Topic vocabulary: Movement |
| accelerate (v) |
to happen or make something happen at a faster rate |
I started to feel nervous as the car accelerated. |
| approach (v) |
to move closer to someone or something |
As we approached the airport, we put our seat belts on. |
| approach (v) |
to speak to someone about something for the first time, especially in order to ask for help or make an offer |
I decided to approach Or Wilson for advice. |
| approach (n) |
a particular way of thinking about or dealing with something |
She has an interesting approach to teaching. |
| approach (n) |
the fact of coming closer in time or in distance |
With the approach of the holidays, we all begin to dream of sunnier places. |
| ascend (v) |
to climb a mountain, stairs, etc |
As we began to ascend the mountain, the weather got worse. |
| bounce (v) |
if a ball or other object bounces, or if you bounce it, it hits a surface then immediately moves away from it |
Stop bouncing that ball against the wall. |
| bounce (n) |
the movement of a ball or other object when it hits a surface and moves away again |
You are allowed one bounce and then you have to catch the ball again. |
| clamber (v) |
to climb something with difficulty, using your hands and feet |
We quickly clambered up the rocks. |
| clench (v) |
if you clench a part of your body such as your hand or your mouth, or if it clenches, you close it tightly, especially because you are angry or upset |
Matt clenched his teeth but didn't say anything. |
| clutch (v) |
to hold someone or something firmly, for example because you are afraid or in pain, or do not want to lose them |
I clutched my passport as we made our way through the busy airport. |
| crawl (v) |
to move along the ground on your hands and knees or with your body close to the ground |
Most babies begin to crawl when they are a few months old. |
| creep (v) |
if someone creeps somewhere, they move there quietly and slowly |
The burglar crept along the corridor. |
| dash (v) |
to run or go somewhere very quickly because you are in a hurry |
I must just dash to the post office. |
| descend (v) |
to go down a mountain or slope, or to go downstairs |
We descended the mountain slowly. |
| drift (v) |
to be pushed along very slowly by the movement of air or water |
The boat must have been drifting for a long time. |
| drift (n) |
a slow and gradual change from one situation or opinion to another |
There's been a drift in public opinion away from supporting the policy. |
| drift (n) |
the meaning that someone is trying to express |
I don't speak French very well, but I got his drift. |
| emigrate (v) |
to leave your country in order to live in another country, on a permanent basis |
My brother is thinking of emigrating to Australia. |
| float (v) |
to rest or move slowly on the surface of a liquid and not sink |
I was floating in the sea when a wave came over my head. |
| flow (v) |
if a liquid flows, it moves smoothly and continuously in one direction |
The River Thames flows from west to east. |
| flow (n) |
the continuous movement of a liquid in one direction |
The flow of water was so powerful that it knocked me off my feet. |
| fumble (v) |
to try to hold, move or find something using your hands in a way that is not skilful or graceful |
She fumbled in her bag and finally found a pen. |
| gesture (v) |
to make a movement with your hands or head in order to show or tell someone something |
Alec gestured towards the photograph on the wall. |
| gesture (n) |
a movement that communicates a feeling or instruction |
Gestures differ from culture to culture. |
| glide (v) |
to move in a smooth and easy way with no noise |
The dancer seemed to glide across the floor. |
| grab (v) |
to take hold of something in a rough or rude way |
It's very rude to grab things out of other people's hands. |
| grasp (v) |
to take and hold something or someone very tightly |
Vicky grasped my hand as we crossed the busy road. |
| hop (v) |
to move forward by jumping on one foot |
Can you hop on one leg? |
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| hop (n) |
a quick jump on one foot |
The little girl jumped over the cat with a hop. |
| immigrant (n) |
someone who comes to live in a country from another country |
I don't think it's right that all these immigrants should be allowed to come here. |
| jog (v) |
to run at a slow steady speed, usually for exercise or pleasure |
I jog about five miles every morning. |
| jog (n) |
a run for exercise or pleasure at a slow steady speed |
Do you want to go for a jog? |
| leap (v) |
to jump over something |
He leapt over the table and punched me in the face. |
| leap (n) |
a jump, especially a long or high one |
It'll take a big leap to get over the stream. |
| march (v) |
if soldiers march, they walk in a group with each person matching the speed and movements of the others |
They marched for days to get to the border. |
| march (n) |
a walk by a group of soldiers in which each person matches the speed and movements of the others |
The soldiers were tired after a long march. |
| migrate (v) |
if a bird or animal migrates, it travels to another part of the world for warmer weather at a particular time of the year |
You often see large flocks of birds as they migrate south. |
| point (v) |
to show something by holding out your finger or a long thin object |
I looked where she was pointing. |
| punch (v) |
to hit someone or something with your fist, usually as hard as you can |
Tany punched the wall in anger. |
| refugee (n) |
someone who leaves their country, especially during a war or other threatening event |
More than a million refugees are trying to escape the fighting. |
| roam (v) |
to move or travel with no particular purpose |
We spent the afternoon just roaming the hills. |
| roll (v) |
to move forward while turning over and over |
I spotted a ball rolling towards me and picked it up. |
| rotate (v) |
to move in a circle around a fixed central point, or to move something in this way |
This part rotates, spraying water on all the dirty dishes. |
| route (n) |
the roads or paths that you use when you go from one place to another |
I'm just planning our route for tomorrow. |
| sink (v) |
to disappear below the surface of the water |
The ship sank when it hit an iceberg. |
| skid (v) |
to slide across the ground in an uncontrolled way |
The car skidded on the wet road. |
| skid (n) |
a sudden uncontrolled slide across the ground, especially by a vehicle |
We went into a skid because there was ice on the road. |
| skip (v) |
to move forwards by jumping first on one foot and then the other |
I loved school when I was young and I used to skip all the way there. |
| slide (v) |
to move smoothly and quickly across a surface |
Jason slid a pen to me across the table. |
| slide (n) |
a structure that children play on by climbing up steps and sliding down a slope on the other side |
Let Tammy have a go on the slide now. |
| slip (v) |
if you slip, your feet slide accidentally and you lose your balance or fall over |
I slipped on the stairs. |
| step (v) |
to move by putting one foot down in front of the other |
Would you just step this way, sir? |
| step (n) |
a short movement made by putting one foot in front of the other |
You can get a device that counts how many steps you take in a day. |
| step (n) |
one of a series of actions you do in order to achieve a particular aim |
What's the next step? |
| stride (v) |
to walk with energy and confidence |
The head teacher strode into the room and looked at us. |
| stride (n) |
a long confident step |
In a couple of strides, the speaker had crossed the stage and was ready to start. |
| trip (v) |
to hit your foot on something and fall down |
I tripped as I was going into the bedroom. |
| velocity (n) |
the speed that something moves at in one direction |
Bullets travel at very high velocities. |
| wander (v) |
to travel from place to place, especially on foot, without a particular direction or purpose |
I wandered around the art gallery for an hour. |
| wave (v) |
to move your hand to say hello or goodbye or as a signal |
We waved to Valerie as the train pulled away. |
| wave (n) |
a movement of your hand used for saying hello or goodbye to someone or for giving a signal |
The Queen gave the crowd a quick wave. |
