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- a and enoun · B2The hospital department for sudden serious cases.
- a b testnoun · B2Showing two versions to see which performs better.
- a ballpark figurephrase · C1A rough guess at a number, close enough to work with.
- a blessing in disguisephrase · C1Bad luck that secretly turns out to be good.
- a can of wormsphrase · C1A problem that spills into endless new problems once opened.
- a cappella/ˌæ.kəˈpɛl.ə/adjective · C1Sung with no instruments at all.
- a drop in the oceanphrase · C1An amount far too small to make any difference.
- a fresh pair of eyesphrase · B2Somebody new looking at a problem you have stared at too long.
- a hard nut to crackphrase · C1A problem or a person that is very difficult to deal with.
- a home from homephrase · B2A place where you feel as comfortable as in your own house.
- a la carteadjective · B2Chosen dish by dish, each with its own price.
- a leopard cannot change its spotsphrase · C1People do not really alter their nature.
- a piece of my mindphrase · C1An angry telling-off you give someone who deserves it.
- a piece of the piephrase · C1Your fair share of the money or benefits.
- a sight for sore eyesphrase · C1Somebody or something you are very glad to see.
- a slippery slopephrase · B2A small wrong step that leads to much worse ones.
- a stitch in time saves ninephrase · C1Deal with a small problem now and avoid a big one later.
- a stone's throw awayphrase · B2Very close by indeed.
- a taste of their own medicinephrase · B2Treatment as unpleasant as what they gave others.
- a tidy sumphrase · C1A considerably larger amount of money than expected.
- aback/əˈbæk/adverb · B2+Backwards, in the phrase taken by surprise.
- abandon/əˈbæn.dən/verb · B2To leave a person, place, or plan behind forever.
- abandonment/əˈbæn.d(ə)n.m(ə)nt/noun · B2+Leaving somebody or something for good.
- abase/əˈbeɪs/verb · C2To humble somebody, or to lower yourself.
- abashed/əˈbæʃt/adjective · C2Embarrassed and put out of countenance.
- abate/əˈbeɪt/verb · C1To become less fierce, as a storm does.
- abattoir/ˈæb.əˌtwɑː(ɹ)/noun · C1A building where animals are killed for meat.
- abbey/ˈæbi/noun · B2A building where monks or nuns live and worship.
- abbreviation/əˌbɹiː.viˈeɪ.ʃən/noun · B1+A shortened form of a word, like Dr for doctor.
- abdicate/ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/verb · C1To give up a throne.
- abdomen/ˈæb.də.mən/noun · B2The formal medical word for the belly area.
- abdomen segmentnoun · C1One ring of the rear section of an insect's body.
- abdominal/æbˈdɒm.ə.nl̩/adjective · B2To do with the belly.
- abduction/əbˈdʌk.ʃn̩/noun · C2Reasoning to the best available explanation.
- abduction/əbˈdʌk.ʃn̩/noun · B2The crime of taking somebody away by force.
- abed/əˈbɛd/adverb · C2In bed, in old or literary use.
- aberration/ˌæb.əˈɹeɪ.ʃn̩/noun · C2A departure from what is normal, usually a brief one.
- abet/əˈbɛt/verb · C1To help somebody do something wrong.
- abeyance/əˈbeɪ.ən(t)s/noun · C2A state of being suspended for the time being.
- abhor/əbˈhɔː/verb · C2To hate something deeply.
- abhorrent/æbˈ(h)ɒɹənt/adjective · C2Utterly detestable to your moral sense.
- abide/əˈbaɪd/verb · B2To put up with something, or to remain.
- abiding/əˈbaɪ.dɪŋ/adjective · C1Lasting for a very long time.
- ability/əˈbɪl.ə.ti/noun · A2+What somebody is able to do.
- abject/ˈæbd͡ʒɛkt/adjective · C2As wretched or as complete a failure as could be.
- abjure/əbˈd͡ʒʊə(ɹ)/verb · C2To give up a belief or a claim by solemn promise.
- abnormal/ˌæbˈnɔː.məl/adjective · B1+Different from what is usual, in a worrying way.
- abnormality/ˌæbnɔːˈmælɪtɪ/noun · B2+A physical defect or irregular feature in a body, a scan, or a reading that a doctor would flag as needing attention.
- abnormally/æbˈnɔɹ.mə.li/adverb · B2+In a way that departs worryingly from the usual.
- aboard/əˈbɔːd/adverb · B1On or onto a ship, a plane or a train.
- abode/əˈbəʊd/noun · C1The place where somebody lives.
- abolish/əˈbɒl.ɪʃ/verb · C1To officially end a law or practice forever.
- abolition/ˌæb.əˈlɪʃ.ən/noun · C1The ending of slavery by law.
- abominable/əˈbɑm.ə.nə.bl̩/adjective · B2Causing disgust and hatred.
- abomination/əˌbɒ.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/noun · C1Something that causes disgust and hatred.
- abortion/əˈbɔɹ.ʃn̩/noun · B2+The deliberate ending of a pregnancy.
- abound/əˈbaʊnd/verb · C1To be present in very great numbers.
- about timephrase · B2Said when something overdue finally happens.
- above/əˈbʌv/preposition · A1In a higher position than something.
- abrasion/əˈbɹeɪ.ʒən/noun · C1Wearing away by rubbing.
- abrasive/əˈbɹeɪ.sɪv/adjective · C1Rough enough to scrape, or harsh in manner.
- abridge/əˈbɹɪd͡ʒ/verb · C1To shorten a work while keeping its sense.
- abroad/əˈbɹɔːd/adverb · B1+In or to a different country than your own.
- abrogate/ˈæ.bɹə.ɡət/verb · C2To cancel a law or an agreement by authority.
- abrogation/ˌæb.ɹəˈɡeɪ.ʃ(ə)n/noun · C2The formal cancelling of a law or a treaty.
- abrupt/əˈbɹʌpt/adjective · B2+Sudden and unexpected, in a way that feels rude.
- abruptly/əˈbɹʌp.li/adverb · B2+With sudden sharpness, cutting things off mid-flow.
- abscond/əbˈskɒnd/verb · C1To run away secretly, often taking what is not yours.
- abseil/ˈæb.seɪl/verb · C1To come down a rock face on a rope.
- absence/ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/noun · B2The state of not being there.
- absent/ˈæb.sn̩t/adjective · B2Not there — missing from the lesson.
- absent-minded/ˌæb.sn̩tˈmaɪn.dɪd/adjective · B2Forgetful because your thoughts are elsewhere.
- absentee/ˌæb.sn̩ˈti/noun · B2+Somebody who fails to turn up where they are expected.
- absently/ˈæb.sn̩t.li/adverb · B2Without paying attention to what you are doing.
- absolute/ˈæb.sə.luːt/adjective · B1Complete, with nothing held back or limiting it.
- absolutely/ˈæb.səˌl(j)uːt.li/adverb · A2Completely, or as an emphatic yes.
- absolution/æb.səˈljuː.ʃn̩/noun · C1The formal forgiveness of sins.
- absolutism/ˈæb.sə.luː.tɪz.m̩/noun · C2The view that some truths hold everywhere, always.
- absolve/əbˈzɒlv/verb · C1To free somebody from blame or from a duty.
- absorb/əbˈzɔːb/verb · B2To soak something up, the way a sponge takes in water.
- absorbed/æbˈsɔɹbd/adjective · B2So caught up in something that nothing else registers.
- absorbing/əbˈzɔː.bɪŋ/adjective · B2So interesting that you lose track of time.
- abstention/əbˈstɛn.ʃn̩/noun · C1Choosing not to vote, or holding back from something.
- abstinence/ˈæb.stɪ.nəns/noun · C1Going entirely without something.
- abstract/ˈæbˌstɹækt/adjective · B2Existing as an idea only, not as a thing you can touch.
- abstract/ˈæbˌstɹækt/noun · C1The short paragraph at the top of a paper that sums up the whole study.
- abstract/ˈæbˌstɹækt/adjective · B2Of art: made of shape and colour rather than recognisable objects.
- abstraction/əbˈstɹæk.ʃn̩/noun · C1An idea considered apart from any real example.
- abstruse/əbˈstɹuːs/adjective · C2So difficult to follow that few can understand it.
- absurd/əbˈsɜːd/adjective · B2So unreasonable it is almost funny.
- absurdity/əbˈsɜːd.ɪ.ti/noun · C1The quality of being ridiculous.
- abundance/əˈbʌn.dn̩s/noun · C1A quantity far greater than is needed.
- abundant/əˈbʌn.dənt/adjective · C1Present in more than plenty.
- abuse/əˈbjuːs/noun · B2Cruel or violent treatment, or wrong use of something.
- abusive/əˈbjuː.sɪv/adjective · B2Cruel or insulting in the way it treats somebody.
- abyss/əˈbɪs/noun · B2+A hole so deep it seems to have no bottom.
- academia/ˌæk.əˈdiː.mɪ.ə/noun · C1The world of universities and research as a whole.
- academy/əˈkæd.ə.mi/noun · B2A school for a special subject, or a learned society.
- accede/əkˈsiːd/verb · C1To agree to a request, or to take up high office.
- accelerate/əkˈsɛl.əˌɹeɪt/verb · C1To gather more and more speed.
- acceleration/əkˌsɛl.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+The rate at which speed increases.
- accelerator/əkˈsɛl.əˌɹeɪ.tɚ/noun · B1+The pedal that makes a vehicle go faster.
- accent/ˈak.sənt/noun · B1The particular way people from one place pronounce their words.
- accentuate/əkˈsɛn.t͡ʃu.eɪt/verb · C1To make a feature stand out more.
- accept/əkˈsɛpt/verb · A2To say yes to what is offered.
- acceptable/əkˈsɛp.tə.bəl/adjective · B2Good enough to be agreed to.
- acceptance/əkˈsɛp.təns/noun · B2Agreeing to take or to believe something.
- access/ˈæksɛs/noun · B1The right or the means to get in or to use something.
- accessibility/əkˌsɛs.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/noun · B2+How easily a place or service can be used by everybody.
- accessible/əkˈsɛs.ɪ.bəl/adjective · C1Easy to reach, to enter or to understand.
- accessible roomnoun · B2A room designed for a guest who uses a wheelchair.
- accessible toiletnoun · B1A lavatory designed for people with disabilities.
- accession/ækˈsɛʃ.ən/noun · C1Coming to a throne or joining an organisation.
- accessory/əkˈsɛs.(ə.)ɹi/noun · B2A small extra item that goes with something else.
- accidental/ˌæk.sɪˈdɛn.tl̩/adjective · B1Happening by chance and not on purpose.
- acclaim/əˈkleɪm/noun · C1Enthusiastic public praise.
- acclaimed/əˈkleɪmd/adjective · B2+Widely praised in public.
- acclamation/æk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/noun · C2Loud shared approval, given by voice.
- acclimatiseverb · C1To let your body get used to thinner air.
- accolade/ˈæk.əˌleɪd/noun · C1A public honour given for achievement.
- accommodate/əˈkɒməˌdeɪt/verb · B2To make room for someone, or to bend to their needs.
- accommodating/əˈkɒm.əˌdeɪ.tɪŋ/adjective · B2+Willing to fit in with what others want.
- accommodation/əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/noun · B1+Any place you stay and sleep while traveling.
- accompany/əˈkʌm.pə.ni/verb · B2To go along with someone, keeping them company on the way.
- accomplice/əˈkɒm.plɪs/noun · B2A person who helps another commit a crime.
- accomplish/əˈkʌm.plɪʃ/verb · B2To finish something successfully.
- accomplishment/əˈkɒm.plɪʃ.mənt/noun · C1Something achieved by effort.
- accord/əˈkɔːd/noun · B2A formal settlement reached between two sides who were in dispute.
- accordance/əˈkɔː.dəns/noun · C1Agreement with a rule, in the phrase about acting by it.
- accordingly/əˈkɔɹ.dɪŋ.li/adverb · C1In a way that fits what has happened.
- accordion/əˈkɔː.diː.ən/noun · B1+The squeezebox instrument pumped between two hands.
- accordion keysnoun · B2The buttons pressed while squeezing a bellows instrument.
- accost/əˈkɔst/verb · C2To approach a stranger boldly and speak to them.
- account/əˈkaʊnt/noun · B1Your personal space on a website, opened with your password.
- account for/əˈkaʊnt foɹ/phrase · B2To explain the reason for something.
- account numbernoun · B1The figure identifying one particular account.
- accountability/əˌkaʊn.təˈbɪl.ə.ti/noun · B2+Having to answer for what you have done.
- accountable/əˈkaʊntəbl̩/adjective · C1Having to answer for what you do.
- accountancy/əˈkaʊnt.ən.si/noun · B2+The study and practice of keeping financial records.
- accountant/əˈkaʊn.tənt/noun · B2The professional who takes care of a company's numbers and taxes.
- accredit/əˈkɹɛd.ɪt/verb · C1To recognise officially as meeting a standard.
- accreditation/əˌkɹɛd.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/noun · C1Official recognition that you meet a standard.
- accrue/əˈkɹuː/verb · C2To build up in amount over time.
- accumulate/əˈkjuːmjʊˌleɪt/verb · C1To pile up little by little over time.
- accumulation/əˌkjuːm.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/noun · C1A mass gathered a little at a time.
- accuracy/ˈak.jʊ.ɹə.si/noun · B2Freedom from error.
- accurate/ˈak.jʊ.ɹɪt/adjective · B2Exactly right, with no errors in the details.
- accurately/ˈak.jə.ɹɪt.li/adverb · B2+In a way that matches the truth exactly.
- accursed/əˈkɜː.sɪd/adjective · C1Under a curse, or thoroughly detestable.
- accusation/ˌæk.jʊˈzeɪ.ʃ(ə)n/noun · C1A charge that somebody has done wrong.
- accuse/əˈkjuːz/verb · B2To say openly that a person did something wrong.
- accused/əˈkjuzd/noun · B1The person a court says has done wrong.
- accustomed/əˈkʌs.təmd/adjective · C1Used to something through long habit.
- acerbic/əˈsɜː(ɹ)bɪk/adjective · C2Sharp and biting in speech.
- ache/eɪk/verb · B1To hurt with a dull pain that will not stop.
- achievable/əˈt͡ʃiːvəbəl/adjective · B2+Possible to bring about with the effort available.
- achieve/əˈt͡ʃiːv/verb · B2To succeed in reaching a goal after real effort.
- achievement/əˈt͡ʃiːv.mənt/noun · B1+Something done successfully after effort.
- achilles heelphrase · C1The one weak point in somebody otherwise strong.
- acid/ˈæsɪd/noun · B2A sour substance that turns litmus red and eats metal.
- acid rainnoun · B2Rain made sour by pollution, which kills trees.
- acidic/əˈsɪd.ɪk/adjective · C1Sharp and biting, like citrus or vinegar.
- acidity/əˈsɪd.ɪ.ti/noun · B2+The degree to which something is sharp and sour.
- acknowledge/əkˈnɒl.ɪd͡ʒ/verb · B2To admit openly that something is true or that someone deserves credit.
- acknowledgementnoun · B2+The admitting that something is so, or thanks given.
- acne/ˈækni/noun · B1+A condition that covers the skin in spots.
- acolyte/ˈæk.ə.laɪt/noun · C1An assistant at a religious service, or a devoted follower.
- acorn/ˈeɪ.kɔɹn/noun · B1+The little nut of the mighty oak, beloved by squirrels.
- acorn cupnoun · B2The rough little cup an oak seed sits in.
- acoustic/əˈkuː.stɪk/adjective · C1To do with sound, or played without electrical amplification.
- acoustics/əˈkuː.stɪks/noun · C1The way a room shapes and reflects sound.
- acquaint/əˈkweɪnt/verb · B2+To make somebody familiar with something.
- acquaintance/əˈkweɪntəns/noun · B1+A person you know a little — more than a stranger, less than a friend.
- acquiesce/ˌækwiˈɛs/verb · C1To go along with something without protest.
- acquiescence/ˌæk.wiːˈɛs.əns/noun · C2Quiet agreement given without objection.
- acquire/əˈkwaɪɚ/verb · B2To come to own or possess something over time.
- acquire/əˈkwaɪɚ/verb · B2To come to have something.
- acquired/əˈkwaɪɹd/noun · C1Something you only come to like after trying it often.
- acquisition/ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/noun · C1One company buying another whole.
- acquit/əˈkwɪt/verb · B2+To declare in court that the accused is not guilty.
- acquittal/əˈkwɪtəl/noun · C1The court's declaration that the accused is not guilty and free.
- acquitted/əˈkwɪtɪd/adjective · B2+Declared not guilty by a court.
- acre/ˈeɪ.kə/noun · C1A unit of land about the size of a football pitch.
- acreage/ˈeɪk(ə)ɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · C2The extent of a piece of land measured in acres.
- acrid/ˈæk.ɹɪd/adjective · C1Sharp and bitter enough to sting the nose.
- acrimonious/ˌæk.ɹɪˈməʊ.nɪ.əs/adjective · C1Full of bitterness and angry feeling.
- acrimony/ˈækɹɪməni/noun · C2Bitter ill feeling between people.
- acrobat/ˈæk.ɹə.bæt/noun · B2A performer of daring feats of balance and agility.
- acrobatic/ˌækɹəˈbætɪk/adjective · C2Involving daring feats of balance and agility.
- acrobaticsnoun · C2Feats of balance, tumbling and agility.
- acronym/ˈækɹənɪm/noun · B2+A word built from first letters, like NASA.
- across fromphrase · A2On the other side, facing you.
- acrylics/əˈkɹɪlɪks/noun · B2+Artificial nails built on top of your own.
- act/ækt/noun · A2A single thing somebody does, or one part of a play.
- act up/ækt ˈʌp/phrase · C1To behave badly, or to stop working properly.
- action/ˈækʃən̩/noun · A1The doing of something, rather than talk about it.
- action figurenoun · B1A small posable model of a character.
- action pointnoun · B2A task assigned to somebody during a meeting.
- actions speak louder than words/ˈak.ʃənz spiːk ˈlaʊ̯d.ə ˌðan wɜːdz/<q:contemporary>phrase · B2The saying: what people do proves more than what they say.
- activate/ˈæktɪˌveɪt/verb · B2To bring a waiting agent into use.
- activation/ˌæktɪˈveɪʃn̩/noun · C1The act of setting something working.
- activation energynoun · C1The push a reaction needs before it will start.
- active/ˈæk.tɪv/adjective · A2+Busy doing things, or working rather than idle.
- activist/ˈæk.tɪ.vɪst/noun · C1A person who fights publicly for a cause they believe in.
- activity/ækˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/noun · A2+Something people do, especially for interest or exercise.
- actor/ˈæk.təː/noun · A1A person who plays a character in films or on stage.
- actual/ˈækʃuəl/adjective · B1Real, rather than supposed.
- actually/ˈæk(t)ʃᵿli/adverb · A2In fact, as against what was assumed.
- actuary/ˈæktʃuˌɛɹi/noun · C1A specialist who calculates risk for insurers.
- actuate/ˈæktʃu.eɪt/verb · C1To set a mechanism working.
- acuity/əˈkjuːɪti/noun · C1Sharpness of sight, hearing or thought.
- acumen/ˈækjʊmən/noun · C1A quick and shrewd judgement in practical matters.
- acute/əˈkjuːt/adjective · C1Sharp and severe — pain, shortages, or senses.
- acute/əˈkjuːt/adjective · B1Of an angle: less than ninety degrees.
- acute anglenoun · B2An angle smaller than a square corner.
- acutely/əˈkjuːtli/adverb · C1Very keenly or sharply felt.
- ad hominemnoun · C2Attacking the person instead of their argument.
- ad lib/æd ˈlɪb/noun · C2Words spoken without preparation.
- ad-libverb · C2To speak without a script, making it up as you go.
- adage/ˈæd.ɪd͡ʒ/noun · C1A short old saying that people take as true.
- adamant/ˈæd.ə.mənt/adjective · C1Refusing absolutely to change your mind.
- adapt/əˈdæpt/verb · B2To change yourself to fit new conditions.
- adaptation/ˌæd.əpˈteɪ.ʃən/noun · C1A film made from a book or a play.
- add/æd/verb · A1To put numbers together for their total, or put more of something in.
- add fuel to the firephrase · B2To make an angry situation worse.
- add upphrase · B2To make sense as a whole; also, to total numbers.
- add up tophrase · B2To amount to something when everything is counted.
- addendum/əˈdɛn.dəm/noun · C1Something added at the end of a document.
- addict/ˈæd.ɪkt/noun · B2Somebody who cannot give up a habit or a substance.
- addicted/əˈdɪktɪd/adjective · B2Unable to stop using or doing something.
- addiction/əˈdɪkˌʃən/noun · B2+Being unable to stop taking or doing something harmful.
- addictive/əˈdɪktɪv/adjective · B2+Hard to stop once you have started.
- addition/əˈdɪʃ.ən/noun · B1Something added, or the joining of numbers together.
- additional/əˈdɪ.ʃə.nəl/adjective · B2Coming on top of what is already there.
- additionallyadverb · B2+As a further point.
- additive/ˈæd.ɪ.tɪv/noun · C2A substance put into food or fuel to change its properties.
- addle/ˈæ.dəl/verb · C2To muddle somebody's thinking.
- address/əˈdɹɛs/noun · A1The street name and number that tell people where you live.
- addressee/ˌædɹɛˈsiː/noun · C1The person a letter is written to.
- adept/əˈdɛpt/adjective · C1Very skilled at something.
- adequatelyadverb · B2+Well enough for the purpose.
- adhere/ædˈhɪə/verb · C1To stick firmly to a surface — or to a rule.
- adherence/ədˈhɪə.ɹəns/noun · C1Sticking firmly to a rule or a belief.
- adherent/ædˈ(h)ɪə.ɹənt/noun · C1A committed follower of a cause.
- adhesion/ˌædˈhiː.ʒən/noun · C2The sticking of one surface to another.
- adhesive/ədˈhiː.sɪv/noun · B2Any substance that sticks two things together.
- adieu/əˈdju/noun · C1A farewell, in a formal or literary way.
- adjacent/əˈd͡ʒeɪ.sənt/adjective · C1Right next to, sharing an edge.
- adjective/ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/noun · B1+A word that describes a noun.
- adjoin/əˈd͡ʒɔɪn/verb · C1To be next to and touching.
- adjoining/əˈd͡ʒɔɪ.nɪŋ/adjective · C1Sharing a wall or a border with the next one.
- adjoining roomsnoun · C1Two rooms with a door between them.
- adjourn/əˈd͡ʒɝn/verb · B2+To break off a meeting until another time.
- adjournmentnoun · C1The breaking off of a meeting until later.
- adjudicate/əˈd͡ʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/verb · C1To act as judge and decide a dispute.
- adjust/əˈd͡ʒʌst/verb · B2To change something a little until it is exactly right.
- adjustable/əˈd͡ʒʌstəbəl/adjective · C1Able to be altered to suit the person using it.
- adjustment/əˈd͡ʒʌst.mənt/noun · C1A small change made to get something right.
- administer/ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stə/verb · C1To manage affairs, or to give out medicine.
- administration/ədˌmɪn.ɪˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2The running of an organisation, or a government in office.
- administrative/ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stɹə.tɪv/adjective · C1To do with the running of an organisation.
- administrator/ədˈmɪn.ɪ.stɹeɪ.tə/noun · C1A person who runs the day-to-day paperwork.
- admirable/ˈæd.məɹ.ə.bəl/adjective · B2Deserving respect and praise.
- admirably/ˈæd.mə.ɹə.bli/adverb · B2+In a way that deserves praise.
- admiration/ˌæd.məˈɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · B1+The warm respect you feel looking at someone excellent.
- admire/ədˈmaɪə/verb · B1To look up to someone with respect and warm approval.
- admirer/ədˈmaɪ.ɹə/noun · B2Somebody who thinks highly of another.
- admission/ədˈmɪʃən/noun · C1The confession of a fact.
- admission/ədˈmɪʃən/noun · B1Being let in to a place or an institution.
- admit/ədˈmɪt/verb · B1To finally agree that something uncomfortable is true.
- admittance/ədˈmɪt.n̩s/noun · C1The right to go in.
- admittedlyadverb · B2+As has to be granted before the main point.
- admonish/ədˈmɒn.ɪʃ/verb · C1To tell somebody off gently but firmly.
- admonition/ˌædməˈnɪʃən/noun · C1A firm warning about behaviour.
- adolescence/ˌædəˈlɛsəns/noun · B2+The years between child and adult.
- adolescent/ˌæd.əˈlɛs.ənt/noun · C1A young person between childhood and adulthood.
- adopt/əˈdɒpt/verb · B2To take someone else's child into your family as your own.
- adopt/əˈdɒpt/verb · B2To take a rescued animal into your home for good.
- adopt/əˈdɒpt/verb · B2To take up a method or an idea.
- adoptive/əˈdɒptɪv/adjective · B2+Related through adoption rather than by birth.
- adoptive parentnoun · B2Somebody who becomes a child's legal parent for life.
- adoration/ˌæ.dəˈɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+Deep love and admiration.
- adore/əˈdɔː/verb · B2To love somebody very deeply.
- adorn/əˈdɔɹn/verb · C1To make something more beautiful by adding to it.
- adornment/əˈdɔːnm(ə)nt/noun · C2Something added to make a person or thing look finer.
- adrenaline/əˈdɹɛnəlɪn/noun · C1The hormone that floods the body in fright or excitement.
- adrift/əˈdɹɪft/adjective · B2+Floating with no power and no control.
- adroit/əˈdɹɔɪt/adjective · C2Clever and quick in handling things.
- adulation/ˌædʒʊˈleɪʃən/noun · C2Praise so extreme it goes beyond what is deserved.
- adult/ˈæd.ʌlt/noun · A2A fully grown person.
- adulterate/əˈdʌltəɹət/verb · C2To spoil something by adding an inferior substance.
- adulteressnoun · C1A married woman who is unfaithful.
- adultery/əˈdʌltəɹi/noun · B2+Sex between a married person and somebody not their partner.
- adulthoodnoun · B2+The state of being fully grown.
- advance/ədˈvɑːns/verb · B2To move forward towards something.
- advancement/ædˈvɑːns.mənt/noun · B2+Moving forward, especially in a career.
- advantage/ədˈvɑːn.tɪd͡ʒ/noun · A2+Something that puts you ahead of others.
- advantageous/ˌædvənˈteɪd͡ʒ(i)əs/adjective · C1Putting you in a better position than before.
- advent/ˈæd.vɛnt/noun · B2+The arrival of something important.
- adventure/ədˈvɛn.t͡ʃə/noun · A2An exciting experience full of new places and a little danger.
- adventurer/ædˈvɛn.t͡ʃɚ.ɚ/noun · B2+Somebody who seeks out risk and excitement.
- adventurous/ædˈvɛn.t͡ʃɚ.əs/adjective · B2Willing to take risks for the sake of experience.
- adverb/ˈæd.vɜːb/noun · B1+A word that tells you how, when or where something happens.
- adversary/ˈæd.və.sɛɹi/noun · C1Somebody on the other side in a fight or contest.
- adverse/ˈæd.və(ɹ)s/adjective · C1Working against you — conditions, effects, or winds.
- adversity/ædˈvɜː.sɪ.ti/noun · B2+Serious difficulty and misfortune.
- advertise/ˈædvəˌtaɪ̯z/verb · B1+To tell the public about something you want to sell.
- advertisement/ədˈvɜːtɪsmənt/noun · B1+The short message that tries to sell you something.
- advertising/ˈædvɚˌtaɪzɪŋ/noun · B1+The business of making the public want to buy things.
- advice/ədˈvaɪs/noun · A1What you tell someone they should do about their problem.
- advisableadjective · B2+Sensible, and worth doing.
- advise/ədˈvaɪz/verb · B1To tell somebody what you think they should do.
- advisor/ædˈvaɪ.zə(ɹ)/noun · B1+Somebody whose job is giving advice.
- advisory/ədˈvaɪzəɹi/adjective · C1Giving advice rather than orders.
- advocacy/ˈæd.və.kə.si/noun · C1Speaking up on behalf of somebody who needs support.
- advocate/ˈæd.və.kət/verb · C1To argue publicly in favor of a cause.
- aegis/ˈiːd͡ʒɪs/noun · C2The protection or backing of a powerful body.
- aerobics/əˈɹəʊbɪks/noun · B1+Rhythmic exercise done to music in a class.
- aesthetic/iːsˈθɛ.tɪk/adjective · C1Concerning beauty and how things look and feel.
- aestheticallyadverb · C1In terms of beauty and how something looks.
- affable/ˈæf.ə.bəl/adjective · C1Easy and pleasant to talk to.
- affair/əˈfɛə/noun · B1A matter to be dealt with, or a secret romance.
- affect/əˈfɛkt/verb · B1To make a difference to something.
- affectation/ˌæf.ɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/noun · C2A manner put on to impress rather than felt.
- affection/əˈfɛk.ʃən/noun · B2Gentle steady fondness for a person or animal.
- affectionate/əˈfɛkʃənət/adjective · B2Showing warm fondness openly, with hugs and kind words.
- affidavit/ˌæfɪˈdeɪvɪt/noun · C1A written statement sworn to be true.
- affiliate/əˈfɪl.i.ət/noun · C1A local station carrying a national network's shows.
- affiliation/əˌfɪliˈeɪʃən/noun · C1The connection somebody has with an organisation.
- affinity/əˈfɪnɪti/noun · C1A natural liking or a close likeness.
- affirm/əˈfɝm/verb · B2+To state firmly that something is true.
- affirmation/æfɝˈmeɪʃn/noun · B2+A positive statement repeated to yourself.
- afflict/əˈflɪkt/verb · B2+To cause somebody lasting pain or trouble.
- affliction/əˈflɪk.ʃən/noun · C1Something that causes lasting pain or trouble.
- affluent/ˈæf.lu.ənt/adjective · C1Having plenty of money.
- afford/əˈfoɹd/verb · B1To have enough money to buy something without trouble.
- affordable/əˈfɔː(ɹ).də.bəl/adjective · B2+Cheap enough for ordinary people to buy.
- affront/əˈfɹʌnt/noun · C1An open insult to somebody's dignity.
- afghanistannoun · B1+The mountainous Central Asian country of Kabul.
- afire/əˈfaɪɚ/adjective · C2Burning with real flames, or glowing as though flames were inside.
- afloat/əˈfloʊt/adjective · B2Resting on the surface of water rather than sinking.
- afoot/əˈfʊt/adjective · C1Happening or being planned.
- afore/əˈfoɹ/preposition · C2Before, in dialect or old use.
- afoul/əˈfaʊl/adverb · C1Into conflict or entanglement with something.
- afraid/əˈfɹeɪd/adjective · A1Feeling fear; wanting to hide or run away.
- after allphrase · B2Used to add a reason, or to note a reversal.
- after youphrase · B1A polite invitation to go first.
- after-schooladjective · B1Happening once the school day has ended.
- afterlife/ˈɑːftəˌlaɪf/noun · B2Existence believed to follow death.
- aftermath/ˈæf.tɚˌmæθ/noun · C1The period and conditions that follow a disaster.
- afternoon/ˌɑːf.təˈnuːn/noun · A1The part of the day between lunch and evening.
- aftershavenoun · B1+A scented liquid put on the face after shaving.
- aftertaste/ˈæftɚˌteɪst/noun · B2+The flavour left in the mouth afterwards.
- afterthought/ˈæft.ɚ.θɔt/noun · B2+Something added later, having not been planned.
- afterward/ˈɑːftə.wəd/adverb · B1+At a later time than the thing described.
- afterwards/ˈɑːftə.wədz/adverb · B1At a later time, once the thing before has finished.
- against/əˈɡɛnst/preposition · A1In opposition to, or touching and leaning on.
- against the clockphrase · B2Hurrying to finish before time runs out.
- agape/əˈɡeɪp/adjective · C2With the mouth hanging wide open in astonishment.
- agate/ˈæɡ.ɪt/noun · C1A banded stone with rings of colour through it.
- agelessadjective · B2+Never seeming to grow old.
- agency/ˈeɪ.d͡ʒən.si/noun · B2A business acting for others, or the power to act.
- agenda/əˈd͡ʒɛn.də/noun · B2The written list of what a meeting will discuss, in order.
- agenda itemnoun · B2One subject listed for discussion at a meeting.
- agent/ˈeɪ̯d͡ʒənt/noun · B1Somebody who acts on behalf of another.
- aggravate/ˈæɡ.ɹə.veɪ̯t/<q:verb>verb · B2To make something worse, or to annoy somebody.
