1

WAYS OF LOOKING

look: give attention to what one is seeing; turn the eyes and see in a certain
direction.
Look at that cute baby!

see: use the power of sight.

See! Here she comes!

watch: look at some activity or event; keep one's eyes fixed on something.
The boys watched television all the afternoon.

gaze: look at something for a long time, in surprise or admiration.

She gazed at him in disbelief when he told her the news.

stare: look at something for a long time with the eyes wide open.
She was staring into space.

gawk = gawp: stare impolitely.

Many people gathered to gawp at the crashed car.

gape: look at something with one's mouth open.

She gaped at him in surprise.

glance: have a quick look at something.

She glanced at her watch.

scan: look quickly at something without careful reading.

He scanned the newspaper over breakfast.

glare: stare angrily or fiercely.

She didn't answer, but just glared silently at me.

peer: look very carefully, as if not able to see well.

He peered at me over his spectacles.

peep: look quickly and cautiously.

He was caught peeping through the keyhole.

observe: watch carefully.

The police observed the man entering the bank.

glimpse: have a passing view of something or someone. Usually used in the

expression to catch a glimpse of.
He could catch a glimpse of the president among the crowd.

spot: recognize someone suddenly among many others.

He was spotted by the police boarding a plane for Berlin.

behold: old use of the verb to see.

Behold the king!

view: (technical) look thouroughly; regard, consider.

That film hasn't been viewed by the censor yet.

sight: see for the first time.

The men in the ship finally sighted land.

leer: look in an unpleasant way, suggesting ill will or lust.

The man leered at the young girl.

blink: shut and open the eyes quickly.

How long can you stare without blinking?

wink: close one eye briefly, as a signal to somebody.

He winked at me to show that he was just joking.

frown: look in a worried or angry way, moving down the eyebrows together.
He read the telegram, frowning at its contents.

scowl: frown angrily.

She was very angry and scowled at him while she talked.

squint: look with eyes half shut or turned sideways, or through a narrow opening.
She squinted through the letter-box and saw an envelope.

peek: look quickly and secretively.

She found her brother peeking at her diary.

ogle: look or stare (at a woman) suggesting sexual interest.

Most women hate being ogled at.

goggle: look with the eyes wide open in surprise or shock. (old-fashioned)
People were goggling at her as if she were from another planet.

eyeball: look directly or closely.

Francis eyeballed a beautiful woman at the party.

take a gander at something: (informal) look at something.

cast an eye on/over something: look at something, examine something.

browse: look through the pages of a book or magazine; look at the goods in a shop
without really wanting to buy anything.
Sheila spent all the afternoon browsing the boutiques.

scrutinize: examine thoroughly and carefully.

John scrutinized the painting at the museum.

WAYS OF TALKING

mumble: speak unclearly, so that

others can't hear.
He mumbled something at me which
I didn't understand.

mutter: speak in a low voice, which

is hard to hear.
She was muttering something to
herself as she went out.

murmur: speak in a soft, quiet

voice that is difficult to hear clearly.
The classmates murmured during
the test.

hum: make a low continuous

sound, when you take a long time
deciding what to say.
She hummed at the beginning of the
oral exam.

grunt: make short sounds or say a

few words in a rough voice, when
you don't want to talk. (Pigs also
grunt).
She grunted a few words and left
the table.

speak: make use of words in a

normal voice.
May I speak to George?

talk: speak to give information, say

things.
What are they talking about?

hesitate: be slow to speak (or act)

because one is uncertain or
unwilling to talk.
He hesitated before answering my
question.

whisper: speak softly, without

vibrating the vocal cords, privately
or secretly.
She whispered the secret word in
my ear.

hiss: say something in a loud

whisper. (Snakes also hiss).
'Get out!' she hissed at me furiously.

stammer: speak with pauses and

repeating the same sound or
syllable, habitually or from fear or
excitement.
'P-p-please give me the p-p-pen,' he
stammered.
stutter: stammer.
'P-p-please give me the p-p-pen,' he
stuttered.
quaver: speak tremulously, because
you are nervous or upset.
Her voice quavered for a moment but
then she regained control.
lisp: speak with /th/ sounds
instead of /s/ sounds.
You're very thilly, Thimon. (You're
very silly, Simon.)

Please stop chattering, I'm trying to

listen to the TV!

gossip: talk about the affairs of

other people.
She was gossiping about her
neighbours all day.

call: speak in a loud clear voice,

shout, cry.
They called for help.

shout: speak in a loud voice, in

anger or to get attention.
He had to shout because the music
was too loud.

whoop: shout loudly and happily.

The children whooped when we
entered the fair.

babble = gabble: talk foolishly, in a

way difficult to understand.
Her fever made her babble without
stopping.

cry (out): make a sharp noise, in

pain or surprise.
She cried out in terror when the old
man appeared suddenly.

ramble: talk continuously, in a

confused way.
Stop rambling and get to the point,
please!

yell: cry out loudly, in fear, pain or

excitement.
She yelled in terror when she saw
the dead cat.

slur: speak unclearly, without

separating the words correctly.
He was so drunk that he slurred to
the bartender for more.

chat: have a friendly informal

conversation.
They chatted away in the corner.

scream: cry out very loudly on a

high note, in fear, pain, anger or
laughter.
The baby was screaming the whole
day.

shriek: scream.
The men shrieked with laughter.

bellow: shout in a deep voice.

The captain bellowed orders at the
crew.

chatter: talk quickly and at length

about something unimportant.

squeal: speak in a high-pitched

voice, with longer and louder
sounds than in a squeak.
'Let me go!' she squealed.

blurt out: say something suddenly

and tactlessly.
She blurted out the bad news before
I could stop her.

snap: say something quickly in an

angry way.
'What do you want?' the waiter
snapped.

splutter: talk quickly in short

confused phrases, in anger or
surprise.
'But... what... where... how could
you?' she spluttered.

bark (out): say something quickly in

a loud voice.
'What do you want?' the shop
assistant barked.

whine: complain in a sad, annoying

voice about something.
'I don't want to go,' whined Peter.

chirp / chirrup (GB): speak in a

happy high voice.
'All finished!' she chirped.

cheer: shout because of happiness.

