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.
Rare in speech; mostly a word you read
- 15,001demurTo raise an objection, mildly and politely.C21.3
- 15,002determinismThe view that everything is fixed by what came before.C21.3
- 15,003devolutionHanding powers from a central government to a regional one.C11.3
- 15,004diasporaA people scattered far from their homeland.C11.3
- 15,005dictumA short formal statement laid down as true.C21.3
- 15,006diminuendoA passage that fades steadily quieter.C21.3
- 15,007disheartenTo take away somebody's hope and courage.B2+1.3
- 15,008disparagementThe belittling of somebody or their work.C21.3
- 15,009dissimulateTo hide your real feelings by pretence.C21.3
- 15,010distendTo swell out from inside pressure.C21.3
- 15,011divergeTo move apart from a common point.C11.3
- 15,012draughtsmanThe person who draws technical plans.C11.3
- 15,013ductileAble to be pulled into a wire without breaking.C11.3
- 15,014elongateTo make or become longer.C11.3
- 15,015embattledUnder attack from all sides.C11.3
- 15,016emboldenTo give somebody the courage to act.C11.3
- 15,017embossTo raise a design above a flat surface.C11.3
- 15,018embroilTo drag somebody into a quarrel or a mess.C11.3
- 15,019emulationThe copying of somebody admired in order to match them.C21.3
- 15,020enchanterSomebody who works magic spells.B2+1.3
- 15,021encumbranceSomething that weighs you down and gets in the way.C21.3
- 15,022endpointOne particular address an interface answers on.C11.3
- 15,023engrossTo take up somebody's whole attention.C11.3
- 15,024enmeshTo entangle somebody in a difficult situation.C21.3
- 15,025enumerateTo list things one by one.C11.3
- 15,026envisageTo picture in your mind how something could be.C11.3
- 15,027eschewTo keep away from something on principle.C21.3
- 15,028euphemisticUsing a gentle word in place of a blunt one.C21.3
- 15,029eventideThe evening, in poetic use.C21.3
- 15,030exactnessComplete precision with no error.C11.3
- 15,031execrableExtremely bad, and deserving to be cursed.C21.3
- 15,032expiateTo make amends for a wrong you have done.C21.3
- 15,033extrusionMaterial pushed through a shaped opening to form a length.C21.3
- 15,034exultantFilled with triumphant joy.C11.3
- 15,035eyrieAn eagle's nest high on a crag.C21.3
- 15,036fallaciousResting on faulty reasoning.C21.3
- 15,037fetterA chain fastened round a prisoner's ankle.C11.3
- 15,038fiefLand held from a lord in return for service.C21.3
- 15,039flexiblyIn a way that bends easily to what is needed.B2+1.3
- 15,040flotillaA small fleet of boats.C21.3
- 15,041flounceA wide strip sewn on to hang loose.C21.3
- 15,042formidablyTo a degree that inspires respect and some fear.C21.3
- 15,043frillA gathered or pleated strip of cloth sewn on as decoration.B2+1.3
- 15,044gainsayTo deny or contradict something.C21.3
- 15,045gammonCured meat from the hind leg of a pig.C11.3
- 15,046gaolA prison, in older British spelling.C11.3
- 15,047gawpTo stare stupidly at something.C11.3
- 15,048generalisationA statement made to cover many cases at once.B2+1.3
- 15,049genomicTo do with the complete set of genes.C21.3
- 15,050germinateTo begin to grow out of a seed.B2+1.3
- 15,051germinationThe first sprouting of a seed.B2+1.3
- 15,052gigabyteA unit of digital information, about a billion bytes.B1+1.3
- 15,053gingerlyVery cautiously, as if afraid of hurting something.C11.3
- 15,054glassblowerA craftsman who shapes molten glass with breath.B2+1.3
- 15,055gracefulnessThe quality of moving with smooth and pleasing ease, named with the noun ending -ness.C11.3
- 15,056gravitationThe universal attraction that every mass exerts on every other, as set out in Newton's law.C11.3
- 15,057groundsheetThe waterproof layer between the tent and the earth.C11.3
- 15,058handicraftSkilled work made by hand rather than machine.B2+1.3
- 15,059hauberkA long shirt of chain mail.C21.3
- 15,060helplineA phone number to call when you need to talk.B2+1.3
