Historically used in the American South as a slur against Black people perceived as failing to defer to whites; still carries that connotation and should be used with care.
self-important; arrogant
An uppity and opinionated woman.
based on the first impression; accepted as correct until proved otherwise
A prima facie case of professional misconduct.
on first impression; based on initial appearance, before closer examination
Prima facie, the plan seemed reasonable enough.
a follower or underling of a powerful person, especially a servile or unimportant one
He gets his minions to do the dirty work.
delay or postpone action; put off doing something
It won't be this price for long, so don't procrastinate.
abbreviation for prisoner of war
Former POWs.
a person legally committed to prison as punishment for a crime or while awaiting trial
The prisoner was released after serving ten years.
a person who has been imprisoned for holding political or religious views that are not tolerated by their own government
Amnesty International adopted him as a prisoner of conscience.
a person who has been captured and imprisoned by the enemy in war
The returning prisoners of war.
Adjective: "demonic". "One's demons" = a person's inner torments or addictions.
an evil spirit or devil
The film is about a girl possessed by a demon.
portray as wicked and threatening
He was demonized by the press.
a shy, reticent person
He is naturally an introvert.
shy, reticent, and focused on oneself
An introverted child.
the state of being predominantly concerned with one's own thoughts and feelings rather than external things
His introversion made him uncomfortable in large crowds.
the art of making motion pictures
The film won an award for its cinematography.
More formal than "scold". Shares a root with "chasten" (Latin castigare).
to scold or reprimand (someone) severely
The coach chastised the players for their sloppy defense.
the act of scolding or punishing someone
Physical chastisement.
having artificial body parts, especially electromechanical ones
A bionic arm.
a soldier or guard whose job is to stand and keep watch
Soldiers stood sentinel.
a large-scale and violent event in the natural world; a sudden violent upheaval, especially in a political or social context
The cataclysm at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
a federal system of health insurance for people over 65 and for certain younger people with disabilities (in the US)
She is eligible for Medicare.
a bat with a round or oval frame strung with catgut or nylon, used in tennis, badminton, and squash
A tennis racket.
a loud, unpleasant, disturbing noise
The kids were making a racket upstairs.
an illegal or dishonest scheme for obtaining money
A protection racket.
a person involved in organized criminal schemes
The racketeer was convicted of fraud.
organized criminal activity for profit
Prosecutors charged him with racketeering.
the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating
People for whom gold holds no allure.
to attract, tempt, or entice someone
She was allured by the promise of adventure.
From 'allure'.
powerfully and mysteriously attractive or tempting
an alluring smile; an alluring offer
an action or event serving as an introduction to something more important
Education cannot simply be a prelude to a career.
(music) a short piece, especially one preceding a longer work or forming the first movement of a suite
Chopin composed 24 preludes, one in each musical key.
Samuel Morse's electric telegraph (1844) revolutionized communication.
a system for transmitting messages from a distance along a wire
News came by telegraph.
'Don't telegraph your punches' (boxing idiom, figurative) = don't reveal your next move.
to make evident to others, especially unintentionally
His body language telegraphed his nervousness.
Technically distinct from labyrinth: a maze has branching paths with dead ends; a labyrinth has a single winding path to the centre.
a network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle through which one has to find a way
They got lost in the Hampton Court maze.
a complex network of paths or passages
A maze of bureaucratic regulations.
Informal derogatory sense: a crank is someone with obsessive, eccentric ideas. 'Crank call' = prank phone call.
a part of an axle bent at right angles, for converting reciprocal to circular motion
He turned the crank to start the engine.
(informal) an eccentric person obsessed by a particular subject or theory
A crank who believed the earth was flat.
'Crank up' = increase volume or intensity.
to turn a crank to start an engine
He cranked the old car by hand.
Angela Duckworth's book 'Grit' (2016) popularized the psychological sense.
small loose particles of stone or sand
She had grit in her eye.
courage and resolve; strength of character
It takes real grit to start a business from nothing.
'Grit one's teeth' = to clench the teeth, especially to keep one's resolve
She gritted her teeth and carried on.
