noun

taxi

taxi [taxi taxis] noun, verb   [ˈtæksi]    [ˈtæksi]

noun

1. (also cab, taxi·cab) a car with a driver that you pay to take you somewhere. Taxis usually have meters which show how much money you have to pay
• a taxi driver/ride
• We'd better take a taxi.
• I came home by taxi.

• to order/hail/call a taxi

2. in some places in Africa, a small bus with a driver that you pay to take you somewhere. Taxis usually have fixed routes and stop wherever passengers need to get on or off.
see also  dala-dala, matatu  
Word Origin:
early 20th cent.: abbreviation of taxi-cab or taximeter cab, from French taximètre, from taxe ‘tariff’, from the verb taxer ‘to tax’ + -mètre ‘(instrument) measuring’.  
Example Bank:
• I prefer to travel by taxi.
• I took a taxi back home.
• I'll get my secretary to call you a taxi.
• We caught a taxi to the airport.
• We had some difficulty finding a taxi.
• We hired a taxi for the day and went all over the island.
• a five-minute trip by taxi

• a water taxi heading for Venice

verb (taxi·ing, tax·ied, tax·ied) intransitive (of a plane)

to move slowly along the ground before taking off or after landing

Word Origin:

early 20th cent.: abbreviation of taxi-cab or taximeter cab, from French taximètre, from taxe ‘tariff’, from the verb taxer ‘to tax’ + -mètre ‘(instrument) measuring’

cab

cab [cab cabs]   [kæb]    [kæb]  noun
 

1. a taxi

2. the place where the driver sits in a bus, train or lorry/truck 
Word Origin:
early 19th cent.: abbreviation of cabriolet.  
Example Bank:
• I came by cab.
• I left my umbrella in the back of the cab.
• I ordered a cab to take him home.
• I tried to hail a cab but none of them would stop.
• I'll call you a cab.
• Let's take a cab.
• London black cab drivers
• Outside, a cab was waiting.
• The cab pulled up and they got out.
• The driver was sitting in his cab.
• We couldn't find a cab anywhere near.

• We decided to share a cab.

motorcycle

motor·cycle [motorcycle motorcycles]   [ˈməʊtəsaɪkl]    [ˈmoʊtərsaɪkl]  (also motor·bike especially in BrE) noun

a road vehicle with two wheels, driven by an engine, with one seat for the driver and a seat for a passenger behind the driver
• motorcycle racing
• a motorcycle accident
See also: motorbike  
Collocations:
Driving
Having a car
have/own/ (BrE) run a car
ride a motorcycle/motorbike
drive/prefer/use an automatic/a manual/(NAmE, informal) a stick shift
have/get your car serviced/fixed/repaired
buy/sell a used car/(especially BrE) a second-hand car
take/pass/fail a (BrE) driving test/(both NAmE) driver's test/road test
get/obtain/have/lose/carry a/your (BrE) driving licence/(NAmE) driver's license
Driving
put on/fasten/ (NAmE) buckle/wear/undo your seat belt/safety belt
put/turn/leave the key in the ignition
start the car/engine
(BrE) change/ (NAmE) shift/put sth into gear
press/put your foot on the brake pedal/clutch/accelerator
release the clutch/(especially BrE) the handbrake/(both NAmE) the emergency brake/the parking brake
drive/park/reverse the car
(BrE) indicate left/right
(especially NAmE) signal that you are turning left/right
take/miss (BrE) the turning/(especially NAmE) the turn
apply/hit/slam on the brake(s)
beep/honk/ (especially BrE) toot/ (BrE) sound your horn
Problems and accidents
a car skids/crashes (into sth)/collides (with sth)
swerve to avoid an oncoming car/a pedestrian
crash/lose control of the car
have/be in/be killed in/survive a car crash/a car accident/(NAmE) a car wreck/a hit-and-run
be run over/knocked down by a car/bus/truck
dent/hit (BrE) the bonnet/(NAmE) the hood
break/crack/shatter (BrE) the windscreen/(NAmE) the windshield
blow/ (especially BrE) burst/puncture (BrE) a tyre/(NAmE) a tire
get/have (BrE) a flat tyre/a flat tire/a puncture
inflate/change/fit/replace/check a tyre/tire
Traffic and driving regulations
be caught in/get stuck in/sit in a traffic jam
cause congestion/tailbacks/traffic jams/gridlock
experience/face lengthy delays
beat/avoid the traffic/the rush hour
break/observe/ (NAmE) drive the speed limit
be caught on (BrE) a speed camera
stop sb for/pull sb over for/ (BrE, informal) be done for speeding
(both informal) run/ (BrE) jump a red light/the lights
be arrested for/charged with (BrE) drink-driving/(both US) driving under the influence (DUI)/driving while intoxicated (DWI)
be banned/ (BrE) disqualified from driving 
Example Bank:
• He died after falling off his motorcycle.
• He was sitting on his motorcycle.
• He's learning to ride a motorcycle.
• She climbed onto the back of my motorcycle.
• a collection of vintage motorcycles

