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.
- —ilkA type or class of person, usually mentioned with disapproval.C2
- —ill-advisedUnwise, and likely to end badly.C1
- —ill-bredBadly brought up and lacking manners.C1
- —ill-fittingNot the right size or shape for what it covers.B2
- —ill-naturedUnkind and sour in temper.C1
- —ill-temperedEasily annoyed and often angry.B2
- —ill-timedHappening at exactly the wrong moment.C1
- —immeasurableToo great to be measured or counted.B2
- —immovableImpossible to move from a position.C2
- —immunisationThe programme of injections that protects a child.C1
- —immunity dealAn agreement not to prosecute in return for evidence.C1
- —impact craterThe hollow left where something struck the earth.B2
- —impendTo be about to happen, usually something bad.C2
- —imperturbableImpossible to upset or fluster.C2
- —impietyA lack of proper reverence for what is sacred.C2
- —impostor syndromeFeeling a fraud despite doing the work well.C1
- —impotenceComplete powerlessness to act or to change things.C1
- —improvUnscripted performance created on the spot.C1
- —impulse buySomething bought on the spur of the moment.C1
- —in a circleArranged around in a ring.A2
- —in a minuteVery soon, but not right now.A2
- —in a nutshellSummed up in the fewest possible words.B2
- —in a rowArranged in one straight line.A2
- —in advanceBefore the event or time concerned.B1
- —in donkey's yearsIn a very long time indeed.C1
- —in front ofPositioned ahead of or facing something.A1
- —in hindsightLooking back with the knowledge you have now.C1
- —in hot waterIn serious trouble.B2
- —in principleTrue in theory, whatever happens in practice.B2
- —in somebody's good booksIn favour with somebody at the moment.B2
- —in the blackHaving money left over rather than owing.C1
- —in the darkKept without the information you need.B2
- —in the endFinally, after everything that has happened.B1
- —in the meantimeDuring the period until something else happens.B2
- —in the middle of nowhereFar from any town or anything at all.B1
- —in the nick of timeAt the very last possible moment.B2
- —in the redOwing money; overdrawn.C1
- —in the same boatFacing the very same difficult situation as the others.B2
- —in the sticksOut in the remote countryside, far from the city.C1
- —in transitOn the way, and not yet delivered.B2
- —in your dreamsA mocking way of dismissing somebody's hope.B2
- —in-lawsThe family you gain through your husband or wife.B1
- —in-trayThe shallow tray where incoming work lands.B2
- —inarticulateUnable to express yourself clearly in speech.C1
- —inaudiblyToo quietly to be heard.C1
- —incandescentGlowing with intense heat.C1
- —income taxThe share of earnings taken by the state.B2
- —inconsolableUnable to be comforted.C2
- —incotermsThe standard terms saying who pays and who bears risk.C2
- —inculcateTo fix an idea in somebody's mind by repetition.C2
- —incumbencyThe period during which somebody holds an office.C2
- —indecencyBehaviour that offends accepted standards of decency, especially sexually.C1
- —indefinite articleThe little word "a" or "an".B1
- —indian summerA spell of warm weather late in the year.C1
- —induction loopA system that sends sound straight to a hearing aid.C1
- —induction trainingThe first teaching given to a new employee.C1
- —industrial actionOrganised protest by workers, such as a strike.C1
- —industrial revolutionThe shift from hand work to machines and factories.B2
- —inebriatedDrunk.C1
- —ineffectualAchieving nothing despite the effort made.C1
- —influencerA person paid because millions follow what they post and buy what they show.B2
- —influencer marketingPaying somebody with followers to promote a product.B2
- —infographicA picture built to explain figures at a glance.B2
- —inheritance taxMoney the state takes from what the dead leave behind.C1
- —injection mouldingForcing molten plastic into a shaped cavity.C1
- —inner cityThe older, denser area near the centre.B2
- —inner tubeThe inflatable ring inside a tyre.B1
- —insect repellentThe lotion that keeps biting flies away.B2
- —inside outWith the inner surface turned to the outside.B1
- —insinuateTo suggest something unpleasant indirectly.C2
- —insinuationAn unpleasant suggestion made indirectly rather than stated.C1
- —inspection lineThe stage where finished goods are examined.B2
- —instalment planPaying for something in regular parts over time.C1
- —insulation battA thick pad of fibre that keeps heat from escaping.C2
