Academic Word List (E - O)

economy n. avoidance of waste (of money, strength, time, resources, etc)
edit v. prepare for publication, eg in a book, newspaper, or magazine
element n. necessary or characteristic part of sth
eliminate v. sb/sth remove (esp sb/sth that is not wanted or needed)
emerge v. come out or up (from water, etc)
emphasis n. force or stress given to a word or words when spoken, to make the meaning clear or to show importance
empirical adj. based on observation or experiment, not on theory
enable v. make able to do sth by giving him the necessary authority or means
encounter v. meet or find oneself faced by (sth/sb unpleasant, dangerous, difficult, etc)
energy n. ability to act or work with strength and eagerness
enforce v. sth force people to obey (a law, etc); make sth effective
enhance v. increase make (sb/sth) look better
enormous adj. very large; immense
ensure v. make sure; guarantee
entity n. thing with distinct and real existence
environment n. conditions, circumstances, etc affecting people's lives
equate v. sth consider sth as equal or equivalent (to sth else)
equip v. sb/sth (with sth) supply sb/sth (with what is needed, for a particular purpose)
equivalent adj. equal in value, amount, meaning, importance, etc
erode v. destroy or wear (sth) away gradually
error n. thing done wrongly; mistake
establish v. set up on a firm or permanent basis
estate n. area of land, esp in the country, with one owner
estimate n. judgement or calculation of the approximate size, cost, value, etc of sth
ethic n. system of moral principles; rules of conduct
ethnic adj. of a national, racial or tribal group that has a common cultural tradition
evaluate v. find out or form an idea of the amount or value of (sb/sth); assess
eventual adj. happening at last as a result; ultimate
evident adj. (that...) obvious (to the eye or mind); clear
evolve v. (cause to) develop naturally and (usu) gradually
exceed v. be greater or more numerous than (esp a quantity)
exclude v. sb/sth prevent sb from entering somewhere, taking part in sth, etc; keep sb out
exhibit n. object or collection of objects displayed for the public, eg in a museum
expand v. (into sth) (cause sth to) become greater in size, number or importance
expert n. person with special knowledge, skill or training in a particular field
explicit adj. (of a statement, etc) clearly and fully expressed
exploit n. brave or adventurous deed or action
export n. exporting
expose v. uncover or make (sth) visible; display
external adj. outside; situated on the outside of sth (esp the body)
extract v. sth take or get sth out, usu with effort or by force
facilitate v. (of an object, a process, etc but not of a person) make (sth) easy or less difficult
factor n. fact, circumstance, etc that helps to produce a result
feature n. one of the named parts of the face (eg nose, mouth, eyes) which together form its appearance
federal adj. of or relating to a form of government or a country in which power is divided between one central and several regional government
fee n. (usu. pl ) amount paid for professional advice or service, eg to private teachers, doctors, etc
file n. metal tool with a rough surface for cutting, smoothing or shaping hard substances
final adj. of the end; coming last
finance n. management of money
finite adj. having bounds; limited; not infinite
flexible adj. that can bend easily without breaking
fluctuate v. (of a price, number, rate, etc) rise and fall; change irregularly
focus n. =>Usage at data data. point at which rays (of light, sound, etc) meet or from which they appear to come
format n. shape, size, binding, etc of a book
formula n. (chemistry ) set of symbols showing the elements that a substance is made of
forthcoming adj. about to happen or appear in the near future
foundation n. act of founding
framework n. structure giving shape and support
function n. special activity or purpose of a person or thing
fund n. sum of money saved or made available for a particular purpose
fundamental adj. of or forming the basis or foundation of sth; essential
furthermore adv. in addition; moreover ;
gender n. (in certain languages) classification of a noun or pronoun as masculine or feminine
generate v. cause to exist or occur; produce
generation n. production
globe n. small spherical model of the earth showing the continents and usu also countries, rivers, cities, etc
goal n. (in football, hockey, etc) pair of posts with a crossbar, between which the ball has to be kicked, hit, etc in order to score
grade n. step, stage or degree of rank, quality, etc; level of classification
grant v. agree to give or allow (what is asked for)
guarantee n. (against sth) promise (usu in writing) that certain conditions agreed to in a transaction will be fulfilled
guideline n. a principle put forward to set standards or determine a course of actio
hence adv. from this time
hierarchy n. system with grades of authority or status from the lowest to the highest
highlight n. best, most interesting or most exciting part of something
hypothesis n. idea or suggestion that is based on known facts and is used as a basis for reasoning or further investigation
identical adj. the the same
identify v. sb/sth as sb/sth show, prove, etc who or what sb/sth is; recognize sb/sth (as being the specified person or thing)
ideology n. ideas that form the basis of an economic or political theory or that are held by a particular group or person
ignorant adj. (of sth)knowing little or nothing; lacking education or information; unaware
illustrate v. supply with pictures, diagrams, etc
image n. copy of the shape of a person or thing, esp one made in stone or wood; statue
immigrate v. enter a foreign country in order to live there permanently
impact n. hitting of one object against another
implement n. tool or instrument
implicate v. sb show that sb is involved in sth, esp a crime
implicit adj. implied, but not expressed directly; not explicit
imply v. suggest (sth) indirectly rather than state it directly; hint
impose v. sth place (a penalty, tax, etc) officially on sb/sth
incentive n. thing that encourages sb to do sth; stimulus
incidence n. of sth extent to which sth happens or has an effect
incline v. towards sth lean or slope in the direction of sth
income n. money received over a certain period, esp as payment for work or as interest on investments
incorporate v. sth (in/into sth) make sth part of a whole; include
