In this post you will learn about the importance of collocations, plus you can download a free PDF to help you learn the most common collocations in English. So read on!
If you want to write English naturally, then you need to have an understanding of collocations.
Collocations are words that commonly go together.
For example, to describe a large amount of road vehicles moving slowly in English, we use the phrase “heavy traffic”. But we don’t use the phrase “thick traffic” or “intensive traffic”.
Other examples of common collocations in English include ”pay attention“, “fast food“, “make an effort” and “take the IELTS test”.
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IELTS Writing Band 7: Lexical Resource
If you are aiming for Band 7 or higher in IELTS Writing, then you need to show some awareness of collocations.
In other words, you need to show that you know how some words go together naturally.
The Academic Collocations List
The following list contains 2,469 of the most common and most useful collocations in written, academic English.
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It is a list called the Academic Collocations List, which was created by Kirsten Ackermann and Yu-Hua Chen using a database of academic language, and further reorganised by Sheldon Smith of the EAP Foundation.
How The Academic Collocations List Is Organised
The list is organised under “headwords”. A headword is the most important word, usually a noun or a verb.
Next to each headword you can find derivatives of each headword. For example, under the headword “accept” you can find collocations with “acceptable” and “acceptance”, as well as “accept”.
To make the collocations easier to find, they have been listed twice if they contain two headwords. For example, you can find the collocation “cognitive ability” under both “cognitive” and “ability”.
How to use this list
You can simply study the collocations in this list, or you can use it as a reference tool when you are writing.
For example, if you want to use the word “agree” (or its derivatives, “agreement” or “disagree”), then you can look up the word in the list to see its most frequent and useful collocations.
Please note that the collocations in this list are not the only possible collocations. This list just contains the most common and most useful ones for academic writing such as the IELTS Writing Test.
I hope you find this resource useful!
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time to complete: 10-20 minutes
We have seen so far that you can look up academic words in a dictionary and study their collocations.
However, if this area is a priority for you, you can study academic collocations from Pearson’s Academic Collocation List (ACL). The list includes approximately 2,500 collocations that are frequent in academic writing. To download the list, follow the link below:
-
Academic Collocation List
Practice
Let’s do some practice. Use the ACL to complete the following tasks. Or, you can try the tasks first, then check the list for the items you missed.
Task: Drag and drop the nouns (right column) to match to the adjectives they collocate with (left column). You can use the fullscreen button (arrows on top right corner).
Task: Drag and drop the adjectives/verbs (right column) to match to the adverbs they collocate with (left column). You can use the fullscreen button (arrows on top right corner).
IELTS aCADEMIC COLLOCATIONS. List of Collocations for IELTS to help you prepare for the IELTS exam with a free PDF
IELTS ACADEMIC COLLOCATIONS
What is a collocation?
A collocation is two or more words that often go together. These combinations just sound “right” to native English speakers, who use them all the time. On the other hand, other combinations may be unnatural and just sound “wrong”. Look at these examples:
| natural English… | unnatural English… |
|---|---|
| the fast train fast food |
the |
| a quick shower a quick meal |
a a |
Why learn collocations?
- Your language will be more natural and more easily understood.
- You will have alternative and richer ways of expressing yourself.
- It is easier for our brains to remember and use language in chunks or blocks rather than as single words.
How to learn collocations
- Be aware of collocations, and try to recognize them when you see or hear them.
- Treat collocations as single blocks of language. Think of them as individual blocks or chunks, and learn strongly support, not strongly + support.
- When you learn a new word, write down other words that collocate with it (remember rightly, remember distinctly, remember vaguely, remember vividly).
- Read as much as possible. Reading is an excellent way to learn vocabulary and collocations in context and naturally.
- Revise what you learn regularly. Practise using new collocations in context as soon as possible after learning them.
- Learn collocations in groups that work for you. You could learn them by topic (time, number, weather, money, family) or by a particular word (take action, take a chance, take an exam).
- You can find information on collocations in any good learner’s dictionary. And you can also find specialized dictionaries of collocations.
Types of collocation
There are several different types of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc. Some of the most common types are:
- adverb + adjective: completely satisfied (NOT
downrightsatisfied) - adjective + noun: excruciating pain (NOT excruciating
joy) - noun + noun: a surge of anger (NOT a
rushof anger) - noun + verb: lions roar (NOT lions
shout) - verb + noun: commit suicide (NOT
undertakesuicide) - verb + expression with preposition: burst into tears (NOT
blow up intears) - verb + adverb: wave frantically (NOT wave
feverishly)
DOWNLOAD THE PDF FOR FREE
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Increasing your IELTS Vocabulary is essential for a higher Band Score, but what exactly is “IELTS Vocabulary” and which list should we trust?
I did a quick search on Google and it brought up probably the worst and most confusing list that I’ve ever seen in my life (see extract below).
So I asked Word List expert Sheldon Smith to help me learn more about where to find the best word lists for IELTS students.
Sheldon’s website is EAPFoundation.com and he creates the BEST topic-related vocabulary videos for IELTS students, so make sure that you go to his site for all the links in this blog, and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
In this blog he kindly shares with us his knowledge and experience of the most reliable word lists and how you can use them. He also answers some of my Members Academy students’ questions.
The 4 main lists are:
- The Academic Word List (AWL)
- The General Service List (GSL)
- The Academic Vocabulary List (AVL)
- The Academic Collocation List (ACL)
1. The Academic Word List (AWL)
What is the common mistake about using wordlists? (Pam)
The Academic Word List (AWL) is the most well-known word list. It existed without any real ‘competition’ for a long time, but it has also been criticised. This led to the emergence of other word lists.
The Academic Word List was intended to help reading, not writing. It includes complete word family information for each word, but these different word forms have different levels of frequency, and trying to study them all may end up wasting time and effort.
Many recent lists, therefore, do not include word family information, but instead show inflected forms, for example for ‘analyse’ we have only
- ‘analyses’
- ‘analysed’
- ‘analysing’
plus variant spellings (with ‘z’).
The word ‘analysis’ is considered to be separate.
Another problem with the AWL is that coverage varies across disciplines. It is supposed to be about 10% of academic texts, but for computer science it is 16%, while for biology it is 6.2%.
(This information is from a well-known article called Is There an “Academic Vocabulary”? by Ken Hyland and Polly Tse, published in TESOL Quarterly, June 2007).
2. The General Service List (GSL)
Another problem with the AWL for productive (i.e. writing) purposes is that it excludes the General Service List (GSL). For reading purposes, this is not a big problem, since most students will know most words in the GSL already.
For productive purposes, however, it is potentially an issue, since some of the words in the GSL are suitable for academic use.
Indeed some GSL words are more common in academic than general English (e.g. thus, suggest, likely), while some words are far less common (e.g. bad, big, know), and students studying academic English need to identify which are which in order to make the ‘vocabulary shift’ from general to academic.
To answer Pam’s question, one common mistake with word lists is only using the AWL, and thinking it is a perfect list. It is a good list, and has its advantages, but it also has drawbacks as shown above.
Another mistake is only studying single words, which in a way is the fault of word lists, most of which comprise only single words.
Another problem (not necessarily a mistake) is studying the whole word family, including less frequent members, which may not be an efficient use of time and effort.
3. Academic Vocabulary List (AVL)
What is the best wordlist for IELTS preparation? Why?
Since IELTS is not subject specific, a general academic list, which is intended for students studying any discipline, is more suitable than a subject-specific list.
The AWL is a general list, and may be the most helpful, since there are a lot of resource and practice materials available.
However, there are other general lists besides the AWL. One that I think is especially useful is the Academic Vocabulary List (AVL) is very useful. This is a more recent list, and, unlike the AWL, it does not exclude any list, meaning it covers words that might be considered ‘general’ words, but which are in fact more frequent in academic than non-academic writing.
For example, the following words are in the top 50 of the AVL but not in the AWL: control, develop, development, figure, however, human, provide, rate, relationship, report, suggest, practice.
4. The Academic Collocation List
Another general academic list I think is very useful is the Academic Collocation List (ACL).
It is important to understand how words combine with other words, and there is no other comprehensive list of collocations available.
The list is pretty huge, with 2469 collocations, though I recently spent a lot of time adding frequency information to the list, which is not officially sanctioned by the list creators, but I think is extremely useful.
An example of a terrible IELTS Word List
How to use word lists for IELTS
Why is it important to use these ‘official’ word lists?
None of them are actually ‘official’. Some of the more well-known ones are used as the basis for academic English courses, especially the AWL.
Each list has its critics who tell you not to use it. Generally, however, they are a good starting point.
It is important to use them. Otherwise, the words you choose to study come from one of two sources: either you select them, or a teacher chooses them.
If you select them, you really have no basis, except that you don’t know the meaning. Is it a common word? Is it worth studying? It is extremely difficult for you to know which words you should learn. This is why word lists are useful.
If a teacher chooses the words you should learn , a similar problem arises. A teacher may have a better ‘feel’ for which words to study, though essentially they are relying on intuition, and their intuition may be wrong.
I personally feel I have a good understanding of which words students will or will not know, which words are academic and useful for study, but I am continually surprised, and see words that I think are useful but which turn out to be rather low frequency in academic English.
What is the difference between all the word lists?
I’ve covered this above, but I’d like to highlight here the many different subject specific lists.
Anyone preparing for IELTS should realise that this is a stepping stone to university study. You will eventually specialise, and knowing academic words or technical words which are common in your discipline will also be important.
It’s also useful to remember that although word lists are the result of fairly rigorous research, not so much research has been done in how useful specific lists are. Some may be better than others.
Finally, word lists are just a tool. There are many useful words, general, academic and technical, which are not contained in word lists, and conversely some words in word lists that you will never end up needing or using.
Are there different lists for Spoken and Written English?
While most academic word lists are for written English, there are also word lists for spoken English. e.g. the Hard Science Spoken Word List (HSWL) or the Academic Spoken Word List (ASWL).
