster/ verb 1 to continue to be in a particular place, state, job etc.: Stay in your classroom until it is time to go home. 2 to live somewhere as a guest for a short time: They're staying at a hotel. stead-i-ly /'stedılı/ adverb not changing very much: We drove steadily at 30 miles an hour. steady /'stedı/ adjective, adverb (steadier, steadiest) 1 firm; not moving: Hold the chair steady while I stand on it. 2 regular; not changing very much: a steady job, a steady speed steak /sterk/ noun a thick flat piece of meat or fish steal /sti:l/ verb (past tense stole /stǝul/, past participle stolen /'stǝulǝn/) to take something that does not belong to you, without asking for it: Who stole my money? LOOK AT: rob steam¹ /sti:m/ noun (no plural) the gas that water becomes when it boils: There was steam coming from the washing machine. steam² verb 1 to produce steam 2 to cook something by putting it in steam steel /sti:l/ noun (no plural) a hard metal made of specially treated iron, used for knives, machines, etc. steep /sti:p/ adjective having a slope which is at a large angle and difficult to go up: a steep hill steeply /'sti:pli/ adverb: The road goes up very steeply here. stee-ple /'sti:pl/ noun a tall, pointed church tower steer /strǝr/ verb to direct or guide a vehicle: He steered the ship carefully between the rocks. steering wheel /'stiǝriŋ wi:l/ noun the wheel that you turn to make a car move to the left or right stem /stem/ noun the central part of a plant from which the leaves or flowers grow — see picture at rose step¹ /step/ verb (present participle stepping, past stepped) to move one foot up and put it down in front of the other: He stepped over the dog. step² noun 1 one movement forwards or backwards with your foot: He took a step towards the door. 2 the sound made when you take a step: I heard steps outside. 〈313〉 stiff /stıf/ adjective not able to move or bend easily: The cards were made of stiff paper. still¹ /stil/ adverb 1 up to this or that time: My father still remembers his first day at school. 2 even: The car was very fast, but the plane was faster still. 3 even so: It was raining, but she still went out. still² adjective not moving; quiet: The sea was calm and still. Keep still while I comb your hair sting¹ /stın/ verb (past stung /staŋ/) to hurt someone by pricking their skin: The bee stung her leg. sting² noun 1 the part of an insect or plant that can hurt you by pricking your skin 2 a pain or wound caused by a sting stink¹ /stıŋk/ verb (past tense stank /stæŋk/, past participle stunk /staŋk/) to smell very unpleasant stink² noun a very unpleasant smell stir /sta:/ verb (present participle stirring, past stirred) 1 to mix a liquid round with a spoon: He put sugar in his tea and stirred it. 2 to move a little: The leaves stirred in the wind. stitch¹ /stitf/ noun (plural stitches) 1 a piece of thread left in cloth after being pulled through the cloth in a needle: The dress was sewn with small stitches. 2 a turn of wool round a needle in KNITTING stitch² verb to sew something: to stitch a button onto a shirt stock¹ /stok/ noun 1 a store of goods in a shop: We have a large stock of tinned fruit. 2 in stock ready for sale in a shop: I'm sorry we've only got black boots in stock. 3 out of stock not there in the shop or ready for sale: Red boots are out of stock. 3 one part of a set of stairs: There are two steps up onto the bus... 4 an event in a set of events: The first step in changing a car tyre is to loosen the wheel. 5 step by step slowly; doing one thing at a time: He showed us how to repair the tyre step by step. step-father /'stepfa:ðər/ noun a man who marries your mother but is not your father step-mother /'stepmʌðər/ noun a woman who marries your father but is not your mother ster-ling /'stə:lıŋ/ noun (no plural) the type of money used in Britain stern /stз:n/ adjective firm and serious: a stern teacher stew¹ /stju:/ noun meat or fish and vegetables, cooked slowly together in liquid stew² verb to cook food slowly in liquid stew-ard /'stju:əd/ noun a man who looks after passengers on a boat or plane stew-ard-ess /'stju:ədıs/ noun a woman who looks after passengers on a boat or plane stick¹ /stık/ noun 1 a long thin piece of wood 2 a thin piece of wood or metal which some people use to help them to walk: Grannie has to walk with a stick now. stick² verb (past stuck /stʌk/) 1 to fix something with a special substance like GLUE: I stuck a stamp on the letter. 2 to put something pointed into something else: She stuck her fork into her meat. 3 to become or stay fixed: The wheels of the car stuck in the mud and we could not go on. 4 stick something out to make something come out from inside: She stuck her hand out of the car and took the ticket. stick-y /'stıkı/ adjective (stickier, stickiest) covered with or containing something which fixes itself to anything it touches: a sticky sweet 〈314〉 stock² verb to have something for sale in a shop: They do not stock flowers, only fruit. stock-ing /'stokin/ noun one of a pair of very thin coverings that women wear on their legs and feet COMPARE: tights stole /staul/ the PAST TENSE of the verb steal sto-len /'staualan/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb steal stom-ach /'stamǝk/ noun the part of your body where food goes when you swallow it - see picture on page 100 stone /staun/ noun 1 a small piece of rock 2 (no plural) rock: The walls are made of stone. 3 the hard inside part of some fruits 4 a piece of coloured rock of great value, such as a diamond, that is used in a ring, jewellery, etc. stood /stud/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb stand stool /stu:l/ noun a chair without a back or sides see picture at chair stoop /stu:p/ verb to bend your body over forwards and down: He had to stoop to get through the doorway. stop¹ /stop/ verb (present participle stopping, past stopped) 1 to end something; to finish doing something: We stopped eating. OPPOSITE: start 2 to prevent something happening: They stopped me going out of the door. You must stop Joe from telling them about it. 3 to finish moving: The bus stopped. stop² noun 1 a place where a bus or train stops: We waited at the bus stop. 2 a dot that you put at the end of a sentence stop-per /'stopǝ/ noun something which closes an opening, especially of a bottle store¹ /sto:/ verb (present participle storing, past stored) to put something away or keep it for use later: I stored all the potatoes from the garden. store² noun 1 things kept for future use: a store of apples 2 a large shop 3 a place for keeping things: a store for furniture store-y /'sto:rı/ noun one level in a building: Our house has three storeys. storm /sto:m/ noun a time of high winds and sometimes thunder and rain storm-y /'sto:mı/ adjective (stormier, stormiest) very rainy and windy: stormy weather sto-ry /'sto:rı/ noun (plural stories) a description of a set of events that can be real or imaginary: Please read us a story! stove /stauv/ noun a machine that you use for cooking on or for heating a room: a gas stove straight¹ /streit/ adjective 1 not bending or curved: straight hair see picture on page 66 2 level: The picture is not straight, you must move the left side up. 3 in order: I want to get the house straight before the others arrive. straight² adverb 1 in a line which does not bend: The car went straight down the road. 2 directly; without going anywhere else or doing anything else: He went straight to his friend to ask for help. 3 straight away now: I must see you straight away. 4 straight on in the same direction: Go straight on until you get to the crossroads. straight-en /'streitn/ verb to make or become level, tidy, or not curved: She straightened the picture on the wall. strain /strein/ verb 1 to do something with great effort: She had to strain her ears to hear me. 〈315〉 strait /streit/ noun a narrow piece of water between two pieces of land strand /strænd noun a long thin piece of something, usually thread or hair strand-ed /'strændid/ adjective in a difficult place or state with no help: / was stranded in a foreign country with no money. strange /streindz/ adjective (stranger, strangest) 1 unusual, surprising, and difficult to understand: a strange sound 2 not what you are used to: a strange city strangely /'streindzlı/ adverb: He acted strangely when he was ill. stranger /'streindzət/ noun a person you do not know strangle /'strængl/ verb (present participle strangling, past strangled) to kill someone by pressing round their throat strap¹ /stræp noun a narrow piece of leather, plastic, cloth, etc. used for fastening something or carrying something strap² verb (present participle strapping, past strapped) to fasten something with a strap: He strapped the bag onto his bicycle. straw /stros noun 1 (no plural) dry stems of grain plants, such as wheat: a bag made of straw 2 a dry stem of a grain plant, such as wheat strawberry /'stro:barı/ noun (plural strawberries) a small, soft, red fruit — see picture at fruit stray¹ /streıl adjective (used about animals) lost from home: a stray dog stray² verb to wander away from home or from the right way: She strayed from the road and got lost. streak /stri:k/ noun a long thin line: a streak of paint on the wall stream /stri:m/ noun 1 a small river 2 a long line of something moving: a stream of cars street /stri:t/ noun a road in a town: Across the street from the school is the library. Robert lives in Bridge Street. strength /strege/ noun (no plural) the ability to move or lift heavy things: / haven't the strength to lift this table strengthen /'stregen/ verb to make someone or something stronger: The fence was strengthened with wire. stress¹ /stres/ noun 1 (no plural) the feeling of being worried and tense because of difficulties in your life: The stress of working for examinations made him ill. 2 (plural stresses) special force that is put onto a word or part of a word: In the word "chemistry" the stress is on the first part of the word. stress² verb 1 to say a word or part of a word with special force: We stress the first part of the word "chemistry". 2 to make it very clear that a particular fact is important: I must stress that we haven't much time. stretch /stret/ verb 1 to make or become larger or longer by pulling: She stretched the rope between the two poles. Rubber stretches. 2 to straighten your arms, legs, and body to their full length: He stretched his legs in 〈316〉 stretch-er front of him. see picture on page 299 3 to reach, spread out, or cover: The forest stretched for miles. stretch-er /'stretfǝr/ noun a frame on which a person who is ill or wounded can be carried strict /strikt/ adjective severe, and very firm, especially about behaviour: They are very strict with their children. strict-ly /'striktlı/ adverb 1 severely 2 exactly: What he says is not strictly true. stride¹ /straid/ verb (present participle striding, past tense strode /straud/, past participle stridden /'strıdn/) to walk with large steps: He strode angrily into the classroom. stride² noun a large step: With two strides, he crossed the room. strike¹ /strark/ verb (present participle striking, past struck /strak/) 1 to hit someone or something: He struck me with a stick. 2 to stop working, usually because you want more money 3 to give you a particular feeling or idea: He struck me as being a very clever man. 4.(used about a clock) to make a sound to show what time it is: The clock struck three. strike² noun 1 a time when people do not work because they want more money or better conditions: There is a strike at the factory. 2 on strike refusing to work: The workers are on strike. string /strin/ noun 1 (no plural) thin rope used for fastening things: The parcel was tied with string. 2 a fine piece of wire used in some musical instruments, such as a VIOLIN strip /strip/ noun a long narrow piece of something: a strip of paper strip² verb 1 to pull off an outer covering: He stripped the paper off the wall 2 to take off your clothes: John stripped off his shirt. stripe /strarp/ noun a long thin line: A tiger has stripes. striped /straipt/ adjective having long thin lines of colour: a striped shirt — see picture at pattern strode /straud/ the PAST TENSE of the verb stride stroke¹ /strǝuk/ noun 1 a movement of your arms when you are swimming: With a few strong strokes he reached the child. 2 the sound of the bell in a clock 3 a sudden illness in your brain: She couldn't walk very well after her stroke. 4 a soft gentle movement of your hand across something: Give the cat a stroke. stroke² verb (present participle stroking, past stroked) to move your hand over something gently: He stroked the baby's head. stroll¹ /strǝull verb to walk slowly: We strolled through the park. stroll² noun a slow walk for pleasure: Let's go for a stroll. strong /stroŋ/ adjective 1 having power or force: He is a strong man. She is a strong swimmer. OPPOSITE: weak 2 firm; that will not break or change easily: a strong fence, strong belief 3 having a powerful effect on you: Strong drink can make you feel ill. a strong smell struck /strak/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb strike struc-ture /'strʌktfǝr/ noun 1 a building or framework: The new hospital will be a very tall structure. 2 the way in which something is arranged: the structure of the company strug-gle¹ /'strʌgl/ verb (present participle struggling, past struggled) to fight: I struggled to get free. struggle² noun a fight: We had a struggle to stop the criminal. 〈317〉 stub-born /'stʌbən/ adjective having a strong will and not willing to change your ideas easily: She won't do what I ask she's very stubborn. stubbornly /'stʌbənlı/ adverb SAME MEANING: obstinate stuck /stʌk/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb stick stu-dent /'stju:dənt/ noun a person who is learning, especially at a college or university: He is a student of history. stu-di-o /'stju:diəʊ/ noun 1 a room for working in, especially at painting or photography: a painter's studio 2 a room in which films or radio or television shows are made stud-y¹ /'stʌdı/ verb (past studied) 1 to learn about something: I am studying art. 2 to look at something carefully: Before we go we'll have to study the map. study² noun (plural studies) 1 learning: He will finish his studies next year. 2 a room for working in stuff¹ /stʌf/ noun (no plural) any substance or material: There's some white stuff on this plate. stuff² verb 1 to fill something with a substance: The bed was stuffed with cotton so it was very soft. 2 to push something into something else quickly and untidily: She stuffed the letter into her pocket. stuf-fing /'stʌfıŋ/ noun (no plural) a substance that is put inside something stuff-y /'stʌfı/ adjective (stuffier, stuffiest) with no clean air: This room seems stuffy - open a window. stum-ble /'stʌmbl/ verb (present participle stumbling, past stumbled) to nearly fall when you are walking: She stumbled over the cat in the dark. stump /stʌmp/ noun a part that is left when something is cut down: He sat on a tree stump. stung /stʌŋ/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb sting stunk /stʌŋk/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb stink stu-pid /'stju:pid/ adjective not clever; not sensible: a stupid question, a stupid person stupidly /'stju:pıdlı/ adverb stu-pid-i-ty /stju:'pıdıtı/ noun (no plural) behaviour that is not clever or sensible stur-dy /'stз:dı/ adjective (sturdier, sturdiest) strong and firm: The child had sturdy legs. stut-ter /'stʌtə/ verb to speak with difficulty, repeating the same sounds: "I c-c-can't help it," she stuttered. SAME MEANING: stammer sty /staı/ noun (plural sties) a place for pigs to live in style /staıl/ noun 1 a way of doing something: his style of writing 2 the way of dressing that everyone likes at a special time: That dress is in the latest style. 3 a sort or type: a new style of car sub-ject /'sʌbdzıkt/ noun 1 something that you study: English is one of our school subjects. 2 something that you talk or write about: I was the subject of their talks. 3 a person who belongs to a country She is a British subject. 4 the person or thing that does the action of a verb; the noun that usually goes in front of the verb: In the sentence "Jane bought the bread," Jane is the subject. COMPARE: object sub-mar-ine /'sʌbmə'ri:n/ noun a ship that can travel under the water sub-stance /'sʌbstəns/ noun something you can touch like a liquid, a solid, or a powder: Salt is a substance we use in cooking. 〈318〉 sub-tract /səb'trækt/ verb to take away one number from another: If you subtract 3 from 5 you get 2. COMPARE: add sub-trac-tion /səb'træk∫n/ noun the taking away of one number from another COMPARE: addition sub-urb /'sʌbɜ:b/ noun an outer part of a town: a suburb of London succeed /sək'si:d/ verb 1 to do well; to get what you wanted: If you try hard, you'll succeed. OPPOSITE: fail 2 succeed in doing something to be able to do something: He succeeded in passing his driving test. success /sək'ses/ noun 1 (no plural) the act of doing or getting what you hoped for: his success in the examination 2 (plural successes) someone or something that pleases people or does well: Her party was a great success. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): failure successful /sək'sesfl/ adjective having done well or pleased people: a successful actor successfully /sək'sesfəli/ adverb OPPOSITE: unsuccessful such /sʌt∫/ 1 like the thing just mentioned: He shouted "Go away" or some such remark. 2 used to make what you are saying stronger or greater: It's such a lovely day. 3 such as for example: I like sports, such as tennis. suck /sʌk/ verb to pull liquid into your mouth with your lips: The baby was sucking milk from its mother. sud-den /'sʌdn/ adjective 1 happening quickly or without being expected: Her illness was very sudden. 2 all of a sudden unexpectedly and quickly: All of a sudden the lights went out. suddenly /'sʌdnli/ adverb: Suddenly, I heard a loud bang. suede /swerd/ noun (no plural) a material with a slightly rough surface, made from animal skin suffer /'sʌfə/ verb to be in pain or trouble: She was suffering from a headache. suf-fer-ing /'sʌfəriŋ/ noun great pain or difficulty which you experience: There was a lot of suffering during the war. sufficient /sə'fı∫nt/ adjective enough: Do you have sufficient time to visit the hospital, sir? suf-fix /'sʌfıks/ noun (plural suffixes) letters that you add to the end of a word, to change the meaning; for example if you add the suffix -ness to kind you get the word kindness. COMPARE: prefix sugar /'∫ʊgə'/ noun (no plural) a substance made from some plants, used to make food sweet. suggest /sə'dʒest/ verb to say to someone that something is a good idea: I suggested that it would be quicker to travel by train. suggestion /sə'dʒest∫ən/ noun an idea of what you might do in a particular set of conditions: Can I make a suggestion? suit¹ /su:t/ verb 1 to be right or convenient for someone: It's a small house, but it suits our needs. 2 to make someone look good: That dress suits you. LOOK AT: fit suit² noun a set of clothes made from the same material, including a short coat with trousers or skirt: a dark suit suitable /'su:təbl/ adjective right or acceptable for a particular set of conditions or purpose: This toy is not suitable for young children. OPPOSITE: unsuitable suit-case /'su:tkeɪs/ noun a large bag for carrying clothes in, for example on holiday COMPARE: briefcase - see picture at bag sulk /sʌlk/ verb to feel angry for a time, usually silently: When we told her she couldn't come with us, she went and sulked in her room. sultan /'sʌltən/ noun a Muslim leader, especially in the past sum /sʌm/ noun 1 a simple calculation using numbers: Children learn to do sums at school. 〈319〉 sum ʌ ˈs ʌmə noun, adjective the season, in cool countries, when it is warmest: a summer holiday ► COMPARE: winter sum-mit /'sʌmɪt/ noun the top: a mountain summit sum-mon /'sʌmən/ verb to call for someone to come to you: The teacher summoned all the children to the room. sun /sʌn/ noun 1 the large ball of fire in the sky which gives light and heat ► COMPARE: moon 2 the light and heat from the sun: Sit in the sun and get warm. sunbathe /'sʌnbeɪð/ verb (present participle sunbathing, past sunbathed) to lie in the sun to make your body brown sun-burn /'sʌnbɜːn/ noun (no plural) sore, red skin from spending too much time in strong sunlight ► COMPARE: suntan Sun-day /'sʌndeɪ, -di/ noun the first day of the week; the day on which Christians go to church sung /sʌŋ/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb sing sun-glass-es /'sʌnglaːsɪz/ (plural noun) glasses with dark glass in them which you wear when it is very sunny or bright - see picture on page 66 sunk /sʌŋk/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb sink sun-light /'sʌnlaɪt/ noun (no plural) natural light from the sun: The sunlight was very bright. sun-ny /'sʌni/ adjective (sunnier, sunniest) full of bright sunlight: The day was bright and sunny. sun-rise /'sʌnraɪz/ noun the time in the morning when the sun first appears sun-set /'sʌnset/ noun the time when the sun disappears and night begins sun-shine /'sʌnʃaɪn/ noun (no plural) light and heat from the sun: The children played in the sunshine. sun-tan /'sʌntæn/ noun (also tan) skin which has turned brown in the hot sun: She's got a great suntan. ► COMPARE: sunburn su-per /'suːpə/ adjective very nice or exciting: We had a super day at the seaside. su-perb /suː'pɜːb/ adjective very fine: Her dancing is superb. su-pe-ri-or /suː'pɪəriə/ adjective better or higher sup-er-la-tive /suː'pɜːlətɪv/ noun, adjective a word or a form of a word that shows that something is the best, worst, biggest, smallest, etc. of its kind. The superlative of good is best. ► COMPARE: comparative su-per-mar-ket /'suːpəmɑːkɪt/ noun a big food shop in which you choose the things that you want and pay as you go out su-per-son-ic /ˌsuːpəˈsɒnɪk/ adjective faster than the speed of sound: a supersonic plane su-per-sti-tion /ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃn/ noun something that people believe that cannot be proved, and is probably not true: Some people think that the number 13 is unlucky, but that is just a superstition. su-per-vise /'suːpəvaɪz/ verb (present participle supervising, past supervised) to watch over people while they work, to see that they are doing the right thing: The teacher supervised our examination. su-per-vi-sion /ˌsuːpəˈvɪʒn/ noun (no plural) watching over people to make sure that people do the right thing: We worked under the teacher's supervision. sup-per /'sʌpə/ noun an evening meal ► COMPARE: dinner sup-plies /səˈplaɪz/ (plural noun) things that you need for daily life: We cannot get supplies to the village because of the snow. sup-ply¹ /səˈplaɪ/ noun (plural supplies) an amount of something that you keep and that can be used when it is needed: We keep a large supply of food in the house. supply² verb (present participle supplying, past supplied) to give or sell something that someone needs: That company supplies paper to the printers. 