all 19,295 words · one row per spelling
Word ranking
Ranked by how often each word appears in film and television subtitles — the first 15,258 spellings, from the ones you cannot avoid to the ones you will only ever read. Words the frequency norms never measured follow at the end, A to Z.
Off the charts — the norms never met these
Mostly phrases, rare senses and bookish words the subtitle corpus has no sighting of. Alphabetical, because any number would be a guess.
- —fire blanketA sheet thrown over flames to smother them.B2
- —fire brigadeThe organised service that fights fires and carries out rescues.B2
- —fire engineThe vehicle that carries firefighters and their pumps.A2
- —fire escapeThe outside stairs for fleeing a burning building.B2
- —fire stationThe building where firefighters and their trucks wait for calls.B1
- —fire-eaterA performer who puts flame into the mouth.B2
- —firelighterA small block that burns long enough to start a fire.B2
- —first aidSimple quick help for a hurt person before the doctor comes.B1
- —first aid kitThe box of dressings carried for emergencies.B1
- —first classThe most luxurious cabin on a flight.B1
- —first class postThe faster and dearer way of sending mail.B1
- —first editionThe earliest printing of a book.B2
- —first ladyThe wife of a head of state.B1
- —first mateThe officer second in command.B2
- —first nameThe name your parents chose for you.A2
- —first personThe grammatical form used by a speaker referring to themselves.B2
- —first responderThe first trained person to reach an emergency.C1
- —first wordThe first thing a child manages to say.A2
- —first-classOf the very best standard, or in the best travel class.B1
- —first-rateOf the very best quality.B2
- —fish fingerA breaded rectangle of white fish for children.B1
- —fist bumpA light knock of closed hands in greeting.B1
- —fisticuffsFighting with the fists, especially treated as comically old-fashioned.C2
- —fit as a fiddleIn excellent health.C1
- —fix upTo arrange something, or to put it back in order.B2
- —fixed-termLasting only for an agreed period.B2
- —flashcardA small card with the word on one side and its meaning on the other.B1
- —flatbed wagonA wagon with a flat floor and no sides.C1
- —flavour profileThe whole set of tastes a thing carries.C1
- —flavourfulFull of strong pleasant taste.B2
- —flea marketAn open market selling second-hand goods cheaply.B2
- —fleet managementRunning and maintaining a company's vehicles.B2
- —flexTo bend and tighten a muscle or joint.B2
- —flexitimeA system letting staff choose their own start and finish.C1
- —flight attendantThe crew member who looks after passengers in the air.B1
- —flight numberThe code identifying one particular service.B1
- —flight pathThe route an aircraft follows through the sky.B2
- —flint strikerA tool that makes sparks when scraped.C1
- —flint toolA blade flaked from very hard stone.C1
- —flip-flopsFlat rubber sandals held on by a strap between the toes.B1
- —flipchartA big pad on a stand, used in presentations.B2
- —floodlitLit brightly all over by powerful lamps.C1
- —floor planA drawing of a building seen from above.B2
- —floral scentA perfume built around the smell of flowers.B2
- —flotation deviceAnything that keeps a person afloat.C1
- —fluencySpeaking a language smoothly, without hunting for words.B2
- —flutedMarked with long rounded grooves.C1
- —fly off the handleTo lose your temper very suddenly.B2
- —flysheetThe outer waterproof skin over a tent.C1
- —fobA small electronic tag used to unlock a car or a door.B2
- —focus groupA small group asked what they think of something.B2
- —fold your armsTo cross the arms over the chest, often defensively.B1
- —folk danceA traditional dance handed down in a community.B1
- —follow suitTo do the same as somebody else has just done.C1
- —follow upTo take a further step after a first one.B2
- —follow your noseTo go straight on, or to trust your instinct.B2
- —follow-upA later piece or action returning to an earlier one.B2
- —follow-up emailThe message sent afterwards to confirm what was agreed.B2
- —food chainThe order in which living things eat one another.B2
- —food criticA writer who judges restaurants in public.B2
- —food for thoughtAn idea worth thinking over.C1
- —food truckA kitchen on wheels selling food in the street.B1
- —foolhardinessBold action taken without weighing the danger.C2
- —foot in mouthThe habit of saying exactly the wrong thing.C2
