Preparing usage notes, please check back later
against all odds
US
UK
- Phrase
- Despite having very little chance of succeeding.
A2Moreartificial
US /ˌɑrtəˈfɪʃəl/
UK /ˌɑ:tɪ'fɪʃl/
- Adjective
- Dishonest, to seem fake, not sincere
- (Something) made by people; not created by nature
B1TOEICMoreas long as
US /æz lɔŋ æz/
UK /æz lɔŋ æz/
- Conjunction
- For the period that; provided that.
- For the length of time that
- Preposition
- On the condition that; providing that.
- Having the same length as.
A1Moreat school
US
UK
- Phrase
- Present and attending school.
A1Morebear
US /bɛr/
UK /bɛː/
- Transitive Verb
- To accept (responsibilities or duties)
- To give birth to a child; to produce fruit
- Countable Noun
- Large brown animal with fur that lives in forests
- Someone who expects stock market to fall
A2Morebully
US /ˈbʊli/
UK /'bʊlɪ/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- a person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable
- A person who uses superior strength or influence to intimidate others.
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- seek to harm, intimidate, or coerce (someone perceived as vulnerable)
B2Moreclimate
US /ˈklaɪmɪt/
UK /ˈklaɪmət/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Typical weather conditions in a particular place
- The general attitudes, feelings, or opinions that people have at a particular time.
A2Morecloser than
US
UK
- Phrase
- Nearer in distance compared to something else.
- Having a stronger emotional bond compared to someone else.
A1Moredivorce
US /dɪˈvɔrs, -ˈvors/
UK /dɪ'vɔ:s/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Legal breakup of a marriage
- Transitive Verb
- To legally end a marriage to (someone)
A2Moreeveryday people
US
UK
- Noun (plural)
- Ordinary or common people, without special status or wealth.
- People who are relatable and representative of the general population.
A1Moreexplore
US /ɪkˈsplɔr/
UK /ɪk'splɔ:(r)/
- Transitive Verb
- To examine something in detail to learn about it
- To travel to a place to discover more about it
A2TOEICMorefalling apart
US
UK
- Phrasal Verb
- To suffer a nervous breakdown
- To break into pieces; stop functioning
A1Morefiction
US /ˈfɪkʃən/
UK /ˈfɪkʃn/
- Uncountable Noun
- Made-up stories; imagined events
- False statement or account about something
B1Morefight back
US /faɪt bæk/
UK /fait bæk/
- Phrasal Verb
- To make your point more strongly against opponent
A1Morefirst three
US
UK
- Determiner
- The initial three items or elements in a series or sequence.
- Adjective
- Referring to the top three positions in a ranking or competition.
A1Morefor example
US
UK
- Phrase
- As an illustration or instance.
give up
US /ɡɪv ʌp/
UK /ɡiv ʌp/
- Phrasal Verb
- To lose hope or admit defeat
- To decide to not start to try solving a problem
A1Moregrow up
US /ɡro ʌp/
UK /ɡrəu ʌp/
- Phrasal Verb
- To develop from a child into an adult
A1Morehumanity
US /hjuˈmænɪti/
UK /hju:ˈmænəti/
- Uncountable Noun
- Quality of being understanding or sympathetic
- Compassionate behavior, especially towards those suffering.
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- All human beings collectively; the human race.
A2Morein a corner
US /ɪn ə ˈkɔrnɚ/
UK /ɪn ə ˈkɔ:nə/
- other
- In a situation where one is trapped or pressured with few options.
B1Morein the world
US /ɪn ði wɜrld/
UK /in ðə wɜː(r)ld/
- Phrase
- Used to emphasize a question expressing surprise, confusion, or disbelief.
- Used to indicate the extent or degree of something, often in a superlative sense.
A1Moreincredible
US /ɪnˈkrɛdəbəl/
UK /ɪnˈkredəbl/
- Adjective
- Very good; amazing
- Really good; amazing; great
A2TOEICMoreinfluential
US /ˌɪnfluˈɛnʃəl/
UK /ˌɪnfluˈenʃl/
- Adjective
- Having the power to cause change; having influence
A2Moreinnovation
US /ˌɪnəˈveʃən/
UK /ˌɪnəˈveɪʃn/
- Uncountable Noun
- Process of creating new ideas or inventions
- A new thing or method that is introduced.
B1TOEICMoreinspire
US /ɪnˈspaɪr/
UK /ɪn'spaɪə(r)/
- Transitive Verb
- To give someone an idea to do or make something
- To make someone feel a certain emotion
- Intransitive Verb
- To breathe in
- To draw (air, etc.) into the lungs.
B1TOEICMoreinstead of
US /ɪnˈstɛd ʌv/
UK /inˈsted ɔv/
- Preposition
- When one thing is replaced by another
- Adverb
- As a substitute or alternative.
