AB words 2024-2025

Overhead locker

A compartment above the seats on a plane where passengers can store their carry-on luggage: I struggled to fit my suitcase into the ______ _____, so I had to ask a flight attendant for help.

cardboard box

A container made of thick, stiff paper used for storing or transporting items: We packed all the old books in a large ______ ____ before moving.

landlady

A woman who rents out land, a building, or accommodation to tenants: Our landlady informed us that the rent would increase next year.

should’ve (done)

Used to express regret or the idea that an action would have been better if taken: I _____ __ studied harder for the exam.

go sunbathing

To sit or lie in the sun in order to tan your skin: We decided to ___ ________ after breakfast, but it got too hot quickly.

stand in line

To wait in a queue for your turn: We had to ____ ___ _____ for almost an hour to get tickets.

filthy

Extremely dirty or unclean: The public restroom was _____, so we decided to find another one.

spick and span

Spotlessly clean and neat: After I spent the whole morning cleaning, the kitchen was _____ __ _____.

it’s worth (doing sth)

Something that justifies the time, effort, or expense required to do it: It’s _____ going on the hike; the views from the top are amazing.

the highlight of

The most exciting, memorable, or important part of an event or experience: The _____ of our vacation was definitely the boat tour along the coast.

give (sb) a nudge

To gently push or remind someone to take action: I had to g____ her a n_____ to remind her that it was her turn to speak.

It is advisable to...

It’s a good idea: It's a_______e to book your flight well in advance

admirable

Deserving respect or approval.

• a______ courage

• an a______ effort
  Examples:

• Her commitment to volunteer work is a______.

• He showed a______ courage during the crisis.

back up

to provide support or evidence

• B____ u_ an argument

• B____ u_ a claim

Example Sentences:

• Can you b____ u_ your opinion with data?

• His story was b____ u___ by several eyewitnesses.

be in disbelief

to be unable or unwilling to believe something

• Stand in d_____

• Look in d______

Example Sentences:

• She stood in d_____ as the building collapsed.

• I was in d_____ when I saw my exam results.

brace yourself

to prepare mentally or physically for something difficult

• B_____ y_____ for impact

• B____ y_____ to hear bad news

Example Sentences:

• You’d better b_____ y_____ for a long wait.

• He b_____ h_____ to tell her the truth.

crave sth

to have a very strong desire for something

• C_____ attention

• C_____ chocolate

Example Sentences:

• After a long week, I was c_____ a quiet evening at home.

• Children often c_____ affection from their parents.

crisp

pleasantly cool and fresh

• C____ air

• C____ weather

Example Sentences:

• It was a c_____ autumn morning, perfect for a walk.

• I love the c_____ air after a rainy night.

cut down on

to reduce the amount of something

• C___ d____ on calories

• C___ d____ on screen time

Example Sentences:

• I’m trying to c___ d____ on caffeine.

• We need to c___ d____ on our expenses this month.

cut out

to stop doing or using something completely

• C___ o____ junk food

• C___ o____ distractions

Example Sentences:

• My doctor advised me to c____ o____ dairy.

• I had to c____ o____ social media to focus on my exams.

depth

The quality of being intense or profound; the distance below a surface

• emotional d____

• d____ of knowledge

Examples:

• His speech lacked emotional d_____.

• She impressed everyone with the d_____ of her understanding of the topic.

develop a lasting relationship

To build a strong and enduring personal or professional connection

• d____ a l______ friendship

• d_____ a l_____ bond

Examples:

• It takes time and effort to d_____ a l_____ relationship.

• They d____ a l_____ friendship after working together for years.

devastated (adj)

Extremely upset, shocked, or damaged

• feel d____

• be absolutely d_____

Examples:

• She was d_____ when she lost her job.

• The town was d_____ by the hurricane.

downpour

A heavy rain that falls suddenly and in large amounts

• sudden d____

• torrential d_____

Examples:

• We got caught in a sudden d_____ without umbrellas.

• The d_____ flooded several streets in the area.

drought

A prolonged period of dry weather causing water shortage

• severe d____

• suffer from d____

Examples:

• Farmers are struggling due to the ongoing d_____.

• The country declared a state of emergency during the dr_____.

drown

To die or cause to die by being submerged in water

• d____ in debt

• nearly d____

Examples:

• The boy was rescued before he could d____.

• She felt like she was d_____ing in paperwork.

ear-splitting

Extremely loud and possibly painful to hear

• e___-s______ noise

• e___-s______ volume

Examples:

• The band started with an e___-s______ guitar solo.

• The crowd let out an e___-s______ cheer when the team scored.

down the drain

To be wasted or lost

• money d____ the d____

• efforts go d____ the d____

Examples:

• All our hard work went d____ the d____ after the project was cancelled.

• I hate seeing good food go d____ the d____.

