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- infrared/ˌɪnfɹəˈɹɛd/noun · B2The band of radiation just beyond red light, felt as heat.
- infrastructure/ˈɪnfɹəˌstɹʌkt͡ʃə/noun · B2+All the roads, pipes, wires, and rails a city runs on.
- infringe/ɪnˈfɹɪnd͡ʒ/verb · C1To break a law or to encroach on a right.
- infringement/ɪnˈfɹɪnd͡ʒmənt/noun · C1A breaking of a rule or of somebody's rights.
- infuriate/ɪnˈfjʊəɹieɪt/verb · B2+To make somebody extremely angry.
- infuse/ɪnˈfjuz/verb · B2+To soak in liquid to draw out flavour, or to fill with a quality.
- infusedadjective · B2+Given flavour by soaking something in it.
- infusion/ɪnˈfjuːʒən/noun · C1A liquid made by steeping, or a fresh supply put in.
- ingenious/ɪnˈd͡ʒiːnjəs/adjective · C1Brilliantly clever in an inventive way.
- ingenuity/ˌɪnd͡ʒəˈn(j)uːəti/noun · C1Cleverness at inventing and solving.
- ingenuous/ɪnˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.əs/adjective · C2Innocent and open, without any guile.
- ingest/ɪnˈd͡ʒɛst/verb · C1To take food or liquid into the body.
- ingrainedadjective · C1Fixed so deeply that it cannot be removed.
- ingrate/ˈɪnɡɹeɪt/noun · C2Somebody who shows no thanks for kindness.
- ingratiate/ɪnˈɡɹeɪ.ʃi.eɪt/verb · C1To work your way into somebody's favour.
- ingratitude/ɪnˈɡɹætɪtud/noun · C1A failure to show thanks for kindness.
- ingredient/ɪnˈɡɹiːdi.ənt/noun · B1+One of the foods you mix together to make a dish.
- inhabit/ɪnˈhæbɪt/verb · B2+A formal word for living in a place.
- inhabitant/ɪnˈhæb.ɪ.tənt/noun · B2+Somebody who lives in a particular place.
- inhalation/ˌɪnhəˈleɪʃən/noun · C1The drawing of air or a substance into the lungs.
- inhale/ɪnˈheɪl/verb · B1+To draw air into your lungs.
- inherent/ɪnˈhɪəɹənt/adjective · C1Built into the very nature of a thing.
- inherit/ɪnˈhɛɹɪt/verb · B2To receive money, a house, or blue eyes from a family member.
- inheritance/ɪnˈhɛɹɪtəns/noun · C1What is passed down to you when somebody dies.
- inheritance taxnoun · C1Money the state takes from what the dead leave behind.
- inhibit/ɪnˈhɪbɪt/verb · C1To hold back a process or make a person feel too shy to act.
- inhibitor/ɪnˈhɪbɪtɚ/noun · C1A substance that slows a reaction down.
- inhospitable/ˌɪnhɒsˈpɪtəbəl/adjective · B2+Unwelcoming to visitors, or harsh to live in.
- inhumanitynoun · B2+Cruel treatment of other people.
- inimical/ɪˈnɪ.mɪ.kəl/adjective · C2Hostile, or harmful to something.
- inimitable/ɪnˈɪmɪtəbl̩/adjective · C2So distinctive that nobody can copy it.
- iniquitous/ɪˈnɪkwɪtəs/adjective · C2Grossly unfair and wicked.
- initial/ɪˈnɪʃ.əl/verb · B2To mark a page with the first letters of your name.
- initially/ɪˈnɪʃəli/adverb · B2At the very beginning.
- initiate/ɪˈnɪʃ.i.eɪt/verb · C1A formal word for setting something in motion.
- initiation/ɪˌnɪʃ.iˈeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+The formal admitting of somebody into a group.
- initiative/ɪˈnɪʃ.ə.tɪv/noun · B2The drive to act first without being told; also, a new plan of action.
- inject/ɪnˈd͡ʒɛkt/verb · C1To push liquid in through a needle — or energy into a dull room.
- injection/ɪnˈd͡ʒɛk.ʃən/noun · C1A dose of medicine pushed into the body with a needle.
- injection mouldingnoun · C1Forcing molten plastic into a shaped cavity.
- injector/ɪnˈd͡ʒɛktɚ/noun · C1The part that squirts fuel or medicine in.
- injunction/ɪnˈd͡ʒʌŋk.ʃən/noun · C1A court order stopping somebody doing something.
- injure/ˈɪn.d͡ʒɚ/verb · B1+To hurt somebody's body.
- injury/ˈɪn.d͡ʒə.ɹi/noun · A2+Damage to your body, for example from a fall or an accident.
- injustice/ɪnˈd͡ʒʌs.tɪs/noun · B2Treatment that is plainly unfair.
- ink/ˈɪŋk/noun · B2The dark cloud a squid releases to escape.
- ink/ˈɪŋk/noun · A2Coloured liquid used for writing or printing.
- inkling/ˈɪŋklɪŋ/noun · C1A faint idea that something is so.
- inky/ˈɪŋki/adjective · C1As black as writing fluid.
- inlaidadjective · C1Decorated with pieces set flush into the surface.
- inland/ˈɪnlənd/adverb · B2+Away from the sea, towards the middle of a country.
- inlay/ɪnˈleɪ/noun · C1Decoration set flush into a surface.
- inlet/ˈɪnlət/noun · B2+A narrow arm of sea reaching into the land.
- inn/ɪn/noun · B1A small old-fashioned hotel serving food and drink.
- innate/ɪˈneɪt/adjective · B2+Present from birth rather than learned.
- inner/ˈɪnə/adjective · B2On the inside, or private to a person.
- inner citynoun · B2The older, denser area near the centre.
- inner tubenoun · B1The inflatable ring inside a tyre.
- innermost/ˈɪnɚmoʊst/adjective · C1Nearest the very middle.
- innings/ˈɪn.ɪŋz/noun · B2The period during which a team or a player bats.
- innocent/ˈɪnəsənt/adjective · A2Having done nothing wrong.
- innocuous/ɪˈnɒkjuəs/adjective · C1Completely harmless.
- innovate/ˈɪn.ə.veɪt/verb · C1To bring in new methods or ideas.
- innovation/ˌɪn.əˈveɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+A new method or product, or the making of one.
- innovative/ɪnˈnɒ.və.tɪv/adjective · B2+Bringing genuinely new ideas and methods.
- innuendo/ˌɪnjuˈɛndəʊ/noun · C2A sly hint at something improper.
- innumerable/ɪˈnuːməɹ.əbəl/adjective · C1Too many to be counted.
- inoculate/ɪˈnɒkjuleɪt/verb · C1To protect against a disease by a small dose of it.
- inorganic/ɪnɔɹˈɡænɪk/adjective · B2+Not built around carbon.
- input/ˈɪnpʊt/noun · B2What is put into a system.
- inquest/ˈɪŋkwɛst/noun · C1An official inquiry into a sudden death.
- inquire/ɪnˈkwaɪə/verb · B2+The formal word for requesting information.
- inquiry/ɪnˈkwaɪəɹi/noun · B2An official investigation, or a question.
- inquisition/ˌɪŋkwɪˈzɪʃən/noun · B2+A harsh and searching questioning.
- insatiable/ɪnˈseɪʃ(j)əbəl/adjective · C1Impossible to satisfy.
- inscribe/ɪnˈskɹaɪb/verb · C1To carve or write words on a surface.
- inscription/ɪnˈskɹɪpʃən/noun · C1Words cut into stone or metal to last.
- inscrutable/ˌɪnˈskɹuːtəbl̩/adjective · C2Giving away nothing of what is thought or felt.
- insect/ˈɪn.sɛkt/noun · A2+A small creature with six legs and a body in three parts.
- insect repellentnoun · B2The lotion that keeps biting flies away.
- insecticide/ɪnˈsɛk.tɪˌsaɪd/noun · B2+A chemical that kills insects.
- insecure/ɪnsəˈkjʊə(ɹ)/adjective · C1Doubting yourself and needing reassurance.
- insecuritynoun · B2The nagging doubt that you are not good enough.
- insensitive/ɪnˈsɛnsɪtɪv/adjective · C1Not noticing or caring how others feel.
- inseparable/inˈsɛ.p(ə).ɹə.bl/adjective · B2+Impossible to part from one another.
- insert/ɪnˈsɜːt/verb · B2To put something into something else.
- insertion/ɪnˈsɝʃən/noun · C1The putting of one thing inside another.
- inside out/ˌɪnsaɪdˈaʊt/phrase · B1With the inner surface turned to the outside.
- insider/ɪnˈsaɪdɚ/noun · C1Somebody within a group who knows its secrets.
- insidious/ɪnˈsɪdi.əs/adjective · C1Doing harm gradually and without being noticed.
- insight/ˈɪnsaɪ̯t/noun · B2A sudden deep understanding of how something really works.
- insight/ˈɪnsaɪ̯t/noun · B2A useful truth about customers found in the data.
- insightful/ɪnˈsaɪt.f(ə)l/adjective · C1Showing deep understanding.
- insignia/ɪnˈsɪɡ.ni.ə/noun · C1The badges that show rank or unit.
- insincere/ˌɪns(ɪ)nˈsɪə/adjective · B2+Saying warm things you do not feel.
- insinuate/ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/verb · C2To hint at something unpleasant without saying it outright.
- insinuatingadjective · C1Hinting at something unpleasant without saying it.
- insinuation/ɪnˌsɪnjuˈeɪʃən/noun · C1A nasty hint dropped without saying it outright.
- insipid/ɪnˈsɪp.ɪd/adjective · C1So weak in flavour that it is dull.
- insist/ɪnˈsɪst/verb · B2To keep saying firmly that something must be so.
- insistence/ɪnˈsɪs.təns/noun · C1Refusing to let a demand drop.
- insistent/ɪnˈsɪstənt/adjective · B2+Demanding attention and refusing to be put off.
- insofar/ɪn.səʊˈfɑː(ɹ)/adverb · C1To the extent that.
- insole/ˈɪnsəʊl/noun · B2+The soft layer inside a shoe, under your foot.
- insolence/ˈɪn.sə.ləns/noun · C1Rude disrespect towards somebody who deserves better.
- insolent/ˈɪn.sə.lənt/adjective · C1Rudely disrespectful to those owed respect.
- insoluble/ɪnˈsɒljʊbəl/adjective · B2+Unable to be dissolved.
- insolvent/ɪnˈsɒlv.ənt/adjective · C1Owing more than you own.
- insomnia/ɪnˈsɒmniə/noun · B2+The misery of lying awake all night, unable to sleep.
- insouciant/ɪnˈsuːsɪənt/adjective · C2Carefree, and untroubled by what should worry you.
- inspect/ɪnˈspɛkt/verb · B2To look at something closely to check it.
- inspection/ɪnˈspɛkʃən/noun · B2An official close look to check that all is as it should be.
- inspection linenoun · B2The stage where finished goods are examined.
- inspector/ɪnˈspɛk.təː/noun · B2An official whose job is checking standards.
- inspiration/ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2Something that fills you with the urge to create or act.
- inspirational/ˌɪnspəˈɹeɪʃənəl/adjective · B2+Filling people with the urge to act or create.
- inspire/ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/verb · B2To light a fire in someone that makes them want to act or create.
- install/ɪnˈstɔːl/verb · B2To put equipment or software in place, ready to work.
- installation/ˌɪn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən/noun · B2The setting up of equipment, or a work of art in a space.
- installment/ɪnˈstɔːl.mənt/noun · B2+One of the regular part-payments that add up to the full price.
- instalment/ɪnˈstɔːl.mənt/noun · B2+One of a series of regular part-payments.
- instalment plannoun · C1Paying for something in regular parts over time.
- instance/ˈɪnstəns/noun · B2One example of something.
- instant/ˈɪnstənt/noun · B2An extremely short point of time.
- instantaneous/ɪnstənˈteɪni.əs/adjective · C2Happening in the same instant, with no delay.
- instead/ɪnˈstɛd/adverb · A2In place of what was expected.
- instep/ˈɪnˌstɛp/noun · C1The arched upper part of the foot.
- instigate/ˈɪnstəɡeɪt/verb · C1To be the one who starts something happening.
- instill/ɪnˈstɪl/verb · C1To gradually plant values or confidence in someone's mind.
- instinct/ˈɪn.stɪŋkt/noun · B2The inborn knowledge of what to do that no one ever taught you.
- instinctive/ɪnˈstɪŋktɪv/adjective · C1Done without thinking, because it comes naturally.
- instinctively/ɪnˈstɪŋktɪvli/adverb · C1Without stopping to think.
- institute/ˈɪnstɪtjuːt/noun · B2An organisation set up for study or a special purpose.
- institution/ˌɪn.stɪˈtʃuː.ʃən/noun · B2An established organisation, or a long-settled custom.
- institutional/ˌɪn.stɪˈtjuː.ʃə.nəl/adjective · C1Belonging to a large established organisation.
- instruct/ɪnˈstɹʌkt/verb · B2To tell somebody officially what to do, or to teach them.
- instruction/ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/noun · B1+A statement telling you exactly how something must be done.
- instructionaladjective · B2+Meant to teach somebody how to do something.
- instructive/ɪnˈstɹʌktɪv/adjective · B2+Teaching you something worth knowing.
- instructor/ɪnˈstɹʌktɚ/noun · B1+Somebody who teaches a practical skill.
- instrument/ˈɪnstɹəmənt/noun · A2+Anything made for playing music.
- instrumental/ɪnstɹəˈmɛntəl/adjective · B2Playing a key part in something, or played without singing.
- insubordinateadjective · C1Refusing to obey somebody in authority.
- insubordination/ˌɪn.səˌbɔːɹ.dɪˈneɪ.ʃən/noun · C1Open refusal to obey orders.
- insufficient/ɪnsəˈfɪʃənt/adjective · C1Not enough for what is needed.
- insular/ˈɪnsjələ/adjective · C2Narrow in outlook through being cut off from others.
- insulation/ˌɪnsjʊˈleɪʃən/noun · B2+The padding in walls that keeps warmth in and noise out.
- insulation battnoun · C2A thick pad of fibre that keeps heat from escaping.
- insulator/ˈɪn.s(j)ə.leɪ.tə(ɹ)/noun · B2+A material that will not let electricity pass.
- insulator/ˈɪn.s(j)ə.leɪ.tə(ɹ)/noun · B2+A substance that will not carry heat or electricity.
- insult/ɪnˈsʌlt/verb · B2To say something rude that wounds someone's pride.
- insuperable/ɪnˈsup(ə)ɹəb(ə)l/adjective · C2Impossible to overcome, however hard you try.
- insurance/ɪnˈʃɔː.ɹəns/noun · B2A deal where you pay a company monthly and they pay if disaster strikes.
- insurance agentnoun · B2A person who arranges cover against loss.
- insurance cardnoun · B1The card showing who pays for your treatment.
- insurance valuationnoun · C1An estimate of worth made for cover against loss.
- insure/ɪnˈʃɔː(ɹ)/verb · B1+To arrange payment against a possible loss.
- insurgency/ɪnˈsɜːd͡ʒənsi/noun · C1An armed rising against the government.
- insurmountableadjective · C1Too great an obstacle to get past.
- insurrection/ˌɪnsəˈɹɛkʃn̩/noun · C1A violent rising against those in power.
- intact/ɪnˈtækt/adjective · C1Whole and undamaged, nothing broken off.
- intaglio/ɪnˈtæl.jəʊ/noun · C2A design cut down into a stone rather than raised.
- intake/ˈɪnteɪk/noun · C1What is taken in, and the opening it comes through.
- integer/ˈɪn.tɪ.d͡ʒə(ɹ)/noun · B2+A whole number as a program stores it.
- integral/ˈɪntɪɡr(ə)l/adjective · C1Forming an essential part of the whole.
- integrate/ˈɪn.tɪ.ɡɹeɪt/verb · B2+To bring separate parts or people together into one working whole.
- integrated/ˈɪn.tɪ.ɡɹeɪtəd/adjective · C1Joined so the parts work as a single system.
- integration/ˌɪn.tɪˈɡɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The bringing together of separated groups as equals.
- integrity/ɪnˈtɛɡɹəti/noun · C1Doing the honest right thing even when nobody is watching.
- intellect/ˈɪntəlɛkt/noun · C1The power of the mind to reason and understand.
- intellectual/ˌɪntəˈlɛkt͡ʃʊəl/adjective · B2To do with serious thought and study.
- intelligence/ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒəns/noun · B2Information gathered about an enemy.
- intelligence/ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒəns/noun · B1The ability to learn and understand, or secret information gathered.
- intelligentsia/ɪntɛlɪˈd͡ʒɛntsɪə/noun · C2The educated class who shape a country's ideas.
- intend/ɪnˈtɛnd/verb · B1To have something as your plan.
- intense/ɪnˈtɛns/adjective · B2Extremely strong in degree — heat, feeling, or focus.
- intensify/ɪnˈtɛnsɪfaɪ/verb · C1To make something stronger or more extreme.
- intensity/ɪnˈtɛnsɪti/noun · C1How strong or extreme something is.
- intensive/ɪnˈtɛnsɪv/adjective · C1Concentrated and thorough.
- intensive carenoun · B2The ward for patients whose lives are at risk.
- intention/ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩/noun · B1What you plan and mean to do.
- inter/ɪnˈtɚ/verb · C1To bury a body in the ground.
- inter aliaadverb · C2Among other things.
- interact/ɪn.təˈɹækt/verb · B2To act on each other — talking, playing, or reacting.
- interaction/ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/noun · B2The action two things have on each other.
- interactive/ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.tɪv/adjective · C1Responding to what the user does.
- intercede/ɪntə(ɹ)ˈsiːd/verb · C1To speak up on somebody's behalf.
- intercept/ɪntəˈsɛpt/verb · B2To catch something on its way before it arrives.
- interception/ɪntɚˈsɛpʃən/noun · B2+The stopping of something on its way to somewhere else.
- intercession/ˌɪn.təɹˈsɛ.ʃən/noun · C1Pleading with somebody on another's behalf.
- intercourse/ˈɪn.tɚˌkɔɹs/noun · B2Sex, or dealings between people.
- interdict/ˈɪntɚdɪkt/noun · C2An official order forbidding something.
- interest/ˈɪn.tɹɛst/noun · B1The extra percentage a bank pays on savings or charges on loans.
- interest ratenoun · B2The price of borrowing, as a percentage.
- interest-freeadjective · B2Borrowed without any charge for the credit.
- interesting/ˈɪntɹəstɪŋ/adjective · A1Holding your attention; you want to know more.
- interestinglyadverb · B2+In a way worth noticing, said before a point.
- interface/ˈɪntəfeɪs/noun · C1The screens and buttons through which a person meets a machine.
- interfacingnoun · C2A stiffening layer sewn between two pieces of cloth.
- interfere/ˌɪn.tɚˈfɪɚ/verb · B2To push into a matter that is not yours and get in its way.
- interference/ˌɪntə(ɹ)ˈfɪəɹəns/noun · C1Unwanted involvement, or noise spoiling a signal.
- interim/ˈɪntəɹɪm/adjective · C1Holding the place until the permanent one comes.
- interior/ɪnˈtɪə.ɹɪ.ə/adjective · C1On or belonging to the inside.
- interject/ɪn.təˈdʒɛkt/verb · C1To throw in a short remark while others are speaking.
- interjection/ɪn.təˈdʒɛk.ʃən/noun · C1A word thrown in to show feeling, such as ouch.
- interlibrary loannoun · B2Borrowing an item from another collection.
- interlock/ˌɪntə(ɹ)ˈlɒk/verb · C1To fit together so that neither part can come free.
- interlockingnoun · C2The system stopping signals and points from conflicting.
- interlude/ˈɪntə(ɹ)luːd/noun · C2A short break between two longer parts.
- intermediary/ˌɪntə(ɹ)ˈmiːdi.əɹi/noun · C2Somebody who acts between two sides to help them agree.
- intermediate/ɪn.tə(ɹ)ˈmi.di.ət/adjective · C1Coming between two stages or levels.
- intermission/ɪntɚˈmɪʃən/noun · B2+The break in the middle of a long show.
- intermittent/ˌɪntəˈmɪtn̩t/adjective · B2+Stopping and starting at intervals.
- intermittently/ɪn.tərˈmɪt.ənt.lɪ/adverb · B2+Stopping and starting at irregular intervals.
- intern/ɪnˈtɝn/noun · B1+The student doing a short first job to learn the profession.
- internal/ɪnˈtɜː.nəl/adjective · B2On or from the inside.
- international/ˌɪn.təˈnæʃ.(ə.)n(ə)l/adjective · A2+Involving two or more countries.
- internationallyadverb · B2+Across more than one country.
- internecine/ˌɪntəˈniːsaɪn/adjective · C2Destructive to both sides within one group.
- internet/ˈɪn.təˌnɛt/noun · A2+The world-spanning connection between all computers everywhere.
- internment/ɪnˈtɝnmənt/noun · C1The holding of people without trial in wartime.
- internship/ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp/noun · B2A short first job, often unpaid, where a student learns a profession.
- interpersonaladjective · C1To do with how people deal with one another.
- interpolate/ɪnˈtɜː.pəˌleɪt/verb · C2To work out a value that falls between two known ones.
- interpose/ˌɪn.təˈpəʊz/verb · C1To put something between, or to intervene.
- interpret/ɪnˈtɜː.pɹɪt/verb · B2To work out and explain what something really means.
- interpretation/ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/noun · B2One way of understanding what something means.
- interpreter/ɪnˈtɜː.pɹɪ.tə/noun · B2+A person who turns speech into another language as it happens.
- interrogate/ɪnˈtɛɹəɡeɪt/verb · C2To question somebody hard and at length.
- interrogation/ɪnˌteɹ.əˈɡeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2The long hard questioning of a suspect in a small room.
- interrogative/ˌɪn.təˈɹɒɡ.ə.tɪv/adjective · C2Having the form of a question.
- interrogatornoun · C1Somebody who questions a suspect at length.
- interrupt/ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/verb · B1To cut into the middle of someone's speaking or work.
- interrupt/ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/verb · B1To break the thread of somebody's thinking.
- interruption/ˌɪntəˈɹʌpʃən/noun · B2A break that stops something in its course.
- intersect/ɪntəˈsɛkt/verb · B2+To cross at a point.
- intersection/ˈɪntəɹˌsɛkʃən/noun · B2The place where two roads cross each other.
- intersperse/ˌɪntəˈspɜːs/verb · C2To scatter things at intervals among others.
- interstate/ˈɪntɚˌsteɪt/noun · B2A major road running between states.
- interval/ˈɪntəvəʊ/noun · B2+The gap of time between two events; also, a theatre break.
- interval/ˈɪntəvəʊ/noun · B2The break in the middle of a performance.
- interval/ˈɪntəvəʊ/noun · B2The gap between two things.
- intervene/ˌɪntəˈviːn/verb · C1To step into a situation to change how it goes.
- intervention/ɪntɚˈvɛnʃən/noun · C1Stepping in to change what is happening.
- interview/ˈɪn.tə.vjuː/noun · B1The formal conversation where a company decides whether to give you a job.
- interview/ˈɪn.tə.vjuː/noun · B1A recorded conversation in which a famous person answers questions.
- interview panelnoun · B2The group of people who question a candidate together.
- interviewee/ˌɪn.tə.vjuːˈiː/noun · B2+The person being questioned in an interview.
- interviewer/ˈɪntɚvjuɚ/noun · B1+Somebody who asks the questions in an interview.
- interweave/ˌɪntəˈwiːv/verb · C2To weave two things together so they cannot be pulled apart.
- intimate/ˈɪn.tɪ.mət/adjective · B2+Deeply close and private.
- intimation/ˌɪntəˈmeɪʃən/noun · C2A quiet hint that something is so.
- intimidate/ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/verb · B2+To frighten someone into doing what you want.
- intimidation/ɪntɪmɪˈdeɪʃən/noun · B2+Frightening somebody into doing as you wish.
- intolerable/ɪnˈtɑləɹəbl̩/adjective · B2+Too bad to be put up with.
- intolerance/ɪnˈtɒl.ə.ɹəns/noun · B2+An unwillingness to accept difference.
- intolerant/ɪnˈtɑləɹənt/adjective · B2+Refusing to accept views or people unlike your own.
- intonation/ɪntəˈneɪʃən/noun · B2+The musical rise and fall of the voice in speech.
- intone/ɪnˈtoʊn/verb · C1To speak or chant on a level note.
- intoxicating/ɪnˈtɒk.sɪ.keɪ.tɪŋ/adjective · C1Making you light-headed with pleasure or drink.
- intoxication/ɪntɑksɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · C1The state of being drunk, or a wild elation.
- intransigence/ɪnˈtɹæn.sɪ.d͡ʒəns/noun · C2Absolute refusal to shift your position.
- intransigent/ɪnˈtɹæn.sə.d͡ʒənt/adjective · C2Refusing utterly to compromise.
- intransitive/ɪnˈtɹænsətɪv/adjective · C1Said of a verb that takes no object.
- intravenous/ɪntɹəˈviːnəs/adjective · C1Going directly into a vein.
- intrepid/ɪnˈtɹɛpɪd/adjective · C1Fearless in the face of danger.
- intricate/ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/adjective · C1Woven of many tiny interlocking details.
- intrigue/ˈɪntɹiːɡ/noun · B2+Secret plotting to gain an advantage.
- intriguing/ɪnˈtɹiːɡɪŋ/adjective · C1So interesting that you want to know more.
- intrinsic/ɪnˈtɹɪn.zɪk/adjective · C2Valuable in itself, not for what it leads to.
- intrinsicallyadverb · C2By its own essential nature.
- intro/ˈɪntɹoʊ/noun · B1+The brief opening bit of a song, video or talk, named in clipped informal style.
- introduce/ˌɪntɹəˈdʒuːs/verb · A2+To tell two people each other's names so they can meet.
- introduction/ˌɪntɹəˈdʌkʃn̩/noun · B1+Presenting one thing or person to another.
- introspect/ˌɪntɹəˈspɛkt/verb · C1To examine your own thoughts and feelings.
- introspection/ɪntɹəˈspɛkʃən/noun · C1Looking inward at your own thoughts and feelings.
- introvert/ˈɪn.tɹə.vɜːt/noun · B2+Someone who needs time alone to recharge.
- introverted/ˈɪn.tɹəˌvɜːɹ.təd/adjective · B2+Recharging alone; drained by crowds.
- intrude/ɪnˈtɹuːd/verb · B2To come in where you are not wanted.
- intruder/ənˈtɹudɚ/noun · B2Somebody who enters where they have no right to be.
- intrusion/ɪnˈtɹuːʒən/noun · B2An unwelcome entry into a place or a private matter.
- intrusive/ɪnˈtɹuːsɪv/adjective · B2+Pushing in where you are not welcome.
- intrusive thoughtnoun · C1An unwanted idea that arrives and will not leave.
- intuition/ˌɪn.tjuːˈɪʃ.ən/noun · C1Knowing something is right without being able to say why.
- intuitive/ɪnˈtjuːɪtɪv/adjective · C1Known without reasoning, or easy to use without instruction.
- intuitivelyadverb · C1By instinct rather than by working it out.
- inundate/ˈɪn.ənˌdeɪt/verb · C1To flood, or to overwhelm with more than can be handled.
- invade/ɪnˈveɪd/verb · B2To enter a country by force with an army.
- invalid/ɪnˈvæl.ɪd/adjective · B2Not legally or logically acceptable.
- invalid/ɪnˈvæl.ɪd/adjective · B2Reasoned so that the conclusion does not follow.
- invaluable/ɪnˈvælju(ə)bl̩/adjective · B2+So useful its worth cannot be priced.
- invariably/ɪnˈvɛɹ.i.ə.bli/adverb · B2+Every single time, without exception.
- invasion/ɪnˈveɪʒən/noun · B2The entering of a country by an armed force.
- invasive/ɪnˈveɪsɪv/adjective · B2+Spreading harmfully into places it should not be.
- invasive speciesnoun · C1A living thing that spreads where it does not belong.
- invective/ɪnˈvɛktɪv/noun · C2Violent abusive language.
- invent/ɪnˈvɛnt/verb · B1To think up and build something that never existed before.
- invention/ɪnˈvɛnʃən/noun · B1A new thing nobody had ever made before.
- inventive/ɪnˈvɛntɪv/adjective · B2Good at thinking up new things.
- inventivenessnoun · C1Skill at thinking up new things.
- inventor/ɪnˈvɛntɚ/noun · B2Somebody who thinks up something new.
- inventory/ˈɪn.vən.tɹi/noun · B2The complete counted list of goods a business holds.
- invertebrate/ɪnˈvəːtɪbrət/noun · B2+An animal with no backbone.
- invest/ɪnˈvɛst/verb · B1+To put money into something hoping it grows into more.
- investigate/ɪnˈvɛs.tə.ɡeɪt/verb · B1To dig carefully into a matter to find the truth.
- investigation/ɪnˌvɛs.tɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/noun · B1An official effort to find out the facts.
- investigative/ɪnˈvɛstɪɡətɪv/adjective · B2+Devoted to finding out the facts.
- investigator/ɪnˈvɛs.tɪˌɡeɪ̯.təː/noun · B2Somebody whose job is finding out what happened.
- investiture/ɪnˈvɛstɪt͡ʃə/noun · C2The ceremony of granting somebody an office or honour.
- investment/ɪnˈvɛstmənt/noun · B2Money placed somewhere in the hope it will grow.
- investor/ɪnˈvɛs.tə(ɹ)/noun · B2+A person who puts money in expecting a return.
- inveterate/ɪnˈvɛtəɹɪt/adjective · C2Having a habit so long fixed it will never change.
- invidious/ɪnˈvɪdi.əs/adjective · C2Likely to cause resentment however you handle it.
- invigilator/ɪnˈvɪd͡ʒɪleɪtəɹ/noun · C1The person who watches over an examination room.
- invisible/ɪnˈvɪzəb(ə)l/adjective · B1Impossible to see.
- invitation/ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/noun · A2+The card or message asking you to come to a party.
- invite/ɪnˈvaɪt/verb · A2To ask someone to come to your party or home.
- invocation/ˌɪn.voʊˈkeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1A calling upon a higher power or an authority.
- invoice/ˈɪnˌvɔɪs/noun · C1The formal bill one business sends another for work done.
- invoke/ɪnˈvoʊk/verb · C1To call upon a law, right, or higher power for support.
- involuntary/ɪnˈvɒl.ən.tɹi/adjective · B2+Happening without your choosing it.
- involve/ɪnˈvɒlv/verb · B2To have something as a necessary part of the process.
- involvement/ɪnˈvɑlv.mənt/noun · C1Taking part in something.
- invulnerable/ɪnˈvʌl.nə.ɹə.bəl/adjective · B2+Unable to be hurt.
- inward/ˈɪnwəd/adjective · B2+Towards the inside, or in the mind.
- ion/ˈaɪən/noun · B2+An atom that has gained or lost an electron.
- ionic/aɪˈɒnɪk/adjective · C1Bonded by the attraction of opposite charges.
- iota/aɪˈəʊtə/noun · C1The smallest possible amount.
- irannoun · B1+The Middle Eastern country once called Persia, famous for carpets and poetry.
- iraqnoun · B1+The Middle Eastern country of Baghdad, between two ancient rivers.
- irascible/ɪˈɹæs.ɪ.bəl/adjective · C2Very easily made angry.
- irate/aɪˈɹeɪt/adjective · C1Extremely angry.
- ire/aɪ.ɚ/noun · C2Anger, in a formal or literary sense.
- irelandnoun · A2+The green island country of Dublin, shamrocks, and folk music.
- iridescent/ˌɪɹ.ɪˈdɛs.ənt/adjective · C1Showing shifting rainbow colours as it moves.
- iris/ˈaɪ.ɹɪs/noun · B2A tall flower with three petals up and three hanging down.
- irk/ɜːk/verb · C1To annoy somebody persistently.
- irksome/ˈɜɹksəm/adjective · C1Annoying in a tiresome and persistent way.
- iron/ˈaɪ.ən/noun · B1The hot flat tool that makes clothes smooth.
- iron/ˈaɪ.ən/verb · A2To press cloth flat with a heated metal base.
- iron/ˈaɪ.ən/noun · A2+A common strong metal that rusts.
- iron agenoun · B2The age when iron replaced softer metals for tools.
- iron curtain/ˌaɪən ˈkɜːtn̩/noun · C1The closed border that divided Europe for decades.
- iron outphrase · C1To smooth away the last small problems.
- ironic/aɪˈɹɒn.ɪk/adjective · C1Funny or strange because it is the opposite of what you'd expect.
- ironically/aɪˈɹɒnɪkli/adverb · C1In the opposite way to what you would expect — and it shows.
