Читать книгу Collins Primary Thesaurus - Collins Dictionaries - Страница 6
Оглавлениеability NOUN
If you have ability, you have the intelligence and skill to do things.
competence
Sunita showed competence in most school subjects, particularly science.
gift
Jack had a gift for remembering long and complicated equations.
skill
Brackford United played with enthusiasm but little skill in Saturday’s match.
talent
Seamus has a talent for cooking delicious seafood dishes.
ANTONYM: inability
able ADJECTIVE
If you are able to do something, you can do it.
allowed
“I’m allowed to play for half an hour, but then I have to go home,” Ron complained.
available
Rhys said he was available to swim for the team on Saturday.
capable
Mrs Diss said that my twin brother was a capable pupil, but rather lazy.
free
My big sister is free to take me bowling now.
ANTONYM: unable
Other adjectives related to able:
| able… | |
| …to be dissolved | soluble |
| …to be easily fooled | gullible |
| …to be eaten safely | edible |
| …to be heard | audible |
| …to be seen | visible, noticeable |
| …to catch fire | flammable |
about (1) PREPOSITION
If you talk or write about a particular thing, you say things that are to do with that subject.
concerning
The police interviewed the bank manager concerning the robbery.
regarding
Parents were sent a letter regarding half term.
to do with
Mum had a long phone conversation to do with our holiday plans.
about (2) ADVERB
You say about in front of a number to show it is not exact.
approximately
The theatre held approximately 800 people.
around
Around 50 000 people attended the big game.
in the region of
The bike cost in the region of £100.
more or less
Each jar holds more or less five litres.
roughly
We had to wait for roughly three hours.
about (3) ADVERB
About can mean in different directions.
around
“Stop dancing around while I’m talking to you,” Mum said irritably.
here and there
My sister’s clothes were scattered here and there in her room.
hither and thither OLD-FASHIONED
The bee flew hither and thither collecting pollen from the flowers.
about to PREPOSITION
If you are about to do something, you are just going to do it.
on the point of
I was on the point of closing the front door, when the phone rang.
ready to
The pilot was ready to turn back, when he saw the missing boat.
above (1) PREPOSITION
If one thing is above another, it is directly over or higher than it.
on top of
Ali balanced the bag of flour on top of the door, so that it would fall on Craig when he came in.
over
A cloud of smoke hung ominously over the grumbling volcano.
ANTONYM: below
above (2) PREPOSITION
Above can mean greater than something in level or amount.
beyond
The dancer’s skill was beyond anything we could have imagined.
greater than
The number of visitors to the museum this year is greater than last year.
higher than
The cost of the repairs was higher than Mum had expected.
ANTONYM: below
absolutely ADVERB
If you are absolutely sure about something, you are completely sure of it.
completely
Anoop was completely satisfied with his new computer.
thoroughly
“I am thoroughly fed up of washing dishes,” moaned Cinderella.
totally
We sat totally enthralled by the magician’s amazing tricks.
utterly
The instructions to the board game left me utterly confused.
abuse (1) Said “ab-yooss” NOUN
Abuse is the cruel treatment of someone.
cruelty
Sadly, many animals are injured through cruelty or neglect.
harm
Fortunately, the two lost children were found with no harm done to them.
ill-treatment
Oliver Twist suffered much ill-treatment in the workhouse.
abuse (2) Said “ab-yooz” VERB
To abuse someone is to treat them cruelly.
harm
Now the dog was at the rescue kennels, no one could harm it any more.
ill-treat
People who ill-treat their animals should face heavy fines.
mistreat
Cinderella was constantly mistreated by her two ugly sisters.
misuse
The dictator misused his power by giving jobs to his relatives.
accident NOUN
An accident is something that happens suddenly or unexpectedly, causing people to be hurt or killed.
collision
Eight vehicles were involved in a collision during the heavy rain.
crash
The police advised that the airport should be closed because of the plane crash.
mishap
Falling off my bike was a minor mishap, but luckily I wasn’t hurt.
➔ See disaster
accidental ADJECTIVE
Something that is accidental has not been planned.
unexpected
The sail’s tearing in the wind was a totally unexpected problem.
unintentional
“I didn’t mean to stand on the flowers. It was quite unintentional,” I apologized.
unplanned
Although our beach volleyball tournament was unplanned, it was a great success.