Heighten (awareness / tension / sensitivity / etc.)

To make stronger or more intense

• h_____ awareness

• h_____ fears

Examples:

• The campaign aims to h_____ awareness about climate change.

• His comments only h_____ the tension in the room.

issue a warning

To formally notify people about a danger or problem

• i____ an official w_____

• i____ a weather w_____

Examples:

• Authorities i____ a w____ about dangerous road conditions.

• The doctor i____ a w____ against self-medication.

landlord / landlady

A person who owns and rents out property

• speak to the l___

• rent from a l____

Examples:

• We had to call the l_____ to fix the heating.

• The l_____ was kind enough to lower the rent during the pandemic.

lay the foundations

To establish the base of a building or begin something that will develop later

• l____ the f_____ for a house

• l____ the f_____ of a good relationship

Examples:

• The workers began to l____ the f_____ of the building in April.

• This training l____ the f_____ for a successful career in law.

let up (on support / duties)

To become less severe or intense; to reduce pressure

• l___ u___ on criticism

• the rain l___ u___

Examples:

• The teacher finally l___ u___ on homework after the exams.

• The storm didn’t l___ u___ for hours.

live up to (expectations)

To meet or exceed what is expected

• l____ u___ to the hype

• l____ u__ to your parents’ expectations

Examples:

• The movie didn’t l____ u__ to expectations.

• She’s trying hard to l____ u__ to her older brother’s achievements.

look out for sb

To watch over or protect someone

• l____ o___ f____ your friend

• always l____ o___ f____ others

Examples:

• I promised to l____ o___ f____ my younger sister at the party.

• He’s always l____ o___ f____ his coworkers.

moving (adj)

Causing strong feelings of sadness or sympathy

• a m_____ speech

• deeply m_____ story

Examples:

• Her story about overcoming illness was very m_____.

• It was a m_____ tribute to the late actor.

neck and neck

Very close or equal in a competition

• run n___ and n____

• n____ and n____ in the race

Examples:

• The candidates were n____ and n_____ until the final votes were counted.

• The two athletes remained n____ and n_____ until the finish line.

on an upbeat note

In a positive or cheerful way
Collocations:

• end on an u____ n____

• begin on an u____ n____

Examples:

• Let’s end the meeting on an u____ n____

• He started his speech on an u____ n____, sharing good news.

put aside (differences / your pride)

To forget or ignore something temporarily to achieve something else

• p___ a____ your fears

• p___ a____ political differences

Examples:

• They p___ a____ their personal differences to work as a team.

• He p___ a____ his pride and apologized.

resemble

to look like or be similar to someone or something

• closely r_____

• r_____ your parents

Examples:

• She r_____ her mother in both looks and personality.

• That painting r_____ something I saw in a museum once.

run for president

To compete in an election for the position of president

• officially r___ for p_____

• announce a r___ for p_____

Examples:

• She announced she would r___ for p_____ in the next election.

• Not everyone is qualified to r___ for p_____.

run out of

To use all of something so that none is left

• r___ o___ o___ patience

• r___ o___ o___ fuel

Examples:

• We r___ o___ o___ time before we could finish the exam.

• Oh no, we’ve r___ o___ o___ milk again!

sewage

A network of pipes and facilities used to carry and treat waste water

• maintain the s____ system

• upgrade the s____ system

Examples:

• The city’s old s____ system couldn’t handle the heavy rain.

• They’re planning to modernize the entire s_____ system by next year.

Sheer joy / luck / happiness

Used to emphasize the strength or purity of a feeling or quality

• s____ luck

• s____ joy

Examples:

• It was s____ luck that we caught the last train.

• The children were screaming with s____ joy at the surprise party.

smile from ear to ear

To smile broadly, showing happiness or excitement

• smile f____ e____ t___ e____

Examples:

• She was smiling f____ e____ t___ e____ when she got the job offer.

spick and span

Extremely clean and tidy

• s____-a___-s_____ kitchen

• keep everything s____ a____ s____

Examples:

• The house was s____ a____ s____ before the guests arrived.

• She takes pride in keeping her apartment s____ a____ s____.

soaked

Completely wet

• get s____ in the rain

• s_____ clothes

Examples:

• I forgot my umbrella and got completely s_____.

• His jacket was s_____ after walking through the storm.

from scratch

To begin from the beginning, without using anything that already exists

• build a business f____ s_____

• start over f____ s_____

Examples:

• They lost everything in the fire and had to start f____ s_____.

• Learning a new language as an adult means starting f____ s_____.

step out of your comfort zone

To do something that feels unfamiliar or challenging

• encourage someone to s____ o____ of their c_____ z____

• s____ o____ of the c_____ z____

Examples:

• Moving abroad helped me s____ o____ of my c_____ z____.

• You won’t grow if you don’t s____ o____ of your c_____ z____.