Generally, I don’t see these as so interesting or useful, since the ‘rules’ for academic speaking are not as strict as for academic writing. Words you can use in writing can be used in speaking, but the reverse is not true. For example, when giving a presentation (academic speaking), you can (and probably should) use basic transitions such as ‘So’ and ‘And’ and ‘But’ since they are clear and simple.
However, you should probably avoid these in your writing. Conversely, if you use ‘As a result’ and ‘In addition’ and ‘However’ in academic speaking, you will sound a bit formal, but there is nothing wrong with those words. No one will stop you and say, ‘Hey, you can’t use that word in your speaking.’
What is the best way to learn from these word lists?
I personally feel it is better to study words from reading (or listening) texts you already have, and identify useful words from some of the word lists.
However, this approach has its limitations. I know some courses might use lists such as GSL 2k or the AWL as a basis, and test students on any of those words. Therefore being proactive and studying unknown words in those lists might be helpful.
Also if you want to increase your vocabulary, and aren’t sure where to start, the lists are useful for that.
Is it better to learn a few words and use them well, or to learn many words in order to read faster and understand the listening better (active vs. passive knowledge)?
Ideally, both, by studying the more frequent words e.g. AWL or AVL in more depth for active use, but continuing to study less frequent words at least for recognition i.e. passive use, and generally ignoring the very low frequency words.
There are tools such as vocabulary profilers to help identify how frequent words are, but generally speaking, those in a recognised word list are frequent enough for students to be studying for active use.
How many words should I learn?
All of them! No, just kidding. I’ve mentioned the 8000-9000 range a few times, which comes from research (there is a useful article on this written by Schmitt and Schmitt called ‘A reassessment of frequency and vocabulary size in L2 vocabulary teaching’).
But there are different levels of knowing a word, and therefore different degrees of learning. Native speakers don’t know all the words in English, and the number they do know, which is impossible to measure anyway, is not useful.
I’ll share an anecdote to maybe explain this point. At university, I studied Mathematics, but I always wanted to be a writer so I spent most of my time reading novels and travel books. There were a lot of words I didn’t know and I would jot them down in a notebook and look them up.
One day when I was in my thirties I found one of these notebooks, which I had made when I was in my early twenties, and I looked through all these pages of words, and the thing is, I knew almost all of them, and was surprised I’d written them down and didn’t know them before. So I’m a native speaker, but in my twenties there were so many words I didn’t know, and I chose to study and learn to expand my vocabulary.
I’m pretty sure the average native speaker would not know many of the words I’d written down, since the average native speaker doesn’t read as much as I did, and doesn’t bother studying new words all that much.
So, forget about how many words you should learn, and focus instead on the conscious act of choosing to study new words when you encounter them, and slowly build up your vocabulary. You might feel like the tortoise competing against the hare. You might be far behind now, but keep going slowly step by step and you can catch up.
How can I remember new words and collocations? I often make a mistake in putting the wrong word in a full sentence. How can I use the words more accurately?
It’s important to study many aspects of a word, and which aspects depend on how you plan to use it. Many students just focus on meaning (often by translation). This is generally how they started learning vocabulary in school. This is fine if all you want to do with a word is recognise it when you read it, and for many words, that may be enough.
But if you want to use it, then you need to know how to pronounce it (to use it in speaking, also essential for listening), part of speech (n, v, adj, adv), other members of the word family, any special spelling rules, how it combines with other words (collocation), usage (e.g. followed by preposition ‘of’ or ‘with’ or ‘doing’ vs. ‘to do’), and whether it is academic or informal.
It is not easy studying this kind of information (a good dictionary will be essential), and you will still make mistakes when using the words.
Recording words in a vocabulary notebook is a good idea, with some of the information above (pronunciation, part of speech, usage and so on). You may encounter the words again when reading and want to add more information later.
Trying to use words you’ve recently studied is also helpful, and hopefully you can get feedback (for speaking, feedback could be a nod of understanding or look of puzzlement, for writing if you have a teacher they may identify errors, or you can explicitly ask, ‘Can you check these words, have I used them in the right way?’).
Short answer: Remembering and using vocabulary accurately takes a lot of time, and a lot of effort, and involves going beyond just the meaning of a word. You will always make mistakes, but the goal should be to expand your vocabulary and have mistakes decrease.
How can I use the memorized words naturally and avoid mechanism (being mechanical?)?
Yes, ‘being mechanical’ is the correct phrase – I think this is a good example of some of the points above, and also a good demonstration of what is called an ‘achievement strategy’.
Good language learners try to use words they know to express the meaning they want, while less able learners try to avoid words or phrases (or grammar structures) they are unsure of, which is called a ‘reduction strategy’.
By attempting to use phrases like ‘mechanism’ and ‘being mechanical’ you can receive feedback and correct errors.
Self noticing is also important, as you find words or phrases you are unsure of and hopefully take the time to check or ask how to use them properly.
You have probably heard this before, but reading more is the best way to learn new vocabulary, as long as you are being active. This is great not just for identifying new words to study, but also for reinforcing words you have already learned, if you encounter them again.
For example, you might forget whether ‘mechanism’ or ‘being mechanical’ is correct, but if you read a passage with either of these words in it you will pay attention and reinforce what you know about the words in a more natural way.
How can I choose the right words and collocations? And how can I group them?
I’ve been creating a series of videos recently on different common IELTS/TOEFL topics (physical health, environment, crime – see example below), using word lists, since it is known that it is easier to remember words if they are linked somehow, e.g. a common topic.
A different approach is how to choose words and collocations from a topic you are reading about. I would suggest using tools such as word list highlighters. It can be difficult to know which words to study, but if they are in a recognised word list, that should be a good start.
Going beyond those word lists can be important, as explained in the videos I’ve been making. Comfortable reading requires 8000-9000 words, while common word lists generally only take things to the 3000 word level.
If you can group words according to topic, that might help you to remember them. But if you are studying, for example, different word forms of ‘analyse’ (e.g. ‘analyst’, ‘analytic’, ‘analysis’) you are also grouping the words in a meaningful way.
Alternatively, you might want to study common adjective collocations e.g. with ‘analysis’: careful/critical/detailed/final/further/statistical analysis and that is another way to group them.
More help with IELTS Vocabulary Lists
- Sheldon’s Vocabulary Profiler (use this tool to analyse vocabulary in the text and identify which words are from different lists and highlighting them in a text – VERY useful)
- IELTS Vocabulary resources (links to the best websites)
- 28 ways to improve your IELTS Vocabulary
- How to learn vocabulary from IELTS texts
- Word formation practice for IELTS
- How vocabulary is the solution to your IELTS plateau
- How to use practice tests to improve your vocabulary.
- IELTS topics: crime (Band 9 model essay)
- How (not) to use idioms in IELTS
Do you need motivation, high-quality materials, a roadmap, feedback, guidance and an IELTS specialist teacher?
Join the Members Academy today.
Get instant access to all courses, challenges, boot camps, live classes, interactive and engaging classes, 1:1 support, and a friendly tight-knit community of like-minded learners to get you to Band 7+.
Student A
Try to guess the nine missing words below. All of them are common in academic English.
1. _______________ Awards, military __________________, music ________________2. _____________ to, _____________ information, _________________ routes, ________________ restrictions, ______________ requirements, control _________________, _____________ roads
3. __________ each other, ____________ refugees, _________________ asylum seekers, ____________ short-term, _____________ individual needs, _____________ national differences
4. ______________ growth, __________________ restructuring, ___________ cargo, ________ someone on a trip
5. ________________ wealth, _____________ experience, _____________ capital, _______________ knowledge, _____________ power
6. _______________ information, _______________ picture, _____________ reflection, ______________ assessment, ____________ statistics, ______________ data, _______________description, _________________account, ____________ figures, ___________ estimate, ______________forecast, ___________ translation, ____________calculation
7. _____________ peace, ______________ results, _________________ sustainable development, ____________ equality, __________________ consensus, ______________ unanimity, ______________ success, __________________ stability, ____________________ substantial…, _____________ lasting…, _________________ tangible…, __________________ significant….
8. ________________ once and for all…, _______________ his authorship of…, _________________ his rights to…, __________________ their concerns, openly ___________________, publically ______________________…, explicitly ___________________, ______________ responsibility
9. __________________ greater…, _______________ additional…, _______________ nuclear weapons, ________________ sufficient…, _________________ shares, ________________ property, _____________ significance, ___________________ unemployment benefit, _____________ credit, ______________ up-to-date technology, _______________ independence, ____________ a controlling share, _____________ stolen goods
——————————————————————————————————-
Hint one: The nine words above all begin with the same letter
——————————————————————————————————-
Hint two: The words all begin with the same two letters
——————————————————————————————————-
Hint three: The nine questions above are in alphabetical order
——————————————————————————————————-
Hint four: The words follow each other in the Academic Word List. Look at the full list and try to find them
——————————————————————————————————-
Choose one of the words above and give someone from another group hints until they guess the word.
——————————————————————————————————-
Do the same, but with your own collocations with other words in the list
——–
Academic Word List collocations
Student B
Try to guess the nine missing words below. All of them are common in academic English.