ANTONYM: deliberate
accurate ADJECTIVE
If something is accurate, it is absolutely correct.
exact
In order to set my watch, I need to know the exact time.
factual
Non-fiction books are factual accounts of real people and events.
faithful
The French version of the book is a faithful translation of the English original.
precise
Tightrope walkers must be very precise in their movements.
spot-on INFORMAL
Your guess about the train’s arrival time was spot-on.
true
“Is this statement a true record of where you were?” queried the police officer.
ANTONYM: inaccurate
ache VERB
If a part of your body aches, you feel a continuous, dull pain there.
be sore
Jane’s leg muscles were sore after aerobics.
hurt
“Ouch!” said Devendra as the nurse cleaned his cut knee. “That hurts!”
throb
My knee really throbbed after I fell over on the uneven pavement.
action (1) NOUN
An action is something you do for a particular purpose.
act
Rescuing the baby from the burning house was an act of great courage.
deed
Theseus’s bravest deed was the slaying of the dreaded Minotaur.
exploit
The explorer, Sir Archie Pounder, told the school of his exploits in the jungle.
feat
To build Stonehenge without modern equipment was a great feat.
move
I think resting after dinner is a sensible move.
action (2) NOUN
An action is a physical movement, such as jumping.
activity
Our classroom was a hive of activity as we got ready for the concert.
motion
The up-and-down motion of the boat made me feel queasy.
movement
The movements of the conductor’s baton guided the orchestra.
actual ADJECTIVE
Actual can mean something is real, rather than imaginary or guessed at.
genuine
“This table is a genuine antique,” said Gran.
real
The film is based on a real story.
true
“Is this a true record of what you said?” the judge demanded to know.
very
The guide told us Ann Boleyn was beheaded on the very spot where we stood.
add (1) VERB
If you add something to a number of things, you put it with those things.
combine
Orange juice combined with lemonade makes a refreshing drink.
include
“Don’t forget to include a sentence about what your friends think,” Mr Bishop reminded us.
Remember that you add something to something else, but combine something with something else.
add (2) VERB
If you add numbers together, or add them up, you work out the total.
count up
I counted up the spoons, and found there were three missing.
total
Miss Dobson told us to total the figures at the bottom of each column.
tot up INFORMAL
It took me ages to tot up how many hours I had worked that week.
ANTONYM: subtract
adjust VERB
If you adjust something, you change its position or alter it in some other way.
change
I changed the time on my new watch so that it was correct.
correct
Fortunately, the pilot corrected the plane’s course before it hit the storm clouds.
modify
The racing car’s tyres had been specially modified for wet weather.
tune
Dad tuned the radio to a different station.
tweak INFORMAL
Mrs Tordoff asked me to tweak my story to include more dialogue.
admit VERB
If you admit something, you agree that it is true.
acknowledge
Good drivers acknowledge when they have made a mistake.
confess
The prisoner confessed that she had lied.
grant
“I grant that it’s not a great meal,” my brother said, “but at least I cooked it myself.”
own up
The head teacher asked whoever had broken the window to own up to it.
adult ADJECTIVE
An adult is a mature and fully developed person.
grown-up
Dad asked another grown-up for directions.
man
Jim is now a man of 42.
woman
A woman was seen leaving the building.
adventure NOUN
An adventure is something that is exciting, and perhaps even dangerous.
escapade
Entering the Sheriff of Nottingham’s chamber was perhaps Robin Hood’s boldest escapade.
exploit
Several films have been made of the brave exploits of the Three Musketeers.
feat
To abseil down a skyscraper would certainly be a daring feat.
venture
The expedition proved a dangerous venture.
advice NOUN
Advice is a suggestion from someone about what you should do.
guidance
Larissa needed guidance from her teachers about which college to apply for.
recommendation
Mum followed the doctor’s recommendation, and gave up smoking.
suggestion
My friend’s suggestion was to do our work first and play later.
tip INFORMAL
A good tip is to test the water with your toe before you jump in.
advise VERB
If you advise someone to do something, you tell them you think they should do it.
recommend
Mrs Singh recommended that I should sit nearer the front of the classroom.
suggest
“I suggest we go home,” said Mum.
urge
In his speech, the MP urged people to vote for him in the election.
affect VERB
If something affects someone or something else, it influences or changes them.
concern
The issue of global warming concerns everybody on the planet.
have an effect on
The moon’s gravity has an effect on the oceans, creating high and low tides.
influence
The judge’s sentence was influenced by the prisoner’s previous good behaviour.
involve
The accident happened nearby, but fortunately our car was not involved.
