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P.E.A.K.

S
Preparatory Education of Arts, Knowledge and Sciences
2 to14 age group

A
verb /´»bri˘vieIt/ noun /«QbnI»geISn/
to shorten a word by leaving out letters rejection of a belief
To master the art of shorthand, one needs to Through the abnegation of his religion he may retain
know how to abbreviate words. his position.

verb /»QbdIkeIt/
adjective /Qb»nç˘ml/
to give up (the throne, a high office or position of
different from what is usual or expected
responsibility)
His abnormal behaviour alarmed everyone at
The Queen was forced to abdicate the throne.
the party.

noun /»Qbd´m´n/
noun /«Qbn碻mQl´ti/
the part of the body below the chest that contains the
a feature or event which is not usual
stomach and bowels
There was an abnormality in the test.
The woman fainted due to severe pain in her
abdomen.

verb /´»bÅlIS/
to put an end to something (a law, an old custom)
noun /Qb»d√kSn/
We need to abolish racism from our society.
kidnap
The abduction of the little boy came as a shock to
his parents.
noun /«Qb´»lISn/
the ending of a system, law or custom
Australia will vote on the possible abolition of the
noun /´»beI´ns/ monarchy.
temporary disuse
The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.

adjective /´»bç˘rtIv/
unsuccessful
adjective /´b»hÅr´nt/ He made an abortive attempt to escape from prison.
disgusting or hateful
Spitting in public is an abhorrent practice.
noun /´»breIZn/
a damaged area of the skin where it has been rubbed against
adjective /´»bleIz/ something hard and rough
burning quickly and strongly He suffered a slight abrasion due to his fall.
Cars and buses were set ablaze during the riot.

adjective /´»breIsIv/
noun /´»blu˘Sn/ something that is rough and can be used to clean a
a ceremonial washing or cleansing of the body as an act surface or to make it smooth
of religion I scrubbed the counter with an abrasive kitchen
He performed his ablution before entering cleaner.
the mosque.

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12 to14 age group
A
adverb /´»brest/ verb /´b»zÅlv/
next to and facing the same way to release a person (from sin, guilt, a promise, duty)
A police car drew abreast of us and signalled us I absolve you of all responsibility in the matter.
to stop.

adjective /´b»sç˘b´nt/
adjective /´»brIdZd/ able to soak up liquid easily
a shortened version of a book or play leaving out The absorbent tablecloth soaked up the spilt water on
some parts the table.
I am reading an abridged edition of
Shakespeare’s plays.
adjective /´b»sε˘d/
not at all logical or sensible
adjective /´»br√pt/ The committee disagreed with his absurd idea.
sudden and unexpected
Work at the factory came to an abrupt stop due to
the power failure.
noun /´»b√nd´ns/
a very large quantity
The abundance of tourists in this region does
noun /»Qbses/ wonders for the local economy.
a swelling or infected area on the skin or in the body full
of a thick yellowish liquid
She developed an abscess on her arm following adjective /«Qk´»demIk/
an injury.
connected with education
The academic year in my school is from
September to June.
verb /´b»skÅnd/
to depart secretly
The accountant planned to abscond with the money. noun /Q«k´d´»mISn/
a member of an academy; related to a field of learning
The highly reputed academician put forward a
noun /«Qbs´n»ti˘Iz´m/ new theory which won him the Nobel Prize.
frequent non-attendance from work or school The
principal will take strict action to deal with
absenteeism. verb /Qk»si˘d/
to agree to a proposal, demand or request The
government decided not to accede to the
terrorists’ demands.
adjective /»Qbs´lu˘t/
complete; total
Napoleon gained absolute power when he
became the emperor. adverb /´k«sel´»rQnd´U/
in music, gradually increasing in speed
He was asked to play the music accelerando.

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DAWN in Education Spelling Bee Wordlist

A 12 to14 age group

verb /´k»sel´reIt/ noun /´»kç˘d/


to increase speed an agreement
Fertilisers accelerate the growth of The two governments signed a peace accord
plants. last year.

noun /»Qkses/
the way in to a place noun /´»kaUnt/
We don’t have access to the garden from our flat. a description of an event or something that has happened
He gave a detailed account of the theft to the police.

noun /´k»ses´ri/
a small article of dress noun /»QsIt´Un/
Her favourite accessory is her new leather belt colourless liquid with a strong smell
Acetone is used to make paint thinner.

noun /»QksId´nt/
an unintentional event verb /´k»nÅlIdZ/
She was killed in a car accident. accept that something exists or is true
She refuses to acknowledge the need for reform.

noun /´»kleIm/
approval, applause adjective /´»ku˘stIk/
The actor of the film received great acclaim for of or relating to sound
his extraordinary performance. As a birthday present, Ahmed wanted an acoustic
guitar from his father.

verb /´»klaIm´taIz/
to get used to a new place, situation or climate It’s verb /´»kweInt/
not easy to acclimatise to harsh weather to make aware of or familiar with
conditions. Please acquaint me with the facts of the case.

verb /´»kÅm´deIt/
to have or provide lodging verb /«Qkwi»es/
This hotel can accommodate 600 guests. to agree, accept, something without an argument She
refused to acquiesce in the reorganisation of the
committee.
noun /´«kÅm´»deISn/
a place to live, work or stay in
Hotel accommodation is included in the price of verb /´»kwaI´[r]/
your holiday. to get, gain or buy
I would like to acquire one hundred stock shares.

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A
age group

adjective /«QkrI»m´Uni´s/ noun /«Qd´»lesns/


bitter the time in a person’s life when he or she develops from a
Their marriage came to an acrimonious end. child into an adult
Children start to think about their careers during their
adolescence.
noun /»Qkr´nIm/
a word formed from the first letters of the words that
make up the name of something noun /´d»vEkS´n/
AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immune transfer of heat, cold or humidity in the atmosphere by
Deficiency Syndrome. the horizontal movement of an air mass Today’s
temperatures were higher due to the advection of
warm air into the region.
noun /»Qkjup√NktS´[r]/
a Chinese method of treating pain and illness using
special thin needles noun /´d»vε˘s´ti/
He opted for acupuncture to treat his back pain. misfortune; difficulty
She showed tremendous courage when faced with
adversity.
adjective /´»kju˘t/
intense; severe
There is an acute shortage of water in desert areas. noun /»Qdv´k´t/
one who publicly supports or recommends a
particular cause or policy
He is a staunch advocate of free speech.
noun /»Qd´[r]/
a small poisonous snake
The adder is a European snake.
adjective /i˘s»TetIk/
concerned with beauty and art and the understanding of
beautiful things
adjective /»QdIkw´t/ Her aesthetic sense was displayed in her beautifully
sufficient decorated home.
The flood affected village was provided adequate
food supplies for one week.
adjective /»Qf´bl/
good-natured and friendly
noun /»QdZUt´nt/ Shan has an affable personality which makes him
a military officer who assists senior officers with easy to get along with.
administrative work
Ralph is an adjutant in the army.
noun /´«fIli»eISn/
a connection with an association or party
verb /´d»mInIst´[r]/ He was arrested due to his affiliation with
organise; manage the liberation movement.
It is important to administer a school properly.

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DAWN in Education Spelling Bee Wordlist

A 12 to14 age group

verb /»Qgr´veIt/ noun /´«lIt´»reISn/


make worse the use of the same letter at the beginning of words that
Pollution can aggravate asthma. are close together
“Sing a song of sixpence” is an example of
alliteration.
verb /»QdZIteIt/
to stir someone or something up verb /»Ql´keIt/
Low wages tend to agitate the workers. assign
The university is planning to allocate more places for
overseas students this year.

noun /»Qg´ni/
noun /´»lju˘vI´m/
extreme physical or mental pain
a deposit of sand, mud, etc.,left by rivers or floods
I have been in agony all week with this twisted
Alluvium can contain valuable ores such as gold
ankle.
and platinum and a wide variety of gemstones.

noun /«ç˘lt´»keISn/
adjective /»eIl´/ a noisy disagreement
pertaining to, resembling, or having wings The police were notified of the altercation in the
Da Vinci’s alar drawings are still being used as parking lot.
study models by art students.
noun /»QltruIz´m/
an unselfish concern for the needs and happiness of
noun /»albInIz´m/ others
congenital absence of normal pigmentation He is revered for his altruism and saintly deeds all
Albinism is an inherited condition. around town.

verb /´»laIt/
to get down from a bus, train, car
We had no choice but to alight at the terminal.

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noun /«Ql´»geISn/ adjective /»Qltru»IstIk/
a claim that someone has done something wrong or
concerned for others; unselfishly generous
illegal
Her altruistic nature was appreciated by everyone in
The allegation against him is potentially damaging. the family.

noun /»QlIgeIt´[r]/ adjective /«Qmbi»dekstr´s/


a large reptile of the crocodile family able to use both the left and the right hand equally well
The tennis player’s ambidextrous skills proved to be
an advantage.

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12 to14
A
age group

noun /»Qmbi´ns/ adjective /Qm»fIbi´s/


atmosphere living in or suited for both land and water
The ambience of the hotel was friendly The frog’s amphibious nature serves it well both
and welcoming. in water and on land.

noun /«QmbI»gju˘´ti/
proper noun /Qm»fI»p´Ud´/
uncertain or inexact meaning
aquatic anthropods such as lobsters and crabs
There is ambiguity in the statement which Most amphipoda are marine animals.
nobody cares to clarify.

adjective /»Qmpl/
adjective /Qm»bIgju´s/ enough or more than enough
having more than one meaning There was ample time to get to the airport.
His ambiguous statement left everyone
thinking.

adjective /«anE˘»r´UbIk/
noun /Qm»bIv´l´ns/ pertaining to exercise that increases strength,
the state of having two opposing ideas or opinions Many promotes weight loss, but does not increase
people show ambivalence regarding the effect of cardiovascular efficiency
television on children. Anaerobic exercises include sprinting, throwing,
and weight-lifting.

verb /»Qmbl/
to walk at a leisurely pace noun /»Qn´lÅg/
We would amble down to the beach every a thing that is similar to another thing
morning. Scientists have failed to find a living analogue for
dinosaurs.

verb /´»mi˘lI´reIt/
to make something better noun /´»nQl´sIs/
Steps have been taken to ameliorate the situation. careful examination of how something is structured
Your analysis of the situation is different from mine.

noun /´»m´Uni´/
a colourless strong-smelling chemical noun /»QNk´[r]/
Ammonia is often used in making a heavy metal object thrown from a boat or ship but
cleaning substances. connected to it, which prevents it from moving through
the water
The anchor held the boat in place despite the
stormy sea conditions.
noun /Qm»fIbi´n/
an animal that can live both on land and in water
The turtle is an amphibian.

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DAWN in Education Spelling Bee Wordlist

A 12 to14 age group

noun /»QntS´vi/ noun /«Qn´»reksi´/


a small fish with a strong salty flavour a prolonged eating disorder with a psychological cause
The patient received counselling as she was
suffering from anorexia.
adjective /»eInS´nt/
belonging to the very distant past
He has collected many antiques belonging to noun /´»nç˘T´s√It/
ancient Greece. a granular plutonic rock
Anorthosite makes up about 60% of Earth’s crust.

adjective /Qn»drÅdZ´n´s/
having both male and female characteristics noun /Qn»tQg´nIz´m/
Her androgynous appearance made her a lonely hostility or opposition
and misunderstood human being. There is growing antagonism towards certain
policies of the government.

noun /»QnIkd´Ut/
short, interesting story noun /«QntI»si˘dnt/
He amused us with an anecdote about his visit an event or situation happening before another
to Africa. An antecedent can shape the future of a nation.

noun /«anI»malkju˘l/
a minute or microscopic organism noun /»QnTr´saIt/
Amoeba is an example of an animalcule. a very hard type of coal that burns slowly without producing
a lot of smoke or flames
Being in the business of producing steel, our
noun /«QnI»mÅs´ti/ company deals with large quantities of anthracite.
strong, active hatred
There was obvious animosity between the
two political parties. noun /«QnTr´»pÅl´dZIst/
an expert in, or student of, the history and science of mankind
Margaret Mead was the first anthropologist to
observe varying gender roles in different societies.
verb /´»naI´leIt/
to destroy or defeat completely
The army had enough weapons to annihilate
the enemy. noun /»Qnt´nIm/
a word opposite in meaning to another
‘Hot’ is the antonym of ‘cold’.

noun /´»nÅnImiti/
the state of remaining unknown
Names of people in the book were changed noun /»Qp´Ti/
to preserve anonymity. lack of interest/enthusiasm about something
There is widespread apathy among the people about
the present government.

