| additional |
If you have an additional thing, you have one more thing than what you had before. If you had two chairs before and somebody gives you an additional chair, it means you have three chairs now. Let's say your dad got only one small pizza for your birthday party but twenty kids came. You would probably need a lot of additional pizza! |
| a few |
If you have a few friends, you don't have a lot of friends, but you have a small number of friends. If you have a few friends, you are probably pretty happy. If you have FEW friends, though, you might be sad. There is a big difference between "a few" and just "few." "A few" gives a positive feeling, and "few" gives a negative feeling, even though both of them mean "a small number." |
| affect1 |
When one thing affects another thing, it makes a change in it or causes something to happen to it. The weather is something that often affects the way people feel. If it is a sunny day, people often feel happy and as if they have more energy. If a big storm affects an area, it probably causes some damage or harm there. [1/2 definitions] |
| although |
"Although" is a word that we use to connect ideas in a sentence. We use "although" to join two ideas that are true but don't seem to agree with each other. "Although" is an important word, but we probably use "even though" more often when we talk. "Even though" is a little stronger, but it has the same meaning. |
| ambition |
When you have ambition, you have big goals for your life that you want to make come true. When you have a particular ambition, you have a certain goal that you want to reach. Probably you will try hard to have success in reaching it. |
| apparatus |
An apparatus is a piece of equipment, machine, or group of machines designed to let people do some specific thing. If you want to swim deep underwater, for example, you would probably wear an apparatus designed to let you breathe. |
| appeal |
When something has appeal, it means it can get people's interest and attention. There is something about it that people like. When a product has appeal, a lot of people will probably buy it. Appeal is a kind of power to attract. [1/6 definitions] |
| approximate |
If somebody tells you the approximate time a game will end, they tell you what time they think it will end, but they might be a little wrong. They are just guessing. An approximate time or approximate amount is probably close to the real time of something or a real amount of something, but probably not exact. [1/2 definitions] |
| attachment |
When you have an attachment to a person, you feel a strong connection to them. You probably like them very much and would miss them if they were gone. [1/5 definitions] |
| beware |
When someone tells you to beware of something, they mean that you should be careful of that thing because it could hurt you. Probably you should not get close to it. |
| burn |
If you say you are burning, you probably just mean you are very hot. If something is burning, it might not be on fire. It might just mean that it is very hot. [1/8 definitions] |
| can1 |
When you can do something, it means that you are able to do it. If you can ice skate, you move well on the ice and don't fall down all the time. If you can't ice skate, you probably stay on the side and fall down a lot. [1/3 definitions] |
| cloud |
A cloud is something you often see in the sky. Clouds are white or gray and they often change their shape. Clouds are made up of tiny drops of water or ice. When there are dark clouds in the sky above you, it will probably rain. [1/3 definitions] |
| convey |
"Convey" means to carry or transport people or things from one place to another. If your dad conveys you to school, your dad transports you to school, probably in his car. If you convey a package to your neighbors' house, you carry it over to them. If a taxi conveys passengers to their destination, the taxi takes them there. [1/2 definitions] |
| dark |
Black and brown are called dark colors. The opposite of a dark color is a color like white or yellow. If you are wearing a dark jacket, it is probably black, brown, or maybe blue. [1/6 definitions] |
| dent1 |
If you hit a sheet of metal with a baseball bat, you will probably make a dent in the metal. A dent is area of a hard surface that is pushed in because it was hit by something. [1/2 definitions] |
| depend |
If going to the beach depends on the weather, it means that the weather decides if you will go to the beach or not. You will probably go to the beach only if the weather is good. If one thing depends on another thing, the second thing decides the first thing. [1/3 definitions] |
| dependent |
When one thing is dependent on something else, it means that the first thing is decided by what happens with the second thing. Being able to swim outside is often dependent on the weather, for example. If it's sunny, then swimming is possible. If there's a big storm, then swimming is probably not possible. [1/2 definitions] |
| dislike |
When you dislike something, you don't like it. If you dislike the taste of eggs, you probably try not to eat them. If you dislike a person, you probably try to stay away from them. [1/2 definitions] |
| distract |
When something distracts you, it takes your attention away from what you are doing. You can't focus on it like you were before. If you are trying to hear something on the radio and your dog is barking, the noise of the barking probably distracts you. |
| do1 |
If you are doing well at school, it means that you don't have any problems at school. Everything is fine. If your grandparents are doing well in their new home, they are not having any problems. They are probably happy. [2/9 definitions] |