F2 Flashcards
Board game
(N.)
Any game played on a board, often using dice and small pieces that are moved around
Cricket
(N.)
A game played on grass by two teams of 11 players. Players score points (called runs ) by hitting the ball with a wooden bat and running between two sets of vertical wooden sticks, called stumps.
a cricket match/team/club/ball
A small brown jumping insect that makes a loud high sound by rubbing its wings together
the chirping of crickets
Hiking
(N.)
The activity of going for long walks in the country for pleasure
to go hiking
hiking boots
Trek
Trekking
(N.)
A long, hard walk lasting several days or weeks, especially in the mountains
They reached the refugee camp after an arduous two-day trek across the mountains.
(informal) A long walk
synonym tramp
It’s a long trek into town.
Sailing
(N.)
The sport or activity of travelling in a boat with sails
to go sailing
a sailing club
One of the regular times that a ship leaves a port
There are six sailings a day.
What time is the next sailing?
Snowboarding
(N.)
The sport of moving over snow on a snowboard
to go snowboarding
Snowboarding is now an Olympic sport.
Bounce
(V.)
move off surface
If something bounces or you bounce it, it moves quickly away from a surface it has just hit or you make it do this
The ball bounced twice before he could reach it.
•bounce off something
Short sound waves bounce off even small objects.
•bounce something (against/on/off something)
She bounced the ball against the wall.
move up and down
Bounce (up and down) (on something) (of a person): To jump up and down on something
She bounced up and down excitedly on the bed.
Bounce somebody (up and down) (on something): To move a child up and down while he or she is sitting on your knee in order to entertain him or her
Bounce (something) (up and down): To move up and down; to move something up and down
Her hair bounced as she walked.
move with energy
To move somewhere in a lively and cheerful way
He bounced across the room to greet them.
cheque
Bounce (something) (informal) if a cheque bounces, or a bank bounces it, the bank refuses to accept it because there is not enough money in the bank account to pay it
ideas
Bounce ideas (off somebody)/(around): To tell somebody your ideas in order to find out what they think about them
He bounced ideas off colleagues everywhere he went.
computing
Bounce (something) (back): If an email bounces or the system bounces it, it returns to the person who sent it because the system cannot deliver it
I tried to send her an email but it bounced.
The system automatically bounces emails which contain attachments.
make somebody leave
Bounce somebody (from something) (informal, especially North American English): To force somebody to leave a job, team, place, etc.
He was soon bounced from the post.
Serve
(V.)
in sport (in tennis, etc.) To start playing by throwing the ball into the air and hitting it Who's serving? •serve something She served an ace.
Volley
(V.)
volley (something) (in some sports, for example tennis or football (soccer )): To hit or kick the ball before it touches the ground
He volleyed the ball into the back of the net.
Rival
(N.)
rival (to somebody/something) (for something): A person, company or thing that competes with another in sport, business, etc.
The two teams have always been rivals.
The Japanese are our biggest economic rivals.
This latest design has no rivals (= it is easily the best design available).
Competitor
(N.)
A person or an organization that competes against others, especially in business
our main/major competitor
We produce cheaper goods than our competitors.
A person who takes part in a competition
Over 200 competitors entered the race.
Bowling
(N.)
A game in which players roll heavy balls (called bowls ) along a special track towards a group of pins (= bottle-shaped objects) and try to knock over as many of them as possible
(in cricket) The action of the bowler in throwing the ball towards the batsman
a brilliant display of fast bowling
Snooker
(N.)
A game for two people played on a long table covered with green cloth. Players use cues (= long sticks) to hit a white ball against other balls (15 red and 6 of other colours) in order to get the coloured balls into pockets at the edge of the table, in a particular set order.
to play snooker
a game of snooker
a snooker hall/player/table, etc.
The ex-miner stunned the snooker world by winning his first tournament.
We played a couple of frames of snooker in the evening.
A position in snooker in which one player has made it very difficult for the opponent to play a shot within the rules
Drain
(N.)
A pipe that carries away dirty water or other liquid waste
We had to call in a plumber to unblock the drain.
The drains (= the system of pipes) date from the beginning of the century.
(British English) A frame of metal bars over the opening to a drain in the ground
(BrE: plughole) A hole in a bath/ bathtub, sink, etc. where the water flows away and into which a plug fits
A drain on somebody/something: A thing that uses a lot of the time, money, etc. that could be used for something else
Military spending is a huge drain on the country’s resources.