• a crowd of bikers all revving up their motorcycles

bicycle

bi·cycle [bicycle bicycles bicycled bicycling] noun, verb   [ˈbaɪsɪkl]    [ˈbaɪsɪkl]

noun

(also informal bike)
a road vehicle with two wheels that you ride by pushing the pedals with your feet
• He got on his bicycle and rode off.
• We went for a bicycle ride on Sunday.  
Word Origin:
mid 19th cent.: from bi-  ‘two’ + Greek kuklos ‘wheel’.  
Example Bank:
• Did you come by bicycle?
• He mounted his bicycle and rode off.
• I dismounted and began to push my bicycle up the hill.
• She came off her bicycle when it skidded on some wet leaves.
• She pedalled her bicycle up the track.
• She tried to pedal her bicycle up the track.

• We watched the boys on their bicycles.

verb intransitive (+ adv./prep.) (old-fashioned)
to go somewhere on a bicycle
compare  bike, cycle
Verb forms:
 
Word Origin:

mid 19th cent.: from bi-  ‘two’ + Greek kuklos ‘wheel’.

car

car [car cars]   [kɑː(r)]    [kɑːr]  noun

1. (also BrE formal ˈmotor car) (NAmE also auto·mo·bile) a road vehicle with an engine and four wheels that can carry a small number of passengers
• Paula got into the car and drove off.
• ‘How did you come?’ ‘ By car.’
• Are you going in the car?
• a car driver/manufacturer/dealer
• a car accident/crash
• Where can I park the car?

see also  company car

2. (also rail·car both NAmE) a separate section of a train

• Several cars went off the rails.

3. (BrE) (in compounds) a coach/ car on a train of a particular type
• a sleeping/dining car