- 15,061heraldryThe system of coats of arms and their designs.C11.3
- 15,062hieroglyphOne of the picture signs of ancient Egyptian writing.C11.3
- 15,063histrionicWildly theatrical in showing feeling.C21.3
- 15,064hoaryWhite with age, or very old and stale.C21.3
- 15,065holdallA large soft bag for carrying clothes.B2+1.3
- 15,066honorificA title or word used to show respect.C11.3
- 15,067hostelryAn inn, in old use.C21.3
- 15,068hotelierSomebody who owns or manages a hotel.C21.3
- 15,069hurtleTo move at great speed and without control.C11.3
- 15,070iconoclastSomebody who attacks cherished beliefs.C21.3
- 15,071impassiveShowing no feeling at all in the face.C11.3
- 15,072impressionisticGiving a general feel rather than exact detail.C21.3
- 15,073incongruityThe state of not fitting with the surroundings.C21.3
- 15,074indolenceHabitual laziness.C21.3
- 15,075iniquitousGrossly unfair and wicked.C21.3
- 15,076interposeTo put something between, or to intervene.C11.3
- 15,077intersperseTo scatter things at intervals among others.C21.3
- 15,078interweaveTo weave two things together so they cannot be pulled apart.C21.3
- 15,079intoneTo speak or chant on a level note.C11.3
- 15,080introspectTo examine your own thoughts and feelings.C11.3
- 15,081invertebrateAn animal with no backbone.B2+1.3
- 15,082itinerantTravelling from place to place to find work.C11.3
- 15,083jackdawA small grey-necked member of the crow family.C11.3
- 15,084japeryJoking and playing tricks.C21.3
- 15,085jocularFond of joking, and meant in fun.C21.3
- 15,086kartingRacing small low open-wheeled machines.B2+1.3
- 15,087kirtleA long gown worn in earlier centuries.C21.3
- 15,088kookaburraAn Australian bird whose call sounds like wild laughter.B2+1.3
- 15,089lacklustreDull, and lacking any spark.C11.3
- 15,090laggardSomebody who falls behind the rest.C21.3
- 15,091lankLong, limp and without body.C21.3
- 15,092lapwingA crested field bird with broad flapping wings.C11.3
- 15,093leakproofMade so that nothing can escape.B1+1.3
- 15,094ligniteA soft brown coal of poor quality.C21.3
- 15,095liturgyThe set form of a public religious service.C21.3
- 15,096malawiThe warm heart of Africa, wrapped around a great lake.B2+1.3
- 15,097maledictionA curse spoken against somebody.C21.3
- 15,098malleabilityThe quality of being easily shaped or easily influenced.C21.3
- 15,099manacleA metal ring locked round the wrist.C11.3
- 15,100maraudTo roam about raiding and plundering.C21.3
- 15,101matronlyDignified and rather stout, said of an older woman.C21.3
- 15,102mattingFur tangled into knots that must be cut out.C11.3
- 15,103meritocracyA system where ability rather than birth decides rank.C11.3
- 15,104mewlTo cry feebly, as a baby or a kitten does.C21.3
- 15,105miasmaAn unpleasant heavy vapour, or an oppressive atmosphere.C21.3
- 15,106mienSomebody's bearing and manner.C21.3
- 15,107milepostA post by a road showing the distance.C11.3
- 15,108mineralogyThe study of minerals.C21.3
- 15,109moisturiseTo put cream on skin so it does not dry out.B1+1.3
- 15,110molderTo crumble slowly away through decay.C11.3
- 15,111moleskinA tough cotton cloth with a soft brushed surface.C21.3
- 15,112moorhenA dark water bird with a red patch on its forehead.C11.3
- 15,113motteThe earth mound an early castle keep stood on.C21.3
- 15,114mummerA masked player in a traditional folk performance.C21.3
- 15,115munificenceGreat generosity in giving.C21.3
- 15,116mustachioA large elaborate moustache.C21.3
- 15,117naivetyInnocent lack of experience or suspicion.C11.3
- 15,118nationalisationTaking an industry into public ownership.C11.3
- 15,119niggleTo keep bothering somebody in a small way.C11.3
- 15,120nigglingSmall but persistently troubling.C11.3
- 15,121nitreA white salt used in gunpowder and curing.C21.3
- 15,122nostalgicallyWith fond longing for an earlier time.C21.3
- 15,123obfuscationThe clouding of a matter so nobody can follow it.C11.3
- 15,124obtrudeTo push yourself forward where you are not wanted.C21.3
