Читать книгу Collins Primary Thesaurus - Collins Dictionaries - Страница 7
Оглавлениеbaby NOUN
A baby is a child in the first year or two of its life.
infant
The shepherds found the infant in a stable, lying in a manger.
newborn child
The mother proudly gazed at her tiny newborn child.
toddler
Waddling on bandy legs, the toddler was off round the corner in a flash.
tot INFORMAL
“Don’t tease your brother,” said Mum. “He’s only a tot.”
The babies of animals and humans are their offspring. Together, the babies of an animal are sometimes called a litter.
back NOUN
The back of something is the part behind the front.
end
At the end of the queue, people were setting up tents for the night.
rear
I could see smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle in front.
reverse
Genevieve wrote her answers on the reverse of the worksheet.
ANTONYM: front
The back part of an animal is its rear, rump or hindquarters. The back end of a ship is the stern.
bad (1) ADJECTIVE
Bad things are harmful or upsetting.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
appalling
The weather for our sports day was appalling.
damaging
The fumes emitted by jet aircraft can be highly damaging to the environment.
dangerous
Building sites are dangerous places which should be avoided.
distressing
Melinda found it distressing to see pictures of starving children.
dreadful
It was a dreadful shame: all Barak’s hard work disappeared as the blaze took hold.
grave
A spokesperson announced the grave news that the king was dying.
serious
The artist’s illness was too serious for him to continue painting.
terrible
Our goalkeeper was terrible today. She let in four easy shots!
ANTONYM: good
bad (2) ADJECTIVE
A bad person is naughty or unkind.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
corrupt
The corrupt politician had taken money from all sorts of people.
cruel
I can’t stand people being cruel to children or animals.
disobedient
The disobedient boy ignored the warning notice and fell into the quarry.
evil
The evil villain plotted how to ensnare the handsome knight.
mischievous
Tying Kerry’s shoelaces together was a mischievous prank.
naughty
“You’re a naughty girl, Cassandra,” said her mother angrily.
wicked
The wicked witch lived alone.
ANTONYM: good
Names for bad people include rogue, villain and scoundrel.
bad (3) ADJECTIVE
Bad can also mean of poor quality.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
abysmal
“Such abysmal work will have to be redone,” said Mr Malone severely.
atrocious
The reporter admitted that his spelling was atrocious.
faulty
Engineers soon fixed the faulty telephone line.
inferior
The paint Dad bought was of inferior quality – it was hard to use and didn’t last long.
shoddy
Owing to shoddy workmanship, the house had to be redecorated.
unsatisfactory
The head teacher wrote that my school report was unsatisfactory.
ANTONYM: excellent
badly (1) ADVERB
If you do something badly, you do it in an inferior way.
inadequately
He had been inadequately trained for the job.
poorly
The event was poorly organized.
shoddily
This house has been shoddily built.
unsatisfactorily
I feel the whole business has been handled unsatisfactorily.
ANTONYM: well
badly (2) ADVERB
If something affects you badly, it affects you in a serious way.
deeply
I am deeply hurt by these remarks.
gravely
He was gravely ill following a heart operation.
seriously
Four people have been seriously injured.
bad-mannered ADJECTIVE
Bad-mannered people are rude and thoughtless.
disrespectful
It is disrespectful to interrupt people when they are speaking.
inconsiderate
It was inconsiderate of Meg to take a second helping when others had not had their first.
rude
We decided not to leave a tip for the rude waiter.
bad-tempered ADJECTIVE
Bad-tempered people often lose their temper.
grumpy
Dad is always cheerful in the mornings. It’s me that is grumpy.
irritable
Some people get irritable when you read over their shoulder.
moody
When people are moody, you never quite know how they will greet you.
quarrelsome
The two quarrelsome brothers were always looking for a fight.
sulky
“If you’re going to be sulky, miss, you can go to your room,” Dad replied.
sullen
The sullen waiter snatched my plate and stalked off to the kitchen.
bag NOUN
A bag is a container for carrying things in.
Some types of bag:
backpack
briefcase
carrier bag
duffel bag
handbag
holdall
rucksack
sack
satchel
shopping bag
shoulder bag
suitcase
ban VERB
If you ban something, you forbid it to be done.
make illegal
The government proposes to make illegal the sale of imitation guns.
prohibit
Using all sorts of barricades, the landowner prohibited walkers from crossing his land.
bang (1) NOUN
A bang is a hard, painful bump against something.
blow
Kirstin suffered a blow to her head when the door opened suddenly.
knock
When I slipped on the stairs, I got a sharp knock on my funny bone.
bang (2) NOUN
A bang is a sudden, short, loud noise.
blast
The blast echoed round the quarry.
thud
With a thud, the encyclopedia hit the floor.
bare (1) ADJECTIVE
If your body is bare, it is not covered by any clothing.
in your birthday suit INFORMAL
I dreamt I was walking down the high street in my birthday suit.
naked
Lady Godiva rode naked on a horse through the middle of town.
nude
For many centuries, the nude body has been a popular subject for artists.
undressed
The nurse asked me to get undressed, ready for the medical examination.
without a stitch on INFORMAL
“And there I was, without a stitch on,” Mrs Lee, our neighbour, told me.
bare (2) ADJECTIVE
If something is bare, it is not covered with anything.
barren
The Grand Canyon, although magnificent, is a barren wilderness.
bleak
The Brontë sisters lived on the edge of a bleak, windswept moor.
desolate
The abandoned town was desolate.