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A
age group

adjective /«eIpI´rI»ÅdIk/ noun /»akwIf´/


not periodic, occuring irregularly an underground layer of loose rock, sand, or gravel that
They were receiving aperiodic signals from holds water in its spaces
the control tower. Aquifer may occur at various depths.

noun /´»pÅk´lIps/
verb /»A˘bItreIt/
very serious damage and destruction
to settle a dispute by acting as judge
A nuclear war has the potential to cause Mr Smith was called to arbitrate between the
an environmental apocalypse. management and the employees.

noun /«Qp´»reIt´s/
noun /«A˘kI»pel´g´U/
the equipment needed for a particular purpose
a group of many islands
The apparatus needed for his physics experiment The Indonesian archipelago consists of hundreds of
all came out of a nifty little box. islands.

noun /«Qp´»rISn/
noun /«QrI»stÅkr´si/
a ghost or an image of a person who is dead
the highest social class, consisting of people with
She saw an apparition of her deceased mother. hereditary titles
Many of the French aristocracy were killed during the
revolution.
noun /´»plç˘z/
approval or enjoyment shown by a group of people by
clapping noun /»Qr´g´ns/
The audience broke into rapturous applause. pride; haughtiness
She was disliked by her friends because of her
arrogance.
verb /´»pr´UtS/
to come near to something in distance or time
When you approach the roundabout turn left. adjective /A˘»tIkjuleIt/
clearly expressed
Her articulate speech impressed the audience.
adjective /´»pr´Upri´t/
suitable or acceptable for the particular circumstances The
lawyer handled the case in an appropriate manner. noun /´»sesm´nt/
an opinion or judgement about something
What is your assessment of the situation?

noun /»QptItju˘d/ music.


natural or acquired ability, talent
Michelle shows great aptitude for

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verb /´»sweIdZ/
to make an unpleasant feeling less severe
She managed to assuage the
customer’s anger.

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DAWN in Education Spelling Bee Wordlist

A 12 to14 age group

noun /»Qst´rIsk/ noun /»Qv´lA˘nS/


a star-shaped character or symbol used to call a mass of snow and ice falling rapidly down a
attention to something mountainside
I have placed an asterisk next to the tasks I want The avalanche in the Alps took many lives.
you to do first.

adjective /»Qv´rIdZ/
noun /´»strÅmItri/ a standard or level regarded as usual or typical
the scientific measurement of the positions, motions and His below average performance at the office denied
magnitudes of stars him the bonus.
Astrometry is a branch of astronomy.

adjective /´»vε˘s/
adjective /´»stju˘t/ strongly opposed to something
shrewd; crafty He seems to be averse to any change.
An astute businessman knows how to manage
his finances. noun /«Qv´»kA˘d´U/
a pear-shaped fruit with pale green flesh and a large stone
Avocado is the main ingredient in guacamole.
noun /´»trIbju˘t/
a quality or feature
Patience is a praiseworthy attribute.

noun /»Qksi´m/
adjective /碻deIS´s/ a rule or principle that most people believe to be true
willing to take bold risks A religious axiom is rarely questioned by believers.
The judge made an audacious statement in
closing, risking his entire judicial career.

noun /碻dQs´ti/
bold rudeness
He had the audacity to say that I was too fat.

adjective /»ç˘d´bl/
loud enough to be heard
The teacher’s voice was barely audible without the
microphone.

adjective /ç˘g»zIli´ri /
providing additional help or support
We have installed an auxiliary generator in case of
power cuts.

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age group

noun /»bQbl´[r]/ noun /»bQndIdZ/


someone who talks quickly and unclearly piece of soft material that covers and protects an
He earned the reputation of a babbler due to injured part of the body
his constant chatter.
After cleaning the wound, the doctor put a bandage
on my arm.

noun /«bQg´»tel/
a game in which small balls are hit into numbered noun /»bQNkr√ptsi/
holes on a board inability to pay debts
She enjoyed playing bagatelle. The company declared its bankruptcy due to lack of
financial alternatives.

noun /beIt/
food put on a hook or in a trap to attract fish or other adjective /bA˘»bQrIk/
animals cruel and violent
Cheese makes good bait for catching mice. The barbaric act of killing female infants is still
prevalent in some parts of the world.

noun /»bQl´ns/
a state in which weight is equally distributed, ensuring that noun /»bA˘b´[r]/
a person or object does not wobble or fall over He lost a hairdresser who cuts men’s hair
his balance and ended up in the water. James asked the barber to give him a haircut.

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noun /»bQlk´ni/
noun /»be´ri´m/
a platform built on an outside wall of an upstairs room
a soft silvery metallic element
She had a lovely view of the sea from the balcony.
Barium is used in making dyes and bleaches.

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noun /»bQleI/
noun /bA˘n´kl/
a dramatic performance by dancers to music The common sea creatures which encrust rocks and the piles
ballet of Romeo and Juliet was performed of piers
beautifully. The barnacle clung to a rock.

noun /»bç˘ls´m/
noun /b´»rAmIt´[r]/
any palm or tree from which an oil with a pleasant
an instrument used to forecast the weather by
smell called balm is obtained
measuring atmospheric pressure
The chemist used balsam to make the medicine.
Noticing the change in the barometer reading, the
weatherman quickly updated his forecast.

adjective /b´»nA˘l/
not original or interesting noun /»bQrIst´[r]/
His banal remarks were inappropriate for the counsellor-at-law
happy occasion. The barrister gave an emotional closing statement for
his case.

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B 12 to14 age group

noun /»bQtri/ verb /bI»m´Un/


a device containing one or more electrical cells, for use to complain or express unhappiness about something He
as a source of power
has made it a habit to bemoan everything that
The battery in our camera ran out so we could goes wrong in his life.
not take any pictures during our holiday.

preposition /bI»ni˘T/
noun /bi˘st/ under or below
an animal other than a human being that is wild and has We found an old book buried beneath a pile of
four legs leaves.
We were terrified when we saw the beast.

adjective /«benI»fISl/
proper noun /»beduIn/ advantageous
an Arab living as a nomad in the desert The beneficial agreement was acceptable to all
After travelling for days the Bedouin reached companies.
an oasis.

noun /»benIfIt/
noun /»bi˘tl/ an advantage
an insect which has a hard case on its back covering its I’ve had the benefit of a good education.
wings

adjective /b´»nev´l´nt/
noun /»beg´[r]/ kind and helpful
a person who lives by asking other people for food or After the flood, concerned citizens made benevolent
money contributions for the relief effort.
A beggar came to my door asking for help.

adjective /bI»naIn/
noun /bI»heIvj´[r]/ pleasant in nature or influence, gentle, kind
the way in which someone or something acts He He is well-liked because of his benign manner.
must offer an apology for his inappropriate
behaviour.
noun /bI»ri˘vm´nt/
death or departure of a loved one
adjective /bI»leItId/ The president offered his condolences to the
delayed, after the expected time families facing bereavement after the bomb blast.
The government’s belated response to the
proposal made matters worse for the department.
adjective /b´»zε˘k /
uncontrollably wild
He went berserk and attacked me.

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age group

noun /bε˘T/ noun /«bIlj´»ne´[r]/


a sleeping place in a train or ship a person owning money and property worth at least a billion
The berth in the train was quite dollars or rupees
uncomfortable. Roman Abramovich was a billionaire at the age of 32.

verb /bI»si˘dZ/
surround so as to force to give up noun /»b√I´U»fA˘mIN/
The king ordered his troops to besiege the town. the application of genetic engineering on living
organisms to induce or increase production
Biopharming, which has has been around for a
verb /bI»smε˘tS/ number of years, continues to be a controversial
subject.
to soil, sully
The papers had deliberately set out to besmirch
his reputation.
noun /«bAI´U»fIzIsIst/
a physicist who applies the methods of physics to biology
The biophysicist went into great detail when
noun /bI»treI´l/
explaining the process used in his experiment.
treacherous disloyalty
I saw her actions as a betrayal of my trust.

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noun /»baIÅpsi/
adjective /baI»Qnju´l/ examination of tissues or liquids from the living body to
occurring twice a year determine the existence or cause of a disease The doctor
The carnival is a biannual event in their school. would not be able to say anything till he had the
results of the biopsy.

adjective /b√I»sef[´]l´s/
having two heads noun /»bIskIt/
The bicephalous eagle was displayed in the a small, flat, crisp cake
museum of Natural History. I had a biscuit with a glass of milk for breakfast.

noun /»baIseps/ adjective /bI»zA˘[r]/


the large muscle at the front of the arm above the highly unconventional or unusual
elbow
She told us a bizarre story.
Ali has been working out to tone his biceps.

noun /»blQndISm´nt/
adjective /«baI»lINgw´l/ flattery intended to persuade
using two languages He used many a blandishment to try to persuade
The bilingual movie attracted a large her to marry him.
audience.

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B 12 to14 age group

adjective /»blQsf´m´s/ noun /»bu˘m´rQN/


insulting or showing a lack of respect for God or a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so as to
religion return to the thrower
Many Christians found the Da Vinci Code to One is in danger of injuring oneself if a boomerang is
have been a blasphemous piece of literature. not caught.

noun /bli˘t/
noun /«bu˘g´n»vIli´/
the sound made by sheep and goats
a tropical climbing plant with brightly coloured
The lamb gave a faint bleat. modified leaves surrounding the flowers
She grew bougainvillea in her garden.

adjective /blaID/
casual; lacking concern noun /»baUndri/
He drove with a blithe disregard for traffic rules. the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of
something
The country’s boundary is denoted by a dark red
noun /»blIz´d/ line on the map.
a severe snowstorm with strong winds
Traffic slowed to a halt because of the blizzard. adjective /»baUntIfl/
given or giving freely; plentiful
The charity home receives a bountiful supply of
goods from the government.
noun /blŻkeId/
the action of surrounding or closing a place
noun /bu»keI/
The police set up a blockade on the highway.
a bunch of flowers arranged in an attractive way
She was pleased to receive a bouquet of tulips on her
birthday.
verb /blε˘t/
utter impulsively noun /bu˘»ti˘k/
Before Sandy could blurt out my secret, I a small shop/store that sells fashionable clothes
quickly changed the topic of the conversation. They bought the dress from the new boutique.

noun /»b´U´/
a large snake, found in America

noun /»breIsl´t/
noun /bç˘[r]/ jewellery worn around the wrist
a male pig She loves her new bracelet.

adjective /»bçIst´r´s/
noisy, lively and high-spirited
The boisterous crowd made its way home after the
game.

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age group

noun /»braki»kA˘dI´/ noun /brÅN»kaItIs/


slowness of the heart rate an illness of the tubes leading to the lungs that causes
Bradycardia may cause cardiac arrest in a very bad cough
some patients.
When diagnosed with bronchitis, Brett decided to quit
smoking.

adjective /»brakIS/
(of water) having a somewhat salty, unpleasant taste verb /braUz/
Brackish water commonly occurs in lakes, to examine books or other goods in a casual way
lagoons, and marshes. Please feel free to browse through these books.

proper noun /breIl/


noun /bru˘»net/
a written language for the blind using raised dots
a person with dark (brown) hair
He is very good at reading Braille. Jane has dyed her hair red but she is actually a
brunette.

noun /»breIkIdZ/
the action of breaking something or the fact of being adjective /bru˘sk/
broken using very few words and sounding rude
She wrapped the crockery carefully to protect The official spoke in a brusque tone.
it against breakage.

proper noun /»bUdIz´m/


verb /bri˘D/ an Asian religion based on the teachings of Buddha
draw air into the lungs and send it out again Buddhism is the main religion in Thailand.
The air was so cold we could hardly
breathe.

noun /»b√dZ´rigA˘[r]/
noun /»brç˘dkA˘st/ Australian parakeet, usually light green with black markings
a programme sent out on television or radio
The five o’clock broadcast was interrupted by a
power failure at the radio station.
noun /»b√dZIt/
the amount of money available for a purpose
Rent for my flat takes up around sixty per cent of my
noun /»brÅk´li/ weekly budget.
a vegetable with a thick green or purple flower head
She made a stew of broccoli and carrots.

noun /»b√f´l´U/
noun /»br´uS´[r]/ a large shaggy-haired bison originally from the North
a pamphlet or booklet American plains
I decided to visit Singapore after going through
the travel brochure.

