notion

The film questions the standard notions of right and wrong.

We have to reject this strange notion that some languages are better than others.

I made my way home each night with at least some notion of hope.


modify

modify (canonical)
modifies (third-person singular)
modified (past)
modified (past participle)
modifying (present participle)

If you modify something, you change it, often only in small ways, and often because you want to use it in a different situation.

Both penalties and rewards can be used to modify children's behaviour.

It is also possible to modify the original by adding or removing parts.

We found some new problems and modified the program accordingly.

If a word, phrase, or clause modifies another, it is an optional word, phrase, or clause that gives more information about the other.

The adjective "big" modifies the noun "bridge" in the expression "big bridge".


amendment

amendment (singular)
amendments (plural)

An amendment is an addition or change to a document; also the process of making this change.

This law can only be changed by constitutional amendment.

We are considering an amendment to the Water Bill which required compliance with EC rules by 1993.

He agreed to accept amendments to reduce the standard rate of income tax in his Finance Bill.


stress

Stress is emotional pressure that makes you worry because things are not going well.

Death is a time of great stress for family and friends.

Plants under stress from lack of water or disease are the most likely to attract problem insects.

Stress is physical pressure that gradually can cause things to break

Sitting puts an unnatural stress on the back and shortens the neck.

Stress is extra attention or importance that you put on something.

Psychology has put a lot of stress on the childhood roots of adult problems.

Stress is extra loudness that you use in a word or in music.

Put more stress on the first syllable of the word.


stress

stress (canonical)
stresses (third-person singular)
stressed (past)
stressed (past participle)
stressing (present participle)

If you stress something, you say that it is very important.

I have repeatedly stressed the importance of hard work, but luck is also helpful.

If you stress a word, part of a word, or a note in music, you make it louder than other words or notes.


enable

enable (canonical)
enables (third-person singular)
enabled (past)
enabled (past participle)
enabling (present participle)

If you enable something or someone, you make make it able to do something or you help it.

The program enables users to share data, collaborate and automate tasks without writing any extra code.

Night or instrument flying enabled us to fly twenty-four hours a day and in poor weather.

The data will not enable the identification of individuals to take place.

This switch will enable the song-sharing function.


light

The energy that our eyes sense is light.

And dance by the light of the moon.—Buffalo Gals, American folksong

If someone talks about a light, he or she means something bright that can be seen.

The lights of the city shine all over the valley.

When you leave the room, turn off the light.


light

light (positive)
lighter (comparative)
lightest (superlative)

Something that is light in color is close to white.

The morning sky was very light.

Something that is light in weight does not weigh much.

I lifted her easily because she was so light.

Light may also mean that something is not serious.

The light bruise on my leg didn't hurt much.

I enjoy light comedy, where lots of funny things happen.


light

lighted (past)
lighted (past participle)
light (canonical)
lights (third-person singular)
lit (past)
lit (past participle)
lighting (present participle)

If someone lights a fire, the fire starts to burn.

Let's light the wood in the fireplace.

The match lit and I could see around me.

Something that lights a place makes it less dark.

The moon lighted the forest path.


terminal

A terminal is the end of a train track or bus route. It is the station or the last stop.

The bus drove into the terminal and all the people got off.

A computer screen and keyboard, which are at the end of a wire joining them to a computer.

She sat at the computer terminal and typed some words.

A terminal is a building in an airport where passengers transfer to the facilities that allow them to board airplanes.


terminal

The last. At the end, in time or in space. A terminal illness is a sickness that will make the person die.


flash

He used the flash on his camera.

The tall man disappeared in a flash.


flash

flash (canonical)
flashes (third-person singular)
flashed (past)
flashed (past participle)
flashing (present participle)

If something flashes, it shines brightly and suddenly.

The fountain flashed in the sunshine.

It rained hard. lightning flashed and we heard thunder.

The light from the car flashed through the window into the house for a second when the car drove past.


flash

flash (positive)
more flash (comparative)
most flash (superlative)

:
 This short section needs someone to add to it.


total

A total is the final amount of something. It is a term used in math.


total

totaled (past)
totaled (past participle)
totaling (present participle)
total (canonical)
totals (third-person singular)
totalled (past)
totalled (past participle)
totalling (present participle)

If you total something, you add them up.

If something totals something, it adds up to that; it amounts to.

The total of your purchase comes to $53.

If you total something, you destroy it; you wreck it.


total

If something is total, it is complete; it is finished.

He is a total failure

The total book was very bad.


live

live (canonical)
lives (third-person singular)
lived (past)
lived (past participle)
living (present participle)

He's not expected to live for more than a few months.

I live at 256 Oak Avenue.

Her memory lives in that song.


live

The post office will not ship live animals.

A live firearm or explosive is able to cause harm.

The air force practices dropping live bombs on the uninhabited island.

charged or energized with electricity, usually meaning that the item may cause electrocution if it is touched.

Use caution when working near live wires.

A live bet is a bet that can be raised by the person betting.

Tommy's blind was live, so he was given the option to raise.


live

A live event is an event that happens in real time; direct.

The concert was broadcast live by radio.


selection

selection (singular)
selections (plural)

A person makes a selection when a person chooses a smaller number of things from a larger group of things.

A selection of things is different things that have been chosen or that you can choose from.

The window of the store shows a selection of the things you can buy in the store.

Selection is a process where the best adapted life forms survive and the others die out.

Charles Darwin was a scientist who wrote about natural selection.

In Australia, a selection was an area of land which a farmer could choose to buy.

The first thing he had to do was clear the trees of his selection.


discretion

discretion (singular)
discretions (plural)

Discretion is the ability and power to decide.

The judge made a mistake in exercising his discretion to end the trial early.

The money will be offered at the discretion of the Environmental Health Department.

Discretion is the ability to do something in a way that does not upset people.

Discretion is the ability to keep a secret.


liberal

liberal (positive)
more liberal (comparative)
most liberal (superlative)

If something is liberal, it allows for change, flexibility, and free thought.

The Church should take a more liberal view of sex.

Japanese schools are quite different from what you see in our more liberal education system.

Any attempt to put a liberal democracy in Iraq will fail.

If something is liberal, it has few limits.

He was quite liberal with his kindness.


liberal

A liberal is a person who believes in liberal ideas.


shade

A shade is a shadow of a tree or another big thing that blocks some of the light and heat of the Sun.

She rested in the shade of the tree because she felt hot.

A shade is the slight difference between colors.


shade

shade (canonical)
shades (third-person singular)
shaded (past)
shaded (past participle)
shading (present participle)

If something is shaded, it is shielded from light.

The old tree shaded the animals from the sun.

If something is shading, it is approaching something slightly.

The grassland was green, shading towards brown in the drier areas.

If you shade something in a drawing, you darken it.

Mary started shading in the outlines of the house in her drawing.


serious

serious (positive)
more serious (comparative)
most serious (superlative)

A problem or situation is serious if it is not funny or comical, but important.

This is a serious problem. We must do something.

A person is serious if the person is not laughing or joking, but saying what they mean.

I see. When you said the room was empty, you were serious!

The woman's face looked serious, so I knew she was saying something important.


scissors

A pair of scissors is a tool for cutting, with two parts like two knives that move. Scissors are usually used for cutting paper.


ninety-nine

ordinal ninety-ninth) Ninety-nine (99) is the odd number that comes before one hundred.

Ninety-nine apples lay on the table.


network

A network is a group of connections between a number of points.

Electronic systems control the busiest parts of the rail network.

This is the first national TV network that is 100% sports.

We conduct much of our overseas banking business through a network of some 3,500 worldwide branches.

You can connect to the Internet through a wireless local network system.

I don't have a good social network in my new job.


network

network (canonical)
networks (third-person singular)
networked (past)
networked (past participle)
networking (present participle)

If you network, you make or use social connections, usually for business purposes.

I spent most of my time at the conferences networking with other sales people.


shock

A shock is the way it feels when a heavy thing suddenly hits another thing.

A shock is a sudden change that surprises people.

Shock is the way a person is when the person has lost some blood or has been hurt, and their heart is beating very fast and weakly.

A shock is some electricity that suddenly hurts someone.


shock

shock (canonical)
shocks (third-person singular)
shocked (past)
shocked (past participle)
shocking (present participle)

You are shocked when you are surprised at something

He was shocked at how much she had changed since he had last met her.

If you have been shocked, you were hit by electricity.


project

A project is a complex job or assignment, often involving research or construction.

Shell is also working on projects to help find training and work experience for some of Brazil's 13 million street children.

The paper summarizes fifty research projects on the relationship between unemployment and crime.

She's a project manager with British construction company John Mowlem.

At college, I did this project on images of Black women in the media because it bothered me.


project

project (canonical)
projects (third-person singular)
projected (past)
projected (past participle)
projecting (present participle)

If you project, you plan for or estimate something in the future.

We have projected the loss of income forward for five years.

Projecting into the future, wondering what may or may not happen and being afraid of it, is a common danger.

If something projects out or beyond something else, it stands out.

During flight, the legs of this bird project beyond the tail.

If you project an image somewhere, you use light to make it appear there.

During the presentation, she projected various graphs on the screen behind her.

If you project an image, you try to give people a particular feeling about something.

The program will project a modern image of workers.


twelve

ordinal twelfth) Twelve is the number that is after eleven and before thirteen. In numerals, it is 12.

Twelve eggs make a big omelette.


twelve

two and ten makes twelve.

The twelve are never alone.

This girl is twelve.


send

send (canonical)
sends (third-person singular)
sent (past)
sent (past participle)
sending (present participle)

To send something is to make the thing go somewhere without the person. A person sends a letter by putting it in a mailbox. A person can send another person somewhere by telling the person to go there.

She needed to send a letter to her mother to say she had arrived safely.

