Книга - Collins Primary Thesaurus
Collins Primary Thesaurus
Collins Dictionaries
Optimised for colour tablets. The images in this e-book are not suitable for viewing on black and white e-ink devices.This fantastic thesaurus is especially designed for children aged 8 and above (Key Stage 2) and supports today's Primary curriculum needs. Clear and accessible, it is an indispensable tool for young writers.• full definitions for every entry and sample sentences for each synonym to help improve your child’s vocabulary• words to use in all types of writing, from fiction to non-fiction, plus advice on particular writing styles• word list boxes for in-depth examination of special language features• usage tips offer extra language learning support• free online resources at collins.co.uk/homeworkhelp
Copyright (#ulink_4399ddc8-6692-5dcf-8726-2c8bed0c2db3)
Published by Collins
An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Westerhill Road
Bishopbriggs
Glasgow G64 2QT
Second Edition 2015
© HarperCollins Publishers 2010, 2015
eBook Edition © March 2015 ISBN 978-0-00-758366-9
Version: 2015-01-19
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.
Contents
Cover (#uafdb52f7-b62c-5312-ac54-2dadcf5450b7)
Title Page (#ub1385f4a-ee24-542b-8f94-3cfe73ee7120)
Copyright (#ulink_22b22123-4817-5992-9f4e-66067e3c6ac7)
Using this thesaurus (#ulink_f5c3a769-e1b8-5466-b965-5deacd77bb30)
Aa (#ulink_0fee79a0-fc55-5fe1-b0cb-94591cb2afee)
Bb (#ulink_e7282e07-5089-5fbc-8e72-ef9d7d38bde8)
Cc (#ulink_ad0d4760-d6a9-5308-aab8-5870181fc846)
Dd (#ulink_c92ab887-5e96-5a48-a6e0-055f62ea4ae5)
Ee (#litres_trial_promo)
Ff (#litres_trial_promo)
Gg (#litres_trial_promo)
Hh (#litres_trial_promo)
Ii (#litres_trial_promo)
Jj (#litres_trial_promo)
Kk (#litres_trial_promo)
Ll (#litres_trial_promo)
Mm (#litres_trial_promo)
Nn (#litres_trial_promo)
Oo (#litres_trial_promo)
Pp (#litres_trial_promo)
Qq (#litres_trial_promo)
Rr (#litres_trial_promo)
Ss (#litres_trial_promo)
Tt (#litres_trial_promo)
Uu (#litres_trial_promo)
Vv (#litres_trial_promo)
Ww (#litres_trial_promo)
Yy (#litres_trial_promo)
Index (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Using this thesaurus (#ulink_d2d15636-ae07-54b0-924a-9dfa66c34b4a)
What does a thesaurus do?
A thesaurus gives you a choice of words you can use in place of an overused word like good or say.
Imagine you are writing a description of a meal you have really enjoyed. You might say that the soup was tasty but you don’t want to use the same word to describe the chocolate cake you had for pudding. You can use the thesaurus to find another word that means the same thing. A word that means the same as another word is called a synonym. So you can describe the cake as delicious or mouthwatering or scrumptious.
Using wow words!
This thesaurus is perfect for helping you find wow words to use in your writing. A wow word is one which you don’t use all the time in your vocabulary so, when you do use it, it stands out and really brings your writing to life. It’s good to use wow words instead of everyday words. For example, instead of saying that the man was happy because his football team had won the cup, you could describe him as being ecstatic or jubilant. If the boy in your story says something quietly, you could use muttered, mumbled, or murmured. Rather than saying the girl is always late for school, try consistently or invariably.
Here are some words that are used a lot in writing. These are just the kind of words that could be replaced by a wow word from your thesaurus:
bad
break
cry
cut
eat
fat
feel
good
happy
hit
laugh
look
move
nice
old
run
say
short
small
thin
walk
How to find a word
If you want to find a different way of saying a word, think of its first letter. Once you know this, there is more than one way to find your word in the thesaurus:
• You can use the Index (#litres_trial_promo) at the back of the ebook which lists the words in alphabetical order. Scroll through the Index until you find the letter your word begins with, then look down the words until you find the one you are looking for. You can then follow the link to the entry in the thesaurus.
• You can use the Contents (#u53d220f9-0a51-5e4b-becd-42d506f47939) page at the front of the book, which has a link to every letter in the thesaurus. Follow the link to the letter your word begins with, then look through the entries in this letter until you find the word you are looking for. The entries are in alphabetical order.
Once you have found your word in the thesaurus, you can choose the synonym that suits your writing. Read the example sentences to understand how each synonym can be used.
Finding your way around the thesaurus
1. The headword is the word that you want to find a synonym for.
2. If the headword has a number in brackets after it, then the word has different meanings in the thesaurus.
3. The part of speech tells you what type of word the headword is, such as noun, verb, adjective, adverb, or pronoun. If you are looking for a verb, make sure the headword you look at is also a verb.
4. The definition tells you what the headword means so you can be sure you are looking at the correct entry.
5. Each headword has a list of synonyms. Choose the one which is closest in meaning to the word you want to replace.
6. An example sentence is given for every synonym, showing how the word might be used in speech or writing.
7. A usage tip gives extra information about the headword or its synonyms.
8. Some entries have a list of useful words connected to the headword.
Other features of this thesaurus
• Some headwords can be spelt in more than one way.
among or amongst PREPOSITION
• Some synonyms have a pronunciation to show you how to say the word.
wrath Said “roth”
The player incurred the wrath of the referee for committing a foul.
• Sometimes a label, such as FORMAL, INFORMAL, or OLD-FASHIONED, tells you a little more about how the word is used.
scrumptious INFORMAL
My sister and I reckon that olives are scrumptious.
• Some definitions tell you where to find more information at another headword.
home NOUN
Your home is the building or place in which you live.
dwelling
“Welcome to my humble dwelling,” said Rat.
residence
The ambassador’s residence was an impressive villa among palm trees.
➔ See house (#litres_trial_promo)
• The entries for some very overused words are marked clearly. Give yourself word power by using the synonyms!
bad (1) ADJECTIVE
Bad things are harmful or upsetting.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
• Some entries show words that mean the opposite of the headword. These words are called antonyms.
careful (3) ADJECTIVE
If you are careful in what you say, you think before you speak.
discreet
Jamila was discreet in not mentioning the party, in case Tanya hadn’t been invited.
tactful
Shopkeepers have to be tactful, for some customers are easily offended.
ANTONYM: careless
Aa (#ulink_b285e21b-52f7-5661-b95e-e1c401febe18)
ability NOUN
If you have ability, you have the intelligence and skill to do things.
competence
Sunita showed competence in most school subjects, particularly science.
gift
Jack had a gift for remembering long and complicated equations.
skill
Brackford United played with enthusiasm but little skill in Saturday’s match.
talent
Seamus has a talent for cooking delicious seafood dishes.
ANTONYM: inability
able ADJECTIVE
If you are able to do something, you can do it.
allowed
“I’m allowed to play for half an hour, but then I have to go home,” Ron complained.
available
Rhys said he was available to swim for the team on Saturday.
capable
Mrs Diss said that my twin brother was a capable pupil, but rather lazy.
free
My big sister is free to take me bowling now.
ANTONYM: unable
Other adjectives related to able:
about (1) PREPOSITION
If you talk or write about a particular thing, you say things that are to do with that subject.
concerning
The police interviewed the bank manager concerning the robbery.
regarding
Parents were sent a letter regarding half term.
to do with
Mum had a long phone conversation to do with our holiday plans.
about (2) ADVERB
You say about in front of a number to show it is not exact.
approximately
The theatre held approximately 800 people.
around
Around 50 000 people attended the big game.
in the region of
The bike cost in the region of £100.
more or less
Each jar holds more or less five litres.
roughly
We had to wait for roughly three hours.
about (3) ADVERB
About can mean in different directions.
around
“Stop dancing around while I’m talking to you,” Mum said irritably.
here and there
My sister’s clothes were scattered here and there in her room.
hither and thither OLD-FASHIONED
The bee flew hither and thither collecting pollen from the flowers.
about to PREPOSITION
If you are about to do something, you are just going to do it.
on the point of
I was on the point of closing the front door, when the phone rang.
ready to
The pilot was ready to turn back, when he saw the missing boat.
above (1) PREPOSITION
If one thing is above another, it is directly over or higher than it.
on top of
Ali balanced the bag of flour on top of the door, so that it would fall on Craig when he came in.
over
A cloud of smoke hung ominously over the grumbling volcano.
ANTONYM: below
above (2) PREPOSITION
Above can mean greater than something in level or amount.
beyond
The dancer’s skill was beyond anything we could have imagined.
greater than
The number of visitors to the museum this year is greater than last year.
higher than
The cost of the repairs was higher than Mum had expected.
ANTONYM: below
absolutely ADVERB
If you are absolutely sure about something, you are completely sure of it.
completely
Anoop was completely satisfied with his new computer.
thoroughly
“I am thoroughly fed up of washing dishes,” moaned Cinderella.
totally
We sat totally enthralled by the magician’s amazing tricks.
utterly
The instructions to the board game left me utterly confused.
abuse (1) Said “ab-yooss” NOUN
Abuse is the cruel treatment of someone.
cruelty
Sadly, many animals are injured through cruelty or neglect.
harm
Fortunately, the two lost children were found with no harm done to them.
ill-treatment
Oliver Twist suffered much ill-treatment in the workhouse.
abuse (2) Said “ab-yooz” VERB
To abuse someone is to treat them cruelly.
harm
Now the dog was at the rescue kennels, no one could harm it any more.
ill-treat
People who ill-treat their animals should face heavy fines.
mistreat
Cinderella was constantly mistreated by her two ugly sisters.
misuse
The dictator misused his power by giving jobs to his relatives.
accident NOUN
An accident is something that happens suddenly or unexpectedly, causing people to be hurt or killed.
collision
Eight vehicles were involved in a collision during the heavy rain.
crash
The police advised that the airport should be closed because of the plane crash.
mishap
Falling off my bike was a minor mishap, but luckily I wasn’t hurt.
➔ See disaster (#ulink_2a640a41-0876-5a5c-aec1-ddf55015c51d)
accidental ADJECTIVE
Something that is accidental has not been planned.
unexpected
The sail’s tearing in the wind was a totally unexpected problem.
unintentional
“I didn’t mean to stand on the flowers. It was quite unintentional,” I apologized.
unplanned
Although our beach volleyball tournament was unplanned, it was a great success.
ANTONYM: deliberate
accurate ADJECTIVE
If something is accurate, it is absolutely correct.
exact
In order to set my watch, I need to know the exact time.
factual
Non-fiction books are factual accounts of real people and events.
faithful
The French version of the book is a faithful translation of the English original.
precise
Tightrope walkers must be very precise in their movements.
spot-on INFORMAL
Your guess about the train’s arrival time was spot-on.
true
“Is this statement a true record of where you were?” queried the police officer.
ANTONYM: inaccurate
ache VERB
If a part of your body aches, you feel a continuous, dull pain there.
be sore
Jane’s leg muscles were sore after aerobics.
hurt
“Ouch!” said Devendra as the nurse cleaned his cut knee. “That hurts!”
throb
My knee really throbbed after I fell over on the uneven pavement.
action (1) NOUN
An action is something you do for a particular purpose.
act
Rescuing the baby from the burning house was an act of great courage.
deed
Theseus’s bravest deed was the slaying of the dreaded Minotaur.
exploit
The explorer, Sir Archie Pounder, told the school of his exploits in the jungle.
feat
To build Stonehenge without modern equipment was a great feat.
move
I think resting after dinner is a sensible move.
action (2) NOUN
An action is a physical movement, such as jumping.
activity
Our classroom was a hive of activity as we got ready for the concert.
motion
The up-and-down motion of the boat made me feel queasy.
movement
The movements of the conductor’s baton guided the orchestra.
actual ADJECTIVE
Actual can mean something is real, rather than imaginary or guessed at.
genuine
“This table is a genuine antique,” said Gran.
real
The film is based on a real story.
true
“Is this a true record of what you said?” the judge demanded to know.
very
The guide told us Ann Boleyn was beheaded on the very spot where we stood.
add (1) VERB
If you add something to a number of things, you put it with those things.
combine
Orange juice combined with lemonade makes a refreshing drink.
include
“Don’t forget to include a sentence about what your friends think,” Mr Bishop reminded us.
Remember that you add something to something else, but combine something with something else.
add (2) VERB
If you add numbers together, or add them up, you work out the total.
count up
I counted up the spoons, and found there were three missing.
total
Miss Dobson told us to total the figures at the bottom of each column.
tot up INFORMAL
It took me ages to tot up how many hours I had worked that week.
ANTONYM: subtract
adjust VERB
If you adjust something, you change its position or alter it in some other way.
change
I changed the time on my new watch so that it was correct.
correct
Fortunately, the pilot corrected the plane’s course before it hit the storm clouds.
modify
The racing car’s tyres had been specially modified for wet weather.
tune
Dad tuned the radio to a different station.
tweak INFORMAL
Mrs Tordoff asked me to tweak my story to include more dialogue.
admit VERB
If you admit something, you agree that it is true.
acknowledge
Good drivers acknowledge when they have made a mistake.
confess
The prisoner confessed that she had lied.
grant
“I grant that it’s not a great meal,” my brother said, “but at least I cooked it myself.”
own up
The head teacher asked whoever had broken the window to own up to it.
adult ADJECTIVE
An adult is a mature and fully developed person.
grown-up
Dad asked another grown-up for directions.
man
Jim is now a man of 42.
woman
A woman was seen leaving the building.
adventure NOUN
An adventure is something that is exciting, and perhaps even dangerous.
escapade
Entering the Sheriff of Nottingham’s chamber was perhaps Robin Hood’s boldest escapade.
exploit
Several films have been made of the brave exploits of the Three Musketeers.
feat
To abseil down a skyscraper would certainly be a daring feat.
venture
The expedition proved a dangerous venture.
advice NOUN
Advice is a suggestion from someone about what you should do.
guidance
Larissa needed guidance from her teachers about which college to apply for.
recommendation
Mum followed the doctor’s recommendation, and gave up smoking.
suggestion
My friend’s suggestion was to do our work first and play later.
tip INFORMAL
A good tip is to test the water with your toe before you jump in.
advise VERB
If you advise someone to do something, you tell them you think they should do it.
recommend
Mrs Singh recommended that I should sit nearer the front of the classroom.
suggest
“I suggest we go home,” said Mum.
urge
In his speech, the MP urged people to vote for him in the election.
affect VERB
If something affects someone or something else, it influences or changes them.
concern
The issue of global warming concerns everybody on the planet.
have an effect on
The moon’s gravity has an effect on the oceans, creating high and low tides.
influence
The judge’s sentence was influenced by the prisoner’s previous good behaviour.
involve
The accident happened nearby, but fortunately our car was not involved.
Be careful not to confuse the verb affect with the noun effect.
afraid ADJECTIVE
If you are afraid, you are frightened.
alarmed
“Don’t be alarmed,” Mum said calmly. “It’s only the wind rattling the windows.”
anxious
As I had not revised my spellings, I was anxious about the test the next morning.
fearful
Faiza is fearful of the dark.
frightened
“Don’t be frightened,” said the giant. “I won’t hurt you.”
nervous
Alim was nervous before his driving test.
petrified
My brother is petrified of going to the dentist.
scared
I told my brother there was nothing to be scared of.
terrified
I used to be terrified of injections, but now that I’ve had one I’m not scared any more.
timid
I was quite timid on my first day at school.
ANTONYM: unafraid
To be afraid of something is to fear or dread it.
after (1) ADVERB
After can mean later than a particular time, date or event.
afterwards
We had our lunch and afterwards went out to the school field.
following
Following the professor’s talk on birds, we had the chance to ask her questions.
later than
It was later than six o’clock when we finally finished shopping.
subsequently
The injured driver was taken to hospital, but was allowed to go home subsequently.
ANTONYM: before
after (2) PREPOSITION
If you come after someone or something, you are behind them and following them.
behind
Behind the royal procession came the jester, prancing about and waving some sort of wand.
following
Off went the removal van, with Dad following.
again ADVERB
Again can mean happening one more time.
afresh
The couple moved abroad to start life afresh.
a second time
The traveller waited before knocking at the door a second time.
once more
Once more Dad tried to put up the deckchair, and once more it collapsed.
against PREPOSITION
Something that is against something else is in opposition to it.
anti INFORMAL
Our entire family is anti hunting. We think it’s cruel.
opposed to
I was opposed to the idea of moving house.
versus
In our playground game, it was Rachel and me versus the rest of the class.
If something is against the law, it is illegal.
aim (1) VERB
If you aim to do something, you are planning to do it.
intend
One day, I intend to own a chocolate factory.
mean
The player meant to hit the ball down the line, but it flew into the crowd.
plan
Dad had planned to work abroad, but then he was offered a job in Britain.
propose
Mr Potter proposes to put on a school play this year.
set your sights on
Louis had set his sights on becoming an artist, but became a photographer instead.
aim (2) NOUN
Your aim is what you intend to achieve.
goal
Cassandra’s goal is to make a million dollars before she is 25.
object
The object of the game is to throw the ball in your opponents’ basket.
objective
“Men,” barked the Major, “our objective is to cross that river before the enemy sees us.”
purpose
The purpose of the meeting was to decide what our class would do for the school concert.
target
The target for this year’s bring-and-buy sale is to raise a thousand pounds.
aircraft NOUN
An aircraft is any vehicle that can fly.
Types of aircraft:
aeroplane
glider
hang-glider
helicopter
hot-air balloon
microlite
alike ADJECTIVE
Things that are alike are very similar in some way.
comparable
The two boys had had comparable experiences at primary school.
identical
The twins were identical except for the way they styled their hair.
indistinguishable
The forgery and the original painting were indistinguishable.
similar
Phoebe’s house is like ours, and Justin’s is similar too.
ANTONYMS: different or unlike
all right (1) ADJECTIVE
If something is all right, it is satisfactory, but not especially good.
acceptable
Your work is acceptable, Watts, but by no means outstanding.
adequate
The nurse thought her temporary bandage would be adequate to stop the bleeding.
average
“My exam marks were average, but I’m sure I can do better,” said Ron.
fair
Leo made a fair attempt at the test, considering he had felt so ill earlier.
satisfactory
The car was in a satisfactory condition to pass the safety test.
all right (2) ADJECTIVE
If someone is all right, they are safe and not harmed.
safe
“You’ll be quite safe provided that you wait here,” the police officer said.
unharmed
After getting lost in the hills, the boys were returned unharmed to their parents.
unhurt
The stunt rider escaped unhurt after his bike cartwheeled into the air.
uninjured
I was shaken but uninjured after falling during the race.
almost ADVERB
Almost can mean very nearly.
just about
We were just about ready to go, when Mum’s phone bleeped.
nearly
It was nearly five years since Hanif had seen his aunt and uncle.
not quite
I had not quite finished the test when Mr Halliday said the time was up.
practically
Practically all the sandwiches had been eaten.
virtually
Despite having virtually no time to practise, Darius played the piano piece perfectly.
alone (1) ADJECTIVE
Someone or something that is alone is not with other people or things.
detached
The elephant was detached from the herd.
isolated
The old man lived in a cottage on the cliff top. He felt quite isolated.
solitary
Robinson Crusoe was solitary on his desert island home.
alone (2) ADVERB
Something that happens alone, happens without other people or things.
independently
Sian did her homework independently.
separately
The teachers came with us on the bus, except for the head who came later, separately.
solo INFORMAL
The pilot now flew solo for the first time.
also ADVERB
Also can mean in addition to something that has just been mentioned.
as well
Mum had just bought the lettuce when she remembered to get some tomatoes as well.
besides
The competition winner received a sports bag, and a signed bat to go in it besides.
furthermore FORMAL
“You’ve worked well,” the teacher said, “and furthermore you’ve worked quietly.”
in addition
My prize was free tickets to the show. In addition, it included a meal afterwards.
moreover FORMAL
It was cold, and moreover it was getting dark.
too
William is nine, and Rina is too.
although CONJUNCTION
Although can mean in spite of the fact that.
even though
Jessica managed to win the marathon, even though she’d had flu earlier that week.
while
While the work on an oil rig is tough, the pay is good.
altogether ADVERB
Altogether can mean in total and is used when talking about amounts.
all told
There were over two thousand people at the show, all told.
everything included
Everything included, the fête raised enough money for the new equipment.
in total
In total, the auction raised well over five thousand pounds.
always (1) ADVERB
Always can mean all the time.
consistently
Andy is consistently the best player on our hockey team.
constantly
We are constantly receiving junk e-mails.
continually
My mum is continually nagging me to keep my room tidy.
continuously
The generator chugged away continuously throughout the night.
invariably
Aissa is invariably late for school.
regularly
Stars are regularly asked for their autographs.
repeatedly
“I’m repeatedly telling you not to speak with your mouth full!” Dad said crossly.
time after time
Time after time, my little brother asked me to play with him.
