English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2) — A1 is the friendliest place to start — and browse its words grouped by topic: travel, food, the body, emotions, and more. Each word shows its meaning, example sentences, and US/UK pronunciation.
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68 words
hulk
C2+
/hʊlk/
a large abandoned ship, wreck, or shell
madrina
C2+
/mɑːˈdriːnə/
in South American pack travel, a steady mare or other animal wearing a bell and leading a troop of mules
spaceworthy
C2+
/ˈspeɪsˌwɝði/
fit, reliable, and safe enough to be launched into or travel through space
sleighbell
C2+
/ˈsleɪbɛl/
a small hollow bell, typically containing a loose pellet, attached to a sleigh or harness so that it jingles during travel
unmaneuverable
C2+
/ˌʌn.məˈnuː.vɚ.ə.bəl/
difficult or impossible to steer, turn, position, or control effectively
curb
C2+
/kɜrb/
to restrain or keep in check; a raised edge along a street
aft
C2+
/æft/
at, near, or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an aircraft
automobile
C2+
/ˈɔtəməˌbil/
a self-propelled passenger road vehicle; a car
bogie
C2+
/ˈboʊɡi/
a swiveling wheeled undercarriage on a railway vehicle
boxcar
C2+
/ˈbɑksˌkɑr/
an enclosed railroad freight car
conveyance
C2+
/kənˈveɪəns/
a means of transport, or the transfer of property
forestay
C2+
/ˈfɔrˌsteɪ/
a rope or stay supporting a ship's foremast from the bow
poop
C2+
/pup/
excrement; or the raised deck at the stern of a ship
streetcar
C2+
/ˈstritˌkɑr/
a passenger vehicle running on rails along city streets; a tram
taxicab
C2+
/ˈtæksiˌkæb/
a car licensed to carry passengers for a fare; a taxi
undecked
C2+
/ʌnˈdɛkt/
not adorned or decorated; of a boat, having no deck
barge
C2+
/bɑrdʒ/
a flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight on rivers and canals
berth
C2+
/bɜrθ/
a place for a ship to dock; a sleeping bunk on a ship or train
eject
C2+
/ɪˈdʒɛkt/
to force out or expel suddenly; to bail out of an aircraft
overpass
C2+
/ˈoʊvɚˌpæs/
a bridge carrying one road or path over another
planar
C2+
/ˈpleɪnɚ/
lying in or relating to a single plane; flat
sleeper
C2+
/ˈslipɚ/
one who sleeps, a sleeping car, or an unexpected success
st
C2+
/sənt/
abbreviation for saint or street
accelerator
C2+
/əkˈsɛləreɪtɚ/
a device or thing that increases speed, especially a car's gas pedal
aerobatics
C2+
/ˌɛrəˈbætɪks/
spectacular flying maneuvers performed by aircraft
airship
C2+
/ˈɛrˌʃɪp/
a powered lighter-than-air aircraft; a dirigible
astern
C2+
/əˈstɝn/
behind or toward the rear of a ship
autocamp
C2+
/ˈɔtoʊˌkæmp/
a roadside camp or site for motorists; to camp while traveling by car
brig
C2+
/brɪɡ/
a two-masted square-rigged ship; a prison on a warship
carriageway
C2+
/ˈkærɪdʒˌweɪ/
the part of a road used by vehicular traffic
coachbuilder
C2+
/ˈkoʊtʃˌbɪldɚ/
a maker of bodies for cars, carriages, or railway coaches
cogwheel
C2+
/ˈkɑɡˌwil/
a wheel with teeth on its rim that meshes with another to transmit motion
cowling
C2+
/ˈkaʊlɪŋ/
a removable metal cover over an engine, especially an aircraft's
crawler
C2+
/ˈkrɔlɚ/
something that crawls; a tracked vehicle or a web-indexing program
crewman
C2+
/ˈkrumən/
a member of the crew of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle
dirigible
C2+
/ˈdɪrɪdʒəbəl/
a steerable lighter-than-air aircraft; an airship
fender
C2+
