Essential English Vocabulary and Phrases Explained
Key English Vocabulary and Phrases
Verbs
Pamper (verb) = to give someone special treatment, making that person as comfortable as possible and giving them whatever they want.
- She pampers her dog with the finest steak or salmon.
Conceal (verb) = to prevent something from being seen or known about; to hide something.
- I tried to conceal my surprise when she told me her age. I couldn’t believe she was just 40; she looked so much older.
Dash out (phrasal verb) = to leave in a hurry.
- I’ve got to dash out before the shops close; I need to hurry up.
Hinge on (phrasal verb) = to depend on something.
- The case hinges on the evidence of a single eyewitness.
Eke out (something, a living) (phrasal verb) = to obtain or win something only with difficulty or great effort.
- She ekes out a living working two part-time jobs.
Wind up (phrasal verb) = to find yourself in an unexpected and usually unpleasant situation, especially as a result of what you do.
- If we don’t stop and ask for directions, we are going to wind up completely lost.
Enhance (verb) = to improve the quality of something.
- These scandals will not enhance the organization’s reputation.
Upend (verb) = to change drastically.
- The Supreme Court decision could upend the US election.
Nouns
Cornerstone (noun) = something of great importance that everything else depends on.
- In most countries, the family unit is still the cornerstone of society. It’s essential in how we understand modern life.
Demeanor (noun) = a way of looking and behaving.
- Their demeanor suggested that they were very upset. They were sobbing, and their faces were sad.
Whirlwind (noun, also used as an adjective) = happening very quickly.
- Joe Biden made a whirlwind visit to Israel in search of a Middle East solution.
Chasm (noun) = a profound difference between people, viewpoints, feelings, etc. (often in reference to opinions).
- The chasm between right and left has grown in recent years.
Ballot (noun) = a system of secret voting.
- They decided to hold a ballot to choose a president of the association.
Adjectives
Hazardous (adjective) = dangerous (of substances, materials, activities, or conditions).
- Hazardous waste must be properly disposed of. It’s dangerous for people’s health.
Sly (adjective) = deceiving, mischievous.
- Julia is so sly; she says one thing to my face and another behind my back.
Sheer (adjective) = used to emphasize how very great, important, or powerful a quality or feeling is.
- It was sheer coincidence that we met.
Adverbs
Sparingly (adverb) = in small amounts, or without wasting any.
- There wasn’t enough coal during the war, so we had to use it sparingly.
In jeopardy (adverb) = in danger; at risk.
- The lives of thousands of birds are in jeopardy as a result of the oil spill.
Idioms
Sow the seeds of something (idiom) = to do something that will cause something to happen in the future.
- He’s sowing the seeds of his own downfall.
Snap out of it (idiom) = to stop experiencing something unpleasant or stop behaving in a negative way.
- I was depressed, and I couldn’t snap out of it.
Be head and shoulders above (idiom) = much better than other people or things.
- Joanne is head and shoulders above the other dancers in her dance group.