Word Origin:
late Middle English (in the general sense ‘wheeled vehicle’): from Old Northern French carre, based on Latin carrum, carrus, of Celtic origin.  
Culture:
driving
Americans have long had a ‘love affair’ with the automobile (also car), and are surprised when they meet somebody who cannot drive. Almost everybody over the age of 15 is a driver and most households have a vehicle. American life is arranged so that people can do most things from their cars. There are drive-in banks, post offices, restaurants, movie theatres and even some churches.
In Britain the proportion of the population who are drivers is slightly less but, as in the US, many people prefer to use their car rather than public transport, because it is more convenient and because they like to be independent. In order to reduce pollution the government tries to discourage car ownership by making driving expensive. In particular, it puts a heavy tax on petrol and increases the annual road tax for cars that cause heavy pollution. Congestion charging is used to persuade people to avoid driving their cars in city centres.
To many people the make and quality of their car reflects their status in society, and it is important to them to get a smart new car every few years. In Britain since 2001 the registration number of a car shows the place and date of registration but older number plates can be used and a personalized number plate (= a registration number that spells out the owner’s name or initials) may also suggest status. Many people prefer to buy a small, economical car, or get a second-hand one. Cars in the US are often larger than those in Britain and though petrol/gas is cheaper, insurance is expensive. In the US car license plates, commonly called tags, are given by the states. New ones must be bought every two or three years, or when a driver moves to another state. The states use the plates to advertise themselves: Alabama plates say ‘The heart of Dixie’ and have a small heart on them, and Illinois has ‘The land of Lincoln’.
In Britain, before a person can get a driving licence they must pass an official driving test, which includes a written test of the Highway Code and a practical driving exam. Only people aged 17 or over are allowed to drive. Learner drivers who have a provisional driving licence must display an L-plate, a large red ‘L’, on their car, and be supervised by a qualified driver. The US has no national driver’s license (AmE), but instead licences are issued by each state. Most require written tests, an eye test and a short practical test. The minimum age for getting a licence is normally 16, although some states will issue a learner’s permit to drivers as young as 14. Many states now apply a system of graduated licenses in which young drivers are first required to have an intermediate license for a period of time before being given a full license. An intermediate licence may, for example, prevent driving alone at particular times of the day or require the driver to take special classes if they drive badly. Americans have to get a new driver’s licence if they move to another state.
In Britain people drive on the left and in the US they drive on the right. Generally British and US drivers are relatively careful and courteous but there is dangerous driving. In the US many of the deaths due to traffic accidents are caused by drivers who have drunk alcohol. Drink-driving (AmE driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated) (= driving a car after drinking alcohol) is also a serious problem in Britain. On many British roads speed cameras have been set up to catch drivers who go too fast. In the US the main job of state highway patrols is to prevent speeding.
Many drivers belong to a motoring organization in case their car breaks down. In Britain the main ones are the AA (Automobile Association) and the RAC (Royal Automobile Club), and in the US the largest is the American Automobile Association. 
Thesaurus:
car noun
1. C
• We came by car.
formal vehicle • |AmE, becoming old-fashioned humorous automobile •
2. C (especially AmE)
• This train has no buffet car.
compartment • |BrE carriage • • coach • • truck • • wagon • • van • |especially AmE freight car •
a railway compartment/carriage/coach/truck/wagon
a railroad car
a sleeping car/compartment/coach
a passenger car/compartment/carriage/coach 
Collocations:
Driving
Having a car
have/own/ (BrE) run a car
ride a motorcycle/motorbike
drive/prefer/use an automatic/a manual/(NAmE, informal) a stick shift
have/get your car serviced/fixed/repaired
buy/sell a used car/(especially BrE) a second-hand car
take/pass/fail a (BrE) driving test/(both NAmE) driver's test/road test
get/obtain/have/lose/carry a/your (BrE) driving licence/(NAmE) driver's license
Driving
put on/fasten/ (NAmE) buckle/wear/undo your seat belt/safety belt
put/turn/leave the key in the ignition
start the car/engine
(BrE) change/ (NAmE) shift/put sth into gear
press/put your foot on the brake pedal/clutch/accelerator
release the clutch/(especially BrE) the handbrake/(both NAmE) the emergency brake/the parking brake
drive/park/reverse the car
(BrE) indicate left/right
(especially NAmE) signal that you are turning left/right
take/miss (BrE) the turning/(especially NAmE) the turn
apply/hit/slam on the brake(s)
beep/honk/ (especially BrE) toot/ (BrE) sound your horn
Problems and accidents
a car skids/crashes (into sth)/collides (with sth)
swerve to avoid an oncoming car/a pedestrian
crash/lose control of the car
have/be in/be killed in/survive a car crash/a car accident/(NAmE) a car wreck/a hit-and-run
be run over/knocked down by a car/bus/truck
dent/hit (BrE) the bonnet/(NAmE) the hood
break/crack/shatter (BrE) the windscreen/(NAmE) the windshield
blow/ (especially BrE) burst/puncture (BrE) a tyre/(NAmE) a tire
get/have (BrE) a flat tyre/a flat tire/a puncture
inflate/change/fit/replace/check a tyre/tire
Traffic and driving regulations
be caught in/get stuck in/sit in a traffic jam
cause congestion/tailbacks/traffic jams/gridlock
experience/face lengthy delays
beat/avoid the traffic/the rush hour
break/observe/ (NAmE) drive the speed limit
be caught on (BrE) a speed camera
stop sb for/pull sb over for/ (BrE, informal) be done for speeding
(both informal) run/ (BrE) jump a red light/the lights
be arrested for/charged with (BrE) drink-driving/(both US) driving under the influence (DUI)/driving while intoxicated (DWI)
be banned/ (BrE) disqualified from driving 
Example Bank:
• He got in the car and they drove off.
• He pulled his car over at a small hotel.
• He swerved his car sharply to the right.
• Her car skidded on a patch of ice.
• His car hit a van coming in the opposite direction.
• I have to take the car in for a service.
• I lost control of the car and it spun off the road.
• I'll wait for you in the car.
• It's too far to walk. I'll take the car.
• It's very expensive to run a car these days.
• Police in an unmarked car had been following the stolen vehicle for several minutes.
• The car does 55 miles per gallon.
• The car was doing over 100 miles an hour.
• The government wants more people to use public transport instead of private cars.
• The government wants to reduce the use of private cars.
• The kids all piled into the car.
• The number of cars on the road is increasing all the time.
• The red car suddenly pulled out in front of me.
• The robbers abandoned their getaway car and ran off.
• The robbers abandoned their getaway car in Sealand Road.
• There was a line of parked cars in front of the building.
• There's not enough car parking in the city.
• They take the children to school by car.
• What cheek! That car pulled out right in front of me!
• You lock up the house and I'll get the car out.
• a car boot sale
• a used car salesman
• cars that run on diesel
• ‘How did you come?’ ‘By car.’
• Are we going in the car?
• He had to take his car to the garage.
• He opened the car door for her.
• I can put the wheelchair in the back of the car.
• I decided to buy a second-hand car.
• She was sitting in the smoking car.
• The driver crashed the stolen car while being chased by the police.
• They parked the car and walked the rest of the way.
• They were admiring his new sports car.
• a buffet car