➔ See empty (1)
barrier NOUN
A barrier is a fence or wall that prevents people or animals getting from one area to another.
barricade
The protesters erected a barricade across the main street.
obstacle
There are lots of obstacles to get over and under in an obstacle race.
obstruction
The roadworks were an obstruction and drivers had to be diverted around them.
base (1) NOUN
The base is the lowest part of something.
bottom
The lost cat mewed at the bottom of the well.
foot
“Please would you stand on the foot of my ladder to stop it slipping?” Dad asked.
foundation
The foundations of New York’s skyscrapers rest on solid rock.
base (2) NOUN
A base is the headquarters of an organization.
centre
A humble office in a run-down district was the unlikely centre of a huge corporation.
headquarters
We arranged to meet at our scout headquarters at four o’clock.
HQ
“HQ calling Tank 5,” the colonel snapped.
bat NOUN
A bat is a specially shaped piece of wood with a handle, used for hitting a ball in some games.
You play with…
a bat in baseball, cricket, rounders, softball and table tennis.
a club in golf.
a cue in pool and snooker.
a racket in badminton, squash and tennis.
a stick in hockey.
battle NOUN
A battle is a fight between armed forces, or a struggle between two people or groups with different aims.
action
It was the first time that the young soldier had seen action.
conflict
There was a conflict of opinions: the red party on one side, the greens on the other.
struggle
The struggle for power between the king and the government was a long one.
beach NOUN
The beach is an area of sand or pebbles beside the sea.
sands
The lifeguards sprinted down the sands and plunged into the waves.
seashore
After the tanker disaster, much of the seashore was coated in an oily sludge.
seaside
Aaron loved to spend his holidays at the seaside.
shore
We walked along the shore, looking for attractive shells.
water’s edge
The water’s edge was a seething mass of turtles.
beat (1) VERB
If someone or something beats someone or something else, they hit them hard and repeatedly.
batter
The burglar had battered down the door.
flog
In Nelson’s day, sailors who stole would be flogged with a whip called a cat-o’-nine-tails.
pound
Waves pounded the shore as the wind rose to screaming pitch.
thrash
The bully threatened, “Tom Brown, I shall thrash the living daylights out of you.”
beat (2) VERB
If you beat someone in a race or game, you defeat them or do better than them.
conquer
William, Duke of Normandy, conquered England in 1066.
lick INFORMAL
Abdel really licked me in the 100 metres sprint race.
run rings round INFORMAL
Our speedy attackers ran rings round their lumbering defenders.
thrash INFORMAL
“It’s a safe bet that we’ll get thrashed when we play you,” said Tim.
wipe the floor with INFORMAL
Our school team wiped the floor with kids much bigger than they were.
beautiful ADJECTIVE
You say someone or something is beautiful if they are very pleasing to look at.
attractive
People say my sister is attractive.
gorgeous
I overheard Dad telling Mum she looked gorgeous.
lovely
The photograph, I had to admit, even made my aunt look lovely.
pretty
Even some garden weeds can look pretty at certain times.
stunning INFORMAL
The sunset over the mountains was nothing less than stunning.
ANTONYMS: ugly or unattractive
beauty (1) NOUN
If a person has beauty, they have the quality of being beautiful.
elegance
Every movement the duchess made had an elegance about it.
good looks
The actor possessed rugged good looks.
loveliness
The opera singer’s loveliness was not matched by her selfish behaviour.
beauty (2) NOUN
If a place has beauty, it has the quality of being beautiful.
charm
This country cottage has tremendous charm and character.
loveliness
I think the loveliness of Athens is somewhat spoilt by the pollution.
splendour
Rome is famous for the splendour of its ancient buildings.
ANTONYM: ugliness
because CONJUNCTION
Because is used with other words to give a reason for something.
as
As you’ve been so helpful, I’ll treat you to an ice cream.
owing to
Owing to work on the track this Sunday, trains will be delayed.
since
“Since Fred is here, why don’t we build a tree house?” my sister suggested.
thanks to
I got no pocket money, thanks to my brother telling tales on me.
bed NOUN
A bed is a piece of furniture that you lie on when you sleep.
