EASIER ENGLISH BASIC DICTIONARY 9 potx

guidebook 149 gym as guides through the forest. 2. a person who shows tourists round a place ć The guide showed us round the castle. ć The museum guide spoke so fast that we couldn’t understand what she was say- ing. 3. a book which gives information ć a guide to Athens ć a guide to the but- terflies of Europe í verb 1. to show someone the way to somewhere ć She guided us up the steps in the dark. 2. to show tourists round a place ć He guided us round the castle and told us about its history. guidebook guidebook /adbυk/ noun a book with information about a place guilty guilty /lti/ adjective 1. who has com- mitted a crime ć He was found guilty of murder. ć The jury decided she was not guilty. 2. feeling unhappy because you have done something wrong ć I feel very guilty about not having written to you. (NOTE: guiltier – guiltiest) guitar guitar /  tɑ/ noun a musical instrument with six strings, played with the fingers ć He plays the guitar in a pop group. gulf gulf /lf/ noun an area of sea partly sur- rounded by land ć the Gulf of Mexico gum gum /m/ noun 1. glue ć She spread gum on the back of the photo and stuck it onto a sheet of paper. 2. the flesh around the base of your teeth ć Brush- ing your teeth every day is good for your gums. í verb to stick something with glue ć She gummed the pictures onto a sheet of paper. (NOTE: gums – gum- ming – gummed) gun gun /n/ noun 1. a weapon which shoots bullets ć The robber pulled out a gun. ć She grabbed his gun and shot him dead. 2. a small piece of equipment which you hold in your hand to spray a substance such as paint or glue ć A spray gun gives an even coating of paint. ȣ to jump the gun to start too quickly ć The new law comes into effect in a month’s time, but some shops have already jumped the gun. gunman gunman /nmən/ noun a man armed with a gun ć The gunman pulled out a revolver and started shooting. (NOTE: The plural is gunmen.) gut gut /t/ noun the tube in which food is digested as it passes through the body ć He complained of a pain in the gut. guts guts /ts/ plural noun courage ( informal ) ć She had the guts to tell the boss he was wrong. gutter gutter /tə/ noun 1. the side of a road where water can flow ć Pieces of paper and leaves were blowing about in the gutter. 2. an open pipe under the edge of a roof for catching rain ć It rained so hard the gutters overflowed. guy guy /a/ noun 1. a man ( informal ) ć She married a guy from Texas. ć The boss is a very friendly guy. ć Hey, you guys, come and look at this! 2. a model of a man burnt on Bonfire Night, November 5th ć The children are collecting clothes to make a guy. ć Penny for the guy! gym gym /dm/ noun 1. a place with special equipment, or a large hall as in a school, for indoor sports and physical training ć I go to the gym twice a week to exercise. 2. physical exercises, especially as an activity at school Basic.fm Page 149 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM H h h /etʃ/, H noun the eighth letter of the al- phabet, between G and I habit habit /hbt/ noun something that someone does regularly ć He has the habit of biting his fingernails. had had /əd, həd, hd/ past tense and past participle of have hail hail /hel/ noun frozen rain ć I thought the hail was going to break the wind- screen. í verb to fall as frozen rain ć It hailed for ten minutes and then the sun came out. hair hair /heə/ noun 1. a mass of long fibres growing on your head ć She has long brown hair or her hair is long and brown. ć She always brushes her hair before washing it. ć You must get your hair cut. ć He’s had his hair cut short. ć Use some hair spray to keep your hair in place. 2. one of the fibres growing on the body of a human or animal ć Waiter, there’s a hair in my soup! ć The cat has left hairs all over the cushion. ć He’s beginning to get some grey hairs. hairdresser hairdresser /heədresə/ noun a person who cuts and washes your hair hairstyle hairstyle /heəstal/ noun the way in which your hair has been cut or ar- ranged half half /hɑf/ noun 1. one of two parts which are the same in size ć She cut the orange in half. ć One half of the apple fell on the carpet. ć Half of six is three. 2. ( in sport ) one of two parts of a match ć Our team scored a goal in the first half. ć We thought we were going to win, and then they scored in the final minutes of the second half. half past half past /hɑf pɑst/ phrase 30 min- utes after an hour half-term half-term /hɑf tm/ noun a short hol- iday in the middle of a school term halfway halfway /hɑf  we/ adverb in the mid- dle ć Come on, we’re more than half- way there! ć The post office is about halfway between the station and our house. hall hall /hɔl/ noun 1. a room just inside the entrance to a house, where you can leave your coat ć Don’t wait in the hall, come straight into the dining room. ć She left her umbrella in the hall. 2. a large room where large numbers of peo- ple can come together ć The children have their dinner in the school hall. halt halt /hɔlt/ noun a complete stop í verb to stop something ć The cars halted when the traffic lights went red. ć We are trying to halt experiments on live animals. halve halve /hɑv/ verb to reduce something by half ć Because the town has no cash, its budget has been halved. ham ham /hm/ noun meat from a pig which has been treated, e.g. with salt ć She cut three slices of ham. ć We had a ham and tomato salad. ć She had a ham sand- wich for lunch. hamburger hamburger /hmbə/ noun a piece of minced beef grilled and served in a toasted roll hammer hammer /hmə/ noun a tool with a heavy head for knocking nails ć She hit the nail hard with the hammer. í verb 1. to knock something such as a nail into something such as a piece of wood with a hammer ć It took him a few minutes to hammer the tent pegs into the ground. 