- —fopA man excessively concerned with his clothes and appearance.C2
- —for goodPermanently and finally.B1
- —for the time beingFor now, until something changes.B2
- —for what it's worthOffering an opinion while admitting it may not help.C1
- —fordTo cross a stream by wading.C1
- —forefingerThe finger next to the thumb, used for pointing.C1
- —foreign exchangeThe business of turning one currency into another.B2
- —foreign languageA language other than your own, studied at school.B1
- —forget-me-notA small plant with pale blue flowers.B2
- —form upTo arrange into an ordered line or block.C1
- —fortyThe number equal to four times ten.A1
- —fossil fuelCoal, oil, and gas — energy dug up from ancient buried life.B2
- —fossil recordThe evidence of past life preserved in rock.C1
- —fossiliseTo be turned to stone and preserved over ages.B2
- —foster parentSomebody who raises a child not born to them, for a time.B2
- —foundTo set up an institution and provide for its beginning.B2
- —fourteenThe number after thirteen.A1
- —foxingThe brown spots that age brings to old paper.C2
- —fragrance noteOne of the smells that make up a scent.C1
- —fragrance-freeMade without any added scent.B2
- —frame of mindThe mood you happen to be thinking in.B2
- —fratricideThe killing of your own brother.C2
- —fraud alertA warning that suspicious spending was seen.B2
- —fraudsterA person who cheats others out of money by deception.B2
- —free trialA period of using something without paying.B1
- —free willThe power to choose your own actions for yourself.C1
- —free-rangeKept with room to roam outdoors.B2
- —freeholdOwnership of land outright and for ever.C1
- —freemiumFree to use, with the good parts charged for.C1
- —freewheelTo coast along without pedalling.B2
- —freeze frameA single moment held still on screen.B2
- —freight forwarderA firm that arranges transport on a shipper's behalf.C1
- —freight trainA train that carries goods, not people.B2
- —freight yardWhere goods are loaded and unloaded.B2
- —french hornA brass instrument of coiled tubing with a wide bell.B2
- —frequent flyerA traveller who collects points from an airline.B2
- —freshen upTo wash quickly and tidy yourself.B2
- —from time to timeOccasionally and at irregular intervals.B1
- —front crawlA fast stroke of alternate overarm reaches.B2
- —front deskThe counter where guests deal with the hotel.B1
- —front of houseEverything the customer sees, and the staff who work there.C1
- —front pageThe first page of a newspaper, carrying the main stories.B1
- —front-runnerThe one most likely to win.C1
- —frontispieceAn illustration facing the title page.C2
- —frontlineThe place where the fighting actually happens.B2
- —frugalityThe habit of spending as little as possible.C2
- —fuel gaugeThe instrument showing how much fuel remains in a vehicle.B2
- —fuel surchargeAn extra charge added when fuel prices rise.B2
- —full boardA rate including all three meals of the day.B2
- —full faceA complete application of every product.C1
- —full stopThe punctuation mark ending a sentence.B1
- —full-blownFully developed, with nothing held back.C1
- —full-bodiedRich and heavy in the mouth.C1
- —full-grownHaving reached full adult size.B2
- —full-timeWorking the normal complete week.B2
- —fullerThe groove running down the blade of a sword.C2
- —fume cupboardThe vented cabinet dangerous vapours are handled in.C1
- —function roomA room hired out for meetings and parties.C1
- —functionalityThe range of things a machine or program can do.B2
- —funeral riteThe ceremony held when somebody is buried or burned.C1
- —furrow your browTo draw the forehead into lines in worry.C1
- —fuse boxThe panel where a building's circuits are protected.B2
- —gain accessTo get the right or the means to enter.B2
- —gain experienceTo learn by doing something over time.B2
- —gain groundTo make steady progress against opposition.C1
- —gaitersCovers strapped over boots to keep mud and snow out.C1
- —galvaniseTo shock a group into sudden action.C1
- —games consoleA machine bought to play video games on.B1
- —ganglingTall, thin and loose-limbed.C1
- —gap yearThe year off between school and university, often spent traveling.B2
- —garden leaveBeing paid to stay away during your notice period.C2
- —gas stationA roadside business selling fuel for vehicles.A2
- —gate changeAn announcement that your departure door has moved.B2
- —gate latchThe catch that holds a field gate shut.B2