ANTONYM: never
always (2) ADVERB
Always can mean forever.
endlessly
I shall be endlessly grateful to the woman who saved my life.
forever
“Madam, I am forever in your debt,” the musketeer said as he swept from the room.
perpetually
The Olympic flame burns perpetually.
ANTONYM: never
amazing ADJECTIVE
If something is amazing, it is very surprising.
astonishing
It is astonishing that we breathe, on average, 500 million times in our lives.
astounding
The marathon runner kept up an astounding pace for the whole 26 miles.
breathtaking
Seeing Niagara Falls was a breathtaking experience.
sensational
The show was sensational, with superb music and dancing.
staggering
It is staggering to realize that 60 per cent of our body is water.
among or amongst PREPOSITION
Among or amongst can mean surrounded by.
amid
Workers searched amid the wreckage for any sign of survivors.
amidst
Amidst all the weeds, a single rose bloomed.
in the middle of
In the middle of the herd of cows was a newborn calf.
surrounded by
Mum and I found ourselves surrounded by inquisitive sheep.
If there are more than two things, you should use among(st). If there are only two things, you should use between.
amount NOUN
An amount is how much there is of something.
mass
There was a great mass of tadpoles in our garden pond.
quantity
“For sale: a quantity of unused garden tools,” read the advert.
sum
The house was sold for an undisclosed sum of money.
total
Our little sideshow raised quite a total at our school fête.
volume
A huge volume of water cascades over the waterfall every minute.
amphibian NOUN
An amphibian is one of a group of animals that live both on land and in water.
Some amphibians:
frog
newt
salamander
toad
anger NOUN
Anger is the strong feeling you get about something unfair or cruel.
annoyance
You could see the annoyance on the little boy’s face when he couldn’t have any sweets.
fury
Her face purple with fury, the duchess stormed from the room.
indignation
Our dog, Jim, stared in indignation as I ate the last biscuit.
irritation
Sissy stormed out in irritation.
rage
The wizard flew into a rage and instantly turned the king and queen into toads.
temper
In a fit of temper, I flung my sister’s hairbrush into the garden.
wrath Said “roth”
The player incurred the wrath of the referee for committing a foul.
angry ADJECTIVE
Someone who is angry is very annoyed.
annoyed
Mr Danesh was annoyed that Anna hadn’t handed in her homework.
apoplectic
The team manager was apoplectic, dancing with rage when the referee disallowed the goal.
beside yourself with anger
The head teacher was beside herself with anger when the money was stolen.
cross
You could tell Mum was cross. Her forehead had turned red and wrinkly.
displeased
“Smithers, I’m displeased with the poor spelling in this report,” Sir Hector boomed.
enraged
The bull, enraged, came charging, head down, towards the matador.
fuming
Mrs Stevenson was fuming when she realized Peter was absent yet again.
furious
Furious at such a messy piece of work, Mr Ross flung my book back on my desk.
hot under the collar INFORMAL
Many motorists were getting hot under the collar as the traffic jam built up.
indignant
You could see by her face that our terrier, Tess, was indignant that we had left her behind.
infuriated
The stressed commuter was infuriated to find that the train had left seconds earlier.
irate
It made Mrs Mawdsley irate to find the staffroom key missing.
irritated
I was irritated to find that Alex had borrowed my pencil.
livid
Father was livid that I had broken his favourite fishing rod.
outraged
Many townsfolk were outraged that the lovely old cinema was to be torn down.
seething
I knew from his gritted teeth that the boss was seething.
animal NOUN
An animal is any living being that is not a plant.
beast
The thoroughbred horse was a beautiful but temperamental beast.
creature
The platypus is a strange-looking creature.
General names for animals are fauna and wildlife.
Types of animal:
amphibian
bird
fish
insect
mammal
reptile
annoy VERB
If someone or something annoys you, they make you angry or impatient.
aggravate
My gran is often aggravated by noisy motorbikes late at night.
bother
“Please don’t bother me now. I’m really very busy,” said Dad.
drive someone up the wall INFORMAL
“Some of these stupid TV adverts drive me up the wall!” said Grandad.
get on someone’s nerves INFORMAL
Mitchi’s whiny voice really gets on my nerves.
harass
Many famous people are harassed by reporters and photographers.
irritate
My mum was irritated by the constant dripping of the tap in the night.
needle INFORMAL
The soccer player tried to needle his opponent by muttering insults.
provoke
My sister provoked me into an argument by saying I was no good at singing.
answer (1) VERB
If you answer someone, you reply to them in speech or writing.
answer back
When spoken to by the judge, the defendant was foolish enough to answer back rudely.
reply
If you receive an invitation, it’s polite to reply promptly.
respond
The captain asked for volunteers, and two crewmen responded.
retort
“I’d love to go to the ball,” said Cinderella. “No chance!” retorted her ugly sister.
return
“Yes, I’d love to come to the theatre,” Genevieve returned.
answer (2) NOUN
An answer is the reply you give when you answer someone.
acknowledgment
The palace sent a brief letter as an acknowledgment to my request.
reaction
The mayor received an angry reaction to his scheme to sell off the sports field.
reply
The salesman rang the door bell, but there was no reply.
response
There was a terrific response to the famine appeal.
retort
“Ouch, that hurt!” I said. “Serves you right!” came the retort.
appear VERB
When something appears, it moves from somewhere you could not see it to somewhere you can see it.
come into sight
A woolly mammoth came into sight, lumbering from behind the rock.
come into view
A triceratops came into view, its serrated back appearing over the ridge.
emerge
Emerging from his bedroom, my lazy brother rubbed his eyes.
loom
The gigantic airship blotted out the sun as it loomed nearer.
➔ See arrive (#ulink_2b5d14b6-bdea-5ca1-892d-50bfb0ecb5e1)
area (1) NOUN
An area is a particular part of a place, country or the world.
community
We live in a friendly community, with lots going on.
district
It was a poor district, where litter and street crime were a problem.
neighbourhood
In our neighbourhood, everybody helps one another.
region
This region of Italy is famous for its pizzas.
zone
That zone is open only to airport staff.
area (2) NOUN
Area can mean the measurement of a flat surface.
extent
From the top of the tower, Jamie could see the extent of the city.
size
“What size of paper shall I use?” Dani asked.
area (3) NOUN
The area of a piece of ground or surface is the amount of space it covers.
expanse
When Noah looked from his ark, all he saw was a huge expanse of water.
patch INFORMAL
The police officer said he would miss the people in his patch when he retired.
plot
My parents bought a plot of land, hoping to build a house there.
stretch
You can see otters on this stretch of the river.
argue (1) VERB
If you argue with someone about something, you disagree with them about it, sometimes in an angry way.
bicker
My sisters are always bickering at the table.
disagree
Simon and Sanjiv disagreed passionately about which team would win.
fall out
Hazel and I fell out when she broke her promise to keep my secret.
have a difference of opinion
The two neighbours had a difference of opinion over who owned the fence.
have an argument
Dad and Mum had an argument about whose turn it was to get up and see to the baby.
quarrel
Jack and Wilbur quarrelled over land, and their two families have not spoken since.
row Rhymes with “cow”
The couple next door were always rowing. Now they’ve gone we’ll get some peace!
squabble
“Stop squabbling, you two!” Mum said, exasperated. “You’ll both get a turn.”
argue (2) VERB
If you argue that something is true, you give reasons why you think that it is.
assert
The prisoner continues to assert his innocence.
claim
Mervyn claimed he was the lost King of Albania, but nobody believed him.
debate
“I think we’ll be debating this issue forever!” joked Mrs Evans.
hold
Before 1492, many people held that the earth was flat.
maintain
Columbus always maintained that the earth was round, and proceeded to prove it.
put the case
In the debate, Scarlet put the case for hunting and I opposed it.
reason
Mum tried to reason with my little brother, but it was a waste of time.
argument (1) NOUN
An argument is a talk between people who do not agree.
barney INFORMAL
Kayla and I had a bit of a barney, but we soon made up.
difference of opinion
Panna and Liz had a difference of opinion over which team would win.
disagreement
The tennis players had a disagreement about whether the service was in or out.
dispute
The long-running dispute between the two neighbours ended in a court case.
feud
Occasionally, the feud between the Campbell clan and the MacDonald clan erupted into violence.
fight
Two girls in our class got into a fight over a missing purse.
quarrel
The quarrel started when Colin was left out of the team in favour of Barry.
row Rhymes with “cow”
I was upstairs in my room when the row between Dad and Grandad started.
squabble
It was a silly squabble over who would sleep in the top bunk.
A formal talk between people who do not agree is a debate.
argument (2) NOUN
An argument is a point or set of reasons you use to convince people about something.
case
The barrister set out the case for the prosecution.
grounds
The judge decided there were no grounds on which to find the defendant guilty.
reason
Guy Fawkes was asked to give his reasons for wishing to blow up Parliament.
armour NOUN
Armour is special metal clothing that soldiers wore in the past for protection.
Pieces of armour:
breastplate
gauntlet
helmet
visor
army NOUN
An army is a large group of soldiers who are trained to fight on land.
Military means “connected with an army”.
Here are some more words associated with the military, or armed forces:
air force
battalion
brigade
cavalry
commando
company
garrison
legion
marine
navy
paratrooper
platoon
regiment
reinforcements
squad
squadron
around (1) PREPOSITION
You can use around when something is surrounding or encircling a place or object.
on all sides of
On all sides of the camp, a barbed-wire fence rose menacingly towards grim watchtowers.
on every side of
The word “Fragile” was written on every side of the box.
around (2) PREPOSITION
Around can mean at approximately the time or place mentioned.
about
“I’ll meet you at about three o’clock,” Kamilah whispered.
approximately
“The train will be approximately five minutes late,” said the announcer.
in the region of
The government spent in the region of 30 billion pounds on new roads.
roughly
The new garage will be roughly ten metres in length.
around (3) PREPOSITION OR ADVERB
You say around when things are in various places.
all over
Papers were scattered all over Mum’s office.
everywhere
In the wind, fallen leaves flew everywhere.
here and there
“I always find the odd bargain here and there,” said Gran cheerfully.
arrange (1) VERB
If you arrange to do something, or arrange something for someone, you make plans for it or make it possible.
fix
Mr Pearson fixed our soccer game for next Tuesday afternoon.
organize
Mum said she would organize a trip to the zoo during the holidays.
plan
Dad planned a secret birthday surprise for Mum.
prepare
Most good chefs prepare their menu well in advance.
settle
The old lady settled her affairs before she left town.
arrange (2) VERB
If you arrange objects, you set them out in a particular way.
group
For the photograph, all the wedding guests were grouped in front of the hall door.
organize
For the tournament, players were organized into teams of five.
place
The artist carefully placed the objects she was going to paint.
position
Guards were positioned outside the palace.
arrest VERB
If the police arrest someone, they take them to a police station because they believe they may have committed a crime.
capture
A search party captured the escaped prisoner in an isolated shack.
nick INFORMAL
The bloke next door got nicked for burglary the other day.
take someone into custody
Police officers cautioned the suspect and took her into custody.
arrive VERB
When you arrive at a place, you reach it at the end of your journey.
appear
The film star finally appeared, an hour late.
show up INFORMAL
Jeremy showed up just in time.
turn up
“If you turn up late, the coach will have gone,” warned the driver.
ANTONYM: depart
artist NOUN
An artist is a person who draws or paints, or produces other works of art such as novels or music.
Types of artist:
artist
film director
musician
novelist
painter
playwright
poet
potter
sculptor
writer
ashamed ADJECTIVE
If you are ashamed, you feel embarrassed or guilty.
embarrassed
Karen was embarrassed to find that the rain had streaked her make-up.
guilty
I hadn’t done anything, but I still felt guilty about the missing money.
humiliated
Jade felt humiliated after the coach had publicly blamed her for losing the game.
sorry
Misha was sorry that his stupid comment had caused so much upset.
ask (1) VERB
If you ask someone something, you put a question to them.
enquire or inquire
“If you want more information, enquire at the desk over there,” the woman said.
interrogate
Secret police interrogated the spy about his mission, but he told them nothing.
query
Mr Blake queried the bill, saying he’d been overcharged.
question
The suspicious-looking stranger was stopped and questioned about what she was doing.
quiz
My mum quizzed me about where I was going, and who with.
ask (2) VERB
If you ask for something, you say you would like to have it.
appeal
Our church appealed for money to help repair the roof.
apply
If you are travelling abroad, you must apply for a passport.
beg
I begged Mum to let me go to the party, but she said no.
beseech
“Have mercy on me, I beseech you!” the frog prince cried to the princess.
demand
The angry diner demanded to know what a beetle was doing in his pudding.
implore
“I implore you to think twice before running away,” said Emma.
plead
The princess pleaded to be set free by the wicked witch.
request
The soccer player requested a transfer to another club.
ask (3) VERB
If you ask someone to come or go somewhere, you invite them there.
ask someone round
The vicar asked us round for a cup of tea.
bid OLD-FASHIONED
His lordship bade me enter and enquired if I would drink wine with him.
invite
Whoopee! Della has invited me to her party.
summon
King Arthur summoned his knights to an assembly at the Round Table.
asleep ADJECTIVE
If you are asleep, your eyes are closed and your whole body is resting.
dead to the world INFORMAL
Dad was dead to the world in the armchair.
fast asleep
Jim, our dog, was fast asleep with his legs in the air.
sound asleep
I was so sound asleep that my little brother had to sit on me to wake me up.
ANTONYM: awake
➔ See sleep (1) (#litres_trial_promo)
Animals that hibernate spend the winter in a state like a deep sleep.
attack (1) VERB
If a person or an animal attacks another person or animal, they use violence in order to hurt or kill them.
assault
The muggers assaulted the man, then tried to steal his wallet.
charge
The Light Brigade charged the enemy’s guns at full tilt.
mug
Unfortunately, some people are mugged on dark city streets.
raid
Police raided the house where the escaped criminal was living.
storm
Troops stormed the cliffs and succeeded in silencing the machine guns above.
ANTONYM: defend
In sport, to attack is to move forward.
attack (2) NOUN
An attack is a violent, physical action against someone or something.
assault
“This was a serious assault, for which you must pay,” said the judge grimly.
charge
The Light Brigade’s charge was brave but doomed.
invasion
The 1944 D-Day landings in France formed the biggest invasion in world history.
raid
The air raids continued night after night.
strike
The missile strike destroyed the buildings.
ANTONYM: defence
automatic ADJECTIVE
An automatic machine is programmed to do a task without needing a person to operate it.
automated
The new automated answering service kept Dad waiting for half an hour.
computerized
Most photocopiers are computerized these days.
robotic
In car factories, robotic arms put most of the parts together.
self-propelling
My self-propelling model glider worked by twisting an elastic band.
avoid (1) VERB
If you avoid someone or something, you keep away from them.
dodge
We dodged our nosy neighbour by hiding behind a tree as she went past.
elude
By going out of the back door, the celebrity eluded the photographers.
evade
The criminal managed to evade the police for several days, but was eventually caught.
shun
The shy film star shunned publicity, preferring a quiet family life.
steer clear of INFORMAL
“If I were you I’d steer clear of that quarry,” my dad said sternly.
avoid (2) VERB
If you avoid doing something, you make an effort not to do it.
dodge INFORMAL
My lazy brother tried to dodge cleaning the car, but Dad made him do it.
duck out of INFORMAL
I tried to duck out of unpacking the dishwasher, with no success.
escape
The prisoner tried to escape, but the police officer stopped him.
get out of
“It’s no use trying to get out of it. You’ll have to mow the lawn,” said Dad.
shirk
The farmer tried to shirk responsibility for the pollution in the river.
away ADVERB
If you are away from somewhere, you are not in that place.
absent
With such a high temperature, Edward was forced to be absent from school.
elsewhere
I searched the house for my gran, but she was obviously elsewhere.
on holiday
Our family is going on holiday to Florida this summer.
To be away from school when you should be there is to play truant.
awful ADJECTIVE
Something awful is very unpleasant or very bad.
appalling
The karaoke singer’s voice was appalling – he sounded like a dog howling!
dreadful
We had a dreadful time in Venice. All the streets were flooded.
fearful INFORMAL
Mr Bellamy had a fearful cold and sneezed all the way to London.
frightful
The house was in a frightful state after it had been burgled.
ghastly INFORMAL
Mum made a ghastly mistake, and put salt in the cake mixture instead of sugar.
gruesome
The room where the murder had taken place was a gruesome sight.
harrowing
The film was harrowing to watch.
hideous
The monster’s head was truly hideous: bloated, scarred and covered in scales.
horrendous
It was a horrendous meal, with half of the food burnt and the other half undercooked.
horrible
For one horrible moment, I thought my wallet had been stolen.
horrid
“William, that was a perfectly horrid thing to say,” said Mrs Brown.
horrific
“Unless this fog goes, I’m afraid there’ll be a horrific accident,” the police officer said.
shocking
“I think it’s shocking,” put in Dad, “that those refugees should be left without shelter.”
terrible
The sun rose on the scene of the earthquake, a terrible sight to behold.
unpleasant
Shingles is a very unpleasant disease to have.
ANTONYM: lovely
awkward (1) ADJECTIVE
If a situation is awkward, it is difficult to deal with.
delicate
It was a delicate situation: to ask Julie about her exams or not to mention the subject.
embarrassing
It was very embarrassing to be stuck outside in my pyjamas in the pouring rain!
tricky
“Now this bit could be tricky,” muttered Bond coolly. “Which wire should I cut?”
uncomfortable
The spy had an uncomfortable moment when the guards stared in through the car window.
awkward (2) ADJECTIVE
If a person or animal is awkward, they are difficult to deal with.
hard to handle
Donkeys have a reputation for being hard to handle.
stubborn
My brother can be very stubborn when it comes to helping me wash up.
troublesome
On the journey to Scotland, the car proved troublesome, but eventually we got there.
uncooperative
The lady at the enquiries desk was uncooperative and didn’t help at all.
