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.
- —mock examA practice test taken before the real one.B2
- —model kitA set of parts glued together into a miniature.B2
- —modern danceDance developed in reaction to the classical tradition.B2
- —modern-dayOf the present era, used to cast a person or thing as the current version of some figure from the past.B2
- —molarityHow many molecules of a substance sit in a litre.C2
- —moldovaThe small wine-making country between Romania and Ukraine.B2
- —money orderA paper order for a fixed sum, bought and posted.B2
- —mongooseA quick low animal known for killing snakes.C2
- —monochrome schemeA design using one colour and its shades only.C1
- —monomerThe single unit a polymer is built from.C2
- —monosyllabicReplying in very short words, saying as little as possible.C1
- —monotoneA way of speaking without variation in pitch.C2
- —monsoon seasonThe months of heavy rain brought by a seasonal wind.B2
- —monstrousShockingly large or ugly.C1
- —montenegroThe tiny Adriatic country whose name means black mountain.B2
- —mood swingA sudden change from one feeling to its opposite.B2
- —mordantSharply and bitingly critical.C2
- —more often than notIn the majority of cases.B2
- —more or lessApproximately; almost but not exactly.B1
- —moreishSo good you cannot stop eating it.C1
- —moronicExtremely stupid.B2
- —morris danceAn English folk dance with bells and sticks.C1
- —mortgage paymentThe monthly sum repaid on a loan against a house.B2
- —moses basketA light woven bed for a very small baby.C1
- —mother of pearlThe shimmering lining of a shell.B2
- —mother tongueThe first language you grew up speaking.B1
- —mother-in-lawThe mother of your husband or wife.B2
- —motion sicknessThe dizzy sick feeling some people get in moving cars and boats.B2
- —motor racingCompetition between drivers on a closed circuit.B1
- —motorhomeA vehicle you can live and sleep in.B2
- —moultTo shed an outgrown shell or skin.C1
- —mount upTo grow steadily larger, as costs do.B2
- —mountain bikingRiding a rugged bicycle over rough ground.B1
- —mouth-wateringSo tempting that your mouth prepares to eat.B2
- —mouthfeelHow something feels, apart from how it tastes.C2
- —move inTo begin living in a new home.B1
- —move in withTo begin sharing a home with somebody.B1
- —move onTo put a difficult experience behind you and continue.B2
- —move outTo leave a home permanently, taking your possessions.B1
- —move overTo shift aside to make space.B1
- —mudflatFlat muddy ground uncovered when the tide falls.C1
- —mudguardA curved shield that keeps spray off the rider.B1
- —mull overTo turn a question over slowly in your mind.C2
- —multi-storeyA car park built on several levels.B2
- —multi-toolA folding handle holding pliers, blades and screwdrivers.B2
- —multifariousOf many different kinds.C2
- —multiplayerPlayed by several people at the same time.B2
- —munificentExtremely generous in giving.C2
- —music theoryThe study of how music is put together.B2
- —mustn't grumbleA very British way of admitting things are all right.C1
- —muttA dog of mixed or unknown breeding.B2
- —my pleasureA warm reply to being thanked.B1
- —myanmarSoutheast Asian country of golden pagodas, once called Burma.B2
- —nail artSmall painted designs on the nails.B2
- —nail clippersA small hinged tool for shortening nails.B1
- —nail fileA rough strip used to shape the nails.B1
- —nail varnishColoured lacquer painted onto the nails.B1
- —namegivingThe occasion of choosing and announcing a child's name.C2
- —namibiaCountry of red desert dunes on Africa's southwest coast.B2
- —naming ceremonyA non-religious occasion for announcing a child's name.B2
- —nappy rashSore skin caused by a wet wrap.B2
- —narcoticA drug that relieves pain and dulls the senses.C2
- —narrow gaugeA railway with rails closer together than usual.C1
- —narrow-mindedUnwilling to consider views unlike your own.B2
- —narwhalAn Arctic whale with one long straight tusk out of its head.C2
- —national debtEverything a country owes, added up.B2
- —national parkProtected countryside kept open for everybody.B1
- —native speakerSomebody who grew up speaking a language from birth.B2
- —native speciesA living thing that belongs naturally to a place.B2
- —natural disasterA catastrophic event caused by natural forces.B1
- —natural lookMake-up meant to look as though there is none.B2
- —naturalnessThe quality of being unforced and unaffected.C1