Could you send Roger into see me please?


entity

An entity is a whole thing, independent from other things, often an institution or something alive.

The idea of church and state as separate entities is quite new.

When you start a company, you create a new legal entity.


seem

seem (canonical)
seems (third-person singular)
seemed (past)
seemed (past participle)
seeming (present participle)

The way something seems to be is the way you think it is when you look at it, hear about it, think about it, etc.

It seems unlikely that they will remember your name after meeting you once.

As odd as it may seem, the girl's best friend is an eighty year old man.

It was a terrible night, but somehow it doesn't seem so bad this morning.

It is still raining on him, but he doesn't seem to notice.

The bad smells did not seem to bother them.

The young man seemed to have forgotten all his promises.

They really seemed to be enjoying what they were doing.

The changes seem to suggest that the police have new information.

It seems to me that we ought to try again.

It seemed like forever, but I think it got there in about 12 to 15 minutes.

It seemed like a crazy idea; it had never been done before.

You seem like a very nice guy.

The very air he was breathing seemed as if it were on fire.


slip

slip (canonical)
slips (third-person singular)
slipped (past)
slipped (past participle)
slipping (present participle)

When something slides, or moves a small distance while touching what it's on, we say it slips.

The hat slipped down until it covered her eyes.

When someone or something moves without wanting to move, we say it slips.

My foot slipped when I stepped on some ice, and I almost fell.

When someone moves quickly and quietly so that other people won't see them move, we say the person slips.

I slipped into the kitchen to start washing dishes while people were talking.


slip

A slip is a piece of clothing like a small white skirt, that a woman sometimes wears hidden under her skirt or dress.


generate

generate (canonical)
generates (third-person singular)
generated (past)
generated (past participle)
generating (present participle)

If you generate something, you create it.

On the hottest summer days, we are unable to generate enough electricity.

Apple is great at generating interest in their computers and other products.

They gave away 100 per cent of the income generated by their songs.


sixteen

ordinal sixteenth) Sixteen is the number that is after fifteen and before seventeen. It can also be written as 16.

Sixteen persons fit in this small bus.

next word stressed near the first syllable

next word stressed after the first syllable


sixteen

six and ten makes sixteen.

These sixteen are very beautiful stones.

In some countries, you may vote when you are sixteen


sixty

ordinal sixtieth) Sixty is the number that is after 59 and before 61.

There are sixty seconds in a minute and sixty minutes in an hour.

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-sixty.wav


sixty

Sixty is ten less than seventy and ten more than fifty.

My father is sixty.


rod

A rod is a long, thin round thing, usually made of metal.

They put rods on the window to keep people out.


substitution

substitution (singular)
substitutions (plural)

A substitution is the act of replacing one person or thing with another.

The accidental substitution of one medicine for another can be deadly.

They had no extra players, so were unable to make any substitutions.


revenue

Revenue is the money that a business receives for doing business, and government receives from taxes.

Higher oil prices should raise government revenue by 13%.

Individual taxpayers today provide a bigger share of our tax revenues than they did before.

The company earned 20% of its revenues from services such as consulting, software and management.

The City is happy because a new source of revenue has been located.

(UK): rev‧en‧ue; (US): rev‧e‧nue; rev‧enue


eighteen

ordinal eighteenth) Eighteen is the number that is after seventeen and before nineteen. It can also be written as 18.

Eighteen chickens sat on the roof.


eighteen

two nines is eighteen.

The eighteen were leaving the city.

You have to be eighteen to vote in some countries.


equivalent

equivalent (positive)
more equivalent (comparative)
most equivalent (superlative)

If two things are equivalent, they are of equal value or acceptability.

Dolphins have very large brains, roughly equivalent to the size of a human brain.


equivalent

equivalent (singular)
equivalents (plural)

An equivalent is something of equal value of acceptability.

Living in Thailand costs the equivalent of just £10 per day.


sense

Sense is any basic ability or understanding.

She has a great sense of fashion.

She uses good sense when choosing her friends.

Why did you do that?! Where's your common sense?!


sense

sense (canonical)
senses (third-person singular)
sensed (past)
sensed (past participle)
sensing (present participle)

Sense is the ability to understand a situation or emotions.

I sensed you were upset before you said anything.

I sense you don't want to be with me.

Do I sense a chance for success in your game plan?


ninety

ordinal ninetieth) Ninety is an even number. In numerals, it is 90.

Ninety years ago, things were different.


ninety

Ninety is ten less than hundred and forty more than fifty.

My grandfather is ninety.


see

see (canonical)
sees (third-person singular)
saw (past)
seen (past participle)
seeing (present participle)

You see something when you look at it with your eyes.

She turned her head up and saw clouds in the sky.

I can't see the words in this book because the writing is too small and I don't have my glasses.

If you are seeing someone, you are dating them.

Me and Katie have been seeing each other for a few months.


see

A diocese; a region of a church, generally headed by a bishop, an archbishop or a cardinal

The office of a bishop or archbishop or cardinal.

Venice is the see of a cardinal.

The Pope is the bishop of the see of Rome.


perspective

perspective (singular)
perspectives (plural)

A perspective is a way of looking at or thinking about something.

The British media give a completely different perspective from CNN.

He has to look at everything from an international perspective.

The book provides a fresh perspective on the lives of young airmen during the war.

Perspective is the ability to think about things in a reasonable way.

He's lost all perspective when it comes to this job.

Perspective is a way to show three dimensions in a two-dimensional image.


sign

A flat thing with a few words or pictures on it to tell people something.

I saw a stop sign, so I stopped the car.


sign

sign (canonical)
signs (third-person singular)
signed (past)
signed (past participle)
signing (present participle)

When someone signs a piece of paper, they write their signature on it.

They signed a contract saying exactly who would do the work and how much money they would be paid.

If a company signs someone, they hire them to work.


exposure

If x has exposure to y, x is not hidden or protected from y.

Staying out of the sun between 11am and 3pm can reduce exposure by 60 per cent.

Prolonged exposure to cold and wet may increase the chance of disease.

As a child of a Canadian father and Japanese mother, he had exposure to many different viewpoints.

The exposure of his crimes was the end of his career.

She had multiple exposures to the gas before becoming ill.

The campers died of exposure after two weeks in the cold.

The exposure is the amount of time that a film is hit by light.

One exposure is one section of film that is hit by light at one time.


fourteen

ordinal fourteenth) Fourteen is the even number that is after thirteen and before fifteen. In numerals, it is 14.

Fourteen apples lie on the table.


fourteen

four and ten makes fourteen.

The fourteen are never alone.

This boy is fourteen.


evolution

evolution (singular)
evolutions (plural)

Evolution is the process of slow change. It is most used in biology to refer to the way living things change over long periods of time in order to adapt to their surroundings.

The theory of evolution is the basis of modern biology.

For the first time, the evolution of some bacteria has been observed.

Evolution is the reason animals and plants of today are different from those of long ago.

He believed that the evolution of society followed certain laws.

Creationists are people who deny that evolution is real, because it contradicts their religious beliefs, which are that God made everything.

An evolution is a change that happens over time.

Over the last ten years, there has been an evolution in the way we think about this disease.


nineteen

ordinal nineteenth) Nineteen is the number that is after eighteen and before twenty. It can also be written as 19.

Nineteen ducks swim on the lake.


nineteen

nine and ten makes nineteen.

The nineteen are the fastest runners in their school.

Paul is nineteen, but he looks older


orientation

orientation (singular)
orientations (plural)

Someone's or something's orientation is the way they face, physically or psychologically.

As homosexuality becomes more accepted, sexual orientation becomes a more common topic.

An arrow is usually used to indicate the orientation of the map.

The program gives you complete control over the size and orientation of the letters on the page.

An orientation to something is when somebody is first introduced to a place or a machine.

Library orientation and instruction should be available when the user feels an interest or need.

A quick orientation to the software is available for new users.


seventeen

ordinal seventeenth) Seventeen is the number that is after sixteen and before eighteen. It can also be written as 17.

Seventeen birds sit on the roof.


seventeen

seventeen (singular)
seventeens (plural)

seven and ten makes seventeen.

The seventeen were leaving the city.

In some countries, you may vote when you are seventeen


objective

objective (singular)
objectives (plural)

An objective is something that you are trying to do.

The main objective of our visit was to climb Mount Kenya.

I share the objective of everyone in Britain who want our soldiers home.

Sometimes a team is more successful than an individual in achieving challenging objectives.

We plan to extend the network with the objective of connecting up 3 million more homes by 1990.

An objective is a place you want to get to.


objective

objective (positive)
more objective (comparative)
most objective (superlative)

If something is objective, it is based on facts and things we can see and touch without using people's feelings.

It is hard to find objective measures of artistic ability.

Newspapers try hard to publish objective stories.

If someone is objective, they are thinking about things logically based on facts.

Watching the play on TV can help an actor to be more objective about his performance.


shoe

Two shoes are two things that someone wears on their feet. Shoes have a hard, flat bottom.


shoe

shod (past participle)
shod (past)
shodden (past participle)
shoe (canonical)
shoes (third-person singular)
shoed (past)
shoed (past participle)
shoeing (present participle)

If you shoe, you put shoes on your feet. We usually use this verb as a past participle: We say say someone is shod if they have shoes on their feet.

He was dressed and shod, ready to go out.

If you shoe a horse, you put horseshoes on the horse.

To put protection on something so that it does not get worn down.

Let's shoe that cane before you get a splinter in your hand!


transition

transition (singular)
transitions (plural)

A transition is a change from one place or situation to another.

Diana has made the transition from girl to woman.

The transition from ice to water occurs at 0°C.

They want at least a five-year transition period.


transition

transition (canonical)
transitions (third-person singular)
transitioned (past)
transitioned (past participle)
transitioning (present participle)

If something transitions, it changes from one place or situation to another.


transparent

transparent (positive)
more transparent (comparative)
most transparent (superlative)

Something that can be seen through is transparent.