1. _______________ negotiations, __________________ talks, ________________ without delay, ____________ operations, immediately ___________________, ____________ work, _______________ action, ______________________ right away, ______________________ investigations, _____________ voting
2. _____________on , briefly _____________, further _________________ , ________________ regarding, ______________ concerning, _________________ referring to, ______________ in connection with, (your) earlier_____________, the following ____________________
3. __________ themselves, ____________ crimes, _________________ fraud, ____________ suicide, _______________ offences, ____________________ resources, __________ war crimes, ___________________ genocide, _______________ atrocities, ___________ human rights abuses, _____________ misdemeanors
4. ______________ prices, __________________ markets, ___________ futures, ________ traders, ___________________ producers
5. ________________ with, _____________ directly, _____________ effectively, _______________ audiovisually, _____________ anonymously, _____________ freely, __________ regularly
6. _______________ initiatives, European_______________, _____________ support, ______________ measures, ____________ action, ______________ spirit, _______________development, _________________of (shared) values
7. _____________ with, ______________ (computer) equipment, _________________ systems, ____________ standards, mutually _______________, fully _______________
8. ________________ for, _______________ farmers, _________________ fishermen, __________________ passengers, ___________________ to some extent, ______________________ consumers, fully ___________________, ______________ workers
9. __________________ a list, _______________ a report, _______________ statistics, ________________ documents, _________________ accurate…
——————————————————————————————————-
Hint one: The nine words above all begin with the same letter
——————————————————————————————————-
Hint two: The words all begin with the same two letters
——————————————————————————————————-
Hint three: The nine questions above are in alphabetical order
——————————————————————————————————-
Hint four: The words follow each other in the Academic Word List. Look at the full list and try to find them
——————————————————————————————————-
Choose one of the words above and give someone from another group hints until they guess the word.
——————————————————————————————————-
Do the same, but with your own collocations with other words in the list
——————————————-
Answer key:
Student A sheet
1. academy
2. access
3. accommodate
4. accompany
5. accumulate
6. accurate
7. achieve
8. acknowledge
9. acquire
Student B sheet
1. commence
2. comment
3. commit
4. commodity
5. communicate
6. community
7. compatible
8. compensate
9. compile
————————————————
PDF for easy saving and printing: Academic Word List collocations
Academic Word List page
Collocations page
Contents
- 1 Using Academic Collocation List for IELTS to Boost your IELTS Score to Band 8.0+
- 1.1 Acknowledgments
Using Academic Collocation List for IELTS to Boost your IELTS Score to Band 8.0+
The Academic Collocation List (ACL) covers 2,469 frequent and pedagogically relevant lexical collocations in written academic English. The development involved four stages:
- Refinement of the data-driven list based on quantitative and qualitative parameters;
- Computational analysis of the corpus;
- Expert review;
- Systematization.
By highlighting the most important cross-disciplinary collocations, the ACL can help learners increase their collocational competence and thus their proficiency in academic English. Besides, using this list, IELTS students can improve their IELTS Speaking & Listening skills, thereby hiking up their IELTS score to Band 8.0+
Download Academic Collocation List – PDF file
Download Academic Collocation List – XLS file
Acknowledgments
We would like to send heartfelt thanks to Professor Douglas Biber, and Bethany Gray for conducting the computational analysis of the source corpus. Their contributions are sincerely appreciated & gratefully acknowledged.
We express our deep sense of gratitude to Andrew Roberts for conducting the validation study of the Academic Collocation List.We also take this opportunity to record our sincere thanks to the members of the expert panel: David Crystal, Geoffrey Leech, Diane Schmitt, Della Summers, and Professor Lord Randolph Quirk.
Finally, we would also like to acknowledge with gratitude, valuable advice & support from Mike Mayor, and Chris Fox, as well as John H.A.L. De Jong.
Our IELTS online classes help you with more such lists and tricks to strengthen your preparation.
See also:
- IELTS Vocabulary books
- IELTS Vocabulary
- IELTS Listening words
- Sports Vocabulary IELTS
- English Pronunciation in use Intermediate pdf
- Work Vocabulary IELTS
- Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS
Frequently Asked Questions
How can ACL help IELTS aspirants?
The Academic Collocation List (ACL) can help IELTS aspirants improve their collocational ability, becoming more proficient in academic English. ACL also assists students in improving their speaking and listening abilities
Why is it important to understand academic collocation?
It is necessary for the IELTS aspirant to comprehend the academic collocation to be more natural and understandable. They’ll have alternative and richer ways of expressing themselves. Moreover, it will be easier for their brains to remember and use language in chunks or blocks rather than single words
Define Academic Collocation
«Collocation» means a group of words that usually go together, and academic collocations are useful for improving academic studies. They mainly focus on academic vocabulary and improve the accuracy and spontaneity of academic writing and speaking
Mention any 5 collocation list of expressions with Do
Some of the collocation lists of expressions with Do are: Do a deal, Do a favour, Do a good/great/terrible job, Do a report, and Do badly.
What are some collocations with Make?
Some collocation expressions with Make are: make an appointment, make breakfast, make a mess, make the payment, make an effort, make a decision, and make a fortune
This list was compiled by Pamela Bogart at the University of Michigan English Language Institute. The list includes most of the 570 headwords of Averil Coxhead’s (2000) Academic Word List. The source of the words here is
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/resources/academicwordlist/awl-headwords. The definitions and examples come from selections made available by vocabulary.com, unless noted otherwise.
The manually-added notes are examples for and from graduate students in various fields at the University of Michigan.
447 words
3,623 learners
Learn words with Flashcards and other activities
Other learning activities
Full list of words from this list:
-
abandon
forsake; leave behind
As people
abandon desktop computers for mobile ones, existing tech companies’ business models are being upended and new companies are blooming.Common academic collocations: abandon a hypothesis, abandon a line of research
COCA (
www.americancorpus.org) indicates academic collocates include decision, efforts, position, policy…i couldn’t find any examples in mechanical engineering, so this might be a verb used more in policy-related fields? -
abstract
existing only in the mind
The other group wrote in a more
abstract, evaluative way, prompted by questions such as “Why did the event happen?Scientific American (Dec 28, 2012)Also a noun. the abstract of an article is a structured summary of its contents. We need to supply abstracts of conference presentations for the conference program or conference proposals sometimes too.
-
access
the right to enter
But one reason may be, paradoxically, greater
access to health insurance.I need to remember to pronounce the /k/ sound in the middle: AEK sess. If not, I sound like I’m saying the verb «assess»
-
accommodate
have room for; hold without crowding
City clerks’ offices around Maine scheduled extra office hours to
accommodate same-sex couples rushing to wed.academic collocations: «accommodate needs,» «designed to accommodate [something]» common nouns that collocate with this verb are «learning, changes, differences» (COCA at
www.americancorpus.org) -
accompany
go or travel along with
Mr. Obama demands that any spending cuts be
accompanied by revenue increases. -
accumulate
get or gather together
Business would still be left with record reserves, much higher than those
accumulated in earlier recessions. -
acknowledge
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality of
Acknowledging differences in work style enables leaders to structure interactions better.
-
acquire
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
The design of the product resembles gadgets made by Nest Labs, the connected home company Google
acquired earlier this year for $3.2 billion.Wall Street Journal (Sep 10, 2014)collocations: acquire a house, knowledge, experience
q is /k/
stress on QUIRE
obtain, get, buy
members of the word family: acquisition (mergers and acquisitions) -
adapt
make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
Japanese officials said
adapting overseas technologies presented a particular challenge. -
adequate
having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
Better said it had injected significant funds into the business «without
adequate returns». -
adjust
alter or regulate so as to conform to a standard
-
advocate
speak, plead, or argue in favor of
He was probably best known for his work on heart disease,
advocating prevention through exercise and diet, particularly foods low in animal fat and sodium. -
affect
have an influence upon
Would adding this data to someone’s medical record
affect health insurance rates?Slate (Jan 7, 2013) -
aggregate
a sum total of many heterogeneous things taken together
Using data from Twitter covering 60,000 trips,
aggregated within a ten mile radius, Fischer created this map of Europe’s transport network. -
allocate
distribute according to a plan or set apart for a purpose
Existing x86 processor designs
allocate cache on a first come, first served basis, which allows some workloads to monopolize the shared pool.Forbes (Sep 10, 2014)allocate resources
-
alter
cause to change; make different
-
ambiguous
having more than one possible meaning
-
analogy
drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity
-
annual
occurring every year
-
anticipate
regard something as probable or likely
“We
anticipate some potential short-term disruption,” Mr. Morton said, “but no significant long-term implications.” -
apparent
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
The report of Rain’s
apparent romance with popular South Korean actress Kim Tae-hee, 32, broke in local media on Tuesday. -
append
fix to; attach
The hashtag has been
appended to quite a few approving tweets. -
appreciate
be fully aware of; realize fully
There are, of course, plenty of things to
appreciate about Downton. -
approach
ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem
He said a better understanding of the links between high blood pressure and dementia could be crucial for developing new treatments or
approaches to prevention. -
appropriate
suitable for a particular person, place, or situation
Mr. Frederick said “that kind of legal strategy is perfectly
appropriate.” -
approximate
judge tentatively or form an estimate of
Food technology means they aren’t bad these days, but they’re only going to
approximate the real thing. -
arbitrary
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference
His works are often intentionally placed in unglamorous,
arbitrary surroundings like abandoned buildings, far from the sleek world of urban galleries. -
aspect
a characteristic to be considered
He will oversee all
aspects of marketing for the company, including advertising, brand management, social media, and communications, LivingSocial said on Tuesday. -
assess
estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
Another complexity: most studies
assess maternal drinking through interviews, and pregnant women might lie about or underestimate their consumption out of embarrassment or shame.Scientific American (Jan 4, 2013) -
assign
select something or someone for a specific purpose
A larger staff has been
assigned to the school, she said, including mental health professionals. -
assume
take to be the case or to be true
The market, it is generally
assumed, will eventually drive up wages. -
attach
be in contact with
“Indonesians are religious people, they are very much
attached to their religious teachings, their religious values,” he said. -
attain
gain with effort
He joined the Army near the end of and
attained the rank of staff sergeant, remaining in the United States. -
attribute
a quality belonging to or characteristic of an entity
Ms. Ora
attributes much of her fashion education to her surroundings. -
authority
the power or right to give orders or make decisions
Soccer
authorities have been helping those banned with getting back on their feet and finding a way back into society. -
behalf
as the agent of or on someone’s part
The husband sits in the dominant, protective role, watching his wife’s efforts on
behalf of the family and taking pride. -
bias
a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue
More than 300 political parties contested the last general elections, representing various concerns,
biases, cries for justice and pressure groups. -
brief
give essential information to someone
“Flu vaccines are tough,” Bresee said during a telephone
briefing with reporters. -
bulk
the property possessed by a large mass
Across Portugal, supermarkets and hypermarkets, with their inexpensive packaged goods and
bulk items, continued to gain ground. -
capable
having ability
As John Stuart Mill emphasized many years ago, those who are
capable of supporting themselves should not rely on the habitual aid of others. -
capacity
capability to perform or produce
“The hospitals treating the injured are at maximum
capacity. -
cease
put an end to a state or an activity
The company said it was also temporarily
ceasing sales of modern sporting rifles nationwide. -
channel
transmit or serve as the medium for transmission
Options include
channeling more funds to the banking sector to boost lending, buying government bonds on the secondary market and even reducing foreign currency reserves. -
chart
a visual display of data or information
In some countries, including the largest developing economies in Asia, the G.D.P.