2. to hit something hard, as with a hammer ć He hammered the table with his fist. ć She hammered on the door with her stick. hand hand /hnd/ noun 1. the part of the body at the end of each arm, which you use for holding things ć She was carrying a cup of tea in each hand. ć She held out her hand, asking for money. ˽ they walked along hand in hand they walked holding each other by the hand Basic.fm Page 150 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM handbag 151 hard 2. one of the two long parts on a clock which move round and show the time. The minute hand is longer than the hour hand. í verb to pass something to someone ć Can you hand me that box? ć She handed me all her money. ȣ to give or lend someone a hand with something to help someone with something ć Can you lend a hand with moving the furniture? ć He gave me a hand with the washing up. ȣ to shake hands to hold someone’s hand to show you are pleased to meet them or to show that an agreement has been reached ć The visitors shook hands and the meet- ing started. hand in phrasal verb to give something to someone such as a teacher or a police- man ć We handed in the money we had found. hand over phrasal verb to give some- thing to someone ć She handed over all the documents to the lawyers. handbag handbag /hndb/ noun a small bag which a woman carries to hold small things such as money or make-up handicap handicap /hndikp/ noun 1. a phys- ical or mental condition which makes ordinary activities difficult ( dated ) 2. something which puts you at a disad- vantage ć Not being able to drive is a handicap in this job. handkerchief handkerchief /hŋkətʃf/ noun a piece of cloth or thin paper for wiping your nose (NOTE: The plural is hand- kerchiefs or handkerchieves.) handle handle /hnd(ə)l/ noun a part of some- thing which you hold in your hand to carry something or to use something ć I turned the handle but the door didn’t open. ć Be careful, the handle of the fry- ing pan may be hot. ć The handle has come off my suitcase. ć He broke the handle off the cup. í verb to move by hand ć Be careful when you handle the bottles of acid. handsome handsome /hns(ə)m/ adjective a handsome man or boy has an attractive face ć Her boyfriend is very handsome. (NOTE: usually used of men rather than women) handwriting handwriting /hndratŋ/ noun writ- ing done by hand handy handy /hndi/ adjective practical and useful ȣ to come in handy to be useful ć The knife will come in handy when we are camping. hang hang /hŋ/ verb to attach one thing to another so that it does not touch the ground ć Hang your coat on the hook behind the door. ć He hung his umbrella over the back of his chair. ć We hung the painting in the hall. ć The boys were hanging upside down from a tree. (NOTE: hangs – hanging – hung / hŋ/) hang around phrasal verb to wait in a certain place without doing anything much hang on phrasal verb to wait ć If you hang on a few minutes you will be able to see her. happen happen /hpən/ verb 1. to take place ć The accident happened at the traffic lights. ć How did the accident happen? ć Something happened to make all the buses late. ć He’s late – something must have happened to him. 2. ˽ to happen to someone or something to have an ef- fect on someone or something ć What’s happened to his brother since he left school? ȣ as it happens, as it hap- pened completely by chance ć As it happens I have the car today and can give you a lift. ć It so happened that my wife bumped into her at the supermar- ket. happily happily /hpli/ adverb in a happy way happiness happiness /hpinəs/ noun a feeling of being happy happy happy /hpi/ adjective 1. ( of people ) very pleased ć I’m happy to say we’re getting married next month. ć I’m so happy to hear that you are better. ć She’s very happy in her job. 2. ( of events ) pleasant ć It was the happiest day of my life. harbour harbour /hɑbə/ noun a place where boats can come and tie up ć The ship came into harbour last night. hard hard /hɑd/ adjective 1. not soft ć If you have back trouble, you ought to get a hard bed. ć The ice cream is rock hard or hard as a rock. ć The cake she made is so hard I can’t bite into it. 2. not easy Basic.fm Page 151 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM hardly 152 head ć Some of the questions were very hard. ć It’s hard to stay happy when bad things happen. í adverb 1. strongly ć He hit the nail hard. ć It’s snowing very hard. 2. with a lot of effort ć They worked hard to finish the order on time. ć She always tries hard. ȣ it’s hard to say it’s difficult to know ć It’s hard to say if it’s going to rain or not. hardly hardly /hɑdli/ adverb almost not ć Do you know her? – Hardly at all. ć We hardly slept a wink last night. ć She hardly eats anything at all. hardware hardware /hɑdweə/ noun tools and pans used in the home ć I bought the paint in a hardware shop. harm harm /hɑm/ noun damage done to peo- ple or animals ć He didn’t mean to do any harm or He meant no harm. ć There’s no harm in having a little drink before you go to bed. í verb to physical- ly affect something or someone in a bad way ć Luckily, the little girl was not harmed. ć The bad publicity has harmed our reputation. harmful harmful /hɑmf(ə)l/ adjective which causes damage harmless harmless /hɑmləs/ adjective which does not upset or hurt anyone harsh harsh /hɑʃ/ adjective 1. severe ć The prosecutor asked for a harsh sentence to fit the crime. 