Your Guide to Essential English Vocabulary: Meanings and Usage
1. Allergy
A medical condition that makes your body react badly to certain things, like food or dust.
🗣 She has an allergy to peanuts, so she avoids them completely.
2. Alley
A narrow street or passage between buildings.
🗣 They walked down a dark alley behind the shops.
3. Ape
A large, intelligent animal similar to a monkey but without a tail.
🗣 The zoo has a new exhibit featuring chimpanzees and other apes.
4. Argument
A disagreement or fight using words, often with anger.
🗣 They had an argument about who should do the dishes.
5. Aristocrat
A person from a rich and powerful family, often with a noble title.
🗣 The old castle was once home to a French aristocrat.
6. Atlas
A book full of maps.
🗣 He used an atlas to plan their road trip through Europe.
7. Auditorium
A large room where people gather to watch performances or listen to talks.
🗣 The concert will be held in the main auditorium at 7 PM.
8. Bacteria
Tiny living things that can make you sick.
🗣 Washing your hands helps prevent the spread of bacteria.
9. Badge
A small object that shows your identity, job, or rank.
🗣 The police officer showed his badge before entering.
10. Baldness
The state of having little or no hair on your head.
🗣 He tried a new shampoo that claims to prevent baldness.
11. Bandage
A strip of cloth used to cover a cut or wound.
🗣 She wrapped a bandage around her finger after cutting it.
12. Banquet
A big formal meal for a celebration or event.
🗣 The graduation banquet was held in a grand hotel.
13. Beats
Strong sounds in music that create rhythm.
🗣 The DJ dropped some heavy beats and the crowd went wild.
14. Bedsit
A small room that is used for both living and sleeping, usually rented.
🗣 He lives in a tiny bedsit near the university.
15. Belt
A strap worn around your waist to hold up pants or as a fashion item.
🗣 He tightened his belt before heading out.
16. Beverage
Any drink, like coffee, tea, or juice.
🗣 They served both hot and cold beverages at the meeting.
17. Bibliography
A list of books and articles used in a piece of writing.
🗣 The teacher asked us to include a bibliography at the end of our paper.
18. Blanket
A warm cover used while sleeping or resting.
🗣 She pulled the blanket up to her chin and fell asleep.
19. Blast
A loud sound or strong explosion.
🗣 There was a loud blast, and the windows shook.
20. Blouse
A light shirt worn by women.
🗣 She wore a white blouse with blue jeans to the interview.
21. Boarder
A person who lives and eats at another person’s home, usually paying rent.
🗣 They took in a college boarder to help with expenses.
22. Brochures
Small booklets or papers that give information about something, often used for advertising.
🗣 We picked up some travel brochures at the airport.
23. Bungalow
A small house with only one floor.
🗣 They stayed in a quiet seaside bungalow during the holidays.
24. Burglar
A person who breaks into buildings to steal things.
🗣 The burglar broke in through the back window at night.
25. Cabinet
A piece of furniture with doors and shelves used for storing things.
🗣 She put the dishes back into the kitchen cabinet.
26. Cable
A thick wire or group of wires that carry electricity or signals.
🗣 The internet cable needs to be replaced.
27. Cage
A structure made of wire or metal bars used to keep animals inside.
🗣 The bird sat quietly in its cage.
28. Chancellor
A high-ranking official in a government or university.
🗣 The chancellor gave a speech at the graduation ceremony.
29. Chick
A baby bird, especially a baby chicken.
🗣 The mother hen kept her chicks close under her wings.
30. Chin
The bottom part of the face, below the mouth.
🗣 He rested his chin on his hand while thinking.
31. Cliffs
Steep rock faces, especially by the sea.
🗣 The waves crashed against the bottom of the cliffs.
32. Coach (long-distance bus)
A comfortable bus used for traveling long distances.
🗣 They took a coach to visit another city over the weekend.
33. College
A school for higher education after high school.
🗣 She plans to study engineering at college.
34. Commercials
Short advertisements shown on TV or heard on the radio.
