Preparing usage notes, please check back later
against all odds
US
UK
- Phrase
- Despite having very little chance of succeeding.
A2Morearrogant
US /ˈærəɡənt/
UK /ˈærəgənt/
- Adjective
- Rude, from belief you are better than others
B2Morebiblical
US
UK
- Adjective
- Concerning the bible
- Very great and impressive
B2Moreblow
US /blo/
UK /bləʊ/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To move something using air
- To make air come quickly out of your mouth
- Noun
- Something that causes you difficulty or sadness
- Act of making air come out of your mouth
A2Morecolony
US /ˈkɑləni/
UK /'kɒlənɪ/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Group (bees, etc.) that live in the same place
- Country/settlement controlled by another country
B2Morecommonwealth
US /ˈkɑmənˌwɛlθ/
UK /ˈkɒmənwelθ/
- Noun
- Group of countries connected politically
B2Morecontinent
US /ˈkɑntənənt/
UK /ˈkɒntɪnənt/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Very large piece of land, e.g. Africa or Asia
- Adjective
- Able to control excretory functions (bowel and bladder).
B1Morecorrupt
US /kəˈrʌpt/
UK /kə'rʌpt/
- Transitive Verb
- To persuade someone to act illegal or immorally
- To cause to become damaged or spoiled
- Adjective
- Being damaged or spoiled
- Misusing power, as by taking bribes, to get rich
B1Morecruel
US /ˈkruəl/
UK /'kru:əl/
- Adjective
- Hurtful; acting to hurt others intentionally
- Extremely harsh or severe.
B1Moreculture
US /ˈkʌltʃɚ/
UK /'kʌltʃə(r)/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Beliefs and customs of a particular group
- The customs, beliefs, art, and all the other things that a group of people share and consider important.
- Transitive Verb
- To grow cells, tissues, bacteria, etc. in a controlled environment.
A2Moredecade
US /ˈdɛkˌed, dɛˈked/
UK /ˈdekeɪd/
- Countable Noun
- Period of 10 years
B1TOEICMoredemonstration
US /ˌdɛmənˈstreʃən/
UK /ˌdemənˈstreɪʃn/
- Noun
- Open showing of emotion
- Public gathering showing disagreement or support
B1TOEICMoredeposit
US /dɪˈpɑzɪt/
UK /dɪ'pɒzɪt/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Concentration of mineral left by a river
- Part payment so that an item will be kept for you
- Transitive Verb
- (Of rivers) to leave a layer of minerals, etc.
- To lay down of layers, e.g. of soil, over time
A2TOEICMoredesert
US /ˈdɛzət/
UK /'dezət/
- Transitive Verb
- To leave a place for ever; abandon
- To leave when one is needed or expected to stay
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Bare area of land, often with few plants and water
- A punishment or reward that is deserved.
A2Moredisease
US /dɪˈziz/
UK /dɪˈzi:z/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Illness that affects a person, animal, or plant
- A disorder of structure or function in a plant, especially one caused by a pathogen.
- Transitive Verb
- To affect with disease; to corrupt or sicken.
A2TOEICMoredump
US /dʌmp/
UK /dʌmp/
- Transitive Verb
- To end a romantic relationship
- To put something somewhere without care
- Noun
- A place where waste or garbage is left.
- A copy of data from one part of a computer system to another.
B1Moreembrace
US /ɛmˈbres/
UK /ɪm'breɪs/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Act of holding someone closely
- An act of accepting or supporting something willingly and enthusiastically.
- Transitive Verb
- To hold closely; cuddle, kiss or hug
- To accept something enthusiastically.
B1TOEICMorefascination
US /ˌfæsəˈneʃən/
UK /ˌfæsɪˈneɪʃn/
- Uncountable Noun
- Quality that attracts attention
- The state of being fascinated
- Countable Noun
- A thing that fascinates
B1Morefierce
US /fɪrs/
UK /fɪəs/
- Adjective
- Very strong, wild or violent
- Intense in a way that causes or displays force.
B1Moreflee
US /fli/
UK /fli:/
- Intransitive Verb
- To leave somewhere urgently, to avoid danger
B1Moreflimsy
US /ˈflɪmzi/
UK /'flɪmzɪ/
- Adjective
- Lacking solidity or strength; light; weak
- Not believable; unconvincing
C1TOEICMoregrant
US /ɡrænt/
UK /ɡrɑ:nt/
- Transitive Verb
- To admit an opinion is true but not fully agreeing
- To give or let someone do what they want
- Uncountable Noun
- Money given for education or research
A2TOEICMoregratitude
US /ˈɡrætɪˌtud, -ˌtjud/
UK /ˈgrætɪtju:d/
- Uncountable Noun
- Warm friendly feelings of thanks
B2TOEICMoreharvest
US /ˈhɑ:rvɪst/
UK /ˈhɑ:vɪst/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Gathering crops from the fields; the crops
- The time of year to bring crops in from the fields
- Transitive Verb
- To gather ripe crops in from the fields
- To obtain or collect something.
