Sources from SimpleEnglishNews.com
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ability: natural talent, being able to do something.
aboard: on or in a bus, ship, plane, etc.
to accelerate: to gain or increase speed.
to accompany: to join.
accurate: exact, truthful.
to accuse: to claim someone did something wrong.
achieve: to reach a goal, result.
addictive: relating to a habit that is hard to stop. He is addicted to drugs.
adolescence: (usually) a person’s teenage years.
to adopt: to take into one’s family.
affair: a romantic relationship (with someone who is not a husband or wife).
to age: to get older.
airborne: in flight, flying.
alliance: an agreement to work together.
to amaze: to make a great impression.
animated: to make lifelike as in a cartoon.
annual: happening every year.
to apologize: to say that one is sorry.
to appoint: to select somebody for a job.
architecture: buildings.
ark: an ancient ship.
to arrest: taken by the police.
arsonist: somebody who illegally starts a fire to cause damage, somebody who causes arson.
to assassinate: to kill someone.
asthma: a breathing disorder.
astonishing: amazing, surprising.
astronomer: a person who studies objects outside of the Earth’s atmosphere.
automaker: car company.
B
bachelor: a man who is not married.
bail: the money a person pays so he/she does not have to go to jail.
ballpark: a baseball stadium, a place where ball games are played.
ban: prevention, prohibition.
bankrupt: unable to make the payments needed to stay in business, out of money.
B.C.: the dates before Christ was born.
to be ashamed: to feel guilty or embarrassed.
to be in attendance: to be present at an event.
to be credited with: to be responsible for (inventing, making, producing).
to be obsessed: to think about constantly.
to be trapped: to be unable to escape.
behind bars: in jail.
benefits: positive uses.
bestseller:: a successful book.
beverage: drink.
bicentenary: the 200th anniversary.
bid: an attempt to get something.
bill: a piece of paper money.
to blame: to place the responsibility on something or someone.
bloodstream: the blood flowing through a circulatory system, Random House Unabridged Dictionary.
bookmaker: a person who determines the odds and receives payments for bets.
bout: a (boxing) contest.
Boxing Day: the day after Christmas, December 26.
box office: the place where tickets are sold.
brainchild: an original idea.
to break a record: to do better than any one else has done in a race or sporting event.
to break up: to end a romantic relationship.
to brew: to make beer.
brewery: a company which makes beer.
bulimia: a serious eating disorder with young women who eat a lot of food and then feel guilty and depressed.
bully: a person who is cruel to smaller or weaker people.
to busk: to perform outdoors.
C
cabinet: the group of ministers in a government.
to call off: to end, cancel.
capital: The city where the government is located.
catnap: a short nap.
C.E.O.: Chief Executive Officer. The top person in a company.
certificate of good conduct: a document that shows you do not have a criminal record.
chain: a number of business with the same owner.
chateau: a large country house or castle.
checkout: a counter where customers pay at a supermarket.
childbirth: giving birth to a child.
to chime: to make a musical sound, ie, from a bell or a clock.
to cite to give as a reason or example, to quote.
to claim: to state that something is true.
to clash: to fight.
to collaborate: to work together.
comeback: to lead after being behind in a game.
to come up with: to make a new thing, to invent.
to commence: to start.
concentration camp: a place where prisoners of war are kept under harsh, terrible conditions.
to conduct: to lead, direct.
confidential: secret.
to console: to try and help someone who is sad feel better.
to construct: to build.
to consume: to eat or drink.
to contain: to include, have within.
contentedness: the feeling of being pleased, satisfied, happy.
to contradict: to show the opposite of something.
copyright: a document that allows you to publish artistic, musical and written work.
contagious: related to something which can be spread, such as a disease from one person to another.
controversial: causing debate between opposing positions.
costly: expensive.
coup: the removal of a leader from power. Also called coup d’etat.
crash: a car accident.
crisis: a difficult time, a dangerous time.
cuisine: the making and style of food, ie, Italian cuisine, Japanese cuisine.
curfew: a time when people cannot go outside.
currency: the money of a country.
to cut off: to stop the supply of something.