🗣 The show was interrupted by a series of commercials.
35. Commuter
A person who travels a long way to work every day.
🗣 Many commuters take the train into the city each morning.
36. Conferences
Large meetings where people discuss shared topics or work.
🗣 He attends medical conferences every year.
37. Confirmation
Proof that something is correct or has been approved.
🗣 I received an email confirmation for my hotel booking.
38. Congestion
Too much traffic or crowding in one place.
🗣 There’s a lot of traffic congestion during rush hour.
39. Construction
The process of building something.
🗣 Construction of the new bridge will take two years.
40. Contaminants
Substances that make something dirty or unsafe.
🗣 The water was tested for harmful contaminants.
以下是**第三批（41–60）**的内容，格式一致，继续适用于播客形式朗读：
41. Continent
One of the large landmasses on Earth, like Asia or Africa.
🗣 Europe is the second smallest continent in the world.
42. Controversy
A strong disagreement or public debate about something important.
🗣 The movie caused a lot of controversy when it was released.
43. Cop
An informal word for a police officer.
🗣 The cop pulled over the speeding car.
44. Corporation
A large company or group of companies.
🗣 She works for a major international corporation.
45. Corpse
A dead body, especially of a human.
🗣 The police found the corpse in an abandoned house.
46. Correspondence
Letters or emails exchanged between people.
🗣 She kept all the old correspondence with her best friend.
47. Cottage
A small, cozy house, often in the countryside.
🗣 They spent the weekend in a quiet country cottage.
48. Council
A group of people chosen to make decisions or give advice.
🗣 The city council approved the new park project.
49. Crack
A narrow break or opening in something.
🗣 There’s a crack in the glass window.
50. Creek
A small stream or river.
🗣 They built a cabin near a peaceful creek.
51. Crocodile
A large reptile with sharp teeth that lives near rivers and lakes.
🗣 We saw a crocodile sunbathing on the riverbank.
52. Cupboard
A piece of furniture with doors, used for storing things like dishes or food.
🗣 She reached into the cupboard to grab a plate.
53. Cutlery
Knives, forks, and spoons used for eating.
🗣 Please set the table with cutlery before dinner.
54. Dictation
The act of saying words aloud for someone else to write down.
🗣 The teacher gave us a dictation to improve our spelling.
55. Dioxide
A chemical compound made of two oxygen atoms and another element, like carbon dioxide.
🗣 Cars release carbon dioxide into the air, which contributes to pollution.
56. Director
A person in charge of a film, company, or organization.
🗣 The director of the movie won an award for best film.
57. Discipline
Training or control to follow rules or behave properly.
🗣 Good discipline helps students stay focused in class.
58. Disease
An illness that affects people, animals, or plants.
🗣 Doctors are working to find a cure for the disease.
59. Dish
A container for serving food, or the food itself.
🗣 That pasta is my favorite Italian dish.
60. Disposal
The act of getting rid of something.
🗣 Proper garbage disposal helps keep the environment clean.
61. Dispute
A serious argument or disagreement.
🗣 The workers are in a dispute with the company over pay.
62. Due
Expected or scheduled to happen at a certain time.
🗣 The baby is due next month.
63. Elbow
The joint between the upper and lower parts of the arm.
🗣 He leaned on his elbow while reading.
64. Encyclopedia
A book or set of books with information on many topics.
🗣 She looked up volcanoes in the encyclopedia.
65. Epidemic
A situation where a disease spreads quickly among many people.
🗣 The flu epidemic affected thousands last winter.
66. Ethic
A belief about what is right or wrong behavior.
🗣 She has a strong work ethic and always does her best.
67. Exception
Something that does not follow the usual rule.
🗣 Everyone must take the test, with no exception.
68. Excursion
A short trip or outing for pleasure.
🗣 They went on a day excursion to the mountains.
69. Expansion
The act of becoming larger or spreading out.
🗣 The company is planning global expansion next year.
70. Experiment
A test done to learn or discover something.
🗣 The science teacher showed us a cool experiment with magnets.