A1Moreintelligence
US /ɪnˈtɛlədʒəns/
UK /ɪn'telɪdʒəns/
- Uncountable Noun
- Collection of secret information about something
- Ability to learn things or to consider situations
- Adjective
- Of the spying services; acting in secrecy
A2TOEICMoreinto space
US
UK
- Phrase
- Toward or entering the region beyond Earth's atmosphere.
- Figuratively, entering a realm of imagination or abstraction.
A1Morejourney
US /ˈdʒɚni/
UK /'dʒɜ:nɪ/
- Noun
- Act of traveling from one place to another; trip
- Intransitive Verb
- To travel through a place
A2TOEICMoremove to
US /muv tu/
UK /mu:v tu:/
- Phrasal Verb
- To change the place where you live or work.
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To proceed to the next stage or action.
A2Moremulti
US
UK
- Prefix
- A prefix meaning 'many' or 'more than one'
B1Moremusk
US /mʌsk/
UK /mʌsk/
- Uncountable Noun
- Strong sweet-smelling substance used in perfume
C1Morenickname
US /ˈnɪkˌnem/
UK /ˈnɪkneɪm/
- Noun
- Name given by friends or family
- Transitive Verb
- To give someone an informal name or title
B2Moreodd
US /ɑd/
UK /ɒd/
- Adjective
- Being unmatched with someone or something
- Being a number not able to be divided by two
A2Moreon earth
US /ɑn ɚθ/
UK /ɔn ə:θ/
- Phrase
- Used to emphasize a question expressing surprise or anger.
- Used to emphasize that something is not possible or will not happen.
A1Moreon the brink of
US /ɑːn ðiː brɪŋk ɑːv/
UK
- Phrase
- Very near to experiencing something, usually something unpleasant.
- About to happen; imminent.
A1Moreoutside the box
US
UK
- Phrase
- Thinking in a new and creative way.
- Adjective
- Innovative or unconventional.
A1Morepenny
US /ˈpɛni/
UK /ˈpeni/
- Proper Noun
- Person's name
- Countable Noun
- Small coin worth 1/100th of a pound
- A British unit of currency, one-hundredth of a pound.
B1Morepersonal
US /ˈpɚsənəl/
UK /ˈpɜ:sənl/
- Adjective
- Done by or to a particular person; individual
- Concerning a person's private life or feelings
A2Moreplanetary
US /ˈplænɪˌtɛri/
UK /ˈplænətri/
- Adjective
- Concerning the orbital characteristics of a planet
B2Morerather than
US
UK
- Adverb
- More exactly; more correctly
- Preferably; instead
- Preposition
- Instead of
A1Morereality
US /riˈælɪti/
UK /rɪ'ælətɪ/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- What is true, as opposed to what is imagined
- The state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined.
A2Morerelationship
US /rɪˈleʃənˌʃɪp/
UK /rɪˈleɪʃnʃɪp/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Connection between two or more people or things
- Way people interact or live with each other
A2TOEICMorerevolutionary
US /ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnɛri/
UK /ˌrevə'lu:ʃənərɪ/
- Adjective
- Marking a significant change in something
- Relating to a violent replacement of a government
- Countable Noun
- Person fighting to replace a government
B2Morerocket
US /ˈrɑkɪt/
UK /'rɒkɪt/
- Noun
- Powerful engine that releases hot gases
- Dark green, hot-tasting salad leaf
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To travel, increase, or rise very quickly
- To increase very rapidly and suddenly.
B1Morescience
US /ˈsaɪəns/
UK /'saɪəns/
- Uncountable Noun
- Study of the physical world, based on facts
A2TOEICMorestay in
US /ste ɪn/
UK /stei in/
- Phrasal Verb
- To remain inside one's home.
- Intransitive Verb
- To remain as an inpatient in a hospital.
symbol of
US
UK
- Phrase
- Something that represents or stands for something else, especially an object representing an abstract idea.
- A visible sign of something intangible.
B2Moretransportation
US /ˌtrænspɔ:rˈteɪʃn/
UK /ˌtrænspɔ:ˈteɪʃn/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Act of moving people or goods between places
- A system or means of transport, especially public transport.
B1Moreunconventional
US /ˌʌnkənˈvɛnʃənəl/
UK /ˌʌnkənˈvenʃənl/
- Adjective
- Not acting according to normal accepted rules
C2TOEICMoreunderground
US /ˈʌndərgraʊnd/
UK /ˈʌndəgraʊnd/
- Adjective
- (Being or living) under the surface of the earth
- Secret or subversive.
- Noun
- Secret group organized to overthrow a government
- Subway system, e.g. in London
B1Moreunique
US /juˈnik/
UK /jʊ'ni:k/
- Adjective
- Unlike other things; being the only one like it
- Remarkably special or unusual.
A2TOEICMore
