Manual Action: English Vocabulary List

to add notes that explain or comment on something, such as a text, document, or image

"Annotate the text with your comments."

"The professor asked the students to annotate the poem with their thoughts and questions in the margins."

to forcibly pull or take something, often from someone's grasp

"He wrested the gun from the attacker."

"The brave citizen managed to wrest the gun away from the attacker before he could hurt anyone else."

to seize or grab suddenly and firmly

"She clutched her purse tightly."

"The little girl clutched her favorite teddy bear tightly as she walked into the dark room alone."

to touch in a gentle and loving way

"She caressed the cat's soft fur."

"The mother gently caressed her baby's cheek while singing a soft lullaby to help him fall asleep."

to produce an elementary and quick drawing of someone or something

"Draw a quick sketch."

"The detective asked the witness to sketch a rough outline of the suspect's face from memory."

to cut or carve designs or writings on a hard surface, often using acid or a laser beam

"The artist etched a design onto glass."

"The artist used acid to etch a detailed landscape into the surface of the copper plate for printing."

to repair by applying a piece of material to cover a hole or damage

"Patch the hole in the wall."

"The mechanic was able to patch the small hole in the tire instead of buying a completely new one."

to combine different elements together intricately or harmoniously

"The stories interweave beautifully in the plot."

"The author skillfully manages to interweave three different storylines into one cohesive and compelling narrative."

to twist or weave together, creating a complex and interconnected structure

"Their lives intertwine in the film."

"The lives of the two main characters intertwine in unexpected ways throughout the course of the novel."

to throw something forcefully and suddenly, often in a less controlled way

"He will fling the ball."

"In a moment of frustration, she decided to fling her old notebooks into the recycling bin without checking their contents carefully."

to push an object or person with considerable strength and speed

"She thrust the sword forward."

"The knight thrust his sword forward and managed to pierce the dragon's thick scaly armor."

to clean a surface by rubbing it very hard using a brush, etc.

"He scrubs the dirty pots hard."

"You will need to scrub the burnt pot with a steel wool pad to remove the black residue."

to rub gently or caress an animal's fur or hair

"She stroked the cat's soft fur."

"She gently stroked the cat's soft fur to calm it down during the thunderstorm outside the window."

to pull something with a sudden and powerful motion

"Yank the cord to start the engine."

"The toddler yanked the cat's tail and the startled animal hissed and scratched the child's hand."

to move or propel something with a light, quick motion

"He flicked the switch up."

"He flicked the light switch and the room was immediately filled with bright illumination from the ceiling lamps."

to gently push or prod someone or something, often to get attention or suggest a course of action

"She nudged him to wake up."

"She gently nudged her friend with her elbow to warn him that the teacher was walking toward them slowly."

to write hastily or carelessly without giving attention to legibility or form

"He scribbled a note quickly."

"The young child scribbled colorful lines on the paper with her new crayons very happily."

to record spoken words, notes, or any information in a written form

"She transcribed the interview recording."

"The secretary had to transcribe the recorded meeting from audio to a written document for the official records."

to write a literary piece with a lot of consideration

"Compose the letter."

"The poet decided to compose a sonnet to express his deep emotions."

to quickly take or grab something, often with a sudden motion

"He will snatch the ball."

"The nimble pickpocket managed to snatch the wallet from the tourist's pocket without anyone noticing."

to jab or poke a person or thing with a finger, stick, or other pointed object to get their attention or make them do something

"He will prod the dog."

"She used a stick to gently prod the embers back into the fire."

to vigorously and continuously throw objects, often with force or intensity

"The rain pelted the windows hard."

"The angry protesters began to pelt the police with stones and bottles during the violent demonstration."

to press and twist something forcibly

"Wring the wet towel please."

"She tried to wring the excess water out of the wet towel before hanging it on the line."

to gently pull with a quick, sharp motion

"She will pluck it."

"She reached out to pluck a ripe berry from the bush, careful not to disturb the other fruit."

to give a sharp, quick squeeze or pinch

"She gave his arm a tweak."

"The mechanic made a small tweak to the engine and suddenly the car started running smoothly again without any problems."

to apply pressure with a compressing or constricting motion, typically using the hands

"Squeeze the bottle gently."

"He had to squeeze through the narrow gap between the two buildings."