〈320〉 support¹ /sə'pɔ:t/ verb 1 to hold or keep something up: These posts support the roof. 2 to give help, money, or food to someone: She supports her husband on the money she earns from teaching. 3 to be on the side of someone or want them to succeed: Which football team do you support? support² noun 1 something that holds something else up: There are two large wooden supports that hold up the roof. 2 (no plural) encouragement and help: Thank you for your support. suppose /sə'pəuz/ verb (present participle supposing, past supposed) to think that something is probably true or that something will probably happen; / suppose he's gone home. He'll come with us, I suppose. supposed /sə'pəuzd/ (past participle of the verb suppose): 1 be supposed to to be expected to do something: You're not supposed to smoke in here. 2 be supposed to to be considered to be: It's supposed to be a good film. supposing /sə'pauzin/ if: Supposing you catch the next bus, you'll be home before 10 o'clock. supreme /su:'prim/ adjective highest; best: The most important law court is called the Supreme Court. sure /fuǝr/ adjective 1 certain: I am sure that I put the money in the box. 2 make sure to find out for certain: I'll just make sure the car's locked. 3 make sure to arrange that something will certainly happen: Make sure you get here before 3 o'clock. surely /'fuǝlı/ adverb 1 certainly: She's surely the cleverest in the class. 2 a word used when you think something must be true: Surely you remember him? surf¹ /s3:f/ noun (no plural) white waves when they come onto land surf² verb to ride on a special narrow board over waves as they come into the land surface /'s3rfis/ noun the outside, flat part or top of something: Don't scratch the surface of the table. surf-board /'s3:fbɔ:d/ noun a special narrow piece of wood or plastic which people lie or stand on when going over big waves as they come in to the land surfing /'s3:fin/ noun (no plural) the sport of riding on a special narrow board over waves as they come into the land surgeon /'s3:dzən/ noun a doctor who cuts into people's bodies to mend parts inside them surgery /'s3:dzǝrı/ noun (plural surgeries) 1 (no plural) the cutting open of a part of a person's body to mend parts inside them ►COMPARE: operation 2 a place where you can go to see a doctor OF DENTIST surname /'s3:neim/ noun a name that is used by a family, usually written last, for example in the name Peter Brown, Brown is the surname surprise¹ /sə'praiz/ noun 1 an unexpected event: Don't tell him about the present - it's a surprise. 2 the feeling that you have when something unexpected happens: I looked at him in surprise - I didn't expect to see him again. 3 give someone a surprise to do something or give someone something which they do not expect: I didn't tell her we were going on holiday because I wanted to give her a surprise. 4 take someone by surprise to happen unexpectedly: When he offered me the job it took me completely by surprise. surprise² verb (present participle surprising, past surprised) do something which someone does not expect: His anger surprised me - I had thought he was a calm person. 〈321〉 sur-ren-der /sǝ'rendǝr/ verb to stop fighting and give yourself to the people you are fighting sur-round /sǝ'raund/ verb to be or go all round something: The fence surrounds the school. sur-round-ings /sǝ'raundıŋz/ plural noun the area around something: The house is in beautiful surroundings. sur-viv-al /sǝ'vaivl/ noun (no plural) continuing to live after a difficult or dangerous time: We had little hope of survival. sur-vive /sǝ'varv/ verb (present participle surviving, past survived) to continue to live after a dangerous or difficult time: The man was very ill, but he survived. sus-pect¹ /sǝ'spekt/ verb to think that something is true, though you do not know: He seems poor, but I suspect that he has quite a lot of money. sus-pect² /'saspekt/ noun a person who you think has done something wrong: The police have taken the suspect to the police station. sus-pend /sǝ'spend/ verb 1 to hand something from above: The lamp was suspended from the ceiling. 2 to delay or stop something: We suspended the building work during the rain. sus-pense /sǝ'spens/ noun (no plural) a delay which excites people or makes them afraid: Please tell us what happened; we're all waiting in suspense. sus-pi-cion /sǝ'spisn/ noun 1 a feeling that something may be true 2 a feeling that something may be wrong: I have a suspicion that he's not telling the truth. sus-pi-cious /sǝ'spisas/ adjective 1 feeling that something is wrong: I am suspicious of that woman — I think she may have stolen something from our shop. 2 making you feel that something is wrong: His behaviour was very suspicious. swallow¹ /'swplǝul/ verb to take food or drink down your throat and into your stomach: She swallowed some milk. swallow² noun a small bird with a tail divided into two parts swam /swæm/ the PAST TENSE of the verb swim swamp /swomp/ noun land which is always soft and wet swan /swon/ noun a large white water bird with a long curved neck swarm¹ /swo:m/ noun a large group, especially of insects: a swarm of bees swarm² verb to move in a large group sway /swer/ verb to move slowly from side to side: The trees swayed in the wind. swear /sweǝr/ verb (past tense swore /swoi/, past participle sworn /sworn/) 1 to use very bad words: He was so angry that he swore at his mother. 2 to promise: I swear I won't tell anyone your secret. sweat¹ /swet/ noun (no plural) water which comes out of your skin when you are hot or afraid: Sweat poured down his face as he ran. sweat² verb to produce water through your skin because you are hot or afraid: She was sweating as she reached the top of the hill. sweater /'swetǝr/ noun a piece of clothing, usually made of wool, that covers the top part of your body ➡ SAME MEANING: jumper sweep /swi:p/ verb (past swept /swept/) 1 to clean something with a brush: I swept the floor. ➡ SAME MEANING: brush 2 to move quickly: The crowd swept through the gates. sweet¹ /swi:t/ adjective 1 containing or tasting of sugar: I don't like sweet coffee. 2 pleasant and loving: What a sweet smile she has! sweet² noun 1 a small sugary thing to eat 2 sweet food served at the end of a meal ➡ SAME MEANING: pudding, dessert 〈322〉 sweet-corn /'swi:tko:n/ noun (no plural) the yellow seeds of a tall plant, eaten as food sweet-heart /'swittha:t/ noun a person that you are in love with swell /swel/ verb (past participle swollen /'swaulan/) to become larger: A bee has stung my hand and it is swelling up. After the rain, the river swelled. swell-ing /'swelin/ noun a place on your body that has become larger than usual: I've got a nasty swelling on my foot. swept /swcpt/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb sweep swerve /sw3:v/ verb (present participle swerving, past swerved) to move suddenly to one side when you are moving along: The car swerved to avoid the dog. swift /swift/ adjective fast: a swift runner swim¹ /swim/ verb (present participle swimming, past tense swam /swæm/, past participle swum/swam/) to move through water by using your legs and arms: He swam across the river. swim² noun an act or time of swimming: to go for a swim swimmer /'swima"/ noun someone who swims swimming /'swimin/ noun (no plural) the act of moving through the water using your arms and legs: I'm going to have swimming lessons. - see picture on page 265 swimming pool /'swimin pu:l/ noun a place where people can go to swim swimming trunks /'swimin tranks/ plural noun a piece of clothing that a man or boy wears for swimming swim-suit /'swimsu:t/ noun a piece of clothing that a girl or woman wears for swimming swing¹ /swin/ verb (past swung /swan/) to move freely from a fixed point: The boy swung on the rope tied to a tree. The door was swinging in the wind. swing² noun a seat hanging on ropes or chains for children to play on switch¹ /swit/ noun (plural switches) something small that you press, turn, or pull to put something such as a light on or off switch² verb 1 to change: I used to cook on electricity, but I've switched to gas. 2 switch something off to put off something like a light by pushing a button: Could you switch the television off? 3 switch something on to put on something like a light by pushing a button: Could you switch on the television? swollen /'swaulan/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb swell swoop /swu:p/ verb to fly down very quickly: The bird swooped down to the lake. sword /so:d/ noun a sharp pointed weapon like a long knife that you hold in your hand and fight with swore /swo:/ the PAST TENSE of the verb swear sworn /swo:n/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb swear swum /swAm/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb swim swung /swan/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb swing syl-la-ble /'sıləbl/ noun a part of a word which contains one vowel sound: There are two syllables in "window", "win" and "dow". sym-bol /'sımbl/ noun a sign that means or shows something else: The symbol for a church on a map is usually a cross. sym-pa-thet-ic /simpǝ'@etik/ adjective kind and understanding about someone else's unhappiness: When I told her why I was worried, she was very sympathetic. OPPOSITE: unsympathetic 〈323〉 sym-pa-thy /'sımpəθi/ noun (plural sympathies) a feeling of kind understanding and sharing another person's unhappiness: I have been a prisoner, so I have a lot of sympathy with other people in prison. symp-tom /'simptəm/ noun a sign of something, especially an illness: Fever is a symptom of many illnesses. sy-ringe /sə'rındz/ noun an instrument with a needle at one end for giving people medicine through their skin syr-up /'sırap/ noun (no plural) a thick liquid made by boiling sugar in water or fruit juice sys-tem /'sistəm/ noun a group of things or ideas working together in one arrangement: We have a large system of railways. What system of government do you have in your country? ta-ble /'terbl/ noun a piece of furniture with a flat top and three or four legs: The family was sitting at the kitchen table. -- see picture on page 165 ta-ble-cloth /'teiblkloθ/ noun a cloth which you put over a table ta-ble-spoon /'terblspuin/ noun a large spoon that you use for serving food tab-let /'tæblit/ noun a small, hard ball of medicine that you swallow when you are not well SAME MEANING: pill table-ten-nis /'terbl tenis/ noun (no plural) a game in which two or four players hit a small ball over a net across a table SAME MEANING: ping-pong tack-le /'tækl/ verb (present participle tackling, past tackled) 1 to begin work on something: I must tackle that report this evening. 2 to try to stop someone in a game and take the ball away from them: He tackled the other player and kicked the ball across the field. tact /tækt/ noun (no plural) the ability to do or say things without making people feel unhappy or angry tact-ful /'tæktfəl/ adjective careful not to say or do things that hurt or offend people: Ann is very upset because her dog has died, so be tactful when you see her. OPPOSITE: tactless tact-less /'tæktlıs/ adjective not careful about hurting or offending people: His tactless remarks upset her very much. OPPOSITE: tactful tad-pole /'tædpǝul/ noun a small black water creature that becomes a FROG or a TOAD 〈324〉 tag /tæg/ noun a small piece of paper or material fixed to something to give information about it: Look for a name tag on the coat to see who it belongs to. a price tag tail /teil/ noun the part of an animal that sticks out at the end of its back: The dog was happy to see her and wagged its tail. - see pictures at bird and horse tailor /'teılar/ noun a person who makes suits, coats, etc. take /teik/ verb (present participle taking, past tense took /tuk/, past participle taken /'teikən/) 1 to get hold of something: The mother took her child by the hand. Shall I take your coat? 2 to carry something to another place: Can you take this shopping home for me, please? 3 to go with somebody to another place: I'll take you to the station. 4 to remove something from a place or to steal it: Who has taken my chocolate from the fridge? The thief took all the jewellery. 5 to swallow medicine: I've taken some medicine for my cough. 6 to travel in a vehicle: We took a taxi. 7 to need a particular amount of time: The journey to London takes three hours. 8 take after someone to look or behave like a relative who is older than you: He takes after his father. 9 take care of someone to look after someone: Who will take care of me when I am old? 10 take it for granted that... to believe something without having any doubts about it: I took it for granted that I would be invited to my brother's wedding. 11 take off (used about a plane) to leave the ground ➔ OPPOSITE: land 12 take something off to remove a piece of clothing: He took his coat off. 13 take place to happen: The accident took place on Saturday night. ➔ LOOK AT: happen 14 take a seat something you say when you are inviting someone to sit down take-away /'teıkəwer/ noun 1 a cooked meal that you buy to eat at home or outside: We had a takeaway for our supper last night. 2 a place that sells cooked meals for you to eat somewhere else. taken /'teikən/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb take tale /teil/ noun a story tal-ent /'tælənt/ noun the ability to do a particular thing well: My sister has a talent for singing. talent-ed /'tæləntıd/ adjective able to do a particular thing very well: a talented actress talk¹ /to:k/ verb to speak: They were talking about the weather. Their baby is just learning to talk. talk² noun 1 a conversation: We had a long talk. 2 an informal speech: The singer came to our school to give a talk on music. talk-a-tive /'to:kətiv/ adjective liking to talk a lot tall /to:l/ adjective 1 higher than other people or other things: James is taller than Paul, but Richard is the tallest. a tall building - see picture on page 66 2 having a height: He is 1 metre 80 centimetres tall. How tall are you? tame¹ /teim/ adjective (tamer, tamest) (used about an animal) trained to live with people: a tame monkey ➔ OPPOSITE: wild tame² verb (present participle taming, past tamed) to train a wild animal to live with people tan /tæn/ noun (also suntan) the brown colour of your skin after you have been out in the hot sun: She got a tan on holiday. tan-ge-rine /,tændzə'ri:n/ noun a fruit like a small, sweet orange tan-gle /'tængl/ noun a knotted mass of string, hair, or thread: The string was in a tangle. tangled /'tængld/ adjective twisted into knots: tangled hair, tangled wool 〈325〉 tank /tæŋk/ noun 1 a container to hold liquids or gas: The petrol tank in our car is empty. 2 a heavy vehicle with guns on it, used in battle tank-er /'tæŋkər/ noun a ship or lorry that carries large amounts of oil or other liquids: an oil tanker tap¹ /tæp/ verb (present participle tapping, past tapped) to strike something lightly: Lucy's mother tapped on her bedroom door to see if she was awake. tap² noun an instrument on the end of a pipe which can be turned to let liquid or gas out tap danc-ing /'tæp dænsıŋ/ noun (no plural) a type of dancing in which dancers wear special shoes to make a sound when they move their feet to the music tape¹ /teip/ noun 1 a long thin band of plastic inside a small case, on which you can record sound or pictures: Which tape (= of music) shall we listen to next? 2 a long thin band of cloth or paper tape² verb (present participle taping, past taped) 1 to record music or a film, etc.: Shall we tape the film and watch it tomorrow? 2 to fasten something with tape that sticks: She closed the box and taped it. tape measure /teip mezər/ noun a narrow band of cloth or plastic used for measuring tape re-cord-er /teip ri'kɔ:də(r)/ noun a machine which records and plays music and other sounds tar /ta:(r)/ noun (no plural) a thick black substance which is used in making roads tar-get /'ta:rgit/ noun an object that you try to hit with a gun or an arrow tar-mac /'ta:rmæk/ noun (no plural) a mixture of TAR and very small stones, used to make the surface of roads tart /ta:rt/ noun a piece of pastry with fruit or JAM cooked on top of it ► COMPARE: pie tar-tan /'ta:rtən/ noun a cloth with a special pattern of squares on it task /ta:sk/ noun a piece of work which must be done: Washing the dishes is a task I do not enjoy. ► SAME MEANING: job taste¹ /teist/ noun 1 the special sense by which we know one food from another: My sense of taste isn't very good; I have a cold. 2 the feeling that a particular food gives you when it is in your mouth: Chocolate has a sweet taste. 3 someone's particular choice: She has good taste in clothes. taste² verb (present participle tasting, past tasted) 1 to try food or drink by taking a little into your mouth: Can I taste your drink? 2 to have a particular feeling in your mouth: This wine tastes sweet. tast-y /'teisti/ adjective (tastier, tastiest) having a very nice taste: a tasty meal tat-too¹ /tæ'tu:/ verb to draw a picture or write words on someone's skin by pricking it and putting colouring substances on it tattoo² noun a picture or word put on someone's skin by pricking it and putting colouring substances on it taught /tɔ:t/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb teach tax¹ /tæks/ noun (plural taxes) money which must be paid to the government from the money you earn tax² verb to make people pay a certain amount of money to the government tax-l /'tæksi/ noun a car with a driver who will take you somewhere if you pay him or her: I'll take 〈326〉 tea /ti:/ noun 1 (no plural) a hot drink made by pouring boiling water onto special dry leaves: a pot of tea 2 a cup of tea: Two teas, please. 3 an evening meal: What are we having for tea tonight? 4 a small meal in the afternoon in which people usually eat bread and cakes and drink tea teach /ti:tf/ verb (past taught /ta:t/) 1 to give people lessons in a particular subject, especially in a school: Miss Jones teaches history. 2 to show someone how to do something: Who taught you to ride a bicycle? LOOK AT: know teacher /'ti:tfar/ noun a person who gives lessons, especially in a school team /ti:m/ noun 1 a group of people who play games against other groups: a football team 2 a group of people who work together on something: a team of writers tea pot /'ti:pot/ noun a pot used for making tea tear¹ /tiǝ/ noun 1 a drop of water from your eye 2 in tears crying: She was in tears all morning tear² /teǝ/ noun a split in something where it has torn: a tear in his trousers tear³ /teǝ/ verb (past tense tore /to:, past participle torn /to:n/) 1 to make a split or a hole in something: He tore his trousers. She tore the piece of paper in half. 2 to pull something roughly from a place: You can tear a page out of my notebook. 3 tear something up to destroy something made of paper by pulling it into little pieces: She tore up the letter. tease /ti:z/ verb (present participle teasing, past teased) to make fun of a person playfully or unkindly: You must not tease your little sister. tea spoon /'ti:spu:n/ noun a small spoon used to mix sugar or milk in tea, coffee, etc. - see picture at cutlery tech-ni-cal /'teknikl/ adjective having or needing special knowledge about a particular science or machine tech-ni-cian /tek'nifn/ noun a person who has special knowledge about certain machines or instruments: Anne is training to be a technician. tech-nique /tek'ni:k/ noun a way of doing something: new teaching techniques tech-nol-o-gy /tek'nolǝdzı/ noun (no plural) knowledge about science, and about the making of machines, instruments, etc.: Modern technology has made many jobs easier. teddy bear /'tedı beǝ/ noun a soft toy which looks like a bear te-di-ous /'ti:diǝs/ adjective long and uninteresting: a tedious book SAME MEANING: boring teen-ag-er /'ti:neidzǝ/ noun a person who is between 13 and 19 years old SAME MEANING: adolescent teeth /ti:0/ the plural of tooth - see picture at head tel-e-gram /'teligræm/ noun a message sent by telegraph tel-e-graph /'teligra:f/ noun (no plural) a way of sending messages quickly by electric wire or radio signals tel-e-phone¹ /'telifaun/ noun (also phone) a machine you use to speak to someone who is in another place: Can I use your telephone, please? Will you answer the telephone? telephone² verb (present participle telephoning, past telephoned) (also phone) to speak to someone by telephone: / telephoned the office but there was no reply. I tele- phoned the restaurant and spoke to the manager. 〈327〉 telephone box /'telifaun ,boks/ noun (plural telephone boxes) a small shelter in the street where there is a public telephone telephone number /'telıfəun, namba/ noun the number which you need to ring when you want to talk to someone on the telephone: Do you have John's telephone number? tel-e-scope /'teli-skaup/ noun an instrument that you look through to see objects which are very small or far away from you tel-e-vi-sion /'teli-vızn/ noun (also TV) 1. a machine that receives electrical signals and sends out pictures and sound: Turn the television on. - see picture on page 165 2 (no plural) the system of sending and receiving pictures and sounds by electrical signals: They were watching television. 3 on television shown on the television: What's on television tonight? tell /tel/ verb (past told /tauid/) 1 to speak to someone or inform them about something: Tell me what happened. ▶ LOOK AT: say 2 to advise or instruct someone: I told him to see a doctor about his chest pains. Dad told me to be home by ten. 3 tell someone off to scold someone: My mother told me off for swearing. 4 tell tales to lie or be unkind about someone, because you want them to be punished: Charlie is always telling tales about Susie. 