- —nature reserveLand set aside so wildlife can live undisturbed.B1
- —nauruThe world's smallest island republic, in the Pacific.C2
- —nauseateTo make someone feel sick.B2
- —nautical mileThe unit of distance used at sea.B2
- —navy blueOf a very dark blue colour.B1
- —need to knowRestricted to those whose duties require the information.C1
- —negative biasThe habit of noticing bad things more than good.C1
- —neither here nor thereNot relevant to the point being discussed.C1
- —nervelessLimp and without strength, or showing no fear.C2
- —nesting boxA wooden box put up for birds to breed in.B2
- —nesting groundThe place where a species lays its eggs.B2
- —neurodiverseWhose mind works differently from the typical pattern.C1
- —never mindDo not trouble yourself about it.A2
- —never you mindA playful refusal to answer a nosy question.C1
- —never-endingGoing on and on with no sign of stopping.B1
- —new yearThe start of the calendar year, marked with celebration.A1
- —new zealandThe far Pacific island country of sheep, rugby, and movie landscapes.B1
- —newfangledNew in a way the speaker finds unnecessary or irritating.C1
- —next of kinA person's closest living relative, recorded for official purposes.C1
- —next-doorLiving or being in the building immediately beside.B1
- —nickTo cut a small notch in something.B2
- —nigerLandlocked Saharan country whose capital is Niamey.C1
- —niggardlyMean and grudging in what is given.C2
- —night owlA person who comes alive after midnight.B2
- —night porterThe staff member on duty through the small hours.C1
- —night shiftThe stretch of work done through the night.B1
- —nine-to-fiveAn ordinary office job with fixed daily hours.B2
- —nineteenThe number after eighteen.A1
- —ninetyNine times ten.A1
- —no chanceA firm way of saying it will not happen.B1
- —no kiddingSaid in surprise, or in flat disbelief.B2
- —no offenceSaid before something that might sting.B2
- —no pain, no gainThe gym saying: results demand suffering.B2
- —no rhyme or reasonNo sense or pattern to it whatsoever.C1
- —no vacancyThe lit-up sign meaning the hotel is completely full.B2
- —no worriesA relaxed way of saying that something is fine.B1
- —no-showA guest who books and never arrives.B2
- —nod offTo fall asleep without meaning to.C1
- —non sequiturA conclusion that simply does not follow.C2
- —non-comedogenicMade not to block the pores.C2
- —non-profitRun for a cause rather than for gain.C1
- —none of your businessUsed to say that something does not concern the person asking.B2
- —none takenA reply meaning you were not upset by the remark.B2
- —nonfictionWriting that presents real facts and real events rather than invented ones.B1
- —north koreaThe closed state ruled from Pyongyang.B1
- —north macedoniaBalkan country whose capital is Skopje, renamed in 2019.C1
- —not a hopeThere is no possibility at all.B2
- —not have a leg to stand onTo have no evidence or argument at all.C1
- —not see the wood for the treesTo be so lost in detail that you miss the whole.C1
- —not too badA modest English way of saying things are actually fine.B1
- —notepadA pad of paper for writing short notes on.A2
- —nothing muchUsed to say that little of note has happened.B1
- —nothing to declareThe channel for travellers carrying nothing taxable.B2
- —notice periodThe time you must keep working after resigning.B2
- —noticeboardA board on a wall where announcements are pinned.B1
- —now that you mention itSaid when somebody's remark reminds you of something.B2
- —nuclear familyJust parents and their children.B2
- —number plateThe panel showing a vehicle's registration.B1
- —numismaticsThe collecting and study of coins.C2
- —nursery rhymeA short traditional song for small children.B1
- —nursing homeA residence where the elderly are cared for.B2
- —nutrient cycleThe endless passing of nourishment through living things.C1
- —oarlockThe fitting an oar pivots in.C2
- —oblongLonger than it is wide, in the shape of a stretched rectangle.B1
- —observation carA carriage with wide windows for the view.C1
- —observatory domeThe turning roof that opens for a telescope.C1
- —obstreperousNoisy and difficult to control.C2
- —obtuse angleAn angle larger than a square corner.C1
- —occur toTo come into somebody's mind as an idea.B2
- —ochreA dull yellow-brown earth colour.C1
- —octaveThe interval between one musical note and the next of the same name.C2
