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.
A2Morealign
US /əˈlaɪn/
UK /əˈlaɪn/
- Transitive Verb
- To arrange (e.g. objects) in line with one another
- Intransitive Verb
- To be in a line or in the correct position in relation to something else.
B2Moreappointment
US /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
UK /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
- Noun
- Job, position or duty that is offered to a person
- Time you arranged to meet someone or do something
A2TOEICMoreas one
US
UK
- Adverb
- Acting or moving together at the same time.
- In complete agreement or unity.
- Phrase
- With a single voice or opinion; unanimously.
- In perfect harmony or unison.
A1Moreat the moment
US
UK
- Adverb
- At this time; now
A1Moreback into
US /bæk ˈɪntu/
UK /bæk ˈɪntuː/
- Phrasal Verb
- To drive a vehicle backwards into a space or area.
- To accidentally collide with something while moving backwards.
A1Morecalm
US /kɑm/
UK /kɑ:m/
- Adjective
- Without wind or storm; quiet; peaceful
- Relaxed and not worried or angry
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To make or become relaxed and not worried or angry
A2Morecancer
US /ˈkænsɚ/
UK /'kænsə(r)/
- Noun
- Any growth caused by abnormal cell division
B1Morecapital
US /ˈkæpɪtl/
UK /'kæpɪtl/
- Noun
- Writing the first letter of a word in big letters
- Official main city of a country, province or state
- Adjective
- Main, or major
- (Of an offense) liable to the death penalty.
A2Morecast
US /kæst/
UK /kɑ:st/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- People who appear in a play or movie
- Small amount of a particular color
- Transitive Verb
- To give specific roles to actors in a movie, play
- To describe someone's personality or character
A2Morechairman
US /ˈtʃɛrmən/
UK /'tʃeəmən/
- Countable Noun
- A man in charge of a meeting
- The person who leads a company or organization
B1Morecongress
US /ˈkɑŋɡrɪs/
UK /'kɒŋɡres/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Meeting of elected or appointed representatives
- Proper Noun
- American governing body of elected representatives
B1Morecorrespondent
US /ˌkɔrɪˈspɑndənt, ˌkɑr-/
UK /ˌkɒrəˈspɒndənt/
- Countable Noun
- Journalist, as one reporting from other countries
B1Morecredibility
US /ˌkrɛdəˈbɪlɪti/
UK /ˌkredəˈbɪləti/
- Uncountable Noun
- Quality of being believable or deserving of trust
B2Morecurrent
US /ˈkɚrənt, ˈkʌr-/
UK /'kʌrənt/
- Uncountable Noun
- Electricity flowing through wires
- Movement of water in a river, or air in the sky
- Adjective
- Happening or being in the present time
- In general use or accepted by most people.
A2Morefederal
US /ˈfɛdərəl, ˈfɛdrəl/
UK /'fedərəl/
- Adjective
- Consisting of several united states
- Relating to a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.
- Proper Noun
- The central banking system of the United States.
B1Morefinancial
US /faɪˈnænʃ(ə)l/
UK /faɪˈnænʃl/
- Adjective
- Involving money
- Relating to investments.
- Countable Noun
- A person who provides advice on financial matters.
A2TOEICMorefirm
US /fɚm/
UK /fɜ:m/
- Countable Noun
- Company that sells goods or services
- Adjective
- Fairly hard or solid, not soft
- Unchanging and strong
A2TOEICMorefor the world
US /fɚ ðə wɝld/
UK /fə ðə wɜ:ld/
- other
- Used to emphasize something would never happen.
B2Morego away
US /ɡo əˈwe/
UK /ɡəu əˈwei/
- Phrasal Verb
- To go on vacation
- To leave; depart.
A1Moregovernor
US /ˈgʌvərnə(r)/
UK /ˈgʌvənə(r)/
- Noun
- Person who leads a state or province
B2Moregrain
US /ɡren/
UK /greɪn/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Seeds of plants used for food
- Natural pattern in something, e.g. wood
B1TOEICMorehave to
US /hæv tu/
UK /ˈhæv tə/
- Auxiliary Verb
- Must do
A1Morehawk
US /hɔk/
UK /hɔ:k/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Large bird kills smaller birds and animals
- Someone wanting to go to war using the military
- Intransitive Verb
- To remove something from the throat by coughing
B2Morehoover
US /ˈhuːvər/
UK /ˈhu:və(r)/
- Noun
- Vacuum cleaner
- Transitive Verb
- To clean with a vacuum cleaner
B2Morein fact
US /ɪn fækt/
UK /in fækt/
- Adverb
- Used to emphasize the truth of a statement, especially one that contrasts with or contradicts something else.
- Used to introduce a more detailed or surprising piece of information.
- Phrase
- Used to emphasize the truth of a statement, especially one that is surprising or contrary to what might be expected.
C1Morein the running
US
UK
- Adjective
- Having a chance of winning; still in contention.
in 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.
