INDEX:
1. to read something
2. to read something quickly
3. to read only parts of something
4. to read something carefully
5. to read something long or boring
6. to read a lot about something
7. someone who reads a lot
8. the people who read a particular newspaper, book etc
9. able to read
10. not able to read
11. easy to read
12. difficult or impossible to read
13. enjoyable or interesting to read
14. not enjoyable to read
RELATED WORDS
see also
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1. to read something
▷ read /riːd/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
▪ Read the instructions carefully before you start.
▪ Have you read Jean Martin’s latest novel?
▪ Don’t believe everything you read in the newspapers.
▪ She learnt to read when she was only three years old.
read about
▪ Did you read about that terrible car crash?
read that
▪ I was astonished to read that half of all sixteen year olds have experimented with drugs.
read to somebody/read somebody something
read something aloud, so that people can listen
▪ Our mother used to read to us every evening.
▪ Read me Aunt Evelyn’s letter while I cook dinner.
reading [uncountable noun]
the skill or activity of reading :
▪ Children are taught reading and writing in their first years at school.
▪ I do a lot of reading when I’m on vacation.
reader [countable noun]
someone who reads something :
▪ The newspaper is trying to attract more young readers.
▷ read out /ˌriːd ˈaʊt/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to read something and say the words so that people can hear it :
read out something
▪ He opened the envelope and read out the name of the winner.
read something out
▪ Read the numbers out and I’ll write them down.
read something out to somebody
▪ Sarah read the letter out to me.
▷ read aloud/read out loud /ˌriːd əˈlaʊd, ˌriːd aʊt ˈlaʊd/ [verb phrase]
to read something and say the words so everyone can hear it :
read aloud/read out loud to
▪ After he went blind, she would read out loud to him from his favorite books.
read aloud/read out loud from
▪ Sam read aloud from the note pinned to his door.
read something aloud
▪ He picked up the letter and began to read it aloud.
▪ The poem is intended to be read aloud.
2. to read something quickly
▷ skim /skɪm/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to read something quickly so that you get a general idea of what it is about :
▪ I skimmed the newspaper but didn’t see any report on the demonstration.
skim through
▪ She didn’t have much time so she just skimmed through the report before the meeting.
▷ scan /skæn/ [transitive verb]
to read something quickly in order to find a particular piece of information :
▪ She scanned the menu outside the restaurant, but decided it looked too expensive.
scan something for something
▪ Robert scanned the lists for his name.
▷ have a look at British /take a look at American /ˌhæv ə ˈlʊk æt, ˌteɪk ə ˈlʊk æt/ [verb phrase]
to read something quickly to check that there are no mistakes or problems :
▪ Would you mind having a look at this report for me?
▪ I’ve had a quick look at the insurance contract and everything appears to be in order.
▪ Take a look at these figures - our profits are not looking good.
3. to read only parts of something
▷ leaf/flick/thumb through /ˈliːf, ˈflɪk, ˈθʌm θruː something/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to turn the pages of a book, magazine etc without reading much of it, looking for something interesting or useful :
▪ She flicked through the guidebook, looking for somewhere to visit in the afternoon.
▪ I began leafing through a magazine.
▪ Gloria lay on her bed and idly thumbed through the pages of a travel brochure.
▷ dip into /ˈdɪp ɪntuː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to read short parts of a book, magazine etc because you do not want to read the whole thing or because you are looking for a particular piece of information :
▪ He had some books by his bed which he would dip into when he couldn’t sleep.
▪ This is a wonderful reference book to dip into for all sorts of fascinating information.
▷ browse through /ˈbraʊz θruː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to turn the pages of a magazine or book, stopping to read parts that interest you :
▪ I was browsing through a magazine at the station bookstall when I noticed Susan.
4. to read something carefully
▷ read through/over /ˈriːd θruː, əʊvəʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to read something carefully especially in order to check every detail or find any mistakes :
read through/over something
▪ It’s important to read through your essay before you finally hand it in.
▪ My professor read over my dissertation and said that he was very impressed with it.
read something through/over
▪ I’ve finished writing the report - I’ve just got to read it through now.
▷ pore over /ˈpɔːr əʊvəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to read something for a long time, very carefully, and with great interest :
▪ He was sitting at his desk poring over old maps of the area.
▪ Ian shook his head as he pored over the report.
5. to read something long or boring
▷ plough through British /plow through American /ˈplaʊ θruː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to read all of something even though it takes a long time and is boring :
▪ I ploughed through all the documents related to the case.
▪ After plowing through so many huge textbooks it was a relief to pick up a novel again.
