TOEFL Word List

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TOEFL Word List


Abhor (verb) to hate or think of disgust
The man abhors the feel of snakes.

Abject (adj.) poor or miserable; thought to be worthless
The poor lived in abject poverty.

The woman gave an abject apology.

Accelerate (verb) to increase the speed
The bus accelerates quickly.

Accent (verb) a mark of emphasis, to give emphasis
The British accent the words differently than the American.

Accentuate (verb) to give force to or draw attention to
The blue scarf accentuates the blue dress.

TOEFL Word List


The blue scarf accentuates the blue dress.
Accessible (adj.) able to be reached; convenient
All buildings should be accessible to the disabled.

Acclaim (verb) to give approval; to applaud
The man is acclaimed as a great writer.

Accurate/ accuracy (adj./noun) exacts; correct
He gives an accurate account of the event.

Acrid (adj.) sharp, having a bitter smell or taste
Lots of factories put out an acrid smell.

TOEFL Word List


Adjacent to (adj.) next to; near, but not necessarily touching
Our house is adjacent to a park.

Adjoin (verb) be next to or nearest to
The two buildings are adjoining.

Advantageous (adj.) profitable; helpful
It is advantageous to be able to speak more than one language.

Advent (noun) the arrival of an important development/ season/ person
Since the advent of Internet, there have been great changes in our lives.

Advocate (noun/verb) a person who supports or speaks in favor of
something; to support
Consumer Council is an advocate of fair treatment for consumers.

TOEFL Word List

Affect (verb) to have an influence on
Pollution affects our lives.

Aforementioned (adj.) said or written before
The aforementioned topic is of great importance.

Aim (noun/verb) a purpose or goal; to point a weapon or direct a remark in
order to hit something
He aimed the gun at the police.

Alert/alertly (adj./ adv.) fully awake and ready to act
The guards watch alertly as the man appears.

Alienate (verb) to cause a person to become unfriendly or indifferent
His angry remarks alienated his supporters.

TOEFL Word List


Amass (verb) to collect or pile up
She has amassed her fortune over several years.

Ambition (noun) strong desire for success or fame
She works hard because of her great ambition to be a famous dancer.

Ambrosia (noun) food that has a delightful taste or smell; “food of the gods”
She makes desserts taste like ambrosia.

Amend/amendment (verb/noun) improve; correct; a change made to a rule
The government should amend existing building laws.

Anomaly (noun) something abnormal or unusual
A driver who cannot drive is an anomaly

TOEFL Word List


A driver who cannot drive is an anomaly
Anticipate (verb) to do something before someone else or before the right
time; to see what is likely to happen in the future
The concert promoter anticipates a large crowd for the performance.

Anxiety (noun) an emotional condition of fear and uncertainty
The students wait with anxiety for their exam results.

Apex (noun) the highest point; the top
The apex of Hong Kong is not at the Peak.

Appall/ appalling (verb/adj.) fill with fear; shock
The number of children who starved in the famine were appalling.

Appeal to (verb) make a request; to call for help or sympathy; to attract
His music appeals to young people.

TOEFL Word List


Appear (verb) to come into view; to become visible
The famous singer finally appears at the end of the show.

Appliance (noun) a piece of equipment
A washing machine is an electrical appliance.

Appropriate (adj.) suitable; proper
It is not appropriate to use your mobile phone when you are watching a movie.

Approximate (adj.) almost the same; more or less correct; close to
The approximate speed the car was going was 50 kilometer per hour.

Apt (adj.) likely; relevant
The undisciplined child is apt to get into trouble sooner or later.

TOEFL Word List


Arduous (adj.) difficult; using much energy
Taichi can be an arduous exercise.

Arouse (verb) to awaken; to cause to become active
The compass needle direction aroused his interests in science.

Articulate (verb) to speak distinctly or clearly; to connect or be jointed
The politician is able to articulate his words well.

As of late (conj. + adj.) recently
Crime rate has decreased as of late.

Aspect (noun) the particular way something appears; the look or appearance
of something
To understand something well you must look at it from all aspects.

TOEFL Word List




Astute (adj.) clever, quick
The astute student answered all the questions correctly in the contest.

Attempt (noun/ verb) the act of trying; to make an effort; to try
The prisoner attempted to escape from prison.

Attribute (verb) to consider something as the result of something else
He attributes his success to his hard work and dedications.

Augment (verb) to make something greater; to add to
He works at a part-time job to augment his family income.

Authoritative (adj.) having authority; commanding
His authoritative manner does not earn him respects from us.

Back and forth (adv.) movement: first one way and then the other the anxious father walks back and forth across the waiting room in the Hospital.

TOEFL Word List


Bare (adv.) without clothing or protection
Can you catch fish with your bare hands?
Barrier (noun) something that prevents movement or progress
There is a language barrier between them.

Barter (verb) to exchange goods or property for other goods or property
Poor countries still barter products for food.

Beak (noun) the hard, horny part of a bird’s mouth
All birds have a beak.

Behold (verb) to look at, to observe
The sky during sun rise is a lovely sight to behold.

TOEFL Word List


The sky during sun rise is a lovely sight to behold.
Bend (verb) to cause something to curve or be at an angle
You cannot bend a steel pipe easily.

Beneficial (adj.) helpful
Clean air is beneficial to our health.

Beyond (prep) farther than, later than, surpassing, exceeding
His father won’t let him stay in the party beyond midnight.

Bind (verb) to tie or fasten, to hold an agreement
Can you bind the books together?
Bite/biting (verb/adj.) to cut with the teeth, the act of cutting with the teeth,
an injury resulting from a sting or bite; a sharpness or sting.

TOEFL Word List


Brave (adj.) ready to face danger, having no fear, having courage
The brave man jumped into the sea to save the drowning boy.

Breach (noun) a breaking or neglect of a rule agreement
The court has to decide if a breach of contract occurs.

Brink (noun) the edge of something, the upper edge of a steep place
The economy is on the brink of collapse.

Bump (noun/verb) a swelling; to move with a jerking motion
I have a bump on my arm from the insect bites.

Burrow (noun/verb) a hole made in the ground by a small animal, such as a
rabbit; to make a hole as a place of protection
Ground hogs live in burrows.

Bush (noun) a low-growing plant with many stems
Tea trees are a kind of bushes.

TOEFL Word List

Tea trees are a kind of bushes.
Bushy (adj.) growing thickly; rough and thick
The new born baby has bushy hair.
By degrees (adv.) gradually
Their love grew by degrees.
By-product (noun) anything product in the course of making something
else; a secondary product
Diesel is a by–product of oil.
By right (adv.) if justice were done
A son inherits his father’s property by rights.

TOEFL Word List



Campaign (noun) a series of planned activities intended to win votes for a
candidate for public office
His campaign for presidency has brought him to this city.
Candid (adj.) frank, straightforward, truthful
He wants to be candid with his friends.
Capacity (noun) the ability to hold or contain something
The disco has a capacity of 500 people.
Care (verb) to feel interest or sorrow; to be willing; to look after someone by
Providing food, medical assistance, etc.
Nurses care for their patients..
Carriage (noun) a vehicle for people, usually pulled by a horse

TOEFL Word List


The dog is taken away after it bit several people.
Bizarre (adj.) very odd or unusual
No one can explain the bizarre accident.
Bleak (adj.) cold, miserable, bare
The economic situation in Hong Kong was bleak for the past two years.
Blunder (verb) to move with uncertainty; to make foolish mistakes
The candidate for election is careful not to blunder in his speech.
Bold (adj.) without fear or shame
The bold fireman saved the girl from the building.
Border (noun) the edge, the line or boundary between two places.
Shenzhen is at the border of Hong Kong.