Bb (#ulink_b0631866-f1be-5e90-9083-c9e5a316403f)
baby NOUN
A baby is a child in the first year or two of its life.
infant
The shepherds found the infant in a stable, lying in a manger.
newborn child
The mother proudly gazed at her tiny newborn child.
toddler
Waddling on bandy legs, the toddler was off round the corner in a flash.
tot INFORMAL
“Don’t tease your brother,” said Mum. “He’s only a tot.”
The babies of animals and humans are their offspring. Together, the babies of an animal are sometimes called a litter.
back NOUN
The back of something is the part behind the front.
end
At the end of the queue, people were setting up tents for the night.
rear
I could see smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle in front.
reverse
Genevieve wrote her answers on the reverse of the worksheet.
ANTONYM: front
The back part of an animal is its rear, rump or hindquarters. The back end of a ship is the stern.
bad (1) ADJECTIVE
Bad things are harmful or upsetting.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
appalling
The weather for our sports day was appalling.
damaging
The fumes emitted by jet aircraft can be highly damaging to the environment.
dangerous
Building sites are dangerous places which should be avoided.
distressing
Melinda found it distressing to see pictures of starving children.
dreadful
It was a dreadful shame: all Barak’s hard work disappeared as the blaze took hold.
grave
A spokesperson announced the grave news that the king was dying.
serious
The artist’s illness was too serious for him to continue painting.
terrible
Our goalkeeper was terrible today. She let in four easy shots!
ANTONYM: good
bad (2) ADJECTIVE
A bad person is naughty or unkind.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
corrupt
The corrupt politician had taken money from all sorts of people.
cruel
I can’t stand people being cruel to children or animals.
disobedient
The disobedient boy ignored the warning notice and fell into the quarry.
evil
The evil villain plotted how to ensnare the handsome knight.
mischievous
Tying Kerry’s shoelaces together was a mischievous prank.
naughty
“You’re a naughty girl, Cassandra,” said her mother angrily.
wicked
The wicked witch lived alone.
ANTONYM: good
Names for bad people include rogue, villain and scoundrel.
bad (3) ADJECTIVE
Bad can also mean of poor quality.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
abysmal
“Such abysmal work will have to be redone,” said Mr Malone severely.
atrocious
The reporter admitted that his spelling was atrocious.
faulty
Engineers soon fixed the faulty telephone line.
inferior
The paint Dad bought was of inferior quality – it was hard to use and didn’t last long.
shoddy
Owing to shoddy workmanship, the house had to be redecorated.
unsatisfactory
The head teacher wrote that my school report was unsatisfactory.
ANTONYM: excellent
badly (1) ADVERB
If you do something badly, you do it in an inferior way.
inadequately
He had been inadequately trained for the job.
poorly
The event was poorly organized.
shoddily
This house has been shoddily built.
unsatisfactorily
I feel the whole business has been handled unsatisfactorily.
ANTONYM: well
badly (2) ADVERB
If something affects you badly, it affects you in a serious way.
deeply
I am deeply hurt by these remarks.
gravely
He was gravely ill following a heart operation.
seriously
Four people have been seriously injured.
bad-mannered ADJECTIVE
Bad-mannered people are rude and thoughtless.
disrespectful
It is disrespectful to interrupt people when they are speaking.
inconsiderate
It was inconsiderate of Meg to take a second helping when others had not had their first.
rude
We decided not to leave a tip for the rude waiter.
bad-tempered ADJECTIVE
Bad-tempered people often lose their temper.
grumpy
Dad is always cheerful in the mornings. It’s me that is grumpy.
irritable
Some people get irritable when you read over their shoulder.
moody
When people are moody, you never quite know how they will greet you.
quarrelsome
The two quarrelsome brothers were always looking for a fight.
sulky
“If you’re going to be sulky, miss, you can go to your room,” Dad replied.
sullen
The sullen waiter snatched my plate and stalked off to the kitchen.
bag NOUN
A bag is a container for carrying things in.
Some types of bag:
backpack
briefcase
carrier bag
duffel bag
handbag
holdall
rucksack
sack
satchel
shopping bag
shoulder bag
suitcase
ban VERB
If you ban something, you forbid it to be done.
make illegal
The government proposes to make illegal the sale of imitation guns.
prohibit
Using all sorts of barricades, the landowner prohibited walkers from crossing his land.
bang (1) NOUN
A bang is a hard, painful bump against something.
blow
Kirstin suffered a blow to her head when the door opened suddenly.
knock
When I slipped on the stairs, I got a sharp knock on my funny bone.
bang (2) NOUN
A bang is a sudden, short, loud noise.
blast
The blast echoed round the quarry.
thud
With a thud, the encyclopedia hit the floor.
bare (1) ADJECTIVE
If your body is bare, it is not covered by any clothing.
in your birthday suit INFORMAL
I dreamt I was walking down the high street in my birthday suit.
naked
Lady Godiva rode naked on a horse through the middle of town.
nude
For many centuries, the nude body has been a popular subject for artists.
undressed
The nurse asked me to get undressed, ready for the medical examination.
without a stitch on INFORMAL
“And there I was, without a stitch on,” Mrs Lee, our neighbour, told me.
bare (2) ADJECTIVE
If something is bare, it is not covered with anything.
barren
The Grand Canyon, although magnificent, is a barren wilderness.
bleak
The Brontë sisters lived on the edge of a bleak, windswept moor.
desolate
The abandoned town was desolate.
➔ See empty (1) (#litres_trial_promo)
barrier NOUN
A barrier is a fence or wall that prevents people or animals getting from one area to another.
barricade
The protesters erected a barricade across the main street.
obstacle
There are lots of obstacles to get over and under in an obstacle race.
obstruction
The roadworks were an obstruction and drivers had to be diverted around them.
base (1) NOUN
The base is the lowest part of something.
bottom
The lost cat mewed at the bottom of the well.
foot
“Please would you stand on the foot of my ladder to stop it slipping?” Dad asked.
foundation
The foundations of New York’s skyscrapers rest on solid rock.
base (2) NOUN
A base is the headquarters of an organization.
centre
A humble office in a run-down district was the unlikely centre of a huge corporation.
headquarters
We arranged to meet at our scout headquarters at four o’clock.
HQ
“HQ calling Tank 5,” the colonel snapped.
bat NOUN
A bat is a specially shaped piece of wood with a handle, used for hitting a ball in some games.
You play with…
a bat in baseball, cricket, rounders, softball and table tennis.
a club in golf.
a cue in pool and snooker.
a racket in badminton, squash and tennis.
a stick in hockey.
battle NOUN
A battle is a fight between armed forces, or a struggle between two people or groups with different aims.
action
It was the first time that the young soldier had seen action.
conflict
There was a conflict of opinions: the red party on one side, the greens on the other.
struggle
The struggle for power between the king and the government was a long one.
beach NOUN
The beach is an area of sand or pebbles beside the sea.
sands
The lifeguards sprinted down the sands and plunged into the waves.
seashore
After the tanker disaster, much of the seashore was coated in an oily sludge.
seaside
Aaron loved to spend his holidays at the seaside.
shore
We walked along the shore, looking for attractive shells.
water’s edge
The water’s edge was a seething mass of turtles.
beat (1) VERB
If someone or something beats someone or something else, they hit them hard and repeatedly.
batter
The burglar had battered down the door.
flog
In Nelson’s day, sailors who stole would be flogged with a whip called a cat-o’-nine-tails.
pound
Waves pounded the shore as the wind rose to screaming pitch.
thrash
The bully threatened, “Tom Brown, I shall thrash the living daylights out of you.”
beat (2) VERB
If you beat someone in a race or game, you defeat them or do better than them.
conquer
William, Duke of Normandy, conquered England in 1066.
lick INFORMAL
Abdel really licked me in the 100 metres sprint race.
run rings round INFORMAL
Our speedy attackers ran rings round their lumbering defenders.
thrash INFORMAL
“It’s a safe bet that we’ll get thrashed when we play you,” said Tim.
wipe the floor with INFORMAL
Our school team wiped the floor with kids much bigger than they were.
beautiful ADJECTIVE
You say someone or something is beautiful if they are very pleasing to look at.
attractive
People say my sister is attractive.
gorgeous
I overheard Dad telling Mum she looked gorgeous.
lovely
The photograph, I had to admit, even made my aunt look lovely.
pretty
Even some garden weeds can look pretty at certain times.
stunning INFORMAL
The sunset over the mountains was nothing less than stunning.
ANTONYMS: ugly or unattractive
beauty (1) NOUN
If a person has beauty, they have the quality of being beautiful.
elegance
Every movement the duchess made had an elegance about it.
good looks
The actor possessed rugged good looks.
loveliness
The opera singer’s loveliness was not matched by her selfish behaviour.
beauty (2) NOUN
If a place has beauty, it has the quality of being beautiful.
charm
This country cottage has tremendous charm and character.
loveliness
I think the loveliness of Athens is somewhat spoilt by the pollution.
splendour
Rome is famous for the splendour of its ancient buildings.
ANTONYM: ugliness
because CONJUNCTION
Because is used with other words to give a reason for something.
as
As you’ve been so helpful, I’ll treat you to an ice cream.
owing to
Owing to work on the track this Sunday, trains will be delayed.
since
“Since Fred is here, why don’t we build a tree house?” my sister suggested.
thanks to
I got no pocket money, thanks to my brother telling tales on me.
bed NOUN
A bed is a piece of furniture that you lie on when you sleep.
Some types of bed:
bunk beds
cot
cradle
double bed
futon
hammock
inflatable bed
single bed
sofa bed
water bed
Some things that are put on a bed:
bedspread
blanket
duvet
eiderdown
mattress
pillow
pillowcase
quilt
sheet
sleeping bag
before ADVERB
If something happens before, it happens earlier than something else.
formerly
Formerly, Mrs Patterson was a teacher at my dad’s old school.
previously
Previously, Mr Cruickshank had always let us off homework, but not today.
sooner
If I had got the invitation sooner, I would have come to the party.
Something that goes before something else precedes it.
begin VERB
If you begin something, you start it.
commence
The king shouted “Let battle commence!” and the two knights thundered towards each other.
embark on
As soon as we’d embarked on our journey to the park, it started to rain.
set about
We set about digging the vegetable garden.
start
Dad told me to start my homework soon.
ANTONYM: end
beginner NOUN
A beginner is someone who has just started to learn something.
learner
Swimmers use the big pool, while learners use the shallower pool.
novice
Although a complete novice, Britney showed a flair for ski jumping.
ANTONYM: veteran
beginning NOUN
The beginning of something is when or where it starts.
introduction
In the introduction, the author explains how she came to write the book.
opening
The band played at the opening of the fête.
origin
The origin of the universe is still a mystery.
ANTONYM: end
behave VERB
If you behave in a particular way, you act that way.
act
Emir is acting like a spoilt child.
function
“The girls are finally functioning as a team!” exclaimed the coach.
operate
Sally operates in a certain way to get what she wants.
work
Anoup worked methodically in order to get the work done.
believe (1) VERB
If you believe someone, you accept that they are telling the truth.
accept
It took some people a long time to accept that the world was round.
be certain of
“We have to be certain of your story before we can take action,” warned the sergeant.
have faith in
It is important to have faith in your own ability, Grandad says.
trust
I trust my sister, even if she is rotten to me sometimes.
ANTONYMS: disbelieve or doubt
Something that you cannot believe is unbelievable or incredible.
believe (2) VERB
If you believe that something is true, you think that it is true.
feel
“How do you feel the match will go?” asked the interviewer.
presume
Mr Jackson said, “I presume you will all be handing in your homework tomorrow.”
suppose
I suppose that the school sports day will be in July as usual.
bell NOUN
A bell is a cup-shaped metal object with a piece inside it called a clapper that hits the side and makes a ringing sound.
Verbs that express the sound of bells:
chime
clang
jingle
peal
ring
sound
strike
tinkle
toll
belongings NOUN
Your belongings are all the things that you own.
possessions
Almost all their possessions were destroyed in the fire.
property
“Make sure your property is labelled,” insisted Miss Carter.
stuff
The firefighters grabbed their stuff and jumped in the cab.
below PREPOSITION OR ADVERB
If something is below something else, it is in a lower position.
beneath
Beneath the trees, bluebells were waving in the breeze.
under
With the help of a torch, I could read secretly under my duvet.
underneath
Underneath the streets are hundreds of miles of sewers.
ANTONYM: above
bend (1) VERB
When something bends, it becomes curved or crooked.
buckle
The car buckled when the elephant sat on it.
curve
After the village, the road curves to the left.
twist
The ornament was made of glass twisted into patterns.
warp
My DVD warped when I left it in the sun.
ANTONYM: straighten
bend (2) VERB
When you bend, you move your head and shoulders forwards and downwards.
crouch
Lyra crouched behind the bushes, waiting for the policeman to turn away.
duck
Duck, or you’ll hit your head on the beam!
stoop
Farouk stooped to pick up a coin from the path.
beside PREPOSITION
If one thing is beside another, it is next to it.
adjacent to
Adjacent to the station was an old signal box.
alongside
The lifeboat rowed up alongside the stricken yacht, and the crew jumped across.
next to
The boy sitting next to me kept prodding me with a ruler.
besides PREPOSITION
Besides can mean in addition to.
apart from
Apart from some shorts and a T-shirt, I’m taking very little with me.
other than
Other than our family, there was hardly anybody on the beach.
best ADJECTIVE
Best is the superlative of good and well.
finest
Wuffles is the finest dog food money can buy.
foremost
“This is the foremost house in the area,” the agent began.
leading
The operation will be performed by the world’s leading surgeon.
outstanding
Our birthday presents from Grandma are always outstanding.
supreme
The judges thought that our dog Crumpet was the supreme entrant in the competition.
ANTONYM: worst
better (1) ADJECTIVE
Better is the comparative of good and well.
higher quality
Steak is usually higher quality than other cuts of meat.
more suitable
The lightweight tent proved more suitable for the expedition.
preferable
Of the two designs, I think the red is preferable.
superior
Usually, superior products cost more than inferior ones.
ANTONYM: worse
better (2) ADJECTIVE
If you are better after an illness, you are no longer ill.
healed
The doctor told Sheila that her broken leg was completely healed.
improved
Gran was much improved after her operation.
recovered
Ali is now recovered after a bout of flu.
beware VERB
If you tell someone to beware of something, you are warning them that it might be dangerous or harmful.
be careful
“Be careful, child, for there are wolves in the forest!” said Red Riding Hood’s mother.
guard against
With exams, it’s important to guard against being over-confident.
look out
Look out! Here comes another avalanche.
watch out
Watch out, or that sail will hit you when the boat turns!
bicycle NOUN
A bicycle is a vehicle with two wheels that you ride by using your legs to make the wheels turn.
Parts of a bicycle:
bell
chain
crossbar
handlebars
mudguard
pedal
saddle
wheel
big (1) ADJECTIVE
Something or someone big is large.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
colossal
To an ant, an elephant must seem colossal.
enormous
Why do singers always get presented with enormous bunches of flowers?
extensive
View our extensive range of furniture today!
giant
Get the new giant pack of Whizzo miracle washing liquid.
gigantic
The section of bridge required a gigantic crane to lift it.
huge
Gran gave me a huge hug.
immense
The floods had covered an immense area of the county.
infinite
Outer space is infinite, with no known limits.
mammoth
Barnum and Bailey’s mammoth circus had two separate rings.
massive
“Astronomers believe a massive asteroid is heading for earth,” said the newsreader.
mighty
Mighty Tarzan flexed his muscles, then swung off through the trees.
roomy
“You’ll find this is a roomy loft,” the estate agent said.
sizable
Our house has a sizable garden.
spacious
The living room is spacious, but the kitchen is cramped.
vast
The Sahara Desert is a vast area of rolling sand dunes.
big (2) ADJECTIVE
Something big is important.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
important
It was an important day in Sophie’s life – her first at her new school.
momentous
The Prime Minister made the momentous decision – the country was going to war.
serious
A serious accident had blocked the road.
significant
Having an injured soldier to carry made a significant difference to their progress.
bird NOUN
A bird is an animal with feathers and wings.
Some birds:
blackbird
crane
crow
cuckoo
dove
duck
emu
finch
flamingo
goose
heron
hummingbird
jackdaw
kingfisher
kiwi
kookaburra
lark
magpie
nightingale
ostrich
owl
parrot
peacock
pelican
penguin
pigeon
puffin
raven
robin
rook
sparrow
starling
stork
swallow
swan
thrush
woodpecker
bit NOUN
A bit of something is a small amount of it.
chunk
Sam broke off a chunk of chocolate and gobbled it up.
fraction
I arrived a fraction of a moment too late. The bus was just leaving.
fragment
Fragments of the wrecked aircraft were found all over the field.
morsel
“Kind sir, please spare me a morsel of food,” begged Oliver.
part
A part of me wanted to stay and yet I was also desperate to leave.
piece
Marina cut the cake into pieces and took the largest one for herself.
scrap
My dad writes reminders to himself on scraps of paper.
bite VERB
If you bite something, you use your teeth to hold, cut or tear it.
champ
The horse champed at the bit as it waited impatiently for the race to begin.
chomp
Dad says that I chomp my food like a waste-disposal unit.
gnaw
Mice had gnawed through the electric wires.
nibble
Some creature had nibbled at the chair leg.
bitter ADJECTIVE
A bitter taste is sharp and unpleasant.
sour
If you leave milk in the sun, it turns sour.
tart
The lemon cake was slightly tart.
blame VERB
If someone blames a person for something bad that has happened, they believe that person caused it to happen.
accuse
The woman was accused of kidnapping the young child.
charge
Police charged the man with being drunk and disorderly.
hold responsible
At the enquiry, the bus company was held responsible for the accident.
block (1) VERB
If someone or something blocks a road or channel, they put something across it so that nothing can get through.
bar
Access to the back road was barred by a police checkpoint.
bung up INFORMAL
I could hardly breathe, my nose was so bunged up.
choke
The traffic jam choked the road into town for many hours.
clog up
Don’t pour liquid fat down the sink as it clogs up the drains when it sets.
dam
Beavers dam streams with logs to create a pool which will not freeze solid in winter.
obstruct
Uncle Pete tried to obstruct the door as I went through, but I ducked under his arm!
block (2) VERB
If someone tries to block something, they try to stop it happening.
hinder
Our dog, Jim, hinders Mum by attacking the vacuum cleaner.
impede
The walkers’ progress was impeded by an angry goat on the path.
obstruct
The protesters were arrested for obstructing the police.
prevent
Residents prevented a nightclub from being built near their houses.
thwart
The wicked baron was thwarted in his evil plans by a quick-thinking boy.
block (3) NOUN
A block is something put across a road or channel so that nothing can get through.
barrier
For the parade, barriers were erected to keep the crowds back.
blockage
“There’s a blockage in the drain under the sink,” the plumber said.
obstacle
Alpa had to overcome many obstacles on his road to success.
obstruction
If you swallow chewing gum, it may cause an obstruction in your stomach.
block (4) NOUN
A block is a large, rectangular, three-dimensional piece of something.
bar
The robbers put the gold bars in the back of the getaway van.
chunk
A chunk of metal fell off the back of the truck as it left the scrap yard.
lump
With the help of a wheel, the potter formed the shapeless lump of clay into a vase.
blue ADJECTIVE
If something is blue, it has the colour of the sky on a sunny day.
