acute
If a bad situation is acute, it causes severe problems or damage.
- The problem of poverty is particularly acute in rural areas.
An acute pain or illness is one that quickly becomes very severe.
- an acute attack of appendicitis
used to describe intelligence, senses, etc. that are very good, accurate, and able to notice very small differences
- a woman of acute intelligence/judgment
accumulate
to collect a large number of things over a long period of time
affection
a feeling of liking for a person or place
advocate
to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something
- He advocates the return of capital punishment.
alert
quick to see, understand, and act in a particular situation
allowance
money that you are given regularly, especially to pay for a particular thing
anchor
someone or something that gives support when needed
- She was my anchor when things were difficult for me.
annual
anticipate
to imagine or expect that something will happen
- We don't anticipate any trouble.
to take action in preparation for something that you think will happen
ally
a country that has agreed officially to give help and support to another one, especially during a war
- He is generally considered to be the prime minister's closest political ally.
apparent
able to be seen or understood
- Her unhappiness was apparent to everyone.
appropriate
suitable or right for a particular situation or occasion
to take something for your own use, usually without permission
appreciate
to recognize how good someone or something is and to value him, her, or it
to understand a situation and realize that it is important
approximate
not completely accurate but close
to be almost the same as
attach
not completely accurate but close
- I attached a photo* to** my application form.
to be almost the same as
attribute
a quality or characteristic that someone or something has
to be almost the same as
awkward
difficult to use, do, or deal with
barrel
a large container, made of wood, metal, or plastic, with a flat top and bottom and curved sides that make it fatter in the middle
bare
without any clothes or not covered by anything
only the most basic or important
- I just packed the bare essentials (= the most basic and necessary things).
bay
a part of the coast where the land curves in so that the sea is surrounded by land on three sides
a partly surrounded or marked space
bearing
a part of a machine that supports another part that turns around
- a wheel bearing
an exact position, measured clockwise (= to the right) from north. Bearings are given as three numbers
bolt
a small area of ink made by mistake
- an ink blot
to dry a wet surface, or writing done in ink, by pressing something soft against it
