英文單字筆記

digit

any one of the ten numbers 0 to 9.

disfigure

to spoil the appearance of something or someone, especially their face, completely.

drain

If you drain something, you remove the liquid from it, usually by pouring it away or allowing it to flow away, and if something drains, liquid flows away or out of it.

insight

(the ability to have) a clear, deep, and sometimes sudden understanding of a complicated problem or situation.

skin

the natural outer layer that covers a person, animal, fruit, etc.

psyche

the mind, or the deepest thoughts, feelings, or beliefs of a person or group.

simplicity

the fact that something is easy to understand or do.

solemn

serious and without any humour.

look back

to think about something that happened in the past.

figurative

(of words and phrases) used not with their basic meaning but with a more imaginative meaning, in order to create a special effect.

anticlimax

an event or experience that causes disappointment because it is less exciting than was expected or because it happens immediately after a much more interesting or exciting event.

strenuous

needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort or energy.

anticipate

to imagine or expect that something will happen.

breakthrough

an important discovery or event that helps to improve a situation or provide an answer to a problem.

flexible

able to change or be changed easily according to the situation.

likelihood

the chance that something will happen.

spare

If something is spare, it is available to use because it is extra.

spectator

a person who watches an activity, especially a sports event, without taking part.

modal

a verb, such as "can", "might", and "must", that is used with another verb to express an idea such as possibility that is not expressed by the main verb of a sentence.

longevity

living for a long time; remaining popular or useful for a long time

centenarian

someone who is a 100 years old or more

flyaway

Flyaway hair is soft, light, and difficult to keep in place.

perspective

a particular way of considering something.

take-up

how much people start to use or accept a service, or sometimes a product, that has become available to them.

spinster

a woman who is not married, especially a woman who is no longer young and seems unlikely ever to marry.

copilot

a pilot who helps the main pilot on an aircraft.

acre

a unit for measuring area, equal to 4047 square metres or 4840 square yards.

cite

to mention something as proof for a theory or as a reason why something has happened.

grain

(a) seed from a plant, especially a plant like a grass such as rice or wheat.

defensive

used to protect someone or something against attack.

texture

the quality of something that can be decided by touch; the degree to which something is rough or smooth, or soft or hard.

willing

to be happy to do something if it is needed.

reluctant

not willing to do something and therefore slow to do it.

objective

something which you plan to do or achieve.

digest

to change food in your stomach into substances that your body can use.

consumption

the act of using, eating, or drinking something.

advocate

to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something.

curriculum

the subjects studied in a school, college, etc. and what each subject includes.

organic

not using artificial chemicals in the growing of plants and animals for food and other products.

overhaul

to repair or improve something so that every part of it works as it should.

remodel

to give a new shape or form to something.

dedicate

to give all of your energy, time, etc.

spacious

large and with a lot of space.

stock

a supply of something for use or sale.

scratch

to cut or damage a surface or your skin slightly with or on something sharp or rough.

follow suit

to do the same thing as someone else.

pioneer

a person who is one of the first people to do something.

unison

the playing or singing of notes at the same pitch by different instruments or voices.

defrost

to (cause to) become free of ice, or to (cause to) become no longer frozen.

exhort

to strongly encourage or try to persuade someone to do something.

account

an arrangement with a bank to keep your money there and to allow you to take it out when you need to.

fabric

(a type of) cloth or woven material.

fundamental

forming the base, from which everything else develops; more important than anything else.

literally

used to emphasize what you are saying.

overestimate

to think that something is or will be greater, more extreme or more important than it really is.

planetarium

a building in which moving images of the sky at night are shown using a special machine.

vast

extremely big.

probe

to try to discover information that other people do not want you to know, by asking questions carefully and not directly.

prompt

to make something happen.

pouch

a bag or soft container for a small object or a small amount of something.

shortcut

a route which leads from one place to another which is quicker and more direct than the usual route.

sceptical

doubting that something is true or useful.

worthy

deserving respect, admiration or support.

credible

able to be believed or trusted.