There are no carriages in Hong Kong.
Carve (verb) to form something by cutting away wood or stone
He is carving a statue from the stone.
Caustic (adj.) able to burn or destroy by chemical action
Caustic materials will burn your hand.
Celebrate (verb) to do something to show that a day or event is special
Let’s celebrate the New Year together.
Chart (noun) a map; a pear with diagrams, table, or visual information
The salesman illustrates his point with a chart.
Chore (noun) a duty; piece of ordinary work; unpleasant work

There are no carriages in Hong Kong.
Carve (verb) to form something by cutting away wood or stone
He is carving a statue from the stone.

Caustic (adj.) able to burn or destroy by chemical action
Caustic materials will burn your hand.

Celebrate (verb) to do something to show that a day or event is special
Let’s celebrate the New Year together.

Chart (noun) a map; a pear with diagrams, table, or visual information
The salesman illustrates his point with a chart.

Chore (noun) a duty; piece of ordinary work; unpleasant work
We should help with household chores.

Circulate (verb) to move from place to place freely
Can you circulate this paper in the room?
Circumstance (noun) the conditions or facts associated with an event or
person
The circumstances surrounding his death are unknown.

Classify (verb) to arrange in classes or groups
One of the librarian’s jobs is to classify the new books.

Clever (adj.) quick in learning and understanding things
A clever student learns quickly.

Colleague (noun) a partner or associate working in the same profession
Your colleagues are your co-workers.

Collide (verb) to come together violently
Titanic collided with an iceberg.

Collusion (noun) a secret agreement or discussion for a dishonest reason
He is charged by the police for collusion to rob a bank.

Comic, comical (adj.) causing people to laugh
Clowns make comical moves to make children laugh.

Command (noun) to be in a position of power
After the earthquake, no one was in command of relief work.

Commence (verb) to begin
The Asian Games commence today.

Commonplace (adj./noun) normal, ordinary, ordinary, obvious, not interesting
The park is a commonplace for people to come and relax.

Complexity (noun) something difficult to understand or explain
The complexity of English grammars makes it difficult to learn.

Compromise (noun/ verb) a settlement of a dispute by which each side
gives up something it wants, an agreement
Both Chinese and the US government compromise to make the agreement.

Compulsory (adj.) required
English is a compulsory subject in school.

Conceal (verb) to hide, keep secret
The policeman is searching him for concealed weapons
.

"It is now possible for a flight attendant to get a pilot pregnant."
- Richard J. Ferris, president of United Airlines
"I never miss a chance to have sex or appear on television."
- Gore Vidal
"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to
achieve immortality through not dying."
- Woody Allen (1935-)
"Men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all the
other alternatives."
- Abba Eban (1915-2002)
"A consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no
one believes individually."
- Abba Eban (1915-2002)
"To sit alone with my conscience will be judgment enough for me."
- Charles William Stubbs
"Sanity is a madness put to good uses."
- George Santayana (1863-1952)
"Imitation is the sincerest form of television."
- Fred Allen (1894-1956)
"Always do right- this will gratify some and astonish the rest."
- Mark Twain (1835-1910)
"In America, anybody can be president. That's one of the risks you
take."
- Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965)
"Copy from one, it's plagiarism; copy from two, it's research."
- Wilson Mizner (1876-1933)
"Why don't you write books people can read?"
- Nora Joyce to her husband James (1882-1941)
"Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers."
- T. S. Eliot (1888-1965)


"Criticism is prejudice made plausible."
- Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956)
"It is better to be quotable than to be honest."
- Tom Stoppard
"Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting."
- Karl Wallenda
"Opportunities multiply as they are seized."
- Sun Tzu
"A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a
scholar."
- Lao-Tzu (570?-490? BC)
" The best way to predict the future is to invent it."
- Alan Kay
"Never mistake motion for action."
- Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961)


"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god
than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other
possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."
- Sir Stephen Henry Roberts (1901-1971)
"Hell is paved with good samaritans."
- William M. Holden
"The longer I live the more I see that I am never wrong about
anything, and that all the pains that I have so humbly taken to verify
my notions have only wasted my time."
- George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
"Silence is argument carried out by other means."
- Ernesto"Che"Guevara (1928-1967)
"Well done is better than well said."
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
"The average person thinks he isn't."
- Father Larry Lorenzoni
"Heav'n hath no rage like love to hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a fury, like a
woman scorn'd."
- William Congreve (1670-1729)
"A husband is what is left of the lover after the nerve has been
extracted."
- Helen Rowland (1876-1950)
"Learning is what most adults will do for a living in the 21st century."
- Lewis Perelman
"Dogma is the sacrifice of wisdom to consistency."
- Lewis Perelman
"Sometimes it is not enough to our best; we must do what is
required."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
"The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with
another must wait till that other is ready."


"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god
than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other
possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."
- Sir Stephen Henry Roberts (1901-1971)
"Hell is paved with good samaritans."
- William M. Holden
"The longer I live the more I see that I am never wrong about
anything, and that all the pains that I have so humbly taken to verify
my notions have only wasted my time."
- George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
"Silence is argument carried out by other means."
- Ernesto"Che"Guevara (1928-1967)
"Well done is better than well said."
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
"The average person thinks he isn't."
- Father Larry Lorenzoni
"Heav'n hath no rage like love to hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a fury, like a
woman scorn'd."
- William Congreve (1670-1729)
"A husband is what is left of the lover after the nerve has been
extracted."
- Helen Rowland (1876-1950)


"Learning is what most adults will do for a living in the 21st century."
- Lewis Perelman
"Dogma is the sacrifice of wisdom to consistency."
- Lewis Perelman
"Sometimes it is not enough to our best; we must do what is
required."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
"The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with
another must wait till that other is ready."
- Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
"There is a country in Europe where multiple-choice tests are illegal."
- Sigfried Hulzer
"Ask her to wait a moment - I am almost done."
- Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855), while working, when informed that
his wife is dying
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)


"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
- Thomas Watson (1874-1956), Chairman of IBM, 1943
"I think it would be a good idea."
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), when asked what he thought of
Western civilization
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
- Will Rogers (1879-1935)
"If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?" "
- Will Rogers (1879-1935)
"The backbone of surprise is fusing speed with secrecy."
- Von Clausewitz (1780-1831)
"Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions - it only
guarantees equality of opportunity."
- Irving Kristol


"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment
Corp., 1977
"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better
than a 'C', the idea must be feasible."
- A Yale University management professor in response to student Fred
Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service (Smith
went on to found Federal Express Corp.)
"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"
- H. M. Warner (1881-1958), founder of Warner Brothers, in 1927
"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out."
- Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."
- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899


"Denial ain't just a river in Egypt."
- Mark Twain (1835-1910)
"A pint of sweat saves a gallon of blood."
- General George S. Patton (1885-1945)
"After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument
than why I have one."
- Cato the Elder (234-149 BC, AKA Marcus Porcius Cato)
"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I
know."
- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something."
- last words of Pancho Villa (1877-1923)
"The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins."
- Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935)
"The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make
sense."
- Tom Clancy
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the
dog."
- Mark Twain (1835-1910)
"It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both."
- Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), "The Prince"


"Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame."
- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
"The President has kept all of the promises he intended to keep."
- Clinton aide George Stephanopolous speaking on Larry King Live
"We're going to turn this team around 360 degrees."
- Jason Kidd, upon his drafting to the Dallas Mavericks
"Half this game is ninety percent mental."
- Yogi Berra
"There is only one nature - the division into science and engineering is
a human imposition, not a natural one. Indeed, the division is a human
failure; it reflects our limited capacity to comprehend the whole."
- Bill Wulf
"There's many a bestseller that could have been prevented by a good
teacher."
- Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964)


"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
"I criticize by creation - not by finding fault."
- Cicero (106-43 B.C.)
"Love is friendship set on fire."
- Jeremy Taylor
"God gave men both a penis and a brain, but unfortunately not enough
blood supply to run both at the same time."
- Robin Williams, commenting on the Clinton/Lewinsky affair
"My occupation now, I suppose, is jail inmate."
- Unibomber Theodore Kaczynski, when asked in court what his
current profession was
"Woman was God's second mistake."
- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)


"This isn't right, this isn't even wrong."
- Wolfgang Pauli (1900-1958), upon reading a young physicist's paper
"For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in
terms of the-not-worth-knowing."
- Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956)
"Pray, v.: To ask that the laws of the universe be annulled on behalf of
a single petitioner confessedly unworthy."
- Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914)
"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands,
hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats."
- Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956)
"Now, now my good man, this is no time for making enemies."
- Voltaire (1694-1778) on his deathbed in response to a priest asking
that he renounce Satan.
"Fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run."
- Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)


"He would make a lovely corpse."
- Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
"I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial."
- Irvin S. Cobb
"I worship the quicksand he walks in."
- Art Buchwald
"Wagner's music is better than it sounds."
- Mark Twain (1835-1910)
"A poem is never finished, only abandoned."
- Paul Valery (1871-1945)
"We are not retreating - we are advancing in another Direction."
- General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964)


"If you were plowing a field, which would you rather use? Two strong
oxen or 1024 chickens?"
- Seymour Cray (1925-1996), father of supercomputing
"#3 pencils and quadrille pads."
- Seymoure Cray (1925-1996) when asked what CAD tools he used to
design the Cray I supercomputer; he also recommended using the
back side of the pages so that the grid lines were not so dominant.
"Interesting - I use a Mac to help me design the next Cray."
- Seymoure Cray (1925-1996) when he was told that Apple Inc. had
recently bought a Cray supercomputer to help them design the next
Mac.
"Your Highness, I have no need of this hypothesis."
- Pierre Laplace (1749-1827), to Napoleon on why his works on
celestial mechanics make no mention of God.
"I choose a block of marble and chop off whatever I don't need."
- Francois-Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), when asked how he managed
to make his remarkable statues


"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the
man who cannot read them."
- Mark Twain (1835-1910)
"The truth is more important than the facts."
- Frank Lloyd Wright (1868-1959)
"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing."
- Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977)
"There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one
wants, and the other is getting it."
- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is
a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
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SOURCE:Good Quotations by Famous people).

Confident (adj.) sure of oneself, certain
She was confident she would get the job.

Confidential (adj.) secret
Company information is confidential.

Confined (adj./ verb) restricted; to hold, to keep within limits
Refugees are confined to their camps.

Conform (verb) to stay in agreement with rules
Building owners have to conform to new building regulations.

Confront (verb) to meet or stand face to face, or face defiantly
The suspect confessed when the police confronted him with the evidence.

Congregate (verb) to come together
After the class, the students congregate around the teacher for discussion.

Conscript (verb) to compel by law to serve in the armed forces
There are on armed forces in Hong Kong, so we are not conscripted to the
army.

Conserve (verb) to save, or to keep from destruction
We have to conserve energy.

Consider (verb) to think about
He is seriously considering changing his job.

Considerably (adv.) much, a great deal
This year is considerably colder than last year.

Considerate (adj.) thoughtful
It was considerate of you to send her flowers when she was sick.

Conspicuous (adj.) easily seen
You look conspicuous in that large colorful dress.

Constrict (verb) to make tight or smaller
Wearing tight clothing constricts your blood circulation.

Contemporary (adj./noun) belonging to the same time, of the present time,or modern
He loves contemporary paintings.

Contradictory (adj.) denying, opposing
The two witnesses gave contradictory accounts of the accident.

Contrast (verb) to compare so that differences are made clear
His actions contrast with his religious beliefs.

Controversial (adj.) likely to cause an argument
Abortion is a controversial topic that many people argue about.

Convenient (adj.) easy to use, easy to get to, easy to do
The MTR subway is very fast and convenient.

Copious (adj.) plentiful, abundant, or wordy
The students are burdened with copious note-taking in his class.

Counter (noun/ verb) a table or surface on which goods are shown or food
prepared; to oppose, to return an attack
His colleagues have countered his new theory.

Courageous (adj.) brave
He is considered a courageous man after rescuing a girl from the fire.

Craggy (adj.) with high, steep, or sharp rocks
The mountain climbers attempt to ascend the craggy slopes.

Credible (adj.) believable
Many people consider UFO sighting as not a credible story.

Critic (noun) a person who gives judgment, usually about literature, art, or music
He always reads the comments from the movie critics.

Criticize (verb) to find fault with something or to judge something
He doesn’t like to be criticized about his novel.

Crush (verb) to press so that there is breaking or injury
A traffic accident has crushed his leg.

Culture (noun) advanced development of human powers; characteristics of
a particular society, nation, or community
Chinese food is part of the Chinese culture.

Curious (adj.) eager to learn to know; having an interest in something
He is curious to find out why she is not at work.

Curtail (verb) to shorten or reduce; cut back on
The government has curtailed the spending on welfare.

Cut (noun/verb) a reduction in size, amount, or length; a style of clothes or
hair; a remark that hurts a person’s feelings; to remove from something
larger; to stay away from or be absent from class
Many people like the cut of European fashion.

Cycle (noun) a series of events talking place in regular, repeated order
Tidal waves on Earth are brought about by the Moon cycle.

Damage (adj./noun) harm or injury
Fire has done a lot of damages to the building.

Debilitate (verb/ adj.) causing weakness
Diabetes has debilitated his ability to see.

Decay (verb) to go bad, to lose power or health
Non refrigerated meat decays quickly in the summer.

Deceptive/deceptively (adj./adv.) causing false beliefs, misleading
The company director gives deceptive information about the company.

Defeat (noun/ verb) to cause to fail
He defeated the chess champion easily.

Defect (noun/ verb) an imperfection, a fault; to leave one’s country for political reason
The car manufacturer has asked the car owners to take their cars to dealers to
fix the defects.

Deficit (noun) a condition of spending more than you have
Hong Kong has a large budget deficit this year.

Delicacy (adj.) requiring special handling, a rare and choice kind of food
Bird’s nests are considered delicacies.

Den (noun) a secret place; an animal’s hidden place, a room for studying
No one wants to come close to the lion’s den.

Design (noun/ verb) a drawing or outline from which something is made; a pattern
He uses new designs for his work every year.

Desolate (adj.) ruined, barren, neglected, lonely, or sad
Hong Kong was a desolated fishing village two hundred years ago.

