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THE ACADEMIC WORD LIST (A - D) abandon v. go away from (a person or thing or place) not intending to return; forsake; desert abstract adj. existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or practical existence academy n. school for special training access n. ~ means of approaching or entering (a place); way in accommodate v. provide lodging or room for accompany v. walk or travel with (sb) as a companion or helper; escort accumulate v. gradually get or gather together an increasing number or quantity of get (sth) in this way accurate adj. free from error achieve v. gain or reach (sth), usu by effort, skill, courage, etc acknowledge v. accept the truth of admit (sth) acquire v. gain (sth) by one's own ability, efforts or behaviour adapt v. ~ sth (for sth) make sth suitable for a new use, situation, etc; modify sth adequate adj. ~ satisfactory in quantity or quality; sufficient adjacent having a common endpoint or border also immediately preceding or following adjust v. put (sth) into the correct order or position; arrange administrate v. to administer adult adj. grown to full size or strength advocate v. speak publicly in favour of (sth); recommend; support affect v. have an influence on (sb/sth); produce an effect on aggregate v. ~ sb (fml ) be formed or bring sb into an assembled group or amount aid n. help albeit conj although allocate v. ~ sth allot or assign sth (to sb/sth) for a special purpose alter v. become different; change in character, position, size, shape, etc alternative adj. available in place of sth else; other ambiguous adj. having more than one possible meaning amend v. correct an error in (sth); make minor improvements in; change slightly analogy n. ~ partial similarity between two things that are compared analyse v. separate into its parts in order to study its nature or structure annual adj. happening every year anticipate v. expect apparent adj. clearly seen or understood; obvious append v. ~ sth (fml ) attach or add sth (esp in writing) appreciate v. understand and enjoy (sth); value highly approach v. come near or nearer to in space or time appropriate adj. ~ suitable; right and proper approximate adj. almost correct or exact but not completely so arbitrary adj. based on personal opinion or impulse, not on reason area n. extent or measurement of a surface aspect n. particular part or feature of sth being considered assemble v. come together; collect assess v. ~ sth decide or fix the amount of sth assign v. ~ sth to sb give sth to sb as a share of work to be done or of things to be used assist v. ~ in/with sth; ~ (sb) in doing sth (fml ) help assume v. accept as true before there is proof assure v. tell (sb) positively or confidently attach v. ~ sth fasten or join sth (to sth) attain v. succeed in getting (sth); achieve attitude n. ~ way of thinking or behaving attribute v. ~ sth to sb/sth regard sth as belonging to, caused by or produced by sb/sth author n. writer of a book, play, etc authority n. power to give orders and make others obey automate v. cause to operate by automation available adj. that can be used or obtained aware adj. ~ of sb/sth; ~ that... having knowledge or realization of sb/sth behalf n. on behalf of sb/on sb's behalf; US in behalf of sb/in sb's behalf as the representative of or spokesman for sb; in the interest of sb benefit n. profit; gain; future good (used esp with the vs and preps shown) bias n. opinion or feeling that strongly favours one side in an argument or one item in a group or series; predisposition; prejudice bond n. written agreement or promise that has legal force; covenant brief adj. lasting only a short time; short bulk n. size, quantity or volume, esp when great capable adj. having ability; able; competent capacity n. ability to hold or contain sth category n. class or group of things in a complete system of grouping cease v. come or bring (sth) to an end; stop challenge n. ~ (to do sth) invitation or call (to sb) to take part in a game, contest, fight etc to prove who is better, stronger, more able, etc channel n. sunken bed of a river, stream or canal chapter n. (usu numbered) division of a book chart n. detailed map used to help navigation at sea, showing coasts, rocks, the depth of the sea, etc chemical adj. of or relating to chemistry circumstance n. condition or fact connected with an event or action cite quote; commend civil adj. of or relating to the citizens of a country clarify v. (cause sth to) become clear or easier to understand classic adj. having a high quality that is recognized and unquestioned; of lasting value and importance clause n. group of words that includes a subject1(4a) and a verb, forming a sentence or part of a sentence code n. (system of) words, letters, symbols, etc that represent others, used for secret messages or for presenting or recording information briefly coherent adj. connected logically or consistent; easy to understand; clear coincide v. ~ (of events) occur at the same time or occupy the same period of time as sth else collapse v. fall down or in suddenly colleague n. person with whom one works, esp in a profession or business commence v. begin (sth); start comment n. ~ written or spoken remark giving an opinion on, explaining or criticizing (an event, a person, a situation, etc) commission n. ~ action, task or piece of work given to sb to do commit v. do (sth illegal, wrong or foolish) commodity n. thing bought in a shop and put to use, esp in the home communicate v. ~ sth make sth known; convey sth community n. the community the people living in one place, district or country, considered as a whole compatible adj. ~ (of people, ideas, arguments, principles, etc) suited; that can exist together compensate v. ~ for sth give (sb) sth good to balance or lessen the bad effect of damage, loss, injury, etc; compile v. ~ sth (for/from sth) collect (information) and arrange