News headline vocabulary

NO WORD AND MEANING EXAMPLE

1 Air – to make know, to broadcast Iran airs video of boats with US ships in Gulf
2 Assail – to criticize strongly Green groups assail Govt energy plans

3 Axe – to remove from a job Rolls to axe up to 2,300 jobs

4 Back – to support Call for factory day care centres backed
5 Ban – to not allow to do something Court bans couple from naming son “Friday”
6 Bar – to officially say that something must not be done Reformers barred from elections
7 Bid – an attempt Chad, Sudan make new bid for peace
8 Blast – an explosion Blast kills US troops
9 Blaze – a big fire Blaze destroys 50 houses
10 Cite – to mention; to give as a reason Management cites labour unrest for shutdown
11 Claim – to declare to be true Man claims ghost sighting
12 Claim – to kill Bombs claim 40
13 Curb – to limit; to control Lifestyle changes can curb climate change
14 Dim – to become weaker Hopes dim for ending crisis
15 Dub – to give a name or description to Japan dubs activists ‘terrorists’
16 Due – expected Decision on attempted bribery case due today
17 Ease – to reduce or lessen Authorities ease restrictions on Koh Smui flights
18 Eye – to watch with interest; to have as a goal Thai team eyes 10 golds
19 Fault – to criticize; to say someone or something is wrong Tests fault SUVs and pickups
20 Flay – to accuse; to criticize strongly NGOs flay govt for rushing bill
21 Foe – enemy; rival; competitor Farmers’ foe: Smog damage to crops costs billions
22 Foil – to prevent from succeeding Gang uses phones to foil police
23 Grip – control; to take control of Army chief tightens his grip
24 Gut – to destroy by fire Fire guts part of Bo Bae market
25 Haul – a large amount of something illegal that has been taken Cocaine haul tops a tone
26 Haul – an amount of something that has been won or achieved Suphan Buri add eight medals to gold haul
27 Heist – theft Two held over Bt17-million van heist
28 Helm – the head of an organization, project, etc. Hughes takes helm at City
29 Hike – an increase Opec says no to output hike
30 Ink – to sign MoU to be inked on eradication of opium crops
31 Irk – to case to be angry or annoyed Indian Muslims irked over Rushdie invite
32 Key – very important Army urged to help protect keywitness
33 Lash – to hit with a strong force Heavy downpours lash Norteast
34 Lash out – to criticize strongly PM advisers lash out at new sytem
35 Laud – to praise; to say good things about World lauds ‘free and fair’ elections
36 Launch – to start or begin Government to launch a new war on drugs
37 Link – to connect; connection Studies link starchy foods with diabetes
38 Loom – expected in the near feature Controversy looms over Olympic qualifying
39 Mull –to think carefully about; to consider Google mulls ad-sponsored encyclopedia
40 Nab – to capture; to arrest Police nab gang leader
41 Net – to capture; to take possession of Police net two suspects in teacher’s murder
42 Nod –approval Toll way linking ring roads still awaits nod
43 Opt – to choose; to decide on When buying handbags, men opt for luxury
44 Oust – to force out of a position, competition, etc. Rules agreed to oust party leaders
45 Pact – an agreement Government urged to sign UN pact
46 Plea – a request; an answer to a criminal charge Court rejects TITV staff’s plea to keep broadcasting.
Sen Craig trying to take back his guilty plea.
47 Pledge – a serious promise Opposition pledges to continue protests
48 Poised – ready; about to achieve Data show US poised for better growth
49 Poll – an election PM won’t quit over poll result
50 Post – a job or position Putin accepts offer of prime minister’s post
51 Probe – to investigate; an investigation Censors probe hidden message in love poem
52 Prompt – to cause Injuries in fire drill prompt legal threat
53 Rage – to burn out of control Forest fire rages
54 Rage – to continue with a lot of force, violence or anger Battles rage in north Sri Lanka
55 Reel – to feel very shocked or upset about something Island reels from worst cyclone in memory
56 Rock – to shock; to surprise Tremors rock provinces in the North
57 Rout – to defeat completely or by a large amount Awesome Federor routs Roddick
58 Row – quarrel; a serious disagreement Temple row divides Hindus during festival
59 Rule – to make a decision (especially in a court or a regulating WTO rules on shrimp next month
agency)
60 Rule out – to not consider as a possibility President rules out calling an early election
61 Sack – to dismiss from a job Police chief sacked
62 Scam – a clever and dishonest plan for making money Police seek four more suspects in car scam
63 Set – ready; decided on 27-hole golf course set to open in Pattaya
64 Shun – to avoid someone or something Japanese food makers shun China for Thailand
 65 Slam –to criticize someone very strongly Japan firms slammed for fake recycled papers
66 Slay – to kill someone or something in a war or fight Tribes slay 250 foreign militants
67 Snag – a problem or difficulty Early retirement plan for teachers hits snag
68 Snub –to pay no attention to; to refuse to accept something Iran subs UN vote
69 Soar –to rise rapidly Expert warns of unrest as rice price soars
70 Split – to divide or become divided Movie industry split over rating system
71 Spook – to frighten or become frightened Tsunami prediction spooks island voters
72 Stalemate – a disagreement that can’t be solved Battle ends in stalemate
73 Stall – to delay or make things wait; to stop making progress Election defeat could stall reforms
74 Stance – the opinions that someone has about something; IMF praises bank stance on bath
position
75 Stem – to stop something from spreading or increasing Taiwan stems departure of experts to China
76 Sway – to influence or persuade Strong growth fails to swaygovernment
77 Swindle – a situation in which someone cheats someone in order Fake policemen held after B500,000 swindle
to get money or property
78 Thwart – to prevent from being successful Zone chiefs told to thwart teachers’ plan to rally in city
79 Tie – relationship; strong connection US, Australia look for growing tieswith China
80 Tip – to say in advance that someone or something will be Nationalists tipped to win election
successful
81 Trigger – to make something happen; to cause someone to say Thai chilies trigger UK chemical attack alert
or do something
82 Trim – to cut or reduce the amount or number of something Opec trims forecast on oil demand
83 Urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or Airlines urge government to resolve airport troubles
attitude they should take
84 Vie – to compete with other people for something that is difficult to Thai company vies for projects in Brunei
get
85 Void – to make something no longer legal or effective Residents demand result be declared void
86 Vow – a serious promise; to make a serious promise Teheran vows to go on with nuclear work
87 Weigh – to consider all the aspects of situation Hyundai weighs launch of $3,500 car
88 Woo – to try to persuade people to support you Thailand aims to woo Bollywood producers
89 Yield – to produce something useful; to make a profit Video yields new clues in tourist murder

