Glossary of 1,500 Common English Words
Browse the glossary using this index
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Senate | ||
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the smaller of the two groups in the governments of some countries, such as in the United States Congress | ||
sabotage | ||
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to damage or destroy as an act against an organization or nation ("The rebels sabotaged the railroad.") | ||
sacrifice | ||
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to do without something or to suffer a loss for a belief, idea, goal or another person | ||
sad | ||
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not happy | ||
safe | ||
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away from harm or danger | ||
sail | ||
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to travel by boat or ship | ||
sailor | ||
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a person involved in sailing a boat or ship | ||
salt | ||
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a white substance found in sea water and in the ground, used to affect the taste of food | ||
same | ||
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not different; not changed; like another or others | ||
sand | ||
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extremely small pieces of crushed rock found in large amounts in deserts and on coasts | ||
satellite | ||
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a small object in space that moves around a larger object; an object placed in orbit around the earth | ||
satisfy | ||
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to give or provide what is desired, needed or demanded | ||
save | ||
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to make safe; to remove from harm; to keep for future use | ||
say | ||
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to speak; to express in words | ||
school | ||
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a place for education; a place where people go to learn | ||
science | ||
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the study of nature and the actions of natural things, and the knowledge gained about them | ||
sea | ||
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a large area of salt water, usually part of an ocean | ||
search | ||
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to look for carefully | ||
seat | ||
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a thing to sit on; a place to sit or the right to sit there ("a seat in parliament") | ||
second | ||
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the one that comes after the first | ||
secret | ||
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something known only to a few and kept from general knowledge; ad. hidden from others; known only to a few | ||
security | ||
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freedom from danger or harm; protection; measures necessary to protect a person or place ("Security was increased in the city.") | ||
see | ||
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to know or sense through the eyes; to understand or know | ||
seed | ||
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the part of a plant from which new plants grow | ||
seek(ing) | ||
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to search for ("They are seeking a cure for cancer."); to try to get ("She is seeking election to public office."); to plan to do ("Electric power companies are seeking to reduce their use of coal.") | ||
seem | ||
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to appear to be ("She seems to be in good health.") | ||
seize | ||
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to take quickly by force; to take control of quickly; to arrest | ||
self | ||
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all that which makes one person different from others | ||
sell | ||
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to give something in exchange for money | ||
send | ||
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to cause to go; to permit to go; to cause to be carried, taken or directed to or away from a place | ||
sense | ||
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to come to know about by feeling, believing or understanding; n. any of the abilities to see, hear, taste, smell or feel | ||
sentence | ||
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to declare the punishment for a crime; n. the punishment for a crime | ||
separate | ||
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to set or keep people, things or ideas away from or independent from others; ad. not together or connected; different | ||
series | ||
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a number of similar things or events that follow one after another in time, position or order | ||
serious | ||
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important; needing careful consideration; dangerous | ||
serve | ||
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to work as an official; to be employed by the government; to assist or help | ||
service | ||
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an organization or system that provides something for the public ("Schools and roads are services paid for by taxes."); a job that an organization or business can do for money; military organizations such as an army, navy or air force; a religious ceremony | ||
set | ||
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to put in place or position; to establish a time, price or limit | ||
settle | ||
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to end (a dispute); to agree about (a problem); to make a home in a new place | ||
several | ||
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three or more, but not many | ||
severe | ||
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not gentle; causing much pain, sadness or damage | ||
sex | ||
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either the male or female group into which all people and animals are divided because of their actions in producing young; the physical activity by which humans and animals can produce young | ||
shake | ||
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to move or cause to move in short, quick movements | ||
shape | ||
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to give form to; n. the form of something, especially how it looks | ||
share | ||
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to give part of something to another or others; n. a part belonging to, given to or owned by a single person or a group; any one of the equal parts of ownership of a business or company | ||
sharp | ||
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having a thin edge or small point that can cut or hurt; causing hurt or pain | ||
she | ||
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the girl or woman who is being spoken about | ||
sheep | ||
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a farm animal used for its meat and hair | ||
shell | ||
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to fire artillery; n. a metal container that is fired from a large gun and explodes when it reaches its target; a hard outside cover | ||
shelter | ||
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to protect or give protection to; n. something that gives protection; a place of safety | ||
shine | ||
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to aim a light; to give bright light; to be bright; to clean to make bright | ||
ship | ||
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to transport; n. a large boat | ||
shock | ||
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to cause to feel sudden surprise or fear; n. something that greatly affects the mind or emotions; a powerful shake, as from an earthquake | ||
shoe | ||
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a covering for the foot | ||
shoot | ||
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to cause a gun or other weapon to send out an object designed to kill; to use a gun | ||
short | ||
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lasting only for a small period of time; not long; opposite tall | ||
should | ||
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used with another verb (action word) to show responsibility ("We should study."), probability ("The talks should begin soon."), or that something is believed to be a good idea ("Criminals should be punished.") | ||
shout | ||
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to speak very loudly | ||
show | ||
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to make something be seen; to make known; n. a play or story presented in a theater, or broadcast on radio or television, for enjoyment or education; something organized to be seen by the public | ||