charts show no indication that bad things ever happened. -
cite
make reference to
The ratings agency
cited India’s high saving and investment rates, relatively competitive private sector and diverse economy as rationale behind its decision. -
civil
of or occurring between or among citizens of the state
What followed, officials said, was a remarkable show of international cooperation over Syria’s
civil war. -
clarify
make clear and comprehensible
He later
clarified his meaning and said the media had his misconstrued his comments. -
classic
of recognized authority or excellence
“The Blue Angel,” adapted from Heinrich Mann’s novel “Small Town Tyrant,” is a cinema
classic that made Marlene Dietrich a star. -
code
a set of rules or principles or laws
France’s Civil
Code says one must have another nationality in order to give up French citizenship because it is forbidden to be stateless.New York Times (Jan 3, 2013) -
coherent
marked by an orderly and consistent relation of parts
That leadership vacuum, Mr. Bealefeld and others said, has inevitably depleted morale and kept the agency from developing a
coherent agenda. -
coincide
happen simultaneously
The cutbacks in education and growing youth unemployment
coincide with two demographic crises facing European governments. -
collapse
break down, literally or metaphorically
The
collapse of Latvia’s largest bank in 1995 wiped out many people’s savings. -
commence
set in motion, cause to start
-
commission
a special group delegated to consider some matter
The
commission collected evidence that showed the authorities discussed covering up killings, including by quickly burying the bodies of victims. -
commit
give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
A lawyer for the medical examiner’s office, Mimi Mairs, said the agency had
committed to “leaving no stone unturned in recalling casework she touched.” -
communicate
interchange information or ideas
By introducing the rating system to games that rely on digital distribution, Vance said, developers will be able to better
communicate their nature to consumers. -
community
group of interdependent organisms living in the same region
In November, Hurricane Sandy devastated entire
communities in coastal New York and New Jersey and killed over 100 people. -
compatible
able to exist and perform in harmonious combination
-
compensate
make amends for
The German government has already
compensated Jews who were forced to work in the ghettos. -
compile
get or gather together
Mobile video calling has risen so quickly that industry analysts have not yet
compiled exact numbers. -
complement
something added to embellish or make perfect
Third, in 2008-9, monetary and fiscal policies were
complemented by government capital injections directly into United States and European banks.New York Times (Aug 11, 2011) -
component
one of the individual parts making up a larger entity
Avoiding turnovers, hitting the offensive boards and getting to the free throw line are all key
components of an efficient offense. -
compound
a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts
The New England
Compounding Center was shut down, and inspections found extensive contamination. -
comprehensive
including all or everything
“
Comprehensive investigative reports for the four equine fatalities from the inner track meet are being completed by board staff.” -
comprise
be made of
Peck, though, was surprised to learn the other team nicknames used in his league, which was
comprised entirely of white men.Washington Post (Jun 27, 2012) -
conceive
have the idea for
-
concentrate
make denser, stronger, or purer
Mostly we were silent,
concentrating on our steps, but occasionally we would chat. -
concept
an abstract or general idea inferred from specific instances
There is little technical artistry involved, the focus instead on simple
concepts and difficult execution. -
conclude
bring to a close
Taken together, the reports have led analysts to
conclude that after years of being an economic drag, housing is now contributing to economic growth. -
concurrent
occurring or operating at the same time
Problem solving was
concurrent with physical effort, so the brain must have adapted by developing appropriate regions to enhance neurocognition.New York Times (Sep 15, 2010) -
conduct
the way a person behaves toward other people
For years, lawmakers, urged by the NRA, have placed so-called riders on spending bills that restrict these and other agencies from
conducting such research. -
confer
have a meeting in order to talk something over
He especially prefers having a radiologist on-site because he believes that
conferring in person helps prevent mistaken readings and gets quicker results. -
confine
place limits on
Is erotic sculpture
confined to temples or particular religious cults? -
confirm
establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
The identities have yet to be officially
confirmed, he said. -
conform
be similar, be in line with
In other words, they
conformed to feminine stereotypes. -
consent
give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to
Companies also must get parental
consent before using tracking tools such as cookies that peek into children’s IP addresses and device identification numbers. -
considerable
large in number, amount, extent, or degree
In other words, the trial court wanted to treat the mass media like a public utility, which carried
considerable consequences. -
consist
have its essential character
They
consist of arms, elbows and very long finger bones connected by two layers of thin skin. -
constant
uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
False reviews are a
constant problem on consumer Web sites. -
constitute
form or compose
The FDA said it is also working on proposed safety regulations targeting imported food – which
constitutes 15% of what’s eaten in the U.S. -
constrain
hold back
Constrained school budgets are likely to prevent any mass hiring or arming of security officers.
-
construct
make by combining materials and parts
He wanted and received some honest feedback to help
construct a game plan that would put them in better positions to succeed. -
consult
get or ask advice from
She said she had decided to step down after
consulting family members and friends. -
consume
use up, as resources or materials
The technology in theory allows for thinner screens that
consume less power. -
contact
be in or establish communication with
Beck made eye
contact with me and nodded. -
contemporary
belonging to the present time
There is, in other words, much to appreciate about
contemporary movies this year. -
context
the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation
Geological Survey has posted some useful
context and interpretation. -
contract
a binding agreement that is enforceable by law
Other league business will also resume, including trades and
contract signings. -
contradict
prove negative; show to be false
The C.I.A.’s acting director, Michael Morell, recently
contradicted that, saying harsh techniques did produce some tips that led to Bin Laden. -
contrary
exact opposition
On the
contrary, he wrote, such clauses are used in most debt restructuring exercises, and investors “would expect Greece to use it.” -
contribute
give to some cause
In 2009, researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center reported finding evidence suggesting that the chemicals may also
contribute to obesity in girls. -
controversy
a dispute where there is strong disagreement
But the performance has been clouded by
controversy. -
convene
meet formally
-
converse
carry on a discussion
But people in traditional societies
converse constantly, learning from one another and sharing. -
convert
change the nature, purpose, or function of something
Let us embrace book shelves that
convert to dining room tables. -
convince
make realize the truth or validity of something
They are still not
convinced of Mr. Bozizé’s good will. -
cooperate
work together on a common enterprise or project
We are
cooperating with authorities and conducting a full internal investigation. -
core
the choicest or most vital part of some idea or experience
College admission personnel will focus on your performance in this year’s
core academic classes. -
correspond
be compatible, similar, or consistent
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made the temporary cease-fire by Israel’s airplanes conditional on a
corresponding halt to rocket fire from Gaza. -
create
bring into existence
What started as a few coins to buy one hen ends up
creating jobs for people all over Ghana. -
criterion
the ideal in terms of which something can be judged
Regulators say lenders must consider at least eight
criteria, including a borrower’s credit history, debt obligations, employment status, income and assets. -
crucial
of extreme importance; vital to the resolution of a crisis
Developing Internet programming is a
crucial part of Sony’s future, he said. -
culture
a particular society at a particular time and place
“It was really mixed
cultures growing up,” she said. -
currency
the metal or paper medium of exchange that is presently used
-
cycle
a periodically repeated sequence of events
But real estate tends to move in longer
cycles, and Mr. Case is still saying now is a good time to buy. -
debate
a discussion with reasons for and against some proposal
“Political capital in the gun
debate only goes so far. -
decade
a period of 10 years
Decades ago, Andrews whittled wood, watching the shavings fall away to reveal something recognizable.
