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Meet The Plastic-Eating Worms | Planet Fix | BBC Earth Lab

Video vocabulary

produce

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US / prə'dju:s /

UK / prəˈdus, -ˈdjus, pro- /

A1
  • noun
  • Fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables
  • verb
  • To grow something naturally
  • To make something appear
  • To manufacture something using machines
  • To control the making a movie or television show

who

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US / hu: /

UK / hu /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Which person
  • Used to introduce information about people

unleash

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US / ʌnˈli:ʃ /

UK / ʌnˈliʃ /

B1
  • verb
  • To release or let an animal go

work

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US / wɜ:k /

UK / wɚk /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Activity completed in order to make money
  • noun
  • The product of some artistic or literary endeavor
  • Everything created by an author, artist, musician
  • Activity you do in order to make money
  • Place of employment
  • Final product or result of a some labor or effort
  • verb
  • To bring into a specific state of success
  • To be functioning properly, e.g. a car
  • To do your job in your company or workplace
  • To make an effort to do something
  • To operate a machine or device

activity

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US / æk'tɪvətɪ /

UK / ækˈtɪvɪti /

A1
  • noun
  • An action or task, e.g. sports, washing clothes

biodegrade

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US / ˌbaɪəʊdɪˈgreɪd /

UK / ˌbaɪoʊdɪˈgreɪd /

A1
  • other
  • Break down naturally through the action of biological agents

fat

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US / fæt /

UK / fæt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Having too much weight for the body size
  • Bringing or having a large amount of money
  • noun
  • Amount beyond what is usual or necessary
  • Oily part of meat

project

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US / prəˈdʒekt /

UK / prəˈdʒɛkt /

A1
  • noun
  • A planned piece of work for specific purpose
  • Group of homes built by government for poor people
  • verb
  • To predict what will happen in the future
  • To show something on a screen using light
  • To stick out past the edge of something

room

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US / ru:m /

UK / rum, rʊm /

A1
  • noun
  • All of the people inside a particular room
  • Part of building enclosed by walls, e.g. kitchen
  • Opportunity to exist, happen, or be true
  • verb
  • To share a home with someone

take

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US / teɪk /

UK / tek /

A1
  • noun
  • Filming of a single scene for TV or the movies
  • verb
  • To accept something that is offered
  • To use a method of traveling, e.g. a bus or train
  • To use a camera to make (a photo)
  • To pick up something and go away with it
  • To study a subject in school
  • To attempt to pass (an exam)
  • To require a certain amount of time, money, space

society

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US / sə'saɪətɪ /

UK / səˈsaɪɪti /

A2
  • noun
  • A group who meet to share values or interests
  • Group of people living together
  • Upper class of a community

introduce

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US / ˌɪntrəˈdju:s /

UK / ˌɪntrəˈdus, -ˈdjus /

A1
  • verb
  • To open an essay to set the scene
  • To guide or explain something, e.g. a town
  • To begin the use of a new thing or practice
  • To make someone known to another by name
  • To insert or put something inside another thing

observation

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US / ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃn /

UK / ˌɑbzɚˈveʃən /

B1
  • noun
  • Remark or comment on something you noticed
  • Practice of performing actions required by rules

possible

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US / ˈpɒsəbl /

UK / ˈpɑsəbəl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being able or appropriate for a task or purpose
  • Having a chance of happening, or being true

speed

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US / spi:d /

UK / spid /

A2
  • noun
  • How fast or slow something is or is done
  • verb
  • To move quickly when completing an action
  • To drive a vehicle faster than laws allow

rapid

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US / ˈræpɪd /

UK / ˈræpɪd /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Moving or happening very quickly
  • noun
  • Rough and fast-moving part of a river

about

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US / ə'baʊt /

UK / əˈbaʊt /

A1
  • adverb
  • To be ready to; going to
  • Nearly; approximately; roughly
  • Near; next to; close to
  • In every direction; in the area of
  • preposition
  • Concerning or of (a topic)

again

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US / ə'ɡen /

UK / əˈɡɛn /

A1
  • adverb
  • One more time, once more

cease

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US / si:s /

UK / sis /

B1
  • verb
  • To come or bring to an end; stop continuing

essentially

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US / ɪˈsenʃəli /

UK / ɪˈsenʃəli /

A2
  • adverb
  • Basically; (said when stating the basic facts)

plague

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US / pleɪɡ /

UK / pleɡ /

B1
  • noun
  • (Deadly) disease passing rapidly between people
  • verb
  • To cause to have continual problems with something

right

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US / raɪt /

UK / raɪt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Correct or true
  • The south side of you looking at the rising sun
  • adverb
  • Exactly in a place or time
  • Being appropriate for a particular event
  • In a straight or direct manner
  • noun
  • Something you are legally or morally allowed to do
  • Ideal of what is just and good
  • Political view based on conservatism
  • verb
  • To fix something previously wrong or unjust
  • To make upright, as a boat that has turned over

saliva

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US / səˈlaɪvə /

UK / səˈlaɪvə /

B2
  • noun
  • Liquid produced by glands in the mouth

she

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US / ʃɪ /

UK / ʃi /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Female person or animal mentioned before
  • (Refers to female person mentioned before)

touch

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US / tʌtʃ /

UK / tʌtʃ /

A1
  • noun
  • Certain way of doing that makes something special
  • A small amount of something
  • Feeling of a surface
  • verb
  • To affect feelings, especially by causing sympathy
  • To be next to each other with no space between
  • To get involved with (used in negative)
  • To feel an object with your fingers, etc.

value

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US / 'vælju: /

UK / ˈvælju /

A1
  • noun
  • Importance you attach to something
  • Some information expressed as a number
  • Stated price of something; worth
  • verb
  • To place a high importance on something
  • To say how much money something is worth

anyone

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US / ˈeniwʌn /

UK / ˈɛniˌwʌn, -wən /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Any person

case

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US / keɪs /

UK / kes /

A1
  • noun
  • Container used to carry things, e.g. clothes
  • Set of facts about a crime
  • Set of facts about an event
  • Example or instance of something
  • verb
  • To find out about a place, as in planning to steal

decompose

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US / ˌdi:kəmˈpəʊz /

UK / ˌdi:kəmˈpoʊz /

B2
  • verb
  • To cause (chemical) to separate into smaller parts
  • To gradually be destroyed by natural processes

enough

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US / ɪˈnʌf /

UK / ɪˈnʌf /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Sufficient to answer the need
  • adverb
  • To a satisfactory degree
  • pronoun
  • Equal to what is needed; as much as required
  • Adequate number or amount

find

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US / faɪnd /

UK / faɪnd /

A1
  • noun
  • Object discovered by chance
  • Things that have been discovered from searching
  • verb
  • To become aware of something that is happening
  • To discover or meet by chance
  • To decide if someone is guilty of a crime, or not
  • To learn through study, research, or effort
  • To discover something by looking for it

japan

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US / dʒəˈpæn /

UK / dʒəˈpæn /

A1
  • noun
  • A string of more than islands to the east of Asia
  • Lacquer with a durable glossy black finish, originally from the orient
  • Lacquerware decorated and varnished in the Japanese manner with a glossy durable black lacquer
  • verb
  • Coat with a lacquer, as done in Japan

oxygen

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US / 'ɒksɪdʒən /

UK / ˈɑksɪdʒən /

B1
  • noun
  • A gas in the air that we need to breathe

physiology

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US / ˌfɪziˈɒlədʒi /

UK / ˌfɪziˈɑ:lədʒi /

B2
  • noun
  • Ways in which the parts of a living thing operate

mean

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US / mi:n /

UK / min /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being good at
  • Nasty; unkind
  • Not liking to spend money; cheap; stingy
  • noun
  • Average of a set of numbers
  • verb
  • To express a particular idea or thought
  • To intend to do something in particular
  • To have a particular meaning or value

terrible

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US / ˈterəbl /

UK / ˈtɛrəbəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Very bad; horrible

total

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US / ˈtəʊtl /

UK / ˈtoʊtl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Complete
  • noun
  • Whole number or amount of something
  • verb
  • To damage a car beyond repair

type

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US / taɪp /

UK / taɪp /

A1
  • noun
  • Printed letters or blocks used for printing them
  • Group of things or people sharing common features
  • verb
  • To identify something belonging to a group
  • To write by touching keys on a keyboard

bacteria

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US / bæk'tɪərɪə /

UK / bækˈtɪriə /

B2
  • noun
  • The very small creatures that can cause disease

directly

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US / dəˈrektli /

UK / dɪˈrɛktli, daɪ- /

A2
  • adverb
  • In a frank and honest way
  • Right away; immediately

first

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US / fɜ:st /

UK / fɚst /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • 1st; Coming before all others in time or place
  • noun
  • Something that has not happened before
  • Position of the winner of a competition

exciting

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US / ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ /

UK / ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Creating interest, happiness or pleasurable fear
  • verb
  • To cause a reaction; make active
  • To make someone feel happy, interested or eager

get

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US / ɡet /

UK / ɡɛt /

A1
  • verb
  • To become affected by illness or disease
  • To begin to feel or understand an emotion or idea
  • To send or bring someone or something home, etc.
  • To go somewhere to obtain something
  • To (cause to) do a particular thing
  • To obtain, receive or be given something
  • To currently have
  • To prepare for use
  • To understand something being said or read

day

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US / deɪ /

UK / de /

A1
  • noun
  • A period of 24 hours beginning at midnight
  • The period of time when it is light outside
  • Person's name

point

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US / pɔɪnt /

UK / pɔɪnt /

A1
  • noun
  • An item to be discussed
  • Small spot or dot
  • Fact or detail
  • Feature of something
  • The size of the text on a page or screen
  • A certain time or stage in a process
  • Certain position in time or space
  • Idea or fact you try to convince people about
  • Measurement of scores in a game, sport
  • Sharp end of something, e.g. a pen or pin
  • verb
  • To face a certain direction, e.g. north
  • To indicate something with your finger to others

consider

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US / kən'sɪdə(r) /

UK / kənˈsɪdər /

A1
  • verb
  • To think carefully about something

vanilla

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US / vəˈnɪlə /

UK / vəˈnɪlə /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • Having the taste of vanilla
  • noun
  • Taste from seed of vanilla plant, as in ice cream

actually

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US / ˈæktʃuəli /

UK / ˈæktʃuəli /

A1
  • adverb
  • Used to add new (often different) information

biodegradable

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US / ˌbaɪəʊdɪˈgreɪdəbl /

UK / ˌbaɪoʊdɪˈgreɪdəbl /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Capable of being decomposed by e.g. bacteria

bond

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US / bɒnd /

UK / bɑnd /

A2
  • noun
  • Rope, chain or other thing used to tie someone up
  • Closeness that is shared between people or groups
  • Loan that a government must buy back by a set date
  • Written agreement to pay back borrowed money
  • Joint or connection, often using glue
  • verb
  • To develop a close relationship with
  • To become joined or connected, e.g. using glue

oxidation

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US / ˌɒksɪ'deɪʃn /

UK / ˌɑksɪˈdeʃən /

C1
  • noun
  • Process of combining with oxygen

route

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US / ru:t /

UK / rut, raʊt /

A2
  • noun
  • Way to get from one place to another place; path
  • Path or way that people often use
  • Method of achieving a certain result
  • verb
  • To send along a particular path or way

sell

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US / sel /

UK / sɛl /

A1
  • verb
  • To exchange something for money
  • To persuade people to do, like or agree

stick

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US / stɪk /

UK / stɪk /

A2
  • noun
  • Long thin piece of wood from a tree
  • verb
  • To push a sharp or pointed object into something
  • To join together using glue or paste
  • To remain in one place or position for a long time

