2. What can the dictionary tell you?
What the word means
Pronunciation
Examples
3. half-baked
Definition
If you describe an idea or plan as half-
baked, you mean that it has not been
properly thought out, and so is stupid or
impractical.
Example
This is another half-baked scheme that isn't
going to work...
6. Computing
chat room
chat room chat rooms
A chat room is a site on the
Internet where people can exchange messages
about a particular subject. (COMPUTING)
N-COUNT
7. ain't
ain't
People sometimes use ain't instead of
`am not', `aren't', `isn't', `haven't', and
`hasn't'. Some people consider this use to be
incorrect. (DIALECT, SPOKEN)
Well, it's obvious, ain't it?...
Dialect
8. Gra/tu/ity
gratuity gratuities
1 A gratuity is a gift of money to someone who has
done something for you. (FORMAL)
The porter expects a gratuity.
N-COUNT
= tip
2 A gratuity is a large gift of money that is given to
someone when they leave their job, especially when
they leave the armed forces. (BRIT FORMAL)
He is taking a gratuity from the Navy.
N-COUNT
Formal
9. pep talk
pep talk pep talks also pep-
talk
A pep talk is a speech which is intended
to encourage someone to make more effort or
feel more confident. (INFORMAL)
Powell spent the day giving pep talks to the
troops.
N-COUNT
Informal
10. gent
gent gents
People sometimes refer to a public toilet for men as
the gents. (BRIT INFORMAL)
N-SING-COLL: usu the N
Gents is used when addressing men in an informal,
humorous way, especially in the expression `ladies
and gents'. (HUMOROUS, INFORMAL)
Don't be left standing, ladies and gents, while a
bargain slips past your eyes.
N-VOC
Humorous
11. glass ceil/ing
glass ceiling glass ceilings
When people refer to a glass ceiling, they are talking
about the attitudes and traditions in a society that
prevent women from rising to the top jobs.
(JOURNALISM)
In her current role she broke through the glass ceiling as
the first woman to reach senior management level in the
company...
N-COUNT: usu sing
Journalism
12. Man/slaughter
manslaughter
Manslaughter is the illegal killing of a
person by someone who did not intend to kill
them. (LEGAL)
A judge accepted her plea that she was guilty of
manslaughter, not murder.
N-UNCOUNT
Legal
13. Literary
Plain/tive
plaintive
A plaintive sound or voice sounds sad. (LITERARY)
They lay on the firm sands, listening to the plaintive cry of
the seagulls...
ADJ
= mournful
* plain/tive/ly
`Why don't we do something?' Davis asked plaintively.
ADV: usu ADV with v, also ADV adj
14. Psy/cho/sis
psychosis psychoses
Psychosis is mental illness of a severe kind
which can make people lose contact with
reality. (MEDICAL)
He may have some kind of neurosis or psychosis
later in life.
N-VAR
Medical
15. Military
Ar/mour
armour
in AM, use armor
Armour consists of tanks and other military
vehicles used in battle. (MILITARY)
...the biggest movement of heavy British armour
since the Second World War.
N-UNCOUNT
16. Offensive
Crip/ple
cripple cripples crippling crippled
1 A person with a physical disability or a
serious permanent injury is sometimes
referred to as a cripple. (OFFENSIVE)
She has gone from being a healthy, fit, and
sporty young woman to being a cripple.
N-COUNT
17. Old-fashioned
Dash/ing
dashing
A dashing person or thing is very stylish and
attractive. (OLD-FASHIONED)
He was the very model of the dashing RAF
pilot...
ADJ: usu ADJ n
18. Rude
bloody
bloody bloodier bloodiest
bloodies bloodying bloodied
1 Bloody is used by some people to
emphasize what they are saying, especially
when they are angry. (BRIT RUDE)
ADJ: usu ADJ n emphasis
19. Spoken
Par/don
pardon pardons pardoning
pardoned
You say `Pardon?' or `I beg your pardon?'
or, in American English, `Pardon me?' when
you want someone to repeat what they have
just said because you have not heard or
understood it. (SPOKEN)
`Will you let me open it?'*`Pardon?'*`Can I
open it?'...
