(of a boat or ship) in a good enough condition to sail on the sea
The ship was certified as seaworthy.
Usually singular.
used to refer to something that is one's duty or responsibility
The onus is on you to show that you have suffered loss.
to wind up the affairs of (a company or firm) by ascertaining liabilities and apportioning assets; to convert (assets) into cash
The company was liquidated.
(euphemistic) to kill (someone), especially for political reasons
The dictator liquidated his political rivals.
the process of winding up a company's affairs by converting its assets to cash
The company went into liquidation last year.
a person appointed to wind up a company's affairs and distribute its assets
The liquidator sold off the remaining stock.
having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd
They were sagacious enough to avoid any outright confrontation.
the quality of being sagacious
A man of great political sagacity.
to settle or move into a warm, comfortable position
I snuggled down in my sleeping bag.
an object which is forcibly propelled at a target, either by hand or from a mechanical weapon; a weapon that is self-propelled or directed by remote control
A nuclear missile.
lack of fairness or justice
Social inequity.
to transmit (a program or some information) by radio or television
The match was broadcast live on national television.
to make (something) widely known
He broadcast his opinions to anyone who would listen.
a radio or television program or transmission
The news broadcast starts at six.
an organization that transmits a program or information by radio or television; a person who presents a radio or television transmission
A public service broadcaster.
a steady, continuous movement of something, such as a liquid, information, or traffic
The flow of traffic was slow during rush hour.
to move steadily and continuously in a current or stream
The river flows through the valley.
a large amount of money, people, or water moving into a place
An inflow of foreign investment.
a large amount of money, liquid, or people moving out of a place
An outflow of capital.
to clean (an area) by brushing away dirt or litter
I've swept the floor.
an act of sweeping something with a brush
I gave the floor a good sweep.
a decisive victory in all the contests or games of a series
The team completed a four-game sweep.
wide-ranging and having a large effect
The committee proposed sweeping reforms.
moving in a wide curve
The balcony offers a sweeping view.
Chiefly British spelling of 'check'.
a written order to a bank to pay a stated sum from the drawer's account
He wrote a cheque for £100.
Chiefly British spelling of 'checkbook'.
a book of blank checks with a register for recording checks written
She paid with a cheque book.
Chiefly British spelling of 'paycheck'.
a check for salary or wages made out to an employee
He eagerly awaited his pay cheque.
to diminish or reduce in thickness toward one end; to gradually lessen
The tail tapers to a rounded tip.
a slender candle
She lit a taper on the altar.
a gradual reduction, especially of an ongoing economic or financial policy
The central bank announced a taper of its bond purchases.
Also spelled 'co-ordinate'.
to bring the different elements of (a complex activity or organization) into a relationship that will ensure efficiency or harmony
He had responsibility for coordinating London's transport services.
Also spelled 'co-ordinate'.
each of a group of numbers used to indicate the position of a point, line, or plane
The x and y coordinates.
to prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking action ahead of time
Vitamins may forestall many diseases of aging.
not approximated in any way; precise
The exact details.
to demand and obtain (something, especially a payment) from someone
He exacted a promise from them.
the quality or state of being exact or accurate
A high degree of exactitude.
making great demands on one's skill, attention, or other resources
Living up to such exacting standards.
extravagant but superficial display
The glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
ostentatiously attractive (often used to suggest superficial glamour)
A glitzy hotel.
an area of land or seabed underlain by strata yielding petroleum
The North Sea oilfields.
having or involving a sensation of spinning around and losing one's balance
Looking down from the height made him dizzy.
a sensation of spinning around and losing one's balance
She was overcome by a wave of dizziness.
an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site
The newspaper introduced a paywall.
Usually singular.
the establishment or starting point of an institution or activity
She has been on the board since its inception.
a pen for livestock, especially cattle or horses, on a farm or ranch
They drove the horses into the corral.
to round up (livestock) into a corral; (figurative) to gather or secure (people, support, or resources)
The campaign worked hard to corral last-minute votes.
a building equipped with machinery for grinding grain into flour; a factory for certain kinds of manufacture
A steel mill.
to grind (grain) into flour, or shape (metal or wood) using a mill
The wheat is milled into flour at the local mill.
(of a crowd) to move about in a random, aimless manner
People were milling around outside the theater before the show.
to draw into the mouth by contracting the muscles of the lip and mouth to make a partial vacuum
They suck juice from the fruits.
(informal) to be very bad or unpleasant
This weather really sucks.
the production of a partial vacuum by the removal of air in order to force fluid into a vacant space or procure adhesion
The pipe was blocked, so we used suction to clear it.
to satisfy (a desire or an appetite) to the full
He folded up his newspaper, his curiosity satiated.
impossible to satisfy
He had an insatiable appetite for knowledge.
not clearly visible or attracting attention; not conspicuous
An inconspicuous red brick building.
