This week on The Missing Workbook
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Word
English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2, plus C2+ for rare words beyond the CEFR scale) — 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.
Choose your level
All 27,899 wordsC2+ is beyond the official CEFR scale: rare, specialist, and literary words kept for reference.
114 words
day laborer
B2
/ˈdeɪ ˌleɪ.bɚ.ɚ/
a worker hired and paid by the day, especially for temporary or unskilled manual work
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wool comber
C2
/ˈwʊl ˌkoʊmɚ/
a worker who combs wool to align its long fibers and remove short fibers before spinning
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flax-dresser
C2
/ˈflæksˌdrɛsɚ/
a worker who prepares flax or hemp fiber for spinning by breaking, scutching, and hackling it
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ice cutter
C2+
/ˈaɪsˌkʌtɚ/
historical: a worker who cuts and harvests blocks of natural ice from a frozen lake, pond, or river
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tirewoman
C2+
/ˈtaɪɚˌwʊmən/
archaic: a lady's maid who helps her employer dress and arrange her clothes or hair
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coal-whipper
C2+
/ˈkoʊlˌwɪpɚ/
historical: a dock worker who unloaded coal from a ship's hold using a rope-and-counterweight hoisting system
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manurance
C2+
/məˈnʊrəns/
the cultivation, occupation, or working of land; archaic
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purpresture
C2
/pɚˈprɛstʃɚ/
law: a wrongful enclosure, occupation, or appropriation of land subject to public or common rights
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floriculturist
C2+
/ˌflɔr.ɪˈkʌl.tʃɚ.ɪst/
a specialist who cultivates flowering and ornamental plants, especially as a profession
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baggageman
C2
/ˈbæɡɪdʒˌmæn/
historical: a railway employee responsible for receiving, guarding, sorting, and delivering passengers' baggage, often in a baggage car
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gownsman
C2+
/ˈɡaʊnzmən/
a member of a profession traditionally marked by a gown, especially a cleric, lawyer, or university member
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emeritus
C2
/ɪˈmɛɹɪtəs/
retired from a post but allowed to keep its title as an honour
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get ahead
A1
to become more successful or improve one's position
Phrasal verb
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grind out
C1
to produce something through repetitive and often tedious work
Phrasal verb
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knock off
A2
to stop working or end an activity, informally
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lay off
B1
to dismiss workers because their jobs are no longer required or affordable
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look after
A1
to oversee something carefully and make sure it is properly handled
Prepositional verb
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specialize in
B1
to focus one's work or knowledge on a particular subject or activity
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