use

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US / ju:s /

UK / ju:s /

A1
  • noun
  • Ability to employ something
  • Need to enable it to work
  • Permission to do something with something
  • Act of spending money
  • Operation of a machine for its function
  • verb
  • To have; to eat, drink, consume etc.
  • To need to operate or work
  • To operate a machine, e.g. a computer
  • To treat a person badly
  • To do something with, for a task or purpose

carbon

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US / 'kɑ:bən /

UK / ˈkɑrbən /

B1
  • noun
  • Chemical element with an atomic number of 6

area

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US / 'eərɪə /

UK / ˈɛriə /

A1
  • noun
  • Amount of measured space
  • A specific section or space; part of a region
  • A subject or field of study

gonad

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US / ˈgəʊnæd /

UK / ˈɡoˌnæd /

A1
  • noun
  • Gland in which gametes (sex cells) are produced

normal

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US / 'nɔ:ml /

UK / ˈnɔrməl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Standard or regular way of doing something
  • Having standard mental or physical ability, health

next

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US / nekst /

UK / nɛkst /

A1
  • adverb
  • The one that follows another in time or order
  • At a time or place directly after the present one
  • noun
  • The one that follows after
  • adjecitve
  • Immediately after the previous one
  • First occurrence after the present one

problem

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US / ˈprɒbləm /

UK / ˈprɑbləm /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Causing trouble
  • noun
  • Something difficult to deal with or causes trouble
  • Question to show understanding of a math concept

quickly

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US / ˈkwɪkli /

UK / ˈkwɪklɪ /

A1
  • adverb
  • Without taking a lot of time; fast

scientist

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US / ˈsaɪəntɪst /

UK / ˈsaɪəntɪst /

A2
  • noun
  • Person who is trained in a science

worm

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US / wɜ:m /

UK / wɚm /

B2
  • noun
  • Small thin tube-shaped animal without legs
  • verb
  • To remove worms from an animals stomach
  • To get information, etc. out of, by tricking them
  • To cause something to move slowly or weave through

accelerate

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US / əkˈseləreɪt /

UK / ækˈsɛləˌret /

B1
  • verb
  • To cause to occur earlier than expected
  • To increase the speed or rate of something

anytime

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US / 'enɪˌtaɪm /

UK / ˈɛniˌtaɪm /

A1
  • adverb
  • At a time you choose, it's not important when

process

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US / prə'ses /

UK / ˈprɑsˌɛs, ˈproˌsɛs /

A2
  • noun
  • Dealing with official forms in the way required
  • Set of changes that occur slowly and naturally
  • verb
  • To organize and use data in a computer
  • To deal with official forms in the way required
  • To prepare by treating something in a certain way
  • To adopt a set of actions that produce a result
  • To convert by putting something through a machine

with

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US / wɪð /

UK / wɪð, wɪθ /

A1
  • preposition
  • As an employee of a certain company
  • Against something or someone
  • By using something as a means
  • Due to; because of
  • Including
  • Possessing as a feature
  • Related to
  • (Of the manner/attitude by which you do something)
  • Used to express that people or things are together

could

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US / kəd /

UK / kʊd /

A1
  • other
  • Past form of 'can' to mean have ability
  • Used to ask for something politely, or to offer

cream

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US / kri:m /

UK / krim /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Pale color that is yellowish white
  • noun
  • Type of a thick beauty product used on the skin
  • Thick liquid rubbed into the skin
  • The top part of milk when left standing
  • verb
  • To defeat someone with ease
  • To have added cream
  • To mix together into a thick substance or liquid

know

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US / nəʊ /

UK / noʊ /

A1
  • verb
  • To be familiar with a person or place, thing
  • To feel sure or be convinced about something
  • To discover or be aware of something
  • To be able to distinguish
  • To have knowledge of things

moment

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US / 'məʊmənt /

UK / 'moʊmənt /

A1
  • noun
  • Very short or brief period of time
  • A particular period in time

away

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US / ə'weɪ /

UK / əˈwe /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Not present
  • adverb
  • Disappear completely
  • Doing something with a lot of energy
  • Not here; far from here; in a different direction
  • To a different area, location

digest

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US / daɪˈdʒest /

UK / daɪˈdʒest /

B2
  • noun
  • A summary, as of the news
  • verb
  • To convert food into energy in your stomach
  • To think over facts, news etc.; take in information

ethylene

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US / ˈeθɪli:n /

UK / ˈɛθəˌlin /

A1
  • noun
  • Flammable colorless gaseous alkene; obtained from petroleum and natural gas and used in manufacturin

mouth

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US / maʊθ /

UK / maʊθ /

A1
  • noun
  • Hole in the face used for eating and talking
  • Opening of a container such as a bottle
  • Area where a river enters a large body of water
  • verb
  • To say words without speaking

month

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US / mʌnθ /

UK / mʌnθ /

A1
  • noun
  • One of 12 28-31 day periods in the year

upcycle

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US / /

UK / /

A1
  • transitive verb
  • Reuse (discarded objects or material) in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or valu

world

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US / wɜ:ld /

UK / wɜrld /

A1
  • noun
  • All the humans, events, activities on the earth
  • Political division due to some kind of similarity

see

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US / si: /

UK / si /

A1
  • verb
  • To go on a date with someone
  • To predict whether something is, or will be true
  • To understand what someone says
  • To use your eyes to look at something
  • To visit a place often for sightseeing or pleasure
  • To visit or meet with someone
  • To find out by waiting or looking
  • To watch (a game, movie or TV show)

waste

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US / weɪst /

UK / west /

A2
  • noun
  • Materials left over after a process has finished
  • verb
  • To kill or severely harm someone
  • To use valuable things ineffectively

bottleneck

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US / ˈbɒtlnek /

UK / ˈbɑ:tlnek /

C2
  • noun
  • Become narrow, like a bottleneck

compound

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US / 'kɒmpaʊnd /

UK / kɑmˈpaUnd /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • (Of a term) created by combining two or more words
  • noun
  • Series of buildings that are walled or fenced off
  • Chemical made up of several others
  • Closed walled area, as in a prison
  • Something formed by combining elements/parts
  • Term created by using two or more words together
  • verb
  • To pay interest on a loan including the interest
  • To make something from various parts or components
  • To make a mistake or problem worse

for

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US / fə(r) /

UK / fɔr,fə /

A1
  • preposition
  • Used to show the purpose, or need of something

nowadays

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US / ˈnaʊədeɪz /

UK / ˈnaʊəˌdez /

A2
  • adverb
  • At the present time; now

necessarily

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US / ˌnesəˈserəli /

UK / ˌnɛsɪˈsɛrəli, -ˈsɛr- /

A2
  • adverb
  • In a way that is needed/required/is unavoidable

short

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US / ʃɔ:t /

UK / ʃɔrt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Less than what is needed
  • Suddenly stopping what you are saying or doing
  • verb
  • (Of electric circuit) to spark because faulty
  • adjecitve
  • Measuring a small distance
  • Happening for a small amount of time
  • Unfriendly or rude

through

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US / θru: /

UK / θru /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • having finished using or doing something
  • adverb
  • From the beginning of something until the end
  • preposition
  • Over, in, across an entire thing or place
  • Allowing you to pass between, or to
  • By a particular way or process; by the use of

time

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US / taɪm /

UK / taɪm /

A1
  • noun
  • Speed at which music is played; tempo
  • Point as shown on a clock, e.g. 3 p.m
  • Number of hours, minutes needed to do something
  • Occasion when something happens
  • Period or occasion that something occurred
  • Period in history or the past
  • Something measured in minutes, hours, days, etc.
  • How long an event takes; duration
  • verb
  • To check speed at which music is performed
  • To choose a specific moment to do something
  • To measure how long an event takes, e.g. a race
  • To schedule something to occur at a specific moment

why

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US / waɪ /

UK / hwaɪ, waɪ /

A1
  • adverb
  • Question word to ask for a reason
  • exclamation
  • (Used to express surprise or approval)

worth

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US / wɜ:θ /

UK / wɚθ /

A2
  • other
  • the financial, practical or moral value of somebody/something
  • having a particular value, especially in money

coli

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US / 'kəʊlaɪ /

UK / 'koʊlaɪ /

A1
  • noun
  • Type of bacterium

combination

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US / ˌkɒmbɪ'neɪʃn /

UK / ˌkɑmbəˈneʃən /

B1
  • noun
  • Series of letters or numbers needed to open a lock
  • Act or result of mixing things together

evolve

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US / ɪ'vɒlv /

UK / ɪˈvɑlv /

B1
  • verb
  • To develop certain features
  • To develop or change slowly over time
  • To slowly change or develop into something better

fatten

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US / 'fætn /

UK / ˈfætn: /

B1
  • verb
  • To make an animal fat so you can eat it

amazing

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US / ə'meɪzɪŋ /

UK / ə'meɪzɪŋ /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Surprising in a pleasing way
  • verb
  • To cause wonder; to surprise completely

begin

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US / bɪ'ɡɪn /

UK / ˈbeɡɪn /

A1
  • verb
  • To do the first part of an action; to start

cool

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US / ku:l /

UK / kul /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Steady and calm when facing difficulties
  • Almost cold; not warm or hot
  • Smart or stylish in a way (young) people admire
  • Unfriendly in an indirect way; distant
  • verb
  • To make something decrease in temperature
  • (Of an emotion, etc.) to become less strongly felt

overall

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US / ˌəʊvər'ɔ:l /

UK / ˈovɚˌrɔl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Viewed as a whole; in general, not as details

soon

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US / su:n /

UK / sun /

A1
  • adverb
  • At a time not long from now

sound

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US / saʊnd /

UK / saʊnd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Sensible, dependable and reliable
  • Unbroken or undisturbed, as of sleep
  • Firm or solid in structure
  • Sane; not mentally ill
  • Clearly reasoned; involving sense, good judgment
  • noun
  • Unique quality that characterizes a style of music
  • Waves traveling in air or water that can be heard
  • verb
  • To seem or appear to be, from what was said
  • To say in a clear deliberate manner
  • To make a noise, e.g. to ring a bell

water

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US / 'wɔ:tə(r) /

UK / ˈwɔtɚ, ˈwɑtɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Clear liquid that forms the seas, rivers and rain
  • Large area such as an ocean or sea
  • verb
  • (Of the eyes) to produce tears
  • (Mouth) to become wet at the thought of nice food
  • To pour liquids onto a plant to keep it alive

ask

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US / ɑ:sk /

UK / æsk /

A1
  • verb
  • To say to someone that you want something

colonize

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US / 'kɒlənaɪz /

UK / ˈkɑləˌnaɪz /

B2
  • verb
  • To take control over place and live there

since

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US / sɪns /

UK / sɪns /

A1
  • adverb
  • At a point before the present time
  • conjunction
  • For this reason; because
  • preposition
  • From the time in the past that

start

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US / stɑ:t /

UK / stɑrt /

A1
  • noun
  • First time or place that a thing exists; beginning
  • First opportunity to achieve something, e.g. a job
  • Sudden action or movement because you are scared
  • other
  • Beginning of something in place or time
  • verb
  • To do, be or happen for the first time; begin
  • To turn something on

source

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US / sɔ:s /

UK / sɔrs, sors /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Produces or provides what is wanted or needed
  • noun
  • Piece of information; a person giving information
  • Place from which something necessary comes
  • verb
  • To get, e.g. a raw material, from somewhere