Not to be confused with 'entrance' (noun). An entrant is the person; the entrance is the doorway or the act of entering.
a person who enters a competition, examination, or institution
All entrants must complete the registration form.
a new competitor in a market or field
A new entrant in the smartphone market.
From Latin crescere 'to grow': the waxing (growing) phase of the moon. Also a common street name in British cities (e.g. Royal Crescent, Bath).
the curved sickle shape of the waxing or waning moon; a thing that has this shape
A crescent moon hung low in the sky.
a curved row of houses
They lived in a Georgian crescent.
having the curved shape of a crescent moon
A crescent-shaped pastry.
Also written as two words 'car pool'.
an arrangement between people to share a regular car journey, taking turns to drive
Our carpool meets at the corner every morning.
to take part in a carpool
I carpool with two neighbors to save on gas.
Very versatile: 'be in trouble', 'get into trouble', 'trouble oneself to do something'.
difficulty or problems
I had trouble finding a parking spot.
The verb can be formal/polite: 'May I trouble you for...?'
to cause distress or anxiety to someone
He was troubled by the news.
causing difficulty or annoyance
A troublesome cough that wouldn't go away.
From Latin occupāre 'to seize'. Can mean physically filling a space, living in a building, or keeping someone busy.
reside or have one's place of business in
The apartment had been occupied by a retired teacher.
fill or take up (a space or time)
The bed occupied most of the room.
the action or fact of occupying a place; the proportion of accommodation occupied
Hotel occupancy rates dropped sharply.
the state or condition of being preoccupied or engrossed with something
His preoccupation with politics.
"Sole occupant": only person in a vehicle. "Occupants of the house": people living there. Legal term: "lawful occupant".
a person who is in or uses a particular place
The occupants of the car were unharmed.
"Occupational hazard": risk inherent in a job. "Occupational therapy": rehab for daily living skills.
relating to a job or occupation
Back pain is an occupational hazard for truckers.
Many senses: job, military occupation (after invasion), filling space. On forms: "occupation" = what you do for a living.
a person's job
What is your occupation?
the action of occupying a place by military force
The country endured years of occupation.
Often confused with 'bolder' (comparative of bold). A boulder is typically >25 cm diameter.
a large rock, typically one that has been worn smooth by erosion
They scrambled over boulders along the riverbank.
One of the most versatile words in English. Phrasal verbs: turn on/off, turn up/down, turn out, turn over, turn around, turn in, turn away.
to move or cause to move in a circular direction around an axis
He turned the key in the lock.
to change or cause to change in nature, state, or color
The leaves were turning brown.
'Take turns' = alternate.
a change of direction when moving
Make a left turn at the lights.
an opportunity or obligation that comes successively to each of several people
It's your turn to wash the dishes.
From Latin iter 'journey'. Often mispronounced: the stress is on the second syllable.
a planned route or journey; a document listing this
She checked the travel itinerary for their trip.
Specifically for stringed instruments, especially guitar/ukulele. Contrast with 'pluck' (individual strings) and 'pick' (with a plectrum).
play (a guitar or similar instrument) by sweeping the thumb or a plectrum up or down across the strings
She strummed a few chords on her guitar.
an act or sound of strumming
He gave the guitar a final strum.
Silent 'k'. 'Knuckle down' = apply oneself seriously. 'Knuckle under' = submit. 'Brass knuckles' = a metal weapon worn over the knuckles.
a part of a finger at a joint where the bone is near the surface, especially where the finger joins the hand
He rapped his knuckles on the table.
to start working hard and seriously
It's time to knuckle down and finish the report.
to submit or yield to pressure or authority
He refused to knuckle under to their demands.
'A needle in a haystack' = something impossibly hard to find. Also: knitting needles, pine needles, compass needle.
a fine slender piece of polished metal with a point and a hole for thread, used in sewing
She threaded the needle.
a thin hollow pointed instrument for injecting or extracting fluids
The nurse inserted the needle.
to provoke or annoy someone by continual criticism or questioning
She kept needling him about his weight.
Extremely common in informal English: 'go through hell', 'all hell broke loose', 'hell-bent', 'hell of a (great)'.
a place regarded in various religions as a realm of evil and suffering after death
He feared he would go to hell.
a very unpleasant experience or situation
My life has been hell since the accident.
used to express annoyance, surprise, or for emphasis
Oh, what the hell - let's just do it.
