Set 40 · Study 1 / 5

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import

verb/ɪmˈpɔrt/

definition

bring in from abroad for selling purposes

example

The police found eleven boxes inside the van containing 454 furs worth nearly $2 million, which were imported illegally.

synonyms
NONE
word origin — late Middle English (in the sense ‘signify’): from Latin importare ‘bring in’ (in medieval Latin ‘imply, mean, be of consequence’), from in- ‘in’ + portare ‘carry’

Upper-Intermediate — Set 40

Set 40 of Upper-Intermediate covers 5 words: import, export, employ, donate, fund. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. import · verb/ɪmˈpɔrt/

    bring in from abroad for selling purposes

    The police found eleven boxes inside the van containing 454 furs worth nearly $2 million, which were imported illegally.

    Synonyms: NONE

    Origin: late Middle English (in the sense ‘signify’): from Latin importare ‘bring in’ (in medieval Latin ‘imply, mean, be of consequence’), from in- ‘in’ + portare ‘carry’

  2. export · verb/ˈɛkˌspɔrt/

    sell or transfer abroad

    In 2007, 80 % of goods which were exported from the EU to Africa were manufactured goods, which fell to 72 % in 2017.

    Synonyms: transport, ship

    Origin: late 15th century (in the sense ‘take away’): from Latin exportare, from ex- ‘out’ + portare ‘carry’. Current senses date from the 17th century

  3. employ · verb/ɪmˈplɔɪ/

    hire someone for work

    It is estimated that about 70 percent of Uganda's working population aged between 17-28 is employed in agriculture.

    Synonyms: hire

    Origin: late Middle English (formerly also as imploy): from Old French employer, based on Latin implicari ‘be involved in or attached to’, passive form of implicare (see imply). In the 16th and 17th century the word also had the senses ‘enfold, entangle’ and ‘imply’, derived directly from Latin; compare with implicate

  4. donate · verb/ˈdoʊˌneɪt/

    give to a charity or good cause)

    We aim to be one of the nation's leading pediatric hospitals, for which we need our businessmen to donate to our hospital even in little amounts.

    Synonyms: give away, devote, bestow

    Origin: late 18th century: back-formation from donation

  5. fund · verb/fənd/

    provide money for an organization or activity

    Businesses, organizations or individuals fund a project with small donations from many people, which is called crowdfunding.

    Synonyms: finance, subsidize

    Origin: early 17th century (in sense ‘source or supply of material things’): from Latin fundus ‘bottom, base, landed estate’