index n. list of names or topics referred to in a book, etc, usu arranged at the end in alphabetical order
indicate v. sth (to sb) show sth, esp by pointing
individual adj. single; separate
induce v. persuade or influence (sb) to do sth
inevitable adj. that cannot be avoided; that is sure to happen
infer v. sth (from sth) reach (an opinion) from facts or reasoning; conclude sth
infrastructure n. subordinate parts, installations, etc that form the basis of a system, or an organization
inherent adj. existing as a natural or permanent feature or quality of sb/sth
inhibit v. sb prevent sb from doing sth that should be natural or easy to do
initial adj. of or at the beginning; first
initiate v. put (a scheme, etc) into operation; cause (sth) to begin
injure v. hurt (sb); harm
innovate v. make changes; introduce new things
input n. action of putting sth in
insert v. sth put, fit, place sth into sth or between two things
insight n. (approv ) ability to see into the true nature (of sth); deep understanding
inspect v. examine (sth) closely
instance n. particular occurrence of sth that happens generally or several times; example; case
institute n. society or organization for a special (usu social, professional or educational) purpose
instruct v. direct to do something; order
integral adj. necessary for completeness
integrate v. sth (into sth); A and B/ A with B combine sth in such a way that it becomes fully a part of sth else
integrity n. quality of being honest and morally upright
intelligence n. power of learning, understanding and reasoning; mental ability
intense adj. (of sensations) very great or severe; extreme
interact v. act or have an effect on each other
intermediate adj. situated or coming between two people, things, etc in time, space, degree, etc
internal adj. of or on the inside
interpret v. explain (sth which is not easily understandable)
interval n. time between two events
intervene v. (of time) come or be between
intrinsic adj. belonging naturally; existing within, not coming from outside
invest v. (in sth/with sb) use (money) to buy shares, property, etc, in order to earn interest or bring profit
investigate v. find out and examine in order to obtain the truth
invoke v. use (sth) as a reason for one's action
involve v. make necessary as a condition or result; entail
isolate v. sb/sth put or keep sb/sth entirely apart from other people or things; separate sb/sth ;
issue n. outgoing; outflow
item n. single article or unit in a list, etc
job n. the patience of job
journal n. newspaper or periodical, esp one that is serious and deals with a specialized subject
justify v. show that (sb/sth) is right, reasonable or just
label n. piece of paper, cloth, metal, etc on or beside an object and describing its nature, name, owner, destination, etc
labour n. physicalor mental work
layer n. thickness of material laid over a surface or forming a horizontal division
lecture n. (on sth) talk giving information about a subject to an audience or a class, often as part of a teaching programme
legal adj. of or based on the law
legislate v. make laws
levy v. sth (on sb) collect (a payment, etc) by authority or force; impose sth
liberal adj. tolerant and open-minded; free from prejudice
licence n. official document showing that permission has been given to own, use or do sth
likewise adv. similarly
link n. one ring or loop of a chain
locate v. discover the exact position or place of
logic n. science of reasoning
maintain v. sth cause sth to continue; keep sth in existence at the same level, standard, etc
major adj. important; great(er)
manipulate v. control or handle with skill
manual adj. of, done with or controlled by the hands
margin n. blank space round the written or printed matter on a page
mature adj. fully grown or developed mentally or physically; having achieved one's full potential
maximise [maximize:] vt. to make as high or great as possible; increase to a maximum
mechanism n. working parts of a machine, etc
media n. the media means of mass communication, eg TV, radio, newspapers
mediate v. act as a peacemaker or go-between for two or more people, groups, etc who disagree
medical adj. of the art of medicine; of curing disease
medium n. (pl usu media) means by which sth is expressed or communicated
mental adj. of, in or to the mind
method n. way
migrate v. (to...) move from one place to go to live or work in another
military adj. of or for soldiers or an army; of or for armed forces
minimal adj. smallest in amount or degree
minimize v. to reduce to or estimate at the least possible degree or amount
minimum n. least or smallest amount, degree, etc possible
ministry n. (buildings containing a) government department
minor adj. smaller, less serious, less important, etc
mode n. (fml ) way or manner in which sth is done
modify v. change (sth) slightly, esp to make it less extreme or to improve it
monitor n. device used to observe, record or test sth
motive n. that which causes sb to act in a particular way; reason
mutual adj. felt or done by each towards the other
negate v. deny or disprove the existence of (sb/sth)
network n. complex system of roads, etc crossingeach other
neutral adj. not supporting or helping either side in a dispute, contest,war, etc; impartial
nevertheless adv. conj in spite of this; however; still
norm n. standard or pattern that is typical (of a group, etc)
normal adj. in accordance with what is typical, usual or regular
notion n. idea or belief; concept
notwithstanding prep. (can also follow the n to which it refers) without being affected by (sth); in spite of
nuclear adj. of a nucleus, esp of an atom
objective adj. not influenced by personal feelings or opinions; unbiased; fair
obtain v. sth et sth; come to own or possess sth (by buying, borrowing, taking, etc)
obvious adj. easily seen, recognized or understood; clear
occupy v. live in or have possession of (a house, land, etc)
occur v. come into being as an event or a process; happen
odd adj. strange; unusual; peculiar
offset v. sth (by sth/doing sth) compensate for sth; balance sth
ongoing adj. continuing to exist or progress
option n. power or freedom of choosing; choice
orient n. the Orient countries of the (Far) East (eg Japan, China)
outcome n. effect or result (of an event, circumstances, etc)
output n. quantity of goods, etc produced
overall adj. including everything; total
overlap v. partly cover (sth) by extending over its edge
overseas adj. across the sea; foreign