-
decline
grow worse
But there will be less dancing now, because the chickens’ numbers have
declined. -
deduce
conclude by reasoning
-
define
show the form or outline of
Relative greatness can be tricky to
define across tennis eras. -
definite
precise; explicit and clearly defined
While there are no
definite plans yet, “we are looking to broaden our outreach beyond New York,” said Terry Lynam, a spokesman for North Shore.New York Times (Mar 8, 2012) -
demonstrate
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
“Over a century of experience in the United States has
demonstrated the powerful role women’s colleges play in educating women leaders.” -
denote
be a sign or indication of
Heard in that light, the work’s agonized gestures, halting pace and tense silences
denoted courage and ineffable dignity.New York Times (Mar 12, 2012) -
deny
declare untrue; contradict
Both the military and Mr. Qadri have publicly
denied working together. -
depress
push down
«It was the most
depressing meeting ever,» said one attendee who spoke on the condition of anonymity. -
derive
come from
He said his son was «a very simple person at heart» who »
derives pleasures from simple things in life.» -
design
the act of working out the form of something
The previous models had identical
designs that made it easier for bump drafting because the front and rear bumpers lined up squarely.New York Times (Jan 12, 2013) -
detect
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
But soon enough, they
detected something wrong, not least that Mr. Holmes was apparently trying to conceal a handgun. -
device
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
Mr. Scal said wireless fitness
devices were becoming popular because they address basic needs for consumers, unlike another trend seen at the show, enormous televisions. -
devote
dedicate
He says movies based on video games rarely please
devoted fans and could taint the brand. -
differentiate
be a distinctive feature, attribute, or trait
“Whirlpool’s key
differentiating points are quality and innovation,” said Mr. Beck, and “the icing is that, hey, we’re made in the United States.” -
dimension
a construct distinguishing objects or individuals
And then there are Houston’s narrow field
dimensions, a factor in United’s struggles this year. -
diminish
decrease in size, extent, or range
The market malfunctions have been assigned part of the blame for the
diminishing amount of trading happening on the nation’s stock exchanges. -
discrete
constituting a separate entity or part
-
displace
cause to move, usually with force or pressure
“There are these young guys in the camps, very well dressed, that are definitely not
displaced persons,” Mr. Goffeau said. -
display
something intended to communicate a particular impression
Eighty of his black-and-white photographs, taken over a 70-year period, will be on
display in this exhibition. -
dispose
throw or cast away
Food trash has to be
disposed of immediately, the futon tucked into its slot every morning, each object stored after use. -
distinct
recognizable; marked
The small plant in Montreal is divided into two
distinct operations. -
distort
twist and press out of shape
But he insists that his work has been intentionally
distorted by critics. -
distribute
give to several people
Mr. Guevara said he believed the institute should stop producing films and be limited to, say, renting out sets and
distributing movies. -
diverse
distinctly dissimilar or unlike
“They represent what New York City is all about: a truly
diverse melting pot.” -
document
writing that provides information
The
document showed that the containers originated in Iran and declared the contents to be “building materials.” -
domain
territory over which rule or control is exercised
He said China’s claims included an area that was “clearly part of the Philippines’ territory and maritime
domain.” -
dominate
be in control
The Chinese economy remains
dominated by manufacturing and factory overcapacity still exists in some sectors. -
draft
any of the various versions in the development of a work
Rethinking Those Words for Screen Any writer knows the sinking feeling: This line, this
draft, this entire project, is not quite working. -
drama
a work intended for performance by actors on a stage
She studied art, music and
drama in high school and later attended Compton Community College. -
duration
the period of time during which something continues
The researchers also found that short sleep
duration and snoring were each independently associated with a greater likelihood of sleepy driving. -
economy
the system of production and distribution and consumption
The Chinese
economy remains dominated by manufacturing and factory overcapacity still exists in some sectors. -
element
one of the individual parts making up a composite entity
The importance of employment for former fighters is acknowledged as an important
element of keeping them from picking up arms again. -
eliminate
end, take out, or do away with
School districts have reported
eliminating thousands of jobs, increasing class sizes and reducing library services and other programs. -
emerge
come out into view, as from concealment
But an
emerging labor shortage, particularly of young workers, has changed that picture. -
emphasis
special importance or significance
Instead, Mr. Langston explained, the
emphasis is on using existing geriatricians as educators and consultants for the generalist physicians who will actually treat older patients. -
empirical
derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
The precise impact can only be determined by careful analysis unencumbered by dogmatic beliefs not anchored in
empirical results. -
enable
provide the means to perform some task
New technologies have raised productivity and profits, while
enabling companies to shed workers and slice payroll. -
encounter
a casual or unexpected convergence
Mr. Reimer also reported that both diesel engines shut off around this time, Mr. Sumwalt said, though he
encountered no problems with steering. -
enforce
compel to behave in a certain way
These rules were strictly
enforced using the flight recording equipment they carried. -
enhance
make better or more attractive
Happily, the field is evolving in ways that may
enhance safety. -
enormous
extraordinarily large in size or extent or degree
Some exhibits designed by Gallagher & Associates are less enticing, including
enormous interactive video databases. -
ensure
make certain of
The Interior Department remains focused on
ensuring safe drilling rather than barring drilling off Alaska’s coast. -
entity
that which is perceived to have its own distinct existence
He said about half of all companies today were structured as so-called pass-through
entities. -
environment
the totality of surrounding conditions
“I would rather him be in a classroom
environment,” Ms. Allen said. -
equate
consider or describe as similar or analogous
Bacon said physical activity was important to good health but might not necessarily
equate with weight loss. -
equip
provide with, usually for a specific purpose
Some are getting rid of checkout lanes and registers altogether in favor of roaming clerks
equipped with mobile devices, for instance. -
equivalent
being essentially comparable to something
And 100 half-time employees are considered
equivalent to 50 full-time employees. -
erode
become ground down or deteriorate
“The state’s historical lack of spending has had an
eroding effect on the district,” he said. -
establish
set up or found
The most recent one was
established by Ford Motors in Mountain View, Calif., in June. -
estate
extensive landed property retained by the owner
Today he earns his living in the real
estate market niche known as A.R.V., for “after repair value.” -
estimate
judge tentatively
By some
estimates, half of the nation’s health care plans are run by companies in the Nashville area. -
ethic
the principles of right and wrong for an individual or group
Professor Gillers, the legal
ethics expert, agreed, saying the
ethics rules do not forbid paying for information. -
ethnic
distinctive of the ways of living of a group of people
A vibrant
ethnic melting pot, Marseille is also home to an increasing number of contemporary art and avant-garde performances. -
evaluate
estimate the nature, quality, ability or significance of
On Wednesday, his office released a statement saying the public prosecutor would
evaluate the commission’s findings. -
eventual
expected to follow in the indefinite future
-
evident
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
In addition, the report’s loss estimates are somewhat surprising given that the loans it examined were made after the mortgage crisis became
evident. -
evolve
undergo development
“This is an
evolving and emerging threat,” he said. -
exceed
be superior or better than some standard
An earlier review by the commission found that credit card tips
exceeded 20 percent in fall 2009. -
exclude
prevent from entering; shut out
The most rigorous Drug Free Sport testing panel
excludes drugs like peptide hormones, stimulants, narcotics and many masking agents. -
exhibit
show; make visible or apparent
Some
exhibits designed by Gallagher & Associates are less enticing, including enormous interactive video databases. -
expand
make bigger or wider in size, volume, or quantity
American economic output has continued to
expand at a sluggish pace. -
expert
a person with special knowledge who performs skillfully
But even so, such controls have some benefits, public health
experts say. -
explicit
precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable
And then there’s the film’s
explicit subject matter. -
exploit
use or manipulate to one’s advantage
But their potential in other subject areas is already being
exploited. -
export
sell or transfer abroad
Such findings have implications for national
export officials. -
expose
show; make visible or apparent
Empty picture frames hang on
exposed brick walls, blank as the mind. -
external
happening or arising outside some limits or surface
“
External demand seems to be holding up better than we had thought,” Mr. Moëc said. -
extract
remove, usually with some force or effort
Green tea
extracts, more richly concentrated with EGCG, may not be much better. -
facilitate
make easier
“We have seen over and over again that states are very eager to
facilitate direct investment promotion efforts,” Mr. Riskind said. -
factor
anything that contributes causally to a result
So other
factors, such as genetics, may be more important for human longevity. -
feature
a prominent attribute or aspect of something
The organic results
featured several Nike entries and various shoe retailers, but no comparison shopping sites, at least not on the first page. -
federal
of a government with central and regional authorities
Currently, people using the card get only one free withdrawal per deposit of
federal funds. -
finance
the commercial activity of providing funds and capital
Some of the student exchanges are
financed by the Erasmus Program, while others rely on joint agreements. -
finite
bounded in magnitude or spatial or temporal extent
But a broken bone, unlike stretched ligaments, usually heals completely in a
finite period of time. -
flexible
able to adjust readily to different conditions
Where screens are concerned, apparently, the future remains
flexible. -
fluctuate
move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern
This create a
fluctuating magnetic field that generates heat without physical contact. -
focus
the concentration of attention or energy on something
The second half
focused on specific 20th-century songs in the Gilbert and Sullivan style. -
format
the organization of data according to preset specifications
What customers are now seeing reflects changes in the
format of Google results. -
formula
a symbolic representation of the composition of a compound
One former member of the DNA Subcommittee said he was concerned the
formula was based on assumptions, not practice. -
forthcoming
easygoing and open when speaking or sharing information
Reflecting on the match Broad outlined the problem clearly enough but was less
forthcoming about the likely solution.«Forthcoming» also implies that someone will say something that others might be reluctant to say, or that the context might suggest one would be uncomfortable saying.
-
foundation
education or instruction in the fundamentals of a field
The
foundation has grown, supporting visual as well as performing artists and changing its name to the
Foundation for Contemporary Arts. -
framework
the underlying structure
-
function
what something is used for
Her best works
function like brilliant collages, creating meaning through idiosyncratic constellations of references and concepts. -
fund
a reserve of money set aside for some purpose
A year later, he and other enthusiasts received a state charter to start collecting
funds and archival material. -
fundamental
serving as an essential component
“Providing access to the
fundamental technology is entirely different,” he said in an e-mail Friday. -
furthermore
in addition
Furthermore, the train in Europe or Asia is likely to have traveled at much higher speed.
-
gender
properties that distinguish organisms on the basis of sex
Thousands marching for
gender justice on New Years eve.The vocabulary.com definitions of gender lack a common academic use of the word in sociology, anthropology, and other social sciences to denote the socially constructed category of gender identity, e.g. what it means to be «male» or «female» and how something in-between is silently categorized as abnormal.
