TIPS for English (20): Words(I) (j)

Barista (vs.) Barrister

Barista (pronounced bɑːrˈiːs.tə) = a person who serves customers in a coffee shop (*). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/WBC-pouring_split.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Gwilym_Davies.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Latte_at_Doppio_Ristretto_Chiang_Mai_02.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgAZe2hLd1s and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVtXN-wBPB0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPXLAD90o9A

Barrister (pronounced ˈbær.ɪ.stə)(also known as barrister-at-law) = a type of lawyer in the UK and Australia. Synonyms for lawyer: counsel, advocate, attorney, attorney-at-law,  counselor, solicitor. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Advokat%2C_Engelsk_advokatdr%C3%A4kt%2C_Nordisk_familjebok.png and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/M_Battye.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDQepfY3igM and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d78ROXCPgI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWZi2Mpl8hM

Wander (= walk or move in a leisurely, casual, or aimless way) (vs.) Wonder (= desire or be curious to know something) (beware of the typo!)

Wonder at (not to be confused with ‘wander’ that means walk or move in a leisurely, casual, or aimless way) = (verb; no object) Desire or be curious to know something; e.g., ‘As I look back on the last five years, I wonder at what would have happened if had we chosen different paths.// e.g., We shouldn't wonder at the sight of women holding the shotgun and firing.// e.g., ‘I wonder at what point does knowledge in my brain become encoded within my muscles.’ // e.g., In fact, we wonder at this point about the use of a business model of production and consumption.// e.g., ‘But I wonder at what point does this pass the line from art to trick?’

Willpower (1 word) = (mass noun) Control exerted to do something or restrain impulses; determination; e.g., Most of our bad habits are due to laziness or lack of willpower.// e.g., He summoned his willpower to resist the spell.// e.g., We need to strengthen our willpower (my example).

Puddle (pronounced ˈpʌd(ə)l) (not to be confused with ‘paddle’ (= oar; a short pole with a broad blade at one or both ends, used without an oarlock to move a small boat or canoe through the water// an act of walking with bare feet in shallow water)) = (noun) A small pool of liquid, especially of rainwater on the ground. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Begliktash_puddle_%D0%91%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%88_%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BA%D0%B2%D0%B0_%E2%80%94_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%8F.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Moisture_and_puddles_on_muddy_road.jpg and  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Puddles%2C_Jekyll_Island%2C_GA.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Tadorna_tadorna_%28Tadorne_de_Belon%29_-_363.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Making_a_splash_-_geograph.org.uk_-_502665.jpg // e.g., Splashing through deep puddles.// e.g., Suddenly, a puddle of water pooled on the snowy ground, before George’s feet.// e.g., (figurative) A little puddle of light./// (mass noun) Clay and sand mixed with water and used as a watertight covering for embankments (embankment = a wall or bank of earth or stone built to prevent a river flooding an area). [Puddling (civil engineering) = a method for producing waterproof puddle or lining an existing area with puddle clay. It is both the material and the process of lining a water body such as a channel or pond with puddle clay - a watertight (low hydraulic conductivity) material based on clay and water mixed to be workable ((*****) for puddling)]. See  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puddling_(civil_engineering)#/media/File:Montgomery_Canal_at_Redwith_Bridge_puddled.jpg  // e.g., This puddle or engineering clay is used extensively for the construction of lakes and ponds and is of excellent quality.// e.g., //// (Rowing) A circular patch of disturbed water made by the blade of an oar (= paddle; a long pole with a wide, flat part at one end, used for rowing a boat; pronounced  ɔː(^r) (*)) at each stroke.  See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N1no0fhexI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONs5qRv6b84  // e.g., Rowers who pull hard will leave a large puddle behind their finish.//// (verb with object) Wet or cover a surface with water, especially rainwater; e.g., The cobbles (cobble = cobblestone; i.e., a small, round stone of a kind formerly used to cover road surfaces) under our feet were wet and puddled.// e.g., In the rainy months, a symphony of leaks puddled her floor./// (verb; no object) (of liquid) form a small pool; e.g., He could feel the blood puddling from the broken wound, soiling his shirt and pants (= trousers in American English).// e.g., ‘I enjoyed an article written a couple of years ago about puddling on flat roofs.’ /// Puddle about/ around = (informal) (verb; no object) Occupy oneself in a disorganized or unproductive way; e.g., The Internet is just the latest excuse for puddling around at work.// e.g., Possibly the global criminal infrastructure would collapse and they would retire to puddling around in their gardens looking after their azaleas (= a plant or bush with brightly colored flowers, grown in gardens; pronounced əˈzeɪ.li.ə (*))./// Line a hole with puddle; e.g., He dug and puddled a large pond.// e.g., They were constructed with sloping sides, flat bottomed and lined with puddled clay.//// Knead clay and sand into puddle./// Work mixed water and clay to separate gold or opal (= a precious stone whose color changes when the position of the person looking at it changes; pronounced ˈəʊ.pəl) (*))./// Weld puddle = a crucial part of the welding process.//// Puddling (metallurgy) = an obsolete method for purifying pig iron.//// Puddling furnace = a metal-making technology to create wrought iron from the pig iron produced in a blast furnace (= an enclosed structure in which material can be heated to very high temperatures, e.g., for smelting metals)./// Puddling (biology) = the process by which butterflies extract nutrients from damp surfaces./// Puddling (agriculture) = wet tillage (= the preparation of land for growing crops) of rice paddies (paddy = a field where rice is grown) to prepare them for rice planting ((*****) for the last 5 definitions).

Stray bullet = a bullet that, after being fired from a gun, hits an unintended target. Such a shooting accident may occur during crossfire or celebratory gunfire (*****).

Celebratory gunfire = the shooting of a firearm into the air in celebration. The practice may result in random death and injury from stray bullets (*****). See (shocking video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsSBvCLRujg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7A-oHy06Vw  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9F5Q19uhl8

Vibe (pronounced vʌɪb) = (noun) ((informal) usually vibes) A person’s emotional state or the atmosphere of a place as communicated to and felt by others; e.g., ‘We’ve been picking up some bad vibes on that guy.’ // e.g.,  Long-time residents of the area like the low crime rate, the quiet atmosphere and the small-town vibe.// e.g., ‘I’d never previously experienced such a positive vibe in a club environment vibes.’ /// Another term for vibraphone (pronounced ˈvʌɪbrəfəʊn); also known as vibes or vibraharp, a musical percussion instrument with a double row of tuned metal bars, each above a tubular resonator containing a motor-driven rotating vane, giving a vibrato effect. [Note: The vibraphone resembles the xylophone (pronounced ˈzaɪ.lə.fəʊn) marimba, and glockenspiel, one of the main differences between it and these instruments being that each bar is paired with a resonator tube that has a motor-driven butterfly valve at its upper end ((*****) for this note)]. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Vibes_joelocke_koeln2007.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Lionel_Hampton%2C_Aquarium%2C_New_York%2C_ca._June_1946_%28William_P._Gottlieb_03841%29.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Vibraphone.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y02VBGoTi9w and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0qffO4dF0o and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzdSgKzQ0k8  /// (informal) (verb; no object) Enjoy oneself by listening to or dancing to popular music; e.g., ‘Another tune for you to vibe with.’ // e.g., No matter what type of music you vibe to, give the new band a spin!’ // e.g., ‘I love creating music, and doing that with someone else to vibe off and to inject ideas into the mix is the bees knees.’ //// Get on; have a good relationship; e.g., ‘We vibe so well with each other.’ // e.g., ‘They'll vibe with you nicely, and you make the sale.’ // e.g., He should have an artistic sense to vibe with the actor and the technician./// (verb with object) Transmit or give out a feeling or atmosphere; e.g., ‘He vibed pure hate in my direction.’ // e.g., ‘So, as a present to me, if you want to, would you mind taking a moment to vibe for peace in the Middle East?’ // e.g., She really vibed with what we're doing and really got it.

Xylophone (pronounced ˈzaɪ.lə.fəʊn) = (noun) a musical instrument consisting of flat wooden bars of different lengths that are hit with sticks (*). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Xylophone.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Tres_xil%C3%B3fonos.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Xylophone-Antonko-AXF09-Marimba-Antonko-AMC12.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Xylophone-pjt1.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd9xha3vk58 and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWtwO4JLfrE

Grinch (pronounced ɡrɪntʃ) = (informal) (US English) (disapproving) a person who does not like other people celebrating or enjoying themselves, especially a person who does not like Christmas; e.g., ‘The orchestra played ‘Sleigh Ride’, and if you hate that you are a Grinch!’ (*).// e.g., Ironically, even the Grinches among us are a targeted market during the holidays.// e.g., The anti-religion Grinches are out in full force this Christmas season.//// The Grinch = a character in a 1957 story by Dr Seuss, ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’, who hates Christmas and tries to spoil it for others ((*) for this). See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hj3U18FHgQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl5u3bK0mQE and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQV5Pr7pWtM

Knead (pronounced niːd) (beware of the pronunciation!) (the gerund is kneading) = (verb with object) Work moistened flour or clay into dough (= flour mixed with water and often yeast, fat, or sugar, so that it is ready for baking; pronounced dəʊ (*)) or paste with the hands. See (dough) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Kneading.jpg and (dough) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySOj0fFWo1U and (dough) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwis-ZXJcjk and (clay) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1YjdA4r1Nk and (clay) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj6Kd8RSmVY  //  e.g., ‘Gently knead ingredients together by hand until dough is uniform but not sticky.’ // e.g., ‘Dust your counter with flour and knead the dough a few times.’ // e.g., The lump (= a compact mass of a substance, especially one without a definite or regular shape; pronounced lʌmp) of clay is briefly kneaded to force out air bubbles.//// Make bread or pottery by kneading flour or clay; e.g., Mother didn't appear the least upset, and continued to knead the bread./// Massage or squeeze with the hands. See (massage) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4DrRkSHU4g and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6MqOHDGkpE and    (kneading calves) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uezP7wLM5w   // e.g., ‘I kneaded his back.’ // e.g., Massage involves the kneading, stroking and manipulation of your body's soft tissues - your skin, muscles and tendons.

Tillage (pronounced ˈtɪlɪdʒ) = (mass noun) The preparation of land for growing crops. See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Fendt_Tractor_Ripping_up_Kulin.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Ploughtilling_the_field.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Arr%C3%B2s%2C_sequer_%2826462086444%29.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpWqL3cjSd0 and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sAfBnsuXXc and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03oABVMv9AI // e.g., Manual clearing followed by mechanized tillage.// e.g., When spring tillage buries the weeds, it also buries any crop residue (= a small amount of something that remains after the main part has gone or been taken or used; pronounced  ˈrɛzɪdjuː).// e.g., ‘Do not plough ((plow in American English) = turn up the earth of an area of land with a plough (= a large farming implement with one or more blades fixed in a frame, drawn by a tractor or by animals and used for cutting furrows in the soil and turning it over, especially to prepare for the planting of seeds), especially before sowing; pronounced plaʊ), whether in tillage or if reseeding grassland.’ //// Land under cultivation; e.g., Fifty acres (acre = a unit of land area equal to 4,840 square yards (0.405 hectare); pronounced ˈeɪ.kə(^r)) of tillage.// e.g., The Fellows use permanent pasture (= land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals, especially cattle or sheep; pronounced ˈpɑːs.tʃə(^r)), no tillage.// e.g., The majority of the land was covered in improved grassland and tillage.

Smelt (pronounced smɛlt) = past simple and p.p. of ‘smell’.//// (verb with object) (often as noun smelting) Extract metal from its ore (= a naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be profitably extracted; pronounced ɔː(^r)) by a process involving heating and melting. See (smelting furnace) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/TVA_phosphate_smelting_furnace.jpg and (smelting furnace) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Cowles_furnace-2.jpg and (traditional Chinese) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/52/Tiangong_Kaiwu_Tripod_Casting.jpg and (chemistry) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l56LUrAxZH4 and (gold bar) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__ufjhZMbXQ and (silver ore) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ElqsO5MVks // e.g., Tin smelting.// e.g., Now a researcher is to test his theory that rural Ryedale could have become one of the great industrial centers of the North by re-creating a medieval iron smelting furnace at Rievaulx Abbey, near Helmsley.// e.g., The concentrates are refined by smelting - they are melted, and the impurities are removed as a slag (= stony waste matter separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore).//// Extract a metal from ore by smelting; e.g., The zinc ores are smelted in Swansea (= a coastal city and county in Wales (*****)).// e.g., At Swansea, the ore was smelted using huge quantities of cheap coal, producing a poisoned landscape.///// A small silvery fish which lives in both marine and fresh water and is sometimes fished commercially. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Pond_smelt_illustration.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Smelt.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SushsrHdOw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1McWHpyQe4

Paddy (pronounced ˈpadi) = (paddy cultivation) (noun) A field where rice is grown. [Note: Paddy cultivation should not be confused with cultivation of deep-water rice, which is grown in flooded conditions with water more than 50 cm (20 in) deep for at least a month. Deepwater rice emits the least methane, a greenhouse gas, of the wetland rice ecologies, producing approximately three times less than paddy field rice ((*****) for this note]. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/DSC00029_Java_Little_Sundanais_Traditional_Village_Kampung_Naga_%286219569245%29.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/A_paddy_field_%28rice_field%29_in_bangladesh.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Karthalipalem.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Cambodian_farmers_planting_rice.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Planting_Paddy_Nepal.jpg and (paddy field scarecrows) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Kakashi2.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Rice_fields_in_Namwon.jpg // e.g., The government said the typhoon had affected 250,00 acres of farm land out of a total 4 million acres, flooding rice paddies and battering fruit and vegetable fields.// e.g., Cadmium (= the chemical element of atomic number 48, a silvery-white metal; occurs as a minor component in most zinc ores and is a byproduct of zinc production; its use is generally decreasing because it is toxic) contamination is a worldwide problem, especially in Asia’s flooded soils - called paddies - in which rice is grown.//// Paddy rice = (mass noun)  rough (unmilled) rice; rice before threshing (thresh =separate grain from a plant, typically with a flail or by the action of a revolving mechanism) or in the husk (= the dry outer covering of some fruits or seeds; pronounced ).//// (British English) (informal) A fit of temper; e.g., Richard drove off in a paddy.// e.g., ‘I know I'm sounding like some kid having a paddy but my point still stands.’ /// (derogatory) (My comment: that means you should not use it as it is offending!) (informal) An Irishman (often as a form of address).//// A Second World War carrier pigeon (*****) for this).

