This document contains a list of words and their definitions for a 4th year spelling bee. Some of the words included are: asynchronous, accomplishment, awareness, agribusiness, applaud, and aquamarine. The words are grouped into categories A through G and range in difficulty.

1. 4Th year Spelling Bee
A
1. asynchronous: /eɪˈsɪŋkrənəs/
(adjective)
asynchronous computer processes h
appen at different times or rates.
E.g; The factory has two
asynchronous production lines with
end products paired in final
assembly and shipped to buyers.
2. accomplishment: /əˈkʌmplɪʃmənt/
(noun) something successful or
impressive that is achieved after a
lot of effort and hard work. E.g:
Cutting the budget was an
impressive accomplishment.
3. awareness: /əˈwernəs/ (noun)
knowledge or understanding of a
particular subject or situation. E.g;
There is a growing awareness of the
seriousness of this disease.
4. agribusiness: /ˈæɡrɪˌbɪznəs/ (noun)
the production and sale of farm
products, or a company involved in
this. E.g; All too often, agribusiness
is regulated from above.
5. applaud: /əˈplɒːd/ (noun) to hit
your open hands together, to show
that you have enjoyed a play,
concert, speaker etc. E.g; The
audience applauded loudly.
6. aquamarine: /ækwəməˈriːn/ (noun)
a greenish blue jewel, or the type of
stone it comes from. Eg; The
television screen became a rectangle
of icy aquamarine.
7. abide: /əˈbaɪd/ (verb) to bear
patiently. E.g; Agreement to abide
by the laws of the land is not enough.
8. accountability: /əˌkaʊntəˈbɪləti/
(noun) the fact of being responsible
for what you do and able to give a
satisfactory reason for it, or the
degree to which this happens. Eg;
There were furious demands for
greater police accountability.
9. antebellum: /æntiˈbeləm/
(adjective) existing before a war
especially: existing before the
American Civil War. E.g; The
antebellum South, both its beauty
and the disturbing legacy of human
bondage.
B
10. backwash: /bækwɑːʃ/ (noun) a
backward flow of water, caused by
an oar, wave etc. E.g; The backwash
dragged her off the beach into deep
waters.
11. blackout: /blækaʊt/ (noun) a period
of darkness caused by a failure of the
electricity supply. E.g; in 2017 the
country suffers from blackouts.
12. benevolent: /bəˈnevələnt/
(adjective) kind and generous. E.g:
a benelovent uncle paid for her to
have music lessons.
13. biochemistry: /ˌbaɪoʊˈkeməstri/
(noun) the scientific study of the
chemistry of living things. E.g:
applicants should be a degree in
biochemistry.
14. botching: /bɑːtʃin/ (verb) to do
something badly, because you have
been careless or because you do not
have the skill to do it properly. E.g;
he builders really botched up our
patio.
15. boggle: /bɑːɡəl/ (verb) to have
difficulty imagining or
understanding something. E.g; My
mind boggles at the amount of
money they spend on food.
16. betrayal: /bɪˈtreɪəl/ (adjective) when
you betray your country, friends, or
someone who trusts you. E.g; a

2. ruthless betrayal of their election
pledges.
17. braille: /breɪl/ (noun) a form of
printing for blind people, with raised
parts that they can read by touching
the paper with their fingers. E.g; The
lines of the images stand out from the
high quality Montval paper and are
accompanied by a braille text.
18. blueprint: /bluːˌprɪnt/ (noun) a plan
for achieving something. E.g;
blueprint for health-care reform.
19. behemoth: /bəˈhiːmɑːθ/ (noun)
something that is very large. E.g; a
trade behemoth that shipped abroad
$800 billion worth of goods.
20. behavior: /bɪˈheɪvjər/ (noun) the
things that a person or animal does.
E.g; It is important to reward good
behaviour.
C
21. calloused: /kæləst/ (adjective) if
feet or hands are calloused, they are
covered with hard areas of skin. E.g;
She had the calloused hands of
someone who had always worked
hard for a living.
22. caffeine: /kæˈfiːn/ (noun) a
substance in tea, coffee, and some
other drinks that makes you feel
more active. E.g: a caffeine-free
cola.
23. cinematography: /ˌsɪnəməˈtɑɡrəfi/
(noun) the skill or study of making
films. E.g: the cinematography is
beautiful, and the direction, by Mike
Baker is commanding.
24. citizenship: /sɪtəzənʃɪp/ (noun) the
legal right of belonging to a
particular country. E.g; I have
applied for French citizenship.
25. cistercian: /səˈsɜːrʃən/ (noun) a
monk (=member of an all-male
Christian religious group) belonging
to a group that started in France in
1098. E.g: The Cistercians follow
the rules of St Benedict, which
include little sleep, hard work, and
not eating, but they do this even
more strictly than the Benedictines.
26. conceptualize: /kənˈseptʃuəlaɪz/
(verb) to form an idea. E.g: How do
older people conceptualize their
health?
27. cut and dried: / kʌt ænd draɪd/
(adjective) a situation, decision,
result etc that is cut and dried cannot
now be changed. E.g; I don’t think
the plan is as cut and dried as people
think.
28. customize: /kʌstəmaɪz/ (verb) to
change something to make it more
suitable for you, or to make it look
special or different from things of a
similar type. E.g; Cruise lines work
with wedding planners to customize
ceremonies.
29. commune: / kəˈmjuːn/ (noun) a
group of people who live together
and who share the work and their
possessions. E.g; communes have
difficulty in coping with adolescent
children.
30. 14. comprehension:
/ˌkɑːmprɪˈhenʃən/ (noun) the ability
to understand something. E.g: the
research project will focus on
children’s comprehension.
31. compliance: /kəmˈplaɪəns/ (noun)
when someone obeys a rule,
agreement, or demand. E.g; He
changed his name to Lee in 1815 in
compliance with his uncle’s will.
32. countdown: /kaʊntdaʊn/ (noun) the
period of time before something