Destitute (adj.) without food, clothes, or other necessities; needy
The poor live in destitute slump.

Detachable (adj.) able to be removed, unfastened, or taken apart
He likes detachable furniture for easy moving.
 
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navin_c

MP Guru
Glare (noun/ verb) a strong, unpleasant light; to shine disagreeable
The computer monitor makes such a glare that I can’t look at it for too long.

Glistening (adj.) shining brightly, sparkling
His photographs capture the beauty of glistening dewdrops.

Glow (verb) to send out light without flame
The light glows in the dark.

Goods (noun) things which have worth or are valuable
Goods and services are subjected to tax.

Gradually (adv.) very slowly, little by little
He is recovering gradually from a bad cold.

Graphic (adj.) described in clear images
The newspaper prints graphic images of the accident.
 

navin_c

MP Guru
Gratifying (adj.) pleasing
He is gratifying to know all his friends support him in the fight for justice.

Grave (adj.) serious, requiring careful consideration
Cancer is a grave illness.

Grueling (adj.) severe, exhausting
Rock climbing is grueling sport.

Grumpy (adj.) bad-tempered
He is always grumpy when he doesn’t have enough sleep.

Haphazardly (adv.) by chance, accidentally
The government doesn’t want people to think that the panel is chosen
haphazardly.

Highlight (noun/verb) the most significant part; to emphasize
The teacher highlights the mistakes in his composition.

Hostile (adj.) unfriendly
The waiter is hostile towards the customers.

House (verb/ noun) to provide a home or shelter for someone or something;
dwelling
This library houses over three million copies of books..

Huge (adj.) very large
His house is incredibly huge.

Humble (adj.) showing modesty; someone low in rank or unimportant
He gave a humble speech about his achievements.

Hybrid (noun) an animal or plant that is the offspring of two different
parents or species
Scientists are creating hybrid plants to increase crop yield.

Hygienic (adj.) free of disease germs
We have to keep Hong Kong hygienic.

Ignore (verb) to refuse to notice someone or something
The children ignore the warning sign.

Illicit (adj.) unlawful, forbidden
Smuggling is an illicit activity.

Imitate (verb) to copy something or use it as an example
You learn by imitating.

Hardly (adv.) only just, scarcely
She can hardly talk with a sore throat.

Harmful (adj.) causing harm, damage, injury
Smoking is harmful to your health.

Hatch (verb) to break out of an egg; to produce a plan
A baby crocodile has hatched in the zoo.

Head (verb) to move in a certain direction; to be at the head of
They headed north to look for gold.

Hearty (adj.) strong, in good health
Home cooking is hearty.

Impediment (noun) a physical defect or an obstacle
Despite his speech impediment, he finishes top of his class.

Imperceptible (adv.) slight, gradual, unnoticeable
The economy has made an imperceptible recovery.

Impress (verb) to have a strong influence on someone or something
He is not impressed by the speaker’s presentation.

Increase (verb/ noun) to make larger; growth
The company has increased the service fee.

Incredible (adv.) something that cannot be believed, very surprising
To make the Statue of Liberty to disappear is an incredible trick.

Indefinite (adj.) not fixed, vague
The football match will be postponed for an indefinite period of time.

Independent (adj.) not controlled by another, self-governing, thinking
freely
Canada is an independent country.

Indicative (adj.) an indication or sign of something to come
The surging in stock market index is an indicative of economic recovery.

Indiscriminate (adj.) having no care or taste
Land mines kill people in an indiscriminate way.

Induce (verb) to produce, to influence
Stress has induced his heart attack.

Inevitable (adj.) something that is sure to happen, cannot be avoided
It is inevitable that he has to face the truth.

Ingenious (adj.) very clever and skillful
He has come up with an ingenious way to solve the energy shortage.

Inherent (adj.) existing as a natural or permanent part of something
To face danger is an inherent part of the job of a policeman.

Inhibit (verb) to restrain or suppress, to hinder
He is inhibited from driving after failing to stop at the red light three times.

Innovation (noun) something new that is introduced
Innovations are the key elements in a competitive world.

Insatiable (adj.) something that cannot be satisfied
This young man has an insatiable desire for knowledge.

Inscription (noun) words that are marked, carved, or written on a surface
He gives his friends a pen with inscriptions.

Inspiring (adj.) causing uplifting thoughts
The president gives an inspiring speech.

Instantaneous (adj.) immediate, happening in an instant
During his speech, the audience gave instantaneous applause.

Insult (noun/ verb) speaking in a way that is intended to hurt a person’s
feelings
It is not polite to insult someone.

Invent (verb) to create or design something not already existing
Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb.

Jell (verb) to take shape, to hold shape
Their scattered efforts are beginning to jell.

Landmark (noun) an object that marks the boundary of a piece of land, an
object that is easily seen and can be used as a guide, an event that marks a
turning point
The Peak Tower is a landmark of Hong Kong.

Largely (adv.) to a great extent
Her great success is largely due to hard work and persistence.

Lateral (adj.) From or at the sides of something, from side to side
Most buildings cannot withstand lateral movement of an earthquake.

Intangible (adj.) that which cannot be touched or held; in one’s mind ideas
are intangible.

A company name is an intangible asset.

Intense (adj.) deeply felt, high in degree
The fire from the refinery caused intense heat for several miles.

Intermittent (adj.) happening at intervals, stopping and starting
Today we will have intermittent sunny weather.

Intricate (adj.) complicated, difficult
The fabric has very intricate designs.

Invade (verb) to enter in great numbers; to attack
Refugees from the camp invaded the neighboring village for food.
 
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navin_c

MP Guru
Link (noun/verb) a ring or loop of a chain, something that unites or
connects; to join together, to make a connection
They build a walkway to link the two buildings together.

Literally (adv.) exactly, corresponding word for word to the original,
lacking in imagination
You can’t take his words literally.

Loathe (verb) to dislike strongly, to feel disgust for something
Most girls loathe rats.

Locale (noun) an area, the scene of an event
This is the ideal locale for holding the celebration.

Look into (verb) to investigate, to examine
The insurance company looks into the cause of the fire.

Ludicrous (adj.) ridiculous, absurd
It is ludicrous to say that money will buy happiness.

Luminous (adj.) giving out light
Cyclists should wear luminous clothing at night, so that motorist can see
them clearly.

Lyrical (adj.) full of emotion, like a song
The verses of his poems are very lyrical.

Magnetic (adj.) having the properties of iron attracting iron, something that
attracts
The Earth has a magnetic field.

Magnificence (noun) splendor, imposing beauty
Most people go to Paris for its magnificence.

Laudable (adj.) deserving praise
The volunteers have accomplished many laudable acts.

Legendary (adj.) from an old story told to people from generation to generation
Bruce Lee is considered as a legendary figure.

Lengthen (verb) to make something become longer
Your composition is too short, you have to lengthen it.

Liberate (verb) to free
The army liberated people from the war.

Ligament (noun) the tissue that holds bones together
While playing tennis, he injured his ligament in his arm.

Limited (adj.) restricted, narrow
He sells limited edition painting copies.

Maintain (verb) to keep up, continue
They maintain their contacts through email.

Mandatory (adj.) required
it is mandatory that you take physical training before becoming a firefighter.

Manually (adv.) by hand
All the votes are counted manually.

Mar (verb) to injure or damage
Nothing could mar his high spirit after he receives the news of getting the
scholarship.

