Double-click any word on this page to listen to its audio pronunciation
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
astronauts
people who go into space to explore
to orbit
to circle round a planet or object in space
marked
celebrated, honoured
space race
the competition between the US and the Soviet Union for supremacy in space
pioneering
discovering new places and things, opening up new possibilities
to be impressed
to think something is very good
to publicise
to make known
budget
sum of money allocated to be used during a certain period of time
under threat
in danger
sprightly
lively and full of energy
capsized
turned over in water
speculating
formulating opinions about something without knowing all the facts
etiquette
the formal rules of correct behaviour
abandoned
left behind forever
heroic
showing extreme courage and admired by many people
custom
an accepted way of doing things
compels
forces someone to do something
genes
the units in the cells of a living thing that determine its physical characteristics
contradicts
says or does the opposite of something
lean
thin but strong and fit
to get hitched
an informal expression meaning to get married
to miss your chance
to fail to take advantage of an opportunity
to brush up
to revise or improve your knowledge of something
to be sick of something
to be annoyed or bored by something
to ban
to stop or forbid something
internal emails
emails sent and received between employees in the workplace
spam
junk emails
definitive
something that's determined, fixed or conclusive
embedding
implanting, to fix firmly
to get rid of
to stop or clear away
keeping records
keeping evidence of things that happen
adopting
using, taking on
a film buff
a person who is very interested in films and knows a lot about them
art-house
films which are made by small companies and are not usually seen by a wide audience
blockbuster
a very successful film financially
aesthetic
concerned with beauty and art and the understanding of beautiful things
orphaned
made parentless through death
grief
a feeling of great sadness, especially when somebody dies
for posterity
for all the people who will live in the future
humble
insignificant or unimportant
klobasa
smoked sausage, served whole
hung-over
feel ill from drinking too much alcohol the night before
gentrification
changing an area to make it look more expensive and elegant
gastric foreboding
feeling that something unpleasant is going to happen with your stomach
thoroughfare
main road or street through a city
makeover
improving the appearance of a place
pedestrianise
make an area exclusively for people who are walking
without any traffic
avian scavengers
birds that search for and eat leftover food scraps
salubrious
pleasant and clean
Layout
An arrangement or a plan of parts of the area
Shopping mall
Specially built covered area containing shops and restaurants
Shopping centre
A purpose built complex of shops restaurants and other businesses
Department store
A large store selling a variety of goods under one roof and organised into different sections
Disorienting
Loosing sense of direction or position
Retail
The sale of goods to the public
Anthropology
The scientific study of the origin, behaviour and development of humans
Gobbledygook
Language which you can not understand at all
Gibberish
Talk which does not make any sense
Mumbo jumbo
Something that does not make any sense at all to you
To set something up
To start or to build something
To spread the word
To tell a lot of people about something
Early adopters
Individuals who use new technology or products before others
Geeks
Here, persons who are inordinately dedicated to and involved with technology
a sham wedding
a wedding which is false or not real, perhaps arranged to gain money dishonestly
phoney
fake or false
bogus
not genuine
scrutiny
careful observation or examination of something
a loophole
a way of avoiding a rule or law
departure point
a place where you leave from to start a journey
land reclamation
taking areas of water and turning them into land that can be built on
contributor
something that causes something else to happen
transporting
moving people or things from one place to another
cargo
goods carried in a ship or a plane
booming
rapidly growing
undertaking
task or project somebody is committed to
tasks
pieces of work that somebody has to do
compromise
an agreement made between two sides in which each side gives up some of the things they want
environmentalists
a person concerned about the environment and who wants to improve and protect it
chromosome
a very small structure in animal or plant cells
hormones
chemical substances in the body that influence cell function
pessimistic
expecting bad things to happen
ratio
numerical expression of the relative sizes between two or more values
extinction
a situation in which a life form stops existing
breathe a sigh of relief
feel happy that something unpleasant stops
depleted
reduced by a large amount
genes
units in cells that control qualities passed on through generations
natural selection
a process in nature that determines chances of survival
stereotypes
a fixed idea or image that people have about something
hacker
a person who illegally breaks into a computer or network, to get access to other people's information
cyber attack
an assault against a computer system or network
cyber war/ cyber warfare
the use of the internet, computers and other devices to attack another person(or company)'s information systems
cyberspace
the virtual, online world of computers and networks
cybercafe
a place which offers internet access as well as drinks and snacks