- —insuperableImpossible to overcome.C2
- —insurance agentA person who sells and arranges insurance policies.B2
- —insurance cardThe card showing who pays for your treatment.B1
- —insurance valuationAn estimate of worth made for cover against loss.C1
- —intensive careThe ward for patients whose lives are at risk.B2
- —inter aliaAmong other things.C2
- —interest rateThe price of borrowing, as a percentage.B2
- —interest-freeBorrowed without any charge for the credit.B2
- —interlibrary loanBorrowing an item from another collection.B2
- —interpolateTo work out a value that falls between two known ones.C2
- —interview panelThe group of people who question a candidate together.B2
- —intimationA quiet hint that something is so.C2
- —intrusive thoughtAn unwanted idea that arrives and will not leave.C1
- —inundateTo overwhelm somebody with a very large quantity of something.C1
- —invasive speciesA living thing that spreads where it does not belong.C1
- —invidiousLikely to cause resentment however you handle it.C2
- —invigilatorThe person who watches over an examination room.C1
- —iron ageThe age when iron replaced softer metals for tools.B2
- —iron curtainThe closed border that divided Europe for decades.C1
- —iron outTo smooth away the last small problems.C1
- —ironing boardThe narrow folding table you press clothes on.B1
- —irresoluteUnable to make up your mind.C1
- —irrespectiveNot affected by the thing mentioned, used with of.C1
- —issue deskWhere items are checked out and returned.B2
- —issue forthTo stream or pour outward from an opening, said in a formal, old-fashioned way.C2
- —it's not rocket scienceSaid of something that is really not hard to understand.B2
- —ivory coastWest African country, the world's biggest cocoa grower.B2
- —jackA device for lifting something heavy a short distance off the ground.B2
- —jack upTo lift a vehicle so a wheel can be changed.B2
- —jacuzziA bath with jets of bubbling water.B1
- —jerrycanA flat-sided metal can for carrying fuel.C1
- —jet blackThe deepest possible black.B1
- —jet bridgeThe covered walkway from the gate to the aircraft door.C1
- —jet engineThe engine that pushes an aircraft by burning fuel fast.B2
- —jet lagThe tiredness after flying across time zones.B2
- —jet setThe rich crowd who fly the world from party to party.C1
- —jet skiA small powered craft ridden across the water.B1
- —jet-blackAs deeply black as it is possible to be.B2
- —jetlagThe exhausted confusion after flying across time zones.B2
- —jigsaw puzzleA picture cut into pieces to be fitted together.B1
- —jingoismLoud aggressive pride in your own country.C2
- —job descriptionThe written account of what a post involves.B1
- —job offerThe formal invitation to take a post.B1
- —job securityHow safe your position is from being lost.B2
- —job shareTwo people splitting one full-time post.B2
- —joggerA person running at a slow steady pace for exercise.B2
- —joint accountAn account two people share.B2
- —jounceTo bump and jolt up and down.C2
- —journalingWriting thoughts down regularly to make sense of them.B2
- —jubilantShowing great happiness, especially after a success.B2
- —jubilee yearA special anniversary marked with public rejoicing.C1
- —jumble saleA sale of donated second-hand oddments.B2
- —jump on the bandwagonTo join something only because it has become popular.C1
- —jump the gunTo start before it is time.B2
- —junction boxThe small case where wires are joined safely.B2
- —junk foodTasty unhealthy food with lots of fat, sugar, and salt.B2
- —junk mailUnsolicited advertising delivered by post.B1
- —junk shopA shop selling cheap second-hand goods.B2
- —jury dutyThe obligation to serve on the panel that decides a verdict.B2
- —jury-rigTo rig something up roughly so it works for now.C2
- —just a momentA polite request for a brief wait.A2
- —just in timeA system of supplying parts only as they are required.C1
- —just my luckSaid bitterly when something goes wrong for you again.B2
- —kazakhstanThe enormous steppe country of Central Asia.B2
- —keep a promiseTo do exactly what you said you would do.B1
- —keep a secretTo tell nobody what you were told in confidence.B1
- —keep a straight faceTo avoid laughing or smiling when you want to.B2
- —keep an eye onTo watch something or someone carefully to prevent problems.B2
- —keep in touchA request not to lose contact.B1
- —keep it under your hatTo keep something secret.C1