Minuscule (adj.) a tiny bit
There are minuscule writings on a grain of sand.

Miserable (adj.) very unhappy, unfortunate
The old man is living alone and miserable.

Misleading (adj.) causing a wrong impression; deceiving
The investors have been given misleading information about the company.

Mock (verb/ adj.) to make fun of, insult; false
The school has given us mock exams.

Moderately (adv.) not extreme, reasonable, limited, medium
Even though he is rich, he lives moderately.

Modern (adj.) of present, up-to-date
Hong Kong is modern city.

Master (noun/verb) a skilled person, one who has control over others; to
become skillful in or knowledgeable about
If you work hard, you can master English in no time.

Mature (verb/ adj.) ton be fully grown, to be ready for use; perfected
He has very mature manners even though he is only fifteen.

Melodious (adj.) having a musical quality
The songs he sings are melodious.

Merchandise (noun) things to buy or sell
This shop has a wide variety of merchandises to choose from.

Meticulously (adj.) in a careful and detailed manner
He demands his workers to work meticulously.

Mythical (adj.) a person or thing that is imagined or invented
Chinese have lots of mythical stories.

Naked (adj.) without clothes, bare, without protection
You can’t see bacteria with your naked eyes.

Nearby (adv.) close, not far
There is a store nearby.

Nominal (adj.) a very small amount
A nominal fee is charged to use the facility.

Notorious (adj.) famous or know for doing something bad
He is notorious as being the last train robber.

Nourishment (noun) a source of strength and support
Vegetarians eat beans as supplementary nourishment for proteins.

Novelty (noun) something new or unusual; a small toy or decoration
The novelty items have been sold out quickly.

Now and then (adv.) occasionally
Now and then they meet just to talk.

Nutrient (noun) something that provides nourishment
Proper nutrients are important to good health.

Oath (noun) a promise vow to tell the truth
He makes an oath before the judge.

Obscure (adj.) hard to see or understand, hidden, indistinct, not well know
This obscure restaurant serves delicious food.

Obstacle (noun) a hindrance, something that prevents you from doing
something
Protesters put up obstacles on the street to stop traffic.

Obvious (adj.) easily seen or understood
You look pale. It is obvious that you are sick.

Ominous (adj.) threatening
The weather bureau has issued an ominous storm warning.

Omit (verb) to leave out
His name is omitted from the guess list.

On the spot (prep.) immediately, at the place one is needed
The police arrested the robber on the spot.

One by one (adv.) individually, one after another
The children walk across the road one by one.

Operation (noun) a process of doing something, a surgical procedure
He needs immediate heart operation to correct his heart conditions.

Optimal (adj.) the best; favorable; profitable
The optimal time for the spacecraft to response has passed.

Option (noun) choice
To be able to speak English is not an option but a necessity.

Outburst (noun) speaking out suddenly; anything that breaks out suddenly,
usually violently
There was an outburst of support after the new laws were passed.

Motionless (adv.) still, having no movement
Part of the physical training is to stand motionless for over a long period of
time.

Multiple (adj.) many, more than one
The exam will be multiple choices.

Muscular (adj.) having many muscles, strong
You don’t have to be muscular to be a good swimmer.

Musty (adj.) having a stale or moldy smell
When they entered the old house, a musty smell filled the room.

Mutation (noun) a change, an alteration in the genes of a plant or animal
that can be passed on its offspring
Cancer is caused by mutation in genes.

Outlawed (verb) made illegal
Illegal drugs are outlawed in Hong Kong.

Outlet (noun) a passage or vent for vent letting something out; the place in a
writing system where the electric current is available for use; an electrical
socket
Please keep the electrical outlets away from children.

Overlapping (verb/adj.) one thing covering part of another thing
The roof consists of overlapping tiles.

They have found that their duties overlapped.

Overthrow (verb) to conquer, to overturn, to upset
The people have overthrown the government by means of demonstration.

Overwhelm (verb) to be defeated, to be exhausted, to cover completely
The company was overwhelmed with calls after the job advertisement.

Painstakingly (adv.) carefully, paying attention to detail
She stitches painstakingly.

Panacea (noun) a remedy for all troubles
The government warned the people that the new policies were not panacea
for prosperity.

Paramount (adj.) of primary importance
Eating health is paramount to your good health.

Particle (noun) a smell piece, a part
Dust particles are hard to get rid of.

Particularly (adv.) especially
The teacher has made the exam questions particularly difficult, so that no
one gets full marks.

Passing (adj.) not lasting, going by
He has fond memories of the passing years.

Patch (noun) a piece of material used to cover a hole; a small area
He puts a leather patch on his jeans.

Path (noun) a place made for walking
I know a hidden path through the woods.

Patronize (verb) to support or to act in a condescending way
He always patronizes news restaurants to try new food.

Penetrate (verb) to go into or through; to spread
Scientists have sent a probe to penetrate the deepest part of the ocean.

Perceive (verb) to become aware of something through the senses or mind
No one perceived his visions.

Perennial (adv.) continuing through the whole year
Most flowers are not perennial plants..

Period (noun) a portion of time
He is doing research for the period of the Industrial Revolution.

Perjury (noun) a false statement after giving an oath to tell the truth
Perjury is a crime punishable by law.

Perpendicular (adj.) at an angle of 90 degrees, upright
Two perpendicular lines make a 90-degree angle.

Perplexing (adj.) confusing, complicated
Language of a contract is always perplexing.

Persistent (adj.) refusing to change, continuing for a long time, repeating
again and again
He is a persistent salesman.

Phenomenon (noun) something that can be perceived by the senses,
something remarkable or unusual
Northern Lights is a phenomenon that can’t be explained.

Pierce (verb) to make a hole, to go through with a pointed instrument
She wants to pierce her eyebrow.

Plot (verb/noun) to plan secretly; the main story of a book or play; a small
piece of ground
They plotted to overthrow the government.

Poignant (adj.) causing sad or painful feelings
The poignant part of the movie makes everyone cry.

Point out (verb) to show or call attention to something
He points out the mistakes in my composition.

Pole (noun) a long slender round piece of wood or metal.

The flag was blown down during the storm.
 
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navin_c

MP Guru
Poll (noun) a survey of public opinion made by questioning people
The opinion poll has favored the government.

Popularity (noun) the quality of being popular, well-liked
His popularity has soared after the release of his new songs.

Posthumously (adv.) after one’s death
The mayor is considering giving him the title of “Citizen of the year”
posthumously.

Potentially (adv.) having the capability, the possibility
It is potentially dangerous to operate the machine without proper training.

Praise (noun/verb) an expression of approval or esteem; to give approval,
admiration, honor, or glory to someone
He gives praises to all the volunteers who help organize the event.

Previously (adv.) before
He has visited Hong Kong previously.

Primitive (adj.) of early times; of an early, pre-technical culture
They use primitive weapons to fight the invaders.

Prior to (adj.) before
Prior to being to a driver, he has to take training course.

Private (adj.) concerning one person or group rather than for people in
general; secret; secluded; isolated
He shouldn’t mix business with private matters.

Pray (verb) to address God to give thanks or make requests, to ask earnestly
Many people come to the temple to pray.

Precision (noun) the state of being exact, correct, accurate
Landing on the Moon requires precision and technology.

Predict (verb) to foretell, to say in advance
He predicts that the economy will recover next year.