specifically

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US / spəˈsɪfɪkli /

UK / spəˈsɪfɪkli /

A2
  • adverb
  • As regards a particular thing; closely related to
  • In particular

well

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US / wel /

UK / wɛl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being in a fortunate, good condition or state
  • Healthy and in good condition
  • adverb
  • In an acceptable, proper, or successful manner
  • In a complete, total, or full manner
  • A great and considerable degree
  • In a successful way, in a good or satisfactory way
  • exclamation
  • Used to begin or continue a particular statement
  • Used to show you want to start saying something
  • Used to express that you are waiting for a reply
  • You say this to change the topic of a conversation
  • Used to indicate you are making a final remark
  • noun
  • Long deep hole in the ground to get water
  • verb
  • To cause your eyes to fill with tears

within

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US / wɪˈðɪn /

UK / wɪðˈɪn, wɪθ- /

A1
  • adverb
  • Inside the limits of an area, time or range
  • preposition
  • From the inside of something

control

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US / kən'trəʊl /

UK / kənˈtrol /

A1
  • noun
  • A device designed to operate a machine
  • Participant in experiment that is left untouched
  • Act to dominate or command; make manageable
  • A law limiting the growth or spread of something
  • A place which overseas or manages e.g. a factory
  • verb
  • To direct or influence the behavior of something

hour

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US / 'aʊə(r) /

UK / aʊr /

A1
  • noun
  • 60 minutes
  • Particular time of the day
  • Fixed, regularly occurring time

collect

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US / kəˈlekt /

UK / kəˈlɛkt /

A2
  • adverb
  • By asking the receiver of a call to pay for it
  • verb
  • To ask for money, e.g. for a charity
  • To gather things, people together in one place
  • To get and keep one type of things as a hobby
  • To take things and bring them together
  • To go and receive, e.g. a prize or an award
  • To take control of your own feelings or thoughts

effect

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US / ɪ'fekt /

UK / ɪˈfɛkt /

A1
  • noun
  • An advantage, benefit
  • Change brought about by a cause; result

scale

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US / skeɪl /

UK / skel /

A2
  • noun
  • Size, level, or amount when compared
  • Small hard plates that cover the body of fish
  • Device that is used to weigh a person or thing
  • Range of numbers from the lowest to the highest
  • Dimensions or size of something
  • verb
  • To change the size of but keep the proportions
  • To climb something large (e.g. a mountain)
  • To remove the scales of a fish

surprise

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US / səˈpraɪz /

UK / sərˈpraɪz /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • That surprises you; not expected
  • noun
  • Something unexpected that slightly shocks you
  • verb
  • To do something that another person didn't expect

food

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US / fu:d /

UK / fud /

A1
  • noun
  • What people and animals eat to live
  • Things taken in by plants to maintain life
  • A particular style or type of cooking, e.g. Asian

not

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US / nɒt /

UK / nɑt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Word indicating the negative
  • (Used to form the negative of verbs)

maybe

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US / ˈmeɪbi /

UK / ˈmebi /

A1
  • adverb
  • Possibly but not certainly; perhaps

our

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US / 'aʊə(r) /

UK / aʊr /

A1
  • determiner
  • Belonging to us

quite

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US / kwaɪt /

UK / kwaɪt /

A1
  • adverb
  • Not very; fairly
  • Very; In a complete or total manner

reproduce

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US / ˌri:prə'dju:s /

UK / ˌriprəˈdus, -ˈdjus /

B1
  • verb
  • To make a copy of something
  • To have children/young; grow roots/new plants

themselves

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US / ðəmˈselvz /

UK / ðɛmˈsɛlvz, ðəm- /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Reflexive form of 'they'

survive

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US / sə'vaɪv /

UK / sɚˈvaɪv /

A2
  • verb
  • To continue to live despite illness or trouble

whole

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US / həul /

UK / hol /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Complete or full; all of
  • Being in a good condition
  • noun
  • Complete amount or sum; total

but

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US / bət /

UK / bʌt,bət /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used before you say something different, opposite

cut

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US / kʌt /

UK / kʌt /

A1
  • noun
  • Act/instance of reducing the size or amount of
  • Small opening made using a sharp object, knife
  • A wound on someone's skin caused by a sharp object
  • verb
  • To reduce the size or amount of something
  • To use knife or scissors to divide, open surfaces

especially

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US / ɪˈspeʃəli /

UK / ɛˈspɛʃəli, ɪˈspɛʃ- /

A1
  • adverb
  • More than usual; extremely

genuinely

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US / 'dʒenjʊɪnlɪ /

UK / ˈdʒɛnjʊɪnlɪ /

A2
  • adverb
  • In a real, actual, not false or artificial way

term

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US / tɜ:m /

UK / tɚm /

A1
  • noun
  • Conditions applying to an agreement, contract
  • Length of time something is expected to happen
  • Fixed period of weeks for learning at school
  • The (precise) name given to something
  • verb
  • To call; give a name to

feedstock

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US / 'fi:dstɒk /

UK / 'fi:dstɒk /

C2
  • noun
  • Raw material required for some industrial process

let

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US / let /

UK / lɛt /

A1
  • verb
  • To allow someone to do something
  • Introducing a suggestion to do something together
  • To rent a house, etc. to others

little

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US / 'lɪtl /

UK / ˈlɪtl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being short in length of time
  • Not great in size, amount, or degree; small
  • Being very young or younger than others
  • adverb
  • By an amount or degree that is not very much
  • Not often; rarely
  • noun
  • A person's name

material

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US / məˈtɪəriəl /

UK / məˈtɪriəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Relevant; (of evidence) important or significant
  • Belonging to the world of physical things
  • noun
  • Cloth; fabric
  • Supplies or data needed to do a certain thing
  • Substance from which a thing is made of

the

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US / ðə /

UK / ðə /

A1
  • article
  • Used to refer to something already mentioned
  • Used to show there is only one of something
  • determiner
  • Used to describe all of a family

bottle

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US / 'bɒtl /

UK / ˈbɑtl /

A1
  • noun
  • Container with a narrow neck used to hold liquids
  • verb
  • To put something into a bottle to store it

this

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US / ðɪs /

UK / ðɪs /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Used to indicate something already been discussed
  • Used to indicate something happening around now
  • adverb
  • An indication by a physical motion or gesture
  • A specific amount of
  • determiner
  • Person, thing, or idea near you
  • pronoun
  • Person, thing that has already been discussed

make

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US / meɪk /

UK / mek /

A1
  • noun
  • Product made by a particular company; brand
  • verb
  • To arrange or prepare something e.g. dinner
  • To get to (a place) on time
  • To gain the status of (teacher, lawyer, etc.)
  • To create something by putting things together
  • To earn a certain amount of money at a job
  • To cause or force a person to do something
  • To cause something to happen or be formed

ones

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US / wʌnz /

UK / wʌnz /

A1
  • number
  • Number 1, a single person or thing

phenomenon

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US / fə'nɒmɪnən /

UK / fɪˈnɑməˌnɑn, -nən /

B1
  • noun
  • Unusual event, fact that can be studied
  • Interesting or unusual person, group
  • something that exists and can be seen, felt, tasted, etc., especially something unusual or interesti

outside

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US / ˌaʊtˈsaɪd /

UK / aʊtˈsaɪd, ˈaʊtˌsaɪd /

A2
  • adverb
  • Beyond the limits or edges of some place, thing
  • noun
  • Area around or near something, such as a building
  • preposition
  • Beyond the limits or edges of some place, thing

pump

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US / pʌmp /

UK / pʌmp /

B1
  • noun
  • A device more moving liquids
  • Light woman's shoe
  • verb
  • To make liquid or gas flow in a particular direction
  • To make water/other liquid move using a machine
  • To move in or out, or up and down quickly
  • asking for information in an indirect way

run

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US / rʌn /

UK / rʌn /

A1
  • noun
  • Journey between two places made by ship or car
  • Series of similar things or successes and failures
  • Act of running; exercise of running
  • verb
  • To depart or travel according to a schedule
  • To cause an animal to move in a certain direction
  • (Of an engine) to be operating
  • To start or use a computer program
  • To flow in a certain direction, like a liquid
  • To manage or operate a business
  • To operate or drive something
  • (Of a road) to go from one place to another
  • To move your legs faster than walking

chemical

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US / ˈkemɪkl /

UK / ˈkɛmɪkəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Made of various elements
  • noun
  • Basic substance produced by mixing elements

computerize

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US / kəmˈpju:təraɪz /

UK / kəm'pju:təraɪz /

B2
  • verb
  • To switch to a system that is run by computers

clothing

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US / ˈkləʊðɪŋ /

UK / ˈkloʊðɪŋ /

A2
  • noun
  • Things you wear on your body, e.g. shirt or dress
  • verb
  • To put a certain type of clothing on someone; dress

diminish

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US / dɪˈmɪnɪʃ /

UK / dɪˈmɪnɪʃ /

B1
  • verb
  • To make something smaller or less important
  • To imply someone's reputation is less good
  • To become or cause to become less in size, value

stand

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US / stænd /

UK / stænd /

A1
  • noun
  • Effort to fight against something
  • Piece of furniture; device to hold or support
  • Place in a stadium where spectators watch
  • Table where things are sold at a fair or market
  • verb
  • To be a candidate in an election
  • To be able to accept someone, something; bear
  • To last for a long time
  • To be upright; not be sitting or lying down
  • To place something in a particular position; place
  • To be (as stated)
  • To still be valid
  • To have an opinion about something

timing

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US / ˈtaɪmɪŋ /

UK / ˈtaɪmɪŋ /

A1
  • noun
  • Measurement of how fast someone is
  • verb
  • To check speed at which music is performed
  • To choose a specific moment to do something
  • To measure how long an event takes, e.g. a race
  • To schedule something to occur at a specific moment

along

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US / əˈlɒŋ /

UK / əˈlɔ:ŋ /

A1
  • adverb
  • As a companion; taken with someone
  • preposition
  • At a point on a line

beekeeper

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US / 'bi:ˌki:pə /

UK / 'bi:ˌki:pə /

C2
  • noun
  • Farmer who keeps bees for their honey

anything

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US / ˈeniθɪŋ /

UK / ˈɛniˌθɪŋ /

A1
  • pronoun
  • A thing of any kind

from

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US / frəm /

UK / frʌm, frɑm,frəm /

A1
  • preposition
  • Starting at a particular place, time or level

form

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US / fɔ:m /

UK / fɔrm /

A1
  • noun
  • Sports team or person's current winning record
  • Document you complete when making an application
  • Visible shape or style; type; kind
  • verb
  • To organize something such as a club or group
  • To develop; to come into a shape or substance
  • To make something into a particular shape

out

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US / aʊt /

UK / aʊt /

A1
  • adverb
  • No longer stylish (e.g. fashion)
  • Away from home, business, or the usual place
  • In a direction/movement away from inside or center
  • noun
  • Act when a batter cannot continue playing
  • verb
  • To tell people a secret

over

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US / 'əʊvə(r) /

UK / ˈovɚ /

A1
  • adverb
  • Finished; no longer happening
  • Towards the ground/away from a standing position
  • noun
  • A set of six consecutive balls bowled in cricket
  • other
  • Finished
  • preposition
  • Showing the relation when a thing is above another
  • On or covering something
  • Above or across something
  • More than you need
  • From one side to the other
  • In the direction of; toward

temperature

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US / ˈtemprətʃə(r) /

UK / ˈtɛmpərəˌtʃʊr,-tʃɚ,ˈtɛmprə- /

A2
  • noun
  • When you your body heat is above normal
  • How hot or cold something is, e.g. the weather

