To search for a word, type Ctrl F (press down the Ctrl and F keys simultaneously), then type in the word you are looking for in the search box (usually in a corner of the screen). To hear the pronunciation, select the word with your mouse.
Make something go faster.
The government must accelerate the vaccination program to limit the spread of the virus.
The acceleration of this car is so hard, you feel pushed against the seatback.
Advisor or adviser
Person who gives advices
If you don’t know how to invest, find a financial adviser to help you.
Assessment
The act of judging or deciding the amount, value, quality, or importance of something.
The economist’s assessment of the current situation is correct.
Students will be assessed at the end of the semester by way of a written exam.
My tax assessment is too high this year.
Commodities
Products that can be traded, bought, or sold.
Some commodities: Wheat, corn, coffee bean, soy bean, cotton, metals, coal, oil, natural gas.
Constraint
Things that control what people can do by imposing limits.
There are shortages of many things today because of constraints in the production and distribution of goods.
Because of financial constraints the company is facing, there will be no salary increase this year.
Consume
Eat, use up.
People are consumed with worries about the economy.
The lion must consume between 5 and 12 kg of meat each day.
This car consumes a lot of fuel.
Fertilizer
A natural or chemical substance that is given to plants to help them grow better.
Some fertilizers are made with phosphate rock.
Former
Before the present time
Russia was part of the former Soviet Union (USSR).
Disrupt Disruption Disruptive
To prevent something from continuing
The dog disrupted the ball game.
Video streaming is a disruptive technology. It made video rental service obsolete.
Hardship
Difficult conditions of life.
During the economic recessions, some people suffer great hardships.
Many people in the world are still living in hardships; they are suffering hunger, homelessness, etc.
Indexation
Varying a payment according to the variation of the inflation index.
In Canada, government pensions are indexed to inflation.
Inflation Inflate
Continuous rise in prices / Filling something with air.
The inflation rate in Zimbabwe was so high, the government issued One hundred trillion Dollar bills.
Part balloons are inflated with helium to make them float.
Measure
A method of dealing with a situation/ To find out the size of an object.
The government have developed measures to limit the spread of the new virus.
This table measures 1 meter by 1.5 meters.
Mortgage
Money that a person borrows to buy a house and pays back in several payments .
With higher interest rate, mortgage payments will exceed the budget of many people .
Nutrient
A substance that plants or animals need in order to live and grow.
Potash, phosphate are nutrients used in the production of fertilizer.
Rice needs nutrients, light and water.
Milk is a nutrient for babies.
Odd in Canada is an odd sight.
Probability, chance/ Uneven number/ Strange
The odd of an economic soft landing is low right now.
1,3,5,7 are odd numbers
An exterior palm tree seen
Phenomenon
A thing, event that is unusual, interesting / A person who is unusually successful.
The Northern Light (aurora borealis) is a beautiful natural phenomenon
This singer is a new phenomenon, no one has risen to success so quickly.
Preserve
To keep and to protect.
The independence of the central bank must be preserved.
We must preserve the earth, it’s our only planet.
Pressure
Force per unit of area. Force exerted by a compressed gas. Demands put on a person
Inflation is putting a lot of pressure on many people.
The tank exploded because the pressure was too high.
He is a tough person, he can take the pressure of the job.
Poll
Election/ opinion survey.
The US will go to the polls in November 2022 to elect new members of the Congress.
Opinion polls are showing that the opposition will win control of Congress in November.
Ratchet – Ratchet up
A ratchet is a device that allows movement in one direction only, by one small step with each movement of the lever.
Ratchet up the interest rate is to increase it gradually.
Recession
A period when the economy is contracting and conditions for business are bad.
Rising interest rate and high prices of goods will create a recession.
Remote
Far, isolated.
Hanga Roa is a very remote island, far out in the Pacific Ocean.
His chance for promotion is remote, he doesn’t have management skills.
Ripple
Small waves on the water surface, sometimes caused by a water drop or a stone that fell into the water.
Ripple off: Spread out like a ripple.
The increase in food price will ripple off into other areas, for example, workers will ask for higher wages because they need more money to buy food; then higher wages to cause increases in the prices of other products, etc.
Rough ride
A violent ride.
IDIOM: In for a rough ride – Will find many difficulties.
We are in for a rough ride in the days ahead, because the economy will enter a recession.
Segment
Part of a whole, such as a circle, a market, a population.
In the event of a recession, some segments of the population will suffer more than others.
Wooden bowls are often made by joining segments of wood.
Senior
Higher in rank, older.
A general is a senior officer.
Stores usually offer discount to senior citizens (65 years – old or older).
Soft landing
A mild slowdown of the economy/ A gradual, smooth landing of an airplane or a dropping object.
With rising prices and high interest rate, the chance of a soft landing of the economy is small.
The skydiver glides down to a soft landing.
Suppress – Suppression
To end something by force/ To prevent something from being seen or expressed.
Photo: Forest fire suppression from the air
People fear voter suppression in some US States.
The sentence was suppressed from the speech delivered by the author.
Take heat
Endure the pressure, stress.
The government will take a lot of heat from the opposition for this scandal (The opposition will put a lot of pressure on the government).
IDIOM: If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen: If you can’t endure the stress, leave or give up.
Belief
the feeling of being certain that something exists or is true
Belief in the Tooth Fairy is frequently used to call someone who is too trusting.
Recent scandals have shaken many people’s belief in politicians.
Folklore
the traditional stories and culture of a group of people.
According to Vietnamese folklore Emperor Le Loi returned a sword to a turtle at Lake Hoan Kiem.
Legend
a very old story from ancient times.
According to the legend Rome was founded by two twin brothers you were nurtured by a wolf.
Myth
a popular belief that has grown up around something/ a commonly believed but false idea
The dragon is a mythical animals that does not really exist.
Describe
To explain what something is like.
Can you describe the person you just met?
Influence
the power to have an effect on people.
That singer has bad influence on young people.
Many people let themselves be influenced by what they see on the internet.
Haute cuisine
cooking of a high standard, typically French cooking.
French haute cuisine emphasizes small menus with high quality ingredients and restaurant sophistication.
Haute couture
The business of making expensive clothes of original design and high quality.
Chanel, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy are some of the haute couture designers.
China (porcelain)
Cups, plates, bowls, etc. made of high quality clay.
She insists on using her best china when she invited her in-laws for dinner.
Martial art
a sport that is a traditional Japanese or Chinese form of fighting or defending yourself.
Kung Fu, Karate, Judo, etc. are martial arts
Festival
a day or period of celebration, typically a religious commemoration.
There are many types of festival now, like Jazz Festival, Film Festival, Comedy Festival, Dragon Boat Festival. Most of them have music, food, drink, show, movies, and sometimes sport activities.
Vase
a container used for holding cut flowers or for decoration.
We need to put these flowers in a vase.
Vases made in China during the Ming reign are collectors’ items and are very expensive.
Wealthy
Rich.
Only wealthy people have money to buy Ming vases and Rolls Royce cars.
Banana split
A cold dessert made with a banana split in half, ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, plus other fruits and nut toppings.
If you are counting calories, don’t eat a banana split.
Mixture
A combination of substances or things.
Cocktails are mixtures of alcohol, juices, ice and sometimes sugar, salt and spices.
Religion
Sweatshirt
Ceramics
Scarve
Scorpion
Zodiac
Olive
Running of the bulls
Belly button
Thunder
Lentil
Palace
Palace (TEST)
a large house that is the official home of a king, queen, or other person of high social rank
Versailles is a palace for the Kings of France until the French Revolution
Palace (TEST)