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noun /»bUfeI/ noun /»bε˘s´ri /


a meal at which people serve themselves a scholarship
She attended a grand buffet at the king’s Dan was awarded a bursary to study at university.
palace.

noun /b´»fu˘n´rI/
noun /»b√t´flaI/
acting like a clown or buffoon
an insect with broad colourful wings
John was a well loved comedian, famous for
his buffoonery.

noun /»bUl´k/
a young bull, or any male of the ox kind

noun /»b√mblbi˘/
a large hairy bee that makes a buzzing noise when it flies

noun /»b√ndZi/
a stretchy, elasticated rope
The bungee was securely tied to his feet before he
jumped off the bridge.

noun /»b√ntIN/
small flags hung up to decorate streets
The colourful bunting gave the city a festive look.

noun /»bjU´r´krQt/
an official who works in a government department Being a
bureaucrat in the transport department, he travelled
extensively.

noun /»beri´l/
the act of placing a dead body in the ground.
His family insisted on him being given a proper burial.

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noun /k´»kÅf´ni/ noun /k´»lIps´U/


a harsh mixture of sounds a Caribbean song or type of music about a subject of
The rock concert was no more than a current interest
mad cacophony. They danced to the calypso beat.

noun /»kQfi˘n/
noun /»kQm´mbe´[r]/
a substance in coffee, tea that causes a person to be more
a rich, soft cheese originally made near Camembert in
awake
Normandy, France
The caffeine in the coffee kept me awake all night. She will serve camembert with fruits.

noun /k´»hu˘ts/
noun /»kQm´flA˘Z/
planning or doing something dishonest with
a colour, pattern, shape used for concealment
somebody
The soldiers used branches of trees as camouflage.
He should know better than to be in cahoots
with someone as shady as Tim.

noun /»kQndId´t/
a person who applies for a job or is nominated for election
verb /k´»dZ´Ul/
He is a candidate for a seat in the National Assembly.
to influence or persuade by flattering
I am not going to cajole you into accepting my
views.

adjective /»keInaIn/
noun /k´»lQm´ti/ relating to dogs
an event causing great and often sudden damage or Security officials at the airport depend on their canine
distress companions to sniff out anything suspicious.
The recent earthquake was the worst calamity in
the country’s history.
noun /«kQn´»l´Uni/
large tubes of pasta filled with meat or cheese
noun /»kQlkj´l´s/ Boil the cannelloni in salty water.
a type of mathematics that deals with variable quantities
A-level mathematics consists primarily of calculus.
noun /»kQn´n/
a large, heavy gun
adjective /»kQl´s/ The ship’s cannon was damaged in the storm.
not caring about other people’s feelings
He had a very callous attitude towards his younger
siblings. noun /»kQnt´lu˘p/
a kind of melon
A cantaloupe is low in calories and is a good
source of vitamin C.

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adjective /kQn»tQNk´r´s/ noun /»kA˘d´m´m/


always complaining the seeds of a plant, used as a spice
He does not have many friends because of She used cardamom in the chicken curry.
his cantankerous nature.

adjective /»kA˘diQk/
adjective /k´»peIS´s/ relating to the heart
spacious; roomy He died suddenly following a cardiac arrest.
Her capacious handbag was stuffed with
makeup.

noun /»kQrIk´tSU´[r]/
noun /k´»pasIt´ns/ a comic representation of a person or thing which exaggerates
the ability of a system to store an electrical charge certain features
Capacitance is measured in a unit called farad. The politician was not pleased to see his caricature in
the newspaper.

noun /«kQpu»tSi˘n´U/
noun /»kQrIdZ/
coffee made with milk that has been frothed up with
a separate compartment in a train; a passenger vehicle
pressurised steam
We decided to sit in the carriage with the least
They enjoyed a cappuccino after work.
number of passengers.

verb /kQp»saIz/
to turn over in the water noun /»kA˘trIdZ/
A large wave caused my boat to capsize. a container holding film, ink or other items to be inserted
into a mechanism
His cartridge ran out of ink halfway through the exam.
noun /»kQpsju˘l/
a small soluble container that encloses a dose of
medicine noun /kQ»skeId/
My daughter found it difficult to swallow the something that falls like a waterfall
vitamin capsule that I gave her. A cascade of blonde hair surrounded her radiant face.

noun /»kA˘k´s/
noun /»kQSmI´[r]/
the dead body of an animal
a type of wool that is very fine and soft
Vultures fed on the carcass of the dead
The cardigan was very warm as it was made of
goat.
cashmere.

adjective /«kA˘sIn´»dZenIk/
likely to cause cancer
The carbon monoxide percentage in the air is
reaching a carcinogenic level.

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noun /»kA˘skIt/ noun /»kÅliflaU´[r]/


a small ornamental box or chest for holding valuable a vegetable with green leaves around a large white head of
objects flowers
The casket recovered from the shipwreck Do you like to eat cauliflower?
contained valuable treasures.

noun /»kQs´r´Ul/ noun /»kç˘Sn/


a hot dish made with meat and/or vegetables attention to safety
She prepared a casserole for dinner. One must cross a busy road with caution.

noun /»kA˘sl/
noun /»kQvlri/
a large building with high walls and towers
soldiers who formerly fought on horseback, now in armoured
The castle was protected by high walls and a vehicles
large iron gate.
The charge of the cavalry could not be halted by the
enemy.

noun /»kQZu´lti/
a person killed or injured in a war or accident Innocent noun /»kQviA˘[r]/
civilians are the biggest type of casualty in modern the eggs of a type of fish that are eaten as a very special
wars. kind of food
Caviar is considered to be a delicacy and is very
expensive.
noun /k´»tQstr´fi/
a sudden event causing great suffering and
destruction noun /»si˘d´[r]/
The recent flood was a great catastrophe. a tall coniferous tree with hard, sweet-smelling wood
The yacht is built of cedar.

noun /»kQt´pIl´[r]/
a small hairy animal with a long body and several noun /»sel´ndaIn/
legs a yellow-flowered plant of the buttercup family
Celandine grows in rich damp soil.

noun /»kQT´Ud/
a negative electrode in a battery noun /»tSel´U/
The negative terminal of a battery is known as
an instrument like a large violin, held upright on the floor
the cathode.
between the knees of the seated player
She has been playing the cello for many years.

adjective /k碻keIzi´n/
white-skinned people of European origin noun /»keltIk/
Witnesses described the thief as a Caucasian belonging to a race of people originating in Western Europe
male, with blue eyes and blonde hair.

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His red hair indicated that he was of Celtic origin.

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noun /»sens´s/ noun /»sε˘tnti/


an official count of something especially a country’s the state of being sure
population I cannot say with any certainty what will happen
The last census was largely inaccurate. tomorrow.

noun /sen»ti˘n´ri/
the hundredth anniversary noun /»SQgrIn/
Preparations for the centenary celebrations are in a feeling of being disappointed or annoyed
full swing. To her chagrin, she failed the test again.

noun /»sentIpi˘d/
noun /k´»mi˘li´n/
a small crawling creature with a long body and many
a small lizard that can change colour according to its
legs
surroundings

noun /»sef´l´pÅd/
noun /»SQmwA˘/
marine mollusc with a well developed head and eyes and
an animal like a small deer, that lives in the
sucker-bearing tentacles
mountains of Europe and Asia

adjective /s´»rQmIk /
noun /«SQnd´»lI´[r]/
made of clay that is permanently hardened by heat
a light fitting or candle holder with many branches
She designs, moulds and sells ceramic pots.
The chandelier in their lounge is very beautiful.

noun /»sI´ri´l/
noun /»keIÅs/
a kind of grain used for food
state of complete confusion and lack of order
She was having a bowl of cereal for
Heavy snow has caused total chaos on the roads.
breakfast.

noun /«ser´»bel´m/
noun /»tSQpl/
the part of the brain at the back of the head that
a small room or building used for Christian worship
controls the movement of the muscles
She always went to the chapel on Sundays.
The cerebellum is one of the main parts of the brain.
characteristically
ceres
adverb /«kQr´kt´»rIstIk´li/
typical of somebody’s character
noun /»sI´ri˘z/ Characteristically, she paid for everyone.
the closest dwarf planet to the sun
Ceres was the first object to be discovered in
the asteroid belt.

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noun /k´»rIzm´/ adverb /Si˘k/


the powerful personal quality to attract and impress elegant and fashionable
others
She always manages to look extremely chic.
The president is an effective leader with
tremendous charisma.

noun /»tSi˘ft´n/
the leader of a people or clan
adjective /«kQrIz»mQtIk/
The chieftain was respected by the whole clan.
having charm
He is an immensely charismatic man and usually
gets his way.
noun /»tSIzl/
a hand tool with a long blade, used to cut or shape
wood, stone, or metal
noun /»SQsi/ The artisan used his chisel to chip away at the
the metal frame of a vehicle marble.
Even after the disastrous accident, the chassis of the
car was still intact.

noun /»SIv´lri/
courteous and courageous behaviour shown by mediaeval
verb /tSQ»staIz/ knights
to criticise St George demonstrated great chivalry when he killed
She should not chastise her secretary in front of the dragon and rescued the princess.
other colleagues.

noun /»klç˘ri˘n/
noun /»SQt´U/ a green gaseous chemical element
a castle or large country house in France Chlorine is added to swimming pools to keep
The chateau we stayed at was next to a the water clean.
lake.

noun /»S´UvInIz´m/
noun /»kwaI´[r]/
too much support or enthusiasm for one’s own
a group of people who sing together
gender, group, or kind
The school choir has won a large number of awards
His male chauvinism made many people dislike
in many contests.
him.

noun /«ki˘m´U»Ter´pi/
noun /»kÅl´r´/
the treatment of an illness using chemical substances
an infectious disease of the small intestine
Chemotherapy is used to treat cancer.
There is very little incidence of cholera in the city.

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noun /tSek/
a written order to a bank to pay money
“May I pay by cheque?” asked the customer.

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noun /«kÅri»Ågr´fi/ noun /k√Im/


the art of designing and arranging the steps and thick semifluid mass of partly digested food formed in the
movements in dances stomach during digestion
The choreography of the ballet was done by a The rhythmic muscular action of the stomach wall
famous dancer. moves the chyme into the first section of the
small intestine.

noun /»kç˘r´s/
a part of a song which is repeated after every verse noun /sI»kA˘d´/
Everyone joined in the chorus at the end of the a stout-bodied insect with large membranous wings
song.

noun /»kr´Umi´m/
noun /»sIn´m´n/
a hard grey metal that shines brightly when polished
a spice made from the bark of a tree
Coloured plastic bags contain harmful toxic metals
I used a lot of cinnamon when I made that apple pie.
like chromium and copper .

adjective /«sε˘k´m»stQnSl /
noun /»kr´Um´s´Um/ strongly suggesting but not proof
a part of a cell in living things that determines The circumstantial evidence made it difficult for
character, gender, shape the jury to come to a decision.
In human females, there is no Y
chromosome.

noun /«sIr´U»strA˘t´s/
adjective /»krÅnIk/ a type of cloud that forms a thin layer at a very high level
lasting for a long time Temperatures at the cirrostratus level are fairly low.
He developed chronic bronchitis because of
heavy smoking.

noun /kle´»vçI´nt/
noun /»krÅnIkl/ a person who is said to be able to predict future
a written record of historical events events
The Sports Almanac is a chronicle of sports The clairvoyant predicted that he would enjoy a
history. long and happy life

noun /»krIs´lIs/
the case around a caterpillar that is changing into a noun /»klQr´ti/
butterfly or moth clearness
The child saw a chrysalis on the branch of a tree. His speech had a strong element of clarity.

noun /«klç˘str´»f´Ubi´/
fear of being in a small or enclosed space
People who have claustrophobia avoid using lifts.