- —keep outTo prevent something or somebody from entering.B1
- —keep somebody postedTo keep telling somebody the latest news.B2
- —keep something under your hatTo keep a secret to yourself.C1
- —keep trackTo remain aware of the progress or whereabouts of something.B1
- —keep upTo move or progress at the same speed as the others.B2
- —keep up withTo move as fast as somebody else.B1
- —keep up with the jonesesTo try to match your neighbours' possessions.C1
- —keep your chin upTo stay cheerful when things are hard.B2
- —keep your hair onCalm down and stop getting angry.C1
- —keep your headTo stay calm when everybody else is panicking.B2
- —kenThe range of what somebody knows or can see.C2
- —kestrelA small falcon that hovers over roadsides.C1
- —kettle trayThe small set for making tea and coffee in a room.B2
- —key cardThe plastic card that unlocks a hotel door.B1
- —key inTo enter data by typing it on a keypad or keyboard.B1
- —key performance indicatorA number chosen to show whether work is going well.C1
- —keyboard navigationWorking a program without needing a mouse.B2
- —kick offTo begin an event.B2
- —kick yourselfTo be annoyed at yourself for a missed chance.B2
- —kickboardA float held to practise leg movements.B2
- —kickstandThe prop that holds a cycle upright when parked.B2
- —kill offTo destroy something completely.B2
- —kill timeTo do something unimportant while waiting.B2
- —kill two birds with one stoneTo finish two tasks with a single action.B2
- —kind ofTo some extent, but not completely.B1
- —kind-heartedGentle and generous in the way you treat people.B2
- —kiosk check-inThe machine you use to check yourself in.B2
- —kitchen passThe counter where finished dishes are handed out.C1
- —kitchen porterThe worker who washes up and preps in a kitchen.C1
- —kitchenetteA very small area fitted for cooking, rather than a separate kitchen.B2
- —kite flyingThe pastime of holding a wind-borne toy on a string.B1
- —kitesurfingRiding a board pulled by a large steerable kite.B2
- —kittyA cat, especially a kitten.A2
- —knee-high to a grasshopperVery small, as a young child is.C2
- —knee-lengthReaching down as far as the middle of the leg.B2
- —knick-knackA small decorative object of no great use.B2
- —knight errantA knight wandering in search of adventure.C2
- —knobblyCovered in small hard lumps.C1
- —knock downTo demolish, or to strike to the ground.B1
- —knock offTo reduce a price by an amount.B2
- —knock outTo render somebody unconscious with a blow.B2
- —knockout blowThe strike that ends a fight.C1
- —knot tyingThe skill of fastening rope securely.B1
- —know something inside outTo know a subject thoroughly in every detail.B2
- —know the drillTo be familiar with the usual routine.B2
- —know what is whatTo understand how things really work.C1
- —knuckle downTo start working seriously at last.C1
- —kohlA dark powder traditionally used to line the eyes.C2
- —kosovoYoung Balkan country whose capital is Pristina.C1
- —kronorThe currency of Sweden, plural of krona.C2
- —kyrgyzstanMountainous Central Asian country of nomads and yurts.C1
- —labour costWhat you pay for the time, not the parts.B2
- —lace-upFastened by threading string through holes.B2
- —ladder rungOne of the steps you climb on a ladder.B2
- —lambasteTo criticise somebody harshly and publicly.C2
- —lampreyAn eel-like fish that fastens onto other fish.C2
- —landing gearThe wheels and legs an aircraft lands on.B2
- —landing pageThe page an advertisement sends people to.B2
- —lane ropeThe floating line that divides one lane from another.B2
- —lapidarySomebody who cuts and polishes precious stones.C2
- —lapis lazuliA deep blue stone flecked with gold.C1
- —large printText set unusually big for easier reading.B2
- —large-scaleInvolving many people or a wide area.C1
- —laser pointerA pen that casts a bright dot to point at a screen.B2
- —lash liftA treatment that curls the natural lashes.C1
- —lash outTo hit out or attack suddenly.C1
- —last mileThe final stage of delivery to the customer's door.C1
- —last ordersThe final chance to buy a drink before closing.B2
- —last-minuteDone at the latest possible moment.B2
- —late check-outPermission to keep the room past the usual hour.B1
- —laudatoryExpressing high praise.C2
- —launch an investigationTo start an official inquiry.B2
- —launch eventA gathering held to introduce something new.B2
- —launch padThe platform a rocket lifts off from.B2
- —launderetteA shop of coin-operated washing machines.B2