The transparent window let much sun in.

Something that is easy to understand is transparent.

It was such a transparent lie that nobody believed him.

More transparent idioms are easier to learn than others.


compound

A compound is a material made of a number of other materials.

The new chemical compound has far less smell than the original substance.

There is a group of gases that do not easily form chemical compounds.

The new CD is a compound of North American rock music and Middle Eastern religious songs.

A compound is a group of buildings surrounded by a fence or wall.


compound

compound (canonical)
compounds (third-person singular)
compounded (past)
compounded (past participle)
compounding (present participle)

If something is compounded, it is added to.

Her troubles were now compounded by the rain.

If interest is compounded, it is paid on earlier interest payments.

Interest is compounded monthly.


prose

Prose is words which are not poetry. They can be spoken or written, but they don't have rhythm or rhyme. Most of the time when people use words, it is prose.

The pictures in this book are good, but the prose is too hard to read.


receipt

A receipt is a little piece of paper that records how much money someone paid.

Keep the receipt when you buy something at that store.

The receipt of something is the act or situation of receiving something.


sustainable

sustainable (positive)
more sustainable (comparative)
most sustainable (superlative)

If something is sustainable, it can be continued for a long time, especially without using up resources.

The oil-based lifestyle of today is not sustainable.

The government is trying to balance sustainable development with economic growth.


draft

A draft is a piece of writing which has been or may be edited.

In the first draft of the story the characters names are all different.

Check final drafts for misspellings, using a dictionary or computer spelling checker.

A draft is when the military or a sport team chooses its members.

Many Americans moved to Canada to avoid the draft during the war.

The Tigers' first choice in yesterday's draft was pitcher George Berlin.

Depth of water needed to float a ship; depth below the water line to the bottom of a vessel's hull. (UK spelling: draught)

The ship had a draft of 6 feet.

Draft is beer that is served from a large container called a keg. (UK spelling: draught)

A draft is a wind that blows inside a building. (UK spelling: draught)

Close the window! That cold draft is making me sneeze.


draft

draft (canonical)
drafts (third-person singular)
drafted (past)
drafted (past participle)
drafting (present participle)

If you draft a letter, memo, agreement, etc., you write one that has been or may be edited.

You should have the contract drafted by a lawyer.

If a state drafts someone, it chooses them to be in the military.

I was drafted when I was 20 and spent two years fighting in France.

If a team drafts someone, it chooses them to play on the team.


fifteen

ordinal fifteenth) Fifteen is the number that is after fourteen and before sixteen. It can also be written as 15.

Fifteen ducks swim on the lake.


fifteen

five and ten makes fifteen.

The fifteen were leaving the city.

Paul is fifteen, but he looks older


screw

A screw is a small metal thing for holding pieces of wood together. You turn it to move it in or out of the wood.

I need some screws to hold the shelf to the wall.


screw

screw (canonical)
screws (third-person singular)
screwed (past)
screwed (past participle)
screwing (present participle)

If you screw in a screw, you put it into a piece of wood by turning it.

I screwed the hinge into the door.

If you say, "screw this", you decide not to do it because you are frustrated.

Screw this, I will just sit here and do nothing all day.

If you screw someone, you have sex with them.


rough

rough (positive)
rougher (comparative)
roughest (superlative)

The wooden table felt rough until he rubbed it with sandpaper to make it smooth.

Stone roads are rough and make my bicycle go up and down.

I quickly drew a rough map to help him find the place.

Life can be rough sometimes.


rough

rough (canonical)
roughs (third-person singular)
roughed (past)
roughed (past participle)
roughing (present participle)

If you rough something, you create it in an approximate form.

Rough in the shape first, then polish the details.


seed

A seed is a small round thing that can grow to be a plant, a flower or a tree.

She put the seeds into the ground in the garden so that food and flowers would grow.


seed

seed (canonical)
seeds (third-person singular)
seeded (past)
seeded (past participle)
seeding (present participle)

I'm going to seed the garden so vegetables grow there.

If a man seeds in a woman, he ejaculates inside her during sexual intercourse.


servant

A servant is someone who works for a person or for a family, doing things like cooking and washing. Often the servant lives in the house where they work. A servant works for the same family all day.

This rich family has three servants working for them in their big house.


ray

A ray is a line of light or energy, coming out from where it starts.

Some rays of light from the sun shone between the leaves of the tree and lighted the top of his head.

A ray in math is a line that starts at one point and goes on forever in one direction.

Two rays that start at the same point make an angle.

A ray is a type of fish which lives on the bottom of the ocean.


pull

pull (canonical)
pulls (third-person singular)
pulled (past)
pulled (past participle)
pulling (present participle)

Someone pulls something when they use their hands to move the thing closer to themselves.

Pull the handle if you want to open the door.


round

If x is round y, y is in the middle and x is on all sides.

Everyone stood round the fire to keep warm.

If you turn or look round, you are now facing the opposite direction.

She turned round to see what had made the noise.

You round 28 up to 30.


round

round (positive)
rounder (comparative)
roundest (superlative)

Something is round if it's like a circle or like part of a circle. It is curved, not straight.


round

round (canonical)
rounds (third-person singular)
rounded (past)
rounded (past participle)
rounding (present participle)

If you round something, you make it round, like a circle or a sphere.


scale

The scale of something is its size or level.

It's hard to understand the scale of the change.

A scale is a small machine for measuring (finding out) how much something weighs (how heavy the thing is.)

She stood on the scale and found out she weighed 150 pounds.


scale

scale (canonical)
scales (third-person singular)
scaled (past)
scaled (past participle)
scaling (present participle)

If you scale something, then you climb up it.


property

Property is a thing or things that belong to someone; things that someone owns.

This house is now my property. I've finished paying for it.

A property is a quality that something has; a way that something is.

One good property of this coat is that it keeps rain out.


rail

A rail is a long and thin piece of metal.

A rail is a long and thin bar along a stairway or path for people to slide their hand along while they walk.

She put her hand on the railing beside the stairs so she wouldn't fall.

A rail is a surface where trains run on.

The railway stretches across the country.


side

A square has four sides.

A side is the left part or the right part of something.

This car has only one door on each side.

A side is an area next to or near something else.

The statue is on the east side of the school.

A side is one surface of a sheet of paper.

Please write on both sides of the paper.

A side is one possible way of looking at or thinking about a concept (usually positive or negative).

On the plus side, my car is fixed.

Try not to look at the down side of things.

A side is one team of players in a game.

Which side is winning?

A side is country or a group of countries fighting together in a war.

In the second world war, the Italians were on the side of the Germans.

(US) A side is a side dish of food that is not the main dish.

Do you want a side of french fries with your hamburger?


side

side (canonical)
sides (third-person singular)
sided (past)
sided (past participle)
siding (present participle)

(usually with "with") To side with someone is to be in an alliance with them.

Who will you side with, Bob or Rachel?


roll

roll (canonical)
rolls (third-person singular)
rolled (past)
rolled (past participle)
rolling (present participle)

To roll is to move by turning over many times. round things like balls can roll.

The snowball rolled down the hill faster and faster.

To roll something is to make it round by bending it around many times.

She rolled the newspaper into a long, thin rod.


roll

A roll is something round that was made by rolling.

The cloth in the store is in big rolls.

A roll is a bun: a small, round piece of bread.

I like jelly rolls!


porter

A porter is someone whose work is to carry things.

The porter will take your things up to your room for you.


respect

respect (canonical)
respects (third-person singular)
respected (past)
respected (past participle)
respecting (present participle)

When someone respects another person that means they think the other person is worthy, responsible, strong or other good qualities.

I have great respect for him and I'm sure he'll do well in life.

Respect is to treat someone in a considerate, genuine and nice manner or to treat one thing or one person with highest regard.

He always respects my feelings.

When someone respects a thing or a person it means they follow rules and don't touch things they shouldn't touch.

Please respect things that belong to other people when you're in their house.


respect

If you have respect for someone, that means you have high regard for them; you are considerate towards them.

I have great respect for all of my classmates.


responsible

responsible (positive)
more responsible (comparative)
most responsible (superlative)

If you are responsible for something, you did it or it happened because of something that you did.

Are you saying that he was responsible for the death of your wife?

The company was partly responsible for the success of the original product.

This diet is largely responsible for our fatter population.

it is unfair to hold one football coach responsible for the school's partying problems.

If you are responsible, you make good decisions and make sure that important things get done.

She will be a good leader for this organization because she is very responsible.

We need to come up with environmentally responsible energy sources.

Many products claim to be socially responsible, such as "fair trade" coffee.

If you are responsible for something, you are the person who must fix things that go wrong.

I'm responsible for looking after these three buildings.

Parents are responsible for their children.

He understands the need to be personally responsible for the changes.


potato

A potato is a food that grows under the ground, which is round and white inside.

We usually eat meat and potatoes.


reject

reject (canonical)
rejects (third-person singular)
rejected (past)
rejected (past participle)
rejecting (present participle)

If you reject an idea or belief, you decide that you do not believe it.

We reject the idea that English is somehow "better" than other languages.

The court rejected his arguments that he should be set free.

If you reject a person, you refuse to care for that person.

Often people who are infected with AIDS are rejected by family and friends.

If you reject an object, you refuse to take it or keep it.

Consumers have the right to reject problem goods and demand a refund.


reject

A reject is something that has been rejected.


public

public (positive)
more public (comparative)
most public (superlative)

Something is public if it is about or for all the people.

You can't tell me to go away. This is a public place.


public

All of the people in a big place like a country.

I'm going to write this in the newspaper because the public needs to know it.

Getting Western publics to understand the nature of the war is hard enough.