- 15,125oddmentsSmall leftover items of various kinds.C21.3
- 15,126opacityThe quality of letting no light or sense through.C21.3
- 15,127ospreyA fish-hunting bird of prey that plunges feet-first.C11.3
- 15,128outclassTo be so much better that comparison is pointless.C11.3
- 15,129packhorseAn animal used to carry goods on its back.B2+1.3
- 15,130parsimoniousExtremely unwilling to spend or to give.C21.3
- 15,131paunchA fat protruding belly.C11.3
- 15,132pedimentThe triangular piece above the columns of a classical front.C21.3
- 15,133pelotonThe main bunch of riders in a road race.C11.3
- 15,134penuriousVery poor, or extremely mean with money.C21.3
- 15,135penuryExtreme and grinding poverty.C21.3
- 15,136pepperyHot and sharp, like ground black seeds.B2+1.3
- 15,137persuasivelyIn a way that brings others round to your view.C11.3
- 15,138pervadeTo spread through and be felt everywhere.C11.3
- 15,139pictogramA simple picture used in place of words.C11.3
- 15,140pillionA seat behind the rider for a passenger.C21.3
- 15,141pipetteA thin tube for measuring small volumes of liquid.B2+1.3
- 15,142pitfallA hidden danger that catches the unwary.B2+1.3
- 15,143platitudeA dull remark repeated as if it were wisdom.C11.3
- 15,144pollinationThe carrying of pollen that lets plants set seed.B2+1.3
- 15,145pollutantA substance that dirties air, water or soil.B2+1.3
- 15,146polyglotSomebody who speaks many languages.C11.3
- 15,147polystyreneA light white foam used for packing and cups.B2+1.3
- 15,148preconceptionAn idea formed before you knew anything.C21.3
- 15,149predicateThe part of a sentence that says what the subject does.C11.3
- 15,150prehistoryThe long stretch of time before anything was written down.B2+1.3
- 15,151prejudgeTo form an opinion before the facts are in.C11.3
- 15,152prevalenceHow widespread something is.C11.3
- 15,153priseTo force something open with a lever.C21.3
- 15,154privilySecretly, in old use.C21.3
- 15,155provenderFood, especially dry fodder for animals.C21.3
- 15,156publiciseTo make something widely known.B2+1.3
- 15,157punditAn expert who comments publicly on their subject.C11.3
- 15,158pungencySharpness of smell, taste or wit.C11.3
- 15,159quadrupedalWalking on four legs.C11.3
- 15,160quinoaA tiny South American seed cooked like a grain.B2+1.3
- 15,161quizzicalShowing mild puzzled amusement.C11.3
- 15,162rasherA thin slice of bacon.C11.3
- 15,163rectificationThe putting right of something wrong.C11.3
- 15,164recumbentLying down.C21.3
- 15,165refinanceTo replace a loan with a new one on different terms.C11.3
- 15,166refutationProof that a claim is false.C21.3
- 15,167reiterationThe saying of something over again.C11.3
- 15,168replenishmentRestocking what has been used or sold.C11.3
- 15,169resizeTo alter a ring so that it fits.B1+1.3
- 15,170resoundinglyIn a way that is emphatic and beyond argument.C21.3
- 15,171reusableMade to be used many times over.B1+1.3
- 15,172rivenSplit violently apart.C21.3
- 15,173roilTo churn and stir up violently.C21.3
- 15,174rollbackPutting the previous version back after a bad release.C11.3
- 15,175ruminantAn animal that chews food brought back from its stomach.C21.3
- 15,176ruminationTurning the same painful thought over endlessly.C21.3
- 15,177runnelA trickle of water finding its own small course.C21.3
- 15,178sanitiseTo make something clean and free of germs.B1+1.3
- 15,179sanitizerA gel that cleans hands without water.B1+1.3
- 15,180sawhorseA four-legged frame that holds timber for cutting.C11.3
- 15,181scabrousRough to the touch, or indecent in subject.C21.3
- 15,182secessionBreaking away from a country to form a new one.C11.3
- 15,183secondmentA temporary move to another team or organisation.C11.3
- 15,184sequestrationThe seizing of property, or a shutting away.C21.3
- 15,185sheepfoldAn enclosure where sheep are kept at night.C11.3
- 15,186shortlistThe small group chosen from all the applicants.C11.3
- 15,187sigilA device or emblem standing for a house or a person.C21.3