Grunge (pronounced ɡrʌn(d)ʒ) (My comment: I guess most of you know it as a music style rather than ‘dirt’) = (mass noun) (informal) Grime (= dirt ingrained on the surface of something, especially clothing, a building, or the skin; pronounced ɡraɪm); dirt; e.g., But there must be limits to disgust as well, because you know we also need a bit of dirt and grunge in our lives to prime our immune system.// e.g., ‘Your helmet will get a terminal case of grunge before it dies of sweat!’ // e.g., ‘If you are unable to remove grunge and dirt from jewelry at home then it’s probably best (not ‘the best’) to take it to a professional’  ((**) for the last example).//// (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound)  A style of rock music characterized by a raucous (= making or constituting a disturbingly harsh and loud noise; pronounced ˈrɔː.kəs) guitar sound and lazy vocal delivery. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I2WNlF0SF8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxr_ZdQf7hs and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c91dmwxaiig and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrTvHEKfW5k and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S61LT4IaqYc // e.g., The fashion associated with grunge rock, including loose, layered clothing and ripped jeans.// e.g., ‘Do you like to wear black nail polish and grunge clothes?’

Scarecrow (pronounced ˈskeə.krəʊ) (from ‘scare’ + ‘crow’ (= a large, black bird with a loud, unpleasant cry – See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Corvus_corone_-near_Canford_Cliffs%2C_Poole%2C_England-8.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Corvus_corone_Rabenkr%C3%A4he_1.jpg )) = (noun) an object that looks like a person dressed in old, torn clothes and that stands in a garden or field to frighten birds away (*). See (paddy field (= a field where rice is grown) scarecrows) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Kakashi2.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8%E5%B8%BD%E3%82%92%E8%A2%AB%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E6%A1%88%E5%B1%B1%E5%AD%906180154.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Urchfont_Scarecrow_Festival%2C_Ali_Baba.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/A_scarecrow_known_as_%22Bungkhyachaa%22_in_Nepali_in_a_cauliflower_field_in_Nepal.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Scarecrow._Drawing_by_Carus.jpg

Quince (pronounced kwɪns) = (noun) A hard fruit that looks like an apple and has a strong sweet smell. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Pancrace_Bessa00.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Quince_%2810928s%29.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Cydonia.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Reife_Konstantinopeler_Quitten_aus_dem_Vogelsberg.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Quinces_skin_closeup.JPG  // e.g., Quince jam (= a sweet spread or preserve made from fruit and sugar boiled to a thick consistency) (*).

Quiche (pronounced kiːʃ) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (noun) an open pastry case, filled with a mixture of eggs, cream, and other savory (= not sweet) foods, that is baked and eaten hot or cold. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Quiche.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Quiches_2.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Quiche_de_espinacas_%28Lhardy%29.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Mushroom_and_leek_quiche.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LzLqmfiOVU and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHA2gRm62DY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJkztIX04w0   // e.g., Asparagus/ broccoli/ spinach quiche (*).

‘A gesture of goodwill’

Hectic (vs) Frantic

Hectic = (adjective) Full of incessant (= never stopping) or frantic activity; e.g., A hectic business schedule.// e.g., Hectic rhythm of tourist (not ‘touristic life’ as it does not exist) (my example).// e.g., Hectic rhythm of  life (my example).// e.g., Hectic (= intense) day/ week/ month/ pace/ lifestyle/ schedule.// e.g., He wants to get away from the hectic pace of London.// e.g., Business has been hectic recently.// e.g., Oil prices jumped over $1 a barrel, pushing up to $70 during hectic trading.// e.g., Hectic growth/ expansion/ activity.// e.g., The hectic pace of city life (** for all but the 1^st example).

Frantic = (adjective) wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion; e.g., Now he is missing, and his relatives back home are frantic with worry and helplessness.// e.g., He was frantic with worry.// e.g., There was a frantic tone to the stories, an underlying hysteria I felt as a child but could only name as an adult.// e.g., Their mother joined the frantic rescue effort but all three were swept away Conducted in a hurried, excited, and disorganized way; e.g., Frantic attempts to resuscitate the child.// e.g., This was a game desperate for a goal, but after a frantic 90 minutes the scoresheet still remained blank.// e.g., In the past decade we started a frantic search for clues that might lead to its cure.

Pay raise (US English) = pay rise (UK English) = an increase in wages or salary.

Interactive whiteboard (in the contemporary class) (vs) the classic blackboard where we write with chalk (pronounced tʃɔːk).

Kiwi (pronounced ˈkiː.wiː) = (noun) A flightless New Zealand bird with hair-like feathers, having a long downcurved bill with sensitive nostrils at the tip. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/TeTuatahianui.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Okarito_kiwi_2.jpg and  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Am_media-v-602297.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Little_spotted_kiwi%2C_Apteryx_owenii%2C_Auckland_War_Memorial_Museum.jpg and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0fbYuvSIY0 and https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/2624055/size/tmg-article_tall.jpg  /// A person from New Zealand./// abbreviation for Kiwi fruit.

Kiwifruit (or kiwi fruit; also called Chinese gooseberry) (pronounced ˈkiː.wiː)  = (noun) A fruit with thin hairy skin, green flesh, and black seeds. (My comment: this fruit, along with dried prune (dried plum), is helpful for people with constipation). See   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Kiwi1.1.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Actinidia_fruits.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Red_kiwi_fruit_slices.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Hardy-Kiwi-Comparison-3.jpg  // e.g., A cream sponge with strawberries and kiwi fruit.// e.g., Two kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into pieces.

Wasteful = (adjective) (of a person, action, or process) using or expending something of value carelessly, extravagantly (= in a way that is more expensive than is necessary or reasonable (*)), or to no purpose; e.g., Wasteful energy consumption.// e.g., We are finding that they are disappearing fast because of careless, wasteful use of outdoor light.// e.g., 'I had not realized before what a wasteful source of power it is.'

To excel at/ in; e.g., A sturdy ( = strongly and solidly built) youth who excelled at football.// e.g., Mary always excelled in languages at school ((^^^) for the 2^nd example).// e.g., ‘Plus the fact that I happen to excel in all subjects, a bigger brain usage will do that to you.’ // e.g., By all reports he is well adjusted, excelling in his academic and sports activities.

Picturesque (pronounced ˌpɪk.tʃ(ə)rˈesk) = (adjective) (of a place or building) visually attractive, especially in a quaint (pronounced kweɪnt; = attractively unusual or old-fashioned) or charming way; e.g., Ruined abbeys and picturesque villages.// e.g., People like Austrian resorts for their village atmosphere and picturesque settings./// (of language) unusual and vivid; e.g., The salad has no regional or picturesque name.// e.g., It’s the pub’s picturesque name for a tasting of five obscure (= not known to many people; pronounced əbˈskjʊə(r) (*)) or lesser-known wines.

Ascend vs. Ascent

Ascend (pronounced əˈsɛnd) (the noun is ascent) = (verb with object) Go up or climb (pronounced klaɪm); e.g., He ascended the stairs.// (verb; no object) e.g., ‘We (our plane) had ascended 3,000 ft.’ /// Climb to the summit of a mountain or hill; e.g., The first traveler to ascend the mountain.// e.g., We ascended the hill and passed through Montmartre, a little touristy but still very picturesque.//// (of a fish or boat) move upstream along a river; e.g., Salmon ascend rivers from the sea to spawn (= (of a fish, frog, mollusk, crustacean, etc.) release or deposit eggs; pronounced spɔːn).// e.g., Our plan was to find a guide with a boat, then ascend 22 miles up the Río Jaque to the heart of the national park./// (verb; no object) Rise or move up through the air; e.g., The lift ascended from her sight.// e.g., The door closes and the helicopter immediately ascends vertically to 1,000 feet./// Move up to a higher social or professional rank; e.g., Some executives ascend to top-level positions.// e.g., ‘In what ways can players ascend in rank and acquire more powerful ships?’ //// Ascend to/ into heaven = (of a spiritual being or soul) go to heaven; e.g., The Prophet ascended to heaven.// e.g., They will give no serious consideration to the claims that Jesus was born of a virgin mother or that he left the tomb and ascended to heaven in his risen body.//// (of a voice or sound) rise in pitch; e.g., Jenny’s voice had ascended into high-pitched giggles.// e.g., There are 12 pitch classes, and these notes are continually repeated as they ascend in pitch height./// (of a road or flight of steps) slope or lead up; e.g., The road ascends to the loch (= lake; pronounced lɒk).// e.g., The path is slippery and ascends into a narrow valley.

Ascent (pronounced əˈsɛnt) = (noun) (usually in singular) A climb (pronounced klaɪm) or walk to the summit of a mountain or hill; e.g., The first ascent of the Matterhorn.// e.g., It took two days and a night and involved the ascent of two mountains and an evening descent upon a rotten glacier (= a slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on mountains or near the poles; pronounced ˈɡlæs.i.ə(^r))./// An upward slope or path that one may walk or climb; e.g., The ascent grew steeper.// e.g., Luckily when you are on the ascent the path cleverly twists and turns over the one-step streams to make the going reasonable, avoiding the worst./// (usually in singular) An instance of rising or moving up through the air; e.g., The first balloon ascent was in 1783.// e.g., Plane makes steep curvy ascent after takeoff from the airport (my example)./// A rise to a higher social or professional rank; e.g., His ascent to power.// e.g., Mary’s ascent to the throne was clouded with the actions of the Duke of Northumberland and Lady Jane Grey.

Descend (vs.) Descent

Descend (pronounced dɪˈsɛnd) = (verb with object) Move or fall downwards; e.g., The aircraft began to descend.// e.g., They all board the elevator (‘lift’ in North American English) and the door shuts as they begin descending./// (of a mammal’s testes) pass from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum.//// (of a road, path, or flight of steps) slope or lead downwards; e.g., A side road descended into the forest.// (verb with object) e.g., A flight of stairs descended a steep slope./// (verb with object) Move down a slope or stairs; e.g., The vehicle descended a ramp./// Move down a scale of quality; e.g., Three hotels were granted the prestigious five-star status, whilst others descended in quality or maintained their ranking.//// Music of sound become lower in pitch; e.g., The chords descended in spectacular style from the upper register to the lower.// e.g., The first descending row of chords is just magic, raising the little hairs on the back of a listener’s neck./// Descend to = Act in a shameful way that is far below one's usual standards; e.g., He was scrupulous (= (of a person or process) diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details; pronounced ˈskruː.pjə.ləs) in refusing to descend to misrepresentation.// e.g., Politics now dominates - and the level of civility descends to new lows.//// Descend into = (of a situation or group of people) reach an undesirable state; e.g., The army had descended into chaos.// e.g., In this situation, the system can handle substantial variability without descending into crisis.//// Descend on/upon = Make a sudden attack on; e.g., The militia (= a military force that is raised from the civil population to supplement a regular army in an emergency; pronounced mɪˈlɪʃ.ə) descended on Rye.// e.g., On 20 May 1941, German parachutists and assault gliders descended upon Crete (a Greek Island).//// Descend on/ upon = Make an unexpected visit to; e.g., Groups of visiting supporters descended on a local pub.// e.g., He was visiting his children when federal agents descended upon his ex-wife's house and took him away in handcuffs.////  (of a feeling) develop suddenly and affect a place or person; e.g., An air of gloom descended on Labor Party headquarters.// e.g., ‘I’m not sure if it was because of the laughing or because of the sudden depression that descended upon me.’ ///  (of night or darkness) begin to occur; e.g., As the winter darkness descended, the fighting ceased.// e.g., Darkness descended all to quickly upon the three riders in their silent but desperate flight.//// Be descended from = Be a blood relative of a specified ancestor; e.g., John Dalrymple was descended from an ancient Ayrshire family.// e.g., Their father was descended from three generations of sea captains.//// (of an asset) pass by inheritance, typically from parent to child; e.g., His lands descended to his eldest son.// e.g., He remarried, and after his own death in 1556, his property descended to his son William.

