A dictionary built for teachers, not tourists. — English dictionary for teachers with CEFR-tagged vocabulary, collocations, and levelled example sentences

Two definitions per word. CEFR-tagged. Collocations and levelled examples — ready to teach.

CEFR levels derived from the Oxford Learner’s 3000/5000

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Today’s lesson starters

Ephemeral

/ɪˈfem(ə)rəl/

B2 • adjective

Learner

Lasting for a very short time.

Nuanced

Describes something inherently brief — short by its own nature, not merely by circumstance.

Example B2

“The ephemeral nature of fashion trends.”

B2 • idiom • informal

Meaning

Accept an unpleasant but unavoidable situation with resolve.

Origin

From 19th-century battlefield surgery — patients bit a bullet to endure pain without anaesthesia.

Example B2

“We’ll have to bite the bullet and cut the project budget.”

B1 • phrasal verb • inseparable

Learner

Tolerate something unpleasant.

Nuanced

Endure an undesirable situation over time without complaint — implies ongoing, not one-off, forbearance.

Pitfall Common learner error: 'put up something' — the preposition with is required.

Teaching tip Contrast with stand (more emphatic) or tolerate (more formal). Use when the objection is ongoing, not a one-off.

Example B1

“I can’t put up with this noise any longer.”