Glossary of 1,500 Common English Words
Browse the glossary using this index
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E |
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each | ||
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every one by itself | ||
early | ||
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at or near the beginning, especially the beginning of the day; opposite late | ||
earn | ||
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to be paid in return for work done | ||
earth | ||
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the planet we all live on; the ground or soil | ||
earthquake | ||
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a sudden, violent shaking of the earth's surface | ||
ease | ||
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to reduce; to make less difficult | ||
east | ||
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the direction from which the sun rises | ||
easy | ||
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not difficult; not hard to do | ||
eat | ||
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to take food into the body through the mouth | ||
ecology | ||
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the scientific study of the environment and links among living and material things | ||
economy | ||
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the system by which money, industry and trade are organized | ||
edge | ||
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the line where something ends or begins | ||
education | ||
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the act of teaching | ||
effect | ||
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the result or change caused by something ("The storm had a serious effect on the economy.") | ||
effort | ||
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an attempt; the work necessary to do something | ||
either | ||
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one of two, but not the other | ||
elect | ||
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to choose by voting | ||
electricity | ||
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a form of energy that flows through wires to provide heat and light, and power to machines | ||
electron | ||
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a small part of an atom that has an electrical force | ||
element | ||
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one of more than 100 substances known to science that cannot be separated into other substances | ||
embassy | ||
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the offices of an ambassador and his or her assistants | ||
emergency | ||
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an unexpected and dangerous situation demanding quick action | ||
emotion | ||
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a strong feeling such as love, hate, fear or sadness | ||
employ | ||
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to give work in return for wages | ||
empty | ||
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having nothing inside; v. to remove everything | ||
end | ||
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to stop; to finish; n. the part which comes last | ||
enemy | ||
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a person opposing or hating another; a person or people of the other side in a war | ||
energy | ||
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power used to do work, usually with machines; the ability and willingness to be active | ||
enforce | ||
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to make something be done | ||
engine | ||
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a machine that uses energy to cause movement or to do work | ||
engineer | ||
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a person who designs engines, machines, roads, bridges or railroads | ||
enjoy | ||
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to be pleased or satisfied by something | ||
enough | ||
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as much as necessary; pro. the amount needed | ||
enter | ||
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to come or go into | ||
environment | ||
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all surrounding things, conditions and influences that affect life; the natural world of land, sea, air, plants and animals | ||
enzyme | ||
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a special kind of protein; it produces changes in other substances without being changed itself | ||
equal | ||
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the same in amount, size, weight or value; having the same rights | ||
equipment | ||
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things, tools or machines needed for a purpose or activity | ||
escape | ||
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to get free; to get away from; to get out of | ||
especially | ||
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more than others ("We liked the food, especially the fish.") | ||
establish | ||
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to bring into existence; to create | ||
estimate | ||
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to form an opinion about a value, size or amount using less than complete information | ||
ethnic | ||
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of or concerning people belonging to a large group because of their race, religion, language, tribe or where their ancestors lived | ||
evaporate | ||
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to change from a liquid into a gas | ||
even | ||
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in a way not thought possible ("They survived, even though the building was destroyed.") | ||
event | ||
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that which happens, especially something of importance | ||
ever | ||
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at any time | ||
every | ||
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each one; all | ||
evidence | ||
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material or facts that prove something; a reason for believing | ||
evil | ||
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not good; extremely bad | ||
exact | ||
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having no mistakes; correct in every detail | ||
examine | ||
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to study closely | ||
example | ||
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a part that shows what the rest of a thing or group is like | ||
excellent | ||
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extremely good | ||
except | ||
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but for | ||
exchange | ||
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to trade; to give or receive one thing for another | ||
excuse | ||
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to take away blame; to pardon; to forgive; n. a reason (sometimes false) for an action | ||
execute | ||
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to kill | ||
exercise | ||
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an activity or effort for the purpose of improving the body or to stay in good health | ||
exile | ||
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to force a person to leave his or her country; to expel; n. a person who is forced to leave his or her country | ||
exist | ||
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to be; to live | ||
expand | ||
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to make larger; to grow larger | ||
expect | ||
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to think or believe that something will happen; to wait for an event | ||
expel | ||
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to force out; to remove from; to send away | ||
experience | ||
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to live through an event, situation or condition ("She experienced great pain."); n. something that one has done or lived through ("The experience caused her great pain.") | ||
experiment | ||
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to test; n. a test or trial carried out to prove if an idea is true or false, or to discover something | ||
expert | ||
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a person with special knowledge or training | ||
explain | ||
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to give reasons for; to make clear; to tell about; to tell the meaning | ||
explode | ||
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to break apart violently with a loud noise, like a bomb | ||
explore | ||
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to travel in a place that is not well known to learn more about it; to make a careful search; to examine closely | ||
export | ||
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to send to another country; n. something sent to another country, usually for sale | ||
express | ||
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to say clearly | ||
extend | ||
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to stretch out in area or length; to continue for a longer time | ||
extra | ||
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more than normal, expected or necessary | ||
extreme | ||
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more than the usual or accepted | ||
extremist | ||
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a person with strong religious or political beliefs who acts in an extreme or violent way | ||