Preparing usage notes, please check back later
against the grain
US
UK
- Phrase
- Contrary to someone's natural inclinations or feelings; in opposition to what is normal or expected.
- In a direction that is perpendicular to the fibers of wood, making it difficult to work with.
A2Morealternate
US /ˈɔ:ltərnət/
UK /ɔ:lˈtɜ:nət/
- Intransitive Verb
- To follow one thing after another repeatedly
B2TOEICMoreaquatic
US /əˈkwætɪk/
UK /əˈkwætɪk/
- Adjective
- Living or growing near or in water
B2Morearomatic
US /ˌærəˈmætɪk/
UK /ˌærəˈmætɪk/
- Adjective
- (Of herbs, etc.) with a strong, but pleasant smell
C1Morebreed
US /brid/
UK /bri:d/
- Noun
- Kind of / sort of
- Particular kind of animal, e.g. a Labrador dog
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To create situations for a (bad) thing to happen
- To produce baby animals of specific kinds
A2Moreburp
US /bɜ:rp/
UK /bɜ:p/
- Intransitive Verb
- To expel gas from the stomach noisily
C1Morecarbon
US /ˈkɑrbən/
UK /'kɑ:bən/
- Uncountable Noun
- Chemical element with an atomic number of 6
B1Morecause
US /kɔz/
UK /kɔ:z/
- Noun
- Belief, goal or organization that people support
- Reason for
- Transitive Verb
- To make something happen; create effect or result
A2Morecheck out
US /tʃɛk aʊt/
UK /tʃek aut/
- Phrase
- Phrasal Verb
- To find out information about something
- To take books out of a library
A1Morecome from
US /kʌm frʌm/
UK /kʌm frɔm/
- Phrasal Verb
- To have as your native country or city
A1Moreconsume
US /kənˈsum/
UK /kən'sju:m/
- Transitive Verb
- To eat, drink, buy or use up something
- To take all your energy; focus the attention
A2TOEICMorecontribute
US /kənˈtrɪbjut/
UK /kən'trɪbju:t/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To be a factor in causing something to happen
- To donate, give (money) or help to something
A2Morecopious
US /ˈkopiəs/
UK /ˈkəʊpiəs/
- Adjective
- (Of an amount) large
C1Morecountless
US /ˈkaʊntlɪs/
UK /ˈkaʊntləs/
- Adjective
- Being too many to be numbered or imagined
B1Morecrop
US /krɑp/
UK /krɒp/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Plants grown on a farm for food, e.g. corn or rice
- Section of short, thick hair
- Transitive Verb
- To cut something to a shorter length or size
- To cut (something, especially hair) short.
B1Moredioxide
US /daɪˈɑksaɪd/
UK /daɪˈɒksaɪd/
- Noun
- An oxide containing two oxides per molecule
B2Moredomesticate
US /dəˈmɛstɪˌket/
UK /də'mestɪkeɪt/
- Transitive Verb
- To train an animal as a pet or to do work; tame
- To breed a plant to be used or consumed by humans
C1Moredue to
US /du tu/
UK /dju: tu:/
- Preposition
- Because of; owing to
- Adjective
- Attributable to; caused by.
A1Moreemerge
US /ɪˈmɚdʒ/
UK /ɪ'mɜ:dʒ/
- Intransitive Verb
- To rise or appear out of some background
- To become known or apparent.
A2TOEICMoreevolve
US /ɪˈvɑlv/
UK /ɪ'vɒlv/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To develop certain features
- To develop or change slowly over time
B1Moreexpansion
US /ɪkˈspænʃən/
UK /ɪkˈspænʃn/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Making or becoming larger
- The process of increasing in size, number, or scope, especially in a business context.
B2TOEICMorefavor
US /ˈfevɚ/
UK /'feɪvə/
- Noun
- Support or approval from people
- Small gift given out at a party
- Transitive Verb
- To prefer or promote over another
A2Moreflood
US /flʌd/
UK /flʌd/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To quickly appear unexpectedly and in volume
- (Of liquid) to fill or cover something completely
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- A quick unexpectedly volume of something
- Large number of people or things arriving at once
B1Morefor example
US
UK
- Phrase
- As an illustration or instance.
grain
US /ɡren/
UK /greɪn/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Seeds of plants used for food
- Natural pattern in something, e.g. wood
B1TOEICMorehack
US /hæk/
UK /hæk/
- Transitive Verb
- To illegally access someone else's computer
- To cut away plants and branches to make a path
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Dry cough
- Horse for hire to work or pull a vehicle for a fee
B1TOEICMorehack it
US
UK
- Phrasal Verb
- To manage to deal with or succeed in something.
A1Moreharvest
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.
B1TOEICMorehumble
US /ˈhʌmbəl/
UK /'hʌmbl/
- Adjective
- Being lower in quality or status
- Not proud/arrogant; of low status
- Transitive Verb
- To make someone feel less proud or confident
B2TOEICMoreimpact
US /ˈɪmˌpækt/
UK /'ɪmpækt/
- Noun
- A striking effect or result to hit with force
- Act or force of one thing hitting something else
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To hit or strike someone or something with force
- To have a strong effect on someone or something.
A2TOEICMorein check
US /ɪn tʃɛk/
UK /in tʃek/
- Phrase
- Under control; restrained.
