acute

If a bad situation is acute, it causes severe problems or damage.

• The problem of poverty is particularly acute in rural areas.

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An acute pain or illness is one that quickly becomes very severe.

• an acute attack of appendicitis

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used to describe intelligence, senses, etc. that are very good, accurate, and able to notice very small differences

• a woman of acute intelligence/judgment

accumulate

to collect a large number of things over a long period of time

• As people accumulate more wealth, they tend to spend a greater proportion of their incomes.

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to gradually increase in number or amount

• A thick layer of dust had accumulated in the room.

affection

a feeling of liking for a person or place

• She felt no affection for the child.

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to gradually increase in number or amount

• A thick layer of dust had accumulated in the room.

advocate

to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something

• He advocates the return of capital punishment.

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to gradually increase in number or amount

• A thick layer of dust had accumulated in the room.

alert

quick to see, understand, and act in a particular situation

• I'm not feeling very alert today - not enough sleep last night!

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to warn someone of a possibly dangerous situation

• An anonymous letter alerted police to the possibility of a terrorist attack at the airport.

allowance

money that you are given regularly, especially to pay for a particular thing

• I couldn't have managed at college if I hadn't had an allowance from my parents.

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an amount of something that you are allowed

• The baggage/luggage allowance for most flights is 20 kilos.

anchor

• We dropped anchor (= lowered the anchor into the water) and stopped.

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someone or something that gives support when needed

• She was my anchor when things were difficult for me.

annual

happening once every year

• an annual event/visit/holiday

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relating to a period of one year

• annual income/salary/profit

anticipate

to imagine or expect that something will happen

• We don't anticipate any trouble.

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to take action in preparation for something that you think will happen

• annual income/salary/profit

ally

a country that has agreed officially to give help and support to another one, especially during a war

• He is generally considered to be the prime minister's closest political ally.

apparent

able to be seen or understood

• Her unhappiness was apparent to everyone.

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seeming to exist or be true

• She has this apparent innocence which, I suspect, she uses to her advantage.

appropriate

suitable or right for a particular situation or occasion

• appropriate footwear for the country

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to take something for your own use, usually without permission

• He lost his job when he was found to have appropriated some of the company's money.

appreciate

to recognize how good someone or something is and to value him, her, or it

• There's no point buying him expensive wines - he doesn't appreciate them.

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to understand a situation and realize that it is important

• We appreciate the need for immediate action.

approximate

not completely accurate but close

• The train's approximate time of arrival is 10.30.

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to be almost the same as

• The newspaper reports of the discussion only roughly approximated to (= were not exactly the same as) what was actually said.

attach

not completely accurate but close

• I attached a photo* to** my application form.

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to be almost the same as

• The newspaper reports of the discussion only roughly approximated to (= were not exactly the same as) what was actually said.

attribute

a quality or characteristic that someone or something has

• Organizational ability is an essential attribute for a good manager.

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to be almost the same as

• The newspaper reports of the discussion only roughly approximated to (= were not exactly the same as) what was actually said.

awkward

difficult to use, do, or deal with

• It's an awkward corner, so take it slowly.

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causing problems, worry, or embarrassment

• an awkward position/situation

barrel

a large container, made of wood, metal, or plastic, with a flat top and bottom and curved sides that make it fatter in the middle

• They drank a whole barrel of beer (= the contents of a barrel) at the party.

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the long part of a gun that is shaped like a tube

bare

without any clothes or not covered by anything

• Don't walk around outside in your bare feet.

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only the most basic or important

• I just packed the bare essentials (= the most basic and necessary things).

bay

a part of the coast where the land curves in so that the sea is surrounded by land on three sides

• We sailed into a beautiful, secluded bay.

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a partly surrounded or marked space

• A truck pulled into the loading bay.

bearing

a part of a machine that supports another part that turns around

• a wheel bearing

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an exact position, measured clockwise (= to the right) from north. Bearings are given as three numbers

• The campsite is 5 miles away from here on a bearing of 045 degrees.

bolt

a small area of ink made by mistake

• an ink blot

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to dry a wet surface, or writing done in ink, by pressing something soft against it

• She put on her lipstick and then carefully blotted her lips with a tissue.

boost

to improve or increase something

• The theatre managed to boost its audiences by cutting ticket prices.

bounce

to (cause to) move up or away after hitting a surface

• The ball bounced off the goalpost and into the net.