Predominantly (adv.) having more strength, power, or numbers than others
The language people use in Hong Kong is predominantly Cantonese.

Pressing (adj.) urgent, requiring immediate attention
I have pressing personal matters to take care of.

Prevail/prevailing (verb/adj.) to gain victory over something, to be the
usual thing, commonly seen or done
Truth prevails in the end.

Proficient (adj.) skilled
He is proficient at several languages.

Profitable (adj.) useful; bringing in money or gain
The company has a very profitable year.

Prolonged (adj.) a long time, made longer
After several years of hard work, she needs a prolonged vacation.

Promotion (noun) advancement to a higher rank or position
She got a promotion recently.

Prone (adj.) lying down; to have tendency to do something
Male teenagers are prone to have more accidents than female counterparts.

Propagate (verb) to increase the number of plants or animals by natural
mean; to spread information
The use of Internet to propagate information is very efficient..

Propel (verb) to dive something forward
The rocket propels the space shuttle into orbit.

Prospect (noun) something hoped for or looked forward to
Without any job skills, he has no job prospect.

Prosperous (adj.) successful; rich
After finding oil nearby, the city becomes prosperous quickly.

Pulp (noun) the soft part of fruit; a mass of soft material such as wood fiber
Paper is made from wood pulp..

Raw (adj.) uncooked; in a natural condition
He likes to eat his beef raw..

Reach (verb) to stretch, to extend, to come to
He has no phone in the cabin, so we can’t reach him.

React (verb) to behave in response to a situation
When he heard the bad news, her reacted with sadness.

Rebel (verb) to act against something; to show resistance; to fight
Teenagers tend to rebel their parents’ advice.

Recall (verb) to remember; to ask to come back
He can’t recall where they have met before.

Recycle (verb) to treat waste materials like paper, glass, or metal so they can
be used again
We have to recycle old cans and bottles.

Reel (noun/verb) a roller for thread, wire, hose, or cable; to walk unsteadily
The reel on the fishing rod has broken.

Refrain (verb) to stop from doing something
Please refrain from smoking in the non-smoking area.

Refute (verb) to prove a person wrong or mistaken
The professor has refuted my arguments.

Regrettable (adv.) sadly
He feels regrettable that he can’t attend the wedding.

Remain (noun) what is left; a dead body
The remains of the dinner were put in the refrigerator.

There are human remains in the cave.

Remote (adj.) far away, distant; control from a distance
The remote villages are not accessible by car.

Renowned (adj.) famous, celebrated
He is a renowned heart surgeon.

Repair (verb/adj.) to restore to a good condition
The car is damaged beyond repair.

Report (noun/verb) an account given of something heard or seen
She didn’t report what she saw to the police.

Research (noun) an investigation to discover new facts or information
Her research in Physics has won her the Nobel Prize.

Resist (verb) to oppose an attack; not to give in to something
You can’t resist the change.

Resort (noun/verb) a place one goes to for fun, relaxation, or health; to turn
to something for help to gain one’s purpose
He has built a resort to attract more tourists.

Respect (noun/verb) honor, consideration, regard; to treat someone with
consideration
We should respect her privacy.

Reimburse (verb) to give money back
The company will only reimburse expenses with receipts.

Relate (verb) to tell a story; to make a connection with something
Scientists are trying to relate illnesses to genetic defects.

Relatively (adv.) comparatively
My parents live relatively close.

Release (verb) to let go; to set free
The company releases news about a new device.

Religiously (adv.) to do something conscientiously; devoutly; with faith
He takes exercising religiously.

Reluctantly (adv.) unwilling to do something
He accepts the responsibility reluctantly.

Restore (verb) to bring back to the original condition; to repair; to make
well
They have restored the old church.

Retreat (verb/noun) to move back, withdraw; a quiet and restful place
I know a quiet retreat for summer vacation.

Revere (verb) to have a deep respect for; to regard highly
Some students revere their teachers.

Revision (noun) a corrected version of something
This is the second revision of the book.

Rewarding (adj.) satisfying; giving pleasure in return for something
It is rewarding to know that I am able to help them.

Rigorous (adj.) very hard, harsh, severe, very strict
In order to prepare for the Olympics, he has carried out a rigorous training
plan.

Rise (verb) to get up, to come to life, to become greater in intensity or
volume
The Sun rises in the east.

Rolling (verb/adj.) turning over and over, swaying
Children love to roll and play in snow.

Rudimentary (adj.) elementary, undeveloped
We acquired rudimentary skills when we were children.

Rumor (noun/passive verb) general talk, gossip, statement that may not be
true
The rumor spread quickly in the village.

Run-down (adj.) not cared for, weak and exhausted, fallen into disrepair
It is amazing that the run-down car is still working.

Rural (adj.) in country area
I used to live in rural area.

Scarcely (adv.) hardly, barely, almost not
Gasoline is in such short supply, you can scarcely find it anywhere.

Scattered (adj.) not situated together
Dirty clothes are scattered on the floor in his room.

Scenery (noun) the general appearance of a place, features of the landscape
Hong Kong has much beautiful scenery.

Scent (noun) smell, usually pleasant
She likes the scent of the new perfume.

Scrupulously (adv.) done very carefully, paying attention to detail
She always works scrupulously.

Secluded (adj.) kept away from others, alone
The secluded house seldom has visitors.

Secretly (adv.) not know to others, quiet
She has secretly taped their conversation.

Seed (noun/verb) the part of a flowing plant from which others, plants grow;
the origin of something; to sow a field with seed
I don’t like the seeds in grapes

Seek (verb) to look for
They seek everywhere for the missing book.

Selection (noun) a collection, a group of chosen things
This department store has better selection.

Sensible (adj.) reasonable, practical
It is not sensible to go out when typhoon signal No. 10 is hoisted.

Serene (adj.) calm and clear
The weather is serene and humid before the storm comes.

Shade (noun/verb) something that cuts off the sunlight; a screen or curtain;
to protect from light or heat
He draws the shade to cut down the sunlight in the room.

Silently (adv.) quietly, making little sound
People read silently in the library.

Simultaneously (adv.) at the same time
The two companies announced the news simultaneously.

Single-story (adj.) a house or building with one floor
Single-story houses are very expensive in Hong Kong.

Sinister (adj.) evil, unkind
The mean old lady gave me a sinister look.

Site (noun) a place where something was or will be
The company has selected a site to build the amusement park.

Sketch (verb) to make a rough, quick drawing or an outline; a rough plan
She made a sketch of her idea.

Shaggy (adj.) hairy, rough, coarse, or untidy hair
He has a shaggy carpet in the middle of his living room.

Sheer (adj.) complete or absolute; transparent cloth
She is choosing a new sheer for her curtains.

Shelter (noun) a place to be safe or protected
The government provides shelters for the homeless.

Shield (verb/noun) to protect; a piece of metal, plastic, or other material that
protect
She uses her body as a shield to protect her child.

Side by side (adj.) close together, next to one another
They put their pictures side by side.

Slightly (adv.) to a small degree; slenderly
He was slightly injured in the car accident.

Slim (adj.) small, insufficient, slender
She is exercising more to keep herself slim.

Soak (verb) to become completely wet by absorbing liquid
You have to soak it in water to soften it.

Socket (noun) a hole or space into which something fits
A square socket will not fit a round rod.