The public cheered when the team
appeared.

She had such a terrible cold that she

could only croak.

squeak: speak in a high-pitched

voice.
She squeaked out a few words
nervously.

croak: speak with a deep hoarse

voice.

WAYS OF WALKING

walk: move on one's feet.

We walked to town.
limp: walk unevenly because one
leg is hurt.
That man is hurt, he's limping.

hobble: walk with difficulty.

The old man hobbled along the
street with the aid of his stick.

stagger: walk unsteadily as if about

to fall.
He was so drunk that he staggered
all the way home.

stumble: stagger.
She stumbled upstairs and into bed.

lurch: stagger.
The drunken man was lurching
along the street.

tiptoe: walk on the tips of one's

toes.
She tiptoed to the bed so as not to
wake the baby.

stroll: walk for pleasure.

They strolled around the park.

amble: walk at a slow, leisurely

pace.
They ambled along for miles.

swagger: walk proudly, strut.

After winning the first prize, the
player swaggered about proudly.

saunter: stroll.
They sauntered around the park.

wander: move without a fixed

purpose or destination.
They enjoy wandering through the
countryside.

stalk: walk in a proud or angry way,

with long steps.
The teacher turned and stalked out
of the classroom.

sashay: walk in a confident way,

moving the body from side to side,
especially so that people look at
you.
The models sashayed down the
aisle showing their clothes.

trudge: walk slowly and with effort

because one is tired.
We were very tired after trudging
through the deep snow for two
hours.

roam: wander.
They roamed through the streets for
hours.

ramble: walk for pleasure with no

particular destination.
He likes rambling around in the
country.

mooch: wander, walk slowly

without any purpose.
John mooched about the shops.

meander: walk in a slow, relaxed

way instead of taking the most
direct way possible. (Rivers also
meander).
As I was sitting in the park, I
watched as couples seemed to
meander around happily.

shuffle: walk very slowly and

noisily, without lifting one's feet off
the ground.
His legs were aching so much that
he shuffled to bed.

stump: walk heavily and stiffly.

They stumped up the hill.

plod: walk with heavy steps or with

difficulty.
Labourers plodded home through the
muddy fields.

pace: walk with regular steps.

He paced up and down the platform,
waiting for the train.

march: walk with regular steps of

equal length.

stride: walk with long steps.

She strode across the fields.

strut: walk in a proud way, with the

chest out and trying to look
important.
He strutted past us, ignoring our
greeting.

7
Demonstrators marched through the
streets of the city.

parade: walk or march together to

celebrate or protest.
Demonstrators paraded through the
streets of the city.

crawl: move slowly with the body

close to the ground or on hands
and knees.
A baby crawls before he can walk.

toddle: walk with short unsteady

steps.
Her two-year-old son toddled into
the room.

edge: move gradually with small

movements.
Paul decided to edge away from the
crowd.
creep: move slowly and quietly with
the body close to the ground.
The cat crept silently towards the
bird.

sneak: go quietly and secretly in

order to avoid being seen or heard.
The boy sneaked in without paying.

pad: walk softly and quietly.

The child padded barefoot down the
stairs.

prowl: walk slowly and quietly

because you are involved in a
criminal activity or because you are
looking for something.
Street gangs usually prowl this alley.

slide: move smoothly over a

surface.
I was sliding on the ice.

slip: slide accidentally.

She slipped on the ice and broke her
leg.

dash: move quickly and suddenly,

rush.
I must dash or I'll miss the train.

dart: move quickly and suddenly in

the specified direction.
She darted away when I came in.

scamper: run quickly and playfully.

The children were scampering up the
steps.

sprint: run very quickly for a short

distance.
The kids sprinted down the stairs.

jog: run slowly and steadily, as a

way of exercising.
She goes jogging everyday.

trip over: catch one's foot on

something and stumble or fall.
He tripped over the step and fell.

scuttle: move quickly with short

steps, because you are afraid or do
not want to be noticed.
The mouse scuttled off when we
entered the room.

scurry: move quickly with short

steps, because you are in a hurry.
He was late so he had to scurry off
to work.

skip: move forward with quick steps

and jumps.
The child skipped with joy towards
his father.

lope: run with long steps.

The man loped off after the ball.

lollop: run with long awkward

steps.
The dog came lolloping down the
path.

tear: run or move quickly in a

dangerous or careless way.
When the storm started, they tore
back into the house.
rush: hurry, move quickly because
you need to get somewhere soon.
She was late so she decided to rush
off down the hall.

hop: move by jumping on one foot.

The man hopped down the road
after hurting his foot.

trip: walk with short quick steps,

usually as young girls do.
The little girl tripped happily up the
road.

lunge: make a sudden movement

towards somebody or something.
The boxer lunged forward and
grabbed his opponent by the arm.
scramble: climb up or down, or
over something quickly and with
difficulty.

They had to scramble up to the top

of the hill to see the view.

hike: take a long walk in the

mountains or countryside, as an
adventure.
The group hiked up to the top of the
hill.

trek: hike; make a long, difficult

journey on foot.
For ten days she trekked across the
mountains of China.

paddle (GB), wade (US): walk for

pleasure without shoes or socks in
water that is not very deep.
The children were paddling in the
lake.

waddle: walk with short steps,

moving the body from one side to
another, used especially to talk
about birds or people with fat
bodies.
The fat man waddled off to the

restaurant for lunch.

prance: walk with high steps or

large movements, in a confident
way.
She pranced around her room,
pretending to be an actress.

frogmarch: force somebody to walk

by holding his arms tightly by his
side, usually because of bad
behaviour.
The prefect frogmarched the boy to
the detention room

WAYS OF CRYING

cry: produce tears from your eyes, usually because you are unhappy or hurt.
Please stop crying, Paul!

burst into tears: suddenly start crying.

