Topic Vocabulary: Movement

A collection of flashcards defining movement-related verbs and nouns with synonyms and example sentences.

accelerate (v)

To speed up or hasten. Example: The car accelerated as it entered the highway.

approach (v)

To come near. Example: The train is approaching the station.

approach (n)

A method or way of dealing with something. Example: We need a new approach to solve this problem.

ascend (v)

To climb or rise. Example: The climbers ascended the mountain before sunrise.

bounce (v)

To rebound. Example: The kids were bouncing the ball in the yard.

bounce (n)

The quality or action of rebounding. Example: The ball gave a high bounce.

clamber (v)

To scramble or climb with difficulty. Example: They clambered up the steep rocky hill.

clench (v)

To grip or squeeze tightly (e.g., teeth or fists). Example: He clenched his fists in anger.

clutch (v)

To hold tightly or grasp. Example: She clutched her handbag tightly in the crowded bus.

crawl (v)

To creep or move on hands and knees. Example: The baby learned to crawl across the living room carpet.

creep (v)

To sneak or move silently. Example: He crept silently into the room so as not to wake anyone.

dash (v)

To rush or sprint. Example: I had to dash to the station to catch the train.

descend (v)

To go down or fall. Example: The plane began to descend toward the runway.

drift (v)

To float along. Example: Smoke drifted across the room.

drift (n)

A slow movement or state of being carried along. Example: The boat was left to drift in the sea.

emigrate (v)

To migrate abroad by leaving one's own country. Example: Her family emigrated from Vietnam to Canada.

float (v)

To drift or hover on a surface or in the air. Example: Clouds floated across the blue sky.

flow (v)

To run or stream. Example: Rivers flow into the sea.

flow (n)

A stream or the movement of something (e.g., traffic). Example: Traffic flow was heavy during peak hours.

fumble (v)

To grope or move lóng ngóng. Example: She fumbled in her bag for her house keys.

gesture (v)

To signal or make a movement with the body. Example: He gestured for us to follow him into the office.

gesture (n)

A signal or sign made with the body. Example: A warm handshake is a friendly gesture.

glide (v)

To slide or sail gracefully. Example: Swans glided gracefully across the surface of the lake.

grab (v)

To snatch or seize suddenly. Example: He grabbed his coat and ran out the door.

grasp (v)

To grip tightly or to understand something. Example: She grasped my hand tightly.

hop (v)

To jump or move with short leaps. Example: The frog hopped into the pond.

hop (n)

A short jump or leap. Example: The bird moved with a quick hop.

immigrant (n)

A settler who has come to live permanently in a foreign country. Example: The city has a large population of recent immigrants.

jog (v)

To run slowly for exercise. Example: She goes jogging in the park every morning.

jog (n)

A slow run for exercise. Example: I went for a short jog before breakfast.

leap (v)

To jump or bound. Example: The cat leaped onto the high wall easily.

leap (n)

A jump or a significant forward movement. Example: It was a giant leap forward for science.

march (v)

To stride or parade in a military manner. Example: Soldiers marched down the main street.

march (n)

An organized parade or protest walk. Example: They organized a protest march through the city.

migrate (v)

To relocate, often seasonally or temporarily. Example: Many birds migrate south during the winter.

point (v)

To indicate or direct attention using a finger or object. Example: He pointed to the map to show us the route.

punch (v)

To hit or strike with a fist. Example: He punched the boxing bag with all his strength.

refugee (n)

An exile or displaced person. Example: Thousands of refugees arrived at the border camp.

roam (v)

To wander or ramble aimlessly. Example: Wild cattle roam freely across the green hills.

roll (v)

To turn over or rotate. Example: The coin rolled under the sofa.

rotate (v)

To turn or spin on an axis. Example: The Earth rotates on its axis once every $24\,\text{hours}$.

route (n)

A path or course taken to get to a destination. Example: Which route is the fastest to get to the airport?

sink (v)

To submerge or drop to the bottom. Example: The heavy iron bar sank to the bottom of the lake.

skid (v)

To slide or slip (often of a vehicle). Example: The car skidded on the icy road surface.

skid (n)

An instance of sliding or slipping. Example: The driver pulled out of the skid safely.

skip (v)

To hop, jump rope, or to miss/omit something. Example: The girls were skipping rope in the playground.

slide (v)

To glide smoothly. Example: Children love to slide down the snow hill.

slide (n)

A chute for sliding or the act of gliding. Example: The kids are playing on the slide.

slip (v)

To trip or lose footing. Example: Be careful not to slip on the wet floor.

step (v)

To stride or walk. Example: She stepped carefully onto the narrow wooden plank.

step (n)

A pace or a stage in a process. Example: He took a step forward.

stride (v)

To walk with long steps. Example: He strided confidently across the stage.

stride (n)

A long step or significant progress. Example: She made great strides in her studies.

trip (v)

To stumble or fall. Example: I tripped over a tree root and fell down.

velocity (n)

Speed or pace. Example: The rocket reached an incredible velocity in orbit.

wander (v)

To roam or meander. Example: We spent the afternoon wandering around the old town.

wave (v)

To signal by moving the hand. Example: She waved goodbye as the bus drove away.

wave (n)

A sea wave or a hand signal. Example: A big wave hit the side of the boat.