English Common Vocabulary Part 13
101. Abide by: Accept or follow a decision or rule.
Example: We have to ABIDE BY what the court says.
102. Account for: To explain.
Example: They had to ACCOUNT FOR all the money that had gone missing.
103. Ache for: Want something or someone a lot.
Example: My partner's been away for a fortnight- I am ACHING FOR her.
104. Act on: To take action because of something like information received.
Example: The police were ACTING ON a tip from an informer and caught the gang red-handed.
105. Act on: Affect
Example: The medicine only ACTS ON infected tissue.
Example: The medicine only ACTS ON infected tissue.
106. Act out: Perform something with actions and gestures..
Example: They ACTED OUT the story on stage.
107. Act out: Express an emotion in your behaviour.
Example: Their anger is ACTED OUT in their antisocial behaviour.
108. Act up: Behave badly or strangely.
Example: My computer's ACTING UP; I think I might have a virus.
109. Act upon: To take action because of something like information received.
Example: The police were ACTING UPON a tipoff.
110. Act upon: Affect.
Example: The enzyme ACTS UPON certain proteins.
111. Parent: a mother or father
Example: Has Joe met your parents yet?
112. Offspring: The immediate descendants of a person
Example: She was the mother of many offspring.
113. Sibling: A person’s brother or sister
Example: I have two siblings, one elder brother and one younger sister.
114. Folks: Your parents
Example: He wrote to his folks every day.
115. Husband: the man that somebody is married to; a married man
Example: That was the day she met her future husband.
116. Wife: the woman that somebody is married to; a married woman
Example: I’ve never met William’s wife.
117. Grandmother : the mother of a person’s father or mother
Example: My grandmother has readied the lunch before I got home.
118. Grandson: the son of a person’s son or daughter
Example: He is the grandson of the director.
119. Relative: a member of your family, especially one who does not live with you, for example, a grandparent or cousin
Example: I traveled to Crete with his family to visit his relatives there.
120. Uncle: the brother of your mother or father, or the husband of your aunt
Example: I’ve just become an uncle.
121. Aunt: the sister of your mother or father, or the wife of your uncle
Example: My aunt is a poor person.
122. Cousin: a child of your aunt or uncle, or, more generally, a distant (not close) relation
Example: They are my cousin from Vietnam.
123. Nephew: a son of your sister or brother, or a son of the sister or brother of your husband or wife.
Example: My nephew turns 2 today.
124. Niece: a daughter of your brother or sister, or a daughter of your husband’s or wife’s brother or sister
Example: My niece can draw very well.
125. Mother-in-law: the mother of your husband or wife
Example: I don’t like my mother-in-law.
126. Son-in-law: the man who is married to your daughter
Example: Her son-in-law is a nice guy.
127. Daughter-in-law: the woman who is married to your son
Example: She is my daughter-in-law.
128. Brother-in-law: The husband of your sister, or the brother of your husband or wife, or the man who is married to the sister of your wife or husband
Example: I don’t know my brother-in-law very well.
129. Sister-in-law: the sister of your husband or wife; your brother’s wife; the wife of your husband or wife’s brother
Example: My sister-in-law is a friendly person.
130. Stepmother noun /ˈstɛpˌmʌðər/ the woman who is married to your father but who is not your real mother
Example: Cinderella’s stepmother is an evil woman.
131. Stepchild: a child of your husband or wife by an earlier marriage
Example: Could a stepchild love their new mother?
132. Stepsister: a sister who has only one parent in common with you
Example: She is my stepsister.
133. Half-brother: a brother who has either the same mother or the same father as you
Example: Michel’s half-brother is a famous singer.
134. Adopt: to take another person’s child legally into your own family to raise as your own child
Example: He was adopted when he was six.
135. Orphan: a child who does not have parents
Example: Steve Jobs was an orphan.
136. Ancestor: Someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
Example: Our ancestor discovered fire long time ago.
137. Forefather: The founder of a family
Example: We should keep the faith of our forefathers.
138. Descendant: A person considered as descended from some ancestor
Example: Descendant of the Sun was a famous Korean series.
139. Heir: A person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another
Example: Paris Hilton is a rich heir of the Hilton family.
140. Family tree: a drawing that shows all the members of a family, usually over a long period of time, and how they are related to each other.
Example: Our family tree has been started over 100 years.
141. Genealogy: Successive generations of kin
Example: Genealogy study is the study or investigation of ancestry and family history.
142. Godfather: a male godparent
Example: His godfather is really a gangster.
143. Godchild: An infant who is sponsored by an adult (the godparent) at baptism
Example: His godchild is an angel.