- aggravation/ˌæɡɹəˈveɪʃən/noun · B2A worsening of a problem, or persistent annoyance.
- aggregate/ˈæɡ.ɹɪ.ɡət/verb · C1To gather separate figures into one total.
- aggregate/ˈæɡ.ɹɪ.ɡət/noun · C1Crushed stone mixed into concrete.
- aggression/əˈɡɹɛʃən/noun · B2Hostile behaviour and the readiness to attack.
- aggressive/əˈɡɹɛs.ɪv/adjective · B2Ready to attack; angry and pushing at others.
- aggrieve/əˈɡɹiːv/verb · C2To make somebody feel unfairly treated.
- aggrievedadjective · C1Feeling that you have been treated unfairly.
- aghast/əˈɡæst/adjective · C2Struck with horror at what you see.
- agile/ˈæd͡ʒ.aɪl/adjective · C2Quick and light on your feet.
- agility/əˈd͡ʒɪl.ɪ.ti/noun · C1The gift of moving quickly and changing direction like a cat.
- agitation/ædʒ.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/noun · C1A state of anxious restlessness, when worry will not let you keep still.
- aglitter/əˈɡlɪtɚ/adjective · C2Sparkling all over with light.
- aglow/əˈɡloʊ/adjective · C1Shining with a warm soft light.
- agnostic/aɡˈnɒstɪk/noun · C1A person who thinks it cannot be known whether a god exists.
- ago/əˈɡəʊ/adverb · A1Back in time from now.
- agoniseverb · C1To worry at a decision for far too long.
- agonizing/ˈæɡ.ə.naɪ.zɪŋ/adjective · B2+Causing very great pain or anxiety.
- agony/ˈæɡ.ə.ni/noun · B2Pain so severe that you can think of nothing else.
- agony auntnoun · C1The columnist who answers readers' personal problems.
- agree/əˈɡɹiː/verb · A1To say yes — to have the same opinion as someone.
- agreement/əˈɡɹiːmənt/noun · B1When two sides decide on the same thing and both accept it.
- agricultural/ˌæɡ.ɹɪˈkʌl.tjʊə.ɹəl/adjective · C1To do with farming.
- agriculture/ˈæɡ.ɹɪˌkʌl.t͡ʃə/noun · B2+The science and business of farming.
- ahead/əˈhɛd/adverb · A2In front, or in the time still to come.
- ahead of timephrase · B1Earlier than was required.
- ahoy/əˈhɔɪ/phrase · B2A shout used at sea to hail another vessel.
- aid/eɪd/noun · B2Help given, especially money or supplies sent to those in need.
- aid workernoun · B2Somebody who brings help where a disaster has struck.
- aide/eɪd/noun · C1An assistant to somebody important.
- ailment/ˈeɪ̯lmənt/noun · B2+A minor but persistent illness.
- aimless/ˈeɪm.ləs/adjective · C1Having no purpose or direction.
- aimlessly/ˈeɪmləsli/adverb · C1Wandering along with no purpose in mind.
- air/ˈɛə̯/noun · A1The invisible stuff all around us that every living thing breathes.
- air ambulancenoun · B2A helicopter that carries the badly injured.
- air bednoun · B1An inflatable mattress for sleeping outdoors.
- air conditioner/ˈɛə kənˌdɪʃn̩ə/phrase · B1The machine that makes a room cool in summer.
- air freshenernoun · B1Something that puts a pleasant smell into a room.
- air milesnoun · B2Points earned by flying, spent on future travel.
- air outphrase · B2To let fresh air through a room.
- air pocketnoun · C1A sudden drop caused by a change in the air.
- air pressure/ˈeɹ̠ ˌpɹ̠ɛʃəɹ/noun · B2The weight of the atmosphere pressing down.
- air traffic controllernoun · B2The official who directs aircraft by radio.
- airbagnoun · B1+A bag that inflates instantly to cushion a crash.
- airbrushverb · C1To smooth a picture until the flaws vanish.
- airbrushedadjective · B2+Smoothed until every flaw has vanished.
- airfieldnoun · B2An open area where aircraft take off and land.
- airline/ˈɛəˌlaɪn/noun · A2+A company that carries passengers by air.
- airlinernoun · B2+A large aircraft that carries fare-paying passengers.
- airlocknoun · B2+A sealed chamber between areas of different air pressure.
- airmail/ˈɛəɹ(ˌ)meɪl/noun · B2+Post carried abroad by aircraft.
- airplane modenoun · B1The setting that switches off all wireless signals.
- airport/ˈɛə.pɔːt/noun · A1The place where flights begin and end.
- airshipnoun · B2+A powered aircraft kept up by lighter-than-air gas.
- airstairnoun · C2The steps rolled up to an aircraft door.
- airtightadjective · B1+Sealed so completely that no air passes.
- airtimenoun · C1The minutes a subject is given on radio or television.
- airway/ˈɛə.weɪ/noun · B2+The passage air travels down into the lungs.
- airy/ˈɛə.ɹi/adjective · B2+Full of fresh air, or light and unconcerned.
- aisle/aɪ̯l/noun · A2+The narrow walking space between the rows of seats.
- aisle/aɪ̯l/noun · B1One long walking lane between the shelves of a supermarket.
- aisle seatnoun · B1A seat beside the walkway.
- akin/əˈkɪn/adjective · B2+Related, or similar in nature.
- alabaster/ˈæl.əˌbɑːs.tə/noun · C1A smooth white stone soft enough to carve.
- alacrity/əˈlakrᵻti/noun · C2Cheerful readiness to act at once.
- alarm/əˈlɑːm/noun · A2The loud sound that wakes you in the morning or warns of danger.
- alarm/əˈlɑːm/noun · A2A loud sound or signal warning of danger.
- alarm clocknoun · A2The bedside clock that rings to wake you up.
- alas/əˈlæs/adverb · B2+An old exclamation of sorrow or regret.
- albanianoun · B1+The Balkan country of Tirana, on the Adriatic coast.
- albatross/ˈæl.bəˌtɹɒs/noun · B2+A vast ocean bird that glides for days without flapping.
- albeit/ɔːlˈbiː.ɪt/preposition · C1Although; even if.
- albino/ælˈbiːnəʊ/noun · B2+A creature born with no colouring in skin or hair.
- album/ˈælbəm/noun · B1A full collection of songs released together.
- alchemist/ˈæl.kə.mɪst/noun · B2+Somebody who sought to turn base metal into gold.
- alchemy/ˈælkəmi/noun · C1The old art of trying to turn base metal into gold.
- alcohol/ˈæl.kə.hɒl/noun · B1The substance in wine and beer that makes people drunk.
- alcoholic/ˌæl.kəˈhɒl.ɪk/adjective · B1+Containing the substance that makes people drunk.
- alcoholism/ˈælkə(ˌ)hɔˌlɪzəm/<a:GenAm><ref:{{R:Dictionary.comnoun · B2+The illness of being unable to stop drinking.
- alcove/ˈæl.kəʊv/noun · C1A small recess set back into a wall.
- alder/ˈɔːldə/noun · C1A tree that grows in wet ground.
- alderman/ˈɔːldəmən/noun · C1A senior member of a town council.
- ale/eɪl/noun · B1+A strong beer brewed without hops.
- alehousenoun · C1A house where beer is sold and drunk.
- alert/əˈlɜːt/adjective · B2Fully awake and watching for anything that might happen.
- alert/əˈlɜːt/noun · B2A warning that danger is close.
- algae/ˈæl.d͡ʒi/noun · B1+Simple water plants with no true leaves or roots.
- algebra/ˈæl.dʒɪ.bɹə/noun · B2+The mathematics where letters stand in for unknown numbers.
- algerianoun · B1+The largest country in Africa, mostly covered by the Sahara.
- algorithm/ˈælɡəɹɪðm̩/noun · B2+The exact step-by-step recipe a computer follows to solve a problem.
- algorithm feednoun · B2A stream of posts chosen for you by a machine.
- alias/ˈeɪ.li.əs/noun · B2A false name a person goes by.
- alibi/ˈæl.ə.baɪ/noun · B2+The proof that you were somewhere else when the crime happened.
- alibi witnessnoun · C1Someone who swears the accused was somewhere else.
- alien/ˈeɪ.li.ən/adjective · B1Belonging somewhere else, and strange because of it.
- alienate/ˈeɪ.li.ə.neɪt/verb · C1To turn somebody who was friendly into a stranger.
- alienation/ˌeɪli.əˈneɪʃən/noun · C1The feeling of being cut off from those around you.
- alight/əˈlaɪt/adjective · C1Burning, or glowing with sudden bright light.
- align/əˈlaɪn/verb · C1To bring into line, or to take a side.
- aligned/əˈlaɪnd/adjective · B2+Lined up exactly with something else.
- alignment/əˈlaɪn.mənt/noun · C1An arrangement in a straight line, or an agreement of aims.
- alimony/ˈæl.ɪ.mə.ni/noun · C1Money one spouse must pay the other after a divorce.
- alive/əˈlaɪv/adjective · A2Living; not dead.
- alkali/ˈæl.kəˌlaɪ/noun · B2+A substance that neutralises acid and feels soapy.
- all else being equalphrase · C1Assuming nothing else changes.
- all handsphrase · C1Every member of the crew, called on deck.
- all in good timephrase · B2Be patient, it will happen when it should.
- all mod consphrase · C2All the modern comforts a home can have.
- all the samephrase · C1Nevertheless; despite what was just said.
- all things consideredphrase · B2Taking everything into account.
- all-clearnoun · B2The signal that danger has passed.
- all-encompassingadjective · C2Taking in absolutely everything.
- all-inclusiveadjective · B2Covering meals, drinks and activities in one price.
- all-night/ˌɔlˈnaɪt/adjective · B1Of a diner, party, or vigil: going on without a break from dusk until dawn.
- all-outadjective · C1Using every resource available.
- allay/əˈleɪ/verb · C1To calm a fear or to ease a pain.
- allegation/ˌæl.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1A claim of wrongdoing made without proof yet.
- allege/əˈlɛd͡ʒ/verb · C1To claim something happened without yet offering proof.
- allegedly/əˈlɛdʒ.ɪd.li/adverb · C1As claimed but not yet proven — the word of court reporting.
- allegiance/əˈliː.d͡ʒəns/noun · C1Loyalty owed to a person, a country or a cause.
- allegorical/ˌæl.ɪˈɡɔɹ.ɪ.kəl/adjective · C2Telling one story so as to stand for another meaning.
- allegory/ˈælɪɡəɹi/noun · C2A story whose whole meaning lies beneath the surface.
- allergen/ˈælə(ɹ)ˌd͡ʒɛn/noun · B2+A food ingredient that can cause a dangerous reaction.
- allergic/əˈlɜː.dʒɪk/adjective · B1Reacting badly to a substance that most people tolerate.
- allergic reactionnoun · B2The body responding dangerously to something harmless.
- allergy/ˈæl.əɹ.d͡ʒi/noun · B1+When your body reacts badly to something like nuts, dust, or cats.
- alleviate/əˈli.vi.eɪt/verb · C1To make pain or a problem less severe.
- alley/ˈæl.i/noun · B1The narrow dark passage between two buildings.
- alleyway/ˈæ.li.weɪ/noun · B1+A narrow passage between buildings.
- alliance/əˈlaɪ.əns/noun · B2A union of parties who agree to help each other.
- allocate/ˈæl.ə.keɪt/verb · C1To officially divide money or time among different uses.
- allocation/ˌæl.əˈkeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The share given out to each.
- allot/əˈlɒt/verb · C2To give out shares of something to each in turn.
- allotment/əˈlɔt.mɛnt/noun · C2A small rented plot where people grow vegetables.
- allow/əˈlaʊ/verb · A2To let something happen.
- allowance/əˈlaʊəns/noun · C1The weekly money parents give a child to manage.
- alloy/ˈæ.lɔɪ/noun · B2+A metal made by melting two or more metals together.
- alloy steelnoun · C1Steel with other metals added to change its properties.
- alloy wheelnoun · C1A car wheel cast from light metal rather than pressed steel.
- allude/əˈljuːd/verb · C2To hint at something without naming it.
- allusion/əˈlu.ʒən/noun · C2An indirect mention of something.
- alluviumnoun · C2Soil and gravel left behind by a river.
- ally/ˈæl.aɪ/noun · B2A country or person on your side.
- almanac[ˈɔl.mə.næk]noun · C1A yearly book of facts, dates and tables.
- almond/ˈɑː.mənd/noun · A2+An oval nut with a pale sweet kernel.
- alms/ɑːmz/noun · C1Money and food given to the poor.
- almshousenoun · C2Housing built long ago for the poor of a parish.
- aloft/əˈlɔft/adverb · C2High up in the air, held or flying above.
- alone/əˈləʊn/adjective · A2With nobody else around you.
- alongside/əˌlɒŋˈsaɪd/preposition · B2Close beside and moving with.
- aloof/əˈluːf/adjective · C1Keeping a cool, unfriendly distance from others.
- aloud/əˈlaʊd/adverb · B1+Out loud, so that others can hear.
- alphabet/ˈæl.fəˌbɛt/noun · B1All the letters of a language in their fixed order, from A to Z.
- alphabetical/ˌæl.fəˈbɛt.ɪ.kəl/adjective · B2Arranged in the order of the letters.
- alpine/ˈæl.paɪn/adjective · B2+Belonging to high mountains above the trees.
- alt textnoun · B2A written description of a picture for those who cannot see it.
- altar/ˈɒl.tə/noun · B2The table at the holy end of a church.
- altar/ˈɒl.tə/noun · B2The raised place where offerings are made.
- alter/ˈɒl.tə/verb · B2A formal word for changing something partly.
- alteration/ɒl.tə(ɹ)ˈeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+A change of fit or detail made to something already finished, such as taking in a garment at the seams.
- altercation/ˌɔːltəˈkeɪʃn̩/noun · C1A noisy quarrel.
- alternate/ɒlˈtɜː(ɹ).nət/verb · B2To take turns one after the other.
- alternately[ɔːlˈtɜɹnətlɪ]adverb · C1First one and then the other, over and over.
- alternative/ɒlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv/noun · B1Another possibility instead of this one.
- alternatornoun · C1The part that charges the battery while the engine runs.
- although/ɔːlˈðəʊ/preposition · A2Used to admit one thing while stating another.
- altitude/ˈælt.ɪˌtjuːd/noun · B2How high above the sea you are.
- altitude sicknessnoun · B2Illness caused by thin air high in the mountains.
- alto/ˈæl.təʊ/noun · B2+A singing voice between the highest and the middle.
- altogether/ɔːl.tʊˈɡɛð.ə(ɹ)/adverb · B2Completely, or counting everything.
- altruism/ˈæl.tɹu.ɪz.əm/noun · C1Concern for others put before yourself.
- altruistic/ˌæl.tɹuˈɪs.tɪk/adjective · C1Caring for others before yourself.
- aluminium/ˌæl.(j)ʊˈmɪn.i.əm/noun · B1+A light silver metal that does not rust.
- alumnus/əˈlʌmnəs/noun · C1A former student of a school or university.
- always/ˈɔːl.weɪz/adverb · A1Every single time, without exception.
- amalgamate/əˈmælɡəˌmeɪt/verb · C1To merge separate bodies into one.
- amalgamation/əˌmælɡəˈmeɪʃən/noun · C1The joining of separate bodies into one.
- amass/əˈmæs/verb · C1To gather a great quantity over time.
- amateur/ˈæ.mə.tə/noun · B2Someone who plays for love, not for money.
- amaze/əˈmeɪz/verb · B2To fill somebody with sudden wonder.
- amazement/əˈmeɪz.mənt/noun · B2A feeling of great surprise and wonder.
- ambassador/æmˈbæs.ə.də(ɹ)/noun · B2A country's highest representative living in another country.
- amber/ˈæm.bəː/adjective · B1+A warm golden orange, like fossilised resin.
- amber/ˈæm.bəː/noun · B2Hardened tree resin that can trap ancient insects.
- ambiguity/æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/noun · C1The quality of having more than one possible meaning.
- ambiguity/æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/noun · C1Being open to more than one reading.
- ambiguous/æmˈbɪɡ.ju.əs/adjective · B2+Open to more than one reading.
- ambition/æmˈbɪʃ.ən/noun · B1+The burning wish to climb high and achieve big things.
- ambitious/æmˈbɪʃ.əs/adjective · B1+Hungry to climb high and achieve great things.
- ambivalent/æmˈbɪv.ə.lənt/adjective · C1Pulled both ways at once about the same thing.
- amble/ˈæm.bəl/verb · C1To walk at an easy unhurried pace.
- ambulance/ˈæmbjᵿl(ə)n(t)s/noun · A2The fast car with a loud siren that carries sick people to hospital.
- ambulance crewnoun · B2The team who ride with the patient to hospital.
- ambush/ˈæm.bʊʃ/noun · B2A surprise attack from hiding.
- ameliorate/əˈmiːli.əɹeɪt/verb · C2To make a bad situation better.
- amenable/əˈmiːnəbəl/adjective · C1Willing to be persuaded or to co-operate.
- amend/əˈmɛnd/verb · C1To formally change a law or text to improve it.
- amendment/əˈmɛndmənt/noun · C1An official change added to a law or constitution.
- amendment rightnoun · C1A freedom guaranteed by a change to a constitution.
- amenities/əˈmɛn.ə.tiːz/noun · B2+The comforts a hotel offers — pool, gym, breakfast, wifi.
- americanoun · A1The country of fifty stars, Hollywood, and New York.
- americanadjective · A2From the country of fifty stars and Hollywood.
- amethyst/ˈæm.ə.θɪst/noun · B2+A purple form of quartz.
- amiable/ˈeɪ.mi.ə.bəl/adjective · C1Friendly and good-natured.
- amicable/ˈæ.mɪ.kə.bəl/adjective · C1Friendly, and without ill feeling.
- amid/əˈmɪd/preposition · C1In the middle of a group of things.
- amidst/aˈmɪdst/preposition · B2+In the middle of, in formal use.
- amiss/əˈmɪs/adjective · B2+Not as it should be.
- amity/ˈæmɪti/noun · C2Friendly relations between people or nations.
- ammonia/əˈməʊ.nɪ.ə/noun · B2+A sharp-smelling gas dissolved in cleaning liquids.
- ammonite/ˈæ.məˌnaɪt/noun · C1A spiral-shelled sea creature found in rock.
- ammunition/ˌæmjuˈnɪʃən/noun · B2The bullets and shells a weapon fires.
- amnesia/ˌæmˈniʒə/noun · B2Loss of memory, through injury or illness.
- amnesty/ˈæm.nɪ.sti/noun · C1An official pardon granted to a group of offenders.
- among/əˈmʌŋ/preposition · A2Surrounded by several things.
- amongst/əˈmʌŋst/preposition · B2In the middle of a group, in more formal use.
- amorous/ˈæ.mə.ɹəs/adjective · C1Showing or feeling sexual love.
- amorphous/əˈmɔ(ɹ)fəs/adjective · C2Having no definite shape or structure.
- amount/əˈmaʊnt/noun · A2How much there is of something.
- amp/ˈæmp/noun · B2The unit of electrical flow.
- amphibian/æmˈfɪbɪən/noun · B1+A creature that lives both in water and on land.
- ample/ˈæm.pəl/adjective · B2+More than enough.
- amplification/ˌæmplɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · C1The making of a sound or a signal stronger.
- amplifier/ˈæm.plə.faɪ.ə/noun · B2+The box that makes an electric instrument loud.
- amplify/ˈæm.plə.faɪ/verb · B2+To make something louder or stronger.
- ampoule/ˈæm.puːl/noun · C2A tiny sealed glass tube of liquid medicine.
- amputate/ˈæmpjʊteɪt/verb · B2To cut off a limb surgically.
- amputation/ˌæmpjʊˈteɪʃən/noun · B2+The surgical removal of a limb.
- amputee/ampjʊˈtiː/noun · B2A person who has lost an arm or a leg.
- amulet/ˈæm.jə.lɪt/noun · C1A small object worn to keep harm away.
- amuse/əˈmjuːz/verb · B2To make somebody smile or laugh.
- amuse-bouche/a.muːz.buːʃ/noun · C2A tiny free taste sent out before the meal begins.
- amused/əˈmjuːzd/adjective · B1+Finding something mildly funny.
- amusement/əˈmjuzmənt/noun · B2The feeling of being entertained, or a fairground ride.
- amusement park/əˈmjuz.məntˌpɑɹk/noun · B1A park of rides, games, and candy floss.
- amusing/əˈmjuːzɪŋ/adjective · B2Causing quiet laughter.
- an act of godphrase · C1A disaster no person could have prevented.
- anachronism/əˈnæ.kɹə.nɪ.z(ə)m/noun · C1Something that belongs to the wrong period.
- anachronistic/əˌnæk.ɹəˈnɪs.tɪk/adjective · C2Belonging to the wrong period of history.
- anacondanoun · C2A huge South American snake that kills by wrapping around and squeezing.
- anaesthetist/əˈniːsθətɪst/noun · C1The doctor who puts patients to sleep for surgery.
- analogous/əˈnæl.ə.ɡəs/adjective · C1Alike enough for a comparison to hold.
- analogy/əˈnæləd͡ʒi/noun · C1Explaining one thing by comparing it to something alike.
- analysis/əˈnælɪsɪs/noun · B1+A careful examination that takes something apart to understand it.
- analyst/ˈænəlɪst/noun · B2+A person who examines data and explains what it means.
- analyze/ˈæn.ə.laɪz/verb · B2To take something apart in your mind to understand how it works.
- anaphylaxis/ˌænəfɪˈlæksɪs/noun · C1A sudden whole-body allergic reaction that can kill.
- anarchic/əˈnɑː.kɪk/adjective · C2Wildly disordered and recognising no authority.
- anarchy/ˈæn.ə.ki/noun · B2+A state with no government and no order.
- anathema/əˈnæθəmə/noun · C2Something you detest utterly.
- ancestor/ˈæn.sɛs.tɚ/noun · B2A family member from long before you — like your great-great-grandparents.
- ancestral/ænˈsɛs.təɹ.əl/adjective · B2+Belonging to the family members who came before.
- ancestry/ˈæn.sɛs.tɹi/noun · B2+The line of family a person comes from.
- anchor/ˈæŋ.kəː/noun · B2The heavy metal hook a ship drops to stay in one place.
- anchor chainnoun · B2The heavy links that hold a boat to its anchor.
- anchorage/ˈæŋkəɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · B2+A place where ships can safely lie at anchor.
- anchormannoun · B2The man who presents a news programme.
- anchovy/ˈæn.t͡ʃə.vi/noun · B1+A tiny strong-tasting fish packed in salt.
- ancient/ˈeɪn.ʃənt/adjective · A2+From thousands of years ago, like the pyramids.
- andorranoun · C1Tiny country high in the Pyrenees between France and Spain.
- anecdotal[ˌænɪkˈdəʊ̯tɫ̩]adjective · C1Based on single stories rather than evidence.
- anecdote/ˈæn.ɪkˌdəʊt/noun · B2+A short amusing true story from someone's life.
- anesthesia/ˌæn.əsˈθiːz.i.ə/noun · B2The deep medical sleep that lets you feel nothing during an operation.
- anew/əˈnu/adverb · B2+Once more, and from the beginning.
- angel/ˈeɪ̯n.d͡ʒəl/noun · A2A heavenly messenger.
- angelic/ænˈd͡ʒɛlɪk/adjective · B2Beautifully good, like an angel.
- anger/ˈæŋɡə/noun · B1The hot feeling that rises when something is deeply unfair.
- angle/ˈæŋ.ɡəl/noun · B2The space between two lines that meet, measured in degrees.
- angolanoun · B2+Portuguese-speaking country on Africa's southwest coast, capital Luanda.
- angrieradjective · A2+More filled with anger.
- angrily/ˈæŋ.ɡɹə.li/adverb · A2+In a way that shows anger.
- angry/ˈæŋ.ɡɹi/adjective · A1Full of hot feelings because something is unfair or wrong.
- angst/ˈæŋ(k)st/noun · C2A deep unfocused anxiety about existence.
- anguish/ˈæŋ.ɡwɪʃ/noun · B2+Very great pain of mind or body.
- angular/ˈæŋ.ɡju.lə/adjective · C2Made of sharp corners, or bony and thin.
- animal/ˈænɪməl/noun · A1A living creature that moves about and is not a plant.
- animate/ˈæn.ɪ.mət/verb · B2+To bring to life, or to make drawings appear to move.
- animated/ˈæn.ɪ.meɪ.tɪd/adjective · B1+Lively, or made using drawings that appear to move.
- animator/ˈænɪˌmeɪtə(ɹ)/noun · B1+A person who makes drawings appear to move.
- animosity/æn.ɪˈmɒs.ɪ.ti/noun · C1Strong open dislike.
- anion/ˈænˌaɪ.ən/noun · C2An ion carrying a negative charge.
- anise/ˈæn.ɪs/noun · C1A plant whose seed gives a liquorice flavour.
- ankle/ˈæŋ.kəl/noun · A2+The thin joint between your foot and your leg.
- anklet/ˈæŋklət/noun · C1A light chain worn around the lower leg.
- annals/ˈæn.əlz/noun · C1A yearly record of events.
- annex/ˈænɛks/verb · C2To take territory and add it to your own.
- annihilate/əˈnaɪ.ə.leɪt/verb · C1To destroy completely, or to defeat overwhelmingly.
- annihilation/əˌnaɪ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/noun · C1Total destruction, leaving nothing.
- anniversary/ˌænɪˈvɜːs(ə)ɹi/noun · B2The yearly return of an important date, like a wedding day.
- annotate/ˈæn.ə.teɪt/verb · B2+To add explanatory notes to a text.
- annotation/ˌæn.əˈteɪ.ʃən/noun · C1A note added to a text to explain or comment on it.
- announce/əˈnaʊns/verb · B1To tell news officially to many people at once.
- announce/əˈnaʊns/verb · B1To make something known publicly.
- announcement/əˈnaʊns.mənt/noun · B1An official public statement, like the ones at train stations.
- annoy/əˈnoɪ̯/verb · B1To bother somebody until they lose patience.
- annoyance/əˈnɔɪ.əns/noun · B2Mild anger, or the thing that causes it.
- annoying/əˈnɔɪ.ɪŋ/adjective · B1Making you a little angry again and again, like a buzzing fly.
- annual/ˈæn.ju.əl/adjective · B2Happening once every year.
- annual leavenoun · B2Paid holiday earned over the year.
- annually/ˈæn.jʊə.li/adverb · B2+Once every year.
- annul/əˈnʌl/verb · C1To declare officially that something never held.
- annulment/əˈnʌl.mənt/noun · C1An official declaration that a marriage never held.
- annum/ˈæn.əm/noun · C1A year, in phrases about rates and pay.
- anodyne/ˈæn.ə.daɪn/adjective · C2So mild and inoffensive it could upset nobody.
- anoint/əˈnɔɪnt/verb · C1To smear with oil in a sacred ceremony.
- anomaly/əˈnɒm.ə.lɪ/noun · C1The one thing that does not fit the pattern.
- anon/əˈnɑn/adverb · C2Soon, or in a little while, in old use.
- anonymity/ænəˈnɪmɪti/noun · C2The state of having no name attached to you.
- anonymous/əˈnɒn.ə.məs/adjective · B2With the name kept unknown.
- answer/ˈɑːn.sə/noun · A1What you give back when someone asks you something.
- answer backphrase · B2To reply rudely to somebody in authority.
- answerable/ˈɑːnsəɹəb(ə)l/adjective · C1Capable of being settled by a definite reply, as a well-posed question is.
- ant/ænt/noun · B1A tiny hard-working insect that lives in a big group.
- antagoniseverb · C1To make somebody hostile towards you.
- antagonist/ænˈtæɡənɪst/noun · B2+The character who opposes the main one.
- antarctic/ænˈtɑːktɪk/adjective · B1+At or near the southern polar region.
- ante/ˈænti/noun · C1The stake each player puts in before a hand begins.
- antecedent/ˌæntɪˈsiːdənt/noun · C2Something that came before and led to what follows.
- antediluvian/ˌæn.tɪ.dɪˈluː.vɪ.ən/adjective · C2Absurdly old-fashioned, as if from before the flood.
- antelopenoun · C2A fast horned animal of the open plains, built to outrun what hunts it.
- antenatal/ˌæntɪˈneɪtəl/adjective · C1Happening before a birth.
- antenna/ænˈtɛn.ə/noun · B1+The metal rod that catches radio and TV signals from the air.
- antennae/ænˈtɛni/noun · B2The pair of feelers on an insect's head.
- anteroom/ˈæn.ti.ɹʊm/noun · C2A small room leading into a larger one.
- anthem/ˈæn.θəm/ [ˈæn̪.θəm]noun · B1+The nation's song played before international matches.
- anthology/ænˈθɒlədʒi/noun · C2A collection of pieces by different hands.
- anthracite/ˈænθɹəˌsaɪt/noun · C2The hardest coal, burning hot and clean.
- anthrax/ˈæn.θɹæks/noun · B2+A bacterial disease of sheep and cattle that can pass to people through wool, hide or spores, and has been used as a weapon of war.
- anthropological/æn.θɹə.pəˈlɑd͡ʒikəl/adjective · C2To do with the study of human societies.
- anthropologist/ˌæn.θɹoʊˈpɑl.ə.d͡ʒɪst/noun · C1A scientist who studies human societies and customs.
- anthropology/ˌænθɹəˈpɒləd͡ʒi/noun · C1The study of human cultures and their history.
- anti/ˈæn.ti/noun · C2One of the people ranged against a proposal, the natural counterpart of the pros.
- anti-ageingadjective · B2Made to slow the visible effects of getting older.
- antibiotic/ˌæn.ti.baɪˈɒt.ɪk/noun · B1+The medicine that kills bacteria but does nothing against a virus.
- antibody/ˈæn.tiˌbɒd.i/noun · B2+One of the tiny defenders your blood builds against an invader.
- anticipate/ænˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/verb · B2To see something coming and prepare for it in advance.
- anticipation/ænˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2Looking forward to something that is coming.
- anticlimactic/ˌantɪjklɑjˈmaktɪk/adjective · C1Disappointing after everything that built up to it.
- anticlockwise/ˌæn.tiˈklɒk.waɪz/adverb · B1+Turning against the way clock hands go.
- antics/ˈæntɪks/noun · C1Silly and attention-seeking behaviour.
- antidote/ˈæn.tɪ.doʊt/noun · C2A substance that cancels a poison.
- antipathy/ænˈtɪpəθi/noun · C2A deep settled dislike.
- antiperspirantnoun · B1+Something that stops you sweating.
- antiquated/ˈæntɪˌkweɪtɪd/adjective · C1So old-fashioned that it is no longer practical.
- antique/ˌanˈtiːk/noun · B2An old object valued because of its age and beauty.
- antiquity/ænˈtɪk.wɪ.ti/noun · C1The distant past of the classical world.
- antiseptic/ˌæntiˈsɛptɪk/noun · B2+A liquid that kills germs in a cut.
- antithesis/ænˈtɪθ.ɪ.sɪs/noun · C2The exact opposite of something.
- antithetical/ˌæntɪˈθɛtɪkəl/adjective · C2Directly opposed in nature.
- antivirus/ˈantɪvʌɪrəs/adjective · B2+Made to find and remove harmful computer programs.
- antler/ˈænt.lə/noun · B2One of the branched horns a deer grows.
- antonym/ˈæn.təˌnɪm/noun · B1A word meaning the opposite of another word.
- anvil/ˈæn.vəl/noun · B2+The heavy iron block a smith shapes hot metal on.
- anxiety/æŋˈzaɪ.əti/noun · B2Persistent worry out of proportion to the cause.
- anxious/ˈæŋkʃəs/adjective · B2Troubled by constant worry about what might go wrong.
- anyhow/ˈɛn.i.haʊ/adverb · B1In any case, or in a careless way.
- anyplaceadverb · B1In or to any place at all.
- anytimeadverb · B1At whatever moment suits.
- anyway/ˈɛniweɪ/adverb · A2Said to return to the main point after a detour.
- aorta/eɪˈɔːtə/noun · B2+The great artery carrying blood away from the heart.
- apart/əˈpɑːt/adverb · A2Separated by a distance, or into pieces.
- apathetic/ˌæpəˈθɛtɪk/adjective · C1Feeling no interest or care about anything.
- apathy/ˈæ.pə.θi/noun · C1The absence of all caring — nothing matters, nothing moves you.
- ape/eɪp/noun · B1A large tailless primate such as a gorilla.
