Intermediate — Set 60

Set 60 of Intermediate covers 5 words: browse, invent, interact, inform, adapt. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. browse · verb/braʊz/

   to read something without a particular purpose or look for information on the Internet.

   I spent a lot of time in the library browsing through books related to my literature homework.

   Synonyms: look through, look around, explore

   Origin: late Middle English (in browse (sense 2 of the verb)): from Old French broster, from brost ‘young shoot’, probably of Germanic origin

2. invent · verb/ɪnˈvɛnt/

   to create something that hasn't existed before.

   It seems that we need to invent a new method to make the company run smoothly.

   Synonyms: create, devise

   Origin: late 15th century (in the sense ‘find out, discover’): from Latin invent- ‘contrived, discovered’, from the verb invenire, from in- ‘into’ + venire ‘come’

3. interact · verb/ˌɪn(t)ərˈæk(t)/

   to communicate with people or things.

   Parents feel that in large classrooms their children cannot interact with their teacher effectively.

   Synonyms: connect, communicate, liaise

4. inform · verb/ɪnˈfɔrm/

   to tell someone facts or news about something

   Customers informed the company as soon as they noticed problems with the new product.

   Synonyms: notify, tell

   Origin: Middle English enforme, informe ‘give form or shape to’, also ‘form the mind of, teach’, from Old French enfourmer, from Latin informare ‘shape, fashion, describe’, from in- ‘into’ + forma ‘a form’

5. adapt · verb/əˈdæpt/

   to change something or yourself to suit new conditions

   With the new regulations in education, teachers worked hard to adapt materials for the new objectives.

   Synonyms: modify, adjust, change

   Origin: mid 16th century: from French adapter, from Latin adaptare, from ad- ‘to’ + aptare (from aptus ‘fit’)