Be careful not to confuse the verb affect with the noun effect.
afraid ADJECTIVE
If you are afraid, you are frightened.
alarmed
“Don’t be alarmed,” Mum said calmly. “It’s only the wind rattling the windows.”
anxious
As I had not revised my spellings, I was anxious about the test the next morning.
fearful
Faiza is fearful of the dark.
frightened
“Don’t be frightened,” said the giant. “I won’t hurt you.”
nervous
Alim was nervous before his driving test.
petrified
My brother is petrified of going to the dentist.
scared
I told my brother there was nothing to be scared of.
terrified
I used to be terrified of injections, but now that I’ve had one I’m not scared any more.
timid
I was quite timid on my first day at school.
ANTONYM: unafraid
To be afraid of something is to fear or dread it.
after (1) ADVERB
After can mean later than a particular time, date or event.
afterwards
We had our lunch and afterwards went out to the school field.
following
Following the professor’s talk on birds, we had the chance to ask her questions.
later than
It was later than six o’clock when we finally finished shopping.
subsequently
The injured driver was taken to hospital, but was allowed to go home subsequently.
ANTONYM: before
after (2) PREPOSITION
If you come after someone or something, you are behind them and following them.
behind
Behind the royal procession came the jester, prancing about and waving some sort of wand.
following
Off went the removal van, with Dad following.
again ADVERB
Again can mean happening one more time.
afresh
The couple moved abroad to start life afresh.
a second time
The traveller waited before knocking at the door a second time.
once more
Once more Dad tried to put up the deckchair, and once more it collapsed.
against PREPOSITION
Something that is against something else is in opposition to it.
anti INFORMAL
Our entire family is anti hunting. We think it’s cruel.
opposed to
I was opposed to the idea of moving house.
versus
In our playground game, it was Rachel and me versus the rest of the class.
If something is against the law, it is illegal.
aim (1) VERB
If you aim to do something, you are planning to do it.
intend
One day, I intend to own a chocolate factory.
mean
The player meant to hit the ball down the line, but it flew into the crowd.
plan
Dad had planned to work abroad, but then he was offered a job in Britain.
propose
Mr Potter proposes to put on a school play this year.
set your sights on
Louis had set his sights on becoming an artist, but became a photographer instead.
aim (2) NOUN
Your aim is what you intend to achieve.
goal
Cassandra’s goal is to make a million dollars before she is 25.
object
The object of the game is to throw the ball in your opponents’ basket.
objective
“Men,” barked the Major, “our objective is to cross that river before the enemy sees us.”
purpose
The purpose of the meeting was to decide what our class would do for the school concert.
target
The target for this year’s bring-and-buy sale is to raise a thousand pounds.
aircraft NOUN
An aircraft is any vehicle that can fly.
Types of aircraft:
aeroplane
glider
hang-glider
helicopter
hot-air balloon
microlite
alike ADJECTIVE
Things that are alike are very similar in some way.
comparable
The two boys had had comparable experiences at primary school.
identical
The twins were identical except for the way they styled their hair.
indistinguishable
The forgery and the original painting were indistinguishable.
similar
Phoebe’s house is like ours, and Justin’s is similar too.