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noun /«kli˘´n»tel/ verb /k´»lQb´reIt/
the customers of a business work together
The new restaurant attracted a young and In my work I would like to collaborate with the famous
trendy clientele. architect.

noun /k´U»Qgjul´nt/
adjective /k´»lQt´r´l/
a substance that causes a fluid to change to a solid or
connected but less important
semi-solid state
Even targeted bombings result in some form of
The doctors injected a coagulant to stop the collateral damage.
bleeding.

noun /»k´Ubr´/
noun /»kÅli´ri/
a poisonous snake that can expand the skin of its neck
a coal mine
into a hood
He has worked at the colliery almost all his life.
The cobra is found mostly in India.

adjective /k´»l´Ukwi´l/
noun /«kÅk´»tu˘/ conversational but not in formal language
white or light-coloured crested parrot of the Australian Colloquial words should be avoided in formal speech
region and writing.
I saw a cockatoo in a pet shop.

noun /k´»l´Un/
noun /»kÅk´r´l/ a type of light perfume or scented water
a young male chicken A man’s choice of cologne says a lot about him.

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noun /»kÅkr´UtS/
noun /«kÅl´r´»tU´r´/
a large dark brown insect usually found in dirty or
complicated passages for a singer
damp places
The opera singer was an expert in coloratura.

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verb /k´U»ε˘s /
noun /k√m»√p´ns/
to persuade using force or threats
a punishment or fate that someone deserves
They tried to coerce him into robbing his
Ideally, every evil-doer ought to get his comeuppance.
friend.

noun /k´U»InsId´ns/
noun /»kÅm´ndQnt/
similar things happening at the same time by chance The the officer in charge
two sisters ended up wearing identical clothes at the The commandant of our group is very strict and
dinner entirely by coincidence. disciplined.

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adjective /k´»menS´r´t/ adjective /kÅn»keIv/


equal in extent curved inwards
Salary will be commensurate with Concave lenses are used to make spectacles.
experience.

noun /k´»mISn/
verb /k´n»si˘d/
a body of people with authority to perform certain
to admit
duties
He was forced to concede that there might be
The commission published a report of difficulties.
their supervision of the election.

adjective /k´n»sentrIk/
adjective /k´»m´Udi´s/ having a common centre
roomy and comfortable Planets orbit the Sun in concentric circles.
She fell asleep in the commodious
armchair.

compartmentalise
noun /k´n»sepSn/
verb /«kÅmpA˘t»ment´laIz/ formation
divide into sections and categories The country has been confronted with problems
Sometimes we are too ready to since its conception.
compartmentalise people before we really get to
know them. concerto

complacent noun /k´n»tSε˘t´u /


a musical composition for an orchestra and one or more
adjective /k´m»pleIsnt/ solo instruments
self-satisfied She gave a wonderful performance at the concerto
Shahid lost his job because of his last night.
complacent attitude.

complement
concierge
verb /»kÅmplIment /
noun /»kÅnsie´Z/
to make something complete
a resident caretaker of a block of flats or small hotel The
The husband and wife complement each other.
concierge told the noisy tenants on the fifth floor not
to play loud music.
composure

noun /k´m»p´UZ´[r]/ conciliatory


mental calmness adjective /k´n»sIli´t´ri/
She showed great composure during the emergency.
making calmer and less angry
The president’s speech was a conciliatory gesture
compulsion
towards businessmen.
noun /k´m»p√lSn/
obligation concurrence
There is no compulsion for you to attend the meeting. noun /k´n»k√r´ns/
agreement
The doctor must seek the concurrence of a relative
before proceeding with surgery.

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verb /k´n»dem/ noun /k´n»stItju´nsi/


to express complete or strong disapproval of a district that elects its own representative to
something parliament
I condemn war in all its forms. He owns a house in his Oxford constituency.

noun /k´n»s√lt´nsi/
noun /k´n»feti/ a business or agency offering expert or professional advice in
small pieces of coloured paper traditionally thrown at a field
weddings He opened a financial consultancy firm to
The bride and groom were showered with confetti advise people on monetary issues.
as they left the church.

adjective /k´n»teIdZ´s/
verb /k´n»fç˘m/ transmissible by direct or indirect contact; infectious
to behave and think in the same way as others Chicken pox is a contagious illness.
His ideas do not conform with mine.

verb /k´n»tQmIneIt/
verb /»k√ndZ´[r]/ pollute
to make things appear or disappear as if by magic The leak in the sewage system might contaminate the
He is known to conjure up the spirits of the dead. main water supply.

noun /»kÅn´»sε˘[r] /
verb /»kÅnt´mpleIt/
a person who knows a lot about art, good food and
to think about as possible
music
The idea of war is too awful to contemplate.
He is a connoisseur of antiques.

noun /k´n»tInju´m/
verb /»kÅnsIkreIt/ a continuous sequence in which the elements next to each
to declare or set apart as sacred other are very similar, but the last and the first are very
They organised a ceremony to consecrate the different
new mosque. It is impossible to say at what point along the
continuum a dialect becomes a separate
language.

noun /»kÅnsIkw´ns/
a result adjective /«kÅntr´»vε˘Sl /
Twenty people lost their lives as a direct causing or likely to cause public debate
consequence of the earthquake. The European Union constitution is a very
controversial document, splitting opinion down the
verb /k´n»sÅlIdeIt/ middle.
to make firmer or stronger
The documents were signed to consolidate
the merger.

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verb /«kÅnv´»les/ adjective /»kç˘di´l/


to return to health and strength after illness; pleasant, friendly
recuperate He greeted me with a cordial handshake.
She went to the mountains to convalesce
after leaving the hospital.

noun /»kç˘d´rçI/
a thick cotton fabric with velvety ribs
verb /k´n»vi˘n/
She wanted to purchase a jacket of corduroy.
to come together formally
The committee will convene at nine thirty
tomorrow morning.
noun /»kç˘ni´/
the transparent layer forming the outer part of the eye She
noun /k´n»vi˘ni´ns/
had to wear a patch over her eye as she had
injured her cornea.
a useful device or situation
Supermarkets are a great convenience to
most people.
noun /kç˘ps/
a dead body
adjective /k´n»vε˘snt / His corpse was taken to the city morgue.
familiar with
He was not conversant with the routines of his
new workplace. noun /«kÅr´»spÅnd´ns/
letters sent to or received from someone
conversationalist Their correspondence lasted over a decade.
noun /«kÅnv´»seIS´n´lIst/
corrode
a person who is good at or fond of engaging in
conversation verb /k´»r´Ud/
He is a terrific conversationalist and after- to destroy something slowly especially by chemical
dinner speaker. action
The bonnet of his car has started to corrode.
converse
cosmonaut
verb /k´n»vε˘s /
to talk with noun /»kÅzm´nç˘t/
The ability to converse easily with strangers a Russian astronaut
comes naturally to some people. Yuri Gagarin is the most famous cosmonaut.

copious councillor
adjective /»k´Upi´s/ noun /»kaUns´l´[r]/
abundant; plentiful a member of a council
He had a copious supply of tools at his workshop. The councillor was elected on the basis of his
past experience.

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noun /»k√pl´t/ noun /»krwQsÅ))/


a pair of successive rhyming lines of verse a crescent-shaped flaky bread roll
The poet recited a couplet from his latest She ate a croissant for breakfast.
poem.

adjective /»kε˘ti´s /
adjective /»kru˘Sl/
polite and considerate
decisive, critical
I received a charmingly courteous reply to She could not answer the crucial question correctly.
my invitation.

noun /kr√»steISn/
adjective /»k√v´t/ any aquatic anthropoid usually with a segmented
secret, hidden body in a hard shell
He stole a covert glance at her across the Crabs, lobsters and shrimps are all examples of a
table. crustacean.

noun /»kreIni´m/
the bone structure that forms the head and encloses the noun /»kju˘bIkl/
brain a small division of a larger room making a separate
The cranium is the hardest part of the body as compartment
it protects the brain. She studies in a cubicle at the school library.

noun /»kri˘dns/
noun /»kUku˘/
belief
a bird with a call that sounds like its name
One should not give any credence to
rumours.

noun /»kju˘k√mb´[r]/
noun /»krIkIt/ a long, green fruit with watery flesh, eaten as a vegetable in
an insect that makes a loud noise by rubbing its salads
wings together The price of cucumber shot up after the floods.

adjective /»krImzn/
noun /kjU´»reIt´[r]/
a deep red colour
an official in charge of a museum or art gallery The
She was wearing a crimson
new curator of the museum was asked to plan
dress.
interesting events.

noun /»krÅk´daIl/
a large aquatic reptile with a long tail and a big mouth adjective /»kjU´ri´s/
with sharp teeth eager to know or learn something
He is such a curious boy, always asking questions.
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noun /»s√Ikl´trÅn/
a machine that, using electrical and magnetic fields,
makes atoms or electrons move more quickly.
The design of a cyclotron varies according to the
specifications of the purchaser.

adjective /»sInIkl/
doubtful or distrustful of human motives
The cynical old man had become bitter because of
what he had experienced during the war.

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noun /»dQndr√f/ noun /dI»si˘st/


small pieces of dead skin in the hair, that look like a person who has died
white flakes
The body of the deceased was moved from the
He uses a special shampoo for his dandruff. hospital to his home.

verb /dI»bIlIteIt/
noun /dI»si˘t/
to weaken
dishonest behaviour
His bout of malaria served to debilitate his He was accused of lies and deceit.
already questionable health.

noun /dI»sIZn/
noun /»debri˘/ a choice or judgement
scattered broken pieces of wood, metal, brick Debris Her decision to resign from the job surprised us all.
covered the farmland after the volcanic
eruption.
noun /dI»kç˘r´m/
polite behaviour
noun /d´»b√I/ She showed remarkable decorum at the reception.
a unit used to express electric dipole moments of
molecules
The debye is still used in atomic physics adjective /dI»krepIt/
and chemistry.
worn out or ruined because of age or neglect
The government decided to demolish the
decrepit apartment complex.
noun /»dekeId/
a period of ten years
The last decade saw many new developments adjective /dI»d√kt´bl/
in science and technology.
can be taken away from
The deductible amount from his income is quite
substantial.
verb /dI»kQpIteIt/
to behead
They are going to decapitate him as a punishment adjective /dI»fQm´tri/
for his crime. attacking one’s reputation
His defamatory remarks about the company ruined its
reputation.
noun /dI»keI/
the process or result of being destroyed by natural
causes or by not being cared for noun /dI»faI´ns/
The landlord had let the building fall into decay. open disobedience
He has made it a habit to act in defiance of the law.

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noun /dI˘»fIbrIleIt´[r]/ noun /»dem´gÅg/


a piece of equipment used to control the movement of a political leader who tries to win support by using
the heart muscles arguments based on emotion rather than reason Hitler is
The patient was put on the defibrillator to considered to be a demagogue by many
restore normal rhythm to his heart. historians.

adjective /dI»dZen´r´tIv/
noun /dI»mi˘n´[r]/
causing gradual deterioration
behaviour; bearing
A degenerative disease like arthritis will He maintained a professional demeanour during the
eventually make the patient bedridden. interview.

verb /dI»lIb´reIt/
adjective /di»mÅnIk/
to think very carefully
connected with evil
She took her time to deliberate over the menu
The priest said the magician was using demonic
before placing an order.
powers to perform certain acts.

noun /»delIk´si/
a type of food considered to be special noun /»denIzn/
Caviar is considered to be a delicacy. inhabitant or occupant of a particular place
He is a denizen of one of the remote mountainous
regions.
noun /«delIk´»tesn/
a shop that sells special, unusual foods
We go to the delicatessen everyday for their verb /dI»naUns/
special French cheese. to speak publicly strongly against, condemn
I was shocked to hear Jane denounce her sister as a
liar.
adjective /dI»lIri´s/
in an excited state and not able to think or speak
clearly, usually because of fever noun /diInjU»deIS´n/
The delirious patient did not recognise his children. the removal or exposure of a covering or surface layer The
denudation of forests may result in mudslides in the
monsoon.
verb /dI»lu˘d/
to deceive or mislead
It is not right to delude oneself with false hopes. noun /»dep´U/
a place where large amounts of food, goods or
equipment are stored
Flour bags were being carried to the ration depot.
noun /dI»lu˘Zn/
a false impression or opinion
Her comments make it seem like she is living in
a world of delusion.