- —odometer readingThe distance figure shown on a vehicle's counter.C1
- —off the beaten trackAway from the places most people go.B2
- —off the gridLiving where no record or signal can find you.C1
- —off the recordSaid privately, not to be quoted or published.C1
- —off the top of my headAnswering from memory, without checking.B2
- —off-balanceUnsteady and in danger of falling.B1
- —off-licenceA shop licensed to sell alcohol to take away.B2
- —off-peakOutside the busiest hours, and usually cheaper.B2
- —off-seasonThe quiet months when few tourists come.B2
- —off-the-pegBought ready-made in a standard size.C1
- —offcutThe piece left over after a length is cut to size.C1
- —oil changeReplacing the old oil in an engine.B1
- —oily skinSkin that produces a lot of natural grease.B1
- —old ageThe last part of a long life.B1
- —old-fashionedBelonging to an earlier time and out of fashion.B1
- —old-timerAn 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.C1
- —oldsterA person well on in years, of either sex, spoken of informally but without mockery.C2
- —olive oilThe oil pressed from a small green or black fruit.A2
- —omanThe peaceful Gulf country of Muscat, deserts, and dramatic coasts.B2
- —ombreShading gradually from dark to light.C1
- —omnivoreAn animal that eats both plants and meat.B2
- —on a whimActing on a sudden fancy rather than a plan.C1
- —on balanceTaking everything into account.C1
- —on callAvailable to be called on for work at any time.B2
- —on cloud nineFloating with pure happiness.B2
- —on good termsIn a friendly relationship with somebody.B2
- —on purposeDeliberately, rather than by accident.A2
- —on scheduleExactly as the plan intended.B1
- —on second thoughtHaving reconsidered.B2
- —on the ballAlert, quick, and on top of everything.C1
- —on the fenceUndecided between two positions.C1
- —on the grapevineBy word of mouth passed informally from person to person.C1
- —on the mendGetting better after being ill.B2
- —on the recordSaid in a way that may be quoted with your name.C1
- —on the same pageAgreeing and understanding things the same way.B2
- —on the same wavelengthUnderstanding each other without having to explain.B2
- —on the spur of the momentDecided suddenly, with no planning at all.B2
- —on the tip of my tongueAlmost remembered, and refusing to arrive.B2
- —on the townOut enjoying the bars and clubs of a city.C1
- —on the wholeGenerally speaking, ignoring the exceptions.B2
- —on thin iceIn a risky position where one more mistake means trouble.B2
- —onboardingThe process of settling a new employee in.C1
- —once bitten, twice shyThe saying: after being hurt, you are careful ever after.C1
- —once in a blue moonHappening extremely rarely.B2
- —once in a whileNot often, but sometimes.B1
- —once upon a timeThe traditional opening of a fairy tale, meaning at some time in the past.A2
- —once-overA quick look over something to check or assess it.C1
- —oncomingApproaching directly towards you.C1
- —one of these daysAt some unspecified future time.B2
- —one-eyedHaving only one working eye.B1
- —one-on-oneBetween just two people.B2
- —one-wayAllowing travel in a single direction only — streets or tickets.B1
- —one-way streetA road where traffic may go in one direction only.B1
- —one-way systemA pattern of streets where traffic goes only one way.B2
- —onesieA single garment covering the whole body, worn for comfort.B1
- —online bankingManaging an account through a website.B1
- —only childA child with no brothers or sisters.A2
- —open a can of wormsTo start something that creates many new problems.C1
- —open kitchenA kitchen guests can watch as they eat.B1
- —open mindA readiness to consider what you do not already think.B2
- —open planHaving one big shared space instead of separate rooms.B2
- —open rateWhat share of an email's recipients opened it.B2
- —open sourceSoftware whose code is public and may be changed.B2
- —open waterSwimming in a lake, a river or the sea.B2
- —open-endedHaving no fixed limit or set finish.C1
- —open-handedGenerous in giving.C1
- —open-mindedWilling to consider ideas you do not hold.B2
- —openingThe first planned moves of a game, especially chess.B2
- —opening nightThe first public performance of a production.B2
- —operating systemThe program that runs the machine and everything on it.B2
- —opportuneHappening at a particularly suitable or useful time.C1
- —opposite directionThe way that is exactly contrary to the one mentioned.B1