ANTONYMS: different or unlike
all right (1) ADJECTIVE
If something is all right, it is satisfactory, but not especially good.
acceptable
Your work is acceptable, Watts, but by no means outstanding.
adequate
The nurse thought her temporary bandage would be adequate to stop the bleeding.
average
“My exam marks were average, but I’m sure I can do better,” said Ron.
fair
Leo made a fair attempt at the test, considering he had felt so ill earlier.
satisfactory
The car was in a satisfactory condition to pass the safety test.
all right (2) ADJECTIVE
If someone is all right, they are safe and not harmed.
safe
“You’ll be quite safe provided that you wait here,” the police officer said.
unharmed
After getting lost in the hills, the boys were returned unharmed to their parents.
unhurt
The stunt rider escaped unhurt after his bike cartwheeled into the air.
uninjured
I was shaken but uninjured after falling during the race.
almost ADVERB
Almost can mean very nearly.
just about
We were just about ready to go, when Mum’s phone bleeped.
nearly
It was nearly five years since Hanif had seen his aunt and uncle.
not quite
I had not quite finished the test when Mr Halliday said the time was up.
practically
Practically all the sandwiches had been eaten.
virtually
Despite having virtually no time to practise, Darius played the piano piece perfectly.
alone (1) ADJECTIVE
Someone or something that is alone is not with other people or things.
detached
The elephant was detached from the herd.
isolated
The old man lived in a cottage on the cliff top. He felt quite isolated.
solitary
Robinson Crusoe was solitary on his desert island home.
alone (2) ADVERB
Something that happens alone, happens without other people or things.
independently
Sian did her homework independently.
separately
The teachers came with us on the bus, except for the head who came later, separately.
solo INFORMAL
The pilot now flew solo for the first time.
also ADVERB
Also can mean in addition to something that has just been mentioned.
as well
Mum had just bought the lettuce when she remembered to get some tomatoes as well.
besides
The competition winner received a sports bag, and a signed bat to go in it besides.
furthermore FORMAL
“You’ve worked well,” the teacher said, “and furthermore you’ve worked quietly.”
in addition
My prize was free tickets to the show. In addition, it included a meal afterwards.
moreover FORMAL
It was cold, and moreover it was getting dark.
too
William is nine, and Rina is too.
although CONJUNCTION
Although can mean in spite of the fact that.
even though
Jessica managed to win the marathon, even though she’d had flu earlier that week.
while
While the work on an oil rig is tough, the pay is good.
altogether ADVERB
Altogether can mean in total and is used when talking about amounts.
all told
There were over two thousand people at the show, all told.
everything included
Everything included, the fête raised enough money for the new equipment.
in total
In total, the auction raised well over five thousand pounds.
always (1) ADVERB
Always can mean all the time.
consistently
Andy is consistently the best player on our hockey team.
constantly
We are constantly receiving junk e-mails.
continually
My mum is continually nagging me to keep my room tidy.
continuously
The generator chugged away continuously throughout the night.
invariably
Aissa is invariably late for school.
regularly
Stars are regularly asked for their autographs.
repeatedly
“I’m repeatedly telling you not to speak with your mouth full!” Dad said crossly.
time after time
Time after time, my little brother asked me to play with him.
ANTONYM: never
always (2) ADVERB
Always can mean forever.
endlessly
I shall be endlessly grateful to the woman who saved my life.
forever
“Madam, I am forever in your debt,” the musketeer said as he swept from the room.
perpetually
The Olympic flame burns perpetually.
ANTONYM: never
amazing ADJECTIVE
If something is amazing, it is very surprising.
astonishing
It is astonishing that we breathe, on average, 500 million times in our lives.
astounding
The marathon runner kept up an astounding pace for the whole 26 miles.
breathtaking
Seeing Niagara Falls was a breathtaking experience.
sensational
The show was sensational, with superb music and dancing.
staggering
It is staggering to realize that 60 per cent of our body is water.
among or amongst PREPOSITION
Among or amongst can mean surrounded by.
amid
Workers searched amid the wreckage for any sign of survivors.
amidst
Amidst all the weeds, a single rose bloomed.
in the middle of
In the middle of the herd of cows was a newborn calf.
surrounded by
Mum and I found ourselves surrounded by inquisitive sheep.
If there are more than two things, you should use among(st). If there are only two things, you should use between.
amount NOUN
An amount is how much there is of something.
mass
There was a great mass of tadpoles in our garden pond.
quantity
“For sale: a quantity of unused garden tools,” read the advert.
sum
The house was sold for an undisclosed sum of money.
total
Our little sideshow raised quite a total at our school fête.
volume
A huge volume of water cascades over the waterfall every minute.
amphibian NOUN
An amphibian is one of a group of animals that live both on land and in water.