Some types of bed:
bunk beds
cot
cradle
double bed
futon
hammock
inflatable bed
single bed
sofa bed
water bed
Some things that are put on a bed:
bedspread
blanket
duvet
eiderdown
mattress
pillow
pillowcase
quilt
sheet
sleeping bag
before ADVERB
If something happens before, it happens earlier than something else.
formerly
Formerly, Mrs Patterson was a teacher at my dad’s old school.
previously
Previously, Mr Cruickshank had always let us off homework, but not today.
sooner
If I had got the invitation sooner, I would have come to the party.
Something that goes before something else precedes it.
begin VERB
If you begin something, you start it.
commence
The king shouted “Let battle commence!” and the two knights thundered towards each other.
embark on
As soon as we’d embarked on our journey to the park, it started to rain.
set about
We set about digging the vegetable garden.
start
Dad told me to start my homework soon.
ANTONYM: end
beginner NOUN
A beginner is someone who has just started to learn something.
learner
Swimmers use the big pool, while learners use the shallower pool.
novice
Although a complete novice, Britney showed a flair for ski jumping.
ANTONYM: veteran
beginning NOUN
The beginning of something is when or where it starts.
introduction
In the introduction, the author explains how she came to write the book.
opening
The band played at the opening of the fête.
origin
The origin of the universe is still a mystery.
ANTONYM: end
behave VERB
If you behave in a particular way, you act that way.
act
Emir is acting like a spoilt child.
function
“The girls are finally functioning as a team!” exclaimed the coach.
operate
Sally operates in a certain way to get what she wants.
work
Anoup worked methodically in order to get the work done.
believe (1) VERB
If you believe someone, you accept that they are telling the truth.
accept
It took some people a long time to accept that the world was round.
be certain of
“We have to be certain of your story before we can take action,” warned the sergeant.
have faith in
It is important to have faith in your own ability, Grandad says.
trust
I trust my sister, even if she is rotten to me sometimes.
ANTONYMS: disbelieve or doubt
Something that you cannot believe is unbelievable or incredible.
believe (2) VERB
If you believe that something is true, you think that it is true.
feel
“How do you feel the match will go?” asked the interviewer.
presume
Mr Jackson said, “I presume you will all be handing in your homework tomorrow.”
suppose
I suppose that the school sports day will be in July as usual.
bell NOUN
A bell is a cup-shaped metal object with a piece inside it called a clapper that hits the side and makes a ringing sound.
Verbs that express the sound of bells:
chime
clang
jingle
peal
ring
sound
strike
tinkle
toll
belongings NOUN
Your belongings are all the things that you own.
possessions
Almost all their possessions were destroyed in the fire.
property
“Make sure your property is labelled,” insisted Miss Carter.
stuff
The firefighters grabbed their stuff and jumped in the cab.
below PREPOSITION OR ADVERB
If something is below something else, it is in a lower position.
beneath
Beneath the trees, bluebells were waving in the breeze.
under
With the help of a torch, I could read secretly under my duvet.
underneath
Underneath the streets are hundreds of miles of sewers.
ANTONYM: above
bend (1) VERB
When something bends, it becomes curved or crooked.
buckle
The car buckled when the elephant sat on it.
curve
After the village, the road curves to the left.
twist
The ornament was made of glass twisted into patterns.
warp
My DVD warped when I left it in the sun.
ANTONYM: straighten
bend (2) VERB
When you bend, you move your head and shoulders forwards and downwards.
crouch
Lyra crouched behind the bushes, waiting for the policeman to turn away.
duck
Duck, or you’ll hit your head on the beam!
stoop
Farouk stooped to pick up a coin from the path.
beside PREPOSITION
If one thing is beside another, it is next to it.
adjacent to
Adjacent to the station was an old signal box.
alongside
The lifeboat rowed up alongside the stricken yacht, and the crew jumped across.
next to
The boy sitting next to me kept prodding me with a ruler.
besides PREPOSITION
Besides can mean in addition to.
apart from
Apart from some shorts and a T-shirt, I’m taking very little with me.
other than
Other than our family, there was hardly anybody on the beach.
best ADJECTIVE
Best is the superlative of good and well.
finest
Wuffles is the finest dog food money can buy.
foremost
“This is the foremost house in the area,” the agent began.
leading
The operation will be performed by the world’s leading surgeon.
outstanding
Our birthday presents from Grandma are always outstanding.
supreme
The judges thought that our dog Crumpet was the supreme entrant in the competition.
ANTONYM: worst
better (1) ADJECTIVE
Better is the comparative of good and well.
higher quality
Steak is usually higher quality than other cuts of meat.
more suitable
The lightweight tent proved more suitable for the expedition.
preferable
Of the two designs, I think the red is preferable.
superior
Usually, superior products cost more than inferior ones.