- Verified or confirmed to be correct or accurate.
in the world
US /ɪn ði wɜrld/
UK /in ðə wɜː(r)ld/
- Phrase
- Used to emphasize a question expressing surprise, confusion, disbelief
- Used to indicate the extent or degree of something, often in a superlative sense
A1Moreinfamous
US /ˈɪnfəməs/
UK /'ɪnfəməs/
- Adjective
- Famous because of something bad
B2Morelack
US /læk/
UK /læk/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To not have, or not have enough, of something
- Uncountable Noun
- The state of not having or not having enough of
A2TOEICMorematerial
US /məˈtɪriəl/
UK /məˈtɪəriəl/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Cloth; fabric
- Supplies or data needed to do a certain thing
- Adjective
- Relevant; (of evidence) important or significant
- Belonging to the world of physical things
A2Moremethane
US /ˈmeθeɪn/
UK /ˈmi:θeɪn/
- Uncountable Noun
- Colorless gas without smell often used as fuel
B2Moremultiply
US /ˈmʌltəˌplaɪ/
UK /ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To increase in number by reproducing/having babies
- To increase something by a large quantity
B1Morenomadic
US /noʊ'mædɪk/
UK /nəʊ'mædɪk/
- Adjective
- Living by moving from place to place
B2Moreon air
US /ɑn er/
UK /ɔn eə(r)/
- Adverb
- Being broadcast on radio or television.
- Adjective
- Available or accessible to the public.
A2Moreorganic
US /ɔrˈɡænɪk/
UK /ɔ:ˈgænɪk/
- Adjective
- Developing naturally and without a set structure
- Concerning food made with few or no chemicals
B1Moreoxygen
US /ˈɑksɪdʒən/
UK /'ɒksɪdʒən/
- Uncountable Noun
- A gas in the air that we need to breathe
- Oxygen administered as a medical treatment.
B1Morepaddy
US /ˈpædi/
UK /ˈpædi/
- Noun
- Field in which rice is grown
B2Morepaella
US /pɑˈɛlə, pɑˈeljɑ, -ˈejɑ/
UK /paɪˈelə/
- Noun
- Saffron-flavored dish of rice/shellfish/chicken
C2Morepotent
US /ˈpotnt/
UK /'pəʊtnt/
- Adjective
- (Of men) being able to make a woman pregnant
- Having a powerful effect, e.g. on the body or mind
B2Morerapidly
US /ˈræpɪdlɪ/
UK /'ræpɪdlɪ/
- Adverb
- With great speed; quickly
B1TOEICMorerely
US /rɪˈlaɪ/
UK /rɪ'laɪ/
- Intransitive Verb
- Depend on with full trust or confidence
- To trust or have confidence in someone.
B2TOEICMorerely on
US /rɪˈlaɪ ɑn/
UK /riˈlai ɔn/
- Phrasal Verb
- To depend on someone or something
A2Morescale
US /skel/
UK /skeɪl/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Size, level, or amount when compared
- Small hard plates that cover the body of fish
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To change the size of but keep the proportions
- To climb something large (e.g. a mountain)
A2TOEICMoreset to
US /sɛt tu/
UK /set tu:/
- Phrasal Verb
- To energetically begin to do, e.g. making a fire
A1Moresettle
US /ˈsɛtl/
UK /'setl/
- Transitive Verb
- To make (a child, etc.) feel calm/ready for sleep
- To complete or finalize e.g. a contract or debt
- Intransitive Verb
- To become accustomed to a new environment
- (Of liquids) to move to the bottom of a container
A2Moresettle into
US /ˈsɛtl ˈɪntu/
UK /ˈsetl ˈɪntuː/
- Phrasal Verb
- To become comfortable and familiar with a new place or situation.
- To get used to a new job or activity.
A1Moresoil
US /sɔɪl/
UK /sɔɪl/
- Uncountable Noun
- Conditions in which something develops
- Mix of natural material in which plants grow
- Transitive Verb
- To get or become dirty
B1Moresolid
US /ˈsɑlɪd/
UK /'sɒlɪd/
- Adjective
- Being able to be trusted; reliable
- Substance that is hard or of fixed shape
- Noun
- Something firm or hard; not gas or liquid
A2Morespread
US /sprɛd/
UK /spred/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- A big meal, often laid out as a buffet
- The distance between two things
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To place over a large area; to cover a large area
- (Of ideas, gossip) to pass to and affect others
A2TOEICMoresubmerge
US /səbˈmɚdʒ/
UK /səb'mɜ:dʒ/
- Transitive Verb
- To sink or put below the surface
B2TOEICMoresustainable
US /səˈsteɪnəbl/
UK /səˈsteɪnəbl/
- Adjective
- Capable of continuing for a long time
- Able to be maintained without running out of
B2Moretechnique
US /tɛkˈnik/
UK /tekˈni:k/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Way of doing by using special knowledge or skill
- The skill or ability to do something well.
A2TOEICMoretransition
US /trænˈzɪʃən, -ˈsɪʃ-/
UK /trænˈzɪʃn/
- Noun
- Change from one state, movement, place to another
- Intransitive Verb
- To change state, movement, place, or subject
B1Moretrap
US /træp/
UK /træp/
- Countable Noun
- Device used for catching animals
- Vehicle pulled by a single horse
- Transitive Verb
- To use a device to catch animals or people
- To hold, e.g. a nerve, so that it cannot move
A2Moretropical
US /ˈtrɑpɪkəl/
UK /ˈtrɒpɪkl/
- Adjective
- Hot and humid; near to the equator
- Very hot and humid
- Noun
- The tropical region of the earth
B1Moreunexpected
US /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪd/
UK /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪd/
- Adjective
- Surprising because it was not expected
- Noun
- An event or occurrence that was not anticipated.
B2Morevarieties of
US
UK
- Phrase
- Different kinds or types of something.
- A range of different things.
A2More