Shades of blue:
aquamarine
azure
indigo
navy
sky blue
turquoise
boast VERB
If you boast, you talk proudly about what you have or what you can do.
brag
Alison couldn’t resist bragging about her new DVD player.
blow your own trumpet
I prefer modest people to those who blow their own trumpet.
crow
Paulo was so busy crowing about his marks, that he didn’t see Mrs Walker behind him.
show off
Brian is always showing off about the amount of pocket money he gets.
boat NOUN
A boat is a floating vehicle for travelling across water.
craft
At that distance, it was hard for the coastguard to identify the craft.
ship
Sir Francis Drake sailed in a ship he named the Golden Hind.
vessel
The tiny tug was nevertheless a sturdy vessel, capable of pulling much larger boats.
Leisure boats:
canoe
catamaran
dinghy
kayak
powerboat
raft
rowing boat
sailing boat
speedboat
yacht
Working boats:
barge
ferry
galleon OLD-FASHIONED
hovercraft
hydrofoil
liner
steamboat
tanker
trawler
tug
Boats used in war:
aircraft carrier
cruiser
destroyer
frigate
galleon OLD-FASHIONED
submarine
body NOUN
Your body is all of you, from your head to your feet.
build
Although flyweight boxers only have a slight build, they are powerful for their size.
figure
My sister maintains her figure by practising yoga regularly.
form
A shadowy form hovered at the end of Nikki’s bed, but it was only her mum, tucking her in!
physique
Most sportspeople lift weights in the gym to improve their physique.
The upper body is the trunk or torso.
Some parts of the body:
ankle
arm
calf
chest
elbow
eye
eyelash
finger
foot
genitals
head
hip
knee
leg
lips
mouth
neck
shin
shoulder
teeth
thigh
toe
tongue
wrist
bog NOUN
A bog is an area of land that is always wet and spongy.
marsh
The marsh is full of wild flowers at this time of year.
morass
After the agricultural show had finished, the field was a morass.
quagmire
Thanks to the pouring rain, the fairground became a quagmire.
swamp
“Be careful of that swamp,” Holmes warned.
boil VERB
When a liquid boils, or when you boil it, it starts to bubble and give off steam.
bubble
The witch cackled as she stirred the potion bubbling in the cauldron.
steam
The geyser steamed for an hour before erupting violently.
bone NOUN
A bone is one of the hard white parts inside your body.
Some bones:
backbone
cheekbone
jawbone
kneecap
rib
skull
book NOUN
A book is a number of pages held together inside a cover.
A word for all books is literature.
Some other words for a book:
edition
hardback
paperback
publication
volume
work
Some types of book:
address book
album
annual
anthology
atlas
brochure
catalogue
cookbook
diary
dictionary
directory
encyclopedia
exercise book
guidebook
hymnbook
jotter
manual
notebook
novel
reference book
scrapbook
storybook
textbook
thesaurus
boring ADJECTIVE
Something boring is dull and uninteresting.
dreary
“That’s a dreary picture,” said Dad. “Who painted it?”
monotonous
The professor’s monotonous voice droned on through the hot afternoon.
tedious
Waiting in traffic jams is a tedious business.
ANTONYM: interesting
boss NOUN
Someone’s boss is the person in charge of the place where they work.
employer
My Dad’s employer is an American.
head
The shop assistant worked so hard, she soon became head of her department.
leader
The party leader hoped one day to be elected Prime Minister.
manager
Dad is manager of a supermarket. Mum is manager of a shoe shop.
supervisor
Carol’s supervisor let her have the afternoon off work to go to the doctor.
bossy ADJECTIVE
If you are bossy, you like to order other people around.
arrogant
The arrogant boss had a rather unfriendly management style.
domineering
The timid husband had a domineering wife.
overbearing
My Uncle Ted can be overbearing.
bother (1) NOUN
A bother is a trouble, fuss or difficulty.
inconvenience
We apologize for any inconvenience our repair work may cause you.
nuisance
“Toddlers can be a real nuisance – always getting in the way!” said Nurse Adams.
trouble
Miss Pollard apologized on arrival. “I don’t want to be any trouble to you,” she said.
bother (2) VERB
If something bothers you, you are worried about it.
concern
The pilot was clearly concerned about the poor weather.
disturb
The Kemps were disturbed by the disappearance of their dog.
fluster
My sister is easily flustered, especially if she’s in a hurry.
trouble
This latest news from Egypt troubles me greatly.
worry
“Don’t worry, you won’t forget your lines,” said Ajay.
bottom (1) NOUN
The bottom of something is the lowest part of it.
base
The base of the iceberg is hidden beneath the surface of the water.
foot
The chest of gold lay at the foot of a long, winding flight of stairs.
ANTONYM: top
bottom (2) NOUN
The bottom is the lowest part of an ocean, sea or river.
bed
To his utter delight, the prospector saw gold nuggets glinting on the river bed.
depths
The depths of the ocean are darker than we can imagine.
floor
The Titanic lay unseen and undisturbed on the sea floor for 70 years.
ANTONYM: surface
bottom (3) NOUN
Your bottom is the part of your body that you sit on.
backside
“Ashraf, get off your backside and give me a hand!” Dad said.
behind
My behind ached for days after the injection.
buttocks
Horse riding develops the muscles in one’s buttocks and thighs.
posterior
The toddler fell on his posterior.
rear end
“Get lost, Alfie!” said Olly, and aimed a tennis ball at Alfie’s rear end.
bounce VERB
When an object bounces, it springs back from something after hitting it.
bound
The ball bounded off the post, straight into the goalkeeper’s hands.
ricochet Said “rik-osh-ay”
During the gun battle, bullets ricocheted off the walls in a terrifying fashion.
box NOUN
A box is a container with a firm base and sides, and usually a lid.
Types of box:
carton
case
casket
chest
container
crate
package
packet
trunk
brainy ADJECTIVE INFORMAL
Someone who is brainy is clever and good at learning things.
bright
“We’re looking for someone bright for the job,” the interviewer said.
brilliant
You could tell Narinder was brilliant from the start. He could read fluently at the age of two.
clever
My sister was always a lot cleverer than I was.
intelligent
Air-traffic controllers have to be intelligent and alert.
smart
“As you’re so smart, Rumpold, I’m promoting you!” the manager said.
brave ADJECTIVE
A brave person is willing to do dangerous things and does not show any fear.
bold
I’m not bold enough to ride that rollercoaster.
courageous
Many ordinary situations demand courageous behaviour.
daring
The daring stuntwoman jumped across ten cars on her motorbike.
fearless
The fearless St George rode straight towards the dragon.
intrepid
The intrepid explorer risked death to reach the Pole.
break (1) VERB
When an object breaks, or when it is broken, it becomes damaged or separates into pieces.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
crack
The giant egg cracked, and a pink beak pushed its way out.
fracture
“You have fractured your leg in three places,” said the doctor.
shatter
The windscreen shattered as the car careered into the barrier.
smash
At the fête, there’s a chance to smash plates by throwing balls at them.
snap
Sanjiv snapped the bar of chocolate in half and gave some to Kelly.
splinter
The boat’s hull splintered as the novice yachtsman rammed the pier.
break (2) NOUN
A break is a short period during which you rest or do something different.
breather INFORMAL
“Let’s stop for a breather,” suggested Josie.
interval
Between the two acts of the play there will be an interval of 15 minutes.
pause
There was a pause of several seconds before the audience started to applaud.
rest
“What you need is a long rest,” said the head teacher to the exhausted teacher.
breakable ADJECTIVE
Something that is breakable is easy to break.
brittle
Dry earth is brittle and crumbles easily.
delicate
“Handle that antique vase gently. It’s delicate,” the auctioneer shouted.
easily broken
Pottery is easily broken.
flimsy
In traditional Japanese houses the interior walls are often flimsy, almost see-through.
fragile
The label on the box read “Fragile”, but the camera within was damaged beyond repair.
break down VERB
When a machine or a vehicle breaks down, it stops working.
conk out INFORMAL
The motorcyclist looked helpless. “Give us a push please, mate. My bike’s conked out.”
fail
When the steam train failed, a diesel had to tow it back to the depot.
go wrong
“I just knew that fancy vacuum cleaner would go wrong,” Mum sighed.
seize up
Our lawn mower seized up when a twig got jammed in the blades.
If someone’s car has a breakdown, it stops working during a journey.
break up VERB
If something breaks up, it comes apart.
disintegrate
Because of the explosion, the plane disintegrated in midair.
fall apart
My wonderful go-kart fell apart during its maiden trip.
When a married couple break up, they separate or get a divorce.
breathless ADJECTIVE
If you are breathless, you are breathing very fast or with difficulty.
gasping
By the time we reached the ridge of the hill, we were gasping.
out of breath
My gran gets out of breath even when she bends down.
puffed out INFORMAL
After running for the train I was puffed out.
puffing and panting INFORMAL
By the end of the fathers’ race Dad was puffing and panting.
wheezing
The poor asthmatic girl was still wheezing even after using her inhaler.
bright (1) ADJECTIVE
Bright colours or things are strong and startling.
brilliant
The brilliant diamond glittered in the light.
dazzling
We stepped out into dazzling sunshine.
gleaming
I polished Dad’s car until it was gleaming.
glistening
The glistening dewdrop sat like a jewel on the leaf.
glittering
For the show, Mum made me a glittering dress with sequins all over.
glowing
The glowing fire lit the old cottage kitchen far into the night.
shimmering
The sun rose as the ship sailed out onto the shimmering sea.
shining
The shining stars lit up the night.
twinkling
From the opposite shore we could see the twinkling lights of the town.
vivid
The parrot’s feathers were vivid shades of red, green and blue.
ANTONYMS: dim or dull
bright (2) ADJECTIVE
Someone who is bright is clever.
clever
My aunt is clever. At antique fairs, she never misses a bargain.
intelligent
Collies are intelligent dogs and can understand many commands.
quick-witted
Reginald’s quick-witted action saved his house from burning down.
smart
People say I’m smart because I’m as quick as lightning at identifying pop songs.
bright (3) ADJECTIVE
Someone who is bright is cheerful.
cheerful
A cheerful manner is important if you are dealing with the public.
jolly
My grandpa is a jolly man who always seems to be smiling.
light-hearted
In our class, discussions are always light-hearted, never too serious.
lively
Mrs Fenkle is a lively teacher, who always makes lessons interesting.
brilliant (1) ADJECTIVE
A brilliant colour or light is extremely bright.
bright
The dentist shone a bright light into my mouth so he could see my teeth clearly.
dazzling
The magnificent ruby was a dazzling red.
sparkling
As the plane came in to land, we could see the sparkling city lights below.
brilliant (2) ADJECTIVE
Someone who is brilliant is extremely clever or skilful.
exceptional
Parvinder is an exceptional pupil and is certain to go to university.
gifted
The Russian was a gifted pianist before he became a conductor.
talented
Nicole is a talented actress who would like to go to stage school.
bring VERB
If you bring something with you when you go to a place, you take it with you.
carry
A hotel porter’s job is to carry people’s luggage to their rooms.
convey
The minibus conveyed people out to the waiting aircraft.
transport
Cable cars transport sightseers to the top of the mountain.
bubbles PLURAL NOUN
Bubbles are balls of gas in a liquid.
fizz
“My cola has lost its fizz,” Wayne complained.
foam
As the tap kept running, the foam spilt over the sides of the bath.
froth
As we added the lemonade to the orange juice, froth started to appear on top.
suds
The washing-up bowl was full of suds.
bug NOUN INFORMAL
A bug is an infection or virus that makes you ill.
disease
The disease spread rapidly, and soon thousands were infected.
germ
Lydia must have caught some sort of germ, because she’s very poorly.
infection
Hospitals have to fight a constant battle against infection.
virus
Antibiotics are not effective in curing a virus.
build VERB
If you build something, you make it from all its parts.
assemble
“Assembling a bookcase from a kit is easy,” Dad said. Ours collapsed two days later.
construct
Grandad helped me construct a tree house in our back garden.
erect
The monument was erected within a week.
ANTONYM: demolish
building NOUN
A building is a structure with walls and a roof.
construction
The huge construction on the edge of town is going to be the new sports centre.
structure
The Eiffel Tower in Paris is perhaps the world’s best-known structure.
Buildings to live in:
bungalow
cabin
castle
cottage
flat
house
maisonette
mansion
palace
semidetached house
terraced house
tower block
Buildings to work in or visit:
barn
college
factory
fire station
gallery
garage
hospital
laboratory
library
lighthouse
museum
office block
police station
post office
power station
restaurant
school
shop
skyscraper
store
supermarket
theatre
warehouse
windmill
Buildings to worship in:
cathedral
chapel
church
gurdwara
mosque
synagogue
temple
build up VERB
If something builds up, it becomes greater.
accumulate
Snow accumulated on the snowball as it rolled downhill.
amass
Old Mr Godber amassed a fortune through dealing in scrap metal.
collect
A layer of dust and dead flies had collected on top of my wardrobe.
bully VERB
If someone bullies you into doing something, they make you do it by using force or threats.
frighten
The boys who frightened me by calling me names got into trouble.
intimidate
“Don’t try to intimidate me,” the old lady called. “I’m not afraid of you!”
terrorize
Some fanatics try to terrorize others by setting off bombs.
threaten
When the bully threatened me, I used my judo skills to stop him in his tracks.
bump (1) VERB
If you bump into something, you knock into it accidentally.
collide with
My bike collided with a tree at top speed.
knock
Julian knocked his knee against the table leg.
strike
Allegra fell downstairs, striking her head on the banister.
To bump into someone is to meet them by chance.
bump (2) NOUN
A bump is a sound like something knocking into something else.
thud
I heard a thud from upstairs – my sister had fallen out of bed.
thump
The apple landed with a thump on the ground beneath the tree.
bump (3) NOUN
A bump is a raised, uneven part of a surface.
bulge
The bulge under the shoplifter’s coat proved to be a clock radio.
lump
I couldn’t sleep last night because of a lump in my mattress.
swelling
When I banged my head I got a swelling over my eye, but it soon went down.
bumpy ADJECTIVE
Something that is bumpy has a rough, uneven surface.
rough
The pirate’s chin was rough, as though he had shaved with a knife and fork.
uneven
Our soccer pitch is uneven, which makes the ball’s bounce unpredictable.
bunch (1) NOUN
A bunch is a group of things together.
bundle
The servant gathered a bundle of twigs.
cluster
Clusters of grapes hung from the vine.
A bunch of flowers is a bouquet, posy or spray. A bunch of flowers for a funeral is a wreath.
bunch (2) NOUN
A bunch is a group of people.
crowd
The crowd grew restless as the floodlights stayed off.
gang
In the old days, gangs of sailors would use force to persuade men to join the navy.
party
A party of people from each school turned up for the tug-of-war.
burglar NOUN
A burglar is someone who breaks into buildings and steals things.
intruder
Dad woke up and realized that there was an intruder downstairs.
robber
The traveller was set upon by robbers, who stole his money.
thief
Thieves broke into the warehouse and stole 100 televisions.
burn (1) VERB
If something is burning, it is on fire.
be alight
The stove was still alight when we came down in the morning.
blaze
A fire blazed merrily in Mole’s sitting room.
flame
The barbecue flamed up around the burgers.
flicker
The fire flickered and crackled.
Something burning is said to be ablaze.
burn (2) VERB
To burn something can mean to damage or destroy it with fire.
char
The barbecue was too hot and charred the sausages.
scorch
The baking sun had scorched the dry grass on the prairies.
shrivel
The heat of the desert had shrivelled even the toughest of the plants.
singe
I leaned too close to the bonfire and singed my hair.
burst VERB
When something bursts, or you burst it, it splits open suddenly.
break
The coffin broke open and the zombie’s hands grasped the fractured lid.
explode
Shells were exploding just behind the enemy trenches.
rupture
A water pipe had ruptured.
split
With the force of the player’s shot, the leather ball had split.
bury VERB
If something is buried under something, it is covered by it.
conceal
The secret door was concealed behind the bookshelves in the library.
cover
I couldn’t find my homework as I had accidentally covered it with my dirty socks!
hide
Sometimes Dad hides a bone in the garden so that our dog Sadie can find it and dig it up.
secrete
The thief secreted the stolen jewels in a box under the floorboards.
➔ See hide (2) (#litres_trial_promo)
business (1) NOUN
A business is an organization that produces or sells goods, or provides a service.
company
My mum runs her own company.
corporation
Whizzo Fireworks is part of a big corporation making flares and explosives for quarries.
firm
My uncle’s firm deals in electrical supplies.
organization
“Grappo Inc,” boasted the president, “is a big organization full of high achievers.”
business (2) NOUN
Business is work relating to buying and selling goods and services.
industry
The steel industry requires plenty of water for cooling the metal.
trade
The clothing business is sometimes called the rag trade.
business (3) NOUN
Business is a general word for any event, situation or activity.
affair
“That Baskerville murder was a strange affair,” said Sherlock Holmes.
issue
Who owned the buried treasure? It was a complex issue!
matter
“Stop waffling and stick to the matter in hand,” the chairman cut in.
busy (1) ADJECTIVE
If you are busy, you are doing something.
employed
Amal would clearly be employed for the next half hour, dealing with a difficult customer.
hard at work
My brother was hard at work revising when his friends came round.
occupied
I was occupied looking after my baby brother.
working
I was working on my school project when I was interrupted by the phone ringing.
ANTONYMS: idle or unoccupied
busy (2) ADJECTIVE
A busy place is full of people doing things or moving about.
bustling
Trafalgar Square is the bustling heart of London.
hectic
The streets of Rome were hectic and noisy.
lively
There is a lively market in the town centre every Saturday.
but CONJUNCTION
But is used to introduce an idea that is opposite to what has gone before.
however
The games were about to start. However, I felt poorly and sat in the corner.
nevertheless
In my opinion, Sunita had the best fancy dress. Nevertheless, Emma got the prize.
on the other hand
My sister said she’d had a good time. On the other hand, she always says things like that.
yet
Back home, Mum ordered us to bed, yet I wasn’t really tired.
buy VERB
If you buy something, you get it by paying money for it.
acquire
The school acquired a piece of land to extend the playing field.
obtain
Dad obtained tickets for the match.
pay for
We saved up our pocket money and used it to pay for a new CD player.
purchase
“My good man, where in your emporium can I purchase a handbag?” sniffed Lady Bracknell.
Cc (#ulink_f1df0d25-3a64-5787-82e7-ab032a834043)
café NOUN
A café is a place where you can buy light meals and drinks.
coffee shop
My sister took me into her favourite coffee shop for a treat.
snack bar
Dad remembers when that expensive restaurant was a simple snack bar.
teashop
On holiday, we had tea and scones in an old-fashioned teashop.
call (1) VERB
If you call someone or something a particular name, that is their name.
christen
My mum has christened her little soft-top car William.
name
My parents wanted to name me Humphrey, but changed their minds.
call (2) VERB
If you call someone, you telephone them.
phone
“Dad just phoned to say he’ll be home shortly,” I told Mum.
ring
Lisa rang the hospital to see how her brother was doing.
telephone
“If you telephone between twelve and one o’clock, you’ll catch me,” the salesman said.
call off VERB
If something is called off, it is cancelled.
abandon
When the heavy rain turned to snow, the referee decided that the match should be abandoned.
cancel
Owing to lack of support, the dance had to be cancelled.
postpone
Because of building repairs, we had to postpone our bowling until Tuesday.
calm (1) ADJECTIVE
Someone who is calm is quiet and does not show any worry or excitement.
composed
Mrs Yamamoto is a very composed, businesslike woman.
level-headed
Sanjay is a level-headed individual who would never panic in a crisis.
relaxed
Cameron was so relaxed about his exam, he fell asleep on the first page.
unflappable INFORMAL
The lifeboat crew were selected for being unflappable as well as skilled sailors.