- 15,188simplificationThe making of something easier to follow.B2+1.3
- 15,189skincareThe routine of looking after your skin.B1+1.3
- 15,190smoulderTo burn slowly with smoke but no flame.B2+1.3
- 15,191snickTo cut a small notch, or to make a light clicking sound.C21.3
- 15,192sniggerTo laugh quietly and unkindly at someone.C11.3
- 15,193snowdropA tiny white flower that comes up while it is still cold.B1+1.3
- 15,194softwoodWood from a fast-growing evergreen, light and easy to cut.B2+1.3
- 15,195splutterTo speak in a choked, spitting way from shock or anger.C11.3
- 15,196squelchyMaking a wet sucking sound when pressed.C11.3
- 15,197stalagmiteA stone spike rising from a cave floor.B2+1.3
- 15,198stanchTo stop a flow of blood.C21.3
- 15,199statecraftSkill in governing a country.C21.3
- 15,200stoatA small fierce hunting animal related to the weasel.C11.3
- 15,201stocktakingCounting everything held in store.C11.3
- 15,202straggleTo trail along behind in a scattered line.C11.3
- 15,203straightenersHot flat plates that press curl out of hair.B1+1.3
- 15,204stratificationThe arrangement of things in separate layers.C11.3
- 15,205striplingA boy or young man not yet grown to full size.C21.3
- 15,206stuffinessAirlessness in a room, or stiff formality in a person.C11.3
- 15,207stylisticTo do with the manner in which something is done.C11.3
- 15,208subalternA junior officer in the army.C21.3
- 15,209subassemblyA group of parts put together before final building.C21.3
- 15,210subjugateTo bring a people under your complete control.C11.3
- 15,211synthesiseTo combine separate ideas into one new whole.C11.3
- 15,212ternA slender sea bird that hovers then dives for fish.C11.3
- 15,213tetchyFretfully peevish and easily upset by small things, in the way an overtired child or an ailing person is.C21.3
- 15,214theatricalityAn exaggerated showy manner.C11.3
- 15,215timberedBuilt with a visible wooden frame.C11.3
- 15,216timelinessThe quality of happening at just the right moment.C11.3
- 15,217titheA tenth of your income given to the church.C11.3
- 15,218titterTo laugh quietly in a nervous or self-conscious way.C11.3
- 15,219torpidSluggish and mentally inactive.C21.3
- 15,220totemicStanding as a powerful symbol for a group.C21.3
- 15,221towpathThe path beside a canal where horses once pulled boats.C11.3
- 15,222traceryFine ornamental stonework in a window.C21.3
- 15,223tractableEasy to manage or to deal with.C21.3
- 15,224transeptThe arm that crosses the nave of a church.C21.3
- 15,225transshipmentMoving cargo from one vehicle to another en route.C21.3
- 15,226trapeziumA four-sided shape with one pair of parallel sides.C11.3
- 15,227trusteeshipThe duty of holding something in trust for others.C21.3
- 15,228typesetTo arrange text in its final printed form.C11.3
- 15,229unbiddenComing without having been asked or invited.C11.3
- 15,230undemonstrativeNot given to showing feeling openly.C21.3
- 15,231undercoatThe layer of paint that goes on before the finish.B2+1.3
- 15,232undercroftThe vaulted cellar storey beneath a church or great hall, used for storage or meetings rather than for burials.C21.3
- 15,233undertoneThe faint colour beneath the surface of skin.C11.3
- 15,234uneasilyIn a way that shows anxiety or discomfort.B2+1.3
- 15,235unenviableSo difficult or unpleasant that nobody would want it.C11.3
- 15,236unfeasibleNot able to be done in practice.C21.3
- 15,237unlimberTo get a gun ready for firing.C21.3
- 15,238unperturbedNot worried by what is going on.C11.3
- 15,239unseeingLooking without taking anything in.C21.3
- 15,240upendTo turn something on its end, or to overturn a plan.C11.3
- 15,241vacillateTo keep changing your mind and settling nothing.C21.3
- 15,242venerateTo regard somebody with deep respect.C11.3
- 15,243vicissitudeOne of the changes of fortune life brings.C21.3
- 15,244vivacityLiveliness of manner and spirit.C21.3
- 15,245vociferousExpressing opinions loudly and insistently.C21.3
- 15,246waterfowlBirds that live on or near water.C11.3
