Voice of America Broadcast Dictionary - O
This Special English Dictionary contains about 1,500 words and makes an excellent vocabulary goal for intermediate level learners.
N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Parts of Speech Key
n. (noun) - a name word
v. (verb) - an action word
ad. (adjective/adverb) - a describing word
prep. (preposition) - a word used to show a relation
pro. (pronoun) - a word used in place of a noun
conj. (conjunction) - a joining word
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obey - 
v. to act as one is ordered to act
object - v. to show that one does not like or approve; to protest; n. something not alive that can be seen or touched
observe - v. to watch; to look at carefully; to celebrate or honor something ("They
will observe the anniversary of the day she was born.")
occupy - v. to take and hold or to control by force
ocean - n. the area of salt water that covers almost seventy-five percent of the earth's surface; any of the five main divisions of this water
of - prep. made from; belonging to; about; connected to; included among
off - ad. away; at a distance; condition when something is no longer operating or continuing; not on; not connected
offensive - n. a military campaign of attack; ad. having to do with attacking
offer - v. to present or propose; n. the act of presenting or proposing; that which is presented or proposed
office - n. a room or building where business or work is done; a public position to which one is elected or appointed
officer - n. a person in the military who commands others; any person who is a member of a police force
official - n. a person with power in an organization; a representative of an organization or government; ad. of or about an office; approved by the government or someone in power
often - ad. many times
oil - n. a thick liquid that does not mix with water and that burns easily; a black liquid taken from the ground and used as fuel
old - ad. not young or new; having lived or existed for many years
on - prep. above and held up by; touching the upper surface of ("The book is on the table."); supported by ("He is on his feet."); about ("The report on the meeting is ready."); at the time of ("He left on Wednesday.")
once - ad. one time only
only - ad. being the single one or ones; no more than ("We have only two dollars.")
open - v. to start ("They opened talks."); ad. not closed; not secret
operate - v. to do work or a job; to cut into the body for medical reasons
opinion - n. a belief based on one's own ideas and thinking
oppose - v. to be against; to fight against
opposite - ad. different as possible; completely different from; exactly the other way ("North is the opposite direction from south.")
oppress - v. to make others suffer; to control by the use of unjust and cruel force or power
or - conj. giving another of two choices; giving the last of several choices
orbit - v. to travel in space around a planet or other object; n. the path or way an object travels in space around another object or planet
order - v. to give a command; to tell someone what to do; n. a command; the correct or normal way things are organized; a peaceful situation in which people obey laws
organize - v. to put in order; to put together into a system
other - ad. different; of another kind; the remaining one or ones of two or more ">("That man is short; the other is tall.")
our - ad. of or belonging to us
oust - v. to force to leave; to remove by force
out - ad. away from the inside; opposite of in
over - conj. above; covering; across, in or on every part of ("all over the world")
overthrow - v. to remove from power; to defeat or end by force
owe - v. to pay or have to repay (usually money) in return for something received
own - v. to have or possess for oneself
This dictionary was created by the VOA (Voice of English) Special English and Voice of America. It makes an excellent starting vocabulary selection for intermediate level learners. This dictionary is used as the basis on which listening selections vocabulary is chosen and can help you understand VOA broadcasts which can be found at the Voice of America Special English site.