galaxy

one of the independent groups of stars in the universe.

orbit

the curved path through which objects in space move around a planet or star.

launch

an event to celebrate or introduce something new.

extraordinary

very unusual, special, unexpected or strange.

extraterrestrial

(coming from) outside the planet Earth.

essential

necessary; needed.

envy

to wish that you had something that another person has.

dismiss

to decide that something or someone is not important and not worth considering.

criterion

a standard by which you judge, decide about or deal with something.

being

a person or thing that exists or the state of existing

mainstream

considered normal, and having or using ideas, beliefs, which are accepted by most people.

displace

to force something or someone out of its usual or original position.

layout

the way that something is arranged.

maintenance

the work needed to keep a road, building, machine, etc. in good condition.

movement

a change of position.

partition

a vertical structure like a thin wall which separates one part of a room or building from another.

practical

relating to experience, real situations or actions rather than ideas or imagination.

prior

existing or happening before something else, or before a particular time.

storage

the putting and keeping of things in a special place for use in the future.

float

to stay on the surface of a liquid and not sink.

impose

to officially force a rule, tax, punishment, etc. to be obeyed or received.

mount

to gradually increase, rise, or get bigger.

ongoing

continuing to exist or develop, or happening at the present moment.

radiance

happiness, beauty, or good health which you can see in someone's face.

replicate

to make or do something again in exactly the same way.

shift

to (cause something or someone to) move or change from one position or direction to another, especially slightly.

shortage

when there is not enough of something.

suspend

to stop or to cause to be not active, either temporarily or permanently.

tear sth down

to intentionally destroy a building or other structure because it is not being used or it is not wanted any more.

section

one of the parts that something is divided into.

district

an area of a country or town which has fixed borders that are used for official purposes, or which has a particular feature that makes it different from surrounding areas.

downhill

(moving) towards the bottom of a hill.

worktop

a flat surface in a kitchen, especially on top of low furniture, on which food can be prepared.

hinge

a piece of metal that fastens the edge of a door, window, lid, etc. to something else and allows it to swing open or closed.

tenant

a person who pays rent for the use of land or a building.

remote control

foe

an enemy.

ex. The two countries have united against their common foe.

formidable

causing you to have fear or respect for something or someone because they are large, powerful or difficult.

ex. a formidable obstacle/task.

frailty

physical weakness; lack of health or strength.

ex. Despite his frailty, he continued to travel.

gaze

to look at something or someone for a long time, especially in surprise or admiration, or because you are thinking about something else.

ex. Annette gazed admiringly at Warren as he spoke.

grunt

to make a short, low noise, esp. in surprise, pain, or pleasure, or to show that you do not want to talk:

ex. I tried to start a conversation, but he just grunted and continued reading.

majestic

(of something) having the quality of causing you to feel great admiration and respect for it because of its size, power, or beauty:

ex. We flew over the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains.

menace

danger, or someone or something that is likely to cause harm:

ex. There was an air of controlled menace about him.

nostril

either of the two openings in the nose through which air moves.

retreat

to move back and away from someone or something, esp. because you are frightened or want to be alone:

ex. She burst into tears and retreated to the bedroom.

sideways

from one side to another, or with a side to the front:

ex. If you’d move sideways I could see better.

snarl

an angry or fierce sound or way of speaking:

ex. The dog's snarl frightened me.

despair

a feeling of being without hope or of not being able to improve a situation:

ex. A few sad moments doesn’t imply feelings of despair.

fury

extreme anger or force:

ex. The battle raged with mounting fury.

purr

to make a quiet, continuous, soft sound:

ex. The cat purred as I stroked its fur.

melodious

very pleasant to listen to.

growl

to make a low rough sound, usually in anger.

ex. The dog growled at her and snapped at her ankles.

intent

giving all your attention to something.

ex. She had an intent look on her face.

outlast

to live or exist, or to stay energetic and determined, longer than another person or thing.

ex. The queen outlasted all her children.

petrify

to frighten someone a lot, especially so that they are unable to move or speak.

