DAILY UPDATED VOCABULARY WITH PICTURES

• tusk [countable]
• one of a pair of very long pointed teeth, that stick out of the mouth of animals such as elephants

• praying mantis also mantis [countable]
• a large insect that eats other insects

• monitor [countable]
• 1

  screen

   a television or part of a computer with a screen, on which you can see pictures or information
• television/TV/computer monitor
• She was staring at her computer monitor.
• on a monitor
• We could watch what was happening on the TV monitor.
• 2

  piece of equipment for measuring

   a piece of equipment that measures and shows the level, speed, temperature etc of something:
• a heart monitor
• The noise monitor recorded 98 decibels.
• 3

  somebody who watches an activity

   someone whose job is to watch an activity or a situation to see how it changes or develops, or to make sure that it is fair and legal:
• UN monitors will remain in the country to supervise the elections.
• peace/human rights etc monitors
• The UN is sending peace monitors to the area.
• 4

  child

   a child who has been chosen to help a teacher in some way in class
• 5

  somebody who listens to radio

   someone whose job is to listen to news or messages on a radio and report on them

• back [countable]
• 1

  part of your body

• a) the part of the body between the neck and legs, on the opposite side to the stomach and chest:
• The cat arched its back and hissed.
• My feet were sore and my back was aching.
• Keep your head up and your back straight.
• To avoid back problems, always bend your knees when you lift heavy objects.
• He lay on his back and gazed at the ceiling.
• Johnny was lying flat on his back in the middle of the floor.
• Anna stood with her back to the window.
• on somebody's back (=carried on someone's back)
• The girl appeared again, now with a little baby on her back.
• b) the bones between your neck and the top of your legs [= spine]:
• He broke his back in a motorbike accident.
• 
• 2

  not at front

  [usually singular] the part of something that is furthest from the front [≠ front]:
• a T-shirt with a picture of a snake on the back
• back of
• He kissed her on the back of her head.
• Her window faced the backs of the houses.
• in the back (of something) (=used especially about the back of a vehicle)
• Two men were sitting in the back of the car.
• at the back (of something)
• a small shop with an office at the back
• in back (of something) American English (=in or at the back of something)
• Kids should always wear seatbelts even in back.
• out back American English (=behind a house or other building)
• Tom's working on the car out back.
• round/out the back British English (=behind a house or building)
• Have you looked round the back?
• 3

  less important side

  [usually singular] the less important side or surface of something such as a piece of paper or card [≠ front]:
• Paul scribbled his address on the back of an envelope.
• The credits are listed on the back of the album.
• 4

  part of seat

   the part of a seat that you lean against when you are sitting
• back of
• He rested his arm on the back of the sofa.
• 5

  book/newspaper

  [usually singular] the last pages of a book or newspaper[≠ front]
• at the back (of)
• The sports pages are usually at the back.
• in the back (of)
• The answers are in the back of the book.
• 6

  at/in the back of your mind

   a thought that is at the back of your mind is one you try to ignore because you do not want it to be true:
• At the back of her mind was the thought that he might be with someone else.
• put/push something to the back of your mind
• He tried to push these uncomfortable thoughts to the back of his mind.
• 7

  back to back

• a) with the backs towards each other:
• Stand back to back and we'll see who's tallest.
• b) happening immediately one after the other:
• a couple of back to back wins for the team
• ➔ back-to-back1
• 8

  back to front

  British English
• a) in an incorrect position so that what should be at the back is at the front:
• You've got your sweater on back to front.
• b) doing something the wrong way round and starting with the part that should be at the end:
• He got the commands back to front and the program didn't work.
• 9

  behind somebody's back

   if you do something behind someone's back, you do it without them knowing:
• I don't like the idea of the two of them talking about me behind my back.
• I should have realized that he'd go behind my back (=do something without telling me).
• 10

  when/while somebody's back is turned

   if something happens when your back is turned, it happens when you are not able to see or know what someone is doing:
• What are your kids are up to when your back is turned?
• 11

  get/put somebody's back up

  British English informal to annoy someone:
• Simone was the kind of person who was always putting people's backs up.
• 12

  get (somebody) off somebody's back

  spoken to stop annoying someone with a lot of questions, criticisms etc or to make someone stop annoying you in this way:
• Maybe the only way to get him off my back is to tell him the truth.
• Do me a favour and get off my back!
• 13

  be on somebody's back

  spoken to be trying to make someone do something they do not want to do:
• Why are you and Dad always on my back?
• 14

  on the back of something

   as a result of something that already exists or something you have already done:
• The company should be able to generate business on the back of existing contracts.
• 15

  on the backs of somebody

   using the work of a particular group to achieve something that they will not get any advantage from:
• Economic prosperity was won on the backs of the urban poor.
• 16

  sports

   a defending player in a sports team [= defender]
• 17

  the back of beyond

  informal a place that is a long way from other places and is difficult to get to:
• It's a nice little cottage but it really is in the back of beyond.
• 18

  be (flat) on your back

• a) to be lying on your back - used to emphasize that someone seems unlikely to get up soon:
• He was drunk and flat on his back on the street.
• b) to be so ill that you cannot get out of bed:
• Their best player was flat on his back in hospital.
• c) if a business, country, economy etc is on its back, it is not successful:
• The UK market was flat on its back.
• 19

  put your back into it

  informal to work extremely hard at something:
• If we really put our backs into it, we could finish today.
• 20

  be glad/delighted/pleased etc to see the back of somebody/something

   to be happy that someone is leaving or because you no longer have to deal with something:
• No, I'm not too upset that he left - in fact, I was glad to see the back of him.
• I can't wait to see the back of this project, I can tell you (=I will be happy when it ends).
• 21

  have your back to/against the wall

  informal to be in a difficult situation with no choice about what to do
• 22

  at your back

• a) behind you:
• They had the wind at their backs as they set off.
• b) supporting you:
• Caesar marched into Rome with an army at his back.
• 23

  on your back

  informal not polite if someone achieves something on their back, they achieve it by having sex with someone
• 24

  high-backed/straight-backed/low-backed etc

   with a high, straight, low etc back:
• a high-backed chair

• ➔ know something like the back of your hand

  at know1 (3)

  ; ➔ turn your back on somebody/something

  at turn1 (7)

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.