4000 Essential English Words 6 Unit 17: The Tenacious Inventor
Word List
- accelerate [ækˈseləreit] v.
To accelerate means to increase in speed.
→ When he stepped on the gas pedal, the motorcycle accelerated.
- anew [əˈnjuː] adv.
If you do something anew, you do it again and in a different way.
→ Though he had failed his driving test, he decided to try it anew.
- defect [ˈdiːfekt] n.
A defect is a part of something that is wrong or missing.
→ All these bottles have a defect and must be sent back to the warehouse.
- dreary [ˈdriəri] adj.
If something is dreary, then it is dull, dark, and lifeless.
→ After the fire, this section of forest is rather dreary.
- duplicate [ˈdjuːpləkeit] v.
To duplicate something means to copy it.
→ She duplicated her friend’s movements like she was in front of a mirror.
- electromagnetic [iˈlektroumægˈnetik] adj.
If something is electromagnetic, it is related to electricity and magnetic fields.
→ Different colors of light come from different levels of electromagnetic energy.
- electron [iˈlektrɒn] n.
An electron is a particle in all atoms that has a negative electric charge.
→ The number of electrons in an atom determines the substance the atoms make.
- glide [glaid] v.
To glide means to fly on extended wings with little or no effort.
→ When the wind is blowing, birds can glide easily through the sky.
- ingenious [inˈdʒiːnjəs] adj.
If someone is ingenious, then they are very smart.
→ Charles was the only person ingenious enough to repair the plane’s engines.
- innovation [inouˈveiʃən] n.
An innovation is a product or an idea that is new or very original.
→ Mrs. Johnson made a great innovation to the company’s business plan.
- innovative [inouˈveitiv] adj.
If something or someone is innovative, they can think in creative ways.
→ Since Peter was so innovative, he was chosen to lead the science team.
- launch [lɔːntʃ] v.
To launch something means to make it go into motion.
→ The boat launched from the dock and floated down the river.
- meteorological [ˌmiːtiərəˈlɒdʒikəl] adj.
If something is meteorological, it is concerned with the science of weather.
→ The thunderstorm was so large that it became a great meteorological event.
- meteorology [ˌmiːtiəˈrɒlədʒi] n.
Meteorology is the science that studies the weather.
→ In order to understand the weather, you have to study meteorology.
- penetrate [ˈpenətreit] v.
To penetrate something means to enter into it.
→ The knife easily penetrated the surface of the orange.
- propulsion [prəˈpʌlʃən] n.
Propulsion is the force that moves something forward.
→ The propulsion lifted the rocket into the sky.
- simulate [ˈsimjəleit] v.
To simulate something means to copy its actions or characteristics.
→ The French language teacher could simulate the accent of a French citizen.
- spur [spəːr] v.
To spur someone means to urge them into action.
→ The coach’s speech spurred her team into playing the best game of their lives.
- stimulate [ˈstimjəleit] v.
To stimulate something means to cause or to increase activity in it.
→ Doctors sometimes use electric shock to stimulate a patient’s heartbeat.
- tenacious [təˈneiʃəs] adj.
If someone is tenacious, then they do not easily give up.
→ I’m sure that he’ll finish that difficult sale. He is very tenacious.