71. Exposition
A large public event where products or ideas are shown.
🗣 The art exposition attracted visitors from around the world.
72. Exposure
Being affected by something, like weather or danger.
🗣 Too much sun exposure can damage your skin.
73. Extension
Something added to make something longer or larger.
🗣 We’re building an extension to the back of the house.
74. Faculty
The teachers or staff of a school or college.
🗣 She’s a member of the science faculty at the university.
75. Falcon
A fast bird of prey with sharp eyes and strong wings.
🗣 The falcon soared high above the desert.
76. Feast
A large, rich meal for a celebration.
🗣 They prepared a big feast for the wedding.
77. Feather
One of the soft, light parts that cover a bird’s body.
🗣 The bird had bright blue feathers on its wings.
78. Fellowship
A friendly feeling among people who share interests.
🗣 There was a strong sense of fellowship at the summer camp.
79. Ferries
Boats that carry people or cars across water.
🗣 We took two ferries to reach the island.
80. Firms
Companies or businesses.
🗣 Law firms often work with big clients.
81. Flat
A set of rooms on one floor, used as a home; also known as an apartment.
🗣 She lives in a two-bedroom flat near the station.
82. Flood
A large amount of water that covers land which is usually dry.
🗣 The heavy rain caused a flood in the town.
83. Flooding
The state of being covered with water.
🗣 Flooding blocked the roads for several hours.
84. Flour
A soft white powder made from grain, used in baking.
🗣 She mixed flour, eggs, and milk to make pancakes.
85. Flourish
To grow or develop in a strong and healthy way.
🗣 The small business began to flourish after going online.
86. Infection
A disease caused by germs entering the body.
🗣 The cut got red and swollen from an infection.
87. Insect
A small creature with six legs and usually wings, like a bee or ant.
🗣 That insect buzzing near your ear is a mosquito.
88. Insomnia
The condition of not being able to sleep.
🗣 She suffers from insomnia and often stays awake all night.
89. Instructor
A person who teaches a skill or subject.
🗣 The driving instructor was very patient and helpful.
90. Instrument
A tool or device used to do something, especially in music or science.
🗣 She played a string instrument in the school orchestra.
91. Jaw
The bones that form the lower part of your face and help you chew.
🗣 He clenched his jaw in anger.
92. Junction
A place where two or more roads or railways meet.
🗣 Take a right turn at the next junction.
93. Junior
Someone who is younger or lower in rank.
🗣 He is a junior member of the team, still learning the ropes.
94. Kelp
A type of large seaweed found in the ocean.
🗣 Kelp forests provide shelter for many ocean animals.
95. Kiosk
A small booth or building where things are sold or information is given.
🗣 We bought snacks at the kiosk near the beach.
96. Lave
An old or poetic word meaning to wash or bathe.
🗣 She laved her hands in the cool stream.
97. Letter
A written message sent to someone, often in an envelope.
🗣 He wrote a letter to his friend overseas.
98. Leisure
Time when you are not working and can relax or enjoy yourself.
🗣 She enjoys reading during her leisure time.
99. Lounge
A comfortable room in a house or public place for relaxing.
🗣 They waited in the airport lounge before boarding.
100. Mane
Long, thick hair that grows from the neck of a horse or lion.
🗣 The lion shook its golden mane in the wind.
101. Manufacture
The process of making goods, usually in large amounts using machines.
🗣 This factory manufactures car parts for several brands.
102. Marsh
An area of soft, wet land often covered with grass.
🗣 We spotted birds nesting in the marsh.
103. Mat
A small piece of material placed on the floor to protect or decorate it.
🗣 Wipe your feet on the mat before entering.
104. Maturity
The state of being fully grown or developed.
🗣 He showed great maturity in how he handled the situation.
105. Meal
The food eaten at a particular time, like breakfast or dinner.
🗣 They shared a meal at a small family restaurant.
106. Monopoly
Complete control of a product or service by one company.
🗣 The company had a monopoly on internet service in the area.