3. happens, such as a spacecraft being
launched, when someone counts
backwards until the event happens.
E.g; he countdown for Nordstrom's
Anniversary Sale is officially on.
33. coursebook /ˈkɔːrsbʊk/ (noun) a
book that students use regularly
during a set of lessons on a particular
subject. E.g: each coursebook
contains four tests.
34. cashier: /kæˈʃɪr/ (noun) someone
whose job is to receive or pay out
money in a shop. E.g; cashier
thought she recognized him as the
man who had done it.
35. clockwise: /klɑːkwaɪz/ (adverb) on
the same direction as the hands of a
clock move. E.g; Turn the dial
clockwise.
D
36. doughty: /daʊti/ (adjective) brave
and determined. E.g; Those doughty
editorial professionals at the Star
have once again helped us.
37. disproportionate:
/ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːrʃənət/ (noun) too much
or too little in relation to something
else. E.g: some fields get
disproportionate funds.
38. dwellings: /dwelɪŋ/ (noun) a house,
apartment etc where people live.
E.g; Various small dwellings
pressed against its sides like the
farrow of a sow.
39. delirious: /dɪˈlɪriəs/ (adjective)
talking continuously in an excited or
anxious way, especially because you
are ill. E.g; The patient was delirious
and had to be restrained.
40. downhill: /daʊnˈhɪl/ (adverb)
towards the bottom of a hill or
towards lower land. E.g; was going
downhill and my brakes failed.
41. dealmaker: /diːlˌmeɪkər/ (noun)
someone who is skilled at arranging
business deals. E.g; Frank Mayor is
considered to be one of the most
influential dealmakers in the City.
42. disyoke: /dɪsˈlɑːdʒ/ (verb) to force
or knock something out of its
position. E.g; Ian dislodged a few
stones as he climbed up the rock.
43. disadvantage: /ˌdɪsədˈvæntɪdʒ/
(noun) something that causes
problems, or that makes someone or
something less likely to be
successful or effective. Eg: the
disadvantage of the material is that
it fades in strong sunlight.
44. dungeon: /dʌndʒən/ (noun) a dark
underground prison, especially
under a castle, that was used in the
past. E.g; George will be thinking
I've been put in a dungeon.
45. debunker: /diːˈbʌŋk/ (verb) to
show that an idea or belief is false.
E.g; His claims were later debunked
by fellow academics.
46. disproportionate:
/ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːrʃənət/ (noun) too much
or too little in relation to something
else. E.g: some fields get
disproportionate funds.
47. disadvantage: /ˌdɪsədˈvæntɪdʒ/
(noun) something that causes
problems, or that makes someone or
something less likely to be
successful or effective. E.g: the
disadvantage of the material is that
it fades in strong sunlight.
E
48. easygoing: /iːziɡoʊɪŋ/ (adjective)
not easily upset, annoyed, or
worried. E.g; Our parents are pretty
easy-going, and they don't mind if we
stay out late.

4. 49. encourage: /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ/ (verb) to
give someone the courage or
confidence to do something. E.g; I
want to thank everyone who has
encouraged and supported me.
50. edge: /edʒ/ (noun) the part of an
object that is furthest from its center.
E.g: put the eggs in the center of the
dish, with the vegetables and herbs
around the Edge.
51. endeavor: /ɪnˈdevər/ (verb) to try
very hard. Eg; We always endeavor
to please our customers.
52. entertainment: /entərteɪnmənt/
(noun) things such as films,
television, performances etc that are
intended to amuse or interest people.
E.g; The town provides a wide
choice of entertainment.
53. entrust: /ɪnˈtrʌst/ (verb) to make
someone responsible for doing
something important, or for taking
care of someone. E.g; She entrusted
her son’s education to a private
tutor.
54. eiderdown: /aɪdərdaʊn/ (noun) a
thick warm cover for a bed, filled
with duck feathers. E.g; We had
some hot weather, but with an
eiderdown of cloud under the sun.
55. embarkation: /embɑːrˈkeɪʃən/
noun, when passengers get on a ship
or plane. E.g; Embarkation will take
place at 17.00 hours.
56. emperor: /empərər/ (noun) the man
who is the ruler of an empire. E.g;
There was never any question of
dispensing with the services of an
emperor.
57. elasticity: /iːlæˈstɪsəti/ (noun) the
ability of something to stretch and go
back to its usual length or size. E.g;
the skin’s natural elasticity.
58. entangle: /ɪnˈtæŋɡəl/ (verb) to make
something become twisted and
caught in a rope, net etc. E.g; Small
animals can get entangled in the net.
F
59. fare: / fer/ (noun) the price you pay
to travel somewhere by bus, train,
plane etc. E.g; Air fares have shot up
by 20%.
60. film-maker: /fɪlmˌmeɪkər/ (noun)
someone who makes films,
especially a director or producer.
E.g; I am not an instinctive film-
maker.
61. feasibility: /fiːzəbəl/ (adjective) a
plan, idea, or method that is feasible
is possible and is likely to work. E.g;
It was no longer financially feasible
to keep the community centre open.
62. feature: /ˈfiːtʃər/ (noun) a part of
something that you notice because it
seems important, interesting, or
typical. E.g; air bags are a standard
feature in most new car.
63. feather: /feðər/ (noun) one of the
light soft things that cover a bird’s
body. E.g; the feather of a turkey is
very long.
64. fingerprint: /fɪŋɡərprɪnt/ (noun) a
mark made by the pattern of lines at
the end of a person’s finger, which
is used by the police to find out who
has committed a crime. E.g: he was
careful not to leave any
fingerprints.
65. freak: /friːk/ (adjective) someone
who is extremely interested in a
particular subject so that other
people think they are strange or
unusual. E.g; a computer freak.
66. foretaste: /ˈfɔːrˈfɔːr/ (noun) an
experience that lets you know in
advance what something will be like.