- —laundry serviceThe washing and pressing of guests' clothes.B1
- —law-abidingLiving quietly within the rules.C1
- —lay offTo dismiss workers because there is no work.B2
- —lay your cards on the tableTo say openly what you want and what you have.C1
- —lay-byA place at the roadside to pull in and stop.B2
- —laze aroundTo pass time doing nothing much.B2
- —lead timeThe time between placing an order and receiving the goods.B2
- —leaderboardThe ranked list of who is doing best.B2
- —leading questionA question worded to suggest its own answer.C1
- —leaf fallThe dropping of leaves as the days shorten.B2
- —lean inTo move your upper body closer to somebody or something.B2
- —lean-toA simple shelter with a single sloping roof.C1
- —leap yearThe year, once every four, when February gets an extra day.B1
- —learn the ropesTo master the basics of a new job or activity.C1
- —learning difficultyA condition that makes particular kinds of learning harder.B2
- —leaseholdThe right to hold and occupy a property for a fixed period under a lease.C1
- —leave no stone unturnedTo search absolutely everywhere.C1
- —leave no traceThe rule that you take everything away with you.B2
- —leave outTo fail to include somebody or something.B1
- —leavenTo lighten dough, or to relieve something dull.C2
- —left luggageThe place bags can be stored for a few hours.B2
- —left-handOn or towards the side where the heart lies, in the hyphenated form that pairs with side, corner, or lane.A2
- —legal depositThe duty to supply a copy of each new publication.C2
- —leisure centreA public building with a pool and sports halls.B1
- —lens capThe cover that protects the glass at the front of a camera.B2
- —leonineResembling a lion in look or bearing.C2
- —lesothoMountain kingdom entirely surrounded by South Africa.C1
- —let downTo fail somebody who was relying on you.B2
- —let goTo release your hold on something.B1
- —let me thinkAsking for a moment before answering.A2
- —let nature take its courseTo let things happen without interfering.B2
- —let off steamTo release built-up energy or anger harmlessly.B2
- —let onTo tell a secret you meant to keep.C1
- —let outTo make a garment wider or looser.B2
- —let sleeping dogs lieTo leave an old problem alone rather than stir it up again.C1
- —let the cat out of the bagTo reveal a secret by mistake.C1
- —let your hair downTo relax completely and stop behaving formally.B2
- —let's catch upA suggestion to meet and swap news.B2
- —letters pageThe part of a paper printing readers' opinions.B2
- —level crossingWhere a road crosses a railway on the flat.B2
- —level playing fieldA situation where nobody has an unfair advantage.C1
- —level-headedCalm and sensible when things go wrong.C1
- —level-headednessThe knack of thinking sensibly and steadily when everything around you is going wrong.C1
- —liability insuranceCover against being sued for harm you cause.C1
- —libel caseA lawsuit over damage done by something written.C1
- —lie aheadTo be waiting in the future.B2
- —lie downTo move into a flat resting position.A2
- —lie lowTo stay out of sight until danger passes.C1
- —life and soul of the partyThe person who makes a gathering go with a swing.B2
- —life jacketThe float worn to keep a person's head above water.B1
- —life of the partyThe person who makes an occasion lively.B2
- —life supportMachines that keep a body going when it cannot itself.B2
- —life vestThe inflatable jacket stowed under your seat.B1
- —light pollutionArtificial glow that hides the stars.B2
- —light switchA wall-mounted control for turning a light on and off.A2
- —light yearThe distance light travels in one year.B2
- —light-bodiedDelicate and thin in the mouth.C1
- —light-headedFaint and unsteady, as if about to lose consciousness.C1
- —light-heartedAmusing and not meant to be taken seriously, as a comedy or a bit of banter is.B2
- —lightbulb momentThe instant an answer appears.C1
- —lightning boltA single stroke of electricity from cloud to ground.B1
- —like two peas in a podSo alike that you can hardly tell them apart.B2
- —limescaleThe hard white deposit hard water leaves behind.C1
- —limnTo paint or describe something in outline.C2
- —lindy hopThe 1930s Harlem swing dance, done to big-band jazz and known for its airborne throws.C2
- —line danceA dance in rows where everybody does the same steps.B1
- —line dryTo dry washing outside on a rope.B1
- —line managerThe person you report to directly.B2