- 15,247watermillA mill driven by a wheel turned by a stream.B1+1.3
- 15,248waybillThe document travelling with a consignment.C21.3
- 15,249weatheringThe breaking down of rock where it lies.B2+1.3
- 15,250welterA confused and disordered mass of things.C21.3
- 15,251whirrTo make a low continuous sound from something spinning.C11.3
- 15,252windburnSore reddened skin caused by cold wind.C11.3
- 15,253wistfulnessA gentle sadness for something longed for.C21.3
- 15,254wrongdoerSomebody who acts illegally or immorally.B2+1.3
- 15,255yowlTo make a long, loud, wailing cry.C11.3
- 15,256zingyBright and sharply refreshing.C11.3
- 15,257zugzwangA position where any move you make will hurt you.C21.3
- 15,258lightbulbA glass bulb producing light from electricity.B21.3
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.
- —a and eThe hospital department for sudden serious cases.B2
- —a b testShowing two versions to see which performs better.B2
- —a ballpark figureA rough guess at a number, close enough to work with.C1
- —a blessing in disguiseBad luck that secretly turns out to be good.C1
- —a can of wormsA problem that spills into endless new problems once opened.C1
- —a cappellaSung with no instruments at all.C1
- —a drop in the oceanAn amount far too small to make any difference.C1
- —a fresh pair of eyesSomebody new looking at a problem you have stared at too long.B2
- —a hard nut to crackA problem or a person that is very difficult to deal with.C1
- —a home from homeA place where you feel as comfortable as in your own house.B2
- —a la carteChosen dish by dish, each with its own price.B2
- —a leopard cannot change its spotsPeople do not really alter their nature.C1
- —a piece of my mindAn angry telling-off you give someone who deserves it.C1
- —a piece of the pieYour fair share of the money or benefits.C1
- —a sight for sore eyesSomebody or something you are very glad to see.C1
- —a slippery slopeA small wrong step that leads to much worse ones.B2
- —a stitch in time saves nineDeal with a small problem now and avoid a big one later.C1
- —a stone's throw awayVery close by indeed.B2
- —a taste of their own medicineTreatment as unpleasant as what they gave others.B2
- —a tidy sumA considerably larger amount of money than expected.C1
- —abashedEmbarrassed and put out of countenance.C2
- —abdomen segmentOne ring of the rear section of an insect's body.C1
- —about timeSaid when something overdue finally happens.B2
- —abrogationThe formal cancelling of a law or a treaty.C2
- —abseilTo come down a rock face on a rope.C1
- —absent-mindedForgetful because your thoughts are elsewhere.B2
- —absentlyWithout paying attention to what you are doing.B2
- —absolutismThe view that some truths hold everywhere, always.C2
- —accessible roomA room designed for a guest who uses a wheelchair.B2
- —accessible toiletA lavatory designed for people with disabilities.B1
- —acclimatiseTo let your body get used to thinner air.C1
- —accordA formal agreement between two sides who were in dispute.B2
- —accordion keysThe buttons pressed while squeezing a bellows instrument.B2
- —account forTo explain the cause or reason for something.B2
- —account numberThe unique number identifying a particular account.B1
- —accreditTo recognise officially as meeting a standard.C1
- —achilles heelThe one weak point in somebody otherwise strong.C1
- —acid rainRain made sour by pollution, which kills trees.B2
- —acorn cupThe rough little cup an oak seed sits in.B2
- —across fromOn the other side, facing you.A2
- —act upTo behave badly, or to stop working properly.C1
- —action figureA small posable model of a character.B1
- —action pointA task assigned to somebody during a meeting.B2
- —actions speak louder than wordsThe saying: what people do proves more than what they say.B2
- —activation energyThe push a reaction needs before it will start.C1
- —acute angleAn angle smaller than a square corner.B2
- —ad hominemAttacking the person instead of their argument.C2