5. E.g; Back in London I had a
foretaste of the conflicts that were to
come.
67. foursome: /fɔːrsəm/ (noun) a group
of four people, especially two men
and two women, who come together
for a social activity or sport. E.g; Jim
and Tina made up a foursome with
Jean and Bruce.
68. furlong: /fɜːrlɒːŋ/ (noun) a unit for
measuring length, equal to about 201
meters, which is used in horse
racing. There are eight furlongs in a
mile. E.g; Tina was a furlong out of
bounds to send you the information
without first discussing it with you.
G
69. gangbuster: /ɡæŋˌbʌstərz/ (noun)
outstandingly excellent or
successful. E.g; a gangbusters
ballplayer.
70. gatekeeper: /ɡeɪtˌkiːpər/ (noun)
someone whose job is to open and
close a gate, and to allow or not
allow people to go through it. E.g;
Law schools are the gatekeepers of
the profession.
71. gateway: /ɡeɪt-weɪ/ (noun) the
opening in a fence, wall etc that can
be closed by a gate. E.g; London's
Heathrow Airport is the dominant
gateway in Europe.
72. gesture: /dʒestʃər/ (noun) a
movement of part of your body,
especially your hands or head, to
show what you mean or how you
feel. E.g; Jim raised his hands in a
despairing gesture.
73. glorious: /ɡlɔːriəs/ (adjective)
having or deserving great fame,
praise, and honour. E.g; It was a
glorious day!
74. gluttonous: / ɡlʌtnəs/ (adjective)
someone who eats too much. e.g; my
uncle Richard was a gluttonous
person; he ate everything in sight.
75. gamble: /ɡæmbəl/ (verb) to risk
money or possessions on the result
of something such as a card game or
a race, when you do not know for
certain what the result will be. E.g;
Their religion forbids them to drink
or gamble.
76. grabbing: /ɡræbin/ (verb) to take
hold of someone or something with
a sudden or violent movement. E.g;
I grabbed my bag and ran off.
77. grandeur: /ɡrændʒər/ (noun)
impressive beauty, power, or size.
E.g; the silent grandeur of the desert
78. graph: /ɡræf/ (noun) a drawing that
uses a line or lines to show how two
or more sets of measurements are
related to each other. E.g; Martin
showed me a graph of their recent
sales.
79. grotesque: /ɡroʊ´tesk/ (adjective)
impleasant, shoking, and offensive.
e.g: it’s grotesque to portray peace
campaigners as unpatriotic.
80. gruesome: / ɡruːsəm/ (adjective)
very unpleasant or shocking, and
involving someone being killed or
badly injured. Eg; police described
it as a particularly gruesome attack.
H
81. healthcare: /helθker/ (noun) the
activity of looking after people’s
health, considered as an industry.
E.g; The hospital was designed to
grow with the surrounding
healthcare needs of the area.
82. headhunter: /hedhʌntər/ (noun)
someone who finds people with the
right skills and experience to do
particular jobs, and who tries to

6. persuade them to leave their present
job. E.g; Do you use headhunters
regularly or on specific occasions
only?
83. heretic: /herətɪk/ (noun) someone
who is guilty of heresy. E.g;
Cranmer was put to death as a
heretic.
84. harassment: /ˈhærəsmənt/ (noun)
when someone behaves in an
unpleasant or threatening way
towards you. E.g; African-
Americans have been complaining
about police harassment for years.
85. hacking: /hækin/ (verb) to cut
something roughly or violently. E.g;
She hacked away at the ice, trying to
make a hole.
86. hallucinogen: /həˈluːsənədʒən/
(noun) it is a diverse group of drugs
that alter perception, thoughts, and
feelings. They cause hallucinations,
or sensations and images that seem
real, but they are not. E.g; The
venom of many snakes, especially
cobras, acts as a hallucinogen,
producing ecstatic visions.
87. heritage: /herətɪdʒ/ (noun) the
traditional beliefs, values, customs
etc of a family, country, or society.
E.g; beautiful old buildings which
are part of our heritage.
88. hit up: / hitʌp/ (phrasal verb) to ask
someone for money. E.g; Did he hit
you up for cash again?
89. huckster: /hʌkstər/ (noun) someone
who tries to sell things in a way that
is too forceful and not honest – used
to show disapproval. E.g; time-share
huckster lurks in many hotel lobbies.
I
90. in‧field :/ˈɪnfiːld/ (noun) the part of
a baseball field inside the four bases.
E. g across the infield.
91. inhospitable: /ɪnhɒˈspɪtəbəl/
(adjective) an inhospitable place is
difficult to live or stay in because
the weather conditions are
unpleasant. E.g: an inhospitable
climate.
92. invincible: /ɪnˈvɪnsəbəl/ (adjective)
too strong to be destroyed or
defeated. E.g Young athletes think of
themselves as invincible.
93. invaluable: /ɪnˈvæljuəbəl/
(adjective) extremely useful. E.g
your advice has been invaluable to
us.
94. instantaneous: /ˌɪnstənˈteɪniəs/
(adjective) happening immediately.
E.g modern methods of
instantaneous communication.
95. inexhaustible: /ˌɪnɪɡˈzɔːstəbəl/
(adjective) something that is
inexhaustible exists in such large
amounts that it can never be finished
or used up. E. g She has an
inexhaustible supply of funny
stories.
96. individualist: /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒuəlɪst/
(noun) someone who does things in
their own way and has different
opinions from most other people.
E.g an individualist to be team
captain.
97. interconnect: /ɪntəkənekt/ (verb) if
two systems, places etc are
interconnected. E. g interconnecting
rooms.
98. improvement: /ɪmˈpruːvmənt/
(noun) the act of improving
something, or the state of being
improved. e. g: an improvement on
earlier models.
99. irreconcilable: /ɪˌrekənˈsaɪləbəl/
(adjective) irreconcilable positions
etc are so strongly opposed to each

