Vocabulary notes

sparse adj apart from each other, e.g. his sparse yellow teeth; Ant. close-set

even adj similar in size and arranged in a level line with equal spaces between, e.g. She smiled, showing her small even teeth. Ant. uneven

false adj made to look like something real, e.g. false teeth/false hair/false eyelashes

FEATURES

small/large

regular/irregular

delicate/rough

stern

Vocabulary notes

feature n [C usually plural] a part of somebody’s face, such as their eyes, nose etc , e.g. Her eyes were her best feature.

large features are big in size; Ant. small features

regular adj evenly shaped, with parts or sides of equal size, e.g. He is very handsome, with strong regular features. Ant. irregular

delicate adj attractive and graceful, e.g. She had fine delicate features. Ant. rough

stern adj serious and strict, and showing strong disapproval of somebody’s behaviour, e.g. stern features/ a stern look/a stern voice/ a stern expression

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

a beard

a moustache

sideburns/whiskers

clean-shaven/unshaven

a scar

a birthmark

a mole/ a beauty-spot

a tattoo

with freckles/ with spots

with wrinkles/ with lines

with dimples in one’s cheeks

well made-up /heavily made-up

to wear/use/ put on make-up

Vocabulary notes

beard n[C] hair that grows around a man’s chin and cheeks, e.g. his thick white beard

moustache n[C] hair that grows on a man’s upper lip, e.g. a tall man with a moustache/ He frowned and twirled his moustaches.

sideburns n [plural] hair that grows down a man’s cheeks; Syn. whiskers

clean-shaven adj with no hair on the lower part of the face, e.g. He used to have a moustache and beard, but now he is clean-shaven. Ant. unshaven

scar n[C] a permanent mark that is left on your skin after you have had a cut or wound, e.g. He has long hair and a scar under his left eye.

birthmark n [C] a permanent red or brown mark on the skin that some people are born with, e.g. Paul had a birthmark on his right cheek.

mole n [C] a small dark brown mark on the skin that is slightly higher than the skin around it; Compare: beauty spot n[C] a small dark mark on a woman’s face ( used when you think it is attractive)

tattoo n [C] a picture or writing that is permanently marked on your skin, e.g. He has a tattoo of a snake on his left arm.

freckle n [C usually plural] freckles are small light brown spots on someone’s skin, especially on their face, which the sun can cause to increase in number and become darker, e.g. The girl had a lot of freckles on her nose and cheeks.

dimple n [C] a small hollow in someone’s cheek or chin that you can see when they smile, e.g. She’got lovely dimples in her cheeks.

spot n[C] a small round red area on someone’s skin that shows that they are ill, e.g. Betty was very self-conscious about her spots. Syn. pimple , e.g. He knew that eating sweets causes pimples.

wrinkles n [C usually plural] lines on your face and skin that you get when you are old, e.g. Her face was a mass of wrinkles. Syn. lines, e.g. There were fine lines around her eyes.

make-up n[U] coloured substances that are put on your face to improve or change your appearance, e.g. heavy make-up/ eye make-up/ stage make-up/I don’t usually wear much make-up. Her hair looked untidy and she had no make-up on. She never uses eye make-up. If you have put on too much make-up you are heavily made-up. Ant. well made-up

EXERCISES