- aperture/ˈap.ə.t͡ʃə/noun · C1The adjustable opening that decides how much light enters.
- apex/ˈeɪ.pɛks/noun · B2+The very highest point.
- aphid/ˈeɪ.fɪd/noun · B2+A tiny sap-sucking insect that swarms on rose stems.
- apinoun · B2The agreed set of calls one program offers another.
- apiece/əˈpiːs/adverb · B2For each one.
- aplomb/əˈplʌm/noun · C2Calm self-assurance in a difficult moment.
- apocalypse/əˈpɒkəlɪps/noun · B2+The violent end of the world.
- apocalyptic/əˈpɒ.kə.lɪp.tɪk/adjective · C2Like the end of the world.
- apologetic/əˌpɒləˈdʒɛtɪk/adjective · C1Showing you are sorry.
- apologise/əˈpɒləˌd͡ʒaɪz/verb · A2+To say sorry for something you did.
- apologize/əˈpɒləˌd͡ʒaɪz/verb · A2To tell someone you feel bad about what you did.
- apology/əˈpɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/noun · A2Words admitting fault and asking to be forgiven.
- apology statementnoun · B2A public message admitting fault and expressing regret.
- apostle/əˈpɑsl̩/noun · C2An early messenger of a faith, or a keen supporter.
- apostrophe/əˈpɒs.tɹə.fi/noun · B2The raised mark showing a missing letter or possession.
- app/æp/noun · A2+A small program on your phone with its own little square icon.
- appalledadjective · B2+Filled with horror and dismay.
- appalling/əˈpɔːlɪŋ/adjective · C1Shockingly bad or horrifying.
- apparatus/ˌæp.əˈɹeɪ.təs/noun · B2+The set of equipment an experiment needs.
- apparel/əˈpæɹəl/noun · B2+Clothing, in formal or trade usage.
- apparent/əˈpæɹənt/adjective · B2Easy to see or seeming to be so.
- apparently/əˈpæɹəntli/adverb · A2From what it looks or sounds like — so people say.
- apparition/ˌæp.əɹˈɪʃn̩/noun · C1A ghostly figure that appears suddenly.
- appeal/əˈpiːl/noun · B2Asking a higher court to change a decision you believe is wrong.
- appeal courtnoun · B2The higher court that reviews a decision already made.
- appealing/əˈpiː.lɪŋ/adjective · C1Attractive, or asking for sympathy.
- appear/əˈpɪə/verb · A2To suddenly come into view.
- appearance/əˈpɪə.ɹəns/noun · A2+How somebody looks, or the act of arriving.
- appease/əˈpiːz/verb · C1To calm somebody by giving them what they want.
- appellation/ˌæpəˈleɪʃən/noun · C2A name or a title given to somebody.
- append/ʌˈpɛnd/verb · C1To add something at the end.
- appendix/əˈpɛn.dɪks/noun · B2Extra material attached at the end of a document; also, a small body organ.
- appetisingadjective · B2+Looking or smelling good enough to want.
- appetite/ˈæp.ɪ.taɪt/noun · B1The wish to eat.
- appetizer/ˈæpɪˌtaɪzə/noun · B1+The small first course that wakes your hunger before the main one.
- applaud/əˈplɔːd/verb · B2To strike your palms together to show approval.
- applause/əˈplɔːz/noun · B1The thunder of many hands after a great performance.
- apple/ˈæpəl/noun · A1A round fruit, red or green, that grows on trees; one a day keeps the doctor away.
- apples and orangesphrase · B2Two things too different to be compared fairly.
- appliance/əˈplaɪ.əns/noun · C1A machine made for one household job.
- applicable/əˈplɪk.ə.bəl/adjective · C1Relevant to the case in hand.
- applicant/ˈæp.lɪ.kənt/noun · B2+A person trying to get the job.
- applicatornoun · C1The small tool a product is put on with.
- appliquénoun · C1Decoration made by sewing shapes onto a background.
- apply/əˈplaɪ/verb · A2+To officially ask for a job or a place by sending your papers.
- appoint/əˈpɔɪnt/verb · C1To officially name someone to a position.
- appointment/əˈpɔɪnt.mɛnt/noun · B1A time booked to see a doctor.
- appraisal/əˈpɹeɪzəl/noun · C1The yearly meeting where your boss reviews how well you worked.
- appraiser/əˈpɹeɪz.ə(ɹ)/noun · B2+Somebody who judges what a valuable is worth.
- appreciate/əˈpɹiː.ʃi.eɪt/verb · B1To see the full worth of something and be thankful for it.
- appreciation/əˌpɹiː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1Grateful recognition, or a rise in value.
- appreciative/əˈpɹi.ʃətɪv/adjective · B2+Showing that you value something.
- apprehend/ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnd/verb · C2To arrest somebody, or to grasp a meaning.
- apprehension/æp.ɹɪˈhɛn.ʃən/noun · C1Worry about what is coming, or an arrest.
- apprehensive/ˌæpɹɪˈhɛnsɪv/adjective · C1Uneasy about what is about to happen.
- apprentice/əˈpɹɛntɪs/noun · B2+A young person taken on by a skilled tradesman in order to learn the craft over a set number of years.
- apprentice/əˈpɹɛntɪs/noun · B2+The years a young worker served to learn a trade.
- apprenticeship/əˈpɹɛn.tɪs.ʃɪp/noun · C1Years of learning a craft by working beside a master.
- apprise/əˈpɹaɪz/verb · C1To inform somebody of something.
- approach/əˈpɹəʊt͡ʃ/verb · B1To come nearer to somebody or something.
- approachable/əˈpɹəʊ.t͡ʃə.bəl/adjective · B2+Easy to walk up to and talk with.
- appropriatelyadverb · B2+In a way that suits the occasion.
- approval/əˈpɹuːvəl/noun · B2Formal agreement that something may go ahead.
- approve/əˈpɹuːv/verb · B1To officially say that something is good and may go ahead.
- approximate/əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/adjective · B2+Close to right but not exact.
- approximately/əˈpɹɑk.sɪ.mət.li/adverb · B1Close to the true number, but not exact.
- approximation/əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+An answer close enough to be useful.
- aprnoun · C1The yearly cost of borrowing, shown as a percentage.
- apricot/ˈeɪ.pɹɪ.kɒt/noun · B1+A small soft orange fruit with a stone in the middle.
- apricot/ˈeɪ.pɹɪ.kɒt/adjective · B2A gentle orange with a golden tone.
- aprilnoun · A1The fourth month, famous for rain showers and one day of jokes.
- apron/ˈeɪ.pɹən/noun · A2+You tie this over your clothes to keep them clean while cooking.
- apron/ˈeɪ.pɹən/noun · C1The paved area where aircraft park and load.
- apron stringsphrase · C2A phrase for a parent's control that a grown child hasn't escaped from.
- apt/æpt/adjective · C1Exactly suitable, or likely to do something.
- aptitude/ˈæptɪˌtjuːd/noun · C2A natural talent for learning something.
- aqua/ˈækwə/adjective · C1A light clear blue-green.
- aquarium/əˈkwɛɹ.i.jəm/noun · C1The place with huge glass tanks of fish and sharks to visit.
- aquatic/əˈkwɑ.tɪk/adjective · B2+Living in water.
- aquaticsnoun · C1Sports carried on in the water.
- aqueduct/ˈæk.wɪˌdʌkt/noun · B2+A bridge built to carry water across a valley.
- aquifer/ˈækwɪfə/noun · C1A layer of rock holding water underground.
- aquiline/ˈæk.wɪˌlaɪn/adjective · C2Curved like an eagle's beak.
- arabesque/ˌæɹ.əˈbɛsk/noun · C1A pose with one leg extended straight behind.
- arabianadjective · B1+Belonging to the great desert peninsula of south-west Asia.
- arabic/ˈæɹəbɪk/adjective · B1+The language written from right to left across the Middle East.
- arable/ˈæɹəbl̩/adjective · C1Suitable for ploughing and growing crops.
- arbiter/ˈɑː.bɪ.tə(ɹ)/noun · C1Somebody with the power to settle a dispute.
- arbitrary/ˈɑː.bɪ.tɹə.ɹi/adjective · C1Decided on a whim, with no reason behind it.
- arbitrate/ˈɑːbɪtɹeɪt/verb · C1To judge between two sides in a dispute.
- arbitration/ˌɑː.bɪˈtɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1Settling a dispute through a chosen judge, outside court.
- arbournoun · C1A shady shelter made of climbing plants.
- arc/ɑːk/noun · B2Part of the edge of a circle.
- arcade/ɑɹˈkeɪd/noun · B1+A hall of coin-operated machines to play on.
- arcane/ɑɹˈkeɪn/adjective · C2Known only to a few, and mysterious to the rest.
- arch/ɑɹt͡ʃ/noun · B2A curved opening that carries weight over a gap.
- archaeologicaladjective · B2+To do with the study of remains from the past.
- archaeologist/ˌɑː.kiˈɒl.ə.d͡ʒɪst/noun · B2+A person who studies the past by digging it up.
- archaeology/ˌɑː.kiˈɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/noun · B1+The study of ancient life by digging up what it left behind.
- archangel/ɑː(ɹ)ˈkeɪn.d͡ʒəl/noun · B2+An angel of the highest rank.
- archery/ˈɑɹt͡ʃəɹiː/noun · B1+The sport of shooting arrows at a round colored target.
- archetypal/ˈɑːkɪtaɪpəl/adjective · C2Being the original pattern that others follow.
- archetype/ˈɑːkɪtaɪp/noun · C2The original pattern that later examples follow.
- archipelago/ˌɑːkɪˈpɛlɪɡəʊ/noun · C1A scattered chain of many islands.
- architect/ˈɑː.kɪˌtɛkt/noun · B1+The person who draws the plans that buildings are built from.
- architectural/ˌɑɹkɪˈtɛkt͡ʃəɹəl/adjective · C1To do with the design of buildings.
- architecture/ˈɑː.kɪˌtɛk.t͡ʃə/noun · B1+The study of designing buildings.
- architrave/ˈɑɹ.kɪ.tɹeɪv/noun · C1The moulded frame around a door.
- archival/ɑːˈkaɪv(ə)l/adjective · C2Kept as a permanent record.
- archive/ˈɑːkaɪv/verb · C1To move old records into long-term storage.
- archive/ˈɑːkaɪv/noun · B2+Old documents kept for study.
- archive filenoun · B2A single file holding many others, usually squeezed.
- archive footagenoun · B2Old recordings kept and used again later.
- archivist/ˈɑː(ɹ)kɪvɪst/noun · C1The person who keeps and organises historical records.
- archon/ˈɑː(ɹ)kən/noun · C2A chief magistrate in an ancient or invented state.
- archway/ˈɑɹt͡ʃˌweɪ/noun · B2+A passage under a curved span.
- arcticadjective · B2Belonging to the far frozen north.
- ardournoun · C2Burning enthusiasm or passion.
- arduous/ˈɑː.djʊ.əs/adjective · C2Needing hard and tiring effort.
- area/ˈɛəɹi.ə/noun · A1The amount of flat surface a shape covers.
- argentinanoun · A2+The South American country of tango, steak, and Buenos Aires.
- argon/ˈɑːɹɡɒn/noun · C1An unreactive gas used to fill light bulbs.
- argot/ˈɑːɡəʊ/noun · C2The private slang of a particular group.
- arguably/ˈɑːɡjuəbli/adverb · C1As a case could reasonably be made.
- argue/ˈɑː.ɡjuː/verb · A2To speak angrily with someone because you disagree.
- argument/ˈɑːɡjʊmənt/noun · A2+An angry exchange of words between people who disagree.
- aria/ˈɑː.ɹi.ə/noun · C1A song for one voice in an opera.
- arid/ˈæɹɪd/adjective · B2+So dry that little will grow.
- arise/əˈɹaɪz/verb · B2To come into being — as problems and opportunities do.
- aristocracy/ˌæɹ.ɪˈstɒk.ɹə.si/noun · B2+The highest class in a society, holding titles by birth.
- aristocrat/ˈæɹɪstəˌkɹæt/noun · B2+A member of the highest class, holding a title by birth.
- arithmetic[əˈɹɪθmətɪk]noun · B1+The part of maths dealing with adding and dividing.
- arm/ɑːm/noun · A1The long part of your body between shoulder and hand.
- armadillonoun · C2A small animal in bony plates that rolls into a ball when frightened.
- armageddon/ˌɑː(ɹ).məˈɡɛ.dn̩/noun · B2+A final battle of catastrophic destruction.
- armbandnoun · B1+An inflatable ring worn on the arm to keep a child up.
- armchair/ˈɑː(ɹ)mtʃɛə(ɹ)/noun · A2+A big soft chair for one person, with places to rest your arms.
- armed/ɑɹmd/adjective · B2Carrying weapons.
- armenianoun · B1+The Caucasus country of Yerevan, with Mount Ararat on its horizon.
- armful/ˈɑɹmˌfəl/noun · B2+As much as a pair of arms can hold at once.
- armistice/ˈɑːmɪstɪs/noun · C1A formal agreement ending a war.
- armistice daynoun · C1The anniversary of the hour the fighting stopped.
- armorynoun · B2+A place where weapons are made or kept.
- armournoun · B1+Protective covering worn in battle.
- armouredadjective · B2+Protected by heavy plating.
- armourernoun · C1A maker or keeper of weapons and armour.
- armpit/ˈɑɹmˌpɪt/noun · B1The hollow under the arm at the shoulder.
- armrest/ˈɑɹmˌɹɛst/noun · B1The padded bar at the side of a seat for your elbow.
- arms race/ˈɑɹmz.ɹeɪs/noun · B2Two powers building weapons faster than each other.
- army/ˈɑː.mi/noun · A2All the soldiers of a country together.
- aroma/əˈɹəʊ.mə/noun · B2A pleasant smell, especially of food or drink.
- aromatic/ˌæɹ.əˈmæt.ɪk/adjective · B2+Having a strong pleasant spicy smell.
- aromatic herbnoun · B2A leaf grown for the scent it gives to food.
- around the clockphrase · B2All day and all night without stopping.
- arouse/əˈɹaʊz/verb · B2+To stir a feeling into life, or to wake somebody.
- aroused/əˈɹaʊzd/adjective · B2+Stirred into strong feeling or desire.
- arraignment/əˈɹeɪnmənt/noun · C1The formal calling of an accused person before a court.
- arrange/əˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/verb · A2+To plan and organize the details of something in advance.
- arrangement/əˈɹeɪnd͡ʒmənt/noun · B1Something agreed about how things will be done.
- array/əˈɹeɪ/noun · C1An ordered list of values stored under one name.
- arrears/əˈɹɪə(ɹ)z/noun · C1Payments you have fallen behind on.
- arrest/əˈɹɛst/verb · B1To take a suspected criminal away in handcuffs.
- arrival/əˈɹaɪ.vl̩/noun · B1The moment of reaching the place you were going to.
- arrivals hallnoun · B1The area where people wait to meet passengers.
- arrive/əˈɹaɪv/verb · A1To reach the place you were going to.
- arrogance/ˈæɹ.ə.ɡəns/noun · B2+An offensive sense of your own importance.
- arrogant/ˈæɹəɡənt/adjective · B2Believing you are better than everyone else, and showing it.
- arrow/ˈæɹəʊ/noun · A2+A pointed sign that shows you which way to go.
- arse/ɑːs/noun · B2The buttocks, in coarse British use.
- arsenal/ˈɑːsənəl/noun · B2+A store of weapons, or a range of resources.
- arson/ˈɑɹsən/noun · B2+The crime of setting fire to a building on purpose.
- arsonist/ˈɑɹsənəst/noun · C1Somebody who sets fire to property on purpose.
- art/ɑːt/noun · A1Beautiful things people create — paintings, sculptures, music, and more.
- art historynoun · B2The study of painting and sculpture through time.
- artefactnoun · B2+An object made by people long ago.
- arterialadjective · C1To do with the vessels carrying blood from the heart.
- artery/ˈɑː.tə.ɹi/noun · B2+One of the wide tubes carrying blood away from the heart.
- artichoke/ˈɑɹ.tɪˌtʃoʊk/noun · B2+A green flower bud eaten leaf by leaf.
- article/ˈɑːtɪkl̩/noun · B1One complete piece of writing in a newspaper or online.
- articulate/ɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪk.jʊ.lət/verb · C1To express an idea clearly in words.
- articulate/ɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪk.jʊ.lət/adjective · C1Able to express ideas clearly and easily.
- articulation/ɑːˌtɪk.jʊˈleɪ.ʃən/noun · C2Clear expression in speech, or the joining of parts.
- artifice/ˈɑː(ɹ)tɪfɪs/noun · C2Clever trickery used to deceive.
- artificial/ˌɑː.tɪˈfɪʃ.əl/adjective · B2Made by people or machines, not grown by the world.
- artificial intelligence/ˌɑː.təˈfɪʃ.əl ɪnˈtɛl.ə.d͡ʒəns/phrase · B2Computer systems that can learn, reason, and answer like a mind.
- artillery/ɑːˈtɪləɹi/noun · B2The heavy guns of an army, and those who work them.
- artillery piecenoun · C1One heavy gun of the kind that fires far.
- artisan/ˈɑː(ɹ)tɪzæn/noun · B2+A skilled worker who makes things by hand.
- artist/ˈɑːtɪst/noun · A1A person who creates paintings, music, or other beautiful work.
- artistic/ɑːˈtɪs.tɪk/adjective · B2Having or showing skill in art.
- artistically/ɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪstɪkli/adverb · C1In a way that shows creative skill.
- artistry/ˈɑː(ɹ)tɪstɹi/noun · B2+Great skill in a creative art.
- artless/ˈɑɹt.lɪs/adjective · C2Simple and natural, with no cunning at all.
- artwork/ˈɑːtˌwɜːk/noun · B2Pictures and designs made for a purpose.
- as a rulephrase · B2Usually, though not always.
- as i was sayingphrase · B2Said to pick up a thread that got interrupted.
- as the crow fliesphrase · C1Measured in a straight line, ignoring the roads.
- ascend/əˈsɛnd/verb · B2+To climb or move upward.
- ascendancy/əˈsɛndənsi/noun · C2A position of rising power over others.
- ascent/əˈsɛnt/noun · B2+The climb up.
- ascertain/ˌæsəˈteɪn/verb · C1To find out for certain.
- ascetic/əˈsɛ.tɪk/noun · C1Somebody who lives with severe self-denial.
- ascribe/əˈskɹaɪb/verb · C1To say that something was caused by or made by somebody.
- ash/ˈæʃ/noun · B2The soft grey powder left after a fire has finished.
- ash/ˈæʃ/adjective · B2A pale cool grey.
- ash treenoun · B2A tall tree with feathery leaves and black buds.
- ashamed/əˈʃeɪmd/adjective · B1Feeling bad because you did something wrong and others know.
- ashtray/ˈæʃ.tɹeɪ/noun · A2+A small dish for the ends of cigarettes.
- aside/əˈsaɪd/adverb · B2To one side, or out of the way.
- ask/ɑːsk/verb · A1To say a question to someone.
- ask outphrase · B1To invite somebody on a date.
- askance/əˈskæns/adverb · C2With a sideways look of doubt or disapproval.
- askew/əˈskju/adverb · C1Crooked, and not straight as it should be.
- asleep/əˈsliːp/adjective · A2Sleeping right now.
- asparagus/əˈspæɹ.ə.ɡəs/noun · B1+Long green spears eaten as a spring vegetable.
- aspect/ˈæspɛkt/noun · B2One side or feature of a thing.
- aspen/ˈæspən/noun · B2+A poplar whose leaves tremble in the slightest wind.
- aspersionnoun · C2A damaging remark made about somebody's character.
- asphalt/ˈæʃfɑlt/noun · B2+The black mix of tar and stone that road surfaces are made of.
- aspiration/ˌæspəˈɹeɪʃən/noun · C1A strong hope of achieving something.
- aspire/əˈspaɪə(ɹ)/verb · C1To aim at something high.
- aspirin/ˈæs.p(ɪ.)ɹɪn/noun · B1A common tablet taken for pain and fever.
- assail/əˈseɪl/verb · C2To attack violently, with blows or with words.
- assailant/əˈseɪlənt/noun · C1Somebody who attacks another.
- assassinate/əˈsæsɪneɪt/verb · B2+To murder an important person, usually for political reasons.
- assassinatedadjective · B2Murdered by surprise attack for political reasons.
- assassination/əˌsæs.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The murder of an important person.
- assault/əˈsɒlt/noun · B2The crime of physically attacking a person.
- assay/ˈæseɪ/noun · C2A test of how much metal an ore contains.
- assay officenoun · C2Where precious metal is tested and stamped.
- assemble/əˈsɛm.bəl/verb · B2To put parts together into a whole, or gather people into one place.
- assembly/əˈsɛmb.lɪ/noun · B1The gathering of a whole school at the start of a day.
- assembly line/əˈsɛmbli laɪːn/noun · B2A line of workers each adding one part in turn.
- assembly pointnoun · B2Where everybody gathers after leaving a building.
- assent/əˈsɛnt/noun · C1Agreement given to a proposal.
- assert/əˈsɜːt/verb · B2+To state firmly and stand behind it.
- assertion/əˈsɜːʃən/noun · C1A statement made confidently and without proof.
- assertive/əˈsɝtɪv/adjective · B2+Stating what you want firmly and clearly.
- assess/əˈsɛs/verb · B2+To weigh up the size, value, or quality of something carefully.
- assessment/əˈsɛsmənt/noun · B2+A careful judgement of how good or how much.
- asset/ˈæsɛt/noun · B2Anything of value a company or person owns.
- assets/ˈæsɛts/noun · B2Everything a business owns that has value.
- assiduous/əˈsɪdjuːəs/adjective · C2Working with steady careful attention.
- assignment/əˈsaɪn.mənt/noun · B1A piece of work a teacher officially gives you to complete.
- assimilate/əˈsɪm.ɪ.leɪt/verb · C2To take something in fully, or to blend into a society.
- assist/əˈsɪst/verb · B1To help somebody with what they are doing.
- assistance/əˈsɪs.təns/noun · B2The help given to somebody.
- assistance dognoun · B2A dog trained to help somebody with a disability.
- associate/əˈsəʊʃieɪt/verb · B2To connect one thing with another in the mind.
- associated/əˈsəʊʃieɪtɪd/adjective · B2Connected with something else.
- association/əˌsəʊʃiˈeɪʃn̩/noun · B2An organised group, or a link between ideas.
- assuage/əˈsweɪd͡ʒ/verb · C2To make a painful feeling less sharp.
- assume/əˈsjuːm/verb · B1To take something as true without checking.
- assumption/əˈsʌm(p).ʃ(ə)n/noun · B2Something taken as true without checking.
- assurance/əˈʃɔːɹəns/noun · C1A promise given to remove doubt.
- assure/əˈʃɔː(ɹ)/verb · B1To tell someone firmly they need not worry.
- astern/əˈstɝn/adverb · C2At or towards the back of a ship.
- asteroid/ˈæst(ə)ɹɔɪd/noun · B2One of the countless rocky lumps drifting through space between the planets.
- asthma/ˈasmə/noun · B1+The illness that suddenly makes breathing tight and whistling.
- asthma inhalernoun · B2The device that opens tight airways.
- astonish/əˈstɒnɪʃ/verb · B2+To surprise somebody very greatly.
- astonishing/əˈstɒnɪʃɪŋ/adjective · B2So surprising it takes your breath away.
- astonishment/əˈstɒnɪʃmənt/noun · B2+Very great surprise.
- astounding/əˈstaʊndɪŋ/adjective · B2+So surprising that it leaves you speechless.
- astray/əˈstɹeɪ/adverb · C1Away from the right path or the right course.
- astride/əˈstɹaɪ̯d/adverb · C1With one leg on each side of something.
- astringent/əˈstɹɪn.d͡ʒənt/adjective · C2Drying and puckering in the mouth.
- astrologer/əˈstɹɒl.ə.d͡ʒə(ɹ)/noun · B2+Somebody who reads the future in the stars.
- astronaut/ˈæstɹəˌnɔːt/noun · B1A person who travels into space in a rocket.
- astronomer/əˈstɹɒn.ə.mə/noun · B2+A scientist who studies the stars and planets.
- astronomical/ˌæs.tɹəˈnɒm.ɪ.kəl/adjective · B2+To do with the stars, or enormously large.
- astronomy/əˈstɹɒn.ə.mi/noun · B2The science of stars, planets, and everything beyond Earth.
- astroturfingnoun · C2Faking grassroots support for a product or view.
- astute/əsˈtjuːt/adjective · C1Quick to see what is really going on.
- asunder/əˈsʌndə/adverb · C2Into separate pieces, in old use.
- asylum/əˈsaɪləm/noun · C1The protection a country grants to someone fleeing danger.
- asymmetrical/ˌeɪsɪˈmɛtɹɪk(ə)l/adjective · B2+Deliberately uneven between the two sides.
- at a loose endphrase · C1With nothing in particular to do.
- at arm's lengthphrase · C1As far away as your reach, or kept at a distance.
- at bayphrase · C1Cornered and forced to face the pursuers.
- at long lastphrase · B2Finally, after far too much waiting.
- at the drop of a hatphrase · B2Immediately, and without needing to be asked twice.
- at the eleventh hourphrase · C1At the very last possible moment.
- at the end of the dayphrase · B2When everything is considered, this is what matters.
- at the junctionphrase · B1Where two or more roads meet.
- atheist/ˈeɪ.θi.ɪst/noun · B2+A person who believes there is no god.
- athlete/ˈæθ.liːt/noun · B1A person trained to compete in sport.
- athletic/æθˈlɛt.ɪk/adjective · B1+Fit, strong and good at sport.
- athleticism/æθˈlɛtɪsɪzəm/noun · C2Physical strength, speed and skill.
- athletics/æθˈlɛtɪks/noun · B2The sports of running, jumping and throwing.
- athwart/əˈθwɔːt/preposition · C2Across from side to side.
- atlas/ˈætləs/noun · B1+A book of maps.
- atmosphere/ˈætməsˌfɪə/noun · B1The blanket of gas held around a world.
- atmospheric/ˌætməsˈfɛɹɪk/adjective · C1To do with the air around a world, or full of mood.
- atom/ˈætəm/noun · B2+The tiniest building block that everything is made of.
- atomic/əˈtɒm.ɪk/adjective · B1+Having to do with atoms and their energy.
- atomic massnoun · B2How heavy one atom of an element is.
- atomic numbernoun · B2How many protons an element's atoms have.
- atone/əˈtəʊn/verb · C1To make up for something wrong you did.
- atonement/əˈtoʊnmənt/noun · C1Making up for something wrong you did.
- atop/əˈtɒp/preposition · C1Right on the very top of.
- atrium/ˈeɪ.tɹi.əm/noun · C1A tall open space rising through the middle of a building.
- atrocity/əˈtɹɒsɪti/noun · C1An act of shocking cruelty.
- attach/əˈtæt͡ʃ/verb · B1To fix one thing firmly onto another.
- attachment/əˈtæt͡ʃmənt/noun · B2+A close emotional tie, sometimes hard to loosen.
- attack/əˈtæk/noun · A2A violent attempt to hurt or defeat somebody.
- attain/əˈteɪn/verb · C1A formal word for finally reaching a high goal.
- attainable/əˈteɪ.nə.bəl/adjective · B2+Within reach if you work for it.
- attainment/əˈteɪnmənt/noun · C1Something reached by effort, or the reaching of it.
- attaint/əˈteɪnt/verb · C2To strip somebody of rights after a conviction.
- attempt/əˈtɛmpt/verb · B2To try to do something.
- attend/əˈtɛnd/verb · A2+To be present at a class, meeting, or event.
- attendance/əˈtɛn.dəns/noun · C1Being present at lessons; the teacher checks it every morning.
- attendant/əˈtɛndənt/noun · B2The person employed to help visitors in a garage, museum, or hospital.
- attention/əˈtɛn.ʃn̩/noun · A2The pointing of your mind at one thing — please pay it now.
- attentive/əˈtɛntɪv/adjective · B2Noticing and caring about what somebody needs.
- attentivenessnoun · C1The quality of noticing what somebody needs and seeing to it at once.
- attest/əˈtɛst/verb · C1To declare that something is true.
- attic/ˈætɪk/noun · B1The room at the very top of a house, under the roof, full of old boxes.
- attire/əˈtaɪɚ/noun · C1Clothing of a particular style or for a particular occasion.
- attitude/ˈætɪt͡ʃuːd/noun · B1Your settled way of thinking and feeling about something.
- attract/əˈtɹækt/verb · B1To pull attention or interest toward yourself, like a magnet.
- attraction/əˈtɹækʃn̩/noun · B1+The pull one thing has on another, or a place worth visiting.
- attractive/əˈtɹæktɪv/adjective · A2+Pleasant to look at.
- attractivenessnoun · B2+The quality of drawing people to you.
- attribute/ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/verb · C1To say what something was caused by or made by.
- attribution/ˌæ.tɹɪˈbju.ʃən/noun · C1Working out which advertisement actually caused a sale.
- attrition/əˈtɹɪʃən/noun · C2A slow wearing down of strength or numbers.
- attunedadjective · C2Finely aware of and responsive to something.
- atypical/eɪˈtɪp.ɪ.kəl/adjective · C1Not following the usual pattern.
- au pair/əʊ ˈpɛə/noun · B2A young foreigner who helps with children in return for board.
- aubergine/ˈəʊ.bə.ʒiːn/noun · B2+A shiny deep purple vegetable.
- auburn/ˈɔ.bɚn/adjective · B2+Reddish brown, said of hair.
- auction/ˈɔːkʃən/noun · B2The sale where the thing goes to whoever shouts the highest price.
- auctioneernoun · B2+The person who conducts a sale by bidding.
- audacious/ɔːˈdeɪ.ʃəs/adjective · C1Shockingly bold, beyond what anyone dares.
- audacity/ɔːˈdæ.sɪ.ti/noun · C1Bold nerve that shocks people.
- audible/ˈɔː.dɪ.bəl/adjective · B2+Loud enough to be heard.
- audience/ˈɔːdi.əns/noun · A2+All the people sitting and watching a show.
- audio/ˈɔːdi.əʊ/adjective · B2To do with recorded sound.
- audio descriptionnoun · B2A spoken account of what is happening on screen.
- audit/ˈɔːdɪt/noun · C1An official inspection of accounts or processes.
- audition/ɑˈdɪʃən/noun · B1The tryout where performers compete for a role.
- auditor/ˈɔːdɪtɚ/noun · B2+The outside expert who checks a company's accounts.
- auditorium/ɔː.dɪˈtɔː.ɹi.əm/noun · B2The big seated hall where an audience watches the stage.
- aught/ɔːt/noun · C2Anything at all, in old use.
- augment/ɔːɡˈmɛnt/verb · C1To make something greater by adding to it.
- augury/ˈɔː.ɡjʊ.ɹi/noun · C2Reading signs, often in birds, to predict events.
- august/ɔːˈɡʌst/noun · A1The eighth month, the last full month of summer.
- aunt/ɑːnt/noun · A1The sister of your mother or father.
- aura/ˈɔːɹə/noun · B2+A soft light or feeling surrounding a person.
- aurochs/ˈaʊɹɒks/noun · C2A huge wild ox now extinct.
- aurora/əˈɹɔː.ɹə/noun · B2+Curtains of coloured light in the far northern sky.
- auspicesnoun · C1The support and protection of a body or a person.
- auspicious/ɔːˈspɪ.ʃəs/adjective · C1Promising well for the future.
- austere/ɒˈstɪə(ɹ)/adjective · C2Strictly plain and without comfort.
- austerity/ɔˈstɛɹɪti/noun · C2A policy of deep cuts to public spending.
- australianoun · A2+The country that is also a continent, home of kangaroos and Sydney.
- austrianoun · A2+The Alpine country of Vienna, waltzes, and Mozart.
- authentic/ɒˈθɛn.tɪk/adjective · C1Truly what it claims to be — the real thing.
- authenticate/ɒˈθɛn.tɪ.keɪt/verb · B2+To prove that something is genuine.
- authentication/ɔːˌθɛntɪˈkeɪʃn̩/noun · B2+Proving that you are who you claim to be.
- authenticity/ɑθɛnˈtɪsɪti/noun · C2The quality of being genuine.
- autism/ˈɔːtɪzəm/noun · B2+A condition affecting how somebody communicates and senses the world.
- auto/ˈɔːtəʊ/noun · B1A motor car, in American usage.