Informal and emphatic; often means extremely unpleasant rather than literally infernal.
extremely unpleasant, difficult, or frightening
The commute was hellish after the storm.
Coined in the 1960s by analogy with 'racism'. Related adjective: sexist.
prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex
Sexism in the workplace is still a serious problem.
Short for 'incorporated'. Used after company names in the US (equivalent to 'Ltd' in the UK). Also the title of a business magazine.
incorporated (used after a company name to denote a legally established corporation)
Apple Inc. is based in Cupertino.
Usually plural: 'My condolences.' From Latin condolēre 'to suffer with'.
an expression of sympathy, especially on the occasion of a death
We sent our condolences to the family.
(of two things) able to exist or occur together without conflict
The two systems are not compatible.
(of two people) able to have a harmonious relationship: well-suited
We just weren't compatible.
Also spelled cliche without the accent.
a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought
The old cliché that 'a picture is worth a thousand words'.
the act or process of closing something, especially an institution, thoroughfare, or frontier, or of being closed
Road closures are expected due to the marathon.
a feeling that an emotional or traumatic experience has been resolved
She needed closure after the breakup.
a conference or other meeting for discussion or training
A seminar on climate change.
a class at a university or college in which a topic is discussed by a teacher and a small group of students
A graduate seminar.
a soft, wet, shapeless mass of material
Boil the fruit down to a pulp.
the soft fleshy part of a fruit
The sweet pulp of the melon.
popular or sensational writing that is generally regarded as being of poor quality (from the cheap paper it was printed on)
Pulp fiction.
a state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced
The market is in equilibrium.
a state of physical balance
I stumbled over a rock and lost my equilibrium.
British spelling: harbour.
a place on the coast where vessels may find shelter
They sailed into the harbor.
to keep a thought or feeling, especially a negative one, in one's mind
She started to harbor doubts about the wisdom of their journey.
British spelling. American: harbor. Famous: Pearl Harbor, Sydney Harbour. Often interchangeable with "port" (which more strictly refers to facilities).
a sheltered place where boats are kept
The fishing boats returned to the harbour.
to keep in mind, often secretly
He harboured doubts about the plan.
the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result
He achieved his goal of becoming a doctor.
(in sports) a pair of posts linked by a crossbar and typically with a net between them, forming a space into or over which the ball has to be sent in order to score
The winning goal.
informal term for a goalkeeper
The goalie made a spectacular save.
one of the posts marking a goal in sports
The shot bounced off the goalpost.
relating to, measuring, or measured by the quality of something rather than its quantity
A qualitative analysis of the data.
Short for delicatessen.
a store selling cold cuts, cheeses, and a variety of salads, as well as a selection of unusual or foreign prepared foods
I picked up some sandwiches at the local deli.
to draw or sketch aimlessly, especially when preoccupied
He doodled on his notepad during the meeting.
a rough drawing made absentmindedly
The margins were covered in doodles.
Also spelled 'whirr'.
(especially of a machine) to make a low, continuous, regular sound
The ceiling fans whirred in the smoke-filled room.
a low, continuous, regular sound
The whir of the computer's cooling fan.
the side or part of an object that presents itself to view or that is normally seen or used first; the most forward part of something
The front of the house.
a false or assumed appearance or manner
He put on a brave front despite his fear.
situated at or near the front
The front door was locked.
to lead or be the public face of (a band or organization)
He fronts a popular rock band.
(informal) to serve as a cover or facade for an illegal activity
The laundromat fronted for the gang's real business.
at the front; in advance
They asked for 20% of the money up front.
Often used to describe paying in advance or being direct/honest.
bold, honest, and frank
He's been very up front about his intentions.
inquire too closely into a person's private affairs
Sorry, I didn't mean to pry.
use force in order to move or open (something) or to separate (something) from something else
He pried the lid off the box.
a horizontal plane or line at a specified height
The water level rose.
having a flat, even surface without slopes or bumps
We found a level area to pitch the tent.