and

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US / ənd /

UK / ənd, ən,ænd /

A1
  • conjunction
  • Used to refer to two or more things
  • Plus; in addition; on top of that
  • Used to introduce an action that follows another

back

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US / bæk /

UK / bæk /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Farthest from the front e.g. in a classroom
  • adverb
  • Have returned to a place you were before
  • noun
  • The part of a chair that the upper body leans upon
  • Location at the rear of something
  • The reverse of side something
  • Area on the rear of your body
  • verb
  • To bet money on something
  • To go backwards in a car
  • To support and encourage someone or some cause

degrade

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US / dɪ'ɡreɪd /

UK / dɪˈɡred /

B2
  • verb
  • To reduce in amount or strength
  • To treat something poorly or without respect

inspiration

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US / ˌɪnspə'reɪʃn /

UK / ˌɪnspəˈreʃən /

B1
  • noun
  • Force making you feel you can do things, succeed

lot

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US / lɒt /

UK / lɑt /

A1
  • noun
  • What happens to a person in life from chance; fate
  • A group of people seen together
  • Item for sale at an auction
  • Small area of land used for a purpose e.g. parking

guy

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US / ɡaɪ /

UK / ɡaɪ /

A1
  • noun
  • Man; boy; any person

significantly

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US / sɪgˈnɪfɪkəntli /

UK / sɪɡˈnɪfəkəntlɪ /

A2
  • adverb
  • In a way that is important or noticeable
  • In a way that is meaningful

variety

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US / və'raɪətɪ /

UK / vəˈraɪɪti /

A2
  • noun
  • Particular type of thing or person

underway

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US / ˌʌndəˈweɪ /

UK / ˌʌndɚˈwe /

B2
  • adverb
  • Happening now

stability

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US / stəˈbɪləti /

UK / stəˈbɪlɪti /

A2
  • noun
  • Quality or state of being even or consistent

researcher

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US / rɪ'sɜ:tʃə(r) /

UK / rɪˈsətʃɚ /

A2
  • noun
  • Someone who works to find new facts and ideas

natural

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US / ˈnætʃərəl /

UK / ˈnætʃərəl, ˈnætʃrəl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being as one would expect; being usual or normal
  • Not made by humans; without human intervention

might

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US / maɪt /

UK / maɪt /

A1
  • other
  • Used to politely request an action
  • Used to express that something could happen
  • Power, strength, force or influence

molecular

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US / mə'lekjələ(r) /

UK / məˈlɛkjəlɚ /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • About or caused by molecules

bad

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US / bæd /

UK / bæd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Not good; wrong
  • Lacking in good morals; evil
  • No longer fresh; spoiled

able

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US / 'eɪbl /

UK / ˈebəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Skilled; good at something
  • Having the ability to do something

turn

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US / tɜ:n /

UK / tɚn /

A1
  • noun
  • Place where changing of direction happens
  • Your time or chance to perform a duty
  • Your chance to play or do in say a game
  • Unexpected change, as in the weather
  • verb
  • To become (a particular age)
  • To become a different quality, color, etc.
  • To change the direction of something, e.g. a car
  • To move in an opposite direction or position
  • To shape metal with a spinning tool

open

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US / 'əʊpən /

UK / ˈopən /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Available for use; accessible
  • Not being hidden; available for others to see
  • Being available for customers to enter or use
  • Allowing everyone to use or take part in
  • Not secret anymore
  • Not closed or shut
  • Willing to accept new ideas and thoughts
  • noun
  • Name for a tennis or golf competition
  • verb
  • To make accessible or able to be used, e.g. road
  • To start the activities or services of a business
  • To make a space or hole appear in something
  • To move or change so that it is no longer closed
  • To start something, e.g. a new business

other

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US / 'ʌðə(r) /

UK / ˈʌðər /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • A thing different from that mentioned
  • determiner
  • (Something) else; not the first (one)
  • pronoun
  • Being the one and only thing of that category

one

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US / wʌn /

UK / wʌn /

A1
  • pronoun
  • You; we; people in general; someone
  • The thing or person previously referred to
  • adjecitve
  • Used to refer to people generally
  • Being a strong example of (something mentioned)
  • number
  • Number 1

into

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US / 'ɪntə /

UK / ˈɪntu /

A1
  • preposition
  • Moving or going inside something
  • In the same direction as; in the direction of
  • So as to become; taking the state of

flavour

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US / ˈfleɪvə(r) /

UK / ˈflevɚ /

B1
  • noun
  • Taste of something, especially in food or drink
  • verb
  • To add extra taste to a food

extract

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US / 'ekstrækt /

UK / ɪkˈstrækt /

B1
  • noun
  • Essential ingredient of a natural thing
  • Part taken from a longer written work
  • verb
  • To get a substance out of a plant, etc.
  • To get a person to share secret information
  • To remove something by pulling or cutting

you

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US / jʊ /

UK / ju /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Person someone is speaking or writing to
  • Person or people in general

year

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US / jə: /

UK / jɪr /

A1
  • noun
  • Unit of time equal to 12 months or 365 or 366 days
  • Used to refer to the age of a person

simply

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US / ˈsɪmpli /

UK / ˈsɪmpli /

A1
  • adverb
  • In an easy or clear manner

mutation

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US / mju:'teɪʃn /

UK / mjuˈteʃən /

B2
  • noun
  • Change that changes genetic structure

kind

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US / kaɪnd /

UK / kaɪnd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • In a caring and helpful manner
  • friendly and considerate
  • noun
  • One type of thing

live

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US / lɪv /

UK / liv /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being broadcast as events happen, not recorded
  • Carrying electric current; able to give a shock
  • Glowing because burning; hot
  • Not yet killed (for food)
  • adverb
  • (Music, drama) as it is performed
  • verb
  • To be alive
  • To experience a particular type of life
  • To make your home in a house or town

humanity

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US / hju:ˈmænəti /

UK / hjuˈmænɪti /

A2
  • noun
  • Quality of being understanding or sympathetic
  • Human race as one group of people

how

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US / haʊ /

UK / haʊ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • To what degree? in what amount?
  • adverb
  • (Used to explain the way to do something)
  • exclamation
  • For what purpose or reason?
  • (Used to ask someone or something's condition)

identify

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US / aɪ'dentɪfaɪ /

UK / aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪ /

B1
  • verb
  • To indicate who or what someone or something is

dish

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US / dɪʃ /

UK / dɪʃ /

A2
  • noun
  • Good-looking person of the opposite sex
  • Shallow container that you cook or serve food in
  • Food that has been prepared in a certain way

cosmetic

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US / kɒz'metɪk /

UK / kɑzˈmɛtɪk /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • Serving a decorative rather than a useful purpose

chemically

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US / 'kemɪklɪ /

UK / 'kemɪklɪ /

B1
  • adverb
  • By means of a chemical process

also

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US / 'ɔ:lsəʊ /

UK / ˈɔlso /

A1
  • adverb
  • In addition; too; in a similar way

valuable

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US / ˈvæljuəbl /

UK / ˈvæljuəbəl, ˈvæljə- /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Being useful or important
  • Being worth a lot of money

specific

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US / spəˈsɪfɪk /

UK / spɪˈsɪfɪk /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Precise; particular; just about that thing
  • Concerning one particular thing or kind of thing

solution

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US / səˈlu:ʃn /

UK / səˈluʃən /

A2
  • noun
  • Mix of a liquid and a solid or a gas
  • Way to solve or deal with a problem

answer

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US / 'ɑ:nsə(r) /

UK / ˈænsɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Reply to a question someone asks
  • Solution to a problem or test question
  • verb
  • To reply to a question someone asks
  • To solve a test question or a problem

yet

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US / jet /

UK / jɛt /

A1
  • adverb
  • At a later time (used after ‘not’)
  • (Used to emphasize that thing is, will be greater)
  • Eventually; at a future time
  • Until now; up to the present
  • conjunction
  • Adding to what has been said, often as a contrast

significant

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US / sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt /

UK / sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Large enough to be noticed or have an effect
  • Having meaning; important; noticeable
  • (Statistics) being clearly different

presumably

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US / prɪˈzju:məbli /

UK / prɪˈzu:məbli /

B1
  • adverb
  • So as to be likely to be true or correct

currently

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US / ˈkʌrəntli /

UK / ˈkʌrənt(ə)li /

A2
  • adverb
  • Happening or being in the present time

cash

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US / kæʃ /

UK / kæʃ /

A2
  • noun
  • Physical money (not credit card or digital)
  • verb
  • To sell or give something to get money

star

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US / stɑ:(r) /

UK / stɑr /

A1
  • noun
  • Very famous person, usually an entertainer
  • Someone who does something very well
  • Your horoscope
  • A bright planet of hot gas in the night sky
  • A 5-6 sided asterisk-shape
  • verb
  • To perform or play a main role in a movie, play
  • To do something very well
  • To mark with a 5-6 sided asterisk-shape

life

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US / laɪf /

UK / laɪf /

A1
  • noun
  • All the living things e.g. animals, plants, humans
  • Period of time things live, from birth to death

give

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US / ɡɪv /

UK / ɡɪv /

A1
  • noun
  • Degree of flexibility in something, a material
  • verb
  • To hand over or present something to someone
  • To cause someone to have or experience something

edinburgh

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US / ˈednˌbɜ:rə, -ˌbʌrə, -brə /

UK / ˈɛdn:ˌbə:rə, -ˌbʌrə, -brə /

A1
  • proper noun
  • The capital of Scotland, on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth; population 449,100 (est. 2009)

good

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US / ɡʊd /

UK / ɡʊd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Proper, appropriate or right
  • (Of an amount) enough; plenty
  • Excellent; high quality
  • Acting well or properly; of moral character
  • In a positive or happy emotional state
  • noun
  • Advantage or benefit

would

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US / wʊd /

UK / wʊd /

A1
  • other
  • Used to indicate something imagined
  • Used to ask or request something politely
  • Verb used to indicate possibility, request etc.
  • Used to indicate a preference
  • Used to indicate a reaction
  • Indicates something that occurred repeatedly
  • Used to indicate willingness or ability to do

stomach

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US / 'stʌmək /

UK / ˈstʌmək /

A2
  • noun
  • Place in the body where food is processed
  • verb
  • to be able to accept something unpleasant

really

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US / ˈri:əli /

UK / ˈriəˌli, ˈrili /

A1
  • adverb
  • Used to stress something that is said; definitely
  • In a true or accurate manner
  • Very

necessary

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US / 'nesəsərɪ /

UK / ˈnɛsɪˌsɛri /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Needed or required; unavoidable

interested

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US / ˈɪntrəstɪd /

UK / ˈɪntrɪstɪd, -tərɪstɪd, -təˌrɛstɪd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Having had your attention taken; curious
  • verb
  • To make someone want to know about something
  • To persuade to do, become involved with something

excited

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US / ɪkˈsaɪtɪd /

UK / ɪkˈsaɪtɪd /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Happy, interested or eager; enthusiastic
  • verb
  • To make something or someone become more active
  • To make someone feel happy, interested or eager

enter

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US / 'entə(r) /

UK / ˈɛntɚ /

A1
  • verb
  • To start a career or an education
  • To become a competitor in a contest
  • To add or type information in a computer
  • To go into a room, building etc.