(Feeling, pain, water, flood, storm) subsides

to become less strong or intense

• pain s____

• the flood s_____

Examples:

• After an hour, the storm finally s_____.

• Her anger had s______ by the time we spoke.

Tap into your dreams

To access or use something (usually internal potential or resources)

• t____ i____ your emotions

• t____ i____ your potential

Examples:

• This book helps you t____ i____ your dreams and goals.

• Artists often t____ i____ their imagination for inspiration.

Tension / anger / frustration / happiness / a sense of relief is palpable

Used to say a strong feeling is so intense you can almost feel it physically

• the tension was p_____

• p____ excitement

Examples:

• The tension in the room was p_____ before the test results.

• There was p_____ excitement in the stadium before the final match.

throw up

To vomit (informal)

• t____ u___ from nerves

• t____ u___ unexpectedly

Examples:

• He t____ u___ after the rollercoaster ride.

• She felt so anxious before the interview that she almost t____ u___.

utilities

Basic services such as electricity, water, and gas

• pay for u_____

• u_____ service provider

Examples:

• The rent includes all u______.

• We need to contact the u_____ company about the power outage.

payoff (n), pay off (v)

• (noun): A reward or result of effort.

• (verb): To produce a good result or benefit.

Collocations:

• a big p____

• hard work p____ o____

Examples:

• The p____ for months of training was a gold medal.

• All the extra study finally p____ o___ when I passed the exam.

root for / cheer for

To support someone or a team by showing encouragement

• r____ f___ your hometown team

• c_____ for the underdog

Examples:

• I always r____ f___ my national team, no matter what.

• The crowd was c____ing f___ their favourite player.

get caught up in

Become overly involved or emotionally entangled

Collocations:

• get c_____ u___ in drama

Examples:

• It’s too easy to get c____ u___ in worrying about mistakes.

get bogged down in

Stuck or delayed by something

• g___ b_____ down in details

Examples:

• Don’t get b____ d____ in small errors — focus on the big picture.

have eyes like a hawk

To have very sharp vision; notice even small details

• watch someone l___ a h____

• sharp-eyed l____ a h____

Examples:

• My coach has e____ l____ a h____ — he notices every movement.

• Teachers need to watch l____ a h____ during exams.

Predator ≠ Prey

• P____: An animal that hunts other animals

• P____: An animal that is hunted

Examples:

• A fox is a p_____; a rabbit is its p____.

• Hawks hunt their p____ from above.

penalise

to punish

• p_____ a team/player

Examples:

• The team was p_____d for wasting time.

club together (to/for)

To share the cost of something with others

• c____ t_____ for a gift

• c____ t_____club together to pay the bill

Examples:

• We all c____ t_____ to buy her a birthday present.

• Let’s c____ t_____ to pay for the taxi.

stuffed

Very full after eating

• I can’t eat another bite — I’m s_____.

• That meal was delicious, but now I feel completely s_____.

indulge in

To allow oneself to enjoy something, often something not entirely healthy or necessary

• i_____ in sweets

• i_____ in luxury

Examples:

• Marcin i_____ in eating delicious meat at the party.

• She i______ in a bit of online shopping every weekend.

indulge yourself; be self-indulgent

To allow yourself to enjoy something

• You’ve worked hard — go ahead and i_____ y_____.

• Sometimes it’s okay to i_____ y_____ with dessert.

indulgent (adj)

Parents who allow their children to do whatever they want, often too much

• I______ parents often have trouble setting boundaries.

• His i______ mother never said no to him.

handy tip; come in handy

Helpful or able to be used for a particular purpose.

Examples:

• This book is full of h_____ tips for organizing your day.

• My mom always keeps old jars — they might c____ in h____ someday.

cumbersome

Slow, inefficient, or complicated to use.

• c______ process/system/technology/approach

Examples:

• The old login system was c_____ and confusing.

• It’s such a c______ way to do something so simple.

relief (n)

A feeling of reassurance or comfort after something stressful;

• with/in r____

• it’s a r____ to see/hear/know that…

• What a r____! That’s a r____!

Example:

• It was a huge r_____ to finally finish the project.

burden

A heavy responsibility, duty, or load;

• bear/carry the b_____

• burden on/

Examples:

• Taking out a mortgage can p___ a financial b____ on young people.

phase out

To gradually stop using or producing something

• p____ o___ a product/system

Examples:

• The old technology has been p_____ o___.

• There are plans to p____ o___ plastic packaging.

discontinue

To stop producing or offering something

• product/service has been d______

Examples:

• Metro tickets have been d______.

• That model has been d_______ for years.

delulu (=delusional)

Having unrealistic beliefs or expectations (informal)
Examples:

• She thinks she’ll marry a celebrity — she’s totally d_____.