• a sleeping/dining car

brother

brother [brother brothers brethren] noun, exclamation   [ˈbrʌðə(r)]    [ˈbrʌðər]

noun  

IN FAMILY
1. a boy or man who has the same mother and father as another person
• We're brothers.
• He's my brother.
• an older/younger brother
• a twin brother
• Does she have any brothers and sisters?
• Edward was the youngest of the Kennedy brothers.
• He was like a brother to me (= very close).

see also  half-brother, stepbrother  

OTHER MEN

2. (pl. brothers or old-fashioned brethren)used for talking to or talking about other male members of an organization or other men who have the same ideas, purpose, etc. as yourself
• We must work together, brothers!
• We are all brothers in the fight against injustice.
• He was greatly respected by his brother officers.

• We must support our weaker brethren.  

IN RELIGIOUS GROUP

3. (also Brother)(pl. brethren or brothers) a male member of a religious group, especially a monk
• Brother Luke

• The Brethren meet regularly for prayer.  

FORM OF ADDRESS

4. (NAmE, informal) used by black people as a form of address for a black man  

AT COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY
5. (in the US) a member of a fraternity (= a club for a group of male students at a college or university) 
Word Origin:
Old English brōthor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch broeder and German Bruder, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin frater.  
Example Bank:
• Bill idolizes his big brother, who is a professional footballer.
• Do you have any brothers and sisters?
• He married the wife of his late brother.
• His old teacher greeted him like a long-lost brother.
• She wrote daily to her beloved brother, Leo.

• The boys are so close, they're like brothers.

exclamation (old-fashioned, especially NAmE) used to express the fact that you are annoyed or surprised
• Oh brother!  
Word Origin:

Old English brōthor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch broeder and German Bruder, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin frater.

sister

sis·ter [sister sisters]   [ˈsɪstə(r)]    [ˈsɪstər]  noun
1. a girl or woman who has the same mother and father as another person
• She's my sister.
• an older/younger sister
• (informal) a big/little/kid sister
• We're sisters.
• Do you have any brothers or sisters?
• My best friend has been like a sister to me (= very close).

2. used for talking to or about other members of a women's organization or other women who have the same ideas, purpose, etc. as yourself

• They supported their sisters in the dispute.

