Unit 9 · New Headway Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

each of two or more words with the same spelling or pronunciation that vary in meaning and origin

"Right is a homonym of write."

"The words bear meaning both an animal and to carry something are examples of a homonym."

(grammar) one of two or more words with the same pronunciation that differ in meaning, spelling or origin

"Learn homophone words."

"We learn homophone words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings in English."

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."

to put hope and trust in a person or thing

"Bank on his support."

"The team is banking on their star player to recover from his injury in time for the championship final."

a class or group of people or things that have common characteristics or share particular qualities

"What type is this?"

"This particular type of dog is known for its loyalty and intelligence."

a wide path made for cars, buses, etc. to travel along

"The road is wet."

"The road to the mountain village was narrow and winding with steep cliffs on one side making nervous passengers close their eyes during the drive."

a fine powder made by crushing wheat or other grains, used for making bread, cakes, pasta, etc.

"Use fine flour."

"All-purpose flour is a versatile wheat flour with a medium protein content"

to give something to someone in exchange for money

"They sell fresh fruit here."

"The farmer sells fresh vegetables at the local market every Saturday morning."

tired and unhappy because there is nothing to do or because we are no longer interested in something

"The student is bored."

"The bored children complained that there was nothing to do on the rainy afternoon at home."

a set of two matching items that are designed to be used together or regarded as one

"She buys a pair of shoes."

"She bought a new pair of shoes to match her dress for the party."

a female servant

"The maid cleaned room."

"The maid changed the bed linens and left fresh towels in the bathroom every morning."

in a voice that can be heard clearly

"She read aloud."

"The teacher asked the student to read the poem aloud so that everyone in the class could hear it clearly."

the salt water that covers most of the earth’s surface and surrounds its continents and islands

"The sea was calm and perfect for sailing."

"The vast blue sea stretched out before them, dotted with small white sailboats."

a type of dress with no sleeves, often worn over a blouse or shirt

"The cook wears a pinny to protect her clothes."

"The cook wears a pinny to protect her clothes and the apron has a large pocket on the front."

a person who earns money to support their family, typically the main or sole provider of income

"The father is the breadwinner for the family of five."

"The father is the breadwinner for the family of five and works two jobs to support them."

extremely busy and chaotic

"My schedule is hectic."

"Her schedule was so hectic that she barely had time to eat lunch between meetings and appointments all day long."

sharing similar opinions, beliefs, interests, or attitudes on a particular subject or issue

"They are like-minded."

"The like minded activists formed a group to protest the construction of the new factory near their homes."

full of calmness, happiness, and prosperity

"Remember halcyon days."

"She often reminisced about the halcyon days of her childhood spent by the peaceful seaside."

the period of time when two people are getting to know each other romantically with the intention of getting married

"Their courtship lasted two years."

"Traditional courtship customs influenced marriage expectations within the conservative rural community significantly."

with no one or nothing else involved

"This is solely mine."

"The success of the project was solely due to the hard work and dedication of the team."

an item of clothing for the top half of one's body, traditionally worn by men, that is tight fitting, sleeveless, collarless, with buttons in the front, and worn usually under a jacket and over a shirt

"The waiter wears a black waistcoat over his white shirt."

"The groom wore a gray waistcoat over his white shirt with matching trousers and jacket."

a cupboard or small room, often next to kitchen, used for keeping food in

"She stocked the pantry with canned goods."

"The kitchen pantry is full of food and supplies for the whole month."

a collection of things, particularly electronic machines or devices, such as washing machines, microwaves, etc. in a home that can make ordinary jobs be done with ease

"The apartment has all the mod cons"

"The apartment has all the mod cons including a dishwasher a washing machine and air conditioning."

a toilet or bathroom

"The loo is on the left at the end of the hall."

"The loo is on the left at the end of the hall and there is a sign on the door."

excessively delicate or affected

"The decoration is twee."

"The twee little cottage had flower boxes on the windows and a thatched roof and a white picket fence."

(of a place) relaxing and comfortable, particularly because of the warmth or small size of the place

"The room is cozy."

"The cozy cabin had a warm fireplace and soft blankets and they spent the cold winter evening reading books and drinking hot tea together."

the direction or side that is toward the east when someone or something is facing north

"Turn to the right."

"He instinctively reached for the door on his right, hoping for a quick escape."

feeling well or in good health

"I am fine, thank you."