• He’s a bit d______ about his chances of winning.

head in the clouds

To be daydreaming or not paying attention; unrealistic
Examples:

• She always has her h____ in the c____ — never focused.

• His h____ is in the c____ when it comes to money.

down-to-earth

Practical and realistic
Examples:

• She’s a d____-to-e_____ person who never overreacts.

• He has his feet firmly on the ground, even during stressful times.

one thing at a time

To focus on one task rather than multitasking
Examples:

• I can only do one t____ a__ a t_____ — don’t rush me!

• Let’s handle one t____ a__ a t_____ to avoid mistakes.

Overwhelmed / Exhausted / Worn Out / Snowed Under

Very busy with work or duties, mentally or emotionally overloaded

Examples:

• I’m completely w____ o___ after the gym.

• She’s s_____ u____ with work this week.

• He looked e_____d after the night shift.

• I’m feeling o______d by all my responsibilities.

in the long run

over time
Examples:

• Learning English is beneficial in the l____ r____.

• Regular exercise is tiring at first but beneficial in the l____ r____.

splash out on

Spend a lot of money on something nice, often as a treat.

• s_____ h___ o_ a designer watch

• s_____ o__ o_ a fancy dinner

Examples:

• She decided to s_____ h___ o_ a designer handbag for her birthday.

• We s_____ o__ o_ a five-star hotel for our anniversary.

pay off (a mortgage)

To gradually repay a loan until it’s fully paid.

• p___ o__ a mortgage

• p___ o__ your debts

Examples:

• It took them 25 years to finally p___ o__ their mortgage.

• He worked hard to p___ o__ all his student loans.

take out (a loan / mortgage)

Borrow money officially from a bank.

• t___ o__ a loan

• t___ o__ a mortgage

Examples:

• They had to t___ o__ a large loan to start the business.

• I’m planning to t___ o__ a mortgage next year.

make the most of (sth)

Use or enjoy something as much as possible.

• m___ t__ m___ o_ your time

• m___ t__ m___ o_ the opportunity

Examples:

• Let’s m___ t__ m___ o_ this sunny weather and go outside!

• He always m___ t__ m___ o_ his weekends.

make it count / make every day count

Do something in a way that is meaningful or has a strong impact.

• m___ i_ c____ before it ends

• m___ e_____ d__ c____

Examples:

• This is your one chance—m___ i_ c____.

• If you’re going to do it, m___ e_____ d__ c____!

Footbridge / Pedestrian bridge

A small bridge for people to cross a road, railway, or river.

• cross the f_________

• walk over the p_________ b______

Examples:

• There’s a f_________ over the highway.

• We crossed the p_________ b______ to get to the park.

Pedestrian crossing

A place where people can safely cross a road.

• wait at the p_________ c_______

• stop for people at the p_________ c_______

Examples:

• Drivers must stop at the p_________ c_______.

• Always use the p_________ c_______ to cross the street.

Laid-back

Relaxed and not easily upset or stressed.

• a l___-b___ attitude

• a l___-b___ personality

Examples:

• He has such a l___-b___ attitude to life.

• She’s really l___-b___, even when things go wrong.

Pop-up (shop)

Temporary shops that appear for a short time.

• a p__-__ clothing store

• visit a p__-__ café

Examples:

• We found a cute p__-__ bakery downtown.

• A p__-__ bookstore opened near the station.

You’ve come a long way.

You've made great progress or improved a lot.

• Y__’__ c___ a l___ w__ from where you started.

• I can’t believe h__ f__ y__’__ c___

Examples:

• Y__’__ c___ a l___ w__ since you started learning English!

• Just look at how far y__’__ c___—you should be proud.

Fake it till you make it

Act confidently until you truly succeed or feel confident.

• f___ i_ t___ y__ m___ i_

• She always s___: f___ i_ t___ y__ m___ i_

Examples:

• I didn’t know what I was doing, but I just f___ i_ t___ y__ m___ i_.

• Her motto is “f___ i_ t___ y__ m___ i_” in every situation.

Far-fetched

Unlikely and difficult to believe.

• a f__-f______ story

• a f__-f______ explanation

Examples:

• His excuse sounded pretty f__-f______ to me.

• That plot was just too f__-f______ to be realistic.

Sloppy

Careless or messy.

• s______ work

• s______ handwriting

Examples:

• Your report is full of errors—it’s s______.

• He got a low grade because of his s______ handwriting.

Unnerving

Making you feel nervous or uncomfortable.

• an u________ job interview

• an u________ experience

Examples:

• The silence was u________.

• It was an u________ scene to watch on the news.

Cognitive (decline / functions / activity)

Related to the brain’s thinking, memory, and decision-making processes.

• c________ d_______ in old age

• c________ a_______ is important for mental health

Examples:

• Brain games help reduce c________ d_______.

• Regular reading supports c________ f________.