Some amphibians:
frog
newt
salamander
toad
anger NOUN
Anger is the strong feeling you get about something unfair or cruel.
annoyance
You could see the annoyance on the little boy’s face when he couldn’t have any sweets.
fury
Her face purple with fury, the duchess stormed from the room.
indignation
Our dog, Jim, stared in indignation as I ate the last biscuit.
irritation
Sissy stormed out in irritation.
rage
The wizard flew into a rage and instantly turned the king and queen into toads.
temper
In a fit of temper, I flung my sister’s hairbrush into the garden.
wrath Said “roth”
The player incurred the wrath of the referee for committing a foul.
angry ADJECTIVE
Someone who is angry is very annoyed.
annoyed
Mr Danesh was annoyed that Anna hadn’t handed in her homework.
apoplectic
The team manager was apoplectic, dancing with rage when the referee disallowed the goal.
beside yourself with anger
The head teacher was beside herself with anger when the money was stolen.
cross
You could tell Mum was cross. Her forehead had turned red and wrinkly.
displeased
“Smithers, I’m displeased with the poor spelling in this report,” Sir Hector boomed.
enraged
The bull, enraged, came charging, head down, towards the matador.
fuming
Mrs Stevenson was fuming when she realized Peter was absent yet again.
furious
Furious at such a messy piece of work, Mr Ross flung my book back on my desk.
hot under the collar INFORMAL
Many motorists were getting hot under the collar as the traffic jam built up.
indignant
You could see by her face that our terrier, Tess, was indignant that we had left her behind.
infuriated
The stressed commuter was infuriated to find that the train had left seconds earlier.
irate
It made Mrs Mawdsley irate to find the staffroom key missing.
irritated
I was irritated to find that Alex had borrowed my pencil.
livid
Father was livid that I had broken his favourite fishing rod.
outraged
Many townsfolk were outraged that the lovely old cinema was to be torn down.
seething
I knew from his gritted teeth that the boss was seething.
animal NOUN
An animal is any living being that is not a plant.
beast
The thoroughbred horse was a beautiful but temperamental beast.
creature
The platypus is a strange-looking creature.
General names for animals are fauna and wildlife.
Types of animal:
amphibian
bird
fish
insect
mammal
reptile
annoy VERB
If someone or something annoys you, they make you angry or impatient.
aggravate
My gran is often aggravated by noisy motorbikes late at night.
bother
“Please don’t bother me now. I’m really very busy,” said Dad.
drive someone up the wall INFORMAL
“Some of these stupid TV adverts drive me up the wall!” said Grandad.
get on someone’s nerves INFORMAL
Mitchi’s whiny voice really gets on my nerves.
harass
Many famous people are harassed by reporters and photographers.
irritate
My mum was irritated by the constant dripping of the tap in the night.
needle INFORMAL
The soccer player tried to needle his opponent by muttering insults.
provoke
My sister provoked me into an argument by saying I was no good at singing.
answer (1) VERB
If you answer someone, you reply to them in speech or writing.
answer back
When spoken to by the judge, the defendant was foolish enough to answer back rudely.
reply
If you receive an invitation, it’s polite to reply promptly.
respond
The captain asked for volunteers, and two crewmen responded.
retort
“I’d love to go to the ball,” said Cinderella. “No chance!” retorted her ugly sister.
return
“Yes, I’d love to come to the theatre,” Genevieve returned.
answer (2) NOUN
An answer is the reply you give when you answer someone.
acknowledgment
The palace sent a brief letter as an acknowledgment to my request.
reaction
The mayor received an angry reaction to his scheme to sell off the sports field.
reply
The salesman rang the door bell, but there was no reply.
response
There was a terrific response to the famine appeal.
retort
“Ouch, that hurt!” I said. “Serves you right!” came the retort.
appear VERB
When something appears, it moves from somewhere you could not see it to somewhere you can see it.
come into sight
A woolly mammoth came into sight, lumbering from behind the rock.
come into view
A triceratops came into view, its serrated back appearing over the ridge.
emerge
Emerging from his bedroom, my lazy brother rubbed his eyes.
loom
The gigantic airship blotted out the sun as it loomed nearer.
