University challenge: how to make it pay
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
especially
US / ɪˈspeʃəli /
•UK / ɛˈspɛʃəli, ɪˈspɛʃ- /
- adverb
- More than usual; extremely
good
US / ɡʊd /
•UK / ɡʊd /
- 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
but
US / bət /
•UK / bʌt,bət /
- conjunction
- Used before you say something different, opposite
finish
US / ˈfɪnɪʃ /
•UK / ˈfɪnɪʃ /
- noun
- End of something; completion
- Final coat (of paint) applied to a surface
- verb
- To use or consume all of something
- To reach the end; to complete something
- To put a final surface (e.g. paint) on something
ivy
US / 'aɪvɪ /
•UK / ˈaɪvi /
- noun
- Climbing plant growing up walls of buildings
research
US / rɪ'sɜ:tʃ /
•UK / rɪˈsɚtʃ, ˈriˌsɚtʃ /
- noun
- Study done to discover new ideas and facts
- Work done to find or discover knowledge
- verb
- To study in order to discover new ideas and facts
fee
US / fi: /
•UK / fi /
- noun
- Amount of money paid for a particular service
our
US / 'aʊə(r) /
•UK / aʊr /
- determiner
- Belonging to us
not
US / nɒt /
•UK / nɑt /
- adverb
- Word indicating the negative
- (Used to form the negative of verbs)
maybe
US / ˈmeɪbi /
•UK / ˈmebi /
- adverb
- Possibly but not certainly; perhaps
can
US / kæn /
•UK / kən,kæn /
- 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
surprising
US / səˈpraɪzɪŋ /
•UK / sərˈpraɪzɪŋ /
- adjecitve
- Making you feel a bit shocked because unexpected
- verb
- To do something that another person didn't expect
study
US / 'stʌdɪ /
•UK / ˈstʌdi /
- noun
- Room that a person studies or reads in
- Piece of research
- Topic or subject you research or learn about
- verb
- To focus on learning something usually at school
would
US / wʊd /
•UK / wʊd /
- 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
want
US / wɔnt /
•UK / wɑnt, wɔnt /
- noun
- Something you desire or wish for
- State or condition of poverty
- verb
- To desire or wish for something; hope for a thing
worthwhile
US / ˌwɜ:θˈwaɪl /
•UK / ˌwɜ:rθˈwaɪl /
- adjecitve
- Worth the money, time or effort of doing something
income
US / ˈɪnkʌm /
•UK / ˈɪnˌkʌm /
- noun
- Earned money from work, investments or business
nearly
US / ˈniəli /
•UK / ˈnɪrli /
- adverb
- Not completely; almost
those
US / ðəʊz /
•UK / ðoz /
- determiner
- The people or things we are talking about
- pronoun
- The objects far from the speaker
well
US / wel /
•UK / wɛl /
- 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
rich
US / rɪtʃ /
•UK / rɪtʃ /
- adjecitve
- Having a lot of money or valuable possessions
- Containing a lot of exciting events or experiences and therefore very interesting
- (of a color, sound, smell, etc.) Pleasantly deep or strong
- If food is rich, it contains a large amount of oil, butter, eggs, or cream.
positive
US / ˈpɒzətɪv /
•UK / ˈpɑzɪtɪv /
- adjecitve
- Showing agreement or support for something
- Being sure about something; knowing the truth
- Having the charge produced by electrons
- Being good or useful
- Showing that a chemical is present in a test
much
US / mʌtʃ /
•UK / mʌtʃ /
- 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
system
US / 'sɪstəm /
•UK / ˈsɪstəm /
- adjecitve
- Working in an organized, logical way
- noun
- Set of organized, planned ideas that work together
benefit
US / 'benɪfɪt /
•UK / ˈbɛnəfɪt /
- noun
- Good result or effect, something advantageous
- verb
- To have a good effect or be helpful
traditional
US / trəˈdɪʃənl /
•UK / trəˈdɪʃənəl /
- adjecitve
- Involved in a custom or event common to a people
depend
US / dɪˈpend /
•UK / dɪˈpend /
- verb
- Be controlled or determined by (someone/something)
educational
US / ˌedʒuˈkeɪʃənl /
•UK / ˌɛdʒəˈkeʃənəl /
- adjecitve
- Intended to teach or inform
passion
US / 'pæʃn /
•UK / ˈpæʃən /
- noun
- Powerful, positive excitement and interest
- Something for which one has a great love
- Strong sexual feelings toward someone
for
US / fə(r) /
•UK / fɔr,fə /
- preposition
- Used to show the purpose, or need of something
league
US / li:ɡ /
•UK / liɡ /
- noun
- Group of people, countries with a common goal
- Association of sports teams that organizes matches
spend
US / spend /
•UK / spɛnd /
- verb
- To use money to pay for something
- To use time in order to do something
- To use up something completely
time
US / taɪm /
•UK / taɪm /
- 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
worth