When her boyfriend told her the truth, she burst into tears and ran out.

break down in tears: suddenly cry a lot, after trying not to cry.
After reading his letter, she broke down in tears.

be close to tears/on the verge of tears: be about to cry.

When she heard his voice on the phone, she was close to tears.

have tears in one's eyes: be about to cry.

When I said goodbye, I had tears in my eyes.

shed tears: cry.

I must admit I shed a few tears when the school closed.

be in tears: be crying.
The children were all in tears when our dog disappeared.

be in floods of tears: (UK) cry a lot.

The children were in floods of tears when our dog disappeared.

be moved to tears: be so upset that you start to cry.

A lot of people were moved to tears by his story.

weep: cry a lot for a long time.

The kids wept bitterly when it was time to leave.

cry one's eyes/heart out: be extremely sad and cry a lot.

After the robbery, she cried her heart out.

bawl: (a baby) cry very loudly.

We could hear the baby bawling upstairs.

sob: cry noisily, with sudden noisy breaths.

He began sobbing uncontrollably.

your eyes water: you start to cry, especially because there is a lot of smoke or
because you have been cutting up onions.
There was so much smoke in that room that my eyes were watering.

10

WAYS OF SPEAKING

speak: make use of words in a normal voice.

May I speak to George?

11

talk: speak to give information, say things.

What are they talking about?

hesitate: be slow to speak (or act) because one is uncertain or unwilling to talk.
He hesitated before answering my question.

whisper: speak softly, without vibrating the vocal cords, privately or secretly.
She whispered the secret word in my ear.

hiss: say something in a loud whisper. (Snakes also hiss).

'Get out!' she hissed at me furiously.

mumble: speak unclearly, so that others can't hear.

He mumbled something at me which I didn't understand.

mutter: speak in a low voice, which is hard to hear.

She was muttering something to herself as she went out.

murmur: speak in a soft, quiet voice that is difficult to hear clearly.

The classmates murmured during the test.

hum: make a low continuous sound, when you take a long time deciding what to say.
She hummed at the beginning of the oral exam.

grunt: make short sounds or say a few words in a rough voice, when you don't want
to talk. (Pigs also grunt).
She grunted a few words and left the table.

stammer: speak with pauses and repeating the same sound or syllable, habitually or
from fear or excitement.
'P-p-please give me the p-p-pen,' he stammered.

stutter: stammer.
'P-p-please give me the p-p-pen,' he stuttered.

quaver: speak tremulously, because you are nervous or upset.

Her voice quavered for a moment but then she regained control.

lisp: speak with /th/ sounds instead of /s/ sounds.

You're very thilly, Thimon. (You're very silly, Simon.)

babble = gabble: talk foolishly, in a way difficult to understand.

Her fever made her babble without stopping.

12

ramble: talk continuously, in a confused way.

Stop rambling and get to the point, please!

slur: speak unclearly, without separating the words correctly.

He was so drunk that he slurred to the bartender for more.

chat: have a friendly informal conversation.

They chatted away in the corner.

chatter: talk quickly and at length about something unimportant.

Please stop chattering, I'm trying to listen to the TV!

gossip: talk about the affairs of other people.

She was gossiping about her neighbours all day.

call: speak in a loud clear voice, shout, cry.

They called for help.

shout: speak in a loud voice, in anger or to get attention.

He had to shout because the music was too loud.

whoop: shout loudly and happily.

The children whooped when we entered the fair.

cry (out): make a sharp noise, in pain or surprise.

She cried out in terror when the old man appeared suddenly.

yell: cry out loudly, in fear, pain or excitement.

She yelled in terror when she saw the dead cat.

scream: cry out very loudly on a high note, in fear, pain, anger or laughter.
The baby was screaming the whole day.

shriek: scream.
The men shrieked with laughter.

bellow: shout in a deep voice.

The captain bellowed orders at the crew.

squeak: speak in a high-pitched voice.

She squeaked out a few words nervously.

13

squeal: speak in a high-pitched voice, with longer and louder sounds than in a
squeak.
'Let me go!' she squealed.

whine: complain in a sad, annoying voice about something.

'I don't want to go,' whined Peter.

chirp / chirrup (GB): speak in a happy high voice.

'All finished!' she chirped.

cheer: shout because of happiness.

The public cheered when the team appeared.

croak: speak with a deep hoarse voice.

She had such a terrible cold that she could only croak.

blurt out: say something suddenly and tactlessly.

She blurted out the bad news before I could stop her.

snap: say something quickly in an angry way.

'What do you want?' the waiter snapped.

splutter: talk quickly in short confused phrases, in anger or surprise.

'But... what... where... how could you?' she spluttered.

bark (out): say something quickly in a loud voice.

'What do you want?' the shop assistant barked.

Related verbs
emit - communicate - pronounce - announce - ennunciate - mention - relate - narrate
- retell - report - butt in - interrupt - discuss - argue - lecture - preach - define - state
- assert - clarify - declare

14

WAYS OF SHINNING

shine: give out light, be bright.

She cleaned the glasses until they shone.

glow: give out heat and/or light without flames.

The embers were still glowing.

beam: give out heat and light.

It's a fabulous day, the sun is beaming!

gleam: give out a soft and bright light.

She had polished the ornaments so that they gleamed.

blaze: give out a bright light.

The sun blazed down on the beach.

glisten: shine brightly (for polished or wet surfaces).