Descent (pronounced dɪˈsent) = (noun) (usually in singular) An action of moving downward, dropping, or falling.// Synonyms: dive, drop, fall.// e.g., The plane had gone into a steep descent.// e.g., The descent was fast, steep, and playfully technical in parts./// A downward slope; e.g., A steep, badly eroded descent.// e.g., Sheep grazed the slopes above them; the descent to the shore ended in a farmyard.///  A moral, social, or psychological decline; e.g., The ancient empire’s slow descent into barbarism.// e.g., ‘It is slightly worrying that I should become obsessed with this again and I think it may signal a descent into nervous break-down.’ /// (mass noun) The origin or background of a person regarding family or nationality. Synonyms: ancestry, parentage.// e.g., American families of Hungarian descent.// e.g., The settlers were of Cornish (= of or relating to Cornwall, or its people or language) descent.//// The transmission of qualities, property, or privileges by inheritance; e.g., The civil status of slaves in Tennessee, as well as in other states in which slavery existed, was such as to disable them from inheriting or transmitting property by descent.// e.g., Thus, at common law, an alien (= belonging to a foreign country or nation) can acquire or take real or personal property under a will, and may acquire or take personal property by descent./// Descend on = A sudden, violent attack e.g., A descent on the enemy airstrip.// e.g., A descent on the Channel ports.//// An unexpected visit; e.g., His descents on the manager of any shop he took a fancy to visit.// e.g., A section of patrol police made a sudden and unexpected descent upon an alleged gambling hell.

Airstrip = (noun) A strip of ground set aside for the takeoff and landing of aircraft. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Hahn_Air_Base_aerial_shelters_1977.JPEG  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrJ0A0CNMDo   and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB9fKCSc0Gg    and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSUbcFGzc4s   // e.g., The sodden airstrip and aircraft parking areas made flying operations almost impossible.

Sodden (pronounced ˈsɒd.(^ə)n) = (adjective) Saturated with liquid, especially water; soaked through.// Synonyms: soaking, soaked (through), wet (through), drenched.// See  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcfo3rjd4Wc and http://www.cotswoldallure.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Cotswold-Allure-Fashion-Clothing-Luxury.jpg and https://wordvomitwizard.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/21.jpg  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82OcfzIQMDw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdoKtZ5d38s and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeL6haYe2qw // e.g., Her clothes were sodden.// e.g., I looked out of the door at the sodden figure dancing joyously in the water from the sprinklers ‘I found the sodden mess in the laundry./// (in combination) Having drunk an excessive amount of a particular alcoholic drink; e.g., A whiskey-sodden criminal./// (verb with object) (archaic) Saturate something with water; e.g., River and watercourse levels rocketed which led to homes and businesses being soddened; 10 schools closed and the emergency services at full stretch.// e.g., The rains have soddened the earth.

Alert (as a verb) goes with or without ‘to’; e.g., ‘I alert people to the dangers of smoking’.// e.g.,  Mr. Smith did the game a service by alerting us to the dangers.// e.g., Marriages broke up, alerting women to the disadvantages of being financially dependent./// (without to) e.g., Police were alerted after two men drove away without paying.

Charisma (pronounced kəˈrɪzmə) (plural form: charismata) = (noun) Compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others. Synonyms: charm, force of personality, attractiveness.// e.g., She enchanted (= charmed) guests with her charisma.// e.g., He has tremendous charisma and stage presence.// e.g., He has got fantastic charisma, a great personality, wonderful kids and a wonderful wife./// A divinely (= connected with a god, or like a god (*)) conferred power or talent; e.g., ‘We have to learn to see such charismata when they appear; the charismatic phenomenon is essentially new and always surprising.’ // e.g., That was the charisma of divine gift that endowed (endow = provide with a quality, ability, or asset; pronounced ɪnˈdaʊ) for a time warriors, prophets, and even political leaders // e.g., The charisma of messianic (= relating or belonging to a messiah/ a speech or style very determined and full of emotion (*)) preachers has historically found an audience.

Anarchic (pronounced əˈnɑːkɪk) (the word ‘anarchistic’ does not exist) = (adjective) With no controlling rules or principles to give order; e.g., Anarchic society.// e.g., An anarchic and bitter civil war./// (of comedy or humor) uncontrolled by convention; e.g., His anarchic wit (= the ability to use words in a clever and humorous way).// e.g., The evening was rounded off with a screening of the anarchic comedy film ‘The Bed Sitting Room.’ // e.g., The anarchic sensibility of his early films seems to display that same enthusiasm.// e.g., His anarchic humor ((**) for the 1^st and last example).

Holistic (as a word goes only with ‘medicine’ and ‘approach’) =  (adjective) Characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole; e.g., ‘If so, a paradigm (= a typical example or pattern of something; a model; pronounced ˈpær.ə.daɪm) shift to the holistic approach might be managed.’//// Holistic medicine is characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease./// e.g., The following case study demonstrates how he combines all these areas to offer a holistic approach to treatment.// e.g., Our local strategy is based on a holistic view of healthcare that integrates primary, intermediate, and secondary care.

Paradigm (pronounced ˈpær.ə.daɪm ) = (noun) A typical example or pattern of something; a pattern or model; e.g., Society's paradigm of the ‘ideal woman.’ // e.g., One person can share a paradigm with the rest of society, and shift between different paradigms during their lifetime.// e.g., And yet he always takes art as the paradigm of human activity./// A worldview underlying the theories and methodology of a particular scientific subject ;e.g., The discovery of universal gravitation became the paradigm of successful science.// e.g., // e.g., Indian psychology doesn’t require verification in the modern Western research methodology paradigms.// e.g., This clash between scientific ideas and paradigms we label science politics.

Show respect to (vs.) Pay respects to

Show respect to someone/ something; e.g., We need to show respect to the environment.

‘Pay my respects to someone’ is used only for people.

Pay your respects = (formal) to visit someone in order to welcome or talk to them; e.g., ‘We went to pay our respects to our new neighbors’ (*).

Pay your last respects = to honor someone after their death, usually by going to the person’s funeral; e.g., ‘Friends and relatives came (at the funeral) to pay their last respects to Mrs. Smith’ (*).

Process (vs.) Process 

Process [(pronounced ˈprəʊsɛs) = (as a noun) A series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end; e.g., Military operations could jeopardize the peace process./// (verb with object) Perform a series of mechanical or chemical operations on something in order to change or preserve it; e.g., The salmon is quickly processed after harvest to preserve the flavor.// e.g., Processed food may contain preservatives and other additives.  (My comment: preservative is pronounced prɪˈzɜː.və.tɪv (for the spelling remember ‘pri–servatives’); not to be confused with ‘conservatives’ (pronounced kənˈsɜː.və.tɪv) that is related to politics!).

Process (pronounced prəˈsɛs) = (verb; no object, with adverbial of direction) (UK English) Walk or march in a procession; walk slowly; e.g., They stood at the back of the church ready to process down the aisle (= a passage between rows of seats in a building such as a church or theater, an airplane, or a train; pronounced aɪl).// e.g., We watched them process down the aisle ((**) for the last example).

Procession (pronounced prəˈsɛʃ(ə)n) = (noun) a number of people or vehicles moving forward in an orderly fashion, especially as part of a ceremony or festival. See (funeral procession)   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Funeral_Procession_-_15th_Century_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_16531.jpg and (Christian Easter passion procession) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Stuttgart_2009_040_%28RaBoe%29.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/060611_Mons_%2820%29.JPG and (Christian Easter procession) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Carreter%C3%ADa.jpg and (graduation procession) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Academic_dress_KCL.jpg // e.g., A funeral procession.// e.g., The London procession and ceremony were being televised live - TV cameras were allowed into Westminster Abbey for the first time.// e.g., The 60-minute performances feature traditional dances of the four regions, a wedding ceremony, wedding processions and a sword fight.//// (mass noun) The action of moving forward in an orderly way; e.g., The fully robed civic (= of or relating to a city or town, especially its administration; municipal; pronounced ˈsɪv.ɪk) dignitaries (dignitary = a person considered to be important because of high rank or office) walk in procession.// e.g., ‘Since I was well back in the procession of creeping vehicles, it took me a while to figure out what the hold-up was.’ //// A relentless succession (= a number of people or things sharing a specified characteristic and following one after the other) of people or things; e.g., Magistrates (magistrate = a civil officer or lay judge who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offenses and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones) complain that they see a procession of recidivist (= a convicted criminal who reoffends, especially repeatedly) minor offenders.// e.g., They streamed away like a procession of stars on the dark waters.// e.g., Marcus repeatedly casts life as a kind of death already, a procession of meaningless occurrences.//// (mass noun) (Theology) The emanation (= an abstract but perceptible thing that issues or originates from a source/ (in various mystical traditions) a being or force which is a manifestation of God) of the Holy Spirit.

Truck (vs.) Track (both as nouns)

Truck = a wheeled vehicle; e.g., A truck driver rams (ram = crash violently against something) crowd in Nice, France (from the media).

Track = a rough path or minor road, typically one beaten by use rather than constructed.// A continuous line of rails on a railroad.// A music track.

Season ticket = a ticket for a period of travel or a series of events that costs less than purchasing several separate tickets; e.g., Junior season ticket books cost $20 for home and away games plus cup competitions.// e.g., Booking is available for the three events and a season ticket is available // e.g., (as modifier) Season ticket holders.

Draw (as a noun/ verb, related to games with the meaning of finishing equal) = (noun) (UK English) A game or contest that ends with the score even (= equally balanced). Synonym = tie.// e.g., He scored twice to force a 3–3 draw.// e.g., ‘We always feel we’re able to win, but we end every match in a draw.’ // e.g.,  But despite his efforts, it's not enough: the points are still even (= equally balanced), and the match is a draw.//// (UK English) Finish a contest or game with an even score; e.g., (verb with object and complement) Brazil had drawn a stormy match 2–2.// e.g., (verb; no object, with complement) They drew 1–1 in 1988.// e.g., Along the way they have won 30 and drawn one, scoring 190 goals and conceding (concede = admit defeat in a match or contest) just 30.

Tie (tie – tied – tied) (as a noun/ verb, related to games with the meaning of with the meaning of finishing equal) = (noun) A result in a game or other competitive situation in which two or more competitors or teams have the same score or ranking; a draw; e.g., There was a tie for first place.// e.g., Meanwhile, the Knicks (basket team based in the borough of Manhattan, in NYC) have rallied to a tie, and the game is going to overtime.// e.g., If by chance the first half ended in a tie, the score of the second half would determine the winner of the game./// (intransitive verb) to finish at the same time or score the same number of points, etc. in a competition as someone or something else. Synonym = draw (UK English).// e.g., James and I tied (for 1^st place) in the spelling test.// e.g., We tied with a team from the north in the championships (^^).// e.g., Their competitors tied for second place with 60 points.

Be deadlocked = (verb with object) (of a contest or game) be in a tie (= a result in a game or other competitive situation in which two or more competitors or teams have the same score or ranking; a draw); e.g., After full-time and extra-time the teams were deadlocked at 2-2.// e.g., The opposing sides had been deadlocked at nil-nil (= 0-0), following an exciting first half.// e.g., However, with just 2 minutes left the score was deadlocked at 12-12.///(UK English) Secure a door with a deadlock; e.g., ‘I stood there watching him for five seconds and knew he couldn’t get out so ran out and deadlocked the front door.’ // e.g., The problem was that Mother had accidentally deadlocked the door.

Nil (pronounced nɪl) = (noun) zero, especially as a score in certain games; e.g., They beat us three-nil./// (adjective) Nonexistent; e.g., His chances of survival were slim, almost nil.

‘Downtown’ is an adjective and goes before noun; e.g. Downtown LA (Los Angeles).// e.g. A downtown address./// In North American English, ‘downtown’ is an adverb and follows a verb; e.g., ‘I  work downtown (not ‘in the downtown’), but I live in  the suburbs’ (^^).

Administration = (noun) The process or activity of running a                   business, organization, etc. Synonyms: management, direction, control, command, charge, conduct, operation, running, leadership.// e.g., The day-to-day administration of the company./// The officials in the executive branch of government under a particular chief executive; e.g., The Kennedy (JFK) administration sought to use the conference to repair US prestige.// e.g., The administration of the US president Donald Trump./// The action of dispensing, giving, or applying something; e.g., The oral (= taken by mouth) administration of the antibiotic (My comment:  we administer medicine).

Desperate (vs.) Disparate

Desperate = (adjective) Feeling, showing or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with; e.g., A desperate sadness enveloped Rita.//  e.g., Desperate Housewives (also an American TV series!).

Disparate (pronounced ˈdɪsp(ə)rət) = (adjective) essentially different; not allowing comparison; e.g., For us to succeed, it is essential for disparate groups to work together to achieve these common goals.// e.g., The difference between those and these findings may be due the disparate methodologies used.// e.g., Here the demand, however, is very diffuse, confused, composed of disparate elements./// Containing elements very different from one another; e.g., A culturally disparate country.// e.g., Instead, the exhibition drew out some of the common themes and ideas that emerged in what was a disparate group of works.// e.g., These guys they all have to impress; however, are quite a disparate bunch!

Disparity = (noun) A great difference; e.g., Economic disparities between different regions of the country.// (mass noun) e.g., The arrangements could lead to disparity of treatment between companies.// e.g., In part, this different history may have to do with the disparities between the 1^st and 2^nd waves of feminism.// e.g.,  Prevailing economic theory suggests that such information disparities can lead to market failure.

Motorcade = (noun) A procession (= a number of people or vehicles – vehicles here –  moving forward in an orderly fashion) of motor vehicles, typically carrying and escorting a prominent person. See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/President_George_W._Bush%27s_motorcade.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Posse_Dilma_2010_5.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Official_convoy_Op_Catalyst_Welcome_Home_Parade.JPG  and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukeAF0nICzI and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9tQLsDenqI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1hEzWDMhaw and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09qDIih5z4c // e.g., At five in the morning, a long motorcade entered the village.// e.g., ‘As the Presidential motorcade made its way toward us, we began shouting and waving our posters.’ /// e.g., A van driver was arrested after trying to merge with the US President's motorcade (from the media).

