Short words save space, and so they are very common in newspaper headlines. some of short words in headlines are unusual in ordinary language, and some are used in special sense.
The following is a list of common headline vocabulary.
act :
take action; do something
aid :
military or financial help
allege :
make an accusation
appear :
appear in court accused of a crime
axe :
abolish, close down; abolition , closure
bar :
refuse/refusal to allow entry
bid:
attempt
blast :
explosion; criticize violently
blaze :
fire
blow :
bad news; discouragement ;unfortunate happening
bolster :
give support/encouragement to
bond :
political/business association
boom :
big increase; prosperous period
brink :
edge(of disaster)
call :
demand appeal (for)
charge :
accusation ( by police)
chop :
abolition, closure
clamp down on :
deal firmly with (usually something illegal)
clear :
find innocent
crackdown :
firm application of law
crash :
financial failure
curb :
restrict; restriction
cutback:
usually financial
dash :
quick journey
dole :
unemployment pay
drive :
united effort
drop :
give up; get rid of; fall
due :
expected to arrive
edge :
move gradually
face :
be threatened by
feud :
long lasting quarrel; dispute
firm :
determined not to change
flak :
heavy criticism
flare :
being violently
foil :
prevent somebody from succeeding
freeze :
keeping price at their present level
gag:
censor(ship), prevent(ion) from speaking
go :
resign; be lost, disappear
go for :
be sold for
grab :
take violently
hail :
welcome, praise
haul :
amount stolen in robbery, or seized by police or customs
hit :
affect badly
hit out at :
attack( with words)
hitch :
problem that cause delay
hold :
arrest; keep under arrest
in (the) red :
in dept; making financial loss
landslide :
victory by large majority in election
lash :
criticize violently
leak :
unofficial publication of secret information
leap :
big increase
nail :
force somebody to admit the truth
net :
win , capture
odds :
chance, probability
opt :
choose
oust :
drive out, replace
over:
about, on the subject of
pact :
agreement
peak :
high point
peril :
danger
pit :
coal mine
plea :
call for help
pledge :
promise
push(for):
ask for, encourage
rampage :
ri0t
rap :
criticize
riddle :
mystery
rift :
division, disagreement
rock :
shock, shake
row :
noisy disagreement, quarrel
rule out :
reject the possibility of
saga :
long running news story
scare :
alarming rumour
set to :
ready to, about to
shed :
get rid of
slam :
criticize violently
slate :
criticize
slay :
murder
soar :
rise dramatically
spark :
cause to start
spree :
wild spending expedition
storm :
angry public disagreement
stun :
surprise, shock
surge :
sudden increase
toll :
number killed
urge :
encourage
vow:
promise