Her eyes were glistening with tears.

glitter: shine brightly with flashes of light.

Her necklace was glittering with diamonds.

15

sparkle: shine brightly with flashes of light.

The diamond sparkles in the light.

glint: shine brightly with small flashes of light.

The gold rims of his glasses glinted in the sun.

flash: give out a sudden bright light.

The lightning flashed across the sky.

glare: shine with a strong light in a way unpleasant to the eyes.

The sun glared out of the blue sky.

dazzle: shine so brightly that it stops you from seeing properly for a short time.
The driver might have been dazzled by the headlights of the oncoming car.

shimmer: give out a soft trembling light.

The moonlight was shimmering on the sea.

glimmer: give out a faint unsteady light.

We could see lights glimmering in the distance.

flicker: shine (or burn) unsteadily.

The lights flickered for a moment.

twinkle: shine unsteadily.

The stars were twinkling in the sky.

16

WAYS OF EATING

eat: have food.

She eats meat everyday.

tuck in: (informal) eat eagerly, with enjoyment.

When the guests arrived, Peter was already at the table tucking in.

lick: eat something by rubbing it with the tongue.

The boy was sitting in the garden licking an icecream.

have a snack: eat a small meal between the main meals.

She usually has a snack for lunch and then a larger meal for dinner.

stuff/gorge oneself: (informal) eat so much that one can't eat anything else.
He didn't want any meal because he had stuffed himself with bread and butter.

overeat: eat more than is necessary or healthy.

If you want to lose weight, you shouldn't overeat.

pig out: (informal) eat more than is necessary or healthy.

When she's depressed she always pigs out on chocolates.

17

make a pig of oneself: (informal) eat too much.

She made a pig of herself, she had the whole pizza for herself!

guzzle: (informal) eat or drink a lot, with greed.

You guzzled my dessert! What a pig!

bolt: eat quickly, because one is in a hurry.

He bolted down the burger in just a minute!

wolf down: (informal) eat quickly, because you are hungry or in a hurry.
He wolfed down his lunch but was still hungry.

gobble (up): eat quickly.

You shouldn't gobble your food.

scoff: (informal) eat quickly.

William scoffed all the cake before we could get any.

polish off: finish a meal quickly or easily.

I was so hungry I polished off all the food.

nibble: eat small amounts of food, by taking small bites.

You have to nibble sweet corn.

peck: eat sparingly, without enthusiasm, because you are not interested or not
hungry.
Sally didn't like the fish. She only pecked at it.

chew: masticate, bite food several times before swallowing it.

The meat was so tough that it took a lot of chewing.

gnaw: keep biting something hard.

I watched my dog gnawing at the large bone.

chomp: eat, chew forcefully.

Francis chomped away at the meat.

munch: chew, eat noisily.

We all munched at the cookies as we watched the movie.

consume: eat or drink.

Are you going to consume all the beef?

18

sip: drink something slowly.

She was sitting at the table sipping her wine with pleasure.

suck (up): drink something with a straw.

Sally sucked up all the juice from the carton.

swig (back): drink quickly, gulp.

The thirsty man swigged back the water.

knock back: drink quickly.

Francis knocked back his beer in a flash!

quaff: drink a lot of something quickly, knock back.

Guests quaffed champagne while waiting for the bride to arrive.

gulp (down): swallow quickly.

Francis gulped down his beer quicker than anybody else.

WAYS OF LAUGHING

laugh: express joy by making a sound, moving the face or body.

She splashed water on Nick and we all began laughing.

chuckle: laugh quietly, because you are thinking about something funny.
What are you chuckling about? I don't see anything funny.

giggle: laugh quietly and repeatedly because you are nervous or embarrassed.
She spilt the wine on the tablecloth and then giggled nervously at me.

give somebody the giggles: make somebody start giggling.

titter: laugh quietly, unkindly at something embarrassing.

After she ended the lecture, she heard someone tittering.

snigger (GB) / snicker (US): laugh quietly, unkindly at something that is not
supposed to be funny.
When the teacher tripped on the steps, the boys sniggered.

roar / howl / shriek with laughter: laugh very loudly.

It was such a good comedy that when it finished, he was still roaring with laughter.

19

chortle: give a loud chuckle of pleasure or amusement.

When I told her the joke, she started to chortle with delight.

cackle: laugh loudly in a high voice.

When I told her the joke, she started cackling and couldn't stop!

guffaw: laugh noisily.

They guffawed at what their baby had done.

jeer: laugh at somebody or shout unkind things at them.

The president was jeered by a crowd of protesters.

burst into laughter: suddenly start laughing.

The class burst into laughter.

laugh your head off: (informal) laugh a lot and loudly.

He told us a joke after another, and we laughed our heads off!

smile: make one's mouth curve upwards, in order to be friendly or because one is
happy.
As the boy left, he smiled at his mother and waved.

beam: smile very happily.

The mother looked at her son and beamed proudly.

grin: smile widely.

When she knew she had won the prize, she grinned broadly.

simper: smile in a silly and annoying way.

He simpered at the boys as he spoke.

smirk: smile in an unpleasant way, to show that you are pleased by somebody's bad
luck.
The kids smirked when the teacher fell on the floor.

sneer: smile in an unkind way, showing no respect for somebody.

She sneered at his boyfriend's musical tastes.

Related idioms
laugh in somebody's face: to behave in a way that shows no respect for others.
I told her my opinion and she just laughed in my face.

20

be laughing all the way to the bank: make a lot of money without making much
effort.

somebody will be laughing on the other side of your face: used to mean that
although you are happy now, you will be in trouble later.

be laughed out of court (US): be rejected because people think it is completely

stupid.
His idea was laughed out of court.

laugh up your sleeve: be secretly happy because you played a trick on somebody or
you criticized somebody without him knowing.

laugh something off: pretend that something is less serious than it really is by
laughing about it.
The president laughed off rumors that he would resign.

laugh like a drain: laugh heartily.

