Useful Verbs

Front 1

Terrify

Back 1

Her husband’s violence terrified her

Hint 1

to make someone extremely afraid

Front 2

Astonish

Back 2

I was astonished that hear he was married

Hint 2

to surprise someone very much

SYN amaze

Front 3

Recede

Back 3

His hair is receding

Hint 3

1if something you can see or hear recedes, it gets further and further away until it disappears

Front 4

Upset

Back 4

He upset his parents because he was so rude to them

Hint 4

to make someone feel unhappy or worried

Front 5

Rely

Back 5

I knew I could rely on David

Hint 5

to trust or depend on someone or something to do what you need or expect them to do → reliable

Front 6

Had a row with

Back 6

I had a row with my brother

Hint 6

Have an angry discussion

SYN: Argue

Front 7

Get together

Back 7

We should get together and go for a drink some time

Hint 7

meet in order to do something or spend time together

Front 8

Invent

Back 8

Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.

Hint 8

to make, design, or think of a new type of thing

Front 9

Provide

Back 9

Tea and biscuits will be provided

Hint 9

to give something to someone or make it available to them, because they need it or want it

Provision

Front 10

Carry out

Back 10

A survey of ten schools in the area will be carried out next year

Hint 10

to do or complete something, especially something important

food that you can take away from a restaurant to eat somewhere else, or a restaurant that sells food like this

SYN: takeaway > British English

Front 11

Encourage

Back 11

I want to thank everyone who has encouraged and supported me

Hint 11

to give someone the courage or confidence to do something OPP discourage

Front 12

Investigate

Back 12

The state police are investigating the incident

Hint 12

to try to find out the truth about something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem

Front 13

Determine

Back 13

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Hint 13

to find out the facts about something SYN establish

Front 14

Recruit

Back 14

Many government officials were recruited from private industry.

Hint 14

to find new people to work in a company, join an organization, do a job etc

Front 15

Intend

Back 15

I intend to spend the night there

Hint 15

to have something in your mind as a plan or purpose

Front 16

intend to do something

Back 16

He intends to appeal against the decision

Hint 16

to have decided that you want to do something at some time in the future

Front 17

Conduct

Back 17

They conducted a campaign of bombings

Hint 17

to carry out a particular activity or process, especially in order to get information or prove facts

SYN carry out, do

Front 18

Deteriorate

Back 18

Ethel’s health has deteriorated.

Hint 18

to become worse

Front 19

Excel

Back 19

Rick has always excelled at foreign languages

Hint 19

to do something very well, or much better than most people

excel at/in

Front 20

Trigger

Back 20

Certain forms of mental illness can be triggered by food allergies.

His action triggered a massive response from the government.

Hint 20

to make something happen very quickly, especially a series of events

Front 21

Consider

Back 21

Have you considered the possibility of retraining ?

Hint 21

to think about something carefully, especially before making a choice or decision

Front 22

Blare

Back 22

Horns blared in the street outside

Hint 22

to make a very loud unpleasant noise

Front 23

aspire

Back 23

people aspire to start their own business

Hint 23

to desire and work towards achieving something important

Front 24

Afford

Back 24

I couldn’t afford the rent on my own

Hint 24

to have enough money to buy or pay for something

Front 25

Concentrate

Back 25

Concentrate on : Be quiet – let me concentrate on my homework

Hint 25

to think very carefully about something that you are doing

Concentration