shrink | ||
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to make or become less in size, weight or value | ||
sick | ||
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suffering physically or mentally with a disease or other problem; not in good health | ||
sickness | ||
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the condition of being in bad health | ||
side | ||
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the outer surfaces of an object that are not the top or bottom; parts away from the middle; either the right or left half of the body | ||
sign | ||
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to write one's name; n. a mark or shape used to mean something; evidence that something exists or will happen; a flat piece of material with writing that gives information | ||
signal | ||
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to send a message by signs; n. an action or movement that sends a message | ||
silence | ||
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to make quiet; to stop from speaking or making noise; n. a lack of noise or sound | ||
silver | ||
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a valued white metal | ||
similar | ||
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like something else but not exactly the same | ||
simple | ||
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easy to understand or do; not difficult or complex | ||
since | ||
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from a time in the past until now ("I have known her since we went to school together.") | ||
sing | ||
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to make music sounds with the voice | ||
single | ||
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one only | ||
sink | ||
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to go down into water or other liquid | ||
sister | ||
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a female with the same father or mother as another person | ||
sit | ||
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to rest on the lower part of the body without the support of the legs; to become seated | ||
situation | ||
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the way things are during a period of time | ||
size | ||
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the space occupied by something; how long, wide or high something is | ||
skeleton | ||
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all the bones of a human or other animal together in their normal positions | ||
skill | ||
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the ability gained from training or experience | ||
skin | ||
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the outer covering of humans and most animals | ||
sky | ||
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the space above the earth | ||
slave | ||
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a person owned or controlled by another | ||
sleep | ||
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to rest the body and mind with the eyes closed | ||
slide | ||
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to move smoothly over a surface | ||
slow | ||
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to reduce the speed of; ad. not fast in moving, talking or other activities | ||
small | ||
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little in size or amount; few in number; not important; opposite large | ||
smash | ||
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to break or be broken into small pieces by force; to hit or move with >force | ||
smell | ||
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to sense through the nose; n. something sensed by the nose ("the smell of food cooking") | ||
smoke | ||
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to use cigarettes or other tobacco products by burning them and breathing in the smoke; n. that which can be seen rising into the air like a cloud from something burning | ||
smooth | ||
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having a level surface; opposite rough | ||
snow | ||
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soft, white pieces of frozen water that fall from the sky, usually in winter or when the air temperature is very cold | ||
so | ||
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in such a way that ("He held the flag so all could see it."); also; too ("She left early, and so did we."); very ("I am so sick."); as a result ("They were sick, so they could not come."); conj. in order that; for the purpose of ("Come early so we can discuss the plans.") | ||
social | ||
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of or about people or a group | ||
soft | ||
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not hard; easily shaped; pleasing to touch; not loud | ||
soil | ||
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earth in which plants grow | ||
soldier | ||
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a person in the army | ||
solid | ||
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having a hard shape with no empty spaces inside; strong; not in the form of a liquid or gas | ||
solve | ||
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to find an answer; to settle | ||
some | ||
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of an amount or number or part not stated; not all | ||
son | ||
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a person's male child | ||
soon | ||
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not long after the present time; quickly | ||
sort | ||
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any group of people or things that are the same or are similar in some way; a kind of something | ||
sound | ||
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fast-moving waves of energy that affect the ear and result in hearing; that which is heard | ||
south | ||
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the direction to the right of a person facing the rising sun | ||
space | ||
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the area outside the earth's atmosphere where the sun, moon, planets and stars are; the area between or inside things | ||
speak | ||
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to talk; to say words with the mouth; to express one's thoughts to others and exchange ideas; to give a speech to a group | ||
special | ||
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of a different or unusual kind; not for general use; better or more important than others of the same kind | ||
speech | ||
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a talk given to a group of people | ||
speed | ||
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to make something go or move faster; n. the rate at which something moves or travels; the rate at which something happens or is done | ||
spend | ||
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to give as payment; to use ("He spends much time studying.") | ||
spill | ||
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to cause or permit liquid to flow out, usually by accident | ||
spirit | ||
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the part of a human that is not physical and is connected to thoughts and emotions; the part of a person that is believed to remain alive after death | ||
split | ||
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to separate into two or more parts; to divide or break into parts | ||
sport | ||
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any game or activity of competition involving physical effort or skill | ||
spread | ||
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to become longer or wider; to make or become widely known | ||
spring | ||
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the time of the year between winter and summer | ||
spy | ||
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to steal or get information secretly; n. one who watches others secretly; a person employed by a government to get secret information about another country | ||
square | ||
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a flat shape having four equal sides | ||
stab | ||
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to cut or push into or through with a pointed weapon | ||
stand | ||
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to move into or be in a position in which only the feet are on a surface; to be in one position or place | ||
star | ||
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a mass of gas that usually appears as a small light in the sky at night, but is not a planet; a famous person, usually an actor or singer | ||
start | ||
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to begin; to make something begin | ||
