haste The word “haste” refers to speed or excessive speed that leads to mistakes. In her haste, she forgot to bring her laptop to work this morning. Realizing they were in danger, they left the country in great haste. The sloppiness of the work was attributed to carelessness and haste. Haste makes waste. (This is a […]
heir An heir is a person who inherits wealth, power, or a position following another person’s death or decision to give up power: Prince William is an heir to Queen Elizabeth. When she dies, he will probably become the King of England. When the old owner of the company died, one his heirs took over the management
hearty The word “hearty” is used when someone is cheerful or happily willing to do something. It’s a positive adjective. The most common use for this word is in describing a person’s ability to consume large amounts of food. He has a hearty appetite. (He eats a lot.) The victorious team received a hearty welcome from
invest To invest is to sacrifice your money or your time with the hope that it will grow or become more valuable. Investing is a popular topic of conversation among people who are saving for a special purpose such as retirement or a child’s college education. Many Americans invest in stocks and bonds. People also invest in
inventory Use the word “inventory” to describe the products and supplies that a store or an organization has available for the purpose of doing business. Bob needs to take inventory today. The company’s inventory is taken at the end of the month. Sophia does the inventory for her store. It’s important to account for inventory.
idle A person or a thing that is idle is not moving or is not busy. When the manager of the store noticed that several of his employees were idle, he gave them work to do. The plant had too many idle employees during the recession, so they were laid off. Farmers let their fields go idle
ideal If something is ideal, it’s nearly perfect, or a person perceives perfection. We also use this adjective when describing a situation or a thing that may exist only in the imagination. The doctor told Vicky that her ideal weight is 110 pounds. The agreement worked out by the two parties is not ideal, but it
ignorant A person who does not have basic knowledge or is not aware of important facts might be labeled as ignorant. The driver claimed he was ignorant of the law when he was given a ticket by a police officer. Poor and ignorant farmers can benefit from organizations dedicated to helping them succeed. Some parents of
indoor Use the words “indoor” or “indoors” when talking about the inside of a house or a building. People go indoors when it starts to rain. (The word “indoors” is a noun.) Children play indoor games if they can’t be outside. (The word “indoor” is an adjective.”) The opposite of indoors is outdoors. My friend, Wilson, spends
indicate The word “indicate” means to show or demonstrate. As a teacher, I use indicate fairly often in videos and in lessons when explaining the function of verbs and adjectives: The verb “be” indicates the verb tense in this sentence: Dinner is served at 6:00. (This sentence is in the present tense as indicated by the verb “be”: is. Here are some more