/ˈfɛndɚ/
a guard over a wheel, or a protective barrier against impact
highjack
C2+
/ˈhaɪˌdʒæk/
to seize control of a vehicle or scheme by force (variant of hijack)
hotbox
C2+
/ˈhɑtˌbɑks/
an overheated axle bearing on a railway car; also an enclosed heated space
motorcar
C2+
/ˈmoʊtərˌkɑr/
a road vehicle powered by an engine; an automobile
parkway
C2+
/ˈpɑrkweɪ/
a broad landscaped road, often through a park or scenic area
pedestrianize
C2+
/pəˈdɛstriənaɪz/
to convert a street or area for use by pedestrians only
pilotage
C2+
/ˈpaɪlətɪdʒ/
the act or skill of piloting a ship or aircraft, or the fee for it
reload
C2+
/riˈloʊd/
to load again, as a weapon, vehicle, or web page
skipper
C2+
/ˈskɪpər/
the captain of a ship or sports team
straightaway
C2+
/ˌstreɪtəˈweɪ/
immediately, at once; or a straight stretch of road or track
underpass
C2+
/ˈʌndɚpæs/
a road or passage running beneath another road or railway
unicycle
C2+
/ˈjunɪˌsaɪkəl/
a single-wheeled pedal-driven vehicle
urchin
C2+
/ˈɜrtʃɪn/
a mischievous or poorly clothed child; a street waif
velocipede
C2+
/vəˈlɑsɪpid/
an early bicycle or pedaled vehicle propelled by the rider
top-hamper
C2+
/ˈtɑːp ˌhæmpɚ/
nautical: masts, spars, rigging, and other gear carried high above a ship's deck, especially when regarded as excess upper weight
spanker-boom
C2+
/ˈspæŋkɚˌbuːm/
the boom attached to the aftermost mast of a traditionally rigged sailing vessel, used to extend and control the foot of the spanker sail
flagboat
C2+
/ˈflæɡˌboʊt/
a ship or boat carrying the commander of a fleet or squadron; a flagship
debarkment
C2+
/dɪˈbɑːrk.mənt/
historical: the act of going or putting people or goods ashore from a ship; disembarkation
cabful
C2+
/ˈkæb.fʊl/
as many people or as much material as a cab can hold
blue peter
C2+
/ˌbluː ˈpiːtɚ/
a blue signal flag with a white central square, flown to show that a merchant vessel is ready to sail
chaise cart
C2+
/ˈʃeɪz ˌkɑɹt/
historical: a light horse-drawn cart or carriage suitable for driving, typically used for local travel
hammercloth
C2+
/ˈhæmərˌklɔθ/
a decorative, often weatherproof cloth covering the coachman's seat or box of a carriage
peage
C2+
/ˈpeɪ.ɪdʒ/
archaic: a toll or duty charged for passage along a road or across a bridge, river, or other route, often on transported goods
undergirder
C2+
/ˌʌn.dɚˈɡɝː.dɚ/
historical nautical: a heavy rope or cable used to brace and hold together the hull of an ancient ship, especially a trireme
thowel
C2+
/θoʊəl/
historical or dialectal: a tholepin or rowlock against which an oar works in a boat
periagua
C2+
/ˌperiˈɑːɡwə/
a dugout canoe or a larger boat made by widening a dugout with added planks
jackstaff
C2+
/ˈdʒækˌstæf/
nautical: a short staff fixed at a ship's bow or bowsprit cap from which the jack is flown
paddle-box
C2+
/ˈpædəlˌbɑːks/
nautical: the protective housing over the upper part of a paddle wheel on a steamship
side-wheel
C2+
/ˈsaɪdˌwiːl/
nautical: having a paddle wheel on each side of the hull
balandra
C2+
/bəˈlændrə/
historical: a small one-masted sailing vessel used especially in Spanish-speaking regions
horsecloth
C2+
/ˈhɔːrsklɔːθ/
a blanket, rug, or decorative cloth used to cover a horse or forming part of its trappings
tweendeck
C2+
/ˈtwiːnˌdɛk/
nautical: an intermediate deck, or the space between decks, especially on a merchant ship above the hold