2. rough ć He shouted in a harsh voice. harvest harvest /hɑvst/ noun picking crops ć The corn harvest is in August. í verb to pick crops ć The corn will be ready to harvest next week. ć They have started harvesting the grapes in the vineyard. has has /əz, həz, hz/ 3rd person singular present of have hat hat /ht/ noun a piece of clothing which you wear on your head ć Take your hat off when you go into a church. ć He’s bought a Russian fur hat for the winter. hate hate /het/ verb to dislike someone or something very much ć I think she hates me, but I don’t know why. ć I hate being late. í noun a very strong feeling of not liking someone ć Her eyes were full of hate. hatred hatred /hetrd/ noun a very strong feeling of not liking someone or some- thing ć She had a hatred of unfair treat- ment. haul haul /hɔl/ verb to pull something with effort ć They hauled the boat up onto the beach. have have /həv, əv, hv/ verb 1. to own something ć She has a lot of money. ć They have a new green car. ć She has long dark hair. ć The house has no tele- phone. ć Do you have a table for three, please? 2. to take or eat something ć Have you had any tea? ć She has sugar in her coffee. ć They had a meal of bread and cheese. ć She had her break- fast in bed. 3. to play a game of some- thing ć They had a game of tennis. ć I had a long walk. 4. to arrange for some- thing to be done for you ć I must have my hair cut. ć She’s having the house painted. 5. used to form the present and past perfect form of verbs ć Have they finished their work? ć She has never been to Paris. ć They had finished sup- per when we arrived. ć I haven’t seen him for two days. ć If she had asked me I would have said no. 6. used to intro- duce good wishes to someone ć Have a nice day! ć Have a good trip! (NOTE: has – having – had) have got phrasal verb 1. to own some- thing ć She’s got dark hair. ć Have you got a table for three, please? ć They’ve got a new green car. ć The house hasn’t got a telephone. ć They haven’t got enough to eat. 2. used to mean ‘must’ ć Why have you got to go so early? ć She’s got to learn to drive. hay hay /he/ noun dried grass used to feed animals such as cows he he /hi, hi/ pronoun referring to a man or boy, and some animals ć He’s my broth- er. ć He and I met in Oxford. ć He’s eat- en all my pudding. ć Don’t be fright- ened of the dog – he won’t hurt you. ı him, his (NOTE: When it is the object, he becomes him: He hit the ball or The ball hit him . When it follows the verb to be, he usually becomes him: Who’s that? – It’s him, the man who borrowed my knife .) head head /hed/ noun 1. the top part of the body, where your eyes, nose, mouth and brain are ć He says he can relax by Basic.fm Page 152 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM headache 153 heating standing on his head. ć She hit her head on the cupboard door. 2. your brain; in- telligence ć She has a good head for fig- ures. ć He tried to do the sum in his head. ć If we all put our heads together we might come up with a solution. 3. the first place ć An old lady was standing at the head of the queue. ć His name comes at the head of the list. 4. the most important person ć She’s head of the sales department. ć The head waiter showed us to our table. 5. one person, or one animal, when counting ć She count- ed heads as the children got onto the coach. ć There are fifty head of sheep in the flock. í verb to go towards some- thing ć She headed immediately for the manager’s office. ć The car headed east along the motorway. ć He’s heading to- wards the Channel ports. ć She’s head- ing for trouble. ȣ to shake your head to move your head from side to side to mean ‘no’ ć She asked him if he wanted any more coffee and he shook his head. headache headache /hedek/ noun a pain in your head ć I’ve got a bad headache. headline headline /hedlan/ noun words in large letters on the front page of a newspaper ć Did you see the headlines about the accident? headquarters headquarters /hed  kwɔtəz/ noun the main offices of a large organisation ć Several people were arrested and taken to police headquarters. Abbreviation HQ head teacher head teacher /hed titʃə/ noun a man or woman who is in charge of a school heal heal /hil/ verb to make someone or something healthy again, or to become healthy again ć She claims to be able to heal people through touch. ć This should help the wound to heal. (NOTE: Do not confuse with heel.) health health /helθ/ noun the fact of being well or being free from any illness ć He has enjoyed the best of health for years. ć Smoking is bad for your health. healthy healthy /helθi/ adjective 1. not ill ć He’s healthier than he has ever been. 2. making you stay fit and well ć the healthiest place in England ć She’s keeping