(formal) believe in and follow or obey sth (e.g., a rule, agreement or set of beliefs)

make fun of (sometimes humorously, other times cruelly), laugh at

sth required before sth else can happen or be done

building where voting takes place during an election

(also ballot) piece of paper used to record sb's vote in an election

compartment with one open side where one voter at a time goes to mark their ballot paper; same as voting booth in American English

sealed box into which voters put their completed ballot papers

loan from a building society or bank which is used by the lender to buy a house or flat

figure out the meaning of sth which is difficult to understand

appear

(also artefact) tool or object made by a person

give, deliver sth to sb

disappoint, fail to keep a promise or meet sb's expectations

required, mandatory, that must be done

set out (on), begin (e.g., a journey, a new career)

exciting, breath-taking, that impresses or surprises sb greatly

walk slowly in a relaxed manner

extremely impressive and/or surprising; also, surprisingly beautiful in a way that stuns (i.e,. surprises)

small printed piece of paper which entitles the holder to a discount or which may be exchanged for goods or services

member of a primitive society which lives by hunting animals, fishing and gathering food from the wild

start to live in a place where no one has ever lived permanently before; adopt a more permanent lifestyle

belonging naturally to a place

(formal) die, be destroyed

be certain to experience or suffer sth unpleasant

(used passively in text) establish, set up (e.g., an organisation, institution, building)

disappear suddenly, without a trace

leave, make empty

become less in quality or number

become or make sth become fewer or lesser

get/obtain sth from (sth/doing sth); also, come from, originate from

begin, come from

set up, begin

(literal) cause sth solid to mix with a liquid and disappear; also, (figurative) fade away, vanish, disappear

fall into a corrupt, immoral state

area of land controlled by a particular government, ruler or military leader

the power or right to give orders, make decisions and enforce rules

of or related to the Middle Ages (c. 1100-1500 A.D.)

the act of cruelly and forcefully exercising control over a large group of people

the act of causing extreme physical pain to punish or force sb to give up information

poor person who works on the land

member of the highest order of society, aristocrat, sb with high social or political standing and a hereditary title

move freely from one place to another

of or related to an empire or its ruler

set of laws governing a country, state or organisation

governing body made up of officials who decide the laws and policy of a country

defeat an enemy, win a victory over sth

area settled by and/or brought under the political control of a more powerful country or area

person who has inherited or will inherit sth after sb dies

small broken-off piece of sth

(in ancient times) a handwritten document; (in modern times) a document that has been typed as opposed to sth that is already printed (e.g., in book or newspaper form)

find or discover in the ground as a result of digging

hollow container designed to hold liquid (e.g., a cup or a bowl)

examine carefully in order to find sth important or to separate important from unimportant elements

take on, set out to try to do (sth difficult)

place where people live, usually where few or no people have ever lived before

determine exactly where sth is

sth which has survived from an older period of history

objects made out of baked clay

an observation which shows deep or clear understanding of sth; also, (U) deep or clear understanding of sth

the act of moving to a new country to take up permanent residence

part or characteristic feature

put sth (e.g., a principle, idea or right) in a place or form that ensures it will be protected and respected

a written statement granting certain political rights and privileges; similar to constitution

origin, descent; the people or race from which sb descends (i.e., one's ancestors)

(usually singular) customs, art and culture which have been passed on from earlier generations

in spite of this, however

varied, composed of different kinds of things/ people

leave or get off sth (e.g., a plane, ship or other vehicle)

search for and try to find or get sth/sb

negative feeling or opinion one has about sb/sth before knowing all the facts

narrow-mindedness, unwillingness to accept ideas, opinions or behaviour different from one's own

unjust treatment of one or more categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of age, race or gender

plant with a tall, slim stalk and leaves which commonly grows in water or marshy areas

large solid piece of hard material (e.g., stone, ice or wood), typically cut or formed so it has a flat surface on each side

words that have been cut in stone, stamped in metal or handwritten in a book

related to commerce (i.e., the practice of buying and selling goods)

an act of business (e.g., buying or selling sth)

change into a coded form

handwriting (as opposed to letters or writing generated by a typewriter or computer)

person who used to copy documents and manuscripts before the days of printing presses

thin material made from the skin of an animal and typically used as a writing surface before the invention of paper

the woolly coat of a sheep

piece of old cloth, especially one torn or cut from a large piece and typically used for cleaning

crush or smash sth into a soft, smooth mass

the act of making or manufacturing sth from a combination of parts or materials

(also ballpoint pen) kind of pen that uses a tiny ball at its tip to transfer ink from the pen to a piece of paper

a long feather

promising, favourable, showing signs of success in the future

existing in a place from earliest times

(often plural) a leader or senior member of a tribe or other group

decorated with fine needlework or sewing

noisy, black-and-white bird

find or describe the origin or development of something

large and grand house of historic interest

family member of a past generation; sb from whom a person is descended

be forced or required to do sth (e.g., by law, agreement or moral pressure)

the distant past, especially of Greece, Rome and Egypt; also, (C) an object that dates from ancient times

serve as evidence or proof of; also, give evidence in a court of law

the central principle or element of sth on which everything else depends, the foundation or basis of sth

a particular government or system of government