107. Morality
Beliefs about what is right and wrong behavior.
🗣 The book explores questions of justice and morality.
108. Motel
A hotel for travelers, often along a road, with rooms you can drive up to.
🗣 They stayed overnight at a roadside motel.
109. Nursery
A place where young children are cared for during the day.
🗣 She dropped her baby off at the nursery before work.
110. Outline
A general plan or summary of something.
🗣 The teacher gave us an outline for the essay.
111. Overdraft
A situation where you take out more money from your bank account than you have.
🗣 He was charged a fee for going into overdraft.
112. Paint
A colored liquid used to cover surfaces like walls or furniture.
🗣 They chose a light blue paint for the bedroom.
113. Pal
An informal word for a friend.
🗣 He went fishing with his old pal from school.
114. Parcel
A package that is wrapped and usually sent by mail.
🗣 She received a parcel full of books from her cousin.
115. Pastime
An activity done for fun or relaxation.
🗣 Reading is his favorite pastime after work.
116. Pedestrian
A person who is walking, especially in a city or on a road.
🗣 Pedestrians should always use the crosswalk.
117. Pension
Money paid regularly to someone after they retire.
🗣 He receives a monthly pension from the government.
118. Perfume
A liquid with a pleasant smell, often worn on the body.
🗣 She sprayed a little perfume before the party.
119. Periodical
A magazine or journal published regularly.
🗣 The library has a shelf full of science periodicals.
120. Perk
An extra benefit or reward from a job.
🗣 One of the perks of the job is free lunch every day.
121. Physician
A doctor who is trained to treat people who are sick.
🗣 She made an appointment with her family physician.
122. Pill
A small round piece of medicine that you swallow.
🗣 He takes a vitamin pill every morning.
123. Plate
A flat dish used for holding food.
🗣 She placed the cake on a large white plate.
124. Poll
A survey of people’s opinions or a vote in an election.
🗣 The latest poll shows growing support for the new policy.
125. Pollutant
A substance that makes air, water, or land dirty.
🗣 Factories should reduce the number of pollutants they release.
126. Post
Mail that is delivered, or a job or position.
🗣 I received a birthday card in the post this morning.
🗣 She applied for the post of assistant manager.
127. Particulars
Specific facts or details.
🗣 Please fill in your personal particulars on this form.
128. Potteries
Places where clay objects like pots and dishes are made.
🗣 The town is famous for its traditional potteries.
129. Precaution
Something done to prevent harm or trouble.
🗣 Wearing gloves is a good precaution when handling chemicals.
130. Prescription
A written order from a doctor for medicine.
🗣 The pharmacist filled the prescription for her allergy pills.
131. Prone
Likely to suffer from or do something.
🗣 He’s prone to catching colds in winter.
132. Prospectus
A booklet or document that gives information about a school, course, or company.
🗣 She read the university prospectus before applying.
133. Protein
A substance found in food that helps the body grow and repair itself.
🗣 Eggs are a good source of protein.
134. Psychiatrist
A medical doctor who treats mental illnesses.
🗣 He met with a psychiatrist to talk about his anxiety.
135. Psychotherapy
A treatment for mental health problems using talking and counseling.
🗣 She began psychotherapy to deal with past trauma.
136. Purse
A small bag used for carrying money and personal items.
🗣 She couldn’t find her keys in her purse.
137. Radiator
A device that gives off heat to warm a room.
🗣 The radiator kept the room warm during the night.
138. Recipe
A set of instructions for cooking a dish.
🗣 This is my grandmother’s recipe for apple pie.
139. Recruit
A person who has just joined an organization or company.
🗣 The army trained new recruits over the summer.
140. Reform
A change made to improve something, especially laws or systems.
🗣 The education system needs major reform.
141. Refuge
A safe place where someone is protected from danger.
🗣 The hikers found refuge in a cave during the storm.
142. Relief
A feeling of comfort after something stressful or painful ends.
🗣 It was a relief to finally hear she was safe.
143. Religion
A set of beliefs about the meaning of life, often involving a god or gods.