US / wɜ:θ /
•UK / wɚθ /
- other
- the financial, practical or moral value of somebody/something
- having a particular value, especially in money
student
US / ˈstju:dnt /
•UK / ˈstudnt, ˈstjud- /
- noun
- Person studying at school
get
US / ɡet /
•UK / ɡɛt /
- 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
bang
US / bæŋ /
•UK / bæŋ /
- noun
- Sudden loud noise, as when a bomb explodes
- A loud noise
- verb
- To strike something loudly or forcefully
mean
US / mi:n /
•UK / min /
- 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
number
US / ˈnʌmbə(r) /
•UK / ˈnʌmbɚ /
- 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
russell
US / ˈrʌsəl /
•UK / ˈrʌsəl /
- noun
- English film director (born in )
tempt
US / tempt /
•UK / tɛmpt /
- verb
- To make someone want something, even if it's bad
different
US / ˈdɪfrənt /
•UK / ˈdɪfrənt /
- adjecitve
- Not of the same kind; unlike other things
even
US / 'i:vn /
•UK / ˈivən /
- 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
like
US / laɪk /
•UK / laɪk /
- 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
what
US / wɒt /
•UK / hwɑt, hwʌt, wɔt, wʌt,hwət, wət /
- 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
US / ðæt /
•UK / ðæt, ðət /
- 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’
affect
US / ə'fekt /
•UK / əˈfɛkt /
- verb
- To cause a change in something else
risky
US / ˈrɪski /
•UK / ˈrɪski /
- adjecitve
- With the chance it may be dangerous, unsuccessful
back
US / bæk /
•UK / bæk /
- 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
and
US / ənd /
•UK / ənd, ən,ænd /
- conjunction
- Used to refer to two or more things
- Plus; in addition; on top of that
- Used to introduce an action that follows another
money
US / 'mʌnɪ /
•UK / ˈmʌni /
- noun
- Coins or notes we use to pay for things
where
US / hwɛə /
•UK / hwɛr, wɛr /
- conjunction
- At or in the place which
- In whatever place
- pronoun
- Word you use to ask the location of something
most
US / məʊst /
•UK / most /
- adverb
- Very; extremely
- Greatest possible degree
- pronoun
- Nearly all of something
from
US / frəm /
•UK / frʌm, frɑm,frəm /
- preposition
- Starting at a particular place, time or level
over
US / 'əʊvə(r) /
•UK / ˈovɚ /
- 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
while
US / waɪl /
•UK / hwaɪl, waɪl /
- conjunction
- In spite of the fact that; although
- During the time that; at the same time
- noun
- Short amount of time
earning
US / 'ɜ:nɪŋ /
•UK / 'ɜ:nɪŋ /
- verb
- To deserve something because you worked for it
- To get money for work
here
US / hɪə(r) /
•UK / hɪr /
- adverb
- In this place; at this location, position or time
lose
US / lu:z /
•UK / luz /
- verb
- To be unable to keep in check or control something
- To decrease in value or quantity (e.g. weight)
- To stop having certain qualities or abilities
- To stop having or being entitled to
- To fail to win something that is being contested
- To be unable to find something you once had
- To be dependent on someone (used with 'not')
stuck
US / stʌk /
•UK / stʌk /
- adjecitve
- Not able to move
- 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
try
US / traɪ /
•UK / traɪ /
- 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
feel
US / fi:l /
•UK / fil /
- verb
- To be aware of or experience an emotion, sensation
- To sense through direct contact; touch
day
US / deɪ /
•UK / de /
- noun
- A period of 24 hours beginning at midnight
- The period of time when it is light outside
- Person's name
ever
US / 'evə(r) /
•UK / ˈɛvɚ /
- adverb
- At any time; at all times in the future
grad
US / græd /
•UK / ɡræd /
- other
- One-hundredth of a right angle
actually
US / ˈæktʃuəli /
•UK / ˈæktʃuəli /
- adverb
- Used to add new (often different) information
many
US / 'menɪ /
•UK / ˈmɛni /
- determiner
- Used to refer a large number of things
stagnate
US / stæɡ'neɪt /
•UK / ˈstæɡˌnet /
- verb
- To stop moving, developing, or making progress
true
US / tru: /
•UK / tru: /
- adjecitve
- Agreeing with the facts; not false; real or actual
additional
US / əˈdɪʃənl /
•UK / ə'dɪʃənl /
- adjecitve
- Further or added
compute
US / kəm'pju:t /
•UK / kəmˈpjut /
- verb
- To find out by calculating or estimating
science
US / 'saɪəns /
•UK / ˈsaɪəns /
- noun
- Study of the physical world, based on facts
cheat
US / tʃi:t /
•UK / tʃit /
- noun
- One who is unfaithful to their wife, partner etc.