starve | ||
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to suffer or die from a lack of food | ||
state | ||
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to say; to declare; n. a political part of a nation | ||
station | ||
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a place of special work or purpose ("a police station"); a place where passengers get on or off trains or buses; a place for radio or television broadcasts | ||
statue | ||
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a form of a human, animal or other creature usually made of stone, wood or metal | ||
stay | ||
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to continue to be where one is; to remain; to not leave; to live for a time ("They stayed in New York for two years.") | ||
steal | ||
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to take without permission or paying | ||
steam | ||
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the gas that comes from hot water | ||
steel | ||
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iron made harder and stronger by mixing it with other substances | ||
step | ||
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to move by lifting one foot and placing it in a new position; n. the act of stepping; one of a series of actions designed to reach a goal | ||
stick | ||
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to attach something to another thing using a substance that will hold them together; to become fixed in one position so that movement is difficult ("Something is making the door stick."); n. a thin piece of wood | ||
still | ||
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not moving ("The man was standing still."); until the present or a stated time ("Was he still there?"); even so; although ("The job was difficult, but she still wanted to do it.") | ||
stomach | ||
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breaks down food for the body to use | ||
stone | ||
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a small piece of rock | ||
stop | ||
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to prevent any more movement or action; to come or bring to an end | ||
store | ||
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to keep or put away for future use; n. a place where people buy things | ||
storm | ||
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violent weather, including strong winds and rain or snow | ||
story | ||
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the telling or writing of an event, either real or imagined | ||
stove | ||
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a heating device used for cooking | ||
straight | ||
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continuing in one direction without turns | ||
strange | ||
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unusual; not normal; not known | ||
street | ||
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a road in a city, town or village | ||
stretch | ||
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to extend for a distance; to pull on to make longer or wider | ||
strike | ||
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to hit with force; to stop work as a way to seek better conditions, more pay or to make other demands | ||
strong | ||
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having much power; not easily broken, damaged or destroyed | ||
structure | ||
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the way something is built, made or organized; a system that is formed or organized in a special way; a building | ||
struggle | ||
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to try with much effort; to fight with; n. a great effort; a fight | ||
study | ||
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to make an effort to gain knowledge by using the mind; to examine carefully | ||
stupid | ||
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not able to learn much; not intelligent | ||
subject | ||
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the person or thing being discussed, studied or written about | ||
submarine | ||
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an underwater ship | ||
substance | ||
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the material of which something is made (a solid, liquid or gas) | ||
substitute | ||
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to put or use in place of another; n. a person or thing put or used in place of another | ||
subversion | ||
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an attempt to weaken or destroy a political system or government, usually secretly | ||
succeed | ||
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to reach a goal or thing desired; to produce a planned result | ||
such | ||
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of this or that kind; of the same kind as; similar to | ||
sudden | ||
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not expected; without warning; done or carried out quickly or without preparation | ||
suffer | ||
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to feel pain in the body or mind; to receive or experience hurt or sadness | ||
sugar | ||
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a sweet substance made from liquids taken from plants | ||
suggest | ||
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to offer or propose something to think about or consider | ||
summer | ||
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the warmest time of the year, between spring and autumn | ||
sun | ||
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the huge star in the sky that provides heat and light to earth | ||
supervise | ||
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to direct and observe the work of others | ||
supply | ||
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to give; to provide; n. the amount of something that can be given or sold to others | ||
support | ||
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to carry the weight of; to hold up or in position; to agree with others and help them reach a goal; to approve | ||
suppose | ||
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to believe, think or imagine ("I suppose you are right."); to expect ("It is supposed to rain tonight.") | ||
suppress | ||
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to put down or to keep down by force; to prevent information from being known publicly | ||
sure | ||
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very probable; with good reason to believe; true without question | ||
surface | ||
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the outer side or top of something ("The rocket landed on the surface of the moon.") | ||
surplus | ||
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an amount that is more than is needed; extra; ("That country has a trade surplus. It exports more than it imports.") | ||
surprise | ||
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to cause a feeling of wonder because something is not expected; n. something not expected; the feeling caused by something not expected | ||
surrender | ||
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to give control of oneself or one's property to another or others; to stop fighting and admit defeat | ||
surround | ||
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to form a circle around; to be in positions all around someone or something | ||
survive | ||
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to remain alive during or after a dangerous situation | ||
suspect | ||
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to imagine or believe that a person is guilty of something bad or illegal; n. a person believed to be guilty | ||
suspend | ||
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to cause to stop for a period of time | ||
swallow | ||
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to take into the stomach through the mouth | ||
swear in | ||
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to put an official into office by having him or her promise to carry out the duties of that office ("The chief justice will swear in the president.") | ||
sweet | ||
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tasting pleasant, like sugar | ||
swim | ||
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to move through water by making motions with the arms and legs | ||
sympathy | ||
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a sharing of feelings or emotions with another person, usually feelings of sadness | ||
system | ||
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a method of organizing or doing something by following rules or a plan; a group of connected things or parts working together for a common purpose or goal | ||