D
to dash: to move, run quickly.
to debut: to appear for the first time.
decade: a period of 10 years.
deceased: dead.
defending champion: the person or team which won an event the last time it was held.
demand: the need to buy something — which one has the ability to buy.
to deny: to say that something is not true.
dependence: needing something, relying on something.
desirable: something that someone would want, something that is worth having.
despicable: terrible, awful, bad.
devastating: very damaging.
devotee: a big fan, supporter, enthusiast.
to diagnose: to find the nature of a (medical) problem through analysis.
diplomat: a person, such as an ambassador, who represents a government.
disastrous: bringing a very bad result.
to discuss: to talk about.
dispute: disagreement, argument.
disturbing: annoying, bothersome.
to divide: to separate into groups or parts.
domain name: an Internet address. For example, www.yahoo.com, www.google.com, etc.
to download: to transfer a file from one computer to another.
drastically: extremely.
to dread: to be afraid of.
drowsiness: sleepiness.
to duck: to bend down suddenly (to avoid a punch or a thrown object).
E
to earn: to gain or win through skill or work.
elder: older.
eleventh-hour decision: a decision made at the last minute.
to eliminate: to remove from a contest.
to elope: to run away secretly to get married.
to embrace: to put one’s arms around another person.
to employ: to hire, to give someone a job.
to enable: to make possible.
to enforce: to put into place with force.
enlistment: the time a person is in the military.
entourage: a member of a group that follows an important person or celebrity.
environmentalist: a person who works to protect the environment.
equestrian: someone who rides horses for sport.
erroneously: wrongly, mistakenly.
to establish: to set up.
to estimate: to give a calculation or opinion about the size or value of something.
exasperating: frustrating, irritating.
excessive: going beyond what is considered normal or usual.
execution: Putting a prisoner to death.
exhaustion: extreme loss of strength and energy in a person.
expert: someone who knows a lot about a subject. For example, a fashion
expert, a baseball expert, etc.
exponentially: used to describe something which has grown extremely fast.
extrovert: a talkative person.
F
to fall off the wagon: to resume or continue a bad habit, such as smoking or drinking.
famine: extreme hunger, lack of food.
fancier: a person who has a special liking towards something: ie, John likes dogs, he is a dog fancier.
favorite: (in sports) the player or team that is most likely to win.
feline: belonging to the cat family.
fiancée: a woman who engaged to be married.
to file: to apply, to submit papers.
to fine: to punish through a payment.
to fire: to remove someone from a job.
firm (noun): a business, company.
fitness: good health.
forces: an army or military.
flabbergasted: surprised.
to flee: to run away.
fraction: a small part of a larger whole.
frequently: often.
fuel-efficient: using less fuel, gasoline.
fugitive: someone who is hiding from police.
furious: very angry
G
gaffe: a mistake.
game: wild animals which are hunted.
gather: to come together.
generosity: an act (or acts) of kindness or giving.
to get a little carried away: to act in an extreme manner.
to get along: to have a positive relationship with someone.
to give it a shot: to try something.
to go to the polls: to vote.
glare: a very strong, bright light.
graduate: a person who has received a degree or diploma from a school.
grammarian: a person who studies grammar.
the green light: approval, permission.
H
to hand over: to give property or control to someone else.
to hand out: to give out, supply.
to hatch: to come out from an egg.
to have egg on one’s face: to make an embarrassing mistake, to feel like a fool.
to have two left feet: to dance badly.
to headbutt: to hit somebody with your head.
headquarters: the main office of an organization.
heavyweight: a boxer that weighs more than 79.4 kilograms.
heiress: a woman who inherits money.
hit: success.
holidaymaker: vacationer, someone who is on holiday.
hometown: the town where a person was born.
honor: a prize, award or credit that is given for achievement.
to house: to be a storage space for something.
human rights: basic freedoms that people have.
to hurl: to throw.
hyperinflation: extreme inflation.
I
to impeach: to make a leader step down.
in charge of: under the control of, in the care of.
incumbent: a politician currently in office.
individual: person.
inexpensive: cheap, not expensive.
influence: (in art) a person or style that has a powerful effect on the work you do.
to inherit: to receive money from someone after that person dies.
innovative: new (used when speaking about a new product or idea.)
introvert: a shy person.
investigate: to examine.