7. other that it is not possible for them
to reach an agreement. E. g the
differences between the landowners
and the conservationists were
irreconcilable from the start.
J
100. jazzy: /ˈdʒæzi/ (adjective)
brightly coloured and modern. E. g a
jazzy tie.
101. jacuzzi: /dʒəˈkuːzi/ (noun) a
large indoor bath that makes hot
water move in strong currents
around your body. E.g: No Jacuzzi,
no sauna, no music piped in.
102. jealousy: /ˈdʒeləsi/ (noun) a
feeling of being jealous. E. g:
feelings of professional jealousy
103. jingle: /ˈdʒɪŋɡəl/ (verb) to
shake small metal things together so
that they make a sound, or to make
this sound. E. g he jingled his car
keys.
104. jinxed: /dʒɪŋkst/ (adjective)
often having bad luck, or making
people have bad luck. E. g They
seem to be jinxed.
105. joinery: /ˈdʒɔɪnəri/ (noun) the
trade and work of a joiner. eg
Similar to carpentry.
106. journalist /ˈdʒɜːnəl-ɪst/ (noun)
someone who writes news reports
for newspapers, magazines,
television, or radio. E.g: a well-
known journalist and broadcaster.
107. juvenile: /ˈdʒuːvənaɪl/
(adjective) relating to young people
who are not yet adults. E. g a very
juvenile sense of humour.
108. jubilant: /ˈdʒuːbələnt/
(adjective) extremely happy and
pleased because of a success. E. g the
fans were in jubilant mood.
109. jujitsu: /dʒɪtsuː/ (noun) a type of
fighting from Japan. E. g Japanese
jujutsu “gentle art”.
110. juncture: /ˈdʒʌŋktʃər/ (noun) a
particular point in an activity or
period of time. Eg; at this juncture, I
suggest we take a short break.
K
111. kennel: /ˈkenl/ (noun) a small
building made for a dog to sleep in.
E. g: the puppy, which may have
rabies, is at a quarantine kennel.
112. kidnap: /kɪdnæp/ (verb) to take
someone somewhere illegally by
force. E. g: police appealed for
witnesses after a woman was
kidnapped at gunpoint.
113. kleptomaniac:
/ˌkleptəˈmeɪniæk/ (noun) someone
suffering from kleptomania. E. g She
must be some kind of kleptomaniac.
114. kitchenware: /ˈkɪtʃənwer/
(noun) pots, pans, and other things
used for cooking. E. g pots, pans,
and other things used for cooking.
115. knuckle down: /nŭkəl-bon/
(phrasal verb) to suddenly start
working or studying hard. E.g he
doesn’t knuckle down soon.
116. kickboxing: /ˈkɪkˌbɒksɪŋ/
(noun) a form of boxing in which
you kick someone as well as hitting
them. E. g a kick-boxing match.
117. krypton: /ˈkrɪptɒn/ (noun) a
colourless gas that is found in very
small quantities in the air and is used
in fluorescent lights. E. g a mixture
of krypton and argon.
118. know-how: /noʊhaʊ/ (noun)
knowledge, practical ability, or skill
to do something. E. g No other

