Week 4 (3/16-3/20)
1. gorgeous /ˈɡɔː.dʒəs/
- very beautiful or pleasant
E.g.: What a gorgeous room/dress/colour!
From: And there’s this perennial I don’t even know the name of that somebody gave me last year, just a transplant, and now it’s this wonderful huge gorgeous purple thing…
2. in exchange for /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/
- given because of something that has been given to you
E.g.: There's no doubt that stocks carry risk, and reward you with the chance of higher returns in exchange.
From: Give the parsley some air and light in exchange for coming up.
3. lose track of /træk/
- to stop keeping a record of something, or stop being certain that you know or remember what has happened
E.g.: I have lost track of the number of times you have been late this month.
From: I was late for dinner one night because I’d lost track of the time, and I tried to explain how it is, in the garden, at twilight.
4. mineral /ˈmɪn.ər.əl/
- a valuable or useful chemical substance which is formed naturally in the ground
E.g.: A healthy diet should supply all necessary vitamins and minerals.
From: “I was mulching my potatoes…and wondering if marsh hay was too salty or if all those minerals from the sea would be good for them.
5. profound /prəˈfaʊnd/
- felt or experienced very strongly or in an extreme way
E.g.: His mother's death when he was aged six had a very profound effect on him.
From: But it also exists, in a more profound way, in my mind, where it has been growing for many years now…
6. recount /rɪˈkaʊnt/
- to describe how something happened; to tell a story
E.g.: He recounted his adventures since he had left home.
From: I know they’re recounting something passionate, something I even want to experience, but I can’t relate to the words.
7. rough /rʌf/
- not even or smooth, often because of being in bad condition
E.g.: It was a rough mountain road, full of stones and huge holes.
From: I smiled at my friend and saw by her face that she’d had a rough day.
8. settle for /ˈset.l̩/
- to accept or agree to something, or to decide to have something, although it is not exactly what you want or it is not the best
E.g.: They were hoping to sell their car for £2000, but settled for £1500.
From: I’d given up on the parsley, a flavorful, single-leafed Italian variety I’d direct-seeded, and figured I’d have to settle for buying some plants at my local nursery.
9. shot /ʃɒt/
- to fire a bullet or an arrow, or to hit, injure or kill a person or animal by firing a bullet or arrow at them
E.g.: He has a licence to shoot pheasants on the farmer's land.
From: Her photographer’s eye has a vision that reaches beyond the realities of rain or technical snags or falling off a wall and missing the shot of a lifetime.
10. trail off /treɪl/
- When a person's voice or a similar sound trails away/off, it becomes quieter and less confident and then stops completely
E.g.: His voice trailed off as he saw the look on her face.
From: My voice trailed off.
11. transplant /trænˈsplɑːnt/
- to move something, or to be moved, from one place or person to another
E.g.: The plants should be grown indoors until spring, when they can be transplanted outside.
From: I asked,thinking how, if I got up early, I’d have time to transplant the baby cleome.
12. uncomprehendingly
From: She smiled, affectionately, but uncomprehendingly.
13. twilight /ˈtwaɪ.laɪt/
- the period just before it becomes completely dark in the evening
E.g.: I could make out a dark figure in the twilight.
From: I was late for dinner one night because I’d lost track of the time, and I tried to explain how it is, in the garden, at twilight.
14. mulch /mʌltʃ/
- a covering of decaying leaves that is spread over the soil in order to keep water in it or to improve it
From: “I was mulching my potatoes…and wondering if marsh hay was too salty or if all those minerals from the sea would be good for them.
15. hay /heɪ/
- grass which is cut, dried and used as animal food or as covering material
From: “I was mulching my potatoes…and wondering if marsh hay was too salty or if all those minerals from the sea would be good for them.
16. cleome
- a type of plant with flowers shaped like spiders
From: My cleome self-seeded.
17. tortellini /ˌtɔː.təlˈiː.ni/
- a type of pasta in the shape of rings, which are often filled with meat, cheese or vegetables
From: “I think I’ll have the tortellini,” my friend said.
18. parsley /ˈpɑː.sli/
- a herb with curly or flat leaves, used to add flavour to food and also to make it look attractive
From: It was dark as I strained my eyes, searching out…parsley seedlings among the weeds.
19. kelp /kelp/
- a large brown plant that grows in the sea, used in some foods and medicines
From: I’d wondered by the parsley patch looking for my watering can, intending to give the potatoes a dose of sea kelp…before going to dinner.
20. flea /fliː/
- a very small jumping insect which feeds on the blood of animals and humans
From: And it wasn’t easy, because each seedling was about as big as flea, lost in weeds as thick as a fur coat.
21. plane /pleɪn/
- a vehicle designed for air travel, which has wings and one or more engines
E.g.: We'll be boarding the plane in about 20 minutes.
From: But now that I have my own garden, I realize that it exists on two planes.
22. perennial /pəˈren.i.əl/
- lasting a very long time, or happening repeatedly or all the time
E.g.: The film 'White Christmas' is a perennial favourite.
From: And there’s this perennial I don’t even know the name of that somebody gave me last year, just a transplant, and now it’s this wonderful huge gorgeous purple thing…
23. snag /snæɡ/
- a problem, difficulty or disadvantage
E.g.: We don't anticipate any snags in/with the negotiations.
From: Her photographer’s eye has a vision that reaches beyond the realities of rain or technical snags or falling off a wall and missing the shot of a lifetime.
24. consideration /kənˌsɪd.əˈreɪ.ʃən/
- when you think about something carefully
E.g.: After some consideration, we've decided to sell the house.
From: In my practice, I have young patients who smile, look me in the eye, and shake my hand, which shows me that they already have one important skills of being human: basic consideration for others.
25. grief /ɡriːf/
- very great sadness, especially at the death of someone
E.g.: Her grief at her son's death was terrible.
From: I think children need to express feelings like grief, anger, fear, and hurt just as much as happiness.