C116 words · Advanced

Housework & Repairs vocabulary — C1

Housework & Repairs vocabulary for looking after a whole building, including pristine, subsidence, renovate and refurbish — words for preventive upkeep rather than tidying one room.

16 questions

Words in this set

grubby
/ˈɡrʌbi/
Slightly dirty from being handled or worn for too long.
Example: Your collar's looking a bit grubby — put it in the wash.
wring
/rɪŋ/
To twist a wet cloth tightly so that the water is forced out of it.
Example: Always wring the mop out before you start.
pristine
/ˈprɪstin/
Completely clean, as if brand new.
Example: He kept his car in pristine condition.
sterile
/ˈstɛrəl/
Completely free of germs or bacteria.
Example: Hospitals must keep every surface sterile.
disarray
/ˌdɪsərˈeɪ/
A messy, disorganised state.
Example: The living room was left in complete disarray after the party.
unkempt
/ənˈkɛmpt/
Untidy in appearance, not cared for.
Example: The unkempt garden hadn't been touched in months.
squalor
/ˈskwɑlər/
A dirty and unpleasant state caused by poverty or neglect.
Example: The flat had fallen into complete squalor.
hygienic
Clean and unlikely to cause illness.
Example: Keep the chopping board hygienic by washing it after every use.
makeshift
/ˈmeɪkˌʃɪft/
Made quickly from whatever is at hand, to use until something better is available.
Example: He rigged up a makeshift shelf from two crates and a plank.
overgrown
/ˌoʊvərˈɡroʊn/
Covered with plants that have grown wild because nobody has cut them back.
Example: The back garden is completely overgrown after this wet summer.
grout
/ɡraʊt/
The paste that fills the narrow gaps between tiles.
Example: The grout between the bathroom tiles has gone black.
refurbish
/riˈfɜrbɪʃ/
To clean, decorate and repair something old to make it look new again.
Example: The old cinema was refurbished last year.
renovate
/ˈrɛnəˌveɪt/
To repair and improve an old building so that it is in good condition again.
Example: They spent a year renovating the farmhouse.
structural
/ˈstrʌktʃərəl/
Relating to the frame or supporting parts of a building.
Example: The survey found a structural problem with the roof.
subsidence
/səbˈsaɪdəns/
The gradual sinking of the ground, which can damage a building's foundations.
Example: Cracks in the wall were a sign of subsidence.
revamp
/riˈvæmp/
To improve the look or condition of something, often with major changes.
Example: They revamped the whole kitchen last summer.