did not specify
did not say, or give details about
originated from
came from
in response to
in answer to, as a reaction to
invader
someone/something that enters a place where it isn't wanted
habitat
the natural home of a plant or animal
southernmost
the place that is furthest south
flourishing
to grow well
tip
the pointed end of something
frisk
search
tucked away
hidden in something
ecology
the study of the relationship between organisms
overwhelm
to be too strong for something, to dominate
advocate
be in favour of
humble
insignificant or unimportant
klobasa
smoked sausage, served whole
hung-over
feel ill from drinking too much alcohol the night before
gentrification
changing an area to make it look more expensive and elegant
gastric foreboding
feeling that something unpleasant is going to happen with your stomach
thoroughfare
main road or street through a city
makeover
improving the appearance of a place
pedestrianise
make an area exclusively for people who are walking
without any traffic
avian scavengers
birds that search for and eat leftover food scraps
salubrious
pleasant and clean
explorers
people who travel to unknown places to find out about them
epic journey
a trip that is very ambitious and long
expedition
an organised journey or voyage with a specific purpose
exhibition
a display of items, usually at a museum or gallery
exposure
being outside in severe weather for too long
endeavour
to make a great effort to achieve something
pitch darkness
without any daylight, the term 'pitch black' is also commonly used
endured
carried on through hardships
a balaclava
a warm woollen hood that covers the head, neck and ears
a hereditary monarchy
a system where a royal family rule a country, with the children of each king or queen succeeding their mother or father as the next ruler
inconsistent with
not matching or similar to
gruesome
something involving death or injury which is very unpleasant
gallows
place where people are hanged by the neck until they die, after being convicted of a crime
die-hard republicans
people who are very committed to their country being a republic, where all leaders are voted into power
elected
given political power or responsibility after being voted for by people in an election
scrapping
getting rid of, or abolishing
more accountable
more responsible for actions and decisions
identity
the characteristics which someone or something is known for
class
a person's place in society, based on their wealth and the privileges available to them
supernatural
unexplainable or abnormal. Often used in reference to ghostly or magical events
witchcraft
the practice of magic
tried for murder
accused of murder and taken to trial in court
folklore
traditional stories or myths passed down through generations
persecuted
treated unfairly or victimised
to curse
verb meaning to use a supernatural power to hurt someone
to cough up
to produce something, usually money
a stab in the dark
a wild guess
eerie
adjective meaning creepy, strange or frightening
To make a fuss
To become angry or upset about something, often unnecessarily
To make a scene
To complain very loudly and lose your temper
To annoy
To make someone angry with you
To irritate
To provoke anger or displeasure
Formal complaint
Official, sometimes written, statement of dissatisfaction, made to a person or organisation
Riled up
Made angry or dissatisfied
Nettle
Wild plant which stings you if you touch it
To grasp the nettle
To deal with an unpleasant problem or situation in a bold, decisive way
stress
a feeling of tension and worry
absence
being unavailable
tough
difficult, hard
employees
people who are paid to work for somebody
taking its toll
causing suffering, harm or damage
public sector
part of the economy that is controlled or supported financially by the government
organisational change
replacing the structure of a workplace with a different one
job security
the probability of someone keeping their job for a long time
redundancies
jobs which will stop existing
a strategy
a plan to achieve something
counselling
professional advice about a problem, often relating to mental health
romantic
someone who has a lot of positive and sometimes unrealistic ideas, particularly about love
the front line
place where soldiers are directly fighting their enemy in a war, and in danger of being killed
a sweetheart
term used to express fondness for someone else, sometimes in a romantic way
shy
person who is quiet, nervous and uncomfortable with other people
engaged
two people who have promised to get married to each other
distant
far away
very moving
something which makes you emotional
worst case scenarios
the most unpleasant or unsatisfactory situations you can imagine
deployment
movement of army troops to a place
banal
something that is very ordinary and not interesting
social networks
groups of people who interact with each other and share photos or website links via internet sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter)
status update
the latest news about someone's activities or what they are doing, as published on a social networking website
scam
scheme or plan to deceive people
fraudsters
criminals or dishonest people who trick others with the aim of getting their money or private information
a lucrative hotbed
here, a good opportunity to earn lots of money from social media users
succession
act or process of following in order or sequence
monarch
a king or queen who reigns over a country
abdicates
gives up a position of being a king or a queen
outdated
no longer useful or relevant
approval
a positive opinion of someone or something
