EASIER ENGLISH BASIC DICTIONARY 17 pptx

spine 301 spoon spun a web between the two posts. (NOTE: spins – spinning – spun / spn/) í noun the turning movement of a ball as it moves ć He put so much spin on the ball that it bounced sideways. ć He jammed on the brakes and the car went into a spin. spin out phrasal verb to make something last as long as possible spine spine /span/ noun 1. a series of bones joined together from your skull down the middle of your back ć He injured his spine playing rugby. (NOTE: The bones in the spine are the vertebrae.) 2. a sharp part like a pin, on a plant, animal or fish ć Did you know that lemon trees had spines? 3. the back edge of a book, which usually has the title printed on it ć The title and the author’s name are printed on the front of the book and also on the spine. spiral spiral /sparəl/ noun a shape which is twisted round and round like a spring ć He drew a spiral on the sheet of paper. í adjective which twists round and round ć A spiral staircase leads to the top of the tower. spirit spirit /sprt/ noun 1. the mental attitude which controls how someone behaves generally ć She has a great spirit of fun. ć He had an independent spirit. 2. feelings which are typical of a particular occasion 3. the part of a person that is said to still exist after death 4. alcohol (NOTE: usually plural) spiritual spiritual /sprtʃuəl/ adjective relating to the spirit or the soul ć The church’s main task is to give spiritual advice to its members. spite spite /spat/ noun 1. bad feeling ć They sprayed his car with white paint out of spite. 2. ˽ in spite of although something happened or was done ć In spite of all his meetings, he still found time to ring his wife. ć We all enjoyed our- selves, in spite of the awful weather. í verb to annoy someone on purpose ć He did it to spite his sister. spiteful spiteful /spatf(ə)l/ adjective full of a nasty feelings against someone splash splash /splʃ/ noun a sound made when something falls into a liquid or when a liquid hits something hard ć She fell into the pool with a loud splash. ć Lis- ten to the splash of the waves against the rocks. í verb 1. ( of liquid ) to make a noise when something is dropped into it or when it hits something ć I missed the ball and it splashed into the pool. ć The rain splashed against the windows. 2. to make someone wet by sending liquid on to him or her ć The car drove past through a puddle and splashed my trousers. 3. to move through water, making a noise ć He splashed his way through the shallow water to the rocks. ć The little children were splashing about in the paddling pool. splendid splendid /splendd/ adjective extreme- ly good or impressive split split /splt/ verb 1. to divide something into parts ć He split the log into small pieces with an axe. 2. to divide or come apart ć My trousers were too tight – they split when I bent down. ć After they lost the election, the party split into various factions. (NOTE: splits – splitting – split) spoil spoil /spɔl/ verb 1. to change something which was good so that it is no longer good ć We had such bad weather that our camping holiday was spoilt. ć Half the contents of the warehouse were spoiled by floodwater. 2. to be too kind to someone, especially a child, so that he or she sometimes becomes badly be- haved ć You’ll spoil that child if you always give in to him. ć Grandparents are allowed to spoil their grandchildren a little. (NOTE: spoils – spoiling – spoilt / spɔlt/ or spoiled) spoke spoke /spəυk/ past tense of speak spoken spoken /spəυkən/ past participle of speak sponge sponge /spnd/ noun 1. a soft material full of small holes used to make things like cushions ć The sofa has sponge cushions. 2. a sea animal with a skeleton which is full of holes ć Diving down into the Red Sea you could see sponges on the sea floor. í verb to wipe clean with a sponge ć He sponged the kitchen table. spoon spoon /spun/ noun an object used for eating liquids and soft food, or for stirring food which is being cooked, with a Basic.fm Page 301 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM sport 302 spun handle at one end and a small bowl at the other, ć Use a spoon to eat your pudding. ć We need a big spoon to serve the soup. sport sport /spɔt/ noun a game or games in- volving physical activity and competi- tion ć Do you like watching sport on TV? ć The world of sport is mourning the death of the racing driver. ć The only sport I play is tennis. ć She doesn’t play any sport at all. spot spot /spɒt/ noun 1. a coloured mark, usually round ć Her dress has a pattern of white and red spots. ć He wore a blue tie with white spots. 2. a particular place ć This is the exact spot where the queen died. 3. a small round mark or pimple on the skin ć She suddenly came out in spots after eating fish. í verb to notice something or someone ć The teacher didn’t spot the mistake. ć We spotted him in the crowd. (NOTE: spots – spot- ting – spotted) spotless spotless /spɒtləs/ adjective completely clean, with no dirty marks at all spout spout /spaυt/ noun a tube on a container which is shaped for pouring liquid out of the container ć You fill the kettle through the spout. ć Cut here and pull out to form a spout. sprain sprain /spren/ verb to damage a joint of the body by twisting it suddenly and vi- olently ć He sprained his ankle jumping over the fence. í noun a condition where a joint is injured because of a sud- den violent movement ć He is walking with a stick because of an ankle sprain. sprang sprang /sprŋ/ past tense of spring sprawl sprawl /sprɔl/ verb to lie with your arms and legs spread out ć He sprawled in his armchair and turned on the TV. ć The boy on the bike hit her and sent her sprawling. spray spray /spre/ noun a mass of tiny drops of liquid ć The waves crashed against the sea wall sending spray over the road. ć She uses a nasal spray to clear her catarrh. í verb to send out liquid in fine drops ć He sprayed water all over the garden with the hose. ć They sprayed the room with disinfectant. spread spread /spred/ verb 1. to arrange something over a wide area ć Spread the paper flat on the table. 