English Words From Voice of America (Charles Kelly)

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cabinet a group of ministers that helps lead a government

call to give a name to ("I call myself John."); to ask for or request ("They called for an end to the fighting.")

calm quiet; peaceful; opposite tense

camera a device for taking pictures

camp a place with temporary housing

campaign a competition by opposing political candidates seeking support from voters; a connected series of military actions during a war

can to be able to; to have the right to; n. a container used to hold liquid or food, usually made of metal

cancel to end; to stop

cancer a disease in which dangerous cells grow quickly and destroy parts of the body

candidate a person who seeks or is nominated for an office or an honor

capital the official center of a government; the city where a country's government is

capitalism an economic system in which the production of most goods and services is owned and operated for profit by private citizens or companies

capture to make a person or animal a prisoner; to seize or take by force; to get control of

car a vehicle with wheels used to carry people; an automobile; a part of a train

care to like; to protect; to feel worry or interest

careful acting safely; with much thought

carry to take something or someone from one place to another

carry out to do; to put into effect ("Please carry out the plan.")

case (court) a legal action

case (medical) an incident of disease ("There was only one case of chicken pox at the school.")

cat a small animal that often lives with humans

catch to seize after a chase; to stop and seize with the hands

cause to make happen; n. the thing or person that produces a result

ceasefire a halt in fighting, usually by agreement

celebrate to honor a person or event with special activities

cell a small mass of living material that is part of all plants and animals

center the middle of something; the place in the middle; a place that is the main point of an activity

century one hundred years

ceremony an act or series of acts done in a special way established by tradition

chairman a person leading a meeting or an organized group

champion the best; the winner

chance a possibility of winning or losing or that something will happen

change to make different; to become different

charge to accuse someone of something, usually a crime; n. a statement in which someone is accused of something

chase to run or go after someone or something

cheat to get by a trick; to steal from

cheer to shout approval or praise

chemicals elements found in nature or made by people; substances used in the science of chemistry

chemistry the scientific study of substances, what they are made of, how they act under different conditions, and how they form other substances

chief the head or leader of a group; ad. leading; most important

child a baby; a boy or girl

children more than one child

choose to decide between two or more

chromosome a line of genes; most human cells contain 46 chromosomes

circle a closed shape that has all its points equally distant from the center, like an "O"

citizen a person who is a member of a country by birth or by law

city any important large town

civil rights the political, economic and social rights given equally to all people of a nation

civilian not military

claim to say something as a fact

clash a battle; v. to fight or oppose

clean to make pure; ad. free from dirt or harmful substances ("clean water")

clear easy to see or see through; easily understood

clergy a body of officials within a religious organization

climate the normal weather conditions of a place

climb to go up or down something by using the feet and sometimes the hands

clock a device that measures and shows time

close to make something not open; ad. near to

cloth a material made from plants, chemicals, animal hair and other substances

clothes what people wear

cloud a mass of fog high in the sky

coal a solid black substance used as fuel

coalition forces, groups or nations joined together

coast land on the edge of the ocean

coffee a drink made from the plant of the same name

cold not warm; having or feeling great coolness or a low temperature

collect to bring or gather together in one place; to demand and receive ("collect taxes")

college a small university

colony land controlled by another country or government

color the different effects of light on the eye, making blue, red, brown, black, yellow and others

combine to mix or bring together

come to move toward; to arrive

command to order; to have power over something

comment to say something about; to express an opinion about something

committee a group of people given special work

common usual; same for all ("a common purpose")

communicate to tell; to give or exchange information

community a group of people living together in one place or area

company a business organized for trade, industrial or other purposes

compare to examine what is different or similar

compete to try to do as well as, or better than, another or others

complete having all parts; ended or finished

complex of or having many parts that are difficult to understand; not simple

compound a substance containing two or more elements

compromise the settlement of an argument where each side agrees to accept less than first demanded

computer an electronic machine for storing and organizing information, and for communicating with others

concern interest, worry ("express concern about"); v. to fear ("to be concerned")

condemn to say a person or action is wrong or bad

condition something declared necessary to complete an agreement; a person's health

conference a meeting

confirm to approve; to say that something is true

conflict a fight; a battle, especially a long one

congratulate to praise a person or to express pleasure for success or good luck

Congress the organization of people elected to make the laws of the United States (the House of Representatives and the Senate); a similar organization in other countries

connect to join one thing to another; to unite; to link

conservative one who usually supports tradition and opposes great change

consider to give thought to; to think about carefully

constitution the written general laws and ideas that form a nation's system of government

contain to hold; to include

container a box, bottle or can used to hold something

continent any of the seven great land areas of the world

continue to go on doing or being

control to direct; to have power over

convention a large meeting for a special purpose

cook to heat food before eating it

cool almost cold

cooperate to act or work together

copy to make something exactly like another; n. something made to look exactly like another

corn a food grain

correct true; free from mistakes; v. to change to what is right

cost the price or value of something ("The cost of the book is five dollars."); v. to be valued at ("The book costs five dollars.")

cotton a material made from a plant of the same name

count to speak or add numbers

country a nation; the territory of a nation; land away from cities

court where trials take place; where judges make decisions about law

cover to put something over a person or thing; n. anything that is put over a person or thing

cow a farm animal used for its milk

crash to fall violently; to hit with great force

create to make; to give life or form to

creature any living being; any animal or human

credit an agreement that payments will be made at a later time

crew a group of people working together

crime an act that violates a law

criminal a person who is responsible for a crime

crisis an extremely important time when something may become much better or worse; a dangerous situation

criticize to say what is wrong with something or someone; to condemn; to judge

crops plants that are grown and gathered for food, such as grains, fruits and vegetables

cross to go from one side to another; to go across

crowd a large number of people gathered in one place

crush to damage or destroy by great weight; to defeat completely

cry to express or show sorrow or pain

culture all the beliefs, traditions and arts of a group or population

cure to improve health; to make well ("The doctor can cure the disease."); n. something that makes a sick person well ("Antibiotics are a cure for infection.")

curfew an order to people to stay off the streets or to close their businesses

current movement of air, water or electricity; ad. belonging to the present time ("She found the report in a current publication.")

custom a long-established belief or activity of a people

customs taxes on imports

cut to divide or injure with a sharp tool; to make less; to reduce

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