- —opt outTo choose not to take part.B2
- —orcaThe black and white whale that hunts in groups.C2
- —orchard keeperThe person who tends a plantation of fruit trees.B2
- —orchestra pitThe sunken space where players sit below a stage.C1
- —order ticketThe printed slip telling the kitchen what to cook.B2
- —org chartThe diagram showing how an organisation is arranged.C1
- —organic farmingGrowing food without artificial chemicals.B2
- —organic reachThe audience you reach without paying for it.C1
- —orienteeringRacing across country navigating by map and compass.C1
- —ostentationA showy display meant to impress.C1
- —ostraciseTo shut somebody out of a group entirely.C1
- —out of printNo longer being produced by the publisher.B2
- —out of reachToo far away to be taken.B1
- —out of stockSold out — the shelf is empty until the next delivery.B1
- —out of the blueCompletely unexpectedly.B2
- —out of this worldSo good that it seems beyond anything ordinary.B2
- —out-and-outComplete and thorough, with nothing held back.C1
- —out-of-dateNo longer current or valid.B1
- —out-trayThe tray where finished work waits to be collected.B2
- —outcropRock that breaks through the surface of the ground.C1
- —outlierA result that sits far away from all the others.C1
- —output targetThe number of items a plant aims to make.B2
- —outstanding balanceThe amount still left to pay.C1
- —oven mittA padded glove for handling hot cookware.B1
- —over my dead bodyI will resist this with everything I have.B2
- —over the topExcessive and beyond what is reasonable.B2
- —overhead lineThe wire that feeds current to electric trains.C1
- —overhead lockerThe closed shelf above the seats for small bags.B2
- —oversharingTelling the internet more than anybody needed.B2
- —oversleepTo sleep longer than you intended.B2
- —overtime payExtra money for hours worked beyond the normal day.B1
- —own brandA product sold under the shop's own name.B2
- —own upTo admit that you did something wrong.B2
- —oxygen maskThe mask that drops if cabin air pressure fails.B2
- —ozone layerThe high band of gas that blocks harmful sunlight.B2
- —package holidayTravel, room and often meals bought as one.B2
- —package managerThe tool that fetches and updates your dependencies.C1
- —packaging tapeThe wide sticky strip that seals a box.B2
- —packing listA note of exactly what is inside a package.B2
- —packing peanutsLight shaped foam pieces poured in to fill space.C1
- —padded envelopeA postal cover lined to protect what is inside.B2
- —paddling poolA shallow pool for small children.B1
- —paid reachThe audience you reach by buying advertising.C1
- —pair ofUsed before a noun to indicate two matching items or one two-part object.A1
- —palate cleanserA small taste served to clear the mouth between courses.C1
- —palauPacific island nation famous for a lake full of harmless jellyfish.C2
- —palaverA tiresome fuss or long-winded business.C2
- —palisadeA fence of strong pointed stakes.C2
- —palletiseTo load goods onto a wooden platform for handling.C1
- —palliateTo ease suffering without curing the cause.C2
- —palm treeA tropical tree with a bare trunk and a crown of leaves.A2
- —panic attackA sudden overwhelming surge of fear with bodily symptoms.B2
- —pannierA bag hung at the side of a rack.C1
- —paper clipA bent wire that holds a few sheets together.A2
- —paper overTo hide a problem instead of solving it.C1
- —paper trailThe records an action leaves behind it.C1
- —papua new guineaPacific nation on half a huge island, with over 800 languages.B2
- —par for the courseExactly the sort of trouble you should have expected.C1
- —paracordVery strong thin cord useful for a hundred jobs.C1
- —parallel barsTwo rails a gymnast swings and balances between.B2
- —parental leaveTime off allowed to care for a new child.B2
- —parking lotAn open area for parking vehicles.A2
- —parking meterA machine that takes payment for parking a vehicle.B1
- —parkourMoving fast through a city by vaulting and climbing.B2
- —parquetFlooring made of small wooden blocks arranged in a pattern.C2
- —parsimonyGreat meanness with money or with words.C2
- —part-timeWorking fewer than the usual full hours.B2
- —partisanshipStrong loyalty to one side, at the cost of fairness.C1
- —party pooperA person who ruins the mood of a celebration.C1
- —pas de deuxIn ballet, a showpiece danced by a leading man and woman together, borrowed from French.C2
