Physical Actions and Reactions: English Vocabulary List

to not let any harm come to someone or something

"Soldiers defend their country bravely."

"The lawyer worked tirelessly to defend her client against the serious charges that could have put him in prison."

to prevent someone or something from being damaged or harmed

"Protect your eyes from sun."

"Wearing sunscreen can help protect your skin from harmful UV rays and prevent premature aging and skin cancer."

to forcibly push something against a surface until it breaks or is damaged or disfigured

"The machine will crush the cans."

"The machine is designed to crush empty aluminum cans so they can be recycled more efficiently."

to separate something into more pieces, often in a sudden way

"Be careful not to break the glass."

"Be careful not to break the fragile glass vase because it is very old and cannot be replaced easily."

to act violently against someone or something to try to harm them

"The dog will attack."

"The enemy decided to attack the city unexpectedly during the early morning hours."

to hit someone or something with an open hand, usually making a sharp sound

"Do not slap the dog."

"It is never acceptable to slap another person regardless of how angry you feel in the moment."

to strike someone repeatedly, usually causing physical harm or injury

"Do not beat the drum."

"The aggressive crowd began to beat the man after they wrongly accused him of stealing their belongings."

to tear, cut, or open something forcefully and quickly

"Rip the paper along the dotted line."

"She accidentally ripped her new dress on a sharp edge of the table while walking past quickly."

to make small cuts or marks on a surface

"Don't scratch the table."

"Be careful not to scratch the paint on the car when you are washing it with a rough sponge."

to strike someone or something with force using one's hand or an object

"Hit the ball hard."

"The baseball player hit the ball so hard that it sailed over the outfield fence for a home run."

to cut into flesh, food, etc. using the teeth

"The dog might bite strangers."

"The dog bit the mailman when he tried to deliver the package without waiting for the owner to come outside."