the amount of something that can be held in one hand | She scooped up HANDFULS of loose earth. |
the way that somebody deals with or treats a situation, a person, an animal, etc. | I was impressed by his HANDLING of the affair. |
easy to use or to do | HANDY hints/tips for removing stains |
the act of annoying or worrying somebody by putting pressure on them or saying or doing unpleasant things to them | sexual/racial HARASSMENT |
the machines and electronic parts in a computer or other electronic system | We supply computer HARDWARE to businesses. |
(approving) a state of peaceful existence and agreement | the need to be in HARMONY with our environment |
cruel, severe and unkind | The minister received some HARSH criticism. |
the time of year when the crops are gathered in on a farm, etc.; the act of cutting and gathering crops | Farmers are extremely busy during the HARVEST. |
to cut and gather a crop; to catch a number of animals or fish to eat | The nuts are ready to HARVEST in September. |
a very strong feeling of dislike for somebody/something | She felt nothing but HATRED for her attacker. |
if the ghost of a dead person haunts a place, people say that they have seen it there | A headless rider HAUNTS the country lanes. |
something that can be dangerous or cause damage | Growing levels of pollution represent a serious health HAZARD to the local population. |
if a feeling or an effect heightens, or something heightens it, it becomes stronger or increases | The campaign is intended to HEIGHTEN public awareness of the disease. |
the history, traditions, buildings and objects that a country or society has had for many years and that are considered an important part of its character | The building is part of our national HERITAGE. |
a system, especially in a society or an organization, in which people are organized into different levels of importance from highest to lowest | the social/political HIERARCHY |
receiving or involving a lot of attention and discussion in the media | a HIGH-PROFILE campaign |
something that you say or do in an indirect way in order to show somebody what you are thinking | He gave a broad HINT (= one that was obvious) that he was thinking of retiring. |
to suggest something in an indirect way | They HINTED (that) there might be more job losses. |
the country where a person was born | Many refugees have been forced to flee their HOMELAND. |
to fasten or hang something on something else using a hook; to be fastened or hanging in this way | We HOOKED the trailer to the back of the car. |
(of a person) believing that something you want will happen | He is not very HOPEFUL about the outcome of the interview. |
the furthest that you can see, where the sky seems to meet the land or the sea | The sun sank below the HORIZON. |
a hard pointed part that grows, usually in pairs, on the heads of some animals, such as sheep and cows. Horns are often curved. | a large bull with curved HORNS |
a person who is captured and held prisoner by a person or group, and who may be injured or killed if people do not do what the person or group is asking | Three children were taken HOSTAGE during the bank robbery. |
aggressive or unfriendly and ready to argue or fight | She was openly HOSTILE towards her parents |
aggressive or unfriendly feelings or behaviour | Feelings of HOSTILITY towards people from other backgrounds |
connected with helping people who are suffering and improving the conditions that they are living in | to provide HUMANITARIAN aid to the war zone |
people in general | He believed in serving the greater good of HUMANITY |
showing you do not think that you are as important as other people | Be HUMBLE enough to learn from your mistakes. |
a chemical element. Hydrogen is a gas that is the lightest of all the elements. It combines with oxygen to form water. | hydrogen |
the process of showing, proving or recognizing who or what somebody/something is | The IDENTIFICATION of the crash victims was a long and difficult task. |
based on or connected with an ideology | This was rejected for IDEOLOGICAL reasons. |
a set of ideas that an economic or political system is based on | Marxist/capitalist IDEOLOGY |
(informal) a rude way to refer to somebody who you think is very stupid | When I lost my passport, I felt such an IDIOT. |
a lack of knowledge or information about something | They were kept in IGNORANCE of their government's activities. |
language that produces pictures in the minds of people reading or listening | Illustration may come between the text and the reader's own mental IMAGERY. |
extremely large or great | There is still an IMMENSE amount of work to be done. |
not enough; not good enough | The system is INADEQUATE for the tasks it has to perform. |
(especially of something unpleasant) likely to happen very soon | The system is in IMMINENT danger of collapse. |
the act of making something that has been officially decided start to happen or be used | the IMPLEMENTATION of the new system |
to put somebody in a prison or another place from which they cannot escape | They were IMPRISONED for possession of drugs. |
the act of putting somebody in a prison or another place from which they cannot escape; the state of being there | to be sentenced to life IMPRISONMENT for murder |
the fact of not being able to do something | Some families go without medical treatment because of their INABILITY to pay. |
not suitable or appropriate in a particular situation | It would be INAPPROPRIATE for me to comment. |
(formal) the extent to which something happens or has an effect | an area with a high INCIDENCE of crime |
wanting to do something | There'll be time for a swim if you feel so INCLINED. |
the fact of including somebody/something; the fact of being included | His INCLUSION / inclusion in the team is in doubt. |
if you incur something unpleasant, you are in a situation in which you have to deal with it | She had INCURRED the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent. |
a sign that shows you what something is like or how a situation is changing | These atmospheric waves are a reliable INDICATOR of weather changes. |
a sign that a system, society, etc. is very bad or very wrong | The poverty in our cities is a damning INDICTMENT of modern society. |
(of people and their culture) coming from a particular place and having lived there for a long time before other people came there; relating to, belonging to or developed by these people | the INDIGENOUS peoples/languages of an area |
(formal) to persuade or influence somebody to do something | Nothing would INDUCE me to take the job. |
