attorney, breed, grease, motive, pearl: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from IELTS Vocabulary set 75. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. attorney · noun/əˈtɜr.ni/

   a person appointed to act for another in legal matters

   After the accident, she hired an experienced attorney to represent her in the personal injury case.

   Synonyms: lawyer, advocate, counsel

   Origin: Middle English 'atturne', from Old French 'atourner', meaning 'to turn to, to assign, to appoint'.

2. breed · noun/brid/

   a group of animals or plants within a species having a common ancestor and certain distinguishing characteristics

   The Labrador Retriever is a popular breed known for its friendly and outgoing nature.

   Synonyms: strain, variety, type

   Origin: from Old English 'bredan', meaning 'to breed or to produce'.

3. grease · noun/ɡris/

   a thick oily substance used for lubrication or cooking

   The mechanic applied a generous amount of grease to the engine parts to ensure smooth operation.

   Synonyms: fat, oil, lard

   Origin: Middle English 'gresse', from Old French 'grese', from Latin 'grassa', meaning fat or grease.

4. motive · noun/ˈmoʊtɪv/

   a reason for doing something

   The detective wondered if there was a hidden motive behind the suspect's actions.

   Synonyms: reason, purpose, intention

   Origin: from Latin 'motivus' meaning 'causing motion', from 'movere' meaning 'to move'

5. pearl · noun/pɜrl/

   a hard spherical gem formed within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk

   She wore a stunning necklace adorned with a single pearl that shimmered beautifully under the light.

   Synonyms: gem, jewel, orb

   Origin: Middle English perle, from Old French perle, from Latin perla