B2 Unit 136: Ideas & thinking 10
18 B2 words: overestimate, categorization, permanence, outdo, overshadow, recollect… Learn them in 4 steps, then review them every day.
Word list
| Word | Meaning | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| overestimate/ˌoʊvɚˈɛstəˌmeɪt/ v | to overestimateto think something is bigger or better than it is | Don’t overestimate how much you can carry.Don’t overestimate how much you can carry. | |
| categorization/ˌkætəɡɚɪˈzeɪʃən/ n | categorizationputting things into groups | The categorization of books by topic helps readers.The categorization of books by topic helps readers. | |
| permanence/ˈpɝmənəns/ n | permanencethe state of lasting for a very long time | People wanted a sense of permanence, so they bought a house instead of renting.People wanted a sense of permanence, so they bought a house instead of renting. | |
| outdo/ˌaʊtˈdu/ v | to outdoto do better than someone else | Ali tried to outdo his brother at every sport.Ali tried to outdo his brother at every sport. | |
| overshadow/ˈoʊvɚˈʃædoʊ/ v | to overshadowto make something seem less important | Success at work should not overshadow time with your family.Success at work should not overshadow time with your family. | |
| recollect/ˌrɛkəˈlɛkt/ v | to recollectto remember something | Can you recollect where you put the keys last night?Can you recollect where you put the keys last night? | |
| permeate/ˈpɝmiˌeɪt/ v | to permeateto spread through every part of something | The smell of fresh bread seemed to permeate the whole house.The smell of fresh bread seemed to permeate the whole house. | |
| outshine/ˈaʊˌtʃaɪn/ v | to outshineto be much better than others | Her bright performance managed to outshine all the other singers.Her bright performance managed to outshine all the other singers. | |
| mutable/ˈmjutəbəl/ adj | mutableable to change | Language is mutable and changes slowly over many years.Language is mutable and changes slowly over many years. | |
| crystallize/ˈkrɪstəˌlaɪz/ v | to crystallizeto become clear and fixed | After the long meeting, our ideas began to crystallize into a clear plan.After the long meeting, our ideas began to crystallize into a clear plan. | |
| dignify/ˈdɪɡnəˌfaɪ/ v | to dignifyto make something seem worthy of respect | You do not need to dignify that rude comment with an answer.You do not need to dignify that rude comment with an answer. | |
| impermanent adj | impermanentnot lasting for a long time | Winter is impermanent; spring always follows.Winter is impermanent; spring always follows. | |
| invariable/ˌɪnˈvɛriəbəl/ adj | invariablenever changing | The recipe is invariable, so you must always follow the same steps.The recipe is invariable, so you must always follow the same steps. | |
| prejudge/priˈdʒʌdʒ/ v | to prejudgeto form an opinion before knowing the facts | We should not prejudge people before we have met them.We should not prejudge people before we have met them. | |
| mutability n | mutabilitythe quality of changing often | Poets often write about the mutability of life and time.Poets often write about the mutability of life and time. | |
| mystify/ˈmɪstəˌfaɪ/ v | to mystifyto confuse someone because they cannot explain it | The magician’s last trick continued to mystify the audience.The magician’s last trick continued to mystify the audience. | |
| preoccupy/priˈɑkjəˌpaɪ/ v | to preoccupyto fill someone’s thoughts so they cannot think of other things | Money problems continued to preoccupy him all through the holiday.Money problems continued to preoccupy him all through the holiday. | |
| undreamed/ənˈdrimd/ adj | undreamednever imagined or thought possible | The project reached an undreamed level of success.The project reached an undreamed level of success. |