IELTS Vocabulary Part – 204

Reduce – to become or to make something become smaller in size, amount, degree, importance, etc..

Sentence – The company needs to reduce its dependence on just one particular product.

Discuss – to talk about a subject with someone and tell each other your ideas or opinions.

Sentence – The radio station had an open line on which listeners could call up to discuss various issues.

Propose – to offer or suggest a possible plan or action for other people to consider.

Sentence – To be nominated for union president you need one person to propose you and another to second you.

Cause – the reason why something, especially something bad, happens.

Sentence – Poverty is not a sufficient cause of disgrace, but poverty without resolution to help oneself is a disgrace.

Disintegrate – to become weaker or be destroyed by breaking into small pieces.

Sentence – In most cases the infected cells eventually disintegrate and die, their own metabolism fatally disrupted by the presence of the virus.

Explain – to make something clear or easy to understand by describing or giving information about it.

Sentence – The difficulties women encounter with their doctors partly explain why so many of us are looking to alternative therapies.

Embark upon – to start something new or important.

Sentence – His post-electoral challenge will be to unite his country and embark upon a real process of democratisation.

Face-off – a direct confrontation between two people or groups.

Sentence – Pedestrian face-off is an awkward situation in which two pedestrians, who are on a collision course with each other, are repeatedly unsuccessful in averting one another.

End up – to finally be in a particular place or situation.

Sentence – Everybody has difficult years, but a lot of times the difficult years end up being the greatest years of your whole life, if you survive them.

Figure out – to understand or solve something.

Sentence – Scientists should figure out how to keep the natural world from mucking up the affairs of people.

Worn out – Something that is worn out can no longer be used because it is so old or because it has been damaged by continued use.

Sentence – She also felt worn out, oppressed by the cold scruffiness of the house, and the energy of her friends.

Catch up – to reach the same quality or standard as someone or something else.

Sentence – It has set us back in so many respects that I’m not sure how long it will take for us to catch up.

Carry on – to behave in an uncontrolled, excited, or anxious (= worried and nervous) way.

Sentence – Everything is a bit depressing at the moment, but I carry on in the belief that good times are just around the corner.

Look back on – think of the past.

Sentence – I look back on those emotions with wry amusement but also with a certain amount of self-respect.

Call off – to decide that a planned event, especially a sports event, will not happen, or to end an activity because it is no longer useful or possible.

Sentence – Connahs Quay were angry over Halkyn’s decision to call off their match at Pant Newydd an hour before the scheduled start.

Zone out – to stop paying attention and not hear or see what is around you for a short period of time.

Sentence – Two further developments are likely to put the rouble zone out of its misery before long