- —ad libWords spoken without preparation.C2
- —ad-libTo speak without a script, making it up as you go.C2
- —add fuel to the fireTo make an angry situation worse.B2
- —add upTo make sense as a whole, or to total numbers.B2
- —add up toTo amount to something when everything is counted.B2
- —adjoinTo be next to and touching.C1
- —adjoining roomsTwo rooms with a door between them.C1
- —adoptive parentSomebody who becomes a child's legal parent for life.B2
- —after allUsed to introduce a reason or justification.B2
- —after youA polite invitation to go first.B1
- —after-schoolHappening once the school day has ended.B1
- —against the clockHurrying to finish before time runs out.B2
- —agapeWith the mouth wide open in astonishment.C2
- —agenda itemOne subject listed for discussion at a meeting.B2
- —aggrieveTo make somebody feel unfairly treated.C2
- —agitationA state of anxious restlessness.C1
- —aglitterSparkling all over with light.C2
- —agoniseTo worry at a decision for far too long.C1
- —agony auntThe columnist who answers readers' personal problems.C1
- —ahead of timeEarlier than was required.B1
- —aid workerSomebody who brings help where a disaster has struck.B2
- —air ambulanceA helicopter that carries the badly injured.B2
- —air bedAn inflatable mattress for sleeping outdoors.B1
- —air conditionerThe machine that makes a room cool in summer.B1
- —air freshenerSomething that puts a pleasant smell into a room.B1
- —air milesPoints earned by flying, spent on future travel.B2
- —air outTo let fresh air through a room.B2
- —air pocketA sudden drop caused by a change in the air.C1
- —air pressureThe weight of the atmosphere pressing down.B2
- —air traffic controllerThe official who directs aircraft by radio.B2
- —airplane modeThe setting that switches off all wireless signals.B1
- —airstairThe steps rolled up to an aircraft door.C2
- —aisle seatA seat beside the walkway.B1
- —alarm clockA clock that sounds at a set time to wake somebody.A2
- —algorithm feedA stream of posts chosen for you by a machine.B2
- —alibi witnessSomeone who swears the accused was somewhere else.C1
- —alightOn fire, or burning.C1
- —all else being equalAssuming nothing else changes.C1
- —all handsEvery member of the crew, called on deck.C1
- —all in good timeBe patient, it will happen when it should.B2
- —all mod consAll the modern comforts a home can have.C2
- —all the sameNevertheless, in spite of what has been said.C1
- —all things consideredTaking everything into account.B2
- —all-clearA signal or message that danger is over, or that something is safe.B2
- —all-encompassingTaking in absolutely everything.C2
- —all-inclusiveCovering meals, drinks and activities in one price.B2
- —all-nightOf a diner, party, or vigil: going on without a break from dusk until dawn.B1
- —all-outUsing every resource available.C1
- —allergic reactionThe body responding dangerously to something harmless.B2
- —alloy steelSteel with other metals added to change its properties.C1
- —alloy wheelA car wheel cast from light metal rather than pressed steel.C1
- —alluviumSoil and gravel left behind by a river.C2
- —aloftUp in or into the air.C2
- —alt textA written description of a picture for those who cannot see it.B2
- —altitude sicknessIllness caused by thin air high in the mountains.B2
- —amalgamateTo merge separate bodies into one.C1
- —ambulance crewThe staff who attend an emergency and travel with the patient.B2
- —amendment rightA freedom guaranteed by a change to a constitution.C1
- —ammoniteA spiral-shelled sea creature found in rock.C1
- —ampouleA tiny sealed glass tube of liquid medicine.C2
- —amputeeA person who has had an arm or a leg removed.B2
- —amuse-boucheA tiny free taste sent out before the meal begins.C2
- —amusement parkA park of rides, games, and candy floss.B1
- —an act of godA disaster no person could have prevented.C1
- —anacondaA huge South American snake that kills by wrapping around and squeezing.C2
- —anchor chainThe heavy links that hold a boat to its anchor.B2