3. Sister (BrE) a senior female nurse who is in charge of a hospital ward

4. Sister a female member of a religious group, especially a nun
• Sister Mary

• the Sisters of Charity

5. (in the US) a member of a sorority (= a club for a group of female students at a college or university)

6. (NAmE, informal) used by black people as a form of address for a black woman

7. (usually used as an adjective) a thing that belongs to the same type or group as sth else
• our sister company in Italy
• a sister ship  
Word Origin:
Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zuster and German Schwester, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin soror.  
Example Bank:
• Carolyn's sorority sisters at Indiana University
• Have you got any brothers and sisters?
• I have no brothers or sisters.
• The girls are so close, they're like sisters.
• a refugee who traced his long-lost sister

• my bratty little sister

son

son [son sons]   [sʌn]    [sʌn]  noun
1. countable a person's male child
• We have two sons and a daughter.
• They have three grown-up sons.
• He's the son of an Oxford professor.

• Maine & Sons, Grocers (= the name of a company on a sign)

2. singular (informal) a friendly form of address that is used by an older man to a young man or boy

• Well, son, how can I help you?

3. countable (literary) a man who belongs to a particular place or country, etc

• one of France's most famous sons

4. my son (formal) used by a priest to address a boy or man

5. the Son singular Jesus Christ as the second member of the Trinity
• the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
see from father to sonlike father, like son at  father  _n., sb's favourite son at  favourite  _adj., the/a prodigal (son) at  prodigal  
Word Origin:
Old English sunu, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zoon and German Sohn, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek huios.  
Thesaurus:
son noun C
• He's the son of a teacher.
boy • • child • |informal kid • |especially BrE, informal lad • |formal offspring •
Opp: daughter
a newborn son/boy/child
sb's eldest/oldest/youngest son/boy/child/kid/lad
bring up/raise a son/boy/child/kid 
Collocations:
Children
Having a baby/child
want a baby/a child/kids
start a family
conceive/be expecting/be going to have a baby/child
miss your period
become/get/ be/find out that you are pregnant
have a baby/a child/kids/a son/a daughter/twins/a family
have a normal/a difficult/an unwanted pregnancy; an easy/a difficult/a home birth
be in/go into/induce labour (especially US) labor
have/suffer/cause a miscarriage
give birth to a child/baby/daughter/son/twins
Parenting
bring up/ (especially NAmE) raise a child/family
care for/ (especially BrE) look after a baby/child/kid
change (BrE) a nappy/(NAmE) a diaper/a baby
feed/breastfeed/bottle-feed a baby
be entitled to/go on maternity/paternity leave
go back/return to work after maternity leave
need/find/get a babysitter/good quality affordable childcare
balance/combine work and childcare/child-rearing/family life
educate/teach/home-school a child/kid
punish/discipline/spoil a child/kid
adopt a baby/child/kid
offer a baby for/put a baby up for adoption
(especially BrE) foster a child/kid
be placed with/be raised by foster parents 
Example Bank:
• Living alone and trying to bring up a young son is no easy task.
• The queen bore him four fine sons.
• They have three young sons.
• They welcomed me like a long-lost son.
• They've got three young sons.
• a native son of Philadelphia
• a single parent raising her son alone
• an illegitimate son of Louis XV
• his wife and unborn son
• He's the son of an Oxford professor.

• Maine & Sons, Grocers

daughter

daugh·ter [daughter daughters]   [ˈdɔːtə(r)]    [ˈdɔːtər]  noun
1. a person's female child
• We have two sons and a daughter.
• They have three grown-up daughters.
• She's the daughter of an Oxford professor.

