| to take away money, points, etc. from a total amount | However, dividing the tasks evenly between different countries in order to DEDUCT or minimize certain costs makes a lot more sense |
| a large church together with a group of buildings in which monks or nuns live or lived in the past | The hungry families heard about an ABBEY near the mountains where food and water was still abundant. So they traveled inland, across the prairie, to the abbey |
| a flat, wide area of land in North America and Canada, without many trees and originally covered with grass | Only about 5 per cent of native PRAIRIE is left in Kansas. |
| (of the landscape) not level or smooth and having rocks rather than plants or trees | rugged cliffs |
| to form an opinion about something without knowing all the details or facts | speculate (about/on/as to something) We all speculated about the reasons for her resignation. |
| old and no longer used | The system is archaic and unfair and needs changing. |
| no longer used because something new has been invented | With technological changes many traditional skills have become OBSOLETE. |
| relating to the most basic and important parts of something; complete and detailed | demands for RADICAL reform of the law |
| to make something completely wet | The continuous rain had SATURATED the soil. |
| very complicated and detailed; carefully prepared and organized | She had prepared a very ELABORATE meal. |
| a person who is watching an event, especially a sports event | The new football stadium will hold 75000 SPECTATORS. |
| (of a quality, feeling, etc.) that you have when you are born | Many children seem to have an INNATE sense of justice. |
| implicate somebody (in something) to show or suggest that somebody is involved in something bad or criminal | He tried to avoid saying anything that would IMPLICATE him further. |
| your family or your relatives | Marriage between close KIN is prohibited. |
| (formal) to cut something into two pieces; to cut something off something | sever something to SEVER a rope |
| a long, narrow passage that usually goes straight down in a building or underground, used especially for a lift or as a way of allowing air in or out | a lift/elevator SHAFT |
| an official statement that allows people who have been put in prison for crimes against the state to go free | The president granted a general AMNESTY for all political prisoners. |
| a large unit of an army, consisting of two or more divisions | the commander of the third army CORPS |
| a deep valley with steep sides of rock | Massive rock formations, mountains and deep canyons present splendid views of nature’s work. |
| very bad or unpleasant | The news gave me a NASTY shock. |
| (formal) to understand or think of somebody/something in a particular way | perceive somebody/something/yourself (as something) This discovery was perceived as a major breakthrough. |
| to sing a tune with your lips closed | He began to HUM along with the music. |
| to happen again or a number of times | a RECURRING illness/problem/nightmare, etc. |
| a table or small shop with an open front that people sell things from, especially at a market | He works on a market STALL in the Square. |
| (of people or behaviour) kind, polite and generous, especially to somebody of a lower social position | Lady Caroline was GRACIOUS enough to accept our invitation. |
| insulate something (from/against something) to protect something with a material that prevents heat, sound, electricity, etc. from passing through | Home owners are being encouraged to INSULATE their homes to save energy. |
| to make somebody very interested and want to know more about something | It INTRIGUES me that no one appears to have thought of this before. |
| known to be real and what somebody claims it is and not a copy | I don't know if the painting is AUTHENTIC. |
| a long poem about the actions of great men and women or about a nation’s history; this style of poetry | one of the great Hindu epics |
| excerpt (from something) a short piece of writing, music, film, etc. taken from a longer whole | Read the following EXCERPT from one of Milton’s poems. |
| humiliate somebody/yourself/something to make somebody feel ashamed or stupid and lose the respect of other people | I didn't want to humiliate her in front of her colleagues. |
| (formal) precede somebody/something to happen before something or come before something/somebody in order | His resignation was PRECEDED by weeks of speculation. |
| conceive something (formal) to form an idea, a plan, etc. in your mind | The dam project was originally CONCEIVED in 1977. |
| dubious (about something)/(about doing something) (of a person) not certain about something and suspecting that something may be wrong; not knowing whether something is good or bad | Kate looked DUBIOUS, but did as she was asked. |
| to cut words or designs on wood, stone, metal, etc. | A is engraved (with B) The silver cup was engraved with his name. |
| with rough, pointed, often sharp edges | JAGGED rocks/peaks/edges |
| a container that you pour a liquid or soft substance into, which then becomes solid in the same shape as the container, for example when it is cooled or cooked | A clay MOLD is used for casting bronze statues. |
| a loud, unpleasant noise that lasts for a long time | She could not be heard above the DIN of the crowd. |
| unnecessary excitement, worry or activity | He does what he's told without any FUSS. |
| belonging to or part of the real nature of something/somebody | These tasks were repetitive, lengthy and lacking any INTRINSIC interest. |
| a difficult or unpleasant experience | They had survived a terrifying ORDEAL. |
| a person who has a lot of authority and manages and controls an activity, a place, a group of workers, etc. | She was medical SUPERINTENDENT at the Institution for 28 years. |
| a person or company whose job is to take packages or important papers somewhere | We sent the documents by COURIER. |
| the formal rules of correct or polite behaviour in society, among members of a particular profession or in a particular area of activity | Students need to be aware of cell phone ETIQUETTE. |
| the condition of being unable to sleep | to suffer from INSOMNIA |