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D
noun /«der´»lIkSn/ noun /dI»tε˘dZ´nt /
abandonment
a washing powder or liquid that removes dirt This
The previous owners had rescued the building
laundry detergent can remove grease stains
from dereliction.
from clothes.

verb /dI»raId/
noun /«det´»neISn/
to ridicule
a loud explosion
I think he will deride our views on the The detonation of the bomb was heard all over
irrigation system. the city.

adjective /dI»rÅg´tri/
noun /dju˘s/
expressing a low opinion and lack of respect
a playing card with the number two
He made derogatory statements about her
I played the deuce which helped me win the game
behaviour.
of cards.

adjective /»desIkeItId/
dried out noun /»dju˘t´rÅn/
Amna put desiccated coconut in the dessert. a positively charged particle consisting of a proton and a
neutron
adjective /dI»spIk´bl/ The deuteron is a stable particle.
very unpleasant or evil
His despicable behaviour was not acceptable.
noun /«daI´»bi˘ti˘z/
a disease of the pancreas in which sugars cannot be properly
absorbed
noun /dI»spÅnd´nsi/
My friend was diagnosed with diabetes.
loss of hope
He was unable to conceal his despondency from
his parents.
adjective /daI»Qg´nl/
at an angle
The flag consists of red diagonal stripes.
noun /dI»zε˘t/
sweet food eaten usually at the end of a meal
She served delicious chocolate brownies with
vanilla ice-cream for dessert. noun /«daI´»rI´/
an illness in which waste matter is emptied from the
bowels much more frequently than normal
She suffered from diarrhoea after eating the stale
adjective /»destItju˘t/ food.
without money, food and the other things necessary for
life
The destitute family had to sleep on the footpath
noun /daI»kÅt´mi/
as they had no other place to go.
difference or opposition between two things
There is a dichotomy between the academic and the

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industrial worlds.

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D 12 to14 age group

verb /dIk»teIt/ adjective /dIs»kε˘ti´s /


to say words for somebody else to write down He rude and lacking consideration for others
said he would dictate the whole letter to his His discourteous display of anger has seen him
secretary. struck off most party lists.

verb /daI»dZest/
adjective /dI»skri˘t/
to cause food to be changed in the stomach into a
separate from other things of the same type The
soluble form
organisms can be divided into discrete
Some foods digest more easily than others.
categories.

verb /daI»gres/
noun /dI»zi˘z/
to stray away
an illness affecting humans, animals or plants
He was instructed not to digress from the main Smoking is one of the major causes of heart disease.
points in his presentation.

noun /dI»lem´/
noun /«dIs«embA˘»keISn/
a difficult choice between two alternatives
leaving a ship, aircraft or train
She is in a dilemma about continuing with her job
The passengers awaited disembarkation at Crete.
or looking for a new one.

verb /dIs»gaIz/
noun /»daIn´sç˘[r]/ to use an unusual appearance in order to hide the identity
any of the numerous extinct terrestrial reptiles of the of a person or a thing
Mesozoic era He grew a beard to disguise himself.

noun /dIf»TI´ri´/
noun /«dIs«InklI»neISn/
a serious infectious disease causing inflammation of the
lack of willingness or enthusiasm
mucous membranes, especially in the throat He
Some people have a strong disinclination for work.
cancelled his holiday because he was ill with
diphtheria.

adjective /dIs»Intr´stId/
not influenced by personal concerns
noun /«dIs´»reI/
He was a disinterested judge in the dispute.
a state of disorder
The peace talks broke up in disarray.

adjective /»dIzm´l/
gloomy, depressing
adjective /dI»sε˘nIN / I do not feel like going out in this dismal weather.
able to perceive or distinguish well
His discerning mind is able to grasp all new
concepts in class.

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D
age group

adjective /dIs»pQS´n´t/ adjective /»d´UsaIl/


not favouring a particular side, opinion quiet and easy to control
In a dispassionate analysis, he carefully examined The trainer gave a docile horse to the new rider.
the concerns of both parties.

noun /»d´Ud´U/
verb /dI»spε˘s / a large heavy bird that used to live on an island in the Indian
to scatter Ocean
The police was asked to disperse the
crowd.

plural noun /»dÅldr´mz/


adjective /dI»spIrItId/ the state of being sad or depressed
discouraged He has been down in the doldrums ever since he
She refused to be dispirited by her prolonged failed in his monthly exams.
illness.

adjective /dI»sp´Uz´bl/
noun /»dÅl´p/
intended to be used once and then thrown away The a lump of soft food often dropped from a spoon
doctor put on disposable gloves before I added a dollop of whipped cream to the fruit trifle.
examining the patient.

noun /»dÅlfIn/
noun /«dIs´»teISn/ any of the various small toothed whales with a beak- like
a long formal essay snout
Her dissertation was on modern
poetry.

noun /d´»meIn/
verb /dI»stIl/ an area of knowledge or activity
to purify a liquid by heating it so that it vaporises, The care of older people is being placed firmly
then condensing the vapour and collecting the within the domain of the family.
resulting liquid
It is essential to distil sea water before it is fit
for consumption.
adjective /«dÅmI»nI´rIN/
arrogant and overbearing
Nobody enjoys the company of a domineering
verb /daI»vε˘dZ / person.
to proceed in different directions
The parallel lines appear to diverge.
noun /»dç˘m´tri/
a bedroom for a number of people in an institution The
noun /«dIvI»neISn/ dormitory was large enough to sleep twenty
discovery of the unknown by supernatural means people.
The old man used divination to find the water
source.
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D 12 to14 age group

noun /d´U/ noun /draUt/


mixture of flour and water that is made into bread and a very long period of little or no rainfall
pastry The drought in Ethiopia has killed thousands of
We made biscuits from the dough. people.

noun /»d´Un√t/
noun /»dr√dZ´ri/
a small fried cake or ring of sweetened dough
hard, menial, or dull work
She bought a chocolate doughnut from the Working at the factory all day on the assembly line
bakery. is sheer drudgery.

noun /»daUri/
money or property that, in some societies, a woman’s adjective /»dju˘´l/
family must pay to the man when getting married She having two parts; double
started collecting dowry for her daughter soon She has dual
after she was born. nationality.

adjective /»dju˘bi´s/
noun /»dreInIdZ/
of questionable value or truth
the process by which water or liquid waste is taken out They have indulged in dubious business practices to
from an area obtain their current position in the market.
The drainage of the city was well planned.

adjective /»d√ktaIl/
adjective /dr´»mQtIk/ (of a metal) that can be made into a thin wire
noticeable, sudden and often surprising Ductile metal is used for making wires.
The budget had a dramatic effect on the real
estate prices.

noun /»d√ndZ´n/
a strong underground prison cell
adjective /»dredfl/ He was kidnapped and kept prisoner in the
extremely bad or serious dungeon of the old castle.
They treat their staff in the most dreadful way.

adjective /»djU´r´bl/
noun /»drIzl/ likely to last for a long time
light rain She bought some durable plastic bowls from the
The drizzle slowly turned into a heavy downpour. supermarket.

noun /djU»res/
noun /»drÅm´d´ri/ threats or force
a camel with only one hump He signed the statement under duress.

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age group

adjective /»dju˘tIfl/
showing submission to natural superiors
She is a dutiful daughter.

noun /»du˘v´I/
a large, thick quilt filled with feathers or other soft
material
The duvet kept me warm and cosy last night.

noun /»d√In´m´U/
a generator, especially one for producing direct
current
He used a dynamo that ran on pedal power.

noun /dIs»leksi´/
a disorder of the brain that causes difficulty in reading and
spelling
She had difficulty taking exams as she suffered from
dyslexia.

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E 12 to14 age group

adjective /»ε˘nIst/ noun /»ig´tIz´m/


serious or determined thinking that you are better or more important than anyone
I had an earnest conversation with him. else
Society is slowly deteriorating because of excessive
egotism and pride.
noun /»i˘zl/
a wooden frame on legs used for holding an artist’s
work in progress noun /»aId´daUn/
His easel stands in the far corner of the studio. a quilt filled with feathers or some other soft material
I snuggled under the eiderdown to stay warm.

l
noun /I»klIps/
a partial or total disappearance of the light of the Sun or noun /I»lQstIk/
the moon material with rubber, that can stretch and then return to
A total solar eclipse is rarely sighted. its original size
The skirt needs some new elastic at the waist.

noun /»eksIm´/
a skin condition in which areas of skin become red, noun /I«lekS´»nI´rIN/
rough and sore
the action of campaigning to be elected to a political
I have tried a lot to cure the eczema on my legs position
but nothing seems to work. The party has started its electioneering early
this term.

verb /I»feIs/
to remove something noun /»elIf´nt/
He tried to efface the memory of the a very big wild animal from Africa and Asia with a long
accident. trunk

adjective /«ef´»vesnt/
having or producing small bubbles of gas verb /i»lIsIt/
Cola is an effervescent drink. to draw out
The teacher was unable to elicit an answer from her
student.
noun /»EflU´nt/
liquid waste or sewerage discharged into a river or sea adjective /»elIdZ´bl/
Effluent from the river-side factories represents fit or suitable to be chosen
a considerable pollution risk. Adnan is considered to be the most eligible
bachelor in town.

adjective /i«gQlI»te´ri´n/
believing that all people are equal and deserve equal verb /I»lImIneIt/
rights and opportunities
completely remove or get rid of
Sweden is a good model of an egalitarian society.
Let us all strive to eliminate poverty.

l
12 to14 age group
E
noun /»el´n«vÅr/ verb /Im»bleIzn/
a kind of steel known for its elasticity remaining
to decorate something with a design, symbol or words The
constant over a wide range of temperature
Principal wanted to emblazon the school logo on the
The largest use of Elinvar is in the balance springs sports shields.
for mechanical watches and chronometers.

noun /Im»brçId´ri/
adjective /I»lIptIkl/ the art of sewing decorative needlework patterns on
oval shaped fabric
The Earth follows an elliptical orbit around the The intricate embroidery on his kurta won many
Sun. admirers.

noun /»el´kw´ns/
fluent or persuasive writing or speaking noun /»em´r´ld/
She is famous for her eloquence. a bright green precious stone
This emerald was mined in Columbia.

adjective /i»lu˘sIv/
difficult to find, capture verb /»emjuleIt/
Wild rabbits are extremely elusive animals. to imitate; to try to equal or excel
She hopes to emulate her sister’s sporting
achievements.
verb /I»mQnsIpeIt/
to set free
The attempts to emancipate the slaves were noun /en«sef´»laIt´s/
not popular in Mississippi. an infection which causes the brain to become
swollen
David is suffering from encephalitis.
verb /Im»bA˘m/
to treat a dead body with special substances to
preserve it and prevent it from decay noun /In»kl´UZ´[r]/
In ancient Egypt, it was a common ritual to embalm an area of land surrounded by a fence or wall We
a body before burying it. got to sit in the best enclosure of the stadium
during the recent cricket match.

verb /Im»belIS/
to add details to something to make it more attractive He verb /In»k√mb´[r]/
planned to embellish the carved door of his house to hamper, burden
with brass door knobs. It is not a good idea to encumber yourself with heavy
luggage while travelling.