The dress rehearsal was opened to the general public as well as celebrities.


rhythm

A rhythm is the part of music that drums do. It's the way music goes in time, without thinking about higher or lower notes.

A healthy heart beats with a steady rhythm.

She followed the rhythm of the music by tapping the floor with her foot.


prime

If something is prime, it is best, most important, most suitable, or in some way number one.

Canada is a prime example of a multicultural country.

He was the prime suspect in the murder investigation.


prime

The prime is the best part of something.

He was killed at the prime of his life.

A prime is a number that can be evenly divided only by one and itself.

The first six primes are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 13.

A prime is something that primes something else.


prime

prime (canonical)
primes (third-person singular)
primed (past)
primed (past participle)
priming (present participle)

If you prime something, you get it ready to do something.

The coach has primed them for the game.

to manipulate, in a subtle manner, people's decision-making by use of symbols, location, etc.


pot

A metal container for cooking. People can cook food by putting the food in a pot and putting the pot on a stove.


reading

read (canonical)
reads (third-person singular)
read (past)
read (past participle)
reading (present participle)


reading

A reading is a spoken performance of something written.

The author was giving a reading of his new book.


relation

A relation is the way two things are towards each other or in comparison with each other.

This building looks too big in relation to the size of the houses on the street.

The children sitting in the boat were moving in relation to their parents who were sitting on the shore because the boat was going away from shore.

There is a relation between eating good food and being healthy.

I have an uncle, two aunts and three cousins but no other relations.

A relation is a statement of equality between two products of generators that are used when showing a group.


eleven

ordinal eleventh) Eleven is the number that is after ten and before twelve. It can also be written as 11.

Eleven trees stood on the hill.


eleven

Eleven is a prime number.

Ocean's eleven are a group of thieves.

The girl looked young, no older than eleven.


private

private (positive)
more private (comparative)
most private (superlative)

Private is for only one person or a small number of people to see or know.

I don't want to tell you how much money I have; that's private.

Close the curtains so people can't look into our house, to make it private.


private

A private is a soldier in the lowest rank of the army.

Put down your gun, private, and report to the general.


monitor

A monitor is part of a computer or other similar machine, and it looks like a TV.

The engineers stood around the monitor making suggesting about how the drawing could be improved.

A monitor is a person or group whose job is to watch for problems, changes, etc.

During the test, a monitor caught me copying off the guy sitting next to me.

A monitor is a speaker that helps musicians hear what they are playing or helps people listen to an area that they are interested in.

We put the baby to sleep, closed the door, and turned on the monitor in the kitchen.


monitor

monitor (canonical)
monitors (third-person singular)
monitored (past)
monitored (past participle)
monitoring (present participle)

If you monitor something, you watch or listen to it for problems, changes, etc.

The army was sent in to monitor the police.

Parents should monitor their children's computer use.


challenge

challenge (singular)
challenges (plural)

A challenge is something difficult that you want or have to do.

Many churches overseas are struggling to meet the AIDS challenge.

After 25 years in the same job, this move will allow me to take on new challenges.

A challenge is an offer to compete or fight.

The president issued a challenge to his critics to appear in a public debate.


challenge

challenge (canonical)
challenges (third-person singular)
challenged (past)
challenged (past participle)
challenging (present participle)

If you challenge somebody, you give them something very difficult to do.

The job challenges his computer skills.

If you challenge somebody, you offer to compete or fight.

He challenged me to a game of chess.


rate

Speed. A rate is how fast something happens. Something can go at a fast rate or a slow rate.

The rate of water pouring out of the lake into the river is enough to make the lake empty in a year if it doesn't rain.

Her heart rate is 70 beats every minute.

If we keep writing pages at this rate we might have 2000 Simple English Wiktionary words by August 4.


rate

rate (canonical)
rates (third-person singular)
rated (past)
rated (past participle)
rating (present participle)

Someone rates something when they decide how much its value is (how much it's worth).

I rate this book at six out of ten: it was not the best book.


conflict

A conflict is when two or more people or ideas don't agree.

People have tried to end the conflict, which has caused more than 100 deaths since February, but it hasn't worked.

Conflicts may occur in families when the parents have different values.

The two stories examine the conflict between good and evil.

There may be a conflict between wanting to give students a broad education and needing to teach the basics.

Sometimes a girl is in conflict with her culture or religion in how she wants to dress.

A conflict is when two things are trying to use the same resources at the same time.

I'm sorry I can't meet then. I've got a conflict with another meeting.


conflict

conflict (canonical)
conflicts (third-person singular)
conflicted (past)
conflicted (past participle)
conflicting (present participle)

If two goals, plans, meetings, etc. conflict, they both cannot be achieved, work or be true.

The goal of hiring more workers conflicts with the plan to cut costs.

Sorry, the meeting conflicts with my prior plans.


transformation

transformation (singular)
transformations (plural)

A transformation is a change in the form or shape, often into something completely different.

She seems to have undergone a total physical transformation - her hair is cut short and she is over 20kg heavier.

We look forward to the transformation of the bedroom into a library and office.

This kind of transformation can only be done by magic.


predicate

predicate (singular)
predicates (plural)

A predicate is the head of a clause and says something about the subject.


predicate

predicate (canonical)
predicates (third-person singular)
predicated (past)
predicated (past participle)
predicating (present participle)

If you predicate something, you state or assert it.

If you predicate that something is true, you state that it is true.

The article predicates that the market collapse was caused by weakness of the dollar.


presumption

presumption (singular)
presumptions (plural)

A presumption is a belief that something is true without knowing for sure.

The presumption that he is the father of his wife's children turned out to be wrong.

The strong presumption of guilt has changed to a stronger presumption of innocence.

Presumption is behaviour that is too friendly or too confident.


establishment

establishment (singular)
establishments (plural)

The establishment of a country, an organization or a building is its creation, or coming to be.

The establishment of the United States of America took place in 1776.

The senator was proud of his establishment of animal rights in 1967.

Establishment is the state of being established.

1987 was the fifth year of the company's establishment.

Something that is established. This can be a government, an organization, business or force.

Pedro's is a fine establishment that serves Spanish food.

The establishment is the ruling class in a society. A person using this word often thinks that the establishment does not want to change the way things are.

Janet does not like the establishment, she wants to change things.


consultation

consultation (singular)
consultations (plural)

Consultation is the process of getting advice or opinions from other people.

The city went through the planning process with very little public consultation.

The group announced the price per kilo of grapes after consultation with the growers.

Many consultations took place between the doctors before the decision was made.


reward

A reward is something good that is given after an act.

He gave the dog a small thing to eat to reward it for sitting still.

I got extra money as a reward for working hard.

A reward is a prize that is given for doing certain things.

A reward is the result of an action, no matter if it is good or bad.


reward

reward (canonical)
rewards (third-person singular)
rewarded (past)
rewarded (past participle)
rewarding (present participle)

If you reward someone, you give something to them as a reward.

If you reward someone, you give a reward to or for.

Why did you reward the kid for not behaving?


regret

regret (canonical)
regrets (third-person singular)
regretted (past)
regretted (past participle)
regretting (present participle)

If you regret something that you have done, you feel sorry about it.

I really regret forgetting to buy him a birthday present.

He said he regretted the delay in delivery.


regret

Regret is the feeling of wishing something hadn't happened, especially something you did.

She left her job without any regrets.

The regret she felt about not helping would not go away.


present

A present is a gift; something that someone gives to someone else.

Here's a birthday present for you. I hope you like it.

The present is the time now at this moment.

yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, and today is the present.


present

Someone is present if the person is here, or the person is at the place someone is talking about.

Five men and two women were present when the meeting started.


present

present (canonical)
presents (third-person singular)
presented (past)
presented (past participle)
presenting (present participle)

When you present something, you show it or give it to someone.


read

Someone is reading when they are looking at a book or other writing and understanding what it says.

Have you read this book?


read

That last book was a great read.

This is a great book. You should give it a read.


pump

pump (canonical)
pumps (third-person singular)
pumped (past)
pumped (past participle)
pumping (present participle)

To make water or any other liquid move using a machine.

We pumped water from the river onto the field to help the plants grow.

The heart pumps blood through the body.


pump

A pump is a machine for making water move.

There was water on the floor of the house, so we had to buy a pump.

A pump is a machine that gives a liquid, often fuel.

Before a car journey, go to the gas station and fill up your tank at the pump.


produce

produce (canonical)
produces (third-person singular)
produced (past)
produced (past participle)
producing (present participle)

Someone or something produces something when they make it or create it or make it come out.

This tree produces a lot of fruit every year.

He produced the paper out of his bag.

If you produce a play, TV show, or movie, you are its main business manager.

If you produce a recording, you are in charge of its arrangement, recording, and mixing.


produce

Food from plants when they're being sold in a store.

There are carrots and apples in the produce part of the store.


diversity

diversity (singular)
diversities (plural)

Diversity is the property of having many different kinds of things or people.

Racial diversity is very low in Japan and very high in Toronto.

The discussion was wide-ranging, reflecting a diversity of views.

Doctors are finding a greater diversity in the kinds of infections they see.


ampersand

ampersand (singular)
ampersands (plural)

An ampersand is a symbol (&) that usually means "and".

Billy & Bobby went fishing near the pond. They caught tuna & bass.


arbitrary

arbitrary (positive)
more arbitrary (comparative)
most arbitrary (superlative)

If a rule, decision, or act is arbitrary, there is no logical reason for it.

You are protected from arbitrary arrest by police.


federal

federal (positive)
more federal (comparative)
most federal (superlative)

The federal government is the main country-wide government in a country where there are also state or provincial governments.

The federal government has said that it will not increase payments to the provinces.

While education is a federal issue in countries like Japan, it is more local in countries like Canada or the U.S.