it in a book, list, report, etc complement n. ~ thing that goes well or suitably with sth else, or makes it complete complex adj. made up of (usu several) closely connected parts component n. any of the parts of which sth is made compound n. thing made up of two or more separate things combined together comprehensive adj. that includes everything comprise v. have as parts or members; be made up of compute v. ~ sth calculate sth with a computer conceive v. become pregnant concentrate v. ~ (sth) (on sth/doing sth) focus (one's attention, effort, etc) exclusively and intensely on sth, not thinking about other less important things concept n. ~ idea underlying sth; general notion conclude v. ~ (with sth) (usu fml ) come or bring (sth) to an end concurrent adj. ~ existing, happening or done at the same time conduct n. person's behaviour confer v. ~ (with sb) (on/about sth) have discussions (esp in order to exchange opinions or get advice) confine v. ~ sb/sth keep (a person or an animal) in a restricted space confirm v. provide evidence for the truth or correctness of (a report, an opinion, etc); establish the truth of conflict n. struggle; fight conform v. ~ keep to or comply with (generally accepted rules, standards, etc) consent v. ~ give agreement or permission consequent adj. ~ (fml ) following sth as a result or an effect considerable adj. great in amount or size consist v. (phr v) consist of sth be composed or made up of sth constant adj. going on all the time; happening again and again constitute v. (fml ) make up or form (a whole); be the components of constrain v. make (sb) do sth by strong (moral) persuasion or by force construct v. build (sth); put or fit together; form consult v. ~ sb/sth go to (a person, book, etc) for information, advice, etc consume v. use (sth) up contact n. ~ state of touching (used esp with the vs shown) contemporary adj. ~ of the time or period being referred to; belonging to the same time context writings preceding and following passage quoted contract n. ~ (for sth/to do sth) legally binding agreement, usu in writing contradict v. say sth that conflicts with by (sb), suggesting that the person is mistaken or not telling the truth contrary adj. opposite in nature, tendency or direction contrast v. ~ A and/with B compare so that differences are made clear contribute v. ~ (to/towards sth) give one's share of (money, help, advice, etc) to help a joint cause controversy n. ~ public discussion or argument, often rather angry, about sth which many people disagree with convene v. summon to come together; arrange (a meeting, etc) converse v. ~ (about sth); ~ (together) (fml ) talk convert v. ~ (sth) (from sth) (into/to sth) change (sth) from one form or use to another convince v. ~ sb make sb feel certain; cause sb to realize cooperate to work or act together coordinate vt. to organize or integrate (diverse elements) in a harmonious operation core n. centre of such fruits as the apple and pear, containing the seeds corporate adj. of or shared by all the members of a group; collective correspond v. ~ be in agreement; not contradict sth or each other couple n. two people or things that are seen together or associated, esp a man and woman together create v. cause to exist; make (sth new or original) credit n. permission to delay payment for goods and services until after they have been received; system of paying in this way criteria n. (pl of criterion) standard by which sth is judged crucial adj. ~ very important; decisive culture n. refined understanding and appreciation of art, literature, etc currency n. money system in use in a country cycle n. series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order data n. facts or information used in deciding or discussing sth debate n. formal argument or discussion of a question, eg at a public meeting or in Parliament, with two or more opposing speakers, and often ending in a vote decade n. period of ten years decline v. say `no' to (sth); refuse (sth offered), usu politely deduce v. ~ sth arrive at (facts, a theory, etc) by reasoning; infer sth define v. ~ sth state precisely the meaning of (eg words) definite adj. clear; not doubtful demonstrate v. ~ sth (to sb) show sth clearly by giving proof or evidence denote v. be the name, sign or symbol of (sth); refer to deny v. say that (sth) is not true depress v. make sad and without enthusiasm derive v. ~ sth from sth obtain sth from sth; get sth from sth design n. ~ (for sth) drawing or outline from which sth may be made despite prep without being affected by detect v. discover or recognize that (sth) is present deviate v. ~ from sth stop following device n. thing made or adapted for a special purpose devote v. ~ oneself/sth to sb/sth give to sb/sth; dedicate ; differentiate v. ~ between A and B; ~ A (from B) see or show (two things) to be different; show sth to be different (from sth else) dimension n. measurement of any sort diminish v. become smaller or less; decrease discrete adj. separate; distinct discriminate v. ~ ~ A from B see or make a difference (between two things) displace v. move from the usual or correct place display v. ~ sth put sth on show dispose v. place(sb/sth) in a suitable way; arrange distinct adj. easily heard, seen, felt or understood; definite distort v. pull or twist out of its usual shape distribute v. ~ sth separate sth into parts and give a share to each person or thing diverse adj. of different kinds; varied document n. paper, form, book, etc giving information about sth, evidence or proof of sth domain n. lands owned or ruled by a nobleman, government, etc domestic adj. of the home, household or family dominate v. have control of or a very strong influence on (people, events, etc) draft n. rough preliminary written version of sth drama n. play for the theatre, radio or TV duration n. time during which sth lasts or continues dynamic adj. of power or forces that produce movement | ||