AmE/BrE spelling split for the inflections: "leveled"/"leveling" (American) vs "levelled"/"levelling" (British).
to make something flat and even
Contractors leveled the ground.
a long, thin line or mark of a different substance or color from its surroundings
A streak of oil.
a continuous period of specified success or luck
The team's winning streak.
an element of a specified kind in someone's character
There's a ruthless streak in him.
(informal) to run naked in public, especially as a prank or protest.
to move fast in a straight line
A meteor streaked across the sky.
(informal) to run naked in public
He streaked across the football field on a dare.
Very common informal word for friend, especially in American English.
a close friend
They've been buddies since childhood.
(informal) 'buddy up (with)' = to pair or partner with someone
The kids buddied up for the field trip.
take the place of (a person or thing previously in authority or use); supplant
The older models have now been superseded.
to work extremely hard or incessantly
We toiled away in the garden.
exhausting physical or mental labor
A life of toil.
the outer limits or edge of an area or object
New buildings on the periphery of the hospital site.
a marginal or secondary position in, or part or aspect of, a group, subject, or sphere of activity
A shift in power from the center to the periphery.
slap with one's open hand or a flat object, especially on the buttocks as a punishment
She was spanked for being naughty.
a slap with the open hand, especially as punishment
She gave the puppy a light spank on the nose - just kidding, of course.
a man who is not and has never been married
He remained a bachelor all his life.
a person who holds an undergraduate degree from a university or college
A Bachelor of Arts degree.
(of equipment) to fail to function normally
The computer malfunctioned.
a failure to function normally
An equipment malfunction.
a casing containing a charge and a bullet or shot for small arms or an explosive charge for blasting
He loaded a new cartridge into the rifle.
a container holding a spool of photographic film, a quantity of ink, or other item or substance, designed for insertion into a mechanism
An ink cartridge for the printer.
single; separate; considered one at a time
We interviewed each individual member of the team.
a single human being, as distinct from a group
The rights of the individual.
a hanging, tapering piece of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water
Icicles hung from the roof.
Often pluralized as 'amenities'.
a desirable or useful feature or facility of a building or place
Heating is regarded as a basic amenity.
Irregular, zero-change: past and past participle are both "upset", unchanged from the base form.
to make someone unhappy, disappointed, or worried
The accusation upset her.
to knock something over
He upset a bowl of soup.
an unexpected result, especially in a sports competition
One of the biggest upsets in tournament history.
unhappy, disappointed, or worried
She was upset about the delay.
physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury
She's in great pain.
careful effort; great care or trouble (usually in plural 'pains')
She took great pains to see that everyone was comfortable.
Chiefly formal/literary: 'it pains me to say...'
to cause someone distress
It pains me to admit I was wrong.
an imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into northern and southern hemispheres
Singapore is very close to the equator.
take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully
Marie tried to assimilate the week's events.
(of a person or group) to become part of, and resemble, a wider society or culture
Many immigrants assimilate quickly into their new communities.
cause (something) to resemble; liken
Philosophers had assimilated thought to perception.
feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin
He repented of his sins.
to hit heavily, especially with the fist
He thumped the table in anger.
a heavy, dull blow or its sound
I felt a thump on my back.
the use of irony to mock or convey contempt
His voice, hardened by sarcasm, could not hide his resentment.
marked by or given to using irony in order to mock or convey contempt
Sarcastic comments.
retire (someone) with a pension
His pilot's license was withdrawn and he was superannuated.
Very common in Australia/New Zealand referring to their compulsory retirement savings system (often called 'super').
regular payment made into a fund by an employee toward a future pension
Superannuation contributions.
the state of wanting to know or learn about something
He showed no interest in politics.
money paid regularly for the use of borrowed money, or earned on savings
The savings account earns 2% interest per year.
to arouse curiosity or attention in someone
The offer might interest you.
Means 'impartial or objective' (e.g. a disinterested judge). Often confused with 'uninterested' (not interested).
not influenced by considerations of personal advantage; impartial
A banker is under an obligation to give disinterested advice.
full of incessant or frantic activity
A hectic business schedule.
try to sell (something, especially small goods) by going from house to house or place to place
He peddled art and printing materials around the country.
promote (an idea or view) persistently or widely
He criticized his fellow candidate for peddling risky ideas.
a person who goes from place to place selling small goods
A peddler of watches.