- —andorraTiny country high in the Pyrenees between France and Spain.C1
- —annotationA note added to a text to explain or comment on it.C1
- —annual leavePaid holiday earned over the year.B2
- —anodyneDeliberately inoffensive and lacking any substance.C2
- —answer backTo reply rudely to somebody in authority.B2
- —antelopeA fast horned animal of the open plains, built to outrun what hunts it.C2
- —anti-ageingMade to slow the visible effects of getting older.B2
- —antonymA word meaning the opposite of another word.B1
- —apiThe agreed set of calls one program offers another.B2
- —apocalypticResembling or predicting the end of the world.C2
- —apologeticShowing or expressing regret.C1
- —apology statementA public message admitting fault and expressing regret.B2
- —appeal courtThe higher court that reviews a decision already made.B2
- —appendTo add something at the end.C1
- —apples and orangesTwo things too different to be compared fairly.B2
- —appliquéDecoration made by sewing shapes onto a background.C1
- —apron stringsA phrase for a parent's control that a grown child hasn't escaped from.C2
- —archive fileA single file holding many others, usually squeezed.B2
- —archive footageOld recordings kept and used again later.B2
- —archonA chief magistrate in an ancient or invented state.C2
- —armadilloA small animal in bony plates that rolls into a ball when frightened.C2
- —armistice dayThe anniversary of the hour the fighting stopped.C1
- —armrestThe padded support at the side of a seat for your arm.B1
- —arms raceTwo powers building weapons faster than each other.B2
- —aromatic herbA leaf grown for the scent it gives to food.B2
- —around the clockContinuously, day and night.B2
- —arrivals hallThe area where people wait to meet passengers.B1
- —art historyThe study of painting and sculpture through time.B2
- —artificial intelligenceComputer systems that can learn, reason, and answer like a mind.B2
- —artillery pieceOne heavy gun of the kind that fires far.C1
- —as a ruleUsually, though not always.B2
- —as i was sayingSaid to pick up a thread that got interrupted.B2
- —as the crow fliesMeasured in a straight line, ignoring the roads.C1
- —ash treeA tall tree with feathery leaves and black buds.B2
- —ask outTo invite somebody on a date.B1
- —assay officeWhere precious metal is tested and stamped.C2
- —assembly lineA line of workers each adding one part in turn.B2
- —assembly pointWhere everybody gathers after leaving a building.B2
- —assistance dogA dog trained to help somebody with a disability.B2
- —asthma inhalerThe device that opens tight airways.B2
- —astroturfingFaking grassroots support for a product or view.C2
- —at a loose endWith nothing in particular to do.C1
- —at arm's lengthAs far away as your reach, or kept at a distance.C1
- —at bayCornered and forced to face the pursuers.C1
- —at long lastFinally, after a long and frustrating wait.B2
- —at the drop of a hatImmediately, and without needing to be asked twice.B2
- —at the eleventh hourAt the very last possible moment.C1
- —at the end of the dayWhen everything is considered, this is what matters.B2
- —at the junctionWhere two or more roads meet.B1
- —atomic massHow heavy one atom of an element is.B2
- —atomic numberHow many protons an element's atoms have.B2
- —attaintTo strip somebody of rights after a conviction.C2
- —au pairA young foreigner who helps with children in return for board.B2
- —audience shareThe slice of all viewers that one channel holds.B2
- —audio descriptionA spoken account of what is happening on screen.B2
- —aurochsA huge wild ox now extinct.C2
- —auto-renewalA subscription that continues unless you stop it.B2
- —autocompleteThe feature that finishes your typing for you.B2
- —autocorrectThe feature that changes what you typed, right or wrong.B2
- —avant-gardeNew and experimental, well ahead of what most people accept.C1
- —avert your eyesTo look away deliberately.C1
- —avert your gazeTo deliberately look away.C1