2. to move over a wide area ć The fire started in the top floor and soon spread to the roof. ć The flu epidemic spread rapidly. 3. to cover a surface with a layer of something ć She spread a white cloth over the table. ć He was spreading butter on a piece of bread. (NOTE: spreads – spreading – spread) í noun 1. the action of moving over a wide area ć Doctors are trying to check the spread of the disease. 2. a soft food consisting of meat, fish or cheese, which you can spread on something such as bread ć As snacks, they offered us water biscuits with cheese spread. spring spring /sprŋ/ noun 1. the season of the year between winter and summer ć In spring all the trees start to grow new leaves. ć We always go to Greece in the spring. ć They started work last spring or in the spring of last year and they still haven’t finished. 2. a wire which is twisted round and round and which goes back to its original shape after you have pulled it or pushed it ć The mattress is so old the springs have burst through the cover. ć There’s a spring to keep the door shut. 3. a place where a stream of water rushes out of the ground ć The town of Bath was built in Roman times around hot springs. í verb to move suddenly ć Everyone sprang to life when the officer shouted. ć The door sprang open without anyone touching it. (NOTE: springs – springing – sprang / sprŋ/ – has sprung /sprŋ/) sprinkle sprinkle /sprŋkəl/ verb to put small amounts of a liquid or powder over a surface by shaking sprint sprint /sprnt/ verb to run very fast over a short distance ć I had to sprint to catch the bus. ć She sprinted down the track. sprout sprout /spraυt/ noun a new shoot of a plant ć The vine is covered with new sprouts. í verb to produce new shoots ć Throw those old potatoes away, they’re starting to sprout. ć The bush had be- gun to sprout fresh green leaves. spun spun /spn/ past participle of spin Basic.fm Page 302 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM spurt 303 stab spurt spurt /spt/ verb 1. ˽ to spurt out to come out in a strong jet ć Oil spurted out of the burst pipe. 2. to run fast suddenly ć He spurted past two runners and came in first. í noun a strong flow of liquid ć They tried to block the spurts of water coming out of the pipe. spy spy /spa/ noun a person who is paid to try to find out secret information about the enemy or a rival group ć He was ex- ecuted as a Russian spy. (NOTE: The plural is spies.) í verb to work as a spy (NOTE: spies – spying – spied) ˽ to spy on someone to watch someone in secret, to find out what they are plan- ning to do ć We discovered that our neighbours had been spying on us. squalid squalid /skwɒld/ adjective a squalid room or building is dirty and unpleasant ć The prisoners are kept in squalid conditions. square square /skweə/ noun 1. a shape with four equal sides and four right-angled corners ć The board on which you play chess is made up of black and white squares. ć Graph paper is covered with small squares. 2. an open space in a town, with big buildings all round ć The hotel is in the main square of the town, opposite the town hall. ć Red Square is in the middle of Moscow. 3. a number that is the result of multiplying another number by itself ć 9 is the square of 3. í adjective 1. shaped like a square, with four equal sides and four right-angled corners ć You can’t fit six people round a small square table. ć An A4 piece of paper isn’t square. 2. multiplied by itself squash squash /skwɒʃ/ verb to crush or to squeeze something ć Hundreds of passengers were squashed into the train. ć He sat on my hat and squashed it flat. í noun a fast game for two players played in an enclosed court, with a small, squashy rubber ball and light, long-han- dled rackets ć He plays squash to un- wind after a day at the office. ć Let’s play a game of squash. squat squat /skwɒt/ verb to move your body close to the ground so that you are sitting on your heels ć She squatted on the floor, trying to get the stains out of the carpet. (NOTE: squats – squatting – squatted) squeak squeak /skwik/ noun a quiet high sound like the sound that a mouse makes ć You can tell when someone comes into the garden by the squeak of the gate. í verb to make a squeak ć That door squeaks – the hinges need oil- ing. squeal squeal /skwil/ noun a loud high noise ć The children let out squeals of delight when they saw the presents under the Christmas tree. ć The car turned the corner with a squeal of tyres. í verb to make a loud high-pitched noise ć She squealed when she heard she had won first prize. ć As the car turned the corner its tyres squealed. squeeze squeeze /skwiz/ noun the act of press- ing or crushing ć I gave her hand a squeeze. í verb 1. to press on something or to press or crush something like a fruit or a tube to get something out of it ć She squeezed my arm gently. ć He squeezed an orange to get the juice. ć She squeezed some toothpaste out onto her brush. 