Idiom: 'to hide your light under a bushel' means to keep your talents or achievements modestly hidden.
a measure of capacity equal to 8 gallons (equivalent to 36.4 liters), used for dry goods
A bushel of apples.
to restrict (something) within limits
Their movements were strictly circumscribed.
the enclosing boundary of a curved geometric figure, especially a circle
A baby's head circumference.
requiring no physical or mental exertion
An effortless victory.
a loose dress or blouse, with the upper part closely gathered in smocking
An artist's smock.
having a pointed tip or end
Pointy shoes.
to show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form
Paintings depicting Old Testament scenes.
the action or result of depicting something, especially in art or literature
The painting's horrific depiction of war.
an instance of a particular situation; an example of something occurring
A classic case of overreaction.
a container or box designed to hold or protect something
A display case; a suitcase.
a lawsuit, or the arguments and facts presented in a legal dispute
The prosecution's case relied on circumstantial evidence.
to enclose or cover in a case or close-fitting surround
Each was encased in a plastic sleeve.
an implement with a handle, consisting of bristles, hair, or wire set into a block, used for cleaning or smoothing, grooming the hair, or applying paint
A hairbrush.
to use a brush to clean, smooth, or apply paint to
She brushed her hair.
lacking in detail and subtlety; general
A broad-brush approach.
relating to relationships or communication between people
You will need good interpersonal skills.
filled or well-supplied with something
Sensational popular fiction, replete with adultery and sudden death.
a qualification, achievement, personal quality, or aspect of a person's background, typically when used to indicate that they are suitable for something
Recruitment is based mainly on academic credentials.
the people engaged in or available for work, either in a country or area or in a particular firm or industry
A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.
Often abbreviated as CV.
a brief account of a person's education, qualifications, and previous occupations, typically sent with a job application
Please send a full curriculum vitae.
the tendency to derive pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from one's own pain or humiliation
Acts of sadism and masochism.
deriving sexual gratification from one's own pain or humiliation
A masochistic desire.
a letter, especially a long or official one
He hastily banged out a missive.
an aquatic or terrestrial annelid worm with suckers at both ends
Leeches are sometimes used in medicine.
(informal, disapproving) a person who persistently exploits or lives off others
He's such a leech, always borrowing money he never pays back.
(informal) to persistently take money or resources from someone else
He's been leeching off his roommates for months.
a solitary burrowing rodent with a short tail and large cheek pouches
A pet hamster.
to make or become wider, larger, or more open
Her eyes dilated with horror.
the action or process of becoming wider, larger, or more open
The doctor checked the dilation of her pupils.
a large cylindrical cup with a handle and used without a saucer
She picked up her coffee mug.
(informal) a person's face
Get your ugly mug out of here.
to rob (someone) using violence or the threat of violence, typically in a public place
He was mugged on his way home from the station.
a person living in solitude as a religious discipline
He lived as a hermit in the woods.
a man's headdress, consisting of a long length of cotton or silk wound around a cap or the head
A Sikh wearing a turban.
an opening in a wall, door, roof or vehicle that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound
He looked out of the window.
a framed, rectangular area on a computer screen displaying a program, file, or document
She had five windows open on her desktop.
a limited period during which something is possible
There's only a narrow window to catch the connecting flight.
in low spirits from loss of hope or courage
She grew more and more despondent.
a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage
A mood of despondency.
showing a high degree of skill and flair; complete or perfect
She dressed with consummate elegance.
to make (a marriage or relationship) complete by having sexual intercourse
They did not consummate their marriage.
a word or set of words by which a person or thing is known, addressed, or referred to
My name is John.
to give a name to
They named their son James.
having no name or no known name
The victims remain nameless.
not named, especially deliberately
A certain person, who shall remain nameless, started the rumor.
abundant in supply or quantity
She took copious notes.
relating to time, especially as distinguished from space
The temporal sequence of events was hard to reconstruct.
relating to worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs; secular
The Church did not supply spiritual or temporal support.
the characters of a play, novel, or narrative
The dramatis personae of the novel.
Idiom: 'to pass muster' means to be judged acceptable.
to assemble (troops), especially for inspection or in preparation for battle
They mustered 50,000 troops.
to gather or summon (a feeling, quality, or response), often with effort
She could not muster the courage to speak.
a particular way of speaking or using words, especially a way common to those with a particular job or interest
In military parlance.
Chiefly British spelling of 'centerpiece'.
an item or issue intended to be a focus of attention
The treaty was the centrepiece of the government's foreign policy.
to attribute (something) to a cause
He ascribed Jane's short temper to her upset stomach.
the front part of the human trunk below the ribs, containing the stomach and bowels
He rubbed his belly.
to swell out; bulge
The sails bellied out in the wind.
seemingly; apparently but not really
A quasi-scientific term.
another time; once more
It was great to see you again.
the saying of the same thing twice over in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style
They must avoid tautology.
to be exceptionally good at or proficient in an activity or subject
She excelled at landscape painting.
belonging or relating to a college or its students
Collegiate sports.
to claim that one has (a feeling or quality), often falsely
He professed his love for her.
a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification
His chosen profession of teaching.
(of a building, seat, etc.) not being occupied by anyone
The table was unoccupied.
a medium to large game bird with a plump body and feathered legs
We went shooting grouse.
to complain pettily; grumble
She heard him grousing about his assistant.
the realization or fulfilment of a plan or project
The plans have come to fruition.
to equip (a factory or industry) with new or adapted tools or machinery
They are retooling the plant.