ANTONYM: excitable
calm (2) ADJECTIVE
If the sea is calm, the water is not moving very much.
peaceful
The sea was peaceful as we walked along the beach in the early morning.
quiet
After the storm the sea became quiet again.
still
The lake was absolutely still, reflecting the mountains behind.
tranquil
It was a hot, sunny day and the children enjoyed swimming in the tranquil bay.
ANTONYM: rough
calm down VERB
If you calm someone down, you help make them less upset or excited.
quieten
A lollipop helped to quieten the squealing toddler.
soothe
Some farmers turn on the radio to soothe pigs in their pens.
cancel VERB
If you cancel something that has been arranged, you stop it from happening.
abandon
The match was abandoned at half-time when the floodlights failed.
abort
Mission Control decided to abort the mission and bring the shuttle back.
call off
When I caught chickenpox, Mum and Dad called off the party.
scrap INFORMAL
“Let’s scrap the idea of Paris, and go to Rome instead,” Dad suggested.
capable ADJECTIVE
Someone who is capable is able to do something well.
able
My dad is an able businessman.
accomplished
Rajesh is an accomplished violinist.
competent
Sir Winston Churchill was a surprisingly competent artist.
efficient
Mrs Kemp was very efficient; everything was done to a tight schedule.
skilful
My sister is a skilful horsewoman, with several medals to her name.
ANTONYM: incompetent
captain NOUN
A captain is the officer in charge of a ship or aeroplane.
commander
Uncertain what to do, Lieutenant Zarg called the spacecraft commander to the bridge.
master
The master of the oil tanker reluctantly gave the order to abandon ship.
pilot
“It looks as if we’re in for some turbulence,” the pilot announced.
skipper
Trawler skippers and their crews have to endure awful weather conditions.
capture VERB
If someone captures someone or something, they take them prisoner.
arrest
Police arrested the woman on suspicion of blackmail.
kidnap
The villains kidnapped the wealthy businessman’s son and held him hostage.
nab INFORMAL
Sergeant Philpot nabbed the burglar as he tried to make his escape.
take captive
After being taken captive, the explorer was imprisoned in a hut.
ANTONYM: release
car NOUN
A car is a four-wheeled road vehicle with an engine and room to carry a few passengers.
automobile
“This motorcar,” boasted Mr Toad, “is the finest automobile ever built.”
banger INFORMAL
Our new teacher drives a real old banger.
motorcar
The sign read, “This road is unsuitable for motorcars”.
The word vehicle can be used for a car, but also for other forms of transport, especially those with wheels.
Some kinds of car:
4×4 (four by four or four-wheel drive)
convertible
coupé
estate car
hatchback
Jeep™
Land Rover™
limousine
Mini™
off-road vehicle
people carrier
racing car
saloon
sedan
soft top
sports car
vintage car
care (1) VERB
If you care about something or someone, you are concerned about them and interested in them.
be concerned
Yolanda didn’t seem to be concerned about next week’s test.
bother
“If you don’t care about the state of your room, why should I bother?” my mother snapped.
mind
Graham didn’t mind if Sanjiv borrowed some of his pens.
care (2) NOUN
A care is a worry or trouble.
anxiety
The twins hadn’t returned, and Dad was showing signs of anxiety.
concern
Our concern is that Midori will miss too much school while she’s off with mumps.
trouble
I don’t like to burden other people with my troubles.
worry
One worry for the head teacher was what to do if several teachers were ill at once.
care (3) NOUN
If you do something with care, you concentrate very hard on it so that you don’t make any mistakes.
attention
Attention to detail is an important aspect of an architect’s work.
caution
You must always exercise caution when you cross a road.
ANTONYM: carelessness
care for VERB
If you care for a person or animal, you look after them.
look after
Connor and I looked after Mum when she was ill.
nurse
Mrs Nelson nursed her sick husband for some months before he recovered.
tend
We take it in turns to tend the three class guinea pigs.
ANTONYM: neglect
careful (1) ADJECTIVE
If someone is careful, they act sensibly and with care.
alert
“Be alert at all times,” the major warned. “You don’t know who’s out there!”
attentive
The nurse was very attentive when she stitched up Paul’s cut forehead.
cautious
I have learnt always to be cautious about so-called “free” offers.
sensible
My gran is very sensible and always takes a coat if the weather looks doubtful.
wary
The barons were right to be wary of King John’s cunning schemes.
careful (2) ADJECTIVE
Something that is careful shows a concern for detail.
accurate
If you work in a shop, it’s important to be accurate in giving change.
meticulous
Alyssa produces meticulous work. She gets very upset if the slightest detail is criticized.
painstaking
I admired Nicholas for his painstaking work. His painting took weeks to finish.
precise
“Be very precise in your workings,” said Mr Matthews, our maths teacher.
thorough
Mrs Chan is very thorough; she always cleans behind her furniture.
ANTONYM: careless
careful (3) ADJECTIVE
If you are careful in what you say, you think before you speak.
discreet
Jamila was discreet in not mentioning the party, in case Tanya hadn’t been invited.
tactful
Shopkeepers have to be tactful, for some customers are easily offended.
ANTONYM: careless
careless ADJECTIVE
If you are careless, you do not pay enough attention to what you are doing.
inaccurate
The clerk’s inaccurate adding up cost the company thousands of pounds.
slapdash
“This is slapdash work, Rachel,” snapped Miss Greer. “Do it again slowly!”
slipshod
Slipshod tiling by the builders caused our roof to leak.
sloppy INFORMAL
Mr Ismail told me off for my sloppy handwriting.
ANTONYM: careful
carry VERB
When you carry something, you hold it and take it somewhere.
convey
The robot arm conveyed the large nut to the bolt, and screwed them together.
lug
It was hard work lugging the case upstairs.
transport
Mrs Bartlett transported the table to her home by car.
carry on VERB
If you carry on with something, you continue doing it.
continue
“Please continue with what you were doing,” the head teacher said when she came in.
persevere
It pays off, in the end, to persevere with a job.
persist
“If you persist in talking, you’ll lose your playtime,” Mrs Rasheed warned.
proceed
Grandad took a sip of his tea and then proceeded with his story.
castle NOUN
A castle is a large building with walls or ditches round it to protect it from attack.
fort
The cavalry rode out from their fort, trumpets blaring and guns blazing.
fortress
On the very peak of the mountain stood the enemy fortress.
stronghold
King Edward I built strongholds in Wales.
Parts of a castle:
drawbridge
dungeon
keep
hall
moat
portcullis
tower
cat NOUN
A cat is a small animal covered with fur that people in some countries keep as a pet.
Some types of cat:
Abyssinian
Manx
Persian
Siamese
tabby
tortoiseshell
Some wild cats:
cheetah
jaguar
leopard
lion
panther
puma
tiger
catch (1) VERB
If you catch a person or animal, you capture them.
arrest
Navy police arrested the drunken sailor.
capture
By luck, the cowboys managed to capture the runaway horse.
ensnare
The unfortunate trespasser found herself ensnared in barbed wire.
trap
In the forests of Russia, hunters trap animals for their skins.
catch (2) NOUN
A catch is a hidden difficulty.
disadvantage
One of the disadvantages of having long hair is that it can get very tangled.
drawback
There is a drawback to eating too much chocolate. It can make you feel sick!
snag
When putting the shelves up we came across a snag – we didn’t have enough screws.
cause (1) VERB
If someone or something causes something, they make it happen.
bring about
The curse of the Baskervilles brought about the family’s doom.
create
Last night some lads created a disturbance in our street.
lead to
More policemen on the beat led to a drop in the crime rate.
produce
Who would have thought that a small baby would produce so much noise?
cause (2) NOUN
The cause of something is the thing that makes it happen.
origin
The origin of the tradition was a mystery.
source
Gambling was the source of all the earl’s troubles.
cautious ADJECTIVE
Someone who is cautious acts carefully to avoid possible danger or disappointment.
careful
Ashley was careful about handling the precious eggs.
wary
The sparrows were wary of the nearby cat.
ANTONYM: reckless
celebration NOUN
A celebration is an occasion to mark a happy day or event.
Types of celebration:
anniversary party
banquet
birthday party
carnival
feast
festival
fête
gala
jubilee
party
reunion
wedding
centre NOUN
The centre of an object or area is the middle of it.
core
The earth’s core consists of molten rock.
heart
In the heart of the city, a musician played on a street corner.
hub
At the hub of operations was my brother, with his walkie-talkie set.
middle
The bull’s-eye is in the middle of a dartboard.
certain (1) ADJECTIVE
If you are certain about something, you are sure it is true.
confident
Shula was confident that the rumour she had heard was true.
convinced
Al was convinced that he would pass his exam.
positive
“Are you positive that’s what you want for your birthday?” Mum asked.
sure
“I’m sure I put my homework in my bag, but I can’t find it,” I said.
ANTONYM: uncertain
certain (2) ADJECTIVE
If something is certain to happen, it is likely to happen.
inevitable
It was inevitable that the bully would meet his match before long.
likely
According to the weather forecast, it’s likely to be a sunny afternoon.
unavoidable
When its brakes failed, the lorry faced an unavoidable collision.
ANTONYM: unlikely
certainly ADVERB
Certainly can mean without any doubt.
definitely
“Put me down for a ticket,” Dad said. “I’m definitely going to the game.”
undoubtedly
The horse was undoubtedly the fastest that Jo had ridden.
without doubt
Without doubt, geography was John’s favourite subject.
chair NOUN
A chair is a seat for one person to sit on, with a back and legs.
Types of chair:
armchair
deckchair
dining chair
highchair
office chair
rocking chair
chance (1) NOUN
If there is a chance that something will happen, it might happen.
danger
At oil refineries, there is always a danger of fire breaking out.
likelihood
With those clouds, there was a likelihood of rain before long.
possibility
“Is there any possibility of a lift, please?” Hamal asked.
probability
It is a probability that humans will one day walk on Mars.
chance (2) NOUN
Something that happens by chance happens unexpectedly, without being planned.
accident
It was totally by accident that Mum bumped into her old friend.
coincidence
“What a coincidence!” Grandad gasped. “I went to that school too!”
fortune
By good fortune, a passer-by heard the calls of the stricken climber.
luck
The tennis player’s injury was just bad luck.
stroke of luck
By a stroke of luck, the massive doors were unguarded.
change (1) VERB
When something changes, or you change it, it becomes different.
alter
Gavin has really altered since he won the “Be a Pop Star” competition.
convert
Dad converted the old shed into a play hut.
mutate
Before Kirk’s eyes, the handsome crewman mutated into a fanged, drooling monster.
transform
Bond’s car transformed into a boat.
change (2) VERB
If you change something, you swap or replace it.
exchange
We had to take my new shoes back and exchange them for a larger size.
replace
Today Mr Woo replaced his old banger with a smooth sports car.
substitute
“What happens if you substitute milk for water?” the teacher asked.
swap
Dylan swapped his cards for Salman’s.
trade
Mum joked that she wanted to trade my dad for a newer model!
change (3) NOUN
A change is a difference or alteration in something.
difference
Mum and I noticed the difference in Gran after her illness.
metamorphosis
Caterpillars undergo an amazing metamorphosis into butterflies.
transformation
When Mum emerged from the hairdresser’s, what a transformation!
character NOUN
Someone’s character is all the qualities which combine to form their personality.
nature
It was not in Abigail’s nature to be rude.
personality
Gran had a bubbly personality, and was always making friends.
temperament
A dog’s temperament depends largely on how it is treated.
charge VERB
If something or someone charges, they rush forward.
attack
The infantry attacked the fortress at dawn.
rampage
Boadicea’s angry tribesmen rampaged through the streets, yelling and whooping.
run wild
Leaving their longships, the Viking marauders ran wild in the Saxon village.
rush
When the bell went, Boris rushed for the door, only to be hauled back.
storm
On D-Day 1944, Allied troops stormed the beaches and cliffs of Normandy.
chase VERB
If you chase someone, you run after them or follow them in order to catch them.
follow
Fans followed the pop idol wherever he went.
hound
Reporters hounded the star until she gave them an interview.
hunt
Lions hunt antelope as their prey.
pursue
Detectives pursued the gangster to South America.
track
Sniffer dogs tracked the thief to a disused dockside warehouse.
cheap ADJECTIVE
Something that is cheap costs very little money.
bargain
My bargain laptop computer cost half of what most people pay.
economical
My old car is very economical on fuel, but costs more in repairs.
inexpensive
The jacket was inexpensive but looked very smart.
reasonable
Mum thought that it was a reasonable price for a second-hand mountain bike.
cheat (1) VERB
If someone cheats, they lie or do unfair things to win or get what they want.
con INFORMAL
The thief conned his way into the old woman’s house by asking if he could use her phone for an emergency.
deceive
“It’s no good trying to deceive me,” Mum said. “I know you’re up to something!”
double-cross INFORMAL
The thief double-crossed his accomplice and took all the cash.
dupe
The stamp collectors were duped into buying some very convincing fakes.
rip off INFORMAL
“We were ripped off there!” snorted my brother disgustedly, as we left the burger bar.
swindle
The cashier had systematically swindled the bank for years before she was caught.
trick
Trying to trick his pursuers, the getaway driver doubled back.
cheat (2) NOUN
A cheat is a person who lies or does unfair things to win or get what they want.
con man INFORMAL
The con man pretended to be from the electricity company.
double-crosser
The gangster snarled “You dirty double-crosser!” and pulled the trigger.
swindler
The swindler sold villas to his clients which did not really exist.
check (1) VERB
If you check something, you examine it to make sure that everything is all right.
assess
Miss Connolly assessed our term’s work before writing her report.
examine
Sherlock Holmes picked up the knife and examined it.
inspect
The council team inspected the food cupboards carefully.
test
To test our multiplication tables, Mr Murphy fires questions at us.
check (2) NOUN
A check is an inspection to make sure that everything is all right.
assessment
Every soldier has to do his PFA, or Physical Fitness Assessment.
check-up
After his fall, Grandad had to visit the doctor’s for a check-up.
examination
Detectives carried out a minute examination of the crime scene.
inspection
Even the best schools are subject to regular inspections.
test
Older vehicles have to go through a safety test to ensure that they are roadworthy.
cheeky ADJECTIVE
Someone who is cheeky is rude and disrespectful, often in an amusing way.
disrespectful
It’s a mistake to be disrespectful to teachers.
impertinent
What an impertinent thing to say to someone who has helped you!
impudent
The impudent waiter said the cheekiest things to his customers.
rude
“Try not to be rude to people, even if they are unpleasant to you,” said Mum.
ANTONYMS: respectful or polite
cheerful ADJECTIVE
A cheerful person is happy.
bright
I’m quite bright in the morning.
cheery
The postman gave us a cheery wave.
chirpy INFORMAL
Despite her aches, Gran is always chirpy.
jolly
The jolly poacher chuckled as he popped another salmon in his bag.
light-hearted
After Scrooge changed his character, he was light-hearted at Christmas.
merry
Mum and her friend had a merry time looking at old school photos.
chew VERB
When you chew something, you use your teeth to break it up in your mouth before swallowing it.
chomp
The horse chomped its way through a field of lettuces.
crunch
Some people crunch their lollipops. Others suck them.
gnaw
Beavers had gnawed away the bark of the tree.
munch
I hate it when people munch their lunch with their mouth open.
child NOUN
A child is a young person who is not yet an adult.
juvenile
In the eyes of the law, anyone under 18 is a juvenile.
kid INFORMAL
Mum takes several kids to school, not just us.
nipper INFORMAL
“When I was a nipper,” Grandad said, “I used to climb that oak tree.”
youngster
The youngster ran out into the road without even looking.
➔ See baby (#ulink_8feb041b-3d96-5375-bf1b-db54f9b5a46c)
A child whose parents are dead is an orphan.
childish ADJECTIVE
If someone is childish, they are not acting in an adult way.
immature
To lark around like that was immature for a man of his age.
infantile
Jafar’s temper tantrum was very infantile.
juvenile
“Such juvenile behaviour must be punished,” the head teacher said grimly.
choice (1) NOUN
A choice is a range of different things that are available to choose from.
selection
What a selection of chocolates greeted my eyes when I opened the box!
variety
There was a variety of films to choose from on the plane.
choice (2) NOUN
A choice is something that you choose.
option
We had no option but to accept a refund when our flights were cancelled.
preference
My preference is action movies rather than romances.
selection
To her disgust, the judges’ selection did not include Mrs Whipple’s fairy cakes.
If you have a choice whether or not to do something, it is optional.
choose VERB
If you choose something, you decide to have it or do it.
opt for
Mum and Dad couldn’t decide which holiday to opt for: Florida or France.
pick
My mean sister always picks the chocolates that I want.
select
The archer selected an arrow.
single out
The dog show judge singled out Wuffles as being especially intelligent.
church NOUN
A church is a building where Christians go to pray.
Some parts of a church:
aisle
altar
choir
font
lectern
nave
pew
pulpit
spire
steeple
tower
vestry
circle VERB
If someone or something circles an object, they move around it in a circle.
lap
The cyclist lapped the track for the final time.
orbit
The earth takes around 365 days, or one year, to orbit the sun.
➔ See go round (1) (#litres_trial_promo)
To sail round the world is to circumnavigate it.
circumstances NOUN
The circumstances of a situation or event are the conditions that affect what happens.
background
Our history teacher explained the background of the American Civil War.
context
The police had to consider the context of the accident.
situation
The situation was difficult for everyone.
claim VERB
If you claim that something is the case, you say that it is so.
allege
The witness alleged that Jones had threatened several people.
argue
The boss argued that it was fair to sack someone who worked slowly.
declare
The smuggler declared that he had nothing illegal in his case.
insist
The arrested woman insisted that the officer had made a mistake.
maintain
Hal maintained that only Leroy was better than him at basketball.
class (1) NOUN
A class is a group of pupils or students who are taught together.
group
Mum’s quilting group meets on Tuesday.
set
My clever sister is in the top maths set.
stream
At the grammar school, children were put in streams according to their ability.
tutor group
Jennifer is in Mrs Burton’s tutor group.
class (2) NOUN
A class of people or things is a group of them that are alike in some way.
category
Nitesh entered the junior category of the poetry competition.
kind
Beavenutti is the best restaurant of its kind in the area.
sort
“What is your favourite sort of music?” Carly asked Hannah.
type
The market stall sold lots of different types of vegetables and fruits.
clean (1) ADJECTIVE
If something is clean, it is free from dirt or unwanted marks.
immaculate
The car was immaculate when Dad bought it, but filthy two days later.
spotless
“I want this cabin spotless,” rasped the captain, “or you’re for the high jump!”
ANTONYM: dirty
clean (2) VERB
If you clean something, you remove dirt from it.
Different ways to clean:
bathe
brush
dry-clean
dust
hoover
launder
mop
polish
rinse
scour
scrub
shampoo
sponge
sweep
swill
vacuum
wash
wipe
clear (1) ADJECTIVE
If something is clear, it is easy to understand, see or hear.
apparent
It was apparent we were going to lose, right from the start of the match.
definite
There were definite indications that the swallows were nesting in the eaves.
distinct
We could hear the distinct sound of church bells in the distance.
evident
It was evident from the wet roads that it had been raining.
obvious
The man showed obvious signs of having been in a fight.
plain
“It’s plain to see that you have learnt very little,” the head teacher said.