see also  god-daughter, granddaughter, stepdaughter

2. (literary) a woman who belongs to a particular place or country, etc
• one of the town's most famous daughters  
Word Origin:
Old English dohtor, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch dochter and German Tochter, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek thugatēr.  
Thesaurus:
daughter noun C
• She gave birth to a daughter.
girl • • child • • baby • |informal kid • |formal offspring •
Opp: son
a young daughter/girl/child/baby/kid
a teenage daughter/girl/child/kid
have/give birth to/bring up/raise a daughter/girl/child/baby/kid 
Collocations:
Children
Having a baby/child
want a baby/a child/kids
start a family
conceive/be expecting/be going to have a baby/child
miss your period
become/get/ be/find out that you are pregnant
have a baby/a child/kids/a son/a daughter/twins/a family
have a normal/a difficult/an unwanted pregnancy; an easy/a difficult/a home birth
be in/go into/induce labour (especially US) labor
have/suffer/cause a miscarriage
give birth to a child/baby/daughter/son/twins
Parenting
bring up/ (especially NAmE) raise a child/family
care for/ (especially BrE) look after a baby/child/kid
change (BrE) a nappy/(NAmE) a diaper/a baby
feed/breastfeed/bottle-feed a baby
be entitled to/go on maternity/paternity leave
go back/return to work after maternity leave
need/find/get a babysitter/good quality affordable childcare
balance/combine work and childcare/child-rearing/family life
educate/teach/home-school a child/kid
punish/discipline/spoil a child/kid
adopt a baby/child/kid
offer a baby for/put a baby up for adoption
(especially BrE) foster a child/kid
be placed with/be raised by foster parents 
Example Bank:
• Living alone and trying to bring up a small daughter is no easy task.
• They have three young daughters.

• They've got three young daughters.

husband

hus·band [husband husbands husbanded husbanding] noun, verb   [ˈhʌzbənd]   [ˈhʌzbənd]

noun (also informal hubby)
the man that a woman is married to; a married man
• This is my husband, Steve.  
Word Origin:
late Old English in the senses ‘male head of a household’ and ‘manager, steward’, from Old Norse húsbóndi ‘master of a house’, from hús ‘house’ + bóndi ‘occupier and tiller of the soil’. The original sense of the verb was ‘till, cultivate’.  
Thesaurus:
husband noun C
• He is her second husband.
man • • partner • |informal hubby • |informal, especially spoken, often humorous sb's other half • |formal law spouse •
Opp: wife
sb's future husband/spouse
sb's former/ex- husband/partner/spouse
have/find a husband/partner 
Collocations:
Marriage and divorce
Romance
fall/be (madly/deeply/hopelessly) in love (with sb)
be/believe in/fall in love at first sight
be/find true love/the love of your life
suffer (from) (the pains/pangs of) unrequited love
have/feel/show/express great/deep/genuine affection for sb/sth
meet/marry your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend
have/go on a (blind) date
be going out with/ (especially NAmE) dating a guy/girl/boy/man/woman
move in with/live with your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner
Weddings
get/be engaged/married/divorced
arrange/plan a wedding
have a big wedding/a honeymoon/a happy marriage
have/enter into an arranged marriage
call off/cancel/postpone your wedding
invite sb to/go to/attend a wedding/a wedding ceremony/a wedding reception
conduct/perform a wedding ceremony
exchange rings/wedding vows/marriage vows
congratulate/toast/raise a glass to the happy couple
be/go on honeymoon (with your wife/husband)
celebrate your first (wedding) anniversary
Separation and divorce
be unfaithful to/ (informal) cheat on your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend
have an affair (with sb)
break off/end an engagement/a relationship
break up with/split up with/ (informal) dump your boyfriend/girlfriend
separate from/be separated from/leave/divorce your husband/wife
annul/dissolve a marriage
apply for/ask for/go through/get a divorce
get/gain/be awarded/have/lose custody of the children
pay alimony/child support (to your ex-wife/husband) 
Example Bank:
• She lost her husband to cancer a year ago.
• She suddenly walked out on her husband, leaving him to bring up the children.
• That was the day she met her future husband.
• They lived together as husband and wife for over thirty years.
• He is her second husband.
• It had been a shock to find himself a husband and father.

Idiom: husband and wife 

verb ~ sth (formal)
to use sth very carefully and make sure that you do not waste it
• Times are hard and we have to husband our resources.

• She waited, husbanding her strength for her next visitors.

Word Origin:

late Old English in the senses ‘male head of a household’ and ‘manager, steward’, from Old Norse húsbóndi ‘master of a house’, from hús ‘house’ + bóndi ‘occupier and tiller of the soil’. The original sense of the verb was ‘till, cultivate’.