Daily English Conversation Q&A: Common Questions and Expressions

verb

1. pronounce judgment on

e.g. They labeled him unfit to work here

Synonym: labeljudge

2. speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way

e.g. She pronounces French words in a funny way
I cannot say `zip wire'
Can the child sound out this complicated word?

Synonym: articulateenouncesound outenunciatesay

verb

1. be owned by
be in the possession of

e.g. This book belongs to me

2. be a part or adjunct

e.g. the uniform looks like it belonged to a museum collection
These pages don't belong

Synonym: belong to

3. be rightly classified in a class or category

e.g. The whales belong among the mammals

4. be suitable or acceptable

e.g. This student somehow doesn't belong

5. be in the right place or situation

e.g. Where do these books belong?
Let's put health care where it belongs--under the control of the government
Where do these books go?

Synonym: go

6. be a member, adherent, inhabitant, etc. (of a group, organization, or place)

e.g. They belong to the same political party

noun

1. the quality of being unlike or dissimilar

e.g. there are many differences between jazz and rock

2. a disagreement or argument about something important

e.g. he had a dispute with his wife
there were irreconcilable differences
the familiar conflict between Republicans and Democrats

Synonym: disputedifference of opinionconflict

3. a variation that deviates from the standard or norm

e.g. the deviation from the mean

Synonym: deviationdivergencedeparture

4. the number that remains after subtraction
the number that when added to the subtrahend gives the minuend

Synonym: remainder

5. a significant change

e.g. the difference in her is amazing
his support made a real difference

noun

1. a task performed or problem solved in order to develop skill or understanding

e.g. you must work the examples at the end of each chapter in the textbook

Synonym: exercise

2. an item of information that is typical of a class or group

e.g. this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome
there is an example on page 10

Synonym: illustrationinstancerepresentative

3. something to be imitated

e.g. an exemplar of success
a model of clarity
he is the very model of a modern major general

Synonym: exemplarmodelgood example

4. a representative form or pattern

e.g. I profited from his example

Synonym: model

5. punishment intended as a warning to others

e.g. they decided to make an example of him

Synonym: deterrent examplelessonobject lesson

6. an occurrence of something

e.g. it was a case of bad judgment
another instance occurred yesterday
but there is always the famous example of the Smiths

Synonym: caseinstance

noun

1. the act of perceiving the odor of something

Synonym: smelling

2. any property detected by the olfactory system

Synonym: olfactory propertyaromaodorodourscent

3. the faculty that enables us to distinguish scents

Synonym: sense of smellolfactionolfactory modality

4. the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form

e.g. she loved the smell of roses

Synonym: odorodourolfactory sensationolfactory perception

5. the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people

e.g. the feel of the city excited him
a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting
it had the smell of treason

Synonym: spirittonefeelfeelingflavorflavourlook

noun

1. a defensive effort

e.g. the army made a final stand at the Rhone

2. a stop made by a touring musical or theatrical group to give a performance

e.g. a one-night stand

3. a platform where a (brass) band can play in the open air

Synonym: bandstandoutdoor stage

4. a support or foundation

e.g. the base of the lamp

Synonym: basepedestal

5. a support for displaying various articles

e.g. the newspapers were arranged on a rack

Synonym: rack

6. a booth where articles are displayed for sale

Synonym: stallsales booth

7. tiered seats consisting of a structure (often made of wood) where people can sit to watch an event (game or parade)

8. a small table for holding articles of various kinds

e.g. a bedside stand

9. a mental position from which things are viewed

e.g. we should consider this problem from the viewpoint of the Russians
teaching history gave him a special point of view toward current events

Synonym: point of viewviewpointstandpoint

10. an interruption of normal activity

Synonym: standstilltie-up

11. a growth of similar plants (usually trees) in a particular area

e.g. they cut down a stand of trees

12. the position where a thing or person stands

adj

1. showing lack of attention or boredom

e.g. the yawning congregation

Synonym: oscitantyawning(a)

2. half asleep

e.g. made drowsy by the long ride
it seemed a pity to disturb the drowsing (or dozing) professor
a tired dozy child
the nodding (or napping) grandmother in her rocking chair

Synonym: drowsing(a)dozy