John liked my joke so much, he laughed like a drain.

MOVEMENTS

To stumble = to hit your foot against something

The child stumbled over a stone and fell.

To stagger = to walk unsteadily as if drunk

He has been drinking. That's why he is staggering across the room.

To creep = to move quietly / secretely

I'll leave the door open. Just creep in so as not to wake the baby.

The cat crept towards the bird and caught it.

To dash = walk in a hurry, almost run

21

We're late. Let's just dash to work.

To slip out = move quietly or quickly without attracting attention

She slipped out of the room without being seen.

To jog = to walk very quickly or run

As she wants to keep fit, she jogs 20 minutes every day.

To limp = to walk slowly and with difficulty because one leg is hurt or injured

I've hurt my leg. That's why I've been limping for two days now.

To crawl =
1. move slowly along the ground as snakes do
2. move on the hands and knees like a baby

The thief crawled along the garden and broke into the house.

All babies crawl before they walk.

To trudge = walk heavily, often because of an obstacle

They trudged through deep snow for hours before arriving at the nearest village.

I was so tired that I had to trudge all the way home.

To lurch =
1. move suddenly forward or sideways, usually beacause you can't
control your movements
2. to stop with a sudden uncontrolled movement

The drunken man was lurching and staggering across the street.

I was so scared that I lurched across the park.

22

To stroll = to walk leisurely

We have been strolling allong the beach all morning

To march = walk quickly with firm, regular steps as in a parade

The soldiers marched along the street to celebrate the National Day.

Sounds of things hitting or rubbing together - synonyms or related words

beat
NOUN

a single regular sound or a series of regular sounds, especially of

two things hitting together

bump

NOUN

the sound of something hitting against something solid

chink

NOUN

the sound that is made when two glass or metal objects hit each other

clack

NOUN

the short loud sound of one hard object hitting against another

clangour

NOUN
LITERARY

clash

NOUN

the noise made when metal is hit

a loud sound made when two metal objects hit each other

clatter

VERB

if a hard object clatters, or if you clatter it, it makes several loud short noises as
it hits against another hard object or surface

23

clatter

NOUN

a series of loud short noises made when a hard object hits against
another hard object or surface

clink

NOUN

a short high sound that glass or metal objects make when they hit each other

clip-clop

NOUN

the sound that a horses hooves make when the horse is walking

clop

NOUN

the sound that a horses hooves (=feet) make when they hit the ground

clump

NOUN

the sound of heavy steps

clunk

NOUN

a low sound made when one hard heavy object hits another

crash

NOUN

a loud noise like the sound of two hard things hitting each other and breaking

drum

NOUN

the sound of something continuously hitting a surface

drumming

NOUN

the sound of something continuously hitting a surface

echo

NOUN

a noise that is repeated because the sound hits a surface and returns

24

flop
NOUN

the movement or sound of something that is not hard or made of metal falling against
something else

hammering
NOUN

the sound of someone hitting something very hard several times

jangle

NOUN

a noise made when metal objects hit each other

pounding

NOUN

the sound of repeated hard hits or loud noise

rap

NOUN

a quick hard hit, or the sound of this

rasp

NOUN

an unpleasant sound like the one made by two rough surfaces rubbing together

rat-a-tat

NOUN

BRITISH

rattle

NOUN

a series of short sharp sounds made by someone knocking on a door

the sound that something makes when it rattles

ricochet

NOUN

the sound or action of a moving object ricocheting off a surface

scrape

NOUN

25

the sound caused by something rubbing against a hard surface

scratch

NOUN

a sound made by moving something sharp or rough against a hard surface

scrunch

NOUN

a sound like something hard being crushed

slam

NOUN

an instance of something slamming down or slamming shut, or the noise made by

this

slap
NOUN

the sound of a slap or something similar hitting a surface

smack

NOUN

a loud sound made when something hits a surface

splash

NOUN

the sound of liquid hitting something, or the sound of something falling into a liquid

splat

NOUN

the sound made by a wet object hitting something hard

splosh

NOUN

BRITISHINFORMAL

the noise that a liquid makes when it moves around

thud
NOUN

a low sound made by something heavy falling or hitting something

thump

26

NOUN

a low loud sound that is made when something heavy hits something else

thwack

NOUN

a short loud sound like something flat hitting a surface hard

whack

NOUN

INFORMAL

the act of hitting someone or something with a lot of force, or

the sound that it makes

clang
NOUN

clank
NOUN

squelch
NOUN

things making the sound

verb of the sound (v)

name of the sound (n)

a door that needs oiling

to creak

creak

to sizzle

sizzle

a wooden floor, a stair

when a pressure is put
on it

a bacon, a drop of water

or butter on a hot frying

27

pan

leaves, clothes or papers

when rubbed against
each other

to rustle

rustle

a bomb, a gun

to bang

bang

a clock or a watch

to tick

tick

a cat when caressed

to purr

purr

car tyres when one

brakes suddenly

to screech

screech

a heavy object hitting

something else or falling
on the ground

to thud

thud

bell, keys in a pocket

to jingle

jingle

a well-tuned car engine

28

a bar of soap falling into

the full bath tub, a drop
of water

to plop

plop

champagne cork coming

out

to pop

pop

little bells, wine glasses

to tinkle

tinkle (light ringing sounds)

a light being switched on

to click

click

kettle lid shaking while

water boiling

to rattle

rattle

chair dragged across the

floor

to scrape

scrape

a fridge, a factory
machine

to hum

hum

window in the wind

29

ocean hitting the rocks,

when you jump into the
river

to splash

splash

wood burning in fire

to crackle

crackle, crackling

sound people make when

moaning

to whine

whine

to squeak

squeak

to roar

roar

to patter

patter

a dog asking for food

a vacuum cleaner

mice
rubber sole of shoes on
shiny floor
car tyres in a car park

a car, thunder or a lion

an audience's laughter

footsteps, rain on the roof

30

*pitter-patter(adv): with
quick light beats or steps

Things and their sounds

1.Aeroplanes - zoom
Sentence: Aeroplanes zoom right by my house constant.
2.Anvil - clangs
Sentence: While striking the Anvil, it clangs louder.
3.Bugles - blow

