Lesson 5A · New English File Intermediate Vocabulary List

a physical activity or competitive game with specific rules that people do for fun or as a profession

"Swimming is a healthy sport."

"Playing a team sport taught him valuable lessons about cooperation and leadership skills."

an official who is in charge of a game, making sure the rules are obeyed by the players

"The referee blew the whistle."

"The referee made a fair decision and kept the game under control."

an official who is in charge of a game and makes sure players obey the rules in sports such as tennis, baseball, and cricket

"The umpire calls strike three."

"The umpire called strike three and the hitter walked back to the dugout."

a person who watches sport competitions closely

"Each spectator cheered for their team."

"The excited spectator cheered loudly for his favorite team during the football match."

a large group of people gathered together in a particular place

"The crowd cheers as the team scores."

"The crowd cheers as the team scores and the noise echoes through the stadium for several minutes."

a large indoor facility designed for sports and physical activities

"The basketball game is held in the sports hall."

"The basketball game is held in the sports hall and the bleachers are full of cheering students."

a very large, often roofless, structure where sports events, etc. are held for an audience

"The stadium is large."

"Thousands of fans filled the stadium before the match began."

a group of people who compete against another group in a sport or game

"The team is ready."

"The soccer team trained diligently for months to prepare for the championship match."

a sport in which two or four players use rackets to hit a small ball backward and forward over a net

"She plays tennis every Sunday."

"We watched a tennis match on television."

the act of moving our bodies through water with the use of our arms and legs, particularly as a sport

"Swimming is good exercise."

"Swimming is excellent exercise because it works almost every muscle in the body without putting stress on the joints like running or jogging does."

‌the activity or sport of jumping into water from a diving board, with the head and arms first

"Diving is an Olympic sport."

"Professional diving requires years of training because descending too quickly without proper equalization can cause serious damage to your ears."

the sport of competing in track and field events, including running races and various competitions in jumping and throwing

"School athletics program."

"She participates in school athletics and runs very fast in competitions every year successfully."

the act of riding a motorcycle, particularly as a sport or hobby

"Motorcycling requires protective gear."

"Motorcycling requires protective gear and riders should always wear a helmet and boots."

to move on snow on two sliding bars that are worn on the feet

"He skis down the snowy mountain fast."

"We plan to ski in the French Alps during our winter vacation next year."

an area shaped like a rectangle that is made for playing tennis

"The tennis court is resurfaced every five years."

"The tennis court was resurfaced with new acrylic paint and fresh white lines."

a specially designed structure that holds water for people to swim in

"The hotel has a heated swimming pool."

"Their house has a heated swimming pool in the backyard allowing them to swim comfortably even during cooler months when the outdoor temperature drops significantly."

a track used for motorcycle races

"The motorcycling circuit has a steep hairpin turn."

"The motorcycling circuit has a steep hairpin turn and many riders crash at that corner."

a place where people go to play golf

"The golf course has 18 holes."

"The golf course has eighteen holes and is surrounded by trees and a small lake."

the area on a mountain or hill where people are allowed to ski

"The ski slope is covered with artificial snow."

"The ski slope was covered with artificial snow because natural snowfall was insufficient."

an outdoor area that is specifically designed for people to play sports and engage in physical activities

"The athletics pitch is marked with a running track."

"The athletics pitch is marked with a running track and has areas for long jump and high jump."

someone who trains a person or team in sport

"The coach gave helpful advice."

"The coach motivated his players by reminding them how hard they had worked all season to reach this important championship game."

someone who greatly admires or is interested in someone or something

"He is a big fan."

"As a devoted fan of the artist, she had attended every concert on the tour."

someone who engages in a type of game or sport, either as their job or hobby

"She is a good player."

"The professional player signed a lucrative contract with the renowned sports team."

a type of sport where two teams, with often five players each, try to throw a ball through a net that is hanging from a ring and gain points

"Basketball is fast and exciting."

"He injured his ankle during a basketball game but continued playing because his team had no substitute players available on the bench."

a sport played with a round ball between two teams of eleven players each, aiming to score goals by kicking the ball into the opponent's goalpost

"They play football."

"The crowd roared with excitement as their team scored the winning goal in the football match."

a game played by two teams of eleven players on grass or a field, using long sticks to put a hard ball in the opposite team's goal

"They play hockey."

"The fast-paced game of hockey requires immense skill and teamwork from every player."

a game that is mostly played outside where each person uses a special stick to hit a small white ball into a number of holes with the least number of swings

"Golf requires patience and focus."

"Golf may seem like a relaxing sport but maintaining concentration for four hours while walking several kilometers can be quite exhausting."

to get more points, votes, etc. than the other side, in a game, race, competition, etc. and win

"Our team will beat them."

"The underdog team managed to beat the reigning champions in a thrilling final match."

to become the most successful, the luckiest, or the best in a game, race, fight, etc.

"The team wins the championship trophy easily."

"The young athlete trained hard for many years hoping to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games representing her country with pride."

to not win in a race, fight, game, etc.

"They might lose the game."

"If you do not practice regularly you may lose the skills you have already developed over time."

to cause something to move toward oneself or in a particular direction by pulling it

"Draw the curtain."

"She decided to draw the heavy curtains to block out the bright sunlight."

to prepare one's body for exercising or playing sports with gentle stretches and exercises

"We must warm up first."

"Athletes should always warm up properly before engaging in strenuous physical activity."

to exercise in order to get healthier or stronger

"She works out every single morning."

"I try to work out at least four times a week to stay fit and healthy."

(of a referee in a sports competition) to order a player to no longer participate in the game due to a violation of the rules

"The referee will send off."

"The referee had no choice but to send off the player for his dangerous tackle."

to defeat someone or a group decisively in a competition

"We will knock out."

"The underdog team managed to knock out the reigning champions in a stunning upset."