-
generate
bring into existence
But China is not particularly interested in sharing much of the wealth the railroad would
generate. -
generation
a coming into being
Among them: research showing that boomers are giving their time to community groups at higher rates than past
generations. -
globe
an object with a spherical shape
Some artists have created somewhat darker snow
globes. -
goal
the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve
“
Goals can be extremely effective, depending on how people set and approach them,” he says. -
grade
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
In all, 17,000 students and more than 1,100 teachers would be affected by closings, program changes and new
grade configurations. -
grant
allow to have
-
guarantee
an unconditional commitment that something will happen
He found his previous job within 30 days, picking up a year’s
guaranteed contract work in Hartford. -
guideline
a rule that provides direction for appropriate behavior
Hang gliding became safer as technology improved and training
guidelines were established. -
hierarchy
a series of ordered groupings within a system
-
highlight
move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent
One particularly striking finding in their analysis
highlights the power that comes with drawing the maps. -
hypothesis
a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations
His
hypothesis was neglected for many years because the methodology for detecting such chemical factors in the living embryo was not yet available.Scientific American (Jan 3, 2013) -
identical
being the exact same one
The previous models had
identical designs that made it easier for bump drafting because the front and rear bumpers lined up squarely.New York Times (Jan 11, 2013) -
identify
give the name or characteristics of
The spokeswoman declined to be
identified by name, citing company policy. -
ideology
an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group
Unfortunately, some United States officials are so captured or captivated by the
ideology of modern banking that they want to play along. -
ignorance
the lack of knowledge or education
One thing I felt keenly while reading was the
ignorance of even great minds, based on when they lived in history.New York Times (Jun 6, 2012) -
illustrate
depict with a visual representation
Investigators have so far not linked any historical pipeline problems to malicious cyberactivity, but software malfunctions have
illustrated the potential threat. -
image
a visual representation produced on a surface
Images of a hang glider soaring through the Grand Canyon were offset by reports of dozens of pilots dying each year in accidents.
-
immigrate
come into a new country and change residency
When Mr. Salomon was 19, he
immigrated to the United States; his father worked in a factory in New York City. -
impact
have an effect upon
Whatever the economic
impact of low interest rates, they seem to be helping corporate America. -
implement
apply in a manner consistent with its purpose or design
The big idea: Many business leaders struggle with
implementing strategic change. -
implicate
bring into intimate and incriminating connection
The cases involving big banks, he said, lacked sufficient evidence
implicating C.E.Os. -
implicit
suggested though not directly expressed
But he said there was an
implicit understanding that high-ranking officials were off limits. -
imply
express or state indirectly
Foreign exchange reserves have remained largely static for 18 months,
implying that the Chinese central bank has made no major intervention in the currency. -
impose
compel to behave in a certain way
Similar restrictions have been
imposed by the United Kingdom, Chile and Brazil. -
incentive
a positive motivational influence
But using generous economic
incentives and relying on conventions has been called an outdated economic strategy. -
incidence
the relative frequency of occurrence of something
-
incline
lower or bend, as in a nod or bow
Corporations are generally
inclined to settle potential cases because even being indicted can cripple business. -
income
the amount of money one makes over a period of time
Even if
income tax rates are higher later, I think the tax deferral” makes up for that increase. -
incorporate
unite or merge with something already in existence
-
indicate
designate a place, direction, person, or thing
Instead, he
indicated he might have some inside information on who will be. -
individual
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
“Everybody needs to put
individual thoughts behind them,” Smith said. -
induce
cause to act in a specified manner
Ms. Ortega was not in a medically
induced coma. -
inevitable
incapable of being avoided or prevented
But, he said, “In time, as society becomes more comfortable and legal concerns are ironed out, full autonomy will become practical,
inevitable and necessary.” -
infer
conclude by reasoning
-
infrastructure
the basic features of a system or organization
Mongolia’s vast grasslands have long attracted adventure travelers, particularly those willing to go on horseback, but a limited tourism
infrastructure has kept numbers low. -
inherent
existing as an essential constituent or characteristic
But all predictions based on computer projections have
inherent uncertainties. -
inhibit
limit the range or extent of
However, she said that the respondents might have been
inhibited in answering because their interviews were carried out in front of other family members. -
initial
occurring at the beginning
In fact, Emery still has
initial interviews scheduled. -
initiate
set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for
In the last half-dozen presidential campaigns, the news media have attempted to bring more accountability by
initiating ad watches and fact checks. -
injure
cause damage or affect negatively
Players saw Smith benched two months ago because he admitted he was
injured. -
innovate
bring something new to an environment
They are really looking for someone to
innovate in nutrition and hunger solutions. -
insert
put or introduce into something
He said he tried unsuccessfully to
insert renovations into Lincoln Center’s master plan, “but basically the program was over.” -
insight
clear or deep perception of a situation
But he found that being calm, clear and compassionate gave him better
insights and better timing. -
inspect
look over carefully
Accredited outside auditors
inspected the factory on Walmart’s behalf at least twice in 2011, he said. -
instance
an item of information that is typical of a class or group
Research has found, for
instance, that Indian mothers tend to breast-feed boys longer than they do girls, Ms. Anderson said. -
institute
set up or lay the groundwork for
The Electric Power Research
Institute has some advice, none of it encouraging.There is an additional meaning of «institute» not raised in vocabulary.com, that is, to implement.
-
instruct
impart skills or knowledge to
He is not technically an assistant coach, but he helps
instruct the quarterbacks. -
integral
existing as an essential constituent or characteristic
As this season has gone on, it has become more
integral in Seattle’s offense. -
integrate
make into a whole or make part of a whole
This mission is complicated by the fact that Moscow’s ruling class is, in fact, already deeply
integrated into Western Europe. -
integrity
an undivided or unbroken completeness with nothing wanting
Engineers determined that weaker ones were originally installed, raising concerns about the structure’s
integrity. -
intelligence
the ability to comprehend
He also noted that to carry out commando raids, the American military needs bases, an
intelligence network and arrangements for medical evacuation. -
intense
extremely sharp
“Currently in China people are unusually sensitive to developments like this, and so the reaction has been quite
intense,” Mr. Zhan said. -
interact
do something together or with others
He clearly enjoyed
interacting with sports fans of Chicago he respects. -
intermediate
around the middle of a scale of evaluation
Has also assumed a bigger role in the passing game, primarily at the
intermediate levels. -
internal
located inward
The
Internal Revenue Service issued guidance to employers to increase withholding from paychecks beginning Tuesday to match new tax rates at every income level. -
interpret
make sense of; assign a meaning to
But people do
interpret and observe religion differently and, as Celtics Coach Doc Rivers noted, a fair number of folks “do work on Christmas.” -
interval
the distance between things
Players who sustained head injuries also received scans at three
intervals after the injuries, with researchers using advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques. -
intervene
get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action
Meanwhile, financial markets remain focused on how the European Central Bank might actually go about
intervening in government bond markets.New York Times (Aug 20, 2012) -
intrinsic
belonging to a thing by its very nature
-
investigate
conduct an inquiry of
Police detectives are
investigating several thefts in at least two precincts that appear to include the same suspects, said Sgt. -
invoke
cite as an authority
Yet the concepts
invoked are often abstract, requiring reflection and explanation. -
involve
contain as a part
Another United States Attorney’s office could reopen that investigation, several lawyers
involved in the case said, although that is unlikely. -
isolate
place or set apart
That damage would have been reduced by about two-thirds if controllers in Houston
isolated the rupture as soon as problems emerged, investigators said. -
issue
some situation or event that is thought about
The big
issues that Nokia faces, he said, are “managing efficiently, building great products and changing the way we operate. -
journal
a periodical dedicated to a particular subject
-
justify
show to be right by providing proof
Justifying her sentence, she noted that the men were driven by financial motives and difficult family circumstances rather than ideology.
-
label
a brief description given for purposes of identification
Ms. Lutz, the Living Essentials spokeswoman, said the bold “No Crash Later” statement on product
labels was followed by a special mark. -
layer
a single thickness of some substance or material
“If Disney can drive more value from existing infrastructure by
layering on technology, that is extremely powerful,” said Mr. Brown of Lo-Q. -
lecture
an educational talk delivered by a teacher in a classroom
But each year, Mr. Wright gives a
lecture on his experiences as a parent of a child with special needs. -
legal
established by or founded upon law or official rules
As required by state law, the patient’s
legal guardian was notified, along with local law enforcement. -
legislate
make laws or bills
But the recently introduced Lisbon Treaty has widened the scope for Brussels to ask member nations to
legislate on criminal matters.New York Times (Dec 8, 2010) -
locate
determine the place of by searching or examining
But no one has ever thought that the fountain might be
located beneath a house in Maine. -
maintain
keep in a certain state, position, or activity
Mr. Sprecher indicated that he was willing to
maintain two headquarters, ICE’s home in Atlanta and the Big Board’s center in New York City. -
major
greater in number or size or amount
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. also is meeting separately Thursday with
major gun retailers, including Wal-Mart. -
manipulate
influence or control shrewdly or deviously
As the financial crisis was heating up, Barclays said it
manipulated rates to increase profits and hide its failing financial health. -
manual
of or relating to the hands
However, back at the other office, Mr. Tuli did point out an engineer who was translating
manuals for companies assembling DataWind tablets in China. -
margin
the boundary line or area immediately inside the boundary
The new military spending bill, known as the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, was passed in both houses of Congress by wide
margins. -
mature
having reached full natural growth or development
Coach Mike Smith said Monday they had learned from and been
matured by their recent disappointments. -
mechanism
device consisting of a piece of machinery
Mr. Kasuri expressed surprise over the government’s failure to install an effective firewall
mechanism despite having months to do so. -
medium
the surrounding environment
Witnesses told local news
media that the helicopter appeared to have exploded after hitting the ground. -
mediate
act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
A few violence interrupters were
mediating between the gangs’ leaders, while the rest worked the crowd, calming people down. -
medical
relating to the study or practice of medicine
But some critics said that poor and uninsured patients sometimes used the emergency room as their primary source of
medical care. -
mental
involving the mind or an intellectual process
Yet Justice Del Giudice, who was scheduled to sentence Mr. Isaac, ordered a
mental health examination instead. -
method
a way of doing something, especially a systematic way
Other schools have also adopted inventive
methods to promote graduating in four years.What’s missing in this definition is «the scientific method,» or the «Methods» section of a research paper.