Federal taxes will increase next year.


root

A root is a part of a tree or plant that is under the ground.

The tree was supported by strong roots.

A root is the important part or the beginning part of something.

hatred is the root of all evil.

I've lived here so long that I have roots here.

The root of the word "being" is "be".


root

root (canonical)
roots (third-person singular)
rooted (past)
rooted (past participle)
rooting (present participle)

To root is to give or enable to something to develop roots; to fix or implant by or as if by roots

To root is to remove altogether by or as if by pulling out by the roots – usually used with out

The school authorities will root out the troublemakers.

dandelions took root in my flowerbeds.

The love of money has its roots in greed.


oven

An oven is for cooking food. It's hot and people put food inside it.

Leave the cake in the oven for thirty minutes.


peaceful

peaceful (positive)
more peaceful (comparative)
most peaceful (superlative)

A place or person is peaceful when there is silence or quiet. There is no noise and nothing happening suddenly.


peace

Peace is the way a country is when there is no war.

The people lived in peace for thirty years.

Peace is when there is silence or quiet. There is no noise and nothing happening suddenly.

Will you please go away and leave me in peace?


middle

The place that is between two things; the place that is halfway between two ends of something.

Cut the wood exactly in the middle to get two pieces of equal size.

The middle of the three books is the one you want.


powder

Powder is the small parts that are made from any dry substance that is pounded, or ground into dust.

Flour is a powder.

When it's very cold, the snow is like powder.

A powder is an explosive mixture used in blasting.


powder

powder (canonical)
powders (third-person singular)
powdered (past)
powdered (past participle)
powdering (present participle)

If you powder something, you reduce something to small parts.

If you powder something, you put powder on it.


hadith

A written record of a saying or action of the Prophet Muhammad. Used as a basis for conduct in Islamic practices.


edition

An edition of a book, computer program, etc. is a copy that has been or will be published with changes or in another form.

It was first published in 1857, with a second slightly amended edition in 1858.

The new paperback edition of the dictionary is coming out next week.

The author corrected it in later editions.


news

News is information about things that happened a short time ago, especially on the radio, TV or in newspapers.

Did you hear the news that the war just ended?

Do you have any news about Paul's sickness?


fish

A fish is an animal that lives in the water and has scales and gills.

When I went fishing, I only caught two fish.

White wine goes well with fish.


fish

fish (canonical)
fishes (third-person singular)
fished (past)
fished (past participle)
fishing (present participle)

To fish means to catch fish, or to get other things that are in the water.

He fished the ball out of the river.


nerve

A nerve is a cell in the body that sends signals. The brain is made of nerves.

She can't feel anything with this arm, and can't move her arm, because the nerves were cut in an accident.

Nerve is confidence: a feeling of being able to do something.

He didn't have the nerve to ask her to dance.

You had a lot of nerve, saying that to me! Go away!


linen

Linen is a material that some cloth is made of. It comes from the flax plant, and in the past, bed sheets were often made from it, before cotton was used.

This shirt is made of linen.

Linens are something made from linen, especially bed sheets.

Would you like to change the linens on your bed?


conjunction

conjunction (singular)
conjunctions (plural)

A conjunction is a word used to join words, phrases, clauses, or sentences.

The word or is a conjunction because it can join two words: Tell me if you see a red or blue car.

The word that can be used as a conjunction: I think that you are right.

/kənˈdʒʌŋkʃən/


acknowledge

acknowledge (canonical)
acknowledges (third-person singular)
acknowledged (past)
acknowledged (past participle)
acknowledging (present participle)

If you acknowledge a fact or a situation, you accept or admit that it is true or that it exists.

The government yesterday acknowledged the need for more money.

I should be grateful if you would acknowledge receipt of this letter.

Britain's science is widely acknowledged to be in very bad shape.

He left the game in 1984, acknowledged as the best player in the world.

If you acknowledge something, you say publicly that it is good.

She isn't very good at acknowledging the work of her staff.


utility

Utilities are the basic services that come to your house, such as electricity, phone, and water.

The government is raising prices on drugs, beer and most public utilities.

A utility is a basic computer program that handles things like copying disks and setting up printers.

Something's utility is how useful it is.

The design was to maximise the utility of the book as a whole.


give

give (canonical)
gives (third-person singular)
gave (past)
given (past participle)
giving (present participle)

If you give something to someone else, you had the thing and you let the other person have it. Maybe you use your hands to put the thing in the other person's hands. Usually after that, the thing is the other person's thing.

Give me that book, please; I want to read it.

My mother gave me this stone when I was young.

If you give a speech, you talk to a group of people.


meeting

A meeting is when a group of people come together to talk about something important.

The meeting will be in the green room after lunch. I hope you'll be there.


meeting

meet (canonical)
meets (third-person singular)
met (past)
met (past participle)
meeting (present participle)


necessary

necessary (positive)
more necessary (comparative)
most necessary (superlative)

Something is necessary if people need it. It must happen or there will be a big problem.

It's necessary to stop when you see a red light.


necessary

necessary (singular)
necessaries (plural)


observation

observation (singular)
observations (plural)

Observation is the act of carefully seeing things that happen.

To learn, you must be good at observation.

An observation is something someone saw, heard etc.

In science, we record our observations so we can think about them later.

/ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃən/


power

strength, energy, force, control. A quality that can make things happen.

His muscles have a lot of power.

The prime minister has power over the country.

Fight the power! (Meaning, "Fight authority!")

The city had no lights that night because there was no power.

Power is how fast something uses energy. That is, how much work it does in a certain time.

x to the power of y is equal to x multiplied by itself y times.

Two to the power of three is eight (2³=8).

A special ability that someone might have.

In comic books many heroes have amazing powers.

television often shows witches as having magical powers.

A person or group of people with authority; that is a people who control things.

The mayor and the sheriff are the major powers in this town.

China and the United States are two of the main world powers.

I like the idea, but the powers that be will not allow it.


power

power (canonical)
powers (third-person singular)
powered (past)
powered (past participle)
powering (present participle)

To provide power for or give power to (a mechanical or electronic device).

This CD player is powered by batteries.


payment

A payment is some money that someone is giving to someone else when they're buying something.

I sent the things they wanted, but I haven't gotten the payment for them yet.

I usually use my credit card for payment.

Late payment of fees will end the contract.


insurance

insurance (singular)
insurances (plural)

Insurance is an agreement where someone pays a small amount of money, and if something bad happens, they get money to help them.

I have fire insurance for my house.


memory

When someone remembers something, we call the thing they remember a memory.

I have very nice memories of the time when my children were young.

The part of the mind that remembers; the act of remembering.

When we get older, our memory isn't as good.

The part of a computer that holds information.


delicate

delicate (positive)
more delicate (comparative)
most delicate (superlative)

A delicate thing is something that can break easily. It is usually beautiful but people need to be careful if they touch it.

Flower petals are delicate.

I don't want a child to hold my delicate glasses.

The things in this box are delicate. Please don't drop them.


please

We say "please" when we want to ask someone politely to do something.

Pass the salt, please.


please

please (canonical)
pleases (third-person singular)
pleased (past)
pleased (past participle)
pleasing (present participle)

Someone pleases someone else when they do what that person likes or wants.

Giving her these flowers will please her.


thirty

I had my first child when I was thirty years old.


thirty

three tens is thirty.


loss

A loss happens when something goes where people can't find it. People don't know where the thing is or they don't have it any more.

The loss of my keys means I can't go into my house today.

Loss is when someone's loved one dies. When someone dies, they are no longer with you.

I loss both of my grandparents from old age.

A loss (shown as L) is charged to the pitcher of the losing team.


twenty

I was in university when I was twenty years old.


twenty

I'd like my $50 as 1 twenty, 2 tens and 2 fives.

"Twenty" is short for 10-20, meaning location.

Jason, what's your twenty?


protest

protest (canonical)
protests (third-person singular)
protested (past)
protested (past participle)
protesting (present participle)

Someone protests something when they say loudly or strongly that the thing is bad.

The people walked in the street holding signs to protest the war.

That's mine. I protest your taking it away.


protest

There will be a protest in the street tomorrow.


existence

existence (singular)
existences (plural)

The existence of a thing is the quality of being real, of being in the world, of just being.

Do you believe in the existence of God?

The existence of a mark on my shirt is the reason I didn't go to the party.


plant

A plant is something that lives and grows in one place. Plants usually have green leaves and roots. Flowers and trees are plants. Plants and animals are the main kinds of life.


plant

plant (canonical)
plants (third-person singular)
planted (past)
planted (past participle)
planting (present participle)

To put a seed or plant in soil for it to grow.

I planted some flowers last week and I hope they will grow and blossom.


cite

cite (canonical)
cites (third-person singular)
cited (past)
cited (past participle)
citing (present participle)

If you cite people or facts, you write or talk about them to support your point or show where you got your information.

Larkin (1979) cites cases of families who have moved out of regular homes into mobile homes or campers.

Two thirds of the people cited unemployment as the `main issue'.

If someone is cited by the police, they are ordered to appear before the court.

You might cite who you got words, ideas, or information from. This would tell other people where to look to see those people did say it.

He cites Deffenbacher (1985) as suggesting that many of the outcomes are negative.


high

high (positive)
higher (comparative)
highest (superlative)

If something is high, it is a long way up.

The airplane flew very high.

If something is high, its top is a long way up.

That is the highest mountain near here.

If something is high, it is very good. It might be better or more important than other things. This can often means someone has more power.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in America.

Brian Boru was called the high king of Ireland.

Meeting my girlfriend was the high point of my year.

If someone is high, that person's mind is affected by drugs.

John was high from marijuana last night.


other

The other people or things, are those apart from the ones we have or were talking about.

No, don't put it on this table. Put it on the other table.

The people inside are OK, but the other people are getting wet.