A1Moreinflation
US /ɪnˈfleʃən/
UK /ɪn'fleɪʃn/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Act of filling something with air or gas
- Continual rise in the prices of products
B1TOEICMoreinvestigation
US /ɪnˌvɛstɪˈɡeʃən/
UK /ɪnˌvestɪ'ɡeɪʃn/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Search for information about something
B1Morelean
US /lin/
UK /li:n/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To balance against or on something for support
- To have a tendency to do something; favor
- Adjective
- Having a low fat content
- Efficient; well-designed with no waste
A2Morelogistic
US /loˈdʒɪstɪk/
UK /lə'dʒɪstɪkl/
- Adjective
- Concerning planning and organizing a large project
B2Morelook at
US /lʊk æt/
UK /luk æt/
- Phrasal Verb
- To use your eyes to focus on something
- To focus your eyes on something carefully
A1Moremention
US /ˈmɛnʃən/
UK /'menʃn/
- Transitive Verb
- To refer to or talk or write about something
- Uncountable Noun
- Act of referring to or talking about something
- A formal acknowledgement of something
A2TOEICMoremonetary
US /ˈmɑnɪˌtɛri, ˈmʌn-/
UK /ˈmʌnɪtri/
- Adjective
- Concerning a country's economic system
- Relating to money or currency.
B2TOEICMoremute
US /mjut/
UK /mju:t/
- Adjective
- Not willing or being unable to speak
- Noun
- Device used to make trombone, etc. sound quieter
B2Morenominate
US /ˈnɑməˌnet/
UK /'nɒmɪneɪt/
- Transitive Verb
- To choose someone to fill a certain position
B2TOEICMorenomination
US /ˌnɑ:mɪˈneɪʃn/
UK /ˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃn/
- Noun
- Act of choosing someone for a certain position
B2TOEICMoreof course
US /ʌv kɔː(r)s/
UK /ɔv kɔː(r)s/
- Adverb
- Sure ; Certainly
- Phrase
- For sure; certainly
A2Moreorchestrate
US /ˈɔ:rkɪstreɪt/
UK /ˈɔ:kɪstreɪt/
- Transitive Verb
- To organize and plan
B2Moreoutspoken
US /aʊtˈspoʊkən/
UK /aʊtˈspəʊkən/
- Adjective
- Saying (too) clearly what you think
C2Morephrase
US /frez/
UK /freɪz/
- Noun
- Common expression or saying
- Section of musical notes in a piece of music
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To choose words to say what you mean clearly
A2Moreprecious
US /ˈprɛʃəs/
UK /'preʃəs/
- Adjective
- Having a youthful, cute, and pleasant appearance
- Very little (time, money etc.)
B1Morepressure
US /ˈprɛʃɚ/
UK /'preʃə(r)/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Anxiety caused by difficult problems
- Force, weight when pressing against a thing
- Transitive Verb
- To apply force to something
- To persuade or force someone to do something
A2TOEICMorepreviously
US /ˈprivɪəslɪ/
UK /'pri:vɪəslɪ/
- Adverb
- At an earlier time
- In the past; formerly.
B1TOEICMorepursue
US /pɚˈsu/
UK /pə'sju:/
- Transitive Verb
- To follow and try to catch, or to reach a goal
- To try to achieve or get something over time
B1TOEICMoreratify
US /ˈrætəˌfaɪ/
UK /'rætɪfaɪ/
- Transitive Verb
- To formally accept something, such as a law
B2TOEICMorerelationship
US /rɪˈleʃənˌʃɪp/
UK /rɪˈleɪʃnʃɪp/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Connection between two or more people or things
- Way people interact or live with each other
A2TOEICMorereputation
US /ˌrɛpjəˈteʃən/
UK /ˌrepjuˈteɪʃn/
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Common opinion that people have about someone
- A widespread belief that someone or something has a particular characteristic.
B1TOEICMorereserve
US /rɪˈzɚv/
UK /rɪ'zɜ:v/
- Transitive Verb
- To arrange for a room or table be kept for you
- To not use all of, so you can use it later
- Noun (Countable/Uncountable)
- Area of land set aside as for a people
- Park or area for wildlife to roam free
A2Morerestore
US /rɪˈstɔr, -ˈstor/
UK /rɪˈstɔ:(r)/
- Transitive Verb
- To return a thing to its original condition
B1Moresee in
US /si ɪn/
UK /si: in/
- Phrasal Verb
- To accompany someone to the entrance of a building or room.
A1Moreserve
US /sɚv/
UK /sɜ:v/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To act in a particular position or office
- To hit the first ball to an opponent in tennis etc.
A2TOEICMorestellar
US /ˈstɛlɚ/
UK /ˈstelə(r)/
- Adjective
- Very brilliant; very successful or good
C1Moresuppose
US /səˈpoʊz/
UK /sə'pəʊz/
- Verb (Transitive/Intransitive)
- To imagine or guess what might happen
- Conjunction
- What if
A2TOEICMoretick
US /tɪk/
UK /tɪk/
- Intransitive Verb
- To function properly or normally
- (Clock) to make light regular timed noise
- Countable Noun
- Small blood-sucking insect that lives on the skin
- Written mark to show something is correct or done
B1Moreultra
US /'ʌltrə/
UK /'ʌltrə/
- Prefix
- Prefix that denotes a lot of something; extreme
B2Moreunclear
US /ˌʌnˈklɪr/
UK /ˌʌnˈklɪə(r)/
- Adjective
- Not easy to understand; not obvious
B1Morework out
US /wɚk aʊt/
UK /wə:k aut/
- Phrasal Verb
- To find a way to do something, by thinking
A1More