- ironing boardnoun · B1The narrow folding table you press clothes on.
- irony/ˈaɪə.ɹə.ni/noun · B2Saying one thing while meaning its opposite — or fate doing exactly that.
- irrational/ɪˈɹæʃ.(ə.)nəl/adjective · B2Not based on reason.
- irregular/ɪˈɹɛɡ.jʊ.lə/adjective · B1+Not even, or not following the usual rule.
- irrelevant/ɪˈɹɛləvənt/adjective · B2Having nothing to do with the matter at hand.
- irreproachableadjective · C2So correct that no fault can be found.
- irresistible/ˌɪɹ.ɪˈzɪs.tə.bəl/adjective · B2So tempting that you cannot say no.
- irresolute/ɪˈrɛz.əˌl(j)uːt/adjective · C1Unable to make up your mind.
- irrespective/ɪɹɪˈspɛktɪv/adjective · C1Paying no regard to whatever else may be true.
- irresponsible/ˌɪɹ.ɪˈspɒn.sə.bəl/adjective · B2Not taking proper care of duties.
- irreverent/ɪəˈɹɛ.və.ɹənt/adjective · C1Showing a cheerful lack of respect.
- irrevocable/ɪˈɹɛvəkəbəl/adjective · C2Impossible to undo or take back.
- irrigate/ˈɪɹəˌɡeɪt/verb · B2+To bring water to dry land so crops can grow.
- irrigation/ˌɪɹəˈɡeɪʃən/noun · B2+The bringing of water to dry land to grow crops.
- irritability/ˌɪɹɪtəˈbɪlɪti/noun · B2+Being easily annoyed by small things.
- irritable/ˈɪɹɪtəbl̩/adjective · B2Quick to snap at the smallest annoyance.
- irritate/ˈɪɹ.ɪˌteɪt/verb · B1+To make somebody slightly angry over and over.
- irritated/ˈɪɹɪteɪtɪd/adjective · B2Annoyed, or sore and inflamed.
- irritation/ˌɪɹ.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+Small sharp annoyance, like a fly that keeps coming back.
- island/ˈaɪlənd/noun · A1A piece of land with water all the way around it.
- isle/aɪ̯l/noun · B2+An island, in poetic or place-name use.
- isolate/ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/verb · B2To set apart, alone and cut off from the rest.
- isolation/ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən/noun · C1The state of being separated from everybody else.
- isotope/ˈaɪ.sə.təʊp/noun · C1A version of an element with a different number of neutrons.
- issue/ˈɪʃuː/noun · B1A point in dispute, or a problem to be settled.
- issue desknoun · B2Where items are checked out and returned.
- issue forthphrase · C2To stream or pour outward from an opening, said in a formal, old-fashioned way.
- it's not rocket sciencephrase · B2Said of something that is really not hard to understand.
- italianadjective · A2+The musical language of Rome and of every pizza menu.
- italynoun · A1The boot-shaped country of Rome, pizza, and pasta.
- itch/ɪt͡ʃ/verb · B1To feel a tickle on the skin that begs to be scratched.
- itchy/ˈɪt͡ʃi/adjective · B1Making you want to scratch.
- item/ˈaɪ.təm/noun · A2+One thing on a list or in a collection.
- itinerant/aɪˈtɪnɚənt/adjective · C1Travelling from place to place to find work.
- itinerary/aɪˈtɪnə(ɹə)ɹi/noun · C1The written plan of everywhere your trip will go, day by day.
- ivory/ˈaɪv(ə)ɹi/adjective · B1+A creamy white, like an elephant's tusk.
- ivory coastnoun · B2West African country, the world's biggest cocoa grower.
- ivy/ˈaɪvi/noun · B1+The climbing evergreen plant that covers old walls.
- jab/d͡ʒæb/verb · B2To hit with a short straight blow.
- jabber/ˈd͡ʒæbə(ɹ)/verb · C1To talk fast and unintelligibly.
- jack/ˈd͡ʒæk/noun · B2A device that lifts one corner of something very heavy.
- jack upphrase · B2To lift a vehicle so a wheel can be changed.
- jackal/ˈd͡ʒækəl/noun · B2+A wild dog that hunts and scavenges.
- jackanapes/ˈd͡ʒækəneɪps/noun · C2A cheeky and impertinent young man.
- jackdaw/ˈdʒækˌdɔː/noun · C1A small grey-necked member of the crow family.
- jacket/ˈd͡ʒæk.ɪt/noun · A1A short coat you wear outside over your other clothes.
- jackpot/ˈd͡ʒækpɒt/noun · B2The whole pot of prize money, won all at once.
- jacuzzi/d͡ʒəˈkuːzi/noun · B1A bath with jets of bubbling water.
- jade/d͡ʒeɪd/adjective · B1+A soft green with a hint of blue.
- jaded/ˈd͡ʒeɪdɪd/adjective · C1Tired of something through having had too much of it.
- jagged/ˈd͡ʒæɡɪd/adjective · B2With rough uneven points along an edge.
- jam/ˈd͡ʒæm/noun · A2+Fruit boiled with sugar until it sets, for spreading.
- jam/ˈd͡ʒæm/verb · B1To force something in so tightly it will not move.
- jam/ˈd͡ʒæm/verb · B1To stick so tightly that nothing moves.
- jamaica/d͡ʒəˈmeɪ.kə/noun · B1+The Caribbean island of reggae music and the fastest sprinters.
- jamboree/ˌdʒæm.bəˈɹiː/noun · C2A large lively celebration or rally.
- jangle/ˈd͡ʒæŋɡəl/verb · C1To make a harsh ringing clatter.
- janitor/ˈd͡ʒænɪtə/noun · B1The person who cleans and looks after a school building.
- januarynoun · A1The first month of the year, deep in winter.
- japan/d͡ʒəˈpæn/noun · A2+The island country of Tokyo, sushi, and cherry blossoms.
- japaneseadjective · A2+The language of Tokyo, written in three different scripts.
- jape/d͡ʒeɪp/noun · C2A practical joke or a bit of mockery.
- japerynoun · C2Joking and playing tricks.
- jar/d͡ʒɑː/noun · B1A glass container with a lid, used for keeping jam or honey.
- jargon/ˈdʒɑː.ɡən/noun · C2The insider vocabulary of one profession, opaque to everyone else.
- jarring[d͡ʒɑːrɪŋ]adjective · C2Clashing unpleasantly with what is around it.
- jasmine/ˈd͡ʒæzmɪn/noun · B1+A climbing plant with small white flowers and a strong scent.
- jasper/ˈd͡ʒæs.pə/noun · C1An opaque stone, usually red or brown.
- jaundiced/ˈd͡ʒɔːndɪst/adjective · C2Seeing everything sourly because of past disappointment.
- jaunt/ˈd͡ʒɔːnt/noun · C1A short trip taken for pleasure.
- jaunty/ˈd͡ʒɔːn.ti/adjective · C1Lively and pleased with yourself.
- javelin/ˈd͡ʒæv.(ə.)lɪn/noun · B1+The long spear athletes hurl as far as they can.
- jaw/d͡ʒɔː/noun · B2The bone that moves your mouth open and shut when you chew.
- jawbonenoun · B2+The bone that carries the lower teeth.
- jay/ˈd͡ʒeɪ/noun · B2A pinkish woodland bird with a flash of blue on its wing.
- jazz/d͡ʒæz/noun · A2+The music of swing and improvisation, born in New Orleans.
- jazzy/ˈd͡ʒæzi/adjective · B2+Bright and showy, or in the style of jazz.
- jealous/ˈd͡ʒɛl.əs/adjective · B1Unhappy because someone else has what you want.
- jealousy/ˈd͡ʒɛl.ə.si/noun · B1The fear of losing someone you love to another.
- jeans/d͡ʒiːnz/noun · A2+Strong blue cotton legwear that almost everyone owns.
- jeer/d͡ʒɪə/verb · B2+To shout mocking remarks at somebody.
- jelly/ˈd͡ʒɛli/noun · A2A wobbly sweet set with gelatine.
- jellyfish/ˈd͡ʒɛliˌfɪʃ/noun · A2+A soft transparent sea creature that drifts and stings.
- jeopardize/ˈd͡ʒɛp.ə.dʌɪz/verb · B2+To put something valuable at risk of harm.
- jerk/ˈd͡ʒɜːk/verb · B1To move with one short sharp pull.
- jerkin/ˈd͡ʒɜː.kɪn/noun · C2A close-fitting sleeveless jacket.
- jerky/ˈd͡ʒɜːki/adjective · B2Moving in sudden uneven starts.
- jerrycan/ˈd͡ʒɛɹiˌkæn/noun · C1A flat-sided metal can for carrying fuel.
- jersey/ˈd͡ʒɜːzi/noun · B1The team shirt a player wears, with a number on the back.
- jest/d͡ʒɛst/noun · C1Something said in fun rather than in earnest.
- jester/ˈd͡ʒɛs.tə/noun · B2+A comic entertainer at a royal court.
- jet/ˈd͡ʒɛt/noun · B2A very fast modern aircraft; rich people own private ones.
- jet/ˈd͡ʒɛt/noun · C1A hard black material used in mourning jewellery.
- jet blackadjective · B1The deepest possible black.
- jet bridgenoun · C1The covered walkway from the gate to the aircraft door.
- jet enginenoun · B2The engine that pushes an aircraft by burning fuel fast.
- jet lag/ˈd͡ʒɛt.læɡ/phrase · B2The dazed tiredness after flying across many time zones.
- jet setphrase · C1The rich crowd who fly the world from party to party.
- jet skinoun · B1A small powered craft ridden across the water.
- jet-black/ˈd͡ʒɛtblæk/adjective · B2As deeply black as it is possible to be.
- jetlagnoun · B2The exhausted confusion after flying across time zones.
- jetty/ˈd͡ʒɛti/noun · B2+A small landing stage running out into the water.
- jewel/ˈd͡ʒuːəl/noun · B1A precious stone, cut to sparkle.
- jewellernoun · B1+A person who makes or sells rings and necklaces.
- jewellery/ˈd͡ʒuː(ə)lɹi/noun · A2+Ornaments worn on the body, made of precious materials.
- jewelrynoun · B1Beautiful expensive things like chains and stones that people wear.
- jib/d͡ʒɪb/noun · C2The triangular sail set in front of the mast.
- jiffy/ˈd͡ʒɪ.fi/noun · B2An informal flash of time — also a real unit in physics, roughly how long light takes to cross a centimetre.
- jig/d͡ʒɪɡ/noun · C1A device that holds work in exactly the right place.
- jiggle/ˈd͡ʒɪɡəl/verb · B2To move something up and down or side to side with quick little jerks, as when working a stuck key in a lock.
- jigsaw/ˈd͡ʒɪɡ.sɔː/noun · B2A power saw whose blade jumps up and down for curved cuts.
- jigsaw puzzle/ˈdʒɪɡsɔː ˌpʌzəl/noun · B1A picture cut into pieces to be fitted together.
- jihad/d͡ʒɪˈhæd/noun · B2+A struggle undertaken as a religious duty in Islam.
- jingle/ˈd͡ʒɪŋɡl̩/verb · B2To make the light ringing of small bells or coins.
- jingle/ˈd͡ʒɪŋɡl̩/noun · B2The short catchy tune in an advertisement.
- jingoism/ˈd͡ʒɪŋɡəʊɪz(ə)m/noun · C2Loud aggressive pride in your own country.
- jinxedadjective · B2+Under some supposed curse that brings misfortune again and again.
- jittery/ˈd͡ʒɪt.ɹi/adjective · B2+Nervous and shaky.
- jive/ˈd͡ʒaɪv/noun · B2+A fast lively dance done to swing music.
- job/dʒɒb/noun · A1What you do every day to earn money.
- job descriptionnoun · B1The written account of what a post involves.
- job offernoun · B1The formal invitation to take a post.
- job securitynoun · B2How safe your position is from being lost.
- jockey/ˈd͡ʒɒki/noun · B2The small skilled rider who races horses.
- jocular/ˈd͡ʒɒkjʊlə/adjective · C2Fond of joking, and meant in fun.
- jocularity/ˌd͡ʒɑkjəˈlɛɹɪti/noun · C2Cheerful joking humour.
- jog/d͡ʒɒɡ/verb · B2To run at a slow steady pace for exercise.
- jogger/ˈd͡ʒɒ.ɡə/noun · B2A person out running at an easy pace for exercise.
- jogging/ˈd͡ʒɒɡ.ɪŋ/noun · B1+Running slowly and steadily for exercise.
- join/ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/verb · A1To become a member of a group, or connect things together.
- joiner/ˈd͡ʒɔɪnɚ/noun · C1A carpenter who makes doors, windows and stairs.
- joint/d͡ʒɔɪnt/noun · B1Any place where two bones meet and the body can bend.
- joint accountnoun · B2An account two people share.
- joist/d͡ʒɔɪst/noun · C1One of the beams that carries a floor.
- joke/ˈd͡ʒəʊ̯k/noun · A2A short funny story told to make people laugh.
- joker/ˈd͡ʒəʊkə/noun · B1Somebody who is always making jokes, or the odd card.
- jolt/d͡ʒɒlt/verb · B2To move or shake suddenly and roughly.
- jordan/ˈd͡ʒɔɹdən/noun · B1The Middle Eastern country of the rose-red stone city of Petra.
- jostle/ˈd͡ʒɒs.əl/verb · C1To push against people in a crowd.
- jounce/d͡ʒaʊn(t)s/verb · C2To bump and jolt up and down.
- journal/ˈd͡ʒɝnəl/noun · B1A periodical publishing scholarly articles.
- journalingnoun · B2Writing thoughts down regularly to make sense of them.
- journalism/ˈd͡ʒɜːn(ə)lɪzəm/noun · B2The work of gathering and writing the news.
- journalist/ˈd͡ʒɝnəlɪst/noun · B1+A person whose job is finding and writing the news.
- journalistic/ˌd͡ʒɜː(ɹ)nəˈlɪstɪk/adjective · B2+In the manner of news writing.
- journey/ˈd͡ʒɝni/noun · B1The act of going from one place to a far one — the road itself, not the arrival.
- journeyman/ˈd͡ʒɝnimən/noun · C2A trained worker who is competent but not outstanding.
- joust/d͡ʒaʊst/noun · B2+A contest between two knights with lances.
- jovial/ˈd͡ʒəʊ.vɪ.əl/adjective · C1Cheerful and full of good humour.
- jowl/d͡ʒaʊl/noun · C2The loose flesh under the jaw.
- joy/d͡ʒɔɪ/noun · B1Great and pure happiness.
- joyful/ˈd͡ʒɔɪfl̩/adjective · B1+Full of happiness.
- joyous/ˈd͡ʒɔɪəs/adjective · B2Full of happiness.
- joystick/ˈd͡ʒɔɪ.stɪk/noun · B2+The stick with buttons you steer old arcade games with.
- jubilant/ˈd͡ʒuːbɪlənt/adjective · B2Bursting with joy after a victory.
- jubilation/ˌd͡ʒuːbəlˈeiːʃən/noun · C1Great public rejoicing.
- jubilee/ˈd͡ʒuːbɪliː/noun · B2+A special anniversary of an important event.
- jubilee yearnoun · C1A special anniversary marked with public rejoicing.
- judge/d͡ʒʌd͡ʒ/verb · B1To decide how good or bad something is after looking at it carefully.
- judge/d͡ʒʌd͡ʒ/noun · B1The person in the black robe who leads a trial and gives the sentence.
- judgemental/d͡ʒʌd͡ʒˈmɛn.təl/adjective · B2+Quick to condemn other people.
- judgment/ˈd͡ʒʌd͡ʒ.mənt/noun · B1The ability to decide well, or a court's decision.
- judicial/d͡ʒuˈdɪʃəl/adjective · C1To do with courts and the judging of cases.
- judicious/dʒuˈdɪʃ.əs/adjective · C1Showing good sense in making decisions.
- judo/ˈd͡ʒuːdəʊ/noun · B2+A Japanese sport of throws and holds.
- jug/d͡ʒʌɡ/noun · B1The container with a handle and lip for pouring water or milk.
- juggernaut/ˈd͡ʒʌɡ.ə.nɔːt/noun · C1A huge force that crushes everything in its path.
- juggle/ˈd͡ʒʌɡəl/verb · B2To keep several things in the air, or several tasks going.
- juggler/ˈd͡ʒʌɡl̩ə(ɹ)/noun · B1+Somebody who keeps several objects in the air at once.
- juice/d͡ʒuːs/noun · A1The sweet drink squeezed out of fruit.
- juicy/ˈd͡ʒuːsi/adjective · B1Full of delicious liquid that runs when you bite.
- julynoun · A1The seventh month, the heart of the summer holidays.
- jumble/ˈd͡ʒʌmbəl/noun · B2An untidy mixture of unrelated things.
- jumble salenoun · B2A sale of donated second-hand oddments.
- jump/d͡ʒʌmp/verb · A2To push off the ground so both feet fly into the air.
- jump on the bandwagonphrase · C1To join something only because it has become popular.
- jump the gunphrase · B2To start before it is time.
- jumper/ˈd͡ʒʌmpə/noun · B1A knitted top pulled on over the head.
- jumpy/ˈd͡ʒʌmpi/adjective · B2Nervous and easily startled.
- junction/ˈd͡ʒʌŋkʃən/noun · B2+Where two railway lines meet or divide.
- junction boxnoun · B2The small case where wires are joined safely.
- juncture/ˈd͡ʒʌŋk.tʃə(ɹ)/noun · C1A particular point in time, especially a critical one.
- junenoun · A1The sixth month, when summer begins.
- jungle/ˈd͡ʒʌŋ.ɡ(ə)l/noun · B1A hot thick wild forest full of monkeys, snakes, and loud birds.
- junior/ˈd͡ʒuːniə/adjective · B1Lower in rank or younger.
- juniper/ˈd͡ʒuːnɪpə/noun · B2+A small evergreen whose berries flavour gin.
- junk/d͡ʒʌŋk/noun · A2+Worthless old things nobody wants.
- junk foodphrase · B2Tasty unhealthy food with lots of fat, sugar, and salt.
- junk mailnoun · B1Unwanted advertising that arrives through the door.
- junk shopnoun · B2A shop selling cheap second-hand goods.
- junkyard/ˈd͡ʒʌŋkˌjɑɹd/noun · B2A yard where scrap is piled up for resale.
- jurassicadjective · B2+Of the middle age of the great reptiles.
- jurisdiction/d͡ʒʊɹɪsˈdɪkʃən/noun · C1The area or subject a court has power over.
- jurisprudence/ˈd͡ʒʊəɹɪsˌpɹuːdəns/noun · C2The theory and philosophy of law.
- jurist/ˈd͡ʒʊəɹ.ɪst/noun · C1An expert in the law.
- juror/ˈd͡ʒʊəɹə/noun · B2+One of the citizens who decide a verdict in court.
- jury/ˈd͡ʒʊəɹi/noun · B2The twelve ordinary citizens who decide guilty or not guilty.
- jury dutynoun · B2The obligation to serve on the panel that decides a verdict.
- jury-rig/ˈdʒʊə.ɹi ɹɪɡ/verb · C2To rig something up roughly so it works for now.
- just a momentphrase · A2A polite request for a brief wait.
- just in timephrase · C1Delivering parts only as they are needed.
- just in timephrase · B1At the last possible moment.
- just my luckphrase · B2Said bitterly when something goes wrong for you again.
- justice/ˈd͡ʒʌs.tɪs/noun · B1Fair treatment under the law — everyone getting what they deserve.
- justification/ˌd͡ʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · B2+The grounds on which a belief is held.
- justification/ˌd͡ʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · C1A good reason offered for what was done.
- justify/ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ/verb · B2To give reasons good enough to defend what was done.
- jut/d͡ʒʌt/verb · B2+To stick out beyond the surrounding surface.
- juvenile/ˈd͡ʒuːvənaɪl/adjective · C1Involving a person too young to be treated as an adult.
- juxtapose/ˈd͡ʒʌk.stə.pəʊz/verb · C1To place two things side by side for contrast.
- juxtaposition/ˌd͡ʒʌk.stə.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/noun · C1The placing of contrasting things next to each other.
- kaisernoun · C1The former emperor of Germany or Austria.
- kale/keɪl/noun · B1+A dark curly leaf that refuses to go soft.
- kaleidoscope/kəˈlaɪ.dəˌskəʊp/noun · B2+A tube of shifting coloured patterns, or a constant change.
- kangaroo/ˌkæːŋ.ɡəˈɹʉː/noun · B2An Australian animal that jumps far and carries its baby in a pocket.
- karaoke/ˈkæ.ɹiˌəʊ.ki/noun · B2Singing along to recorded backing for fun.
- karatnoun · B2+A measure of how pure gold is, out of twenty-four.
- karate/kəˈɹɑː.ti/noun · A2+The Japanese fighting art of fast kicks and hand strikes, in white suits with belts.
- karma/ˈkɐɾ.mɑː/noun · B1+The idea that your acts shape what happens to you later.
- kartingnoun · B2+Racing small low open-wheeled machines.
- kayak/ˈkaɪˌæk/noun · B1+A slim closed canoe you paddle with a double-bladed oar.
- kazakhstannoun · B2The enormous steppe country of Central Asia.
- kebab/kəˈbæb/noun · B1+Grilled meat served in flatbread, the king of late-night food.
- keel/kiːl/noun · B2+The long fin under a boat that keeps it upright.
- keep/kiːp/verb · A1To continue to have something instead of giving it away.
- keep a promisephrase · B1To do exactly what you said you would.
- keep a secretphrase · B1To tell nobody what you were told in confidence.
- keep a straight facephrase · B2To stop yourself laughing when you want to.
- keep an eye onphrase · B2To watch something carefully so nothing goes wrong.
- keep in touchphrase · B1A request not to lose contact.
- keep it under your hatphrase · C1To keep something secret.
- keep outphrase · B1To stop somebody or something entering.
- keep somebody postedphrase · B2To keep telling somebody the latest news.
- keep something under your hatphrase · C1To keep a secret to yourself.
- keep trackphrase · B1To stay aware of how something is going.
- keep upphrase · B2To move or progress at the same speed as the others.
- keep up withphrase · B1To move as fast as somebody else.
- keep up with the jonesesphrase · C1To try to match your neighbours' possessions.
- keep your chin upphrase · B2To stay cheerful when things are hard.
- keep your hair onphrase · C1Calm down and stop getting angry.
- keep your headphrase · B2To stay calm when everybody else is panicking.
- keepsake/ˈkiːp.seɪk/noun · C1A small object kept in memory of somebody.
- keg/kɛɡ/noun · B2+A small metal barrel for beer.
- kelvin/ˈkɛlvɪn/noun · C1The scale that starts at the coldest possible temperature.
- ken/kɛn/noun · C2The range of what somebody knows or can see.
- kennel/ˈkɛn.əl/noun · B1+The small shelter a dog sleeps in.
- kenyanoun · B1+The East African country of safaris and great runners.
- kerb/kɝb/noun · B1+The raised stone edge between road and pavement.
- kernel/ˈkɜː.nəl/noun · B2+The soft part inside a nut, or the core of a matter.
- kerosene/ˈkɛɹəsiːn/noun · B2+A thin oil burned in lamps and jet engines.
- kestrel/ˈkɛstɹəl/noun · C1A small falcon that hovers over roadsides.
- ketch/kɛt͡ʃ/noun · C2A two-masted sailing boat.
- ketchup/ˈkɛt͡ʃ.əp/noun · A2+The sweet red sauce that goes on fries.
- kettle/ˈkɛ.təl/noun · B1A container with a spout that boils water for tea.
- kettle traynoun · B2The small set for making tea and coffee in a room.
- key/kiː/noun · A1The small metal thing you turn to open a lock.
- key cardnoun · B1The plastic card that unlocks a hotel door.
- key inphrase · B1To type information into a machine.
- key performance indicatornoun · C1A number chosen to show whether work is going well.
- keyboard/ˈki.bɔɹd/noun · B1+The board of letter buttons you type on.
- keynote/ˈkiːˌnoʊt/noun · B2+The central theme, or the main speech at a conference.
- keypad/ˈkiːpæd/noun · B1+A small set of keys for entering numbers or commands.
- keystone/ˈkiː.stəʊn/noun · C1The central wedge at the top of an arch that locks it.
- keystrokenoun · B2+A single press of a key.
- keyword/ˈkiː.wɜːd/noun · B1+A word people search for that you want to be found by.
- khaki/xɑki/adjective · B1+A dusty yellow-brown, the colour of army cloth.
- kibble/ˈkɪbəl/noun · B2+Dry pellets of pet food.
- kick/kɪk/verb · A2To hit something with your foot.
- kick offphrase · B2To begin an event.
- kick yourselfphrase · B2To be annoyed at yourself for a missed chance.
- kickback/ˈkɪkbæk/noun · C1The sudden backward force a machine gives.
- kickboardnoun · B2A float held to practise leg movements.
- kickboxing/ˈkɪk.bɒk.sɪŋ/noun · B2+A fighting sport using both fists and feet.
- kickoffnoun · B1+The first touch of the ball that starts the match.
- kickstand/ˈkɪkˌstænd/noun · B2The prop that holds a cycle upright when parked.
- kiddie/ˈkɪdi/noun · B2+A young child, said informally.
- kidnap/ˈkɪdnæp/verb · B2To take a person away by force and demand money for them.
- kidney/ˈkɪdni/noun · B2One of the two organs that clean your blood; you can donate one.
- kill/ˈkɪl/verb · A2To end a life.
- kill off/kɪl ɒf/phrase · B2To destroy something completely.
- kill timephrase · B2To do something unimportant while you wait.
- kill two birds with one stonephrase · B2To finish two tasks with a single action.
- killer/ˈkɪlə/noun · A2Somebody or something that kills.
- kiln/kɪln/noun · B2+The oven in which pottery is baked hard.
- kilo/ˈkiːləʊ/noun · A2+The clipped informal word people use in shops and gyms for a metric unit of weight equal to a thousand grams.
- kilogram/ˈkɪləɡɹæm/noun · A2+A thousand grams, about the weight of a bag of sugar.
- kilometre/kɪˈlɒmɪtə/noun · A2+A thousand metres.
- kilt/kɪlt/noun · B1+A pleated checked skirt worn by Scottish men.
- kimono/kəˈmoʊnoʊ/noun · B1+A long wide-sleeved Japanese robe tied with a sash.
- kin/kɪn/noun · B2Your family and relations.
- kind/kaɪnd/adjective · A1Caring about others and ready to help them.
- kind ofphrase · B1To some degree, but not entirely.
- kind-heartedadjective · B2Gentle and generous in the way you treat people.
- kindergarten/ˈkɪndəɹˌɡɑːɹt(ə)n/noun · A2+The place where very small children play and learn before real school.
- kindle/ˈkɪn.dəl/verb · C1To set alight, or to stir a feeling into life.
- kindling/ˈkɪnd.lɪŋ/noun · B2+The small dry sticks used to start a fire.
- kindness/ˈkaɪnd.nəs/noun · B1Warm, caring behavior toward others.
- kindred/ˈkɪndɹɪd/noun · C1Your relatives taken together.
- kinetic/kɪˈnɛtɪk/adjective · C2To do with movement and the energy of it.
- king/ˈkɪŋ/noun · A2The man who rules a country because his father did before him.
- king/ˈkɪŋ/noun · B1The piece that must be defended at all costs.
- kingdom/ˈkɪŋdəm/noun · B1A country ruled by a king or a queen.
- kingfisher/ˈkɪŋˌfɪʃə/noun · B2+A brilliant blue bird that dives for fish from a branch.
- kinship/ˈkɪnʃɪp/noun · C1The bond of belonging to the same family.
- kiosk/ˈkiːˌɒsk/noun · B1+The tiny street booth selling papers, snacks, and tickets.
- kiosk check-innoun · B2The machine you use to check yourself in.
- kirtle/ˈkəːt(ə)l/noun · C2A long gown worn in earlier centuries.
- kiss/kɪs/verb · A1To touch someone with your lips to show love.
- kit/ˈkɪt/noun · B1Everything a soldier carries and wears.
- kitchen/ˈkɪt͡ʃ(ɪ)n/noun · A1The room where meals are cooked.
- kitchen passnoun · C1The counter where finished dishes are handed out.
- kitchen porternoun · C1The worker who washes up and preps in a kitchen.
- kitchenette/ˌkɪt͡ʃəˈnɛt/noun · B2A tiny cooking corner in a small flat.
- kite/kaɪt/noun · A2+The paper bird on a long string that you fly on windy days.
- kite flyingnoun · B1The pastime of holding a wind-borne toy on a string.
- kitesurfingnoun · B2Riding a board pulled by a large steerable kite.
- kith/kɪθ/noun · C2Friends and acquaintances, in the phrase with kin.
- kitsch/kɪt͡ʃ/noun · C2Art so tasteless it becomes enjoyable.
- kitten/ˈkɪtən̩/noun · B1A young cat.
- kitty/ˈkɪti/noun · A2An affectionate word for a cat, especially a young one.
- kiwi/ˈkiːwi/noun · A2+The small fuzzy brown fruit that is bright green inside.
- kiwi/ˈkiːwi/noun · B1+A small flightless New Zealand bird with a long beak.
- knack/næk/noun · B2A trick of doing something easily and well.
- knead/niːd/verb · B2+To press and fold dough again and again with your hands.
- knee/niː/noun · A2The joint in the middle of your leg that bends when you sit.
- knee-high to a grasshopperphrase · C2Very small, as a young child is.
- knee-lengthadjective · B2Reaching down as far as the middle of the leg.
- kneel/niːl/verb · B2To go down and rest your weight on bent legs.
- knell/nɛl/noun · C2The slow tolling of a bell for a death.
- knick-knack/ˈnɪkˌnæk/noun · B2A small decorative object of no great use.
- knickers/ˈnɪkəz/noun · B1+Underwear worn by women below the waist.
- knife/ˈnaɪ̯f/noun · A2A sharp tool used for cutting bread, meat, and vegetables.
- knight/ˈnaɪ̯t/noun · B1The piece that moves in an L shape and may jump.
- knight errantnoun · C2A knight wandering in search of adventure.
- knighthoodnoun · C1The rank and code of an armed noble horseman.
- knit/nɪt/verb · B1+To make clothes by looping wool with two long needles.
- knobblyadjective · C1Covered in small hard lumps.
- knobby/ˈnɒbi/adjective · C1Covered with small hard lumps.
- knock/nɒk/verb · A2To hit a door with your hand so people know you are there.
- knock downphrase · B1To demolish, or to strike to the ground.
- knock offphrase · B2To take an amount off a price, or to stop work.
- knock outphrase · B2To hit someone so hard they lose consciousness.
- knockout/ˈnɒk.aʊt/noun · B2A competition where losers leave at once.
- knockout blownoun · C1The strike that ends a fight.
- knoll/nəʊl/noun · C2A small rounded hill.
- knot/nɒt/noun · B2The hard round mark where a branch once grew.
- knot/nɒt/noun · B1A tangle where a line ties into itself.
- knot tyingnoun · B1The skill of fastening rope securely.
- know/nəʊ/verb · A1To have something firmly in your mind as a fact.
- know something inside outphrase · B2To know a subject thoroughly in every detail.
- know the drillphrase · B2To be familiar with the usual routine.
- know what is whatphrase · C1To understand how things really work.
- knowledge/ˈnɒl.ɪdʒ/noun · A2+Everything you know and understand.
- knowledgeable/ˈnɒl.ɪ.d͡ʒə.bəl/adjective · C1Knowing a great deal about something.
- knuckle/ˈnʌkəl/noun · B1+One of the bumps where a finger bends.
- knuckle downphrase · C1To start working seriously at last.
- knucklehead/ˈnʌkl̩ˌhɛd/noun · C1A mild American slang word for a thick, blundering fool, often said with affection.
- koala/koʊˈɑː.lə/noun · A2+A sleepy Australian animal that hugs trees and eats their leaves.
- kohl/kəʊl/noun · C2A dark powder traditionally used to line the eyes.
- kookaburra/ˈkʊkəˌbʌɹə/noun · B2+An Australian bird whose call sounds like wild laughter.
- koreanoun · A2+The Asian country of Seoul, K-pop, and kimchi.
- kosher/ˈkəʊʃə/adjective · B2+Prepared according to Jewish dietary law, or above board.
- kosovonoun · C1Young Balkan country whose capital is Pristina.
- krakennoun · B2+A vast sea monster said to drag ships under.
- krill/kɹɪl/noun · B2+Tiny shrimp-like creatures that whales eat by the tonne.
- kronornoun · C2The money used in Sweden.
- kudos/ˈk(j)uː.dɒs/noun · B2+Credit and praise for an achievement.
- kuwaitnoun · B1+The small oil-rich Gulf country north of Saudi Arabia.