5 I told you so something you say when something happens that you had already warned someone about tel-ly /'teli/ noun (plural tellies) a television tem-per /'tempǝr/ noun 1 the way you feel, especially when you are angry: He was in a bad temper all day. 2 lose your temper to become angry suddenly tem-pe-ra-ture /'temprətſǝr/ noun 1 the amount of heat or cold: In hot weather the temperature gets very high. 2 have a temperature to have a higher body temperature than usual, especially because you are ill tem-ple /'templ/ noun 1 a holy building 2. the part of your head above and in front of your ear tem-po-ra-ri-ly /'tempərərəlı, 'temparǝlı/ adverb for a short time only: temporarily closed tem-po-ra-ry /'tempǝrǝri, 'tempǝrı/ adjective lasting or meant to last for a short time: a temporary job ► COMPARE: permanent tempt /tempt/ verb 1 to try to make someone do something wrong 2 to make someone want to do something: Can I tempt you to eat some more of this cake? ten /ten/ noun, adjective the number 10 ten-ant /'tenant/ noun a person who pays money to use a house or land tend /tend/ verb tend to to happen often or usually: I tend to get tired in the evening. ten-den-cy /'tendǝnsı/ noun (plural tendencies) something that happens regularly: She has a tendency to shout when she gets angry. ten-der /'tendǝr/ adjective 1 soft, and easy to eat: tender meat ► OPPOSITE: tough 2 kind and gentle: a tender expression on her face ten-nis /'tenis/ noun (no plural) a game played by two or four people in which you hit a ball over a net on page 265 tense¹ /tens/ adjective 1 nervous and worried: The players were tense at the start of the game. 2 tightly stretched: tense muscles ► OPPOSITE (1 and 2): relaxed see picture 〈328〉 tense noun the form of a verb that shows when the action of the verb happens: "I look" and "I am looking" are present tenses; "I looked", "I was looking", and "I have looked" are past tenses; "I will look" and I am going to look" are future tenses. tent /tent/ noun a shelter made of thick cloth spread over poles tenth /tenθ/ noun, adjective 1 10th 2 one of ten equal parts term /t3:m/ noun 1 a fixed length of time: He was made captain of the football team for a term of one year. 2 a part of the school year: There are three terms in a school year. ter-mi-nal /'t3:mm!/ noun a place where buses, planes, etc. begin or end their journey terms /t3:mz/ plural noun the things that you must agree to do or accept, especially in a contract ter-race /terǝs/ noun 1 a level area cut out from the side of a hill 2 a flat area outside a house where you can sit and have a drink, etc. 3 a row of houses joined together ter-raced house /terǝst 'haus/ noun a house which is part of a row of houses all joined together ter-ri-ble /'terəbl/ adjective 1 very serious; causing you to be afraid: a terrible accident, a terrible noise 2 very bad: Your writing is terrible. SAME MEANING (1 and 2): awful ter-ri-bly /'terǝblı/ adverb 1 very: We're terribly sorry. 2 very badly: She behaved terribly. ter-ri-fic /tə'rıfık/ adjective very good; enjoyable: a terrific holiday ter-ri-fy /'tertfar/ verb (present participle terrifying, past terrified) to fill someone with fear: I was terrified by the storm. ter-ri-to-ry /'teritri/ noun (plural territories) 1 land ruled by one government: This island is British territory. 2 an area belonging to one person or animal: Wild animals will not allow other animals to enter their territory, ter-ror /'terǝ/ noun (no plural) great fear; a feeling of terror ter-ror-ist /'terǝrıst/ noun a person who uses violence to try to force a government to do something test¹ /test/ verb 1 to look at something to see if it is correct or will work properly: Before he bought the car, he drove it to test it. 2 to ask someone questions to see if they know the answers: The teacher tested the children on their homework. test² noun an examination: I passed my driving test today. a history test test tube /'test tjurb/ noun a small, thin, glass container used in scientific tests text /tekst/ noun the writing in a book text-book /'tekstbuk/ noun a book with facts about a particular subject that is used by people studying that subject than /ðæn; strong ðæŋ/ preposition used when you are comparing things: My brother is older than me. Mary sings better than anyone else in the class. thank /θæŋk/ verb 1 to tell someone that you are grateful: I thanked her for the present she sent me. 2 Thank you (also thanks) something you say to someone to show you are grateful: Thank you for the present. "Do you want another piece of cake?" "No, thank you." thank-ful /'0æŋkfal/ adjective very glad: I was thankful that the exams were over. thanks /0æŋks/ plural noun 1 the things you say to show you are grateful: a letter of thanks 2 thanks to because of: Thanks to Peter, we won the game. We've missed the train, thanks to you. that /ðæt; strong ðæt/ 1 (plural those /ðouz/) the one over there; the one further away than this one: They don't live in this house; they live in that one over there. 〈329〉 thatch /0ætſ/ noun (no plural) a roof covering made of dry grass thatched (0ætft/ adjective (used about a roof) made of dry grass: a thatched roof thaw /:/ verb to become soft or liquid, after having been frozen: The ice started to thaw. the /da, di; strong dit 1 a word used before another, when it is clear who or what is meant: There's a boy outside; it's the boy from the house across the road. 2 used in front of the names of seas, rivers, deserts, etc.: the Mediterranean Sea 3 used to talk about a class or group of people or things: The rich (= rich people) should help the poor (= poor people). 4 used when telling the date: Tuesday the fifth of May theatre/'ıǝta/ noun a building in which people can go and see plays being acted theft /left/ noun 1 (no plural) the crime of stealing: He was put in prison for theft. 2 an act of stealing something: When she discovered the theft of her bag she went to the police. their /dǝr; strong dear/ belonging to them: The children carried their bags to school. theirs /deǝz/ something belonging to them: They looked at our pictures, but they didn't show us theirs. them /dam; strong dəm/ the people or things that have already been mentioned: We gave them some food We gave it to them. I can't find my shoes; have you seen them? theme /0i:m/ noun the general idea or subject that a talk or a piece of writing is about themselves /ðəm selvz/ 1. the same people, animals, or things as the sentence is about; the same people as they in a sentence: The travellers washed themselves in the river. They bought themselves a new car. 2 used to give they a stronger meaning: They decorated the house themselves. 3 by themselves without help from anyone else: The children did the drawing by themselves. 4 by themselves alone: They spent the afternoon by themselves. then (den) adverb 1 at another time; not now: She lived in a village then, but now she lives in a town. 2 afterwards; next: We watched a film and then went for a meal. 3 if that is true: "I have lost my ticket." "Then you must pay again." theory ('iǝri/ noun (plural theories) an idea that tries to explain something there¹ /deǝ/ adverb in or near that place: Don't sit there by the door; come and sit here. Look at that man over there. "Have you been to that new restaurant?" "Yes, we went there last night." there2 there is used to show that someone or something exists or that something happens: There is a letter for you. There was a policeman outside the house yesterday. Is there anything I can do to help? there-fore/deǝ-fo:/ adverb for that reason: He has broken his leg and therefore can- not walk. ther-mom-e-ter/də'momita/ noun 2 (plural those) used to mean the one mentioned already: Did you bring that photograph? We played football and after that (= next) we went home, 3 used instead of who, whom, which: He's the man that sold me the bicycle. 4 used to join two parts of a sentence: I think that it will rain tomorrow. 5 so: Please slow down - I can't walk that fast! 6 That's it something you say when you have finished something 〈330〉 these /ði:z/ an instrument that measures heat and cold: The doctor put a thermometer in my mouth to see if I had a temperature. these /ði:z/ the ones here; the ones nearer than that one or those ones: I don't like these sweets; those are better. they /ðeɪ/ the people, animals, or things already mentioned: My friends are playing football and they want us to play too. they'd /ðeɪd/ 1 they had: They'd already left the house. 2 they would: They said they'd help. they'll /ðeɪl/ they will: They'll probably arrive tomorrow. they're /ðeər, ðer/ they are: They're playing football. they've /ðeɪv/ they have: They've gone shopping. thick /θɪk/ adjective 1 having a large distance between one side and the other: thick walls. 2 with a lot of something grouped closely together: thick black hair OPPOSITE (1 and 2): thin 3 difficult to see through: thick smoke, thick clouds 4 not flowing easily: This soup is too thick. OPPOSITE: runny 5 stupid: Her brother's really thick. thief /θi:f/ noun (plural thieves /θi:vz/) a person who steals: The thief was sent to prison. COMPARE: robber thigh /θaɪ/ noun the part of your leg above your knee — see picture on page 100 thim-ble /'θɪmbl/ noun a hard covering for the top of your finger which you use when sewing thin /θɪn/ adjective (thinner, thinnest) 1 narrow; not thick: This string is too thin; I need a thicker piece. OPPOSITE: thick 2 not having much fat on your body: You should eat more; you're too thin. thing /θɪŋ/ noun 1 an object: What is that thing you are carrying? 2 an act or event: That was a silly thing to do. 3 things your belongings: They packed all their things for the journey. think /θɪŋk/ verb (past thought /θɔ:t/) 1 to use your mind to have ideas: Think carefully before you decide. What are you thinking about? 2 to have an opinion; to believe something: What do you think of my singing? "Do you think it will rain tomorrow?" "Yes, I think so." "Is Emma coming to the party?" "I don't think so." thin-ly /'θɪnli/ adverb without using or having much: Spread the butter thinly. third /θɜ:d/ noun, adjective 1 3rd 2 one of three equal parts thirst /θɜ:st/ noun (no plural) the feeling of wanting or needing to drink something COMPARE: hunger thirst-y /'θɜ:sti/ adjective (thirstier, thirstiest) wanting or needing to drink something: Can I have some water? I'm really thirsty. COMPARE: hungry thir-teen /θɜ:'ti:n/ noun, adjective the number 13 thirteenth /θɜ:'ti:nθ/ noun, adjective 13th thir-ti-eth /'θɜ:ti-əθ/ noun, adjective 30th thirty /'θɜ:ti/ noun, adjective the number 30 this /ðɪs/ 1 (plural these /ði:z/) the one here; the one nearer than that one: This is my bowl; that bowl is yours. 2 nearest to the present time: Shall we go out this afternoon, or wait till tomorrow? this-tle /'θɪsl/ noun a plant with sharp pointed leaves 〈331〉 thorn /θɔ:n/ noun a sharp or pointed part of a plant — see picture at rose thor-ough /'θʌrǝ/ adjective complete and careful, with nothing missed out: The police made a thorough search of the house. thoroughly /'θʌrǝli/ adverb: He always does his work thoroughly. those /ðəʊz/ the ones over there; the ones further away than this or these ones: I don't like these sweets; those are better. though /ðəʊ/ 1 even if; in spite of: Though he was poor, he was happy. 2 as though as if: She looked as though she had been crying. thought¹ /θɔ:t/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb think thought² noun 1 (no plural) the act of thinking: After much thought he decided not to buy the car. 2 an idea or opinion that you have in your mind: She's a quiet girl and doesn't share her thoughts. thou-sand /'θaʊznd/ noun, adjective the number 1,000: a thousand years ago, thousands of miles away thou-sandth /'θaʊzndθ/ noun 1,000th thread¹ /θred/ noun a long single piece of cotton, silk, or other material used in weaving or sewing thread² verb to put a thread through something: I can't thread this needle. threat /θret/ noun a warning that someone will hurt you if you do not do what they want threat-en /'θretn/ verb to say that you will hurt another person if they do not do what you want three /θri:/ noun, adjective the number 3 three-quar-ters /θri: 'kwɔ:təz/ noun, adverb threw /θru:/ the PAST TENSE of the verb throw thrill¹ /θrıl/ verb to fill somebody with excitement: The traveller thrilled us with his stories. thrill² noun an excited feeling throat /θrəʊt/ noun 1 the part at the back of your mouth, where you swallow: He couldn't speak because he had a sore throat. 2 the front part of your neck throne /θrəʊn/ noun a special chair on which a king or queen sits during special ceremonies through /θru:/ preposition, adverb 1 from one side or end of something to the other: The nail went through the wood. We walked through the market to the car park. She looked through the book until she found the page she wanted. – see picture on page 166 2 by way of: The thief got in through the window. through-out /θru:'aʊt/ preposition 1 in every part of something: He is famous throughout the world. 2 from the beginning to the end of something: It rained throughout the night. throw¹ /θrəʊ/ verb (present participle throwing, past tense threw /θru:/, past participle thrown /θrəʊn/) 1 to send something through the air by moving your arm and pushing the thing out of your hand: He threw the ball to me, and I caught it. - see picture on page 299 2 throw something away to get rid of something you do not want 3 throw something out to get rid of something you do not want 4 throw someone out to force someone to leave a place: He was thrown out of the restaurant because he was drunk. throw² noun an act of throwing thrown /θrəʊn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb throw 〈332〉 thrust /erast/ verb (past thrust) to push suddenly and hard: We thrust our way through the crowd. thud /ead/ noun a sound made by something heavy and soft falling: He fell out of the tree and landed on the ground with a thud, thug /0ng/ noun a violent person thumb /θлт/ noun the short, thick finger on your hand which is separate from your other fingers - see picture at hand thump/0ʌmp/ verb to hit someone with your hand tightly closed thun-der /'θʌndə noип (по plural) the loud sound heard in the sky during a storm thun-der-storm /@Andəstəm/ noun a storm with heavy rain, thunder, and lightning Thursday /103:zder, -di/ noun the fifth day of the week tick tik noun 1 the sound made by a watch or clock 2 a mark () which shows that something is correct or done: All the correct answers had ticks beside them. tick verb 1 to make the sound a clock makes 2 to make a mark (✔) to show that something is correct or has been done ticket/'tıkıt noun a small piece of paper or card which shows you have paid to do something, e.g. to travel on a bus, to watch a film at the cinema, etc.: a bus ticket. tickle /ukl/ verb (present participle tickling, past tickled) to touch a person lightly and make them Silaugh: I tickled her under her arms. tide /tard/ noun the rise and fall of the sea that happens twice every day ti-dy¹/'taıdı/ adjective (tidier, tidiest) in good order, with things neatly arranged: a tidy room OPPOSITE: untidy. tidy² verb (past tidied) to make something neat: Tidy your room, please. tie¹ /tat/ noun a narrow band of cloth worn around the neck, especially by a man tie verb (present participle tying, past tied) 1 to fasten something with string or rope: She tied the dog to the lamppost. 2 tie something up to fasten something with string or rope: Tie the parcel up with some string. tiger/'targǝ/ noun a large fierce wild cat that has yellow fur with black bands - see picture on page 300 tight /tait/ adjectivé 1 pulled or drawn closely together; a very tight knot OPPOSITE: slack 2 fitting part of your body closely: These shoes are too tight. OPPOSITE: loose tighten /'tartn/ verb to make or become tight: I need to tighten this screw; it's very loose. loosen. tight-ly/tartlı adverb firmly: Tie the string tightly. tights /arts/ plural noun a very tight piece of clothing, made of thin material, which women wear to cover their feet, legs and the lower part of their body: a pair of tights tile /tail/ noun a flat piece of baked clay used for covering roofs, floors, or walls till¹ /til noun a container or receipt drawer for money in a shop中 till2 until: Let's wait till tomorrow. tilt /tilt/ verb to move or cause something to move by lifting one.end timber/'tımbər/ noun (no plural) wood prepared for building; trees to be used for building time¹ /tarm/ noun 1 (no plural) minutes, hours, days, weeks, 〈333〉 months, years: How do you spend your time at home?... 2 (no plural) a number of minutes, hours, etc.: It takes a long time to learn a new language. 3 a certain occasion: We'll go by car next time. 4 a special hour or day: What time is it? 5 times used to show how often something happens: I go swimming three times a week. How many times have you seen that film? 6 times used when you compare things to say how much bigger, smaller, etc. one thing is than the other: This school is three times bigger than my old one. 7 times multiplied by: Five times four is 20. 8 about time something you say when you think something should be done now: It's about time you got a job. 9 all the time continuously: It rained all the time on holiday. 10 at a time in one group; together: She can only have two visitors at a time. 11 at times sometimes: I hated my job at times. 12 for the time being for now; for a little while: You can live with us for the time being. 13 from time to time sometimes, but not very often: We go to the theatre from time to time. 14 have a good time to enjoy yourself: Have a good time at the cinema. Did you have a good time last night? 15 just in time at the last moment, just before it was too late: The police arrived just in time. 16 on time at the right time; not early, not late: The train arrived on time. 17 take your time to use all the time you need to do something: There's no hurry - take your time. 18 tell the time to read a clock or watch correctly: She can't tell the time yet; she's only two! NOTE: Remember to use 's in the expressions in a week's time (in a week from now), in a month's time, in a year's time, etc. time² /taım/ verb (present participle timing, past timed) to measure how long it takes to do something. time-ta-ble /'taim, terbl/ noun a list of times when things will happen: a train timetable, a school timetable. tin /tin/ noun 1 (no plural) a soft, white metal 2 a container made of this metal: a tin of beans. SAME MEANING: can - see picture at container tin-kle /'tinkl/ verb (present participle tinkling, past tinkled) to make a sound like small bells: The glasses tinkled as he carried them. tinned /tınd/ adjective preserved in a tin: tinned fruit. SAME MEANING: canned tin o-pen-er /'tın, əupnǝ/ noun a tool for opening tins of food ti-ny /'taini/ adjective (tinier, tiniest) very small tip¹ /tip/ verb (present participle tipping, past tipped) 1 to lean or cause to lean at an angle: / tipped the table and the glasses fell off it. 2 to give a small amount of money to a waiter, a taxi-driver, etc. 3 tip over to turn over or cause something to turn over: / tipped the box over and the chocolates fell out. tip² noun 1 the pointed end of something: the tip of a finger 2 a small amount of money given to someone who has done something for you: Shall we leave the waiter a tip? 3 a useful piece of advice: Have you got any tips on making cakes? tip-toe /'tıptau/ verb (present participle tiptoeing, past tiptoed) to walk on your toes, especially when you are trying not to make any noise: / tiptoed past the sleeping child. 〈334〉 tiptoe tiptoe² noun on tiptoe walking on your toes, especially when you are trying not to make any noise: Let's walk on tiptoe so they don't hear us. tire /taiǝ/ verb (present participle tiring, past tired) to make someone feel that they need rest tired /taiǝd/ adjective 1 needing rest or sleep: I felt tired after work. 2 be tired of something to become disinterested in something because you have done it many times before: She was Tired of cooking for her family. 3 be tired out to be completely tired tissue /'tıfu:/ noun a thin soft piece of paper used as a handkerchief title /taitl/ noun 1 the name of a story, a book, a film, etc. 2 a word used in front of a person's name: Doctors have the title "Dr" in front of their name. to /tǝ, tu: strong tu:/ preposition, adverb 1 in the direction of: He ran to the door. He sent a letter to his parents. We are driving to town. - see picture on page 166 2 as far as: When we got to the river, we sat down. 3 until: She works from two o'clock to ten o'clock. 4 used to show how many minutes there are until the next hour: It's ten to nine. 5 used to show why you do something: She worked hard to earn some money. 6 used with a verb to show the INFINITIVE: to go, to stop toad /taud/ noun a small jumping animal like a large FROG toast /taust/ noun (no plural) bread which you make brown and harder by cooking it in small, flat pieces: I had toast for breakfast. toaster /'tausta noun an electric machine that is used for making toast to-bac-co /tǝ'bækǝu/ noun (no plural) the dried leaves of a plant used for smoking in pipes and cigarettes to-day /tǝ'deı/ noun, adverb 1 this day: Today is Monday. 2 modern times: Many people use computers today. toe /tau/ noun one of the five parts on the end of your foot - see picture at foot toe-nail /'tauneıl/ noun the nail on a toe toffee /'tofi/ noun a hard brown sweet to-geth-er /tǝ'gedǝ/ adverb 1 one with another; in a group: The children played together in the street. I stuck the two pieces of paper together. 2 at the same time: The two letters arrived together. toilet /'tɔilit/ noun 1 a container joined to a waste pipe, used for getting rid of body waste 2 a room with this in it: Where is the toilet, please? SAME MEANING (1 and 2): lavatory toilet pa-per /'tɔilit ,peıpǝ/ noun thin, soft paper which you use to clean your body after getting rid of body waste toilet roll /'tɔilit ,rǝul/ noun a roll of toilet paper to-ken /'tǝukǝn/ noun a sign: We shook hands as a token of our friendship. told /tauld/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb tell to-ma-to /tǝ'ma:tǝu/ noun (plural tomatoes) a red juicy fruit that you eat raw or cooked - see picture at vegetable tomb /tu:m/ noun a hole in the ground in which a dead person is put tom-boy /'tɔmbɔı/ noun a young girl who likes to play rough games like a boy tomb-stone /'tu:mstaun/ noun a piece of stone put over a tomb, often with the name of the dead person on it to-mor-row /tǝ'mɔrǝu/ noun, adverb the day after this day: It's too late to do it now; let's do it tomorrow. COMPARE: yesterday 〈335〉 ton /tʌn/ noun 1 a measure of weight equal to 2,240 pounds 2 (also tonne) a measure of weight equal to 1,000 kilos tone /təʊn/ noun the sound of a voice or of a musical instrument, etc.: Her voice has a pleasant tone. tongs /tɒŋz/ plural noun an instrument made of two narrow pieces of metal joined at one end, used for picking things up: He picked up the hot metal with a pair of tongs. COMPARE: tweezers tongue /tʌŋ/ noun 1 the part inside your mouth that moves when you speak 2 hold your tongue not to speak: / wanted to tell the teacher she was stupid but I held my tongue to-night /təˈnaɪt/ noun, adverb the night at the end of today: We are going to a party tonight. tonne /tʌn/ noun a measure of weight equal to 1,000 kilos too /tuː/ adverb 1 also: I like bananas, but I like oranges too. 2 more than is needed or wanted: He drives too fast. She drinks too much. took /tʊk/ the PAST TENSE of the verb take tool /tuːl/ noun an instrument which helps you to do special jobs, e.g. build or repair something, etc. tooth /tuːθ/ noun (plural teeth /tiːθ/) 1 one of the white bony objects that grow in your mouth: You should brush your teeth after every meal. 2 something which is shaped like this, e.g. each of the sharp parts on a comb or saw tooth-ache /ˈtuːθeɪk/ noun (no plural) a pain in a tooth: I've had toothache all day. tooth-brush /ˈtuːθbrʌʃ/ noun a small brush for cleaning your teeth — see picture at brush tooth-paste /ˈtuːθpeɪst/ noun (no plural) a substance used for cleaning your teeth top¹ /tɒp/ noun 1 the highest part of something: He climbed to the top of the hill. 2 the lid or cover of something: He took the top off the box. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): bottom 3 a piece of clothing that you wear on the top part of your body: I need a top to wear with these trousers. top² adjective 1 highest: Put it in the top drawer. 2 be top of the class to have the highest marks in the class top-ic /ˈtɒpɪk/ noun something to talk or write about top-ple /ˈtɒpl/ verb (present participle toppling, past toppled) to become unsteady and fall down: The pile of books toppled onto the floor. torch /tɔːtʃ/ noun (plural torches) an electric light that you can carry around with you: He used a torch to see into the dark cupboard. tore /tɔːr/ the PAST TENSE of the verb tear torn /tɔːn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb tear tor-na-do /tɔːˈneɪdəʊ/ noun (plural tornadoes or tornados) a storm with a strong wind which spins very fast. tor-pe-do /tɔːˈpiːdəʊ/ noun (plural torpedos) a weapon which is fired through the water from a ship to destroy another ship tor-rent /ˈtɒrənt/ noun a fast flow of water: The river was a torrent after the storm. tor-ren-tial /təˈrenʃl/ adjective (used about rain) very rapid and strong: torrential rain tor-toise /ˈtɔːtəs/ noun a land animal that has a body covered by a round hard shell and moves very slowly torture¹ /ˈtɔːtʃə/ verb (present participle torturing, past tortured) to cause great pain to someone on purpose 〈336〉 torture torture² noun a way of causing great pain to someone, especially so that they give you information toss /tos/ verb 1 to throw: They tossed the ball to each other. 2 to move about or up and down: The horse tossed its head in the air. to-tal¹ /'tautl/ noun everything added together: Add up these numbers and tell me the total. total² adjective complete: total silence to-tal-ly /'tautl-1/ adverb completely: I totally agree. touch¹ /tats/ verb 1 to put your hand or another part of your body on or against something: Don't touch that pot; it's very hot. 2 to bring, put, or be on or against something: The branches of the tree touched the water. touch² noun 1 (plural touches) an act of putting part of your body on or against something: I felt the touch of his hand. 2 (no plural) the sense with which you feel the hardness, softness, etc. of something 3 get in touch to write to someone or telephone them: I must get in touch with my old schoolfriends to see what they are doing now. 4 keep in touch to speak or write to someone regularly; Do you still keep in touch with John? tough /taf/ adjective 1 strong and brave 2 hard, and not easy to bite: This meat is tough. OPPOSITE: tender 3 difficult: a tough exam tour¹ /tua/ noun 1 a journey during which several places are visited: They have gone on a tour. 2 a trip to or through a place: We went on a tour of the city. tour² verb to visit many different parts of a country or an area tour-ist /'tuǝrist/ noun a person who travels for pleasure tourist of-fice /'tuərist pfis/ noun a place where tourists can go to get information tour-na-ment /'tuǝnəmənt/ noun a sports competition: a tennis tournament tow /tau/ verb to pull a vehicle along by a rope or chain: We towed the car to the garage. to-wards /ta'wo:dz/ preposition 1 in the direction of: She walked towards the door. He stood with his back towards us. - see picture on page 166 2 near in time: Towards evening, the day became cooler. tow-el /taual/ noun a piece of cloth used for drying things tow-er /'tauǝ/ noun a tall narrow building or part of a building: a church tower town /taun/ noun a place with many houses and other buildings where people live and work COMPARE: city town hall / taun 'ho:l/ noun a building which is used as offices for local government and as a place for public meetings toy /to/ noun a special object made for children to play with trace¹ /treis/ noun a mark or sign that shows that someone or something has been in a place: They searched the building but did not find any trace of the criminal. trace² verb (present participle tracing, past traced) 1 to copy a picture, plan, etc. by drawing on a thin piece of paper put over it 2 to try to find someone or something by looking for signs they have left behind: They traced the criminal to a house in the city. track¹ /træk/ noun 1 a rough path 2 a set of marks on the ground left by an animal or person: The hunter followed the animal's tracks. 3 a special path for races 〈337〉 track² verb to follow an animal's track track suit /træksu:t/ noun a warm loose suit which you wear for sport or around the house- see picture on page 65 tractor /træktar/ noun a machine used for pulling heavy carts and farm machinery trade¹ /treid/ noun 1 (no plural) the buying and selling of goods: Trade with other countries is important. 2 a kind of business: the clothes trade 3 a job that needs special teaching: She's a dressmaker by trade. trade² verb (present participle trading, past traded) to buy and sell goods: We trade with other countries. trad-er /treidar/ noun a person who buys and sells goods trades-man /treidzman/ noun (plural tradesmen /-man/) a person who buys and sells goods, especially a person who runs a shop tra-di-tion /tra'dın/ noun an old custom passed on from parents to their children: an old family tradition tra-di-tion-al /trǝ'dınǝl adjective that has been done in the same way for a long time: a traditional family Christmas traffic /træfik/ noun (no plural) the movement of cars and people in the streets, or of ships or planes: The city streets are full of traffic. traffic jam /træfik dæm/ noun a long line of vehicles that cannot move forward because the road is blocked traffic lights /træfik larts/ plural noun lights that change colour to direct the traffic on roads traffic war-den /træfik wɔdn/ noun an official whose job is to check that cars and other vehicles are parked where they are allowed to park tra-ge-dy /trædzadı/ noun (plural tragedies) 1 something terrible that happens: Her son's death was a tragedy. 2 a serious play with a sad ending COMPARE (1 and 2): comedy tra-gic /trædzık/ adjective very sad: a tragic accident tragically /trædzıklı/ adverb: He was killed tragically in an accident. trail /treil/ noun 1 a set of marks on the ground that show where someone or something has been: a trail of blood 2 a path across rough country trail-er /treılar/ noun a two-wheeled cart pulled by a car, etc. train¹ /trein/ noun 1 a number of railway carriages for people or goods pulled along by an engine - see picture on page 266 2 by train on a train: We went by train. train² verb to make yourself, or someone else, ready to do something difficult: I am training for the race. She is training to become a nurse. train-er /treinar/ noun a person who teaches you a sport or helps you to exercise trainers /treinǝz/ plural noun special shoes for playing sport - see picture on page 65 train-ing /treının/ noun (no plural) special activities in which you learn how to do a particular job or play a sport trai-tor /treitǝ/ noun a person who helps people who are not friends of his country: The traitor was sent to prison. tramp /træmp/ noun a person with no home or job who wanders from place to place begging for food or money tram-ple /træmpl/ verb (present participle trampling, past trampled) to walk heavily on something: He trampled on my flowers when he was getting his football. trans-fer¹ /træns'f3x/ verb to move people or things from one place 〈338〉 trans-fer /transf3:/ noun the act of transferring a person: Can I have a transfer to a new office? trans-form /træns'form/ verb to change something or someone completely in appearance or nature: She transformed the room by painting it. tran-sis-tor /træn'zıstər/ noun (also transistor radio/træn, zistə 'reidrǝu/) a small radio tran-si-tive /'trænzativ/ noun, adjective (used about verbs) needing an object: In the sentence "I gave the book to Jane," "gave" is a transitive verb. ▶ COMPARE: intransitive trans-late /træns'leit/ verb (present participle translating, past translated) to give the meaning of words of one language in another language: He translated the speech from Spanish into English. trans-la-tion /træns'leıfn/ noun 1 something that has been translated 2 (no plural) the act or job of translating trans-par-ent /træn'spærənt/ adjective that you can see through: Glass is transparent. trans-port¹ /træn'spo:t/ verb to carry goods or people from one place to another: The goods were transported by train. trans-port² /'trænsport/ noun (no plural) 1 the moving of goods or people from one place to another 2 cars, buses, trains, etc.: public transport trap¹ /træp/ noun 1 an instrument for catching an animal; a mousetrap 2 a plan to catch a person: The police set a trap for the thieves. trap² verb (present participle trapping, past trapped): 1 to catch a person or an animal in a trap: The police trapped the thieves. 2 be trapped to be unable to escape from a dangerous or unpleasant place or set of conditions: She was trapped in the burning house. travel /'trævl/ verb (present participle travelling, past travelled) 1 to go from place to place: to travel round the world 2 to move along: At what speed is he travelling? travel a-gen-cy /'trævl,eidzǝnsi/ noun (plural travel agencies) a business which arranges people's journeys and holidays travel a-gent /'trævl,eidzǝnt/ noun a person who owns or works in a travel agency trav·el·ler /'trævlǝ/ noun a person who is on a journey traveller's cheque /'trævlǝz,tfek/ noun a special cheque that you take to another country and can use to get money in that country trawl-er /'trɔ:lǝ/ noun a boat for fishing tray /trei/ noun a flat piece of wood, metal, etc.. on which things can be carried tread /tred/ verb (past tense trod /trod/, past participle trodden/'trodn/) 1 to stand on something: I trod on his foot by accident. 2 to crush something with your feet: They get the juice out of the fruit by treading it. 3 tread water to remain upright in deep water by moving your legs trea-son /'trizən/ noun (no plural) an action which harms the king, leader, or government of a country treasure /'trezǝ/ noun (no plural) a collection of gold, silver, etc.: They found the treasure buried under a tree. treat¹ /tri:t/ noun something special which gives you pleasure: Her birthday treat was a visit to the theatre. treat² verb 1 to behave towards someone in a 〈339〉 treat-ment /'tri:tmənt/ noun 1 a way of making a sick person better: The doctor's treatment cured him. 2 (no plural) the way you behave towards someone: His treatment of those animals is cruel. treat-y /'tri:tı/ noun (plural treaties) an agreement between two or more countries: a peace treaty tree /tri:/ noun a large plant with branches, leaves, and a thick trunk trem-ble /'trembl/ verb (present participle trembling, past trembled) to shake because you are very afraid or very angry: to tremble with fear tre-men-dous /trǝ'mendəs/ adjective 1 very large or very great in amount 2 wonderful: We went to a tremendous party. tre-men-dous-ly /trǝ'mendəsli/ adverb very: tremendously difficult trench /trent∫/ noun (plural trenches) a long narrow hole dug in the earth tres-pass /'trespas/ verb to go onto someone else's land without permission: The farmer said we were trespassing. tres-pass-er /'trespasǝr/ noun a person who goes onto someone else's land without permission tri-al /'traiǝl/ noun 1 the time when people in a court of law decide whether a person is guilty of a crime: The murder trial lasted a month. 2 a test to see if something is good or bad 3 on trial accused of a crime and having a court of law decide whether you are guilty or not: She was on trial for murder. tri-an-gle /'traiængl/ noun a flat shape with three straight sides and three angles – see picture at shape tri-an-gu-lar /trai'ængjulər/ adjective shaped like a triangle tribal /'traibl/ adjective belonging to a tribe: tribal music tribe /traib/ noun a group of people of the same race, language, customs, etc. trib-u-ta-ry /'tribjutəri/ noun (plural tributaries) a small stream or river that joins a larger river tribute /'tribju:t/ noun something done, said, or given to show respect or admiration for someone: The doctor paid tribute to his nurses by praising their work. trick¹ /trik/ noun 1 an action meant to deceive someone He got the money from me by a trick. 2 a clever act done to amuse people: can do magic tricks. 3 play a trick on someone to deceive someone or make them look stupid, especially to amuse others: The children played a trick on their teacher. trick² verb to deceive or cheat someone: He tricked me into giving him the money. trick-le¹ /'trıkl/ verb (present participle trickling, past trickled) (used about a liquid) to flow in a few drops or a thin stream: Blood trickled from the wound. trickle² noun a thin line or a few drops of liquid tri-cy-cle /'traisikl/ noun a bicycle with three wheels which is usually for children tried /traid/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb try trigger /'trigǝr/ noun a small part of a gun which you pull with your finger to fire it 〈340〉 trim /trim/ verb (present participle trimming, past trimmed) to make something neat by cutting it: She trimmed his hair. trip¹ /trip/ noun a short journey: a trip to town trip² verb (present participle tripping, past tripped) to hit your foot against something and fall or nearly fall: Be careful! Don't trip over that box. tri-umph /'traiʌmf/ noun a victory: It was a great triumph when our team won the race. trod /trod/ the PAST TENSE of the verb tread trod-den /'trodn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb tread trol-ley /'troli/ noun (plural trolleys) a small light cart which you push by Hand and use to carry heavy things. You find trolleys in SUPERMARKETS and in railway stations and AIRPORTS troops /tru:ps/ plural noun soldiers tro-phy /'trǝufi/ noun (plural trophies) a prize given to a person who has won a game or race trop-i-cal /'tropikl/ adjective 1 of or from the tropics: a tropical plant 2 very hot: tropical weather trop-ics /'tropiks/ plural noun the tropics the hottest parts of the world trot /trot/ verb (present participle trotting, past trotted) to run with short steps: The horse trotted along the road. The little girl trotted behind her father. troub-le¹ /'trabl/ noun 1 (no plural) difficulty: Did you have any trouble finding the restaurant? 2 (no plural) something which causes a lot of problems: He hasn't got a job; that's the trouble. 3 be in trouble to have a difficult problem, usually because you have done something wrong: He's in trouble with the police. 4 get into trouble to get yourself into a difficult problem 5 get someone into trouble to get someone else into a difficult situation 6 no trouble not inconvenient; not an effort: I'll drive you to the station; it's no trouble. 7 troubles problems: Tell me all your troubles. troub-le² verb (present participle troubling, past troubled) 1 to cause someone unhappiness, anxiety, or pain: Her child's bad behaviour troubled her. 2 to cause additional work for someone: I'm sorry to trouble you but could you help me with this letter? trough /trof/ noun a long narrow wooden or metal container used to hold food or water for animals trou-sers /'trauzəz/ plural noun a piece of clothing that covers the lower part of your body, with a covering for each of your legs: a pair of trousers — see picture on page 65 trow-el /'trauəl/ noun a small tool used for digging small holes, taking plants out of the ground, etc. tru-ant /'tru:ənt/ noun 1 a child who stays away from school without a good reason. 2 play truant to stay away from school without a good reason: The teacher punished David for playing truant. truck /trʌk/ noun 1 a lorry 2 an open cart used on a railway for carrying heavy goods true /tru:/ adjective (truer, truest) 1 correct, real: Is it true that you are rich? a true story ▷ OPPOSITE: untrue 2 come true (used about dreams and wishes) to happen: His wish came true. tru-ly /'tru:lı/ adverb really: I am truly grateful for all your help. trum-pet /'trampit/ noun a musical instrument made of brass that you play by blowing through it 〈341〉 trun-cheon /tranfan/ noun a short, thick stick used by the police trunk /traŋk/ noun 1 the main stem of a tree — see picture at tree 2 the human body without the head and limbs 3 a large box to carry clothes in when you travel 4 the long nose of an elephant 5 trunks (plural noun) a piece of clothing like very short trousers which men wear for swimming trust¹ /trast/ verb 1 to believe that someone is honest or good: Don't trust him — he never tells the truth. 2 to be sure that someone will do something: Can I trust you to do this work well? trust² noun (no plural) the belief that someone is good or honest; the belief that something will happen: Don't put your trust in that man; he may trick you. trust-worthy /'trastwa:01/ adjective able to be trusted: Let Paul look after the money; he's trustworthy. truth /tru:0/ noun (no plural) what is true; the correct facts: You should always tell the truth. COMPARE: lie truthful /tru:fall adjective 1 telling the truth: Paul is very truthful. 2 correct: a truthful statement try¹ /trai/ verb (present participle trying, past tried) 1 to attempt to do something: He tried to climb the tree, but he could not. Please try not to be late. 2 to test something to see if you like it: Have you tried this chocolate? 3 try something on to put on a piece of clothing to see if it fits you try² noun (plural tries) an attempt: If you can't open the box, let me have a try. T-shirt /'ti: fa:t/ noun a piece of clothing with a round neck and short sleeves which you usually wear in summer — see picture on page 65 tub /tab/ noun a round container for holding things tube /tju:b/ noun 1 a hollow pipe made of metal, plastic, glass, or rubber 2 a soft metal or plastic container with a cap: a tube of toothpaste 3 the Tube the London Underground railway tuck /tak/ verb 1 to push or put something into or under something else: Tuck your shirt into your trousers. 2 tuck someone in to make someone comfortable in bed by pulling the covers over them Tuesday /'tju:zder, -di/ noun the third day of the week tuft /taft/ noun a group of hairs, blades of grass, etc. growing together tug¹ /tag/ verb (present participle tugging, past tugged) to pull hard: The child tugged at my hand to make me go with her. tug² noun 1 a sudden strong pull 2 a small powerful boat used for guiding large ships into and out of a port tum-ble /'tambl/ verb (present participle tumbling, past tumbled) to fall suddenly: She tumbled down the stairs. tum-bler /'tambla/ noun a drinking glass with a flat bottom and straight sides tum-my /tami/ noun (plural tummies) your stomach: I've got a tummy ache. tune¹ /tju:n/ noun a number of musical notes put together to make a pleasant sound: That song has a happy tune. COMPARE: song tune² verb (present participle tuning, past tuned) to set the strings of a musical instrument so that they give the right sound: to tune a piano tun-nel¹ /tanl/ noun a passage through a hill or under a river, etc. for cars or trains to pass tunnel² verb (present participle tunnelling, past tunnelled) 〈342〉 tur-ban /'t3:ban/ noun a long piece of cloth which you wind tightly round your head to cover it. turkey /'t3:kı/ noun a large farm bird that is used for food. turn¹ /t3:n/ verb 1 to go round and round, or make something go round and round: The wheels were turning. Turn the wheel to the right. 2 to change direction, or make something change direction: She turned left at the end of the road. He turned the box upside down. He was turning the pages of the book. 3 to move so that your body is facing another way: She turned round to look behind her. He turned and waved. 4 turn a corner to go round a corner. 5 turn something down to reduce the sound of a radio, etc. or the heat of a heater: Turn the television down; it's too loud. 6 turn something down to say no to an offer: He turned down the job. 7 turn something into something to change something into something else: She turned her bedroom into an office. 8 turn something off to make something stop working: Turn the radio off. 9 turn something on to make something start working: Turn the heating on. 10 turn something out to make a light stop shining: She turned out the light. 11 turn over to move so that you are lying in a different position: He turned over and went to sleep. 12 turn up to arrive at a place: He turned up with his brother. turn² noun 1 a turning movement: the turn of a wheel. 2 a change of direction: a turn to the left. 3 your time to do something: It's my turn to play. 4 take it in turns to do something one person after the other: We took it in turns to drive. turn-ing /'13:1ŋ/ noun a road that branches from another one to make a passage through a hill or under a river, etc. tur-tle /'t3:tl/ noun an animal which has a hard round shell over its body, and lives mainly in the sea. tusk /tʌsk/ noun a long pointed tooth which grows outside the mouths of some animals, e.g. elephants. tu-tor¹ /'tju:tər/ noun a person who teaches one pupil: Her tutor teaches her at home. tutor² verb to teach someone: He tutored me in English. TV /ti: 'vi:/ noun 1 a television: Turn on the TV. 2 (no plural) the system of sending and receiving pictures and sounds by electrical signals: We're watching TV. 3 on TV shown on the television: There's a film on TV tonight. tweezers /'twi:zəz/ plural noun a small instrument made of two narrow pieces of metal joined at one end, used for picking up very small objects: a pair of tweezers COMPARE: tongs. twelfth /twelfθ/ noun, adjective 12th. twelve /twelv/ noun, adjective the number 12. twen-ti-eth /'twenti-iθ/ noun, adjective 20th. twenty /'twenti/ noun, adjective the number 20. twice /twais/ adverb two times: You've asked me that question twice. twig /twig/ noun a small branch on a tree. twin /twin/ noun one of two children born to the same mother at the same time. twin-kle /'twinkl/ verb (present participle twinkling, past twinkled) to shine with an unsteady light: The stars twinkled in the sky. twist¹ /twist/ verb 1 to wind things together or around. 