Bail-in (vs) Bailout (vs) Solvency/ Insolvency (vs) Default

Bail-in = (finance) an arrangement in which creditors of a failing financial institution are required to cancel some of its debts as part of a plan to save it from collapse; e.g., After the bailout, EU (European Union) governments agreed on rules aimed at making bail-ins the model for dealing with bank failures.

Bailout (1 word) = (finance) giving financial support to a company or country which faces serious financial difficulty or bankruptcy. It may also be used to allow a failing entity to fail gracefully without spreading contagion. A bailout can, but does not necessarily, avoid an insolvency process (*****).// e.g.,  Greece has emerged from controversial bailout programs that came with years of austerity (from the BBC).// e.g., The Federal Reserve’s successive bailouts have created a huge moral hazard problem.// e.g., The pension agency is a safety net, not a bailout for underfunded pensions. (My comment: as the western population is aging, the funding of the pension and Medicare system is already a worrying issue).

Solvency = (mass noun) (finance) The possession of assets in excess of liabilities (liability = the state of being responsible for something, especially by law); ability to pay one’s debts; e.g., The company was confident that solvency could be maintained.// e.g., Questions were raised about the financial solvency of the university.// e.g., The tax system is so full of holes that the country’s solvency is threatened ((**) for the last 2 examples).

Insolvency = (finance) the state of being unable to pay the money owed, by a person or company, on time; those in a state of insolvency are said to be insolvent. There are two forms: cash-flow insolvency and balance-sheet insolvency. Cash-flow insolvency = when a person or company has enough assets to pay what is owed but does not have the appropriate form of payment. For instance, a person may own a large house and an expensive car, but not have enough liquid assets to pay a debt when it falls due. Cash-flow insolvency can usually be resolved by negotiation. For instance, the bill collector may wait until the car is sold and the debtor agrees to pay the penalty. Balance-sheet insolvency = when a person or company does not have enough assets to pay all their debts. The person or company might enter bankruptcy, but not necessarily. Once a loss is accepted by all parties, negotiation is often able to resolve the situation without bankruptcy (*****).

Default (as a verb; in finance) = (intransitive verb) (finance) to fail to pay interest or other money that is owed.// default on a payment/ a mortgage/ my rent.// e.g., If a company defaults on its rent, another tenant can be found.// e.g., ‘I have never defaulted or been late with previous payments.’ // e.g., The company defaulted on a $100 million loan.// e.g., People who default on their mortgage repayments may have their home repossessed (*).

Default (as a verb; not related to finance) = (intransitive verb) (law) to fail to keep to an agreement or contract.// default on an agreement/ a contract.// e.g., They claimed that education providers had defaulted on their agreement with students to provide a course./// (IT) (Information Technology) to happen or appear automatically in a particular way, if a user does not make a different choice; e.g., ‘If you do not enter a value it will default to a delay of 15 seconds.’ /// Default to something (computers) = if a computer defaults to a way of operating, it automatically uses it if you don’t intentionally change it ((^^) for the last definition).

Default (as a noun) = (uncountable noun) the thing that exists or happens if you do not change it intentionally by performing an action; e.g., Unless something else is agreed, the default is to meet at the hotel at 8 p.m.// e.g., In default of (= because there is not) any better alternative, we will have to proceed with the original plan.//// (countable or uncountable noun) A failure to do something, such as pay a debt, that you legally have to do; e.g., Defaults on loan repayments have reached 60,000 a month.// e.g., Any default on your mortgage payments may mean you will lose your house.// e.g., Since they refuse to reply, I think we’ve won the argument by default (= because of their failure to act).// e.g., The national student loan default rate (= the number of people failing to pay) is estimated at one in ten.//// (uncountable noun) a standard setting esp. of computer software, such as of type size or style; e.g., The default color of text on the screen is black.// e.g., The computer will take 0 as the default value, unless you type in something different //// (sports) to win or lose by default is to win or lose because one side did not compete; e.g., (as uncountable noun) Humphrey never showed up, so Wilson won by default.//// (finance) the fact of not paying interest or other money that is owed on time; e.g., A default would raise interest rates in the future because the government would be seen as a higher-risk borrower.// e.g., Any default on the interest payments will have serious consequences.// e.g., Creditors are frequently obliged to terminate the consumer credit agreement because the debtor is in default.//// (Law) the fact of not keeping to an agreement or contract; e.g., There will be a joint government review of the agreement if there is any default.//// (IT) (Information Technology) the way that something will happen or appear automatically, especially on a computer, if you do not make any different choices; e.g., Checking this box means that your computer will now use this printer as the default.// e.g., This is the default setting, but you can change it by going to the Options menu.// e.g., We recommend using the defaults that are already set.// e.g., ‘I tried to open this link, but I was led to a default page’ (my example).

Avalanche (pronounced ˈæv.əl.ɑːntʃ ) = (noun) a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside. Synonym: snowslide.// See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Avalanche_on_Everest.JPGand https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Snowboarder_triggered_soft_slab_near_mount_baker.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Loose_snow_and_slab_avalanches_near_mt_shuksan.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bth2qt42SRg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzJ3cL3f1a0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brBSBBT8BlY // e.g., During interglacial periods the steep, unstable U-shaped valley sides are subject to mass movements such as rock falls and large rock avalanches.// e.g., He was swept to his death by an avalanche in 2003./// A large mass of mud or other material moving rapidly downhill; e.g., An avalanche of mud./// A sudden arrival or occurrence of something in overwhelming quantities; e.g., ‘We have had an avalanche of applications.’ /// (Physics) A cumulative process in which a fast-moving ion or electron generates further ions and electrons by collision;  e.g., These very intense fields in very low-pressure conditions generate an avalanche of electrons on to metals that can become destructive and cause losses in heavy investment./// (verb; no object) (of a mass of snow, ice, and rocks) descend rapidly down a mountainside; e.g., The snow had recently avalanched./// (verb with object) Engulf or carry off by an avalanche; e.g., The climbers were avalanched down the south face of the mountain./// (Physics) Undergo a rapid increase in conductivity due to an avalanche process; e.g., When they reach the tip, the avalanching electrons cancel the positive charge there.

Snowdrift = (noun) a bank of deep snow heaped up by the wind. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Women_on_top_of_snow_drift_near_City_Hall_%2816186848000%29.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Long_Mynd_snowdrift.jpeg and https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/e5/61/2a/snow-drift.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Tall_Snow_Drift_in_Kenosha%2C_Wisconsin.jpg and https://img00.deviantart.net/eba5/i/2009/015/b/b/winter_snow_drift_texture_5_by_fantasystock.jpg

Coffee vs. Cafe (cafe΄)  vs. Coffeehouse vs. Coffee shop vs. Cafeteria

Coffee = (noun) a drink made from the roasted and ground bean-like seeds of a tropical shrub served hot or iced. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/A_small_cup_of_coffee.JPG  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Fancy_a_cupper.jpg  // e.g., A cup of coffee./// The shrub (= a woody plant that is smaller than a tree and has several main stems arising at or near the ground) of the bedstraw family that yields the coffee seeds, two of which are contained in each red berry. For coffee arabica tree See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Coffee_Flowers_Show.jpg  For robusta coffee flowers See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Coffee_flowers.jpg   /// Native to the Old-World tropics, most coffee is grown in tropical America; e.g., Jamaica is an island of plantations where more exotic crops such as bananas, pineapples, cocoa, coffee, and sugar cane are grown.

Note: often the words ‘café,’ ‘coffeehouse,’ and ‘coffee shop’ are used interchangeably.

Cafe (or cafe΄) = (noun) a coffeehouse (mentioned below)./// A small restaurant selling light meals and drinks. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Pastries_sold_at_a_coffee_shop.jpg and https://u.tfstatic.com/restaurant_photos/147/220147/169/612/cafe-restaurant-amsterdam-restaurantzaal-055dc.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzP3Cvbv2Ys and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c72syrmE4Wo and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jQ5sdfT_10 // e.g., Urban dwellers may eat a light meal at a café or restaurant in the evening./// A bar or nightclub; e.g., ''We’d go to nightclubs and cafés, hear jazz bands play or go to open-air symphonies.'' /// A serving of coffee, especially prepared European-style; e.g., An assortment of cappuccinos and café mochas.

Coffeehouse (1 word) = (noun) a cafe or other place where coffee is served, sometimes also offering entertainment. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Baliuagjf1696_08.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Caf%C3%A9_de_Flore.jpg andhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Kafeneion_Ithaki.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Vincent_Willem_van_Gogh_-_Cafe_Terrace_at_Night_%28Yorck%29.jpg  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gt8WCS3hN8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KWIVj94jBQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUFqHmd_0fU  For Starbucks (I guess you all known it!) See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Original_Starbucks.jpg and  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Starbucks_boarded_up_after_riot.jpg

Coffee shop = a small, informal restaurant, as found in a hotel. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXc__5jfxGU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACUGqsUFOxQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5vm0bl6S04    /// (US English)  a casual, popular-priced restaurant similar to a diner (mentioned below).

Cafeteria = (noun) a restaurant or dining room in a school or a business in which customers serve themselves or are served from a counter and pay before eating. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xHrHkO6QD4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLSCPbciJMI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_b85XCgXac   For a school cafeteria See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Fruit-bar-pic-Web_-_Flickr_-_USDAgov.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Calhan_Colorado_High_School_Cafeteria_by_David_Shankbone.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Pirate_Champs_Cafe_2.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/PCC_Four_Winds_Dining_Facility_Interior.jpg  For a hospital cafeteria Seehttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Cafeteria_Server.jpg

Coffee pot = a covered container with a spout, in which coffee is made or served. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Coffeepot_MET_DP103144.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/DublinSterlingSilverHotWaterJug.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Cafeti%C3%A8re_7.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Moka2.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_G64Tv5ywU  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoLs_Zttmcg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnF1jmxAC3E and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJdoFZDwPMU

Coffeemaker (1 word) (or coffee machine) = cooking appliance used to brew (= make tea or coffee by mixing it with hot water; pronounced ) coffee. There are many different types of coffeemakers using several different brewing principles. In the most common devices, coffee grounds are placed in a paper or metal filter inside a funnel, which is set over a glass or ceramic coffee pot, a cooking pot in the kettle family. Cold water is poured into a separate chamber, which is then heated up to the boiling point, and directed into the funnel. This is also called automatic drip-brew (*****). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Perkulator.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Atomic_coffee_maker.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/French_press.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Wigomat-100.jpg

Diner (pronounced ˈdaɪ.nər) (not to be confused with ‘dinner’) = (noun) (US English) (in the US) a small restaurant found predominantly in the  US, Canada, and parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a combination of booths served by waitstaff and a long sit-down counter with direct service, in the smallest simply by a cook (*****). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/NYC_diner_Brooklyn.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Wellsboro_Diner_interior.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Annette%27s_Diner-_Table.jpg   /// Someone who is eating a meal, especially in a restaurant (^^).

Spaniard (pronounced ˈspanjəd) (beware of the pronunciation) = (noun) A native or inhabitant of Spain, or a person of Spanish descent. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Robert_Kemm_Granadinos.jpg  /// (also known as speargrass) A spiny rock plant of the parsley family, native to New Zealand. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Aciphylla_colensoi.jpg and http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora_images_large/Aciphylla-colensoi-colensoi.jpg

Warn (of/ that/ against/ infinitive (to)) = (reporting verb) Inform someone in advance of possible danger, problem, or other unpleasant situation.// (verb with object)  e.g., His father had warned him of what might happen./// (with direct speech) e.g., ‘He's going to humiliate you,’ James warned.// (verb; no object) e.g., Traffic signals warned of fog./// (with clause) e.g., The union warned that its members were going on strike./// (verb with object) Give someone cautionary advice about their actions or conduct; e.g., He warned the chancellor against raising taxes.// (verb with object and infinitive) e.g., Police warned people not to keep large amounts of cash in their homes.// (verb; no object) e.g., They warned against false optimism.

Fizzy (pronounced ˈfɪzi) = (adjective) (of a beverage) containing bubbles of gas; effervescent. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Soda_bubbles_macro.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2VaJVMyEHY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pJ5N6SbxZI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41TDwmuZNh4 // e.g., Fizzy drink.// e.g., Fizzy mineral water.// e.g., ‘I generally don't agree with the belief that you can drink fizzy wine with food, but I will make an exception for Lambrusco./// Full of energy or exuberance; lively (pronounced ˈlaɪv.li;      = full of life and energy; active and outgoing); e.g., Fizzy new wave pop.// e.g., She is a fizzy pop chick (= (slang) a young woman) who just wants to have fun.

Effervescent (pronounced ɛfəˈvɛsənt) = (adjective) (Of a liquid) giving off bubbles; fizzy (pronounced ˈfɪzi). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Soda_bubbles_macro.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2VaJVMyEHY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pJ5N6SbxZI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41TDwmuZNh4     // e.g., An effervescent mixture of cheap wine, fruit flavors, sugar, and carbon dioxide.// e.g., ‘It's effervescent and sparkly, but like champagne, it can become indigestible after prolonged exposure.’ /// Vivacious (= lively) and enthusiastic; e.g., Effervescent young people.// e.g., Her distinctive art is everywhere, adding color and a light-hearted atmosphere that reflects her effervescent personality.