8. company had the technical know-
how.
119. keypal: /ˈkiːpæl/ (noun)
someone with whom you regularly
exchange email. E. g she is
interested in having a keypal next
year.
120. knockout: /ˈnɒk-aʊt/ (noun)
when a boxer hits his opponent so
hard that he falls down and cannot
get up again. Eg; the fight ended in
a knockout.
L
121. lawmaker: /ˈlɔːmeɪkər/ (noun)
any elected official responsible for
making laws.
E. g he is a lawmaker.
122. leftover: /ˈleftoʊvər/ (adjective)
remaining after all the rest has been
used, taken, or eaten. E. g leftover
vegetables
123. lightweight: /ˈlaɪt-weɪt/ (noun)
someone who has no importance or
influence, or who does not have the
ability to think deeply. E. g an
intellectual lightweight.
124. liberalize: /ˈlɪbərəlaɪz/ (verb) to
make a system, laws, or moral
attitudes less strict. E. g Efforts to
reorganize and liberalize the army
alienated other military chiefs.
125. loudmouth: /ˈlaʊdmaʊθ/ (noun)
someone who talks too much and
says offensive or stupid things. E. g
I know a loudmouth.
126. locksmith: /ˈlɒkˌsmɪθ/ (noun)
someone who makes and repairs
locks. E. g Any locksmith can do it
for you.
127. loophole: /ˈluːphəʊl/ (noun) a
small mistake in a law that makes it
possible to avoid doing something
that the law is supposed to make you
do. E. g a loophole in the law.
128. lightheaded: /laɪthedɪd/
(adjective) unable to think clearly or
move steadily. E. g the sun and the
wine had made him a little light-
headed.
129. longshoreman: /ˈlɒːŋʃɔːrmən/
(noun) someone whose job is to load
and unload ships at a dock. E. g near
the draw dock some longshoremen
had heaped it up.
M
130. migration: /maɪˈɡreɪʃən/ (noun)
when large numbers of people go to
live in another area or country,
especially in order to find work. E.g:
The United States was created by
migration.
131. millionaire: /mɪljəˈner/ (noun),
someone who is very rich and has at
least a million pounds or dollars.
E.g: an American millionaire.
132. ministry: /ˈmɪnəstri/ (noun), a
government department that is
responsible for one of the areas of
government work, such as education
or health. E.g: The Ministry of
Agriculture.
133. mastermind: / ˈmæstərmaɪnd /
(noun), someone who plans and
organizes a complicated operation,
especially a criminal operation. E.g:
The film stars Morgan Freeman as a
criminal mastermind.
134. materialize: /məˈtɪriəlaɪz/
(verb), to happen or appear in the
way that you expected. E.g:
Problems were expected, but they
never materialized.
135. monolingual: /mɑːnəˈlɪŋɡwəl/
(adjective), speaking or using only
one language. E.g: a monolingual
dictionary.

9. 136. maelstrom: /ˈmeɪlstrəm/
(noun), a confusing situation full of
events or strong emotions that is
difficult to understand or deal with.
E.g: a maelstrom of conflicting
emotions.
137. matriculate: /məˈtrɪkjəleɪt/
(verb) to officially begin studying at
a university or, in the US, at a school
or college. E.g: Aged only 15, he
matriculated at the University of
Carabobo.
138. magnitude: /ˈmæɡnɪtuːd/
(noun), the great size or importance
of something. E.g: They didn’t seem
to appreciate the magnitude of the
problem.
139. marvelous /mɑːvələs/
(adjective) extremely good,
enjoyable, impressive etc. E.g: We
had a marvelous time.
N
140. neighborhood: /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
(noun), an area of a town or city. E.g:
She grew up in a quiet neighborhood
of Boston.
141. neutralize: /ˈnuːtrəlaɪz/ (verb),
to prevent something from having
any effect. E.g: Congress can try to
neutralize new legislation by
modifying it.
142. newfangled:/ˌnuːˈfæŋɡəl/
(adjective) recently designed or
produced – usually used to show
disapproval or distrust. E.g:
newfangled ideas about children’s
education.
143. negligence: /ˈneɡlɪdʒəns/
(noun), failure to take enough care
over something that you are
responsible for. E.g: negligence in
carrying out safety procedures.
144. narcissist: /ˈnɑːrsɪsɪzəm/
(noun), when someone is too
concerned about their appearance or
abilities or spends too much time
admiring them. E.g: He went to the
gym every day, driven purely by
narcissism.
145. neurotic: /nʊˈrɒ:tɪk/ (noun),
unreasonably anxious or afraid. E.g:
She accused him of being a neurotic.
146. necessitate: /nɪˈsesɪteɪt/ (verb),
to make it necessary for you to do
something. E.g: This would
necessitate interviewing all the staff.
147. neurology: /nʊˈrɑːlədʒi /
(noun), the scientific study of the
nervous system and its diseases. E.g:
neurology is how it lends itself to
analysis of dysfunction involving
these neural levels.
148. negotiable: /nɪˈɡəʊʃiəbəl/
(adjective), an offer, price, contract
etc. that is negotiable can be
discussed and changed before being
agreed on. E.g: Commissions are
now negotiable.
149. nettle: /ˈnetl/ (noun) a wild
plant with rough leaves that sting
you.
150. nocturnal: /nɒkˈtɜːnl/
(adjective) an animal that is
nocturnal is active at night. E.g:
Hamsters are nocturnal creatures.
O
151. operation: /ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/
(noun), the process of cutting into
someone’s body to repair or remove
a part that is damaged. E.g: She’s
going to need an operation on her
ankle.
152. ordinary: /ˈɔːrdəneri/
(adjective), average, common, or
usual, not different or special. E.g:
Art should be part of ordinary life.