- —gawk atTo stare openly and rudely.C2
- —gear ratioHow far one turn of the pedals drives you.B2
- —gear shiftThe control that changes which gear you are in.B2
- —gear stickThe lever used to change gear.B1
- —gel nailsNail colour hardened under a lamp to last for weeks.B2
- —gemologyThe study of precious stones.C2
- —generation gapThe difference in outlook between young and old.B2
- —geriatricRelating to the medical care of old people.C2
- —germ-freeHaving no germs left on it.B2
- —get acrossTo make an idea understood by others.B2
- —get aheadTo become more successful than the people around you.B2
- —get alongTo have a friendly relationship with someone.B1
- —get aroundTo travel from place to place; also, to dodge a rule cleverly.B2
- —get around toTo finally do something you kept putting off.B2
- —get away withTo escape blame or punishment for something.B2
- —get away with youA playful way of saying you do not believe somebody.C1
- —get byTo manage to survive with just barely enough.B2
- —get carried awayTo become so excited you lose control of yourself.B2
- —get downTo make somebody feel low.B2
- —get engagedTo promise to marry somebody.B1
- —get offTo leave a vehicle.A2
- —get onTo board a vehicle.B1
- —get on like a house on fireTo take to each other immediately and warmly.B2
- —get outTo leave or escape from a place.A2
- —get overTo recover from an illness, a shock, or a broken heart.B1
- —get rid ofTo remove or dispose of something unwanted.B1
- —get something off your chestTo say the thing that has been troubling you.C1
- —get the upper handTo gain the advantage over somebody.B2
- —get the wrong end of the stickTo misunderstand what somebody meant.B2
- —get throughTo survive or endure a difficult period.B2
- —get through toTo reach somebody, or to make them finally understand.B2
- —get to the pointTo say the most important thing without unnecessary delay.B1
- —get togetherTo meet socially as a group.B1
- —get upTo rise from bed in the morning.A1
- —get your act togetherTo organise yourself and start doing things properly.B2
- —get your head aroundTo manage to understand something difficult.B2
- —get your own wayTo make things go exactly as you wanted.B2
- —gift cardA card loaded with money to spend as a present.B1
- —gift wrapThe colorful paper a present is covered in.B1
- —gird upTo prepare yourself for hard effort.C2
- —giroA payment transferred between accounts through the post office.C2
- —girth strapThe band that holds a saddle under the belly.C1
- —give an accountTo describe what happened.C1
- —give an opinionTo say what you think about something.B1
- —give and takeThe mutual yielding that keeps a relationship working.B2
- —give awayTo give something for free; also, to accidentally reveal a secret.B2
- —give backTo return something to its owner.A2
- —give inTo finally stop resisting and agree.B2
- —give it your allTo hold nothing back in your effort.B2
- —give me a secondAsking for a very short delay.B1
- —give my regardsAsk somebody to pass on your good wishes.C1
- —give or takeApproximately, allowing a little either way.B2
- —give outTo hand copies to everyone; also, to finally stop working.B2
- —give priorityTo deal with one thing before all the others.B2
- —give somebody your wordTo promise faithfully.B2
- —give something a missTo decide not to go or not to take part.B2
- —give the benefit of the doubtTo believe somebody when you cannot be sure.B2
- —give the cold shoulderTo ignore somebody deliberately.C1
- —give the game awayTo reveal what should have been hidden.C1
- —give upTo stop trying at something.B1
- —gladiatorA fighter who fought for public entertainment in ancient Rome.C1
- —glance awayTo look aside quickly.B2
- —glass ceilingThe invisible barrier stopping people rising further.C1
- —global warmingThe heating of the planet by trapped gases.B2
- —globularShaped roughly like a ball.C1
- —glory inTo relish something openly and even boastfully, letting everyone see how pleased with it you are.C2
- —glowerTo stare angrily at somebody.C1
- —glue backTo stick broken pieces together again.B1
- —gluten-freeMade without the protein found in wheat.B1
- —go aheadTo proceed with something.B1
- —go astrayTo become lost, or to wander from what is right.C1
- —go awayTo leave a place or person.A2
- —go backTo return to a place you were before.A2
- —go darkTo cease all communication deliberately.C1
- —go halvesTo split the cost equally between two.B2