- —line your pocketsTo make money dishonestly from your position.C1
- —line-upThe particular players or performers picked to appear on the day.C1
- —lineupThe set of people selected for a team, event or identification.C1
- —lintelThe beam bridging the top of a door or window.C1
- —lion tamerA performer who works with big cats.B1
- —lip balmA soothing wax that stops lips cracking.B1
- —lip glossA shiny coating for the lips.B1
- —lip linerA pencil that outlines the lips before colour.B2
- —lip-readingUnderstanding speech by watching the mouth.B2
- —liquids ruleThe limit on how much liquid you may carry aboard.B2
- —listed buildingA building protected by law because of its history.C1
- —litter binThe public container for rubbish.A2
- —litter pickingCollecting rubbish others have dropped.B1
- —litter trayThe box a cat uses indoors.B1
- —live and let liveTo accept others' ways and expect the same in return.B2
- —live hand to mouthTo have only just enough to survive on.C1
- —live up toTo be as good as what was promised or expected.B2
- —liven upTo make something more interesting or cheerful.B2
- —livestreamA broadcast watched over the internet as it happens.B2
- —living roomThe main room in a house for sitting and relaxing.A1
- —load-bearingSupporting the weight of a structure above.B2
- —loaded questionA question that smuggles in an assumption.C1
- —loading bayWhere lorries are loaded and unloaded.B2
- —loan periodHow long a borrowed item may be kept.B2
- —loath toVery unwilling to do something.C1
- —lobby barThe bar in the main entrance hall.B2
- —locally sourcedBought from producers close by.B2
- —lock stock and barrelCompletely, including every last part.C1
- —lock upTo secure a building by locking its doors.B1
- —lockdownShutting everybody in for safety.B2
- —locker roomThe room where the team changes and the coach gives the big speech.B1
- —lodge a complaintTo make an objection through the proper channel.C1
- —loft conversionA roof space turned into a room.B2
- —log inTo enter your name and secret word to open your account.A2
- —loggerheadsA state of stubborn disagreement, used in the phrase at loggerheads.C1
- —long exposureA picture taken over many seconds, blurring what moves.B2
- —long jumpLeaping as far as possible from a marked line.B1
- —long story shortSkipping the details and giving the outcome.B2
- —long time no seeA friendly greeting to somebody you have not met for ages.B1
- —long-distanceTravelling or operating over a great distance.B2
- —long-haulDescribing a very long flight between continents.B2
- —long-rangeAble to reach far, or planned far ahead.B2
- —long-sightedUnable to see near things clearly.B2
- —long-standingHaving existed for a very long time.C1
- —long-stay car parkParking meant for travellers away for days.B2
- —long-termMeant to last or to matter far into the future.B2
- —long-timeHaving held the same role or friendship for very many years.C1
- —long-wearMade to last the whole day without fading.C1
- —long-windedTalking or writing on and on in a rambling, tiresome way that wears out the listener.C1
- —look a gift horse in the mouthTo find fault with something given to you freely.C1
- —look afterTo watch over and protect a person, animal, or thing.B1
- —look aroundTo walk through a place to see what is there.B1
- —look down onTo treat someone as beneath you.B2
- —look forTo try to find something or someone.A2
- —look forward toTo be happily excited about something coming.B1
- —look intoTo investigate something in order to find out more.B2
- —look out forTo watch carefully in order to notice something.B2
- —look throughTo examine a collection of things one by one.B2
- —look upTo search for information in a reference source.B1
- —look up toTo admire someone as your example.B2
- —loop lineA track that leaves the main line and rejoins it.C1
- —loose changeThe small coins rattling in a pocket.B2
- —lordlingA young or minor nobleman.C2
- —lose sight ofTo stop being able to see something.B2
- —lose touchTo stop being in contact with somebody.B2
- —lose trackTo stop following something you had been following.B1
- —lose track of timeTo be so absorbed you forget how late it is.B2
- —lose your bearingsTo stop knowing where you are or which way to go.C1
- —lose your nerveTo find your courage gone at the last moment.B2
- —lose your temperTo stop controlling your anger.B2
- —loss leaderSomething sold cheap to bring people in.C1
- —lost and foundThe office holding things people left behind.B1