ANTONYM: unclear
clear (2) ADJECTIVE
A clear sky has no clouds in it.
bright
A very bright morning can mean rain later.
cloudless
Skylarks sang high in the cloudless sky.
moonlit
The UFO slid silently across the moonlit sky.
starlit
On that starlit night, I could have stayed for hours by the shore.
ANTONYM: cloudy
clear (3) ADJECTIVE
If something is clear, it is easy to see through.
see-through
My mum has a see-through plastic coat.
translucent
The dragonfly’s translucent wings beat against the sky.
transparent
Scott covered his book with transparent sticky-backed plastic.
ANTONYMS: murky or opaque
clever ADJECTIVE
Someone who is clever is intelligent and quick to understand things.
brainy
My brainy brother came top of his class.
bright
Jim was only three, but he was bright enough to understand what was going on.
intelligent
“It’s no good just being intelligent. You have to work hard too,” said my English teacher.
smart
He’s far too smart to get mixed up in anything illegal.
ANTONYM: unintelligent
climb VERB
When you climb, you move upwards.
ascend
Alice ascended the stairs, carrying a candle.
clamber up
Having locked himself out, Dad had to clamber up the drainpipe to an open window.
scale
The daring climber had to scale the overhanging rockface.
clock NOUN
A clock is an instrument that measures and shows the time.
Other instruments that measure the time:
alarm clock
digital clock
egg timer
grandfather clock
hourglass
stopwatch
sundial
timer
watch
wristwatch
close (1) Said “klohz” VERB
If you close something, you move it so that it is no longer open.
seal
The crewman sealed the hatch and the submarine was ready to dive.
secure
“Make sure you secure all the bolts on that cage,” the zookeeper warned.
shut
“Shut the door behind you, but first check you’ve got your key,” said Mum.
ANTONYM: open
close (2) Said “klohss” ADJECTIVE
If something is close to something else, it is near to it.
adjacent
The amusement arcade was adjacent to the holiday camp.
handy
Our chalet was handy for the camp shop.
nearby
Grabbing a towel that was nearby, Jacinth soaked it and threw it over the flaming pan.
neighbouring
The neighbouring woods are full of bluebells.
ANTONYM: far
cloth NOUN
Cloth is fabric made by a process such as weaving.
fabric
“This fabric will make lovely curtains for the spare room,” said Gran.
material
The tailor used only the best material for the suits he made.
textiles
Natural textiles such as wool are warmer than man-made ones.
Some types of cloth:
corduroy
cotton
denim
felt
lace
nylon
satin
silk
tweed
velvet
wool
clothes PLURAL NOUN
Clothes are the things people wear on their bodies.
clothing
“My son is in the clothing trade,” Manny told everyone proudly.
costume
At the open-air museum, the guides wore period costume.
dress
“Shorts and trainers are hardly suitable dress for a wedding,” Lady Etherington said.
garments
The notice read: “To try garments on, please use the changing room”.
gear INFORMAL
As the forecast was poor, Kayla took her wet weather gear with her.
Some clothes:
blouse
burqa
cardigan
coat
dress
glove
hat
hijab
jacket
jumper
pyjamas
robe
sari
scarf
shalwar-kameez
shirt
shoe
skirt
sock
stocking
tie
tights
trousers
T-shirt
underwear
vest
cloudy (1) ADJECTIVE
If the sky is cloudy, it is full of clouds.
dull
The weather was dull, but there was some sunshine forecast for later.
gloomy
It was a gloomy day for the start of our holiday.
overcast
The sky was overcast when the plane took off.
cloudy (2) ADJECTIVE
Cloudy can mean difficult to see through.
muddy
The scuba divers could not find the shipwreck in the muddy water.
murky
The travellers could see a faint light shining through the murky evening – shelter at last!
opaque
The bottle was made of opaque glass, so we could not see clearly what was in it.
club (1) NOUN
A club is an organization of people with a particular interest, who meet regularly.
association
Grandad belongs to an ex-servicemen’s association.
group
Mr Fanshaw runs a local pottery group.
society
Dad is a member of a society for the protection of wildlife.
club (2) NOUN
A club is a thick, heavy stick used as a weapon.
baton
Police carry batons in case they need to defend themselves.
truncheon
In Grandad’s day, all police officers were issued with truncheons.
clumsy ADJECTIVE
Someone who is clumsy moves awkwardly and carelessly.
accident-prone
Matt is accident-prone; he’s always hurting himself somehow.
awkward
There’s something awkward about the way Indira holds her cutlery.
blundering
The blundering chef clattered about in the kitchen.
butterfingered INFORMAL
Butterfingered people should not work in china shops!
lumbering
Giant Grumbleweed was a lumbering hulk with a knack for breaking things.
uncoordinated
My Dad is a very uncoordinated dancer.
coat (1) NOUN
An animal’s coat is the fur or hair on its body.
fleece
In a blur of movement, the shearer had the sheep’s fleece off in seconds.
fur
Stephanie sobbed into her dog Cassie’s fur.
hide
The hide of cows is treated to make leather.
The fur from certain dead animals is called a pelt.
coat (2) NOUN
A coat is a piece of clothing with long sleeves, that you wear over other clothes.
A waistcoat is a sleeveless piece of clothing, often worn under a suit or jacket, which buttons up at the front.
Types of coat:
anorak
blazer
bomber jacket
duffel coat
jacket
kagoul
mackintosh
overcoat
raincoat
waterproof
cold ADJECTIVE
If something is cold, it has a very low temperature.
ANTONYMS: hot or warm
Words for cold weather:
arctic
biting
bitter
bleak
chilly
freezing
frosty
harsh
icy
nippy
perishing
raw
snowy
wintry
Words for feeling cold:
chilled to the bone
freezing
frozen
frozen to the marrow
numb
perished
shaking
shivering
collapse (1) VERB
If something such as a building collapses, it falls down suddenly.
cave in
The miners were trapped when the roof of the passage caved in.
crumple
As the charges exploded, the walls crumpled to the ground.
give way
In 1879, the poorly built Tay Bridge in Scotland gave way in a storm.
collapse (2) VERB
If a person collapses, they fall down suddenly because they are ill.
faint
I nearly fainted when I saw our angry neighbour brandishing my ball.
pass out
The parade ground was so hot that several soldiers passed out.
collect VERB
If you collect things, you gather them together for a special reason.
assemble
For the exhibition, the gallery assembled paintings from all over the world.
cluster
Interested buyers clustered around the beautiful bronze statue.
compile
The editor compiled an anthology of poems.
gather
“Gather your tools up before you run off,” Dad reminded me.
collection NOUN
A collection is a group of things brought together over a period of time.
array
The shelf held a dazzling array of trophies.
compilation
The book is a compilation of short stories by famous writers.
A collection of poems is an anthology.
colour NOUN
The colour of something is the way that it looks in the light.
Some colours:
black
blue
brown
green
grey
orange
pink
purple
red
violet
white
yellow
come VERB
If you come to a place, you move there or arrive there.
arrive
As soon as we arrived, my auntie started hugging people.
materialize
In no time at all, thanks to Ratty, a splendid tea had materialized.
show up INFORMAL
Josh showed up at the very last minute, just when we had started to panic.
turn up
Sarah and I weren’t expecting Faith to turn up, but she did.
come about VERB
If something comes about, it happens.
happen
Mr Abiola was walking past the shop when the robbery happened.
occur
The incident occurred at the swimming pool.
take place
The party will take place from three to five o’clock on Saturday afternoon.
comfortable (1) ADJECTIVE
Something that is comfortable makes you feel relaxed.
comfy INFORMAL
Our sofa is comfy – at least our dog Wuffles thinks so!
cosy
The hobbit was extremely reluctant to leave his cosy home.
relaxing
On holiday, Mum loves a relaxing sauna.
restful
The seaside resort had a restful atmosphere.
comfortable (2) ADJECTIVE
If you are comfortable, you are at ease and relaxed.
at ease
Sir George was the sort of person to make you feel at ease straight away.
contented
Gran was contented in her little flat.
relaxed
After a week of her holiday, Mrs Archer felt completely relaxed.
ANTONYM: uncomfortable
common ADJECTIVE
Something that is common exists in large numbers or happens often.
average
The average person doesn’t know much about nuclear physics.
everyday
In a quarry, explosions are an everyday occurrence.
normal
It was normal for Harry to take his granny up a morning cup of tea.
ordinary
It started off like any ordinary day at work.
standard
“A standard-class ticket, please,” I said to the train guard.
usual
The usual lunch on Friday is fish.
ANTONYM: uncommon
company NOUN
A company is a business that sells goods or provides a service.
business
My father runs an electrical business.
corporation
Mrs Fletcher’s tiny company belongs to a huge global corporation.
firm
Mum’s firm is paying for her to go on a management course.
competition NOUN
A competition is an event in which people take part to find out who is the best at something.
championship
Wimbledon is a famous tennis championship.
contest
The two villages faced each other in a tug-of-war contest.
event
The Olympic Games is the world’s leading sporting event.
tournament
Our school entered two teams in the Under-11 netball tournament.
complain VERB
If you complain, you say that you are not happy about something.
bleat
Sam kept bleating that he had lost his pen.
fuss
The customer was fussing over a minute mark on the desk.
grouse
“It’s no good grousing now. You had your chance and didn’t take it,” said Gran.
grumble
Mum always grumbles about the dreadful state of my room.
moan
All my big sister ever does is moan!
whinge
The millionaire rock star was always whingeing about how unfair life is.
complete (1) ADJECTIVE
If something is complete, none of it is missing.
entire
At the end, the entire cast took a bow.
full
“Pay me the full amount now,” the greedy landlord insisted.
whole
“I swear to tell the whole truth,” the witness declared to the court.
complete (2) ADJECTIVE
Complete can mean to the greatest degree possible.
absolute
“You’re talking absolute rubbish,” the major replied to the private.
sheer
The winning jockey leapt off his horse in sheer joy.
thorough
The disobedient little girl made a thorough nuisance of herself.
utter
Chander felt an utter fool dressed as a clown.
complete (3) VERB
If you complete something, you finish it.
conclude
Professor Boffin concluded his talk and then asked if there were any questions.
end
The crowd was in tears as he ended his speech.
finalize
The airline staff finalized arrangements for the plane to take off.
finish
When Gran had finished her tea she turned on the radio.
round off
We rounded off our day out with a delicious meal in a steakhouse.
wrap up INFORMAL
“OK, darlings, we’ll wrap it up for today,” the film director announced.
ANTONYM: begin
completely ADVERB
Completely can mean totally, absolutely and utterly.
absolutely
By the end of the sponsored swim, Kalil was absolutely exhausted.
entirely
“I entirely agree with you,” put in Kaylee.
fully
The new manager said he was fully committed to the club and the team.
totally
Fire totally destroyed the pier buildings.
utterly
You could see by the expression on her face that Isha was utterly fed up.
complicated ADJECTIVE
Something that is complicated has so many parts or aspects that it is difficult to understand or deal with.
complex
It was a complex engine, which my brother struggled to understand.
elaborate
Blofeld had spent years on an elaborate plan for world domination.
intricate
Clock mechanisms are too intricate for you or me to tamper with.
ANTONYMS: simple or straightforward
computer NOUN
A computer is an electronic machine that can store and deal with large amounts of information.
Some types of computer:
desktop
iPad™
laptop
Mac™
notebook
PC (personal computer)
tablet
concentrate VERB
If you concentrate on something, you give it all your attention.
apply yourself to
Previously lazy, Watkins now applied himself to his work and did well in the exam.
be engrossed in
My sister was so engrossed in some telly programme, she failed to see me sneaking up.
focus on
“Today, we are going to focus on fractions,” Mrs Abrahams said, to a chorus of groans.
pay attention to
“Pay attention to what I’m saying, Jamie,” said Dani. “It’s important.”
condition NOUN
The condition of someone or something is the state they are in.
fitness
Army doctors examine the fitness of soldiers each year.
order
The television was in good working order when we sold it.
shape
My grandad is in pretty good shape for a man of 75 – he still goes for a run every morning.
state
“Just look at the state of your trousers!” my stepmum sighed.
confess VERB
If you confess to something, you admit that you did it.
admit
After questioning, the suspect admitted she had stolen the bag.
come clean INFORMAL
“Now come clean, David,” Auntie Julie said. “I know you’ve been at the chocolates.”
own up
The head teacher demanded that the person responsible for the damage should own up.
confused ADJECTIVE
If you are confused, you are uncertain about what is happening or what to do.
baffled
Lyra was baffled. What on earth was the significance of the dust?
bewildered
Bewildered by his sudden fame, Robbie went completely off the rails.
muddled
The useless new parking scheme was a prime example of muddled thinking.
perplexed
Frank stood at the crossroads, totally perplexed by the map he’d been given.
puzzled
“Then I’m puzzled,” Mum said. “How did the biscuit tin fly to your room?”
confusing ADJECTIVE
If something is confusing, it makes you uncertain about what is happening or what to do.
baffling
No body. No weapon. No witnesses. The whole thing was baffling.
bewildering
There was a bewildering choice of stereos.
perplexing
The mystery got more perplexing. Where on earth had the shoe gone?
puzzling
Sergeant Assad found it puzzling that everyone had volunteered for the job.
connect (1) VERB
If you connect two things, you join them together.
attach
When Mum receives nice postcards, she attaches them to the fridge with magnets.
couple
The man in the overalls dropped from the platform to couple the engine to the coaches.
fasten
Phil fastened the papers together with a clip.
join
The plumber joined the two pipes underneath the sink.
link
“This deal,” said the chairman, “will link two fine companies.”
unite
On their wedding day, the couple were united in marriage.
connect (2) VERB
If one thing or person is connected with another, there is a link between them.
associate
He claims that he no longer associates with any of those people.
relate
In good non-fiction writing, each sentence should relate to the one before.
connection NOUN
A connection is a link or relationship between two things.
association
Dad has always had a close association with the school. He attended as a pupil when he was a boy and is now a governor.
bond
There was a bond between the two brothers that could not be broken.
link
There are strong historical links between Britain and India.
relationship
Luis’ relationship with his stepfather was not always an easy one.
contact VERB
If you contact someone, you telephone them or write to them.
communicate with
Television reporters often communicate with the studio by satellite phone.
get in touch with
Message for Mr Sample: please urgently get in touch with your son.
make contact
Joe wants me to make contact when I arrive in New York.
Different ways to make contact:
card
e-mail
fax
letter
postcard
telegram
telephone
text message
contain VERB
The things that something contains are the things in it.
accommodate
The narrowboat could accommodate up to nine people.
comprise
Our cottage comprises six rooms: three upstairs and three down.
consist of
Pancake mix mainly consists of flour, eggs and milk.
hold
An average household bucket will hold ten litres of liquid.
include
The holiday package includes all flights, accommodation and meals.
container NOUN
A container is something that you keep things in, such as a box or a jar.
receptacle
“What we need,” said Mr Vanstone, “is some sort of receptacle for these tadpoles.”
vessel
A pitcher is a vessel for carrying liquids.
contest NOUN
A contest is a competition or game.
battle
The Cup Final was a battle between a giant club and one of the league’s minnows.
bout
The wrestling announcer began, “This is a bout of eight rounds of three minutes each.”
competition
Mum is a fanatic for entering competitions. She’s always thinking up catchy slogans.
head-to-head INFORMAL
The finish of the sack race was a close-run head-to-head between Mrs Robinson and Miss Penn.
match
The match against Holcombe was played in pouring rain.
tournament
The chess tournament featured players from all over the country.
continue VERB
If you continue to do something, you keep doing it.
carry on
“If you carry on prodding me, I’ll prod you back,” I said to Barry.
keep on
“If you keep on forgetting your homework, you’ll get detention,” I told Anita.
persevere
Although she was tired, Jamilah persevered with her drawing.
persist
Although I hate it, Dad persists in calling me by my nickname.
continuous ADJECTIVE
Something that is continuous goes on without stopping.
ceaseless
The ceaseless noise of drilling was driving me mad.
constant
Bill and Ben were constant companions. You never saw them apart.
incessant
After a few minutes, Mrs Snell’s incessant chatter became annoying.
nonstop
The disco played nonstop music throughout the evening.
uninterrupted
Good weather meant uninterrupted play at Wimbledon for the whole fortnight.
➔ See endless (#litres_trial_promo)
control (1) VERB
To control something is to have power over it.
be in charge of
Our dad is in charge of our local Under-11s soccer team.
command
Captain Hardy commanded HMS Victory, the flagship of Admiral Lord Nelson.
direct
The fire chief directed operations from a mobile control centre.
manage
Mum’s sister manages a supermarket down the road.
control (2) NOUN
Control is the power over something.
authority
The mayor had authority over the city’s transport system.
command
The conductor was in complete command of the orchestra.
direction
The team is playing well under the direction of the new manager.
power
“The Wizard of Oz has the power to give you courage, Lion,” said Dorothy.
convenient (1) ADJECTIVE
If a time to do a particular thing is convenient, it is suitable for those concerned.
agreeable
“Is three o’clock agreeable to you, Mrs Williams?” the receptionist enquired.
appropriate
Max felt it was an appropriate moment to ask the question.
suitable
“Eight o’clock would be a suitable time for me to pick you up,” my stepdad said.
ANTONYM: inconvenient
convenient (2) ADJECTIVE
If something is convenient, it is easy to use, do or go to.
handy
The store is really handy for Grandma to pop down to.
helpful
Mrs Hakim handed out a helpful fact sheet at the end of the lesson.
useful
Tin-openers are a useful invention which we couldn’t do without!
ANTONYM: inconvenient
conversation NOUN
When people have a conversation, they talk to each other.
chat
Auntie Doris often pops in for a chat on her way home from work.
dialogue
The opening scene of Macbeth consists of a dialogue between three witches.
discussion
Our discussion centred on whether to play indoors or outdoors.
cook VERB
When you cook food, you prepare it for eating by boiling, baking or frying it.
Some ways to cook food:
bake
barbecue
blanch
boil
braise
fry
grill
microwave
poach
roast
simmer
steam
stew
stir-fry
toast
cool (1) ADJECTIVE
Something cool has a low temperature but is not cold.
chilly
It was chilly outside, so we stayed by the fire.
fresh
A fresh breeze blew off the estuary, flapping the flag on the church tower.
nippy
“It’s rather nippy,” Mum said. “I’d take a pullover if I were you.”
refreshing
In summer there’s nothing to beat refreshing orange juice.
ANTONYM: warm
➔ See cold (#ulink_faaffe87-000f-5307-92e0-2223f75477d6)
cool (2) ADJECTIVE
If you are cool in a difficult situation, you stay calm.
calm
“Now everybody keep calm,” the captain said. “There is no need for panic.”
laid back INFORMAL
My friend Chris was totally laid back about the exam. “If I fail, I fail,” he said.
relaxed
Despite the tension in those around him, the sub’s commander looked relaxed.
ANTONYM: nervous
cope VERB
If you cope with a task or problem, you deal with it successfully.
carry on
Despite the rain, the team carried on and eventually won the game.
get by
Although money was tight, Mum got by doing all sorts of odd jobs for people.
manage
“That piano’s heavy. Can you manage?” a kind passer-by enquired.
survive
During the exams, Liam survived by drinking cups of coffee and going to bed early.
cope with VERB
If you have to cope with a difficult situation, you have to deal with it.
contend with
Apart from blizzards, Captain Scott had to contend with a growing shortage of food.
deal with
I don’t know how teachers deal with 30 kids like my little brother.
copy (1) NOUN
A copy is something made to look like something else.
duplicate
As the new car came with only one key, Dad had a duplicate made.
forgery
The banknotes were such good forgeries that only an expert could tell they weren’t the real thing.
imitation
“If that diamond is an imitation, it’s very like the real thing,” I thought.
replica
The miniature locomotive was an exact replica of the real train.
reproduction
As the real painting is worth millions, our family was quite happy with a reproduction.