CONVENTION formulae
20. Technical
Bio/tech/nol/ogy
biotechnology
Biotechnology is the use of living parts such as cells
or bacteria in industry and technology. (TECHNICAL)
N-UNCOUNT
* bio/tech/nolo/gist biotechnologists
...biotechnologists turning proteins into pharmaceuticals.
N-COUNT
21. Trademark
Hoo/ver
hoover hoovers hoovering hoovered
1 A Hoover is a vacuum cleaner. (TRADEMARK) (BRIT)
N-COUNT
2 If you hoover a room or a carpet, you clean it using
a vacuum cleaner. (BRIT)
She hoovered the study and the sitting-room.
VERB: V n
* hoo/ver/ing
I finished off the hoovering upstairs.
N-UNCOUNT: also the N
22. Very offensive / very rude /
taboo
wog
wog wogs
Wog is an extremely offensive word for anyone
whose skin is not white. (BRIT VERY OFFENSIVE)
N-COUNT
23. Written
avail
avail avails availing availed
1 If you do something to no avail or to little avail,
what you do fails to achieve what you want.
(WRITTEN)
His efforts were to no avail...
PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR
2 If you avail yourself of an offer or an opportunity,
you accept the offer or make use of the opportunity.
(FORMAL)
Guests should feel at liberty to avail themselves of your
facilities.
VERB: V pron-refl of n
25. WORD CHOICE
beautiful, pretty, handsome, good-looking, attractive,
gorgeous, stunning
beautiful is used to describe someone, usually a woman or child,
who is attractive in a very special and noticeable way.
pretty is usually used to describe a girl or woman who is good-
looking, with regular features. It can also be used to describe a boy
or young man who has an attractive but feminine face.
handsome is usually used to describe a man or boy who is good-
looking, with strong regular features. It can also be used to
describe a woman, usually an older woman, who has attractive but
masculine features.
good-looking can be used to describe anyone who you think is
nice to look at.
attractive is used to describe someone who looks good in a way
that attracts sexual interest • I can see he's handsome, but I don't
find him very attractive. gorgeous and stunning are emphatic ways
of saying that someone is very attractive.
gorgeous is used mostly in spoken English.
28. Approval
Angelican/gel/ic
angelic
1 You can describe someone as angelic if they are,
or seem to be, very good, kind, and gentle.
...an angelic face...
He looked angelic.
ADJ: usu ADJ n approval
2 Angelic means like angels or relating to angels.
...angelic choirs.
ADJ: ADJ n
29. Disapproval
brat
brat brats
If you call someone, especially a child, a brat, you
mean that he or she behaves badly or annoys you.
(INFORMAL)
He's a spoilt brat.
N-COUNT disapproval
30. Emphasis
never-ending
never-ending
If you describe something bad or unpleasant as
never-ending, you are emphasizing that it seems to
last a very long time.
...a never-ending series of scandals...
ADJ emphasis
= interminable
31. Feelings
Un/for/tu/nate/ly
unfortunately
You can use unfortunately to introduce or refer to
a statement when you consider that it is sad or
disappointing, or when you want to express regret.
Unfortunately, my time is limited...
Unfortunately for the Prince, his title brought obligations as
well as privileges...
ADV: ADV with cl, oft ADV for n feelings
= regrettably
32. Formulae
Con/gratu/la/tions
congratulations
You say `Congratulations' to someone in order to
congratulate them on something nice that has happened to
them or something good that they have done.
Congratulations, you have a healthy baby boy...
Congratulations to everybody who sent in their ideas.
CONVENTION formulae
If you offer someone your congratulations, you congratulate
them on something nice that has happened to them or on
something good that they have done.