He sat on the other side of the table.

There are many other kinds of problems.

Do you have any other questions?

There were some other cars at their house the other day.


other

Others are those apart from the ones we have or were talking about.

Thanks for the books. I'll get the others tomorrow.

Wow, this is a lot. How many others are there?

We need this one and one other.


lift

lift (canonical)
lifts (third-person singular)
lifted (past)
lifted (past participle)
lifting (present participle)

Someone lifts something when they use their hands to make the thing go up.

He lifted the little boy onto his shoulders.

She lifted the heavy box from the floor onto the table.

He is lifting some suitcases.


lift

If you give someone a lift, you drive them somewhere, usually in your car.

A lift is a machine that lifts people up or down to different parts of a building.


explicit

explicit (positive)
more explicit (comparative)
most explicit (superlative)

If something is explicit, it is clearly said or shown, not hidden or just suggested.

It is very important that the company write an explicit statement of workers' responsibilities.

Sometimes it helps to be more explicit when speaking to children.

The problem is made explicit in the letter sent last July.


from

When something is from someone, the person gave or sent it.

I got a gift from my grandmother today.

When someone is from a place, that's where they started.

I am Chinese. I come from Hunan province.

Sorry I'm late. I just came from school.

You use from to talk about distances between thing in space or time.

Saturn is far from earth.

School is 5km from my home.

The year 2515 is a long time from now.


inhibition

inhibition (singular)
inhibitions (plural)

An inhibition is a feeling that makes you want to avoid (stay away from) something.

He threw off his inhibitions and went dancing.

Alcohol can take away inhibition.

When the cat was absent, the mouse showed no such inhibition.

She stays home all day—she has a lot of inhibitions.

I feel an inhibition about going onto an airplane.

Inhibition is the act of stopping or reducing a process, especially a natural or chemical process.

When there is no sugar, there is inhibition of cell growth.


married

A man and a woman are married if they are husband and wife to each other. Usually when two people are married they live in the same house and they often have children. Two people have a special day to become married.

I don't need to meet more young men—I'm already married.

If two things are married they have been made into one thing.

Music and television are married in music videos.


married

marry (canonical)
marries (third-person singular)
married (past)
married (past participle)
marrying (present participle)


ornament

An ornament is something that is put onto something or someone just to look beautiful and for no other reason.

One ring on her finger was the only ornament she wore.

We put ornaments on the Christmas tree.


ornament

ornament (canonical)
ornaments (third-person singular)
ornamented (past)
ornamented (past participle)
ornamenting (present participle)

If you ornament something, you decorate or add to it.

Let's ornament the tree with lights to make it more festive.


horn

A horn is a long, sharp thing that grows on the head of some animals such as goats and sheep.

The goat used its horn to break the fence.

They used a cow's horn as a cup to drink out of.

A horn is a musical instrument that you blow and usually made of metal.


enhance

enhance (canonical)
enhances (third-person singular)
enhanced (past)
enhanced (past participle)
enhancing (present participle)

If you enhance something, you make it bigger or better.

He can greatly enhance his reputation by winning tonight.

Our aim is to enhance the quality of life for the British people.


position

The position of something is the place where the thing is.

The position of the table is two metres from the wall.

You're in my way. Please move to a different position.


position

position (canonical)
positions (third-person singular)
positioned (past)
positioned (past participle)
positioning (present participle)

If you position something somewhere, you put or move it there.

The players positioned themselves on the field.

If you position something in a situation, you make changes so that it can work in that situation.

The company is now well positioned to take advantage of popularity of online music.


natural

natural (positive)
more natural (comparative)
most natural (superlative)

Something is natural if people didn't make it.

animals, plants and rocks are natural things.

Something is natural if it's the way it usually is, without people changing it, or is a way that is not a surprise.

It's only natural for you to think that.


look

look (canonical)
looks (third-person singular)
looked (past)
looked (past participle)
looking (present participle)

Someone looks at something when they move their head or move their eyes so that they can see the thing.

Look at this picture! Isn't it beautiful?

The way that something looks is the way that it appears.

A new car looks very nice until it gets dirty.

That doughnut looks delicious.


sell

sell (canonical)
sells (third-person singular)
sold (past)
sold (past participle)
selling (present participle)

When you sell something to someone, you give something to someone and the person will give you money for it.

I sell good shoes for a small amount money.


mind

Someone's mind is the part of them that thinks.

In my mind I know I must go, but in my heart I want to stay here.

We will solve this problem. We have the best minds in the country working on it.


mind

mind (canonical)
minds (third-person singular)
minded (past)
minded (past participle)
minding (present participle)

If you mind some action or thing, you feel negatively about it.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" "No, not at all"

"It's raining outside. You should take an umbrella" "It's OK, I don't mind the rain"

If you mind someone or something, you look after it.

"Could you mind the children while I go to the bathroom?"


paste

Paste is a thick liquid for sticking (attaching) things together. Paste is like glue, but glue is more liquid and paste is more solid.

He mixed flour and water to make a paste for sticking the paper together.

Tomato paste is good in sauce to put on rice or spaghetti.


paste

paste (canonical)
pastes (third-person singular)
pasted (past)
pasted (past participle)
pasting (present participle)

If you paste something in a computer program, you cut or copy it from one place and put a copy of it somewhere else.

She pasted the pictures onto the wall.


elastic

elastic (positive)
more elastic (comparative)
most elastic (superlative)

Something is elastic if it can stretch or bend and go back to the way it was.

She held the papers together by putting an elastic (rubber) band around them.

A metal spring is elastic: it gives back the energy that was put into it when it was pushed.


mark

A mark is a single line left by a pen or pencil, or any small bit of color that got onto something.

You have a mark on your shirt from that tomato sauce you were eating.


mark

mark (canonical)
marks (third-person singular)
marked (past)
marked (past participle)
marking (present participle)

If you mark something, you put a mark on it.

The big rock marked the side of the car a little when she drove too close to it.

I marked the boxes so we would know which ones are mine.

If you mark something, you notice it or pay attention to it.

Mark my words!


precede

precede (canonical)
precedes (third-person singular)
preceded (past)
preceded (past participle)
preceding (present participle)

A precedes B in the alphabet.

More change has happened in the last 20 years than in the preceding 100.

Each of the above exercises should be immediately preceded by taking a deep breath.


cooperative

cooperative (positive)
more cooperative (comparative)
most cooperative (superlative)

In a cooperative effort, project, etc., a number of people work together to do something.

Development of the machine became a cooperative effort between university and industry in the UK.

If someone is cooperative, they listen and try to help or work with you.

He was very hard to work with, but recently has become much more cooperative.


cooperative

cooperative (singular)
cooperatives (plural)

A cooperative is a type of business that is owned by the people working there or by its customers.

Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), a retail co-operative, is Canada's largest supplier of outdoor equipment and has more than two million members.


nobody

Nobody would do something like that.

Almost nobody lives on Greenland.


nobody

A nobody is a person who is not important.

Bob called Alice a nobody.

Don't worry. People won't listen to him. He's a nobody.


full

full (positive)
fuller (comparative)
fullest (superlative)

A container is full of things if there are many of the things in the container and no more can go in.

The cup is full of water. If you try to put more water in, the water will fall onto the table.

My life is full of problems.

A full moon is when the moon is a round circle because the sun is shining on the side we can see.

I can see the road, because there's a full moon tonight.

A person is full when they are satisfied, usually with food.

The meal was so large that I was full all day.

Something is full when it is total and completed, does not need any additions


parenthesis

parenthesis (singular)
parentheses (plural)

A parenthesis is a symbol that looks like ( or ). A person may see parentheses when reading books. Most of the time, they are not used to tell the main story, but gives the reader extra information so they can understand.

Billy and Bob wrote their papers (Billy wrote about karate, and Bob wrote about dogs).


moon

The moon is the shining white and grey object in the sky at night. It appears to change shape from round (a full moon) to a crescent and back again. It's like a small planet that goes around the Earth.

I was able to see the road because there was a full moon that night.

A moon is a thing like a small planet that goes around another planet.

Galileo saw four moons of Jupiter: Callisto, Europa, Ganymede and Io.


moon

moon (canonical)
moons (third-person singular)
mooned (past)
mooned (past participle)
mooning (present participle)

If you moon someone, you show them your bare buttocks.

Someone in the car pulled down their pants and mooned us as they drove past.


comparison

comparison (singular)
comparisons (plural)

When someone makes a comparison between two things, the person thinks about how the two things are the same and how they are different, which one is bigger etc.

I need to make some comparisons between different houses before I make a decision about which house to buy.

A careful comparison will show that this cup has a little more water than the other cup.


general

general (positive)
more general (comparative)
most general (superlative)

Usual; about most things. An idea is a general idea if it's about many things or about most things, not just about one specific thing.

First I will talk about general problems of farming, and then I will talk about the specific problems of wheat farming.

In general, I enjoy pizza.

General is approximate, not exact; maybe a little different; close but maybe not the same.

/ˈd͡ʒɛnərəl/


general

The president told the general to bring the army home.

/ˈd͡ʒɛnərəl/


healthy

healthy (positive)
healthier (comparative)
healthiest (superlative)

A healthy person is someone who is not sick. They are strong and will probably live a long time.

I need three young, healthy people to help me.

She gets sick frequently. She's never very healthy.

Healthy food is full of vitamins and minerals.


justice

Justice is the morally fair and right state of everything. To have justice as a person's character trait means that they are just and treat everyone the same, or how they would like to be treated.

Making fun of someone or not letting them do something others can do because of the way someone looks, where they come from, their religion, or other things that are not wrong and a part of a person naturally or by birth is not just.


capable

capable (positive)
more capable (comparative)
most capable (superlative)

If someone or something is capable of something, they can do it.