| (of ideas) obtained by using your feelings rather than by considering the facts | He had an INTUITIVE sense of what the reader wanted. |
| to make somebody feel upset or worried, especially because a situation has changed | Changing schools might UNSETTLE the kids. |
| a person whose job is to take care of a park, a forest or an area of countryside | ranger |
| broken stones, etc. from a building or wall that has been destroyed or damaged | The bomb reduced the houses to RUBBLE. |
| seclude yourself/somebody (from somebody/something) to keep yourself/somebody away from contact with other people | The monks SECLUDED themselves from the rest of society. |
| to cry noisily, taking sudden, sharp breaths | heard a child sobbing loudly. |
| not drunk (= not affected by alcohol) | I stayed SOBER so I could drive us home. |
| a very small spot; a small piece of dirt, etc | There isn't a SPECK of dust anywhere in the house. |
| [uncountable, countable] a sudden pain that you get when the muscles in a particular part of your body contract, usually caused by cold or too much exercise | to get CRAMP in your leg |
| any very dirty and unpleasant substance | The floor was covered in grease and FILTH. |
| to smile widely | They GRINNED with delight when they heard our news. |
| if a part of your body is numb, you cannot feel anything in it, for example because of cold | to be/go numb |
| showing a lack of care about danger and the possible results of your actions | to cause death by RECKLESS driving |
| a small thin piece of slate, used for covering roofs | A loose SLATE had fallen from the roof. |
| a seat with legs but with nothing to support your back or arms | a bar stool |
| (formal) to say that something is true, especially in an argument | I would CONTEND that the minister's thinking is flawed on this point. |
| a small bed with high sides for a baby or young child | cot |
| (of plants, gardens, etc.) growing thickly and strongly in a way that is attractive; covered in healthy grass and plants | lush vegetation |
| a set of clothes that you wear together, especially for a particular occasion or purpose | She was wearing an expensive new OUTFIT. |
| an area of land, especially a large one | vast TRACTS of forest |
| period of time when people do not sleep, especially at night, in order to watch a sick person, say prayers, protest, etc. | His parents kept a round-the-clock VIGIL at his bedside. |
| very tired, especially after you have been working hard or doing something for a long time | Any chance of a drink? This WEARY traveller is about to collapse from thirst. |
| a person who has done something wrong or against the law | The police quickly identified the real CULPRITS. |
| to feel bitter or angry about something, especially because you feel it is unfair | resent something/somebody I deeply resented her criticism. |
| a way of criticizing a person, an idea or an institution in which you use humour to show their faults or weaknesses; a piece of writing that uses this type of criticism | political/social satire |
| a confused situation in which there is usually a lot of noise and excitement, often involving large numbers of people | A TUMULT of shouting and screaming came from within the house. |
| (formal) if somebody does something anew, they do it again from the beginning or do it in a different way | They started life anew in Canada. |
| that makes you feel sad; not bright or interesting | a dreary winter’s day |
| a building in which monks (= members of a male religious community) live together | He lived in a monastery for most of his life. |
| having a curving and twisting shape | The walk follows a WINDING path through the forest. |
| to remove the parts of a book, film, etc. that are considered to be offensive or a political threat | be censored The news reports had been heavily censored. |
| the feeling of being extremely sorry for something wrong or bad that you have done | remorse for (doing) something He was filled with remorse for not believing her. |
| a state in which somebody seems to be asleep but is aware of what is said to them, for example if they are hypnotized | to go/fall into a trance |
| (disapproving) a person who is not brave or who does not have the courage to do things that other people do not think are especially difficult | You coward! What are you afraid of? |
| very serious and sincere | Despite her earnest efforts, she could not find a job. |
| the ability to deal with difficult or embarrassing situations carefully and without doing or saying anything that will annoy or upset other people | Settling the dispute required great tact and diplomacy. |
| intimidate somebody (into something/into doing something) to frighten or threaten somebody so that they will do what you want | They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. |
| a person whose job is to take care of a building such as a school or a block of flats or an apartment building | janitor |
| to push somebody/something with your finger or with a pointed object | prod somebody/something + adj / Martha prodded him awake. |
| money that is paid to somebody so that they will set free a person who is being kept as a prisoner by them | The kidnappers demanded a ransom of £50 000 from his family |
| to force liquid, food, etc. out of your mouth | spit something (out) She took a mouthful of food and then suddenly spat it out. |
| to run or swim a short distance very fast | Three runners sprinted past. |
| a dangerous and difficult action that somebody does to entertain people, especially as part of a film | He did all his own stunts. |
| a large, impressive house | mansion |
| land covered with grass that is suitable for feeding animals on | an area of permanent/rough/rich pasture |
| a thick flat piece of stone, wood or other hard material | a slab of marble/concrete |
| short grass and the surface layer of soil that is held together by its roots; a piece of this that has been cut from the ground and is used especially for making lawns (= the area of grass in a garden) | We laid turf to create a lawn. |
| a small group of trees | a grove of birch trees |
| the area of Australia that is a long way from the coast and the towns, where few people live | outback |