- kyrgyzstannoun · C1Mountainous Central Asian country of nomads and yurts.
- label/ˈleɪ.bəl/noun · B1The small paper on a product with its price or size.
- laboratory/ləˈbɒɹət(ə)ɹi/noun · B1The special room full of instruments where scientists test things.
- laborious/ləˈbɔːɹiəs/adjective · C1Needing long hard effort.
- labour/ˈleɪ.bə/noun · B2The process of giving birth.
- labour costnoun · B2What you pay for the time, not the parts.
- labourer/ˈleɪ.bə.ɹə/noun · B2+A worker who does heavy unskilled work.
- labyrinth/ˈlæb.ə.ɹɪnθ/noun · B2+A maze of winding passages that is hard to escape.
- lace/leɪs/noun · B1Delicate fabric full of decorative holes, seen on wedding dresses.
- lace-upadjective · B2Fastened by threading string through holes.
- lack/læk/verb · B1To not have something that is needed.
- lackadaisical/ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/adjective · C2Doing things without energy or care.
- lackey/ˈlæ.ki/noun · C1A servant, or somebody who does another's bidding meekly.
- lacking/ˈlækɪŋ/adjective · B2Missing something that is needed.
- lacklustreadjective · C1Dull, and lacking any spark.
- laconic/ləˈkɒnɪk/adjective · C2Using very few words indeed.
- lacquer/ˈlæk.ə/noun · C1A fast-drying glossy finish that is sprayed on rather than brushed, used on nails and on traditional Chinese and Japanese decorative ware.
- lacrosse/ləˈkɹɒs/noun · B2+A team game played with a netted stick and a hard ball.
- lad/læd/noun · B1A boy or young man, said in a friendly, old-fashioned way.
- ladder/ˈlad.ə/noun · B2You climb its steps to reach high places like the roof.
- ladder rungnoun · B2One of the steps you climb on a ladder.
- laddie/ˈlædi/noun · C1A boy, in Scottish and northern use.
- laden/ˈleɪdən/adjective · B2Heavily loaded with something.
- ladle/ˈleɪ.dəl/noun · B1+The deep round spoon on a long handle made for serving soup.
- lady/ˈleɪ.di/noun · A1A woman, spoken of politely.
- ladybird/ˈleɪ.di.bəːd/noun · A2+A round red beetle with black spots, loved by gardeners.
- ladybug/ˈleɪ.di.bʌɡ/noun · A2+A small round red insect with black dots.
- lag/læɡ/noun · B1+The delay between an action and the machine's response.
- laggard/ˈlæɡəd/noun · C2Somebody who falls behind the rest.
- lagoon/ləˈɡuːn/noun · B2+A calm shallow pool of seawater sheltered behind sand or coral.
- lair/ˈlɛə̯/noun · B2The resting place of a dangerous wild animal.
- lair/ˈlɛə̯/noun · C1The secret base of somebody dangerous.
- laird/lɛːd/noun · C2A Scottish landowner of an estate.
- lake/leɪk/noun · A2A big body of still fresh water surrounded by land.
- lama/ˈlɑː.mə/noun · C1A priest of Tibetan or Mongolian Buddhism.
- lamb/ˈlæm/noun · B1The meat of a young sheep.
- lambaste/læmˈbeɪst/verb · C2To criticise somebody harshly and publicly.
- lame/leɪm/adjective · B2Walking badly from an injured leg; also, weakly unconvincing.
- lament/ləˈmɛnt/verb · C2To express deep sorrow about something.
- lamentable/ləˈmɛn.tə.bəl/adjective · C1So poor or sad that it is to be regretted.
- lamentation/ˌlæm.ənˈteɪ.ʃən/noun · C2Loud grieving for something lost.
- laminate/ˈlæmɪneɪt/verb · B2+To seal a document in clear plastic.
- lamp/ˈlæ̞mp/noun · A2The small light that stands on a desk or beside a bed.
- lampoon/læmˈpuːn/noun · C2A piece of writing that mocks somebody publicly.
- lamppostnoun · A2+The tall pole that lights the street at night.
- lamprey/ˈlæm.pɹi/noun · C2An eel-like fish that fastens onto other fish.
- lampshade/ˈlæmp.ʃeɪd/noun · B1+The cover over a bulb that softens its light.
- land/lænd/verb · A2To come down from the sky and touch the ground safely.
- landfill/ˈlæn(d).fɪl/noun · B2+The giant pit where a city buries its rubbish.
- landing/ˈlændɪŋ/noun · B2The flat area at the top of a flight of stairs.
- landing gearnoun · B2The wheels and legs an aircraft lands on.
- landing pagenoun · B2The page an advertisement sends people to.
- landlord/ˈlænd.lɔːd/noun · B2The person who owns the flat you pay to live in.
- landlubber/ˈlænd.lʌ.bə/noun · C2Somebody who is not used to being at sea.
- landmark/ˈlændmɑːk/noun · C1A famous building or place everyone recognizes, like a great tower.
- landmark/ˈlændmɑːk/noun · B2Something easy to see and recognise, which tells you where you are or which way to go.
- landowner/ˈlændˌəʊ.nə/noun · B2+Somebody who owns a large piece of land.
- landscape/ˈlan(d)skeɪp/noun · B2Everything you see when you look out over a wide area of land.
- landscape/ˈlan(d)skeɪp/noun · B1+A photograph of wide open country.
- landslide/ˈlæn(d).slaɪd/noun · B2A mass of earth sliding suddenly down a slope.
- lane/leɪn/noun · B1A narrow road, or one marked strip of a wider one.
- lane ropenoun · B2The floating line that divides one lane from another.
- language/ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪd͡ʒ/noun · A1The system of words a people speaks — like the one you are learning now.
- languid/ˈlæŋɡwɪd/adjective · C1Slow and lacking any energy.
- languish/ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪʃ/verb · C1To grow weak from being left with no attention.
- languor/ˈlæŋɡə/noun · C2A pleasant heavy tiredness with no wish to move.
- lank/ˈlæŋk/adjective · C2Long, limp and without body.
- lanky/ˈlæŋk.i/adjective · B2+Awkwardly tall and thin.
- lantern/ˈlæntən/noun · B1+A light inside a case you can carry or hang, loved at festivals.
- lanyard/ˈlæn.jəd/noun · B2+The cord that holds an identity card round your neck.
- laosnoun · B2+The quiet landlocked Southeast Asian country along the Mekong river.
- lap/læp/noun · B1The flat place your legs make when you sit down.
- lapidary/ˈlæpɪdəɹi/noun · C2Somebody who cuts and polishes precious stones.
- lapis lazuli/ˌlap.ɪs ˈlaz.jʊ.laɪ/noun · C1A deep blue stone flecked with gold.
- lapse/læps/noun · C1A small failure of memory or attention.
- laptop/ˈlæp.tɒp/noun · A2+The folding machine you can work on anywhere, even on your knees.
- lapwing/ˈlæpwɪŋ/noun · C1A crested field bird with broad flapping wings.
- larceny/ˈlɑː.sən.i/noun · C1The crime of taking somebody else's property.
- larch/ˈlɑːtʃ/noun · C1A conifer that sheds its needles in winter.
- lard/lɑːd/noun · B2Soft white fat from a pig used in cooking.
- larder/ˈlɑː.də/noun · C1A cool room or cupboard where food is stored.
- large printnoun · B2Text set unusually big for easier reading.
- large-scaleadjective · C1Involving many people or a wide area.
- largely/ˈlɑːd͡ʒ.li/adverb · B2For the most part.
- largesse/lɑːˈ(d)ʒɛs/noun · C2Generous giving on a grand scale.
- lark/lɑːk/noun · B2+A brown field bird that sings while hovering high up.
- larva/ˈlɑː.və/noun · B2+The young feeding stage of an insect, before it changes shape.
- laryngitis/lɛɹɪnˈd͡ʒaɪtɪs/noun · C2An inflammation of the throat that takes the voice away.
- lasagna/ləˈzɑː.njə/noun · A2+Flat pasta baked in layers with sauce and cheese.
- lascivious/ləˈsɪvɪ.əs/adjective · C2Openly and crudely full of sexual desire.
- laser/ˈleɪz.ə(ɹ)/noun · B1A thin powerful beam of pure light that can cut steel.
- laser pointernoun · B2A pen that casts a bright dot to point at a screen.
- lash/læʃ/verb · B2To strike with a whip or a rope.
- lash liftnoun · C1A treatment that curls the natural lashes.
- lash outphrase · C1To attack suddenly with words or blows.
- lassie/ˈlæsi/noun · C1A girl, in Scottish and northern use.
- lassitude/ˈlæsɪˌtjuːd/noun · C2A weary lack of energy or interest.
- lasso/læsˈuː/noun · B2+A rope with a running noose for catching animals.
- last/lɑːst/adjective · A1Coming after all the others.
- last mile/ˌlɑːst ˈmaɪl/noun · C1The final stage of delivery to the customer's door.
- last ordersnoun · B2The final chance to buy a drink before closing.
- last-minuteadjective · B2Done at the latest possible moment.
- latch/læt͡ʃ/noun · B1+The simple little bar that keeps a door or gate closed.
- late/leɪt/adjective · A1After the expected time — the bus already left.
- late check-outnoun · B1Permission to keep the room past the usual hour.
- lately/ˈleɪt.li/adverb · B1In the recent past.
- latency/ˈleɪ.tən.si/noun · C1The tiny delay between your click and the network's answer.
- latent/ˈleɪ.tənt/adjective · C1Present but not yet showing itself.
- lateral/ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/adjective · B2+To do with the side, or moving sideways.
- latest/ˈleɪ.tɪst/adjective · B1Most recent of all.
- latex/ˈleɪtɛks/noun · B2+The milky sap of a tree, made into stretchy gloves.
- lath/lɑːθ/noun · C2A thin narrow strip of wood used in building.
- lathe/leɪð/noun · C1A machine that turns work against a cutting tool.
- lather/ˈlɑː.ðə/noun · B2+The foam soap makes when rubbed with water.
- latinnoun · B1The ancient language of Rome, still studied today.
- latitude/ˈlætɪtjuːd/noun · B2+Position measured in degrees north or south of the middle line.
- latrine/ləˈtɹiːn/noun · C1A simple toilet in a camp or a barracks.
- latte/ˈlɑː.teɪ/noun · B1+Coffee made mostly of hot steamed milk.
- latter/ˈlæt.ə(ɹ)/adjective · C1The second of two things just mentioned.
- lattice/ˈlæt.ɪs/noun · C1A framework of crossed strips with gaps between.
- latvianoun · B1+The middle Baltic country, with Riga on its coast.
- laud/lɔːd/verb · C2To praise somebody publicly.
- laudable/ˈlɔːdəbəl/adjective · C1Deserving praise.
- laudatory/ˈlɔːdətɹi/adjective · C2Expressing high praise.
- laugh/lɐːf/verb · A1To make the happy ha-ha sound when something is funny.
- laughable/ˈlaːfəbl̩/adjective · B2+So poor or absurd it invites laughter.
- laughingstocknoun · B2+Somebody everybody laughs at.
- laughter/ˈlɑːftə/noun · A2+The sound people make when something amuses them.
- launch/lɔːnt͡ʃ/verb · B2To send a rocket up or start a product into the world.
- launch/lɔːnt͡ʃ/noun · B1The moment a product is first put on sale.
- launch an investigationphrase · B2To start an official inquiry.
- launch eventnoun · B2A gathering held to introduce something new.
- launch pad/ˈlɔːntʃ.pæd/noun · B2The platform a rocket lifts off from.
- launder/ˈlɔːndə/verb · B2+To wash and press clothes properly.
- launderette/lɔːnˈdɹɛt/noun · B2A shop of coin-operated washing machines.
- laundromat/ˈlɔːndɹəʊˌmæt/noun · B1+The shop full of coin machines where people without a washer clean clothes.
- laundry/ˈlɔːn.dɹi/noun · B1The pile of clothes that needs washing, or has just been washed.
- laundry servicenoun · B1The washing and pressing of guests' clothes.
- laureate/ˈlɒɹ.i.ət/noun · C1Somebody honoured with a great prize.
- laurel/ˈlɒɹ.əl/noun · C1An evergreen whose leaves crowned victors.
- lava/ˈlɑːvə/noun · B2The glowing melted rock that pours from an erupting mountain.
- lavatory/ˈlæv.ə.tɹi/noun · C1A room with a toilet, in formal use.
- lavender/ˈlæv.ən.dəː/noun · B1+A purple bush whose scent calms and repels moths.
- lavender/ˈlæv.ən.dəː/adjective · B1+A pale soft purple.
- lavish/ˈlævɪʃ/adjective · B2+Generous to the point of excess.
- law/lɔː/noun · A2One of the official rules of a country that everyone must follow.
- law/lɔː/noun · A2The study of the rules a society enforces.
- law-abidingadjective · C1Living quietly within the rules.
- lawless/ˈlɔːləs/adjective · B2+Not controlled by any law.
- lawmakernoun · B2+Somebody who helps make the laws of a country.
- lawn/lɔːn/noun · B1The short cut grass in front of a house.
- lawnmower/ˈlɔːn.məʊ.ə/noun · B1+The machine you push to cut the grass.
- lawsuit/ˈlɔːˌs(j)uːt/noun · C1A formal fight between two sides taken to a judge.
- lawyer/ˈlɔːjə(ɹ)/noun · A2The professional who speaks for you in court and knows the rules of the land.
- lay/leɪ/verb · B1To put something down flat and carefully; hens do it with eggs.
- lay offphrase · B2To dismiss workers because there is no work.
- lay your cards on the tablephrase · C1To say openly what you want and what you have.
- lay-by/ˈleɪ.baɪ/noun · B2A place at the roadside to pull in and stop.
- layer/ˈleɪ̯ɚ/verb · B1+To build something up in flat levels, one on another.
- layers/ˈleɪ.əz/noun · B1+Hair cut to different lengths so it falls with movement.
- layout/ˈleɪ.aʊt/noun · C1The arrangement of text and pictures on a page.
- layover/ˈleɪˌəʊvə(ɹ)/noun · B1+The waiting hours at a middle airport between two flights.
- laze aroundphrase · B2To pass time doing nothing much.
- laziness/ˈleɪ.zi.nəs/noun · B1+An unwillingness to make any effort.
- lazy/ˈleɪ̯zi(ː)/adjective · A2+Avoiding all effort whenever possible.
- leach/liːt͡ʃ/verb · C1To drain a substance away by water passing through.
- lead/ˈlɛd/verb · B1To go in front and show others the way.
- lead/ˈlɛd/noun · B1A heavy soft grey metal, poisonous to handle.
- lead/ˈlɛd/noun · C1Somebody who has shown enough interest to follow up.
- lead timenoun · B2How long it takes from ordering to receiving.
- leader/ˈliː.də(ɹ)/noun · A2The person others follow.
- leaderboardnoun · B2The ranked list of who is doing best.
- leadership/ˈlidɚʃɪp/noun · B2The act of leading, and the people who lead.
- leading questionnoun · C1A question worded to suggest its own answer.
- leaf/liːf/noun · B1One of the flat green parts of a plant that turn orange in autumn.
- leaf fallnoun · B2The dropping of leaves as the days shorten.
- leaflet/ˈliːflɪt/noun · B1+A printed sheet handed out to inform or advertise.
- league/liːɡ/noun · B1The group of teams that play each other all season for the title.
- leak/liːk/noun · B2Secret information passed to the press without permission.
- leak/liːk/noun · B1A hole letting liquid or gas escape.
- leakage/ˈliːkɪd͡ʒ/noun · B2+Liquid or gas escaping, and the amount that does.
- leakproof/ˈliːkpɹuf/adjective · B1+Made so that nothing can escape.
- lean/ˈliːn/verb · B2To tilt your body against something for support.
- lean inphrase · B2To move closer to hear or to show interest.
- lean-to/ˈliːnˌtuː/noun · C1A simple shelter with a single sloping roof.
- leap/ˈliːp/verb · B2To rise off the ground in one powerful bound.
- leap year/ˈliːp ˌjɪə/phrase · B1The year, once every four, when February gets an extra day.
- learn/lɜːn/verb · A1To get new knowledge or a new skill into your head.
- learn the ropes/ˈlɜːn ðə ˈɹəʊps/phrase · C1To master the basics of a new job or activity.
- learning difficultynoun · B2A condition that makes learning harder than usual.
- lease/liːs/noun · B2The rental contract that fixes the price and how long you may stay.
- leaseholdnoun · C1The right to occupy a property for a fixed number of years.
- leash/liːʃ/noun · B2A strap for holding a dog.
- leather/ˈlɛðə/noun · B1The strong material made from animal skin, used for shoes and belts.
- leave/ˈliːv/verb · A1To go away from a place.
- leave no stone unturnedphrase · C1To search absolutely everywhere.
- leave no tracephrase · B2The rule that you take everything away with you.
- leave outphrase · B1To fail to include something.
- leaven/ˈlɛv.ən/verb · C2To lighten dough, or to relieve something dull.
- leavingsnoun · C2The scraps and unwanted bits remaining once everything worth having has been taken.
- lebanonnoun · B1+The small Mediterranean country of Beirut and the ancient cedars.
- lecherous/ˈlɛtʃ.ə.ɹəs/adjective · C1Showing crude and open sexual desire.
- lectern/ˈlɛktə(ɹ)n/noun · C1The slanted stand a speaker rests their notes on.
- lecture/ˈlɛk.t͡ʃə/noun · B1A long talk one professor gives to a hall of students.
- lecture/ˈlɛk.t͡ʃə/verb · B2To talk at length in order to teach.
- lecturer/ˈlɛkt͡ʃəɹə/noun · B2+A teacher at a university.
- ledge/lɛd͡ʒ/noun · B2A narrow shelf of rock on a cliff face.
- ledger/ˈlɛd͡ʒə/noun · C1The book in which every transaction is recorded.
- leech/ˈliːt͡ʃ/noun · B2A worm that fastens on and drinks blood.
- leek/liːk/noun · B2+A long white and green vegetable of the onion family.
- leer/ˈlɪə̯/verb · C1To look at somebody in an unpleasant knowing way.
- leeward/ˈliːwəd/adjective · C1On the side away from the wind.
- leeway[ˈliːˌweɪ]noun · B2+Room to act as you think best.
- left/ˈlɛft/adjective · A1On the side of your body where the heart is.
- left luggagenoun · B2The place bags can be stored for a few hours.
- left-handadjective · A2On or towards the side where the heart lies, in the hyphenated form that pairs with side, corner, or lane.
- leftist/ˈlɛf.tɪst/noun · B2+Somebody who holds left-wing political views.
- leftovernoun · B1+Food or material remaining after the rest is used.
- leftoversnoun · B1The food remaining after a meal, saved for tomorrow.
- leg/lɛɡ/noun · A1You stand, walk, and run on these two long body parts.
- legacy/ˈlɛɡəsi/noun · C1What a person or era leaves behind for those who follow.
- legal/ˈliː.ɡəl/adjective · B1Allowed by the law.
- legal depositnoun · C2The duty to supply a copy of each new publication.
- legalise/ˈliːɡəlaɪz/verb · B2+To make something lawful.
- legality/liˈɡælɪti/noun · B2+Whether something is allowed by law.
- legato/ləˈɡɑ.təʊ/adjective · C1Played smoothly, each note running into the next.
- legend/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/noun · B1An old famous story half-believed to be true; or a person that famous.
- legendary/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənˌdɛɹ.i/adjective · C1Belonging to legend, or famous enough to seem so.
- leggingsnoun · B1+Tight stretchy trousers that cling to the leg.
- legible/ˈlɛd͡ʒəbl/adjective · B2+Clear enough to be read easily.
- legion/ˈliː.d͡ʒən/noun · C2A large body of soldiers, or a great number.
- legislate/ˈlɛd͡ʒɪsˌleɪt/verb · B2+To make laws.
- legislation/ˌlɛd͡ʒɪˈsleɪʃən/noun · C1Laws taken together, as written and passed.
- legislative/ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.slə.tɪv/adjective · C1To do with the making of laws.
- legislator/ˈlɛd͡ʒɪˌsleɪtə/noun · B2+Somebody whose job is making laws.
- legislature/ˈlɛd͡ʒɪsləˌt͡ʃʊə/noun · C1The body that makes a country's laws.
- legitimacy/ləˈd͡ʒɪtɪməsi/noun · C1The quality of being accepted as rightful.
- legitimate/lɪˈd͡ʒɪt.ɪ.mət/adjective · B2Properly lawful and fair; genuinely valid.
- legroom/ˈlɛɡɹuːm/noun · B2+The space in front of your seat.
- leisure/ˈlɛʒə(ɹ)/noun · B1+Time free from work, to use as you please.
- leisure centrenoun · B1A public building with a pool and sports halls.
- lemon/ˈlɛmən/noun · A2A very sour yellow citrus fruit.
- lemon/ˈlɛmən/adjective · B1A bright pale yellow.
- lemonade/ˌlɛmənˈeɪd/noun · A2+A cold drink of citrus juice, sugar and water.
- lemur/ˈliːmə(ɹ)/noun · B1+A long-tailed tree-dwelling animal of Madagascar.
- lend/ˈlɛnd/verb · A2+To give something to someone who will give it back later.
- lendingnoun · B1+The letting out of books to be taken home.
- length/lɛŋ(k)θ/noun · B1How long something is, from end to end.
- lengthyadjective · C1Going on much longer than usual.
- lenient/ˈliːni.ənt/adjective · C1Gentler in punishment than expected.
- lens/lɛnz/noun · B2The curved glass that bends light in glasses, cameras, and eyes.
- lens capnoun · B2The cover that protects the glass at the front of a camera.
- lentil/ˈlɛntəl/noun · B1+A tiny flat pulse that cooks into soup.
- leonine/ˈliːənaɪn/adjective · C2Resembling a lion in look or bearing.
- leopard/ˈlɛp.əd/noun · B2The spotted wild cat that drags its dinner up into a tree.
- leotard/ˈliː.ə.tɑːd/noun · B2+A tight one-piece garment worn by performers.
- leprechaun/ˈlɛpɹəkɔːn/noun · B2A mischievous little man of Irish folklore.
- lesbian/ˈlɛz.bi.ən/adjective · B2Of a woman attracted to other women.
- lesothonoun · C1Mountain kingdom entirely surrounded by South Africa.
- lesser/ˈlɛsɚ/adjective · C1Smaller or less important of two.
- lesson/ˈlɛs.ən/noun · A1One teaching hour on one subject.
- lest/lɛst/preposition · B2In case something unwanted should happen.
- let/lɛt/verb · A1To say yes when someone wants to do something.
- let downphrase · B2To disappoint someone who counted on you.
- let gophrase · B1To release your grip; also, to stop holding onto the past.
- let me thinkphrase · A2Asking for a moment before answering.
- let nature take its coursephrase · B2To let things happen without interfering.
- let off steamphrase · B2To release built-up energy or anger harmlessly.
- let onphrase · C1To tell a secret you meant to keep.
- let outphrase · B2To make a garment wider.
- let sleeping dogs liephrase · C1To leave an old problem alone rather than stir it up again.
- let the cat out of the bagphrase · C1To reveal a secret by mistake.
- let your hair downphrase · B2To relax completely and stop behaving formally.
- let's catch upphrase · B2A suggestion to meet and swap news.
- lethal/ˈliː.θəl/adjective · C1Able to kill.
- lethargic/ləˈθɑɹd͡ʒɪk/adjective · C1Heavy and slow from a lack of energy.
- lethargy/ˈlɛθ.ə(ɹ).d͡ʒi/noun · C1A dull sluggishness with no will to move.
- letter/ˈlɛtə/noun · A1A written message on paper, sent in an envelope.
- letterboxnoun · B1+The box or slot where the post lands at your house.
- letterhead/ˈlɛtə(ɹ)ˌhɛd/noun · B2+The printed name and address at the top of official paper.
- letters pagenoun · B2The part of a paper printing readers' opinions.
- lettuce/ˈlɛt.ɪs/noun · B1The big soft green leaves at the bottom of every salad.
- level/ˈlɛvəl/noun · B1How high something stands on a scale — like A1 to C2 in this game.
- level crossingnoun · B2Where a road crosses a railway on the flat.
- level playing fieldnoun · C1A situation where nobody has an unfair advantage.
- level-headedadjective · C1Calm and sensible when things go wrong.
- level-headednessnoun · C1The knack of thinking sensibly and steadily when everything around you is going wrong.
- lever/ˈliː.və/verb · B2To move something heavy by pushing down on a bar.
- leverage/ˈlɛv.(ə.)ɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · C1The power to influence, gained from your position or advantage.
- leviathan/lɪˈvaɪəθn̩/noun · C1A sea monster, or anything enormously large.
- levity/ˈlɛ.vɪ.ti/noun · C1Light-hearted treatment of a serious matter.
- levy/ˈlɛ.vi/verb · C1To impose a tax or a charge.
- lewd/ljuːd/adjective · C1Crudely and offensively sexual.
- lexicon/ˈlɛk.sɪ.kən/noun · C1The whole stock of words of a language or a person.
- liabilitiesnoun · C1Everything a business owes.
- liability/laɪəˈbɪlɪti/noun · C1A debt owed, or a person who has become a burden.
- liability insurancenoun · C1Cover against being sued for harm you cause.
- liable/ˈlaɪ̯əbəl/adjective · C1Legally responsible, or likely to do something.
- liaise/liːˈeɪz/verb · C2To keep in touch between two groups so they work together.
- liaison/liˈeɪˌzɒ̃/noun · C1Communication kept up between groups, or a love affair.
- liar/ˈlaɪ.ə/noun · B1Somebody who tells untruths.
- libel/ˈlaɪbəl/noun · C1Damaging someone's reputation in writing.
- libel casenoun · C1A lawsuit over damage done by something written.
- liberal/ˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹəl/adjective · B2Favouring individual freedom and gradual reform.
- liberate/ˈlɪbəɹeɪt/verb · B2+To set free from control or imprisonment.
- liberation/ˌlɪbəˈɹeɪʃən/noun · C1The freeing of a place from occupying forces.
- liberianoun · B2+African country founded by freed American slaves, capital Monrovia.
- liberty/ˈlɪbəti/noun · B2Freedom from control by others.
- librarian/laɪˈbɹɛə̯ɹi.ən/noun · B1+The person who looks after all the books in a quiet building.
- library/ˈlaɪ.bɹi/noun · A1The quiet place full of books you can borrow for free.
- libyanoun · B1+North African country that is mostly Sahara, capital Tripoli.
- lice/laɪs/noun · B2+More than one of the small insects that live on skin.
- license/ˈlaɪ.səns/noun · B1The official card that proves you are allowed to drive.
- licentious/laɪˈsɛn.ʃəs/adjective · C2Ignoring the usual moral limits, especially in sex.
- lichen/ˈlaɪ.kən/noun · B2+A crusty growth on rocks and bark, part fungus and part alga.
- lick/lɪk/verb · B1To move your tongue across something, like an ice cream.
- lickspittle/ˈlɪkspɪtl/noun · C2A contemptible flatterer of the powerful.
- licorice/ˈlɪ.k(ə).ɹɪʃ/noun · B1+A black sweet made from a plant root.
- lid/lɪd/noun · A2+The cover that sits on top of a pot or jar.
- lido/ˈlaɪ.dəʊ/noun · C1An open-air public swimming pool.
- lie/laɪ̯/verb · A2To say something you know is not true.
- lie aheadphrase · B2To be waiting in the future.
- lie downphrase · A2To put your body flat on a bed or the ground.
- lie lowphrase · C1To stay out of sight until danger passes.
- liechtensteinnoun · C1Tiny Alpine principality squeezed between Switzerland and Austria.
- liege/liːd͡ʒ/noun · C2A lord owed loyalty, or the vassal who owes it.
- life/ˈlaɪ̯f/noun · A1The state of being alive, or the time from birth to death.
- life and soul of the partyphrase · B2The person who makes a gathering go with a swing.
- life jacketnoun · B1The float worn to keep a person's head above water.
- life of the partyphrase · B2The person who makes an occasion lively.
- life supportnoun · B2Machines that keep a body going when it cannot itself.
- life vestnoun · B1The inflatable jacket stowed under your seat.
- lifeboat/ˈlaɪfˌbəʊt/noun · B1+The boat that goes out to rescue people at sea.
- lifebuoynoun · B2+The ring thrown to somebody in the water.
- lifeguard/ˈlaɪfˌɡɑɹd/noun · B1The person who watches swimmers and rescues them.
- lifeless/ˈlaɪfləs/adjective · B2Dead, or with no energy or spirit at all.
- lifeline/ˈlaɪfˌlaɪn/noun · B2The rope that keeps a rescuer connected to safety.
- lifelong/ˈlaɪf.lɔːŋ/adjective · C1Lasting the whole of somebody's life.
- lifesavingnoun · B2+The skills of rescuing somebody from drowning.
- lifestyle/ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl/noun · B1+The way somebody chooses to live day to day.
- lifetime/ˈlaɪf.taɪm/noun · B1The whole stretch of years from birth to death.
- lift/lɪft/verb · A2To bring something heavy up from the ground.
- ligament/ˈlɪɡəmənt/noun · B2+The strong band that holds two bones together at a joint.
- light/laɪt/noun · A1The brightness that lets your eyes see; the sun pours it out all day.
- light/laɪt/adjective · A2Weighing very little; easy to lift and carry.
- light pollutionnoun · B2Artificial glow that hides the stars.
- light switchnoun · A2The small wall control you flick to brighten a room.
- light year/ˈlaɪt.jɪə/noun · B2The distance light travels in one year.
- light-bodiedadjective · C1Delicate and thin in the mouth.
- light-headedadjective · C1Faint and floaty in the head, close to passing out.
- light-heartedadjective · B2Amusing and not meant to be taken seriously, as a comedy or a bit of banter is.
- lightbulb/ˈlaɪtˌbʌlb/noun · B2The glass globe that glows when you flip the switch.
- lightbulb momentnoun · C1The instant an answer appears.
- lighten/ˈlaɪ.tn̩/verb · B2To make lighter in weight or in colour.
- lighter/ˈlaɪtɚ/noun · B1A small device for lighting a cigarette.
- lighthouse/ˈlaɪthaʊs/noun · B1The tall tower whose turning beam warns ships away from rocks.
- lighting/ˈlaɪtɪŋ/noun · B2The lamps in a place and the effect they give.
- lightness/ˈlaɪtnəs/noun · B2+The state of weighing little, or of being cheerful.
- lightning/ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/noun · B1The sudden bright electric flash that cuts across a stormy sky.
- lightning boltnoun · B1A single stroke of electricity from cloud to ground.
- lightweight/ˈlaɪt.weɪt/noun · C1A boxer fighting at a limit of 135 pounds, heavier than a featherweight and lighter than a welterweight.
- lignite/ˈlɪɡnaɪ̯t/noun · C2A soft brown coal of poor quality.
- like/laɪ̯k/verb · A1To find something pleasant and want more of it.
- like two peas in a podphrase · B2So alike that you can hardly tell them apart.
- likeableadjective · B2+Easy to like.
- likelihood/ˈlaɪklihʊd/noun · C1How probable something is.
- likely/ˈlaɪkli/adjective · A2Probably going to happen.
- liken/ˈlaɪk(ə)n/verb · C1To say that one thing is like another.
- likeness/ˈlaɪknəs/noun · B1+The way one thing resembles another, or a portrait.
- likewise/ˈlaɪkˌwaɪz/adverb · B2In the same way; the same goes for the other one.
- liking/ˈlaɪkɪŋ/noun · B2A taste or fondness for something.
- lilac/ˈlaɪlək/noun · B1+A shrub with cones of small scented purple flowers.
- lilac/ˈlaɪlək/adjective · B2A light purple with a pink tinge.
- lilt/lɪlt/noun · C2A pleasant rise and fall in a voice or a tune.
- lily/ˈlɪli/noun · B1A tall flower with big trumpet blooms and a heavy scent.
- limb/lɪm/noun · B2An arm or a leg — one word covers all four.
- limber/ˈlɪmbə(ɹ)/adjective · C1Supple and easily bent.
- limbo/ˈlɪmbəʊ/noun · C1The stuck in-between state where nothing moves forward.
- lime/laɪm/noun · A2+A small sharp green citrus fruit.
- lime/laɪm/adjective · B1A sharp bright yellow-green.
- limescalenoun · C1The hard white deposit hard water leaves behind.
- limestone/ˈlaɪmˌstoʊn/noun · B2+A pale rock formed from ancient sea shells.
- limit/ˈlɪm.ɪt/noun · B1The line beyond which something may not go.
- limitation/lɪmɪˈteɪʃən/noun · B2+A restriction, or a point beyond which you cannot go.