dominance
preference of something or someone over other similar things or persons
ruled out
prevented from happening or from being possible
historic
important in history
reforms
changes and improvements to the law, social system or institution
implementing
carrying out a plan, system or law
the odds are stacked against you
it is very unlikely you will succeed because in your current situation many things will work against you
pupils
learners who are taught in a class
a level playing field
a situation allowing an equal chance for all participants to be successful at something
income
money earned from working
social and emotional
people living and interacting with each other (social); people responding outwardly to their feelings (emotional)
cognitive
the process of our brains learning, knowing and thinking about information
fidgety
making small, quick movements in a nervous way
restless
moving about aimlessly, unable to relax or focus on tasks
clingy
not wanting to be separated from other people, often physically holding on to them or seeking their attention
better-off
here, richer or from a more privileged background
counterpart
person who is at the same level (e.g. at school) or does the same job as someone else
population
the total number of people living in a particular country or region
billion
a thousand million (in some parts of the world a million million)
it's estimated
experts have made approximate calculations of how much something is likely to be or cost
projection
an expected outcome
explosion
here, a large, sudden increase
defining challenge
a difficult or demanding task that will shape or characterise related events
technological solution
the use of technology to solve a problem or find an answer
refrigeration
keeping something at a constant, cold temperature
transportation
moving things or people from one place to another
optimised
to have made something become as best as it can be
consumption
here, eating or drinking something
the pitch
here, the placing of a note, either high or low
the key
the notes used in a piece of music, which are based on a scale, or specific series of notes
too narrow
not wide enough to include all people who have different levels of musical skills
immersed
surrounded by a large amount of
engenders
causes or equips someone with musical skills
a sophisticated skill
an advanced or complicated ability
ring tones
the various sounds which mobile phones make when a call or message is received
tone-deaf
unable to sing in tune or to recognise different melodies
debunk
to show something is untrue or unimportant
myths
stories which are old and well known, but are not based on truth
categorised
divided into sets or groups
persecuted
treated worse than other people (maybe because of your race, religion or lifestyle)
elegant
pleasing and graceful in appearance
perceived
believed
discrimination
treating a person or a group of people worse than others
an open season
a period of time when the usual rules don't apply
minorities
small groups in society
unrepresentative
here, not typical of a group of people or viewpoint
(the) establishment
(the) government, authorities, and influential people in society (e.g. the media)
To fidget
To keep moving your hands or feet, or changing position slightly (because you are nervous or bored)
To slump
Here, to sit heavily with a curved spine (not in an upright position), perhaps because you are tired
To take the weight or to bear the weight
To support or hold something up
Ergonomic
Designed to support the human body more and improve health and posture
Fatigue
Tiredness or weakness
Bolt upright
Sitting or standing very straight
Legroom
The space in front of a seat for your legs
Elbowroom
The space available in the surrounding area to move your arms. Also a generic word to describe the amount of space somewhere (i.e. in a room)
citizen journalism
information collected by people who are not formally employed as journalists; their material is not always edited and published by recognised media sources
trained
learned how to be a reporter through courses or lessons
social media
websites where people interact socially via different types of technology and software
democratisation
a process which makes it easier for people to find out about and contribute to the information available
to publish
to make your work available to the public through printed or electronic media (e.g. books, newspapers, the internet)
media brands
well known companies or corporations which produce media content (e.g. the BBC)
to go through them
to read, analyse and organise them
verify
confirm something is true
hasn't really been tested yet
not yet known if it works well in really challenging situations
valuable source
place where useful and trusted information can be found
political beliefs
your opinions on how governments should run the world
scanned
here, photographed by a machine which can show images of people's brains
left-wing
having political ideas which are close to socialism
liberal
tolerant of different beliefs or behaviours
right-wing
having political ideas which support conservatism and capitalism
conservative
likes to preserve traditional ideas, and resists changes or new ideas
hard-wired
here, unmovable in opinion
MRI scans
a machine which can photograph people's brains (MRI, magnetic resonance imaging)
hypothesis
explanation or theory which has not yet proved to be correct
grey matter
type of matter which forms part of the brain
neurons
cells in the human nervous system which conduct messages to and from the brain
nerve cells
cells which, together, form human nerves