Trunk
(N.)
The thick main stem of a tree, that the branches grow from
(BrE: Boot) The space at the back of a car that you put bags, cases, etc. in
The long nose of an elephant
Trunks [plural] = Swimming Trunks
A large strong box with a lid used for storing or transporting clothes, books, etc.
The main part of the human body apart from the head, arms and legs
Lorry
(N.)
(pl. lorries)
(also truck)
Types of vehicle
A large vehicle for carrying heavy loads by road
a lorry driver
Emergency food supplies were brought in by lorry.
a lorry load of frozen fish
Course
(N.)
for races
An area of land or water where races are held
She was overtaken on the last stretch of the course.
Astronaut
(N.)
A person whose job involves travelling and working in a spacecraft
sending astronauts into space
Shuttle
(N.)
A plane, bus or train that travels regularly between two places
a shuttle service between London and Edinburgh
I’m flying to Boston on the shuttle.
Space shuttle
A pointed tool used in making cloth to pull a thread backwards and forwards over the other threads that pass along the length of the cloth
the Shuttle: a train service that takes cars and their passengers through the Channel Tunnel between England and France
Pitch
(N.)
for sport
An area of ground specially prepared and marked for playing a sports game
a football/cricket/rugby pitch
The rugby tour was a disaster both on and off the pitch.
After the game fans invaded the pitch.
of sound
How high or low a sound is, especially a musical note
A basic sense of rhythm and pitch is essential in a music teacher.
degree/strength
The degree or strength of a feeling or activity; the highest point of something
a frenetic pitch of activity
Speculation has reached such a pitch that a decision will have to be made immediately.
to sell something
Talk or arguments used by a person trying to sell things or persuade people to do something
an aggressive sales pitch
the candidate’s campaign pitch
Each company was given ten minutes to make its pitch.
in baseball
An act of throwing the ball; the way in which it is thrown
black substance
A black sticky substance made from oil or coal, used on roofs or the wooden boards of a ship to stop water from coming through
in street/market
A place in a street or market where somebody sells things, or where a street entertainer usually performs
of ship/aircraft
(specialist) The movement of a ship up and down in the water or of an aircraft in the air
of roof
(specialist) The degree to which a roof slopes
Goal
(N.)
(in sports) A frame with a net into which players must kick or hit the ball in order to score a point
He headed the ball into an open goal (= one that had nobody defending it).
Who is in goal (= is the goalkeeper) for Arsenal?
The act of kicking or hitting the ball into the goal; a point that is scored for this
The winning goal was scored by Hill.
Liverpool won by three goals to one.
United conceded two goals in the first half.
a penalty goal
Something that you hope to achieve
synonym aim
to work towards a goal
to achieve/attain a goal
You need to set yourself some long-term goals.
Our ultimate goal must be the preservation of the environment.
Their goal was to eradicate malaria.
Nil
(N.)
The number 0, especially as the score in some games
synonym zero
Newcastle beat Leeds four nil/by four goals to nil.
Nothing
The doctors rated her chances as nil (= there was no chance).
Rugby
(N.)
(also rugby football)
A game played by two teams of 13 or 15 players, using an oval ball which may be kicked or carried. Teams try to put the ball over the other team’s line.
Named after Rugby school, where the game was first played.
Rink
(N.)
Ice rink: A specially prepared flat surface of ice, where you can ice-skate; a building where there is an ice rink
Skating rink: The road was like a skating rink (= covered with ice and easy to slide on).
We spent the afternoon at the skating rink.
An area or a building where you can roller skate
Stick
(N.)
from tree
A thin piece of wood that has fallen or been broken from a tree
We collected dry sticks to start a fire.
Her arms and legs were like sticks (= very thin).
for walking
Walking stick
The old lady leant on her stick as she talked.
in sport
A long thin object that is used in some sports to hit or control the ball
a hockey stick
long thin piece
(often in compounds) A long thin piece of something
a stick of dynamite
carrot sticks
(often in compounds) A thin piece of wood or plastic that you use for a particular purpose
pieces of pineapple on sticks
The men were carrying spades and measuring sticks.
of glue, etc.