- limn/lɪm/verb · C2To paint or describe something in outline.
- limousine/ˌlɪm.əˈziːn/noun · B1+A long luxurious car with a driver.
- limp/lɪmp/verb · B1To walk unevenly because one leg hurts.
- linchpin/ˈlɪnt͡ʃˌpɪn/noun · C1The pin that holds a wheel on, or the vital element.
- linden/ˈlɪn.dən/noun · C1A broad-leaved tree with fragrant flowers.
- lindy hopnoun · C2The 1930s Harlem swing dance, done to big-band jazz and known for its airborne throws.
- line dancenoun · B1A dance in rows where everybody does the same steps.
- line dryphrase · B1To dry washing outside on a rope.
- line managernoun · B2The person you report to directly.
- line your pocketsphrase · C1To make money dishonestly from your position.
- line-up/ˈlaɪn.ʌp/noun · C1The particular players or performers picked to appear on the day.
- lineage/ˈlɪn.i.ɪd͡ʒ/noun · C1The line of descent from an ancestor.
- linear/ˈlɪn.i.ə/adjective · C1Arranged in a straight line or a single sequence.
- linen/ˈlɪnɪn/noun · B2A cool cloth woven from flax.
- lineup/ˈlaɪn.ʌp/noun · C1The set of people or acts chosen for a team, show, or police parade.
- linger/ˈlɪŋɡɚ/verb · C1To stay on after the moment has passed, slow to leave.
- lingering/ˈlɪŋɡəɹɪŋ/adjective · B2+Staying on long after the source has gone.
- linguist/ˈlɪŋɡwɪst/noun · B2+Somebody skilled in languages or who studies them.
- linguistics/lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/noun · B2+The scientific study of language.
- lining/ˈlaɪnɪŋ/noun · B2The smooth inner layer sewn inside a coat or jacket.
- link/ˈlɪŋk/noun · A2+The blue underlined text that jumps you to another page when pressed.
- linkage/ˈlɪŋkɪdʒ/noun · C1A connection between two things.
- lintel/ˈlɪn.təl/noun · C1The beam bridging the top of a door or window.
- lion/ˈlaɪən/noun · A1The king of the animals, with a big mane.
- lion tamernoun · B1A performer who works with big cats.
- lip/lɪp/noun · B1One of the two soft edges of your mouth.
- lip balmnoun · B1A soothing wax that stops lips cracking.
- lip gloss/lɪp ɡlɒs/noun · B1A shiny coating for the lips.
- lip linernoun · B2A pencil that outlines the lips before colour.
- lip-readingnoun · B2Understanding speech by watching the mouth.
- lipstick/ˈlɪpstɪk/noun · A2+A stick of colour for the lips.
- liquefy/ˈlɪ.kwɪ.faɪ/verb · C1To turn something into a liquid.
- liqueur/lɪˈkjɔː(ɹ)/noun · B2+A strong sweet flavoured spirit.
- liquid/ˈlɪk.wɪd/noun · B1Anything that flows and takes the shape of its container, like water.
- liquidate/ˈlɪkwɪdeɪt/verb · C1To turn assets into money, or to close a business down.
- liquidation/ˌlɪkwəˈdeɪʃən/noun · B2+The closing of a company by selling everything it owns.
- liquidity/lɪkˈwɪdəti/noun · C1How easily assets can be turned into spendable cash.
- liquids rulenoun · B2The limit on how much liquid you may carry aboard.
- lisp/lɪsp/noun · B2+A speech habit of sounding an s like a th.
- list/lɪst/verb · A1To lean over to one side and stay there.
- listed buildingnoun · C1A building protected by law because of its history.
- listen/ˈlɪsən/verb · A1To pay careful attention with your ears.
- listener/ˈlɪsənə/noun · B1Somebody who is listening, especially to radio.
- listing/ˈlɪstɪŋ/noun · C1An entry in a published list.
- listless/ˈlɪstlɪs/adjective · C1Without energy or interest in anything.
- litany/ˈlɪtəni/noun · C1A long repetitive recital of complaints or prayers.
- literacy/ˈlɪtəɹəsi/noun · C1The ability to read and write.
- literal/ˈlɪt(ə)ɹəl/adjective · B2Taking words in their plain and exact sense.
- literally/ˈlɪ.tə.ɹə.li/adverb · B1In the exact, word-for-word sense, no exaggeration.
- literary/ˈlɪt.(ə.)ɹə.ɹi/adjective · B2To do with written works of lasting worth.
- literature/ˈlɪt.(ə.)ɹə.t͡ʃə(ɹ)/noun · B1+The subject where you read and discuss great books.
- lithe/laɪð/adjective · C1Slim, supple and moving easily.
- lithuanianoun · B1+The most southern Baltic country, with Vilnius as its capital.
- litigant/ˈlɪtɪɡənt/noun · C1Somebody taking part in a court case.
- litigation/ˌlɪtɪˈɡeɪ̯ʃən/noun · C1The whole process of fighting a case in court.
- litigious/lɪˈtɪd͡ʒəs/adjective · C2Too quick to take disputes to court.
- litmus/ˈlɪtməs/noun · C1Paper that turns red in acid and blue in alkali.
- litre/ˈliːtə/noun · A2+The basic unit of liquid volume.
- litter/ˈlɪt.ɚ/noun · B2All the young born to one animal at one time.
- litter/ˈlɪt.ɚ/noun · B2Rubbish left lying about, or a set of newborn animals.
- litter binnoun · A2The public container for rubbish.
- litter pickingnoun · B1Collecting rubbish others have dropped.
- litter traynoun · B1The box a cat uses indoors.
- liturgy/ˈlɪtəd͡ʒi/noun · C2The set form of a public religious service.
- live/ˈlɪv/verb · A1To have your home in a place; also, to be alive.
- live and let livephrase · B2To accept others' ways and expect the same in return.
- live hand to mouthphrase · C1To have only just enough to survive on.
- live up tophrase · B2To be as good as what was promised or expected.
- livelihood/ˈlaɪvlihʊd/noun · B2+The work by which somebody earns a living.
- lively/ˈlaɪv.li/adjective · B2Full of energy and movement.
- liven/ˈlaɪvən/verb · C1To make something more lively.
- liven upphrase · B2To make something more interesting or cheerful.
- liver/ˈlɪvə/noun · B2The large organ that cleans poisons out of your body.
- livery/ˈlɪv(ə)ɹi/noun · C2The distinctive colours a company or servant wears.
- livestock/ˈlaɪvstɒk/noun · B2The animals kept on a farm.
- livestreamnoun · B2A broadcast watched over the internet as it happens.
- livid/ˈlɪvɪd/adjective · C1White-hot with rage.
- living room/ˈlɪvɪŋ ɹuːm/phrase · A1The room where the family sits, talks, and watches TV together.
- lizard/ˈlɪzəd/noun · A2+A small reptile with four legs and a tail that can grow back.
- llama/ˈlɑː.mə/noun · B1+A South American animal kept for its wool; it sometimes spits.
- load/loʊd/noun · A2What is carried, or the weight of it.
- load-bearingadjective · B2Carrying the weight of what is above it.
- loaded questionnoun · C1A question that smuggles in an assumption.
- loading baynoun · B2Where lorries are loaded and unloaded.
- loaf/ləʊf/noun · B1A whole shaped mass of baked bread.
- loafersnoun · B2+Flat shoes you slide on without laces.
- loam/ləʊm/noun · C1Rich crumbly soil, the best sort for growing.
- loan/ləʊn/noun · B2Money a bank gives you now that you pay back with extra later.
- loan periodnoun · B2How long a borrowed item may be kept.
- loath/ləʊθ/adjective · C1Very unwilling to do something.
- loath tophrase · C1Very unwilling to do a particular thing.
- loathe/ˈləʊð/verb · B2+To hate intensely.
- loathing/ˈləʊðɪŋ/noun · C1Intense hatred and disgust.
- lob/lɒb/verb · B2+To throw or hit something in a high slow arc.
- lobby/ˈlɒb.i/noun · B1The open room just inside the doors of a large building.
- lobby barnoun · B2The bar in the main entrance hall.
- lobbyist/ˈlɑ.bi.ɪst/noun · C1Somebody paid to press decision-makers.
- lobster/ˈlɒb.stə/noun · B1An expensive sea animal with a hard shell and two big claws.
- local/ˈləʊ.kl̩/adjective · A1Belonging to the area right around here.
- locality/loʊˈkæl.ɪ.ti/noun · B2+The particular area a place sits in.
- locally sourcedadjective · B2Bought from producers close by.
- locate/lə(ʊ)ˈkeɪt/verb · B1To find where something is.
- located/ləʊˈkeɪtɪd/adjective · B1Placed or situated in a particular spot.
- location/ləʊˈkeɪʃən/noun · B1A real place used for filming instead of a set.
- loch/lɔx/noun · B2+A lake, in Scottish use.
- lock/lɒk/noun · A2The metal thing in a door that only the right key opens.
- lock stock and barrelphrase · C1Completely, including every last part.
- lock up/ˌlɒk ˈʌp/phrase · B1To secure a building, or to put somebody in prison.
- lockdown/ˈlɒkˌdaʊn/noun · B2Shutting everybody in for safety.
- locker/ˈlɒk.ə(ɹ)/noun · A2+Your own small metal cupboard in the corridor for books and coats.
- locker roomphrase · B1The room where the team changes and the coach gives the big speech.
- locket/ˈlɒkɪt/noun · B2A tiny case on a chain, with a picture hidden inside.
- lockoutnoun · C1An employer shutting workers out to force terms.
- locksmith/ˈlɑksmɪθ/noun · B2+The tradesman who makes and opens locks.
- lockupnoun · C1A cell where somebody is held briefly, or the securing of premises.
- loco/ˈləʊ.kəʊ/adjective · C1Mad, in informal use.
- locomotion/ləʊ.kəˈməʊ.ʃən/noun · C2The power or act of moving from place to place.
- locomotive/ˌləʊkəˈməʊtɪv/noun · B2The powered unit that pulls a train.
- locust/ˈləʊ.kəst/noun · B2+A grasshopper that swarms in millions and strips whole fields.
- lode/ləʊd/noun · C1A rich vein of metal ore in the rock.
- lodge/lɒd͡ʒ/noun · B1+A simple building for holidays in the country.
- lodge a complaintphrase · C1To make an objection through the proper channel.
- lodger/ˈlɑd͡ʒɚ/noun · B2+Somebody who pays to live in a room in another's house.
- loft conversionnoun · B2A roof space turned into a room.
- log/lɒɡ/noun · B1A thick cut piece of tree ready for the fire.
- log inphrase · A2To enter your name and secret word to open your account.
- loggerheadsnoun · C1A state of stubborn disagreement, reached after the word "at".
- logic/ˈlɒd͡ʒ.ɪk/noun · B2Careful step-by-step reasoning from facts to conclusions.
- logical/ˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/adjective · B2Following clear reasoning step by step.
- logistics/ləˈd͡ʒɪstɪks/noun · B2+The planning of how goods and people move where they must go.
- logo/ˈləʊ.ɡəʊ/noun · B2The symbol that stands for a company at a glance.
- loin/ˈloɪn/noun · C1The part of the body between the ribs and the hips.
- loiter/ˈlɔɪtə(ɹ)/verb · C2To stand about with no clear purpose.
- loll/lɒl/verb · C1To sit or lie in a lazy relaxed sprawl.
- lollipop/ˈlɒlipɒp/noun · B1The hard round candy on a little stick.
- lolly/ˈlɒl.i/noun · B2+A sweet on a stick, or ice on a stick.
- loneliness/ˈloʊnlinəs/noun · B2The ache of being without company.
- lonely/ˈləʊnli/adjective · B1Sad because you are alone and miss other people.
- loner/ˈləʊ.nə/noun · B2A person who prefers their own company.
- long/lɒŋ/adjective · A1Measuring a lot from one end to the other, like a snake.
- long exposurenoun · B2A picture taken over many seconds, blurring what moves.
- long jump/ˈlɒŋ ˌdʒʌmp/noun · B1Leaping as far as possible from a marked line.
- long story shortphrase · B2Skipping the details and giving the outcome.
- long time no seephrase · B1A friendly greeting to somebody you have not met for ages.
- long-distanceadjective · B2Covering or reaching a great distance.
- long-hauladjective · B2Describing a very long flight between continents.
- long-rangeadjective · B2Able to reach far, or planned far ahead.
- long-sightedadjective · B2Unable to see near things clearly.
- long-standing/ˈlɒŋstændɪŋ/adjective · C1Having existed for a very long time.
- long-stay car parknoun · B2Parking meant for travellers away for days.
- long-termadjective · B2Meant to last or to matter far into the future.
- long-timeadjective · C1Having held the same role or friendship for very many years.
- long-wearadjective · C1Made to last the whole day without fading.
- long-winded/ˈlɔŋˌwɪndəd/adjective · C1Talking or writing on and on in a rambling, tiresome way that wears out the listener.
- longevity/lɒnˈd͡ʒɛv.ɪ.ti/noun · C1Great length of life or of service.
- longing/ˈlɒŋɪŋ/noun · B2A deep aching wish for something or someone far away.
- longitude/ˈlɒnd͡ʒɪtʃuːd/noun · B2+Position measured in degrees east or west of Greenwich.
- loofah/ˈluːfə/noun · B2+A rough natural sponge for scrubbing skin.
- look/lʊk/verb · A1To turn your eyes toward something on purpose.
- look a gift horse in the mouthphrase · C1To find fault with something given to you freely.
- look afterphrase · B1To watch over and protect a person, animal, or thing.
- look aroundphrase · B1To walk through a place seeing what is there.
- look down onphrase · B2To treat someone as beneath you.
- look forphrase · A2To try to find something that is lost or needed.
- look forward tophrase · B1To be happily excited about something coming.
- look intophrase · B2To investigate a matter to find out more.
- look out forphrase · B2To watch carefully in order to notice something.
- look throughphrase · B2To examine a set of things one after another.
- look up/ˌlʊk ˈʌp/phrase · B1To search for a word or fact in a book or online.
- look up tophrase · B2To admire someone as your example.
- lookout/ˈlʊkaʊt/noun · B2Somebody watching for danger, and the place they watch from.
- loom/luːm/verb · C1To appear large and threatening out of the dark.
- loon/ˈluːn/noun · C1A foolish person, or a diving water bird.
- loop/luːp/noun · B2Code that repeats until a condition changes.
- loop linenoun · C1A track that leaves the main line and rejoins it.
- loophole/ˈluːphəʊl/noun · B2+The small gap in a rule that lets clever people slip around it.
- loose/luːs/adjective · B1Not tight; with lots of room inside.
- loose changenoun · B2The small coins rattling in a pocket.
- loosen/ˈluːsən/verb · B1To make something less tight.
- loot/luːt/noun · B1+Goods taken by force in war or riot.
- lope/ləʊp/verb · C1To run with long easy strides.
- lopsided/ˈlɒp.saɪ.dəd/adjective · B2+Heavier or lower on one side than the other.
- loquacious/ləʊˈkweɪʃəs/adjective · C2Very talkative.
- lord/lɔːd/noun · B1A nobleman, or a title of respect for one.
- lordling/ˈlɔːdlɪŋ/noun · C2A young or minor nobleman.
- lore/lɔː/noun · B2+The body of traditional knowledge a group hands down.
- lorry/ˈlɒɹi/noun · A2+A large goods vehicle.
- lose/luːz/verb · A1To no longer have something and not know where it went.
- lose sight ofphrase · B2To stop being able to see something.
- lose touchphrase · B2To stop being in contact with somebody.
- lose trackphrase · B1To stop being able to follow something.
- lose track of timephrase · B2To be so absorbed you forget how late it is.
- lose your bearingsphrase · C1To stop knowing where you are or which way to go.
- lose your nervephrase · B2To find your courage gone at the last moment.
- lose your temperphrase · B2To stop controlling your anger.
- loser/luːzə(ɹ)/noun · A2Somebody who did not win.
- loss leader/ˈlɒs ˈliːdə(ɹ)/noun · C1Something sold cheap to bring people in.
- lost/lɒst/adjective · A2Unable to find the way, or gone missing.
- lost and foundnoun · B1The office holding things people left behind.
- lost luggagenoun · B1Bags that did not arrive with you.
- lost propertynoun · B2The office holding things guests have left behind.
- lot/lɒt/noun · A1One item or group of items sold together at auction.
- lot numbernoun · B2The code identifying which batch an item came from.
- lotion/ˈloʊʃən/noun · B1Creamy liquid rubbed into skin to soften or protect it.
- lottery/ˈlɒtəɹi/noun · B2A game of chance where numbers are drawn for a huge prize.
- lotto/ˈlɔtəʉ/noun · B1+A state-run game of chance in which players pick numbers on a ticket and hope they match the ones drawn.
- loud/ˈlaʊ̯d/adjective · A2Making a lot of sound — easy to hear from far away.
- loudspeaker/laʊdˈspiːkə/noun · B1+A device that turns an electrical signal into sound.
- lounge/ˈlaʊ̯nd͡ʒ/noun · B1A quiet room where certain passengers wait.
- louse/laʊs/noun · B2+A small wingless insect that lives on skin and hair.
- lousy/ˈlaʊ.zi/adjective · B1Very bad indeed, said informally.
- lout/laʊt/noun · C1A rough ill-mannered young man.
- louvrenoun · C1One of a set of slanting slats that let air through.
- lovable/ˈlʌvəbəl/adjective · B1+Easy to love.
- love/ˈlʌv/noun · A1The strongest warm feeling for a person close to your soul.
- lovelessadjective · C1Without any affection in it.
- lovelier/ˈlʌv.li.ə(ɹ)/adjective · B1+More beautiful or more pleasing.
- loveliness/ˈlʌvlinəs/noun · B2The quality of being beautiful and pleasing.
- lovely/ˈlʌv.li/adjective · A2Beautiful and pleasant in a warm, gentle way.
- lovely weatherphrase · A2The classic opening remark to a stranger.
- low/ˈləʊ/adjective · A2Close to the ground; not far up.
- low batterynoun · A2The warning that a device is nearly out of power.
- low moodnoun · B2A stretch of feeling flat and dispirited.
- low tidenoun · B1The point when the sea has fallen as far as it will.
- low-bornadjective · C1Born into a family of no rank.
- lowbrow/ˈloʊbɹaʊ/adjective · C1Appealing to simple popular tastes.
- lowermostadjective · C1Lowest of all.
- lowlandnoun · B2+Flat country lying at a low level.
- lowlife/ˈloʊlaɪf/noun · C1A disreputable person who lives among petty criminals on the seedy edges of society.
- lowly/ˈləʊli/adjective · B2+Humble in rank or importance.
- loyal/ˈlɔɪəl/adjective · B1Staying true to your friends and never leaving their side.
- loyalty/ˈlɔɪəlti/noun · B2Staying faithful to your people through good and bad.
- loyalty cardnoun · B2The shop card that collects points toward rewards each visit.
- loyalty pointsnoun · B2Rewards collected each time you shop somewhere.
- loyalty testnoun · B2A trial set to see whose side somebody is really on.
- lube/luːb/noun · B2+The short garage word for the oil or grease put between moving metal parts to stop them grinding.
- lubricant/ˈlubɹəkənt/noun · B2+A slippery substance that stops parts wearing.
- lubricate/ˈluːbrɪkeɪt/verb · B2+To oil moving parts so they do not wear.
- lucid/ˈl(j)uːsɪd/adjective · C1Perfectly clear in thought or explanation.
- luck/lʌk/noun · A2The good and bad things that happen to you by pure accident.
- luckieradjective · A2+Having better fortune.
- luckily/ˈlʌk.ɪ.li/adverb · B1Fortunately, as things turned out.
- lucky/ˈlʌki/adjective · A2Having good things happen to you by chance.
- lucky charmnoun · B2A small object carried in the hope of good fortune.
- lucrative/ˈluː.kɹə.tɪv/adjective · B2+Bringing in a great deal of money.
- ludicrous/ˈluː.dɪ.kɹəs/adjective · C1So silly it deserves to be laughed at.
- lug/lʌɡ/verb · B2To carry something heavy with difficulty.
- luge/luː(d)ʒ/noun · C1A one-person sled ridden feet-first down an ice track.
- luggage/ˈlʌɡ.ɪdʒ/noun · B1All the bags and cases you take on a trip.
- luggage racknoun · B2The shelf above the seats for bags.
- luggage storagenoun · B1The place bags are kept before or after a stay.
- luggage tagnoun · B1The label showing where a bag should go.
- lugubrious/luːˈɡ(j)uː.bɹi.əs/adjective · C2Mournful in a heavy and rather comic way.
- lukewarm/ˌl(j)uːk.ˈwɔːm/adjective · B2+Only slightly warm, in a disappointing way.
- lull/lʌl/noun · C1A short quiet break in noise or activity.
- lullaby/ˈlʌləbaɪ/noun · B1A gentle song sung to send a child to sleep.
- lumber/ˈlʌm.bə/verb · B2To move heavily and awkwardly.
- luminary/ˈluːmɪn(ə)ɹi/noun · C2Somebody who shines in their field.
- luminous/ˈluːmɪnəs/adjective · B2+Giving out light, especially in the dark.
- lump/lʌmp/verb · B2To put things together as if they were the same.
- lump sumnoun · C1A single payment of the whole amount at once.
- lumpy/ˈlʌmpi/adjective · B2Full of small solid bits that should not be there.
- lunacy/ˈluː.nə.si/noun · C2Behaviour so wild it belongs in an asylum.
- lunch/lʌnt͡ʃ/noun · A1The meal you eat in the middle of the day.
- lunchbox/ˈlʌntʃˌbɒks/noun · B2The small container a packed midday meal travels in.
- luncheon/ˈlʌn.tʃən/noun · C1A formal midday meal.
- lunchtime/ˈlʌnt͡ʃtaɪm/noun · A2+The part of the day when the midday meal is eaten.
- lunge/lʌnd͡ʒ/verb · B2+To make a sudden forward thrust.
- lungs/lʌŋz/noun · B1The two organs in your chest that fill with air.
- lurch/lɜːt͡ʃ/verb · C1To move suddenly and unsteadily to one side.
- lure/lʊə/verb · B2To draw someone in with tempting bait.
- lurid/ˈl(j)ʊə.ɹɪd/adjective · C2Unpleasantly bright, in a shocking way.
- lurk/lɜːk/verb · B2+To wait hidden, usually up to no good.
- lush/ˈlʌʃ/adjective · B2+Growing thick, green, and rich.
- lust/ˈlʌst/noun · B2Strong sexual desire, or a craving for something.
- lustful/ˈlʌst.fəl/adjective · C1Full of strong sexual desire.
- lustre/ˈlʌstə/noun · C1The way light shines off a mineral's surface.
- lustrous/ˈlʌ.stɹəs/adjective · C1Shining with a soft gleam.
- lusty/ˈlʌsti/adjective · C1Full of vigour and healthy strength.
- lute/l(j)uːt/noun · C1An old pear-shaped plucked instrument with a bent neck.
- luxembourgnoun · B1+The tiny rich country squeezed between France, Germany, and Belgium.
- luxuriant/lʌɡˈzjʊəɹi.ənt/adjective · C1Growing thickly and richly.
- luxurious/lʌɡˈʒʊəɹi.əs/adjective · B2+Very comfortable and expensive.
- luxury/ˈlʌk.ʃə.ɹi/noun · B1+Expensive comfort far beyond what anyone needs.
- lycranoun · B2A stretchy fabric worn for sport.
- lye/laɪ/noun · C1A strong alkaline solution used in making soap.
- lyric/ˈlɪɹɪk/noun · B2The words of a song, or a short poem of feeling.
- lyrical/ˈlɪɹɪkəl/adjective · C2Expressing feeling in a flowing songlike way.
- lyricist/ˈlɪɹ.ɪsɪst/noun · C2Somebody who writes the words of songs.
- lyrics/ˈlɪɹ.ɪks/noun · B2The words of a song.
- macabre/ˌməˈkɑː.bɹə/adjective · C1Gruesome and grim in the way it dwells on death, said of a tale, a joke, or a scene rather than of a person's turn of mind.
- macaroni/mæk.əˈɹəʊ.ni/noun · B1Pasta in the form of short curved tubes.
- macaw/məˈkɔː/noun · B2+A huge brilliantly coloured tropical parrot.
- mace/meɪs/noun · B2A heavy club with a spiked head.
- machete/məˈʃɛ.ti/noun · B2+A large heavy blade used for cutting undergrowth.
- machination/ˌmækɪˈneɪʃən/noun · C2A crafty scheme worked out in secret.
- machine/məˈʃiːn/noun · A1A device with moving parts that does work for you.
- machine learningphrase · B2Teaching computers by showing them examples instead of writing rules.
- machinery/məˈʃiːnəɹi/noun · C1Machines taken together, or the workings of a system.
- machiningnoun · C1Shaping metal by cutting it on a machine.
- machismo/mɑːˈt͡ʃiz.moʊ/noun · C1An exaggerated show of manly toughness.
- mackerel/ˈmæk(ə)ɹəl/noun · B2An oily sea fish with striped skin.
- macro/ˈmæk.ɹoʊ/adjective · B2+Made for photographing very small things close up.
- macrocosm/ˈmæk.ɹə(ʊ)ˌkɒz.əm/noun · C2The whole vast system, seen as a single thing.
- maculate/ˈmækjʊleɪt/adjective · C2Marked with spots or stains; not clean.
- mad/ˈmæd/adjective · A2Very cross; also, out of your mind.
- madagascarnoun · B1+The huge island off Africa where lemurs live and nowhere else.
- madcap/ˈmædkæp/adjective · C1Wildly reckless and funny with it.
- made-to-measureadjective · B2Cut specially to fit one person's body.
- madhouse/ˈmædˌhaʊs/noun · B2A place where noise and confusion reign, as if the inmates of an asylum had taken charge.
- madly/ˈmædli/adverb · B2In a wild uncontrolled way.
- madness/ˈmad.nəs/noun · B2Complete loss of reason, or wild foolishness.
- maelstrom/ˈmeɪl.stɹəm/noun · C2A powerful whirlpool, or a scene of violent confusion.
- maestro/ˈmaɪstɹoʊ/noun · B2+A master of an art, especially conducting music.
- magazine/ˌmæɡəˈziːn/noun · A1The glossy weekly or monthly with photos, stories, and interviews.
- magazine spreadnoun · B2A feature laid out across two facing pages.
- mage/meɪd͡ʒ/noun · C1A magician, in stories.
- magenta/məˈd͡ʒɛntə/adjective · B1+A vivid purplish pink.
- maggot/ˈmæɡət/noun · B2The legless white young of a fly.
- magic/ˈmad͡ʒɪk/noun · A2Impossible tricks and mysterious powers, on stage or in stories.
- magical/ˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪ.kəl/adjective · B1Having or seeming to have magic in it.
- magician/məˈd͡ʒɪʃən/noun · B1The performer who pulls rabbits from hats and makes cards vanish.
- magister/ˈmæd͡ʒɪstə(ɹ)/noun · C2A master or a person of learning and authority.
- magistrate/ˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪˌstɹeɪt/noun · C1A local judge who hears smaller cases.
- magma/ˈmæɡ.mə/noun · B2+Molten rock still under the surface.
- magnanimity/ˌmæɡnəˈnɪmɪti/noun · C2Generosity of spirit, especially towards a beaten rival.
- magnanimous/mæɡˈnæn.ɪ.məs/adjective · C2Generous and forgiving, especially towards a rival.
- magnate/ˈmæɡneɪt/noun · C2A rich and powerful figure in business.
- magnesium/ˌmæɡˈniːzi.əm/noun · B2+A light metal that burns with a brilliant white flame.
- magnet/ˈmæɡ.nɪt/noun · B1The piece of metal that pulls iron things toward itself.
- magnetic/mæɡˈnɛtɪk/adjective · C1Attracting iron, or attracting people.
- magnetism/ˈmæɡ.nəˌtɪz.əm/noun · C1The invisible pulling force of certain metals.
- magnificent/mæɡˈnɪfəsənt/adjective · B2Grand and beautiful in a breathtaking way.
- magnify/ˈmaɡnɪfaɪ/verb · B2To make something look larger than it is.
- magnitude/ˈmæɡnɪtjuːd/noun · C1A number saying how big something is, especially a quake.
- magpie/ˈmæɡˌpaɪ/noun · C2A noisy black and white bird said to steal shiny things.
- mahjong/mɑːˈd͡ʒɒŋ/noun · B2+A tile game of forming sets, from China.
- mahogany/məˈhɒɡəni/adjective · C1A dark reddish brown, like the fine timber.
- maiden/ˈmeɪdən/noun · B2A young unmarried woman, in the language of tales.
- maiden namenoun · B2The surname a woman had before marrying.
- maidenheadnoun · C2A woman's virginity, in old use.
- mailbox/ˈmeɪl.bɑks/noun · B1The box where your letters are delivered.
- mailing list/ˈmeɪlɪŋ lɪst/noun · B2The set of addresses a newsletter goes out to.
- maim/meɪm/verb · B2+To wound somebody so badly they are permanently damaged.
- main/meɪn/adjective · A1The most important one among several.
- main coursephrase · A2The biggest central dish of the meal.
- main linenoun · B2The principal route between major places.
- mainland/ˈmeɪnlənd/noun · C1The main body of land, as against its islands.
- mainsail/ˈmeɪnseɪl/noun · C1The largest sail, set behind the main mast.
- mainstay/ˈmeɪn.steɪ/noun · C1The thing everything else depends on.
- mainstream/ˈmeɪn.stɹiːm/adjective · C1Belonging to what most people like and know.
- maintain/meɪnˈteɪn/verb · B2To keep something in good working order over time.
- maintain/meɪnˈteɪn/verb · B2To keep something at the same level.
- maintenance/ˈmeɪnt(ə)nəns/noun · C1Money paid to support a child after separation.
- maintenance/ˈmeɪnt(ə)nəns/noun · B1+The work of keeping the line safe and sound.
- maitre dnoun · C1The person in charge of seating guests.
- majestic/məˈd͡ʒɛstɪk/adjective · B2+Grand and dignified like royalty or mountains.
- major/ˈmeɪ.d͡ʒə(ɹ)/adjective · A2Big and important.
- majority/məˈd͡ʒɒ.ɹɪti/noun · B2More than half; the larger side of a vote.
- make/meɪk/verb · A1To build or produce something that was not there before.
- make a beeline forphrase · C1To head straight towards something without delay.
- make a decisionphrase · B1To settle on what you are going to do.
- make dophrase · B2To manage with what little you have.
- make ends meetphrase · B2To just manage to pay for life on the money you have.
- make intophrase · B1To turn one thing into another.
- make out/meɪk aʊt/phrase · B2To manage to see or hear something faint.
- make overphrase · B2To give something a completely new look.
- make sense ofphrase · B1To find the pattern in something confusing.
- make the bedphrase · A2To pull the covers straight after sleeping.
- make up/ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/phrase · B2To invent a story; also, to become friends again after a fight.
- make up forphrase · B2To compensate for something bad you did.
- make yourself at homephrase · B1Relax here and behave as if it were your own place.
- make-believe/ˈmeɪk bəˌliːv/noun · B2Pretending, especially as a children's game.
- make-up/mæɪkˈɐp/noun · B2Coloured products put on the face to improve the look.
- make-up artistnoun · B1The person who prepares actors' faces for the camera.
- makeover/ˈmeɪkˌoʊvɚ/noun · B2A complete change of appearance.
- maker/ˈmeɪk.ə/noun · A2+Somebody or something that makes things.
- maker's marknoun · C1The small sign showing who made an object.
- makes sensephrase · B1That is a reasonable explanation.
- makeshift/ˈmeɪkˌʃɪft/adjective · B2+Put together from whatever was to hand.
- makeup/ˈmeɪkʌp/noun · A2+Colour put on the face to change how it looks.
- malachite/ˈmæl.əˌkaɪt/noun · C2A banded green stone used for ornament.
- malady/ˈmæl.ə.di/noun · B2+An illness, or a deep-seated problem in a society.
- malaise/məˈleɪz/noun · C1A vague feeling that something is wrong.
- malaria/məˈlɛəɹi.ə/noun · B2+A fever carried by mosquitoes.
- malawinoun · B2+The warm heart of Africa, wrapped around a great lake.
- malaysianoun · B1+The Southeast Asian country of Kuala Lumpur and its twin towers.
- malcontent/ˈmal.kən.tɛnt/noun · C2Somebody always dissatisfied and stirring discontent.
- maldivesnoun · B2Indian Ocean nation of coral atolls barely above the waves.
- male/meɪl/adjective · A2Of the sex that fathers children.
- malediction/ˌmæl.əˈdɪk.ʃən/noun · C2A curse spoken against somebody.