to a healthy diet. (NOTE: healthier – healthiest) heap heap /hip/ noun a pile ć a heap of coal ć Step over that heap of rubbish. í verb to pile things up ć A pile of presents were heaped under the Christmas tree. ć Boxes were heaped up on the station platform. hear hear /hə/ verb 1. to notice sounds with your ears ć He heard footsteps behind him. ć You could hear the sound of church bells in the distance. ć I heard her drive up in the car. ć Can you hear him singing in the bath? 2. to listen to something ć Did you hear the talk on the radio? ć I heard it on the BBC news. 3. to get information ć I hear he’s got a new job. ć Have you heard that the manager has resigned? ć We have not heard from them for some time. (NOTE: hears – hearing – heard / hd/) hearing hearing /hərŋ/ noun the ability to hear ć Bats have a very sharp sense of hear- ing. ć She has hearing difficulties. (NOTE: no plural) heart heart /hɑt/ noun 1. a main organ in the body, which pumps blood around it ć She isn’t dead – her heart’s still beating. ć The doctor listened to his heart. ć He has had heart trouble for years. 2. your feelings and emotions ć My heart sank when I realised that he hadn’t read my letter. 3. a centre or middle ć The res- taurant is in the heart of the old town. 4. one of the red sets in a game of cards, with a symbol shaped like a heart ć My last card was the ten of hearts. (NOTE: The other red suit is diamonds; clubs and spades are the black suits.) heat heat /hit/ noun 1. the state of being hot ć The heat of the sun made the ice cream melt. 2. the amount of heat pro- duced by an oven or heating system ć Cook the vegetables over a low heat. 3. one part of a sports competition ć There are two heats before the final race. í verb to make something hot ć Can you heat the soup while I’m getting the table ready? ć The room was heated by a small electric fire. ć Heat the milk to room temperature. heating heating /hitŋ/ noun a way of keeping a place such as a house or an office warm Basic.fm Page 153 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM heaven 154 helpful heaven heaven /hev(ə)n/ noun a beautiful place believed by some people to be where good people go after death ć She believes that when she dies she will go to heaven. ȣ for heaven’s sake an ex- pression showing you are annoyed, or that something is important ć What are you screaming for? – It’s only a little mouse, for heaven’s sake. ć For heav- en’s sake try to be quiet, we don’t want the guards to hear us! ȣ good heavens an expression showing you are sur- prised ć Good heavens! It’s almost 10 o’clock! heavily heavily /hevli/ adverb 1. with force ć He sat down heavily on the little chair. 2. to a great extent; very much ć The company was heavily criticised in the press. ć She is heavily in debt. ć It rained heavily during the night. heavy heavy /hevi/ adjective 1. weighing a lot ć This suitcase is so heavy I can hardly lift it. ć She’s heavier than I am. 2. in large amounts ć There has been a heavy demand for the book. ć There was a heavy fall of snow during the night. ć The radio says there is heavy traffic in the centre of town. ˽ to be a heavy smoker to smoke a lot of cigarettes ˽ to be a heavy drinker to drink a lot of al- cohol hedge hedge /hed/ noun a row of bushes planted and kept in an even shape to form a screen round a field or garden ć There is a thick hedge round the church- yard. heel heel /hil/ noun 1. the back part of the foot ć After walking, she got sore heels. 2. the back part of a sock or shoe ć He’s got a hole in the heel of his sock. ć She always wears shoes with high heels or high-heeled shoes. height height /hat/ noun 1. a measurement of how high something is or how tall some- one is ć The height of the bridge is only three metres. 2. the highest point ć looking down on the city from the heights around 3. a time of great activity ć It is difficult to find hotel rooms at the height of the tourist season. held held /held/ past tense and past participle of hold helicopter helicopter /helkɒptə/ noun an aircraft with a set of large flat blades on top that spin round, making it rise straight up in the air hell hell /hel/ noun 1. a place where some people believe bad people are sent after they die ć Medieval pictures show hell as a burning place. 2. a very unpleasant place or experience ć It’s hell working in the office these days. 3. used to em- phasise what you are saying ( informal ) ć What the hell’s been going on here? ć Am I going to lend you £50? Am I hell! (NOTE: Using expressions that include the word hell is offensive to some peo- ple.) he’ll he’ll /hil, hil/ short form he will hello hello /hə  ləυ/ interjection used as a greet- ing ć She called hello from the other side of the street. ć Hello Mary! I’m glad to see you. ć When you see her, say hello to her from me. (NOTE: also spelled hallo, hullo.) helmet helmet /helmt/ noun a solid hat used as a protection help help /help/ noun 1. something which makes it easier for you to do something ć She was washing the floor with the help of a big mop. ć Do you need any help with moving the furniture? ć She finds the word-processor a great help in writing her book. ć Her assistant is not much help in the office – he can’t type or drive. 