Vivacious (pronounced vɪˈveɪ.ʃəs) = (adjective) (especially of a woman) Attractively lively (pronounced ˈlaɪv.li; = full of life and energy; active and outgoing) and animated; e.g., Her vivacious and elegant mother.// e.g., She was dark-haired and vivacious.// e.g., She was tiny, pretty, and vivacious, her sparkle compensating for lack of education.

Bitcoin = (noun) a type of digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of currency and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank (*****) e.g., Bitcoin rockets towards $10,000 mark and it ascent shows no signs of abating (= (of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread). However, analysts warn of bitcoin bubble (from the media).

Exclusive (vs.) Inclusive

Exclusive = (adjective) Excluding or not admitting other things; e.g., ‘My exclusive focus is on San Antonio issues.’// e.g., The list is not exclusive.// e.g., All too often, feminists focus in a nearly exclusive manner on the gender politics of their own nation.///  Unable to exist or be true if something else exists or is true; e.g.,  A third option, not mutually exclusive with option two, is working to create political change.// e.g., ‘Volume and quality are mutually exclusive.’ // e.g., You’d be convinced that smart and sexy were mutually exclusive!’ /// (of terms) excluding all but what is specified; e.g., The number I have been given at this point for our total revenue is $1,5 million, GST (= generation-skipping tax) exclusive.// e.g., ‘Yo’'re allowed to do anything with it you like, so long as you don't violate one of the exclusive rights reserved to the copyright owner.’ // e.g., And neither of those terms of respect are exclusive - in other words, there can be more than one innovator./// Restricted or limited to the person, group, or area concerned; e.g., The couple had exclusive possession of the flat.// e.g., The problem isn't exclusive to Dublin.// e.g., ‘What about beaches exclusive to people in birthday suits?’ / (of an item or story) not published or broadcast elsewhere; e.g., An exclusive interview.// e.g., ‘It's not as if CNN had an exclusive story and chose to bury it.’ // e.g., We have obtained now some exclusive video of the inside of that theater./// (of a commodity) not obtainable elsewhere; e.g., The group sold exclusive products for the Atkins diet.// e.g., ‘Look to manufacturers with patented, exclusive products and features.’ // e.g., It is expected that, following an EU ruling, the live rights to games will have to be shared with another television station, thereby lowering the value of what is currently an exclusive product for Sky (TV channel)./// Catering or available to only a few, select people; high class and expensive; e.g., A limited number of tickets are available for the exclusive event.// e.g., An exclusive Georgetown neighborhood.// e.g., One of Britain’s most exclusive clubs./// Exclusive of = not including; excepting; e.g., Prices are exclusive of VAT (= value added tax) and delivery.// e.g., This is exclusive of VAT, delivery, plates and road fund licence.// e.g., ‘Are the minimum policy limits inclusive or exclusive of interest?’ /// (noun) An item or story published or broadcast by only one source; e.g., The three media outlets that have broadcast or published exclusives about torture at Abu Ghraib.// e.g., There have been a number of newspaper exclusives about ongoing negotiations whereby prices are set to rise, and every journalist is telling the same story.// e.g., ‘In a time of flat or declining circulation, we want exclusives - we want separation from the pack (i.e., we want to distinguish).’

Inclusive = (adjective) Including all the services or items normally expected or required; e.g., A temporary Cambodian visa is arranged by the travel company at the inclusive price.// e.g., ‘Your Plan’, as it’s called, offers a variety of options including inclusive call time minutes and access to information services.// e.g., The inclusive price entitles you to a discounted drink on your next visit. //// Inclusive of = containing a specified element as part of a whole; e.g., All prices are inclusive of VAT.// e.g., The rate is inclusive of food and cultural programs.// e.g., The cost inclusive of the island fee and the boat trip will be $20.//// (postpositive) Including the limits specified; e.g., Between the ages of 45 and 49 inclusive.// e.g., The offer is available until mid-May and is limited from Sundays to Fridays inclusive./// Not excluding any section of society or any party involved in something; e.g., Only an inclusive peace process will end the conflict.// e.g., An inclusive God, it would seem, requires an inclusive sacramental system as well.// e.g., The organizations that provide mental health services have to be flexible, inclusive and accessible, and share information and resources./// (of language) deliberately avoiding usages that could be seen as excluding a particular social group, for example avoiding the use of masculine pronouns to cover both men and women; e.g., ‘What's wrong with inclusive, gender-neutral language?’ // e.g., The publication guidelines of the American Psychological Association stress the use of nonsexist, inclusive language.// e.g., Coming from the United Trades and Labor Council, we’d been through the battles of using non-sexist and inclusive language.

Defer (vs.) Differ (vs.) Deter

Defer ((pronounced (dɪˈfəː) = (verb with object) Put off an action or event to a later time; postpone; e.g., They deferred the decision until Wednesday.// e.g., In such cases, one of the families may be asked to consider deferring their funeral until the following day.//e.g., The elections were deferred./// (Law) (of a judge) Postpone a sentence so that the circumstances or conduct of the defendant can be further assessed; e.g., The judge deferred sentence (= the punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court, or fixed by law for a particular offense) until 15 April for background reports.// e.g., Sentence was deferred until May 10, 2018, to allow him to attend the care and respect program./// (US) (historical) Postpone the conscription (= compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces) of someone; e.g., He was no longer deferred from the draft./// Defer to = (verb; no object) Submit to or acknowledge the merit (= the quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward) of; e.g., He deferred to Tom’s superior knowledge.// e.g.,  ‘Yes, I would say that, in fact, when it comes to fiction, if I disagree, I defer to Mr. Smith, because he’s the fiction writer.’ // e.g., ‘I always defer to Mr. Smith when it comes to horses - he is the expert and I would be foolish not to.’

Differ (pronounced ˈdɪfə(r)) (beware of the pronunciation!) = (verb; no object) Be unlike or dissimilar; e.g., The second set of data differed from the first.// e.g., Tastes differ, especially in cars.// e.g., Widely differing circumstances./// Disagree; e.g., He differed from his contemporaries in ethical matters.// e.g., ‘I personally would argue strongly for the right of anyone to differ with me.’ // e.g., Conservatives differ in terms of which of these approaches we think is the best.//// Agree to differ = (phrase) Cease to argue about something because neither party will compromise or be persuaded; e.g., We obviously can’t just agree to differ on these kinds of questions.// e.g., And we now agree to differ on some of the points which he and I earlier had a debate about.

Deter  (pronounced dɪˈtəː) (beware of the pronunciation) = (verb with object) Discourage someone from doing something, typically by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences; e.g., Only a health problem would deter him from seeking re-election.// e.g.,  Share prices have dived by 30% this week amid warnings that fear of terrorism is deterring customers.// e.g., A minister said schools, colleges and universities must play their part in deterring young people from turning to extremism./// Prevent the occurrence of; e.g., Strategists think not only about how to deter war but about how a war might occur.// e.g., The point of the first war against Iraq was to deter such aggression wherever it might occur.// e.g., To be sure, it has a general interest in peace and stability on the Asian mainland and a specific interest in deterring nuclear war between other states.

Temper (pronounced ˈtem.pə(^r) = (noun) (in singular) A person’s state of mind seen in terms of their being angry or calm; e.g., He rushed out in a very bad temper./// A tendency to become angry easily; e.g., ‘I know my temper gets the better of me at times.’ /// An angry state of mind; e.g., ‘He had walked out in a temper.’ // e.g., As the temperature rose, tempers frayed (tempers fray = to gradually become upset or annoyed (*))./// (mass noun) e.g., ‘I only said it in a fit of temper.’  /// (mass noun) The degree of hardness and elasticity in steel or other metal; e.g., The blade rapidly heats up and the metal loses its temper.// e.g., Alloys (alloy = a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion; pronounced ˈæl.ɔɪ) in the T4 temper are susceptible to room-temperature aging./// (verb with object) Improve the hardness and elasticity of steel or other metal by reheating and then cooling it. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Tempering_standards_used_in_blacksmithing.JPG  and  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Differentially_tempered_sword.jpg and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulfCxDsVTWo and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGF0SgnZuwk  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__3vmtFFy3s  //  e.g., The way a smith ((suffix) = someone who makes things out of metal, especially by heating it and hitting it with a hammer (*)) would temper a sword.// e.g., Tempered steel pins./// Improve the consistency or resiliency (= the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness) of a substance by heating it or adding particular substances to it; e.g., The display (= a collection of objects arranged for public viewing) is a single sheet of glass, tempered for strength.// e.g., Hardboard (= stiff board made of compressed and treated wood pulp; not to be confused with ‘cardboard’) tempered with oil or resin is more durable (= able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage)./// Act as a neutralizing or counterbalancing force to something; e.g., Their idealism is tempered with realism.// e.g., Their peacefulness is tempered with readiness and realism.// e.g., Coconut milk tempers the spices of the green curry fish, so it works with the cherry, smoky plum, and other flavors in the Pinot Noir./// (formal) (transitive verb) To make something less strong, extreme, etc.// e.g., ‘My enthusiasm for the venture was tempered by my knowledge of the hard work that would be involved.’ // e.g., ‘I learned to temper my criticism.’ /// (transitive verb) To lessen the force or effect of something; e.g., ‘Perhaps you should temper your language’ ((*) for the last 2 definitions)./// Tune a piano or other instrument to adjust the note intervals correctly. See (piano) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09n-Inr7VSA  and (piano) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQjsCNJjwxI and (guitar) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CYOHwNeLyw   // e.g., In tempering the piano, we narrow the fifths and widen the fourths.

Turbulence (pronounced ˈtəːbjʊl(ə)ns) = (mass noun) Violent or unsteady movement of air or water, or of some other fluid. For turbulence on a (plane) flight See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWpRc07X_AU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UO-wYpNN0s and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te1lwciuKnI  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8ImO6BcPW0  // e.g., The plane shuddered (= trembled) as it entered some turbulence.// e.g., The entire ship trembled slightly as it ran through severe turbulence./// A state of conflict or confusion; e.g., They would not carry the research overheads of universities and would remain free of political turbulence.// e.g., Gandhi’s answer to the turbulence was to fast (= to eat no food for a period of time) until the protagonists stopped their battles.’ // e.g., The political and economic turbulence of the Civil War years intensified their troubles.

Robust (pronounced rə(ʊ)ˈbʌst) (My comment: origin from the Latin ‘robustus’ (= firm and hard); e.g., Homo robustus) = (adjective) Strong and healthy; vigorous; e.g., The Dalton family are a robust lot (= a group of people (*) – here it means family).// e.g., Not only are the transgenic tomatoes richer in lycopene (an antioxidant), they are also more robust and more solid compared to traditional tomatoes.// e.g., Happily most employees are sufficiently robust to withstand the stress of a heavy workload./// (of an object) sturdy (= strongly and solidly built; pronounced ˈstɜː.di) in construction; e.g., A robust metal cabinet.// e.g., They recommend new buildings to be more robust to sustain extreme weather events, such as hurricanes.///  (of a system, organization, etc.) able to withstand or overcome adverse conditions; e.g., The country’s political system has continued to be robust in spite of its economic problems.// e.g., We need to help businesses make themselves more robust for the future.// e.g., Speculative investors continue to eye the company’s balance sheet which remains relatively robust.///  Uncompromising (= showing an unwillingness to make concessions to others, especially by changing one's ways or opinions) and forceful; e.g., He took quite a robust view of my case.// e.g., We have had a very robust debate this afternoon.// e.g., There will be even less robust debate and argument, as everybody runs scared of being accused of bullying.//// (of wine or food) strong and rich in flavor or smell; e.g., A robust mixture of fish, onions, capers, and tomatoes.// e.g., ‘You're planning a dinner for eight important guests and want the perfect robust red (wine) to go with filet mignon

Flimsy (pronounced ˈflɪmzi) = (adjective)  Insubstantial and easily damaged; e.g., A flimsy barrier.// e.g., The majority are trying to reach the Canary Islands in flimsy boats.// e.g., Flimsy tents in refugee (pronounced ˌref.juˈdʒiː) camps./// (of clothing) very light and thin; e.g., The flimsy garment fell from her.// e.g., There was a woman too, dressed in a flimsy robe, curled up in a chair just to the side of the big man.// e.g., The longer, flimsy skirt hanging out of a coat is a rather edgy trend right now./// (of a pretext or account) weak and unconvincing; e.g., A pretty flimsy excuse.// e.g., But my flimsy excuses and confusing metaphors weren’t enough to keep myself convinced.// e.g., Any evidence by such an expert would have been based on the flimsiest foundation./// (noun) (UK English) A document, especially a copy, made on very thin paper; e.g., Credit-card flimsies./// (mass noun) Very thin paper; e.g., Sheets of yellow flimsy.

Insubstantial vs. Unsubstantial 

Insubstantial = (adjective) not enough or not strong enough; e.g., Insubstantial evidence.// e.g., An insubstantial meal./// (literary) not existing as a physical person or thing; e.g., She seemed somehow insubstantial - a shadow of a woman.//// Of little value or importance, or not being strong, solid, or large; e.g., She was popular during the 1990s, but today her work seems dated and insubstantial (*).

Unsubstantial = (adjective) Having little or no solidity, reality, or factual basis; e.g., It's a waste of calories in an unsubstantial meal.// e.g., It is also referring to unsubstantial talk or writing.// e.g.,  Not only were the figures’ words vague, but they were also unsubstantial, confusing and pointless.

Sustainability = (mass noun) The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level; e.g., The sustainability of economic growth.// e.g., Schemes (pronounced skiːms) to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.// e.g., Healthy soil is identified as the first priority for long-term sustainability of food production.////  Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance; e.g., The pursuit of global environmental sustainability.// e.g., The ecological sustainability of the planet.// e.g., People are concerned about the ecological sustainability of marine farming.