A quantity of a substance, such as solid glue, that is sold in a small container with round ends and straight sides, and can be pushed further out of the container as it is used
see also lipstick
in plane/vehicle
(informal, AmE) The control stick of a plane
see also joystick
(informal, AmE) A handle used to change the gears of a vehicle
see also gear lever, stick shift
for orchestra
A baton, used by the person who conducts an orchestra
criticism
(BrE, informal)
Criticism or severe words
The referee got a lot of stick from the home fans.
country areas
The sticks [plural] (informal, usually disapproving): country areas, a long way from cities
We live out in the sticks.
person
(old-fashioned, BrE, informal): A person
He’s not such a bad old stick.
Puck
(N.)
A hard flat rubber disc that is used as a ball in ice hockey
(computing) A pointing device that looks like a computer mouse and is used to control the movement of the cursor on a computer screen
Net
(N.)
A type of material that is made of string, thread or wire twisted or tied together, with small spaces in between
net curtains
(especially in compounds) A piece of net used for a particular purpose, such as catching fish or covering something
fishing nets
a mosquito net (= used to protect you from mosquitoes)
the net [singular] (in sports): the frame covered in net that forms the goal
to kick the ball into the/ back of the net
the net [singular] (in tennis, etc.): The piece of net between the two players that the ball goes over
She hit her second serve straight into the net.
the Net (also the net) (informal) = Internet
Racket
(N.)
(informal) A loud unpleasant noise
synonym din
Stop making that terrible racket!
(informal) A dishonest or illegal way of getting money
a protection/an extortion/a drugs, etc. racket
(also racquet) A piece of sports equipment used for hitting the ball, etc. in the games of tennis, squash or badminton. It has an oval frame, with strings stretched across and down it.
rackets, racquets [uncountable]: A game for two or four people, similar to squash, played with rackets and a small hard ball in a court with four walls
Basket
(N.)
A container for holding or carrying things. Baskets are made of thin strips of material that bends and twists easily, for example plastic, wire or wicker.
a shopping basket
a picnic basket
a clothes/laundry basket (= in which dirty clothes are put before being washed)
a wicker/wire basket
a cat/dog basket (= in which a cat or dog sleeps or is carried around)
The amount contained in a basket
a basket of fruit
(also cart, shopping cart both especially North American English) A facility on a website that records the items that you select to buy
Click to drop items into your shopping basket.
82 per cent of shoppers have abandoned an online shopping basket in the last year.
The net and the metal ring it hangs from, high up at each end of a basketball court; a point that is scored by throwing the ball through this net
to make/shoot a basket
A number of different goods or currencies
the value of the rupee against a basket of currencies
Draw
(V.)
game To finish a game without either team winning England and France drew. England and France drew 3–3. •draw with/against somebody England drew with/against France. •draw something England drew their game against France.
Glossary
(N.)
(pl. glossaries)
A list of technical or special words, especially those in a particular text, explaining their meanings
a glossary of financial terms
She has compiled a glossary of horse-riding terms.
The book includes a useful glossary of the technical terms used.
Lead
(N.)
first place
The lead [singular]: The position ahead of everyone else in a race or competition
She took the lead in the second lap.
He has gone into the lead.
The Democrats now appear to be in the lead.
•to hold/lose the lead
The lead car is now three minutes ahead of the rest of the field.
lead (over somebody/something): The amount or distance that somebody/something is in front of somebody/something else synonym advantage
He managed to hold a lead of two seconds over his closest rival.
The polls have given Labour a five-point lead.
a commanding/comfortable lead
to increase/widen your lead
Manchester lost their early two-goal lead.
example
An example or action for people to copy
If one bank raises interest rates, all the others will follow their lead.
If we take the lead in this (= start to act), others may follow.
You go first, I’ll take my lead from you.
information
A piece of information that may help to find out the truth or facts about a situation, especially a crime
synonym clue
The police will follow up all possible leads.
in business
A person or thing that may be useful to you, especially a possible new customer or business opportunity
The marketing campaign generated hundreds of new leads.
actor/musician
The main part in a play, film/movie, etc.; the person who plays this part
Who is playing the lead?
the male/female lead
a lead role
The lead singer in a band
news
The most important news story, given first in a newspaper or broadcast
The story is the lead in today’s ‘Times’.
It was the lead story on the TV news.
for dog
A long piece of leather, chain or rope used for holding and controlling a dog
Dogs must be kept on a lead in the park.
for electricity (British English) A long piece of wire, usually covered in plastic, that is used to connect a piece of electrical equipment to a source of electricity
Half-time
(N.)
A period or rest between the first and second half
A short period between the two halves of a sports game during which the players rest
The score at half-time was two all.
the half-time score
First half/Second half
(N.)