(figurative, disapproving) a person who spreads or promotes something disreputable
A peddler of conspiracy theories.
expel (a foreigner) from a country, typically on the grounds of illegal status or for having committed a crime
He was deported for violation of immigration laws.
the act of expelling a foreigner from a country
The court ordered his deportation.
a person who has been expelled from a country
The deportee appealed the decision.
a sudden attack or incursion into enemy territory, especially to obtain something; a raid
The garrison made a foray against Richard's camp.
a brief but spirited attempt to become involved in a new activity or sphere
My first foray into journalism.
a large brass wind instrument with straight tubing in three sections, ending in a bell over the player's left shoulder, different notes being made using a forward-pointing extendable slide
He plays the trombone in a jazz band.
Also spelled fledgeling. Derived from fledge (of a young bird, develop wing feathers).
a young bird that has just fledged
A fledgling swallow.
a person or organization that is new and inexperienced
As a fledgling in the industry, she had much to learn.
new and inexperienced; just beginning to develop
The fledgling democracies of eastern Europe.
a rounded swelling that distorts a flat surface
The bulge in his pocket.
to swell or protrude to an unnatural extent
His eyes bulged with surprise.
to injure with very hot liquid or steam
The tea scalded his tongue.
a burn caused by hot liquid or steam
Severe scalds.
of only moderate quality; not very good
A mediocre actor.
a deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion
His fundamental antipathy to capitalism.
to understand a difficult problem or person after much thought
He couldn't fathom why she was being so anxious.
a unit of length equal to six feet, used for the depth of water
Sonar says we are in twenty fathoms.
"Fathom": nautical depth unit (~1.8m) and verb meaning to understand. Literary/poetic word, often about oceans or mysteries.
too deep to be measured or understood
His grief was fathomless.
cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition)
The issue engendered continuing controversy.
show feelings of superiority; be patronizing
Take care not to condescend to your reader.
having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority
She thought the teachers were arrogant and condescending.
(of a road, route, or line) separate from another route, especially a main one, and go in a different direction
The flight path diverged from the original route.
(of an opinion, theory, or approach) differ
The two views diverged significantly.
the process or state of diverging
The divergence between primates and other groups.
(of an illness) persisting for a long time or constantly recurring
Chronic bronchitis.
not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse
A precarious ladder.
dependent on chance; uncertain
She made a precarious living as a painter.
very vivid in color, especially so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect
Lurid food colorings.
presented in vividly shocking or explicit terms, especially giving details of crimes or sexual matters
The more lurid details of the massacre were too frightening for the children.
not having any serious purpose or value
Rules to stop frivolous lawsuits.
(of a person) carefree and not serious
The frivolous, fun-loving flappers of the twenties.
Related adjective: frivolous.
lack of seriousness; light-heartedness
There was no time for frivolity during the crisis.
voluntarily cease to keep or claim; give up
He relinquished his managerial role to become chief executive.
truthful and straightforward; frank
His responses were remarkably candid.
Not to be confused with loathe (verb).
reluctant; unwilling
I was loath to leave.
Alternative spelling of loath.
unwilling; reluctant (alternative spelling of loath)
She was loth to admit her mistakes.
(of an appearance) fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict
His lively, alert manner belied his years.
neatly skillful and quick in one's movements
A deft piece of footwork.
very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail
He chooses his words with fastidious care.
a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen
The men set off in fear and trepidation.
in spite of; despite
Notwithstanding the evidence, the consensus is that the jury will not reach a verdict.
nevertheless; all the same (used after the word or phrase it modifies)
The rain was heavy; the game continued, notwithstanding.
although; even though
Notwithstanding that the risks were high, they proceeded with the plan.
(of something regarded as unpleasant) continuing without pause or interruption
The incessant beat of the music.
showing a lack of proper concern; offhand
Anne was irritated by his cavalier attitude.
Capitalized 'Cavalier' = a supporter of King Charles I in the English Civil War.
a dashing, attentive man, especially a horseman
A cavalier on horseback.