impulsive (adj.) /ɪmˈpʌlsɪv/
definition:
someone who is impulsive tends to do things without thinking about what will happen as a result
ex:
Inviting them had been an impulsive gesture.
wail (v.) /weɪl/
definition:
to shout or cry with a long high sound to show that you are in pain or are very sad
ex:
The baby wailed all night.
writhe (v.) /raɪð/
definition:
to move by twisting and turning, especially when you feel a lot of pain
ex:
He writhed in agony on the ground.
pediatrician (n.) /ˌpiːdiəˈtrɪʃ(ə)n/
definition:
a doctor who treats babies and children
ex:
He's the best pediatrician in Westchester.
slam (v.) /slæm/
definition:
to shut a door or a lid with great force so that it makes a loud noise, often because you are angry
ex:
He ran from the room, slamming the door behind him.
infant (n.) /ˈɪnfənt/
definition:
a baby, or a very young child
ex:
Infants and elderly people are particularly at risk.
authoritative (adj.) /ɔˈθɒrɪtətɪv/
definition:
based on the best, most complete, and most reliable information
ex:
David speaks in an authoritative tone.
jerk (v.) /dʒɜ(r)k/
definition:
to move very suddenly, or to make something move suddenly
ex:
The taxi jerked to a stop outside a large hotel.
foliage (n.) /ˈfəʊliɪdʒ/
definition:
the leaves of a plant or tree
ex:
The path was completely covered by the dense foliage.
pleadingly (adv.) /ˈplidɪŋli/
definition:
if you say something pleadingly, or if you look at someone pleadingly, your voice or expression shows that you want something very much
ex:
Nelson looked at her pleadingly.
poll (n.) /pəʊl/
definition:
an occasion when a lot of people are asked what they feel about something, usually by a company paid by a political party, television program, etc.
ex:
They're worried about the government's present low standing in the polls.
remedy (n.) /ˈremədi/
definition:
a solution to a particular problem
ex:
Pericles foresaw that peace would lead to unemployment, and among his remedies was a public building program.
sob (v.) /sɒb/
definition:
to cry noisily while taking short breaths
ex:
I could hear her sobbing.
shin (n.) /ʃɪn/
definition:
the lower front part of your leg, between your knee and your ankle
ex:
I barked my shin on a tree stump
hurl (v.) /hɜ(r)l/
definition:
to throw something using a lot of force
ex:
Children were hurling snowballs at one another.
octave (n.) /ˈɒktɪv/
definition:
a series of eight musical notes in a musical scale
ex:
Her voice went down an octave.
ahem (inj.) /əˈhem/
definition:
used in writing to represent a sound that you make to get someone's attention in a polite and quiet way
ex:
Ahem, I wonder if I could raise this problem with you now.
pantomime (n.) /ˈpæntəˌmaɪm/
definition:
THEATRE in the UK, a play for children that makes them laugh, based on a traditional story and usually performed at Christmas
ex:
The audience roared at the pantomime.
affectionate (adj.) /əˈfekʃ(ə)nət/
definition:
showing that you love or care about someone or something
ex:
My best friend is thoughtful and affectionate.
ecosystem (n.) /ˈikəʊˌsɪstəm/
definition:
all the plants and animals in a particular area, considered as a system with parts that depend on one another
ex:
We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.
frontier (n.) /frʌnˈtɪə(r)/
definition:
a border between two countries, especially one with official points where people or vehicles cross
ex:
There were very few border controls on the southwestern frontier.
penetrate (v.) /ˈpenəˌtreɪt/
definition:
to get inside an object or body by getting through something
ex:
A piece of glass had penetrated the skin.
rot (v.) /rɒt/
definition:
to decay by a gradual natural process, or to make something decay in this way
ex:
All those sweets will rot your teeth.
meteor (n.) /ˈmitiə(r)/
definition:
a large piece of rock from space that passes into the Earth's atmosphere and appears as a bright light in the sky
ex:
It was made by a meteor that fell from space.
cylinder (n.) /ˈsɪlɪndə(r)/
definition:
an object shaped like a wide tube
ex:
The cylinder was lifted from the seabed in a sling.