10. 153. opalescent: /ˌoʊpəˈlesənt/
(adjective), having colours that
shine and seem to change. E.g: an
opalescent sky.
154. obdurate:/ˈɑːbdərət/
(adjective), very determined not to
change your beliefs, actions, or
feelings, in a way that seems
unreasonable. E.g: They argued, but
he remained obdurate.
155. overhaul: /ˌoʊvərˈhɒːl/ (verb),
to repair or change the necessary
parts in a machine, system etc. that is
not working correctly. E.g: A
mechanic is coming to overhaul the
engine.
156. overwork: /ˌoʊvərˈwɜːrk/
(verb), to work too much or to make
someone work too much. E.g:
You’ve been overworking.
157. outlandish: /aʊtˈlændɪʃ/
(adjective) strange and unusual.
E.g: Her story seemed so outlandish.
158. outweigh: /aʊtˈweɪ/ (verb), to
be more important or valuable than
something else. E.g: The benefits of
the scheme outweigh the
disadvantages.
159. outspoken: /aʊtˈspoʊkən/
(adjective), expressing your
opinions honestly and directly, even
when doing this might annoy some
people. E.g: an outspoken critic of
the education reforms
P
160. pragmatic: /præɡˈmætɪk/
(adjective), dealing with problems
in a sensible practical way instead of
strictly following a set of ideas. E.g:
Williams took a more pragmatic
approach to management problems.
161. paintbrush: /ˈpeɪntbrʌʃ/ (noun),
a brush for spreading paint on a
surface. E.g: the pointer can be used
as a paintbrush.
162. precarious: /prɪˈkeriəs/
(adjective), a precarious situation or
state is one which may very easily or
quickly become worse. E.g: Her
health remained precarious, despite
the treatment.
163. presumption: /prɪˈzʌmpʃən/
(noun), something that you think is
true because it is very likely. E.g: the
presumption that their wealth is the
result of crime.
164. punctuate: /ˈpʌŋktʃueɪt/ (verb),
to divide written work into
sentences, phrases etc. using
commas, full stops. E.g: The silence
was occasionally punctuated by
laughter.
165. psychobiology:
/ˌsaɪkoʊbaɪˈɑːlədʒi / (noun), the
study of the body in relation to the
mind. E.g: Methodological
problems in psychobiology are not
going to go away.
166. pachyderm: /ˈpækɪdɜːrm /
(noun), an animal with thick skin,
such as an elephant. E.g: He then
elects to take his new pet to
California, but he only has five days
to unload his pachyderm.
167. parliamentary:/ˌpɑːrləˈmentəri/
(adjective), relating to or governed
by a parliament. E.g: parliamentary
elections.
168. paramount: /ˈpærəmaʊnt/
(adjective), more important than
anything else. E.g: Women’s role as
mothers is of paramount importance
to society.

11. Q
169. quarantine: /ˈkwɔːrəntiːn/
(noun), a period of time when a
person or animal is kept apart from
others in case, they are carrying a
disease. E.g: The monkeys were kept
in quarantine for 31 days.
170. quarterback: /ˈkɔːtəbæk/
(noun), the player in American
football who directs the team’s
attacking play and passes the ball to
the other players at the start of each
attack. E.g: But all good
quarterbacks have to have that kind
of courage.
171. quadrillion: /ˈ kwɑːdrɪljən/
(number), the number one followed
by 15 zeros. E.g: To do this
systematically would require a
computer to examine a quadrillion
possibility.
172. quaver: /kweɪvə/ (verb) if your
voice quavers, it shakes as you
speak, especially because you are
nervous or upset. E.g: Her voice
quavered as she recounted details of
the attack.
173. questionnaire: /ˌkestʃə ˈner/
(noun), a written set of questions
which you give to a large number of
people in order to collect
information. E.g: Please indicate
your wishes on the questionnaire.
174. quicksand: /kwɪksænd/ (noun)
wet sand that is dangerous because
you sink down into it if you try to
walk on it. E.g: It was like trying to
shore up a wall of quicksand.
175. quotation: /kwoʊˈteɪʃən/ (noun)
a sentence or phrase from a book,
speech etc. which you repeat in a
speech or piece of writing because it
is interesting or amusing. E.g: a
quotation from the Bible.
R
176. recommendation
/ˌrekəmenˈdeɪʃən/ (noun) official
advice given to someone, especially
about what to do. E.g: We will
review the case and make a
recommendation to the client.
177. revolutionize: /ˌrevəˈluːʃənaɪz/
(noun) to completely change the
way people do something or think
about something. E.g: new
technology is going to revolutionize
everything we do.
178. reinforce: /ˌriːənˈfɔːrs/ (verb) to
give support to an opinion, idea, or
feeling, and make it stronger. E.g:
The film reinforces the idea that
women should be pretty and dumb.
179. restructure:
/ˌriːˈstrʌktʃər/ (verb) to change the
way in which something such as a
government, business, or system
is organized. E.g: The government
plans to restructure the coal
industry.
180. romanticism:
/roʊˈmæntəsɪzəm/ (noun) a
movement in the arts and literature E.g;
The romanticism of this story is sure to
appeal to teenagers.
181. renewable: /rɪˈnjuːəbəl/
(adjective) if
an agreement or official document i
s renewable, you can make it
continue for a further period of time
after it ends. E.g: The problem with
fossil fuels is that they are not
renewable.
182. remunerate: /rɪˈmjuːnəreɪt/
(verb) to pay someone for work