- —pass awayTo die, said gently.B2
- —pass markThe lowest score that counts as a pass.B2
- —pass onTo hand something to somebody else.B2
- —pass outTo lose consciousness suddenly.B2
- —pass the buckTo push responsibility onto somebody else.C1
- —passport controlThe desk where your travel document is checked.B1
- —past paperAn exam from an earlier year, used for practice.B2
- —pasteA soft, thick mixture that spreads or sticks.B1
- —pat on the backA light touch meaning well done.B2
- —patch kitThe small set for mending a hole in a tube.B2
- —patch upTo repair something roughly so it lasts a while.B2
- —patio diningEating at tables in an outdoor paved area.B2
- —patrol carThe vehicle the police drive on ordinary duty.B2
- —pay a complimentTo say something in praise of somebody.B2
- —pay a visitTo go and see somebody for a while.B2
- —pay attentionTo listen and concentrate on something.A2
- —pay backTo return money that was borrowed.B1
- —pay cutA reduction in what you are paid.B1
- —pay offTo repay a debt completely.B2
- —pay outTo hand over a large sum, especially under an insurance policy.B2
- —pay riseAn increase in what you are paid.B1
- —pay scaleThe ladder of rates a job can be paid at.B2
- —paying-in slipThe form completed when you put money in.C1
- —paywallThe screen that hides the article until you pay.C1
- —paywalled articleA piece you can only read once you have paid.B2
- —peace of mindFreedom from worry.B2
- —peak hoursThe busiest part of the day.B2
- —peak seasonThe crowded expensive months when everyone travels.B2
- —peak timeThe busiest part of the service.B2
- —peanut butterA thick spread ground from roasted nuts.A2
- —pebble beachA shore covered in small worn stones.B1
- —pedagogyThe art and science of teaching itself.C2
- —pedantryExcessive attention to rules and minor detail.C2
- —pedestrian crossingThe marked place where people may walk across.B1
- —pedestrian zoneAn area where only people on foot may go.B2
- —pedestrianisedClosed to vehicles so people can walk freely.C1
- —peer pressureThe push to do what your friends are doing.B2
- —peer reviewThe checking of a study by other experts before it is published.C1
- —peer supportHelp from others who have been through the same.B2
- —peg outTo hang washing on a line with clips.C1
- —pennonA long narrow flag flown from a lance.C2
- —pension bookThe old booklet a state payment was drawn against.C2
- —per diemA fixed daily allowance while travelling for work.C2
- —percolatorA pot that brews coffee by cycling boiling water through the grounds.C2
- —performance reviewThe regular assessment of how well you work.B2
- —performing sealA circus sea creature trained to balance a ball on its nose for a crowd.B2
- —periodic tableThe chart that arranges every element by its structure.B2
- —peripheral visionWhat you can see at the edges without turning your head.C1
- —permanent contractAn agreement with no set end date.B1
- —permanent wayThe track and everything that carries it.C2
- —perplexityA state of being puzzled and unable to understand.C1
- —person specificationThe list of qualities a candidate must have.C1
- —personal bestThe best result a person has achieved themselves.B1
- —personal protective equipmentThe gear worn to keep a worker safe.B2
- —perspireTo sweat.C2
- —pet insuranceCover against the cost of an animal's treatment.B2
- —pet sitterSomebody paid to look after an animal while you are away.B1
- —pet-friendlyAllowing guests to bring their animals.B2
- —petrelA small sea bird that flutters just above the waves.C2
- —petty cashA small fund of coins and notes for tiny expenses.C1
- —phase outTo discontinue something gradually over a planned period.B2
- —philatelyThe collecting and study of postage stamps.C2
- —philologyThe study of language in its written history.C2
- —philosopher's stoneThe legendary substance that turns metal into gold.C1
- —phishingTricking somebody into giving their details away.B2
- —phlegmaticCalm and hard to stir up.C2
- —photo finishAn ending so close a picture must settle it.B2
- —photobombTo appear in somebody else's picture on purpose.B2
- —photocopier jamThe paper stuck inside a copying machine.B2
- —phrasal verbA verb joined to a small word that changes its meaning.B1
- —physical educationLessons in sport and exercise.B1
- —physiotherapistA therapist who restores movement after injury.B2
- —pick atTo eat only small amounts without appetite.B2