- —go in forTo take part in, or to make a habit of.C1
- —go offTo explode, or to sound suddenly.B2
- —go onTo continue.B1
- —go outTo leave home for a social occasion.A2
- —go overTo examine or review something carefully.B2
- —go pastTo move beyond something without stopping.A2
- —go the extra mileTo do more than duty requires.B2
- —go throughTo experience something difficult.B2
- —go to your headTo make you conceited, or to make you tipsy.B2
- —go togetherTo look or taste right in each other's company.B1
- —go with the flowTo accept what happens rather than fight it.B2
- —golden hourThe warm low light just after dawn or before dusk.B2
- —good morningA greeting used in the early part of the day.A1
- —good nightWhat you wish people before everyone goes to sleep.A1
- —good pointAcknowledging that somebody has said something worth hearing.B1
- —good-for-nothingSomebody idle and of no use to anybody.C1
- —good-lookingAttractive in face and figure, a plain everyday compliment paid to men and women alike.A2
- —good-naturedPleasant and slow to take offence.B2
- —gorge walkA walk through a narrow steep-sided valley.B2
- —gorgetA piece of armour protecting the throat.C2
- —goshawkA large short-winged hawk used in falconry.C2
- —grab railA short bar fixed to a wall beside a bath or toilet, which you take hold of to steady yourself.B2
- —grace periodExtra time allowed before a penalty applies.C1
- —graduate schemeA training programme for new university leavers.B2
- —gramophoneAn early machine for playing records using a horn and needle.C2
- —grand finaleThe spectacular closing item of a show.B2
- —grand jeteA great leap from one foot to the other.C2
- —grandfather clockA tall standing clock with a long pendulum.B2
- —graphic designerA person who designs how printed and screen work looks.B1
- —graphics cardThe board that draws what appears on screen.B2
- —grapnelA small anchor with several hooks.C2
- —gravel pitAn open excavation where gravel is dug out.B2
- —graveyard shiftThe working period through the middle of the night.C1
- —gravity assistUsing a planet's pull to fling a craft faster.C2
- —gravity wellThe dip in space around a heavy body that is hard to climb out of.C2
- —grazing rightsThe legal right to feed your animals on land.C1
- —grease trapThe chamber that catches fat before it reaches the drain.C1
- —greaseproof paperPaper that fat cannot soak through.B2
- —greaveArmour worn to protect the shin.C2
- —green beltProtected countryside kept clear of building.C1
- —green thumbA natural talent for making plants grow.C1
- —greenhouse effectThe trapping of the sun's heat by gases in the air.B2
- —greenhouse gasA gas that traps heat in the atmosphere.B2
- —greenwashingClaiming to be kinder to the planet than you are.C1
- —greyingTurning grey with age.B2
- —grid referenceThe letters and numbers giving an exact spot on a map.B2
- —grievance procedureThe formal steps for making a complaint at work.C1
- —grin and bear itTo put up with something unpleasant without complaint.C1
- —grit your teethTo clench the jaw against pain or anger.B2
- —grooming brushThe brush used to keep an animal's coat in order.B2
- —gross domestic productThe total value of everything a country produces.C1
- —ground crewThe workers who service aircraft between flights.B2
- —ground floorThe storey of a building at street level.B1
- —group chatA conversation held between several people at once.B1
- —groupageCombining small consignments into one load.C2
- —grow onTo become liked more the longer you know it.B2
- —grow out ofTo become too old or too big for something.B2
- —grow upTo develop from a child into an adult.A2
- —growing painsAches in the legs that children get as they grow.B2
- —growing seasonThe part of the year warm enough for crops to grow.B2
- —growth spurtA sudden fast period of growing.B2
- —guest listThe names of those asked to attend.B1
- —guest of honourThe person the occasion is chiefly for.B2
- —guest registerThe record of who is staying and when.B2
- —guide dogA trained dog that leads a blind person.B1
- —guided tourA visit led by somebody who explains things.B1
- —gung-hoEager and enthusiastic to the point of recklessness.C1
- —gunmanA man armed with a gun, especially a criminal.C1
- —gut feelingA conviction that comes from the body, not the reasoning.B2
- —guy ropeThe line that holds a tent taut against the wind.C1
- —gybeTo turn a boat's stern through the wind.C2
