| a person who pays money, usually once a year, to receive regular copies of a magazine or newspaper or have access to it online | SUBSCRIBERS to the magazine can take advantage of this special offer. |
| an amount of money that you pay regularly to receive a service, be a member of a club, support a charity or receive regular copies of a newspaper or magazine; the act of paying this money | SUBSCRIPTIONS are due annually by the end of January. |
| money that is paid by a government or an organization to reduce the costs of services or of producing goods so that their prices can be kept low | to reduce the level of SUBSIDY |
| large in amount, value or importance | SUBSTANTIAL numbers of people support the reforms. |
| very much; a lot | The plane was SUBSTANTIALLY damaged in the crash. |
| a person or thing that you use or have instead of the one you normally use or have | The course teaches you the theory but there's no SUBSTITUTE for practical experience. |
| to take the place of somebody/something else; to use somebody/something instead of somebody/something else | Nothing can SUBSTITUTE for the advice your doctor is able to give you. |
| an act of using one person or thing in the place of another | the SUBSTITUTION of low-fat spreads for butter |
| (often approving) not very obvious or easy to notice | There are SUBTLE differences between the two versions. |
| in or connected with a suburb | life in SUBURBAN / suburban London |
| a number of people or things that follow each other in time or order | She has won the award for the third year in SUCCESSION. |
| following immediately one after the other | SUCCESSIVE governments have tried to tackle the problem. |
| a person or thing that comes after somebody/something else and takes their/its place | Their latest release is a worthy SUCCESSOR to their popular debut album. |
| to take liquid, air, etc. into your mouth by using the muscles of your lips | She was noisily SUCKING up milk through a straw. |
| to make a claim against a person or an organization in court about something that they have said or done to harm you | to SUE somebody for breach of contract |
| the act of killing yourself deliberately | an attempted SUICIDE (= one in which the person survives) |
| a set of rooms, especially in a hotel | a hotel/private/honeymoon SUITE |
| the highest point of something, especially the top of a mountain | We reached the SUMMIT at noon. |
| excellent; of very good quality | superb |
| better in quality than somebody/something else; greater than somebody/something else | This model is technically SUPERIOR to its competitors. |
| to be in charge of somebody/something and make sure that everything is done correctly, safely, etc. | She SUPERVISED the children playing near the pool. |
| the work or activity involved in being in charge of somebody/something and making sure that everything is done correctly, safely, etc. | Very young children should not be left to play without SUPERVISION. |
| a person who supervises somebody/something | I have a meeting with my SUPERVISOR about my research topic. |
| a thing that is added to something else to improve or complete it | Industrial sponsorship is a SUPPLEMENT to government funding. |
| to add something to something in order to improve it or make it more complete | a diet SUPPLEMENTED with vitamin pills |
| encouraging somebody or giving them help or sympathy | She was very SUPPORTIVE during my father's illness. |
| according to what is generally thought or believed but not known for certain | The novel is SUPPOSEDLY based on a true story. |
| (usually disapproving) (of a government, ruler, etc.) to put an end, often by force, to a group or an activity that is believed to threaten authority | The rebellion was brutally SUPPRESSED. |
| highest in rank or position | the SUPREME Commander of the armed forces |
| a sudden increase of a strong feeling | She felt a sudden SURGE of anger. |
| to move quickly and with force in a particular direction | Flood waters SURGED into their homes. |
| used in or connected with surgery | SURGICAL procedures |
| an amount that is extra or more than you need | Wheat was in SURPLUS that year. |
| to admit that you have been defeated and want to stop fighting; to allow yourself to be caught, taken prisoner, etc. | The hijackers eventually SURRENDERED themselves to the police. |
| the act of carefully watching a person suspected of a crime or a place where a crime may be committed | The police are keeping the suspects under constant SURVEILLANCE. |
| the act of officially removing somebody from their job, school, team, etc. for a period of time, usually as a punishment | The two players are appealing against their SUSPENSIONS. |
| a feeling that somebody has done something wrong, illegal or dishonest, even though you have no proof | He was arrested on SUSPICION of murder. |
| feeling that somebody has done something wrong, illegal or dishonest, without having any proof | They became SUSPICIOUS of his behaviour and contacted the police. |
| to provide enough of what somebody/something needs in order to live or exist | The love and support of his family SUSTAINED him during his time in prison. |
| a swinging movement or rhythm | He took a wild SWING at the ball. |
| to move backwards or forwards or from side to side while hanging from a fixed point; to make something do this | As he pushed her, she SWUNG higher and higher (= while sitting on a SWING). |
| a weapon with a long metal blade (= sharp cutting part) and a handle | to draw/sheathe a SWORD (= to take it out of/put it into its cover) |
| containing symbols, or being used as a symbol | The ceremony has a deep SYMBOLIC meaning. |
| a set of physical conditions that show you have a particular disease or medical problem | This SYNDROME is associated with frequent coughing. |
| the act of combining separate ideas, beliefs, styles, etc.; a mixture or combination of ideas, beliefs, styles, etc. | synthesis |
| done according to a system or plan, in a complete, efficient or determined way | a SYSTEMATIC approach to solving the problem |
| an act of trying to take the ball from an opponent in football (soccer), hockey, etc.; an act of knocking somebody to the ground, for example in rugby or American football | He was booked for a late TACKLE on Torres. |
| the particular method you use to achieve something | This was just the latest in a series of delaying TACTICS. |
| connected with the particular method you use to achieve something | Telling your boss you were looking for a new job was a TACTICAL error (= it was the wrong thing to do at that time). |
| a person who pays tax to the government, especially on the money that they earn | Hundreds of thousands of pounds of TAXPAYERS' money (= money paid in taxes) have been spent on the project. |