Boutique
Small shop that sells fashionable items
High street / main street
A street of a town where most of the shops are
Discount
A reduction in the price
A good deal
Here, a good price of something
Vast
Extremely large
Fast Food
Food which is prepared and served very quickly
Upmarket
Things which appeal to or designed for people with higher income
Downmarket
Things which appeal to or designed for people with lower income
Crowded
Full of people or things
favourite
best, most liked or loved
a preference for
a strong liking for one thing rather than another
an obsession
feeling a need to do something without wanting to stop
dizzy
light-headed, unsteady, unwell
faint
unwell, feeling as though you are about to pass out or lose consciousness
concentrate
pay attention to a task
retailers
people or companies that sell things
manufacturers
people or companies that make things
merchandising
displays, advertising, selling
trick
cheat, scam, dishonestly convince someone to do something
toddlers
children who have just learned to walk
to supervise
to watch over a person or an activity they are doing and make sure it is done correctly
supervision
the act of supervising people or their activities
second nature
something which you can do easily and naturally
splash
the sound made when something hits the water
to dive
to jump into water, usually head-first
hoops
large rings made of wood, metal or plastic
armed forces
army, navy and air force of a country
reforms
changes and improvement to a law, social system or institution
qualified
someone who passed the examination in order to work in a particular profession
certified
to be issued a certificate saying that a person completed training in order to work in a particular profession
statistically
relating to information shown in numbers
critics
here, people who disapprove of an idea or suggestion
undigested
here, this means unchanged
ridiculous
very foolish or absurd
approaches
methods or system
exemption
freedom from obeying a rule or a duty
light pollution
artificial light at night which makes the night sky lighter and means stars can't be seen very well
twinkling
describes the way light from stars seems to shine strongly then weakly
satellite
an object which moves around a larger object in space
star gazer
someone who enjoys looking at stars
realm of opportunity
chances to explore a certain area of interest
amateur astronomers
people who study the stars as a hobby
fonts
different styles and sizes of letters that are used in printing or typing
an array
a group or collection of things or people, often large or impressive
typography
the way of preparing and arranging printed material, especially designing how text will appear when it's printed
calligraphy
the art of producing beautiful handwriting often using a brush or a special pen
unsophisticated
simple and basic
characteristics
qualities or features that are typical of someone or something
humanitarian
concerned with reducing suffering and improving the conditions that people live in
competent
efficient and effective
loathed
disliked very much
jaunty
light-hearted, full of confidence and energetic
hidden costs
charges for a product or service that are not clearly advertised by the seller
clicking
selecting links on internet pages by pressing on your computer mouse
budgeted for
amount of money you had planned to spend
an emotional commitment
a personal connection to a plan or course of action, which you feel it is important to complete
to pull out
to decide not to do something, or withdraw from a commitment
a great boon
very helpful or beneficial
a round-trip
American English, meaning a return trip, or journey which takes you to a place and back to where you started
deceptive
make you believe something that is not true
ingenious
very clever
slums
areas of a city where living conditions are very bad
obstacle
something which makes it difficult to go forward or do something
insignificant
not important
virtually
almost entirely, nearly
necessity
the need to do something
essentially
in a fundamental or basic way
algae
plant-like organism living mainly in water
refracted
here, a ray of sunlight which changed its path where it entered water
economical
does not require a lot of money to operate
watts
units of measurement of electrical power
philanthropy
the effort to improve something by giving time, money or attention
billionaires
people whose wealth is greater than a billion - in this example - US dollars
industrialists
people who own or develop big businesses
a tendency to do something
usually does something
a notable part of
a significant aspect of
a good cause
a problem or charitable organisation worthy of money and attention
a handful of
very few of
enthusiasm
eagerness to do something or be involved in it
Superstition
the belief that particular events happen in a way that cannot be explained by science or reason
To touch wood/knock on wood
something you do in order to avoid bad luck, either when you mention good luck that you have had in the past or when you mention hopes you have for the future
A lucky charm
a small object worn on a chain or bracelet that is believed to bring good luck
Off the top of my head
to think of something quickly or instantly without much research
Seagull
a wild bird that tends to live around the coast
Embodiment
a person or thing that represents an idea or quality, or a memory of something
Cuckoo
a wild bird with a call that sounds like its name
An old wives tale
superstitious belief or story belonging to traditional folklore
sheer
completely vertical
hair-raising
something so scary your hair stands up!