▷ wade through /ˈweɪd θruː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to read something that is very long and boring, or to read a lot of different pieces of writing such as letters, reports etc which together are long and boring to read :
▪ We waded through a huge pile of applications, and finally selected six people to interview.
▪ It’s much easier to find the information on the Internet, rather than wading through piles of documents.
6. to read a lot about something
▷ read up on /ˌriːd ˈʌp ɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to read a lot about something or someone in order to find out about them :
▪ I’ll need to read up on the rules of the game if I’m going to referee.
▪ Karen spent the summer reading up on the subjects she would be studying at college.
7. someone who reads a lot
▷ voracious/avid reader also great/keen reader British /vəˌreɪʃəs, ˌævə̇d ˈriːdəʳ, ˌgreɪt, ˌkiːn, ˈriːdəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who enjoys reading and reads a lot :
▪ I was an avid reader as a child.
▪ My grandchildren are great readers, so I always give them books for their birthday.
voracious/avid reader of
▪ Along with being an expert in business law, Martin is a voracious reader of detective stories.
▷ bookworm /ˈbʊkwɜːʳm/ [countable noun] informal
someone who spends a lot of time reading :
▪ I was a real bookworm when I was a child.
▪ an ideal gift for the bookworm in the family
▷ well-read /ˌwel ˈred◂/ [adjective]
someone who is well-read has read a lot of books, often the most important or famous books, and has learned a lot of information from them :
▪ Charles was a well-read and highly educated man.
well-read in
▪ Although Jack stopped his studies at 19, he was very well-read, especially in the classics.
8. the people who read a particular newspaper, book etc
▷ reader /ˈriːdəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who reads a particular newspaper, magazine, or a type of book :
▪ The magazine needs to attract more young readers.
▪ Her books appeal especially to women readers.
▪ All Ms Atwood’s readers will be delighted with her latest book.
▪ The average reader of science-fiction is young and male.
▷ readership /ˈriːdəʳʃɪp/ [singular noun]
all the people who read a particular book, magazine, or newspaper :
▪ The newspaper now has a readership of more than 500,000.
▪ These books are obviously written for a young readership.
a broad/wide readership
▪ The magazine now hopes to attract a wider readership.
▷ circulation /ˌsɜːʳkjɑˈleɪʃ ə n/ [singular noun]
the number of people who buy and read a particular newspaper or magazine :
a circulation of 500,000/1 million etc
▪ The local newspaper has a circulation of around 16,000.
a small/large circulation
▪ It is a specialist journal with a relatively small circulation.
9. able to read
▷ can read /kən ˈriːd/ [verb phrase]
▪ Tom could read by the age of four.
▪ Very few people in the rural areas can read or write.
▷ literate /ˈlɪt ə rɪt, ˈlɪt ə rət/ [adjective]
someone who is literate can read and write - use this about adults or older children :
▪ Over the last hundred years, people have become healthier, more literate, and better educated.
▪ Every student should be literate by the time he or she leaves primary school.
▷ good/competent reader /ˌgʊd, ˌkɒmpə̇tənt ˈriːdəʳǁ-ˌkɑːm-/ [countable noun]
someone, usually a child who can read well :
▪ Children are expected to be competent readers by the time they leave this class.
▪ Good readers tend to be better at spelling than other children.
▷ literacy /ˈlɪt ə rəsi/ [uncountable noun]
the fact of being able to read - use this especially to talk about how many people in a society can read and in educational contexts :
▪ Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates in the world more people can read there than anywhere else in the world) .
▪ Literacy levels amongst girls very quickly overtook those of boys.
▪ She runs a project called ‘Forward to Literary’.
▪ special classes in basic skills such as literacy and numeracy
10. not able to read
▷ cannot/can’t read /ˌkænɒt, ˌkɑːnt ˈriːdǁˌkænɑːt, ˌkænt-/ [verb phrase]
to be unable to read at all :
▪ A new report says that 25% of all 7-year-olds cannot read.
▪ Jim couldn’t read at all until he was fifteen.
▪ It was not until I had lived with her for a year that I realized she couldn’t read.
▷ illiterate /ɪˈlɪt ə rɪt, ɪˈlɪt ə rət/ [adjective]
someone who is illiterate cannot read or write - use this about adults or older children :
▪ His father was an illiterate farm worker.
▪ If 70% of the population is illiterate, how do people know who they are voting for?
▷ slow reader /ˌsləʊ ˈriːdəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone, especially a child, who can read, but not very well :
▪ At first Katy was a slow reader, but now she reads all the time.
▪ At the end of the day the teacher does half an hour’s extra work with the slow readers.
▷ illiteracy /ɪˈlɪt ə rəsi/ [uncountable noun]
the fact of being not able to read - use this especially to talk about how many people in a society cannot read :
▪ Illiteracy rates among women in many countries are a serious cause for concern.