ANTONYM: worse
better (2) ADJECTIVE
If you are better after an illness, you are no longer ill.
healed
The doctor told Sheila that her broken leg was completely healed.
improved
Gran was much improved after her operation.
recovered
Ali is now recovered after a bout of flu.
beware VERB
If you tell someone to beware of something, you are warning them that it might be dangerous or harmful.
be careful
“Be careful, child, for there are wolves in the forest!” said Red Riding Hood’s mother.
guard against
With exams, it’s important to guard against being over-confident.
look out
Look out! Here comes another avalanche.
watch out
Watch out, or that sail will hit you when the boat turns!
bicycle NOUN
A bicycle is a vehicle with two wheels that you ride by using your legs to make the wheels turn.
Parts of a bicycle:
bell
chain
crossbar
handlebars
mudguard
pedal
saddle
wheel
big (1) ADJECTIVE
Something or someone big is large.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
colossal
To an ant, an elephant must seem colossal.
enormous
Why do singers always get presented with enormous bunches of flowers?
extensive
View our extensive range of furniture today!
giant
Get the new giant pack of Whizzo miracle washing liquid.
gigantic
The section of bridge required a gigantic crane to lift it.
huge
Gran gave me a huge hug.
immense
The floods had covered an immense area of the county.
infinite
Outer space is infinite, with no known limits.
mammoth
Barnum and Bailey’s mammoth circus had two separate rings.
massive
“Astronomers believe a massive asteroid is heading for earth,” said the newsreader.
mighty
Mighty Tarzan flexed his muscles, then swung off through the trees.
roomy
“You’ll find this is a roomy loft,” the estate agent said.
sizable
Our house has a sizable garden.
spacious
The living room is spacious, but the kitchen is cramped.
vast
The Sahara Desert is a vast area of rolling sand dunes.
big (2) ADJECTIVE
Something big is important.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
important
It was an important day in Sophie’s life – her first at her new school.
momentous
The Prime Minister made the momentous decision – the country was going to war.
serious
A serious accident had blocked the road.
significant
Having an injured soldier to carry made a significant difference to their progress.
bird NOUN
A bird is an animal with feathers and wings.
Some birds:
blackbird
crane
crow
cuckoo
dove
duck
emu
finch
flamingo
goose
heron
hummingbird
jackdaw
kingfisher
kiwi
kookaburra
lark
magpie
nightingale
ostrich
owl
parrot
peacock
pelican
penguin
pigeon
puffin
raven
robin
rook
sparrow
starling
stork
swallow
swan
thrush
woodpecker
bit NOUN
A bit of something is a small amount of it.
chunk
Sam broke off a chunk of chocolate and gobbled it up.
fraction
I arrived a fraction of a moment too late. The bus was just leaving.
fragment
Fragments of the wrecked aircraft were found all over the field.
morsel
“Kind sir, please spare me a morsel of food,” begged Oliver.
part
A part of me wanted to stay and yet I was also desperate to leave.
piece
Marina cut the cake into pieces and took the largest one for herself.
scrap
My dad writes reminders to himself on scraps of paper.
bite VERB
If you bite something, you use your teeth to hold, cut or tear it.
champ
The horse champed at the bit as it waited impatiently for the race to begin.
chomp
Dad says that I chomp my food like a waste-disposal unit.
gnaw
Mice had gnawed through the electric wires.
nibble
Some creature had nibbled at the chair leg.
bitter ADJECTIVE
A bitter taste is sharp and unpleasant.
sour
If you leave milk in the sun, it turns sour.
tart
The lemon cake was slightly tart.
blame VERB
If someone blames a person for something bad that has happened, they believe that person caused it to happen.
accuse
The woman was accused of kidnapping the young child.
charge
Police charged the man with being drunk and disorderly.
hold responsible
At the enquiry, the bus company was held responsible for the accident.
block (1) VERB
If someone or something blocks a road or channel, they put something across it so that nothing can get through.
bar
Access to the back road was barred by a police checkpoint.
bung up INFORMAL
I could hardly breathe, my nose was so bunged up.
choke
The traffic jam choked the road into town for many hours.
clog up
Don’t pour liquid fat down the sink as it clogs up the drains when it sets.
dam
Beavers dam streams with logs to create a pool which will not freeze solid in winter.
obstruct
Uncle Pete tried to obstruct the door as I went through, but I ducked under his arm!
block (2) VERB
If someone tries to block something, they try to stop it happening.
hinder
Our dog, Jim, hinders Mum by attacking the vacuum cleaner.
impede
The walkers’ progress was impeded by an angry goat on the path.
obstruct
The protesters were arrested for obstructing the police.
prevent
Residents prevented a nightclub from being built near their houses.
thwart
The wicked baron was thwarted in his evil plans by a quick-thinking boy.
block (3) NOUN
A block is something put across a road or channel so that nothing can get through.
barrier
For the parade, barriers were erected to keep the crowds back.
blockage
“There’s a blockage in the drain under the sink,” the plumber said.
obstacle
Alpa had to overcome many obstacles on his road to success.
obstruction
If you swallow chewing gum, it may cause an obstruction in your stomach.
block (4) NOUN
A block is a large, rectangular, three-dimensional piece of something.
bar
The robbers put the gold bars in the back of the getaway van.
chunk
A chunk of metal fell off the back of the truck as it left the scrap yard.
lump
With the help of a wheel, the potter formed the shapeless lump of clay into a vase.
blue ADJECTIVE
If something is blue, it has the colour of the sky on a sunny day.