ANTONYM: original
copy (2) VERB
If you copy what someone does, you do the same thing.
follow
If you set a good example, others may follow.
imitate
Jordan sits behind me, imitating Mr Heaney’s funny voice.
impersonate
To gain access to the jewels, the thief impersonated the head porter.
copy (3) VERB
If you copy something, you make a copy of it.
counterfeit
The criminals tried to counterfeit passports with false names.
duplicate
Before you mail the completed form, duplicate it so we have a copy for the files.
forge
The sly couple forged tickets and then tried to sell them outside the stadium.
replicate
The artist replicated paintings and passed them off as originals.
cost NOUN
The cost is the amount of money needed to buy, do or make something.
charge
“You know, sir, there’ll be a charge for any phone calls,” the hotel clerk said smoothly.
expense
My father didn’t want the expense of a new roof, but the leaks changed his mind.
price
The money I made from errands was just about the price of the model I wanted.
The cost of travelling on transport is the fare.
cosy ADJECTIVE
Somewhere cosy is warm and comfortable.
comfortable
Gramps finds his new reclining armchair very comfortable.
comfy INFORMAL
I was very comfy in my little room right up in the loft.
snug
The two dogs were snug in their baskets when Peter foolishly mentioned “walkies”.
ANTONYM: uncomfortable
count (1) VERB
If you count, or count up, all the things in a group, you add them up to see how many there are.
add up
Irina added up the number of times Mr Reid clapped his hands.
calculate
The salesman calculated the money he would make that week.
reckon up
If you reckon up the rainy days we’ve had recently, you’ll get a surprise.
tot up INFORMAL
My friend Ainsley and I totted up the number of cakes our dads had eaten.
count (2) VERB
If something counts in a situation, it is important or valuable.
carry weight
The politician assured people that their opinions did carry weight.
make a difference
The crook’s previous crimes certainly made a difference to the length of his jail sentence.
matter
The goals you scored before don’t matter. It’s the ones you get now that are important.
count (3) VERB
If you can count on someone or something, you can rely on them.
bank
We were banking on good weather for the school fête.
depend
“I’m depending on you, Smithers. Don’t let me down,” the lieutenant said.
rely
“Can I rely on you to check that all doors are locked?” my mother asked.
country (1) NOUN
A country is one of the political areas the world is divided into.
kingdom
Beyond the barren plains of Kremmen lay the kingdom of the Wargs.
land
“We’re very proud of our land,” said the large Welshman.
nation
Napoleon once said that England was a nation of shopkeepers.
state
After the war a new state was created which united the people.
country (2) NOUN
The country is land away from towns and cities.
bush NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIAN AND AFRICAN
The Pritchards’ farm is right out in the bush.
countryside
The countryside was a patchwork of fields.
outback AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND
A lot of the outback in Australia is really very wild.
wilds
The gamekeeper lived out in the wilds in a small cottage.
The adjective used to describe things in the country is rural.
courage NOUN
Courage is the quality shown by people who do things that they know are dangerous or difficult.
bravery
His bravery in saving the child brought him letters from all over the world.
daring
The daring of King Arthur’s knights is recorded in legend.
guts INFORMAL
The timid girl showed real guts when she went down the rope slide.
heroism
For her heroism in an enemy country, the undercover agent received a secret award.
ANTONYM: cowardice
course NOUN
A course is the route something such as an aircraft, river or ship takes.
path
The plane’s flight path brought it close to the enemy coast.
route
Our quickest route to the Far East is, surprisingly, over the North Pole.
trajectory
The stone’s trajectory was a graceful arc from my catapult to our greenhouse.
way
“Which way do you go home?” I asked Sunil.
of course PHRASE
If you say of course, you are showing that you are absolutely sure about something.
certainly
School meals are certainly tastier than they used to be.
definitely
“I’m definitely coming to camp,” Vadim confirmed.
undoubtedly
I bragged that my team was undoubtedly the best in the world.
crack NOUN
A crack is a narrow gap.
cranny
In a tiny cranny in the cupboard lay the key that they sought.
crevice
Climbers use crevices in the rock to hold the pieces of equipment that support them.
nook
The birds lay their eggs in nooks in the sheer cliffs above the sea.
crafty ADJECTIVE
Someone who is crafty gets what they want by tricking people in a clever way.
cunning
Bond’s cunning trick was to hide above the door.
sly
The sly fox hid behind the henhouse.
wily
The wily coyote was no match for the even cleverer roadrunner.
crash (1) NOUN
A crash is an accident in which a moving vehicle hits something and is damaged.
accident
Queues built up, as the accident had blocked both sides of the road.
collision
The collision took place at a busy road intersection.
pile-up
Pile-ups often occur during fog, when vehicles collide with one another.
smash
It was a bad smash, with two people injured.
crash (2) VERB
If a vehicle crashes, it hits something and is badly damaged.
bump
The motorbike bumped into the back of the car.
collide
My dad’s car collided with a quarry truck on a narrow bend.
plough into
The runaway lorry ploughed into the wall.
crazy ADJECTIVE INFORMAL
Someone or something crazy is very strange or foolish.
absurd
How absurd that you should think that baked beans grow on trees!
bizarre
To see my brother on a bike dressed as a teddy bear was a bizarre experience.
insane
I reckon that bungee jumping is an insane thing to do.
outrageous
Uncle Will is aways doing outrageous things.
ridiculous
Dad thought the idea was ridiculous.
strange
The cowboy had a strange look in his eye.
creep VERB
If you creep somewhere, you move there quietly and slowly.
edge
I edged towards the door, hoping that no one would notice me leave.
slink
“Don’t try to slink off. I haven’t finished yet!” snapped the irritable countess.
sneak
The cat sneaked up the fire escape and crept in through the back door.
tiptoe
I heard my big brother tiptoe past my room.
creepy ADJECTIVE
Someone or something creepy is strange and frightening.
eerie
Eerie noises floated down from the moor.
mysterious
The mysterious stranger disappeared into the mist with a flourish of his cloak.
sinister
With his eyepatch and wooden leg, Long John looked a truly sinister character.
spooky INFORMAL
The film was so spooky Hailey had to cover her eyes.
criminal NOUN
A criminal is someone who has committed a crime.
crook INFORMAL
Two crooks called at our door pretending to be from the water company.
offender
As a young offender, the 15-year-old was not sent to prison.
villain
“Have nothing to do with him. He’s a total villain,” Mum warned.
Types of criminal:
assassin
bandit
blackmailer
burglar
gangster
highwayman
hijacker
kidnapper
mugger
murderer
pickpocket
pirate
robber
shoplifter
smuggler
terrorist
thief
vandal
Types of crime committed by criminals:
abduction
assassination
blackmail
burglary
hijacking
kidnapping
mugging
murder
robbery
shoplifting
smuggling
terrorism
theft
vandalism
crisp ADJECTIVE
Food that is crisp is pleasantly fresh and firm.
crispy
To really be enjoyed, lettuce needs to be fresh and crispy.
crunchy
The apples were crunchy and juicy.
ANTONYM: soft
criticize VERB
If you criticize someone or something, you say what you think is wrong with them.
disapprove of
My parents disapprove of expensive fast food which is full of chemicals.
find fault with
The duchess managed to find fault with everyone in the room.
crooked (1) Said “kroo-kid” ADJECTIVE
Something that is crooked is bent or twisted.
deformed
Gran’s hands are deformed with arthritis.
distorted
The distorted shape of the trees was caused by the onshore wind.
twisted
The wreckage of the car was twisted beyond all recognition.
ANTONYM: straight
crooked (2) Said “kroo-kid” ADJECTIVE
A crooked person is dishonest.
corrupt
The corrupt police officer accepted bribes.
criminal
“You have committed a criminal offence,” intoned the judge.
dishonest
Something made me suspect that the salesman was dishonest.
shady INFORMAL
“He looks a shady customer,” said Carlos, nodding towards a surly man across the street.
ANTONYMS: law-abiding or honest
cross ADJECTIVE
Someone who is cross is rather angry.
angry
My friend Anna was rather angry when I lost her favourite CD.
annoyed
Dad was annoyed that I hadn’t washed up as I’d promised.
cantankerous
The cantankerous old farmer used to shout at anyone who walked past his farm.
crotchety
Gran sometimes gets crotchety when her arthritis is painful.
grumpy
My brother is always grumpy when it comes to having a bath.
irritable
Mum was rather irritable because she had a bad headache.
snappy
“There’s no need to get snappy,” Lynn retorted. “Here’s your wretched comb.”
crowd (1) NOUN
A crowd is a large group of people gathered together.
mass
The whole square was a seething mass of red, white and blue flags.
mob
Enraged, the mob surged through the streets like a human tide.
multitude
The prophet spoke to the multitude, foretelling the great events to come.
swarm
A swarm of demonstrators headed for the parliament building.
crowd (2) NOUN
A crowd is a large number of people watching an event.
audience
The concert audience clapped when the conductor took the stage.
gate
Fifty thousand were there – the biggest gate that United had had all season.
spectators
In the past, the spectators cheered as people were publicly executed.
cruel ADJECTIVE
Cruel people deliberately cause pain or distress to other people or to animals.
callous
The callous emperor made his slaves work their fingers to the bone.
hard-hearted
Hard-hearted Scrooge begrudged giving Cratchit a day off at Christmas.
heartless
The heartless landlord threw the poor widow into the street.
merciless
The merciless sniper picked off his victims one by one with precision.
ruthless
Anyone who disagreed with the ruthless dictator disappeared.
vicious
The vicious crocodile clamped its jaws on the unfortunate swimmer.
crumble VERB
When something crumbles, or you crumble it, it breaks into small pieces.
collapse
Weak foundations caused the apartment block to collapse.
decay
The beam had decayed, bringing the floor above it crashing down.
decompose
Plants, animals and humans begin to decompose when they die.
disintegrate
The agent disintegrated as Morpheus fired his phaser weapon.
cry (1) VERB
When you cry, tears come from your eyes because you are unhappy or hurt.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
bawl
The moment the baby’s bottle was put in its mouth it stopped bawling.
blubber
After being refused an ice cream, the toddler blubbered for the next half hour.
shed tears
Dad’s advice is not to shed tears over something that is in the past.
snivel
“Stop snivelling and you might get a lolly,” the girl’s mother snapped.
sob
Milly sobbed her heart out to think that her dog was dead.
weep
After her sisters had left for the ball, Cinderella wept silently as she swept.
cry (2) VERB
If you cry something, you shout it or say it loudly.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
bawl
Everyone came running when the camp cook bawled “Dinner’s ready!”
bellow
“Time to go to school,” Dad bellowed up the stairs to us.
boom
“Attention!” boomed the sergeant major to the new recruits.
call
When I saw my friend on the other side of the street I called out her name.
shout
Ben shouted for help when he saw the child fall into the pond.
yell
“Watch out!” yelled Yanni as he saw the cricket ball flying in Aidan’s direction.
cry (3) NOUN
A cry is a shout or other sound made with your voice.
bellow
A loud bellow came from the bull at the end of the field.
howl
The wolf let out a howl as he prowled through the moonlit night.
shout
The crowd gave a shout of joy as another goal hit the back of the net.
shriek
My silly brother gave a shriek when he saw the spider in the bath.
yell
With a yell, Aidan jumped out of the way of the speeding cricket ball.
cupboard NOUN
A cupboard is a piece of furniture with doors and shelves.
Some types of cupboard:
cabinet
larder
locker
safe
sideboard
wardrobe
cure NOUN
A cure is something that heals or helps someone to get better.
antidote
There is no known antidote to the bite of that particular snake.
medicine
Dad took some medicine for his stomach ache.
remedy
The remedy for boredom is simple. You need to get out more!
treatment
Fortunately, the treatment helped and my ankle soon felt better.
curious ADJECTIVE
Someone who is curious wants to know more about something.
inquiring
“Dad, it said on my report that I’ve an inquiring mind. What does that mean?”
inquisitive
Inquisitive about anything mechanical, Fiona dismantled the cuckoo clock.
interested
If it’s anything about trains, then my brother is interested.
nosy
Our nosy neighbour was anxious to hear any gossip she could.
curl VERB
If something curls, it moves in a curve or spiral.
coil
The boa constrictor coiled its body slowly round the hapless victim.
entwine
Climbing clematis plants entwined themselves with the telephone wire.
spiral
Smoke spiralled up from the cottage chimney.
twist
The string from the kite twisted as it came tumbling down.
wind
The country road wound round in a series of bends.
curly ADJECTIVE
Curly hair has many curls in it.
curled
My sister’s hair was all curled when she came out of the hairdresser’s.
frizzy
In the Afro look of the 1970s, people had a mop of bushy, frizzy hair.
kinky
If your hair is naturally straight, you can make it kinky by having it permed.
wavy
I would love to have wavy hair, but mine’s dead straight.
cut (1) NOUN
A cut is a mark made with a knife or other sharp tool.
gash
The nasty gash in Billy’s knee needed to have several stitches.
groove
Uncle Ken chiselled a groove in the shelf for plates to stand up in.
nick
I was clumsy with the knife and made a nick in the desk.
slit
To make the pocket, Mum cut a slit in the fabric.
cut (2) VERB
If you cut something, you use a pair of scissors, a knife or another sharp tool to mark it or remove parts of it.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
cut a little:
chip
When she fell, Vanessa chipped her tooth.
chisel
I tried to chisel out a hole for the lock, but I split the wood.
clip
Ross clipped the hedge for his auntie.
prune
When you prune roses in winter, you cut them right back near the base.
shave
Kay shaved a little off the shelf to make it fit.
snip
For a practical joke, I snipped a bit off Dad’s tie, but he didn’t find it funny.
trim
Grandad has his hair trimmed each month – what’s left of it, that is.
cut hard at something:
chop
The karate expert chopped the brick in half with a single blow.
hack
Hacking her way through the jungle, the botanist searched for the rare plant.
slash
Bluebeard slashed downward with his cutlass, through the rope.
cut something down:
chop
Dad had to chop the old tree down after it was damaged in the storm.
fell
The stupid lumberjack proceeded to fell the wrong tree.
mow
It’s useless to mow the lawn in wet weather.
cut something in two:
bisect
With one swing of the axe the man bisected the thick log.
divide
Using a sharp knife, Mum divided the last piece of pie for my brother and me.
halve
“If I halve this apple, will you share it with me?” I asked Helen.
Tools you can use to cut things:
axe
carving knife
chisel
cleaver
clippers
guillotine
knife
mower
razor
saw
scalpel
scissors
secateurs
shears
Dd (#ulink_2f242d6e-4a0e-5c5b-96ae-6f9c8297a505)
damage (1) VERB
If you damage something, you harm or spoil it.
deface
The teacher turned purple when she saw Craig had defaced his language book.
harm
Fortunately, no one was harmed in the crash.
spoil
My painting was spoilt when I spilt water on it.
vandalize
It’s very sad when people vandalize buildings.
➔ See destroy (#ulink_b5e56335-d002-5b38-8874-e1d61d815cc6)
Someone who damages something useful or beautiful on purpose and for no good reason is a vandal.
damage (2) NOUN
Damage is injury or harm done to something.
destruction
“The destruction of rainforests should worry everyone on earth,” said my sister.
harm
The stolen painting was returned with no harm done to it.
vandalism
Owing to vandalism, the public lavatory had to be closed.
damp ADJECTIVE
Something that is damp is slightly wet.
clammy
Beneath her jungle gear, the explorer’s skin felt clammy.
drizzly
All day the weather had been dull and drizzly.
humid
In tropical places, the weather is hot and humid.
moist
As its soil was still moist, Sophie didn’t water the plant.
muggy
We all expected thunder as the air was muggy.
dance (1) VERB
When you dance, you move around in time to music.
caper
The clown capered about to the music.
cavort
The party guests cavorted to the loud music on the dance floor.
dance (2) NOUN
A dance is a series of rhythmic movements that you do in time to music.
Types of dance:
ballet
ballroom dancing
belly dancing
break-dancing
disco dancing
jive
line dancing
mambo
salsa
tap dancing
danger NOUN
Danger is the possibility that someone may be harmed or killed.
hazard
That raised paving stone is a hazard. Someone might trip over it.
menace
Pollution from farm fertilizers is a menace to fish in the rivers.
peril
Ivan put himself in peril by walking near the cliff edge.
risk
Despite the risks, the medic crawled out to help the wounded soldier.
threat
The prime minister tried to avert the threat of war by having meetings with other leaders.
ANTONYM: safety
dangerous ADJECTIVE
If something is dangerous, it is likely to cause hurt or harm.
hazardous
Road tankers have signs to show if their liquid cargo is hazardous.
perilous
Captain Scott set out on his perilous trek to the South Pole.
risky
Jenny knew that climbing the cliff was risky, but she had to escape the waves.
treacherous
“Keep away from those mud flats. They’re treacherous,” warned the boatman.
unsafe
The derelict buildings were unsafe, and about to be demolished.
ANTONYMS: safe or harmless
dare (1) VERB
If you dare to do something, you have the courage to do it.
brave
Ray decided to brave a visit to the dentist’s.
have the courage
The airman had the courage to go back to the burning plane.
risk
The athlete was not willing to risk getting an injury.
venture
Dad ventured to ask his boss for a pay rise.
dare (2) VERB
If you dare someone to do something, you challenge them to do it.
challenge
Yoshi challenged Tim to climb the wall.
defy
I defied my sister to race me.
daring ADJECTIVE
A daring person is bold and willing to take risks.
adventurous
“Rihana is the adventurous type,” her dad said. “She’s always getting into scrapes.”
brave
It was a brave and unexpected move by the submarine captain.
fearless
Even as a young midshipman, Nelson displayed a fearless character.
dark (1) ADJECTIVE
If it is dark, there is not enough light to see properly.
dim
In the dim light of the cave, Crusoe could make out a heap of bones.
dingy
With the shutters closed, the villa was dingy after the bright sunlight outside.
gloomy
On every gloomy landing, paintings of the baron’s ancestors stared out from the walls.
murky
The divers could not see anything in the murky depths of the lake.
shadowy
A sinister figure appeared from a shadowy side street.
ANTONYM: light
dark (2) NOUN
The dark is the lack of light in a place.
dusk
Street lights began to twinkle in the dusk.
gloom
In the gloom of the attic, Nathan made out two staring eyes.
murk
Zora wished she was on the beach, not in the murk of a Manchester night.
ANTONYM: light
dawn NOUN
Dawn is the time in the morning when light first appears in the sky.
break of day
A chorus of hungry birds started up at the break of day.
daybreak
The search for the missing girl resumed at daybreak.
sunrise
By sunrise, the diver and his team were already at the pier.
ANTONYM: dusk
dazed ADJECTIVE
If you are dazed, you are confused and bewildered.
bewildered
Mum was bewildered by the huge range of mobile phones on offer.
confused
Granny sometimes gets confused and says odd things.
light-headed
The paint smell was so strong that I began to feel light-headed.
shocked
After the bomb, shocked, dusty people wandered hopelessly around.
stunned
I felt stunned by the unexpected news about James’s accident.
dead ADJECTIVE
A person, animal or plant that is dead is no longer alive.
deceased
It was thought that the deceased man came originally from Ireland.
extinct
The extinct moa of New Zealand was a flightless bird like an ostrich.
late
Many people paid tribute to Mrs Suleiman’s late husband.