This system is capable of providing food for about 400 people.

I'm quite capable of looking after myself and I don't need you to tell me how.

If someone is capable, they can do a particular thing well.

I'm confident I can leave everything in your capable hands.

I may be young but I can assure you I'm quite capable.


increase

increase (canonical)
increases (third-person singular)
increased (past)
increased (past participle)
increasing (present participle)

The amount of money in my bank account is increasing.


increase

There was an increase in movie releases last year.


help

help (canonical)
helps (third-person singular)
helped (past)
helped (past participle)
helping (present participle)

If you help another person do something, you do things to make it easier for them to do the thing, or you do part of it for them.

Will you please help me wash the dishes?

If you can't help doing something or can't help but do it, you cannot avoid it. You do it even without wanting or planning to.

When I look at the class, I can not help feeling that something has gone wrong.

They agreed that it was good, but I can't help wondering, "good for who?"


help

Will you please give me some help? This is hard for just one person to do.

The help is people who work in a home cooking, cleaning, etc.

The help arrives as 9 o' clock.


kidney

Kidney is an organ that is part of the human body. It cleans the blood and makes urine (pee) which is the dirty water that needs to leave the body.

Our kidneys are very important organs in our body.

When you drink more water, your kidneys can clean the blood better and make more urine.

The organ that does the same thing in the body of other animals.


conviction

conviction (singular)
convictions (plural)

A conviction is when a court finds a person guilty of doing a crime.

There was a conviction in his case, so he went to jail.

A conviction is a strong belief that you think is true.

Because of their strong conviction, I begin to feel that they may be right.


military

military (positive)
more military (comparative)
most military (superlative)

If something is military, it is a characteristic of people in the armed forces.

Sick soldiers go to the military hospital.

If something is military, it is about armed forces such as the army, marines, navy, or air force.

If something is military, it has to do with war.

If something is military, it has to do with armies and ground troops.


military

military (singular)
militaries or military (plural)

The military is the United States armed forces in general.

It's not the job of the military to make policy.


instrument

instrument (singular)
instruments (plural)

An instrument is any thing people hold in their hand and use to do something.

A hammer is a heavy instrument.

An instrument is something used to play music.

I enjoy playing music, my favorite instrument is the guitar.


love

love (canonical)
loves (third-person singular)
loved (past)
loved (past participle)
loving (present participle)

When someone loves another person, they feel good about the person and want the person to be happy.

I love Colin.

Mothers love their children very deeply.


love

The feeling of loving someone and caring for them.

Is my love for him a real love that will last a long time?

The feeling of liking something very much.

I love the simple English Wikipedia.

A tennis player who has scored love has a score of zero.

(From a sports commentator) Fifteen-love!


subsidiary

subsidiary (singular)
subsidiaries (plural)

A subsidiary is a company that is owned by a larger company. {[ant|parent}}

This company owns three subsidiaries that make different kinds of machines.


subsidiary

subsidiary (positive)
more subsidiary (comparative)
most subsidiary (superlative)

If something is subsidiary, it is connected, but lower in importance, rank, or level, etc.

Surprisingly, the subsidiary company became more successful than the parent company.

At some point work became subsidiary to music for her.


bassist

A bassist is someone who plays a bass instrument or sings bass.

The bassist sat his guitar down.


polish

polish (canonical)
polishes (third-person singular)
polished (past)
polished (past participle)
polishing (present participle)

Someone polishes something when they rub it with a cloth to make it smooth and shiny. Sometimes wax or a special liquid is used.

A wooden floor should be polished with floor wax.

Silver needs to be polished to make it shiny.


polish

Polish is a special liquid used for polishing things.

I need to buy some polish for polishing my wooden table.


incorporate

incorporate (canonical)
incorporates (third-person singular)
incorporated (past)
incorporated (past participle)
incorporating (present participle)

All the Wilsons ladies' clubs incorporate features designed to help women players improve and enjoy their game.

The systems would try to incorporate some of the ideas of Hayes and others.

If you incorporate x into y, you make x part of y.

Please incorporate these changes into the final book.

An incorporated company is a corporation. Often written Inc. as part of a company name.

We were a partnership for many years, but we incorporated last year.

Mona Doyle was hired as president of Consumer Network Inc.


miner

A miner is a person who works in a mine. They go into a deep tunnel in the earth to get diamonds, coal, silver, gold or other minerals.

It was difficult for the miners to come out of the mine after some rocks fell in the tunnel.


rational

rational (positive)
more rational (comparative)
most rational (superlative)

If something is rational, it makes sense and is based on reason.

Driving without a seatbelt is simply not rational.

Use of clean fuels is a healthier and more rational approach to meeting our energy needs.

Science is more linear, logical and rational than art.

I don't know what happened, but I'm sure there's a perfectly rational explanation.

If someone is rational, they are calm and not emotional.

It's often difficult to remain rational when people are telling you you're terrible.


growth

The act of growing (getting bigger); an increase in size, number, value, or strength.

I'm pleased with the growth in value of our house in the years after we bought it.

Something that grows or has grown; a mass that is not normal, such as a tumor.

There was a healthy growth of bushes near the house.

He died of a growth in his brain.


parcel

A package; a box wrapped in paper; a thing bigger than a letter that is sent in the mail.

On my birthday, I got a parcel in the mail.

A parcel of land is a piece of land that was part of a larger piece.


parcel

parcelled (past)
parcelled (past participle)
parcelling (present participle)
parcel (canonical)
parcels (third-person singular)
parceled (past)
parceled (past participle)
parceling (present participle)

If you parcel something out, you divide it into small parts to give to different people.

The set of books was parcelled out among the people who were there.

If you parcel something off, you divide it into small parts to be sold to different people.

If you parcel something up, you make it into a parcel by wrapping it up.


feeble

feeble (positive)
feebler (comparative)
feeblest (superlative)

The old man is feeble.

I was very feeble that day because I was sick.

That's a feeble excuse.

Don't listen to her; she's feeble-minded.


antique

An antique is something that is old for its type.

This lamp is an antique, it is 200 years old.


antique

If something is antique, it is older than most things similar to it.

He had his antique car refinished.


drawer

A drawer is a box made of wood that is part of a piece of furniture (such as a desk); drawers can slide in and out so that people can put things into them.

I keep my socks in the top drawer of the chest.

Did you draw this picture? Wow, you're a really good drawer.

A person who writes a bank draft, check, or promissory note.

We'll have to have a drawer draw up the promissory note.


favourite

My favourite brand is the brand I like most.

Ford is my favourite brand of truck.


favourite

favourite (singular)
favourites (plural)

A favourite is a thing or person that someone likes the most. It is a thing that someone prefers, or likes more than any other.

chocolate ice cream is my favourite.

When kings and other royalty have favourites, these are people they trust.

He was a favourite of the king.


lead

A lead is a wire or strap attached to something.

The dog can't go far because it's on a short lead.

Attach this lead to one end of the battery.

Lead is a very heavy gray metal. It's a chemical symbol is Pb.

This box is so heavy, it feels as if it's full of lead.


lead

lead (canonical)
leads (third-person singular)
led (past)
led (past participle)
leading (present participle)

Someone is leading other people if the person is going first and the other people are following or coming after.

Please lead us to the house, because you know how to go there.

Showing or telling other people what to do.

He moves that little stick in the air to lead the people making music.


discrimination

discrimination (singular)
discriminations (plural)

Discrimination is the act of treating someone unfairly just because of their skin colour, religion, sex, etc.

Even in 2007, there's still too much sex discrimination at the higher levels of big business.

Discrimination is the ability to notice differences.

At this small size, discrimination is very difficult.

Discrimination is the ability to recognise high levels of quality.

The clothes were chosen by someone with discrimination.


lock

A lock is a metal thing on a door (or on a window, drawer, etc.) that stops people from opening the door unless they have the right key to open it.

No one will take things from my house. I have a very strong lock on the door.

A lock is two or more gates (doors) in water to let boats move from lower water to higher water or the other way.


lock

lock (canonical)
locks (third-person singular)
locked (past)
locked (past participle)
locking (present participle)

Someone locks a door when they close the lock with a key so that no one can come in.

Remember to lock the door when you leave the house.


flight

Flight is the act of flying: moving through the air using wings.

Birds have had flight for millions of years.

The flight of the bird was beautiful.

The flight to Boston leaves soon.

This flight is going to New York.

Flight is the act of running away and hiding.

The flight of the man just after the crime made the police think he was guilty.


rigid

rigid (positive)
more rigid (comparative)
most rigid (superlative)

It's possible to use flexible materials to form a rigid structure.


scope

The scope of a book, a law, a duty, etc. is how much is included or how far it can go.

The small budget has limited the scope of the research.

There are plans to expand the scope of the department's activities.

This kind of art allows the greatest scope for individual expression.

It is not within the scope of this book to talk about them all.

A scope is an instrument for looking at things, e.g., a telescope or a microscope.


scope

scope (canonical)
scopes (third-person singular)
scoped (past)
scoped (past participle)
scoping (present participle)

If you scope something (out), you look at it carefully.

I scoped out the place last week. It seems nice.


destruction

destruction (singular)
destructions (plural)

The destruction of a thing is the act of breaking the thing; the end of existence of the thing. Before the destruction, the thing is there. After the destruction, there is no thing any more.

The destruction of the house was necessary because the walls were not strong and people were not safe from falling bricks.

The earthquake caused a lot of destruction.


muscle

A muscle is a part of the body of a person or animal. It's a part that pulls to make parts of the body move.

He can lift heavy things because he has strong muscles.


muscle

muscle (canonical)
muscles (third-person singular)
muscled (past)
muscled (past participle)
muscling (present participle)

To muscle is to use strength or muscles to do something.