Israelite: A person who lived in the ancient kingdom of Israel.
an item: a romantic couple.
J
jog: to run for exercise.
to joke: to tell a joke, to say something funny.
journey: trip.
K
to kick off: to start a game.
to kick the habit: to stop a bad habit, such as smoking or drinking.
L
to lack: to be without something.
to lambaste: to criticize strongly.
landline: a traditional telephone, i.e., not a mobile.
landmark: an important or historic building.
latter: the second of two.
to lay to rest: to bury (at a funeral)
leg: part of a trip.
likely: a word used to describe something that will probably happen.
to limit: to set a limit, number.
literate: able to read and write.
to lob: to throw slowly.
to locate: to find.
to lose your temper: to be angry.
lovebirds: a couple which is very much in love.
to lower: to reduce.
M
to make it: (slang) to be successful.
to make up: to invent something that is not true.
manufacturer: a person or company that makes a product.
median: the middle or at the 50% level.
memo: a written document sent within a company.
memorable: easily remembered.
mic: microphone.
morgue: a place where dead bodies are kept before they are identified.
multitude: a large amount, number.
N
neglected: not used.
neurosurgeon: a doctor who performs surgery on the brain or nervous system.
nickname: another version of a person’s name, often shorter.
nightlife: activities at night, such as bars, discos, theaters.
nobility: the group of people belonging to the highest
social class in a country, the aristocracy.
to nominate: to choose, select for a position.
nostalgic: wanting or desiring things that are of the past.
numerous: several, many.
nut: (slang) a crazy person.
O
obese: having excessive body fat.
obesity: the state of being very fat.
objective: a goal or an aim.
to observe: to see, notice.
to obtain: to get, to acquire.
occupation: job, work.
odd: unusual, strange.
on demand: a new media term which means to see something whenever you want to see it. For example, a movie or television program.
oracle: a person who says wise things about the future.
organic: without chemicals.
orphanage: a home for orphans, children without parents.
to oust: to throw someone out of office.
out of control: wild.
outlaw: to make illegal.
outskirts: the outer parts or border of a city or region.
to outsource: to contract work out to another company or individual.
P
to pass away: to die.
pasty: a pie (which is usually filled with meat).
to patch things up: to improve a relationship.
patent: the right given by a government to an inventor to sell an invention.
to patent: to give an inventor of a product the right to sell it as his or her own.
pathologist: a person who studies the nature of diseases.
to pay a visit: to visit.
personality: a well-known or important person.
pickup truck: a small truck which is open at the back and used for deliveries.
pitcher: the player in baseball who
throws the ball to the batter.
to plagiarize: to steal the written work of another person.
plot: plan.
Pole: a person from Poland.
populous: having a lot of people.
portable: something that can be
carried, like an iPod or a mobile phone.
portion: a section, a part of a whole.
to portray: to show or represent (in a film or in the theater).
premiere: the first performance of a movie or play.
presenter: someone who presents a show on television.
prestigious: honored, esteemed, with a big reputation.
prevention: the way we avoid getting a disease.
production: a work of art or literature.
to prohibit: to ban, prevent.
to propose: to ask someone to marry you.
protest: an action against something.
to provoke: to make someone act in a certain way.
publisher: a person or company in the business of making books or other printed materials.
to purchase: to buy.
Q
to qualify: to meet the requirements of something.
quarter: three months of a year
(in business). Usually January-March, April-June, etc.
quest: the search or pursuit of a goal.
to quit: to stop doing.
R
rapidly: very quickly.
to reach a milestone: to arrive at an important point.
readership: the people who read a written publication.
realm: an artistic domain.
recession: a time when the economy goes down.
to reconsider: to consider again, to think about again.
to recount: to count again.
to redeem: to make up for a bad result or performance.
to rehearse: to train or practice for a part in a movie or a play.
to reject: to refuse, not to accept.
remake: a creation that is made again.
remarkable: uncommon, extraordinary.
to require: to be necessary.
rerun: a show that is broadcast again.
to resemble: to look similar to something or someone.
to resent: to dislike.
reservation: doubt, concern.
resident: someone who lives in a particular place.
responsible: being the cause of an action.
résumé: curriculum vitae.
to resume: to continue at a later time, to begin again.
resurgence: comeback.
retirement: the period after a person stops working.
riot(s): violence by a group.
rival: an opponent.
rivalry: a competition between people or teams.
round: 18 holes of golf.
rubble: broken pieces of anything which has been damaged, such as a building.
to rule: to decide (for a judge)
to rule: to lead, to be a leader, to govern.
rumor: a report that may or may not be true. rumour(UK)
to run for: to seek (campaign for) political office (mayor, governor, president).
running mate: a candidate for vice president (usually used in the United States).