ANTONYM: alive
A dead body is called a corpse or the remains. A person who has recently died is often referred to as the deceased.
deadly ADJECTIVE
Something deadly is likely or able to cause death.
lethal
The machine guns dispensed a lethal curtain of fire across the muddy wilderness.
mortal
Frodo suddenly came face to face with his mortal enemy.
deal NOUN
A deal is an agreement or arrangement, especially in business.
agreement
The countries formed an agreement about imports and exports.
arrangement
Dad made an arrangement to pick the car up on Tuesday.
contract
The player’s contract with his club will expire in a year’s time.
deal with VERB
If you deal with something, you do what is necessary to sort it out.
attend to
The receptionist has promised to attend to me in a moment.
handle
Mum handled all the holiday arrangements.
see to
“Please would you see to that customer,” the manager said to the sales assistant.
sort out
Thank heavens Mrs Ito was there to sort out the problem.
take care of
“I’ll take care of the flowers if you buy the chocolates,” my sister said on Mother’s Day.
➔ See cope with (#ulink_14e17e3c-ef27-589e-9095-f6f7361f8741)
dear (1) ADJECTIVE
Something or someone dear is much loved.
beloved
The card read, “To my beloved wife”.
cherished
Grandad has cherished memories of his time in Italy.
treasured
His gran’s rocking chair was a treasured possession.
dear (2) ADJECTIVE
Something that is dear is very expensive.
costly
The furniture was costly but superbly made.
pricey INFORMAL
“That computer game’s a bit pricey,” my friend Sean muttered.
ANTONYM: cheap
decay VERB
When things decay, they rot or go bad.
biodegrade
Most plastic does not biodegrade, which is a problem for the environment.
decompose
I had a sinking feeling that my sandwiches were decomposing in my locker.
perish
The hot-water bottle leaked, as its rubber stopper had perished.
rot
Most softwood will rot if it is not painted.
decide VERB
If you decide to do something, you choose to do it, usually after thinking about it carefully.
commit yourself
In signing up for the course, my brother committed himself to do a year’s study.
make a decision
The hobbit made a decision to cross the river before camping.
make up your mind
“Ted, will you make up your mind!” Dad demanded impatiently.
reach a decision
My parents reached a decision: we were going to move house.
decision NOUN
A decision is a choice or judgment that is made about something.
choice
Daniel faced a choice – to continue and risk getting lost, or to go back the way he had come.
conclusion
I came to the conclusion that I hadn’t been working hard enough.
judgment
The panel’s judgment was that Mrs Flaherty had been fairly treated.
verdict
The courtroom fell silent as the jury’s verdict was announced.
decorate VERB
If you decorate something, you make it more attractive by adding things to it.
adorn
For the wedding, the gate to the churchyard was adorned with flowers.
festoon
The whole of Wall Street was festooned with tickertape streamers.
trim
The Christmas tree was trimmed with tinsel.
decrease VERB
If something decreases, or if you decrease it, it becomes less.
decline
Bird-lovers are worried that the number of house sparrows is declining.
diminish
The glow from the fire diminished as the dogs slumbered on.
dwindle
Once the mines closed, the valley population began to dwindle.
lessen
The driver decided to lessen his speed, as the engine was overheating.
reduce
Reducing your salt intake will help you to stay healthy.
ANTONYM: increase
deep (1) ADJECTIVE
If something is deep, it goes a long way down from the surface.
bottomless
“The way you spend, you must think I’ve got bottomless pockets!” Dad grumbled.
yawning
The earth shook violently, and a yawning hole opened up in the street.
ANTONYM: shallow
deep (2) ADJECTIVE
Deep can mean great or intense.
intense
Van Gogh painted vibrant pictures with intense colour.
profound
The discovery of penicillin had a profound effect on medicine.
strong
A strong wind blew the sailing boat safely back on course.
deep (3) ADJECTIVE
A deep sound is a low one.
bass
The bass sound of the foghorn echoed through the mist.
low
Mrs Quail’s voice is so low that she is sometimes mistaken for a man on the telephone.
ANTONYM: high
defeat (1) VERB
If you defeat someone or something, you win a victory over them, or cause them to fail.
beat
“I hope my team beats yours,” Pete said cheekily to Smithy.
conquer
To conquer Wales was King Edward’s lifelong wish.
overcome
The girl overcame her disability to become a great champion.
overpower
Legions of screeching auks overpowered the tiny band of travellers.
rout
The forces of evil in Narnia were routed in the last battle.
defeat (2) NOUN
A defeat is the state of being beaten or of failing.
beating
Class 3a crowed that the team from 3b had taken a beating.
conquest
The conquest of England by the Normans in 1066 was a turning point in history.
downfall
The dictator’s downfall was sudden and spectacular.
pasting INFORMAL
Mighty Hawk took a severe pasting from the new wrestler.
trouncing INFORMAL
“What a trouncing,” Mitch moaned.
ANTONYM: victory
defence NOUN
Defence is the action that is taken to protect someone or something against attack.
immunity
The nurse assured me that the vaccination would give immunity from measles.
protection
“Our paint offers ten-year protection from the rain,” the advert boasted.
resistance
“Resistance is useless. Come out with your hands up!” bawled the loudspeaker.
safeguard
Taking out insurance acts as a safeguard against misfortune.
A country’s defences are its armed forces and its weapons.
defend (1) VERB
If you defend someone or something, you protect them from harm or danger.
fortify
The manor house was fortified by the addition of a large wall around it.
guard
Brushing your teeth helps guard against decay and keeps your breath fresh.
protect
King Edward protected the castle with no fewer than six main gates!
safeguard
The sentries safeguarded the palace.
➔ See shelter (1) (#litres_trial_promo)
defend (2) VERB
If you defend a person or their ideas, you argue in support of them.
justify
Anita justified hitting the boy by claiming that he had hit her first.
speak up for
Amal spoke up for his friend, despite the bully’s threats.
stick up for INFORMAL
“Thank you for sticking up for me,” said Lisa gratefully.
support
Dad supported me when our neighbour complained about the noise.
definite ADJECTIVE
Something that is definite is clear and unlikely to be changed.
certain
“It is certain that I will be having a birthday party,” Molly told us.
guaranteed
My uncle secured us guaranteed seats for the big game.
positive
The contestant gave a very positive answer. Sadly, it was the wrong one.
sure
Being sulky is a sure way to lose friends.
ANTONYM: uncertain
definitely ADVERB OR INTERJECTION
Definitely can mean certainly and without doubt.
absolutely
“Are you able to play?” I asked. “Absolutely!” came Deepak’s reply.
beyond any doubt
Beyond any doubt, the German was the best racing driver in the world.
certainly
The coach admitted, “We’ve certainly got a good team this year.”
plainly
The witness was plainly going to say nothing.
unquestionably
The banquet was unquestionably the largest meal he had ever eaten.
delay (1) NOUN
If there is a delay, something does not happen until later than planned or expected.
hold-up
At the last minute, there was a hold-up in the live TV broadcast.
pause
After a pause, the mayor continued his speech.
postponement
Owing to the storms, there was a 24-hour postponement in the rocket launch.
setback
There were a few minor setbacks before the house was built.
wait
We had a slight wait before being ushered in to meet the prince.
delay (2) VERB
If something delays you, it makes you late or slows you down.
hinder
My baby brother did his best to hinder Mum’s vacuum cleaning.
hold up
Traffic was held up by a burst water main.
slow down
Our progress was slowed down by a crawling tractor in front.
deliberate ADJECTIVE
If you do something that is deliberate, you do it on purpose.
calculated
The head teacher took a calculated risk and told staff to put the stalls outdoors.
conscious
“I want you to make a conscious effort to get to school on time,” Mrs Lenster said.
intentional
The referee decided that the dangerous tackle was intentional, and sent the player off.
ANTONYM: unintentional
delicious ADJECTIVE
Delicious food or drink tastes very nice.
appetizing
The waiter brought round all sorts of appetizing titbits.
delectable
“Thank you, that was a delectable meal, Mrs Kean,” Marie said politely.
scrumptious INFORMAL
I think meringues are scrumptious. My sister hates them.
tasty
Some cheese is tasty. Some tastes like rubber.
ANTONYM: horrible
depend (1) VERB
If you depend on someone or something, you trust them and rely on them.
bank on
Mr Marshall said he was banking on me to score a few goals.
count on
I was counting on Dennis to give me some good passes.
rely on
Lyra knew she could rely on the huge bear to come to her aid.
trust
The owners trusted you to put the correct money in the box.
depend (2) VERB
If one thing depends on another, it is influenced by it.
be based on
“Our firm’s success is based on the hard work of the staff,” the boss stated.
hinge on
The battle hinged on whether the cavalry could break through the enemy line.
describe VERB
If you describe someone or something, you say what they are like.
define
The supply teacher asked me to define what a hexagon is.
explain
Beatrice explained what she had done and her reasons for doing it.
relate
My pal Vadim was bursting to relate what had happened on the way to school.
report
On Monday, I was expected to report on our weekend camping trip.
description NOUN
A description is an account or picture of something in words.
account
The witness gave his account of the incident.
profile
Police assembled a profile of the burglar, making him easy to identify.
report
Class 6 gave a report on all the activities they had taken part in.
deserve VERB
If you deserve something, you earn it or have a right to it.
be worthy of
The girl’s bravery was worthy of the highest possible honour.
earn
The president’s forgiveness of his kidnappers earned him the respect of the world.
justify
The boy’s terrific courage justified his award.
merit
“Tidings of our great victory merit a celebration,” said the duke.
despair NOUN
Despair is a total loss of hope.
desperation
In desperation, the pilot ejected.
gloom
The team had been relegated and gloom filled the dressing room.
hopelessness
The hopelessness of the starving people made the reporter weep.
desperate ADJECTIVE
A desperate situation is extremely dangerous or serious.
critical
The sick woman’s condition was critical.
drastic
Sealing the city was a drastic action, but it stopped the spread of the plague.
grave
“We are in a grave predicament,” said the king. “We must fight for our lives.”
hopeless
The situation of the soldiers seemed hopeless.
despite PREPOSITION
If you do something despite some difficulty, you manage to do it anyway.
in spite of
In spite of her age, Granny is very fit.
regardless of
Regardless of the danger, the medic carried the injured man to safety.
destroy VERB
If you destroy something, you damage it so much that it is completely ruined.
annihilate
Scientists think that changes in the climate may have annihilated the dinosaurs.
demolish
Workmen demolished the disused factory.
devastate
In 1945, two Japanese cities were utterly devastated by atom bombs.
ruin
“They’ve ruined that park by chopping those trees down,” Grandad grumbled.
wreck
A lifetime playing loud music wrecked the guitarist’s hearing.
determination NOUN
Determination is a great strength and will to do something.
dedication
The nurse’s dedication earned her the thanks of all the soldiers.
drive
To get to the top, businesspeople need drive and imagination.
perseverance
The tortoise’s perseverance helped him beat the foolish hare in the race.
will
Matthew’s will to win saw him achieve Olympic gold.
determined ADJECTIVE
If you are determined to do something, you will not let anything stop you from doing it.
intent
She was so intent on doing well, she made herself ill with worry.
persistent
The salesman was so persistent that Mum shut the door on him.
single-minded
Sometimes you have to be single-minded to do a job properly.
die (1) VERB
When a person, animal or plant dies, they stop living.
expire
Tragically, the old man expired from the effort of the hill climb.
pass away
In memory of John Silver, who passed away this day in 1792.
perish
Around 700 seamen perished when the Mary Rose went down.
die (2) VERB
When something dies, dies away or dies down, it becomes less intense and disappears.
dwindle
Support for the team dwindled when they were relegated.
fade
As the fire brigade approached, the desperate hammering faded to a faint knocking.
peter out
Just before the finish line, the old car’s engine petered out.
difference NOUN
The difference between two things is the way in which they are unlike each other.
contrast
Although they look similar, there is a big contrast in the characters of the twins.
distinction
Colour-blind people often cannot see a distinction between red and green.
variation
We noticed a terrific variation in price between one shop and another.
ANTONYM: similarity
different (1) ADJECTIVE
If one thing is different from another, it is not like it.
contrasting
In the story, honest Cinderella is a contrasting character to her scheming stepsisters.
distinct
The taste of blue cheese is quite distinct from ordinary cheese.
opposed
The couple’s viewpoints were opposed.
ANTONYMS: similar or identical
One thing is different from another thing. Some people think that different to is wrong. Different than is used in American English.
different (2) ADJECTIVE
If several things are different from each other, they are not the same.
assorted
My pockets contained assorted coins, sweet wrappers, paperclips and fluff.
varied
The plants were of varied colours, including some lovely reds and purples.
ANTONYMS: similar or identical
If something is different from everything else in the world, it is unique.
difficult (1) ADJECTIVE
Difficult things are not easy to do, understand or solve.
difficult to work out or deal with:
awkward
The tap was in an awkward place for the plumber to get at.
challenging
“It’s the most challenging operation I’ve ever tackled,” the surgeon admitted.
demanding
Dad had a demanding week at work.
formidable
Rescuing thousands from the earthquake rubble was a formidable task.
knotty
It was a knotty problem: to cross the deep river without a bridge!
puzzling
Zara is puzzling. One minute she’s pleasant, the next she’s horrid.
tricky
The climbers were in a tricky situation, stuck on the ledge as night drew in.
physically difficult:
backbreaking
Digging the canals by hand was a backbreaking job for the navvies.
laborious
Archaeology is laborious work, digging slowly and sifting carefully.
strenuous
Marathon running is a strenuous business.
difficult (2) ADJECTIVE
Someone who is difficult behaves in an unreasonable way.
awkward
“That horse is awkward,” said the cowboy, “but I’ll ride him eventually.”
troublesome
The troublesome twins made their teacher’s life a hard one.
trying
Mrs Kray had a trying time with Class 6 and their spellings.
uncooperative
Uncooperative people never work well in a team.
difficulty NOUN
A difficulty is a problem.
complication
The biggest complication for Brunel was that his tunnel kept flooding.
dilemma
Karen faced a dilemma. Should she play with her friends or help her mum?
hitch
After a hitch with the curtains, the play began five minutes late.
obstacle
The star encountered many obstacles on the road to fame.
plight
“Your plight is indeed a sorry one,” said the knight to the damsel in the tower.
snag
Progress on the house was smooth, until they hit a snag when they found a hole in the roof.
dig VERB
If you dig, you make a hole in earth or sand, especially with a spade or shovel.
burrow
Rabbits create warrens by burrowing into hillsides.
delve
The diggers delved deeper, looking for a glimmer of gold.
excavate
Rescue workers excavated the rubble to free the trapped people.
hollow out
We hollowed out a dip in the sand in which to build our camp fire.
scoop out
The squirrel scooped out a hole in the early snow to reach the acorns beneath.
dim ADJECTIVE
Something that is dim is lacking in brightness and badly lit.
faint
As they neared Mordor, faint lights shone in the hills beyond.
gloomy
The gloomy passages of the castle were lit by flaming torches on the walls.
shadowy
I had trouble finding my way across the shadowy room to reach the light switch.
vague
Ben Nevis was just a vague outline seen through the morning mist.
ANTONYM: bright
dinosaur NOUN
Dinosaurs are large animals that lived millions of years ago.
Some types of dinosaur:
apatosaurus
diplodocus
iguanodon
pterodactyl
stegosaurus
triceratops
tyrannosaurus
velociraptor
dirt NOUN
Dirt is any unclean substance such as dust, mud or stains.
filth
Below the sink, the shelf was caked with filth.
grime
Grime from a thousand mill chimneys had blackened the local buildings.
muck
It took me hours to clean the muck from the wheels of my bike.
dirty (1) ADJECTIVE
Something that is dirty is marked or covered with dirt.
filthy
“Get rid of that filthy rag,” my dad ordered.
grimy
The windows were so grimy we could barely see out of them.
grubby
Mum suggested my little brother wash his grubby hands.
mucky
My father enjoys mucky jobs like gardening.
mud-caked
Everywhere in the wood, mud-caked motorcyclists roared like angry wasps.
soiled
The sign said, “Please place soiled nappies in the bin provided”.
stained
The penny was badly stained, but came up shining after it was polished.
ANTONYM: clean
dirty (2) ADJECTIVE
Water that is dirty is made unclean by poisonous substances.
contaminated
The contaminated stream was an ominous red colour.
polluted
Polluted lakes and waterways cannot support any wildlife.
dirty (3) ADJECTIVE
Dirty language is unpleasant and offensive.
crude
“That joke is very crude and not funny at all,” the girl snapped.
foul
The player was sent off for using foul language.
rude
Rude words offend many people.
vulgar
“There’s no need to be vulgar,” Mum told my big sister.
disadvantage NOUN
A disadvantage is something that makes things difficult.
drawback
The drawback of being late for school was that I missed out on Nicky’s birthday cake.
handicap
My brother’s broken leg was a handicap to him for a couple of months.
inconvenience
Mum doesn’t find walking to work an inconvenience. It helps keep her slim.
snag
The only snag with the hotel was that it was a long way from the beach.
ANTONYM: advantage
disagree (1) VERB
If you disagree with someone, you have a different opinion or view from them.
argue with
“If you argue with me,” Mum said stiffly, “you will go to your room!”
differ
Dad and Mum differed in their attitude to bedtimes.
disagree (2) VERB
If you disagree with an action or proposal, you believe it is wrong.
dispute
The player disputed the umpire’s decision and was disqualified.
object to
Fran objected to what I’d said about her.
oppose
The mayor opposed the government’s policy on city traffic.
disappear VERB
If someone or something disappears, they go where they cannot be seen or found.
drop out of sight
The toddler had dropped out of sight before his mother realized he was not at her side.
evaporate
The wizard uttered his spell and evaporated into thin air.
fade
The flight of geese faded into the twilight.
melt away
The crowd melted away, taking their memories of the music with them.
vanish
Without a second thought, Hermione made herself vanish in an instant.
ANTONYMS: appear or reappear
disaster NOUN
A disaster is a very bad accident, such as an earthquake or a plane crash.
calamity
Mr and Mrs Hassan suffered a calamity when they lost all their savings.
catastrophe
The earthquake killed 1500 people – a catastrophe on a huge scale.
tragedy
The fire in the old couple’s home was a tragedy for them.
discuss VERB
When people discuss something, they talk about it in detail.
chat about
Lisa and I chatted about our favourite movie.
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- Жанр: Детская познавательная и развивающая литература, Детская проза, Справочная литература
- Язык: Книги на английском языке
- Объём: 510 стр. 6 иллюстраций
- ISBN: 9780007583669
- Дата выхода книги: 10 мая 2019
- Версия: 📚 Электронная книга
Optimised for colour tablets. The images in this e-book are not suitable for viewing on black and white e-ink devices.This fantastic thesaurus is especially designed for children aged 8 and above (Key Stage 2) and supports today's Primary curriculum needs. Clear and accessible, it is an indispensable tool for young writers.• full definitions for every entry and sample sentences for each synonym to help improve your child’s vocabulary• words to use in all types of writing, from fiction to non-fiction, plus advice on particular writing styles• word list boxes for in-depth examination of special language features• usage tips offer extra language learning support• free online resources at collins.co.uk/homeworkhelp
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