Oxford 5000: 50 Words | Intermediate

Are you finding it hard to tackle the Oxford 5000 word list on your own? Welcome to Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15. These are the essential words you need for fluent communication. This series breaks them down step-by-step, categorized by difficulty level, to make your learning journey easier and more consistent.

Today’s Learning Summary:

Series: Oxford 5000 Vocabulary
Level: Intermediate (B2 – C1)
Goal: Today’s 100 Essential Words
Episode: Ep.15

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 1 – 10

privilege

a special right or advantage that not everyone has
Having a best friend who always listens to you is a wonderful privilege.

root

the cause or origin of something
Patience is the root of all good things in life.

anxious

feeling worried or nervous about something
It is normal to feel anxious before you give a big presentation in English.

somehow

in a way that is not known or explained
I forgot to set my alarm, but somehow I still woke up on time for work.

pointed

directed at someone to show a clear meaning or criticism
She gave him a pointed look when he tried to take the last piece of cake.

furious

very angry
He was furious when his ice cream fell, but then he bought another one and recovered fast.

operator

a person who controls or runs a machine, system, or service
The phone operator sounded calm, even when I was totally confused.

shot

an attempt, or a try
Give it a shot—the worst answer is just “no.”

integrity

being honest and having strong moral principles
He showed integrity by admitting the mistake before anyone found it.

select

to choose something from a group
Please select your seat now, before you end up next to the bathroom.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 11 – 20

proposal

a plan or suggestion, often written, for others to consider
Her proposal was simple: fewer meetings and more snacks.

conscience

the part of you that tells you what is right or wrong
My conscience said “study,” but my pillow said “trust me.”

snap

to suddenly lose control of your emotions or become angry
I almost snapped when my computer froze, but then I remembered it’s not a person.

horn

a device that makes a loud sound
A car horn scared me so much that I almost apologized to the road.

lethal

able to cause death or very dangerous
His morning breath is so strong that it is almost lethal.

sequence

a set of events or steps in a particular order
If you mix the steps out of sequence, your cake might turn into sweet soup.

hail

to call out to someone to get their attention
I tried to hail my friend across the street, but I accidentally waved at a stranger.

tender

gentle and kind, or soft and easy to hurt
He gave a tender apology, and the argument ended right there.

hunt

the act of searching for something that is difficult to find
The hunt for my missing keys every morning is a real challenge.

endure

to continue through something difficult without giving up
I can endure a long meeting, but not a meeting with no snacks.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 21 – 30

emphasize

to give special importance to something
My mom always emphasizes “sleep” like it’s the answer to every problem.

administrative

related to managing tasks, rules, or office work
I spent the whole morning on administrative work, and my coffee got cold twice.

sector

a part of the economy, business, or society
She wants a job in the tech sector, because she likes solving problems every day.

predictable

happening in a way that is easy to know or expect
The movie was very predictable, but I still liked the happy ending.

encounter

to meet someone or experience something, often unexpectedly
I didn’t expect to encounter my professor at the grocery store—so I hid behind the cereal.

audio

relating to sound or the recording of sound
I like to listen to audio books while I am cleaning the house.

shame

a feeling of being sorry or embarrassed
He felt a deep sense of shame after lying to his best friend.

shame

a word used when something is a pity or disappointing
It is a shame that it rained on the day of our picnic.

blind

not able to see anything
They say that love is blind, which is why we ignore small mistakes.

reassure

to tell someone not to worry
My mom tried to reassure me that everything would be okay before my exam.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 31 – 40

sake

for the benefit or good of someone or something
I stopped drinking soda for the sake of my health.

very

used to emphasize an adjective or adverb
The coffee is very hot, so please drink it slowly.

patience

the ability to stay calm when things take a long time
You need a lot of patience to teach a cat how to sit.

aged

made to seem old, or having become old over time
This cheese is aged, which means it’s fancy… and also a little scary.

dense

having parts that are very close together or thick
The fog was so dense that I could not see the car in front of me.

drain

to make liquid flow away from something
Please drain the water from the pasta before adding the sauce.

drain

to use up all of someone’s energy or strength
A long day at work can drain all your energy.

intensive

involving a lot of work or effort in a short period of time
I am taking an intensive English course to improve my speaking quickly.

supervision

the act of watching and directing someone or something
Children should not play near the pool without adult supervision.

crisis

a time of great disagreement, confusion, or suffering
A good leader stays calm and helps others during a crisis.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 41 – 50

range

to vary between two particular limits
The prices of these shirts range from ten dollars to fifty dollars.

convert

to change something from one form or system to another
You can convert your spare room into a small home office.

swing

a sudden or big change in a situation or mood
Be careful with him today because he is having a major mood swing.

obesity

the state of being extremely overweight in a way that is unhealthy
Walking every day is a simple way to prevent obesity.

regain

to get something back that you have lost
It took a few days of rest for her to regain her strength after the flu.

maintenance

the work needed to keep something in good condition
My laptop needed maintenance, so I gave it a “rest day” and closed all my tabs.

ecological

related to the environment and nature
Using a reusable bottle is a small ecological choice, but it adds up over time.

tribute

something you do or say to show respect or admiration
They made a short video as a tribute to their teacher, and everyone smiled.

inevitably

in a way that cannot be avoided
If you walk in the rain without an umbrella, you will inevitably get wet.