2. to force something, or to force your own body, into a small space ć You can’t squeeze six people into that little car. ć More people tried to squeeze on the train even though it was full al- ready. ć The cat managed to squeeze through the window. squirrel squirrel /skwrəl/ noun a small red or grey wild animal with a large tail which lives in trees and eats nuts ć The squirrel sat up on a branch nibbling a nut. ć Squirrels hoard nuts for the winter. squirt squirt /skwt/ verb to send out a thin powerful flow of liquid ć Don’t squirt so much washing-up liquid into the bowl. ć She squeezed the tube hard and masses of toothpaste squirted out. St St abbr 1. street 2. saint stab stab /stb/ verb to push a sharp knife with force into someone or something ć He was stabbed in the chest. (NOTE: stabs – stabbing – stabbed) í noun a deep wound made by the point of a knife ć He died of stab wounds. ȣ to have a stab at something to try to do something ć I’m keen to have a stab at driving the tractor. Basic.fm Page 303 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM stable 304 stammer stable stable /steb(ə)l/ adjective which does not change ć The hospital said his condition was stable. í noun a building for keeping a horse ć My horse is not in his stable, who’s riding him? stack stack /stk/ noun a pile or heap of things one on top of the other ć a stack of books and papers í verb to pile things on top of each other ć The skis are stacked outside the chalet. ć She stacked up the dirty plates. ć The warehouse is stacked with boxes. stadium stadium /stediəm/ noun a large building where crowds of people watch sport, with seats arranged around a sports field (NOTE: The plural is stadiums or sta- dia.) staff staff /stɑf/ noun all the people who work in a company, school, college, or other organisation ć She’s on the school staff. ć Only staff can use this lift. ć A quarter of our staff are ill. ć That firm pays its staff very badly. ć He joined the staff last Monday. ć Three members of staff are away sick. (NOTE: staff refers to a group of people and so is often fol- lowed by a verb in the plural.) stage stage /sted/ noun 1. a raised floor, especially where the actors perform in a theatre ć The pop group came onto the stage and started to sing. 2. one of several points of development ć the different stages of a production process ć The first stage in the process is to grind the rock to powder. 3. a section of a long journey ć Stage one of the tour takes us from Paris to Bordeaux. í verb to put on or arrange a play, a show, a musical or other performance or event ć The exhi- bition is being staged in the college li- brary. stagger stagger /stə/ verb 1. to walk in way that is not steady or controlled, almost falling down ć She managed to stagger across the road and into the police station. ć Three men staggered out of the pub. 2. to surprise someone very much ć I was staggered at the amount they charge for service. 3. to arrange something such as holidays or working hours, so that they do not all begin and end at the same time ć We have to stagger the lunch hour so that there is always someone on the switchboard. í noun the movement of someone who is stagger- ing ć He walked with a noticeable stagger. stain stain /sten/ noun a mark which is difficult to remove, e.g. ink or blood ć It is difficult to remove coffee stains from the tablecloth. ć There was a round stain on the table where he had put his wine glass. í verb to make a mark of a different colour on something ć If you eat those berries they will stain your teeth. ć His shirt was stained with blood. stair stair /steə/ noun one step in a series of steps, going up or down inside a building ć He was sitting on the bottom stair. staircase staircase /steəkes/ noun a set of stairs which go from one floor in a building to another stake stake /stek/ noun a strong pointed piece of wood or metal, pushed into the ground to mark something, or to hold something up ć They hammered stakes into the ground to put up a wire fence. ć The apple trees are attached to stakes. stale stale /stel/ adjective food which is stale is old and no longer fresh stalk stalk /stɔk/ noun the stem of a plant which holds a leaf, a flower or a fruit ć Roses with very long stalks are more ex- pensive. í verb to stay near someone and watch him or her all the time, especially in a way that is frightening or up- setting ć She told the police that a man was stalking her. ć The hunters stalked the deer for several miles. stall stall /stɔl/ noun a place in a market where one person sells his or her goods ć He has a flower stall at Waterloo Sta- tion. ć We wandered round the market looking at the stalls. í verb ( of a car engine ) to stop unintentionally, often when trying to drive off without acceler- ating ć If he takes his foot off the accel- erator, the engine stalls. ć The car stalled at the traffic lights and he couldn’t restart it. stammer stammer /stmə/ verb to repeat sounds when speaking, e.g. because of feeling nervous ć He stammers badly when making speeches. ć She rushed into the police station and stammered Basic.fm Page 304 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM stamp 305 star out ‘he’s – he’s – he’s after me, he’s got – got – a knife’. í noun a speech problem that involves hesitating and repeat- ing sounds when speaking ć Because of his stammer he was shy and reserved at school. stamp stamp /stmp/ noun 1. a little piece of paper with a price printed on it which you stick on a letter to show that you have paid for it to be sent by post ć a first-class stamp ć She forgot to put a stamp on the letter before she posted it. ć He wants to show me his stamp col- lection. 2. a mark made on something ć The invoice has the stamp ‘received with thanks’ on it. ć The customs officer looked at the stamps in his passport. í verb 1. to mark something with a stamp ć They stamped my passport when I en- tered the country. 