▪ a society struggling to overcome poverty and illiteracy
▪ The government has given extra funding to help tackle illiteracy in the inner cities.
11. easy to read
▷ legible /ˈledʒɪb ə l, ˈledʒəb ə l/ [adjective]
written clearly enough for you to read :
▪ Is the date on the coin still legible?
▪ Her writing was so tiny that it was barely legible.
12. difficult or impossible to read
▷ can’t read something /ˌkɑːnt ˈriːd something ǁˌkænt-/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
use this to say that you are unable to read someone’s writing :
▪ I can’t read the next word.
▪ She couldn’t read the name on the envelope.
▷ can’t make out /ˌkɑːnt meɪk ˈaʊtǁˌkænt-/ [verb phrase] informal
use this to say that you are unable to read a particular word because it is not written clearly :
▪ I couldn’t make out the name at the bottom of the letter.
▷ illegible /ɪˈledʒɪb ə l, ɪˈledʒəb ə l/ [adjective]
writing that is illegible is impossible to read because it is not written clearly :
▪ I don’t know what this note says - Dad’s handwriting is totally illegible!
▪ The label had got wet and was now illegible.
▷ indecipherable /ˌɪndɪˈsaɪf ə rəb ə l/ [adjective]
writing that is indecipherable is impossible to read because it is very untidy, very unclear, or is in a language you do not understand :
▪ The painting had an indecipherable signature in the corner.
▪ His writing was tiny and indecipherable.
▪ I received a blurred, indecipherable fax that didn’t help at all.
▷ unreadable /ʌnˈriːdəb ə l/ [adjective]
writing that is unreadable is impossible to read because it is very untidy or unclear :
▪ The photocopy was poorly produced and almost unreadable.
▷ scrawl /skrɔːl/ [countable/uncountable noun]
something that someone has written in a very untidy way which is very difficult to read :
▪ I couldn’t read the doctor’s scrawl.
▪ I kept a diary then -- pages and pages of tiny scrawl.
13. enjoyable or interesting to read
▷ readable /ˈriːdəb ə l/ [adjective]
easy and interesting or enjoyable to read :
▪ This is a well-written and readable introduction to the subject of linguistics.
▪ Her articles are always readable and informative.
▷ well-written /ˌwel ˈrɪtn◂/ [adjective]
something that is well-written has been written in a good, clear style that makes it enjoyable or interesting to read :
▪ The article was well written, informative and enjoyable.
▪ This is a clever and well-written play.
▪ Well-written notes are as good as any textbook and easier to absorb.
▷ worth reading /ˌwɜːʳθ ˈriːdɪŋ/ [adjective phrase]
a book or piece of writing that is worth reading is good enough or interesting enough to make you want to read it :
▪ Have you seen Amis’ latest book? It’s worth reading.
be well worth reading
▪ It’s an interesting book, and well worth reading.
▷ make interesting reading /meɪk ˌɪntrə̇stɪŋ ˈriːdɪŋ/ [verb phrase]
if you say that something makes interesting reading, you mean that it is interesting to read because it contains new or surprising information :
▪ The story of their journey makes interesting reading.
▪ The latest report on educational standards in our schools makes very interesting reading.
▷ be a good read /biː ə ˌgʊd ˈriːd/ [verb phrase] informal
if a book is a good read, it is enjoyable - use this when giving your opinion about a novel etc :
▪ Her latest book is clever, funny, and well-written - a very good read.
▷ page-turner /ˈpeɪdʒ ˌtɜːʳnəʳ/ [countable noun] spoken
a book that has an interesting or exciting story that makes you want to continue reading it to find out what happens next :
▪ Stephen King’s latest novel is, as usual, a real page-turner.
▷ unputdownable /ˌʌnpʊtˈdaʊnəb ə l/ [adjective] informal
use this to talk about a book that is so interesting and exciting that you do not want to stop reading it until you get to the end :
▪ ‘Unputdownable’, raved the literary critic Helen Jewson, ‘I read it at one sitting’.
▪ This book might be an unputdownable expose of London’s underworld, but its moral message is highly dubious.
14. not enjoyable to read
▷ unreadable /ʌnˈriːdəb ə l/ [adjective]
something that is unreadable is not enjoyable to read because it is not written in an interesting way :
▪ The text was dense and unreadable.
▪ The inclusion of so many figures and statistics makes the article virtually unreadable.
▷ badly written /ˌbædli ˈrɪtn◂/ [adjective]
if something is badly written it is not enjoyable to read because the style of the writing is not good :
▪ The book was so badly written that I didn’t get further than the first chapter.
▪ The report was inaccurate and badly written.