〈343〉 twist² noun 1 something made by twisting: a twist in the branch 2 a movement which turns something round: He gave the lid a twist to open the tin. 3 a bend: a road full of twists and turns twitch¹ /twit/ verb to move suddenly and quickly without control: The horse twitched its ears. twitch² noun a sudden movement of a muscle which you cannot control two /tu:/ noun, adjective the number 2 ty-ing /'tai-in/ the PRESENT PARTICIPLE of the verb tie type¹ /taip/ noun a particular kind: A rose is a type of flower. LOOK AT: kind¹ type² verb (present participle typing, past typed) to write something using a machine: to type a letter type-writer /'taip,raitə/ noun a machine used to type letters typ-i-cal /'tipikl/ adjective the same as other people or things belonging to that group or kind: a typical little boy who enjoys being naughty typ-ist /'taipist/ noun a person whose job is to type ty-rant /'taiərənt/ noun a person with complete power who uses it cruelly tyre /'taiǝ/ noun a thick rubber part, often filled with air, which fits round the outside edge of a wheel: a bicycle tyre see picture at pump up ug-ly /'ʌgli/ adjective (uglier, ugliest) unpleasant to look at: an ugly face um-brel-la /ʌm'brelə/ noun a piece of cloth or plastic stretched over a frame, which you can hold over yourself to keep off the rain um-pire /'ʌmpaiə/ noun a person who decides about the points won in a game, especially in cricket un-a-ble /ʌn'eibl/ adjective unable to do something not having enough power, skill, knowledge, time, or money to do something: Owing to illness, she was unable to attend the meeting. ► OPPOSITE: able u-nan-i-mous /ju'nænɪməs/ adjective agreed by everyone: a unanimous decision un-armed /ʌn'a:md/ adjective not carrying a gun or other weapon un-at-tract-ive /ʌnə'træktiv/ adjective not causing pleasure, not beautiful; not attractive: an unattractive industrial area of the city ► OPPOSITE: attractive un-bear-a-ble /ʌn'beərəbl/ adjective too bad to be accepted; not bearable: The noise was unbearable and we hurried out of the room. un-be-lie-va-ble /ʌnbɪ'li:vəbl/ adjective very surprising; not believable: It was unbelievable how quickly she did it. unbelievably /ʌnbɪ'li:vəbli/ adverb: It was unbelievably cheap. un-cer-tain /ʌn's3:tn/ adjective not sure or certain: He was uncertain what to do. Our holiday plans are still uncertain. un-cle /'ʌŋkl/ noun the brother of one of your parents, or the husband of the sister of one of your parents: Hallo, Uncle John. ► COMPARE: aunt see picture on page 99. un-com-for-ta-ble /ʌn'kʌmfətəbl/ adjective 1 not pleasant to sit on, lie on, or wear; not comfortable: an uncomfortable chair, an uncomfortable bed, an uncomfortable shirt something else: She twisted her hair round her fingers. 2 to turn something: Twist the lid to open it. 3 to turn in several directions: The path twisted up the hill. twist¹ /twist/ verb 〈344〉 uncommon that was too tight round the neck OPPOSITE: comfortable unhappy uncomfortably /ʌn'kamfɾtablı/ adverb: It was uncomfortably hot. un-com-mon /An'koman/ adjective not usual or common SAME MEANING: rare un-con-scious /ʌn'konfas/ adjective not knowing what is happening or feeling anything; not conscious: After she hit her head she was unconscious for several minutes. OPPOSITE: conscious un-con-trol-lab-le /ʌnkan'trauləbl/ adjective impossible to stop; not controllable: uncontrollable laughter un-cooked /ʌn'kukt/ adjective (used about meat and other food) not cooked SAME MEANING: raw un-co-op-er-a-tive /ʌnkau'oprativ/ adjective unwilling to work with other people, or help them, or do what they want when they ask OPPOSITE: co-operative un-cover /An'kʌvǝ/ verb 1 to take something from on top of something else: He uncovered the dish and showed us the food. 2 to find out a crime or something like a crime: The police uncovered a plan to steal some money. under /'ʌndə/ preposition, adverb 1 in or to a lower place; below: She sat out of the sun under a tree. The shoes were under the bed. - see picture on page 166 2 less than: My shirt cost under two pounds. All the children are under twelve years old. 3 working for or obeying someone: She's got three secretaries under her. un-der-clothes /'Andə, klouðz/ plural noun clothes that you wear next to your body and under other clothes: There are some clean underclothes in the drawer. un-der-go /Andə'gou/ verb (present par- ticiple undergoing, past tense under- went / Andə'went/, past participle undergone / Andə'gon/) to experience something that is unpleasant but necessary: He underwent five operations on his foot. un-der-grad-u-ate / Andə'grædzuət/ noun a student at a university un-der-ground¹ /'ʌndəgraund/ adjective under the ground: There is an underground passage from the cliff to the castle. They put the telephone line underground. /Andə'graund/ adverb underground² /'ʌndəgraund/ noun a railway system in which the trains run in passages below the ground, especially the system in London: We went there by underground. un-der-growth /'Andəgrauθ/ noun (no plural) thickly growing plants underneath trees: They pushed their way through the undergrowth. un-der-line / Andə'laın/ verb (present participle underlining, past underlined) to put a line under a word or words: This sentence is underlined. un-der-neath / Andə'ni:θ/ preposition, adverb under: She sat underneath the tree out of the sun. They looked down from the bridge at the water underneath. un-der-stand / Andə'stænd/ verb (present participle understanding, past understood / Andə'stud/) to know the meaning of words or ideas, or why people behave as they do: Do you understand every word on this page? I don't understand why he hasn't got any money. un-der-stand-ing¹ /Andə'stændiŋ/ noun (no plural) knowledge of the meaning of words or ideas, or why people behave as they do: His understanding of English is very good. understanding² adjective kind and sympathetic: She was very understanding when I told her my problem. un-der-stood /'Andə'stud/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb understand un-der-take / Andə'teık/ verb (present participle undertaking, past tense 〈345〉 un-der-took /ˌʌndəˈtʊk/, past participle un-der-tak-en /ˌʌndəˈteɪkən/ undertake to do something to promise or agree to do something: She undertook to pay the money back before July. un-der-wa-ter /ˌʌndəˈwɔːtə(r)/ adjective /ˌʌndəˈwɔːtə(r)/ adverb used or done below the surface of the water: an underwater camera, I love swimming underwater. un-der-wear /'ʌndəweə(r)/ noun (no plural) clothes that you wear next to your body under other clothes: She changes her underwear (= puts on clean underwear) every day. un-der-went /ˌʌndəˈwent/ the PAST TENSE of the verb undergo un-did /ʌnˈdɪd/ the PAST TENSE of the verb undo un-do /ʌnˈduː/ verb (present participle undoing, past tense undid /ʌnˈdɪd/, past participle undone /ʌnˈdʌn/) to untie or unfasten something: He undid the string round the parcel. Her buttons were undone. un-doubt-ed-ly /ʌnˈdaʊtɪdli/ adverb certainly: He is undoubtedly too busy to write me a letter. un-dress /ʌnˈdres/ verb 1 to take your clothes off: The doctor asked me to undress. She undressed the baby. OPPOSITE: dress 2 get undressed to take your clothes off: I got undressed and went to bed. un-eas-i-ly /ʌnˈiːzɪli/ adverb in a way that shows that you are slightly afraid: He looked at me uneasily. un-easy /ʌnˈiːzi/ adjective (uneasier, uneasiest) a little afraid: I had an uneasy feeling that someone was watching me. un-em-ployed /ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪd/ adjective having no paid work; not employed: He was unemployed for two months after leaving college. un-em-ploy-ment /ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/ noun (no plural) not having a job: There has been a lot of unemployment in this town (= many people without work) since the factory closed. OPPOSITE: employment un-e-ven /ʌnˈiːvn/ adjective not level or flat: an uneven road OPPOSITE: even un-ex-pect-ed /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪd/ adjective not what you think will happen; not expected: an unexpected visitor un-ex-pect-ed-ly /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/ adverb: Some friends arrived unexpectedly. un-fair /ʌnˈfeə(r)/ adjective not treating people equally: It's unfair to punish Peter and not James - they were both behaving badly. un-fair-ly /ʌnˈfeə(r)li/ adverb: He thought he had been treated unfairly. OPPOSITE: fair un-faith-ful /ʌnˈfeɪθfl/ adjective having a sexual relationship with someone else when you are already married or have a partner; not faithful. un-fa-mil-iar /ˌʌnfəˈmɪliə(r)/ adjective not what you are used to; strange; not familiar: unfamiliar ideas un-fash-ion-a-ble /ʌnˈfæʃnəbl/ adjective not popular at the present time OPPOSITE: fashionable un-fa-vou-ra-ble /ʌnˈfeɪvərəbl/ adjective not good for something; not favourable: unfavourable weather for the show un-fin-ished /ʌnˈfɪnɪʃt/ adjective not complete yet; not finished: an unfinished building un-fit /ʌnˈfɪt/ adjective 1 not healthy because you have not been taking enough exercise 2 unsuitable or not good enough for something: animal food unfit for humans, unfit to be the captain OPPOSITE (1 and 2): fit un-fold /ʌnˈfəʊld/ verb to open out something from a folded position: She took the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it carefully. un-for-tu-nate /ʌnˈfɔːtʃənət/ adjective having bad luck; unlucky OPPOSITE: fortunate un-for-tu-nate-ly /ʌnˈfɔːtʃənətli/ adverb a word used to say that you are sorry or disappointed about something: Unfortunately, I can't come to your party. OPPOSITE: fortunately 〈346〉 un-friend-ly /ʌn'frendli/ adjective hot kind and pleasant OPPOSITE: friendly un-grateful /ʌn'greitfəl/ adjective hot showing any thanks when someone is kind and generous: Don't think I'm ungrateful, but I can't accept your offer. OPPOSITE: grateful un-hap-pi-ly /ʌn'hæpili/ adverb 1 in a sad way 2 unfortunately: Unhappily, he didn't get a place at university. OPPOSITE: happily un-hap-py /ʌn'hæpi/ adjective (unhappier, unhappiest) sad or worried; not happy: an unhappy marriage, She was unhappy about the children going out alone. OPPOSITE: happy un-health-y /ʌn'helθi/ adjective (unhealthier, unhealthiest) 1 not in good health; not healthy: He looks thin and unhealthy. OPPOSITE (1 and 2): healthy 2 causing bad health: It's very unhealthy to eat so much fat. un-help-ful /ʌn'helpfəl/ adjective not helping someone else; not helpful u-ni-form /'ju:nifɔ:m/ noun clothes worn for a special job or for school: British policemen wear dark blue uniforms. The soldiers were wearing uniforms. un-im-por-tant /ˌʌnɪmˈpɔːtnt/ adjective not worth worrying about; not important: All these small details are quite unimportant. un-in-hab-i-ted /ʌnɪnˈhæbɪtɪd/ adjective where nobody lives: an uninhabited island un-in-ter-est-ing /ʌnˈɪntrəstɪŋ/ adjective not catching or keeping your attention; not interesting SAME MEANING: dull, boring u-nion /'ju:njən/ noun 1 (no plural) the coming or joining together of two people or groups: the union of states to form a country 2 a group of workers who have joined together to protect their pay and working conditions u-nique /ju:'ni:k/ adjective the only one of its type: a unique chance to see inside the palace u-nit /'ju:nɪt/ noun 1 one complete thing or set: This lesson is divided into four units – speaking practice, writing practice, new words, and a word game. 2 an amount or quantity used as a standard of measurement: The pound is the unit of money in Britain. u-nite /ju:'naɪt/ verb (present participle uniting, past united) to join together into one and act together: The threat of a foreign attack united the government and its opponents. u-ni-ver-sal /ˌju:nɪ'vɜ:sl/ adjective for all the people in the world or in a particular group: Love and death are of universal interest. u-ni-verse /'ju:nɪvɜ:s/ noun all the stars, space, etc. that exist u-ni-ver-si-ty /ˌju:nɪ'vɜ:səti/ noun (plural universities) a place of education at the highest level, where degrees are given: Which university is she going to? "Has he got a job?" "No, he's still at university." She went to Leeds University. She went to the University of Leeds. COMPARE: college un-kind /ʌn'kaɪnd/ adjective rather cruel: unkind to animals OPPOSITE: kind un-known /ʌn'nəʊn/ adjective not known: The cause of the disease is unknown. un-less /ən'les/ 1 if not: Unless you go at once you will be late. 2 except when: My baby sister never cries unless she is hungry. un-like /ʌn'laɪk/ preposition different from; not like: She's quite unlike her mother; she's tall and her mother's very short. 〈347〉 un-like-ly /ʌn'laɪkli/ adjective not expected: They are unlikely to come since the weather is so bad. ►OPPOSITE: likely un-load /ʌn'ləʊd/ verb to take goods off a vehicle: Two men unloaded the lorry. ►OPPOSITE: load un-lock /ʌn'lɒk/ verb to open something with a key: She unlocked the door and went in. ►OPPOSITE: lock un-luck-y /ʌn'lʌki/ adjective (unluckier, unluckiest) not having or giving good luck; not lucky: Some people think that 13 is an unlucky number. I was unlucky — I missed the bus by just one minute. ►OPPOSITE: lucky un-nat-u-ral /ʌn'nætʃərəl/ adjective not what is usual, expected, or normal; not natural: It's unnatural for a child to be so quiet. un-ne-ces-sa-ry /ʌn'nesəsəri/ adjective not needed: All those clothes are unnecessary on such a hot day. ►OPPOSITE: necessary un-pack /ʌn'pæk/ verb to take things out of a case or box: I'm just going to unpack my case. He unpacked and had a bath. ►OPPOSITE: pack un-pleas-ant /ʌn'pleznt/ adjective not nice or enjoyable: an unpleasant smell unpleasantly /ʌn'plezntli/ adverb: It was unpleasantly hot in the room. ►OPPOSITE: pleasant un-pop-u-lar /ʌn'pɒpjʊlə(r)/ adjective not liked by many people ►OPPOSITE: popular un-rea-son-ab-le /ʌn'ri:znəbl/ adjective not fair or not acceptable: He's being quite unreasonable — he wants more money and more free time. ►OPPOSITE: reasonable un-re-li-ab-le /ʌnrɪ'laɪəbl/ adjective that you cannot trust or depend on: I wouldn't ask him to help — he's very unreliable. ►OPPOSITE: reliable un-safe /ʌn'seɪf/ adjective dangerous; not safe un-sat-is-fac-to-ry /ʌnˌsætɪs'fæktri/ adjective not good enough: unsatisfactory work ►OPPOSITE: satisfactory un-self-ish /ʌn'selfɪʃ/ adjective not caring about your own advantage but thinking about other people's needs ►OPPOSITE: selfish un-stead-y /ʌn'stedi/ adjective shaking and moving and not staying in place; not steady: This chair's unsteady; will you hold it while I stand on it? unsteadily /ʌn'stedɪli/ adverb: The old woman walked unsteadily down the stairs. un-suc-cess-ful /ʌnsək'sesfʊl/ adjective not having the result you aimed for: an unsuccessful attempt to rescue a cat ►OPPOSITE: successful un-sui-ta-ble /ʌn'su:təbl/ adjective not good for a particular purpose: A knife is an unsuitable toy for a baby. ►OPPOSITE: suitable un-sym-pa-thet-ic /ʌnˌsɪmpə'θetɪk/ adjective not feeling sorry for someone when something bad happens to them ►OPPOSITE: sympathetic un-ti-dy /ʌn'taɪdi/ adjective (untidier, untidiest) in disorder; not neat: Her room was ever so untidy — there were clothes all over the floor. ►OPPOSITE: tidy un-tie /ʌn'taɪ/ verb (present participle untying, past untied) to undo a piece of string, a knot, etc.: She untied the parcel and looked inside. un-til /ʌn'tɪl/ (also till) up to the time when something happens: We can't go until Thursday. I couldn't sew until I was six. un-true /ʌn'tru:/ adjective not correct or real ►OPPOSITE: true un-used /ʌn'ju:zd/ adjective not used: The unused bottles were returned to the shop. un-u-su-al /ʌn'ju:ʒʊəl/ adjective not usual; strange: an unusual hat unusually /ʌn'ju:ʒʊəli/ adverb: She is unusually quiet. un-well /ʌn'wel/ adjective not well; ill: He has been unwell since Sunday. 〈348〉 un-wil-ling /ʌnˈwɪlɪŋ/ adjective not willing: He seemed unwilling to come with us. unwillingly /ʌnˈwɪlɪŋli/ adverb: He gave me the information unwillingly. un-wind /ʌnˈwaɪnd/ verb (past unwound /ʌnˈwaʊnd/) 1 to become calm, not anxious or busy: A hot bath helps you to unwind at the end of the day. 2 to undo something that has been wound: She unwound the wool from the ball. un-wise /ʌnˈwaɪz/ adjective not reasonable or wise: It's unwise to go out in this cold weather. un-wound /ʌnˈwaʊnd/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb unwind. un-wrap /ʌnˈræp/ verb (present participle unwrapping, past unwrapped) to take the covering off a parcel: She unwrapped her present. OPPOSITE: wrap up /ʌp/ adverb, preposition, adjective 1 to or in a higher place away from the ground: She climbed up the tree. The village is high up in the hills. OPPOSITE: down — see picture on page 166 2 showing increase: Spending on chocolates is up (= People are spending more on chocolates). OPPOSITE: down 3 out of bed: Are you up yet? 4 near or towards a person or thing: He came up to me and asked my name. 5 completely finished, or so as to be completely finished: Eat up your potatoes. 6 up and down in one direction and then in the opposite direction: She walked up and down while she was waiting. 7 up the road along the road: He ran up the road. They live just up the road. 8 up to as much or as many as: He can earn up to £25,000 a year. The room can hold up to 200 people. 9 up to, up until until: I've never thought about it up to now. She lived at home right up until she got married. 10 (a) be up to something to be secretly busy doing something bad: I think he's up to something. 10 (b) be up to something to be strong enough or good enough to do something: Are you up to a walk along the beach? 11 What's up? What's the matter? up-hill /ʌpˈhɪl/ adverb going towards the top of a hill: walking uphill. OPPOSITE: downhill up-on /əˈpɒn/ preposition on: The village stands upon a hill. up-per /ˈʌpə/ adjective higher: the upper part of the body up-right /ʌpˈraɪt/ adjective straight up: Put the bottle upright, not on its side. up-set¹ /ʌpˈset/ adjective feeling unhappy or anxious about something: She was upset because he wouldn't talk to her. upset² verb (present participle upsetting, past upset) 1 to knock something over: I upset the soup all over the table. 2 to make someone unhappy or anxious: It upset me when he told me how ill she was. He upset me when he laughed at my idea. 3 to spoil something that was planned: The storm upset our plans for a party outside. up-side-down /ˌʌpsaɪd ˈdaʊn/ adverb in a position with the top facing down and the bottom facing up. up-stairs /ˌʌpˈsteəz/ adjective, adverb on an upper floor in a building or going towards the upper floor: We could hear a party in the flat upstairs. “Where is she?” “Upstairs.” The children watched from an upstairs window. OPPOSITE: downstairs up-to-date /ˌʌp tə ˈdeɪt/ adjective modern and new up-wards /ˈʌpwədz/ adverb going, looking, or facing up: The plane moved gently upwards. I looked upwards towards his window. OPPOSITE: downwards ur-ban /ˈɜːbən/ adjective of a town or city: Most people live in urban areas. urge¹ /ɜːdʒ/ verb (present participle urging, past urged) to try very hard to persuade someone to do something: He urged her to rest. 〈349〉 urge² noun a strong wish: She suddenly had an urge to go back to New York. ur-gent /'3:dzǝnt/ adjective needing to be done without delay; very important: / must post this letter. It's very urgent. urgently /'3:dzǝntli/ adverb: The house urgently needs a new roof. us /ǝs; strong As/ the person who is speaking and some other person or people, used in sentences like this: The teacher told us (= me and the other students) to be quiet. Please give the book to us. use¹ /juzz/ verb (present participle using, past used) 1 to do something with something or put it into action for a purpose: Do you know how to use a computer? What do you use this thing for? 2 use something up to use something until it has all gone: Have you used all the toothpaste up? use² /ju:s/ noun a purpose; being used; using: What's the use of waiting for her? It's no use waiting for her. Do you approve of the use of guns by the police? The machine is ready for use, I was given the use of their swimming pool. used /ju:zd/ adjective (used about cars and machines) not new: used cars used to¹ /'ju:st tu:/ adjective knowing what something or someone is like, so that it does not seem strange, unusual, or difficult: He's used to traffic because he often drives in town. He's used to driving in town. I didn't like the new school at first, but I got used to it. used to² verb used with another verb to show that something was done often in the past, but is not done now: He used to play football every Saturday when he was young. My father didn't use to smoke, but now he does. NOTE: The NEGATIVE of used to is used not to or didn't use to: I used not to like fish. I didn't use to like fish. The question form of used to is did you/he/she use to.....?: Did you use to go there often? use-ful /'ju:sfəl/ adjective having a good purpose; helpful: That's a useful knife. usefully /'ju:sfǝlı/ adverb, usefulness /'ju:sfǝlnis/ noun (no plural) use-less /'ju:slıs/ adjective having no good purpose: This is a useless knife the handle's broken! uselessly /'ju:slıslı/ adverb user /'ju:zǝ'/ noun a person who uses something, especially a product or service: telephone users u-su-al /'ju:zuəl/ adjective 1 done or happening most often, or as expected: We had lunch at our usual table by the window. 2 as usual as is common or has happened many times before: As usual, he arrived late. u-su-al-ly /'ju:zuəlı/ adverb generally: I'm usually at school early, but today I was late. u-ten-sil /ju:'tensl/ noun a tool or object used in the kitchen: cooking utensils ut-most /'atmǝust/ adjective, noun 1 the most possible: with her utmost strength 2 do your utmost to make the greatest possible effort: They did their utmost to prevent the disease spreading. ut-ter¹ /'atǝ'/ verb to say: He looked at me without uttering a word. utter² adjective complete: What he is doing is utter stupidity! utterly /'ʌtəlı/ adverb: I was utterly amazed! 