- —gym facilitiesThe exercise equipment provided for guests.B2
- —gymnastics floorThe mat routine of tumbling and dance.B2
- —gyrfalconThe largest of the falcons, from the far north.C2
- —habitat lossThe destruction of the places wildlife needs.B2
- —habitualDone regularly and by habit.C2
- —hair removalTaking unwanted hair off the body.B2
- —hairbandA band worn to hold hair back from the face.B1
- —hairclipA small fastener that holds hair in place.B1
- —hairdresser'sThe place you go when your hair needs cutting.A2
- —half boardA rate including breakfast and one other meal.B2
- —half priceCosting only fifty per cent of the usual amount.A2
- —half-brotherA brother who shares only one of your parents.B1
- —half-lifeThe time it takes half a radioactive sample to decay.B2
- —half-lightThe dim light between day and night.C1
- —half-nakedWearing very little clothing.B2
- —half-priceCosting only half the usual amount.A2
- —half-sisterA sister who shares only one of your parents.B1
- —halfheartedDone without real effort or enthusiasm.B2
- —hammer priceThe sum a lot finally sold for.C1
- —hammer throwThrowing a heavy ball on a wire after spinning round.B2
- —hand inTo submit completed work to somebody in authority.B1
- —hand luggageThe bag you carry onto the plane with you.B1
- —hand outTo distribute something to each member of a group.B1
- —hand washTo wash clothes gently by hand, not by machine.B1
- —hand-heldSmall enough to be held and used in one hand.B1
- —hand-me-downA garment passed on from an older child.B2
- —handwrittenWritten by hand rather than typed or printed.C1
- —hang in thereWhat you tell someone struggling: keep going, do not quit.B2
- —hang on a minuteAsking for a short pause, or objecting mildly.B1
- —hang outTo spend relaxed time with friends, doing nothing much.B1
- —hang upTo end a telephone call.A2
- —hang-outA place somebody likes to spend time.B2
- —hanger-onSomebody who stays close to the important for gain.C1
- —hankA coil of wool or rope.C2
- —happily ever afterThe traditional happy ending of a fairy tale.B1
- —happy hourA period when drinks are sold cheaply.B1
- —hard driveThe part of a computer that stores files permanently.B2
- —hard hatA protective helmet worn on building sites.B1
- —hard of hearingHaving difficulty in hearing sounds.B2
- —hard shoulderThe strip at the edge of a motorway for emergencies.B2
- —hard-bittenToughened and unsentimental from hard experience.C2
- —hard-coreUtterly committed and unwavering.C1
- —hard-headedPractical and refusing to be swayed by feeling.C1
- —hard-wearingStanding up to heavy use without wearing through.C1
- —hard-wonGained only after great effort.C1
- —hard-workingPutting steady effort into work.B1
- —harrierA bird of prey that quarters low over open ground.C2
- —harryTo keep attacking or pestering somebody.C1
- —hartAn adult male deer, in old use.C2
- —harvest festivalThe celebration held when the crops are safely in.B1
- —harvest timeThe weeks when ripe crops are gathered in.B1
- —hashtagThe # symbol plus a word, used to tag posts on social media.B1
- —hat-trickThree goals by one player in a single match.B2
- —haughtilyIn a proud way that looks down on others.C2
- —haul inTo pull a net or a line aboard.C1
- —have a change of heartTo come round to feeling quite differently.B2
- —have a chatTo talk informally for a little while.B1
- —have a goTo make an attempt at something.B2
- —have a good oneA friendly farewell wishing somebody a good day.B2
- —have a lot on your plateTo be dealing with more work and worry than fits.B2
- —have an effectTo produce a change in something.B2
- —have an impactTo make a strong difference to something.B2
- —have green fingersTo be very good at making plants grow.B2
- —have second thoughtsTo start doubting a decision you made.B2
- —have the upper handTo be in the stronger position.B2
- —have time on your handsTo have more free time than you know what to do with.B2
- —have your wits about youTo stay alert and ready to react.C1
- —hazardous goodsCargo that is dangerous to handle or carry.B2
- —head of the tableThe seat of honour at a formal meal.B2
- —head offTo prevent something by acting in advance.B2
- —head torchA lamp worn on the forehead so both hands stay free.B1
- —head-onMeeting front to front.B2
- —headfirstWith the head leading the way.C1
- —headhuntTo approach someone in another company and tempt them away.C1
- —headingThe direction the bow is actually pointing.B2