31
Sentence: I'm taking with me the original Bugle blown to sound the charge.
4.Babies - lisp
Sentence: New born Babies lisp.
5.Bells - peal
Sentence: In the tower is a peal of six Bells.
6.Bows - twang
Sentence: The Bows twang due to its elasticity.
7.Chains - clank
Sentence: She clanks her Chain.
8.Coins - jingle
Sentence: He have some coins to jingle.
9.Clouds - thunder
Sentence: I frightened by hearing the Clouds thunder.
10.Drums - beat
Sentence: President hoist the flag with Drum beat.
11.Doors - bang
Sentence: Doors bang during windy season.
12.Fire - crackles
Sentence: Fire crackles everywhere on Diwali.
13.Flags - flutter
Sentence: Flags flutter due to wind.
14.Guns - boom
Sentence: Guns boom during the war.
15.Glass - tinkles
Sentence: While striking two Glass tumblers it tinkles.
16.Hands - clap
Sentence: Dr.Abdul Kalam was encouraged by clapping hands.
17.Hinges - creak
Sentence: Hinges creak can be controlled by using lubricants.

32
18.Hoofs - clatter
Sentence: The Hoofs clatter during rapid movement.
19.Horns - toot
Sentence: Horns toot when there is traffic.
20.Leaves - rustle
Sentence: I hear rustling of Leaves every night.
21.Metals - ring
Sentence: When I throw the Metal plate it rings.
22.Nuts - crack
Sentence: Some Nuts are tough to crack.
23.Plates - rattle
Sentence: While dashing two Plates it rattles.

24.Shoes - creak
Sentence: The creaking shoes badly need to be replaced.
25.Sails - flutter
Sentence: Sails flutter in the sea.
26.Teeth - chatter
Sentence: Old mans Teeth make chattering noise due to cool climate.
27.Telephones - buzz
Sentence: It is annoying while the Telephones buzzes during night.
28.Trains - rumble
Sentence: One can hear the rumbling sound of the Train during night.
29.wings - flutter
Sentence: Pigeons make fluttering noise.
30.Winds - sigh
Sentence: You can hear the Winds sigh clearly in Desert.
31.Whistles - shriek
Sentence: Police shriek their Whistles when they saw the thief.

33
32.Wave - ripple
Sentence: I saw circles like ripple in the pond.
33.Water - laps
Sentence: Many movies were started with noise of Water laps.
34.Watches - tick
Sentence: Some songs starts with sound of ticking Watches

34

List of Adjective Words

adorable
adventurous
aggressive
agreeable
alert
alive
amused
angry
annoyed
annoying
anxious
arrogant
ashamed
attractive
average
awful
bad
beautiful
better
bewildered
black
bloody
blue
blue-eyed
blushing
bored
brainy
brave
breakable
bright
busy
calm
careful
cautious
charming
cheerful
clean
clear
clever
cloudy
clumsy

35

colorful
combative
comfortable
concerned
condemned
confused
cooperative
courageous
crazy
creepy
crowded
cruel
curious
cute
dangerous
dark
dead
defeated
defiant
delightful
depressed
determined
different
difficult
disgusted
distinct
disturbed
dizzy
doubtful
drab
dull
eager
easy
elated
elegant
embarrassed
enchanting
encouraging
energetic
enthusiastic
envious
evil
excited
expensive

36

exuberant
fair
faithful
famous
fancy
fantastic
fierce
filthy
fine
foolish
fragile
frail
frantic
friendly
frightened
funny
gentle
gifted
glamorous
gleaming
glorious
good
gorgeous
graceful
grieving
grotesque
grumpy
handsome
happy
healthy
helpful
helpless
hilarious
homeless
homely
horrible
hungry
hurt
ill
important
impossible
inexpensive
innocent
inquisitive

37

itchy
jealous
jittery
jolly
joyous
kind
lazy
light
lively
lonely
long
lovely
lucky
magnificent
misty
modern
motionless
muddy
mushy
mysterious
nasty
naughty
nervous
nice
nutty
obedient
obnoxious
odd
old-fashioned
open
outrageous
outstanding
panicky
perfect
plain
pleasant
poised
poor
powerful
precious
prickly
proud
puzzled
quaint

38

real
relieved
repulsive
rich
scary
selfish
shiny
shy
silly
sleepy
smiling
smoggy
sore
sparkling
splendid
spotless
stormy
strange
stupid
successful
super
talented
tame
tender
tense
terrible
testy
thankful
thoughtful
thoughtless
tired
tough
troubled
ugliest
ugly
uninterested
unsightly
unusual
upset
uptight
vast
victorious
vivacious
wandering

39

weary
wicked
wide-eyed
wild
witty
worrisome
worried
wrong
zany
zealous

40

41

Happy Adjectives
This section is designed to help you identify and use happiness adjectives as you write and
speak. Happy adjectives are great for describing jubilant situations. For example, happy
adjectives would help you create strong descriptions for a party or celebration scene within a
story or anecdote.
Joyous: This word is used to describe an occasion that is filled with happiness. It is
often used in formal styles of writing or when creating an old-fashioned festive scene.
a.
The announcement of the winner was a joyous moment for everyone involved
in preparing the team for the quiz competition.

Joyful: This word is related to joyous in that they share the same root word, joy. The
difference between the two words is that joyful is used to describe characters while
joyous is used to describe events, places, and experiences.
a.
The man and his wife were very joyful when they received the new car.

