chief = adj. most important or most common
syn. main, principle
adv. chiefly

Fear is usually one of the chief reasons behind aggression.

Though email is chiefly used in business, many people use it privately as well.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
circumstance = n. an event that influences another, a factor to think about before doing something
syn. situation, condition
adj. circumstantial
v. circumstantiate

Under certain circumstances even an honest person can be tempted to commit a crime.

The judge said the evidence given by the witness was circumstantial and had nothing directly to do with the case.

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
compare = v. to measure one thing against another, to judge how two things are similar
syn. contrast (i.e., to compare the difference between two things), relate
n. comparison
adj. comparative
adv. comparatively

It is almost impossible to compare two cultures objectively.

I know English well, so I found it comparatively easy to get used to life in the U.S.

 
 

 
 
 
complex (stress on second syllable) = adj. difficult to understand or explain; having many parts
                   (stress on first syllable) = n. a group of buildings that have a specific purpose
syn. complicated (adj.) facility (n.)
n. complexity

Albanian is an extremely complex language.

There is a cafeteria in the student housing complex.

The complexity of nuclear physics makes it impossible for most people to comprehend.


 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
consequence = n. effect; importance
syn. result; significance
adj. consequent
adj. consequential
adv. consequently

As a consequence of the earthquake, thousands of people were made homeless.

He got drunk the night before the exam, and consequently he failed.

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
convention = n. accepted rules or standards; an official meeting, e.g., of a political party
syn. custom; assembly
v. convene
adj. conventional
adv. conventionally

It is a convention to pronounce the symbol @ in an email address as "at".

He looks like a conventional guy, but he has very unconventional ideas.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
curious = adj. odd or strange; eager to get information
syn. strange, peculiar; inquisitive
n. curiosity
adv. curiously

It's really curious that the questions on the exam were so easy.

"Curiosity killed the cat" is a proverb that means sometimes it's better not to ask too many questions.

 
 

 
 
 
 
exceed = v. to be more than, to go beyond the limit
syn. surpass
n.. excess
adj. excessive
adv. exceedingly
adj. excessively

The police stopped her because she had exceeded the speed limit. She was driving 85 mph in a 40 mph
zone.

She's not sick. She's fat because she eats excessively.

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
exclude = v. to keep out, not to consider
syn. omit, bar
n. exclusion
adj. exclusive
adj. exclusionary
adv. exclusively

Although it's illegal in the U.S., and done unofficially, African Americans are still excluded from living in some areas.

He's a strict vegan: he eats grains, vegetables and fruits exclusively.

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

immense = adj. extremely large
syn. huge, massive
n. immensity
adv. immensely

The basketball player is immense compared to his wife. He's 6'10" tall, and she's only 5'3".

The film Casablanca is still immensely popular.

 
 
 
 
 
 
indeed = adv. certainly; really (used to make a positive statement stronger).
syn. truly, definitely

Many foreign students enjoy life in the U.S., and indeed many stay after they've finished their studies. Some even obtain a license to fly an airplane.

A: Is there a difference between the weather in Germany and Poland?
B: Indeed there is. The weather is generally quite a bit milder in Germany.

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
rigid = adj. not easy to bend; firm; inflexible
syn. stiff
n. rigidity
adv. rigidly

Older people tend to be more rigid in their ideas, whereas younger people are usually more flexible.

The Pope still adheres rigidly to his opinions about abortion, although many Catholics think freedom of choice is important.

 
 

routine=adj. usual
syn. normal, regular
n. routine
adv. routinely

By doing routine maintenance and using high-quality spare parts, it's usually easy to keep machines in good running order.

I'm getting sick of the same old routine every day. I think I'm going to look for a new job.

 
 
 
 
 
 
sufficient = adj. to be enough
syn. adequate
n. sufficiency
v. suffice
adv. sufficiently

Although a lot of people attended the conference, there was sufficient place for everyone to sit.

The experiment wasn't sufficiently well planned, and consequently it failed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
vision = n. the ability to see (sometimes with the idea of "see" or imagine the future)
syn. sight, foresight
v. view
adj. visible
adv. visibly

The manager's vision of how the department should be run was very different from that of the supervisor, but they reached a compromise, and all the employees found the result quite satisfactory.

He was visibly shaken (= upset) by the death of his cat.