- —headlampThe bright forward light of a vehicle.B1
- —headline newsThe most important stories of the day, read first on every channel.B2
- —heads-upA warning given in advance.B2
- —headteacherThe person in charge of a school.A2
- —health and safetyThe rules that keep a workplace from harming people.B2
- —health careThe services that look after people's wellbeing.B2
- —health inspectionThe official check on a kitchen's safety.B2
- —health visitorThe nurse who checks on new babies at home.C1
- —hear outTo listen to somebody until they have finished.B2
- —hearing aidA small device that makes sounds louder.B1
- —heart attackA sudden blockage stopping blood reaching the heart muscle.B1
- —heart of goldA deeply kind and generous nature.B2
- —heartrendingCausing deep distress or grief to witness.B2
- —heat upTo become warmer, or to become more intense.B1
- —heavy-dutyDesigned to withstand hard use or heavy loads.C1
- —hectorTo bully somebody with loud talk.C2
- —heimlich manoeuvreSharp pressure under the ribs to clear a blocked throat.C1
- —heir apparentThe person certain to inherit a title.C1
- —heirshipThe right to inherit what a family holds.C2
- —hell-bentAbsolutely determined, whatever the cost.C1
- —help yourselfTake as much as you want without asking.B1
- —helter-skelterA tall tower with a spiral slide around it.C1
- —hempenMade from the tough fibre of a plant.C2
- —herbal teaA hot drink brewed from flowers or leaves, without caffeine.B1
- —herbicideA chemical sprayed to kill unwanted plants.C1
- —here goes nothingSaid just before trying something that may well fail.C1
- —hide and seekThe children's game where one counts while the others vanish.A2
- —high boardA fixed platform high above the water.B2
- —high chairThe tall seat a small child eats from.B1
- —high fiveA slap of raised palms in celebration.A2
- —high heelsElegant shoes that lift the back of the foot far off the ground.B1
- —high jumpLeaping over a bar set as high as it will go.B1
- —high schoolThe school for teenagers before university.A2
- —high scoreThe best result anyone has recorded.B1
- —high streetThe main shopping road of a town.B1
- —high tideThe point when the sea has risen as far as it will.B1
- —high wireA rope stretched high for walking across.B2
- —high-densityHaving many homes packed into a small area.B2
- —high-handedUsing authority without regard for others.C1
- —high-pitchedHaving a high frequency of sound.B2
- —high-profileAttracting a great deal of public attention.C1
- —high-rankingHolding a senior position.B2
- —high-riseA tall block of flats or offices.B2
- —high-speedOf a train, chase, or internet line: built to run at very great velocity.B1
- —high-speed railRailways built for very fast trains.B2
- —high-visibilityBrightly coloured so as to be easily seen.B2
- —hillockA very small hill.C2
- —hindsight biasBelieving you knew all along what only became clear later.C2
- —hip flaskA small flat bottle carried in a pocket.C1
- —hip hop danceA street style grown out of hip hop music.B1
- —hippieA young person of the 1960s counterculture, associated with peace, long hair and rejecting convention.B2
- —hit backTo answer an attack with one of your own.B2
- —hit the booksTo start studying seriously.B2
- —hit the hayTo go to bed.C1
- —hit the nail on the headTo describe a situation exactly right.C1
- —hit the roadTo leave and start your journey.B2
- —hit the sackTo go to bed.C1
- —hit uponTo think of an idea suddenly.C1
- —hit-and-runInvolving a driver who leaves the scene after a crash.B2
- —hit-or-missUnplanned and therefore unreliable, working only some of the time.B2
- —hitmanA killer hired to murder somebody.B2
- —hoarfrostFeathery white ice that grows on twigs in still cold air.C2
- —hold a meetingTo gather people together to discuss matters.B1
- —hold an opinionTo believe a particular thing.B2
- —hold backTo restrain something or keep it in.B2
- —hold luggageThe bags stored beneath the cabin.B2
- —hold onTo wait a moment.B1
- —hold swayTo have controlling influence over something.C1
- —hold upTo delay somebody or something.B2
- —hold your breathTo stop breathing for a moment — on purpose, or because the tension has done it for you.B1
- —hold your horsesWhat you say to make someone slow down and wait.B2
- —hold your noseTo pinch the nostrils shut against a smell.B1
- —hold your tongueTo stop yourself from saying what you are thinking.B2