The club also offers its congratulations to D. Brown on his
appointment as president.
N-PLURAL
33. Politeness
El/der/ly
elderly
You use elderly as a polite way of saying that
someone is old.
...an elderly couple...
Many of those most affected are elderly.
ADJ politeness
The elderly are people who are old.
The elderly are a formidable force in any election.
N-PLURAL: the N
34. Vagueness
Pre/sum/ably
presumably
If you say that something is presumably
the case, you mean that you think it is very
likely to be the case, although you are not
certain.
He had gone to the reception desk, presumably
to check out.
ADV: ADV with cl/group, ADV before v
vagueness
36. Alternative spelling
After/taste
aftertaste also after-taste
An aftertaste is a taste that remains in your mouth
after you have finished eating or drinking something.
N-SING: usu with supp
37. Alternative Forms
After/wards
afterwards
If you do something or if something happens
afterwards, you do it or it happens after a particular
event or time that has already been mentioned.
Shortly afterwards, police arrested four suspects...
James was taken to hospital but died soon afterwards...
ADV: ADV with cl
The form afterward is also used, mainly in American
English.
38. Synonyms and Antonyms
still
Drinks that are still do not contain any bubbles of
carbon dioxide.
...a glass of still orange.
ADJ
# sparkling
If a place is still, it is quiet and shows no sign of activity.
In the room it was very still.
ADJ
= quiet
40. Different parts of speech
IN
If something happens in a place, it happens there.
We spent a few days in a hotel...
He had intended to take a holiday in America...
PREP
If you are in, you are present at your home or place of work.
My flatmate was in at the time...
ADV: be ADV
* out
If you say that something is in, or is the in thing, you mean it is
fashionable or popular. (INFORMAL)
A few years ago jogging was the in thing...
ADJ
The ins and outs of a situation are all the detailed points and facts
about it.
...the ins and outs of high finance...
NOUN
PHRASE: usu the PHR of n/-ing
42. Nouns that can be used both as countable
or uncountable with a change in meaning
Cloth is fabric which is made by weaving or knitting a substance such
as cotton, wool, silk, or nylon. Cloth is used especially for making
clothes.
She began cleaning the wound with a piece of cloth.
N-MASS
= fabric, material
A cloth is a piece of cloth which you use for a particular purpose, such
as cleaning something or covering something.
Clean the surface with a damp cloth.
...a tray covered with a cloth.
N-COUNT
The cloth is sometimes used to refer to Christian priests and ministers.
...a man of the cloth.
N-SING: the N
43. Nouns that have irregular plurals
goose
goose geese
A goose is a large bird that has a long neck and webbed feet.
Geese are often farmed for their meat.
N-COUNT
Goose is the meat from a goose that has been cooked.
...roast goose.
N-UNCOUNT
44. Nouns that have the same form for the
singular and the plural
sheep
sheep sheep
A sheep is a farm animal which is covered with thick curly
hair called wool. Sheep are kept for their wool or for their meat.
...grassland on which a flock of sheep were grazing.
N-COUNT
45. Nouns that are always
plural
twee/zers
tweezers
Tweezers are a small tool that you use for tasks such as picking
up small objects or pulling out hairs. Tweezers consist of two strips of
metal or plastic joined together at one end.
N-PLURAL: oft a pair of N
46. Nouns that are always
singular
ground
The ground is the surface of the earth.
Forty or fifty women were sitting cross-legged on the
ground...
We slid down the roof and dropped to the ground.