- One who lies or breaks rules to get what they want
- verb
- To be unfaithful to (your wife, boyfriend etc.)
- To escape death or harm, through luck or skill
- To get something by deceit; break a rule/law
loss
US / lɒs /
•UK / lɔ:s /
- noun
- Friend, family, or other loved person's death
- Decrease or decline in quantity or amount
- Experience or state of failing to have or keep
- A situation when you lose a game
- Process of failing to have or keep something
- Difficulty or trouble caused by someone's leaving
- Situation when more money is spent than is earned
almost
US / 'ɔ:lməʊst /
•UK / ˈɔlˌmost, ɔlˈmost /
- adverb
- Only a little less than, nearly, not quite
have
US / həv /
•UK / hæv /
- 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
wisdom
US / 'wɪzdəm /
•UK / ˈwɪzdəm /
- noun
- Knowledge gained from experience in life
with
US / wɪð /
•UK / wɪð, wɪθ /
- 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
group
US / ɡru:p /
•UK / ɡrup /
- noun
- Two or more musicians who play music together
- Number of people or things gathered together
- verb
- To combine or collect objects or people together
world
US / wɜ:ld /
•UK / wɜrld /
- noun
- All the humans, events, activities on the earth
- Political division due to some kind of similarity
art
US / ɑ:t /
•UK / ɑrt /
- noun
- Creative skill using the imagination e.g. painting
- A skill or talent you have
england
US / 'ɪŋɡlənd /
•UK / ˈɪŋɡlənd /
- proper noun
- A European country that forms the largest and most southern part of Great Britain and of the United
negative
US / 'neɡətɪv /
•UK / ˈnɛɡətɪv /
- adjecitve
- Being harmful, unwanted or unhelpful
- In mathematics, being less than zero
- Focusing on the bad aspects; pessimistic
- noun
- The opposite to a positive electrical charge
- In grammar, containing words such as 'no' or 'not'
- Reply to a question or statement that means 'no'
- Image on camera film used to make a photo
economic
US / ˌi:kəˈnɒmɪk /
•UK / ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk, ˌikə- /
- adjecitve
- Concerning trade, industry, and money
discover
US / dɪˈskʌvə(r) /
•UK / dɪˈskʌvɚ /
- verb
- To find something new that was not known before
gain
US / ɡeɪn /
•UK / ɡen /
- noun
- An increase in something, such as weight
- verb
- To increase in something, such as weight
- To get something wanted, needed or valued
all
US / ɔ:l /
•UK / ɔl /
- adverb
- Completely; totally
- determiner
- Being every one of something
- pronoun
- 100% of something; the complete amount
america
US / ə'merɪkə /
•UK / əˈmɛrɪkə /
- noun
- The United States of America; North America and/or South America
return
US / rɪ'tɜ:n /
•UK / rɪ'tɜ:rn /
- adjecitve
- Do again; repeated
- noun
- Faulty or unwanted product sent back to a company
- Enter key; the main key on the computer keyboard
- Profit made as a result of a business activity
- Process of going back to a previous way or state
- verb
- To hit something back to the other player or team
- To come back after being away from somewhere
- To repay someone's actions, kindness etc.
