My English Words List - November - 2021

inquire

inquire

verb

  • to ask for information

We inquired the way to the station.

I called the school to inquire about the application process.

flutter

flutter

verb

butterflies fluttering among the flowers

We watched the butterflies fluttering in the garden.

Leaves fluttered to the ground.

The bird was fluttering its wings.

The breeze fluttered the curtains.

Flags fluttered in the wind.

scythe

scythe

noun

Parts of a scythe

Scythe

A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops. It is historically used to cut down or reap edible grains, before the process of threshing. The scythe has been largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia.

vine

vine

noun

Convolvulus vine twining around a steel fixed ladder

Grapes grow upon a vine.
Apples grow upon a tree.
Blueberries grow upon a bush.

inflate

inflate

verb

inflate a balloon

We used a pump to inflate the raft.

Rapid economic growth may cause prices to inflate.

Low tire pressure: Stop in a safe place, check tire pressures, and inflate tire(s) if necesssary.

pane

pane

noun

A paned window.

  • a framed sheet of glass in a window or door

frost on a window pane

Paned window (architecture)

swot

swot

noun

They coined a new term in Chinese: xiao zhen zuotijia, meaning “small-town swot”.

Cramming (education)

Synonyms

  • bookworm
  • nerd

vague

vague

adjective

He gave only a vague answer.

When I asked him what they talked about, he was rather vague.

I think I have a vague understanding of how it works.

His conjecture was more vague.

marvelous

marvelous

adjective

Andrew Wiles’s marvelous proof

vacant

vacant

adjective

a vacant seat on a bus

a vacant room

These lockers are all vacant.

a vacant job position

leash

leash

noun

A clip-on leash attached to a Jack Russel Terrier’s collar

put a dog on a leash

Dogs must be kept on a leash while in the park.

Leash

cartoon

cartoon

noun

The kids are watching cartoons.

Cartoon

barley

barley

noun

Barley

Barley

croak

croak

verb

We could hear the frogs croaking by the pond.

blend

blend

verb

The music blends traditional and modern melodies.

noun

a blend of cream and eggs

damp

damp

noun

  • slight wetness in the air

The cold and damp made me shiver.

verb

His hands were damped with sweat.

Adjective

My hair’s still damp from the rain.

thorn

thorn

noun

Thorns on a blackberry branch

Thorns, spines, and prickles

wellness

wellness

noun

lifestyles that promote wellness

Daily exercise is proven to promote wellness.

Synonyms

fitness, health, healthiness, robustness, wholeness

Antonyms

illness, sickness, unhealthiness

assure

assure

verb

I assure you that we can do it.

I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed.

Hard work assures success.

He assured the children all was well.

She assured herself that the doors were locked.

the seller assured the buyer of his honesty

puck

puck

noun

A standard hockey puck

  • a vulcanized rubber disk used in ice hockey
  • a rubber disk used in hockey

Hockey puck

rink

Children playing ice hockey on a backyard rink in Canada

rink

The hockey team is practicing at the rink.

Ice rink

Ice hockey rink

seminar

seminar

noun

a seminar bringing together the world’s leading epidemiologists

Seminar

reap

reap

verb

He reaped large profits from his investments.

You’ll reap the benefit of your hard work.

reap a crop

Synonyms

gather, harvest, pick

excerpt

excerpt

noun

Her latest novel is called “The Air We Breathe” and you can read an excerpt on our website.

verb

This article is excerpted from the full report.

sundae

sundae

noun

The original sundae consists of vanilla ice cream topped with a flavored sauce or syrup, whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

tailored

tailored

adjective

pants bought off the rack never fit me so I have to buy tailored ones instead

growl

growl

verb

his stomach growled

the dog growled at the stranger

I could hear a dog growling behind me.

My stomach’s been growling all morning.

gulp

gulp

verb

gulp down a sob

gulp down knowledge

She told him not to gulp his food.

The exhausted racers lay on the ground, gulping air.

threshold

threshold

noun

A worn-out wooden threshold

on the threshold of a new age

Percolation threshold

Threshold knowledge

pore

pore

noun

Sourdough bread pores

Rye bread pores

Pore (bread)

porous

porous

adjective

  • full of small holes

porous wood

  • capable of absorbing liquids

porous paper

dynamite

dynamite

noun

Dynamite

Dynamite was invented by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel in the 1860s and was the first safely manageable explosive stronger than black powder.

Dynamite

verb

They plan to dynamite the old building.

willful

willful

adjective

a stubborn and willful child

willful children

He has shown a willful disregard for other people’s feelings.

The Willful Child

Once upon a time there was a child who was wilful and would not do what her mother wished.