Shades of blue:
aquamarine
azure
indigo
navy
sky blue
turquoise
boast VERB
If you boast, you talk proudly about what you have or what you can do.
brag
Alison couldn’t resist bragging about her new DVD player.
blow your own trumpet
I prefer modest people to those who blow their own trumpet.
crow
Paulo was so busy crowing about his marks, that he didn’t see Mrs Walker behind him.
show off
Brian is always showing off about the amount of pocket money he gets.
boat NOUN
A boat is a floating vehicle for travelling across water.
craft
At that distance, it was hard for the coastguard to identify the craft.
ship
Sir Francis Drake sailed in a ship he named the Golden Hind.
vessel
The tiny tug was nevertheless a sturdy vessel, capable of pulling much larger boats.
Leisure boats:
canoe
catamaran
dinghy
kayak
powerboat
raft
rowing boat
sailing boat
speedboat
yacht
Working boats:
barge
ferry
galleon OLD-FASHIONED
hovercraft
hydrofoil
liner
steamboat
tanker
trawler
tug
Boats used in war:
aircraft carrier
cruiser
destroyer
frigate
galleon OLD-FASHIONED
submarine
body NOUN
Your body is all of you, from your head to your feet.
build
Although flyweight boxers only have a slight build, they are powerful for their size.
figure
My sister maintains her figure by practising yoga regularly.
form
A shadowy form hovered at the end of Nikki’s bed, but it was only her mum, tucking her in!
physique
Most sportspeople lift weights in the gym to improve their physique.
The upper body is the trunk or torso.
Some parts of the body:
ankle
arm
calf
chest
elbow
eye
eyelash
finger
foot
genitals
head
hip
knee
leg
lips
mouth
neck
shin
shoulder
teeth
thigh
toe
tongue
wrist
bog NOUN
A bog is an area of land that is always wet and spongy.
marsh
The marsh is full of wild flowers at this time of year.
morass
After the agricultural show had finished, the field was a morass.
quagmire
Thanks to the pouring rain, the fairground became a quagmire.
swamp
“Be careful of that swamp,” Holmes warned.
boil VERB
When a liquid boils, or when you boil it, it starts to bubble and give off steam.
bubble
The witch cackled as she stirred the potion bubbling in the cauldron.
steam
The geyser steamed for an hour before erupting violently.
bone NOUN
A bone is one of the hard white parts inside your body.
Some bones:
backbone
cheekbone
jawbone
kneecap
rib
skull
book NOUN
A book is a number of pages held together inside a cover.
A word for all books is literature.
Some other words for a book:
edition
hardback
paperback
publication
volume
work
Some types of book:
address book
album
annual
anthology
atlas
brochure
catalogue
cookbook
diary
dictionary
directory
encyclopedia
exercise book
guidebook
hymnbook
jotter
manual
notebook
novel
reference book
scrapbook
storybook
textbook
thesaurus
boring ADJECTIVE
Something boring is dull and uninteresting.
dreary
“That’s a dreary picture,” said Dad. “Who painted it?”
monotonous
The professor’s monotonous voice droned on through the hot afternoon.
tedious
Waiting in traffic jams is a tedious business.
ANTONYM: interesting
boss NOUN
Someone’s boss is the person in charge of the place where they work.
employer
My Dad’s employer is an American.
head
The shop assistant worked so hard, she soon became head of her department.
leader
The party leader hoped one day to be elected Prime Minister.
manager
Dad is manager of a supermarket. Mum is manager of a shoe shop.
supervisor
Carol’s supervisor let her have the afternoon off work to go to the doctor.
bossy ADJECTIVE
If you are bossy, you like to order other people around.
arrogant
The arrogant boss had a rather unfriendly management style.
domineering
The timid husband had a domineering wife.
overbearing
My Uncle Ted can be overbearing.
bother (1) NOUN
A bother is a trouble, fuss or difficulty.
inconvenience
We apologize for any inconvenience our repair work may cause you.
nuisance
“Toddlers can be a real nuisance – always getting in the way!” said Nurse Adams.
trouble
Miss Pollard apologized on arrival. “I don’t want to be any trouble to you,” she said.
bother (2) VERB
If something bothers you, you are worried about it.
concern
The pilot was clearly concerned about the poor weather.
disturb
The Kemps were disturbed by the disappearance of their dog.
fluster
My sister is easily flustered, especially if she’s in a hurry.
trouble
This latest news from Egypt troubles me greatly.
worry
“Don’t worry, you won’t forget your lines,” said Ajay.
bottom (1) NOUN
The bottom of something is the lowest part of it.
base
The base of the iceberg is hidden beneath the surface of the water.
foot
The chest of gold lay at the foot of a long, winding flight of stairs.