- —pick onTo treat one person unfairly again and again.B2
- —pick outTo select something carefully from a group.B1
- —pick upTo lift something up.B1
- —picket lineThe line of strikers standing outside a workplace.C1
- —pickingThe job of collecting ordered items from warehouse shelves.C1
- —pickup truckA vehicle with an open cargo bed at the back.B1
- —piebaldMarked in patches of black and white.C2
- —piece of cakeSomething extremely easy to do.B1
- —piece togetherTo assemble an understanding of something from separate fragments.B2
- —piggy bankThe little animal-shaped box children drop coins into.B1
- —pigmentationThe natural colouring of skin, hair or plant tissue.B2
- —pilatesExercise focused on core strength and control.B1
- —pile upTo grow into a heap or a backlog.B2
- —pillar boxThe red street box letters are posted into.C1
- —pillow menuA choice of different pillows offered to guests.B2
- —pilot episodeThe first episode, made to test whether a series works.B2
- —pin downTo get a clear answer out of somebody.C1
- —pine coneThe woody scaled fruit of an evergreen.B1
- —pinking shearsScissors that cut a zigzag to stop fraying.C1
- —piperSomebody who plays a pipe or the bagpipes.B2
- —piping hotSo hot it is only just bearable.B2
- —pit propThe timber that holds up the roof of a mine.C2
- —pitch darkSo dark that nothing at all can be seen.B2
- —pitch-darkSo dark that nothing at all can be seen.B2
- —pivot tableA tool that summarises a large table by category.C1
- —place an orderTo ask formally for goods to be supplied.B2
- —place cardA card showing where each guest is to sit.B2
- —place settingOne person's plate, glass and cutlery laid out.B2
- —plagiariseTo pass somebody else's writing off as your own.C1
- —plain languageWording kept simple so anybody can follow it.B2
- —plaitedWoven into three interlacing strands.B2
- —planning permissionThe council's agreement that you may build.B2
- —plant-basedMade entirely from plants.B1
- —plastic bagA light disposable carrier bag made of plastic.A2
- —platypusAn Australian animal with a duck's bill and fur that lays eggs.C2
- —plausiblyIn a way that sounds believable.C1
- —play devil's advocateTo argue the opposite side to test an idea.C1
- —play it by earTo decide as you go rather than plan ahead.C1
- —play upTo behave badly or be difficult.C1
- —playdateAn arranged afternoon of play with another child.B1
- —plenty ofA large or sufficient quantity of something.A2
- —pliantEasily bent, or easily influenced.C1
- —plieA bending of the knees with the back held straight.C1
- —plinthA base supporting a column, statue or other object.C1
- —plot holeA gap in a story that does not make sense.B2
- —plot twistA turn in the story nobody saw coming.B2
- —ploverA short-billed shore bird that runs then stops.C2
- —plowshareThe cutting blade of a plough.C2
- —pluginA small add-on that gives a program extra powers.B2
- —plumb lineA weight on a string that shows true vertical.C1
- —plutocratSomebody whose power comes from great wealth.C2
- —po boxA numbered box at a post office used as an address.B2
- —pock-markedCovered with small hollow scars.C1
- —pockedMarked with small hollows or scars.C2
- —pocket watchA timepiece carried on a chain in the pocket.B1
- —podcast episodeOne instalment of a spoken audio series.B1
- —pogo stickA spring-loaded pole you bounce along on.B2
- —point of saleThe place and moment a purchase happens.B2
- —point outTo draw attention to something.B2
- —pointsThe movable rails that send a train onto another line.C1
- —pointyNarrowing to a sharp point.B2
- —poisonous berryFruit that will make you ill if you eat it.B1
- —poke aroundTo search casually through somebody's things.C1
- —polar bearThe big white hunter that lives on the Arctic ice.B2
- —pole vaultUsing a long flexible pole to clear a very high bar.B2
- —poleaxeTo knock somebody down with one blow.C2
- —police officerA member of a police force.A2
- —police stationThe building from which police officers work.A2
- —polka dotA pattern of evenly spaced round spots.B1
- —polling stationThe place where people go to cast their votes.B2
- —poolside barThe bar serving drinks beside the swimming water.B2
- —popularizationThe act of putting expert knowledge into a form the general public can enjoy and take up widely.C1
- —populismPolitics that appeals to ordinary people against the elite.C1
- —port de brasThe carriage and movement of the arms.C2