can

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US / kæn /

UK / kən,kæn /

A1
  • noun
  • A metal container for storing food
  • other
  • Able to; have the skill to; have the time to
  • verb
  • To have permission to
  • To be possible to do
  • To preserve food by sealing it in a metal container

achieve

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US / ə'tʃi:v /

UK / əˈtʃiv /

A2
  • verb
  • To succeed in doing good, usually by working hard

planet

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US / 'plænɪt /

UK / ˈplænɪt /

A2
  • noun
  • One of the bodies that orbit the sun

now

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US / naʊ /

UK / naʊ /

A1
  • adverb
  • At the present time or moment
  • Right away or in the next possible moment
  • Used to refer to something that just happened
  • Time between the present and a moment in the past
  • conjunction
  • Resulting from or because of something

experience

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US / ɪk'spɪərɪəns /

UK / ɪkˈspɪriəns /

A1
  • noun
  • Thing a person has done or that happened to them
  • An event at which you learned something
  • Knowledge gained by living life, doing new things
  • verb
  • To gain knowledge by doing things

deal

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US / di:l /

UK / dil /

A1
  • verb
  • To cope with something - usually troubles
  • To give (something bad e.g. news) to
  • To buy and sell illegal drugs
  • To give out (cards, etc.) to; distribute
  • To do business with someone or to sell products

slow

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US / sləʊ /

UK / sloʊ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Lacking activity, busyness or excitement
  • (Clock) showing time earlier than the actual time
  • Having difficulty understanding simple things
  • Moving or happening without speed; not fast
  • verb
  • To move, with less speed than before
  • To move or go without much speed

same

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US / seɪm /

UK / sem /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being equal in quality and amount
  • Identical; not different
  • Not changing; constant

polymer

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US / 'pɒlɪmə(r) /

UK / ˈpɑləmɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Chemical substance made up of simple molecules

creature

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US / ˈkri:tʃə(r) /

UK / ˈkritʃɚ /

A2
  • noun
  • Animal of any type

vast

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US / vɑ:st /

UK / væst /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Being very large in size or amount

simulation

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US / ˌsɪmjuˈleɪʃn /

UK / ˌsɪmjəˈleʃən /

B1
  • noun
  • A copying method to study the real world

question

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US / 'kwestʃən /

UK / ˈkwɛstʃən /

A1
  • noun
  • Issue or problems you are dealing with
  • What you ask about; issue
  • verb
  • To ask for or try to get information
  • To have or express concerns or uncertainty

microbe

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US / ˈmaɪkrəʊb /

UK / ˈmaɪkroʊb /

C1
  • noun
  • Very small, microscopic, living thing

generate

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US / ˈdʒenəreɪt /

UK / ˈdʒɛnəˌret /

A2
  • verb
  • To create or be produced or bring into existence
  • To create electricity, heat, energy and power

though

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US / ðəu /

UK / ðo /

A1
  • adverb
  • Although, despite the fact that

those

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US / ðəʊz /

UK / ðoz /

A1
  • determiner
  • The people or things we are talking about
  • pronoun
  • The objects far from the speaker

molecule

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US / ˈmɒlɪkju:l /

UK / ˈmɑlɪˌkjul /

B2
  • noun
  • Two or more atoms chemically combined

light

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US / laɪt /

UK / laɪt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being bright making it easy to see; not dark
  • Being pale and lacking darkness of color
  • Not heavy; weighing only a little
  • adverb
  • Carrying few bags when traveling
  • noun
  • A source of energy that makes a room or area bright
  • Way in which something or someone is understood
  • verb
  • To cause something to burn; put a burning match to
  • To provide a way to see ahead

watery

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US / 'wɔ:tərɪ /

UK / ˈwɔtəri, ˈwɑtə- /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Having a lot (maybe too much) water
  • Filled with water

stable

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US / 'steɪbl /

UK / ˈstebəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • In a position where something does not fall over
  • Having a chemical state that is not easily changed
  • Reacting in an even way; having good mental health
  • In good condition, and not likely to deteriorate
  • noun
  • Group of racing horses that belong to one owner
  • verb
  • To put horses in a stable

rep

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US / rep /

UK / rɛp /

A2
  • noun
  • Short from of 'representative'
  • other

quality

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US / 'kwɒlətɪ /

UK / ˈkwɑlɪti /

A2
  • noun
  • Feature associated with someone or something
  • High level of worth or excellence

never

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US / 'nevə(r) /

UK / ˈnɛvɚ /

A1
  • adverb
  • Not ever; not at any time

crisis

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US / 'kraɪsɪs /

UK / ˈkraɪsɪs /

B1
  • noun
  • Unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty

cow

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US / kaʊ /

UK / kaʊ /

A2
  • noun
  • Large farm animal from which we get milk and beef
  • verb
  • To make afraid or ashamed; intimidate

benefit

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US / 'benɪfɪt /

UK / ˈbɛnəfɪt /

A2
  • noun
  • Good result or effect, something advantageous
  • verb
  • To have a good effect or be helpful

anyway

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US / ˈeniweɪ /

UK / ˈɛniˌwe /

A1
  • adverb
  • A word used to change the topic of a conversation

technology

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US / tek'nɒlədʒɪ /

UK / tɛkˈnɑlədʒi /

A2
  • noun
  • Use or knowledge of science in industry etc.

report

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US / rɪ'pɔ:t /

UK / rɪˈpɔrt, ˈport /

A1
  • noun
  • Account of the necessary facts and information
  • The telling of news in the media
  • Official statement about something
  • verb
  • To submit a report or bill to the government
  • To write in a newspaper or speak on a news program
  • To state something officially
  • To officially present yourself to an authority
  • To describe something by telling it to others

pet

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US / pet /

UK / pɛt /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Favorite
  • noun
  • Animal kept by a person for company and friendship
  • A favorite thing or person
  • verb
  • To gently touch an animal or person; stroke
  • To kiss and cuddle, sometimes in a sexual way

just

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US / dʒʌst /

UK / dʒʌst /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Proper or appropriate; as is deserved
  • Doing or being what is right or fair
  • Legally correct; having enough evidence
  • adverb
  • Almost; nearly
  • Exactly at the time of
  • Exactly (the same as, like)

cycle

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US / ˈsaɪkl /

UK / ˈsaɪkəl /

A2
  • noun
  • Series of regular and repeated actions
  • Bicycle, bike
  • verb
  • To go through a series of events repeatedly
  • To ride on a bicycle

armada

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US / ɑ:ˈmɑ:də /

UK / ɑrˈmɑdə, -ˈme- /

C1
  • noun
  • Fleet of warships

animal

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US / ˈænɪml /

UK / ˈænəməl /

A1
  • noun
  • A living creature that is not a plant or person

strong

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US / strɒŋ /

UK / strɔŋ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • (Of tea or beer) dark or thick
  • Having big muscles; physically powerful

oil

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US / ɔɪl /

UK / ɔɪl /

A2
  • noun
  • A liquid used for frying foods
  • Thick, black liquid in the ground used as fuel
  • verb
  • To add a liquid for frying foods
  • To put liquid in a machine so it will run smoothly

much

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US / mʌtʃ /

UK / mʌtʃ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Very; to a high level or degree
  • adverb
  • A lot; large amount; a high degree of
  • Nearly; basically
  • On many occasions; often
  • noun
  • A large amount; a great quantity

glycol

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US / 'glaɪkɒl /

UK / 'glaɪkoʊl /

A1
  • noun
  • Sweet but poisonous syrupy liquid used as an antifreeze and solvent; any of a class of alcohols havi

industrial

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US / ɪnˈdʌstriəl /

UK / ɪnˈdʌstriəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning making things in factories

hobby

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US / ˈhɒbi /

UK / ˈhɑ:bi /

A1
  • noun
  • Regular activity done in free time, for pleasure

capable

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US / 'keɪpəbl /

UK / ˈkepəbəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Being able to do something very well; proficient

fact

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US / fækt /

UK / fækt /

A1
  • noun
  • Something that is known or proved to be true

extremely

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US / ɪkˈstri:mli /

UK / ɪk'strimlɪ /

B1
  • adverb
  • In a way that is much more than usual or expected

few

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US / fju: /

UK / fju /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Not many, a small number

rely

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US / rɪ'laɪ /

UK / rɪˈlaɪ /

B2
  • verb
  • Depend on with full trust or confidence

intermediate

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US / ˌɪntəˈmi:diət /

UK / ˌɪntɚˈmidiɪt /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Between; in the middle; moderate
  • Having some knowledge but not advanced
  • noun
  • Person with some knowledge but not advanced

car

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US / kɑ:(r) /

UK / kɑr /

A1
  • noun
  • A vehicle with wheels and engine to carry people

scene

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US / si:n /

UK / sin /

A2
  • noun
  • Incident where someone behaves angrily, badly
  • View that looks like a picture
  • Place where something particular happened
  • Part of an act in a play

ruin

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US / 'ru:ɪn /

UK / ˈruɪn /

B1
  • verb
  • To damage or completely destroy something
  • To cause someone to lose their money or status
  • noun
  • Remains of a building that has been destroyed

remember

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US / rɪ'membə(r) /

UK / rɪˈmɛmbɚ /

A1
  • verb
  • To give someone a gift, e.g. birthday, wedding
  • To hold a thought in your mind to not forget it
  • To bring a previous image or idea to your mind

moth

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US / mɒθ /

UK / mɔθ, mɑθ /

B2
  • noun
  • Insect with large wings that flies around at night

ice

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US / aɪs /

UK / aɪs /

A1
  • noun
  • Frozen gas or liquid, esp. water
  • Sweet food made of frozen cream, or juices
  • verb
  • To make something cold by putting on frozen water
  • To spread a sweet and creamy substance on a cake

focus

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US / 'fəʊkəs /

UK / ˈfokəs /

A2
  • noun
  • Main purpose or center of interest or activity
  • verb
  • To see clearly by adjusting your eyes or a camera
  • To keep your attention, concentration on one thing

engineer

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US / ˌendʒɪ'nɪə(r) /

UK / ˌɛndʒəˈnɪr /

A2
  • noun
  • Someone whose job is designing machines, buildings
  • Someone whose job is to repair or maintain engines

discovery

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US / dɪ'skʌvərɪ /

UK / dɪˈskʌvəri /

A2
  • noun
  • Learning something for the first time

substance

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US / 'sʌbstəns /

UK / ˈsʌbstəns /

A2
  • noun
  • Essence of; most basic or central qualities
  • Particular type of material
  • Having material form; existing
  • Quality of truth, importance, or meaningfulness

part

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US / pɑ:t /

UK / pɑ:rt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • To some degree; half; not fully
  • noun
  • Division of a book
  • Ratio of something, e.g. 3 of gin, 1 of tonic
  • A line in a person's hair, made with a comb
  • Character an actor plays on stage, movie, or TV
  • Some, but not all of a specific thing
  • Role in causing something to happen
  • verb
  • To make a line in a person's hair, by using a comb
  • To move two things apart creating a space
  • To leave someone, or to break off a relationship

machine

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US / mə'ʃi:n /

UK / məˈʃin /

A1
  • noun
  • Piece of equipment used to do work
  • Powerful group who control and organize things
  • verb
  • To shape, work on something, using a device

mechanism

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US / 'mekənɪzəm /

UK / ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəm /

B1
  • noun
  • Part of a machine that performs a certain function
  • System or process for achieving a certain result

identical

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US / aɪˈdentɪkl /

UK / aɪˈdɛntɪkəl /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • The same in every way

have

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US / həv /

UK / hæv /

A1
  • verb
  • To drink, smoke, eat or use something
  • To experience the effects of something
  • To organize an event, or join in an activity
  • To own, possess, or hold something
  • To cause to happen or produce a particular effect