- malevolence/məˈlɛvələns/noun · C1The wish to see harm come to someone.
- malevolent/məˈlɛvələnt/adjective · C1Wishing harm on other people.
- malfeasance/ˌmælˈfiːzəns/noun · C2Wrongdoing by somebody holding public office.
- malformed/ˌmælˈfɔːmd/adjective · C1Badly shaped from birth or growth.
- malfunction/ˌmælˈfʌŋk.ʃən/verb · B2To stop working the way it should.
- mali/ˈmɑːli/noun · B2+Saharan country of Timbuktu on the Niger River.
- malign/məˈlaɪn/verb · C1To say damaging and untrue things about somebody.
- malignant/məˈlɪɡnənt/adjective · B2+Of a tumour: cancerous and able to invade the rest of the body, the opposite of benign.
- mall/mɔːl/noun · B1The huge indoor building full of shops, cafes, and escalators.
- mallard/ˈmælˌɑːd/noun · B2+The common wild duck with a green head.
- malleabilitynoun · C2The quality of being easily shaped or easily influenced.
- malleable/ˈmæl.iː.ə.bəl/adjective · C2Soft enough to be hammered into a new shape.
- mallet/ˈmælɪt/noun · B2+A hammer with a large soft head that does not dent.
- malnutrition/ˌmæl.nuˈtɹɪʃ.ən/noun · C2Illness and weakness from not eating enough good food.
- malodorous/ˌmælˈəʊ.də.ɹəs/adjective · C2Smelling very unpleasant.
- malpracticenoun · C1Careless or illegal conduct by a professional.
- maltanoun · B1+The tiny island country in the middle of the Mediterranean.
- maltyadjective · C2Tasting of the sweet roasted grain used in brewing.
- malware/ˈmæl.wɛː/noun · B2Harmful software built to damage or spy on computers.
- mammal/ˈmæməl/noun · B1+A warm-blooded animal that feeds its young on milk.
- mammoth/ˈmæməθ/adjective · B2Enormous in size.
- man/ˈmæn/noun · A1An adult male person.
- manacle/ˈmænək(ə)l/noun · C1A metal ring locked round the wrist.
- manage/ˈmæn.ɪd͡ʒ/verb · A2+To succeed at something difficult; also, to lead a team.
- manageable/ˈmænɪd͡ʒəbəl/adjective · B2+Small or simple enough to be handled.
- management/ˈmæn.ɪdʒ.mənt/noun · B1The study of running organisations and people.
- manager/ˈmæn.ɪ.dʒə/noun · A2+The person who leads a team and makes the daily decisions.
- mandarin/ˈmæn.də.ɹɪn/noun · B1+A small sweet citrus fruit that peels easily.
- mandate/ˈmændeɪ̯t/noun · C1The authority to act, given by those who elected you.
- mandatory/ˈmæn.də.t(ə)ɹi/adjective · C1Ordered by rule or law — no opting out.
- mandible/ˈmæn.dɪb.əl/noun · C1One of the biting jaws of an insect.
- mandolin/ˈmændə(ˌ)lɪn/noun · C1A small round-backed instrument with paired strings.
- mane/meɪn/noun · B1+The long proud neck hair of a lion or horse.
- manfullyadverb · C1With determined courage.
- manger/ˈmeɪ̯n.d͡ʒəː/noun · B2The trough a farm animal feeds from.
- mangle/ˈmæŋ.ɡ(ə)l/verb · C2To crush and twist something out of all shape.
- mango/ˈmæŋɡəʊ/noun · B2The sweet golden tropical fruit with a big flat stone.
- mangonelnoun · C2A medieval engine for hurling stones.
- mangrove treenoun · C1A coastal tree that stands in salt water on stilt roots.
- mangy/ˈmeɪn.d͡ʒi/adjective · C2Patchy-furred and shabby, like a stray with a skin disease.
- manhandle/ˈmænˌhæn.dəl/verb · B2+To move somebody roughly by force.
- manhole/ˈmænhəʊl/noun · B2The round covered opening in the street leading down to the sewers.
- manhood/ˈmænhʊd/noun · B2+The state of being a grown man.
- manhunt/ˈmænˌhʌnt/noun · B2+An organised search for a wanted person.
- manicure/ˈmæ.nɪ.kjʊɹ/noun · C1A treatment that shapes and paints the fingernails.
- manicuristnoun · B2+Somebody who shapes and paints fingernails for a living.
- manifest/ˈmæn.ɪ.fɛst/verb · C1To show something plainly.
- manifestation/ˌmænɪfɛˈsteɪʃən/noun · C1A clear sign or appearance of something.
- manifesto/ˌmæn.ɪˈfɛs.təʊ/noun · B2+The written promises a party stands on.
- manipulate/məˈnɪp.jʊ.leɪt/verb · C1To secretly steer people or facts for your own ends.
- manipulation/məˌnɪp.juˈleɪ.ʃən/noun · C1Skilful handling, or the sly controlling of people.
- manipulative/məˈnɪp.jə.lə.tɪv/adjective · B2+Controlling others by clever unfair means.
- mankind/mænˈkaɪnd/noun · B1Human beings considered as a whole.
- manly/ˈmænli/adjective · B2Showing the courage and strength held up as ideals for a grown male, used as praise rather than as a neutral label for the male sex.
- manner/ˈmænə/noun · A2+The way somebody behaves or does a thing.
- mannerism/ˈmænəˌɹɪzəm/noun · C1A habitual gesture or turn of speech.
- manners/ˈmæn.ɚz/noun · A2+The way somebody behaves towards other people.
- manoeuvre/məˈnuːvə/noun · B2+A skilful move, or a planned military exercise.
- manor/ˈmænə(ɹ)/noun · B2A large old country house with land around it.
- manpowernoun · B2The number of workers available for a job.
- manse/mæns/noun · C2A large house, especially a minister's.
- mansion/ˈmæn.ʃən/noun · B2A huge, impressive house of the rich.
- manslaughter/ˈmænˌslɔːtə/noun · B2+Killing somebody without having planned to.
- manta ray/ˈmæntə ɹeɪ/noun · C1An enormous flat fish that seems to fly underwater.
- mantelpiece/ˈmæntlpiːs/noun · B2+The shelf above a fireplace where photos and clocks stand.
- manticore/ˈmæntɪˌkɔɹ/noun · C2A legendary beast with a lion's body and a man's face.
- mantis/ˈmæntɪs/noun · B2+A green insect that waits with its forelegs folded as if praying.
- mantle/ˈmæn.təl/noun · B2The hot layer between the earth's crust and its core.
- mantra/ˈmæn.tɹə/noun · B2+A phrase repeated over and over as a guide or in meditation.
- manual/ˈmæn.j(ʊ)əl/adjective · B2Done by hand rather than by machine.
- manufacturer/ˌmænjʊˈfæktʃəɹə/noun · B2A business that makes goods on a large scale.
- manufacturing/ˌmænjʊˈfækt͡ʃəɹɪŋ/noun · B2The making of goods on a large scale.
- manure/məˈnjʊə/noun · B2Animal waste spread on fields to feed the soil.
- manuscript/ˈmæn.jəˌskɹɪpt/noun · C1The author's original text before it becomes a printed book.
- manuscript collectionnoun · C1A holding of handwritten documents.
- many hands make light workphrase · C1A job is easy when everybody helps.
- map/mæp/noun · A1The drawing of streets or countries that stops you getting lost.
- map readingnoun · B1The skill of finding your way from a printed map.
- maple/ˈmeɪpl̩/noun · B1The tree of syrup and the leaf on Canada's flag.
- maple syrup/ˈmeɪ.pəl ˈsɪ.ɹəp/noun · B1A sweet brown syrup tapped from a Canadian tree.
- maracasnoun · B2+A pair of shakers filled with seeds or beads.
- marathon/ˈmæɹəθən/noun · B2The famous 42-kilometer street race that takes hours to finish.
- maraud/məˈɹɔːd/verb · C2To roam about raiding and plundering.
- marauder/məˈɹɔːdə/noun · C1Somebody who roams about raiding and plundering.
- marble/ˈmɑː.bəl/noun · B1The smooth veined stone of palaces and famous statues.
- marbledadjective · B2+Veined with swirling lines of another colour.
- marblesnoun · B1The old game played with small glass balls flicked in the dirt.
- march/mɑːtʃ/noun · A1The third month, when spring begins.
- mare/mɛə/noun · B1+A fully grown female horse.
- margarine/ˌmɑː.d͡ʒəˈɹiːn/noun · C2The pale spread sold as a cheaper stand-in for butter.
- margin/ˈmɑː.d͡ʒɪn/noun · B2The blank edge of a page, or the amount by which something is won.
- margin of errornoun · B2How far a result might be from the true value.
- marginal/ˈmɑː.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/adjective · C1So small as to hardly matter, or at the edge.
- marginally/ˈmɑɹd͡ʒɪnəli/adverb · C1By only a very small amount.
- marigold/ˈmæɹ.ɪˌɡəʊld/noun · B2+A bright orange garden flower with a sharp smell.
- marina/məˈɹinə/noun · B2A harbour built for pleasure boats.
- marinade/ˌmaɹɪˈneɪd/noun · B2+The flavoured liquid meat is left to sit in before cooking.
- marinate/ˈmæɹɪneɪt/verb · B2+To leave meat resting in a flavored liquid for hours before cooking.
- marinatedadjective · B2+Left to sit in a flavoured liquid before cooking.
- marine/məˈɹiːn/adjective · B2To do with the sea.
- marine biologynoun · B2The study of life in the sea.
- marionette/ˌmæɹi.əˈnɛt/noun · C1A puppet moved by strings from above.
- marital/ˈmæɹɪtəl/adjective · B2To do with marriage.
- mark-upnoun · C1The amount added to the cost to make the selling price.
- markedly/ˈmɑː.kɪd.li/adverb · C1To a degree that is easy to notice.
- marker/ˈmɑː(ɹ)kə(ɹ)/noun · B2Something that marks a place or shows a change.
- market/ˈmɑːkɪt/noun · A1The open place with many small stands selling fruit, fish, and flowers.
- marketabilitynoun · C2How easily something can be sold.
- marketing/ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ/noun · B1+The study of how goods are promoted and sold.
- marketplacenoun · C1Where goods are traded, or the world of trade itself.
- marking schemenoun · B2The rules by which answers are given marks.
- markup/ˈmɑː(ɹ)k.ʌp/noun · C1The amount added to cost to arrive at the selling price.
- marlin/ˈmɑɹ.lɪn/noun · C1A large fast game fish with a spear-like snout.
- marmalade/ˈmɑː.mə.leɪd/noun · B1+A bitter-sweet citrus spread with peel in it.
- maroon/məˈɹuːn/verb · C1To leave somebody stranded with no way off.
- marquee/(ˌ)mɑː(ɹ)ˈkiː/noun · B2+A large tent for an event, or a theatre's front sign.
- marquetry/ˈmɑːkɪtɹi/noun · C2A picture made of inlaid pieces of coloured wood.
- marriage/ˈmæɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · A2The legal relationship between a husband and a wife.
- married/ˈmæɹ.ɪd/adjective · A1Having a husband or a wife.
- marrow/ˈmæɹəʊ/noun · B2The soft fatty tissue inside a bone.
- marry/ˈmæɹi/verb · A2To become someone's husband or wife.
- marsh/mɑːʃ/noun · B2Soft, soggy low ground where reeds and frogs thrive.
- marshal/ˈmɑːʃəl/verb · C1To gather and arrange people or facts in order.
- marshalling yardnoun · C2Where wagons are sorted into trains.
- marshmallow/mɑːʃˈmæləʊ/noun · A2+A soft white sweet that toasts over a fire.
- mart/mɑɹt/noun · C1A market or a trading centre.
- martial/ˈmɑːʃəl/adjective · B2To do with war and the military.
- martial artnoun · B2A trained fighting method practised as a sport.
- martial law/ˈmɑːʃəl lɔː/noun · C1Rule by the army, with ordinary law suspended.
- martin/ˈmɑː.tɪn/noun · C2A small bird that builds a mud nest under the eaves.
- martyrdom/ˈmɑː(ɹ).tə(ɹ).dəm/noun · C1Death or great suffering endured for a belief.
- marvel/ˈmɑːvəl/noun · B2Something that fills you with wonder.
- marvelous/ˈmɑːvələs/adjective · B1Wonderful and causing astonishment.
- mascara/ˌmæsˈkɑːɹə/noun · B1+Dark paint that thickens the lashes.
- mascot/ˈmæsˌkɒt/noun · B1+The costumed animal that dances for the crowd at games.
- masculine/ˈmæskjʊlɪn/adjective · B2Having qualities traditionally thought of as manly.
- masculinity/ˌmæskjəˈlɪnɪti/noun · C1The qualities a culture ties to being a man.
- mash/mæʃ/verb · B1To crush cooked food until it is soft and lumpy.
- mashed/mæʃt/adjective · B1Crushed to a soft pulp.
- mask/mɑːsk/noun · A2A face covering worn for disguise, carnival, or protection.
- masochism/ˈmæs.ə.kɪ.zəm/noun · C1Taking pleasure in your own pain or humiliation.
- masonry/ˈmeɪsənɹi/noun · C1Stone or brickwork, taken as a whole.
- masque/mæsk/noun · C2A courtly entertainment of music and disguise.
- masquerade/ˌmæskəˈɹeɪd/noun · C1A pretence, or a party where faces are covered.
- masquerade ballnoun · B2A dance at which faces are covered.
- mass/mæs/noun · B2How much matter a thing is made of.
- mass extinctionnoun · B2A period when very many species died out at once.
- massacre/ˈmæs.ə.kə(ɹ)/noun · C1The killing of many helpless people.
- massage/ˈmæsɑː(d)ʒ/noun · B2Rubbing the body to ease it.
- masseur/məˈsɜː/noun · B2+A person trained to rub the body to ease it.
- massive/ˈmæs.ɪv/adjective · B2Extremely big and heavy.
- mast/mɑːst/noun · B1+The tall pole that carries the sails.
- master/ˈmɑːstə/noun · B1Somebody with complete command of a skill, or a man in charge.
- masterfuladjective · C1Showing complete command of a skill.
- mastermind/ˈmɑː.stə.mʌɪnd/noun · B2+The person who plans and directs a complex scheme.
- masterpiece/ˈmæstɚˌpis/noun · B2An artist's greatest work — the one the whole world remembers.
- mastery/ˈmɑː.stə.ɹi/noun · B2+Complete command of a skill or a subject.
- mastheadnoun · C1The title block at the top of a newspaper's front page.
- mastiff/ˈmæstɪf/noun · C1A very large powerful guard dog.
- masturbation/ˌmæstəˈbeɪʃ(ə)n/noun · B2+The stimulating of your own sexual organs.
- mat/mæt/noun · A2+A small flat piece of thick material laid on the floor, often by a door to wipe shoes on.
- match/mæt͡ʃ/verb · A1To look good together, like a tie and a shirt of the right colors.
- match/mæt͡ʃ/noun · A2One organized contest between two teams or players.
- matches/ˈmæt͡ʃɪz/noun · A2+Small wooden sticks you strike to make a flame.
- mate/meɪt/noun · B1A friend, or an animal's breeding partner.
- material/məˈtɪə.ɹi.əl/noun · C1The pieces each side has, counted by value.
- material/məˈtɪə.ɹi.əl/noun · A2The substance something is made from.
- maternal/məˈtɜːnəl/adjective · C1To do with a mother, or motherly in feeling.
- maternity/məˈtɜːnɪti/noun · B2+Everything to do with becoming and being a mother.
- maternity leavephrase · B2The months off work a mother takes around the birth of her baby.
- mathematical/ˌmæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪ.kəl/adjective · C1To do with numbers and their study.
- mathematician/ˌmæθ.(ə.)məˈtɪʃ.ən/noun · B1+Somebody who works in the study of numbers.
- mathematics/mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/noun · A2+The school subject about numbers, shapes, and equations.
- matinee performancenoun · C1A show given in the afternoon.
- matriarch/ˈmeɪtɹɪˌɑːk/noun · C1The powerful grandmother who rules the whole family.
- matrix/ˈmeɪ.tɹɪks/noun · B2+A grid of numbers, or the setting something grows within.
- matron/ˈmeɪtɹən/noun · C1A dignified married woman, or a woman in charge of nursing.
- matronly/ˈmeɪtɹənli/adjective · C2Dignified and rather stout, said of an older woman.
- mattadjective · B2Having a flat surface with no shine.
- matte/mæt/adjective · B1+Having a flat surface with no shine.
- matte finishnoun · B2A flat surface with no shine at all.
- mattedadjective · C1Tangled into a thick dirty mass.
- matter/ˈmætə/verb · A2To be important.
- matter/ˈmætə/noun · B1A subject or an affair that needs attention.
- matter-of-factadjective · B2Plain and unemotional, as if nothing were unusual.
- matting/ˈmætɪŋ/noun · C1Fur tangled into knots that must be cut out.
- mattress/ˈmætɹɪs/noun · B1The big soft part of a bed that you actually lie on.
- mature/məˈtjʊə/adjective · B2Fully grown; behaving like a sensible adult.
- maturity/məˈtjʊəɹɪti/noun · B2Being fully grown, in body or in judgement.
- maudlin/ˈmɔːd.lɪn/adjective · C2Tearfully sentimental, often from drink.
- maul/mɔːl/verb · C1To attack and tear at somebody savagely.
- mauritanianoun · C1Saharan country between Morocco and Senegal, capital Nouakchott.
- mauritiusnoun · B2Indian Ocean island nation, once home of the dodo.
- mausoleum/ˌmɔː.zəˈliː.əm/noun · B2+A grand building put up to hold a tomb.
- maverick/ˈmævəɹɪk/noun · C2Somebody who refuses to follow the group.
- maxim/ˈmæk.sɪm/noun · C1A short rule of conduct people live by.
- maximise/ˈmæksəmaɪz/verb · B2+To make something as large as it can be.
- maximum/ˈmæksɪməm/noun · B2The largest amount allowed or reached.
- may/meɪ/noun · A1The fifth month, when flowers are everywhere.
- maybe/ˈmeɪ.bi/adverb · A1Possibly, though nobody is sure.
- mayday/ˈmeɪ̯deɪ̯/noun · B2The spoken signal that life is in danger.
- mayonnaise/ˈmeɪ.ə.neɪz/noun · A2+The thick white creamy sauce made of egg and oil.
- mayor/ˈmɛə̯/noun · B1The elected leader of a city.
- mead/miːd/noun · C1An old alcoholic drink made from honey.
- meadow/ˈmɛd.əʊ̯/noun · B1+A field of wild grass and flowers, buzzing with insects in summer.
- meager/ˈmiɡɚ/adjective · B2+Disappointingly small in amount.
- meagre/ˈmiːɡəɹ/adjective · B2+Far too small in amount.
- meal/ˈmiːl/noun · A1Food eaten at one sitting — there are usually three a day.
- mealy/ˈmiːli/adjective · C2Dry and crumbly like ground grain.
- mean/miːn/adjective · A2Unkind on purpose; enjoying making others feel small.
- mean/miːn/adjective · A1Unwilling to give or share.
- meander/miˈæn.də(ɹ)/verb · C1To wander along without any direct route.
- meaningful/ˈmiː.nɪŋ.fl̩/adjective · B2Having real significance or purpose.
- meaningless/ˈmiː.nɪŋ.ləs/adjective · C1Having no sense or purpose at all.
- meannessnoun · B2Unwillingness to give, or unkindness of spirit.
- meantime/ˈmiːntaɪm/noun · B2The stretch of time between two events.
- meanwhile/ˈmiːnwaɪl/adverb · B1During the same period of time.
- measles/ˈmizəlz/noun · B1+A catching illness that covers the skin in red spots.
- measure/ˈmɛʒ.ə/verb · B1To find the exact size or amount of something.
- measurement/ˈmɛʒ.ə.mənt/noun · B2The exact size or amount found by careful checking.
- meat/miːt/noun · A1Food that comes from the body of an animal.
- meatballnoun · A2+A ball of minced meat, rolled and cooked.
- meatloaf/ˈmiːt.ləʊf/noun · B1+A baked loaf of minced meat.
- mechanic/mɪˈkænɪk/noun · B2The person who repairs cars in a garage.
- mechanical/məˈkænɪkəl/adjective · B2Worked by machinery, or done without thought.
- mechanics/məˈkænɪks/noun · B2+The study of forces and how things move.
- mechanism/ˈmɛk.ə.nɪ.zəm/noun · B2The working parts of a device, or how a process runs.
- medal/ˈmɛdəl/noun · B2The round metal prize on a ribbon — bronze, silver, or the best one.
- medallion/məˈdæljən/noun · B2+A large flat piece of metal worn on a chain.
- media/ˈmiː.di.ə/noun · A2+The newspapers, radio and television taken together.
- media studies/ˈmiːdi.ə ˈstʌdiz/noun · B2The study of newspapers, film and broadcasting.
- median/ˈmiː.di.ən/noun · B2+The middle value when everything is put in order.
- mediate/ˈmidieɪt/<a:US>verb · C1To stand between two sides and help them agree.
- mediation/ˌmiːdiˈeɪʃən/noun · C2Settling a dispute with a neutral helper in the room.
- mediator/ˈmidieɪtɚ/noun · B2+Somebody who helps two sides reach agreement.
- medical/ˈmɛdɪkl̩/adjective · A2To do with doctors and the treatment of illness.
- medicinal/məˈdɪ.sɪ.nəl/adjective · B2+Tasting of medicine rather than food.
- medicine/ˈmɛd.ɪ.s(ɪ)n/noun · A2What the doctor gives you to make you healthy again.
- medicine/ˈmɛd.ɪ.s(ɪ)n/noun · B1The study and practice of healing.
- medieval/ˌmɛd.iˈiː.vəl/adjective · C1Belonging to the middle centuries between ancient and modern.
- mediocre/ˌmiːdɪˈəʊkə/adjective · B2+Disappointingly middle-of-the-road; neither good nor terrible.
- mediocrity/miː.dɪˈɒk.ɹɪ.ti/noun · C1The state of being merely ordinary.
- meditate/ˈmɛ.dɪˌteɪt/verb · B2+To still the mind deliberately.
- meditation/mɛdɪˈteɪʃn̩/noun · C1Quiet focused attention practised to calm the mind.
- medium/ˈmiː.di.əm/adjective · B1Neither large nor small, but in between.
- medley/ˈmɛdli/noun · B2+A race using each of the strokes in turn.
- meek/miːk/adjective · B2+Quiet, gentle and unwilling to argue.
- meerkatnoun · C2A small desert animal that stands straight up to watch for danger.
- meet/miːt/verb · A1To come together with another person at the same place.
- meet a deadlinephrase · B2To finish by the time set.
- meet a requirementphrase · B2To satisfy what is demanded.
- meet expectationsphrase · B2To be as good as people hoped.
- meet halfwayphrase · B2To settle by each side moving the same distance.
- meet somebody's eyephrase · C1To look directly at somebody who is looking at you.
- meet upphrase · B1To come together with somebody by arrangement.
- meeting/ˈmiːtɪŋ/noun · A1When people sit around a table to talk about plans and decisions.
- megabyte/ˈmɛɡəˌbaɪt/noun · B1+About a million bytes.
- megalomania/ˌmɛɡəloʊˈmeɪniə/noun · C1An obsession with your own power and greatness.
- megapixelnoun · B2A million of the tiny squares in an image.
- melancholy/ˈmɛlənkəli/noun · C2A soft, thoughtful sadness with no single cause.
- meld/mɛld/verb · C1To blend two things into one.
- melee/ˈmɛˌleɪ/noun · C1A confused struggle with everybody mixed together.
- mellow/ˈmɛləʊ/adjective · B2Softened and relaxed by ripeness or age.
- mellow/ˈmɛləʊ/adjective · B2Soft and rounded, with no harsh edges.
- melodious/məˈləʊdi.əs/adjective · C2Pleasant and tuneful to hear.
- melodramatic/ˌmɛl.ə.dɹəˈmæt.ɪk/adjective · C1Exaggerated and full of overdone emotion.
- melody/ˈmɛl.ə.di/noun · B2The line of notes in a song that you find yourself humming.
- melon/ˈmɛlən/noun · A2+The big round sweet fruit with orange or green flesh inside.
- melt/mɛlt/verb · B1To turn from solid to liquid in the heat, as butter does in a pan.
- meltdown/ˈmɛltdaʊn/noun · B2A complete loss of composure under strain.
- melting/ˈmɛltɪŋ/adjective · B2Softening on the tongue almost at once.
- meltwaternoun · C1Water running off a melting glacier or snowfield.
- member/ˈmɛm.bə/noun · A1Somebody who belongs to a club, a group or a team.
- membershipnoun · B2Belonging to a group, or the people who belong.
- membrane/ˈmɛm.bɹeɪn/noun · B2+A thin flexible sheet of tissue.
- meme/miːm/noun · B1The joke picture that races around the internet, remade a million times.
- memento/məˈmɛntoʊ/noun · B2+A small object kept to remind you of somebody.
- memo/ˈmɛməʊ̯/noun · C1A short written note sent around an office.
- memoir/ˈmɛmˌwɑː/noun · C1An account of events written from your own life.
- memorabilia/ˌmɛm(ə)ɹəˈbɪlɪə/noun · B2+Objects kept because of who or what they belonged to.
- memorable/ˈmɛm.(ə)ɹə.bl̩/adjective · B2Worth remembering, and hard to forget.
- memorandum/ˌmɛm.əˈɹæn.dəm/noun · C1A short written note circulated inside an organisation.
- memorial/məˈmɔːɹi.əl/noun · B2A monument raised so something is not forgotten.
- memoriseverb · B1+To learn something so it can be repeated exactly.
- memorize/ˈmɛm.əˌɹaɪ̯z/verb · B1To learn something so well you can say it without looking.
- memory/ˈmɛm.ə.ɹi/noun · A2A moment from the past that your mind has kept.
- menace/ˈmɛnɪs/noun · B2A threat, or something that causes danger.
- menagerie/məˈnæd͡ʒəɹɪ/noun · C1A collection of wild animals kept for show.
- mend/mɛnd/verb · B1+To put right something broken or torn so that it can be used again.
- mend fencesphrase · C1To put a quarrel right and be friends again.
- mendacious/mɛnˈdeɪʃəs/adjective · C2In the habit of lying.
- menial/ˈmiːni.əl/adjective · C2Lowly and requiring no skill, said of work.
- menopause/ˈmɛnəpɔːz/noun · B2+The time when a woman's monthly cycles come to an end.
- mental/ˈmɛn.təl/adjective · B1Happening in the mind rather than the body.
- mental blocknoun · B2An inability to think about something at all.
- mentality/mɛnˈtæləti/noun · B2The habitual way a person or group thinks.
- menthol/ˈmɛnθɒl/noun · B2The cool minty substance in some sweets and cigarettes.
- mention/ˈmɛnʃən/verb · A2To speak about something only briefly, in passing.
- mentor/ˈmɛn.tɔː/noun · C1The experienced guide who helps a younger person grow.
- mentorshipnoun · B2Guidance given by somebody more experienced.
- meow/miˈaʊ/verb · A2+To make the call of a cat.
- mercantile/ˈmɜːkənˌtaɪl/adjective · C2To do with trade and merchants.
- mercenary/ˈmɜː.sə.nə.ɹi/noun · C2A soldier who fights for whoever pays.
- mercer/ˈmɝsɚ/noun · C2A dealer in fine cloth, especially silk.
- merchandise/ˈmɜː.t͡ʃənˌdaɪs/noun · B2Goods sold carrying the name of a show or band.
- merchandising/ˈmɜːt͡ʃ(ə)ndaɪzɪŋ/noun · B2Selling goods that carry a brand's name.
- merchant/ˈmɜːtʃənt/noun · B2A trader who bought and sold goods, often abroad.
- merciless/ˈmɜːsɪləs/adjective · B2+Showing no pity at all.
- mercury/ˈmɜːkjʊ.ɹi/noun · B2A metal that is liquid at room temperature.
- mercy/ˈmɜːsi/noun · B1Choosing kindness toward someone you have the power to punish.
- mere/mɪə̯/adjective · B2Nothing more than what is stated.
- merely/ˈmɪəli/adverb · B1Nothing more than; just and only.
- merge/mɜːd͡ʒ/verb · C1To join together into a single whole.
- merger/ˈmɜː.d͡ʒə/noun · C1Two companies joining into one.
- meringue/məˈɹæŋ/noun · B2+Egg white and sugar whipped and baked crisp.
- merit/ˈmɛɹɪt/noun · C1Worth earned by ability or effort.
- meritocracy/mɛɹɪˈtɒkɹəsi/noun · C1A system where ability rather than birth decides rank.
- mermaid/ˈmɜːˌmeɪd/noun · B1A creature of legend, half woman and half fish.
- mermannoun · B2+A legendary man with a fish's tail.
- merry/ˈmɛ.ɹi/adjective · A1Cheerful and full of good spirits.
- mesa/ˈmeɪ.sə/noun · C1A flat-topped hill with steep sides.
- mesh/mɛʃ/noun · C2A net of fine threads or wires.
- mesmeric/mɛzˈmɛɹɪk/adjective · C2Holding the attention completely, as if by a spell.
- mess/mɛs/noun · A2When things are everywhere and nothing is in its place.
- mess aboutphrase · B2To waste time in a silly way.
- mess tinnoun · C1The flat metal dish used for cooking and eating outdoors.
- mess upphrase · B1To spoil something, or to make it untidy.
- message/ˈmɛs.ɪdʒ/noun · A1A short piece of writing you send to someone's phone.
- message boardnoun · B1An online page where people leave notes for one another under headings, named after the panel where paper notices are pinned up.
- messenger/ˈmɛs.ən.d͡ʒɚ/noun · B2Somebody who carries word from one person to another.
- messiah/məˈsaɪ.ə/noun · B2A promised deliverer, or somebody treated as one.
- messy/ˈmɛsi/adjective · B1With everything out of place; the opposite of neat.
- metabolism/mɪˈtab.ə.lɪz.əm/noun · B2+The speed at which your body burns food into energy.
- metal/ˈmɛ.təl/noun · A2The hard shiny material that coins, keys, and knives are made of.
- metal detectornoun · B2The archway that beeps at metal on your person.
- metallic/mɪˈtæl.ɪk/adjective · B1+Looking or shining like metal.
- metallic/mɪˈtæl.ɪk/adjective · B2Tasting faintly of iron or tin.
- metalworknoun · B2+The craft of shaping and joining metal.
- metamorphic/ˌmɛt.əˈmɔɹ.fɪk/adjective · C1Changed into new rock by heat and pressure.
- metamorphosis/ˌmɛtəˈmɔːfəsɪs/noun · B2+The complete change of body an insect goes through.
- metaphor/ˈmɛt.ə.fə/noun · B2Calling one thing another to show what it is like — life is a journey.
- metaphorical/ˌmɛtəˈfɒɹɪkəl/adjective · B2+Meant as an image rather than literally.
- metaphoricallyadverb · B2+In a way that describes one thing by calling it another outright, as when a stubborn person is called a brick wall.
- mete/miːt/verb · C2To deal out punishment or reward.
- meteor/ˈmiːtɪ.ə/noun · B2The streak of light when a space rock burns up in our sky.
- meteorology/ˌmiːtɪəˈɹɒləd͡ʒi/noun · C2The scientific study of the weather.
- meter readingnoun · B2The figure showing how much has been used.
- methane/ˈmiːθeɪn/noun · B2+A colourless gas with no smell, burnt as fuel.
- methinks/mɪˈθɪŋks/verb · C2It seems to me, in old use.
- method/ˈmɛθəd/noun · B1+A settled way of doing something.
- methodical/mɪˈθɑdɪkəl/adjective · C1Doing things in a careful orderly way.
- methodology/ˌmɛθ.əˈdɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/noun · C1The system of procedures a study follows to get its results.
- meticulous/mɪˈtɪkjɪlɪs/adjective · C2Attending to every tiny detail with extreme care.
- metre/ˈmiːtə/noun · A1The basic unit of length, a little over a yard.
- metric/ˈmɛt.ɹɪk/noun · B2+A number chosen to measure how well something works.
- metrics/ˈmɛt.ɹɪks/noun · B2The numbers chosen to show how things are going.
- metronome/ˈmɛt.ɹəˌnoʊm/noun · B2+A device that ticks a steady beat to practise to.
- metropolis/mɪˈtɹɒp.ə.lɪs/noun · B2+A giant important city, millions strong.
- metropolitan/mɛtɹəˈpɒlɪtən/adjective · B2+To do with a large busy city.
- mettle/ˈmɛtəl/noun · C2Strength of character shown under test.
- mewl/ˈmjuːl/verb · C2To cry feebly, as a baby or a kitten does.