🗣 Freedom of religion is a basic human right.
144. Rental
The act of paying to use something for a period of time.
🗣 They arranged a car rental for their road trip.
145. Repetition
Doing or saying something again and again.
🗣 Language learning requires practice and repetition.
146. Reservation
An arrangement to hold a place, like at a hotel or restaurant.
🗣 I made a dinner reservation for 7 o’clock.
147. Reserve
To keep something for future use or to book it in advance.
🗣 She reserved a seat at the front of the theater.
148. Respondent
A person who replies to a survey or question.
🗣 Most respondents agreed with the proposal.
149. Revision
The act of reviewing or changing something to improve it.
🗣 He spent the weekend doing revision for the exam.
150. Safari
A trip to watch or photograph wild animals, usually in Africa.
🗣 They went on a safari and saw lions in the wild.
151. Sail
To travel on water in a boat with sails.
🗣 They plan to sail around the coast this summer.
152. Sandal
An open shoe with straps, worn in warm weather.
🗣 She wore sandals to the beach.
153. Satellite
A machine sent into space that orbits Earth and sends signals.
🗣 The weather satellite showed a storm moving in.
154. Scandal
A shocking event involving wrong or dishonest behavior.
🗣 The politician resigned after a major scandal.
155. Scar
A mark left on the skin after a cut or wound has healed.
🗣 He has a scar on his cheek from childhood.
156. Sculpture
A piece of art made by carving or shaping stone, wood, or metal.
🗣 The museum displays ancient Greek sculptures.
157. Seminar
A small group meeting for learning or discussion.
🗣 She attended a seminar on climate change.
158. Servant
A person who works in someone else’s home doing cleaning or cooking.
🗣 The old house once had many servants.
159. Sewage
Dirty water and waste that comes from toilets and drains.
🗣 The city built a new system to treat sewage.
160. Sewer
A large pipe that carries away sewage.
🗣 Rats were found in the sewer under the street.
161. Sheet
A large flat piece of cloth used on a bed.
🗣 She changed the sheets before the guests arrived.
162. Shelter
A place that protects you from danger or bad weather.
🗣 The hikers found shelter from the rain under a tree.
163. Shoplifters
People who steal goods from stores.
🗣 The store hired security to catch shoplifters.
164. Shower
A device or place where you wash your body with water.
🗣 He took a quick shower after exercising.
165. Simulation
An imitation of a real situation used for training or study.
🗣 Pilots practice flying using flight simulations.
166. Skeleton
The bones that support the body of a person or animal.
🗣 The archaeologists found a skeleton buried underground.
167. Slang
Informal words or expressions used by certain groups.
🗣 Teenagers often use slang words that adults don’t understand.
168. Slip
To slide accidentally and lose balance.
🗣 Be careful not to slip on the wet floor.
169. Speaking
The act of talking or giving a speech.
🗣 She is nervous about speaking in front of the class.
170. Spoon
A small utensil used for eating or serving food.
🗣 He stirred his tea with a spoon.
171. Stack
A pile of things placed one on top of another.
🗣 There is a stack of books on the desk.
172. Starter
The first course of a meal, served before the main dish.
🗣 We ordered soup as a starter.
173. Status
The social or professional position of someone.
🗣 He enjoys his status as a respected teacher.
174. Steam
Hot gas that comes from boiling water.
🗣 Steam rose from the hot cup of tea.
175. Sting
A sharp, painful feeling caused by an insect or plant.
🗣 The bee’s sting made her hand swell.
176. Strike
To hit something or to stop work as a protest.
🗣 Workers decided to strike for better pay.
177. Strength
The quality of being physically strong or powerful.
🗣 She showed great strength during the competition.
178. Subsidy
Money given by the government to support a business or activity.
🗣 Farmers received a subsidy to help with costs.
179. Suburb
An area where people live outside the center of a city.
🗣 They moved to a quiet suburb with good schools.
180. Sunshield
A cover that protects you from the sun.
🗣 He used a sunshield to keep cool while driving.