century

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US / 'sentʃərɪ /

UK / ˈsɛntʃəri /

A1
  • noun
  • Period of 100 years

before

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US / bɪˈfɔ:(r) /

UK / bɪˈfɔr,-ˈfor /

A1
  • adverb
  • At a time earlier than the present; previously
  • conjunction
  • In advance of something happening
  • preposition
  • In front of someone or something

almost

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US / 'ɔ:lməʊst /

UK / ˈɔlˌmost, ɔlˈmost /

A1
  • adverb
  • Only a little less than, nearly, not quite

recycle

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US / ˌri:'saɪkl /

UK / riˈsaɪkəl /

A2
  • verb
  • To use old ideas or concepts again
  • To send used things to be turned into new things

polyethylene

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US / ˌpɔliˈeθili:n /

UK / ˌpɑliˈɛθəˌlin /

A1
  • noun
  • Lightweight thermoplastic; used especially in packaging and insulation

increase

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US / ɪn'kri:s /

UK / ɪnˈkris /

A1
  • noun
  • Fact of increasing; amount something grows by
  • verb
  • To make or become larger in size or amount

feed

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US / fi:d /

UK / fid /

A2
  • noun
  • Food given to animals
  • verb
  • To give food, e.g. to animals or a baby
  • To push something through an opening
  • To provide necessary supplies to

biodegradation

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US / /

UK / /

A1

break

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US / breɪk /

UK / brek /

A1
  • noun
  • Time you stop an activity before continuing
  • End of a relationship
  • An escape from a place such as a jail
  • (Lucky) advantage or benefit from something
  • Find a solution or answer to a problem or crime
  • Change in the weather
  • verb
  • To create a new record e.g. running the 100m dash
  • To form a crack in something
  • To burst or become damaged
  • To end a relationship
  • To escape from a place such as a jail
  • To train a wild animal e.g. a horse
  • To separate into pieces by force, or by dropping
  • To act against a law, rule, or promise
  • To become known suddenly, as in the news
  • To not do what you promised e.g. not keep promises
  • To solve a crime, or answer a problem
  • To stop functioning properly
  • To suddenly start, open or commence
  • To change in pitch suddenly, as in a voice
  • To fall on the shore, as in waves
  • To begin or change suddenly; the dawn or weather
  • To defeat by causing the person to lose their will

will

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US / wɪl /

UK / wɪl /

A1
  • noun
  • Desire or choice of someone
  • Document saying who gets your money when you die
  • Strong desire to do something; determination
  • Desire to do something; strong wish to do
  • other
  • Used with verbs to express the future
  • verb
  • To leave property to someone after your death
  • To use mental effort to make something happen
  • Am (is, are) likely to do
  • To influence someone to do something
  • To make something happen by strongly wanting it

team

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US / ti:m /

UK / tim /

A1
  • noun
  • Group of people working on a task together
  • Group of people playing a sport together

overcome

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US / ˌəʊvə'kʌm /

UK / ˌovɚˈkʌm /

A2
  • verb
  • To succeed in a struggle against; defeat

itself

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US / ɪtˈself /

UK / ɪtˈsɛlf /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Referring to it

liquid

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US / ˈlɪkwɪd /

UK / ˈlɪkwɪd /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • (Of wealth) being able to be spent as cash
  • In a state of being uncertain
  • Moving in a flowing manner, like water or oil
  • noun
  • Something that is similar to the state of water

diet

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US / 'daɪət /

UK / ˈdaɪɪt /

A2
  • noun
  • Plan of eating to reduce weight or improve health
  • other
  • The usual food and drink consumed by an organism (person or animal)
  • verb
  • To eat special or less food, as to lose weight

appear

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US / ə'pɪə(r) /

UK / əˈpɪr /

A1
  • verb
  • To be seen, become visible; come into sight
  • To seem to be
  • To act in a play, movie, or be mentioned in media

always

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US / 'ɔ:lweɪz /

UK / ˈɔlwez,-wɪz,-wiz /

A1
  • adverb
  • For a very long time
  • At all times; in every situation
  • For ever

while

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US / waɪl /

UK / hwaɪl, waɪl /

A1
  • conjunction
  • In spite of the fact that; although
  • During the time that; at the same time
  • noun
  • Short amount of time

once

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US / wʌns /

UK / wʌns /

A1
  • adverb
  • One time; one instance
  • At a time in the past
  • conjunction
  • When; as soon as

million

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US / ˈmɪljən /

UK / ˈmɪljən /

A1
  • number
  • 1,000,000

matter

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US / 'mætə(r) /

UK / ˈmætɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Material all things are made of that fills space
  • Problem or reason for concern
  • verb
  • To be of great importance; to count

economy

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US / ɪ'kɒnəmɪ /

UK / ɪˈkɑnəmi /

A1
  • noun
  • Using money, resources in a careful, effective way
  • Total of all goods, services and wages in an area

eat

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US / i:t /

UK / it /

A1
  • verb
  • To put food in your mouth

component

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US / kəmˈpəʊnənt /

UK / kəmˈponənt /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Being a part of something
  • noun
  • One of the parts that something is made up of

bag

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US / bæɡ /

UK / bæɡ /

A1
  • noun
  • Soft container to put things in and carry with you
  • verb
  • To catch an animal while hunting
  • To put an item or items into a bag

try

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US / traɪ /

UK / traɪ /

A1
  • noun
  • Act of putting the ball over the rugby goal line
  • verb
  • To make an effort, to attempt to do something
  • To examine someone or something in a court of law
  • To test to see if it is good or you like it
  • To make a person go through hardship; test
  • To examine something to see if it works

scientific

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US / ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk /

UK / ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning academic study of the physical world

new

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US / nju: /

UK / nu, nju /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Not old, recently born, built or made
  • Being or doing something for the first time
  • Not felt, seen or known previously
  • Having been recently bought or obtained

here

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US / hɪə(r) /

UK / hɪr /

A1
  • adverb
  • In this place; at this location, position or time

too

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US / tu: /

UK / tu /

A1
  • adverb
  • In addition, also; with emphasis
  • Say that something is more than you want

side

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US / saɪd /

UK / saɪd /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • In addition to the central or most important thing
  • Next to, or very close to, the right or left of
  • noun
  • Position or opinion that is opposite to another
  • Right or left part of a person's body
  • Feature of someone's personality
  • Straight edge of an object
  • One of two or more groups fighting each other
  • verb
  • To decide to agree with one point, not the other

retain

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US / rɪ'teɪn /

UK / rɪˈten /

A2
  • verb
  • To continue to have or use; keep the quality of
  • To keep one thing inside another for a time
  • To memorize information

sort

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US / sɔ:t /

UK / sɔrt /

A1
  • noun
  • Group or class of similar things or people
  • verb
  • To organize things by putting them into groups
  • To deal with things in an organized way

science

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US / 'saɪəns /

UK / ˈsaɪəns /

A2
  • noun
  • Study of the physical world, based on facts

race

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US / reɪs /

UK / res /

A2
  • noun
  • Speed contest between people, animals or vehicles
  • People who share physical features or culture
  • verb
  • To take part in a running or swimming competition
  • To move or go at a very fast pace
  • To take someone, something to a place very quickly

massive

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US / ˈmæsɪv /

UK / ˈmæsɪv /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Very big; large; too big

exactly

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US / ɪgˈzæktli /

UK / ɪɡˈzæktli /

A1
  • adverb
  • No more and no less than; precisely

continue

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US / kən'tɪnju: /

UK / kənˈtɪnju /

A1
  • verb
  • To do something without stopping, or after pausing
  • To start doing again after a break, pause, or stop

database

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US / 'deɪtəbeɪs /

UK / ˈdetəˌbes, ˈdætə- /

A2
  • noun
  • Data stored in logical order to aid retrieval

bacterium

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US / bæk'tɪərɪəm /

UK / bækˈtɪriəm /

B2
  • noun
  • The very small creatures that can cause disease

solve

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US / sɒlv /

UK / sɑ:lv /

A2
  • verb
  • To figure out a way to handle a difficult problem

number

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US / ˈnʌmbə(r) /

UK / ˈnʌmbɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Symbols such as 1, 2, 56, 793
  • Particular song or dance performed during a show
  • Total quantity or amount of things
  • verb
  • To put numbers on things
  • To assign a sequence within a group, series, set
  • To claim to be part of a larger group, series, set

interesting

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US / ˈɪntrəstɪŋ /

UK / ˈɪntrɪstɪŋ, -tərɪstɪŋ, -təˌrɛstɪŋ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Taking your attention; making you want to know
  • verb
  • To make someone want to know about something
  • To persuade to do, become involved with something

bunch

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US / bʌntʃ /

UK / bʌntʃ /

B1
  • noun
  • A group of things of the same kind
  • verb
  • To group people or things closely together
  • (Cloth) to gather/be gathered together in folds

yeah

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US / jeə /

UK / ˈjɛə, ˈjæə, jɛ- /

A1
  • exclamation
  • Another way of saying 'yes'

inspire

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US / ɪn'spaɪə(r) /

UK / ɪnˈspaɪr /

B1
  • verb
  • To give someone an idea to do or make something
  • To make someone feel a certain emotion

happen

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US / 'hæpən /

UK / ˈhæpən /

A1
  • verb
  • To take place or occur

ground

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US / graʊnd /

UK / ɡraʊnd /

A1
  • noun
  • Connection of electrical equipment to earth
  • Place where people play particular sports
  • Solid surface of the earth that we stand on
  • verb
  • To break (coffee, etc.) into tiny bits with machine
  • To make loud jarring noise by pressing hard
  • To make sharp or smooth through friction
  • To press together with force making a sound
  • To punish someone by not allowing them to go out
  • To hit the bottom
  • (Of boat) to hit the bottom so it cannot move
  • To prevent a plane from taking off
  • To place the ball over the goal line in rugby

flexible

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US / ˈfleksəbl /

UK / ˈflɛksəbəl /

B1
  • adjecitve
  • Bending easily
  • Able to adjust to new events, requirements easily

example

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US / ɪgˈzɑ:mpl /

UK / ɪɡˈzæmpəl /

A1
  • noun
  • Thing, person which represents a category

cell

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US / sel /

UK / sɛl /

A2
  • noun
  • Smallest unit of living things in biology
  • Group of people - often from a secret organization
  • Prisoner's room in a jail
  • Shortened form of 'cellphone'

vanillin

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US / vəˈnɪlɪn /

UK / və'nɪlɪn /

A1
  • other
  • A crystalline compound found in vanilla beans and some balsam resins; used in perfumes and flavoring

then

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US / ðen /

UK / ðɛn /

A1
  • adverb
  • A time that is not now
  • Following another thing in time or arrangement
  • Following on reasonably from what was just stated
  • At that time, not now

pharmaceutical

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US / ˌfɑ:məˈsu:tɪkl /

UK / ˌfɑ:rməˈsu:tɪkl /

B2
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning the science of drugs and medicines

extent

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US / ɪkˈstent /

UK / ɪkˈstɛnt /

A2
  • noun
  • Point, level or limit to which something reaches
  • Range or space included in something

down

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US / daʊn /

UK / daʊn /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being sad, sick, or unhappy
  • Not operating, working, or functioning as expected
  • adverb
  • In a sitting or lying position
  • Towards or on the ground, floor, or bottom
  • Written or copied onto a piece of paper or book
  • noun
  • A period of play in American Football
  • The soft, smooth hairs that cover a bird's body
  • preposition
  • Along something's path, course, or direction
  • Going from a higher position to a lower position
  • verb
  • To eat or drink very quickly and without stopping

derive

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US / dɪˈraɪv /

UK / dɪˈraɪv /

B1
  • verb
  • To come from another thing

hard

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US / hɑ:d /

UK / hɑː(r)d /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Difficult to do; difficult to understand
  • (Of facts) not able to be misunderstood; clear
  • (Of alcohol) strong
  • Involving or requiring lots of work, effort, care
  • Being full of pain, trouble, and problems
  • Strong
  • (Of edge) clear; sharp
  • Difficult to bend, break or cut; solid
  • adverb
  • With lots of force, power, or impact

understanding

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US / ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ /

UK / ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being sympathetic
  • noun
  • When you get the meaning correctly; comprehension
  • Knowledge about something or someone
  • verb
  • To know the meaning of language, what someone says

ultimately

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US / ˈʌltɪmətli /

UK / ˈʌltəmɪtli /

B1
  • adverb
  • Done or considered as the final and most important

similar

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US / ˈsɪmələ(r) /

UK / ˈsɪməlɚ /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Nearly the same; alike

place

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US / pleɪs /

UK / ples /

A1
  • noun
  • Particular location, area or region
  • verb
  • To put someone in a particular type of situation
  • To put something in a certain location or position

own

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US / əʊn /

UK / on /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Belong to oneself
  • determiner
  • Yours, his, hers, etc.; not belonging to another
  • pronoun
  • (Something) belong to myself
  • verb
  • To have something as your property

cause

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US / kɔ:z /

UK / kɔz /

A2
  • noun
  • Belief, goal or organization that people support
  • Reason for
  • verb
  • To make something happen; create effect or result

biologist

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US / baɪˈɒlədʒɪst /

UK / baɪˈɑːlədʒɪst /

A2
  • noun
  • A scientist who studies living things

witness

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US / 'wɪtnəs /

UK / ˈwɪtnɪs /

B1
  • noun
  • Person who was present to see an event take place
  • Evidence or proof of something
  • verb
  • To see the signing of an official document
  • To see an event take place (usually a crime)
  • To serve as an example or evidence of something

what

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US / wɒt /

UK / hwɑt, hwʌt, wɔt, wʌt,hwət, wət /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Thing or things that; the same kind as
  • Used to emphasize something you are about to say
  • adjecitve
  • Used to refer to a particular amount, or number
  • Used to place emphasis on a particular quality
  • adverb
  • To a certain degree
  • determiner
  • Question words used for asking for information
  • exclamation
  • Used to express excitement, shock, or surprise
  • Used to ask people to repeat something they said

that

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US / ðæt /

UK / ðæt, ðət /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • The person or thing being talked about
  • Used to identify something both the speakers know
  • adverb
  • Used to reinforce adjectives and adverbs
  • To such a degree
  • conjunction
  • Used to connect a noun clause
  • Used to introduce an adverbial clause
  • Used to introduce a noun clause
  • determiner
  • Used as a noun to refer to something
  • pronoun
  • Referring an object far away
  • Used to refer to the relative pronoun ‘which’

reaction

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US / rɪ'ækʃn /

UK / riˈækʃən /

A2
  • noun
  • Bodily response to a drug or something eaten
  • Feeling or action in response to something

recycling

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US / ˌri:'saɪklɪŋ /

UK / ˌri:'saɪklɪŋ /

A2
  • noun
  • Act of using old things to make new things
  • verb
  • To use old ideas or concepts again
  • To send used things to be turned into new things

infiltrate

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US / ˈɪnfɪltreɪt /

UK / ɪnˈfɪlˌtret, ˈɪnfɪl- /

B2
  • verb
  • To enter a group, place to get secret information
  • (Of liquids/gases) to enter into something slowly

like

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US / laɪk /

UK / laɪk /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being equal in status or kind to something else
  • Similar; the same
  • adverb
  • For example
  • preposition
  • Used as a filler; used to ad emphasis
  • In a way similar to the way something is done
  • Such as; for example
  • verb
  • To want to
  • To find something pleasing; to prefer something

impact

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US / 'ɪmpækt /

UK / ˈɪmˌpækt /

A2
  • noun
  • A striking effect or result to hit with force
  • Very strong influence
  • Act or force of one thing hitting something else
  • verb
  • To hit or strike someone or something with force

fly

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US / flaɪ /

UK / flai /

A1
  • noun
  • Common flying insect, sometimes blue in color
  • Opening with fold of cloth hiding zipper on pants
  • verb
  • To move in the wind, e.g. a flag
  • To move at a high speed
  • To travel in a plane, helicopter, balloon etc.
  • To pilot people or items by plane
  • To travel through the air using wings

even

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US / 'i:vn /

UK / ˈivən /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being equal in influence, power, possibility etc.
  • Being divided equally or fairly
  • (Of teams/contest) with similar chances of success
  • Smooth, level, or regular
  • Can be divided by 2; ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0
  • At a regular, equally steady manner
  • Remaining steady and unchanging
  • adverb
  • (When this is surprising) as well; too
  • (Used to compare two things/stress the difference)
  • verb
  • To make something level; to flatten
  • To make something equal

different

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US / ˈdɪfrənt /

UK / ˈdɪfrənt /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Not of the same kind; unlike other things

petrol

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US / ˈpetrəl /

UK / ˈpɛtrəl /

B1
  • noun
  • Liquid used as fuel in car engines; (US) gasoline

its

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US / ɪts /

UK / ɪts /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Referring to or belonging to ‘it’
  • determiner
  • Of something; belonging or related to something
  • other
  • Possessive form of “it”

fast

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US / fɑ:st /

UK / fæst /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • In a way that is difficult to move or change
  • Moving or able to move quickly
  • Showing time that is later than the actual time
  • adverb
  • With a great deal of speed
  • noun
  • Period of time when a person chooses not to eat
  • verb
  • To refuse food for a long time

drop

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US / drɒp /

UK / drɑp /

A1
  • noun
  • Distance between a higher and a lower level
  • Act of letting something fall (from your hand)
  • A decrease in quantity or quality; reduction
  • Tiny amount of liquid, with rounded bottom
  • verb
  • To drive someone to a place and then drive away
  • To let something fall from your hand
  • To fall or lie down quickly, as when shot
  • To decide to stop something e.g. a course)
  • To (cause to) reduce in quantity or quality

everyone

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US / ˈevriwʌn /

UK / ˈɛvriˌwʌn /

A1
  • pronoun
  • Every person; everybody

chance

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US / tʃɑ:ns /

UK / tʃæns /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Happening by luck; not planned
  • Taking a risk to try something
  • noun
  • The way something happens without planning
  • An opportunity; favorable circumstances, situation
  • The possibility that something will happen
  • verb
  • To occur just through luck; happen
  • To take a risk to try something

biology

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US / baɪˈɒlədʒi /

UK / baɪˈɑlədʒi /

A2
  • noun
  • The study of living things

all

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US / ɔ:l /

UK / ɔl /

A1
  • adverb
  • Completely; totally
  • determiner
  • Being every one of something
  • pronoun
  • 100% of something; the complete amount

thank

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US / θæŋk /

UK / θæŋk /

A1
  • verb
  • To tell someone you are grateful to them

nice

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US / naɪs /

UK / naɪs /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Being attractive or of high quality or value
  • Good or enjoyable
  • Being kind or friendly

nature

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US / 'neɪtʃə(r) /

UK / ˈnetʃɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Person's character or particular way of behaving
  • Basic look, feel or function of something
  • Physical world, including plants, animals, rocks

look

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US / lʊk /

UK / lʊk /

A1
  • noun
  • Person's beauty or physical attractiveness
  • Particular style of dress, clothes, or appearance
  • The way someone, something appears to be
  • Act of searching for or examining something
  • verb
  • To appear to be; seem

human

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US / 'hju:mən /

UK / ˈhjumən /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Concerning or characteristic of people
  • noun
  • A person; a man, woman or child

general

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US / 'dʒenrəl /

UK / ˈdʒɛnərəl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • Widespread, normal or usual
  • noun
  • Top ranked officer in the army

theory

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US / ˈθiəri /

UK / ˈθiəri, ˈθɪri /

A2
  • noun
  • Ideas or principles that explain facts or events

initial

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US / ɪ'nɪʃl /

UK / ɪˈnɪʃəl /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Existing or occurring at the beginning
  • noun
  • First letter of your given name
  • verb
  • To authorize something by writing your initials

medicine

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US / ˈmedsn /

UK / ˈmɛdɪsɪn /

A2
  • noun
  • Something used in treating illness or pain
  • Science of preventing, treating, or curing disease

hold

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US / həʊld /

UK / hold /

A1
  • noun
  • Section of a ship or plane used for storing things
  • Influence or power held over someone
  • Place of support for hands or feet when climbing
  • verb
  • To agree to keep something for someone
  • To have the capacity to support/contain something
  • To control an area and protect it from attack
  • To not allow someone to leave a place
  • To cause an event to happen at a place or time
  • To use hands or arms to carry or keep something
  • To have a specific quality or property
  • To keep an image, belief or feeling in your mind
  • To have or own something
  • To wait before being able to talk on the phone
  • To limit the movement of someone in a sport

approach

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US / ə'prəʊtʃ /

UK / əˈprəʊtʃ /

A2
  • noun
  • Means of reaching a place, often a road or path
  • Request of someone with a specific goal in mind
  • Specific way to handle a project, task, problem
  • verb
  • To get close to reaching something or somewhere
  • To request someone to do something specific

both

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US / bəuθ /

UK / boθ /

A1
  • determiner
  • Used to refer to two things at the same time
  • pronoun
  • Used to refer to two things at the same time

useful

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US / ˈju:sfl /

UK / ˈjusfəl /

A1
  • adjecitve
  • That can help with a particular task

yes

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US / jes /

UK / jɛs /

A1
  • adverb
  • Way to say you agree or will do something

way

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US / weɪ /

UK / we /

A1
  • adverb
  • Used to emphasize the amount of something
  • noun
  • Particular aspect of something being thought about
  • One of various choices that could be made
  • Particular existing condition or state
  • (Often long) distance or length of time
  • How something is done
  • Route to go to a place
  • Small street
  • Usual behavior, emotions or habits of someone

terephthalic

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US / ˌterefˈθælɪk /

UK / terefˈθælɪk /

A1
  • adjecitve

their

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US / ðɛː /

UK / ðer /

A1
  • determiner
  • Belonging to them

mixture

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US / ˈmɪkstʃə(r) /

UK / ˈmɪkstʃɚ /

B1
  • noun
  • Something made by combining two or more things

huge

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US / hju:dʒ /

UK / hjudʒ /

A2
  • adjecitve
  • Very very large

figure

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US / ˈfiɡə /

UK / ˈfɪɡjɚ /

A1
  • noun
  • Your body shape
  • Numbers in a calculation
  • Doll-like thing meant to represent a person
  • Picture or diagram giving information in a text
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bounce

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US / baʊns /

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B1
  • noun
  • A person's energy or confidence
  • Quality causing a person's hair to appear healthy
  • verb
  • To move around energetically, playfully
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they

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  • pronoun
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very

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  • adjecitve
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gut

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B1
  • noun
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  • Guts courage; emotional strength
  • verb
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medication

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US / ˌmedɪˈkeɪʃn /

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B2
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damage

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dollar

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  • noun
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chris

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chuck

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finding

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  • verb
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enzyme

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  • noun
  • A protein made by cells

most

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ingredient

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couple

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forgive

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name

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something

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turbocharge

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version

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any

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come

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floor

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  • noun
  • Large area used for a particular purpose
  • Part of a room on which you stand
  • Particular level in a building; storey
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game

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  • Birds and animals people hunt to kill and eat
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literally

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think

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  • verb
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subsequently

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environment

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guide

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  • noun
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issue