The game is in two halves, each half is 45 minutes long
Referee
(N.)
(informal: ref) The official who controls the game in some sports
He was sent off for arguing with the referee.
(BrE) A person who gives information about your character and ability, usually in a letter, for example when you are applying for a job
The principal often acts as a referee for his students.
A person who is asked to settle a disagreement
to act as a referee between the parties involved
A person who reads and checks the quality of a technical article before it is published
Umpire
(N.)
(also AmE, informal ump) (in sports such as tennis and baseball) A person whose job is to watch a game and make sure that rules are not broken
The umpire’s decision is final.
Taylor was given out by the umpire.
Linesman
(N.)
An official who helps the referee in some games that are played on a field or court, especially in deciding whether or where a ball crosses one of the lines. Linesmen are now officially called referee’s assistants in football (soccer ).
(BrE) (AmE lineman) A person whose job is to repair telephone or electricity power lines
Coach
(N.)
A person who trains a person or team in sport
a basketball/football/tennis, etc. coach
Italy’s national coach
(BrE) A person who gives private lessons to somebody, often to prepare them for an exam
a maths coach
life coach
A comfortable bus for carrying passengers over long distances
They went to Italy on a coach tour.
Travel is by coach overnight to Berlin.
a coach station (= where coaches start and end their journey)
a coach party (= a group of people travelling together on a coach)
(BrE) = carriage
a railway coach
A large closed vehicle with four wheels, pulled by horses, used in the past for carrying passengers
(AmE) The cheapest seats in a plane
to fly coach
coach fares/passengers/seats
Spectator
(N.)
A person who is watching an event, especially a sports event
Commentator
(N.)
Commentator (on something)
People in radio, TV people, People in publishing
A person who is an expert on a particular subject and talks or writes about it on television or radio, or in a newspaper
a political commentator
A person who describes an event while it is happening, especially on television or radio
a television/sports commentator
Racing driver
(N.)
A person who drives racing cars as a profession
Circuit
(N.)
A line, route or journey around a place
The race ended with eight laps of a city centre circuit.
The earth takes a year to make a circuit of (= go around) the sun.
The complete path of wires and equipment along which an electric current flows
an electrical circuit
a circuit diagram (= one showing all the connections in the different parts of the circuit)
(in sport) A series of games or matches in which the same players regularly take part
the women’s tennis circuit
A track for cars or motorcycles to race around
A series of places or events of a particular kind at which the same people appear or take part
the lecture/cabaret circuit
A regular journey made by a judge to hear court cases in each of the courts of law in a particular area
a circuit court/judge
Lap
(N.)
The top part of your legs that forms a flat surface when you are sitting down
There’s only one seat so you’ll have to sit on my lap.
She sat with her hands in her lap.
One journey from the beginning to the end of a track used for running, etc.
the fastest lap on record
She has completed six laps.
He was overtaken on the final lap.
to do a lap of honour (= go around the track again to celebrate winning)
(AmE) to do a victory lap
A section of a journey, or of a piece of work, etc.
They’re off on the first lap of their round-the-world tour.
We’ve nearly finished. We’re on the last lap.
Court
(N.) for sport A place where games such as tennis are played a tennis/squash/badminton court He won after only 52 minutes on court.
Clay
(N.)
A type of heavy, sticky earth that becomes hard when it is baked and is used to make things such as pots and bricks
خاک رس
Defeat
(V.)
Defeat somebody/something: To win against somebody in a war, competition, sports game, etc. synonym beat
He defeated the champion in three sets.
a defeated army
The government was defeated by 200 votes to 83.
Defeat something: To stop something from being successful
The motion was defeated by 19 votes.
Staying late at the office to discuss shorter working hours rather defeats the object of the exercise!
defeat somebody (formal): If something defeats you, you cannot understand it The instruction manual completely defeated me.
Defeat
(N.)
Failure to win or to be successful
The party faces defeat in the election.
a narrow/heavy defeat
The world champion has only had two defeats in 20 fights.
They finally had to admit defeat (= stop trying to be successful).
The act of winning a victory over somebody/something
the defeat of fascism
One-sided
(Adj)
(disapproving) (of an argument, opinion, etc.) Showing only one side of the situation; not balanced
synonym biased
The press were accused of presenting a very one-sided picture of the issue.
