Vocabulary Flashcards
(7 cards)
*Vocabulary
Strike
strike (v.) = hit hard
-The car went out of control and struck a tree.
This can be physical impact, or it can be when a sudden thought or emotion “hits” your mind:
I was struck by the realization that all my effort was futile.
strike (n./v.) = when workers stop working to protest for better conditions
-The factory workers are on strike. (or: are striking)
-The strike lasted three weeks.
strike (n.) = A military attack
-The air strike caused heavy damage to the city.
Finally, in the sport of bowling
– when you knock down all the pins in a single try, that is also called a strike!
1-Ten years ago, I was on strike. The union had predicted that the company wouldn’t be able to work without us and that the strike would last a maximum of five days. It lasted four months! Yes, we made gains, but we lost more than we gained. Yes, strikes are an effective way of changing things, but you have to be prepared to make sacrifices for things to change.
*Vocabulary
Fair
fair (adj.) = Right according to rules or ethics.
-That company pays fair wages.
fair (n.) = A festival or outdoor market
-The kids rode the carousel and had cotton candy at the fair.
-I love reading, so every year I go to the book fair in my town.
fair (adj.) = Light skin or hair
-She’s quite fair, so she always wears sunscreen.
fair (adj.) = OK, middle-quality
-The student’s performance was fair.
1-The rights of women and men are not fair in many parts of the world.
2-I love reading, so every year I go to the book fair in my town.
*Vocabulary
Jam
jam (n.) = A spread made with preserved fruit
-Do you want some strawberry jam on your toast?
jam (v.) = Squeeze into a tight space
-I tried to jam all 10 books into my backpack.
jam (v./n.) = Become stuck or stopped
-There’s a paper jam in the printer.
-We were delayed because of a traffic jam.
jam (v./n.)= When musicians gather to play music informally
-A few of us with guitars were jamming all night.
1-Last summer we went on vacation and the trip was supposed to be a 6 hour drive. In the end, it lasted 9 hours because we were stuck in a traffic jam!
2-I recently bought a new handbag that is smaller than my old one. Every morning I struggle to jam all my things in there.
3-I rarely eat jam, I’m not a fan of it.
*Vocabulary
Game
game (n.) = An activity providing amusement
-The kids played games at the arcade.
This can be video games, card games, board games, or a physical activity like tag, hide and seek, etc.
game (n.) = A sporting event
-My basketball team lost the game 90 to 75.
game (n./v.) = Tricky or manipulative behavior
-Enough of your games – I need a straight answer.
-We have the expression “game the system” which is to manipulate the rules dishonestly for personal gain – like the president of a non-profit organization who uses the organization’s tax-exempt status to get a huge salary for himself.
game (adj.) – Informal: Ready and willing
-“Want to go for a hike this afternoon?”
- “Yeah, I’m game.”
You can also say “game for… (the activity)”:
– “Are you game for a swim?”
1-When I was young, I loved playing board games and I still do. My daughters also love board games, so when we have a family party, we always play.
2-I’m not fond of watching sports games, I think the last time I saw a game was my niece’s soccer game two years ago.
3-Sometimes young people do silly things when they challenge each other by saying “You’re not game to do that!”
*Vocabulary
Board
board (n.) = A long, flat piece of wood
-We need to fix the deck; some of the boards are coming loose.
board (n.) = A flat surface for working on, playing a game, or riding
- Ex. cutting board, chess board, surfboard, skateboard
board (n.) = A group of people who officially administer an organization
-Ex. a board of directors, a board of trustees
board (v.) = Action of getting onto a plane, train, or ship
-The passengers are currently boarding the plane.
The expression “on board” has a double meaning:
– to already be on a plane/train/ship
– to be ready and willing to participate, or in agreement: The team is on board with the plan for the marketing campaign.
- I have never been on a skateboard, surfboard, or snowboard, but I tried a paddle board last summer and I love it.
- I’m the kind of person who always arrives too early. If I board the train at the last minute, I feel like I’m forgetting something and I feel bad.
- Yesterday I suggested going for a hike, but my husband was not on board with my idea because the weather forecast was predicting rain.
*Vocabulary
Bar
bar (n.) = A long, straight, round piece of metal
* There were bars on the window of the jail cell.
It’s also used for “monkey bars” (a set of horizontal bars where children swing from one to another) and in gymnastics we have the “parallel bars” – at the same height – and “uneven bars” – where one is higher than the other)
bar (n.) = A “block” of soap or chocolate
* She gave each of the children a chocolate bar.
bar (n.) = A place or a counter at which drinks, especially alcoholic ones, are served
* Let’s grab cocktails at the bar.
bar (v.) = Block, prohibit, prevent, exclude
* He was barred from driving after failing the vision test.
bar (n.) = a standard or expectation (especially in the expressions raise/lower the bar, or set a high/low bar)
* The previous leader’s performance set a high bar for her successor.
the bar (n.) = the legal profession as an institution, most commonly in the phrase “the bar exam” – a test that a lawyer must pass in order to practice their profession legally.
1-When I was young, I loved playing limbo; dance where you have to pass under a bar, leaning backward, without touching the bar or the floor.
2-I like to go to a quiet bar with friends from time to time. I usually order a beer, because alcoholic drinks (with vodka, rum, etc.) give me an instant headache.
3-Driving with a cell phone in your hand should be barred everywhere. (Is there a difference between bar and ban?)
4-The person who held my position before me, did it for 30 years and knew everything. She had set the bar very high, I was stressed about not being up to it.
*Vocabulary
Crash
crash (n./v.) = Hit violently with damage
* Another car ran a red light and crashed into mine.
crash (n.) = Sudden loud noise, as of something hitting and/or breaking
* The tower of blocks fell over with a crash.
crash (n./v.) = A sudden decrease, downturn, or failure
* Investors panicked during the stock market crash.
There’s also the expression “crash and burn” meaning to fail completely.
crash (v.) = Informal: fall asleep (often from exhaustion)
* I’ve been studying all night and I can’t keep my eyes open – I’m gonna crash soon.
crash with someone (v.) = Informal: Stay overnight at their house
* No need to get a hotel – you can crash with me for the week.
crash (a party) = Informal: Enter the party/event without an invitation
* We crashed a wedding reception at the hotel and danced all evening.
One final fun expression: A “crash course” in a topic is a quick and intense course of training/research. This month, you’re getting a crash course in words with multiple meanings!
1-I have already been involved in a car crash. I was waiting at a red light when suddenly a car struck mine. The damage amounted to $5000!
2-The last time I visited my daughter, we were in the living room and heard a crash in the kitchen. The cat knocked a glass onto the floor and it shattered.
3-Many restaurants crashed and burned during the pandemic!
4-Last Christmas we went to a family party 2 hours away from my house. We were supposed to sleep at a hotel, but we crashed with my cousin, she had a room available for us.
2 – I’d probably say “The cat knocked a glass onto the floor” (since “threw” has the connotation of grabbing with a hand and intentionally throwing)