- —holdfastA small walled refuge in old tales, less grand than a castle, where a minor lord's people shelter from attack.C2
- —holding patternCircling in the air while waiting to land.C1
- —hole punchA tool that makes holes so paper can go in a ring binder.B1
- —holiday cottageA small country house rented for a break.B2
- —holy grailThe legendary cup, and any object endlessly sought.C1
- —home deliveryHaving what you bought brought to your door.B1
- —home economicsThe study of running a household and cooking.B2
- —home sweet homeThe comfort of being back in your own house.B1
- —home-cookedPrepared at home rather than bought ready-made.B2
- —homestayStaying as a guest in a local family's house.B2
- —honeymoon periodThe first happy weeks of a marriage or an arrangement.C1
- —hong kongThe skyscraper harbor city of dim sum and neon, in southern China.B1
- —hook and eyeA small two-part clothing fastener.B2
- —hooliganA young person who behaves violently and destructively in public.B2
- —hopper wagonA wagon that empties its load from below.C2
- —horoscope columnThe daily piece predicting your fortune by birth date.B2
- —horse racingRacing horses ridden by professional riders.B1
- —horseboxA vehicle for carrying horses by road.B2
- —host dutiesWhat is expected of the one receiving guests.B2
- —hot air balloonA basket carried by a great bag of heated air.B1
- —hot deskA desk nobody owns, used by whoever turns up.C1
- —hot dogA long sausage in a long soft bun, sold at street stands.A2
- —hot springA pool of naturally heated water.B1
- —hot-air balloonThe giant colorful bag of heated air that carries a basket into the sky.B1
- —houndstoothA broken check pattern of small jagged shapes.C2
- —house specialityThe dish this particular kitchen is proudest of.B2
- —house wineThe cheaper wine a restaurant serves by the glass.B2
- —housetrainTo teach an animal where it may relieve itself.C1
- —housing estateA group of houses built together to one plan.B2
- —how do you doA very formal greeting used on first meeting somebody.A2
- —how's it goingA relaxed way of asking whether somebody is well.A2
- —hue wheelThe circle showing how colours relate to one another.C1
- —hula hoopA large ring spun around the waist.B1
- —hull cleaningScraping growth off the underside of a boat.B2
- —human cannonballA performer fired from a great tube.B2
- —hummockA small rounded hill.C2
- —hunchbackAn outdated and offensive word for a person with a curved spine.C2
- —hurtle downTo rush downward with great and uncontrolled speed.C1
- —hybrid workingSplitting the week between home and workplace.B2
- —hygiene ratingThe official score for how cleanly a kitchen is run.B2
- —hymnbookThe collection of songs used in worship.C1
- —hyperactivityA condition of constant restless movement and difficulty staying still.B2
- —hyperlinkClickable text that jumps you to another page.B2
- —hyperventilateTo breathe abnormally fast, usually from anxiety.C2
- —hypnoticAbsorbing and rhythmic in a way that holds the attention completely.C1
- —hypothesiseTo propose an idea specifically so it can be tested.C1
- —hystericsA fit of uncontrollable emotion, especially crying or laughing.C2
- —i know the feelingA sympathetic way of saying you have been there.B2
- —i see what you meanShowing that you now follow the argument.B1
- —i should get goingA soft announcement that you are leaving.B1
- —i take your pointAccepting an argument even while disagreeing.C1
- —i'd better be offA gentle way of saying you must leave.B2
- —ibanThe international code identifying a bank account abroad.C1
- —ice ageA long period when much of the earth was frozen.B1
- —ice coldChilled almost to freezing.A2
- —ice creamA sweet frozen food made from cream or milk.A1
- —ice hockeyA fast team game played with sticks and a puck on ice.B1
- —ice rinkThe frozen floor people skate circles on.B1
- —ice-coldExtremely cold.A2
- —ichthyosaurA sea reptile shaped rather like a dolphin.C1
- —iconoclasmThe attacking of beliefs and images others hold dear.C2
- —identity cardAn official card proving who you are.B1
- —identity theftUsing somebody else's details to borrow or buy.B2
- —ideologueSomebody rigidly devoted to a set of political ideas.C2
- —idioticExtremely foolish or senseless.C1
- —if i mayA courteous way of asking permission to speak.C1
- —if you ask meIntroducing an opinion nobody actually asked for.B2
- —if you insistA soft agreement given after being pressed.B2