word noun
1-) unit of language
ADJECTIVES
two-letter, three-letter, etc. • monosyllabic, disyllabic • two-syllable, three-syllable, etc. • big, long
・They use a lot of big words.
compound • native • borrowed, loan • foreign
・English has borrowed words from many languages.
content, function • exact, precise, very
・I can't remember her exact words.
clear, plain • ambiguous • abstract, concrete • everyday
・I'll tell you everything in plain words.
archaic, obsolete • key • right, wrong
・She couldn't find the right words to tell him.
dirty, four-letter, naughty, obscene, rude, taboo • swear word
・So many people think feminism is a dirty word.
code • buzz (buzzword) • vogue • famous, household, immortal • spoken, written
・The product's name became a household word.
VERBS
have • say, speak, use, utter
・Small children find it difficult to say long words.
pronounce • mispronounce • spell • misspell • write • hear, read • mishear, misread
・How do you spell this word?
know, understand • look up • find • coin • cross out, erase, rub out
・You can look the word up in the dictionary.
mean • refer to, relate to • convey, describe, express • imply • denote • carry
・What do you imply by these words?
・At this moment, the words can't express my mood.
be derived from, come/derive from
・The word derives from French.
begin (with), end (in/with) • fail
・Can you think of a word beginning with X?
NOUNS
game
・We're playing a word game.
PREPOSITIONS
in
・Tell me what happened in your own words.
for
・What's the Spanish word for 'table'?
PHRASES
in all senses of the word
・The performance was spectacular in all senses of the word.
in other words
・In other words, she must give up singing.
in so many words
・I told her in so many words to stop interfering.
in the true sense of the word
・It's an amateur sport in the true sense of the word.
in words of one syllable
・Could you explain it to me in words of one syllable (= using very simple language)?
word for word
・He repeated that speech, word for word from memory.
2-) thing that you say
ADJECTIVES
quick • quiet • good, friendly, kind • bad, unkind • angry, bitter, blunt, choice
・Can I have a quiet word with you?
・I drew a lot of comfort from her kind words.
cross, cruel, hard, harsh, heated, hurtful, strong • polite • flattering, honeyed
It's amazing the difference a few polite words make.
empty, fine • meaningless • weasel • bold, brave • wise • well-chosen • cautionary
・He encouraged us with a few well-chosen words.
soft, whispered • unspoken • dying, last • final • fateful • prophetic • magic
・I came to understand the unspoken words in his work.
・In our company, the manager has the last word.
VERBS
have • put in, say, speak, utter • give • mumble, mutter • slur • spit (out) • bandy, exchange
・She implied that she had a few words to say.
・Could I just say a few words before we start?
find • choose, pick • quote • distort, twist • hang on • eat, take back • mince • breathe
・I couldn't find the words to express my disgust.
・Don't worry, I wouldn't breathe a word of your secret.
conjure up, evoke • burst from, come (out), emerge, fall, pour (out), slip (out), spill (out), tumble out
・His words came out the wrong way.
・Her words fell on me like a splash of cold water.
stick in your throat • float, hang in the air
・I wanted to tell her, but the words stuck in my throat.
echo, ring • fade (away), tail away/off, trail away/off • hit/strike home, strike/touch a chord • sink in
・The words echoed unspoken in her mind.
PREPOSITIONS
in a
・In a word,the whole plan fell through.
without a
・He hurried off without a word.
about
・Don't say a word about the accident to my mother.
from
・There was still no word from John.
of
・Let me give you a word of warning.
with
・Wait a minute! I want a word with you!
PHRASES
get a word in (edgeways)
・Once he starts talking it's difficult to get a word in edgeways.
a man/woman of few words
・My father is a man of few words.
sb never spoke a truer word/never was a truer word spoken
・You never spoke a truer word (= you were right).
not a (single) word
・I couldn't understand a single word she said!
put words into sb's mouth
・Stop trying to put words into my mouth (= to make me say what you want).
take the words out of sb's mouth
・He took the words out of my mouth with his first sentence (= he said it before me).
a word in sb's ear
・He whispered a word in my ear.
(by) word of mouth
・The news spread by word of mouth.
3-) promise
ADJECTIVES
solemn
・I gave her my most solemn word that I loved her.
VERBS
give • be as good as, be true to, keep
・She's been true to her word from day one.
break, go back on
・She never goes back on her word.
PHRASES
have sb's word for
・They only have his word for it that he has already paid.
a man/woman of his/her word
・You can trust him; he is a man of his word.
take sb at their word
・He said he'd give me a job and I just took him at his word.
take sb's word for
・If he says there's $500 in the envelope, then I'll take his word for it.
sb's word against sb's
・It was their word against a powerful authority figure.
sb's word is their bond, word of honour
・I give you my word of honour I will not forget what I owe you.
4-) information
VERBS
bring, get, send • get • spread
・She sent word that she would be late.
get out • be, have it
・Word has it they may separate.
・The word is that he's left the country.
PREPOSITIONS
about
・He spreads the word about the importance of healthy eating.
word verb
ADVERBS
carefully, cautiously • clearly, cleverly, well
・The agreement was carefully worded.
appropriately, properly, suitably • broadly • strongly
・The agency sent a strongly worded warning letter.
ambiguously, vaguely, badly, poorly
・They issued a vaguely worded statement.