N-SING: the N
47. Verbs
Linking Verbs
Intransitive verbs
Transitive verbs
Always + adv /
prep
Not in progressive
Usually passive
V n that
V to-inf
48. Patterns
Stative and Dynamic Verbs
FEEL
feel good/strange/exciting etc [linking verb]
if a situation, event etc feels good, strange etc, that is the emotion or
feeling that it gives you:
After twenty years, seeing him again felt very strange.
have an opinion [transitive not usually in progressive]
to have a particular opinion, especially one that is based on your
feelings, not on facts
feel (that)
Some of the parents felt the school wasn't doing enough about bullying.
feel about
How would you feel about working with Nicole for a while?
touch [transitive]
to touch something with your fingers to find out about it:
She felt his forehead. Perhaps he had a temperature.
Mum, feel this stone. Isn't it smooth?
49. Verbs that usually take an
adverbial
FLOW
[intransitive] liquid/gas/electricity when a liquid, gas, or
electricity flows, it moves in a steady continuous stream
flow over/down/through etc
These gates regulate the amount of water flowing into the canal.
If the windows are shut, air cannot flow freely through
the building.
goods/people/information [always + adverb/preposition] if
goods, people, or information flow from one place to another,
they move there in large numbers or amounts [= pour, flood]:
Money has been flowing into the country from Western aid
agencies.
The number of refugees flowing into the area is still increasing.
50. Adjectives
Adj n / only before noun
V-link adj
Adj after v
N adj / only after noun
No comparative
Det adj
51. Only Attributive Adjectives
MEDICAL (only before noun)
relating to medicine and the treatment of disease or injury:
medical research
medical staff
a medical student
a patient's medical history (=the illnesses they have had)
medical records (=which show what illnesses and treatment
someone has had)
medical attention/treatment/care
The injury required urgent medical attention.
the medical profession (=doctors, nurses, and other people who
treat people who are ill)
—medically adverb:
medically qualified personnel
medically fit
52. Only Predicative Adjectives
ALIVE
[not before noun]
not dead still living and not dead:
It was a bad accident - they're lucky to be alive.
My grandparents are still alive.
We stayed alive by eating berries.
He was kept alive on a life-support machine.
Apparently he's alive and well and living in Brazil.
still existing continuing to exist:
Ancient traditions are very much alive in rural areas.
Christianity is alive and well in Asia.
The sport is still very muchalive and kicking in this country.
cheerful full of energy, happiness, activity etc:
It was the kind of morning when you wake up and feel really
alive.
alive with
Her face was alive with excitement.
The whole house was alive with activity.
53. Attributive / Predicative
Adjectives
PROPER
[only before noun] right, suitable, or correct:
Everything was in its proper place (=where it should be).
the proper way to clean your teeth
The proper name forMatthew's condition is hyperkinetic
syndrome.
[only after noun] the real or main part of something, not
other parts before, after or near to it:
The friendly chat which comes before the interview proper is
intended to relax the candidate.
the city centre proper
54. Adverbs
in a way that shows that you are sad [= unhappily]:
Peter shook his head sadly.
[sentence adverb] unfortunately:
Sadly, the business failed.
very much - used when talking about bad situations or
states:
The garden's been sadly neglected.
Good restaurants were sadly lacking.
He was a popular man who will be sadly missed.
I'm afraid you're going to be sadly disappointed.
If you think you'll get any money from him, you're sadly
mistaken.
55. CORPUS
PROPER
= `Nobody in their right mind sends antiques by proper transport.
BR written If only the Yanks had worked out a proper five-character hallmarking
system ...
BR written Tinker spent the morning `seein' the bar's put proper", meaning
sponging ale.
BR written `The council should provide proper places for the Fringe Festival.
BR written After the Twenty-second Party Congress, in September 1962, I offered
my novella to the Sovietski Pisatel publishing house; everything went according to
the rules, proper as could be: in December, after two favourable reviews, the
novella was approved, accepted, and a contract agreed to; in January 1963 I was
paid sixty per cent of my royalty fee; in March I was shown the illustrations
already approved by the design department; the manuscript was on the verge of
going to press and becoming a book.
BR written He had always written like that although, when he was small, Sofia
Petrovna had taught him to write `D" the proper way.