- auto-renewalnoun · B2A subscription that continues unless you stop it.
- autocompletenoun · B2The feature that finishes your typing for you.
- autocorrectnoun · B2The feature that changes what you typed, right or wrong.
- autocracy/ɔːˈtɒkɹəsi/noun · C1Rule by one person with unlimited power.
- autocrat/ˈɔːtəkɹæt/noun · C1A ruler who answers to nobody.
- autograph/ˈɔːtəɡɹɑːf/noun · B1A famous person's signature, collected by fans.
- automate/ˈɔːtəmeɪt/verb · C2To replace human work with machinery.
- automated/ˈɔːtəmeɪtɪd/adjective · B1+Run by self-acting machinery under its own controls, with no person needed to work it.
- automatic/ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ɪk/adjective · B2Working by itself, without a person doing anything.
- automatically/ˈɔːtəʊˌmæt.ɪ.k(ə.)li/adverb · B2By itself, without anybody having to act.
- automation/ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+Machines taking over work people once did by hand.
- autonomous/ɔːˈtɒnəməs/adjective · C2Running itself, under no one else's control.
- autonomy/ɔːˈtɒn.ə.mi/noun · C1The right to make your own decisions.
- autopilot/ˈɔːtəʊˌpaɪlət/noun · C2The system that flies the aircraft without hands.
- autopsy/ˈɔː.tɒp.si/noun · B2The examination of a body to discover the cause of death.
- autumn/ˈɔːtəm/noun · A1The season when leaves turn gold and drop from the trees.
- auxiliary/ɔːɡˈzɪl.(j)ə.ɹi/adjective · C1Giving extra support, or helping the main one.
- avail/əˈveɪl/verb · C1To be of use or help to somebody.
- availability/əˌveɪ.ləˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/noun · C1Whether something can be had when wanted.
- available/əˈveɪ.lə.bəl/adjective · A2+Ready to be used, bought, or spoken to right now.
- avalanche/ˈævəlɑːnʃ/noun · B2A huge mass of snow suddenly sliding down a mountainside.
- avant-gardeadjective · C1Experimental and far ahead of general taste.
- avarice/ˈævəɹɪs/noun · C2Extreme greed for wealth.
- avatar/ˌæv.əˈtɑː(ɹ)/noun · B1+The picture or figure that stands for you online.
- avenue/ˈæv.əˌnjuː/noun · B1A broad street, often with trees along it.
- average/ˈæv.(ə.)ɹɪd͡ʒ/adjective · A2+In the middle — not the best, not the worst.
- average/ˈæv.(ə.)ɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · B1The usual or middle value.
- averse/əˈvɜː(ɹ)s/adjective · C1Strongly disinclined towards something.
- aversion/əˈvɜːʒən/noun · C1A strong dislike that makes you avoid something.
- avert/əˈvɝt/verb · C1To stop a disaster from happening; also, to turn your eyes away.
- avert your eyesphrase · C1To look away deliberately.
- avert your gazephrase · C1To deliberately look away.
- avian/ˈeɪvi.ən/adjective · C2To do with birds.
- aviary/ˈeɪvɪəɹi/noun · B2+A large cage or building where birds are kept.
- avid/ˈæv.ɪd/adjective · C1Eagerly devoted — readers, fans, and collectors are described so.
- avocado/ˌævəˈkɑːdəʊ/noun · A2+A soft green fruit with a very big stone, famous on toast.
- avoid/əˈvɔɪd/verb · A2+To stay away from something you don't want to meet or do.
- avoid eye contactphrase · B2To keep from looking somebody in the face.
- avoidance/əˈvɔɪdəns/noun · B2+The keeping away from something on purpose.
- await/əˈweɪt/verb · B2The formal word for staying ready until something comes.
- awake/əˈweɪk/adjective · A1Not sleeping; eyes open.
- awaken/əˈweɪkən/verb · B2To wake, or to stir a feeling into life.
- aware/əˈwɛə/adjective · B1Knowing that something exists or is happening.
- awareness/əˈwɛɹ.nəs/noun · B2Knowing that something exists or is happening.
- awash/əˈwɒʃ/adjective · C1Covered or flooded with water, or overflowing with something.
- awe/ɔː/noun · B2Wonder mixed with respect before something vast — mountains, space, genius.
- awesome/ˈɔːsəm/adjective · A2Extremely impressive or, informally, very good.
- awesomeness/ˈɔːsəmnəs/noun · B2+The informal quality of being thrillingly impressive, used in casual praise rather than of stately magnificence.
- awhile/əˈwaɪl/adverb · B2For a short time.
- awkward/ˈɔːk.wəd/adjective · B2Uncomfortable and embarrassing, like silence after a bad joke.
- awkwardnessnoun · B2+Discomfort in a situation nobody knows how to handle.
- awning/ˈɔːnɪŋ/noun · B2+A sheet of cloth stretched out over a window or door for shade.
- awry/əˈɹaɪ/adjective · C1Crooked, or gone wrong.
- axe/æks/noun · A2+The heavy blade on a handle used for chopping wood.
- axiom/ˈak.sɪ.əm/noun · C1A statement accepted without proof as a starting point.
- axiomatic/ˌæk.si.əˈmæt.ɪk/adjective · C2So obviously true that it needs no proof.
- axis/ˈæksɪs/noun · B2+One of the reference lines a graph is measured from.
- axle/ˈæksəl/noun · B2+The bar a pair of wheels turns on.
- azerbaijannoun · B2The Caucasus country of Baku, on the Caspian Sea.
- azure/ˈæʒə/adjective · B2+Bright clear blue, like a cloudless sky.
- babble/ˈbæb.(ə)l/noun · B2The sound of many voices, or of a running stream.
- babble/ˈbæb.(ə)l/verb · B2To talk quickly and foolishly.
- babble/ˈbæb.(ə)l/verb · C1To make the first sounds before real words.
- babe/beɪb/noun · B2A very young child, in older use.
- baboon/bəˈbuːn/noun · B1+A large monkey with a long doglike face.
- baby/ˈbeɪ.bi/noun · A1A very small child that cannot walk or talk yet.
- baby monitornoun · B1The device that lets you hear a sleeping baby.
- baby showernoun · B1A party held before a baby arrives.
- baby-sitverb · A2To look after a child while the parents are out.
- babygrow/ˈbeɪbiː.ɡɹəʊ/noun · C1A one-piece garment a baby sleeps in.
- babysit/ˈbeɪ.bi.sɪt/verb · B1+To watch someone's children for an evening while they are out.
- babysitter/ˈbeɪ̯biˌsɪtə/noun · B1+The person paid to watch the children while parents go out.
- bachelor/ˈbæt͡ʃ.ə.lə(ɹ)/noun · B2A man who has never married.
- bachelorette/ˌbatʃləˈɹɛt/noun · B2+An unmarried woman of the present day, the female counterpart of a single man, as at the party thrown before her wedding.
- back/bæk/noun · A1The body part you lie on when you sleep facing the ceiling.
- back awayphrase · B1To step backwards, usually from something unwelcome.
- back downphrase · C1To stop insisting and admit you will not win the argument.
- back offphrase · B2To retreat and stop pressuring someone.
- back on your feetphrase · B2Recovered and going about normally again.
- back ordernoun · C1An order waiting until stock arrives again.
- back outphrase · B2To withdraw from an agreement you had made.
- back to backphrase · B1With backs touching, facing away.
- back to frontphrase · B1With the rear part facing forward.
- back to square onephrase · B2Forced to start all over again from the beginning.
- back upphrase · B2To make a safety copy; also, to support someone's story.
- backache/ˈbækeɪk/noun · B1+A pain in the back.
- backbenchernoun · C1An elected member holding no senior post.
- backdrop/ˈbæk.dɹɒp/noun · C1The scene or setting behind the main action.
- backgammon/ˈbæk.ɡæm.ən/noun · B2+A board game of moving counters by the throw of dice.
- background/ˈbæk.(ɡ)ɹaʊnd/noun · A2+The part of the scene furthest away.
- background checknoun · B2An examination of a person's history.
- backing/ˈbæk.ɪŋ(ɡ)/noun · B2Support given to a person or a plan.
- backing tracknoun · B2Recorded music a singer performs over.
- backlash/ˈbækˌlæʃ/noun · B2+A strong hostile reaction to a change.
- backlight/ˈbæk.laɪt/noun · B2Light coming from behind the subject.
- backlinknoun · C1A link from another site pointing at yours.
- backlit/ˈbækˌlɪt/adjective · B2+Lit from behind, so the front stays dark.
- backlog/ˈbæk(ˌ)lɔɡ/noun · B2+The pile of work that has built up unfinished.
- backorder/ˈbæk(ˌ)oɹdəɹ/noun · C1An order held because stock has run out.
- backpack/ˈbæk.pæk/noun · B1The bag you carry on your back to school or on a hike.
- backpack strapphrase · B1The band that goes over your shoulder to carry your school bag.
- backpackernoun · B1+A budget traveler carrying everything on their back.
- backseatnoun · A2The row of seats behind the driver in a car.
- backside/ˈbækˌsaɪd/noun · B1The part of the body you sit on.
- backstitch/ˈbækˌstɪt͡ʃ/noun · C1A strong hand stitch that doubles back on itself.
- backstroke/ˈbækˌstɹoʊk/noun · B2+Swimming on your back with alternating arms.
- backup/ˈbækˌʌp/noun · B1+A safety copy of your files, kept in case the originals are lost.
- backup powernoun · B2A reserve supply for when the main one stops.
- backward/ˈbæk.wə(ɹ)d/adjective · B1Facing or going in the direction behind you.
- backwaternoun · C1Still water off the main current, or a place where nothing happens.
- backyard/bækˈjɑːd/noun · A2The enclosed ground behind a house.
- bacon/ˈbeɪ.kən/noun · B1The thin salty strips of pig meat fried crispy for breakfast.
- bacteria/bakˈtɪə̯.ri.ə/noun · B2Tiny living things everywhere around and inside us — some helpful, some not.
- bacterium/bækˈtɪəɹ.ɪəm/noun · B2+One single-celled living thing without a nucleus.
- bad/bæd/adjective · A1The simple word for something wrong, harmful, or of poor quality.
- bad luck/bæd lʌk/phrase · B1Said to somebody who has just missed out.
- bad-temperedadjective · B2Easily made angry.
- badge/bæd͡ʒ/noun · B1A small sign worn to show who you are.
- badger/ˈbæd͡ʒə/noun · B1+A digging animal with a striped face that sleeps underground.
- badly/ˈbæd.li/adverb · A2In a poor way, or very much.
- badminton/ˈbæd.mɪn.tən/noun · B1+A racket game played with a feathered shuttle.
- baffle/ˈbæfl̩/verb · B2+To confuse somebody completely.
- bag/bæɡ/noun · A1A soft container with a handle for carrying things.
- bagel/ˈbeɪ̯.ɡəl/noun · B1+The chewy ring-shaped roll, famous in New York.
- baggage allowancenoun · B2How much luggage your ticket lets you take.
- baggage handlernoun · B2The worker who loads and unloads luggage.
- baggage reclaimnoun · B2The belt where bags come round after landing.
- bagging areanoun · B2The space where you pack what you have bought.
- baggy/ˈbæɡi/adjective · B1+Much too loose, hanging off the body.
- bagpipes/ˈbæɡˌpaɪps/noun · B2+A wind instrument with a bag of air and droning pipes.
- bahamasnoun · B1+Island chain of 700 isles just off Florida, famed for beaches.
- bahrainnoun · B2Small island kingdom in the Persian Gulf, famous for its Grand Prix.
- baht/bɑːt/noun · B2+The unit of money used in Thailand.
- bail/beɪl/noun · B2Money paid so an accused person can stay free until their trial.
- bail outphrase · C1To rescue somebody from trouble, usually with money.
- bailey/ˈbeɪli/noun · C2The open courtyard inside a castle wall.
- bailiff/ˈbeɪlɪf/noun · C1An officer who serves writs and seizes goods.
- bailout/ˈbeɪlˌaʊt/noun · C1Money given to rescue a failing business.
- bait/beɪt/noun · B1The food put on a hook to attract a fish.
- bake/beɪk/verb · B1To cook bread or cakes in the dry heat of an oven.
- baker/ˈbeɪ.kə/noun · B1The person who gets up early to make fresh loaves and cakes.
- bakery/ˈbeɪ.kə.ɹi/noun · B1The shop that smells of warm fresh loaves every morning.
- balance/ˈbæləns/noun · B1The steady state where no side is heavier than the other.
- balance/ˈbæləns/verb · B1To hold something steady so it does not fall.
- balance beamnoun · B2The narrow raised bar a gymnast performs along.
- balance sheetnoun · C1The statement of what a business owns and owes.
- balcony/ˈbælkəni/noun · B1The small open platform outside an upstairs window.
- balcony seatsnoun · B2The raised seating above the main floor.
- bald/bɔːld/adjective · B1Having no hair on your head.
- baldingadjective · B1+Gradually losing the hair on your head.
- baldlyadverb · C1Plainly and without softening what is said.
- baldy/ˈbɔːl.di/noun · C1Somebody with no hair on their head.
- bale/beɪl/noun · B2+A tight bundle of hay or straw tied for storage.
- bale twinenoun · C1The string that holds a bundle of hay together.
- baleful/ˈbeɪl.fəl/adjective · C2Threatening harm.
- balk/bɔːk/verb · C1To refuse to go on with something.
- ball/bɔːl/noun · A1The round thing that almost every game is played with.
- ballad/ˈbæləd/noun · B2+A song that tells a story in simple verses.
- ballast/ˈbæl.əst/noun · C1Stone laid under railway track, or weight for stability.
- ballast/ˈbæl.əst/noun · C1The crushed stone the sleepers rest in.
- ballerina/ˌbæləɹˈiːnə/noun · B1A leading female classical dancer.
- ballet/bælˈeɪ/noun · B2The graceful classical dance performed on the tips of the toes.
- balloon/bəˈluːn/noun · A2A rubber ball full of air that floats at parties.
- ballot/ˈbælət/noun · C1The paper or process by which people cast their votes.
- ballroom/ˈbɔːlɹuːm/noun · B2The large hall used for dances and functions.
- balmy/ˈbɑːmi/adjective · C1Pleasantly warm and soft.
- baloney/bəˈləʊni/noun · C1Foolish talk that nobody should believe.
- balustrade/ˌbæl.əˈstɹeɪd/noun · C1The row of small posts along the edge of a balcony.
- bamboo/bæmˈbu/noun · A2+The tall fast-growing hollow grass that pandas eat.
- banal/bəˈnɑːl/adjective · C1So ordinary that it is boring.
- banana/bəˈnɑːnə/noun · A1A long curved yellow fruit that you peel.
- band/bænd/noun · A1A small group of musicians who play together.
- band/bænd/noun · B1A flat strip of material worn round something or holding it together.
- bandage/ˈbæn.dɪd͡ʒ/noun · B1The cloth you wrap around a hurt arm or leg.
- bandwidth/ˈbændwɪdθ/noun · B2+How much data your connection can carry at once.
- bandy/ˈbændi/verb · C2To pass words or ideas back and forth carelessly.
- bane/beɪn/noun · C1The cause of somebody's lasting misery.
- bang/ˈbæŋ/noun · B1A sudden loud explosive noise.
- bangladeshnoun · B1+The river-woven South Asian country east of India.
- bangle/ˈbæŋ.ɡəl/noun · B2+A stiff ring of metal worn around the wrist.
- banish/ˈbænɪʃ/verb · C2To send somebody away and forbid their return.
- banishment/ˈbænɪʃmənt/noun · C2Being sent away and forbidden to return.
- banister/ˈbænɪstɚ/noun · B2+The rail your hand slides along as you climb the stairs.
- banjo/ˈbæn.dʒəʊ/noun · B2A round-bodied string instrument with a bright twanging tone.
- bank/ˈbæŋk/noun · A1The building where people keep their money safe.
- bank accountnoun · B1An arrangement with a financial institution that holds your money and lets you pay in and draw out.
- bank holidaynoun · B1A public day off when banks and offices close.
- bank onphrase · B2To rely on something happening.
- bank statementnoun · B1The list of everything paid in and out of an account.
- bank transfernoun · B1Moving money straight from one account to another.
- banker/ˈbæŋkəː/noun · B2A person who works at a senior level in banking.
- banknote/ˈbæŋknəʊ̯t/noun · B1+A piece of paper money.
- bankrupt/ˈbæŋk.ɹəpt/adjective · B2Legally unable to pay your debts — the money is gone.
- bankruptcy/ˈbæŋ.kɹʌp(t).si/noun · B2+The legal state of having no money left to pay your debts.
- banquet/ˈbæŋkwɪt/noun · B2A grand formal dinner for many guests.
- banquette/baŋˈkɛt/noun · C1A long padded bench running along a wall.
- banshee/bænˈʃiː/noun · C1A wailing spirit whose cry foretells a death.
- bantam/ˈbæntəm/noun · C1A very small breed of domestic fowl.
- banter/ˈbæntə/noun · B2+Light teasing talk between people who like each other.
- baobab/ˈbeɪə(ʊ)bab/noun · C1An African tree with an enormously fat water-storing trunk.
- baptism/ˈbæptɪzəm/noun · B2The rite of admitting somebody with water.
- baptize/ˈbæptaɪz/verb · B2To admit somebody to a church by washing with water.
- baptized/ˈbæptaɪzd/adjective · B2Having gone through the Christian rite of washing.
- bar/bɑː/noun · A2The place adults go in the evening for drinks.
- bar mitzvah/ˌbɑː(ɹ)ˈmɪts.və/noun · B2The ceremony marking a Jewish boy's coming of age.
- bar of soapnoun · A2A solid block used with water to clean.
- barb/bɑː(ɹ)b/noun · C1A backward point on a hook, or a wounding remark.
- barbarian/bɑː(ɹ)ˈbɛə.ɹi.ən/noun · B2Somebody seen as uncivilised and savage.
- barbaric/bɑː(ɹ)ˈbæɹɪk/adjective · C1Cruel and uncivilized beyond excuse.
- barber/ˈbɑːbə/noun · A2+A person who cuts men's hair.
- barbican/ˈbɑːbɪkən/noun · C2The fortified gatehouse guarding a castle entrance.
- barcode/ˈbɑː.kəʊd/noun · B1The black stripes on a product that the till scans with a beep.
- bard/bɑːd/noun · C1A poet who sings of heroes and of history.
- bare/bɛə/adjective · A2Not covered by anything — feet, walls, or trees in winter.
- bareback/ˈbɛəbæk/adverb · B2+Riding a horse with no saddle.
- barefoot/ˈbɛɹfʊt/adjective · B1Wearing nothing at all on your feet.
- barely/ˈbɛə.li/adverb · B1Only just; by the thinnest margin.
- bargain/ˈbɑːɡən/noun · B2Something good bought for much less than it is worth.
- barge/ˈbɑːd͡ʒ/noun · B2A long flat boat that carries cargo on canals.
- barge inphrase · C1To enter or interrupt rudely.
- barista/bəˈɹiːs.tə/noun · B1+The person who makes coffee behind the counter.
- baritone/ˈbæɹ.ɪ.təʊn/noun · B2+A male voice between tenor and bass.
- bark/bɑːk/noun · B1The rough protective skin of a tree.
- bark ordersphrase · C1To give commands in a short harsh voice.
- barker/ˈbɑː(ɹ)kɚ/noun · C1Somebody who shouts to draw a crowd to a show.
- barking up the wrong treephrase · C1Blaming or pursuing entirely the wrong thing.
- barley/ˈbɑɹli/noun · B2+A tough grain used in soups and in brewing.
- barman/ˈbɑːmən/noun · B1+A man who serves drinks in a bar.
- barn[ˈbɑɹn]noun · B1A big farm building for animals or crops.
- barn owl/ˈbɑːn ˌaʊl/noun · B2A pale heart-faced owl that hunts in silence.
- barnacle/ˈbɑːnəkl̩/noun · B2+A small shellfish that cements itself to rocks and hulls.
- barnacle growthnoun · C1The crust of small shellfish that slows a hull.
- barometer/bəˈɹɒm.ɪ.tə(ɹ)/noun · B2+The instrument that measures air pressure to predict weather.
- baroque/bæˈɹɒk/adjective · C2In the ornate European style of the seventeenth century.
- barracks/ˈbæɹəks/noun · B2+The buildings where soldiers live.
- barrage/ˈbæɹɑːʒ/noun · C1Continuous heavy fire onto one area.
- barre/bɑː/noun · C1The rail dancers hold while warming up.
- barrel/ˈbæɹ(ə)l/noun · B1A round wooden container with curved sides.
- barren/ˈbæɹən/adjective · B2+Too dry or poor to grow anything.
- barricade/ˈbæɹɪkeɪd/noun · B2+A hasty barrier put up to block a way.
- barrier-freeadjective · B2Designed so that nothing blocks the way in.
- barrister/ˈbæɹ.ɪst.ə(ɹ)/noun · B2+A lawyer who argues cases in the higher courts.
- bartender/ˈbɑːˌtɛndə(ɹ)/noun · B2The person who mixes and serves drinks at a bar.
- barter/ˈbɑː.(ɹ)tə(ɹ)/verb · B2+To trade goods for other goods rather than money.
- basalt/ˈbæs.ɒlt/noun · C1A dark heavy rock formed from cooled lava.
- base coatnoun · B2The clear layer painted on before colour.
- base note/ˈbeɪsnəʊt/noun · C1The deep smell that lingers longest in a scent.
- baseball/ˈbeɪs.bɔːl/noun · A2The American game where a hitter runs around four corners after a good swing.
- basebornadjective · C2Born of low or illegitimate birth.
- basement/ˈbeɪsmənt/noun · B1The room under the house, below the ground.
- basement flatnoun · B1A home below street level.
- bash/bæʃ/verb · B2To hit something violently and repeatedly.
- bashful[ˈbæʃfəɫ]adjective · C1Shy and easily embarrassed.
- basic/ˈbeɪsɪk/adjective · B1Forming the simplest and most necessary part.
- basic trainingnoun · B2The first hard weeks that turn a civilian into a soldier.
- basically/ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/adverb · B1At bottom, once the details are stripped away.
- basil/ˈbæz.əl/noun · B1+A sweet green leaf that goes with tomato and cheese.
- basilisk/ˈbæzɪlɪsk/noun · C1A legendary reptile said to kill with a look.
- basin/ˈbeɪsɪn/noun · B1+A bowl of land drained by one river system; also, a washing bowl.
- basis/ˈbeɪ.sɪs/<a:RP,GA><ref:<<name:OED>>>noun · B1The thing something else is built on.
- bask/bɑːsk/verb · B2+To lie comfortably in warmth or in praise.
- basket/ˈbɑːskɪt/noun · A2+The small container you carry your shopping in around the store.
- basketball/ˈbɑːs.kɪt.bɔːl/noun · A2The game where tall players throw the ball into a high hoop.
- basketball courtnoun · B1The marked floor the game is played on.
- bass/beɪs/noun · B2The lowest range of musical sound.
- bass drum/ˈbeɪsˌdɹʌm/noun · B2The big deep drum struck with a pedal.
- bass voicenoun · B2The lowest singing voice.
- bassoon/bəˈsuːn/noun · C1A very long low woodwind, doubled back on itself.
- bastard/ˈbɑːs.təd/noun · B2A child born to parents who are not married.
- baste/beɪst/verb · C1To spoon fat over meat as it roasts.
- bastion/ˈbæsti.ən/noun · C1A stronghold, or a last defender of an idea.
- bat/bæt/noun · B1The only flying animal with fur; it sleeps upside down.
- bat/bæt/noun · A2The wooden stick a hitter swings at the ball.
- batch/bæt͡ʃ/noun · B2One group of things made together at the same time.
- bath/bɑːθ/noun · A1The long container you fill with warm water and lie in.
- bath saltsnoun · B2Scented crystals dissolved in bathwater.
- bathe/beɪð/verb · B1To wash yourself in water, or to swim.
- bathhouse/ˈbæθˌhaʊs/noun · B2+A public building where people go to wash or bathe.
- bathrobe/ˈbɑːθ.ɹəʊb/noun · B1+The loose soft coat you wrap yourself in after a shower.
- bathroom/ˈbɑːθɹʊm/noun · A1The room with a shower, a toilet, and a washbasin.
- bathtub/ˈbɑːθtʌb/noun · A2The long basin you fill with warm water and lie in.
- baton/ˈbætɒn/noun · B2A short stick, carried by a runner or waved by a conductor.
- battalion/bəˈtæl.i.ən/noun · B2A unit of several hundred soldiers.
- batter/ˈbætə/noun · B1The pourable mix of flour, eggs, and milk before it is cooked.
- batter/ˈbætə/verb · B2To strike repeatedly until damaged.
- battery/ˈbæt.(ə)ɹi/noun · B1The store of power inside a phone or a toy; it runs out at the worst moment.
- battle/ˈbætl̩/noun · A2A fight between armies, or a hard struggle.
- battlefield/ˈbætəlˌfiːld/noun · C1The ground on which a battle is fought.
- battlement[ˈbætəɫmənt]noun · C1The notched wall along the top of a castle.
- battlementsnoun · C1The notched wall along the top of a castle.
- battleship/ˈbætəlˌʃɪp/noun · B2A very large heavily armoured warship.
- bauble[ˈbɔːbəɫ]noun · C2A showy trinket of little value.
- bawdy/ˈbɔːdi/adjective · C1Humorously rude about sex.
- bawl/bɔːl/verb · B2+To cry or shout very loudly.
- bay/ˈbeɪ̯/noun · B1A wide curve of sea set into the coast.
- bay/ˈbeɪ̯/noun · C1A brown horse with a black mane and tail.
- bay windownoun · B2A window that projects outward from the wall.
- bazaar/bəˈzɐː/noun · B2+A market of many small stalls.
- bccverb · B2To copy somebody in without the others seeing.
- be my guestphrase · B2Please go ahead and do it.
- be that as it mayphrase · C1A formal way of setting an objection aside.
- beach/biːt͡ʃ/noun · A1The sandy edge of the sea where people lie in the sun.
- beacon/ˈbiːkən/noun · B2A light or mark set up as a signal.
- bead/ˈbiːd/noun · B1+A small ball threaded on a string, or a drop of liquid.
- beady/ˈbiː.di/adjective · C1Small, round and bright, said of eyes.
- beagle/ˈbiːɡəl/noun · B2+A small hound with drooping ears, bred to hunt by scent.
- beak/biːk/noun · B2The hard pointed mouth of a bird.
- beaker/ˈbiːkə(ɹ)/noun · B2+A straight-sided glass cup with a lip for pouring.
- beam/ˈbiːm/noun · B2A long thick timber or steel bar that bears weight.
- bean/ˈbi(ː)n/noun · A2A small seed you cook and eat — kidney, black, or baked.
- beanie/ˈbiː.ni/noun · B1+A soft close-fitting knitted hat.
- beans/biːnz/noun · A2Seeds from pods that are cooked in soups, chilis, and salads.
- bear/bɛə/noun · A2A big strong wild animal that loves honey and sleeps all winter.
- bear/bɛə/verb · B1To carry a weight, or to put up with a burden.
- bear a resemblancephrase · C1To look somewhat like somebody else.
- bear in mind/ˌbɛə̯ ɪn ˈmaɪ̯nd/phrase · B2To keep something in your thoughts while deciding.
- bear responsibilityphrase · C1To carry the duty for something.
- bear upphrase · C1To keep going bravely under strain.
- bear withphrase · B2To be patient with somebody for a moment.
- bear witnessphrase · C1To state formally what you saw or know.
- bearable/ˈbɛəɹəbəɫ/adjective · B2Just about possible to put up with.
- beard/bɪəd/noun · B1The hair that grows on a man's chin and cheeks.
- bearing/ˈbɛə̯ɹɪŋ/noun · C1The direction of something, given as an angle.
- bearingsnoun · B2Your sense of where you are and which way you face.
- beast/biːst/noun · B1A large animal, or a cruel person.
- beat/biːt/verb · B1To stir hard and fast until a mixture is smooth.
- beat around the bush/ˈbiːt əˌɹaʊ̯nd ðə bʊʃ/phrase · C1To avoid saying the main thing directly.
- beat-upadjective · C1Old, dented, and scarred from long use.
- beautician/bjuːˈtɪ(t)ʃən/noun · B2+A person who gives beauty treatments.
- beautiful/ˈbjuːtɪ.fəl/adjective · A1Very pleasing to look at.
- beautify/ˈbjuː.tɪ.faɪ/verb · B2+To make something more pleasing to look at.
- beauty/ˈbjuːti/noun · A2The quality that makes something wonderful to look at.
- beaver/ˈbiːvə/noun · B1A river animal with strong teeth that builds dams from trees.
- becalmedadjective · C2Stopped for lack of any wind.
- beckon/ˈbɛkən/verb · C1To signal somebody to come nearer.
- become/bɪˈkʌm/verb · A1To turn into something — a student turns into a doctor.
- becoming/bɪˈkʌm.ɪŋ/adjective · C1Suiting somebody well, or proper to do.
- bed/bɛd/noun · A1The furniture you sleep in every night.
- bed and breakfastnoun · B1A room with the morning meal included.
- beddingnoun · B2The soft material an animal sleeps on.
- bedeck/bɪˈdɛk/verb · C2To cover something with decorations.
- bedfellow/ˈbɛdˌfɛloʊ/noun · C1Somebody sharing a bed, or an unlikely partner.
- bedlam/ˈbɛdləm/noun · C2A scene of wild noise and confusion.
- bedmaidnoun · C2A servant who makes and tends the beds.
- bedraggled/bɪˈdɹæɡl̩d/adjective · C1Wet, dirty and untidy.
- bedrock/ˈbɛd.ɹɒk/noun · B2+The solid rock underneath the loose soil.
- bedrollnoun · C1Bedding rolled up for carrying.
- bedroom/ˈbɛdɹuːm/noun · A1The room where you sleep.
- bedside/ˈbɛdˌsaɪd/noun · B1+The space beside a bed.
- bedtime/ˈbɛdtaɪm/noun · A2The hour when you are supposed to go to sleep.
- bedtime story/ˈbɛdtaɪm ˈstɔːɹi/noun · A2The tale read to a child before sleep.
- bedwettingnoun · B2Wetting the bed during sleep.
- bee/ˈbiː/noun · B1A yellow-and-black insect that makes honey.
- beech/ˈbiːt͡ʃ/noun · B2+A smooth grey-barked tree with a deep shady canopy.
- beef/biːf/noun · A2The meat of a cow.
- beekeeper/ˈbiˌkipɚ/noun · B1+A person who keeps bee colonies for honey.
- beep/biːp/noun · B1A short high sound made by a machine.
- beer/ˈbɪə̯/noun · A1The golden drink for adults with white foam on top.
- beetle/ˈbiːtəl/noun · A2+An insect with hard wing cases that meet in a line down its back.
- beetroot/ˈbi.t͡ʃɹyʔ/noun · B1+A deep red root vegetable that stains everything.
- befall/bɪˈfɔːl/verb · C1To happen to somebody, usually for the worse.
- befit/bɪˈfɪt/verb · C1To be suitable for somebody's rank or occasion.
- before your timephrase · B2Happening earlier than you can remember.
- beforehand/bɪˈfɔːhænd/adverb · C1Ahead of the time in question.
- befoul/bɪˈfaʊl/verb · C2To make something filthy.
- befriend/bɪˈfɹɛnd/verb · B2To become a friend to somebody who needs one.
- befuddle/bɪˈfʌdl/verb · C2To muddle somebody's thinking.
- beg/ˈbɛɡ/verb · B1To ask desperately, as if on your knees.
- beget/biˈɡɛt/verb · C2To father a child, or to give rise to something.
- begging the question/ˈbɛɡɪŋ ðə ˈkwɛst͡ʃən/phrase · C2Assuming the very thing you are meant to prove.
- beginner/bɪˈɡɪnə/noun · A2+Somebody who has just started learning.
- beginner's lucknoun · B2An unlikely early win by somebody who barely knows the game.
- begrudge/bɪˈɡɹʌd͡ʒ/verb · C1To resent giving somebody what they have.
- beguile/bɪˈɡaɪl/verb · C2To charm somebody, often in order to deceive.
- beguilingadjective · C1Charming in a way that may mislead.
- behalf/bɪˈhæf/noun · B2The interest of another, in the phrase acting for them.
- behave/bᵻˈheɪv/verb · A2To act in a certain way — parents ask children to do it well.
- behavior/bɪˈheɪ.vjə/noun · B1The way a person acts.