- To put, bring, take, give, or send something back
- To occur again
top
US / tɒp /
•UK / tɑp /
- adjecitve
- Being good or great; excellent
- Being the most in degree or quality
- noun
- Item of clothing covering shoulders to waist, hips
- A cover or lid
- Part (e.g. road) that is the furthest away
- Highest or upper part or point of something
- Best or highest status or position
- Flat upper surface or edge of an object
- Child's toy that spins on its point
- Upper section or leaves of fruits and vegetables
- Winning in a sport or contest
- verb
- To be higher or larger than a specific value
- To arrive at the highest point of something
- To put a cover or layer or over something
- To kill; murder
- To hold the highest position on a list
- To be more important, successful or better than
- To beat someone or win at a game
who
US / hu: /
•UK / hu /
- pronoun
- Which person
- Used to introduce information about people
way
US / weɪ /
•UK / we /
- 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
their
US / ðɛː /
•UK / ðer /
- determiner
- Belonging to them
believe
US / bɪ'li:v /
•UK / bɪˈliv /
- verb
- To think or accept that something is true
- To have a particular opinion about something
undergrad
US / 'ʌndəgræd /
•UK / ˈʌndɚˌɡræd /
- noun
- A college student studying for their first degree
elite
US / iˈliːt /
•UK / iˈliːt /
- adjecitve
- Belonging to the richest, most powerful, best-educated, or best-trained group in a society
- noun
- The richest, most powerful, best-educated, or best-trained group in a society
medicine
US / ˈmedsn /
•UK / ˈmɛdɪsɪn /
- noun
- Something used in treating illness or pain
- Science of preventing, treating, or curing disease
institution
US / ˌɪnstɪˈtju:ʃn /
•UK / ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃən, -ˈtju- /
- noun
- Organization created for a particular aim/purpose
- Tradition, custom or system accepted by a group
male
US / meɪl /
•UK / ˈmel /
- adjecitve
- Characteristic of boys or men
- noun
- A member of the sex that fertilizes eggs
they
US / ðeɪ /
•UK / ðe /
- pronoun
- Two or more people, animals, or things
average
US / 'ævərɪdʒ /
•UK / ˈævərɪdʒ, ˈævrɪdʒ /
- adjecitve
- Typical or normal; usual; ordinary
- noun
- Total of numbers divided by the number of items
- verb
- To add numbers then divide by the number of items
make
US / meɪk /
•UK / mek /
- 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
suggest
US / səˈdʒest /
•UK / səɡˈdʒɛst, səˈdʒɛst /
- verb
- To mention something that could be done; propose
wage
US / weɪdʒ /
•UK / wedʒ /
- noun
- Money paid to a worker for the hours they worked
- verb
- To start (war, etc.) to achieve a particular goal
across
US / əˈkrɔs /
•UK / əˈkrɔs,əˈkrɑs /
- adverb
- Distance from one side to another
- (Go) from one side to the other of something
this
US / ðɪs /
•UK / ðɪs /
- 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
creative
US / krɪ'eɪtɪv /
•UK / kriˈetɪv /
- adjecitve
- Having the ability to make something new
investment
US / ɪnˈvestmənt /
•UK / ɪnˈvɛstmənt /
- noun
- Something purchased hoping its value will increase
- Act of giving time, energy to see a future reward
opt
US / ɒpt /
•UK / ɑ:pt /
- verb
- To choose one thing rather than other choices
researcher
US / rɪ'sɜ:tʃə(r) /
•UK / rɪˈsətʃɚ /
- noun
- Someone who works to find new facts and ideas
the
US / ðə /
•UK / ðə /
- 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
how
US / haʊ /
•UK / haʊ /
- 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)
humanity
US / hju:ˈmænəti /
•UK / hjuˈmænɪti /
- noun
- Quality of being understanding or sympathetic
- Human race as one group of people
peer
US / pɪə(r) /
•UK / pɪr /
- noun
- A noble, but not royal, person, e.g. lord or duke
- Person of the same age, class or situation
- verb
- To look closely and carefully, as if hard to see
year
US / jə: /
•UK / jɪr /
- noun
- Unit of time equal to 12 months or 365 or 366 days
- Used to refer to the age of a person
you
US / jʊ /
•UK / ju /
- pronoun
- Person someone is speaking or writing to
- Person or people in general
university
US / ˌju:nɪ'vɜ:sətɪ /
•UK / ˌjunɪˈvɜrsəti /
- noun
- High-level educational institution; college
man
US / mæn /
•UK / mæn /
- noun
- Humans in general, including male and female
- An adult male human being
- Male who acts in a masculine way; not like a woman
- verb
- To control or operate (a machine); be in charge of
- To operate a machine (a boat, etc.)
lucky
US / 'lʌkɪ /
•UK / ˈlʌki /
- adjecitve
- Fortunate; having good things happen by chance
other
US / 'ʌðə(r) /
•UK / ˈʌðər /
- adjecitve
- A thing different from that mentioned
- determiner
- (Something) else; not the first (one)
- pronoun
- Being the one and only thing of that category
than
US / ðən /
•UK / ðən /
- conjunction
- Used to compare two things that are not equal
less
US / les /
•UK / lɛs /
- adjecitve
- Smaller in amount or degree
- adverb
- To a smaller degree
- noun
- A smaller amount
- preposition
- With the subtraction of