(of a competition or a relationship) Involving people who have different abilities; involving one person more than another
a totally one-sided match
a one-sided conversation (= in which one person talks most of the time)
Contest
(N.) A competition in which people try to win something a singing contest a talent contest to enter/win/lose a contest
Contest (for something): A struggle to gain control or power
a contest for the leadership of the party
Semi-final
(N.)
One of the two games or parts of a sports competition that are held to decide who will compete in the last part (the final )
He’s through to the semi-final of the men’s singles.
Outsider
(N.)
A person who is not accepted as a member of a society, group, etc.
Here she felt she would always be an outsider.
A person who is not part of a particular organization or profession
They have decided to hire outsiders for some of the key positions.
To an outsider it may appear to be a glamorous job.
A person or an animal taking part in a race or competition that is not expected to win
The race was won by a 20–1 outsider.
To everyone’s surprise, the post went to a rank outsider (= a complete outsider).
Tremendous
(Adj.) Very great synonym huge a tremendous explosion A tremendous amount of work has gone into the project.
Extremely good synonym remarkable
It was a tremendous experience
Sail
(N.)
A sheet of strong cloth which the wind blows against to make a boat or ship travel through the water
As the boat moved down the river the wind began to fill the sails.
a ship under sail (= using sails)
in the days of sail (= when ships all used sails)
She moved away like a ship in full sail (= with all its sails spread out).
The vessel can be propelled by oars or sail (= sails).
A trip in a boat or ship
We went for a sail.
a two-hour sail across the bay
A set of boards attached to the arm of a windmill
Scenery
(N.)
The natural features of an area, such as mountains, valleys, rivers and forests, when you are thinking about them being attractive to look at
The scenery is magnificent.
to enjoy the scenery
The painted background that is used to represent natural features or buildings on a theatre stage
Landscape
(N.)
Everything you can see when you look across a large area of land, especially in the country
the bleak/rugged/dramatic, etc. landscape of the area
the woods and fields that are typical features of the English landscape
an urban/industrial landscape
(figurative) We can expect changes in the political landscape.
A painting of a view of the countryside; this style of painting
an artist famous for his landscapes
She specializes in landscapes.
(specialist) The way of printing a document in which the top of the page is one of the longer sides
Select the landscape option when printing the file.
Heritage
(N.)
The history, traditions and qualities that a country or society has had for many years and that are considered an important part of its character
Spain’s rich cultural heritage
The building is part of our national heritage.
(in compounds) Used to describe a traditional product, brand, breed of animal or plant variety, especially one that is old-fashioned, rare and of high quality
Cotswold sheep are considered a heritage breed in Canada.
Heritage carrots are not always orange in colour.
They work with some of Britain’s oldest heritage brands, including Jaguar, Harrods and the BBC.
Extinct
(Adj.)
(of a type of plant, animal, etc.) No longer in existence
an extinct species
to become extinct
The red squirrel is in danger of becoming extinct in England.
the fossilised remains of extinct animals
The numbers of these animals have been falling steadily and they are now almost extinct.
The species was presumed extinct.
(of a type of person, job or way of life) No longer in existence in society
Servants are now almost extinct in modern society.
(of a volcano) No longer active
Crap
(N.) Nonsense He's so full of crap. Let's cut the crap and get down to business. (BrE) You're talking a load of crap! (AmE) What a bunch of crap!
Something of bad quality
This work is complete crap.
(BrE) Her latest film is a load of crap.
(AmE) Her latest movie is a bunch of crap.
I won’t put up with any old crap.
(More acceptable words are rubbish, garbage, trash or junk.)
Criticism or unfair treatment
I’m not going to take this crap any more.
Solid waste matter from the bowels
synonym excrement
An act of emptying solid waste matter from the bowels
to have a crap
Bun
(N.)
A small round sweet cake
an iced bun
A small round flat bread roll
a hamburger bun
Long hair that has been twisted into a round shape and is worn on top or at the back of the head
She wore her hair in a bun.
She pulled her hair back into a messy bun.
a woman with her hair in a loose bun
buns [plural] (slang, AmE) The two sides of a person’s bottom
Alike
(Adj.) Very similar My sister and I do not look alike. Airports are all alike to me. Though John and Andrew look exactly alike, they act quite differently.
(Adv.)
In a very similar way
They tried to treat all their children alike.
Used after you have referred to two people or groups, to mean ‘both’ or ‘equally’
Good management benefits employers and employees alike
Javanese
(N.)