- behavioural/bɪˈheɪvjərəl/adjective · B2+To do with how people or animals act.
- behead/bɪˈhɛd/verb · B2+To cut off somebody's head.
- behemoth/bəˈhi(ː).məθ/noun · C1Something enormously large and powerful.
- behest/bɪˈhɛst/noun · C2A command or an urgent request.
- behind/bɪˈhaɪnd/preposition · A1At the back of something.
- behind barsphrase · B2In prison.
- behind schedulephrase · B2Later than the plan allowed for.
- behind-the-scenesadjective · B2Happening out of the public's sight.
- behold/bɪˈhəʊld/verb · B2To look at something, in old or formal use.
- beholden/bɪˈhəʊldən/adjective · C1Owing a debt of gratitude to somebody.
- behoove/bɪˈhuːv/verb · C2To be right and proper for somebody to do.
- beige/ˈbeɪʒ/adjective · B1+A pale sandy brown.
- belarusnoun · B2The flat landlocked country of Minsk, between Poland and Russia.
- belated/bɪˈleɪtɪd/adjective · B2+Coming after the proper time.
- belay/bɪˈleɪ/verb · C2To hold the rope safe for a climber above you.
- belch/ˈbɛltʃ/verb · B2To let wind up noisily from the stomach.
- beleaguer/bɪˈliː.ɡə/verb · C2To surround with trouble or with an army.
- beleaguered/bɪˈliːɡəd/adjective · C1Under constant pressure from all sides.
- belfry/ˈbɛlfɹi/noun · C1The part of a tower where the bells hang.
- belgiumnoun · A2+The small country of Brussels, waffles, and fine chocolate.
- belie/bɪˈlaɪ/verb · C2To give a false impression of something.
- belief/bɪˈliːf/noun · B1Something you hold to be true deep inside.
- believable/bɪˈliːvəbl̩/adjective · B1+Sounding true enough to be accepted.
- believe/bɪˈliːv/verb · A1To accept that something is true.
- believe it or notphrase · B2Introducing something surprising but true.
- believer/bɪˈlivɚ/noun · B2Somebody who accepts a faith or an idea.
- belittle/bɪˈlɪt.əl/verb · C1To make somebody or their work seem small.
- belizenoun · B2Tiny English-speaking Central American country with a great reef.
- bell/bɛl/noun · A2A metal object that rings ding-dong.
- bellhop/ˈbɛlˌhɒp/noun · B2+The uniformed attendant who takes luggage to rooms.
- bellicose/ˈbɛlɪkoʊs/adjective · C2Eager to fight.
- belligerencenoun · C2Aggressive readiness to fight.
- belligerent/bəˈlɪdʒ.ə.ɹənt/adjective · C2Eager to fight or argue.
- bellow/ˈbɛloʊ/verb · B2+To shout in a deep, loud voice.
- bellwether/ˈbɛlwɛðə/noun · C2A sign of the way things are about to go.
- bellyfulnoun · C1As much as you can stand of something.
- belong/bɪˈlɒŋ/verb · A2To be someone's property, or to have your right place in a group.
- belonging/bɪˈlɒŋɪŋ/noun · B2The feeling of being accepted as part of something.
- beloved/bɪˈlʌvd/adjective · B2Dearly loved.
- below/bɪˈləʊ/preposition · A1Lower down than something else.
- below parphrase · C1Not as good as the usual standard.
- belt/ˈbɛlt/noun · A2The leather band that holds your legwear up at the waist.
- bemoan/bɪˈməʊn/verb · C1To complain sadly about something.
- bemused/bɪˈmjuːzd/adjective · C1Puzzled and unable to make sense of things.
- bench/ˈbɛnt͡ʃ/noun · A2The long outdoor seat in parks where several people can sit.
- benchmark/ˈbɛnt͡ʃmɑːk/noun · B2+The standard other performances are measured against.
- benchmark/ˈbɛnt͡ʃmɑːk/noun · B2+A rival's result used as a standard to beat.
- bend/bɛnd/verb · B1To make something straight become curved.
- bend over backwardsphrase · C1To try extremely hard to please someone.
- beneath/bɪˈniːθ/preposition · B1In a lower position than something.
- benefactor/ˈbɛnəˌfæktəː/noun · C1Somebody who gives money or help.
- beneficial/ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.əl/adjective · B2+Doing good, or bringing an advantage.
- beneficiary/ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.əɹ.i/noun · C1Somebody who receives an advantage or a legacy.
- benefit/ˈbɛn.ɪ.fɪt/noun · A2+Money paid by the state to those who qualify.
- benefit paymentnoun · B2Money from the state paid into an account.
- benefits/ˈbɛn.ɪ.fɪts/noun · B2Regular payments made by the state to those entitled.
- benefits packagenoun · B2Everything you get besides the money.
- benevolence/bəˈnɛvələns/noun · C1Kindly feeling and the wish to do good.
- benevolent/bəˈnɛvələnt/adjective · C1Kindly and wishing good to others.
- benign/bɪˈnaɪn/adjective · C1Gentle and harmless.
- beninnoun · C1Narrow West African country, birthplace of vodun tradition.
- bent/bɛnt/adjective · B2No longer straight; curved out of shape.
- bequeath/bɪˈkwiːθ/verb · C1To leave something to somebody in your will.
- bequest/bɪˈkwɛst/noun · C1Something left to somebody in a will.
- berate/bɪˈɹeɪt/verb · C1To scold somebody at length.
- bereaved/bɪˈɹiːvd/adjective · C1Having recently lost somebody close to death.
- bereavement/bɪˈriːvmənt/noun · C1The state of having lost somebody to death.
- bereft/bəˈɹɛft/adjective · C2Left completely without something valued.
- beret/ˈbɛɹeɪ/noun · B2+A soft round flat cap with no brim.
- berry/ˈbɛɹi/noun · B2A small round juicy fruit without a stone.
- berserk/ˈbɜːsɜːk/adjective · B2+Wildly and violently out of control.
- berth/bɜːθ/noun · B2+A boat's place at a quay, or a bed aboard.
- beryl/ˈbɛɹ.əl/noun · C2A hard mineral that includes emerald and aquamarine.
- beseech/bɪˈsiːt͡ʃ/verb · C2To beg somebody urgently.
- beset/bɪˈsɛt/verb · C1To trouble from every side at once.
- beside/bɪˈsaɪd/preposition · A2Right next to somebody or something.
- beside the pointphrase · B2Not related to what actually matters.
- besiege/bəˈsiːd͡ʒ/verb · C2To surround a place with an army, or to press in on somebody.
- besmirch/bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/verb · C2To damage somebody's good name.
- besotted/bɪˈsɒtɪd/adjective · C2So much in love that judgement is lost.
- bespeak/bɪˈspiːk/verb · C2To be a sign of something.
- bespectacled/bɪˈspɛktəkəld/adjective · C2Wearing glasses.
- best/bɛst/adjective · A1Better than every other one.
- bestial/ˈbɛs.ti.əl/adjective · C1Savagely cruel, like an animal.
- bestir/bɪˈstɜː/verb · C2To rouse yourself into activity.
- bestow/bɪˈstəʊ/verb · B2+To give something as an honour.
- bestride/bɪˈstɹaɪd/verb · C2To stand or sit with a leg on each side of something.
- bestsellernoun · B2+The book everyone is buying this year.
- bet/bɛt/noun · A2An agreement to pay if you are wrong about a result.
- betide/bɪˈtaɪd/verb · C2To happen to somebody, in old use.
- betoken/bɪˈtoʊ.kən/verb · C2To be a sign of what is to come.
- betray/bɪˈtɹeɪ/verb · B2To turn against someone who trusted you.
- betrayal/bɪˈtɹeɪəl/noun · B2Breaking a trust that somebody placed in you.
- betrothal/bɪˈtɹəʊ.ðəl/noun · C1A formal promise to marry.
- betrothed/bɪˈtɹəʊðd/noun · C1An old-fashioned, literary word for the person one has promised to marry, used unchanged for a man or a woman rather than the French-derived pair.
- better/ˈbɛt.ə/adjective · A1Of higher quality than another.
- better late than neverphrase · B2It is still worth doing even though it is overdue.
- betterment/ˈbɛtəmənt/noun · C1A rise in a person's condition or standing in life, such as the lift that schooling gives to the poor.
- between/bɪˈtwiːn/preposition · A2In the space separating two things.
- beverage/ˈbɛv(ə)ɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · B1A drink, in formal or trade usage.
- bewilder/bɪˈwɪldə(ɹ)/verb · B2+To confuse someone so completely they are lost.
- bewildered/bəˈwɪldɚd/adjective · B2+Totally confused and lost.
- bewilderment/bɪˈwɪldəmənt/noun · B2+A state of complete confusion.
- bewitched/bɪˈwɪt͡ʃt/adjective · B2+Placed under an enchantment, as though by a sorcerer's curse.
- bewitching/bəˈwɪt͡ʃɪŋ/adjective · C1So charming that you cannot look away.
- beyond repairphrase · B2So damaged that fixing it is not possible.
- bezel/ˈbɛz.əl/noun · B2+A rim of metal enclosing a stone or a watch face.
- bhutannoun · C1Himalayan kingdom that measures Gross National Happiness.
- biannual/bʌɪˈanjuːəl/adjective · C1Happening twice in a year.
- bias/ˈbaɪ.əs/noun · B2+A built-in leaning toward one side of a story.
- bias/ˈbaɪ.əs/noun · B2+A leaning that stops you judging fairly.
- bias checknoun · B2A review of whether coverage leans one way.
- biased/ˈbaɪəst/adjective · B1+Leaning unfairly towards one side.
- bib/bɪb/noun · B1+A cloth tied under a baby's chin to catch the mess.
- bib shortsnoun · C1Padded shorts held up by shoulder straps.
- bibliography/bɪbliˈɒɡɹəfi/noun · B2+The list of all sources at the end of a paper.
- bicker/ˈbɪkɚ/verb · B2+To argue about small unimportant things.
- bicycle/ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/noun · A1The two-wheeled machine you move with your own legs.
- bid/bɪd/noun · B2An offer of a price at a sale.
- biddable/ˈbɪdəbəl/adjective · C2Willing to do as you are told.
- bidder/ˈbɪd.ə/noun · B2Somebody offering money at an auction.
- bidding/ˈbɪdɪŋ/noun · B2What somebody has ordered you to do.
- bier/bɪə/noun · C2The stand a coffin rests on before burial.
- big/bɪɡ/adjective · A1Of great size — an elephant is this, a mouse is not.
- big mouthphrase · B2Somebody who cannot keep a secret.
- big topnoun · B2The great tent a travelling show performs in.
- bigot/ˈbɪɡət/noun · C1Somebody stubbornly intolerant of other views.
- bigotry/ˈbɪɡ.ə.tɹi/noun · C1Stubborn intolerance of other people's views.
- bigwig/ˈbɪɡ.wɪɡ/noun · C2An important, powerful person — said with a smirk.
- bike lanenoun · B1A marked strip of road reserved for cycles.
- bike racknoun · B1A stand where cycles can be locked up.
- biker/ˈbaɪ̯kə/noun · B1+Somebody who rides a motorcycle, often in a group.
- bikini/bɪˈkiː.ni/noun · B2A two-piece swimming costume for a woman.
- bilateral/baɪˈlætəɹəl/adjective · B2+Involving two sides or two countries.
- bile/baɪl/noun · C1A bitter fluid made by the liver, or bitter anger.
- bilge/bɪld͡ʒ/noun · C2The lowest inside part of a hull, where water collects.
- bilingual/baɪˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl/adjective · B2+Speaking two languages like a native.
- bill/ˈbɪl/noun · A1The paper saying how much your meal costs.
- bill of ladingnoun · C1The document acknowledging goods received for shipment.
- billboard/ˈbɪlˌboɹd/noun · B1+The giant advertising board beside the road.
- billiards/ˈbɪlɪədz/noun · C1A cue game played with a small number of balls.
- billion/ˈbɪljən/noun · A2A one followed by nine zeros — a thousand millions.
- billow/ˈbɪl.oʊ/verb · C1To swell and roll outward like smoke or a sail.
- billowingadjective · C1Swelling and rolling outward in great soft waves.
- billy cannoun · C1The metal pot hung over a fire to boil water.
- bimbo/ˈbɪmbəʊ/noun · C1A young woman treated as attractive but empty-headed.
- bin/ˈbɪn/noun · A2+The container where you throw things you don't want.
- bin bagnoun · B1The sack that lines a rubbish container.
- bin linernoun · B1The bag that lines a rubbish container.
- binary/ˈbaɪ.nə.ɹɪ/adjective · B2+Made of two parts, or written using only ones and zeros.
- bind/ˈbaɪ̯nd/verb · B2To tie something fast, or to place under an obligation.
- binder/ˈbaɪndə/noun · B1+A stiff cover with rings that holds punched pages.
- binding/ˈbaɪndɪŋ/noun · B2The cover and stitching that hold a book together.
- binge-watchverb · B2To watch many episodes one after another.
- binoculars/bɪˈnɒk.jʊ.lə(ɹ)z/noun · B1+Two small telescopes joined for looking at distant things.
- biochemistry/ˌbaɪəʊˈkɛmɪstɹi/noun · C1The study of the chemistry of living things.
- biodegradable/(ˌ)baɪoʊdəˈɡɹeɪdəbl̩/adjective · B2+Able to rot away naturally and harmlessly.
- biodiversity/ˌbaɪə(ʊ)daɪˈvɜːsɪti/noun · B2+The richness of all the different living things in one place.
- biography/baɪˈɒɡɹəfi/noun · C1The written life story of a real person.
- biological/ˌbaɪ.ə(ʊ)ˈlɒd͡ʒ.ɪ.kəl/adjective · B2To do with living things.
- biologist/baɪˈɒləd͡ʒɪst/noun · B1+A scientist who studies living things.
- biology/baɪˈɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/noun · B1+The subject about plants, animals, and the human body.
- biopsy/ˈbaɪɑpsi/noun · B2+The taking of tissue from a living body for examination.
- biotechnology/ˌbaɪ.əʊˌtɛkˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/noun · C1The use of living cells and processes in industry.
- bipedal/ˌbaɪˈpiːdəl/adjective · C1Walking on two legs.
- bipolar/baɪˈpəʊ.lə/adjective · B2+Having two opposite poles, or marked by swings of mood.
- birch/bɜːtʃ/noun · B2+The slim northern tree with peeling white bark.
- bird/ˈbɜːd/noun · A1An animal with feathers and wings that sings in trees.
- bird hidenoun · C1The small hut you watch wildlife from without being seen.
- birdbathnoun · B1+A shallow dish of water in a garden for birds.
- birdcagenoun · B2+The barred home a pet bird is kept in.
- birdie/ˈbɜː.di/noun · B2A hole finished one stroke under the expected number.
- birdseed/ˈbɝdˌsid/noun · B1+A mix of grains put out for garden birds.
- birdsongnoun · B2+The musical calling of birds, especially at dawn.
- birdwatcher/ˈbɜː(ɹ)dˌwɒtʃ.ə(ɹ)/noun · B1A person who goes out to spot and identify birds.
- birth/bɜːθ/noun · A2The moment a baby comes into the world.
- birthday/ˈbɜːθ.deɪ/noun · A1The day each year when you turn one year older.
- birthmark/ˈbɝθˌmɑɹk/noun · B2A coloured mark on the skin present from birth.
- birthplace/ˈbɝθˌpleɪs/noun · B2The place where somebody was born.
- bisexual/baɪˈsɛk.ʃʊ.əl/noun · B2+Somebody attracted to both sexes.
- bishop/ˈbɪʃəp/noun · B2The chess piece that moves only along diagonals.
- bishop/ˈbɪʃəp/noun · B2A senior clergyman in charge of many churches.
- bison/ˈbaɪ̯sən/noun · B1+The shaggy wild ox that once roamed the American plains in millions.
- bistro/ˈbiːstɹəʊ/noun · B2+A small unpretentious restaurant.
- bit/ˈbɪt/noun · C1The metal bar that sits in a horse's mouth.
- bitchy/ˈbɪt͡ʃi/adjective · B2+Malicious and catty, especially in petty, mean-spirited remarks made about other people.
- bite/baɪt/verb · A1To cut into something with your teeth.
- bite off more than you can chewphrase · B2To take on more than you are able to manage.
- bite the bulletphrase · C1To finally face something painful you have been avoiding.
- bite your lipphrase · B2To hold back what you were about to say.
- bitter/ˈbɪt.ə/adjective · B1Tasting sharp and unsweet, like black coffee or dark chocolate.
- bitter/ˈbɪt.ə/adjective · B1Still hurt and angry about something that happened long ago.
- bitterness/ˈbɪtənəs/noun · B1+The sharp unpleasant quality of strong coffee or peel.
- bittersweet/ˈbɪtɚˌswit/adjective · B2+Happy and sad at the same time.
- bivouac/ˈbɪv.u.æk/noun · C2A rough shelter used for one night in the open.
- bizarre/bɪˈzɑː(ɹ)/adjective · C1Very strange indeed.
- blabber/ˈblæb.ɚ/verb · C2To chatter on and on about nothing.
- black/blæk/noun · A1The darkest color — the color of night.
- black box/ˈblæk.bɒx/noun · B2The recorder kept to explain a crash afterwards.
- black hole/blæk ˈhoʊl/phrase · B2The collapsed star whose pull not even light escapes.
- black icenoun · B2A thin invisible layer of ice on a road.
- black outphrase · B2To lose consciousness, or to cut all the lights.
- black tienoun · B2A dress code calling for a dinner jacket.
- black-and-whiteadjective · B1In shades of grey only, with no colour.
- blackberry/ˈblækbəɹi/noun · A2+A dark bramble fruit made of tiny round parts.
- blackbird/ˈblakbəːd/noun · B1+A dark garden bird with a yellow beak and a lovely song.
- blackhead/ˈblæk.hɛd/noun · B1+A blocked pore with a dark surface.
- blackjack/ˈblækd͡ʒæk/noun · B2A card game where players aim for twenty-one.
- blacklist/ˈblæklɪst/noun · B2+A list of people an industry refuses to employ.
- blackmail/ˈblækˌmeɪl/noun · B2Demanding money by threatening to reveal someone's secret.
- blackness/ˈblæknəs/noun · B2Complete darkness.
- blackout/ˈblæk.aʊt/noun · B1+A complete loss of electric light.
- blacksmith/ˈblæk.smɪθ/noun · B2The craftsman who shapes hot iron with a hammer.
- bladder/ˈblædə/noun · B2The organ holding urine, or an inflatable bag.
- blade/bleɪd/noun · B1The cutting part of a knife or a tool.
- blame/bleɪm/verb · A2To say that someone is the reason something went wrong.
- blamelessadjective · C1Having done nothing wrong.
- blanch/blɑːnt͡ʃ/verb · C1To go pale, or to plunge food briefly in boiling water.
- bland/blænd/adjective · B2Having almost no taste at all.
- blank/blænk/adjective · A2+With nothing written or recorded on it yet.
- blank outphrase · B2To find your mind suddenly empty.
- blanket/ˈblæŋ.kɪt/noun · A2The warm cover you pull over yourself in bed.
- blanket stitchnoun · C1A looped stitch worked along a raw edge.
- blanknessnoun · C1The quality of showing or holding nothing at all, whether in a face or on a page, named with the noun ending -ness.
- blare/blɛə/verb · C1To sound out loudly and harshly.
- blasphemy/ˈblæs.fə.mi/noun · C1Speech that treats sacred things with contempt.
- blast/blɑːst/noun · B1A sudden violent rush of air or sound.
- blatant/ˈbleɪtənt/adjective · B2+Done openly and without any shame.
- blather/ˈblæðə(ɹ)/verb · C1To talk foolishly at length.
- blaze/bleɪz/noun · B2A large bright fire.
- blazer/ˈbleɪzə/noun · B1+A smart jacket worn over a shirt, often part of a uniform.
- blazon/ˈbleɪzən/verb · C2To display or proclaim something very publicly.
- bleach/bliːt͡ʃ/noun · B1+A harsh liquid that whitens and kills germs.
- bleach/bliːt͡ʃ/verb · B2To whiten and disinfect with a strong chemical.
- bleached/bliːt͡ʃt/adjective · B2+Whitened by chemicals or by strong sun.
- bleak/bliːk/adjective · B2+Cold, bare, and offering no hope.
- bleat/ˈbliːt/verb · B2+To make the thin wavering cry of a sheep.
- bleed/ˈbliːd/verb · B1To lose blood from the body.
- blemish/ˈblɛmɪʃ/noun · B2+A small mark that spoils the look of skin.
- blemish-freeadjective · C1With no marks on the skin at all.
- blend/blɛnd/verb · B2To mix things until they become one smooth thing.
- blend inphrase · B2To fit so well with the surroundings that nobody notices you.
- blender/ˈblɛn.də/noun · A2+The loud jug machine with spinning blades that turns fruit into smoothies.
- blending/ˈblɛndɪŋ/noun · B2Working two colours together so no edge shows.
- bless/blɛs/verb · B1To ask holy protection and favor for someone.
- blessing/ˈblɛs.ɪŋ/noun · B2Words asking for good to come to somebody.
- blight/blaɪt/noun · C2A disease that ruins plants, or anything that spoils.
- blighted/ˈblaɪtɪd/adjective · C1Spoiled or ruined by some harmful influence.
- blind/ˈblaɪ̯nd/adjective · B1Unable to see.
- blind spotnoun · B2The area you cannot see however hard you look.
- blind tastingnoun · C1Judging a food or drink without knowing what it is.
- blindfold/ˈblaɪndfəʊld/noun · B1+A cloth tied over the eyes so nothing can be seen.
- blindingly/ˈblaɪndɪŋli/adverb · C1So brightly or obviously that it overwhelms.
- blindness/ˈblaɪndnəs/noun · B2The state of being unable to see.
- blinds/blaɪndz/noun · B1The slatted window covering you tilt or pull down.
- bling/blɪŋ/noun · B2+Showy expensive jewellery.
- blink/ˈblɪŋk/verb · B2To shut and open your eyes very fast.
- blink atphrase · C1To react to something with a flicker of the eyes.
- bliss/blɪs/noun · C1Perfect, complete happiness.
- blissfuladjective · B2+Perfectly happy.
- blister/ˈblɪstə(ɹ)/noun · C1The small bubble of liquid under the skin that new shoes give you.
- blister/ˈblɪstə(ɹ)/noun · B1+The sore bubble a boot rubs up on a heel.
- blithe/blaɪð/adjective · C1Cheerful in a way that ignores real trouble.
- blitz/blɪts/noun · C2A sustained bombing campaign against a city.
- blizzard/ˈblɪz.əːd/noun · B1+A violent snowstorm you cannot see through.
- bloat/bləʊt/verb · B2+To swell up with gas or liquid.
- blob/blɒb/noun · B1+A small round mass of something soft.
- block/blɒk/verb · B1To stop a blow or a movement.
- block/blɒk/noun · A2A solid lump with flat sides, or a group of buildings.
- block sectionnoun · C2A stretch of line only one train may occupy.
- blockade/blɑˈkeɪd/noun · B2+Cutting off supplies to force a surrender.
- blockbuster/ˈblɒkˌbʌs.tə(ɹ)/noun · C1The giant hit film everyone queues to see.
- blockheadnoun · C1Somebody who behaves very stupidly.
- blog/blɒɡ/noun · B1+A personal website where someone writes posts about their life or topic.
- blogger/ˈblɒ.ɡə/noun · B1Somebody who writes regularly on a personal website.
- blond/blɒnd/adjective · A2+Fair or light yellow in hair colour.
- blood/blʌd/noun · A1The red liquid that moves through your whole body.
- blood pressure/ˈblʌd ˌpɹɛʃə(ɹ)/noun · B1The force of blood pushing against the vessel walls.
- bloodbath/ˈblʌdˌbɑːθ/noun · B2+Killing on a huge scale, pictured as a scene awash with gore — an everyday two-word compound, not the French-derived word for slaughtering the helpless.
- bloodcurdlingadjective · C1So horrifying it makes you go cold.
- bloodline/ˈblʌdˌlaɪn/noun · C1The line of descent through a family.
- bloodshotadjective · B2+Red in the white part of the eye.
- bloodstain/ˈblʌdˌsteɪn/noun · B2A dark mark left on cloth where someone bled.
- bloodstocknoun · C2Fine racehorses considered as property.
- bloodstream/ˈblʌd.stɹɪim/noun · B2The blood as it flows round the body.
- bloodthirsty/ˈblʌdθəːsti/adjective · B2+Eager for violence and killing.
- bloom/bluːm/verb · B2To open out into flower.
- blossom/ˈblɒs.əm/noun · B2The flowers that cover fruit trees in spring.
- blossom timenoun · B2The short weeks when fruit trees are in flower.
- blot/blɒt/noun · B2A spot of spilled ink, or a stain on a reputation.
- blot on the landscapephrase · C2Something ugly that spoils an otherwise fine view.
- blotch/blɒtʃ/noun · C1An irregular discoloured patch.
- blotchyadjective · B2Covered in uneven red or dark patches.
- blouse/ˈblaʊ̯z/noun · A2+A woman's light shirt.
- blow/bləʊ/verb · A2To push air out through your lips, at candles or balloons.
- blow a kissphrase · B1To kiss your hand and send it towards somebody.
- blow overphrase · C1To pass without causing lasting trouble.
- blow upphrase · B2To explode; also, to suddenly become very angry.
- blow-dryverb · B1To dry and shape hair with warm moving air.
- blowhole/ˈbləʊhəʊl/noun · B2+The nostril on top of a whale's head.
- blown fusenoun · B2A safety wire that has melted to break a circuit.
- blowtorch/ˈbləʊˌtɔːtʃ/noun · B2+A tool that makes a small very hot flame.
- blubber/ˈblʌbə/noun · B2The thick fat layer that keeps sea mammals warm.
- bludgeon/ˈblʌd͡ʒ.ən/verb · C1To strike repeatedly with something heavy and blunt.
- blue/bluː/noun · A1The color of the sky on a clear day.
- blue badgenoun · C1A permit allowing disabled drivers to park closer.
- bluebell/ˈbluˌbɛl/noun · B1+A woodland flower that carpets the ground in blue.
- blueberry/ˈbluːb(ə)ɹi/noun · A2+The tiny round dark-blue fruit that stains your fingers.
- bluebird/ˈbluˌbɝd/noun · B2A small blue North American songbird.
- blueprint/ˈbluːˌpɹɪnt/noun · B2The detailed drawing a building is built from.
- blues/bluːz/noun · B1+A slow sad style built on a repeating twelve-bar pattern.
- bluetoothnoun · B1The short-range wireless link that pairs headphones to phones.
- bluff/blʌf/verb · B2To pretend your hand is better than it is.
- bluish/ˈbluːɪʃ/adjective · B1+Slightly blue in colour.
- blunder/ˈblʌn.dəː/verb · C1To make a stupid mistake, or to move clumsily.
- blunt/blʌnt/adjective · B2With no cutting edge left; or speaking with no softening at all.
- blur/ˈblɜː/noun · B2Softness caused by movement or bad focus.
- blurb/blɝ(ː)b/noun · C2The short selling description on a book cover.
- blurred visionnoun · B2Sight that has gone soft and unclear.
- blurt/ˈblɜːt/verb · B2+To say something suddenly without meaning to.
- blurt outphrase · C1To say something suddenly that you meant to keep quiet.
- blush/ˈblʌʃ/verb · B1+To go red in the face from embarrassment.
- blusher/ˈblʌʃɚ/noun · B2+Colour brushed onto the cheeks.
- bluster/ˈblʌs.tə/verb · C1To talk loudly and aggressively with little behind it.
- blustery/ˈblʌstəɹi/adjective · B2+Windy in strong, gusty bursts.
- bmxnoun · B1Racing and tricks on small strong cycles.
- boar/bɔː(ɹ)/noun · B1+A wild relative of the pig, with sharp tusks.
- board/bɔːd/verb · A2To step onto a plane, ship, or train.
- board/bɔːd/noun · A2The flat surface a game is played on.
- board gamenoun · A2A tabletop game played with pieces, dice, or cards on a flat surface.
- board meetingnoun · B2The gathering where a company's directors decide things.
- board upphrase · C1To cover windows and doors with planks.
- boardingnoun · C1Keeping an animal somewhere while its owner travels.
- boarding gatenoun · B1The door you go through to reach your aircraft.
- boarding pass/ˈbɔɹdɪŋ ˌpæs/phrase · B1The ticket with your seat and gate that gets you onto the plane.
- boarding school/ˈbɔːdɪŋ ˌskuːl/phrase · B2The school where pupils live and sleep, going home only for holidays.
- boast/bəʊst/verb · B2To talk too proudly about what you have or did.
- boastful/ˈbəʊstfʊl/adjective · C1Forever talking about how great you are.
- boat/bəʊ̯t/noun · A1A small vessel that floats and carries people across water.
- boathouse/ˈboʊtˌhaʊs/noun · B1+A shed at the water's edge for keeping boats.
- bob/bɒb/noun · B2A short haircut level around the head.
- bobbinnoun · C1A small spool that thread is wound on.
- bobbin threadnoun · C1The lower thread wound on a small spool.
- bobsleigh/ˈbɑbˌsleɪ/noun · B2+A team race down an ice track in a steered sled.
- bode/bəʊd/verb · C1To be a sign of what is to come.
- bodge/bɒdʒ/verb · C2To repair something clumsily and badly.
- bodice/ˈbɒdɪs/noun · C1The upper part of a woman's dress.
- bodkin/ˈbɒdkɪn/noun · C2A blunt thick needle, or a small dagger.
- body/ˈbɒdi/noun · A1The whole physical structure of a person or an animal.
- body languagenoun · B2What your posture and gestures say without words.
- bodybuilding/ˈbɒ.diˌbɪl.dɪŋ/noun · B2+Training to build muscle for its appearance.
- bodyguard/ˈbɒdiɡɑːd/noun · B1+The strong person paid to keep someone famous safe.
- bogey/bəʊɡi/noun · C1A hole finished one stroke over the expected number.
- boggy/ˈbɑ.ɡi/adjective · B2+Soft and wet underfoot.
- bogie/ˈbəʊ.ɡi/noun · C2The wheeled frame a carriage rests on.
- bogus/ˈbəʊ̯ɡəs/adjective · B2Fake, though presented as genuine.
- boil/bɔɪ(ə)l/verb · A2+To cook something in very hot, bubbling water.
- boil/bɔɪ(ə)l/verb · A2+To heat water until it bubbles and steams.
- boil down tophrase · C1To be, in the end, a matter of one simple thing.
- boisterous/ˈbɔɪstəɹəs/adjective · C1Noisy, rough and full of energy.
- bold/ˈbəʊld/adjective · B2Unafraid of risk or attention.
- boldness/ˈboʊldnəs/noun · B2+Willingness to take risks and speak out.
- bole/bol/noun · C2The trunk of a tree.
- bolivianoun · B1+The high Andean country of La Paz and the great salt flats.
- bollard/ˈbɒləɹd/noun · C1A short thick post stopping vehicles going somewhere.
- bolster/ˈbɒlstə/verb · C1To prop up and strengthen — confidence, an argument, an economy.
- bolt/bɒlt/noun · B2A thick metal pin that screws tight to hold two things together.
- bolt/bɒlt/verb · B2To fasten with a threaded pin and a nut.
- bolt/bɒlt/verb · B2To run off suddenly and out of control.
- boltholenoun · C1A place you can escape to.
- bomb/bɒm/noun · A2A weapon that explodes and destroys what is near it.
- bombard/ˌbɒmˈbɑːd/verb · B2+To attack continuously with fire or with questions.
- bombardment/bɑmbɑɹdmənt/noun · B2+A sustained attack with shells or with questions.
- bombastic/bɒmˈbæs.tɪk/adjective · C2Using grand words with little behind them.
- bombing/ˈbɒmɪŋ/noun · B2An attack made by dropping or planting explosives.
- bombshell/ˈbɑmʃɛl/noun · B2+A piece of shocking news, or an explosive shell.
- bona fide/ˌbəʊ.nəˈfaɪ.di/adjective · C2Genuine and made in good faith.
- bond/bɒnd/noun · B2A strong lasting connection between people.
- bond/bɒnd/verb · B2To form a close attachment with somebody.
- bondage/ˈbɒn.dɪd͡ʒ/noun · B2+The state of being somebody's slave.
- bonded warehousenoun · C2A store where goods sit before duty is paid.
- bone/bəʊn/noun · A2One of the hard white parts inside your body; dogs love them.