BR written You know how important it is for the proper rites and ceremonies to
take place.
56. BR written They were asked whether they wanted proper salaries, so that they
could buy it and pay off the mortgage, or whether they would prefer to act as
wardens and be run by a committee.
BR written Her mother is proud, though concerned about her health; relatives
wonder, she smiles, when she is going to get that `proper job".
BR written Security and a proper salary were life's essentials in the poverty he
had grown up in; now he lost his fear.
BR written `I think I work harder and put more thought into what I do than some
members of staff who earn considerably more than me," he says, `and that's past
the limit of what I consider fair. " He is not seeking riches: he was happy when a
provisional agreement was reached to `move towards" paying everyone * 12,000 a
year, `a sensible wage for the area". His partner does a `proper job" in Newtown,
so he can afford to go on holiday and run a car - `diesel, so it's not terrible!"
BR written If, in fact, they ever intended to hand him over to the proper
authorities on reaching San Salvador.
57. BR written If I decided to go, contracts and endorsements would again be put at
risk, and one of my main priorities was sorting out some proper compensation for
the deals I might have lost.
BR written We have found that much of what was reported seems to have been
founded in rumour and speculation which upon proper investigation has
evaporated in the mishmash of contradictions and uncorroborated allegations.
BR written For, in a couple of sentences, John managed to put my career and my
life into its proper perspective.
BR written Brears was, quite simply, the best captain I ever played for, so it is
right and proper that he should lead this, a squad of the best 13 England Test
players of my generation: THE Government admitted for the first time yesterday
that `mad cow" disease could be transmitted to people.
BR written In the present case the sentencing judge stated that the appropriate
sentence would have been two and a half years but in order to protect the public
the proper sentence was five years.
58. BR written The court there said: `The proper approach is to determine what this
plaintiff should have observed or ascertained, while asking no more of him than is
reasonable.
BR written When Deane took over as artistic director in 1993 he said that one of
his priorities was to find a proper showcase for ENB in London, and he was
determined that would be the Coliseum.
BR written This parody of Brillat-Savarin, seasoned with a dash of Henry James
and peppered, as noted above, with hommage to Proust, seems mere self-
indulgent pastiche, the borrowing of others' language as costumes substituting for
the proper development of character.
BR written `The implications of such transfers of responsibility need to be
assessed to ensure that a proper and independent mechanism for looking into and
providing redress for justified complaints remains in place."
BR written Unless the parties agreed otherwise, all tenants and licensees would
be under an obligation to take proper care of the premises.
BR written `In the past the documents could be examined by appointment at
Wardour Castle by historians, but the lack of any index and the sheer mass of
documents made proper research impossible," Dr Padel said.
BR written The second question cannot be so reassuringly answered; it took too
long before new rules were introduced for abattoirs and proper inspection was
enforced.
BR written We had to dismiss some of the surveyors who were not doing a proper
job.
BR written He insisted it was wrong to rush the legislation through without
proper consideration.
BR written The Ministry of Defence drew up a scheme for Nato forces to sweep
first into `Serbia proper", entering through the Presevo Valley to the east of
Kosovo.
59. SADLY
Sadly, Anne suffered from emotional problems most of her life.
Sadly, this fine old theatre was destroyed by fire in 1993.
Alice was rushed to hospital, but sadly she died two hours later.
Low wages are sadly typical in service industries.
Sam looked sadly out the window.
Sentences from books, newspapers, etc.
Along with her husband, she escaped to Britain in 1938 but, sadly, her
marriage failed.
From Tuesday weekly newspapers may be left with a burden which,
sadly, many will be unable to carry.
Nick made a start at restoring the ravaged wreck, but sadly died before
much was done.
The man nodded sadly as though Hicks represented a mode of behavior
with which he was wearily familiar.
There are also, sadly, some which are not so beneficial.
This was all legal and proper, but in the execution of this work things
went sadly wrong.