2. to walk, or to put your feet down, with loud or forceful steps ć They stamped on the ants to kill them. ć He was so angry that he stamped out of the room. stand stand /stnd/ verb 1. to be upright on your feet and not sitting or lying down ć She stood on a chair to reach the top shelf. ć They were so tired they could hardly keep standing. ć If there are no seats left, we’ll have to stand. ć Don’t just stand there doing nothing – come and help us. 2. to be upright ć Only a few houses were still standing after the earthquake. ć The jar was standing in the middle of the table. 3. to accept something bad that continues ć The office is filthy – I don’t know how you can stand working here. ć She can’t stand all this noise. ć He stopped going to French lessons because he couldn’t stand the teacher. (NOTE: stands – standing – stood / stυd/) í noun something which holds something up ć The pot of flowers fell off its stand. stand for phrasal verb to have a mean- ing ć What do the letters BBC stand for? stand out phrasal verb to be easily seen ć Their house stands out because it is painted pink. ć Her red hair makes her stand out in a crowd. stand up phrasal verb to get up from sitting ć When the teacher comes into the room all the children should stand up. ć He stood up to offer his seat to the old lady. stand up for phrasal verb to try to de- fend someone or something in a difficult situation ć He stood up for the rights of children. stand up to phrasal verb 1. to oppose someone bravely ć No one was pre- pared to stand up to the head of department. 2. to be able to resist difficult conditions ć A carpet in a shop has to stand up to a lot of wear. standard standard /stndəd/ noun 1. the level of quality something has ć The standard of service in this restaurant is very high. ć This piece of work is not up to your usual standard. 2. an excellent quality which something or someone is expected to achieve ć This product does not meet our standards. ć She has set a standard which it will be difficult to match. 3. a large official flag ć The roy- al standard flies over Buckingham Pal- ace. í adjective 1. usual, not special ć She joined on a standard contract. ć You will need to follow the standard pro- cedure to join the association. 2. on a tall pole stank stank /stŋk/ past tense of stink staple staple /step(ə)l/ noun a piece of wire which is pushed through papers and bent over to hold them together ć He used some scissors to take the staples out of the papers. í verb to fasten papers together with a staple or with staples ć Don’t staple the cheque to the or- der form. star star /stɑ/ noun 1. a bright object which can be seen in the sky at night like a very distant bright light ć On a clear night you can see thousands of stars. ć The pole star shows the direction of the North Pole. 2. a shape that has several points like a star ć Draw a big star and colour it red. 3. a famous person who is very well known to the public ć football stars ć Who is your favourite film star? í verb to appear as a main character in a film or play ć She starred in ‘Gone with the Wind’. ć He has a starring role in the new play. (NOTE: stars – starring – starred) Basic.fm Page 305 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM stare 306 stay stare stare /steə/ verb to look at someone or something for a long time ć She stared sadly out of the window at the rain. í noun a long fixed look ć He gave her a stare and walked on. start start /stɑt/ noun the beginning of something ć Building the house took only six months from start to finish. ć Things went wrong from the start. ć Let’s forget all you’ve done up to now, and make a fresh start. í verb 1. to begin to do something ć The babies all started to cry or all started crying at the same time. ć He started to eat or he started eating his dinner before the rest of the family. ć Take an umbrella – it’s starting to rain. ć When you learn Russian, you have to start by learning the alpha- bet. 2. ( of a machine ) to begin to work ć The car won’t start – the battery must be flat. ć The engine started beautifully. ȣ to start with first of all ć We have lots to do but to start with we’ll do the washing up. start off phrasal verb 1. to begin ć We’ll start off with soup and then have a meat dish. 2. to leave on a journey ć You can start off now, and I’ll follow when I’m ready. startle startle /stɑt(ə)l/ verb to make someone suddenly surprised starve starve /stɑv/ verb not to have enough food ć Many people starved to death in the desert. state state /stet/ noun 1. the way something or someone is at a specific time ć The children are in a state of excitement. ć They left the flat in a terrible state. ć She’s not in a fit state to receive visitors. 2. the government of a country ć We all pay taxes to the state. ć The state should pay for the upkeep of museums. 3. an independent country ć The member states of the European Union. 4. one of the parts into which some countries are di- vided ć the State of Arizona ć New South Wales has the largest population of all the Australian states. í verb to give information clearly ć Please state your name and address. ć It states in the instructions that you must not open the can near a flame. ć The document states that all revenue has to be declared to the tax office. ȣ in a state 1. in a very un- happy, worried or upset condition ć She’s in such a state that I don’t want to leave her alone. ć He was in a terrible state after the phone call. 2. in a dirty or bad condition ć Look at the state of your trousers. ć They left our flat in a terrible state. statement statement /stetmənt/ noun 1. something that is spoken or written publicly ć a statement about or on the new pro- cedures ć She refused to issue a statement to the press. 