- —lost luggageBags that did not arrive with you.B1
- —lost propertyAn office holding items left behind by the public.B2
- —lot numberThe code identifying which batch an item came from.B2
- —lovely weatherThe classic opening remark to a stranger.A2
- —low batteryThe warning that a device is nearly out of power.A2
- —low moodA stretch of feeling flat and dispirited.B2
- —low tideThe point when the sea has fallen as far as it will.B1
- —low-bornBorn into a family of no rank.C1
- —lowermostLowest of all.C1
- —loyalty cardThe shop card that collects points toward rewards each visit.B2
- —loyalty pointsRewards collected each time you shop somewhere.B2
- —loyalty testA trial set to see whose side somebody is really on.B2
- —lucky charmA small object carried in the hope of good fortune.B2
- —luggage rackA shelf or frame for holding bags on a vehicle.B2
- —luggage storageThe place bags are kept before or after a stay.B1
- —luggage tagThe label showing where a bag should go.B1
- —lump sumA single payment of the whole amount at once.C1
- —lunacyExtremely foolish or reckless behaviour.C2
- —lunchboxA container for carrying a packed meal.B2
- —lycraA stretchy fabric worn for sport.B2
- —machine learningTeaching computers by showing them examples instead of writing rules.B2
- —machiningShaping metal by cutting it on a machine.C1
- —macrocosmThe whole vast system, seen as a single thing.C2
- —maculateMarked with spots; spotted.C2
- —made-to-measureMade specially to fit a particular person or purpose.B2
- —magazine spreadA feature laid out across two facing pages.B2
- —maiden nameThe surname a woman had before marrying.B2
- —mailing listThe set of addresses a newsletter goes out to.B2
- —main courseThe biggest central dish of the meal.A2
- —main lineThe principal route between major places.B2
- —maitre dThe person in charge of seating guests.C1
- —make a beeline forTo head straight towards something without delay.C1
- —make a decisionTo choose what to do after considering the options.B1
- —make doTo manage with what little you have.B2
- —make ends meetTo just manage to pay for life on the money you have.B2
- —make intoTo turn one thing into another.B1
- —make outTo manage to see or hear something indistinct.B2
- —make overTo give something a completely new look.B2
- —make sense ofTo find the pattern in something confusing.B1
- —make the bedTo pull the covers straight after sleeping.A2
- —make upTo invent something untrue.B2
- —make up forTo compensate for something bad you did.B2
- —make yourself at homeRelax here and behave as if it were your own place.B1
- —make-believePretending, especially as a children's game.B2
- —make-upColoured products put on the face to improve the look.B2
- —make-up artistThe person who prepares actors' faces for the camera.B1
- —maker's markThe small sign showing who made an object.C1
- —makes senseThat is a reasonable explanation.B1
- —maldivesIndian Ocean nation of coral atolls barely above the waves.B2
- —malevolenceThe wish to do harm to others, or to see harm done.C1
- —malnutritionPoor health caused by a lack of the right nutrients.C2
- —maltyTasting of the sweet roasted grain used in brewing.C2
- —malwareHarmful software built to damage or spy on computers.B2
- —mangonelA medieval engine for hurling stones.C2
- —mangrove treeA coastal tree that stands in salt water on stilt roots.C1
- —mangyHaving patchy fur from disease, or shabby and worn.C2
- —manta rayAn enormous flat fish that seems to fly underwater.C1
- —manuscript collectionA holding of handwritten documents.C1
- —many hands make light workA job is easy when everybody helps.C1
- —map readingThe skill of finding your way from a printed map.B1
- —maple syrupA sweet brown syrup tapped from a Canadian tree.B1
- —margarineA butter substitute made from vegetable oils.C2
- —margin of errorHow far a result might be from the true value.B2
- —marine biologyThe study of life in the sea.B2
- —mark-upThe amount added to the cost to make the selling price.C1
- —market shareThe slice of all sales one company holds.B2
- —marking schemeThe rules by which answers are given marks.B2
- —marquetryA picture made of inlaid pieces of coloured wood.C2
- —marshalling yardWhere wagons are sorted into trains.C2
- —martial artA trained fighting method practised as a sport.B2
- —martial lawRule by the army, with ordinary law suspended.C1
- —martinA small bird that builds a mud nest under the eaves.C2