B1TOEICMoreimpose
US /ɪmˈpoʊz/
UK /ɪmˈpəʊz/
- Transitive Verb
- To make someone to do or endure something
A2TOEICMoreinfest
US /ɪnˈfɛst/
UK /ɪn'fest/
- Transitive Verb
- (Of bad things) to be present in in large numbers
- To live off as a parasite
C2TOEICMoreinstrument
US /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
UK /'ɪnstrəmənt/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Gauge for measuring something, e.g. temperature
- Legal document
A2TOEICMoreinvade
US /ɪnˈved/
UK /ɪnˈveɪd/
- Transitive Verb
- To enter something causing a harmful result
- To enter (a country or region) so as to subjugate or occupy it.
B1Moreloom
US /lum/
UK /lu:m/
- Intransitive Verb
- To appear in a large, unclear, or threatening form
- (Of unpleasant thing) to be close to happening
- Countable Noun
- Device with a frame used to make cloth from thread
B2TOEICMoremaster
US /ˈmæstɚ/
UK /'mɑ:stə(r)/
- Transitive Verb
- To gain control over something
- To learn to do something very well
- Adjective
- Being very skilled at doing something
- Being the main or most important thing or part
A2Moremiraculously
US /məˈrækjələslɪ/
UK /mɪ'rækjələslɪ/
- Adverb
- In a wonderful and extraordinary manner
B2Moremourn
US /mɔ:rn/
UK /mɔ:n/
- Intransitive Verb
- To feel or show extreme sadness
- To feel or express sorrow or grief over (someone's death or something lost).
B2Morenarrative
US /ˈnærətɪv/
UK /ˈnærətɪv/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- The telling of a story
- A spoken or written account of connected events; a story.
- Adjective
- Presented in the form of a story
B1Moreoccasion
US /əˈkeʒən/
UK /ə'keɪʒn/
- Noun
- Significant or important event or function
- Time when something happens or takes place
- Transitive Verb
- To make or cause something to happen; to lead to
A2TOEICMoreoppression
US /əˈprɛʃən/
UK /ə'preʃn/
- Uncountable Noun
- Treatment of people to limit their freedom
- A sense of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically.
B2Moreperish
US /ˈpɛrɪʃ/
UK /ˈperɪʃ/
- Intransitive Verb
- Usually poetic to be destroyed; die
B2TOEICMorepermanent
US /ˈpɚmənənt/
UK /'pɜ:mənənt/
- Adjective
- Lasting forever; not temporary or changing
- Intended to last or remain for an unlimited period
- Noun
- A person who is a permanent employee.
- A chemical treatment to create lasting curls or waves in the hair.
B1TOEICMorepersecution
US /ˌpə:sɪˈkjuʃən/
UK /ˌpɜ:sɪ'kju:ʃn/
- Noun
- Act of treating badly due to race, religion etc.
C1Morepilgrim
US /ˈpɪlɡrəm/
UK /ˈpɪlgrɪm/
- Countable Noun
- Traveler going to a place with religious meaning
B2Moreplague
US /pleɡ/
UK /pleɪɡ/
- Transitive Verb
- To cause to have continual problems with something
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- (Deadly) disease passing rapidly between people
- An unusually large number of insects or animals infesting a place and causing damage.
B1Moreprove
US /pruv/
UK /pru:v/
- Transitive Verb
- To demonstrate truth by providing evidence
- To test the quality or worth of something.
- Intransitive Verb
- To turn out to be; be found to be.
A2TOEICMoreruthless
US /ˈruθlɪs/
UK /ˈru:θləs/
- Adjective
- Not considering the feelings or health of others
B2Morescout
US /skaʊt/
UK /skaʊt/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To watch or search for something or someone
B2Moreseduction
US /sɪˈdʌkʃən/
UK /sɪ'dʌkʃn/
- Uncountable Noun
- Making someone attracted to you/have sex with you
- Persuading someone to do something (often wrong)
B2Moresmallpox
US /ˈsmɔlˌpɑks/
UK /ˈsmɔ:lpɒks/
- Noun
- Contagious disease with pimples that leave scars
C1Moresurvive
US /sɚˈvaɪv/
UK /sə'vaɪv/
- Intransitive Verb
- To continue to live despite illness or trouble
A2TOEICMoreswallow
US /ˈswɑː.loʊ/
UK /'swɒləʊ/
- Transitive Verb
- To believe (something that is not true)
- To make food go from your mouth to your stomach
- Countable Noun
- Small northern bird with downward-pointing wings
A2Moreturbulent
US /ˈtɜ:rbjələnt/
UK /ˈtɜ:bjələnt/
- Adjective
- (Of water) moving violently and unevenly
- (Of times) unstable and unpredictable
B2Morewild
US /waɪld/
UK /waɪld/
- Adverb
- In a manner which lacks control
- Adjective
- Living in nature; not tame
- (Of land) not developed by people
A2Morewipe
US /waɪp/
UK /waɪp/
- Transitive Verb
- To clean or dry something with a cloth
- To spread a liquid on something
- Noun
- Act to clean or dry something with a cloth
A2More