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  • Single edition of a magazine
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prone

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  • adjecitve
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react

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real

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clean

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  • adverb
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  • To make free from dirt or marks; washed
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front

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only

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  • Just one; just that amount or thing; not more than
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  • Just that type of thing, person
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  • conjunction
  • Except; but

oxidize

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C2
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possibility

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rare

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two

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  • number
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far

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call

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  • noun
  • A order or request for action
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  • A correct prediction, e.g. a decision in a game
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  • verb
  • To make a request or order for action
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staggering

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where

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  • conjunction
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  • Introduction to Video Content
  • Plastic pollution is a massive problem for our planet, but could a solution be found in these plastic-eating worms? In a recent study, scientists have discovered that waxworms, a type of larvae, have the ability to biodegrade plastic.
    The study was conducted by Dr. Federica Bertucchini, a molecular biologist who stumbled upon this phenomenon while conducting a hobby side project. She observed that when a group of waxworms were placed in a plastic bag, the plastic started to degrade almost immediately upon contact with the worms' mouths.
    Intrigued by this, Dr. Bertucchini collected the liquid that was coming out of the worms' mouths, which is known as saliva. She found that this saliva contained two enzymes that have the ability to break down and oxidize polyethylene, the main component of plastic. In fact, this saliva could reproduce the same effect as the worms' mouths, degrading plastic in just a few hours in a watery solution at room temperature.
    But not only can the worms degrade plastic, they can also digest it. When the worms consume the plastic, their guts react as if they were eating normal food. This suggests that there is something happening within the physiology of the worms that allows them to extract something useful from the plastic and continue their normal digestive processes.
    This discovery holds immense potential for addressing the plastic pollution crisis. If scientists can understand the mechanisms behind the worms' ability to degrade and digest plastic, it may be possible to develop similar processes for biodegrading plastic on a larger scale. This could help reduce the accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and the environment.
    Furthermore, this research opens up new possibilities for recycling plastic. Currently, most recycled plastic is downcycled into lower-value products. However, if plastic can be biodegraded and transformed into a useful substance, it has the potential to be incorporated into a wide range of products, including food packaging and even edible items.
    Researchers envision a future where plastic waste is not only safely disposed of but also transformed into valuable resources. For instance, plastic waste could be used to produce vanilla ice cream or other food products, thanks to the chemically identical nature of recycled plastic and natural substances.
    While there is still much research to be done, the discovery of these plastic-eating worms offers hope for the future of our planet. By harnessing the natural abilities of these organisms, scientists may be one step closer to finding a sustainable solution to the global plastic problem.
    In conclusion, the plastic-eating worms known as waxworms have shown remarkable potential for biodegrading and digesting plastic. Their saliva contains enzymes that can break down plastic, and their digestive systems can process the plastic as if it were normal food. This discovery opens up possibilities for developing large-scale plastic biodegradation processes and recycling plastic waste into valuable resources. It is an exciting development in the fight against plastic pollution and offers hope for a more sustainable future.
  • Subtitles section
  • These worms are literally eating their way out of this plastic bag,
  • But not only can they eat it
  • it's actually good for the planet.
  • So, if they can biodegrade plastic
  • could they be the answer to our planet's massive plastic problem?
  • Because the latest science on this is mind blowing.
  • Not only might we make plastic biodegradable
  • we might even one day be eating vanilla ice cream from recycled plastic
  • and E. coli,
  • Yes, I mean it's chemically identical.
  • Yeah, so we'll get back to that in a minute.
  • Let's start with the worms.
  • These little creatures are waxworms.
  • Dr Federica Bertuchini is a molecular biologist
  • and she first witnessed this phenomenon when she chucked a bunch of waxworms in a plastic bag as a hobby side project,
  • Because, well, who doesn't?
  • I bumped into the waxworm accidentally
  • because at that time, I was a beekeeper,
  • They live in the beehives.
  • They are considered plagues by beekeepers.
  • So I started cleaning my beehive
  • putting the worms in a plastic bag
  • and within a short time
  • I realised they were producing holes,
  • The plastic started to degrade almost as soon as it touched the worm's mouth,
  • And the amazing thing is that
  • the worms can even digest the plastic
  • breaking it down into something useful for the worm,
  • The worm itself, when it eats the plastic and starts breaking it down
  • its guts react almost as if it was eating normal food,
  • So that means that there's something happening with the physiology of the animal
  • that extracts something out of this plastic biodegradation
  • and it just continues as if it were a normal diet,
  • That's Dr. Chris Lemoine
  • who, inspired by Federica's findings
  • also began looking into these worms.
  • We found that the plastic allowed them to still retain all their fat
  • and presumably continue with their life cycle,
  • Basically, these worms are fattening themselves up by whatever means necessary before they turn into moths
  • by which point, they don't eat again
  • only reproduce,
  • I always call them bags of gonads that can fly
  • because that's all they do,
  • So there's a race underway to figure out
  • just how this mechanism works,
  • Because as cool as the waxworms are
  • this is really about the specific combination of bacteria and enzymes that can break down plastic,
  • Something that's exceptionally rare in nature.
  • So why is it so rare?
  • Why is plastic so hard to break down?
  • Well, in nature, most things decompose because bacteria breaks down the chemical bonds that hold a substance together,
  • These enzymes and bacteria have evolved over millennia to break down whatever it finds in front of it,
  • Then, plastic comes along.
  • Here's a scene that has long since ceased causing any surprise.
  • Dishes that bounce when they drop to the floor.
  • Nowadays it gets bad rep
  • but it's a total game changer for humanity.
  • But nature's never experienced it before.
  • Plastics are made up of long chains of polymers
  • with very strong bonds,
  • And one of the keys to breaking these bonds is through oxidation,
  • That's what the worms appear to be doing with their saliva
  • introducing oxygen molecules to the plastic.
  • And this is something that's achieved in the environment
  • through light, for example
  • high temperature,
  • And this is the bottleneck.
  • It takes a while because
  • you know, the environment has its own timing.
  • So, the worms, what they do is just to produce molecules of oxygen,
  • So in a few hours instead of months or years or whatever.
  • So, this is the way to overcome the bottleneck of this reaction,
  • So what's next?
  • Unleash the worms?
  • Uh, no.
  • That would be a terrible idea.
  • Remember this?
  • They are considered plagues by beekeepers.
  • But even sticking just to plastic
  • the process is still way too slow to realistically solve our plastic crisis
  • anytime soon,
  • So, stand down, Waxworm Armada.
  • The real stars of this though, are the enzymes.
  • If the researchers can identify them and scale them up
  • there's a chance that in the future
  • this could be one of the solutions.
  • It will take a lot of cash.
  • But now scientists are looking for similar enzymes in all sorts of other places,
  • Superworms too.
  • So anything that has a worm in it
  • it seems to be prone to eat plastic.
  • In fact, over thirty thousand enzymes have been identified
  • capable of digesting ten different types of plastics.
  • One bacteria found in cow stomachs can be used to digest polyester,
  • But the one that's getting everyone really excited
  • is a bacteria called Idionella saccayensis
  • and especially its enzyme
  • petease,
  • Plastics waste in general
  • but more specifically PT
  • has infiltrated our environment
  • and biology has found a way to some extent to deal with this over time,
  • There was a discovery outside of Japan
  • where they had found that microbes began to colonize on parts of a water bottle,
  • Cells were actually living
  • and maybe even surviving off the carbon within that plastic,
  • We can take this enzyme out of the cell
  • and we can begin to engineer that enzyme even further
  • to be able to have better activity directly on plastic waste,
  • PET plastic that would take centuries to break down in nature
  • PET ACE can break down in a matter of days,
  • But it doesn't solve our plastic problem.
  • Not yet, anyway.
  • To have any real impact at scale
  • we need to turbocharge how quickly it works.
  • And that's exactly what HAL's team has done.
  • And they name this really fast version of PET ACE
  • um, Fast PET ACE.
  • They did this using AI
  • essentially by using a vast database of all known enzymes in the natural world
  • and then running simulations about which combinations and mutations would speed up the process,
  • Kind of like a form of computerized accelerated evolution.
  • Machine learning approach really is
  • it's rapid evolution to some extent on there
  • but at the same time, it's guided by observation.
  • We saw that this enzyme was not very stable overall
  • and used a machine learning type of approach to figure out which point mutations would make this enzyme more stable
  • and found a couple of mutations that really both increased the stability significantly
  • but then also gave rise to a significant increase in the activity of this enzyme on plastic,
  • This cutting edge technology opens up a whole new frontier of scientific possibility,
  • And the team aren't done yet.
  • Thinking about trying to clean up plastic that's actually in the environment,
  • Those applications don't have the benefit of being able to control the temperature
  • and pH very well,
  • So, having an enzyme that ultimately is flexible enough to work in a variety of different conditions is extremely valuable,
  • Once PET plastic is broken down into its component parts
  • terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol
  • it can then be recycled into new plastic.
  • But it doesn't necessarily have to be plastic.
  • In theory, it could be used to make something better.
  • Like...
  • this.
  • Well, sort of.
  • Because a team of scientists in Edinburgh have found a way to turn plastic into vanillin,
  • That's the central ingredient in vanilla.
  • And they did it using E. Coli.
  • Sounds delicious.
  • For me, and for anyone who's thinking about a nice vanilla ice cream
  • what,
  • What are we not understanding about that?
  • We get asked this question a lot.
  • Yes, I mean, it's chemically identical.
  • Okay, forgive me if the next part ruins vanilla for you.
  • So vanillin is a compound that's derived from
  • from oil that we pump out of the ground,
  • It's the same feedstock that we use to make petrol that we
  • we use in our cars.
  • So we, in essence, took one of those enzymes that had been reported to do the initial depolymerization
  • and then took the mixture of terephthalic acids and ethylene glycol that you get from that
  • and simply just fed it to our E. coli,
  • But the way that I think about it is
  • you know, yes, this compound is coming from plastic waste
  • and yes, it's coming from a bacteria
  • but
  • I think we as a society are okay with eating food that has oil in it,
  • Vanillin derived from oil.
  • So, why wouldn't we be okay with having a bacterium produce that for us?
  • Now, these guys aren't really trying to sell you vanilla ice cream,
  • They're more interested in upcycling recycled plastic.
  • There's recycling plastics into more plastics.
  • And then there's
  • upcycling plastics into other compounds.
  • The issues at the moment currently with that approach is that
  • when you subsequently recycle plastic into other plastics
  • the value of that plastic and the quality of that plastic actually diminishes,
  • So you enter into this downcycling approach that does solve the problem in the short term
  • but it ultimately generates the same waste,
  • What we think is quite interesting about upcycling plastic is
  • you re enter that carbon back into,
  • the chemicals economy as something that's higher value.
  • Vanillin is not the only product that we can make from pet plastic,
  • The molecules that you get when you depolymerize pets are actually intermediates en route to a huge number of industrial products that we rely on nowadays,
  • One of the most interesting ones that
  • we're focusing on right now,
  • is pharmaceutical intermediate.
  • You can take pet plastic waste
  • and turn it into pharmaceutical compounds,
  • So, taking something that's actually damaging the environment
  • and turn it into a source of human medicine,
  • So medication, other flavoring compounds
  • materials for your clothing
  • cosmetics.
  • It's quite staggering.
  • I think this is only really the beginning
  • of what could be possible
  • in the area of plastic subcycling,
  • I think that very much is the case.
  • So, worms themselves aren't going to eat all our troubles away,
  • But the science going on around this is genuinely exciting.
  • And it's all thanks to nature for providing the inspiration.