- bonfire/ˈbɒnfaɪəɹ/noun · B1+A big open-air fire built for celebration or burning garden waste.
- bongo/ˈbɒŋ.ɡəʊ/noun · B2+A pair of small hand drums joined together.
- bonkers/ˈbɒŋkəz/adjective · B2Mad, in British informal use.
- bonnet/ˈbɒnɪt/noun · B1+The front lid of a car that opens over the engine.
- bonnyadjective · C1Attractive and healthy-looking, in Scottish use.
- bonus/ˈbəʊ.nəs/noun · B1Extra money on top of your normal pay for good results.
- bony/ˈbəʊni/adjective · B2+So thin that the bones show.
- book/bʊk/noun · A1Many printed pages joined together for you to read.
- bookbinder/ˈbʊkˌbaɪn.dəɹ/noun · B2+A craftsman who sews and covers books.
- bookcase/ˈbʊkˌkeɪs/noun · B1The tall furniture with many boards full of things to read.
- booking/ˈbʊkɪŋ/noun · B2The arrangement you make in advance so a room or seat is yours.
- booking confirmationnoun · B2The message proving your room is held.
- booking hallnoun · C1The big entrance area inside a station where passengers gather and queue at the ticket windows.
- bookish/ˈbʊkɪʃ/adjective · B2+Fond of reading, and rather removed from ordinary life.
- booklet/ˈbʊk.lət/noun · B2A thin book with a paper cover.
- bookmark/ˈbʊkmɑːk/noun · B2A saved link so you can find a page again.
- bookplatenoun · C1A label showing who owns a book.
- bookshelf/ˈbʊkˌʃɛlf/noun · A2+The piece of furniture your books stand in rows on.
- bookshopnoun · A2+A shop selling books, in British usage.
- bookstore/ˈbʊkstɔː/noun · A2+A shop that sells books.
- bookworm/ˈbʊk.wɜːm/noun · B2A person who would rather read than do almost anything else.
- booleannoun · C1A value that can only be true or false.
- boom/buːm/noun · B2A period of fast growth and easy money.
- booming/ˈbuːmɪŋ/adjective · B2+Deep, loud and echoing.
- boon/buːn/noun · C1Something that is a real help when it comes.
- boorish/ˈbʊəɹɪʃ/adjective · C2Rough and rude in manner.
- boot/buːt/noun · A1A tall strong shoe that covers your ankle, good for rain and snow.
- boot/buːt/noun · B1The back storage space of a car where suitcases go.
- booth/buːð/noun · B1An enclosed seating area with a table between benches.
- border/ˈbɔə.də/noun · B1The invisible line where one country ends and the next begins.
- borderline/ˈboɹ.dɚˌlaɪn/noun · B2The dividing point at which one condition shades into another, so a case can fall barely on either side.
- bore/bɔː/verb · B1To make a deep hole by turning or digging.
- bored/bɔːd/adjective · A1Tired of doing nothing interesting.
- boredom/ˈbɔː.dəm/noun · B1+The grey heavy feeling of having nothing interesting to do.
- boring/ˈbɔː.ɹɪŋ/adjective · A1So uninteresting it makes you sleepy.
- born with a silver spoon in your mouthphrase · C1Born into wealth and privilege.
- borough/ˈbʌ.ɹə/noun · B2+A town district with its own local council.
- borrow/ˈbɒɹəʊ/verb · A2To take something you will give back later.
- borrower/ˈbɔɹəʊə/noun · B1+Somebody who takes a book out on loan.
- bosnianoun · B2The Balkan country of Sarajevo and the old bridge at Mostar.
- bosnia and herzegovinanoun · B2Balkan country whose capital is Sarajevo.
- bosom/ˈbʊz(ə)m/noun · B2A woman's chest, or the heart as the seat of feeling.
- boss/bɒs/noun · A2The person at work who tells everyone else what to do.
- bossy/ˈbɔsi/adjective · B2Always telling other people what to do.
- botany/ˈbɒt.ə.ni/noun · B2+The scientific study of plants.
- botch/bɒt͡ʃ/verb · C1To do a job so badly it has to be done again.
- bothersome/ˈbɔðəsəm/adjective · B2+Causing small persistent annoyance.
- botswananoun · B2+Southern African country of the Kalahari and safari elephants.
- bottle/ˈbɒtəl/noun · A1The tall container with a narrow neck that drinks come in.
- bottle banknoun · B2The public container glass is put in for recycling.
- bottle-feedverb · B1To feed a baby milk from a bottle.
- bottlenecknoun · B2+The point where a process is slowed by one stage.
- bottom/ˈbɒt.əm/adjective · A2Lowest of a set.
- bottom bracketnoun · C1The bearing the pedal cranks turn in.
- bottomless/ˈbɒtəm.ləs/adjective · B2So deep that no floor can be found.
- bough/ˈbaʊ̯/noun · B2+A large main branch of a tree.
- boulder/ˈbəʊl.də(ɹ)/noun · B1+A rock so huge you could not hope to move it.
- boulder claynoun · C2Stony clay left behind by melting ice.
- boulderingnoun · C1Climbing short hard problems without a rope.
- boulevard/ˈbuː.ləˌvɑːd/noun · B1+A wide grand city street lined with trees.
- bounce/baʊns/verb · B1To spring back up after hitting the ground, like a ball.
- bounce ratenoun · C1What share of visitors left without doing anything.
- bouncy/ˈbaʊnsi/adjective · B2Springing back readily, or full of lively energy.
- bound/ˈbaʊ̯nd/verb · B2To move forward in great leaps.
- boundaries/ˈbaʊnd(ə)ɹiz/noun · B2The limits you set on what others may ask of you.
- boundary/ˈbaʊndɹi/noun · B2The line where one area ends and another begins.
- boundless/ˈbaʊndləs/adjective · C1Having no limit at all.
- bountiful/ˈbaʊntɪfəl/adjective · C1Giving generously, or present in plenty.
- bounty/ˈbaʊnti/noun · B2A generous supply, or a reward offered.
- bouquet/buːˈkeɪ/noun · C1The complex smell of a wine.
- bourgeoisie/ˌbʊə(ɹ)ʒwɑːˈziː/noun · C1The property-owning middle class.
- bout/ˈbaʊt/noun · B2A short spell of activity or illness, or a fight.
- boutique/buˈtik/noun · B2+A small shop selling stylish clothes.
- boutique hotelnoun · B2A small stylish hotel with an individual character.
- bovine/ˈbəʊ.vaɪn/adjective · C1To do with cattle, or slow and placid.
- bow/ˈbəʊ̯/verb · B1To draw a taut length of horsehair across strings.
- bow tiephrase · B1The small knot of cloth shaped like a butterfly, worn at the collar.
- bowel/ˈbaʊ.əl/noun · B2The long tube in the body that food passes through after the stomach.
- bower/baʊ.əɹ/noun · C2A shady leafy shelter in a garden.
- bowl/bəʊl/noun · A1A deep, round dish for soup, cereal, or salad.
- bowler/ˈbəʊ.lə/noun · B2+The player who delivers the ball to the batter.
- bowling/ˈbəʊlɪŋ/noun · B1The indoor game of rolling a heavy ball to knock down ten pins.
- bowling alleynoun · B1The hall of long lanes where you roll balls at pins.
- bowman/ˈbəʊmən/noun · C1A man skilled with a bow and arrow.
- box/bɒks/noun · A1A container with straight sides, often made of brown paper board.
- box office takingsnoun · B2The money a film earns from tickets.
- box seatnoun · C1A small private seating area at the side of a theatre.
- box setnoun · B2A complete series sold together in one package.
- boxer/ˈbɒksə/noun · B2Somebody who fights with padded gloves as a sport.
- boxing/ˈbɒksɪŋ/noun · B1The fighting sport with big gloves inside a square ring.
- boy/bɔɪ/noun · A1A male child.
- boycott/ˈbɔɪkɒt/noun · B2+A refusal to deal with somebody as a protest.
- boyfriend/ˈbɔɪˌfɹɛnd/noun · A1The man or boy somebody is romantically going out with.
- boyish/ˈbɔɪ.ɪʃ/adjective · B2+Having the look or manner of a young boy.
- bra/bɹɑː/noun · A2+A garment supporting a woman's chest.
- brace/bɹeɪs/verb · B2To prepare yourself for something unpleasant.
- brace positionnoun · C1The posture taken before an emergency landing.
- bracelet/ˈbɹeɪslət/noun · B1A band of metal or beads you wear around your wrist.
- bracing/ˈbɹeɪsɪŋ/adjective · C1Cold and fresh in a way that revives you.
- bracken/ˈbɹækən/noun · C2A coarse fern that grows thickly on open ground.
- bracket/ˈbɹækɪt/noun · B2An L-shaped support screwed to a wall to carry a shelf.
- brackish/ˈbɹækɪʃ/adjective · C1Slightly salty and unpleasant to drink.
- brag/bɹæɡ/verb · B2To boast in an especially irritating way.
- braggart/ˈbɹæɡɑːt/noun · C1Somebody who boasts constantly.
- braid/bɹeɪd/noun · B1+Three lengths of hair woven over one another.
- braille/ˈbɹeɪ̯l/noun · B2+A writing system of raised dots read by touch.
- brain/ˈbɹeɪ̯n/noun · A2The organ in your head that thinks and remembers.
- brain fognoun · C1A dull inability to think clearly.
- brainlessadjective · B2+Extremely foolish.
- brainstorm/ˈbɹeɪnstɔːm/verb · B2+To throw out wild ideas together until a good one appears.
- brainwash/ˈbɹeɪnwɒʃ/verb · C1To force somebody to abandon their beliefs by pressure.
- brainwashingnoun · C1The forcing of new beliefs on somebody by relentless pressure.
- brainwavenoun · B2+A sudden very good idea.
- brake/bɹeɪk/noun · A2+The pedal you press to make the car slow down and stop.
- brake levernoun · B1The handle squeezed to slow a cycle.
- brake padnoun · B2The block that presses against the wheel to slow it.
- brake vannoun · C2The vehicle at the rear where the guard rode.
- bramble/ˈbɹæm.bəl/noun · C1A thorny tangle that gives blackberries.
- bran/ˈbɹæn/noun · B2+The husk of grain, separated in milling.
- branch/bɹɑːnt͡ʃ/noun · B1One of the wooden arms growing out of a tree.
- branch/bɹɑːnt͡ʃ/noun · B1One local office or shop of a much bigger company.
- branch linenoun · C1A minor line running off the main route.
- branch outphrase · C1To start doing something new and different.
- brand/ˈbɹænd/noun · B1The famous name and logo a company puts on its products.
- brand dealnoun · B2An agreement to promote a company's products.
- brand guidelinesnoun · B2The rules for how a brand may be used and shown.
- brand new/ˈbɹænd ˌn(j)uː/adjective · B1Never used before.
- brand-newadjective · B1Completely new and never used.
- branding/ˈbrændɪŋ/noun · B2+The work of giving a product a recognisable character.
- brandish/ˈbɹændɪʃ/verb · C2To wave something about, especially a weapon.
- brandy/ˈbɹændi/noun · B1+A strong spirit distilled from wine.
- brash/ˈbɹæʃ/adjective · C1Loud and confident in a way that grates.
- brass/bɹɑːs/noun · B1The bright yellow metal of trumpets and door handles.
- brasserienoun · C1An informal restaurant serving simple food all day.
- brat/bɹæt/noun · B2A badly behaved child.
- bravado/bɹɑˈvɑdoʊ/noun · C1A show of courage put on to impress.
- brave/bɹeɪv/adjective · B1Doing the hard or scary thing anyway.
- bravo/ˈbɹɑvoʊ/noun · C2A hired ruffian or assassin.
- bravura/bɹəˈvjʊəɹə/noun · C2A dazzling display of skill.
- brawl/bɹɔːl/noun · B2A rough noisy fight involving several people.
- brawn/bɹɔːn/noun · C1Physical strength as opposed to cleverness.
- brawny/bɹɔːni/adjective · C1Physically strong and muscular.
- bray/bɹeɪ/verb · C1To make the loud harsh cry of a donkey.
- brazen/ˈbɹeɪ̯zən/adjective · C1Bold and shameless.
- brazier/ˈbɹeɪʒəɹ/noun · C1A metal basket for holding burning coals.
- brazil/bɹəˈzɪl/noun · A2+The South American country of carnival, football, and the Amazon.
- breach/ˈbɹiːt͡ʃ/verb · B2To break through a wall or break the terms of an agreement.
- breach/ˈbɹiːt͡ʃ/noun · B2A gap forced in a defensive line or wall.
- bread/brɛd/noun · A1A basic baked food made from flour; you cut it into slices for toast.
- bread basketnoun · B1The small basket of rolls set out before the meal.
- breadth/bɹɛdθ/noun · B2+How broad something is across.
- breadwinner/ˈbɹɛdˌwɪnɚ/noun · C2The family member who earns the money.
- break/bɹeɪk/noun · A1The short free time between lessons.
- break/bɹeɪk/verb · A1To make something fall into pieces.
- break a legphrase · B2What actors say to wish each other good luck.
- break a promisephrase · B1To fail to do what you swore you would.
- break downphrase · B1To suddenly stop working — cars do it, and sometimes people.
- break evenphrase · C1To end with exactly as much as you started with.
- break inphrase · B2To train a young horse to accept a rider.
- break intophrase · B2To enter a locked place by force, as burglars do.
- break outphrase · B2To escape from prison; also, what wars and fires suddenly do.
- break the bankphrase · B2To cost more than you can possibly afford.
- break the ice/ˈbɹeɪk ði ˈaɪs/phrase · B2To say something that melts the awkwardness between strangers.
- break the mouldphrase · C1To do something in a completely new way.
- break the newsphrase · B2To be the one who tells somebody something important.
- break upphrase · B1To end a romantic relationship.
- break-evennoun · C1The point where money in exactly matches money out.
- break-in/ˈbɹeɪkˌɪn/noun · B2The forcing of a way into a building to steal.
- breakaway/ˈbɹeɪkəweɪ/noun · B2+A small group that pulls clear of the bunch.
- breakdancingnoun · B1A street style of spins and floor moves.
- breakdown/ˈbɹeɪkdaʊn/noun · C1The moment a car simply stops working in the middle of a trip.
- breakdown/ˈbɹeɪkdaʊn/noun · B2A collapse of mental health that stops normal life.
- breaker/ˈbɹeɪkə/noun · B2A wave that curls over and collapses.
- breakfast/ˈbɹɛk.fəst/noun · A1The first meal of the day, eaten in the morning.
- breaking newsnoun · B2A big story being reported the moment it happens.
- breakoutnoun · B2+A dramatic escape from a locked prison.
- breakpointnoun · C1A marker that pauses a program so you can look inside.
- breakthrough/ˈbɹeɪk.θɹuː/noun · C1A sudden great discovery that changes everything after it.
- breakup/ˈbɹeɪk.ʌp/noun · B2The ending of a relationship or of a group.
- breakwater/ˈbɹeɪkˌwɔːtə/noun · C1A barrier built to break the force of the waves.
- breast/bɹɛst/noun · B2The front of the chest, or one of the two milk glands on a woman.
- breastfeed/ˈbɹɛs(t)fiːd/verb · B1+To feed a baby from the breast.
- breastplate/ˈbɹɛstˌpleɪt/noun · B2+Armour worn across the chest.
- breaststroke/ˈbɹɛstˌstɹoʊk/noun · B2+A swimming style with both arms sweeping together.
- breath/bɹɛθ/noun · A2The air that goes in and out of your body.
- breathe/bɹiːð/verb · A2To pull air in through your nose and let it out again.
- breathing exercisenoun · B1A deliberate pattern of breath used to calm.
- breathless/ˈbɹɛθləs/adjective · B2Out of breath, or full of excitement.
- breeches/ˈbɹiː.t͡ʃɪz/noun · C1Trousers reaching just below the knee.
- breed/ˈbɹiːd/noun · B2A particular variety of a domestic animal.
- breeze/bɹiːz/noun · A2+A soft gentle wind that feels pleasant on a warm day.
- breezy/ˈbɹiːzi/adjective · B2Pleasantly windy.
- brethren/ˈbɹɛðɹən/noun · C1Fellow members of a religious or close community.
- brevity/ˈbɹɛvɪti/noun · C2Shortness of speech or of time.
- brew/bɹuː/verb · B1+To make a hot drink by soaking leaves or beans in water.
- brewer/ˈbɹuː.ə(ɹ)/noun · B2+Somebody whose trade is making beer.
- brewery/ˈbɹuːəɹi/noun · B2+A factory where beer is made.
- briar/bɹaɪə/noun · C1A prickly wild shrub, especially a wild rose.
- bribe/bɹaɪb/noun · B2Money paid secretly to make an official break the rules.
- bribery/ˈbɹaɪbəɹi/noun · C1Paying somebody secretly to abuse their position.
- bric-a-brac/ˈbɹɪkəbɹæk/noun · C1Small ornaments of little individual value.
- brick/ˈbɹɪk/noun · B1A baked block of clay used for building walls.
- bricklayernoun · B2+The worker who builds walls from bricks.
- brickwork/ˈbɹɪk.wɝk/noun · B2+The pattern in which bricks have been laid.
- bridal/ˈbraɪ.dl̩/adjective · B2To do with a bride or a wedding.
- bride/bɹaɪd/noun · B1The woman in white on her big day.
- bridge/bɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · A2The structure that carries a road over a river.
- bridge the gapphrase · C1To reduce a difference between two things.
- bridle/ˈbɹaɪdəl/noun · B2+The straps and bit by which a horse is guided.
- bridle pathnoun · C1A track meant for riders rather than vehicles.
- brie/bɹiː/noun · B2+A soft French cheese with a white rind.
- brief/ˈbɹiːf/verb · B2To give somebody the information they need before acting.
- briefcase/ˈbɹiːfˌkeɪs/noun · B1A flat case for carrying documents.
- briefing/ˈbɹiː.fɪŋ/noun · B2+A short meeting that gives people the information they need to act.
- briefly/ˈbɹiːfli/adverb · B2For only a short time, or in few words.
- brig/bɹɪɡ/noun · C2The prison on board a ship.
- brigade/bɹɪˈɡeɪd/noun · B2A large unit made of several battalions.
- brigadier/bɹɪɡəˈdɪɚ/noun · C1An officer ranking just above a colonel.
- brigand/ˈbɹɪɡ.ənd/noun · C2A robber who lives by raiding travellers.
- brigantine/ˈbɹɪɡ.ənˌtin/noun · C2A two-masted sailing ship.
- bright/ˈbɹaɪ̯t/adjective · A2Giving out or full of strong light.
- brighten/ˈbɹaɪtən/verb · B1+To make something lighter or more cheerful.
- brighten up/ˈbɹaɪtən ʌp/phrase · B1To become more cheerful, or to make a place more lively.
- brightness/ˈbɹaɪtnəs/noun · B1+How light or dark the whole image is.
- brilliance/ˈbɹɪljən(t)s/noun · B2+Very great brightness.
- brilliant/ˈbɹɪl.jənt/adjective · A2Extremely clever or extremely good.
- brilliant cutnoun · C1A style of cutting that throws back the most light.
- brim/bɹɪm/noun · C2The projecting edge of a hat, or the top rim of a cup.
- brimstone/ˈbɹɪmstəʊn/noun · C2Sulphur, especially as a torment in old religious use.
- brindleadjective · C2Brown with streaks of another colour.
- brine/ˈbɹaɪ̯n/noun · C1Very salty water used for pickling and preserving.
- brined/bɹaɪnd/adjective · C1Soaked in strong salt water.
- bring/ˈbɹɪŋ/verb · A1To carry something with you when you come.
- bring aboutphrase · B2To make something happen.
- bring back/ˈbɹɪŋ bæk/phrase · B1To return with something; also, to make old memories return.
- bring outphrase · B2To release something to the public, or to make a quality show.
- bring togetherphrase · B2To make people meet or work as one.
- bring upphrase · B2To care for a child until grown; also, to start talking about a topic.
- brink/ˈbɹɪŋk/noun · B2The very edge of a drop or of a great change.
- brinkmanship/ˈbɹɪŋk.mən.ʃɪp/noun · C2Pushing a dangerous situation to the very edge.
- brisk/bɹɪsk/adjective · B2Quick and energetic — a walk in cold morning air.
- bristle/ˈbɹɪsəl/verb · C1To stiffen with anger, as hair does.
- bristly/ˈbɹɪsli/adjective · C1Covered in short stiff hairs.
- britainnoun · A2+The island country of London, tea, and the royal family.
- britishadjective · A2+From the island kingdom of tea and royal weddings.
- brittle/ˈbɹɪtəl/adjective · B2Hard but snapping easily, like dry twigs or old bones.
- broach/bɹəʊtʃ/verb · C1To raise a subject, or to pierce a cask.
- broad-mindedadjective · B2Willing to accept ways of living unlike your own.
- broadband/ˈbɹɔːdbænd/noun · C1A fast connection that carries a great deal of data.
- broadcast/ˈbɹɔːd(ˌ)kɑːst/verb · B2To send a program out to everyone's screens and radios at once.
- broadcaster/ˈbɹɔdˌkæstɚ/noun · B2+A person who presents programmes on air.
- broaden[ˈbɹɔː.dn̩]verb · B2To make or become wider or more far-reaching.
- broadsheetnoun · C1A large serious newspaper.
- brocade/bɹəˈkeɪd/noun · C2A heavy fabric with a raised woven pattern.
- broccoli/ˈbɹɒk.ə.li/noun · B1The green vegetable that looks like a tiny tree.
- brochure/ˈbɹəʊ.ʃə(ɹ)/noun · B2A small booklet advertising a product or a place.
- broil/bɹɔɪl/verb · B2+To cook by direct heat, or to be uncomfortably hot.
- broken/ˈbɹəʊ.kn̩/adjective · A2In pieces, or no longer working.
- broken-downadjective · B2No longer working and falling apart.
- broker/ˈbɹəʊkə/noun · B2A person who arranges deals for other people.
- brokerage/ˈbɹəʊkəɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · C1A firm that buys and sells on behalf of clients.
- bronco/ˈbɹɑŋkoʊ/noun · C1A wild or half-broken horse of the American West.
- bronze/bɹɒnz/noun · B1+The brown metal of old statues and third-place medals.
- bronze/bɹɒnz/adjective · B1+A warm brownish gold.
- bronze agenoun · B2The age when people first mixed copper and tin for tools.
- bronzernoun · B2+A powder that gives skin a sun-touched look.
- brooch/bɹəʊtʃ/noun · B2+A piece of jewellery pinned to a coat or dress.
- brood/bɹuːd/noun · C1All the young hatched at one time.
- brooding/ˈbɹuːdɪŋ/adjective · C1Heavy with dark unspoken thought.
- brook/bɹʊk/noun · B1+A small stream.
- broom/bɹuːm/noun · A2+The long brush you sweep the floor with; witches fly on one.
- broomstick/ˈbɹum.stɪk/noun · B2The brush a witch is said to fly on.
- broth/bɹɔθ/noun · B2Thin clear soup made by simmering bones or vegetables.
- brothel/ˈbɹɔθəl/noun · B2+A house where prostitutes work.
- brother/ˈbɹʌðə/noun · A1A boy who has the same parents as you.
- brother-in-law/ˈbɹʌðɚ ɪn ˌlɔ/noun · B2Your partner's brother, or your sister's husband.
- brotherhood/ˈbɹʌðɚˌhʊd/noun · B1+The bond between brothers, or a fellowship.
- brouhaha/ˈbɹuː.hɑː.hɑː/noun · C2A noisy fuss over something.
- brow/bɹaʊ/noun · B2The forehead, or the top edge of a hill.
- brow shapingnoun · B2Trimming and plucking eyebrows into a line.
- brown/ˈbɹaʊ̯n/noun · A1The colour of coffee, wood and soil.
- brown/ˈbɹaʊ̯n/verb · B2To cook food, such as meat or onions, until the outside changes colour and darkens.
- brownfieldnoun · C2Land once built on and now ready to be built on again.
- brownie/ˈbɹaʊni/noun · A2+A dense square of baked cocoa cake.
- browse/bɹaʊz/verb · B2+To look through casually, with no fixed goal — shops or websites.
- browser/ˈbɹaʊ.zə/noun · C1The program you open the internet with.
- bruise/bɹuːz/noun · B2The blue-purple mark on your skin after a hard knock.
- brunch/bɹʌnt͡ʃ/noun · B1+A lazy meal eaten between the first two of the day.
- bruneinoun · C1Tiny oil-rich sultanate on the island of Borneo.
- brunt/bɹʌnt/noun · B2+The main force of a blow or an attack.
- brush/bɹʌʃ/verb · A2To clean or smooth something using a tool with bristles.
- brush up onphrase · B2To refresh a skill you have not used for a while.
- brusque/bɹʊsk/adjective · C2Abrupt to the point of rudeness.
- brute/bɹuːt/noun · B2A cruel and violent person or beast.
- brute force/bɹuːt ˈfɔːs/noun · C1Raw strength used instead of skill.
- brutish/ˈbɹuːt.ɪʃ/adjective · C1Crude, violent and unthinking.
- bubble/ˈbʌbəl/noun · B1A ball of air trapped in a liquid or in glass.
- bubble bathnoun · A2Liquid that foams up in bathwater.
- bubble wandnoun · B2The loop dipped in soap to blow floating spheres.
- bubble wrapnoun · B1Plastic sheeting full of air pockets, used for protection.
- bubbly/ˈbʌbli/adjective · C1Full of bubbles, or lively and cheerful.
- buccaneer/ˌbʌkəˈnɪɚ/noun · C2A pirate of the old Caribbean.
- buck/ˈbʌk/verb · B2To leap with the back arched and the hind legs kicking.
- bucket/ˈbʌkɪt/noun · A1The open container with a handle that you carry water in.
- buckle/ˈbʌkəl/noun · B1The metal clasp that fastens a belt.
- buckle/ˈbʌkəl/verb · B2To bend out of shape under strain.
- bud/bʌd/noun · B1The tight package a leaf or flower opens out of.
- buddhismnoun · B1+The religion founded on the teaching of the Buddha.
- budding/ˈbʌdiŋ/adjective · B2+Just beginning to develop.
- buddy/ˈbʌdi/noun · A2A close friend, said informally.
- budge/bʌd͡ʒ/verb · B2To move even a little from a fixed position.
- budgerigar/ˈbʌd͡ʒəɹiˌɡɑɹ/noun · B2A small green or blue parrot popular as a pet.
- budget/ˈbʌd͡ʒ.ɪt/noun · B2The plan for how much money can be spent on something.
- budget/ˈbʌd͡ʒ.ɪt/noun · B1The money set aside for a campaign.
- budget deficitnoun · C1Spending more in a year than you take in.
- budgetingnoun · B2+Planning carefully how your money will be spent.
- buff/bʌf/verb · C1To rub gently until a surface glows.
- buffalonoun · B1A big heavy wild ox with thick curved horns.
- buffer/ˈbʌfə/verb · C1To store data ahead of time so playback runs smoothly.
- bufferingnoun · B1+The pause while more of a stream is fetched.
- buffet/ˈbʊf.eɪ/noun · B1The long table of dishes where you serve yourself as much as you like.
- buffet breakfastnoun · B2A morning spread guests serve themselves from.
- buffet carnoun · B2The carriage selling drinks and snacks.
- buffet tablenoun · B1A long table where guests help themselves.
- buffing/ˈbʌfɪŋ/noun · C1Rubbing the nails smooth and shiny.
- buffoon/bəˈfuːn/noun · C1Somebody who behaves ridiculously.
- buffoonery/bəˈfuːnəɹi/noun · C2Ridiculous behaviour meant to raise a laugh.
- bug/bʌɡ/noun · B1A mistake in a program that makes it behave wrongly.
- bug/bʌɡ/noun · C1A hidden microphone.
- bugle/ˈbjuːɡəl/noun · B2+A simple valveless brass horn used for military calls.
- build/bɪld/verb · A1To make a house or structure by putting parts together.
- build bridges/bɪld ˈbɹɪd͡ʒɪz/phrase · B2To repair a relationship between people.
- build upphrase · B2To increase gradually over time.
- build-upnoun · B2A gradual increase before something happens.
- builder/ˈbɪl.də/noun · B1+The worker in a hard hat who puts up houses.
- building/ˈbɪl.dɪŋ/noun · A1Anything with walls and a roof that people have made to use.
- building blocksnoun · B1Small bricks children stack into towers.
- built-in/ˈbɪltɪn/adjective · B2Made as a fixed part of something else.
- built-upadjective · B2Covered with buildings rather than open ground.
- bulb/ˈbʌlb/noun · B1The glass ball that makes light in a lamp.
- bulbous/ˈbʌlbəs/adjective · C1Fat and round in an ugly way.
- bulgarianoun · B1+The Balkan country of Sofia, roses, and Black Sea beaches.
- bulge/ˈbʌldʒ/verb · B2To swell out beyond the usual line.
- bulging/ˈbʌldʒɪŋ/adjective · B2Swelling outward from the surface.
- bulimia/bjuˈlimi.ə/noun · B2+An eating disorder of bingeing and then purging.
- bulk/bʌlk/noun · B2The greater part of something, or great size.
- bulk buynoun · B2Buying a large quantity at once for a lower price.
- bulk carrier/bʌlk ˈker.i.ɚ/noun · C1A ship that carries loose cargo such as grain or ore.
- bulkhead/ˈbʌlk.hɛd/noun · C1A wall dividing a ship into watertight sections.
- bull/bʊl/noun · B1The male of cattle, famous for charging at red capes.
- bulldog clip/ˈbʊldɒɡ ˈklɪp/noun · B2A sprung metal clip that grips a thick wad of paper.
- bulldozer/ˈbʊlˌdoʊzɚ/noun · A2+The heavy machine with a wide blade that pushes earth and ruins flat.
- bullet/ˈbʊlɪt/noun · A2The small piece of metal a gun fires.
- bullet trainnoun · B1A very fast streamlined passenger train.
- bulletin/ˈbʊl.ə.tən/noun · B1+A short official news update.
- bullion/ˈbʊl.jən/noun · C1Gold or silver in bars rather than coin.
- bullock/ˈbʊlək/noun · B2A young castrated bull.
- bulwark/ˈbʊl.wək/noun · C2A defence that holds back a threat.
- bumble/ˈbʌmbəl/verb · C1To blunder along in a muddled, incompetent way, fumbling words or actions rather than losing your footing.
- bumblebee/ˈbʌmbəlˌbiː/noun · B1A large hairy bee with a loud hum.
- bump/bʌmp/verb · B1To knock into something by accident.
- bumper/ˈbʌmpə/noun · B2The bar at each end that takes a small knock.
- bumpy/ˈbʌmpi/adjective · B1Full of small rises and dips.
- bun/bʌn/noun · B2Hair wound into a tight ball at the back of the head.
- bun/bʌn/noun · A2A small round bread roll.
- bunch/bʌntʃ/noun · A2A group of things held or growing together, like grapes or keys.
- bundle/ˈbʌn.dl̩/noun · B1Things tied or wrapped together for carrying.
- bundle/ˈbʌn.dl̩/noun · B2Several products sold together at one price.
- bungalow/ˈbʌŋɡələʊ/noun · B1+A house all on one level.
- bungee jumpingnoun · B2Leaping from a height attached to a long elastic cord.
- bungholenoun · C2The hole in a barrel through which it is filled.
- bungle/ˈbʌŋɡ(ə)l/verb · B2+To do a job clumsily and get it wrong.
- bunk/bʌŋk/noun · B1One of two beds built one above the other.
- bunk bedphrase · B1Two sleeping places built one above the other; kids fight for the top.
- bunker/ˈbʌŋ.kə/noun · B2A reinforced shelter dug into the ground.
- bunsen burnernoun · B2The gas burner used for heating in a laboratory.
- bunting/ˈbʌntɪŋ/noun · C1Strings of small flags hung up for a celebration.
- buoy/ˈbɔɪ/noun · B2+A floating marker anchored to warn or to guide.
- buoyancy/ˈbɔɪ.ən.si/noun · B2+The tendency of a body to rise in water.
- buoyancy aidnoun · C1A garment that helps keep a person afloat.
- buoyant/ˈbɔɪ.ənt/adjective · B2+Able to float easily.
- burden/ˈbɜːdn̩/noun · B2A heavy load you must carry — on your back or your mind.
- burdensome/ˈbɜː.dən.səm/adjective · C1Heavy to carry or hard to bear.
- bureau/ˈbjʊ.ɹəʊ/noun · B1+A writing desk with drawers, or an office that gathers information.