He muscled his way into the room between the people who were trying to stop him.


cruel

crueller (comparative)
cruellest (superlative)
cruel (positive)
crueler (comparative)
cruelest (superlative)

Someone who is cruel is mean. They hurt other people and don't care, or they like hurting other people.

The cruel guard pushed the prisoners so hard that some of them fell down.

An action is cruel if only cruel people would do it.

It's cruel to make children work 10 hours a day.


overseas

If something is overseas, it is in a different country, usually across the ocean.

After university she went overseas to teach.

The overseas markets, students, etc. are in or from a different country, usually across an ocean.

Wang is an overseas student from China.

Canada needs to do more for overseas development, especially in Africa.

With the college taking in more overseas students, more attention is being put on language issues.

/ˌəʊvəˈsiːz/


record

A record is something in writing to tell what happened.

Keep a record of the date and what you said every time you talk to that person.

A record is a big round black plastic thing with music or other sounds on it.

Now people don't use records any more -- they use cassettes or CDs.


record

record (canonical)
records (third-person singular)
recorded (past)
recorded (past participle)
recording (present participle)

To make a written record about something.

She recorded everything she did in a little book.

To put music or other sounds onto a machine.

The singer recorded some songs on CDs to sell them.


attached

attach (canonical)
attaches (third-person singular)
attached (past)
attached (past participle)
attaching (present participle)

The past tense and past participle of attach.


attached

attached (positive)
more attached (comparative)
most attached (superlative)

If you are attached to something or someone, you like it and do not want to lose it; you have an emotional connection to it.

Many young adults are still as attached to their parents as they were when they were small.

Marjorie was surprised at how attached Bill became to Lizzie, as if Lizzie were his daughter.

Farmers tend to be very attached to their land.


how

The word how is used to ask about the way something happens or the way people do things.

How will we ever solve this problem?

The word how is used to tell about the way something happens or the way people do things.

I know how we can solve this problem.

This is how to make this machine work.

The word how is used to show that you feel strongly about something.

How old he looks!


how

You use how to ask if something was good or bad, or what qualities it has.

How was the movie?

How are you feeling?


how

You use how to tell that something happens, is done, or is true.

She told him how it wasn't fun anymore.


underlie

underlie (canonical)
underlies (third-person singular)
underlay (past)
underlain (past participle)
underlying (present participle)

If x underlies y, x causes y; x is the reason for y.

Poor education underlies much of the crime and violence in our society.

If x underlies y, x is the basis for y or the most important part of y.

The basic principle underlying the argument is that we can know what each of the parts is.


owner

The owner of a thing is the person who owns the thing: who has the thing or who should have the thing. A thing belongs to its owner.

Who is the owner of this coat that was left on a chair?

You have to give it back to me. I'm the owner.


industry

An industry is a kind of work that makes things.

Many people in this country have jobs in the clothing industry.

Industry is the quality of working hard, trying hard and doing it well.

Because of her industry, she made a lot of money.


fowl

A fowl is a bird: an animal with feathers that can fly, especially a kind that people eat.

This farmer keeps sheep and two kinds of fowl: chickens and ducks.


incidence

incidence (singular)
incidences (plural)

The incidence of something is how often it happens.

regular blood pressure checks would reduce the incidence of heart disease and sudden heart attacks.

There is a surprisingly high incidence of theft in book stores.


north

North is the direction towards the top of the Earth, opposite to south; If you are looking north, the sun sets on your left.

Canada is the biggest country in North America.

North is the end of a magnet that points north.

The north is the area of land north of the speaker; Also the Arctic.


north

In the direction north; towards the north

The place you want is two miles north of here.

It's colder here because we're further north.


line

A line is a mark that is long, straight and very thin.

She drew a line down the middle of the page to divide the page into two parts.

Put the buttons in a straight line on the front of the shirt.

A line is a row of people who are waiting for something in order; a queue.

You got here last, so you have to stand at the back of the line.


line

line (canonical)
lines (third-person singular)
lined (past)
lined (past participle)
lining (present participle)

Someone lines things up when they put them in a straight line or row.

Someone lines something up when they put it just in the right place or at the edge of something.

Line up the end of the piece of wood with the edge of the table.

Someone lines up when they start waiting in a line (queue) with other people.

Everyone line up here, please, and I'll help you one at a time.

Someone lines something when they mark it with one or more lines.

Please line the pitch before the match.

Someone lines something when they add an inside layer of material (liner) to it.


go

go (canonical)
goes (third-person singular)
went (past)
gone (past participle)
going (present participle)

If you go, you move in space, especially to or through a place.

I go to the seashore every summer.

Kathy goes to the seashore every summer, too.

I went to the seashore last year.

She's gone to the seashore.

I'm going to the seashore next year.

If you go, you move in time, often in your mind.

You have to go back to 1911 to find a wetter day.

Marty McFly jumped in the time machine and went to 1965.

If you go, you move on the computer, the internet, or in the memory.

Then go to the C: drive.

His mind went to the last time he saw her.

If you go, you move a certain distance or a certain way.

We've gone 10 kilometers today.

Sandra is going in circles.

Please don't go.

People have been coming and going all day.

If you go bad, wild, blind, etc., you become like that.

Jim went blind.


foul

Something that goes against the rules in a sport.

After a bad foul, a soccer player has to leave the game


foul

foul (positive)
fouler (comparative)
foulest (superlative)

We left the meat too many days, and now it is foul and we can't eat it.

There's a foul smell in the bathroom.


name

A name is what a person, place, or thing is called or how it is identified.

My name is Jack.


name

name (canonical)
names (third-person singular)
named (past)
named (past participle)
naming (present participle)

To name is to give a name to someone, someplace, or something.

She named her cat Fluffy.


gal

Gal is an abbreviation for gallon, which is a unit of measurement for volume.


come

come (canonical)
comes (third-person singular)
came (past)
come (past participle)
coming (present participle)

To move towards a place or into a place; to move to the place where the person who is talking is.

Come to my house and I will give you something to eat.

Come here to me.

Twenty people came to the party.

He came here, but he went away again before you came here.


come

We'll talk again come January.


come

(also spelled cum)


note

In this song, every word is on a different note.

A note is a short letter; something written on a small piece of paper.

If you go out, leave me a note to tell me where you went.


note

note (canonical)
notes (third-person singular)
noted (past)
noted (past participle)
noting (present participle)

You note that something happened when you see that it happened and remember it.

I noted that you weren't wearing shoes.


nail

A nail is a small, long, thin sharp metal thing for holding wood together. People put it into the wood by hitting it with a hammer.

I need some nails to fix the roof.

A nail is the thick, hard part at the ends of fingers and toes.

I broke the top off my finger nail and it was very painful.


nail

nail (canonical)
nails (third-person singular)
nailed (past)
nailed (past participle)
nailing (present participle)

If you nail something to something else, you use a nail to join them.

He nailed the set of shelves onto the wall.

When someone gets an idea just right, we say they nailed it or "hit the nail on the head".

I think you've nailed the reason why this isn't working.


learning

learn (canonical)
learns (third-person singular)
learned (past)
learned (past participle)
learning (present participle)

Someone is learning ideas if they didn't know the ideas before and they are starting to know them.

I'm learning to speak French by reading lots of French books.


learning

Learning is the action of someone learning something.

Lots of learning happens at school. That's what school is for.


scizzors


sacrifice

sacrifice (singular)
sacrifices (plural)

A sacrifice is something that a person gives up in order to help him or somebody else. A person who makes a sacrifice for a friend will do something that he might not want to do in order to help his friend.

A sacrifice is an offer given as a gift to a god.

People in the Old Testament offered a lamb as a sacrifice to God for forgiveness.


sacrifice

sacrifice (canonical)
sacrifices (third-person singular)
sacrificed (past)
sacrificed (past participle)
sacrificing (present participle)

If you sacrifice someone or something, you give them up for other things.


forthcoming

forthcoming (positive)
more forthcoming (comparative)
most forthcoming (superlative)

An event that is forthcoming is something that will happen soon. It's coming in a short time.

The forthcoming publication of her book will help her get status and respect.

A person who is forthcoming is someone who tells what they're thinking.

I asked him what his plans are for next year but he wasn't very forthcoming.

/fɔːθˈkʌmɪŋ/

/fɔrθˈkʌmɪŋ/


heat

Heat is a kind of energy. It is the quality things have when they are warm or hot.

This is a good coat. It keeps the heat in.

The heat from the sun is making me feel hot and tired.


heat

heat (canonical)
heats (third-person singular)
heated (past)
heated (past participle)
heating (present participle)

I just need to heat up the food and then we can eat.


flexibility

flexibility (singular)
flexibilities (plural)

Flexibility is the quality of being flexible.

Current technology allows for greater flexibility in how we do our jobs.


hope

hope (canonical)
hopes (third-person singular)
hoped (past)
hoped (past participle)
hoping (present participle)

When someone hopes that something will happen, it means that they want it to happen and they think it may happen.

We hope that more women will decide to join the course.

It was hoped that the job would be filled by a local person.


hope

A hope is the idea in someone's mind when they're hoping for something.

All of my hopes came true!


someone

I heard someone at the door.

You should ask someone who knows more about it.

I'm hoping to meet someone special at the dance.


eventually

If something will happen eventually, it will happen but it will be in the future, not soon. Some day it will happen.

I'll clean out my closet eventually.

Eventually we'll find a better way to do this.


needle

A needle is a small, long, thin sharp metal thing with a hole in it, used for sewing.

She used a needle and blue thread to fix the hole in the shirt.

A needle is a long, thing, sharp metal thing for putting drugs into a person through the skin.

The doctor used the needle to inject the medicine into the patient.


needle

needle (canonical)
needles (third-person singular)
needled (past)
needled (past participle)
needling (present participle)

Billy needled his sister incessantly about her pimples.