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spine 301 spoon spun a web between the two posts. (NOTE: spins – spinning – spun / spn/) í noun the turning movement of a ball as it moves ć He put so much spin on the ball that it bounced side- ways. ć He jammed on the brakes and the car went into a spin. spin out phrasal verb to make some- thing last as long as possible spine spine /span/ 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, an- imal 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 /sparəl/ 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 /sprt/ 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. feel- ings which are typical of a particular oc- casion 3. the part of a person that is said to still exist after death 4. alcohol (NOTE: usually plural) spiritual spiritual /sprtʃuəl/ adjective relating to the spirit or the soul ć The church’s main task is to give spiritual advice to its members. spite spite /spat/ noun 1. bad feeling ć They sprayed his car with white paint out of spite. 2. ˽ in spite of although some- thing 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 /spatf(ə)l/ adjective full of a nasty feelings against someone splash splash /splʃ/ 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 trou- sers. 3. to move through water, making a noise ć He splashed his way through the shallow water to the rocks. ć The lit- tle children were splashing about in the paddling pool. splendid splendid /splendd/ adjective extreme- ly good or impressive split split /splt/ 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 /spɔl/ 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 al- ways give in to him. ć Grandparents are allowed to spoil their grandchildren a little. (NOTE: spoils – spoiling – spoilt / spɔlt/ or spoiled) spoke spoke /spəυk/ past tense of speak spoken spoken /spəυkən/ past participle of speak sponge sponge /spnd/ 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 /spun/ noun an object used for eating liquids and soft food, or for stir- ring 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 /spɔt/ 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 complete- ly 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 /spren/ 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 /sprŋ/ past tense of spring sprawl sprawl /sprɔl/ 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 some- thing over a wide area ć Spread the pa- per 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 /sprŋ/ 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 sud- denly ć Everyone sprang to life when the officer shouted. ć The door sprang open without anyone touching it. (NOTE: springs – springing – sprang / sprŋ/ – has sprung /sprŋ/) sprinkle sprinkle /sprŋkəl/ verb to put small amounts of a liquid or powder over a surface by shaking sprint sprint /sprnt/ 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 /spn/ past participle of spin Basic.fm Page 302 Friday, January 16, 2004 3:10 PM spurt 303 stab spurt spurt /spt/ verb 1. ˽ to spurt out to come out in a strong jet ć Oil spurted out of the burst pipe. 2. to run fast sud- denly 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 /skwɒld/ adjective a squalid room or building is dirty and unpleasant ć The prisoners are kept in squalid con- ditions. 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 it- self squash squash /skwɒʃ/ verb to crush or to squeeze something ć Hundreds of pas- sengers 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 sit- ting on your heels ć She squatted on the floor, trying to get the stains out of the carpet. (NOTE: squats – squatting – squatted) squeak squeak /skwik/ 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 /skwil/ 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 cor- ner its tyres squealed. squeeze squeeze /skwiz/ noun the act of press- ing or crushing ć I gave her hand a squeeze. í verb 1. to press on some- thing 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 /skwrəl/ noun a small red or grey wild animal with a large tail which lives in trees and eats nuts ć The squir- rel sat up on a branch nibbling a nut. ć Squirrels hoard nuts for the winter. squirt squirt /skwt/ 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 /stb/ 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 /steb(ə)l/ adjective which does not change ć The hospital said his con- dition was stable. í noun a building for keeping a horse ć My horse is not in his stable, who’s riding him? stack stack /stk/ 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 ware- house is stacked with boxes. stadium stadium /stediəm/ noun a large build- ing where crowds of people watch sport, with seats arranged around a sports field (NOTE: The plural is stadiums or sta- dia.) staff staff /stɑf/ 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 /sted/ noun 1. a raised floor, es- pecially where the actors perform in a theatre ć The pop group came onto the stage and started to sing. 2. one of sev- eral points of development ć the differ- ent 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 /stə/ 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 sta- tion. 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 some- thing 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 some- one on the switchboard. í noun the movement of someone who is stagger- ing ć He walked with a noticeable stag- ger. stain stain /sten/ noun a mark which is diffi- cult 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 differ- ent 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 build- ing ć He was sitting on the bottom stair. staircase staircase /steəkes/ noun a set of stairs which go from one floor in a building to another stake stake /stek/ 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 /stel/ adjective food which is stale is old and no longer fresh stalk stalk /stɔk/ 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, espe- cially 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 /stɔl/ 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 en- gine ) 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 /stmə/ 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 prob- lem that involves hesitating and repeat- ing sounds when speaking ć Because of his stammer he was shy and reserved at school. stamp stamp /stmp/ 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 /stnd/ 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 of- fice 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 diffi- cult 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 depart- ment. 