-
migrate
move from one country or region to another and settle there
Jeffrey Hart is a Briton
migrating back and forth between Canada and the United States on work visas, gaining experience in natural building.New York Times (Aug 20, 2012) -
minimal
the least possible
The fighters are operating on a
minimal budget, eating just one meal a day, he added. -
minimum
the smallest possible quantity
Employees will be given a
minimum 60-day notice before any furlough of longer than 22 days takes place, according to the document. -
minor
inferior in number or size or amount
In my next post, we’ll look at how seemingly
minor details in a transaction, if not handled properly, can make your life miserable. -
mode
how something is done or how it happens
Altogether, shifting transportation
modes would drive up prices, he said, adding, “Rail is not the answer.” -
modify
cause to change; make different
Riders complained about inaccurate
modified schedules on the Web site — a criticism the agency sometimes acknowledged. -
monitor
keep an eye on; keep under surveillance
A screen in one corner relayed footage from the closed circuit cameras installed across the office floors,
monitoring staff activity. -
motive
the reason that arouses action toward a desired goal
But his prime
motive in choosing Google, he said, was online collaboration. -
mutual
common to or shared by two or more parties
Teams are taught four skill sets: leadership,
mutual support, situation monitoring and communication. -
negate
make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of
She notes that salad dressing packets typically contain as many as four servings, which can
negate any nutritional value of the greens.Washington Post (Dec 20, 2011) -
neutral
having no personal preference
As head of state, the queen performs some ceremonial and formal duties related to government but must remain
neutral on political matters.New York Times (Dec 19, 2012) -
nevertheless
despite anything to the contrary
Nevertheless, Mr. Ostreicher ended up in June 2011 as the only American in Palmasola Prison, an experience he described as “sheer terror.”
-
nonetheless
despite anything to the contrary
Nonetheless, Mr. Cowen’s illnesses have led to his falling about $8,400 behind in his rent; he could face eviction proceedings beginning next month.
-
norm
a standard or model or pattern regarded as typical
However, let’s take it one step further, beyond social
norms. -
normal
conforming with a standard, level, or type
“I think this is going to end up like a regular summer weekend, no more busy than
normal,” he said. -
notion
a general inclusive concept
The
notion that India’s weak manufacturing sector can catch up to China in advanced computer hardware also strikes some experts as far-fetched. -
notwithstanding
despite anything to the contrary
-
nuclear
constituting the core or central part
A few prominent environmentalists argue that the rapidly heating world cannot make wrenching changes without
nuclear power to ease the transition. -
objective
the goal intended to be attained
Mr. Dempsey’s stated main
objective was to preserve as many Tully’s jobs as possible. -
obtain
come into possession of
A Web site marketing Wegelin’s services said, «Neither the Swiss government nor any other government can
obtain information about your bank account.» -
obvious
easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind
Jet lag’s severity depends on several factors, the most
obvious being how many time zones you crossed. -
occupy
live in (a certain place)
Next to it is a lane usually
occupied by parked vehicles, and then a traffic lane. -
occur
be found to exist
However nothing else
occurred, and in a few minutes he had gone back to sleep. -
offset
a compensating equivalent
That is a particularly weighty question, given the urgent need for tax revenue to
offset the ballooning federal budget deficit. -
ongoing
currently happening
-
option
one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen
“All
options are on the table,” said a senior European official who is participating in the talks but was not authorized to speak publicly. -
outcome
something that results
Sure, compound interest has a powerful
outcome, but it takes an awfully long time to become fun and exciting. -
output
production of a certain amount
American economic
output has continued to expand at a sluggish pace. -
overall
involving only main features
-
overlap
extend over and cover a part of
The building housed a research center run by the national security agency, one of many
overlapping intelligence agencies.New York Times (Jul 19, 2012) -
panel
sheet that forms a distinct section of something
On request, Mr. Singh showed a sample of a touchscreen
panel that he said had been made at DataWind’s manufacturing unit in Montreal. -
paradigm
a standard or typical example
Even if these new shows end up being remakes of familiar
paradigms, more is at stake here. -
parallel
being everywhere equidistant and not intersecting
Increasingly she turned to writing about the recipes she was trying as her interest in cooking deepened in
parallel to her relationship. -
participate
be involved in
“All options are on the table,” said a senior European official who is
participating in the talks but was not authorized to speak publicly. -
passive
lacking in energy or will
On this night, Ms. Meade basically brought to a character a vulnerability that came across as
passive. -
perceive
become aware of through the senses
Insurance, like taxes, quantifies the
perceived societal cost of an activity. -
period
an amount of time
“We were a little bit lost last year when he was out for such an extended
period of time,” Troy Brouwer said. -
persist
continue to exist
While the specific numbers have most likely shifted over time, the basic categories
persist. -
perspective
a way of regarding situations or topics
It is helpful to summarize the important policy effects on the labor market from workers’
perspectives in terms of marginal tax rates. -
phase
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
“He’s progressively gotten better in all
phases,” Haslett said. -
phenomenon
any state or process known through the senses
Researchers found that employee turnover slows down considerably as businesses get older and bigger, which could be contributing to the wage
phenomenon. -
philosophy
a belief accepted as authoritative by some group or school
He often coupled common sense with Greek
philosophy, which, he wrote, «seemed to astonish the whole journalistic fraternity in New York City.» -
physical
involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit
Various companies showed off tools that intervened in our
physical lives. -
policy
a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group
“Chuck Hagel is out of the mainstream,” Mr. Graham says, “on most issues regarding foreign
policy.” -
portion
something determined in relation to a thing that includes it
A large
portion of that is held by a group of hedge funds including York Capital Management, which invests heavily in distressed debt. -
pose
put into a certain place or abstract location
Pointing out the potential hazards
posed by data brokers and the like is part of Mr. Fertik’s M.O. -
positive
characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance
“Call me an optimist, but I see
positive indications of the markets moving forward,” he said. -
potential
existing in possibility
Investors fixated last year on so-called tail risks, or
potential negative surprises. -
practitioner
someone who carries out a learned profession
“Many
practitioners haven’t caught up to the advanced technology yet,” he said. -
precede
be earlier in time
-
precise
sharply exact or accurate or delimited
The
precise impact can only be determined by careful analysis unencumbered by dogmatic beliefs not anchored in empirical results. -
predict
make a guess about what will happen in the future
Research is why he will never live in Seattle, he said; scientists are
predicting a big earthquake someday. -
predominant
having superior power or influence
-
preliminary
preceding or in preparation for something more important
West Bengal: A
preliminary medical examination suggested that a three-year-old girl was raped in Goai village, the Indian Express reported. -
presume
take to be the case or to be true
The 32 remaining passengers are
presumed to have drowned. -
previous
just preceding something else in time or order
He found his
previous job within 30 days, picking up a year’s guaranteed contract work in Hartford. -
primary
of first rank or importance or value
But some critics said that poor and uninsured patients sometimes used the emergency room as their
primary source of medical care. -
prime
of or relating to the first or originating agent
Acquiring the service would not only give Apple access to
prime data but also, as Search Engine Land noted, would complement Apple in other ways. -
principal
main or most important
Among Wall Street’s
principal concerns about Facebook has been the company’s ability to profit as its users increasingly log in on their mobile phones. -
principle
a basic generalization that is accepted as true
The business was built on two main
principles: outstanding customer service and offering high-quality clothes to help people become accepted into society, relatives said. -
prior
earlier in time
Mr. Akhtar said that no
prior warning or threat had been given to his organization by militants. -
priority
status established in order of importance or urgency
“When you are running investments, your
priority needs to be maximizing return.” -
proceed
move ahead; travel onward in time or space
If successful, lawyers said, future
proceedings, at least in the pre trial stage, will be open. -
process
a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
Hall of Fame voting is ultimately designed to be a consensus
process. -
professional
of or relating to or suitable as an occupation
Mitchell, 30, entered his last fight coming off the longest layoff of his
professional career. -
prohibit
command against
One student studying preschool education said she was
prohibited from quitting her internship and was compelled to work night shifts. -
project
a planned undertaking
The landscaping
project was announced in 2011 but has taken time to advance through public review as officials wrestled with the security question. -
promote
contribute to the progress or growth of
Some rinks installed concrete floors to
promote cooling, but others employed newer technologies. -
proportion
relation with respect to comparative quantity or magnitude
Insulin is known to fuel cell growth, and cancer cells consume glucose out of
proportion to other nutrients. -
prospect
the possibility of future success
Nothing to do, no
prospects for getting out. -
protocol
forms of ceremony and etiquette observed by officials
But organizations that foster student musicians still mostly insist on standard
protocols. -
psychology
the science of mental life
David Popplewell of Brasenose College grilled an experimental
psychology candidate by asking: «Why do human beings have two eyes?» -
publication
the act of issuing printed materials
The New York Times and other mainstream
publications published hundreds of the documents Private Manning is accused of leaking. -
publish
prepare and issue for public distribution or sale
The Smoking Gun Web site
published the document online. -
purchase
something acquired by buying
He also said that there are no minimum
purchases required by distributors, denouncing so-called «pay to play» allegations. -
pursue
follow in an effort to capture
Ask for help
pursuing that interest beyond class assignments. -
qualitative
involving distinguishing attributes
-
radical
far beyond the norm
Voters appeared to prefer stability over Mr. Moon’s calls for
radical change. -
random
lacking any definite plan or order or purpose
Monte Carlo methods use a
random process to solve complicated problems. -
range
a variety of different things or activities
He successfully fought to keep cost increases within a manageable
range. -
ratio
relation with respect to comparative quantity or magnitude
Pythagoras, he tells us, used the concept of dissonance in coming to his theories about the simple
ratios of whole numbers. -
rational
consistent with or based on or using reason
Is there any
rational reason to think that things will change next year? -
react
show a response to something
Every college coach wants smart players — athletes who can grasp complex offenses, dissect sophisticated defenses and
react quickly under pressure. -
recover
regain or make up for
Figure Skating Championships later this month while he
recovers from hip surgery. -
refine
reduce to a pure state
But experts also suggested that concepts of fat be
refined. -
regime
the governing authority of a political unit
“In general, I think the
regime in Damascus is approaching collapse,” he said. -
region
the extended spatial location of something
The
region is loaded with iron, and mining companies will continue to go after it. -
regulate
bring into conformity with rules, principles, or usage
While closely
regulated by the Department of Environmental Conservation, New York also offers great fishing opportunities. -
reinforce
strengthen and support
Patterns of one or the other are
reinforced over time. -
reject
refuse to accept or acknowledge
Intermittent fighting increased last month when the rebels
rejected a government demand that they allow supply convoys to reach an army base. -
relax
become loose or looser or less tight
At a Tuesday morning news conference, Saban seemed
relaxed. -
release
grant freedom to; free from confinement
Another senior official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to
release military information, said two pilots were on board. -
relevant
having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue
«But working on something so
relevant to society caught my attention.» -
reluctance
a certain degree of unwillingness
But he was expressing some
reluctance to get on board. -
rely
have confidence or faith in
But there is an inherent risk in anything that
relies on transporting natural resources because demand can vary. -
remove
take something away as by lifting, pushing, or taking off
Six thousand fewer tons of steel trusses, which were
removed in 2004. -
require
have need of
Current law
requires reporting multiple purchases of handguns, but not semi-automatic assault rifles. -
research
a seeking for knowledge
Research has found, for instance, that Indian mothers tend to breast-feed boys longer than they do girls, Ms. Anderson said.