ex. I think you petrified poor Jeremy - he never said a word the whole time you were here.

prick

to make a very small hole or holes in the surface of something, sometimes in a way which causes pain.

ex. Prick the skin of the potatoes with a fork before baking them.

rusty

covered with rust (= metal decay).

ex. a rusty car/nail.

tame

(especially of animals) not wild or dangerous, either naturally or because of training or long involvement with humans.

ex. After a few months' contact the monkeys become very tame.

twitch

(to cause) to make a sudden small movement with a part of the body, usually without intending to.

ex. He tried to suppress a smile but felt the corner of his mouth twitch.

pneumonia

a serious illness in which one or both lungs become red and swollen and filled with liquid.

ex. People who are bedridden can easily get pneumonia.

tabby

(a cat) having dark colored marks on grey or brown fur.

abandon

to leave a place, thing, or person, usually for ever:

ex. By the time the rebel troops arrived, the village had already been abandoned.

collapse

to prevent something from being seen or known about; to hide something. to fall down suddenly because of pressure or having no strength or support

ex. Thousands of buildings collapsed in the earthquake.

harsh

unpleasant, unkind, cruel or unnecessarily severe.

ex. We thought the punishment was rather harsh for such a minor offence.

settlement

an official agreement that finishes an argument.

ex. It now seems unlikely that it will be possible to negotiate/reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

spray

a mass of very small drops of liquid carried in the air

ex. Can you feel the spray from the sea/waterfall?

starvation

the state of having no food for a long period, often causing death.

ex. Twenty million people face starvation unless a vast emergency aid program is launched.

deforestation

the cutting down of trees in a large area; the destruction of forests by people.

ex. Deforestation is destroying large areas of tropical rain forest.

barrel

a large container, made of wood, metal or plastic, with a flat top and bottom and curved sides that make it fatter in the middle.

ex. They drank a whole barrel of beer (= the contents of a barrel) at the party.

quintuplet

any of five children born at the same time to the same mother.

breeze

a light and pleasant wind.

ex. She let the gentle breeze cool her face.

flush

When you flush, you become red in the face, especially as a result of strong emotions, heat or alcohol.

ex. She flushed with pleasure as she accepted the prize.

generate

to cause something to exist.

ex. Her latest film has generated a lot of interest/excitement.

microclimate

an area in which the weather is usually different from the areas around it.

orient

to discover the position of yourself in relation to your surroundings.

ex. After she came out of the station, she paused to orient herself.

outskirts

(of cities and towns) the areas that form the edge.

ex. the outskirts of town.

pedestrian

a person who is walking, especially in an area where vehicles go.

ex. A few pedestrians carrying their evening shopping sheltered from the rain in doorways.

perspective

a particular way of viewing things that depends on one’s experience and personality.

ex. From a social perspective, I am very much a liberal, although my economic policies are very conservative.

renewable

describes a form of energy that can be produced as quickly as it is used.

ex. renewable energy sources such as wind and wave power.

self-sufficient

able to provide everything you need, especially food, for yourself without the help of other people.

ex. The program aims to make the country self-sufficient in food production and to cut energy imports.

panel

a small group of people chosen to give advice, make a decision, or publicly discuss their opinions as entertainment.

ex. The competition will be judged by a panel of experts.

pod

a long, narrow, flat part of some plants, such as beans and peas, which contains the seeds and usually has a thick skin.

dust

dry dirt in the form of powder that covers surfaces inside a building, or very small dry pieces of soil, sand or other substances.

ex. The furniture was covered in dust and cobwebs.

promising

Something which is promising shows signs that it is going to be successful or enjoyable.

ex. They won the award for the most promising new band of the year.

humid

(of air and weather conditions) containing extremely small drops of water in the air.

ex. New York is very hot and humid in the summer.

drought

a long period when there is little or no rain.

ex. This year (a) severe drought has ruined the crops.

distort

to change something from its natural or usual shape or condition.

ex. There are those who would distort the facts to serve their own political ends.

drawback

a disadvantage or problem; the negative part of a situation.