- mews/mjuːz/noun · C2A row of former stables converted into houses.
- mexiconoun · A2The country of tacos, mariachi, and ancient pyramids, south of the USA.
- mezzanine/ˈmɛzəniːn/noun · C1A low floor built between two main storeys.
- miasma/mɪˈæzmə/noun · C2An unpleasant heavy vapour, or an oppressive atmosphere.
- micellar waternoun · C1A gentle cleansing liquid that lifts make-up away.
- michelin starnoun · B2A famous mark of very high cooking quality.
- microbe/ˈmaɪkɹəʊb/noun · B2+A living thing too small to see without a lens.
- microchip/ˈmaɪkɹoʊˌt͡ʃɪp/noun · B2+A tiny implant carrying an animal's identity.
- microcosm/ˈmaɪ.kɹə(ʊ)ˌkɒz.əm/noun · C1A small thing that shows the pattern of something far larger.
- microfilmnoun · C1Tiny photographs of pages, read on a special machine.
- microorganism/ˌmaɪ.kɹəʊˈɔː.ɡəˌnɪz.m̩/noun · B2+A creature so small it can only be seen through a microscope.
- microphone/ˈmaɪ.kɹəˌfəʊn/noun · B2The device that catches your voice so machines can record it.
- microscope/ˈmaɪ.kɹəˌskəʊp/noun · B2The instrument that makes invisibly small things look big.
- microscopic/ˌmaɪ.kɹəˈskɒp.ɪk/adjective · B2+So small it needs a lens to be seen.
- microwave/ˈmaɪkɹəˌweɪv/noun · B2A small machine that heats food very quickly.
- midday/mɪdˈdeɪ/noun · B1+Twelve o'clock in the middle of the day.
- midden/ˈmɪdən/noun · C2A heap of household rubbish and dung.
- middle/ˈmɪdl̩/adjective · A2At an equal distance from both ends.
- middle agenoun · B1The years between youth and old age.
- middle namenoun · A2The name that sits between the first and the last.
- middle-aged/ˌmɪdl̩ˈeɪd͡ʒd/adjective · B1Between about forty and sixty years old.
- middle-classadjective · B2Belonging to the social group between rich and poor.
- middleman[ˈmɪdɫ̩ˌmæn]noun · B2+A trader who buys from the maker and sells on.
- midgamenoun · C1The stage after the pieces have been developed.
- midge/mɪd͡ʒ/noun · B2+A very small biting fly, the curse of Scottish summers.
- midge netnoun · C1A fine veil worn over the face against small flies.
- midnight/ˈmɪd(ˌ)naɪt/noun · A1Twelve o'clock in the middle of the night, when one day becomes the next.
- midst/mɪdst/noun · C1The middle of a group or a situation.
- midsummer/mɪdˈsʌmə(ɹ)/noun · B2+The middle of summer, marked in many traditions.
- midterm/ˈmɪdˌtɚm/noun · B2+An examination held halfway through a course.
- midway/mɪdweɪ/noun · C1The part of a fair where the sideshows and rides are.
- midwife/ˈmɪd.waɪf/noun · B2+The trained helper who guides babies into the world.
- midwifery/mɪdˈwɪfəɹi/noun · C2The profession of helping women give birth.
- mien/miːn/noun · C2Somebody's bearing and manner.
- mighty/ˈmaɪti/adjective · B1Possessing great power and strength.
- migraine/ˈmaɪɡɹeɪn/noun · B1+A crushing one-sided headache that can last for days.
- migrate/maɪˈɡɹeɪt/verb · B1+To travel a long way each year with the seasons.
- migration/maɪˈɡɹeɪʃ(ə)n/noun · C1The long seasonal journey of birds and whales across the planet.
- migration routenoun · B2The path birds follow between summer and winter homes.
- migration seasonnoun · B2The weeks when birds travel to a warmer place.
- milady/mɪˈleɪdi/noun · C2A form of address to a noblewoman.
- mild/ˈmaɪld/adjective · B1Gentle and not extreme — winters, cheese, or criticism.
- mild/ˈmaɪld/adjective · B1Not strong in taste, especially not spicy.
- mild/ˈmaɪld/adjective · B1Warmer and gentler than usual for the season.
- mildew/ˈmɪl.djuː/noun · B2+A fungus that grows in damp and stains what it touches.
- mile/maɪ̯l/noun · A1A unit of distance a little over a kilometre and a half.
- mileage/ˈmaɪləd͡ʒ/noun · B1+The distance a vehicle has covered, or covers per litre.
- milepost/ˈmaɪlˌpoʊst/noun · C1A post by a road showing the distance.
- milestone/ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn/noun · B2+One big marked point of progress on the road to the goal.
- milestone/ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn/noun · B2A stage every child is expected to reach.
- milieu/ˈmiːljɜː/noun · C2The social surroundings somebody moves in.
- militant/ˈmɪlɪtənt/adjective · C1Prepared to use force to press a cause.
- militia/məˈlɪʃə/noun · C1A force of ordinary citizens armed for emergencies.
- milk/mɪlk/noun · A1The white drink that comes from cows.
- milking parlournoun · C1The room where cows are milked by machine.
- milkmaid/ˈmɪlkmeɪd/noun · B2+A woman who milks cows.
- milkman/ˈmɪlkmən/noun · B1+A man who delivers milk to houses.
- milkshake/ˈmɪlk.ʃeɪk/noun · A2+A cold thick drink of dairy blended with ice cream.
- milky/ˈmɪlki/adjective · B1Pale and cloudy like milk.
- mill/mɪl/verb · B1To grind grain into flour.
- mill aboutphrase · C1To move around aimlessly in a crowd.
- millennium/mɪˈlɛnɪəm/noun · B2A period of one thousand years.
- millilitrenoun · B1A thousandth of a litre.
- millimetrenoun · A2+A thousandth of a metre.
- milliner/ˈmɪlɪnə/noun · C1A maker of hats.
- milling machinenoun · C1A machine that cuts metal with a rotating tool.
- million/ˈmɪl.jən/noun · A1A one followed by six zeros.
- millionaire/ˌmɪl.i.əˈnɛə(ɹ)/noun · B2Somebody whose wealth runs to seven figures.
- millipede/ˈmɪləpid/noun · B2A long round creature that curls up, with two pairs of legs per segment.
- millstone/ˈmɪlstəʊn/noun · C1A heavy round stone that grinds grain.
- mime/maɪm/verb · B2To act something out without speaking.
- mimic/ˈmɪm.ɪk/verb · B2To copy someone's voice or manner, often to amuse.
- mince/mɪns/verb · B1+To cut meat into tiny pieces, usually by machine.
- mincingadjective · C2Walking with short affected steps.
- mind/maɪnd/noun · A1The thinking, feeling, remembering part of you.
- mind youphrase · C1Used to add a qualifying thought.
- mind your own businessphrase · B2A sharp refusal to explain yourself.
- mindful/ˈmaɪnd.fl̩/adjective · B2+Paying close, unjudging attention to now.
- mindfulness/ˈmaɪn(d)fʊlnəs/noun · B2Paying close, unjudging attention to the present moment.
- mindless/maɪnd.ləs/adjective · B2Done without thinking at all.
- mindset/ˈmaɪn(d)ˌsɛt/noun · B2+The settled habits of thought a person brings.
- mine/maɪ̯n/noun · B1The workings from which ore or coal is dug.
- mine/maɪ̯n/pronoun · A1The one that belongs to me.
- minefield/ˈmaɪnˌfild/noun · C2Ground sown with explosives, or a matter full of hidden dangers.
- miner/ˈmaɪnə(ɹ)/noun · B2A worker who digs coal or gold deep under the ground.
- miner/ˈmaɪnə(ɹ)/noun · B1+A person who works underground digging out minerals.
- mineral/ˈmɪn.ə.ɹəl/noun · B2A natural solid substance dug from the earth, like quartz or salt.
- mineral depositnoun · B2A useful substance concentrated in the ground.
- mineral veinnoun · C1A thin band of valuable material running through rock.
- mineral waternoun · A2Water that has dissolved minerals from the rock.
- mineralogy/ˌmɪnəˈralədʒi/noun · C2The study of minerals.
- mingle/ˈmɪŋ.ɡəl/verb · C1To mix together, or to move about among guests.
- miniature/ˈmɪn.ɪ.tʃə/noun · B2A very small painting or a very small copy.
- minibarnoun · B1+The small fridge of drinks and snacks charged to your bill.
- minimal/ˈmɪn.ɪ.məl/adjective · C1As small in amount as it could be.
- minimiseverb · B1+To make something as small as possible.
- minimum/ˈmɪnɪməm/noun · B2The smallest amount allowed or needed.
- minion/ˈmɪnjən/noun · B2+A lowly follower who does what they are told.
- minister/ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/noun · B2A senior member of government in charge of one area, like health.
- ministry/ˈmɪnɪstɹi/noun · B2A government department, or religious service.
- minivannoun · B2+A tall family car with three rows of seats.
- mink/mɪŋk/noun · B2+A small semi-aquatic animal valued for its dark fur.
- minnow/ˈmɪnəʊ/noun · B2+A tiny freshwater fish that swims in shoals.
- minor/ˈmaɪ.nəɹ/adjective · B2Little and not serious.
- minority/maɪˈnɒɹ.ɪ.ti/noun · B2The smaller side; fewer than half.
- minotaur/ˈmɪnəˌtɔː(ɹ)/noun · B2+A monster with a bull's head kept in a maze.
- minster/ˈmɪnstə/noun · C2A large church, often one that began as a monastery.
- minstrel/ˈmɪnstɹ(ə)l/noun · C1A travelling singer of the middle ages.
- mint/mɪnt/noun · B2A cool fresh herb used in tea and sweets.
- mint/mɪnt/adjective · B2A very pale cool green.
- mint conditionnoun · B2As perfect as when it was first made.
- minute/ˈmɪnɪt/noun · A1Sixty seconds.
- minute/ˈmɪnɪt/adjective · C1So small you need help to see it.
- minutes/ˈmɪnɪts/noun · B2The official written record of what a meeting decided.
- minutes/ˈmɪnɪts/noun · A1Units of time; sixty of them make an hour.
- minutes takernoun · C1The person who writes down what a meeting decided.
- minutiae/maɪˈn(j)uːʃ(ɪ)ˌiː/noun · C1The very small details of a matter.
- miracle/ˈmɪɹ.ə.kəl/noun · B1A wonderful event that seems impossible to explain.
- mirage/mɪˈɹɑːʒ/noun · B2+A false pool of water seen shimmering in the heat.
- mire/ˈmaɪə/noun · C1Deep mud, or a situation you cannot get out of.
- mirror/ˈmɪɹə/noun · A2The glass on the wall where you see yourself.
- mirth/mɜɹθ/noun · C1Laughter and high spirits.
- misadventurenoun · C1An unlucky accident.
- misanthrope/ˈmɪs.ənˌθɹəʊp/noun · C2Somebody who dislikes people in general.
- misbegotten/ˌmɪsbɪˈɡɒtn̩/adjective · C2Badly conceived, or born out of wedlock.
- misbehaveverb · B2To behave badly.
- miscalculationnoun · B2+A mistake in working something out.
- miscarriage/ˈmɪskaɹɪd͡ʒ/noun · B2+The early loss of a pregnancy, or a failure of justice.
- miscarry/ˌmɪsˈkæɹi/verb · B2+To lose a pregnancy, or for a plan to go wrong.
- mischance/mɪsˈtʃɑːns/noun · C1A piece of bad luck.
- mischief/ˈmɪsˌt͡ʃiːf/noun · B1+Playful behaviour that causes small trouble.
- mischievous/ˈmɪs.t͡ʃɪ.vəs/adjective · B2+Playfully naughty without meaning harm.
- misconception/ˌmɪs.kənˈsɛp.ʃən/noun · B2+A belief that is widely held and wrong.
- misconduct/mɪsˈkɒndʌkt/noun · B2Behaviour that breaks the rules of a job or office.
- misdemeanor/ˌmɪsdɪˈmiːnə(ɹ)/noun · C1A minor offence with a light punishment.
- mise en place/mizɑ̃ˈplas/noun · C2Everything prepared and laid out before service begins.
- miser/ˈmaɪzə(ɹ)/noun · B2+Somebody who hoards money and will not spend it.
- miserable/ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/adjective · B2Deeply and completely unhappy.
- miserablyadverb · B2+In a very unhappy way, or utterly and completely.
- misery/ˈmɪz(ə)ɹɪ/noun · B2Great unhappiness or suffering.
- misfit/ˈmɪs.fɪt/noun · B2Somebody who does not fit in where they are.
- misfortune/mɪsˈfɔɹt͡ʃən/noun · B2Bad luck, or an event caused by it.
- misgiving/mɪsˈɡɪvɪŋ/noun · C1A feeling of doubt about what is to come.
- mishap/ˈmɪshæp/noun · B2+An unlucky accident, usually a small one.
- misinformation/ˌmɪs.ɪn.fəˈmeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+Wrong information spread by people who believe it.
- mislay/mɪsˈleɪ/verb · B2+To put something down and forget where.
- misleading/(ˌ)mɪsˈliːdɪŋ/adjective · C1Giving an impression that is not the true one.
- mismanagement/ˌmɪsˈmænɪd͡ʒmənt/noun · B2+Running something badly.
- misnomer/(ˌ)mɪsˈnəʊmə/noun · C1A name that gives the wrong idea of what a thing is.
- misogyny/mɪˈsɒd͡ʒ.ɪ.ni/noun · B2+Hatred of, or deep prejudice against, women.
- misplace/mɪsˈpleɪs/verb · C1To put something down and lose track of it.
- misquote/mɪsˈkwəʊt/<q:verb>verb · B2+To report somebody's words wrongly.
- misread/mɪsˈɹiːd/verb · B2+To read or understand something wrongly.
- miss/mɪs/verb · A1To fail to catch or hit; also, to feel sad someone is away.
- miss the boatphrase · C1To lose an opportunity by acting too late.
- missile/ˈmɪs.aɪl/noun · B2A weapon that flies to its target.
- missing personnoun · B2Somebody whose whereabouts nobody knows.
- mission/ˈmɪʃ.ən/noun · B1An important task somebody is sent to do.
- missionary/ˈmɪʃ.əˌnɛɹ.ɪ/noun · B2Someone who travels to spread a faith.
- missive/ˈmɪsɪv/noun · C2A letter, especially a long or official one.
- misstep/ˈmɪs.stɛp/<q:noun>noun · B2+A wrong move that causes trouble.
- mist/mɪst/noun · B2A thin low cloud hanging just above the ground.
- mistake/mɪˈsteɪk/noun · A1Something you did wrong — everyone makes them while learning.
- mistaken/mɪˈsteɪkn̩/adjective · B1Wrong about something.
- mistakenly/mɪˈsteɪ.kən.li/adverb · B2+As the result of being wrong about something.
- mistletoe/ˈmɪs(ə)ltəʊ/noun · B2An evergreen with white berries that grows on trees.
- mistreat/mɪsˈtɹiːt/verb · B2+To treat somebody badly or cruelly.
- mistress/ˈmɪs.tɹɪs/noun · B2A woman in authority, or a man's secret lover.
- mistrialnoun · C1A trial made invalid by an error or a hung jury.
- misunderstand/mɪs.ʌn.də(ɹ)ˈstænd/verb · B2To take a wrong meaning from what was said.
- misunderstanding/ˌmɪsʌndəˈstændɪŋ/noun · B1A failure to grasp what was meant.
- misuse/mɪsˈjuːs/noun · B2+Using something wrongly or for the wrong purpose.
- mite/maɪt/noun · B2+A tiny amount, or a very small creature.
- mitigate/ˈmɪt.ɪ.ɡeɪt/verb · C1To make harm or risk less severe.
- mitt/mɪt/noun · B2+A thick padded glove for holding hot dishes.
- mitten/ˈmɪtən/noun · A2+A hand covering with one space for four fingers.
- mix/ˈmɪks/verb · B1To stir different things together into one.
- mix upphrase · B1To confuse one thing with another.
- mix-up/ˈmɪksˌʌp/noun · B2A confusion in which things get swapped by mistake.
- mixer/ˈmɪksə(ɹ)/noun · B1+A machine with spinning arms that beats batter for you.
- mixing bowlnoun · B1A deep dish for beating ingredients together.
- mixing desknoun · C1The panel where all the separate sounds are balanced.
- mixture/ˈmɪkstʃə/noun · B1+Substances stirred together without joining chemically.
- mnemonic/nɪˈmɒnɪk/noun · C1A trick or rhyme that helps you remember.
- moan/məʊn/verb · B2To make a long low sound of suffering or complaint.
- moan/məʊn/verb · B2To complain repeatedly about the same thing.
- moat/məʊt/noun · B2+A wide water-filled ditch around a castle.
- mob/mɒb/noun · B2A large disorderly crowd, easily turned to violence.
- mobilenoun · C1The turning toy hung above a cot.
- mobile bankingnoun · B1Managing an account through a phone.
- mobilise/ˈməʊbɪlaɪz/verb · B2+To gather people or resources ready for action.
- mobility/mə(ʊ)ˈbɪlɪti/noun · C1The ability to move about or to change position in life.
- mobility aidnoun · B2Equipment that helps somebody move about.
- mobility scooternoun · B2A small powered seat for somebody who cannot walk far.
- mobster/ˈmɒb.stə/noun · B2+A member of an organised criminal gang.
- mock/mɒk/verb · B2To make cruel fun of someone by imitating them.
- mock/mɒk/verb · B2To imitate somebody in order to make fun of them.
- mock examnoun · B2A practice test taken before the real one.
- mockery/ˈmɒkəɹi/noun · B2+Ridicule, or a poor imitation of something.
- mockupnoun · B2+A realistic sample of how something will look.
- mode/moʊd/noun · B2The value that appears most often in a set.
- model/ˈmɒd.l̩/noun · A1A person whose job is to display clothes.
- model kitnoun · B2A set of parts glued together into a miniature.
- modem/ˈməʊdəm/noun · B2+A device connecting a computer to a telephone line.
- moderate/ˈmɒdəɹət/<a:RP>adjective · C1Holding views away from either extreme.
- moderation/ˌmɑdəˈɹeɪʃən/noun · B2+The work of removing posts that break the rules.
- modern/ˈmɒd.ən/adjective · A2+Belonging to the present time; up to date.
- modern dancenoun · B2Dance developed in reaction to the classical tradition.
- modern-dayadjective · B2Of the present era, used to cast a person or thing as the current version of some figure from the past.
- modernismnoun · C2The movement that broke with tradition in art and design.
- modest/ˈmɑdəst/adjective · B2Quiet about your own achievements.
- modesty/ˈmɒd.ə.sti/noun · B2+A quiet unwillingness to boast about yourself.
- modicum/ˈmɒdɪkəm/noun · C1A small but not negligible amount.
- modification/ˌmɑdɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · C1A change made to improve or adapt something.
- modify/ˈmɒd.ɪ.faɪ/verb · B2To change something partly to make it fit better.
- module/ˈmɒdjuːl/noun · B1+One self-contained unit of a longer course.
- mogul/ˈməʊɡəl/noun · B2+A very powerful figure in an industry.
- moist/mɔɪst/adjective · B2Slightly wet in a soft way — cake, soil, or eyes.
- moisture/ˈmɔɪs.t͡ʃə/noun · B1+Tiny amounts of water in the air or on a surface.
- moisturiseverb · B1+To put cream on skin so it does not dry out.
- molaritynoun · C2How many molecules of a substance sit in a litre.
- molasses/məˈlæsɪz/noun · B2+A thick dark syrup left when sugar is refined.
- molderverb · C1To crumble slowly away through decay.
- moldovanoun · B2The small wine-making country between Romania and Ukraine.
- mole/məʊl/noun · B1A small dark raised mark that stays on the skin for life.
- molecule/ˈmɒl.ɪ.kjuːl/noun · B1+A tiny group of atoms joined together — water is a famous one.
- moleskin/ˈmoʊlˌskɪn/noun · C2A tough cotton cloth with a soft brushed surface.
- molest/məˈlɛst/verb · B2+To interfere with somebody, especially sexually.
- molestation/mɒlɪˈsteɪʃən/noun · B2+Unwanted sexual interference with somebody.
- mollify/ˈmɒlɪfaɪ/verb · C2To soothe somebody's anger.
- mollusc/ˈmɒləsk/noun · B2+A soft-bodied animal, usually inside a shell.
- moltverb · B2+To shed old feathers so new ones can grow.
- molten/ˈmɒltən/adjective · B2+Melted by great heat.
- moment/ˈməʊmənt/noun · A1A very short point in time.
- momentarily/ˈməʊməntəɹəli/adverb · B2For a moment only, or in a moment's time.
- momentary/ˈmoʊmənˌtɛɹi/adjective · B2+Lasting only an instant.
- momentous/məʊˈmɛn.təs/adjective · C1Of very great importance.
- momentum/ˌmə(ʊ)ˈmɛntəm/noun · C1The moving power a thing carries — mass times speed.
- monaconoun · B1+The tiny seaside country of casinos and a famous street race.
- monarch/ˈmɒnək/noun · B2A king or queen who rules by inheritance.
- monarchy/ˈmɒnəki/noun · B2+Rule by a royal family with a crown at its head.
- monastery/ˈmɒnəstɹi/noun · B2The house where monks live and pray together.
- monastic/məˈnæstɪk/adjective · C2To do with monks, or plain and self-denying in style.
- mondaynoun · A1The first day of the school week, right after the weekend.
- monetary/ˈmʌnɪtəɹi/adjective · B2+To do with money and its supply.
- money/ˈmʌn.i/noun · A1What you pay with — coins, notes, or numbers on a card.
- money ordernoun · B2A paper order for a fixed sum, bought and posted.
- mongolianoun · B1+The wide empty country of horse riders between Russia and China.
- mongoosenoun · C2A quick low animal known for killing snakes.
- mongrel/ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/noun · B2+A dog of mixed and unrecorded breeding.
- moniker/ˈmɒn.ɪ.kə/noun · C1A name or a nickname.
- monitor/ˈmɒn.ɪ.tə/verb · B2To keep steady watch on something as it changes.
- monk/mʌŋk/noun · B2A man who has taken vows and lives in a religious community.
- monkey/ˈmʌŋki/noun · A2A clever animal that climbs trees and loves bananas.
- monochrome/ˈmɒn.əˌkɹəʊm/adjective · B2+Made of one colour and its shades.
- monochrome schemenoun · C1A design using one colour and its shades only.
- monographnoun · C2A detailed written study of one subject.
- monolith/ˈmɒn.ə.lɪθ/noun · C1A single great block of stone, or an unchanging body.
- monologue/ˈmɒnəlɒɡ/noun · B2+A long speech by one person alone.
- monomer/ˈmɒnəmə/noun · C2The single unit a polymer is built from.
- monopoly/məˈnɒpəli/noun · C1One company controlling a whole market with no competitors left.
- monorail/ˈmɑnəɹeɪl/noun · B2+A train that runs along a single raised beam.
- monosyllabic/ˌmɒnə(ʊ)sɪˈlabɪk/adjective · C1Answering in single short words, saying as little as possible.
- monotone/ˈmɒn.ə.təʊn/noun · C2A voice that stays on one flat note, without rise or fall.
- monotonous/məˈnɒtənəs/adjective · C1Boringly unchanging.
- monotony/məˈnɒtəni/noun · C1Dull sameness that never varies.
- monsoon/mɒnˈsuːn/noun · B1+The season of endless heavy rain in southern Asia.
- monsoon seasonnoun · B2The months of heavy rain brought by a seasonal wind.
- monster/ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/noun · A2A large frightening imaginary creature.
- monstrous/ˈmɒnstɹəs/adjective · C1Shockingly huge, ugly, or wicked.
- montage/mɒnˈtɑːʒ/noun · B2+A sequence of short shots cut together to compress time.
- montenegronoun · B2The tiny Adriatic country whose name means black mountain.
- month/mʌnθ/noun · A1One of the twelve parts of a year.
- monthly/ˈmʌnθli/adjective · B2Happening once every month.
- monument/ˈmɑnjʊmənt/noun · B2A structure built so that an important person or event is never forgotten.
- monumental/ˌmɒnjʊˈmɛntəl/adjective · B2+Enormous, or worthy of a monument.
- mood/muːd/noun · B1The way you feel right now — good or bad.
- mood swingnoun · B2A sudden change from one feeling to its opposite.
- moody/ˈmuːdi/adjective · B2Changing quickly from cheerful to grumpy without warning.
- moon/muːn/noun · A2The bright circle in the night sky that changes shape through the month.
- moonlight/ˈmuːnlaɪt/noun · B2The light the moon reflects at night.
- moonlightingnoun · C1Working a second job, often without telling the first.
- moonlit/ˈmuːnˌlɪt/adjective · B2Lit by the pale light of the night sky.
- moonshine/ˈmuːnʃaɪn/noun · C1Spirits distilled illegally, or foolish talk.
- moonstone/ˈmunˌstoʊn/noun · C1A pale stone with a soft inner glow.
- moor/mʊə/verb · C2To tie a vessel up so it cannot drift.
- moorhen/ˈmʊəɹˌhɛn/noun · C1A dark water bird with a red patch on its forehead.
- mooringnoun · C1The place a boat is tied up, and the ropes that hold it.
- moorlandnoun · B2+Open high ground covered in heather and grass.
- moose/muːs/noun · B1A very large deer of North America.
- moot/muːt/adjective · C1Open to argument, and perhaps not worth settling.
- mop/mɒp/noun · B1The soft wet tool on a stick for washing floors.
- mop/mɒp/verb · B1To wash a floor with a wet head on a stick.
- moped/ˈməʊ.pɛd/noun · B1+A very small motorbike, often with pedals.
- moraine/məˈɹeɪn/noun · C2The heap of rubble a glacier pushes and leaves.
- moral/ˈmɒɹəl/adjective · B2Concerning what is right and wrong in how people act.
- morale/məˈɹɑːl/noun · B2The shared fighting spirit of a team or group.
- morality/məˈɹælɪti/noun · C1The set of ideas about what is right and wrong.
- morass/məˈɹæs/noun · C2Boggy ground, or a situation you cannot get free of.
- moratorium/ˌmɒ.ɹəˈtɔː.ɹɪ.əm/noun · C1An agreed halt to an activity for a time.
- morbid/ˈmɔː.bɪd/adjective · C1Unhealthily fascinated by death and dark things.
- mordant/ˈmɔːdn̩t/adjective · C2Sharply and bitingly critical.
- more often than notphrase · B2In most cases.
- more or less/mɔɹ ɔɹ lɛs/phrase · B1Roughly, though not exactly.
- moreish/ˈmɔːɹɪʃ/adjective · C1So good you cannot stop eating it.
- moreover/mɔːˈɹəʊ.və/adverb · B2+And on top of that.
- morgue/mɔːɡ/noun · B2The cold room where bodies are kept before burial.
- moribund/ˈmɔːɹɪbʌnd/adjective · C2Close to dying, or having lost all vigour.
- morn/mɔːn/noun · C1The early part of the day, in poetic use.
- morning/ˈmɔːnɪŋ/noun · A1The early part of the day, before lunch.
- morocconoun · B1+The North African country of markets, mint tea, and the Sahara's edge.
- moronic/mɔːˈɹɒnɪk/adjective · B2So stupid it makes you want to groan.
- morose/məˈɹəʊs/adjective · C1Gloomy and unwilling to talk.
- morris dancenoun · C1An English folk dance with bells and sticks.
- morrow/ˈmɒɹəʊ/noun · C2The following day, in old use.
- morsel/ˈmɔːsəl/noun · C1A small piece of food.
- mortal/ˈmɔː.təl/adjective · B2Bound to die, as human beings are.
- mortality/mɔɹˈtælɪti/noun · C1The fact that living things die, or the rate at which they do.
- mortar/ˈmɔːtə/noun · B2+A heavy stone bowl in which spices are crushed by hand.
- mortar/ˈmɔːtə/noun · C1A short tube that lobs shells over obstacles.
- mortar/ˈmɔːtə/noun · B2+The paste that binds bricks and stones.
- mortgage/ˈmɔːɡɪd͡ʒ/noun · B2The huge bank loan people pay back for decades to own a house.
- mortgage paymentnoun · B2The monthly sum repaid on a loan against a house.
- mortified/ˈmɔːtɪˌfaɪd/adjective · C1Deeply and painfully embarrassed.
- mortify/ˈmɔːtɪfaɪ/verb · B2+To make somebody feel deeply ashamed.
- mortifyingadjective · C1Causing deep embarrassment.
- mosaic/məʊˈzeɪk/noun · B2+A picture built from thousands of small coloured pieces.
- moses basketnoun · C1A light woven bed for a very small baby.
- mosque/mɑsk/noun · B1+The building with a dome and tall thin towers where Muslims pray.
- mosquito/mɒˈskiː.təʊ/noun · B1A small flying insect that bites people and drinks blood.
- moss/mɒs/noun · B1+The soft green carpet growing on damp stones and old trees.
- mostly/ˈməʊstli/adverb · A2For the greater part; in most cases.
- mote/moʊt/noun · C2A tiny speck of dust in the air.
- moth/mɒθ/noun · A2+A night-flying insect drawn to lights.
- mothball/ˈmɒθbɔːl/noun · B2+A small white ball that keeps insects out of stored wool.
- mother/ˈmʌð.ə/noun · A1The woman in your family who gave birth to you.
- mother of pearlnoun · B2The shimmering lining of a shell.
- mother tongue/ˈmʌð.ə ˌtʌŋ/phrase · B1The first language you grew up speaking.
- mother-in-law/ˈmʌ.ðəɹ.ɪnˌlɔː/phrase · B2The mother of your husband or wife.
- motherboard/ˈmʌðɚˌbɔɹd/noun · B2+The main board inside a computer that everything else plugs into.
- motherhood/ˈmʌðəhʊd/noun · B2The state of being a mother.
- motherland/ˈmʌðɚˌlænd/noun · C1The country of your birth, spoken of with warm filial devotion, as Russians speak of theirs.
- motherlessadjective · B2Having no mother.
- motif/moʊˈtiːf/noun · B2+A design or idea that keeps returning through a work.
- motion/ˈməʊ.ʃən/noun · B1The act of moving, or the way a thing moves.
- motion sicknessphrase · B2The dizzy sick feeling some people get in moving cars and boats.
- motivate/ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪt/verb · B2+To give someone the inner push to act.
- motivation/ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃən/noun · B2The reason and drive that makes you act.
- motivationaladjective · B2+Meant to make people want to act.
- motive/ˈməʊtɪv/noun · B2The hidden reason behind why someone acted.
- motley/ˈmɒtli/adjective · C1Made up of oddly assorted parts.
- motor/ˈməʊtə/noun · B2The part that makes a machine turn.
- motor racingnoun · B1Competition between drivers on a closed circuit.
- motorcycle/ˈməʊʔəˌsaɪkl̩/noun · A2+A fast two-wheeled machine with an engine.
- motorhomenoun · B2A vehicle you can live and sleep in.
- motorist/ˈməʊ.tə.ɹɪst/noun · B2Somebody driving a car.
- motte/ˈmɒt/noun · C2The earth mound an early castle keep stood on.
- mottled/ˈmɑt əld/adjective · C2Marked with patches of different shades.
- mould/məʊld/noun · B1+Fuzzy growth that appears on damp surfaces and old food.
- moult/moʊlt/verb · C1To shed an outgrown shell or skin.
- mound/maʊnd/noun · B2A raised heap of earth or of anything else.
- mount/maʊnt/verb · B1To climb onto something, or to organise and launch it.
- mount upphrase · B2To grow steadily larger, as costs do.
- mountain/ˈmaʊn.tɪn/noun · A1A very high piece of land, often with snow on top.
- mountain bikingnoun · B1Riding a rugged bicycle over rough ground.
- mountaineer/ˌmaʊn.tɪnˈɪə̯(ɹ)/noun · C1Somebody who climbs mountains.
- mountainous/ˈmaʊn.tɪ.nəs/adjective · B2+Full of high peaks, or enormous in size.
- mountaintop/ˈmaʊnt(ɪ)nˌtɑp/noun · B1+The highest part of a mountain.
- mourn/mɔɹn/verb · B1+To feel and show deep sorrow for someone who died.
- mournful/ˈmɔɹnfəl/adjective · B2+Full of sorrow, or expressing it.
- mourning/ˈmoɹnɪŋ/noun · B2The period and outward signs of grief for the dead.
- mouse/maʊs/noun · A1A tiny grey animal with a long tail that loves cheese.
- mouse/maʊs/noun · A2The small device under your hand that moves the pointer on the screen.
- mousse/muːs/noun · B2+A light airy dessert full of whipped bubbles.
- moustache/məˈstɑːʃ/noun · A2+Hair grown on the upper lip.