noun /Im»bezlm´nt/
the act of stealing money that you are responsible for The noun /In»k√mbr´ns/
bank employee was found guilty of a burden or impediment
embezzlement. His heavy luggage was an encumbrance.

l
DAWN in Education Spelling Bee Wordlist

E 12 to14 age group

adjective /In»deIndZ´[r]d/ noun /»ent´praIz/


in danger of being destroyed a company or business
The giant panda is an endangered Jack set up a new enterprise after returning
species. from England.

noun /In»dI´m´nt/
an act, word or expression of affection noun /In»Tju˘ziQz´m/
The word ‘darling’ is a term of endearment. great eagerness
The cricket team was welcomed with great
enthusiasm after their victory.
verb /In»dev´[r]/
try hard
Pakistan will endeavour to uphold the rights noun /«ent´»mÅl´dZi/
of women. the scientific study of insects
I found entomology the most difficult part of my
biology course.
verb /In»gr´Ust/
extremely busy with and interested in something
She was engrossed in conversation. noun /«Åntr´pr´»nε˘[r]/
a businessman or woman
She is a successful entrepreneur with a chain of
restaurants in the city.
verb /In»hA˘ns/
to intensify, heighten
High quality fuel can enhance the performance
of your car. adjective /«Åntr´pr´»nε˘ri´l/
making money through business activity
His entrepreneurial skills will help the company
greatly.
noun /I»nIgm´/
a puzzle or riddle
The student’s exceptional skill in mathematics was
an enigma. noun /»env´l´Up/
a flat paper container for letters
She wrote the address in block letters on the
envelope.
verb /In»laItn/
to give somebody information so they understand
something better
adjective /»envi´s/
I would like him to enlighten me on what really
happened that night. jealous
He could see the envious look in the other boy’s eyes.

verb /In»reIdZ/
to make somebody very angry verb /In»vIzIdZ/
It will enrage me if I spill grape juice on my to imagine a future situation
white pants. I don’t envisage myself working with him next year.

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age group

noun /«epI»glÅtIs/ noun /«espl´»neId/


a thin piece of tissue behind the tongue that prevents food a long, level area along which people may walk for pleasure
or drink from entering the lungs The couple enjoy their walks along the esplanade.
The epiglottis covers the windpipe while swallowing.

noun /»epItA˘f/
noun /»esns/
words written in memory of a person who has died The the most important quality or feature of something
epitaph on his gravestone did not do justice to his Her paintings capture the essence of our country.
life.

noun /»EstjU´ri/
noun /I»pIt´mi/ the wide part of a river where it flows into the sea
a perfect example of something An estuary contains both fresh and salt water.
Her clothes are the epitome of good
taste.

noun /«ju˘k´»lIpt´s/
noun /«i˘kwI»lIbri´m/ a tall straight tree with leaves that produce an oil with a
a state of balance strong smell
Any disturbance to the body’s equilibrium He was sitting under the shadow of a tall
can produce stress. eucalyptus, reading a book.

noun /I»kwIpm´nt/
noun /»ju˘f´mIz´m/
the items needed for a particular purpose
a mild word or phrase that is used to refer to
They loaded the equipment into the back of the something unpleasant
van. “User fees” is a politician’s euphemism for taxes.

verb /I»rQdIkeIt/
root out; get rid of noun /ju˘»fç˘ri´/
The citizens of this town are determined to strong feeling of well-being
eradicate crime from their community. I was in a state of euphoria after my victory.

adjective /I»r´Uni´s/
verb /Ig»zQs´beIt/
incorrect
make something worse
He was under the erroneous impression that the
Your intrusion will only exacerbate the situation.
boss was very fond of him.

can escalate into serious fights.


verb /»esk´leIt/
to become greater, worse, or more serious
At times, minor disagreements between people

l 172 l
verb /Ik»si˘d/
to be greater than
He was instructed not to let his monthly
expenditure exceed a certain limit.

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E 12 to14 age group

noun /»eksε˘pt / verb /Ik»stINgwIS/


a short piece of writing, music, film taken from a to make a fire stop burning or a light stop shining
longer whole The water was not enough to extinguish the fire.
The magazine will be carrying an excerpt from
his new book.
adjective /Ik»stç˘S´n´t/
grossly over-priced
They are offering loans at extortionate rates
noun /Iks»tSek´[r]/ of interest.
a royal or national treasury
The Chancellor of the Exchequer takes the credit verb /»ekstr´daIt/
for the strong economy.
to officially send back somebody who has been accused of a
crime to the place where the crime was committed
The British government attempted to extradite the
verb /Ig»zemplIfaI/ suspects from Belgium.
to be a typical example
I would like my food to exemplify Italian cooking at
its best.

verb /Ig»zIl´reIt/
verb /Ik»strQp´leIt/
cause to feel very happy
to estimate something not known from data or information
A bungee jump will exhilarate you more than a available
roller coaster ride.
I am trying to extrapolate some results from research
done in other countries.

adjective /«egzI»stenS´l/
connected with human existence adjective /Ik»strQv´g´nt/
The existential philosopher put forward a new spending or using more than you can afford
theory, which was widely criticised. She has very extravagant tastes.

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adjective /Ik»spi˘di´nt/
adjective /Ig»zju˘b´r´nt/
advantageous but not always fair
full of energy, excitement and happiness
The government has decided that a cut in
She gave an exuberant performance at the piano
interest rates would be politically expedient.
recital.

adjective /Ik»splIsIt/
clear and easy to understand
He gave me very explicit directions on how to get to
his place.

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F
verb /»fQbrIkeIt/ noun /»fQl´si/
to make up something false a misleading argument
He likes to fabricate stories which have very little It is a fallacy to say that the camera never lies.
truth in them.

noun /»fQmIn/
noun /»fQsIt/ extreme scarcity of food
a particular part or aspect of something There is widespread poverty and famine in some
As they struggled to find a solution, they parts of Africa.
realised there was another facet to the problem.

noun /f´»nQtIsIz´m/
adjective /f´»si˘S´s/ extreme beliefs or behaviour
joking The management decided to take action against
She was angry with him for making a fanaticism.
facetious remark about her appearance.

adjective /fQ»stIdi´s/
noun /fQk»t´Ut´m/ very accurate and detailed
an employee who does all kinds of work Everything was planned in fastidious detail.
He has been working as a factotum at this office for
a long time. noun /f´»ti˘g/
extreme tiredness
He was suffering from both physical and mental
noun /»fakjUl´/ fatigue.
an irregular, unusually bright patch on the sun’s
surface. adjective /»feIv´r´bl/
Facula causes an appearance of spots on the expressing approval
surface of the sun. She made a favourable impression on his parents.

noun /»fEbrIfju˘dZ/
noun /»fç˘lk´nri/ a medicine or remedy that is used to reduce fever
the art or sport of keeping and breeding birds of prey and Febrifuge is similar to any drug used to reduce fever.
training them to hunt
The sheikh’s interest in falconry far exceeded
his other hobbies.

adjective /f´»leIS´s/
wrong, based on a false idea verb /feIn/
The fallacious arguments in his presentation to pretend
were pointed out by the teacher. She decided to feign illness so she could leave her
work place early.

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F 12 to14 age group

adjective /f´»lIsIt´s/ adjective /fIk»tIS´s/


apt; suitably expressed; well chosen invented, not true
Being famous for his felicitous remarks, he was The fictitious places in the novel really fascinated the
called to serve as master-of-ceremonies at the readers.
banquet.

noun /»fel´USIp/
noun /fi˘ld/
an organised group of people who share an interest, aim
an area of land, usually surrounded by a hedge or fence,
or belief
used for cattle or for growing crops
The church welcomed new members into The girl’s pony was kept in the field outside the farm.
its fellowship.

adjective /fI´s/
adjective /f´»r´US´s/ violent, cruel, angry
savagely fierce, cruel, or violent He was badly injured after being attacked by a
The ferocious lion rushed towards the fierce dog.
antelope.

noun /»fε˘v´[r] /
noun /»fIg´ri˘n/
passion, very strong feelings
a small statue of a person or an animal used as a
His speech was marked with a strong decorative object
patriotic fervour.
She presented me with a beautiful figurine from
China.

noun /»fetIS/
an object or principle irrationally revered noun /»fIlIgri˘/
Some women have a fetish about new clothes. delicate, lace-like metal work
She wore beautiful silver filigree earrings.

noun /»faIb´[r]/
the part of food that helps in digestion and helps a adjective /»fIskl/
person keep healthy
connected with government or public money specially taxes
Beans and dried fruit are healthy foods as they
The government proposed new fiscal policies to
are high in fibre.
improve the country’s economy.

noun /faI»brIn´dZ´n/ noun /fle´[r]/


a substance in the blood from which fibrin is the natural ability to do something well
produced
She has a flair for learning new languages.
A test was performed to check the level of
fibrinogen in his blood.

adjective /»faIbr´s/ adjective /flQm»bçI´nt/


having to do with or made of threads ostentatious, showy
Muscles are made up of fibrous She dresses in a very flamboyant style.
tissue.

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F
age group

noun /fli/ verb /f碻be´[r]/


a very small jumping insect without wings, that feeds on to refrain from
the blood of humans and animals
Although she was furious, she decided to forbear
from taking any impulsive action.

verb /»flaUnd´[r]/
to move clumsily or with difficulty noun /f碻b´UdIN/
I am a very good swimmer and will not flounder a feeling that something unpleasant is going to
in deep water. happen
She had a sense of foreboding that the news would
be bad.
noun /«fl√ktSu»eISn/
irregular variation
The constant fluctuation in voltage prevented the adjective /»fÅr´n/
air conditioner from cooling the room. in or from a country that is not your own
He learnt a foreign language within one year.

l 178 l
noun /flu˘k/
a lucky or unusual thing that happens by accident and not adjective /»fç˘mId´bl/
because of planning or skill difficult to deal with or overcome
They are determined to show that their last His recent victories in tennis have given him the
victory was no fluke. reputation of being a formidable opponent.

noun /«fl碻resns/
noun /faUl/
light given out by a substance when it is exposed to
a bird, especially one kept on a farm
radiation
A chicken is a type of fowl.
Fluorescence has been used to study the structure
and conformations of DNA techniques.

noun /»frQgm´nt/
adjective /«fl碻resnt/
a small part of something
producing or sending out a bright light I could only save a fragment of the document.
They painted the room bright fluorescent pink.

adjective /»frç˘dj´l´nt/
noun /»flç˘raId/ dishonest
a chemical substance that protects teeth from decay He was put in prison for his fraudulent behaviour.
Fluoride is added to drinking water in some
countries.

noun /»fri˘kw´nsi/
noun /»fçIbl/ the number of any occurrence within a given time Natural
a minor character flaw disasters appear to happen with increasing
The strict boss would not tolerate any foible in frequency.
his subordinate.

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F 12 to14 age group

noun /»frig´t/ adjective /fju»nI´ri´l/


a small fast ship gloomy, dismal
A frigate accompanied the battleship. There was a funereal atmosphere in their house for
days after their mother’s death.

adjective /»fraItfl/
causing fear, dreadful
The frightful expression on her face alarmed
everyone in the room.

adjective /»frIv´l´s/
not serious or important
She spends too much money on frivolous things.

noun /»frÅlIkIN/
playing in a lively way
Please stop this frolicking around and get on with
your work.

adjective /»fru˘gl/
careful, economical
They had a frugal meal at a small restaurant.

noun /fUl»fIlm´nt/
satisfaction
The members of the committee could look back on
their report with a feeling of fulfilment.

verb /»f√mbl/
to feel about or look for something uncertainly
She started to fumble around in her pockets for the
key.

verb /»fju˘mIgeIt/
to disinfect with chemical vapour
He had to fumigate his cotton fields every year.