The Indonesian language of central Java
اهل جزیره جاوه
Malaysian
(N.)
(a person) From Malaysia
Meleys
Lemur
(N.)
Wild mammals
An animal like a monkey, with thick fur and a long tail, that lives in trees in Madagascar
Rafting
(N.)
The sport or activity of travelling down a river on a raft
We went white-water rafting on the Colorado River.
Dwarf
(N.)
(pl. dwarfs, dwarves)
Body shape
(in stories) A creature like a small man, who has magic powers and who is usually described as living and working under the ground, especially working with metal
(sometimes offensive) An extremely small person, who will never grow to a normal size because of a physical problem; a person suffering from dwarfism
Loaf
(N.)
(pl. loaves)
An amount of bread that has been shaped and baked in one piece
a loaf of bread
Two white loaves, please.
a sliced loaf
Remove the crusts from a small sliced loaf.
Axis
(N.)
(pl. axes)
An imaginary line through the centre of an object, around which the object turns
Mars takes longer to revolve on its axis than the Earth.
the earth’s axis of rotation
(specialist) A fixed line against which the positions of points are measured, especially points on a graph
the vertical/horizontal axis
The real wage is measured along the horizontal axis and the quantity of labour is measured along the vertical axis.
The main road is on a north-south axis.
the speed is measured along the horizontal axis
(geometry) A line that divides a shape into two equal parts
an axis of symmetry
The axis of a circle is its diameter.
[usually singular] (formal) An agreement or alliance between two or more countries
the Franco-German axis
Basis
(N.)
(pl. bases)
[singular] The reason why people take a particular action
She was chosen for the job on the basis of her qualifications.
Some movies have been banned on the basis that they are too violent.
[singular] The way things are organized or arranged
on a regular/permanent/part-time/temporary basis
on a daily/day-to-day/weekly basis
[countable, usually singular, uncountable] The important facts, ideas or events that support something and that it can develop from
The basis of a good marriage is trust.
This article will form the basis for our discussion.
The theory seems to have no basis in fact.
Crisis
(N.)
(pl. crises)
A time of great danger, difficulty or confusion when problems must be solved or important decisions must be made
a political/financial crisis
the government’s latest economic crisis
The business is still in crisis but it has survived the worst of the recession.
The Labour Party was facing an identity crisis.
an expert in crisis management
We provide help to families in crisis situations.
In times of crisis I know which friends I can turn to.
The party was suffering a crisis of confidence among its supporters (= they did not trust it any longer).
A time when a problem, a bad situation or an illness is at its worst point
Their marriage has reached crisis point.
The fever has passed its crisis.
Emphasis
(N.)
(pl. emphases)
Special importance that is given to something synonym stress
•emphasis (on/upon something)
The emphasis is very much on learning the spoken language.
•to put/lay/place emphasis on something
Increased emphasis is now being placed on corporate image.
The extra force given to a word or phrase when spoken, especially in order to show that it is important; a way of writing a word (for example drawing a line underneath it) to show that it is important synonym stress
‘I can assure you,’ she added with emphasis, ‘the figures are correct.’
Criterion
(N.)
(pl. criteria)
A standard or principle by which something is judged, or with the help of which a decision is made
The main criterion is value for money.
What criteria are used for assessing a student’s ability?
Curriculum
(N.) (pl. curricula, curriculums) Subjects and courses the subjects that are included in a course of study or taught in a school, college, etc. the school curriculum (BrE) Spanish is on the curriculum. (AmE) Spanish is in the curriculum.
Phenomenon
(N.)
(pl. phenomena)
A fact or an event in nature or society, especially one that is not fully understood
cultural/natural/social phenomena
Globalization is a phenomenon of the 21st century.
Early retirement is a relatively new phenomenon in Britain.
((AmE)phenomenons) A person or thing that is very successful or impressive
Stimulus
(N.)
(pl. stimuli)
stimulus (to/for something) | stimulus (to do something)
[usually singular] Something that helps somebody/something to develop better or more quickly
Books provide children with ideas and a stimulus for play.
The new tax laws should act as a stimulus to exports.
Something that produces a reaction in a human, an animal or a plant
sensory/verbal/visual stimuli
The animals were conditioned to respond to auditory stimuli (= sounds).
Deer
(N.) (pl. deer) Wild mammals An animal with long legs, that eats grass, leaves, etc. and can run fast. Most male deer have antlers (= horns shaped like branches). There are many types of deer. a herd of deer a deer park
Means
(N.)