- mouth/maʊθ/noun · A1You eat, speak, and smile with it.
- mouth-wateringadjective · B2So tempting that your mouth prepares to eat.
- mouthfeel/ˈmaʊθˌfil/noun · C2How something feels, apart from how it tastes.
- mouthful/ˈmaʊθfʊl/noun · B1As much as goes into the mouth at once.
- move/muːv/verb · A1To go from one position to another.
- move in/ˌmuːv ˈɪn/verb · B1To bring your boxes and start living in a new home.
- move in withphrase · B1To go and live in the same home as somebody.
- move onphrase · B2To leave the past behind and continue with your life.
- move outphrase · B1To leave a home for good, taking your things.
- move overphrase · B1To shift aside to make space.
- movement/ˈmuːv.mənt/noun · A2+A change of position; something going from here to there.
- mow/ˈməʊ/verb · B1+To cut grass level with a blade or machine.
- mozambiquenoun · B2+Long Indian-Ocean country whose flag carries a rifle.
- mozzarella/mɒt.səˈɹɛl.ə/noun · B1+A soft white cheese that stretches on pizza.
- muck/mʌk/noun · B2Dirt, mud and animal waste.
- mucky/ˈmʌki/adjective · B2+Covered in dirt or mud.
- mud/mʌd/noun · B1Wet sticky earth that ruins your shoes after rain.
- muddy/ˈmʌdi/adjective · B2Covered or thick with wet earth.
- mudflatnoun · C1Flat muddy ground uncovered when the tide falls.
- mudguard/ˈmʌdˌɡɑɹd/noun · B1A curved shield that keeps spray off the rider.
- muesli/ˈmjuːzli/noun · B1+A raw mix of oats, nuts and dried fruit.
- muffin/ˈmʌf.ɪn/noun · A2+A small domed cake baked in a paper case.
- muffle/mʌfl̩/verb · B2+To make a sound quieter by covering it.
- muffler/ˈmʌflɚ/noun · B2+Something that deadens sound.
- mug/mʌɡ/noun · A2+A big cup with a handle, made for hot drinks.
- mugger/ˈmʌɡɚ/noun · B2+Somebody who robs people in the street by force.
- muggy/ˈmʌɡi/adjective · B2+Warm, damp and uncomfortable.
- mulberry/ˈmʌlˌbɛɹi/noun · B2+A dark purple fruit, or the tree it grows on.
- mulch/mʌlt͡ʃ/noun · C1A layer spread on soil to hold moisture in.
- mule/mjuːl/noun · B1The offspring of a donkey and a horse.
- mull/mʌl/verb · C1To turn something over slowly in your mind.
- mull overphrase · C2To turn a question over slowly in your mind.
- mullet/ˈmʌlɪt/noun · B2+A common sea fish, or a distinctive haircut.
- multi-storeynoun · B2A car park built on several levels.
- multi-toolnoun · B2A folding handle holding pliers, blades and screwdrivers.
- multifarious/ˌmʌltɪˈfɛəɹi.əs/adjective · C2Of many different sorts all at once.
- multinationalnoun · B2+A company operating in many countries at once.
- multiplayer/ˌmʌl.tiˈpleɪ.əɹ/adjective · B2Played by several people at the same time.
- multiple/ˈmʌltɪpəl/adjective · B2More than one, and usually many.
- multiplicity/ˌmʌltɪˈplɪsɪti/noun · C1A great number and variety.
- multiply/ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/verb · B2To increase a number by a stated number of times.
- multitude/ˈmʌltɪtjuːd/noun · B2+A very great number of people or things.
- mumble/ˈmʌmbəl/verb · B2To speak so unclearly that words blur together.
- mummer/ˈmʌm.ə(ɹ)/noun · C2A masked player in a traditional folk performance.
- mummy/ˈmʌm.i/noun · B1A body preserved by drying and wrapping.
- munch/mʌntʃ/verb · C1To chew noisily and steadily with enjoyment.
- mundane/mʌnˈdeɪn/adjective · C1Ordinary and dull in an everyday way.
- municipal/mjuˈnɪsɪpəl/adjective · C1Belonging to the local town government.
- municipality/mjʊˌnɪsɪˈpælɪti/noun · C1A town or district with its own government.
- munificence/mjuːˈnɪfɪsəns/noun · C2Great generosity in giving.
- munificent/mjuˈnɪfɪsn̩t/adjective · C2Extremely generous in giving.
- munition/ˌmjuˈnɪʃən/noun · C1Military weapons and the supplies for them.
- mural/ˈmjʊɹəl/noun · B2+A painting made directly onto a whole wall.
- murder/ˈmɜːdə(ɹ)/noun · B1The worst crime — taking a person's life on purpose.
- murderer/ˈmɜːdəɹə/noun · B1A person who has killed somebody deliberately.
- murderous/ˈmɜːdəɹəs/adjective · B2Intending to kill, or extremely severe.
- murk/mɝk/noun · C1Thick darkness you cannot see through.
- murky/ˈmɜː(ɹ)ki/adjective · B2+Dark and dirty, or hard to see the truth of.
- murmur/ˈmɜːmə/verb · B2+To speak in a soft low continuous voice.
- murmur/ˈmɜːmə/noun · B2+A low continuous indistinct sound.
- muscle/ˈmʌs.əl/noun · B1The parts of your body that get stronger in the gym.
- muscular/ˈmʌs.kjʊl.ə/adjective · B2With a strong, well-built body.
- muse/mjuːz/verb · B2+To think about something quietly and at length.
- museum/mjuːˈziːəm/noun · A2+The building where old and precious things are shown behind glass.
- mush/mʌʃ/noun · B2A soft wet mass, especially of food.
- mushroom/ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/noun · A2+It has a stem and a cap; grows in the forest and goes on pizza.
- mushy/ˈmʌ.ʃi/adjective · B2So soft it has lost all shape.
- music/ˈmjuːzɪk/noun · A1Organized sound that people sing, play, and dance to.
- music theorynoun · B2The study of how music is put together.
- musical/ˈmju.zɪ.kəl/adjective · A2+Having to do with music, or good at it.
- musician/mjuˈzɪʃən/noun · A2+A person who plays an instrument or writes music.
- musk/mʌsk/noun · C1A heavy warm animal scent used in perfume.
- musket/ˈmʌskət/noun · B2+A long-barrelled gun loaded down the muzzle.
- musky/ˈmʌs.ki/adjective · C1Having a heavy warm animal scent.
- muss/mʌs/verb · C2To make something untidy by ruffling it.
- mussel/ˈmʌsəl/noun · B1+A blue-black shellfish steamed open in wine.
- mustachenoun · A2+The hair that grows above a man's upper lip.
- mustachionoun · C2A large elaborate moustache.
- mustard/ˈmʌstəɹd/noun · B1The sharp yellow paste squeezed onto hot dogs.
- muster/ˈmʌstə/verb · C1To gather people or courage together.
- mustn't grumblephrase · C1A very British way of admitting things are all right.
- musty/ˈmʌsti/adjective · B2+Smelling of damp and long shut away.
- mutable/ˈmjuːtəbəl/adjective · C2Liable to change.
- mutate/mjuːˈteɪt/verb · B2+To change form, especially in living things.
- mutation/mjuˈteɪʃən/noun · B2+A random change in the genetic recipe, sometimes useful, sometimes not.
- mute/mjuːt/verb · B1+To turn the sound completely off.
- mutedadjective · B2+Softened and quiet, not bold.
- mutilate/ˈmjuː.tɪˌleɪt/verb · C1To damage a body or a thing by cutting parts away.
- mutilationnoun · C1Violent damage that hacks off or disfigures part of a body or an object, done out of cruelty rather than by a surgeon.
- mutinous/ˈmjuːtɪnəs/adjective · C2Refusing to obey those in command.
- mutiny/ˈmju.tə.ni/noun · B2+A revolt by a crew against their officers.
- mutt/mʌt/noun · B2A dog of no particular breed, said with rough affection or mild scorn.
- mutter/ˈmʌtə/verb · B2+To speak quietly and unclearly, usually while complaining.
- mutton/ˈmʌt(ə)n/noun · B2+The meat of a fully grown sheep.
- mutual/ˈmjuːt͡ʃuəl/adjective · B2Felt or done by each side towards the other.
- muzzle/ˈmʌzəl/noun · B2A guard over the mouth that stops an animal biting.
- muzzle/ˈmʌzəl/noun · B2The nose and mouth of an animal.
- my pleasurephrase · B1A warm reply to being thanked.
- myanmarnoun · B2Southeast Asian country of golden pagodas, once called Burma.
- myopic/maɪˈɒpɪk/adjective · C1Short-sighted, in vision or in planning.
- myriad/ˈmɪɹi.æd/noun · C2An extremely great number.
- myrrh/mɜːɹ/noun · C1A fragrant gum used in perfume and incense.
- myrtle/ˈmɜːtl̩/noun · C2An evergreen Mediterranean shrub with glossy leaves, fragrant white blossom and purple-black berries, sacred to Venus.
- mysterious/mɪˈstɪə̯.ɹi.əs/adjective · B1Strange and impossible to explain — for now.
- mystery/ˈmɪs.t(ə.)ɹi/noun · B1A story built around a puzzle — usually who did it.
- mystify/ˈmɪstɪfaɪ/verb · B2+To puzzle somebody completely.
- mystique/mɪˈstiːk/noun · C2A glamorous air of mystery around somebody.
- myth/mɪθ/noun · B2An ancient story of gods and heroes; also, a widely believed untruth.
- mythical/ˈmɪθɪkəl/adjective · B2Belonging to old stories rather than to fact.
- mythological/ˌmɪθəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/adjective · C1Belonging to the ancient stories of gods and heroes.
- mythology/mɪˈθɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/noun · C1The whole body of a people's old sacred stories.
- nacho/ˈnæt͡ʃəʊ/noun · B1+A tortilla chip served with cheese and peppers.
- nadir/ˈneɪˌdɪə(ɹ)/noun · C2The lowest point in somebody's fortunes.
- nag/ˈnæɡ/verb · B2To keep asking somebody the same thing until they give in.
- nail/neɪl/noun · B1The hard flat part at the end of each finger; some people paint them.
- nail artnoun · B2Small painted designs on the nails.
- nail clippersnoun · B1A small hinged tool for shortening nails.
- nail file/ˈneɪl ˌfaɪl/noun · B1A rough strip used to shape the nails.
- nail varnishnoun · B1Coloured lacquer painted onto the nails.
- naive/naɪˈiːv/adjective · B2Trusting and innocent from lack of experience with the world.
- naivety/nɑːˈiːvti/noun · C1Innocent lack of experience or suspicion.
- naked/ˈneɪkɪd/adjective · A2Wearing no clothes at all.
- name/neɪm/noun · A1What somebody or something is called.
- namegivingnoun · C2The occasion of choosing and announcing a child's name.
- namelessadjective · B2+Having no name, or too dreadful to name.
- namely/ˈneɪmli/adverb · C1That is to say — introducing the specific ones you mean.
- namesake/ˈneɪmseɪk/noun · C1Somebody named after another person.
- namibianoun · B2Country of red desert dunes on Africa's southwest coast.
- naming ceremonynoun · B2A non-religious occasion for announcing a child's name.
- nanny/ˈnæni/noun · B1A person paid to care for children in the family's own home.
- nap/næp/noun · B1A short sleep in the middle of the day.
- nape/neɪp/noun · C1The back of the neck, below the hairline.
- napkin/ˈnæpˌkɪn/noun · A2+The paper or cloth square you wipe your mouth with at the table.
- nappy/ˈnæpi/noun · A2+The absorbent wrap a baby wears.
- nappy rashnoun · B2Sore skin caused by a wet wrap.
- narc/ˈnɑːk/noun · C1An officer who deals with illegal drugs.
- narcissism/ˈnɑːsəˌsɪzm/noun · B2+Excessive admiration of yourself.
- narcotic/nɑːˈkɒtɪk/noun · C2A drug that dulls pain and the senses, often addictive.
- narrate/nəˈɹeɪt/verb · B2+To tell a story aloud from beginning to end.
- narration/nəˈɹeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+The telling of a story, especially aloud over pictures.
- narrative/ˈnæɹ.ə.tɪv/noun · B2+An account of connected events.
- narrator/nəˈɹeɪ.tə/noun · B2The voice telling a story.
- narrow/ˈnæɹəʊ/adjective · A2+Measuring very little from side to side, like an old alley.
- narrow gaugenoun · C1A railway with rails closer together than usual.
- narrow-minded/ˈnæ.ɹəʊˌmaɪn.dɪd/adjective · B2Unwilling to consider views unlike your own.
- narwhalnoun · C2An Arctic whale with one long straight tusk out of its head.
- nary/ˈnɛə.ɹi/adjective · C2Not one, in dialect or old use.
- nasal/ˈneɪ.zəl/adjective · B2Sounding as if the voice came through the nose.
- nascent/ˈneɪ.sənt/adjective · C2Just coming into being.
- nation/ˈneɪʃən/noun · B1A country and the people who belong to it.
- national/ˈnaʃ.ə.nəl/adjective · A2Belonging to one whole country.
- national debtnoun · B2Everything a country owes, added up.
- national parknoun · B1Protected countryside kept open for everybody.
- nationalisationnoun · C1Taking an industry into public ownership.
- nationalism/ˈnæʃənəlɪz(ə)m/noun · B2+Strong devotion to the interests of your own country.
- nationalist/ˈnæʃ.ə.nə.lɪst/noun · C1Somebody devoted to the interests of their own country.
- nationality/ˌnæʃ.əˈnæl.ɪ.ti/noun · A2+The country a person legally belongs to.
- nationwide/ˌneɪ.ʃənˈwaɪd/adjective · C1Reaching every part of a country.
- native/ˈneɪtɪv/adjective · B1Belonging to a place by birth — your first language is this.
- native speakernoun · B2Somebody who grew up speaking a language from birth.
- native speciesnoun · B2A living thing that belongs naturally to a place.
- nativity/nəˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/noun · C1A birth, especially the birth of Christ.
- natter/ˈnætɚ/verb · C1To chat idly and at length.
- natural/ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹəl/adjective · A1Made by the world itself, not by people or machines.
- natural disasternoun · B1A catastrophe caused by the forces of nature.
- natural looknoun · B2Make-up meant to look as though there is none.
- naturalnessnoun · C1The quality of being unforced and unaffected.
- nature/ˈneɪ̯.tʃə(ɹ)/noun · A2Everything in the world not made by people — trees, rivers, and animals.
- nature reservenoun · B1Land set aside so wildlife can live undisturbed.
- naught/nɔːt/noun · B2+Nothing at all.
- naughty/ˈnɔːti/adjective · B1Behaving badly in a small, childish way.
- naurunoun · C2The world's smallest island republic, in the Pacific.
- nausea/ˈnɔːzɪə/noun · B2The feeling that you are about to be sick.
- nauseate/ˈnɔziˌeɪt/verb · B2To make someone feel sick enough to vomit.
- nauseous/ˈnɔːziːəs/adjective · B2Feeling as though you are about to be sick.
- nautical/ˈnɔːtɪ.kəl/adjective · B2+To do with ships and the sea.
- nautical milenoun · B2The unit of distance used at sea.
- nautilus/ˈnɔː.tɪ.ləs/noun · C1A sea creature living in a beautiful spiral shell.
- near/nɪə/adjective · A1A short distance away.
- nearby/ˌnɪə(ɹ)ˈbaɪ/adverb · B2A short distance away.
- nearly/ˈnɪəli/adverb · A2Very close to, but not quite.
- neat/ˈniːt/adjective · B1With everything clean and exactly in its place.
- nebula/ˈnɛb.jə.lə/noun · C1A glowing cloud of gas and dust where new stars are born.
- nebulous/ˈnɛbjʊləs/adjective · C1Vague and without clear shape or definition.
- necessarily/ˈnɛs.ə.sə.ɹɪ.li/adverb · B1As something that must follow.
- necessary/ˈnɛs.ə.sɹi/adjective · A2Needed; things will not work without it.
- necessity/nɪˈsɛsəti/noun · B2Something you cannot do without.
- neck/ˈnɛk/noun · A2The part of your body that connects your head to your shoulders.
- necklace/ˈnɛkləs/noun · B1The chain of metal or beads you wear around your neck.
- necromancer/ˈnɛkɹə(ʊ)ˌmænsə/noun · C1Somebody who works magic through the dead.
- necromancy/ˈnɛkɹəˌmænsi/noun · C1Magic worked by calling on the dead.
- nectar/ˈnɛk.tə/noun · B2+The sweet liquid flowers offer to insects.
- nectarine/ˈnɛk.tə.ɹiːn/noun · B1+A smooth-skinned relative of the peach.
- need/niːd/verb · A1To be unable to live or continue without something.
- need to knowphrase · C1Told only to those whose work requires it.
- needle/ˈniː.dəl/noun · B1A thin steel spike with a hole, used for sewing.
- needless/ˈniːdləs/adjective · B2Not necessary at all.
- needy/ˈniːdi/adjective · B2Very poor, or wanting far too much attention.
- nefarious/nɪˈfɛəɹi.əs/adjective · C1Wicked, and usually done in secret.
- negation/nɪˈɡeɪʃn̩/noun · C1The denial of a statement.
- negative/ˈnɛɡ.ə.tɪv/noun · A1The reversed image film makes before printing.
- negative biasnoun · C1The habit of noticing bad things more than good.
- negativity/ˌnɛɡ.əˈtɪ.vɪ.ti/noun · B2+A habit of seeing the bad side of everything.
- neglect/nɪˈɡlɛkt/verb · C1To fail to give something the care it needs.
- neglectfuladjective · C1Failing to give the care that is owed.
- negligence/ˈnɛɡlɪd͡ʒəns/noun · B2+Failing to take the care that a reasonable person would.
- negligent/ˈnɛɡ.lɪ.d͡ʒənt/adjective · C1Failing to take the care your duty requires.
- negligible/ˈnɛɡlɪd͡ʒɪbəl/adjective · C1So small it can safely be ignored.
- negotiate/nəˈɡəʊ.ʃi.eɪt/verb · B2To bargain back and forth toward an agreement.
- negotiation/nɪˌɡəʊ.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/noun · B2+The back-and-forth talk where two sides bargain toward a deal.
- negotiator/nɪˈɡəʊ.ʃi.eɪ.tə/noun · B2+Somebody whose job is agreeing terms.
- neigh/neɪ̯/verb · B2+To make the long high call a horse makes.
- neighbor/ˈneɪ.bɚ/noun · A2The person who lives in the house or flat next to yours.
- neighbouringadjective · C1Lying right next to something else.
- neither here nor therephrase · C1Not relevant to the point being discussed.
- nemesis/ˈnɛməsɪs/noun · B2+An enemy or a downfall that cannot be escaped.
- neon/ˈni.ɒn/noun · B2A gas that glows orange-red in a tube.
- neophyte/ˈniː.əˌfaɪt/noun · C2Somebody new to a subject or a belief.
- nepalnoun · B1+The Himalayan country at the foot of the world's highest mountain.
- nephew/ˈnɛf.ju/noun · B1The son of your brother or sister.
- nepotism/ˈnɛp.ə.tɪ.zəm/noun · C1Giving jobs to your relatives rather than the best candidate.
- nerve/nɜːv/noun · B1One of the thin body wires that carry feeling to your brain.
- nerveless/ˈnɜː(ɹ)vləs/adjective · C2Limp and without strength, or showing no fear.
- nervous/ˈnɜːvəs/adjective · A2Worried and unable to relax before something important.
- nervouslyadverb · B2+In a way that shows worry or fear.
- nervousnessnoun · B1+A jittery uneasy state before something.
- nest/nɛst/noun · B1The little home of twigs a bird builds for its eggs.
- nesting boxnoun · B2A wooden box put up for birds to breed in.
- nesting groundnoun · B2The place where a species lays its eggs.
- nestle/ˈnɛsəl/verb · B2+To settle comfortably into a warm safe place.
- net/nɛt/noun · B1The web of string a ball lands in, or that divides the two sides.
- netball/ˈnɛtbɔːl/noun · B2+A team game of passing and shooting into a raised ring.
- nether/nɛð.ə/adjective · C1Lower, or belonging to the world below.
- netherlandsnoun · B1+The flat country of tulips, windmills, and millions of bicycles.
- nettle/ˈnɛtəl/noun · B1+A weed whose hairy leaves sting bare skin.
- network/ˈnɛt.wɜːk/noun · B1+Many computers connected together so they can share things.
- networking/ˈnɛtˌwɜː(r)kɪŋ/noun · B2+Building useful professional contacts over coffee and conferences.
- neurodiverse/ˌnjʊəɹə(ʊ)daɪˈvɜːs/adjective · C1Whose mind works differently from the typical pattern.
- neurological/nɝəˈlɑd͡ʒɪkəl/adjective · B2+To do with the nerves and the brain.
- neuron/ˈn(j)ʊɹɑn/noun · B2+A single nerve cell carrying signals through the brain.
- neurosis/n(j)ʊˈɹəʊ̯.sɪs/noun · C1A lasting anxiety that is out of proportion.
- neuter/ˈnjuːtə/verb · B2+To operate so an animal cannot breed.
- neutral/ˈnjuː.tɹəl/adjective · B2Taking neither side in a conflict.
- neutralisationnoun · C1An acid and a base cancelling each other out.
- neutrality/njuːˈtɹæləti/noun · C1Taking no side in a dispute.
- neutralize/ˈnjuːtɹəlaɪz/verb · B2+To cancel the effect of something.
- neutron/ˈn(j)uː.tɹɒn/noun · B1+A particle with no charge, sitting beside the protons.
- never/ˈnɛv.ə/adverb · A1Not once; at no time at all.
- never mind/ˈnɛ.vɚˌmaɪnd/phrase · A2Do not trouble yourself about it.
- never you mindphrase · C1A playful refusal to answer a nosy question.
- never-endingadjective · B1Going on and on with no sign of stopping.
- nevertheless/ˌnɛvəðəˈlɛs/adverb · B2In spite of that, all the same.
- new/n(j)ʉw/adjective · A1Just made or just bought; not used before.
- new year/ˈnjuː ˌjɪə/noun · A1The start of the calendar year, marked with celebration.
- new zealandphrase · B1The far Pacific island country of sheep, rugby, and movie landscapes.
- newbie/ˈnjuːbi/noun · B1+A slangy, half-teasing name for somebody who has only just joined a group, a game or an online forum.
- newbornnoun · B1+A baby only days old.
- newcomer/ˈnjuːkʌmə/noun · B1+Somebody who has just arrived.
- newer/ˈnjuː.ə/adjective · A2+More recently made than another.
- newfangled/ˌnjuːˈfæŋ.ɡəɫd/adjective · C1Annoyingly new and needlessly modern.
- newly/ˈnjuːli/adverb · B2Having happened only a very short time ago.
- newlywedsnoun · B2A couple who married only recently.
- news/njuːz/noun · A1Fresh information about what is happening in the world.
- newspaper/ˈnjuːsˌpeɪpə/noun · A1The big printed pages of daily news people read with coffee.
- newsreadernoun · B2+The calm face that reads the evening news to the nation.
- newsreel/ˈnuzˌɹil/noun · C1A short cinema film of current events.
- newsroom/ˈnjuːzɹuːm/noun · B2The room where reporters and editors work.
- newsstandnoun · B2+The street stall where papers and magazines are sold.
- newsworthyadjective · B2+Interesting or important enough to report.
- newt/ˈnjuːt/noun · B2+A small amphibian with a long tail.
- next of kinphrase · C1Your closest living relative, named on official forms.
- next-dooradjective · B1Living or being in the building immediately beside.
- nexus/ˈnɛksəs/noun · C1The central point where connections meet.
- nibble/ˈnɪbl̩/verb · B2To eat in tiny quick bites, as mice do.
- nicaraguanoun · B2+The biggest Central American country, land of lakes and volcanoes.
- nicety/ˈnaɪsɪti/noun · C2A fine point of detail or of manners.
- niche/niːʃ/noun · C1The small special spot that fits you perfectly — in a market or wall.
- nick/nɪk/verb · B2To cut a small notch in something.
- nickel/ˈnɪk.əl/noun · B2A hard silvery metal used in coins and alloys.
- nickname/ˈnɪkneɪm/noun · B1The short friendly name your friends call you instead of your real one.
- nicotine/ˈnɪkətiːn/noun · B1+The addictive poison found in tobacco.
- niece/niːs/noun · B1The daughter of your brother or sister.
- niger/ˈnaɪd͡ʒə(ɹ)/noun · C1Landlocked Saharan country whose capital is Niamey.
- nigerianoun · B1+Africa's most populated country, famous for its film industry.
- niggardly/ˈnɪɡədli/adjective · C2Mean and grudging in what is given.
- niggle/ˈnɪɡəl/verb · C1To keep bothering somebody in a small way.
- nigglingadjective · C1Small but persistently troubling.
- nigh/naɪ/adverb · C2Near, in old or poetic use.
- night/ˈnaɪ̯t/noun · A1The dark hours when most people sleep.
- night owl/ˈnaɪt aʊl/phrase · B2A person who comes alive after midnight.
- night porternoun · C1The staff member on duty through the small hours.
- night shiftnoun · B1The stretch of work done through the night.
- nightcap/ˈnaɪtˌkæp/noun · B2A last drink taken before bed.
- nightclub/ˈnʌɪtklʌb/noun · B2A place open late for dancing to loud music.
- nightgown/ˈnaɪtˌɡaʊn/noun · B2A loose garment worn in bed by a woman.
- nightingale/ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl/noun · B2A plain brown bird famous for singing after dark.
- nightlife/ˈnaɪtˌlaɪf/noun · B2+The entertainment a town offers after dark.
- nightly/ˈnaɪtli/adjective · B1+Happening every night.
- nightmare/ˈnaɪt.mɛə/noun · B1A frightening dream that wakes you with a start.
- nightshade/ˈnaɪt.ʃeɪd/noun · C1A poisonous plant with dark berries.
- nightstandnoun · B1+The little table beside your bed for a lamp and a book.
- nihilism/ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩/noun · C1The belief that nothing has meaning or value.
- nimble/ˈnɪmbəl/adjective · C1Moving quickly and lightly with easy skill.
- nimbus/ˈnɪmbəs/noun · C2A dark rain cloud, or a halo of light.
- nine/naɪn/noun · A1The number just before ten.
- nine-to-fivenoun · B2An ordinary office job with fixed daily hours.
- nineteen/ˈnaɪntiːn/noun · A1The number that comes after eighteen.
- ninety/ˈnaɪn.ti/noun · A1Nine times ten.
- nip/nɪp/verb · B2To pinch or bite sharply.
- nirvana/nɪrˈvɑːn(ɑː)/noun · B2+A state of perfect peace beyond all suffering.
- nitrate/ˈnaɪˌtɹeɪt/noun · B2+A salt used in fertiliser and in preserving meat.
- nitrenoun · C2A white salt used in gunpowder and curing.
- nitrogen/ˈnaɪ.tɹə.d͡ʒən/noun · B1+The gas that makes up most of the air.
- nitwit/ˈnɪtwɪt/noun · C1Somebody silly and scatterbrained, named with gentle teasing rather than real insult.
- no/nəʊ/phrase · A1The little word that means you disagree or refuse.
- no chancephrase · B1A firm way of saying it will not happen.
- no kiddingphrase · B2Said in surprise, or in flat disbelief.
- no offencephrase · B2Said before something that might sting.
- no pain, no gainphrase · B2The gym saying: results demand suffering.
- no rhyme or reasonphrase · C1No sense or pattern to it whatsoever.
- no vacancyphrase · B2The lit-up sign meaning the hotel is completely full.
- no worriesphrase · B1A relaxed way of saying that something is fine.
- no-show/ˈnoʊ ˌʃoʊ/noun · B2A guest who books and never arrives.
- nobility/noʊˈbɪlɪti/noun · B2+The class holding hereditary titles, or greatness of character.
- noble/ˈnəʊbəl/adjective · B2Morally high and generous; also, of royal or high birth.
- nobleman/ˈnoʊbl̩mən/noun · B2+A man of high hereditary rank.
- nocturnal/nɒkˈtɜː.nəl/adjective · C1Active at night and asleep by day.
- nod/nɒd/verb · B2To move your head up and down to say yes without speaking.
- nod offphrase · C1To fall asleep without meaning to.
- noise/ˈnoɪ̯z/noun · A2Loud unpleasant sound, like traffic and drills.
- noisilyadverb · B1+In a way that makes a lot of sound.
- noisy/ˈnɔɪzi/adjective · A2+Making a lot of unwanted sound.
- nomad/ˈnəʊmæd/noun · B2+A person who lives moving from place to place, never settling.
- nomadic/nəʊˈmæd.ɪk/adjective · B2+Moving from place to place rather than settling.
- nomenclature/nə(ʊ)ˈmɛŋ.klət͡ʃə/noun · C1The system of names used in a field.
- nominate/ˈnɒm.ɪ.neɪt/verb · C1To formally put someone's name forward for a role or prize.
- nomination/ˌnɑmɪˈneɪʃən/noun · C1The naming of somebody as a candidate.
- nominee/ˌnɒmɪˈniː/noun · C1Somebody put forward for a post or a prize.
- non sequitur/ˌnɒn ˈsɛk.wɪ.tə/noun · C2A conclusion that simply does not follow.
- non-comedogenicadjective · C2Made not to block the pores.
- non-profitadjective · C1Run for a cause rather than for gain.
- nonce/nɒns/noun · C2The present occasion, in the phrase for the moment.
- nonchalance/ˈnɒnʃələns/noun · C1A cool unbothered manner.
- nonchalant/ˈnɒn.ʃəl.ənt/adjective · C2Casually unbothered.
- nonchalantlyadverb · C2In a calm unbothered way, as if nothing mattered.
- nondescript/ˈnɒndɪskɹɪpt/adjective · C1So ordinary that there is nothing to describe.
- none of your businessphrase · B2A blunt way of saying it does not concern you.
- none takenphrase · B2A reply meaning you were not upset by the remark.
- nonentitynoun · C2Somebody of no importance whatever.
- nonetheless/ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs/adverb · B2Despite what was just said.
- nonexistentadjective · B2+Not existing at all.
- nonfictionnoun · B1Writing about real facts and real events.
- nonplussed/nɒnˈplʌst/adjective · C1So surprised that you do not know what to do.
- nonprofitadjective · B2+Run for a cause rather than to make money.
- nonsense/ˈnɒn.səns/noun · B1Words or behaviour with no sense in them.
- nonstop/ˌnɒnˈstɒp/adjective · B1+Without any pause or break.
- nonviolentadjective · B2+Refusing to use force.
- noodles/ˈnuːd(ə)lz/noun · A2+Long soft strips of dough, served in bowls across Asia.
- nook/nʊk/noun · B2+A small sheltered corner.
- noon/nuːn/noun · A2Twelve o'clock in the middle of the day.
- noose/nuːs/noun · B2A loop of rope that tightens when pulled.
- norm/nɔːm/noun · B2+What is usual and expected in a group.
- normal/ˈnɔː.məl/adjective · A2The standard, expected way things are.
- normality/nɔːˈmæl.ɪ.ti/noun · B2+The state of things being as they usually are.
- north/nɔːθ/noun · A1The direction a compass needle points to, up on every map.
- north koreanoun · B1The closed state ruled from Pyongyang.
- north macedonianoun · C1Balkan country whose capital is Skopje, renamed in 2019.
- northbound/ˈnɔɹθbaʊnd/adjective · B1+Travelling towards the north.
- northeast/noːˈθɪjst/noun · B1+The direction halfway between north and east.
- northern/ˈnɔː.ðən/adjective · B1Belonging to the colder half of the world above the middle.
- northward/ˈnɔɹθwɚd/adverb · B2+Towards the colder half of the world.
- northwest/nɔɹθˈwɛst/noun · B1+The direction halfway between north and west.
- norwaynoun · A2+The Nordic country of deep fjords and the midnight sun.
- nose[nəʊ̯z]noun · A1You smell flowers and food with it; it sits in the middle of your face.
- nosebleed/ˈnəʊzˌbliːd/noun · B1+A flow of blood from the nostrils.
- nostalgia/nɒˈstæld͡ʒə/noun · C2The sweet ache of missing times that are gone.
- nostalgicadjective · C2Sweetly missing the days that are gone.
- nostalgicallyadverb · C2With fond longing for an earlier time.
- nostril/ˈnɒs.tɹɪl/noun · B2One of the two holes of your nose.
- nosy/ˈnəʊziː/adjective · B1Too curious about other people's private business.
- not a hopephrase · B2There is no possibility at all.
- not have a leg to stand onphrase · C1To have no evidence or argument at all.
- not see the wood for the treesphrase · C1To be so lost in detail that you miss the whole.