- —port sideThe left-hand side of a boat, looking forward.B2
- —portion sizeHow much of a dish one person is given.B1
- —positioning statementThe written claim about who a brand is for.C1
- —post officeA building where postal and related services are provided.A2
- —post-warBelonging to the years after a war.C1
- —postal roundThe route one deliverer covers each day.C1
- —postcodeThe letters and numbers that pinpoint an address.B1
- —poste restanteA service holding letters at a post office for a traveller.C2
- —posternA small back gate in a castle wall.C2
- —pot luckTaking whatever happens to be available.C1
- —potter's wheelThe turning disc a pot is shaped on.B2
- —potty trainingTeaching a child to use the toilet.B1
- —pour cold water onTo dampen somebody's enthusiasm for an idea.C1
- —poverty lineThe income below which a person counts as poor.C1
- —power bankA portable store of charge for a phone.B1
- —power cutA break in the electricity supply.B1
- —power of attorneyPermission to sign and decide on somebody else's behalf.C1
- —power outletThe wall holes you push a plug into for electricity.B1
- —power-upAn item that makes your character stronger for a while.B2
- —powerlessnessThe state of being unable to influence what happens.C2
- —powerliftingCompeting on three set lifts for maximum weight.B2
- —practice makes perfectThe saying: repeat something enough and you master it.B2
- —pram walkA walk taken pushing a baby.B1
- —predestinedDetermined in advance by fate or by divine will.C1
- —predeterminedDecided or arranged in advance.B2
- —prepaid cardA payment card loaded with money before use.B2
- —preservationistSomebody who campaigns to keep old buildings or ways.C2
- —press aheadTo carry on despite the difficulties.B2
- —press conferenceA staged meeting where reporters fire questions at someone.B2
- —press kitThe pack of material given to journalists.C1
- —press releaseA statement an organisation sends out for journalists to use.B2
- —press studA two-part fastener pressed together to close.B2
- —press-gangTo force someone into doing something they did not agree to.C1
- —prevaricateTo avoid a straight answer.C2
- —preventive medicineTreatment aimed at stopping illness before it starts.C1
- —price freezeAn agreement not to raise prices for a period.C1
- —price riseAn increase in what something costs.B1
- —price tagThe little label on an item that tells you its cost.A2
- —prickleA small sharp point on a leaf or stem.B2
- —pride of placeThe best and most prominent position of all.C1
- —primacyThe state of coming first in rank or importance.C1
- —primary schoolThe school children attend from about five to eleven.B1
- —primary sourceEvidence made at the time by someone who was there.B2
- —prime ministerThe head of a government in a parliamentary country.B2
- —prime timeThe evening hours when the most people are watching.B2
- —primeval forestWoodland as it stood in the earliest ages.C1
- —priority boardingThe right to get on the aircraft before others.B2
- —priority seatA seat kept for those who most need it.B1
- —prison reformThe movement to improve how prisoners are treated.C1
- —prisoner of warA soldier captured and held by the enemy.B2
- —private sectorThe part of the economy owned by companies and individuals.B2
- —privatisationSelling a public service into private hands.C1
- —probation officerThe official who supervises an offender released early.B2
- —probation periodThe first months in a job, before it is confirmed.B2
- —probation reviewThe check made before a new job is confirmed.C1
- —problem-solvingThe process of finding ways to deal with difficulties or answer questions.B2
- —product placementPaying for goods to appear inside a film or show.B2
- —production lineThe arrangement by which goods are made in sequence.B2
- —professional developmentTraining that keeps your skills current.B2
- —profit marginThe share of each sale that is left as gain.B2
- —proliferateTo increase quickly in number.C1
- —prong settingSmall claws of metal gripping a stone.C2
- —proof of deliveryA signature showing goods arrived.B2
- —proof of postageThe receipt showing you did send it.B2
- —proof of purchaseEvidence that you bought something where you say.B2
- —prop upTo hold something upright, or to keep it from failing.B2
- —propitiateTo win back the goodwill of somebody offended.C2
- —proportionateMatching another thing in size, degree or seriousness.B2