-
reside
live in
I was intrigued by our parallel worlds — two Muslim Middle Eastern women, eyes lined with pencils of coal,
residing in the United States. -
resource
aid or support that may be drawn upon when needed
But there is an inherent risk in anything that relies on transporting natural
resources because demand can vary. -
respond
show a reaction to something
Protest leaders said the court had given the state six days to
respond. -
restore
bring back into original existence, function, or position
Some other buildings in the area have yet to have their phone service
restored, however, Verizon officials said. -
restrain
hold back
Additional cuts in government spending later this year, above those already emanating from the cap on discretionary spending, would further
restrain job creation. -
restrict
limit access to
But of greater concern was this: A hang gliding flight that crossed into
restricted airspace was ineligible for the record book. -
retain
hold back within
Hirscher
retained his lead in the overall World Cup standings. -
reveal
make known to the public information previously kept secret
If prodded, Mr. Gogu will
reveal a few celebrity stories. -
revenue
the entire amount of income before any deductions are made
That is a particularly weighty question, given the urgent need for tax
revenue to offset the ballooning federal budget deficit. -
reverse
change to the contrary
But Mrs. Nader and some others are beginning to
reverse that trend. -
revise
reorganize, especially for the purpose of improving
The
revised editorial instead lauded Communist Party’s policies. -
revolution
a single complete turn
The biggest winner in this
revolution will likely be Google, with its free Android operating system. -
rigid
fixed and unmoving
The result is the smallest, most
rigid playing field in recent history: One that excludes 41 states. -
role
the actions and activities assigned to a person or group
Newsome remembers Lewis’s first news conference after his
role in the Atlanta murders was resolved. -
route
an established line of travel or access
Alabama, en
route to its third national title in four years, scored the first three times it had the ball. -
scenario
a postulated sequence of possible events
“They are always prepared for different
scenarios,” he said of the government. -
schedule
a list of times at which things are planned to occur
Washington is
scheduled to open its season Saturday at Tampa Bay. -
scheme
an elaborate and systematic plan of action
Some of these offers turned out to be Ponzi
schemes. -
scope
an area in which something operates or has power or control
The credit can also apply to a wide
scope of industries — not just manufacturing, but computer software, architects, engineers, and food processing firms. -
section
one of several parts or pieces that fit with others
The Journal is planning a full page of excerpts in its Leisure & Arts
section on Wednesday. -
sector
a particular aspect of life or activity
The China corporate
sector has been battling falling profits. -
secure
free from danger or risk
Register online well in advance to
secure a spot at your preferred test site. -
sequence
a following of one thing after another in time
“We built five separate set pieces to shoot different parts of the
sequence,” Mr. Hennah said. -
series
similar things placed in order or one after another
But laying out a
series of possible routes would allow readers to make an educated choice. -
shift
move very slightly
While the specific numbers have most likely
shifted over time, the basic categories persist. -
significant
important in effect or meaning
«To go this far without
significant problems after the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression is remarkable,» Mr. Griffith said. -
simulate
reproduce someone’s behavior or looks
-
so-called
doubtful or suspect
Better still, he said, are
so-called unconstrained bond funds whose managers have great flexibility in how they invest. -
source
the place where something begins
According to a reliable
source, “Baseball has ruled on it. -
specific
distinguishing something particular or unique
Department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue use e-mail to target
specific audiences, but older shoppers still must sift through clothes and accessories for all ages. -
specify
be particular about
The sentence mentioning the alternate swearing-in does not
specify a date, and government officials have said that means Mr. Chávez can be sworn in later. -
sphere
a round three-dimensional closed surface
After surviving the collapse of the twin towers, the battered
sphere was moved to Battery Park. -
stable
resistant to change of position or condition
Mr. Abrams said rental companies preferred to keep prices
stable and spend their energy on trying to gain market share. -
statistic
a datum that can be represented numerically
In recent years, a growing number of high schools have stopped providing class rankings to colleges, raising questions about the value of the
statistic. -
status
the condition or someone or something at a particular time
But he has made no mention of addressing North Korea’s
status as one of the world’s least wired nations. -
straightforward
pointed directly ahead
«We are always looking for sophisticated and
straightforward dishes to add to our tailgate menu,» Jackson wrote. -
strategy
an elaborate and systematic plan of action
But using generous economic incentives and relying on conventions has been called an outdated economic
strategy. -
stress
difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension
An estimated 75 to 90 percent of all doctors’ visits are related to
stress. -
structure
the building of something and the arrangement of its parts
Engineers determined that weaker ones were originally installed, raising concerns about the
structure’s integrity. -
style
a particular kind
Tunisian
Style Baked Cauliflower Frittata In the authentic version of this frittata there is a lot more olive oil, as well as chopped hard-boiled eggs. -
submit
hand over formally
-
subordinate
lower in rank or importance
-
subsequent
following in time or order
But nothing in Mr. Sullivan’s universe is random, and
subsequent chapters reveal a tangle of dark meanings under the surface. -
subsidy
a grant of financial assistance, especially by a government
-
substitute
a person or thing that can take the place of another
Cellphones, email and Skype allow more connection among family members and loved ones, but are no
substitute for being there. -
successor
a person who follows next in order
His
successor at the U.S. unit will be announced later, BP said. -
sufficient
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement
The cases involving big banks, he said, lacked
sufficient evidence implicating C.E.Os. -
summary
a brief statement that presents the main points
In the committee meetings, the
summaries prepared by the first and second readers are often read out loud and discussed. -
supplement
an additional component that improves capability
Some contain anabolic steroids, and even high-quality protein
supplements might be dangerous in large amounts, or if taken to replace meals, he said. -
survey
ask people questions in order to gather data
A
survey in China on Monday found manufacturing activity in that country expanded for the third consecutive month. -
survive
continue in existence after
Last week, in fact, he
survived a vigilante assassination attempt; a car bomb reportedly killed the would-be assassin. -
suspend
stop a process or a habit by imposing a freeze on it
Last spring, Binghamton University
suspended pledging after a series of complaints about people being physically abused, deprived of sleep and forced to drink heavily. -
sustain
lengthen or extend in duration or space
He balked at describing the actions as “harassment” or “molestation,” saying that implied aggravated or
sustained behavior. -
symbol
something visible that represents something invisible
She is looking for dinnerware painted with winged goddesses, holding aloft trumpets and bald eagles, which are
symbols of the Society of the Cincinnati. -
target
a reference point to shoot at
In the mid-1990s, some joined suicide bombing attacks aimed at military and civilian
targets, sometimes deflecting suspicion by dressing as though pregnant. -
task
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
The
task had taken considerably longer than expected. -
technical
of or relating to aptitude in a practical skill
Ultimately, Mr. Bevan noticed that Iran had published limited
technical details of its cartridges, including bullet weights. -
technique
a practical method or art applied to some particular task
Each had been a licensed peace officer for five to seven years and had received specialized training in investigative
techniques and firearms. -
technology
the practical application of science to commerce or industry
New
technologies have raised productivity and profits, while enabling companies to shed workers and slice payroll. -
temporary
not permanent; not lasting
Then in late March, a
temporary law financing the government expires. -
terminate
be the last or concluding part of
Terminating that case without a further fight, however, would mean giving up on charging other detainees with those offenses.
-
text
the words of something written
Writing essays has never been my strong suit; I have as much difficulty conveying sincerity through
text as I do in speech. -
theme
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
“I derive my
themes from what’s happening in everyday life,” Ms. Dimoula had said earlier. -
theory
a belief that can guide behavior
“In
theory you could have fired that cannon,” Mr. Browne said, “because the powder was still working.” -
thereby
by that means or because of that
In principle, work and investment decisions become more efficient and
thereby raise growth. -
thesis
an unproved statement advanced as a premise in an argument
My original
thesis that only Washington Nationals employees, Washington Nationals fans and D.C. media members supported the strategy has turned out to be incorrect.Washington Post (Aug 29, 2012) -
topic
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
Her newest book, “Prime Time,” a mix of advice on health, fitness, friendship, sex and other
topics, recently came out in paperback. -
trace
an indication that something has been present
North Korea also deployed equipment to
trace cellphone signals. -
tradition
a specific practice of long standing
Yes, it’s a New York
tradition, the first gathering having taken place in 1904. -
transfer
move from one place to another
He ended up at Division III Greensboro College for two years until Clark secured his
transfer to Stanford. -
transform
change or alter in appearance or nature
Regulators say money market funds need to be fundamentally
transformed to prevent them from creating too much systemic risk.
Created on December 28, 2012
(updated October 25, 2016)