➔ See arrive
area (1) NOUN
An area is a particular part of a place, country or the world.
community
We live in a friendly community, with lots going on.
district
It was a poor district, where litter and street crime were a problem.
neighbourhood
In our neighbourhood, everybody helps one another.
region
This region of Italy is famous for its pizzas.
zone
That zone is open only to airport staff.
area (2) NOUN
Area can mean the measurement of a flat surface.
extent
From the top of the tower, Jamie could see the extent of the city.
size
“What size of paper shall I use?” Dani asked.
area (3) NOUN
The area of a piece of ground or surface is the amount of space it covers.
expanse
When Noah looked from his ark, all he saw was a huge expanse of water.
patch INFORMAL
The police officer said he would miss the people in his patch when he retired.
plot
My parents bought a plot of land, hoping to build a house there.
stretch
You can see otters on this stretch of the river.
argue (1) VERB
If you argue with someone about something, you disagree with them about it, sometimes in an angry way.
bicker
My sisters are always bickering at the table.
disagree
Simon and Sanjiv disagreed passionately about which team would win.
fall out
Hazel and I fell out when she broke her promise to keep my secret.
have a difference of opinion
The two neighbours had a difference of opinion over who owned the fence.
have an argument
Dad and Mum had an argument about whose turn it was to get up and see to the baby.
quarrel
Jack and Wilbur quarrelled over land, and their two families have not spoken since.
row Rhymes with “cow”
The couple next door were always rowing. Now they’ve gone we’ll get some peace!
squabble
“Stop squabbling, you two!” Mum said, exasperated. “You’ll both get a turn.”
argue (2) VERB
If you argue that something is true, you give reasons why you think that it is.
assert
The prisoner continues to assert his innocence.
claim
Mervyn claimed he was the lost King of Albania, but nobody believed him.
debate
“I think we’ll be debating this issue forever!” joked Mrs Evans.
hold
Before 1492, many people held that the earth was flat.
maintain
Columbus always maintained that the earth was round, and proceeded to prove it.
put the case
In the debate, Scarlet put the case for hunting and I opposed it.
reason
Mum tried to reason with my little brother, but it was a waste of time.
argument (1) NOUN
An argument is a talk between people who do not agree.
barney INFORMAL
Kayla and I had a bit of a barney, but we soon made up.
difference of opinion
Panna and Liz had a difference of opinion over which team would win.
disagreement
The tennis players had a disagreement about whether the service was in or out.
dispute
The long-running dispute between the two neighbours ended in a court case.
feud
Occasionally, the feud between the Campbell clan and the MacDonald clan erupted into violence.
fight
Two girls in our class got into a fight over a missing purse.
quarrel
The quarrel started when Colin was left out of the team in favour of Barry.
row Rhymes with “cow”
I was upstairs in my room when the row between Dad and Grandad started.
squabble
It was a silly squabble over who would sleep in the top bunk.
A formal talk between people who do not agree is a debate.
argument (2) NOUN
An argument is a point or set of reasons you use to convince people about something.
case
The barrister set out the case for the prosecution.
grounds
The judge decided there were no grounds on which to find the defendant guilty.
reason
Guy Fawkes was asked to give his reasons for wishing to blow up Parliament.
armour NOUN
Armour is special metal clothing that soldiers wore in the past for protection.
Pieces of armour:
breastplate
gauntlet
helmet
visor
army NOUN
An army is a large group of soldiers who are trained to fight on land.
Military means “connected with an army”.
Here are some more words associated with the military, or armed forces:
air force
battalion
brigade
cavalry
commando
company
garrison
legion
marine
navy
paratrooper
platoon
regiment
reinforcements
squad
squadron
around (1) PREPOSITION
You can use around when something is surrounding or encircling a place or object.
on all sides of
On all sides of the camp, a barbed-wire fence rose menacingly towards grim watchtowers.
on every side of
The word “Fragile” was written on every side of the box.
around (2) PREPOSITION
Around can mean at approximately the time or place mentioned.
about
“I’ll meet you at about three o’clock,” Kamilah whispered.
approximately
“The train will be approximately five minutes late,” said the announcer.
in the region of
The government spent in the region of 30 billion pounds on new roads.
roughly
The new garage will be roughly ten metres in length.