- bureau de change/ˈbjʊəɹ.əʊ.dəˌʃɒ̃ʒ/noun · B2The counter where currencies are swapped.
- bureaucracy/bjʊəˈɹɒk.ɹə.si/noun · C1The maze of forms, stamps, and offices that slows everything down.
- bureaucrat/ˈbjʊəɹəkɹæt/noun · B2+An official who follows rules rigidly in an administration.
- bureaucratic/ˌbjʊəɹəˈkɹætɪk/adjective · C1Weighed down by official rules and paperwork.
- burette/bjʊəˈɹɛt/noun · C2A tall tap-ended tube for adding liquid drop by drop.
- burgeon/ˈbɜː.d͡ʒən/verb · C1To grow or increase very quickly.
- burger/ˈbɜːɡə/noun · A1The round fast food — meat inside a soft bun.
- burglar/ˈbɜːɡlə(ɹ)/noun · B1A criminal who breaks into homes to take what is inside.
- burglary/ˈbɜː.ɡlə.ɹi/noun · B2Breaking into a building to steal what is inside.
- burgle/ˈbɜːɡl̩/verb · B2+To break into a building in order to steal.
- burgundy/ˈbɜ.ɡən.di/adjective · B2+The deep red of a heavy wine.
- burial/ˈbɛɹi.əl/noun · C1Placing a body in the ground.
- burial moundnoun · C1A hill raised over an ancient grave.
- burkina fasonoun · C1West African country whose name means land of honest people.
- burly/ˈbɜːli/adjective · B2+Large, strong and heavily built.
- burn/bɜːn/verb · A2To be on fire, or to hurt something with fire or heat.
- burn bridgesphrase · C1To end relationships so badly you can never go back.
- burn the candle at both endsphrase · C1To exhaust yourself by doing far too much.
- burn the midnight oilphrase · C1To work late into the night.
- burn your bridgesphrase · C1To destroy a relationship you might have needed.
- burned/ˈbɜːnd/adjective · C1Exposed, and useless as an agent.
- burned/ˈbɜːnd/adjective · A2Damaged or destroyed by fire or heat.
- burner/ˈbɜːnə/noun · B1+One single hot ring on top of the cooking machine.
- burnish/ˈbɜːnɪʃ/verb · C1To polish metal until it shines.
- burnout/ˈbɜː(ɹ)naʊt/noun · B2+Deep exhaustion from months of too much stress on the job.
- burnt/bɜːnt/adjective · A2Cooked too long, until black and bitter.
- burp/bɜːp/verb · B1To let air out of the stomach through the mouth noisily.
- burp/bɜːp/verb · B1To help a baby bring up swallowed air.
- burrito/bəˈɹiː.təʊ/noun · B1+The big rolled Mexican wrap stuffed with rice and beans.
- burrow/ˈbʌɹəʊ/noun · B1+The underground home a rabbit digs.
- burst/bɜːst/verb · B2To break open suddenly because of the pressure inside.
- burst inphrase · B2To enter suddenly and without warning.
- burst someone's bubblephrase · C1To spoil somebody's happy illusion.
- burundinoun · B2+Small hilly country south of Rwanda on Lake Tanganyika.
- bury/ˈbɛɹi/verb · B1To put something under the ground and cover it, as dogs do bones.
- bury the hatchetphrase · C1To agree to stop fighting and forget the quarrel.
- bury your head in the sandphrase · B2To refuse to face a problem you know is there.
- bus/bʌs/noun · A1The long vehicle that carries many passengers around town for a small fee.
- bus lanenoun · B1The strip of road only buses may use.
- bus shelternoun · B1The covered place where passengers wait.
- bus stationnoun · A2The building where buses set out and arrive.
- bus stopnoun · A2The signposted place where you wait for public transport.
- bush/ˈbʊʃ/noun · B1A plant like a small round tree with many low branches.
- bushel/ˈbʊʃəl/noun · C1An old measure of volume for grain and fruit.
- bushy/ˈbʊʃi/adjective · C1Growing thick and shaggy — eyebrows, beards, and tails.
- busier/ˈbɪziə/adjective · A2+Having more to do than before.
- business/ˈbɪz.nɪs/noun · A1The activity of making, buying, and selling to earn money.
- business centrenoun · B2The room with computers and printers for guests.
- business classnoun · B1A more comfortable and expensive cabin.
- businessman/ˈbɪznəsmən/noun · A2+A man who works in trade or runs a company.
- businesswomannoun · B1+A woman who works in trade or runs a company.
- busk/bʌsk/verb · C1To play in the street for coins.
- busker/ˈbʌskɚ/noun · C1The musician playing on the street for coins in a hat.
- bustle/ˈbʌsəl/verb · B2+To move about busily and noisily.
- busy/ˈbɪz.i/adjective · A1Having many things to do and no free time.
- butcher/ˈbʊt͡ʃə/noun · B1The shop worker who cuts and sells meat.
- butt/bʌt/verb · B1To strike with the head.
- butt inphrase · C1To interrupt a conversation you were not part of.
- butter/ˈbʌtəɹ/noun · A1The soft yellow fat you spread on warm toast.
- butter dishnoun · B1The small plate the spread is served on.
- buttercup/ˈbʌt.ə.kʌp/noun · B1+A shiny yellow meadow flower held under the chin.
- butterfly/ˈbʌ.tə(ɹ).flaɪ/noun · A1A beautiful insect with big colorful wings.
- butterfly strokenoun · B2A swimming style with both arms thrown forward together.
- buttermilk/ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk/noun · B2The sour liquid left after churning butter.
- buttery/ˈbʌtəɹi/adjective · B2Rich and smooth with a dairy flavour.
- buttock/ˈbʌtək/noun · B2+One of the two fleshy parts you sit on.
- buttress/ˈbʌtɹəs/noun · C1A stone support built against a wall to stop it spreading.
- buxom/ˈbʌksəm/adjective · C1Plump and full-figured, said of a woman.
- buy/baɪ/verb · A1To get something by paying money for it.
- buy offphrase · C1To pay somebody to stop making trouble for you.
- buy one get one freephrase · B1An offer giving a second item at no charge.
- buy outphrase · C1To purchase somebody's whole share in a business.
- buy timephrase · B2To delay in order to gain more time.
- buy upphrase · C1To purchase the entire supply of something.
- buyoutnoun · C1Buying all of a company, often by its own managers.
- buzz/bʌz/verb · B1To make the low steady hum of bees and phones.
- buzz/bʌz/noun · B2The excited talk building around something.
- buzz cutnoun · B2Hair clipped almost to the scalp.
- buzzard/ˈbʌzəd/noun · C1A broad-winged bird of prey that circles slowly.
- buzzer/ˈbʌzə/noun · B2A device that makes a harsh warning sound.
- by accidentphrase · A2Without meaning to; by chance.
- by all meansphrase · B2A generous way of saying yes, certainly.
- by and largephrase · C1Mostly; in general.
- by definitionphrase · B2True simply because of what the word means.
- by the wayphrase · B1Introducing something slightly off the main subject.
- by-product/ˈbaɪ.pɹɒ.dʌkt/noun · B2Something extra produced while making the main thing.
- bye/baɪ/noun · A1A free pass into the next round.
- byelawnoun · C2A rule made by a local authority.
- bygone/ˈbaɪɡɒn/adjective · C1Belonging to a time now long past.
- bylaw/ˈbaɪ.lɔː/noun · C1A local rule made by a council or an organisation.
- byline/ˈbaɪlaɪn/noun · C1The line naming who wrote the article.
- bypass/ˈbaɪpæs/verb · C1To go round something instead of through it.
- byproductnoun · B2+Something produced incidentally while making something else.
- byre/ˈbaɪə/noun · C2A shed for cattle.
- bystander/ˈbaɪˌstænd.ə(ɹ)/noun · B2+Somebody present at an event but taking no part.
- byte/baɪt/noun · B1+The small unit computer storage is counted in.
- byword/ˈbaɪ.wə(ɹ)d/noun · C2A name that stands for a quality in everyone's mind.
- cabal/kəˈbɑːl/noun · C2A small secret group plotting together.
- cabaret/kæbəˈɹeɪ/noun · B2+A series of acts performed at a club while people dine.
- cabbage/ˈkæbɪd͡ʒ/noun · B1A hard ball of tightly packed green leaves.
- cabin/ˈkæbɪn/noun · B1The inside space of a plane where passengers sit; also a small wooden house.
- cabin crewnoun · B2The staff who look after passengers in flight.
- cabin pressurenoun · B2The air pressure kept inside an aircraft.
- cabinet/ˈkæb.ɪ.nɪt/noun · B2The senior ministers who run the government together.
- cable/ˈkeɪ.bəl/noun · B2The wire that carries power or data between devices.
- cable car/ˈkeɪ.bəl ˌkɑːɹ/noun · B1A car hauled up a slope on a moving rope.
- cabochon/ˌkæbəˈʃɒn/noun · C2A stone polished round rather than cut into faces.
- cache/kæʃ/noun · B2+The nearby copy a computer keeps so it need not fetch things twice.
- cackle/ˈkækəl/verb · B2+To laugh in a harsh broken way.
- cacophony/kəˈkɒfəni/noun · C2A harsh mixture of loud unpleasant sounds.
- cactus/ˈkæktəs/noun · A2+The desert plant covered in needles that needs almost no water.
- cadaver/kəˈdæv.ə(ɹ)/noun · C1A dead body, especially one used for study.
- caddie/ˈkædi/noun · B2+The person who carries a golfer's clubs and advises them.
- caddy/ˈkædi/noun · C1A small container for keeping tea in.
- cadence/ˈkeɪ̯dəns/noun · C1The rise and fall of a voice or a tune.
- caesareannoun · B2+A birth by an operation through the abdomen.
- cafe/ˌkæˈfeɪ/noun · A1The small relaxed place where people drink coffee and chat.
- cafe terracenoun · B1Tables set outside on the pavement.
- caffeine/ˈkæfiːn/noun · B1+The substance in coffee and tea that keeps you awake.
- cage/keɪd͡ʒ/noun · B1A box of bars for keeping a creature in.
- cairn/kɛən/noun · C1A pile of stones built to mark a route or a summit.
- cajole/kəˈdʒəʊl/verb · C1To coax somebody with flattery.
- cake/keɪk/noun · A1A sweet baked dessert; it gets candles on your birthday.
- calamitous/kəˈlæmɪtəs/adjective · C2Bringing disaster.
- calamity/kəˈlæmɪti/noun · C2A disaster that brings great distress.
- calcium/ˈkælsi.əm/noun · B1+The element that makes bones and shells hard.
- calculate/ˈkælkjʊleɪt/verb · B2To find an answer using numbers and mathematics.
- calculation/ˌkælkjuˈleɪʃn̩/noun · C1Working something out with numbers, or a cold self-serving plan.
- calculator/ˈkæl.kjə.leɪ.tə(ɹ)/noun · B1+A device that works out sums.
- calculus/ˈkæl.kjʊ.ləs/noun · B2+The maths of change and of areas under curves.
- calendar/ˈkæl.ən.də/noun · A2+The chart of all the days and months of the year.
- calf/kɑːf/noun · B1The thick muscle at the back of the lower leg.
- calibrate/ˈkæl.ɪ.bɹeɪ̯t/verb · C1To set an instrument so its readings are true.
- calibration/ˌkæl.ɪˈbɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+Setting an instrument so it reads correctly.
- calibre/ˈkæl.ɪ.bə(ɹ)/noun · C1The width of the barrel, and so of the round.
- call/kɔːl/verb · A1To ring someone and speak to them from far away.
- call backphrase · B1To phone someone again who called you first.
- call it a dayphrase · B2To decide you have worked enough and stop.
- call numbernoun · B2The number that fixes a book's place on the shelves.
- call offphrase · B2To decide a planned event will not happen.
- call outphrase · B1To shout in order to be heard or to summon somebody.
- call to actionnoun · B2The line telling the reader exactly what to do next.
- caller/ˈkɔːlə/noun · B1Somebody who telephones or comes to visit.
- callipersnoun · C1A tool with two arms that measures thickness exactly.
- callous/ˈkæləs/adjective · C2Hard-hearted and unfeeling.
- callousedadjective · C1Hardened by rubbing, as working hands become.
- calloutnoun · C1A visit by a repairer to where the fault is.
- callow/ˈkæləʊ/adjective · C2Young and lacking any experience.
- callsignnoun · C1The name a pilot uses on the radio.
- callus/ˈkæləs/noun · B2+A patch of skin hardened by rubbing.
- calm/kɑm/adjective · A2Quiet and untroubled inside; not worried at all.
- calm downphrase · A2To stop being angry or upset and become quiet again.
- calmness/ˈkɑ(l)mnəs/noun · B2+The quality of being untroubled and free from agitation, named with the noun ending -ness.
- calorie/ˈkæləɹi/noun · C1The unit that measures how much energy a food gives you.
- calorific/ˌkæləˈɹɪf.ɪk/adjective · C2Containing a great deal of energy as food.
- caltrop/ˈkæltɹəp/noun · C2A spiked device thrown down to lame horses.
- calumny/ˈkæləmni/noun · C2A false statement made to damage a reputation.
- camaraderie/ˌkæməˈɹɑːdəɹi/noun · C1The warm trust between people who share hard work.
- cambodianoun · B1+The Southeast Asian country of the vast Angkor temple ruins.
- camel/ˈkæml̩/noun · B1A desert animal that stores water and has humps on its back.
- cameo/ˈkæm.iː.əʊ/noun · C1A raised figure carved on a stone of two colours.
- camera/ˈkæməɹə/noun · A1The device that captures pictures and videos.
- cameroonnoun · B2+The Central African country often called Africa in miniature.
- camouflage/ˈkæ.məˌflɑːʒ/noun · B1+Colors and patterns that make a creature vanish into its background.
- camp/ˈkæmp/noun · A2A place where people stay in tents or huts for a while.
- campaign/kæmˈpeɪn/noun · B1+An organized push, with speeches and posters, to win support.
- campaign/kæmˈpeɪn/noun · B1+An organised run of advertising with one aim.
- campfire/ˈkæmpˌfaɪ̯ɚ/noun · B1An open fire built at a camp.
- campfire bannoun · B2A rule forbidding open fires because of fire risk.
- camping/ˈkæmp.ɪŋ/noun · A2+A holiday spent sleeping outdoors in a cloth shelter.
- campsite/ˈkæmpˌsaɪt/noun · B1+The place where tents are pitched.
- campsite pitchnoun · B2The marked plot where you may put up a tent.
- campus/ˈkæmpəs/noun · B1+The grounds and buildings of a college.
- can't complainphrase · B2A cheerful way of saying life is going well enough.
- canada/kəˈnɑːdə/noun · A2+The huge cold country of maple syrup, north of the USA.
- canal/kəˈnæl/noun · B2A waterway cut by people for boats or drainage.
- canary/kəˈnɛəɹi/noun · B1A little yellow cage bird kept for its singing.
- cancel/ˈkæn.sl̩/verb · A2To say that a planned trip, class, or event will not happen after all.
- cancel outphrase · B2To have an opposite effect that leaves nothing gained.
- cancellation/kænsəˈleɪʃən/noun · B1+A service called off before it runs.
- cancellation feenoun · B2A charge for ending an agreement early.
- cancellation policynoun · B2The rules about changing or dropping a booking.
- cancelledadjective · A2+Called off and not going at all.
- cancer/ˈkænsə/noun · B1The serious disease of cells growing out of control.
- cancerous/ˈkænsəɹəs/adjective · B2+Being or caused by a growth that spreads through the body.
- candelabranoun · B2+A branched stand holding several candles.
- candid/ˈkæn.dɪd/adjective · C1Completely honest, even when it is awkward.
- candidate/ˈkæn.dɪ.dət/noun · B1+A person competing to be chosen for a post or office.
- candle/ˈkæn.dəl/noun · A2A stick of wax with a small flame on top.
- candlelight/ˈkæn.dl̩ˌlaɪt/noun · B2The soft light of burning wicks at a ceremony.
- candlelit/ˈkæn.dl̩ˌlɪt/adjective · B2+Lit only by burning wicks.
- candournoun · C1Honest plain speaking.
- candy/ˈkæn.di/noun · A1Small sugary colorful treats children beg for.
- candyflossnoun · B1+Spun sugar sold on a stick.
- cane/keɪn/verb · B2To beat with a stick.
- canister/ˈkænɪstɚ/noun · B2The sealed cylinder that holds camping gas.
- canned/kænd/adjective · B1Preserved and sealed in a metal container.
- cannibal/ˈkænɪbəl/noun · B2Somebody who eats the flesh of their own kind.
- cannibalism/ˈkanɪbəlɪz(ə)m/noun · B2+The eating of the flesh of your own kind.
- cannonball/ˈkænənˌbɔːl/noun · B2The heavy iron ball an old gun fired.
- canoe/kəˈnuː/noun · C1A narrow light boat you move with a paddle.
- canoeing/kəˈnuɪŋ/noun · B1+Paddling a light narrow boat.
- canon/ˈkæn.ən/noun · B2+The body of works accepted as genuine or authoritative.
- canopy/ˈkæ.nə.pi/noun · B2The green roof formed by treetops meeting over a forest.
- canopy roofnoun · B2A small roof projecting over an entrance.
- cantankerous/kænˈtæŋkəɹəs/adjective · C2Bad-tempered and quick to argue.
- canteen/kænˈtiːn/noun · B1+The big room where students eat lunch.
- canteen/kænˈtiːn/noun · C1A flask carried by a soldier or walker.
- canteen mealnoun · B1Food served in a workplace or school dining room.
- canter/ˈkæn.tə/verb · B2+To ride at a gentle pace between trot and gallop.
- cantilever/ˈkantɪliːvə/noun · C1A beam supported at one end only, reaching out into space.
- canvas/ˈkæn.vəs/noun · C1The stretched cloth a painter works on.
- canyon/ˈkænjən/noun · B1+A deep narrow valley with steep rock walls, cut by a river over ages.
- cap/kæp/noun · B1A soft flat head cover with a stiff front part against the sun.
- capability/ˌkeɪ.pəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/noun · C1What somebody or something is able to do.
- capable/ˈkeɪ.pə.bəl/adjective · B2Having the skill and power to do something.
- capacious/kəˈpeɪʃəs/adjective · C2Able to hold a great deal.
- capacity/kəˈpæsɪti/noun · B2How much work a person or team can actually take.
- caparisonedadjective · C2Decked out in ornamental trappings.
- cape/keɪp/noun · B1A sleeveless cloak, or a headland jutting into the sea.
- cape verdenoun · C1Atlantic island nation off West Africa, famed for morna music.
- caper/ˈkeɪpɚ/verb · C2To skip and leap about playfully.
- capital/ˈkæpɪtəl/noun · A2+The most important settlement of a country, where the government sits.
- capital letternoun · A2The larger form of a letter, used to begin a sentence or a name.
- capitalism/ˈkapɪt(ə)lɪz(ə)m/noun · C1A system where business is privately owned for profit.
- capitalist/ˈkæp.ɪ.tə.lɪst/noun · C1Somebody who owns capital, or who supports that system.
- capitulate/kəˈpɪ.tjʊ.leɪt/verb · C1To give in and accept the other side's terms.
- capon/ˈkeɪpən/noun · C2A cockerel fattened for the table.
- cappuccino/ˌkæpʊˈtʃiːnəʊ/noun · B1+Coffee under a thick cap of steamed foam.
- caprice/kəˈpɹiːs/noun · C2A sudden change of mind for no reason.
- capricious/kəˈpɹɪʃəs/adjective · C1Changing mood or mind for no good reason.
- capsize/ˈkæpsaɪz/verb · B2+To turn a boat right over.
- capsule/ˈkæps(ə)l/noun · B1+A small case holding one dose, swallowed whole.
- captain/ˈkæp.tɪn/noun · A2The player who leads the team and wears the special armband.
- captchanoun · B2The little online puzzle that checks you are human, not a robot.
- caption/ˈkæp.ʃən/noun · B2The line of text under a photo saying what it shows.
- captivate/ˈkæptɪveɪt/verb · B2+To hold somebody's attention completely by charm.
- captive/ˈkæptɪv/noun · B2Somebody who is being held prisoner.
- captivity/kæpˈtɪvɪti/noun · B2The state of being kept shut up and not free.
- captor/ˈkæptɚ/noun · B2+Somebody who has taken another prisoner.
- capture/ˈkæp.(t)ʃəː/verb · B2To take an opponent's piece off the board.
- car/kɑː/noun · A1The machine with four wheels that most families drive.
- car boot salenoun · B2A market where people sell from their vehicles.
- car park/ˈkɑːpɑːk/phrase · A2The area or building where drivers leave their cars.
- car seatnoun · A2The strapped seat a child travels in.
- carabiner/ˌkæ.ɹəˈbiː.nə/noun · C1The sprung metal loop that clips a rope to a harness.
- carafe/kəˈɹæf/noun · C1An open glass jug that wine or water is served from.
- caramel/ˈkæ.ɹəˌmɛl/noun · B1+Sugar cooked until it browns, or that colour.
- caramelisedadjective · B2+Browned and sweetened by slow heat.
- caramelize/ˈkaɹ(ə)məlʌɪz/verb · B2+To heat sugar until it browns and turns syrupy.
- carat/ˈkæ.ɹət/noun · B2+The unit by which gems are weighed.
- caravan/ˈkæɹəvæn/noun · B2A home on wheels towed behind a car.
- carbohydrate/kɑːbəʊˈhaɪdɹeɪt/noun · B2+The energy food group of bread, pasta, and rice.
- carbon/ˈkɑɹ.bən/noun · B2The element every living thing is built around.
- carbon datingnoun · B2Measuring age by the decay of a substance in remains.
- carbon dioxide/ˌkɑː.bən daɪˈɒk.saɪd/noun · B2The gas we breathe out, and the main one that traps heat.
- carbon fibrenoun · B2A very light, very strong woven material of fine black threads.
- carbon footprintnoun · B2The total warming gas one person or thing causes.
- carbon monoxidenoun · B2A poisonous gas given off by burning fuel.
- carbuncle/ˈkɑː.bʌŋ.kl̩/noun · C2A large painful boil, or a red gemstone.
- carburettornoun · C1The old part that mixed fuel with air before injection.
- carcass/ˈkɑɹkəs/noun · B2+The dead body of an animal.
- card readernoun · B1The device that takes payment from a bank card.
- cardamom/ˈkɑː.də.məm/noun · B2+A fragrant spice used in cooking.
- cardboard/ˈkɑːdbɔːd/noun · B2The stiff thick paper that boxes are made of.
- cardigan/ˈkɑːdɪɡən/noun · B2+A knitted top that opens at the front with buttons.
- cardinal/ˈkɑːd(ɪ)nəl/adjective · C1Of the very first importance.
- care/kɛə/verb · A2To feel that someone or something matters to you.
- careen/kəˈɹiːn/verb · C2To rush along, tilting and out of control.
- career/kəˈɹɪə/noun · B1Your whole working life, seen as one long road.
- career breaknoun · B2A planned period away from working life.
- career changenoun · B1A move into a completely different line of work.
- career laddernoun · B2The series of steps upward through a profession.
- carefree/ˈkɛəfɹiː/adjective · B2Free of worry and responsibility.
- careful/ˈkɛɹfəl/adjective · A2Paying attention so nothing goes wrong.
- careless/ˈkɛəlɪs/adjective · B1Not paying attention, so mistakes and accidents happen.
- carelessness/ˈkɛɹləsnəs/noun · B1+A failure to take the care that was needed.
- carer/ˈkɛəɹə/noun · B1+A person who looks after somebody unable to manage alone.
- caress/kəˈɹɛs/verb · B2+To stroke somebody gently and lovingly.
- caretaker/ˈkɛɹˌteɪ.kɚ/noun · B1+The person who looks after a building.
- cargo/ˈkɑːɡəʊ/noun · B2The goods a ship, plane, or truck carries.
- cargo holdnoun · B2The space below deck where freight is carried.
- cargo planenoun · B2An aircraft built to carry freight.
- caricature/ˈkɛɹɪkət͡ʃʊɚ/noun · B2+A drawing that exaggerates somebody's features.
- carnage/ˈkɑː.nɪdʒ/noun · B2+The killing of very many people.
- carnal/ˈkɑɹnəl/adjective · C1To do with the body and its appetites.
- carnation/kɑːˈneɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+A frilled flower with a clove-like scent, worn in buttonholes.
- carnelian/kɑɹˈnil.jən/noun · C2A reddish semi-precious stone.
- carnival/ˈkɑːnɪvəl/noun · B2A street festival of costumes, masks, and dancing.
- carnivore/ˈkɑː.nɪ.vɔː/noun · B1+An animal that eats meat.
- carnivorous/kɑːˈnɪv.ə.ɹəs/adjective · B2+Feeding on the flesh of other animals.
- carol/ˈkæɹəl/noun · B1A joyful song sung at a religious festival.
- carotid/kəˈɹɒt.ɪd/adjective · C1To do with the main arteries carrying blood to the head.
- carousel/ˌkærəˈsɛl/noun · B1+The spinning ride of painted horses and fairground music.
- carp/ˈkɑːp/noun · B1+A big freshwater fish kept in ponds.
- carpenter/ˈkɑː.pən.tə/noun · B2The craftsman who builds things from wood.
- carpentry/ˈkɑː.pɪn.tri/noun · C1The trade of making things from timber.
- carpet/ˈkɑː.pɪt/noun · A2The soft material that covers a whole floor.
- carpool/ˈkɑːpuːl/noun · B2+An arrangement to share one car for regular journeys.
- carrack/ˈkæɹək/noun · C2A broad, high-castled merchant sailing ship of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, forerunner of the galleon.
- carriage/ˈkæɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · B2One car of a passenger train; also, a horse-drawn vehicle.
- carriage windownoun · B2The glass you watch the country pass through.
- carrier/ˈkæɹi.ə/noun · C1A company that transports goods or people.
- carrier bagnoun · A2The bag a shop gives you to carry purchases.
- carrion/ˈkæɹ.ɪ.ən/noun · C1The rotting flesh of dead animals.
- carrot/ˈkæɹət/noun · A1A long orange vegetable that rabbits love.
- carry/ˈkæɹ.i/verb · A1To hold something and move it from place to place.
- carry on/ˈkæɹi ˈɑn/phrase · B1To keep going without stopping.
- carry out/ˈkæ.ɹi aʊt/phrase · B2To actually do a plan, order, or experiment.
- carry out researchphrase · B2To do systematic study of a subject.
- carry overphrase · C1To keep something for a later period instead of losing it.
- carry straight onphrase · B1To keep going without turning off.
- carry-onnoun · B1The small bag you may take into the plane cabin with you.
- cart/kɑːt/verb · B1To carry something awkwardly from place to place.
- cartel/kɑːˈtɛl/noun · B2+A group of firms agreeing to fix prices between them.
- carthorsenoun · B2A heavy horse bred to pull loads.
- cartography/kɐː(ɹ)ˈtɔɡɹəfɪi̯/noun · C1The making of maps.
- carton/ˈkɑːtən/noun · B1+A stiff card container for liquid or food.
- cartoon/kɑːˈtuːn/noun · A2A funny drawn film or strip, loved by children.
- cartoonist/kɑɹˈtunɪst/noun · B1+Somebody who draws humorous pictures for a living.
- cartridge/ˈkɑːtɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · B2+A sealed container of ink or fuel that slots into a machine.
- cartwheel/ˈkɑːtˌwiːl/noun · B1+A sideways turn of the body on hands and feet.
- carve/kɑɹv/verb · B2To cut slices off a large cooked joint of meat.
- carve/kɑɹv/verb · B1To cut shapes out of wood or stone.
- carver/ˈkɑɹvɚ/noun · B2+Somebody who cuts shapes from wood or stone.
- carverynoun · C2A counter where roast meat is sliced to order.
- casanova/kæsəˈnoʊvə/noun · C1A man famous for his many love affairs.
- cascade/kæsˈkeɪd/noun · B2+A small waterfall, or a series of them.
- case/keɪs/noun · A2A container shaped to protect one particular thing.
- case study/ˈkeɪs ˌstʌdi/noun · B2A deep detailed study of one single example.
- cash/ˈkæʃ/noun · A2Real paper money and coins, not a card.
- cash flownoun · B2The movement of money in and out over time.
- cashbacknoun · B2Money returned to you after a purchase.
- cashew/ˈkæʃuː/noun · B1+A curved, buttery, kidney-shaped nut.
- cashier/kəˈʃɪə/noun · B1The person at the till who takes your money in a shop.
- cashpointnoun · B1The machine in a wall that gives out banknotes.
- casino/kəˈsiːnəʊ/noun · B1A place where people gamble at cards and slot machines.
- cask/kɑːsk/noun · B2+A wooden barrel, especially for beer or wine.
- casket/ˈkæs.kɪt/noun · B2A small ornamental box for jewels, or a coffin.
- casserole/ˈkæs.əˌɹoʊl/noun · B1+A deep dish, and the slow-baked meal cooked inside it.
- casserole dishnoun · B2A deep oven dish with a lid.
- cassette/kəˈsɛt/noun · C1The stack of toothed wheels on a rear hub.
- cassette/kəˈsɛt/noun · B1A plastic case holding magnetic tape.
- cast/kɑːst/verb · B1To throw something out and away from you, like a fishing line.
- cast ironnoun · B2Hard brittle iron poured into a mould.
- cast off/kæst ɒf/phrase · C1To finish knitting by securing the last row.
- cast onphrase · C1To make the first row of loops on a knitting needle.
- castaway/ˈkæs.tə.weɪ/noun · B2+A shipwreck survivor stranded on a lonely shore.
- caste/kɑːst/noun · B2+A fixed social class you are born into.
- castellan/ˈkæstələn/noun · C2The governor in charge of a castle.
- castigate/ˈkæs.tɪ.ɡeɪt/verb · C2To criticise somebody severely.
- casting/ˈkæstɪŋ/noun · C1An object made by pouring metal into a shaped hollow.
- castle/ˈkɑːsəl/noun · A2The huge stone building with thick walls where kings once lived.
- castling/ˈkɑːstlɪŋ/noun · C1A special move that tucks the king behind a tower.
- castrate/kæsˈtɹeɪt/verb · C1To remove the male reproductive organs.
- castration/kæˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The removal of the male reproductive organs.
- casual/ˈkaʒ(uː)əl/adjective · B2Comfortable and informal, not for offices or ceremonies.
- casualty/ˈkaʒʊ.əlti/noun · C1A person hurt or killed in an accident.
- cat/ˈkæt/noun · A1A soft pet that says meow and chases mice.
- cataclysm/ˈkætəˌklɪzm̩/noun · C2A violent upheaval that changes everything.
- catalogue/ˈkæt.əˌlɒɡ/noun · C1The organised list of everything a collection holds.
- catalogue raisonnenoun · C2A complete listed record of an artist's works.
- catalyst/ˈkæt.ɪ.lɪst/noun · B2+The substance that speeds a reaction without being used up — or the person who sparks change.
- catamaran/ˌkæ.tə.məˈɹæn/noun · B2+A boat with two hulls side by side.
- catapult/ˈkæ.tə.pʌlt/noun · B2+A forked stick with elastic for firing small stones.
- cataract/ˈkætəɹækt/noun · B2+A clouding of the lens of the eye that dims the sight.
- catastrophe/kəˈtæstɹəfi/noun · B2A sudden disaster causing great damage.
- catastrophic/kætəˈstɹɒfɪk/adjective · B2+Bringing sudden and very great damage.
- catastrophicallyadverb · C2To a disastrous degree.
- catastrophisingnoun · C2Assuming the worst possible outcome.
- catch/kæt͡ʃ/verb · A2To grab something flying toward you before it falls.
- catch a glimpsephrase · B2To see something for only a moment.
- catch firephrase · B1To start burning.
- catch on/kæt͡ʃ ˈɒn/phrase · C1To understand, or to become popular.
- catch sight ofphrase · B2To see something briefly and by chance.
- catch somebody's driftphrase · C1To grasp the general point somebody is making.
- catch somebody's eyephrase · B2To attract somebody's notice.
- catch upphrase · B1To reach the ones ahead of you; also, to trade news with an old friend.
- catch you laterphrase · B1A very casual way of saying goodbye.
- catchphrasenoun · B2+A line a character says so often it becomes famous.
- catchy/ˈkæt͡ʃi/adjective · B2So memorable you cannot stop humming it.
- categorical/ˌkætəˈɡɒɹɪk(ə)l/adjective · C1Stated absolutely, leaving no room for doubt.
