IELTS Vocabulary – Part 9

Curler – a small plastic tube that you twist hair around to make it curl.

Sentence – Use an eyelash curler to curl lashes first – this will open the eye and groom the lashes.

Grasping – (of people) always trying to get and keep more of something, especially money.

Sentence – Abandoned by her family and deserted by her servants, Elena Petrescu was incapable of grasping that a revolution had happened.

Skull – the bones of the head that surround the brain and give the head its shape.

Sentence – He can’t seem to get it into his skull that I’m just not interested in him.

Conscientious – putting a lot of effort into your work.

Sentence – If Lois had to shout in her conscientious efforts, Paul had turned out to be naturally brilliant around hearing aids.

Hate – to dislike someone or something very much.

Sentence – I hate the way she always criticizes me.

Foyer – a large open area just inside the entrance of a public building such as a theatre or a hotel, where people can wait and meet each other.

Sentence – When the doors opened he charged across the foyer, scattering people, and disappeared into Fleet Street.

Maneuver – manipulate.

Sentence – If executed close enough to the Moon, this maneuver can place the spacecraft on a collision course with the Moon.

Numerous – many.

Sentence – Numerous loving wishes for my wife who will always be my valuable Christmas gift and everything to me.

Wonderful – extremely good.

Sentence – May its blessings lead into a wonderful year for you and all whom you hold dear.

Bloodbath – an extremely violent event in which a large number of people are killed.

Sentence – Both men know the only way ahead to avoid a national racial bloodbath is to get together and start talking again.

Cruel – extremely unkind and unpleasant and causing pain to people or animals intentionally.

Sentence – The cruel captain used a scourge on his disobedient sailor.

Important – necessary or of great value.

Sentence – Every person has two education, one which he receives from others, and one, more important, which he gives himself.

Quite – completely.

Sentence – I’ve eaten so much, I’m really quite uncomfortable.

In the meantime – meanwhile.

Sentence – Eventually your child will leave home to lead her own life as a fully independent adult, but in the meantime she relies on your support.

Reminiscence – the act of remembering events and experiences from the past.

Sentence – This hopefully will provide a wealth of reminiscence and anecdote, and might take place anywhere from Putney to Paris.

Obligatory – expected because it usually happens.

Sentence – Identification with one’s community is, though not morally obligatory, a desirable state, at least if that community is reasonably just.

Unforeseen – not expected.

Sentence – Other unforeseen difficulties have taken a further 4 percent, but Remington is confident the contingency reserve will cover it.

After – following, next.

Sentence – After dinner sit a while, after supper walk a while.

Intellectual – relating to your ability to think and understand things, especially complicated ideas.

Sentence – High levels of lead could damage the intellectual development of children.

Contemporary – existing or happening now.

Sentence – In the contemporary western world, rapidly changing styles cater to a desire for novelty and individualism.

Humble – not proud or not believing that you are important.

Sentence – He had risen from humble origins through hard work.

Religious – relating to religion.

Sentence – In the various regions of India, Hindus worship different gods and observe different religious festivals.

Impolite – behaving in a way that is not socially correct and shows a lack of understanding of and care for other people’s feelings.

Sentence – It’s impolite to challenge their integrity, the veracity of their self-expression.