Essential British English Vocabulary for Everyday Use

A

• In a good deal: Many, above all, especially abroad.
• Accountant: The stranger.
• Address book: Contact.
• Afford: Allow.
• All in all: In general.
• Alow/Allow: Permit.
• Annoyed: Angry.
• Apply for: Seek.
• Approach: Method.
• Ardent: Fervent.
• As long as: Provided that.
• Assortment: Collection.
• Avoid: Evade.

B

• Be about to: Ready to.
• Beat about the bush: Avoid saying something directly.
• Beg: Plead.
• Boarding school: Residential school.
• Boot: Car trunk.
• Bottom line: The main point.
• Break a habit: Stop a habit.
• Break someone's heart: Cause emotional pain.
• Break the news: Inform.
• Bursts into tears: Starts crying.
• Business executive: Executive.

C

• Cab: Taxi.
• Can: Tin.
• Candy: Sweets.
• Chance: Occasion.
• Charm: Attractive quality.
• Check: Examine.
• Cheer: Applaud.
• Chemist's: Pharmacy.
• Choice: Option.
• Clap: Applaud.
• Closet: Cupboard.
• Come along: Arrive.
• Command: Order.
• Confident: Self-assured.
• Competition: Contest.
• Convincingly: Persuasively.
• Cope with: Handle.
• Crave: Desire.
• Crowded: Full of people.
• Currently: Now.

D

• Dare: Challenge.
• Day-care center: Nursery.
• Deal: Agreement.
• Depart: Leave.
• Deserve: Merit.
• Devise: Create.
• Devoted: Dedicated.
• Disapproval: Displeasure.
• Disruptive: Unruly.
• Disturb: Annoy.
• Docks: Port.
• Doubt: Question.
• Dustbin: Rubbish bin.
• Enable: Empower.

E

• Expel: Eject.

F

• Fall: Autumn.
• Faraway: Distant.
• Faucet: Tap.
• First-rate: Excellent.
• Flashlight: Torch.
• Flat: Apartment.
• Food for thought: Something to think about.
• Fortnight: Two weeks.

G

• Garbage can: Bin.
• Gas: Petrol.
• Gather: Collect.
• Go bald: Lose hair.
• Go broke: Become bankrupt.
• Go mad: Go crazy.
• Go too far: Exceed limits.
• Graceful: Elegant.

H

• Handbag: Purse.
• Hardly: Barely.
• Harsh: Severe.
• Have a go at: Try.
• Hazard: Risk.
• Hesitate: Doubt.
• Hoot: Honk.
• Hop: Jump on one leg.

I

• Imbalance: Inequality.
• Improve: Enhance.
• Inmate: Prisoner.
• Insane: Mad.
• Interrupt: Interject.

J

• Junction: Intersection.

K

• Knock over: Overturn.

L

• Lack: Absence.
• Large: Big.
• Liable: Prone.
• Lift: Elevator.
• Lighting: Illumination.
• Liver: Organ.
• Look down on: Despise.
• Lorry: Truck.
• Lumber: Wood.

M

• Mackerel: Fish.
• Mainstream: Normal.
• Marauder: Raider.
• Matron: Nurse.
• Matter: Issue.
• Meanwhile: In the meantime.
• Measure: Gauge.
• Mimic: Imitate.
• Miss out on: Lose an opportunity.
• Moved to tears: Deeply touched.

N

• No longer: Not anymore.
• No such thing: Nonexistent.
• Nourishing: Nutritious.
• Nowadays: Currently.
• Obey: Comply.

O

• Obviously: Clearly.
• Offender: Criminal.
• On display: Exhibited.
• On stage: Performing.
• Overcome: Conquer.
• Overhear: Eavesdrop.
• Pavement: Sidewalk.

P

• Perform: Act.
• Pill: Tablet.
• Point out: Indicate.
• Prefer: Favor.
• Pretty: Quite.
• Proficient: Competent.
• Profitable: Lucrative.
• Prosper: Thrive.
• Proposal: Suggestion.
• Punishment: Penalty.
• Purse: Handbag.
• Put away: Store.

Q

• Quit: Stop.

R

• Rage: Anger.
• Raise: Increase.
• Read aloud: Read out loud.
• Regret: Remorse.
• Remain: Stay.
• Restraint: Control.
• Rewarding: Satisfying.
• Roasting: Very hot.
• Ruin: Destroy.
• Run a risk: Take a chance.
• Run a temperature: Have a fever.
• Run an errand: Do a chore.
• Run counter to: Oppose.
• Run in the family: Be hereditary.
• Run something: Manage.
• Run wild: Grow uncontrollably.

S

• Sail away: Depart by sea.
• Sales agent: Salesperson.
• Screen: Display.
• Seed: Kernel.
• Seem: Appear.
• Self-consciousness: Shyness.
• Sensitive: Empathetic.
• Shore: Coast.
• Sidewalk: Pavement.
• Signal: Indicate.
• So long as: Provided that.
• Solve: Resolve.
• Staff: Employees.
• Stifling: Suffocating.
• Summon: Call.

T

• Tap: Faucet.
• Term: Period.
• Terrific: Great.
• The next best thing: A substitute.
• The real thing: The genuine article.
• Though: Although.
• Tidy: Neat.
• Tin: Can.
• Trend: Tendency.
• Trolley: Shopping cart.
• Trunk: Boot.
• Upcoming: Next.

U

• Weird: Strange.

W

• Well worth: Valuable.
• Witness: Observer.
• Wreck: Destroy.

Y

• Yard: Garden.
• Yell: Shout.