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 /stndəd/ noun 1. the level of quality something has ć The stand- ard 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 /stŋk/ past tense of stink staple staple /step(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 pa- pers together with a staple or with sta- ples 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 /stɑt/ noun the beginning of some- thing 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 start- ing 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 /stɑt(ə)l/ verb to make someone suddenly surprised starve starve /stɑv/ verb not to have enough food ć Many people starved to death in the desert. state state /stet/ 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 in- dependent 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 /stetmənt/ noun 1. some- thing that is spoken or written publicly ć a statement about or on the new pro- cedures ć She refused to issue a state- ment to the press. 2. a written document from a bank showing how much money is in an account station station /steʃ(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 /steʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/ adjective not moving (NOTE: Do not confuse with stationery.) stationery stationery /steʃ(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 station- ary.) statue statue /sttʃu/ noun a solid image of a person or animal made from a substance such as stone or metal status status /stetəs/ 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 mid- night. 2. to stop in a place ć They came for lunch and stayed until after mid- night. 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 /stedli/ 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. contin- uing 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 /stek/ 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 /stil/ verb 1. to take and keep something that belongs to another per- son without permission ć Someone tried to steal my handbag. ć He was ar- rested 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 – steal- ing – stole / stəυl/ – stolen /stəυlən/) steam steam /stim/ noun the substance like clouds which comes off hot or boiling water ć Clouds of steam were coming out of the kitchen. steel steel /stil/ 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 /stip/ 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 /stə/ 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 ster- eo using two speakers to produce sound stern stern /stn/ adjective serious and strict ć The judge addressed some stern words to the boys. stew stew /stju/ noun a dish of meat and veg- etables cooked together for a long time ć This lamb stew is a French recipe. í verb to cook food for a long time in liq- uid 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 /stk/ 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. an- ything 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 some- thing 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 / stk/) 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 some- thing out 2. to be further forward or fur- ther away from something ć Your wallet is sticking out of your pocket. ć The balcony sticks out over the road. sticker sticker /stkə/ noun a small piece of pa- per or plastic which you can stick on something to show a price, as a decora- tion or to advertise something sticky sticky /stki/ 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 /stf/ 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 run- ning in the race. 2. with hard bristles ć You need a stiff brush to get the mud off your shoes. stiffness stiffness /stfnəs/ noun 1. having mus- cle 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 /stl/ 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 /stmjυləs/ noun an encour- agement or incentive that leads to great- er activity sting sting /stŋ/ noun a wound made by an in- sect 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 lit- tle at first. (NOTE: stings – stinging – stung / stŋ/) stink stink /stŋk/ ( informal ) noun a very un- pleasant smell ć the stink of cigarette smoke í verb to make an unpleasant smell ć The office stinks of gas. (NOTE: stinks – stinking – stank / stŋk/ – stunk / stŋk/) 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 /strŋ/ adjective making you feel strong emotions, especially pride or enthusiasm stitch stitch /sttʃ/ 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 some- thing 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 wa- ter, 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 /stɒkŋ/ 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 /stmək/ 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 up- set 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 mate- rial, 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 play- ing 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 plu- ral in this sense: He weighs ten stone . In the USA, human body weight is al- ways 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 partici- ple of stand stool stool /stul/ noun a small seat with no back ć When the little girl sat on the pi- ano stool her feet didn’t touch the floor. stoop stoop /stup/ verb to bend forward ć She stooped and picked something up off the carpet. ć I found him standing at the ta- ble, 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 some- thing 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 – stop- ping – 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 compu- ter file ć We store all our personnel records on computer. storey storey /stɔri/ noun a whole floor in a building storm storm /stɔm/ 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 /stɔmi/ adjective when there are storms ć They are forecasting stormy weather for the weekend. (NOTE: stormier – stormiest) story story /stɔri/ 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 sto- ry 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 /stret/ 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 /stret(ə)n/ verb to make something straight straightforward straightforward /stret fɔwəd/ ad- jective easy to understand or carry out ć The instructions are quite straightfor- ward. strain strain /stren/ 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 /strend/ adjective 1. not usual ć Something is the matter with the en- gine – 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 /strendə/ 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 /strp/ 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 /strkt/ 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 /stal/ 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 tkes/ 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 prazd/ 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 /swm/ 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 / swmə/ noun a person who . /sə pɔt/ 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 sup- ports to hold. verb to make someone surprised ć It wouldn’t sur- prise 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 /steb(ə)l/