Unit 1 · New Headway Advanced Vocabulary List

a distinguishing quality or characteristic, especially one that forms part of someone's personality or identity

"Honesty is a good trait."

"Kindness is an important personality trait that makes people like her very much."

an indication or evidence of the former presence or existence of something

"There was no trace of the missing cat."

"There was only a small trace of poison found in the laboratory test results."

an impressive or remarkable achievement or accomplishment, often requiring great skill or strength

"Climbing is amazing feat."

"Climbing Mount Everest is an amazing feat that requires great courage and serious physical preparation."

causing confusion due to being complex or unclear

"The puzzle is perplexing."

"The perplexing math problem stumped the entire class and even the teacher had to look up the solution in the answer key."

hard to understand or explain

"The clue is puzzling."

"Her sudden decision to quit her job was puzzling because everyone thought she was happy and successful in her position at work."

an ancestor or a person from whom one is descended, typically from earlier generations

"Our forebears came to this country on a ship."

"Our forebears came to this country on a ship and worked hard to build a new life here."

a blood relative who lived a long time ago, usually before one's grandparents

"An ancestor lived here."

"His ancestors immigrated to the United States from Ireland during the great potato famine in the middle of the nineteenth century."

a powerful feeling prompting someone to act or respond

"She feels a strong urge to travel abroad."

"She feels a strong urge to travel abroad and books a flight to Thailand for next month."

to reside at the place where one works or studies, usually in provided accommodation on the premises

"The teacher lives in."

"Many students prefer to live in accommodation provided by the university for convenience and community."

a journey taken by a ship for pleasure, especially one involving several destinations

"We took a cruise."

"A cruise ship can feel like a floating city offering swimming pools restaurants theaters and even small shopping centers for passengers to enjoy."

a disorder in which one is unable to sleep or stay asleep

"Insomnia kept him awake all night."

"Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a structured program that helps identify and replace thoughts and behaviors that cause or worsen chronic sleep problems."

a type of bag, often made of leather or canvas, with a strap that is worn over one shoulder and across the bo

"The leather satchel looks vintage."

"The professor carried a worn brown leather satchel containing his lecture notes and a stack of student papers."

a prearranged time for children to get together and play, typically with a parent or caregiver present

"The child has a playdate with his friend from school."

"The child has a playdate with his friend from school and their mothers chat while they play."

a social event where a person stays overnight at someone else's house, usually for fun

"The girls have a sleepover with popcorn and movies."

"The girls have a sleepover with popcorn and movies and they stay up talking until two in the morning."

the condition of forgetting or being unable to recall past events or information, ranging from minor forgetfulness to more severe forms, such as dementia or amnesia

"The accident causes short-term memory loss."

"The accident causes short term memory loss and he cannot remember what happened yesterday."

to move slowly with the body near the ground or on the hands and knees

"The baby will crawl soon."

"The baby learned to crawl before she could walk and she explored every corner of the house enthusiastically."

to skip school or work without permission or without a valid reason

"He played truant from school."

"The student was caught playing truant when his parents discovered he hadn't attended school all day."

a very young child, typically from birth to around one year old

"The infant slept peacefully in her crib."

"The infant slept soundly in her crib while her parents watched a movie in the living room."

a boy who is attending school, especially in primary or secondary education

"The schoolboy carries a heavy backpack."

"The schoolboy carries a heavy backpack and complains that his shoulders hurt after walking to school."

one of the partners in a romantic or sexual relationship, without being married to each other

"He is her lover."

"The secret lovers met in the park every afternoon pretending to be strangers to avoid suspicion from their families who disapproved of the relationship."

the behavior of being immature, overly playful, or exhibiting traits typically associated with children

"The adult's childishness is embarrassing."

"The adult's childishness is embarrassing and his friends tell him to act his age."

an official contract or arrangement by which a bank gives money to someone as a loan to buy a house and the person agrees to repay the loan over a specified period, usually with interest

"We took a mortgage for our house."

"They secured a thirty-year mortgage to finance the purchase of their dream home."

a pair of lenses set in a frame that rests on the nose and ears, which we wear to see more clearly

"My glasses are on the desk."

"She needs glasses to read clearly."

a continuous pain in a part of the body, often not severe

"My legs ache today."

"After a long day of hiking, his muscles developed a deep ache that made walking difficult."

to fill in a black and white outline or picture with colors using crayons, markers, or other coloring materials

"Color in the picture neatly."

"The young child spent a happy hour coloring in the black and white outlines of her favorite cartoon characters."

a period of time spent resting or sleeping in bed beyond one's usual waking time, often done for the purpose of getting additional rest or relaxation

"She enjoys a lie-in on Saturday morning."

"She enjoys a lie in on Saturday morning and does not get out of bed until ten o'clock."

no longer married to someone due to legally ending the marriage

"My parents are divorced."

"My parents are divorced and they live in separate houses in different cities."

an emotional outburst, usually associated with anger or frustration, that involves screaming, crying, kicking, and sometimes even physical aggression

"The child threw a tantrum in the store."

"The child had a loud tantrum in the supermarket yesterday afternoon."

having little or no hair on the head

"He is bald."

"The bald man wore a hat to protect his head from the sun because he had no hair to shield his scalp."

to study hard and quickly, especially before an exam

"She swotted for the final exams."

"The students had to swot for their final exams so they spent every evening in the library studying hard."

the act or activity of frequently hanging out in nightclubs

"Clubbing is tiring."