Coughing fit = a sudden period of coughing (*). See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7r8T6JYPj0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C12ZvOJNfs  and    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDYi6u58O7o   // e.g. The British PM battles a conference coughing fit (from the media).

Debunk (pronounced diːˈbʌŋk) = (verb with object) Expose the falseness or hollowness of an idea or belief; e.g., He debunks all the usual rubbish about acting.// e.g., In a few pages, he debunks the idea that testosterone makes men behave as they do.// e.g., He debunked a Western belief that health is synonymous with mediocrity (= the quality or state of being mediocre (pronounced ˌmiː.diˈəʊ.kə(^r)), i.e., of only moderate quality; not very good; pronounced ˌmiː.diˈɒk.rə.ti) and suffering with art./// Reduce the inflated reputation of someone; e.g., Comedy takes delight in debunking heroes.// e.g., This is the man who spends much energy trying to debunk Mother Theresa.// e.g., It’s just not worth debunking someone who has no credibility in the first place.

Melt (vs) Molten

Melt = (verb) become liquid. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Melting_icecubes.gif   // e.g., The snow usually melts by mid-March.// e.g., ‘Melt the chocolate slowly so that it doesn’t burn (^^^).

Molten = (adjective) (especially of materials with a high melting point, such as metal and glass) liquefied by heat; e.g., One of the most important applications of silicon is its use as a deoxidizer in molten steel.// e.g., Molten glass/ lava/ lead ((^^^) for the last example).

Package vs. Packed

Packaged = (verb) To put goods into boxes or containers to be sold; e.g., These organic olives are packaged in recycled glass containers.//// (adjective) Sold already prepared in a container, usually one made of paper or cardboard; e.g., Packaged food/ soup/ cereals (^^).

Packed = (adjective) full; e.g., This book is packed with useful information.// e.g., ‘The train was so packed that I couldn’t find a seat’ (^^)).// e.g., A large, densely packed crowd of people.

Funnel (pronounced ˈfʌn(ə)l) (beware of the pronunciation) = (noun) A tube or pipe that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening. See http://cdn.app.compendium.com/uploads/user/e7c690e8-6ff9-102a-ac6d-e4aebca50425/606f48b6-054a-474f-a0c8-452d2bd907d0/Image/410bfafb342a45a71cff4f14a85d93e3/b2b_content_funnel.jpg and   https://blog.marketo.com/content/uploads/2016/11/4-Ways-to-Optimize-the-Middle-of-the-Funnel-.jpg and https://media.sproutsocial.com/uploads/2017/03/How-to-Build-a-Social-Media-Marketing-Funnel-That-Converts.png   For a kitchen funnel See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Kitchen_Funnel.jpg  For a ship (chimney) funnel See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/RMS_Titanic_3.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Old_and_new_%28518089725%29.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Astor_Funnel_Tallinn_31_August_2012.JPG  For a funnel chart See https://www.amcharts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/demo_4802_light.jpg  and https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/112139/file-19350552-jpg/images/funnel-resized-600.jpg?t=1409339238750  For a purchase funnel diagram See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Purchase-funnel-diagram.svg  For a funnel hat See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Hieronymus_Bosch-Removing_the_Rocks_from_the_Head-Detail.jpg  For a funnel-shaped cloud See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/F5_tornado_funnel_cloud_Elie_Manitoba_2007.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Funnel_cloud3_-_NOAA.jpg  // e.g., They were shaped differently, more cylindrical, with longer, more narrow funnels at their bases./// A thing resembling a funnel in shape or function; e.g., A funnel of light fell from a circular ceiling.// e.g., They were close to the middle of the cloud funnel./// A metal chimney on a ship or steam engine. See   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Astor_Funnel_Tallinn_31_August_2012.JPG/220px-Astor_Funnel_Tallinn_31_August_2012.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Old_and_new_%28518089725%29.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/SS_France_in_its_avatar_of_Blue_Lady_awaits_the_ship_breakers_at_Alang%2C_August%2C_2007.jpg  // e.g., Through the snow outside, he could see the image of the ship's funnel against the sky./// Funnel cake = a regional food popular in North America at carnivals, fairs, sporting events, and seaside resorts ((*****) for this). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Oregon_State_Fair_funnel_cake.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Funnel_Cake_With_no_Toppings.jpeg  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJlQNm4NKsA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzhzYSa2xok //// (verb with object and adverbial of direction) Guide or channel something through or as if through a funnel; e.g., Some $13 billion was funneled through the Marshall Plan.// (verb; no object, with adverbial of direction) Move or be guided through or as if through a funnel; e.g., The wind funneled down through the valley./// (verb; no object) Take on the shape of a funnel by widening or narrowing at the end; e.g., The crevice (= a small, narrow crack or space, especially on the surface of rock) funneled out.

Vogue (pronounced vəʊɡ) (My comment: I think most of you know the ‘Vogue’ magazine. But what is the meaning of this word?) = (noun) The prevailing fashion or style at a particular time; e.g., The vogue is to make realistic films.// e.g., There was a brief vogue for black brick in the 1960s, and all the buildings looked just like this.// e.g., The current vogue for silent film screenings accompanied by live music is truly international./// (mass noun) General acceptance or favor; popularity e.g., Crochet garments are in vogue this season.// e.g.,  Preservation of old growth forest wasn’t in vogue at the time, according to Graham.// e.g.,  City living is back in vogue.///  (attributive) (adjective) Popular; fashionable; e.g., ‘Citizenship’ was to be the government’s vogue word.// e.g.,  Florida is responsible for the vogue notion that the growth and prosperity of modern cities are fueled by the ‘creative class’, and the extent to which a city caters for their tastes and interests./// (verb; no object) Dance to music in such a way as to imitate the characteristic poses struck by a model on a catwalk. See  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qknnRiPCtzY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUcCLOk9M5Y  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBd8Ixkx6nI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No3O0zFljfQ   // e.g.,  ‘I ‘ vogued’ down the street and at parties with my friends.’

Four-wheel drive (4DW) jeep (4x4) = a transmission system which provides power directly to all four wheels of a vehicle. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Jeep_Wrangler_TJ.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/C4500_GM_4x4_Medium_duty_trucks.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/4x4HD_International_Workstar.jpg  and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmBJGWzvO4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iggvXTKVuMg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqJcJ_g-gjI  // e.g., The tractor has four-wheel drive as standard.// e.g., (as modifier) A four-wheel-drive truck./// A vehicle with four-wheel drive, typically designed for off-road driving; e.g., Down the track (= a rough path or minor road, typically one beaten by use rather than constructed) came a powerful Japanese four-wheel drive.

All-wheel drive (AWD) = a transmission system that always operates in four-wheel drive and does not alternate with two-wheel drive. See   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Hayes_Arbegui_2010.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/M1070_HET_in_Fort_Knox.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Jeep_Wrangler_TJ.jpg  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnYsQ5NXOIs and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPZmP4JWJcg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVvmU-VXEzI  

Winnings = (plural noun) money won, especially by gambling; e.g., He went to collect his winnings.// e.g., He does acknowledge that he was able to acquire his rental property with $30,000 from his winnings as a down payment.// e.g., He just needed to pay a $700 authorization fee to begin collecting his winnings.// e.g., ‘What are you going to spend your winnings on?’ (My comment: we spend/ waste money on something) ((**) for the last example).

Apt = (adjective) Appropriate or suitable in the circumstances; e.g., Peter’s apt comments summed up our opinions.// e.g., An apt comment/ description ((**) for the first 2 examples).// e.g., The theme could not be more apt.// e.g., ‘I spoke to two senior players last night and it is apt to say that they are confused.’// e.g., It really does look like a jungle, so his description was apt./// (predicative, with infinitive) Tending to do something; e.g., This is the kind of non-controversy that is apt to generate more confusion than clarity.// e.g., ‘You are less apt to waste time making decisions, and you are quick to act on your ideas.’ // e.g., ‘The elderly are apt to use older technology that for younger individuals may seem obsolete’ (my example)./// Quick to learn; e.g., He proved an apt pupil.// e.g., The skillful presentation of the research shows that he has been an apt scholar in the school of Western methodology.// e.g., It takes one of apt intellectual capacity to be able to process that entire sentence.// e.g., ‘We have some particularly apt students in the class this year’ ((**) for this example)./// To be likely to do something or to do something often; e.g., The kitchen roof is apt to (= likely to) leak when it rains.// e.g., He’s in his eighties now and apt to be a little forgetful ((*) for the previous definition and examples)./// Aptly (adverb); e.g., ‘We spent a week at the aptly named Grand View Hotel.’ // e.g., He was very tall and was aptly called ‘Stretch.’ //// Aptness (noun); e.g., The aptness of his comment ((*) for the 2 previous examples)./// Abbreviation for apartment ((*) for the last definition).

Redeem (pronounced rɪˈdiːm) (My comment: a common biblical word used for ‘sins’ redeemed by the grace of God) = (verb with object) Compensate for the faults or bad aspects of; e.g., A disappointing debate redeemed only by an outstanding speech.// e.g., This is a fantastic disc, which completely redeems the first one.// e.g.,  Mitnick is portrayed as a fat, annoying and somewhat evil man with few redeeming qualities./// Redeem oneself = do something that compensates for poor past performance or behavior; e.g., The show was so on its way to redeeming itself the past few weeks and then this.// e.g., Australia redeemed themselves by dismissing India for 150.// e.g., Andrew reaches new levels of hopelessness, but seemingly redeems himself at the end./// Atone (= make amends or reparation) or make amends (= make minor changes to a text, piece of legislation, etc. in order to make it fairer or more accurate, or to reflect changing circumstances) for a sin, error, or evil deeds; e.g., The thief on the cross who by a single act redeemed a life of evil. (My comment: this act was to ask the crucified Jesus to show mercy and remember him when he entered the kingdom of heaven; thus, he became the first tenant of the Paradise!)// e.g., But, as with our slowness to believe we are sinners, so we are slow to believe sin can really be redeemed./// Save someone from sin, error, or evil; e.g., He was a sinner, redeemed by the grace of God.// e.g., ‘Can such an evil character possibly be redeemed?’ /// Gain or regain possession of something in exchange for payment; e.g., Statutes (= written laws passed by a legislative body) enabled state peasants to redeem their land’.// e.g., Equally important, the Dictum (= a formal pronouncement from an authoritative source) offered rebels deprived of their lands the opportunity of redeeming them, for sums calculated in proportion to their involvement in the rebellion./// (Finance) Repay a stock, bond, or another instrument at the maturity date; e.g., This is not a guarantee that the bond will not be redeemed early.// e.g., ‘On January 1, 2018, you are entitled to redeem the matured bond to the issuer and receive your $1,200 initial investment.’ // e.g., Its balance sheet is burdened by long-term debt and preferred stock that must be redeemed./// Exchange a coupon, voucher, or trading stamp for goods, a discount, or money; e.g., They are then sent an electronic ‘voucher’ which can be redeemed in shops across the UK.// e.g., The voucher can be redeemed when the kit is set up ready for its inhabitants.// e.g., ‘You then get an SMS (text message) ‘drinks voucher’ which bar staff will redeem upon presentation of your cell phone.’ /// Pay the necessary money to clear a debt; e.g., Owners were unable to redeem their mortgages.// e.g., There are wars to be fought and government debts to be redeemed.// e.g., Alfa’s fixed assets could not redeem its debts./// (archaic) Free oneself or another from slavery or captivity by paying a ransom; e.g., The captive had to mortgage his lands to raise the money to redeem himself./// Fulfill or carry out a pledge or promise; e.g., The party prepared to redeem the pledges of the past four years.// e.g., 100 years is too long to wait for promises to be redeemed and a bond of trust to be honored.// e.g., When independence finally came, in August 1947, Gandhi thought it time to redeem his party’s old promise.

Grass (as a verb) = (verb with object) Cover an area of ground with grass; e.g., The railway tracks were mostly grassed over./// (US English) Feed livestock on grass; e.g., There are 500 Highland cattle grassed 10 months./// (verb) (informal) (UK English) Inform the police of someone’s criminal activities or plans; (verb; no object) e.g., Someone had grassed on the thieves.// (verb with object) e.g., He threatened to grass me up.// e.g., ‘He grassed them up for the robbery’ (my example)./// Catch and bring a fish to the riverbank; e.g., Anglers grassed 200 trout (=(plural noun) a freshwater fish; pronounced traʊt)./// (Australian English) (Rugby) Knock someone down; e.g., The big man has been in the thick of the action during the ill-tempered series and his chief tormentor, grassed him on two, the slip-up proving costly for the home side.

Angler (pronounced ˈæŋ.ɡlə(^r)) = (noun) A person who fishes with a rod and line; e.g., A carp (= a freshwater fish) angler.// e.g., ‘We were the last group of anglers to fish Colin Lake before it closed down for the winter months.’// e.g., The trout (=(plural noun) a freshwater fish; pronounced traʊt) were large and fair of flesh, and in proper weather, they rose pretty freely and could be taken by an angler wading from the shore ((**) for the last example)./// Short for ‘anglerfish.’