around (3) PREPOSITION OR ADVERB
You say around when things are in various places.
all over
Papers were scattered all over Mum’s office.
everywhere
In the wind, fallen leaves flew everywhere.
here and there
“I always find the odd bargain here and there,” said Gran cheerfully.
arrange (1) VERB
If you arrange to do something, or arrange something for someone, you make plans for it or make it possible.
fix
Mr Pearson fixed our soccer game for next Tuesday afternoon.
organize
Mum said she would organize a trip to the zoo during the holidays.
plan
Dad planned a secret birthday surprise for Mum.
prepare
Most good chefs prepare their menu well in advance.
settle
The old lady settled her affairs before she left town.
arrange (2) VERB
If you arrange objects, you set them out in a particular way.
group
For the photograph, all the wedding guests were grouped in front of the hall door.
organize
For the tournament, players were organized into teams of five.
place
The artist carefully placed the objects she was going to paint.
position
Guards were positioned outside the palace.
arrest VERB
If the police arrest someone, they take them to a police station because they believe they may have committed a crime.
capture
A search party captured the escaped prisoner in an isolated shack.
nick INFORMAL
The bloke next door got nicked for burglary the other day.
take someone into custody
Police officers cautioned the suspect and took her into custody.
arrive VERB
When you arrive at a place, you reach it at the end of your journey.
appear
The film star finally appeared, an hour late.
show up INFORMAL
Jeremy showed up just in time.
turn up
“If you turn up late, the coach will have gone,” warned the driver.
ANTONYM: depart
artist NOUN
An artist is a person who draws or paints, or produces other works of art such as novels or music.
Types of artist:
artist
film director
musician
novelist
painter
playwright
poet
potter
sculptor
writer
ashamed ADJECTIVE
If you are ashamed, you feel embarrassed or guilty.
embarrassed
Karen was embarrassed to find that the rain had streaked her make-up.
guilty
I hadn’t done anything, but I still felt guilty about the missing money.
humiliated
Jade felt humiliated after the coach had publicly blamed her for losing the game.
sorry
Misha was sorry that his stupid comment had caused so much upset.
ask (1) VERB
If you ask someone something, you put a question to them.
enquire or inquire
“If you want more information, enquire at the desk over there,” the woman said.
interrogate
Secret police interrogated the spy about his mission, but he told them nothing.
query
Mr Blake queried the bill, saying he’d been overcharged.
question
The suspicious-looking stranger was stopped and questioned about what she was doing.
quiz
My mum quizzed me about where I was going, and who with.
ask (2) VERB
If you ask for something, you say you would like to have it.
appeal
Our church appealed for money to help repair the roof.
apply
If you are travelling abroad, you must apply for a passport.
beg
I begged Mum to let me go to the party, but she said no.
beseech
“Have mercy on me, I beseech you!” the frog prince cried to the princess.
demand
The angry diner demanded to know what a beetle was doing in his pudding.
implore
“I implore you to think twice before running away,” said Emma.
plead
The princess pleaded to be set free by the wicked witch.
request
The soccer player requested a transfer to another club.
ask (3) VERB
If you ask someone to come or go somewhere, you invite them there.
ask someone round
The vicar asked us round for a cup of tea.
bid OLD-FASHIONED
His lordship bade me enter and enquired if I would drink wine with him.
invite
Whoopee! Della has invited me to her party.
summon
King Arthur summoned his knights to an assembly at the Round Table.
asleep ADJECTIVE
If you are asleep, your eyes are closed and your whole body is resting.
dead to the world INFORMAL
Dad was dead to the world in the armchair.
fast asleep
Jim, our dog, was fast asleep with his legs in the air.
sound asleep
I was so sound asleep that my little brother had to sit on me to wake me up.
ANTONYM: awake
➔ See sleep (1)
Animals that hibernate spend the winter in a state like a deep sleep.
attack (1) VERB
If a person or an animal attacks another person or animal, they use violence in order to hurt or kill them.
assault
The muggers assaulted the man, then tried to steal his wallet.
charge
The Light Brigade charged the enemy’s guns at full tilt.
mug
Unfortunately, some people are mugged on dark city streets.
raid
Police raided the house where the escaped criminal was living.
storm
Troops stormed the cliffs and succeeded in silencing the machine guns above.