(pl. means)
Means (of something/of doing something): An action, an object or a system by which a result is achieved; a way of achieving or doing something
Television is an effective means of communication.
Is there any means of contacting him?
Have you any means of identification?
We needed to get to London but we had no means of transport.
[plural] The money that a person has
People should pay according to their means.
He doesn’t have the means to support a wife and child.
Private school fees are beyond the means of most people(= more than they can afford).
Are the monthly repayments within your means (= can you afford them)?
Try to live within your means(= not spend more money than you have).
a man of means (= a rich man)
Series
(N.)
(pl. series)
[countable, usually singular] Series of something: Several events or things of a similar kind that happen one after the other
The incident sparked off a whole series of events that nobody had foreseen.
the latest in a series of articles on the nature of modern society
The movie consisted of a series of flashbacks.
[countable] A set of radio or television programmes that deal with the same subject or that have the same characters
The first episode of the new series is on Saturday.
[countable] (sport) A set of sports games played between the same two teams
the World Series (= in baseball)
England have lost the Test series (= of cricket matches) against India.
[uncountable, countable] (specialist) An electrical circuit in which the current passes through all the parts in the correct order
batteries connected in series
a series circuit
Louse
(N.)
(pl. lice)
A small insect that lives on the bodies of humans and animals
head lice
(louses) (informal, disapproving)
A very unpleasant person
Steve had let her down; she should never have trusted the louse.
Ox
(N.)
(pl. oxen)
A bull (= a male cow) that has been castrated (= had part of its sex organs removed), used, especially in the past, for pulling farm equipment,
(old-fashioned) Any cow or bull on a farm
Platypus
(N.)
An Australian animal that is covered in fur and has a beak like a duck, webbed feet (= with skin between the toes) and a flat tail. Platypuses lay eggs but give milk to their young.
Dingo
(N.)
(pl. dingoes)
Wild mammals
a wild Australian dog
Water buffalo
(N.)
(pl. water buffalo, water buffaloes)
Wild mammals
A large Asian animal of the cow family, used for pulling vehicles and farm equipment in tropical countries
گاو میش اهلی شده
Introduce
(V.)
people
To tell two or more people who have not met before what each other’s names are; to tell somebody what your name is
•introduce somebody
Can I introduce my wife?
•introduce A to B (as something)
He introduced me to a Greek girl at the party.
She was introduced to me as a well-known novelist.
•introduce A and B
We’ve already been introduced.
•introduce yourself (to somebody)
Can I introduce myself? I’m Helen Robins.
‘Kay, this is Steve.’ ‘Yes, I know—we’ve already introduced ourselves.’
TV/radio show
Introduce somebody/something: To be the main speaker in a television or radio show, who gives details about the show and who presents the people who are in it; to tell the audience the name of the person who is going to speak or perform
The next programme will be introduced by Mary David.
May I introduce my first guest on the show tonight…
new experience
to make somebody learn about something or do something for the first time
The first lecture introduces students to the main topics of the course.
He was first introduced to drugs by his elder brother.
It was she who first introduced the pleasures of sailing to me.
new product/law
To make something available for use, discussion, etc. for the first time
synonym bring somebody/somethingin
The company is introducing a new range of products this year.
The new law was introduced in 2007.
We want to introduce the latest technology into schools.
plant/animal/disease
To bring a plant, an animal or a disease to a place for the first time
Vegetation patterns changed when goats were introduced to the island.
start
To be the start of something new
Bands from London introduced the craze for this kind of music.
A slow theme introduces the first movement.
in parliament
To formally present a new law so that it can be discussed
to introduce a bill (before Parliament)
add
(formal) To put something into something
Particles of glass had been introduced into the baby food.
Continent
(N.)
One of the large land masses of the earth such as Europe, Asia or Africa
the continent of Africa
the African continent
the Continent [singular] (British English) The main part of the continent of Europe, not including Britain or Ireland
We’re going to spend a weekend on the Continent.
Evolve
(V.)
To develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complicated form; to develop something in this way
•evolve (from something) (into something)
The idea evolved from a drawing I discovered in the attic.
The company has evolved into a major chemical manufacturer.
•evolve something (from something)
Each school must evolve its own way of working.
(biology) (of plants, animals, etc.) To develop over time, often many generations, into forms that are better adapted to survive changes in their environment
•evolve (from something)
The three species evolved from a single ancestor.