"She stopped clubbing every weekend because waking up tired on Monday morning was affecting her concentration at work and damaging her productivity."

to stand or move in an unsteady or unstable manner, as if about to lose balance or topple over

"The chair teeters precariously."

"The small child began to teeter unsteadily on the edge of the curb before regaining his balance."

to rest or sleep for a short period of time during the day

"I will take a nap after lunch."

"After working on the project all morning I need to take a short nap."

to have an excessive or exaggerated opinion of one's own abilities, attractiveness, importance, or value

"He fancies himself a great singer."

"She really fancies herself the most talented singer in the entire competition, but others disagree."

to speak negatively or critically about oneself

"Stop putting yourself down, you are talented."

"You should not put yourself down so much because you have many skills and talents that others admire."

to take care of someone or something and attend to their needs, well-being, or safety

"Who looks after your dog?"

"The elderly woman needs someone to look after her because she cannot live alone safely anymore."

to rely on no one in making decisions or forming opinions

"You need to learn to think for yourself."

"Children should be encouraged to think for themselves rather than just accepting everything they are told."

to overestimate one's own abilities, accomplishments, or appearance

"Do not flatter yourself, he is not interested."

"Do not flatter yourself too much because I did not come to the party just to see you."

to feel regret or disappointment in oneself for a past mistake or missed opportunity

"I kicked myself after that."

"She kicked herself for not applying to the university that offered her a full scholarship last year."

having the highest level of significance or central importance

"The main problem is money."

"The main reason for the project's delay was the unexpected shortage of materials and the team worked overtime to catch up."

having the highest importance

"This is the chief reason."

"The chief concern for the company at this moment is to increase its market share."

serving to identify or distinguish something or someone

"Her laugh is characteristic."

"The characteristic smell of fresh bread filled the kitchen and made everyone hungry for dinner."

anything that proves the truth or possibility of something, such as facts, objects, or signs

"There is no evidence of a crime."

"Circumstantial evidence alone is insufficient for a conviction in a court of law."

the action or process of reaching a particular thing

"Winning the award was a great achievement."

"Winning the science fair was her greatest achievement and she felt very proud of her hard work."

a very strong feeling of wanting to do or have something

"His desire to travel took him everywhere."

"His greatest desire is to travel around the world and experience different cultures and cuisines."

to grow and develop exceptionally well

"These plants thrive in humid environments."

"The plants thrive in the warm humid climate of the greenhouse where they are protected from frost and cold winds."

to quickly grow in a successful way

"This plant flourishes in direct sunlight."

"The small business flourished under the new management because they introduced innovative products and excellent customer service."

a relationship between people or groups based on shared experiences, ideas, or emotions

"They formed a bond."

"The strong bond between the mother and her newborn baby began immediately after the child was born at the hospital."

a bond or connection between people, organizations, etc.

"They have a tie."

"The economic crisis created a strong tie between the two neighboring countries."

to reside in a specific place

"Birds inhabit the trees."

"These remote islands are home to a unique species of bird that exclusively inhabits the dense, tropical rainforests found there."

the purpose or intended use of something

"What is its function?"

"The primary function of this device is to regulate air quality within the building."

an absorbent garment worn by infants and young children to contain and absorb urine and feces

"The nappy needs changing every three hours."

"The nappy was changed every three hours to prevent diaper rash and keep the baby comfortable."

to find a place to live and embrace a more stable and routine way of life

"He will settle down."

"After years of traveling the world, he decided it was time to settle down and start a family."

someone who serves in an army, particularly a person who is not an officer

"The soldier stood at attention."

"The soldier protected the village during the night and remained alert even when everyone else was asleep."

the exercise of judgment in determining rights, duties, or assigning rewards and punishments

"The victims' families are still seeking justice."

"A restorative justice program focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large"

one of the phases in which a process or event is divided into

"This is a new stage."

"The project is entering its final stage, and completion is expected next month."

to cause injury to the surface of one's skin by rubbing it against something rough

"My knee did graze."

"When he fell off his bike, his elbow began to graze against the rough asphalt of the road."

a light, horse-drawn carriage with four wheels, typically used for leisurely rides

"They rode a buggy."

"The couple enjoyed a romantic afternoon ride through the countryside in a horse-drawn buggy."

a time that is arranged to meet a person with whom one is in a relationship or is likely to be in the future

"We have a date."

"Their first official date was at a charming little Italian restaurant downtown."

to move to a higher position or rank

"He will promote to manager."

"The diligent employee was excited to promote to a managerial position after years of hard work."

(of a person) displaying good judgment

"That was sensible."

"Making a sensible decision to save money now will benefit you greatly in the future."

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."

the unpleasant feeling caused by an illness or injury

"I have a stomach pain."

"He experienced a sharp pain in his chest and immediately called for medical assistance."

a round stove with a bulging middle that burns wood to heat a room

"The potbelly was warm."

"In the cozy cabin, a cast-iron potbelly stove radiated a comforting warmth throughout the room."

to look at a thing or person and pay attention to it for some time

"Watch the movie with subtitles."

"The children love to watch cartoons on Saturday mornings while eating a big bowl of sugary cereal."

to consider something while deciding what to do

"Think of a good idea."

"Can you think of any reason why he would not want to attend the party with us?"

(of a person) having gray hair as a sign of aging

"The old man was gray."

"The distinguished gray gentleman with a neatly trimmed beard commanded respect."

to do what one wants or desires, without worrying about the opinions or desires of others

"Do as you please."

"She decided to travel the world independently, choosing to do as she pleased without consulting anyone."