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 […]
harass To harass someone is to cause trouble for a person. It happens again and again, over and over, and sometimes the harassment is illegal. Some of the kids at school harass Jose because of the the way he talks and where he comes from. Bill says the police are harassing him because of the way he looks. The
hang To hang something is to put it on a wall, on a hook, or around some other object. This is an irregular verb with two different possibilities for the past tense and the past participle. simple past past participle hang hung / hanged hung / hanged I hung my coat in the closet. Where do you
handy Use the word “handy” to describe a person who is good at fixing things. You can also use this word to describe a useful object, such as a tool or a cooking utensil. Ted is very handy. He knows how to fix just about anything. A pocketknife can be very handy. It has knives
handle The word “handle” can be used as a verb or as a noun. When it’s a noun, this word describes that part of a device, a tool, or a machine where the hands are placed in order to operate it: You hold this basket by the handle. Use the handle on a pot to
halt The word “halt” is very similar to the word “stop,” but “halt” is often used in settings involving business or government. Activity comes to a halt or is brought to a halt. Production of the new product came to a halt when the company ran out of money. News of the travel ban brought visits from certain
hack The word “hack” has a few different meanings. One popular use of the word identifies the activities of people who break into computers or cell phones: Someone hacked his way into the company’s network of computers. Hackers stole credit card numbers and other personal information. (A hacker is someone who hacks.) To avoid being hacked, you should
habit A “habit” is an action or a behavior that a person repeats over and over again. Some habits are good, and some habits are bad. Smoking is a bad habit. Exercising is a good habit. Eating late at night is a bad habit. Getting up early in the morning is a good habit. It’s
gasp The word “gasp” is used when describing a person who is having difficulty breathing. By the end of the 5000 meter race, the runners were gasping for breath. A forest fire in Canada left residents choking and gasping for air. The members of the combat team remained committed to the fight until their last
gap A gap is an empty space of some kind. It can be narrow (small) or wide (big). The gap between the two cars was not wide enough to allow for another car to park there. The boy can spit water through a gap between his front teeth. When the dentist removed Bob’s tooth, it left a