2. a written document from a bank showing how much money is in an account station station /steʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a place where trains stop and passengers get on or off ć The train leaves the Central Station at 14.15. ć This is a fast train – it doesn’t stop at every station. ć We’ll try to get a sandwich at the station buf- fet. 2. a large main building for a service ć The fire station is just down the road from us. ć He was arrested and taken to the local police station. stationary stationary /steʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/ adjective not moving (NOTE: Do not confuse with stationery.) stationery stationery /steʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/ noun things such as paper, envelopes, pens and ink which you use for writing (NOTE: no plural. Do not confuse with stationary.) statue statue /sttʃu/ noun a solid image of a person or animal made from a substance such as stone or metal status status /stetəs/ noun 1. social impor- tance when compared to other people ć He has a low-status job on the Under- ground. ć His status in the company has been rising steadily. 2. a general posi- tion stay stay /ste/ verb 1. not to change ć The temperature stayed below zero all day. ć In spite of the fire, he stayed calm. ć I won’t be able to stay awake until midnight. 2. to stop in a place ć They came for lunch and stayed until after midnight. ć I’m rather tired so I’ll stay at home tomorrow. ć He’s ill and has to stay in bed. 3. to stop in a place as a vis- itor ć They stayed two nights in Edin- burgh on their tour of Scotland. ć Basic.fm Page 306 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM steadily 307 stew Where will you be staying when you’re in New York? ć My parents are staying at the Hotel London. stay up phrasal verb not to go to bed steadily steadily /stedli/ adverb regularly or continuously steady steady /stedi/ adjective 1. firm and not moving or shaking ć You need a steady hand to draw a straight line without a ruler. ć He put a piece of paper under the table leg to keep it steady. 2. continuing in a regular way ć There is a steady demand for computers. ć The car was doing a steady seventy miles an hour. ć She hasn’t got a steady boyfriend. (NOTE: steadier – steadiest) í verb to keep something firm ć He put out his hand to steady the ladder. (NOTE: steadies – steadying – steadied) steak steak /stek/ noun 1. a thick piece of meat, usually beef ć He ordered steak and chips. ć I’m going to grill these steaks. 2. a thick piece of a big fish ć A grilled salmon steak for me, please! (NOTE: Do not confuse with stake.) steal steal /stil/ verb 1. to take and keep something that belongs to another person without permission ć Someone tried to steal my handbag. ć He was arrested for stealing cars. 2. to move qui- etly ć He stole into the cellar and tried to find the safe. (NOTE: Do not confuse with steel. Note also: steals – stealing – stole / stəυl/ – stolen /stəυlən/) steam steam /stim/ noun the substance like clouds which comes off hot or boiling water ć Clouds of steam were coming out of the kitchen. steel steel /stil/ noun a strong metal made from iron and carbon ć Steel knives are best for the kitchen. ć The door is made of solid steel. steep steep /stip/ adjective 1. which rises or falls quickly ć The car climbed the steep hill with some difficulty. ć The steps up the church tower are steeper than our stairs at home. 2. very sharply increasing or falling ć a steep increase in interest charges ć a steep fall in share prices steer steer /stə/ verb to make a vehicle go in a particular direction ć She steered the car into the garage. stem stem /stem/ noun the tall thin part of a plant which holds a leaf, a flower or a fruit ć Trim the stems before you put the flowers in the vase. step step /step/ noun 1. a movement of your foot when walking ć I wonder when the baby will take his first steps. ć Ta ke a step sideways and you will be able to see the castle. 2. a regular movement of feet at the same time as other people 3. one stair in a set of stairs ć There are two steps down into the kitchen. ć I counted 75 steps to the top of the tower. ć Be careful, there’s a step up into the bath- room. 4. an action which is done or has to be done out of several ć The first and most important step is to find out how much money we can spend. í verb to move forwards, backwards or sideways on foot ć He stepped out in front of a bi- cycle and was knocked down. ć She stepped off the bus into a puddle. ć Don’t step back, there’s a child behind you. (NOTE: steps – stepping – stepped) ȣ in step moving your feet at the same rate as everybody else ć I tried to keep in step with him as we walked along. ć The recruits can’t even march in step. ȣ out of step moving your feet at a different rate from everyone else ć One of the squad always gets out of step. ȣ to take steps to to act to encourage or prevent something ć We should take steps to encourage female applicants. ć The museum must take steps to make sure that nothing else is stolen. stereo stereo /steriəυ/ noun a machine which plays music or other sound through two different loudspeakers ć I bought a new pair of speakers for my stereo. ˽ in stereo using two speakers to produce sound stern stern /stn/ adjective serious and strict ć The judge addressed some stern words to the boys. stew stew /stju/ noun a dish of meat and vegetables cooked together for a long time ć This lamb stew is a French recipe. í verb to cook food for a long time in liquid ć Stew the apples until they are completely soft. Basic.fm Page 307 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM stick 308 stitch stick stick /stk/ noun 1. a thin piece of wood ć He jabbed a pointed stick into the hole. ć I need a strong stick to tie this plant to. 2. a thin branch of a tree 3. anything long and thin ć carrots cut into sticks í verb 1. to attach something with glue ć Can you stick the pieces of the cup together again? ć She stuck the stamp on the letter. ć They stuck a post- er on the door. 2. to be fixed or not to be able to move ć The car was stuck in the mud. ć The door sticks – you need to push it hard to open it. ć The cake will stick if you don’t grease the tin. ć He was stuck in Italy without any money. 