Beaming: This word is often used to describe a character that is so proud or pleased
that it shows on their face and in their body language.
a.
His mother was beaming with pride when his name was announced as an honor roll
student.

Bliss or blissful: These two words have similar meanings and while the former is
most often used to describe a feeling, the latter is usually used to describe a moment or
event.
a.
The wedding reception was a blissful event.
b.
She felt sheer bliss as she walked down the red carpet for the first time ever.

Delighted or delightful: Both of these words indicate a feeling of deep pleasure. They
may be used to describe personality or events and experiences.
a.
She was obviously delighted to have her grandchildren at her birthday celebration.
b.
He possesses a delightful
Here are more happy adjectives:

content
pleased
cheerful
jovial

42

jolly
glad
thrilled
elated
gleeful
sunny

Love Adjectives

43
Love is a powerful emotion and there are different categories for it. Love may be felt for a
friend, family member, or spouse. While some adjectives may describe more than one type of
love, other adjectives are only appropriate for one type of love. In this section we will identify
a few of these adjectives and look at how they can be used in sentences to show emotions
and affection.
Adoration or Adoringly: These two words can be used to describe a scene where one
person views the other in love and/or admiration. The word may be used for romantic
love but may also reflect family love such as the one shared between a mother and her
baby.
a.
He had nothing but adoration for the woman he met ten years earlier, who later
became his wife.
b.
The newlywed couple sat and stared adoringly at each other.

Devoted or Devotedly: These two words reflect a kind of love that reveals loyalty. It
can also be used for the romantic type of love as well.
a.
The teacher displayed a strong devotion to his students, sacrificing hours of his
personal time to help them do excel.
b.
She clung devotedly to his memory, years after he left.

Enamored: Completely in love with someone or something. To be enamored with or

by someone is to be captivated by them or deeply in love with them.
a.
She was completely enamored with the handsome stranger who rode into the village
that summer.

Beloved: dearly loved by someone else. This word is used to describe someone who is
treasured by someone else.
a.
He wept bitterly knowing that his beloved sister was lost to him forever.
Here are more Love adjectives:

dear
fond
passionate
affectionate
caring
heartfelt
wholehearted
amorous
smitten
cherished

44

45

Inspiration Adjectives
Inspiration is anything that drives others to think or act in a particular way. Adjectives that
inspire, describe the value that others get from a speech, event, or person. In this section we
will look at how these words help to create positive impressions about people, places, and
things.
Moving: A word used to describe any event, character, or place that stirs emotions in
a serious manner.
a.
The guest speaker presented a moving speech on the topic Serving the Needs of
Others, which stirred the souls of the audience members.

Stirring: Possessing a quality that moves others into action. This word may describe
a film, speech, or song.
a.
After that stirring speech about positive behavior, most of the students started to
attend classes more frequently, complete their assignments, and keep their home rooms
clean.

Inspiring or Inspirational: having a quality that encourages or persuade others to

think or act in a particular way.
a.
The new president is an inspirational leader because he successfully persuades the
citizens to work assiduously for the good of the country.
b.
The lighting of the Olympic torch was a very inspiring moment for millions of athletes
and fans of athletics around the world.

Encouraging: Having the ability to trigger a positive reaction in terms of thoughts

and action.
a.
He presented some very encouraging arguments that persuaded the young graduates
to aim for excellence.
Here are more inspiration adjectives:

rousing
stimulating
enthusing
shifting
motivating
admirable
influencing
galvanizing
inciting
provoking

46

47

Peaceful Adjectives
Serene: Peaceful and calm
a.
A serene mood swept over him as he lay by the brook listening to the birds as they
chirped. and watching the grass sway gently from side to side.

Calm: still and peaceful, the absence of aggression.

a.
After an entire night of angry waves, the sea was surprisingly calm this morning.

Harmonious: In agreement with others or at peace with others.

a.
The harmonious community members treated each other with love and respect
throughout the entire year.
Here are more peaceful adjectives:

nonviolent
pacific
quiet
undisturbed
still
soothing
tranquil
relaxing
restful
placid

48

49

50

Hopeful Adjectives
Hope is an emotion that causes people to anticipate something good. Adjectives that are
related to this emotion are great for story or biography writing. They allow the writer to show
the feelings experienced by characters. This section outlines how words can be used to
reveal hopeful feelings.
Eager or Eagerly: Anticipating something or someone
a.
Thomas was eager to find out the results of his scholarship application, so he stood by
the mailbox each morning waiting for the mailman to arrive.
b.
He eagerly awaited her response to his marriage proposal, praying with all his heart
that he would get the answer he wanted.

Expectant or Expectantly: Waiting for something that is expected or desired.

a.
The famous artiste met an expectant crowd as he stepped onto the stage
b.
After the date ended, she waited expectantly for his phone call.
Here are more hopeful adjectives:

wanting
anticipative
yearning
longing
promising
prospective
wishful
awaiting

51

52

Excitement Adjectives
Excitement adjectives are useful for sharing information about people or events that are
lively and amusing. They are very useful for the high points in stories. This section will show
you some adjectives that are appropriate for descriptions of those events and experiences.
Some examples of this type of adjective are below:

a.

a.

a.
b.

Thrilling: Causing a feeling of extreme excitement. This word is often used to

describe an experience or a performance rather than a character.
It was a thrilling experience for all who met the new species and saw the
breathtaking aerial views of the village during the hiking trip.
Ecstatic: In a mood of high pleasure or happiness.
She was so ecstatic when she learned that she was selected as the pageant queen
that she cried tears of joy.
Energetic: Full of energy or very active. The word Energetic is often used in a positive
light as an excited character often is also very active.
This baby, always bubbling with laughter and bouncing around in his crib, is
more energetic than many others that I have met.
The dance troupe did an energetic routine and was understandably quite tired after
the concert.