- categorically/kæt.əˈɡɒ.ɹɪk.(ə.)li/adverb · C1Absolutely and with no room for doubt.
- categoriseverb · B2+To sort things into named groups.
- category/ˈkæt.ɪ.ɡ(ə.)ɹi/noun · B1A named group that similar things are sorted into.
- cater/ˈkeɪtə/verb · C1To supply food, or to provide what is needed.
- caterer/ˈkeɪtəɹɚ/noun · B2+Somebody who supplies food for an event.
- catering/ˈkeɪt(ə)ɹɪŋ/noun · B2The business of supplying food for an event.
- caterpillar/ˈkætəˌpɪlə/noun · A2+The long soft creeping creature that will one day become a butterfly.
- catfishingnoun · C1Pretending online to be somebody you are not.
- catgut/ˈkætˌɡʌt/noun · C2Tough cord made from animal gut, used for strings.
- catharsis/kəˈθɑːsɪs/noun · C1The relief that comes from letting strong feeling out.
- cathedral/kəˈθiːdɹəl/noun · B2A very large and important church, often centuries old.
- cation/ˈkætˌaɪ.ən/noun · C2An ion carrying a positive charge.
- catkinnoun · C2A soft hanging spike of tiny flowers on a spring tree.
- catspawnoun · C2Somebody used by another to do their dirty work.
- cattery/ˈkætəɹi/noun · B2+A place where cats are boarded.
- cattle/ˈkætəl/noun · B1Cows and bulls kept for milk or meat.
- catwalknoun · B2+The long raised stage models walk along.
- caucus/ˈkɔːkəs/noun · C1A meeting of a party's members to decide policy.
- caught red-handedphrase · C1Discovered in the very act of doing wrong.
- caul/kɔːl/noun · C2A membrane a baby is occasionally born wearing.
- cauldron/ˈkɔːl.dɹən/noun · B2+The great pot a witch brews in.
- cauliflower/ˈkɒl.i.flaʊ.ə/noun · B1+A pale head of tight white florets.
- caulk/kɔːk/verb · C1To seal the join around a bath or window.
- causal/ˈkɔːzəl/adjective · C1To do with one thing bringing another about.
- causation/kɔːˈzeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The relationship where one thing genuinely produces another.
- cause/kɔːz/verb · A2To make something happen.
- causeway/ˈkɔːz.weɪ/noun · C1A raised road across wet ground or water.
- caustic/ˈkɔːstɪk/adjective · C1Burning to the skin, or bitingly sarcastic.
- caution/ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/verb · C1To advise care before acting.
- cautionary/ˈkɔːʃənəɹi/adjective · B2+Meant to serve as a warning.
- cavalcade/ˈkæv.əlˌkeɪd/noun · C2A procession of riders or vehicles.
- cavalier/ˌkævəˈlɪɚ/adjective · C1Offhand about matters that deserve care.
- cavalry/ˈkæ.vəl.ɹi/noun · B2Soldiers who once fought on horseback.
- cave/keɪv/noun · B1A natural hole going deep into rock, dark inside and home to bats.
- caveat/ˈkævɪæt/noun · C1A warning about a limit or condition.
- caveman/ˈkeɪvˌmæn/noun · B1+A person of prehistoric times who lived in caves.
- cavern/ˈkav.ən/noun · B2A large cave.
- cavernous/ˈkav.ən.əs/adjective · C1Very large, hollow and echoing.
- caviar/ˈkæv.iˌɑɹ/noun · B2+Salted fish eggs, eaten as a luxury.
- cavity/ˈkæv.ɪt.i/noun · B2A hollow space, or a hole in a tooth.
- cavort/kəˈvɔːt/verb · C1To leap about in a lively excited way.
- caw/kɔː/verb · C1To make the harsh cry of a crow.
- cc/siːˈsiː/verb · B1+To send a copy of a message to somebody else as well.
- cease/sis/verb · B2The formal word for to end an activity.
- ceasefirenoun · B2+An agreement to stop fighting.
- ceaseless/ˈsiːsləs/adjective · C1Going on and on without any pause.
- ceaselesslyadverb · C1Without ever stopping.
- cedar/ˈsiː.də/noun · B2A great spreading evergreen with fragrant timber.
- cede/siːd/verb · C1To give up territory or a right to another.
- ceilidh/ˈkeɪli/noun · C2A social evening of traditional music and dancing.
- ceiling/ˈsiːlɪŋ/noun · B1The surface above your head inside a room.
- celebrate/ˈsɛl.ɪ.bɹeɪt/verb · A2To do something joyful for a special day or a victory.
- celebration/ˌsɛl.ɪˈbɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · B1An occasion marked with enjoyment and ceremony.
- celebrity/sɪˈlɛb.ɹɪ.ti/noun · B1A person famous enough to be recognized on the street.
- celery/ˈsɛləɹi/noun · B1Long pale crunchy stalks eaten raw or in soup.
- celestial/sɪˈlɛs.ti.əl/adjective · C1To do with the sky and the heavens.
- celibacy/ˈsɛləbəsi/noun · C1The state of living without sex or marriage.
- celibate/ˈsɛləbət/adjective · C1Choosing to live without sex or marriage.
- cell/sɛl/noun · B1The smallest living building block of every plant and animal.
- cell blocknoun · B2One wing of locked rooms inside a prison.
- cellar/ˈsɛlə/noun · B2An underground room used for storing things, often wine.
- cellist/ˈt͡ʃɛlɪst/noun · B2+Somebody who plays the large deep-toned string instrument.
- cello/ˈtʃɛləʊ/noun · B2+The big deep-voiced string instrument held between the knees.
- cellular/ˈsɛl.ju.lə/adjective · B2+Made up of tiny units, or working through a network of them.
- celsiusnoun · A2+The temperature scale where water freezes at zero.
- cement/səˈmɛnt/noun · B1The grey powder that binds sand and stone together.
- cemetery/ˈsɛm.ɪˌtɹi/noun · B2The ground where the dead are buried under headstones.
- censer/ˈsɛn.sə/noun · C2A container in which incense is burnt.
- censor/ˈsɛnsə/verb · B2+To cut out parts the public is not allowed to see.
- censor bleepnoun · B2The tone that covers a word too rude to broadcast.
- censorship/ˈsɛnsəʃɪp/noun · B2+Power deciding what the public may not read, see, or say.
- censorship boardnoun · C1The body that decides what the public may not see.
- censure/ˈsɛn.ʃə/noun · C1Strong formal disapproval.
- census/ˈsɛnsəs/noun · B2+The official count of everyone living in a country.
- census/ˈsɛnsəs/noun · B2+The old count of a population, kept for study.
- cent/sɛnt/noun · A2+A coin worth one hundredth of a dollar or a euro.
- centaur/ˈsɛn.tɔː/noun · B2+A creature half man and half horse.
- centenary/sɛnˈtiːnəɹi/noun · C1The hundredth anniversary of something.
- centerfold/ˈsɛntɚfoʊld/noun · C1The picture printed across the two middle pages.
- centigradeadjective · B2+The older name for the temperature scale with a hundred steps between the freezing and the boiling of water.
- centimetre/ˈsɛn.tɪ.miː.tə/noun · A2+A hundredth of a metre.
- centipede/ˈsɛn.tɪ.pid/noun · B1+A long flat creature with one pair of legs per segment.
- central/ˈsɛntɹ(ə)l/adjective · B1In or near the middle.
- central heatingnoun · B1A system that warms a whole building from one boiler.
- centre/ˈsɛntəː/noun · A2+The middle point of something.
- centre aroundphrase · B2To have as its main subject.
- centre controlnoun · C1Command of the middle squares of the board.
- centred/ˈsɛn.təd/adjective · B1+Placed exactly in the middle.
- centrepiecenoun · B2+The main decoration in the middle of a table.
- centrifuge/ˈsɛntɹɪˌfjuːdʒ/noun · C1A machine that spins samples fast to separate them.
- century/ˈsɛn.t͡ʃʊɹ.i/noun · B1One hundred years.
- ceramic/sɪˈɹæmɪk/noun · B2An object made of clay hardened by firing.
- cereal/ˈsɪə.ɹɪ.əl/noun · A2+The crunchy little pieces you pour milk over at breakfast.
- cerebral/ˈsɛ.ɹɪb.ɹəl/adjective · C1To do with the brain, or appealing to intellect over feeling.
- ceremonial/ˌsɛɹɪˈməʊnɪ.əl/adjective · B2+Used in or belonging to formal ceremonies.
- ceremony/ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/noun · B1A formal event with fixed rituals, like weddings and medals.
- certain/ˈsɜː.tən/adjective · A2Sure beyond any doubt.
- certainty/ˈsɝtn̩ti/noun · B2Being completely sure.
- certification/ˌsɜː.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+The formal act of confirming in writing that a standard has been met, or the document that records it.
- certify/ˈsɜː.tɪ.faɪ/verb · B2+To state officially and in writing that something is so.
- cerulean/səˈɹuːli.ən/adjective · C2Deep sky blue.
- cessation/sɛˈseɪʃən/noun · C1A stopping of something.
- cesspit/ˈsɛspɪt/noun · C1A pit for household waste and sewage.
- cha-chanoun · B1A Latin dance with a distinctive triple step.
- chad/t͡ʃæd/noun · B2Landlocked Saharan country named after a great shrinking lake.
- chaff/t͡ʃæf/noun · C1The light husks blown away from the grain.
- chagrin/ˈʃaɡ.ɹɪn/noun · C2Annoyance mixed with wounded pride.
- chain/ˈt͡ʃeɪn/noun · B1Metal rings linked together into a strong line.
- chain of commandnoun · C1The order of who answers to whom.
- chainring/ˈt͡ʃeɪnɹɪŋ/noun · C1The toothed wheel the chain runs over at the front.
- chainsaw/ˈt͡ʃeɪnˌsɔː/noun · B1+A petrol saw with teeth on a spinning loop, for trees.
- chainstaynoun · C1The tube running from the pedals to the rear wheel.
- chair/t͡ʃɛə/noun · A1The furniture with a back that one person sits on.
- chairman/ˈtʃɛːmən/noun · B2The person who leads a meeting or heads a company board.
- chalet/ˈʃæleɪ/noun · B2+A wooden mountain house with a wide overhanging roof.
- chalice/ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪs/noun · C1A large ornamental cup, often used in ceremony.
- chalk/t͡ʃɔːk/noun · A2+The soft white stick teachers once wrote on dark boards with.
- chalk and cheesephrase · C1Two things that could not be more unalike.
- chalk upphrase · C1To record a win or a total to somebody's credit.
- chalkyadjective · B2+Dry and slightly powdery to touch or taste.
- challenge/ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪnd͡ʒ/verb · B1To dispute whether something is right.
- challenging/ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪn.d͡ʒɪŋ/adjective · B2Demanding, in a way that tests you.
- chamber/ˈt͡ʃeɪ̯mbə/noun · B2A room set aside for a purpose, or a hollow space.
- chameleon/kəˈmi.li.ən/noun · B1+A lizard that changes colour to match its surroundings.
- chamfron/ˈt͡ʃam.fɹən/noun · C2Armour worn over a horse's face.
- champagne/ʃæmˈpeɪn/noun · A2+The French drink with bubbles that pops open at celebrations.
- champion/ˈt͡ʃæm.pi.ən/noun · B1The person or team that has beaten everyone else.
- championship/ˈtʃæm.pi.ən.ʃɪp/noun · B2The competition that decides who is best of all.
- chance/t͡ʃɑːns/ [t͡ʃʰɑːns]noun · A2A moment when something becomes possible — take it or lose it.
- chance upon/ˈt͡ʃɑːns əˌpɒn/phrase · C1To meet or find by pure accident.
- chancellor/ˈtʃɑːnsələ/noun · B2+A high state or university official.
- chancy/ˈtʃænsi/adjective · C1Risky, and depending on luck.
- chandelier/ˌʃæn.dəˈlɪə(ɹ)/noun · B1+The grand branching light hanging from a ballroom ceiling.
- chandler/ˈt͡ʃændlɚ/noun · C2A dealer in candles, or in ships' supplies.
- change/ˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ/verb · A1To become different, or to make something different.
- change/ˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ/noun · A2The money the cashier gives back when you pay too much.
- change aroundphrase · B1To move things into different places.
- change intophrase · B1To put on other clothes, or to become something else.
- change out ofphrase · B1To take off what you are wearing and dress differently.
- change the sheetsphrase · B1To take off the used bedding and put clean on.
- change your tunephrase · C1To suddenly say the opposite of what you said before.
- changing matnoun · B1The padded surface a baby is changed on.
- changing roomnoun · A2The small room in a shop where you try clothes on.
- channel/ˈt͡ʃænəl/noun · B1One numbered stream of TV programs you flick between.
- chant/t͡ʃɑːnt/noun · B2Words repeated in a rhythmic, singing voice.
- chaos/ˈkeɪɒs/noun · B2Complete mess and confusion, with nothing where it should be.
- chaotic/keɪˈɒtɪk/adjective · B2Completely disordered.
- chaoticallyadverb · C1In a completely disordered way.
- chapel/ˈt͡ʃæp.əl/noun · B1A small building or room for Christian worship.
- chaperone/ˈʃæ.pəˌɹoʊn/noun · C1Somebody who accompanies a young person to keep them proper.
- chaplain/ˈt͡ʃæp.lɪn/noun · C1A clergyman serving a school, a hospital or the forces.
- chapped/t͡ʃæpt/adjective · B2+Cracked and sore from cold and wind.
- chapter/ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/noun · B1One numbered part of a book.
- character/ˈkæ.ɹɪk.tə/noun · A2One of the invented people a story is about.
- character arcnoun · C1The way a character changes across a story.
- characteriseverb · C1To describe the nature of something.
- characteristic/ˌkæɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk/noun · B2A quality that marks something out as itself.
- charadesnoun · B2+A game of acting a title out without speaking.
- charcoal/ˈtʃɑː.kəʊl/noun · B1+Black carbon left when wood is burned without air.
- charcoal/ˈtʃɑː.kəʊl/adjective · B2A very dark grey, almost black.
- charge/ˈt͡ʃɑːd͡ʒ/verb · B1To ask a particular price for what you sell.
- charge/ˈt͡ʃɑːd͡ʒ/verb · A2To fill a phone's battery with power again.
- chargebacknoun · C1Reversing a card payment after a dispute.
- charger/ˈtʃɑːdʒə/noun · A2+The cable and plug that refill your phone's power.
- charging pointnoun · B1The place an electric vehicle plugs in.
- chariot/ˈt͡ʃæɹi.ət/noun · B1+A two-wheeled cart pulled by horses in ancient times.
- charisma/kəˈɹɪzmə/noun · C1The magnetic personal power that draws crowds to a leader.
- charismatic/ˌkæɹɪzˈmætɪk/adjective · C1Drawing people in with magnetic personal charm.
- charitable/ˈt͡ʃæɹɪtəbəl/adjective · B2Generous to those in need, or willing to think well of people.
- charity/ˈtʃæɹɪti/noun · A2+An organization that collects money to help people in need.
- charlatan/ˈʃɑɹlətən/noun · C2Somebody who falsely claims special skill.
- charlestonnoun · C1A fast dance of swinging legs from the twenties.
- charm/tʃɑːm/noun · B2The pleasing quality that makes people instantly like someone.
- charm/tʃɑːm/noun · B2An object or a spell that brings luck or protection.
- charming/ˈtʃɑː(ɹ).mɪŋ/adjective · B1Pleasing and delightful.
- charredadjective · B2+Blackened at the surface by fire.
- chart/t͡ʃɑɹt/noun · B1The published list of what is selling best.
- charter/ˈt͡ʃɑːtə/noun · C1A formal document granting rights.
- charteredadjective · C1Holding formal professional status in a field.
- chase/t͡ʃeɪs/verb · B1To run after someone to catch them.
- chasm/ˈkæzəm/noun · B2+A deep split in the ground, or a wide gap between views.
- chassis/ˈt͡ʃæ.si/noun · B2+The frame everything else in a vehicle is bolted to.
- chaste/t͡ʃeɪst/adjective · C1Refraining from sex, or pure in style.
- chasten/ˈt͡ʃeɪ.sən/verb · C2To correct somebody so they behave more humbly.
- chastise/tʃæˈstaɪz/verb · C1To scold or punish somebody.
- chastity/ˈt͡ʃastɪti/noun · C1The state of refraining from sex.
- chat/ˈt͡ʃæt/noun · A2+A written conversation happening live on a screen.
- chat shownoun · B1A programme where a host interviews guests.
- chattel/ˈt͡ʃæt.l̩/noun · C2A movable possession, as opposed to land.
- chatter/ˈtʃætə/verb · B2To talk fast about unimportant things, or to make quick clicking sounds.
- chatty/ˈt͡ʃæti/adjective · B2Fond of easy friendly talk.
- cheap/ˈt͡ʃiːp/adjective · A1Costing little money.
- cheapen/ˈtʃiːpən/verb · B2+To lower the value or the dignity of something.
- cheat/ˈt͡ʃiːt/verb · B1To secretly break the rules in a test to win or pass.
- cheat codenoun · B2A secret sequence that unlocks unfair advantages.
- cheater/ˈt͡ʃiːtɚ/noun · B1+Somebody who breaks the rules to win.
- cheating/ˈt͡ʃiːtɪŋ/noun · B1Breaking the rules secretly to win.
- check/t͡ʃɛk/verb · A2To look at something to make sure it is right.
- check inphrase · B1To report your arrival at a hotel desk or an airport counter.
- check outphrase · B1To leave a hotel and pay; also, to take a look at something.
- check-in desknoun · B1The counter where you hand over your luggage.
- check-in timenoun · B1The earliest hour you may take your room.
- check-outnoun · B1The morning moment you return the key and leave the hotel.
- checkbook/ˈt͡ʃɛk.bʊk/noun · B1+The book of forms for paying from a bank account.
- checkbox/ˈtʃɛkbɒks/noun · B1A small square you click to switch an option on.
- checked/t͡ʃɛkt/adjective · B1Patterned with squares of two colours.
- checklist/ˈt͡ʃɛklɪst/noun · B1+A list ticked off item by item so nothing is missed.
- checkmate/ˈt͡ʃɛkmeɪt/noun · B2The move that traps the king and ends the game.
- checkout/ˈt͡ʃɛkˌaʊt/noun · B1+The place in a shop where you stand in line and pay.
- checkpoint/ˈt͡ʃɛkˌpɔɪnt/noun · B2+A place where traffic is stopped and examined.
- checksumnoun · C1A number used to check that data arrived unchanged.
- checkup/ˈt͡ʃɛkʌp/noun · B1A regular visit to the doctor when nothing is wrong yet.
- cheddar/ˈt͡ʃɛdə(ɹ)/noun · B1+A firm yellow dairy block from Somerset.
- cheek/t͡ʃiːk/noun · A2One of the two soft sides of your face that go red when you're shy.
- cheekbone/ˈt͡ʃikˌboʊn/noun · C1The ridge of the face just below the eye.
- cheeky/ˈt͡ʃiːki/adjective · B2+Rudely bold in a way that amuses.
- cheer/t͡ʃɪə/verb · B1To shout with joy to support your team.
- cheer upphrase · B1To become — or make someone — happier.
- cheerful/ˈt͡ʃɪəfl̩/adjective · B1Naturally sunny — smiling and spreading good feelings around.
- cheerfulness/ˈt͡ʃɪɹfəlnəs/noun · B2+A bright and happy manner.
- cheerio/ˈtʃɪəɹi.əʊ/noun · B2+A cheerful goodbye, in British use.
- cheese/t͡ʃiːz/noun · A1A yellow food made from milk, great on pizza and in sandwiches.
- cheesemongernoun · C1Somebody whose trade is selling cheese.
- cheetahnoun · B1The fastest animal on land, spotted, and only over a short sprint.
- chef/ʃɛf/noun · A2+The professional in a tall white hat who runs a restaurant kitchen.
- chef's tablenoun · C1A place to eat inside the kitchen itself.
- chemical/ˈkɛm.ɪ.kəl/noun · B1A pure material made or studied in laboratories.
- chemistry/ˈkɛm.ɪ.stɹi/noun · B1The subject with test tubes, reactions, and the table of elements.
- chemotherapy/ˌkiːməʊˈθɛɹəpi/noun · B2+Treatment of cancer with powerful drugs.
- cheque/t͡ʃɛk/noun · B1+A written order telling a bank to pay somebody.
- cheque book/ˈt͡ʃɛk.bʊk/noun · B1The pad of written payment orders.
- cherish/ˈt͡ʃɛɹɪʃ/verb · B1+To hold something dear and protect it lovingly.
- cherry/ˈt͡ʃɛɹi/noun · A2A small round dark-red fruit with a long stem.
- chess/t͡ʃɛs/noun · A2+The slow thinking game of kings, queens, and sixty-four squares.
- chessboardnoun · B1+The squared board the game of kings is played on.
- chest/t͡ʃɛst/noun · B1The front part of your body between neck and stomach.
- chest of drawers/tʃɛst əv dɹɔɹz/noun · B1A piece of furniture with sliding compartments for clothes.
- chestnut/ˈt͡ʃɛs(t)nʌt/noun · B1+The shiny brown nut roasted on winter streets.
- chestnut/ˈt͡ʃɛs(t)nʌt/adjective · B2A rich reddish brown.
- chestnut/ˈt͡ʃɛs(t)nʌt/noun · C1A horse of a warm reddish-brown colour.
- chestnut tree/ˈtʃɛsnʌt ˌtɹiː/noun · B1A spreading tree with candle-like flowers and spiky fruit.
- chevron/ˈʃɛvɹən/noun · C1A V-shaped stripe repeated in a band.
- chevy/ˈt͡ʃɛvi/verb · C2British informal: to keep at somebody to hurry up, chasing and nagging them along.
- chew/tʃuː/verb · B1To break food up with your teeth before swallowing.
- chewing gumnoun · B1A sweet rubbery substance you chew but do not swallow.
- chewy/ˈt͡ʃuː.i/adjective · B1+Needing lots of jaw work before you can swallow it.
- chewy/ˈt͡ʃuː.i/adjective · B1+Needing a lot of chewing before it gives way.
- chic/ʃiːk/adjective · B2+Stylish in a quiet, confident way.
- chicanery/ʃɪˈkeɪn(ə)ɹi/noun · C2Clever trickery used to gain an advantage.
- chick/t͡ʃɪk/noun · A2A baby bird — small, yellow, and fluffy.
- chicken/ˈt͡ʃɪkɪn/noun · A1A farm bird that gives us eggs and white meat.
- chicken outphrase · C1To lose your courage at the last moment and not do it.
- chickpea/ˈt͡ʃɪkˌpiː/noun · B1A round beige pulse used in hummus and curry.
- chide/ t͡ʃaɪd/verb · C2To tell somebody off mildly.
- child/tʃaɪld/noun · A1A young person who is not yet grown up.
- child's play/ˈt͡ʃaɪldz ˌpleɪ/phrase · B2So simple that anyone could manage it.
- childhood/ˈtʃaɪld.hʊd/noun · B1The years of your life when you were young.
- childish/ˈt͡ʃaɪldɪʃ/adjective · B2Behaving like a child when you should not.
- childlessadjective · B2+Having no children.
- childlike/ˈt͡ʃaɪldlaɪk/adjective · B2Having the innocence of a child.
- childmindernoun · B2Somebody paid to look after children in their own home.
- chile/ˈt͡ʃɪli/noun · B1+The impossibly long thin country along South America's Pacific coast.
- chili/ˈt͡ʃɪli/noun · A2+The small red pepper that sets your mouth on fire.
- chill/tʃɪl/verb · B1To make something cold without freezing it.
- chilled/t͡ʃɪld/adjective · B1+Cooled down ready to drink or serve.
- chilly/ˈt͡ʃɪli/adjective · B1Unpleasantly a little cold.
- chime/tʃaɪm/verb · B2To ring in clear musical notes, as church bells do.
- chime inphrase · C1To add your voice to a conversation already going.
- chimney/ˈt͡ʃɪmni/noun · B2The tall pipe on a roof where smoke comes out.
- chimney stacknoun · B2The tall pipe carrying smoke away.
- chimney sweepnoun · C1A worker who cleans soot out of flues.
- chimpanzee/t͡ʃɪmˈpæn.zi/noun · B1+A clever African ape with dark hair and no tail.
- chin/ˈt͡ʃɪn/noun · A2The part of your face below your mouth.
- china/ˈt͡ʃaɪ̯nə/noun · A2The huge country of Beijing, pandas, and the Great Wall.
- chineseadjective · A2The most spoken first language on the planet.
- chink/t͡ʃɪŋk/noun · C1A narrow slit that light gets through.
- chinlessadjective · C2Having a weak jaw, and thought feeble because of it.
- chip/t͡ʃɪp/verb · B1To knock a small piece off an edge.
- chip/t͡ʃɪp/noun · A2A long thin piece of potato cooked in hot fat.
- chip and pinnoun · B2Paying by card and typing your secret number.
- chip inphrase · B2To contribute money or a remark.
- chipboardnoun · C1A cheap board pressed from wood chips and glue.
- chipmunk/ˈt͡ʃɪp.mʌŋk/noun · B2A small striped burrowing squirrel.
- chipped/t͡ʃɪpt/adjective · B1+Having a small piece broken off the edge.
- chiropractor/ˈkaɪ.ɹəˌpɹæk.tə(ɹ)/noun · B2+A practitioner who treats the spine by manipulation.
- chirp/t͡ʃɜːp/verb · B1+To make the short high sound of a small bird.
- chirrup/ˈt͡ʃɪɹəp/verb · C2To make a short repeated chirping sound.
- chisel/ˈt͡ʃɪzəl/noun · C1The sharp-edged tool struck to carve wood or stone.
- chiselledadjective · C1Sharply and cleanly cut, said of features.
- chitter/ˈtʃɪtə/verb · C2To make a rapid high chattering sound.
- chivalrous/ˈʃɪv.əl.ɹəs/adjective · C1Courteous and protective in an old-fashioned way.
- chivalry/ˈʃɪvəlɹi/noun · C1The code of honour a knight was meant to live by.
- chlorinatedadjective · B2+Treated with a chemical that kills germs.
- chlorine/ˈklɔɹin/noun · B1+A green gas used to kill germs in water.
- chloroform/ˈklɒɹə(ʊ)ˌfɔː(ɹ)m/noun · B2+A sweet-smelling liquid once used to render patients unconscious.
- chocolate/ˈtʃɒk.(ə.)lət/noun · A1A sweet brown food made from cocoa, sold in bars.
- choice/tʃɔɪs/noun · A2The act of picking one thing instead of another.
- choir/kwaɪə(ɹ)/noun · B2A large group of people singing together, often in church.
- choke/t͡ʃəʊk/verb · B1To be unable to breathe because something blocks the throat.
- choker/ˈtʃəʊkə/noun · B2+A close-fitting necklace worn at the throat.
- choking/ˈtʃəʊkɪŋ/noun · B1Being unable to breathe because something blocks the throat.
- cholesterol/kəˈlɛstəɹɒl/noun · B1+A fatty substance in the blood that can block the arteries.
- choose/t͡ʃuːz/verb · A1To take one thing from several possibilities.
- chop/t͡ʃɒp/verb · A2To cut food into small pieces with quick knife strokes.
- choppy/ˈt͡ʃɒ.pi/adjective · B2+Rough with short broken waves.
- chopsticks/ˈt͡ʃɒpstɪks/noun · A2+The two thin sticks much of Asia eats with.
- chord/kɔːd/noun · B1+Several musical notes sounded together.
- chore/t͡ʃɔː/noun · B1+A boring routine job around the house, like washing dishes.
- choreographernoun · B2+Somebody who invents and arranges dance steps.
- choreographicadjective · C1To do with the arranging of dance steps.
- choreography/ˌkɔɹiˈɑɡɹəfi/noun · C2The designed steps and moves of a dance.
- chortle/ˈt͡ʃɔɹtəl/verb · C1To laugh with a gleeful chuckle.
- chorus/ˈkɔːɹəs/noun · B1A group who sing together, or the repeated part of a song.
- christening/ˈkɹɪs.ə.nɪŋ/noun · B2+The ceremony of naming and blessing a baby.
- chrome/kɹəʊm/noun · B2A bright hard metal plating used for trim.
- chromosome/ˈkɹəʊ.məˌsəʊm/noun · B2+One of the tiny thread packages your genes are bundled into.
- chronic/ˈkɹɒn.ɪk/adjective · B2Lasting for years and never fully going away — pain or illness.
- chronic painnoun · B2Hurting that lasts for months or years.
- chronicle/ˈkɹɒnɪkəl/noun · B2A record of events written down year by year.
- chronological/ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/adjective · B2+Arranged in the order that things happened.
- chronology/kɹəˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/noun · C2The order in which events happened.
- chrysalis/ˈkɹɪsəlɪs/noun · C2The hard case a butterfly forms inside before emerging.
- chrysanthemum/kɹɪˈsænθəməm/noun · B2+A dense autumn flower with many narrow petals.
- chubby/ˈt͡ʃʌbi/adjective · B1Softly round, as babies' cheeks are.
- chuck/t͡ʃʌk/verb · B1To throw something casually.
- chuckle/ˈt͡ʃʌkəl/verb · B1+To laugh quietly to yourself.
- chummy/ˈt͡ʃʌ.mɪ/adjective · C2Overly warm and familiar, as if you were old pals.
- chunk/t͡ʃʌŋk/noun · C1A thick solid piece of something.
- chunky/ˈt͡ʃʌŋki/adjective · B1+Thick and solid in build.
- church/t͡ʃɜːt͡ʃ/noun · A2The building with a cross and a bell where Christians pray.
- churchyard/ˈt͡ʃɝt͡ʃ.jɑɹd/noun · C1The walled ground around a chapel, often with graves.
- churl/tʃɜːl/noun · C2A rude ill-bred person, in old use.
- churlish/ˈtʃɜːlɪʃ/adjective · C2Rude and ungracious.
- churn/tʃɜːn/verb · C1To stir or move about violently.
- chute/ʃuːt/noun · B2A sloping channel that things slide down.
- cicada/sɪˈkeɪ.də/noun · B2+An insect whose loud buzzing fills hot summer evenings.
- cider/ˈsaɪ̯.dɚ/noun · B1+An alcoholic drink pressed from apples.
- cigarette/ˈsɪɡəɹɛt/noun · A2A thin paper tube of tobacco that people smoke.
- cinch/sɪntʃ/noun · C2The strap that holds a saddle on.
- cinder/ˈsɪndəː/noun · B2+A piece of burnt matter that will not burn again.
- cinema/ˈsɪn.ə.mə/noun · A2+The place with a giant screen where you watch new films.
- cinematographernoun · C2The person responsible for how the film looks.
- cinematography/ˌsɪn.ə.məˈtɒɡ.ɹə.fiː/noun · C2The art of shooting and lighting a film.
- cinnamon/ˈsɪnəmən/noun · B1The sweet brown spice from tree bark, dusted on buns and lattes.
- cipher/ˈsaɪfə/noun · C1A system for writing in code.
- circle/ˈsɜɹkəl/noun · A2A perfectly round shape, like a coin.
- circlet/ˈsɜːklət/noun · C1A plain ornamental band worn on the head.
- circuit/ˈsɜː.kɪt/noun · B2The complete loop electricity must travel to make anything work.
- circuit breakernoun · B2A switch that cuts the power when too much current flows.
- circuitry/ˈsɜːkɪtɹi/noun · B2+All the electrical paths inside a device.
- circular/ˈsɜː.kjə.lə/noun · B1+A notice sent out to everybody at once.
- circular reasoningnoun · C1Using your conclusion as one of your reasons.
- circulate/ˈsɜː.kjʊˌleɪt/verb · C1To pass around from one place or person to another.
- circulation/ˌsɜː(ɹ).kjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The endless round trip of blood through the body.
- circumference/sɜːˈkʌmfɹəns/noun · B2+The distance all the way round a circle.
- circumspect/ˈsɜː.kəm.spɛkt/adjective · C1Careful to look at every risk before acting.
- circumstance/ˈsɜːkəmst(ə)ns/noun · B2One of the surrounding conditions that shape a situation.
- circumstantial/səɹ.kəmˈstænʃəl/adjective · C1Based on details that point to a conclusion without proving it.
- circumvent/səːkəmˈvɛnt/verb · C1To get around a rule or an obstacle.
- circus/ˈsɜːkəs/noun · B1The traveling show under a big tent, with clowns and acrobats.
- cistern/ˈsɪs.tən/noun · C1The tank that holds the water for flushing.