12. they have done. Eg: Stockbrokers
should not be remunerated on the
basis of stocks sold.
183. roadworthy: / ˈroʊdˌwɜːr ði/
(adjective) a vehicle that is
roadworthy is in
good condition and safe enough to
drive. E.g: The bike has to be
roadworthy and under 20 years old.
184. rudimentary /ˌruːdəˈmentəri/
(adjective) a rudimentary
knowledge or understanding of a
subject is very simple and basic. E.g:
a rudimentary knowledge of music.
185. rhythm /ˈrɪðəm/ (noun) a regular
repeated pattern of sounds or
movements. E.g: Drums are basic to
African rhythm.
S
186. sequential: /sɪˈkwenʃəl/
(adjective) relating to or happening
in a sequence. Example: The buying
process is analysed as a serie of
sequential steps.
187. simultaneous: /ˌsɪməlˈteɪniəs/
(adjective) things that are
simultaneous happen at exactly the
same time. E.g: Up to twenty users
can have simultaneous access to the
system.
188. spellbinding: /ˈspelbaɪndɪŋ/
(adjective) holding one's attention
completely as though by magic E.g:
she told the spellbinding story of her
life.
189. synchronize: /ˈsɪŋkrənaɪz/
(verb) to happen at exactly the same
time, or to arrange for two or more
actions to happen at exactly the same
time. E.g: Bussiness must
synchronize their production.
190. squeegee: /ˈskwiːdʒiː/ (noun)
a tool with a thin rubber blade and a
short handle, used for removing
or spreading a liquid on a surface.
E.g: A window cleaner’s squeegee
is all you need.
191. screwdriver: /ˈskruːˌdraɪvər/
(noun) a tool with a narrow blade at
one end that you use for
turning screws. E.g: Andrew took his
screwdriver with him in case there
was anything to unscrewdriver.
192. sacrilege:/ˈsækrəlɪdʒ/(noun)
when
someone treats something holy in a
way that does not show respect. E.g:
It’s sacrilege to even think of
destroying that lovely building.
193. sophisticated: /səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/
(noun) very well designed and very
advanced, and often works in a
complicated way. E.g: A highly
sophisticated system.
194. sprinkle: /ˈsprɪŋkəl/ (verb) to
scatter small drops of liquid or
small pieces of something. E.g:
Sprinkle the top of the pizza with
cheese.
195. superhighway /ˈsuːpər haɪweɪ /
(noun) a very large road on which
you can drive fast for long distances
E.g: Who will build this expensive
new superhighway?
196. Scientific /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/ (noun)
about or relating to science, or using
its methods. E.g: He wanted the
information to make club selection
more scientific.
197. schoolmaster /ˈskuːlˌmɑːstər/
(noun) a male teacher, especially in
a private school. E.g: He decided to
become a schoolmaster.
198. stratification /ˌstrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
(noun) when society is divided into
separate social classes. E.g: social

13. stratification.
T
199. toothsome: /ˈtuːθsəm/
(adjective) tasting very good. E.g:
an attractive and toothsome dish.
200. typhoon: /ˌtaɪˈfuːn/ (noun) a
very violent tropical storm. E.g: I
move into the practice house during
the typhoon.
201. trustworthy:
/ˈtrʌstˌwɜːði/ (adjective) if someone
is trustworthy, you can trust them
because they are honest. E.g: Many
people do not see politicians as
trustworthy.
202. thunderclap: /ˈθʌndərklæp/
(noun)
a single loud noise of thunder E.g:
Time comes and goes like a
thunderclap and there is no getting
back.
203. thunderbolt: /ˈθʌndərboʊlt/
(noun)
a flash of lightning which hits a
person or thing and kills
or destroys them. E.g: like a
thunderbolt it had come, just when
he looked like losing at all.
204. technophia: /ˌteknəˈfoʊbiəˈ/
(noun) someone who does not
like modern machinist, such
as computers, and
would prefer to live without them.
E.g: He’s also a bit of technophobe
and has been having problems.
205. tawdry: /ˈtɔːdri/
(adjective) showing
low moral standards. E.g: his
apartment was a tasteful
disappointment, clashing with this
tawdry appearance.
206. tenuous: /ˈtenjuəs/ (adjective) a
situation or relationship that is
tenuous is uncertain, weak, or likely
to change. E.g: the united Peace
Alliance had only a tenuous
connection with the organized
Labour movement.
207. transitive /ˈtrænzətɪv/
(adjective) a transitive verb must
have an object. E.g: the verb ‘break’.
208. triangular /traɪˈæŋɡjəl ər/
(adjective) having three sides and
three corners. E.g: shaped like a
triangle.
209. trustworthy: /ˈtrʌstˌwɜːrði/
(adjective) someone who is honest
and can be trusted with your secrets.
E.g: Most of our employees are
pretty trustworthy.
U
210. unconstitutional:
/ˌʌnkɒnstəˈtjuːʃənəl/ (adjective) not
allowed by the constitution. E.g: A
total ban might also be opposed as
an unconstitutional invasion of
privacy.
211. unconventional:
/ˌʌnkənˈvenʃənəl/ (adjective) very
different from the way people
usually behave, think, dress. E.g:
His business methods were
unconventional but successful.
212. unconscionable:
/ʌnˈkɑːnʃənəbəl/ (adjective) much
more than
is reasonable or acceptable. E.g: the
war caused an unconscionable
amount of suffering.
213. unemployment:
/ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪmənt/ (noun) the number
of people in a particular country or
area who cannot get a job. E.g:
Thailand is a country where there is
a high unemployment.