| to attract somebody or make somebody want to do or have something, even if they know it is wrong | Don't TEMPT thieves by leaving valuables clearly visible. |
| a person who pays rent for the use of a room, building, land, etc. to the person who owns it | They had evicted their TENANTS for non-payment of rent. |
| kind, gentle and loving | What he needs now is a lot of TENDER loving care (= sympathetic treatment). |
| the period of time when somebody holds an important job, especially a political one; the act of holding an important job | She had a long TENURE of office. |
| (of an illness or a disease) that cannot be cured and will lead to death, often slowly | The illness is usually TERMINAL. |
| to end; to make something end | Your contract of employment TERMINATES in December. |
| used to refer to an area of land when you are mentioning its natural features, for example, if it is rough, flat, etc | They walked for miles across steep and inhospitable TERRAIN. |
| excellent; wonderful | I feel absolutely TERRIFIC today! |
| to make a statement that something happened or that something is true, especially as a witness in court | She refused to TESTIFY against her husband. |
| (formal) a thing that shows that something else exists or is true | This increase in exports bears TESTIMONY to the successes of industry. |
| the way a surface, substance or piece of cloth feels when you touch it, for example how rough, smooth, hard or soft it is | She uses a variety of different colours and TEXTURES in her wall hangings. |
| used to show that you are pleased that something good has happened or that something bad has been avoided | There was a fire in the building, but THANKFULLY no one was hurt. |
| connected with the theatre | a THEATRICAL agent |
| the study of religion and beliefs | the rarefied world of academic THEOLOGY |
| connected with the ideas and principles on which a particular subject is based, rather than with practice and experiment | The first year provides students with a sound THEORETICAL basis for later study. |
| after the time or event mentioned | She married at 17 and gave birth to her first child shortly THEREAFTER. |
| used to introduce the result of the action or situation mentioned | Regular exercise strengthens the heart, THEREBY reducing the risk of heart attack. |
| making people think seriously about a particular subject or issue | a brilliant and THOUGHT-PROVOKING play |
| quiet, because you are thinking | He looked THOUGHTFUL. |
| a thin string of cotton, wool, silk, etc. used for sewing or making cloth | a robe embroidered with gold THREAD |
| the floor or ground at the bottom of a doorway, considered as the entrance to a building or room | He stepped across the THRESHOLD. |
| very excited and pleased | He was THRILLED at the prospect of seeing them again. |
| to become, and continue to be, successful, strong, healthy, etc. | New businesses THRIVE in this area. |
| a regular rise and fall in the level of the sea, caused by the pull of the moon and sun; the flow of water that happens as the sea rises and falls | Is the TIDE coming in or going out? |
| to hold or fix something more securely in position; to make something or become more difficult to move, open or separate | The brake cable needs TIGHTENING up. |
| trees that are grown to be used in building or for making things | the TIMBER industry |
| happening at exactly the right time | This has been a TIMELY reminder to us all. |
| the dried leaves of the tobacco plant that are used for making cigarettes, smoking in a pipe, etc. | The government imposed a ban on TOBACCO advertising (= the advertising of cigarettes and all other forms of TOBACCO). |
| the quality of being willing to accept or tolerate somebody/something, especially opinions or behaviour that you may not agree with, or people who are not like you | She had no TOLERANCE for jokes of any kind. |
| to allow somebody to do something that you do not agree with or like | Their relationship was TOLERATED but not encouraged. |
| money that you pay to use a particular road or bridge | the possibility of imposing TOLLS on some motorways |
| to be higher than a particular amount | Worldwide sales look set to TOP $1 billion. |
| the act of causing somebody severe pain in order to punish them or make them say or do something | Many of the refugees have suffered TORTURE. |
| to hurt somebody physically or mentally in order to punish them or make them tell you something | Many of the rebels were captured and TORTURED by secret police. |
| to throw something lightly or carelessly | I TOSSED the book aside and got up. |
| to reach a particular total | Imports TOTALLED $1.5 billion last year. |
| containing poison; poisonous | This chemical is TOXIC to many forms of life. |
| a mark, an object or a sign that shows that somebody/something existed or was present | Years of living in England had eliminated all TRACE of her American accent. |
| a name, symbol or design that a company uses for its products and that cannot be used by anyone else | ‘Big Mac’ is McDonald's best-known TRADEMARK. |
| a long line or series of marks that is left by somebody/something | tourists who leave a TRAIL of litter everywhere they go |
| to pull something behind somebody/something, usually along the ground; to be pulled along in this way | A jeep TRAILING a cloud of dust was speeding in my direction. |
| a truck, or a container with wheels, that is pulled by another vehicle | a car towing a TRAILER with a boat on it |
| a piece of business that is done between people, especially an act of buying or selling | financial TRANSACTIONS between companies |
| a written or printed copy of words that have been spoken | The White House posted a TRANSCRIPT of the speech on its website. |
| a complete change in somebody/something | The way in which we work has undergone a complete TRANSFORMATION / transformation in the past decade. |
| the process of being moved or carried from one place to another | goods damaged in TRANSIT |
| the act or process of passing something from one person, place or thing to another | Classes are based on discussion rather than on the one-way TRANSMISSION of knowledge. |
| the quality of something, such as a situation or an argument, that makes it easy to understand | The police reforms will ensure greater TRANSPARENCY and accountability. |
| (of glass, plastic, etc.) allowing you to see through it | The insect's wings are almost TRANSPARENT. |
| (psychology) a mental condition caused by severe shock, stress or fear, especially when the harmful effects last for a long time | the effects of TRAUMA and stress on the body |