3. to push something into something ć He stuck his hand into the hole. ć She stuck her finger in the jam to taste it. ć She stuck the ticket into her bag. ć She stuck a needle into her finger. 4. to stay in a place ć Stick close to your mother and you won’t get lost. 5. to accept something bad that continues ć I don’t know how she can stick working in that office. ć I’m going, I can’t stick it here any longer. (NOTE: sticks – sticking – stuck / stk/) ȣ to stick together to stay together ć If we stick together they should let us into the club. stick out phrasal verb 1. to push something out 2. to be further forward or further away from something ć Your wallet is sticking out of your pocket. ć The balcony sticks out over the road. sticker sticker /stkə/ noun a small piece of paper or plastic which you can stick on something to show a price, as a decora- tion or to advertise something sticky sticky /stki/ adjective 1. covered with something which sticks like glue ć My fingers are all sticky. ć This stuff is ter- ribly sticky – I can’t get it off my fingers. 2. with glue on one side so that it sticks easily (NOTE: stickier – stickiest) stiff stiff /stf/ adjective 1. which does not move easily ć The lock is very stiff – I can’t turn the key. ć I’ve got a stiff neck. ć She was feeling stiff all over after running in the race. 2. with hard bristles ć You need a stiff brush to get the mud off your shoes. stiffness stiffness /stfnəs/ noun 1. having muscle pains after doing exercise, or being unable to move easily because of dam- aged joints ć Arthritis accompanied by a certain amount of stiffness in the joints. 2. the quality of being stiff ć The stiffness of the material makes it unsuit- able for a dress. still still /stl/ adjective not moving ć Stand still while I take the photo. ć There was no wind, and the surface of the lake was completely still. í adverb 1. continuing until now or until then ć I thought he had left, but I see he’s still there. ć They came for lunch and were still sitting at the table at eight o’clock in the evening. ć Weeks afterwards, they’re still talking about the accident. 2. in spite of every- thing ć It wasn’t sunny for the picnic – still, it didn’t rain. ć He still insisted on going on holiday even though he had broken his leg. stimulus stimulus /stmjυləs/ noun an encouragement or incentive that leads to great- er activity sting sting /stŋ/ noun a wound made by an insect or plant ć Bee stings can be very painful. ć Have you anything for wasp stings? í verb 1. to wound someone with an insect’s or plant’s sting ć I’ve been stung by a wasp. ć The plants stung her bare legs. 2. to give a burning feeling ć The antiseptic may sting a little at first. (NOTE: stings – stinging – stung / stŋ/) stink stink /stŋk/ ( informal ) noun a very unpleasant smell ć the stink of cigarette smoke í verb to make an unpleasant smell ć The office stinks of gas. (NOTE: stinks – stinking – stank / stŋk/ – stunk / stŋk/) stir stir /st/ verb to move a liquid or powder or something which is cooking, to mix it up ć He was stirring the sugar into his coffee. ć Keep stirring the porridge, or it will stick to the bottom of the pan. (NOTE: stirs – stirring – stirred) stirring stirring /strŋ/ adjective making you feel strong emotions, especially pride or enthusiasm stitch stitch /sttʃ/ noun 1. a little loop of thread made with a needle in sewing or with knitting needles when knitting ć She used very small stitches in her em- broidery. ć Very fine wool will give you Basic.fm Page 308 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM stock 309 stop more stitches than in the pattern. 2. a small loop of thread used by a surgeon to attach the sides of a wound together to help it to heal ć She had three stitches in her arm. ć Come back in ten days’ time to have the stitches removed. í verb to attach something with a needle and thread ć She stitched the badge to his jacket. stock stock /stɒk/ noun 1. a supply of something kept to use when needed ć I keep a good stock of printing paper at home. ć Our stocks of food are running low. ć The factory has large stocks of coal. 2. a liquid made from boiling bones in water, used as a base for soups and sauces ć Fry the onions and pour in some chicken stock. í verb to keep goods for sale in a shop or warehouse ć They don’t stock this book. ć We try to stock the most popular colours. stocking stocking /stɒkŋ/ noun a long light piece of women’s clothing which covers all of a leg and foot stole stole /stəυl/ past tense of steal stolen stolen /stəυlən/ past participle of steal stomach stomach /stmək/ noun 1. a part of the body shaped like a bag, into which food passes after being swallowed and where it continues to be digested ć I don’t want anything to eat – my stomach’s upset or I have a stomach upset. ć He has had stomach trouble for some time. 2. the front of your body between your chest and your waist ć He had been kicked in the stomach. stone stone /stəυn/ noun 1. a very hard material, found in the earth, used for building ć All the houses in the town are built in the local grey stone. ć The stone carv- ings in the old church date from the 15th century. ć Stone floors can be very cold. (NOTE: no plural: some stone , a piece of stone , a block of stone ) 2. a small piece of stone ć The children were playing at throwing stones into the pond. ć The beach isn’t good for bathing as it’s covered with very sharp stones. 