2. the act of making it easier for someone to do something ć People were calling for help from the ruins of the house. ć The nurses offered help to people injured in the accident. í verb to make it easier for someone to do some- thing ć He helped the old lady up the steps. ć The government wants to help small businesses. ć Your father can help you with your homework. ć One of my friends helped me move the piano into the bedroom. helper helper /helpə/ noun a person who helps someone do a particular job or task, es- pecially without being paid helpful helpful /helpf(ə)l/ adjective useful or giving help to someone ć She made some helpful suggestions. ć They were very helpful when we moved house. Basic.fm Page 154 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM helping 155 high helping helping /helpŋ/ noun an amount of food for one person ć The helpings in this restaurant are very small. ć Chil- dren’s helpings are not as large as those for adults. helpless helpless /helpləs/ adjective not able to do anything to make a bad situation bet- ter hen hen /hen/ noun an adult female chicken ć The hens were scared by the fox. ć Look, one of the hens has laid an egg! hence hence /hens/ adverb in the future ć Five months hence, the situation should be better. her her /ə, hə, h/ object pronoun referring to a female ć There’s a parcel for her in reception. ć Did you see her? ć He told her to go away. í adjective belonging to a female, a ship or a country ć Some- one has stolen all her luggage. ć Have you seen her father? ć The dog doesn’t want to eat her food. ć France is help- ing her businesses to sell more abroad. herb herb /hb/ noun a plant used to give fla- vour to food, or as a medicine herd herd /hd/ noun a group of animals, es- pecially cows ć Herds of cattle were grazing on the hillside. (NOTE: The word herd is usually used with cattle; for sheep, goats, and birds, the word to use is flock.) here here /hə/ adverb 1. in this place ć I’ll sit here in the shade and wait for you. ć Here are the keys you lost. ć I’ll put the book down here next to your computer. ć They have been living here in England for a long time. 2. to this place ć Come here at once! ć Can you bring the chairs here, please? ć Here comes the bus! ȣ here you are take this ć Here you are, today’s newspaper! hero hero /hərəυ/ noun 1. a brave man ć The hero of the fire was the man who man- aged to rescue the children from an up- stairs room. 2. the main male character in something such as a book, play or film ć The hero of the story is a little boy. (NOTE: The plural is heroes.) hers hers /hz/ pronoun belonging to her ć That watch is hers, not mine. herself herself /ə  self, hə  self/ pronoun used for referring back to a female subject ć The manager wrote to me herself. ć Did your sister enjoy herself? ć She’s too young to be able to dress herself. hesitate hesitate /heztet/ verb to be slow to speak or make a decision ć He hesitated for a moment and then said ‘no’. ć She’s hesitating about whether to ac- cept the job. hiccup hiccup /hkp/, hiccough noun 1. a sudden high sound that you sometimes make in your throat, e.g. if you have been eating too quickly ć She had an at- tack of hiccups. ć He got the hiccups from laughing too much. 2. a small thing which goes wrong ć There has been a slight hiccup in the delivery of our sup- plies. í verb to make a hiccup ć She patted him on the back when he sudden- ly started to hiccup. ć He hiccupped so loudly that everyone in the restaurant stared at him. (NOTE: hiccups – hic- cupping – hiccupped) hidden hidden /hd(ə)n/ adjective which can- not be seen or found easily ć There’s a hidden safe in the wall behind his desk. ć They say there’s some hidden treasure in the castle. hide hide /had/ verb 1. to put something where no one can see or find it ć She hid the presents in the kitchen. ć They kept some gold coins hidden under the bed. ć Someone has hidden my car keys. 2. to put yourself where no one can see or find you ć They hid in the bushes until the police car had gone past. ć Quick! Hide behind the door! (NOTE: hides – hiding – hid / hd/ – has hidden / hd(ə)n/) hideous hideous /hdiəs/ adjective extremely unpleasant to look at ć Where did she get that hideous dress? hiding hiding /hadŋ/ noun a situation in which you have put yourself where no one can find you ć He stayed in hiding for three days until the soldiers left the village. ć They decided to go into hiding for a time until the police called off their search. high high /ha/ adjective 1. far above other things ć Everest is the highest mountain in the world. ć The new building is 20 storeys high. ć The kitchen has a high ceiling. ć The door is not high enough Basic.fm Page 155 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM highly 156 hit for us to get the wardrobe into the bed- room. ı height (NOTE: High is used with figures: the mountain is 1,000 me- tres high . High also refers to things that are a long way above the ground: a high mountain , high clouds . For peo- ple and narrow things like trees use tall: a tall man .) 