ANTONYM: defend
In sport, to attack is to move forward.
attack (2) NOUN
An attack is a violent, physical action against someone or something.
assault
“This was a serious assault, for which you must pay,” said the judge grimly.
charge
The Light Brigade’s charge was brave but doomed.
invasion
The 1944 D-Day landings in France formed the biggest invasion in world history.
raid
The air raids continued night after night.
strike
The missile strike destroyed the buildings.
ANTONYM: defence
automatic ADJECTIVE
An automatic machine is programmed to do a task without needing a person to operate it.
automated
The new automated answering service kept Dad waiting for half an hour.
computerized
Most photocopiers are computerized these days.
robotic
In car factories, robotic arms put most of the parts together.
self-propelling
My self-propelling model glider worked by twisting an elastic band.
avoid (1) VERB
If you avoid someone or something, you keep away from them.
dodge
We dodged our nosy neighbour by hiding behind a tree as she went past.
elude
By going out of the back door, the celebrity eluded the photographers.
evade
The criminal managed to evade the police for several days, but was eventually caught.
shun
The shy film star shunned publicity, preferring a quiet family life.
steer clear of INFORMAL
“If I were you I’d steer clear of that quarry,” my dad said sternly.
avoid (2) VERB
If you avoid doing something, you make an effort not to do it.
dodge INFORMAL
My lazy brother tried to dodge cleaning the car, but Dad made him do it.
duck out of INFORMAL
I tried to duck out of unpacking the dishwasher, with no success.
escape
The prisoner tried to escape, but the police officer stopped him.
get out of
“It’s no use trying to get out of it. You’ll have to mow the lawn,” said Dad.
shirk
The farmer tried to shirk responsibility for the pollution in the river.
away ADVERB
If you are away from somewhere, you are not in that place.
absent
With such a high temperature, Edward was forced to be absent from school.
elsewhere
I searched the house for my gran, but she was obviously elsewhere.
on holiday
Our family is going on holiday to Florida this summer.
To be away from school when you should be there is to play truant.
awful ADJECTIVE
Something awful is very unpleasant or very bad.
appalling
The karaoke singer’s voice was appalling – he sounded like a dog howling!
dreadful
We had a dreadful time in Venice. All the streets were flooded.
fearful INFORMAL
Mr Bellamy had a fearful cold and sneezed all the way to London.
frightful
The house was in a frightful state after it had been burgled.
ghastly INFORMAL
Mum made a ghastly mistake, and put salt in the cake mixture instead of sugar.
gruesome
The room where the murder had taken place was a gruesome sight.
harrowing
The film was harrowing to watch.
hideous
The monster’s head was truly hideous: bloated, scarred and covered in scales.
horrendous
It was a horrendous meal, with half of the food burnt and the other half undercooked.
horrible
For one horrible moment, I thought my wallet had been stolen.
horrid
“William, that was a perfectly horrid thing to say,” said Mrs Brown.
horrific
“Unless this fog goes, I’m afraid there’ll be a horrific accident,” the police officer said.
shocking
“I think it’s shocking,” put in Dad, “that those refugees should be left without shelter.”
terrible
The sun rose on the scene of the earthquake, a terrible sight to behold.
unpleasant
Shingles is a very unpleasant disease to have.
ANTONYM: lovely
awkward (1) ADJECTIVE
If a situation is awkward, it is difficult to deal with.
delicate
It was a delicate situation: to ask Julie about her exams or not to mention the subject.
embarrassing
It was very embarrassing to be stuck outside in my pyjamas in the pouring rain!
tricky
“Now this bit could be tricky,” muttered Bond coolly. “Which wire should I cut?”
uncomfortable
The spy had an uncomfortable moment when the guards stared in through the car window.
awkward (2) ADJECTIVE
If a person or animal is awkward, they are difficult to deal with.
hard to handle
Donkeys have a reputation for being hard to handle.
stubborn
My brother can be very stubborn when it comes to helping me wash up.
troublesome
On the journey to Scotland, the car proved troublesome, but eventually we got there.
uncooperative
The lady at the enquiries desk was uncooperative and didn’t help at all.