- not too badphrase · B1A modest English way of saying things are actually fine.
- notablyadverb · C1Especially worth pointing out among the rest.
- notary/ˈnoʊtəɹi/noun · B2+An official who witnesses signatures on documents.
- notation/noʊˈteɪʃən/noun · C1The agreed set of symbols a field writes in.
- notch/nɒtʃ/noun · B2A small V-shaped cut in a surface.
- notebook/ˈnəʊtˌbʊk/noun · B2The book of empty pages you write your notes in.
- notepadnoun · A2A small book of paper for jotting things down.
- nothing muchphrase · B1A reply meaning little has happened.
- nothing to declarephrase · B2The channel for travellers carrying nothing taxable.
- notice/ˈnəʊ.tɪs/verb · A2To suddenly see or become aware of something.
- notice/ˈnəʊ.tɪs/noun · B2The formal warning you give before leaving your job.
- notice periodnoun · B2The time you must keep working after resigning.
- noticeboardnoun · B1A board on a wall where announcements are pinned.
- notification/ˌnəʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn̩/noun · B1+The little ping and banner a phone shows when something happens.
- notify/ˈnoʊtɪfaɪ/verb · B2To tell somebody officially.
- notion/ˈnəʊʃən/noun · B2A loose idea or belief held in the mind.
- notoriety/nəʊ.təˈɹaɪ.ə.ti/noun · C2Fame for something bad.
- notorious/nə(ʊ)ˈtɔː.ɹɪ.əs/adjective · C1Widely known for the wrong reasons.
- notwithstanding/ˌnɒtwɪðˈstændɪŋ/preposition · C1In spite of, in formal writing.
- noun/naʊn/noun · B1+A word that names a person, a place or a thing.
- nourish/ˈnʌɹ.ɪʃ/verb · B2+To feed something so it stays healthy and grows.
- nourishingadjective · B2+Giving the body what it needs to thrive.
- nourishment/ˈnʌɹɪʃmənt/noun · B2The food a body needs to keep going.
- novel/ˈnɒvəl/noun · B1A long invented story that fills a whole book.
- novel/ˈnɒvəl/adjective · C1Completely fresh in kind, never tried before.
- novelist/ˈnɑvəlɪst/noun · B2+Somebody who writes novels.
- novelty/ˈnɑvəlti/noun · B2+The quality of being new, or a small cheap toy.
- novembernoun · A1The eleventh month, grey and cool, before the holiday season.
- novice/ˈnɒvɪs/noun · B2+Somebody just beginning at something.
- now that you mention itphrase · B2Said when somebody's remark reminds you of something.
- nowadays/ˈnaʊ.ə.deɪz/adverb · B2In the present time, unlike in the past.
- noxious/ˈnɒkʃəs/adjective · C1Harmful and unpleasant, especially to breathe.
- nuance/ˈnjuː.ɑːns/noun · C1A shade of meaning so fine most people miss it.
- nubile/ˈnubaɪl/adjective · C2Young and old enough to marry, said of a woman.
- nuclear/ˈn(j)u.kli.ɚ/adjective · B1+Using the enormous power locked inside atoms.
- nuclear familynoun · B2Just parents and their children.
- nucleus/ˈnjuː.kli.əs/noun · B2+The dense centre of an atom, or the control room of a cell.
- nudge/nʌd͡ʒ/verb · B2To push gently, usually with an elbow.
- nudity/ˈnjudɪˌti/noun · B2The state of wearing no clothes.
- nugget/ˈnʌɡət/noun · B2A rounded lump of pure metal found in the ground.
- nuisance/ˈnjuː.səns/noun · B2Somebody or something that keeps causing annoyance.
- null/nʌl/noun · B2+A deliberate absence of any value.
- numb/nʌm/adjective · C1Unable to feel anything in a body part — frozen fingers, sleeping leg.
- number/ˈnʌmbər/noun · A1A word or sign that says how many.
- number platenoun · B1The panel showing a vehicle's registration.
- numbingadjective · B2+Taking away feeling from what it touches.
- numbnessnoun · B2+A loss of feeling in part of the body.
- numbnessnoun · B2Feeling nothing at all where feeling should be.
- numerical/n(j)uːˈmɛɹ.ɪ.kəl/adjective · B2Expressed in or to do with numbers.
- numerous/ˈnuməɹəs/adjective · B2Existing in large numbers.
- numismatics/ˌn(j)uːmɪzˈmatɪks/noun · C2The collecting and study of coins.
- nun/nʌn/noun · B1A woman who has taken vows and lives in a religious community.
- nuptial/ˈnʌp.ʃəl/adjective · C1To do with marriage and its ceremony.
- nurse/nɜːs/noun · A1The hospital worker who cares for sick people day and night.
- nursery/ˈnɜːsəɹi/noun · B2The school for the very youngest children; also, a baby's room.
- nursery rhymenoun · B1A short traditional song for small children.
- nursing/ˈnɝsɪŋ/noun · B2The study and practice of caring for the sick.
- nursing homenoun · B2A residence where the elderly are cared for.
- nurture/ˈnɜːɹ.t͡ʃəɹ/verb · B2+To care for something young and help it develop.
- nut/nʌt/noun · A2The threaded ring a bolt tightens into.
- nutcase/ˈnʌtkeɪs/noun · C1A slang name for a person whose behaviour is wildly eccentric or unhinged.
- nutcracker/ˈnʌtˌkɹækɚ/noun · B1+A hinged tool that squeezes a hard shell until it splits.
- nuthatch/ˈnʌtˌhæt͡ʃ/noun · C1A small bird that walks head-first down tree trunks.
- nutmeg/ˈnʌt.mɛɡ/noun · B2+A warm brown spice grated from a hard seed.
- nutrient/ˈnjuː.tɹi.ənt/noun · B2+A substance in food that the body needs to grow.
- nutrient cyclenoun · C1The endless passing of nourishment through living things.
- nutrition/njuːˈtɹɪʃ.ən/noun · B2+The science of what food gives the body and what it needs.
- nutritional/njuːˈtɹɪʃ.ə.nəl/adjective · B2+To do with the goodness in food.
- nutritious/njuːˈtɹɪʃəs/adjective · B1+Full of what the body needs to stay healthy.
- nutshell/ˈnʌt.ʃɛl/noun · B2The hard case round a nut, and the phrase for saying it briefly.
- nutter/ˈnʌtə/noun · C1Somebody thought to be mad, in British informal use.
- nutty/ˈnʌti/adjective · B2Tasting like almonds or hazelnuts.
- nuzzle/ˈnʌzl̩/verb · C1To rub gently with the nose.
- nylon/ˈnaɪlɒn/noun · B1+A strong smooth artificial thread.
- nymph/ˈnɪmf/noun · C1A minor female spirit of woods and water.
- oaf/əʊf/noun · C1A clumsy stupid man.
- oak/əʊk/noun · B1The mighty slow-growing tree whose seed is the acorn.
- oaky/ˈoʊki/adjective · C2Tasting of the wooden barrel it aged in.
- oar/ɔː/noun · B1+A long pole with a flat blade for rowing.
- oarlocknoun · C2The fitting an oar pivots in.
- oasis/əʊˈeɪsɪs/noun · B1+The green watery island of life in the middle of a desert.
- oat/ˈəʊt/noun · B1+The grain that porridge is made from.
- obdurate/ˈɒbdʒʊɹɪt/adjective · C2Stubbornly refusing to be moved or softened.
- obedience/ə(ʊ)ˈbiːdɪəns/noun · B2Training that teaches an animal to do as it is told.
- obedient/əˈbiːdɪənt/adjective · B2Willing to do as you are told.
- obeisance/əˈbiː.səns/noun · C2A bow or gesture of deep respect.
- obelisk/ˈɒbəlɪsk/noun · C1A tall four-sided stone pillar tapering to a point.
- obese/oʊˈbis/adjective · B1+Very much overweight, to the point of harm.
- obesity/ə(ʊ)ˈbiːsɪti/noun · B2+The medical condition of being dangerously overweight.
- obey/əʊˈbeɪ/verb · B1To do exactly what a rule or a person tells you.
- obfuscate/ˈɒbfəskeɪt/verb · C1To make something deliberately unclear.
- obfuscation/ˌɒb.fəˈskeɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The clouding of a matter so nobody can follow it.
- obituary/əˈbɪt͡ʃʊ(ə)ɹi/noun · B2The newspaper article honoring someone who has just died.
- object/ˈɒb.d͡ʒɛkt/noun · A1A bundle of named values and the code that works on them.
- objection/əbˈd͡ʒɛkʃən/noun · B2A reason given against something.
- objectivity/ˌɒbd͡ʒɛkˈtɪvɪti/noun · C1Judging without letting your feelings interfere.
- obligation/ˌɒb.lɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/noun · B2Something you must do because duty, law, or promise binds you.
- oblige/əˈblaɪd͡ʒ/verb · C1To bind somebody by duty or law, or to do them a favour.
- obliging/əˈblaɪd͡ʒɪŋ/adjective · C1Eager to be helpful.
- oblique/əˈbliːk/adjective · C2Slanting, or expressed indirectly.
- obliterate/əˈblɪtəɹeɪt/verb · B2+To wipe something out completely.
- oblivion/əˈblɪviːən/noun · C1The state of being completely forgotten.
- oblivious/əˈblɪviəs/adjective · B2+Completely unaware of what is happening around you.
- oblong/ˈɒblɒŋ/adjective · B1Longer than it is wide, like a rectangle.
- obnoxious/əbˈnɒkʃəs/adjective · B2So loud and unpleasant that everyone is annoyed.
- oboe/ˈəʊbəʊ/noun · B2+A slim woodwind with a double reed and a nasal tone.
- obscene/əbˈsiːn/adjective · B2+Offensive, especially about sex.
- obscenitynoun · B2+Something indecent, or a foul word.
- obscure/əbˈskjʊə(ɹ)/adjective · C1Known to almost nobody; hard to make out.
- obscure/əbˈskjʊə(ɹ)/verb · C1To hide something from view or from understanding.
- obscuredadjective · C1Hidden or made hard to see.
- obscurity/əbˈskjʊəɹɪti/noun · C1Being unknown, or being hard to understand.
- obsequious/əbˈsiːkwi.əs/adjective · C2Fawning and over-eager to please.
- observance/əbˈzɝvəns/noun · C1The keeping of a rule, a law or a holy day.
- observant/əbˈzɝvənt/adjective · B2Quick to notice things, or keeping religious rules.
- observation/ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃn̩/noun · B2Careful watching, or a remark about what was seen.
- observation carnoun · C1A carriage with wide windows for the view.
- observatory/əbˈzɜːvət(ə)ɹi/noun · B2A building from which the sky is studied.
- observatory domenoun · C1The turning roof that opens for a telescope.
- observe/əbˈzɜːv/verb · B2To watch something carefully over time to learn from it.
- observer/əbˈzɝvɚ/noun · B2Somebody who watches, especially officially.
- obsess/əbˈsɛs/verb · C1To fill somebody's mind so that nothing else gets in.
- obsession/əbˈsɛʃən/noun · C1A thought that will not leave you alone.
- obsessive/əbˈsɛs.ɪv/adjective · B2+Given by nature to dwelling on a single idea to an unhealthy degree, naming a lasting trait of character or manner rather than the temporary state of being caught up in one particular thing.
- obsidian/ˌɒbˈsɪd.i.ən/noun · B2+Black volcanic glass that breaks to a razor edge.
- obsolescence/ˌɒb.səˈlɛs.əns/noun · C1The process of falling out of use.
- obsolete/ˈɒbsəliːt/adjective · B2+Pushed out of use by newer things.
- obstacle/ˈɒbstəkəl/noun · B2Something standing in the way of where you want to go.
- obstinacy/ˈɑbstɪnəsi/noun · C1Stubborn refusal to change your mind.
- obstinate/ˈɒb.stɪ.nət/adjective · C1Refusing to change your mind, whatever anyone says.
- obstreperous/əbˈstɹɛp.əɹ.əs/adjective · C2Noisy and difficult to control.
- obstruct/əbˈstɹʌkt/verb · B2+To block a path, view, or process.
- obstruction/əbˈstɹʌk.ʃən/noun · B2Something that blocks the way, or the blocking itself.
- obtain/əbˈteɪn/verb · B2A formal word for getting something, often with effort.
- obtrude/əbˈtɹuːd/verb · C2To push yourself forward where you are not wanted.
- obtrusive/əbˈtɹuːsɪv/adjective · C1Noticeable in an unwelcome way.
- obtuse/əbˈtjuːs/adjective · C1Slow to understand, or blunt in angle.
- obtuse anglenoun · C1An angle larger than a square corner.
- obviate/ˈɒb.viˌeɪt/verb · C2To remove the need for something.
- obvious/ˈɑb.vi.əs/adjective · B1So plain that everyone sees it immediately.
- obviously/ˈɒ(b).vi.əs.li/adverb · A2In a way anybody can see.
- occasion/əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/noun · B1A particular time when something happens, often a special one.
- occasional/əˈkeɪʒ(ə)nəl/adjective · B2Happening now and then.
- occult/ˈɒk.ʌlt/noun · C1Practices concerned with magic and hidden powers.
- occupancy/ˈɑk.jə.p(ə)n.(t)si/noun · B2+The share of rooms that are actually taken.
- occupant/ˈɒk.jʊ.pənt/noun · C1Somebody living in or using a place.
- occupation/ˌɒkjʊˈpeɪʃən/noun · B2The control of a country by a foreign army.
- occupational/ɑkjuˈpeɪʃənəl/adjective · C1To do with a person's job.
- occupy/ˈɒkjʊpaɪ/verb · B2To fill a space, a position, or someone's whole attention.
- occur/əˈkɜː/verb · B1The formal word for taking place.
- occur tophrase · B2For an idea to come into your head.
- occurrence/əˈkʌɹ.əns/noun · C1Something that happens.
- ocean/ˈəʊ.ʃən/noun · A2One of the five biggest bodies of salt water on the planet.
- oceanic/ˌəʊʃiˈænɪk/adjective · C1Belonging to the open sea.
- ochre/ˈəʊkə/adjective · C1A dull yellow-brown earth colour.
- octagon/ˈɒktəɡ(ə)n/noun · B2A flat shape with eight straight sides.
- octave/ˈɒktɪv/noun · C2The musical distance of eight notes, from one C to the next.
- octobernoun · A1The tenth month, full of golden leaves and pumpkins.
- octogenarian/ˌɑktəd͡ʒɪˈnɛɹiən/noun · C2Somebody between eighty and ninety years old.
- octopus/ˈɒktəpʊs/noun · A2+A sea animal with eight arms.
- odd/ɒd/adjective · B1Unusual in a puzzling way; also, numbers that cannot split in two evenly.
- oddity/ˈɒdɪti/noun · C1Something strange, or the quality of being so.
- oddly/ˈɑdli/adverb · B1+In a strange or unexpected way.
- oddmentsnoun · C2Small leftover items of various kinds.
- odds/ɑdz/noun · B2The likelihood of something happening.
- ode/oʊd/noun · B2+A poem written in praise of somebody or something.
- odious/ˈəʊ.di.əs/adjective · C1Extremely unpleasant and hateful.
- odometer/əʊˈdɒmətə/noun · B2+The dial counting how far a vehicle has travelled.
- odometer readingnoun · C1The distance figure shown on a vehicle's counter.
- odournoun · B2+A smell, usually an unpleasant one.
- odourless/ˈəʊdələs/adjective · B2+Having no smell whatever.
- odyssey/ˈɒd.ɪ.si/noun · C1A long wandering journey full of incident.
- off the beaten trackphrase · B2Away from the places most people go.
- off the gridphrase · C1Living where no record or signal can find you.
- off the recordphrase · C1Said privately, not to be quoted or published.
- off the top of my headphrase · B2Answering from memory, without checking.
- off-balanceadjective · B1Unsteady, about to topple over.
- off-licencenoun · B2A shop licensed to sell alcohol to take away.
- off-peakadjective · B2Outside the busiest hours, and usually cheaper.
- off-seasonnoun · B2The quiet cheap months when few tourists come.
- off-the-pegadjective · C1Bought ready-made in a standard size.
- offcut/ˈɒfkʌt/noun · C1The piece left over after a length is cut to size.
- offend/əˈfɛnd/verb · B2To hurt someone's feelings or sense of what is proper.
- offender/əˈfen.də(ɹ)/noun · B2A person who has broken the rules.
- offensive/əˈfɛnsɪv/noun · B2A large planned attack.
- offer/ˈɒfə(ɹ)/verb · A2To say that someone may have or use what you are holding out.
- offering/ˈɒfəɹɪŋ/noun · B2Something given to a god or to a temple.
- office/ˈɒf.ɪs/noun · A1The room with desks and computers where many people do their jobs.
- officer/ˈɒf.ɪ.sə/noun · A2Somebody holding a position of authority in the forces or the police.
- official/əˈfɪʃəl/adjective · B1Approved and announced by the people in authority.
- officious/əˈfɪʃəs/adjective · C2Fussily using small authority to interfere.
- offing/ˈɒfɪŋ/noun · C2The near future, in the phrase about to happen.
- offline/ɒfˈlaɪn/adjective · B1+Not connected to the internet.
- offset/ˈɒf.sɛt/verb · B2+To balance one thing against another so they cancel out.
- offshoot/ˈɔf.ʃuːt/noun · C1A branch growing from a main stem or organisation.
- offshore/ɒfˈʃɔː(ɹ)/adverb · B2Out at sea, away from the coast.
- offside/ɒfˈsaɪd/noun · B2+The football rule about standing too far forward — argued about forever.
- offspring/ˈɒfspɹɪŋ/noun · C1A creature's young — its children, in the language of biology.
- often/ˈɒfən/adverb · A1Many times; again and again.
- ogle/ˈəʊɡl̩/verb · C1To stare at somebody in an unwelcome admiring way.
- ogre/ˈəʊ.ɡə/noun · B2+A large cruel man-eating giant of stories.
- oil/ɔɪl/noun · A2The liquid fat you fry things in.
- oil changenoun · B1Replacing the old oil in an engine.
- oily/ˈɔɪli/adjective · B1+Covered in or feeling like thick liquid fat.
- oily skinnoun · B1Skin that produces a lot of natural grease.
- oink/ɔɪŋk/verb · B1+To make the grunting sound a pig makes.
- ointment/ˈɔɪntm(ə)nt/noun · B2Healing cream you rub onto sore skin.
- okra/ˈɒkɹə/noun · B2+A green pod that thickens a stew as it cooks.
- old/əʊld/adjective · A1Having existed for many years.
- old agenoun · B1The last part of a long life.
- old-fashioned/oʊldˈfæʃənd/adjective · B1Belonging to an earlier time, no longer in fashion.
- old-timernoun · C1An elderly member of a place or a trade who has been there far longer than anyone else and remembers how it all used to be.
- older/ˈəʊldə/adjective · A1Greater in age than another.
- oldie/ˈəʊldi/noun · B2+A song that was popular long ago.
- oldsternoun · C2A person well on in years, of either sex, spoken of informally but without mockery.
- oligarchy/ˈɒlɪˌɡɑːki/noun · C1Rule by a small privileged group.
- olive/ˈɒ.lɪv/noun · B2The small green or black Mediterranean fruit pressed for its oil.
- olive oilnoun · A2The oil pressed from a small green or black fruit.
- omannoun · B2The peaceful Gulf country of Muscat, deserts, and dramatic coasts.
- ombre/ˈɒm.bə/adjective · C1Shading gradually from dark to light.
- ombudsman/ˈɒmbədzmən/noun · C1The official who settles complaints against businesses.
- omelette/ˈɒmlɪt/noun · A2+Beaten eggs cooked flat in a pan and folded over.
- omen/ˈəʊ̯mən/noun · B2+A sign taken to show what will happen.
- ominous/ˈɒmɪnəs/adjective · B2+Giving the feeling that something bad is coming.
- omission/ə(ʊ)ˈmɪʃ.ən/noun · B2+Something left out, or the leaving out of it.
- omit/əʊˈmɪt/verb · B2+To leave something out, by accident or by choice.
- omnipotence/ɒmˈnɪpətəns/noun · C1Power without any limit.
- omniscience/ɑmˈnɪʃəns/noun · C1Knowledge of absolutely everything.
- omnivore/ˈɒmnɪvɔː/noun · B2An animal that eats both plants and meat.
- on a whimphrase · C1Acting on a sudden fancy rather than a plan.
- on balancephrase · C1Taking everything into account.
- on callphrase · B2Available to be summoned at any hour.
- on cloud ninephrase · B2Floating with pure happiness.
- on good termsphrase · B2On friendly footing with somebody.
- on purposephrase · A2Not by accident — you meant to do it.
- on schedulephrase · B1Exactly as the plan intended.
- on second thoughtphrase · B2Having reconsidered.
- on the ballphrase · C1Alert, quick, and on top of everything.
- on the fencephrase · C1Still undecided between the two sides.
- on the grapevinephrase · C1By word of mouth passed informally from person to person.
- on the mendphrase · B2Getting better after being ill.
- on the recordphrase · C1Said in a way that may be quoted with your name.
- on the same pagephrase · B2Agreeing and understanding things the same way.
- on the same wavelengthphrase · B2Understanding each other without having to explain.
- on the spur of the momentphrase · B2Decided suddenly, with no planning at all.
- on the tip of my tonguephrase · B2Almost remembered, and refusing to arrive.
- on the townphrase · C1Out enjoying the bars and clubs of a city.
- on the wholephrase · B2Generally speaking, ignoring the exceptions.
- on thin icephrase · B2In a risky position where one more mistake means trouble.
- onboardingnoun · C1The process of settling a new employee in.
- once bitten, twice shyphrase · C1The saying: after being hurt, you are careful ever after.
- once in a blue moon/wʌns ɪn ə bluː muːn/phrase · B2Happening extremely rarely.
- once in a whilephrase · B1Not often, but sometimes.
- once upon a time/ˈwʌns.əˈpɑn.əˈtaɪ̯m/phrase · A2The words every fairy tale begins with.
- once-overnoun · C1A quick glance to check something.
- oncomingadjective · C1Coming straight toward you — traffic, storms, headlights.
- one/wʌn/noun · A1The number of noses on your face.
- one of these daysphrase · B2At some unspecified future time.
- one-eyed/ˈwʌnˌaɪd/adjective · B1Having only one working eye.
- one-on-oneadjective · B2Between just two people.
- one-way/wʌn.weɪ/adjective · B1Allowing travel in a single direction only — streets or tickets.
- one-way streetnoun · B1A road where traffic may go in one direction only.
- one-way systemnoun · B2A pattern of streets where traffic goes only one way.
- onerous/ˈɒnəɹəs/adjective · C1Involving a heavy and unwelcome burden.
- oneself/wʌnˈsɛlf/pronoun · B1+Your own person, used when speaking generally.
- onesie/ˈwʌn.zi/noun · B1A single garment covering the whole body, worn for comfort.
- ongoing/ɒnˈɡəʊ.ɪŋ/adjective · B2Still going on and not yet finished.
- onion/ˈʌnjən/noun · A2+A round vegetable with many layers that makes you cry when you cut it.
- online/ˈɒnlaɪn/adjective · A2+Connected to the internet right now.
- online bankingnoun · B1Managing an account through a website.
- only childnoun · A2A child with no brothers or sisters.
- onset/ˈɒnˌsɛt/noun · B2+The beginning of something unpleasant.
- onset/ˈɒnˌsɛt/noun · B2+The first shock of an assault.
- onslaught/ˈɒn.slɔːt/noun · B2+A fierce sustained attack.
- onus/ˈəʊnəs/noun · C1The duty or blame that rests on somebody.
- onward/ˈɒnwəd/adverb · B2+Continuing forward from here.
- onwardsadverb · B1+Continuing forward in space or time.
- onyx/ˈɒnɪks/noun · B2+A banded stone, often black, used in jewellery.
- ooze/uːz/verb · B2To flow out very slowly and thickly.
- opacity/oʊˈpæsɪti/noun · C2The quality of letting no light or sense through.
- opal/ˈəʊpəl/noun · B2+A stone that flashes with shifting colours.
- opaque/əʊˈpeɪk/adjective · C2Impossible to see through.
- opaque/əʊˈpeɪk/adjective · B2+Letting no light through at all.
- open/ˈəʊ.pən/verb · A1To move a door or lid so people or things can pass through.
- open/ˈəʊ.pən/adjective · A1Not closed — anyone may walk in or look inside.
- open a can of wormsphrase · C1To start something that creates many new problems.
- open kitchennoun · B1A kitchen guests can watch as they eat.
- open mindnoun · B2A readiness to consider what you do not already think.
- open planadjective · B2Having one big shared space instead of separate rooms.
- open ratenoun · B2What share of an email's recipients opened it.
- open source/ˈoʊpən ˌsɔɹs/phrase · B2Software whose recipe is public for anyone to read and improve.
- open waternoun · B2Swimming in a lake, a river or the sea.
- open-endedadjective · C1Having no fixed limit or set finish.
- open-handedadjective · C1Generous in giving.
- open-minded/ˈəʊ.pən ˈmaɪn.dɪd/adjective · B2Willing to consider ideas you do not hold.
- opening/ˈəʊ.pə.nɪŋ/noun · B2The first planned moves of a game.
- opening nightnoun · B2The first public performance of a production.
- openly/ˈoʊpənli/adverb · B2Without any attempt to hide it.
- opennessnoun · B2+A readiness to be honest and to listen.
- opera/ˈɒp.ə.ɹə/noun · B2A play in which every word is sung, with an orchestra below the stage.
- operate/ˈɒpəɹeɪt/verb · B1To work a machine, or to carry out surgery.
- operating system/ˈɒpəˌɹeɪtɪŋ ˌsɪstəm/noun · B2The program that runs the machine and everything on it.
- operational/ˌɒp.əˈɹeɪ.ʃə.nəl/adjective · C1Ready and able to work, or to do with running things.
- operative/ˈɒpəɹətɪv/noun · C1A worker who operates a machine.
- operator/ˈɒpəˌɹeɪtə/noun · B2Somebody who works a machine or a service.
- opine/ə(ʊ)ˈpaɪn/verb · C1To state an opinion.
- opinion/əˈpɪn.jən/noun · B1What one person thinks about something — others may disagree.
- opponent/əˈpəʊ.nənt/noun · B2The person or team you are playing against.
- opportune/ɒ.pəˈt͡ʃ(j)uːn/adjective · C1Coming at exactly the right moment.
- opportunistic/ˌɒp.əˌtjuːˈnɪs.tɪk/adjective · B2+Seizing any chance that comes, whatever the principle.
- oppose/əˈpəʊz/verb · B2To stand publicly against a plan or idea.
- opposed/əˈpoʊzd/adjective · B2Set against something.
- opposite/ˈɒp.ə.zɪt/adjective · A1As different from something as it is possible to be.
- opposite directionnoun · B1The way exactly against the one taken.
- opposition/ˌɒp.əˈzɪʃ.ən/noun · B2The parties not in government.
- oppress/əˈpɹɛs/verb · C1To rule people cruelly and deny them freedom.
- oppression/əˈpɹɛʃən/noun · C1Cruel and unjust use of power over people.
- oppressive/əˈpɹɛs.ɪv/adjective · B2+Cruelly heavy, in rule or in weather.
- opt/ɒpt/verb · C1To choose one thing rather than another.
- opt outphrase · B2To choose not to take part.
- optical/ˈɒptɪkəl/adjective · C1To do with sight and with light.
- optician/ɒpˈtɪʃən/noun · B1+The professional who tests eyes and fits glasses.
- optimism/ˈɑptɪmɪzəm/noun · C1The habit of expecting things to turn out well.
- optimist/ˈɑptɪmɪst/noun · B2+Somebody who expects things to turn out well.
- optimistic/ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk/adjective · B2Always expecting things to turn out well.
- optimum/ˈɑptɪməm/adjective · B2+The best possible in the circumstances.
- option/ˈɒpʃən/noun · A2+One of the things you may choose.
- optional/ˈɒp.ʃə.nəl/adjective · B2Allowed but not required.
- optometrist/ɑpˈtɑmətɹɪst/noun · B2+The professional who tests eyesight.
- opulence/ˈɒp.jʊl.əns/noun · C2Great wealth shown off in luxury.
- opulent/ˈɒpjʊlənt/adjective · C2Richly and showily luxurious.
- oracle/ˈɔɹəkəl/noun · B2+A person or place through which a god was said to answer.
- orange/ˈɒɹɪnd͡ʒ/noun · A1A sweet citrus fruit with the same name as its color.
- orangutan/əˌɹæŋ.uːˈtæn/noun · B1+The great red-haired ape of the rainforests of Borneo.
- orator/ˈɒ.ɹə.tə(ɹ)/noun · C1A skilled and powerful public speaker.
- oratory/ˈɒɹət(ə)ɹi/noun · C1The art of speaking well in public.
- orbit/ˈɔː.bɪt/noun · B1+The endless circular path one body travels around another in space.
- orbital/ɔː.bɪt.əl/adjective · B2+To do with the path one body takes around another.
- orbiternoun · C1A craft that circles a world rather than landing on it.
- orcanoun · C2The black and white whale that hunts in groups.
- orchard/ˈɔː.tʃəd/noun · C1A field of fruit trees planted in rows.
- orchard keepernoun · B2The person who tends a plantation of fruit trees.
- orchestra/ˈɔː.kɪs.tɹə/noun · B2A very large group of classical musicians led by a person with a stick.
- orchestra pitnoun · C1The sunken space where players sit below a stage.
- orchestral/ˌɔɹˈkɛstɹəl/adjective · B2+Written for or played by a full body of musicians.
- orchestrate/ˈɔː(ɹ).kə.stɹeɪt/verb · B2+To arrange the parts of something so it works as a whole.
- orchid/ˈɔː.kɪd/noun · B2An exotic flower with strangely shaped, delicate blooms.
- ordain/ɔɹˈdeɪn/verb · C2To make somebody a priest, or to decree by authority.
- ordeal/ɔːˈdiːl/noun · B2A painful experience that has to be got through.
- order/ˈɔː.də/verb · A1To ask for something to be brought to you — food or a parcel.
- order ticketnoun · B2The printed slip telling the kitchen what to cook.
- orders/ˈɔː.dəz/noun · B1The instructions a soldier must carry out.
- ordinance/ˈɔːdɪnəns/noun · C1A rule made by a local authority.
- ordinarily/ɔːdɪˈnæɹɪli/adverb · C1As a rule, in the usual run of things.
- ordinary/ˈɔːdɪnəɹi/adjective · A2+Normal and usual, with nothing special about it.
- ore/oɹ/noun · B2+Rock containing enough metal to be worth digging out.
- oregano/ˈɒɹɪˌɡɑːnəʊ/noun · B1+A dried herb that tastes of pizza.
- org chartnoun · C1The diagram showing how an organisation is arranged.
- organ/ˈɔːɡən/noun · B2A working part inside your body with its own job, like the pump in your chest.
- organic/ɔːˈɡænɪk/adjective · B2+Grown naturally, without artificial chemicals.
- organic/ɔːˈɡænɪk/adjective · B2+To do with compounds built around carbon.
- organic farmingnoun · B2Growing food without artificial chemicals.
- organic reachnoun · C1The audience you reach without paying for it.
- organism/ˈɔː.ɡə.nɪ.zəm/noun · B2Any single living thing, from a microbe to a whale.
- organistnoun · B2Somebody who plays the large keyboard instrument in a church.
- organization/ˌɔː.ɡə.naɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/noun · B1A group of people working together under a structure.
- organizational/ˌɔː(ɹ)ɡənɪˈzeɪʃənəl/adjective · C1To do with how a body is arranged and run.
- organize/ˈɔːɡənaɪz/verb · A2+To put things in order, or to plan an event.
- organizer/ˈɔɹɡənaɪzɚ/noun · B1+Somebody who arranges an event.
- orient/ˈɔː.ɹɪ.ənt/noun · C1The countries of the Far East, in older use.
- orientation/ˌɔː.ɹi.ənˈteɪ.ʃən/noun · C1The welcome sessions that show newcomers how everything works.
- orienteeringnoun · C1Racing across country navigating by map and compass.
- origin/ˈɒɹ.ɪ.d͡ʒɪn/noun · B2The very first place or point something came from.
- original/əˈɹɪd͡ʒ.ɪ.nəl/adjective · A2+The very first one; also, completely new and not copied.
- originality/əˌɹɪd͡ʒɪˈnælɪti/noun · B2+The quality of being genuinely new.
- originally/əˈɹɪd͡ʒ.ɪ.nə.li/adverb · B1+At the start, before anything changed.
- originate/əˈɹɪd͡ʒɪneɪt/verb · C1To have your first beginning in a certain place or time.