migration

the movement of people or animals from one place to another
Winter is the time for the migration of birds to warmer countries.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 51 – 60

comparative

judged by comparing with something else
After the noisy city, the small park felt like a place of comparative silence.

missile

a weapon that is sent through the air to hit a target
A missile is designed to travel a long distance to reach its target.

descend

to go down from a higher place to a lower place
We started at the top of the hill, but my legs complained as we descended.

parliament

a group of people who make laws for a country
The parliament argued for hours, and my attention lasted about five minutes.

humanitarian

related to helping people in need
She joined a humanitarian project to bring clean water to small villages.

relevant

connected to the topic and important for it
That story is funny, but it’s not relevant to the homework.

grand

very large and impressive
The grand palace had over one hundred rooms for the royal family.

grand

excellent or very good
We had a grand time dancing and singing at the party last night.

assign

to give someone a particular job or task
The teacher will assign the most creative student to lead the art project.

tropical

coming from or found in the hottest parts of the world
I dream of lying on a tropical beach with a cold drink in my hand.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 61 – 70

ignorance

a lack of knowledge or information about something
ignorance is not always happiness; it is much better to ask questions and learn.

skull

the bone in your head that protects your brain
He wore a helmet to protect his skull, because the road doesn’t forgive mistakes.

workforce

all the people who work for a company, industry, or country
A strong workforce needs good training, not just longer hours.

slash

to cut something quickly and strongly
I had to slash my shopping list, because my budget said “no.”

approach

a way of doing something
Her approach to studying is simple: a little every day, no panic.

fault

a mistake or the responsibility for a problem
It wasn’t your fault—the directions were confusing for everyone.

consistent

always behaving the same way, or happening regularly
If you are consistent for just 10 minutes a day, your English will grow.

prosecution

the legal process of accusing and trying someone in court
The prosecution presented evidence, and the courtroom became very quiet.

obtain

to get something, especially with effort
I tried to obtain a student discount, and my wallet felt very proud.

shall

used to suggest an idea or offer help
shall we go for a walk in the park?

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 71 – 80

beyond

more than or exceeding a certain limit
The beauty of the sunset was beyond anything I had ever seen.

remarkably

in a way that is very special or surprising
She is remarkably good at remembering everyone’s birthday.

rubber

a strong material used for things like tires or boots
These boots are made of rubber to keep your feet dry in the rain.

estate

all the money, land, and property that a person owns
The family lives on a beautiful estate with a private lake.

shocking

making you feel very surprised or upset
It was shocking to see how much the price of bread has increased lately.

squeeze

to press something hard with your hands
You should squeeze a little lemon juice over the fish for more flavor.

edit

to change or correct something to improve it
I edited my email three times, and it still sounded too polite.

initiate

to begin or start something
He decided to initiate a new study routine: 10 minutes a day, no excuses.

otherwise

if not; or in a different way
Bring an umbrella, otherwise you’ll arrive looking like a wet cat.

newly

recently; not long ago
She is newly married, and her friends won’t stop asking about it.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 81 – 90

catalog

a list of items, often with details or pictures
I ordered it from the online catalog, and it looked much bigger in the photos.

solar

related to the sun
We installed solar lights, so the yard looks nice at night for free.

ideal

the best possible person or thing for a purpose
A quiet café is my ideal place to study—until someone starts a loud call.

division

a part of a large organization
She works in the marketing division, so she notices every ad.

firearm

a gun
The museum had an old firearm on display, and the sign said “Do not touch.”

clinic

a place where people go to receive medical treatment
I went to the dental clinic to get my teeth cleaned.

rural

relating to the countryside rather than the city
Living in a rural area is very peaceful, but it is hard to find a pizza place at midnight.

convinced

completely sure that something is true
I am convinced that my dog understands every word I say to him.

accurately

in a way that is correct and without any mistakes
Please measure the sugar accurately so the cake tastes perfect.

inability

the state of being unable to do something
My inability to say no to chocolate is my biggest weakness.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 91 – 100

landlord

a person who rents out a building or apartment
The landlord promised to fix the broken heater before the winter starts.

soak

to make something very wet by leaving it in liquid
You should soak the beans in water overnight before you cook them.

flash

a sudden bright light
The flash from the camera made everyone blink.

grave

very serious and important
The captain had a grave look on his face during the storm.

civilization

a large group of people living together with their own rules and culture
Ancient civilization built amazing stone buildings without modern tools.

dispute

an argument or a disagreement
The two friends had a dispute over which movie to watch.

frequent

happening often
He is a frequent visitor to the local library because he loves to read.

apology

something you say or write to show you are sorry
A sincere apology is the first step to fixing a mistake.

cry

the sound of someone weeping or showing sadness
After the sad movie, I had a good cry into my pillow.

prompt

to make someone decide to do something
A low battery warning will prompt you to charge your phone immediately.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.15 | 101 – 104

absurd

completely stupid or unreasonable
It is absurd to think that a cat can drive a car to the grocery store.

litter

small pieces of trash left on the ground in a public place
Please do not leave your litter on the beach after the picnic.

litter

a group of baby animals born to the same mother at the same time
The golden retriever just had a litter of eight healthy puppies.

sensation

a physical feeling that you get from your senses
Eating a cold popsicle gives me a freezing sensation in my mouth.

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