3. a British measure of weight equal to 14 pounds or 6.35 kilograms ć She’s trying to lose weight and so far has lost a stone and a half. ć He weighs twelve stone ten (i.e. 12 stone 10 pounds). (NOTE: no plural in this sense: He weighs ten stone . In the USA, human body weight is always given only in pounds.) stony stony /stəυni/ adjective made of lots of stones ć They walked carefully across the stony beach. stood stood /stυd/ past tense and past participle of stand stool stool /stul/ noun a small seat with no back ć When the little girl sat on the piano stool her feet didn’t touch the floor. stoop stoop /stup/ verb to bend forward ć She stooped and picked something up off the carpet. ć I found him standing at the table, stooped over a spreadsheet. stop stop /stɒp/ verb 1. not to move any more ć The motorcycle didn’t stop at the red lights. ć This train stops at all stations to London Waterloo. 2. to make something not move any more ć The police- man stopped the traffic to let the lorry back out of the garage. ć Stop that boy! – he’s stolen my purse. 3. not to do something any more ć The office clock has stopped at 4.15. ć At last it stopped raining and we could go out. ć She spoke for two hours without stopping. ć We all stopped work and went home. ć The restaurant stops serving meals at midnight. 4. ˽ to stop someone or something (from) doing something to make someone or something not do something any more ć The rain stopped us from having a picnic. ć How can the police stop people stealing cars? ć Can’t you stop the children from making such a noise? ć The plumber couldn’t stop the tap dripping. 5. to stay as a vis- itor in a place ć They stopped for a few days in Paris. ć I expect to stop in Rome for the weekend. (NOTE: stops – stopping – stopped) í noun 1. the end of something, especially of movement ć The police want to put a stop to car crimes. 2. a place where you break a journey ć We’ll make a stop at the next service station. 3. a place where a bus or train lets passengers get on or off ć We have been waiting at the bus stop for twenty minutes. ć There are six stops between here and Marble Arch. Basic.fm Page 309 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM stopper 310 strap stopper stopper /stɒpə/ noun an object that you put into the mouth of a bottle or jar to close it store store /stɔ/ noun a shop, usually a big shop ć You can buy shoes in any of the big stores in town. ć Does the store have a food department? í verb 1. to keep food etc. to use later ć We store (away) all our vegetables in the garden shed. 2. to keep something in a computer file ć We store all our personnel records on computer. storey storey /stɔri/ noun a whole floor in a building storm storm /stɔm/ noun a high wind and very bad weather ć Several ships got into dif- ficulties in the storm. ć How many trees were blown down in last night’s storm? stormy stormy /stɔmi/ adjective when there are storms ć They are forecasting stormy weather for the weekend. (NOTE: stormier – stormiest) story story /stɔri/ noun 1. a description that tells things that did not really happen but are invented by someone ć The book is the story of two children during the war. ć She writes children’s stories about animals. 2. a description that tells what really happened ć She told her story to the journalist. (NOTE: The plural is stories.) stout stout /staυt/ adjective 1. ( of a person ) quite fat ć He has become much stouter and has difficulty going up stairs. 2. ( of material ) strong or thick ć Take a few sheets of stout paper. ć Find a stout branch to stand on. stove stove /stəυv/ noun a piece of equipment for heating or cooking straight straight /stret/ adjective 1. not curved ć a long straight street ć The line isn’t straight. ć She has straight black hair. ć Stand up straight! 2. not sloping ć Is the picture straight? ć Your tie isn’t straight. í adverb 1. in a straight line, not curving ć The road goes straight across the plain for two hundred kilome- tres. ć She was sitting straight in front of you. 2. immediately ć Wait for me here – I’ll come straight back. ć If there is a problem, you should go straight to the manager. 3. without stopping or changing ć She drank the milk straight out of the bottle. ć The cat ran straight across the road in front of the car. ć He looked me straight in the face. ć The plane flies straight to Washington. straighten straighten /stret(ə)n/ verb to make something straight straightforward straightforward /stret  fɔwəd/ adjective easy to understand or carry out ć The instructions are quite straightforward. strain strain /stren/ noun 1. nervous feelings caused by a busy or difficult situation ć Can she stand the strain of working in that office? 2. a variety of a living thing ć They are trying to find a cure for a new strain of the flu virus. ć He crossed two strains of rice to produce a variety which is resistant to disease. í verb 1. to injure part of your body by pulling too hard ć He strained a muscle in his back or he strained his back. ć The ef- fort strained his heart. 2. to make great efforts to do something ć They strained to lift the piano into the van. 3. to pour liquid through a sieve to separate solid parts in it ć Boil the peas for ten minutes and then strain. strange strange /strend/ adjective 1. not usual ć Something is the matter with the engine – it’s making a strange noise. ć She told some very strange stories about the firm she used to work for. ć It felt strange to be sitting in the office on a Saturday afternoon. ć It’s strange that no one spotted the mistake. 