Insight Pre-Intermediate Unit 4: words and definitions

a bit

slightly, a little

attic

the space or room under the roof of a house

block of flats

a building that contains many sets of rooms that are used as homes by different people

bring about

to cause sth to happen

bungalow

a house that is all on one level, without stairs

caravan

a large vehicle that is pulled by a car or a horse. You can sleep, cook, etc. in it when you are travelling or on holiday

castle

a large building with high walls and towers, built to defend people against attack

cellar

an underground room that is used for storing things

chimney

a structure through which smoke or steam is carried up and out through the roof of a building

clean

to make sth free from dust or dirt by washing or rubbing it

cottage

a small and usually old house, especially in the country

detached house

a house that is not joined to any other house

do the dishes

to wash the plates, knives, forks, etc. after a meal

downstairs

towards or on a lower floor of a house or building

easily

without difficulty

extremely

very, or much more than usual

find out

to get some information; to discover a fact

fortunately

by good luck

front door

the main entrance to a house

full-time

(done or working) for all the normal period of work

garage

a small building where a car, etc. is kept

get up

to get out of bed

go up

to become higher in price, level, amount, etc.

grow up

to develop into an adult

happily

willingly

helpfully

in a helpful way

hoover (the floor)

to clean a carpet, etc. with a machine that sucks up the dirt

incredibly

very, extremely

do the ironing

to use an iron to make clothes, etc. smooth

labour-saving

reducing the amount of work needed to do sth

lay the table

to arrange knives, forks, plates, etc. on the table

load (the washing machine)

to put a large quantity of sth into or onto sb/sth

look after sb/sth

to be responsible for or take care of sb/sth/yourself

luckily

it is a result of good luck that

make your bed

to arrange the sheets, etc. so that your bed is tidy and ready for you to sleep in

mansion

a very large house

modern-day

of the present time

necessarily

used to say that sth cannot be avoided or has to happen

old-fashioned

usual in the past but not now

open-plan

(used about a large area inside a building) not divided into separate rooms

quickly

fast; in a short time

quite

not very; to a certain degree; rather

rather

quite

really

very; very much

roof

the part of a building, vehicle, etc. which covers the top of it

(take out the) rubbish

things that you do not want any more; waste material

semi-detached house

house that is joined to another house with a shared wall on one side forming a pair of houses

show off

to try to impress people by showing them how clever you are

skylight

a small window in a roof

slightly

a little

stairs

a series of steps inside a building that lead from one level to another

step

one of the surfaces on which you put your foot when you are going up or down stairs

surprisingly

in a way that causes surprise; it is surprising that

tent

a small structure made of cloth that is held up by poles and ropes.

terraced house

forming part of a line of similar houses that are all joined together

three-bedroomed (adj)

having three rooms for sleeping in

tire out

to make sb/yourself very tired

two-storey

having two floors or levels

unfortunately

in a way that is unlucky; it is unlucky that

unsurprisingly

in a way that is not surprising; it is not surprising that

upstairs

to or on a higher floor of a building