"After a good night's sleep, she felt perfectly fine and ready for the day."

to have a particular meaning or represent something

"What does this difficult word mean?"

"What does this word actually mean in English because I have looked it up in several dictionaries and still do not understand it properly?"

an electric device with blades that rotate quickly and keep an area cool

"The fan is spinning fast."

"We turned on the fan to cool the room."

a large public place in a town or a city that has grass and trees and people go to for walking, playing, and relaxing

"The park is peaceful."

"The children played on the swings and the slide at the park while their parents watched from a nearby picnic table under a large shade tree."

a financial institution that keeps and lends money and provides other financial services

"The bank is closed today."

"She opened an account at the bank."

a jacket with a pair of pants or a skirt that are made from the same cloth and should be worn together

"He wore a black suit."

"He wore his best suit to the job interview because he wanted to make a good impression on the hiring manager and show that he was professional and serious."

to not hit or touch what was aimed at

"The arrow will miss."

"Despite his best efforts, the goalkeeper managed to miss the crucial penalty kick in the final minute."

a group of people or things that have similar characteristics or share particular qualities

"What kind is this?"

"This particular kind of rare orchid is known for its vibrant colors and unique fragrance."

the most important thing that is said or done which highlights the purpose of something

"What is the point?"

"The main point of the lecture was to emphasize the importance of critical thinking skills."

a series of connected carriages that travel on a railroad, often pulled by a locomotive

"The train arrived on time."

"We took a train to the city."

having a pleasantly mild, low temperature

"The weather is cool."

"The cool breeze from the ocean felt refreshing after the hot and humid day and they sat on the porch enjoying the fresh air."

to move a boat or other watercraft through water using oars or paddles

"The crew rows together in sync."

"The team of eight athletes had to row together in perfect synchronization to win the important race."

including every part, member, etc.

"I ate the whole pizza."

"She ate the whole pizza by herself because she was starving after skipping lunch and working through her break at the office."

an empty space in the body or surface of something solid

"There is a hole."

"The rabbit disappeared into a small hole in the ground."

a part of an object, broken or cut from a larger one

"I ate a piece of cake."

"She carefully examined the intricate piece of jewelry, noting its exquisite craftsmanship."

a period or state where there is no war or violence

"We all want world peace."

"the people longed for peace."

a part of a plant from which the seed or fruit develops

"The flower is bright red."

"She picked a flower from the garden."

to travel on water using the power of wind or an engine

"They sail across the ocean every summer."

"He learned how to sail when he was just a boy and now he dreams of sailing across the entire Atlantic Ocean alone one day."

the total amount of income a company, store, etc. makes from the sales of goods or services over a specific period of time

"The sales team exceeded their targets."

"The company's sales increased dramatically after they launched their new advertising campaign online."

an organism's smallest unit, capable of functioning on its own

"A cell is tiny."

"Each living organism is composed of one or more basic cells."

to stop and hold an object that is moving through the air

"Catch the ball with both hands."

"The little boy tried to catch the butterfly with his bare hands but it flew away too quickly."

to pay someone to do a job

"Companies hire new staff members soon."

"The company decided to hire a new marketing manager to help increase brand awareness and attract younger customers to their products."

simple in design, without a specific pattern

"This shirt is plain."

"She chose a plain white blouse to complement the intricately patterned skirt."

the part of the body between the ribs and hips, which is usually narrower than the parts mentioned

"Her waist is slim."

"She measured her waist every week to track her fitness progress because inches lost were more encouraging to her than numbers on a scale."

to make letters, words, or numbers on a surface, usually on a piece of paper, with a pen or pencil

"Write your name on the paper."

"She decided to write a letter to her grandmother instead of sending a text message because handwritten letters feel more personal and meaningful."

a specific day in a month or sometimes a year, shown using a number and sometimes a name

"What is the date today?"

"We set a date for the meeting after discussing everyone's schedule."

more than what is needed and not currently in use

"I have a spare key."

"He always kept a spare tire in the trunk of his car for emergencies on the road."

healthy and strong, especially due to regular physical exercise or balanced diet

"He tries to keep fit."

"He tries to stay fit by going to the gym three times a week and eating a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables."

free from any stain or dirt

"The house is immaculate."

"The immaculate house looked like no one had ever lived there and the real estate agent was impressed by its perfect condition."

curiously distinct, unique, or unusual

"A quaint little village."

"We stayed in a quaint little bed and breakfast nestled in the rolling hills of the countryside."