(figurative) to reorganize or adapt (a strategy, business, or approach)
The company retooled its marketing strategy after poor sales.
a slight hollow in a hard even surface made by a blow or pressure
There was a dent in the bumper.
to mark (something) with a dent; to have a diminishing effect on
The scandal dented his reputation.
watching someone or something closely; alert and vigilant
Under the watchful eye of their mother.
a prison for people convicted of serious crimes
A federal penitentiary.
a soft, dough-like material used for sealing glass in window frames
He's putty in her hands.
relating to or based on the political and economic theories of Karl Marx
A Marxist historian.
a person who holds or advocates Marxist views
He's a committed Marxist.
the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, later developed by their followers to form the basis for the theory and practice of communism
He studied Marxism in college.
a spider's web, especially when old and covered with dust
Dust and cobwebs.
a faint or wavering light; a faint sign of a feeling or quality
A glimmer of hope.
to shine faintly with a wavering light
The lake glimmered in the moonlight.
to be in charge of (a business, organization, or undertaking); to run
She manages a staff of 80.
the process of dealing with or controlling things or people
The management of the company.
the process of managing something badly or wrongly
Economic mismanagement.
a person responsible for controlling or administering an organization or group of staff
The store manager.
relating to management or managers
Managerial experience.
a state of total disorder
The economy is in a shambles.
torn apart or split
A country riven by civil war.
(of a matter or subject) to dominate or engross the mind of (someone) to the exclusion of other thoughts
His mother was preoccupied with paying the bills.
engrossed in thought; distracted
She seemed a bit preoccupied.
an initial payment made when something is bought on credit
A 10% down payment.
Also spelled 'anemia' (US).
a condition marked by a deficiency of red blood cells or of hemoglobin in the blood, resulting in pallor and weariness
He suffered from anaemia.
Also spelled 'anemic' (US).
suffering from anaemia; lacking in color, spirit, or vitality
She looked pale and anaemic.
to return to (a previous state, condition, practice, etc.)
He reverted to his native language.
a sharp twist or curve in something that is otherwise straight
A kink in the hose.
(informal) an unusual sexual preference or taste
Everyone has their own kinks.
Also commonly pronounced to rhyme with 'hour': /daʊr/.
relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance
A hard, dour man.
a cat (used affectionately or by children)
A little pussy cat.
Vulgar slang; avoid in polite or formal contexts.
(vulgar slang) a woman's genitals
This sense is common in crude or explicit speech.
Informal and often considered offensive.
(informal, offensive) cowardly or weak
Stop being so pussy about it and just ask her out.
consisting of three parts; threefold
A treble espresso.
to make or become three times as large or numerous
The company trebled its profits.
the highest voice part in choral music; a boy soprano
He sang treble in the church choir.
a question or statement intentionally phrased so as to require ingenuity in ascertaining its answer or meaning
Can you solve this riddle?
to make many holes in, especially by gunfire; (usually passive) to fill throughout with a fault or defect
The car was riddled with bullets.
to give an authoritative order
He commanded his men to retreat.
an authoritative order
They obeyed his commands.
indicating or expressing authority; in a strong position
A commanding lead.
the officer in command of a military unit
He reported to his commanding officer.
"Commander-in-Chief": US president's military role. Title in British/Commonwealth navies and police. "Star Commander": sci-fi staple.
a person in authority, especially in the armed forces
The commander gave the order to attack.
a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name
A new brand of soap.
to mark (an animal or, historically, a person) permanently with a hot iron
Ranchers brand their cattle to show ownership.
to give (a product, company, or person) a distinctive public identity; to label or characterize, often unfairly
The company rebranded itself as an eco-friendly business.
a document or label listing the contents of a package or delivery
The delivery docket.
(US) a court's calendar or official list of cases awaiting trial
The case was added to the court's docket.
to pinch, squeeze, or bite sharply
The dog nipped him on the leg.
a small, quick bite or pinch
The puppy gave her a playful nip on the hand.
a small drink of spirits
He took a nip of whiskey to warm up.
using a description or title that one has given oneself
A self-styled expert.
to be an omen of a particular outcome
Their argument did not bode well for the future.
to tempt (a person or an animal) to do something or to go somewhere, especially by offering some form of reward
The child was lured into a car.
something that tempts or is used to tempt a person or animal to do something
The lure of the city.
the state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.
If the weather's good, we can go for a walk.
to wear away, discolor, or otherwise affect (something) by long exposure to the air
The rock face has been weathered by centuries of rain and wind.
to come safely through (a difficult period or experience)
The company weathered the recession.
Irregular: past and past participle are both "fed".
to give food to
She fed the cat.
food for animals
The farmer bought a sack of cattle feed.
a continuously updated stream of content, especially on a website or social media app
She scrolled through her Instagram feed.
having no foundation or basis in fact
Her fears were completely unfounded.
an expression of grief, pity, or concern
Alas, my funds have some limits.
expressing contempt or disapproval
Permissiveness is used almost universally as a pejorative term.
a word or phrase expressing contempt or disapproval
'Libtard' is used as a pejorative.