53
Festive: Full of fun and excitement. This word is often used to describe a celebratory
mood or atmosphere.
a.
That carnival road show was quite a festive event with a dense crowd of participants
wearing costumes of bright colors and the different bands playing lively music.
b.
The entire student population was in a festive mood at the final term school fair.
Here are more excitement adjectives:

electrifying
exhilarating
delightful
sensational
animating
stimulating
vitalizing
overjoyed
euphoric
jubilant

54

Grateful Adjectives
Grateful adjectives help to show thankfulness. These adjectives are good for formal writing
(such as business letters), as well as informal writing (such as stories, poems, and friendly
letters), and speech. Writers of Thank You speeches for instance, need these adjectives to
express their gratitude. In this section you will see how some of these adjectives are used in
writing.
Appreciative: acknowledging the value of a service, gift, or favor.
a.
The senior citizens were very appreciative of the gifts presented to them by the youth
club.

Gracious or Graciously: An act that is done with an attitude of gratitude and

appreciation. Examples:
a.
Their kindness was met with gracious smiles and words.
b.
The fire victim graciously accepted the donation from the bank.
Here are more grateful adjectives:

thankful

55

obliged
gratified
please
relieved
indebted

56
Amusement Adjectives
To be amused about something or someone is to be entertained. Amusement adjectives are
ideal for descriptions of characters, places, and events that trigger laughing or interest. This
section is designed to help you learn how to use amusement adjectives to describe
interesting characters and events.
Engrossed: To be completely captivated by something or someone. Someone who is
engrossed in something is so focused on it that they pay little or no attention to their
surroundings.
a.
He was so deeply engrossed in the video game that he did not hear his mom calling
him.

Fascinating: This adjective means riveting and interesting. In its comparative and
superlative forms, the words more and most precede it (respectively). The third
example below shows the use of the superlative form of the adjective.
a.
The magicians show was so fascinating that he drew a large crowd in each city he
visited.
b.
The relationship between the sun and the earth is fascinating to many scientists.
c.
He shared one of his most fascinating stories with us that afternoon.

Awestruck: Overwhelmed by the appearance of something or someone.

a.
The new homeowners were awestruck as they entered their elaborate mansion for the
very first time.

Bewitching: This word means captivating or extremely appealing. This word,

although it is also associated with the use of witchcraft to control, is used in descriptive
writing to describe anything or anyone that is attractive and attention-grabbing. Its use
is often similar to the words enchanting, captivating, and fascinating. Its comparative
form is more bewitching and its superlative form is most bewitching.
a.
Her smile was so bewitching that she captured the attention of all who saw it.
b.
The charming twinkle in his eye was so bewitching that she momentarily forgot why
she was even in his office.
Here are more amusement adjectives:

immersing
mesmerizing
charming
enthralling
theatrical
distracting
diverted
enjoyment
recreation
pleasure

57
Adjectives describing lanscapes
barren
unable to produce plants or fruit

sun-drenched
to describe a place that receives a lot of sun

meandering
of a river or road, following a route which is not straight or direct

breathtaking
extremely exciting, beautiful or surprising

jagged
rough and uneven, with sharp points

dusky
dark in colour

lush
covered with healthy green plants or grass

parched
dried out because of too much heat and not enough rain

snowcapped
to describe mountains or hills with snow on them

rugged
uneven and wild; not easy to travel over

plunging
extremely steep

farflung
very distant, remote

dense
thick; close together; difficult to go or see through

abundant
more than enough

58
picturesque
attractive in appearance, especially in an old-fashioned way

cobbled
made of rounded stones used on the surface of an old-fashioned road

undulating
describing or having small hills and slopes that look like waves

crumbling
old and falling into small pieces

towering
very tall and impressive

derelict
abandonded, no longer in use

wooded
covered with trees

wind-swept
open to and not protected from strong winds, or (of people) having
hair that is untidy because it has been blown in different directions
by the wind

bustling
full of busy activity

dreary
boring and making you feel unhappy

desolate
describes a place that is unattractive and empty, with no people or
nothing pleasant in it

blazing
burning brightly and strongly

59

The coast
Often at the edge of the sea there are cliffs (high mountains), which give a great view over
the sea. But they can also be dangerous, especially if they are eroded, when rocks and earth
fall away into the sea. Most people prefer sandy beaches rather than pebble
beaches (beaches with small stones). Sometimes, behind sandy beaches you can see sand
dunes areas of sand that the wind blows into small hills. Often, different types of grasses
grow in the sand dunes.
The coastline can be straignt, or it can have bays which are often semi-circular in shape. It's
often possible to walk along the coastline, along a coastal path.
Mountains
Mountain ranges are spectacular as you can often see snow-capped peaks against
theskyline. From the top of a mountain (the summit or the peak), there

60
are breathtaking views. Not much grows on mountains, as generally the terrain (ground) is
rocky, but the air is often pure. However, the valleys (low areas encircled by the mountains)
are more fertile. Where the mountains are steep, farmers often create terraces they create
a series of level areas linked by steps so that they can grow crops even on mountains and
hills.
Inland
From the foothills of the mountains (the small hills nearest mountains), the scenery inland
tends to be less dramatic with rolling hills and open countryside. You can find more
farmland, but also forests or woods (smaller forests). The land is generally irrigated
by riversor lakes (areas of water which are enclosed) and streams (narrow paths of water).
In the UK, between fields you can often see hedges (or hedgerows) a natural barrier
created by small trees and plants which grow close together. Often hedges are hundreds of
years old, and they provide shelter for birds and other wildlife.
In some countries, there are vast areas of open, flat land called plains (or prairies) which
are used to grow various crops such as wheat (the grain used to make flour for bread.)