〈350〉 V. /vi:, 'v3:səs/ preposition a short way of writing and saying the word versus va-can-cy /'veıkənsı/ noun (plural vacancies) 1 a room in a hotel or guest house that is not being used: No vacancies. 2 an unfilled job: a vacancy for a driver va-cant /'veıkənt/ adjective 1 (used about a seat, room, or house) not being used or lived in: We looked all over town for a vacant room. The toilet is vacant now. 2 (used about a job) not filled va-ca-tion /və'kerſn/ noun a holiday from school or university: She worked in France during the long vacation. vac-ci-nate /'væksıneıt/ verb (present participle vaccinating, past vaccinated) to put a substance into someone's body as a protection against a disease vac-ci-na-tion / væksı'nerfn/ noun a substance put into someone's body as a protection against a disease vac-u-um¹ /'vækju:m/ noun a space with no air in it vacuum² verb to clean a floor with a VACUUM CLEANER: Have you vacuumed the sitting-room yet? vacuum clean-er /'vækju:m ,kli:nə/ noun a machine which cleans the floor by sucking up dirt vacuum flask /'vækju:m ,fla:sk/ noun (also flask) a container used to keep drinks either hot or cold vague /veig/ adjective (vaguer, vaguest) not clear in your mind: I have only a vague idea where the house is. vaguely /'veigli/ adverb: I know vaguely where his house is. vain /vein/ adjective too proud of yourself, especially of what you look like: She's very vain - she's always looking at herself in the mirror. val-ley /'væli/ noun the land lying between two lines of hills or mountains, often with a river running through it val-u-a-ble /'væljuəbl/ adjective 1 worth a lot of money: a valuable diamond 2 very useful: Your help has been very valuable. val-ue¹ /'vælju:/ noun the amount that something is worth: What is the value of your house? Your help has been of great value. value² verb (present participle valuing, past valued) 1 to think that something is worth a lot: I value your advice. 2 to say how much something is worth: He valued the ring at £100. valve /vælv/ noun part of a pipe which opens and shuts in order to control the flow of liquid, air, or gas passing through it: a new valve for my bicycle tyre van /væn/ noun a road vehicle smaller than a lorry, used for carrying goods van-dal /'vændl/ noun a person who intentionally damages or destroys public property: All the seat covers on the train had been torn by vandals. van-dal-ism /'vændəlızəm/ noun (no plural) intentional damage to and destruction of public property van-dal-ize /'vændəlaız/ verb (present participle vandalizing, past vandalized) to damage or destroy a piece of public property intentionally: All the public telephones round here have been vandalized. va-nil-la /və'nılə/ noun (no plural) a special taste added to some sweet foods: Get some vanilla ice cream, will you... van-ish /'vænı∫/ verb to go away and not be seen any more: I thought it would rain, but the clouds have vanished and it's a fine day. 〈351〉 van-i-ty /'vænatı/ noun (no plural) being too proud of your appearance or your abilities va-pour /'verpa'/ noun (no plural) a lot of small drops of liquid in the air, for example in the form of clouds, mist, or steam va-ri-e-ty /və'raiətı/ noun 1 (no plural) difference: You need variety in your life. 2 a variety of a group containing different sorts of the same thing: These shirts come in a variety of colours. 3 (plural varieties) a type which is different from others in the same group: different varieties of bananas 4 (no plural) theatre or television amusement which includes singing, dancing, jokes, and acts of skill: a variety show var-i-ous /'veərıəs/ adjective different: There are various colours to choose from; which do you like best? var-nish¹ /'va:nı∫/ noun (plural varnishes) a liquid that is put onto wood to give it a hard, shining surface var-nish² verb to put a special liquid on wood to give it a hard, shining surface var-y /'veərı/ verb (present participle varying, past varied) to change: The weather varies from day to day. vase /va:z/ noun a pot for putting cut flowers in. vast /va:st/ adjective very big: a vast difference between temperatures in the north and in the south ▶ SAME MEANING: huge, enormous vault /vɔ:lt/ noun an underground room in which the bodies of the dead are placed or in which valuable things are stored VDU /, vi: di: 'ju:/ noun a machine that looks like a television and shows information from a computer or a WORD PROCESSOR 've /v, əv/ have: I've got a letter for you. We've finished. veal /vi:l/ noun (no plural) meat from a very young cow vegetable /'vedztəbl/ noun a plant that is eaten in the main part of the meal, rather than with sweet things: They sell fruit and vegetables. ve-ge-tar-i-an /, vedzı'teəriən/ noun a person who does not eat meat or fish, usually because they believe that it is wrong to kill animals for food vegetarian adjective: vegetarian food ve-hi-cle /'vi:əkl/ noun something such as a bicycle, car, or bus, which carries people or goods veil /veil/ noun a covering for a woman's head and face: In many Muslim countries, the women wear veils. vein /vein/ noun one of the tubes in your body that carry blood to your heart vel-vet /'velvit/ noun (no plural) a type of cloth with a soft surface ven-geance /'vendzəns/ noun (no plural) punishment given to someone for harm they have done to you or your family ven-ti-late /'ventileit/ verb (present participle ventilating, past ventilated) to allow fresh air into a room or building ve-ran-dah /və'rændə/ noun a roofed area built onto a house, with no outside wall 〈355〉 verb /v3:b/ noun a word that tells you what someone or something does or is: In the sentence "She wrote a letter. ", "wrote" is a verb. "Wrote" is the past tense of the verb "write". ver-dict /'v3:dıkt/ noun a decision made by a law court: What's the verdict? Is he guilty or not guilty? verge /v3:d3/ noun the piece of land along the side of a road in a country area, usually covered with grass. verse /v3:s/ noun 1 lines of writing which have a AHYTHM (= musical beat) and often a RHYME (= the words at the end of the lines sound alike) 2 a set of lines which forms one part of a poem or song version /'v3:fn/ noun a story told by one person compared with the same story told by another: I have heard two versions of the accident. ver-sus /'v3:sǝs/ preposition against a person or team in a sports match: Are you going to watch the football match? It's England versus Germany. ver-ti-cal /'v3:tıkl/ adjective standing straight up; upright: a vertical line ▶COMPARE: horizontal very /'veri/ adverb 1 used to make another word stronger: It's very hot in this room. I'm very well, thank you. very carefully 2 not very used to make another word very weak. For example, if you say that someone is "not very big", you mean that they are rather small: They didn't stay very long (= they only stayed a short time). vest /vest/ noun a piece of clothing that you wear next to your skin and under other clothes on the upper part of your body — see picture on page 65 vet /vet/ noun a doctor for animals via /'valǝ/ preposition travelling through a place: I went from London to Birmingham via Oxford. vibrate /var'breit/ verb (present participle vibrating, past vibrated) to shake quickly and many times: The music was so loud, the whole house was vibrating. vi-bra-tion /var'breisn/ noun a continuous slight shaky movement: If you touch the machine, you'll feel the vibration. vic-ar /'vıkǝr/ noun a Christian priest who looks after one church ▶COMPARE: bishop vice /vais/ a word used with a title, to mean that the person is next below the person with the title. For example, the vice-president is the next person in importance below the president: the American vice-president vi-cin-ity /vı'sınətı/ noun (no plural) the area surrounding a place: The market is in the vicinity of (= near) the school. vi-cious /'vıfǝs/ adjective cruel and showing the desire to hurt people: He gave the dog a vicious blow with his stick. vic-tim /'viktim/ noun a person who suffers from an illness or action: She was the victim of a road accident. vic-to-ri-ous /vık'tɔ:rıəs/ adjective winning: the victorious team vic-to-ry /'vıktǝrı/ noun (plural victories) an act of winning a war, a fight, or a game: The party is hoping for victory in the next election. ▶OPPOSITE: defeat vid-e-o¹ /'vıdıəʊ/ noun 1 a film which you can show at home, on a television: Can I have a video for my birthday? Where's the video of the wedding? We've got the royal wedding on video. - see picture on page 165 2 (also video recorder) a machine that you use to record television broadcasts and play them back later. You can also use it to play videos which you have bought or hired.: Set the video to go on at eight o'clock. — see picture on page 165 video² verb (present participle videoing, past videoed (also videotape) to record a television programme or a real event on a special film that you can see later on your television set: I haven't got time to watch the film tonight, but I'm going to video it. 〈353〉 video cassette /'vıdıǝu ka set/ noun a special film in a plastic case which you can watch at home on your VIDEO video game /'vidiǝu germ noun a game which you play by pushing buttons that move parts of the special pictures on your television video record-er /'vidiǝu ri,kaido/ noun (also video) a machine that you use to record television broadcasts and play them back later. You can also use it to play VIDEOS which you have bought or hired. -- see picture on page 165 video shop /'vidiǝu ſop noun a shop where you can hire VIDEOS vid-e-o-tape /'vidiǝu, teip noun a long narrow band of material on which television pictures and sound can be recorded videotape verb (present participle videotaping, past videotaped) (also video) to record a television broadcast or a real event on a special film that you can see later on your television set view /vju: noun 1 the ability to see something from a particular place: The factory spoilt my view of the mountain. 2 the things that you can see from a particular place: The view from the top of the hill was lovely. 3 an opinion: What's your view on school punishments? view-er /vjurar noun a person who watches television vigorous /'vigərəs/ adjective very active or strong: The vigorous young plants grew fast. vil-la /vilə noun a pleasant house in Spain, France, Italy, or Greece, where people go for a holiday village /vilid3/ noun a small place in a country area where people live, not so large as a town villager /vilidzǝ noun a person who lives in a village villain /vilən/ noun 1 the chief bad character in a play or film 2 a bad person; criminal vine /vain/ noun a plant with climbing stems, especially one that produces the fruit from which wine is made vin-e-gar /'vınigǝ/ noun (no plural) a very sour liquid used in preparing food vine-yard /'vinja:d/ noun a piece of land where vines are grown for producing wine vi-o-lence /'varələns/ noun (no plural) 1 the use of force to hurt someone: There is a lot of violence on television these days. 2 very great force: the violence of the storm, the violence of her feelings vi-o-lent /'varələnt/ adjective 1 using force to hurt someone: a violent man who attacked his wife 2 having great force: a violent storm violet¹ /'vaiələt/ noun 1 a small flower with a sweet smell 2 the colour of the violet, which is a mixture of blue and red violet adjective having a colour which is a mixture of blue and red vi-o-lin /vaiǝ'lin/ noun a musical instrument with four strings, played with a bow (= threads tightly stretched on a long thin piece of wood which are drawn across the strings to make a sound) vi-o-lin-ist /vaiǝ'linist/ noun a person who plays the violin vir-tue /'və:tju:/ noun a good quality of someone's character: Honesty is a virtue. vi-rus /'vaiərəs/ noun a living thing even smaller than bacteria which causes infectious disease vi-sa /'vi:zə/ noun an official mark put into a PASSPORT giving a person permission to enter, pass through, or leave a particular country: Do Americans need visas to visit Britain? vis-i-ble /'vizəbl/ adjective able to be seen: The smoke from the fire was visible from the road. ➨ OPPOSITE: invisible 〈354〉 vi-sion /'vizn/ noun 1 (no plural) sight: She has good vision. 2 something that you imagine might happen one day: He had a vision of himself as a rich businessman. vis-it¹ /'vızıt/ verb to go and see a person or place: We visited our friends in town. visit² noun an act of visiting a person or place: We had a visit from your teacher. She paid us a visit. a visit to the doctor vis-it-or /'vızıtər/ noun someone who visits a person or place vi-tal /'vartl/ adjective necessary for life; very important: a vital piece of information. vit-a-min /'vitəmin, 'vart-/ noun a chemical substance in certain foods which is important for growth and good health: Oranges contain vitamin C. viv-id /'VIVId/ adjective 1 bright or strong in colour: vivid red hair 2 producing clear pictures in your mind: a vivid description of the accident. vo-cab-u-la-ry /vəʊ'kæbjulərı/ noun (plural vocabularies) 1 (no plural) words: After we'd done the grammar exercise we learnt some new vocabulary. 2 all the words you know in a language: He has a very large vocabulary (= he knows a lot of words). voice /vɔıs/ noun the sound that you make when you speak or sing: We could hear the children's voices in the garden. She spoke in a loud voice. vol-ca-no /vol'keınəʊ/ noun (plural volcanoes) a mountain from which burning and melted rock sometimes comes. vol-ley-ball /'volıbɔ:l/ noun (no plural) a game in which a large ball is knocked backwards and forwards across a net by hand volt /vəʊlt/ noun a measure of electricity. volume /'voljum/ noun 1 (no plural) the space that something contains or fills: What is the volume of this box? 2 the amount of sound that something makes: She turned down the volume on the radio. 3 a book, especially one of a set. vol-un-ta-ri-ly /ˌvolənˈterəlı, -ˈtrılı/ adverb done of your free will and not because you are forced voluntary /'voləntrı/ adjective acting or done willingly, without payment: She's a voluntary worker at the hospital. vol-un-teer¹ /ˌvolənˈtıə/ noun a person who offers to do something: We want some volunteers to deliver the food to the old people. volunteer² verb to offer to do something: We all volunteered to deliver the food to the old people. vom-it /'vomit/ verb to bring food up from your stomach: The child vomited after eating the bad meat. vote¹ /vəʊt/ verb (present participle voting, past voted) 1 with other people, to choose someone for an official position by, for example, secretly marking a paper with a cross, or by putting up your hand in a meeting: / voted for the government. 2 with other people, to choose one of several possibilities by, for example, marking a paper in secret or putting up your hand: Three people voted for a music club, but ten people voted for a football club, so we started a football club. vote² noun a choice of one of several possibilities made officially by, for example, marking a paper in secret or putting up your hand to be counted: There were seven votes for the plan and three votes against it. vow-el /'vauəl/ noun 1 one of the written letters a, e, i, o or u ► COMPARE: consonant 2 a speech sound in which you let your breath out without any stopping or closing of the air passage voy-age /'vɔı-idʒ/ noun a long journey by sea or in space vul-gar /'vʌlgə/ adjective very rude, low, or having very bad manners and going against the accepted standards of polite society. 〈355〉 wade /weid/ verb (present participle wading, past waded) to walk through water which is quite deep: We had to wade across the river. ►COMPARE: paddle wag /wæg/ verb (present participle wagging, past wagged) to move something from side to side: The dog wagged its tail. wag.es /weidz/ plural noun the money that you get each week for the work that you do: I can't buy anything until I get my wages. wag.on /'wægon/ noun 1 a cart with four wheels usually pulled by horses or oxen 2 an open container with four wheels pulled by a train wail /weil/ verb to cry with a long loud sound showing sadness or pain: The child was wailing unhappily. waist /weist/ noun the narrow part round the middle of your body: Ann wore a belt around her waist. waistcoat/'weskout/ noun a piece of clothing that you wear on the upper part of your body over a shirt. It has buttons down the front and no arms. wait¹ /weit/ verb to stay somewhere until someone comes or something happens: Please wait here until I come back. I was waiting for the bus. wait² noun a time of doing nothing until something happens: He had a long wait for the train, as it was late. waiter /'weitə noun a man who brings food to people in a restaurant. wait-ing room /'weitin ru:m/ noun a room for people who are waiting, for example to see a doctor wait-ress /'weitris/ noun (plural waitresses) a girl or woman who brings food to people in a restaurant. wake /werk/ verb (present participle waking, past tense woke /wouk/ or waked, past participle woken /'wauken/) 1 to stop sleeping: I woke early this morning. 2 to make someone stop sleeping: Be quiet, or you will wake the baby. 3 wake up to stop sleeping: Please wake me up at 8 o'clock. walk¹ /work/ verb to move forward by putting one foot in front of the other: We walk to school each day. see picture on page 299 walk2 noun a journey on foot: Shall we go for a walk this afternoon? It is a long walk to the town. walk-ie-talkie /'wo:ki 'to:ki/ noun a two-way radio which a person carries so that they can talk to another person and listen to messages walk-man /'workmæn/ noun (trademark) a small machine for playing music, which has EARPHONES and which you can carry with you wall /wo:l/ noun 1 something built, especially of bricks or stone, which goes round a house, town, field, etc.: There was a wall around the park. 2 one of the sides of a building or room: We have painted all the walls white. wallet/wolit/ noun a small flat case for cards or paper money, usually carried by a man in a pocket wall-paper /'wo:l perpa/ noun (no plural) special paper used to cover the walls of a room waltz¹ /wo:ls/ noun (plural waltzes) a dance in which two people hold each other and move slowly around a room waltz² verb to dance round the room together doing a waltz wan-der /'wondə/ verb to walk slowly without purpose: The children wandered about in the woods. 〈356〉 want¹ /wpnt/ verb 1 to wish to have something: I want a bicycle for my birthday. 2 to need something: I want a holiday. 3 should or ought: You want to leave early to avoid the traffic. want² noun (no plural) need; lack; not having something necessary: The children were in want of food. The corn was dying from want of rain. war /wɔ:/ noun 1 a time of fighting between countries: a prisoner of war. 2 at war fighting: The two countries were at war for two years. 3 declare war to start a war: One country declared war on another. 4 go to war to be fighting: The country is preparing to go to war. ward /word/ noun a room in a hospital war·den /'wɔ:dn/ noun a person who looks after a large building where people live, a public place, etc.: Where is the warden of the college? war·drobe /'wɔ:d-rǝub/ noun a cupboard in which you hang your clothes ware·house /'weǝhaus/ noun (plural warehouses /-hauziz/) a large building for storing things wares /weǝz/ plural noun things that you can buy: The man spread his wares on the table. war·fare /'wɔ:fea"/ noun (no plural) the fighting which happens in a war warm¹ /wɔ:m/ adjective 1 not cold but not hot: warm water 2 able to keep out the cold and make you warm: warm clothes 3 friendly: a warm welcome warm² verb 1 to make or become hotter: The hot drink warmed him. warm something up to make something become hotter: I'll just warm the soup up. warmth /'wɔ:m0/ noun (no plural) 1 heat; the feeling of being hot: the warmth of the fire 2 friendliness: the warmth of her welcome warn /wɔ:n/ verb to tell someone of something bad which might happen: She warned me about the dangerous road, so I crossed it carefully. warn·ing /'wɔ:nıŋ/ noun something which tells someone about a possible problem or danger: Because of her warning, I was careful. war·rant /'worǝnt/ noun a paper saying that someone may do something: The police must have a search warrant to search a house. war·ship /'wɔ:[ıp/ noun a large ship used for war was /wɔz; strong woz/ verb the PAST TENSE of the verb be that we use with I, he, she, and it: I was angry. wash¹ /wof/ verb 1 to make something clean with water and soap: Have you washed your hands? 2 to flow over or against something: The waves washed against the shore. 3 wash up to clean the dishes, knives, forks, etc., after a meal: Who's going to wash up tonight? wash² noun 1 have a wash to wash yourself, especially your hands and face: She had a quick wash. 2 give someone or something a wash to wash someone or something: Could you give the car a wash? 3 in the wash being washed: Your shirt is in the wash. wash·ba·sin /'woſbersn/ noun a large bowl or basin fixed to a wall for washing your hands and face wash·ing /'woſın/ noun (no plural) clothes which need to be washed or have just been washed washing machine /'wɔſin mə,ſi:n/ noun a machine for washing clothes 〈357〉 wasn't /'woznt/ was not: I wasn't at school yesterday. wasp /wosp/ noun a flying insect like a bee which stings waste¹ /weist/ verb (present participle wasting, past wasted) to use something wrongly or use too much of something: Don't waste your money. waste² noun (no plural) 1 a wrong or bad use of something: The meeting was a waste of time. 2 used, damaged, or unwanted things: The waste from the factory was taken away in lorries. watch¹ /wot/ noun (plural watches) 1 a small clock that you wear on your wrist 2 keep watch to look out for danger: You keep watch and I'll steal the money. 3 keep a close watch on something to keep looking at something carefully: You'll have to keep a close watch on the children. watch² verb 1 to look at something for a period of time and pay attention to it: Do you watch much television? NOTE: Compare watch, see and look at. See is the general word for what you do with your eyes: I can't see - it's too dark. We saw them standing outside the station. If you look at something you move your eyes towards it because you want to see it: Look at me! They were looking at the pictures. If you watch something you move your eyes towards it and pay attention to it for a long time. Use watch when you are talking about something such as a television or a sports event where things are changing or moving: We watched a film on television. He goes to watch the football every Saturday. 