- —avoid eye contactTo deliberately keep from looking directly at somebody.B2
- —azerbaijanThe Caucasus country of Baku, on the Caspian Sea.B2
- —baby monitorThe device that lets you hear a sleeping baby.B1
- —baby showerA party held before a baby arrives.B1
- —baby-sitTo look after a child while the parents are out.A2
- —babygrowA one-piece garment a baby sleeps in.C1
- —back awayTo move backwards away from something.B1
- —back downTo abandon a position in an argument or confrontation.C1
- —back offTo stop pressing or pressuring somebody.B2
- —back on your feetRecovered and going about normally again.B2
- —back orderAn order waiting until stock arrives again.C1
- —back outTo withdraw from an agreement or commitment.B2
- —back to backWith backs touching, facing away.B1
- —back to frontWith the rear part facing forward.B1
- —back to square oneForced to start all over again from the beginning.B2
- —back upTo make a copy of data for safety.B2
- —background checkAn examination of a person's history.B2
- —backing trackRecorded music a singer performs over.B2
- —backlightLight coming from behind the subject.B2
- —backlinkA link from another site pointing at yours.C1
- —backpack strapThe shoulder band used to carry a backpack.B1
- —backseatThe seat behind the driver in a vehicle.A2
- —backstitchA strong hand stitch that doubles back on itself.C1
- —backup powerA reserve supply for when the main one stops.B2
- —bad luckSaid to somebody who has just missed out.B1
- —bad-temperedEasily made angry.B2
- —baggage allowanceHow much luggage your ticket lets you take.B2
- —baggage handlerThe worker who loads and unloads luggage.B2
- —baggage reclaimThe belt where bags come round after landing.B2
- —bagging areaThe space where you pack what you have bought.B2
- —bahrainSmall island kingdom in the Persian Gulf, famous for its Grand Prix.B2
- —bail outTo rescue somebody from trouble, usually with money.C1
- —baileyThe open courtyard inside a castle wall.C2
- —bailoutMoney given to rescue a failing business.C1
- —balance beamThe narrow raised bar a gymnast performs along.B2
- —balance sheetThe statement of what a business owns and owes.C1
- —balcony seatsThe raised seating above the main floor.B2
- —baldlyPlainly and without softening what is said.C1
- —bale twineThe string that holds a bundle of hay together.C1
- —balustradeThe row of small posts along the edge of a balcony.C1
- —bank accountAn arrangement with a bank for holding and moving money.B1
- —bank holidayA public day off when banks and offices close.B1
- —bank onTo rely on something happening.B2
- —bank statementA record of transactions on a bank account over a period.B1
- —bank transferMoving money straight from one account to another.B1
- —banner adA wide advertisement strip across a web page.B2
- —bar mitzvahThe ceremony marking a Jewish boy's coming of age.B2
- —bar of soapA solid block of soap for washing.A2
- —barbaricSavagely cruel and uncivilised.C1
- —barcodeThe black stripes on a product that the till scans with a beep.B1
- —barge inTo enter or interrupt rudely.C1
- —bark ordersTo give commands in a short harsh voice.C1
- —barking up the wrong treeBlaming or pursuing entirely the wrong thing.C1
- —barn owlA pale heart-faced owl that hunts in silence.B2
- —barnacle growthThe crust of small shellfish that slows a hull.C1
- —barrier-freeDesigned so that nothing blocks the way in.B2
- —base coatThe clear layer painted on before colour.B2
- —base noteThe deep smell that lingers longest in a scent.C1
- —basebornBorn of low or illegitimate birth.C2
- —basement flatA home below street level.B1
- —basic trainingThe first hard weeks that turn a civilian into a soldier.B2
- —basketball courtThe marked floor the game is played on.B1
- —bass drumThe big deep drum struck with a pedal.B2
- —bass voiceThe lowest singing voice.B2
- —bath saltsScented crystals dissolved in bathwater.B2
- —bay windowA window that projects outward from the wall.B2
- —bccTo copy somebody in without the others seeing.B2