ANTONYM: top
bottom (2) NOUN
The bottom is the lowest part of an ocean, sea or river.
bed
To his utter delight, the prospector saw gold nuggets glinting on the river bed.
depths
The depths of the ocean are darker than we can imagine.
floor
The Titanic lay unseen and undisturbed on the sea floor for 70 years.
ANTONYM: surface
bottom (3) NOUN
Your bottom is the part of your body that you sit on.
backside
“Ashraf, get off your backside and give me a hand!” Dad said.
behind
My behind ached for days after the injection.
buttocks
Horse riding develops the muscles in one’s buttocks and thighs.
posterior
The toddler fell on his posterior.
rear end
“Get lost, Alfie!” said Olly, and aimed a tennis ball at Alfie’s rear end.
bounce VERB
When an object bounces, it springs back from something after hitting it.
bound
The ball bounded off the post, straight into the goalkeeper’s hands.
ricochet Said “rik-osh-ay”
During the gun battle, bullets ricocheted off the walls in a terrifying fashion.
box NOUN
A box is a container with a firm base and sides, and usually a lid.
Types of box:
carton
case
casket
chest
container
crate
package
packet
trunk
brainy ADJECTIVE INFORMAL
Someone who is brainy is clever and good at learning things.
bright
“We’re looking for someone bright for the job,” the interviewer said.
brilliant
You could tell Narinder was brilliant from the start. He could read fluently at the age of two.
clever
My sister was always a lot cleverer than I was.
intelligent
Air-traffic controllers have to be intelligent and alert.
smart
“As you’re so smart, Rumpold, I’m promoting you!” the manager said.
brave ADJECTIVE
A brave person is willing to do dangerous things and does not show any fear.
bold
I’m not bold enough to ride that rollercoaster.
courageous
Many ordinary situations demand courageous behaviour.
daring
The daring stuntwoman jumped across ten cars on her motorbike.
fearless
The fearless St George rode straight towards the dragon.
intrepid
The intrepid explorer risked death to reach the Pole.
break (1) VERB
When an object breaks, or when it is broken, it becomes damaged or separates into pieces.
WORD POWER: This word tends to be used a lot. To make your writing more varied, try to use some of the alternative words suggested here instead.
crack
The giant egg cracked, and a pink beak pushed its way out.
fracture
“You have fractured your leg in three places,” said the doctor.
shatter
The windscreen shattered as the car careered into the barrier.
smash
At the fête, there’s a chance to smash plates by throwing balls at them.
snap
Sanjiv snapped the bar of chocolate in half and gave some to Kelly.
splinter
The boat’s hull splintered as the novice yachtsman rammed the pier.
break (2) NOUN
A break is a short period during which you rest or do something different.
breather INFORMAL
“Let’s stop for a breather,” suggested Josie.
interval
Between the two acts of the play there will be an interval of 15 minutes.
pause
There was a pause of several seconds before the audience started to applaud.
rest
“What you need is a long rest,” said the head teacher to the exhausted teacher.
breakable ADJECTIVE
Something that is breakable is easy to break.
brittle
Dry earth is brittle and crumbles easily.
delicate
“Handle that antique vase gently. It’s delicate,” the auctioneer shouted.
easily broken
Pottery is easily broken.
flimsy
In traditional Japanese houses the interior walls are often flimsy, almost see-through.
fragile
The label on the box read “Fragile”, but the camera within was damaged beyond repair.
break down VERB
When a machine or a vehicle breaks down, it stops working.
conk out INFORMAL
The motorcyclist looked helpless. “Give us a push please, mate. My bike’s conked out.”
fail
When the steam train failed, a diesel had to tow it back to the depot.
go wrong
“I just knew that fancy vacuum cleaner would go wrong,” Mum sighed.
seize up
Our lawn mower seized up when a twig got jammed in the blades.
If someone’s car has a breakdown, it stops working during a journey.
break up VERB
If something breaks up, it comes apart.
disintegrate
Because of the explosion, the plane disintegrated in midair.
fall apart
My wonderful go-kart fell apart during its maiden trip.