2 to look after someone or something: Will you watch the baby? 3 watch out to be careful to avoid something dangerous or unpleasant: Watch out for the cars when you cross the road. watch-man /'wpt/mæn/ noun (plural watchmen /-mən/) a guard, especially of a building. water¹ /'wɔ:tər/ noun (no plural) the liquid in rivers, lakes, and seas water² verb to put water onto land or plants water-fall /wɔ:təfɔ:l/ noun a place where water falls over rocks from a high place to a lower place water-proof /'wɔ:təpru:f/ adjective not allowing water to go through: a waterproof coat watt /wot/ noun a measure of electrical power: a 60 watt electric light wave¹ /werv/ noun 1 one of the raised lines of water on the surface of the sea which rise and fall 2 a movement of your hand from side to side: She gave a wave as she left the house. wave² verb (present participle waving, past waved) 1 to hold your arm up in the air and move your hand from side to side: We waved goodbye to them. 2 to move or cause to move from side to side or up and down: The branches waved in the wind. wax /wæks/ noun (no plural) the hard substance which candles are made of way /wer/ noun 1 direction: Look both ways before you cross the road. 2 distance: We have to go a long way to school. ► LOOK AT: far 3 a road or path: Which is the way to the station? 4 how a thing is done or works: Show me the way to use this camera, please. 5 by the way a phrase you use when you want to talk about something different from what you have just been talking about 6 find your way to find where you want to go 7 lose your way to become lost and not know how to find the place you are looking for 〈358〉 WC /dablju: 'si:/ noun a TOILET we /wiː; strong wiː/ the person who is speaking and some other person or people: When my friend comes to see me, we play football. weak /wiːk/ adjective 1 not strong in body or character: She was weak after her illness. 2 containing a lot of water or having not much taste: weak tea ➔ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): strong weaken /'wiːkən/ verb to make or become less strong weakness /'wiːknɪs/ noun (plural weaknesses) 1 a fault: Spending too much money is her weakness. 2 a lack of strength in a person's body or character wealth /welθ/ noun (no plural) a large amount of money, land, etc. that a person owns: The father passed on the family's wealth to his son. wealthy /'welθi/ adjective (wealthier, wealthiest) rich; having a lot of money; a wealthy family ➔ OPPOSITE: poor weapon /'wepən/ noun a thing with which you fight: A gun is a weapon. wear /weər/ verb (past tense wore /wɔːr/, past participle worn /wɔːn/) 1 to have or carry something on your body, especially as clothing: She wore a pretty dress. 2 to weaken or damage something because of continual use: You've worn a hole in your sock. 3 wear well to remain in good condition: This dress has worn well; it is three years old and it still looks new. 4 wear off to become less: The pain is wearing off. 5 wear out to become old and weak and no longer good enough to use: My running shoes are wearing out. wear-i-ly /'wɪərɪli/ adverb in a tired way: "I can't help you any more," she said wearily. wear-y /ˈwɪəri/ adjective (wearier, weariest) tired: I felt weary after work. weather /'weðər/ noun (no plural) the state of the wind, rain, sunshine, etc.: I don't like cold weather. The weather has been dry this week. weave /wiːv/ verb (present participle weaving, past tense wove /wəʊv/, past participle woven /ˈwəʊvn/) 1 to make threads into cloth, by moving one thread over and under a set of longer threads on a LOOM 2 to make something in this way: I wove a mat. weaving /ˈwiːvɪŋ/ noun (no plural) making cloth: She is very good at weaving. web /web/ noun a net of thin threads made by a SPIDER we'd /wiːd; strong wiːd/ 1 we would: The hill was so steep I thought we'd never get to the top. 2 we had: My sister and I didn't go to the film because we'd seen it before. wed-ding /'wedɪŋ/ noun the ceremony in which a man and a woman get married: I'm going to my brother's wedding tomorrow. ➔ COMPARE: marriage Wednesday /'wenzdeɪ, -di/ noun the fourth day of the week weed¹ /wiːd/ noun a wild plant which grows where you do not want it weed² verb to remove unwanted wild plants from the 8 in the way in a position that stops you from going somewhere: I can't drive through there - the bus is in the way. 9 out of the way not in a position that stops you going somewhere: Could you get that bus out of the way? 10 on the way while going somewhere: We'll stop and have lunch on the way. 11 the right way round facing in the right direction: Is this skirt on the right way round? 12 the wrong way round not facing in the right direction: That skirt is on the wrong way round. 〈359〉 week /wi:k/ noun a period of seven days, especially from Sunday to Saturday: I play tennis twice a week. Will you come and see us next week? LOOK AT: time week-day/wizkder/ noun any day except Saturday or Sunday week-end/wizk'end/ noun Saturday and Sunday: I don't work at the weekend. weekly/wiikli/ adjective, adverb happening once a week: This is a weekly paper; it is printed every Friday. It is printed weekly. weep /wi:p/ verb (past wept /wept/) to cry: She wept when she heard the bad news. weigh /wei/ verb 1 to measure how heavy a thing is: He weighed the fish. 2 to have a particular weight: The fish weighed two kilos. weight /weit/ noun (no plural) the heaviness of something: The baby's weight was four kilos. weird /wiǝd/ adjective strange; unusual: weird clothes SAME MEANING: odd wel.come¹ / welkəm/ adjective 1 wanted; happily accepted: You are always welcome in my home. 2 make someone welcome to behave in a friendly way towards someone welcome² verb (present participle welcoming, past welcomed) to meet or greet someone or something with pleasure: My aunt welcomed me. welcome³ noun a greeting when someone arrives: We were given a warm welcome, we'll /wil; strong wi:l/ we will: We'll see Jane tomorrow. well¹ /wel/ adjective in good health: I don't feel very well. well² adverb (better /beta/, best /best/ 1 in a good or satisfactory way: Mary can read very well. "Well done!" the teacher said when I did my sums correctly. 2 completely; thoroughly: Wash your hands well before you eat. 3 as well also: I'd like a cup of tea and an apple as well. 4 as well as and also: I'm learning French as well as German. well a word you often say when you start speaking: "Where are you going on holiday?" "Well, we may go to France." well noun a deep hole in the ground from which water or oil is taken well-known/wel 'nǝun/ adjective known by many people: That writer is well-known. well-off/wel 'of/ adjective having a lot of money SAME MEANING: rich went /went/ the PAST TENSE of the verb go wept /wept/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb weep we're /wiǝ; strong 'wi:ǝr/ we are: We're in the same class at school. were /w3; strong war/ the PAST TENSE of the verb be that is used with you, we, and they: You were born in Ireland. weren't /w3:nt/ were not: You weren't here yesterday, were you? west /west/ noun, adjective, adverb 1 the direction in which the sun goes down: We travelled west for two days. 2 a west wind a wind that comes from the west western/westan adjective in or of the west west-wards /'westwadz/ adverb towards the west: to travel westwards wet¹ /wet/ adjective (wetter, wettest) 1 covered with or containing liquid: My hair is wet. Don't touch the wet paint. 2 rainy: a wet day OPPOSITE (1 and 2): dry ground: I spent the afternoon weeding the garden. 〈360〉 wet² /wɛt/ verb (present participle wetting, past wet or wetted) to make something wet OPPOSITE: dry we've /wɪv; strɒŋ wi:v/ we have: We've missed the train! whale /weɪl/ noun a very large animal that looks like a very large fish and lives in the sea wharf /wɔːf/ noun (plural wharfs or wharves /wɔːvz/) a place built on the edge of water where you can take things on and off a ship what /wɒt/ 1 which thing or things: What is your name? What did you say? 2 which: What time is it? What tools do I need for this job? 3 the thing or things that: She told me what to do. I didn't know what had happened. 4 used to show surprise or other strong feelings: What a silly thing to do! 5 what for why: What are you using those scissors for? 6 what about? words you use when you suggest something: "Where shall we go?" "What about the park?" what-ever /wɒtˈevə/ anything at all that; no matter what: You may do whatever you want to do. Whatever you do I won't tell you my secret. wheat /wiːt/ noun (no plural) a grass plant with grain seeds that are made into flour wheel /wiːl/ noun an object like a large circle which turns round and round: Wheels make cars, lorries, and bicycles move. wheel-bar-row /ˈwiːlbærəʊ/ noun a cart with a wheel at the front and two handles at the back wheelchair /ˈwiːltʃeə/ noun a special chair with big wheels which is used to move people who cannot walk — see picture at chair when /wen/ 1 at what time: When will the bus come? 2 at a particular time: I lived in this village when I was a boy. when-ever /wenˈevə/ 1 at any time; every time: Please come to see me whenever you can. Whenever I see him, I speak to him. 2 used to make the word when stronger: Whenever did you have time to do all that work? where /weə/ 1 in or to what place: Where is that train going? He doesn't know where his friends are. 2 in which; at which: The house where I live has a green door. wherever /weərˈevə/ 1 at or to any place: I will drive you wherever you want to go. 2 used to make the word where stronger: You are very late; wherever have you been? whether /ˈweðə/ if: I don't know whether he'll come or not. which /wɪtʃ/ 1 what person or thing: Which of you is bigger, Mary or Jane? Which shoes shall I wear? 2 that: Did you see the letter which came today? 3 used to add more information to a sentence: We went to Ely, which is a town near Cambridge. while¹ /waɪl/ all the time that; during the time that: I met her while I was at school. While the child played, her mother worked. while² noun a length of time: After a while she fell asleep. We had to wait a little while. whimper /ˈwɪmpə/ verb to make small weak cries of fear or pain: The dog whimpered in the corner! whine¹ /waɪn/ verb (present participle whining, past whined) to make a high sad sound: The dog whined at the door. whine² noun a high sad cry or sound: the whine of an aircraft engine 〈361〉 whip¹ /wip/ noun a long piece of leather or rope fastened to a handle, used for hitting animals or people whip² verb (present participle whipping, past whipped) 1 to hit a person or an animal with a whip: He whipped the horse to make it run faster. 2 to beat cream or eggs until they are stiff: whipped cream whirl /w3:1/ verb to move or make something move round and round very fast: The wind whirled the leaves into the air. whisker /'wıskar/ noun one of the long stiff hairs that grow near the mouth of dogs, cats, rats, etc. whisky /'wiski/ noun 1 (no plural) a strong alcoholic drink made in Scotland 2 (plural whiskies) a glass of this drink whisper¹ /'wıspat/ noun words which you speak very quietly: She spoke in a whisper. whisper² verb to speak very quietly whistle¹ /'wısll noun 1 an instrument which makes a high sound when you blow through it: The teacher blew a whistle to start the race. 2 a thin high sound made by putting your lips together and blowing through them: When he gave a whistle, his dog ran to him. whistle² verb (present participle whistling, past whistled) 1 to make a high sound by putting your lips together and blowing through them: He whistled to his dog. 2 to make music by doing this: He whistled the song. white¹ /watt/ adjective 1 of the colour of the paper in this book: a white dress 2 with light-coloured skin: Some of the children were white, the others were black. white² noun 1 (no plural) white colour: She was dressed in white. 2 a person with light-coloured skin 3 the white part of your eye, or of an egg --- see picture at egg who /hu:/ 1 what person or people: Who gave you that book? Who are those people? 2 that: The man who lives in that house is my uncle. who'd /hurd/ 1 who had: She asked who'd seen the film. 2 who would: He wanted to know who'd be able to help him. who-ev-er /hu: 'evar/ 1 any person that; no matter who: Whoever those people are, I don't want to see them. 2 used to make the word who stronger: Whoever told you that silly story? whole¹ /hǝull adjective complete; total: They told me the whole story. whole² noun (no plural) 1 the complete amount or thing: Two halves make a whole. 2 the whole of all of: He put the whole of his money into the bank. 3 on the whole in general: On the whole, I agree with you. who'll /hu:l/ who will: Who'll be here tomorrow? whom /hu:m/ 1 what person or people (used when it is the object of the verb or after a preposition): Whom did you see? 2 that: a man whom she met on holiday who's /huiz/ 1 who is: Who's coming to the party? 2 who has: Who's eaten my apple? whose /hu:z/ of who or whom; belonging to who or whom: Whose coat is that? This is the woman whose little boy was ill. why /wat/ for what reason: Why is she crying? I can't tell you why she is crying. No one knows why. wicked /'wıkıd/ adjective very bad: a wicked person wickedly /'wıkıdlı/ adverb wide¹ /waıd/ adjective (wider, widest) 1 large from side to side; broad: a wide road OPPOSITE: narrow 2 fully or completely open: wide eyes 〈362〉 wide adverb 1 completely: The door was wide open. 2 a great distance from side to side: He stood with his legs wide apart. wid-ow /'widau/ noun a woman whose husband is dead. wid-ow-er /'widauǝr/ noun a man whose wife is dead width /wide/ noun the distance from one side of something to the other; how wide something is: What is the width of this material? - see picture at length wife /waif/ noun (plural wives /waivz/) The woman to whom a man is married COMPARE: husband wig /wig/ noun a covering for your head, made of hair from other people and meant to look like your own hair wild /warld/ adjective 1 not trained to live with people: wild animals OPPOSITE: tame 2 living in the natural state: We picked the wild flowers in the woods. 3 violent: a wild look in her eyes 4 not easily controlled: The children went wild with delight. will¹ /wil/ verb 1 used with other verbs to show that something is going to happen: It will probably rain tomorrow. COMPARE: shall, should, would 2 used in questions when asking to do something or used when offering to do something "Will you help me, please?" "Yes, I wil help you." will² noun 1 power in the mind or character to do exactly wh it you want: He no longer has the will to ive. 2 a piece of paper that says who will have a person's belongings after he or she is dead: The man left his farm to his son in this will. willing /'wılıŋ/ adjective 1 ready: Are you willing to help? 2 given or done gladly: willing help willingly /'wılıŋlı/ adverb: I will willingly help you. win /win/ verb (present participle winning, past won /wan/) 1 to be first or do best in a competition, race, or fight: Who won the race? OPPOSITE: lose 2 to be given something because you have done well in a race or competition: He won the first prize in the competition. wind¹ /waind/ verb (past wound /waund/) 1 to turn something round and round in order to make it work: Can you wind that clock for me? 2 to make something into a ball or twist it round something else: She wound the rope around her arm. 3 to move something by turning a handle or pushing a button: She wound down the car window. 4 to bend and turn: The path wound along the side of the river. wind² /wind/ noun air which moves quickly: The wind blew the leaves off the trees. wind-mill /'windmill/ noun a tall building with large sails which are turned round by the wind and used to power a machine that crushes grain or pumps water win-dow /'windau/ noun an opening in the wall of a building to allow light and air to enter: Please shut the window. - see picture on page 165 window-sill /'windausıl/ noun a flat shelf below a window wind-screen /'windskriın/ noun the piece of glass across the front of a car wind-y /'windi/ adjective (windier, windiest) with a lot of wind: windy weather wine /wain/ noun (no plural) an alcoholic drink made from a small round juicy fruit (GRAPE) wing /win/ noun a moveable part of the body of a bird or insect which it uses for flying - see picture at bird wink¹ /wink/ verb to close and open one eye quickly: He winked at me. COMPARE: blink 〈363〉 wink² noun an act of closing and opening one eye quickly winner /'winər/ noun a person who comes first or does best in a competition, race, or fight win-ter /'wintər/ noun, adjective the season in cool countries when it is cold and plants do not grow COMPARE: summer wipe¹ /waip/ verb (present participle wiping, past wiped) to make something dry or clean with a cloth: Will you wipe the table? She wiped the marks off the table. wipe² noun a cleaning or drying movement with a cloth: She gave her face a wipe. wire /'waiər/ noun 1 (no plural) thin metal thread: a wire fence 2 a piece of thin metal used for carrying electricity from one place to another. wire-less /'waiəlıs/ noun (plural wirelesses) a radio wis-dom /'wizdəm/ noun (no plural) good sense and judgement wise /waiz/ adjective (wiser, wisest) having or showing good sense and cleverness; able to understand things and make the right decision: a wise old man wisely adverb: to act wisely wish¹ /wif/ verb 1 to want something that is not possible: I wish I was rich. 2 to want something: I wish to see you now! 3 wish someone something to hope that someone has something: We wish you success in your new job. wish² noun (plural wishes) 1 a feeling of wanting something, especially something that is not possible: She had a wish to be a famous singer. 2 a thing that you hope for or want: It was my mother's wish that I should go. wit /wit/ noun (no plural) the ability to talk in a clever and amusing way witch /witſ/ noun (plural witches) a woman who is believed to have magic powers with /wið/ preposition 1 in the company of: She comes to school with her sister. 2 using: He opened the door with his key. Simon filled the bucket with water. 3 having: a white dress with red spots 4 because of: They smiled with pleasure. 5 by or next to something, or among or included in something: Mix the flour with some milk. 6 showing a particular way of behaving: He fought with great courage. with-draw /wið'drɔ:/ verb (past tense withdrew /wið'dru:/, past participle withdrawn /wið'drɔ:n/) 1 to take something away: She withdrew all her money from the bank. 2 to move or make something move away: The soldiers withdrew. with-er /'wiðər/ verb to become dry and then to die: The plants withered in the dry weather. with-in /wið'in/ preposition, adverb 1 in less than a particular period of time: He learned to speak English within six months! 2 in; inside: Within these old walls there was once a town. with-out /wið'aut/ preposition 1 not having something: You can't see the film without a ticket. 2 without doing something not doing something: He left without saying goodbye. wit-ness /'witnıs/ noun (plural witnesses) a person who sees something happen: She was a witness at the accident. wit-ty /'witi/ adjective (wittier, wittiest) clever and amusing: a witty person wittily /'witili/ adverb wives /waivz/ the plural of wife wob-ble /'wobl/ verb (present participle wobbling, past wobbled) 〈364〉 woke to move or make something move unsteadily: The table is wobbling. woke /wǝuk/ the PAST TENSE of the verb wake wok-en /'waukǝn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb wake woman /'wʊmən/ noun (plural women /'wimin/) a fully grown human female ▷ COMPARE: man won /wAn/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb win won-der¹ /'wAndǝ/ verb 1 to want to know something: I wonder why James is always late for school. 2 to be surprised: We all wondered at his rudeness. wonder² noun 1 (no plural) a feeling of surprise and admiration: They were filled with wonder when they saw the spaceship. 2 no wonder it is no surprise: No wonder he is not hungry; he has been eating sweets all day. 3 a person or thing that makes you feel great admiration won-der-ful /'wAndǝfl/ adjective Very good: wonderful news wonderfully /'wAndǝfli/ adverb won't /waunt/ will not: We won't be late home. wood /wud/ noun 1 (no plural) the material of which the trunks and branches of trees are made. 2 a small forest: He was lost in the wood. wood-en /'wudn/ adjective made of wood: wooden furniture wool /wul/ noun (no plural) 1 the soft thick hair of sheep. 2 the thread or material made from the hair of sheep: The dress was made of wool. wool-len /'wʊlən/ adjective made of wool: a woollen dress word /w3rd/ noun 1 a letter or letters, which together make something we can understand: What's the French word for "mouse"? 2 (no plural) a promise: I give you my word that I will return. 3 give the word to tell someone to start doing something: When I give the word you may start the exam. 4 have a word with someone to talk to someone in private: Peter, could I have a word with you after class? 5 in other words a phrase you use before you repeat the same thing using different words 6 in your own words not repeating what someone else has said: Tell me what happened in your own words. 7 send word to send a message: Send me word as soon as you get home. 8 take someone's word for it to believe what someone says about something word processor /'w3rd ,prausesǝ/ noun a machine used for writing letters and reports and for storing information wore /wor/ the PAST TENSE of the verb wear work¹ /wark/ verb 1 to be busy doing an activity: I've been working in the garden all afternoon. 2 to have a job: He works in a factory. 3 to move or go properly: Does this light work? 4 to make someone or something do something: Can you work this machine? 5 work out to end well: The marriage didn't work out. 6 work something out to find an answer to something: She worked out the sum. work² noun (no plural) 1 an activity that keeps you busy and is usually not for pleasure: Dad's doing some work on the car. 2 a job or business: to go to work 3 what you produce while doing your job: He sells his work in the market. 4 at work doing some work 5 in work with a job: the number of people in work 6 out of work with no job but wanting a job: I've been out of work for 6 months. 〈365〉 work-er /'w3:ka/ noun a person who does a particular job: office workers work·man /'w3:kman/ noun (plural workmen /-mən/) a man who works with his hands, especially in a trade works /wa:ks/ plural noun a factory: the steel works world /w3:ld/ noun 1 the Earth on which we live: This car is used all over the world. 