181. Supervisor
A person who watches over and directs the work of others.
🗣 The supervisor checked the workers’ progress every morning.
182. Surgeon
A doctor who performs operations.
🗣 The surgeon successfully completed the heart surgery.
183. Surname
A family name shared by members of the same family.
🗣 Her surname is Smith.
184. Syndicate
A group of people or companies working together for a common purpose.
🗣 The media syndicate owns several newspapers.
185. Syrup
A thick, sweet liquid used to flavor food and drinks.
🗣 She poured syrup over her pancakes.
186. Jargon
Special words used by a particular group or profession.
🗣 Legal jargon can be difficult to understand.
187. Term
A word or phrase with a particular meaning.
🗣 The term “photosynthesis” is used in biology.
188. Texture
The way something feels when touched.
🗣 The fabric has a soft texture.
189. Therapist
A person who helps others with mental or physical health problems.
🗣 She sees a therapist for stress management.
190. Theft, Thief
The act of stealing; a person who steals.
🗣 The theft was reported to the police.
🗣 The thief was caught by the security guard.
191. Thesis
A long essay or research paper written to earn a degree.
🗣 He wrote his thesis on climate change.
192. Tide
The rise and fall of the sea level caused by the moon’s gravity.
🗣 The tide was high, so the beach was covered with water.
193. Tile
A flat piece of baked clay or other material used for covering roofs or floors.
🗣 The kitchen floor is covered with white tiles.
194. Timber
Wood prepared for building.
🗣 They used timber to build the new house.
195. Tone
The quality or feeling in someone’s voice or music.
🗣 Her tone showed she was upset.
196. Towel
A piece of cloth used for drying after washing.
🗣 He grabbed a towel after swimming.
197. Tractor
A powerful vehicle used on farms to pull heavy equipment.
🗣 The farmer drove the tractor through the field.
198. Trailer
A vehicle pulled by a car or truck to carry goods or a small home on wheels.
🗣 They parked their trailer near the campsite.
199. Tribe
A group of people with shared customs and culture.
🗣 The tribe lived in the forest for centuries.
200. Tribute
An act or statement showing respect or admiration.
🗣 The speech was a tribute to the team’s hard work.
202. Trolley
A cart with wheels used to carry items, often in stores or airports.
🗣 She pushed a trolley full of groceries.
203. Tuition
The money paid for education or teaching.
🗣 College tuition can be expensive.
204. Tune
A melody or song.
🗣 He hummed a happy tune while walking.
205. Tutor
A person who teaches one student or a small group.
🗣 She hired a tutor to help with math.
206. Umpire
An official who controls a sports game, especially in baseball or cricket.
🗣 The umpire made a fair decision.
207. Utensil
A tool used in the kitchen, like a fork or spoon.
🗣 Kitchen utensils include knives, spoons, and spatulas.
208. Vacancy
An empty position or room available.
🗣 The hotel has a vacancy for next weekend.
209. Velvet
A soft, smooth fabric with a thick pile.
🗣 She wore a red velvet dress.
210. Vet
Short for veterinarian, a doctor for animals.
🗣 The vet treated the injured dog.
211. Vinegar
A sour liquid used in cooking and salad dressings.
🗣 Add a little vinegar to the salad.
212. Waist
The narrow part of the body between the ribs and hips.
🗣 She wore a belt around her waist.
213. Wasp
A flying insect that can sting and is usually yellow and black.
🗣 A wasp flew near the picnic table.
214. Wax
A soft substance that melts when heated, used in candles and polish.
🗣 She used wax to clean the floor.
215. Weeds
Unwanted plants that grow among crops or flowers.
🗣 He pulled the weeds from the garden.
216. Willows
Trees with long, thin branches and leaves, often near water.
🗣 The willows swayed gently in the breeze.
217. Wing
A part of a bird or airplane used for flying.
🗣 The bird spread its wings and flew away.
218. Wound
An injury to the body, such as a cut or hole in the skin.
🗣 The nurse cleaned the wound carefully.