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G
age group

verb /»gQlIvQnt/ adjective /»gQr´l´s/


to go from place to place in excitement talking too much
At the weekend he likes to gallivant from one party One should not trust a garrulous person with a
to the next. secret.

adjective /g´»lç˘[r]/
adjective /g´US/
in large numbers or amounts
socially shy and clumsy
They have flowers galore in their garden every The gauche schoolgirl often landed in trouble by
spring. saying the wrong things.

noun /»gQnd´[r]/
a male goose adjective /gç˘nt/
very thin because of hunger, illness
The gaunt faces of the starved children in Ethiopia
noun /»gQNgri˘n/ was a sorrowful sight.
the decay of a part of the body due to obstructed
circulation noun /g´»zi˘b´u/
He has developed frostbite in his foot and is a small building with open sides usually in a garden offering
taking antibiotics to stop gangrene from setting a wide view of the surrounding area
in. We sat in the gazebo admiring the beautiful view of
the garden.

adjective /»gQNgrIn´s/ noun /g´»zet/


decomposing (of bodily tissue) an official newspaper published by an organisation
Patients with gangrenous limbs were treated at She frequently wrote for the company’s gazette.
the clinic.
noun /»dZel´tIn/
a clear, tasteless substance used in foods
The chef used gelatine in the cheesecake.
noun /»ganImi˘d/
the largest moon of the planet Jupiter
Ganymede was originally sighted by Galileo and
is one of the largest satellites in the solar system.

adjective /gA˘»gQntSu´n/
enormous noun /»dZen´sIs/
Big Lenny has always had a gargantuan the beginning or origin of something
appetite. He proposed a new theory about the genesis of
civilization.

verb /»gA˘gl/
to wash the throat with a liquid noun /»dZi˘ni´s/
He was asked to gargle with salt and hot unusual great intelligence, skill or artistic ability
water everyday to cure his sore throat. Her idea was a stroke of genius.

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G 12 to14 age group

noun /»dZi˘n´Um/ noun /»glQsi´[r]/


the complete set of genes in a cell or living thing The a large mass of ice that moves very slowly down a valley
human genome is a very complex yet intricate A glacier is a slow-moving river of ice.
part of nature.

adjective /«dZi˘´U»dEsIk/
noun /glImps/
denoting the shortest possible line between two
a quick, incomplete view or look
points on a curved surface
He caught a glimpse of the intruder’s face from the
Geodesic structures are especially good at window.
spanning large spaces

noun /glItS/
noun /dZε˘»meIni´m / a small problem or fault
a grey crystalline element with semiconducting The pilot blamed the delay on a technical glitch.
properties, resembling silicon
Garlic, along with several other minerals,
contains germanium.
plural noun /«glIt´»rA˘ti/
fashionable people involved in show business or other glamorous
activity
noun /»dZestS´[r]/ The red carpet affair was littered with glitterati from
a movement of the hand, head or face to show feeling television to the big screen.
He made a rude gesture at the driver of the other
car.

adjective /»glÅbj´l´[r]/
noun /»gi˘z´[r]/ spherical or shaped like a globe
a hot spring in which water intermittently boils and On her birthday, her father gave her a lovely lamp
gushes out with a globular shade.
The local geyser attracts many tourists.

adjective /»glç˘ri´s/
adjective /»gA˘stli/ splendid or magnificent
very frightening and unpleasant It was such a glorious day that we decided to go to
The news of the ghastly murder shocked everyone the beach.
in the small town.

noun /»glÅs´ri/
noun /dZ´»rA˘f/ a list in a book with explanation of special words used in
a large African animal with very long legs and neck the text
I found the glossary at the end of the book very
useful.

noun /«gleIsi»eISn/
the movement of a mass of ice over an area of land
Global warming is having a harmful effect on
glaciation.

l
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G
age group

noun /»glu˘Ån/ noun /«grQdZu»eISn/


a subatomic particle of a class that is thought to bind
successful completion of a university degree She
quarks together
received many job offers even before her
The first direct experimental evidence of a gluon graduation.
was noted in 1979.

adjective /»grQndi´Us/
adjective /»glu˘t´n´s/ on an impressive scale
sticky I was greatly impressed by the grandiose architecture
She served an unappetising and glutinous of the mosque.
dessert.

noun /»gçIt´[r]/
adjective /«grQnjuleItId/
a swelling of the throat caused by a disease of the
in the form of grains
thyroid gland
Granulated salt is mixed with iodine to make it more
Goitre is more common in females than in males.
healthy.

noun /«gÅnd´»lI´[r]/
adjective /gr´»tju˘It´s/
a Venetian boatman
done without reason or purpose
The gondolier sang a ballad while he
Films are full of gratuitous violence these days.
rowed.

noun /gu˘s/
noun /gr´»tju˘eti/
a big aquatic bird that has a long neck
money that you give to somebody who has provided a
service for you
Waiters are usually paid a fifteen% gratuity in
noun /«gç˘gen»z´Ul´/ the United States.
a strong-flavoured Italian cheese with bluish-green
veins
He bought a packet of gorgonzola from the store. noun /gri˘s/
a thick substance containing oil
You will need liquid detergent to get the grease off the
plates.
noun /g´»ril´/
a very large powerful African ape
The mountain gorilla is close to extinction.
adjective /»gri˘Sn/
from ancient Greece
Grecian architecture is renowned for its beauty and
noun /»greIdi´nt/ elegance.
the degree of a slope
The gradient of the hill was too steep to climb.
adjective /grI»ge´ri´s/

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sociable or liking the company of others
The gregarious child amused everyone at
the birthday party.

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DAWN in Education Spelling Bee Wordlist

G 12 to14 age group

noun /»grIsl/
tough, flexible tissue in vertebrates
The gristle in the meat really spoiled the dinner for
me.

noun /«gwQk´»m´Uli/
a dish of mashed avocado
She made guacamole for the picnic.

noun /dZIm»nQstIks/
physical exercises using special equipment Gymnastics is
a sport that requires a lot of patience and
determination.

noun /«gAIn´»kÅl´dZi/
the scientific study and treatment of the diseases and medical
conditions of women
She is specialising in the field of gynaecology.

noun /»dZIps´m/
a soft, white mineral like chalk
Pakistan has large deposits of high quality gypsum.

noun /»dZaIr´sk´Up/
a device used to provide stability or maintain a fixed
direction
The gyroscope malfunctioned and threw them off
course.

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H
age group

adjective /h´»bItSu´l/ adjective /hQp»hQz´d/


regular, customary She
with no particular order or plan; not organised well
is a habitual liar. The books had been piled on the shelf in a
haphazard fashion.

adjective /»hQknid/
unoriginal and dull noun /h´»rQN/
She often uses the most hackneyed phrase to a long, forceful speech
make her point. We had to listen to his political harangue for over an
hour.

noun /«hi˘m´»fIli´/
a medical condition in which the blood fails to clot adjective /hA˘»m´Uni´s/
normally forming a pleasing combination
Patients suffering from haemophilia must be My wife and I have a harmonious relationship.
extremely wary of anything that could cause
them injury.

noun /hA˘»pu˘n/
a weapon like a spear on a rope, that is thrown or fired
noun /«hQlI»t´UsIs/
from a gun
a condition in which the breath smells unpleasant The hunters in Africa still use the harpoon as their
Halitosis can often be remedied by something main weapon against wild animals.
as simple as toothpaste.

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noun /»hQtSIt/
noun /h´«lu˘sI»neISn/ a small axe
vision of something that is not present The angry man picked up a hatchet in a threatening
Some drugs can cause a manner.
hallucination.

noun /»hQl´dZ´ns/
noun /»hç˘tin´s/
any of a set of five chemical elements that react with
pride; arrogance
hydrogen to form acids
His haughtiness is disliked by all.
Halogens, in the form of gas, are used in lamps
and cookers.

adjective /»hQz´d´s/
dangerous
noun /»hQm´k/
The hazardous chemical waste should not
a hanging bed made of canvas or a network of ropes be disposed of in the ocean.
Mark is always asleep in the hammock in his
backyard.

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H 12 to14 age group

noun /hedZ/ adjective /h´»redItri/


a row of bushes, shrubs or tall plants forming a passed on from parent to child
boundary for a garden, field Epilepsy is a hereditary illness.
The hedge around our garden needs trimming
every few weeks.
noun /»herItIdZ/
the history, traditions and qualities important to a
society or country
noun /»hedZhÅg/ Europe is known for its rich cultural heritage.
a small brown animal covered with sharp spikes

noun /hI»dZem´ni/
noun /»her´UIn/
dominance of one group or state over another
a strong addictive drug made from morphine Customs
Western hegemony is growing in most parts of
officials arrested a man and recovered six
Asia.
kilograms of heroin from him.

noun /»helmIt/
a type of hard hat that you wear to protect your head He noun /»herINb´Un/
never rides a motorcycle without wearing a a pattern used in stitching consisting of V-shaped lines
helmet. that are parallel to each other
The napkin was embroidered in herringbone.

noun /»hemIsfI´[r]/
one half of the Earth adjective /«het´r´»dZi˘ni´s/
Pakistan is located in the Northern hemisphere. formed of parts of different kinds
The population is a heterogeneous mixture of various
races and ethnic groups.
noun /«hep´»taItIs/
inflammation of the liver
She has been missing school because she noun /»hIk√p/
is suffering from hepatitis. a sharp, usually repeated sound like a cough when the
breath is briefly interrupted
She gave a loud hiccup in class.
verb /»her´ld/
to signal the approach of
These talks could herald a new era of peace. adjective /»hIdi´s/
frightful, very unpleasant
The whole experience seemed like some hideous
nightmare.
adjective /hε˘»beIS´s/
relating to certain plants
She wanted to put some herbaceous plants in
adjective /«haI´»rA˘kIkl/
the house.
related to a system of status or authority ranked one
above another
The new manager got rid of the company’s
complicated hierarchical structure.

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H
noun /»haI´rA˘ki/ noun /»hÅmInId/
organisation with grades or classes ranked one above
modern man and his extinct predecessors Champanzees,
another
gorillas, orangutans and humans fall in the category
She is quite high up in the management hierarchy.
of hominidae.

noun /«haI´r´»glIfIks/
adjective /«hÅm´»dZi˘ni´s/
a system of writing using a picture to represent a
formed of parts of the same kind
word or sound
The town caters well for the similar needs of its
Some Egyptian hieroglyphics are beautiful works homogeneous population.
of art.

noun /hç˘d/
adjective /hI»le´ri´s/ a large group or crowd
extremely funny A horde of spectators rushed onto the football field.
The hilarious situation made everyone
laugh.

adjective /hÅ»rend´s/
noun /»hIndr´ns/ extremely shocking and unpleasant
an obstruction or obstacle We saw a horrendous car accident on the motorway.
Stalled cars along the highway are a hindrance
to traffic.
adjective /»hÅr´bl/
very bad or unpleasant
noun /«hIp´»pÅt´m´s/ The horrible weather at the hill station spoiled
a large African animal with a thick skin, found in their vacation.
swampy areas, lakes and rivers

noun /»h´Ust´s/
noun /»hÅl´kç˘st/ a woman who invites guests to a meal, and looks
a large scale destruction after them
We saw a documentary about the nuclear Mary was always the perfect hostess.
holocaust in Japan.

noun /«h√l´b´»lu˘/
noun /«hÅmI´UsteIsIs/ a lot of loud noise, an uproar
the self regulating maintenance of the metabolic The protestors created a hullabaloo outside
process Parliament House.
Homeostatis is essential for survival.

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noun /hju˘«mQnI»te´ri´n/
noun /»hÅmIsaId/ person concerned with human welfare
murder He is the consummate humanitarian and lives to
In the United Kingdom, the punishment for serve people in need.
homicide is life imprisonment.