2 all people thought of together: I don't want the whole world to see us. worm /w3:m/ noun a long thin creature with a soft body without bones or legs that lives in the ground worn /wo:n/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb wear worried /'warid/ adjective anxious: He seems worried about something, a worried look on her face wor-ry¹ /'wari/ verb (present participle worrying, past worried) to feel or make someone feel anxious: My parents worry about me if I come home late. The news of the fighting worried us. worry² noun 1 (no plural) a feeling of fear and uncertainty about something: The worry showed on her face. 2 (plural worries) someone or something that makes you feel anxious: My father has a lot of worries. worse /w3:s/ adjective, adverb 1 less good; more bad: My writing is bad, but yours is worse. 2 more ill: She was ill yesterday, but today she's worse. 3 more badly: You're behaving worse than your brother. ▷ OPPOSITE (1, 2 and 3): better 4 worse off having less money: We're worse off since Mary stopped working. ▷ OPPOSITE: better off worship¹ /'w3:Sıp/ verb (present participle worshipping, past worshipped) to pray to and show great respect to: Christians worship God. worship² noun (no plural) a strong feeling of love, respect, and admiration for someone, usually God worst /w3:st/ adjective, adverb, noun 1 most bad: Your spelling is the worst I've seen. 2 most badly: They were all very bad but you behaved worst of all. ▷ OPPOSITE (1 and 2): best worth¹ /w3:0/ preposition 1 with a value of: How much is this bicycle worth? It's worth £50. 2 good enough or useful enough for something: That film is really worth seeing. worth² noun (no plural) value: The thieves took £1000 worth of clothing. worthless /'w3:0l1s/ adjective with no value; useless worth·while / w3:0'wail/ adjective deserving the effort needed or the time and money you spend worthy /'w3:ði/ adjective (worthier, worthiest) deserving; good enough for: He is worthy of our praise. would /wad; strong wud/ verb 1 the word for will in the past tense: They said they would play football on Saturday. 2 used when you are talking about something that is probable: I would be surprised if he came now. 3 used as a polite way of asking someone something: Would you like a cup of tea? wouldn't /'wudnt/ would not: I knew she wouldn't come. would've /'wudav/ would have: I would've come if I'd had time. 7 get to work, set to work to start doing something: They set to work on the garden. NOTE: Compare work and job. Job is a noun which has a plural (= jobs). Work has the same meaning but has no plural: He's trying to find a job, He's trying to find some work. Work can also be used as a general word when you are talking about several different jobs. If you say "I've got a lot of work to do." it could mean either that you have one big job to do, or lots of different jobs. 〈366〉 wound¹ /waund/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb wind wound² /wu:nd/ verb to damage or hurt someone: Was he badly wounded? wound³ /wu:nd/ noun a part of your body that has been cut or damaged wove /wauv/ the PAST TENSE of the verb weave wov-en /wauvn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb weave wrap /ræp/ verb (present participle wrapping, past wrapped) to put something all round an object: I wrapped the book in paper and posted it. OPPOSITE: unwrap wreath /ri:0/ noun a ring of flowers and leaves wreck¹ /rek/ noun a ship, car, building, etc. that has been partly destroyed wreck² verb to destroy something: The ship was wrecked on the rocks. wreckage /'rekidz/ noun (no plural) the broken parts of something: the wreckage of the plane after the crash wrench /rent] verb to pull or turn something suddenly and with farce: He wrenched the door open. wrestle /'resl/ verb (present participle wrestling, past wrestled) to fight a person and try to throw them to the ground wrestler /'resla/ noun a person who wrestles as a sport wrestling /'reslin/ noun (no plural) a sport in which two people fight and try to throw each other to the ground wriggle /'rigl/ verb (present participle wriggling, past wriggled) to twist from side to side: The snake wriggled through the grass. wring /rıŋ/ verb (past wrung /raŋ/) to twist something, especially in order to remove water from it: She wrung the wet clothes. wrinkle /'rinkl/ noun 1 a line or fold in cloth 2 a line in an old person's skin wrist /rist/ noun the joint between your hand and the lower part of your arm - see picture on page 100 wrist-watch /'ristwots/ noun a watch which you can fasten around your wrist write /rait/ verb (present participle writing, past tense wrote /raut/, past participle written /'ritn/) 1 to make letters or words on paper, using a pen or pencil: The children are learning to write. 2 to produce and send a letter: He writes to me every day. 3 to make something such as a book or play, by writing: She's written several books. writer /'raitǝ/ noun a person who writes books, especially as their job writing /'raitin/ noun (no plural) 1 the activity of writing: I enjoy writing. 2 the way or style in which someone writes: What beautiful writing! SAME MEANING: handwriting written /'ritn/ the PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb write wrong¹ /roŋ/ adjective 1 not good: Telling lies is wrong. 2 not correct: I gave the wrong answer. 3 not suitable: This is the wrong time to visit her. OPPOSITE (1, 2 and 3): right wrong² adverb 1 incorrectly: You've spelt the word wrong. OPPOSITE: right 2 get something wrong to make a mistake or not get the correct answer 3 go wrong to not happen as you wanted 4 to go wrong to stop working properly: The car's gone wrong. 〈367〉 wrong³ /nɔʊn/ (no plural) something bad, incorrect, or unacceptable: Small children do not know right from wrong. OPPOSITE: right wrote /rəʊt/ the PAST TENSE of the verb write wrung /rʌŋ/ the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE of the verb wring X-mas /'krismas, 'eksmæs/ noun (no plural) December 25th, the day of the year when Christians thank God for the birth of his son Jesus Christ. People get together with their family and friends, to eat and drink special nice things and give each other presents. SAME MEANING: Christmas x-ray¹ /eks reɪ/ noun a photograph of the inside of your body, taken with a special light which cannot normally be seen; and used by a doctor: The x-ray showed that the boy's leg was broken. 〈368〉 yacht /jpt/ noun 1 a boat with sails 2 a big motor-boat that people can live and travel in on holiday or race in yard /ja:d/ noun 1 a piece of ground next to a building with a wall or fence round it: the school yard 2 a measure of length, the same as three feet; nearly a metre: five yards (5yd) of material yawn¹ /join/ verb to open your mouth wide and breathe deeply because you are tired or do hot find something interesting: I felt so sleepy I couldn't stop yawning. yawn² noun an act of opening your mouth wide and breathing deeply because you are tired or do not find something interesting yd noun a short way of writing the word yard when giving measurements yeah /jeǝ/ yes year /jıǝr/ noun a measure of time, 365 days: She is seven years old. in the year 1267 LOOK AT: time year-ly /'jıǝlı/ adjective, adverb every year; once a year yeast /ji:st/ noun (no plural) a living substance which is added to flour and water to make bread rise yell /jel/ verb to shout or cry very loudly yellow /'jelou/ adjective, noun the colour of the sun, or the middle part of an egg: a yellow flower, dressed in yellow yes /jes/ adverb a word you use to answer a question, to show that something is true or that you agree with something: "Can you read this?" "Yes, I can." yesterday /'jestǝdei, -dı/ noun, adverb the day before this day: It was very hot yesterday. COMPARE: tomorrow yet /jet/ adverb 1 used in questions to ask if something you are expecting to happen has already happened: Has he come yet? 2 not yet used when you are saying that something you are expecting to happen has not happened until now, but will happen soon: He hasn't come yet. "Are they there?" "No, not yet." LOOK AT: just yield /ji:ld/ verb 1 to give fruit, etc.: The trees yielded a large crop of fruit. 2 to accept defeat or give someone else control of something: The government yielded to public demands for lower taxes. The politicians yielded power to the army. yoghurt /'jogǝt/ noun (no plural) a food made with milk that has been treated in a special way to make it thick and a bit sour yoke /jǝuk/ noun a piece of wood put across the necks of cattle when they pull carts yolk /jǝuk/ noun the yellow part inside an egg COMPARE: white — see picture at egg you /ju:/ (plural you) 1 the person or people that the speaker is talking to: You can swim fast. Shall I get you a drink, John? 2 People in general: It's not good for you to eat too much meat. You can't believe what politicians say. you'd /ju:d/ 1 you had: I called at your house but you'd already left. 〈369〉 you'll /juzl/ you will: You'll get it tomorrow. young¹ /jʌŋ/ adjective not having lived very long: a young child, a young woman OPPOSITE: old young² noun (no plural) young people or animals: Animals protect their young. your /ja; strong jɔ:/ belonging to you: Put your books on your desks. you're /ja; strong jɔ:/ you are: You're late again! yours /jo:z/ 1 something belonging to you: Are all these pencils yours? 2 Yours faithfully, words used at the end of a formal or business letter that begins Dear Sir or Dear Madam 3 Yours sincerely, words used at the end of a formal or business letter that begins Dear Mrs Smith, Dear Mr Jones, etc. NOTE: When you are ending a formal letter or a business letter (not a letter to a friend), put Yours sincerely if you began the letter with the name of the person: Dear Mrs Jones..... Yours sincerely, Mary Smith. If you are writing to an organization and do not know the name of the person who will read your letter, begin your letter Dear Sir/Madam and end Yours faithfully: Dear Sir/Madam..... Yours faithfully, Mary Smith. your-self /jo:self/ (plural yourselves /jo: selvz/) 1 the same person as the one that the speaker is talking to: Look at yourself in the mirror. You can't lift that by yourself (= without help). Why are you playing by yourself (= alone)? 2 used to make the word you have stronger meaning: You told me the story yourself. youth /ju:θ/ noun 1 (no plural) the time when a person is young: In his youth he was a soldier. 2 (plural youths /ju:dz/) a young man 3 (no plural) young people: The youth of this country have fought hard for greater freedom. youth club /'ju:θ klab/ noun an organization that arranges meetings and activities in which young people in an area can be together and enjoy themselves youth hostel /'ju:θ,hostl/ noun a building in which young people on holiday can stay cheaply for the night. you've /jǝv; strong ju:v/ you have: You've forgotten your coat. 2 you would: If you brushed your hair, you'd look tidier. 〈370〉 ze-bra /'zebrə, 'zi:brə/ noun an African wild animal like a horse which has black or dark brown and white lines all over its body see picture on page 300 zebra cross-ing /zebra 'krosiŋ, zi:bra-/ noun a set of black and white lines painted across a road to show that people who are walking can cross there when the traffic stops ze-ro /'zıərəʊ/ noun (plural zeros or zeroes) the number 0 LOOK AT: o SAME MEANING: nought zig-zag /'zıgzæg/ noun a pattern like a long line of Zs all joined together see picture at pattern zip¹ /zıp/ noun a fastener often used on clothes, that has two sets of metal or plastic teeth and a sliding piece that draws them together see picture at fastener zip² verb (present participle zipping, past zipped) to fasten something with a zip: She zipped up her dress. zoo /zu:/ noun a place where different animals are kept for people to look at 〈371〉 out-law /'autlo:/ noun, verb noun 1. someone who is not protected by the law, because they have done something illegal. 2. (in the past) someone who has done something that the law does not allow, and who has been ordered to leave their country. verb to make something illegal. out-lay /'autler/ noun an amount of money spent, especially on something useful or intended to improve something. out-let /'autlet/ noun 1. a hole or pipe through which liquids or gases can flow away. 2. a way of expressing or making good use of strong feelings, ideas, or energy. 3. a shop or organization that sells things made by a particular company. 4. a place on a piece of electrical equipment where you can connect it to a supply of electricity. out-line /'autlain/ noun, verb noun 1. a drawing that shows only the shape of something. 2. the main ideas or facts about something, without the details. verb 1. to draw the shape of something. 2. to give the main ideas or facts about something. out-look /'autluk/ noun 1. what is expected to happen in the future. 2. someone's general attitude or way of thinking about things. out-ly-ing /'autlaiin/ adjective far away from the main part of a place or from other places. out-num-ber /,aut'namba/ verb to be greater in number than someone or something else. out-pa-tient /'autperſnt/ noun someone who visits a hospital for treatment but does not stay there. out-post /'autpoust/ noun a place far away from the main part of a country, army, etc., especially one used to watch an enemy. out-put /'autput/ noun 1. the amount of goods or work produced by a person, machine, factory, etc. 2. information produced by a computer. 〈372〉 Irregular verbs Here are a few simple rules to help you find the correct ending for different verbs: A. Verbs which end in a consonant and a silent 'e', eg like, hope, create, advise, amuse 1. In the present tense you add 's' to the he, she, or it forms: She likes cheese He loves her 2. In the past tense you add 'd' to all forms: She created a terrible noise They liked the film He hoped to win a prize 3. In the continuous tenses you take away the 'e' and add 'ing'. She's hoping to pass the exam I was just admiring your new car B. Verbs which end in 'y' (NOT verbs which end in -ay, -oy, -uy, -ey) 1. In the present or past tenses you change 'y' into 'ie' cry The baby cries a lot She cried all night worry It worries me He worried his mother 2. In the continuous tenses you do not change the 'y'. You add 'ing' to the 'y'. dry Shes drying her hair hurry He's hurrying to work fry She's frying an egg 〈373〉 C. Verbs which double the consonant 1. If a verb has one syllable and ends in a single vowel and a consonant, eg hit, clap, plan, pin, the consonant is usually doubled: clap She clapped her hands plan I'm planning to go home tomorrow 2. If a verb has more than one syllable, but ends in a single vowel and a consonant, and has the stress on the last syllable, the consonant is usually doubled: begin I'm beginning to understand upset She's always upsetting me 3. If a verb has more than one syllable and the stress is not on the last syllable, the last consonant is not usually doubled: offer She offered me some tea open He opened the door 4. If the last vowel sound of a verb is written with two letters, you do not double the final consonant heat I'm heating the soup book He booked a taxi 5. If a verb ends with a vowel and final 'l' or 'p', you usually double the 'l' or 'p', even if the final syllable is not stressed: travel They travelled the world channel They channelled the water towards the field 〈374〉 Table of irregular verbs verb present participle past tense past participle arise arising arose arisen be being was been bear bearing bore borne beat beating beat beaten become becoming became become begin beginning began begun bend bending bent bent bet betting betted or bet betted or bet bind binding bound bound bite biting bit bitten bleed bleeding bled bled bless blessing blessed or blest blessed or blest blow blowing blew blown break breaking broke broken breed breeding bred bred bring bringing brought brought broadcast broadcasting broadcast broadcast build building built built burn burning burned or burnt burned or burnt buy buying bought bought catch catching caught caught choose choosing chose chosen cling clinging clung clung come coming came come cost costing cost cost creep creeping crept crept cut cutting cut cut deal dealing dealt dealt die dying died died dig digging dug dug do doing did done draw drawing drew drawn dream dreaming dreamed or dreamt dreamed or dreamt drink drinking drank drunk drive driving drove driven eat eating ate eaten fall falling fell fallen feed feeding fed fed feel feeling felt felt fight fighting fought fought find finding found found fly flying flew flown forbid forbidding forbade forbidden forget forgetting forgot forgotten freeze freezing froze frozen get getting got got 〈375〉 verb present participle past tense past participle give giving gave given go going went gone grind grinding ground ground grow growing grew grown hang hanging hung or hanged hung or hanged have having had had hear hearing heard heard hide hiding hid hidden hit hitting hit hit hold holding held held hurt hurting hurt hurt keep keeping kept kept kneel kneeling knelt knelt know knowing knew known lay laying laid laid lead leading led led lean leaning leaned or leant leaned or lent leap leaping leaped or leapt leaped or leapt learn learning learned or learnt learned or learnt leave leaving left left lend lending lent lent let letting let let lie1 lying lay lain lie2 lying lied lied lose losing lost lost make making made made mean meaning meant meant meet meeting met met mistake mistaking mistook mistaken mow mowing mowed or mown mowed or mown outgrow outgrowing outgrew outgrown overhear overhearing overheard overheard oversleep oversleeping overslept overslept overtake overtaking overtook overtook panic panicking panicked panicked pay paying paid paid picnic picnicking picnicked picnicked put putting put put quit quitting quit quit read reading read read repay repaying repaid repaid ride riding rode ridden ring ringing rang rung rise rising rose risen run running ran run saw sawing sawed sawn say saying said said 〈376〉 verb present participle past tense past participle see seeing saw seen seek seeking sought sought sell selling sold sold send sending sent sent set setting set set sew sewing sewed sewn shake shaking shook shaken shear shearing sheared shorn shed shedding shed shed shine shining shone shone shoot shooting shot shot show showing showed shown shrink shrinking shrank shrunk shut shutting shut shut sing singing sang sung sink sinking sank sunk sit sitting sat sat sleep sleeping slept slept slide sliding slid slid sling slinging slung slung slit slitting slit slit smell smelling smelt smelt sow sowing sowed sown speak speaking spoke spoken speed speeding speeded or sped speeded or sped spell spelling spelled or spelt spelled or spelt spend spending spent spent spill spilling spilled or spilt spilled or spilt spin spinning spun spun spit spitting spat spat split splitting split split spoil spoiling spoilt spoilt spring springing sprang sprung stand standing stood stood steal stealing stole stolen stick sticking stuck stuck sting stinging stung stung stink stinking stank stunk stride striding strode stridden strike striking struck struck swear swearing swore sworn sweep sweeping swept swept swell swelling swelled swollen swim swimming swam swum swing swinging swung swung take taking took taken teach teaching taught taught tear tearing tore torn tell telling told told 〈377〉 verb present participle past tense past participle think thinking thought thought throw throwing threw thrown thrust thrusting thrust thrust tie tying tied tied tread treading trod trodden undergo undergoing underwent undergone understand understanding understood understood undertake undertaking undertook undertaken undo undoing undid undone unwind unwinding unwound unwound upset upsetting upset upset wake waking waked or woke woken wear wearing wore worn weave weaving wove woven weep weeping wept wept wet wetting wet or wetted wet or wetted win winning won won wind winding wound wound withdraw withdrawing withdrew withdrawn wring wringing wrung wrung write writing wrote written 〈378〉 English names female names Alison/'ælisn/ A-nan-da (Mandy) /al'mændə/ /'mændı/ Angela /'ændzələ/ Ann, Anne /æn/ Barbara /'bazbǝrǝ/ Carol /'kærǝl/ Caroline /'kærəlaın/ Catherine, Katherine /'kæerin/ Charlotte /faxlat/ Christine (Chris) /'krısti:n//kris/ Claire, Clare /kleǝ/ Dep-o-rah (Debbie) /'debǝrǝ/ /'debi/ Diana/dar'ænǝ/ E-lizabeth (Liz) /ılızəbǝ//liz/ Emily /'emilt/ Emma /'emǝ/ Fiona /filaunal Gillian 'dzılıǝn/ Hellen /'helin/ Jacqueline (Jackie) /'dzækǝli:n/ /'dzækı/ Jane /dzein/ Jennifer (Jenny) /'dzentfǝ//'dzent/ Jo-an-na, Joanne /dzau'ænǝ//dzau'æn/ Julia, Julie /'dzuılıǝ//'dzuılı/ Karen /'kæran, 'kazrən/ Kate /kert/ Laura /'lə:rǝ/ Linda/'lında Lisa/'li:sə, 'lizzə, 'laızə/ Louise /lu:'i:z/ Lucy /'lu:sı/ Lynn /lin/ Margaret/'ma:grit/ Mary/meart/ Michelle /mi'fel/ Nicola /'nıkələ/ Pamela (Pam) /'pæmələf /pæm/ Patricia (Pat, Tricia) /pǝ'trıǝ//pæt/ /'trıǝ/ Pen-my (Penelope) /'pent//pi'nelǝpı/ Rachel /'rertfal/ Rebecca (Becky) (rı'bekǝ/ /'beki/ Sally/sælt/ Sandra/'sændrǝ, 'saindrǝ/ Sarah /'seǝrǝ/ Sharon /'færən/ Sheila /'fizlə/ Susan, Suzanne (Sue) /'su:zn/ /su:'zæn//su:/ Tracy, Tracey /'treisi/ Victoria (Vicky) /vık'tǝırıǝ/ /'vıkı/ Wendy /'wendt/ male names Adam/'ædam/ Alex-an-der (Alex) /ælıgızarndə/ /'ælıks/ Alan/'ælən/ Andrew /'ændru:/ Anthony (Tony) /'æntanı//taunif Benjamin (Ben) /'bendzamın//ben/ Brian /'braiǝn/ Charles /t/o:lz/ Christopher /'krıstəfər/ Craig /krerg/ Daniel/'dænjal/ Darren /'dæran/ David/'dervid/ Edward /'edwod/ Gary /'gærı/ Geoffrey /'dzefri/ George /d35:d3/ Graham /'gretǝm/ Henry (Harry) /'henrı//'hærı/ lan/'izan/ James (Jamie) (Jim) /dzermz//'dzeımı//dzım/ Jason/'dzersn/ Jeremy /'dzerami/ John /dzon/ Jon-a-than /'dzonǝen/ Keith /ki:0/ Kenneth /'ken10/ Kevin /'kevin/ Lee /li:/ Mark /mark/ Martin /'martın/ Matthew /'mæO juz/ Michael (Mike) /'markl//mark/ Neil /ni:l/ Nicholas /'nıkələs/ Nigel /'naidzəl/ Patrick /'pætrik/ Paul /pɔ:l/ Peter /'pi:tǝ/ Philip /'ftlip/ Richard (Dick) /'ritfǝd/ /dık/ Robert (Bob) /'robat//bob/ Sean /form/ Simon /'sarmən/ Stephen, Steven /'sti:vn/ Stuart /'stju:ǝt/ Thomas (Tom) /'tomǝs//tom/ Timothy (Tim) /'tımǝ0i//tim/ Wayne /wein/ William /'wıljəm/ <379> Publisher Lizzie Warren Senior Lexicographer Jane Walsh Editor Sheila Dignen Lexicographers Gillian Lazar Sinda Lopez Carole Owen Valerie Smith Coordinating Editor Sarah Gumbrell Pronunciation Editor Dinah Jackson Design Paul Price-Smith Sharon Sutcliffe Ken Brooks Production Clive McKeough Illustrators Kathy Baxendale Debbie Cook Richard Deverell Kevin Jones Elsie Lennox Taurus Graphics Patrick Wright Administrative Assistants Denise Denney Helen Spencer