When a married couple break up, they separate or get a divorce.
breathless ADJECTIVE
If you are breathless, you are breathing very fast or with difficulty.
gasping
By the time we reached the ridge of the hill, we were gasping.
out of breath
My gran gets out of breath even when she bends down.
puffed out INFORMAL
After running for the train I was puffed out.
puffing and panting INFORMAL
By the end of the fathers’ race Dad was puffing and panting.
wheezing
The poor asthmatic girl was still wheezing even after using her inhaler.
bright (1) ADJECTIVE
Bright colours or things are strong and startling.
brilliant
The brilliant diamond glittered in the light.
dazzling
We stepped out into dazzling sunshine.
gleaming
I polished Dad’s car until it was gleaming.
glistening
The glistening dewdrop sat like a jewel on the leaf.
glittering
For the show, Mum made me a glittering dress with sequins all over.
glowing
The glowing fire lit the old cottage kitchen far into the night.
shimmering
The sun rose as the ship sailed out onto the shimmering sea.
shining
The shining stars lit up the night.
twinkling
From the opposite shore we could see the twinkling lights of the town.
vivid
The parrot’s feathers were vivid shades of red, green and blue.
ANTONYMS: dim or dull
bright (2) ADJECTIVE
Someone who is bright is clever.
clever
My aunt is clever. At antique fairs, she never misses a bargain.
intelligent
Collies are intelligent dogs and can understand many commands.
quick-witted
Reginald’s quick-witted action saved his house from burning down.
smart
People say I’m smart because I’m as quick as lightning at identifying pop songs.
bright (3) ADJECTIVE
Someone who is bright is cheerful.
cheerful
A cheerful manner is important if you are dealing with the public.
jolly
My grandpa is a jolly man who always seems to be smiling.
light-hearted
In our class, discussions are always light-hearted, never too serious.
lively
Mrs Fenkle is a lively teacher, who always makes lessons interesting.
brilliant (1) ADJECTIVE
A brilliant colour or light is extremely bright.
bright
The dentist shone a bright light into my mouth so he could see my teeth clearly.
dazzling
The magnificent ruby was a dazzling red.
sparkling
As the plane came in to land, we could see the sparkling city lights below.
brilliant (2) ADJECTIVE
Someone who is brilliant is extremely clever or skilful.
exceptional
Parvinder is an exceptional pupil and is certain to go to university.
gifted
The Russian was a gifted pianist before he became a conductor.
talented
Nicole is a talented actress who would like to go to stage school.
bring VERB
If you bring something with you when you go to a place, you take it with you.
carry
A hotel porter’s job is to carry people’s luggage to their rooms.
convey
The minibus conveyed people out to the waiting aircraft.
transport
Cable cars transport sightseers to the top of the mountain.
bubbles PLURAL NOUN
Bubbles are balls of gas in a liquid.
fizz
“My cola has lost its fizz,” Wayne complained.
foam
As the tap kept running, the foam spilt over the sides of the bath.
froth
As we added the lemonade to the orange juice, froth started to appear on top.
suds
The washing-up bowl was full of suds.
bug NOUN INFORMAL
A bug is an infection or virus that makes you ill.
disease
The disease spread rapidly, and soon thousands were infected.
germ
Lydia must have caught some sort of germ, because she’s very poorly.
infection
Hospitals have to fight a constant battle against infection.
virus
Antibiotics are not effective in curing a virus.
build VERB
If you build something, you make it from all its parts.
assemble
“Assembling a bookcase from a kit is easy,” Dad said. Ours collapsed two days later.
construct
Grandad helped me construct a tree house in our back garden.
erect
The monument was erected within a week.
ANTONYM: demolish
building NOUN
A building is a structure with walls and a roof.
construction
The huge construction on the edge of town is going to be the new sports centre.
structure
The Eiffel Tower in Paris is perhaps the world’s best-known structure.
Buildings to live in:
bungalow
cabin
castle
cottage
flat
house
maisonette
mansion
palace
semidetached house
terraced house
tower block
Buildings to work in or visit:
barn
college
factory
fire station
gallery
garage
hospital
laboratory
library
lighthouse
museum
office block
police station
post office
power station
restaurant
school
shop
skyscraper
store
supermarket
theatre
warehouse
windmill
Buildings to worship in:
cathedral
chapel
church
gurdwara
mosque
synagogue
temple
build up VERB
If something builds up, it becomes greater.
accumulate
Snow accumulated on the snowball as it rolled downhill.
amass
Old Mr Godber amassed a fortune through dealing in scrap metal.
collect
A layer of dust and dead flies had collected on top of my wardrobe.
bully VERB
If someone bullies you into doing something, they make you do it by using force or threats.
frighten
The boys who frightened me by calling me names got into trouble.
intimidate
“Don’t try to intimidate me,” the old lady called. “I’m not afraid of you!”
terrorize
Some fanatics try to terrorize others by setting off bombs.
threaten
When the bully threatened me, I used my judo skills to stop him in his tracks.
bump (1) VERB
If you bump into something, you knock into it accidentally.
collide with
My bike collided with a tree at top speed.
knock
Julian knocked his knee against the table leg.
strike
Allegra fell downstairs, striking her head on the banister.