ex. One of the drawbacks of working for a big company is that you have to follow a lot of rules.

impair

to damage or weaken something so that it is less effective.

ex. Lack of sleep impaired her ability to think clearly.

recollection

a memory of something, or the ability to remember past events.

ex. I have fond recollections of the times our families vacationed together in Vermont.

rural

in, of, or like the countryside.

ex. The area is still very rural and undeveloped.

simultaneous

happening or existing at exactly the same time.

ex. The report will be broadcast in Russian with simultaneous English translation.

switch

a device that controls an electric current and turns it on or off.

ex. Flip a switch and the coffee makes itself.

pilot

a person who flies an aircraft.

ex. fighter/helicopter/bomber/airline pilot.

procedure

a set of actions which is the official or accepted way of doing something.

ex. The company has new procedures for dealing with complaints.

multitask

a person's ability to do more than one thing at a time.

ex. Women are often very good at multitasking.

compulsory

If something is compulsory, you must do it because of a rule or law.

ex. Swimming was compulsory at my school.

mandatory

describes something which must be done, or which is demanded by law.

ex. The minister is calling for mandatory prison sentences for people who assault police officers.

audibly

able to be heard.

ex. The lecturer spoke so quietly that he was scarcely audible at the back of the hall.

consistent

always behaving or happening in a similar, especially positive, way.

ex. There has been a consistent improvement in her attitude.

inefficiency

not organized, skilled or able to work satisfactorily.

ex. Existing methods of production are expensive and inefficient.

perception

a belief or opinion, often held by many people and based on how things seem.

ex. We have to change the public's perception that money is being wasted.

rotate

to (cause to) turn in a circle, especially around a fixed point.

ex. Rotate the handle by 180° to open the door.

stratum

one of the parts or layers into which something is separated.

ex. The report shows that drugs have penetrated every stratum of American society.

dictation

when someone dictates something for someone else to write down.

ex. I'll ask my assistant to take dictation (= write down what I say).

multidimensional

having many different features.

ex. Crime is a multidimensional problem.

aeronautics

the science of designing, building and operating aircraft.

concede

to admit that something is true, or to allow something.

ex. Officials concede (that) the plan isn’t the best one.

conceal

to prevent something from being seen or known about; to hide something.

ex. He made no attempt to conceal his satisfaction.

insert

to put something in something else.

ex. Insert your ATM card in the slot to begin your transaction.

reverse

to cause something to go in the opposite direction, order, or position.

ex. The group is trying to reverse the trend toward developing the wetlands.

cave

a large hole in the side of a hill, cliff or mountain.

ex. It was very dark and cold inside the cave.

charitable

kind and not judging people in a negative way.

ex. They are known as a charitable people.

coup

an unexpectedly successful achievement.

ex. It was quite a coup for her to get an interview with the First Lady.

daring

showing bravery and willingness to risk danger or criticism.

ex. Specially trained troops carried out a daring rescue operation.

disclose

to give information to the public that was not previously known.

ex. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

backpack

to walk long distances, carrying your things in a backpack.

ex. We backpacked through the Colorado Rockies last summer.

filter

If something filters down, in, out, or through, it appears or happens gradually or to a limited degree.

ex. Reports of the accident began to filter in.

insecticide

a chemical substance for killing insects.

refugee

a person who has escaped from their own country for political, religious or economic reasons or because of a war.

ex. Thousands of refugees fled across the border.

soak

to make very wet, or (of liquid) to be absorbed in large amounts.

ex. The wind had blown the rain in and soaked the carpet.

transmit

to broadcast something, or to send out or carry signals using radio, television, etc.

ex. The information is transmitted electronically to the central computer.

navy

the part of a country's armed forces which is trained to operate at sea.

ex. My brother is an officer in the Navy.

curtain

a thick layer of something which makes it difficult to see anything behind it.

ex. They could see nothing through the curtain of rain.

supplier

a company, person, etc. that provides things that people want or need, especially over a long period of time.

ex. They used to be a leading supplier of military equipment.