Anglerfish = (noun) a fish of the teleost order Lophiiformes. It is a bony fish named for its characteristic mode of predation, in which a fleshy growth from the fish’s head acts as a lure. Some anglerfish are also notable for extreme sexual dimorphism and sexual symbiosis of the small male with the much larger female, seen in the suborder Ceratioidei. In these species, males may be several orders of magnitude smaller than females (*****). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Humpback_anglerfish.png  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Striped_anglerfish_%28_Antennarius_striatus_%29.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Red-lipped_Bat_fish.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Humpback_Anglerfish_%28Melanocetus_Johnsonii%29.jpg

Tate murders = a series of killings conducted by members of the Manson Family on August 8-9 (but we say ‘in August’), 1969, which claimed the lives of five people, one of them pregnant. The Manson Family was a commune established in California in the late 1960s, led by Charles Manson. They gained national notoriety after the murder of the actress Sharon Tate and four others on August 9, 1969, by members of the Family, acting under the instructions of Charles Manson. Group members were also responsible for several other murders and assaults. Manson was originally sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted (commute = reduce a judicial sentence, especially a sentence of death, to one less severe) to life (sentence) with the possibility of parole (= the release of a prisoner temporarily, for a special purpose, or permanently before the completion of a sentence, on the promise of good behavior) after California invalidated the state's death penalty statute in 1972.  He died in prison on November 19, 2017 (*****).

Unincorporated territories of the US = areas controlled by the US government which is not part of (i.e., ‘incorporated’ in) the United States. In unincorporated territories, the U.S. Constitution applies only partially. In the absence of an organic law, a territory is classified as unorganized. In unincorporated territories, ‘fundamental rights apply as a matter of law, but other constitutional rights are not available.’ Selected constitutional provisions apply. There are currently 13 unincorporated territories containing a population of approximately 4 million people. Puerto Rico alone comprises the vast majority of both the total area and total population (*****).

At/ by /to someone’s side (vs.) someone’s side (of something)

At/ by/ to someone’s side = a place or position closely adjacent to someone; e.g., His wife stood at his side.// e.g., Police are hunting a man who tried to snatch a three-year-old boy as he walked by his mother’s side.// e.g., She frowned at her creation as it faded from the glass then returned to her mother’s side.// e.g., His father, closest to him, grabbed the child while his mother raced to his side.

Someone’s side (of something) = the position, interests, or attitude of one person or group, especially when regarded as being in opposition to another or others; e.g., Mrs. Smith hasn’t kept her side of the bargain.// e.g., ‘I would like to have heard his side of the argument.’// e.g., Similarities also exist between the left and the interests on the other side of the issue.// e.g., It is interesting that the opposition to the bill (= a formal statement of a planned new law that is discussed before being voted on (*)) fell on both sides of that argument.// e.g., They aim to provide a neutral space to enable people to hear all sides of the argument on Europe and to have their say, in their own areas.

Slum (vs) Slam

Slum (favela in Brazil) = (noun) A squalid and overcrowded urban street or district inhabited by very poor people. For a slum area See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Jacob_Riis_-_Bandits%27_Roost.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Les_enfants_de_la_zone_%28Ivry%2C_1913%29.jpeg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Jakarta_slumhome_2.jpg  and https://lebbeuswoods.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/slum-mumbai1a.jpg  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBMDGcYWPvU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKKib888EAY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK8OwEiKe7A  ///// Favela = a low-income historically informal urban area in Brazil (*****). For Brazilian favelas See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/1_rocinha_favela_closeup.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/1_rio_de_janeiro_slum_2010.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Favela_cantagalo.JPG and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3BRTlHFpBU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE-YgRT6xd0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKKib888EAY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxOP6uM2_Oc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK8OwEiKe7A  For Skid Row (slum of Los Angeles) (My comment: the dark side of this glamorous city!) See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Los_Angeles_Skid_Row.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/If_you_lived_here%2C_you%27d_be_home_now.jpg  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1kqyAnPOpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juMX31y329E and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTJWdtX90C0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRtPx-G263Y // e.g., Inner-city slums.// e.g., The area was fast becoming a slum./// (as modifier) e.g., Slum areas.// e.g., Slum dwellers./// A house or building unfit for human habitation; e.g., She moved from a two-room slum into a local authority house.// e.g.,  Most poor Hindu women had no inhibitions about working, whether they lived in slums or tenements../// (Informal) Spend time at a lower social level than one’s own through curiosity or for charitable purposes; e.g. She bought some 2^nd-hand clothes and slummed among the metropolis’s underprivileged.// e.g., ‘When I went slumming like this, I wanted to cruise the bad slums.’ /// Slum it = put up with conditions that are less comfortable or of a lower quality than one is used to; e.g., Businessmen must slum it in aircraft economy class seats.// e.g., Even by the unhygienic standards of most student digs (= lodgings), this particular house is slumming it.

Slam = (verb with object) Shut a door, window, or lid forcefully and loudly. For slamming a door See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu_vu3eXRV0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00nnnSql7kM and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HggjNCPnkS4   and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG9HZY4yCmM For a car door See   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt2dr5yxNtc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT0GkxexBGY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8ssEDU7yy0 For a door slam stopper See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=171VClvlKI8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAWAAR4lq1g  // e.g., He slams the door behind him as he leaves.// e.g., As she slammed the door shut behind her, she looked around the street./// (verb; no object) Be closed forcefully and loudly; e.g., He heard a car door slam./// (verb with object and adverbial) Push or put something somewhere with great force; e.g., He slammed down the phone.// e.g., ‘I want to grab the bad guy by the cuffs and slam him face-first onto the hood of my car.’ // e.g., The force from the explosion slammed me against the opposite wall hard./// Slam into = (verb; no object) Crash into; collide heavily with. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsqeD9IfQt0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9kh1RxKrfQ   and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I-5Ae9s3zQ   and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8i4GfFP9-0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exutl8YkruY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA8CxSD0B_o // e.g., The car mounted the pavement, slamming into a lamp post.// e.g., ‘I heard a loud thump (= the sound of something heavy hitting something (*)) as he slammed right into it at full speed.’ // e.g., Denis slammed head first into a tree, and all present heard the crunching sound./// (informal with object and adverbial of direction) Hit something with great force in a particular direction. [Slam dunk (dank = (basketball) = score by shooting the ball down through the basket with the hands above the rim). See  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Tyson_Chandler.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/JuliusErvingSlamDunk1981.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/20130126_Kendall_Pollard_makes_baseline_dunk_at_Simeon-Whitney_Young_game_%283%29.JPG and   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41-aD2vlWcU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJOOJuGTux0  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZFQPupSEnk ] // e.g., He slammed a shot into the net./// Put something into action suddenly or forcefully; e.g., ‘I slammed on the brakes.’ // e.g., Josh slammed on the gas and drove around to get onto the street.// e.g., Then his mouth slammed down on the smile as his right foot slammed down on the brakes.//// (verb; no object, with adverbial of direction) Move violently or loudly; e.g., He slammed out of the room.// e.g., His upper body slammed into the damp ground, snapping his head around painfully.///  (informal) (US English) Score points against or gain a victory over someone easily; e.g., The Blue Devils slammed Kansas to win the title./// Short for slam-dance (usually as noun slam-dancing) = (My comment: I think they do it in heavy metal) (North American English) Take part in a form of dancing to rock music in which people deliberately collide with one another. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4BIM92ZTw4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30H4sGO0_B8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDXkOxzNzpY and (1950s!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuIjts-muKg and (1980s) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBET33STP7s and (a kid slam dancing) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMUccNpD9Is //// (informal) Criticize severely; e.g., The new TV soap (= soap opera) was slammed as being cynical and irresponsible.// e.g., The critics have slammed the film remorselessly (remorseless = without regret or guilt).// e.g., Critics slammed the price of the hardware and the cost of sending and receiving emails.//// (usually as noun) Slamming = (Of a telephone company) take over the account of a telephone customer without their permission; e.g., This proceeding represents the first joint federal/ state effort against a company engaged in slamming.// e.g., ComReg also proposes an end to slamming where a customer has been signed over to a new supplier without consent./// (noun) A loud bang caused by the forceful shutting of something such as a door; e.g., The door closed with a slam.// e.g., Suddenly, a loud slam of the door made both of them sit up, startled (startle = cause a person or animal to feel sudden shock or alarm)./// (usually) ‘The slam’ = (informal) (US English) Prison; e.g., ‘If he challenged the judge, he was definitely going to the slam.’ // e.g., It could be fear, fear of the slam, and then that dictates to them what they should do.//// (US English) A poetry contest in which competitors recite their entries and are judged by members of the audience, the winner being elected after several elimination rounds. For poetry slam See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Digiluule_Slam_Arvamusfestivali_kohvikualal_04.jpg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5GxVJTqCNs and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxGWGohIXiw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhkypOvbEEo //  e.g., A poetry slam.// e.g., Slams will be spreading out to suburban poetry clubs./// (Bridge) A grand slam (all thirteen tricks) or small slam (twelve tricks), for which bonus points are scored if bid and made./// (Especially in tennis) any of the individual championships that together comprise a Grand Slam; e.g., A stellar (= related to stars) 12 months saw her win two slams and two Olympic gold medals, and retain the number one ranking./// (wrestling) Body slam = any move in which a wrestler picks up his or her opponent and throws him or her down to the ground. When used by itself, the term body slam generally refers to a basic scoop slam (***** for this definition). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Scoopslam.jpg

Dunk = (verb with object) Dip bread or other food into a drink or soup before eating it. For dunking cookies in milk/ coffee See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Dunking_a_biscuit.jpg and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9vSzGpjtRk and   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKVkYc1N-vQ   and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjRaFSY_bCI   // e.g., ‘I dunked a biscuit into the cup of scalding (= very hot; burning) tea.’ // e.g., He sat at the kitchen table and dunked the toast into the coffee.//  e.g., (from the New Testament) (Jesus, during the Last Supper (= an evening meal, typically a light or informal one; pronounced ˈsʌp.ə(^r))) ‘Whoever I dunk this piece of bread and offer it to, that’s the one’ (who will betray Me)./// Immerse or dip in water e.g., He was dunked head first in the cold swimming pool./// (verb;  no object) (Basketball) Score by shooting the ball down through the basket with the hands above the rim.//// (noun) (Basketball) A shot downwards into the basket with the hands above the rim. For a slam dunk See   https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Tyson_Chandler.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/JuliusErvingSlamDunk1981.jpg  and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/20130126_Kendall_Pollard_makes_baseline_dunk_at_Simeon-Whitney_Young_game_%283%29.JPG and   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41-aD2vlWcU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJOOJuGTux0  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZFQPupSEnk

Unhygienic (pronounced ˌʌn.haɪˈdʒiː.nɪk in British English and ˌʌn.haɪˈdʒen.ɪk in North American English) (the opposite is hygienic (= clean, especially in order to prevent disease; pronounced haɪˈdʒiː.nɪk in British English and haɪˈdʒen.ɪk in North American English (*)) and the noun is hygiene (= the degree to which people keep themselves or their environment clean, especially to prevent disease; pronounced ˈhaɪ.dʒiːn (*))) = (adjective) not clean, in a way that may cause disease; e.g., Unhygienic conditions and a lack of clean water.// e.g., The persistence of dirt marked the city as unequal, as well as unhygienic (*).

Digs = (informal) (plural noun) lodgings (= a place in which someone lives or stays temporarily); e.g., They are looking for new digs.// e.g., ‘It's always nice to return home, I don’t have to pay for any digs!’ // e.g., He had been able to sell the family house and move into comfortable digs with his son.

Remorseless (adjective) (the adverb is remorselessly and the noun is remorse (= deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed) = (adjective) Without regret or guilt; e.g., A remorseless killer.// e.g., These killings are planned, purposeful, and remorseless.// e.g., A remorseless tyrant (pronounced ˈtʌɪr(ə)nt) ((**) for this example).//// (of something unpleasant) never ending or improving; relentless; e.g., Remorseless poverty.// e.g., Those farm overalls represented hard, long days in the harsh sun and remorseless winters. // e.g., The guitar is equally remorseless: there are no chord changes; it's E flat minor throughout.

Swelter = (verb; no object) Be uncomfortably hot. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx0Qn-50yv4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMHLxBI6lxk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBJUG_6syjA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g99SG5SeYdk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVyHpb3Bx20 // e.g., ‘I sweltered in my doorman's uniform.’ // e.g., The beach was packed with visitors sweltering in Mediterranean-style sunshine.// e.g., Over the summer Aaron, from Melbourne, completed the Athens marathon despite sweltering temperatures.// e.g., (in December 2018, during Xmas) Australia swelters in a record-breaking heatwave! (from the media, YouTube).//// (noun) An uncomfortably hot atmosphere; e.g., The swelter of the afternoon had cooled.// e.g., The fire was so violent and hot that we could feel it’s swelter from three blocks away.// e.g., School children are sweating it out with soaring summer temperatures and record levels of humidity leaving the region in a swelter.