volatile
something that can change suddenly and unexpectedly
ravaged
harmed or damaged, nearly destroyed
mineral resources
things that are found naturally in the earth, such as tin, salt, coal
erupting volcano
a type of mountain which has hot melted rock, steam and ash bursting out of the top
lava
the hot liquid rock which comes out of a volcano and becomes solid as it cools
spewing out
pouring out quickly and in large quantities
proximity
closeness
to flee
to run away
endangered
a person, animal or place that is in danger of being harmed or destroyed
campaign
a set of activities planned to achieve something, such as social or political change
resource
here, a valuable and useful product
criticism
the expression of disapproval of someone or something
biodegradable
something that decomposes or breaks down naturally without any special treatment
compulsory
something that must be done
financial levy
a sum of money that you pay in tax
landfill sites
a place where a large amounts of waste materials are disposed of
to wean
to gradually make people stop doing something or using something
behaviour
the way people or things act, function or change
environmentally friendly
a caring effect on the natural world, such as plants, animals and the atmosphere
ethos
set of ideas and attitudes
lunar calendar
something that shows the days and months in a year, based on the moon's journey around the Earth each month
a clue
a piece of information which can help to find answers
animal rights activists
people who try to bring attention to the cruel treatment of animals and get laws introduced to help protect them
a ban
an official order or statement saying that something isn't allowed
thrown back
carelessly tossed or flung to where it came from
the campaign
the organised set of activities aimed at achieving an objective
the media coverage
all the information given about a particular situation or event in newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, websites etc
boycotting
refusing to buy goods or be involved in activities because you don't agree with them
a must
something which most people think is essential
prestigious
highly thought of, respected and valued
To pull a sickie
To pretend to be ill so you can take time off work
To skip work
Not to go to work
To skive
To be lazy and avoid work or school
Skiver
A person who skives
Readdress
Look at an issue or a problem once again
Go for it!
Do something in order to get something
Duvet
A large cover which you sleep under in bed
Duvet day
An extra day's holiday which your employer allows you to take
addict
someone who can't stop doing something (usually something harmful like taking drugs but also time-consuming activities like watching TV)
medium
a method of communication, such as radio, TV or newspapers
telegraphy
a method of sending messages over long distances using radio or electric signals
to settle for (something)
to accept something less than you hoped for
visual
relating to what can be seen
experimental
new or being tried for the first time
mystical
relating to powers that we cannot understand
manufacturers
companies that produce things
high definition
a new, high standard for TV quality
spoilt for choice
a phrase meaning to have too many options or things to choose from
artificial
objects or materials which do not occur naturally, and are made by people
a new lease of life
a new, positive stage in your life
heartbeat
the regular movement of the heart as it pumps blood
around the body
comforting
reassuring
got to a point
reached a position or time
mind-blowing
extraordinary or amazing
pneumatic
powered by compressed or pressurised air
rucksack
large bag for carrying personal belongings, which is
carried on the back
Double-click a word on this page or type a word to learn the definition and listen to its audio pronunciation:
If you are the site owner, please renew your premium subscription or contact support.