•evolve something
The dolphin has evolved a highly developed jaw.
Aboriginal
(N.)
(also Aboriginal)
A member of a race of people who were the original people living in a country, especially Australia
Dune
(N.)
A small hill of sand formed by the wind, near the sea or in a desert
Sunbathe
(V.)
To sit or lie in the sun, especially in order to go brown (get a suntan)
We spent the day sunbathing and swimming.
Inland
(Adj.)
[usually before noun] Located in or near the middle of a country, not near the edge or on the coast
inland areas
inland lakes
Business is booming in both inland and coastal resorts.
Satellite
(N.)
An electronic device that is sent into space and moves around the earth or another planet. It is used for communicating by radio, television, etc. and for providing information.
a weather/communications satellite
The interview came live by satellite from Hollywood.
satellite television/TV (= broadcast using a satellite)
a satellite broadcast/channel/picture
The information was sent via a satellite link.
A natural object that moves around a larger natural object in space
The moon is a satellite of earth.
A town, a country or an organization that is controlled by and depends on another larger or more powerful one
satellite states
Rocket
(N.)
A spacecraft in the shape of a tube that is driven by a stream of gases let out behind it when fuel is burned inside
a space rocket
The rocket was launched in 2007.
The idea took off like a rocket (= it immediately became popular).
A missile (= a weapon that travels through the air) that carries a bomb and is driven by a stream of burning gases a rocket attack
A firework that goes high into the air and then explodes with coloured lights
(BrE) (AmE arugula) A plant with long green leaves that have a strong flavour and are eaten raw in salads
Far-fetched
(Adj.)
Very difficult to believe
The whole story sounds very far-fetched.
Roughly
(Adv.)
Approximately but not exactly
Sales are up by roughly 10%.
We live roughly halfway between here and the coast.
They all left at roughly the same time.
Roughly speaking, we receive about fifty letters a week on the subject.
Using force or not being careful and gentle
He pushed her roughly out of the way.
‘What do you want?’ she demanded roughly.
In a way that does not leave a smooth surface
roughly plastered walls
Improbable
(Adj.) Not likely to be true or to happen synonym unlikely an improbable story It all sounded highly improbable. •improbable that… It seems improbable that the current situation will continue. •opposite probable
Seeming strange because it is not what you would expect synonym unexpected
Her hair was an improbable shade of yellow.
Explore
(V.)
To travel to or around an area or a country in order to learn about it
•explore something (for something)
The city is best explored on foot.
They explored the land to the south of the Murray River.
•explore (for something)
As soon as we arrived on the island we were eager to explore.
companies exploring for (= searching for) oil
Explore something: To examine something completely or carefully in order to find out more about it
synonym analyse
These ideas will be explored in more detail in chapter 7.
Explore something: To feel something with your hands or another part of the body
She explored the sand with her toes.
Carry out
(Phrasal Verb)
carry something out
To do something that you have said you will do or have been asked to do
to carry out a promise/a threat/a plan/an order
To do and complete a task
to carry out an inquiry/an investigation/a survey
Extensive tests have been carried out on the patient.
Flow
(N.)
continuous movement
Flow (of something/somebody): The steady and continuous movement of something/somebody in one direction
She tried to stop the flow of blood from the wound.
an endless flow of refugees into the country
to improve traffic flow (= make it move faster)
to control the direction of flow
production/supply
Flow (of something): The continuous production or supply of something
the flow of goods and services to remote areas
to encourage the free flow of information
data flow
of speech/writing
Continuous talk by somebody
You’ve interrupted my flow—I can’t remember what I was saying.
As usual, Tom was in full flow.
Flow of something the way that words and ideas are linked together in speech or writing
Too many examples can interrupt the smooth flow of the text.
I found it hard to follow the flow of the argument.
of the sea
The movement of the sea towards the land
the ebb and flow of the tide
Shallow
(Adj.)
Not having much distance between the top or surface and the bottom
a shallow dish
They were playing in the shallow end (= of the swimming pool).
These fish are found in shallow waters around the coast.
The body was found in a shallow grave.
shallow roots (= that grow near the surface of the ground)
•opposite deep
(disapproving) (of a person, an idea, a comment, etc.) Not showing serious thought, feelings, etc. about something •synonym superficial
This shows how shallow their commitment to the environment really is.
Shallow breathing involves taking in only a small amount of air each time