Sole (adj./noun) the only one; single; restricted; the undersurface of a
person’s foot or shoe
He is sole person who has the key to the building.

Solitary (adj.) living alone; without companions; seldom visited; lonely
The lonely old man has lived a solitary life for many years.

Somewhat (adv.) to some degree, a little
He is somewhat disappointed when he receives the news.

Sophisticated (adj.) a lack of simplicity or naturalness; cultured; with the
latest
improvements
She has a sophisticated taste in clothes.

Sort (noun/verb) a group or class of things that are similar in some way; to
separate or arrange by class
What sort of music do you like?

Spacious (adj.) having a lot of space
The entrance to the building is very spacious.

Spectacular (adj.) grand, marvelous, remarkable
Every year, there is a spectacular firework display to celebrate the Chinese
New Year.

Split (verb) to break into two or more part; divide
The opinion is split over the issue of immigration.

Sporadically (adv.) occasionally; inconsistently
Her performance improves sporadically.

Stain (noun/verb) a mark that doesn’t wash out; to permanently change the
color of something
Someone spilled wine on the carpet and stained it.

Stalk (verb/ noun) to move quietly and cautiously toward something in order
to get near, the part of a plant that supports the plant or flower
Lions stalk its preys.

Static (adj.) in a state of balance, not increasing or decreasing; electrical
Charges in the atmosphere; a crackling noise in radio or televisions
The radio isn’t working properly because of static interference.

Stem (noun) the stalk of a plant; the end coming up from the ground
This flower has a long stem.

Strengthen (verb) to make something stronger
He needs to exercise more to strengthen his muscle.

Stress (noun) a condition causing depression or troubled thoughts
His heart condition is brought on by stress at work.

Strict (adj.) demanding obedience, clearly and exactly defined, precise
He is brought up in a strict family.

Strip (noun/verb) a long narrow piece of material or land; to talk off
coverings
There is a small landing strip near here.

Stripe (noun) a band of material of a different color, pattern, or material
He prefers stripes on his tie.

Struggle (verb/noun) to fight; to make great effort for something; conflict
The guard struggled with the intruder.

Stubborn (adj.) obstinate; difficult to deal with; determined
He tried to talk to his stubborn friend who refused to listen to anyone.

Stumble (verb) to hit one’s foot against something and fall or almost fall
He stumbled and hurt his ankle while running.

Style (noun) a manner of writing or speaking; a quality of being superior; a
general appearance
She always pays attention to the latest styles in fashion.

Submarine (noun) a ship that is designed to operate under water
He is the captain of a submarine.

Subtle (adj.) difficult to perceive or describe
He has made subtle correction to his work.

Suspicious (adj.) having an idea that something bad is about to happen;
thinking someone may be guilty
There is a suspicious man standing across the street.

Swear (verb) to take an oath; to curse, to use bad language
He swears that he will tell the truth.

Swift (adj.) fast, quick
It is dangerous to swim in swift current.

Sympathetic (adj.) sharing the pain or troubled feelings of other people
The judge felt sympathetic towards her when he heard her story.

Symphony (noun) a long musical composition
He is composing a new symphony.

Tactfully (adv.) showing skill and understanding in dealing with other
people
You should tell your friend to leave tactfully.

Take place (verb) happen
The wedding hasn’t taken place yet.

Tap (verb/noun) to make a light, quick, rhythmical touch on something; a
faucet, a device for controlling the flow of liquid from a pipe
He taps his finger on the table.

Temperature (noun) a degree of heat or cold; a body fever
The summer temperature in Hong Kong is very hot.

Tend (verb) to be inclined to do something; to have a certain direction
He tends to make decision in a rush.

Tension (noun) strain; being tightly stretched
The cable isn’t designed to withstand such tension.

Tentative (adj.) done as a trial to see what might happen
He has made tentative plan to take his vacation his month.

Terrifying (adj.) frightening
The newspaper has reported a terrifying accident.

Theft (noun) the act of stealing
He was accused of being a theft.

Theory (noun) an explanation of a general principle; an opinion, not
necessarily based on logical reasoning
The new theory has caused a lot of arguments.

Thorn (noun) a pointed growth on the stem of a plant.

The thorns of the rose have cut her finger.
 
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navin_c

MP Guru
Superiority (noun) the state of being better than average
The superiority of technology has made US the most powerful nation on
Earth.

Supernatural (adj.) spiritual, cannot be explained by physical laws
You should not believe in supernatural stories.

Surmise (verb) guess
Since it rained last night, he surmised that the game was cancelled.

Surpass (verb) to do better than someone or something else
He tried to surpass his own winning record.

Survey (verb) to examine, to take a general view of
He is doing a survey about what people like.

Timid (adj.) shy, easily frightened
He was quite timid when he was young.

Tiny (adj.) very small
A tiny amount of water was found inside the fossils.

Tolerate (verb) to put up with, to allow without protest
He can’t tolerate the noise on the street.

Tomb (noun) a place dug in the ground or caved out of rock to put a dead
body, usually having a monument over it
They build tombs to honor the soldiers who died in the war.

Tough (adj.) hard to cut; difficult; not easily broken
The government has warned the people about tough times ahead.

Trace (noun/verb) a very small amount; a mark showing someone has been
in a place; to draw or sketch; to copy; to follow a line
There is only a trace of iodine in the water.

She traces the outlines of the figures.

Trade (verb/noun) to buy and sell; to give something else; means of earning
one’s living
My uncle is in the building trade.

He wants to make a trade for his car.

Transplant (verb) to transfer, to move to a new place
They are conducting experiments on how to transplant organs safely.

Trash (noun) something worthless; rubbish
He throw his old magazines into the trash.

Treasured (adj.) valued, loved
You should keep your treasured valuables in the safety deposit box.

Trial (noun) a test; an examination in a court of law
His trial ended quickly.

Trickle (verb/noun) to flow slowly; to move little by little by little; a slow,
small flow
The water pipe is blocked so water supply is running at a trickle.

Trigger (noun/verb) a small lever that release a spring; to set off; to be the
cause of something
The court decision triggered a riot.

Trip (verb/ noun) to stumble over something; a journey for pleasure
He tripped over his own foot.

Tropical (adj.) of the part of the earth around the equator
Tropical rain forests are being cut down.

Trunk (noun) the part of the tree that supports it; a large case to pack things
in for traveling; the body of the person
The tree trunk has many holes.

Turbulence (noun) the state of being violent, uncontrolled, disorderly
Swift water has caused a lot of turbulence.

Ultimately (adv.) finally, in the end
Ultimately, he realized his plan did not work.

Unique (adj.) being the only one of its type
He wants to be unique in his class.

Unquenchable (adj.) not able to be satisfied
He has an unquenchable desire to learn.

Upgraded/ upgrade (adj./verb) raised in rank; to improve the status of
someone or something.

She has upgraded her computer recently.

Vacillate (verb) to waver, to be uncertain
She vacillates among the job offers she has received.

Value (noun/verb) the quality of being useful or desirable; to estimate the
monetary value of something; to have a high regard for something
He reported the total value of theft was about one million.

Unaccustomed (adj.) not used to something; not usual
I am unaccustomed to eating raw meat.

Unauthorized (adj.) illegal
Unauthorized personnel are prohibited to enter the building.

Unbearable (adj.) not tolerable, causing much sadness
The mother is unbearable to see her child leave.