to allow yourself to have or do something that you like, especially something that is considered bad for you | They went into town to INDULGE in some serious shopping. |
the unfair difference between groups of people in society, when some have more wealth, status or opportunities than others | We need to tackle INEQUALITY of opportunity wherever we find it. |
well known for being bad or evil | a general who was INFAMOUS for his brutality |
(formal or specialist) a baby or very young child | She was seriously ill as an INFANT. |
to make a disease or an illness spread to a person, an animal or a plant | It is not possible to INFECT another person through kissing. |
to make somebody/something suffer something unpleasant | They INFLICTED a humiliating defeat on the home team. |
having a lot of influence on somebody/something | The committee was INFLUENTIAL in formulating government policy on employment. |
that is a basic or permanent part of somebody/something and that cannot be removed | the difficulties INHERENT in a study of this type |
(formal) to prevent something from happening or make it happen more slowly or less frequently than normal | A lack of oxygen may INHIBIT brain development in the unborn child. |
(formal) to make something begin | The government has INITIATED a programme of economic reform. |
to put a drug or other substance into a person’s or an animal’s body using a syringe | Adrenaline was INJECTED into the muscle. |
an act of injecting somebody with a drug or other substance | An anaesthetic was administered by INJECTION. |
the fact of a situation being unfair and of people not being treated equally; an unfair act or an example of unfair treatment | We are committed to fighting against poverty and INJUSTICE |
one of the people living in an institution such as a prison or a psychiatric hospital | He was attacked by a fellow INMATE. |
the act of putting something inside something else; a thing that is put inside something else | An examination is carried out before the INSERTION of the tube. |
a person who knows a lot about a group or an organization, because they are part of it | The situation was described by one INSIDER as ‘absolute chaos’. |
to look closely at something/somebody, especially to check that everything is as it should be | he plants are regularly INSPECTED for disease. |
an official visit to a school, factory, etc. in order to check that rules are being obeyed and that standards are acceptable | Regular INSPECTIONS are carried out at the prison. |
the process that takes place when somebody sees or hears something that causes them to have exciting new ideas or makes them want to create something, especially in art, music or literature | Both poets drew their INSPIRATION from the countryside. |
a natural quality that makes people and animals tend to behave in a particular way using the knowledge and abilities that they were born with rather than thought or training | She did not seem to have any of the usual maternal INSTINCTS. |
connected with a large important organization, for example a university or bank | INSTITUTIONAL investors |
(formal) to tell somebody to do something, especially in a formal or official way | The letter INSTRUCTED him to report to headquarters immediately. |
important in making something happen | He was INSTRUMENTAL in bringing about an end to the conflict. |
not large, strong or important enough for a particular purpose | The management paid INSUFFICIENT attention to working conditions. |
a remark or an action that is said or done in order to offend somebody | His comments were seen as an INSULT to the president. |
to say or do something that offends somebody | She felt INSULTED by the low offer. |
complete and not damaged | Most of the house remains INTACT even after two hundred years. |
the amount of food, drink, etc. that you take into your body | to reduce your daily INTAKE of salt |
being an essential part of something | Practical experience is INTEGRAL to the course. |
in which many different parts are closely connected and work successfully together | a highly integrated approach to planning |
the act or process of combining two or more things so that they work together | His music is an INTEGRATION of tradition and new technology. |
the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles | personal/professional/artistic INTEGRITY |
a person who is well educated and enjoys activities in which they have to think seriously about things | He was a leading INTELLECTUAL of his day. |
to increase in degree or strength; to make something increase in degree or strength | he fighting in the area has INTENSIFIED sharply. |
the state or quality of being intense | He was watching her with an INTENSITY that was unnerving. |
involving a lot of work or activity done in a short time | highly INTENSIVE courses for business and professional people |
what you intend to do | a letter/statement of INTENT |
(computing) that allows information to be passed continuously and in both directions between a computer or other device and the person who uses it | using ICT to create an INTERACTIVE learning experience |
(computing) the way a computer program presents information to a user or receives information from a user, in particular the layout of the screen and the menus | the user INTERFACE |
to get involved in and try to influence a situation that should not really involve you, in a way that annoys other people | I wish my mother would stop INTERFERING and let me make my own decisions. |
the act of getting involved in and trying to influence a situation that should not really involve you, in a way that annoys other people | They resent foreign INTERference in the internal affairs of their country. |
intended to last for only a short time until somebody/something more permanent is found | The vice-president took power in the INTERIM period before the election. |
connected with the inside part of something | INTERIOR walls |
the inside part of something | The original INTERIOR of the hotel has been replaced. |
located between two places, things, states, etc | Liquid crystals are considered to be INTERMEDIATE between liquid and solid. |
to become involved in a situation in order to improve or help it | She went over to INTERVENE between the two men. |
action taken to improve or help a situation | in the second group of states, direct INTERvention in the economy was limited. |
(of people) having a close and friendly relationship | We're not on INTIMATE terms with our neighbours. |