14. 214. ubiquitous: /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/
(adjective) seeming to be
everywhere sometimes used
humorously. E.g: The most
ubiquitous evidence was the piles of
fly-tipped rubbish.
215. ultimatum: /ˌʌltəˈmeɪtəm/
(noun) a threat saying that if
someone does not do what you want
by a particular time, you will do
something to punish them. E.g: The
club have him an ultimatum, either
he apologized, or he would be
expelled.
216. umbrage: /ˈʌmbrɪdʒ/ (noun) A
feeling or resentment at some often
fancied slight or insult. E.g: The
republicans, take umbrage at
predictions about what they might
do.
217. underground: /ˈʌndərɡraʊnd/
(adjective) below the surface of
the earth. E.g: the office’s parking
garage is underground.
218. untouched: /ˌʌnˈtʌtʃt/
(adjective) not changed, damaged,
or affected in any way. Eg: The
guests disappeared and the food
was untouched.
219. unscheduled: /ʌnˈskedʒəld/
(adjective) something that wasn’t
planned or expected. Eg: The plane
made an unscheduled stop in New
York.
V
220. virility: /vəˈrɪləti/ (noun) the
typically male quality of being
strong, brave, and full of energy –
used to show approval. E.g; There
was a virility about him that showed
in his every movement.
221. verity: /ˈverəti/ (noun) an
important principle or fact that is
always true. E.g; the eternal verities
of life.
222. versification /ˌvɜːrsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
(noun) the particular pattern in
which a poem is written. E.g: the
type of versification employed
correspond to the rustic mood.
223. visage: /’vɪzɪdʒ/ (noun) a face.
E.g; His entire visage is bright and
cheerful.
224. viticulture /ˈvɪtəkʌltʃər/ (noun)
practice of growing grapes for
making wine. E.g: I study grape
cultivation.
225. voluptuary:/vəˈlʌptʃueri/
(noun) someone who enjoys
physical pleasure and having
expensive possessions. E.g; The
mother lends the voluptuary a
helping hand.
226. virile: / ˈvɪrəl/ (adjective)
having or showing traditionally male
qualities such as strength, courage
etc – use this to show approval. E.g;
From it stepped a very large, virile
and kingly figure.
227. voyage: /ˈvɔɪ-ɪdʒ/ (noun) a long
journey in a ship or spacecraft. E.g;
The voyage from England to India
used to take six months.
228. vulture: /ˈvʌltʃər/ (noun) a large
bird that eats dead animals. E.g;
Mack Stroupe is circling like a
vulture, even as we speak.
229. venture: /ˈventʃər/ (noun) a new
business activity that involves taking
risks. E.g; It is difficult to formulate
a standard definition of a joint
venture.
230. vandalize: /ˈvændəl-aɪz/ (verb)
to damage or destroy things
deliberately, especially public

15. property. E.g; The cemetery was
vandalized during the night.
W
231. weeknight: /ˈwiːknaɪt/ (noun)
any night except Saturday and
Sunday. E.g; There had been a
weeknight meeting, held once a
fortnight, at Ballintaggart.
232. wretched: /ˈretʃɪd/ (adjective)
someone who is wretched is very
unhappy or ill, and you feel sorry for
them. e.g; a lonely and wretched old
man.
233. wrinkle: /ˈrɪŋkəl/ (noun)
wrinkles are lines on your face and
skin that you get when you are old.
E.g; Her face was a mass of
wrinkles.
234. warehouse: /ˈwer haʊs/ (noun)
a large building for storing large
quantities of goods. E.g; His main
liquor warehouse is downtown.
235. weakness: /ˈwiːknəs/ (noun) a
fault in someone’s character or in a
system, organization, design etc.
E.g; The legislation has a
fundamental weakness.
236. waddle: /ˈwɑːdl/ (verb) to walk
with short steps, with your body
moving from one side to the other –
used especially about people or birds
with fat bodies and short legs. E.g;
Half a dozen ducks waddled up the
bank.
237. washout: /ˈwɑːʃaʊt/ (noun) a
failure. E.g; The picnic was a total
washout – nobody turned up!
238. whip: /wɪp/ (verb) to hit
someone or something with a whip.
e.g; He whipped the horse into a
canter.
239. withdraw /wɪθdrɔː/ (verb) to
stop taking part in an activity,
belonging to an organization. E.g: A
(study English knee injury forced
her to withdraw from the
competition.
240. wonderland: /ˈwʌndərlænd/
(noun) an imaginary place in stories.
E.g; This attitude has helped to
transform science into a wonderland
of the imagination.
241. wristband: /ˈrɪstbænd/ (noun) a
band with your name on it that you
wear around your wrist, for example
in a hospital. E.g: the clerk gave me
a key on an elastic wristband.
X
242. xenophobia:/zenəˈfoʊ biə/
(noun) strong fear or dislike of
people from other countries. .Eg;
One form this took was xenophobia.
Y
243. youthful: /ˈjuːθfəl/ (adjective)
typical of young people, or seeming
young. E.g; She has managed to
maintain her youthful appearance.
244. yawn: / jɒːn/ (verb) to open your
mouth wide and breathe in deeply
because you are tired or bored. E.g;
Alan stretched and yawned.
245. yearbook: /ˈjɪərbʊk/ (noun) a
book printed once a year, with
information about a particular
subject or activity. E.g; Rothman’s
Football Yearbook.
246. yard‧stick /ˈjɑːrdˌstɪk/ (noun)
something that you compare another
thing with, in order to judge how
good or successful it is. e.g: Profit is
the most important yardstick of
success for any business.
Z
247. zimmer frame: /ˈzɪmə ˌfreɪm/
(noun) a type of metal frame that
people use to help them walk if they
are old or ill. e.g; my grandmother

16. started to use a zimmer frame
recently.
248. zonked out: / zɑːŋkt aʊt/
(adjective) very tired or suffering
from the effects of drugs, so that you
do not want to do anything. E.g; I’m
really zonked out.
249. zealous: /ˈzeləs/ (adjective)
someone who is zealous does or
supports something with great
energy. E.g; No one was more
zealous than Neil in supporting the
proposal
250. zealot: /ˈzelət/ (noun) someone
who has extremely strong beliefs,
especially religious or political
beliefs, and is too eager to make
other people share them. e.g; Only
zealots think one solution fits every
case.