2. large in quantity ć the high level of unemployment in the country ć He earns a high income. ć High prices put customers off. ć The car shakes when going at high speeds. ć The price of petrol is higher every year. í adverb above; up in the air ć The sun rose high in the sky. ć The bird flew higher and higher. (NOTE: higher – highest) highly highly /hali/ adverb used before some adjectives to mean ‘very well’ ć highly priced meals ć The restaurant has been highly recommended. ć Their employ- ees are not very highly paid. highway highway /hawe/ noun a main public road ć A footbridge was built over the highway. hijack hijack /hadk/ verb to take control of a vehicle by force ć The men hijacked the lorry and left the driver by the road. ć They hijacked an aircraft and ordered the pilot to fly to Moscow. hilarious hilarious /h  leəriəs/ adjective very funny ć I thought the play was hilari- ous. hill hill /hl/ noun a piece of high land ( informal ) ć The hills are covered with spring flowers. ć If you climb to the top of the hill you will get a good view of the valley. him him /m, hm/ object pronoun referring to a male ć Tell him there’s a letter wait- ing for him. ć Have you spoken to him today? ć That’s him! – The man with the beard. himself himself /m  self, hm  self/ pronoun used for referring back to a male subject ć I was served by the manager himself. ć The doctor has got flu himself. ć Did your brother enjoy himself? hinge hinge /hnd/ noun a piece of metal used to hold something, e.g. a door, window or lid, so that it can swing open and shut ć That hinge squeaks – it needs some oil. ć They lifted the door off its hinges. hint hint /hnt/ noun 1. something you say that reveals information in an indirect way ć He didn’t give a hint as to where he was going on holiday. 2. a piece of advice or a suggestion ć She gave me some useful hints about painting furni- ture. ć I don’t know what to give her for her birthday – have you any hints? í verb to say something in a way that makes people guess what you mean ć She hinted that her sister was pregnant. hip hip /hp/ noun the part of the body where your legs join your waist ć The tailor measured him round the hips. í adjec- tive very fashionable ( slang ) ć That’s a very hip shirt she’s wearing. hire hire /haə/ verb 1. ( of a borrower ) to pay money to use something for a time ć She hired a car for the weekend. ć He was driving a hired car when the acci- dent happened. 2. to employ someone to work for you ć We’ve hired three more sales assistants. ć They hired a small company to paint their offices. í noun the act of paying money to rent some- thing such as a car, a boat or a piece of equipment his his /z, hz/ adjective belonging to him ć He’s lost all his money. ć Have you met his mother? ć Our dog wants his food. í pronoun belonging to him ć That watch is his, not mine. historical historical /h  stɒrk(ə)l/ adjective re- lating to history ć He likes books of his- torical interest. history history /hst(ə)ri/ noun 1. the study of the past ć He is studying Greek history. ć She failed her history exam. ć She teaches history at London University. 2. a book which tells the story of what hap- pened in the past ć He wrote a history of the French Revolution. hit hit /ht/ noun someone or something that is very popular, e.g. a song, a film or a performer ć The song rapidly became a hit. ć The play was a West End hit. ć She was a hit with the old people’s club. í verb 1. to knock something or some- one ć The car hit the tree. ć She hit him on the head with a bottle. ć She hit the ball so hard that we couldn’t find it. ć I Basic.fm Page 156 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM hoard 157 hold-up hit my head on the cupboard door. 2. to cause someone to realise something ć It suddenly hit her that now she was di- vorced she would have to live alone. (NOTE: hits – hitting – hit) hit back phrasal verb 1. to hit someone who has hit you ć They hit him so hard that he was unable to hit back. 2. to do something as a reaction to something ć When the supermarket chain lowered their prices, the other chains hit back by lowering prices too. ć He hit back at the inspectors, saying that their report was biased. hoard hoard /hɔd/ noun a store of something such as food or money, which has been collected ć They discovered a hoard of gold coins in the field. í verb to buy and store supplies of something essential that you think you will need in a crisis ć Everyone started hoarding fuel during the strike. hobby hobby /hɒbi/ noun an enjoyable activity which you do in your spare time (NOTE: The plural is hobbies.) hockey hockey /hɒki/ noun a team game played on grass, where you try to hit a small ball into your opponents’ goal using a long stick which is curved at the end ć He played in the hockey team at school. hoist hoist /hɔst/ verb to lift something or someone using special equipment or a lot of force ć The box was hoisted up on a rope. ć It’s time to hoist the flag. hold hold /həυld/ verb 1. to keep something or someone tight, especially in your hand ć She was holding the baby in her arms. ć She held her ticket between her teeth as she was carrying suitcases in both hands. ć Hold tight – the machine is go- ing to start. ć He held the bag close to his chest. 2. to be large enough to con- tain a certain quantity of things or peo- ple ć The bottle holds two litres. ć The box will hold four pairs of shoes. ć Will the car hold eight people? ć The plane holds 250 passengers. 3. to make an event happen ć They are holding a party for their wedding anniversary. ć The meeting will be held next Tuesday in the town hall. 4. to own something ć She holds a valid driving licence. ć He holds the record for the 2000 metres. 