2. which you have never seen before or where you have never been before ć I find it difficult getting to sleep in a strange room. ć We went to Korea and had lots of strange food to eat. stranger stranger /strendə/ noun 1. a person whom you have never met ć He’s a complete stranger to me. ć Children are told not to accept lifts from strangers. 2. a person in a place where he or she has never been before ć I can’t tell you how to get to the post office – I’m a stranger here myself. strap strap /strp/ noun a long flat piece of material used to attach something ć Can you do up the strap of my bag for me? ć I put a strap round my suitcase to Basic.fm Page 310 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM [...]... quantities to meet people’s needs ć Fresh vegetables are in short supply during the winter support /sə pɔ t/ noun 1 an object or structure which stops something from support Basic. fm Page 317 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM supporter 317 falling ć They had to build wooden supports to hold up the wall 2 help or encouragement ć We have had no financial support from the bank 3 an act of encouraging and helping... break ć He played the piano for two hours at a stretch ȣ to stretch your legs to go for a short walk after sitting for a long time ć In the coffee break I went out into the garden to stretch my legs Basic. fm Page 312 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM strict 312 strict /strkt/ adjective 1 which must be strict obeyed ć I gave strict instructions that no one was to be allowed in ć The rules are very... strongly way strove /strəυv/ past tense of strive struck /str k/ past tense and past particistrove struck ple of strike structure / str ktʃə/ noun a building or structure something else that is built Basic. fm Page 313 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM struggle 313 struggle / str struggle (ə)l/ noun a fight ć After a short struggle the burglar was arrested í verb to try hard to do something difficult... repeat the sound at the beginning of a word several times ć He is taking therapy to try to cure his stutter í verb to repeat the same sounds when speaking ć He stuttered badly when making his speech Basic. fm Page 314 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM style 314 style /stal/ noun 1 a way of doing style something, especially a way of designing, drawing or writing ć The room is decorated in Chinese style... make a lot of profit ć His business has succeeded more than he had expected success /sək ses/ noun 1 the fact of achieving what you have been trying to do ć She’s been looking for a job in a lisuccess Basic. fm Page 315 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM successful 315 brary, but without any success so far 2 the fact that someone does something well ć Her photo was in the newspapers after her Olympic success... will suit me fine suitable / su təb(ə)l/ adjective which fits or which is convenient ć I’m looking for a suitable present ć We advertised the job again because there were suggest suggestion suit suitable Basic. fm Page 316 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM suitcase 316 no suitable candidates ć A blue dress would be more suitable for an interview suitcase / su tkes/ noun a box with a suitcase handle which.. .Basic. fm Page 311 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM strategy 311 make it more secure í verb to fasten something with a strap ć He strapped on his rucksack ć The patient was strapped to a stretcher ć Make... unexpected event ć They baked a cake for her birthday as a surprise ć What a surprise to see you again after so long! í verb to make someone surprised ć It wouldn’t surprise me if it rained ć What surprises Basic. fm Page 318 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM surprised 318 me is that she left without saying goodbye surprised /sə prazd/ adjective feeling surprised or showing surprise ć She was surprised to... suspect suspense suspicious swallow swam swan swap (NOTE: swaps – swapping – swapped) swarm /swɔ m/ noun a large group of swarm insects flying around together ć A swarm of flies buzzed around the meat Basic. fm Page 319 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM sway 319 sway /swe/ verb 1 to move slowly and sway smoothly from side to side ć The crowd swayed in time to the music ć The palm trees swayed in the... call brought a swift response from the police swim /swm/ verb to move in the water using your arms and legs to push you along ć She can’t swim, but she’s taking swimming lessons ć She swam across the English Channel (NOTE: swims – swimming – swam /sw m/ – swum /sw m/) í noun an occasion when you swim ć What about a swim before breakfast? ć It’s too cold for a swim swimmer / swmə/ noun a person who . /sə  pɔt/ noun 1. an object or structure which stops something from Basic. fm Page 316 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM supporter 317 surprise falling ć They had to build wooden supports to hold. verb to make someone surprised ć It wouldn’t surprise me if it rained. ć What surprises Basic. fm Page 317 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM surprised 318 swarm me is that she left without saying. a stab at something to try to do something ć I’m keen to have a stab at driving the tractor. Basic. fm Page 303 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM stable 304 stammer stable stable /steb(ə)l/

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