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accomplish

verb/əˈkɑmplɪʃ/

to complete something successfully

Due to the meetings that should be held this week, the workers could not accomplish much in what they have to do.

achieveattainrealize
word origin — late Middle English: from Old French acompliss-, lengthened stem of acomplir, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + complere ‘to complete’

accomplish, confess, desire, hesitate, expose: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Upper-Intermediate set 72. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

  1. accomplish · verb/əˈkɑmplɪʃ/

    to complete something successfully

    Due to the meetings that should be held this week, the workers could not accomplish much in what they have to do.

    Synonyms: achieve, attain, realize

    Origin: late Middle English: from Old French acompliss-, lengthened stem of acomplir, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + complere ‘to complete’

  2. confess · verb/kənˈfɛs/

    to state that you have committed a crime or done something wrong

    Being a fugitive for years, he finally found the courage to confess to being a spy for CIA.

    Synonyms: admit, confirm

    Origin: late Middle English: from Old French confesser, from Latin confessus, past participle of confiteri ‘acknowledge’, from con- (expressing intensive force) + fateri ‘declare, avow’

  3. desire · verb/dəˈzaɪ(ə)r/

    to want something so much

    The new house that they have purchased have everything you could possibly desire like a swimming pool, a big kitchen and a terrace.

    Synonyms: want, long for, fancy

    Origin: Middle English: from Old French desir (noun), desirer (verb), from Latin desiderare (see desiderate)

  4. hesitate · verb/ˈhɛzəˌteɪt/

    to pause before doing or saying something because you are uncertain

    As a responsible citizen, you should not hesitate but call the police when you see strangers in your neighbour's garden.

    Synonyms: pause, ponder, wait

    Origin: early 17th century: from Latin haesitat- ‘stuck fast, left undecided’, from the verb haesitare, from haerere ‘stick, stay’

  5. expose · verb/ɪkˈspoʊz/

    to leave someone or something unprotected from danger or harm

    Parents should be extra careful not to expose their babies to the sun during summer as babies' skin is the most vulnerable in their early years.

    Synonyms: reveal, disclose, display

    Origin: late Middle English: from Old French exposer, from Latin exponere (see expound), but influenced by Latin expositus ‘put or set out’ and Old French poser ‘to place’