5. to keep someone inside ć The prisoners were held in police cells overnight. (NOTE: holds – holding – held /held/) ˽ to hold your breath to keep air in your lungs, e.g. in order to go under wa- ter ć She held her breath under water for a minute. ć We’re all holding our breath to see if he wins a gold medal. í noun 1. the bottom part of a ship or an aircraft, in which goods or luggage are stored ć You can’t take all that luggage with you – it has to go in the hold. 2. the act of keeping something tightly in your hand ć He lost his hold on the ladder. ć Keep tight hold of the bag, we don’t want it stolen. ˽ to get hold of someone to manage to contact someone by tele- phone ć I tried to get hold of the doctor but he was out. hold on phrasal verb 1. to hold some- thing tightly ć She held on to the rope with both hands. ć Hold on to your purse in the crowd. ć Hold on tight, we’re turning! 2. to wait ć Hold on a moment, I’ll get my umbrella. ć Do you want to speak to the manager? Hold on, I’ll find him for you. hold out phrasal verb 1. to move something towards someone ć Hold out your plate to be served. ć He held out his hand but she refused to shake it. 2. to manage to be strong enough ć The cas- tle held out for ten weeks against a huge enemy army. hold up phrasal verb 1. to lift someone or something ć He held up his hand. ć He held the little boy up so that he could see the procession. 2. to support some- thing ć The roof is held up by those pil- lars. 3. to make someone or something late ć The planes were held up by fog. ć Government ministers are holding up the deal. 4. to use a gun to make some- one give up all their money ć Six gun- men held up the security van. hold-up hold-up /həυld p/ noun 1. a delay; an occasion on which something is later than planned ć Long hold-ups are ex- pected because of road works on the motorway. ć There’s been a hold-up and the goods won’t arrive till next week. 2. an occasion on which a person with a gun steals money from someone Basic.fm Page 157 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM hole 158 hood ć The gang carried out three hold-ups in the same day. hole hole /həυl/ noun an opening or a space in something ć You’ve got a hole in your sock. ć We all peeped through the hole in the fence. ć Rabbits live in holes in the ground. holiday holiday /hɒlde/ noun 1. a period when you do not work, and sometimes go and stay in a different place ć When are you taking your holiday or When are you planning to go on holiday? ć He’s go- ing to Spain on holiday. ć We always spend our holidays in the mountains. ć How many days’ holiday do you have each year? 2. a day on which most peo- ple do not work because of laws or reli- gious rules ć The office is closed for the Christmas holiday. hollow hollow /hɒləυ/ adjective with a hole in- side ć a hollow log ć If you tap the box it sounds hollow. holy holy /həυli/ adjective relating to religion or the church ć They went to ask a holy man his advice. home home /həυm/ noun 1. the place where you live or where your parents live ć Their home is a flat in the centre of Lon- don. ć Will you be at home tomorrow evening? ć When do you leave home for work in the morning? ć I like to go home for the holidays. ˽ to make your- self at home to behave as if you were in your own home ć He lay down on my sofa, opened a bottle of beer, and made himself at home. 2. a house ć They are building fifty new homes on the edge of the village. 3. a house where people are looked after ć My aunt has moved to an old people’s home. 4. ˽ at home ( in sports ) on the local sports ground ć Our team is playing at home next Satur- day. í adverb towards the place where you usually live ć We’ve got to go home now. ć He usually gets home by 7 o’clock. ć Don’t send it – I’ll take it home with me. ć If you don’t want to walk, you can always take the bus home. (NOTE: used without a preposition: He went home or She’s coming home .) í adjective referring to where you live or where you were born ć My home town is Birmingham. ć Send the letter to my home address, not to my office. homework homework /həυmwk/ noun work which you take home from school to do in the evening ć Have you finished your maths homework? ć I haven’t got any homework today, so I can watch TV. (NOTE: no plural) honest honest /ɒnst/ adjective 1. telling the truth ć He was honest with the police and told them what he had done. 2. tending to tell people the truth; treating people fairly ć I wouldn’t buy a car from that garage – I’m not sure they’re completely honest. honestly honestly /ɒnstli/ adverb 1. in an open and honest way 2. used to express a feel- ing of being annoyed ć Honestly, you might have told me sooner! honesty honesty /ɒnsti/ noun the quality of be- ing honest ć I admire him for his hones- ty in saying the job was too difficult for him. honey honey /hni/ noun a sweet substance produced by bees ć I like honey on toast. ć Greek cakes are often made with honey. honeymoon honeymoon /hnimun/ noun a holi- day taken immediately after a wedding ć They went on their honeymoon to Corsica. honor honor /ɒnə/ noun , verb US spelling of honour honour honour /ɒnə/ noun 1. the practice of acting according to what you think is right ć He’s a man of honour. 