- —masculinityThe qualities traditionally associated with being a man.C1
- —masquerade ballA dance at which faces are covered.B2
- —mass extinctionA period when very many species died out at once.B2
- —maternity leaveA period of leave from work granted to a mother around childbirth.B2
- —matinee performanceA show given in the afternoon.C1
- —mattHaving a flat surface with no shine.B2
- —matte finishA flat surface with no shine at all.B2
- —matter-of-factPlain and unemotional in manner, treating something remarkable as ordinary.B2
- —mauritiusIndian Ocean island nation, once home of the dodo.B2
- —media studiesThe study of newspapers, film and broadcasting.B2
- —meerkatA small desert animal that stands straight up to watch for danger.C2
- —meet a deadlineTo finish by the time set.B2
- —meet a requirementTo satisfy what is demanded.B2
- —meet expectationsTo be as good as people hoped.B2
- —meet halfwayTo settle by each side moving the same distance.B2
- —meet somebody's eyeTo look directly at somebody who is looking at you.C1
- —meet upTo come together with somebody by arrangement.B1
- —megapixelA million of the tiny squares in an image.B2
- —meltwaterWater running off a melting glacier or snowfield.C1
- —memeA joke picture or format that spreads and is endlessly remade.B1
- —mend fencesTo put a quarrel right and be friends again.C1
- —mental blockAn inability to think about something at all.B2
- —mentholA substance from mint oil that produces a cooling sensation.B2
- —mentorshipGuidance given by somebody more experienced.B2
- —mesmericHolding the attention completely, as if by a spell.C2
- —mess aboutTo waste time doing nothing useful.B2
- —mess tinThe flat metal dish used for cooking and eating outdoors.C1
- —mess upTo spoil something, or to make it untidy.B1
- —message boardAn online page where people leave notes for one another under headings, named after the panel where paper notices are pinned up.B1
- —metal detectorThe archway that beeps at metal on your person.B2
- —meter readingThe figure showing how much has been used.B2
- —metricsThe numbers chosen to show how things are going.B2
- —micellar waterA gentle cleansing liquid that lifts make-up away.C1
- —michelin starA famous mark of very high cooking quality.B2
- —middle ageThe years between youth and old age.B1
- —middle nameThe name that sits between the first and the last.A2
- —middle-agedAged between about forty and sixty.B1
- —middle-classBelonging to the social group between rich and poor.B2
- —midgameThe stage after the pieces have been developed.C1
- —midge netA fine veil worn over the face against small flies.C1
- —midwiferyThe profession of helping women give birth.C2
- —migration routeThe path birds follow between summer and winter homes.B2
- —migration seasonThe weeks when birds travel to a warmer place.B2
- —milking parlourThe room where cows are milked by machine.C1
- —mill aboutTo move around aimlessly in a crowd.C1
- —millilitreA thousandth of a litre.B1
- —milling machineA machine that cuts metal with a rotating tool.C1
- —millionA one followed by six zeros.A1
- —millipedeA long round creature that curls up, with two pairs of legs per segment.B2
- —mind youUsed to add a qualifying thought.C1
- —mind your own businessA sharp refusal to explain yourself.B2
- —mindfulnessPaying close, unjudging attention to the present moment.B2
- —mineral depositA useful substance concentrated in the ground.B2
- —mineral veinA thin band of valuable material running through rock.C1
- —mineral waterWater that has dissolved minerals from the rock.A2
- —mint conditionAs perfect as when it was first made.B2
- —minutesThe official written record of what was said and decided at a meeting.B2
- —minutes takerThe person who writes down what a meeting decided.C1
- —mise en placeEverything prepared and laid out before service begins.C2
- —miss the boatTo lose an opportunity by acting too late.C1
- —missing personSomebody whose whereabouts nobody knows.B2
- —mix upTo confuse one thing with another.B1
- —mix-upA confusion in which things get swapped by mistake.B2
- —mixing bowlA deep dish for beating ingredients together.B1
- —mixing deskThe panel where all the separate sounds are balanced.C1
- —mobileA phone you carry with you, which works without a wire.A2
- —mobile bankingManaging an account through a phone.B1
- —mobility aidEquipment that helps somebody move about.B2
- —mobility scooterA small powered seat for somebody who cannot walk far.B2