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noun /»h√zb´ndri/ noun /hIp»n´UsIs/


farming an artificially produced state like deep sleep
He is engaged in animal Many people use hypnosis to cure bad habits such as
husbandry. smoking.

noun /»haIbrId/
a plant or animal produced by combining two different adjective /hIp»nÅtIk/
species or varieties inducing a trance-like sleep
The scientist announced that the odd-looking His voice had an almost hypnotic effect on me.
plant was a hybrid.

noun /hI»pÅkr´si/
adjective /haI»drç˘lIk/ false virtue or goodness
involving the movement of water or oil through pipes He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who
under pressure say one thing and do another.
The hydraulic pump stopped working due to
low voltage.
noun /»hIp´krIt/
one who pretends to be good and virtuous She
noun /»h√Idr´f´Un/ was a hypocrite who pretended to be very
a microphone that detects sound waves under water A righteous and honest.
hydrophone can detect submarines by the noise of
their engines.
noun /haI»pÅT´sIs/
a theory
noun /hAI»i˘n´/ The scientist wanted to perform a series of
a wild animal that looks like a wolf and makes experiments to test his hypothesis.
shrieking sounds

adjective /«haIp´»TetIkl/
noun /»haIdZi˘n/ based on an imagined or possible situation rather than
rules for the prevention of disease through fact
cleanliness I wasn’t asking about anybody in particular; it was a
In the interests of hygiene, children must be made hypothetical question.
to wash their hands before eating.

adjective /hI»sterIkl/
noun /hIm/ uncontrollably emotional
a religious song She broke into a hysterical giggle after listening to the
As soon as she started singing the hymn the joke.
entire hall fell silent.

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noun /«aIdi»Ål´dZi/ verb /Im»bju˘/
a system of ideas and principles forming the basis of an to fill somebody with strong feelings, opinions or
economic or political theory values
The constitution of Pakistan is based on the The leader gave an inspirational speech in an effort to
ideology of Islam. imbue the workers with a new spirit.

noun /«Idi´»sINkr´si/
noun /«ImI»teISn/
a person’s particular way of behaving, thinking
a copy
especially when it is unusual
The thief stole an imitation of Van Gogh’s painting,
It is her idiosyncrasy to wear a raincoat on a hot thinking it was the original.
day.

adjective /»Igni´s/
adjective /I»mQkj´l´t/
relating to rocks formed by action from volcanoes Sarah completely clean, without faults
carried out an in-depth research on igneous rock The car is in immaculate condition.
formation as part of her geology course.

adjective /«Im´»tjU´[r]/
noun /Ig»nISn/ behaving in a way that is not sensible and is typical of people
the electrical system of a vehicle that makes the fuel who are much younger
begin to burn to start the engine The teenage girl’s immature behaviour was a cause
The car’s ignition needs to be repaired. of concern for her parents.

adjective /»Ign´r´nt/
adjective /I»mens/
lacking knowledge or awareness
huge
Her ignorant attitude irritated the class
There is still an immense amount of work to be done.
teacher.

adjective /I»lIt´r´t/
verb /I»mε˘s /
unable to read or write
to put something in a liquid so that it is covered
A large number of the illiterate population was I told him not to immerse his head in the cold water of
a hindrance in the growth of the country. the swimming pool but he did not listen.

noun /«Il´»streISn/
drawing or picture
noun /»Imb´si˘l/
The illustration on the cover of the book was made
by a famous artist. a rude way to describe a person one believes to be stupid
He behaved like an imbecile at the party last night.

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adjective /I»mIs´bl/
cannot be mixed together
Oil and water are immiscible liquids.

adjective /I»mju˘t´bl/
unchangeable
Death is an immutable fact of life.

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noun /Im»pe´m´nt/ adjective /Im»pI´ri´s/


a physical or a mental weakness domineering
His physical impairment did not stop him I cannot tolerate his imperious demands any more.
from excelling in his work.

adjective /Im»pε˘mi´bl /
verb /Im»peIl/ not allowing fluid to pass through
to pierce with a sharp, pointed object Metal is an impermeable substance.
He picked up a skewer to impale the meat
and barbecue it.
adjective /Im»petSu´s/
acting without thinking about the results
verb /Im»pi˘tS/ She made an impetuous decision which she regretted
to accuse an important public figure of a serious later.
crime
They wanted to impeach the president but
were forced to abandon their plan.
adjective /Im»plQk´bl/
that cannot be appeased
He is Ted’s implacable enemy.
adjective /Im»pek´bl/
faultless or flawless
His impeccable manners impressed his employer. noun /«ImplImen»teISn/
carrying out of a plan
Very little has been achieved in the implementation of
verb /Im»pi˘d/ the peace agreement signed last year.
to obstruct or hinder
Failure to pass this exam will impede your
academic progress. adjective /Im»pç˘tS´n´t/
persistent
I tried to get rid of the importunate beggar but he kept
noun /Im»pedIm´nt/ following me.
obstruction
Lack of funds is a serious impediment to
scientific progress. noun /Im»pÅst´[r]/
one who pretends to be somebody else
The impostor made his way carefully to the bank vault
dressed as a security guard.
adjective /Im»penItr´bl/
that cannot be entered or passed through
The castle has strong, impenetrable walls.
noun /Im»prInt/
a mark made by pressing or stamping something onto
a surface
adjective /Im»penIt´nt/ The blow made a sharp imprint on the skin.
not sorry for having done wrong
The impenitent thief was not afraid of punishment.

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I
adjective /Im»prÅmptju˘/ verb /«Ink´»pQsIteIt/
unplanned or unrehearsed to disable or make a person unfit for work
He was asked to give an impromptu speech The sickness was going to eventually incapacitate the
after dinner. old man.

adjective /Im»prÅvId´nt/
verb /In»kA˘s´reIt/
wasteful and not caring about future needs
to imprison
I warned him to mend his improvident ways and They decided to incarcerate him in the dungeon of
to begin saving for his future. the old castle.

verb /»Impr´vaIz/
adjective /In»kA˘n´t/
to make or do something using whatever is available I in human form
will improvise a costume for myself out of an old The leader seemed the devil incarnate.
blue dress.

verb /In»sIn´reIt/
noun /»Imp√ls/ to consume by fire
a sudden desire to do something without thinking The hospital must incinerate all waste on a daily
about the results basis.
She felt an irresistible impulse to buy the
expensive shoes.
adjective /In»sIpi´nt/
at an early stage
adjective /In»QdIkw´t/ The ruler could see the signs of incipient unrest.
not enough or not good enough
The inadequate food supplies could not meet
the needs of the hungry refugees.
noun /In»sIZn/
a sharp cut
The surgeon made an incision below the patient’s
adjective /«In碻spIS´s/ ribs.
not favourable or promising, unlucky
Riots in the country lead to an inauspicious
beginning of the new year. verb /In»saIt/
to encourage someone to do something violent,
illegal or unpleasant
adjective /«In»bç˘n/ His poetry has the potential to incite the public
a quality that you are born with to rebel.
He has an inborn talent for music.

adjective /«InkQn»desnt/ beautiful ambience.


glowing as a result of being heated
The incandescent lamps created a

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adjective /«InkÅntr´»vε˘t´bl /
something that is true and cannot be
disputed The lawyer was able to
present incontrovertible evidence
in favour of his client

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adjective /«Ink碻pç˘ri´l/ adjective /In»d√ldZ´nt/


without a material body or form tending to allow somebody to have or do whatever they
Ghosts are supposed to be incorporeal beings. want; ready to overlook faults
Mariah is always getting her way with her indulgent
parents.
adjective /In»kÅrIdZ´bl/
incurably bad
Her husband is an incorrigible flirt. adjective /In»evIt´bl/
unavoidable
It was an inevitable consequence of the decision.
adjective /In»detId/
owing gratitude
I am deeply indebted to my family for all their help. adjective /In»eks´r´bl/
relentless
The inexorable rise in crime is a result of the high
levels of unemployment.
adjective /«IndI»saIfr´bl/
not able to be read or understood
There was an indecipherable message on
the notepad by the telephone. adjective /In»fQl´bl/
never making mistakes or being wrong
The professor always gave infallible advice to his
students.
adjective /«IndI»skrImIn´t/
making no distinction
Terrorist gunmen engaged in indiscriminate firing
last night. adjective /In»fekS´s/
likely to spread
Influenza is a highly infectious disease.

adjective /«IndI»spju˘t´bl/
unquestionable
noun /»Inf´r´ns/
The indisputable evidence made it easy for the jury
to come to a unanimous decision. deduction
The clear inference from this data is that the universe
is expanding.

adjective /«IndI»sÅlj´bl/
lasting verb /»InfIltreIt/
They were linked in an indissoluble bond
to enter gradually and imperceptibly
of friendship.
Enemy spies are planning to infiltrate the army
headquarters.

adjective /In»d√ktIv/
using particular facts and examples to form general adjective /«InfInI»tesIml/
rules and principles
extremely small
She used the results of her experiments as The infinitesimal granules were barley visible to the
inductive reasoning for her theory. naked eye.

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I
adjective /In»flQm´bl/ noun /In»dZ√NkSn/
burning quickly and easily an official order from a court of law to do/not do something
Parachutes are made of inflammable material. The court granted an injunction against the
defendants.

adjective /In»flQm´tri/ adjective /I»nÅkju´s/


causing very strong feelings not intending or causing any harm
The boss’s inflammatory remarks angered It seemed to be a perfectly innocuous remark.
the workers.

adjective /In»fleks´bl/
rigid, unbending verb /»InkwaI´[r]/
Her inflexible attitude may be the reason why to ask
nobody likes her. The inspector started to inquire about the events
of the night in order to find the culprit.

verb /In»frIndZ/
to violate adjective /In»seISebl/
One should not infringe upon the rights of cannot be satisfied
other people. There seems to be an insatiable demand for more
powerful computers.

verb /In»fjU´rieIt/
to make someone extremely angry adjective /In»sIdi´s/
Their constant criticism will infuriate him. progressing secretly or subtly
The whole village suffers from the insidious effects
of a polluted water supply.
noun /In»gri˘di´nt/
one of the things from which something is made,
especially one of the foods that are used together to verb /In»spaI´[r]/
prepare a particular dish to give somebody the desire, confidence or
The pasta did not taste very good because she enthusiasm to do something well
forgot to add the key ingredient. The renowned actor visited schools in an effort to
inspire students to take up acting.

adjective /I»nISl/
of or at the beginning noun /In»tegr´ti/
My initial reaction was to refuse the
the quality of being honest or moral
offer.
He is known to be a man of integrity.

l
adjective /«IndZu»dIS´s/
showing poor judgement; unwise verb /«Int´»si˘d/
Spending all that money on something so
to intervene on behalf of another
useless was an injudicious act.
The argument got so heated that I had to intercede.

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I 12 to14 age group

verb /«Int´»vi˘n/ adjective /In»vaI´l´bl/


to interfere to be kept sacred
The government had to intervene to prevent The area around the mosque was declared an
fighting between the tribes. inviolable territory.

noun /In«tImI»deISn/
adjective /In»v√ln´r´bl/
threatening or frightening behaviour
impossible to harm or damage
There was an inquiry into allegations of The invulnerable submarine survived the attacks from
intimidation during last week’s vote. the enemy.

adjective /In»tÅl´r´nt/
noun /»aI´di˘n/
not willing to accept ideas or behaviour different from
a chemical substance used as an antiseptic
your own
Iodine is used in making medicines.
Her intolerant attitude towards other people’s
religious beliefs will cause a lot of suffering.
adjective /«IrI»desnt/
showing bright colours that seem to change when seen
from different angles
adjective /In»trQkt´bl/ The hummingbird had iridescent blue feathers.
very difficult to deal with
The country is facing intractable economic problems.

adjective /I»rel´v´nt/
adjective /In»trInsIk/ not connected to a given situation
existing within, what is essential and natural She has a habit of making irrelevant comments.
These tasks were lengthy, repetitive and lacking
any intrinsic interest.
adjective /I»rev´r´nt/
lacking respect for sacred things
noun /«Intr´»spekSn/ The comedy displayed the film-maker’s
examination of one’s own feelings and thoughts irreverent view.
He was lost in introspection.

adjective /I»rev´k´bl/
noun /In»tru˘d´[r]/ unalterable
a person who enters a place without permission The judge passed an irrevocable legal decision in her
Thankfully, the intruder did not steal anything. favour.

adjective /In»vIns´bl/
noun /aI»tIn´r´ri/
too strong to be overcome or defeated
a planned route or journey
His invincible belief in his own ability made
Visits to four different countries are included in your
him successful in life.
itinerary.

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