Reference: Practical English Usage by Michael Swan (Oxford University Press)

Act: take action; do something Blast: explosion
POWER CRISIS: GOVERNMENT TO ACT Blast: criticize violently
Aid: (noun) military or financial help BLAST AT AIRPORT
Aid (verb): to help OPPOSITION BLASTS PM
MORE AID FOR POOR COUNTRIES Blaze: fire
UNIONS AID BANK STRIKERS SIX DIE IN TEMPLE BLAZE
Alert: alarm, warning Blow: bad news, unfortunate happening
TERROR ALERT IN THE CAPITAL SMITH ILL: BLOW TO WORLD CUP HOPES
Allege: make an accusation Bond: political or business association
BLIND GIRL ALLEGES UNFAIR TREATMENT INDIA CUTS TRADE BONDS WITH CHINA
Appear: appear in court accused of a crime Boom: big increase; prosperous period
MP TO APPEAR ON DRUGS CHARGES ECONOMIC BOOM: URBAN RICH TO BENEFIT
Axe (verb): abolish, close down Boost: encourage
Axe (noun): abolition, closure GOVERNMENT PLANS TO BOOST EXPORTS
POSTAL SERVICES AXED Brink: edge of disaster
SMALL SCHOOLS FACE AXE GLOBAL WARMING: EARTH ON BRINK OF DISASTER
Back: support Call for: demand/ appeal for
OPPOSITION BACKS PM TRADE UNIONS CALL FOR STRIKE
Ban: forbid, refuse to allow something Campaign: organized effort to achieve social or political result
GOVERNMENT BANS SMOKING IN PUBLIC MP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR TAX REFORMS
Bar: refuse Claim (verb): make a statement that something is true
HOTEL BARS FOOTBALL FANS US SCIENTISTS CLAIM CANCER BREAKTHROUGH
Bid: attempt Clamp down on: deal firmly with
WOMAN MAKES SUICIDE BID POLICE TO CLAMP DOWN ON EVE TEASING
Clash: quarrel, fight
STUDENTS CLASH WITH POLICE
Campus Journalism Headline Vocabulary

1. cut - decrease 21. rift - disagreement 41. nod - approval

2. hike, boost – increase 22. sans - without 42. gabfest - speech tilt

3. accord - agreement 23. hit - attack, assail 43. oust - dismiss

4. nab - arrest 24. hail - welcome 44. fires - dismiss

5. bare - expose, reveal, announce 25. beefed up - strengthened 45. slated to = scheduled

6. cite - enumerate, mention 26. urges - calls for, bats for 46. rules out - disregard

7. body - committee 27. bags - wins 47. hurdle - pass

8. dip- decrease, go down 28. tilt -contest 48. carpet - big welcome

9. feud - quarrel, dispute 29. lands, extols - praises 49. sked - schedule

10. curb - restrain, control, stop 30. keynotes - keynote speaker 50. nets - captures

11. bid, ask - invite, request 31. confab - conference 51. ban - prohibition

12. probe, grill - investigate, 32. rules - dominates 52. eyes = considering
question
33. smut - duty, literature, 53. lifts - removes, abolishes
13. quit - resign pornographic
54. inked - signed
14. quiz - question, exam 34. vs - against
55. raps - charges
15. cop - policeman 35. hits - reaches Ex. AUF hits
56. backs - rallies, supports
10,000 mark
16. balk - impede, thwart
57. bucks - scrapped, disapproves
36. scribes - writers, journalists
17. link - connect
58. allays - lessons
37. hone - prepare
18. junk - discard, throw away
59. upholds - approves
38. crown - championship, title
19. lull - calm
60. triggers - starts
39. sluggers - baseball players
20. nix - reject
61. prods – urges
40. spikers, netters - volleyball