S
scenery: the scenes or views of a place.
to scrounge: to get something which is needed. He scrounged money for lunch.
to scrunch to crush, to squeeze together.
sedentary: inactive, sitting down a lot.
to seek: to try to obtain, to try to get.
to select: to choose.
self-esteem: the quality of the opinion a person has in him or herself.
to sell out: to empty (a store) of products.
settlement: an agreement in business.
shareholder: someone who holds shares of stock in a corporation.
shooter: someone who shoots guns, rifles.
shortage: lack.
short-lived: not lasting long.
shrewd: smart, intelligent.
sibling: a person with the same parents as another person, ie, brother and sister.
to sightsee: to look at places of interest, especially as a visitor or tourist.
simultaneous: happening at the same time.
skydiver: someone who jumps out of an airplane.
skyscraper:: a very tall building.
slight: small.
snap: photograph, snapshot.
sober: clear-headed (not drunk)
spectator: someone who watches an event.
to split up: to end a relationship, to break up.
sprint: a race at full speed.
to sprout up: (used with plants) to develop quickly.
stake: a part or share of a company.
stalemate: a situation in which a person or a team cannot win a contest.
to stand for: to represent, mean, symbolize.
to star: to have the lead role in a film or play.
to step down: to leave a job.
striker: a forward on a soccer team.
to stroll: to walk in a relaxed way.
struggle: fight, battle.
to stun: to shock, to surprise.
stunned: very surprised.
successor: a person who does a job after someone else has left it.
to sue: to take legal action against a person or an organization.
to suggest: to recommend.
summit: a meeting of government leaders.
supporter: fan.
to surpass: to become better or stronger than someone or something else.
to suspend: to stop for a period of time.
to swear: to use bad language.
to swing votes: to change someone’s mind, to cause someone to vote for someone else.
T
tabloid: a newspaper that often focuses on gossip.
to take for granted: to expect something to be available.
to take the wheel: to drive.
takeoff: (of a plane) departure, leaving the ground.
teller: a person who gives or receives money at a bank.
theatrical: relating to the theater.
to think twice: to think again, reconsider.
thrilled: very happy.
to tidy up: to clean up.
to tie the knot: to get married.
toddler: a young child.
to toss: to throw lightly.
trademark: the officially registered name of a product which belongs to a particular company.
transatlantic: crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
to treat: to pay for food, gifts, entertainment from one’s own money.
trend: a new style.
trial: the legal process used to decide if a person is guilty or innocent.
troop: a group of soldiers.
tumultuous: noisy, lacking in order, causing confusion and nervousness.
turmoil: extreme confusion, disorder.
tycoon: a very rich businessman.
U
ubiquitous: seeming to be everywhere at the same time.
underdog: (in sports) the weaker team in a game.
to undergo: to experience.
underhand: below the shoulder (in sports when a ball is thrown).
understudy: someone who is ready to work in place of another.
underway: happening at the present time, in progress.
unforgettable: memorable, not to be forgotten.
unenviable: not wanted, not desired.
uninhabitable: not fit for life.
to unseat to oust, to vote out of government.
to unveil: to reveal, to show to the public.
to update: to bring new information.
upset: (in sports) when a weaker team wins a game.
urban: about cities.
to urge: to push, press, insist strongly.
V
to verify: to prove something is true.
victorious: winning, being the winner.
villain: a bad, evil person.
W
to wager: to bet money.
wardrobe: the collection of clothes that a person has.
whereabouts: location.
wildlife: animals that don’t live in the home.
willing: ready to do something, wanting to do something.
witness: a person who is present and sees an event happening.
X
Y
Z
yes
THIS DICTIONARY IS SIMPLE BUT VERY INTERESTING