To bump into someone is to meet them by chance.
bump (2) NOUN
A bump is a sound like something knocking into something else.
thud
I heard a thud from upstairs – my sister had fallen out of bed.
thump
The apple landed with a thump on the ground beneath the tree.
bump (3) NOUN
A bump is a raised, uneven part of a surface.
bulge
The bulge under the shoplifter’s coat proved to be a clock radio.
lump
I couldn’t sleep last night because of a lump in my mattress.
swelling
When I banged my head I got a swelling over my eye, but it soon went down.
bumpy ADJECTIVE
Something that is bumpy has a rough, uneven surface.
rough
The pirate’s chin was rough, as though he had shaved with a knife and fork.
uneven
Our soccer pitch is uneven, which makes the ball’s bounce unpredictable.
bunch (1) NOUN
A bunch is a group of things together.
bundle
The servant gathered a bundle of twigs.
cluster
Clusters of grapes hung from the vine.
A bunch of flowers is a bouquet, posy or spray. A bunch of flowers for a funeral is a wreath.
bunch (2) NOUN
A bunch is a group of people.
crowd
The crowd grew restless as the floodlights stayed off.
gang
In the old days, gangs of sailors would use force to persuade men to join the navy.
party
A party of people from each school turned up for the tug-of-war.
burglar NOUN
A burglar is someone who breaks into buildings and steals things.
intruder
Dad woke up and realized that there was an intruder downstairs.
robber
The traveller was set upon by robbers, who stole his money.
thief
Thieves broke into the warehouse and stole 100 televisions.
burn (1) VERB
If something is burning, it is on fire.
be alight
The stove was still alight when we came down in the morning.
blaze
A fire blazed merrily in Mole’s sitting room.
flame
The barbecue flamed up around the burgers.
flicker
The fire flickered and crackled.
Something burning is said to be ablaze.
burn (2) VERB
To burn something can mean to damage or destroy it with fire.
char
The barbecue was too hot and charred the sausages.
scorch
The baking sun had scorched the dry grass on the prairies.
shrivel
The heat of the desert had shrivelled even the toughest of the plants.
singe
I leaned too close to the bonfire and singed my hair.
burst VERB
When something bursts, or you burst it, it splits open suddenly.
break
The coffin broke open and the zombie’s hands grasped the fractured lid.
explode
Shells were exploding just behind the enemy trenches.
rupture
A water pipe had ruptured.
split
With the force of the player’s shot, the leather ball had split.
bury VERB
If something is buried under something, it is covered by it.
conceal
The secret door was concealed behind the bookshelves in the library.
cover
I couldn’t find my homework as I had accidentally covered it with my dirty socks!
hide
Sometimes Dad hides a bone in the garden so that our dog Sadie can find it and dig it up.
secrete
The thief secreted the stolen jewels in a box under the floorboards.
➔ See hide (2)
business (1) NOUN
A business is an organization that produces or sells goods, or provides a service.
company
My mum runs her own company.
corporation
Whizzo Fireworks is part of a big corporation making flares and explosives for quarries.
firm
My uncle’s firm deals in electrical supplies.
organization
“Grappo Inc,” boasted the president, “is a big organization full of high achievers.”
business (2) NOUN
Business is work relating to buying and selling goods and services.
industry
The steel industry requires plenty of water for cooling the metal.
trade
The clothing business is sometimes called the rag trade.
business (3) NOUN
Business is a general word for any event, situation or activity.
affair
“That Baskerville murder was a strange affair,” said Sherlock Holmes.
issue
Who owned the buried treasure? It was a complex issue!
matter
“Stop waffling and stick to the matter in hand,” the chairman cut in.
busy (1) ADJECTIVE
If you are busy, you are doing something.
employed
Amal would clearly be employed for the next half hour, dealing with a difficult customer.
hard at work
My brother was hard at work revising when his friends came round.
occupied
I was occupied looking after my baby brother.
working
I was working on my school project when I was interrupted by the phone ringing.
ANTONYMS: idle or unoccupied
busy (2) ADJECTIVE
A busy place is full of people doing things or moving about.
bustling
Trafalgar Square is the bustling heart of London.
hectic
The streets of Rome were hectic and noisy.
lively
There is a lively market in the town centre every Saturday.
but CONJUNCTION
But is used to introduce an idea that is opposite to what has gone before.
however
The games were about to start. However, I felt poorly and sat in the corner.
nevertheless
In my opinion, Sunita had the best fancy dress. Nevertheless, Emma got the prize.
on the other hand
My sister said she’d had a good time. On the other hand, she always says things like that.
yet
Back home, Mum ordered us to bed, yet I wasn’t really tired.
buy VERB
If you buy something, you get it by paying money for it.
acquire
The school acquired a piece of land to extend the playing field.
obtain
Dad obtained tickets for the match.
pay for
We saved up our pocket money and used it to pay for a new CD player.
purchase
“My good man, where in your emporium can I purchase a handbag?” sniffed Lady Bracknell.