Thump (pronounced θʌmp) (My comment: not related to thumb, but may be related to ‘fist’) = (verb with object) Hit or strike heavily, especially with the fist or a blunt implement. See (gorillas ground thumping) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAkxix31aJI For animal leg thump See  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h3IaTS3GWM and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2QSoVoH4dY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IBWgL38awM and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlp1e_ZBuoo  // e.g., Jakob thumped the desk with his hand.// e.g., (verb; no object) He thumped on the cottage door.// e.g., He thumped his fist on the metal floor and grinned (grin = smile broadly, especially in an unrestrained manner and with the mouth open) weakly.//// (with adverbial of direction) Move forcefully or with a heavy deadened sound. See (motorbike) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeMhOVanX5w    // e.g., (verb with object) She picked up the kettle then thumped it down again.// e.g., (verb; no object) Roland thumped down on the settee (= a long upholstered seat for more than one person, typically with a back and arms).// e.g., Once again, there was the sound of footsteps thumping up the stairs.//// (verb; no object) (of a person’s heart or pulse) beat or pulsate strongly, typically because of fear or excitement; e.g., Her heart thumped with fright (= a sudden intense feeling of fear).// e.g., All he heard was his own heartbeat (1 word), thumping in his ears.// e.g., ‘My heart thumps loudly and the gun feels slippery in my sweaty hands.’ ///// Thump something out = play a tune (= a melody, especially one that characterizes a certain piece of music) enthusiastically but heavy-handedly; e.g., The Band of the Royal Marines was thumping out a selection from Oklahoma.// e.g., The Soviet national anthem and the Moscow Festival song were thumped out by the band.//// (informal) Defeat heavily; e.g., (verb with object and complement) Bristol thumped Rugby 30–11.// e.g., ‘The Aussies gave us a hiding in Sydney two weeks before and now we’ve thumped them at Ellis Park.’ ///// (noun) A dull, heavy blow with a person’s fist or a blunt implement; e.g., ‘I felt a thump on my back.’ // e.g., There was a single, hard thump against the door.// e.g., Just at that moment, several dull thumps hit against the carriage from outside.// e.g., (metaphorically) ‘By the time I left, the pressure of that bitterness had created a dull thump in my head.’ ////  A heavy deadened sound. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfSJgdjp2a4   // e g., The bag landed on the floor with a thump.// (mass noun) e.g., Through the wall came the thump of rock music.// e.g., ‘I heard him drop her schoolbag down on the floor with a dull thump.’ //// A strong heartbeat, especially one caused by fear or excitement; e.g., Her heart gave an uncomfortable thump.// e.g., The strong, even thump of her pulse against his skin reassured him.// e.g., Patients may feel palpitations or a thump in the chest when a beat compensates for a prior missed beat [My comment: this is called with the lay term ‘skipped heart beats,’ while I think that the medical term describing this is ‘ectopics.’ According to the Heart Rhythm Society, both skipped beats and extra beats or palpitations typically have the same cause: the heart's regular rhythm is interrupted by a premature or early beat. If the premature beat arises from the atria (upper chambers), it is called a premature atrial contraction (PAC). If it arises from the ventricles (lower chambers), it is called premature ventricular contraction (PVC). In most cases, neither is considered dangerous, though exceptions exist]. 

Deaden (not related literally to dead) = (verb with object) Make a noise or sensation less strong or intense; e.g., Corridors are floored with black linoleum, which deadens noise.// e.g., He drank huge quantities of wine in order to deaden the pain.// e.g., ‘I stuffed tissues into my ears to deaden the sounds of conflict from the other rooms.’ //// Deprive of the power of sensation; e.g., The tongue is a very delicate piece of equipment, but smoking deadens the taste.// e.g., Diabetes can deaden the nerve endings.// e.g., ‘I asked my oncologist for a tube of cream which deadens the skin, so you don’t feel the puncture’ (My comment: I guess it was a lidocaine cream).//// Deprive of force or vitality; stultify; e.g., Her eyes are pained and deadened, but somehow sad and regretting.// e.g., The onslaught of porn is responsible for deadening male libido in relation to real women! // e.g., Over the years, his humanity has been submerged through a deadening routine./// Make someone insensitive to something; e.g., Laughter might deaden us to the moral issue.// e.g., ‘As a result, you start to build up these thick walls that deaden you.’ // e.g., As with personal healing, social healing requires us to awaken from the cultural trance (= a half-conscious state characterized by an absence of response to external stimuli, typically as induced by hypnosis or entered by a medium) that deadens us to what is possible.

Stultify (pronounced  ˈstʌltɪfʌɪ) = (verb with object) (usually as adjective stultifying) Cause to lose enthusiasm and initiative (= the ability to assess and initiate things independently/ the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do), especially as a result of a tedious (= too long, slow, or dull: tiresome or monotonous; pronounced ˈtiː.di.əs) or restrictive routine; e.g., The stultifying conformity of provincial life.// e.g., Without the inclusion of this track, the disc feels nearly stultifying, but with it, altogether pleasant.// e.g., ‘But it was simultaneously stultifying, keeping me from developing the very objectives I sought.’ // e.g., These countries are trying to shake off the stultifying effects of several decades of state control ((**) for this example).//// Cause someone to appear foolish or absurd (= (of an idea or suggestion) wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate; pronounced əbˈsɜːd); e.g., There is nothing worse than being stultified by a script.// e.g., Such tests tend to stultify the most creative teachers even as they, at least in theory, help the worst students.// e.g., A genuinely democratic culture has therefore been stultified and the ruling elite itself largely lacks popular legitimacy.

Carriage (as a vehicle) =  (noun) a vehicle with four wheels that is usually pulled by horses and was used mainly in the past. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Herrschaftliche_Kutsche.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Naghs_Jahan_Horses.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/James_Pollard_-_The_London-Faringdon_Coach_passing_Buckland_House%2C_Berkshire_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg  // e.g., A horse-drawn carriage.//// (in British English it is also known as ‘coach’) car any of the separate parts of a train in which the passengers sit. Note: Railway carriage (British English) (railroad car in North American English) = (especially in the British Isles and many Commonwealth countries) a railway vehicle, part of a train for carrying people ((*****) for railway carriage’). See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Mark3gner.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Passenger_car_GN_3261_20041010.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/InterCity2_-_passenger_car_interior.jpg  //// Baby carriage (US English) (pram in British English) = (US English) a four-wheeled pushed conveyance for reclining infants. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Mor_og_datter_i_Gamla_Stan_i_Stockholm.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Baby_pram.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Pram.JPG and  (a backpack carrier) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Ergobabycarrier.jpg //// Gun carriage = an apparatus upon which a field gun is mounted for maneuvering, firing and transport. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/MEIRANDE%2C_li%C3%B1a_de_pezas.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Denmark._Capital_Region._Copenhagen_272.JPG and  /// Hose carriage = a wheeled vehicle for carrying a fire hose. ((*****) for the last 3 definitions).

Settee (pronounced setˈiː) (My comment: I think this is a more British word than American, as in the US they would use the term ‘couch’) = (noun) (UK English// Commonwealth English) a long, soft seat for two or more people, with a back and usually with arms. Synonym = sofa, couch. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/2009-05-16_Main_office_lobby_at_Hampton_Forest_Apartments.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Loriots_Sofa.JPG and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Kubus_sofa.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Sofa3800ppx.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1_.%D9%85%D8%A8%D9%84.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Red_sofa.jpg /// (US English) a long seat for more than two people that has a back.

‘Aid arrives in Yemen after 3 weeks of blockade’ (from the media).

‘The Louvre (Louver in North American English) (pronounced ˈluː.və(r) (UK English) and ˈluː.vɚ (US English)) museum.’

‘The OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) predicts tempering (temper =  to make something less strong, extreme, etc./ to lessen the force or effect of something (*)) of the global economy. Financial turbulence (= a state of conflict or confusion; pronounced ˈtəːbjʊl(ə)ns) already affects the public as well as the private sector. Governments in the European Union (EU) fail to spark the economy. (My comment: With many banks exposed to toxic bonds, I don’t think that the fiscal (= of or relating to government revenue) future, worldwide, is prosperous). Economic growth in the UK will continue to wriggle (= twist and turn with quick writhing movements) because of the ‘Brexit’ (exit from the European Union). However, the US economy is still robust’ (= (of a system, organization, etc.) able to withstand or overcome adverse conditions) (from the media).

‘Avocado cultivation in Mexico is a lucrative (= profitable; pronounced ˈluːkrətɪv) business. However, armed security guard the farms!’ (from the media)

‘The environmental impact of clothing production using non-renewable resources is negative/ adverse, as after use, most clothing is sent to landfills (landfill = a place to dispose of refuse and other waste material by burying it and covering it over with soil, especially as a method of filling in or extending usable land) or is incinerated (incinerate = destroy something, especially waste material, by burning) (from the media).

‘There is a fluctuation (= a variation; pronounced ˌflʌk.tʃuˈeɪ.ʃ(^ə)n) in the number of passengers.’

‘The product is packaged.’

‘Difficulty’ goes with a gerund, i.e. an -ing verb, e.g., difficulty doing/ using; e.g., ‘There is a population, including the ‘old guard,’ that is less familiar with technology and has difficulty even using a computer’ (my example).

‘This kid is very obstinate (= stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so; pronounced ˈɒb.stɪ.nət). The media referred with frenzy (= a state or period of uncontrolled excitement or wild behavior; pronounced ˈfren.zi) to the day on which he run (its ‘run-ran-run’) the marathon. The day of the marathon temperature soared (= rose) to 45 degrees Celsius. However, the marathon was successful, and the rabble (the mob; not to confused with ‘rubble’ that means debris!) cheered him up. At the end (not ‘in the end’) of the marathon, he was accompanied by the mob in procession (= several people or vehicles moving forward in an orderly fashion, especially as part of a ceremony or festival) on an open jeep. He wished to become an endurance runner. However, the local gov. (= government) had the judicial (= of, by, or appropriate to a law court or judge; relating to the administration of justice; pronounced dʒuːˈdɪʃ.(^ə) l) power to impose a ban on the marathon. So, it did. The kid’s side said that there were undermined by some scoundrels (scoundrel = a person, especially a man, who treats other people very badly and has no moral principles (*); a rogue; pronounced ˈskaʊn.drəl) and alleged that the actions of the authorities were capricious (= given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior; pronounced kəˈprɪʃ.əs) and that the magistrate tried to outsmart them. They tried to hatch (= conspire to devise a plot or plan) a plan to outwit (= deceive by greater ingenuity) the ban as they were frustrated by the sordid (= involving immoral or dishonorable actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt; pronounced ˈsɔː.dɪd) game of the politicians and the people involved in the bickering (bicker = to argue about unimportant matters; pronounced ˈbɪk.ə(^r) (*)) between them and the state. After this, the absconding (abscond = leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to escape from custody or avoid arrest; pronounced æbˈskɒnd) people on the side of the kid left the police station.  Eventually, the boy’s coach (beware of the typo ‘couch that means ‘sofa’!) was assassinated by the mafia. It seems that someone hired a hitman to have the coach killed (My comment: But, as I realized from the following Wikipedia article, he was killed for an unrelated to the boy reason!). In the funeral, the coffin was laden ((adjective) = heavily loaded or weighed down; pronounced ˈleɪ.dən) with flowers. With his death, he earned the goodwill (= friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude) and was honored by the people.’  (The above refer to the story of the ‘Budhia marathon slum (= a very poor and crowded area, especially of a city; pronounced slʌm (*)) boy’ (re-edition) of the BBC aired on 2 December 2017. For further information you may visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budhia_Singh and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyrvTb1ylRg )

‘Had I not been there, he would certainly have died’ (conditional with inversion).

‘A guy floated (‘float’ is used for liquids and for air) 15 miles (on air) suspended from 1,000 balloons’ (from the media).

‘The US president said the press there was no collusion (= secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others; pronounced kəˈluː.ʒ(^ə)n) for his alleged ties with Russia’ (from the media).

‘He hid (hide – hid – hidden) the money somewhere.’

‘Yea’ (= yes) votes outnumbered ‘Nay’ (= no) and the tax reconciliation Act was passed as the Senate backed the tax overhaul’ (= to repair or improve something so that every part of it works as it should; pronounced ˈəʊvəhɔːl (*)) (from the media).

‘Police in Germany scuffled (scuffle = a short, confused fight or struggle at close quarters; pronounced  ˈskʌf.(^ə)l) with Antifa (= anti-fascist) protesters’ (from the media).

‘I miss the flights he used to take me at his own expense’ (= he paid for them).

Temperature degrees: Celsius (pronounced ˈsel.si.əs) (international) (symbol: °C) / Fahrenheit (in the US and its unincorporated territories) (symbol: °F). 

‘The actor of ‘House of Cards’ was accused of (sexual) harassment’ (from the media)

‘Kombucha is a slightly sour refreshment fizzy drink’ (from the BBC)

In this summer/winter/fall (''fall'' is ''autumn'' in North American English)/ spring

Spell/ Misspell a word

Abnormal – abnormality

‘The youth adopt attention seeking behavior throughout their social media’ (My comment: it is worrying that the internet encourages attention seeking behavior. Many attention seekers, namely most social media users, seek ‘likes’ and ‘thumbs up’ to feel contented (= happy & satisfied (*))!)

Dismiss = fire = sack = sign a P45 paper (UK English) = dispense with someone's services (e.g., The club have no option but to dispense with his services)

‘I go to work.’ Not ‘go to job,’ as we ‘have/ seek/find a job.’ For work we may also use ‘for,’ e.g., ‘She works for a group of judges’. Also, we don’t say I ‘go at  work’; but we can say ‘I go to work,’ or ‘I am at work now’ or ‘I am in the office.’

‘The result of the game was 1-0 (one – nil).’

‘Our team drew (draw = (UK English) to finish a game with the same number of points as the other person or team; tie (*) with the rival team 1-1.  We tied (tie = to finish at the same time or score the same number of points, etc. in a competition as someone or something else; draw (*)) the score at 1-1/ went on to win 1-1/ sealed a win by a score of 1-1.’

‘Abused aboriginal teens behind bars’ (i.e., inmates) (My comment: an event that, as an Aussie, I am not proud of it. You may read the story on http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-36985519 ).