2. some- thing that you are proud of ć It is an honour for me to be invited here today. í verb 1. to show your respect for someone ć to honour the dead 2. to give someone an award to show that you re- spect them ć He was honoured by the university. 3. to do what you promised ć He honoured the agreement and gave the staff a pay rise. hood hood /hυd/ noun 1. a loose piece of clothing to cover your head ć He has a blue coat with a hood. 2. a folding roof on something such as a car or pram ć Let’s put down the hood, it’s very hot. 3. US a metal cover for the front part of a car, covering the engine ć He lifted the Basic.fm Page 158 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM [...].. .Basic. fm Page 1 59 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM hoof 1 59 hood to see what was wrong with the motor hoof /hu f/ noun the part of the foot of a hoof horse, cow and many other animals (NOTE: The plural is hooves /hu vz/.) hook /hυk/... in from work about now ć The train from Birmingham is due in at 6.30 3 used for showing time ć In autumn the leaves turn brown ć On holiday there was nothing to do in the evenings ć She was born in 199 9 ć He ate his meal in five minutes ć We went for a skiing holiday in January 4 used for showing time in the future ć I’ll be back home in about two hours ć She should arrive in twenty minutes’ time 5... the ground ć She is five foot six inches tall (5’6’’) ı foot (NOTE: The plural is inches With numbers inch is usually written with the symbol ": a 3½’’ disk; He is 5’ 9 ’.; say: ‘a three and a half inch disk’, ‘He’s five foot nine’) Basic. fm Page 165 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM incident 165 incident / nsd(ə)nt/ noun 1 someincident thing which happens, especially something unpleasant ć Last year... and is looking forward to a life of independence from her family incidentally independent / nd pendənt/ adjective independent 1 free, not ruled by anyone else ć Slovenia has been independent since 199 1 2 not owned by a group, not controlled by the state ć The big chains are forcing the independent shops to close down 3 not needing help from anyone else ć She’s eighteen and wants to be independent... football ć I’m not very hungry – I had a big lunch ć Hur- hyphen ry up with the food – we’re getting hungry humorous hyphen / haf(ə)n/ noun a printing sign hyphen (-) used to show that two words are joined Basic. fm Page 162 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM I i /a/, I noun the ninth letter of the alphai bet, between H and J I1 /a/ pronoun used by a speaker when talking about himself or herself ć She said,... people under 16 illegally / li əli/ adverb in an illegal way illness / lnəs/ noun a medical condition which makes you unwell ć She develidle if ignorance ignorant ignore ill illegal illegally illness Basic. fm Page 163 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM illustrate 163 oped a serious illness ć A lot of the staff are absent because of illness (NOTE: The plural is illnesses.) illustrate / ləstret/ verb... knew anything about the report in advance imply /m pla/ verb to suggest something without saying it directly ć He imimmediately immoral impact impact impatience impatient impatiently implication imply Basic. fm Page 164 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM impolite 164 plied that he knew where the papers had been hidden ć The lawyer implied that the witness had not in fact seen the accident take place (NOTE:... than a year by the rebels hot /hɒt/ adjective 1 very warm; with a high temperature ć The weather is very hot in June, but August is the hottest horrible horrified horror horse hospital host hostage hot Basic. fm Page 160 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM hot dog 160 month ć If you’re too hot, take your coat off ć Plates should be kept hot before serving the meal ı heat 2 (of food ) full of spices, giving... acting as if you are not as important as other people ć Seeing how much work she does for charity makes me feel very humble (NOTE: humbler – humblest) humor / hju mə/ noun US spelling of humor humour Basic. fm Page 161 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM humorous 161 humorous / hju mərəs/ adjective funny in a quiet way, making people smile rather than laugh ć humorous stories ć Some of her comments were... hundred years old ć My grandfather will be a hundred next month ć Do I have to tell you a hundred times to stop that noise? (NOTE: In numbers hundred does not change and is followed by and when reading: 491 = four hundred and ninety-one; 102 = a hundred and two Note also: a hundred and one (101), three hundred and six (306) but the hundred and first (101st), the three hundred and sixth (306th), etc.) ȣ . leaves turn brown. ć On holiday there was nothing to do in the evenings. ć She was born in 199 9. ć He ate his meal in five minutes. ć We went for a skiing holiday in January. 4. used for. making it easier for someone to do something ć People were calling for help from the ruins of the house. ć The nurses offered help to people injured in the accident. í verb to make it easier. for the front part of a car, covering the engine ć He lifted the Basic. fm Page 158 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM hoof 1 59 hot hood to see what was wrong with the motor. hoof hoof /huf/ noun