Key Vocabulary & Definitions for Everyday Life
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Essential Vocabulary: Definitions for Modern Life
Expand your understanding of key terms across various domains, from fashion and social interactions to careers and global issues.
Fashion & Style Terminology
- Stud: A small, decorative metal object used as an embellishment for clothing or accessories.
- Baggy: Loose-fitting, often referring to clothing.
- Fringe: Hair cut short and worn over the forehead; also, a decorative border of hanging threads.
- High Heels: Shoes with a raised heel, typically worn by women.
- Plain Denim: Denim fabric without embellishments or patterns, offering a simple aesthetic.
- Tie-Dyed Cotton: Cotton fabric decorated with a tie-dye pattern.
- Striped Silk: Silk fabric featuring a pattern of stripes.
- Flowy Velvet: Velvet fabric with a soft, draping quality, often featuring a printed design.
- Checked Cotton: Cotton fabric patterned with squares or checks.
- Plain Leather: Leather material without embellishments or patterns, offering a simple aesthetic.
- Tartan Wool: Wool fabric featuring a traditional Scottish plaid pattern.
- Catwalk: A narrow platform on which models walk to display clothes in a fashion show.
Accessories & Beauty Essentials
- Handbag: A small bag, often with a handle or strap, used by women to carry personal items.
- Hairstyle: The way a person's hair is cut and arranged.
- Headband: A band worn around the head, typically to hold hair back or as a decoration.
- Earrings: Pieces of jewelry worn on the ears.
- Makeup: Cosmetics applied to the face to enhance or alter appearance.
- Nose Stud: A small piece of jewelry worn in a nose piercing.
- Nail Varnish: A cosmetic liquid applied to fingernails or toenails to color or protect them; also known as nail polish.
- Shoelaces: Cords or strings used to fasten shoes.
Common English Collocations
- Say: To utter words; often used with specific phrases like "say sorry," "say thank you," or "say a prayer."
- Make: To create or perform; often used in collocations like "make a decision," "make a mistake," or "make excuses."
- Tell: To communicate information; often used in collocations like "tell a story," "tell the truth," or "tell a lie."
- Take: To perform an action; often used in collocations like "take a risk," "take a photo," or "take care."
Human Actions & Expressions
- Frown: To wrinkle one's brow, typically indicating displeasure, concern, or deep thought.
- Gesticulate: To use gestures, especially dramatic ones, instead of or in addition to speaking to emphasize one's words.
- Hold Hands: To clasp another person's hand, often as a sign of affection or solidarity.
- Hug: To embrace someone tightly, typically as a sign of affection.
- Kiss: To touch with the lips as a sign of love, affection, greeting, or reverence.
- Laugh: To make sounds and movements of the face and body that express amusement or happiness.
- Nod: To lower and raise one's head briefly, especially in greeting, assent, or understanding.
- Shake Hands: To clasp another person's hand as a greeting, farewell, or sign of agreement.
- Shake Your Head: To turn one's head from side to side, typically indicating disagreement or refusal.
- Shrug Your Shoulders: To raise and then drop one's shoulders to express indifference, doubt, or a lack of knowledge.
- Smile: To form one's features into a pleased, kind, or amused expression, typically with the corners of the mouth turned up.
- Wink: To close and open one eye quickly, typically as a signal or sign of amusement.
Professions & Industries
- Agriculture: The science or practice of farming, including cultivating the soil for growing crops and rearing animals.
- Engineering: The branch of science and technology concerned with the design, building, and use of engines, machines, and structures.
- Business: The activity of making, buying, or selling goods or providing services in exchange for money.
- Catering: The business of providing food service at remote sites or for events.
- Construction: The business or act of building or assembling something, typically large structures.
- Education: The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university.
- Health and Social Care: Professions involved in providing medical, nursing, and personal care services to individuals.
- Law: The system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties.
- Retail: The sale of goods to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale.
- Performing Arts: Forms of art in which artists use their voices, bodies, or inanimate objects to convey artistic expression, such as theatre, dance, and music.
- The Media: The main means of mass communication (broadcasting, publishing, and the internet) regarded collectively.
- Tourism: The commercial organization and operation of vacations and visits to places of interest.
Environmental, Energy & Science Terms
- Flood: An overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally dry land.
- Global Warming: A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
- Gas: A gaseous fuel, such as natural gas, used for heating or cooking.
- Oil: A viscous liquid derived from petroleum, especially for use as a fuel or lubricant.
- Cloning: The process of producing genetically identical copies of an organism or cell.
- Genetically Modified: An organism or food whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.
- Solar Power: Power obtained by harnessing the energy of the sun's rays.
- Wind Power: Power obtained by harnessing the energy of the wind, typically using wind turbines.
Design & Creative Arts
- Craft: An activity involving skill in making things by hand.
- Fashion Design: The art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories.
- Graphic Design: The art or skill of combining text and pictures in advertisements, magazines, or books.
- Print: To produce (books, newspapers, etc.) by means of a machine that presses ink onto paper or other material.
Phobias & Fears
- Heights: An extreme fear of high places (acrophobia).
Relationships & Social Interactions
- Ask Someone Out: To invite someone on a date.
- Cheat on Someone: To be unfaithful to one's romantic partner.
- Fancy Someone: To find someone attractive.
- Flirt With Someone: To behave as if attracted to or trying to attract someone, but playfully rather than with serious intentions.
- Get On With Someone: To have a good relationship with someone.
- Have an Argument With Someone: To have a disagreement or dispute with someone, often verbally.
- Miss Someone: To feel sadness or longing for the absence of someone.
Travel & Leisure Activities
- See the Sights: To visit the famous or interesting places in an area.
- Hire a Bike: To rent a bicycle for a period of time.