Unbiased (adj.) impartial, giving each thing equal consideration
They keep an unbiased view when they listen.

Uncalled-for (adj.) undesirable, unnecessary, not justified
Police brutality is uncalled-for in this city.

Vandalism (noun) deliberate destruction of a work of art or private property
Vandalism is a serious problem for school authority.

Variable (adj.) changing
The variable factors affecting the economy are unknown to the government.
Verify (verb) to test the truth or accuracy of something
The bank has to verify the signature on the check.

View (noun/verb) that which is seen; a scene or prospect; to examine or
consider
The view outside the window is beautiful.

Vigorous (adj.) having strength or energy
He has a vigorous schedule.

Virtually (adv.) in effect though not in fact, for all practical purposes
It is virtually impossible to get into the files without a password.

Vivid (adj.) lively; intense; bright; clear and distinct
I have vivid memories about my childhood.

Warehouse (noun) a building for storing goods before distribution
The warehouse for paper is on fire.

Warn (verb) to inform someone of possible danger
The police has warned the crowd to disperse.

Wary (adj.) to be in the habit of being careful about possible danger
Some people are wary of tight space such as elevator.

Weight (noun) the force or heaviness of something
The weight of the piano is too much for the men to carry.

Widespread (adj.) occurring over a large area
Widespread damage was caused by the typhoon.

Wild (adj.) in an original or natural condition; not domesticated or
cultivated; not civilized; uncontrolled
Wild animals cannot be kept as pets.

Willing (adj.) ready; agreeable
He is willing to submit to more tests.

Withdraw (verb) to pull back or take out
He withdrew a large sum of money from the bank.

Youthful (adj.) the state of being young
His youthful look has got him the part in the play.

Withhold (verb) to keep or refuse to give
She withholds her emotion.
 
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ABANDON: To give up completely - abandoned the sinking ship.

Synonyms: relinquish, forgo, forsake

ABASH: To lose self-confidence; to confuse, put to shame %u2013 abashed before the assembled dignitaries.

Synonyms: fluster, disconcert, discomfit, discompose

Antonym: (adj.) self-possessed

ABDICATE: To give up claim to - abdicated the throne

Synonyms: renounce, abandon, relinquish

ABET: To encourage -or support - treacherously abetted the enemy.

Synonyms: spur, incite

Antonym: deter

ABRIDGE: To shorten - abridged his lengthy speech.

Synonyms: curtail, diminish, retrench

Anthonyms: protract, elongate, amplify

ABROGATE: To abolish or render void - a treaty abrogated by mutual consent.

Synonyms: annul, nullify, rescind, void

ABSTEMIOUS: Moderate in the use of food or drink - abstemious in his habits.

Synonym: temperate

ACADEMIC: Pertaining to school; theoretical academic interests; an academic discussion, with no practical implications.

Synonym: scholastic

ACCEDE: To agree to -accede to a request.

Synonym: assent

Antonym: demur

ACCELERATE: - To quicken, speed tip - took an accelerated course in order to graduate early.

Synonym: expedite (adj. expeditious)

Antonym: retard

ACCOLADE: An award or salute - a tremendous accolade for a returning hero.

Synonyms: tribute, ovation

ACCORD: Agreement or harmony - in full accord with his view.

Synonyms: concord, concurrence

Antonyms:dissension, discord

ACRIMONIOUS: Sharp or harsh in language or temper - stung by the acrimonious remark.

Synonyms:caustic, acerb, pungent, tart, mordant, acrid; (noun) asperity

Antonyms:suave, affable

ACUMEN: Keenness of mind or insight - showing exceptional business acumen.

Synonyms:perspicacity, discernment, perception

Antonym:eek:btuseness

ADMONISH (noun: ADMONITION): To warn or find fault gently - admonishing the unruly child.

Synonyms:chide, caution, reprimand, reprehend, reproach

ADVERSARY: (adj.: ADVERSE): An opponent - his adversary in a bitter debate.

Synonym:antagonist

Antonyms:cohort, confederate, ally, accomplice

ADVERSITY: Misfortune - calm in the face of adversity.

Synonyms:affliction, mischance, reverses

AESTHETIC: Pertaining to the beautiful - interested in aesthetic values rather than in purely practical affairs.

AFFABLE: Sociable, courteous, and agreeable in manner a much admired, affable gentleman.

Synonyms: civil, complaisant, benign, gracious, genial, urbane, cordial

Antonyms:curt, brusque, rude, boorish, surly

AFFLUENT: Prosperous, flourishing; copious - a large bequest from an affluent grandfather.

Synonyms:eek:pulent, profuse

Antonyms:destitute, impecunious

AGGRESSIVE (noun: AGGRESSION. an unprovoked attack): self-assertive; attacking, offensive - annoyed people by his aggressive attitude;

Synonyms:bumptious, officious, obtrusive

Antonyms:meek, humble, retiring, diffident

ALLUDE (noun: ALLUSION): To refer to indirectly - alluded quite subtly to his friend's misfortune.

Synonyms:insinuate, intimate, imply

ALLURE: To tempt by flattery or an attractive offer - allured by the prospect of a new job.

Synonyms:lure, decoy, inveigle, entice, seduce, wheedle, beguile, cajole

AMBIGUOUS: Uncertain, vague, capable of being inter- in more than one way - puzzled by the ambiguous statement.

Synonyms:hazy, obscure, equivocal, dubious, nebulous

AMENABLE: Obedient; willing to submit - amenable to the suggestion.

Synonyms:tractable, docile, responsive

AMIABLE: Good-natured; friendly - attracted friends by his amiable disposition.

Synonym:complaisant

ANARCHY: State of confusion or lawlessness - a country brought to utter anarchy by civil war.

Synonyms: chaos, pandemonium

ANIMUS: A feeling of hatred-felt no animus, even against the enemy.

Synonyms: enmity, rancor, malevolence, animosity

APATHY (adj.: APATHETIC): Lack of feeling, emotion, or interest - attributed his failure to apathy, rather than lack of ability.

Synonyms: torpor, lethargy, sluggishness, listlessness, languor, lassitude, dispassion; (verb) languish

APPROBATION: Approval; praise -a plan that met with hearty approbation.

Synonyms:sanction, commendation

APT (noun: APTITUDE, APTNESS):

(1) Likely; inclined or disposed - apt to succeed. Synonym: prone

(2) Fit, suitable - an apt remark.

Synonyms: appropriate, felicitous

ARBITER: A person who has authority to decide matters in dispute - a fair decision rendered by the arbiter.

Synonyms: mediator, arbitrator

ARID: Dry; barren - the arid desert land.

Synonyms. jejune, parched

ARISTOCRACY: Government by the best people; a privileged class -special privileges enjoyed by the aristocracy.

Synonym: oligarchy

ARMISTICE: A temporary suspension of hostilities. The armistice halted the war.

Synonym: truce

ARTFUL: Sly; crafty - attained his mean objective by artful measures.

Synonyms: cunning, wily, adroit, ingenious, guileful

ASCETIC: Rigorously self-denying - pursued the ascetic life of a monk.

Synonyms: austere, abstinent

ASSEVERATE: To declare positively; to confirm - asseverated his views with conviction.

Synonyms:assert, avouch, aver, avow, allege

ASSIDUOUS: Industrious - an assiduous worker, toiling long hours.

Synonyms:sedulous, attentive, diligent, indefatigable
 
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